institute this Sacrament in bread not in flesh Answ 1 Because bread is more fit to nourish than flesh 2 As bread is made nourishment by fire so Christ by the Crosse 3 As bread is corporall food so Christ is spirituall food 4 As bread taketh away corporall hunger so Christ spirituall 5 As bread is giuen to the hungrie not to full bellies so is Christ 6 As bread distributed to many is a token of loue so is Christs bodie giuen for many Quest And why vsed he wine especially Answ Because 1 As wine is the most swéet liquor so is Christs bloud 2 As wine quencheth corporall thirst so Christs bloud doth spirituall thirst 3 As wine chéereth so doth Christs bloud 4 As wine heateth so doth Christs bloud 5 As wine is pressed out of the grape so was Christs bloud out of his side 6 As wine maketh man secure bold eloquent and of good colour so doth Christs bloud Quest What is the forme of this Sacrament Answ The coniunction of the thing signified with the signe the action of God with the action of the Minister and the action of faith with the action of the receiuer Quest What doth the action of the Minister signifie Answ His taking bread and wine into his hands doth signifie Gods sealing of Christ to beare the office of a Mediator Ioh. 6.27 His blessing of the bread the sending of Christ to be a Mediator His breaking of bread and powring out of wine the execrable passion of Christ effusion of his bloud The giuing of bread and wine to the receiuer the offering of Christ to all euen Hypocrites but the giuing him only to true Christians Quest. What doth the action of the receiuer signifie Answ His taking of bread and wine into his hand doth signifie his apprehension of Iesus Christ by faith his eating of bread and drinking of wine for the nourishment of his body his applying of Christ vnto himselfe that his true communion with him may be more increased Quest What is the end of this Sacrament Answ 1 The assurance of Gods fauour 2 The increasing of my faith 3 Fellowship with Christ 4 Communion with the Saints Quest You said in the second place that you must examine your faith tell mee therefore what this faith is Answ It is a miraculous worke of God wrought in the heart of a regenerate man by the preaching of the Gospell whereby hée doth apprehend and applie to himselfe particularly Christ Iesus with al his benefits to the pardon and forgiuenesse of all his sinnes Quest Why must you examine whether you haue faith Answ Because 1 Without faith I cannot please God Hebr. 11.6 2 By it I must liue both in my particular and generall calling Hab. 2.4 3 By it I am iustified before God Rom. 5.1 4 By it I put on Christ Galath 3 27. 5 By it I féed on Christ Iohn 6.35 6 By it alone I obey Gods word Rom. 14.23 7 By it I am the child of God Gal. 3.2 8 By it Christ dwelleth in mine heart Ephes 3.17 9 By it I procure Gods blessings vpon my selfe and others Matth. 15.28 10 By it I receiue Christ in this Sacrament Quest How may a man know whether he haue this faith Answ By these signes 1 If wee can from our hearts renounce our false supposed goodnesse and can wholly relie vpon Christ in the matter of our saluation this nature cannot doe 2 If we haue peace of conscience arising from the apprehension of GODS loue in Christ and our reconciliation with him Quest Which are the wants of faith Answ 1 Doubting and distrust of Gods mercy 2 Presumption and vaine confidence in our selues Quest To come to the third part of our examination tell me what repentance is Answ 1 It is a worke of grace arising of a godly sorrow whereby a man turneth from all his sins to God and bringeth forth fruit worthie amendement of life Quest Why must you examine whether you haue this repentance Answ Because 1 Mans heart is deceitfull and subtill Ierm 17.9 2 Without it I cannot beleeue Mark 1.15 3 Impenitency is a fore-runner of iudgement Rom. 2.5 4 By repentance I am assured of my saluation Acts 2.38 5 Till then I can haue no comfort Psal 51.12.13.12.32.6 6 If I want it I can neither pray a nor b heare nor c reprehend sin in others d nor yet be a fit guest for the Lords Table a Psa 50.16 Prou. 28.9 b Matth. 3.7 c Iohn 8.7 d 1. Sam. 16.6 Quest. Giue some reasons to moue to repentance Answ I will wée are moued to repent 1 By Gods mercies Rom. 2.4 2 By his patience 2. Pet. 3.15 3 By his iudgements Isai 26.9 4 By the word preached in the Law and Gospell Ionah 2. Math. 3. 5 By the Sacraments Marke 1.4 6 By sinne past 1. Pet. 4.2 7 By the shortnesse and vncertaintie of this life Psal 90.12 8 By the certaintie of death Eccles 12.13 9 By the paucitie of such as shall bee saued Luke 13.25 10 By thinking of the day of iudgement Acts 17.31 11 For feare we go not to hell 12 That we may be partakers of heauen 13 That else we are not assured of our election 14 Without it we cannot die comfortable 15 It is difficult to performe on our death-beds 16 If we repent not our score will increase 17 Without it God will not heare vs. 18 We else run into hardnes of heart 19 If wee doe not so wee bring Gods plagues vpon others 20 By repentance we honour God and assure our consciences that God hath forgiuen vs for Sin discouered by triall and cast out by repentance will neuer condemne vs. Quest And why then do not men repent Answ Because 1 They haue gotten a custome of sinning 2 They escape vnpunished héere 3 They euer think on mercie 4 They feare not iudgement 5 They beléeue not Gods word 6 They sée that most do so 7 They obserue the life of bad Ministers 8 They looke vpon great men that are bad 9 They sée not the vilenesse of sinne 10 They meditate not how God hath plagued the impenitent Quest How shall you know whether you haue this repentance or not Answ By these markes 1 If I haue a godly sorrow whereby I am displeased with my selfe because by sin I haue displeased God 2 If there bee in mee a changing of the mind and a purpose to forsake sin and euer after to please God 3 If I do daily more and more break off my sinnes and abstaine from inward practise kéeping vnder my corruptions and vngodly thoughts 4 If I can mourne for the present corruption of my nature 5 If I haue béen grieued and craued pardon for my late sinnes euen fithence I was last partaker of the Lords Table Quest You said that obedience was the fourth part of our examination can you tell me what obedience is Answ It is a frée heartie vniuersall euangelicall personall and perpetuall kéeping of Gods Commandements Quest What reasons can you
Papists belonging to thee Bee good to our kinsfolkes in the flesh our friends in the spirit them to whom we are any wise bounden or desired to be commended vnto thee in these our prayers and supplications Haue mercy vpon vs now calling vpon thy name forgiue our sinnes and manifold defects in this holy dutie accepting at our hands this our obedience in Christ And because thou hast beene good vnto vs many waies make vs thankefull vnto thee for all thy mercies as our election in thy loue our redemption by thy Sonne our sanctification through thy spirit our preferuation by thy prouidence our health in body peace of conscience our life in thy Church our gratious Gouernours our painfull Preachers our Christian friends our desire to please thée and that wee haue the m inistration of thy word and Sacarments and can shew loue euen to our enemies We thank thée O Lord for al graces of thy Spirit as faith in thy promises hope of eternal life feare of thy Name loue of thy Maiesty zeale to thy glory affection to our brethren patience vnder the crosse strength against our seuerall temptations humility gentlenesse méekenesse forbearing with many other gifts graces of thy spirit all which we acknowledge haue proceeded from thy meere mercy O let vs not be negligent in the vse of al good means by which thy grace may daily grow vp in vs. Wee doe also with all thankefulnesse remember all the blessings of this life our deliuerance from our enemies in 88 our preseruation from the pestilence in 603 our protection from gunpowder in 605 as all other fauours which wee doe inioy vnder the blessed gouernment of our gracious Prince and for all thy goodnesse vnder our late noble Quéen Quéen Elizabeth of happy memory Wee thanke thee that thou hast sustained vs in great weakenesse reléeued vs in much necessite comforted vs in much distresse resolued vs in many doubts deliuered vs from many dangers preserued vs from many feares made vs willing to desire to doe thy will bestowed vpon vs such a larges of thy good creatures that wee are more fit to giue then receiue Blesse vs now and euer heereafter kéep vs and all ours and all that are neere about vs from fire water pestilence robbing and all dangers whatsoeuer and grant vs all such a portion of thy grace that whether we stay at home or goe abroad watch or sléepe eat or drink buy or sel be in labour or recreation wee may euer labour to glorifie thy high and great Name in the workes of such