abhominations How farre these swine are from the footepath to felicitie anie man may iudge 5 It is not to be spoken for the truth trieth it selfe that these men sit in the shadowe of death and though they séeme to haue their heauen in this life yet doubtles both their féete are in hell mouth and their bodies and soules are like to followe one daie except the wonderfull grace of God and his vnspeakeable mercie worke in them a strange and vnthought vpon alteration For no man of himselfe can streighten his crookednes plaine his roughnes soften his hardnes swéeten his sowrenes tame his wildnes refourme his wickednes cleanse his filthines supplie his vnperfectnes this is the worke of Gods spirit the aide and assistance whereof we must séeke by praier and inuocation before we can treade the footepath to felicitie 6 Now séeing that we are subiect vnto falling and not able to stand vnlesse the Lord staie vs moreouer for that the waie of the King and the begger in respect of this life is all one Againe séeing we haue a daie of resurrection when we all shall receiue as we haue deserued paine in hell or ioie in heauen were it not madnes naie were it not desperatenes in vs the cogitation of these things with a number more neglected to runne on still with full raine in wickednes to become slaues to sinne to serue Sathan to fight against God to adnihilate or make of none effect the merits of Christs passion to minister occasion to the Angels of mourning to gréeue the holie Ghost to buffet and wound thine owne soule to throwe thy selfe wilfullie into destruction I thinke yes what is thine opinion 7 Well fare the prodigall childe for he wandering in this wrong waie and being touched in conscience and taught that he was not right retired and came home with a sorrowfull song and lamentable outcrie Father I haue sinned Well fare Marie Magdalene for she trauelling in this bypath of perdition and inwardlie called to a reformation of her filthie life for she was a gréeuous sinner submitted her selfe fell on the ground stooped knéeled vpon her knées washed the féete of Iesus with her teares and wiped them with the heares of her head Well fare the poore and contemned Publicane for he in the heauines of his hart lamented that euer he ranne at randon in this crooked waie he thumped his breast with his fistes and from the verie bottome of his heart cried out for mercie saieng O Lord haue mercie vpon me a sinner Well fare the Niniuites for they hauing gone astraie like lost shéepe and walking in the waie of sinners which is the waie of death heard the Prophet Ionas ringing vnto them the alarum bell of repentance and being reuoked from their wickednes escaped threatened destruction Well fare Ioseph that paterne of integritie and vprightnes for he would not in anie wise walke with the wife of Potiphar in the waie of wantonnes her alluring lookes her flattering enticements her proffered violence her instant and importunate temptations notwithstanding These with millians more may teach and instruct such as tender the saluation of their owne soules that it is better to treade the streight and narrowe path of vertue and innocencie which leadeth vnto life though it séeme vnpleasant and troublesome than to wander in the wide waie of wickednes which tendeth vnto eternall death though it be most delectable and fragrant for this is no footepath to felicitie 8 But wo worth that cruell cutthrote whose maister hauing forgiuen him a great debt euen the summe of ten thousand talents arrested his fellowseruant for a debt of an hundred pence cruellie cast him in prison and would not release him till he had discharged the whole summe which was but fiue and twentie shillings This fellowe walked in the waie of wickednes and therefore he is condemned vnto death eternall Wo vnto that graceles and dissembling sonne who being commanded of his father to go and worke in his Uineyard answered that he would and yet went not but spent the time otherwise vnthriftilie this man walked in the waie of disobedience which is sinne and therefore is in danger of eternall death Wo vnto those merciles husbandmen vnto whome the trauelling housholder hauing let out his Uineyard and requiring the increase of the fame by his seruants whome he had sent to that purpose was not onlie withstoode in his message but had not onelie his seruants but also his onelie sonne the heire of all his lands kéeping possession abused beaten and killed These husbandmen for their crueltie and vniust dealing shall abie at the daie of iudgement and as they walked in the waie of death so death euen euerlasting death shall be their portion Wo vnto those vnthankefull and careles worldlings who being solemnelie inuited and bidden to that great supper in the Gospell excused themselues by the necessitie of their weightie affaires and refused to come for they in so doing neglected their owne soules health therby most wilfullie ran in danger of eternall death Wo vnto him that being vngarnished with a wedding garment durst notwithstanding sit downe at the banket for he in so doing did highlie offend the maister of the feast and by his presumption ranne in danger of death and damnation Wo vnto that yong man whom Christ by his owne mouth taught how to become perfect namelie by selling all that he had and giuing it vnto the poore which doctrine séeming bitter vnto him and too sharp for his digestion he departed too too heauie and sorrowfull as very loth to pay so deare for heauenlie treasure This rich Gentleman would not pay so hie a price for the discipline of Christ and therefore was so much the further off from life and saluation by how much he was nearer vnto death and condemnation Wo vnto that couetous foole who hauing his hart set vpon his halfepenie inlarged his barnes to receiue his plentifull crop singing swéetelie to his soule Be merrie and take thine ease thou hast