¶ To the right worshipful, Mistress Isabel Harington, one of the Gentlewomen of the Queen's Majesties most honourable privy Chamber, Thomas Paulfreyman her daily Orator wisheth (with continuance) the increase of God's eternal grace and favour.  
AS EXPERIENCE plainly teacheth, time truly telleth, and nature for the most part approveth the diversity of our human affects in diet: how not only to the worshipful or most honourable, but also to the very poorest and of most base estate, the delicatest, most dainty, sweet and pleasant dishes, are not always aptly agreeable, or to content fully their minds, but sometimes for a shift and to their better liking, desireth more ordinary, gross and familiar fare: whereby in nature they are the better contented, their appetites oft times more quickened, their minds recreated, yea, and the healths of their bodies the better also preserved: even so (right worshipful) touching the intern part, divine substance or inward affections of the soul: the heavenly nature also and most christian diet thereof, experience and time beareth likewise their sway, effectually to judge and declare the same in truth, among the sound members of Christ'S only immaculate, most precious and unspotted body, to their sufficient contentation, quickening, recreating, and most healthful preserving. And albeit you are herein for your part, as the elect of God surely grounded in him of good purpose foreappointed, and by grace most happily called, to be in this life (with prepared soul and quiet conscience) partaker of sundry his heavenly delicates, accustomably nourished, most daintily said, and abundantly satisfied, to your very well liking, in the excellency of such your joyous and inward refection: and without over secret hiding, a known distributor of your good portion to others, for their both bodily and ghostly comfort at all times in necessity, as the shower favourably forth the flowing fruits of faithfulness and true piety: yet presuming upon your virtue and christian clemency, I have now boldly attempted and most humbly commended unto you (for variety's sake) this most unworthy, very slender, and over base present, to be at the lest by your godly sufferance (as superfluous store among the rest) but a backestander in your sight, to be looked upon aloof, a long and far off, as it were but by the way, even with a glancing eye, and at leisure to be tried for your only pleasure, what is the effectual and true taast thereof. But not to alienate or altar by any means, your already well stayed and most happy affections, so mightily confirmed in you (and that in the best part) by the ineffable power of Gods most sacred spirit, your only and omnisufficient pillar: but rather in deed to incitate you (if possibly it might be) to the better estimation of your own former provision, and most faultless forenamed furniture. And truly great reason why it should be so, that things well known, and of most excellency, should have condignly their best preferment: for so God himself with the most godly, would wish by justice it should so be, how soever most commonly they are known to the contrary. And notwithstanding the days are now diversly dangerous, very dainty, and exceed in much fineness, whether in speaking, curious devising, exact searching or penning of matter, touching either divinity or otherwise of Profane descriptions: so very singular, exquisite, picked, and tender are men's ears, naturally adjoined to their flourishing, quick, and ready wits, profound knowledge and judgement: and therefore the more hasardefull, and a mean truly to purchase unto themselves that deal in such cases, rather reproachful and many scornful scoffs, than commendation or show of good countenance, unless they rarely exceed or surmount the well doings of infinite others: and that also (touching this my present attempt (whereas the godly in these days, hath most graciously endeavoured to set forth already, and that most plentifully, divers and sundry works, very divinely, of great excellency, and of necessity, to quicken and stir up daily to God, the over drowsy, slack, & sick sinful souls, to rejoice also their minds, and to fructify before him, their unprofitable and barren hearts: yet as a poor helper, a most inferior labourer, or well willing drudge in the vinyeard of Christ, humbling myself most gladly, under the correction of the charitable and friendly, of the godly wise in their known virtue and humbleness, approved skilfulness, watchfulness, and needy diligence, in that their holy function appointed: beholding with them the necessity of the time, how the wild weeds of wilfulness to wickedness, sin and abomination, do daily abound and reign rankly without sufficient stop, in their very infectious and filthy fullness, to choke, to repress and keep low by the ground, the fragraunte and sweet smelling fruits of virtue: whereby, as with infinite snares, the Devil entangleth, still daily increaseth, infecteth, poisoneth, and hazardeth all the lewdly idle, careless and vain children of this so sore crazed and old stooping world of death (already judged, condemned, and at the brink of death:) in whom, by whom, and during whose time, Satan tempteth, allureth, deceiveth, plucketh towards him, and tosseth them as it seemeth with his cruel claws, up side down at his pleasure, and dallieth with them at his will, as with his own possessed, as with those that forsake God, as in a time of the contempt of god, of hating the clear light of god, of loving the darkness of the devil to their condemnation more than the light, of self love, of pride and vanity, of defiled life, and such like: a time approved of all times, most strange, most monstrous, and therefore the more dangerous: whereby sathan with his whole rabblement of hell-like ministers, the world also itself, and the proud rebellious flesh, mainly bestirreth them with their full power together, to make havoc, & to bring altogether under their servile, most confused & bitter yoke: I have in my most simple understanding, and as God therein by his grace hath directed me, endeavoured to bestow some part of my time, in setting forth sundry godly meditations and prayers, upon special causes respected, as instruments, to shrub, to root out, cut down, spoil and destroy, at the lest some poisoned evils, from the most beautiful and lovely vineyard of Christ. And as I have by them thought most convenient, that our almighty and most terrible God (who seemeth to be greatly amongst us forgotten) in every of them should chiefly be had in remembrance, to be duly reverenced and feared, to be called upon and most highly magnified: so have I for the most part, made mention of our frailty, present and most wretched state, and of the mighty power also of our foresaid enemies, how politic they are, how puissant, how watchful, how cruel, how accustomably in all estates they do prevail, and that God therefore by humble suit would soon grant us his mercy, extend forth his arm to strengthen us, and most grationsly in time deliver us: lest in the weightiness of our sins yet daily amongst us increased, we be over sore pressed, our consciences most foully defiled, burdened, deeply galled and wounded, the judgements of the highest not weighed, our inward senses benumbed, our hearts hardened, all divine graces contemned, and so with the plagues of God, the more swiftly by his justice confounded: heaping in the while vengeance upon ourselves, against the day of his wrath and public declaration, of his proclaimed and just judgement, and to be dampened with the world, with the Devil, and his Angels for ever: unto whom, by whose custom, and importune knocking at the doors of our graceless, very vain, and most fruitless hearts (the knocking of the Lord Christ wilfully neglected) we have subjecteth ourselves, and opened wide unto him, to let in both himself, his conjoined companions, and with them all abomination and unrightuouseneste, to quicken with more haste the flames of God's fury, to make ponderous and over heavy, the switfe descending balance, of his very terrible & irrcuokeable justice. To the end therefore, this small and most simple volume, may (under your godly protection) gather the rather some estimation and credit, & pass forth for good to the use of the godly, I most humbly beseech your worship, so to accept it in the simplicity thereof, and grant thereunto your Christian furtherance, that some good for God's glory, may grow thereby to some, that some lives at the lest may be somewhat amended, the furies of God the sooner prevented, and the bright light of the son of god shine with more power amongst us, to overthrow us in his fear, to beat flat to the earth, our carthie and proud flesh, and to waste soon or consume, for good and most happy change, our most damnable works of darkness. I shall (as of bounden duty, for this and for other the like causes deserved) most humbly pray for you, that God in mercy may ever bless, both you, your most worthy beloved in Christ, your offspring, and whole family.  
Your humble and daily orators, THOMAS Paulfreyman.   

