The Handmaid to Private Devotion, Part 21 · Friday
The Deuotion for Friday:
The Father worketh. The work of creation on this day
MOreouer God sayd, Let the earth bring forth the liuing thing, according to his kind, cattell, and that which creepeth, and the beast of the earth, according to his kind, and it was so, Gen. 1. 24.
And God made the beast of the earth according to his kind, and the cattel according to his kind, and eueryevery creeping thing of the earth according to his kind: and God saw that it was good, ver. 25.
Furthermore, God sayd; Let vsus make man in our owne Image according to our likenes, and let him rule ouer the fish of the Sea, and ouer the Fowle of the Heauen, and ouer the beasts, and ouer all the earth, and ouer eueryevery thing that crcepeth, & moueth on the earth, ver. 26.
Thus God created the man in his Image: In the Image of God created hee him; hee created them male and female, ver. 27.
And God blessed them, and God sayd to them: Bring forth fruit, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule ouer the fish of the Sea, and ouer the fowle of the heauen, and ouer eueryevery beast that moueth vponupon the earth, ver. 28.
And God sayd, Behold, I hauehave giuen to you eueryevery herbe bearing seede which is vponupon all the earth, and eueryevery tree wherein is the fruit of a tree bearing seed that shall be to you for meate, ver. 29.
Likewise, to eueryevery beast of the earth, and to eueryevery sowle of the heauen, and eueryevery thing that moueth vponupon the earth which hath life in it selfe, eueryevery greene herbe shall be for meat; and it was so, ver. 30.
And God saw all that he had made, and loe it was very good. So the Euening & the Morning were the sixt day, ver. 31.
AND I WORKE The worke of Redemption on this day.
Matth. 27. the whole Chap. as also Luke 23. Mar. 15. Ioh. 19. When he was reuiled, he reuiled not againe; when he suffered, hee threatned not, but committed himselfe to him that iudgeth righteously.
Who his owne selfe bore our sinnes, in his owne body on the tree, ver. 24.
For thine instruction meditate
In the Morning, on the worke of thy Creation.
In the Euening, on the work of thy Redemption, wrought on this day.
For thy comfort apply to thy selfe the benefit of both.
For thy correction check thy selfe for thy
Defacing Gods Image stamped in thee at thy Creation.
Trampling vnderunder foote Christ's blood the price of thy Redemption.
Quicken
Thy thankesgiuing by the Hymne.
Thy sanctity and faith by the exhortation.
Thy zeale and deuotion by the prayer ensuing.
The Hymne for Friday Morning, being the sixt day from the CREATION.
O Come let vsus worship, and fall downe, and kneele before the Lord our Maker, Psal. 95. 6.
For he is the Lord our God, and wee are the people of his pasture, and the sheepe of his hands, v. 7.
What is man, Lord, that thou art so mindfull of him, or the sonne of man that thou visitest him? Psal. 8. 4.
Thou madest him little lower then the angels to crown him with glory and worship, v. 5.
Thou madest him to hauehave dominion ouer thy workes, and thou hast put all things in subiection vnderunder his feet, v. 6.
All Sheep and Oxen; yea, and the beasts of the field, v. 7.
The Fowles of the aire and the Fishes of the Sea, and whatsoeuer walketh through the paths of the seas, ver. 8.
O Lord our gouernor, how excellent, &c. v. 9.
The Admonition for Friday Morning, being an Exhortation to Holinesse of life and conuersation, the ninth BEATITVDE.
THE ANALYSIS.
We are in holy Scriptures inuited & perswaded to Holinesse by
1 Precepts in the
Lawe.
Gospell.
2 The patterne of sanctitie in God the
Father.
Sonne.
Spirit.
3 The Ti…les and Attributes of the Church.
4 The state of Creation at the fi…st.
5 The nature of our Vocation.
6 The end of our Redemption.
7 The effect of Sanctification.
8 The condition of Glorification.
9 The fruites of holinesse which are▪
1 Ioy.
2 Peace.
3 Prosperitie.
4 Dignitie.
5 Euerlasting happinesse.
THE TEXTS.
BE ye holy, For holinesse.for I the Lord your God am holy, Reuel. 11. 44.
GiueGive your members seruants vntounto righteousnesse in holinesse, Rom. 6. 19.
