hatred c. Or by an Analogia as when he is named a Lion a rocke a tower a Buckler c. Whose signification euery commentary will expresse Of all these Attributes wee must hold these generall Rules 1 NO Attributes can sufficiently expresse the Essence of GOD because it is infinite and ineffable Whatsoeuer therefore is spoken of God is not God but serueth rather to helpe our weake vnderstanding to conceiue in our reason and to vtter in our speech the Maiestie of his Diuine Nature so farre as hee hath vouchsafed to reueale himselfe vnto vs in his Word 2 All the Attributes of God belong to euery of the three Persons as well as to the Essence it selfe with the limitation of a Personall proprietie as the Mercy of the Father is Mercy begetting the Mercy of the Sonne is Mercy begotten the Mercy of the Holy Ghost is Mercy proceeding and so of the rest 3 The Essentiall Attributes of God differ not from his Essence Because they are so in the Essence that they are the very Essence it selfe In God therefore there is nothing which is not eyther his Essence or a Person 4 The Essentiall Attributes of GOD differ not Essentially nor really one from another because whatsoeuer is in God is one most simple Essence and one admits no diuision but onely in our reason and vnderstanding which being not able to know earthly things by one simple Act without the help of many distinct acts must of necessitie haue the helpe of many distinct Acts to know the incomprehensible GOD. Therefore to speake properly there are not in God many Attributes but one onely which is nothing else but the Diuine Essence it selfe by vvhat Attribute soeuer you call it But in respect of our reason they are said to be so many different Attributes for our Vnderstanding conceiues by the name of Mercy a thing differing from that which is called Iustice. The Essentiall Attributes of God are not therefore really inseparable 5 The Essentiall Attributes of GOD are not parts or qualities of the diuine Essence nor Accidents in the Essence as in a Subiect but the very whole and entire Essence of God So that euery such Attribute is not aliud aliud another and another thing but one and the same thing There are therefore no Quantities in God by which hee may be said to be so much and so much nor Qualities by which he may be said to be such and such but whatsoeuer God is hee is such and the same by his Essence By his Essence hee is wise and therefore Wisedome it selfe by his Essence hee is God and therefore Goodnesse it selfe by his Essence hee is mercifull and therefore Mercy it selfe by his Essence hee is iust and therefore Iustice it selfe c. In a word GOD is great without Quantitie good true and iust without Qualitie mercifull without passion an Act without motion euery-where present without site without time the first and the last the Lord of all Creatures from whom all receiue themselues and all the good they haue yet neyther needeth nor receiueth hee any encrease of goodnes or happinesse from any other This is the plaine description of God so farre as hee hath reuealed himselfe to vs in his Word This Doctrine of all others euery true Practitioner of Pietie must competently know and necessarily beleeue for foure speciall vses 1 That wee may discerne our true and onely God from all false Gods and Idols for this description of God is properly knowne onely to his Church in whom he hath thus graciously manifested himselfe 2 To possesse our hearts with a greater awe of his Maiestie whilest we admire him for his simplenesse and infinitenesse adore him for his vnmeasurablenesse vnchangeablenesse and eternitie seeke wisedome from his vnderstanding and knowledge submit our selues to his blessed will and pleasure loue him for his loue mercy goodnesse and patience trust to his Word because of his truth feare him for his power Iustice and anger reuerence him for his holinesse and praise him for his blessednesse and to depend all our life on him who is the onely author of our life beeing and all the good things which wee haue 3 To stirre vs vp to imitate the Diuine Spirit in his holy Attributes and to beare in some measure the Image of his Wisedome Loue Goodnes Iustice Mercy Truth Patience Zeale and Anger against sinne that we may be wise louing iust mercifull true patient and zealous as our God is 4 Lastly that wee may in our Prayers and Meditations conceiue aright of his diuine Maiestie and not according to those grosse and blasphemous imaginations which naturally arise in mens braines as when they conceiue GOD to be like an old man sitting in a chaire and the blessed Trinitie to be like that tripartitae Idoll which Papists haue painted in their Church-windowes When therefore thou art to pray vnto God let thine heart speake vnto him as to that eternall infinite almightie holy wise iust mercifull Spirit and most perfect indiuisible Essence of three ssuerall Persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost who being present in all places ruleth Heauen and Earth vnderstandeth all mens harts knoweth all mens miseries and is onely able to bestow on vs all graces which we want and to deliuer all penitent sinners who with faithfull harts seeke for Christs sake his help out of all their afflictions and troubles whatsoeuer The ignorance of this true knowledge of GOD makes many to make an Idoll of the true God and is the onely cause why so many doe professe all other parts of Gods worship and religion with so much irreuerence and hypocrisie whereas if they did truely know GOD they durst not but come to his holy Seruice and comming serue him with feare and reuerence for so farre doth a man feare God as he knoweth him and then doth a man truely know God when hee ioynes practise to speculation And that is First when a man doth so acknowledge and celebrate Gods Maiestie as hee hath reuealed himselfe in his word Secondly when from the true and liuely sense of Gods Attributes there is bred in a mans heart a loue awe and confidence in God for saith God himselfe If I be a Father where is my honour If I be a Lord where is my feare O taste and see that the Lord â—s good saith Dauid Hee that hath not by experience tasted his goodnes knowes not how good hee is Hee saith Iohn that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyer and the truth is not in him So farre therefore as wee imitate God in his Goodnesse Loue Iustice Mercy Patience and other Attributes so farre doe vvee know him Thirdly when with inward groanes and the serious desires of our hearts wee long to attaine to the perfect and plenarie knowledge of his Maiestie
whose sake he hath promised to grant whatsoeuer wee shall aske of him as sure as GOD is true hee will not Though Ninâ—uies-sinnes had prouoked the Lord to send out his senteÌ„ce against them yet vpon their repentance hee called it againe and spared the Citie how much more if thou likewise repentest will he spare thee seeing his sentence is not yet gone forth against thee If hee deferred the Iudgement all Ahabs dayes for the externall shew onely vvhich hee made of Humiliation how much more vvill hee cleane turne away his vengeance if thou wilt vnfainedly repent of thy sinne and returne vnto him for Grace and Mercie He offered his mercy vnto Caine vvho murthered his innocent Brother If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted as if hee should haue said If thou wilt leaue thy enuie and malice and offer vnto mee from a faithfull and contrite heart both thou and thine Oblation also shall be acceptable vnto mee And to Iudas that so treacherously betrayed him in calling him friend a sweete appellation of loue and vvhen Iudas offered hee willingly consented vvith that mouth wherein neuer was found guile to kisse those dissembling lips vnder which lurked the poyson of Aspes Had Iudas apprehended this word friend out of the mouth of Christ as Benhadad did the vvord Brother from the mouth of Achab doubtlesse Iudas should haue found the God of Israel more mercifull then Benhadad found the King of Israel But God vvas more displeased with Caine for despairing of his mercy then for murthering his Brother and vvith Iudas for hanging himselfe then for betraying his Master in that they would make the sinnes of mortall men greater then the infinite mercy of the eternall GOD or as if they could be more sinnefull then GOD was mercifull Whereas the least drop of Christs bloud is of more merit to procure Gods mercy for thy saluation then all the sinnes that thou hast committed can be of force to prouoke his wrath to thy damnation If Sathan shall suggest that all this is true of Gods mercy but that it doth not belong vnto thee because that thy sinnes are greater then other mens as being sinnes of knowledge and of many yeares continuance and such as whereby others haue beene vndone and all for the most part committed wilfully and presumptuously against God and thy conscience And therefore though he will be mercifull vnto others yet he will not be mercifull vnto thee meditate 1 That many who are now in heauen most blessed and glorious Saints committed in the same kinde kinde vvhen they liued on earth as great and greater sinnes then euer thou hast committed and continued before they repented in those sinnes as long as euer thou hast done As therefore all their sins and the continuance in them could not hinder gods mercy vpon their repentance from forgiuing their sins and receiuing them into fauour no more shall thy sins and continuance therein hinder him from being mercifull vnto thee if thou dost repent as they did yea vpon thy repentance euery one of their examples is a pledge that hee vvill doe the same vnto thee that hee did vnto them For as the least sinne in Gods Iustice without Repentance is damnable so the greatest sinne vpon repentance is in his Mercy pardonable Thy greatest and inueteratest sinnes are but the sinnes of a man but the least of his mercies is the mercy of God Because thou knowest thine owne sinnes thou doubtest whether they shall be pardoned Marke how this doubtfull case is resolued by GOD himselfe Many in Isayes daies thought as thou dost that they had continued so long in sinne that it was too late for them now to seeke to returne vnto GOD for grace and mercy But GOD answereth them Seeke yee the Lord whilest he may be found call yee vpon him whilest hee is neere As if hee had said Whilest life lasteth and my Word is preached I am neere to be found of all that seeke mee and pray vnto mee The people reply But vvee O Lord are grieuous sinners and therefore dare not presume to call vpon thy Name or to come neere thine Holinesse To this the LORD answereth Let the wicked forsake his way and the man of iniquitie his thoughts and let him returne vnto mee and I will haue mercy vpon him and be his God and I will pardon him aboundantly But wee would thinke say the people that if our sinnes vvere but ordinarie sinnes this promise of mercy might belong vnto vs. But because our sinnes are so great and of such long continuance therefore vve feare least vvhen wee appeare before GOD he vvill reiect vs. To this GOD answereth againe My thoughts of mercy are not your thoughts neyther are your wayes of pardoning my wayes for as the Heauens are higher then the Earth so are my wayes higher then your wayes and my thoughts then your thoughts If therefore euery Sinner in the World were a world of such sinners as thou art doe thou but yet what GOD bids thee repent and beleeue and the bloud of Iesus Christ being the bloud of God will clense both thee and them from all your sinnes 2 That as God did foresee all the sinnes which the world should commit and yet all those could not hinder him from louing the world so That hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne to the death to saue as many of the world as would beleeue and repent much lesse shall thy sinnes being the sinnes of the least Member of the vvorld be able to hinder GOD from louing thy soule and forgiuing thy sinnes if thou dost repent and beleeue 3 That if hee loued thee so deare vvhen thou vvast his enemie that hee paid for thee so deare a price as the spilling of his heart bloud how can he now but be gracious vnto thee when to saue thee vvill cost him but the casting of a gracious looke vpon thee Looke not thou therefore to the greatnesse of thy sinnes but to the infinitenesse of his mercy which is so surpassing great that if thou puttest all thine owne grieuous sinnes together and adde vnto those the sins of Caine and Iudas and put vnto them all the sinnes of all the Reprobates in the world doubtlesse it would be a huge heape Yet compare this huge heape vvith the infinite Mercy of GOD and there will be no more comparison betwixt them then betwixt the least Mole-hill and the greatest Mountaine in a Country The cry of the grieuousest sinnes that euer wee read of could neuer reach vp higher then vnto heauen as the cry of the sinnes of Sodome but the Mercy of God saith Dauid reacheth vp higher then the Heauens and so ouer-toppeth all our sinnes And if his mercy be greater then all his workes it must needes be greater then all thy sinnes And so long as his mercy is greater then the sinnes of the whole world doe thou but repent
not matters of so great moment for if they were such great and wise men would not set so little by them Heereupon they thinke that Religion is not a matter of necessity And therefore where they should like Christians rowe against the streame of impiety towards heauen they suffer themselues to be carried with the multitude downe right to Hell thinking it impossible that God will suffer so many to be damned Whereas if the God of this world had not blinded the eies of their minds the holy Scriptures would teach them that Not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called c. but that for the most part the poore receiue the Gospell and that fewe rich men shall be saued And That howsoeuer many are called yet the chosen are but few Neither did the multitude euer saue any from damnation As God hath aduanced men in greatnesse aboue others so doth God expect that they in religion and piety should goe before others otherwise greatnesse abused in the time of their stewardship shal turn to their greater condemnation in the day of their accounts At what time sinfull great and mighty men aswell as the poorest slaues and bondmen shall wish that the rockes and mountaines shall fal vpon them and hide them from the presence of the Iudge and from his iust deserued wrath It will prooue but a miserable solace to haue a great company of great men partakers with thee of thine eternall torments The multitude of sinners doth not extenuate but aggrauate sinne as in Sodome Better it is therefore with a few to be saued in the Arke then with the whole world to be drowned in the floud Walke with the few goodly in the Scriptures narrow path to heauen but crowde not with the godlesse multitude in the broad way to hell Let not the examples of irreligious great men hinder thy repentance for their greatnesse cannot at that day exempt themselues from their owne most grieuous punishments The third hinderance of Pietie 3 The long escaping of deserued punishment in this life Because sentence saith Salomon is not speedily executed against an euill worker therefore the hearts of the children of men are fully set in them to doe euill not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth them to repentance But when his patience is abused and mans sinnes are ripened his Iustice will at once both beginne and make an ende of the sinner and hee will recompence the slownesse of his delay with the grieuousnesse of his punishment Though they were suffered to runne on the score all the daies of their life yet they shall be sure to pay the vtmost farthing at the day of their death And whilest they suppose themselues to be free from iudgement they are already smitten with the heauiest of Gods Iugdements a heart that cannot repent The stone in the râ—ines or bladder is a greeuous paine that kils many a mans body but there is no disease to the stone in the heart whereof Nabal dyed and killeth millions of Soules They refuse the triall of Christ and his Crosse but they are stoned by hels executioner to eternall death Because many Nobles and Gentlemen are not smitten with present Iudgements for their outragious Swearing Adultery drunkennesse oppression prophanesse of the Sabbath and disgraceful neglect of Gods worship and seruice they beginne to doubt of diuine prouidence and iâ—stice Both which two eyes they would as willingly put out in God as the Philistims boared out the eyes of Sampson It is greatly therefore to be feared lest they will prouoke the Lord to cry out against them as Sampson against the Philistimes By neglecting the Law and walking after their owne hearts they put out as much as in them lieth the eies of my Prouidence and iustice Leade me therefore to those chiefe pillars vvhereupon the Realme standeth that I may pull the Realme vpon their heads and be at once auenged of them for my two eies Let not Gods patience hinder thy repentance but because he is so patient therfore doe thou the rather repent The fourth hinderance of Pietie 4 The presumption of Gods mercy For when men are iustly conuinced of their sinnes forthwith they betake themselues to this shield Christ is mercifull so that euery sinner makes Christ the Patrone of his sinne as though hee had come into the world to bolster sinne and not to destroy the workes of the Diuel Herevpon the carnall Christian presumeth that though hee continueth a while longer in his sinne God will not shorten his daies But what is this but to be an Implicite Atheist Doubting that either GOD seeth not his sinnes or if he doth that he is not Iust. For if hee beleeueth that God is iust how can he thinke that God who for sinne so seuerely punisheth others can loue him who still loueth to continue in sinne True it is Christ is mercifull But to whom onely to them that repent and turne from iniquity in Iacob But if any man blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace although I walke according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst The Lord will not be mercifull to him c. O madde men who dare blesse themselues when God pronounceth them accursed Looke therefore how farre thou art from finding repentance in thy self so farre art thou from any assurance of finding mercy in Christ. Let therefore the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and hee will haue mercy vpon him and to our God for hee is very ready to forgiue Despaire is nothing so dangerous as presumption For we reade not in al the Scriptures of aboue three or foure whom roaring Despaire ouerthrew But secure Presumption hath sent millions to perdition without any noise As therefore the Damsels of Israel sang in their daunces Saul hath kild his thousands and Dauid his tenne thousands so may I say that despaire of Gods mercy hath damned thousands but the presumption of Gods mercy hath damned tenne thousands and sent them quicke to hell where now they remaine in eternall torments without all helpe of ease or hope of redemption God spared the thiefe but not his fellow God spared one that no man might despaire God spared but one that no man should presume Ioyfull assurance to a sinner that repents no comfort to him that remaines impenitent God is infinite in mercy but to them onely who turne from their sinnes to serue him in holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. Heb. 12.14 To keepe thee therefore from the hinderance of presumption remember that as Christ is a Sauiour so Moses is an accuser Liue therefore as though there were no Gospel die as though there were no law Passe thy life as though thou wert vnder the conduct
recompence mee according to my desert the earth as weary of such a sinfull burthen should open her mouth and swallow mee vp like one of Dathans family into the bottomlesse pit of hel For if thou didst not spare the naturall branches those Angels of glorious excellency but hurledst them downe from the heauenly habitations into the paines of hellish darkenesse to be kept vnto damnation when they sinned but once against thy Maiesty and didst expell our first Parents out of Paradice when they did but transgresse one of thy lawes Alas what vengeance may I expect who haue not offended in one sinne onely heaping dayly sinne vpon sinne without any true repentance drinking iniquity as it were water euer powring in but neuer powring out any filthynesse and haue trangressed not one but all thy holy lawes and commandements Yea this present day which thou hast straightly commanded mee to keep holy to thy praise and worship I haue not so religiously kept and obserued nor prepared my soule in that holynesse and chastitie of heart as was fit to meete thy blessed Maiesty in the holy assembly of thy Saints I haue not attended to the preaching of thy word nor to the administration of thy Sacraments with that humility reuerence and deuotion that I should For though I was present at those holy exercises in my body yet Lord I was ouertaken with much drowsinesse and when I was awake my minde was so distracted and carried away with vaine and wordly thoughts that my soule seemed to bee absent and out of the Church I haue not so duely as I should meditated with my selfe nor conferred with my Family vpon those good instructions which we haue heard and receiued out of thy holy word by the publike Ministry For default whereof Sathan hath stolne the most part of these instructions out of my heart and I wretched creature haue forgotten them as though they had neuer beene heard And my family doth not thriue in knowledge and sanctification vnder my gouernment as they should Though I know where many of my poore brethren liue in want and necessitie and some in paine and comfortlesse yet I haue not remembred to relieue the one with my almes nor the other with consolations but I haue feasted my selfe and satisfied mine owne lusts I haue spent the most part of the day in idle talke vaine sports and exercises Yea Lord I haue c. And for all these my sinnes my conscience cries guilty thy law condemnes me and I am in thy hand to receiue the sentence and curse that is due to the wilfull breach of so holy a commandement But what if I am by thy Law condemned yet Lord thy Gospell assures me that thy mercy is aboue all thy workes that thy grace transcendes thy Law and thy goodnesse delighteth there to raigne vvhere sinnes doe most abound in the multitude therefore of thy mercies and merits of Iesus Christ my Sauiour I beseech thee O Lord who despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart nor desirest the death of a penitent sinner to pardon and forgiue me all those my sins and all the errours of this day and of my whole life and free my soule from that curse and iudgement which is due vnto mee for them Thou that didst iustifie the contrite Publican for foure words of confession and receiuedst the Prodigall childe when hee had spent all the stocke of thy grace into fauour vpon his repentance pardon my sinnes likewise O Lord and suffer me not to perish for my trangressions Oh spare me and receiue me into thy fauour againe Wilt thou O Lord reiect me who hast receiued all Publicans harlots and sinners that vpon repentance sued to thee for grace Shall I alone bee excluded from thy mercy Farre be it from me to thinke so For thou art the same GOD of mercy vnto mee that thou wast vnto them and thy compassions neuer faile Wherfore O Lord deale not with mee after my merits but according to thy great mercy Execute not thy seuere iustice against mee a sinner but exercise thy long sufferance in forbearing thine owne creature I haue nothing to present vnto thee for a satisfaction but onely the bloudy wounds and bitter death and passion which thy blessed Sonne my onely Sauiour hath suffered for mee Him in whom onely thou art well pleased I offer vnto thee for all my sinnes wherewith thou art displeased Hee is my Mediatour the request of whose bloud speaking better things then that of Abel thy mercy can neuer gaine-say Illuminate my vnderstanding and sanctifie my heart with thy holy spirit that may bring to my remembrance all those good and profitable lessons which this day and at other times haue beene taught me out of thy holy word that I may remember thy commandements to keepe them thy iudgements to auoyde them and thy sweet promises to relye vpon them in time of misery and distresse And now O Lord I resigne my selfe to thy most holy will Oh receiue mee into thy fauour and so draw me by thy grace vnto thy selfe that I may as well be thine by loue and imitation as by calling and creation And giue me grace so to keepe holy thy Sabbaths in this life as that when this life is ended I may with all thy Saints and Angels celebrate an eternall Sabbath of ioyes and praise to the honour of thy most glorious name in thy heauenly Kingdome for euermore Amen And then calling thy family together shut vp the Sabbath with the Meditations and Prayers before prescribed for thy Family And the Lord will giue thee that night a more sweet and quiet rest then ordinary and prosper thee the better in all the labours of the weeke following Thus farre of the ordinary practise of Piety both in priuate and publike Now followeth the extraordinary Practise of Piety whereby God is glorified in our liues THe extraordinary practise of Piety consists eyther in Fasting or in Feasting 1 Of the Practise of Pietie in Fasting There are diuers kindes of Fasting First a constrained Fast as vvhen men eyther haue not foode to eate as in the Famine of Samaria or hauing foode cannot eate it for heauinesse or sickenesse as it befell them who were in the Ship with Saint Paul This is rather Famine then Fasting Secondly A naturall Fast which wee vnder-take Physically for the health of our body Thirdly A ciuile Fast which the Magistrate enioyneth for the better maintenance of the Common-wealth that by vsing Fish as well as Flesh there may be greater plenty of both Fourthly A miraculous Fast as the fortie dayes fast of Moses and Elias the types and of Christ the substance This is rather to be admired then imitated Fiftly A daily Fast when a man is carefull to vse the creatures of GOD with such moderation that hee is not made heauier but more cheerefull to serue God and
