Oedypus to dissolue our doubts it is our commentarie to vnderstand Gods word d Clauis Scriptura Origen It is a e Deo sacrificium diabolo flagellum homini subsidium August The praise of praier sacrifice to God a scourge to the diuell and an helpe to our selues in all our troubles Wherefore as the Apostle by examples commended faith to the Hebrewes so may I by examples commend prayer to you By it Abrahams seruant obtained a wife for Isaac and by it Moses obtained a pardon for Israel By this the same Moses ouercame the Amalekites and by this Abraham interceded for the Sodomites By prayer Iacob was deliuered from Esau Iosuah from the men of Aie Dauid from Goliah The Prophet from Ieroboam Elizeus from the Samaritans Hezechiah from death Iehosophat from the Aramites Manasses from captiuitie Ieremiah from his aduersaries and Daniel from the Lions the dâ—seased from his leprosie the Apostles from prison the Church from persecution By prayer Hannah obtained a sonne Dauid deliuerance Salomon wisedome Elias the restoring of a dead child Elizeus the opening of his seruants eyes Nehemiah the kings fauour the Centurion his seruants health Christ comfort in his agonie the Apostles a successor to Iudas Stephen pardon for Paul and Monima the conuersion of her sonne S. Austin In Psal 63 Thus true it is which that Austin saith Great is the profit of pure prayer and as a faithfull messenger deliuers her arrand and pierceth thither whither flesh cannot come And this it was which made Bernard to say Brethren let none of vs lightly esteeme his prayer I tell you that hee to whom wee pray doth not lightly esteeme it after it is out of our mouth he writes it in his Booke and one of these two wee may doubtlesse expect either that hee will grant our petition or that which hee knoweth to be better for vs. Call vpon me and I will heare saith God aske and you shall haue saith Christ Before they crie I will heare them saith Isaiah The Lord is nigh to all that call vpon him saith Dauid but to such as call vpon him in truth And if we may belieue the Apostle Iames the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much Pray therefore and we had need to pray Why wee ought to Pray Satan will deuoure thee pray for deliuerance The world will allure thee pray for assistance The flesh will betray thee pray for defence The wicked will seduce thee pray for continuance What beloued If God had commaunded vs a great thing ought wee not to doe it how much more when he saith pray and preuaile aske and haue seeke and finde knock and it shall bee opened vnto you aske Temporall things and haue them seeke for Spirituall things and find them knocke for Eternall things and the gates of heauen shall stand as open to you as the gates of the prison did to the Apostle Peter By this with Eliah you may open and shut the verie gates of heauen and by this with the Apostle you may shake the foundations of the earth O pretious praier what could not onely wee but euen the whole world doe without thee Thou increasest the earth calmest the sea asswagest the fire purgest the ayre protectest our Gouernours confoundest our enemies preseruest our health instructest our mindes blessest our actions encreasest our wealth exaltest our honour speakest but the word and we are preserued Prayer in all places Pray wee therefore in all places at all times for all persons and for all things Pray wee in all places but in euery place lifting vp pure hands vnto God Thus Isaac prayed in the field Iakob in his bed Israel in Egypt Moses on the Mount Iosuah at Iericho Elias in the chamber Hezekiah on his couch Ieremie in the dungeon Ionah in the Whales bellie Daniel in the Lions den Christ in the Garden the Disciples in a ship Peter in a Tanners house Paul at the sea side and the Iewes at Ierusalem Call vpon him in thy priuate chamber and crie vnto him with thy familie in thy parlour Thou needest not to fall downe at some piller with hypocrites but praise him especially in the congregation of Saints for there many voices are Gods best melodie Pray also at all times at euening Pray at all times and morning and at noone day will I pray vnto thee yea at midnight will I rise to call vpon thee nay seuen times a day wil I praise thee saith Dauid Daniel did so three times a day Paul did it day and night Hannah did it all the daies of her life and the Psalmographer vowes it I will praise the Lord as long as I liue as long as I haue any being I will sing praises to my God Pray continually not as those Heretiques Euchitae who would euer do so but as Christians who know when to do so With morning prayer the day begin With euening prayer the night shut in Without this prayer sit not to eate Without Gods praise rise not from meate And forget not to pray for all persons Pray for ad persons for the King as the head his Senatours as the eyes his Clergie as the mouth his Souldiers as the hands his Subiects to all trades as the feete vpon which the Common-wealth doth stand Art thou a Minister pray for thy flocke An Auditor for thy Preacher A Father for thy child an Husband for thy wife a Master for thy seruant or a Gouernour pray for thy family Is any Sicke pray for his health Poore for his wealth Imprisoned for his libertie Seduced for his recouerie Confirmed for his constancie or in any Distresse for his deliuerie Pray for all men that their bodies may be preserued soules saued estates maintained that thy and their thoughts may bee sanctified your words seasoned and your actions ordered by the Spirit of God To whom we must Pray Will you know now to whom wee must pray not to a Calfe as the Israelites did nor to Baal as his Priests did nor to an Image as Idolaters did nor to any Saints as our fathers did but as we are bound to serue God alone so are we bounden to pray to God alone for hee alone knoweth our wants heareth our petitions hath promised to helpe vs is able to doe for vs and is the alone present helper in the needfull time of trouble I will draw to an end You haue seene beloued the necessitie of this seruice How wee must Pray let mee shew you a litle the qualities of this seruice Pray we must in knowledge with vnderstanding in faith by beleeuing in remorse with feeling in zeale without cooling in intention without wandering in reuerence without contemning in constancie without reuolting and in loue without reuenging Let our eyes be fastned hearts fixed knees bowed mouthes opened our hands lifted vp as to the King of Kings And as Iacob would not let the Angell goe till he were blessed so let not vs let
and others pride of heart that wee labour more for our owne credit then Gods glorie f Luk. 18.11 2 Our hardnes of heart that we cannot as wee ought sée Gods glorie in his Creatures g Mar 6.52 3 Our vnthankfulnesse that we praise him not as we ought for his many fauours towards Mankind aboue all Creatures h Psal 51 15 4 Our impietie that in our liues wee dishonour God i Psal 119.136 Euch. What then doe you pray for in this petition Phil. I pray that God by mee and all men whether Magistrates Ministers or people may in feare and dread be glorified in the reuerend speaking of his name holy meditation of his properties diligent hearing of his word often receiuing of the Sacrament patient bearing of the crosse and daily admiring of his workes And in a word that wee may know in minde acknowledge in heart loue in truth speake with tongue doe in our actions both naturall ciuil and religious all such things as God may be glorified by All Nations must praise God Psal 117. and all must pray that not only they but also all others may thus praise him at all times Psal 113. in all places without intermission and that by their good workes they may stirre vp others to glorifie God Matth. 5.2 1. Pet. 2.12 Euch. What doe you pray against Phil. I pray against all ignorance error vanitie of minde Infidelitie Prophanesse Atheisme Worldlinesse Securitie Pride and all blasphemous spéeches false dealing scoffing Idolatrie Superstition Sorcerie Sacriledge Simonie Periurie Persecution Impenitencie Vnreuerend vsing of Gods Word Sacraments or workes and in a word against all such disorder in mans life as may any way obscure the glorie of God Euch. VVhat doe you heere giue God thankes for Phil. That it hath pleased him to glorifie his great Name in all the former and hath giuen mee and many others grace of his méere mercie to glorifie his Name in that which before I prayed for as also that he hath bestowed vpon vs the benefit of saÌ„ctification by the word of truth Ioh. 17. and the perfection of sanctification in the life to come Coloss 1.12 If thus wee desire to honour God wee loose not by it he in the end will honour vs. 1. Sam. 2.30 2. Thess 1.12 Euch. Why doe you vse in this and other petitions this order First to bewaile Secondly to pray for Thirdly to pray against And lastly to giue thankes Phil. Because confession petition deprecation and thankesgiuing being the speciall parts of Prayer 1. Tim. 2.1 I must vnderstand them all to bee in euery Petition of this absolute forme of Prayer Euch. Which is the second petition Phil. Thy Kingdom come Thy Kingdome come Euch. Why doth it next follow Hallowed be thy name Phil. 1. Because it is the first meanes by which Gods name is hallowed 2 Because next to the hallowing of his Name we ought chiefly to pray that Gods Kingdome may come k Mat. 6.31 Euch. Why is it set before Thy will beâ— done Phil. Because no man can euer do Gods will in any thing till such time as Gods Kingdome be erected in his heart Euch. How proue you this Phil. By these reasons 1 Because no man can doe Gods will that is not Gods subiect l Ioh. 1.24 2 No man can kéepe Gods Law but by Gods grace m Psal 119 32. 