her prayers may she worship in spirit So shall she be able with Abraham to escape the everlasting fire prepared For the plain of this world Bethanie signifieth a village of humilitie and affliction by which we must passe to the kingdome of heaven even as Christ himself passed from the place of affliction to the joyes of heaven Till this time heaven was shut and paradise which is above was kept by a flaming sword But now Christ being conquerour doth set open heaven unto us to shew us the way into our heavenly countrey from which we had fallen away The disciples stood lifting up their eyes and looking up towards heaven So let the true disciples of Christ lift up the eyes of their heart to behold heavenly things Lord Jesus what a glorious clause followed thy passion How happie and sudden a change is this How did I see thee suffering on mount Calvarie and how do I behold thee now in the mount of Olives There thou wast alone here thou art accompanied with many thousands of angels There thou didst ascend up to the crosse here thou dost ascend up into heaven in a cloud There thou wast crucified between theeves here thou rejoyced among the companies of angelâ— There thou wast nailed to the crosse as a condemned man here thou aâ—â— at libertie and dost deliver those thaâ— were condemned There dying and suffering here rejoycing and triumphing Christ is our head we are his members Rejoyce therefore and be glad thou faithfull soul for the ascension of thy head The glory of the head is the glory also of the members Where our flesh doth reigne there let us beleeve that we shall also reigne Where our bloud doth rule let us hope that we shall also obtain glorie Though our sinnes do hinder us yet the communion of nature doth not repell us Where the head is there shall the other members be also Our head is entred into heaven Therefore the members have just cause to hope for entrance not onely so but that they have possession there already Christ descended from heaven to redeem us and again he ascended up into heaven to glorifie us Unto us was he born for us did he suffer For us therefore did he ascend Our charitie is confirmed by Christs passion our faith by Christs resurrection our hope by Christs ascension We must follow Christ our bridegroom not onely with our ardent desires but also with our good works Into that citie which is above nothing shall enter that is defiled In token of this the angels that came from the heavenly Jerusalem appeared in white apparel by which puritie and innocencie is figured With the Doctour of humilitie there ascended no pride with the Authour of goodnesse there ascended no malice with the Lover of peace there ascended no discord and with the Sonne of the Virgin there ascended no lust After the Parent of vertues there ascend no vices after the Just there ascend no sinnes and after the Physician there can ascend no infirmities He that desires to see God hereafter face to face let him here so live as in his sight He that hopes for celestiall things let him contemn terrestriall O draw our hearts thee good Jesus Meditat. XXII An Homilie of the holy Ghost God sealeth by his holy Spirit As many as shall life inherit OUr Lord ascending up into the heavens and entring into his glory sent the holy Ghost unto the disciples upon the day of Pentecost As in the old Testament God when he proclaimed the law in mount Sinai came down unto Moses So when the gospel was by the apostles to be propagated throughout all the world the holy Ghost came down upon them There was thundering and lightning and the loud sound of the trumpet because the law doth thunder against our disobedience and makes us subject to Gods indignation But here is the sound of a gentle winde for the preaching of the gospel doth lift up the souls that are cast down There was the fear and trembling of all the people because the law worketh wrath But here the whole multitude doth flock together to heare the wonderfull things of God for by the gospel we have accesse unto God There the Lord descended in fire but it was in the fire of his wrath and furie therefore was the mountain moved and did smoke But here the holy Ghost descendeth in the fire of love so that all the house is not shaken by the wrath of God but is rather replenished with the glory of the holy Ghost What wonder is it if the holy Ghost be sent from the court of heaven to sanctifie us seeing that the Sonne was sent to redeem us The passion of Christ had not profited us unlesse by the gospel it had been preached unto us For what use is there of a treasure that is hid Therefore our most mercifull Father did not onely prepare a great benefit by the passion of his Sonne but also would have it offered to all the world by sending the holy Ghost The faithfull mother giveth unto her tender infant both her dugs God who is faithfull doth send unto us both the Sonne and the holy Ghost But the holy Ghost came upon the apostles when they were assembled together at prayer with one accord For he is the Spirit of prayer he iâ— obtained by prayer and he moveth us to pray Wherefore Because he is that bond by which our hearts are united with God as he doth unite the Father with the Sonne and the Sonne with the Father For he is the mutuall substantiall love of the Father and the Sonne This our spirituall conjunction with God is wrought by faith But faith is the gift of the Spirit It is obtained by prayer But true prayer is made in the Spirit In the temple of Solomon when incense was offered unto God the temple was filled with the glory of the Lord So if thou offerest unto God the sweet odours of prayers the holy Ghost shall fill the temple of thy heart with glory Let us here admire the mercy and grace of God The Father promiseth to heare our prayers the Sonne maketh intercession for us and the holy Ghost prayeth in us The angels carrie our prayers unto God and the court of heaven is open to receive our prayers God of his mercie doth give unto us the affect of prayer because he giveth unto us the spirit of grace and prayer He giveth unto us also the effect of prayer because he doth alwayes heare our prayers if not according to our will yet according to that which is most profitable for us The holy Ghost came when they were all met together with one accord in the same place For he is the Spirit of love and concord that joyneth us unto Christ by faith unto God by love and unto our neighbour by charitie The devil is the authour of discord and separation by
our sinnes he separates us from God by hatred contention and brawling he separates men one from another But the holy Ghost as in Christ he hath conjoyned the divine and humane nature by his wonderfull overshadowing So doth he by his gifts poured upon us conjoyn men with God and God with men As long as the holy Ghost remaineth in man by his grace and gifts so long doth man remain united to God As soon as man by sinne falleth from faith and love and shaketh off the holy Ghost he is separated from God and is deprived of that most blessed union He that hath the holy Ghost hateth not his brother Why Because by the Spirit he is made partaker of the mysticall bodie of Christ whose members all the godly are And who ever hated his own members Yea more He that is governed by the Spirit of the Lord loveth even his enemies Why Because he that cleaveth unto the Lord becomes one spirit with him And God causeth his sunne to rise upon the good and bad And hateth nothing which he hath made He that hath the Spirit of God is readie to be servant unto all he to his power doeth good unto all he is readie for all to make use of because God is the fountain of all mercie and grace to all Now the Spirit of God effects in man such motions as he himself is As the soul gives unto the body life sense and motion So the Spirit makes man spirituall seasons his minde with divine saltnesse and directs all his members to the performance of all duties towards God and towards his neighbour From heaven came that sound which was the signe of the coming of the holy Ghost Because the holy Ghost is of an heavenly nature to wit of the same nature with the Father and the Sonne from whom that is the Father and the Sonne he proceedeth from all eternitie Moreover he maketh men to think upon heavenly things and to seek those things which are above He which cleaveth unto earthly things and is by his love united unto the world is not yet made partaker of the heavenly Spirit He came in the type of breath Because he affordeth unto the afflicted quickning consolation and because we live according to the flesh by the reciprocall breathing out and sucking in of the aeriall spirit He came under the type of spirit and breath For he giveth unto us To live according to our better part The winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but thou knowest not whence it comes or whither it goes So is every one that is begotten of the Spirit And it was meet that he should come in the type of breath Because he proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne by one breathing from eternitie It was a powerfull breath Because the grace of the holy Ghost comes with power The holy Ghost moveth the godly in whom he dwelleth to all that is good and so moveth them that they regard neither the threats of tyrants nor the treacheries of Satan nor the hatred of the world He conferreth upon the apostles the gift of tongues Because their sound was to go into all lands And so the confusion of tongues which was the punishment of pride and rashnesse in the building of the tower of Babel was taken away and the dispersed nations by the gift of the holy Ghost through diverse tongues were gathered together into the unitie of faith It was meet that he should come in the figure of tongues Because the holy men of God did speak as they were inspired by him Because he spake by the apostles and because he putteth the words of God into the mouthes of the ministers of the church For these so great gifts blessed and praised be the holy Ghost together with the Father and the Sonne for ever and ever Meditat. XXIII Of the churches dignitie Great is the churches dignitie Which chosen is Christs spouse to be COnsider thou devout soul what a great benefit God hath bestowed upon thee in calling thee to the communion of the church One is my beloved saith the bridegroom in the Canticles One indeed because there is but one true and orthodox church the beloved spouse of Christ. Without the body of Christ there is not the Spirit of Christ and he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is not his and he that is not Christs cannot be made partaker of life everlasting All that were without the ark of Noah did perish in the floud And they that are without the spirituall ark of the church must needs be overwhelmed in everlasting destruction He shall never have God to be his Father in heaven that hath not the church for his mother upon earth Consider thou devout soul that every day many thousands of souls descend into hell for this cause because they are without the bosome of the church Nature hath not separated thee from them but onely the grace of God that sheweth mercie When Egypt was involved in palpable darknesse the Israelites onely had light So in the church onely is the light of divine knowledge They that are without the church do passe from the darknesse of ignorance in this present life to the darknesse of eternall damnation in the life to come He that is not a part of the militant church shall never be a part of the church triumphant For these things following have a neare conjunction together that is to say God the word faith Christ the church and life everlasting The holy church of God is a mother a virgin and a spouse She is a mother Because she brings forth spirituall sonnes unto God every day She is a virgin Because she doth keep her self chaste from the embracements of the devil and the world She is a spouse Because Christ hath betrothed her unto himself by an everlasting covenant and hath given unto her the pledge of the Spirit The church is that ship that carries Christ and his disciples and brings them at length to the haven of everlasting felicitie The church sails through the sea of this world with a prosperous course having the stern of faith God for her pilot and the angels for her rowers and carrying the companies of all the saints In the midst thereof there is erected the saving tree of the crosse upon which do hang the sails of evangelicall faith by which she is carried to the securitie of eternall rest by the breathing of the holy Ghost The church is that vineyard that God hath planted in the field of this world which he hath watered with his bloud about which he hath set an hedge of angelicall guard in which he hath made the winepresse of his passion and gathered out the stones and impediments thereof The church is that woman clotheâ— with the sunne Because she is arayed with the righteousnesse of Christ. She treadeth the moon under heâ— feet
clothedst us with innocencie as with a garment thou seatedst us in paradise a place of all delight and pleasure But we have defaced thine image we have cast off our first covering we have thrust our selves out of that pleasant place We ran away from thee and were not obedient unto thy voice We were lost and condemned before we came into this world Our first parents sinned against thee and we sinned in them They were corrupted and we are inheriters of their corruption They were the parents of disobedience and we are by nature the children of wrath Sinfull and unhappie children of sinfull and unhappie parents Thou mightest in thy displeasure after their fall have plunged them into the bottomlesse pit and made them the fewel of hell and sent their posteritie after them And neither they nor we could justly have complained Righteous O Lord art thou in thy judgements And our miserie is from our selves But great was thy mercie unto us We came into this world in a floud of uncleannesse wallowing in our mothers bloud and thou didst set open a fountain for us to wash in We were washed in the laver of Baptisme and we have returned with the swine to our wallowing in the mire We came from a place of darknesse into this world we lived as children of darknesse we sat in darknesse and in the shadow of death Thou gavest us thy word to be a lantern unto our feet and a light unto our paths that in thy light we might see light that so walking in the way of truth we might attain everlasting life But we have loved darknesse more then light and have not been obedient unto thy word We came into this world crooked even from our mothers wombe and thou gavest us thy law to be a glasse wherein we might see our deformitie and a rule whereby to square all our actions words and thoughts But we have shut our eyes that we might not see and we have refused to be ruled by thy law The law of sinne in our flesh doth daily captivate us The root of originall sinne which lieth hidden in us doth every day put forth new branches All the parts and faculties of our bodies and souls are as so many instruments of unrighteousnesse to fight against thy divine Majestie Our hearts imagine wicked things our mouthes utter them and our hands put them in practise Thy mercies every day are renewed unto us and our sinnes are every day multiplied against thee In the day of health and prosperitie we forget thee and we never think upon the day of sicknesse and adversitie Thy benefits heaped upon us do not allure us to obey thee Neither do thy judgements inflicted upon others make us afraid to offend thee What couldest thou O Lord have done more for us or what could we have done more against thee Thou didst send thy Sonne in the fulnesse of time to take our nature upon him to fulfill thy law for us and to be crucified for our sinnes We have not followed the example of his holy life but have every day afresh crucified him by our sinnes And now O Lord if we shall become our own judges we cannot but confesse that we have â—eserved everlasting torments in hellâ—ire But there is mercie with thee O Lord therefore will we not despair Our sinnes are many in number But thy mercies are without number The weight of our sinnes is great But the weight of thy Sonnes crosse was greater Our sinnes presse us down unto hell But thy mercie in Christ Jesus raiseth us up By Satan we are accused But by Jesus Christ we are defended By the law we are convicted But by Jesus Christ we are justified By our own conscience we are condemned But by Jesus Christ we are absolved In us there is nothing but sinne death and damnation In him there is treasured up for us righteousnesse life and salvation We are poore He is our riches We are naked He is our covering We are exposed to thy fury pursuing us He is the buckler of our defence and our refuge He is the rock of our salvation and in him do we trust His wounds are the clefts of the rock Give us we beseech thee the wings of a Dove that by faith we may hide our selves in the clefts of this rock that thine anger wax not hot against us to consume us Let not thy justice triumph in our confusion but let thy mercie rejoyce in our salvation Pardon the sinfull course of our life past and guide us by thy holy Spirit for the time to come Amend what is amisse increase all gifts and graces which thou hast already given and give unto us what thou best knowest to be wanting Be gracious and favourable to thy whole church especially to that part thereof which thou hast committed unto the protection of thy servant and our Sovereigne King Charles Grant that he may see it flourishing in peace and prosperity in the profession and practise of thy Gospel all the dayes of his life and after this life ended crown him we beseech thee with a crown of immortall glorie Let not the sceptre of this kingdome depart from his house neither let there be wanting a man of his race to sit upon his throne so long as the sunne and moon endureth Of this thou hast given us a pledge alreadie in blessing the fruit of the Queens wombe Let the Queen still be like a fruitfull vine And let the Prince grow up like a plant in thine house Let thy mercy be extended to the Ladie Elisabeth our Kings onely sister and her princely issue How long Lord just and true how long shall their enemies prevail and say There there so would we have it It is time for thee to lay to thine hand for they have laid waste their dwelling-place Arise O Lord and let their enemies be scattered and let them that hate them flee before them Carrie them back again into their own countrey if it may be for thy glorie and their good make them glad with the joy of thy countenance and let them rejoyce under their own vines We return home again and beseech thee to be gracious and mercifull to the Kings Counsel the Nobilitie the Magistracie the Ministerie the Gentry and the Commonaltie Give unto those whom thou hast used as instruments for our good rewards temporall and eternall Forgive those that be our enemies and turn their hearts Forget not those that grone under the crosse Clothe the naked feed the hungrie visit the sick deliver the captives defend the fatherlesse and widows relieve the oppressed confirm and strengthen those that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake cure those that are broken in heart speak peace unto their consciences that are tormented with the sense of their sinnes suffer them not to be swallowed up in despair Stand by those that are ready to depart out of this life When their eyes shall be darkned in the agony of death kindle in their hearts the
thy sinnes and fear him that shall judge thee for thy sinnes according to his justice Be not secure in prosperitie For God is angry with him that is not punished in this life What are the afflictions of the godly Bitter arrows sent from the sweet hand of God God esteems many in this life unworthy to be punished whom notwithstanding he reprobateth for ever Outward felicitie is oftentimes a signe of eternall damnation Nothing is more unhappy then the happinesse of sinners and nothing more miserable then he that knows no miserie Whithersoever thou turnest thine eyes thou seest cause of grief and findest remedies against securitie Think upon God above whom we have offended Think upon hell beneath which we have deserved Think upon the sinne behinde which we have committed Think upon the judgement before which we stand in fear of Think upon the conscience within which we have defiled And think upon the world without which we have loved Consider whence thou camest and be ashamed Consider where thou art and be sorrowfull Consider whither thou goest and tremble The gate of salvation is narrow but the way of salvation is yet narrower God hath given unto thee the treasure of faith but thou carriest it about thee in vessels of clay He gave thee the angels to be thy keepers But the devil is not farre off and he is ready to seduce thee Thou art renewed in the spirit of thy minde But yet thou hast much of the oldnes of the flesh Thou art set in the state of the grace of God But yet thou art not set in eternall glory There is a mansion prepared for thee in heaven But yet thou must endure first the afflictions and assaults of the world God hath promised forgivenesse to him that repenteth But he hath not promised will to repent to him that sinneth The consolations of eternall life expect thee But yet thou must expect to enter in through many tribulations The crown of eternall reward is promised unto thee But first thou must fight the great fight and be conquerour God doth not change his promise Neither must thou change the study of holy life If the servant doth not what the Lord commandeth then the Lord wil do what he hath threatned Let a man therefore lament grieve shaking off all securitie lest in the just and secret judgement of God he be forsaken and left in the power of the devils to be destroyed If thou hast the grace of God so delight thy self in it as knowing that it is the gift of God and that thou dost not possesse it by any hereditarie right Yet be thou so secure concerning it that thou canst not lose it lest on a sudden when God shall withhold his gift and withdraw his hand thou beest discouraged and become more sorrowfull then is fit But happy shalt thou be if thou labourest with all care and diligence to avoid securitie the mother of all evil God will not forsake thee But take heed that thou dost not forsake God God hath given thee his grace But pray thou unto him that he would also give thee perseverance God bids thee be certain of thy salvation but he bids thee not be secure Thou must fight valiantly that thou mayest at length triumph gloriously Thy flesh within thee fighteth against thee And the enemie the nearer he is the more he is to be feared The world about thee fighteth against thee And the greater the enemie is the more to be feared The devil above thee fighteth against thee And the more potent the enemy is the more to be feared Through the power of God fear not to encounter with these enemies Through the power of God thou shalt be enabled to obtain the victory But thou canst not overcome these so great enemies by securitie but by assiduity in fighting The time of life is the time of fight Then thou art most assaulted when thou knowest not that thou art assaulted Then do thy enemies most gather their forces together when they seem to grant truce They are vigilant And dost thou sleep They make themselves ready to hurt And dost not thou make thy self ready to resist Many faint by the way never come home into their countrey How many of the Israelites died in the wildernes and never came to see the promised land How many spirituall sonnes of Abraham do perish in the wildernes of this world never come to enjoy the promised inheritance of the kingdome of heaven Nothing is more powerfull to make us shake off security then to think of the paucity of them that endure to the last Let it therefore be our onely desire to attain to the glory which is in heaven Let it be our onely love to come thither Let it be our onely grief that we are not alreadie come thither And let it be our onely fear that we come not thither That so we may have no joy but in those things that either further us in the way thither or give us hope of coming thither What profiteth it thee to rejoyce for a moment to lament for ever What joy can there be in this life when that which delighteth passeth away and that never passeth away which tormenteth We live in securitie as if we were past the snare of death day of judgement Christ saith that he will come to judgement at such an houre as we think not of This saith Truth it self and again he repeats it Heare this and fear If the Lord will come at such an houre as we think not of we have great cause to fear that so we come not unto judgement unprovided If we come unprovided How shall we be able to endure the strict examination in judgement Notwithstanding that which is lost in this one moment cannot be recovered again for ever In the shortnes of one moment judgement shall passe what we shall be for all eternitie In this one moment life or death damnation or salvation punishment or eternall glory shall be appointed to every one Lord thou that hast given us grace to that which is good give us also perseverance in that which is good Meditat. XXX Of the holy imitation of Christ his life Christs life must be a rule to thee If Christs disciple thou wilt be THe holy life of Christ is the most perfect pattern of all vertues Every action of Christ serves for our instruction Many would come to Christ but they will not follow him They would enjoy Christ but they will not imitate him Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart saith our Saviour Unlesse thou wilt be Christs disciple thou canst never be a true Christian Let not Christs passion onely be thy merit but let his action also be thy example to live after Thy beloved is white and ruddie Be thou also ruddy by the sprinkling of his bloud and white by the imitation