An exhortation to the christian Reader.  
BEing mindful (devout christian) of god thine heavenvly father: and as best beseemeth thee, an earthly creature, always to remember thy maker, & that by a quickening spirit in the inward and new man, commended unto thee from above, through the free grace of election in jesus Christ: by whom thou art new borne: to whom thou art coupled a quick and a lively member: with whom thou art partaker of the Heavenly and divine nature: (even the nature of God thine eternal father:) In whom thine heart is prepared towards him: by whom thou seekest most truly to know him: most earnestly to love him: 
Whereunto the eternal spirit stirreth the hearts of gods elect.  diligently to seek him: faithfully to serve him: most lowly to honour him: reverently to fear and obey him: and so forth as his only word of truth most straightly prescribeth and precisely requireth of thee, of all people, and in all estates, throughout all generations. In his high magnificence, almightiness, etermtie, great power and majesty: to love him in his benignity, in his mildness, tenderness, faithfulness, truth and great mercy: to fear him in his lordly dignity, princely government, stateliness, rough countenance, wrathefulnesse, severe justice and judgement: and to offer daily unto him, the acceptable sacrifice of faithful and hearty prayers, in the name of his son jesus Christ, as he himself most healthfully taught thee: and for whose only sake, promise is made to hear thee, that his mighty hand may ener preserve thee, uphold thee, keep thee safe, nourish thee, direct, strengthen, defend and deliver thee, in all places, at all times, and in all cases of necessity, both of bodge and soul: and to give thee also through Christ, his holy spirit, as a seal of assurance, to certify thee that thou art the child of God, inwardly to inflame and comfort thee, to work true faith into thee, to dispose with cheerfulness the fruits of true charity, to quiet thee in all tempests of adversity: yea and to lead thee still on by the hand (for the time, and from time to time) unto the place of rest, the cheerful and safe port, the restful haven or most sure road of eternalioy and felicity. If thou desire to enjoy all these and such like blessings as are most needful for thee (both for body and soul) from the hand of God, and according to the measure of the gift of Christ: O hearken then unto the voice of the Lord thy God: Incline bubly thine ear: 
A preparation to Prayer.  prepare thine heart: sick him early in holiness: turn thee unto him without delay: receive him with most pure affection: and lift up soon thy sickly soul, to behold the glory of his countenance. O bond thy body of earth, down to the face of the earth. groan in thyself to God with grief, and lay open simply before him, the felt secrets of thy sinful heart. Call daily upon him, and so advisedly try him, as thou hast assured trust in him. And before thou dutifully attemptest thy godly contemplations, prayers, praises, and thanks giving to God: prepare thee earnestly a sit soul, for the presence of so high and great a God. 
Certain special cautes following, that are to be considied by gods children: whereof they examine the selves before prayer and receyning of the holy sacramintes, to avoid his heavy judgements.  Forget not before whom thou presentest thyself, and unto whom thou dost mind to talk. Be not vainly or wickedly presumptuous, in thine high and great attempt before him. Abase thyself: tremble in his presence. Remember, god beholdeth all disorders in thee, with a piercing, sharp, and revenging eye.  
1 Examine therefore thyself before with judgement. Descend deeply into thine own bowels, and see there, whether thou be (as of right thou oughtest) truly penitent for thy former sins and wickedness.  
2 Whether thou determinest (thence forth) from thine heart, not to turn again unto them, as doth a clean washed swine, which newly defiles herself, in the loathsome and foul stinking mire.  
3 Whether thou be in his sight a louble faced or deep dissembling hipotrite, touching thy dealings with him and the world, as thy book in thee of records most plainly witnesseth unto thee.  
4 Whether thou be (as by name thou professest) a zealous favourer of the word of life.  
5 Whether thou (with the Prophet David) unseinedly hatest all superstitious vanities, contrary to the word of life.  
6 Whether thou (with the said prophet) feelest in thyself to be grieved with the enemies of God, and with all such as rise up against him, or to suppress the word of life.  
7 Whether thou weyest with thyself, that like as thy body, being but of an earthy and corporal substance, cannot possibly live without the usual nourishment of material bread and meat: so the soul, in the spiritual state thereof, cannot live but be starved and die (even the eternal and everlasting death) without the spiritual nutriment and heavenly sweet taste of the word of God, which to the soul is the only bread of lice, and whereafter thou shouldest hunger, too uphold thy life.  
8 Whether thou steadfastly believe to be saved, by the only merits, death and bloodshed of Christ crucified upon the cross, without thine own and other men's merits, either their most damnable and idolatrous devised vanities.  
9 Whether thou thinkest it not the devils bewitching, by his malign mimsters, to be deprived of so pious and precious a prepared ransom.  
10 Whether thou at the receiving of the holy mysteries of Christ's body and blood, understandest them to be his own only ordinance, for the use of his holy church, and to be witnesses therein of the open and public confession of the true saith which thou haste in him, and to be saved only by his bodily death and the bloody sacrifice upon the Cross, once for all offered unto God his heavenly father, for thine, for mine, & for all the sins of the whole world, even so many, as have this acceptable saith of God in them.  
11 Whether thou have regarded by the word of God (touching the Sacrament of Christ's body and blood) the difference therein, betwixt the devils faith and thine, either the saith of an Hipocritishe and damnable reprobate.  
12 Whether thou hast by true saith repugned the Devil, 
The difference to be considered between the true christians faith, the faith of the devil, and the reprobate  who boldly challengeth thee (as he thinketh he may be bold) and maketh equal compart son with thee of thy saith, touching simply the confession of Christ, as of his Conception by the holy Ghost: of his Nativity and birth of the virgin Marie: to be also the Son of God lived perfect and undefiled man upon the earth, his doings to be only omnipotent, most miraculous & wonderful: suffered most sharp and cruel death: was buried: rose again, ascended into the heavens, very God and very man: yea, and of his return also again unto judgement. All these things, the Devils believe and confess with thee: but yet utterly unperswaded, to be his only sufficient saviour and redeemer, by his precious blood shed and death: even as those saithlesse wickedness, which in their unsoundness, stubborness, & unstaidness, touching the covenant of God in his son Christ, for their salvation, account the price of his precious blood to be insafficient for them, without the very absurd and most fond annexing of their own and other men's merits: and so to make Christ unto themselves, to be at the most, but a mingled, peeced, botched, and patched saviour.  
13 Whether thou hast on this manner following considered of Satan's challenge and comparison with thee, and said thus unto him in the secrecies of thy faithful soul, 
The true christian at earnest defiance with the devil: and showeth unto him for his discouragement the power of his faith.  for thy defence: O thou very mortal, most cruel and damned enemy, I unfeignedly from mine heart defy thee: I withstand thee to the face: thou hast nought to do with me, or to make such comparisons with me in my christian and most holy profession. I know full well thy malice and stoutness, which hath been in thee from the beginning, both against the anointed of God and all his. Experience teacheth me, of thy not slumbering, of thy wandering about, and seeking watchefully to devour and to spoil me of my faith, whereby I must be saved. I tell thee thou most wicked one, thy travel is all in vain. I am none of thine, nor nothing inclined to thine affection or motions. I am Gods I tell thee, and the persuaded child of God by his spirit of truth, who by grace possessing me, and by his power mightily working in me, hath most graciously planted in my heart, the fruitful tree of pictie, of true and perfect faith, fast rooted in me, deeply stayed, and surely settled, even with the finger of god my father, touching the dignity, price and true estimation of his son, and mine only saviours most precious body, for mine only health and eternal salvation. And though I have fallen or fainted, as traitorously thou hast tripped me, yet of frailty have I fallen, & not wilfully of malice, as thou haste most maliciously tempted me: which God hath seen in me, in mercy therefore hath raised me up again, and will still uphold me in spite of thee. Art thou ignorant of this (thou griseled and foul helly monster) that I am not such a one as thou art, or as thou wouldest have me, to be doubtful of my faith, as the wicked are, to leave the freedom of God's spirit, and to be entangled again in thine infernal filthy bands? Thinkest thou, that I being now called to the light and knowledge of the sweet word of life, whereof I have truly tasted, and have in detestation mine old conversation, will be newly again deceived, offer to approach, either once nibble or smell to thy beslubbered, brackish, and most filthy imbrued baits? Notest thou me of such slipperiness, that having far entrance in the spirit, and feel the incomparable joys thereof, that I will now end in the griefs and sorrows of the flesh? to set so little by the Kingdom of jesus christ, that taking hold of the Plough, will now look back again, to be as a Dog, and to return again to my vomit, or as a beastly Swine, to bewray myself again in the mire, to deform the Image of God, and to defile his holy Temple? Not no Satan thou art deceived, I tell thee truly for thy discouragement, I am now better schooled, well armed, and better warned, to let thee go for naught. Knowest thou not that I have put upon me to endure for ever, my Lord and God, my christ and saviour? Art thou forgetful (O thou enemy) that I in true faith professing his name, and receiving worthily his holy and most blessed Sacraments, by the only rule of his word, am armed over all, with his only healthful, and most merciful merits, to strengthen me mightily against thee: who is made mine with all that he hath: and I am only his, both body and soul: one body with him: flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones. Ah Satan, this certainty and truth in faith considered, wasteful are thy wretched wanderings and wily waighting to wreck and vex my soul. Away from me, away I say thou cursed and spiteful spirit: or stay if thou lust to offer boldly unto me (as thou darest) thy very blashlesse and brag attempts of malignity. I yet tell thee, they shall not hurt me: neither do I any thing esteem thee: I regard not thy force: I fear not thy fury: The Lord is my God: he is the God of my strength and confidence: thou hast of thyself, no power at all against me: For what so ever thou attemptest or seekest to perform, therein to thy will thou wantest power. But that which thou dost, is by his only omnipotent hand and sufferance that is my God: whose weight and mightiness, thy bruised brains hath felt, to make thee stonpe for ever, to hamper thee at his will to thine own irons, to over throw thee soon in thine own turn, and to blow thee backward at will, even with the breath of his mouth, into the bailesse and deep bottomless pit: whose bond slave thou art and a drudge enforced: and in thine outrage by his permission, a known peerless parricide, a very restless, pitiless, and most graceless ranging rogue, the only ring leader and infectuouse rank root of all reproach, of all mischiefs and abomination under the son.  
14 O beloved Christian: Whether art thou in this wise armed with saith too stand too the face of the Devil, sharply to reprove him, and put him to flight?  
15 Whether hast thou in thine heart through this saith, heavenly mirth and melody, inward rejoicing, and thy return with triumph, exalted the name of thy God, felt in thyself to be doubtless his child, and too love (as thou lawfully oughtest) the law of thy dear and most loving father?  
16 Whether hast thou considered or not, this heavenly mystery aforesaid to be the Sacrament of true piety, the Character of perfect unttie, and the most assured band of fruitful and christian charity?  
17. Whether thou, being a subject in any estate (borne to be ruled under thy soveragne and not to rule) bearest unto her thy dear and natural Prince as also to thine native country (by the blood of God's word) a natural, saithful, and true loving heart.  
18 And finally, whether thou be christianly charitable, or a clear remitter of all thy neighbour's offences as thou thyself wouldest of God be clearly remitted. And so forth in all other things, as best behoveth thine holy profession: lest to the contrary (in gods sight) all thy conceived holiness by orater or whatsoever, being but proubane, hipocritish, childish, mere darkness and very folly, there be found in thee, but the only title, or unavailable bore name of christianity: and therefore very pernicious, burifull, and to be turned into sin against thee: and so in stead of healthful, very delightful, and beautiful blessings (which thou daily huntest after) the baneful, most bitter, and black curses of God, do suddenly fall upon thee. Beware than I exhort thee, look well to thyself: in time: flatter not thyself vainly or rather damnably: be not long a dalier, in the school house of dalliance: be not always a fondling, a weakling, or a suckling, a milksop, or babish infant in Chryst: weigh truly the virtue of healthful, manful, and strong nourishment in christ, attend to the time: thou shouldst now be a strong man in christ: thou art now as a man most grationsly visited, for the highest do seek thy company: than the which, what shouldest thou more desire. O remember then, how very reproachful, how unmanfull, unhealthful, hurtful, miserable, and discommendable, is thy servile state, in such wise to be pinned in, not to grow out in time, nor get from thy rockinges, thy wearisome wrappinges, or swaddling bands of extreme weakness: but always to be lulde in the arms of untimely tenderness, whereby thou art barred from thy highest and most chief solicitie. Way warily by the scriptures, thy due danger and discommendation, of such thine insensibility and wearishnesse. Shouldst not thou rather rejoice, to be called as a man of strength to the fellowship, ripe age, and strong manhood of Christ, and to be partaker in his presence, of his most frendefull, healthful, strengthfull, and heavenvly banquet? whereunto, all things are already prepared, and thereunto art thou now called. God also grant thee, to be in the number of his elect, that thou mayst with saith set forwards thy foot, hungerly with zeal to strive for thy place, & to believe by God's only word, that the lord of the feast favoureth thee. Be not hindered, hinder not thyself, let excuses be far from thee, defer not the favouring of thy souls refreshing, look to thy turn in time, open to day thine eyes, and be not yet blind to morrow, lest with the blind, in thy will of blindness, thou be soon blindly led, into the irrecoverable, deep, and most damnable dungeon of blindness, darkness & horror, with the devil, the Prince of darkness and death forever. Consider this, he that seeth thee (even as in deed thou art) is a God of most clear sight, bright light, truth and righteousness. Call to mind towards him, thy true profession & service: turn not th●● but of true kind: lean simply 〈◊〉 truth: join not with the wicke● which by their questions doubt of that truth, and ask how know you that it is the word of truth: for both they & thou shall answer to that word of truth: whereby must be directed, both thy religion and manners: and wherein, thou must be both mindful, skilful and thankful for thy discharge. Jgnoraunce cannot excuse thee, it shall not excuse thee: thou oughtest not be ignorant, thou needest not be ignorant: what so ever is written, is written for thy learning: thou readest it, thou hearest it, or thou mayst if thou lust: It is not far from thee: It is before thine eyes & in thine heart, if grace be with thee towards it, and is most truly pronounced unto thee, by the eternal spirit of truth, & that most miraculously with all simplicity, by his zealous ministers, inwardly to pierce thee, to lighten the darkness of thine heart, and to quicken true life unto thee, if thou haste ears to hear in these days, the days of gods grace, and of his heavenly visitation. Vain curiosity of faults finding and complaining, shall not serve thee, in thy respecting of persons, days and times: they ought not to hinder thee: have thou thine heart prepared, & stick thou to the graces of god offered. What are slanderous brutes to thee, if thou be of god & a lover of the truth: of which truth, let thine own conscience be the judge, if it be not utterly dead, or most damnably benumbed. When thou hearest the truth, in time take hold of truth, let not occasion slip from thee, with her turned baldness towards thee: for she flieth swiftly, and to call her again back will not help thee: yea, the truth will then reprove thy, be just judge over thee, and condemn thee to thy face, for thy most foolish and late repentance If truth therefore offer herself unto thee, stand most amiably before thee, and sound most heavenly words unto thine ear: O attend then to the truth, have good opinion in the truth, sly not from the truth, fear not the truth join to the truth, be familiar with the truth, believe the truth, confess boldly the truth, and stand steadfastly to the truth: for truth is of high excellency a glorious lady, a dame of noble fame and of great antiquity: she is ever gracious unto the friendly, of full power also, of great majesty, and familiar with the highest. Think well therefore of truth, entertain her reverently, she shineth with glory unto thee. O let her always possess thee, rejoice in her company, and use her very friendly, for she will highly again requited thee, & shen thee sone most freely, her natural usage & property: which shallbe, all inwardly to search thee, thoroughly to purge thee most clearly to polish thee, most beautifully to adorn thee to break thy bands of impiety, to make the spiritually free and prefer thee, through true saith to possess the high presence of the deity. This is truths nature, to deal kindly with thee, if thou most unkindly, neglectest not her company. Of which truth, the Apostle thus writeth unto thee, that without all contradiction she must needs be unto thee, either the sanoure of life unto life: or the savour of death unto death. Such judgement will truth have over thee, and stand in full effect, there will be no mean, but to be either with thee, or else flatly against thee, as it shall truly find thee, at thy fall from this life. there will be no dalliance: it will for ever save thee, or eternally damn thee, how so ever thereof thou makest thine account, or leanst of will to the contrary, with thy very blind, wicked, and perverse heart. Fear therefore, hearken to the truth in time, have sure confidence in truth, thine helper is at hand, be and the truth are one, he is grateful, he is faithful, doubt thou not double not, nor wilfully withstand not, the offered graces of thy mild master, thy just Lord, and most loving God: and be not before him, and in the presence of his holy Angels, unprepared, or a dallier, a man indifferent, a slack Simme, a drowsy one, a lyngrer, a double deaier, a wanton, or a careless one, among the rejecteth and wretches of this world: that in their coldness, darkness, hopeless hovering, vain devising, wilfulness, tolitie, forgetfulness, contempt of God and Godliness, tempteth so high, so magnificent, terrible & great God of majesty, most deadlily to danger them, elves: who diversly in a moment, and in the twinkling of an eye, is able by his justice to destroy thee, to crack suddenly in sunder the thread of thy life, & to twine strongly the cords of thy perdurable & eternal death. Therefore as he aught, in his mightiness, of every wight to be feared: so he should not of any one, either presumptuously or vainly be tempted. But for thy part, obey him in his will, and suffer him with all patience, to try thee through adversity, committing thyself wholly unto his only will & mercy: for surely he will (beholding in thee the power of saith) not suffer thee to be tempted above thy strength, or yield thee so far to fall, but with his own right hand, will raise thee quickly up again. And I exhort thee also to take heed, that thou possess not in his sight at any time, an unstaid, oft wavering, and wind shaken heart, through Satan's blustrings, stormy and tempestuous blasts, stirred up daily and hourly against thee, and that by God's permission for good: lest by thine impatiency, diffidente trembling, and sore shakes of thine unchristen inconstancy, thou be suddenly turned to thy shifts, put to thy faulty flight, and so be dispossessed of thy very healthful, safe, and most sure hold: or else spoiled with reproach of thy christian armour: or be occasioned by desperate pursuit, to start from the face of the enemy, to stagger fearfully at his offered blows, and in hazard to take hurt by some dangerous and sudden fal● greatly to dishonour thee before Christ thy captain: and with him infinite armies of heavenvly soldiers: whose tents (to encourage thee) are pitched round about thee. I say therefore unto thee (O Christian) stand thou cheerfully to thy charge in all things, and defend manfully thine own: dismay thee not I say: for the Lord God himself will be thy defender and keeper, and will stand by thee to strengthen thee, and to deliver thee from all dangers. And if legions of devils should copasse thee, trench thee in round about, plant their power, and bend forcibly their shot against thee: well may they threateningly thunder far from thee, roar, rattle and rumble in the air over thee, tumble terribly about thee, parch something thy tender skin, and wonderfully in such sort amaze thee: yet shall they not prevail against thee, hurt any member of thee, or once remove thy fast fixed soot, but shalt stand sure far ever, even as the high, mighty, steady, and strong mount Zion: for God's arm stayeth thee, who by his power hath overcome the devil, even the great devil Sathanas himself, he holdeth him at will by his infernal chains, his whole cursed army also, hell gates, and all the powers of hell. O praise therefore thine almighty God: exalt his glorious name for evermore, watch and pray continually: pray with understanding, pray at all times, and in all places, as his holy spirit shall move thee, for the upholding of thee, and for the avoiding of the engines, sleights, and temptations of the enemies: that God himself may be pleased, thy soul strengthened, the devils chased, vanquished, or put to flight. And when thou prayest, deceive not vainly thyself: be not blinded with the proud Pharisie in thine own conceit, boasting of thy righteousness in the presence of God, neither glorying in any thing: for he thoroughly beholdeth thee, and seeth that truly in thee, even thy secret and hid sins (a mass of all abomination) as thou oughtest chief therein to be thine own judge. But humble thyself before him, with the penitent and poor wretched Publican, confessing thy sins and wickedness: and fear not then to attain grace, through such true faith & humbleness. Moreover, forget not, that as God is a most high, heavenly and divine substance, and a spirit of all goodness and truth: so will he also of thee be spiritually worshipped, praised, and prayed unto, even in the truth, by the word of truth, and from the depth and bocome of thine heart. This also I put thee in remembrance of (a thing greatly requisite) that in the time of thy prayers, which thou daily consecratest to god (be they more or less, long or short) thou be not withdrawn with the snarling suggestions, secret twitches, inward motions, or wily sleights of the enemy Satan, through the abuse of thy senses and outward bodily members, as thine eyes, thine ears, and such like: that whilst thy tongue only often babbleth, and vainly wastest much breath: thine heart, which God chiefly respecteth, and doth very gladly desire, be farthest off, and be most vainly turned another way, greatly to displease him, to vex sore thine own conscience, and to make utterly frustrate all thine attempts, or importune suits of great necessity. This I say also unto thee: If thou desire to be the child of God, and void of all doubts so in deed to be, favour from thy heart Christ thy forerunner and saviour, by whose only grace thou art adopted the child of God. Make not towards him, thy fidelity, crazed, mingled, or patched: let it go sound and all whole together, both from thy body & thy soul. Let him always enjoy from thee the whole & perfect man, the man regenerate & new borne, and made by his spirit the child of light, full of agility and liveliness: whose soul mounting with felicity still up to the heavens, is there resident with Chryst the saviour, and always conversant in heavenly things. And let him also be evermore unto thee, thine only, whole, full, perfect, and sufficient redeemer, ear nest petitioner and ready pacifier of the divine fury against thee for all causes: who with great glory (as thou shouldest confess) is ascended on high, and sitteth with almightiness, power and majesty, on the right hand of his heavenly father, with open and fresh bleeding wounds (the many fist marks & impressions before him for ever) of the purchased & most precious redeemed inheritance, even for thee, most notorious and deadly sinner, by the secret testimony of thine own conscience. These things & such like, of thee thus christianly considered, thou mayest be bold with thy most merciful and loving God. But yet again I say unto thee, hold thee sure unto thy saviour christ, serve not from him, nor from the virtue of his only merits, whereby thou must be only saved. Cleave then close to the rock of assurance: lean to no lose nor sandy safety. Trust not to the rottenness of our human devices, labour not to languish in a maze of uncertainty. Bemoyle not thyself in such mire of mortality, and shun soon such showers as will wreck thy soul's fidelity. Then cry (as I said) and cease not to crave pardon of God thy father in his son: name, ' Doubt not of thy suit, what so ever it be, for it shall by good motion be so upright, so reasonable, so acceptable before him and allowable: and shall touch therewith so near the tenderness of his mercy, his truth and fidelity, that of necessity grant must be made unto thee: he will not deny thee the requests of thy lips: yea, he will so graciously tender thee, that foreseeing thy cause of inward complaint, he will prepare quickly thine heart most faithfully to call upon him. Believe therefore faithfully, trust of assurance, and thou shalt surely obtain thy desire, with great mercy and fanour at his holy hand. Thy sins shall not be imputed unto thee, thou shalt be blessed and righteous in the sight of God all the days of thy life, so happily shall thine heart be prepared: so mightily shall thy prayers prevail for thee: they will forcibly pierce the celestial and high heavens: approach near to the only throne of grace and majesty: cry incessantly for thee, & will not return from the presence of God, nor once be satisfied, before the full grant of their humble suit, for thy saving health and commodity. To conclude in all thy godly attempts, whether in praying, fasting, giving of Alms, frequenting the holy Sacraments, or rendering most hearty thanks unto God, for his infinite Mercies, Graces, Blessings and Benefits bestowed upon thee, and upon his whole Church, from the beginning until this present day: and what soever in holiness thou commendest daily unto him: let it always be done uprightly, orderly, with christian comeliness, and modesty, with peace of conscience, faithfully, constantly, cheerfully, and in charity, as the only word of God most straightly bindeth thee. Which I pray to God may clearly shine into thee by the power of his holy spirit: who quicken thee this day, to morrow, and for ever, and kindle in thee towards him, the fiery flames of his true love, through his son Chryst jesus: who speedily grant thee the same signement of his holy hand, and satisfy thee with inward joy, in all thy most lowefull and divine desires. Amen.   
FINIS.  