3 Because without faith wee cannot please God n Heb. 11.6 4 Because The end of the Commandement is Loue out of a pure heart good conscience and faith vnfained o 1. Tim. 1.5 Euch. But may not a bad man doe that which is good Phil. Hee may doe that which is good in it selfe but because he is out of Christ p Ioh. 15.5 or being in Christ doth it to a bad end it shall not bée good to him q 1. Cor. 13.3 So to giue almes is a good thing but if our persons be not iustified before God and this action bee not to the glorie of God it will neuer proue good to vs. Euch. Why doe you pray that Gods Kingdome may come Phil. Because if my Father raigne I his Sonne raigne in him and his dignitie is a dignitie to me And I pray for it as the first of the good thinges which concerne our selues because in order and nature it is the first Matth. 6.31 Philip. 3.9 Euch. How many sorts of Kingdomes are there Phil. Thrée The Kingdome of Sathan the Kingdomes of men and the Kingdome of God r Eph. 6.12 Euch. What is â—he Kingdome of Sathan Phil. It is that tyranicall regencie by which as the Prince of darknesse hee by Gods iust permission ruleth in the Children of darknesse and rageth against the Children of light 2. Cor. 4.4 Reuel 12.3 Erecting vp two other Kingdomes the one of sinne Rom. 6.12.5.21 the other of death Rom. 5.14 all which are Enemies to this Kingdome we pray for Sathan ruling ouer all the children of pride Iob. 41.34 and teaching them to say wee will not haue this man to rule ouer vs Luk. 19.14 Euch. What is the Kingdome of Man Phil. It is the humane gouernment by which one or diuers doe by Gods ordinance command their people Euch. What is the Kingdome of God Phil. It is that spirituall rule which God through Christ doth by grace begin in vs in this life and by glorie will accomplish in the life to come * Dan. 2.37 Matth. 25.37.6.31 RoÌ„ 14.17 Euch. Is the Kingdome of God manifolde Phil. It is thréefold 1. The Kingdome of Power Psal 99.1.2 The Kingdome of Grace Matth. 3.2.3 The Kingdome of Glorie Luk. 23.42 By the first hee ruleth Sathan and all his Enemies Psal 2.9.145 13. commands all Creatures and preserueth his owne people By the second he ruleth the godly and raignes in their heartes by the Word and Spirit Luk. 17.20 By the third hee crowneth the godly with celestiall happinesse So then the first Kingdome is externall the second internal the third eternall the first is a gouernment of all the second of the elect the third of the departed out of this life into Heauen Euch. How many thinges may we obserue in this Kingdome Phil. Twelue 1 That Christ is King a Mat. 2.2 2 The Subiects are Christians b Psal 2.8 3 The Lawes are the Word c Psal 119.105 4 The Enemies are Sathan Sinne Death Hell Damnation the Flesh and the Wicked d Eph. 6.12 Rom. 6.12 1. Cor. 15.51 Rom. 8.1 Gal. 5.17 Gen. 3.15 5 The rewardes are the good thinges of this life and eternall happinesse in the life to come e Mar. 10.30 6 The Chastisements are afflictions f Heb. 12.6 7 The weapons are Faith Hope Loue the Word and Prayer g Eph. 6.16 8 The time of it is to the Worlds end h Mat. 28.20 9 The place is this World and the World to come i Reuel 5.10 Mat. 25.34 10 The Officers are Preachers k 2.
our desire to obtaine or doe that which wee haue prayed for Vpon his Amen Iohn 16.23 we ground ours Euch. What then doth this word Amen import at the end of this Petition and euery Prayer Phil. More a great deale then many thinke for it is as much as if we should say thus Wee haue begged many thinges at thy hand and wee doe desire thee to heare and are perswaded thou wilt heare all our requests Euch. What are wee taught by this seale Amen Phil. We are taught 1 That we pray not in hypocrisie to God but â—s perswaded that God is both faithfull and true to grant our requests being able and willing to doe it Esay 49.7.8 Rom. 4.21 1. Thes 5.24 able as our King willing as our Father and faithfull in all 1. Iohn 1.9 to forgiue sinnes 1. Cor. 10. to deliuer from temptation 2. Thess 3. to kéepe vs from all euill 2 To desire earnestly that we pray for 3 To be perswaded that we shal receiue it though infidelity be mixed with our faith 4 Not to vse this word Amen so vnaduisedly as wee doe but to know what it is to which we say Amen least by ignorance we seale a curse to our selues and others 5 That Latine Gréeke and Hebrew wordes may bee vsed Manie of like sort are in Daniel and the Gospels as Golgotha 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eli Eli Lammasabachthani c. when they grow so common that other people of a Nation doe vnderstand them for héere is the Hebrew word Amen vsed in Gréeke Latine and English 6 It calleth to our mind that vndoubted promise of our Sauiour Christ Iohn 16.23 confirmed by an oath Verily verily or Amen Amen I say vnto you whatsoeuer yee shall aske my Father in my name shall bee giuen vnto you 7 That by this seale of our consent wee confesse that whatsoeuer wee can pray for is contained in the former petitions 8 That it is our earnest desire that God would giue vs all thinges which wee haue prayed for So that this word Amen is a seale both of our faith to beléeue those things to bee true and loue that wee desire the accomplishment of them Euch. For people to say Amen at the end of prayers is it a practise of any antiquitie Phil. Yea verily it was vsed of the Church before Christ as appeareth Deut. 27.15 Ezra 8.6 Nehem. 5.13 Psal 89.52 1. Chron. 16.33 Psal 106.48 and of the Church after Christ 1. Cor. 14.16 For which cause it is the seale of all the Epistles and of the Booke of the Reuelation Euch. How may I say Amen with comfort Phil. 1 If you pray in the spirit with an earnest desire Psal 62.8.42.1.63.1 2 If you know the thing bee true you pray for that is agréeable to Gods will 1. Cor. 14.25 Iohn 4.23 But how can they know this who pray in an vnknowne tongue or know not the thing for which they pray Matth. 20.22 or not to a good end Iames 4.3 3 If you haue confidence to bee heard Psal 145.18 Iames 1.6 if your suit be either expedient or that God will giue you not your desire yet that which shall be best for you 4 You must say Amen to euerie petition as well to Hallowed bee thy name as thy Kingdome come 5 You must say Amen to the conclusion of the Prayer For thine is c. that is as well in your thankes giuing for benefits receiued as in your supplication which you make to receiue God will not haue Hosannah without Halleluiah If we thus say Amen to him he will become Amen to vs. Euch. What now haue you to say of all that hath beene taught you Phil. No more but this that I and manie others are bounden excéedingly to Almightie God that wee liue in such a Kingdome where our children are so taught in the trade of their wayes that when they are olde they may follow it And thou O Lord to whom Kingdome Power and Glorie belongeth kéep the Scepter of thy Gospell long amongst vs that the children to be borne may feare thy Name Amen CERTAINE QVESTIONS AND ANSVVERS CONCERNING some circumstances in praying wherein especially the lawfulnesse of set and read Prayer is prooued taken out of part of a Treatise of prayer written by M. H. H. a godly Preacher of this Citie and drawne into this forme of a Dialogue by mutuall conference Euch. I haue now receiued instruction from you coÌ„cerning the Lords Prayer but because I am bounden to Prayer alwaies what must I doe to pray aright Phil. Looke to your selfe First before Secondly in Thirdly after you haue done praying Euch What must I doe before I pray Phil. You ought First to repent Isay 1.15 Iohn 9.31 1. Iohn 3.22 repent I say euen of your past and last sinnes committed against God Daniel 9.56 Ezra 9.6 c. 2. Be reconciled to your Brother Matth. 