into everlasting fire because ye fedde me not when I was hungry The holy seed of almes-giving as it is sowed sparingly or bountifully so it shall be reaped sparingly or bountifully If thou wouldest be in the number of the sheep do good unto the sheep Let the goats cause thee to fear For they are placed at the left hand not because they took any thing away but because they gave not Incline our hearts O God unto thy testimonies and not to covetousnesse Meditat. XXXVI Of the properties of true love and charitie The signe by which the Saints we know It is by love their faith to show TRue sincere love is an inseparable property of the godly No Christian without faith and no faith without charitie Where there is not the brightnesse of charitie neither is there the heat of faith Take away light from the sunne and thou mayst take away charitie from faith Charitie is the outward act of the inward life of a Christian man The bodie is dead without the spirit and faith is dead without charitie He is not of Christ that hath not the Spirit of Christ he hath not the Spirit of Christ that hath not the gift of charitie Charitie is the fruit of the Spirit The tree is not known to be good unlesse it bring forth good fruit Charitie is the bond of Christian perfection As the members of the bodie are knit together by the spirit that is the soul So the true members of the mysticall bodie are united by the holy Spirit in the bond of charitie In Solomons temple all was covered with gold within and without So in Gods Spirituall temple let all be beautified with love and charitie within and without Let charitie move thy heart to compassion and thy hand to contribution Compassion is not sufficient unlesse there be also outward contribution Neither is outward contribution sufficient unlesse there be also inward compassion Faith receiveth all from God and charitie giveth it again unto our neighbour By faith we are made partakers of the divine nature But God is love Therefore where charitie sheweth not it self without let no man beleeve that there is faith within No man beleeveth in Christ which loveth not Christ And no man loveth Christ unlesse he love his neighbour He doth not yet apprehend the benefit of Christ with true confidence of heart whosoever doth denie unto his neighbour the office which he oweth unto him That is not truely a good work which proceedeth not from faith Neither is it truely a good work which proceedeth not from charitie Charitie is the seed of all vertues It is no good fruit which springeth not forth from the root of charitie For charity is the spirituall tast of the soul For unto it alone is every good thing sweet every hard thing sweet all adversitie sweet and all pain and trouble sweet yea more the taste of charitie maketh even death it self most sweet For love is strong as death yea stronger then death because love brought Christ to die for us And love doth so stirre up the true godly that they doubt not to die for Christ. All the works of God proceed from love yea punishments themselves So let all the works of a Christian man proceed from love In all the creatures God hath set before us the glasse of love The sunne and the starres shine not to themselves but to us The herbs purge not themselves but us Aire water beasts and all creatures serve man Do thou also give thy self wholly to serve thy neighbour Tongues profit not without charâ—tie Because without charitie knowledge of tongues puffeth up but charitie edifieth Knowledge of mysteries profits not without charitie Because the devil also hath knowledge of mysteries but charitie is onely proper to the godly Faith also which can remove mountains profits not without charitie For such faith is the faith of working miracles and not of salvation Charitie is better then the gift of doing miracles Because that is the undoubted mark of true Christians but this is sometimes granted to the wicked It profits not to give all that one hath unto the poore if there be not charitie For the outward action is done in hypocrisie if there be not inward love Rivers of bounty profit not unlesse they spring from the fountain of charitie Charitie is patient For no man is easily angry with him that he loveth truly Charitie is bountifull For he that by charitie hath bestowed his heart which is the chief good of the soul how should he denie the outward goods which are lesse Charitie envieth not Because he that is in charitie looketh upon anothers good as upon his own Charitie thinketh no evil No man easily hurts him whom he loveth truly and from his heart Charitie is not puffed up Because by charity we are all made the members of one bodie and one member prefers not it self before another Charity doth not behave it self undecently For it is the property of an angrie man to bear himself undecently but charitie is the bridle of anger Charitie seeketh not those things which are her own Because that which one loveth he preferreth before himself and seeketh the profit thereof more then his own Charitie is not provoked to anger For all anger proceedeth from pride but charity puts it self under all Charitie imagineth no mischief For it plainly appeareth that he is not yet in perfect charitie whosoever worketh mischief against any one Charity rejoyceth not in iniquitie For charitie maketh anothers miserie to be her own Charitie beareth all things beleeveth all things hopeth all things endureth all things For charitie refuseth not to do unto others as she desires that others should do unto her Tongues shall cease prophesies shall cease and sciences shall be destroyed But charitie shall not cease but the imperfection thereof shall be taken away and the perfection thereof shall be compleat in the life to come God commanded two altars to be built in the tabernacle and fire was carried from the outward to the inward God hath congregated a twofold Church a militant and a triumphant The fire of love shall at length be translated from the militant to the triumphant Think upon these things O devout soul and study after holy love Whatsoever thy neighbour be yet he is one for whom Christ vouchsafed to die Why then dost thou deny to shew thy charitie to thy neighbour when as Christ did not stick to lay down his life for him If thou lovest God truly thou must also love his image We are all one spirituall body Let us therefore have all one spirituall minde It is unfit that they should be at variance upon earth which must at length live together in heaven Whilest our mindes agree in Christ let our wills also be conjoyned We are the servants of one Lord It is not fit that we should
by thy guard and upholden by thy aid I may become at length the conquerour Within are fears without are fights For within the devil doth wound my soul with venemous and fiery darts of tentations Without he wearies me with sundrie adversities and a thousand kindes of treacheries He is a serpent for his subtiltie and fallacie a lion for his violence and invasion a dragon for his crueltie and oppression He attempted to assault the very captain of the heavenly host And will he spare me a common souldier He did not doubt to set himself in opposition against the very head And what wonder then if he go about to overthrow a weak member of the mysticall bodie There is no power in me to withstand him being strong and armed There is no wisdome in me to escape the snares and gins of this enginer that hath a thousand stratagemes To thee therefore with humble sighs do I betake my self whose power cannot be termed and whose wisdome cannot be numbred Be present with me O Christ thou which art the most strong Lion of the tribe of Judah that in thee and through thee I may be able to get the conquest over that lion of hell Thou hast fought and overcome for me Fight likewise and overcome in me that thy strength may be perfected in my weaknesse Enlighten the eyes of my minde that I may discern the treacheries of Satan Direct my feet that I may escape his hidden snares Let the victory in tentation be a testimonie unto my heart of my heavenly regeneration Let the presence of thy grace confirm unto me the promise of victorie Furnish me and arm me with the strength of thy fortitude that in this combat I may be able to stand and hereafter judge him of whom I am now oppugned The more in number and the more dangerous the treacherous assaults of this enemy are the more ardently do I flee unto the aid of thy mercy One while he inspires into me the unsatiable desire of earthly things that having bound me in the fetters of avarice he may lead me out of the way of righteousnesse Another while he inflames me with the fire of anger that my heart may burn within me till I have done my neighbour some mischief Another while he solicits me to lust and the love of pleasures Another while he suggests into my minde envie and ambition Before he precipitates and throws me headlong into sinne he perswades me it is lighter then the aire or a feather or an autumn leaf and this is to make me secure And when he hath precipitated me into sin then he tells me it is greater then the universe of heaven and earth and more weighty then the balance of Gods mercy and this is to make me despair These so many and so great and treacherous assaults and fallacies I cannot foresee How much lesse then shall I be able of my self to escape them Unto thee therefore do I flee who art my strength and the rock of my fortitude for ever Amen PRAYER XIIII He prayes for a blessed departure out of this life and for a blessed resurrection unto life everlasting O Jesu Christ Sonne of the everliving God thou that wast crucified and raised up again for us thou that didst destroy our death by thy death thou that hast merited by thy resurrection a blessed resurrection for us unto life everlasting I worship thee I pray unto thee with my whole heart the onely true God together with the Father and the holy Spirit to grant unto me a happie egresse out of the miseries of this life and a blessed ingresse in the resurrection and in the day of judgement unto life everlasting I know that there is an appointed term of my life in thy divine determination and that after death follows judgement Be present with me in the houre of death thou that sufferedst death for me on the crosse Protect me in the day of judgement thou that wast for me unjustly condemned When the tabernacle of this my earthly house shall be dissolved lead my soul into an habitation in my heavenly countrey When my eyes shall be darkened in the agony of death kindle in my heart the light of saving faith When my eares shall be stopped in the houre of death speak unto me inwardly by thy Spirit and comfort me When a cold sweat doth come forth out of my dying members make me to remember thy bloudy sweat which is a sufficient ransome for my sinnes and a defensive remedie for me against death In thy sweat there appeareth fervency in thy bloud a price and in the running down thereof sufficiency When my speech shall begin to fail me in that last agonie grant that I may sigh unto thee by the grace of thy holy Spirit When those extreme distresses seize upon my heart be thou present with me by the consolation and help of thy quickning grace and take me into thy charge and tuition when all other creatures denie me aid Grant unto me that I may patiently endure all horrours and troubles and bring my soul at length out of this prison I beseech thee by thy most sacred wounds which thou enduredst in thy pâ—ssion upon the crosse for me to grant unto me that I may be able to quench the fiery darts of Satan wherewith he doth strike at me in the houre of death I beseech thee by those most bitter torments which thou sufferedst that I may be able to endure and overcome all the violent invasions of the infernall powers Let my last word in this life be the same with which thou didst consummate all upon the crosse and receive my soul which thou hast redeemed with so deare a price when I shall commend it into thy hands Let a blessed resurrection follow a blessed death In that great day of thy severe judgement deliver me from that cruel sentence thou which in my life didst with thy ready help protect me Let my sinnes be covered with the shadow of thy grace and overwhelmed in the bottom of the sea Let my soul be bound up in the bundle of the living that with all the elect I may come into the fellowship of everlasting joy Amen The fourth Part. Of Supplications for others The Argument The meditation of our neiâ—hbours wants and indigencies concern the common good and welfare of the Church and Common-wealth anâ— makes us look upon others miseries as our own This is the fruit of tâ—ue and sinceâ—e charitie which bindes us altogether into one mystiâ—all body under one head which is Christ and commends unto us a serious care of the whole Church and of all the particular members thereof That is not a true member of the bodie which labours not as much as in it lies to preserve in safetie the whole structure of the body That is not a true member of the 〈…〉 that suffereth And the same reason is of force in the mysticall body of Christ.
unto thee his most perfect righteousnesse who fulfilled all thy commandments 6 For our communicating in other mens sinnes we offer unto thee his most perfect righteousnesse communicated unto us 7 8 9 10 For our most wicked and ungodly life we offer unto thee his â—ost cruel and bitter death For us was he conceived for us was he â—orn for us was he crucified His â—loud still cries unto thee in our â—â—half Father forgive them Accept â—e beseech thee the inestimable â—rice of thy Sonnes bloud for a full â—nd plenarie satisfaction for all our â—innes yea O Lord we know that â—hou hast accepted it already Therefore with confidence we put â—p our PETITIONS unto thee As â—hou hast redeemed us by thy Sonne â—o also we beseech thee to sanctifie us â—y thy holy Spirit 1 Mortifie in us â—very day more and more all sinfull â—usts and affections and quicken in â—s all saving graces and vertues 2 Inâ—rease our faith 3 Confirm our hope Inflame our charitie Teach us to â—mitate the life of Christ the true patâ—ern of perfect obedience and onely â—â—ue rule of a godly life Teach us â— Humilitie 6 Patience 7 Meeknesse Gentlenesse 8 Chastitie Temperance Teach us 9 To contemn all earthly â—hings 10 To denie our selves 11 To â—vercome the world 12 Grant us consolation in adversitie and true tranquillitie of the minde Grant us 13 Victory in tentations and deliverance from the devils treacheries Grant us in thine appointed time 14 A blessed departure out of this life and a blessed resurrection unto life everlasting We pray not for our selves alone but in obedience to thy commandmâ—â— we make our SUPPLICATIONâ— unto thee for all men 1 Save and defend thy universall Church enlarge thou her borders and propagate thy Gospel 3 Blesse all Christian kingâ— and governours especially thy servant Charles our most gracious King and governour Blesse together with him our gracious Queen Mary Blesse unto them and us and our posterity after us our hopefull Prince Charles season him betimes with true religion that he may be an instrument of thy glory the joy of his parents and the blessing of thy people Remember David and all his troubles the Lady Elisabeth our Kings onely sister her princely issue Suffer them not still to mourn in a strange land out restore them if it be thy will to â—heir former inheritance Blesse all â—ur kings loyall subjects from the â—ighest unto the lowest Give unto â—he Senatours counsel and wisdome To the magistrates justice and forâ—â—tude to those that are under them Christian subjection and obedience To the ministers of thy word holiâ—esse of life and soundnesse of doâ—trine to the hearers of thy word diâ—â—gent attention to the word preachâ—d and a care and conscience to live â—hereafter Blesse 4 Every family in his kingdome this especially and all â—hat belong unto it Blesse our 5 paâ—ents brethren sisters kinsfolk beâ—efactours and friends 6 Forgive our â—nemies 7 Shew pitie and compasâ—â—on to all those that are afflicted and 〈◊〉 miserie Relieve them accordâ—ng to their severall wants and neâ—essities Be thou a Father to the â—therlesse a Comforter to the comâ—â—rtlesse a Deliverer to the caâ—tives and a Physician to the sick â—rant that the sicknesse of their boâ—ies may make for the good of their â—uls Especially we beseech thee to be present with those that are at the point to die Fit them for their journey before their departure Arâ— them with faith and patience Seal unto them by thy holy Spirit the pardon and forgivenesse of all their sinnes And so let thy servants depart in peace and be translated from death to life to live with thee for evermore Heare us we beseech thee praying for our brethren heare out brethren for us and Jesus Christ our elder brother for us all We know O Lord that thou hearest him alwayes Heare us likewise we beseech thee for his sake and accept our THANKSGIVING We render most hearty thanks unto thee for our Saviours 4 Incarnation for his 5 Passion for our 3 Redemption by his most precious bloud We thank thee for 1 forming us in our mothers wombe for 12 washing us in the laver of baptisme for 6 câ—lling us by thy word for 7 expecting our conversion for 8 converting us unto the faith for 23 strengthening our faith by the participation of Christs bodie and bloud for 9 sealing unto us the pardon of our sinnes for 15 giving us a promise of everlasting life We thank thee for all other thy blessings 11 corporall and spirituall internall and externall for our 10 continuance in that which is good for 14 deliverance from all evil We thank thee for thy often deliverances of this Church and kingdome from forrein invasions and home-bred conspiracies We thank thee for 2 preserving us ever since we were born for defending us this night past from all perils and dangers for the quiet rest wherewith thou hast refreshed our bodies for thy mercie renewed unto us this morning Let thy mercy be continued unto us this day let thy Spirit direct us in all our wayes that we may walk before thee as children of the light doing those things that are pleasing in thy sight Let the dew of thy blessing descend upon our labours for without thy blessing all our labour is but in vain Prosper thou the works of our hands upon us O prosper thou our handy-work Grant that we may consciâ—onably in our callings so seek after things temporall that finally we lose not the things which be eternall We are unworthy O Lord we confesse to obtain any thing at thy hands either for our selves or any others even for the sinfulnesse of these our prayers But thou hast promised to heare all those that call upon thee in thy Sons name Make good therefore we beseech thee thy promise unto us now calling upon thee in thy Sonnes name and praying as he hath taught us in his holy Gospel OUr Father which art in heaven Hallowed be thy name Thy kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the kingdome the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen An Evening prayer for a familie gathered here and there out of Gerards Meditations and Prayers MOst glorious Lord God whose dwelling is in the highest heavens and yet beholdest the lowly and the humble upon earth we blush and are ashamed to lift up our eyes unto heaven because we have sinned against thee which dwellest in the heavens But look down we beseech thee from heaven thy dwelling-place and behold the humilitie of thy servants here on earth which prostrate themselves at the foot-stool of thy mercie confessing their own guiltinesse and begging pardon for their sinnes We confesse Almighty Creatour that thou madest us at the first after thine own image thou
sinners grievously afflicted on the crosse God dies upon the crosse God suffers God poureth forth his bloud Judge the greatnesse of the danger by the greatnesse of the prize Judge the danger of the disease by the value of the remedie Surely those wounds were great indeed which could no otherwise be cured but by the wounds of the living and quickening flesh Surely that disease must needs be great which could not be cured but by the death of the physician Consider thou faithfull soul Gods most fierce anger against us After the fall of our first father the eternall onely begotten and well beloved sonne of God becomes suter unto his Father for us And yet his anger was not turned away from us He by whom the world was made interceded for us became our advocate and took the cause of us miserable sinners upon himself And yet his anger was not turned away from us Our Saviour took upon him our flesh that by the glorie of the divinitie communicated unto the humanitie he might expiate and purge our sinfull flesh that by the saving vertue of his most perfect righteousnesse communicated unto our nature he might wipe away that venemous qualitie of sinne which cleaveth to our nature and in stead thereof conferre grace upon us And yet his anger was not turned away from us Our sinnes and the punishment of our sins he taketh upon himself His body is bound whipped wounded pierced crucified buried His bloud like a dew distilled most copiously down all his members at his passion His most holy soul is made sorrowfull above measure yea even unto death He feels the pains of hell The eternall Sonne of God crieth out that he is forsaken of God So great was his bloudie sweat so great was his anguish that he which comforteth the angels stood in need of an angel to comfort him He dies who is the authour and giver of life to every living thing If this comes to paâ—se in the green tree what shall become of the dry wood If this comes to passe in the just and holy what shall become of sinners How shall God punish us for our own sinnes who is so wrathfully displeased with his own sonne for other mens sinnes If his sonne is so grievously punished shall we his servants think to escape alwayes unpunished What shall the reprobate suffer if such be the sufferings of his best beloved If Christ departed not without a scourge and yet came into the world without sinne what scourges do they deserve which come into the world in sin live in sin and depart in sinne The servant rejoyceth whilest the sonne is in grievous dolour and pain and that for his sinne The servant heapeth up the anger of God whilest the sonne doth thus labour to pacifie and appease his Fathers wrath Oh the infinite anger of God! oh his unspeakable furie oh the inestimable rigour of his justice He which is thus enraged against his onely and best beloved sonne the partaker of his own essence and that not for any sinne of his own but because he intercedeth for the servant what will he do to the servant that persevereth and continueth still securely in his sinnes Let the servant fear and tremble and be sorrowfull for his own merits when the sonne is thus punished and yet not for his own Let the servant fear who ceaseth not to sinne when the sonne of God is thus afflicted for sinne Let the creature fear which hath crucified his Creatour Let the servant fear which hath slain his Lord. Let the sinner and the ungodly fear which hath thus tormented the pious and the godly Beloved let us heare his cries let us behold his teares he cries from the crosse Behold O man what I suffer for thee I cry unto thee because I die for thee behold the punishments that I suffer behold the nails with which I am pierced and see if any grief be like unto my grief Although my outward grief be thus great yet my inward grief is more grievous because I finde thee so unthankfull Have mercy have mercy on us thou whose propertie it is to have mercy and convert our stony hearts unto thee Meditat. III. Of the fruit of true and serious repentance Our Saviour cry'd Repent repent As John that 'fore our Saviour went THe foundation and beginning of holy life is saving repentance For where there is true repentance there is remission of sinnes And where there is remission of sinnes there is the grace of God And where there is the grace of God there is Christ And where Christ is there is his merit And where there is Christs merit there is satisfaction for sinnes And where there is satisfaction for sinnes there is righteousnes And where there is righteousnesse there is joy and tranquillitie of conscience And where there is tranquillitie of conscience there is the holy Spirit And where the holy Spirit is there is the sacred and holy Trinitie And where the holy Trinitie is there is eternall life Therefore where there is true repentance there is eternall life Where there is not true repentance neither is there remission of sinnes nor the grace of God nor Christ nor his merit nor satisfaction for sinnes nor righteousnesse nor tranquillitie of conscience nor the holy Spirit nor the holy Trinitie nor eternall life Why therefore do we deferre our repentance and why do we procrastinate it from day to day To morrow is not ours and to repent truely is not in our power And in the day of judgement we must give an account not onely for to morrow but also for the present day To morrow is not so certain as the destruction of the impenitent is certain God hath promised remission to the repentant but he hath not promised to morrow There is no place for Christ his satisfaction where there is not true contrition in the heart Our sinnes do separate betwixt God and us so saith the Prophet Esay And by repentance we return again unto him Acknowledge and bewail thy sinnes so shalt thou finde God in Christ appeased towards thee I blot out thine iniquities saith the Lord Therefore our sinnes are enrolled in the court of heaven Turn away thy face from my sinnes begs the Prophet Therefore our iniquities are set in the sight of God Be converted unto us O God prayeth Moses Therefore our sinnes do separate us from God Our sinnes have answered us complaineth Esay Therefore they accuse us before Gods judgement-seat Cleanse me from my sinnes prayeth David Therefore our sinnes appeare most foul and filthie in the sight of God Cure my soul for I have sinned against thee prayeth the same David Therefore sinne is the disease of the soul. Whosoever shall sinne against me I will blot him out of my book saith the Lord Therefore for our sinnes are we blotted out of the book of life Cast me not away from thy face prayeth the Psalmist
