vnchangeable most profound most euident and is wholy altogether for with one onely simple aspect it teacheth from one Eternity to the other seeing with one onely glimpse whatsoeuer is possible to be seene or knowne so that from that that God is God hee so knoweth whatsoeuer hee knoweth that hee can know nothing de nouo which before hee knew not because nothing can bee new vnto him for all things past present and to come and which by any meanes are possible hee knoweth distinctly and euidently without all mixture of doubt opinion or perplexity Whence I learne that as God forgets not mee but remembers mee and all mine so distinctly as if I were in the world alone so I should neuer forget my God nor the things that belong vnto him 4 If I would meditate of Gods Omnipotency I consider first that hee is infinitely Potent to do what hee will Luke 1. without any limits or bounds nothing is impossible with God Secondly that this Omnipotency is onely proper vnto God so that onely God in his owne nature and essence hath power but no creature hath any but participated from God onely God can doe what hee doth without the helpe of any other yet doth hee so participate this to his creatures that euery creature can doe that which is conuenient to his nature Thirdly that this Omnipotency of God doth exercise it selfe euermore in doing good vnto vs this being the Fountaine from whence all his Diuine Benefites do flow For hee created the heauen and the earth for vs wherein what benefites wee receiue by the Light by the Firmament by the Sunne and Moone by the Birds and Fishes by the Beasts of the earth and all the Treasures thereof the tongue of Men and Angels cannot declare And after the creation in that hee conserues the world and all that is in it for vs and by his Prouidence disposeth of all things for our good calling vs to the grace of his Iustification by the Ministery of his blessed Word and Sacraments and neuer leauing to accompany vs with his benefites and graces vntill hee bring vs to himselfe if wee will vse the holy meanes which to this purpose bee hath in Iesus Christ ordained for vs. Heere must wee giue diligence that the whole structure of our liues and of our considerations may chiefly depend vpon these three fingers of Gods Wisedome Omni-potencie and Goodnesse to which the actions and affections of these three Diuine Vertues of Faith Hope and Charity may answere For Faith answers vnto his Wisedome Hope to his Omni-potencie and Charitie to his Goodnesse Albeit all the three vertues and their actions respect the three Attributes of God together 5 If wee would meditate of the infinite Mercy of God then consider first that it goes before all his workes of Iustice for before God punish any sinners hee offers them infinite mercies Secondly that his mercy doth euer accompany the workes of Iustice Psal 76. for in the midst of punishment hee cannot forget to bee mercifull Thirdly Hab. 3. that the latitude of his mercy reacheth to all his creatures Sap. 11. Psal 35. and all their miseries yea euen to the bruit beasts Fourthly that hee is in a speciall manner mercifull vnto sinners and all kinds of sinne Psal 5. expecting â—â—ely their repentance that hee night cast their sinnes into the â—ottome of the Sea Mich. 3. and put them as farre from them as the East is from the West Psal 102 Math. 18 Hee forgiues seuenty times seuen times Ergo should I bee mercifull towards â—ny neighbour in imitation of his â—ercies vnto mee Ergo may I also conceiue great confidence of his mercy to mee a sinner Fifthly that in a more speciall manner hee is mercifull to such is loue and serue him such as are the vessels of mercy Rom. 9. This mercy of his towards his Elect is Eternall Psal 102 hauing neither beginning nor ending but is euen as God himselfe from euerlasting to euerlasting this mercy preuents accompanies and followes them euen to the last gaspe Rom. 8 This mercy is most high Ier. 31. for it aduanceth the elect to most excellent good things Psal 107. so that as the heauen is higher then the earth Psal 35. Psal 102. so is his mercy greater then their misery Sixthly and lastly he hath expressed his Mercie in the most exact manner that can bee possible For seeing as God hee could not bee sorrowfull for our hurt which is an effect of mercy his infinite Mercie prouided that his Sonne should take our nature on him Heb. 2. that hee might in all things bee like his brethren sin excepted and so become mercifull and sorrowfull for vs nay not content to haue inward compassion hee tooke on him all our miseries and paines Heb. 4. and hath not so left vs but by his Word and Sacraments hee helpes our necessities and infirmities considering wee are but men and stand in need of many remedies 6 If wee would meditate of the infinite Goodnesse of God First consider that hee hath in him all the degrees of goodnesse which are in the creatures infinitely more excellent then in them Secondly that all the goodnesse is so in his owne Essence that hee doth not participate it from any other thing nor can bee taken from it Thirdly that this Goodnesse so excels all the goodnesse of the creatures as the thing it selfe doth the name Fourthly that God is most propense and ready to communicate his goodnesse to all but chiefly to man for goodnesse hath a diffusiue power And this hee doth not constrainedly but onely out of his goodnesse nor doth hee communicate his goodnesse for his owne benefite as men doe nor yet doth hee suffer his propensity of goodnesse to bee idle but exerciseth it by all meanes possible powring it out according to the order of his infinite Wisedome Therefore when I pray I will poure out my soule in his sight 1. Reg. 1. Psal 141. I will poure out my prayer before him Nay I will poure out my heart before him O thou infinite Goodnesse which chiefly desirest to bee communicated if thou didst not communicate thy goodnesse it were impossible there should bee any goodnesse besides thee make mee partaker of these excellencies wherwith thou hast communicated thy selfe that I may loue thee serue thee obey thee not for feare but of loue willingly not for my owne benefite but onely for thy seruice not with a sparing minde and heart but with a liberall and generous Spirit Thus may wee meditate of all Gods other Attributes 15 How to meditate on the Lords Prayer or any words of the holy Scripture In meditating on either of them it is very good to pause and stay so long vpon euery word of the Lords Prayer or any sentence of Scripture as long as our soules should finde any rellish or profite by it In euery Petition I may meditate on these points following 1