wealth enough for manie yeares not mistrusting or doubting anie thing that the diuels were agréed that same night to fetch his soule away And thus he wretched worldling walked in the way of death and destruction Wo vnto the vncleane beastlie Gergesens among whom Christ working manie miracles was so farre from any curteous intertainment that he was desired for the safetie of their swine to depart from their coasts thus preferring their hogs before their souls health they wilfullie walked the way of death and vtter desolation not passing a point for the footepath to felicitie 9 The Scripture abounding with such examples teacheth vs the danger of walking in darkenesse and sitting in the shadowe of death And therefore néeding no better schoolemaister vnto Christ let vs be content to learne in them the wholsome lessons of life which if we print in the tables of our hart kéepe grauen in memorie as in a marble stone to imitate and followe them to be ruled
dutie to do him reuerence A. 1 ALl glorie vnto God the guider of the iust Blest be his name in heauen earth whereto the righteous trust 2 Repaire his temples to him worship and adore Alleluiah sing and saie to him for euermore 3 He is the God of grace whose kingdom knows none end A mightie God from all annoies that can his flocke defend Most mercifull is he to such as do repent Forgiuing them which for their sins are sorie and lament Laud we his holie name as dutie doth command Each tongue sound out his maiestie adore him sea and land 4 My heart my tongue and voice shall plaie the organ pipes In praising him out of the skore our desperate debts which wipes No time will I let slip if God do giue me grace Great thanks to render to his name which filleth euerie place The fift Flowre called a holie Hymne conteining 1 The reward of the proud and impenitent 2 An admonition not to be high minded 3 To be touched with compassion towards the afflicted 4 To be mindfull of Gods mercies in tribulation 5 A declaration of his omnipotencie and power 6 A petition that the word of God might be the rule of our life H. 1 AN humble heart is a sacrifice vnto the Lord a contrite spirit he will not despise as for the proud and impenitent he casteth them out of his fauour in the heate of his indignation 2 Be not high minded neither puft vp with a vaine opinion of thy selfe but consider that thou art but dust and ashes and that thou hast nothing but naughtinesse by nature 3 Relent at the aduersities and afflictions of thy neighbour and in the bowels of compassion mitigate his miserie for nothing falleth vpon him but the same may in time chance to thée Arme thy selfe with patience to endure all tribulations if God chastise thée with anie kind of punishment acknowledge thine owne transgressions in that behalfe and be penitent 4 Haue in thy mind the greatnes of Gods mercies which are aboue all his workes put thy trust in him in the time of trouble he will deliuer thée and set thée at libertie Aske after succour where it is to be found the Lord is all sufficient he hath treasures of good things for them that loue him as for the wicked of this world they are out of his fauour Much mightier is the mercie of the Lord than the heart of man can conceiue of his power there is no end all the world is replenished with his greatnes most excellent and glorious 5 Fall downe ye hils before his presence tremble ye deepes at the sight of his maiestie for the whole compasse of the world he holdeth in his hand to dispose the same at his pleasure Lord God of Iacob who is like vnto thée Heauen and earth are witnesses of thine excellencie the Sunne and the Moone declare the greatnesse of thy glorie to all nations Euerie creature telleth abroade that thou art omnipotent for at thy becke all things obeie yea heauen it selfe which is thine owne habitation trembleth and quaketh at thy thundering voice 6 Make me O Lord God obedientlie to leade my life direct thou my footesteps by the rule of thy lawe and let thy holie word be a lanthorne before me that I go not astraie If I haue at anie time swarued and done amisse it hath come to passe through the want of thy word which I beséech thée let lighten my goings like a bright burning lampe Notwithstanding O Lord I deserue no such fauour and loue at thy hands yet for thine owne sake which art the founteine of mercie vouchsafe to shew thy selfe gratious Glorie honour and praise be ascribed vnto thée which hast béene from beginning of beginnings and shalt continue in power and maiestie when all things vanish and decaie The sixt Flowre called a spirituall Song conteining 1 A petition for humilitie and assistance against our enimies 2 For mercie and loue of Gods lawe 3 For the leading of a good life A. 1 AN humble heart O God vnto thy seruants giue Be thou to them a louing Lord whiles in this world they liue Regard thy little flocke be thou to them a sheeld And thē defend frō greedie Wolues least ouercome they yeeld 2 Haue mercie on vs all whose waies most wicked are And to the path of Paradise our speedie steps prepare Make vs to loue thy lawe and therein to delight For that is an oblation most pleasant in thy sight 3 Let me so leade my life that what I thinke or saie Extend vnto the laud and praise of thee my God alwaie Make me an instrument thine excellence to sound In faith and in good works O God vouchsafe I may abound Nothing though high of price and glorious to the eie Grant mightie God frō thy precepts may drawe my feete awrie The seuenth Flowre called a holie Hymne conteining 1 An inuocation to God for succour in affliction 2 For restitution of perfection lost by sinne 3 For the fortifieng of faith in time of triall 4 For prosperous successe of our enterprises 5. For protection and strength in persecution of the Gospell 6 A deprecation against Gods enimies and the aduersaries of his Word M. 1 AT euening and at morning I praise thée O God earlie do I call vpon thée yea before the rising of the Sunne do I direct my voice to thee my King and my God Be not far from me in the time of mine affliction but when troubles assault me be thou present and at hand to defend me so shall I féele comfort in my soule and glorifie thy most excellent name 2 Restore to me the fulnesse of thy grace which mine owne sins and the transgressions of my progenitours haue diminished that by the restitution of the same I may the more vprightlie leade my life before thy face 3 And though the world be full of wickednesse and thy glorie dailie derogated by the diuelish deuises of lewd liuers yet so fortifie my faith that I fall not awaie from thee Helpe me O God to withstand the subtile suggestions of Sathan and all Sathanicall souldiours such I meane as set shoulder against thée thy son Christ. 