Follow peace with all men and holinesse, Heb. 12. 14.
Put on the new man which after God is created in true holinesse. Eph. 4. 24.
Be in behauiour as becometh holinesse, 1. Precepts. 2. Paterens. so fit in God the Father.Tit. 2. 3.
As he that called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conuersation, 1. Pet. 1. 15.
Thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption,The Sonne. The Spirit. Act. 2. 27.
But ye denied the holy one, and the iust, Acts 3. 14.
Holy men spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost, 2. Pet. 1. 21.
Shee was found with child of the holy Ghost, Mat. 1. 18.
He will baptise you with the holy Ghost and with fire, Mat. 3. 11.
The Spirit of sanctification, Rom. 1. 4.
The Temple of God is holy; which Temple ye are, 1. Cor. 3. 17.
That he might present to himselfe a glorious Church, The churchnot hauing spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy, and without blemish, Eph. 5. 27.
Created after the Image of God in righteousnesse and true holinesse, Reasons drawne from the Creation.Eph. 4. 24.
God hath not called vsus to vncleanenesse,Our Vocation. but to holinesse, 1. Thess. 4. 7.
Let your conuersation be such as becometh the Gospel, Phil. 1. 21.
Walke worthy of the Lord, Col. 1. 10.
I beseech you that ye walke worthy the calling whereunto ye are called.
He hath visited and redeemed his people &c.Redemption.
That we might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life,Sanctification. Luke 1. 71.
Being freed from sinne and made seruants to God,Glorification. ye hauehave your fruite in holinesse, and the end euerlasting life, Rom. 6. 21.
Holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord, Fruites of holinesseHeb. 12. 4.
Reioyce in the Lord alwayes,Ioy. and againe I say reioyce, Phil. 34.
Reioyce in the Lord, ô ye righteous, and be glad all ye that are true of heart, Psal. 31. 12. Psal. 32. 1.
Ye reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and full of glorie, 1. Pet. 1. 8.
The Kingdome of God is righteousnesse,Peace. and peace, and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17.
Blessed: is he that hath not walked in the wayes &c.Prosperitie. Psal. 1. 2.
But his delight is in the law of God. &c. Psal. 1. 3.
His leafe shall not wither, and whatsoeuer he doth it shall prosper, Psal. 1. 4.
Those that honor me,Dignitie. I wil honor.
If thou call the Sabbath thy delight, the holy of tho Lord, and shalt honour him.
I will cause thee to possesse the high places of the earth, Isa. 56. 23. 24.
Blessed are all those that are vndefiled in the way, & walk in the Law of the Lord, Psal. 119. 1.
We looke for a new heauen & a new earth, in which dwelleth righteousnesse, 2 Pet. 3. 13.
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection, on such the second death hath no power; but they shall be Priests of God, and of Christ, and shall raigne with him, Reu. 20 6.
And I Iohn saw the holy Citie new Ierusalem, comming downe from God out of heauen, prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband, Reu. 21. 2.
Hee shewed mee that great Citie new Ierusalem Verse 10.
The way to the … all was not yet made manifest, Heb. 9. 8.
By his owne bloud he entred in once to the holy place hauing obtained eternall Redemption for vsus, verse 12.
The Prayer for Friday Morning, being the sixt day from the Creation.
Composed of
Petitions sutable to the worke of the day
Motiues to … agreeable to the precedent exhortation.