23. Marke 11.25 3. You must bee prepared as one that knowes hee is to speake to God Euch. Wherein doth this preparation consist Phil. 1 In the emptying of the minde from Worldly thoughts 2 In the consideration of things to be asked 3 In lifting vp of the heart to the Word Psal 25.1 4 In an heartie reuerence of Gods Maiestie Eccles 5.1 Isay 29.13 Euch. What then must I doe in praying Phil. Your Prayer must proceed First from a sense of your wants 2 From an earnest desire of grace which you want 3 From a true faith 4 It must bee grounded vpon Gods Word and promise 5 It must be made to God alone 6 In the name of Christ 7 In it you must perseuer 8 To Prayer ioyne euer giuing of thankes Euch. And what must I doe after Prayer is ended Phil. First beléeue that whatsoeuer you haue asked if it bee fit for you you shall receiue Mark 11.24 Secondly practise that which you haue prayed for and vse all lawfull meanes to obtaine it Euch. Which is thought the fittest gesture in praying Phil. In prayer both publique and priuate vse such a gesture as may expresse the inward humilitie of your heart and your vnfained reuerence of Gods Maiestie Not forgetting in publique Prayer to conforme your selfe to the laudable custome of that Church in which you are Remember that you speake vnto God and you will carrie your selfe with greater reuerence then if you were before the greatest King Euch. But what shall we thinke of set and stinted Prayer whether priuate in Christian Families or publique vsed in the Church of God Phil. You doe well indéede to propound this question for manie are of opinion that all such kinde of praying is vnlawfull and will neither practise it themselues nor bee present where it is vsed Euch. Can the lawfulnesse hereof bee proued Phil. Yes verily 1 from Gods ordinance 2 Christs 3 From the prescript of the Prophets 4 The iniunction of godly Kings and Magistrates 5 From the practise of the Church and men indued with the spirit of God yea Christs owne practise 6 From
confession of sinnes in great Congregations scarce fortie are present vpon the Sabbath day yet none hereby may take occasion or be permitted so to rest wholly in such forme of Prayer as alwaies to kéepe idle the spirit within them or grace giuen them for growth in the power of Prayer to dull let or burie the gift or grace of the Spirit tending to riper perfection But euerie one ought to stirre vp and whet the Spirit and exercise the grace and power receiued to be fitted not only to repeate or reade but euen to endite any good matter and to be fitted by readinesse of inuention sutable to all occasions being as in the whole inward man so in the ripenesse of inuention facultie of conceuing increased and more and more perfected not alwayes to remaine like Children or Weakelings néeding to créepe vpon all foure or to walke with a staffe but able to goe without such helpes which any shall doe through Gods assistance by vse and frequent exercising themselues in Prayer and obseruation and imitation of other good Prayers heard or read and by kéeping a good method and order in praying A briefe Prayer vpon the Lords PRAYER OVR Father By the benefit of creation through thine omnipotencie assistance of preseruation through thy prouidence gift of Adoption through thy grace communication of eternitie through thy Christ Which art in Heauen euer raigning by thy power enlightining by Spirit forgiuing by thy mercy ruling by thy Maiesty Hallowed be thy name of vs by an honest coÌ„uersâ—tioâ— in vs by a cléere conscience from vs by an honest report aboue vs by the representation of Angels Thy Kingdome come in thy Holy Church by the sanctification of the Spirit in thy faithfull soules by iustification of faith in thine Holy Scriptures by instruction of Ministers in thy celestiall Pâ—radise by assimilation to Angels Thy will bee done in Earth in singlenesse of heart by humilitie chastitie of bodie by abstinence holinesse of will by custome truth of action by discretion As it is in heauen willingly without murmuring speedily without delaying constantly without ceasing vniuersally without omitting Giue vs this day our daily bread For humane necessitie to couer our shame future prosâ—eritie to maintaine our calling present liberalitie to doe good to others eternall glorie to lay vp in Heauen And forgiue vs our trespasses of omission in thinges commaunded commission in thinges forbidden of the first Table against thy selfe and the second Table against our neighbour As wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs Heartily in puritie chearefully in curtesie continually in Christianitie forgetfully in not requiting like for like And leade vs not into temptation either importunate which wearieth or sudden which discourageth or fradulent which deceiueth or violent which ouercommeth But deliuer vs from all euils of mundane aduersitie which will disquiet vs Sathans subtiltie which will destroy vs humane crueltie which will ouerthrow vs eternall misery which may torment vs. For thine is the Kingdome powerfull in it selfe comfortable to vs terrible to thine enemies eternall in Heauen Power great in our creation mightie in our preseruation mercifull in our iustification and wonderfull in our glorification And glorie For which thou diddest make all thinges to which we referre all thinges in which all thinges doe remaine on Earth and by which all thy Saints shal reioyce in Heauen For euer and euer in themselues by continuance in thy Saints by practise in thy creatures by proofe in the wicked by torment Amen so bee it by intention of the mind serious inuocation of thy name diligent execution of thy Commandements continuall communication of all thy mercies prayed for Another of the like Argument O Our Father high in Creation swéet in loue rich in mercie Which art in Heauen the glasse of eternitie the crowne of incunditie the treasure of felicitie Hallowed be thy name that it may bee honie to the mouth musicke to the eare a fire in the heart Thy Kingdome come pleasant without mixture safe without annoyance sure without losse Thy will bee done that wee may flie that thou hatest loue that thou louest and by thee doe that thou commandest In earth as it is in Heauen willingly readily faithfully Giue vs this day our daily bread necessarie for this life not superfluous for our delights nor waÌ„ting to our necessities And forgiue vs our debts against thée our neighbour and our selfe As wee forgiue our debters who haue wronged vs in our bodie goods name And lead vs not into temptation of the World Flesh Diuell But deliuer vs from euill past present to come Spiritual Corporall Eternall And this we aske because thine is the Kingdome for thou rulest all Power for thou canst doe all and Glorie for thou giuest all now whilest we doe liue and for euer whilest we shall liue Amen neither doubt we but that wee shall certainely obtaine these thinges because thou art louing as our Father and powerfull in Heauen Thou sayest Amen by commanding art Amen by performing we say Amen by beléeuing and hoping say but the word and we shall be cured Dauid tentatur tentatus orat orans Liberatur liberatus gratias agit August Dauid is tempted being tempted hee prayeth praying is deliuered and being deliuered he giueth thankes This is the summe both of Dauids Psalmes and the Lords Prayer MATTH 26.41 Watch and pray that you fall not into temptation A COMMVNICANT INSTRVCTED THOV SHALT LABOR FOR LONDON Printed for Edward Blunt and William Barret 1613. To the right Honourable the Ladie FRANCIS Daughter to the most honourable the Countesse of Darbie and wife to the honourable Sir IOHN EGERTON Knight of the BATHE ALbeit the houses of the poore are not at any time as of the rich alike adorned with gorgeous furniture yet the gardens of the poore as well as the rich are in the spring-time a-like couered with flowers furniture That great flower of the Sunne it is not indeede found but amongst the rich but the Marigold Heliotropiuim which openeth and setteth with the Sunne and which is as profitable as the other is beautifull this is amongst other sweet and holesome hearbs ordinarie in the poorest Orchard These kinde of hearbs sometime they vse for meate and medicine and often wanting things to present their betters with of these they doe offer a poesie of flowers As they haue receiued so they giue That spirituall Garden which is committed to my keeping hath not at this time any rare flowers in it but such as being planted some few yeares past doe now shew themselues in a more Orient colour and in greater aboundance Out of them this spring-time I haue gathered three seuerall nose-gaies and two of them are presented to two most honourable Counsellers this Third I am bold to present to your Honour I hope there is no such Antipathie betwixt flowers and you as there was betwixt a worthie Ladie and a Rose The Ladie Hennage especially such flowers as these since Religion which giueth colour