4 Accept me among thy chosen children and ouershadowe me with the shield of thine omnipotencie that whatsoeuer I take in hand may haue happie successe to my profit and to thy glorie 5 Mightilie protect me in all perils and dangers speciallie in the time of persecution when thy Gospell is called in question among false Heretikes superstitious Papists and cauilling Scismatikes Fortific my spirit with the armour of thy word that I may powre it out plentifullie in the presence of thine enimies to their shame and confusion and to the aduancement of thy name Let not their sophisticall assertions intangle or intrap me but let thy sacred Scripture so flourish and fructifie in my heart that by thy gratious gift of vnderstanding I may controll them in their errours Enter thou with me O
Lord when I am cited to appeare before the Sathanicall synagogue which presumptuouslie call the professours of thy Gospell to a reckoning of their religion O be thou mine assistant Make them ashamed of their malicious imaginations and in their owne snares let them be intangled ouerwhelme them in the pit which they haue prepared for others so shall I magnifie thy heauenlie power Increase in them the spirit of wilfull blindnesse because they haue not béene harbourers of thy faithfull ministers and because they haue contemptuoustie withstoode thy word which is the liquor of life Neuerthelesse if it be thy pleasure such as féele anie remorse of conscience and be sorie for their obstinacie vouchsafe to receiue them into thy fauour that they may be witnesses of thine vnspeakeable mercie God the father God the sonne and God the holie Ghost heare my praier and let my crie be considered for thine owne sake and for thy sonnes sake O God looke downe from aloft and shew thy louing kindnesse to all people The eight Flowre called a spirituall Song conteining 1 The chiefest comfort in this life 2 The meanes whereby to obteine blessednesse 3 The cause of a quiet conscience and how it is come by 4 An exhortation to glorifie GOD. F. 1 AMid so manie miseries depending on our life Behold a comfort namelie this with sinne to be at strife 2 Resisting of concupiscence subduing fleshlie lust Are meanes to come to blessednesse enioied of the iust 3 Hereof the true tranquillitie remaining in the minde According to her qualitie doth flourish in her kind Most mightie Ioue be praisd whose grace doth compasse this For no deserts of ours whose liues are dailie lead amis 4 Land we his holie name as doth vs best become Exalt him in his holinesse O nations all and some Make all your mirth and glee on him alone to rest In him reioice and clap your hands oblations such are best Nothing so much becoms a Christian than deth this Grant vs the same O gratious God that liuest aloft in blis The ninth Flowre called a holie Hymne conteining 1 A petition for repentance and remission of finnes 2 A deliuerance from our enimies 3 An inuocation vpon God for present help 4 A depâ—ecation against the aduersaries of Gods truth L. 1 A Penitent heart O God thou wilt not despise O teach me thy statutes that I may sée my sinne Be fauourable vnto me whose iniquities are gone ouer my head O heale my sores and vlcers which stinke in thy sight 2 Rise vp thou holie one of Israell like a Giant in triumph and rescue me from the irruptions and inrushings of mine enimies According to thy greatnesse deliuer me O set me frée from the furiousnesse of my foes from the furiousnesse of my mortall and deadlie foes Horrible are the mischéefes which they haue imagined against me but thou which art omnipotent wilt ouerwhelme them in their maliciousnesse 3 As for me I will be confident vpon thy prouidence will I depend vpon an assured hope of thy heauenlie helpe will I attend O Lord. Make no long tarieng O my King and my God for vpon thée onlie doth the anchor of my saluation rest thou art my health and my safetie Forsake me not in the time of néede least mine enimies taking courage against me scorne at me in their pride and saie where is thy God 4 Let not the enimies of thy truth beare vp their bristles against thée and contemptuouslie cast thy glorie to the ground O Lord destroie both them and their deuises Euen as the Sunne consumeth snowe and as waxe wasteth in the fornace so let them be put to silence in the rigour of thy wrath and iudgement Make them like vnto Sodom and like vnto Gomorrha make them like vnto Pentapolis and Babylon that they may knowe thou liuest which art Lord ouer all Inlarge their torments far aboue the torments wherwith they haue persecuted thy people deale with them according to thine own pleasure Not my will but thy will be fulfilled O father according to thine owne decrée deale with them either in mercie or in iudgement Giue them proofes of thine omnipotencie that they may knowe thée which sittest aboue whose eies sée their deuises and art able to reuenge thine owne cause The tenth Flowre called a spirituall Song conteining 1 An exhortation to praise the Lord. 2 That all states and degrees ought to stoope before him and