enuied to be taxed with such a blemish though I knew that otherwise the graces of God shined in him in aboundant measure I made â—ests of officious and aduantage of pernitious lyes herein shewing my selfe a right Cretian rather then an vpright Christian. And lastly O Lord where I should haue rested fully contented vvith that portion which thy Maiestie thought meetest to bestow vpon me in this Pilgrimage and reioyced in an others good as in mine owne Alas my life hath beene nothing else but a greedy lusting after this neighbours house and that neighbours land yea secretly vvishing such a man dead that I might haue his liuing or office coueting rather those things which thou hast bestowed on another rather then being thankefull for that which thou hast giuen vnto my selfe Thus I O Lord who am a carnall sinner and sold vnder sinne haue transgressed all thy holy and spiritual commandements from the first to the last from the greatest vnto the least and here I stand guiltie before thy Iudgement-seate of all the breaches of all thy lawes and therefore lyable to thy Curse and to all the miseries that Iustice can poure forth vpon so cursed a creature And whither shall I goe for deliuerance from this miserie Angels blush at my rebellion and will not helpe mee Men are guilty of the like transgression and cannot helpe themselues Shall I then despaire vvith Caine or make away my selfe with Iudas No Lord for that were but to end the miseries of this life and to beginne the endlesse torments of Hell I will rather appeale to thy Throane of Grace where Mercy raignes to pardon abounding sinnes and out of the depth of my miseries I will cry with Dauid for the depth of thy mercies Though thou shouldest kill me with afflictions yet will I like Iob put my trust in thee Though thou shouldest drowne me in the Sea of thy displeasure with Ionas yet will I catch such hold on thy Mercy that I will be taken vp dead clasping her with both my hands And though thou shouldest cast mee into the bowels of Hell as Ionas into the Belly of the Whale yet from thence would I cry vnto thee O God the Father of Heauen O Iesus Christ the Redeemer of the World O Holy Ghost my Sanctifier three Persons and one eternall God haue mercy vpon mee a miserable sinner And seeing the goodnesse of thine owne nature first moued thee to send thine onely begotten Son to dye for my sinnes that by his death I might be reconciled to thy Maiestie O reiect not now my penitent Soule who being displeased with her selfe for sinne desireth to returne to serue and please thee in newnesse of life and reach from Heauen thy helping hand to saue mee thy poore seruant who am like Peter ready to sincke in the Sea of my sinnes and miserie Wash away the multitude of my sinnes with the merits of that bloud which I beleeue that thou hast so abundantly shed for penitent sinners And now that I am to receiue this day the blessed Sacrament of thy precious body and bloud O Lord I beseech thee let thy holy Spirit by thy Sacrament seale vnto my soule that by the merits of thy Death and Passion all my sinnes are so freely and fully remitted and forgiuen that the curses and Iudgements which my sins haue deserued may neuer haue power eyther to confound me in this life or to condemne me in the world which is to come For my stedfast faith is that thou hast dyed for my sinnes and risen againe for my iustification This I beleeue O Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe Worke in mee likewise I beseech thee an vnfained Repentance that I may heartily bewaile my former sins and loath them and serue thee hence forth in newnesse of life and greater measure of holy deuotion And let my soule neuer forget the infinite loue of so sweete a Sauiour that hath laid downe his life to redeeme so vile a Sinner And grant Lord that hauing receiued these seales and pledges of my Communion with thee thou maist henceforth so dwell by thy Spirit in mee that I so liue by Faith in thee and that I may walke all the dayes of my life in godlinesse and pietie towards thee and in Christian loue and charitie towards all my neighbours that liuing in thy feare I may dye in thy fauour and after death be made partaker of eternall life through Iesus Christ my Lord and onely Sauiour Amen 3 Of the meanes whereby thou maist become a worthy Receiuer THese Meanes are dueties of two sorts the former respecting GOD the later our Neighbour Those vvhich respect GOD are three first sound knowledge secondly true faith thirdly vnfained repentance That which respecteth our neighbour is but one sincere Charitie 1 Of sound knowledge requisite in a worthy communicant Sound knowledge is a sanctified vnderstanding of the first Principles of Religion As first of the Trinity of Persons in the vnity of the Godhead Secondly of the Creation of Man and his fall Thirdly of the curse and misery due to sinne Fourthly of the natures and offices of Christ and redemption by faith in his death especially of the doctrine of the Sacraments sealing the same vnto vs. For as an house cannot be built vnlesse the foundation bee first laid no more can Religion stand vnlesse it bee first grounded vpon the certaine knowledge of Gods word Secondly if wee know not Gods will we can neither beleeue nor doe the same For as wordly businesses cannot be done but by them who haue skill therein so without knowledge must men be much more ignorant in diuine and spirituall matters And yet in temporall things a man may doe much by the light of nature But in religious mysteries the more we relye vpon naturall reason the further we are from comprehending spirituall truth Which discouers the feareful estate of those who receiue without knowledge and the more fearefull estate of those Pastors who minister vnto them without Catechising 2 Of sincere faith required to make a worthy communicant Sincere faith is not a bare knowledge of the Scriptures first grounds of Religion for that Diuels and Reprobates haue in an excellent measure and doe beleeue it and tremble But a true perswasion as of all those things whatsoeuer the Lord hath reuealed in his word so also a particular application vnto a mans owne soule of all the promises of mercy which God hath made in Christ to all beleeuing sinners And consequently that Christ and all his merits doe belong vnto him as well as to any other For first if wee haue not the righteousnesse of Faith the Sacrament seales nothing vnto vs and euery man in the Lords Supper receiueth so much as hee beleeueth Secondly because that without Faith we communicating on earth cannot apprehend Christ in heauen For as he dwelleth in vs by faith so by faith we must likewise eate him Thirdly because
vvho came to Christ for mercy went euer away vvithout his errand Bathe thou likewise thy sicke Soule in this fountaine of Christs bloud and doubtlesse according to his promise Zach. 13.1 thou shalt be healed of all thy sinnes and vncleannesse Not sinners therefore but they who are vnwilling to repent of their sinnes are debarred this Sacrament Fiftly meditate that Christ left this Sacrament vnto vs as the chiefest token pledge of his loue not when wee vvould haue made him a King Iohn 6.15 which might haue seemed a requitall of kindnesse but vvhen Iudas and the High Priest were conspiring his death therefore vvholy of his meere fauour When Nathan would shew Dauid how entirely the poore man loued his sheepe that was killed by the rich man hee gaue her said hee to eate of his owne morsels and of his owne Cup to drinke 2 Sam. 12.3 and must not then the loue of Christ to his Church be vnspeakeable when hee giues her his owne flesh to eate and his owne bloud to drinke for her spirituall and eternall nourishment If then there be any loue in thine heart take the Cuppe of saluation into thy hand and pledge his loue with loue againe Psal. 116.11 Sixtly when the Minister beginneth the holy consecration of the Sacrament then lay aside all praying reading and all other cogitations whatsoeuer and settle thy meditation onely vpon those holy actions and rites which according to Christs Institution are vsed in and about the holy Sacrament For it hath pleased God considering our weaknesse to appoint those rites as meanes the better to lift vp our mindes to the serious contemplation of his heauenly graces When therefore thou seest the Minister putting apart Bread and Wine on the Lords Table and consecrating them by Prayers and the rehearsall of Christs Institution to be a holy Sacrament of the blessed Body and Bloud of Christ then meditate how GOD the Father of his meere loue to mankinde set apart and sealed his onely begotten Sonne to be the all-sufficient meanes and onely Mediator to redeeme vs from sinne and to reconcile vs to his grace and to bring vs to his Glory When thou seest the Minister breake the Bread being blessed thou must meditate that Iesus Christ the eternall Sonne of GOD was put to death and his blessed Soule and Body vvith the sense of Gods anger broken asunder for thy sinnes as verely as thou now seest the holy Sacrament to be broken before thine eyes And withall call to minde the hainousnesse of thy sinnes and the greatnesse of Gods hatred against the same seeing Gods Iustice could not be satisfied but by such a Sacrifice When the Minister hath blessed and broken the Sacrament and is addressing himselfe to distribute it then meditate The King who is the Master of the feast stands at the Table to see his guests and looketh vpon thee whether thou hast on thee thy Wedding garment thinke also that all the holy Angels who attend vpon the Elect in the Church and doe desire to behold the celebration of these holy Mysteries doe obserue thy reuerence and behauiour Let thy Soule therefore whilest the Minister bringeth the Sacrament vnto thee offer this or the like short Prayer vnto Christ. A sweet Soliloquie to be said betwixt the Consecration and receiuing of the Sacrament IS it true indeed that GOD will dwell on earth behold the Heauen and the Heauen of Heauens are not able to containe thee how much more vnable is the soule of such a sinfull câ—itife as I am to receiue thee But seeing it is thy blessed pleasure to come thus to suppe with me and to dwell in mee I cannot for ioy but burst out and say What is man that thou art so mindfull of him and the Sonne of man that thou so regardest him What fauour soeuer thou vouchsafest mee in the abundance of thy Grace I will freely confesse what I am in the wretchednesse of my Nature I am in a vvord a carnall Creature vvhose very soule is sold vnder sinne a wretched man compassed about with a body of death yet Lord seeing thou callest here I come and seeing thou callest sinners I haue thrust my selfe in among the rest and seeing thou callest all with their heauiest loades I see no reason why I should stay behinde O Lord I am sicke and whither should I goe but vnto thee the Physitian of my Soule Thou hast cured many but neuer didst thou meete vvith a more miserable patient for I am more leaprous then Gehazi more vncleane then Magdalene more blinde in Soule then Bartimeus vvas in Body for I haue liued all this while and neuer seene the true light of thy Word My Soule runnes with a greater fluxe of sinne then vvas the Hemorisse issue of bloud Mephiboseth was not more lame to goe then my soule is to walke after thee in loue Ieroboams Arme was not more withered to strike the Prophet then my hand is maimed to relieue the poore Cure me O Lord and thou shalt doe as great a worke as in curing them all And though I haue all their sinnes and sores yet Lord so abundant is thy grace so great is thy skill that if thou wilt thou canst with a word forgiue the one and heale the other And vvhy should I doubt of thy good will when to saue mee will cost thee now but one louing smile vvho shewedst thy selfe so willing to redeem me though it should cost thee all thy heart bloud and now offerest so gratiously vnto mee the assured pledge of my redemption by thy bloud Who am I O Lord God and what is my merit that thou hast bought me with so deare a price It is meerely thy mercie and I O Lord am not worthy the least of all thy mercies much lesse to be a partaker of this holy Sacrament the greatest Pledge of the greatest mercy that euer thou diddest bestow vpon those sonnes of men whom thou louest How might I in respect of mine owne vnworthynesse cry out for feare at the sight of thy holy Sacrament as the Philistimes did when they saw the Arke of God come into the assembly Woe now vnto me a sinner But that thy Angel doth comfort me as he did the women Feare thou not for I know that thou seekest Iesus which was crucified It is thou indeed that my soule seeketh after And heere thou offerest thy selfe vnto me in thy blessed Sacrament If therefore ELIZABETH thought her selfe so much honoured at thy presence in the wombe of thy blessed mother that the babe sprange in her bellie for ioy how should my soule leape within mee for ioy now that thou commest by thy holy Sacrament to dwell in my heart for euer Oh what an honour is this that not the mother of my Lord but my Lord himselfe should come thus to visit me Indeede Lord I confesse with the faithfull Centurion that I am not worthy that thou shouldest
But thou O Lord art the helper of the helplesse and in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy for though my sinnes be exceeding great yet thy mercy O Lord farre exceedeth them all neither can I commit so many as thy Grace can remit and pardon Wash therefore O Christ my sins with the vertue of thy pretious bloud especially those sinnes vvhich from a penitent heart I haue confessed vnto thee but chiefely O Lord for Christ his sake forgiue mee And seeing that of thy loue thou diddest lay downe thy life for my ransome vvhen I vvas thine enemie Oh saue now the price of thine owne bloud vvhen it shall cost thee but a smile vpon mee or a gratious appearance in thy Fathers sight in my behalfe Reconcile mee once againe O mercifull Mediatour vnto thy Father for though there be nothing in mee that can please him yet I know that in thee and for thy sake hee is well pleased with all whom thou acceptest and louest And if it be thy blessed vvill remoue this sickenesse from mee and restore mee to my former health againe that I may liue longer to set forth thy glory and to be a comfort to my Friends vvhich depend vpon mee and procure to my selfe a more setled assurance of that heauenly inheritance vvhich thou hast prepared for mee And then Lord thou shalt see how religiously and wisely I shall redeeme the time which heretofore I haue so lewdly and prophanely spent and to the end that I may the sooner and the easier be deliuered from this paine and sicknes direct mee O Lord I beseech thee by thy diuine prouidence to such a Physitian and helper as that by thy blessing vpon thy meanes I may recouer my former health and welfare againe And good Lord vouchsafe that as thou hast sent this sicknesse vnto mee so thou wouldest likewise be pleased to send thy holy spirit into my heart whereby this present sicknesse may be sanctified vnto me that I may vse it as thy schoole wherein I may learne to know the greatnesse of my misery and the riches of thy mercy that I may be so humbled at the one that I despaire not of the other and that I may so renounce all confidence of helpe in my selfe or in any other creature that I may onely put the whole rest of my saluation in thy all sufficient merits And forasmuch as thou knowest Lord how weake a vessell I am full of frailty and imperfections and that by nature I am angry and froward vnder euery crosse and affliction O Lord who art the giuer of all good gifts arme me with patience to endure thy blessed will and pleasure and of thy mercy lay no more vpon me then I shall be able to endure and suffer Giue me grace to behaue my selfe in all patience loue and meekenesse vnto those that shall come and visit mee that I may thankefully receiue and willingly embrace all good counsels consolations from them and that they may likewise see in me such good examples of patience and heare from me such godly lessons of comfort as may bee arguments of my Christian faith and profession and instructions vnto them how to behaue themselues when it shal please thee to visit them with the like affliction or sickenesse I know O Lord I haue deserued to die and I desire not longer to liue then to amend my wicked life and in some better measure to set forth thy glory Therefore O Father if it bee thy blessed will restore mee to health againe and grant me a longer life But if thou hast according to thine eternall decree appointed by this sickenesse to call for mee out of this transitory life I resigne my selfe into thy hands and holy pleasure thy blessed will be done whether it be by life or by death Onely I beseech thee of thy mercy forgiue mee all my sinnes and prepare my poore soule that by a true faith and vnfeigned repentance shâ—e may bee ready against the time that thou shalt call for her out of my sicke and sinfull body O heauenly Father who art the hearer of prayers heare thou in heauen this my prayer and in this extremity grant me these requests not for any worthinesse that is in me but for the merits of thy beloued Sonne Iesus my onely Sauiour and Mediator for whose sake thou hast promised to heare vs and to grant whatsoeuer we shall aske of thee in his Name In his name therefore and in his owne words I conclude this my vnperfect Prayer saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. Hauing thus reconciled thy selfe with GOD in Christ 1 Let thy next care be to set thy house in order as Isay aduised king Ezechias making thy last Will and Testament if it bee not already made If it be made then peruse it confirme it and for auoyding all doubts and contention publish it before witnesses that if God call for thee out of this life it may stand in force and vnalterable as thy last Will and Testament and so deliuer it locked or sealed vp in some Boxe to the keeping of a faithfull friend in the presence of honest witnesses 2 But in making thy Testament take a religious Diuines aduise how to bestow thy beneuolence and some honest Lawyers counsell to contriue it according to Law Dispatch this before thy sickenesse doth encrease and thy memory decay lest otherwise thy Testament prooues a dotement and another mans fancy rather then thy will 3 To preuent many inconueniences let me recommend to thy discretion two things 1 If God haue blessed thee with any competent state of wealth make thy Will in thy health time It will neither put thee further from thy goods nor hasten thee sooner to thy death but it will bee a great ease to thy minde in freeing thee from a great trouble when thou shalt haue most need of quiet for when thy house is set in order thou shalt be better enabled to set thy soule in order and to dispose of thy iourney towards GOD. 2 If thou hast children giue to euery one of them a portion according to thine ability in thy life time that thy life may seeme an ease and not a yoake vnto them yet so giue as that thy children may still bee beholding vnto thee and not thou vnto them But if thou keepe all in thy hands whilest thou liuest they may thanke death and not thee for the portion that thou leauest them If thou hast no children and the Lord haue blessed thee with a great portion of the goods of this world and if thou meane to bestow them vpon any charitable or pious vses put not ouer that good worke to the trust of others seeing thou seest how most of other mens Executors prooue almost Executioners And if friends be so vnfaithfull in a mans life How much greater cause hast thou to distrust their fidelity after thy death Lamentable experience sheweth how many dâ—admens Wils haue
sinne to come For though the eternall punishment of sinne as it proceedeth from Iustice is fully pardoned in the sacrifice of Christ yet vvee are not without serious iudging of our selues exempted from the temporall chastisement of sinne for this proceedeth onely from the loue of God for our good And this is the reason that when Nathan told Dauid from the Lord that his sinnes were forgiuen yet that the Sword of chastisement should not depart from his house and that his Childe should surely die For GOD like a skilfull Physitian seeing the soule to be poysoned vvith the setling of sinne and knowing that the raigning of the Flesh vvill proue the ruine of the Spirit ministreth the bitter pill of affliction vvhereby the reliques of sinne is purged and the soule more soundly cured the flesh is subdued and the spirit is sanctified Oh the odiousnesse of sinne vvhich causeth God to chasten so seuerely his Children whom otherwise hee loueth so deerely 2 God sendeth affliction to seale vnto vs our Adoption for euery Childe whom God loueth hee correcteth And hee is a Bastard that is not corrected Yea it is a sure note that where GOD seeth sinne and smites not he there detests and loues not Therefore it is said that hee suffered the vvicked Sonnes of Eli to continue in their sinnes without correction because the Lord would slay them On the other side there is no surer token of Gods fatherly loue and care then to be corrected with some crosse as oft as vvee commit any sinfull crime Affliction therefore is a seale of Adoption no signe of Reprobation For the purest Corne is cleanest fanned the finest Gold is oftest tryed the sweetest Grape is hardest pressed and the truest Christian heauiest crossed 3 God sendeth affliction to weane our hearts from too much louing this World and worldly vanities and to cause vs the more earnestly to desire and long for eternall life For as the Children of Israel had they not beene ill entreated in Aegipt vvould neuer haue beene so willing to goe towards Canaan so were it not for the crosses and afflictions of this life Gods Children would not so heartilie long and willingly desire for the Kingdome of Heauen For wee see many Epicures that vvould be content to forgoe heauen on condition that they might still enioy their earthly pleasures and hauing neuer tasted the ioyes of a better how loath are they to depart this life whereas the Apostle that saw Heauens glory tels vs that there is no more comparison twixt the ioyes of eternall life and the pleasures of this world then there is betwixt the filthiest dung and the pleasantest meate or betwixt the stinkingst dung-hill and the fairest bed-chamber As therefore a louing Nursse puts Worme-wood or Mustard on the breast to make the childe the rather to forsake the dug so GOD mixeth sometimes affliction with the pleasures and prosperitie of this life least like the Children of this generation they should forget God and fall into too much loue of this present euill vvorld and so by riches grow proud by fame insolent by libertie vvanton and spurne with their heele against the Lord when they waxe fat For if Gods children loue the vvorld so well when like a curst stepmother shee misvseth and strikes vs how should vvee loue this harlot if shee smiled vpon vs and stroaked vs as shee doth her owne worldly Brats Thus doth GOD like a wise and louing Father embitter with crosses the pleasures of this life to his children that finding in this earthly state no true nor permanent ioyes they might sigh long for eternall life where firme and euerlasting ioyes are onely to be found 4 By affliction and sicknesse God exerciseth his children and the graces which hee bestoweth vpon them He refineth and trieth their faith as the Goldsmith doth his gold in the furnace to make it shine more glistering bright he stirreth vs vp to pray more 〈…〉 and zealously and proueth what patience we haue learned all this while in his schoole The like experience he maketh of our hope loue and all the rest of our Christian vertues which without this triall would rust like iron vnexercised or corrupt like standing waters that either haue no current or else are not powred from vessell to vessell whose taste remaineth and whose sent is not changed And rather then a man should keepe still the sent of his corrupted nature to damnation who would not wish to be changed from state to state by crosses and sickenesse to saluation For as the Camomill which is troden groweth best and smelleth most fragrant and as the fish is sweetest that liues in the saltest waters so those soules are most pretious vnto Christ who are most exercised and afflicted with his Crosse. 5 God sendeth affliction to demonstrate vnto the world the truenesse of his childrens loue and seruice Euery hypocrite will serue GOD whilest he prospereth and blesseth him as the Diuel falsly accused Iob to haue done but who saue his louing childe will loue and serue him in aduersity when GOD seemeth to bee angry and displeased with him yea and cleaue vnto him most inseperably when hee seemeth with the greatest frown and disgrace to reiect a man and to cast him out of his fauour yea when he seemeth to wound and kill as an enemy yet then to say with Iob Though thou Lord kill me yet will I put my trust in thee The louing and seruing of God and trusting in his mercy in the time of our correction and misery is the truest note of an vnfained child and seruant of the Lord. 6 Sanctified affliction is a singular helpe to further our true conuersion and to driue vs home by repentance to our heauenly Father In their affliction saith the Lord they will seeke mee diligently Aegypts burdens made Israel cry vnto GOD. Dauids troubles made him pray Hezekias sickenesse made him to weepe and miserie droue the Prodigall childe to returne and sue for his Fathers grace and mercy Yea wee reade of many in the Gospell that by sickenesses and affliction were driuen to come into CHRIST vvho if they had health and prosperity as others would haue like others neglected or contemned their Sauiour and neuer haue sought vnto him for his sauing health and grace For as the Arke of Noah the higher it was tossed with the floud the neerer it mounted towards heauen so the sanctified Soule the more it is exercised vvith affliction the neerer it is listed towards GOD. Oh blessed is that crosse that draweth a sinner to come vpon the knees of his heart vnto Christ to confesse his owne misery and to implore his endlesse mercy Oh blessed aye blessed bee that Christ that neuer refuseth the sinner that commeth vnto him though weather-driuen by affliction and miserie 7 Afflictions worke in vs pittie and compassion towards our fellow-brethren that
