in the bed put mee in minde of my resting in the graue and my rising from thence of my resurrection that both in life and death I may continue thine through Iesus Christ. Amen Wednesday A Morning Prayer O Eternall and all-seeing God who art of infinite maiesty looke downe from heauen the habitation of thy holinesse vpon me thy poore and vnworthy seruant lying groueling and groning vnder my sinfull misery Thou art a God of power and canst relieue me of goodnesse and wilt in thy good time mercifully helpe mee Vnto thee therefore upon the bended knee of my soule doe I come humbly beseeching thee to cure my sinfull corruptions and by that bloud which my blessed Sauiour out of his gashy wounds did shed for mee to wash away my sinfull staynes O Lord the fountaine of thy mercy can neuer bee drawne dry nor the merits of my blessed Sauiour emptied O therefore bathe my soule in them that being sanctified and iustified I may appeare in thy sight more pure and white then the snow in Salmon And because it is a pleasant thing vnto thee to giue thanks I blesse thy name for keeping mee this night past and bringing of me to the beginning of this day Defend me gracious father in the same let thy eyes alwayes attend vpon mee prosper preserue cheere vp and cherish guide and gouerne instruct and direct mee in all my studies labours actions imployments and duties of my calling that I may spend and imploy this day and the remainder of my life according to thy blessed wil setting thee alwaies before mine eyes and liuing in thy feare euer working that which may be found acceptable in thy sight to the glory of thy most holy name the peace of my conscience and the saluation of my owne soule and the edification by my good example of all those that attend and depend vpon mee To this end be thou O Lord my God and my guide my protector and defender keep me vnspotted of the world teach mee to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly towards my selfe righteously towards my neighbour and piously towards thee my God repenting me of my sinnes and seruing thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all my daies that in life thou maist bee my God in death my deliuerer after death my eternall rewarder Amen Wednesday An Euening Prayer O Most glorious and gracious God who ouerflowest in thy bountifull goodnes vnto the sons daughters of men that endeauour to serue thee and glorifie thy name I doe here at this time with that good Samaritane returne to giue thee thanks for al thy merciful blessings bestowed vpon my soule and body in things spirituall and temporall for mine election before all time my creation in the beginning of time my redemption in the fulnesse of time my iustification by faith in Christ for my sanctification begun and hope of eternall glory to bee reuealed I praise and glorifie thee most holy father for preseruing me hitherto for prospering me this day past in my vocation and calling and for that thou hast yet spared me and giuen me liberty and a gracious opportunity once more to inuocate thy holy name O Lord I acknowledge and confesse that thou mightest haue taken mee away in the middest of my sinnes and in the very act of committing of them but thou hast dealt more mercifully with me continue good Lord this thy mercy and gracious fauour towards mee this night and let thy blessing rest vpon me keepe mee from feare and danger and from all noysome dreames and from all other hinderances of sweet repose and comfortable rest which thou hast appointed for the recreating and refreshing of mankind But because sinne is that which may with-hold good things from mee and deny thy gracious blessing of protection therefore I most humbly and heartily intreate thee for Iesus Christ his sake to seale vnto me a free pardon of all my sinnes of what nature or quality so euer they be whether they be sinnes of omission or commission of knowledge or ignorance of weakenesse or wilfulnesse O Lord deale not with mee according to the magnitude and multitude of them but for thine infinite mercies and sons merits speake peace vnto my soule assuring me of thy gracious pardon and reconciliation in Iesus Christ. Adde them not vnto my account but blot them out of thy booke of remembrance and cast them out of thy sight into the bottome of the sea that they may neuer rise in this life to shame mee nor in the life to come to condemne mee worke in mee an vnfained sorrow for sinne which may occasion my repentance vnto saluation neuer to be repented of Make me to bewaile my sinnes committed and giue mee grace neuer againe to commit my sinnes bewayled but proceed from one degree of holinesse vnto another from faith to faith grace to grace vntill I appeare before thee the God of Gods in Sion Amen Thursday A Morning Prayer O Lord God great and glorious which inhabitest in the highest heauens and dwellest in that light which no mortall man can approach vnto yet beholdest in much mercy and compassion the sonnes and daughters of men not onely lightning euery one that comes into the world but making the out-goings of the morning to be full of glory causing the sunne to shine vpon the iust and vniust mercifully driuing away the darkenesse of the night and shadow of death I praise thy holy Name and thanke thee most humbly that thou hast vouchsafed mee to passe this night in comfortable sleepe and to be brought againe safe and sound vnto this morning light Now I beseech thee by the holy incarnation and blessed natiuity of thy Son Iesus Christ the thrice happy day-starre that appeared to the world let thy mercy this day rest vpon me and let the bright beames of thy light shine into mine heart that I bee not transported either through the corruption of my nature or power of darkenesse to spend this day after mine owne minde and pleasure but that I may carefully follow the heauenly light of thy word to performe thy holy will willingly without murmuring speedily without delaying constantly without ceasing and vniuersally without omitting of that which thou commendest vnto me in thy word Increase in me O Lord the gift of Faith and Hope that I may beleeue in thee and trust to thy mercifull promises made vnto me in Iesus Christ and labour to finde in my soule those graces to which thou hast annexed the promises and grant that neither by mine owne negligence nor the infirmity of the flesh nor the grieuousnesse of temptation I be drawn or driuen away from a sure confidence of thy gracious acceptance with thee in the merit of his sacred bloud dispell these mists and clouds of my sinfull life which blemish my soule and darken mine vnderstanding wash away all my pollutions and staines in the bloud of his passion that I may be acknowledged for one of thine when I
names or of ought more neere and deare vnto vs if it may stand with thy good pleasure preserue vs euermore in thy faith and holy feare guide vs constantly by thy counsaile and after that receiue vs to glory A Collect for the Night O Lord our God which art the keeper of Israell which neuer slumbrest nor sleepest into thy hands O Father we commend our spirits for thou hast redeemed vs. O thou God of truth Into thy most mercifull tuition and gracious preseruation doe we commend our selues our soules and bodies our kinsfolkes in the flesh and friends in the spirit our goods our good names all ours and all that call vpon thy name from this time forth and foreuermore Amen Lord we pray thee be thou present with them and vs and about our beds vnto our liues end· Let not our fantasies bee troubled with vaine imaginations nor the dreames and visions of our heads like Nebuchadnezzars make vs afraid But giue vs quiet and comfortable rest that our soules being cheered vp our bodies refreshed 〈◊〉 may when we awake laud and â—â—aise thee and goe and pray vnto thee and ioyfully set our selves about the businesse of the next day and performe the duties of our particular callings Let our whole life be a seruing and glorifying of thee that we may liue in thy feare die in thy fauour and rest from all our labours and be blessed with thy glorious vision inioying the presence of our blessed Sauiour and the comfort of thy holy Spirit and the communion of thy most holy Saints and Angels that we together with them may ascribe vnto thee the glory of our redemption from sinne Satan hell and death and the Deuill world without end Amen A Grace before meaâ—â— O God who art the giuâ—r of euery good and perfect gift sanctifie wee beseech thee these thy Creatures now prepared for vs make them wholesome for our bodies and our soules and bodies seruiceable unto thee for them through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen A Grace after meate THe Lords most holy Name be now and euer blessed and praised for all his mercies and for his blessings at this time bestowed vpon vs Lord as thou hast fed our bodies with corporall food so feed our soules likewise with spirituall food vnto life eternall Saue thy Church the Kings maiesty Queene Princes and the Realmes prosper the word blesse thine ordinances vnto vs increase our faith send vs grace and truth prosperity peace with life euerlasting Amen A Grace before meat MErcifull Father which openest thy hands and fillest all things liuing with plenteousnesse we pray thee sanctifie these thy good creatures vnto vs that we may eat to liue and â—iuing serue thee our Lord God through thine only Son our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Amen A Grace after meat THe God of all grace and goodnesse who at this time hath fed and plenteously refreshed vs his most holy name be blessed and praised from this time forth and for euermore Amen A Grace before meat O Lord our God by whose prouidence it is that we liue moue and haue our being send thy blessing vpon vs and our meats and grant that whether we eat or drinke or whatsoeuer else we doe we may doe all to the glory of thy name through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Grace before meat WEE laud and praise thy Name for al thy blessings and fauours and for feeding vs so plentifully at this time desiring thee of thy grace that our thankefulnes may not be in word and in tongue but expressed by our carefull study to glorifie thee our God in al our words and works through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen FINIS
corruption of that part that must futurely together with it either suffer torment or receiue glory And therfore caÌ„not but mislike the misleading eye which moueth the corrupt heart to couet only carnall and perishing things when the soule it selfe thirsteth for spirituall tending to the saluation of both The bodily members senses bring the soule most out of order Nothing brings the soule out of order so much as the disorder of the body the house wherein it dwelleth the vnruly eye and the other vntamed senses and the inordinate members of the body seduced through the peruersenesse of the vnstable will carry the senses and all the parts of the body into forbidden things And therfore Dauid prayed Turne away mine eyes from regarding vanity Endeauour therfore to subiect thy corrupted will to thy regenerate will that being guided by the prescribed will of God the eye and euery part of thy soule body may together worke to the well setting and setling of thy whole house in order The vnruly eye is to be restrained LOoke well to thine eyes for they are vnruly lest they draw thee to transgresse Christs commands to plucke out the eye that offends at least make a couenant with them as Iob did neuer to suffer them to wander after their lusts nor to be seduced or allured by the beauty of any whatsoeuer forbidden fruit The eye the originall instrument of our woe REmember what Sathan presented to the eye of our mother Eue and she to our father Adam the first mortall fruit that euer the eye saw or the mouth tasted since which time we haue been forbidden to behold with carnall delight the beauty of infinite fruits which before were good but since become likewise mortall by the tasting of the first for as the first had not been mortall if not forbidden so nothing makes things vnlawfull but forbidding Not to delight our eyes with worldly things BE not therefore delighted with the beholding of the glittering and forbidden things of the world lest thou be snared as Dauid was with the nakednesse of Bersheba And as Ahab was with Naboths vineyard for such was the force of their concupiscences as to obtaine their lusts they made way by bloud Let not therefore thine heart walke after thine eye nor thine eye after the things delightfull forbidden As vpon a woman to lust after her as Dauid did nor after thy neighbours lands as Ahab did nor after the wedge of gold as Achan did nor after goodly garments as Gehezi did who all receiued their seuerall punishments The nature of the eye IT is the nature of the eye to prie here and there like a priuy theefe after delightfull pleasing and profitable things though forbidden neuer satisfyed with seeing being rauisht with so many pleasing obiects that peruert the heart as the heart being brought out of order by the senses bringeth all the house of the soule the body out of order with it Pray for spirituall sight SEt not then thine affection with delight vpon all the things thy carnall eye seeth but pray that thine inward and spirituall eye may be once so inlightened that thou maist take thy true pleasure in the contemplation of that most glorious inheritance which God hath prepared for his elect in heauen which is eternall and bring thy carnall eye in subiection to thy spirituall And pray as Paul teacheth for the illumination of thine inward eyes Sathan worketh more euill by the eye than by all other the senses THe things thou here beholdest be they neuer so beautifull and pleasing to thy carnall sense they are but vanishing and betraying shadowes wherewith Sathan practiseth to tempt thee as he did Eue Dauid Ahab c. For he worketh more mischiefe by alluring the eye than by working vpon all other of the senses of the body he maketh the eye enuious and scornefull to looke vpon the poore and needy And therefore hadst thou need to haue a most speciall care to keep it single from wandring after wickednesse for if thou didst well consider what thou losest by the greedy desires which thine insatiable eye doth administer vnto thy corrupt and couetous heart thou wouldest turne thine affections cleane from this flattering worlds vanities and shun the allurements of Sathan and only cast thy spirituall eye vpon and seeke after the things that are aboue where Christ our Redeemer is gone before to draw the eyes of all true beleeuers after him and them vnto him to be partakers of the ioyes that are with him vnspeakable and glorious which thou canst neuer see nor truly couet to see vnlesse thou cast off thy superfluous delight in beholding these inferiour deceitfull and flattering things below and be fed euen here with a feruent desire to cleere thy spirituall eyes daily with that precious eye-salue the word and spirit of God which setteth before the eyes of thy soule though but as in a glasse obscurely al the glory that the children of God only and none other after this life shall fully and cleerely see and that euen with these our eyes kept here cleane and vndefiled as becoÌ„meth saints We must looke vpon worldly things as if we saw them not TAke heed therefore loue not the world nor the things in the world so as to set thine eyes vpon them as things worthy to be loued but vse them as if thou vsedst them not Looke vpon them as if thou sawest them not without any carnal affection or delight For as Sathan promised to our parents to make them as Gods Earthly Gods dye like other men SO doth he couet to make thee beleeue that if thou wilt imbrace the world thou shalt become rich and glorious in the world euen to be numbred and reputed among such as are called Gods in the world And when thou shalt be thus falsely deified thou shalt goe to thy graue and consume like other men The world a harlot and Sathan her pandor THe world as a harlot flatâ—â—rs men with a beautifull and strumpetlike forehead alluring theÌ„ through the broakage of her pandor Sathan to cast their eyes vpon her to wooe her And she as the Deuill did to Christ sheweth them her great possessions promising to make them great and rich in siluer and gold and some she perswades not to go like drudges and base fellowes in the world for then they are no fit Cor-riualls for her entertainment if the peasant become not in the habit of a gentleman the gentleman to equalize a Knight and the Knight to exceed a Lord she will not looke vpon them nay if men and women imbrace not euery new fashion garments that they see that she either frames at home in her shop of pride or brings from forraigne phantastikes she will cast the eye of disdaine at them and hold them bastards and none of her legitimate children When men thinke themselues most beholden to the world then she rifles them and sends them to their home naked SOme againe she persuades to goâ— basely and neither