do him reuerence 3 Wherein our mirth and melodie should consist 4 That all creatures must magnifie Gods Maiestie E. 1 ATtend ye nations giue eare O learne to laud the Lord Behold his wondrous works and praise his name with one accord 2 Rich poore weake strong old folke yong approch and praises sing All people dwelling in the world to God oblations bring High potentates and all estates the king that crowne doth weare And subiects sworne to loialtie the Prince of Princes feare 3 Make all your mirth aud melodie his honour to resound Feare him in truth and faithfulnesse whose blessings do abound Let euerie thing lift vp their voice and laud his holie name 4 Each creature drawing vital breth extoll and praise the same Magnificent and wonderfull yea onlie God is hee In these his works before our eies his puissance we may see No time therefore let vs omit in publishing his praise Giue glorie oh heauen oh earth and sea to him which liues alwaies The eleuenth Flowre called a holie Hymne conteining 1 A petition to God vnder a continued allegorie for a renewed life 2 The weedes of the heart 3 The good and wholesome hearbes of the soule M. 1 AS siluer is purged from drosse by the force of the fire so by thy mercie O Lord GOD let me be purged from mine offences and sinnes Be fauourable vnto me an vnfruitefull bough of old Adams rotten and putrified stocke O water thou me with thy sanctifieng spirit Raine downe from heauen vpon me I beséech thee O let the drops of thy grace fall vpon me that I may bud and beare blossoms As for the wéedes of wickednesse and sinne let them wither and die in me that I may leade an vpright life in thy sight and glorious presence Husband me in such wise O Lord that I may fructifie and increase abundantlie that I may bring foorth thirtie sixtie and an hundred fold according to thy good pleasure A riuer of pleasantnesse be thou vnto me whereby I may be filled full of sap and flourish continuallie like the gréene Baie trée Make my leaues neuer to wither or vade let not the Sunne scortch or drie them to the losse of their beautifull colour and séemelinesse From all stormes and tempests shéeld and ouershadowe me that my roote may be replenished with pith and my branches spread abroade Let not the blustering blasts of winter do me anie harme but as my lips and my tongue gratte in me a desire and delight to speake the truth iustlie vprightlie and Christianlie Lighten thou my waies and
starres in the skies yet I beleéue that thy mercie which is aboue all thy workes is able to dispense with the multitude of my sinnes and throughlie to cleanse and wash me from the blots and spots of mine iniquities And therfore O gratious God with vnfeined repentance I prostrate my selfe before theé crieng and calling vnto theé to deale with me in the measure of thy mercie and not in the weight of thy furie though my transgressions exceede number For if thou shouldest reckon with me in rigour I should be found more light than vanitie it would fare with me as with chaffe before the winde or as with bauen in a scorching fornace mine end would be death my reward confusion O heare me therefore O louing Lord faithfullie calling vpon thee with him that said O sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me and with her that said If I might but touch the hemme of his garment I shall be whole and with him that said Lord I beleéue oh helpe mine vnbeleéfe and with him that said Father I haue sinned against heauen and against theé and with him that said O Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner Cast downe thy louing lookes vpon me lamenting Lazarus lieng in wofull case visited by thy hand and groning vnder the rod of thy correction spare me O God spare me O good Lord and be not angrie with me for euer I take it for an vndoubted truth that all manner of punishments proceéde from theé as accustomed meanes and wonted waies which thou vfest to call thy best children home and therfore I am in so much the more comfort that this thy visitation and chastisement is no signe of thine endles anger against me though sicknes and all kind of annoiances sprang and issued from sinne but a token and argument of thy fauour and louing kindnes Yea Lord though it tend to temporall death whereby my bodie is wounded yet I am reposed in this hope and affiance that my soule shall not seé corruption but shall be receiued into heauen to rest in the bosome of faithfull Abraham till the time be come of the generall iudgment glorious resurrection I knowe and it is the duetie of all true Christians to confesse no lesse that from the beginning thou visitedst thy children yea on them whome thou most tenderlie louedst thou diddest laie some portion of thy correction partlie to trie them in tribulation and to confirme their faith by patience in aduersitie but speciallie to assure their spirit that they are thy children and thou their father they thy shéepe and thou their shepheard they thy people and thou their gouernour they thy souldiours and thou their captaine they thy chosen and thou their glorie Thou calledst to the inheritance of thy kingdome after the daies of his pilgrimage were spent Abraham the father of the faithfull Thou calledst vnto the ioies of heauen Iacob and Ioseph when they had runne their appointed race Thou calledst vnto endlesse blessednesse that mild minded man the mirrour of méekenes Moses I meane thy righteous seruant when he had fulfilled his course Thou calledst vnto the place of eternitie Iosua and Caleb and other gratious Iudges of thy people when the houreglasse of their life was run out Thou calledst vnto the fort of felicitie Samuell and Dauid prophets of thine owne appointment when their full yeares were expired Thou calledst vnto the Paradise of perfect pleasure Ezechias Iosias other vertuous Kings when their earthlie tabernacle was torne and rent in sunder Thou calledst