Therefore for our sinnes God casts us off Take not thy holy Spirit from me Therefore as bees are driven away with smoak and pigeons with ill savours so by our sinnes is the holy Spirit driven out of the temples of our hearts Restore me the joy of thy salvation Therefore sinne doth torment the minde and dry up the moisture of the heart The earth is defiled by the inhabitants thereof which have transgressed the law crieth Esay Therefore sinne is a contagious and infectious poison Out of the deeps have I cryed unto thee O Lord saith the Psalmist Therefore our sinnes presse us down unto hell We were sometimes dead in our sinnes saith the apostle Therefore sinne is the spirituall death of the soul. By mortall sinne man loseth God God is the infinite and incomprehensible good Therefore to lose God is an infinite and incomprehensible evil As God is the chiefest good so sinne is the chiefest evil Punishments and calamities are not absolutely evil for many times there comes good of them Yea rather it appeares that they are good because they come from God who is the chiefest good from whom can proceed nothing but that which is good They were in the chiefest good to wit in Christ And the chiefest good cannot partake in that which is evil truely so called And moreover they leade us unto the chiefest good that is to life everlasting Christ by his passion entred into his glorie And so do Christians by tribulations enter into eternall life Therefore sinne is the chiefest evil because it withdraws us from the chiefest good The nearer thou comest unto God the further thou departest from sinne The nearer thou comest unto sinne the further thou departest from God How saving therefore is repentance which withdraws us from sinne and brings us back again unto God! Sinne is measured by the greatnesse of him that is offended But him the heavens the earth cannot contain In like manner such is our repentance as he unto whom we return by repentance The sinner is accused by his conscience which he hath defiled by the Creatour whom he hath offended by the sinnes which he hath committed by the creatures which he hath abused and by the devil by whom he hath been seduced How saving then is repentance which frees us from such accusations Let us make haste therefore let us make haste to such a saving medicine for such a grievous disease If thou repentest at thy death thou dost not leave thy sinnes but thy sinnes leave thee Thou shalt scarce finde any one that repented truely at his death unlesse it were the thief upon the crosse Fourteen yeares have I served thee said Jacob to Laban it is time now that I should provide for mine own house And if thou hast served the world and this life so many yeares is it not fit that thou shouldest begin now to make provision for thy soul Every day doth our flesh heap sinne upon sinne Let the Spirit therefore every day wash them away by repentance Christ died that sinne might die in us And shall we suffer that to live and reigne in our hearts for the destroying whereof the sonne of God himself died Christ enters not into the heart of man by grace unlesse John Baptist prepare the way by repentance God poureth not the oyl of mercie but into the vessel of a contrite heart God doth first mortifie us by contrition that afterwards he may quicken us by the consolation of the Spirit He first leads us into hell by serious grief that afterwards he may bring us back again by the taste of grace Elias first heard a great and strong winde overturning mountains and cleaving rocks and after the winde an earthquake and after the earthquake there appeared fire At length there followed a small and still voice In like manner terrour goes before the taste of Gods love and sorrow before comfort God bindes not up thy wounds unlesse thou lay them open by confession and bewail them He covers not unlesse thou first uncover He pardons not unlesse thou first acknowledge He justifies not unlesse thou first condemne thy self He comforts not unlesse thou first despair in thy self This true repentance God by his holy Spirit work in us Meditat. IIII. Of the name of JESVS Blessed blessed name of Jesus Who tormented was to ease us O Good Jesus be thou my Jesus for thy holy names sake have mercy on me My life condemnes me but the name of Jesus shall save me For this thy names sâ—ke do unto me according to thy name seeing that thou art a true and a great Saviour surely thou dost respect those that are sinners indeed yea great sinners Have mercie on me O good Jesus in the time of mercie that I be not condemned in the time of judgement If thou receive me into the bosome of thy mercy thou shalt have never the lesse room If thou bestow upon me the crumbes of thy goodnesse yet thou shalt want never the more For me thou wast born for me thou wast circumcised to me also thou art become a Jesus How sweet and delightfull is this name For what is Jesus but a Saviour and what harm can happen to those that are saved what else can we desire or expect beyond salvation Receive me Lord Jesus into the number of thy sonnes that together with them I may land thy holy and saving name Though I have lost my integritie yet thou hast not forgotten thy mercy Though I had power to lose and condemne my self yet thou in thy mercie art more powerfull to save me Lord do not thou so look upon my sinnes as to forget thy mercy do not so ponder and weigh my offences that they overpoise thy merit do not so remember my wickednesse as therefore to forget thy goodnesse Remember not thy anger against my guiltinesse but remember thy mercie towards my miserie Thou who hast given me a minde to desire thee withdraw not thy self from my desire Thou who hast shewed unto me my unworthinesse and just damnation hide not from me thy merit and the promise of everlasting salvation My cause is to be tried at the heavenly tribunall but this is my comfort that in the court of heaven thou hast assigned unto thee the name of a Saviour for that name was brought down from heaven by an angel O most mercifull Jesus to whom wilt thou be Jesus if not to miserable sinners that seek thy grace and salvation They that trust in their own righteousnesse and holinesse seek salvation in themselves but I flie unto thee my Saviour for I finde nothing in my self worthy of eternall life Save the condemned shew mercie to the sinner justifie the unrighteous absolve the accused Thou Lord art truth thy name is holy and true Let thy name also become true in respect of me and become thou my Jesus and Saviour Be thou unto me Jesus
Without the love of God there is no desire of eternall life How then can any one be partaker of the chiefest good which loveth not which seeketh not which desireth not Such as thy love is such art thou because thy love transformeth thee into it self Love is the chiefest couple because the lover and the thing loved become one What hath conjoyned the most just God and wretched sinners What hath conjoyned them being infinitely distant one from the other Infinite love And yet that the infinite justice of God might not be weakned the infinite price of Christ interceded Again what hath conjoyned together God the Creatour and the faithfull soul created things infinitely distant Love In the life which is eternall we shall be joyned to God in the chiefest degree Why Because we shall love him in the chiefest degree Love uniteth and transformeth if thou lovest carnall things thou art carnall If thou lovest the world thou shalt become worldly But flesh and bloud cannot enter into the kingdome of God If thou lovest God and celestiall things thou shalt become celestiall The love of God is the chariot of Elias ascending up into heaven The love of God is the joy of the minde the paradise of the soul it excludeth the world it overcometh the devil it shutteth hell it openeth heaven The love of God is that seal by which God sealeth the elect and beleevers God at the last judgement will acknowledge none to be his but those that are sealed with this seal For faith it self the onely instrument of our justification and salvation is not true unlesse it doth demonstrate it self by love There is no true faith unlesse there be a firm confidence and there is no confidence without the love of God That benefit is not acknowledged for which we do not give thanks and we do not give thanks to him whom we do not love If therefore thy faith be true it will acknowledge the benefit of our redemption wrought by Christ it will acknowledge and give thanks it will give thanks and love The love of God is the life and rest of the soul When the soul departs from the body by death then the life of the body departeth When God departs out of the soul by reason of sins then the life of the soul departeth Again God dwells in our hearts by faith God dwells in the soul by love because the love of God is diffused in the hearts of the elect by the holy Spirit There is no tranquillitie to the soul without the love of God The world and Satan do much disquiet it But God is the chief rest of the soul There is no peace of conscience but to those that are justified by faith there is no true love of God but in them that have a filiall confidence in God Therefore let the love of our selves the love of the world the love of the creatures die in us that the love of God may live in us Which God begin in us in this world and perfect in the world to come Meditat. X. Of our reconciliation with God Fear not my soul be not dismaid For Iesus Christ thy debts hath paid CHrist truly took our infirmities and bare our griefs and sicknesses O Lord Jesus That which in us merited eternall punishment thou tookest upon thy self That burden which would have pressed us down into hell thou hast undergone Thou wast wounded for our iniquities thou wast broken for our sinnes By the bluenesse of thy wounds are we healed The Lord hath laid upon thee the iniquities of us all Surely wonderfull indeed is this change Thou takest our sinnes upon thy self and bestowest thy righteousnesse upon us Death due unto us thou undergoest thy self and conferrest life upon us I cannot therefore by any means doubt of thy grace or despair by reason of my sinnes The worst thing that was in us thou tookest upon thy self How then canst thou despise that which is the best in us and thine own work to wit our soul and body Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption For he is truly sanctified whose sinnes are abolished and taken away Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiven and to whom the Lord imputeth not his sinnes How can God impute our sinnes to us when he hath already imputed them to another For the wickednesse of his people he hath smitten his best beloved Sonne By the knowledge of him therefore he shall justifie many and shall bear their iniquities How shall he justifie those that are his Heare and attend O my soul He shall save them by the knowledge of him that is by the saving acknowledgement and firm apprehension by faith of the mercie and grace of God in Christ. This is life eternall to know and acknowledge thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent And therefore if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeve in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Faith apprehendeth Christs satisfaction He bare the iniquities of those that are his he suffered for the sinnes of many he interceded for the transgressours For he should have had very few just unlesse in mercy he had received sinners Thou shouldst have had few just O Jesus unlesse thou hadst remitted the sinnes of the unjust How then shall Christ judge according to severitie the sinnes of the penitent which he hath taken upon himself How shall he condemn him that is guilty of sinne seeing that he himself was made sinne for us Will he condemn those whom he calleth his friends Will he condemn those for whom he hath intreated Will he condemn those for whom he died Lift up thy self therefore O my soul and forget thy sinnes for the Lord hath forgotten them Whom dost thou fear as the punisher of thy sinnes but the Lord who himself made satisfaction for thy sinnes If any other had payed the price of my redemption I might have doubted whether the just Judge would accept of that satisfaction If a man or an angel had satisfied for my sinnes yet still there might be a doubt whether the price of redemption were sufficient But now there is no place for doubt How can it be that he will not accept of that price which he hath payd himself How can that choose but be sufficient which is from God himself Why art thou troubled O my soul All the wayes of God are mercie and truth Iust is the Lord and just are his judgements Why art thou troubled O my soul Let the mercy of God raise thee up let the justice of God also raise thee up For if God be just for one offence he will not exact double satisfaction For our sinnes he hath smitten his Sonne How then can he smite us his servants for them How can he punish our sinnes in us which
he hath already punished in his Sonne The truth of the Lord endureth for ever As I live saith the Lord I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he turn from his wickednesse and live Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will refresh you saith our Saviour Shall we make God a liar and labour by the weight of our sinnes to bear down his mercy To make God a liar and to denie his mercy is a greater sinne then all the sinnes of the whole world and therefore Judas sinned more in despairing then the Jews in crucifying Christ. But rather where sinne hath abounded there also grace hath abounded much more and overweigheth our sinnes by infinite degrees For sinnes are but the sinnes of men but grace is the grace of God Sinnes are temporall but the grace of our Lord is from eternitie to eternitie Satisfaction hath been made for our sinnes and the grace of God is repaired by the death of Christ and is established for ever unto which I betake my self as a devout suppliant Meditat. XI Of the satisfaction made for our sinnes The death of Christ is life to thee If thou a Christian truly be COme unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will refresh you they are the words of our Saviour It is true indeed Lord Jesus I am burdened overmuch and I sigh under the weight of my sinne But I make haste unto thee the fountain of living water Come unto me Lord Jesus that so I may come unto thee I come unto thee Lord because thou first camest unto me I come unto thee Lord Jesus and with anxietie I desire thee for I finde no goodnesse in my self But if I found any goodnesse in my self I should not with such anxietie desire thee True Lord Jesus I labour and am heavy laden neither can I compare my self with any of the saints or penitent sinners unlesse it be with the thief upon the crosse Lord have mercy upon me thou which hadst mercy on the thief upon the crosse I have lived wickedly I have lived iâ— sinne but I desire to die the death of the holy and righteous But holinesse and righteousnes are farre from my heart Therefore to thy holinesse and righteousnesse do I flie Let thy soul Lord Jesus succour me let it succour me seeing that thou layedst it down for a price of redemption for many Let thy most sacred body which was afflicted with rods spittings buffetings and thorns and fastened to the crosse for me let that succour me Let thy sacred and holy bloud O Jesus let that bloud succour me which ran out of thy side at thy death and passion which cleanseth us from all our sinnes Let thy most holy divinitie succour me thy divinitie which upheld thy humanitie at thy passion which also resting and not shewing it self the great mysterie of our redemption was finished which added infinite strength and weight unto thy passion Insomuch that God by his own bloud hath purchased unto himself me miserable man Let thy wounds succour me in which all my cure consisteth Let thy most holy passion succour me Let thy merit succour me as being my last refuge and a remedie against my sinnes For in that thou sufferedst thou sufferedst for me Therefore in that thou meritedst thou meritedst for me and for mine unworthinesse Therefore God commendeth his love towards us and proveth it by a testimonie surpassing the understanding of all men yea of the angels themselves in that Christ died for us when as yet we were sinners and the enemies of God Who can choose but admire this Who can choose but be astonished at it The Sonne of God intreated by no man yea hated of all men in great mercy intreated for us who were sinners and his enemies Neither intreated he onely but also satisfied Gods justice for us by his most poore nativitie by his most holy life by his most bitter passion by his most cruel death O Lord Jesus Thou that intreatedst for me sufferedst for me and diedst for me before I could desire thy merit and passion or move thee by my prayers to pay the ransome for me how canst thou cast me away from thy face How canst thou denie unto me the fruit of thy most holy passion when as now out of the deeps I cry unto thee and beg the fruit of thy merit with tears and sighs I was an enemie by nature when thou diedst for me but I am made by grace thy friend thy brother and thy sonne Thou heardst an enemie before he prayed unto thee and how canst thou despise thy friend which comes unto thee with prayers and tears Thou wilt not cast out him that cometh unto thee because thy word is truth Thou hast spoken unto us in spirit and truth and we have received from thee the words oâ— eternall life Attend and raise up thy self O my soul Before we were sinners by nature but now we are just by grace Before we were enemies but now we are friends and kinsfolks Before our help was in the death of Christ but now it is in Christ his life Before we were dead in sinnes but now we are quickned in Christ Oh the exceeding love of God wherewith he loved us Oh the superabundant riches of his grace whereby he hath in heaven provided a place for us Oh the tender mercie of our God whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us But if the death of Christ hath brought unto us righteousnesse and life what shall his life do If our Saviour dying paid the price unto his Father what shall he do now being alive and interceding for us For Christ liveth and dwells in our heart if the remembrance of his most holy merit live and flourish in it Draw me Lord Jesus that I may possesse in the truth of the thing that which here I expect by the firmnesse of hope Let thy servant I pray thee be with thee and let him behold the glorie which the Father hath given to thee and let him inhabit the mansion which thou hast prepared in thy Fathers house Blessed are they that dwell in thy house O Lord They shall praise thee for ever and ever Meditat. XII Of the nature and properties of true faith Faith is not faith or if it be Faith is but dead wants charity O Thou beloved soul consider the power of faith and give thanks unto God who is the onely giver thereof It is faith alone that doth in such manner ingraft us into Christ that as vine-branches do draw their sap from the vine so we also from him do draw life righteousnesse and salvation Adam fell from the grace of God and lost the divine image by his incredulitie But we are again received to grace and the image of God begins to be renewed in us by faith By faith Christ becomes
ours and dwells in us And where Christ is there is the grace of God And where the grace of God is there is the inheritance of eternall life By faith Abel offered unto God a greater sacrifice then Cain So by faith we offer unto God spirituall sacrifices that is the fruit of our lips By faith Enoch was translated So faith takes us from the society of men and makes us have our conversation in heaven yea whiles we are here upon earth Christ even now dwels in us we have already eternall life in us but it is hid By faith Noah prepared the ark So we by faith do enter into the Church in which our souls are preserved when all other perish in the vast sea of this world By faith Abraham left the idolatrous land So by faith we go out of this world leaving our parents brethren and kinsfolks and cleave unto Christ who calleth us by his word By faith Abraham went into a strange countrey in expectation of the promised land So we by faith do look for the celestiall Jerusalem which God hath prepared in the heavens We are strangers and pilgrims in this world and travel by faith unto a celestiall countrey By faith Sarah conceived her sonne Isaac in her old age So we being spiritually dead have received by faith strength to conceive Christ spiritually For as Christ was once conceived in the sanctified wombe of the virgin Mary So in the faithfull soul which hath kept it self pure from the contagion of the world he is every day spiritually born By faith Abraham offered up Isaac So also we by faith do spiritually mortifie and sacrifice our own will which is the beloved sonne of our soul For he which will follow Christ must denie himself that is renounce his own will his own honour and the love of himself By faith Isaac blessed Jacob So we by faith are made partakers of all divine benedictions For in the â—eed of Abraham that is in Christ all nations shall be blessed By faith Joseph prophesied of the Israelites going out of Egypt and gave commandment concerning his bones So we by faith expect an egresse out of â—he spirituall Egypt of this world â—nd a blessed resurrection of the boâ—ie By faith Moses was preserved â—or three moneths So faith hideth us from the tyrannie of Satan untill at length we be brought into Godâ— royall palace and be adopted spirituall kings By faith Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to live in the glorie of Egypt So faith begets in us the contempt of glorie honour riches and the pleasures of this world and excites in us the desire of the kingdome of heaven By faith we choose rather the ignominie of Christ then the treasures of this world By faith Moses left Egypt and feared not the kings anger So faith doth animate and confirm us that we are not terrified by the threats of the tyrants of this world but rather obey the call of God with a couragious and constant minde By faith Israel celebrated the Passeover So also we by faith do celebrate a Passeover Chrisâ— was sacrificed for our Paschal lambe whose flesh is meat indeed anâ— whose bloud is drink indeed Bâ— faith the Israelites passed througâ— the red sea So we by faith do passâ— through the sea of this world Bâ— faith the walls of Jericho fell So wâ— by faith destroy all the munitions of Satan By faith Rahab was saved So in the universall destruction of this world by faith we shall be saved from destruction By faith the Fathers overcame kingdomes stopt the mouthes of lions and quenched the force of fire So we by faith destroy the kingdome of Satan escape the treacheries and rage of the infernall lion and are delivered from the scorching of hell fire But faith is not a naked opinion and profession but a true and lively apprehension of Christ propounded to us in the gospel a full perswasion of the grace of God the confident rest of our soul and peace which relies onely upon the merit of Christ. This faith is begotten of the seed of Gods word For faith and the Spirit are one and the word is the coach by which the holy Spirit is brought unto us The fruit doth follow the nature of the seed Faith is a divine fruit Therefore the seed must be divine and that is The word As in the creation light was made by the word of God for God said Let there be light and there was light So the light of faith ariseth from the light of the word of God In thy light shall we see light saith the Psalmist Seeing faith doth joyn us unto Christ seeing it makes us one with him therefore it is the mother of all vertues in us Where there is faith there is Christ where Christ is there is an holy life to wit true humility true gentlenesse true love Christ and the holy Spirit are not severed where the holy Spirit is there is true holinesse Therefore where there is not an holy life there is not the sanctifying Spirit And where there is not the Spirit neither is there Christ where there is not Christ neither is there faith Whatsoever branch doth not suck its life and nourishment from the vine is not to be judged a part of the vine So neither are we yet joyned to Christ by faith unlesse we suck our life and nourishment from him Faith is a kinde of spirituall light For our hearts are enlightned by faith Therefore it spreads abroad the rayes of good works But where the rayes of spirituall life are not there is not yet the true light of faith Bad works are the works of darknes But faith is light And what communion is there between light and darknesse Bad works are the seed of Satan But faith is the seed of Christ And what communion is there between Christ and Satan By faith our hearts are purified But how can there be any inward purity in the heart when the words are impure and the outward works appear impure Faith is the victorie which overcometh the world And how can there be true faith there where the flesh overcometh the Spirit and leadeth it as it were captive By faith we have Christ and in Christ eternall life But no impenitent sinner that persevereth in his sinnes can be partaker of eternall life How then can he be partaker of Christ How can he be partaker of faith Kindle in us O Christ the light of true faith that by faith we may obtain eternall salvation Meditat. XIII Of the spirituall wedlock of Christ and the Soul Christ is by marriage knit to thee If thou to him by sanctitie I Will betroth thee unto me for ever saith Christ unto the faithfull soul Christ therefore would be present at the marriage which was celebrated in Cana
of Galilee to shew that he came into the world to spirituall marriages Rejoyce in the Lord with gladnesse and leap thou faithfull soul for joy in thy God who hath clothed thee with the garments of salvation and compassed thee about with the robes of righteousnesse like a spouse adorned with jewels and bracelets Rejoyce for the honour of the bridegroom Rejoyce for the beauty of the bridegroom Rejoyce for the love of the bridegroom His honour is the greatest that can be For he is true God blessed for ever How great then is the dignity of this creature I mean the faithfull soul seeing the Creatour himself is willing to betroth her unto himself His beautie is the greatest that can be For he is beautifull above the sonnes of men for they saw the glorie of him as the glory of the onely begotten of the Father his face shined like the sunne and his garments were white as snow His lips were full of grace and he was crowned with glory and honour How great then is his mercy that he being the chiefest beautie doth vouchsafe to choose the soul of man to be his spouse whereas it is defiled with the stains of sinne On the bridegrooms part there is the greatest majestie On the spouses part there is the greatest infirmitie On the bridegrooms part there is the greatest beautie On the spouses part there is the greatest deformitie And yet farre greater is the love of the bridegroom towards the spouse then of the spouse towards the bridegroom whose honour and whose beauty doth so farre excell Behold thou faithfull soul behold the infinite love of the bridegroom It was his love that drew him down from heaven unto the earth It was his love that bound him to a pillar It was his love that fastened him to the crosse It was his love that enclosed him up in the grave It was his love that he descended into hell What could make him to do all these things Surely it was his love towards his spouse But our hearts are stony and heavier then lead if the bond of so great love cannot draw us unto God whereas it hath drawn God unto us Naked was his spouse and being naked could not be admitted into the royall palace of the heavenly King And he hath clothed her with the garments of righteousnesse and salvation whereas she lay enwrapped and involved in the foul coat of her sinnes and the most filthy rags of iniquitie He hath granted unto her to be arayed in fine linen clean and white the fine linen is the righteousnesse of Saints That garment is the righteousnesse which was obtained by the death and passion of the bridegroom himself Jacob laboured fourteen yeares to obtain Rachel to be his wife But Christ for thirty foure yeares almost endured hunger thirst cold povertie ignominie reproches bonds whips the bitternesse of gall and death upon the crosse to purchase unto himself the faithfull soul to be his spouse Samson went down and chose out of the Philistines which were adjudged to destruction a wife unto himself The Sonne of God came down and chose unto himself a spouse out of men that were condemned and subject to eternall death The whole stock of the spouse was at enmitie with the heavenly Father and he by his most bitter passion hath reconciled it unto his Father The spouse was prostrate upon the face of the earth and polluted in her own bloud But he hath washed her with the water of baptisme and cleansed her with a most holy laver He hath cleansed the bloud of his spouse with his own bloud For the bloud of the Sonne of God doth cleanse us from all our sinnes The spouse was deformed But he hath anointed her with the oyl of grace and mercy The spouse was not honourably apparelled but he hath put bracelets and eare-rings upon her He hath adorned her with vertues and divers gifts of the holy Spirit The spouse was very poore and had no pledge to give unto him Therefore hath he left unto her the pledge of his Spirit received frō her the pledge of his flesh and hath carried it up into heaven The spouse was hungry But he hath given unto her fine flour◠and hony and oyl to eat He doth feed her with his flesh and bloud unto eternall life The spouse is disobedient and often breaketh her marriage faith she committeth fornication with the world and with the devil and yet the bridegroom out of his infinite love doth receive her again into favour as often as she returneth unto him by true repentance Acknowledge and confesse thou faithfull soul these so many and so great arguments of his infinite love Love thou faithfull soul the love of him that for love of thee descended into the wombe of the virgin We must love him that delivered up himself for us so much more then our selves by how much he is greater then us Let us make our whole life conformable unto him who for the love of us made himself wholly conformable unto us He is justly to be accounted most unthankfull who loveth not again him of whom he was first beloved How greatly therefore ought we to love him who for the love of us did as it were forget his own majestie Happy soul which by the bond of this spirituall marriage is joyned unto Christ She doth safely and confidently apply unto her self all the benefits of Christ even as in another case by wedlock the wife doth shine glorious by the reflexion of the husbands rayes upon her Now by faith alone are we made partakers of this blessed and spirituall marriage as it is written I will betroth thee unto me in faith Faith doth ingraft us into Christ as a branch into the spirituall vine that we may suck our life and nourishment from him And as they which are joyned in marriage are no more two but one flesh So they which by faith are joyned unto the Lord become one spirit with him because Christ by faith dwelleth in our hearts And this faith if it be true it worketh by love As in the old Testament the priests were compelled to marry virgins So the celestiall priest doth spiritually couple unto himself such a virgin as doth keep her self pure and undefiled from the embracements of the devil the world and her own flesh Vouchsafe O Christ at length to admit us unto the marriage of the Lambe Amen Meditat. XIIII Of the mysterie of Christs incarnation Admire my soul the mysterie Of Jesus Christs nativitie LEt us withdraw our mindes a while from these temporall things and let us contemplate the mysterie of the Lords nativitie The Sonne of God came down from heaven unto us that we might obtain the adoption of sonnes God is made man that man may be made partaker of divine grace and nature About the