liuing that they take héed of such sinnes I will deliuer vnto you a rare example I knew a Gentleman of good sort who seldome came to the Church in the time of his health I was sent for to him in the time of his sicknesse and after many instructions deliuered vnto him he vttered vnto me this speech Sir I am beholding to you for this paines and thanke God for this comfort But if God had now denied this fauour vnto mee hee should haue dealt with me but according to iustice I haue liued a good time in this Parish I haue beene inuited by my friends called by the Bel mooued by the good report I heard of you and others to come to this Church but I made many excuses as of sicknesse and going to other places and did not come And though I haue many sinnes which I must answere for yet none at this time grieueth mee more then that I haue liued vnder a painfull Ministerie and yet was neuer partaker of it so that you and the whole Parish may iudge that I am either of no Religion or of a contrarie Religion to that which is professed in this Kingdome pray for mee that this sinne may bee pardoned heare me make a confession of my faith and that I die in the faith of Christ and am heartily sorrie for this mine offence I pray you therefore make it knowne when I am dead An. This I did and thus must we do ye◠in discretion that we may not be thought biters of the dead if either for crownes or gownes we doe otherwise it is a sinne Quest You propounded in the beginning fiue thinges which I ought euer to meditate on The first is expounded to my great comfort concerning the second which is Christs passion and death what ought I especially to thinke of Answ It is necessarie indéed you should thinke often of it for nothing will make you more willing to die then to be perswaded that Christ by his death hath washed you from sinnes and by his resurrection hath giuen vnto you eternall life I remember that Hierome complaining much of the people of his time that they had little féeling of the passion of Christ crieth out after this sort Euery Creature suffereth together with Christ at his suffering the Sun is darkened the Earth is mooued the Rockes cleaue a sunder the Vaile of the Temple is diuided the graues are opened only miserable man suffereth not with Christ for whom alone Christ suffered And Saint Bernard complaining of himselfe saith I went on securely knowing nothing of that fearefull iudgement of God which was in heauen denounced against mee and behold the Sonne of a Virgin the Sonne of the most high God is sent and commanded to be slaine that by the precious balme of his blood hee might heale all my wounds Consider O man how great are those wounds for the curing of which the Lord Christ must needs be wounded If these wounds had not beene deadly yea and to eternall death the Sonne of God would neuer haue dyed that he might cure them And that Augustine meditating on the passion of Christ saith The Crosse of Christ it to vs the cause of all happinesse it hath deliuered vs from the blindnesse of error it hath restored vs from darknesse to light it hath conioyned vs being aliens to God wee were farre from him it hath brought vs to his presence wee were pilgrime Citizens it shewed vs to him his crosse is the cutting off of discord the foundation of peace aboundance and largesse of all gifts Quest What then is the passion of Christ Answ It is that al-sufficient sacrifice of the Sonne of God whereby he offered himselfe to the Father that he might merit for all that beléeue in him iustification by this obedience sanctification by his Spirit redemption by his death and eternall life by his resurrection from the dead Quest What moued Christ thus to suffer Answ 1 The good will and pleasure of the Father 2 The misery of mankinde 3 Gods infinite and vnspeakeable loue 4 The voluntary obedience of Christ himselfe Quest Of what continuance was this passion of his An. From the day of his birth till the houre of his resurrection Quest Tell me what he suffered from his birth till his death Answ He suffered in his body circumcision hunger weeping and wearinesse in his soule temptation and heauinesse in his estate pouerty and needinesse in his name ignominy and contemptuousnesse in person persecution and weakenesse and in his whole life miserie and wretchednesse and to this end onely that he thus freeing vs from deserued ignominy might bring vs in the ende vnto eternall glory Quest But because his greatest suffering was about and at his death shew mee first what he suffered not long before he died Ans When Dauid considered by the spirit of prophecie of this point he saith The sorrowes of the graue haue compassed mee the troubles of hel haue taken hold vpon me And when Ieremy did consider it by the same Spirit he crieth out in the person of Christ Lament 1.12 Haue you no regard all yee that passe by this way Behold and 〈◊〉 if there bee any sorrow like vnto my sorrow which is done vnto mee wherewith the Lord hath afflicted mee in the day of his fierce wrath from aboue he hath sent fire into my bones which preuaileth against them hee hath spread a net for my feet and turned mee backe hee hath made mee desolate and daily in heauinesse He was in a Garden where Adam transgressed his soule was heauy vnto death hee sweat drops or rather cloddes of bloud trickling downe vnto the ground and was constrained to cry Father if it bee possible let this cup passe from mee There hee was assaulted by Satan betrayed by Iudas apprehended by Souldiers and forsaken of all his professed Disciples Quest And why thinke you was his soule thus perplexed Ans Not for the feare of a bodily death for that he might if he would haue auoided But 1 The meditation of sinnes tyranny deaths victory and Satans malice al which had made hauocke of mankinde 2 The consideration of those cursed contumelies and that damnable death which he was to vndergoe in his blessed body 3 The thoughts he had of mans ingratitude who was not thankefull nor mindeful of so great saluation 4 The sense and féeling of Gods wrath which hee susteined and satisfied for our sinnes Quest When he was apprehended and brought vnto Caiphas surely the high Priest would vse him well Ans Nay hee is by him arraigned as a theefe mocked as a foole accused as an incendiary stricken as one contemptible and spit vpon as an execrable person and all this to frée vs from that shamefull execration Qu. Was he no better vsed when he came before Pilate Answ Not a whit for 1 Hee was accused as a seducer of the people a seditious person a conspiratour against the State a subuerter of the Nation an enemy to Caesar
subdue them in me I may haue afflictions in this world but Christ bids me to bee of good comfort for he hath ouercome the world Ioh. 16.33 and This is the victory that ouercommeth the world euen my faith 1. Ioh. 5.4 I will say with Dauid Why art thou disquieted O my soule and why art thou troubled within me The Lord is on my side I will not feare what either man or miserie or sin or death or hell or the Diuel can doe against mee I haue God to bée my Father and Christ to be my elder brother I will not feare in the euil day I am not alone Christ is my companion This shall be my studie to beléeue thinges inuisible to hope for that which is deferred and to loue God to the end though he writeth bitter things against me and maketh mee to possesse the sinnes of my youth Though hee kill me I will trust in him I am in Christ Iesus and therefore fréed by his bonds healed by his stripes crucified by his death raised by his resurrection iustified by his obedience sanctified by his spirit and glorified by his glorious Ascension into Heauen Now my flesh by the benefit of Christ who rose againe in my flesh is not spe but re not in hope but indéede saued For in him mine head it is alreadie both risen and ascended vp into Heauen My flesh being safe in this her head shall bee also saued in her members Let them securely triumph their head will neuer forsake them 2 You must learne to rise from sinne to newnesse of life to séeke those thinges that are aboue and not those thinges which are beneath to set your affections on Heauen and heauenly things If you be partaker of the first resurrection the second death shall take no hold of you Reuel 20.6 If you doe not this Christs death shal doe you no good For as hee died and rose againe so must you rise from sinne to righteousnesse and from death to life Therefore awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee life Ephes 5.14 Quest If I can thus meditate of Christs death and resurrection I doubt not but death will bee better welcome for if I weare his Crowne of thornes I shall one day weare his Crowne of glorie If I can pledge him in his Cup of gall I shall drinke of his sweet wine If I die with him in this World I shall liue with him in that which is to come But you told mee that I must meditate of the deceitfulnesse of this World must I doe so that I may leaue it more willingly Answ You must néeds doe it the World is like Laban it will giue you Leah for Rachel it will change your wages it wil send you with Iaakob emptie away It is a Syren it will sing to you to sinke you It is as Iael Hebers wife it will offer you milke and couer you with a mantle and in the end strike a naile into the temples of your head It will salute you as Ioab did Amasa and kill you as Amasa was by Ioab killed With Iudas it will kisse you and with Iudas also it will betray you For this cause Salomon cried Vanitie of vanities all is but vanitie Iohn said Loue not this World nor the thinges of this World hee that loueth this World the loue of the Father is not