A spirituall propine of a pastour to his people

A spirituall propine of a pastour to his people

Table of contents

Title page

Contents of the Buik.

TO THE REVERENDE Fathers and Brethren, Elders of the Congregation of Kilrinny, and haill flocke committed to their gouernement; the Pastor, wisheth, grace, mercie, and peace, from God the Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ.

TO THE PASTORS. SONNET.

TO THE READER. SONNET.

THEOCRENE.

GOD HIS WEALE.

TO THE BVIKE.

SONNET.

A SONNET ENCOMIASTICK to the Buike.

TO THE READER.

The Author to the Reader, anent the Commendatorie Sonnets.

ANE SHORT EXHORtation to prayer prefixed.

Morning prayer before ye enter to warke.

Forme of blessing before meate.

Grace or thanksgiuing after meate.

Prayer after meate.

Euening Prayer.

The maner how to vse the Catechisme in verse, pleasandly and fruitfully.

A maist pithie prayer, for obteining of the working of the halie spirit, be the word and Sacraments, taken out of the 1. &. 3. Eph. & Phil. 3.

A Praier for the Sabboth day at Morne.

For the Sabboth at Night.

A prayer before the halie Communion.

A meditation of the faithfull saule with God, after the receauing of the holy Communion.

Ane short exhortation anent tryall.

That Christians ought to try themselues alwaies, and namely, before they come to the Table of the Lord: For thir reasons easie to be gathered of the Texts following.

Textes of Scripture.

Before the Communion.

Follow the forme of tryall in particular, of miserie and mercie, be thir seuerall pointes and columnes.

The forme of tryall and examination, taken of all sik as ar admitted to the Table of the Lord.

1 PART.

2 PART

3 PART.

4 PART.

The saules delight.

§

§

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A SPIRITVALL PROPINE OF A Pastour to his People.

HEB. 5. 12.

You whom it behooueth because of time to be teachers, hes neede againe to be taught the elements of the speaches of God.

IAM. 1.

19 And sa my beloued brethren, let all men be swift to heare, slaw to speake, slaw to wrath.

21 And casting away all filth, & excrement of euill, with meekenes, receiue the ingraft Word, whilk saues your saules.

22 And be you doers of the Word, and not hearers onely, beguiling your selues.

EDINBVRGH PRINTED BY ROBERT Walde-graue Printer to the Kings Majestie. 1589.

Cum Privilegio Regio

Contents of the Buik.

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1 The Epistle dedicatorie. Fol. 3.

2 A short exhortation to Prayer. 5.

3 A Morning Prayer. 8.

4 Blessing before meate. 13.

5 Grace or thanks-giuing after Meate with Prayer. 14.

6 Euening Prayer. 15.

7 The maner how to vse the Catechisme in verse, pleasandly & profitably. 17.

8 A Prayer for the working of the holy Spirit. 19.

9 A Prayer for the Sabboth at Morne. 20.

10 A prayer for the Sabboth at Night. 22.

11 A Prayer before the holy Communion. 24.

12 A meditation after the Communion. 26.

13 Ane exhortation anent tryall. 30.

14 That Christians ought to try themselues alwaies, and namely, before they come to the Table of the Lord. 34.

15 A forme of tryall in particular, of miserie and mercie, be their seuerall columnes and poyntes. 39.

16 The forme of tryall and examination taken of all sik as presents themselues to the Table of the Lord. 42.

17 The saules delight. 52.

18 A Poeme for the practize of pietie, in deuotion, faith and repentance: Intituled, A Morning vision, wherein the Lords Prayer, Beleefe, and Commands, and sa the Whole Catechisme, and right vse thereof, is largely exponed. 53

19 The Lords Prayer paraphrased. 63.

20 Confession of the justifying Faith paraphrasde. 73.

21 Repentance Oration. 91.

22 Precepts of Repentance. 96.

23 A paterne of true Faith and Repentance. 105.

24 Ane ample and playne paraphrase, proponed be Repentance, vp [...]on the Ten Commands 116

25 The song of MOSES. Deut. 23. in verse. 134.

26 The feeling of sinne and force of faith for saluation. 140.

27 The Sea mans shout, or mutuall exhortation to go forward in the spiritual voyage. 143.

28 The way and end of Voluptie and Vertue. 145.

29 Sundry Sonets.

TO THE REVERENDE Fathers and Brethren, Elders of the Congregation of Kilrinny, and haill flocke committed to their gouernement; the Pastor, wisheth, grace, mercie, and peace, from God the Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ.

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REceiue Reuerend Fathers, louing brethren, and deir flock, this Spirituall Propine: conteiniug in short summe the substance of that exercise of tryall, wherewith ye are acquainted in dayly doctrine, before ye communicate at the Table of the Lorde, togidder with the grounds of the doctrine of godlinesse and saluation, contryued in a peece of not vnpleasand and verie profitable Poësie. As I hope the ha [...]y Spirite be experience sall make you to proue and finde with exhortationes, and allurements to the earnest and holy practise of Pietie, in Deuotion, Faith, and Repentance. For vnderstanding your custome to be, to ease the langour of time, and irksomnes of your labours with singing▪ whilk is a gift naturallie giuen be God to many for that effect, and the mater of that mufick amongst the common sorte, to be vaine and profane▪ seruing to sop the saule in sinne and vncleannes, and steir vp the corrupt and filt [...] affectiones thereof to evill lustes, and seiking of occasiones to fulfill the wicked desires thereof; I thought it my dutie to indeuour to draw you to the right vse of Musick and singing, the whilk [Page] being sanctified be gud and honest matter, and holy disposition of heart, makes meikle for godlie edification and comfort. For the measures of poësie & harmonie of musick (as I finde be daily experience in my awin familie) delytes the mind, and sa helpes the memorie very meikle, to embrace and keip fast the matter, and stirres vp and sets the force of the soules affectiones towards God, in pleasand meditation thereof. The reason is euident and naturall, because that like drawes to like, and delites therein, and that whilk delites, leaues a stamp and printe in the memory, and moues sa the affectiones, that it is not easielie remooued. Now it is certaine that measures, harmonie, gud order, and temperature, are like to the nature of man, & maist friendlie and amiable thereunto: Seeing the gud constitution of the bodie, standes in the gud temperature of the humours therof; sa hes the saule also the awin sort of temperature: If not in the nature, yet euidently in the faculties and affectiones thereof, meruelouslie mooued and disposed be the measures temperature, and harmonious melodie of Musick and Poësie. And the same also I take to be the cause why method and gud order is the mother of memorie, & delectation in all thinges. This the God and maker of the saule and spirites of men, knawing best, hes set downe his haly will and veritie in sacred scripture: not onely in plaine and simple prose, as in the storie, Prophets, and writings of the Apostles: but also in Poësie and verses, meit to be vttered with the melodie of Musick; be voyce or instrument; And that but question for memorie and delectation, to bring foorth halines, whereby he might be rightly worshipped, and men made to atteine to that happines that is in the presence of his face, and inioying the light of his count [...]nance, where Angels sing without cease, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hostes, the warld is ful of thy glory, as are the b [...]iks of Iob, of the Psalms, Prouerbs, Ecclesiastes, & that maist sweete & pleasand Song of songs; & that [Page] song of MOSES, commended be God to be put in the mouth of the people, and sung continually; with many ma [...], baith in the old & new Testament, be that renowmed father of the kirk. T. B. prettelie put forth in French meeter: The translation whereof, for your profite also I haue begunne to assay. And therefore, as I cease not to commend vnto you maist instantly these poësies of Scripture: namely, the Psalmes of DAVID, & vther holy Prophets and men of God, whilk ye haue in your handes, set out of old in meeter, as the maist pretious treasure of instruction and comfort of the saule and inward man▪ Sa also for the same cause, I carefully recommend vnto you, this your Catechisme, & instruction in the right way of the true seruice of God, and atteyning to saluation be Iesus Christ, included in this little Poëme, and framed to the common toones, wherewith ye are best acquainted: To the end, that yee imploying the misused time therein, may haue the groundes of Christian Doctrine imprinted in your memorie, with delyte and pleasure, and be moued and stirred vp to grow in knawledge and feeling of true godlines, whilk is profitable for all things: And that ye may know, this is the very will and command of God, for your speciall weill fare, fight, and lay vp in your hearts, thir places and exhortationes of Scripture following, with the whilk, the Spirite of Grace and sanctification might mightelie work, that ye may practise and obey the same. 1 Tim. 4. 7. 8. Cast away profane fables and auld wiues tales, and exercise thy self in godlines. For bodiely exercise profiteth little, but godlinesse is profitable for all thinges, hauing the promises of this life, and that whilk is to come. Ephes. 5. Harlatrie and vncleannes, and greedinesse, let them not be named amangst you, as becomes halie people, and foule and daft talk & bawdry, away with that: but rather thansgiuing. Knawing this, that na harlot, vncleane person, nor auaritio us, sall inherit[Page]the Kingdome of Christ and God. Let nane therefore deceiue you with vaine talk, for the whilk the wrath of God, comes vppon the children of disobedience. Be not therefore companions vnto them. Euill communing, corruptes good maners: Speak vnto your selues, in Psalmes, & Hymnes, and spirituall songs, singing vnto the Lord with grace in your hearts. Coloss. 3. 16. 17. Let the speech of Christ dwel amangst you rifely with all wisedome, teaching & admonishing your selfes mutually, with Psalmes, and Hymnes, and spirituall songs. And whatsoeuer ye do in worde or deed, doe it in the name of the Lord Iesus, giuing thanks to God the Father, throw him. To the whilk effect also, receiue this sentence of BASILIVS the great, in his Epistle to GREGORY. What is more blessed (sayth he) then man being on the earth, to imitate the consent of the Angels that are in heauen, soone be day-break, to go to prayer, and with hymnes and songs to worship the Creator. Thereafter, at Sunne rysing, to go to wark in na place without Prayer, and finally, with songs, as with salt to season the actiones. For hymmick cohortationes, brings a glad and cheerefull equabilitie to the minde. Now, there are many maa things whilk I haue thought neidfull and expedient for your vse and profite, as the iust exposition of the Beleefe, Commandes, Prayer, and Sacraments, as they are Sabbothly exponed and teached vnto you. Demands of storie, and poynts of Scripture, that our ordinary proceeding therein, may be the better be remembred, for profite in knawledge and practise: Spirituall meet medecines for your accustomed diseases, that maist and oftenest moueth and troubleth the weake flesh: as seiknes and searenes of bodie, trouble and griefe of mind, losse of geare, death of the deerest, and siklik, declaration how dangerous are the sinnes that are maist common amongst you, & prouoks God to wrath, & to strike with sik [Page] plagues, that the same may be remooued & amended▪ description of the particular duties of superiors toward their inferiors, & contrair, & of your chiefe trades & ca [...]ling be sea & land, that euery ane knawing and doing their duties, in their ranck & ord [...]r, your Kirk, common-weill, and societies may stand & florish [...]n ane halie and happie estate: and finally, the substance of the solemne actiones, wherby we glorifie God, & edifies ane another, in our publick assemblies; as of Baptisme, the Supper, Fasting, Thanks giuing; Ordination of Elders, & solemnization of Mariage: All the whilk be seueral treatises, are purposed & minuted for your memorie, & salbe ready as ye sal require, that the paines taken in the doctrine of these points, & actions, both past & to come, may be the mair profitable, when ye sal haue the substance thereof shortely abridged ready at your hande, to be re [...]ewed with your eyes, and renewed in your minds, as your neede sall require. It is true, that many of thir things are better done & set down be vthers: but cōsiddering that the diuersity of Gods gifts, in conceiuing & vttering of the self same substance of doctrine, is als greate and wounderfull amangst men, as the varietie of proportion, and lineaments of their faces and persone is: And that the forme wherewith people are accustomed in daylie hearing, is easiest for their conceiuing and memorie in writ: Ioyning herewithall, the liking ye haue of your awin, and respect of that vnl [...]wsable coniunction in the Loue of Christ, whilk often being assayed, could neuer, nor hereafter (be Gods grace) can be distolued betuixt vs. I was perswaded that this little peece of paine, would not be superfluous and vnprofitable, howbeit, the like were done of euery Pastor to their flock: For I protest (the truth to al, that the special respect of your profite, deir flock) after dyuers years deliberation, hath thus put out my name in print whilk vtherwaies suld either haue lurked at hame, or shawin the selfe with appeirance of greater profite to the cōmon weil of Christianity. But seeing you ar the only tallent [Page] of the Lords gudes concredit to me: It sufficeth abundantly, if in any small measure I may better you, and with sum increase present you againe to my Lord at his comming. Wherefore my earnest desire is, that you Reuerend Fathers, and louing brethren of the Eldership, mindfull of the weight of your charge, and of the solemne aith and obligation, maid before God, his Angelles aud Kirk thereanent. Take faithful and diligent care that this word of life dwell plentifully, first in your awin hearts, and nixt in your families: fra the whilk as fountaines of liuing waters, it may flow vnto the heartes, houses and families committed in particular to euery ane of your charge, & therefor relief of your sauls at that great daye, when the chief Pastor sall appeare to receiue a reckoning of your Stewartrie. And the dayly wish of my heart is for the effectual working of the quickning spirit of Christ in all your hearts, wha ala [...]nerly is able to bring forth the effect of the knawledge & feeling of thir things in the practise of a renewed life, and sanctified conuersation, to confirme you mair and mair in the assurance of your election and calling to the airship of eternall life in Christ Iesus the only Sauiour, Sonne of man, and God ouer all blessed for euer. From Ansteruther, the 20. day of Nouember. 1598.