GLOrious Creator and gratious Sauiour of mankind, I lift vp mine eyes & hands to thee, whose hands this day made and fashioned me. I lift vp my heart vntounto thee, who…e heart was this day pierced for my transgressions. I lift vp my bodie and soule to thee, who this day wast lifted vponupon the Crosse to offer an infinite sacrifice for the expiation of the sinnes of the whole world. Let thy hands which fashioned and formed me, sustaine and support me: let thine armes which thou stretchedst on the Crosse embrace me and hold me fast to thee that nothing may seuer me frō thee, Almightie and most wise Creator who hast made me of nothing, suffer me not to make my selfe worse then nothing. Gracious Redeemer, who hast saued that which was lost, loose not that which thou hast saued. Though the malice of Sathan be great, yet thy goodnesse is greater. Though my sinnes be exceeding many, yet thy mercies exceede them, though my corruptions be strong, yet thy grace is stronger. Let it not be in my power or the power of any creature, either in heauen or in earth to marre thy best worke; to deface thine Image which first thou stampedst in me; and after I had slurried and almost raced it out, thou hast by grace renewed it, according to the first patterne, in holinesse and righteousnesse. When thou madest me light, I made my selfe darkenesse, but thou hast turned my darkenesse into light. When I was freed, I enthralled my selfe, but thou hast freed me: when I was straight, I crooked my will, but thou hast rectified it: when I was whole I maimed my selfe, but thou hast healed me: when I was happie I made my selfe miserable, but thou hast rest…red me to my former blisse. Nay I hauehave gained by my losses, and am raised higher by my fall, through thy infinite merciemercy, which hath not onelyonly ransomed me from death, but purchased me an eternall inheritance, and crowne of life in thi…e heauenly kingdome. Sith thou hast done so great things for me whereat I reioyce; sith thou hast prepared such things for me as neither eye hath seene, nor eare hath heard, nor euer entred into the heart of man to conceiue; what manner of man ought I to be in all holy conuersation? How cleare ought those eyes to be which shall see God? How cleane those eares, which shall heare words that cannot be vttered How pure that heart which shall be filled with those ioyes whi…h neuer entred into the heart of man? Thou, ô Father, which hast created me art the holy one of Israel. Thou ô Sonne, who redeemedst me art the Holy one of God. Thou, ô Spirit, which sanctifiest me art the holy Ghost. Thou, ô Father, hast created me according to thine Image in holinesse and righteousnes: thou, ô Sonne, hast redeemed me to serue thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of my life: thou, ô Spirit, hast freed me from sinne and made me seruant to God that I might hauehave my fruite in holinesse, and the end euerlasting life. Our vocation is a holy calling, our societies a holy communion, our stile a holy Priesthood, our assemblies holy congregations, our Coūtrie the holy land of Promise, our Citie the holy Ierusalem, our Charter the holy Scriptures, our immunities holy priuiledges, our seales, which confirme them, holy Sacraments. All our happinesse here is holinesse, and holinesse hereafter shall bee our happinesse. Lord make mee therefore to be so happy heere, as to be holy, and so holy here, that I may be hereafter happy, Amen.
The close out of Scripture.
The God of Peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus, the great Shepheard of the Sheepe, through the blood of the euerlasting Couenant, Heb. 2. 20.
Make mee perfect in all good workes to doe his will, working in mee that which is pleasant in his sight, through Iesus Christ. ver. 21.
The Hymne for Friday Euening.
Wherein the deuout soule
Prayseth God for her
Creation.
Redemption.
Prayeth for
Preseruation.
Glorification.
THE TEXTS.
THy hands hauehave made me and fashioned me; ô giuegive me vnderstanding that I may learne thy Commandements, Psal. 119.
Into thy hands I commend my Spirit, for thou hast redeemed mee thou God of Truth.
O let mee heare thy louing kindnesse betimes in the morning, for in thee is my trust.
Shew thou me the way that I should walke in, for I lift vp my soule vntounto thee, Psal. 41. 8.
Teach mee to doe the thing that pleaseth thee, for thou art my God: let thy louing Spirit leade me into the land of righteousnesse, verse 10.
Set a watch ô Lord before my mouth; and keepe the doore of my lipps, Psal. 41.
O let not mine heart bee inclined to any wicked thing; let me not be occupied in vngodly workes with the men that work wickednesse, verse 4.
O Lord thou hast searched me out and knowne mee; thou knowest my downe-sitting and mine vp-rising; thou vnderstandest my thoughts long befor…, Psal. 139. 1, 2.
For loe, there is not a word in my tongue, but thou ô Lord knowest it altogether, verse 3.
Thou hast fashioned mee behinde and before, and layed thine hand vponupon me. verse 4.
Such knowledge is too wonderfull and excellent for me, I cannot attaine vntounto it. verse 5.
I will giuegive thanks vntounto thee, for I am fearefully and wonderfully made; meruailous are thy workes, and that my soule knoweth right well, verse 13.
My bones are not hid from thee, though I be made secretly, and fashioned beneath in the earth. verse 14.
Thine eyes did see me when I was without forme: for in thy booke were all things written which in continuance were fashioned, when there was none of them before. verse 15.
O how deare are thy counsels to me, … God? O how great is the summe of them? verse 16.