haue grace to repent heereafter 2 Math. 11.26 Come vnto mee all you that labour and are heauy laden and I wil giue you rest Hence the lewdest man collects that he may come vnto Christ when he list But he must know That no man euer comes to Christ but hee who as Peter saith Hauing knowne the way of righteousnesse hath escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ. To come vnto Christ is to repent and beleeue And this no man can doe except his heauenly father draweth him by his grace 3 Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus True But they are such who walke not after the flesh as thou dost but after the spirit which thou diddest neuer yet resolue to doe 4 1 Tim. 1.15 Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners c. True But such sinners vvho like Paul are conuerted from their wicked life not like thee who still continuest in thy lewdnesse For that Grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all men teacheth vs that denying vngodlinesse and wordly lusts we should liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world 5 Prou. 23.26 A iust man falleth seauen times in a day and riseth c. In a day is not in the Text Which meanes not falling into sinne but falling into trouble which his malicious enemie plots against the iust and from which GOD deliuers him And though it meant falling in and rising out of sinne what is this to thee whose falles all men may see euery day but neither God nor man can at any time see thy rising againe by repentance 6 Isay 64.6 All our righteousnes are as filthy rags Hence the carnall Christian gathers That seeing the best workes of the best Saints are no better then his are good enough and therefore hee needes not much grieue that his deuotions are so imperfect But Isay meanes not in this place the righteous workâ— of the Regenerate as feruent praiers in the name of God charitable almes from the bowels of mercy suffring in the Gâ—spels defence the spoile of goods and spilling of blood and such workes which Paul calles the fruit of the spirit But the Prophet making an humble confession in the name of the Iewish Church when she had fallen from GOD to Idolatry acknowledgeth that whilest they were by their filthy sinnes separated from GOD as leapers are by their infected sores and polluted cloathes from men their chiefest righteousnesse could not be but abhominable in his sight And though our best works compared with Christs righteousnesse are no better then vncleane ragges yet in Gods acceptation for Christs sake they are called white rayment yea pure fine linnen and shining farre vnlike thy Leopards spots and filthy garments 7 Iam. 3.2 In many things we sinne all True But Gods children sinnes not in all things as thou doest without either bridling their lusts or mortifying their corruptions And though the reliques of sinne remaines in the dearest children of God that they had neede dayly to cry Our Father which art in heauen forgiue vs our trespasses Yet in the New Testament none are properly called Sinners but the vnregenerate But the Regenerate in respect of their zealous endeuour to serue God in vnfained holinesse are euery where called Saints Insomuch that Saint Iohn saith that whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not That is liueth not in wilfull filthinesse suffring sinne to raigne in him as thou doest Deceiue not thy selfe with the name of a Christian vvhosoeuer liueth in any custommary grosse sinne he liueth not in the state of Grace Let therefore saith Paul euery one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity The Regenerate sinne but of frailty they repent and God doth pardon therefore they sinne not to death The Reprobate sinne maliciously wilfully and delight therin so that by their good will sinne shall leaue them before they will leaue it They will not repent and God will not pardon Therefore their sinnes are mortall saith Saint Iohn Or rather immortall as saith S. Paul Rom. 2.5 It is no excuse therefore to say wee are all sinners True Christians thou seest are all Saints 8 Luk. 23 43. The Thiefe conuerted at the last gaspe was receiued to Paradice What then If I may haue but time to say when I am dying Lord haue mercy vpon me I shall likewise be saued But what if thou shalt not And yet many in that day shalâ— say Lord Lord and the Lord will not knowe them The Thiefe was saued for he repented but his fellow had no grace to repent and was damned Beware therefore lest trusting to late Repentance at thy last end on earth thou be not driuen to repent too late without ende in Hell 9 1 Ioh. 1. The blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne And 1 Ioh. 2.1 If any man siâ—ne we haâ—e an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous c. O comfortable But heere what Saint Iohn saith in the same place My little children these things write I vnto you that yee sinne not If therefore thou leauest thy sinne these comforts are thine else they belong not to thee 10 Rom. 5.20 Where sinne abounded Grace did abound much more O sweet But heare what Paul addeth What shall wee say then shall we continue in sinne that Grace may abound God forbid How shall we that are dead to sinne liue any longer therein Rom. 6.1.2 This place teacheth vs not to presume but that we should not despaire None therefore of these promises promiseth any grace to any but to the penitent heart The grounds of Religion mistaken are 1 From the doctrine of Iustification by faith onely a carnal Christian gathereth That good workes are not necessary he commends others that do good works but he perswads himself that he shall be saued by his faith without doing any such matters But he shold know that though good works are not necessary to Iustification yet they are necessary to saluation for We are Gods workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath predestinated that wee should walke in them Whosoeuer therfore in yeres of discretion bringeth not forth good works after he is called he cannot besaued neither was he euer predestinated to life eternal Therefore the Scripturs saith that Christ wil reward euery maÌ„ according to his works Christ respects in the Angels of the 7. Churches nothing but their works And at the last day he will giue the heauenly Inheritance onely to them who haue done good workes in feeding the hungry cloathing the naked c. At that day Righteousnesse shall weare the Crowne No righteousnesse no Crowne No good workes according to a mans talent no reward from God vnlesse it be vengeance To be rich in good workes is the surest foundation of our assurance to
heart Trust not eyther late Repentance or long life not late repentance because it is much to be feared least that the Repentance vvhich the feare of death enforceth dyes with a man dying And the Hypocrite vvho deceiued others in his life may deceiue himselfe in his death GOD accepteth none but free-will Offerings and the repentance that pleaseth him must be voluntarie and not of constraint Not long life for old age will fall vpon the necke of youth and as nothing is more sure then Death so nothing is more vncertaine then the time of dying Yea oft-times when ripenesse of sinne is hastned by outragiousnesse of sinning GOD sodainly cutteth off such vicious liuers eyther with the sword intemperatenes luxurie surfeit or some other fearefull manner of sicknes Maist thou not see that it is the euill Spirit that perswades thee to deferre thy Repentance till olde age when Experience tels thee that not one of a thousand that takes thy course doe euer attaine vnto it Let Gods holy Spirit moue thee not to giue thy selfe any longer to eate and drinke with the drunken least thy Master send Death for thee in a day when thou lookest not for him and in an houre that thou art not aware of and so sodainely cut thee off and appoint thee thy portion with the Hypocrites where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth But if thou louest long life feare GOD and long for life euerlasting The longest life here when it is come to the period will appeare to haue beene but as a tale that is tolde a vanishing vapour a flitting shadow a seeming dreame a glorious flower growing and flourishing in the morning but in the euening cut downe and withered or like a weauers shittle which by winding here and there swiftly vnwindeth it selfe to an end It is but a moment saith Saint Paul O then the madnesse of man that for a moment of sinful pleasure wil hazard the losse of an eternall waight of glory These are the seuen chiefe hinderers of Pietie vvhich must be cast out like Mary Magdalens seauen Diuels before euer thou canst become a true practizer of Pietie or haue any sound hope to enioy either fauour from CHRIST by grace or fellowship with him in glory The Conclusion TO conclude all for as much as thou seest that without Christ thou art but a slaue of sinne Deaths vassall and wormes meate vvhose thoughts are vaine vvhose deedes are vile whose pleasures haue scarse beginnings whose miseries neuer knowes end vvhat wise man would incurre these hellish torments though hee might by liuing in sinne purchase to himselfe for a time the Empire of Augustus the riches of Croesus the pleasures of Salomon the policie of Achitophel the voluptuous fare and fine apparrell of Diues for what should it auaile a man as our Sauiour saith to winne the whole world for a time and then to lose his soule in Hell for euer And seeing that likewise thou seest how great is thy happinesse in Christ and how vaine are the hinderances that debarre thee from the same beware as the Apostle exhorteth of the deceitfulnesse of sinne For that sinne which seemes now to be so pleasing to thy corrupt nature vvill one day proue the bitterest enemie to thy distressed soule and in the meane while harden vnawares thine impenitent heart Sinne as a Serpent seemes beautifull to the eye but take heede of the sting behinde whose venemous effects if thou knewest thou wouldest as carefully flye from sinne as from a Serpent for 1 Sinne did neuer any man good and the more sinne a man hath committed the more odious hee hath made himselfe to GOD the more hatefull to all good men 2 Sinne brought vpon thee all the euils crosses losses disgraces sicknesse that euer befell thee Fooles saith Dauid by reason of their transgressions and because of their iniquities are afflicted Ieremy in lamenting manner asketh the question Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull The holy Ghost answereth him Man suffereth for his sinne Hereupon the Prophet takes vp that doleful out-cry against sinne as the cause of all their miseries woe now vnto vs that euer we haue sinned 3 If thou dost not speedily repent thee of thy sins they wil bring vpon thee yet farre greater plagues losses crosses shame and Iudgements then euer hitherto befell thee Reade Leuit. 26.18 c. Deut. 28.15 c. 4 And lastly if thou wilt not cast off thy sinne GOD when the measure of thine iniquitie is full will cast thee off for thy sinne for as hee is iust so hee hath power to kill and cast into hell all hardened and impenitent sinners If therfore thou wilt auoide the cursed effects of sinne in this life and the eternall wrath due therto in the world to come and be assured that thou art not one of those who are giuen ouer to a reprobate sense Let then ô Sinner my counsell be acceptable vnto thee breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by shewing mercy towards the poore oh let there at length be an healing of thine error Nathan vsed but one Parable and Dauid was conuerted Ionas preached but once to Niniuie and the whole Citie repented CHRIST looked but once on Peter and hee went out and wept bitterly And now that thou art oft so louingly entreated not by a Prophet but by Christ the Lord of Prophets yea that GOD himselfe by his Ambassadours doth pray thee to be reconciled vnto him leaue off thine adulterie with Dauid repent of thy sinnes like a true Niniuite and whilest Christ looketh in mercy vpon thee leaue thy wicked companions and weepe bitterly for thine offences Content not thy selfe with that formall Religion which vnregenerated men haue framed to themselues in stead of sincere deuotion for in the multitude of opinions most men haue almost lost the practise of true religion Think not that thou art a Christian good enough because thou dost as the most and art not so bad as the worst No man is so wicked that hee is addicted to all kinde of vices for there is an Antipathie twixt some vices But remember that Christ saith except your righteousnesse shall exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies yee shall in no case enter into the kingdome of Heauen Consider with thy selfe how farre thou commest short of the Pharisies in fasting praying frequenting the Church and in giuing of Almes Thinke with thy selfe how many Pagant who neuer knew Baptisme yet in morall vertues and honestie of life doe goe farre beyond thee Where is then the life of Christ thy Master and how farre art thou from being a true Christian If thou dost willingly yeeld to liue in any one grosse sinne thou canst not haue a regenerated Soule though thou reformest thy selfe like Herod from many other vices A true Christian must haue respect to walke
minde is resolued through the assistance of his grace to amend thy faults And then hauing washed thy selfe and adorned thy body with apparell which beseemeth thy calling and the Image of GOD which thou bearest shut thy chamber-doore and kneele downe at thy bed-side or some other conuenient place and in reuerent manner lifting vp thy heart together with thy hands and eyes as in the presence of GOD who seeth the inward intention of thy soule offer vp vnto God from the Altar of a contrite heart thy Prayer as a Morning Sacrifice through the mediation of Christ in these or the like wordes A Prayer for the Morning O Most mighty and glorious GOD full of incomprehensible power and Maiestie whose glory the very Heauen of Heauens is not able to containe looke downe from heauen vpon me thine vnworthy Seruant who here prostate my selfe at the foote-stoole of thy Throne of Grace But looke vpon mee O Father through the merits and mediation of Iesus Christ thy beloued Sonne in whom onely thou art well pleased For of my selfe I am not worthy to stand in thy presence or to speake with mine vncleane lips to so holy a God as thou art For thou knowest that in sin I was conceiued and borne and that I haue liued euer since in iniquitie so that I haue broken all thy holy Commandements by sinfull motions vncleane thoughts euill wordes wicked workes omitting many of those duties of pietie which thou requirest for thy seruice and committing many of those vices which thou vnder the penaltie of thy displeasure hast forbidden Here thou maist confesse vnto God thy secret sinnes which doe most burden thy conscience with the circumstances of the time place person and manner how it was committed saying But more especially O Lord I doe here with griefe of heart confesse vnto thee c. And for these my sinnes O Lord I stand here guiltie of thy curse with all the miseries of this life and euerlasting torments in hell fire when this wretched life is ended if thou shouldest deale vvith mee according to my deserts Yea Lord I confesse that it is thy mercy which endureth for euer and thy compassion which neuer failes that is the cause that I haue not beene long agoe consumed But with thee O Lord there is mercy and plenteous redemption In the multitude therefore of thy mercy and confidence in Christs merits I entreate thy diuine Maiestie that thou wouldest not enter into iudgement with thy Seruant neyther be extreame to marke what I haue hitherto done amisse for if thou doest then no flesh can be iustified in thy sight nor any liuing stand in thy presence But be thou mercifull vnto mee and wash away all the vncleannesse of my sinne with the merits of that precious bloud which Iesus Christ hath shed for me And seeing that hee hath borne the burden of that curse which was due to my transgressions O LORD deliuer me from my sinnes and from all those Iudgements which hang ouer my head as due vnto mee for them And separate them as farre from thy presence as the East is from the West burie them in the buriall of Christ that they may neuer haue power to rise vp against mee to shame me in this life or to condemne me in the world which is to come And I beseech thee O Lord not onely to wash away my sinnes with the bloud of thine immaculate Lambe but also to purge my heart by thy holy spirit from the drosse of my natural corruption that I may feele thy spirit more and more killing my sinne in the power and practise thereof so that I may with more freedome of minde and liberty of will serue thee the euerliuing God in righteousnesse and holinesse this day And giue me grace that by the direction and assistance of the same thy holie spirit I may perseuere to be thy faithfull and vnfained seruant vnto my liues ende that when this mortall life is ended I may be made a partaker of immortality and euerlasting happinesse in thy heauenly kingdome In the meane time O Lord whilest it is thy blessed will and pleasure that I may continue to spend and end that small number and remnant of daies which thou hast appointed for me to liue in this vale of misery Teach mee so to number my daies that I may apply my heart vnto wisdome and as thou dost adde daies vnto my life so good Lord I beseech thee adde repentance and amendment to my daies that as I growe in yeeres so I may encrease in grace and fauour with thee and all thy people And to this end giue vnto me a supply of all those graces which thou knowest to be wanting in me and necessary for me with an increase of all those good gifts whervvith thou hast already endued me that so I may be the better enabled to leade such a godly life and honest conuersation as that thy name may thereby be gloryfied others may take good example by me and my soule may more cheerefully feed on the peace of a good conscience and bee more replenished with the ioy of the holy Ghost And heere O Lord according to my bounden duty I giue thee most humble and hearty thankes for all those blessings which of thy goodnesse thou hast bestowed vpon mee And namely for that thou hast of thy free loue according to thine eternall purpose elected me before the foundation of the world was laid vnto saluation in Iesus Christ for that thou hast created mee after thine owne Image and hast begunne to restore that in mee vvhich vvas lost in our first Parents for that thou hast effectually called me by the working of thy spirit in the preaching of the Gospell and the receiuing of thy Sacraments to the knowledge of thy sauing grace and obedience of thy blessed will for that thou hast bought and redeemed me vvith the blood of thine onely begotten Sonne from the torments of Hell and thrall of Satan for that thou hast by faith in Christ freely iustified me vvho am by nature the childe of wrath for that thou hast in good measure sanctified mee by thy holy spirit and giuest me so large a time to repent together with the meanes of repentance I thanke thee likewise good Lord for my life health wealth foode raiment peace prosperity and plenty and for that thou hast preserued me this night from all perils and dangers of body and soule and hast brought me safe to the beginning of this day And as thou hast now vvakened my body from sleepe so I beseech thee waken my soule from sinne and carnall security and as thou hast caused the light of the day to shine in my bodily eies so good Lord cause the light of thy word and holy spirit to illuminate my heart and giue me grace
that thou thinkest these Prayers to be too long a taske being shorter for quantitie then theirs but farre more profitable for qualitie tending onely to Gods glory and thy good and so compiled of Scripture phrase as that thou maist speake to God as well in his owne hâ—ly words as in thine owne natiue language Be ashamed that Papists in their superstitious worshipping of Creatures should shew themselues more deuout then thou in the sincere worshipping of the true and onely God And indeede a prayer in priuate deuotion should be one continued speech rather then many broken fragments 6 Lastly when such thoughts come into thy head eyther to keepe thee from prayer or to distract thee in praying remember that those are the Fowles which the euill one sends to deuoure the good Seede and the carkeises of thy spirituall Sacrifices but endeuour with Abraham to driue them away Yet notwithstanding if thou perceiuest at some times that thy spirits are dull and thy minde not apt for Prayer and holy deuotion striue not too much for that time but humbling thy selfe at the sense of thine infirmity and dulnesse knowing that God accepteth the willing minde though it be oppressed with the heauinesse of the flesh endeauour the next time to recompense this dulnesse by redoubling thy zeale and for the time present commend thy Soule to God in this or the like short Prayer Another shorter Morning Prayer O MOST gracious GOD and mercifull Father I thine vnworthy Seruant do here acknowledge that as I haue beene borne in sinne so I haue liued in iniquitie and broken euery one of thy Commandements in thought word and deede following the desires of mine owne will and lusts of my flesh not caring to be gouerned by thy holy Word and Spirit and therefore I haue iustly deserued all shame and miserie in this life and euerlasting condâ—mnation in Hell-fire if thou shouldest but deale with mee according to thy Iustice and my desert Wherefore O Heauenly Father I beseech thee for thy Sonne Iesus Christ his sake and for the merits of that bitter death and bloudy Passion which I beleeue that he hath suffered for mee that thou wouldest pardon and forgiue vnto me all my sins and deliuer me from the shame and vengeance vvhich is due vnto mee for them And send thy holy Spirit into my heart which may assure mee that thou art my Father and that I am thy childe and that thou louest mee with an vnchangeable loue and let the same thy good Spirit leade mee in thy truth and crucifie in me more and more all worldly and carnall lusts that my sinnes may more and more dye in mee and that I may serue thee in vnfained righteousnesse and holinesse this day and all the dayes of my life that when this mortall life is ended I may through thy mercy in Christ be made a partaker of euerlasting glory in thy heauenly Kingdome And here O Lord from the bottome of my hart I thanke thee for al thy blessings which thou hast bestowed vpon my soule and body for electing mee in thy loue redeeming mee by thy Sonne sanctifying mee by thy Spirit and preseruing me from my youth vp vntill this present day and houre by thy most gracious prouidence I thanke thee more specially for that thou hast defended mee this night from all perils and dangers and hast brought me safe to the beginning of this day And now good Lord I beseech thee keepe me this day from all euill that may hurt me and from falling to any grosse sinne that should offend thee Set thy feare before mine eyes and let thy Spirit so rule my heart that all that I shall thinke doe or speake this day may tend to thy glory the good of others and the peace of mine owne Conscience And to this end I commend my selfe and all my wayes and actions together with all that do belong vnto me vnto thy gratious direction and protection praying thee to keepe both them and mee from all euill and to giue a blessing to all our honest labours and endeuours Defend thy whole Church from the tyranny of the World and of Antichrist Preserue our gracious King from all conspiracies and treasons grant him a long and prosperous raigne ouer vs. Blesse the Queene Prince Charles the Prince Palatine of Rhene and the vertuous Lady Elizabeth endue them vvith thy grace and defend them from all euill Blesse all our Ministers and Magistrates with those graces and gifts which thou knowest necessary for their places Be fauourable to all that feare thee and tremble at thy Iudgements comfort all those that are sicke and comfâ—rtlesse Lordâ— keepe mee in a continuall readinesse by Faith and Repentance for my last end that whether I liue or dye I may be found thine owne to thine eternall glory and mine euerlasting saluation through Iesus Christ my onely Sauiour In whose blessed Name I beg these mercies at thy hands and giue vnto thee thy praise and glory in that Prayer which hee hath sanctified with his owne lips saying Our Father which art in heauen c. Further Meditations to stir vs vp to praier in the Morning THinke not any businesse or haste though neuer so great a sufficient excuse to omit Praier in the Morning but meditate 1 That the greater thy businesse is by so much the more neede thou hast to pray for Gods good-speed and blessing thereon seeing it is certaine that nothing can prosper without his blessing 2 That many a man when hee thought himselfe surest hath beene soonest crossed so maiest thou 3 That many a man hath gone out of his dore and neuer come in againe Many a man who arose well and liuelie in the morning hath beene seene a dead man ere night So may it befall thee And if thou bee so carefull before thou goest abroad to drinke to fence thy body from ill ayres how much more carefull shouldest thou be to pray to perserue thy soule from euill temptations 4 That the time spent in prayer neuer hindereth but furthereth and prospereth a mans iourney and businesse 5 That in going abroad into the world thou goest into a forrest full of vnknown dangers where thou shalt meet many bryars to teare thy good name many snares to trap thy life and many hunters to deuoure thy soule It is a field of pleasant grasse but ful of poysonous serpents Aduenture not therefore to go nakâ—â— among these briars till thou hast prayed Christ to clothe thee with his righteousnesse nor to passe through these snares and ambushments till thou hast praied for Gods prouidence to be thy guide nor to walke barefoote through this snakie field till hauing thy feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace thou hast praied to haue still the brasen Serpent in the eye of thy faith that so if thou commest not home holier thou maiest be sure not to returne worser then when thou wentest out of dores Therefore though