Father most wise Son most holy Spirit O three Persons truely distinct and one most pure simple Deitie O thou that art the Author of nature giuer of grace the first and vniuersall cause of all things and the most in deficient fountaine of all goodnesse here O Lord I know thou art present after a most heauenly spirituall true comfortable and most effectuall and powerfull manner to the soule of the worthy receiuer I worship thee as my God with my whole heart and with al my strēgth humbly praying thee in the merites of my Sauiour Christ that all my thoughts my desires words and workes may be now euer acceptable vnto thee that thou will heare my praiers and for thy mercies sake not without comfort dispatch them from thee I thank thee O foūtain of goodnesse for the innumerable great benefits which frō the very momēt of my conception vntill this instant houre I haue receiued of thy boūty for the infinit benefits which euē now at this very time I receiue from thee for those infinit benefits which euen vnto the ende of my life and for all eternity I shall receiue out of the treasures of thy immense goodnesse and bounty For I am O Lord without all comparison lesse then least of thy mercies vnworthy altogether whom thou shouldest remember susteine or comfort with the least of thy benefits But now especially most deere Father and mercifull God I giue thee thanks frō the bottome of my heart First for the most infinit riches which thou hast placed in the humanity of thy onely begotten Sonne my Lord Iesus Christ and because thou hast giuen him vnto mee for a Father a Teacher a Guide and a Redeemer Secondly for that great plenty of benefits wherewith thou hast not onely inriched me but also all those whom by thy effectuall grace through the whole Church thou callest to sanctification and newnesse of life and admittest to thy most sweete familiarity Thirdly also I thanke the most deere Father euen with all the strength of my minde for this thy great merey in taking me from the miseries of this world wherein many of thy seruants farre more worthy then I are plunged in calling mee to the knowledge of thy great name and graunting mee so many helps to serue thee as I haue Fourthly for all the talents and guifts both Naturall Spirituall and Temporall bestowed on mee that by them I might profitably spend my time helpe others according to my calling and power and dispose my selfe by thy mercy to attaine eternall felicity Fifthly for this vicissitude and change of consolations and desolations of prosperities and aduersities wherewith thou hast wonderfully wouen and seasoned my life that neither through continuall aduersity I should bee cast downe nor yet by assiduity of prosperity I should be made drunke Sixthly for this inestimable benefit of calling and admitting mee this day to the most heauenly participation of all the rich treasures that are hidden in the life death resurrection ascention glorification of thy onely begotten Sonne and most sweet Sauiour And now O my Lord God being animated with these and other thy innumerable benefits I presume humbly to sue for more Giue mee Lord and all that now are prepared for this heauenly feast Matth. 15 this day our dayly bread It is not good O my God to take the childrens bread and giue it vnto dogs but though this be so yet sometimes the whelps doe eate of the crummes which fall from their Masters table Therefore albeit I am in thy house like a despicable whelpe yet this day by thy mercy let mee feed on the bread of thy children and furnish my soule with all graces which may make me worthily to taste of thy supper Giue me thy most abundant grace that I may come to this my Redeemers bāquet with such assured faith profound humility due reuerence humble feare feruent charity constant hope and thirsting affections that I may there appeare to bee welcome vnto thee and may receiue into my soule all the fruits of this thy most heauenly Sacrament And because O my sweete Father Sauiour and Sanctifier this is a seruice wherewith thou art well pleased and by which thou conueiest vnto vs the bottomlesse Ocean of all thy mercies and graces I will now powre out my heart further in thy sight and because thy Sonne my Sauiour is omnipotent I will for his infinit merits sake pray vnto thee for all men Be mercifull therfore O Father of al mercies to the whole world and replenish it with thy faith and knowledge turning the Nations which are voide of faith to the knowledge of the truth in thy Sonne Christ Iesus Turkes Barbarians Heretiques Schismatiques Idolaters and the perfidious Iewes compell them now at length to enter into the house of the Church Let not so many millions created in thy image perish Let not that most pretious bloud of thy Sonne be shed for them in vaine I lament O Lord before thee these my brethren thus estranged from thee and the miserable condition wherein they lie intangled and if I could I would beleeue in thee with all the vnderstandings of these people