A Godly Meditation, Part 10 – Part 23
¶ Cogitations mete to begyn the daye with.
THinke firſt that a man conſiſteth of a ſoul and a body, and that the ſoule is from heauen, heauenly, fyrme and immortall, but the body is of the earth, earthly, fraile & mortall. Againe thinke that though by reaſon of ſynne wherin you are conceued and borne, the partes of the ſoul that vnderſtādeth and deſireth be ſo corrupte that without ſpeciall grace to bothe parties, you can neither knowe nor louelove any good thinge in gods ſight, much leſſe doe good then, yet this not withſtandinge thinke that you are regenerate by Chriſtes Reſurrection (whereof youre baptiſme, requireth fayth and therfore hauehave both thoſe partes ſumthing reformed bothe to knowe and louelove, and therfore to do ſum good in ye ſight of God through Chriſt) for whoſe ſake our poore doenges are accepted, for good, the euyl and infirmitie cleauing therto not beinge imputed thorow faith, think yt by faith which is gods ſede (for they which beleue are borne of god, and made goddes children) geuen to thoſe that be ordened, to eternall lyfe, thinke (I ſaye) by faith that you receaue more and more, the ſpirite of ſanctification, throughe the vſe of gods worde and ſacramentes, and earneſt praier to illumine, and lighten our mindes, vnderſtanding, iudgement and reaſon, & to bowe, forme, frame, and inflame your affectiōs with louelove & powre, to that, that good is, & therfore vſe you the means a foreſayd accordingly. Thynke that by this ſprite, you are thorowe fayth coupled to Chriſt, as a lyuely member, and ſo to god, and as it were made one with him, and bi louelove which ſpringeth oute of this fayth, you are made one alſo with all that be of god, & ſo you hauehave felowſhip with god and all good men yt euer were or ſhalbe in al ye good, that god & al his ſainctes, hauehave, or ſhall hauehave. Thynke as by faythe and louelove through the ſpirite you are now entred into this cōmunyon (the bleſſednes wherof no tonge can expreſſe) ſo after thys lyfe, you ſhal firſt in ſoule, & in the laſt day in bodi alſo, enioy foreuer ye ſame ſocietie moſte perfectly whiche now is but begon in you. Thīke then of your negligēce that doth ſo lytle care for this your happy eſtate, thinke vponupon your ingratitude to god for makynge you, redemyng you, calling you, and ſo louenglye adoptynge you.
Thynke vponupon your folyſhnes in fantaſyeng ſo muche earthelye and bodely pleaſures. Thinke vpō your deafnes & blindenes, which hereth not god, nor ſeeth him, he calling you ſo diligently, by his workes, woordes and ſacramentes. Thinke vponupon your frowardnes whiche wyll not be led of god and his ſpirit. Thinke vponupon your forgetfulnes and in conſideratiō of your high eſtate, how your body is the temple of the holy ghoſte, your members, are the members of Chriſte the whole world and all thinges are youre owne. 1. Cor. 6. Therfore ſay vntounto your ſoule, O ſoule Ariſe folowe god, contempne this worlde purpoſe wel and purſue it, longe for thy Lordes commynge, be readye and watche yt he com not vpō thee vnwares. And for ſoo muche as you muſte liue to gods pleaſure ſe the vocation & ſtate of your lyfe wherto god hath called you & pray god for grace, knoledg, & habylitie to take ye moſt profitable thinges in hand, wel to begyn, better to go on, & beſt of al to end the ſame, to gods glory & profit of your bretherne, and thynk that time loſt, wherin you, ſpeake or do not, or (at the leaſt) think not ſum thing to gods glorye, and your bretherns commodytye.
❧ When you goe foorth of the doers praye.
NOwe muſt I walke among the ſnares of deathe, ſtreched out of Sathan and of hys myſcheuous mynyſters, in the worlde, carryenge wyth me a frende to them bothe, and a foe to my ſelfe, euen thys bodye of ſyn and ſynfull fleſhe. O graūde Capytayne Chryſte, leade mee and guyde me I beſech thee, defend me from the plagues, and ſubtilties, wherof I am endaungered. Graunt that I may take al thinges that hap as I ſhoulde doe, onelyonly vpō the ſet thou mine eyes, yt I mai ſo go on forwards in thy wai as by no thinges I be hīdred, but rather forthered and may refer all thnigs to the accordinglye, ſhowe me thy ways (O Lord) and teach me thy pathes. Conſider how vainli ye moſt part of men be occupied, how thei do troble and comber thē ſelues dyuerſly, how thei meddle wt many thinges therby much alienating thir mindes frō the knoledg and cogytacyon of that whyche they ſhoulde moſt eſteme, & ſo becum a let and an offence to others.