to spend nor giue and when her louers haue as they thinke been much beholden to her for her bounty in fulfilling their corrupt desires then she begins to shew herselfe in her likenesse picking their pockets and rifles them of al that she gaue them dispossessing theÌ„ of their great reuenewes disrobes them and deplumes them of their peacocks attire and brings not a few of them to pouerty and shame and casts them off as the harlots did the prodigall sonne And if she be so kind to some as to suffer them to be seene to ruffle and florish long dandling them in her lap of lasciuiousnesse yet at last she sends them to their graues stript of all and turnes them away as poore men naked as they came to her only with a silly sheet to couer their nakednesse vnseemely to be seene of men O shut thine eyes therefore make scorne to bestow the time of casting one looke with delight vpon the best things she offers thee necessaries excepted being so vncertaine and so certainly dangerous How to imploy our inward sight BEtter it is for thee and to thy more solide comfort and true content through faith to be assured to see thy Redeemer in his glory hereafter for euer than to be here as it were bewitched with the inchantments of the deceiuing things thine eyes doe here see which doe so fasten carnall affections to earthly things that thou canst haue no time to looke vp from whence thy redemption if thou be one chosen of God comes and where are hid the vnspeakable treasures that the Lord reserueth purchased by Christ for them that haue their eyes fixed on him by faith The carnall eye a hinderance to the spirituall CLose vp then thy greedy eye that is so pragmaticke a promotor of all deceiuable obiects to the heart that ingrosseth all that is offered vnto it that delighteth it And commonly shutteth out the most excellent inuisible things because the naturall eye sees only things visible in the world and hinders the spirituall eye from beholding the things of heauen Mischiefes proceeding from the carnall eye THis carnall eye makes the heart an Idolater by coueting a murtherer by enuying a theefe by desiring an adulterer by lusting a glutton by longing And this by the abuse of the eye and consent of the heart abusing and disordering the whole body the house of the soule and the soule it selfe Aboue all seeke the illumination of the inward eye LEaue then the fulfilling of the lusts of thy corporall eye which only seeth by the light of nature and seeke by faithfull prayer the illumination of thine inward eye whereby thou maist apprehend spirituall and heauenly things The sight of the spirituall eye THis internall eye is inlightened through the spirit by the word preached and vnderstood whereby we see God our Creatour as we see his works by our naturall eye we see Christ Jesus his Sonne proceeded froÌ„ God the Father we see him suffering not onely many grieuous abuses iniuries lying in his humanity among the Iewes but his bitter ignominious death vpon the Crosse But also our Redemption and Saluation in and by him By the same eye of a liuely faith we see and apprehend his merits we see him stand a mediator for vs at the right hand of his Father interceding betweene vs sinners and our offended God and in whom we are imputed righteous Things only seene by a spirituall eye through faith LAbor to see and apprehend this great mystery of our Redemption and Saluation which none can see by his quickest eye of naturall wisedome no it is foolishnesse to the naturall man to thinke that God could haue a Sonne made flesh to be conceiued in the wombe of a Virgin without man to bee borne into the world according to the course of men to dye and within three dayes to rise againe by his owne power being God and immediately after to appeare in the same humane shape and to eate bread and in the same body to ascend into the heauens and there to remaine a glorified body and that in the same body hee shall come againe accompanied with Millions of Angels to iudge aswell them that remaine aliue at his comming as them that are already turned into dust in their graues burned to ashes perished in the seas and deuoured by beasts And that their bodies that haue dyed fiue thousand yeeres since euen Abel and all that haue dyed since being vtterly consumed that euen their bodies now dust shall rise againe and be re-united to the soules of the righteous to be eternally glorified with Christ and his Elect And of the wicked to be eternally tormented with the Diuell and his angels The cause why men couet not that spirituall illumination THese things are hid from the eye of nature and naturall reason and apprehension and that is the cause that many wanting that spirituall eye of heauenly illumination doe apply their carnall eyes to the things here below that doe not onely not profit them but grieuously endanger him They haue neither the will nor the knowledge how to seeke as they are commanded The Kingdome of Christ and the righteousnesse thereof wherein consisteth the assurance of all them that shall be partakers of that Heauenly Kingdome with Christ found of them that seeke it in the word of truth and apprehended by the eye of a liuely faith which is 〈…〉 of the same Ieâ—us Christ. Hearing of the Word the meanes of spirituall illumination VSe therefore the meanes to attaine vnto this celestiall illumination heare the Word attentiuely pray feruently lifting vp thine eyes to heauen seeke holinesse and purity for the pure in heart haue onely the promise to see God here by the eye of faith and hereafter euen with these eies by which we now behold his creatures Striue with a continuall holy violence to bee enlightned from heauen Then shalt thou see to set not onely this outward sense of seeing in order and thy domestick family and goods but the rest of thy senses thy whole body and soule in order perfectly and religiously before thou dye Touching the examination and ordering of thine eares HAuing considered briefly the reformation and ordering of thy tongue eyes it behoueth thee likewise to examine how thou hast formerly vsed or abused thine eares Organs and instruments of hearing likewise placed neere the intellectiue part of thy head the chiefe outward part of thy body The eare is not so apt to heare as the eye to see ANd although the eare be not so actiue in motion to heare as the eye is to see that can in a moment turne it selfe to many and seuerall obiects nor so fluent as the tongue that moues it selfe in what and in what diuers discourses the minde moues it vnto yet the eares through their passiue and penetrable quality are apt to entertaine things which may moue the heart to conceiue and stirre vp the will to affect as euill things as the eye or tongue The eare
vnpleasant and so at length refuseth necessary nourishment to sustaine and maintaine the body as is seen in sicke folkes when their Appetite decayes the Taste is out of order best meates and drinkes seeme vnto them of vnsauoury relish And this distemperature commonly proceeds by ouermuch oppressing the body by pleasing the Taste and ouer-charging the Appetite with surfeiting and drunkennesse whence doe spring all the infirmities and diseases of the body numberlesse as a punishment inflicted vpon such as abuse the good creatures of GOD to please their inordinate Tastes and Appetites Gods good creatures are abused by surfeiting and drunkennesse MANY are the varieties of Gods good creatures of both kindes both of meates and drinkes which he hath prouided for our vse not to bee abused but to bee receiued with thankesgiuing as wee are commanded that whether wee eate or drinke if wee receiue but a morsell of bread to sustaine vs or a cup of cold water to refresh vs we ought to receiue it and vse it to the honour and glory of God that giues it But how can hee eate to GODS glory or his owne good that eates to surfeit And how can he drinke to the praise of God that drinkes himselfe or others drunke Hee eates and drinkes to his owne shame beyond the measure of beasts which cannot be compelled to eate or drinke more than is sufficient vnlesse it be the Dogge the Wolfe and such vncleane creatures as eate to vomit and presently returne to their feeding and the swine that will drink drunke and wallow in the vncleane puddle To which Beasts Gluttons and Drunkards are fitly resembled Not to oppresse thy heart with ouer-eating and drinking TAke heed therefore lest at any time thy heart which is the principall part and life of thy body be ouercome with surfeiting and drunkennesse and so death seize vpon thee through thine excesse and thou dye suddenly as many haue done before thou canst either set thy domesticke estate thy soule or thy body againe in order and so be reputed author of thine owne death and descend suddenly to the pit of eternall perdition a fearefull farewell froÌ„ thy friends and family Eat not the bread of oppression BEware also thou eate not the bread of oppression nor drinke the wine of extortion rather let thy poore oppressed brother and sister be partakers with thee of thy bread and other the good creatures that God hath plentifully lent thee for to eate and drink alone of thine abundance when Lazarus lyeth lyeth crying at thy gates for meate is dangerous as appeareth by the example of the rich Glutton in the Gospell being in hell cryed for but could not get the drop of a finger of water to refresh him It is not ouer-feeding preserues life but brings diseases and shortens life THinke not that it is the fulnesse of delicate meates and most delitious wines and strongest drinks that continues thy life or maketh thee lusty and strong for the fattest and fullest fed bodies neyther liue longest nor proue strongest but are more subiect to sicknesses and infirmities and to many kindes of Maladies than are they that feed sparingly and temperately euen of meanest food and weakest drinkes receiued with thankefulnesse As Daniel who refused the daintiest fare that came from the Kings Table and chose rather in faith and the feare of God to feed on pulse or pease and became of better liking more fat and faire than his fellowes that fared and fed on the Kings dainties dilitiously euery day Thankefulnesse to God the sauce that seasons our meates and drinkes THe sweetest sauce that sauours and seasons all sorts of our meates and drinkes is thankfulnesse to GOD for giuing them faithfull prayer for a blessing vpon them And then let them bee neuer so meane bee it pulse pease roots or hearbs instead of daintiest foule or fish and a dish of cold water instead of wine shall sustaine poore men women and children and make them as fat faire and strong as such as fare farre more daintily as appeareth by many that haue very meane fare and yet liue by the blessing of God but if God send his creatures in a more ample manner they may not be abused nor the meanest contemned Meane fare through prayer sustaines the poore aswell as dainty faire the rich THey that eate and drink more for delight than they doe for their necessity of hunger and thirst may liue and looke as leane and meagre as the poorest and the poorest that eate and drinke with prayer and thankes shall bee sufficiently satisfied The rich many times turne the good gifts of God into wantonnesse through excesse and the poore doe often turne their penury and want of corporall food into the fulnesse of spirituall satiety and are sufficiently releiued their bodies well ordered and their health preserued Daintiest and meanest fare turne to like excrement THere is great difference indeed of the furniture of Tables all but for nutriment and did such as feed of the fairest and finest cates consider whether their delicate food turne not to like lothsome excremeÌ„t as doth meanest fare they might rather seeme to bee ashamed to thinke vpon the matter whereon they so much delight to feed that so soone turneth to that which lotheth them to looke vpon when it comes from them againe Then in regard of their dainties to despise meaner fare and such as feed on it Euery creature hath its proper food and appetite TASTE is common to man and beasts as are hearing seeing and the rest but are diuerse in appetite euery creature hath it's proper food and can by it's taste distinguish the proper from the improper nourishment and seldome exceeds in the vse so the temperate man the man knowing and fearing God findeth in himselfe a taste of another and of a more high nature a spirituall appetite and hungreth and thristeth as much for heauenly and permanent as doth the corporall appetite for vanishing and perishing food Spirituall taste and appetite BY this spirituall Taste he sauoureth the sweetnesse of the Lord how comfortable his mercies are and how operatiue his graces working in him an heauenly appetite Longing as Salomon did for Wisedom and Knowledge to governe his kingdome for spirituall and heauenly vnderstanding to gouerne his house the house of his soule and aboue all his soule it selfe which being out of order none of the rest can be in good order But when hee hath by this inward and spirituall taste discerned the bitternesse of Sinne and the sweetnesse of Sanctitie and brought his Affectionâ— his Minde and Will to effect minde and desire heavenly things then his Appetite begins to hunger and thirst for the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof distasting all such Carnall Corporall and Worldly things as sauour not his renewed taste Then is faithfull prayer his onely exercise and the Word of Truth his onely delight What food pleaseth the spirituall taste His food is holy Meditation his practice Hâ—militie Meekenesse Temperance and
Sobriety He nourishâ—â—h his soule by Faith and Obedience to the Word of God he â—â—â—deth on the sincere milke thereof and becommeth strong thereby and at last a Perfect man in Christ Iesus The difference betweene the Corporall and Spirituall taste Corporall food bee it never so sweete and pleasing to the Taste yet it loatheth at length euen that which a little before it delighted in with greedinesse But this food the sweet milke of the Word hath the vertue to season the inward taste and to prepare the spirituall Appetite to feed the soule vnto saluation and the more hee tasteth of it the more his appetite through Faith inflamed is to hunger for more hee cannot be satisfied with little for the more hee tasteth the sweeter he findes it and the more he hungers for it The seuerall operations of corporall and spirituall food O Taste how sweete this food of thy soule this heauenly Manna is It is a food of a contrary nature to the food of thy body bodily nourishment entreth into the mouth this by the eare the first descendeth into the belley and is euacuated turnes to dust the second descends into a prepared heart by the word preached and nourisheth thy soule and retaines it onely to worke thereby righteousnesse shewing it selfe in godly meditations and faithfull prayers And the more thou feedest on this Celestiall food the more wilt thou seeke as it were by violence to have it Thou maist surfeit by the deceit of thy corporall taste by feeding too much but on this that commeth from heaven the more thou feedest the more hungry wilt thou be to feed How to increase spirituall Appetite OMit not the continuall use of it increase it by hearing and confirme it by receiving the Sacraments by faithfull prayer and continuall practise of a godly life So shalt thou bee alwayes fit and well prepared to dye And be alwayes able and ready to set thine house in order before thou dye And being departed out of this mortall life thou shalt taste and be satisfied with the food of Angels in that heavenly city New Ierusalem where God shall giue thee to drinke of the riuers of his pleasures and shalt euermorâ— taste and find how gracious the Lord 〈◊〉 The Examimation of the sence of Smelling Want of smelling hinders the tasting THe sense of smelling may be conceiued to be of least vse of all the bodily fiue senses and may be better wanting than any of the rest The greatest impediment that the want of smelling brings is to the taste for he that hath lost his smelling hath much impaired his tasting Hee that smels not well cannot taste well So that for want of the perfection of these two senses tasting and smelling the body may receiue vnwholesome food in stead of good and salutary Sweet ordours in garments vsed to moue to sinne euilly MAny yet abuse this sense of smelling hauing it in perfection especially in the superfluous desire and custome of odoriferous fumes commonly bestowed in and vpon mens and womens garments most offensiue to God when they are vsed to allure to sinne Sweet odors necessarie and of sundry vses YEt are sweet odours a great blessing of God and of holy vse wherewith the bodies of the dead Patriarcks and Christ were imbalmed and Kings annoynted odors infused as well into simples herbs flowers gums very excrements of some creatures as compounded by Art as Incense c. are of necessarie use with moderation for the comfort of the braine and other salutary ends as in time of any common contagion or infectious disease Physicall smels wholsome perfumes are necessarily to be used to fil up the pores penetrable parts of the head by which coÌ„monly al infectious diseases enter as do also all offensiue and hurtfull corrupt and vnsavourie vapours and stinkes which putrifie the braine and bloud and consequently the whole body which physicall fumes and odours by Gods blessing may prevent How sweet odours are abused and how to be used BVt if these necessaries for health be vsed to stirre vp lust or allure to sinne then is this sense made an occasion to bring other parts of the house of thy soule thy body out of order The vse of them for health and to preuent sickenesse is lawfull and preuailing by faithfull prayer to God for a blessing But delight not too much in pleasing this sense with sweet odours to the offence of God for the excesse in satisfying any of thy senses is sinne beware therefore that thou make not that an instrument of euill which God hath giuen thee to bee vsed to his glory and thine owne comfort Many beasts excell man in the perfection of many of the senses GOD to shew as in all other his workes his omnipotent Power Wisedome and Goodnesse hath created in man and beast fiue senses wherein as touching the perfection of some of them divers other creatures excell man as the Eagle in seeing the Hart in hearing the Spaniell and Heund in smelling the Spider in touching and the Bee in Tasting onely hath he giuen man reason aboue all the rest yet many creatures come neere vnto reasonable vnderstanding and exceed man in exquisite Art As what man is hee that can contriue the manner and compose the matter of the Spiders net or forme the Hony combe Who can gather hony and waxe out of flowers herbes and stinking weedes Nay who can make the nest of a silly Wren If then man comes short in the performance of many things that silly creatures can doe why should hee boast of any rare qualitie of his members or senses when in euery outward facultie silly bruit creatures eâ—cell him Vnreasonable creatures vse their senses lesse offensiue to God than reasonable men ANd sith God hath endued man as well with reason as with his senses and giuen the inferiour creatures like senses without reason what shame is it for man more to abuse his senses thaâ— vnreasonable creatures for euery creature but man vseth it's senses to serue for necessitie when man turnes them through carnall delight into wantonnesse and sinne All creatures man onely excepted glorifie God in their kinds not exceeding their bounds first limited and appointed unto them in their senses or qualities and man keepes no measure in any of hem The necessitie of the sense of Smelling THis seeming silly organ of smelling placed in the head by the nosthrils doth conuey vnto the braine wholesome odours and the ayre whereby wee aspire and respire the breath of life And by it we can iudge betweene good and healthfull euill and vnsauoury sents And without this sense of smelling a man might receiue into his body and braines noysome vapours and mortall stinkes and not perceiue them Sweet odours to bee vsed moderately APply not yet this necessary instrument of thy body to bring the rest out of order as by delighting too much in the superfluous vse of sweete and ouer-pleasing odours and perfumes for as a little Wine