were all made for her use How insufficient the creatures are to satiate and fulfill our desires it appeareth at death when all creatures forsake us It is wonderfull that we should so firmly stick unto the creatures when as they stick unto us so weakly and unconstantly Adam when he turned away from the consolation of God and sought delight in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was driven out of Paradise Our soul if it turn away from God unto the creatures is deprived of celestiall comfort and is quite driven away from the tree of life But what remains unto them that neglect this feast The world passeth away and so do all they that cleave unto it The creatures passe away and all they that put their trust in them Our heavenly Father sweareth that they which preferre oxen fields wives that is any earthly things whatsoever before the sweetnesse of the heavenly feast shall never taste of his supper After supper there is no further provision of meat made and if we neglect Christ there is no other remedy left for us Those contemners shall be punished with eternall famine and live in eternall darknesse They which would not heare Christ thus inviting them Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavie laden shall heare him at length denouncing Go ye cursed into everlasting fire The Sodomites were consumed with fire because being called to this feast by the preaching of Lot they would not come The fire of Gods wrath which lasteth for ever shall consume them who being called by the gospel have despised this feast At the coming of the bridegroom the virgins that had no oyl in their lamps staying too long were shut out So they whose hearts in this world are not filled with the oyl of the holy Spirit shall not be admitted by Christ to the participation of joy but they shall have the gate of indulgence the gate of mercy the gate of consolation the gate of hope the gate of grace the gate of good works shut against them Christ hath yet an inward kinde of calling and happy is he that heares it Christ often knocks â—t the gate of our hearts by holy desires devout sighs and pious cogitations and happy is he that openeth unto him As soon as thou feelest in thy heart any holy desire of heavenly grace assure thy self that Christ knocks at thy heart Let him in lest he passe by and afterwards shut the gate of his mercy against thee As soon as thou feelest in thy heart any spark of godly meditations perswade thy self that it was kindled by the heat of divine love that is of the holy Spirit cherish and nourish it that it may grow to be a fire of love Take heed that thou quench not the Spirit and hinder the work of the Lord. He that destroyeth the temple of the Lord shall feel his severe judgement Our heart is the temple of the Lord And he destroyeth it whosoever refuseth to give place to the holy Spirit inwardly calling by the word In the old Testament the prophets could heare the Lord speaking inwardly In the new Testament all the true godly do feel those inward motions of the holy Spirit drawing them Blessed are they which heare and follow Meditat. XVII Of the fruits of Baptisme If thou polluted art with sin The fountain's open enter in REmember thou faithfull soul the grace of God conferred upon thee in the saving laver of baptisme Baptisme is the laver of regeneration Therefore he that is dipt in the laver of baptisme is no longer altogether carnall as before But because he is born of God by water and the Spirit therefore he is also the sonne of God and because a sonne therefore an heir also of eternall happinesse As the eternall Father at the baptisme of Christ uttered this voice This is my beloved Sonne So all those that beleeve and are baptized he adopteth to be his sonnes As at the baptisme of Christ the holy Ghost appeared in the shape of a dove So also is he present at our baptisme and gives force unto it yea he is conferred by baptisme upon the beleevers and effects in them new motions that they become wise as serpâ—nts and innocent as doves As it was at the creation so is it also at our regeneration At the first creation of things the Spirit of the Lord moved upon the waters and gave a vitall force unto them So also in the water of baptisme the holy Ghost is present and makes it a saving means of our regeneration Christ himself our Saviour would be baptized that he might leave a testimonie that by baptisme we are made his members Oftentimes medicines are applyed to the head to heal some other parts of the bodie Christ is our spirituall head He received the medicine of baptisme for to heal his mysticall bodie God in the old Testament made a covenant with his people by circumcision So by baptisme in the new Testament we are received into the covenant of God Baptisme succeeded in the place of circumcision He therefore that is in the covenant of God need not be afraid of the devils accusation In baptisme we put on Christ And from hence it is that the Saints are said to have made their robes white in the bloud of the Lambe Christs perfect righteousnesse is that beautifull robe whosoever therefore hath put on this robe let him not fear the stains of sinne There was a pool in Jerusalem about the sheep-market into which at a certain time the angel of the Lord descended and troubled it and he that first descended into it after the troubling of the water was cured of what disease soever The water of baptisme is that pool which healeth us of every disease of sinne when the holy Spirit descends into it and troubles it with the bloud of Christ who was made a sacrifice for us In like manner in time past the sacrifices were washed in that pool at Jerusalem As at the baptisme of Christ the heavens were opened So also at our baptisme the gate of heaven is opened unto us At the baptisme of Christ all the holy and sacred Trinitie was present And so likewise at our baptisme And so by the word of promise which is annexed unto the element of water faith receiveth the grace of the Father adopting the merit of the Sonne cleansing and the efficacie of the holy Ghost regenerating Pharaoh and all his host was drowned in the red sea The Israelites passed through safe and sound So in baptisme all the host of vices is drowned and the faithfull safely attain to the inheritance of the kingdome of heaven Therefore also is baptisme that sea of glasse which John saw Through it as through a kinde of glasse the brightnesse of the sunne of righteousnesse enters into our mindes And that sea was before the throne
of the Lambe The church is the throne of the Lambe in which onely the grace of holy baptisme is to be had The prophet Ezekiel saw waters going out of the temple which did quicken and heal all In the spirituall temple of God that is in the church the saving waters of baptisme do yet spring forth into the profunditie whereof our sinnes are thrown Whosoever come unto it shall be healed and live Baptisme is the spirituall floud in which all flesh of sinne is drowned The impure crow goes forth like the Devil But the dove like the holy Ghost flies and brings the olive-branch that is peace and tranquilitie unto our mindes Remember therefore thou faithfull soul the greatnesse of the grace of God conferred upon thee in baptisme and render due thanks unto him The more plentifull grace is conferred upon us in baptisme the more diligent must we be in the custodie of the gifts conferred We are buried with Christ by baptisme Therefore as Christ was raised up from the dead unto the glory of his Father So let us walk in newnesse of life We are made whole let us sinne no more lest a worse thing happen unto us We have put on the most precious robe of Christs righteousnesse Therefore let us not defile it with the stains of sinne Our old man is crucified and dead in baptisme Let the new man therefore live in us We are regenerated and renewed in the spirit of our mindes by baptisme Therefore let not the flesh domineer over the spirit Old things are past Behold aâ— things are become new Let not therefore the oldnesse of the flesh prevail against the newnesse of the spirit We are made the sonnes of God by spirituall regeneration Let us therefore live as it becometh the sonnes of such a Father We are made the temple of the holy Ghost Let us therefore prepare a thankfull seat for such a guest We are received into Gods covenant Let us take heed therefore that we do not serve under the devil and so fall from the covenant of grace Effect in us all these things O blessed Trinity in Unitie Thou that hast given us such grace in baptisme give us also the grace to persevere in it Meditat. XVIII Of the saving participation of the body and bloud of Christ. He that doth eat and drink by faith Christs flesh and bloud salvation hath HE that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud shall live for ever saith Christ. Exceeding great was the bountie and goodnesse of our Saviour in that he did not onely assume our flesh and exalt it to the throne of celestiall glory but also feedeth us with his bodie and bloud unto eternall life Oh the saving delicates of the soul Oh the heavenly and angelicall food to be desired Although the angels did desire to look into this mysterie yet he did not assume the nature of the angels but the seed of Abraham Our Saviour is nearer unto us then unto the angels for we have knowledge of his love by this in that he hath given us of his own Spirit neither of his Spirit onely but of his bodie and bloud For so saith Truth it self of the bread and wine in the Eucharist This is my bodie This is my bloud How can the Lord forget those whom he hath redeemed with his bodie and bloud and whom he hath nourished with his bodie and bloud He that eateth the flesh and drinketh the bloud of Christ remaineth in Christ and Christ in him I do not much marvel therefore that the haires of our head are numbred that our names are registred in heaven that we are described in the hands of the Lord and that we are carried in his bosome seeing that we are fed with the bodie and bloud of Christ. Without doubt great is the dignitie of our souls seeing that they are fed with a price of redemption of such value Great also is the dignitie of our bodies which being redeemed and fed by the bodie of Christ become the habitacles and temples of the holy Ghost and the dwelling places of the whole and most holy Trinitie It cannot be that they should remain in the grave being fed with the bodie and bloud of our Lord. This is meat indeed We eat it But we change it not into the nature of our bodie but are changed into it We are the members of Christ and are animated by his Spirit and fed with his body and bloud This is the bread which came down from heaven and giveth life unto the world He that eateth thereof shall never hunger This is the bread of grace and mercy Of this whosoever eateth he shall taste and see how sweet the Lord is and receive of his fulnesse grace for grace This is the bread of life not onely the living bread but the quickning bread Whosoever eateth thereof he shall live for ever This is the bread which came down from heaven neither is it onely heavenly but it makes those that eat thereof heavenly They which eat it savingly in the spirit shall become heavenly because they shall not die but shall be raised again at the last day They shall be raised again but not to judgement because he that eateth of this bread cometh not into judgement nor into condemnation because there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus but they shall be raised to life and salvation For he that eateth the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinketh his bloud hath life in himself and shall live through Christ. His flesh is meat indeed and his bloud is drink indeed Let us be filled therefore with the meat not of our works but of the Lord. Let us be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse not of our house but of the Lord. This is the true fountain of life He that shall drink of this water shall never thirst but it shall become in him a fountain of water springing up unto eternall life All ye that thirst come unto these waters and ye that have no silver make haste buy without money Let them that thirst come and come thou my soul that art vexed with the raging heat of sinne But if thou beest destitute of the silver of thy merits make haste the rather If thou hast no merits of thine own make haste the more ardently to the merits of Christ Make haste therefore and buy without silver Here is the chamber of Christ and the soul from which let not thy sinnes deterre thee and into which let not thy merits enter For what can be our merits They lay out their silver and not for bread they labour and not for fulnesse Our labours do not satiate neither is the grace of God bought with the silver of our merits Therefore heare O my soul and eat that which is good and thou shalt be delighted with fatnesse These words are spirit and
the night unlesse thou dost first arm thy self by prayer What fruit canst thou expect of thy labours unlesse thou dost first worship him without whose blessing all labour is unprofitable If therefore thou wantest spirituall or temporall blessings ask and receive If thou desirest Christ seek him by prayer and thou shalt finde If thou desirest that the gate of divine grace eternall salvation should be opened unto thee Knock and it shall be opened unto thee If in the desert of this world the thirst of tentations and the penurie of spirituall goods afflict thee Come unto the spirituall rock which is Christ come with devotion and strike it with the rod of prayer thou shalt feel the streams of divine grace cool the thirst of thy penurie Wouldest thou offer an acceptable sacrifice unto God Offer thy prayers so shall God smell a sweet odour and his wrath shall cease Wouldest thou every day converse with God Love prayer which is the spirituall conference between God and the devout soul. Wouldest thou taste how sweet the Lord is Invite the Lord to the house of thy heart by prayer Prayer pleaseth God if it be made in a due manner Whosoever therefore desireth to be heard let him pray with wisdome with fervencie with humilitie with faith with perseverance with confidence Let him pray with wisdome that is for such things as tend to the glory of God and the salvation of his neighbour God is omnipotent Therefore do not thou in thy prayers tie him to means God is most wise Therefore do not thou in thy prayers prescribe him an order Let not thy prayers break forth rashly but let them follow the conduct of faith Now faith hath respect unto the word Therefore such things as God hath promised in his word absolutely pray for absolutely and such things as he hath promised with a condition as temporall things pray for with a condition and such things as he hath in no wise promised in no wise pray for God oftentimes gives in his wrath that which in his mercy he doth denie Therefore follow Christ who resigned his will wholly unto God Pray with fervencie For how canst thou desire that God should heare thee when thou hearest not thy self Wouldest thou have God mindfull of thee when thou art not mindfull of thy self When thou wilt pray go into thy closet and shut thy doore Thy heart is the closet thou must enter into it If thou wilt pray as thou oughtest thou must shut the doore that the cogitations of worldly businesse may not trouble thee Thy words come not unto Gods eares without the affection of the heart The minde must be so inflamed with the heat of cogitation that it may farre surpasse what the tongue expresseth And this is to worship in spirit and in truth as the Lord requireth Christ prayed in the mount and lifted up his eyes unto heaven So we must turn away our mindes from all the creatures and turn them unto God Thou doest injurie unto God if thou prayest unto him to attend unto thee when thou dost not attend unto thy self We may pray without ceasing if we pray in the spirit that is if our mindes do alwayes by holy desires watch unto God There is not alwayes need of clamour because God heareth even the sighs of our hearts seeing that he dwelleth in the hearts of the godly There is not alwayes need of words because he is present even with the thoughts Oftentimes one sigh moved by the holy Ghost and offered to God in the spirit is more acceptable to God then long repetitions of prayers where the tongue prayeth and the heart is plainly dâ—mbe Let him pray with humilitie and place no confidence in his own merit but in the grace of God onely If our prayers relie upon our own worth they are condemned yea though the heart for very devotion should sweat drops of bloud No man pleaseth God but in Christ Therefore no man prayeth aright but through Christ and in Christ. The sacrifices did not please God which were not offered on the onely altar of the tabernacle So prayer pleaseth not God unlesse it be offered upon the onely altar which is Christ. God promised to heare the Israelites prayers if they prayed with their faces turned toward Jerusalem So we in our prayers must convert our selves unto Christ who is the temple of the divinitie Christ at his passion being about to pray cast himself to the ground Behold how that most holy soul humbled it self before the divine majestie Let him pray with faith let him offer himself to want all joy and to suffer all punishment The sooner one prayeth the more profitably the oftner the better the more fervently the more acceptably with God Let him pray with perseverance For if God delay his benefits he commends them and doth not deny them The longer things are desired the sweeter they are being obtained Let him pray with confidence that is ask with faith without doubting O most mercifull God who hast commanded us to pray give us grace to pray aright Meditat. XXVI Of the holy angels appointed by God to be our keepers The angels of the Lord protect All those that are the Lords elect COnsider thou devout soul how great the goodnesse of the Lord is who hath made his angels thy keepers Our heavenly Father sends his own Sonne to redeem us The Sonne of God is made flesh to save us The holy Ghost is sent to sanctifie us The angels are sent to protect us So then all the court of heaven doth as it were serve us convey their benâ—fits unto us I do not wonder now that all the inferiour creatures were made for man seeing that the angels themselves creatures farre more excellent do not deny their ministerie unto us What wonder is it that the heaven ministers light unto us by day that we may labour and darknesse by night that we may rest seeing that those that dwell in heaven do minister unto us What wonder is it that the aire affordeth us vitall breath and all kindes of fowls to our service seeing that the celestiall spirits watch over us for our safety What wonder is it that the water affordeth us drink purgeth away our filth watereth things that are dried and brings forth sundry kindes of fishes when as the angels themselves are present with us and do refresh us when we are weary with the heat of calamities and tentations What wonder that the earth beareth us and nourisheth us with bread and wine and furnisheth our tables with all kindes of fruits and living creatures when as he hath given his angels charge to keep us in all our wayes and to bear us up in their hands that we dash not our foot against a stone The angels were solicitous concerning Christ. For an angel foretells his conception An angel declares
treacheries are much to be feared In prosperitie he lifts us up with pride In adversitie he drives us to despair If he sees a man delighted with frugalitie he entangleth him in the fetters of unsatiable covetousnesse If he sees a man of an heroicall spirit he sets him on fire with flaming anger If he sees a man somewhat merrier then ordinary he incites him to burn with lust Those whom he sees to be zealous in religion he labours to entangle in vain superstition Those whom he sees exalted to dignities he pricks them forward with the spurres of ambition When he allureth a man to sinne he amplifies Gods mercie and when he hath cast him headlong into sinne he amplifies Gods justice First he will leade a man to presumption and afterwards he labours to bring him to desperation Sometimes he assaults outwardly by persecutions sometimes he assaults inwardly by fiery tentations Sometimes he sets upon us openly and by force sometimes secretly and by fraud In eating he sets before us gluttony in generating luxurie in exercising sluggishnesse in conversing envie in governing covetousnesse in correcting anger in dignitie pride In the heart he sets evil cogitations In the mouth false speakings In the other members wicked actions When we are awake he moves us to ill works when we are asleep he moves us to filthy dreams So then in every place and in every thing we must beware of the devils treacheries We sleep but he watcheth We are secure and he goes about like a roaring lion If thou shouldest see a lion ready to assault thee how wouldest thou fear and tremble When thou hearest that the infernall lion lies in wait for thee doest thou sleep soundly on both eares Consider therefore thou faithfull soul the treacheries of this most potent enemie and seek the aid of spirituall arms Let thy loyns be girt with the girdle of truth and covered with the breast-plate of righteousnesse Put on Christs perfect righteousnesse and thou shalt then be safe from the devils tentations Hide thy self in the holes of Christs wounds as often as thou art terrified by the darts of this malignant serpent The true beleever is in Christ as therefore Satan hath no power over Christ so hath he no power over the true beleever Let thy feet be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace Let our confession of Christ be alwayes heard in our mouthes So no tentations of the devil shall hurt us The words of the enchanter do not so drive away the corporall serpent as the voice of constant confession doth put to flight this spirituall serpent Take the shield of faith to quench all the fiery darts of this most wicked enemie Faith removes mountains understand the mountains of doubts persecutions and tentations The Israelites whose doore-posts were signed with the bloud of the paschall Lambe were not smitten by the destroying angel So likewise those whose hearts are by faith sprinkled with the bloud of Christ shall not be hurt by this destroyer Faith relies upon Gods promises Now Satan cannot overthrow Gods promises Therefore Satan cannot prevail against faith Faith is the light of the soul and the tentations of the malignant spirit do soon appeare through this light By faith our sinnes are thrown into the profound sea of Godâ— mercie and in that the fiery darts of the devil shall be easily quenched We must put on likewise the helmet of salvation that is holy hope Endure tentation and expect an issue out of the tentation For God is the moderator of them that contend and the crown of them that overcome If there be no enemie then no fight if no fight no victorie if no victorie no crown Better is that fight that brings us nearer to God then that peace which alienateth us from God We must also take the sword of the Spirit that is the word of God Let the consolations in Scripture prevail more with thee then the contradictions of the devil Christ overcame all Satans tentations by the word and still by the word Christians overcome all Satans tentations To conclude In prayer thou hast great aid against tentations As often as the little ship of the soul is ready to be overwhelmed with the waves of tentations awake Christ by thy prayers We overcome visible enemies by striking but we overcome our invisible enemie by pouring forth prayers Fight thou O Christ both in us and for us that so through thee we also may overcome Meditat. XXVIII Generall rules of a godly life He 's onely wise who God doth know And doth by life his knowledge show EVery day thou drawest nearer to thy death judgement and eternitie Therefore think every day how thou mayst be able to stand in that most strict and severe judgement and so live for ever Look diligently unto thy thoughts words and deeds because hereafter thou must give an exact account for all thy thoughts words and deeds Every evening think that thou shalt die that night Every morning think that thou shalt die that day Do not deferre thy conversion and good works till to morrow because to morrow is uncertain but death is certain and hangs over thy head every day Nothing is more contrary to godlinesse then delay If thou contemnest the inward calling of the holy Spirit thou shalt never attain to true conversion Deferre not thy conversion and good works till thy old age but offer unto God the flower of thy youth It is uncertain whether the young man shall live till he be old But it is certain that destruction is prepared for the young man which is impenitent No age is fitter for Gods service then youth which flourisheth in strength both of body and minde For no mans sake undertake an evil cause for it is not that man but God that shall hereafter judge thee Do not therefore preferre the favour of men before the grace of God In the way of the Lord either we go forwards or else we go backwards Therefore examine thy life every day whether thou goest forwards or backwards in the study of pietie To stand in the way of the Lord is to go back Do not delight then to stand still in the course of godlinesse but study alwayes to walk in the way of the Lord. In thy conversation be courteous towards all grievous to none familiar with few To God live piously to thy self chastly to thy neighbour justly Shew favour to thy friend shew patience towards thy enemie shew thy good will towards all and thy bountie to whom thou art able In thy life die daily unto thy self and unto thy vices So in death thou shalt live unto God Let mercie appeare in thy affection courtesie in thy countenance humilitie in thy attire modestie in thy neighbourhood and patience in tribulation Alwayes think upon three things past the evil committed the good omitted and the time pretermitted Alwayes
