Discourses Reader Thou hast here that which the Author thinkes was never seene before All Divinity in Soliloquie or at least the most Materialls of all And sure thy Appetite is not good to Heaven if none of the Meat relish thee and thy Stomack ill if Godlinesse digest worse with thee Provision is here made thee of Meales for Seven Dayes sufficient to keep thy Soul in Health if Spirituall life be in thee and Gods Blessing begged of thee without which Preaching Hearing Writing Reading all is but Breath and Labour lost and doth not solidly nourish but vanish into aire and emptinesse The Author would have thy Soul Fed not Cloid and therefore breakes into parts his longer Soliloquies to prevent such Surfeits Dâ—votions please God better by being quick then long and so by Man should be measured more by their Spirit then Length Barre Idlenesse then and he leaves thee who knowest thy strength best to thy owne measure And when thou dost Feed and ruminate on these Holy Repasts He prayes Gods Blessing on the Meat and thy Soul Much Heavenly good may it doe thee Sunday-Soliloquie The Nobility of Piety OR A Soliloquie Discovering to the Soul How much Sin sets Her below and besides Her self and gives Ten deadly Wounds to her Life and Honour O My Soule Thou art Spirit a Heb. 12. 23. thy Body is Flesh Wilt thou then make Flesh of thy Spirit Feeding on corrupt lusts turnes it into the basest Flesh b Rom. 7. 5 Rom. 8. 6. That of the Body is Naturall and good but this of the Soul unnaturall and ill c Rom. 8. 7. O! Doe not make thy selfe a Monster whom God hath made his most Goodly creature d Gen. 1. 26. Psal 8. 5 He that did so Dignifie thee in thy Begining did it to Glorifie thee in the End But Carnality makes thee fall off from thy Dignity and short of thy Glory e Psal 49. 12. With it God will not owne thee for his f Jer. 2. 21. and then tremble to think who will take thee O! Doe not commit so grosse on Apostacy Maintaine Primitive Spirit in thee if thou hast sense of honour or welfare If it be lost by lust let Grace make a Recovery g Eph. 4. 15 O My Soule The Immortall piece of Man h Mat. 22. 32. why is the Mortall i Gen. 4. 19 part preferred before thee The Body will die thou canst not k Eccles 12 7 Canst thou not die and carest not how to live Hath that which will die must die all thy care What a folly is this to preferre a Lease to a Perpetuity a Moment to Eternitie The Satisfactions of a Body to the Salvation of a Soule Nay by Seeking for it an unreasonable Welfare to bring on both an Eternall ruine For so the Immortall is made damnably Mortall l Ezek. 18. 4 and dies to blisse and the Mortall Miserably m Isa 66. 24. Immortall ever living in woe Be wiser and better O my Soule to thee and it Doe thou so waite on God and let it so wait on thee in his Service that when thou shalt be rewarded it may share with thee in his Salvation By thee let it be made Immortall in Glory n Job 6. 29. Be not thou by it Immortall in Misery For thy own sake suffer not this For thy o Mark 9. 48. Bodies sake do that If thou dost love it indeed Promote it to Heaven to raise it from a Grave to a Throne is a friendly Promotion But doe not kill thy selfe for love of it O what a Murder is this O what a Murderer art thou p Pro. 6. 32 8. 38. My Soul if thou beest Murdered of eternall Life the Body is both q Rom. 13. 14. Gal. 5. 21. Quarrel and Sword but thy selfe wretched Spirit thy selfe art the Murderer r Hos 13. 9 O do not commit so Horrid an Homicide look to thy Body as thy Life and fight against Sensuality as for Eternity 3. O my Soul The Noble part of Humane nature Remember thy Nobility To love Earth and Earthly things is infinitely below thee Thy Mind and Will thy Armes are made to imbrace the Soveraign Truth and Goodnesse of Heaven Set thy Foot O my Soul Set thy Foot upon Earth s Psal 8. Thy Foot yea let thy Servant and Subject the Body set Foot on it It doth by Nature set it Foot to teach thee not to set thy Heart upon it t Psal 62. 10. O my Soul if thou dost thou art not a Sinner more against Grace than very Nature and art not lesse a Prodigie to Earth than Heaven O thou Noble of the Almighties Making be not so base a Creature of the Devills u Joh. 8. 44 as by him to be made at once a Miscreant and the Abomination of the World 4. O my Soul Gods Image is in thee What then doth the Similitude of Beast upon thee Why doth not Reason but Sense governe thee v Psal 49. 12. Why doth not Rationall will but Brutish Appetite rule thee This is to out-doe the Devill in thy undoing He took Shape of a Serpent for an ill turn and time and thou appearest and continuest in thy bestiall Shape Nay not the Figure of Beast but the very Forme is in thee Vnreasonable Creature that thou art worse then the Brute that hath no Vnderstanding because with Reason and against it My Soul Heaven hath in it neither Beastly Bodies nor Soules w Apoc. 21 27. And therefore Act like Man Appear like God if thou wouldst be there If then x Ephes 4. 24. Deform'd by Wicked Spirit be Transform'd y Ro. 12. 2. by Holy one Child of God Maintaine thy Fathers likenesse that thou maist inherit his happinesse Acts of Lust and Brutishnesse z 1 Joh. 2. 16 Ephes 5. 5. blot it out of thee and thee out of Heaven 5. O my Soul Thou art the Spouse of God no Creature is thy Match or Mate Thy Creatour is thy Husband * Isa 54. 5 Where then is thy Honour if the World have thy Love and Earth thy Embraces O thou that hatest Adultery with Man how darest thou be Adulteresse a Jam. 4. 4. to God May not a Strumpet-Body stand in thy sight and must a Whorish b Ezek. 6. 9 heart lie in thy Bosome Must not Man Court thee and shall the Devil Wooe thee Is thy Bed Clean and God's Defiled Instead of thy Lord thy Slave the World taken into his Bed What is Gods Bed but Mans Heart Setting it on other then him but Strumpetting c Ezek. 16. 30. his Bed * Consensisti in corde tuo concubuisti Aug. And the Baser the good which steales Affections from him the more Abonable the Whorishnesse O thou Beloved above all Creatures d Prov. 8. 31. that hast God for thy Husband Heaven for tâ—y Dower and Earth for thy Service Let not Hell be thy
thy poore Child and Spouse who desires to love thee O be thou unto me all yea more than all unto me and that I may ever have thy love and care have thou mine ever I beseech thee and let neither world wooe nor Devill tempt nor flesh yeild it from thee let no lust defile my heart thy bed nor sinne blemish my body thy members let both be as thine undefiled before thee Where I have failed in either for time past Lord forgive me that for time to come I may keep more truly thine Lord strengthen me Behold the desires of my soule are after thee deare Jesus accept me let me live espoused by thy grace and at last be married to thy glory to that blessed day deare Saviour bring me and for it fit me and ever keep me deare Lord Jesus Amen Amen A Prayer for Fatherlesse-Children THou that art the Widowes Iudge and Orphans Father I commend to thy fatherly care my selfe and the Children thou hast given me Lord keep us from the evill of this world and bring us to the blisse of a better I beseech thee Holy Father take my Children to thy care and teach them thy feare be thou Tutor to their soules and Protector of their lives that by thy grace and mercy they may miscarry in neither let me serve thee in them and nurse them up in both for thee Assist me with wisdome and grace and power to doe it and give them grace in all duty and good obedience to suffer it let not my affections be too fiery or fond let me not neglect them nor distrust thee the love and care which is just let me give them and so expect thy blessing upon them And good Lord give it to them let the Fathers blessing be on them who is dead let a poore Mothers blessing be on them who lives let the blessing of their Friends be on them even all that pray it for them but above all let thy Blessing which is above all be upon them all I beseech thee Father of mercies Helper of the Fatherlesse blesse them Sonne of God that hadst little ones in thy armes on earth lay thy hands on them and blesse them Holy Spirit that didst appeare in the shape of a Dove behold their innocency and blesse them Holy Father Son and Spirit blesse them with thy grace and bring them to thy glory and me with them I beseech thee even for thy mercies sake for thy merits sake for thy goodnesse sake thou deare Maker Redeemer and Sanctifier of us all now and ever say Amen to the humble prayers which I put up unto thee in such words as thou hast taught me to say Our Father c. Prayer against sudden Death IF my repentance be daily no Death can be sudden to my Soule O Lord to make my Soule therefore surely thine let me be every day at a certaine with repentance And because the summes of my sinnes are vast and I may forget my debt and duty in the daily discharges of my sinnes and not repent for all or not enough O therefore give me a faire summons to my last end that I may die with a cleare soule and make so good an account as thou mayest acquit me of all my sins for his sake who paid the price of all in his blood even for the deare merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Prayers for one going to Sea 1. Prayer for a Voyage SEal thou my Passe O Lord and then I shal go safe yea do thou according to thy wonted goodnesse goe with me good God! guide me prosper me return me O let not my failings follow me but thy mercy put them from me and thy grace in Iesus Christ accept me And now save me and mine I beseech thee and all that by Land or Sea are in any extremity for his sake who is the Saviour of us all Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen 2. Prayer Gratulatory after a Voyage SAlvation is thine O Lord thine therefore be the glory that the flouds have not swallowed me up and the Deep shut her mouth upon me And now Lord who in thy great mercy and goodnesse hast been my Saviour at Sea be my Guide at Land lead me and shield me and blesse me that as I desire I may doe and in thy due time returne to live and serve thee in the place and way thou hast appointed for me on earth till I come to the place prepared in heaven for all that love thee through the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen 3. Prayer at returne to Sea I Doe againe cast my selfe into thy armes deare Father embrace me for thy mercies sake hold my life in thy hand till thou hast brought me to the Haven where I would be and thence conduct me to the home where I should be there let me preserve the memory of thy mercies that thou mayest continue the possessions of thy goodnesse to me and mine till thou shalt please to translate us from our earthly Tabernacles to thy everlasting Habitations through the merits of Iesus Christ the blessed Purchaser of both for which ever fit us and prepare us by thy grace O God! Amen Amen A Prayer after returne home from Sea O God that hast been with me in my going out and comming in my Pilot by Sea Conduct by Land receive therefore the humble praises of my gratefull soule most sensible of thy goodnesse And still O Lord blesse me and mine and let thy holy Spirit so steare our course in the Sea of this sublunary world that we may escape those lusts which drowne souls in perdition and by the blessed guidance and assistance of thy grace arrive at last at the Land of everlasting life to live and dwell and love and laud adore joy in thee and enjoy thee for ever by the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Thanksgiving for deliverance from a Storme O Lord thou hast made me to see the great dreads and dangers of the Deep and I am alive at this day by thy gracious deliverance O let this mercy be ever in my memory and let me never forget the service which I vowed and owe unto thee for that mercy Make me so mindfull of that Passe-over of the floods that I may better passe the time of my Pilgrimage in thy feare till at last I come to have a happy Passe-over to thy glory even for his sake who is passed to heaven before me and for me Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen 2. Thanksgiving for deliverance from a Storme With a holy Meditation against perills O Lord thy providence is above all perils thy power above all stormes thy mercy above all sins I have seen I have seen at once thy Greatnesse and Goodnesse O God! thou wast my Anchor and I am saved thou wast my Pilot and I am preserved when no hope but to perish for wants then I had it and am help'd from heaven praised for ever be thou the God of my help Praised for