Your Pastor, louing and faithful be the grace of God vnto the death, IAMES MALVILL.

TO THE PASTORS.
SONNET.

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VVIthout a ground, we big into the aire,

And sa our wark dois vanish with the wonde:

Thought in appearance it be neuer sa faire:

Na profite permanent thereof is found.

If with our flockes, we lay not weill the ground

Right sure and solide, of the Catechisme,

Of all our paines, na profite can redound,

To plant the truth, and banish Atheisme:

And poesie, it is na Paganisme:

Bot sweit in Oyntment of the holy Sprit:

For sik as seikes their God in Christianisme.

To ken and keip, the mater fallen meit.

Great profite then this little paine may yeild.

Our flockes in Christ till edifie and beild.

M. R. D.

TO THE READER.
SONNET.

WAuld thou be sure of soveraine remeide,

Thy wearied saule maist sweitly to refraiche.

Wauld thou with courage beare the deadly seide:

Against the devill, the warld and wicked [...]laiche.

Wauld thou be strong and stoutly byde the braiche

Of Satans slights, and cause of Christ debate.

Wauld thou devise his shamles face to daiche.

And all his troupes by faith for to defate.

Wauld thou on earth approch to heauenly state▪

And being man, an Angels life to laide▪

In songs to sound the praises care and late

Of him wha thee and all the would hes maid.

Imploy thy time, thy tongue▪ and thine ingyne.

And chuse, and vse, this spirituall propyne.

M. I. D.

THEOCRENE.

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NOn ego Parnassi cupiam iuga, non iuga Pindi:

Aut optem Aonias, aut Heliconis aquas,

Vna Theocrene, riget vnda, & recreet aura.

Vna Theocrene, satque superque mihi.

Flumine quae saturet pectus, quae flamine mentem

Impleat, hinc suadae plena medulla meae.

A. M.

GOD HIS WEALE.

I Cair not for Parnassus bankes, nor Pindus stately breas,

For Theocren her streames and aire, dois me refresh and ease.

Nor wish I for Aonis welle, nor springs of Helicon,

For Theocren aboundantly, dois me content alone.

Quhilk plennishes my breast and mind, with water and with wond:

Sa that my beames with Swadas mearch, dois fullelie abound.

TO THE BVIKE.

O Blessed booke of peaper permanent!

O right resembler of a liuely grace!

No barren bi [...]h of coyle and time mispent,

No loftie luste with false and fardit face,

Be not ashamed; thou bear [...]the verie trace

And paterne vine of heauenly influence:

The voyage, way, and Pilo [...]e vnto peace,

A mate for myrth▪ the gyde for gouernence▪

Mounting on heigh vnto divine essence,

Then drawing thence rare [...]ew of happie store,

For Woe, for Wealth for Faith, for conscience,

Yeelding in end for paine a perfite lore.

Go range about the coastes and countries all

Thou leadst aright to life celestiall.

M. I. I.

SONNET.

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THe liuely Lampes of great Iehovaes licht

Quhilk driues the deadly smoke of sin away

The grounds of grace, the gage of glorie bright

The way to wealth quhilk sall indure far ay.

As Salue for saules, a solide plat to pray

At morne, at nicht, and vther seasons mei [...]

A truth to [...] the state where thou suld staye

A healthsome hyue of heauenly songes sweit.

Behald thou hes, in weichtie, wise, discreit

And pleasant style, a schort and reddie way.

To Paradyse with pleasures all repleit,

To reigne and sing O holy, holy aye.

Pray and assay herein sum space to spend.

Giue place to grace, and God sall blesse the end.

M. W. S.

A SONNET ENCOMIASTICK to the Buike.

O Lampe of light, and guyd for gouernence,

O booth of blis, and garden of all grace,

Leade-stearne to life, a craig for conscience

O Floure of faith, and peirles pearle of peace,

O rule of right, of truth the verie trace,

O Sinayes sight, and glansing glasse of glore,

For weaknes strenth, for mirth a pleasand mace,

Sweit songs for Saints, of stedfast ioyes a store.

O key of knowledge, lyne of heauenly lore,

O well of wisedome, vow of vertues al,

O schield for sinne, and salue for euery fore,

O hearts true health, and trustie friend in thrall,

Go shaw, but aw, thy comely countenance

Naman, weill can, thy comforts recompance.

M. I. C.

TO THE READER.

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GIff pleasure may perswade, or mater moue,

If profit may preuaile, or mirthe allure:

Heir stay thy hart, ô heir repose thy loue,

Heir sall thou finde, quhilk may thy loue procure:

Heir pleasure, game, and mirth quhilk sall indure,

Quhen earthly pleasure, game, and myrth decayes:

Tak paines and proue, prooffe sall thy hart assure,

None gets the gaine, bot he wha prooffe essayes.

Wey, vse, apply: away with fleshly stayes.

Delite, reioyce in heauenly musicke sanges:

Sen Poesie heir warkes, and faith arrayes.

Array thy hart with all that them belanges.

Quhen griefe and sorrow hes my hart opprest:

Resorting heir, I finde both ease and rest.

M. I. C.

The Author to the Reader, anent the Commendatorie Sonnets.

J Pat my papers in su [...] Pastors hand

To be perus de, and censur'd sikkerlie.

When they returnd, I lurke on them and [...]ande

Them weill be-deckt with Sonnets as you sie.

Take not their praises (Reader) meaned of me:

B [...]t of the mater quhilk my Muse intreats:

O [...] that their loue, would wish my Buik to bie

Als gud indeed, as in their kynd conceates.

For like as honest men of their estates,

Allowes not foolish flattring words and wain [...]

Sa certainely my ha [...]t extreamely hates,

Sik praysing as may justly moue disdain.

Think weill of all, this onely they profes.

To prayse the TRVTH that they may it embres.

ANE SHORT EXHORtation to prayer prefixed.

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PRay continually, sayes the spirite of God be his Apostle. 1. Thes. 5. 17. And not without cause: for it is the maist Godly, charitable, profitable, comfortable, honourable, and sa the best exercise of al vther, nathing can giue God mair his awing glory, procure the weil of our brethren & selues at the handes of the onely giuer of al gud, moderate vs in prosperity, comfort vs in aduersity, and make vs hamely with God, aduising, commoning, cōplaining, rejoycing, sorrowing, intreating, and putting him to charge, as his awin friends & children, louing and familiar, nor faithfull, trewe and earnest Prayer. And therefore aboue all things for thy weil obey the halie Ghaist, exhorting in another place, Phil. 4. 6. Be the same Apostle. Be not ouer carefull of nathing: bot in al things let your requests be knawin to God be prayer and supplications, with giuing of thanks, and the peace of God quhilk passes al vnderstanding, sall keepe your hearts in Christ Iesus. Lay then the right foundation of prayer solidely, to wit, the cōmand & promise of God, saying. Psal. 50. 16. Cal vpon me in thy neede, and I wil heare thee. And of Christ assuring. Iohn. 16. 23. Verelie, Verelie, I say vnto you, whatsoeuer yee aske the father in my name, hee sall giue it you, aske and yee sal receaue, that your ioy may be [Page]full. And Math. 7. Aske and it sall be giuen you, seeke and yee sall finde, knock and it sall be opened vnto you. What is the man amang you, that if his sonne wil aske him bread, will giue him a stone, and if he aske a fish, wil giue him a serpent: If then yee that are ill, can giue good things to your children: how meikle mair your father that is in heauen sall giue good things to them that askes. Without thir warrands obeyed and beleeued, we durst neither come neare God, quha is a consuming fire, nor hope for any thing at his handes: bot obeying thir commands, & fixing our faith firmly on the promises, we may bauldly frequent the throane of grace with certainty to receaue, as God kennis to be gud for vs.

Prepare thy selfe before thou pray, that thou come not rashly before God, to offer the sacrifice of fooles. Eccle. 4. 17. Be earnest in prayer, and that whilk thou prayes for, namelie, in amending thy waies, preasse for to practise, and sa sall thou finde thy prayer effectuall, be kindely in loue and affection towardes God and his children, cleaue vnto God and walke with him continually in thy meditations, yea, euen when thy hands are occupied in thy calling, let thy heart be occupied with thy God, and his gud spirite shal inspire thee maire and maire: and baith teach thee what to pray, and how, and steir thee vp with sighes and sobbes, and zealous motions in the minde that cannot bee expressed be the mouth. And so what euer thy estate be on the earth, thou shalt be with him as it were in heauen, in respect of that contentment, peace, joy, comfort, and consolation whilk shalbe furnished vnto thee thereby.