I would loue thee with all their willes and I would perpetually serue thee with all their strengths But alas I can doe nothing but desire and lament and powre out my laments and desires before thy great Maiesty Haue mercy O Lord vpon thy whole Church increase in it the purity of faith and cleannesse of sanctification and extend it by the labour of thy good and painfull seruants to the ends of the whole world Behold with the eye of thy mercy thy righteous ones those that labour more and more for a further measure of sanctification preserue and increase in them true righteousnesse Behold all miserable sinners lying and stinking in the puddle of their sinnes draw them vnto thee and take them by a mighty hand out of that so miserable an estate Helpe Lord all those pastours of thy flocke and giue them grace that both by word and example they may shine vnto all men and their light may guide and direct others to saluation O Lord make them the salt of the earth the light of this cloudy world the cities placed vpon a high hill and giue them grace not onely to aspire vnto but to attaine that purity of life that zeale of thy glory which their place and dignity requires O Lord poure out thy mercies vpon our King and all other Kings and gouerours nobles plebeians and all the whole ranke of secular men that call vpon thy name deliuer them from their aduersaries ioyn them together in the peace of thy Gospell inrich them with a zeale and care of obseruing thy commandements that they may liue as it becommeth Christians and may obtaine that eternall saluation to which they were created Forget not the kingdoms principalities of thy Church but make thē more potēt then their enemies giue victory to their armies against the
ingrate as to passe by such and so greate a benefite without thanks who is so colde as that hauing tasted meat so reeking hoate with loue doth not also himselfe waxe hoate surely that were a signe either of spirituall death or of stupidity disposing vnto death After the holy communion if thou doest not feele some spirituall refection it is a signe of spirituall infirmity or death Doest thou put fire in thy bosome and feelest no heate or hony into thy mouth and feelest no sweetnesse how then canst thou eate and drinke at this heauenly Table and not be drunke with the plesures of Gods house therefore let vs learne of others who haue receiued small fauours with thankfull hearts to take this great benefite with no lesse thankfulnesse When Boos perswaded Ruth to gleane the cares after his seruants he said vnto her hearest thou my daughter goe to none other field to gather neither goe from hence but abide with my maydens let thine eyes be vpon the field that they doe reape and goe thou after the maydens haue not I charged the seruants that they touch thee not besides when thou art a thirst goe vnto the vessels and drinke of that which the seruants haue drawne This benefit with what thankfulnesse doth she repay it she fell on her face and bowed her selfe to the ground and said how haue I found fauour in thy sight that thou shouldest know me seeing I am a stranger but thou art called not by a rich man but by God not to gather cares but to eate the bread of life not to drinke water of no value but to drinke the pretious bloud of the Lord art thou inuited with what great humility what great zeale what great affections of loue oughtest thou to giue thankes for this benefit Ester inuiting her Lord Ahashuerosh to a banquet hee so esteemed it that he said vnto her What is thy petition Ester that it may bee giuen thee Est 7. And what wouldest thou haue to bee done Albeit thou askest the one halfe of my Kingdome it shall bee giuen thee Out of doubt here is greater cause without all comparison of thankefulnesse for there the handmaide inuites the King but here the King inuites his vnprositable seruant there are earthly cates here are heauenly viands from the banquet proceeded the death of an enemy and temporall safety but from this ariseth the destruction of sinnes and spirituall saluation Who thē is it that admitted to so magnificēt a feast doth not offer vnto God so inuiting him not onely a part of his heart but the whole heart and whatsoeuer he is or hath Who is it that doth him not all duties of loue and praise 2. Sam. 9. What did Dauid with Mephibosheth that he might shew towards Ionathan his father did not hee promise him all fauour Did he not restore vnto him the things that were Saules and commanded him to eate meate at the Kings table And what answered Mephibosheth Who am I thy seruant that thou shouldest looke vpon such a dead dogge as I am Behold what God hath done for thee euen wonderfull things he hath giuen thee many benefits hee hath left thee a dispensatory and most rich reconditory of all graces the blessed Sacrament hee hath giuen that his flesh to eate and his bloud to drinke And what wilt thou do vnto him Wilt thou bee vnmindefull of so many and great benefits contained in one Sacrament Wilt thou forget the Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing Wilt thou goe from this table by and by to thy worldly imploiments the Lord complains of those ten leapers whereof but one returned to giue thankes Luk. 17. where are the nine and that worthily for nothing is more damnable then vnthankfulnesse And what complaint will hee take vp of thee if thou receiuing not a corporall but a spirituall health shall either returne no thanks or very cold ones and so great a guest being left alone and vnsaluted shalt betake thy selfe presently to the cares of the world It is the duty of all holy men as soone as they haue tasted this heauenly feast to recognize the great benefit of it and to giue God immense thanks for it Holy Dauid may seem to haue prophesied the same all such as are fat haue eaten and