vnto euerlasting happinesse Esaie Ieremie and the rest of thy seruants the Prophets when they had liued their full time in this world Thou calledst vnto thy kingdome Iames Iohn Paule Peter and other thine Apostles when they had discharged their dutie in fulfilling their commission And to conclude thou calledst vnto the throne of triumph and victorie Iesus Christ thy son that immaculate and vnblemished lambe that innocent shéepe that swéete Samaritan and surgion of our soules when he had finished the spirituall building whereof he himselfe was the foundation and chéefe corner stone when I saie he had accomplished thy will and vanquished sinne Sathan death and hell In bringing which things about thou didest vse ordinarie meanes euen death the waie of all flesh that by their example thy seruants might be comforted in sicknes that as thy kindnes was plentifullie declared vnto them in deliuering them out of this wildernes and translating them to eternall happinesse so to me no lesse than vnto them though for a time thou laiest thy hand vpon me and scour gest me with thy rod thy fatherlie loue and affection is manifest For whome thou louest him thou chastenest and whippest euerie child thou adoptest and choosest that the consolation of their spirit may be the more increased Wo were I if thou shouldst not visit me O Lord wretched were my state and condition it thou shouldest not trie me with the fire of afflictions Sicknes is thy messenger pouertie is thy messenger yea death is thy messenger whome thou incessantlie sendest vnto thy seruants to call them vnto thée and thy kingdome In consideration whereof I thy child as I faithfullie beléeue adopted in Christ visited at this present by thy hand and patientlie abiding the sharpenesse of thy scourge am erected and incouraged with a certaine and infallible hope that at thy good pleasure thou wilt worke all in me for the best to my soule saluation and to thy selfe glorification Why should I murmur against thée though I am griped with anguish Why should I mistrust thy mercie though my paines be somewhat extreame Why should I despaire as though thou wert not mercifull No no so long Lord as there remaineth breath in my nostrels and so long as mine eies are open and so long as my tong hath the power of speach thy spirit being present with me and comforting me I will thus thinke with my selfe The Lords will be fulfilled when he séeth best time he will make an end of my tribulation He doth not punish me as a reprobate to my condemnation but he correcteth me as a child to my saluation I am the worke of his hands he created me and made me of nothing to the honour of himselfe did he make me and therefore I hope he will not destroie his owne workemanship though it resteth in his will and pleasure to dispose all things as séemeth best to his diuine Maiestie His child I am adopted in the bloud of his sonne Iesus Christ inheritour of the kingdome of heauen through the spirit of sanctification a member of his mysticall bodie a grape of his vine a sheafe of his haruest a shéepe of his flocke and therefore I trust he will be my gratious God This is my comfort that thus thou doest chastise me not in iudgement to desperation but in mercie to consolation and this is my ioie that hereby I am assured that my name is written in his register and as for my faults he hath raced them
thee the Lord of Lords and the King of kings creating at the beginning ruling all things euermore in heauen and earth according to thy wonderfull wisedome and power and our selues to be thy poore seruants the worke of thy hands and the shéepe of thy pasture subiected to thy Maiestie and depending vpon thy fatherlie prouidence for all things 2 Neuerthelesse séeing thou in thy wisedome annointest Kings and Quéenes appointing them to rule ouer thy people to sit as Lieutenants in thy seate to minister iustice and most of all as Fathers and Nurses to mainteine and cherish thy Church commanding vs not onlie to obey and honour them but moreouer to praie for them as watching ouer vs for our good 3 We therefore beséech thée for the great mercies sake and for Iesus Christes sake to shew thy mercie to all Kings and Princes that mainteine thy glorious Gospell but especiallie we praie thée to blesse our most gratious Queene and gouernour Elizabeth thine handmaid with all spirituall blessings in Christ Iesus and with all temporall blessings according to thy good pleasure that in the great measures of thy effectuall loue she may more and more finde great increase of vertue and wisedome and strength in Christ Iesus to the faithfull and happie discharge of her dutie that her holinesse and ioie and zeale of thy house may be multiplied and euerlasting 4 And séeing it hath pleased thée of thy singular mercie to giue her this speciall honour first to suffer for thy glorious truth and afterward miraculouslie deliuering her out of the hands of her enimies to set a crowne vpon her head and to make her the instrument to aduance thy glorie and Gospell for which she suffered and to bring it out of darkenes into light out of persecution into this great and long peace 5 As we giue thée most hartie thankes for this singular benefite so we beséech thée to make her and vs euermore thankefull for it and in thy good pleasure still to preserue her for the continuance of these blessings towards vs with all increase from time to time to thy glorie the benefite of the Church and her infinite peace in Christ Iesus the prince of peace 6 And furthermore we praie thée for her and the estate that such as be enimies of the Gospell and her enimies also for the defence thereof may not despise the peace offered them to repentance but that they may account thy long suffering and her peaceable and vnbloudie gouernement an occasion of saluation to their soules and vnfeigned loue to the truth and their mercifull souereigne Otherwise