comforteth the heart so too much oppresseth the whole body And as some light perfume passing by this sense may comfort the braine So too much will infect the same and turne the swetnesse into putrifaction to the hurt of the body and offence to God Dangers incident to the sense of Smelling IF this sense had or were capable of as many offensiue obiects as the eye it would bee as vnruly and soone bring bane vnto the body But though it haue not so many meanes of prouocation as the taâ—â—â— yet in as great danger for as poysonous meates descending into the stomacke may kill the body So may infected fumes putrifie the braine to the like confusion of the bodie The abuse of sweets perfumes AS this sense hath as other senses haue a vertue to comfort so hath it a vice to offend in the too much wanton delight in pleasing it selfe for many haue a pride not onely to perfume their garments to sweeten or to be smelt sweet in the streetes but their very haire to perfume their Ladies lips in their chambers that they may seeme amiable or rather more amorous indeed too effeminate for becomes it a man that is or would seeme valorous to change his vertues which should appeare in his Wisedome Magnanimitie and Iudgement for the vices that onely are imbraced by Curtesans Light-women and Fooles If we well considered what wee are wee would not perfume us IF thou wilt be womanlike thou mayest as well paint thy face to make thee faire as to vse perfumes to make thee sweet Consider what thou art and whereof thou art made Thou art but dust and diddest thou well obserue what comes of thy perfumed carkasse thou wouldest bee ashamed bee thou man or woman either to paint or perfume so vile a peece of flesh that will putrifie and stinke within foure dayes that thy breath is out of thy body These are they that sauour of the flesh fleshly of vanitie and pleasure euen of death vnto death Seeming faire without but filthy within sweet in shew indeed stinking and corrupt How a man ought truely to perfume himselfe IF thou wilt smell well indeed and desirest thy selfe to bee a good sauour to God consider that as there is a corporall and carnall so is there a spirituall and heauenly sense of smelling with which the soule of the Regenerate man smelleth with inward delight the sweete odours wherewith the garments of the spouse of Christ are perfumed with Myrrh Alo's and Cassia of Mercie Wisedome and Truth Endeauour then to smell of Faith Hope of the Loue of God and of like Loue to thy Neighbour as to thy selfe How to become sweet to God SMell thou of a holy and godly life of heauenly Meditations and godly Prayers Then shalt thou bee vnto God a sweet sauour in Christ and of Christ who shall smell in thee a sacrifice acceptable and shall haue pleasure in thy beauty and sweetnesse And thou shalt smell the sauour of life vnto life eternall And in the meane time thou shalt learne and be able to set not onely thy worldly goods but also the house of thy soule thy body and the members and all the senses thereof and aboue all thy soule in perfect order before thou dye Thus of the sense of Smelling followes the sense of Touching The Examination of the sense of Touching IT may be thought meerely superfluous indeede to speake any thing against the sense of Touching or Feeling because it is onely most sensible of hurt and least hurtfull The sense of touching or feeling is disperst through the whole body IT is a sense not set in one locall place of the body alone as the rest of the senses are as Seeing Hearing Tasting and Smelling all placed in the head the Eye to see the Eare to heare the Tongue to taste and the Nose to smell and neither partakes of the others office But this sense of touching or feeling is distributed through the whole and euery part of the body And euery part is sensible of others hurt from the sole of the foot to the Crowne of the head And cannot bee conceived to rest more in the head than in the foot nor more in the Foot than in the Finger Though the Head and Heart are the most apprehensiue parts And the Hand the common instrument and most imployed in the ayde and defence of this sense as if any part or member of the body bee striken or hurt though all parts feele it yet is the hand most ready to helpe it And the hand is most commonly the most offensiue member by touching to hurt And the most vsefull for the choyce of many necessary commodities the goodnesse substance softnesse and supplenes wherof are best knowne by the sense of Feeling neither the Eare nor the Eye are vsed therein If one member be hurt all the body feeles it IF the head or the most inferiour part be it the finger or the little toe suffer iniury this sense suddenly informes the head the head the heart which summons all the members instantly to yeeld commiseration or ayde vnto the offended part and all consult how to ease and releeue that one grieued member The abuse of the taste procures most hurt to the body THis sense is most abused and feeles greatest hurts by the abuse of the taste which ingrossing al delicate meats drinks to pamper the body with replention procureth the gout whereof one cryes out of his Feete another of his Hands it fils another with the Dropsie whereby one cryes out of his body filled with water another of the swelling of his legges another cryes out of the Stone and many other maladies when either of these seise vpon the body it is felt painefull and grieuous euen to the heart As touch but the Gout and the party will bee ready to rore oppresse or dresse but a wound or sore in any part of the body or let the tooth but ake the sense thereof goes from the place grieued to all other parts of the body The abuse of this Sense of Feeling or Touching THis sense of Touching is likewise abused by too much nicenesse in apparell obserued in those that thinke their garments neuer delicate and fine enough to bee felt Cloth of the wooll of sheepe is too base they must haue them as it were of the dainty and thinne Spiders webbe of the very excrements of filthy wormes soft supple and delightfull to bee felt vnlike to holy Iohn Baptists attire who had his garments of Camels Haire vnpleasant to be felt yet is not soft rayment and fine linnen vnfit for Kings and their followers and great men and women But now a Lord can hardly bee distinguished from a man of no meanes A Courtier from a Countrey-man c. Let vs be sensible of the feeling of the wrath of God for our sinnes IF wee well considered the present times of danger wherein we liue and did but consider how God showes his displeasure for our sinnes and
harlots to allure thee to follow them and the multitude to the pit of perdition Follow not the multitude though they scorne thee BEware thou bee not seduced and drawne backe by them let not thy feete follow their steps though they flourish waxe rich and great glorious and thou be scorned derided and scoffed at for being so austere and earnest in the good way regard it not for it will not be long ere thou shalt come to thy iournies end the citie of the liuing God new Jerusalem where after thy tedious iourney thou shalt haue rest glory and peace for euer more Nothing ought to moue us out of the narrow way IN the meane time bee of good comfort ponder all thy paths and order thy wayes aright and let not the prosperitie of them that walke the broad way there pleasures or delights any whit moue thee to turne thy feet out of the way of righteousnesse truth and obedience The right guiding of the feet REsort often to the temple of God bee a diligent and an attentiue hearer of the word of God it shall bee a Lanterne to thy feet and a light vnto thy pathes so that thou shalt not slide The lord will keepe thy feet from falling and guide thee in the way of peace and happinesse to the workes of mercy to goe to the sicke to visite them to the prisoners to releeue and comfort them hee will make thee to bee as it were feet to the lame and eyes to the blinde as was holy Iob. Seeing wee are of our selues corrupt wee must seeke to bee guided by the Spirit of God TO this end hath God especially giuen thee thy feete to carry thy body not to places of iniquity but where thou mayst either doe good or receiue good But trust not thine owne wit or thine owne will for the direction of thy feet aright for they are corrupt and will misguide thee But â—raue daily the assistance of the holy Ghost to leade thee for as a blind man though hee haue legs and feet to beare him can he auoyd danger in his going without a guide And what is euery man but blind And therefore without that spirituall guide cannot man but goe in danger pray therefore the Father in his Sonne to send that holy Spirit which proceedeth from them both all three persons but one God to teach thee how to guide thy feet in the way of a godly and holy conuersation that thou mayst say with holy Iob My feet haue followed the steps of the Lord and not declined And lincke not thy selfe with those prophane and lewd wretches that doe not only not refrain but apply their feet to euery euill and licentious way whom God in the end will binde hand and foote and cast into vtter darnesse for euer The feete of the wicked are fettered with sinne PRay therefore continually vnto the Lord that hee will keepe thy feete from the snares of Satan and sinne the common high way that such men walke in as feare not the Lord. Their feete are fettered they can goe no further than the chaine of their naturall inclination will permit them and that is onely to euill euermore running as it were with greedinesse to their owne ruine and fall at length head and foot into the pit of eternall darkenesse whereunto they were led in the broad way from whence no counsell could reclaime by the Prince of that infernall kingdome with whom shall bee onely and euermore tormented all such as have abused their bodies their senses and members the house of their soules in all vngodlinesse without repentance or care to set keepe them in order as becommeth the elect of God here in this life He that gouerneth his senses and members of his body rightly is well prepared to dye COntrariwise if thou canst now so order thy senses thy hands and feet and all the members of thy body as thou art bound to doe and abuse them not to the hinderance of a godly life thou needst not to feare but that thou art well prepared to set thy house in order before thou dye for the outward good gouernment of the body is a good argument that thy heart within thee is in good order thy will and affections not much out of order and therefore not amisse in few words to examine the inward estate of thy soule as thou hast done thine outward body namely how thy heart standeth An examination of the heart No man knowes truely his owne heart WHen a man goes about to examine euen his owne heart hee enters into a Laberinth of difficulties into a bottomlesse deepe of subtilties deceites and frauds It is indeed vnsearchable and no man can truely finde what is in his owne heart although a man may thinke hee knowes the thoughts purposes and desires which hee concealeth in his heart and may determine in himselfe to put them in execution And yet when it comes euen to the very doing of what he intended another conceit crosseth it and turnes the first determination out of doores and so one thought thrusts out another infinitely for the heart is a store house of variable imaginations and vnstable purposes for when a man is most priuie to the thoughts of his owne heart as hee thinketh hee is commonly deceiued hee may purpose this or that and deliberate vpon the manner of the performance and as it were assure himselfe of a happy and wished end and yet succeed cleane contrary to his intention The heart is a closet full of deceitfulnesse THe heart is as a secret closset lockt vp as it were and euery man thinkes hee hath his owne true key to vnlocke it and so no doubt euery man seemeth to doe when hee deliuers his minde to another by word or writing But such is the deceitfulnesse of the heart that either it ouer-ruleth the tongue that speaketh or the pen that writeth from the meaning of the heart that he vttereth and writeth false-hood for truth or some truth mixed with deceit The dore of his heart are the lips and so subtile is the heart that it cannot open it selfe by nature but to euill for the heart of it self is corrupt aboue all things and corrupts euery action both of the body and mind and whatsoeuer proceeds from it is either euill or mixed with euill And therefore is the wisest naturall man ignorant of the euils of his owne heart The heart pondereth all kinds of wickednesses IF a man duely and throughly examine the wickednesse of his owne heart and be not partiall hee shall finde it inclinable to the most egregious euils that the most wicked reprobate that euer liued committed yea hee shall finde among infinite other greeuous sinnes motions tending euen to murther nay to reason as it were within himselfe against the very essence of God and against the deity of Christ. There is no thing so wicked and impious but mans heart by nature is or one time or other hath beene inclined to perpetrate
that my father left me Sayes another I haue possessions indeed which I haue purchased as mine owne proper inheritance wherin who can pretend interest but my selfe Should I forgot that which I haue dearely paid for to them that I know not Men ought not to be prodigall in giuing away their goods IT is not meant that any man should be prodigall and consume the inheritance of a Father though many haue wantonly consumed honorable and inferior estats to their dishonour and shame without doing that which God requireth of all men to be done to his glory and their owne future assured comfort Neither is it vnlawfull for any man to purchace so it be by his mony lawfully gotten But neither he that hath it by descent nor he that doth purchace possessions but is bound both to lend and to giue especially to the needie members of Christ. But thou wilt say who are they how shall I know them Surely they that beare but the outward image of Christs humanity must be supposed to be of the number of them to whom thou oughtest to doe good for if thou giue to any poore man whose heart thou knowest not if thou doe it in the name of one of the members of Christ though he be not thy worke is accepted of God as done to himselfe And thou shalt not thereby diminish but procure a blessing vpon the rest of thy lands and goods for God hath promis'd it Euery man is but a steward vnder God of his lands and goods ANd deceiue not thy selfe but know that though thy possessioÌ„s came by descent or purchace and thy goods by gift or by thine owne industrie thou art but steward of them vnder God to feed the hungry to clothe the naked to lend vnto and to releeue the poore And not to conuert them totally as most men doe to thine owne priuate pleasures or worldly profits Say not with Nabal what is Dauid or who is the Sonne of Ishai who are the children of God that I should giue or lend them my siluer and gold my bread or my victualls that J haue prouided for mine own children my seruants and friends Shall I giue it to beggers or lend my monie to poore snakes that will neuer pay me againe Some rich men seeme to loath the Poore IT grieueth such Nabals indeed to look vpon the poore but with disdaine much lesse to giue or lend vnto them wherewith to releeue and comfort them And yet they thinke God loueth them dearely because he heapes vpon them daily more and more this worlds Mammon yet care not for the poore like Iudas that bare the bag Therefore cry the poore vnto the Lord against such hard stonie and couetous hearted miserable rich men And the Lord heareth in heauen and will reward them as they reward the poore for as the poore cry and the rich will not heare them so shall the rich cry and the Lord will not answere them and hence it comes that Christ himselfe affirmes it to be as hard a thing for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of Heauen as for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle this is no skarre-crow Why there are poore and rich in the world HOw can these men set their houses in order before they dye when their hearts are hardened and out of order while they liue nothing regarding Christ in his members There shal be euer some poore in the land saith Moses And Christ saith the poore shall you alwayes haue with you And why only to try the charity of the rich If you releeue them you releeue Christ in them If you afflict them Christ is afflicted by you