Now it is craued of all Christians, that they be acquainted with the voice of Christ, speaking to them [Page] by his word, that they may be able to halde purpose & confer in prayer with their God and father, and that in halie and heauenly language & meeter, quhilk onely is pleasaunt before him, and that with such diuersity & aboundance, as times, places, and occasions craues, filling first their necessitie and want, and syne beleeuing his all sufficiencie and readines, to heare and graunt their petitions. Sa that if al had attained to that perfection, quhilk euery one should preasse vnto, it were superfluous & vnmeete to set down formes of dyted and conceaued prayers. And I would earnestly exhort you deare brethren, sa to heare, reade, studie, and meditate the word of God, that with sanctified zealous & wise heartes, and with holy and diuine language, yee might at al occasiones, as your need and adois craued, speake vnto your God, and tell him your awin tale without a trinchman, or words put in your mouth be others, with the whilk your minde cannot be mooued before yee read or heare them. But since sa it is, that sum mon altogidder speake be the mouth of others, til being accustomed they learne themselues. And others waulde haue sum grounds and formes, whereby to frame and direct their prayers, namely, at the ordinar priuate times of Gods worshipping, as Dauid and Daniel were accustomed at morning, noone, and euening-tyde to pray. That as they haue the rule and substance of all lawefull prayer sette downe by our maister Christ: sa they may learne to apply the same to the vse of particular seasons and occasions with thanksgiuing to God, edifying of their houses and companies, and comforte of their awin saules: for helpe therefore of thir defaultes in your children, families, and companies, and many of [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] your selues; I haue conceiued and set downe certaine formes of prayers and thanksgiuing, beseeching you in sick sorte, & sa lang onely to vse these, till it shall please the holy Ghaist, be the exercise of the word of God to instruct and plennish your hearts, so that out of the aboundance thereof your mouths may alwaies speake to the praise of God, edification of others, and your owne perpetuall joy and consolation. For in this maner seemes the Prophet HOSEA, to command the people to take wordes vnto them, & dite vnto them a forme of penitent prayer. Cap. 14. Turne Israel vnto IEHOVAH thy God, for thou hast fallen throw thy iniquitie, take with you words and turne vnto IEHOVAH, and say vnto him, forgiue all our iniquitie, bestow thy gudnes on vs, and we sall repay the calues of our lippes. ASSHVR cannot saue vs, we sall not ryde on horses, neither sall we say anie mair to the worke of our hand, O our God, for by thee the people or fatherles find mercie.

Morning prayer before ye enter to warke.

‘Let the wordes of our mouth, and the meditation of our harts be acceptable vnto thee, O Lord our rock and our Redeemer.’Psal. 19. 15.

O Great Creator of all things, our gratious Lord & sweet father in Christ, we the warke of thine awin hands, thy pure seruands and children maist humblie adores and worships before the throne of thy majestie, acknawledging and extolling thee for thy wonderfull warkes, al wrought of thy gudnes, in power and wisedome inspeakeable, in making of all, vpholding of al; & [Page] ordering and ruling of all, for the weill and comfort of man; whome thou haste appointed, Lorde ouer all thy creatures: that of him aboue all wher thou might bee serued and glorified. Lorde, we heartely thank thee for all thy benefits sa largely bestowed vppon vs, that our hearts cannot sufficiently think on thē, meikle lesse our mouthes expresse them, as for that thou hast this night watched over vs, keiped vs from al danger of bodie & saule, & giuen vs comfortable rest for refreshing of the wearines of our weak nature, humbly beseeching thee for thy mercy & grace, in respect of our manifolde sins committed against thee this night, & all the nights and times of our life by-past; that in the lawer of the precious blood of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Sauiour, al our vncleannes of saule and bodie may be washed away. Suffer not Lorde our sins to stay the course of thy blessing, and bring on vs thy fearefull curse, as maist justlie they deserue; bot rather amend vs be a maire forcible working of thy spirit of grace and sanctification: That as thou continues the course of time, the day after the night, and night after the day: sa the course of thy kindnesse, and loue may be continued with vs thy seruands and children beyonde all time, and sa Lord, vouchsafe to receaue vs this day vnder thy gratious gouernment and fauourable protection: waken vs out of the sleepe of sinne, raise vs out of the bed of securitie, make vs to cast off the warks of darkenes, and put on the armour of light, that we may walk honestly as in the day time, yea as in thy sight and presence, before whome the greatest darkenes euen of the hid thoughts of the [...] shines as the cleare light. Make the day [...] thy gospell to lighten our mindes [...] that [...] Christ [...] [...] [Page] to shine before the eyes of our faith, and the heate beames of thy spirit to kendel vp that lyuely warmenes and holsome heate of loue in our hearts, and guide vs sa, be thy grace in all thy waies, that in thought, word, and deede, we may glorifie thy name, and edifie vthers bee our gude example in all godlines and vertue. Lorde, as we are mindefull of this bodie to cleange, cleithe, and feide the same dayely, make vs as carefull of our saules and inward man, to purge it be repentance, washe it in the precious blood of the lambe the Lord Iesus, cleith it with his righteousnes, and feide the samin be his bodie broken for vs: that is, be trew faith in his death and passion, keepe our hearts and thoughts from all vngodly, vnhonest, vnlawful, wrangous, filthie & vnclean deuises and desires: keepe our mouthes and tongues from all blasphemie, swearing, banning, cursing, foule, euill, vaine and profaine speaking, keepe our hands & feete from all violent wrang, wicked and vnhonest turnes & waies, and make our hearts, hands, and feete, and haill saule and bodie rightly sanctified and ruled be thy spirit, to think, speak or do nathing this day, bot that whilk flowing from faith, directed be the square of thy law, may tend to thy praise, the we [...]l and profite of our brethren and neighbours, joy and contentment of our awin consciences, and to the forderance of the gud & lawfull turnes of our occupation, lest these members infected with the leprosie, & botch of sinne, being a iust curse and plague vpon vs and all our labours. Garde vs therfor by thy gratious power fra the deuil, warld, and flesh: that we be not snared be their craft, intangled with their tentatiōs, nor allured be their delitious, pleasures, furnish vs out of thy rich and vnwasted store, all [Page] things needefull and comfortable for body and saule; let thy bountifull blessing bee vpon our occupationes and warks of our hands, without the whilk, all our cair and busines is vaine and lost, giue vs grace to seeke and luke for all gud things at thy gratious hands allanerlie, trauelling faithfully and diligently in our vocations, & to returne also the lawful and right vse thereof againe, with thankfull heartes to thine honour & praise. Lord, teach vs sa to compt & number our dayes, that we may apply our hearts to heauenly wisedome, and seeke after the life euerlasting, and fill vs sa with thy mercies this morning, and euery morning, that we may repose and be glad in thee al the dayes of our life; and finally, make vs sa to spend this day: and all the dayes and times of this miserable pilgrimage, in thy feare, loue, and obedience, that when it sall please thee, whair and how wee may happely end it in Iesus Christ, beginning that joyfull morning in saule, first after the departure from the bodie, and thereafter baith in saule and body, rejoyned in ane immortall estaite, at the resurrection of the just, that neuer sall haue evening fallowing.

Lord, as in our prayers we haue alwaies before our eyes thy glorie, whereof aboue all thinges wee beseike thee to make vs zealous, that we may therby kenne our selues to be thy seruants & children; sa we recommend to thy loue and mercie, the caire and protection of thy haill Kirk, our common mother and thy deare spouse, and the Kirkes in special that trauailis vnder the crosse of thy Christ, for g [...]d and faithfull Pastours and Magistrates, to be steired vp and assisted bee thy grace for their comfort; & for thy fauour, power, and wisdome, to be [...] to the malice, force, & craft of their enemies, [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] and for comfort, patience, & constancy to them whereby they may glorifie thy name in suffering, and moue vthers by their gud example to doe the same. Hasten Lord their deliuerance, and make vs baith to joy and sorrow with thy people and children: that we may finde our selues louing & feilling members of the body of thy Christ, wee beseik thee for euery member of that body in particular: specially, sik as are vnder thy correcting hand: to giue them the assurance of thy fauour in Christ, patience, strength, & comfort, acknawledging, that it is the hand of thee their louing father, working for their weil-faire, whose gud-will is their weill, and fra whome na hurte or euill can come vnto them, make them therefore gladly to giue ouer themselues in thy hands, abiding patiently thy will and leasure, with assured hope of a sweet & comfortable ende of all their sufferings: and prepare vs Lorde against the day of our tryall and visitation, and giue vs grace to vse the examples of thy warks set before our eyes, and instructions, & admonitions of thy word sounding in our eares fruitfullie for that effect. That dutie of remembrance in our prayers, quhilk we haue promised to sik as are by acquaintance, knitte with vs in the bowels of Christ Iesus, and the estate wherof is communicat and recommended vnto vs, we discharge it Lorde before thee, and earnestly committeth them and their estate to thy grace, beseiking thee maist effectually for them as for our selues. Lord, our prayers are imperfit, & when we haue prayed, we haue neede to crie mercie, for that we haue not prayed aright, for neither knaw wee what thy glory requires in particular, nor the necessity of thy kirk, or any member theirof, na not our awin neids, nor [Page] can wee be mooued for the samin as wee ought. Make vs therefore Lorde with vnderstanding and right disposition of thy Sprit to commend al vnto thee, & rightlie to glorifie thy name, by incalling the same in that forme of praier maist perfit, that thy son our sauiour Iesus Christ hath teached vs to vse, saying, Our father, &c.

Forme of blessing before meate.

BE mercifull to vs, O our gud God and father, and blesse vs, and make the light of thy countenaunce to shine vpon vs, sanctifie vs thy seruands mair & mair vnto thee in thy Christ, and blesse thy gud creatures to our vse: giue vs grace to take them thankfully fra thy handes, & vse them moderately, that we being refreshed therby, may be inhabled to go for-ward in the iourney of this life, seruing thee alwaies in Iesus Christ our onelie Lorde and Sauiour: in whose name we humblie and reuerently intreate thee for all things to be prayed for as he hath teached vs, saying, Our father▪ &c.

Grace or thanksgiuing after meate.

THe Lord our gud God maist mightie, wise, gratious, and bountifull father: wha hes elected vs before the foundation of the warld was layed: wha hath made vs all of a blood in our father the first Adam at the beginning of time, and at the acceptable fulnes of time, when we were vtterly lost, of his free mercie pitiing our miserie, hes made vs new againe, and redeemed vs from the Diuell, death & hell, be the precious blood of the second Adam, his awin only begotten sonne, the [Page] Lord Iesus Christ our Sauiour: wha hes translated vs out of darkenes, into this maruellous light of the gospell, whilk we sa lang enjoy: wha hes justified & sanctified vs in sum measure, by his halie spirit of adoption, to ane assured hope of the life euerlasting: wha hes keeped vs vnto this houre, and furnished to vs aboundantly all thinges needfull, and comfortable for body and saule, as he hath now presently refreshed and fed vs: & sa ceases notto powre mair and mair the plentifulnes of his rich graces and blessings vpon vs: euen this our gud God & maist gratious father be blessed, praised, honored, and sanctified, now and for euer. Amen.