If I tell them, they are more in number then the sands of the sea: when I awake vp, I am present with thee. verse 17.
Lord guide me with thy counsell, and after that receiue me with glory.
Keepe mee as the Apple of thine eye: hide mee vnderunder the shadow of thy wings. Psal. 17. 8.
I will behold thy presence in righteousnesse; and when I awake vp after thy likenesse, I shall be satisfied with it. ver. 16.
The Admonition for Friday Euening, being an Exhortation to Faith in CHRIST.
The principall inducements to stirre vsus vp to faith in Christ, are the
1 Necessity of this vertue in respect of
1 The Commandement of God in generall, to which faith is requisite.
2 All other duties in Speciall,
Praying.
Hearing.
Communicating.
2 The excellencie of it, for it is
Pretious.
Holy.
The faith of the Elect.
3 The certainty of it, for it is grounded on God,
The Father his
VVord.
Oath.
The Sonne his
Promises.
Prayer.
The Spirit his
Earnest.
Seale.
4 Efficacie
1 Extraordinary, as working miracles.
2 Ordinary, as
Victorie ouer the
VVorld.
Diuell.
Iustification.
Saluation.
THE TEXTS.
YE beleeue in God;Faith commanded. beleeue also in me, Ioh. 14. 1.
This is the worke of God, that ye beleeue on him whom he: hath sent, Ioh. 6. 29.
Beleeue in the Lord Iesus, and thou shalt be saued and all thine house, Act. 16. 31.
This is his commandement, that we should beleeue in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ, 1. Ioh. 3. 23.
Earnestly contend for the saith, Iud. 13.
Repent ye and beleeue the Gospel, Mar. 1. 15.
Follow righteousnesse, faith, charitie, peace, &c. 2. Tim. 2. 22.
Without faith it is impossible to please God, As necessarie to all religious duties, as Prayer.Heb. 11. 6.
Whatsoeuer is not of faith, is sinne, Rom. 14. 23.
How shall they call vponupon him in whom they hauehave not beleeued? Rom. 10. 14.
He that prayeth, let him pray in faith, nothing doubting, Iam. 1. 6.
All things whatsoeuer ye aske for in prayer, beleiuing, ye shall receiue, Mat. 21. 21.
The word preached did not profit them,Hearing the word. not being mixed with faith in them that heard it, Heb. 4. 2.
Christ dwelleth in vsus by faith, Eph. 3. 17.
I am the Bread of life:The Sacrament. whosoeuer beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst. Ioh. 6. 35.
He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud, dwelleth in me, and I in him, ver. 56.
He that beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life, ver. 47.
I am the Bread of life, ver. 48.
To them that hauehave receiued like pretious faith with vsus,It is Pretious. grace and peace be multiplied, 2. Pet. 1. ….
But ye beloued, building your selues in your most holy faith, Holy.pray to the holy Ghost, Iud, 20.
Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ according to the faith of Gods Elect, Proper to the Elect.Tit. 1.
As many as were ordained to saluation beleeued, Act. 13. 48.
This is my welbeloued Sonne,Grounded on God the Father his Word. heare him, Mat. 3. vlt.
So God loued the world that he gaue his onelyonly begotten Son, that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish, Ioh. 3. 15.
The Father hath committed all iudgement to the Sonne, that all men should honour the Sonne as the Father, Ioh. 5. 23.
There is another that beareth witnesse of me, and I know that the witnesse he witnesseth of me is true, Ioh. 5. 32.
The Father who hath sent me, himselfe beareth witnesse of me, Ioh. 5. 37.
The Lord sware, Oath.and will not repent, thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchizedeck, Psal. 110. 4.
God willing more aboundantly to shew to the heires of promise the immutabilitie of his counsell, confirmed it with an oath, Heb. 6. 17.
That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye, we might hauehave a strong consolation who hauehave flied for refuge to lay hold vponupon the hope set before vsus, ver. 18.
Go into all the world he that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued; The Sonne his promise.he that beleeueth not shall be damned, Mar. 16. 16.
Verily I say vntounto you, if any man keepe my sayings, he shall neuer see death, Ioh 8. 51.
I am the resurrection and the life; he that beleeueth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he liue, Ioh. 11. 25.
And whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in me shall neuer die, v. 26.