the Devill of more goodnesse wisdome care and power to save then he is able to destroy Thou canst send more succours to me then he can bring forces against me more holy Angels then he hath wicked Spirits Lord give me that strength Lord send me those succours Put upon me the armour of light to fight with the Rulers of darknesse Let the Helmet of hope be on my head and the brestplate of faith and love on my heart that I be not mortally wounded in the fight In my extremity send thy Angels to succour me And let thy holy Spirit be my Leader that the evill one may not be my Conquerour Lord Jesus that knowest what it was to be tempted and didst overcome the Tempter for me relieve my frailty when I am tempted and suffer not Satan to overcome me And let me be sober and watch and pray that I enter not into Temptation that thou mayest relieve me O Lord How shall I not fall into the hand of Hell if I throw my selfe into Temptation From such presumptions O Christ preserve me How many soules have beene left and lost in those bold adventures of their strength make me sadly to consider that such a daring Spirit may never possesse me Let me remember with feare and trembling what great Saints have falne that I may with an humble and holy care and feare seeke for thy strength to stand and being upheld by thy right hand may never fall But let me not cast my self out of thine into Satans hand for if thou Lord doe not uphold and he pull downe how shall I stand And let me keepe my wayes that I cast not my selfe out for thou wilt not protect me but in thy wayes And let me not runne my selfe into temptation for that is out of my wayes and thy protection Thou great Shepheard of the sheep keepe me a poore Lambe of thy fold Thou Lion of the Tribe of Juda that hast prevailed save me from the roaring Lion that he may never prevaile And in and from all his Temptations deliver me in thy mercy that he may not devour my soule for all his roaring Rescue me thou that didst redeeme me Preserve me thou that didst create me my Lord and my God my strength hope deare Jesus Amen TUESDAY A Prayer against the World O Lord The World is a strong Enemy to conquer The great Conquerors of the powers were Captives to the vanities of the World yet by thy strength it may be conquered for thou art greater then he that is the world Thou didst O Saviour conquer it for me and by thy aide I may conquer it for my selfe And by thy will I must conquer it with thee on earth if I will triumph with thee in Heaven O then let me resolutely set and fit my selfe for the conquest of the world And to the forces of reason Lord give me the powers of grace by which I may make a conquest This world is but for a time and will end at last and how soone to me thou Lord onely knowest and did it endure what comfort or contentment can my immortall soule receive in any or all the good of the world O let me not lose my eternall inheritance in the world to come for a poore portion in this present world Thou Lord hast made me in it but me for thy self and it for me O then let me never be of it let my Spirit alwayes be above it Let me not make my Servant my Soveraigne good Assist me by thy grace that I may not O God! And because my senses are so naturall and neare unto me and the world takes my soule captive by the power of my senses O let me watch those gates against the entries of Temptations and looke well to my sense that I lose not my soule That I doe not Lord keepe me from all evill from the men and from the things of the world From Companies and Counsels and examples of the ill set on by the Devill to wooe for the world Lord keep me as so many foes and fiends to my soule and let me rather suffer them as my sorrowes then take solace in such men From the Vanities of the world that they doe not allure me and the miseries of it that they may not deject me The great powers by which the world assaults me defend me O Lord that they doe not overcome me and let me looke well to my soule because I am never free from such assaults From the Vanities of Riches Honours Pleasures the prevailing goods of the world the Heaven she brings And from the miseries of wants scornes ignominies injuries tortures the powerfull ills of the world the Hell she hath Lord keep me that they lead not my soule into the Captivitie of sin lest I feele a worser Hell and lose a better Heaven Let me not lose thy favour for the smiles nor incurre thy displeasure for the frownes of this world Let neither her Sorceries bewitch me to ill nor her Tyrannies fright me from good Let my love and feare be both on thee the good and ill not of this but another life On that be my heart on this my foot Let me love and value and use this world onely as it may helpe me to that Not for the Throne of my Spirit but the footstoole of my soule By whose good my body may be better enabled to serve my Spirit and both to serve Thee and come to the good of a better world For such a Conquest Lord strengthen me and to these Triumphs above bring me even for his sake who hath overcome the flesh the Devill and the World for me Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen WEDNESDAY A Prayer against sudden Death O Thou great Judge of the world I am a child of death by the sentence of the Law for Adams sinne and have deserved it at the hands of thy Justice for my owne yet in thy mercy thou hast not executed that sentence upon me but to this day hast continued my life Yea most mercifull God when the feares and snares of Death and Hell tooke hold on me and my provocations were great against thee in those great distresses I called upon thee and thou didst heare me and deliver me Lord make me ever thankfull for thy goodnesse and take not away thy loving kindnesse from me though since I have not walked worthy of thy mercy Save my soule from the sins that trouble me Save my body from the sicknesses that feare me And save my life from all ill accidents and disasters that may befall me If thou speak the word O Lord I shall be safe body and soule and no ill can touch me Good Lord speake that word and save me Pardon my sins that they doe not destroy me and lengthen my dayes that I may better serve thee For a sudden death by a present repentance and good life Lord ever prepare me And from a sudden death by thy good providence deliver me That I may have
flamma c. Bern. O let my Heart never be so hard as to see those Wounds of so great love to me and have no woundings of affection for Thee for Thee And all in heaven and earth that have Relation unto Thee O Christ I am in love with the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ who would give His Joh. 3. 16. Rom. 8. 32 onely Sonne so to suffer on earth for a time that I might not frie in Hell for ever And I have love tâ— Thee O Holy Spirit of God who didst Anoint Jesus Isa 61. 1. to be my Christ and give Him Inauguration to his Crowne of Thornes and Blessed though most bloody Function O Holy Trinity I doe adore what I cannot comprehend as your Heavenly 1 Joh. 3. 7. Heb. 10. 7. Persons so your Counsels And with an humble love and holy reverence desire to behold and blesse your Designe for the Salvation of one World by the Passion of Him who is more worth than a Thousand I see and admire your wonderfull Wisdome Goodnesse and Power that could and did contrive such a Decree And next to your Persons that Blessed Trinity of your Perfections I will Ephes 3. 10 11. Col. 1. 27. for ever love admire and adore And next God I have love for thee O Man Son of man who ever thou art by His flesh and blood and bloody Passion made Gods Son and Brother of Christ Thy Heb. 2. 10 12 14. Ephes 2. 13. 19. Crosse O Jesus shall make all Mankind my friends and Thy Blood glue my heart to every man O Christ why should I hate any when Thou didst so love all How dare I slight any when Thou gavest thy Hearts-blood for every one shall he that is Mat. 25. 40. thy Brother be my hate or scorne And of all Mankind I love you ye Saints that are Twice his Brethren Rom. 12. 5 1 Cor. 12. 27. in Spirit and flesh so neer to Him in both as makes you His Limbs as well as Brothers And Thee O Holy 2 Cor. 11. 2. Col. 1. 18. Ephes 5. 23. Church Spouse of Him and Mother and Body of them yea the Body for which with specialty He gave His Blood and Selfe I have Passionate Ephes 5. 25. Act. 20. 28. Love for thee O thou Dearest Body of Christ shall I think any thing too good for thee for whom He gave Himselfe Preferring thee His Mysticall before His Naturall Body And shall I esteem friend or state or liberty or life or any thing or all things before thee And above all the world though no worship I have kindnesse for you you holy Angels of God who though you have no Ransome because no need of a Redeemers Blood nor had wherwithall as it needed not to pay and contribute at all to the Redemption yet for your Zeale to God and Love Luk. 2. 13. to Man gave it the joy as if it had been your Deliverance and Christ the Welcome as if He had come to be your Saviour Messengers of His Birth Ministers in his life Attendants at his Luk. 2. 11. Mat. 4. 11. Joh. 20 12. Luk. 24. 6. Act. 1. 11. Death Heraulds of his Resurrection and Ascension Giving to his Naturall Body all Due Services on earth and paying for him to his Mysticall your Heb. 1. 