Prayer after meate.

DEare and bountifull father, as thou hast refreshed our bodies, that mon decay and turne to dust, with thir things earthly, whereof we haue sa greate an appetit, desire, and pleasure: sa wee beseik thee to giue vs a greater care of our selues & inward man, that mon liue for euer, that we may hunger & thirst for the nuriture thereof, and take delight and pleasure therin, to wit, the Lorde Iesus Christ, that bread of life that came downe from the heauens, and is offered to vs in thy haly Gospell. Lord, make vs sa to feede vpon him be a liuely faith and warking of the spirit of sanctification; that our inward man may daylie mair and mair bee nurished, refreshed and strengthned, for the exercise and discharge of all the dewties, quhilk thou requires of vs to be done for thy seruice and honour. Mortifie wee beseik thee farther and farther, the lustes and earthly affections of our outward man; that likes alwaies to liue here, to eate [Page] and drinke and injoy the pleasures of this world, and that till he be euen vtterly abolished, and quicken and augment our inward man, till he come to that full and ripe age in the stature of Christ: that is, meete to injoy the kingdome, and blisse euerlasting. Amen

Euening Prayer.

VVE humbly present vnto thee in the name of thy sonne Iesus Christ, euerlasting praise and thanks (almightie God and father maist mercifull) for all thy benefites and blessings sa largely bestowed vpon vs, all the dayes and times of our life, preseruing vs in saule and bodie from all euill, and prouiding for vs aboundantly all things needefull & comfortable baith for the ane and vther, blessing the warkes of our hands in that measure that thou hes thought meetest, like as we haue found these benefits in fresh and new experience this present day. Lord, let not our sinnes committed against thee this day, nor na day heretofore, procure the withdrawing of thy blessings, and powring of thy plagues vpon vs, as we cōfesse, that they maist justly deserue, bot as of thy free mercie and grace in Iesus Christ, thou hes bin vnto this houre, a gratious & bountifull Lorde and father vnto vs, sa of the same grace and mercie in Iesus Christ, wee earnestly beseike thee, to warke amendement in vs, bee a mair effectuall force of thy haly Spirit, and sa to continew thy bounty and fauour toward vs. And now Lord, this night vouchsafe to receaue vs vnder thy gratious protection and saifegard, for we commend and giue ouer our saules and bodies, our houses, guds, geare, and whatsumeuer perteins [Page] to vs into thy hands, watch therefore ouer vs gud Lord, & make thy holy Angels to campe about vs; that we may sa safely rest & refresh our wearied bodies with sleepe; that in the meane time our saules hauing their conuersation with thee, may await for the glorious appearing of Christ our King to the last judgement. And grant O father, that when hee fall come to judge ather the world in generall or in particular, to call any of vs from this life, we be not found sleeping in cairles securitie, nor drunken with surfeit of sinne or loue of things temporall, nor blinded in the darkenes of ignorance with the miserable multitude of the warld, that fall perish eternallie: bot weil occupied, watching & praying in sobrietie, prepared with the precious oyle of faith & loue in the lampes of our hearts burning, that wee may readely and gladly meete our Lord Iesus, and accompanie him to the rest and joy euerlasting. O Lorde our life is bot as a day; and a thousand yeare is bot a day before thee, the euening is as the end of our life, our sleep as death, our bed a graue, our sheittes winding sheittes, the cocks wakning bels, as the arch-angels trumpetes sounding to judgemēt. And luke how surely we knaw that we man die, sa vncertaine are we, whair, when, & how. Make vs therefore we beseik thee gud Lord sa resolued, that we may end this day as wee wald ende our life, enter in our bed as in our graue, resting in the peace of our conscience, and assurance of thy loue with a stedfast hope of that joyfull resurrection amangs thy saincts, and that by true and sure faith in the resurrection of our Christ, quha in that pleasand morning, fall change our vile bodies, and fashion them like vnto his glorious body, to be placed with him in the presence [Page] and at the right hand of his father, whair the fulnes of joyes and pleasures ar for ever. Graunt vs thir thinges deare Father, and whatsoeuer els thou knowis to be for thy awin glorie, the weill of thy Kirk of this Congregation, and all the members thereof, of this familie, and euerie ane of vs, and sik in speciall as we haue promised to remember in our prayers, asking all in that forme maist perfite, that CHRIST hes commanded vs saying, Our father, &c.

The maner how to vse the Catechisme in verse, pleasandly and fruitfully.

HEre I wil insert the manner how ye may vse the Catechisme in verse, pleasandly & fruitfully: as I haue some experience in my awin familie. The night before the Sabboth (whilk I wauld ye suld haue alwaies free from your warldlie turnes, except in necessities, and that for a preparation to the Sabbothe) ye sall expone to your servands and children some part of the said Catechisme, as a petition of the prayer, or artickle of the Beleefe, or ane of the Commandements, to mak it cleir in proofe to them, whilk is shortly packed vp in verse: syne injoyne that to sik as can reade, to be tuned perquere the Sabboth following, of the whilk at night thou sall take account; and on the first day of the oulk following, after morning prayer, thou sall enter in conference be questioning therevpon with thy children and servands, shortly, to assay their vnderstanding and cleir and helpe the [...]amin: the whilk when thou hes done, then let sik as can reade, sing clearely and distinctly the same part, that sik as can not, may tak tent [Page] & folow, & so learne: And in conclusion, prayse God with these verses taken out of 68. and 89. Psalmes.

Now praysed be the Lord for that,

he powres on vs sik grace:

From day to day he is the God

of our health and solace.

He is the God from whom alone

saluation cometh plaine.

He is the God by whom we scape

all dangers death and paine.

The Lord the God of Israell

be praysed euermore.

Euen so be it, Lord will I say,

euen so be it therefore.

Thereafter vse the prayer for working of the spirite to mak the word fruitfull, as ye haue it hereafter, & end with the blessing, to be alwayes pronounced by the Father, Mother, or maister of the familie or companie. And siklik, after evening praier the same pairt, & so continue all the oulk, gif they he hard to learne, till it become familiar, but gif they be able to learne, and haue beneanes or twise through, then may ye haue a pairt euer-ilk day. This ordour, or the like being daily vsed without intermission, and cairfull over-sight of discipline joyned therewith, by the Father and Maisters of familie and companies, for a godlie and honest conversation: but question, by the grace of God, thou sal finde great grouth, baith of knawledge, and godlines: and sa of al vther blessings, in thy familie or companies.

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A maist pithie prayer, for obteining of the working of the halie spirit, be the word and Sacraments, taken out of the 1. &. 3. Eph. & Phil. 3.

VVE bow our knees vnto thee, O God of glorie, and father of our Lord Iesus Christ, of whom is named the halie familie of thy Kirk in Heauen & in earth; beseik and thee according to the riches of thy glorie, to lighten the eyes of our mindes with the spirit of wisedome and knawledge, that wee may vnderstande what is the hope of thy calling, and the riches of the glorie of thy inheritance amangst the Saints, & what is the excellencie of the greatnes of thy power amangst them that beleeue, according to that efficacie of thy strong power, whilk thou shewed forth in Christ, when thou raysed him from the dead, and set him at the right hand in the heauens. And grant, Lord, that we may be strenthened by thy Spirit in the inwarde man, that thy Christ may dwell in our hearts be saith; that we being rooted and grounded in loue, may be able to comprehend with al the faints; what is the breadth & length, the deapth & height of that inestimable grace, redempption, and glorie, that thou hast prepared for them, and to embrace that loue of Christ, whilk passeth all vnderstanding, that wee may be filled with all fulnesse of God. Graunt O Lord & Father, that thy spirit, the true and inward teacher and comforter, wauld by the fruitfull vse of thy word and sacraments, mak our faith and loue to grow and abounde yet mair and mair in knawledge and feeling, that wee may rightly discerne, betuixte gud and evill, thy will, and our will, thy Loue, and the loue of this warlde, that wee may bee pure, [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] and without offence, vnto the day of our CHRIST, filled with the fruites of righteousnes, whilk at by IESVS CHRIST vnto the glorie and prayse of thee our God, & thir things, as for our selues, euen sa in hearty affection, we ask for al thyne, with whom in thy CHRIST, we gladly professe that maist happy communion & blessed vnitie. Therefore vnto thee, O Father, wha is able to doe exceeding aboundantly, aboue all whilk wee can aske or thinke, according to the power of thy spirite, whilk worketh in vs, be prayse in the Kirk by IESVS Christ throughout all generations for euer. Amen.

A Praier for the Sabboth day at Morne.

BLessed God and bountifull father, wha hes commanded vs to keip holie the Sabboth, absteyning haliley from our awin warkes, for vsing of thy warkes, worde, sacraments, and vther meanes of thy worshipping holelie and rightly, for thy honor and prayse, and the life and weill of our saules and inward man euerlasting. We acknowledge and confes, as the truth is, that we ar altogidder, wicked, corrupt, vnhalie, vaine, wandring, profane, and earthly; and that thou art gud, puir, holie, constant, and full of heigh & heauenly majestie; sa that we ar vn-worthie, and maist vnmeit to tred in thy courtes, or approch to thy presence; yea, to behold the light of thy heauens a moment, to let be to set our selues to sanctifie and keip holie a Sabboth vnto thee: neverthelesse, since it hath pleased thee sa to command vs, and promise to accept of vs in thy Holy ane, the Lord IESVS our Mediatour, and of thy vn-speakable mercie and gudnesse, to giue this libertie, occasion▪ [Page] health of body, and vther things neidful for the samin: We humbly beseik thy grace to be mercifull vnto vs, and purge vs in the precious bloud of the Lamb the Lord IESVS; to wound our hearts with vn-fayned sorrow for our sinnes; & heal the samin againe by a plaister of his heart bloud, applied by faith vnto our consciēce, and sa to sanctifie vs by that holie comforter, that wee may come before thee rightlie prepared, for all the holie & spirituall exercises of thy Sabboth: Disposed accordingly in the mean while thereof, & finde in end the effectual and solide fruites of the samin, to our growth in godlines and direction aright in all thy holie waies, with heauenly strength and vigour, to follow out the samin this oulk, and all the dayes and oulkes of our jorneying in this wretched wildernesse, till we atteine till that comfortable Canaan and heauenlie inheritance, whair halelie and holelie but any corruption, impediment, or interruption, we fall sanctifie to thee a Sabboth and rest everlasting. Lord furnish to thy servands that thou sends out this day to speake in thy name vnto thy people, sik store of sound and holsome doctrine, prayer, prayse, and thanks-giuing, with the grace of vttering the samin, with sik force, evidence, zeale, and weight of thy spirite, as may baith instruct thy people clearely, and ravish and mooue them mightely, to the feruent reverence, feare, and loue of thee their God, detestation of them selues for their sin, and feilling of the sweitnes of thy grace in Iesus Christ, that sa they may rightlie serue and worship thee their God and Father, and earnestly seik thy face, & not depart there [...]a, with out a spirituall comforte and blessing. Lord resist Satan and stay all his impediments, and purge vs in speciall [Page] from this vennome of hypocrisie, whilk is maist detestable in thy sight, when outwardly comming before thee in our bodies, and yet the heart is far from thee; and keip vs Lorde from that curse pronunced vppon sik as dois thy work negligently. Lord draw vs awaie from this earth and thought of thinges earthlie, that wee may bee haillie set vppon thee, and things heauenlie and incorruptible. Lighten our vnderstanding whilk is darke and blinde in the selfe, stablish our wandring mindes, confirme our slipperie memorie, bow our rebellious willes, purge al our corrupt affections, & grant sufficiēt ability of the inward man, both to will & do according to that measure of grace, that thou thinkst meit for vs, & for that effect we beseik thy majesty, yet againe to work in our harts be the force of that inward teacher, disposer & mover, & let alwaies our intentions, meditations of our harts, & words of mouthes, & al our actions & doings be acceptable in the name, & for the merites of our high law-giuer, King & Priest, the Lord Iesus Christ. In whose name wee ask thir and all vther things thou kennis to be meit this day and alwaies for thy glorie, the weill of thy Kirk, of vs, and all the members thereof, praying as he hath teached, Our father, &c.