callings as thou shalt call vs vnto and fit vs for through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour in whose name in whose words we further call vpon thée saying Our Father which art c. O Lord blesse vs and kéepe vs. O Lord make thy face shine vpon vs. O Lord grant vnto vs thy swéete and euerlasting peace especially that peace of conscience which the world cannot giue with the pardon and forgiuenesse of all our sinnes this day at this time and héeretofore committed against thée with a blessing vpon thy Church and children euery where as well as though wee had named them through Christ our Lord and only Sauiour Amen A MORNING PRAYER FOR priuate families MOst glorious and gratious Lord God giuer of all good things forgiuer of all our sinnes and the only comforter of such as flie to thée for succour we thine vnprofitable and vnfaithfull seruants doe héere present our selues before thée this morning to offer vp a liuing sacrifice to thée who diddest offer vp thy Sonne to death for vs. Lord let this lifting vp of our hands and hearts vnto thee be as a morning sacrifice acceptable in thy sight All thy mercies call vpon vs that we should be thankful to thée for such mercies and all our miseries call vpon vs that wee should call vpon thée for the continuance of thy mercies Wee haue tasted of thy fauour this night past and euen since we awaked we might haue had a féeling of thy goodnes thou hast begun to serue vs before wee begun to serue thée And now that we begin to offer thée this seruice wee must néeds acknowledge and confesse that we prostrate our selues before thee before we know how to worship thée as wee ought wee consider not the excellencie of thy Maiestie the multitude of thy mercies the al-séeing eye of thy presence nor that danger wee are in by reason of our sinnes Why shouldest thou be so carefull for vs since that we are so carelesse of thée Surely O Lord in that thou affordest health to our bodies wealth to our estate libertie to our persons and prosperitie to this familie in which wee liue wee can giue no reason but because thou art mercifull And if thou shouldest take all these from vs againe and leaue vs in as great miserie as was the Prodigall sonne we must néedes acknowledge it a iust recompence for our sinnes All which are so many in number and so grieuous in transgression that as wee cannot reckon them but only say we haue sinned so we cannot beare them but only say that wee are not able to looke vp And whilest al other creatures serue thée in their nature wee men and women are the sinners of the world Our liuâ—s are full of infidelitie eyes of vanitie eares of noueltie mouthes of subtiltie hands of iniquitie and though we desire that all our members should by thee be glorified in heauen yet by all them do we dishonor thée vpon earth Thou hast giuen vs vnderstanding to learne vertue by it we apprehend nothing but sinne thou hast giuen vs a will to affect righteousnesse by it we delight in nothing but wickednes Thou hast giuen vs a memory to be a shorehouse of thy word we make it a warehouse to treasure vp euill In a word we confesse against our selues that in this flesh of ours there dwelleth no good thing it is a world of wickednesse and by reason of the manifold corruptions that are in vs there is small difference betwéene vs and the wicked yea and many heathen people who haue not known thee goe beyond vs in the practise of righteousnesse towards men If we should goe about to excuse our selues the sinnes that we haue done this wéek will testifie against vs that they are more then all the good we haue doneal the daies of our liues we haue transgressed thy commandements by our selues alone haue communicated with the sins of others In doing of good we haue reioyced but a little in the practise of euill wee haue gloried too much Wee sue vnto thée often for the pardon of our sinnes and when wee haue so done we commit them againe And in this verie act of calling on thy name our thoughts are so wandering our bodies wauering our knées wearied in knéeling for a while that euen now when wee come to pray wee had néede to desire thée to forgiue vs our prayers because wee thinke not
will of God 2 That with a spéedie resolution a willing minde chearefull heart and constant purpose wee may euer doe that which wee are commanded Which wee cannot doe vnlesse as by his preuenting grace he giueth vs both will and power so with his following grace hee accomplish his worke begunne in vs. Euch. What thinges doe you pray against in this Petition Phil. I pray against all impietie towards God vnrighteousnesse towards man and disobedience in my selfe In a word against all rebellious withstanding Gods reuealed will vnfaithfulnesse in mens calling all discontented murmuring at Gods doings and all either backwardnesse or wearinesse in the Seruice of God and lastly against all hypocrisie which is contrarie to an honest and a sincere heart Euch. What thinges doe you here thanke God for Phil. 1 Here I blesse God for mine own and others conuersion 2 For our obedience to Gods will 3 For our patience in all trials 4 That with some chearefulnesse wee may serue God 5 That our seruice is not full of hypocrisie and that prophanesse vnrighteousnesse disobedience rebellion vnthankfulnesse murmuring discontentment backwardnesse wearinesse and Hypocrisie are so mortified in vs that in some weake measure we desire to please God Euch. Why are these three Petitions set in the first place Phil. Because when we doe begin to aduance Gods glorie set vp Gods Kingdome and doe Gods will then our daily bread the forgiuenesse of sinnes and all o-other blessings will be giuen vnto vs. As on the contrarie if we dishonour God hinder his Kingdome and doe our owne wills we cannot looke for any blessing of this or a better life for godlinesse only hath a promise of this life and the life to come 1. Tim. 6.6 Euch. Hauing spoken thus much of the three first Petitions we are now come to the latter three How doe you diuide those three last Petitions Phil. One of them is for thinges concerning mans bodie the other two are concerning his soule Euch. But why are you heere taught to pray for thinges corporall and after to pray for things spirituall doth not this crosse that commandement of Christ Seeke first the Kingdome of God Matth. 6.32 Phil. No it doth not but by this order I am taught first to sée the corruption of mans nature which ought in the first place to séeke thinges spirituall but because wee liue rather by sense then by faith wee doe principally desire thinges corporall Secondly I am taught Christs mercie vnto man in that by this order he descendeth to our infirmitie who rather depend vpon him for the pardon of our sinnes then wee can trust him for our prouision in this life which argueth that wee are of little faith Mat. 9.5 Thirdly I am taught by this to depend vpon him for the forgiuenesse of my sinnes for when I sée that hée is héere so carefull for my bodie hée will doubtlesse be more carefull to prouide for my soule Rom. 8.32 Euch. What vse can you make of this order Phil. 1 That I must principally séeke the good of my soule which will bring all goodnesse and goods to my bodie a Mar. 10. Psal 4.6 2 That I must haue care also of my bodie for the preseruation whereof God hath prouided food apparell physicke and other meanes b 1. Tim 5.23 3 That from the blessings on my body I must ascend by degrées to bee perswaded for my soule that hee who is so prouident for the one will bee much more prouident for the other c Eccles 11.30.31 4 I must aknowledge mine owne corruption that I am so carefull for Earthly things d Matth. 6. 