As in goynge abrode, you wyll ſe that your Apparel be ſemelye in the ſyght of menne, ſo ſee how ſemelye you Appere in the ſygt of god.
☞ When you are goynge any Iorney Pray.
THy soure lyfe ys a pylgrymage frō the lord we came, and to the lorde we make oure iorney, howe be yt through thenyſhe placys and paynefull, yea perrilous waies whiche our cruell enemyes, hauehave and doe prepare for vsus, nowe more thē ſtark blinde by reaſon of ſinne. O Chriſt, whiche art a moſte true lodes man and guide, and therto moſt experte, faithful and frēdly do thou put out thine hande open mine eyes make thy hyghe wais knowē vntounto me, which wai thou diddeſt firſt ēter into, out of this corruptible life, & haſt fēced ye ſame for vsus to immortalytye.
Thou art the waye, lead vsus vntounto the father by thy ſelfe, that all we mai be one with him as thou and he together be one. Showe me the way that I ſhould walke in for I lyfte vp my ſoule vntounto thee. Pſal. 144.
¶ Or Pray thus.
MErcyfull father yu art wont to ſend to thy ſeruāts & mē of ſimple hartes, thyn angells to be their kepers, & as it were guides as elder bretherne to watch vpō thi weake childrē, ſo diddeſt thou to yoūg Tobias, to Iacob, to Abrahās ſeruāt, to Ioſua. &c. O good god thogh we be much vnlike vntounto thē (ſo many ar our ſins) yet for thyn owne goodnes ſake ſēd thin holi angels, to pitch thir tentes about vsus, frō ſathā & his ſlaues to hyde and deffende to carry vsus in there handes that we come not into furder daūger thē thou through out wilt deliuer vsus, for theyn owne ſake. His Angelles or miniſters for them that be heirs of ſaluation, ſathan ſleapeth not, but ſeekethe alwayes to deſtroy vsus. Hebr. i. Thynke ſomthing how we ar ſtraūgers from our contrey from our home, from our original, I meane from god. Agayne thinke vpō your madnes that doe lyngar & loyter ſo gladly in this our Iorneye, and pilgrimadge. Alſo how foliſhe we ar to fantazye things whiche we cānot carry with vsus, and to contempe conſcience which will always be acompanyon to vsus, to our ioye yf it be good, but to our ſhame, and ſorrowe yf it be euyl and corrupt, finally howe vnnaturall we ar yt ſo lytle deſyer to be at our home, to be wt our onelyonly father, maſter, fellowes and frendes. &c.
¶ Whē you ar aboute to receaue your meat praye.
THis is a wonderful miſtery of thy worke, O maker and gouernor of the world, that thou doeſt ſuſteyne ye lyues of mē & beaſtes wt this meates, ſuerlye this power is neither in the bread nor foode, but in thy wil & worde, by whiche worde all thinges doe lyeue and hauehave their beinges. Again, how great a thing is it, that thou art able yearly to geue ſuſtinaūce to ſo many creatures, this is ſpoken of by thy prophet in thy prayſes. All things loke vp to the & thou geueſt thē meat in due ceaſon, thou openeſt thyen hāde & filleſt with thy bleſſing eueryevery liuing thing, thes dowtles are wōderful workes of thyne almightines, I therfore hertely pray the (O moſt liberal lord & faithful father) yt as thou by meate through thy word doeſt miniſter life to thes our bodies, euē ſo by ye ſame worde with thy grace doe thou quicken our ſoules that bothe in ſoule & body we may pleas the til this our mortall carcas ſhall put on immortalitie & we ſhall nede no more anye other foode, but the onelyonly whiche thē wilt be al in all, taſte & ſe how good the lord is, bleſſe the lord (O my ſoul) which tedeth and filleth thy mouthe with good thinges. Thinke a litle howe greate gods power is yt made vsus. Alſo thinke how great his wiſdome is to preſerue vsus. But moſte of all thinke how many things ar geuē to our vſe, how wōderful it is to geue vsus lyfe, but moſte of al to propagate to immortalytye the lyfe of the ſoule by his onelyonly becke. Laſte of all thinke that god by his prouidence for thy body wold hauehave the to confirme thy fayth of gods prouidence for thy ſoule.
¶ In the meale time pray.
