The Handmaid to Private Devotion, Part 11
The Admonition for the Euening.
IF any man walke in the day hee stumbleth not, because hee seeth the light of this world. Ioh 11. 9.
But if a man walke in the night hee stumbleth, because there is no light in him. verse 10.
Walke while yee hauehave the light▪ least darknesse come vponupon you; for hee that walketh in darknesse knoweth not whither he goeth. Ioh. 12. 35.
While ye hauehave the light beleeue in the light, that yee may be the children of the light. verse 36.
Worke while it is day; the night commeth when no man can worke. Ioh. 9. 4.
This is the condemnation, that light, is come into the world, and men loued darknesse rather then light because their deeds were euill Ioh. 3. 19.
For eueryevery one that doeth euill hateth the light; neither commeth to the light least his deedes should be reproued. verse 20.
He that hateth his brother is in darknesse, and walketh in darknesse, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because darknesse hath blinded his eyes. 1 Ioh. 2. 11.
Let not the Sunne goe downe vponupon your wrath. Ephesians 4. 26.
And hauehave no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknes but reproue them rather. Eph. 5. 11.
For it is a shame euen to speake of those things which are done of them in secret. verse 12.
Yee are all the children of light, and the children of the day; ye are not of the night, nor of darknesse. 1 Thes. 5. 5.
Therefore sleepe not (in sinne, and carnall security,) as doe others, but watch. verse 6.
Watch yee, for yee know not when the Master of the house commeth, at euen, or at midnight, or at the Cock-crowing, or in the morning, least comming suddenly he finde you sleeping. Mar. 13. 35.
A Hymne for the Euening.
IT is a good thing to giuegive thankes vntounto the Lord, and to sing praises vntounto thy Name O thou most high. Psal. 92. 1.
To shew forth thy louing kindnesse in the morning, and thy faithfulnes eueryevery night. ver. 2.
For day vntounto day vttereth speech, and night vntounto night sheweth knowledge. Psal. 19. 2.
Let the Saints bee ioyfull in glory, let them sing alowd vponupon their beds. Psal. 149. 5.
Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber, nor sleepe. Psal. 121. 4.
The Lord is my keeper, the Lord is my shade on my right hand. verse 5.
The Sunne shall not smite me by day, nor the Moone by night. verse 6.
The Lord shall preserue mee from all euill; he shall preserue my soule. verse 7.
I will lay me downe in peace, and take my rest, for thou Lord makest mee dwell in safety. Psal. 4. 9.
Lighten mine eyes that I sleepe not the sleepe of Death. Psal. 13. 3.
With thee is the fountaine of life; In thy light shall I see light. Psal. 36. 9.
Thou wilt light my candle, and wilt make my darknesse to be light. Psal. 18. 28.
A Prayer for the Euening.
GLorious Creator, eternall, infinite, and incomprehensible God, whose face obscureth the Sunne, and darkeneth the Moone, and shadoweth the Starres, and dazeleth the eyes of the Cherubims, to whom the light it selfe (if it be compared) is but a darke shadow, and the darkenesse is no darkenesse, but the darkenesse and light to thee are both alike, Enlighten the darkenesse of mine vnderstanding that I wander not in the night of errour, and ignorance; but continually walke, as becommeth the childe of the day, in the light of thy truth, and the wayes of thy Commandements. And though the Sunne hath withdrawne his comfortable light from my bodily eyes, yet let the light of thy countenance, and the bright beames of thy fauour still shine vponupon my soule in the middest of thickest darkenesse, and the shadow of death. Saue me ô Father of lights from the powers of darkenesse. Receiue me into thy gracious tuition, and giuegive thine holy Angels charge to pitch their tents about me, that being secured on eueryevery side from all dangers, and feare, I may quietly rest in thee in whom I liue, and moue. And whilest my bodily sences are surprized with sleepe, keepe my soule still awake, that I may be alwayes readie to meete the Bridegroome with my lampe in my hand▪ Let the last trump sound shrill in mine eares to driue away from me the spirit of slumber, and carnall securitie. O thou the keeper of thine Israel, who doest neuer slumber nor sleepe, watch ouer me this night. Behold, into thy hands I commend my soule and bodie, and all things else wherewith thou hast blessed me, being assured that the thing cannot perish thou vouchsafest to take into thy custodie. Grant me I beseech thee, safe, quiet, and comfortable rest, voyde of cares & feares, free from distempers and diseases, as also all dangers, dreames, fancies, pollutions, and temptations. And make it I pray thee as profitable to my soule, as it is necessarie to my bodie, that it may not onelyonly refresh, & strengthen my bodie to the better performance of my daily labours and trauels in my calling, but also settle and quiet my soule in the remembrance, and continuall expectation of that sweete repose, and blessed rest which they enioy that die in thee. Let my sleepe put mee in minde of my death, my bed of my graue, my lying downe of my buriall, my vncloathing of putting off this tabernacle of flesh, my rising againe of my resurrection, my apparelling of putting on the Lord Iesu. Like as the night couereth and hideth all things from the eyes of men; so let thy mercy couer and hide my sinnes, that they neuer come to light, either to confound mee in this life, or condemne me in the life to come. Finally, as it is the nature of sleepe to tye the outward senses, and make fast, and shut vp the organs of my body: so let thy grace restraine my inward senses, and barre vp all the passages of my soule, that the diuell may finde no place to enter into me. Close vp the eyes of my minde, that they behold not vanitie: stop my eares that they heare not follie, and my spirituall smell that it let not in the sauour of death. Set a watch before my mouth, and seale vp the closet of my heart, that nothing enter into the one, or go out at the other, that may defile me. Thus keepe me, and guard me from my bodily and ghostly enemies this night, and as long as I abide in the darke prison of my bodie; and when thou deliuerest me out of it by death, make me partaker of the glorious inheritance of thy Saints in light in the heauenly Ierusalem, which needeth neither Sunne, nor Moone, nor Starres to shine in it, for the glorie of God enlighteneth it, and the Lambe is the light thereof. To whom with the euerlasting Father, and most sacred & blessed Spirit be rendred thankes, and praise now and for euer. Amen.
The close out of Scripture.
Remember me ô Lord with the fauour thou bearest thy people ô visite me with thy saluation, that I may see the felicitie of thy chosen, and reioyce in the gladnesse of thy people, and glorie with thine inheritance.