A devout meditation of the godly Christian, with a brief Confession and Prayer.  
WHen I (O heavenly father) thorough the glory of thine only eternal gracs am even in the midst of many muses, lamentable mournings, deep sighings, and inward moning to myself, most happily stirred to the due consideration of myself, and in what perilous state I ever stand here in this wretched world, how in the brevity thereof I am compassed with many miseries, with grievous plagues and punishments, with dreadful calamities, perils, and dangers, with divers maladies sicknesses and infirmities both of body and mind: 
The mercy & grace of God ●n the hearts of his elect, to cosider in this life their dangerous and miserable state for sin.  how by the mighty power also & policy of mine ancient and most deadly enemy the old subtle serpent, this deceitful vain world, as also mine own weakness, corruption, apt inclination, & most vile subjection to sin, I am daily assaulted and tempted to sin, and in committing sin, become the servant of sin, & must accordingly look for death the just reward of sin: because diversly therewith and damnably (through disobedience & the breach of thy law, in thought, word and deed) I have and do most grievously offend the will of thy Majesty, and am become thereby a very Sathanist, the child of the devil, to hasten thy furies upon me, that he should use his tyranny against me (for so witnesseth by accusation my wounded conscience,) whereby my soul is daily disquieted, sore clogged, greatly destled, marvelously amazed, made monstrous before thee, and hated of thee: whereunto (my freedom and innocency being lost) of my own concupiscence am accustomably blinded, 
Concupiscence and the malice thereof.  drawn and enticed: and by the malice thereof, both understanding, heart and will are holden captive and in deadly slavery to the devil, 
The devil the only author of concupiscence and sin.  the only author and beginner of all evil concupiscence and sin. By which occaston, in stead of healthsome and profitable things, I oft desire very noisome, most pernicious and hurtful things. And my soul also which in the excellency thereof, through reason and the uprightness of the inward man, should bear the beauty of thy heavenly and most glorious image in perfect purity and innocency, through the corruption thereof is sowly deformed and sore blemished, and made accordingly his evil favoured & most filthy image, 
The souls deformity thorough sin.  and so worthily by thy justice shaken off, and cast from the presence of thy deity. 
True faith in the abounding mercies of God.  So that hereby (O Lord) thou hast yet by the continuance of thy grace moved me to consider, that if thy mercies did not abound upon me, or that thy gracious favour, should now or at any time, in this most deadly plight utterly forsake me, and not rather comfortably with speedy and most swift sway turn again towards me, and bring therewith from thine heavenly presence, the distilling moistures, and large flowing streams of thy celestial dew, plentifully drawn from the sweet fountains of my saviour, to refresh, comfort, make whole again, cleanse & beautify, my very leprous, most sinful and sick soul, and of thy mere mercy to reduce her to her pristinate & former state: 
The miserable state of the sick Soul, without true faith in the free mercy of god.  my case should be most miserable, my bands should be indissoluble, I should become a cursed reject, & remain a fire brand of hell for ever. But as thy love (O Lord) is unspeakable, and thy fatherly mercy toward me infinite, which willest not the death of a sinner, but rather he should fourne from his wickedness and live, and offerest him time and space to repent and amend: 
The feeling of the grace of god.  so haste thou now in mercy remembered me, looked back again upon me, cheered and comforted me, increased true faith in me, thy spirit hath renewed me, stirred me to call most humbly unto thee, set me free from the enemy, pitied my soul's deformity, prepared the most healthful remedy: for the blood of thy son jesus hath cleansed me, whereby thou hast so quickened me, that my soul rejoiceth within me, 
The humble submission & confession of the faithful Soul.  with most earnest tears it repenteth me that ever I sinued against thee, I fall flat to the earth before thee, confessing my sins unfeignedly, my weakness and infirmity, for I have most grievously offended thee, my conscience therein accuseth me, & cry yet with true saith unto thee: Mercy good Lord mercy, with thanks giving and extolling thee, for thine infused grace upon me. 
A calling unto God for comfort and strength.  And I pray thee most humbly (O my God of all mercy) to continued thy fatherly affection, the increasing of thy grace, and strength of thy spirit upon me, to help, to direct and comfort me, unto the end, and in the end in all my temptations, troubles, weakness and infirmities both of body and mind: Lest sathan (as I said) prevail and confounded me, the tickling pleasures of this world deceive me, and the old man my wretched flesh, which is not yet subject to the spirit, do master me: 
The fight of the faithful Soul.  against all which, I must arm myself, stand to the battle, continually fight, bold out at the swords point, offer the prick, drive back, chase, overthrow, wound and confound, whilst breath shall hold in this wretched body: yea, I say wretched in deed, being compassed with so many calamities and infinite miseries: for the which cause, (O Lord) I crave always thy mighty power, in my weakness I make my moan, haste thee now to help me, O strengthen me, grant me thy presence, stand by me, encourage me to fight manfully, that by thee I may amaze the enemies, put them fast to flight, get the victory, triumph before thee, and extol thee in thy great might & mercy, now and for ever: through jesus Christ our Lord: who liveth and reigneth with thee and the holy Ghost in all honour and glory world without end. Amen.  

II To devil in the service of God, to have the world, and the pleasures thereof in contempt, and to strive daily against them with the armour of righteousness.  
FOr as much (O almighty God) as we are all warned by thine holy Apostle john, not to be lovers of this evil world, nor the vain pleasures thereof, because both the one and the other come utterly to naught: and that also to be a lover of the world, is to be an hater of thee, 
What danger they fall into that forsake god, and lean to the world and the pleasures thereof.  to slip from thy will, and from the presence of thy majesty, as one that regardeth thee not, knows thee not, neither seek to know thee, but startle aside from thee, forsaketh the right way, and entereth of will the perilous way full of hid thistles, thorns, briars, brambles, venomous worms and serpents: linking also themselves into the amity, league and service, of the most slighty, hateful and deadly enemy, the proud Prince of this world, who for a time by God's permission is broken loose, and rageth in his course, roareth and fighteth continually against the Soul of man: who entangleth only his own to their utter overthrow, with the vain pleasures thereof: even with the delights in effect but of one hour, and with the increasing of sorrows for many years: 
The service of God, what it is.  I beseech thee (O thou king of all holiness) whose service is most high, most happy, most sure, most healthful, wealthful, heavenly, perpetual, perfect felicity and freedom:) which seest the weakness, inconstancy, great misery, and necessity of me thine humble servant: the outrage also & power of my cruel adversaries: grant me sufficiency of thy grace, & strength of thine holy spirit, that by virtue thereof, I may be directed in the way wherein I should walk, my paths made strait, and my foot steadfast, always to withstand the evil attempts of the most wicked, and the outward glittering glories of this sinful and vain world, and not yield my mind to the pleasures & comforts of the same, as a child of vanity, enclosed therein for the time, as in a deep dungeon of danger, and of deadly darkness, 
The world, a deep dungeon, wherein the children of vanity are enclosed.  founded upon a sandy and rotten soil, very old, ruinous, sore shaken, and ready at every moment to fall, through age upon me: but to be otherwise staid by thine holy and mighty arm, patiently in the mean season to abide thy will, to lay my foundation sure, to be sober and watchful over all dangers, to stretch forth mine hands to the battle, to strengthen mine arms like a bow of steel, that under thy protection & power, I may manfully resist all hurtful evils, and the assaults of the wicked, and stand stably to my profession in thy holy service, whereunto thorough thy grace I am called, to the end, that by thine only help, I should do the works of righteousness. O thou righteous Lord and God of my strength, which haste made me, which hast conserved me, and art most loving and careful over me, I putting mine only hope and confidence (not in the holy Angels, celestial spirits, blessed Saints in heaven, or good men here in earth) but only in thee, suffer me not to be tempted above my strength, or to be overwhelmed of mine own concupiscence: but in the midst of temptation, make thou a way for me to escape with joy. Thou (O God) art only omnipotent, most gracious, full of all goodness, faithfulness and truth: fulfil therefore thy promises towards me, most merciful Lord, thou God of truth: Put upon me thine whole armour of righteousness, 
Armour of righteousness.  O thou God of might and true holiness, that by thy power I may be strong against all adversaries: for I wrestle not (as thou knowest) against flesh and blood in this life: but against rule, against power, and against worldly rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual wickedness in heavenly things: by whom, without thine heavenly power I stand ever in hazard to eternal destruction both of body and soul. For which cause (I say) O my sweet God, arm me strongly, strengthen me in my weakness, and make me stout, that in this christian chivalry, 
Christian chivalry.  I may stand perfect in all things before thee, and not slip by cowardice or inconstancy from thy faithful service: but fight under thy banner until the last breath, 
The sight of a christian 〈…〉 in the service of god must be continual and courageous.  courageously putting mine evemyes to flight, and carry away with triumph, a glorious victory over them. So shall it come to pass, that thoroughly running this so shorfe a race in my holy calling as a puissant warrior in thy most high and excellent service, with lawful striving, and with violent plucking towards me thine heavenly kingdom, I shall in the end perfectly see it and possess it, and shall receive in mine hands a Palm of victory, 
Palone of victory. Crown of glory. Hide Manna. And a White stone.  upon mine head, a Crown of glory prepared, the hid Manna also and a white stone, wherein is written a new name, which no man knoweth, saving only the receiver of it: who shall serve thee thou great God of heaven, in the most sacred state of true holiness, perfect free doom, excellency, dignity, and equality with thine holy Angels and all blessed Saints, in everlasting felicity. Grant this mine humble petition (O Lord) for thy great mercy's sake: So shall I here, and in eternal blessedness, extol and magnify thy glorious name. Amen.   

III For the humble hearing, apt receiving, keeping, and continuing of the word of God amongst us.  
COnsidering (oh thou God of all holiness) that the certainty of our Christian faith, standeth by the Scriptures or immovable word of thy truth: which, as thy messenger proceedeth from thee by thy gracious inspiration or secret breathing: whereunto, as unto a feast royal, every man of all nations under heaven are called: 
The scriptures of God, only received of the faithful.  but are of thy Church only received and devoutly used, to the instruction, confirmation, strengthening and establishing of thine only faithful & true flock: and be, as thy blessed Apostle calleth them, sacred and holy: birause they be heavenly, most precious, divine, healthful, and comfortable to the soul, excelling all the wisdom of Philosophers, and the vainly wise of this world, and be therefore (in their high power and majesty) worthily above all advanced, segregate, and put apart by themselves, from all other writings of profane matters and the flitting descriptions of men: not only pertaining to this present world, and for the use of this temporal life: but also from all Ethnic superstitians, 
Superstitions, false worship ping. etc.  false worshippings, wicked sacrifices and erroneous opinions, used contrary to thy word, & against thee the only eternal and true God: which, by lying, custom and cruelty, are corruptly crept into thy Church, to the foul feeding, filling, defiling, and poisonning thereof, and is yet daily occasioned thereby wout thy grace, to be sinisterly drawn and seduced, straying from the right way, and haled to death by will in ourselves, from the life that is in thee, even to eternal death and destruction: we beseech thee most humbly (O thou gracious God) to inspire us with thy holy spirit of truth, & to kindle in all our hearts the fire of thy love, light and truth: that by thy power in them, our faiths may be strengthened, our souls also humbled, rightly led and instructed, in thy word of love, light, truth, and of eternal life: by virtue whereof, 
Our profession in holy Baptism.  at our first entrance to Christ our high Pastor, we may truly understand our profession and promiss in holy baptism, and have it accordingly written with thy finger of grace in our hearts, to the true knowledge of thy law, and the spiritual understanding thereof, to love thee most worthily above all, and our neighbour as ourselves: as also to know the promises of thy mercy in thy son our Saviour jesus Christ most sound and purely, as thy holy word expresseth therein: whereby we may be well upholden, and zealously staid in our profession, to tread our paths right, to be guided by the true light, to hear gladly the voice of our shepherd jesus Christ, to testify his name, to follow him the only true light, and not to fear the powers of darkness, but to overcome them by thy might (although even with the loss of our lives) not only the dalying, dim devices and vanities of the wicked, and to shun all such hateful enemics, 
Enemies of God's word.  as are usual mockers, daily depravers, sinful despisers, wilful impugners, wicked seducers, double dealers, backsliders, & pluckers back from thy word, but also the sleights of their father Satan, the enticements of the world, and the filthy motions of the flesh. And to that happy end (O Lord) we may be constant, and thy word ever abide in us, stir us up to continual and hearty prayer, quicken our zeal, 
Hearty prayer to God, maketh us constant in the word of God.  & work in us, a true, lively, quick, and fruitful faith: that it being a bright shining light in our hearts, to the expelling of all Hypocrisy, cloudiness, darkness and error, and also our conversation being answerable to our profession, the continuance of thy grace may still comfortably shine upon us, thy holy word may continued amongst us, may be truly preached unto us, diligently, boldly, and zealously uttered over all, and by all the ministers thereof, by what occasion, time and place so ever it be: for unto us that shall be saved, 
The word of God, what it is, and how of the godly to be considted.  it is a thing most precious and holy: It is the word of life, the word of reconciliation, the lantern unto our feet, and a light unto our paths, the fountain of wisdom, the bread of life, the food of the soul, thy mighty power, and sword of the spirit. And for as much (O heavenly father) as thy words thus to usward (come from heaven) are spirit and life, and are not to be weighed with the vain imagination, policy, wisdom or wit of man, nor yet to be applied unto the hurtful pleasures of this sinful world, but to be most holily and highly esteemed, most humbly had in credit, reverently thought upon, gladly inclined unto, heard with silence, and received with all modesty & ghostly greediness: we humbly beseech thee, that as thou haste ever heretofore been the only gracious director, instructor and teacher of thy holy patriarchs and Prophets, 
God the only instructor of all, in all ages.  Apostles and holy fathers from time to time from the beginning, and amongst all men (for thine elects sake in jesus Christ) continuest yet so still until this day: O train us up also in thine heavenly knowledge we pray thee: prepare our hearts, teach us thy law, and write thy words of life in the tables of our hearts: that in these our monstrous days of most wilful vanity, 
An apt Prayer for these our days.  which in their strangeness crieth out (by plagues) to be punished, we may aforehand be warned, we may be yet better schooled, thy wrath thereby prevented, our souls more spiritually nourished, filled with thy favour, more mortified daily from the vanities of this brickle life, guided to more thristian modesty and temperance, affected solely to the way of holiness, comforted in all troubles and adversities, boldened manfully against the face of the enemies, stayed, well armed and strengthened against all temptations, stirred up to the increase of all virtues: that thy words (which shall judge us in the last day) being by thy ministers truly preached, and of us also as zealously embraced, and by any means not to be despised or slandered, but on all parts surely holden, and to show for the accordingly the true fruits of righteousness, we may be called of thee, thy holy disciples, & avoid I say the shall of thy vengeance amongst us, thy judgement also to eternal condemnation & be received in time to everlasting salvation: through thy grace & the only merits of thy son our Lord jesus Christ. Amen.   