thy name is a strong tower of defence vnto all those that trust therein I here recommend my selfe and all that doe belong vnto me vnto thy holy protection and custodie If it be thy blessed will to call for me in my sleepe O Lord for Christ his sake haue mercy vpon me and receiue my soule into thy heauenly Kingdome And if it be thy blessed pleasure to adde more dayes vnto my life O Lord adde more amendement vnto my dayes and weane my mind from the loue of the world and worldly vanities and cause mee more and more to settle my conuersation on Heauen and heauenly things And perfect daily in mee that good worke which thou hast begun to the glory of thy Name and the saluation of my sinfull Soule O Lord I beseech thee likewise saue and defend from all euill and danger thy whole Church the Kings Maiestie the Queene the Prince Charles together with the Princely Count Palatine of Rhene and the religious Princesse Elizabeth his Wife keepe them all in the sinceritie of thy Truth and prosper them in all grace and happinesse Blesse the Nobilitie Ministers and Magistrates of these Churches Kingdomes each of them with those graces which are expedient for their place and calling And be thou ô Lord a comfort and consolation to all thy people whom thou hast thought meete to visit vvith any kinde of sicknesse crosse or calamitie Hasten O Father the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Make mee euer mindfull of my last end and of the reckoning that I am to make vnto thee therein And in the meane while carefull so to follow Christ in the regeneration during this life as that with Christ I may haue a portion in the resurrection of the iust when this mortall life is ended These graces and all other blessings which thou O Father knowest to be requisite and necessary for me I humbly beg and craue at thy hands in the Name and mediation of Iesus Christ thy Sonne and in that forme of Prayer which hee himselfe hath taught me to say vnto thee Our Father which art in Heauen c. Another shorter Euening Prayer O Eternall GOD and heauenly father if I were not taught and assured by the promises of thy Gospell and the examples of Peter Magdalene the Publicane the Prodigall childe and many other penitent sinners that thou art so full of compassion and so ready to forgiue the greatest sinners who are heauiest laden with sinne at what time soeuer they returne vnto thee with penitent hearts lamenting their sinnes and imploring thy grace I should despaire for mine owne sinnes and be vtterly discouraged from presuming to come vnto thy presence considering the hardnesse of my heart the vnrulinesse of my affections and the vncleannesse of my conuersation by meanes whereof I haue transgressed all thy lawes and deserued thy curse which might cause my body to be smitten with some fearefull disease my soule to languish with the death of sinne my good name to be traduced with scandalous reproaches and make mine estate lyable to all manner of crosses and casualities And I confesse Lord that thy mercy is the cause that I haue not beene long agoe confounded But O my God as thy mercy onely staied thy iudgement from falling vpon mee hitherto so I humbly beseech thee in the bowels of the mercy of Iesus Christ in whom onely thou art well pleased that thou wilt not deale with mee according to my deserts but that thou wouldest freely and fully remit vnto mee all my sinnes and transgressions and that thou wouldest washe them cleane from me vvith the vertue of that most precious blood which thy sonne Iesus Christ hath shed for me For hee alone is the Phisition and his bloud onely is the medicine that can heale my sickenesse And he is the true brazen Serpent that can cure that poison wherewith the firy Serpents of my sinnes haue stung and poisoned my sicke and wounded soule And giue mee I beseech thee thine holy spirit which may assure me of mine adoption and that may confirme my faith encrease my repentance enlighten my vnderstanding purifie my heart rectifie my will and affections and so sanctifie me throughout that my whole body soule and spirit may be kept vnblameable vntill the glorious comming of my Lord Iesus Christ. And now O Lord I giue thee hearty thankes and praise for that thou hast this day preserued me from all harmes and perils notwithstanding all my sinnes and ill deserts And I beseech thee likewise defend me this night from the roaring Lion which night and day seeketh to deuoure me Watch thou O Lord ouer me this night to keepe mee from his temptations and tyrannie and let thy mercy shield me from his vnappeaseable rage and malice And to this end I commend my selfe into thy hands and protection beseeching thee O my Lord and God not to suffer Satan nor any of his euill members to haue power to doe vnto me any hurt or violence this night And grant good Lord that whether I sleepe or wake liue or die I may sleepe wake liue and die vnto thee and to the glory of thy name and the saluation of my soule Lord blesse and defend all thy chosen people euery where Graunt our King a long happy raigne ouer vs. Blesse the Queene Prince Charles the Prince Palatine of Rhene and the vertuous Princesse Elizabeth his wife together with all our Magistrates and Ministers comfort them who are in any misery neede or sickenesse Good Lord giue me grace to be one of those wise Virgins which may haue my heart prepared like a Lampe furnished with the Oyle of Faith and light of good works to meet the Lord Iesus the sweet bridegroome of my soule at his second and sodaine comming in glory Grant this good Father for Christ Iesus sake my only Sauiour and Mediator in whose blessed name and in whose owne words I call vpon thee as he hath taught me Our Father which c. Afterwards say Thy grace O Lord Iesus Christ thy loue O heauenly Father thy comfort and consolation O Holy and blessed spirit be with me and dwell in my heart this night and euermore Amen Then rising vp in a holy reuerence meditate as thou art putting off thy cloathes Things to be Meditated vpon as thou art putting off thy cloathes 1 THat the day is comming when thou must be as barely vnstript of al that thou hast in the world as thou art now of thy cloathes thou hast therefore heere but the vse of all things as a Steward for a time and that vpon accounts Whilest therefore thou art trusted with this Stewardship be wise and faithfull 2 When thou seest thy bed let it put thee in minde of thy graue which is now the bed of Christ For Christ by laying his holy body to rest three daies and three
against Heauen and before thee and how that wee haue beene borne in sinne and doe daily breake thy holy Lawes and Commandements contrary to our knowledge and Consciences albeit that we know that thou art our Creator who hast made vs our Redeemer who hast bought vs with the bloud of thine onely begotten Sonne and our Comforter who bestowest vpon vs all the good and holy graces which wee enioy in our soules and bodies And if thou shouldest but deale with vs as our vvickednesse and vnthankfulnesse haue deserued what other thing might vve O Lord expect from thee but shame and confusion in this life and in the vvorld to come wrath and euerlasting condemnation Yet O Lord in the obedience of thy Commandement and in the confidence which wee haue in thy vnspeakeable and endlesse mercy in thy Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ we thy poore Seruants appealing from thy Throne of Iustice where wee are iustly lost and condemned to thy throne of Grace where mercy raigneth to pardon abounding sinne doe from the bottome of our hearts most humbly beseech thee to remit and forgiue vnto vs all our offences and misdeedes that by the vertue of the precious bloud of IESVS CHRIST thine innocent Lambe which hee so aboundantly shed to take away the sinnes of the world all our sins both originall and actuall may be so clensed and washed from vs as that they may neuer be laid to our charge nor neuer haue power to rise vp in Iudgement against vs. And we beseech thee good Father for Christ his death and passions sake that thou wilt not suffer to fall vpon vs that fearefull curse and vengeance which thy Law hath threatned and our sins haue iustly deserued And for as much O Lord as wee are taught by thy word that Idolaters Adulterers couetous men contentious persons drunkards gluttons and such like inordinate liuers shall not inherite the kingdome of God poure the grace of thy holy spirit into our harts whereby we may be enlightened to see the filthinesse of our sinnes to abhorre them and may be more and more stirred vp to liue in newnesse of life and loue of thy Maiestie so that vvee may daily encrease in the obedience of thy word and in a conscionable care of keeping thy Commandements And now O Lord vvee render vnto thee most heartie thanks for that thou hast elected created redeemed called iustified and sanctified vs in good measure in this life and giuen vs an assured hope that thou vvilt glorifie vs in thy heauenly Kingdome vvhen this mortall life is ended Likewise vve thanke thee for our life health wealth libertie prosperitie and peace especially ô Lord for the continuance of thy holy Gospell among vs and for sparing vs so long and granting vs so gracious a time of Repentance Also vve praise thee for all other thy mercies bestowed vpon vs more especially for preseruing vs this night past from all dangers that might haue befallen our soules or bodies And seeing thou hast now brought vs safe to the beginning of this day vve beseech thee protect and direct vs in the same Blesse and defend vs in our going out and comming in this day and euermore Shield vs O LORD from the temptations of the Diuell and grant vs the custodie of thy holy Angels to defend and direct vs in all our wayes And to this end wee recommend our selues and all those that belong vnto vs and are abroad from vs into thy hands and almightie tuition Lord defend them from all euill prosper them in all graces and fill them with thy goodnesse Preserue vs likewise this day from falling into any grosse sinne especially those vvhereunto our natures are most prone Set a watch before the doore of our lips that vve offend not thy Maiestie by any rash or false oathes or by any lewde or lying speeches giue vnto vs patient mindes pure and chast hearts and all other graces of thy Spirit vvhich thou knowest to be needfull for vs that vvee may the better be enabled to serue thee in holinesse and righteousnesse And seeing that all mans labour without thy blessing is in vaine blesse euery one of vs in our seuerall places and callings direct thou the works of our hands vpon vs euen prosper thou our handy-worke for except thou guide vs vvith thy grace our endeuours can haue no good successe And prouide for vs all things which thou O Father knowest to bee needfull for euery one of vs in our soules and bodies this day And grant that wee may so passe through the pilgrimage of this short life that our hearts being not setled vpon any transitorie things which we meete with in the way our soules may euery day bee more and more rauished with the loue of our home and thine euerlasting Kingdome Defend likewise O Lord thy vniuersall Church and euery particuler member thereof especially wee beseech thee to continue the peace and prosperity of these Churches and Kingdomes wherein wee liue Preserue and defend from all euils and dangers our gracious King the Queene our hopefull Prince Charles together with the Princely Palsgraue of Rhene and religious Princesse Elizabeth his wife Multiply their daies in blisse and felicity and afterwards crowne them with euerlasting ioy and glory Blesse all our Ministers and Magistrates with all graces needful for their places and gouerne thou them that they may gouerne vs in peace and godlinesse And of thy mercy O Lord comfort all our brethren that are destressed sicke or any way comfortlesse especially those who are afflicted either with an euill conscience because they haue sinned against thy word or for a good conscience because they will not sinne against thy truth Make the first to know that not one drop of the blood of Christ was a drop of vengeance but all drops of grace powerfull to procure pardon vpon repentance for the greatest sinnes of the chiefest sinner in the world And for the other let not O Lord thy long sufferance either too much discourage them or too much encourage their enemies but grant them patience in suffering and a gracious and speedy deliuerance which way may stand best with their comfort and thy glory Giue euery one of vs grace to be alwaies mindefull of his last end and to be prepared with faith and repentance as with a wedding garment against the time that thou shalt call for vs out of this sinnefull world And that in the meane while we may so in all things and aboue all things seeke thy glory that when this mortall life is ended wee may then be made partakers of immortality and life eternall in thy most blessed and glorious Kingdome These and all other graces which thou O Father seest to be necessary for vs and for thy whole Church wee humbly begge and craue at thy hands concluding this our imperfect prayer in that absolute forme of prayer which Christ himselfe hath taught vs saying Our Father c. After Prayers let euery one of thy Houshold taking
through Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen After euery meale be carefull of thy selfe and Familie as Iob was for himselfe and his Children Iob 1.4 least that in the chearefulnesse of eating and drinking some speech hath slipped out which might be eyther offensiue to God or iniurious to Man And therefore with the like comely gesture and reuerence giue thankes vnto God and pray in this manner BLessed be thy holy name O Lord our GOD for these thy good benefits wherewith thou hast so plentifully at this time refreshed our bodies O Lord vouchsafe likewise to feede our soules with the spirituall foodâ— of thy holy Word and spirit vnto life euerlasting Lord defend and saue thy vvhole Church our gracious King Queene our Noble Prince the Prince Palatine of Rhene and the Lady Elizabeth his Wife Forgiue vs our sinnes and vnthankefulnesse passe by our manifold infirmities make vs all mindfull of our last ends and of the reckoning that wee are to make to thee therein And in the meane while grant vnto vs health peace and truth in Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Or thus BLessed be thy holy name O Lord for these thy good benefits vvherewith thou hast refreshed vs at this time Lord forgiue vs all our sinnes and frailties saue defend thy whole Church our King Queene and royall posteritie and grant vs health peace and truth in Christ our onely Sauiour Amen Or thus WE giue thee thanks O heauenly Father for feeding our bodies so gratiously with thy good Creatures to this temporall life beseeching thee likewise to feede our soules with thy holy Word vnto life euerlasting Defend O Lord thine vniuersall Church the King Queene and their royall Posteritie and graunt vs continuance of thy grace and mercy in Christ our onely Sauiour Amen The Practise of Pietie at Euening At euening when the due time of repairing to rest approacheth call together againe all thy Family Reade a Chapter in the same manner that was prescribed in the morning Then in the holy imitation of our Lord and his Disciples sing a Psalme But in singing of Psalmes eyther after Supper or at any other time obserue these Rules Rules to be obserued in singing of Psalmes 1 BEware of singing diuine Psalmes for an ordinary recreation as doe men of impure spirits vvho sing holy Psalmes intermingled with prophane Ballads They are Gods word take them not in thy mouth in vaine 2 Remember to sing Dauids Psalmes with Dauids spirit 3 Practise Saint Pauls rule I will sing with the spirit but I will sing with the vnderstanding also 4 As you sing vncouer your heads and behaue your selues in comely reuerence as in the sight of God singing to God in Gods owne words But be sure that the matter makes more melodie in your hearts then the Musicke in your eares for the singing with a grace in our hearts is that which the Lord is delighted withall according to that olde verse Non vox sed votum non musica chordula sed cor Non clamans sed amans psallit in aure Dei T' is not the voyce but vow Sound hart not sounding string True zeale not outward show That in Gods eare doth ring 5 Thou maist if thou thinke good sing all the Psalmes ouer in order for all are most diuine and comfortable But if thou vvilt chuse some speciall Psalmes as more fit for some times and purposes and such as by the oft vsage thy people may the easilier commit to memorie Then sing In the Morning Psal. 3.5.16.22.144 In the Euening Psal. 4.127.141 For mercy after a sinne committed 51.103 In sicknesse or heauinesse Psal. 6.13.88.90 91.137.146 When thou art recouered Psal. 30.32 On the Sabbath day Psal. 19.92.95 In time of ioy Psal. 80.98.107.136.145 Before Sermon Psal. 1.12.147 The 1. and 5. Part of the 119. After Sermon any Psalme which concerneth the chiefe argument of the Sermon At the Communion Psal. 22.23.103.111.113 For spirituall solace Psal. 15.19.25.46.67.112.116 After wrong and disgrace receiued Psal. 42.69.70.140.144 After the Psalme all kneeling downe in reuerend manner as is before described let the Father of the Familie or the chiefest in his absence pray thus Euening Prayer for a Familie O Eternall GOD and most graciour Father wee thine vnworthy Seruants here assembled doe cast downe our selues at the foote-stoole of thy grace acknowledgeing that wee haue inherited our Fathers corruption and actually in thought word and deed transgressed all thy holy commandements So that in vs naturally there dwelleth nothing that is good for our hearts are full of secret pride anger impatiency dissembling lying lust vanity prophanenesse distrust too much loue of our selues and the world too little loue of thee and thy Kingdome but empty and voide of faith loue patience and euery spirituall grace If thou therefore shouldest but enter into iudgement with vs and search out our naturall corruptions and obserue all the cursed fruits and effects that we haue deriued from thence Satan might iustly challenge vs for his owne and wee could not expect any thing from thy Maiestie but thy wrath and our condemnation which we haue long agoe deserued But good Father for Iesus Christ thy deare Sonnes sake in whom onely thou art well pleased and for the merits of that bitter death and bloody passion which wee beleeue that he hath suffered for vs haue mercy vpon vs pardon and forgiue vs all our sinnes and free vs from the shame and confusion which are due vnto vs for them that they may neuer seaze vpon vs to our confusion in this life nor to our condemnation in the world which is to come And forasmuch as thou hast created vs to serue thee as all other creatures to serue vs so wee beseech thee inspire thy holy Spirit into our hearts that by his illumination and effectuall working we may haue the inward sight and feeling of our sinnes and naturall corruptions and that wee may not be blinded in them through custome as the Reprobates are but that wee may more and more loath them and be heartily grieued for them endeauouring by the vse of al good meanes to ouercome and get out of them Oh let me feele the power of Christs death killing sinne in our mortall bodies and the vertue of his resurrection raising vp our soules to newnesse of life Conuert our hearts subdue our affections regenerate our mindes and purifie our nature and suffer vs not to be drowned in the streame of those filthy vices and sinfull pleasures of this time wherewith thousands are caried headlong to eternall destruction but dayly frame vs more and more to the likenesse of thy Sonne Iesus Christ that in righteousnesse and true holinesse wee may so serue and glorifie thee that liuing in thy feare and dying in thy fauour we may in thine appointed time attaine to the blessed resurrection of the iust vnto eternal life In the meane while O Lord increase our faith in the sweet
Col. 4.11 put for the whole summe of Pauls doctrine by which was wrought all these changes where it tooke effect So that as Christ vvas fortie dayes instructing Moses in Sinai what hee should teach and how hee should rule the Church vnder the Law So hee continued fortie dayes teaching his Disciples in Sion what they should preach and how they should gouerne the Church vnder the Gospell And seeing it is manifest that within those fortie dayes Christ appointed vvhat Ministers should teach and how they should gouerne his Church to the worlds end it is not to be doubted but that vvithin those fortie dayes hee likewise ordayned on what day they should keepe their Sabbath and ordinarily doe the vvorkes of their Ministerie especially seeing that vnder the olde Testament GOD shewed himselfe as carefull both by his Morall and Ceremoniall Law to prescribe the time as well as the matter of his vvorship Neyther is it a thing to be omitted that the Lord who hath times and seasons in his owne power appointed this first day of the weeke to be the very day wherein hee sent downe from heauen the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles so that vpon that day they first beganne and euer after continued the publike exercising of their Ministerie in the preaching of the Word the administration of the Sacraments and the loosing of the sinnes of penitent sinners vpon these and the like grounds Athanasius plainly affirmeth that the Sabbath day was changed by the Lord himselfe As therefore our Communion is tearmed the Lords Supper because it vvas instituted of the Lord for the remembrance of his death so the Christian Sabbath is called the Lords day because it was ordained of the Lord for the memoriall of his Resurrection And as the Name of the Lord honoureth the one so doth it the other And as the Lord of the Sabbath by his royall prerogatiue and transcendent authority could so hee had also reason to change the holy Sabbath from the seauenth day to this whereon wee keepe it For as concerning that seauenth day wee followed the sixe dayes wherein God finished the Creation there was no such precise institution or necessitie of sanctifying it perpetually but such as by the same authoritie or vpon greater reason and occasion it might very well be changed and altered vnto some other seauenth day For the Commandement doth not say Remember to keepe holy the seauenth day next following the sixt day of the creation or this or that seauenth day but indefinitely remember that thou keepe holy a seauenth day And to speake properly as wee take a day for the distinction of time called eyther a day naturall consisting of 24. houres or a day artificiall consisting of 12. houres from Sun-rising to Sun-setting and withall consider the Sun standing still at noone in Ioshuahs time the space of a whole day and the Sunne going backe tenne degrees viz. fiue houres almost halfe an artificiall day in Ezechias time the Iewes themselues could not keepe their Sabbath vpon that precise and iust distinction of time called at the first the seuenth day from the Creation Adde hereunto that in respect of the diuersitie of Meridians and the vnequall rising and setting of the Sunne euery day varyeth in some places a quarter in some halfe in other a whole day Therefore the Iewish seauenth day cannot precisely be kept at the same instant of time euery where in the world Now our Lord Iesus hauing authoritie as Lord ouer the Sabbath had likewise novv farre greater reason and occasion to translate the Sabbath from the Iewish seauenth day vnto the seauenth day whereon Christians doe keepe the Sabbath 1 Because that by his Resurrection from the dead there is wrought a new spirituall creation of the World without which all the sonnes of Adam had beene turned to euerlasting destruction and all the workes of the first creation had ministred no consolation vnto vs. And in respect of this new spirituall Creation the Scripture saith that Olde things are passed away and all things are become new new creatures new people new men new knowledge new Testamant new Commandement new names new vvay new song new garment new Wine new vessels new Ierusalem new Heauen and a new Earth And therefore of necessitie there must be in stead of the olde a new Sabbath day to honour and praise our Redeemer and to meditate vpon the vvorke of our Redemption and to shew the new change of the olde Testament 3 Because that on this day Christ rested from all the sufferings of his Passion and finished the glorious Worke of our Redemption If therefore the finishing of the work of the first Creation whereby GOD mightily manifested himselfe vnto his creatures deserued a Sabbath for to solemnize the memoriall of so great a worke to the honor of the vvorker and therefore cals it mine holy Day much more doth the new creation of the world effected by the resurrection of Christ whereby he mightily declared himselfe to be the Sonne of God deserue a Sabbath for the perpetuall commemoration thereof to the honor of Christ and therefore worthily called the Lords day For as the deliuerance out of the captiuitie of Babilon being greater tooke away the name from the deliuerance out of the bondage of Egipt so the day whereon Christ finished the redemption of the world did more iustly deserue to haue the Sabath kept on it then on that day wherein GOD ceased from creating the world As therefore in the Creation the first day wherein it was finished was consecrated for a Sabbath so in the time of Redemption the first day wherein it was perfected must be dedicated to a holy rest But still a seuenth day kept according to Gods morall cōmandement The Iewes kept the last day of the weeke beginning their Sabath with the night when GOD rested but Christians honour the Lord better on the first day of the weeke beginning the Sabath with the day when the Lord arose They kept their Sabath in remembrance of the worlds Creation but Christians celebrate it in memoriall of the worlds redemption yea the Lords day being the first of the Creation and Redemption puts vs in minde both of the making of the olde and redeeming of the new world As therefore vnder the old Testament God by the glorie consisting of 7. Lampes 7. Branches c. putting them in remembrance of the Creations light and Sabbaths rest So vnder the new Testament Christ the true light of the world approaceth in the middest of the 7. Lampes and 7. golden candlestickes to put vs in minde to honour our redeemer in the light of the Gospell on the Lords seuenth day of rest And seeing the Redemption both for might and mercie so farre exceedeth the creation it stood with great reason that the greater