worshipped all they that goe down into the dust shal kneele before him And who are these fat ones of the earth are they not the righteous and holy men which in this world possesse the true riches and are fatted with celestiall cogitations and enioy the most pure pleasures of the spirit Who are those that go down into the dust Is it not the humble in heart who in contempt of themselues fall downe vpon the earth and make themselues inferiour vnto all These doe first eate that is take the misteries of the body and bloud of Christ presently praise the Lord and adore him with thankefull hearts I doe no wrong vnto this place of the Psalms in expounding it thus for two worthy learned men long since haue so vsed it Bas Theod. Thou therefore that couetest to imitate these fat ones of the earth and wilt be partaker of their good things doe not thou separate the things which the Spirit of GOD hath ioyned together eate and adore receiue the benefit and at the least returne though not sufficient yet such slender thankes as thou art able Say with the same Prophet Psal 56. vnto thee will I pay my vowes vnto thee will I giue thanks Where wee read thy vowes are vpon mee O God I render praises vnto thee Thy vowes my God and thy desires or those which thou desirest from this thy creature are not farre off I can easily haue them they are ready without mee I haue them within my selfe which are praises and thankefulnesse which for so great a benefit I will answere thee Being with such cogitations as this stirred vp thou must for some halfe houre or as thou shalt thinke fit get thee into some priuate place and bestow thy self in giuing of thanks And if thou hast not better of thine owne or be one of them who being acted and lead by the Spiof God need no preuention of meditations thou maist vse these seauen meditations which may be assigned to euery day of the weeke 1 Meditation 1. Behold Christ Iesus thy Sauiour in thy heart by faith as a most potent King and thy selfe as one guilty of many sinnes standing before him and desiring mercy 2 Giue him infinit thankes 1. That he hath beene pleased to leaue thee so great a pledge of his loue as to be present at this holy Sacrament not as a Iudge punishing thy sinnes but as a most louing Father and King pardoning thy offences 2. That with so great fauour hee hath heard thy praiers put vp with such a polluted heart and lips 3. That hee would condiscend to dwell in that fowle and vnprepared house of thy heart 3 Detest all thy sinnes before him conceiue
God would not spare him that offendeth Greg. 9. Mor. And what is it that this holy man who did such admirable workes feared in them was it not least fraud and deceit should mixe themselues in his actions and earthly concupiscence should like a theefe secretly lurke to steale away the goodnesse of them Exod. 30. Therefore as the sacred perfumes composed of many sorts of spices were to bee beaten to pouder and set before the Arke of testimony so must our good workes not be few but many not proceeding from one but mixt with all vertues and by the pestle of the heart through inward discussion of the Conscience broken and bruised all to peeces and powder that they may giue a gratefull sauour in the nostrels of GOD. For as these spices if they bee not powned cast fourth no fragrant smell so if our good workes passe not vnder the hand of discussion but be presented in grosse vnto God they loose the sweet smell which they should haue Now if our good workes must come vnder this examination much more must our euill and wicked actions bee subiect to it For seeing thereby not onely our sinnes and defects but also the quality and greatnesse of the euill committed it cannot but mooue it to sorrow and repentance which being true and vnfeined bends the mercy of GOD towards vs and obteines remission in Iesus Christ Is 38. What doth the good King that hee might get GOD to bee propitious vnto him I will walke weakely all my yeres in the bitternesse of my soule where the common translation goeth thus I will recall all my yeares in the bitternesse of my soule All the yeares saith hee of my life I will remember my sinnes committed against thee and I will season this remembrance with grieuous sorrow and repentance and because I haue offended thy diuine Maiestie I will euen consume my selfe with griefe and affliction I will surely say O Lord if thus I liue if thus I must spend and wast my daies if in such so filthy and odious things so vnworthy of man I shall loose the life of my soule why should I liue And whilst I thus say and with griefe consume my selfe feeling thy reprehension in my heart I am by thy mercy brought to life againe I now see that in the false feigned and hurtfull peace which I had with my sinnes there was hidden most bitter bitternesse But whilst I see this and grieue for it thou O Lord who wouldest not the death of a sinner but that hee might bee turned and liue hast taken away and deliuered my soule from that miserable condition of sinne that it should not perish and hast cast behind thy backe all my sinnes These fruits did Ezechias gather from the recogitation of his sins And the same shall wee also doe as often as with sorrow and griefe wee discusse and recogitate our sinnes Ber. Learne therefore saith that deuout father to commaund thy selfe to order thy life to compote thy manners to iudge thy selfe to accuse thy self with thy selfe and often to condemne thy selfe and suffer not thy selfe to escape vnpunished Let thy conscience iudging and condemning thee sit quiet let Iustice stand as guilty no man loues thee better no man will iudge more faithfully In the morning take an account of thy selfe for the night past and giue a Law vnto thy selfe for the day come At night take an account of the past and lay a commandement on thy selfe