in him 1. Ioh. 2.16 To this purpose the Fathers haue many notable Meditations Augustine said This World is more dangerous fauning then fighting and more to be auoided when she inticeth to loue then when shee compelleth to contempt Againe O yee louers of this World for what doe you labour haue you heere any greater hope then to become friendes of this World what is there which is not fraile and full of perill and by how many perils doe you come to a greater perill This life is miserable death vncertaine it comes vnawares and after all the punishment of our negligence is eternall punishment Againe The World passeth away and the lusts thereof What wilt thou doe whether wilt thou loue temporall thinges and passe away with time or loue Christ and liue for euer Againe Behold the World is troublesome and we like it what would wee doe if it were calme how would wee cleaue vnto beautie if wee so affect deformitie how fast would wee gather the flowers who fill our hands with the thornes Againe This ruinous World is beloued of vs what would we doe if the building were faire Againe The Lords of this World haue true asperitie false iucunditie certaine miserie and hopelesse felicitie Gregorie said Beholde this World which wee loue so much passeth away These Saints at whose monuments wee stand did contemne the then florishing World they had long life continuall health rich estate many children long peace and yet when that World florished in it selfe it withered in their hearts Beholde now it withereth in it selfe and florisheth in our hearts Euerie where death sorrow desolation is at hand Wee are beaten on all sides filled on all sides are we with bitternesse and yet being blinded with carnall concupiscence we loue the bitternesse of this World shee flieth we pursue her she falleth we leane vpon her and because wee cannot keepe her from falling we fal with her whom we hold falling Bernard said Hee that begins to thinke Christ sweet will esteeme quickly the world as bitter Againe This World is full of thornes they are in the Earth they sticke in thy flesh To bee amongst them and not to bee hurt by them proceeds from Gods power not our owne Againe The World crieth I wil faile thâ—â— the flesh crieth I will infect thee the Deuill crieth I will deceiue thee but Christ crieth I will refresh thee Againe The danger of this World is seene in the paueitie of such as passe well thorow it and the multitude that perish in it In the Massilian Sea of foure Shippes scant one is drowned in the Sea of this World of foure soules scant one is saued Chrysostome said The World is a Sea the Church a Ship the Saile Repentance the Rudder the Crosse the Pilot Christ and the Holy Ghost the Windes I would with you therefore to bid this vaine World Adieu and to say with the blessed Apostle Saint Paul God forbid that I should reioyce in any thing saue in the crosse of Christ whereby the World is crucified to me and I vnto the World Quest I shall doe this the better if you tell mee what God hath prepared for mee in Heauen and of this I desire to be instructed from you Answ The Apostle Paul thinking vpon this saith The Eye hath not seene the Eare hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceiue the good things which God hath prepared for them which loue him The Eye saith Augustine hath not seene it because it is not Colour the Eare hath not heard it because it is not a Sound the
become fellow heires with him is not lessened by the multitude of possessors nor straitned by the number of heires but it is as great to many as to few to euery one as to all Againe Doe we loue riches let vs there keepe them where they cannot be lost Do we loue honor let vs there haue it where honor is giuen to none but the worthy Do wee desire dignitie let vs there affect to get it where being once gotten we may not feare to lose it Do we loue life let vs there seeke it where it is not ended by death Againe Such shall be there the delight of beautie that thou shalt euer haue it and neuer be glutted with it yea rather thou shalt euer be satisfied and neuer glutted For if I say thou shalt not be satisfied there shall be hunger if satisfied thou maiest feare satietie there where there is neither fulnesse nor famine I know not what to say but God hath what to giue Againe Behold the Kingdome of heauen is set to sale if thou wilt thou mayest buy it Thinke not much of the greatnes of the price it is worth all that thou hast Look not what thou hast but what an one thou art It is worth as much as thou art worth giue thy selfe and thou shalt haue it Thou wilt say I am euill and perhaps he will not take mee by giuing thy selfe to him thou shalt become good Againe The poore widow bought as much for two mites as either Peter did by forsaking his nets or Zacheus by giuing halfe his goods to the poore Againe In the citie of God the King is veritie the Law charitie the dignitie equitie the peace felicitie the life eternitie but it is contrarie in the diuels citie there the king is falsitie the law cupiditie the dignitie iniquitie the hapinesse contention the life temporalitie Againe Compare we this life temporall with that which is eternall and it is but a death rather than a life For this continuall decaying of our corrupt nature what is it else but a prolixitie of death But what tongue can expresse what minde can comprehend the ioyes of heauen to be amongst the quire of Angels to bee with the blessed spirits to behold the presence of God to see that most cleere light to bee affected with no griefe to reioyce in the gift of perpetuall incorruption Againe There shall we enioy whatsoeuer shall be louely nay can we desire that which wee shall not enioy There we shall rest there we shall see there we shall know there we shal loue there wee shall praise wee shall praise that Being which shall bee in the end and without end For what else is our end but to come to that kingdome which is without end Againe There this shall be the sole vertue to see that thou louest and the soueraigne felicitie to loue that thou seest There shall blessed life be drunke out of her owne fountaine where the vision of veritie shall bee most cleerely opened Gregorie said Let vs runne and follow Christ heere are no true ioyes but there they are reposed where there is true life Againe Because in the elect in this life there is a diuersitie of workes there shall bee without doubt in the life to come a distinction of dignities that wherein heere one excelleth another there he may surpasse his fellow in reward yet though all haue not the like dignitie yet all shall haue one and the same blessed life Bernard said There are twelue starres in the Crowne of Christians in heauen The first is memorie without forgetfulnesse the second reason without error the third will without perturbation the fourth impassibilitie in which the bodie shal rise the fift brightnes by which it shall be like Christs glorious bodie the sixt agilitie to mooue according to the mobilitie of our mindes the seuenth transparencie that albeit it be solid and thick yet shall it be impenetrable the eight to loue our neighbor as our selfe in truth the ninth to see cleerely that our neighbour loues vs as himselfe the tenth to loue God perfectly but more than our selues the eleuenth to loue our selues but for God the twelfth to see God louing vs more than he loued himselfe Againe O that blessed Region of Paradise O that blessed Region of delights for which I sigh in this vallie of teares where wisedome shall shine without ignorance memorie without forgetfulnesse vnderstanding without error and reason without obscuritie Blessed are they that dwell there they shall for euer and euer praise God The kingdome of God is granted promised shewed receiued Granted in predestination promised in vocation shewed in iustification receiued in glorification Prosper said The life to come is that whereby wee beleeue that it is blessedly sempiternall and sempiternallie blessed where there is certaine securitie secure tranquilitie safe iucunditie happie eternitie eternall felicitie where there is perfect loue no feare an euerlasting day swift motion and in all one spirit To conclude thinke you of the goodliest sights that euer could be seene the most melodions musick that euer could be heard the most delicate diet that euer could be tasted the greatest honor that can be enioyed the best companie that may be possessed and all the comforts that you can haue in this life and in comparison of the ioyes of the kingdome of heauen they are but a point and lesse than a point they are petie ioyes peacocke ioyes the ioyes of prisoners and poore pilgrimes Quest I shall like the better of this life eternall if you giue me such a taste here of eternall death that I do not feele it in the life to come Can this eternall death be described Answ It cannot any more than eternall life for as the heart cannot comprehend that one so the tongue cannot expresse this other Quest But what saith the scripture of it Ans Very terrible and fearefull things as Deut. 32.22 Fire is kindled in my wrath shall burne down to the bottom of hell Psal 10.6 Vpon the wicked he shall raine snares fire and brimstone stormie tempests this is the portion of their cup. Mat. 25.41 Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell his angels These shall go into euerlasting paine Reuelat. 20.10 The diuell was cast into a lake of fire and brimstone where the Beast and the false prophet shall be tormented euen day and night for euermore Chap. 21.8 The fearefull and vnbeleeuing and abominable and murtherers and whoremongers and forcerers and idolaters and all liers shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 2. Thessal 1.7.8.9 The Lord Iesus shall shew himself from heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto them that do not know God and which obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ which shall bee punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power 2. Pet. 4. God