5 I sée that I may vse Gods Creatures in that he will haue me to pray for them e 1. Cor. 10.26 6 I must acknowledge the mercy of God to mee in that hee yéeldeth so much to mine infirmitie as to permit mee to aske these corporall thinges before such as are Spirituall and of greatest good for the saluation of my soule f Pro. 30.8 Euch. Which is the fourth petition and the first of the three latter Phil. Giue vs this day our daily bread Giue vs this day our daily bread Vide Sixti Senensis Biblioth and M. Finch his Theology Euch. Doe you not by bread here vnderstand Christ Iesus the foode of the soule Phil. Indéed many ancient Fathers and some of our English Protestant writers haue so vnderstood this petition and I am bound to pray that God will euer giue me this Bread Iohn 6.34 But I am taught that this Bread is not ment héere Euch. But man consisting of body and soule must we not pray that both may bee fed with their daily bread Phil. We must and doe in this praier but not in this petition When I pray that Gods kingdome may come then I pray for the foode of my soule héere when I pray for daily bread I pray for necessaries belonging to my body Euch. By what reasons are you taught the contrary Phil. 1 Because I pray for such things in the second petition going before 2 Because temporall things being to be prayed for they can haue no fitter place to be desired then in this 3 Seeing this praier is a rule of all our praiers we must in some one petition craue things temporal of God euen as Agur did Prou. 30.8 and Iacob Gen. 28.20 4 Many ancient and the most new writers thinke so Euch What then doe you meane by Bread Phil. I meane properly that kind of sustenance which we call Bakers bread but figuratiuely all things which are or may be for the good of my body and this naturall life as strength by nourishment health by Physicke warmth by apparell sufficiencie by labour and the blessing of God in the vse of all these and such like 2. King 6.22 Iohn 13.18 Euch. Why doe you aske all these things vnder the name of bread Phil. 1 Because bread is absolutely necessary for mans life a Psa 104.15 2 To teach vs frugality in vsing Gods creatures b Ioh. 6.12 3 To make vs content with whatsouer God sendeth c Phi. 4.11 4 To make vs thankefull if God giue more then bread d Psa 23.5 5 Because in ancient times bread was mans most ordinary food as appeareth Ge. 18.5 Psal 104.15 Mark 8.4 Euch. Why do you pray that God would giue bread Phil. To teach me that all riches whether of inheritance or by gift pains trades office seruice wit marriage or any other meanes are the gift of God who onely giueth man power to get riches Deut 8.18 Euch. What vse make you of this that riches are Gods gift Phil. These vses I ought to make 1 To acknowledge that all that I haue commeth from God and not by my selfe or any other e Pro. 10.27 2 That I must not be proud of them because I haue receiued them f Ro. 11.20 3 To admire Gods fauour who hath made me rich and others poore g 1.
calamities Isay 57.2 3 Our soules are receiued into glorie Luke 23.43 4 Our bodies are reserued to like glorie Philip. 3.20 5 That wise man Salomon thought so Eccles 7.3 6 That holy man Paul wished so Philip 1.23 Quest But because Paul desired to die may we also desire to die Answ Though the bodie and soule bee as man and wife conioyned together yet with some cautions a man may desire the diuorce of these twaine 1 If he resigne his wil to the wil of God 2 If hee can tarrie the good leasure of God 3 If he doe it that he may be with God 4 That hée may bee disburdened of this bodie of sinne and thus Paul desired to bée dissolued and to be with Christ Philip. 1.23 Quest What thinke you of such as are in miserie and desire to die to bee freed from miserie Answ I thinke their desires are not simply vnlawful especially if they submit them to the will of God I am vexed with a long and lingering disease I would bee fréed by death if God would frée me I am detained in Prison I would be deliuered by death if God would deliuer mee I am exiled from my Countrie I would goe to Heauen if God would send for mee Doe I sinne in this God forbid Elias did it when hee desired God to take away his life 1. Kings 19.4 And Iob did it when hee would haue béene contented to depart this life and many of Gods children haue done the like Quest Why then did Hezekiah mourne when he was to die and why did Dauid say Let my soule liue and Christ Let this cuppe passe from me Answ Hezekiah did so because at this time he had not receiued a promised issue to succéed him Christ did so because hee was to die the death of the crosse and Dauid did so both because he was in a grieuous temptation and if he had then died his enemies would haue triumphed ouer him Quest But all this while you haue not told me what death is Answ It is nothing else but the priuation of this naturall life or the departure of the soule from the bodie or as it were the deposition of an heauie burden of troubles in this life by which we are eased especially if wee carry not with vs such a burden of sinnes as may weigh vs downe to the pit of perdition Secundus the Philosopher being asked this question by Hadrian the Emperour said Death is an eternall sleep the dissolution of our bodies the feare of rich men the desire of poore men an ineuitable euent an vncertaine Pilgrimage a robber of Mankind the Mother of sléepe the passage of life the departure of the liuing and a dissolution of all Quest Should Adam haue tasted of this death if he had stood in his innocencie Answ Hee should not for the stipend and wages of sinne is death Romans 6.23 His bodie indéed was subiect to mortalitie but should not haue died as our bodies now are subiect to sicknesse and yet we may die without sicknesse to wounding and yet it may bée they are neuer wounded and as the garments of the Children of Israel did not by Gods prouidence weare by the space of fortie yéeres though they were subiect to wearing so we may say of Adams bodie it should not haue died though it were subiect to death Quest Are wee then any better in Christ then we were in Adam Answ We are much for in Adam wée might haue died and by him doe die In Christ wee cannot die but change this life for a farre better Quest Are there any Monitors or Messengers of death Answ There are thrée casualtie sickenesse and old age Casualtie foretels me my death is doubtfull Sicknesse that death may be grieuous Olde age that death is certaine Casualtie foretels mée of death at my backe sicknesse that she is at my héeles old age that she is before my face Quest That I may giue the better entertainment to death when shee commeth who hath sent these three Harbengers before her what can you aduise me for to doe Answ Surely I would wish you first to beléeue in Christ by whom the sting of death is taken out for They onely feare death who doubt whether Christ died for them 2 To liue well so long as you liue for Hee can neuer feare death who by a good life hath giuen entertainment to the feare of God Quest What euen in my youth must I begin to liue wel Will not God accept of my seruice when I am old Answ Will you wound your selfe that you may goe to the Chirurgian and will you sinne in your youth that you may sue for pardon in your old age will you lay all the burden vpon a lame Horse when you haue many stronger in your teame shall the Deuill haue your Flowers and God your wéeds the Deuill your wine and God the lées the Deuill the fattest and fairest of your flocke and God an halt a lame and a leane Sacrifice God forbid Quest Yet if I haue but time to say Lord haue mercie vpon me though I haue liued neuer so badly God will haue mercie vpon me Ans It is true indéed That holy Théefe did it vpon the crosse and God had mercie vpon him Marie Magdalen did it after her lewd life and God had mercie vpon her But first are you not worthie to want fauour at your death who haue refused it all your life Secondly doe you thinke that your repentance is vnfained which is but only for a few dayes or houres Thirdly doe you not sée that such repentance is often hypocriticall when men that recouer from sicknesse fall againe to sinne after such a kind of repentance Fourthly doe not many fal into desperation at their death because they haue not serued God in their life Fiftly is it not a folly to doe that all day which you must bee enforced to vndoe at night Sixtly doe you not sée that God in his Iustice doth take sense and reason from many at their death who haue refused his mercie all the dayes of their life Quest Yet you cannot denie but many bad men haue made a faire shew at the houre of death haue called vpon God and died like Lambes Ans Like Lambes why the most of them die like stones they haue liued a sottish and a senselesse life and so they die Nabal did so but hee died like a foole the rich glutton did so but he died like a beast Quest And you know also that many persons who haue liued a very strict life haue died in despaire and blaspheming of God Ans By the gates of hell they went into Heauen by the extremitie of their disease they might speake they knew not what and by the sense of Gods iudgments they might say My God why hast thou forsaken mee But know this that he neuer dies ill who hath liued well and hee seldome dies well who hath liued ill We must iudge men by their life and not iudge any by