FOUR For Faith.  
BY reading or hearing thy holy word (O blessed saviour) we are taught, that true faith which is thine only gift, is only thereby attained: and that by the power of thine heavenly spirit it is breathed into the only hearts of all thine elect, who receive it by measure and quantity according to the will and power of the same spirit: and with thine eyes beholding it in them, thou gloriest in them, thou daily blessest them, thou increasest it in them, thy countenance shineth upon them, thou amiably appearest and she west thyself unto them: yea so acceptable it is in thy sight (O sweet saviour) that thou being the king of eternal glory and majesty, 
Faith only breathed into the hearts of Gods elect.  art espoused to the souls of the faithful, and makest them thereby to be partakers with thee of thine heavenly and divine nature, through the wondered operation of thine holy spirit. We are taught by thine holy Apostle, that what so ever is not of this faith, is sin, and that there is no possibility without it to please thee, or to find grace by suit at thine holy hand. And therefore all they that come unto thee, 
True faith in Christ.  must in deed firmly believe, that thou art very God and very Man: yea, and such a God of might, of mildness & great mercy above all Gods, as both can and ever will hear, incline thine ear, and abundantly reward all them, that with lively and true faith seek thee, and unfeignedly desire to find thee, or to be relieved by thine holy hand. By this faith (O Lord) we also obtain of God thy father, all good things: yea, what so ever we crave at his hand in thy name. 
Faith justifieth.  Through this faith also, so many as believe are justified, made the sons and heirs of God, and enjoy most certainly thereby the reward of everlasting life. O Lord jesus, great is the power and working of this faith, 
The power of Faith.  for by it the consciences of the godly are quieted, by it they truly know thee the only high and eternal God: by it they love and fear thee, be constant towards thee, strong and patient in all adversity, their hope is firm for things to come: by it they conceive boldness to repair to the throne of thy grace for mercy, to have sure trust in thee, to invocate thine holy name, to adore and worship it, to confess the truth before thee, to obey it most gladly, to persever therein most willingly, to withstand the force of all tyranny, to yield up in time their spirit, and to go through faith to thine and their heavenly father. Seeing then (O gracious God and Saviour) that this virtue is so heavenly, so holy, so mighty, so acceptable and precious in thy sight, that without it nothing can be well pleasing the will of thy majesty, or to serve happily our own turns: and we also of such frailty can not attain to this most singular treasure, except it come from above (even from thee) and infused into our hearts by the grace of thine holy spirit: we most heartily beseech thee (by the power thereof) to make clean our hearts, to purge them of all error, darkness, and ignorance, of all mistrust, infidelity, and unfaithfulness, and to plant most speedily in us, a true, lively, and undoubted faith, in the blessed and most glorious Trinity: in God our heavenly father, in thee (O God) our only saviour, and in the holy ghost our most dear and sweet comforter: by whom alone, we be all highly blessed, preciously redeemed, and eternally sanctified: and that also for thine only sake (O blessed saviour) thine heavenly father is well pleased with us, our sins clearly remitted unto us. This faith (O sweet jesus) daily increase in us, help most graciously our unbelief, O Lord strengthen us from faith to faith: that we may at the last thorough thine accustomed grace, be made perfectly faithful, constant warriors, and valiant conquerors, in the defence of thine holy religio, against the power of Satan, the world, and antichrist: and in all things to she we ourselves in this life, both in our profession & manners, truly and fruitfully faithful, even to the high exaltation & praise of thy name: which livest and reignest, with God the father, and God the holy Ghost, true and perfect God, our only mediator and advocate, world without end. Amen.   

V To the attainment of Grace, and for the due examination of such desires and motions, as are put daily into our minds.  
BEholding (O God our maker) the miserable state of mankind in this life, how diversly therein and in finitely he is continually beset, 
The miserable state of man in this life.  compassed and hedged in with bodily and ghostly evil, stepping every moment among the low shrubs, lurking stubbes, stumbling blocks, craggy rocks, dead pits, traps, catches, snares, grins, furious and fierce beasts, in the wilderness of this world to present destruction: always uncertain and fearful through danger, whereunto (in his ways) he may lean or trust, wandering in this desert among doubtful chances, void of certain hope, far off from comfort, forsaken of friends, beset with many enemies, and enticed diversly to sundry desires and motions, & so most gréenously perplexed, and inwardly afflicted in mind, musing before thee (O Lord) in thine heavenly presence, upon his most wretched state, what shall betide him, knoweth not what to do, which way to turn him, whether to flee, not certain of his end, ignorant, when, how, and where he shall end his days, and leave to earth his most wretched and earthy carcase: 
Man possesseth in himself two powers, and of sundly inclinations.  who during his short time, possesseth two powers, diversly drawing and leading him: although only one prevaileth, either with him or against him, which is, a willing consent to vain pleasures bred in the corrupted flesh: or otherwise, a more apt inclination to the good will and motion of the spirit, which are both contrary the one to the other, and the one continually warring or waging battle against the other: whose fight (if there be resistance) are both very violente to prevail, & stirreth daily the soul to great unrest. Which powers or parts of man (O Lord) in the time of innocency, before the fall of my first parents, hadst coupled them together in most blessed concord and unite, but (alas) now separated, peace broken and set at discord, by the Serpent the enemy of peace and of mankind: 
The serpent cause of discord.  and cannot live joined together, without continual war, ruffeling and wrangling together as things divers, although in deed but one: I beseech thee therefore (O my God the great God and maker of heaven and earth) to behold with great compassion, my miserable state among the rest in this most woeful and grievous conflict, my great frailty and weakness without thy grace, my darkness and ignorance, and the power of sin reigning in mine earthily and mortal members: that as thou art God the author of peace, the true light and guide, and the only God of my strength, to prevail for me by thine holy spirit, against the Prince of sedition and darkness, of fraud and deceit, 
Prince of sedition.  of error and lies, and the corrupted motions of the sinful flesh: so grant me the strength of thy grace, a lively and quick feeling faith also in thy promises thorough Christ: that thereby my spirit being always prepared, quickened and directed by thy spirit, it may yield to the only quickening and good motions thereof: that by the heavenly power of it, I may at all times be constant in them, and learn perfectly by due examination, 
The mean to know the good motions from the bad.  and with good desires out of thy word of truth, the event of all attempts, stirs, motions, assaults, enticements, dessres, provocations and affections, to judge truly of them, to way rightly their natures, from whence they come, by what spirit, to what end, whether worthy thy well liking, tending to thy glory, answerable to my profession, making for the peace of my conscience or to the contrary: and so by due trial to forsake the one and embrace the other: 
The inconvenience of care lesnesse, or not to receive in time the good motions of God.  lest through lewd carelessness, or not aptly yielding to the good motions of thine holy will, I give thine offered grace most gracelessly the slip: becoming in thy sight but a fugitive, a reage, a runneagate, a corner créeper, a vain dullard, gross, earthy, lumpish and heavy, void of spirit and life, dark in true judgement, affected to vain desires, most wickedly falling from thee, forsaken also of thee, given over to myself, wretchedly wandering at will or at the wild adventure, and stand as a dead pray to the will of all devouring adversaries: even to the sleights of the most cursed serpent, to the sugared baits of this deceitful world, and to the filthy desires of the rebellious flesh: by whom I shall be most wickedly seduced, most horribly blinded and foully corrupted: and so trained on in a short race to the slaughter, even to the swallowing gulf of despair, the bottomless hurlepwle, or most deep sink of destruction. O my god of all mercy and grace, 
The power of the spirit of light and truth.  that art the only helper of me in all my necessities, assist and comfort my soul with thy spirit of light and truth: that I may now and at all times both truly discern, retain with good will, and follow, the only good motions thereof, and forcibly withstand the contrary: that no provocations, venomous enticements, or poisoned pleasures of the flesh, be occasions to defile and hazard my soul. But following the good desires of the spirit (which are most pure, perfect and godly,) and my soul ever mindful of her celestial nature, enforcing herself upward to the high heavens before thy presence: there may spring up unto me (all the days of my life) the good continuance of thy grace, the blessed tranquillity of an innocent mind, the reaped fruits also of a good spirit, and lastly in time everlasting life, which thou hast prepared for me thorough thine only mercy and grace, in the merits of thy son and my saviour jesue Christ. Amen.   

VI For the chastising of the Soul, to keep it low and in subjection.  
WE be taught of thee (O thou GOD of heaven) that who so ever will rightly prospero in this life, 
The way and mean to please God in this life.  and go daily forwards in true godliness worthy thy well liking, must taste substantially of thine heavenly wisdom, and enter the way thereto with all lowly subjection, holding still fast thy reverent fear, esteeming unfeignedly the way of thy testimonies, and be always very watchful, that he offend not thy sight. It behoveth us therefore (O Lord) in the state of our great weakness and frailty, and in our darkness and deadly ignorance, to have daily access to thee (thou God of our power, true light and wisdom) by prayer and most humble suit, that we may seek by thine heavenly wisdom to know thee truly, and to have thy fear before our eyes: that in our profession we may be ever constant, patient and strong in thee, avoiding thorough thy grace all careless security, wandering inconstancy and slipperiness: keeping all our powers under thine holy discipline, 
Holy discipline.  without repining or murmuring, and not yield up ourselves (according to the will of the flesh) to flying vanities, and the swift flitting things of this world: but cleave steadfastly unto thee, and give over ourselves wholly, patiently to abide thy holy will, to the quickening of us in our dullness and humane fearfulness, and to the sweet chastening of our untoward and drowsy souls. Doubtless (O Lord) very great, sweet & pleasant to the godly, is the commodity of thy chastisements, and the exercises of thy cross, 
Exercises of the cross.  to the increase of godliness among thy children, and to suppress the will of the proud flesh: which, otherwise to the contrary, would be soon overwhelmed with too much pride, jollity, forgetfulness, flouth and carelessness. Quicken us therefore (O Lord) with the rod of thy favour, visit at times our graceless dullness: that we may feel thereby the touch of thy grace, the sorrows also of our minds in our offences, and call our own ways to remembrance, that we may say with the holy Prophet: It is good for me Lord that I have been punished, and that to this happy end, that I may learn thy statutes. Again, before I was troubled, I went wrong. etc. O grant unto us most loving God, that with thy rod of fatherly correction, we may judge ourselves happy, & rejoice with thy holy prophet lest to the contrary, 
The inconuenieuce that cometh by sufferance and evil custom.  by sufferance & evil custom, or having our rein of wantonness too much at liberty, we too too much deceive ourselves, & in our forgetfulness, laugh at our own wickedness, when rather most bitterly we should bewail our sinfulness, & remember thereby the infinite dangers to the soul, how it is compassed, subtlely deceived, holden captive & thryl to the devil. And we must confess unto thee (O our god) that we stand not at any time in true liberty or joy effectual in any thing, unless we possess by thy spirit thy reverent fear, & that also joined with a peaceable & quiet conscience. O what a happiness therefore is it to a man, to cast freely from him, all impediments & lets of worldly vanities, & yield himself wholly under thine hand of discipline, 
He is happy, that humbleth himself to discipline.  and to the chastening of his soul. Grant us (O Lord) to be so happy, that we may daily renounce and put from us, what so ever may stain & burden our most tender, weak, and simple consciences. Grant unto us in this world of warfare, strength of thy grace, that we may fight the battle of christian soldiers, and overcome by custom, the usual supporter of all evil. Grant us grace (O merciful Lord) that we may stand steadfastly to our charge, yield with patience to thy will, and in all things to take strait view of ourselves, and chiefly with our own eyes to behold well ourselves, that in thy sight we be all well armed, and so always prevent the warning of others, to the overthrow of the deadly adversary. Grant this (oh heavenly father) with humbleness of heart we beseech thee, to the quick ening and strengthening of our souls in all temptations and chastisements: and stir up daily in them, thine heavenly sparks and sweet motions of comfort, to their most happy rejoicing, and to the exaltation of thy most glorious name in this life, and in the everlasting world to come: through thy son Christ our Lord. Amen.   

VII. For patience in adversity, and to remember that this world is but a place of perigrioation, or passing forwards unto an other world.  
WHen thou in mercy (O lord) beholdest thine own, & féest them among others how hazardly unto deadly dangers they daily offer themselves, ranging abroad at adventure like lost sheep, 
Man in present danger. God at hand to deliver.  and ready to be torn of every savage and devouring beast: thou by and by of thy fatherly and tender pity, considerest their miserable state and condition, and how needful it is for them to be sought out with diligence, to be brought home again to the fold, or to be pinned in, 
pinches to the proud flesh are sometime necessary.  favourably pinched a while in some bore pasture, and sometime to be kept low with thy mild touch of calamities and adversities, to abate their courages, and to let their lively leaps and out girds: by means whereof, they be often called again, better to remember themselves, and whereby they may also have thee the more in mind, and truly to know their own state in this life, whereunto they are called, and to whose service, to walk in the ways of thy precepts, to keep them ever within their bounds and that during their short race, they live here but as exiles or as Pilgrims far from their own home, not to live here in felicity, 
Man for a time is but an exile from his home, and a pilgrim.  not to regard the pleasures of this world, either yet to put their hope and affiance in them, but to use them without abuse (as by the way) & but for their only necessities homeward: we most humbly beseech thee (O thou father of all mercy) that thou wilt daily renew thy compassion upon us, that thou wilt tender us in our frailty, lustiness & vain jollity, that in our offences thou wilt with mercy reform us, & not utterly by thy justice confounded us: but seek mildly for us, call us gently home to thy sheepfold, with mercy embrace us, & keep us together for ever in one, in the sweet unity, fellowship and amity of thy flock. And if at any time, we shall henceforth wander abroad and go astray, whereby we shall offond thee, and justly incur thy most heavy wrath and displeasure: we crave yet at thine holy hand to remember thy mercy, and so (in the time of correction) to temper it with thy justice: that we thy children by adoption and grace, may largely taste in that respect, the comforts of thy most tender and fatherly goodness: that as we shall for our disobedience and sin, 
The justice of God and sin are not clearly severed in this life among the children of God.  justly feel some part of thy justice, and have therefore great cause of inward grief and heaviness, & occasioned daily to groan in our hearts for our speedy deliverance from thy rod of correction, and to attain again the bright countinunce of thy favour: so we may also in the mean time, possess a lively faith, show forth the fruits of the same, pray continually unto thee, and bear patiently thy holy will with all thankfulness all the days of our lives: through the only grace of the high pastor and chief shepherd of our souls, thy son our Lord and only saviour jesus Christ. Amen.   