14. Holy Ministeries now he is in Heaven O you Pure and Holy Spirits of God! though you got not your Blisse you lost not by Him It is made more strong to you and you more High in Mediator Confirmationis it by the Numbers of Glorified Bodies filling the Rooms of Apostate Spirits to vour farre greater joy and Blisse You love Him and His Passion for it and I you for that You love Man above your owne Kind for that and I you for it Thus Lord I love all for Thee and Thee in all And now I will love my self amongst them O Lord I am One in whom is thy flesh a Man I am One in whom is thy Spirit a Christian I am One for whom thou didst Heb. 2. 12. Joh. 3. 5. Heb. 2. 9. Rom. 5. 5. Isa 43. 4. shed thy Blood On whom thou hast shed thy Spirit A Redeemed Esteemed Man by Thee And shall I be so poore as to value dirt to thy Blood the world before thee Shall I quit Phil. 3. 8. thy Spirit for luâ—t value thee after the Flesh Shall I be tempted to give my selfe from thee to the Flesh and World love Thee lesse than the Devill O Lord I will value thy Blood more I will keep thy Spirit better I will set a higher price on my Self than to sell thy Blessed Purchase to the Devill for a Base piece of flesh and small portion of the World So am I and let me ever be in love with thee O Lord 2. But O Sinne I am in hate with thee for my owne and for my Saviours sake That didst pose Heaven it selfe and put God to it one of the two to damne my Soule or doe thus to my Saviour O thou Enemy of God Man how execrable art thou more than heart can think that madest Him Lamentable more than Eye saw Lam. 1. 12. And O Devill I hate thee who didst tempt man out of Paradise and so draw Christ to a Crosse And could thy Temptations have prevailed and thy power have matcht thy malice wouldst have cast the Second Adam out too that so nor the First nor His Seed might ever have come in againe And O World I abhorre thee as the Imp of the Devill who of His Jewes and Gentiles couldst find hands for such horrid acts and Sinnes that Act. 5. 27. made those Bloody Passions Sinne Devil World for the Death of my King and Lord and Christ Have as you deserve my hate 3. I long for the Lord My Soule longeth for God even the living God! Psal 42. 1. yea even for the dying God! when shall I come and appeare in the presence of God God dying once yet Apoc. 1. 18. Heb. 2. 8. living-ever when shall I come before the dying-living God! I long for the Chariot which will bring me to Thee and will Kisse it 2 Tim. 2. 12. though it be a Crosse I long for the Inne which will lodge me neare Thee and will embrace Phil. 1. 23. it though it be a Grave I long for the Bed which will raise me to Thee and will climb it though Act. 21. 13. it be a Gibbet O Cup of Salvation I will not refuse Psal 116. 12 thee Though full to Martyrs Mar. 10. 39 measure of blood if from Him thou shalt be drunke and yet deem'd nothing to thy Saviours Blood And till my Soule can come to thy Glorified-Crucified Body in Heaven I long after thy Courts where Thou art present in Spirit on earth To be Psal 95. 6. Mat. 28. 20 in thy Holy Temple which is the Chamber At the Altar and
didst both live and die in virtue of thy blood that sole and soveraigne antidote and sanctuary of bleeding Sinners thy deare and pretious blood let my soule live if my body die but if thy blessed will both live to praise thy goodnesse to both Lord cast my sins behind thy back and hold me in thy Armes Into thy Armes of mercy I cast my self Body Soul my onely hope and refuge and rock of my salvation is in thy blessed merits and blood deare Jesus take me and keep me in thy Armes now and ever and especially in my last hower and agonie have mercy on me I beseech thee Amen Amen Thanksgiving for one recovered of the Plague THou hast smitten and thou hast healed me O my God! the blow was grievous thy help is greater the blow was just thy help more gracious my sinnes deserved death thy mercy hath spared my life O Lord with an humble thankfull soule I doe acknowledge as ever so now especially from thy good hand my present life and health And now I humbly beseech thee that my heart may smite me that I have ever rebelled against so good a Majestie and thy grace keep me that I never more lift up my hand against so great a goodnesse O let not the pestilence goe from my body to my soule let not Satan and corruption poyson perswade my spirit to sit in the chaire or stay in the house of pestilence Let not others be infected with sinne by me nor me by them lest thou be more provoked and the plague gone returne in a greater judgment My God my help my health my hope my life and comfort be thy Name ever blessed that hast spared my soule and life O let it be no more dishonoured by me that keeping from the infection of an evill world I may live in the blisse of a better where is neither sinne nor sicknesse to infect soule or body but perfect health strength grace and glory in thee and with thee to all eternity O Jesus my onely refuge and the horne of my salvation So be it Amen Amen Prayer for one at the Hower of Death to be said by the Sick or some for him altering the Person 1. Prayer of one at the point of Death GOd the Father his mercies be about me God the Sonne his merits be upon me God the Holy Ghost his comforts be within me Holy Trinitie preserve strengthen and support me that my Death may be pretious in the sight of the Lord and my Soule live with thee to all eternity Amen Amen 2. Prayer for one at the point of Death FAther of mercies let thy love be to him Saviour of the world let thy merits be on him Comforter of departing Souls let thy peace be in him Father Sonne and Holy Spirit defend a Child of thy Family save a Lamb of thy Flock keep a member of thy Church O thou One and onely Lord God of Heaven command thy holy Angels to tender him and forbid evill ones to trouble him Deliver his soul discharge his sinne seale his pardon heavenly Father by thy Holy Spirit in the blood of Jesus Amen Amen 3. Prayer for one at the point of Death LOrd Jesus Succour this Dying Soule make passage for him by death to a better life purge his sins in thy Blood and prepare his Soule by thy Spirit and receive it to the glory of thy Father Jesus that didst so deerly purchase it make haste to receive it from the pangs of present and paines of everlasting death Good Lord deliver it deliver it for thy mercies sake Amen Amen Thanksgiving after Death for one Departed ¶ Say this Scripture Psal 116. 7 15. Returne unto thy rest ô my Soule for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the Death of the Saints Apoc. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord even so saith the Spirit that they rest from their labours ¶ Then Pray thus THou that hast sent for this Soul out of the Prison of his Bodie to come to the Palace of thy Blisse receive our praises O Lord for his happy deliverance from pangs to joyes from Tryalls to Triumphs from Earth to Heaven O Lord we beseech thee admit our humble lauds to attend him into thy presence and with them let our prayers enter before thee that as he so we in thy good time may come and present our Halleluja's with our selves in thy sight And meane time lead a godly life to have a blessed death Lord let us not forsake thee now that thou mayest not leave us then in that last and great hower upon which followes an Eternitie of weale or woe Lord have mercy on us and doe not forsake us and therefore let us have the feare of it and thee now and ever before us that as we believed our Brother departed is we may be blessed in and by our death grant we may deare Iesus Amen Amen A generall Thanksgiving for Gods mercies O Thou high Majestie of Heaven how hast thou filled me with the favours of thy bounty how great hast thou been in thy goodnesse and mercy how gracious in thy providence to me thou hast poured the blessings of heaven and earth upon my head Thou hast loaden me with thy gifts bestowed upon me in Creating Redeeming and in Preserving me In my Creation thou gavest me thine Image and madest me more noble than all the Creatures of the earth In my Redemption thou gav'st me thy Sonne and madest me more glorious than the Angels of Heaven In my Baptisme and Regeneration thou gavest me thy Spirit and hast made me more happy than millions of men in the world Thou hast given thy self to me Lord what could'st thou doe more for me thrice blessed yea for ever be thy glorious Name for thine infinite grace mercy and goodnesse to me And in thy providence for this life how abundantly hast thou blessed me in health wealth body mind c. and many and many mercies vouchsafed me In my weaknesse thou hast strengthened me in my dangers thou hast delivered me in my distresses thou hast comforted me in my prayers thou hast heard me in thy judgments thou hast spared me to this day preserving my life and making it many waies joyfull to me And not for any good in me O Lord hast thou been thus gracious towards me My ills on earth hath been many my ingratitudes great against thee For them thou mightest for ever banish me from heaven and with my sinnes cast me into hell amongst those that offend thee for thy owne goodnesse and great Names sake hast thou been thus bountifull and mercifull to me O fill my heart with thy love that my mouth may poure ou◠praises to thee Ravish my soule with thy goodnesse that my heart may ever love thee Fill my life with thy feare that as my lips my thoughts deeds may ever honour thee let me not be so wretched as to forget thy
mayest as soone find it in Hell God is not in that heaven onely seek and solace thy self in the waies of God that 's heaven on earth indeed both a glimpse of the glorie above and a light to find heaven where it is in heaven and from the goods of the world raise up thy thoughts to a better blisse Say if so well on earth how much better in heaven so let it be not thy myrrour of blisse but perspective Not thy chaire but foot-stoole to take a better sight flight to thy Throne so thou shalt at once walke on earth and goe to heaven yea thou shalt divide thy selfe betwixt both Bodie to earth and Soule to heaven And God will in that day blessedly unite what thou dost devoutly divide and keep with him in heaven for ever both Bodie and Soule 2. Meditation see Soliloquie p. Monday-Service Of the Miseries of this World Morning Prayer Psal 120. 129. 137. Lesson Gen. 47. or Job 14. Luk. 21. or Act. 20. Evening Prayer Ps 39. 42. or 84. 102. Lesson Lam. 3. Rom. 7. Then after this following Collect the Daily Prayers ¶ Monday Collect touching the Miseries of Earth O Lord with us is miserie with thee is mercy on earth all ill in heaven all good O for thy mercies sake support me in all my miseries and deliver me from my sins the cause of them all And of thy goodnesse I beseech thee raise up my heart to covet and seek the good of heaven that my hold and hope of it may comfort me against all the ills of the earth Let the bitternesse which I feele below win me from this evill world and whet in me a holy appetite to the pure sweets and joies which be above And in thy good time fill my Soule with those blessed Solaces I beseech thee even for his blessed merits and mediation sake who is my onely joy hope in heaven and earth Jesus Christ my deare Redeemer and Advocate Amen Meditation of the Miseries of the World WHy so much wedded to the world when woe is her Dowrie entailed as a Portion by God Gen. 3. 