for the night to come so shalt thou be kept from all wicked and daungerous transcursions and wandrings out of the way Seeing then all that wee doe must be thus discussed many of them being by the mercy of God good and not a few by our owne frailty euill it follower that all both good and bad must appeare before the conscience that what is good in them may by the mercy of God be accepted and what is euill out of our frailty may through his mercy and our due repentance be put out and pardoned Now hauing thus seene the matter of our discussion it followeth that we speake how it is to be done We say that Kingdome is happy where the Iudges loue no guifts nor seeke for rewards but iudge iustly but more truely is that soule happy in which reason illuminated by God examines all the actions and dissembles nothing nor leaues any thing that is vniust without iust punishment If then this examen of the conscience bee a certaine kinde of spirituall iudgement the forme of iudgement most be obserued in it that it be rightly and profitably performed of vs. Now in that iudgement wherin a man is not onely accused of some crime but also of ingratitude towards him whom by his offence he hath hurt 1. There must bee a commemoration of the benefit 2. An inquisition and probation of the crime 3. Lastly a sentence of the Iudge condemning the guilty and with due punishment censuring him Of this kinde it seemeth the examen of Conscience isâ—â— in which wee must not onely accuse our selues of some faultes and defects but of ingratitude towards GOD which being prooued against vs wee cannot but pronounce sentence against our selues and punish our selues by repentance for it For as black doth appeare better if placed neere vnto that which is white so our sins being set neere to the benefits of God will more euidently shew themselues To this discussion the Prophet exhorts what haue I don Mich. 6. O my people and wherein haue I grieued thee That so remembring his benefits hee might draw them to the knowledge of their sinnes and ingratitude and so bring them to a desire of their conuersion The next thing is to take a time accommodate and fit for this examen which may be some short time before we prepare our selues for sleepe There is one time of searching out the things that are aboue vs and another time of discussing the things that are with in vs. For their is a time for euery thing vnder the Sunne Therefore there is a time of contemplating the wonderfull workes of God and there is a time of considering our owne infirmities This is a time of weeping but that is a time of laughing For sorrow may bee for a night but ioy commeth in the morning Psal 29. Why should there not be a time of laughing in the morning of diuine contemplation in the contemplation of eternall light And why should there not be a time of weeping in the euening of horrible sights in considering the darkenesse of mans conscience Therefore in this time of weeping and considering our owne darkenesse fiue things are to bee done which concurre to the forme and manner of this examen 1. Is a commemoration of the benefits of GOD and an humble and feruent thanksgiuing 2. A desire of grace that wee may bee able to search out and know our sinnes and defects 3. An inquisition and discussion of the conscience whereby we may acknowledge the sinnes
euen euery hearer This is a great ignominy to God by it the wrath of God is kindled and prouoked against the whole Assembly and we our selues are offended and hindred withall Therefore let vs haue great care to testifie our brotherly affection towards our neighbours euen as our hands do one of them helpe another so let the hearers one stirre vp another first by their holy examples secondly by their sweete and well seasoned exhortations thirdly by the iudgements of God fourthly the mourning one for another fiftly the censure of exeommunication 1. Cor. 5. which are proper vnto the Minister of God for wee ought to haue a speciall regard of the saluation of our brethren honour of the Church and glory of God 7 The neglect of prayer is a great hinderance to this preparation or if prayer bee not rightly ordered Therefore euery hearer must haue a singular regard to inuocate the name of God for a blessing where first hee must giue hearty and humble thankes to God for his infinite benefites but chiefly for the inestimable benefite of his Word to vs reuealed which is either altogether denyed vnto others or else impurely Preached also he must be thankfull to God for that in part his holy Spirit hath purged out the old leauen and some part of the leauen of maliciousnesse and wickednesse out of his heart secondly it behoues him to acknowledge to pray earnestly against his owne impurities and defilements as well naturall as actuall by the example of Dauid often falling into the consideration of his sinnes Psal 51. euen from the wombe Psal 25.32 and of vnknowne sinnes of his youth Thirdly hee must pray for his Minister that hee may so meditate on the Word that hee may haue the knowledge and vtterance of such things as belongs to the edification and saluation of the hearers Let him also pray for himselfe and all the hearers that they may haue holy and learned eares to apply to their owne soules the instructions deliuered for there is no good thing either in the Teacher or Hearer without the free gift of God in Iesus Christ from whose fountaine of mercies it is that we must draw it with sighes and teares 2 The publicke Preparation of the Hearer before Sermons In few words the publicke preparation of the hearer in the Church before Sermon may stand in these obseruations first to sing some Psalme containing either thankfulnesse to God for his benefites or petitions vnto God for things necessary pertaining to the Preaching of the Word for such