VIII. To be humble in the sight of God.  
O My lord God, which art mine only goodness, a God of great Majesty, and to be blessed for ever: I most poor and wretched sinner, 
Man but a worm, dust, and ashes.  most vile worm, dust and ashes: and of all others most unworthy thy grace and favour: yet beholding thy great mercy, thy truth and fidelity, thy usual and approved clemency, towards all humble and penitent sinners: I among the rest, (but a lump of earth, and shaken by thy power to dust in a moment:) do prostrate myself upon the earth, bewailing before thee my most sinful state, crying with the Prophet, peccavi, peceavi, and with repentante tears call for thy mercy.  
O my GOD almighty and my maker, which truly knowest me thy creature even as I am, and searchest thoroughly in me, the very secrets of the heart and rains: If I should in thy sight (being nothing of myself) esteem any thing of myself or else glory in any thing besides thee under the sun, thou wouldest as thou mightest by due justice against me, worthily reprove me and condemn me with the rest, as most vain and for nought. Yea, 
Man most vain and nought.  mine own sins would accuse me unto thee, and my conscience very terribly cry out against me: for I am before thee but a thing of nought, and my sins hast thou sealed up against me, to the terrifying always of me, and to incur daily in my mind divers incommodities & inward anguishes, to mine own overthrow and confusion. But humbling myself before thee (O my God) and esteeming of myself, as (in deed I am) but vile dust and ashes, and cast utterly from me all estimation of myself, being pressed down (as it were) to nothing: then I trust I shall obtain thy mercy, then shall I hope to possess the happy peace, 
Man's humble subjection before God, attaineth the grace mercy and peace of God.  then shall I feel true joy in myself: for thy presence shall be even at hand, thy grace shall comfort me, thy good spirit shall quicken me, thy favourable countenance shall cheer me up, and thine heavenly light approach near mine heart: whereby it shall most blessedly happen, that where I have heretofore most vainly esteemed, but the lest thing of myself, the same very vain or small estimation conceived, shall suddenly consume and vanish to nought for ever: and shall thenceforth by the hand of thy majesty, be so undor propped and graciously holden up, that I shall never decline from due consideration of myself, what I am of myself, what I have been, by whom I have my being, and from whence I am come: namely, of nothing, and from nothing: and being so left unto myself, I shall be found nothing, but only as a shadow, or mere infirmity and weakness. 
Man a thing of nothing.  Therefore, I most humbly beseech thee (O thou father of all mercy) the only assured stay of thine inheritance, which severely chasest away the vain glory of man, turn a little towards me, tender me in my weakness, and show me the strength of thy countenance, that immediately in thee I may be strong, and newly cheered up with inward and heavenly gladness: that being entered into most sudden admiration with myself, to see myself in a moment, by thy fatherly embracement, raised up to heaven; which by mine own proneness and weight of sin, was before carried down to hell, I may thank thee my most sweet and loving God, and praise thee with an humble and most lowly heart, with continual modesty, zealously, religiously and godly, in thought, word and deed: thorough thy mercy and grace in thy son jesus Christ all the days of my life. Amen. Amen.   

IX. Of true obedience and subjection, to such as be in authority, according to the word of God.  
FOr as much (O heavenly father) as it is rather available for men in this world, to be in subjection to other, 
It is better for a man to obey, than to lean to his own sway.  than to lean to their own only sway and lewd liberty: and so, much more safely to obey, than to bear rule, and have all at commandment: with all humbleness we beseech thee, to direct us with thy spirit of humility and lowliness, and to be always in subjection to authority, according to thy word by the rule of thine holy Apostle: not only for fear, for necessity, and therefore painfully: but rather of true love, dutifully, most gladly, and that for conscience sake.  
For otherwise (O Lord) we slip from our Christian profession, true obedience, and most reverent subjection, and attained not the true libertis of mind, and the showing of obedience from the heart, and for God's sake: 
The inconvenience that cometh by disobedience.  but fall of will most wickedly, and as bond slaves, into the sin of hatred, contempt, murmuring, grudging, conspiring, rebelling, and into innumerable such like, as men being wholly given over to a wicked will, running headlong into all kind of mischiefs: whereby we become as resectes, and cast aways from thy glorious favour: we purchase thy displeasure, thou 〈◊〉 our treacheries, the curse of the people shall fall upon us, the spoil of the innocentes, and their blood shed shall cry for vengeance against us, our days shallbe shortened, our offspring and family ashamed; utterly confounded, contemned, and for ever brought to nought. O gracious God, grant therefore that we may ever regard thy will, be mindful of thy statutes, fear thy judgements, and consider with ourselves, our christian obedience and duty towards authority, walking humbly in our vocation before thee, to the upholding of peace, to the contenting of authority, to tender unto them their duty, to the benefiting of our Country, to the blessing of our posterity, and to remember also with this assured persuasion, that whether so ever we turn ourselves in thus life, we shall not aptly find rest in any place, if we be seditious, mischéevously inclined, traitorous, conspirators or rebellious: 
The judgements of God over seditious rebels.  for thy judgements will still follow us, thy sword shall devour us, and cruel messengers shall be sent against us, as of many we have both herd, read, and often times known amongst us. For thou (O Lord) in the fervour of thy zeal, neither canst nor wilt suffer the higher powers, so to be disobeyed or unnaturally spurned against: but thou wilt by thy justice see it sharply revenged, as the offence verily committed, against the person of thine eternal majesty. Give us grace therefore (O heavenly father) we humbly beseech thee, to way reverently thy will in thy word, and accordingly to live in all subjection to the higher powers, to pray daily & most heartily for them, 
Princes and Magistrates are the most apt Instruments stirred of God, to further his glory here upon earth.  as for the apt instruments of thy grate, and furtherers of thy glory, at these days of true light, that thou wilt touch daily & deeply all their hearts, with the finger of thine heavenly grace, that thy principal spirit may for ever possess them, and that thy blessings also may daily abound both upon them, upon us, and upon our posterity (as upon the children of true obedience, peace and humbleness) to our reioying and praising of thy glorious name, until the end of this life and for ever: thorough jesus Christ our only Lord and saviour. Amen.   

X. For the Queen's most excellenre Majesty, for her Honourable counsellors, her whole Court or family.  
O Almighty God and father of all mercy, which graciously governest, most wisely rulest, and abundantly blessest here upon earth, thy great Congregation, the pillar and ground of truth, the flocks of Christ, thine holy Church, the Spouse of Christ, the elect vessels of thy mercy, thine whole household and family: whose God of mercy thou only art throughout all generations, and helper in all our needs and necessities: and haste appointed therein by thy divine ordinance, temporal rulers, Princes and Magistrates, to rule and govern thy people, according to equity and the rule of righteousness, for the advancement of the good, and pumshment of the evil: and hast also all their hearts in thine holy hand, to direct, sanctiste, and govern them after thine own will to the godly example of others, and to set forth (amongst them) thy glory: have mercy upon thy servant Elizabeth, our noble and most gracious Queen, in the excellency of her most high calling, holy service, and of great charge before thee in thy sanctified Church: that as her heart (specially) being truly directed in thy sight by the spirit of light and truth, to the true knowledge, perfect obedience, and ready furtherance of thy will, with all christian diligence and fervency, (as above all things best behoveth her most gracious and royal majesty: that the rather in all other her necessities, she may at all times be most assuredly blessed by thee, relieved, comforted, strengthened, mightily defended and delivered both in body and soul:) so also, the honourable her beloved, grave, and prudent Counsellors, faithful ministers under her & whole family, may every of them in their degree, christian vocation or faithful service, dutifully way with themselves, the virtue of their charge, strait band and profession before thee, seeking truly under her highness (for thy glory and her honour) the fruitful knowledge of thy laws: that in their state of great excellency, right worshipful calling, mean state, or inferior ministery, (whether of the Clergy, as they are termed, or of the laity) they may have the fear and true obedience before their eyes, framing unfeignedly all their affections, their actions and duties, by the only rule of thy word of life: 
What it is to imitate christ.  walking uprightly therein, holily, and religiously, in thought, word, and deed, with undesiled, pure and peaceable consciences, to the daily edifying, encouraging and strengthening of all others: that thereby her whole Court or Princely family, being through fullness of virtue and thine heavenly wisdom wonderful to behold, worthily noted of all, delighted in of all, and most highly commended of all, may be of all most dearly beloved, highly esteemed, joyfully received, thankfully used, practised and followed, as a most precise patron of all perfect and true piety: as a very bright, large, and clear shining light, deeply piercing, inwardly quickening, far extending and reaching over all, or as a clear fountain or quick springing water; descending from an high, most beautiful to look on, most pleasant to taste on, very delectable, most necessary, healthful and comfortable, common to all, swiftly running towards all, and embraced of all, and into all parts, belonging to her highness or round about her: whereby, through the purity, healthfulness, clearness, cleanness, & fullness thereof, all her people (and others) drawing to themselves, and tasting abundantly of the same, may long be preserved, healthfully nourished, upholden in vortue, in true religion & honesty, all the days of their lives, that in stead of thy terrible judgements and wrathful indignations due unto all, for disobedience, contempt and sinfulness, thy most gracious & fatherly blessings (as sweet dews from heaven) may always most comfortably, favourably with speed and abundantly, light both upon her highness, upon her Nobilities whole Court and whole Country, to thine only honour, praise and glory, even in the sight and faces of all her and our enemies: that they may plainly see it, may be ashamed of their error, of their darkness, wilful madness, great disobedience, wicked attempts and contempts, and may be more mindful of thee, thou great God of righteousness, seek most gladly in truth to know thee, to fear thine holy name, to be converted unto thee, and to bless with us in righteousness all the days of their lives, thorough thy son jesus Christ, and for his sake, our only saviour, our only mediator and advocate. Amen.   

XI. Against vain hope and pride.  
O Lord, that art only omnipotent, 
How we should for the great love of God, lone him again.  mild and merciful, and the only perfect hope of thy beloved inheritance: upon whom thy grace hath most freely abounded, and whose sins thou haste remitted, by the only oblation, sacrifice and blood shed of thy dear form Christ jesus: for which purchase and most precious redemption, thou only requirest of them, but to be beloved again: and that with an upright staysdnesse, an assured strength and true confidence only in thee: and not otherwise vainly, in any vain man, or other treatures: and that they be not haughty in their own eyes, but possess even in thy sight & in themselves, the spirit of meekness, and of most lowly submission: we most entirely beseech thee, to strengthen us herein with thine: heavenly grace, to stay us unto thyself, & to make us humble in our own eyes: that imitating the steps of thy son, we be not ashamed to bear in thy sight, the contempt of this wretched world, and to become with all lowliness and mild subjection, even very slaves to all others, for the loves sake of thy dear son jesus: whose rule of Humility we have most truly professed, and thereby promised to bear with patience, both poverty and all other afflictions in this vale of wretched; nesse, where, when, and in what manner so ever it shall please thee to lay them upon us.  
O Lord, so uphold thou us with thine heavenly grace, that we stay not simply upon our own selves, or put our trust in others: but flee fast from ourselves and from all others, and put our whole and only hope in thee: endeavouring with all our powers (both of body and mind) to obey thy will, & trust only in thee, that thou wilt always be the ready helper of our good wills, and a most apt furtherer of all our honest meanings. Let thy mercy (O Lord) so be upon us, that we be not vainly puffed up, or put confidence either in our own knowledge, or in the policy of any mortal man: but only depend upon thy Divine & fatherly providence, which both helpest and géevest thy grace to the humble, and thrustest also down the lofty and proud. So temper us lord with thine heavenly grace, that we glory neither in our richesse if we have them, nor yet in our friends if they be mighty, (for thou most mighty God haste dominion over their power, and when they are aloft, and exalted in their glory, thou throwest them down, abatest their courage, and destroyest them with thy heavy hand:) but to glory (as we aught) only in thee, which dost freely minister unto us all things necessary, and distressed above all, to give thine own self wholly unto us. Thou (O Lord) haste led us the way to true humility: that whether touching either the mightiness, 
Humility.  beauty or cômlinesse of the body (which being stricken with some light disease, is by and by overthrown and defaced) we in no wise advance ourselves. And lest we stand most vainly in our own conceits, whether for our own towardness, wisdom, wit, or in other things, judge better of our own selves than we do of others, we greatly offend and fall into thine heavy displeasure, and bring thy wrath upon us: because we esteem them not as thine own proper gifts, and so be thankful unto thee for them. O grant unto us therefore (most gracious God) thy spirit of meekness and true humbleness, that we may walk rightly before thee, and have in ourselves and in thy sight, clean hearts, constantelaithe, and most sure hope and confidence: traving continually thy spirit of romfort, patiently thereby to bear our cross, to follow the example of our saviour Christ, and to bear with joy the afflictions of this life through his merits, precious death & pastion. Amen.   