of his life For how dost thou love Christ if thou lovest not his holy life If ye love me keep my commandments saith our Saviour Therefore he that keepeth not his commandments loveth him not Christs holy life is the perfect rule of our life And this one rule of Christs life is to be preferred before all the rules of Francis or Benedict If thou wilt be the adopted sonne of God consider what was the life of his onely begotten Sonne If thou wilt be a coheir with Christ thou must be a follower of Christ. He that liveth in vices hath given himself to the service of the devil And he that will be with the devil how can he be with Christ To love sinne is to love the devil because all sinne is from the devil How then can he that is a lover of the devil be a lover of Christ To love God is to love holy life because all holy life is from God How then can he that is not a lover of holy life be a lover of God The doing of the work is the triall of love It is the property of love to follow and to obey him that is beloved to will the same that he willeth and to be affected as he is If then thou lovest Christ truly thou wilt obey his commandments thou wilt with him love holy life and being renewed in the spirit of thy minde thou wilt think upon heavenly things Eternall life consists in the knowledge of Christ And he that loves not Christ knows him not He that loves not humility chastitie gentlenesse temperance and charitie loves not Christ Because the love of Christ was nothing else but humilitie chastitie gentlenesse temperance and charitie Christ saith that he knows not them that fulfill not the will of his Father Therefore they also know not Christ that fulfill not the will of their heavenly Father But what is the will of our heavenly Father It is according to the Apostle our sanctification He is not of Christ that hath not the Spirit of Christ Now where the Spirit of Christ is he is present with his gifts and fruits But what are the fruits of the Spirit Love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance As the holy Ghost rested upon Christ So doth he also rest on all those that are in Christ by true faith Because the spouse of Christ doth run in the odour of Christs ointments He that cleaveth unto the Lord is one spirit with him As the carnall copulation of the man and the woman maketh of them one flesh So the spirituall conjunction of Christ the faithfull soul maketh of them one spirit And where there is one spirit there is one will and where there is the same will there are the same actions Therefore he that doth not conform his life to the life of Christ is convinced that he neither doth cleave unto God neither hath his Spirit Is it not meet that we should conform all our life to the life of Christ who in love conformed himself wholly unto us God manifesting himself in the flesh set before us an example of holy life that whosoever doth not live an holy life might be without excuse as concerning the flesh No life is more pleasant or quiet then the life of Christ because Christ is true God And what can enjoy more pleasure or tranquillity then God who is the chiefest good This life bringeth forth short joy but draws with it eternall sorrow To whomsoever thou conformest thy self in this life to him also shalt thou be conformed in the resurrection If thou beginnest here to conform thy self unto the life of Christ thou shalt in the resurrection be more fully conformed unto him If thou conformest thy self unto the devil by sinne thou shalt in the resurrection be conformed unto him by torment He that will follow me let him denie himself saith our Saviour and take up his crosse daily If in this life thou deniest thy self at the day of judgement Christ shall acknowledge thee for his If for Christ here in this life thou renouncest thine own honour the love of thy self and thine own will in the life to come Christ will make thee partaker of his honour of his love and of his will If in this life thou partakest of the crosse in the life to come thou shalt partake of eternall light If in this life thou partakest of tribulation in the life to come thou shalt partake of consolation If in this life thou partakest of persecution in the life to come thou shalt partake of a most large retribution He that shall confesse me before men saith our Saviour him also will I confesse before my Father which is in heaven But we must confesse Christ not onely by the profession of doctrine but also by conformity of life So shall he at length at the day of judgement acknowledge us for his Whosoever shall denie me before men him also will I denie before my Father which is in heaven Christ is not onely denied by words but also and that much more by wicked life Whosoever therefore doth in this life deny Christ by his deeds shall in deed be denied by Christ at the day of judgement He is not a Christian that hath not the true faith of Christ But true faith ingrafts us into Christ as vine-branches into the spirituall vine Every branch that is in Christ and bringeth not forth fruit the heavenly husbandman taketh away But he that remaineth in Christ and in whom Christ dwelleth by faith bringeth forth much fruit That branch is not in the vine which draweth not from the vine its sap nourishment So neither is that soul in Christ by faith which draweth not from Christ the sap of love by faith Conform us good Jesus unto thy life in this world that in the world to come we may be fully conformed unto it Meditat. XXXI Of the deniall of a mans own self Thou from thy self must first depart Before thou canst in Christ have part WHosoever will follow me let him denie himself saith our Saviour To denie ones self is to renounce the love of ones self For the love of ones self doth exclude the love of God If thou wilt be Christs disciple it is necessary that self-love should altogether die in thee No man loveth Christ unlesse he hateth himself Vnlesse the grain of wheat which is cast into the earth do die it doth not bring forth fruit So thou canst not reap the fruits of the holy Spirit unlesse self-love do die in thy heart The Lord said unto Abraham Go out from thine own land and from thine own kindred and from thy fathers house unto the land which I shall shew thee Thou canst not be the true disciple of Christ and a true spirituall man unlesse thou goest forth from the love of thy self Jacob in his wrestling with the
be at variance That member of the body is dead which hath not a sense of anothers grief Neither let him judge himself a member of Christs mysticall bodie whosoever doth not grieve with another that suffereth We have all one Father that is God whom Christ hath taught thee daily to call our Father And how shall he own thee to be his true sonne unlesse thou again own his sonnes to be thy brethren Love him that is commended unto thee by God if he be worthy because he is worthy and if he be not worthy yet love him because God is worthy whom thou oughtest to obey If thou lovest a man that is thine enemie thou shewest thy self to be the friend of God Do not mark what man doth against thee but what thou hast done against God Observe not the injuries offered thee by thine enemies but observe the benefits conferred upon thee by God who commandeth thee to love thine enemie We are neighbours by the condition of our earthly nativity and brothers by the hope of our celestiall inheritance Let us therefore love one another Kindle in us O God the fire of love and charity by thy Spirit Meditat. XXXVII Of the studie of chastitie The soul that 's chast is Christ his spouse His bed of rest his lodging-house HE that will be the true disciple of Christ must study to be chast and holy Our most gracious God is a pure and chast Spirit And thou must call upon him with chast prayers It was the saying of a wise man That the chastitie of the body and the sanctitie of the soul are the two keys of religion and felicitie If the body be not kept pure and immaculate from whoredome the soul cannot be ardent in prayer Our body is the temple of the holy Ghost We must beware therefore and be very carefull that we pollute not this holy habitacle of the holy Ghost Our members are the members of Christ We must beware that we take not the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot Let us cleave unto the Lord by faith and chastitie that we may be one spirit with him Let us not cleave unto an harlot that we be not made one body with her The Sodomites burning with lust were smitten by the Lord with blindnesse corporall and spirituall And such is the punishment of unchast men even unto this day The Sodomites lust was punished with fire and brimstone falling down from heaven So God shall inflame the heat of this evil concupiscence in whoredomes with everlasting fire This fire is not to be extinguished But the smoke of the torments ascendeth up for ever and ever Without that is without the heavenly Jerusalem are dogs that is impure and lustfull men Christ hath washed us with his precious bloud in baptisme And therefore we must beware and be carefull that we do not defile our selves with filthy lust Even nature her self hath taught men to blush and to be ashamed to commit such filthinesse in the sight of men And yet they are not ashamed to commit it in the sight of God and his angels No walls can hinder God from seeing for his eyes are brighter then the sunne No angles or corners can exclude the presence of the holy angels No secret turnings can keep away the testimonie of the conscience This is a wonderfull thing That the heat of lust should ascend up into heaven when the stink thereof descendeth even unto hell This short pleasure shall bring forth everlasting sorrow That which delighteth is momentany but that which tormenteth is everlasting The pleasure of fornication is short but the punishment of the fornicatour is for ever Let the memorie of him that was crucified crucifie in thee thy flesh Let the remembrance of hell quench in thee the heat of concupiscence Let the tears of repentance extinguish in thee the fire of lust Let the fear of God wound thy flesh that the love of the flesh deceive thee not Consider with thy self that the appetite of lust is full of anxietie and folly the act full of abomination and ignominie and the end full of repentance and shame Look not upon the fawning face of the devil inciting thee to lust but look back upon his tail when he flyeth which is full of pricks Think not upon the shortnes of the pleasure but rather think upon the eternitie of the punishment Love the knowledge of the Scriptures and then thou wilt not love the vices of the flesh Be alwayes doing somewhat that the tempter when he cometh may finde thee busied He deceived David when he was idle He could not deceive Joseph for he was busied in his masters service Think every houre that death is at hand and thou wilt easily despise all the pleasure of the flesh Love temperance and thou shalt easily overcome evil concupiscence The belly set on fire with wine doth presently some with lust Amidst thy dainties thy chastitie is in danger If therefore thou feedest thy flesh daintily and immoderately thou nourishest thine own enemie So feed thy flesh that it may serve thee keep it so under that it be not proud Think upon the terrour of the last judgement and thou shalt easily extinguish the fire of lust For at the day of judgement the secrets of the heart shall be revealed and then how much more those things that are done in secret Thou must give an account for unprofitable words And how much more then for filthy speeches Thou must give an account for filthy speeches How much more then for impure actions As long as thy life hath been so long shall thy accusation be As many as thy sinnes have been so many shall thy accusers be Those thoughts which men make no reckoning of shall come to judgement What then doth it profit thee to have thy fornication for a time concealed from men seeing that it must be revealed in the sight of all men at the day of judgement What doth it profit thee to escape the judgement-seat of an earthly judge seeing that thou canst not escape the judgement-seat of the supreme judge This judge thou canst not corrupt with gifts for he is a most just judge This judge thou canst not move with prayers for he is a most severe judge This judge his province and jurisdiction thou canst not flee from for he is a most powerfull judge Him thou canst not deceive with vain excuses for he is a most wise judge From his broad and proclaimed sentence thou canst not appeal for he is the supreme judge There shall be truth in the inquisition nakednesse in the publication and severitie in the execution Therefore O soul devout towards God let the fear of this judge be alwayes before thine eyes and the fire of lust shall not deceive thee Be thou the rose of charitie the violet of humilitie and the lilie of chastitie Learn
grant unto me of his goodnesse that I may beleeve his word and promises I will use the help and support of prayer to strengthen my faith and I will not suffer the Lord to depart out of the chamber of my heart untill I have obtained salvation By the power of the Lord I shall be able to be preserved unto salvation The power of the Lord doth lift me up and comfort me but mine own infirmitie doth cast me down and make me sorrowfull But the power of the Lord shall be perfected in my weaknesse He shall strengthen me from whom cometh all the strength of my faith The grace of God doth lift me up but mine unworthinesse doth cast me down But if there were any worthinesse in me then it were no grace but a reward If of works then certainly not of grace For grace is not any way grace unlesse it be every way gratis Therefore have I no respect unto my works That which is amisse he will amend that which is wanting he will make up that which he will not impute against me shall be as if it were not Therefore is my salvation onely from God and therefore sure Meditat. XLIII That we must think daily upon our death Think every day to be thy last And when night comes thy life is past O Faithfull soul look foâ— death every houre Because it waits for thee every houre In the morning when thou risest O man think that it is thy last day And in the evening when thou goest to bed think that it is thy last night upon earth Whatsoever thou doest whatsoever thou goest about look about thee and consider with thy self first whether thou wouldest do such things or no if thou shouldest die that houre and so go to Gods judgement What! Dost thou think that death doth not approch because thou thinkest not of it or dost thou think that it draweth nearer because thou thinkest upon it whether thou thinkest upon it or no whether thou speakest of it or no it hangs alwayes over thy head Life was lent unto thee not given as a free-hold Upon this condition thou didst enter in that thou shouldest go out Naked thou camest and naked thou must go This life is a pilgrimage when thou hast travelled a good while then thou must return home again Thou art but a farmer and tenant in this world and not a perpetuall lord Every houre think with thy self whither thou hastenest every moment In this we are deceived in that we think we die then when we breathe out our last Every day every houre every moment we die Whatsoever is added unto our life is taken from it and as it increaseth it also decreaseth we fall not into death suddenly but walk into it step after step This life of ours is a way and every day we must ridde some of it Life and death seem to be most distant but they are as neare as neare can be For one passeth away and the other cometh on As it is with those that travel by sea they oftentimes come to the haven and yet they neither feel nor so much as think whither they are carried So likewise it is with us whatsoever we do whether we eat drink or sleep we draw nearer alwayes to our death Many have passed away their life even in the time whiles they were seeking after things belonging to the sustentation of this life No man entertains death joyfully unlesse he hath long before prepared himself for it In this life die daily unto thy self that so in death thou mayst live unto God Before thou diest let thy sinnes die in thee In thy life time let the old Adam die in thee So at thy death Christ shall live in thee In thy life time let the outward man daily decay that at thy death the inward man may be renewed in thee Death translateth thee from time to eternitie for as the tree falls so it lies How carefully then ought we to think upon the houre of death Time passeth away but the infinite space of eternitie remains behinde In time therefore make thy self ready for eternitie What we shall be for ever whether blessed or miserable it shall be decreed at the houre of death In that one moment is eternall felicitie either enjoyed or lost Wherefore O faithfull soul how solicitous and carefull oughtest thou to be in preparing thy self for that houre Thou wilt easily contemn all worldly things if thou considerest with thy self that thou must die Consider that thine eyes shall be darkened in death and thou wilt easily turn away thine eyes from beholding vanitie Consider that thy eares shall wax deaf at thy death and it shall be easie for thee to stop thy eares against impious and filthy speeches Consider that thy tongue shall be tied at thy death and thou wilt have more regard unto thy words Set before thine eyes the cold sweat and anxietie of those that are ready to die and thou wilt easily contemn all worldly delights Look upon the nakednesse of them that depart out of this world and povertie in this life will not seem grievous unto thee Consider the trembling of the whole bodie at the point of death and thou wilt easily contemn the splendour of the world Consider the mourning of the soul being compelled to go out of the house of the bodie and thou wilt easily beware of the guilt of all sinne Consider the corruption that followeth after death and thou wilt easily bring down thy proud flesh Consider how naked thou art left at thy death being forsaken of all the creatures and thou wilt easily turn away thy love from them and turn it towards the Creatour Consider how narrowly death looks to thee that thou carrie away nothing with thee at thy death and thou wilt easily contemn all the riches of the world He that in this life dieth daily through his sinnes doth passe from death temporall unto the punishments of death eternall No man is translated unto everlasting life but he that begins here to live in Christ. That in death therefore thou mayest live be ingrafted into Christ by faith Let death be alwayes in thy thoughts because it is to be expected alwayes We carry death alwayes about us because we alwayes carry sinne about us and the wages of sinne is death But if thou wouldest escape the bitternesse of death keep the word of Christ. Faith doth conjoyn and unite us unto Christ Therefore they which are in Christ die not For Christ is their life He that is joyned unto God by faith is one spirit with him And therefore the faithfull man dieth not for ever because God is his life The people of Israel passed through the Red sea unto the promised land but Pharaoh and his host were drowned So the death of the godly is unto them the beginning of true life and the gate of paradise but the death of the wicked is not
unto the angels and even unto himself also Oh most blessed citie Oh heavenly Jerusalem Oh the holy seat of the most holy Trinitie when shall it be that I shall enter into thy temple The Lambe is the heavenly Jerusalem to wit the Lambe which taketh away the sinnes of the world was slain for them from the beginning of the world When shall the time come that I may in that temple worship my God that is God in God when will that sunne rise upon me which enlightneth that holy city I am yet a banished man from my countrey but there is laid up for me an ample inheritance To those that beleeve power is given to be made the sonnes of God And if we be sonnes we are then heirs heirs of God and coheirs with Christ. Lift up thy self O my soul and long to come to thine inheritance The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and my exceeding great reward What could the most ample mercie and bountie of God bestow upon us more than this He bestows life He bestows his Sonne He bestows himself And if he had any thing else greater in heaven or in earth he would bestow even that also upon us In God we live Gods temple we are God we possesse here indeed in the spirit and in a mysterie but there in truth There shall our hope become fruition and there shall we not onely remain but dwell for ever Meditat. XLVIII Of the most comfortable fellowship of the angels in heaven If thou beest here a childe of grace 'Mongst angels thou shalt have a place AT the resurrection of the dead they shall neither marrie nor be given in marriage but shall be like unto the angels of God in heaven Who can worthily set forth with praises this honour of the blessed Into whose heart hath this glorie of the blessed ever entred The elect being renewed by a glorious resurrection shall enjoy the saving vision of God without all fear of death and without any spot of corruption I have seen the Lord face to face and my life is preserved saith the holy Patriarch But if the sight of God for a moment could bring so great joy What joy will it bring to see him for ever If the sight of God appearing in the shape of man brought salvation and life unto the soul Certainly the seeing of him face to face shall bring life and everlasting felicitie What then can be added to this felicitie What can the elect desire beside the fruition of the sight of God And yet notwithstanding they shall enjoy the most sweet and blessed fellowship of the angels Neither shall they onely enjoy their fellowship but they shall be also like unto them for the nimblenesse brightnesse and immortalitie of their bodies We shall be clothed with the same garment that they are we shall stand before the throne of the Lambe clothed with long white robes and sing unto the Lord an everlasting song we shall shine in the same crown of vertues we shall rejoyce in the same priviledge of immortalitie We have seen the angel of the Lord and we shall surely die crieth out Manoah But we shall see thousand thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand angels and yet we shall live for ever And if we shall be like unto angels surely we shall have no cause to fear lest we be separated from them by the unlikenesse of our sinnes We shall put off the ragged coat of our sinfull nature and our nakednesse shall be covered with the garment of salvation and we shall be clothed with the white robe of righteousnesse No man there receiveth hurt no man is angry no man envious there is no slandring no concupiscence there is no ambition after honour and power We shall not be laden with the burden of our sins neither shall we be constrained to weep and wash away the spots of our sinnes with penitent teares neither shall we have cause to fear the deadly wounds of our soul For the Lion of the tribe of Judah hath overcome and through his vertue have we all overcome Again if we shall be like unto the angels we shall have no desire after meat or drink God shall be our meat with whose pleasures we shall be satisfied God shall be our meat which onely doth refresh us and is never deficient The blessed shall neither hunger nor thirst any more the sunne and the heat shall not scorch them because their mercifull Father shall feed them and shall leade them unto the living fountains of waters Out of their bellies shall flow rivers of living waters There shall be a feast prepared of marrow and fatnesse and wine clarified We shall feast and be merry and sing joyfully for the joy of heart Lord Jesus these things shall be fulfilled in spirit in truth Of the fruit of the vine shall we drink in thy Fathers kingdome but yet in spirit and in truth For the words which thou spakest unto us are spirit and life and thou declarest the joy of the world to come by the language of this world Again if we shall be like unto the angels we shall be free from the fear of death For death shall be swallowed up in victory and shall be trod down for ever and God shall wipe away all tears from the eyes of his people Therefore there shall be joy without sorrow which containeth everlasting joy health without sicknesse life without death light without darknesse love which shall never wax cold joy which shall never decrease No sighing shall be heard there no grief felt no sorrowfull thing seen but there shall be joy for ever There shall be great and certain securitie secure quietnesse quiet pleasure pleasant happinesse happy eternity eternall blessednesse the blessed Trinitie the Unitie of the Trinitie the Deitie of the Unitie and the blessed sight of the Deitie Lift up thy self O my soul and weigh with thy self the honour conferred upon us by Christ We shall be made fellows with the companies of Angels and Archangels with thrones and dominions with principalities and powers Neither shall we onely be fellows with them but we shall be like unto them We shall there know the angel that was appointed by God to be our keeper in our life time neither shall we stand in need of his ministerie but we shall be delighted with his sweet companie We shall not desire his protection but we shall rejoyce for his good fellowship and we shall behold his brightnesse with eyes enlightned Again if we shall be like unto the angels our frail weak and mortall bodies shall be changed and they shall be made spirituall nimble and immortall They shall be light because they shall be neare unto God who dwelleth in light that no mortall man can approach unto and is covered with light as with a garment They shall