of death is the Master day and Iudge of all other daies it is the triall and touchstone of our life if you die a good death it honoreth all your Actions if an euill it defameth them all it is the last act of the worlds Comedie and most difficult wherfore I will shew those consolations vnto you and will repeate them in your health that you may thinke of them better vpon your sicke bed wherefore against the feare of death consider 1 That wee neither liue nor die to our selues but whether we liue we liue to the Lord and whether we die wee die to the Lord. Rom. 14.8 2 That Christ is to vs in life gaine and in death aduantage Phil. 1.21 3 That Christ is to vs the resurrection and the life and whosoeuer beleeueth in him though he were dead yet shall hee liue Iohn 11.25 4 That God doth both mitigate and abbreuiate the dolours of death to his seruants 5 That our death being conuerted into a swéet sléepe is the complement of the mortification of our flesh so that hee which is dead is fréed from sinne Roman 6.7 6 That we Christians know that when this earthly tabernacle of our house shal be dissolued we shall haue a building euen of God that is an house made without hands eternall in the heauens 2. Cor. 5.1 7 That if we die in the Lord we goe to Christ which is best of all for vs. Phil. 1.23 8 That this way of all flesh is sanctified to vs by the death of Christ 9 That if euer at other times the Spirit of Christ doth cause vs to beare afflictions patiently it doth especially by the comfort which it ministreth in death inestimablie ouercome the sorrowes of death 10 That the spirit indeede is ready but the flesh is weake Matth. 26.41 so that the inward man doth not feare death but only the outward man Quest Can you yet giue any more of these most sweet consolations Answ Meditate therefore againe with me that 1 The desire you should haue to behold the most bright eies of God and so to be deliuered from this body of sinne will extinguish and extenuate both the grieuous feare and fearefull griefe of present death 2 That though wée can bée content to liue with the faithfull that are aliue and must die yet we must as well desire to be with those Saints who hauing ouercome death are gone before vs to the kingdome of heauen 3 That wee must not more estéeme of this naturall then of the spirituall life but that the loue of the one must abolish the griefe of the other 4 That we are assured of the soules immortality that it shall goe by the transportation of Angels to the assembly and societie of the first borne which are written in heauen Luk. 16.22 Heb. 11.23 and that our bodies doe rest in the earth so that one doth not vnfitly call the graue an Hauen for the bodie to arriue at 5 That wee beleeue the resurrection of the body and euerlasting life after death for this is the faith of Christians onely 6 That wee seeing euidently Gods great mercy towards our young children at their departure out of this life ought at our last end to be the more couragious especially since wee know that wee haue the seale and earnest of Gods spirit in our hearts 7 That as in our whole life so in the agony of death God doth not suffer vs his seruants to be tempted aboue that which we are able to beare 1. Cor. 10.13 but giueth an happy issue with and out of that temptation It is in truth admirable which Gregorie in his Morals saith That some doe with laughter entertaine death wee may better say that by couragious patience they doe ouercome it 8 That we ought not so much to thinke of a peaceable end as of a godly life Augustine said well Where a good life goeth before an euill death must not bee thought to follow And He cannot die ill who liues well And He seldome dies well who hath liued ill And Reade saith he and reade ouer all the monuments of learned men and you shall find nothing more horrible then that person who doth liue in such an estate that he is afraid to die 9 That death is neuer vntimely whether we respect the good or the bad They die soone that they may no longer be vexed by the wicked these die soone that they may not euer persecute the godly as the same Augustine said 10 That this life is so full of miseries that in comparison thereof death may bee thought rather a remedy then a punishment as Ambrose thought Quest Once againe giue mee more comforts against the feare of death for such is the corruptiō of my nature that al is little enough Answ I will thinke therefore but thinke you seriously 1 That he onely feares death extreamly who cannot be perswaded that he shall liue after death as Chysostome saith 2 That it is best to offer that willingly to God as a gift which one day wee must else surrender as a debt to wit this spirit and life of ours as Chrysostome said 3 That as death to the euill is euill so is it good to the good to whom all things worke for their good 4 That death is the way to life as Ambrose said very fitly And another said This day which so affrighteth thee as if it were the last day is the birthday of eternitie 5 That this death is but a repairing of our life 6 That as Bernard said the death of the righteous is good in regard of rest better in regard of nouelty best of all in regard of security and that as the same Father said the death of the godly is good better best of al Contrariwise the death of the godlesse is bad worse and worst of al. 7 That death doth not abolish but establish life in a farre better estate 8 That then death frees vs from death life from error grace from sinne 9 That if Chrysostome say true death is but a bare name 10 That God doth so temper death vnto vs that it can be no cause of euil vnto vs. And therefore if you be wise remember the saying euen of an Heathen man Summum nec metuas diem nec optes Nether feare death when it commeth nor desire it too much before it commeth Quest These are all of them sweet consolations indeed yet because Satan and my flesh may bring vpon me many feares as first that God is angry with me by reason of my sinnes how may I comfort my selfe against this temptation Quest Say vnto your soule why should I feare the wrath of God For it is written God sent not his Sonne into the world to condemne the world but that by him the world might be saued Ioh. 3. Hee that beleeueth in him shall not sée death He that beléeueth in him hath eternal life Hee that beléeueth in him shall neuer perish Who shall lay any thing to the charge
of my sinnes shall not cause mee to despaire yet when I looke vpon the multitude of those sinnes which I haue committed against God I feele my selfe in a wofull estate comfort me I pray you in this temptation Answ Doe the number of your sinnes now disquiet you yet comfort your soule with these meditations There is no man liuing which sinneth not The iust man falleth seuen times a day Who can tell how oft hee offendeth Psal 19. The Apostle and excellent man cried out I am Carnall and sold vnder sinne Rom. 7. The good that I would doe I doe not and the euill which I would not that doe I. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit lusteth against the flesh Galathians 5.17 Yet for all this hee trusted in the mercies of God as others did being perswaded that his imperfections were not imputed to him but couered with the righteousnesse of Christ And this the same Paul testifieth in that he saith Now there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Rom. 8.1 And what is the reason that wee daily pray Forgiue vs our debts but that wee sinne daily Yea though the bloud of Christ were but once shed yet by it is he an eternall Mediatour satisfying the iustice of God for sinnes past present and to come He is not like vnto many in this World who hauing once remitted some trespasse wil remit no more or paied a debt wil pay no more but as Esaus father had many blessings so God our father hath many mercies If wee fall a thousand times he will at our repentance recouer vs a thousand times He doth not forgiue vs till seuen times but till seuentie times seuen times Larga Dei bonitas totum non dimidiabit Aut nihil aut totum te lachrymante dabit The bountie large of God will not diuide the whole He either al or nothing giues vnto the weeping soule Quest Truth it is as you say that God will forgiue my manifold sinnes but mine heart tels me that Gods law requires perfect obedience and this alas I cannot performe what comfort can you giue me now that mine obedience is imperfect Answ Why the obedience of the best is both perfect imperfect perfect in Christ imperfect in vs imperfect in this life perfect in the life to come perfect by imputation imperfect by sanctification perfect in parts imperfect in degrée that is the whole bodie and soule of a Christian are in euery part sanctified but yet both of them in all their parts and faculties grow vp to a greater measure of sanctification A child so soon as it is borne is a perfect man because it hath al the parts of a man and this is a perfection of parts it is not perfect in regard of that growth it may haue in strength and vnderstanding and that is the perfection of degrées We are babes in Christ and so perfect Christians at the beginning of sanctification we must grow vp to be tall men that we may be perfectly perfect in our glorification It is Gods mercie towards vs that wee cannot come to perfection in this life the dregs of corruption will neuer whilest wee liue be drawne out the tares of vngodlines will neuer quite be pulled vp the chaffe of iniquitie wil neuer be cleane remoued from the wheate and the rags of the old Adam will neuer cleane be put off and that as I take it for these reasons 1 That we might giue al glorie to God 2 That wee might euer depend vpon God 3 That