thy Sonne Sanctifie vs by thy Gospell that we may haue spirituall contentation in the possession of Christ extraordinary sweetnesse in the fruits of thy Spirit an holy admiration of these workes of mercy tendernesse of conscience in allour actions boldnesse to approch to the throne of grace a minde estranged from the loue of this world readinesse and patience to endure the crosse and a desire to be dissolued and to be with thée Wee must one day O Lord leaue this world yet it is thy pleasure that we should serue thee in it so long as we liue and why should we not serue thee all the daies of our life thou requirest it at our hands wee haue thy Spirit to that purpose it was the practise of thy Saints we were redeemed to this end and Christ prayeth that we may doe it Doth Satan daily tempt vs wee must daily resist him Is our life vncertaine we must euer be ready are we strangers in this world we must each day set one foote forward towards our countrey O therfore grant vnto vs thy grace that we may know we haue no time allotted to sin but al must be spent in thy seruice and this seruice of ours euer to bee harty without hypocrisie generall without partiality continuall without vncertainty conscionable without indifferency cheerefull without difficâ—â—ty and spirituall without carnality that by this way of obedience we may be assured of our saluation get the mastery of inconstancy performe holy duties more easily haue sweeter fellowship with thy Spirit and preuent many noysome lusts which otherwise would fasten vpon vs. We confesse O Lord that vnlesse we as watchmen doe looke vnto our selues and séeke to please thée in all things we cannot bee freed from many temporall iudgements our score wil be the greater in the day of account our couersation cannot be in heauen we cannot be armed against temptation nor weaned from the loue of this wrethed world We must euer be readie to meete our Sauiour let vs euer haue this oyle in our lamps we must sée our vnsufficiency to serue thee let vs labour to please thee that wee may see it wée must winne others to the knowledge of thée let our light of good life euer shine before them we must grow forward toward perfection leade vs forward in a constant course that we may obtaine the end of our faith which is the saluation of our soules Now because our best seruice must bee sanctified by repentance giue vs true and vnfained repentance for all our sins make vs to see them in the glasse of thy Law to mourne for them in the clossets of our harts and to confesse them in the bitternesse of our soules We haue O Lord we haue sinned against thée yea our forefathers did our people haue and wee all doe transgresse thy commandements We haue omitted much good and committed much euill partly of ignorance partly of infirmity and partly of knowledge and if we did but know our vnknowne sinnes wee would bee ashamed of our selues When we consider the excellencie our selues When wee consider the excellencie of thy Maiestie whom wee haue offended the vilenesse of our selues who durst offend the danger wee are in by reason of our offence and the greatnesse of the price which was paid for our offences we begin O Lord to abhorre our selues for our vnthankfulnesse against the blood of thy couenant that we haue grieued thy good Spirit quenched thy graces and done as much as we could to make the blood of Christ of none effect Giue vs O Lord what wilt thou giue vs giue vs a true and a liuely faith to apprehend and applie all the promises of saluation to our sinfull soules giue vs hope of pardon by thy mercies in Christ an hungring and thirsting after him his merits let vs prise it aboue all treasure ioy in it aboue all other comfort sue for it as our best acquittance and take hold on it against the curse of the law And because that liuely faith hath her life in the heart giue vnto vs wee beséech thée a pure heart which is the delight of thy Maiestie and the fountaine of all actions Awaken it O Lord that it sléepe not in death so that neither by ignorance of it selfe neglect of the meanes ceasing of thy Spirit committing of sin or securitie in prosperitie and sin or presumption of thy mercies or stupiditie after iudgements or spirituall blindnesse and hardnesse therof it be at any time in a dead fléepe Make vs euer to watch ouer it that neither the terrors of conscience nor loathing of holy duties nor loue of any one sin nor vnwillingnesse to depart this life do cast our hearts into a spirituall slumber We do know good God and often times by wofull experience doe know that our hearts lie open to all temptations and many are our enemies who doe assault vs teach vs therfore to put on thine appointed armor Giue vnto vs a rectified iudgemeÌ„t to know soundly thy truth not obstinate in error but desirous to bee reformed in what it mistaketh Sanctifie our consciences that they may witnes our adoption checke vs for sin approue our vprightnes procure our peace make vs euer content cheerefull in seruice couragious in the truth victorious in troubles and willing to die Rectifie our willes that they may be cheerfull in well doing resisting of all the occasions of sinne yeelding to no sinne without griefe and rising by repentance out of the same Order in such sort euery one of our affections that by the benefit thereof we may subdue our most vnruly thoughts bee comforted and contented in our Christian callings more readie prest to all good actions deliuered from many noisome temptations and better enabled for the conuersion of our brethren And because thou hast afforded vs the benefit of speech which thou hast denied to all other creatures we desire that we may euer speake as in thy presence considering that wee haue no libertie giuen vs for idle talke but that all our spéech must be to edification and that one day wee must giue an account of our words Are we to take thy name into our mouthes let it only be vpon weightie occasions and in all reuerence and loue to thy Maiestie Are wee to speake at any time of our neighbours good make vs to doe it cheerefully without repining wisely without dissembling indifferently without part-taking constantly without recalling truly without deluding and chartablie to the preseruing of his good name Is he fallen let vs restore him doth hee stand let vs comfort him make thou our spéeches euer gracious to others Wee desire also to please thée in all our actions O let them euer proceed from a good ground bee performed in an holie manner and aime at the best end which is the glorie of thy great name Principally let vs aiâ— at the duties of the first table consequently at the duties of the second let vs haue a respect to all thy