day had his Barne and all his Corne therein burnt with fire from Heauen the next night after Also a certaine Nobleman prophaning the Sabbath vsually in hunting had a child by his wife with a head like a dogge and with eares and chaps crying like a hound A couetous flaxe-wife at Kinstat in France An. 1559. vsing with hir maids to work at her trade on the Lords day it seemed vnto them that fire issued out of the Flaxe but did no harme the next Sabbath it tooke fire indeed but was quickely quenched but not taking warning by this the third Sunday after it tooke fire againe burnt the house and so scorched the wretched woman with 2. of her children that they died the next day but through Gods mercy a childe in the cradle was taken out of the fire aliue and vnhurt On the 13 of Ianuary Anno Dom. 1582. being the Lords day the Scaffolds fell in Paris Garden vnder the people at a Beare-baiting so that 8. were suddenly slaine innumerable hurt maimed A warning to such who take more pleasure on the Lords day to be in a Theatre beholding carnall sports then to be in the Church seruing God with the spirituall woâ—â—â—s of Piety Many fearefull examples of Gods iudgements by fire haue in our daies been shewed vpon diuers Towns where the prophanation of the Lords day hath beene openly countenanced Stratford vpon Auon was twice on the same day-twelue-moneth being the Lords day almost consumed with fire chiefly for prophaning the Lords Sabbaths and for contemning his Word in the mouth of his faithfull Ministers Teuerton in Deuonshire whose remembrance makes my heart bleed was often times admonished by her godly Preacher that GOD vvould bring some heauie Iudgement on the Towne for their horrible prophanatâ—â—n of the Lords day occasioned chiefely by their Market on the day following Not long after his death on the third of Aprill Anno Domini 1598. GOD in lesse then halfe an houre consumed with a sodaine and fearefull fire the whole Towne except onely the Church the Court-house and the Almes-houses or a few poore peoples dwellings vvhere a man might haue seene 400. dwelling houses all at once on fire and aboue 50. persons consumed with the flame And now againe since the last Edition of this Booke on the fift of August last 1612. 14. yeeres since the former fire the vvhole Towne was againe fired and consumed except some 30. houses of poore people with the â—choole-house and Almes-houses They are blinde vvho see not in â—his the Finger of GOD. God grant them grace when it is next built to change their Market-day and to remoue all occasions of prophaning the Lords day Let other townes remember the Towre of Siloe Lâ—ke 13.4 and take warning by their neighbours chastisements feare Gods threatnings Ierem. â—7 27 and beleeue Gods Prophets if they will prosper 1 Chron. 20.20 Many other examples of Gods Iudgements might be alledged but if these are not sufficient to terrifie thy hart from the wilfull prophanation of the Lords day proceede in thy prophanation it may be the Lord will make thee the next example to teach others to keepe his Sabbathâ— better Hee punisheth some in this life to signifie how hee vvill plague all wilfull transgressoâ—â— of his Sabbaths at the last day Thus vvee haue proued that the Commandement of the Sabbath is Morall and that the change of it from the seauenth to the first day of the weeke vvas instituted by the authoritie of Christ and of his Apostles But as in promulgating of the Law diuers Ceremonies peculiar to the Iewes were annexed the rather to bind that people to the more carefull performance thereof as to the first Commandement their deliuerance from Aegipt shadowing their redemption from Hell to the fift Commandement length of dayes in Canaan typing eternall life in heauen to the sixt Commandement abstinence from bloud and things strangled figuring the care to abstaine from all kinde of Murther and to the whole Law the Ceremonie of Partchment-Lace putting them in mind to keepe within the limits of the Law So likewise to the fourth Commandement were added some Ceremonies vvhich peculiarly belonged to the Iewes and to no other people as first the double Sacrifices appointed for them on the Sabbath day shadowing how GOD will be serued on the Sabbath with greater obedience then on the vveeke dayes Secondly the rigid and strict ceasing from making of fire dressing of meate and all bodily labour both remembring them of their full deliuerance by Moses conduct from the fiery Furnaces and slauery of Egipt vpon that day as also shadowing vnto them the eternall Redemption of their soules from Hell by the death of Christ. Thirdly the keeping of the Sabbath vpon the precise seauenth day in order of the creation shadowing to the Iewes that Christ by his death and resting on their Sabbath in the graue should bring them rest and ease from the burden and yoake of the Legall Ceremonies which neyther they nor their Fathers were able to beare Acts 15.10 Col. 2.16.17 And howsoeuer in Paradise before mans Fall the keeping of the Sabbath on the seauenth day of the creation was not a Ceremonie but an Argument of perfection yet after the fall it became Ceremoniall and subiect to change in respect of the restauration by Christ. As mans life before the Fall being immortall became afterwards mortall and nakednesse being an ornament before became afterwards a shame and Marriage became a type of the Mysticall vnion betwixt CHRIST and his Church Ephes. 6. And to fulfill these Ceremonies added for the Iewes sake vnto the Sabbath Christ at his death rested in the graue all the Iewish Sabbath day and by that rest fulfilled all those ceremoniall accessaries Now as the ceasing of the Ceremonies annexed to the 1.5 6. Commandements and to Marriage did not abolish those Commandements and Marriage nor cause them to cease from being the perpetuall rules of Gods worship and mans righteousnesse no more did the abrogating of the Ceremonies annexed to the Sabbath abolish the moralitie of the Commandement of the Sabbath so that though the Ceremonies be abolished by the accesse of the Substance and the Shadow ouer-shadowed by the Body which is Christ yet the holy rest which was commanded and kept before eyther the Iewes were a people or those Ceremonies annexed to the Sabbath still continueth as Gods perpetuall Law whereby all the posteritie of Adam are bound to rest from their ordinarie businesse that they may wholy spend euery seauenth day in the solemne worship and onely seruice of GOD their Creator and Redeemer but in the substance of the fourth Commandement there is not found one word of any Ceremonie The chiefe obiections against the moralitie of the Sabbath are three 1 That of Paul to the Galathians Ye obserue dayes and moneths and times and yeeres c. But there the Apostle condemnes not the morall
and thou raignest ouer all and in thine hand is power and strength and in thine hand it is to make great and to giue grace vnto all Now therefore O my God I praise thy glorious Name that whereas I a wretched sinner hauing so many vvayes prouoked thy Maiesty to anger and displeasure thou notwithstanding of thy fauour and goodnes passing by my prophanenesse and infirmities hast vouchsafed to adde this Sabbath againe vnto the number of my dayes And vouchsafe O heauenly Father for the merits of Iesus Christ thy Sonne whose glorious Resurrection thy whole Church celebrateth this day to pardon and forgiue mee all my sins and misdeeds Especially O Lord clense my soule from those filthy sinnes with the bloud of thy most pure and vndefiled Lambe which taketh away the sinnes of the world And let thy holy Spirit more and more subdue my corruptions that I may be renewed after thine owne Image to serue thee in newnesse of life and holinesse of conuersation And as of thy mercy thou hast brought me to the beginning of this blessed day so I beseech thee make it a day of Reconciliation betwixt my sinfull soule and thy Diuine Maiestie Giue mee grace to make it a day of Repentance vnto thee that thy goodnesse may seale it to be a day of pardon vnto me and that I may remember that the keeping holy of this day is a Commandement which thine owne finger hath vvritten That on this day I might meditate on thy glorious workes of our Creation and Redemption and learne how to know and to keepe all the rest of thy holy Lawes and Commandements And when anon I shall with the rest of the holy Assembly appeare before thy presence in thy house to offer vnto thee our morning sacrifice of praise and Prayer and to heare what thy Spirit by the preaching of thy Word shall speake vnto thy Seruant Oh let not my sinnes stand as a Cloud to stoppe my Prayers from ascending vnto thee or to keepe backe thy Grace from descending by thy Word into my heart I know O Lord and tremble to thinke that three parts of the good Seede falles vpon bad ground O let not my heart be like the High-way which through hardnesse and want of true vnderstanding receiues not the Seede till the euill one commeth and catcheth it away nor like to the stony ground which hearing with ioy for a time falleth away as soone as persecution ariseth for thy Gospels sake nor like to the thorny ground which by the cares of this world and the deceitfulnesse of riches choaketh the Word which it heareth and makes it altogether vnfruitfull but that like vnto the good ground I may heare thy Word with an honest and good heart vnderstand it and keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience in that measure that thy Wisedome shall thinke meete for thy glory and mine euerlasting comfort Open likewise I beseech thee O Lord the doore of vtterance vnto thy faithfull Seruant whom thou hast sent vnto vs to open our eyes that wee may turne from darkenesse to light and from the power of Sathan vnto God that wee may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them which are sanctified by Faith in Christ. And giue me grace to submit my selfe vnto his Ministerie as well when hee terrifieth mee with iudgements as when hee comforteth mee with thy Mercies And that I may haue him in singular loue for his workes sake because hee watcheth for my soule as he that must giue an account for the same vnto his Master And giue mee grace to behaue my selfe in the holy Congregation with comelinesse and reuerence as in thy presence and in the sight of thy holy Angels Keepe mee from drowsinesse and sleeping and from all vvandering thoughts and worldly imaginations sanctifie my Memorie that it may be apt to receiue and firme to remember those good and profitable doctrines which shall be taught vnto vs out of thy Word And that through the assistance of thy holy spirit I may put the same lessons in practise for my direction in prosperity for my consolation in misery for the amendment of my life and the glory of thy Name And that this day which godlesse and prophane persons spend in there owne lusts and pleasures I as one of thy obedient seruants may make my chiefe delight to consecrate it to thy glory and honour not doing mine owne waies nor seeking mine owne will nor speaking a vaine word but that ceasing from the workes of sinne as well as from the workes of mine ordinary calling I may through thy blessing feele in my heart the beginning of that eternall Sabbath which in vnspeakeable ioy and glory I shall celebrate with thy Saints and Angels to thy praise and worshippe in thy heauenly kingdome for euermore All which I humbly craue at thy hands in the name and mediation of my Lord Iesus in that forme of prayer which he hath taught me Our Father which art in Heauen c. Hauing thus in priuate prepared thine owne soule if thou hast the charge of a Family call all thy houshold together reade a Chapter and pray as in the weeke dayes but remember so to dispatch these priuate preparations and duties as that thou and thy family may be in the Church before the beginning of praiers Else your priuate exercises are rather an hinderance then a preparation And as thou and thy houshold doe goe in all reuerence towards the Church let euery one meditate thus with himselfe Things to be Meditated as thou goest to the Church 1 THat thou art going to the Court of the Lord and to speake with the great GOD by Praier and to heare his Maiesty speake vnto thee by his Word and to receiue his blessing on thy soule and thy honest labour in the sixe daies last past 2 Say with thy selfe by the way As the Heart braieth for the Riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God When shall I come and appeare before the presence of God For a day in thy Courts is better then a thousand other where I had rather be a doore-keeper in the House of my God then to dwell in the Tabernacles of wickednesse Therefore I will come into thy House in the multitude of thy mercies and in thy feare will I worship toward thine holy Temple 3 As thou entrest into the Church say How fearefull is this place this is 〈◊〉 other but the house of GOD this is the gate of Heauen Surely the Lord is in this place God is in this people indeed and prostrating with thy face downeward being come to thy place say O Lord I haue loued the habitation of thy house the place where thy honor dwelleth One thing therefore haue I desired of thee that I will require euen that I may dwell in thy house al the daies
of my life to behold thy beauty and to visit thy temple therefore will I offer in thy Tabernacle sacrifices of ioy I will sing and praise the Lord. Hearken vnto my voice O Lord when I cry haue mercy also vpon mee and heare mee Doubtlesse kindnesse and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life and I shall remaine a long season in the house of the Lord. And this is that preparation or looking to our feete whereto Salomon aduiseth vs before we enter into the House of GOD. The second sort of duties which are to be performed at the time of the holy Assembly WHen praiers begin lay aside thine own priuate Meditations and let thine heart ioine with the Minister and the whole Church as being one body of Christ and because that GOD is the God of order he will haue all things to bee done in the Church with one heart and accord and the exercises of the Church are common and publike It is therefore an ignorant pride for a man to thinke his owne priuate praiers more effectuall then the publike prayers of the whole Church Salomon therefore aduiseth a man not to bee rash to vtter a thing in the Church before GOD. Pray therefore when the Church prayeth sing when they sing and in the action of kneeling standing sitting and such indifferent ceremonies for the auoyding of scandall the continuance of charity and in testimony of thine obedience conforme thy selfe to the manner of the Church wherein thou liuest Whilest the Preacher is expounding and applying the word of the Lord looke vpon him for it is a great helpe to stirre vp thine attention and to keepe thee from wandring thoughts so the eyes of all that were in the Synagogues are said to be fastned on Christ whilest he preached and that all the people hanged vpon him when they heard him Remember that thou art there as one of Christs Disciples to learne the knowledge of saluation by the remission of sinnes through the tender mercy God Luk. 77. Be not therefore in the Schoole of Christ like an idle boy in a Grammar schoole that often heareth but neuer learneth his lesson and still goeth to Schoole but profiteth nothing Thou hatest it in a childe Christ detesteth it in thee To the end therefore that thou maiest the better profit by hearing marke 1 The coherence and explication of the Text. 2 The chiefe summe or scope of the holy Ghost in that Text. 3 The diuision or parts of the Text. 4 The doctrines and in euery doctrine the proofes the reasons and vses thereof A method of all others easiest for the people being accustomed thereto to helpe them to remember the Sermon and therefore much wished to be put in practise of all faithfull Pastors who desire to edifie their people in the knowledge of God and his true Religion If the Preachers method be too curious or confused then labour to remember 1 How many things hee taught which thou knewest not before and be thankefull 2 What sinnes hee reproued whereof thy conscience tels thee that thou art guilty and therefore must bee amended 3 What vertues he exhorteth vnto which are not so perfect in thee and therefore endeauour to practise them with more zeale and diligence But in hearing apply euery speech as spoken to thy selfe rather by GOD then by man and labour not so much to heare the words of the Preacher sounding in thine eare as to feele the operation of the spirit working in thy heart therefore it is said so often Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit speakes to the Church And did not our hearts burxe within vs whilest hee opened vnto vs the Scriptures And thus to heare the Word hath a blessing promised thereto It is the acceptablest sacrificing of our selues vnto God It is the surest note of Christs Saints The truest marke of Christs sheepe the apparantest signe of Gods elect the very blood as it were which vniteth vs to bee the spirituall kindred brethren and sisters of the Sonne of God This is the best Art of memory for a good hearer When the Sermon is ended 1 Beware thou depart not like the nine Leapers till that for thine instruction to sauing health thou hast returned thankes and praise to GOD by an after prayer and singing of a Psalme and when the blessing is pronounced stand vp to receiue thy part therein and heare it as if Christ himselfe whose Minister hee is did pronounce the same vnto thee for in this case it is true Hee that heareth you heareth mee and the Sabbath day is blessed because GOD hath appointed it to be the day wherin by the mouth of his Ministers hee will blesse his people which heare his word and glorifie his Name For though the Sabbath day in it selfe be no more blessed then the other sixe dayes yet because the Lord hath appointed it to holy vses aboue others it doth as farre excell the other dayes of the weeke as the consecrated bread which wee receiue at the Lord Table doth the common Bread which wee eate at our owne Table 2 If it be a Communion day draw neere to the Lords Table in the Wedding Garment of a faithfull and penitent heart to be partaker of so holy a banquet And vvhen Baptisme is to be administred stay and behold it with all reuerent attention that so thou maist First shew thy reuerence to Gods ordinance Secondly that thou maist the better consider thine owne ingraffing into the visible body of Christs Church and how thou performest the vowes of thy new Couenant Thirdly that thou maist repay thy debts in praying for the Infant which is to be baptized as other Christians did in the like case for thee that God would giue him the inward effects of Baptisme by his Bloud and Spirit Four'thly that thou maist assist the Church in praising God for graffing another member into his Mysticall Body Fiftly that thou maist proue whether the effects of Christs death killeth sinne in thee and whether thou be raised to newnesse of life by the vertue of his Resurrection and so to be humbled for wants and to be thankefull for his grace Sixtly to shew thy selfe to be a Free-man of Christs Corporation hauing a voyce or consent in the admission of others into that holy society 3 If there be any Collection for the poore freely without grudging bestow thine Almes as GOD hath blessed thee with abilitie And thus farre of the duties to be performed in the holy assembly Now of the third sort of duties after the holy Assembly AS thou returnest home or when thou art entered into thy house meditate a little vvhile vpon those things vvhich thou hast heard And as the cleane beasts which chew the cudde so must thou bring againe to thy remembrance that vvhich thou hast heard in the Church And then kneeling downe turne all to a
come vnder my roofe and that if thou didst but speake the word onely my soule should be saued Yet seeing it hath pleased the riches of thy grace for the better strengthning of my weakenesse to seale thy mercy vnto mee by thy visible signe as well as by thy visible word In all thankefull humiliâ—y my soule speakes vnto thee with the blessed Virgin Behold the handmaide of the Lord be it vnto me according to thy word Knocke thou Lord by thy word and Sacraments at the doore of my heart and I will like the Publicane with both my fists knocke at my breast as fast as I can that thou maiest enter in and if the dore will not open fast enough breake it open O Lord by thine Almighty power and then enter in and dwell there for euer that I may haue cause with Zacheus to acknowledge that this day saluation is come into my house And cast out of me whatsoeuer shall be offensiue vnto thee for I resigne the whole possession of my heart vnto thy sacred Maiestie entreating that I may not liue henceforth but that thou maist liue in mee speake in me worke in me and so to gouerne me by thy spirit that nothing may be pleasing vnto me but that which is acceptable vnto thee That finishing my course in the life of grace I may afterwards liue with thee for euer in thy kingdome of glory Grant this O Lord Iesu for the merits of thy death and bloodshedding Amen When the Minister bringeth towards thee the bread thus blessed and broken and offering it vnto thee bids thee Take eate c. Then meditate that Christ himselfe commeth vnto thee both offreth and giueth indeed vnto thy faith his very body blood with al the merits of his death and passion to feed thy soule vnto eternal life as surely as the minister offereth giueth the outward signes that feeds thy body vnto this temporall life The bread of the Lord is giuen by the Minister but the bread which is the Lord is giuen by Christ himselfe When thou takest the bread at the Ministers hand to eate it then rouse vp thy soule to apprehend Christ by faith to apply his merits to heale thy miseries Embrace him as sweetly with thy faith in the Sacrament as euer Simeon hugde him with his armes in his swadling clouts When thou eatest the bread imagine that thou seest Christ hanging vpon the Crosse and by his vnspeakeable torments fully satisfying Gods iustice for thy sinnes and striue to be as verily pertaker of the spirituall grace as of the elementall signes For the truth is not absent from the signe neither doth Christ deceiue when he saith This is my body but he giueth himselfe indeede to euery soule that spiritually receiues him by faith For as ours is the same Supper which Christ administred so is the same Christ verily present at his owne Supper not by any Papall Transubstantiation but by a Sacramentall participation whereby he doth truly feede the faithfull vnto eternall life not by comming downe out of heauen vnto thee but by lifting thee vp from the earth vnto him According to that old saying Sursum corda Lift vp your hearts and where the carkase is thither will the Eagles resâ—â—t Mat. 24 When thou seest the wine brought vnto thee apart from the bread then remember that the bloud of Iesus Christ was as verily separated from his body vpon the Crosse for the remission of thy sinnes And that this is the seale of that new couenant which GOD hath made to forgiue all the sinnes of al penitent sinners that beleeue the merits of his bloodâ—heding For the wine is not a Sacrament of Christs blood contained in his â—eines but as it was shed out of his body vpon the Crosse for the remission of the sinnes of all that beleeue in him As thou drinkest the wine and pourest it out of the Cup into thy stomacke meditate and beleeue that by the merits of that bloud vvhich Christ shed vpon the Crosse all thy sinnes are as verely forgiuen as thou hast now drunke this Sacramentall Wine and hast it in thy stomach And in the instant of drinking settle thy meditation vpon Christ as he hanged vpon the Crosse as if like Mary and Iohn thou did see him nailed and his bloud running downe his blessed side out of that gastfull wound vvhich the Speare made in his innocent heart wishing thy mouth closed to his side that thou mightest receiue that precious bloud before it fell to the dustie earth And yet the actuall drinking of that reall bloud with thy mouth vvould be nothing so effectuall as this Sacramentall drinking of that bloud spiritually by Faith For one of the Souldiers might haue drunke that and beene still a reprobate but vvhosoeuer drinketh it spiritually by Faith in the Sacrament shall surely haue the Remission of his sinnes and Life euerlasting As thou feelest the Sacramentall Wine vvhich thou hast drunke warming thy cold stomach so endeuour to feele the Holy Ghost cherishing thy soule in the ioyfull assurance of the forgiuenesse of all thy sinnes by the merits of the bloud of Christ. And to this end God giueth euery faithfull soule together with the Sacramentall bloud the holy Ghost to drinke Wee are all made to drinke into one Spirit And so lift vp thy minde from the contemplation of Christ as hee vvas crucified vpon the Crosse to consider how hee now sits in glory at the right hand of his Father making intercession for thee by presenting to his Father the vnualuable meâ—its of his death which hee once suffered for thee to appease his Iustice for the sins which thou dost daily commit against him After thou hast eaten and drunke both the Bread and Wine labour that as those Sacramentall Signes do turne to the nourishment of thy body and by the digestion of heate become one with thy substance so by the operation of Faith and the Holy Ghost thou maist become one vvith Christ and Christ with thee and so maist feele thy Communion with Christ confirmed and encreased daily more and more That as it is vnpossible to separate the Bread and Wine digested into the bloud and substance of thy body so it may be more vnpossible to part Christ from thy Soule or thy Soule from Christ. Lastly as the Bread of the Sacrament though confected of many graines yet makes but one Bread so must thou remember that though all the faithfull are many yet are they all but one Mysticall Body whereof Christ is Head And therefore thou must loue euery Christian as thy selfe and a member of thy body Thus farre of the duties to be done at the receiuing of the holy Sacrament called Meditation 3 Of the duties which we are to performe after receiuing of the holy Communion called Action or Practise THe duetie vvhich vvee are to performe after the receiuing of the Lâ—rds Supper is called Action or
remembrance of me and in doing this thou shalt shew thy selfe best mindefull and thankefull for his death For as oft as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this cup yee shall shew the Lords death vntil he come And let this bee the chiefe ende whereunto both thy receiuing and liuing tendeth that thou maiest be a holy Christian zealous of good workes purged from sinne to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world that thou maiest be acceptable to God profitable to thy brethren and comfortable vnto thine own soule Thus farre of the manner of glorifying God in thy life Now followeth the Practise of Piety in glorifying God in the time of sickenesse and when thou art called to die in the Lord. AS soone as thou perceiuest thy selfe to be visited with any sicknesse meditate with thy selfe 1 That misery commeth not forth of the dust neither doth affliction spring out of the earth Sicknesse comes not by hap or chance as the Philistimes supposed that their Mise and Emeroides came but from mans wickednesse vvhich as sparkles breaketh out Man suffereth saith Ieremie for his sinnes Fooles saith Dauid by reason of their transgressions and because of their iniquities are afflicted As therefore Salomon aduised a man to carry himselfe towards an earthly Prince If the spirit of him that ruleth rise vp against thee leaue not thy place for gentlenesse pacifieth great sins so counsell I thee to deale with the Prince of Princes If the spirit of him that ruleth heauen and earth rise vp against thee let not thy heart despaire for repentance pacifieth great sins And whosoeuer returneth in his affliction to the Lord God of Israel and seekes him he will be found of him 2 Shut too thy Chamber doore Examine thine owne Heart vpon thy bed Search and try thy wayes Search as diligently for thy capitall sinne as Ioshua did for Achan till thou findest it for albeit GOD when he beginneth to chasten his Children hath respect to all their sinnes yet vvhen his anger is incensed he chiefely taketh occasion to chasten and enter vvith them into Iudgement for some one grieuous sinne wherein they haue liued without Repentance 3 When thou hast thus considered all thy sinnes put thy selfe before the Iudgement seate of God as a fellon or murtherer standing at the Bar of an earthly Iudge and with griefe and sorrow of heart confesse vnto God all thy knowne sinnes especially thy Capitall offences wherewith GOD is chiefely displeased Lay them open with all the circumstances of the time place and manner how they were committed as may most serue to aggrauate the hainousnesse of thy sinnes and to shew the contrition of thy heart for the same Lift vp thine hand and acknowledge thy selfe before the righteous Iudge of heauen and earth guilty of eternall death and damnation for those thy hainous sinnes and transgressions And hauing thus accused and iudged thy selfe cast downe thy selfe before the Foote-stoole of his Throne of Grace assuring thy selfe that whatsoeuer the Kings of Israel be yet the GOD of Israel is a mercifull God And cry vnto him from a penitent and faithfull heart for mercy and forgiuenesse as eager and earnest as euer thou knewest a malefactor being to receiue his sentence crying vnto the Iudge for fauour and pardon vowing amendement of life and by the assistance of his Grace neuer to commit the like sinne any more All vvhich thou maist doe in these or the like words A Prayer when one begins to be sicke O Most righteous Iudge yet in Iesus Christ my gracious Father I wretched sinner doe here returne vnto thee though driuen with paine and sicknesse like the prodigall childe with want and hunger I acknowledge that this sicknesse and paine comes not by blinde chance or fortune but by thy diuine prouidence and speciall appointment It is the stroke of thy heauie hand vvhich my sinnes haue iustly deserued and the things that I feared are now fallen vpon mee Yet I doe vvell perceiue that in wrath thou remembrest mercie When I consider how many and how hainous are my sinnes and how few and easie are thy corrections Thou mightest haue strucken me with some fearefull and sodaine death vvhereby I should not haue had eyther time or space to haue called vpon thee for grace and mercy and so I should haue perished in my sinnes and beene for euer condemned in Hell But thou O Lord visitest mee vvith such a Fatherly chastisement as thou vsest to visit thy dearest children whom thou best louest giuing mee by this sicknesse both warning and time to repent and to sue vnto thee for grace and pardon I take not therefore O Lord this thy visitation as any signe of thy wrath or hatred but as an assured pledge and token of thy fauour and louing kindnes whereby thou dost vvith thy temporall Iudgements draw mee to iudge my selfe and to repent of my wicked life that I should not be condemned with the godlesse and vnpenitent vvorld For thy holy Word assures mee that whom thou louest thou thus chastenest and that thou scourgest euery Sonne that thou receiuest That if I endure thy chastening thou offerest thy selfe vnto me as vnto a sonne and that all that continue in sinne and yet escape without correction whereof all thy Children are partakers are Bastards and not sonnes and that thou chastenest mee for my profit that I may be a partaker of thy holinesse O Lord how full of goodnesse is thy nature that hast dealt with mee so gratiously in the time of my health and prosperitie and now being prouoked by my sinnes and vnthankefulnesse hast such fatherly and profitable ends in inflicting vpon me this sicknesse and correction I confesse Lord that thou doest iustly afflict my body with sicknesse for my soule was sicke before of long prosperitie and surfetted with ease peace plentie and fulnesse of bread And now O Lord I lament and mourne for my sinnes I acknowledge my wickednesse and mine iniquities are alwayes in my sight Oh what a vvretched sinner am I void of all goodnesse by nature and full of euill by sinfull custome Oh what a world of sinne haue I committed against thee whilest thy long sufferance expected my conuersion and thy blessings wooed mee to repentance Yet O my God seeing it is thy propertie more to respect the goodnesse of thine owne nature then the deserts of sinners I beseech thee O Father for thy Sonne Iesus Christ his sake and for the merits of that all-sauing death which he hath voluntarily suffered for all which beleeue in him haue mercy vpon me according to the multitude of thy mercies turne thy face away from my sinnes and blot out all mine iniquitie cast me not out of thy presence neither reward mee according to my deserts for if thou doest reiect mee who will receiue me or who will succour me if thou dost forsake mee