knowing our owne weaknesse we should not presume too much on our own strength 4 That by recouering our selues aftâ—â— falling wee might haue experience and patience in Gods fauour 5 That wee might worke out our saluation with feare and trembling 6 That with Paul we might learne that the grace of God is sufficient for vs. 7 That wee might be the more whetted on to an increase of faith and confidence in Christ 8 That we might with greater earnestnesse call vpon God in all our feares 9 That with more contention we should run the race set before vs. 10 That wee should know that it is grace not nature by which we stand 11 That receiuing many foyles our selues we might better comfort and pitie others that fall 12 That wee might the rather with the Apostle desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ Know therefore that it is good for you that you are not perfect you would bee proud of it if you were the holiest men could neuer attaine it the most holy God doth not require it If you haue truth in the inward parts and desire to please God without hypocrisie labour to grow in the graces of Gods spirit God your father will make more of you by reason of your imperfections as a good mother doth of that childe that is diseased or lamed It is pride that makes men dreame of perfection in this life and they that thinke to goe to heauen this way must goe alone for none can follow them Let vs not glorie of our perfection but let vs glorie in our Redemption The Church is a companie of sinners saued by Christ of sicke persons cured by Christ of Israelites dwelling among the Cananites of malefactors crying with that holy théefe Lord remember mee when thou commest into thy kingdome and of Publicans casting themselues down and saying Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner The Church is but the Moone and some times so eclipsed that she is but a litle lightened by the Sunne God indeede as a good Physitian prescribes vnto vs a perfect diet but wee like vnto disordered Patients tast of that which causeth a relapse and then we must come to the Physitian againe and like a skilfull Physitian God out of our falls doth make a preseruatiue to kéepe vs from falling Quest By this that you haue said I shall as I hope receiue much comfort if God cast mee vpon my sick bed yet because after death coÌ„meth iudgement how shall I bee able to perswade my selfe in death that I may with ioy looke vpon my Iudge Answ Consider that you are in Christ and there is no condemnation to them that are in him it is God that hath iustified you who shall condemne you it is your Father that shall iudge you why do you feare him be then of good comfort he wil say vnto you Come thou blessed of my father inherit the kingdome prepared for thée before the foundations of the world were laid Quest If I lay all these comforts to mine heart in health what benefit shall come to me at my death Answ You shall shew your selfe an excellent scholler in the schoole of wisedome and that you haue not spent your time ill who haue thus learned to die well For hée hath last his whole time who knowes not how to end it Hee liueth ill saith Seneca who knoweth not to die well neither is he borne in vaine who deceaseth in peace We must
learn all our life to die and this is the principall office of life To be briefe by this you shall purchase libertie to your conscience you shall feare nothing you will liue well contentedly and peaceably and without this knowledge there is no more pleasure in life than in the fruition of that which a man feareth alwaies to lose Quest To draw to an end and to come to my end when the pangs of death come vpon me and the wormes of the earth wait for me if God giue mee then mine vnderstanding what I pray you may bee my fittest meditation Answ Say now inwardly to your sicke soule Now my pilgrimage is ended mine haruest is inned my iourney is finished my race is run my glasse is spent my candle is in the socket many of the godly are gone before and I am now to follow them now thinke that you are come out of prison gotten out of Babylon and are going to Ierusalem Now thinke that the Angels stand at your beds head to carrie your soule into Abrahams bosome where you shall see God the Father behold God the Sonne and enioy God the holy Ghost where you shall enioy the societie of Angels the companie of the Saints and the knowledge of them whom you neuer knew héere where you shall liue eternally reigne triumphantly and obey God perfectly Meditate now that you must not bee loth to leaue this world because you go to that which is to come to leaue your house because you are going to Gods house to leaue your temporall riches because you are going to eternal riches to leaue your earthly preferments because God will set a crowne of pure gold vpon your head and to leaue your friends and acquaintance heere because you shall see them in glorie hereafter These and such like must be your meditations Quest Now it may be and I pray God it may be that I may haue speech vnto the last gaspe what words are fit for me to vtter Answ If God giue you that blessing say now with Dauid Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth With Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation With Paul Christ is to me life and death is to mee aduantage I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith from henceforth is laid vp for mee the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue mee at that day and not to mee only but to all them that loue that appearing of his Say How sweet is my Sauiour vnto mee sweeter then the hony and the hony combe Say Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Say Lord I haue sinned against thee thou hast promised to forgiue me my sinnes I beleeue Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe Say with Steuen Lord into thine hands I commend my soule Say with the Saints Come Lord Iesus come quickly Say Lord keepe thy Church and people in thy trueth and peace for euermore now Lord dissolue in me the cursed workes of the diuell Say I am sicke be thou my Physitian I am to die Lord giue me life eternall Say Lord bee good vnto my kinsfolks in the flesh and my friends in the Spirit that they may liue in thy feare and die in thy fauour Say with Ambrose I haue not so led my life that I was ashamed to liue neither doe I feare death because I haue a good Lord. Say to thy friends with S. Bernard O ground the anchor of your faith and hope in the safe and sure port of Gods mercie Say with Oecolampadius to all that come to thée I will tell you newes I shall shortly be with the Lord. Say with Luther I pray thee Lord Iesus receiue my poore soule my heauenly Father though I be taken from this life and this body of mine is to be laied downe yet I know certainly that I shall remaine with thee for euer neither shal any be able to pul me out of thine hands Say with Annas Burgius Forsake me not O Lord lest I forsake thee Say with Melancthon If it be the will of God I am willing to die and I beseech him that he will grant me a ioyfull departure Say with M. Caluine I held my tongue because thou Lord hast done it I mourned as a a doue Lord thou grindest me to powder but it sufficeth mee because it was thine hand Say with Peter Martyr My bodie is weake but my minde is well There is no saluation but onely by Christ who was giuen of the Father to bee a Redeemer of mankinde This is my faith in which I die and God will destroy them that teach otherwise Farewell my brethren and deare friends Say with Babylas Martyr of Antioch Returne O my soule vnto thy rest because the Lord hath blessed thee Because thou hast deliuered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my foote from falling I shall walke before thee in the land of the liuing Say Blessed is God in all his waies and holie in all his workes Naked I came out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne againe The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blessed bee the name of the Lord. I know that my Redeemer liueth and he shall stand the last on the earth And though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet I shall see God in my flesh Whom I my selfe shall see and mine eyes shall cehold and none other for mee though my reines are consumed within me Say in a word Lord I thanke thee that I am a Christian that I liued in a Christian Church that I die amongst a Christian people that I goe to a Christian societie Lord Iesu sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me and receiue my soule Euen so Come Lord Iesu come quickly Amen Quest If I haue time these are fit both meditations and speeches but I may die vpon the sudden what instructions can you giue me against sudden death Answ You may indéed die suddenly either by fire in your house or water in your ship or earth falling into some pit or casualtie in your way or impostumation and an apoplexi in your body or by trauel in child-birth if you be a woman or the sword in warre if you bee a man Therefore thinke 1 That death may come vpon you vnawares wherefore as you would doe for a suspected enemie waite so for it that it may neuer surprize you 2 Know that many worthie men haue died suddenly Iulius Caesar disputing the night before of the good of sudden death was the next day by Brutus and Cassius slain suddenly in the Senate Ioannes Mathesius hauing preached a Sermon of the raising againe of the widow of Nains sonne and therein handling the knowledge that one