O Moſte liberall dyſtributor of thy gyftes, which geueſt vsus all kinde of good thinges to vſe, thou beynge pure geueſt pure thinges, graunt to me thy grace, that I myſe vſe not thes thy gracious giftes, geuen to our vſe and profites. Let vsus not louelove them becauſe thou doeſte geue vsus theſe things, but rather let vsus louelove the, bycauſe thou geueſt them, and for that they be neceſſary for vsus, for a ceaſon tyll we come vntounto thee. Graunt vsus to be conuerſaunte amōgſt thy giftes ſoberly, purely, temperatlye, holely, becauſe thou arte ſuche a one, ſo ſhall not we, turne that, to the poyſon of oure ſouls, which thou haſte geuen for the medicine of our bodies, but vſing thy benefites thankfully, we ſhall finde them profitable, bothe to ſoule and body, thinke that the meates & drinkes ſet before you, ar geuen to you to vſe and not to abuſe, thinke they ar geuen to profit and not to hurte you. Thinke that they are not geuen to you alone, but vntounto others alſo by you in eatinge, and drinkinge, thinke that you, do but fede the wormes, remember the poore pryſoners, ſicke. &c. as though you were in their caſe thinke vpō the foode of your ſoule Chriſt body broken & his bloud ſhed. Deſyer the meate yt laſteth for euer. Iohn̄. vi. work for it, Chriſt meate was to do his fathers will. Iohn̄ the fowrthe.
¶After your meate pray thus.
BY corporal meates thou doeſt ſuſteyne our corporal daylye life (redy otherwiſe to periſh) the which ſurely is a great worke but yet this is much greater more profitable, & more holy yt thy grace (O Ieſu Chriſt) doeth kepe awaye frō vsus ye death of ye ſoule, for this life we ought much to thāke the, & becauſe thou doeſt prolong it with thy good giftes, we moſte hartely prayſe the, howe be it this life is but the way to eternal life, which we beſech ye for thy deaths ſake yt thou wilt geue vsus, & ſo ſhal we not onelyonly geue the (as we cā) thākes in time for tēporal things but alſo eternal thankes, for eternal thinges. O graunt to vsus thes our deſyers for thy mercies ſake. Amē. Thinke now that god hath geuē the this his bleſſing of meat &c. and therto tyme yt thou mighteſt, as repent, ſo ſeke his glory, & the commodytie of thy brotherne, therfore go ther aboutes but firſt pray for grace well to begyn, & agayne cōſider how thou haſt byn partaker of other mens labors, as of the huſband mans, the millers, the bakars, the browers, the butchers, the cookes. &c. Se therfore that thou be not adroen bee, but rather ſuch a one, as may help ye hyeue, yf god hauehave thus fed thy body, which he leueth not but for thy ſoules ſake, how can it be thē but that he wilbe much more ready to fede thy ſoul. Therfore take a courrage to the, and go to hym for grace accordinglye.
¶ Cogytations for about the midday tyme.
AS ye body is now enuirō ned on al ſides wt light, ſo See that thy mynde maye be. As god geuethe the, thus plentifully this corporall light, ſo praye him that he wyl geue the, the ſpiritual light, thinke that as ye ſon is now moſt cleere ſo ſhall our bodies be in the day of iudgement. As now the ſon is cum to the higheſt, and therfore wilbe gyn to draw downwarde ſo is there nothinge in the worlde ſo parfect and glorious, which (when it is at the full) wyll not decreaſe & ſo wear awaye.
¶ When you cum home agayne. Praye.
THer is nothing (O Lord) more lyke to thy holy nature, thē a quyet minde, thou haſt called vsus oute of the troubleſome diſquietnes of the world into that thy quiet reſte & peace, whiche the world cannot, geue, being ſuche a peace as paſſeth all mens vnderſtāding. Howſes ar ordeyned for vsus, yt we mighte get vsus in to them frō the iniury of wether, from the crewelty of beaſtes frō dyſquietnes of people, & from the toyls of ye world, O gratious father graūt that through thy great mercy my body maye enter into this howſe, from outward actiōs, but ſo that it may become buxom & obediēt to the ſoule, & make no reſiſtaūce there agaynſt. That in ſoule and body, I may hauehave a godly quietnes & peace to prayſe the. Amen. Peace be to this howſe and to all that dwell in the ſame. Thinke what a returne & how merry a returne it wilbe to come to our eternal moſte quiet and moſte happy home, then wilbe all grefe gon awaye, what ſo euer heare is pleaſaūt & ioyful, the ſame is nothing but a very ſhadow in cōpariſō &c.
¶ At the ſon goyng downe pray.
O Howe vnhappye ar they O Lorde on whome thy ſonne goeth downe & geueth no light, I mean thy grace which is always cleer as the midday, darke night vntounto them is the midday, whiche departe from the, in the is neuer night but always day light moſt cleer. This corporal ſon hath his courſes, now vp now downe, but thou (deere lord) if we doe louelove the art alwais one, O that this block and vaile of ſyn were takē away frō me, yt thear might be always cleere day in my mind. Thinke yt as we ar not ſory whē ye ſon goeth down, by cauſe we knowe it wyll riſe agayn, euē ſo let vsus not ſorow for death, wher through the ſoule & body doe pa…e a ſonder for they ſhall eftſones return & cum together agayne. So long as ye ſon is vp, wild beaſtes kepe their dēnes, Foxes their borows, Owls their hoals &c. but when ye ſon is down then cum they abroade. So wicked mē and hypocrites kepe their denns in the goſpel but it beynge taken awaye then ſwarme they oute of their hoals lyke bees as this day doeth teach.