if they still remaine disobedient to the truth rebellious to her highnesse and dangerous to the state then O God of our saluation as thou hast discouered them so discouer them still as thou hast preuented them so preuent them still and let their eies waxe wearie with looking and their hearts faint with waiting for the comming of that which yet commeth not neither let it come O Lord we beséech thee but a blessed and a long reigne to her and peace to Sion for euermore 7 Also deare father so blesse so loue so in thy spirit sanctifie and kéepe her that she may in the spirit of counsell and fortitude so rule that other sister also namelie this her Commonwealth that they may flourish together and growe vp together as palme trées in beautie and in strength giuing aide and helpe one to another that in the Church the glorie of God may appeare as the Sunne in his brightnesse and that the land may flowe with milke and honie and true peace abound therein as in the triumphant reigne of Debora 8 These graces O Lord are great and we miserable sinners vnworthie of the least of them therefore looke not to vs but to thy selfe not to our iniquities but to thy great mercies accepting the death and passion of thy Sonne as a full ransome for all our offences throwing them into the bottome of the sea and making his crosse and resurrection effectuall in vs to all obedience and godlinesse as becommeth thy Saincts that to all other thy good blessings towards our gratious souereigne this may be added that she gouerneth blessedlie ouer a blessed people a people blessed of the Lord and beloued of the Lord. 9 Yea Lord that thy graces may abound as the waters of the Sea in the Prince and in the people in the Church and in the Common-wealth from daie to daie till the daie of our translation into thy kingdome where iustice inhabiteth where also we shall inhabite and reigne with thée according to thy promise for euer Graunt these things O mercifull father for thy deare sonne our Lord Iesus Christ his sake in whose name we craue them at thy mercifull hand praieng furthermore for them as he hath taught vs to praie Our Father which art in heauen c. The third Branch of Thankesgiuing Generallie deciphering in a pithie and ample meditation Gods great goodnes manifestlie appearing in the diuersitie of the blessings wherwith he hath crowned man Also a praier for grace to be thankefull The contents more particularlie lie open in the sequeale The first Blossome 1 An inuocation or calling vpon God ioined with submission 2 An acknowledgement of Gods manifold blessings and his prouidence 3 A petition for the gratious gift of thankefulnes 4 Testimonies of Gods infinite loue and of the effects of the shining Sunne 5 The sundrie vses of Gods good creatures appointed for mans releefe 6 Ornaments of the minde 7 A request for true knowledge and perceiuerance with the operation of the same 8 Another for thankefulnes 9 What sacrifice God delighteth in 10 A supplication for grace to offer vp the same 1 SEtting before vs O most mercifull louing father the godlie Patriarches the holie Prophets the true Conuerts the constant Martyrs all such as haue loued thy glory far aboue their owne life we prostrate our selues with all submission on of soule and spirit before thy throne of Maiestie humblie beseeching thée for Iesus Christ his sake who is the fulnes of our tore and comfort to bend downe thine eares and to heare the praiers which we powre foorth before thée and for thy sonne sake in whom thou art well pleased grant the request of thy seruants made vnto thée at this present 2 We know most gratious God and louing father yea we cannot but in conscience acknowledge and with tongue confesse that manifold yea innumerable are the gifts which thou hast heaped vpon vs yea so manie are they that we can not with voice vtter neither yet in heart conceiue the greatnes and worthines of them For wheras all other creatures are made framed and fashioned to serue the vse of man and to yéeld themselues obedient and tractable to his commandement and gouernment onelie man representing and bearing thine owne image and likenesse ruleth as a Lord and reigneth as a king ouer all creatures indued with life yea there is nothing within the compasse
esteemed otherwise we shall seeme to preferre the shell before the kernell the barke before the pith the shadowe before the substance yea most absurdlie we shall refuse wheate for chaffe pure gold for drosse cleere wine for dregs and in conclusion repent our want of grace It were behoofull therefore for vs first and principallie to see to our mind which is chiefest part of our essence and being that the same after some serious studie and contemplation desiring to be refreshed be not fed with fond fansies fables dotages imaginations dreames I cannot tell what idle and vnfruitefull discourses which kindle the affections and set the flesh a gogge but rather with holie exercises and godlie meditations such as are and may be prouided for the purpose to reuiue the spirit and quicken the new man if the partie be gratiouslie affected Thou hast heere therefore presented vnto thine hand good Reader a plant of pleasure bearing fourteene seuerall flowers called by the name of holie Hymnes and spirituall Songs to reade at thy leasure for thy recreation and not so much for thy recreation as for thy profit which I haue put partlie in rythme and partlie in prose for the satisfaction of sundrie Readers desires some beeing addicted to this and some delighted in that kind of writing I would to God it were in me to frame my wit to the will of the well disposed in all points I haue done what I could the Lord knoweth what I would his name be praised for all whose glorie to seeke and set foorth I beseech him giue vs all grace so shall the faithfull reioice and clap their hands but shame shall fall vpon the reprobat force them to hang