aduaÌ„ced â—sswage mine enuie haue I abundance temper mine intemperance am I in want mitigate my feares doest thou exalt me keepe me from pride doest thou humble me kéep me from impatience doest thou withdraw thy selfe from mee let mee euer say Vp Lord why sleepest thou doth Satan assault mee because I am rich in grace preserue me O Lord that I lose not thy grace For woe is mee if I fall from thée I haue promised that I will not fall thou hast promised I shall not fall leade mee by thine hand that I do not fall Finally because thou hast been good vnto me many waies Lord make me thankful for all thy fauours Thou hast made mee a man not a beast a Christian not an Heathen a Protestant not a Papist Whilest many are ignorant I haue knowledge whilest many are profane I haue been obedient to thy will whilest many want the ordinarie meanes of saluation thou affordest me meanes for saluation of my soule Many are bound I am free in prison I haue libertie in want I haue sufficiencie They liue in warres I in peace they in persecution I in free profession of the truth they in sicknesse I in health And although by my sinnes I deserue to bee consumed yet thou hast spared me a great while and giuen me a long time of repentance What shall I giue vnto thee for all these mercies and fauours of thine I will take the cup of saluation praise thy great and glorious name and most humblie entreate thée that as thou neuer ceasest to bee good vnto me so I may neuer cease to be thankfull vnto thée Pardon good God my losse of time my abuse of thy creatures my negligence in my calling my vnthankfulnesse for thy kindnesse and whatsoeuer is wanting in my person practise prayer or thanksgiuing make a supplie of it in the merit of Christ Iesus to whom with thée and thy blessed spirit be all praise and glorie now and for euermore Amen A PRAIER TO BE SAID by a sick person or for him changing my vnto vs c. ALmightie God and in Iesus Christ my most mercifull and all-sufficient Sauiour I thy sicke and sinfull seruant diseassed in my bodie and distressed in my soule doe flie vnto thée yea to thée alone for succour I haue liued heretofore in the health of my bodie I acknowledge that thou wast the author of my health I am cast downe vpon my sicke bed thou hast by thy prouidence sent this Herauld to arrest me It is O Lord the messenger of death preaching vnto mee that vndoubted doctrine which I haue beene learning euer since I was borne namely That it is appointed that all must die and after death commeth iudgement My spirit is willing and would faine say Come Lord Iesus come quickly my flesh is fraile and in weaknesse doth say Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me And as in mine health I did nothing but sinne when I was not assisted by thy good Spirit so now in my sicknesse I shall doe nothing but sorrow vnlesse I bee comforted by the same Spirit O Lord comfort me in this agonie of mine and say vnto my soule I am thy saluation Thou art the Physitian heale me thou art that Samaritan pitie me thou art the resurrection and the life quicken me and quicken mee so in the inner man that neither the loue of this world nor the losseÌ„ of this light nor the consideration of thy Iustice nor the feare of death nor the terror of hell may make me vnwilling to depart this life Thou alone knowest the sorrowes of mine heart take them away thou beholdest my feare of death deliuer me out of al my feares couer my sores with the righteousnesse of thy Son heale them by the blood of thy Son and though thou launce them with the knife of the law yet bind them vp againe with the bands of the Gospell I know that my Physitian dwelleth in heauen yet he sendeth his medicines downe vpon the earth Besides thee none in heauen can helpe me and there is none in earth in comparison of thée to do me any good I am weake strengthen me I am sick cure me I am faint comfort me I must die quicken me I am assaulted defend me I am full of feare encourage mee I haue desired to liue the life of the righteous O let mee die the death of the righteous and let my last houre be like vnto his Into thine hands doe I commend my soule for thou hast redeemed it ô Lord God of truth My conscience doth tell mee that I haue sinned against thee and whatsoeuer I now suffer it is for my sinnes they are like an heauie burden vpon my soule they presse me downe to the graue of death and Satan doth lay them now especially before me to make me despaire of thy mercies in Christ Lord assure mee of the pardon of them all perswade my soule by the Spirit of my Sauiour that they are nailed to his crosse washed in his blood couered in his righteousnesse acquited by his death buried in his graue and fully discharged by his alone satisfaction Now now I stand in néed of thy Spirit let it crie in mine heart Abba Father I desire none Angell from heauen to comfort me I desire the Spirit of adoption to assure me to assure me o Lord that thou art my Father and I thy son thou my shepheard and I thy sheepe thou my king and I one of those subiects who shall shortly waite vpon thée in the kingdome of heauen to which I must passe by the gates of death O though I haue now a sick body yet grant me I pray thée a sound soule In thy hands are life and death thou hast the keyes of the graue and death thou bringest to the graue and pullest back again my mother bare mee a mortall man I came into this world to leaue it at thy pleasure it pleaseth thee now to forewarne me of mine end which might haue come vpon mee before this time I might haue perished either in the womb or in my cradle or in my childhood or before I had knowne thée or suddenly might I haue béen taken away and I deserued to die so soone as I was borne I owe thée a death as Christ Iesus died for me I haue béene salling to this hauen euer since I was borne be thou my Pilot that I sinck not in the hauens mouth but that I may land at the port of paradise I haue done I confesse little seruice vnto thée and if thou shouldest now take mee away I should die before I haue begun to liue Thou knowest what is best for me Conuert me O Lord and I shall be conuerted O Lord turne me and in a moment I shall bee turned vnto thee Therefore déere Father giue me that mind which a sick man should haue faith in thy promises hope of eternall life patience with my paine a desire to bee loosed and to bee with Christ and
a loathing of the vanities of this present euill world Call to my remembrance all those things which I haue heard or read or felt or meditated of to strengthen mee in this houre of triall that I who haue beene negligent in teaching others by my life may now teach them how to die and to beare patiently the like visitation Lord grant that my last houre may bee my best houre my last thoughts the best thoughts and my last words the best words that euer I did speak so that with my swéet Sauiour I may then say Father into thine hands I commend my spirit or with old Simeon say Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word Take away from mee in that houre all terror of conscience all scriching and howling all sottishnesse and senslesnesse which doth often accompany the wicked at their ends and since thou hast lent mee for a while my life grant that I may willingly restore it again when thou callest for it to heauen Let not the graue make me afraid because it is perfumed by the buriall of Christ and made as a bed for my body to rest in against that day in which thou shall clothe mee againe with mine owne flesh and make it like to the glorious bodie of Christ when he will say vnto mee Come thou blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdome which was prepared for thee before the foundations of the world were laid Lord I thanke thée for all thy mercies in the time of my health and in this of sicknesse especially that thou hast taught mee out of thy word which also by thy Spirit I beleeue that howsoeuer I am by nature mortall yet by grace thou hast made me immortall and that I am translated from death to life I thanke thée O Lord for all the good meanes of health offred to me in this visiâ—ation of mine as my Christian friends their holy prayers and godly comforts for the meanes of Physicke and all other fauours which I now taste of in this sicke bed of mine which thou hast denied vnto many of thy seruants and déere children who haue deserued thy fauour more then my selfe I thanke thée also that as I haue liued in a Christian Church so if I die I shall die in thy Church and be buried in the sepulchres of thy seruants who all waite for the consolation of Israel and the Redemption of their bodies in the Resurrection of the iust Blesse all good meanes vnto mee so farre sorth as it may be for thy glory and my good and as I haue euer praied Thy wil be done so now let me not be offended that thy will is done Teach me that all things euen both sicknesse and death turn to the best to them that loue thee teach me to see my happinesse through troubles that euery paine is a preuention to the godly of the paines of hell and that this light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre most excellent and eternall weight of glorie Teach mee againe by thy holy Spirit that there is none hurt by going to heauen that I shall lose nothing but the sense of euill and that anon I shall haue greater ioyes then I feele paine O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victorie I thanke thee O Lord who hast giuen me victorie by Iesus Christ in the confidence of this conquest I come vnto thée am assured that if I liue I shall liue vnto thée and if I die I shall die vnto thée I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ for he vnto me is both in life and in death aduantage I shall by death put off corruption and put on incorruption shake off sinne and be couered with righteousnesse cast off mortalitie and be attired with immortalitie I shall lose my life in earth and finde it againe in heauen Thou my Father Christ my brother the Saints my kinred happinesse mine inheritance are in heauen alreadie why should I feare to go thither whither all the godlie dead are gone before me and all the faithful liuing shall follow after mee Why art thou troubled O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee Lord I know I cannot escape death why should