in them What reward they shall haue that helpe the poore members of Christ. GOd will repay whatsoeuer man giueth or lendeth vnto his distressed members Giue therefore to him that asketh and from him that would borrow turne not away And your reward shal be great And ye shal be called the children of the most high Yet notwithstanding this assured reward and this most glorious title What say the rich to the poore that begge or would borrow This is no giuing age and worse of lending The time indeed is in euery string out of tune harpe where a man will or can he shall find a most harsh discord and all out of order in poore and rich the poore will not worke and the rich will not giue And now begins the Lord to see whether it wil be brought into better order by his fauourable chastisements the body is sicke and the members droope and drop away and yet are men slacke to set their houses much lesse their soules in order before they dye Men seeke to runne from death but carry the infection of sinne with them MEn that are affraid to stand the aduenture of the dissolution or their bodies at home are fled to hide themselues from Gods correcting rod. Let them bewaâ—e that they carry not with them a more pestilent infection in their soules than they seeke to escape in their bodies Some aduenture their soules where they dare not aduenture their bodies IT is strange that many men that are valorous and aduenturous that for the getting of a little mucâ— of the world will aduenture their soules and yet of so faithlesse fearefull and cowardly hearts as they will not aduenture their bodies in the place where they haue laid their soules already to pawne Death finds men euery where DIscretion indeed it is to auoid infection of the body But he that seekes to saue his life may lose it and he that flies farthest off may find death as neere him as at his owne house when he returns for he that flyes in a desperate distrust of Gods power prouidence and protection may preuent the danger but assuredly as great a danger attends him yet if he seek to auoid it in the faith and feare of God in hearty prayer referring himselfe to the will of God for his dissolution or preseruation whether he liue or die he is safe and more happy in his death being the Lords than ten thousand that remaine out of order aliue abroad or at home The loue of this world make men feare death BVt what makes men chiefely to flye death only the loue of the world and the glory and riches thereof because these in the vaine conceit of themselues are most happy of all men and so they are reputed but only of the worldly minded because God suffers them to grow great and rich and glorious and full of the meanes to make them to thinke themselues the deare children of God blessing themselues in the increase of their riches and therfore is the very name of death bitter vnto them Who then dares say vnto such a great man in these dayes as Esay did to Hezekiah Set thy house in order for thou shalt dye would he not spew such a plaine dealing friend for euer out of his good conceit Riches make the better man TAke heede whosoeuer
thou art that trustest too much to thy riches and thinke not thy selfe the better man because thou carriest a heauier burden of wealth than thy neighbor doth an honest poor man who hath that simple title only Why rich men are called good men BVt thou that art rich indeed hast the reputation of a Good man Why a good man because thou art a rich man and a man will take thy band for a hundred pounds before thy neighbours for a hundred pence Why because thou art a good man no but of great estate and that is thy goodnes thy neighbour an honest poore man and that is his greatnes and goodnes whose word to his power may be as good as thy band A good man will doe good with his goodnesse BVt if thou be so good a man doe good with thy goodnesse which is thy riches while thou art aliue and leaue not thy goodnesse behind thee and to carry none with thee for if thy goodnesse consist in riches only thou must leaue it and it thee and will such a good man thinke to enter into the Kingdome of Heauen hardly A rich man be he neuer so wicked hath the title of a good man IT is a strange attribute giuen to euery rich man O he is a good man if he haue wealth in abundance let him be Vsurer Extortioner Briber Iew or Atheist he is a good man euery man will lend vpon his band and trust him vpon his word though he be neuer so very an infidell And indeed it is but in shew for the most part that one man doth trust another doth any man trust another in these dayes because he is an honest man some worthy rich and honorable men I acknowledge doe good to honest men thinking them honest men and true members of Christ. But that man that hath a purse to repay and to lend to him againe that hath lent him is the worlds good man And thus goes the current of worldly good men And these are the men that as they haue the glory of the world so they seeke againe to glorifye the world by their glorious posterities for whose aduancement and to purchase vnto themselues the reputation of being very but worldly wise men in outstripping others in getting let the meanes be right or wrong applying all their wits studies and endeuours to become rich in the superlatiue degree to make their names their houses their heires great and greater then the greatest of their neighbors forgetting themselues what they were what they are and what they shal be without repentance and setting their houses soules and bodies in godly order before they dye miserable in the highest degree Pride and couetousnesse rootes of many vices THou art famous for thy wealth and glorious in thy great possessions but be neither the more proud nor the more couetous two rancke rootes whence doe spring all the vices that disorder both the houses of thy soule and body Looke rather a little backe to the place from whence thou camest and consider what thou broughtest into the world with thee Broughtest thou either siluer or gold lands or goods In what garments camest thou into the world Considerations fit for all men IF thou hadst brought any of these things into the world with thee and couldest carry them againe out of the world with thee thou mightest indeed then in some sort repute them thine yet but in a sort for as thy body is subiect to death to corruption and rottenesse so are thy lands and goods thy siluer thy gold and goodliest garments subiect to the like consumption But remember thou camest out of the place of darkenes clothed in bloud which was also thy food wherewith thou wert sustained in life before thou camest into the light Thou haddest no other garment though thou be since washed and outwardly purified and become neate and clad with costly attire whereof thou needest not boast nor wax proud be thy raiments neuer so rich in cost or colour they are but the fragments of the raggs of Adams figge leaues to couer thy nakednesse as he did And if thou consider wel thine owne nakednesse thou maist rather be ashamed than to be proud of thine apparell be whatsoeuer thou art man or woman For if it were not a shame to haue thy nakednesse seene there needed no such costly attire to couer it and yet such is the boldnesse of some impudent women that they are not ashamed to lay out their nakednesse in an vnseemely manner as if they should say as they doe in silence heere is ware to be sold come and buy for your lust or borrow for your loue Men and women be they now neuer so proud and vaineglorious of their dainty feature and beauty they came but out of a den of darkenesse and to a place of darkenesse they must returne and haue no certainty how long they shall liue heere be they neuer so lusty and strong neuer so faire and amiable And yet doe not only not seeke to set their bodies and soules in order but disorder them euery day Few come to their inheritance vnder twenty one yeares IT was many yeares after thou camest into the world before thou didst enioy thy freedome neere a third part of the time of mans life limited by Dauid which few attaine vnto And therfore thou knowest not how soone thou shalt be taken from thy possessions thy goods and dearest worldly delights whilst thou hast time therfore set thy selfe thy soule and thy body lands and goods which are meant by thy house in order knowing that thou must dye and knowest not when where nor how We must remember that we must dye and come to iudgement LOoke before thee to the place whither thou goest and forget it not let not thy glory greatnes cause thee to forget that thou shalt dye and come to iudgment And although thou camest into the world with the breath of life thou shalt returne without it yet not actiuely for thou shalt become as a meere lumpe of earth without power or vigor in thy selfe to moue but be moued at the pleasure of others And here must thou cast off thy glorious garments not as the Eagle casts his bill or the Serpent his skin to be reuested with them but in stead of them thou must be content and be beholden to thy friends to afford thee a silly sheet to put thy naked carkasse in Men must forsâ—ke all when death comes THen must thou leaue behind thee thy louing wife thy dearest children and best friends thy rich possessions thy gold and siluer and what thou esteemedst most precious And then a little length and bredth of land which may be cast vp by inches wil serue thee in stead of many honors manors forrests parkes c. which could hardly be numbred by acres will serue thee for thy fairest chamber And insteed of thy siluer gold wherwith thou couldst neuer be satisfied thou shalt haue earth thy mouth belly full and in
seruice of God from thy selfe the head to thy meanest seruant be moderate in attiring thy wife she will accept it if she be modest educate thy children in obedience to God so shall they not offend thee couer the naked The poore are the bests guests a rich man can entertaine LEt the poorest children of God be some times as the fruitfull vines about thy house and as oliue branches round about thy table Thou shalt find them in the end most beneficiall guests that thou shalt entertaine either to meate or â—arbor for thou dost not so much feed and clothe and lodge them as Christ himselfe in them who is heere amongst vs poore naked sick hungry in prison thirsty harborlesse and miserable and woe be to the rich that see him and shew him no compassion The rich ought to haue respect to the poore HOw can they that haue riches in abundance food plentifull apparell superfluous gold and siluer and all that their hearts can desire and more if religious reason were ruler passe by and see a poore naked hungry and as it were a starued Christian and not to be moued with compassion especially yong forsaken children and old and impotent men and women As for the sturdy counterfeits and idle striplings able for seruice let their reward be the whip And vntil thou begin to sauour of this righteous course to guide thy house aright doe else what thou wilt in giuing and bequeathing thy house will not be set in order when thou dyest which will be a fearefull end Thus much concerning the setting of thy domestike estate in order it may not be vnnecessary to examine the house of thy soule the body and the members thereof Touching thy body the house of thy soule I Haue before spoken of thy setting of thy worldly estate and domestike family lands and goods in order before thou dye The chiefe care ought to be to set and keep the house of the soule the body in order IT is fit to consider how to set thy corporall house which is the habitatioâ— of thy sâ—uâ—e the senses and members of the sâ—mâ— in order And that aboue and before the disposing of thy worldly estate For as the boâ—â— is mâ—re worth thâ—n raiment of more value than possessions siluer or gold so is the well ordering of the same to be preferred before all that thou enioyest or canst enioy in the world Wherein the well-being of the soule consisteth THe well-being of the soule which is the principall part of thee consisteth in the right gouernment of thy body and bodily members for if thy carnall members and corporall senses haue been or are defiled with the vanities whereunto they are particularly inclined thy soule which lodgeth in it cannot be but also infected and polluted and therefore oughtest thou to hâ—ue an especiall regard to the well-ordering of thy corporall parts Many dwell in faire houses that haue fowle bodies and soules THou dwellest it may be in a house of ingenious architect adorned within and without with sundry varieties to delight thine eye thine eare and all the senses of thy body as many in deed or in desire it may be as Salomon had superfluous to name more superfluous to couet when yet it may be the house wherein thy soule liueth and without whom thou canst not liue though it be outwardly adorned with most costly attire like a painted sepulcher is of it selfe and through thine abusing it and the members of it a poore weake and tottering building seeming outwardly beautifull yet alas vnder most glorious and rich couerings most ragged rent and rotten wether beaten and deformed through the tempests of thy blusterous tongue the extrauagancy of thy polluted eyes and the vnrulinesse of the rest of thy senses beating vpon thy poore soule that dwelleth in this fraile body of thine with restles vngodly stormes of forbidden vaulties that bring the whole house out of order We must examine how we haue vsed or abused our senses and members of our bodies ANd for as much as the head the principall part of this weake building is the place wherin the chiefe organs and instruments of speaking hearing seeing smelling tasting and eating doe consist examine first how thou hast kept these in order and whether thou haue formerly giuen them the reines of licentious liberty to follow the vanities whereunto naturally they are seuerally inclined If so then is this thy whole house vtterly out of order and meerly deformed being by creation free from any actuall pollution or corporall blemish or defect a most comely and beautifull building complete and vniforme in euery part from the meanest to the most eminent member Our bodies are compleat and beautifull houses OBserue from the sole of thy foote to the very haire of thy head and see whether thou couldest imagine to place any member in better order than God hath placed them for in a perfect body there is no defect in any part though many times blemished by abuse of the members and senses How our bodies are blemished THe head it selfe the guide and gouernour of all the rest is oftentimes disordered and euen infatuated by drunkenesse the face disfigured the eyes bleared and blinded the feete gouted and many times the whole body dropsied through the abuse of the senses and brought all out of order being the very temple of God and wherein the soule dwelleth thy most precious part bought with no lesse a price than the very bloud of the Sonne of God Iesus Christ. A man can neuer dye in hope that hath to the end defiled his body HOw then can a man whose body and members are thus defiled and made as it were a den of detestable vncleanesse grieuing the spirit that dwelleth in it without reformation dye in any hope of future happinesse though he doe set a faire formall face vpon the setting of his domestike estate in some order by a silly will before he dyes and to leaue the body the house of his soule and his soule it selfe in so manifest a danger For the superficial disposing and bequeathing of his domesticke estate and to leaue his better part out of order is but as a pharisaicall washing of the outside of the cup leauing it filthy and foule within It is a manifest argument that the partie who hath the sore breaking out in his body as Hezekiah had and the tokens appeare as they commonly doe hath the plague and is vnlike to escape death Signes that a mans house body and soule are out of order SO manifest it is that he that aboundeth in corruption and the filth of his heart breaketh forth and sheweth it selfe by his disorderly and dissolute conuersation by his inordinate walking by the prophanesse of his speech by the wantonesse of his eyes by lending his eares with delight to vngodly discourses by the pollution of his hands and by the swiftnesse of his feete to follow vanities that he is full of spirituall pestilence and carnall contagion Altogether vnfit