For the Sabboth at Night.

NOw Lord of thy great mercie, we haue enjoyed this Sabboth, and the maist comfortable exercises thereof; for the whilk we offer to thee in the name of thy son Iesus, what thanks our harts ar able to conteine & present vnto thee. But alas, O Lord, if thou suld enter in judgement with vs, thou might lay maa and greater sins to our charge this day, nor any day of the oulk: forsa-meikle [Page] the halier a thing it is, to sanctifie thy holy name aright on the Sabboth; sa meikle the greater guiltines doe they contract wha takes the same in vaine, setting themselues to the exercise therof without right preparation, disposition, & seiking of fruit & comfort, and luik how meikle the higher & greater ar thy warks nor our awin, so meikle the mair heauie is the curse vpō sik as dois the same negligently. And alas, ô lord, if thou try vs, what sal we be found to haue done this day, but taken thy haly name in vaine. In hearing of thy worde, meditating on thy warks, vsing of praier & thāksgiuing without right preparation, dispositiō or fruit, & so done thy wark negligently. O Lord therefore be merciful vnto vs, and giue vs grace to wey this great sinne that we commit against thee, euen when we ar about to be best & maist hailely occupied, to be sorie for it, & humblie beg thy mercy, for Iesus Christs sake, & freith vs for thy mean grace from that curse of neglegence, for of a truth when we haue done all that we can, we ar but vnprofitable, & vnworthie servants. And yet Lord, whatsoeuer hes flowed from thy gud spirit working in vs, accept it as fra vs, for thy Christs saik, as the markes & dueties of thy servands & children, assuring & comforting our saules and consciences thereby. And make the instructions, admonitions, comfort, and consolation that wee haue heard of thy word, and found in mutual example and conference, amang our selues to hide in our memories, and shew forth the fruite in our liues and conversation this oulk following, and all the time of our life; yea Lorde, if it bee thy pleasure, make vs sa earnest and deepe in meditation thereof this Night, that euen in our sleepe, wee may finde our saules filled [Page] and occupied with the thought & consideration therof, and taken with the delight, comfort and joy of the samin, that when we awaike, we may finde our selues with thee, and that thy word be the working of thy spirit, hath transformed and changed vs in the verie nature thereof, in wisedome, veritie, cleannes, halines, and sanctification, to stand and abide in happines and permanent felicity for euer. Now for Iesus Christ sake, wha is Lord of the Sabboth, graunt vs this, and what euer thou knawis to be gud for thy selfe, for vs, and for al thine, adding his perfite prayer, Our father, &c.

A prayer before the halie Communion.

MOste mercifull God, and gratious father, wha knawis the weakenes and vnabilitie of man, to conceaue the mysteries of thy grace, hes not onely appointed thy word to instruct him be hearing: but also the vse of thy haly Sacraments, wherein his haill senses being outwardly occupied, the minde within might clearely conceaue, and the heart firmely beleeue and imbrace the samin. That be the right vse of these signes & seilles of thy couenant of grace; to wit, the outward and inward matters and actions coupled togidder bee the Sacramentall vnion, that is, be vertue of the institution, command & promise of Christ declared and beleeued, and be the prayer and obedience of the Kirk in doing as is required, Christ Iesus with his hail blessings may not onely clearely be represented, bot giuen and receaued for life and saluation, yea, euen verelie, really, and with maist mightie force and effect applyed, convoyed into,& sealed vp in the saules of the beleeuer, as [Page] bee a maist commodious and effectuall instrumente of the halie Ghaist. Graunt we beseik thee, that as thou in halie and secreit vnitie and substance of nature and trinitie of persons in on Godhead, presents thy Christ a sanctified and perfite mediator, consecrate and perfyted be his awin prayers and suffering, euen in thir actions of thy Sacraments, ordaned bee thee for that effect, and sa offers and exhibits him with all his merits & blessings on that ane part. Sa it wald please thee on that vther part, to giue vs a trew and liuely faith, be the vse of thir actions and power of thy halie spirite, mair and mair quickned, steired vp, confirmed, & augmented, wherby we may receaue and apply, grippe injoye, and possesse Iesus Christ mair and mair, for righteousnes and sanctification, and sa for life and Saluation euerlasting. O Lorde prepare vs aright therevnto, be an earnest and diligent tryall of the knawledge of the poincts of thy heauenly veritie, and practise thereof, in fayth & repentance: that finding out and feiling our wants in the ane and vther, we may be reconciled with thee, and our neighbours, & seeke confirmation, & increase of that small measure we haue, in the vse of thir actions according to thy ordinance: that in the meane time therof, we may be wounded and humbled with a sense and conscience of our sinnes, and yet raised vp againe and healed with an assurance, and feiling of thy mercy grace and loue in Iesus Christ, sa that moued with exceeding ioy and gladnes of spirite, we may burst out in thy prayses. And namely now Lord in this Sacrament of the holie Supper and present action thereof, graunt that we may seale vp our continuall growth, & increase in that blessed communion and fellowshippe of Iesus [Page] Christ, that we may be nurished and fed mair & mair in our saule and inward man, be declaring the death of thy sonne Iesus Christ, constantly beleeuing his bodie to haue bin broken, and his precious blood shed, yea, him to haue suffered whatsoeuer might satisfie the justice of thee our God, for our sinnes and safetie. And sa to magnifie and extoll thy gudnes, loue, mercie, and grace, thy justice, power, and wisedome, quhilk are infinite, passing the reatch of all consideration. And finally, that we may set our selues thus waies, fed & strenghned in the inwarde man, to doe the dewties of thy redeemed seruants and children, in loue, fear, obedience, and holines al the dayes of our life. Amen.

A meditation of the faithfull saule with God, after the receauing of the holy Communion.