For their sakes I sanctifie my selfe, that they also might be sanctified through the truth, Ioh. 17. 19.
Neither pray I for these alone, Pray.but for them also which shall beleeue in me through their word, ver. 20.
The Spirit it selfe beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the children of God,The Spirits earnest. Rom. 8. 16.
He which stablisheth vsus with Christ, and hath annointed vsus, 2. Cor. 1. 21.
Who hath also sealed vsus, and giuen the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts, ver. 22.
He that wrought vsus for the selfe same thing is God, who also hath giuen vntounto vsus the earnest of the Spirit.
After that ye beleeued ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,Seale. Eph. 1. 13.
Which is the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the purchased possession, vntounto the praise of his glorie, ver. 14.
He that receiued his testimonie hath set to his seale, that God is true, Ioh. 3. 33.
He receiued the seale of righteousnesse, Rom. 4. 11.
Grieue not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption, Eph. 4. …0.
If ye hauehave faith and doubt not,Faith worketh miracles. ye shall not onelyonly do this which is done to the figge-tree, but also if ye say to this mountaine: Be thou remoued, and be thou cast into the sea, it shall be done, Mat. 21. 21.
If I had all faith, so that I could remoue mountaines, &c. 1. Cor. 1…. 2.
Thes… signes shall follow them that beleeue in my Name, they shall cast out diuels; they shall speake with new tongues, Mar. 16▪ 17.
They shall take vp serpents; and if they drinke any deadly thing it shall not hurt them: they shall lay hands on the sicke, and they shall recouer, ver. 18.
Verily, verily I say vntounto you, he that beleeueth on me, the workes which I do shall he do also, and greater workes then these shall he do. Ioh. 14. 12.
See Heb. 11 from the 14. verse to the 35.
Aboue all,Ouercommeth the …. take the shield of faith whereby ye shall be able to quench all the fierie darts of the wicked, Eph. 6. 16.
Your aduersarie the diuell as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuour, 1. Pet. 5. 8.
Whom resist, stedfast in the faith ver. 9.
This is the victorie that ouer-commeth the world euen our faith, The world.1. Ioh. 5. 4.
Who is he that ouercometh the world? He that beleeueth &c. ver. 5.
For ye are the children of God by faith in Iesus Christ, Maketh sonnes of God.Gal. 3. 26.
God who knoweth the heart bore them witnesse, giuing them the holy Ghost as he did vntounto vsus, Acts, 15. 8.
And put no difference betweene vsus and them,Purifieth the heart. purifying their hearts by faith, Acts, 15. 9.
Whosoeuer beleeueth in me shall not be ashamed, Rom. 9. 33.
Behold, I lay in Sion a chiefe corner stone, elect, and pretious; and he that beleeueth on him shall not be confounded, Keepeth from confusion.1. Pet. 2. 6. See Isa. 28. 16. Psal. 118. 22. Mat. 21. 42. Acts, 4. 12.
Iesus seeing his faith, Iustifieth.said, Son be of good cheere, thy sinnes be forgiuen thee, Mat. 9. 2.
Daughter be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole, ver. 21.
Behold, his soule which is lifted vp in him is not vpright; but the Iust shall liue by his faith, Heb. 2. 4.
And Abraham beleeued in the Lord, and it was counted to him for righteousnesse, Gen. 15. 6.
And by him all that beleeue are iustified from all things, from which ye could not be iustified by the Law of Moses Acts, 13. 39.
The righteousnesse of God without the Law is manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, Rom. 3. 21.
Euen the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ to all that beleeue, ver. 22.
Whom God hath set foorth to be a propitiation through faith, in his bloud, ver. 25.
It is one God which iustifieth circumcision by faith, and vncircumcision through faith, ver. 30.
To him that worketh not, but beleeueth▪ on him that iustifieth the vngodly, his faith is counted for righteousnesse, Rom. 4. 5. 6 7. 8. verses.
Being iustified by faith we hauehave peace with God, Rom. 5. 1.
With the heart man beleeueth to righteousnesse, Rom, 10. 10.
Knowing that a man is not iustified by the workes of the law, but by the faith of Iesus Christ, that … iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the workes of the law, Gal. 2. 16.
Who are kept by the power of God through faith vntounto saluation,Saueth. 1. Pet. 1. 5.