17. on Adam and thee if his Son since he forfeited with his Allegiance his Paradise and thine by his default Earth ever since brings forth woes as Job 5. 7. fire sparks Within thee or without thee for thy self or others In Bodie or Soule woods will as soone want leaves as the world faile thee of woes thou art heire to all Inheritour at least of some never secure from any because alwaies in griefe or feare of all And least blest too when most secure most unhappy when least miserable bliss in this life being the greatest curse because the portion of a man markt out for everlasting unhappiness Psal 17. 14. Alas what a purchase is a little fickle worldly bliss with woes all and everlasting after it not without some in it My heart if thou hast so mis-caried in thy choice let this divorce the mariage love earth when thou art fond of woe and not afraid of hell Thou wilt find good Alimonie after this divorce Thou wilt live more well and die much better for it Thou wilt entertaine death as a deliverance from her ills whose goods thou scornest And receive and read a Summons to thy end not as an Archest and call to judgement but an Acquittance from calamitie Thou wilt eye heaven as thy harbour of rest and be weary of the world as a sea of trouble Thou wilt study to steer thy course by the Card and Compass of the Infallible word and rule to know and goe the right way to heaven So good is the Worlds wormwood above her honey for the souls health if we take and taste it right And even our miseries are made great mercies because good medicines for that happy health Did earth afford sinfulfalne man one Paradise he would scarce looke for two Now that he finds a Purgatorie of it it drives him to the true Paradise and bring him sooner to those joies by the hastening of those woes which hie more to heaven when most heavie on earth Tuesday-Service Against the Vanities of the World Morning Prayer Psal 4. 39. or 37. 102. 104. Lessons Eccl. 1. 2. or any Chap. of it Mat. 16. or Lu. 12. Evening Prayer Psal 52. 62. Lessons Eccles 3. 4. c. Hab. 2. 1 Tim. 6. Then the Daily Prayers after this folowing Tuesday-Coll against the vanities of the world O Lord who hast made this world for me and me for another let me not be caried away with the vanities of that world which cannot content my Soule and will not continue with me O! let my heart be fixed on higher things never to be moved with worldly vanities that when this world shall end to me or I to it I may enjoy those honours and joyes and goods which shall never end with thee thy Angels and Saints in a better world through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Then Daily Prayers Meditation of the Vanities of the World THe World is a shop of Vanities Honours Riches Pleasures the chief Commodities the Devil Master of the shop and Man his miserable Customer The common price is our Souls which we give him to get them and yet possesse nothing lesse worse than nothing by all we get which is the vainest of that vanitie of vanities O Man be not thou so vile and vaine why doth transitory good take thee who hast an Immortall Spirit why doth sensible joy carry thee away who hast a faculty for the highest intellectuall good capacity of Eternitie Alas thou wilt as soone fill a sive with water as thy Soule with the Isa 55. 2. world and couldst thou give her a fill of it a short time would to thy greater losse and grief run it all out again Let the world then be not thy Idol but thy scorne Believe it if worldly good be thy Deity her glory profit and delight thy Trinity they will not fill but faile and vex thy heart and so give thee for blisse a triple infelicity vexation is their fullest satisfaction and their end not thy content but torment It is infinite eternall goodnesse which must give man of an immortall Spirit content In that Deity is his rest and his felicity in that only Trinity Let God then be as he is thy Throne the world as it should be thy footstoole By her good climbe up to God get thus up Abundance of good here seems brave what is all indeed in heaven what is substance when the shew is such what to have all things when so valued to have nothing what blisse is to be found in the Trinity of uncreated goodnesse when so much is fancied in the Three poorpetty created Goods of that revised devised and fond-imagined Godhead What if thou hast senses by which they wooe and court thy love Hath not thy Soule a power to guide and governe those Handmaids O Man thy senses are in thy Soule Monster if thou
of all grace and comfort I beseech thee for his sake who came to save me my Hope my Joy my Jesus Amen A Meditation of the pleasures of Piety ASsemble your selves you Epicures Masters of delights and Professors of all the Arts of Pleasure take Counsels and make Musters of all your powers and wits with all your Students Agents in delectable things and devices One Saint and Servant of God is Commander and Possessour of more joyes than you all 1. Joyes of another Quality than yours faire and pure even the poorest extracted out of the grossest earthly goods as Elixars and Essences Defecate from your dregs of guilt and stings of Conscience A Tun-full of yours is not worth a Viall of theirs Psal 4. 6. Eccles 1 2. Prov. 14. 13 a whole Barrel of your Pitch below a Box of their Balsome 2. And contend you not in Quantitie with them their numbers exceed yours as much as their excellencies Their joyes are Two to one to yours Yours are Psal 4. 6. Jac. 1. 12. for good of this life their 's for ill as well as good And Three to one for goods Yours are for temporall spirituall you doe not tast eternall you cannot hope they have Temporall in hand Spirituall in heart Eternall in eye Nay Ten hundreds thousands to one Yours is from Finite good their 's from Infinite And which multiplies that to ten thousand times ten thousands of millions and more Yours is for time and theirs of that Eternall You are then out-vied every way Yours are the joyes of Servants of Mat. 25. 13 Slaves Theirs the Lords Yours are Heb. 11. 25. Drops theirs Oceans yours Moments Isa 12. 3 theirs Eternities Above them Psal 36. 9. is the spring of heavenly joyes within Isa 30. 10. 1 Pet. 4. 8. Joh. 15. 11. Deut. 12. 7. Jer. 11. 15. them seas of holy solaces about them rivers of Earthly pleasures below them the pudles of your carnall contentments They drinke water pure from the spring and rock and therefore loathe your chanel joyes and even for that drinke it in both more pure and more To all these Territories of joyes have the Saints good rights and it is Phil. 4. 4. Deut. 28. 47. Prov. 1◠10 Psal 17. 14 both their shame and sinne if they doe not take and keep possession Which you cannot judge who are strangers both to their joyes and hearts Nor match who are pent up to your single sole poore pension of worldly-pettie transitory pittances Prince of Epicures enter the lists now with a Prime Servant of Almighty God Summe up all thou canst possesse or imagine of joyes and give in thy totall one of his least figures is more the summe infinitely Have what Solomons braine and state can Eccles 1 2. command of delights adde what Cleopatra's wanton wits and friends can devise of daliances an Ephrem from his Cell a Catherine from her Oratorie shall beat all your great Minions and baffle all your multitudes of joies You have a sense-full of joyes they a soule-full When your eyes run over with laughter your heart is not full Prov. 14. 13. their hearts are so full that they run all over Their Raptures are more great than hearts can hold One prayes God to withdraw a while his heart is too Recede Domine parūper quia vasculū cordis mei ferre nequit little a vessell to containe Him the other cries out to Him the multitude of his joyes overwhelme her O Epicure be a Saint and thou shalt find what thou doest else in vaine seek Obruor multitudine gaudiorum tuorum Domine as thy chief good Joy above all thy joyes in qualitie quantitie height depth bredth length pure as christall great as God high as heaven deep as the heart broader than earth long as eternitie But O Saint be not thou an Epicure if delight draw thy heart thou losest so much in delectation as Religion and abatest thy Soule so much of solace as God of service Believe it if thou wouldst have joy in life and at death for the goods and ills of this life both body and soule-goods enough on earth and more in heaven the only way is to be as thou shouldst be and continue as thou art not an Epicure but a Saint Service against Malicee for Monday or other day Morning Prayer Psal 7. 10. Lesson Prov. 24. Mat. 5. v. 43. Evening-Prayer Psal 35. 62. Lesson Levit. 19. 1 Cor. 5. or Tit. 3. 1 Pet. 2. ¶ Collect or Prayer against Malice O Thou Divine Goodnesse keep me from Malice the very Soule of Satan and proper sinne of the Devill Thou O God art Love He then is Hatred and if malice be in me I shall be as he is one whom unlesse thou hatest thy selfe thou canst not love From such a detestable and damned disposition Lord deliver me Let not Satans brand be on my brest and his soule in my body lest being marked for him he seize me as his owne and take me and carry me from thee body and soule Lord stamp thy love on my heart that I may be sealed for thee and as thy owne claimed by thee And since this is the Cognisance of thine to love one another let me not weare his Badge in a visible malice to any that all may know that I am thine A Child of thy Family a Dove of thy Flock a Lamb of thy Fould without gaule or mind to doe mischief to any Delighting like thee to do good to all Even for his sake who did wish and doe evill to none Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Daily Prayers Remedies against malice 1. IT is a Toad swelling with venome in the heart to God who is love a 1 Joh. 4. 8. 1 Joh. 1. 12. more odious because like the Devil most abominable The Devils heart in mans body 2. To cast keep out this venome of the Serpent 1. Consider 1. Men are mortall their enmities therefore should not be immortall b Eph. 4. 26. 2. Men are mutable Whom now I hate I may hereafter need as in Joseph c Gen. 42. 6. and Jeptha d Jud. 11. 7. 3. Men are amiable e Prov. 8. 31. all after Gods image and bought by Christs blood f Gen. 9. 6. 4. No man is the Christians enemy g Heb. 2. 9. Rom. 14. 15 as God he hates the sinne not the man h Mat. 5. 44. 5. If there be antipathie in nature it must be mastered by grace i Gal. 5. 24. which must doe miracles to nature 2. Beware 1. Of Anger That if it kindle it continue not to be wrath and so coole into malice k Ephes 4. 26. 2. Of men of Malice set upon mischiefe l Prov. 4. 15. 16. Service against Revenge for Thursday or other day Morning Prayer Psalm 94. Lessons Deut. 32. vers 35. or 1 Sam. 24. Luke 18. Evening Prayer Psal 18. v. 47. Lessons 1 Sam. 25.