singing in which there is a wonderfull sweetnesse of things and of concord the holy Spirit working by them do stirre vp the motions of the minde and driue away the idle wandring and wicked cogitations as also the perturbations and sorrowes of the heart that the hearer may with a more setled and appeased minde bee present at the Sermon Secondly by reading of some Chapter of the Bible vntill the Company be assembled noting therein first the summe and principall points of the Chapter secondly the distribution and parts of it thirdly the chiefe doctrine that is to bee drawne out of it with the vse and application Thirdly by exhorting and stirring vp one another to the apprehension and practise of some necessary point of doctrine either before Preached or at that time conceiued Fourthly by praying with the Minister that forasmuch as they doe now talke with God himselfe being gathered together for that purpose in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost that they may beare God and God may heare them In which prayer it is necessary that their chiefe aime bee at the scope and end of all Sermons which because few or none doe truely vnderstand either how necessary it is or wherein the end of all Sermons consists it shall bee fit in this place that I open the point First the chiefest and highest end of Preaching and Hearing Sermons is that all glory and honour may bee attributed from men vnto God both in this world and in the world to come which glory consists in the true and right knowledge of God and in the true inward and outward worship of God so truely knowne Secondly the meane scope and end leading and directing to this high end are these First the eternall saluation of mans soule and body with which is ioyned this temporary life both in prosperity and aduersity for that God may of vs bee glorified and not as it commeth to passe in this world by Sathan and his members bee affected with contumely and ignominy by infidelity and impiety it is necessary that it be well with vs and that wee bee assured of eternall life and that from God the Father by the deliuerance of Iesus Christ and the working of the holy Spirit For who in the graue will praise thee saith the Prophet Secondly that man may obtaine eternall saluation and so glorify God both heere and for euer it is needfull that in him bee destroyed the kingdome of Satan which he got by the fall of man in what state office or condition soeuer he bee and that the Kingdome of Christ which hee obtained by the deliuerance wrought by his death vnto the elect bee built vp and re-edified Thirdly that the Kingdome of Satan may bee destroyed and the Kingdome of Christ which is the Kingdome of eternall Life and the glory of God may bee truely built vp it is required that there bee an vtter ruining and slaying of all incredulitie and vices and on the contrary an edifying and practising of faith and all vertues Fourthly that wee may flee incredulity and vices and giue our selues to the study of faith and vertues it is required that we hate and detest them and loue and embrace these and therefore the drift of all Sermons is that the minde and heart and conscience of the hearer may bee inflamed to them both Fiftly that the minde and soule of the hearer may bee inflamed to the hatred and eschewing of sin and wickednesse and to the loue application and practise of goodnesse it is necessarily required that the euill of incredulity and vices and also the good of faith and vertues be soundly knowne for as there is no desire of the good things which are vnknowne So of the euill things vnknowne there is no hatred and eschewing Thirdly the lowest drist of hearing Sermons directing by these meanes vnto the highest end is that the vnderstanding of the hearer by the grace of Gods holy Spirit may bee by Sermons informed in the faith and errours about the same in vertues and the vices destroying them These are the chiefe ends which euery man ought diligently to propose vnto himselfe in hearing of the word of GOD Preached But now if such as ought to heare this word be cold and negligent in this preparation and eyther refuse to come at all or else refuse to come sanctified and prepared Then 1. let their consciences bee admonished and compelled both by the
Ensigne put all his Troupes to the sword themselues being such as illustrate many with the light of God and stirre them vp to emulation it cannot bee but such as are deuoted to this most fruitfull exercise must needs prosperously succeed And not without cause for there the mindes besieged with all kind of euils do gather new forces and are made more puissant both to tame the vnruly passions and also to acquire more vertues For albeit they enter vn-armed yet they go out armed and more valiant to fight of which that our Sauiours most couragious confronting of his aduersaries after his prayer in the Garden was a sure argument For Prayer establisheth the heart with magnanimity it is conceiued as if it were with the fortitude and strength of God instilled into it And what can so encourage the heart of man as the hand of the Creator stretched out to helpe And how can hee want the Hand that hath the Heart of his Creator Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them What shall I speake of those hidden comforts the knowledge of God the contempt of the world the peace of conscience and many other true tokens of the sonnes of God which are imprinted in the mindes of such as vse this holy exercise Beleeue it whatsoeuer by the most wise and eloquent men and Orators of the world can in this kinde bee spoken is lesse then these Orators of God by thus exercising themselues doe obtaine What then ought wee to doe seeing God requires this incessant duety of ours but that so much of our short time heere as may be taken from the