its greatnesse exceeded heaven and earth Imagine also that some bird every thousandth yeare should carrie from this mountain one grain of the smallest dust There might be some hope that at length after the end of many incomprehensible thousands of yeares the greatnesse of that mountain might be consumed But it cannot be hoped that the fire of hell should ever go out The rewards of the elect shall never be ended therefore the punishments of the damned shall never be ended Because as the mercy of God is infinite towards the elect so the justice of God is infinite towards the reprobate Imagine that the damned had so many kindes of torments as there are little drops in the vast sea Imagine also that at every thousandth yeare some little bird should fly thither and suck a small drop thereof There might be some hope that at length the sea would be exhausted and become dry But it cannot be hoped that the punishments of the damned should ever have an end O devout soul think alwayes upon the eternall punishments of the damned To think upon hell preserves a man from falling into hell Have a care to repent whiles yet there is time for pardon What else shall the fire devoure but thy sinnes The more thou heapest up sinnes the more matter thou layest up for the fire O Lord Jesus which by thy passion hast made satisfaction for our sinnes deliver us from eternall damnation Amen Meditat. LI. Of the spirituall resurrection of the godly Doth Adam die Christ in thee live Christ shall eternall life thee give CHrists resurrection profits thee nothing unlesse Christ also rise in thee As Christ must be conceived born and live in thee So also must he rise in thee Before resurrection goes death because none riseth again but he that is fallen And so it fares in this spirituall resurrection Christ riseth not in thee unlesse Adam first die in thee The inward man riseth not unlesse the outward man be first buried The newnesse of the spirit will not come forth unlesse the oldnesse of the flesh be first hidden It is not enough for thee to have Christ once risen in thee because the old Adam cannot be extinct in one moment The old Adam will revive in thee daily And thou must daily mortifie him that Christ may begin to live in thee daily Christ ascended not into heaven neither entred he into his glory before he rose from death So neither canst thou enter into celestiall glory unlesse Christ first rise in thee and live in thee He is not a member of the mysticall bodie of Christ in whom Christ liveth not Neither shall he be brought by Christ into the Church triumphant who hath not been a member of his bodie in the Church militant Betrothing goes before matrimonie And that soul shall not be brought in unto the marriage of the heavenly Lambe which is not in this life betrothed to Christ by faith and sealed by the earnest of the holy Spirit Let Christ therefore rise and live in thee that thou mayst live with him for ever This is the fiâ—st resurrection Blessed and holy it be that hath part in the first resurrection over him shall the second death have no power If thou wilt at the resurrection come forth unto life Christ must daily rise in thee in this life At the resurrection of Christ the sunne rose So if Christ be spiritually risen in thee the light of the saving knowledge of God shall rise in thy soul. How can the light of the saving knowledge of God be there where the darknesse of most grievous sinnes still hath place The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome How then can heavenly wisdome be there where the fear of God hath no place But he that is destitute of the light of divine knowledge in this life how can he be made partaker of eternall light in the life to come The sonnes of light onely do passe unto eternall light but the sonnes of darknesse unto eternall darknesse Christ at his resurrection triumphed over death So he in whom Christ is spiritually risen is passed from death to life For he cannot be overcome by death in whom Christ the conquerour of death doth live Christ rising again brought with him perfect righteousnesse for he died for our sinnes and rose again for our justification So he also in whom Christ is spiritually risen is justified from his sinnes For how can sinne have place there where the perfect righteousnesse of Christ liveth and flourisheth Now this righteousnesse of Christ is applyed unto us by faith Christ rising from the dead got the victory over Satan for in his descent to hell he destroyed his kingdome spoiled his palace and broke his weapons in pieces And so also in whomsoever Christ is spiritually risen against him shall not Satan prevail for how can he be overcome of Satan in whom Christ liveth who overcame Satan At Christs resurrection there was a great earthquake So the spirituall resurrection with Christ is not without the earnest commotion and contrition of heart The old Adam cannot be overcome without striving and resistance Therefore Christ also cannot rise in thee spiritually without great commotion There is no spirituall resurrection with Christ unlesse there be a blotting out of sinne and there is no blotting out of sinne unlesse acknowledgement of sinne go before and there is no true acknowledgement of sinne without serious contrition of heart Therefore there is no spirituall resurrection of Christ in thee without inward contrition of heart Holy Ezechias said As a lion hath he broken in pieces my bones Behold great contrition But he addes presently O Lord so shall they live again and so shall my spirit be quickned Thou shalt correct me and thou shalt quicken me Again Thou hast cast all my sinnes behinde thy back Behold a spirituall resurrection from sinne At Christs resurrection an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and sat upon the sepulchre So if Christ be risen in thee spiritually thou mayest rejoyce in the fellowship of the angels Where the old Adam lives and reignes there is a pleasing bed for the devil But where Christ liveth and reigneth there the angels rejoyce to dwell For it is written There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth But where there is true repentance there also is Christ risen spiritually Where Christ is not yet risen spiritually neither is there yet the grace of God and where there is not yet the grace of God neither is there the guard of angels Where Christ is not yet spiritually risen there still doth the old Adam reigne and where the old Adam doth reigne there doth sinne also yet reigne and where sinne doth reigne there the devil doth reigne And what communion can there be between the blessed angels and the devil Christ after his resurrection presented himself alive unto his disciples So if thou beest
made a partaker of the spirituall resurrection by faith shew thy self to be a lively member of Christ by love A man is not judged to be alive unles he shew forth outwardly the actions of life Where Christ is there is also the holy Spirit where the holy Spirit is there he inciteth and moveth to every good work because they which are led by the Spirit of God are the sonnes of God If therefore we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit The light of the sunne doth every way disperse the brightnesse of his beams So the light of faith doth every way diffuse the heat of love Take light from the sunne and thou mayest separate love from true faith Sinnes are dead works If thou walkest in dead works how dost thou live in Christ and Christ in thee Sinnes belong unto the old Adam If the old Adam doth still reigne in thee how art thou spiritually risen with Christ Sinnes belong to the old flesh If thou walkest in the old flesh how doth the new man live in thee Raise us up O good Jesus from the death of sinne that we may walk in newnesse of life Let thy death kill the old Adam in us and let thy resurrection raise up the inward man unto life Let thy bloud wash us from our sinnes and let thy resurrection put upon us the robe of righteousnesse To the vertuous gentlewomen Mris Anne Henshaw Mris Elisabeth Dilk and Mris Helen Probey the daughters of Mr. William Bonham late citizen of London now citizen of the celestiall Jerusalem health and happinesse VErtuous Gentlewomen It was the respect which I owed unto your father and to your fathers house that first moved me to translate Gerards Prayers and being translated to dedicate them unto you But the Stationer whom I would not name because he is dead and yet I must name for fear lest by my silence I may seem to wrong others Richard Jackson of Fleetstreet to whose trust I committed the book to be printed usurped the dedication and obtruded it upon a Religious Countesse whose name for honour I conceal Hereupon I committed it unto the presse at Cambridge being first purged from innumerable errates Since Jacksons death the copie it seems came to one Williams his hands Stationer in Popes-head-alley With him I had conference as one desirous to restore unto you what of right belonged unto you But in stead of satisfaction I received nothing but ill language To conclude I bade him if he thought good go on to do you wrong but I promised withall that you should finde one to do you right as long as I lived In part I hope I have made good my promise If you accept of this my service as a scholars New-yeares-gift for so the time of the Edition makes it I have my desire and shall alwayes remain A true lover of your family R. W. From Kings Colledge in Cambridge January 1. 1631. Pray alwayes Luke 18. DIstressed soul if thou conceiv'st what 't is To mount unto the tower of endlesse blissâ— Embrace this work it reacheth to the skie And higher if beyond it ought do lie Mans dull capacitie weak humane sense Wide worlds expansion starres circumference Cannot it comprehend Prayer presseth even To Gods pavilion to th' imperiall â—eaven That is the golden chain fixt to Gods care Knock and hee 'l open call and he will heare This surely this is blessed Jacobs ladder On which our souls climbe by Christ to Christs Father Faith is praiers chief attendant Christ the way Gods Spirit both moves helps how to pray True love admittance gains humble confession Both helps devotion and procures remission Edmund Sheaf IF lothed ulcers do thy soul possesse See see a med'cine hither make addresse Or if tentations fears or future harms 'Gainst such assaults receive these pow'rfull charms These prayers may prove if well these prayers thou note 'Gainst those a balm 'gainst these an antidote Th. Bonham THe sunne doth shine the blinde man doth not see Light is but dark if eye-sight none there be Gerard to Latines gave a glorious light But in our English Hemisphere 't was night Th' eclipse is past night gone 't is now high day Gerard hath learn'd i th' English tongue to pray Fr. Winterton A Margarite's a precious thing but he that hath no skill â—steemeth it no more then that the cock found on the hill A candle lights not if it be in lantern dark conceal'd But turn the lantern and there is an usefull light reveal'd The Englishman knew not the worth of Gerards Margarite But now it is in English priz'd there 's profit and delight The lantern's turn'd the light appears which was before conceal'd And now there 's English none so blinde to whom 't is not reveal'd John Noare The contents of this book divided into foure parts I. Confession of sinnes Prayer 1 HE weigheth and considereth the grievousnesse of originall sinne Page 1 Prayer 2 He recalls to our memorie the sinnes of our youth Page 4 Prayer 3 He reckons up our daily falls and slips Page 6 Prayer 4 He examines our life according to the first table of the commandments Page 8 Prayer 5 He examines our life according to the second table of the commandments Page 11 Prayer 6 He sheweth that we often partake in other mens sinnes Page 14 Prayer 7 He sheweth that we are many wayes convinced of sinne Page 17 Prayer 8 He argues us to be convinced of the grievousnesse of our sinnes by the effects of contrition Page 19 Prayer 9 He aggravates our sinnes by the greatnesse of Gods benefits Page 22 Prayer 10 He considereth the severitie of Gods anger against our sinnes in the passion death of Christ. Page 24 II. Thanksgiving for Gods benefits Prayer 1 HE renders thanks to God for forming us in our mothers wombe and for our nativity Page 28 Prayer 2 He renders thanks for our sustentation Page 31 Prayer 3 He renders thanks for our redemption wrought by Christ. Page 33 Prayer 4 He renders thanks for the incarnation of the Sonne Page 36 Prayer 5 He renders thanks for the passion of Christ. Page 39 Prayer 6 He renders thanks for our vocation by the word Page 42 Prayer 7 He renders thanks for the expectation of our conversion Page 45 Prayer 8 He renders thanks for our conversion Page 47 Prayer 9 He renders thanks for the forgivenesse of our sinnes Page 50 Prayer 10 He renders thanks for our continuance in good Page 53 Prayer 11 He renders thanks for all the gifts of the soul and body and for externall goods Page 56 Prayer 12 He renders thanks for the sacrament of Baptisme Page 59 Prayer 13 He renders thanks for the sacrament of the Lords supper Page 62 Prayer 14 He renders thanks for our preservation from evil Page 65 Prayer 15 He renders thanks for the promise of eternall salvation Page 68 III. Petitions for our selves Prayer 1 HE prayes for mortification of
the old man Page 72 Prayer 2 For conservation and increase of faith Page 74 Prayer 2 For conservation and increase of faith Page 74 Prayer 3 For conservation and increase of hope Page 77 Prayer 4 For conservation and increase of charitie Page 80 Prayer 5 For conservation and increase of humility Page 83 Prayer 6 For the gift and increase of patience Page 86 Prayer 7 For the gift and increase of meeknesse and gentlenesse Page 89 Prayer 8 For the gift and increase of chastitie Page 91 Prayer 9 For contempt of all earthly things Page 94 Prayer 10 For deniall of himself Page 97 Prayer 11 For victorie over the world Page 100 Prayer 12 For consolation in adversity and true rest of the soul. Page 103 Prayer 13 For victory in tentations for deliverance from the snares and treacheries of the devil Page 106 14 For a blessed departure out of this life and a blessed resurrection unto life everlasting Page 109 IIII. Supplications for others Prayer 1 HE prayes for the conservation of the word and increase of the Church Page 114 Prayer 2 He prayes for pastours and hearers Page 117 Prayer 3 He prayes for Magistrates and subjects Page 121 Prayer 4 He prayes for houshold-government and private families Page 124 Prayer 5 He prayes for parents brethren sisters kinsfolk and benefactours Page 128 Prayer 6 He prayes for enemies and persecutours Page 131 Prayer 7 He prayes for those that are afflicted and in miserie Page 134 The disposition and method of this daily Practise of pietie THis Practise of piety is reduced to foure heads according to the number of the objects about which it is employed For we must every day weigh and consider with our selves 1 The grievousnesse of our sinnes and ask pardon thereof for Christs sake 2 GODS benefits for which we must offer humble and heartie thanksgiving 3 Our own necessities where we must pray for conservation and increase of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and for a spirituall victory in all tentations 4 Our neighbours necessities where we must pray for all things needfull for them for this life and that which is to come The first Part. Of Confession of sinnes The Argument The meditation of our sinnes comprehendeth in it these two heads of originall and actuall sinnes Actuall sinnes are committed in thought word and deed By the committing of evil and by the omitting of good Against GOD our neighbour and our selves The offences of our youth aâ—e many and our daily infirmities many We are often tempted of the flesh and we do often yeeld unto it We partake many times in other mens sinnes and in many things we are defective our selves We are convicted of our sinnes by all the creatures and we behold the severitie of GODS anger against our sinnes in the passion and death of CHRIST PRAYER I. He weigheth and considereth the grievousnesse of originall sinne HOly God and just Judge I know that I was conceived and born in sinne I know that I was formed of unclean seed in the wombe of my mother That poyson of sinne hath so corrupted and putrified my whole nature that no facultie of my soul is free from the contagion thereof That holy pledge of the divine image which was committed unto me in our first father is perished in me There is no power at all in me to begin to come unto the saving knowledge of thee the fear of thee confidence in thee and love of thee There remains no sufficiencie in me to perform obedience unto thy commandments My will is averse from thy law and the law of sinne in my members being repugnant to the law of my minde makes my whole nature become corrupt and perverse I wretched and miserable man do feel the power of sinne cleaving fast to my members I do feel the yoke of wicked concupiscence grievously pressing me For although I am regenerate and renewed by the spirit of grace in the laver of baptisme yet am I not as yet wholly free from the yoke and captivitie of sinne For that root of bitternesse which lieth hidden in me doth alwayes desire to put forth new branches The law of sinne reigning in my flesh doth strive to captivate me I am full of doubts distrust and desire of mine own honour Out of my heart proceed wicked cogitations Filthy thoughts defile me throughout in thy sight Out of that poysoned fountain flow forth rivers of poyson Enter not therefore into judgement with thy servant O Lord but be propitious unto me according to thy great mercie The deep of my miserie calleth upon the deep of thy mercy For this uncleannesse and filthinesse of my polluted nature I offer unto thee the most sacred conception of thy Sonne For me he was born For me therefore he was conceived For me he was made sanctification and righteousnesse For me therefore he is become purification and cleannesse Through him and for him thy Sonne have mercy on me O thou most highest and set not in the light of thy countenance that hidden corruption that cleaveth to my nature but look upon thy beloved Sonne my Mediatour and let his most holy and immaculate conception succour my miserie Amen PRAYER II. He recalls to our memorie the sinnes of our youth HOly God and just Judge Remember not the offences of my youth and call to minde no more my sinnes that are past How many venemous fruits hath the vicious root of concupiscence that is inherent in me brought forth In my childhood what an innumerable brood of actuall transgressions hath the evil of originall sinne hatched The very thoughts of my heart are wicked and perverse even from my childhood yea even from my tender infancie For when I was an infant but of one day I was in no wise innocent before thee As many as the dayes of my life are so many offences do burden me yea many more by farre in number seeing that the just man falls seven times in one day But if the just fall seven times in one day then I wretched and unjust man without doubt have fallen seventy times seven times As my life hath increased so hath the web of my sinnes increased and as much as hath been added to my life by thy bounty so much hath been added to the course of my sinnes by the wickednesse of my corrupt nature I examine my life that is past and what else do I behold but a filthy stinking cloke of sinne I attend unto the light of thy precepts and what do I finde in the course of my yeares that are past but darknesse and blindnesse The tender flower of my youth ought to have been crowned with vertues and offered to thee for a sweet savour The best part of my age past did ow it self unto thee the best Creatour of nature But the dirty filth of my sinnes hath most foully polluted the flower of my age and the stinking
grace and remission of my sinnes Thy creatures accuse me the book of my conscience accuseth me both the tables of thy divine law accuse me Satan accuseth me day and night But take thou upon thee my patronage O sweet Jesus To thee the poore man is left bereft of all solace of the creatures All my refuge is placed in thy satisfaction for my sinnes and in thy intercession at the right hand of the Father for me My soul take thou the wings of the morning and like a dove hide thy self in the clefts of the rock that is in the wounds of Christ thy Saviour Hide thy self in this rock till the anger of the Lord be passed by and thou shalt finde rest and thou shalt finde protection and thou shalt finde deliverance therein Amen PRAYER VIII He by the effects of contrition argues us to be convicted of the hainousnesse of sinne HOly God and just Judge My heart is contrite and humbled my spirit is heavy and in a great strait by reason of the burden of my sinnes wherewith I am oppressed The courage of my heart hath failed and the sharpnesse of my eyes is decayed My heart is pressed and from thence gush out tears My spirit is oppressed and I forget to take my bread My heart is wounded and from thence gusheth out bloud and a fountain of tears Who knows how oft he offendeth Who knows the sorrow of the heart that is in a great strait by reason of offences My soul is dry and broken in pieces and thirsteth after the fountain of life O Christ feed me with the dew of thy Spirit of grace My heart that is in a great strait sigheth unto thee O thou true joy give unto me peace and quietnesse of heart that being justified by faith I may have peace with God My heart condemneth me But do thou absolve me who art greater then my heart My conscience accuseth me But do thou absolve me who hast fastned to the crosse the hand-writing of my conscience I offer unto thee O my God my contrite and humbled heart for a most acceptable sacrifice I offer unto thee my sighs as the messengers of true and serious contrition I offer unto thee my tears as abundant witnesses of my unfeigned grief In my self I despair In thee is my trust In my self I faint In thee I am refreshed In my self I feel straitnesse In thee again I finde enlargement I am troubled and burdened overmuch Thou shalt refresh me and give rest unto my soul. One deep calleth upon another The deep of my misery calleth upon the deep of thy mercy Out of the deeps do I cry unto thee Cast thou my sinnes into the deep of the sea There is no soundâ—esse in my flesh by reason of thy anger neither is there any rest to my bones by reason of my sinne For mine iniquities are gone over my head and become too heavy for me Cure my soul thou heavenly Physician that I be not swallowed up of eternall death Take the burden of my sinnes from me thou that hast taken it upon thy self on the crosse that I despair not under the intolerable burden thereof Have mercy on me thou fountain of grace and mercy Amen PRAYER IX He declareth the number and greatnesse of Gods benefits unto us and the grievousnesse of our sinnes HOly God and just Judge By how much the more benefits thou hast bestowed upon me by so much the more I grieve that I have so often displeased thee so loving a Father As many gifts as thou hast heaped upon me so many bonds of love hast thou sent over unto me Thou wouldest have bound me unto thy self but I have forgotten thee and thy beneficencie and linked sinne unto sinne Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee I am not worthy to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired servants I am altogether displeased with my self Make thou me altogether to please thee Thy large bounty and wonderfull patience have often invited me to repentance But hitherto I have been backward to come Thou hast often called me O most bountifull God by the preaching of thy word by the teaching of thy creatures by the punishment of the crosse and by inward inspiration But I have stopped the eares of my heart altogether at thy call All the faculties of my soul all the members of my bodie are thy gifts I ought therefore with all the powers of my soul and parts of my bodie be ready to do thee all holy service which is due unto theâ— But I have made them the more is my grief the weapons of iniquitie and unrighteousnesse The breath which I fetch is thine the aire which I suck in is thine the sun whose light I see daily is thine All these ought to have been unto me as furtherances and instruments to sanctitie of life But I have abused them the more is my grief to the slavery of sin Thy creatures I should have used to the glory of thee the Creatour But I have wickedly abused them to thy dishonour In the light of the sunne I should have put on the armour of light But therein have I committed the works of darknesse How much soever is added unto my life comes all from thy bountie Therefore my whole life ought to be employed in thy service on whom it doth wholly depend And yet I have scarce bestowed the least part thereof in thy service As many good inspirations as I have felt within me so many hand-maids of thy grace hast thou sent as ambassadours to invite me mosâ— lovingly to return unto thee by true repentance But alas how often have I stubbornly refused to give them audience But yet receive him who now at length returns unto thee with sighing and a contrite heart Sprinkle me with the bloud of thy Sonne that so being purged fâ—om all the pollutions of the flesh and the spirit I may become whiter then snow and with all thy elect praise thee in the heavenly Jerusalem world without end Amen PRAYER X. He considereth the severitie of Gods angeâ— against our sinnes in the death and passioâ— of Christ. HOly God and just Judge I behold thy Sonne hanging upon the crosse and pouring forth plentifull rivers of bloud I behold him and behold for very terrour I faint altogether My sinnes are those iron nails with which I have bored his hands and his feet My sinnes are â—hose pricking thorns with which his most sacred head which is to be reverenced of the angelicall powers was crowned My sinnes are those stinging thongs with which his most â—ure bodie the proper temple of Diâ—inity was scourged A cruel wilde â—east hath torn in pieces the heavenly Joseph and embrewed his coat with his bloud I miserable sinnner am that wicked beast for my sinnes did make an assault and rush upon thy most beloved Sonne If thy most obedient Sonne is so vexed
God for the expectation of our conversion I Render unto thee most mercifull Father immortall thanks for that thou wouldest with so great patience and long-suffering expect my conversion and hast brought me out of the path of sinne unto the fellowship of thy kingdome How great is thy long-suffering that thou hast not cast me away from thy face and thrust me down into everlasting torments whereas I have deserved it a thousand times How many thousands hath death prevented before they could attain unto true repentance How many sinners hath the devil made obstinate that they might not obtain forgivenesse of their sinnes There was no distinction in nature between me and them onely thy goodnesse and long-suffering My offence was no lesse then theirs but thy grace did abound Thy mercie strove with my miserie I went on in my sinne and thou didst go on in thy mercy I deferred my conversion and thou didst deferre my punishment I went astray and thou didst call me I refused to come and still thou didst expect me This thy goodnesse most indulgent Father I cannot extoll with sufficient praises This thy long patience most mercifull God I cannot recompense with any merits Thou didst preserve me from many sinnes whereinto the corruption of the flesh the deceit of the world and the perswasion of the devil would have thrown me headlong as well as others Neither hast thou onely kept me from falling into sinne but also hast most graciously expected my conversion from sinne into which I had fallen I finde thee more mercifull then I am sinfull I sinned and thou madest as if thou didst not see it I contained not my self from wickednesse and yet thou didst abstain from punishment I did long time prolong my iniquity and thou didst prolong thy pitie What were then my deserts Surely evil and the worst of evils to wit my sinnes many in number most grievous for weight and detestable for varietie Therefore to thy grace and bountie alone do I attribute it that thou hast so long expected my conversion and delivered my soul out of the snares of â—â—nne To thee O Lord be praise hoâ—our and glory for ever and ever Amen PRAYER VIII He renders thanks for our conversion I Render thanks unto thee my God for that thou hast converted my heart that was hard and knew not how to repent and for that thou hast taken from me my stony heart and given me an heart of flesh I had of my self power to sinne But I had not of my self power to rise again to repentance I could go astray of my self But I could not return again into the way without thee For even as he that is born crooked from his mothers wombe cannot be made straight by naturall means but onely by divine and supernaturall power So my soul being by nature crooked and prone to sinne and the love of earthly things could by no humane power but thy grace onely be rectified and lifted up to the love of thee and heavenly things I could deform my self by my sinnes most foully But thou onely couldst reform me As the Ethiopian cannot change his skinne nor the leopard his spots Sâ— neither can I do that which is good being by nature addicted unto the love of that which is evil Thou my God didst convert me and I was converted and when I was converted then I repented and when I was instructed then I smote my thigh I was dead in sinne And thou didst quicken me As much power as a dead man hath to raise himself So much had I to convert my self Unlesse thou hadst drawn me I had never come unto thee unlesse thou hadst stirred me up I had never watched unto thee unlesse thou hadst illuminated me I had never seen thee My sinnes were more sweet unto me then hony and the hony-combe But I am to thank thee that now they are sharp and bitter unto me for thou hast given me a spirituall taste The works of vertue were more bitter unto me then gall and aloes But I am to thank thee that now they are become pleasant and sweet for thou hast by thy Spirit changed the corrupt judgement of my flesh I went astray as a sheep that is lost and declined to the way of iniquitie But thou which art the good shepherd hast found me out and brought me again unto the flock of thy saints It was late ere I knew thee for there was a great and darksome cloud of vanitie before mine eyes which would not suffer me to see the light of the truth It was late ere I saw the true light because I was blinde and loved blindnesse and walked through the darknesse of sinne into the darknesse of hell But thou hast illuminated me thou soughtest me when I sought not thee thou calledst me when I called not upon thee thou convertedst me when I was not converted unto thee and thou saidst with a most powerfull voice Let there be light in the inward parts of his heart and there was a light and I saw thy light and I knew mine own blindnesse For this thy immense and infinite benefit I will praise thy name for ever and ever Amen PRAYER IX He renders thanks for the forgivenesse of sinnes I Ow and render unto thee eternall and mercifull God great thanks for that thou hast not rejected me when I came unto thee but diddest most readily receive me and most mercifully forgive me all my sinnes I was that prodigall sonne most indulgent Father I was that prodigall sonne that by living riotously wasted his Fathers substance For I have defiled the gifts of nature I have refused the gifts of grace I have deprived my self of the gifts of glory I was naked and destitute of all good things and thou coveredst and enrichedst me with the robe of righteousnesse I was lost and condemned and thou of thy free grace hast bestowed upon me eternall salvation Thou of thine ardent mercy didst embrace me and kisse me in sending thy most beloved Sonne that is in thy bosome and thy holy Spirit which is the kisse of thy mouth as ample witnesses of thine infinite love Thou clothedst me with my first robe in restoring me my former innocencie Thou gavest me a ring for my hand by sealing me with thy Spirit of grace Thou didst put shoes upon my feet by arming me with the Gospel of peace Thou killedst the fat calf for me by delivering thy most deare Sonne to death for me Thou didst cause me to feast and make merrie by restoring the joy of heart and the true peace of conscience unto me I was dead and through thee I was restored to life I went astray and through thee I came again into the way I was consumed with povertie and through thee I entred again into my former possession Thou mightest in thy just judgement have rejected me seeing that I was polluted with so many sinnes covered with so