and vnable to set either his domesticke or the house of his soule in order before he dye without speedy reformation A fearefull farewell when he shal be inforced to forsake all his possessions lands and goods and his soule to leaue his body and all out of order when he dyes It is a speciall duty for a man to haue all the parts and powers of his soule and body alwayes in order IS it not therefore a chiefe part of thy duty for the setting of thy house in order according to Gods command seriously to examine how thou hast vsed or abused thy body the organs instruments and members of the same and speedily to vse all possible holy art and industry to reforme all thy defects That thou maist with the more comfortable alacrity prepare thee to that which thou canst not auoid namely to dye and to set all things in order against the time And because the tongue in commonly a most forward instrument to be a partie in euery action it is fit first of all to call it to accompt The examination of the Tongue A hard taske to gouerne the tongue aright OF all other members the tongue hath most need to be kept in order though it be a hard taske being a member euen from the cradle accustomed commonly to offend both God and man The tongue a wilde beast needs to be kept from raunging EXamine therefore how and in what order thou hast vsed or abused thy tongue a member of godly vse yet often vngodlily vsed God in his prouidence when he created man foresaw that the toÌ„gue would be vnruly and therefore euen as wilde beasts are kept in by hedges pales and strong fences lest they raunge abroad so hath God fenced the tongue with a pale of teeth and hath left as it were a gate to be opened and shut at the pleasure of man the mouth or lipps which as long as they are kept close and shut the tongue is inforced to silence but open but that gap the tongue hath liberty to walke The tongue cannot speake except the lips open IT is the tongue alone that speaketh but the tongue and lips together if the lips open not and shut the tongue may moue but can make no distinct sound so the lips may open if the tongue will not moue there proceeds no perfect voice when they both agree there proceeds speech good or euill as the heart within is prepared for of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh If the heart be good the words cannot be euill IF the heart be good the words of the mouth are seldome euill if the heart be wicked the words will sauour of euill Cursing swearing lying blaspheming backbiting slandering and all words that may offend proceed out of a prophane mouth which if thou by examination findest as thou canst not be ignorant thou hast great cause and if thou be not partiall in flattering thy selfe thou wilt vse all possible speedy meanes to reforme it The tongue cannot offend vnlesse thy lips consent SEt therefore a watch before thy mouth and keep the doore of thy lipps for as long as thou hâ—st a care to keep thy lipps shut thy tongue cannot offend if thou open them let it be to glâ—rify God for if thou long after life and to see good dayes refraine thy tongue from euill and thy lipps that they vtter no deceit The tongue often and many wayes abused ALas what will become then of too many that in buying and selling thinke that what they get by lying swearing and forswearing is well gotten And though dangerous to speake what may be thought of some Lawyers that will striue with all their wit and eloquence and vse their tongues to maintaine and defend a cause which they know in their owne consciences to be false against truth equity and iustice and that for a fee iustifying the wicked for a reward condemning the innocent in his righteous cause do not such as men câ—ll Knights of the post forsweare themselues for a fee God forbid that men of that ranke and calling as are eminent Lawyers worthy members of the common-wealth should debase themselues and face out a falshood for truth for another man for a little vanishing pelfe though it be your profession to aduocate for other men and may lawfully take reward beware take no fee against the innocent namely against him that you know hath truth on his side for you condemne thereby the righteous and iustify the wicked The tongue is an excellent instrument in the mouth of a wise and iust man THe tongue is a most excelleÌ„t instrument in the mouth of a perfect wise and iust man and is as a pestilent member in the mouth of a Tertullus which signifies a lyer and one declaring false things as was that excellent Oratour that falsly accused Paul before Felix It is not an excellent wit nor fluencie of the tongue though they be excellent gifts of God that shall excuse that man that by his wit and eloquence ouerthroweth a cause against equity yet I wish the practice were not so common to offend the God of truth for which aswell the guitlesse as the guilty are ofteÌ„times punished The tongue is a little member but most vnruly THe tongue is indeed a most vnruly member but a little one yet boasteth in great things and speaketh ofteÌ„times against the greatest vttering a world of wickednesse defiling the whole body through the wickednesse and filthy words proceeding from it hardest of all other members to be tamed harder than the fiercest beast that liueth which is tamed by the discretion and the wit of man but the tongue can no man tame He is a wise and perfect man that can rule his owne tongue NO man indeed can tame the tongue of another but a man of vnderstanding guideth his owne tongue and addeth knowledge vnto his lipps He pondereth his words before he speaketh and bridleth his tongue and he is indeed a perfect man that offâ—nds not with his tongue though many vnseemely words may slip the lips vnawares of a right religious man But a man whose tongue he hath accustomed to speake euill to cursing swearing and filthy talking cannot with the same tongue honour God neither praise him nor pray vnto him The tongues of the wicked are weapons of offences WHen power to doe open violence to another is taken from the wicked they haue no other weapon to offend their enemy than the tongue and that they sharpen like a serpent and by it like venemous Adders they spew out the poison that lurkes in their enuious hearts lying in wait with their tongues to backbite and slander the innocent Iniquity hath so couered their mouthes as they cannot but speake wickedly How to auoid a slanderous tongue IF thou wilt preuent the danger of an euill tongue in thy selfe meditate good things seeke to plenish thy heart with holy thoughts by hearing the word preached and reading of it with vnderstanding and practice so
shall thy tongue sauour of the same and if thou wilt auoid the slanderous tongue of another walke innocently if yet it follow thee sit downe by it and take it as a crosse sent of God for thy patience How to vse the tongue to profit SPeake therefore at all times and in all companies as in the presence and hearing of the great God of heauen and earth speake as becommeth a sober man a ciuill man as a religious and faithfull Christian man that thy words being seasoned with the salt of grace may be profitable also to others for by thy words thou maist disorder and by thy words thou maist well order thy house The example of an euill tongue iâ— parents dangerous for their children and seruants IF thou leaue an euill and contagious sent behind thee by breathing out vngodlinesse cursing and bitternesse wherby thine owne house thy wife children and family may be infected and retaine thy filthy disease when thou art dead doe what otherwise thou canst doe in setling thy lands and disposing thy goods they may profit them to whom thou leauest them as touching their temporall estate but as touching their well ordering in godlinesse it shall hinder preiudice them more than their patrimonies can aduance them An euill tongue is infectious AN euill tongue infecteth all that are neere it if it haue its naâ—â— all course of talking wherefore auoid such as delight their tongues in scurâ—ility and filthy communicaâ—ion and exhort thy children seruants and familiars to vse their tongues in praises of and prayers to God for to this end hath God giuen thee and them tongues to speake and be not like them that honour God with their lipps and dishonour him with their conuersatioâ—s It were better thou hadst no tongue at all than to vse it to Gods dishonor and to the hurt and â—â—ander of his innocent children Froward language breeds strife BEware that thou stirre not vp quarrells and contentions among thy neighbours by a peruerse tongue froward language breeds strife in a family betweene husband and wife parents and children c. And especially griefe and sorrow many timeâ— punishments and sometimes death for capitall slanders to them that offend in their tongues Slander and flattery two vices of the tongue AS slander is an abuse of the tongue so is flattery and of the two flattery is the most dangerous If thou flatter thou vsest thy tongue to deceiue if thou delight to be flattered thou longest to be deceiued Therefore neither flatter nor hearken vnto flatterers for if they come vnder colour of friendship to see thee they will speake faire when yet their hearts are full of malice 〈◊〉 deceit As the disciples of the Pharisies and the Herodians came in flattery to entangle Christ flattery makes some men proud as the people showting at Herods oratioÌ„ crying the voice of God and not of man Absalom stale the hearts of the people from Dauid by flattery Flattery is deceitfull and dangerous SO deeply doth the tongue of a flatterer pierce that his words goe downe as it were into the bottome of the belly of the flattered for he will so subtilly insinuate by protestations of loue and coloured zeale of true affection as vnlesse a man be the better armed with diuine discretion he cannot auoid the snare A flatterer may be suspected by too glorious and ouer-painted words for he that meanes plainly seeketh no such glosing far-fetch termes Aâ— plaine meaning man is soonest deceiued by flattery and therefore better are bitter reproofes of a friend than the fawnes of a secret enemy Abandon flattery and take heed to the faire words of a flatterer How to vse the tongue to Gods glory VSE thy tongue in the setting forth of Gods glory in prayer vnto and praising of him exhorting thy houshold and family in the knowledge feare and obedience to God And when thou speakest vnto God vse not many words noâ— much babling for few words proceeding from a feeling and faithfull heart are more acceptable to God than many words without inward zeale and zeale can continue no longer than the heart is feruent through the spirit of God And when it waxeth cold and dull it seemeth the heart becomes faint and the hands feeble as appeared euen by faithfull Moses who at the first was feruent yet at length became feeble Exod. 17. Fit to meditate before we speake especially to God in prayer BE not therefore rash to offer the sacrifice of prayer in a faint and vnfeeling heart but meditate before thou open thy mouth and vtter not vnaduisedly whatsoeuer comes into thy mouth Let not thy tongue go before thine vnderstaÌ„ding especially in thy prayers to God speak not to nor of God but with highest humility and reuerence and take not his name into thy mouth in vaine speake well or speake nothing for euen a foole when he holdeth his peace is accompted a wise man among men The tongue well gouerned is aâ— necessary instrument IF then thou gouerne this member aright vnto the end it shall proue a necessary instrument towards the setling of all the rest of thy house in order before thou dye If it continue contaminate and polluted it well be such a blemish vnto thy Christian profession and such a hindrance to the establishing of the house of thy soule and consequently of thy soule it selfe in order as thou canst not but die suspected either of Atheisme or Infidelity Fit to try thy senses HAuing thus examined thy tongue it behoueth likewise to make tryall of thy fiue senses which haue their imperfections also And first of the eyes The examination of the Eyes the first of the fiue senses IF thou canst now temper thy tongue and so discreetly order thy speech as becommeth a man of vnderstanding fearing God thou shalt the better learne how to carry thine eyes which are the organs and instruments of seeing and by which doe enter into the heart many obiects and motiues tending more commonly to the disorder than to the well-ordering of the affections By the eye enter diuers dangerous motiues to the heart THe eye moues the heart to many vaâ—ities as to the lust of flesh to the pride of life and to the delights and pleasures of the world All which fight against the Soule By this organ entred Eues desire to taste of that beautifull forbidden fruite that purchased her owne her husbands and the death of all their posterity The Eye indeed is the light of the body but many times and by many means brings darkenes vnto the soule which being deluded and betrayed by the inticements of the eye and the rest of the outward senses cannot but be much oppressed and euen groane vnder the burden of the infirmities and sinnes of the body which although it be mortall and shall perish yet for as much as it shall rise againe and become immortall with the soule The soule grieues at the sinnes of the body THe Soule cannot but grieue to feele the
difference betweene a filthy tongue and an eare attentiue with delight to heare it It is no indifferent thing to heare or not to heare the Word of God AND thinke it not indifferent whether thou desire to heare or not to heare the Word of God for if thou turne away thine eare from hearing the Law of the Lord euen thine owne prayers shall bee abominable If thou therefore hast eares to heare hearken to the voyce of the Lord who daily openeth his mouth to teach them that lend their eares to heare him And if thine eare be as ready to heare as he is to speake happy then art thou in hearing for practice cannot but follow Therefore saith Dauid I will hearken what the Lord will say Hee opened his eares and spiritually heard the counsell of the Lord namely what the Spirit of the Lord spake vnto the eares of his soule for if the Spirit of God dwell in thee hee speaketh in thee and thou hearest him euen in silence yea though thy corporall eares were deafe yet thine inward eares being sanctified to the hearing of the spirit within Thou art clean faith Christ through the word that he hath spoken vnto thee The inward eares of the soule are opened by hearing with the outward THerefore art thou not to withdraw thy corporall eares from the outward hearing of the Word preached for as the sound of the voyce pierceth the outward So by vertue and operation of that Word the inward eares of the soule are opened to apprehend and apply the same word to the spirituall working of righteousnesse faith and obedience in the enabling thee to speake vnto thy selfe as it were in secret in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melody to the LORD in thine heart giuing him thankes for all things worshipping him in spirit and truth for as God is a Spirit so they that worship him are to worship him in spirit and truth So that by the eare commeth hearing of the Word preached And by the Word commeth faith and by faith wee apprehend all the mercies and blessings of God in Iesus Christ. Many lend more diligent eare to heare of earthly than the heauenly purchase THou art required to set thy house in order before thou dye consider with thy selfe whether it concerneth more thine owne good or the benefit of them that shall enioy the Lands and goods thou shalt leaue behinde thee This consideratiō may befit such as have in their life time shewed a greater care to make their posterity great than themselues good as hath appeared in many by lending their eares more eagerly to heare of purchases bargaines and worldly profits than by hearing the promises of that heauenly inheritance by applying the promises of GOD by faith vnto themselues And therefore the setting of their houses in order as touching giuing and disposing of their Lands and goods benefits themselues little for whether they dispose them or not they must leaue them and others will haue them the ordering of them indeed is necessary for the continuance of peace betweene them that may pretend any succeeding interest in their goods when they are dead While thou art then liuing and in health apply thine eare to that purchase that may make thee a Free-man of heauen Hearken what thy conscience will tell thee IN setting of thy house in order begin at thy selfe at home in thine owne conscience examine it and hearken what that wil tell thee for that is the witnesse that must excuse or accuse thee iustify thee or condemne thee If it approue that thou hast beene attentiue to heare and to follow the counsell of God declared in his Word and hast walked before him as he hath commanded if thou hast vsed no sinister meanes vnlawfull or forbidden practices for the getting of that which thou meanest to dispose and set in order before thou dye then in happy case art thou and happy shalt thou bee in setting thy house in order before thou dye If thou haue neglected these holy duties make speedy reformation make conscience thy friend by thy new obedience and a more sanctified conuersation and bee not so friendly to thy children as to proue foe vnto thy selfe Apply not thine eare to heare their forged flatteries onely to gaine what thou hast when thou art dead but heare the counsell of thine heauenly Father who willeth thee aboue all things to addresse thine eares to heare his promises to make thee great in his Kingdome if thou wilt heare his voyce and follow it Let it bee to day delay not the time to seeke that Kingdome of Heauen and the righteousnesse of it which being obtained then giue bequeath dispose in the feare of GOD and make thy will for if thou thy selfe be in order it is easie for thee rightly to dispose of the rest It followeth to speake of the Taste another of the senses The examination of the TASTE THE Taste is conceiued commonly little offensiue and neither much to abuse nor easily to be abused to the offence of any needing not any great businesse to keepe it in order The Taste hath deuoured many BVt take heed thou pleasest not thy taste too much for if thou giue way vnto it it will ouermaster thee and exact from thee that will make thee a poore man bee thy to feed it neuer so great Be what thou art rich or poore if thou flatter it and giue it what it will require thou shalt finde it in the end like a fawning Lion which thou hast long fed from a whelpe without danger but at length it will grow strong and ouermatch thee and make thee seruile and slauish vnto it and in the end deuoure thee Great disorder in eating and drinking IF thou please thy taste or satisfie thy vnruly appetite and giue way to thine insatiable desire of eating and drinking thou canst not but fall into all disorder as is daily obserued not onely in the rich and men of greatest meanes but in many yea meanest Mechaniks Trades-men and very Rusticks that according and beyond their abilities rise vp early to drink Wine and strong drinke exceeding in surfeiting and drunkennesse like the Glutton in the Gospell two vices of equall intemperance and equally imbraced of poore and rich and so excessiuely common as the stincke euen of their vomits doe infect the very ayre not onely of the principall Cities and Townes but in manner euery Village and many priuate houses in the Kingdome The lawfull and necessary vse of eating and drinking often turned into sinne by excesse TO eate and to drinke is lawful especially with thankesgiuing for without the good creatures of God the body cannot subsist The vse of the Taste is also to distinguish good from vnsauoury food And the pallat for drinkes yet both for nourishment not for gluttony and drunkennesse But to the common shame of men it is obserued that there bee more that eate for gluttony and drink for delight than doe moderatly eate to sustaine the