XII. Against Covetousness.  
IF we (O thou just & terrible God) could now thorough thy grace, even in the midst of all our iniquities, heaping daily iniquitis upon iniquity, remember yet in time, thy certain deter mination and threaived judgement upon this world, 
God threateneth the world for sin.  & the plagues thereof shortly enstring for the wickedness of end 〈◊〉 heart: and as thou haste told: us by thy Prophet Esay, to lay to 〈◊〉, to make the face of the whole earth desolate, and scatter abroad all the inhabitoures thereof, because they have offended thy laws, changed thine ordinalires; and made thine ever lasting testament of 〈…〉: receiving therefore with we, their most sharp & bitter portion, the taste of thy divine fury, utter shame, desolation & swift confusion: O what cause have we then to remember in these our days (if through grace it might be for good) this most vile sin abidng the rest, the outrageous 〈◊〉 covetousness, 
The Canker covetousness how it reigneth.  that so diversity worketh the disglory of thy name, & spoileth thy church's welfare? Which, in the estimation of this world so langely reigneth, so universally; so familiarly, yea, & also mercilessly: overfloweth all, devoureth all, hath all at his beck, and hasteneth fast upon this geiteration (an evil and pitiless generation doubtless, in the end now of this old rotten world) the sudden and strait performance of thy hideous and fearful premises. O Lord our God, most dangerous is our states, our days are most evil, our deserts are great, we have sinned grievously, thy plagues are justly prepared, and thy judgements to condemnation, by thy justice are at hand upon us. For who in effect can say (from any sin) his heart is clean? or rather most monstrously against nature, not to be defiled? either who can in conscience say, that he feels not in himself (as privately for himself and corruptly,) this most hurtful and infectious malady of the soul? which amongst, all other contagious evils, is most perniceous, and by the devil himself deeply grafted in us, and is by him so closely crept in unto us, that it hath joined itself, ever to the very secret affections of our hearts, showing itself a most diligent worker, 
covetousness how it worketh.  a busy labourer or minister, to the procuring, breeding, increasing, nourishing and bringing forth of corruption ruption and sins innumerable, covertly lurking in our filthy flesh, & sowly to the death, issueth abroad in his time. For it is (as saith thine holy Apostle) the root of all mischief: and that all such also as are the Ravens and greedy Gripe's or gutlings of the world, and desirous of the deceitful riches thereof, fall without stay into temptations and snares, and into many beastly, foolish, and noisome lusts, which draw them into temptation and destruction. 
Covetousness, the worshipping of Idols.  Also, he calleth it, a worshipping of idols: it spoileth God of his honour: and is thereby in every place of the holy Scriptures condemned and forbidden, as a sin most heinous, horrible, devilish and damnable: because it is a most cursed and venomous evil, tied to ambition, haughty and vainglorious, full of maliciousness, full of cruelty, very tyrannous, and greeoely hunteth after blood: the deep set seed doubtless of the devil, who was a murderer from the beginning, & hath therewith by his subtlety, 
Covetousness he we it hath prevailed.  marvelously prevailed upon the earth, and brought into subjection, not only the most unfaithful, very rejects, and wicked cast aways from thy favour, (who being but earthly, set their whole felicity upon earthly things) but even the very professors also of thy most holy and blessed religion. For in all estates and degrees, from the most to the lest, from the highest to the lowest, all are defiled therewith, all bend their wits most gracelesly and inordinately to unsatiable covetousness, exceeding far the limits of necessity, scraping & gathering together, as the children of diffidence & very worldlings, 
Children of diffidence.  contrary to the law of nature, contrary to the law of charity, or christian holiness and purity, whether by right or by wrong, by hook, by crook, by extortion, by oppression, by flattery, by perjury, sorcery, usury, bribery, simony, privy conspiracy against town, city, prince and the whole country: greedy of vengeance, yea, by what means so ever it be, & often by most wilful consent to murder, whether of others, or through indigence, lack of sufficiency, or by some sinister stroke of fortune, desperately destroy themselves. Such are our wills to wickedness (oh lord) that being void of thy grace, we sink deeply into all abomination, & are altogether without moderation or stay of our appetites affectionately grubbing for more & more, till death cut us short, till our mouths be filled with gravel, 
Abac. 2.  or till we heap up (as the Prophet saith) thick clay against ourselves, feeling the justice of the righteous god, from whom we are fled, and have put our only affiance, in wicked and vain filthy Mammon. To the end therefore (O most loving God) we may in thee be better staid, our lives in thy fear more aptly framed, and our faulty faiths more christianly reformed, grant that by thy word we may truly know thee, obey thy will, put our only trust in thee, love thee, as our god of mercy, and reverence thee as our Lord of justice. Grant unto us the influence of thine heavenvly grace, that our graceless, indurate, and most barren hearts, being thus bewitched and hardened by the devil, may he by thee most graciously reformed, fruitfully tempered, deeply endued, thoroughly softened, sown with thy celestial seeds, well harrowed rowed and made truly profitablé, that thy holy Church, may thereby be speedily purged of this very present and most pestilent infection, now reigning with outrage over all the world. Whereof, because our lives standeth not in the abundance of these vanities which we here possess, thy son Christ left straight charge unto us (the professors of his name) in any wise to beware of Covetousness. Root out therefore we pray thee (O God) from our hearts, our unsatiable and greedy desires. O incline our hearts unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness: but yielding to thy will with contented minds in our calling, we may in all our necessities, cast gladly our cares upon thy back that art truly rich, almighty, a ready helper, very mindful and merciful unto us, for our sufficient relievement, and to further thereby thy glory. Prepare us to be charitable, free hearted and liberal, to have in us the bowels of compassion, to be pitiful always to the poor, to yield to sufficiency, too neither riches nor poverty, to remember we nakedly entered this world, that we shall carry nothing out of this world, that we must forsake the world, for it will forsake us, away needs we must, we are here but strangers, our years are but few, our calling sudden, death tarrieth not, death spareth not, death arresteth, our reckoning must be made, our judge is just, our witness is true, our sentence is determined, our place appointed, our reward prepared, and most preciously purchased (O heavenly father) for thine holy elect & obedient children, by the only death and blood shed of thy son our dear Lord & saviour jesus Christ. Amen.   

XIII. Against Adultery and Whoredom.  
Forasmuch (O eternal God) as thou only art most righteous, pure, holy, & undefiled, and abhorrest from thine heart, the stinking sin of lust, adultery, whoredom, fornication & such like: and requirest also of us in the vij precept, that in our lives & conversation we be like unto thee in all purity & holiness, and in any wise not to defile or once spot ourselves, with the attempts of unlawful lusts or wantonness: 
Constancy in chastity.  but constantly hold & keep fast, the integrity of our faithful promiss made unto thee our only Lord God, both in the calling of our sole lives, 
Sole life.  and in the holy state also of matrimony (which in the sight of thee, is very honourable, of high perfection, and great excellency) and is amongst men in thy holy Church, 
Matrimony a fountain in God's church.  as it were the lovely fountain or well spring of good life, not only in the beautifying of themselves thorough their own clearness in chastity, but floweth forth also (by example & doctrine) with most sweet taste to their own beloved offspring and family, and to the apt seasoning likewise of the single and unmarried sort: we most humbly beseech thee to take from us in our weakness and frailty, the violent power of flesh and blood, and to quench in us continually, 
The corruption of flesh and blood.  the raging lusts of our unclean & sinful bodies: which inwardly moveth violently stirreth, striveth, woundeth, inflameth, burneth, altereth sore the body, amasseth the mind, spoileth the senses, maketh men mad, or turneth the unwise of the world quite beside their wits. O God, that art maker of all makind, thou seest all things, thou beholdest all our doings, thou knowest the affections of our hearts, and how by nature, we are naturally inclined to such evil, and given to feel in our weakness, the smarts of our infections, boiling & soming fumes of the fickle and frail flesh, 
The power of flesh and blood, and what they work.  and stirred daily thereby to great abominations and filthiness, to hasten upon ourselves, the heat of thy furious and fierce vengeance, because we have vowed, as thou haste commanded, such evils to be eschewed, and none adultery or the sick uncleanness to be commicted: for as thou (O Lordo) haste called us, so have we yielded to thy call, and promised thee, to walk before thee in purity and holiness of life, being made of many members, one body and one spirit with thee: and therefore from the heart to abhor all uncleanness, and not to be defiled & made the members of an harlot: for we know, that no fornicator, filthy adulterer, whoremonger, abuser of himself with mankind, no unclean person nor weakling, shall inherit thine heavenly kingdom, O father of all merey and grace, let not the desues then of such corruption and vurlenlinesse, faston their root of death upon us, neither to be given over to an unshamefast and obstinate mind, flying from thy holy will in our profession, contemning the act ●●…table countels of the godly or also neglect the terrible examples of thy justice a written for our learning, 
The punishments of God for uncleanness of lice.  and to print with faith in memone, that for such abomination and wickedness, thou haste plagued the ear the: The old world was drowned, the Sodomites, the rest of the .v. Cities, and their whole country, with fiery flames, sulphur and Brimstone from heaven were destroyed: with such other like the terror of thy vengeance, by sharp plagues & punishments upon others, clearly mentioned in thy holy scriptures, plainly approved in other histories, and daily both known and felt amongst us. O most gracious & loving father, created therefore in us we beseech thee, hunble, contrite & clean hearts, renew within our bowels right spirits, and turn all voluptuousness away from us, that neither in thought, word, nor deed, we willingly offend the sight of thy majesty. And grant that whether we live unmattried, or in the holy state of Matrimony, we may lead our lives in purity, true holiness and chastity.  
And when at any time we feel in ourselves to be assaulted with temptation, or stirred by evil lust to commit obhomination, we may then have strength of thy grace to set before our eyes, thy justice, the reward of sin, the terror of death, the day and end of this life, the gnawing worm of our conscience, thy terrible doom, the challenge of the Devil, the everlasting torments, and the horrible pains of hell. And that we living in our christian calling and holy profession, in all purity both of body and soul all the days of our lives, we may receive in the end the reward of everlasting felicity, & see thee face to face in thine eternal and most glorious kingdom, thorough thy son jesus Christ. Amen.   

XIIII. A Prayer against swearing and blasphemy.  
WHen we (O holy & eternal God) have in remembrance (as we be charged) thy precise will and commandments, given generally unto us all, and binding us all from evil: namely among the rest, not to take the name of thee our god in vain, nor in any wise to abuse it, 
To be a blasphemer of God's name, is rather the property of an ethnik than a Christian.  as doth the wicked Ethuieke, (that knoweth not thy name) irreligiously, vainly and falsoly: but at all times to, consider well: of it, highly to extol it, and have it in dureverence, as behooneth the faithful lovers and professors of the same, lest we be 〈◊〉 of thee accursed and guilty, and sustain as thou hast threatened, thy most just and sharp revenge: we are here greatly occasioned to consider our present and most dangerous state, how unperfect, wretched and damnable it is in thy sight, through our deadly fall from thy will in this holy precept, and are now driven cyther to seek remedy at thine only merciful hand, or to perish in hell eternally: we beseech thee most humbly (O thou God of all grace) that as thou beholdest in us, the error of our lives, and our corrupted inclination to all sin and vanity, 
The error of our lives.  contrary to the prescript rule of thy holy law, and to seek thereby (as much as ut us lieth) the disglory of thy name, & to work our own shame and utter confusiou: so to grant now unto us, that our souls in their uncleanliness, horribleness & blasphemous state, may be truly purged of all infections, 
The power of God's word.  deadly darkness, wilful malice, & ignorance, and the sights of them refreshed, quickened, made lively and perfect, by the bright light and true faith in thy holy word, that they may clearly and comfortably see, know, and behold the true glory of thy majesty, & thereby also inwardly feel the sweet promises of thine heavenvly grace, the free pardon also of all our sins, and the receiving of us into thy grace & favour, not for any thing at all in ourselves, but for thy son Christ jesus sake: through which only mercy and great goodness granted unto us in him, thou art, and of right ever oughtest to be only estomed of us, only praised, magnified, and highly reverenced, 
The mercy of God in Christ.  as thy name (in heaven & in earth) most condignly of all requireth: which is from us, even so much in every respect, as we in deed truly know thee in thy son Christ: by whom only and through grace in him, we are stirred most worthily to extol thy most glorious and holy name: but not so lightly by custom to profane it, and unreverently abuse it: whether by cruel blasphemy, contempt of thine heavenly word, true religion & doctrine, or otherwise in our sinful conversation, or evil manner of living. Take us therefore we pray thee to thy mercy (O Lord) and that soon, for great is our sin and iniquity, in this accustomed sin of blasphemy. O set thy fear speedily before our eyes, and shut not up from us the knowledge of thy truth, 
The inconue niece that followeth the want of God's word.  our director to righteousness: but kindle inwardly into our souls, the light thereof: least in the deadly darkness, pride and great perversity of our wicked hearts, we do daily degenerate, turn from our profession, fall willingly from thee, become ingrateful, vain, proud and high minded, contumelious & spiteful, shameless, open enemies, and very blasphemous against thee, as the only possessors of the devil, and falling like reprobates, from iniquity to iniquity. Who, for their horrible abuses sake and profanation of thy name, how they shall be worthily plagued (thine hand of justice not being shortened) is plainly evident in thy most sacred and heavenly word of truth. For thou thyself haste said: that what so ever he be that is a blasphemer, & useth thy name vainly and unprofitably, 
The punish ments and plagues of God for taking his name in vain.  shall not escape thy scourges and punishments. And in an other place it is also written: that who so ever useth much to swear, shall be filled with cursings and iniquity: and the plague, which is the just vengeance of thy wrath, shall never departed from his house, but shall in time consume it, and all the inhabitants thereof. Again, we read out of thy Prophet Zacharie, that thou showedst unto him flying in the air, a marvelous large and a great book, even twenty cubits in length, & ten in breadth, wherein was contained the horrible plagues that are prepared for all them which contemptuously, maliciously, vainly, falsely, or rashly, swear by thy blessed and holy name. O Lord of infinite mercies, and long suffering God, that art to be blessed for ever, whose mercies reacheth unto the heavens: 
The necessity of God's mercy.  if thou in these our days of great abomination, cursed blaspheming, & taking thy holy name in vain, so carelessy, usually, and by custom for every small trifle, besides other deadly and damnable sins daily committed amongst us, shouldest in the judgement of thine own cause, flersly rise up against us, or as thy Prophet David saith, extremely mark what is done amiss, O Lord how should we abide it? How should we (most sinful wretches) in these days, abide the terror of thy vengeance, that by thy justice hangeth over us, or should in a moment consume us all like stubble. But thou rewardest us not according to our sins, thy mercy endureth for ever, and therefore to avoid the terror of thy justice, due unto us most disobedient sinners, we appeal to the deep fountains of thy mercy, 
Suit for mercy.  humbling ourselves before thy mercy's seat, with penitent hearts, for the remission of our sins, & that thou wilt not impute them now unto us, but for the glory of thy name, to mollify, to cleanse, and always to keep clean, our hard, stony and evil stuffed hearts, with the deep piercing dew of thine heavenly grace: that where all those terrible punishments and most grievous plagues before mentioned, are already devised, prepared, threatened, and at an instant appointed to fall upon us: we may yet by thy mercy escape them, extol thee in thine unspeakable goodness, 
The sanctifying of God's holy name.  and magnify thine holy name, from our hearts, and with our tongues and voices, and fear to profane or abuse it: not, neither yet thy creatures in heaven or in earth: but most humbly with all joyfulness to attend to thy sons most holy precept: which is, not to swear at all by any thing, but in our communication to use, yea yea, nay nay, even from heart and mouth simply, truly, and without dissimulation: and to pass forth our lives and conversation in our calling, reverently, sincerely, and uncorruptly, as becometh faithful and unfeigned Christians, the true lovers and professors of thine only holy name, which is to be blessed for ever. Amen.   