Rom. 12. or Heb 10. v. 30. ¶ Collect or Prayer against Revenge O Thou to whom vengeance belongeth keepe me from a revengefull spirit that I fall not into the hands of thy vengeance And since my pitty and patience and pardon is thy will let me not study revenges and returnes of injuries Thou O meek and mercifull Saviour didst pray for thy bloody enemies O let me then forgive my greatest foes Committing my cause to thee who wilt doe justice for me on them if I seek not revenge and for thy self upon me if I doe Thine O Lord is the sword of vengeance thine is the sharpest sword O let me not dare to take it out of thy hand lest whilst I strike others I fall justly by thy sword Though flesh and blood provoke me to it let thy holy Spirit hold me from it cast keep out of me that evil spirit by thy power O good God and Saviour of thy mercy Amen Daily Prayers Remedies against Revenge 1. THe sinne of Revenge strikes at God and Man 1. It invades Gods Prerogative and takes his sword out of his hand Rom. 12. 19 2. It is many waies an injury to man To his 1. Nature Borne without armes to live without revenge And even armed Bruits agree with their kind and Devils avoid quarrels 2. Glory To passe by an injury of Prov. 19 11. all the most excellent victory Caesars noble memory to forget Pro. 16. 32. Ro. 12. 22. nothing but wrongs 3. Peace The mind is disturbed and takes no rest Ester 5. 11 12 13. Prov. 12. 15 4. Justice I am my owne Judge and anothers Executioner 5. Wisdome If my revenge fall on a Just man it toucheth God his Zach. 2. 8. friend If he be unjust my vengeance will make me so too 2. Be a Christian and you cannot doe this sinne contrary to the Holy life and law of Christ for when much provoked Luk. 9. 55. 1. He check'd his Disciples for calling for it 2. He commands Charity to pardon Joh. 15. 12 Luk. 21. 19 Ro. 12. 20. wrongs Patience to suffer them and Kindnesse to conquer them 3. He forbids self-Selfe-love the mother 2 Tim. 3. 2. Ephes 4. 31 32. and Wrath the father both which beget and bring forth revenge A Penitentiall Service fit for a troubled Soule fasting and praying for mercy and grace for Wednesday or other Day Morning Prayer Psal 6. 32. 38. or 51. 130. 143. Lesson Isa 1. Mat. 11. or Act. 3. Evening Prayer Psal 40. 42 43. Lesson Job 9. or Ezek. 18. or 33. 2 Cor. 7. ¶ 1. Collect or Prayer for a Penitent O Lord I doe here cast downe my self before thee O cast me not away from thee I cannot stand at the Barre of thy justice I doe therefore lie downe at the Foot-stoole of thy mercy I doe condemne my self for my sins Lord doe not thou judge me Cancell my sins in my Saviours blood and wash my soule in the streames of mercy Though as red as crimson and scarlet thou hast promised the penitent they shall be white as snow O acquit this pensive soule of mine I beseech thee let not my guilt be black as Hell before thee Wash me from it forgive it me And because forgivenesse of what 's past availes not if I fall againe into former offences O God of all grace I beseech thee so to pardon me a sinner as to make me a Saint Give me an holy strength to mortifie my lusts with an holy care to watch and withstand all occasions and temptations to wickednesse especially those that are by nature custome or condition of life most ready to surprize me against them make me to watch and ward and pray and strive more diligently And let thy Holy Spirit assist and strengthen me to a victory even for the blessed merits of him who overcame the world for me the Captaine of my salvation thy Deare Son Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen ¶ 2. Collect or Prayer for a Penitent O God! with a prostrate body and bleeding heart I doe most humbly confesse bewaile my wretched nature and wicked life before thee For my thoughts my lusts my deeds and words past my conscience cryes out against me * Here thinke of particulars when you say it So vaine so vile so foule so ill have they been before thee And thou art greater then my heart and can'st lay more unto my charge then conscience knowes about me O thou searcher of all hearts and wayes how oft I have vowed thee better service thou knowest and have shamefully violated my faith with thee I have sometimes begun to seek after thee but soone lost my self again in the waies of former vanity As the hills so hath been my love to vaine things but my goodnesse as the morning dew which vanisheth presently And for this even from my owne mouth thou mayest againe condemne me Yea Lord with grief of heart and shame of face I doe yet further confesse and lament bitterly that as if it had been a light thing my self to be in sinnes and armes against thee I have been a Leader of others into Rebellion and so am both a Sinner and a Tempter before thee I have countenanced in them what I should condemne and encouraged what I should abhorre And so as principall to my owne have made my selfe accessary to other mens ills and by nursing the acts of their sinnes have contracted their guilts for which thou mayest againe condemne me charging their wickednesse and woes upon me And though I have been and am at this day so guilty unworthy and vile a wretch against thee O how good and gracious a God hast thou been all my life at this present art unto me Though I deserve all vengeance even to eternall death thy mercies have been and are still great upon me O God of all pity and patience I am confounded to consider thy great goodnesse and my wickednesse against thee Woe is me that the bonds of thy Lawes and thy mercies and my vowes should be all thus broken by me For this shame and confusion of face for ever might justly cover me But Lord though I be every way a miserable Sinner thou art infinitely more a mercifull God Thou hast a propitiatory for sinne above all my provocations Mary Magdalene was foule with lust yet forgiven St. Peter perjured but pardoned Saint Paul made others to blaspheme yet found mercy O Lord for thine infinite mercies sake let my sinnes be forgiven me even for my Saviours sake punish not my guiltinesse upon me Seale to my soule thy pardon in his blood which was shed to save me And for time to come let thy Holy Spirit assist me to live with more conscience and lesse sinne before thee Lighten my mind with a sight of thy truth and fire my heart with a love to thy majestie that the vanities of the earth may be my scorne and the glory of heaven the onely ambition that
Table which is the Chaire of thy Presence Yea where in High and Ineffable Mystery I find a Presence of thy Body and Keep both a Commemoration 1 Cor. 10. 16. and Communion of it and thy Blood O Lord Since I so much love thy Greg. Epistela Dci c. Selfe till in thy sight how should I not long to see Thy Letters the Word and Thy Seale the Sacrament and till in Beatificall presence weare that as a Ring in thy Remembrance 4. I loathe the Life in which I cannot See Thee At best an Exile at 1 Cor. 5. 6. worst a Trouble to Thee I loathe my selfe for casting away love on so base and unworthy a life Where I doe either Crucifie Thee with my Sinnes or Wound thee with my Miseries where Act. 9. 5. such is thy holy zeale to God and sympathie and tender mercy to my Soule I renue thy Passion by my Guilts or thine Agony by my Conflicts I loathe that Crucifix on my Brest which encourageth to trample Thee under foot I can endure O Christ to see Thee in Image a Picture of my Dearest Friend but abhorre to love it Eodem cultu Crux quo Christus like thee or to passe so much time and devotion to that as makes me more forget my Lord then dutifully remember me O Jesus thy selfe shalt be my Crucifix Not hung at my Brest but in my Heart No roome but that is good Heb. 13. 13. 2 Tim. 2. 12. Heb. 12. 1. enough for thee That next Martyrdome hyes me most to thee if I cannot flie a Martyrs pace I will run a Saints And by the speed of a mortified course make more haste after thee 5. I joy in thy Crosse not in thy Grief O Christ Can I see thy Body all gore and my heart not bleed The Zach. 12. 10. Luk. 23. 76. Speare be in thy Heart and no Sword at mine I will not I cannot endure it O Jesus No! I joy in the Root Thine infinite Mercy O God! And in Luk. 2. 78. Col. 1. 20. the fruit The perfect Redemption of man It is finished Yes blessed be Joh 19. 30. the Blood that was the Price Blessed the Body that laid out that Blood Heb. 10. 11. Heb. 7. 25. Joh. 16. 33. The Satisfaction is full Salvation is sure Sinne is nail'd Hell foil'd Satan chain'd The World baffled The 1 Pet. 4. 2. Flesh wounded Death slaine The Grave buried Every adversary power 1 Cor. 15. 54 57. is conquered by Christ Triumphant in the Chariot of his Crosse over all Col. 2. 15. All is finished O Drie Tree of more Blessed Fruit O lignum faelix c. c. 1. than ever Earth bare No Rather O Wet Body that madest a Whole World happy Sap and virtue of that Happy Tree It was not the Wood Col. 1. 20. but Blood of the Crosse that brought forth that fruit the Redemption of Man And what good doth not grow from and upon that Pulpit of Repentance Pillar of Faith Anchor of Hope Magazine of Charity Armory of Mortification Schoole of Patience Mirror of Obedience Rock of Constancy Shop of Humility the whole Duty of a Christian O blessed Root of Gods mercy that bringest forth the happy fruit of Mans Grace and Glory O Tree of Death more Blessed then the Tree of Life that hast such a Fruit and Root Thus are my Joyes triumphant in thy Cross But 6. I grieve to see thee Crucified againe O Christ And my Soul is Crucified for having a hand in thy Cross Wo to the World for Offences which Heb. 6. 6. make thee Bleed afresh and bring thee to thy Crosse againe Woe is me that see thee daily Crucified betwixt Hereticks and Schismaticks Theeves of thy Truth between Hypocrites and Profligates Theeves of thy Grace Amidst men of intemperate Heats and cools in Religion Theeves of thy Honour I grieve to see thee Crucified in vaine So much of the world lost when 1 Cor. 1. 17. all was paid for A price sufficient to have ransom'd not a World onely but a Hell full of Divells effectuall onely to a handfull of men Yea even within thy holy Pale which should preserve thy Bloud to a drop woe is me How is it spilt to a stream Whilst some give others leave thee or themselves none Making void by Gal. 2. 21. 2 Pet. 2. 1. their Sinnes the healing Vertues of thy Bloud and Wounds By Unbelief millions out of the Church and by Mis-belief thousands in it and by miscarriage of Life Millions of thousands both in and out My heart bleeds to see thy Creeds without Faith thy Decalogue without Obedience Thy Prayer without Use thy Sacraments without Reverence Nay to see it made Faith Conscience Devotion Zeal to have no respect to Sacrament Prayer Decalogue or Creed My Soul is troubled to see thy Holy Demeanes robb'd thy Mansions ruined Souls sold for Money for which thou didst pay Bloud And Lord what teares of Bloud are sufficient to bewaile it that thy One onely Commandement of Love which cannot live at all out of thy Church within it should be slaine and buried all in Broile and Bloud-shed O Christ can my Eyes see thee thus Crucified again twice and in vaine once and my Heart not grieve Yet 7. I hope And in Thee and the Bloud of thy Crosse alone I hope for Col. 2. 