¶When ye candles be light pray.
MOſte thycke & darke cloudes doe Couer our myndes, except thy lyght (O Lord) do dyſpell them. Thy ſon (O moſt wiſe worker) is as it were a fyer brande to the worlde, thy wyſdome, wherby light commeth bothe to ſoule and bodye is a fyer brand, to the ſpirituall world. After daye when the night commeth, thou haſte geuen for the remedy of darknes a cādle After ſyn for the remedy of ignorance thou haſt geuē thy doctrine which thy dere ſon hathe brought vntounto vsus, O thou whiche art the Author and maſter of all truethe make vsus to ſe, by both the lightes ſo that the dymnes of our mindes be dryiuen cleane awaye, lyft vpō vsus thy myrthe in our hartes Thy worde is a lanterne to my feete & a lyght vntounto my pathes. Thinke that the knowledge and wiſdom, that god hathe geuen vntounto vsus by the cādles of this night, wherby we ſe thoſe thinges in this night, of our bodies whiche are expedient for vsus, maketh vsus to wiſhe muche more for this doctrine of God, and when we gette yt, the more to eſteme and diligētly embrace it yt as al would be horror without candeles, ſo is thear nothinge but mere cōfucion whear gods worde taketh not place.
¶ When you make your ſelf vnredy Praye.
THis our lyfe and weake knit body by reaſon of ſynne, by a lytle and litle, wil by dyſſolued, and ſo ſhalbe reſtored to the earth whence it was taken, then wilbe an ende of this vanyty, which by our foliſhnes we hauehave wroughte to our ſelues, O moſte meke father ſo do thou vnty vnloſe, and loſe me for thou haſte knyt me together that I maye perceaue my ſelffe to be made vnredy and diſſolued and ſo maye remēber both of whome I was made and alſo whyether I go leaſt I be had vnprepared vntounto thy trybunall and Iudgement ſeate, Put of tholde man with his luſtes, & concupiſcens Be content with Ioſephe to put of thy pryſon Apparel, that thou mayſt put on newe. Thinke yt we doe willingly put of our garmentes, which in ye morninge we ſhall put on agayne, and therfore in the, after the night of the worlde, we ſhall receaue on out bodies agayne let vsus not vnwillingly put them of, when god by deathe ſhall call.
¶Whē you enter in to your bed Praye.
THe daye nowe endyd men geue them ſelues to reſt in the night and ſo this life fyneſhed we ſhal reſt in death. Nothinge is more lyke this lyfe, then eueryevery daye, nothing more lyke deathe then ſleape, nothing more lyke to our graeue then our bed, O lord our keper & defendor graunt ye I nowe layeng me downe to reſte, beinge vnable to kepe my ſelfe, may be preſerued frō ye craftes & Aſſaultes of ye wicked enemy, & & graunt father, yt whē I hauehave run ye race of this liffe thowe woldeſt of thy mercy call me vntounto ye that I may alwais liue & watch with the, now good god giuegive me to take my reſt in the & bring to paſſe that thy gracious goodnes may be (euen in ſleape) before mine eys, that ſleaping I be not abſent frō the, but may hauehave my dreams to drawe me vntounto the & ſo bothe ſoule & bodye, maye bee kept pure and holye for euer. I wil lay me downe in peace & take my reſt. Thinke yt as this trobleſum daye is now paſt & night cū & ſo reſt, bed, and pleſaunt ſleape which maketh moſt exelent princis, & moſt poore peſaūtes a like, euē ſo after ye tumultes, troubles tēptationes & tempeſtes of this life they yt beleue in Chriſte hauehave prepared for thē an heauen and reſt moſt pleaſaunte and ioyfull. As you ar not a fraied to enter in to your bed, and to diſpoſe your ſelfe to ſlepe, ſo be not a fraide to dye but rather prepare your ſelfe to yt, thinke that nowe you are nerer your ende by one days iorney, then you wer in the morning
¶When you feele ſlepe to be cō mynge praye.
O Lorde Ieſus Chriſte my watchman and keper take me to thy care graunte that my body ſlepynge, my mynde maye watche in the, and be made mery by ſum ſight of that celeſtiall & heauenlye life whearin thou arte the kyng & prynce together with the father & the holy ghoſte. Thy Angelles & holye ſoules, be moſte hapie citeſens. O purify my ſoul kepe cleane my body, that in both I may pleaſe the, ſlepinge and wakinge for euer Amen.