many offences and corrupted with so many iniquities But thy mercy did abound above my sinnes thy goodnesse was greater then mine iniquity How often have I shut the gate of my heart when thou diddest knock Therefore when I knocked thou mightest most justly have shut the doore of mercy against me How often have I stopt mine eares that I might not heare thy voice Therefore when I sighed unto thee thou mightest most justly have stopped thine eares and not hearkened unto my voice But thy grace was more abundant then all my sinne and transgression Thou didst receive me with thy hands spread forth and put away mine iniquities as it were a cloud and cast all my sinnes behinde thy back Thou remembrest my sinnes no more but receivest me into the most ample bosome of thy mercy For this thy inestimable benefit I will give thanks unto thee for ever Amen PRAYER X. He renders thanks unto God for conserving us in that which is good TO thee Lord be honour and glorie and blessing and thanksgiving for that thou hast not onely in mercy received me upon my repentance but also hast enabled me to abstain from sinne and live more reformedly What should it profit a man to be free from his sicknesse and presently to fall into a worse relapse What should it profit to be absolved from sinnes past unlesse grace be conferred to lead a godly life Thou God most faithfull hast shewed all the parts and offices of a faithfull and skilfull Physician in the cure of my souls wounds My wounds were deadly and thou didst cure them by the wounds of thy Sonne But there was cause to fear that the wounds that were healed might wax raw again And thou by the grace of thy holy Spirit as it were a fomentation hast hindred it How many be those that after remission of sinnes obtained return again to their former course of life and reiterating their sinnes more grievously offend God! Alas how many do we see that being freed from the yoke of sinne return to their former captivitie and being brought out of the spirituall Egypt look back again to the pots They have fled from the pollutions of the world by the knowledge of Christ and do wallow again in the same by repeating the former conversation of their most wicked life They were freed out of the bonds of Satan by their conversion and again are held entangled in the same by the delusion of wicked spirits Surely their latter end is worse then their beginning And it had been better for them never to have known the way of righteousnesse then having known it to turn away from the path of the holy commandments which were delivered unto them These are the dogs that return again to their vomit and sowes that after their washing wallow again in the mire Whatsoever hath happened unto them might have happened unto me but that it hath pleased thee by the grace of thy power and the efficacie of thy holy Spirit to enable me to continue in that which is good The same wicked spirit that vanquished them assaulted me The same world that seduced them enticed me The same flesh that overcame them allured me Onely thy grace protected me against their assaults and furnished me with power sufficient for victory Thy strength was powerfull in my weaknes From thee the strength of the Spirit descended with which I was enabled to bridle the assaults of the flesh Whatsoever good there is in me it descends all from thee who art the fountain of all good for in me by nature there is nothing but sinne Therefore as many good works as I finde in me which notwithstanding are impure and imperfect by reason of my flesh so many gifts they are of thy grace I must needs confesse For this thine inestimable gift conferred upon me I will give thee thanks for ever Amen PRAYER XI He renders thanks for all the gifts of the soul and bodie and for externall goods I Render unto thee eternall and mercifull God as it is most due eternall thanks for that thou hast not onely made me a bodie and a soul but moreover hast furnished me with sundry gifts of the soul and bodie and also with externall goods Thou which art wisdome it self teachest man all knowledge If therefore I know any good it is a demonstration of thine abundant grace towards me Without thy light my minde is darksome Without thy grace my will is captive If there be in me either any wit or prudence it is all to be attributed to thy clemencie Wisdome is the eye of the soul and divine grace is the eye of wisdome Whatsoever we know we know either by the light of nature or by the revelation of thy word But from thee O thou light of eternall wisdome doth the illumination of nature spring From thee also doth the revelation of the word come Therefore whatsoever we know descendeth unto us as thy gift Thou O indeficient fountain of life art my life and the length of my dayes Thou O eternall health it self art the strength of my body and the vigour of my vertue Man liveth not by bread onely but by every word that proceedeth out of thy mouth So then man is not preserved in health and strength by bread onely neither is he preserved from diseases by physick onely but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Tranquillitie of the minde preserveth the health of the bodie And true godlinesse begetteth tranquillitie of the conscience From thee O thou chief good all true godlinesse all tranquillitie of the minde without disturbance and all wished-for health of body doth come Moreover whatsoever externall good I do possesse all that I ow unto thy liberality and bounty A crust of bread is not due unto my deserts How much lesse then are all these externall goods which thou dost heap upon me They are called indeed the gifts of fortune But they are in deed and in truth the gifts of thy grace There is nothing more blessed then to do good and to be liberall to others and thou hast made me partaker of this blessednesse by bestowing liberally these outward goods upon me Thou hast sowed in me the seed of thy grace that from thence there may arise to others an harvest of liberality and beneficency Thou hast committed many things unto me as unto a steward that I might have wherewithall to do good to my fellow-servants From thee the fountain of all good there descends upon me streams of goods Whatsoever I am whatsoever I possesse whatsoever I bestow depends all I confesse upon thy bounty For this thine inestimable mercy I will give thee thanks for ever Amen PRAYER XII He renders thanks for the sacrament of Baptisme TO thee O eternall and mercifull God Father Sonne and holy Ghost I render humble thaâ—â—s for that thou hast washed me in the holy laver of baptisme from all my sinnes and for
strength and subtilty to oppresse me When by day Satan by his tentations doth set upon me the strength of thy right hand doth most bountifully comfort and strengthen me that the deceitfull tempter may not allure me into his snares When an innumerable host of evils hangs over my head thy blessed angels encamp about me like a fiery wall There is no creature so vile so weak and so little of which I do not stand in danger many wayes How great and immense a benefit is it therefore that thy providence doth preserve me safe from them My soul is prone to sinne and my bodie to falling Therefore O Lord most benigne my soul thou governest by thy blessed Spirit and my body by thy angelicall buckler For thou hast given thy angels charge over me to keep me in all my wayes and to bear me up with their hands that I dash not my foot at any time against a stone To thy mercy I attribute it that I am not consumed New dangers compasse and environ me about every day Thy mercy is therefore renewed unto me every morning Thou dost neither slumber nor sleep O thou faithfull and watchfull keeper of my soul and bodie Thy grace is the shadow on my right hand that the noon-tide rayes of open and violent persecution strike me not nor the darknesse of the night cause me to fall into the secret and hidden snares of the devil Thou dost keep my ingresse thou dost direct my progresse thou dost govern my egresse For which thy great benefit I will sing praises unto thee for ever Amen PRAYER XV. He renders thanks for the promise of everlasting salvation I Render thanks unto thee heavenly Father for that thou hast not onely given me free remission of my sinnes and the inward renewing of the Spirit but also an assured promise of everlasting salvation How great is thy goodnesse that to me poore miserable man and a sinner having had so often experience of thy mercy thou hast given boldnesse to hope even after heavenly things and to conceive an assured hope of habitation in the everlasting mansions of thy heavenly house The goods of that true and everlasting life are so great that they cannot be measured and so many that they cannot be numbred so farre extended that they cannot be termed and of such price that they cannot be valued How great therefore is thy goodnesse and bounty to me undeserving wretch in that thou dost in the prison and work-house of this life make me blessed in part with an infallible promise of those goods That I am already saved by hope the Apostle of the truth doth manifest And that hope maketh not ashamed it is proved by evident testimonie Why therefore is the ship of my heart in which Christ is carried by faith so often tossed up and down with storms and waves of doubtings Thou hast given unto me a promise of salvation O God thou God of truth How can I therefore any longer doubt of the certainty and immutability of thy promise That promise of life comes of thy meer free-will And therefore it depends not upon the merit of my works I am by faith as surely ascertained of the benefits promised of thy grace as I am assured by the sight of mine eyes of those which I already have Thou feedest me with the bodie and bloud of thy Sonne Thou sealest me by the inward testimony of thy Spirit What more certain testimony or more precious pledge can there be to confirm unto me the promise of salvation I finde in very deed that thou art with me in the troubles of this present life How can it otherwise be but that I shall be with thee in that most blessed fellowship of eternall life If thou bestowest upon me such great things in the poore cottage of this world How much greater wilt thou bestow in the palace of the heavenly paradise Whatsoever thing to be hoped for thou hast promised is as certain unto me as all those things which thou hast given me for my use in this world Thy mercy and truth is strengthened and shall be strengthened over me for ever Thy mercy did prevent me and thy mercy shall follow me It prevented me in my justification and it shall follow me in my glorification It prevented me that I might live piously it shall follow me that I may live for ever with thee Therefore I will praise and sing of thy mercy and truth for ever Amen The third part Of Petitions for our selves The Argument The meditation of our own wants doth shew that 〈◊〉 have of our selves no manner of spirituall good And therefore that it becometh â—s to renounce all confidence in our own strength and to flee to the aid 〈◊〉 succour of Gods mercy promised unto us through Christ By this consideration of our manifold wants 〈◊〉 soul is lifted up unto God and begs of him morâ—â—fication of the old man and renovation of the new â—hich is necessarie for all those that are born again â—his renovation consisteth in the conservation and inâ—â—ease of faith hope charitie humilitie patience â—entlenesse chastitie and the other vertues And â—â—erefore we ought with serious prayer to sue unto 〈◊〉 for it Moreover seeing that daily we are assaultâ—â— by the flesh the world and the devil insomuch 〈◊〉 our flesh solicits us uâ—to the love of earthly 〈◊〉 the world with hatred and Satan with his â—â—eacheries oppugnes us We have just cause to pray 〈◊〉 unto the Lord of hosts who proposeth unto us 〈◊〉 battel and a reward of victorie For contempt 〈◊〉 earthly things For deniall of our selves For â—â—nquest over the world For comfort in all adâ—â—rsitie and true tranquillitie of the minde For â—â—ctorie in tentations and preservation from the deâ—â—ls treacheries And to conclude seeing that the aid 〈◊〉 assistance of God in the houre of death and the 〈◊〉 of judgement is most necessary Therefore we must 〈◊〉 day humbly pray for a blessed departure out of 〈◊〉 life and a blessed resurrection unto life 〈◊〉 PRAYER I. He prayes for mortification of the old man MOst holy and most mercifull God Father of our Lord Jesus Christ through the same thy beloved Son by thy holy Spirit I humbly beseech thee that thou wouldest be pleased to work in me a daily mortification of the old man thaâ— according to the inward man I may in thee be strengthened Sinne dwellâ— in my flesh But give thou unto me the strength of the Spirit that I do not suffer it to reigne in me Thou dost set my secret sinnes before thee in the light of thy countenance But set thou them I beseech thee in the light of my heart that I may see them and grieve and humbly sue untâ— thee for pardon I am not as yeâ— altogether free from sinne dwelling in me But grant I beseech thee iâ— mercie that I may be free from thâ— guilt thereof and from condemnation
The law of sinne in my members is repugnant unto the law of mâ— minde which is renewed But givâ— unto me the Spirit of thy grace that I may captivate the law of sinne and not be captivated by the old flesh The flesh within me lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh The spirit indeed is ready but the flesh is weak Grant therefore unto my spirit the riches of thy strength and vertue that it may overcome the evil concupiscences of the rebellious flesh That whorish Dalilah with her allurements doth daily set upon me But strengthen thou me by thy Spirit in the inward maâ— that at length she overcome me not O how grievous and hard a thing is it for a man to fight against himself that is against his flesh How difficult and hard a matter is it for one to overcome a domestick enemie Unlesse in this combate thou dost arm me with thy heavenly strength there is great fear that I shall be constrained to yeeld unto this enemie by reason of her secret and hidden treacheries Presse burn â—aunce mortifie the old man that I may escape his fawning deceit and seducement Grant unto me that I may daily die in my self that by the allurements of the flesh I be not separated from the life that is in Christ. Kindle in my heart the fire of the Spirit that I may sacrifice unto thee the beloved sonne of all my evil lusts and mine own will Flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of God Let them therefore die in me that I be not excluded from the kingdome of heaven They that live according to the flesh shall die But they which by the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the flesh shall live They that are Christs do crucifie the flesh with the lusts thereof Therefore strike thorow and crucifie my flesh O Christ thou that wast upon the altar of the crosse pierced thorow and crucified for me Amen PRAYER II. He prayes for the conservation and increase of faith THou hast lighted in my heart thou living and eternall God the light of saving faith which I humbly beseech thee of thy goodnesse and clemencie to keep and increase I often feel weaknesse of faith I often waver and am tossed with storms of doubts and fears Therefore I humbly call upon thee with thy blessed Apostles that thou wouldest vouchsafe to increase it My heart propounds unto thee a good word Thou wilt not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax I carrie my treasure in a vessel of clay The torch of faith I bear about me in a brittle vessel What else remains there but that with serious prayers and sighs I commend it unto thy custodie and daily pray unto thee for increase of the same In the darknesse of this life and present world make me partaker of the heavenly light of faith Thy word is light and life Grant unto me of thy mercie that by true faith I may stick unto thy word and be made by thee a sonne of light and life Against all the tentations of Satan against all oblocutions of the world yea against the cogitations of mine own heart let the comfort of thy word prevail in me One word of Scripture is of more worth then heaven and earth in that it is more firm then heaven and earth Effect in me by thy holy Spirit that I may firmly beleeve thy word and yeeld my reason and my senses to the obedience of faith Thy promises are of thy meer free grace neither do they depend upon the condition of my worth and merits I may therefore with most assured faith relie upon them and with my whole heart trust in thy goodnesse By faith Christ dwells and lives in my heart Conserve therefore in me the free gift of faith that my heart may be and alwayes remain the habitacle of Christ. Faith is the seed of all good works and the foundation of holy life Conserve therefore most bountifull Lord and confirm this in me that my spirituall harvest and dwelling suffer no losse Strengthen my faith that it may overcome the world and the prince of the world Increase the light thereof that it may daily cast forth more clear beams outwardly Conserve it in the midst of the darknesse of death that it may cast a light before me to true life Rule me by thy holy Spirit that I lose not this faith by consenting unto the lusts of the flesh and taking pleasure in sinne against my conscience But confirm in me that good work which thou hast begun that by perseverance of my faith I may obtain the inheritance of eternall life Amen PRAYER III. He prayes for the conservation and increasâ— of hope ALmighty eternall and mercifull God I beseech thee by the most sacred wounds of thy Sonne to uphold in me the prop of saving hope Sometimes my heart doth wave lik a ship in the midst of the sea But grant thou unto me the safe and firm anchor of immoveable hope Still the waves of tentations and doubts Thou that art the God of hope and all consolation As certain and immoveable as the truth of thy promise is so certain may the firmnesse of holy hope be in me I rest upon thy promises And thou wilt not leave me destitute of aid My confidence is in thy bountie And thou wilt not leave me destitute of comfort I know on whom I have beleeved and I am sure that he is able to keep that which is committed unto him by me against that day I am most certainly perswaded that thou which hast begun a good work in me wilt also finish it untill the day of Jesus Christ. There are three things that lift me up when I am prostrate that uphold me when I am falling that direct me when I am wavering to wit thy love in my adoption the truth of thy promise and thy power in performance This is the threefold cord that thou lettest down unto me into this prison out of my heavenly countrey that thou mayst lift me up and draw me unto thee unto the sight of thy glory This hope is the anchor of my salvation This is the way that leadeth unto paradise The meditation of thy command makes me hope The meditation of thy goodnesse suffers me not to despair of thy mercie the meditation of mine own frailtie suffers me not to hope and trust in my self or mine own power and merit By how much the lesse my hope is fastened on these frail and fluxible sands of present goods and humane aid By so much the more solidly and certainly it is stablished upon the firm and immoveable rock of thy promise and celestiall things Unite my heart unto thee that I may altogether withdraw my self from the woâ—ld and cleave unto thee with all my heart Unto thee I flee as unto the throne of grace and altar of mercie and ark of the covenant
If it be the totall good of mankinde to love God then it must needs be the totall evil to love himself If it be the nature and propertie of the true good to communicate it self then surely mans love of himself must needs be a great evil because he challengeth his own and others good unto himself If all glory be due unto God alone then is it sacriledge to challenge honour for he that challengeth it challengeth that which is anothers Extinguish in me this love of my self and mine honour O Christ blessed for ever Amen PRAYER XI He prayeth for conquest over the world ALmightie eternall and mercifull God Father of our Lord Jesus Christ give unto me the grace of thy holy Spirit that I may get the conquest over all the tentations of the world The world sets upon me with hatred flattery and perverse examples Teach me to contemn the hatred of the world to decline her allurements and to shun the imitation of evil examples What can the world with her hatred do against me if thy grace like a buckler protect me What shall it hurt me though all men should persecute me with hatred if thou my God dost embrace me with love Again what shall it profit me though all men should love me if the fury of thine anger shall pursue me The world passeth away the hatred of the world passeth away But the grace of God alone endureth for ever Remove therefore O God out of my heart that inordinate fear that I be not afraid of the hatred and persecution of the world But ingraff in my soul a full confidence and an ardent heat of the spirit that I may learn to contemn all worldly things because they are transitorie clouds Why should I be afraid of them that kill the body but cannot kill the soul I will rather reverence and fear him that is able to cast not onely the body but the soul also into the everlasting fire of hell Our faith is the victorie that overcometh the world For by faith we have an eye unto the joyes to come that so we may with patience endure these present sorrows By faith we relie upon the divine goodnesse that so we may abide humane hatred Neither doth the world assault me on the left hand onely with her hatred but on the right hand also she laboureth to ensnare me with her fawning allurements She hath a sting in her tail but she hath a smooth face Grant unto me therefore O Christ a taste of the sweetnesse of the heavenly joy that I may lose the taste of earthly things The taste of my soul is corrupt and coveteth after earthly things and the contempt of the worlds allurements doth seem bitter unto it But thou the true prizer of things hast taught me to lothe the enticements of the world and wouldest have my soul to soar aloft after heavenly things Turn away therefore O turn away my heart from the allurements of the world that being turned unto thee it may enjoy the true and spirituall delights What have these things profited the lovers of the world after death to wit Vain glory short pleasure slender power What hath the momentanie pleasure of the flesh and store of false riches profited Where are they now that not many dayes ago were here with us There remains nothing of them but ashes and worms They did eat and drink being secure they passed their life being made drunk with carnall pleasure But now their flesh is here given to the worms for meat and their soul is there tormented in everlasting fire All their glorie is fallen like the flower and like grasse withered Suffer me not O God to follow their steps lest that I come to the same term of misery But by the victory of the world lead me unto the crown of celestiall glory Amen PRAYER XII He prayes for consolation in adversitie and for the true rest of the soul. MOst gracious Father God of 〈◊〉 hope and consolation grant unto me in all adversities thy quickning consolation and the true rest of the soul. I feel much straitnesse in my heart But thy consolation shall make glad my soul. Vain and unprofitable is all the comfort of the world in thee alone is the strength and support of my soul. The weight of divers calamities presseth me sore But thy inward speaking unto me and thy consolation maketh it light No creature can make me so sorrowfull but thou canst make me much more glad by the spirit of gladnesse No adversities can so straiten my heart but thy grace can much more enlarge it The fiery heat of sundry calamities doth torment me But the taste of thy sweetnesse doth refresh me Rivers of tears distill from mine eyes But thy most bountifull hand doth wipe them all away As thou didst shew thy loving countenance to Stephen the first Martyr even in the very heat when his enemies stoned him So vouchsafe to give unto me in all adversities the joy of thy comfort As in the most grievous agonie of death thou didst send an angel unto thy Sonne to comfort him So in this my wrestling send I beseech thee thy holy Spirit to uphold me Without thy support I fall down under the burden of the crosse Without thy help by the assault of sundry adversities I am cast down flat Extinguish in me the love of the world and of the creatures so shall not the calamities of this world nor the changeablenesse of the creatures bring any bitternesse unto me He that with all his heart doth cleave unto the world and to the creatures can never be made partaker of the true and eternall rest for all terrestriall things are subject to continuall alterations and changes But whosoever doth not cleave unto the present goods of this life with an inordinate desire he will not be grieved much for the losse of the same Poure out O God poure out of my heart the love of the world that the celestiall Elisha may poure into the widows pitcher that is into my soul devoid of earthly comfort the oyl of celestiall joy Let all earthly things be troubled and changed and turned upside down Yet notwithstanding thou art the immoveable foundation and most firm rock of my heart Can a poore and weak creature disturb the quiet of my soul which I possesse in thee my Creatour sure and immoveable Can the waves of the world that most unquiet sea cast down the rock of my heart which is fixt in thee the chief and immutable good No For thy peace passeth all un-understanding and overcometh the invasion of all adversities Which inward peace most bountifull Father I beg at thy hands with most humble sighs Amen PRAYER XIII He prayes for victory in tentations and deliverance from the devils treacheries and invasions BE present unto me thou God of Zebaoth thou God of strength and mercy that I yeeld not unto the tentations and invasions of Satan but being safe