VVE might vtterly dispaire in consideration of our manifold sinnes and infinit offences, had not thy word, O Lorde our God, bin made fleshe, and dwelt amang vs: But now all praise be vnto thy mercifull grace, we neither neede, nor dare dispaire: for gif when I was thy enemie, I was reconciled to thee by the death of thy Sonne, how meikle mair being reconciled, sall I be saued by his life: For all mine hope and my confidence is reposed, in that precious blood whilk was shed for me and for my saluation. In that blood I reviue wha before was dead, I take my hearte againe wha before was heartles, & resting therevpon▪. I couet to come to thee, wha before hated thee, & followed after Sathan, I cum to thee putting no doubte, but now I [Page] sall be acceptable, not hauing my awin righteousnesse, but whilk is through faith of my Lorde Iesus Christ. Wherefore, O most gratious and mercifull God, louer of all mankinde, and louer of thy faithfull Saincts: but louer of me in speciall, wha through Iesus Christ thy sonne my Lord, euen when I was in the estate of damnation be reason of sinne, hast deliuered and faued me after sik a way, as neither man nor Angel could dreame off: what craues thou againe for this thy loue that thou hes kythed vpon me pure wretch but thankfulnesse? I therefore, vnworthie to thinke vppon thee, vnworthie that thy holines suld be conceaued in my prophane & filthie heart, yet fra my hearte, whilk in sum parte is renewed by thy halie Spirite, I thank thy gratious gudnes; yea, I highly thank thee for that thou hast sent thy onely begotten sonne, from thy awin bosome to saue sinners, and to saue me, of all sinners the greatest, the very childe of wrath; I thank thee for his holy incarnation, & byrth of his blessed mother, of whome he vouchsafed to take my flesh for my saluation; that as hee was very God of God, sa he might be verie man, of man: I thanke thee for his bitter passion, crosse, and death; I thanke thee for his glorious resurrection, and ascension to heauen, and sitting at thy right hand, powring down the haly Spirite according to his promise, vpon me his childe of adoption. I thank thee, both for the shedding of that his precious blood, wherwith we are redeemed, and also for his instituting of his holy and liuely Sacrament of his body and blood that was giuen for mee, where withal thus in thy Kirk I am nurished, refreshed, sanctified, strengthned & quickned in my inward man, and made pertaker of ane heauenly and diuine nature: [Page] againe, I thanke thee for thy vnmeasurable loue, wherwith thou hes so loued me, miserable and catiue wretch in thy onely weil beloued sonne Iesus Christ, in whom I haue this reconcilation, with thee my God & Father, this redemption, forgiuenes of all my sinnes, righteousnes, adoption, sanctification, and finally assured life, and heritable infeftment of the kingdome of glorie. O pittie vnspeakeable! O wonderfull loue, to saue thy vnworthie seruand, thou hes giuen thy deare sonne▪ God was made man, that I of the wretched seede of man, might be plucked out of the snare of the diuell, how deerely hes thou Lord Iesus my sweete Sauiour loued me, wha thoght it not enough to humble thy selfe from the most heigh and glorious majestie of the Godhead, to take on my slauish nature, vnles that for me also, and for my saluation, thou hadst shed thy precious blood, and suffered the most shamefull death of the crosse. O rare loue! O tender kindnes! Wha had hard the like at any time, wha rightly considering, will not be amazed at sik bowels of mercie. O strange judgement! O vnspeakeable disposition of the mysterie of God. The sinner offended, the just is punished: the guiltie transgressed, the innocent is struken. The wicked sinned; the Godly is damned: that whilk the euill deserueth, the gud suffers, the seruand dois amisse, the master makes the mends, man commits the sinne, and God bears the punishmēt. Ah, O sonne of God, how hes thou abased thy selfe, how hes thou burned in affection? how far is thy mercies stretched out? how great is thy kindnesse? how large is thy loue? for I did wickedly, and thou was punished: I sinned and thou was afflicted: I offended and thou was tormented: I lifted vp my selfe proudly, [Page] & of a vile worm made a God of my selfe, but thou was humbled, and of the euerlasting God made thy selfe a worme: I was disobedient, but thou obediently bare the punishment of my disobedience: I serued the belly, but thou endured hunger: the forbidē tree, allured me to vnlawful concupiscence; but perfite charity led thee to the crosse: I tasted of pleasure, but thou suffered tormēts: I felt the sweetnes of sin, bot thou tasted the bitter gall. Loe, O King of glory, this is my vngodlines & thy mercy manifest, this mine vnrighteousnesse & thy innocencie is euident. And now O my Kinge and my God, what sall I rander vnto thee for all thy benefits towards mee? for mans hearte cannot conceaue that whilk may worthily recompence these thy sa ample graces. Can the witte of man finde out any thinge answerable to Gods loue and mercie? Na: It is not for a creature to enterprise to recompense and meete God his creator. Notwithstanding sweete Sauiour in this sa wonderfull dispensation, sumthing any frailtie by the force of thy spirit is able to do: namely, gif by thy visitation the minde being pricked, it crucifie the flesh with the affections and lustes thereof: whilk thou hauing wrought, I begin then as it were to suffer with thee, because thou died with meikle paine for me: and sa throw the conquest of the inner man, I sal be armed, thou being captaine, and thy spirite furnishing strength vnto the attaining of the outward victorie: In asmeikle as I feare not hauing ouer-cum the spirituall battell, to bee subject for thy sake, euen to bodilie torments, to the sworde, to the fire, to the crosse, to prison, banishment, or whatsumeuer els: in whilk respect the weakenes of my conditione, gif it like thy gudnes, sall be able according [Page] to the power it hes to answer to the greatnesse of thee the Creator. And this is heauenly Phisick, O sweet Iesus, this is the preseruation of thy loue. Now I beseik thee, by thy wonted mercies, to make that this oyle and wine poured in the wounds of my saul in this haly Sacrament, it may purge all corrupt contagion of venoumous humours, and may restore mee againe to my first health and holy jmage of God, whereto I was created: and hauing tasted of the sap of thy sweetnes, may make me fra the very hearte, to dispise the intisments of the world: abhor the wickednes, lustes & vanities theirof, yea, nor to fear na aduersitie theirof for thy names sake, but being alwaies mindfull of thy euerlasting life and glorie, thus wayes by thee my Christ purchased to me, may boldly contemn the death, and be readie to gif my life againe for thy loue and glory. Deare Christ, seeing I haue here sealed vp this conjunction and vnion with thee: make me by thy spirit to abide in the same to the ende, and eternally, and make me daylie maire & mair to finde thee my Christ by faith dwelling in my heart; the whilk I may perceaue be the vndoubted fruits and markes thereof, in the exercise of all gud warkes in sobernes, piety, and righteousnes fra time to time encreasing. And seeing I am thus, not onely receaued within thy houshold, O my God and father, but also refreshed nurished and susteined theirin; I maist humbly beseik thee for a mair and mair effectuall working of thy Spirite, whereby I may carefully, reuerendly, and faithfullie, doe the dewtie of thy childe and seruand within the same. And being thus redeemed from the deuill & the seruitude of sin, be my greate and strong Sauiour, to be the free Citiziner, and heir of his kingdome [Page] of justice & life. Grant O Lord, by this renewed force of the quickning spirite of thy Christ, that niether the pairts, faculties nor powers of my saule, nor the instruments and members of my body, bee any mair employed to serue Sathan and sinne, conformed to the facions of this world, but that both saule & body, withall the powers and members thereof, may be presented and consecrated vnto thee, as a liuing sacrifice, pure & holy, & being transformed by the renewing of the inward man, may be alwaies bent, and intend to discerne and obey the will of thee my God, whilk is gud, acceptable and perfite: I beseik thee, Lord my God, let nothing seeme sweet to me without thee, and let nothing that can fall out, seeme sowre & hard to me, gif I haue thee, let nothing please me, nor warldly thing like mee, besid thee: let me not loue that whilk thou dois abhor, and let thy gud pleasure be all my desire continually, let it be a greefe to me to rejoyce without thee, & make me glad to be afflicted for thy names sake, let thy name be my joy, and thy rememberance my consolation: let the law of thy mouth be better to me, then thousands of gold and siluer; and finally, Lorde my God, bee thou all in all vnto me, thy word and holy worshipping my comfort and pleasure, and thy sweete Christ my onely vantage and gaine, both in life and death. To whome with thee, the father, and that holy spirite my comforter, be glorie infinit and eternall. Amen.

Ane short exhortation anent tryall.

FOr want of tryall and consideration of their awin estaite, the greater multitude perishes in ignorance, they of knawledge carrie with them the greater condemnation, [Page] for not doing the will of him whom they know; and sik as hes begun to doe, relents, leaues off, and falles on sleep, til God waken them by some crosse, least they shuld fal with the former in vtter condemnation. Men in publick charge in Kirk & pollicie, sleuthis, perverts & misfaris al, and men in private occupations, runnes loose without feare of God, or aequitable and charitable dealing with their neighbour, & sa the heap of this common confusion of sin, growes huge out of measure; that it is the wounderfull mercie and long suffering of God, that stayes the consuming fire of his wrath, from finding out sik mater, and burning there vpon, to the bottome of hell. My counsel and warning is therefore to all in the loue of Christ, that they caste aside the busines & cares of this warld, wherewith they are haillelie occupied, to the wrak and losse of their saules, and esteeming the chief earand and turne, whilk they haue to doe in this warld to be, how, that after a miserable, short, and vaine life, they may liue happelie hereafter for euer: That in this consideration, I say▪ they take large time, and great paines in this exercise of tryall and examination of the estaite wherein they stande before God: sa that they neither sleepe nor eat ane day or night, before they haue spente some peece of time, fectfullie and fruitfully, in the wark of tryall; that finding out their wants, danger and miserie, they may be mooved earnestly to seik and embrace the furniture and remedie, whilk God of his superaboundant grace, vouchsafes daily to offer by the preaching of his word, and profitable writings of his godlie and learned servants. And that this be done by speedy redeeming time without farder delay: for it is now high time, and fuire [Page] dayes, our day of the Gospell is past noone, and the Sun thereof tendes toward going downe: Yet then to day if ye will heare his voice, hardin not your harts, neither sleipe in ignorance, infidelitie, and sinne, least being debarred, yee perish with the multitude of the foolish, ignorant, faithlesse and rebellious. For this purpose then, I exhort and earnestly beseik all and euerie ane, (specially of you deare flock) after your verie names, to wey and considder the Scriptures following, whilk now and then ye heare opened vp and intreated for this effect; and that with grace and sanctification of your saules, the quhilk onely God is able to giue, by the working of his spirite, and hes promised to sik as will seik for the samin: Aske therefore the samin earnestlie, and seik him carefullie, that ye may receiue and finde, and by all meanes, quicken and steir vp the measure of that gift whilk ye sall get of your bountiful God. Now seeing manie things appeir that is not, and Christ himselfe as man was deceiued with the Figge-tree, weill busked with leaues, & fruitful-like a far-off, but found barren and fruitles when it was ryped nearely, and therefore accursed. We are blinde in our awin faultes, we passe ouer lightly, we easelie forgiue them, and flatter our selues therein, as though we were gud ynough, yea, and better nor our neighbours. Therefore see that this tryall be taken not cauldlie, negligently, flouthfullie, but grauely, carefully, and diligently, not as before men, but before God, wha sees the secreet of thy hart: not in maters knawin to men onely, but to thy awin hart and conscience, yea to God wha is greater nor thy heart and conscience; neither mon this be done generallie, but particularlie, ryping out all the hirnes and plyes of thy heart, and calling narrowlie thy memorie [Page] to a counte of all thoughts, wordes and deedes; and finally, not suddenly as a thing fectles, and of small importance, that may be easelie past ouer, or vsed for a fashion of religion or halinesse; but grauely, with lang time & weightie attention, as the greatest matter thou hes to do in the world, for the honor of thy God, and thine awin salvation eternall.

Now thought but doubt, if thou try thy selfe aright, thou sall see ane ouglie sight, whilk may terrifie thy conscience exceedinglie, yet dispaire not, but assure thee there is infinite store of mercie and grace in God, offered in the Lord Iesus Christ, to all that humbly acknowledge their miserie, hungers and thirstes for his grace, and embraces the faithfull promises thereof, be a liuelie faith.

That Christians ought to try themselues alwaies, and namely, before they come to the Table of the Lord: For thir reasons easie to be gathered of the Texts following.

1 Sa God commandes, therefore if they be his children and servants they mon obey.

2 They sall haue great and everlasting profite and honour in sa doing.

3 They sall incurre great and everlasting skaith and shame in omitting and not doing:

Textes of Scripture.

TRy your selues,2 Cor. 13. 5 if ye be in the faith, proue your selues: do yee not acknowledge your selues that Christ Iesus is in you, and if not, that year reprobates.

[Page] If any man think himselfe to be some thing,Gal. 6. when he is nathing, his awin heart deceaues him, let ilk man therefore trye himselfe.

Be commoo [...]ed and sinne not,Psal. 4. examine your hearts in your bed and leaue of to do euill.

Wash your selues,Esay▪ [...] purge your selues, cast away the wickednes of your actions from before my face, leaue off to doe euill, learne to do gud, seeke right, come and let vs reason togidder. If your sinnes were as Scarlet, they sall be white as snaw: If yee apply and heare, ye sall inioy the gud things of the land: but if ye refuse and rebell, ye salbe consumed by the sword, for the mouth of the Lord hes spoken it.

Thou hes heard mee recken my waies,Psal. 119. teach me thy statutes.

I take count of my waies, that I may bring againe my feete to thy testimonies.

Blessed is that man,Psal. 1. that walkes not in the counsaile of the wicked, and insists not in the way of sinners▪ & sittes not in the seate of scorners, if sa be his delight be in the law of the Lord, & in that law meditates day and night.

For he sal be as the tree planted by the riuers of water, whilk brings forth fruct in the awin time, whase leafe fades not & whatsoeuer he dois sall prosper.

Bot the wicked sal not be sa, bot as the chaffe whilk the wind driueth, therefore the wicked sall not stand in that Iudgement, nor the sinners in the company of the iust, for the Lord acknawledges the way of the iust, bot the way of the wicked sall perish.

The lute,Esay. 5 the harpe, the timbrell, and shalme, and gud wine aboundeth in your bankets: bot the warks of God, you respect not, nor yet haue ye consideration of his doings. Therefore hes hell enlarged her selfe, and opened her mouth without al measure, and the stoute, high, and glorious of the people sal discend thereinto.

[Page] The heart is a deceatful and deadly thinge aboue all,Ier. 17. wha can knaw it, I IEHOVAH the searcher of the heart & reines, that I may giue to euerie ane according to their waies, according to the fruite of their actiones.