I feare it my chiefest happinesse is behind and I cannot haue it vnlesse I go vnto it I could be content to go thorow hell to heauen O make me to go through death to heauen My paines I confesse O Lord are great but since I trauell to bring forth eternitie make me patient to endure all paines I sée my sins make mee now to sée my Redeemer I feare the Iudge perswade me that his Sonne is become my intercessor Satan would affright me I hope thine Angels pitch their tents about me the graue will gape on me out of thy word I know it was the bed of my Sauiour What though I leaue many aliue behind me yet they shall all follow after if I get mine inheritance before my brethren I must bee more thankfull to my father for it Grant therefore most mercifull God that if I liue I may liue to sacrifice and if I die I may die a sacrifice I am thy seruant and the sonne of thine handmaiden do with me what thou wilt Blesse O Lord the suruiuing generation make them wise to saluation to number their daies a right and to applie their hearts to wisedome And though thou kill mee yet let me now trust in thée Grant this O Lord for thy Sonnes sake in whom alone thou art well pleased for my comforts sake which by this means shall bee encreased and for the beholders sakes who shall sée mine end that they all may say Grant that wee may die as this our brother did so that our ends may be like vnto his and our soâ—les follow his Amen Euen so come Lord Iesus come quickly and the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God the Father and the comfort of the holy Ghost bee with mee now and for euer more Amen Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. Reuelat. 14. The eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceiue the good things which God hath prepared for them that loue him 1. Corinth 2. We know that if this earthly house of this Tabernacle bee destroyed wee haue a building giuen of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in the Heauens 2. Cor. 5.1 Farewell my friends but you shall follow for it is appointed that all must die A THANKES GIVING AFTER DELIVERANCE from any crosse or sicknesse O Eternall God almightie and most mercifull Father the life of them that die the health of them that are sick and the only recouerer of them that are cast downe I thy late sick and sorrowfull seruant doe with bended knées and a thankfull hart prostrate my selfe before thée at this time and doe thankefully acknowledge
wauer in his faith nor stagger in his hope nor faint in his patience nor coole in his loue nor sorrow at his dissolution nor looke backe to the world nor bee ouermuch cast downe with the dread of death Grant that when death shall haue closed vp the eyes of his body the eyes of his soule may be fixed vpon thee that when his speech shall be taken from him then his heart may crie vnto thée say Come Lord Iesu come quickly Heare vs good Lord praying for him heare him praying for himselfe heare vs al for Christ Iesus his sake in whom alone thou art well pleased and in whose name and in whose words we conclude our vnperfect prayers saying Our Father c. LOrd blesse vs and kéepe vs Lord make the light of thy countenance thine vpon vs and grant vs thy peace O God the Father looke vpon thy sonne O God the Son looke vpon thy seruant O God the holie Ghost enter into thy temple O holie Father O righteous Sonne O comforting holie Ghost O blessed and glorious Trinitie one in essence thrée in person be with this thy seruant comfort him with that comfort which we would desire in the like visitation let thine Angels pitch their tents about him let his last houre bee his best houre make his life victorious his death pretious and his and our resurrection glorious through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Lord Iesu be with his spirit Amen Amen A THANKES GIVING FOR THE faithfull departure of one after he or she is dead changing as before O Lord God the onely health of them that liue and the alone life of them that die according to thy commandement we called vpon thée and in desire of thy goodnesse we cried vnto thée that thou wouldest be gratious vnto this seruant of thine whose body lieth dead before our eyes We asked his life thou gauest it not because thou sawest what was best for him wee desired his patience to endure this crosse thou heardest our prayers and hast not denied vs the request of our lips because that alone was fittest for him He died not as a foole dieth neither was his dissolution bitter vnto him He is now O Lord a tree planted in thine orchard a stone setled in thy building a Priest sacrificing at thine altar a starre fixed in thy heauen and an heire reigning in thy kingdom If he had died like Absolom we might haue taken vpon vs Dauids lamentation or like Saul we might haue taken vpon vs Samuels lamentation or as the malefactor on the left hand of Christ wee might haue lamented and mourned for him as doubting that hee died not the death of the righteous But precious in thy fight was this death of his and comfortable in our sight was this departure of his Hee like a Lion triumphed ouer death and like a Lambe resigned vp his life he knew that this Redeemer liued and that Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. His faith was in thy promises his hope was in thy mercies his loue was on thy ioyes his zeale was on thy glorie and his desire was to be in heauen For this thy fauour towards our Christian brother wee yeeld vnto thy Maiestie all possible thankes and that thou taking him out of this vale of miserie hast by thine Angels carried his soule to the throne of thy glorie We are O Lord we confesse full of sorrow in that we haue lost the comfort of his presence and we could haue béen contented to haue enioyed him longer if it might haue stood with the good pleasure of thy will But we néed not to mourne as men without hope because we are perswaded he so died in thy fauour that as his soule is partaker of eternall glorie so in that great day of assise and generall iudgement this bodie of his which shall returne to dust must be raised vp againe to liue for euer and then bee made like the glorious bodie of Christ Iesus in heauen He O Lord is gone before vs and we must one day follow after him O how can we render vnto thée sufficient thankes for thy great fauour to vs Christian people aboue all the nations of the world whom when thou callest out of this wretched life thou vouchsafest to place vs with thine Angels in thy kingdome In the sight of the vnwise they appeare to die but in the eyes of the godly they are translated from death to life They are arayed with white haue crownes on their heads and Palmes in their hands they shall not die but liue and do behold thy goodnesse in the land of the liuing They serue thée at thy table eate in thy kingdome sing of thy praises are freed from all miseries and they follow the Lambe whither soeuer hee goeth and enioy such pleasures as the eye hath not seene because they are not visible yet the heart doth beleeue because they are most comfortable We beseech thee O Lord that since we must for a while go on in our pilgrimage we may euer haue our eyes bent towards our countrie raise vs out of the graue of sinne renue in vs the life of righteousnes estrange vs from the loue of this world possesse vs with a loue of heauen take from our féete the fetters of pleasure that we may runne as fast to heauen as the wicked do to hell take from our backes the burden of worldlinesse that we may looke as stedfastly vpon things that are aboue as worldlings do vpon things that are below Guide vs euer so by the direction of thy Spirit that both in sicknesse and in health in prosperitie and aduersitie in life at death we may so behaue our selues in this present world that whensoeuer it shall please thée to call vs hence we may by faith in thy promises hope of thy mercies commend our bodies and soules into thy mercifull hands In the meane time hasten the comming of thy Sonne shorten these daies of sinne confound the enemies of saluation dissolue in euery one of vs the cursed workes of Satan sanctifie thy name aduance thy kingdome accomplish thy will giue vs our daily bread forgiue vs all our sinnes giue vs not ouer into any temptation but deliuer vs from all euill both of sinne in this life and of punishment in the life to come so that we with this our brother and all other departed in the faith of Christ may haue our perfect consummation and blisse in thy eternall and euerlasting kingdome through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with thée our Father and the holie Ghost our Sanctifier our sanctifier in this life and our glorifier in the life to come bee all praise power Maiestie might and dominion ascribed of vs and thy whole Church from this time forth and for euermore Amen A PRAYER FOR A WOman in trauaile O Lord our Lord Creator of all things preseruer of al mankind comforter of all thine afflicted and the only deliuerer of such as are in danger we