in flaxe soone inkindled and soone extinct soone hot and as soone cold And no other foundation haue those affections that are set vpon carnall and vanishing things A man may as is often obserued affect and hate as it were in one breath things variable and interchangeable for as all naturall things are inconstant so is mans heart Saul seemed so highly to affect Dauid as he was content to giue him his daughter in marriage yet how soone was his loue turned to deadly hatred It was not grounded vpon that loue that proceeds from the Spirit of God But Ionathans loue and affection to Dauid was grounded vpon a more diuine and setled opinion hee saw that God was with Dauid And vpon this ground whosoeuer foundeth his affection towards any man namely as hee findes him to be a man beloued of God his affection is approued of God O that wee could rectifie our loue in this point and learne to affect the best things and not to set our affections on things of the world which when wee haue them they steed vs nothing beyond necessity how superfluous soeuer they bee And when wee seeme to haue them in best assurance either they leaue us before the time or wee must leaue them in time Let us make choice therefore as Mary did of the better part namely to affect things permanent which are aboue and they most excellent Then need wee not to feare bee wee poore or rich high or low noble or base wee shall be able to set our houses both domestick of our soules in such compleate order as shall witnesse our godly care in our liues when wee are dead A preparatiue to Prayer LEt the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be now and alwayes acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer Let my prayer come before thee as Incense and let the lifting vp of my hands be as an Euening sacrifice like a morning obligation a sweet smelling sauour in thy nostrils Heare my prayers and answer me graciously for Iesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer for Sunday Morning O Lord God Almighty euer-liuing and euer-louing Father in thy well-beloued sonne Iesus Christ who art father of all and rich vnto all that call vpon thy name in truth and sincerity to thee I call and cry together with thy forme and holy spirit three distinct persons in the vnity of essence who hauing made all things of nothing sustainest them in thy good prouidence by the word of thy power that thy name by all men and by all meanes might bee glorified Lord I acknowledge this day to be thine as consecrated and set a part for thy worship and service and to be obserued not only as a holy day but a glorious day vnto thee wherein I ought to pay my vowes vnto thee present my person and my prayers before thee heare thy word and meditate vpon the same to thy glory and mine owne good To this end remoue farre from me all wandring thoughts and worldly affections and worke in me a desire of studying thy Law and of walking in the truth that thy word may not bee vnto mee the sauour of death vnto death but of life vnto life I present not these my supplications trusting to my owne righteousnesse but in thy manifold mercies grant me therefore I beseech thee gratious audience and mercifull acceptaâ—ce euen for my redeemers and sanctifiers sake And as duty obligeth mee principally and aboue all other things and primarily in the first place and before all other things I extoll thine infinite goodnesse together with thine eternall wisdome and truth that thou hast protected mee all this night past and made me to rest and sleepe so quietly vnder the shadow of thy wings And I beseech thee from the bottome of mine heart to protect me this day with thy mighty hand from all dangers both of body and soule giue thine holy Angels charge ouer mee to guide me in all my waies to keepe mee from euils both bodily and ghostly that keeping my faith and a good conscience I may haue thy witnesse and testimony within my selfe that thou hast not ordained me to wrath but to obtain eternall life and saluation To this end remoue farre from me the offences of this present euill world mortify and kill in me the concupiscense of the flesh crucifie all carnall lusts and affections that vice being supplanted vertue and grace may bee established liue and grow in mee Let not since haue dominion ouer mee reigne and beare rule in my mortall body to ouer-sway my soule and incline it unto euills but let thy loue possesse my soule that grace may incite and stirre vp the same vnto all holy duties which may be soe pleasing vnto thy maiesty as may procure thy fauourable kindnesse blessing and protection Giue mee a contrite heart to bewayle my former life and let mee finde comfort in thy mercy for the remission of my sinnes Sanctifie me O blessed and holy trinity this holy day with thine especiall grace that I may honour thee as a Creator loue thee as a redeemer and expect thee as a Sauiour that I may haue a modest carriage in my behauiour true deuotion in my prayers and reuerent attention in thy presence to heare thy word Vnlocke the cares of my body that I may heare those things which thou shalt teach me that hearing I may vnderstand them vnderstanding I may remember them remembring I may practice them to adorne that profession which I haue made in thy name and confirme mee in the faith of thy sonne Iesus Christ whereto I was baptized Raise mee O Father by the power of my sauiours resurrection from sinne and iniquity and giue me spirituall rest peace of conscience ioy in the holy ghost and fellowship in the communion of Saints that when I shall leaue this world I may keepe an euerlasting Sabbath with thee in the kingdome of heauen Behold O Lord I knock at the dore of thy mercy withall the power of my soule and strength of my minde for all these graces and fauours beseeching thee to continue vnto mee the right vse of the same that thy spirit may witnesse vnto my spirit that I am thy sonne and shall bee heire of thy kingdome of glory and that I may be partaker of the inheritance with thy Saints in light where are pleasures that last for euermore Grant this O Father for Iesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer for Sunday Noone O Lord my God great in maiesty and infinite in mercy wonderfull in thy goodnesse vnto thy Church and children who hast commanded mee to make prayers and supplications for those that shall enter into the ministery and stand before thee to waite at thine Altar the harâ—est being great and the painefull and conscionable labourers but few I beseech thee that thou wouldest bee pleased to send able ministers into thy Church and set such ouer particular congregatiâ—ns as like Iohn the Baptist may
graces of thy Spirit that appearing in thine Image thou mayst know mee and acknowledge me for thine owne-Lord heare my prayers and let my praises be acceptable in thine eyes For vnto thee O Lord vpon the altar of mine heart doe I offer vp all possible praise and thanksgiuing for all thy blessings both spirituall and temporall heauenly and earthly in great abundance coÌ„ferâ—ed vpon mee and aboue all for Iesus Christ the fountaine of them all by whom I haue redemption through his bloud and accesse through his life I thanke thee likewise for the sweet influence of thy gracious well guiding holy Spirit for the manifestation of thy selfe and sacred will by thy word read and preached for the confirmation and strengthening of my faith by those sacred signes and pledges of thy loue which thou exhibitest and giuest to mee and vnto euery beleeuing soule in the Sacraments I thanke thee for my life liberty food and rayment health wealth peace and plenty which thou in much mercy hast afforded vnto me from time to time for keeping mee now and euer from sudden death and sundry dangers whereinto I might haue fallen by reason of my manifold sinnes And I beseech thee to continue this thy prouidence ouer me and mine and thy whole church as thou hast hitherto beene a Sâ—nne to comfort me so bee thou now a shield to protect me keepe me in soule and body goods and good name vouchsafe mee this night peace vnto my soule rest and quietnesse to my body that therein being refreshed I may bee cheared vp in my minde and made the more prompt and ready to doe thee laudable seruice the day following and all the dayes of my life and that for Christ Iesus sake the Sonne of thy loue Amen Tuesday A Morning Prayer MOst gracious God and mercifull Father thou that art glorious in power and holinesse I thy poore and miserable creature being but dust and ashes doe here humbly present my selfe soule and body before the throne of thy maiesty confessing and acknowledging from the bottome of my heart that I am a most vile sinner conceiued in sinne and borne in iniquity and am by nature backward vnto that which is good and prone vnto all manner of euill By meanes of this originaâ—l corruption drawne from the loynes of my first parents mine vnderstanding is full of all blindnesse and darkenesse my memory of forgetfulnesse my will of perversnesse mine affections of disorderlinesse my heart of hardnesse yea there is within mee a distemperature of all parts so that from the crowne of the head vnto the soule of the foote there is no soundnesse within mee wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse mee from my sinnes enrich my barren heart with the sanctifying graces of thy spirit that growing in knowledge fructifying in faith loue charity and abounding with all other holy vertues and heauenly qualities I may be washed iustified and sanctified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of my God and haue the witnes and euidence within my selfe that there remaineth no condemnation to me being in Christ Iesus walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit Lord I confesse I am vtterly lost and haue no hope of saluation left vnto me having walked after the vanity of my mind and liued in al lust lewdnes riot reuelling vncleannes sinfulnes so that if thou shouldest be extreame to marke what is done amisse O Lord who may abide it Enter not therefore into Iudgement with 〈◊〉 seruant for in thy sight shall no flesh liuing bee iustistified Though my sinnes haue magnified themselues in infinite length breadth depth and height yet let thy mercy which passeth all vnderstanding farre exceed them And howsoeuer by reason of my sinnes I haue iustly deserued to be not only depriued of thy blessings but for euer deserted forsaken yet for his sake in whom thou art well pleased cast me not away from thy presence of grace here or glory hereafter but by the one lead me to the other by holinesse bring me to happinesse Behold O Lord how I am thy seruant and the sonne of thy hand-maid O grant mee grace that I may liue with thee for euer Thou hast redeemed me oh let me not fall into captiuity and bondage vnto sin and Satan because I weare thy cognizance liuery but so confirme and strengthen me that both in life and death I may continue thine that I may neuer draw back vnto perdition or forsake thee the euer-liuing God or renounce my Christ who hath the words of eternall life yea who is the Way the Truth and the Life but that both in prosperity and aduersity abiding by thee I may liue in thy feare dye in thy fauour rest in thy peace rise in thy power and raigne with thee in thy glory Amen Tuesday An Euening Prayer O Lord God euerlasting and full of pitty I am a sinner yet thy seruant not hauing transgressed through wickednes but much weaknesse and infirmity spare me therefore good Lord according to thy usuall dealing with those which in prayer haue had recourse vnto thee and according to thine old vnchangeable nature of thy kindnesse and long suffering Thou mightest haue taken me away in my sinnes but thou hast giuen me space of amendment and grace to returne vnto thee to seeke thee whilst thou maist be found and call vpon thee whilst thou art neare O Lord be not farre from me but draw neere vnto my soule make haste to deliuer me and helpe me Nay Lord thou art euer with and neuer failest those who seeke after thee and call vpon thee with words of deuotion and contrition to such thou art a present helpe in trouble their shield and buckler their rocke and strong hold their castle and fortresse the horne also of their saluation Instantly doe I knocke at the gate of thy mercy Lord open vnto me and receiue me to thy protection this night as thou hast safe-garded and guided me this day past so keepe me now and euer because I trust in thee Lord preserue mee in health wealth and godlinesse if it be thy gracious pleasure voâ—chsafe mee peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost guide me here by thy counsell and after that receiue me to glory And now seeing thou hast brought the night vpon mee wherein thou hast ordained man to take his rest keepe me O Lord as the apple of thine eye saue and defend mee from all annoyances fond dreames strong fantasies and delusions Cause thine Angels to pitch their tents round about mee and keepe watch ouer my soule and body that I may not if it bee possible sinne in either word or deede but may persist and goe forward in mine innocency and integrity vntill the appearing of my Lord and Sauiour vnto iudgement Good Lord deliuer mee from suddaine death feares and affrightments casualties by fire water or tempestuous weather disturbance by theeues or any other danger whatsoeuer Let my lying downe
come vnto thee in my need giue me a will to worke truely and daily in my vocation and to order my skill by the rule of thy wisdome that I be not vnfruitfull Blesse my body and soule that no euill or harme come vnto them and keepe my memory and senses that they passe not the limits of reason and vnderstanding wherewith thou hast endewed me O Lord lighten my minde to looke vpon good things only inflame my heart with the loue of them and conduct mee with thy grace that as thou hast awaked my body from sleepe so my soule may daily be raised from sinne and soule and body and spirit may be renued in righteousnes to serue thee the liuing God to the praise and glory of thy great Name the credit of the Gospell of grace and finally to the saluation of my poore soule in the day of the glorious appearing of my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Amen Thursday An Euening Prayer O Lord God my most louing and mercifull Father great in mercie and constant in truth I doe acknowledge my bounden duty of thankefullnes vnto thee for thy manifold graces and benefits imparted vnto mee and although I bee vnable to recount them and farre more vnworthy to be partaker of them neuertheles in full assurance and confidence of thy loue to mee in Iesus Christ I presume to come vnto thee and now againe commit into thy hands this night my soule and body withall my senses and faculties thoughts and affections words and deeds my heart and soule and all that is within mee and without mee my Faith and the continuance of the same beseeching thee to keepe me and them day and night blameles and vndefiled against the day of thy comming O Lord pardon and forgiue me all the sins which I haue either wretchedly effected oâ— wickedly imagined against thine honour and the good of my neighbour Lay not the faults and frailties of my younger yeares vnto my charge forget them Lord and forgiue them and for the better confirmation of thy gracious pardon I humbly intreat thee O Lord to annex vnto thy grant the power of thy grace to attend vpon me that I may not doe mine owne will but thine and eschewing euill and doing good strike mine heart with thy feare O Lord that in fearing thee I may labour to escape those things which thou threatnest and giue me the comfort of thy saluatition that in louing thee I may bee thought worthy to obtaine those things which thou promisest Be fauourable vnto me O Lord that I may this night quietly take my rest vnder the shadow of thy wings voide of all feare spirituall darkenesse dangers bodily or ghostly finall despaire and the like and when the darke end of this mortall life like the shutting in of this day shall come grant mee O Lord a watchfull heart willingly disposed and thereby inabled with thy grace to abandon these transitory nights and dayes and depart hence in the peace of a good conscience into thine euerlasting rest through Iesus Christ my Lord and Sauiour In whose name and words I conclude these my imperfect prayers saying as he himselfe hath taught me in the Lords prayer Our Father c. Fryday A Morning Prayer O Holy Lord God maker and gouernour of all things both in heauen aboue and the earth beneath vnto thee doe I come with a broken and contrite heart sorrowing for my sinnes seeking to find comfort at thy hands Thou O Lord my God knowest my griefe mine anxiety and care oh let me feele and finde thy comforts to refresh my soule and reioyce my heart Bee with me this day in all my worldly businesse and affaires and let thy grace and holy Spirit euermore defend me and preserue my innocency and integrity that I may bee knowne and acknowledged for thine owne at the last day I thanke thee gracious Father for keeping me this night past and for that thou hast safely brought me to see the glistering light of the day O Lord stirre me vp that I may expresse my thankfulnesse by my serviceable obedience preserue and keepe me from sinne and all annoyances of both soule and body Make mee this day as abstinent from flesh prohibited and forbidden by the Church so from all filthinesse of both soule and Spirit that perfecting my beginnings of holinesse in the feare of God I may bee assured of an inheritance with the Saints in light Strengthen me against the vanityes of the world the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life and renue whatsoeuer is decayed in mee through the malice of Satan or mine owne corruptions and that approuing what is thy good and acceptable will I may endeauour to doe the same and so worke out my owne saluation with feare and trembling Giue me grace to spend this day and the remainder of my dayes in all peace and purity sanctity and sobriety to thy glory the good example of others and finally the salvation of my owne soule for Iesus Christ his sake the Son of thy loue to whom with thee O Father and thy holy Spirit one God in vnity and three persons in trinity be ascribed of me and thy whole Church all honour and glory world without end Amen Fryday An Euening Prayer MErcifull Lord God and my gracious Father in Iesus Christ I am thy seruant and the sonne of thy handmaid O leaue me not nor forsake mee but euer bee thou my God and my guide leade me into all truth and in the end let me see thy saluation Wash away all my sinnes in the bloud of thy Sonne sanctifie my nature abolish my corruptions guide mee here by thy councell and after that receiue mee to glory Keepe mee now and euer send mee this night quiet rest and grant that lying downe to sleepe I may rise againe in thy peace walke in thy feare the day following and for euer glorifie thee Infuse into mee O Lord the Spirit of sweet consolation and although my sleepe be a death and my bed as the graue yet suffer me not to perish suddenly or vnprepared but watch ouer me for good guide me now and euermore let no affrightments fall vpon me keepe me from fire storms tempests theeues sudden death and danger and be vnto me a gracious protector and director Cause thine Angels to pitch their tents round about me my house and habitation Remember thy Church and euery member thereof to preserue and keepe it especially the poore afflicted protestants in all parts beyond the seas and at home in our owne land send them helpe from thy holy place and euermore mightily defend them Be vnto them a sun and a shield a sun to comfort and a shield to safeguard and protect them in all assaults dangers and difficulties trialls temptations and tribulations Put an end and period vnto all their griefes and afflictions and in thy good time vouchsafe them a happy deliuerance out of all their troubles for thou neuer failest in thy compassions towards such