Whosoever therefore is a true and a living member of the Christian Church let him daily Pray For the conservation of the word For pastours and people For magistrates and subjects and For the Oeconomicall and houshold estate For these are those three Hierarchies and hoâ—y magistracies 〈◊〉 by God for the safetie and preservation of this life and foâ— the propagation and increase of the heavenâ—y kingdome Let him pray also For his kinâ—folk and his benefactours to whom he must acknowledge himself to be bound in some speciall bond of duty Let him pray For his enemies and persecutours and seriously desiâ—e their conversion and salvation Let him pray likewise For all those that are afflicted and in miserie and shew hâ—â—â—elf to be moved with a feâ—low-feeling of their calamities PRAYER I. He prayes for the conservation and continuance of the word and for the propagatiâ—â— and increase of the Church ALmightie eternall and mercifull God Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that by thy holy Spirit dost gather thy Church out of mankinde and in it dost keep the heavenly doctrine committed unto it In humilitie I adore and worship thee and pray unto thee that thou wouldest be pleased to continue unto us the saving doctrine of thy word inviolable and every day propagate and inlarge the bounds of thy Church Thou hast of thine infinite mercie lighted unto us that were in the darknesse of this world the light of thy word Suffer not therefore the clouds of humane traditions to extinguish it or to obscure it Thou hast given unto us thy word for the wholesome meat of our souls Suffer it not therefore by the delusion of the devil and the corruption of men to be turned into poyson Mortifie in us the sinfull lusts of the flesh that thirsteth after earthly things that so we may taste the spirituall delicates of thy word which is that heavenly Manna No man can feel the sweetnesse thereof but he that will taste and no man can taste whose palate is corrupted with abundance of worldly delights Thy word is the word of spirit and life of light and grace Take away therefore the carnall affections and the corrupt senses of our hearts that it may shine to us within and be a light to lead us unto the light of everlasting life From the light of thy word let there arise in our hearts the light of saving faith that in thy light we may see light in the light of thy word the light of thy Sonne As in the old time that heavenly Manna descended in the wildernesse with a wholesome dew So likewise by the hearing of thy word let our hearts be filled with the fire of the Spirit that our cold and lukewarm flesh may be excited and may be tempered against the boilings of sinfull lusts Let the seed of thy word take deep root in our hearts that by the dew of thy holy Spirit watering it it may bring forth wholesome fruit and plentifull increase like standing-corn Protect O Lord the vineyard of thy Church in which thy word is as seed scattered and fruit is gathered unto everlasting life Set an hedge of angelicall guard round about it that the wilde boars and the foxes break it not down the wilde boars by violent persecutions and the foxes by fraudulent delusions Erect up in it an high tower of thy fatherly providence that by thy custodie it may be free from all devastation But if thou shalt at any time think good to presse the grapes of this vineyard in the presse of the crosse and of calamities let them be ripened first by the heat of thy grace that they may yeeld the most delicious fruits of faith and patience Whatsoever is put into the root of the vine is converted in the grapes into the most sweet liquour of wine Grant I beseech thee that whatsoever shall happen unto us in this life whether scoffings persecutions praises or whatsoever else our souls may turn it into the wine of faith hope and charitie and into the fruit of patience and humilitie Out of this militant Church translate us at length into the Church triumphant And let this tabernacle of clay be changed into that most beautifull and everlasting temple of the heavenly Jerusalem Amen PRAYER II. He supplicates for pastours and their hearers O Jesu Christ Sonne of the living God our alone Mediatour and Redeemer who being exalted at the right hand of the Father dost send pastours and teachers of thy word by whose ministerie thou dost gather together unto thee thy Church amongst us I humbly intreat thee the onely true God together with the Father and the holy Spirit to govern these thy ministers in the way of truth and to turn the hearts of their hearers unto the true obedience of the faith There is no state or condition of men that is more subject to the hatred and treacheries of Satan then the ministers of thy word Defend them therefore by the buckler of thy grace and furnish them with the strength of patience that Satan by his sleights may not supplant them Give I beseech thee unto thy ministers that knowledge that is necessarie for them and a pious vigilancie in all their actions that they may first learn of thee before they presume to teach others Govern and illuminate their hearts by thy Spirit that being in the place of God thâ—â— preach nothing else but the oracles 〈◊〉 God Let them feed the flock that is committed unto them which thou hast bought and redeemed with the precious bloud Let them feed the flock out of true and sincere love and not for covetousnesse and ambition Let them feed them with their minde with their mouth and with their works Let them feed them with the sermon of the minde with the exhortation of the word and with their own example that they may be followers of his steps to whom the cure of the Lords flock was three severall times commended Stirre them up that they may watch â—ver the souls that are committed â—nto them as being to give a strict â—ccount for them in the day of judgement Whatsoever they exhort by â—he word of their holy preaching let them studiously labour to demonstrate the same in their actions lest that being lazie themselves and loth to work they labour in vain to stirre up others Unto what good works â—oever they stirre up others let them shine by the same first themselves being set on fire by the holy Spirit Before the words of exhortation be heard let them first proclaim by their works whatsoever they shall speak with their tongues Thrust forth faithfull labourers into thy harvest that they may gather together many handfulls of saints Open likewise the hearts of the hearers that they may receive the seed with holy obedience Give unto them thy grace that with a pure heart they may keep thy holy word committed unto them and bring forth plentifull fruit with patience
Let them hearken attentively let them heare carefully let them practise fruitfully that the word which is preached unto them for want of faith condemn them not in the last day There is a notable promise of thy bounty that thy word shall not return unto thee spoken iâ— vain Be mindfull of this thy promise and blesse the labour of him that planteth and him that watereth Suffer not the infernall crows to pick out of the field of the hearers hearts the seed of thy holy word Suffer not the spinie thicket of the thorns of pleasures and riches to choke it Suffer not the hardnesse of the stony ground to hinder the fructification of it But poure down the dew of thy heavenly grace from above and water thy heavenly seed that the fruit of good works like standing-corn may spring up most plenteously Knit together in a neare bond of love and charitie the hearts of the pastours and of the hearers that they may labour together with mutuall prayers and raise up one another with mutuall comfort Amen PRAYER III. He prayes for Magistrates and subjects ALmighty eternall and mercifull God Lord of hosts that dost translate and establish kingdomes from whom is all power in heaven and in earth whom the Angels in heaven adore whom the Arch-angels praise whom the Thrones worship to whom Dominations are subject and Principalities serve whom Rulers honour and Powers reverence I joyn my prayers and humble requests with those holy and powerfull spirits and call upon thee to replenish our magistracy here on earth with the spirit of wisdome and to protect it with the strength of thy fortitude Be present by thy grace with all Christian Kings and Governours that the greater their dangers be in respect of the highnesse of their state the greater they may finde the abundance of thy grace towards them Kindle in their hearts the light of thy heavenly wisdome that they may know and acknowledge themselves to be subject unto thee the Lord of all and to be thy vassals and that they are bound to give unto thee hereafter an account of their government Let them study for peace seeing that they are thy servants who art the God of peace Let them study for justice seeing that they are thy servants who art the God of justice Let them study for clemencie and mercie seeing that they are thy servants who art the God of mercie Let them keep and observe both the tables of the commandments and become nursing-fathers unto thy afflicted Church upon earth Let them put on a fatherly affection toward their subjects Let them alwayes administer right judgement Draw their hearts away from the splendour and brightnes of their earthly dominion that there creep not upon them a forgetfulnesse of true godlinesse and of the heavenly kingdome Govern them by thy holy Spirit that they be not high-minded and that they abuse not the authoritie that is granted unto them and do that which is wicked Grant that in this world they may so execute their functions that they may reigne with thy elect without end in the kingdome of heaven and that they may passe from the flitting glory of this present world to everlasting glory in the world to come Rule them and keep them in that they tyrannize not over thy people and so descend for all their costly robes precious gemms naked and miserable to be tormented in the pit of hell And unto us whom thou hast made subject to them as thy Vicars and Vicegerents give an obedient heart and readie minde to serve them with all readinesse and cheerfulnesse that under their government we may lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godlinesse and honestie that we may honour them and perform loyall obedience unto them knowing that they have just power and dominion over us and that we may obey their honest and godly commands and so by submitting our selves unto the laws be made partakers of the true libertie For this is true libertie To serve God the magistracie and the laws Let us honour them with our hearts with our mouthes and with our works because thou O most gracious God hast made them thy Vicegerents here on earth Let the eyes of the Magistrates be watchfull and seeing let the eares of the subjects be open and hearing And let the gates of heaven be hereafter set wide open to them both to receive them Amen PRAYER IIII. He prayes for the private family and houshold estate ALmighty and mercifull God Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who besides the Ecclesiasticall ministery and the Politick government hast appointed also in thy most wise counsel an oeconomicall and houshold estate I adore thee I worship thee I call upon thee with my whole heart to keep holy that Nurserie of the Church and Common-weal Give unto virgins widows and married persons true sanctitie of minde and pure chastity of body Let virgins cleave unto thee without any distraction Let widows persevere in prayers and supplications night and day Let those that are married love one another with mutuall love Let them all serve thee with their whole heart in holinesse Let the marriage-bed be undefiled and let the mindes of them all be unspotted Let them be violets of humilitie and lilies of chastity Let them be roses of charitie and balsam of sanctitie Tie the hearts of them that are knit together in holy wedlock with the bond of chaste love that they may mutually embrace and obey one another and persevere in thy holy service Preserve thou them from the treacheries of Asmodeus that they burn not with mutuall hatred one towards the other Let the wife be an help unto her husband and comfort him in adversitie Let the indissoluble bond of matrimony be a token and seal unto us of the love that is between Christ and the Church By how much the nearer the societie is between the man and the wife by so much the more fervent let their zeal be in prayer By how much the more obnoxious and subject they are to dangers and calamities by so much the more conjoyned let their mindes be in pietie and prayer Be present by thy grace with religious parents that they may bring up their children in holy admonitions and instructions and good discipline Let them acknowledge those fruits of wedlock to be thy gift and restore them again unto thee by godly and faithfull instruction Let them shine before them by the example of their godly life and not become guilty of that grievous sinne of scandal Bend likewise the hearts of the children that they may perform due obedience unto their parents that they may become sweet-smelling plants of the heavenly paradise and not unprofitable wood adjudged to the flames of hell-fire Let them cast forth a most pleasant smell of pietie obedience reverence and all kinde of vertue that they fall not into that most filthy sink of sinne and so
consequently into the pit of hell Let them remember the commandment of honouring their parents let them be carefull to recompense their parents after the manner of storks let them remember to feed them as they have been fed by them that they precipitate not themselves into the gulf of sundry evils Let parents and children with joynt desires study in this life to worship thee the true God that they may bear parts in consort and together praise thee in the life to come Let servants obey their masters with alacritie and with fear and with singlenesse of heart not with eye-service or to please men but as it becometh the servants of Christ. In like manner let masters embrace their servants with fatherly kindnes that they turn not their just government into tyrannical cruelty Let their societie in their private house be an oeconomicall private Church beloved of God and of the angels Amen PRAYER V. He prayes for parents brethren sisters kinsfolk and benefactours MOst holy and mercifull God from whom large heaps of sundry benefits descend down upon us who hast given unto me kinsfolk and benefactours to be helps unto me in this present life I beseech thee to bestow upon them in the life to come everlasting rewards Those whom thou hast joyned unto me in a speciall bond of nature and bloud I do specially commend unto thy protection Those unto whom I do ow speciall love and respect with serious and fervent prayers I commend unto thy keeping Grant that my kinsfolk may with joynt consent and unanimitie serve thee in the true faith and with true pietie that they may receive all of them hereafter a crown of eternal glory Unto my parents whom thou hast made next after thee the authours of my life and my informers in true pietie I cannot by any means render deserved rewards I humbly beseech thee therefore who art the authour of all good and the rewarder of all benefits to recompense their benefits here with temporall rewards and hereafter with eternall Let the example of Christ thy Sonne who about the agonie of his death commended unto his disciple the care of his mother let his example teach me even to the last breath to take care for my parents Let nature it self by the example of the stork teach me that I ow perpetuall thanks and rewards unto them for their merits Unto thee mercifull Father I commend the care and tuition of my brethren sisters and kinsfolk Let them become the brethren and sisters of Christ and so heirs of the kingdome of heaven Let us all be joined together in the kingdome of grace whom thou hast joined together in the life of nature And let us all together with those whom by death thou hast separated from us and taken unto thy self let us all at length be joined together in the kingdome of glory Make us all citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem as thou hast made us in this life members of the true Church The same likewise I intreat of thee for all my benefactours whose health and welfare both of soul and body I am bound to desire and further even by the law of nature Receive them into the everlasting tabernacles of the citie which is above whom thou hast used as thy instruments to conferre upon me so many and so liberall benefits My heart propoundeth unto thee the infallible promise of thy word that thou wilt of thy meer free grace recompense even a cup of cold water How much more then wilt thou be liberall and bountifull to those that with full hand bestow benefits of all kindes upon those that want Let not thy graces cease to run down upon them that poure forth so plentifully upon others Let the fountain of thy goodnsse alwayes spring unto them from whom such plentifull rivers of liberality do flow Grant I beseech thee most mercifull God that they which sow temporall things so liberally may reâ—p with much increase things spirituall Fill their souls with joy that feed the bodies of the poore with meat Let not the fruit of their bounty perish though they show it by bestowing of the goods that perish Give unto them that give unto others thou that art the giver of every good gift blessed for ever Amen PRAYER VI. He prayes for enemies and persecutours LOrd Jesu Christ the onely begotten Sonne of God that hast prescribed us in thy word this rule of charitie Love your enemies blesse them that curse you do good to them that hate you pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you I beseech thee who art most gracious and most readie to forgive to forgive mine enemies and the persecutours of the Church Give unto me the grace of thy holy Spirit that I may not onely forgive mine enemies from mine heart but also pray for their health and salvation even from my soul. Whet not against them the sword of severe revenge but anoint their heads with the oyl of thy mercie and compassion Extinguish the sparks of hatred and anger that are in their hearts that they break not forth into the infernall flames of hell Let them know and acknowledge that our life is but a vapour and a smoke that soon vanisheth away that our bodie is but ashes and dust that flyeth away that they bear not immortall anger in their mortall bodies nor entertain into this brittle tabernacle of clay their souls enemie Let them know likewise that inveterate hatred is their greatest enemie because it kills the soul and excludes them from the participation of heavenly life Illuminate their mindes that they beholding the glasse of thy divine mercie may see the deformitie of anger and hatred Govern their wills that being moved by the example of thy divine forgivenesse they may leave off and cease to be angry and to do harm Grant unto me mercifull God that as much as in me lies I may have peace with all men and turn the hearts of mine enemies to brotherly reconcilement Let us walk with unanimitie and concord in the way of this life seeing that we hope all for a place in our celestiall countrey Let us not disagree upon earth seeing â—hat we all desire to live together hereafter in heaven We all call upon thee our Lord our God which art in heaven And it is not meet for the servants of the same Lord to fall out one with another We are one mysticall bodie under Christ our head And it is base and shamefull for the members of the same bodie to fight one with another They which have one faith and one baptisme ought to have one spirit and one minde Neither do I pray alone for my private enemies but also for the publick enemies and persecutours of the Church O thou which art truth it self bring them into the way of truth O thou which art power it self bring to nought their bloudie endeavours and attempts Let the brightnesse of the heavenly truth open their blinde eyes
light of saving faith when their â—ares shall be stopt let thy Spirit speak unto them inwardly and comfort them and when the house of their earthly tabernacle shall be dissolved then Lord receive their souls As we have made bold to make our prayers and supplications unto thee for our selves and others So also we render unto thee all possible praise and thanksgiving for all thy benefits bestowed upon our selves and others We thank thee in speciall for our election creation redemption vocation justification for all the blessed means of our sanctification and for the assured hope of our future glorification We thank thee for our health maintenance and libertie for preserving us ever since we were born for blessing us in all that we have put our hands unto this day Let thy mercy still be continued unto us we beseech thee Let the eye of thy providence which never slumbreth nor sleepeth watch over us and let the hand of thy power protect and defend us Cover us this night under the shadow of thy wings that no evil happen unto us Grant that our bodies may be refreshed this night with such moderate rest that we may be the fitter for the works of our vocation and thy service the nâ—xt morning Heare us we beseech thee for Jesus Christ his sake our Lord and onely Saviour in whose name and words we call upon thee further praying Our Father which art c. FINIS Levit. 1â— 45 Psal. 7.11 2. Coâ— â— 10 Job 9.28 Isa. 64.6 Luk. 17.10 Anselm Gregory in his moralls Isa. 55.8 Psal. 19.12 Austine Hugo Heb. 1 14 Psal. 139.7 Austine upon the 32 Psalme Cant. 2.14 Heb. 12.24 Bernard John 19 1. John 2.2 Matt. 26.38 Matt. 27.46 Luke 22.43 Luke 23.31 Bernard iâ— his sermoâ— of the paâ—â—sion Austine Isa. 59.2 Isa. 43.25 Psal. 51.9 Isa. 59.2 Vers. 12. Psal. 51.2 Psal. 41.4 Exod. 32.32 Psal. 51.11 Basil upon the 33 Psal. Psal. 52.12 Isa. 24.5 Psal. 130.1 Ephes. 2.1 Luke 24.26 Acts 14.22 Aust. of repentance Gen. 31.41 Bernard 1 Sam. 2.6 1 King 19 11. Vers. 12. Bernard Anselm Isa. 9.6 Luke 2.21 John 14.6 John 14.6 Luke 15.2 Rom. 16.20 Isa. 53.4 1. Cor. 1.30 2. Cor. 1.22 Rev. 19.7 Gal. 3.25 Isa. 64.6 Act. 17.31 Rev. 22.20 Bernard Anselm Matt. 7.7 Matt. 7.7 Phil. 2.13 Psal. 139.8 9. 10. Anselm Mat. 3.10 Mat. 25.41 Pet. 4.18 Bernard Psal. 31.1 Bernard upon the Passion Bernard Gen. 22.12 John 3.16 Rom. 5.10 Psal. 56.8 Luther Matt. 27.46 Deut. 27.26 Col. 2.14 Psal. 139.15 Luke 10.30 1. Tim. 3.10 Bernard Clem. Alex. Rom. 8.32 1. Pet 1.18 Joh. 14.2 Matt. 8.20 Rom. 8.34 Phil. 2.8 Bernard Austine Mat. 9.12 Mat. 1 21. 1. Cor. 1.30 Anselm Gen. 8.9 1. John 4.16 Rom. 5.10 8. Wisd. 11.24 1. Cor. 13.12 Savanar 1. Cor. 15 50. Kempis Rev. 7.3 Eph. 3.17 Rom. 5.5 Isa. 53.4 Mat. 8.17 Isa. 53.5 6. Psal. 16. â—0 Psal. 32.1 Isa. 53.8 Joh. 17.3 Rom. 10. â— 2. Cor. 5.21 Joh. 15.14 Ezek. 18.22 Psal. 42.5 Psal. 25.10 Psal. 119.137 Psal. 42.5 Psal. 117.2 Ezek. 33.11 Matt. 11.28 Austinâ— Rom. 5.20 Mat. 11.28 Mat. 20 2â— Joh. 19.34 1. Joh. 1 9â— Iren. Act. 20.28 Rom. 5.8 â—0 Psal. 130.1 Joh. 6.37 68. Eph. 2.4 Luk. 1.78 Joh. 17.24 Joh. 14.2 Psal. 84 4â— Joh. 15.4 Eph 2.8 Heb. 11.4 Heb. 13.15 Heb. 11.5 Philip. 3.20 Heb. 11.7 8. 9. Rev. 21.2 Psal. 39.12 Heb. 11.11 17. Mat. 16.24 Heb 11.20 Gen. 2â— 18 Heb. 11.22 23. 25. 27. 28. Joh. 6.55 Heb. 11.29 Josh. 6. â—0 Heb. 11 3â— 33. Gen. 1.14 Psal. 36.9 Joh. 15.4 2. Cor. 6.14 2. Cor. 6.15 1. Joh. 5.4 Hos. 2.19 John 2.1 â—sa 61.10 Austine Rom. 9 5. John 1.14 Mat. 17.2 Psal. 45.2 Psal. 8.5 Anselâ— Ezek. 16.22 Isa. 61.10 Rev. 19.8 Gen. 29.27 Judg. 14.1 Ezek. 16.22 1. Joh. 1.7 Ezek. 16.9 11. Tertull. Ezek. 16.19 Austine Anselm Hos. 2.19 Joh. 15.5 Mat. 19 6. 1. Cor. 6.17 Eph. 3.17 Gal. 5.6 Lev. 21.13 Rev. 19.7 Gal. 4.5 1. Pet. 1.20 Luk. 2.1 Joh 18. â—6 Tertull. Luke 2 7. Mat. 2.1 2. Cor. 8.9 Luke 2.9 13. 8. 13. 10. 14. 14. 15. 19. 13. Isa. 9.6 2. Sam. 6.15 Joh. 8.56 Gen. 18. â— Anselm Luk. 2.10 Hugo Exod. 3.10 Gen. 8.11 Rom. 5.10 Eph. 5.29 Anselm 2. Cor. 5.19 Act. 20.28 Rom. 5.20 Gen. 2.23 Eph. 5.30 Mat. 22.4 Exod. 16.15 Psal. 78.24 25. Joh. 6.51 Luk. 15.16 Luk. 14.20 2. Cor. 11.2 Luk. 14.18 Mat. 19.22 2. Kings 4.4 Mat. 6 2â— Savanaâ— Luk. 14.19 Psal. â—2 20 Gen. 3.6 1. Joh. 2.17 Luk 14.24 Mat. 11.28 Mat. 25.41 Gen. 19.14 Mat. 25.8 10. Granat Rev. 3.20 1. Thess. 5.19 1. Cor. 3 17. Tit. 3.5 John 3.5 Rom. 8.14 Mat. 3.17 Mat. 10.16 Ravan Gen. 1.2 Gen. 17.11 Gal. 3.27 Rev. 7.14 John 5.4 Mat. 3.16 Luther Exod. 14.27 Rev. 4.6 Ezek. 47.1 Mic. 7.19 Rom. 6.4 Joh. 5.14 Eph. 4.23 2. Cor. 5.17 John 6.54 1. Pet. 1.12 Heb. 2.16 1. John 4.13 Matt. 26.26 28. Joh. 6.54 Matt. 10.30 Luke 10.20 Isa. 49.16 Isa. 46.3 Joh. 6.51 Psal. 34.8 Joh. 1.16 Joh. 6.50 Joh. 6.58 Joh. 6.54 Rom. 8.1 John 6.56 55. Isa. 55.2 Psal. 36.8 John 4.14 Isa. 55.1 Isa. 55.2 John 6.63 1. Cor. 10.15 1. Cor. 6.17 John 6.5 Ephes. 5.30 Joh. 6.56 Gen. 2.9 9. Ezek. 47.12 Exod. 16.15 Joh. 6.51 35. Exod. 28.43 Exod. 33.11 Col. 2.3 Rom. 3.25 Ephes. 1.6 Isa. 66.1 Gen. 28.12 Isa. 11.2 Col. 2.9 Ambrose Eph. 5.29 Eph. 5.30 Ignatius Bernard Exod. 13.21 Mal. 4.2 John 14.23 Gen. 2.8 Psal. 96.11 Gen. 18.2 2. Chr. 26.16.19 1. Cor. 11.27.29 1. Cor. 11.28 Gen. 18.27 Bernard Deut. 4.24 Psal. 90.8 Rom. 8.32 Ephes. 5.29 Nazian 1. Cor. 13.12 John 3.16 Rom. 8.32 Rev. 19.7 Matth. 22.12 Isa. 64.6 2. Cor. 5.3 John 20.29 Mat. 6.21 Col. 3.2 Rev. 10.7 Acts 1.12 Exod. 19.3 Joh. 4.20 Gen. 13.11 12. Joh. 4.24 Gen. 3.24 Acts 1.11 Granat Eph. 5.23.30 Max. of the resurrection Eusebius Bernard Rev. 21.27 Acts 1.10 Eusebius Acts 2.4 Exod. 19.11 Rom. 4.15 Acts 2.1 Zech. 12.10 1. King 8.11 Psal. 50.15 Rom. 8.34 Gal. 4.6 Austine Acts 2.1 Luk. 1.35 Eph. 5.29 1. Cor. 6.17 Mat. 5.45 Wisd. 11 2â— Ambrose John 3.8 Psal. 19.24 Gen. 11 7· 2. Pet. 1.21 Can. 6.9 Rom. 8.9 Gen. 7.21 Austiâ—e Exod. 10.21 Chem. Mat. 8.23 Chrysost. upon Mat. Mat. 21 33 Isa. 5.2 Rev. 12.1 Can. 4.12 Can. 1.5 Psal. 45.13 Matt. 8.24 Rev. 12. â—3 Cant. 2.2 Ambrose John 19.25 Matt. 25.13 Matt. 20.1 John 15.2 Gal. 3.27 Mal. 4.2 Rev. 12.1 Rom. 4.25 Austine Eph. 1.4 Deut. 4.24 1. Tim. â— 16 Psal. 36.9 Luther Psal. 33.5 Ezek. 33.11 ierome 2. Cor. 1.3 Bernard Cant. 2.1 Matt. 11.28 Bernard upon the Cant. Bernard upon the 116 Psal. Psal. 23.6 Austine Savanar Bernard upon the 31 Psal. Isa. 66.2 Isa. 59.1 Eph. 1.4 2. Tim. 2.19 John 10.28 27. Heb. 3.6 Phil. 2.13 Austine Ephes. 6.16 Exod. 17.11 Ambrose Hierome upon Ezek. Nazian Bernard Num. 7.89 Kempis Luke 9.29 Bernard upon the Cant. Chrysost. Matt. 7.7 â—erthâ—r 1. Cor. 10.4 Exod. 17.6 Gen. 8.21 Cyprian Psal. 34.8 Anselm Bernard Mat. 6.6