help the hive. If God have thus fed thy body, which He loveth not but for thy soul's sake, how can it be then but that He will be much more ready to feed thy soul? Therefore take a courage to thee, and go to him for grace accordingly.

COGITATIONS FOR ABOUT THE MID-DAY TIME.

A see

S thy body is now compassed on every side

As God giveth thee thus plentifully this corporal light, so pray him that He will give thee the spiritual light. Think that, as the sun is now most clear, so shall our bodies be in the day of judgment. As now the sun is come to the highest, and therefore will begin to draw downward; so is there nothing in the world so perfect and glorious, which when it is at the full, will not decrease and so wear away.

When you come home again, pray:

THE

HERE is nothing, O Lord, more like to thy holy nature than a quiet mind. Thou hast called us out of the troublesome disquietness of the world, into that thy quiet rest and peace which the world cannot give, being such a peace as passeth all men's understanding. Houses are ordained for us, that thereby we might be defended from the injury of weather, from the cruelty of beasts, from disquietness of people, and rest from the toils of the world. O gracious Father, grant that through thy great mercy my body may enter into this house from outward actions, but so that it may become buxom and

obedient to the soul, and make no resistance against the same, that in soul and body I may have a godly quietness and peace to praise thy holy name. Amen.

Peace be to this house and to all that dwell in the same1.

THI

OCCASIONS TO MEDITATE.

HINK what a return, and how merry a return, it will be to come to our eternal, most quiet, and most happy home: then will all grief and sorrow cease. Whatsoever here is pleasant and joyful, the same is nothing but a very shadow in comparison of that which is to come.

At the sun going down pray:

HOW unhappy are they, O Lord, on whom

thy sun goeth down and giveth no light; I mean thy grace, which is always clear as the midday. Dark night unto them is the mid-day, which depart from thee: in thee is never night, but always daylight most clear. This corporal sun hath his courses, now up, now down; but thou, dear Lord, if we do love thee, art always one. 0 that this block and vail of sin were taken away from me, that there might be always clear day in my mind!

OCCASIONS TO MEDITATE.

THINK, that as we are not sorry when the sun goeth down, because we know it will rise again; even so we should not sorrow for death,

1 Matt. x.

wherethrough the soul and body do part asunder, for they shall eftsoons return and come together again. So long as the sun is up, wild beasts keep their dens, foxes their burrows, owls their holes, &c.; but when the sun is down, then come they abroad. So wicked men and hypocrites keep their dens in the time of the gospel; but it being taken away, then swarm they out of their holes like bees, as this day doth teach1.

When the candles be light, pray thus:

MOST

OST thick and dark clouds do cover our minds, except thy light, O Lord, do drive them away. Thy sun, O most wise Worker, is as it were a firebrand to this world: thy wisdom, whereby light cometh both to soul and body, is a firebrand to the spiritual world. After day when the night cometh, thou hast given for the remedy of darkness a candle. After sin, for the remedy of ignorance, thou hast given thy doctrine which thy dear Son hath brought unto us. O thou that art the Author and Master of all truth, and art the true Light, make us to see by both the lights, so that the dimness of our minds may be driven clean away. Lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us, and send joy and gladness into our hearts 2. Thy word is a lantern to my feet, and a light unto my paths.

THIN

OCCASIONS TO MEDITATE.

HINK that the knowledge and understanding which God hath given unto us by the candlelight, (whereby we see those things in this night

1 This is meant of the bloody time of Q. Mary. 2 Psal. iv.

of our bodies which are expedient for us,) maketh us to wish much more for this doctrine of God, and when we get it, the more to esteem it and diligently embrace it. Again, that as all would be horror without candles, so there is nothing but mere confusion where God's word taketh not place.

When you make yourself unready, pray:

THIS

HIS our life and weak knit body by reason of sin by little and little shall be dissolved, and so shall be restored to the earth from whence it was taken then will be an end of this vanity, which by our foolishness we have wrought to ourselves. O most meek Father, so do thou untie and loose me (for thou hast knit me together), that I may perceive myself to be loosed and dissolved, and so may remember both of whom I was made, and also whither I go, lest I be had unprepared unto thy tribunal and judgment-seat.

Put off the old man with his lusts and concupiscence3.

Be content with Joseph to put off thy prison apparel, that thou mayest put on new.

THI

OCCASIONS TO MEDITATE.

HINK that we do willingly put off our garments, which in the morning we shall put on again; and therefore, in that after the night of this world we shall receive on our bodies again, let us not unwillingly put them off, when God by death shall call us.

Coloss. iii. Ephes. iv.

4 Gen. xli.

When you enter into your bed, pray:

THERE

HE day now ended, men give themselves to rest in the night; and so, this life finished, we shall rest in death. Nothing is more like this life than every day; nothing more like death than sleep; nothing more like to our grave than our bed. O Lord, our keeper and defender, grant that I now laying me down to rest, being unable to keep myself, may be preserved from the crafts and assaults of the wicked enemy; and grant further, that when I have run the race of this life, thou wouldst of thy mercy call me unto thee, that I may live and watch with thee for evermore. And now, gracious God, give me to take my rest in thee, and bring to pass that thy goodness may be, even in sleep, before mine eyes; that sleeping I be not absent from thee, but may have my dreams to draw me unto thee, and so both soul and body may be kept pure and holy for ever.

I will lay me down in peace and take my rest1.

OCCASIONS TO MEDITATE.

THINK that, as this troublesome day is now past, and night come, and so rest, quietness, and pleasant sleep, which maketh most excellent princes and poor wretches alike; even so after the tumults, troubles, temptations, and tempests of this life, they that believe in Christ have prepared for them an haven and rest most pleasant and joyful. As you are not afraid to enter into your bed, and to dispose yourself to sleep, so be not afraid to die, but rather cheerfully prepare yourself there

1 Psal. iv.