necessary employment about things of this present life and our ordinary Callings should bee consecrated vnto prayer For this is as it were the very spirit of life which lifteth vp man from the dregges of this world into the fellowship and vnspeakeble fruition of the most hidden things of God There are but three sorts of good things in this life wherewith mans heart is rauished and all these are most richly attained vnto in this heauenly exercise That which is profitable is hereby by obtained euen vnto a certaine kinde of immunity from indigence and need of the profitable good things for it is plaine that men addicted vnto prayer are lesse vexed with hunger thirst heate cold and such like and therefore they vse both meate and cloathing most sparingly That which is honest they obtaine euen to the most high familiarity with God And that which is pleasant they obtaine euen to the most in-effable and most chaste delights and pleasures of heauen which in this world they most happily take a taste of That I may therefore giue a right farewell to this point the drift of all men prayers is to bee so grounded on the vnmoueable rocke of faith that there bee no haesitation in him that prayes but that hee assuredly trusts by Christ to obtaine the good things hee demands which assurance must be deriued from these 3. reasons which are so strong against all the incursions of sins passions and all temptations and so able to affect the heart as that they can moue euen the stones 1 Reason God albeit hee had not prouided for mans helpe neither the Incarnation Passion and Death of his onely begotten Sonne nor the holy vse of the Word and Sacraments nor any other thing yet of his owne goodnesse and naturall propensity vnto mercy hee is most mercifull nor can hee manifest his goodnesse and mercy in so high a degree to his other workes as in sparing for it is the highest degree of goodnesse and mercy to do good to such of whom hee is iniuried Seeing therefore God hath made all his workes to manifest his goodnesse and nothing makes so much to the end of his glory and manifestation as to haue mercy on men most miserable sinners certaine hope may be conceiued that hee will grant pardon to them that faithfully aske it and giue them both grace and glory God is more propense to doe good then the fire is to burne if therefore the fire as often as nothing hinders it burnes and consumes all that is put vpon it Surely nor will God so long as nothing with-stands him but haue mercy but nothing hinders God nor can as long as man doth seriously will and desire God to haue mercy on him therefore euen the most wicked may hope if they seriously desire it that God will forgiue their sinnes and giue them all necessaries Theee was neuer any man liuing from the worlds beginning so wickedly giuen to wine or intemperancy that was so much delighted with the pleasures thereof as God is delighted in hauing mercy If therefore the Drunkard and intemperate man doe not onely willingly take his pleasures but is violently carried away with the streame of them Surely God without any disgrace of so great Maiesty nay with much honour and dignity doth as it were hastily runne to take those pleasures of shewing mercy The euent proues it true hee therefore sent his Word into the world his Sonne because hee is delighted in quickenesse of mercy for his Word runneth very swiftly Seeing then that God when hee sheweth mercy doth a thing to himselfe honourable first to the glory of his great Name agreeable to his Palate and Disposition and therefore pleasant to him yea let mee say also profitable for so many seruants hee gaines as there be men on whom hee shewes mercy Who can be so mad and barbarous as not to conceiue most vn-controuleable hope and assure himselfe that the most munificent Lord will giue him whatsoeuer hee penitently and seriously asketh 2 Reason The most mercifull God from euerlasting when there was none to entreate him nor as yet the world was created being most propense vnto goodnesse fore-seeing Adams fall decreed that Iesus Christ our Redeemer should be incarnate and when the fulnesse of time came hee was incarnate of the blessed Virgine was borne and for the space of thirty three yeares suffered all kinds of discommodities and at last dying the most shamefull death of the Crosse purchased my saluation with his pretious bloud and by this price of his bloud so offered himselfe to the Father for me being but one as if hee had thought of redeeming none but mee so that his bloud all of it was no lesse shed for mee then if Christ had shed it for none else which the Apostle seemeth to haue thought saying I liue in the faith of the Son of God who loued mee and gaue himselfe for mee where hee speaketh more particularly then when hee saith Who gaue himselfe for vs and loued vs. If then Christ shed euery drop of his bloud for mee being but one If all his labours and bloudy sweate in the Garden were for mee being but one If hee cryed vnto the Father with strong cries and teares for mee being but one as if the matter had onely concerned the forgiuenesse of the