downe their heads Abraham Fleming A Plant of Pleasure bearing fourteene seuerall Flowres ¶ The first Flowre called a holie Hymne conteining 1 A petition vnto God for the remission of sinnes 2 A description of Gods greatnesse 3 Of his habitation and that he seeth all things A. 1 AS the Sunne is the soule and life of the world so is thy word O God the comfort of my heart Be gratious fauourable vnto me thy seruant that I may be freé from the malice of mine enimies Reward me not according to my deseruings O Lord for I am full of sinne and in me there is no righteousnesse According to thy louing kindnesse therefore O mercifull father blot mine offences out of thy register and pardon me Haue mercie on me O founteine of all mercie cleanse me from the corruption of sinne and wash me with the water of thy word Am not I a reasonable creature indued with knowledge and vnderstanding O Lord to whom should I then come but to theé 2 Men beasts fishes and foules they are the works of thine hands by the vertue of thy word they were created and made From the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same I will continue in the contemplation and view of thy greatnes Lighten the eies of my hart O Lord that they may seé the mightines of thy maiestie in thy creatures Endlesse is thy glorie and thy power is incomprehensible wonderfull art thou in thy iudgments Maruellous things are wrought by thine omnipotent hand day by day the eies of all people are witnesses of thy power 3 In heauen is thy dwelling place from whence thou beholdest the commings in and the goings out of all men Nothing is hidden from thine eies O Lord the brightnesse of thy maiestie can not be absent Giue me grace O God to leade my life in the loue of thy lawe so shall I not miscarrie The second Flowre called a spirituall Song conteining 1 A commemoration or remembrance of the benefites of Christes death and passion 2 A petition for thankefulnesse 3 A confession of Gods greatnesse and almightinesse B. 1 AL people praise the Lord with faithfull heart and voice Be bold to magnifie his name and therein to reioice Remember well the worke which he for vs hath wrought And laud his name accordinglie in word in deed and thought Hell gates he hath shut vp in spite of Sathans power And saued the soules of sinfull men from torments sharpe and sower Most mightie is his arme his greatnesse hath none end From force of foes that vs assault all his he doth defend 2 Lord lighten thou our hearts that we may praise thy power Eternallie which flourisheth and worketh euerie hower 3 Most mightie is thy word thy maiestie surmounts In glorie none so excellent as scriptures cast accounts No Prince nor Potentate may once with thee compare Giue vs thy grace no lesse to learne O Lord with Christian care The third Flowre called a holie Hymne conteining 1 A request for assistance against our aduersaries 2 A confession of our vilenesse by reason of sinne 3 A petition for true mortification and regeneration 4 Of the pretiousnesse of mans soule R. 1 ACcording to thine vnmeasurable mercies O God heare my praier and let thine eares be open to the crie of my complaint Be my sauiour and deliuerer from danger and distresse bridle thou the desperatenesse of mine aduersarie that he do me no mischefe Rebuke them O Lord that go about to raise reproches against me chastise them that they may seé wherein they haue offended As for me I will withstand them in their maliciousnesse for I hope thou wilt arme me with the spirit of fortitude and patience Holie one of Israell heare the supplication of me thy seruant and in the time of necessitie assist me 2 A worme and no man I confesse my selfe to be yea more vile and contemptible than anie vnreasonable creature for sinne hath sâ—oong my soule My heart is defiled with a thousand corrupt cogitations yea the thoughts which are hidden in my heart are not so infinite as they are wicked From mine infancie and cradle I haue bene blemished with sinne and as for righteousnes or iustice there is none in mine entrailes Lord I am so ouerwhelmed in sinne and iniquitie that I stand in continuall feare of thy punishment Oh giue me grace to repent Euening and morning I call my sinnes to memorie and they are more in number than the haires of my head yet O Lord be mercifull 3 Make me a new creature by the inspiration of thy sanctifieng spirit and let mine inward man be circumcised with the razour of mortification Increase in me godlie desires and let all carnall concupiscences be quite quenched in me that I may long after nothing but the loue of thy lawe 4 Nothing is more pretious in thy sight O Lord than the soule of man O let not sinne preuaile against it Grant me thy grace euen to the last houre of my life that I may haue in heauen mine inheritance purchased by Christ his death and passion Amen The fourth Flowre called a Spirituall Song conteining 1 A glorifieng of God 2 An exhortation to praise him 3 A repetition of certaine properties in him 4 A protestation or vow of Christian