14. Pardon because I read it seal'd in thy Bloud I hope for Salvation because Act. 20. 28. I finde it purchased under that Seal Wilt thou not make good thy Seal Wilt thou not preserve thy Purchase Nor Sin nor Devill then shall damne me O Christ He shall not steal thy Rom. 8. 34 35. 1 John 2. 1. Purchase It shall not voide thy Seal Thy Bloud is my plea against both In it I see my Pardon and Salvation written nor care I so thou be my Advocate for Saint or Angel to set to 1 Tim. 2. 5 their Hands I hope in thee for my Salvation And so I doe for my Mothers too The Spouse bought with thy Bloud and lov'd as thy Body O Lord thou art by singular stile her Ephes 5. 24 25. Saviour And shall she want what she so much needs thy Salvation She is on the Crosse Dear Jesus deliver Her Force without and Fury within Crucifie Her Lord tender Her Enemies and Children both fall upon Her O Christ rescue Her O let Her not want thy Bowels for whom thou gavest thy Blood Behold Her miseries let Her not want a Bath for whom thou yet hast Blood Forgive Her sinnes Till that hath no Vertue She is not without hope By the Merits of thy Golgotha dry her Akeldama By the passions of thy Calvari take her off the Crosse O Christ Whilst thou hast one drop of Blood I will not Despaire for my selfe or Her Whilest that is warme that chilnesse shall never seize my Spirit And I know thy streames of Blood are neither Drain'd
have had the Holy Communion Seale me my pardon And behold and accept thy Servant from a heart full of thy love pouring out praises to thee for the inestimable benefits received in those High and Holy Mysteries What am I O Lord or what is in me that thou shouldest doe this great honour and favour to me I am unworthy to touch the thresholds of thy House and thou hast taken me to thy Table I am not worthy to stand amongst thy Saints and thou hast made me sit with my Saviour I am not worthy to come before thee and fall down before thy Footstoole and thou hast beene pleased to come into me and make my heart thy Throne I am not worthy to eat the bread of Men and thou hast given me the bread of Angels Yea Lord The Angels hunger but have not this bread What they admire I have received whom they adore I have entertained The Body and Bloud of Jesus their Mirrour is my meat Christ and they are Two but I and my Saviour are One. Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone One Bloud one Body O unspeakable Mysterie O incomparable Mercy Lord I beseech thee since of my selfe I cannot enough praise thee make me some way worthy of thee Let my Hands which have received that Blessed Body and Bloud be henceforth Sacred and doe no deeds that may offend thee Let my Lips which have touched those Holy Mysteries be hallowed from all words that may displease thee And let my Heart the Habitation of my Lord and Saviour be hereafter holy and no vain thoughts lodge within me As I am one with Him in Body and Bloud let me be one in Spirit The spirit of Wisdome Love and Holyness truly to know Thee serve Thee and cleave unto Thee By the blessed Sacrament of his Body and Blood Convey it to me Confirme it in me Let it be to my soule the Signet of thy Love and Seale of thy Glory And even for the Precious Merits of that Bloud and Body receive me to it I beseech thee that I may be one in everlasting Union and Communion with Thee for Jesus his sake Amen Amen! A Thanksgiving to be said after the Communinn fit for one devoutly affected at it THou that hast given the Bread of Heaven to feed me O give me the tongue of an Angell to praise thee O Lord the very Angels are not blessed with such a Bread O! what an high Mystery and mercy is this that my Saviour is my Sustenance and their Maker my Meat The Body and Bloud of Christ the Eternall Sonne of Gods to be in an holy Communion eaten drunken by the mouth of a mortall man O the infinite condescending Goodnes of a gracious God to make my humble heart the habitation of his Holines To come to me enter in me and become one not by Reconciliation onely but heavenly Union and Communion with me O miraculous Union O mysterious Incorporation O happy Soule that art so neare to thy Saviour O blessed Saviour that art so neare to my Soule O wretched Soule if any thing be too deare with thee for such a Saviour That wouldst not give thy body and blood for his Truth that wilt not give thy life to his Glory O Lord let my Soule which by thy Sacrament is made so happie by my sinne be never made so wretched Thou that hast entred thy Bodie and Bloud into me by thy Spirit take possession of me Guide me leade me command me rule me move me Be thou the Spirit of my Soule and Soule of my Body Let not the Flesh World or Devill henceforth have any power in me Live O Live Thou in me O Christ in thy earthly House and let me live for ever with Thee in thy Heavenly Habitation Even by the Merits and vertues of thy pretious Body and Bloud Sweet Jesus my Deare Lord and Saviour I beseech thee Amen Amen! An Holy Rapture to be said by One having Devoutly Communicated O Lord Where thou doest dwell is Heaven Heaven then is not this day more Above me then Within me How then shall my Single Soule Honour thee and my Tongue extoll Thee who hast made for thy Servant a Double Heaven O Lord Let all that is within me and all that is without me minde heart tongue hand all Savour of that Heaven that is within me and set forth thy Glory And doe Thou who this day hast conveyed Heaven into me at my last houre Convey my Soule into Heaven That what is here wanting in thy due Praises I may pay there in everlasting Halleluja's Even so Lord Glory be to thee for ever for the Invaluable favour and honour thou hast done to thy servant For the unsearchable Riches and Treasures Conveyed in thy Sacrament even the Blessed Body and Blood of Jesus Christ my deare Redeemer and Lord and Saviour Amen Amen Meditations for the Holy Communion upon 1 Cor. 11. 24. 25. ¶ Doe this in Remembrance of me D Oe but for thee Dear Jesus I had been undone for ever for thee then and for Mat. 18. 11 thy sake what is it which I should not doe 2. Thy desires are my Commands There is Authority enough in thy love for me to doe what thou shalt please Speak Lord then thy Servant heareth what ever thy will is that will I doe 3. Since thou wouldst have no flesh but my Bodies I will have no will but Heb. 10. 5. thy Soules What is thine shall be my will O Lord and done which thou wilt hav◠me doe 4. I dare not say so to any man O Lord though never so Godly so much thy Man His will may have Errour for Guide and ill in Company But O thou Holy one of God! Thy mind knowes no Errour thy will no Obliquity I dare doe whatsoever thou dost will 5. Dare doe Dare not but doe it If thy desire once come out in an Injunction and thy will be signified by Command not onely upon my Obligation I ought But must upon my Mat. 17. 5. Act. 3. 23. Act. 9. 6. Allegeance to thee the King of the Church and Soveraign as well as Saviour of my Soul I must not dispute nor delay but doe and therefore ought may must doe This. For Lord what is it thou wouldst now have me do Is it to climb a Crosse to undergo a bitter Passion Act. 21. 19 Even for thy sake I should not think much to doe that who hast done more for mine What then when it is not so much as this not to goe to a Scaffold but come to thy Table not to goe to a Grave but a Feast not to Bleed or Burne but to to Eat and Drink not to Suffer that but to doe this 2. And what is that I am to Eat and Drink Bread of Affliction and Water of Adversity which flag my Spirits No Deare Jesus but Bread and Wine to confirme and comfort my Heart Not a Confessours Bread Tears nor a Martyrs Cup Bloud
Pander to take the World for thy Love have not lesse in thy Heart then thy God and his Heaven 6. O my Soul Thou art the Bodies Lord Take then her Homage Let her serve thee not undoe thee Doe thou Act Gods Will and let it execute thine e Rom. 6. 19. But do not thou its the Will of thy Handmaid the Lust of the Flesh Let not Her Senses wooe thee to Vanities To doe pleasure to the Body bring not Paine on the Soul Make not thy Body thy God f Phil. 3. 19. lest thou make thy Self a Devill Damn'd for ever for not doing thy duty better to Almighty God and thy Selfe O my Soul An Angels Peere g Psal 8. 5. make not thy self a Devills Fellow h Joh. 6. 70 Sell not thy Lordship for Slavery and Misery to Boot If thou be not Lord but serve thy Servant never Earth saw none but Hell will harbour such a Slave 7. O My Soule Thou art Soveraigne i Rom. 6. 12. 23. in Man Under God Supreme over all that is in him Wilt thou be thy Subjects Subject Shall the Law of the Members be the Minds Law Rom. 6. 23 The Senses are thy handmaids O thou Princess of Heaven Shall they be the Chiefe Commanders of thy Life Wilt thou only move goe run refuse chuse as they Command O what a basnesse is this to be so unworthy to thy Maker and Nature And yet say O my Soule Speak out of Conscience and say Is not Sense the great Leader and Appetite l Rom. 8. 1 the Ruler of thy Life whilest Reason and Diviner Vnderstanding Lackie after their Desires and the Members are mere Drudges for them O my Soule The Soveraigne of God be not so much Subject to the Devill as to be led at his lust m Tim. 2. 26. by the Lure of Sense to satisfie the Flesh against Gods Law and thy Reason To a life which he himselfe though most wicked doth not lead For though Spirituall wickednesse abound in him n Ephes 6. 12. the Bodily is below him If thou wiâ—t be so base be not more then the Devill 8. O My Soule Thou Free-borne Child of Eternity Heire of Immensity Daughter of Him who is beyond all bounds of Time and Being The Body is but thy Prison Thou art shut up in o 1 Cor. 4. 2. 4. Walls of mud within the Gates of sense why then dost thou delight in a Prison before thy Palace And chuse a Bodily restraint before a Spirits p Rom. 8. 21. Liberty Is it blisse to be in bondage Are Chaines of Iron better then Gold Fetters before Freedome Even Earth is but a Gaole to Heaven q Rom. 8. 23. What a Little ease then doth the Spirit finde in so little a spot of Earth O doe not destroy thy Spirituall Liberty r Rom. 6. 16. Tit. 3. 2. by a Bodily Licentiousnesse Love not thy Gaole before thy Delivery lest thou be cast into that Gaole whence none is Delivered s Mat. 5. 25. It 's just with God most just that the Soule which chuseth the Devills Chaine before Gods Liberty should have the Devils Prison for Gods Palace And be his slave in Hell for ever that would not for a time be Gods servant on Earth Dove of God fly to Heaven Spiritus quisque ales est Tert. Cant. 2. 