XU. For the possessing of a peaceable and quiet conscience.  
Sing thy kingdom (O GOD) as thou sayest, is within us, and that it behoveth as thou haste taught us, to have outward things of this world, and the world itself in contempt, and to embrace only with good affect, all inward things, to the beautifying of the inward man, whereby we shall the more aptly feel in deed, thine holy kingdom to come into us: which kingdom is thine, most high, most glorious, 
The kingdom of heaven.  holy, eternal and everlasting, a kingdom of joy and peace in the holy ghost: whereof, the wicked hath no part in possession, but only thine holy elect and precious redeemed inheritance. Grant unto us all we humbly pray thee, such love towards thee, and thine heavenly kingdom, that for thy sake, and for the love thereof, we may contenine ourselves, esteem but light of this life, and set all this world at naught. And being lifted up in spirit above ourselves, and void of all inordinate desires, excelling in our lives in all heavenly virtues, and be such in deed inwardly, as we seem to the world outwardly, our souls may be made fit habitacles to enjoy thy glorious presence with most happy felicity, extolling thy grace, glorying in the works of true holiness, 
A quiet conscience.  and in the testimony of a peaceable and quiette conscience, which is in all men a secret knowledge, 
The nature of a man's conscience.  a privy opener, inward accuser, a joyful quieter of their minds in all their doings, and a witness bearer of the truth, even unto the presence and precise judgement of thee our God.  
O grant therefore unto us (most gracious God) so to be directed by thy holy spirit, that our consciences may be unto us unstained and pure, even as a very perfect and clear glass, speedily to be looked into, and plainly to see in time, with a true and perfect sight, not only the most filthy foul spots and enormous blemishes of our sinful and sick souls, but also the very smallest or beginnings of diseases, by soon quick touch or sharp prick of remorse, whereby fear may be conceived of imminet danger, and by humble suit to flee fast unto thee the most ready, perfect and heavenly Physician, that we may be soon salved with the ointment of thy divine grace: 
Wicked consciences.  and not to be as the wicked, whose consciences are most deeply corrupted, inwardly rankeled, dead and benumbed, through carelessness and the custom of sin: that they cannot once feel, see, nor perceive, their own most loathsome sickness and deformity of soul: until thou (O God) by the stroke of thy deadly dart, layest them open before their faces, to their own confusion, sudden and swift destruction: and so their consciences being now found most deeply wounded, & the worm thereof terribly gnawing, biting and accusing them, they fall most damnably into desperation, without regard of thy majesty, or any hope at all of thy tender mercy. O heavenly father, and the only fountain of all grace, turn thy face from our sins, deliver us from thy wrathful indignation, and so strengthen us by the power and light of thine eternal spirit, that we may be trained to the true knowledge and perfect obedience of thy will: that we may in all our doings, remember our profession and promiss, possess firm faith, which truly quieteth and setteth at rest the conscience of man, fear thy judgements, live uprightly and worthily before thee, glory in the testimony of a good conscience, sprinkled and cleansed with the blood of thy son Christ, 
The con modity of a quiet conscience.  enjoy peace and true gladness, not troubled inwardly, but sleep quietly, not glorying in the praises of men, but rejoice only in thee our God, in thy mercy and grace, in thy holy truth, in the price of our redemption, and in the only most happy state of eternal felicity, which thou hast faithfully promised, which thy son hath purchased, which unto us shall be performed, most happily and in due time, thorough thine only free grace and love towards us, in the precious death and blood shed of thine only son our alone saviour, only advocate and mediator jesus Christ. Amen.   

XVI. To have in remembrance the hour of death.  
CAlling to mind (O eternal god) the fickle state of human felicity, 
Man's life fickle, and but a vain shadow.  & the swift passage of this brickle life, how man standeth here in a vain shadow, freshly flourishing like a flower to day, and can to morrow no where be found, and as quickly forgotten as he is gone: and yieldeth then up by the dint of death, his swift passage to God or to the Devil: O how it behoveth us to startle suddenly, to bestir us, to look about us, and to prepare speedily for so sudden assault? But how shall we Lord, standing in deed in such infelicity, 
The damnable state of mankind in this frail life.  slumbering in such security, so infected with frailty, so compassed with flattery, cloaked in hipoerisie, and overwhelmed with vanity, neither yet feel in ourselves any fight or trouble of conscience, prepare us as we ought, for so convenient a time? Thou knowest (O Lord) as by thy wrath we justly also feel, how sedainly unwares, death cruelly assaileth us, and strippeth us from our pleasures, vain delectations and delusious of this deceitful world. We regard nothing at all, the sudden coming of the son of man: by whose mighty arm (in our forgot fullness) we he worthily stricken to the death, and to our mother the earth again: in whose entrails we were once broad; and out of whose most ponsoned paps, we have sucked the milk, of all our deadly delights: and with the bursting draft of our most beastly excess, we have suddenly overthrown ourselves, and have very willingly fallen, upon thy merciless sword of death. Through which judgement, wort and terrible time, 
In what case we shall stand at the hour of death.  we shall begin then to think (with late wailing and woe) far otherwise of our former lives, than we did before in the lulling days of our carnal delices: we shall then conswer the greatness and gravity of, all our affences, and be deeply tormonted in unsufferable anguishes, 〈◊〉 sorrows, yelling, lauguistying and the avinosse, for our careless & most graceless negligence: because 〈◊〉 our health and tune of felicity, we 〈◊〉 forgetful of thee, us we caved not to tempt thee, we feared not thy threatened vengeance, neither thy Preachers and Prophets, we were unmindful of the end, we considered not the way of all flesh, we remembered not death, neither readily prepared for his sudden coming: 
The black enfine of death displayed.  whose ensign by thy justice, is openly all black displayed, most ugly issuing out of his dark sepulchre, to the speedy destruction of all flesh. Therefore (O Lord) as our lives are wholly in. thine only hand, and are by thee (when we call upon thee) most graciously directed: quicken our hearts to prayer, endue us thorough thy grace, with thine heavenly wisdom, teach us thereby to number our days, to apply our hearts unto wisdom, to be mindful of thee our God, not to be forgetful of our wretched and wicked state, and to remember always thy rightful justice in judgement: that we may endeavour to be such in deed in our lives, as we would wish most gladly to be found at our deaths. O heavenly father, so strengthen us with thy usual and wonted grace, that as we may have this world in most earnest contempt: so we may also as effectually crave at thine holy hand, the daily prospering and going forwards in virtue: pray, that our love may abound towards godly discipline for the form of good living: 
Discipline worketh the form of good living.  yield freely forth the fruits of earnest and true repentance: have ready and priest wills to show true obedience both in body and soul: to be humble and meek in spirit: not to stay at any time the denial of ourselves: to subject ourselves to thy holy will and commandments: and so to lean gladly to the suffering of this worlds calamities: not for ourselves, but for the love of jesus Christ, & for our brethren (for so shall we be known to be the children of God.) All which, if we happily possess, use, and put in daily practice: 
The sweet fruits of good life against the coming of death.  great shall be the cause of our joy, to have good affiance in thy mercy, a sweet taste of good life, and a sure hope by happy death: becoming in the mean while, parient Pilgrims in spiritual poverty, and not regarding the pleasures of this life: that our souls may possess the felicity of thy freedom: be daily lifted up unto thee in this our short race: that we may continually pray, with sorrowful sighings, deep sobbings, inward groanings, and shedding salt tears in our accustomed and most humble suits, bewailing our miserable state, mourning the delay of this bodies dissolution, and yield with patience to abide the stroke of death, that when it, which is the last enemy, shall be destroyed, 
patient abiding of death, bringeth the soul to rest.  our spirits may have rest in thine eternal life: therow the only merits of thy son, our Lord and saviour jesus Christ. Amen. Amen.   

XVII. To have in remembrance the secret judgements of God, and to fear the withdrawing of his grace.  
Having good experience by thine holy scriptures (O thou righteous God) that as thou art most high, most glorious, most holy, 
The majesty and great power of God over all flesh.  wise and mighty, and a great God above all Gods, eternal, and from everlasting: so art thou also a Lord, a ruler, a master, an overseer & a judge over all the doings of men, yea, a severe judge, a straight examiner, an upright & just rewarder: against whom, no man may once rouse or advance himself, stand in his own conceit, or show before thee any proud or haughty countenance: for it is thou only (O Lord) that art omnipotent, whose mighty arm reacheth over all: which advancest and bringest low, which strikest and healest, which woundest and makest whole, which liftest up and throwest down again, which dealest in thy judgement, not after the manner of men, wickedly winking at the sins, generally committed of all, or of a few: but usest uprightness unto all without respect of persons: generally, particularly, to many, to a few, and to some one alone, when their sins before thee are full, and waxeth ripe unto judgement, apt to fall, and ready to feel from thy wrathful hand, the sudden stroke of thy vengeance: for vengeance (annexed to thy power) is only thine and thy just reward: 
God a God of vengeance.  whose judgements for sin, are very terrible, fierce, a flaming and consuming fire, to lick up, catch, burn and devonre, all or some, as the cause shall require, and as by thy justice in judgement thou finest them (for so in all ages, we have both truly heard and known) which examples of thine (in sundry wise) are all written for our understanding and learning, 
God's judgements are to be remembered, and why.  always to be remembered of us, to put us in good mind, to terrify us, to bridle our affections, to fear thy majesty, to seek the true knowledge of thy will, reverently therein to obey thee, and to escape aptly thereby thy just rigour & vengeance, for vengeance is thine, & thou wilt reward, O holy and just god, which also artmost gracious, which sparest when we deserve punishment, in thy wrath thinkest upon mercy, and haste vowed compassion upon the poor penitent, have mercy upon me most wretched sinner: O forgive me all my wickedness past, let thy tender mercy prevent my sins, cast them all behind thy back, and show me again thy comfortable countenance: for my sins sore trouble me, they justly accuse me, thy judgements terribly thunder against me, they sore shake my limbs with fear and trembling, and terrify out of measure, my sore vexed and contrite heart. And if by thine heavenly motion (O Lord) I yet wade further in thy judgements, and consider the very heavens, 
God's judgements are terable and thun dring.  not to be clean in thy sight, but expect the day of their renovation, for further clearness and purity: O how am I occasioned to be the more amazed, and to bewail my wretched state, in the loathsomeness of my corruption. 
The heavens, the Angels, themselves, and the stars fallen from heaven, are all subject to the judgements of god.  And if in the Angels themselves thou haste found sin, and the desert of eternal death, & therefore not spared thy judgements over them, O what shall become of me, earthy, frail, and most sinful wretch? And if also the glorious stars themselves, have in the excellency of their outward clearness and beauty, fallen down from heaven, & abide likewise thy judgement: what shall I a mass of darkness, stime and filth of the earth, look for at thy wrathful hand, having my very secret sins not hid from thee, in their most horrible, loathsome, and poisoned appearance? But yet I beseech thee (O heavenly father) although thou be a straight judge over all thy creatures for sin, whether of heaven or of earth, celestial, terrestrial or infernal, subject to thy will, and to abide justly thy judgement: for thine approved clemencies sake, and tender pity towards me, imprinted still fresh in my memory, and boldened thereby to approach thy presence, so to extend upon me thy great mercy and grace, that as I now crave the continual good motion & inward stirring up of my mind by thine holy spirit, to remember always the burden of my sin, and to fear the terror of thy judgements, for due punishing of the same: so I make unto thee most humble suit, not to be destitute of a lively faith, true trust and confidence in thy mercy and grace, that thou wilt humble my soul before thee, prepare in me a clean heart, and a will inclinable to thy testimonies: that how so ever by thy will and justice, I feel in this world for good thy private judgements, to the purging, repressing, and keeping under, my stubborn and proud flesh: 
God at the last day by his just judgement, rendereth full payment unto all wicked sinners.  at the general judgement day, and in the world to come, that when all works good and bad, shall be reduced to memory, and when a strait account and reckoning shall be made, and a just reward given, celestial or infernal both to body and soul. I may yet escape the fullness of thy payment due for ever to the wicked, by their deadly and just desert. Hear me (O my God of all mercy) and take thou care over me this day, most graciously direct me, confirm and strengthen me in thy ways, least in mine own respect I be found but feeble, and weak, slipping, full of inconstancy, unclean and too too filthy: for there is no will, no power, nor holiness that availeth, no wisdom, no temperance, humility, love, diligence, chastity, or mine own keeping to good effect, without the free direction of thine holy hand, daily government, most gracious preservation, 
God freely by his grace directeth to good life.  defending & holy watching. All which, as they proceed only from thee, and are of thy mere mercy bestowed most bountifully upon me: so grant me grace, (yea the continuance of thy grace) not to be forgetful of thee, but always to remember thee with all humility and thankfulness, euch from the very depth and bottom of mine heart and soul, all the days of my life, and have thenceforth the reward of eternal felicity: thorough thy mercy, and the only merits of thy son and my saviour jesus. Amen.   