My little children,1. Ioh. 3. let vs not loue in word, neither in tongue onelie, but indeede and in trueth, for thereby we knaw, that we are of the trueth, and sall assure our hearts before him, for if our heartes condemne vs, God is greater then our heartes, and knawes all things.

Beloued, if our hearts condemn vs not, then haue we baldnes toward God, and vvhatsoeuer we aske we receaue of him, because we keepe his commandement, and do the things quhilk are pleasand in his sight.

This is then his commandement, that yee beleeue in the name of his son Iesus Christ, and loue ane another, as he gaue commaundement, for hee that keepes his commaundements dwellis in him, & hee in him, hereby knavv wee that hee abides in vs, euen be that spirite whilk he hes giuen vs.

Deerely beloued, beleeue not euerie spirit, bot try the spirits if they be of God.

Aboue all things that thou takes heed to keepe thy hearte, for thereout springs the actiones of life,Prov. 4. remooue from thee the peruersitie of the mouth, & set far from thee thrawardnes of the lippes.

Let thy eyes luke right before thee, & thy eye-liddes behauld things that are right before thee, wey the pathes of thy feete that all thy waies may be streight.

Decline not to the right hand, nor to the left, set away thy feete from euill.

Let vs try and ripe out our waies,Lament. 3. & turne vnto the Lord, let vs lift vp our hearts with our hands, vnto the strong God of heauen, and say, we haue made a defection & rebelled, therfore thou spares not.

[Page] When the Pharisees saw the Disciples eate with vnwashen hands.Mark. 7. &c.

Christ calling togidder the haill multitude: Saide, heare me all and vnderstand, there is nathing without a man, that entring within him can pollute him, bot the things that comes out of him, thy are the things that pollute him. If any hes eares to heare, let him heare.

Then the disciples asked him the parable; and he said, vnderstand yee not? The things that outwardly comes into man, cannot pollute him, for it enters not in his heart, but in his womb, and goes to the closet, purging all meates: bot he saide, that whilk comes out of man defiles him, for from within, out of the heart of man, comes out euill thoughts, adulteries, harlatries, slaughter, thifts, couetousnes, wickednes, deceitfulnes, vncleannes, a wicked eye, pryd, backbiting, foolishnes, all these euil things comes from within, and defiles the man.

Verely, verely, I say vnto you (sayes Christ) of euery ydle word that comes out of mans mouth,Math. 12. they sall rander a compt thereof, at the day of iudgement.

We mon all appeare before the tribunall of Christ, that euery ane may receaue in his body,2. Cor. 5. according to that he hes done whidder euill or gud.

Behauld,Reul. 3. I stand at the dore, if any heare my voice & open, I will come into him, and sup with him, and he with me.

Behauld, I come shortly, hauld that whilk thou hes, that nane take thy crowne fra thee.

We mon fight, we mon big, Luck. 14, we mon giue a compt of our talent, we mon haue our lampes light to meete the bridgroome. Mat. 25. & therefor prepare, try, & take heede to your selues, with watching sobrietie, and cairfull consideration: finally for special tryall & searching out of thy sinnes, vse thir texts quoted. Rom. 12. and 3. Ephe. 4. & 5. Col, 5. 3. 2. Pet. 2

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Before the Communion.

I Wald not ye should bee ignorant brethren,1. Cor. 10. that all our fathers were vnder that cloud, and all past throw the sea, and all were Baptised in Moyses, with the cloud & sea, & al eate the same spiritual fude, & al dranke the same spiritual drink, for they drank of the spirituall rock that followed, & the rocke was Christ, but God approued not manie of them: for they were casten downe in the desart. Now thir vvere exampls vnto vs, that we suld not couet euill things as they coueted, be not therfore Idolaters as some of them, nether let vs commit fornication as some of them did, and fell in a day three and twenty thousand, neither tempt Christ as some tempted & perished be serpents. Neither murmure ye, as some of them murmured & perished be the destroyer, al these things came on them for example, and are written for our admonition, on whome the endes of the warld are fallen; therefore let him that thinks he standes, bewar he fall not.

Let euery ane proue himselfe, and sa eate of that bread, and drink of that cup. For who so eates & drinkes vnworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to themselues, for not discerning the Lords bodie.

Therefore is there many weake amang you and diseased,1. Cor. 11. & manie sleepe, for if we suld iudge our selues, we suld not be punished, but when we are punished, we are chastised be the Lord that we be not condemned with the warld.

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Follow the forme of tryall in particular, of miserie and mercie, be thir seuerall pointes and columnes.

Vnles that thou try out, and finde thy miserie,

Thou can neuer seeke for nor esteeme of Gods mercie.

1 COnsider the happie and halie estate, wherein Adam was first made and his filthie defection and fall, and vnderstand, that God may justly lay to thy charge his sin, & all the sins of thy forefathers, betwixt thee & him: because thou art a pairt of their substance, and be them all begotten in sinne, sa that their sinne is thy naturall heritage.

2 Examine thy originall corruption in thy minde, conscience, memorie, will, and in all thy affectiones, as in gladnes, sadnes, pitty, confidence, hope, despair, fear, cair, shame, desire, leathing, loue, hatred, disestiming, esteeming, anger, contentment, miscontentment, zeal, cauldnesse. &c.

3 Try out thy actuall sinnes, in thought, word, and deede, and to that effect, goe through the commaunds with right vnderstanding, and diligent examination of thy life thereby, in the particular circumstances of time place, persons, and maner of doing in all thy actions & proceedings: namely, gif flowing from faith, they haue bene directed be lawfull meanes vnto the right ende.

4 Examin all thy senses, whereby sinne is sa drunken in, as the beast drinks water be the mouth; thy sight, hearing, smelling, taisting, tuitching, how thou hes vsed them, and in like manner, all the members of thy bodie inward & outward, whilk are the weapons and instruments of committing of sinne.

[Page] 5 Examine thy life throughout al the ages thou hes past, bairn-head, youth-head, man-head, and aulde age, how thy God hes delt with thee therin, and how thou hes recompensed him againe.

6 Try thy estate, occupation, calling, and trade of life, if thou hes walked in the feare of God, faithfully and rightlie therein. And here is the tryall of Magistrates, Pastours, Elders, Fathers, Mothers, Maisters, husbands, wiues, people, flock, children, servantes, occupations, trades and craftes: be land, be Sea, in Cittie & countrie.

7 And last, wey the foulnes of the guiltinesse of sin, how odious and detestable it is before God, and what punishments in his justice he hes laid thereon, from the beginning of the world, and weight of wrath he hes to lay thereon, eternally in the hell; and questionles, thou will see sik an ouglie and terrible sight of thy miserie, that will sa affray and moue thee, that thou will neuer be blythe, til thou haue gotten a grippe of the remedie thereof in the mercie of God.

Miserable man that I am, wha sall deliuer me from the bodie of this death.

1 COnsider the infinite gudnesse, loue, grace, and mercie of God, wha pittying our miserie, provyded a remeid theirfoir in the pretious blood of his awin sonne, the Lord Iesus Christ, in whome he elected his awin, before the foundation of the warld.

2 Try and considder, if thou haue the right knawledge and possession of Christ in thy hart, be faith in his natures, & their personal vnion, in his offices, prophecy, Priest-head, and Kingdome.

3 Try if thou hes founde those benefites of Christ, whilk be the perfite fulfilling of the office of mediator, [Page] he hes purchased to his awin, to witte, redemption, reconciliation, justification, adoption, sanctificatiō, mortification, newnesse of life, intercession; and in sum, deliuerance from al euill, and perfyte felicitie.

4 Considder and examine thy selfe if thou hes the knawledge, faith, feeling, and injoying of the haly ghaist, wha calles the chosen effectually, applyes Christ vnto them, and makes them to apprehend and receiue him, and all his blessings be a true faith.

5 Then try thy faith, if thou be assured that God sent his Christ in the warld to saue thee, and vnlade thee of the haill burden of thy miserie, and ladin thee with the rich store of his blessings and perfite happinesse.

6 Try thy repentance the chiefe effect of faith, if thou haue a true sorrow for thy sinnes committed, that hes made the halie Lambe of God to suffer sa shamefullie and cruellie for them, & ane earnest purpose of amendment and newnes of life in time to come.

7 And finally, because there is great hypocrisie in flesh, and counterfetting of calling, faith, and repentance, be the craft of Satan, as also terrible assailzeing of the conscience, by his fyrie tentationes. Therefore, there is great neede here, of a diligent and accurat tryall, to finde out the true markes of thy election: & sa of salvation. First, be the testimony of the spirit: Secondly, by the motiones & working therof. Then try weill, if at any time thou hes found the halie spirit, to speake, as it were within thee, & testifie to thy spirit, that thou art the childe of God. If thou hes found in thy hart the loue of God and Christ, and of the things that he loues, and the hatred of the Deuill and his warkes. If thou hes founde a hart to pray and thanke God, to meditate and [Page] delyte in him and his worde, to loue his servands and children, and delyte in their companie. And finally, if thou findes hope with patience, and a continuall battel against sinne, and the intysements of the warld: then may thou be certaine, that God hes giuen thee to Christ, na power salbe able to take thee from him, or separate thee from his loue, or stay him from giuing thee life everlasting. And here is the joy and peace of conscience, that continuall feast.

I thank God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 7.

The forme of tryall and examination, taken of all sik as ar admitted to the Table of the Lord.

1 PART.

VVHat should thou do before thou come to the

Table of the Lord?

Examine and try my selfe.

What is the danger if thou do not?

Condemnation.

Whereanent suld thou try thy selfe?

Anent my naturall miserie, and remeid thereo by God his grace.

Where in standes thy miserie?

In my sinnes, and the reward thereof.

How came sinne in the warld, seeing God made all verie gud?

God maid the Deuils angelles of light, and ADAM &

FVAH our first parents gud & halie: but the Deuills fell fra God and deceiued our parents, and made them and all that ar come of them wicked sinners.

How knowest thou sinne?

[Page] By the law and commandements of God, whilk I breake daylie.

How sa? I neither doe my duetie to God not my neighbour as I aught.

What is the reward of sinne?

All the plagues and punishments of God▪ and the first and second death, whilk is euerlasting condemnation with the Deuills in the fyre of hell.

2 PART

Gud Lord saue vs! that is a horrible thing, and wha can remeid this miserie?

Onelie God, wha made mee and all, was able to remeid and mend my miserie.

What is God?

A Spirite, eternall, infinite in wisedome, power, gudnesse, mercie, and justice: In nature ane, and persones three; the Father, Sonne, and halie Ghaist.

What hes God the Father done for remeid of thy miserie?

He hes send his awin onely begotten Sonne in the warld to die for my deliuerance.

What hes the Sonne Iesus Christ done for thee?

He hes tane my nature and sinne, with the rewarde thereof vppon him, and shed his pretious bloud vnto the dead, to saue me therefra.

What does the halie Ghaist for that effect?

He sanctifies me, and joynes me with Christ, & makes me able to receiue him and his merites, offered to me be my gratious heauenly father.