this life or of the life to come both those which we either haue or yet hope to enioie from the greatest to the smallest from the kingdome of heauen to one onelie drop of water that we are worthie of all the plagues which either haue heretofore seazed or bene yet possessed of vs. Yea if thou shouldest ransacke all the hid and secret treasures of thy fearefull iudgements which in thy lawe thou threatenest against the breakers thereof not onlie to the rasing and swéeping of vs from the face of the earth but also to the throwing of vs headlong into the bottomles pit of hell yet would we therin also acknowledge thy righteous iudgements For to vs belongeth shame and confusion of faces but vnto thée glorie and righteousnes The third Blossome conteining 1 An appeale to Gods promises in Christ for the remission of our sinnes 2 The bloud of the Lambe washeth vs wooll white 3 A praier in the behalfe of the dispersed Church against Papists and Heretikes and for godlie vnitie 4 Gods blessing maketh our land fruitefull and that we are the Lords sheepe our vnworthinesse notwithstanding 5 A request for the continuance of his loue and mercie 6 To what end it is to be desired 1 ALl this both guilt of sinne and desert of punishment notwithstanding O father of mercies and God of all comfort we trusting vnto the promises which thou hast made vs in Iesus Christ are bold through him humblie to call for the performance of them And first we humblie desire thee to forgiue vs all our sins Thou hast said that if we confesse our sinnes thou art faithfull to forgiue vs them We acknowledge the debt cancell therefore the obligation let not the multitude of them preuaile against vs but where our sinne hath abounded let thy grace more abound and as we haue multiplied our sinnes so we praie thée to multiplie thy mercies 2 And although we haue by continuance in them so soked ourselues that thereby we are not onlie lightlie stained but also haue gotten as it were the scarlet and purple die of them yet let them all we praie thée being washed in the bloud of thy swéete Lambe be made as white as the snowe in Salmon and as the wooll of the shéepe which come from washing And to conclude as our sinnes haue magnified themselues in an infinite length breadth deapth and height so let thy mercies which passe all vnderstanding of all sides and assaies outreach them 3 Therefore also we most humblie desire thée O Lord that the sinne being pardoned thy wrath which is alreadie declared may be appeased towards all the Churches of our profession and especiallie towards vs that the manifolde breaches of the Churches and Commonwealthes maie be made vp that those being receiued into the bosome of the Church which belong to thine election the rest of the Papists and Heretikes may be vtterlie rooted out and that our enimies in religion béeing slaine we may to the vttermost thinke all one thing in the honest and peaceable gouernement of the Commonwealth 4 Upon which vniting of vs in all truth and honestie the curses of the plague and barrennesse being remoued a waie may be made to thy blessings which as the hills do the vallies may make our land holesomelie fruitefull And that not onlie the wrath which is alreadie kindled may be quenched but that which hath bene latelie threatened may be caused to retire For the graunt whereof vnto vs we beséech thée to remember that how vnworthie soeuer yet are we thy people and the shéepe of thy pasture whome thou hast redéemed with thy most pretious bloud watched ouer with a carefull eie defended with a mightie hand despise not therefore O Lord the workes of thy hands 5 And séeing thou hast loued vs when we hated thée visited vs when we desired thée not then acknowledged vs when we knewe thée not now that there be a number of vs which loue thée desire thine abode and acknowledge thée hold on thy loue still depart not from vs denie vs not O thou God of truth which art the God that sinne by the assistance of Gods spirit 6 For the due examination of our thoughts and an vpright hart 7 For conuersation fit and agreeable to our calling 8 For constancie in our profession against all temptations and impediments 1 O Mercifull and heauenlie Father we thy seruants do humblie prostrate our selues before thy diuine Maiestie acknowledging here in thy sight our hainous offences committed against thine omnipotencie séeing and beholding thy heauie wrath against them We féele our selues laden O Lord our God with a huge companie of horrible sinnes whereof euen the verie least being but conceiued in thought is sufficient in iudgement to throwe vs downe to the euerlasting burning lake 2 Our owne consciences O Lord do beare witnes against vs. of our manifold transgressions of thy blessed lawe of our securitie and senslesse blindnes running headlong to destruction committing sinne after sinne although not notorious to the world yet horrible before thine eies The thoughts of our hearts rise vp in iudgement against vs the vanitie of our talke before thy Maiestie condemneth vs the wickednes of our déedes from thy sight reiecteth vs all our wicked thoughts words and déedes with the inward corruption of our nature do altogether as it were a whole lumpe and loade of sinne lie heauie vpon vs and with their intollerable weight do euen presse vs downe to Hell 3 We do dailie grone vnder the burthen of them inwardlie lamenting our owne follie so gréedilie running into them In heauen earth or hell we sée none able to susteine the weight of them but euen thy dearelie beloued sonne Iesus Christ who in mercie intinite and compassion endlesse hath susteined and ouercome that endlesse punishment due vnto them in him therefore in him most mercifull Father and through him we come to thée being fullie assured according to thy promise that thou wilt accept and take that full recompense which he thy deare son hath made for vs as a iust ransome for all the sinnes of all those who with a true faith take hold on him In him therefore we sée thine anger towards vs appeased thy wrath satisfied and our debts paied 4 Increase in vs good Lord we beséech thée this liuelie and féeling faith for we féele it oftentimes in vs verie weake and troubled with manie doubts increase it in vs O Lord that we maie through thy holie spirit be assured that the punishment of our sinnes is fullie in thy sonne discharged Make vs O Lord our God to feele this â—ame in our soules and consciences that Iesus Christ is ours and all that he hath done that we are graffed into his bodie and made one with him and therefore fellow heires with him of eucriasting life Let vs not onelie haue these words in our mouthes good Lord but through thy holie spirit let vs feéle the comfort of them in our hearts fullie sealed and setled in vs