XVIII. The Flight of the faithful Soul to Christ, in the exuemitie of temptations, and inward affections of the mind.  
IF I, in presenting myself before thee (O sweet jesus my Lord and only saviour) shall seem by thy gracious permission, some thing to say unto thee, with heaviness of heart for my sins, which are infinite most damnable by justice in thy sight, and most plainly also prove by thy word of truth, that thou art yet bound to be favourable unto me: bond to cast all my sins behind thy back: bound to bestow thy good graces, thy blessings and benesites upon me: yea, and bound also in time, to give unto me thine heavenly and celestial Paradise: I will not do it rashly before thee (my Lord and my God) upon presumption, or contemptuously, or for that I bear not a due and worthy reverence unto the glory of thy divine majesty: neither mean I thereby (in any thing) to diminish the excellency of thine heavenly power: but rather to magnify and extol thine only omnipotency and great goodness, and to stir up myself (even with all humility) to consider in part, the dear love that thou bearest towards me thy most evil and unprofitable servant. O my sweet jesus, 
Christ is challenged, and why?  bear now with me therefore, and first of all remember I beseech thee, thy perfect knowledge herein, that thine eterns and most merciful father, did sand thee into this world and vale of great misery, to the end thou shouldest save me, comfort me in my distress, strengthen me, defend and deliver me most wretched sinner, in all anguishs, troubles, temptations and miseries, both of body and soul, and that my sins should not prevail against me, when I humbly pray and crave thy mercy. 
Christ's obedience to his father, for his flock.  Thou (O merciful and loving Lord and saviour) was obedient to the will of thine heavenly father, like a most lowly and mild child: and for the love sake also which thou hadst to thy flock, like a most dear loving pastor, didst offer thyself to die, even the most cruel and shameful death upon the cross. And also, if in case I did at any time make resistance, rebelliously and wickedly to disobey, to straggle, or stray abroad when thou calledst unto me, turning the deaf ear, would not heart thee: he straightly charged thee, and gave express Commandment unto thee also, that thou shouldest constrain and compel me home again to the fold: and to be also his beloved guest in his heavenly kingdom, at the joyful day of thy marriage. 
The cause of christs death.  O Christ, for this only good purpose, was thou borne unto us: for this cause didst thou humble thyself among us: and for this most happy end, did thy father so plentifully enrich thee, and even filled thee with the abundance of his good gifts & treasures. Therefore, O my merciful Lord jesus, remember I pray thee thy tharge, see thou be mindful of thy good and most holy office: and yield herein to the obedience of thy father's will, as thou art bound and wont to do. 
The bond of the wealth in this world  Thou knowest (O Lord) that all good and just laws, bind those that be rich & wealth in this world, to distribute part of their substance, to the relievement of poor and needy persons: yea, and the richer they be of the good gifts of God, and in the greater miseries they find their poor & needy neighbours, the more are they bound gladly to help and succour them. 
Christ aboundeth in heavenvly riches, charity, power, and joys in comparable.  This I say lord, because I acknowledge thee to be most rich, and of most excellent power, abounding far above all others, in all joys and treasures incomparable: where I contrariwise, am in great sorrow and heaviness of heart, 
The distressed loule.  oppressed with all care and misery, and with extreme poverty and necessity both of body and soul. Wherefore (O Lord) I humbly make suit unto thee, 
Christ humbly challenged.  & challenge thee to be my speedy helper, for that I know thee to be most ready, most willing, most able, and most bound to comfort me. And though I have most grievously offended the eyes of thy majesty, yet because thou art merciful (and I appealing to thy mercy) thou canst not set thyself against me, 
Chryst bound to help, and why.  or withhold thy compassion from me, but art rather bound with all good encouragement speedily to help & secure me. And why Lord should I say this? truly for this cause, the greater (in the excellency of thy holy state) thou dost approvedly found thyself above all other: so much the more art thou subject and obedient to the indispensible law of charity, and to be therefore most merciful unto me: and to be obedient thereunto, is the greatest and most porfecte sovereignty, thou shouldest not be that Chryst of God, unless thou didst gladly participate thy dear love to thy brethren. Yea, I say moreover thou art so much the rather bound to love me, for that thou art mine head, and I the meaner part and menver of thy body. Neither mayest thou say, thou canst not help me: 
christ the head and cow fo●●er of his members.  for although with the flowing fountains of thy grace, thou hast bountifully enriched all the Saints that ever were from the beginning: yet notwithstanding that, thy divine treasures are not so spent, neither sodiminished, but that there remaineth store abundantly for me, 
Store remaineth of God's grace.  and for all penitent sinners. Not no Lord, thou hast treasures yet superfluous, which shall endure for ever: and wilt not thou aid and comfort me thy poor & wretched creature with the crumbs that fall from thy table, for my most joyful refection seeing me now in danger & irk to perish? 
The assured faith of the thirsten soul.  Shalt I think (O Lord) thy compassion so slender and so far from me, that I shall doubt to be refreshed at thy gracious hand? Not, God forbidden, I will never think so evil or slenderly of thee, but rather believe, that as thou art able, so thou wilt in deed help me, and am thoroughly persuaded why. Am not I (sweet jesus) one of thy precious redeemed jewels? And hast thou not spent, 
faith in Christ's blood.  even thy most precious heart blood for me, suffering for my sake, so many & so extreme pains & most grievous torments? Yea, and hast thou not given thine own dear life and soul, to purchase me unto thyself, and to live with thee in thy father's kingdom. And now to relieve or recover me out of danger, shouldest thou show thyself so unkind unto me, that I can not be partaker of thy superfluous store, thine overplus and thine offals? Thy father did so plentifully enrich thee, with so many his worthy graces, to the end, thou (O Lord) shouldest behold in this world the sickness and great necessities of thy troubled flock, and largely again to distribute unto them in their poverty, and to ease them also of their painfulness and infirmity. And because (O my Lord and saviour) I yield and humbly confess me, to be one of those poor, miserable, & scabbed sheep: and acknowledge thee also, the only bountiful, 
Scabde sheep.  good and free physician: I come therefore boldly, and say thus unto thee: 
Chryst the physician.  O Christ jesus, as thy merciful father hath freely given thee unto me, with the fullness of thine incomparable and heavenly treasures, for my ready health, wealth & strength both of body and soul: so I now flee unto thee, most toyfully embracing thee, and in such wise trust in thy mercy, that thou shalt too too much wrong me, if thou stóc from me or forsake me. Yea Lord, I say unto thee, in consideration hereof, thou oughtest not, neither canst thou abanbon or cast me out from thee, but retain & embrace me, for my most joyful & saving health. O Lord jesus, suffer me yet a little to question with thee: Was not thou the very same man, 
Christ humbly challenged.  the same Lord, saviour & god, which by favour, having enriched thine holy Apostles, gavest them also in charge, that they should communicate, deal and divide to others such spiritual riches & heavenly treasures, as thou before hadst given unto them. Should, I judge of thee that givest commandment to others in doing good things, that thou thyself wilt not perform the same? O Lord, as thou art a god of mercy & truth, and delightest of all men to be truly so noted, were it possible for thee to altar one jot of thy purity, most perfect & beautiful clearness of thy godly & divine nature, whereby one sheep of thy flock should quail or found any light occasion of offence? O jesus, as thou art righteous, so art not thou a stumbling block unto the righteous. 
Strong faith in christ.  And truly my soul trusteth in thee: it mounteth up into the heavens before thee, & my faith is lively towards thee. O perform therefore faithfully towards me (as thou art faithful) the which thou didst so justly command unto thine Apostles and to us. Thou certainly dost know that thine heavenly father (at the beginning) filled thee withal virtues, stuffed thee with all treasures, poured his graces upon thee with all plentifulness: to the end that in this world thou shouldest not bend nor set thy mind, properly to possess & gather treasure for thine own self: but that thou shouldest altogether, turn and apply thine endeavour, to see me and the rest of thy poor brethren comforted, safely nourished, kept, strengthened and defended in all assays. And so thou haste done hitherto, 
Rom. 15.  as S. Paul beareth us in hand: for all that thou hast pretended, wrought and suffered from the beginning, 
Christ's incarnation, nativity, & so forth, are all challenged of the faithful soul as his own.  was for me, for thine, and my brethren's sake. Thy holy incarnation therefore, thy nativity and circumcision, thy baptism, thy fasting and praying, thy temptations, thy watchings, thy preachings, thy painful travelling and dangers, thy shameless accusations, spittings and railings, thy bloody sweat, thy woeful and bitter tears, thy cruel and traitorous apprehension, thy cross and most painful passion, thy blood shed, thy life, thy death, thy burial, thy resurrection, yea & thy most glorious ascension, into everlasting life, and all the rest which thou haste done, felt, and suffered, was all for me, they are all mine, and I now challenge them all at thine hand, as mine own. Albina thy divine treasures are mine: yea, and even thou thyself art wholly also mine, 
Rom. 8.  Thy father hath given thee unto me, and thou also was contented that I should possess thee, and therefore thou canst not now deny thyself to be mine. 
Math. 20.  Thou camest into this world to take pains for me, and to serve me: and dost thou not know, that what so ever the servant getteth by his travail, he gaineth it, not for himself, 
Chryst a servant.  but for the use of him whom he serveth. Thou didst like a puissant Prince, triumphantly fight for me, 
Chryst a conqueror.  by waging and winning battle: and therefore the treasures and spoils, the triumphs and victories, which thou then didst get, are altogether mine. It is not now of late O jesus, (thou most victorious and noble Prince) since thou, as with whom were only left these great and precious treasures: and hast thou now bestowed them all? I will not say thine, but my treasures: wherewith thou hast purchased for me a most pleasant place of rest, even the joyful and heavenly Paradise? 
Paradise purchased by Christ.  yea, thou haste also taken possession of it for me: and shouldest thou now go about to dispossess me of mine own, and to deprive me of mine inheritance and right? No Lord no, there is in me no possibility at all to believe that: 
Experience of Christ's good nature, and his mercy.  for I have (in such wise) both heard, felt, and known, diversly and innumerable ways, of thy gracious good nature, and of thy perfect charity and truth, that I must needs confess thy great goodness and liberality towards me, and so to trust truly in thee. Thou hast diligently sought for me, thou haste offered thyself unto me, thou hast so many ways called unto me, and so divers and sundry ways alured me to come to thy most royal and magnificent marriage, promising to accept me, for thy dear beloved gheast: 
Math. xj. xxij.  therefore, I am most certainly persuaded and fully assured, not to be deceived of thee. And thou hast said: he that cometh to thee, 
john. 6  thou wilt not cast him out.  
And now that I most gladly and willingly yield unto thee, and of, good heart come towards thee, wilt thou turn thy face away from me, and not cheer me with thy comfortable & sweet countenance? As I am constrained, and by thy sweet allurements persuaded, or rather enforced (beholding mine own imperfection) to come unto thee, that art altogether perfect: even so art thou (by thy large promises) bound to accept me. Thou didst say: 
joho. 12.  If I shall once be exalted, I will then braw all things unto me. Thy exaltation upon the cross (O Lord) hath been (as I believe) long since performed, as also thy rising again from death, and thine aftention into heaven. These things therefore, thus truly of thee performed and finished, I require thee (O jesus) to draw me unto thee, as thou by thy promiss art most justly bound. I know thou art not angry, or (at the least) not at distance with me: for seeing thou haste commanded me, that I be not at hatred with mine enemy: I can not doubt, but that thou thyself also, keepest truly this thy sweet commandment: and so much the rather to be performed of thee, as thou art more able than I, to express the use of charity. Thou canst not say, that thou art not bound to love me, alleging that I am thine enemy, 
Math. 5.  or that I have done thee manifold injuries (which I must needs most truly confess:) for if by thy precept of charity, thou hast straightly bound me to love mine enemies, to do them good, to help them in their need, and to pray unto God for them: I know right well that in thus doing, thou art much more bound than I Wherefore, if thou wilt not love me as thy friend, love me yet (at the least) as thine enemy do me good, help me in my necessities, and pray to thine heavenvly father for me, as thou art in deed most bound to do. I do assuredly know, that thy virtue, thy goodness, and thine heavenly charity is not so small, nor so stenderly planted in thee, that it will suffer itself to be overcome of mine extreme unkindness or naughtiness: not, how greatly so ever it aboundeth. 
Roma. 1.  Thy commandment chargeth me, that I (in any wise) suffer not myself to be vanquished, by the malice of my enemies: and wilt thou suffer thy self to be overcome, by my diffrétship & lewdness. This verily hath no likeness of truth in it. Thou hast taught and commanded me, that I with doing good to mine enemies, do overcome and vanquish their malice: and I then require thee (O my merciful Lord and only savicure) that thou also thyself, observe this divine precept and commandment of God thy father, as thy godly nature bindeth thee. Pay thy debt I pray thee: that is, 
Christ's payment, and how.  vanquish my vain stoutness, my wickedness & great malice, with the virtue of gentleness, and with thy most bounteous and plentiful goodness. And if I have an heart before thee, hardened as the Adamant rock or Diamond: break it then or mollify it (I beseech thee) with the piercing moisture of thy most precious blood: O steep mine heart well therein, supple it, make it soft, and temper it with the moisture of thy grace. O let thy Spirit then for ever possess me, henceforth assist me, and be my most gracious and good guide, that I may until the end, obey thy most holy wil O work mine heart a new, after thine accustomed manner, and according to thy good promises of old.  
And if thou answer, 
Ezech 16.  that thou hast many times mercifully for given me: 
Ezech. 16.  and that thou therefore wilt look no more upon me, or hearken to my suit. I answer: If thou gavest Peter in commandment, 
Math 18.  that he should pardon his enemies, not seven times only, but seventy times seven times: that is always, and as often as they shall offend him: It followeth then, that thou also art so much the more bound herein than I, for as much as thou dost exceed me and all men, in all charity: and specially, because that I have sinned, 
Sin of Gods elect.  not of any deadly malice, but thorough ignorance and frailty, and for that both I and others, saw not rightly the majesty of him, whom we so offended, neither could we make a right view of the goods which we did loose, nor of the evils, in which we daily did incur. But thou peradventure wilt yet say: I have given thee such plenty of light and true doctrine, by sending my faithful preachers and ministers these many years unto thee, that thou art now without excuse, and thy fault inexcusable. Against this do I yet reply: that even to the jews (thy peculiar people) thou givest such lights to see, and such knowledge to perceive what thou was, that they were yet inexcusable, as thou thyself didst say. And notwithstanding this, 
john. 15.  thou being in triumph upon the Cross, didst make their excuse, and prayed for them, saying: that in putting thee to that cruel death, they knew not what they did. In consideration of which things, seeing thou art mine only advocate, mine only Saviour, 
christ the only saviour, the only advocate.  my God and dearly beloved of thy father, my trust is in thee, that thou wilt have mercy upon me, and pray for me. O pray for me therefore I beseech thee, make mine excuse to thine and mine heavenly father: O save thou me, and then shall I be safe. And if thou wilt yet lay to my charge (O thou just God) that I have with earnest stoutness and rebellion offended thee: mine answer again unto thee is (which seest the secrotes of mine heart) that in so doing I have done it, not wilfully and of malice, but rather of frailty, or through fervency of zeal, with all singleness of heart, to seek only thy glory. Wherein through want of knowledge, and the true light of thy holy cospel, I have disobediently and stubbornly committed iniquity: but yet, not in such wise as doth the damned reprobate, fixedly, of wilful malice, 
Sin of the reprobate.  or as an hater of thee: who by all possible means seeketh thy dishonour, and falleth with all gréedynesse from iniquity to iniquity. Therefore I doubt not but such zeal or frailty joined with simpleness, is pardonable before thee, through the greatness of thy mercy: yea, it is so much the more to the furtherance of thy glory (oh Christ) rather than the only offences committed of mere simplicity, when the largeness of thy mercies so bountifully floweth from thee. Yea, and I know assuredly, that through thy goodness and fervent charity, thou act enforced to vanquish and utterly overthrow my weakness, wickeonesse, malice and blindness, even to the pardoning of all (from the first to the last) that hath been amiss. For if the just blood of Abel called to God for vengeance against his brother to his condemnation, and prevailed, 
The blood of Abel cried for vengeance.  I know that thy blood much more effectually calleth to salvation: 
Christ'S blood calleth to salvation.  and calling, obtaineth abundance of God's mercies for me. Save me therefore (O my Lord and sweet jesus) according to thy promises and bond of great charity: against the which, neither thou oughtest nor canst resist. O save me I beseech thee, and take me to thy mercy, sometune one of thy great enemies, very wicked, very faithless, obstinate, heady and rebellious: but now thy loving brother, thy faithful friend, thine obedient lover, and a sound member of thy body. O save me then I say, comfort my soul, guide me in thy ways, strengthen me, and let not thy spirit depart from me, that I may henceforth joyfully please thee, and tender always unto thy father (through thee) all due praise, honour, and glory, here in this vale of misery, and in the everlasting world which is to come. Amen.  
FINIS.    

 

  

   

¶ Imprinted at London by Henry Bynneman, for William Norton. ANNO. 1572.