as are thine as feare thy name walking before thee and labouring to be vpright Lord send comfort vnto them and lift vp the light of thy gracious countenance vpon them And Lord receiue them and me and all that belong vnto me this night and euer vnto thy gracious protection through the mediation of Iesus Christ In whose name and words I finish these my imperfect prayers and meditations saying as he himselfe hath taught mee in the Gospell c. Our Father which art c. Saturday A Morning Prayer O Lord most great and gracious louing Father in Iesus Christ sanctifie I humbly beseech thee this day vnto me and my selfe now and euer vnto thy seruice And here O Lord I giue thee thanks for that thou hast kept me this night past vnto this present houre and moment and hast brought mee vnto the last day of the weeke grant that I may spend the same soberly righteously and holily Bring me to the knowledge of thy righteous will in all things that knowing it I may endeauour to doe the same to thy glory the peace of mine owne conscience and the safety of my soule Purge my soule from sinfull lusts and affections and cleanse my conscience from all pollutions and defilements thereof that I may euer with boldnesse of Spirit and affiance in thy mercy behold thy face and grace in Iesus Christ. Roote out of my minde all couetous malitious and lustfull thoughts keepe me from sinne and from vncleanenesse bee thou my guide in all my wayes my stay and succour in all my necessities Put an end and period vnto the motions of the flesh enlarge mine heart for all holy duties and habituall graces of thy Spirit that I may nourish them as my life In these my prayers I am not mindfull of my selfe alone but of thy whole Church howsoeuer distressed or wheresoeuer dispersed ouer the face of the earth I pray vnto thee likewise for thy seruant and our dread soueraigne Charles our king and gouernour O Lord as thou hast graced him with a crowne so crowne him with thy grace and as thou hast giuen him a glorious kingdome here so giue him heareafter part of thy kingdome of glory Be mercifull vnto our most gracious Queene Mary the young Prince Charles the Lady Mary the Lady Elizabeth her royall issue Blesse preserue and prosper all those that trauaile in an honest way whether by sea or land and likewise all women in trauaile with child and sicke persons troubled both in body or minde or howsoeuer diseased O Lord speake peace vnto their consciences and as thou hast laide them down with the one hand so raise them vp with the other if not to this life to life eternall and that not for any merits of mine Lord I disclaime them all but for the precious merits of thy Son our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Amen Saturday An Euening Prayer O Lord God Almighty mercifull Father maker and preseruer of all things looke downe I beseech thee with the eye of pitty and compassion vpon me miserable and sinfull wretch prostrating my selfe soule and body vpon my benknees before thy diuine maiesty humbly beseeching thee to looke vpon me in much mercy pardon my sins enrich me with thy graces sanctifie mee with thy grace and bring mee to thy glory and there refresh my soule with such things as eye hath not seene eare hath not heard neither hath entred into the heart of man to conceiue Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no flesh liuing be iustified Examine not my wayes this weeke past by the strict rule of thy Law neither reward me in the rigour of thy iustice but for Iesus Christ his sake haue mercy vpon me miserable sinner that haue deserued the seuerest of thy punishments As the heauens are higher then the earth so extend thy mercy beyond my deserts Satisfie my soule with thy mercy and that right soone so shall I reioyce and bee glad in thee and learne to praise thee euermore And now O Lord as this weeke is at an end so let my sins haue end and neuer bee reiterated or done any more Lord call me not to an exact account for them for Lord I confesse I am worthy of death and eternall damnation yet seeing there is mercy with thee that thou mightest bee feared and loued for euermore spare mee I humbly beseech and haue mercy vpon me according to the multitude of thy mercies And being graciously reconciled vnto thee be thou pleased to be my mercifull protector and preseruer from all perils and dangers this night blesse me with quiet rest that being refreshed in my body I may bee cheered vp in my minde and made the more fit to serue thee in the duties of my calling and sanctifie thy Sabbath and keepe it as a glorious day vnto thee through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen A Prayer before Sermon VOuchsafe O most mercifull God to open the closet of my dark vnderstanding that thy word may enter thereinto and be so receiued of me as that Ignorance the mother of disobedience being excluded heauenly knowledge may enter in and that growing daily in knowledge I may bee more and more renued in the spirit of my minde and doe all such good works as thou commandest and commendest vnto me in thy word Giue me grace that the seed of thy word being sowen in my heart it may take deepe roote downeward and bring forth fruit vpward to the credit of the Gospell the comfort of my poore soule and aboue all to the glory of thy most holy name So let thy Spirit rule and guide the lips of thy seruant and minister as that he vtter nothing but the word of Truth with such boldnesse that neither feare nor affection stop not the passage of the same Make mee to attend and waite vpon thine ordinance desiring to be satisfied with the crums that fall from this thy table And because the haruest is great the faithfull labourers but a few I pray thee who art Lord of the haruest to send forth such as may be industrious And conscionable in the discharge of their ministeriall duties Let thy Vrim and Thummim bee vpon them as vpon thine holy ones that sincerity of doctrine and integrity of conuersation may adorne their persons and beautifie their function and calling Banish from this sacred work al such as are not sent from thee let them haue no exhibition from thy church running without commission from thee Lord guide the heart and tongue of him whom I shall heare this day that he may speake home vnto my conscience and leaue no corruption vnbowelled but that his words may separate all sinfull affections from me and stir me vp to bee a follower of it in all holy vertues and gracious acts Blesse all the hearers of thy word make them doers of the same not deceiuing of their owne soules Grant that thy messengers diuiding the word aright and thy people keeping it carefully and
according to thy good pleasure and shewest thy selfe in nothing more omnipotent then in the conceiuing forming and bringing forth of mankinde into this world which alâ—â—ough it was in the beginning ordayned most easily yet by the subtilty of our continuall enemy Satan in causing our first parents to transgresse thy commandement and breake thy will by tasting the forbidden fruit it is now most painefull and dangerous grieuous and perillous insomuch O sweet Lord as without thine especiall grace and assistance fauour and mercy it is altogether impossible for vs fraile women a weake sex to beare and abide the same our imperfection and feeblenesse is such as of our selues we are not able to indure the least of all the sorrowes and sufferings that accompany this kinde of trauaile wherefore sweet Lord and louing Father my humble desire vnto thy maiesty is for Iesus Christ his sake that thou wouldest vouchsafe to extend vnto me and to all women thy mercy and louing fauour to mitigate the paines thereof that we may be able patiently to indure the paines of our trauaile at the howre appointed and make that easie and light vnto vs which our defects haue made heauy and burdensome sweeten that which our deserts haue made sowre that the burden wherewith I am now laden may graciously be deliuered from my weake body Send vs all good Lord happy and gracious deliuerance that wee may bee made ioyfull and happy mothers And vouchsafe vnto me to al that haue conceued and be with childe strength to bring forth that which thine omnipotency hath so wonderfully wrought within vs. In our troubles O Lord helpe vs thou most mighty and mercifull God mightily deliuer vs. Let thy power might and loue be no lesse manifest in the deliuery then in the forming of thy creature that being through thy goodnesse made a ioyfull mother I may obtaine my perfect strength againe and liue to praise and please thee for euermore Amen Another short and most necessary prayer to be said of one with Childe O Lord whose goodnesse wee haue offended and by our sins deserued infinite paines looke with the eye of pitty and compassion vpon me lay aside thy Iustice and shew me thy mercifull fauour and louing kindnesse Let me inioy the benefit of thy helping hand and not feele the weight of thy heauy displeasure fauourably lighten me of this heauy burden in thy good and gracious time and in the howre and instant of my deliuery be present with me O Lord and tender my safety through Iesus Christ. Amen A thanksgiuing after the woman is deliuered of the Childe FOrasmuch as it hath pleased thee Almighty God of thy gracious goodnesse to ease me of my paines and deliuer me of my burden and from the pangs and throwes of Child-bearing I doe here humbly prostrate my soule and body before thy sacred maiesty to be vnto thee a reasonable liuely and liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable in thy sight giuing thine omnipotent maiesty infinite and vnfained thanks for this thy gracious preseruation of me and deliuering me out of this great danger of death wherein I was and vnder which I might soon haue perished had not thy mercy sustained me and thy goodnesse imbraced me on euery side To thee therefore O holy and heauenly Father be giuen and ascribed all possible praise and thanksgiuing from this time forth for euermore As thou hast beene gracious vnto me in giuing me a childe so Lord giue me grace to deuote and consecrate it vnto thee and thy seruice To this end worke mightily in it by thy holy Spirit sanctifie it from the wombe that it may bee thine not only whil'st it hangs vpon the mothers brests but so long as it shall breath in the land of the liuing and vntill thou translate it hence to raigne with thee in glory Amen A short Prayer for Wisdome O Lord most great and glorious I confesse that whilst I beare about with me this body of sinne imprisoning the soule my nature corrupted and depraued with sinnes originall and actuall seekes by all meanes possible to oppose the spirit and doe those things which are dissonant and contrary to the motions inspirations and gracious influence and working thereof My flesh lusteth against the spirit so that the things which I would doe I cannot and the things which I suppose to be done in much knowledge and wisdome will bee found not only ignorances and errors but sinnefull wickednesse in thy fight Wherefore I humbly beseech thee O Holy Father to send out thy light and truth thy Spirit of wisdome and reuelation to teach and instruct mee to bee my God and guide to leade mee into all truth Lord send downe that wisdome which waiteth about thy throne and plant the same in my heart that all my sayings doings and devises being alwayes ordered by this wisdome from on high I may intend and doe that which is pleasing in thy sight and profitable for mine owne saluation and shun the contrary in all things through Iesus Christ my Lord and Sauiour Amen A short Prayer for defence against our Enemies O Lord my God bee not farre from me in trouble and in all dangers bodily or ghostly draw neere and make haste to helpe me I am I confesse a most sinfull creature and haue iustly deserued thy wrath and indignation against me the sorest and seuerest of thy punishments yea that all thy blessings should become curses vnto me and that I should either be destroyed by thine and the churches enemies or that I should bee ruinated by mine owne prosperity Yet Lord for thy mercy sake turne thee vnto me and haue compassion on me let not mine enimies preuaile in their mischieuous devises lest they be to proud in thy mercy conuert them or in thy iustice confound them make them as the stubble before the winde and thine Angell scattering of them Lord I am in thine hand and they are within the compasse of thy power stay and allay their fury let them not take effect in their mischieuous Imaginations and attempts against me but put them to confusion rid me and deliuer me in thy righteousnesse Be thou a son and a shield vnto me to comfort and protect me To this end cause thine Angels to pitch their tents round about mee that being defended vnder the shadow of thy wings and armed with the power of thy might I may not feare what man can doe vnto me Lord regard me with the eye of thy grace and guard me with the hand of thy power that being preserued in both soule and body I may liue in piety peace and godlinesse vnto my liues end Amen A Prayer to be said before the receiving of the Lords Supper O Lord Iesus the Sonne of the liuing God who freely and of thine owne accord offeredst thy most sacred Body to bee broken and thy blood to bee shed for my sinnes that thou mightest ransome me from hell and deliver me from wrath eternal condemnation O sweet