and winds of troubles and persecution and they shall flie before him as a Iud. 17.4 Sisera did before Debora and the b 1 Sa. 14. Philistims before Debora and the Philistims before Ionathan and his seruant And as Christ asking the woman of her accusers shee answered c Iohn 8. There was none so in the end aske a Christian of his troubles and he will say There are none He is a buckler for our left hand a sword in our right he is an helmet on our head and harnesse for our bodie We shal look vpon troubles as d Exod. 14 Israel did vpon the Egyptians as the e 1. Sam. 17.52 Iewes did on Goliah and as the Grecians did on Hector to triumph ouer them and as the Angell said to Ioseph f Mat. 2.20 They are dead that sought the childs life so the Spirit shall say to the afflicted They are dead that did séeke your life A day of deliuerance a yeare of Iubile wil come and then g Gen. 41. Ioseph shall be out of Prison h Gen. 31. Iacob out of seruitude and i Iob. 41.12 Iob shall lie no more in the dust of the Earth If our afflictions were plagues as to the Egyptians curses as to Cham destruction as to Sodom desolation as to Israel then had wee cause to flie from them as Moses did from that miraculous Serpēt But since they are but the trials of faith corrections of a father visitations from the Bishop of our soules since they are as Phlebotomie to a Pleurisie and a purgation to a Plethora they are to be endured with all patience k 1. Thess 4.18 Let vs comfort our selues with these words Now to the end that all men may thinke of their end and liue well I haue inserted héere in loue to him certaine propheticall verses sound in the pocket of a most Religious yong Gentleman one M. Henrie Morrice Sonne to M. Morrice Atturney of the Court of Wards who thinking euer of sudden death died suddenly in Milford Lane Septemb. 12. 1604. at the age of 23. yeares Twice twelue yeares not fully told a wearied breath I haue exchanged for an happie death My course was short the longer is my rest God takes them soonest whom he loueth best For he that 's borne to day and dies to morrow Loseth some daies of rest but moneths of sorrow Why feare we death that cures all sicknesses Author of rest and end of all distresses Other misfortunes often come to greiue vs Death strikes but once and that stroke doth releeue vs. He that thus thought of death in lifes vncertaintie Hath doubtlesse now a life that brings eternitie Liue for to learne that die thou must And after come to iudgement iust This Heauenly Meditation may well bee placed heere My God I speake it with a full assurance Faith will auow claime by appropriation My God who keep'st this debter Spirit in durance Fettered with sinne and shakled with temptation Oh of thine endlesse mercy soone enlarge me Nor hell nor sinne nor ought beside shall charge me My soule may now be gone vnto her maker Maker of her but not of her Infection That is her own when Gods helpe doth forsake her Finall forsaking is not in Election For where he once by grace hath made his dwelling There may be striking but theirs no felling Earth what art thou A point A senselesse center Friends what are yee An Agie trustlesse triall Life what art thou A daily doubtfull venter Death what art thou A better lifes espiall Flesh what art thou A loose vntempered morter And sicknesse what art thou Heauens churlish porter Sweet Iesus bid thy porter then admit me I hold this World and worlds delay in loathing If ought be on my backe that doth not fit me Strip me of all and giue me brideall clothing So shall I be receiued by my liuerie And prisoners soule shall Ioy in gaole deliuerie Veni Domine Iesu veni citò The summe of this direction Mors tua mors Christi fraus mundi gloria coeli Et dolor Inferni sunt meditanda tibi Thinke oft on death thine own and Christs this Worlds deceitfulnesse The ioyes of Heauen the paines of Hell in which is wretchednesse Suprema cogita cor sit in aethere Felix qui didicit mundum contemnere A godly prayer to bee vsed at all times especially of such as delight in this exercise without wearinesse MOst high and mightie God and in thy Son Christ Iesus our mercifull louing and gracious Father thou hast commanded vs to come vnto thee and vpon the knées of our hearts wée doe come vnto thée humbly entreating thée before we begin to remoue farre from vs all such impediments as vsually Satan casteth vpon this exercise and so to quicken vs vp by the Spirit of supplication that in feare and reuerence of thy great name in faith and confidence of thy gracious assistance and in a féeling desire of the supply of our wants we may put vp and powre out our supplications vnto thée that as the messengers of our soules they may signifie our wants as the petitiouers of mercy they may sue for our pardon and as proclaimers of thy grace they may declare our thankfulnesse for all those mercies which we haue receiued and all those iudgments which we haue escaped O Lord our God we doe here in thy presence and blessed are we that we may come to thy presence acknowledge and confesse that we are of our selues most wofull wicked cursed creatures The corruption of our natures the iniquities of our liues doe generally beare witnesse against vs. But more particularly wee confesse that our hearts are full of infidelity by reason wherof we doe not as wee ought either depend vpon thy prouidence for the things of this life or beleeue thy promises for the life to come Doest thou visit vs wee are impatient doest thou denie vs our desires in this world we are neuer contented with our estate We are full of doubt for the life to come and full of distrust for the things of this life Wee are glued too much to this wicked world and as though we said in our hearts there is no God our mindes are greatly estranged from thee And alas miserable wretches that we are we delight in doing our owne wils it is not meat and drinke to vs to doe thy will In the pride of our hearts we exalt our selues aboue thee and our brethren and boast our selues as though we had receiued nothing from thee We put away from vs the euill day and liue as though wee should neuer die Wee walke on in the hardnes of our hearts by reason of the abundance of vaine-glory we rather séeke praise of men then thy glory Our soules are so filled with loue to our selues that we preferre our owne pleasure peace and liberty before thy Maiesty or the loue of our brethren yea hypocrisie is so rooted in our soules that wee
thy Sonne Sanctifie vs by thy Gospell that we may haue spirituall contentation in the possession of Christ extraordinary sweetnesse in the fruits of thy Spirit an holy admiration of these workes of mercy tendernesse of conscience in allour actions boldnesse to approch to the throne of grace a minde estranged from the loue of this world readinesse and patience to endure the crosse and a desire to be dissolued and to be with thée Wee must one day O Lord leaue this world yet it is thy pleasure that we should serue thee in it so long as we liue and why should we not serue thee all the daies of our life thou requirest it at our hands wee haue thy Spirit to that purpose it was the practise of thy Saints we were redeemed to this end and Christ prayeth that we may doe it Doth Satan daily tempt vs wee must daily resist him Is our life vncertaine we must euer be ready are we strangers in this world we must each day set one foote forward towards our countrey O therfore grant vnto vs thy grace that we may know we haue no time allotted to sin but al must be spent in thy seruice and this seruice of ours euer to bee harty without hypocrisie generall without partiality continuall without vncertainty conscionable without indifferency cheerefull without difficâ—â—ty and spirituall without carnality that by this way of obedience we may be assured of our saluation get the mastery of inconstancy performe holy duties more easily haue sweeter fellowship with thy Spirit and preuent many noysome lusts which otherwise would fasten vpon vs. We confesse O Lord that vnlesse we as watchmen doe looke vnto our selues and séeke to please thée in all things we cannot bee freed from many temporall iudgements our score wil be the greater in the day of account our couersation cannot be in heauen we cannot be armed against temptation nor weaned from the