the poole of Bethesda streaming with fiue bloudy wounds not of a troubling Angell but of the Angell of Gods presence troubled with the wrath due to thy sinnes who descended into hell to restore thee to sauing health and heauen Returne not now with the Dogge to thine owne vomit nor like the washed sow to wallow againe in the mire of thy former sinnes and vncleannesse lest being intangled and ouercome againe with the filthinesse of sinne which now thou hast escaped thy latter ende prooue worse then thy first beginning Twice therefore doth our Sauiour Christ giue the same cautionary warning to healed sinners First to the man cured of his 38 yeeres disease Behold thou art made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing fall vnto thee Secondly to the woman taken in adultery Neither doe I condemne thee Goe thy way and sinne no more Teaching vs how dangerous a thing it is to relapse and fall againe into the former excesse of riot Take heede therefore vnto thy wayes and pray for grace that thou maiest apply thy heart vnto wisdome during that small number of dayes which yet remaine behinde And for thy present mercy and health imitate the thankefull Leaper and returne vnto God this or the like thanksgiuing A thankesgiuing to be said of one that is recouered from sickenesse O Gracious and mercifull Father who art the Lord of health and sickenesse of life and of death who killest and makest aliue who bringest downe to the graue and raisest vp againe who art the onely preseruer of all those that trust in thee I thy poore and vnworthy seruant hauing now by experience of my painefull sicknesse felt the gieuousnesse of misery due vnto sinne and the greatnesse of thy mercy in forgiuing sinners and perceiuing with what a fatherly compassiion thou hast heard my prayers and restored me to my health and strength againe doe heere vpon the bended knees of my heart returne with the thankefull Leaper to acknowledge thee alone to bee the God of my health and saluation and to giue thee the praise and glory for my strength and deliuerance out of that grieuous disease and malady and for thus turning my mourning into mirth my sickenesse into health and my death into life My sinnes deserued punishments and thou hast corrected me but hast not giuen me ouer vnto death I looked from the day to the night when thou wouldest make an end of me I did chatter like a Crane or a Swallow I mourned as a Doue when the bitternesse of sickenesse oppressed me I lifted vp mine eies vnto thee O Lord and thou didst comfort me for thou didst cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe and didst deliuer my soule from the pit of corruption and when I found no helpe in my selfe nor in any other creature saying I am depriued of the residue of my yeeres I shall see man no more among the inhabitants of the world then didst thou restore mee to health againe and gauest life vnto mee I found thee O Lord ready to saue me And now Lord I confesse that I can neuer yeelde vnto thee such a measure of thanks as thou hast for this benefit deserued at my hands And seeing that I can neuer bee able to repay thy goodnes with acceptable workâ— Oh that I could with Mary Magdalen testifie the â—oue and thankfulnes of my heart with abounding teares Oh what shall I be able to render vnto thee O Lord for al these benefits which thou hast bestowed vpon my soule Surely as in my sickenesse when I had nothing else to giue vnto thee I offered Christ and his merits vnto thee as a ransome for my sins so being now restored by thy grace vnto my health and strength and hauing no better thing to giue behold O Lord I doe heere offer vp my selfe vnto thee beseeching thee so to assist mee with thy holy spirit that the remainder of my life may wholly be spent in setting foorth thy praise and glory O Lord forgiue mee my former follies and vnthankefulnesse that I was not more careful to loue thee according to thy goodnesse nor to serue thee according to thy will nor to obey thee according to thy commandements nor to thanke thee according to thy benefits And seeing thou knowest that of my selfe I am not sufficient so much as to thinke a good thought much lesse to doe that which is good and acceptable in thy sight assist mee with thy grace and holy spirit that I may in my prosperity as deuoutely spend my health in thy seruice as I was eranest in my sickenesse to beg it at thy hands And suffer mee neuer to forget eyther this thy mercy in restoring mee to my health or those vowes and promises which I haue made vnto thee in my sickenesse With my new health renew in me O Lord a right spirit which may free mee from the slauery of sinne and establish my heart in the seruice of grace Worke in mee a greater detestation of all sinnes which were the causes of thy anger and my sicknesse and increase my faith in Jesus Christ who is the author of my health and saluation Let thy good spirit leade me in the way that I should walke and teach me to deny all vngodlines and worldly lusts to liue soberly righteously and godly in this world that others by my example may thinke better of thy truth And sith this time which I haue yet to liue is but a little respite and small remnant of daies which cannot long continue teach me O my God so to number my daies that I may apply my heart to that spiritual wisdome which directeth to saluation And to this end make me more zealous then I haue beene in religion more deuout in praier more feruent in spirit more carefull to heare and profit by the preaching of thy Gospell more helpefull to my poore brethren more watchfull ouer my waies more faithfull in my calling and euery way more aboundant in all good workes Let me in the ioyfull time of prosperity feare the euill day of affliction in the time of health thinke of sicknesse in the time of sickenesse make my selfe ready for death and when death approcheth prepare my selfe for iudgement Let my whole life be an expressing thankfulnesse vnto thee for thy grace and mercy And therefore O Lord I do here from the very bottome of my heart together with the thousand thousands of Angels the foure beasts and twenty foure Elders and al the creatures in Heauen and on the Earth acknowledge to be due vnto thee O Father which sitteth vpon the throne and to the Lambe thy Sonne who sitteth at thy right hand and to the holy spirit which proceedeth from both the holy Trinitie of persons in vnity of substance all praise honour glory and power from this time forth and for euermore Amen Meditations for one that is like to die IF thy sickenesse be like to encrease vnto death
then meditate on three things First how graciously God dealeth with thee Secondly from what euils death wil free thee Thirdly what good death will bring vnto thee First concerning Gods fauourable dealing with thee 1 Meditate that God vseth this chastisement of thy body but as a Medicine to cure thy soule by drawing thee who art sicke in sin to come by repentance vnto Christ thy Physitian to haue thy soule healed 2 That the sorest sickenes or painefullest disease which thou canst endure is nothing if it be compared to those dolours and paines which Iesus Christ thy Sauiour hath suffred for thee when in a bloody sweat he endured the wrath of God the paines of hell and a cursed death which was due to thy sinnes Iustly therefore may he vse those words of Ieremy Behold and see if there be any sorrow like vnto my sorrow which is done vnto mee wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath Hath the sonne of God endured so much for thy redemption and wilt not thou a sinful man endure a little sicknesse for his pleasure especially when it is for thy good 3 That when thy sicknes and disease is at the extreamest yet it is lesse and easier then thy sinnes haue deserued Let thine owne conscience iudge whether thou hast not deserued worse then all that thou doest suffer Murmure not therefore but considering thy manifold and grieuous sinnes thanke God that thou art not plagued with far more grieuous punishments Thinke how willingly the damned in hell would endure thy extreamest paines a 1000. yeeres on condition that they had but thy hope to be saued and after so many yeeres to be eased of their eternal torments And seeing that it is his mercy that thou art not rather consumed then corrected how canst thou but beare patiently his temporall correction seeing the ende is to saue thee from eternall condemnation 4 That nothing commeth to passe in this case vnto thee but such as ordinarily befell to others thy brethren who being the beloued and vndoubted seruants of GOD when they liued on earth are now most blessed and glorious Saints with Christ in Heauen as Iob Dauid Lazarus c. They groaned for a time as thou doest vnder the like burthen but they are now deliuered from all their miseries troubles and calamities And so likewise ere long if thou wilt patiently tarry the Lords leisure thou shalt also bee deliuered from thy sicknesse and paine either by restitution to thy former health with Iob or which is farre better by being receiued to heauenly rest vvith Lazarus 5 Lastly that God hath not giuen thee ouer into the hand of thine enemie to bee punished and disgraced but being thy louing Father he correcteth thee with his owne mercifull hand When Dauid had his wishe to choose his own chastisement hee chose rather to be corrected by the hand of GOD then by any other meanes Let vs fall into the handes of the Lord for his mercies are great and let mee not fall into the hand of man Who will not take any affliction in good part when it commeth from the hand of God from whom though no affliction seemeth ioyous for the present wee know nothing commeth but what is good The consideration heereof made Dauid to endure Shemeis cursed railing with greater patience and to correct himselfe another time for his impatiencie I should not haue opened my mouth because thou didst it and Iob to reprooue the vnaduised speech of his wife thou speakest like a foolish woman What shal we receiue good at the hand of God and not receiue euill And though the cup of Gods wrath due to our sinnes was such a horrour to our Sauiours humane nature that hee earnestly prayed that it might passe from him yet when he considered that it was reached vnto him by the hand and will of his Father hee willingly submitted himselfe to drinke it to the very dregs thereof Nothing will more arme thee with patience in thy sickenesse then to see that it commeth from the hand of our heauenly father who would neuer send it but that he seeth it to bee vnto thee both needfull and profitable The 2. sort of Meditations are to consider from what euils death will free thee IT freeth thee from a corruptible body which was conceiued in the witnesse of flesh the heare of lust the staine of sinne and borne in the blood of filthynesse a liâ—ing prison of the soule a liuely instrument of sinne â— very sacke of stinking dung the excrements of whose nostrils eares pores and other passages duely considered will seeme more loathsome then the vncleanest sinke or vault Insomuch that whereas trees and plants bring foorth leaues flowers fruits and sweet smels mans body brings foorth naturally nothing but lice wormes rottennesse and filthy stench His affections are altogether corrupted and the imaginations of his heart are onely euill continually Hence it is that the vngodly is not satisfied with prophannesse nor the voluptuous with pleasures nor the ambitious with preferments nor the curious with precisenes nor the malicious with reuenge nor the lecherous with vncleannesse nor the couetous with gaine nor the drunkard with drinking New passions and fashions doe daily grow new feares and afflictions doe still arise heere wrath lies in waite there vaine-glory vexeth heere pride lifts vp there disgrace casts downe and euery one waiteth who shall arise in the ruine of another Now a man is priuily stung with backbiters like fiery Serpents anon hee is in danger to be openly deuoured by his enemies like Daniels Lyons And a godly man where ere he liueth shall euer be vexed like Lot with Sodomes vncleannesse 2 Death brings vnto the godly an end of sinning and of all the miseries which are due vnto sinne So that after death there shall be no more sorrow nor crying neither shall there bee any more paine for GOD shall wipe away all teares from our eyes yea by death we are separated from the company of wicked men and GOD taketh away mercifull and righteous men from the euill to come So he dealt with Iosiah I will gather thee to thy Fathers and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace and thine eyes shall not see all the euill which I will bring vpon this place And God hides them for a while in the graue vntill the indignation passe ouer So that as Paradise is the Heauen of the soules ioy so the graue may be tearmed the hauen of the bodies rest 3 Whereas this wicked body liues in a world of wickednesse so that the poore soule cannot looke out at the eye and not be infected nor heare by the eare and not bee distracted nor smell at the nostrils and not be tainted nor taste with the tongue and be allured nor touch by the hand and not be defiled and euery sense vpon euery
temptation is ready to betray the soule By death the soule shall be deliuered from this thraldome and this corruptible body shall put on incorruption and this mortall immortality 1 Cor. 15.53 Oh blessed thrice blessed be that death in the Lord which deliuers vs out of so euill a world and freeth vs from such a body of bondage and corruption The 3. sort of Meditations to consider what good death will bring vnto thee 1 DEath bringeth the godly mans soule to enioy an immediate communion with the blessed Trinitie in euerlasting blisse and glorie 2 It translates his soule from the miseries of this world the contagion of sinne and society of sinners to the Citie of the liuing God the celestiall Hierusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels And to the assembly and congregation of the first borne which are written in Heauen and to God the Iudge of all and to the soules of iust men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediatour of the new Couenant 3 Death putteth the soule into the actuall and full possession of all the inheritance and happinesse which Christ hath either promised vnto thee in his word or purchased for thee by his bloud This is the good and happinesse whereunto a blessed death will bring thee And what truly religious Christian that is young would not wish himselfe olde that his appointed time might the sooner approach to enter into this celestiall Paradise where thou maiest exchange thy brasse for gold thy vanity for felicity thy vilenesse for honour thy bondage for freedome thy lease for an inheritance and thy mortall statâ— for an immortall life Hee that doth not daily desire this blessednesse aboue all things of all others he is lesse worthy to enioy it If Cato Vticensis and Cleombrotus two heathen men reading Platoes booke of the Immortality of the soule did voluntarily the one breake his necke the other runne vpon his sword that they might the sooner as they thought haue enioyed those ioyes What a shame is it for Christians knowing those things in a more excellent measure and manner out of Gods owne booke not to bee willing to enter into these heauenly ioyes especially when their Master cals for them thither If therefore there be in thee any loue of God or desire of thine owne happinesse or saluation when the time of thy departing draweth neere that time I say and manner of death which GOD in his vnchangeable counsell hath appointed and determined before thou wast borne yeeld and surrender vp willingly and cheerefully thy soule into the mercifull hand of Iesus Christ thy Sauiour And to this ende when thine end is come as the Angell in the sight of Manoah and his wife ascended from the Altar vp to heauen in the flame of the sacrifice so endeauour thou that thy Soule in the sight of thy friends may from the Altar of a contrite heart ascend vp to heauen in the sweete perfume of this or the like spirituall sacrifice of Praier A Prayer for a sicke man when he is tolde that he is not a man for this world but must prepare himselfe to goe vnto GOD. O Heauenly Father who art the Lord God of the spirits of all flesh and hast made vs these soules and hast appointed vs the time as to come into this world so hauing finished our course to goe out of the same The number of my daies vvhich thou hast determined are now expired and I am come to that vtmost bound which thou hast appointed beyond which I cannot passe I know O Lord that if thou entrest into iudgement no flesh can bee iustifyed in thy sight And I O Lord of all others should appeare most impure and vniust for I haue not fought that good fight for the defence of thy faith and religion with that zeal and constancy that I should but for feare of displeasing the world I haue giuen â—ay vnto sinnes and errours and for desire to please my flesh I haue broken all thy commandements in thought word and deede so that my sinnes haue taken such hold on me that I am not able to looke vp and they are moe in number then the haires of my head If thou wilt straightly marke mine iniquitiâ—s O Lord where shall I stand If thou waighest me in the ballance I shall be found too light For I am voide of all righteousnesse that might merit thy mercy and loaden with all iniquities that most iustly deserue thy heauiest wrath But O my Lord and my GOD for Iesus Christ thy Sonnes sake in whom only thou art wel pleased with all penitent and beleeuing sinners take pitty and compassion vpon mee who am the chiefe of sinners blot out all my sinnes out of thy remembrance and wash away all my transgressions out of thy sight with the pretious bloud of thy Sonne which I beleeue that he as an vndefiled Lambe hath shed for the clensing of my sinnes In this faith I liued in this faith I die beleeuing that Iesus Christ died for my sinnes and rose againe for my iustification And seeing that he hath endured that death and borne the burthen of that Iudgement which was due vnto my sinnes O Father for his death and passions sake now that I am comming to appeare before thy Iudgement seat acquite and deliuer me from that fearfull Iudgement which my sinnes haue iustly deserued And performe with me that gracious and comfortable promise which thou hast made in thy Gospell That whosoeuer beleeueth in thee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into Iudgement but shall passe from death vnto life Strengthen O CHRIST my faith that I may put the whole confidence of my saluation in the merits of thy obedience and blood Encrease O holy Spirit my patience lay no more vpon me then I am able to beare and enable mee to beare so much as shall stand with thy blessed will and pleasure O blessed Trinity in vnity my Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier vouchsafe that as my outward man doth decay so my inward man may more more by thy grace and consolation encrease and gather strength O Sauiour put my soule in a readinesse that like a wise Virgin hauing the wedding Garment of thy righteousnesse and holinesse shee may be ready to meete thee at thy comming with oyle in her lampe Marrie her vnto thy selfe that shee may bee one with thee in euerlasting loue and fellowship O Lord reproue Sathan and chase him away Deliuer my soule from the power of the dogge Saue me from the Lions mouth I thanke thee O Lord for all thy blessings both spirituall and temporall bestowed vpon me especially for my Redemption by the death of my Sauiour Christ. I thanke thee that thou hast protected me with thy holy Angelâ— from my youth vp vntil now Lord I beseech thee giue them a charge to attend
him briefly these or the like questions Questions to be asked of a sicke man that is like to die DOest thou beleeue that Almighty God the Trinity of Persons in vnity of Essence hath by his power made heauen and earth and all things therein and that he doth still by his diuine prouidence gouerne the same So that nothing comes to passe in the world nor to thy selfe but what his diuine hand and counsell had determined before to be done Doest thou confesse that thou hast transgressed and broken the holy commandements of Almighty God in thought word and deede and hast deserued for breaking his holy lawes the Curse of God which containeth all the miseries of this life and euerlasting torments in Hell fire when this life is ended if so be that GOD should deale with thee according to thy deserts 3 Art thou not sorry in thy heart that thou hast so broken his Lawes and neglected his seruice and worship and so much followed the world and thine owne vaine pleasures And wouldest thou not leade a holier life if thou wert to begin againe 4 Doest thou not from thy heart desire to be reconciled vnto GOD in Iesus Christ his blessed sonne thy Mediator who is at the right hand of God in heauen now appearing for thee in the sight of God and making request vnto him for thy Soule 5 Doest thou renounce all confidence in all other Mediators or Intercessors Saints or Angels beleeuing that Iesus Christ the only Mediator of the new Testament is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them And wilt thou with Dauid say vnto Christ Whom haue I in heauen but thee And there is none vpon earth that I desire besides thee 6 Doest thou confidently beleeue and hope to be saued by the onely merits of that bloody death and passion which thy Sauiour Iesus Christ hath suffered for thee not putting any hope of saluation in thine owne merits nor in any other meanes or creatures being assuredly perswaded that there is not saluation in any other And that there is none other name vnder heauen whereby thou must be saued 7 Doest thou heartily forgiue all vvrongs and offences done or offered vnto thee by any manner of person whatsoeuer And doest thou as willingly from thy heart aske forgiuenesse of them whom thou hast grieuously wronged in word or deede And dost thou cast out of thy heart all malice and hatred which thou hast borne to any body that thou maist appeare before the face of Christ the Prince of Peace in perfect loue and charitie 8 Doth thy Conscience tell thee of any thing which thou hast wrongfully taken and dost still with-hold from any Widow or fatherlesse children or from any other person whomsoeuer Be assured that vnlesse thou shalt restore like Zacheus those goods and Land if thou be able thou canst not truely repent and without true repentance thou canst not be saued nor looke CHRIST in the face when thou shalt appeare before his Iudgement-seate 9 Doest thou firmely beleeue that thy body shall be raised vp out of the Graue at the sound of the last Trumpet And that thy body and soule shall be vnited together againe in the Resurrection day to appeare before the Lord Iesus Christ and thence to goe vvith him into the Kingdome of Heauen to liue in euerlasting blisse and glory If the sicke party shall answere to all these questions like a faithfull Christian then let all who are present ioyne together and pray for him in these or the like words A Prayer to be said for the sicke by them who visite him O Mercifull Father who art the Lord and giuer of life and to whom belongs the issues of death we thy children here assembled doe acknowledge that in respect of our manifolde sinnes vvee are not worthy to aske any blessing for our selues at thy hands much lesse to become suiters to thy Maiestie in the behalfe of others yet because thou hast commanded vs to pray one for another especially for the sicke and hast promised that the prayers of the righteous shall auaile much with thee In the Obedience therefore of thy Commandement and confidence of thy gracious promise we are bold to become humble suiters vnto thy diuine Maiestie in the behalfe of this our deere Brother or Sister vvhom thou hast visited vvith the chastisement of thine owne fatherly hand Wee could gladly wish the restitution of his health and a longer continuance of his life and Christian Fellowship amongst vs but for as much as it appeareth as farre as wee can discerne that thou hast appointed by this visitation to call for him out of this mortall life wee submit our wils to thy blessed will and humbly entreate for Iesus Christ his sake and the merits of his bitter death and Passion which hee hath suffered for him that thou wouldst pardon and forgiue vnto him all his sinnes as vvell that wherein he was conceiued and borne as also all the offences and transgressions which euer since to this day and houre hee hath committed in thought word and deede against thy diuine Maiestie Cast them behinde thy back remoue them as farre from thy presence as the East is from the West Blot them out of thy remembrance lay them not to his charge vvash them away vvith the bloud of Christ that they may no more be seene and deliuer him from all the Iudgements which are due vnto him for his sinnes that they may neuer trouble his conscience nor rise in iudgement against his Soule and impute vnto him the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ wherby hee may appeare righteous in thy sight And in his extremitie at this time vvee beseech thee looke downe from heauen vpon him with those Eyes of Grace and compassion wherewith thou art vvont to looke vpon thy Children in their affliction and miserie Pittie thy wounded seruant like the good Samaritane for here is a sicke Soule that needeth the helpe of such a heauenly Physitian O Lord encrease his Faith that hee may beleeue that Christ dyed for him and that his bloud cleanseth him from all his sinnes and eyther asswage his paine or else encrease his patience to endure thy blessed vvill and pleasure And good Lord lay no more vpon him then thou shalt enable him to beare Heaue him vp vnto thy selfe with those sighes and groanes vvhich cannot be expressed Make him now to feele vvhat is the hope of his Calling and vvhat is the exceeding greatnesse of thy Mercy and power towards them that beleeue in thee And in his weakenesse O Lord shew thou thy strength Defend him against the suggestions and temptations of Sathan who as hee hath all his life time will now in his weakenesse especially seeke to assaile him and to deuoure him Oh saue his soule and reproue Satan command thy holy Angels to be about him to aide him to chase away