in this methode is most singularly proposed by what meanes one may come to the sublime and perfect practise of all that is written in all the bookes of God and godly men Besides this is shewed by the confession of many who thought themselues before to haue had a sufficient loue of God according to the frailty of man and that they serued him according to his will but yet hauing read some such direction and methode as this is they affirmed that almost they had not serued him at all and that now they serued him more in one day then in ten before And the same shal be also fully manifested by experience of theÌ„ who reading these things againe and againe will euer doe according to this forme or such like euer doing all they doe to the praise and glory of our most potent LORD God shall grow mighty and powerfull seruants of his for euer 2 The 2. point which in this 4. iourney of the soule to heuen I proposed was a daily short methode of practising such holy duties as wold make our whole liues a sweet smelling sacrifice to God This I will dispose into these sixe considerasitions 1 The duties which are to be done the former part of the day 2 Those to be don in the euening 3 Such as are to be don euery weeke 4 The duties to be don euery month 5 The duties to be don euery yeare Lastly the duties which at all times are to be done 1 The first worke of the day is is leauing of our beds and applying of our mindes to watch labour Wherin we must preuent the sun and euer thinke we heare the voice of the Angell arise quickly Act. 12. This timely rising is of great moment for vpon it dependeth the whole sensible deuotion of the whole day and the diuine visitation Assoone therefore as thou art vp turne thy heart and minde vnto God and labour in that first moment of day to bind him vnto thee with the affections of thy loue For it is iust thou shouldest consecrate vnto GOD the first fruits of the day and first receiue him into the closet of thy heart as that guest who to this end turneth in vnto thee and bringeth with him a troupe of vnspeakable graces to season thy heart and sanctifie all the actions of that day To this end therefore thou must cast from thy heart al thy cogitations wherwith Satan laboureth to exercise thee offer vnto God the first fruits of thy cogitations either in thought or some holy meditation vpon thy knees vntill thou hast coÌ„ceiued some affect feeling of deuotion labouring to cast froÌ„ thee al vaine cogitations which then doe chifely infest thy minde for hereby thou shalt be more deuout to euery good worke and more expedite al that day This is of great moment because if thou openest the gate of thy heart to any vaine cogitation or care it will make thee vnquiet and lesse apt to pray It is in the power of thy will Gods grace assisting it to admit this cogitation but not to reiect it after it is admitted because after it hath gotten the possession and dominion of the heart it will be very difficult to cast it out Whilst thou art it cloathing thy selfe inuocate the blessed Trinity and pray with heart and deuotion for the obtayning of zeale to pray of holinesse and diligence in performing the duties of thy calling For this purpose thou must haue in memory some such short praiers as may stirre vp thy affection This done and thy selfe being fully made ready cast downe thy selfe before God and with as great affection of minde as thou canst giue him thankes that hee hath giuen thee as quiet night and wholesome sleepe that hee hath graunted thee a new day and longer time to acquire thy eternall saluation and that hee hath deliuered thee from many daungers both of body and mind from all the iullusions of Sathan and thou shalt instantly begge of him grace to shunne all kinde of sinnes to performe worthily the duties of thy calling and in all things so to seeke his most holy will that thou maist be acceptable vnto him offer vp vnto him thy body and soule thy cogitations desires words and workes in the vnion and merit of Iesus Christ that from it and it onely they may become acceptable to him Lastly put on a full resolution of shunning some particular defect and sinne and of exercising some particular vertue and aske of GOD a speciall faour and helpe to the performance of this holy worke 2 After we are thus risen from our beds wee are to prepare our selues after a little while to pray For he that comes to pray vnprepared is like vnto him that teÌ„pts God because hee doth not so much please God and obtaine any thing of him as he doth prouoke his indignation against him Now the preparation which then is to bee made is of two sorts 1 If a man bee not of a good memory or much exercised in matters of deuotion hee must from some booke or paper appointed to that vse read againe the points of meditation which he reade the night before as wee shall after shew that the mind bee not in the time of praier wandring to seeke matter and so bee distracted The 2. is conteined in those words of Abrham beginning his praier to God Gen. 18. I haue begunne to speake vnto my Lord and I am but dust and asâ—es In which words are three things which this excellent preparatioÌ„ consists 1 That thou thinke thou must pray because thou art but dust and ashes 2 That thou consider him to whom thou speakest that hee is thy Lord God 3 That thou meditate the things thou art to speake A holy father interpreting these words saith thus Thinke not O Lord Chrys that I am ignoraÌ„t of my self and do exceed my bouÌ„ds vse too much confidence For I know that I am but dust ashes but as I know this and know it clearely so neither am I ignorant of this that the greatnesse of thy mercy is plentifull that thou art rich in goodnes wouldst haue all men to be saued Think therefore whom thou art to wit a most vile man a most ingrate sinner for thou art indeed dust and ashes dunge and stinch it selfe and with this cogitation humble thy selfe Thinke also to whom thou doest pray namely to the most wise mercifull and potent God the louer of Angels nature the repairer of mans nature the framer and maker of all things Admire his dinine Maiesty inâ—â—mously present which susteines thee loue his infinit goodnesse which is ready to heare thee and graciously to fauour thee be rooted in hope in that thou canst neuer depart out of the presence of so great a King either empty or forsaken Lastly thinke what good affect thou wilt drawne from thy meditation that thou maist direct thy considerations vnto it and what thou wilt pray for that so thou maist obserue