Iesu my sins originall and actuall of weaknes wickednesse haue deserued thy wrath and frowning ire yea that thou shouldest with-hold the eye of thy grace far from me and punish me with everlasting destruction from the presence of thy glory Yet Lord seeing thou hast shed thy blood for me O Lord I beseech thee to wash away all my sinnes in the streames that issued from thy precious wounds As thou hast loued mee in laying downe thy life for me and hast left vnto thy Church this holy Sacrament as a pledge and assurance that through thy death all that truely partake of this sacred and heauenly institution apprehending the mysteries therein contained and applying the merits of Christ Iesus crucified they may haue comfort and peace in beleeuing those mercifull promises which thou hast made vnto vs in thy Word and bee partakers of the benefits of thy Sonnes Passion and haue fruition of thy sauing vertue here and life and glory hereafter Accept mee good Lord in Iesus Christ as washed iustified and sanctified and by thy Spirit O my God cleanse and purifie my heart daily more and more sanctifie mine affections and enlarge my heart for holy and heauenly things that mortifying the deeds of the flesh I may grow and increase in grace perfecting my holinesse in the feare of God At this time I intreat thee of thy gracious goodnesse O most holy and heauenly Father by thy Spirit of confirmation to helpe and strengthen me against my weakenesse and grant that through a stedfast lively and constant faith I may receiue and eate this sanctified bread and hallowed Cup or blessed drinke in a holy and reuerend remembrance that thy body O Lord Iesus was crucified and thy blood was shed for the remission of my sinnes and grant that it may so effectually worke in my soule that I may ever hereafter liue in all holy obedience according to thy heauenly will through Iesus Christ my Lord and onely Sauiour Amen At the receiuing of the Bread say thus O Sweet Iesus as thou hast giuen thy flesh to bee the bread of eternall saluation so vouchsafe to worke in mee by a liuely faith that I receiuing the same may euermore continue in thee and thou in me Amen At the receiuing of the Cup say thus O Lord vouchsafe that as thy bloud was shed to wash mee a sinner from the corruption of old Adam so grant that it may through a liuely faith take effect in me washing me from the filth of Sinne and renue in me the fruits of righteousnesse that I may become a fitte member of thine liue in thee and dye in thee Amen A prayer after the receiuing of the most holy Communion of the body and bloud of Christ. O God Father euerlasting great and glorious I thy poore and vnworthy Creature being not able to yeeld thee thanks sufficiently praise the for thine vnspeakeable fauour and louing kindnesses in feeding mee at this time with the spirituall foode of the body and bloud of thy Sonne Iesus Christ whom thou vouchsafest to send for our redemption into this miserable world and to giue him euen vnto the death for me In remembrance whereof he hath willed me to eate his body and drinke his bloud to the end that by Faith I should bee knit and vnited vnto him and made a liuely member of his mysticall body and being washed from all my sinnes in his bloud I should leade a new life in all obedience holinesse and righteousnesse Vouchsafe I humbly intreate thee for his sake to indue me with thy holy Spirit whereby hereafter casting away the workes of darkenesse I may walke in the true light of thy holy Spirit and euer remaine in the number of thy holy and elect children waiting faithfully when hee shall come againe for my deliuerance out of this mortall life and whilest I liue here vouchsafe me an vnfained desire to pertake of that his holy Institution and through thy holy Spirit to leade my life according to thy holy will in all things keeping my body and soule vnspotted and vndefiled as fit receptacles of so heauenly food that my soule may bee pertaker of the misteries thereof by faith in Iesus Christ. Amen A prayer to be vsed by the tempted against the assaults of Satans temptations MOst gracious mercifull and louing Father which exercisest thy children with sundry and manifold trialls temptations and tribulations leauing hem vnto themselues as thou dâ—dâ—st Hezekiah to the end hee might discouer and see in himselfe his owne vaine-glory imbecility and much frailty Some like Peter thou exposest to the boisterous windes of Satan winnowings and others like Paul to the blowes of the aduersaries vehement buffetings Thine owne and only Sonne thou diddest not exempt from Satans sharpest and stoutest trials when thou diddest conduct him into the wildernesse to bee tempted of the devill If thou O Lord leade me in like manner to be tried and tempted suffer me not at any time to be ouercome hold thou me vp by thy mighty hand and power animate me by the presence of thy Spirit and holy Angels and let thy grace be euer sufficient for mee that I may giue mine aduersary the foile and in the end get the victory In his departure from me for a season let not Satan bee aduantaged or get strength but detect his policies discouer his subtilties vnto me and defeate his doings and dealings which are against mâ— To this end worke such wisdome in me as may make me to foresee his stratagems such vigilancy as that I may beware his pitfalls which hee prepareth for our soules destruction Let no temptation take me but such as is common to man In thy faithfulnesse O Father try me not aboue my strength and ability but with the temptation make a way to escape that I may be able to beare it Let me neuer yeeld to the devilish motions of Satan suggesting vnto me death or desperation but grant me patience to expect the howre of my departure my soules separation and the dissolution of my body and deliuerance from the misery of this wretched world My trouble let it be without distresse my perplexity without despaire my persecution without forsaking my casting downe without destruction If teare befall me in thy good time wipe them from mine eyes preserue them in thy bottle make them precious in thy sight and my selfe with thee Leauing mee for a little while draw nigh againe vnto me in great compassion and gather me vnto thy selfe that I may euer reioyce in thee and with thee Couer my head in the daies of my spirituall conflicts let thy loue be my bannor thy faithfulnesse and truth my shield and buckler Give mee faith and a sure confidence in thee make me perfectly to trust in thy grace looking for Iustification and saluation through thy mercy and my blessed Sauiours merits Let not any kinde of triall bee irkesome and grieuous vnto me but giue me a right iudgement as in all other things so
deare Father I confesse my weakenesse is such that I want patience to endure thy tryall take from me thy heauy hand or lay no more vpon mee then I can beare giue an issue vnto all temptations and make a way for mee to escape and in the end grant me a finall deliuerance As thou madest me of dust so thou canst take from me my breath againe and cause me soone to returne vnto my originall earth againe yet spare mee a little that I may recouer my health and strength before I goe hence and be no more seene There is I confesse no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger nor rest in my bones because of my sinnes my heart panteth my strength faileth my beauty and liuely-hood consumeth like a moth-eater-garment O Lord if it be thy will remoue thy stroake away from mee and consume mee not by the blow of thy hand Ease mine agonies mittigate mine extremities be mindfull of my sorrowes and mercifull vnto my sinnes redeeme my life from destruction strengthen my weakenes heale my disease and cause mee againe to walke before thee in the land of the liuing But if thou hast otherwise determined of me to translate mee hence thy will be done grant me patience vnder thy correcting hand and a liuely faith in the all sufficient and efficacious merit of Christ my Sauiour If thou wilt not heale my disease yet forgiue me mine iniquity seale vnto mee a free pardon of all my sinnes in the bloud of thy Sonne say vnto my soule that thou wilt be my saluation In affiance of thy mercifull absolution cause me to declare mine iniquities and be filled with godly sorrow which may worke repentance vnto saluation neuer to be repented of Sprinkle mee with the bloud of Christ and puriâ—â—e me from my dayly pollutions that being washed iustified and sanctified I may be presented vnto thee without spot or wrinkle Let nothing separate mee from thy loue but giue me perseveing grâ—ce to hold out vnto the end that dying thine Angels may conuey my soule into Abrahams bosome there to raigne with thee world without end Amen A Prayer to bee vsed by the friends of the sicke c. O Lord our God and most gracious Creator thou madest vs immortall creatures but by sinne we haue brought death and destruction vpon our selues for we haue profaned thy Sabbaths contemned thine ordinances cast thy word behinde our backs liued in all sinne and sensuality spirituall slumber and security so that thou mightest iustly cut vs off from the land of the liuing and giue vs our portion which hypocrites where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth But Lord for thy mercy sake and for the merits of thy Sonne spare vs a little and giue vs space of amendment before we goe hence and bee no more seene and grace whereby we may draw neare vnto thee to seeke thy fauour in Iesus Christ. Correct vs in thy mercy and not in thy Iustice lest wee should be consumed and brought to nothing If thou giue ouer our bodies vnto sickenesse let it be to the destruction of the body of sin that being aliue vnto God through Iesus Christ we may grow in grace and bee more fruitfull in all good workes And whilest wee liue teach vs to dye dayly mortifying the deeds of the flesh contemning the world with the vanities thereof Weane vs from inordinate selfe-loue that wee may not endeare our selues too much to these transitory liues of ours but may bee ready to depart when it shall please thee to call for vs knowing that we cannot liue euer with thee vnlesse we be willing to dye and be with thee Wherefore we pray thee take away the bitternesse of death and sweeten by the wood of Christs Crosse these waters of Marah that we may sigh and groane in our selues desiring to be deliue-from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God Worke in vs a willingnesse to depart but yet we humbly intreat thee let our liues and the life of this thy sicke seruant bee now and euer precious in thy sight looke mercifully vpon him that is grieued with sicknesse Lord if thou wilt thou canst make him whole Send him therefore helpe and health from thy holy place and euermore mightily defend him Let the enemy haue no aduantage against him nor the wicked approach to hurt him but bee thou present with him and strengthen his faith increase his patience vnder thy correcting hand Lift vp by the hand of thy mercy and Fatherly indulgence this thy seruant from the bedde of his sorrowes If thou wilt longer exercise him lend him strength to endure thy tryall and in the end bee bettered by it If thou hast determined to take him hence certify him how long he hath to liue make him to know his end and the measure of his daies that by prayer and repentance of faith hee may prouide wisely for his last end and bee found of thee in peace and inioy euerlasting happinesse dispose his â—editations aright for death and in the howre of death and alwayes make him to deny himselfe in renouncing iustification by any inherent worth or righteousnesse In all sorrowes and sufferings let thy comforts reioyce his soule To this end mortifie in him the corruption of nature quicken him with the soule of new life and establish him with thy free Spirit purge his heart from worldly thoughts and his minde from carnall desires motions and affections Wash his soule and body with the blood of Christ and sanctifie him throughout both in Spirit soule and body with the grace of thy Holy Spirit that departing in the true faith not casting away his confidence nor hope of reioycing in full assurance of a blessed resurrection he may haue boldnesse in the day of Christ and passe from death to life and bee euer with thee to behold thy glory grant this for Iesus Christ his sake Amen Another Prayer to be vsed by those that are about the sicke O Lord our God great and glorious thou that art the Iudge of all the earth we dust and ashes vile and miserable sinners doe here most humbly cast downe our selues before thee for our sinnes which are the causers of all the euils of punishment which thou inflictest on the sonnes and daughters of men Deare Father heare vs and forgiue whatsoeuer is past and grant that wee may euer hereafter serue and please thee through newnesse of life walking before thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all our dayes And because the dayes are evill giue vs grace to redeeme the time and numbring our dayes aright apply our hearts vnto wisdome Cause vs constantly to eschew euill and doe good to seeke peace and ensue it Looke mercifully on this thy seruant grieued with sickenesse and sanctifie this visitation vnto him that those graces which thou hast begun to worke in him may be strengthened increased and by degrees perfected Restore vnto him the voice of ioy and health that the
bones which thou hast broken may reioyce and seeing we haue neede of patience send this our brother or sister such competency of patience and constancy that he may continue thy faithfull souldier and seruant vnto his liues end worke in him a sense and feeling of sinne and true sorrow for the same which may cause repentance vnto saluation neuer to bee repented of If it be not thy good pleasure to raise him from his bed of languishing and set him vpon his feet againe prepare his heart for death and his soule for heauen washing away his sinnes in the bloud of Christ and imputing vnto him the righteousnesse of Christ that he appearing before thee without either spot or wrinkle may haue confidence of seeing his euer-liuing and euer-louing redeemer not with other but with â—hese his eyes weane his affections from the loue of this world and set them on those things which are aboue that being absent from the body hee may inioy thy presence of glory for euer Repaire in this thy seruant thine owne Image and renue it in knowledge holinesse and righteousnesse that thou maiest know and acknowledge him for thine owne and raise him vp from the graue vnto the resurrection of life and for euer satisfie him with thine Image and change him into the same from glory to glory Amen A thanksgiuing for recouery from sicknesse OMnipotent Lord God the author of life who bringest downe vnto the graue and raisest vp againe I doe here confesse to the glory of thine infinite mercy that if thou haddest not blessâ—d and sustained mee in my sickenesse I should haue gone the way of all flesh but it was thy goodnesse to spare mee and deliuer mee from dangers thy name bee glorified for this thine vnualuable fauour and mercifull kindnesse And I humbly beseech thee to giue me grace to expresse my reall thankfullnesse by my sincere obedience and to serue thee more carefully and conscionably then heretofore I haue done and the shorter my dayes are the more â—o redeeme the time that by repenting me truely of my sinnes and calling on thee for grace by eschewing euill and doing good more especially vnto the household of faith I may haue the testimony within my selfe that thou hast not ordayned mee vnto wrath but to obtaine eternall life and saluation through Iesus Christ my Lord and only Sauiour Amen A morning prayer for a family O Eternall and all-seeing God who art iust in thy iudgements true in thy promises wonderfull in thy maiesty and infinite in thy mercy who hast the heauens for thy throne and the earth for thy foot-stoole and the creatures of both at thy becke The heauens are full of the maiesty of thy glory and cannot containe the same looke downe therefore from thence vpon vs thy seruants who now prostrate our selues before the footstoole of thy throne of grace humbly beseeching thee for Iesus Christ his sake to be mercifull vnto vs miserable sinners One deepe calleth vnto another the depth of misery vnto the depth of mercy haue mercy therefore vpon vs O Lord and in the multitude of thy mercies doe away all our offences Wee confesse that we are not worthy to speake of thee much lesse to speake vnto thee wee being so vile and miserable thou so glorious and admirable yet being assured that in forgiuing sinnes and helping poore afflicted soules the neuer drawne dry fountaine of thy mercy doth appeare we thine vnprofitable seruants are emboldened to present our selues this morning before thee to offer vp vnto thee a liuely sacrifice of prayer and thanksgiuing who diddest offer vp thy Sonne vpon the Crosse to be a propitiation for our sinnes O let this lifting vp of our hearts and hands bee a morning sacrifice pure and acceptable in thy sight Let not the greatnesse of our sinnes with-hold thy implored mercy but wash vs from all vncleannesse and remoue thy iudgements due vnto vs for them as farre from thy presence as is the East from the West Bury them in the graue with Christ raise vs vp by the power of thy Spirit vnto newnesse of life that we may walke in all holy obedience before thee this day and that endeuouring to keepe our faith and a good conscience voide of offence wee may now and in the houre of death be and remaine alwaies thine Defend vs from all euill and sense vs against the assaults of Satan watch ouer vs by the eye of thy good prouidence and cause thy Angels to pitch their tents about vs for our safety and continuall preseruation Into thy hands we here commit our soules and bodies our cogitations and actions to be guided by thee forgetting thee at any time doe thou in mercy remember vs and forgiue our trespasses make vs to see our sinnes in the glasse of thy Law to mourne for them in the closets of our hearts and confesse them in the bitternesse of our soules Teach vs to cast off the ragges of iniquity and by faith to put on the robes of righteousnesse helpe vs to manage the sword of the Spirit the shield of faith the helmet of saluation that wee may bee able to fight against the wiles of the deuill the vanities of the world the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life Be fauourable to Sion build vp the walls of Ierusalem more particularly preserue and enlarge these Churches of great Britaine France and Ireland feed them as thy flocke foster them as thy family dresse them as thy vineyard and decke them as thy spouse Defend the Kings maiesty from all enemies preserue his body in health his soule in soundnesse his heart in truth his life in honour his honour from vnderminers Blesse our gracious Queene Mary and grant that with Mary shee may chuse the better part which can neuer be taken from her Let thy good Spirit be with our hopefull Prince Charles and the Lady Mary sanctifie and season them with grace and make them thy darlings and beloued ones Blesse the Lady Elizabeth and her children and for the daies wherein they haue suffered aduersity send them abundance of peace and prosperity Blesse the counsellors of state all schooles of good Learning all thy ministers and maiestrates with all our kindsfolke in the flesh and friends in the Spirit to whom thou hast any wayes made vs bounden O Lord enable vs to requite them or lay it on thine owne account to restore it vnto them and their posterities And here we yeeld thee from the Altar of our hearts all possible thanks for that thou hast created vs when we were nothing predestinated vs vnto the Adoption and chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the world and hast called vs by the working of thy spirit in the preaching of the Gospel hast freely iustified vs by Faith in Christ we thanke thee likewise for our preseruation this night past and for bringing of vs this day to see the light Now Lord awake our soules from sinne and carnall security that we