The exercise of true spirituall deuotion Consisting of diuers holy meditations and prayers; seruing for the inflaming of mens benummed affections; the quickening and increase of sauing grace; and the better ordering of the whole course of the life of a Christian, in a manner acceptable to God, profitable vnto others, and comfortable vnto his own soule. The first part.

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR EDVVARD LEVVKENOR, Knight, grace and happines.

SIR, I here of∣fer vnto you a small present; yet my first fruites in this kinde, and therefore such as I hope will find some acceptance with you. That which mo∣ued me to the bringing of them to open light, was not any priuate or sinister respect, but mature and

aduised deliberation. First, I obserued the great neg∣lect of those two maine duties, of meditation, and prayer; how farre most were from the daily prac∣tise thereof, how much vnacquainted therewith; then which notwithstan∣ding, nothing should bee more ordinary with Chri∣stians. I heard oft com∣plaints of the scantnes of writings of this nature, as much as of superfluitie in others: yea, euen our ad∣uersaries haue not spared to fasten this as a reproch vnto our profession and religion, though indeede they haue least cause to

complaine of vs (what co∣lour soeuer they may seem to haue) seeing the grea∣test part of their labours herein, is farre from that holy exercise of true de∣uotion, sauouring in many things too much of super∣stition, and carnall affecta∣tion; and not that onely, but also (as may easily ap∣peare to those that are of sound iudgement, & right discerning) exceeding de∣fectiue in the main points, and maimed in the princi∣pall parts, euen in those which should bee the very life of deuotion. I consi∣dered also how necessarie it was for men to haue ma∣ny

helps and furtherances at hand, whereby they might bee inured to the due and frequent per∣formance of this dutie, so requisite for the taking a∣way of that drines of hart, and that deadnes of affec∣tion, which is oftentimes in the best, and for the re∣medying of that spirituall distemper, which not sel∣dome doth preuaile too much with them, who o∣therwise are well disposed, & desire to approoue thē∣selues vnto the Lord in truth and sinceritie; as also for the quickening of the fainting soule, and langui∣shing spirits, which with∣out

the daily exercise of this and other holy duties are soone ouertaken with a kinde of chilnesse, and want of spirituall life and motiō. Besides (that which more nearly concerned me) I remembred how God hath placed all men in the world for a time, not to be idle and vnprofi∣table, but to be helpful and seruiceable vnto others whiles they liue by what meanes they can; yea how straitly euery one is bound to imploy any talent that God hath betrusted him withall, during his life here vpon earth, vnto his glo∣rie, and to the benefite of

others, lest when the day of accounts shall come, he be found blame-worthie, and so depriued of the ioy of his master, euen the glo∣rie of that celestiall King∣dome, the losse whereof can neuer be recompensed with the greatest abun∣dance of the fading plea∣sures, and fruitles vanities of this alluring and deceit∣full world. I saw also how fast my dayes did slide a∣way with a swift foot, and how the harbingers of death had oft summoned me to my last end, & giuen me warning to prepare for his comming; yea how my candle was much spent

whiles I had giuen but little light vnto others; and thought vpon that of the wiseman, that there is nei∣ther worke, nor inuention, nor knowledge, nor wise∣dome in the graue whi∣ther I was going, and ma∣king hast euery houre; and therefore considering oft and seriously with my selfe the shortnes & vncertain∣tie of my fading life (the line wherof God of his mercie and goodnes hath drawen out longer, then I either did or could pro∣mise vnto my selfe) I was desirous that this short course of mine, might not be without profite, but that

according vnto that poore talent which the Lord hath giuē vnto me, I might in any sort be beneficiall vnto the least of the saints of God, and be a meanes of spiritual good vnto any, though not in such maner as those whom God hath inabled for greater perfor∣mances. This it was that preuailed with me, and at length moued me (beeing also moued thereunto by some, who hauing interest in me, made me more for∣ward in this businesse) to publish that for the be∣nefite of others which I had first vndertaken for mine owne priuate exer∣cise;

the exercise I meane of my minde in the duties of true spirituall deuotion. The reasons why I haue made choice of you a∣mong others, vnder whose name to communicat vn∣to others these slender la∣bours of mine, are these e∣specially. First, that know∣ing you haue bin so well seasoned in your younger yeares by meanes of the religious and godly care of your worthie parents (who as while they liued, they were lights vnto o∣thers, so now being dead, and at rest with the Lord, their example may well be a paterne and president

vnto those of that ranke and order) I might hereby stirre vp your pure minde, in this your riper age, vnto the daily exercise of those duties, which were so vsu∣all and ordinarie with thē, as doubtlesse they haue left few behinde them, who deserue the like praise herein. As the remem∣brance hereof may be a ioy and comfort vnto you; so the imitation of the same wil be comfortable and exceeding profitable both vnto your selfe and others. Againe, I was draw∣en hereunto in priuate re∣spects; both in regard of that ancient friēdship first

begun, whiles we liued in the same Colledge, vnder the same gouernment; as also of that kindnes which you haue since shewed me, and which being de∣sirous to make acknow∣ledgement of, I thought good to take this occasion. Accept therfore, I pray, this, as a testimonie of the vnfained loue, & Christi∣an affectiō, which I deser∣uedly beare towards you in many respects. And if it please you at your vacant houres to bestow some time in the perusing of it, I hope you shall finde that which maybe some waies profitable, which is the

only thing I desire and aime at. The Lord increase his graces in you, and mul∣tiply his blessings vpon you, and vpon that whole familie, that it may be, as it hath bin, a light vnto o∣thers in this darke and sin∣full age, wherin the exam∣ples of those that should goe before others, in the practise of pietie and god∣linesse, are so rare and pre∣cious.

Your Worships in all christian dutie and affection, I. ALLISTON.

Emman Coll. in Cam∣bridge, August 30. 1610.

Notes

• Eccle. 9.10. Psalm. 115.17.18.