14 Amor temporalium viseus Spiritualium Belime not thy Spiritual wings in slime and mud Doe not Crow-like feed on Carrion and like a blind Beetle place thy blisse in dirt Sell not thy Selfe to buy a Gaole when thou givest a Palace for the Purchase and thy selfe to the bargaine t Mat. 16. 26. and hast nothing but Shackles and Tortures to boot 9. O My Soule Thou art Gods Jewel u Mal. 3. 17. the Body thy Casket Why then dost thou prefer her good to thy welfare Must the jewell be burnt to Save the Casket from the Fire Nay w Mat. 5. 30. it 's not so much It is at once to Fire casket and jewel to cast both together into Hel Fire Sardanapalus-like with all his bundles and heaps of worldly Treasures to make up one funerall pile and perish together for ever Body and Soule O Bright Diamond of Heaven Divinae particulam aurae Sparke of the Divinity Ray of Divinest Glory Set in the foile of Flesh for a Time till taken up and kept in Gods owne Cabinet for ever what dost thou on the Devills Finger Why dost thou doe him honour and worke x Joh. 8. 44. What dost thou under the Bodies Foot O my Soule looke better to thy selfe Burne the Casket if need be to Save the Jewell the Body to save the Soule So Holy Martyrs z Dan. 3. 28. Heb. 11. 34. did But not the Jewel to save the Casket the Soule to save the Body that filthy Epicures doe * Luk. 12. 19. And thy end O my Soule be a Saints not an Epicures 10. O My Soule The Purchase of Christ a Act. 20. 28. 1 Pet. 1. 19 Bought with no lesse then Gods owne Bloud the Bloud of the Son of God! Why dost thou Sell that so cheap b Isa 55. 2. which cost thy Saviour so Deare For the World which is Nothing c Pro. 23. 5 for vanity which is lesse d Psa 39. 7. Eccl. 1. 2. For a litle of that vanity which is lesse yet then what is lesse then that nothing e Isa 40. 17 Why hath that which cost more f 1 Tim. 2. 6. then Ten Thousand worlds are worth least of thy care and cost If thy Body be Sick thou wilt have Physick if wounded Salve if naked Cloths if hungry bread no rate no paine is spared for it But the pretious Soule may lie Sick of Sin g Psa 41. 4 wounded by guilt h Pro. 78. 14. stript of innocence i Ezek. 16. 22. starv'd for grace k Amos 8. 11. and nothing is given or done to helpe it For my Soul What is Gods price for his helpe but mans Labour Two mites worth of paines * Due miâ—uta carc anima Ber. is all thy l Isa 55. 2 owne and thy Bodies and yet thou wilt bate one if not keep both from him Wouldst thou lose a life that wilt not quit a state an honour a friendship for him Dost thou give him thy Soul that wilt not leave a bad custome or base lust to serve him But O my Soule no more of these neglects I charge thee by thy Heavenly Birth and Parentage by thy Immortall Substance and Durance by thy Pretious Ransome the Deare Bloud of God Value thy welfare more Seek the Bodies lesse thinke not Gods price too great mans Labour for his happinesse when the Son of God thought not his Sweat too much his Bloud for the Price O thou deare and Pretious Peice and Purchase of Divinest Architect and device Detect this Serpentine Policy
quiet that thou dost serve God at home when others Worship him at Church That 's good in it time O my Soul when Sicknesse or Necessity confines thee to a House a Sacrifice acceptable to God but else an offering of an ill and offensive Savour to God and man like meat out of Season At other timies it looks like an Integrity and Holinesse but now like a Singularity and boldnesse Be not thou no not in thy Closet Gods little Chappell when others are at his Greater the Church Thou must not put him to a Private Audience when he hath appointed thee a Publick But for him to see thee in thy Bed when he looks for thee in his Court To Spie thee at thy Glasse when thou shouldst be looking in His Word To be found at thy Jam. 1. 23. Dresses when thou shouldst be at thy Prayers To be taking or giving Addresses to man when thou shouldst be making them to God O My Soule When thou wouldst have God to loath thee let such postures of Profanenesse appeare in thee My Soule My Soule Believest thou God hath his Day of Doome I know thou believest I charge thee then as thou wilt answer it at that Dreadfull day by no means unless the plea be just Heb. 10. 25 before God by no meanes for these or any such like ends be bestowed in thy Chamber when others are assembled at Church All excuses set aside which Conscience dare not avow at that great Audit behave thy selfe more like a Saint and Servant of God be found and seen where they are in the Sanctuarie Deare Soul If thou dost otherwaies where canst thou be better found Are there better Companions then Saints and Angels Is any Greater then God Any Nobler Employment then to wait on Divine Majesty Any happier place then Heaven Any weightier businesse then Happinesse Loe They and This are here Saints Ministring Psal 74. 7. House of Glory Isay 6. 8. Gen. 28. 17. Regia Dei ipsum coelii Chrys Ezek. 46. 10. 2 Chro. 23 13. 2 Chro. 6. 13. Angels Assisting God Residing Heaven Appearing Happinesse Working Heaven in figure is before thee the Gate by thee and where is happinesse but in Heaven What then Thinkest thou any too great to serve God I know thou art too good to thinke it too wise to believe it The Prince hath his Pillar in Gods Temple There Great Solomon Kneeles * Eccl. Hist Eus de V. C. l. 4 c. 33. Stans concionem audit alitâ—r renuit rogatus licet Constantine Stands before Him Wert thou Prince King Emperour never so great a Man Nay Cherubim Seraphim Throne never so great an Angell it would be thy Honour to be his Minister And dost thou a Man no Angel a Worm no Man dost thou distaine on Earth what they doe in Heaven Dost thou Dan. 7. 10. Apoc. 4. 10 Job 4. 18 19. Psal 2â— 6. despise what the greatest have done on Earth Or dost thou pretend affairs when Crowns are noe Excuses Nay therefore My Soule wait on God the rather that he without whose blessing all Designes are vaine may Psal 127. 1. Prov. 19. 21. Prov. 16. 3. speed thy Dispatches and Prosper thy Affaires But If thou hast either sense of thy Makers Honour or thy own Salvation If any love to God or man be in thee If any care of Piety or Prosperity If not given up to an utter neglect of thy owne and others wordly and heavenly welfare I charge thee O My Soule and recharge thee Take heed and tremble to keepe others from Church unnecessarily to wait upon thee at home when thou and they should be waiting on God in his Sanctuarie Art thou their God that to attend thy Will they must neglect His Worship Or art thou the Greater God that thou must be served before Him An Idoll thou maist be sure a God thou art not So Hic fur est lâ—â—ro qui furari voluit gloriam â—uam Deuâ— 14. 26. thou Robbest God of his Honour and drawest thine into the Robbery O my Soule Be not such a Theife to Heaven Doe but consider it and thou wilt condemne it and never more be Guilty of such high dishonesty Thou must have care that thou and thine Jos 24. 15 House serve the Lord not take course to keep thee and them from his Service The King after Gods owne Psal 42. 4. Heart Went with a multitude into the House of God held not many from it Was one of the Holy Round and Ring of Worshippers not sitting in a Chaire Psal 26. 6. when he should be standing before the Altar not with them about him that should be with him about God! Dear Soul Bring all to Heaven thou canst hinder none from it And though Atheisme sit in the doore of some Lips that dare say Religion is but Policy let it not lurk in any corner of thy Mal. 3. 14. Heart so much as to think Piety an Impertinency A Ceremony to be Exod. 5. 17 done when there is nothing else to doe No my Soul There is no other Rom 6. 22 way to Heaven and the Church is Isa 35. 8. Gods High way What is done and not in Religion or Order to it is Impertinent Eccles 5. 6 all And the Lord keep thee and thine from their Death and Misery whose 1 Cor. 10. 7 1 Pet. 1. 17. Conversation is a meer Pastime and their Life an Impertinency As therefore Philip had his Morning-Memento to tell him he was a Man to keep him from Pride have thou some Evening-Remembrancer to minde thee the Night before the next day is for God to prevent such Profanenesse That by disposing thy self to a Timely rest that Night thou maist have better time and Spirit to serve God on his day Look at late Companies then as Vipers and shake them off as such Wasts of time especially Holy work stings of Conscience It is thy Mothers Counsell The Churches use Saturday is half Holy-day that Sunday may be whole And sure the Devout Mother that would have God thought on that Afternoone would not have him forgot that After-night much lesse neglected on the After-day No my Soul If thou dost honour thy Lord and Saviour thou must not despise His Day The day of the Lord. Nay if thou hast any love to Religion thou canst not For what is that but the Service of the Lord and this but his Day Nay if thou hast any care of happinesse For what is this but thy Saviours Day and how that but because set apart to seek Salvation Thy L d Christ rose this day out of his Grave to save thee and wilt not thou rise out of thy Bed to serve Him Is that the way to uphold an House to pull down the Piller My Soul If Piety have no set day for her Pâ—actise Religion will soone fall to ruine Without that it will not be visible but vanish to nothing and thy Bliâ—se with it For surely