loue of this wrethed world We must euer be readie to meete our Sauiour let vs euer haue this oyle in our lamps we must sée our vnsufficiency to serue thee let vs labour to please thee that wee may see it wée must winne others to the knowledge of thée let our light of good life euer shine before them we must grow forward toward perfection leade vs forward in a constant course that we may obtaine the end of our faith which is the saluation of our soules Now because our best seruice must bee sanctified by repentance giue vs true and vnfained repentance for all our sins make vs to see them in the glasse of thy Law to mourne for them in the clossets of our harts and to confesse them in the bitternesse of our soules We haue O Lord we haue sinned against thée yea our forefathers did our people haue and wee all doe transgresse thy commandements We haue omitted much good and committed much euill partly of ignorance partly of infirmity and partly of knowledge and if we did but know our vnknowne sinnes wee would bee ashamed of our selues When we consider the excellencie our selues When wee consider the excellencie of thy Maiestie whom wee haue offended the vilenesse of our selues who durst offend the danger wee are in by reason of our offence and the greatnesse of the price which was paid for our offences we begin O Lord to abhorre our selues for our vnthankfulnesse against the blood of thy couenant that we haue grieued thy good Spirit quenched thy graces and done as much as we could to make the blood of Christ of none effect Giue vs O Lord what wilt thou giue vs giue vs a true and a liuely faith to apprehend and applie all the promises of saluation to our sinfull soules giue vs hope of pardon by thy mercies in Christ an hungring and thirsting after him his merits let vs prise it aboue all treasure ioy in it aboue all other comfort sue for it as our best acquittance and take hold on it against the curse of the law And because that liuely faith hath her life in the heart giue vnto vs wee beséech thée a pure heart which is the delight of thy Maiestie and the fountaine of all actions Awaken it O Lord that it sléepe not in death so that neither by ignorance of it selfe neglect of the meanes ceasing of thy Spirit committing of sin or securitie in prosperitie and sin or presumption of thy mercies or stupiditie after iudgements or spirituall blindnesse and hardnesse therof it be at any time in a dead fléepe Make vs euer to watch ouer it that neither the terrors of conscience nor loathing of holy duties nor loue of any one sin nor vnwillingnesse to depart this life do cast our hearts into a spirituall slumber We do know good God and often times by wofull experience doe know that our hearts lie open to all temptations and many are our enemies who doe assault vs teach vs therfore to put on thine appointed armor Giue vnto vs a rectified iudgemeÌ„t to know soundly thy truth not obstinate in error but desirous to bee reformed in what it mistaketh Sanctifie our consciences that they may witnes our adoption checke vs for sin approue our vprightnes procure our peace make vs euer content cheerefull in seruice couragious in the truth victorious in troubles and willing to die Rectifie our willes that they may be cheerfull in well doing resisting of all the occasions of sinne yeelding to no sinne without griefe and rising by repentance out of the same Order in such sort euery one of our affections that by the benefit thereof we may subdue our most vnruly thoughts bee comforted and contented in our Christian callings more readie prest to all good actions deliuered from many noisome temptations and better enabled for the conuersion of our brethren And because thou hast afforded vs the benefit of speech which thou hast denied to all other creatures we desire that we may euer speake as in thy presence considering that wee haue no libertie giuen vs for idle talke but that all our spéech must be to edification and that one day wee must giue an account of our words Are we to take thy name into our mouthes let it only be vpon weightie occasions and in all reuerence and loue to thy Maiestie Are wee to speake at any time of our neighbours good make vs to doe it cheerefully without repining wisely without dissembling indifferently without part-taking constantly without recalling truly without deluding and chartablie to the preseruing of his good name Is he fallen let vs restore him doth hee stand let vs comfort him make thou our spéeches euer gracious to others Wee desire also to please thée in all our actions O let them euer proceed from a good ground bee performed in an holie manner and aime at the best end which is the glorie of thy great name Principally let vs aiâ— at the duties of the first table consequently at the duties of the second let vs haue a respect to all thy
wauer in his faith nor stagger in his hope nor faint in his patience nor coole in his loue nor sorrow at his dissolution nor looke backe to the world nor bee ouermuch cast downe with the dread of death Grant that when death shall haue closed vp the eyes of his body the eyes of his soule may be fixed vpon thee that when his speech shall be taken from him then his heart may crie vnto thée say Come Lord Iesu come quickly Heare vs good Lord praying for him heare him praying for himselfe heare vs al for Christ Iesus his sake in whom alone thou art well pleased and in whose name and in whose words we conclude our vnperfect prayers saying Our Father c. LOrd blesse vs and kéepe vs Lord make the light of thy countenance thine vpon vs and grant vs thy peace O God the Father looke vpon thy sonne O God the Son looke vpon thy seruant O God the holie Ghost enter into thy temple O holie Father O righteous Sonne O comforting holie Ghost O blessed and glorious Trinitie one in essence thrée in person be with this thy seruant comfort him with that comfort which we would desire in the like visitation let thine Angels pitch their tents about him let his last houre bee his best houre make his life victorious his death pretious and his and our resurrection glorious through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Lord Iesu be with his spirit Amen Amen A THANKES GIVING FOR THE faithfull departure of one after he or she is dead changing as before O Lord God the onely health of them that liue and the alone life of them that die according to thy commandement we called vpon thée and in desire of thy goodnesse we cried vnto thée that thou wouldest be gratious vnto this seruant of thine whose body lieth dead before our eyes We asked his life thou gauest it not because thou sawest what was best for him wee desired his patience to endure this crosse thou heardest our prayers and hast not denied vs the request of our lips because that alone was fittest for him He died not as a foole dieth neither was his dissolution bitter vnto him He is now O Lord a tree planted in thine orchard a stone setled in thy building a Priest sacrificing at thine altar a starre fixed in thy heauen and an heire reigning in thy kingdom If he had died like Absolom we might haue taken vpon vs Dauids lamentation or like Saul we might haue taken vpon vs Samuels lamentation or as the malefactor on the left hand of Christ wee might haue lamented and mourned for him as doubting that hee died not the death of the righteous But precious in thy fight was this death of his and comfortable in our sight was this departure of his Hee like a Lion triumphed ouer death and like a Lambe resigned vp his life he knew that this Redeemer liued and that Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. His faith was in thy promises his hope was in thy mercies his loue was on thy ioyes his zeale was on thy glorie and his desire was to be in heauen For this thy fauour towards our Christian brother wee yeeld vnto thy Maiestie all possible thankes and that thou taking him out of this vale of miserie hast by thine Angels carried his soule to the throne of thy glorie We are O Lord we confesse full of sorrow in that we haue lost the comfort of his presence and we could haue béen contented to haue enioyed him longer if it might haue stood with the good pleasure of thy will But we néed not to mourne as men without hope because we are perswaded he so died in thy fauour that as his soule is partaker of eternall glorie so in that great day of assise and generall iudgement this bodie of his which shall returne to dust must be raised vp againe to liue for euer and then bee made like the glorious bodie of Christ Iesus in heauen He O Lord is gone before vs and we must one day follow after him O how can we render vnto thée sufficient thankes for thy great fauour to vs Christian people aboue all the nations of the world whom when thou callest out of this wretched life thou vouchsafest to place vs with thine Angels in thy kingdome In the sight of the vnwise they