For by grace ye are saued, through faith, Eph, 2. 8.
Receiuing the end of our faith, the saluation of our soules, 1. Pet. 1. 9.
I hauehave finished my course; I hauehave kept the faith, 2. Tim. 4. 7.
From hence foorth is laide vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse, Crowneth with euerlasting blessings.which the Lord, the righteous Iudge, shall giuegive me at that day, and not to me onelyonly, but to all them that louelove his comming, ver. 8.
Be faithfull vntounto the death, and I will giuegive thee a crowne of life, Reuel. 2. 10.
Blessed are all they that put their trust in him Psal. 2. vlt.
Verily I say vntounto you, whosoeuer heareth my word, and beleeueth him that sent me, hath euerlasting life, & shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death to life, Ioh. 5. 24.
THE PRAYER FOR Friday Euening
composed, of
Petitions sutable to the worke of the day.
Motiues to faith in Christ, agreeable to the precedent exhortation.
MOst bountifull and mercifull Lord God, who this day createdst man and redeemedst him; formedst and reformedst him, inspiredst him with the breath of life, and expiredst and diedst for him, vponupon the Crosse; shew thy selfe a faithfull Creator in preseruing thine owne workes, and a faithfull Redeemer in houlding thy deere purchase. O let not thy hate of sinne extinguish thy louelove to thy creature. Let not any thing that I hauehave done preiudice thee in the merit of that which thou hast suffered for me. My sins deserued eternall wrath of thy Father, but thou hast borne it. My wonton delights and impure pleasures deserued stripes and wounds, but thou hast receiued them. My hainous crimes deserued death, but thou hast suffered it for me. This day my first parent Adam was made a liuing soule; and this day thou the second Adam wert made a quickning Spirit. This day he sinned in a garden, and this day thou sorrowedst in the garden. This day he tooke the fruite of the forbidden tree, and this day thou wert hung vponupon the accursed tree. This day he was cast into a dead sleepe, and his side opened, and his wite Eue formed of his ribbe, was flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone: this day also thou wert cast into a deadly sleepe, and thy side opened and thy Spouse the Catholicke Church brought foorth, not by water onelyonly, but by water and bloud, the water of regeneration▪ and bloud of explation and sanctification.
This day Adam brought the curse vponupon himselfe and all his posterity; this day thou prouidedst an euerlasting blessing for thy selfe and all thy members. That which he lost thou hast regayned with aduantage: that which he did, thou hast suffered for: that which I owed, thou hast discharged on the very day, by taking all his and our debts vponupon thee, and laying downe an al-sufficient price to satisfie for them. O giuegive me an hand of faith to receiue so much of this infinite sum as may discharge my debt, and strengthen this my hand, that I may hold it fast, and tender it to thy Father, and receiue from him an absolute and generall acquittance signed with thy blood, and sealed with thy Crosse, bearing date the very day of thy consummation of all things at thy death. If thou bad'st required a greater thing we should hauehave done it: for what will not a man doe for his life? How much more when thou …arest belieue, and liue; cast your selues vponupon me, and I will saue you from drowning in euerlasting perdition: receiue the price of your ransome, and bee freed. When thou holdest out the golden Scapter of thy grace, if wee will not take hold on it, wee deserue double d…mnation for refusing so easy a meanes of saluation. Adam belieued Eue, and Eue the Serpent, to her and our ruine: why should not I much rather belieue thy Church thy Spouse, and thy Spouse thy Word to saluation▪ What should with-hold my faith from apprehending, my hope from ex…ecting the promises of thy Gospell, confirmed by so many miracles, test…fied by the Church in all Ages, signed with the blood of so many Martyrs, and … to my soule and conscience by the holy Spirit? Doth it shake and stagger my faith that thy workes recorded in holy Scriptures so farre transcend nature, and the mysteries of sauing truth soare aboue humane reason? But this demonstrateth rather faith to be faith, and thee, ô God to be true God Faith is not faith if reason comprehend it. God cannot be God if nature limit him. Am I the more auerse from embracing thy Gospell, because it crosseth and checketh my naturall dispositions and in clinations? But the cause is most euident: thy Law is iust, holy, and pure; but I am wicked, prophane, and impure. The physick is for the most part the better which the patient liketh worst, because it exasperateth