all euill malignant Spirits farre from him Make him more and more to loath this world and to desire to be loosed and to be with Christ. And when that good houre and time shall come wherein thou hast determined to call for him out of this present life giue him grace peaceably and ioyfully to yeeld vp his Soule into thy mercifull hands and doe thou receiue her into thy mercy and let thy blessed Angels carry her into thy Kingdome Make his last houre his best houre his last words his best words and his last thoughts his best thoughts And when the sight of his eyes are gone and his tongue shall faile to doe his office graunt O Lord that his Soule may with Stephen behold Iesus Christ in Heauen ready to receiue him and that thy Spirit within him may make requests for him with sighes which cannot be expressed Teach vs in him to reade and see our owne end and mortalitie and therefore to be carefull to prepare our selues for our last ends and put our selues in a readidinesse against the time that thou shalt call for vs in the like manner Thus Lord wee recommend this our deare Brother or Sister thy sicke Seruant vnto thy eternall grace and mercie in that Prayer vvhich Christ our Sauiour hath taught vnto vs. Our Father which art in Heauen c. Thy Grace O Lord Iesus Christ thy loue O heauenly Father thy comfort and consolation O holy Spirit be with vs all and especially with this thy sicke seruant to the end and in the end Amen Let them reade often vnto the sicke some speciall Chapters of the holy Scriptures as The three first Chapters of the Booke of Iob. The 34. Chapter of Deutronomie The two last Chapters of Ioshua The 17. Chapter of the first of Kings The 2.4 and 13. Chapters of the second of Kings The 14. and 19. Chapters of Iob. The 38.40 and 65. Chapters of Isay. The Historie of the Passion of Christ. The 8. Chapter to the Romanes The 15. Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians The 4. of the first Epistle to the Thessalonians The 5. Chapter of the second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians The first and last Chapters of S. Iames. The 11. and 12. to the Hebrewes The first Epistle of Peter The three first and the three last Chapters of the Reuelation or some of these And so exhorting the sicke partie to waite vpon God by faith and patience till he send for him and praying the Lord to send them a ioyfull meeting in the Kingdome of Heauen and a blessed Resurrection at the last day they may depart at their pleasure in the peace of God Consolations against Impatiencie in sicknesse IF in thy sicknesse by extremitie of paine thou be driuen to Impatiencie meditate 1 That thy sinnes haue deserued the paines of Hell therefore thou maist vvith greater patience endure these fatherly corrections 2 That these are the scourges of thy Heauenly Father and the rod in his hand If thou diddest suffer with reuerence being a child the correction of thy earthly Parents how much rather shouldest thou now subiect thy selfe being the child of God to the chastisements of thy heauenly Father seeing it is for thine eternall good 3 That Christ suffered in his Soule and body farre grieuouser paines for thee therefore thou must more vvillingly suffer his blessed pleasure for thine owne good Therefore saith Peter Christ suffered for you leauing you an example that ye should follow his steps And Let vs saith Saint Paul runne with ioy the race that is set before vs looking vnto Iesus the author and finisher of our Faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the Crosse c. 4 That these afflictions which now you suffer are none other but such which are accomplished in your Brethren that are in the world as witnesseth Peter Yea Iobs afflictions were farre more grieuous There is not one of the Saints vvhich now are at rest in heauenly ioyes but endured as much as you doe before they went thither yea many of them willingly suffered all the torments that Tyrants could inflict vpon them that they might come to those Heauenly ioyes whereunto you are now called And you haue a promise that the God of all grace after that you haue suffered a while will make you perfect stablish strengthen and settle you And that God of his fidelitie will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that yee may be able to beare it 5 That God hath determined the time when thy affliction shall end as vvell as the time when it beganne Thirty eight yeeres were appointed to the sicke man at Bethesda's Poole Twelue yeeres to the Woman with the bloudy Issue Three Moneths to Moses Tenne dayes tribulation to the Angell of the Church of Smyrna Three dayes plague to Dauid Yea the number of the godly mans teares are registred in Gods Booke and the quantitie kept in his bottle The time of our troubles saith Christ is but a modicum Gods Anger lasts but a Moment saith Dauid A little season saith the Lord and therefore cals all the time of our paine but the houre of sorrow Dauid for the swiftnesse thereof compares our present trouble to a Brooke And Athanasius to a Shower Compare the longest misery that man endures in this life to the eternitie of heauenly Ioyes and they vvill appeare to be nothing And as the sight of a Sonne safe borne makes the Mother forget all her former deadly paine so the sight of Christ in Heauen vvho was borne for thee will make all these pangs of death to be quite forgotten as if they had neuer been like Stephen who as soone as hee saw Christ forgat his owne woundes with the horrour of the Graue and terrour of the stones and sweetly yeelded his Soule into the hands of his Sauiour Forget thine owne paine thinke of Christs wounds Be faithfull vnto the death and hee will giue thee the Crowne of eternall life 6 That you are now called to Repetitions in Christs Schoole to see how much Faith Patience and godlinesse you haue learned all this while and whether you can like Iob receiue at the hand of God some euill as vvell as you haue hitherto receiued a great deale of good as therefore you haue alwayes prayed Thy Will be done so be not now offended at this which is done by his holy will 7 That all things shall worke together for the best to them that loue God insomuch that neyther death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers c. shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Iesus Christ our Lord. Assure your selfe that euery pang is a preuention of the paines of Hell euery respite an earnest of
thoughts and sighes The first thought SEeing euery man enters into this life in Teares passeth it in sweate and ends it in sorrow ah what is there in it that a man should desire to liue any longer to it oh what a folly is it that vvhen the Mariner roweth with all his force to arriue at the wished Port and that the Traueller neuer testeth till hee come to his iourneyes end wee feare to discrie our Port and therefore would put backe our Barke to be longer tossed in this continual Tempest we weepe to see our iourneyes end and therefore desire our iourney to be lengthened that vvee might be more tyred with a foule and cumbersome way The spirituall sigh thereupon O Lord this life is but a troublesome Pilgrimage few in dayes but full in euils and I am weary of it by reason of my sinnes Let me therefore O Lord entreate thy Maiestie in this my bed of sickenesse as Elias did vnder the Iuniper tree in his affliction It is now enough O Lord that I haue liued so long in this vale of miserie take my fâ—ule into thy mercifull hands for I am no better then my Fathers The second thought THinke with what a body of sinne thou art loaden vvhat great ciuill warres are contayned in a little world the flesh fighting against the spirit Passion against Reason Earth against Heauen and the world within thee â—anding it selfe for the world without thee and that but one onely meane remaines to end this conflict Death which in Gods appoynted time will seperate thy Spirit from thy flesh the pure and regenerate part of thy soule from that part which is impure and vnregenerated The spirituall sigh vpon the second thought O Wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death O my sweete Sauiour Iesus Christ thou hast redeemed me with thy precious bloud And because thou hast deliuered my soule from sinne mine eyes from teares and my feete from falling I doe here from the very bottome of my heart ascribe the vvhole praise and glory of my Saluation to thy onely grace and mercy saying vvith the holy Apostle Thankes be vnto GOD which hath giuen mee the victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. The third thought THinke how it behooues thee to be assured that thy soule is Christs for death hath taken sufficient gages to assure himselfe of thy body in that all thy senses beginne already to dye saue onely the sense of paine but sith the beginning of thy being beganne with paine meruaile the lesse if thy end conclude with dolours But if these temporall dolours which onely afflict the body be so painefull O Lord who can endure the deuouring fire who can abide the euerlasting burning The spirituall sigh vpon the third thought O Lord Iesus Christ the Sonne of the liuing GOD vvho art the onely Physitian that canst ease my body from paine and restore my Soule to life eternall put thy Passion Crosse and death betwixt my Soule and thy Iudgement and let the merits of thy Obedience stand betwixt thy Fathers Iustice and my disobedience and from these bodily paines receiue my soule into thine euerlasting peace for I cry vnto thee with Stephen Lord Iesu receiue my spirit The fourth thought THinke that the worst that death can doe is but to send thy soule sooner then thy flesh would be willing to Christ and his heauenly ioyes Remember that that worst is thy best hope The worst therefore of death is rather a helpe then a harme The spirituall sigh vpon the fourth thought O Lord Iesus Christ the Sauiour of all them that put their trust in thee forsake not him that in misery flieth vnto thy grace for succour and mercy Oh sound that sweet voyce in the eares of my soule which thou spokest vnto the penitent theefe on the Crosse this day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise For I O Lord doe with the Apostle from my soule speake vnto thee I desire to be dissolued and to bee with Christ. The fifth thought THink if thou fearest to dye that in Mount Sion there is no death for he that beleeueth in Christ shall neuer die And if thou desirest to liue without doubt the life eternall whereunto this death is but a passage surpasseth all There doe all the faithfull departed hauing ended their miseries liue with Christ in ioyes and thither shall all the godly which suruiue be gathered out of their troubles to enioy with him eternall rest The spirituall sigh on the fift thought O Lord thou seest the malice of Satan who not contenting himselfe 〈…〉 all the daâ—es and nights of our life to seek our destruction shewes himselfe most bâ—siest when thy children are weakest and neerest to their end O Lord reprooue him and preseâ—ue my Soule Hee seekes to terrifie me with death which my sins haue deserued but let thy holy spirit comfort my soule with the assurance of eternall life which thy blood hath purchased Asswage my pain encrease my patience and if it be thy blessed will end my troubles for my soule beseecheth thee with olde blessed Simeon Lâ—rd now let me thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word The sixth thought THink with thy selfe what a blessing God hath bestowed vpon thee aboue many millions of the world that whereas they are either Pagans who worship not the true GOD or Idolaters who worship the true GOD falsely Thou hast liued in a true Christian Church and hast grace to dye in the true Christian faith and to be buried in the sepulchres of Gods seruants who all waite for the hope of Israel the raising of their bodies in the resurrection of the iust The spirituall sigh vpon the sixt thought O Lord Iesus Christ who art the resurrection and the life in whom whosoeuer beleeueth shall liue though hee were dead I beleeue that whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in thee shall neuer dye I know that I shall rise againe in the resurrection at the last day for I am sure that thou my Redeemer liuest And though that after my death wormes destroy this body yet I shall see thee my Lord and my God in this flesh Grant therefore O CHRIST for thy bitter death and passions sake that at that day I may bee one of them to whom thou wilt pronounce that ioyfull sentence Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world The seauenth thought THinke with thy selfe how Christ endured for thee a cursed death and the wrath of God which was due vnto thy sinnes and what terrible paines and cruell torments the Apostles and Martyrs haue voluntarily suffered for the defence of Christs faith when they might haue liued by dissembling or denying him how much more willing shouldest thou be to depart in the faith of Christ hauing lesse paines to torment thee
and more meanes to comfort thee The spirituall sigh vpon the seauenth thought O Lord my sinnes haue deserued the paines of hell and eternall death much more these fatherly corrections wherewith thou doest afflict me But O blessed Lambe of God which takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon me and wash away all my filthy sinnes with thy most precious blood and receiue my soule into thy heauenly kingdome for into thy handâ— O Father I commend my spirit and thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth The sicke person ought now to send for some Godly and Religious Pastor IN any wise remember if conueniently it may be to send for some godly and religious Pastor not onely to pray for thee at thy death for GOD in such a case hath promised to beare the Praiers of the righteous Prophets and Elders of the Church But also vpon thy confession and vnfaigned repentance to absolue thee of thy sinnes For as Christ hath giuen him a calling to baptize thee vnto repentance for the remission of thy sinnes so hath he likewise giuen him a calling and power and authority vpon repentance â—o absolue thee from thy sinnes I will giue thee the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt bind vpon earth shal be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be lâ—â—sed in heauen And againe Verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer yee bind in earth shall be â—ound in heauen whatsoeuer yee loose in earth shall be loosed in heauen And againe receiue yee the holy Ghost whosoeuer sinnes yeare◠〈◊〉 they are remitted vnto them and whosoeuer sinnes yee retaine they are retained This doctrine was as ancient in the Church of God as Iob for Elihu tels him That when God strikes a man with malady â—n his bed so that his soule draweth neere the graue and his life to the buriâ—rs If there beâ— any messenger with him or an interpreter one of a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnesse then will hee haue mercy vpon him c. And answerable heereunto saith Saint Iames if the sicke 〈◊〉 committed sinnes vpon his repentance and the praier of the Elders they shall be forgiuen him These haue power â—o shut heauen and to deliuer the scandalous impenitent sinner 〈◊〉 Satan For the weaponâ— of their war faâ—â— are 〈◊〉 carnall but mighty through God to cast downe c. and to haue vengeance in readinesse against all disobedience They haue the key of loosing therefore the power of absoluing The Bishops and Pastors of the Church doe not forgiue sinnes by any absolute power of their owne for so onely Christ their master forgiueth sinnes but ministerially as the seruants of Christ and stewards to whose fidelity their Lord and Master hath committed his keyes and that is when they doe declare and pronounce either publikely or priuately by the word of God what bindeth what looseth and the 〈◊〉 of God to penitent 〈◊〉 or his iudgement to impenitent and obstinate personâ— and so doe apply the generall promiseâ— or threatnings to the penitent or impenitent For CHRIST from heauen doth by them as by his Ministers on Earth declare whom hee remitteth and bindeth and to whom he will open the gates of heauen and against whom he will shut them And therefore it is not said whose sinne yee signifie to be remitted but whose sinnes yee remit they then doe remit sinnes because Christ by their ministry 〈…〉 aâ— Christ by his Disciples loâ—sed Lazarus Iob. â—â— 44 And as no water could wash away 〈…〉 but the waters of 〈…〉 though other riuers 〈◊〉 cleare because the promise was annexed vnto the 〈◊〉 of Iordane and not of â—â—ther Riuers so though another man may pronounce the same words yet haue they not the like efficacie and power to worke on the conscience as vvhen they are pronounced from the mouth of Christs Ministers because that the promise is annexed to the Word of God in their mouthes for them hath he chosen separated and set apart for this worke and to them hee hath committed the ministerie and word of reconciliation by their holy calling and ordination they haue receiued the holy Ghost and the Ministeriall power of binding and loosing They are font forth of the holy Ghost for this worke wherunto he hath called them And Christ giues his Ministers power to forgiue sins to the penitent in the same words that he teacheth vs in the Lords Prayer to desire God to forgiue vs our sins to assure all penitent sinners that God by his Ministers absolution doth fully through the merits of Christs bloud forgiue them all their sinnes So that what Christ decreeth in heauen in foro Iudicij the same hee declareth on earth by his reconciling Ministers in foro paenitentiae So that as GOD hath reconciled the world to himselfe by Iesus Christ so hath he saith the Apostle giuen vnto vs the ministery of this reconciliation Hee that sent them to baptise saying Goe and teach all nations baptising them c. sent them also to remit sinnes saying As my Father sent mee so send 〈…〉 whosoeuer sinnes yee remit they are remitted vnto them c. As therefore none can baptise though he vse the same Water words but onely the lawfull Minister whom Christ hath called and authorised to this diuine and Ministeriall Function So though others may comfort vvith good words yet none can absolue from sinne but onely those to whom Christ hath committed the holy ministerie and word of reconciliation and of their absolution Christ speaketh he that heareth you heareth me In a doubtfull title thou wilt aske the counsell of thy skilfull Lawyer in perill of sickenesse thou wilt know the aduise of thy learned Physitian and is there no danger in dread of damnation for a sinner to be his owne Iudge Iudicious Caluin teacheth this point of doctrine most plainely Etsi omnes mutuò nos debeamus consolari c. Although saith he we ought to comfort and confirme one another in the confidence of Gods mercy yet we see that the Ministers are appointed as witnesses and sureties to acertaine our consciences of the remission of sinnes insomuch as they are said to remit sinnes and to loose soules Let euery faithfull man therefore remember that it is his duty if inwardly he be vexed and afflicted with the sence of his sins not to neglect that Remedy which is offered vnto him by the Lord to wit that for the easing of his Conscience he make priuate confession of his sinnes vnto his Pastor and that he desire his priuate indeuour for the application of some comfort vnto his soule whose office it is both publikely and priuately to administer Euangelicall Consolation to Gods people Beza highly commendeth this practise and Luther saith
life When therefore thou perceiuest thy soule departing from thy body pray with thy tongue if thou canst else pray in thy heart and minde these words fixing the eyes of thy soule vpon Iesus Christ thy Sauiour A Prayer at the yeelding vp of the Ghost O Lambe of God which by thy blood hast taken away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon me a sinner Lord Iesu receiue my spirit Amen When the sicke party is departing Let the faithfull that are present kneele downe and commend his Soule to God in these or the like words O Gratious God and mercifull father who art our refuge and strength and a very present helpe in trouble lift vp the light of thy fauorable countenance at this instant vpon thy seruant that now commeth to appeare in thy presence Wash away good Lord all his sinnes by the merits of Christ Iesus blood that â—hoâ— may neuer bee laide to his charge Increase his faith preserue and keepe safe his soule from the danger of the Diuell and his wicked Angels Comfort him with thy holy spirit cause him now to feele that thou art his louing Father and that hee is thy childe by Adoption and Grace Saue O Christ the price of thine owne blood and suffer him not to be lost whom thou hast bought so dearely Receiue his Soule as thou didst the penitent theefe into thy heauenly Paradise Let thy blessed Angels conduct him thither as they carried the soule of Lazarus and grant vnto him a ioyfull resurrection at the last day O 〈◊〉 heare vs for him and heare thine owne Sonne our onely Mediator that sits at thy right hand for him and vs all euen for the merits of that bitter death and passion which he hath suffered for vs In confidence whereof we now recommend his soule into thy fatherly hands in that blessed prayer which our Sauiour hath taught vs in all times of our troubles to say vnto thee Our Father c. Thus farre of the Practise of Piety in dying in the Lord. Now followeth the Practise of Piety in dying for the Lord. THE Practise of Piety in dying for the Lord is termed Martyrdome Martyrdome is the testimony which a Christian beareth to the doctrine of the Gospell by enduring any kinde of death to inuite many and to confirme all to embrace the truth thereof To this kinde of death Christ hath promised a crowne Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life Which promise the Church so firmely beleeued that they termed Martyrdome it selfe a crowne and God to animate Christians to this excellent prize would by a prediction that Stephen the first Christian Martyr should haue his name of a crowne Of Martyrdome there are three kindes First Sola voluntate in will onely as Iohn the Euangelist who being boyled in a Cauldron of oyle came out rather annointed then sod and dyed of old age at Ephesus Secondly Solo opere in deede onely as the innocents of Bethleem Thirdly Voluntate opere both in will and deede as in the Primitiue Church Stephen Polycarpus Ignatius Laurentius Romanus Aâ—tiochianus and thousands And in our daies Cranmer Latimer Hoâ—per Ridley Farrar Bradford Philpot Sanders Glouer Tailor and others innumerable whose fierie zeale to Gods truth brought them to the flames of Martyrdome to seale Christs faith It is not the cruelty of the death but the innocency and holinesse of the cause that maketh a Martyr neither is an erronious conscience a sufficient warrant to suffer Martyrdome because Science in Gods word must direct conscience in mans heart for they who killed the Apostles in their erronious consciences thought they did God good seruice And Paul of zeale breathed out slaughters against the Lords Saints Now whether the cause of our Seminary Priests and Iesuits be so holy true and innocent as that it may warrant their conscience to suffer death to hazzard their eternall saluation thereon let Pauls Epistle written to the Ancient Christian Romans but against our new Antichristian Romanes bee iudge And it will plainely appeare that the doctrine which Saint Paul taught to the ancient Church of Rome is ex diametro opposite in â—6 fundamentall points of true Religion to that which the new Church of Rome teacheth and maintaineth For Saint Paul taught the Primitiue Church of Rome 1 That our election is of Gods free grace and not ex operibus praeuisit Rom. 9.11 Rom. 11.5.6 2 That we are iustified by faith only without good works Rom. 3.20.28 Rom. 4.2 c. Rom. 1.17 3 That the good works of the Regenerate are not of their owne condignity meritorious nor such as can deserue heauen Rom. 8.18 Rom. 11.6 Rom. 6.23 4 That those bookes onely are Gods Oracles and Canonicall Scripture which were committed to the custody and credit of the Iewes Rom. 3.2 Rom. 1.2 Rom. 16.16 such were neuer the Apocrypha 5 That the holy Scriptures haue Gods authority Rom. 9.17 Rom. 4.3 Rom. conferd Rom. 11.3.2 conferd with Gal. 3.22 Therefore aboue the authority of the Church 6 That all aswell Laity as Clergy that will be saued must familiarly read or know the holy scriptures Rom. 15.4 Rom. 10.1.2.8 Rom. 16.26 7 That all Images made of the true God are very Idols Rom. 1.23 and Rom. 2.22 conferd 8 That to bowe the knee religiously to an Image or to vvorship any Creature is meere Idolatry Rom. 11.4 and a lying seruicâ— Rom. 1.25 9 That we must not pray vnto any but to GOD onely in vvhom we beleeue Rom. 10.13.14 Rom. 8.15.27 therefore not to Saints and Angels 10 That Christ is our onely Intercessor in Heauen Rom. 8.34 Rom. 5.2 Rom. 16.27 11 That the onely Sacrifice of Christians is nothing but the spirituall sacrificing of their Soules and Bodies to serue GOD in holinesse and righteousnesse Rom. 12.1 Rom. 15.16 Therefore no reall sacrificing of Christ in the Masse 12 That the religious worship called dulia as well as lâ—tâ—iâ— belongeth to God alone Rom. 1.9 Rom. 12.11 Rom. 16.18 conferd 13 That all Christians are to pray vnto God in their owne natiue language Rom. 14.11 14 That wee haue not of our selues in the state of corruption freewill vnto good Rom. 7.18 c. Rom. 9.16 15 That Concupiscence in the Regenerate is sinne Rom. 7.7.8.10 16 That the Sacraments doe not conferre grace ex opere operato but signe and seale that it is conferred already vnto vs. Rom. 4.11.12 Rom. 2.28.29 17 That euery true beleeuing Christian may in this life be assured of his saluation Rom. 8.9.16.35 c. 18 That no man in this life since Adams Fall can perfectly fulfill the Commandements of God Rom. 7.10 c. Rom. 3.19 c. Rom. 11.32 19 That to place Religion in the difference of meates and dayes is superstition Rom. 14 3.5.6.17 23. 20 That the imputed righteousnesse of Christ is that onely that makes vs iust