And how?

By working true faith and earnest repentance in my heart.

[Page] What is thy faith?

My sure beliefe, that God baith may and will saue me in the bloud of Iesus Christ, because he is almightie, and hes promised sa to do.

Tell me the promise wheron thou leanes assuredlie?

Whasoeuer (sayes God) will beleeue in the death of my Sonne Iesus, sall not perish, but get eternall life.

What is thy repentance?

The effect of this faith▪ John. 3. 6. working a sorrow for my sins by-past, and purpose to amend in time to come.

How hes God then remeided thy miserie?

He hes forgiuen all my sinnes, and freed me fra the reward thereof, and made me righteous, halie, and happie, to liue for euer, and that of his free grace allanerly, be the merites of Iesus Christ, and working of the haly ghaist.

And what craues God of thee againe for sa great a benefite?

Onelie thankfulnesse, to giue him his awin praise, in pressing to loue and obey him aboue all, whilk is also his free gift and wark of his spirite in me, that all praise may be to him onely.

3 PART.

BY what instrumentes and meanes, warkes the spirit of God, Faith, Repentance, and Thankfulnes in thy heart?

By the word and sacraments.

Where is the word of God to be found?

In the Byble, conteyning the auld & new testament, the law and Gospell.

But it may be thou cannot reade, nor hes learned at schoole?

[Page] I haue it of Gods mercie preached to mee, and the whole substance thereof, shortly comprehended in the Commandes, Beleefe, and Lords prayer.

How many Commands is there?

Ten,The commaunds. contayning the sum of the haill law of God, written by his [...]win finger, in twa Tables of stone.

What hes the first Table?

Our dutie to God in foure Commands.

What is commanded in the first?

To knaw God, and cleaue to him, with faith, feare, and loue.

What in the second?

To worship and serue him, by the meanes he hes appoynted; namely, his stiles, word, sacraments, warkes, prayer, and aith.

What in the third?

To vse these meanes rightly, and halelie be preparation going before, right disposition in the time, and expressing of fruite, after alwaies in spirite and veritie.

What in the fourth?

To imploy the seuenth daye heallelie, in the halie, right, and earnest vse of the foresaid meanes, and doing of the warkes of mercie and charitie for Gods cause.

VVhat hes the second Table?

Our dutie to all men in sex commands.

What is then commanded in the first?

The duties of them that ar aboue and vnder, for gud ordour; that brings forth a halie and happie estate in all societies.

Wha ar aboue?

Fathers, Mothers, Magistrate, Pastour, Elder, Maister, Husband and aged.

What is their dutie?

[Page] To haue a fatherlie care of the inferiours, to rule, teache, susteine, command, and counsell them in God. Wha ar vnder?

Children, subjectes, people, seruants, wiues, and yonger in age.

What is their dutie?

To loue, reuerence, obey, maintaine their superiours, as fathers of bodies, saule, and gudes.

What in the sext?

To keip my life and my neighbours, and not hurt the same.

What is the seuenth?

To keip my person, and my neighbour cleane and chaste, in, and out of mariage.

What is the eight?

To win and spend lawfully, the things pertayning to this life.

VVhat is the ninth?

To keip my neighbours fame, and mine, by thinking, speaking, and hearing truth.

VVhat is the tenth.

To keip the heart from concupiscence, the mother of all sinne.

VVhat is the vse of the law of God?

It hes twa chiefe and necessarie vses. First, to shew me my sinne and miserie, and sa to leade mee to Christ. Secondly, To shew me how to be thankfull, by preassing to keip his commandements, and make my faith fruitfull in loue and obedience.

Yet thou sinnes in all thy warke?

Ouer true, but striuing to mende, and preassing to the best, God will accept thereof, for Christs sake.

VVhat contaynes thy Beleefe?The Beleete.

[Page] The summe of the Gospell.

In how many parts?

Twa chiefe. First concerning God the Father, Sonne, and halie Ghaist. Next concerning the Kirk, and benefites thereof.

What beleeues thou concerning God the Father?

That he is the almightie, maker, vphalder, and rewler of all, for his glorie and my weill in speciall: Father of Iesus Christ, and in him of me, and all the faithfull.

What concerning God the Sonne?

That he is verie God and man, Prophete, Priest, and King, conceiued, borne, suffered, to perfite the office of the true and onelie Mediatour and Saviour, for all the elect and faithfull, and for me in speciall.

What furder?

As he came lawlie, first to work the warke of redemption, sa sal he come at last in glory, to judge baith al that dyed before, and them that sall then be found aliue.

What a day sall that be?

The best for the godlie, and worst for the wicked that euer they saw.

What beleeue ye concerning the halie Ghaist?

That he is God eternall, alike with the Father, and Sonne in substance, and in ordour the third person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne, for gouernement of all, and namely, for sanctifying of the saules of the faithfull and mine in speciall.

What conteines the second parte of the Beleefe?

My faith anent the Kirk, and the benefites whilk God bestowes thereupon.

What beleeues thou concerning the Kirk?

That God hes chosen a number out of the haill multitude of men to be his in Christ, of the whilk I am ane.

[Page] What is the communion of Saintes?

The vnitie and fellowship, that the children of God hes in him, and euery ane with another in Iesus Christ.

VVhat are the rest of the benefites?

Sinne, with the rewarde thereof, and all miseries removed and tane away; and the bodies whilk be death, mon be anes destroyed, sall be raysed vp againe at the latter daye, and joyned with the saule, to liue in perfite happines for euer▪

Now tell me how thou art made righteous, and reconciled to God?

By faith onely, whereby Christ dwelles in my harte.

And how may it bee kend that thou possesses Christ by faith?

By the necessarie effects therof, loue, and obedience of Gods commandes, as I haue said, and namelie, the right exercise of Prayer.

VVhom to pray ye?The prayer.

To God the Father, Sonne, and halie Ghaist, as they are all ane God.

VVhat warrand haue ye, that your prayer sall be accepted and hard?

Because God hes commanded me to praye, and promised to heare me for Christs sake.

How manie parts is in the prayer?

Three, the preface, petitions, and conclusion.

VVhat teaches the preface?

That we ought not to go rashly to prayer, but prepared with faith and charitie.

How with faith?

Beleeving God our almightie Father, wha baith may, and will grant our requestes.

How with charitie?

[Page] How with charitie?

Praying for our neighbours as our selues.

How many petitions is there?

Sex, three crauing all things perteining to the glory of God, conforme to the first Table of the Lawe, and three, crauing all things gud and neidfull for man, conforme to the second.

Our petitiones then mon be according to his commandes?

Yes verely, for his will mon rule vs and be done, and not our awin.

VVhat teaches the conclusion?

To joyne thanks-giuing euer with prayer.

VVhat is true thanks-giuing?

Ane acknawledging that God sends all, and ane earnest desire and care, that all may be weill vsed to his honor and glorie.

VVhat meanes the word Amen.

It is ane note of assurance, that God wil graunt our petitiones, sa far as hee thinkes gud, for his honour, and our weill.

VVha mooues the heart to pray and prayse God?

The halie Ghaist, wha of his grace, mote mooue me rightlie mair and mair.

4 PART.

NOwe to the Sacramentes: VVhat are the Sacraments?

Outwarde signes and seales, of the inward grace of God, and the couenant thereof, by the whilk being rightly vsed, Christ and all his benefites, are giuen and receiued for life and salvation.

VVherein standes the right vse of them?

[Page] In this, namely, that as we bring the naturall instruments of the bodie to receiue the singes; sa wee bring the spirituall instrument, to wit, true fai [...]h in our hearts, to receiue the things signified.

How manie Sacraments is there?

Twa: Baptisme and the Lords Supper.

What is Baptisme?

It is the Sacrament of our first entrie within the Kirk of God, wherein by the outward washing of water, is sealed vp the washing away of our sinnes, be the precious blood of Iesus.

What is the supper?

It is the Sacrament of our perpetuall nurishment with in the Kirk, wherein by bread and wine sa vsed as is prescribed, is sealed vp our spiritual nurishment and life in Iesus Christ.

And how is this done in the ane and the vther?

Be true faith and effectual working of the haly Spirit.

How then tryes thou and prepares thy selfe anent thir things?

I try if I vnderstand them aright, and if I haue practise, & done them in any measure, be faith and repentance; and finding my ignorance, weakenes of faith, & wrang done to God & my neighbour, I am hartely sorie therefore, and seekes to be reconciled to God and my neighbour, and sa prepares my selfe with a true hearte, and cleane conscience, to come to that table.

How art thou reconciled to God?

Be repenting my sinnes, & beleeuing in Iesus Christ as saide is, and taking ernest purpose of amendement of life, and grouth in faith and halines.

How art thou reconciled to thy neighbour?

Be making a mends for the wrang done, if it lie in my [Page] power, at least, be confessing my fault, and crauing him forgiuenes: as als forgiuing with my hearte, all wrang done to me, as I wald God suld forgiue me.

And finally, when thou perceaues in the action of the supper, how God hes sa loued thee, that hee hes giuen his awin onely begotten son, to suffer the maist shamefull death for thy sake, how suld thou be mooued?

Euen to loue him againe with all my hearte, and my nighbour for his sake, and to bend all the powers of my saule and body, to his honour, seruice and obedience.

FINIS

The saules delight.

[Page]

OF God I am, in God is my delight,

On God I stay, nought else can me content,

In God I get reliefe and rest perfite,

But God my daies in griefe and gall are spent,

For God I sore abone the firmament.

With God I feede on sweete and secret grace,

Fra God I get, great gaine, great glo [...]r, great rent,

O God great Iah, my ioye is in thy face.

Fra God, fra hame, enclosed for a space,

At Gods command, in clay I clogged goe.

But God hes height fra hand and heauenly place,

God will performe, he heastes, he heares my woe.

O clay! away, my God thy bandes will bruse,

My God, abode with thee but change I chuse.

M. W. S.

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

A spirituall propine of a pastour to his people

Melville, James, 1556-1614.

Edition statement

1598

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A07429

ID [STC]

STC 17816

ID [STC]

ESTC S105643

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99841369

ID [PROQUEST]

99841369

ID [VID]

5947

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A07429)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 5947)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 574:7, 2314:4)

Source

— A spirituall propine of a pastour to his people, Melville, James, 1556-1614..

Extent

[8], 51, [3], 53-150 [i.e. 151], [7] p.

Printed by Robert Walde-graue printer to the Kings Majestie.,. Edinburgh :: 1589. [i.e. 1598].. (Dedication dated and signed: From Ansteruther, the 20. day of Nouember. 1598. .. Iames Maluill.) (At foot of t.p.: Cum privilegio regio.) (The publication date is in error for 1598 (STC).) ("A morning vision", in verse, has separate title page; pagination and register are continuous.) (The final leaves contain verses.) (Errors in paging: p. 49 is numbered 46; p. 151 misnumbered 150.) (Imperfect: copy at reel 574:7 is an incomplete filming.) (Reproductions of the original in the British Library.)

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