appeare to die but in the eyes of the godly they are translated from death to life They are arayed with white haue crownes on their heads and Palmes in their hands they shall not die but liue and do behold thy goodnesse in the land of the liuing They serue thée at thy table eate in thy kingdome sing of thy praises are freed from all miseries and they follow the Lambe whither soeuer hee goeth and enioy such pleasures as the eye hath not seene because they are not visible yet the heart doth beleeue because they are most comfortable We beseech thee O Lord that since we must for a while go on in our pilgrimage we may euer haue our eyes bent towards our countrie raise vs out of the graue of sinne renue in vs the life of righteousnes estrange vs from the loue of this world possesse vs with a loue of heauen take from our féete the fetters of pleasure that we may runne as fast to heauen as the wicked do to hell take from our backes the burden of worldlinesse that we may looke as stedfastly vpon things that are aboue as worldlings do vpon things that are below Guide vs euer so by the direction of thy Spirit that both in sicknesse and in health in prosperitie and aduersitie in life at death we may so behaue our selues in this present world that whensoeuer it shall please thée to call vs hence we may by faith in thy promises hope of thy mercies commend our bodies and soules into thy mercifull hands In the meane time hasten the comming of thy Sonne shorten these daies of sinne confound the enemies of saluation dissolue in euery one of vs the cursed workes of Satan sanctifie thy name aduance thy kingdome accomplish thy will giue vs our daily bread forgiue vs all our sinnes giue vs not ouer into any temptation but deliuer vs from all euill both of sinne in this life and of punishment in the life to come so that we with this our brother and all other departed in the faith of Christ may haue our perfect consummation and blisse in thy eternall and euerlasting kingdome through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with thée our Father and the holie Ghost our Sanctifier our sanctifier in this life and our glorifier in the life to come bee all praise power Maiestie might and dominion ascribed of vs and thy whole Church from this time forth and for euermore Amen A PRAYER FOR A WOman in trauaile O Lord our Lord Creator of all things preseruer of al mankind comforter of all thine afflicted and the only deliuerer of such as are in danger we
banket Giue mee grace to put on my wedding garment that the Bridegrome of this feast neuer say vnto me Frind how camest thou hither not hauing on thy wedding garment Hast thou now commanded me to examin my selfe let me now trie and examine mine heart and looke how I stand in thy sight The Iewes would not eate with vnwashen hands dare I eat with an vnwashen heart they would not drink but their vessels must be purified and dare I now drinke and my soule not purified Before the passeouer they sanctified themselues and before this sacrament shall not I now sanctifie my self I desire to doe it Lord helpe my desire lest eating and drinking vnworthily I eate and drinke mine owne damnation I therefore being now readie to come to thy Table doe acknowledge and confesse mine owne vnworthinesse I haue sinned against thée many waies and that since I last receiued this Sacrament I haue not knowne thée in thy word beheld thée in thy workes apprehended thée in thy Sonne serued thée in the spirit applied thee by faith feared thée for thy iustice nor admired thée as I ought for thy great mercies I haue not frequented thine house heard thy word laid it vp in mine heart nor practised it in my life as I should I euen I by the lusts of mine eyes the lusts of my flesh and the pride of life haue dishonoured thy great and glorious name And when thou hast forgiuen me ten thousand talents I would not forgiue my brother and hundred pence What shall I say vnto my selfe I haue sinned I will doe so no more I haue sinned Lord forgiue me all my sins and grant that in the whole course of my life hereafter I may liue to the honour of thy great name Giue vnto me now a broken heart a contrite spirit a sorrowfull soule and a minde hungring and thirsting after Christ and his righteousnes Giue me now grace to know thée the only true God the Creator and preseruer of mankinde Giue me grace now to féele the burden of my sinnes and that I am eased of them by the blood of Christ Iesus I doe beléeue in him helpe my vnbeléefe I am sorrie for my sins make me to be heartily and vnfainedly sorrowfull I promise now to liue neerer to thée then euer I haue done giue mee power to performe my promise I forgiue all that haue wronged me euen as thou for Christs sake hast forgiuen me Let this forgiuenesse of mine be without dissimulation And because I am now to taste of bread and wine make mee to consider the vse of them I know O Lord that this sacramentall bread is not the body of thy Son this sacramentall wine is not the blood of thy Sonne but this I know out of thy holy word that they are seales of his bodie and blood Teach me therefore now most gracious God that I seeing bread and wine on the table may behold Christ vpon the crosse and obseruing the bread broken to me may consider of Christs body crucified for mee looking vpon the wine powred out of the vessell may thinke how Christs blood was powred out for my sinnes And as I receiue this bread wine into my stomack for bodily sustenance so cause me to féede on the body and blood of our Sauiour Christ that it may be nourishment for my soule Grant O Lord that I may so now come to thy holy table that hereafter I may bee partaker of thy heauenly Table through Christ my Lord and only Sauiour Amen Our Father which art c. A THANKESGIVING after the Communion ALL glorie honour and praise be giuen to thée most glorious God for all thy mercies bestowed vpon mee for mine election in thy loue my redemption by thy Sonne my sanctification by thy spirit in this life and hope of glorification in the life to come I thank thée for thy word in which I beare of thy goodnesse and I thanke thee for this Sacrament in which I behold thy fauour I haue now béene partaker of bread and wine Lord make mee partaker of Christs bodie and blood Those they will turne to the nourishment of my body let these turne to the nourishment of my soule By those I féele some refreshing for a while by these let mee feele refreshing for euer O let not Christs blood be shed in vaine for me but by it cleanse me from all my sinnes I haue now cast vp all the poyson of impietie suffer me not hereafter to licke it vp againe I haue now disgorged my selfe of reuenge let me neuer returne to my vomit againe I am now washed from all my pollution make me to remember that it is the part of a swine to wallow againe in mud or mire I haue promised now to liue better than before make the latter part of my life better than the former I am a liuing stone in thy building knit me fast to the corner stone I am a branch of the vine set mee fast in that roote I am a member of Christs body kéepe mee that I neuer bee cut off I haue renued this day my couenant with thée grant that I may kéep it to my liues end I haue this day béen put in mind of the benefit by Christs death let me euery day thinke often of his death that therby I may learn to die vnto sin And grant that euer hereafter I may so walk before thee that all such as know that I haue béen at thy table may see that I am become a new creature As for the rest of this day in which thou hast thus shewed thy selfe vnto mee grant that I may spend the same not in surfetting and drunkennesse not in chambring and wantonnesse not in sporting and idlenesse but in hearing of thy word calling on thy name meditation of thy mercies and in holy conference about heauenly things Vnto thee O Father my Creator and preseruer vnto thee O Christ my Redéemer and Iustifier vnto thee O Holy Ghost my Sanctifier and Instructor bee ascribed of mee and thy whole Church all praise and power might and Maiestie glorie and dominion both now whilest we doe liue and for euer whilest we shal liue Amen Our Father which art c. NOw the very God of peace sanctifie me throughout and I pray God that my whole spirit and soule and body may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen Amen A THANKESGIVING FOR our late Deliuerance from that vnnaturall conspiracie against our King and State ALmightie Lord God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him our most gracious and mercifull Father many are thy mercies towards vs and that our soules know right well And as we cannot be ignorant of them vnlesse wee bee senselesse so we may not be forgetfull vnlesse we be thanklesse By thée our lot is fallen into a good soile and by thée wée haue a goodly inheritance by thée are our bodies deliuered from sicknesse and by thée are our soules