the paine for the time. HaueHave I the lesse louelove and liking to the most holy faith, because it restraineth my carnall liberty and abridgeth mee, or altogether depriueth mee of worldly comforts and contentments▪ But am I not spirit as wel… as flesh? HaueHave I not a Law in my minde controlling the Law of my members? Is it not much better to sowe vntounto the Spirit that I may reape peace, ioy, and life euerlasting, then sowe to the flesh, and of the flesh reape nothing but corruption? Thy Gospell, ô gracious God, restraineth my carnall, but enlargeth my spirituall liberty: it denieth mee sinfull, but it promiseth me holy delights and pleasures: it moderateth the desire and vse of temporarie comforts and ioyes, but assureth mee that my heart shall be filled with eternall. Am I ready to be beaten off from my holy profession and beliefe by blowes, and strokes, persecutions, losses, imprisonment, banishment, scorne of the world and disgrace? This should make mee hold it the faster; for the Gospell foretelleth that these things should befall true b…lieuers: and it is an honour to mee to beare the …adge of m…profession and to drinke with thee my Sauiour in thine owne Cup. It is my profession to be thy Souldier; and he is no Souldier that endureth not hardnesse. I can expect no crowne without a Conquest, no Conquest without a battaile, no battaile without blowes and wounds: and what are these light and momentary afflictions to an eternall weight of glory? Thus doth th… Word conquer my reason, and yet it will not yeeld. I resolue to belieue: Lord strengthen my resolution. I doe belieue, Lord helpe mine vnbelief▪ All things past hauehave so come to passe as the Oracles of thy truth fore-shewed they should, and how then can I doubt of things future reuealed in them? The deluge was foretold 120 yeeres before; and at the prefixed time it ouerranne the whole world. Thy peoples bondage in Aegypt for 400 yeeres, and their after deliuery is no otherwise described by Moses, then it was in a dreame many Ages before deliuered to Abraham. Thou calledst thy Shepheard Cyrus, and thine annointed Iosias by name, to their functions long before either of them, or their forefathers, were conceiued. The 4 famous Monarchs pictured out in Nebuchadnezzars Image, succeeded in their order. The Assyrian represented by the golden head, the Persian by the siluer armes and shoulders; the Grecian by the thighs of brasse; and the Romane by the leggs of yron. And do we not see at this day, the stumpe of that Image, and the feete, partly yron in the Turkish, and partly of clay in the Germane Empire? Thy Birth and Death, ô Sauiour, was fore shadowed in Types, and fore-spoken of by Prophets, euer since the world began; and since thy comming into the flesh, and finishing all things at thy death in Ierusalem: Not a syllable, or one iot of any of thy words hauehave passed without their accomplishment. Ierusalem is destroyed; the Temple made euen with the ground, and neuer could be built againe. The Iewes are dispersed into all nations. The Gospell is preached through the whole world: the man of sinne is eueryevery day more and more discouered; and why should I not then belieue as certainly that the heauens shall passe away shortly with heate, and the elements melt with fire, and thy signe bee seene in the clowdes; and those that are in their graues be awaked with the sound of the last Trumpe, and meete thee in the aire? I belieue, Lord helpe my vnbeliefe. Is it not as easy for thee to raise mee out of ashes, as at the first to reare me out of the dust? to send backe my Spirit into my body, as at the first to breathe it in? I see the seede in the ground, the plants in the garden, dye before they rise and spring vp. I see wormes, and flies, and diuerse other creatures that spend the winter season in a kinde of death, reuiue in the Spring. I see my selfe dead eueryevery night, and aliue in the morning. Why then should I call in question this Article of my beliefe, of all most comfortable? Lord who this euening dist cast Adam into a dead sleepe, and thy selfe fellest asleepe on the bedde of thy Crosse, and awakedst him againe, and raisedst thy selfe out of thy sleepe of death; sanctifie my rest and sleepe this night vntounto me, that I may by it not only be strengthened in my body, and reuiued from my bed of slumber to rise to my labour and trauell the next morning, but also more confirmed in my faith touching the resurrection of this my body out of the bedde of the graue at the last day, So bee it, Amen.
The close out of Scripture.
To him that loued vsus, and washed our sinnes in his blood, and made vsus Kings and Priests to God euen his Father, bee glory and dominion for euermore. Amen. Reu. 1. 5, 6.