prison of vtter darkenesse S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be forsaken of all thy Disciples C. That I might reconcile thee vnto God of whom thou wast forsaken for thy sinnes S. Lord wherfore wouldest thou stand to be apprehended alone C. To shew thee that my loue of thy saluation was more then the loue of all my Disciples S. Lord wherefore was the young man caught by the Souldiers and onstript of his linnen who came out of his bed hearing the stir at thy apprehension and leading to the high Priest C. To shew their outrage in apprehending me and my power in preseruing out of their outragious hands all my Disciples who otherwise had been worse handled by them then was that young man S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be bound C. That I might lose the cordes of thine iniquities S. Lord why wast thou denied of Peter C. That I might confesse thee before my Father and thou mightest learne that there is no trust in man and that Saluation proceedes of my meere mercy S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou bring Peter to repentance by the crowing of a cocke C. That none should despise the meanes which God hath appointed for their conuersion though they seeme neuer so meane S. Lord wherefore diddest thou at the Cock-crowing turne and looke vpon Peter C. Because thou mightest know that without the helpe of my grace no meanes can turne a sinner vnto God when he is once falne from him S. Lord wherefore wast thou couered with a purple roabe C. That thou mightest perceiue that it was I that did away thy Scarlet sinnes S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be crowned with thornes C. That by wearing thorns the first fruits of the curse it might appeare that it is I which takes away the sinnes and curse of the world and crownes thee vvith the crowne of life and glory S. Lord why was a Reede put into thine hand C. That it might appeare that I came not to breake the brused Reede S. Lord wherefore wast thou mocked of the Iewes C. That thou mightest insult ouer Diuels who otherwise would haue mocked thee as the Philistims did Sampson S. Lord wherfore wouldest thou haue thy blessed face defiled with spittle C. That I might clense thy face from the shame of sinne S. Wherfore Lord were thine eyes hood-winkt with a vaile C. That thy spiritual blindnesse being remoued thou mightest behold the face of my Father in heauen S. Lord wherefore did they bâ—ffet thee with fists and beat thee with staues C. That thou mightest be freed from the stroakes and tearings of infernall fiends S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be reuiled C. That God might speake peace vnto thee by his word and spirit S. Lord wherefore was thy face disfigured with blowes and bloud C. That thy face might shine glorious as the Angels in heauen S. Lord wherefore wouldst thou be so cruelly scourged C. That thou mightest be freed from the sting of conscience and whips of euerlasting torments S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be arraigned at Pilats barre C. That thou mightest at the last day be acquited before my iudgement seat S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be falsly accused C. That thou shouldest not he iustly condemned S. Lord wherefore wast thou turned ouer to be condemned by a strâ—nge Iudge C. That thou being redeemed from the captiuity of a hellish Tyrant mightest bee restored to God whose owne thou arâ— by right S. Wherefore O Christ didst thou acknowledge that Pilate had power ouer thee from aboue C. That Antichrist vnder pretence of being my Vicar should not exalt himselfe aboue all Principalities and Powers S. Lord why wouldest thou suffer thy passion vnder Pontius Pilate being a Romane President to Caesar of Rome C. To shew that the Caesarian and â—ontifician policie of Rome should chiefely persecute my Church and crucifie me in my members S. But why O Lord wouldest thou be condemned C. That the law being condemned in me thou mightest not be condemned by it S. But why wast thou condemned seeing nothing could be proâ—ed against thee C. That thou mightest know that it was not for my fault but for thine that I suffered S. Lord wherefore wast thou led to suffer out of the City C. That I might bring thee to rest in the heauenly Citie S. Lord why did the Iewes compell Simon of Cyrene comming out of the field to carrie thy Crosse. C. To shew the weakâ—nesse whereunto the burthen of thy sinnes brought me and what must be euery Christans case which goeth out of the field of this world toward the heauenly Ierusalem S. Lord why wast thou vnstripped of thy garments C. That thou mightest see how I forsooke all to redeeme thee S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be lift vp vpon a Crosse C. That I might lift thee vp with me to heauen S. Lord wherefore diddest thou hang vpon a cursed tree C. That I might satisfie for the sin committed in eating the forbidden fruit of a tree S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou hang betweene two theeues C. That thou my deare soule mightest haue place in the midst of heauenly Angels S. Lord wherefore were thy hands and feete nayled to the Crosse C. To enlarge thy hands to doe the workes of righteousnesse and to set thy feete at libertie to walke in the wayes of peace S. Lord wherefore did they crucifie thee in Golgotha the place of dead mens souls C. To assure thee that my death is life vnto the dead S. Lord why did 〈◊〉 the Souldiers diuide thy seamelesse coate C. To shew that my church is one vvithout rent of Schisme S. Lord wherefore didst thou taste vinegar and gall C. That thou mightest eate the bread of Angels and drinke the water of life S. Lord why saidst thou vpon the Crosse It is finished C. That thou mightest know that by my death the Law was fulfilled and thy redemption effected S. Lord why didst thou cry out vpon the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me C. Least thou being forsaken of God shouldest haue beene driuen to cry in the paines of hell Woe and alas for euermore S. Lord wherefore was there such a 〈◊〉 darknesse when thou didst suffer and cry out â—n the Crosse C. That thou mightest see an Image of those Hellish pâ—inâ—â— which I 〈…〉 deliuer thee from 〈◊〉 lesse paines of Hell and euerlasting chaines of darknesse S. Lord why wouldest thou haue thin◠〈…〉 bread C. That I might embrace thee more louingly my sweet soule S. Loâ—d how 〈◊〉 thâ— theefe that neuer wrought good before obtaine Paradise vpon so short repentance C. That thou maist see the power of my death to forgiue them that repent that no sinner needs despaire S. Lord why did not the other
Theefe which hanged as neere thee obtaine the like mercy C. Because I leaue whom I will to harden themselues in their lewdnesse to destruction that all should feare and none presume S. Lord wherefore didst thou cry with such a loud and strong voyce in yeelding vp the ghost C. That it might appeare that no man tooke my life from me but that I laid it downe of my selfe S. Lord wherefore didst thou commend thy Soule into thy Fathers hands C. To teach thee vvhat thou shouldest doe being to depart this life S. Lord wherefore did the vaile of the Temple rend in twaine at thy death C. To shew that the Leuiticall Law should be no longer a partition-wall betweene Iewes and Gentiles and that the way to Heauen is now open to all beleeuers S. Lord wherefore did the Earth quake and the Stones cleaue at thy death C. For horror to beare her Lord dying and to vpbraid the cruell hardnesse of sinners hearts S. Lord wherefore did not the Souldiers breake thy Legs as they did the Theeues who hanged at thy right and left hand C. That thou mightest know that they had not power to doe any more vnto mee then the Scripture had fore-tolde that they should doe and I should suffer to saue thee S. Lord wherefore was thy side opened with a Speare C. That thou mightest haue a way to come neerer my heart S. Lord wherefore ranne there out of thy pierced side bloud and water C. To assure thee that I was slaine in deede seeing my heart-bloud gushed out and the water which compassed my heart flowed forth after it which once spilt man must needes dye S. Lord wherefore ranne the bloud first by it selfe and the water afterwards by it selfe out of thy blessed wound C. To assure thee of two things first that by my Blood shedding Iustification and Sanctification were effected to saue thee secondly that my Spirit by the conscionable vse of the Water in Baptisme and bloud of the Eucharist will effect in thee righteousnesse and holinesse by which thou shalt glorifie mee S. Lord wherefore did the graues open at thy death C. To signifie that Death by my death had now receiued his deaths wound and was ouercome S. Lord wherefore wouldst thou be buried C. That thy sinnes might neuer rise vp in Iudgement against thee S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be buryed by two such honourable Senators as Nichodemus and Ioseph of Aâ—imathia C. That the truth of my death the cause of thy life might more euidently appeare vnto all S. Lord wherefore wast thou buryed in a new sepulchre wherein was neuer man laid before C. That it might appeare that I and not another arose that by mine owne power not by anothers vertue like him vvho reuiued at the touching of Elishaes bones S. Lord wherefore didst thou raise vp thy body againe C. That thou maist be assured that thy sins are discharged that thou art iustified S. Lord wherefore did so many bodies of thy Saints which slept arise at thy Resurrection C. To giue an assurance that all the Saints shall arise by the vertue of my Resurrection at the last day S. Lord what shall I render vnto thee for all these benefits C. Loue thy Creator and become a new creature The Soules Soliloquie rauished in contemplating the Passions of her Lord. WHat hadst thou done ô my sweete Sauiour and ayâ—-blessed Redeemer that thou wast thus betrayed of Iudas sold to the Iewes apprehended as a Malefactor and led bound as a Lambe to the slaughter What euill hadst thou committed that thou shouldest be thus openly arraigned accused falsly and vniustly condemned before Annas and Caiaphas the Iewish Priests at the Iudgement-Seate of Pilate the Romane President What was thine offence or to vvhom didst thou euer wrong that thou shouldest be thus pittifully scourged with whips crowned vvith thornes scoffed with flouts reuiled with words buffeted with fists and beaten with staues O Lord what didst thou deserue to haue thy blessed face spat vpon and couered as it were with shame to haue thy garments parted thy hands and feete nailed to the Crosse to be lifted vp vpon the cursed Tree to be crucified among Theeues and made to taste gall and vineger and in thy deadly extremitie to endure such a sea of Gods wrath that made thee to cry out as if thou hadst beene forsaken of God thy Father yea to haue thy innocent heart pierced with a cruell Speare and thy precious bloud to be spilt out before thy blessed Mothers eyes Sweet Sauiour how much vvast thou tormented to endure all this seeing I am so much amazed but to thinke vpon it I enquire for thine offence but I can finde none in thee No not so much as guile to haue beene found in thy Mouth Thine enemies are challenged and none of them dare rebuke thee of sinne thine accusers that are suborned agree not in their witnesse the Iudge that condemnes thee openly cleareth thine Innocencie his Wife sends him word that shee was warned in a dreame that thou wast a iust man and therefore should take heede of doing iniustice vnto thee The Centurion that executes thee confesseth thee of a truth to be both a iust man and the very Sonne of God The theefe that hanged with thee iustifieth thee that thou hast done nothing amisse What is the cause then O LORD of this thy cruell Ignominie Passion and Death I O Lord I am the cause of these thy sorrowes my sinnes wrought thy shame mine iniquities are the occasion of thy iniuries I haue committed the fault and thou art plagued for the offence I am guiltie and thou art arraigned I committed the sinne and thou sufferedst the death I haue done the crime and thou hangest on the Crosse. Oh the deepenesse of Gods loue Oh the the wonderfull disposition of heauenly grace Oh the vnmeasurable measure of diuine mercy The wicked transgresseth and the iust is punished the guilty is let scape and the innocent is arraigned the malefactor is acquitted and the harmelesse condemned what the euill man deserueth the good man suffereth the seruant doth the fault the Master endures the stroakes What shall I say Man sinneth and God dieth O Son of God! Who can sufficiently expresse thy loue or commend thy piety or extoll thy praise I was proud and thou art humbled I was disobedient and thou becammest obedient I did eat the forbidden fruit and thou didst hang on the cursed tree I played the glutton and thou diddest fast euill concupiscence drew me to eate the pleasant apple and perfect charity led thee to drinke of the bitter cup I assaied the sweetnesse of the fruit and thou diddest taste the bitternesse of the gall Foolish Eue smiled when I laughed but blessed Mary wept when thy heart bled and dyed O my God heere I see thy goodnesse and my
badnesse thy iustice and my iniustice the impiety of my flesh the piety of thy nature And now O blessed Lord that thou hast endured all this for my sake What shall I render vnto thee for all thy benefits bestowed vpon me a sinfull soule Indeede Lord I acknowledge that I owe thee already for my creation more then I am able to pay for I am in that respect bound with all my powers and affections to loue and to adore thee If I owed my selfe vnto thee for giuing me my selfe in my creation what shall I now render vnto thee for giuing thy selfe for me to so cruell a death to procure my Redemption Great was the benefit that thou wouldest create mee of nothing but what tongue can sufficiently expresse the greatnesse of this grace that thou didst redeeme mee with so deere a price when I was worse then nothing Surely O Lord if I cannot pay the thanks which I owe thee and who can pay thee who bestowest thy graces without either respect of merit or regard of measure It is the aboundance of thy blessings that makes me such a bankerupt that I am so farre vnable to pay the principall that I cannot possibly pay so much as the interest of thy loue But O my Lord thou knowest that since the losse of thine image by the fall of my first vnhappy parents I cannot loue thee with all my might and my minde as I should Therefore as thou didst first cast thy loue vpon mee when I was a childe of wrath and the lumpe of the lost and condemned world so now I beseech thee shed abroad thy loue by thy spirit through all my faculties and affections that though I can neuer pay thee in that measure of loue which thou hast deserued yet I may endeauour to repay thee in such a manner as thou vouchsafest to accept in mercy that I may in truth of heart loue my neighbour for thy sake and loue thee aboue all for thine owne sake Let nothing be pleasant vnto me but that which is pleasing vnto thee And sweet Sauiour suffer me neuer to be lost nor cast away whom thou hast bought so dearely with thine own most precious blood O Lord let me neuer forget thine infinite loue and this vnspeakeable benefit of my redemption without which it had beene better for me neuer to haue been then to haue any being And seeing that thou hast vouchsafed me the assistance of thy holy spirit suffer me O heauenly Father who art the Father of spirits in the mediation of thy Sonne to speake a few words in the eares of my Lord. If thou O Father despisest mee for mine iniquities as I haue deserued yet be mercifull vnto me for the merits of thy Sonne who so much for me hath suffered What if thou seest nothing in me but misery which might moue anger and passion Yet behold the merits of thy Sonne and thou shalt see enough to moue thee to mercy and compassion Behold the mystery of his incarnation and remit the misery of my transgression And as oft as the wounds of thy Sonne appeare in thy sight Oh let the woes of my sinnes be hid from thy presence As oft as the rednesse of his bloud glisters in thine eyes Oh let the guiltinesse of my sinnes bee blotted out of thy Booke The wantonnesse of my flesh prouoked thee vnto wrath Oh let the chastitie of his flesh perswade thee vnto mercy that as my flesh seduced me to sinne so his flesh may reduce me vnto thy fauour My disobedience hath deserued a great reuenge but his obedience merits a greater waight of mercy for what can man deserue to suffer which GOD made man cannot merit to haue forgiuen When I consider the greatnesse of thy passion then doe I see the truenesse of that saying that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue the chiefest sinners Dar'st thou then O Caine say that thy sins are greater then may be forgiuen Thou liest like a murderer The mercies of one Christ are able to forgiue a whole world of Caines if they will beleeue and repent The sinnes of all sinners are finite the mercies of GOD are infinite Therefore O Father for the bitter death and blody passion sake which thy son Iesus Christ hath suffered for me and I haue now remembred vnto thee pardon and forgiue thou vnto me all my sins and deliuer me from the curse and vengeance which they haue iustly deserued And through his merites make me O Lord a partaker of thy mercy It is thy mercy that I so earnestly knocke for Neither shal mine importunity cease to call and knocke with the man that would borrow the loaues vntill thou arise and open vnto me thy gates of grace And if thou wilt not bestow on me the loaues yet O Lord deny mee not the crummes of thy mercy and those shal suffice thy hungry handmaide And seeing thou requirest nothing for all thy benefits but that I loue thee in the truth of my inward heart whereof a nâ—w creature is the truest outward testimony and that it is as easie for thee to make me a new creature as to bid me to be such Create in me O Christ a new heart and renew in me a right spirit and then thou shalt see how mortifying old Adam and his corrupt lusts I wil serue thee as thy new creature in a new life after a new way with a new tongue and new manners with new words and new works to the glory of thy Name and the winning of other sinfull soules vnto thy Faith by my deuoute example Keepe me for euer O my Sauiour from the torments of Hell and tyranny of the Diuell And when I am to depart this life send thy holy Angels to carry mee as they did the soule of Lazarus into thy kingdome Receiue me then into that most ioyful paradise which thou didst promise vnto the penitent theefe which at his last gaspe vpon the Crosse so deuoutly begged thy mercy and admission into thy kingdome Grant this O Christ for thine owne names sake to whom as it is most due I ascribe all glory and honour praise and dominion both now and for euer Amen FINIS Errata GEntle Reader some faults haue escaped vnespied they are not many Where thou meetest them lend thy helping hand to mend them these few especially Page 49. line 18. read differs not pag. 3â—3 in 〈◊〉 Egoâ— Ego pag. 63â— last line as 〈…〉 pag. 68â— li. 16. for internall reâ— integrall FINIS a 1 Tim. 6.15 Apoc. 17.14 b 1 Sam. 20 20. c 2 Chron. 34.3 * Qui monet vt facias quod iam facis ipse monendo laudat hortatu coÌ„probat actae suo d Cor. 8.7 Mat. 25.1 c. 2 Tim. 3.4 * ExempluÌ„ accidit Domino testâ— muâ—ieris quae Theatrum aeâ—â—ijâ— inde cum Daemonio redijâ— Itaque in eâ—orcismo cùm oneraretur immundus spiritus quod ausus est fideâ—em aggredi constantèr iustissimè quidem inquit feci
worke should carie the honour of the day Neither doth the honourable title of the Lords day diminish the glory of the Sabbath but rather being added augments the dignity thereof as the name Israel added vnto Iacob made the Patriarch the more renowned The reason taken from the example of Gods resting from the worke of the creation of the world continued in force till the Sonne of God ceased from the worke of the Redemption of the world and then the former gaue place to the latter 4 Because it was foretold in the olde Testament that the Sabath should be kept vnder the New Testament on the first day of the weeke For first in the 110. Psalme which is a Prophesie of Christ and his kingdome it is plainely foretold that there should be a solemne day of Assembling wherein all Christs people should willingly come together in the beauty of holinesse Insomuch that no raine of peace shall be vpon those Families that in that feast will not goe vp to Ierusalem the Church to worship the King the Lord of Hoasts Now on what day this holy feast and assembly should bee kept Dauid sheweth plainlie in Psal. 118. which was a prophesie of Christ as appeares Matth. 21.42 Act. 4.11 Ephes. 2.20 as also by the consent of all the Iewes as Ierome witnesseth For shewing how Christ by his ignominious death should be as a stone reiected of the builders or chiefe rulers of Iudea and yet by this glorious resurrection should become the chiefe stone of the corner hee wisheth the whole Church to keepe holy that day wherupon Christ should effect this wonderful worke saying This is the day which the Lord hath made let vs reioyce be glad in it And seeing that vpon this day that which Peter saith of Christ appeareth to be true That God made him both Lord and and Christ. Acts 2.36 And therefore the whole Church vnder the New Testament must celebrate the day of Christs resurrection Rabbi Bachay also saw by the fall of Adam on the 6. day that on the same day Messias should finish the worke of mans redemption And alluding to the speech of Boaz to Ruth Sleepe vnto the morning that Messias should rest in his graue all their Sabbath day And he gathereth from that Speech Gen. 1. on the first day Let there be light that the Messias should rise on the First day of the weeke from death to life and cause the spirituall light of the Gospell to enlighten the world that lay in the shadow of darkenesse and death The Hebrew author of the Booke called Sedar Olam Rabba cap. 7. recordeth many memorable things which were done vpon the first day of the weeke as so many types that the chiefe worship of God should vnder the New Testament be celebrated vpon this day As That on this day the cloude of Gods Maiesty first sate vpon his people Aaron and his children first executed their Priesthood God first solemnly blessed his people The Princes of his people first offered publikely vnto God The first day wherein fire descended from heauen The first day of the world of the yeere of moneths of the weeke c. All shadowing that it should be first and chiefe holy-day of the New Testament Saint Austen prooueth by diuers places and reasons out of the holy Scripture that the Fathers and all the holy Prophets vnder the Old Testament did foresee and know that our Lords day was shadowed by their 8. day of Circumcision And that the Sabath should be changed from the 7. day to the 8. or first day of the weeke And Iunius out of Cyprian saith that Circumcision was commanded on the 8. day as a Sacrament of the 8. day when Christ should arise from the dead The Councell Foro Iuliense affirmes that Esay Prophesied of the keeping of the Sabath vpon the first day of the weeke If this mystery was so clearely seene by the Fathers vnder the shaddowes of the Old Testament sure the God of this world hath deepely blinded their mindes who cannot see the truth thereof vnder the shining light of the Gospell Therefore this change of the Sabath day vnder the New was nothing but a fulfilling of that which was prefigured and foreprophesied vnder the old Testament 5 According to their Lords minde and commandement and the derection of the holy Ghost which alway assisted them in their Ministeriall office the Apostles in all the Christian Churches which they planted ordained that the Christians should keepe the holy Sabath vpon that seauenth day which is the first day of the weeke Concerning the gathering for the Saints as I haue ordained in the Churches of Galatia so doe yee also Euery first day of the weeke c. When ye come together in the Church being the Lords day to eate the Lord Supper to remember and shew the Lords death till he come c. In which words note 1 That the Apostle ordained this day to bee kept holy therefore a diuine Institution 2 That the day is named the first day of the weeke therefore not the Iewish seauenth or any other 3 Euery first day of the weeke which sheweth a perpetuity 4 That it was ordained in the Churches of Galatia as well as of Corinth and hee setled one vniforme order in all the Churches of the Saints therefore it was vniuersall 5 That the exercises of this day were collections for the poore which appeares by Act. 2.42 and Iustine Martyrs testimony Apolog. 2. were gathered in the holy Assembly after Prayers Preaching of the Word and administration of the Sacraments therefore it was spirituall 6 That he will haue the collection though necessary remoued against his comming lest it should hinider his preaching but not their holy meeting on the Lords day for it vvas the time ordained for the publike worship of the Lord which argueth a necessity And in the same Epistle Saint Paul protesteth that he deliuered them none other ordinance or doctrine but what hee had receiued of the Lord. Insomuch that hee chargeth them that If any man thinke himselfe to bee a Prophet or spirituall let him acknowledge that the things that I write vnto you are the commandements of the Lord. But he wrote vnto them and ordained among them to keepe their Sabbath on the first day of the weeke therefore to keepe the Sabbath on that day is the very commandement of the Lord. And how can hee be eyther a true Prophet or haue any grace of Gods Spirit in his heart who seeing so clearely the Lords day to haue beene instituted and ordained by the Apostles vvill not acknowledge the keeping holy of the Lords day to be a Commandement of the Lord The Iewes confesse this change of the Sabbath to haue beene made by the Apostles Pet. Alphons in Dialog contr Iudaeos tit 12. they are therefore more blinde and sottish then the Iewes who prophanely denie it At Troas likewise