thy self and that 's all All that either Law or Gospell askes For all is but To live godly and righteously and soberly Tit. 2. 12. in this present world And as love is in summe all that so Charity is Mic. 6. 8. Rom. 13. 10. Mat. 9. 13. Mat. 5. 23 24. Heb. 13. 16. in short all love God himself makes it chief of all He will have mercy and not Sacrifice He gives it Place before Piety He loves thy Almes before his Offerings and had rather see an Empty Altar then an unreconciled Brother Nay for Gods sake to doe man good is to make a Sacrifice of mercy A most sweet and acceptable Sacrifice Phil. 4. 18. and most honoured Piety No marvaile then if it take place of justice The truth is it is a Piece of it and Prov. 3. 27 Deut. 15. 7 Psa 112. 9. so principall that in the Holy Tongue one word speakes both Almes are debts to the needy by his Law who is Lord of thee and thine and the payment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 5. 7. Luk. 11. 41. Dan. 4. 27. Mat. 25. 34 35. Prov. 19. 17. Mat. 25. 40 so good as procures from him a generall Acquittance though but a particular Duty Nay not a Cancell onely of the debt but a Crown to the Debtour And wonder not at it O my Soul since it makes thee Creditour to thy God and Benefactour to thy Saviour As if as all is nothing without 1 Cor. 13. 23. 1 Joh. 3. 17 nothing were all with charity the chief of all As then it is in thy power shew it 1 Cor. 16. 2 Abate something of Back and Belly rather then have nothing in thy power With thy Superfluities provide the poor of necessaries * Superflua divituÌ„ necessaria pauperum Eph. 4. 28. Ex. 32. 3. Job 31. 9. Did they give their Ear-rings to make a God wilt thou quit nothing to save a Man shall all be Lavished away that should Ezek. 16. 49. be so laid out All to Vanity nothing for Mercy O My Soul Tremble to think how such accounts will passe at the great Audit-Day If thou canst at Phil. 4. 17. Luke 16. 2 once Discharge thy self and oblige thy God why dost thou bind over thy self by such actions of wast to answer Mat. 19. 21 Mat. 25. 42. Divine Justice at the Dreadfull Day of Judgement Dear Soul Read and avert the Doome thou canst not answer it Yea see it in Execution and quake to see it Dives that would Luk. 16. 21 24 25. not give a Crumb of Bread hath not a Drop of Comfort How much better had it been to have fed Lazarus then fared so deliciously To have given Almes then received Torments not to have spent so much on the Flesh rather then end in Fire Dear Soul be thou more devoted to charity let that never be thy End look to all but to that above all thy workes as thou dost unto thy words and thoughts This my Soul makes thy Conscience Luk. 1. 6. good and thy Service great when it takes care to keep all thy wayes right Indeed it is that then which nothing is more pretious to give thy self a holy 1 Sam. 15. Rom. 2. 12 Psa 50. 23 Sacrifice unto his Service nothing is desired more I beseech you therefore by the mercies Rom. 12. 1 of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable ervice The summe of this Soliloquie God being our God even unto death must be served all our life Psal 48. 13 Our Conscience of all our wayes is his perpetuall Service To look to our thougbts words and deeds is to have care of all our wayes 1. The Heart must be strictly kept because the Spring of all ill is in the Heart First Motions must be repell'd and the Senses well watcht if we will keep the Heart Eyes and Eares must be chiefly watcht of all the Senses 2. The Tongue must be bridled as we love our life Gods Law and Threat and Mans Resolution make a strong Bridle The Tongue will be easily rein'd if the Heart be rul'd and hardly else It will flie out if God keep not the Door of the lips Taciturnity is a good lock to keep it in 3. The Hand must be bound from ill to good To God and Man it must doe no Act. 24. 16 evill but all good True love performes all Charity to Man is by God accounted as the Principall and totall of Love If we have to spare we must spend if not pinch rather then want to lay out on workes of Charity Thursday-Soliloquie Remora's in Religion OR A Soliloquie shewing the Soule the Errors and Dangers in the waies of Godlinesse and how to avoid them MY Soule To keep thy selfe continually Serviceable to thy God is a great and hard Government More to Rule thy litle then the Greater world but Prov. 16. 32. 25 28. will be easied by some Helps which are to be had If thou wilt Avoid what Hinders and Observe what Furthers thee in the way to Heaven And if thou dost survey all thou wilt see that false Principles Bad Customes Vile Companies Vaine Scruples and Ghostly Negligences are Principall Bars and Hinderances Conscience is Gods clock to teach thee how to know and Spend thy Time in his Service but given thee to Keep If then the wheels be ill that move it or Dialls false that guide it or it kept foule or thou forgetfull of it how should the motion possibly be rectified and it goe right And My Soule Principles and Habits are the Wheels Examples Dialls Scruples Dusts Rests forgettings of it Minde and Will are the Wheels on which Humane Actions move ill Principles and Habits Spoile the Wheels And of many as the very Pests and Perversions of all Regular life eye these as 1. Ill Principles To thinke thy selfe good because thou seest others worse For so there shall be but One man Bad in the world to wit the worst Nay not One because be he never so bad the Devill is worse Ephes 3. 8 Rather Judge thy selfe bad whilest thou â—eest a better because by the grace of God didst thou equally pray and endeavour it alike thou mightest be as good By leave of that thou maist be very naught That Principle therefore is bad And no better 2. To thinke thy selfe not bad because Particularly good So Abimelech had beene as good as Abraham God Gen. 20. 6 Psal 119. 6 knowes he did not Adulterate Sarah act or thought For that his heart was upright Yea but if it encline or leane to any ill the heart is not upright for then since there is some Sin which every 2 Kings 10 31. one hates because a contrariety of Sins and some he loves the World which hath many would not have One Hypocrite And since no man is universally ill there should not be one Sinner I may
lustfull eye or hand or foot of offense Rom. 8. 13 Mat. 5. 29. Heb. 11. 25 then or deniall of any Pleasure is it then Deare My Soule The Saints and Martyrs Pro hac emendâ Bartholomoeus propriaÌ„ pellem dedit Aug. Longo tempore tolerare Aug. Gal. 5. 24. 2 Tim. 2. 12. Heb. 12. 3. 2 Cor. 4. 17 1 Cor. 10. 13 Heb. 2. 18. 1 Pet. 4. 14. Heb. 1. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 10. thought themselves good Merchants that bought them at these rates Nay if thou shouldest daily Suffer torments on earth yea for a long time endure the torments of Hell the price would not be great for the purchase of Heaven My Soul he that said so to his was a Saint Be content then to Crosse a lust or Carry a Crosse for Heaven For this thy Christ endured his Great Crosse wilt not thou thy little one That hast his Shoulders to help thee to bear it too his Grace his Spirit his Angels for thy help My Soul let not the Difficulties conceived in a Course of Religion discourage thee from or in the way It is Mans Calumny and the Devils Policy To him that loves God as thou shouldst that hath his Grace as thou maist and his Favour as thou mightest all his Commands are easie and 1 Joh. 4. 3. Mat. 11. 29. 30. his Yoke but light For to him is given the staff of Peace a Psal 119 165. Phil. 4. 7. and stay of Hope b Ro 15. 13 and strength of Comfort c Heb. 6. 18. Heb. 3. 6. which besides the outward are great helps to the carrying of that Yoke And blind thoughts and affections set aside the Sinner toiles more then the Saint d Ec. 2. 23. Joh. 6. 27. 1 Cor. 15. 58. Apoc. 14. 13. Aeterua quies aeterno labore meritò paratur and drudges more for Hell then he workes for Heaven And did the Saint droile more Heaven makes all nothing For what are Moments of paine and labour to Eternity of Joy and Rest which were worth the while if attained with eternall work and labour It 's a Slander then cast on the wayes of God Yes my Soul and a Stratagem too A Flie from Belzebub * Deus muscae Prov. 26. 13. Rom. 12. 11 12. Heb. 6. 10. 11. Heb. 12. 3. buzzing this into thy Eares that he may keep Heaven better out of thy Eyes And hold thy foot when he hath thus slackt thy heart from going or from comming thither My Soul against all such fainting take Saint Pauls Cordiall Whilest we not at the things which are seen but not 2 Cor. 4. 16. 18. seen for the things which are seen are temporall but the things which are not seen are eternall And so there be Paines as well as Joyes Think of that O my Soul For to foresee is the way to avoid those paines and to Muse on it the means to escape 4. Hell Thou art not in love with Paine My Heb. 12. 11 Soule Who is All shun it Why not then that most which is greatest Why in Earth more then Hell Is Mat. 25. 30. Mat. 18. 34. Mar. 5. 43 44. Apoc. 6. 16 17. Apoc 14. 10. Mat. 16. 25 26. Mat. 25. 31. 41. Mat. 8. 12. Apoc. 14. 10 11. any Gaole like that Dungeon Any Keepers to Fiends Any Burning like that Fire Any Biting like that worme Any shame of face to the Confusion before men and Angels Can any losse on earth equall the losse of Heaven Or Exile from friends a Banishment from God and Angels To dwell in utter darknesse no light Amidst Infinite Tortures and no ease to all Eternity no end Tortures which make the Wheele a Sport the Furnace a Bower and the Rack a very Recreation My Soule Are these but Godly frauds to fright tender hearts from wickednesse If thou beest a Christian thou dost not believe so nay if 2 Pet. 3. 3. Plato Plut c. but a Heathen thou wilt not Endlesse and Extreme pains for evill deeds after this life even they beleive The very Devils doe though their torture Jam. 2. 19. Mat. 8. 29. Rom. 2. 15 16. to doe it Conscience which is in all men is an Apostle of this to all Nations The joyfull deaths of innocent men and Dreads of Guilty ones in death Preach it all the world over For what are these but summons to the great Barre where according to their works all shall râ—ceive the Sentence of Judgement O my Soule ponder this Is it grievous to endure extreme paine for an houre Is it nothing to suffer Extremity for ever So long as Omnipotency can preserve so much as Omniscience can devise what infinite Justice doth require Soul and body to suffer for ever and ever O My Soule Could thy Mind measure nay but sadly consider the length of Eternity How millions of Ages are not a Span to that time not all since the World an Inch of a Span And yet all the Tortures that Earth ever had or wits of men and Angels could imagine to have are but ease to those paines which are to endure to that Eternall length thou wouldest as soone burne as lust and take up a Serpent as Sin My Soule To save Ecclus. 21. 2. thy selfe be serious and consider it The greatest Temptation will not take if thou doe but remember it Thou wilt refuse the Apple for the worme in it The Sweets of Sin for the fire after it The hardest Duty will downe if thou thinke of it Thy Deare friend O my Soule That gave his blood to save thee from that death His Counsell is thus to avoid it If thine eye offend Mar. 9. 43. thee pluck it out c. It 's better for thee having one eye to goe to Heaven then having both to be cast into hell where the worme doth not die and the fire is not quenched Better a litle paine for a Time then all to Eternity My Soule These four are Cordiall 2. Division Isay 17. Verbum Incarnatum est verbum ad hominis naturam usque abbreviatum Bern. Phil. 3. 14. Considerations to carry thee to all Duety from all ill But the Royall one remains Thy Christ to be thy studie and thy Iesus to be thy Booke The Word Abbreviate Bible in Body Scripture in flesh Consider him and all good is done for he did it all ill is gone for he fled it All his Actions are thy lessons but my Soule His Birth Life and Death are the Chapters I would have thee Read For the whole World of wickednesse is conquer'd by those three Pride Avarice and Luxury 1 Joh. 2. 16 the three parts of that world 1. His Birth is the Death of pride Luk. 2. 7. His stable the Grave For if that was there why is this any where Or wherefore this For cloths His clouts Purpurae mea panni Salvaetoris Bern. are best purple For wealth It 's his straw For Retinue Beasts are his For