Sermons & Devotionals by Lewis Bayly
Lewis Bayly
Practice of Piety 67 - A Prayer to be said for the Sick by them who visit him.
O merciful Father, who art the Lord and giver of life, and to whom belong the issues of death, we, thy children here assembled, do acknowledge, that in respect of our manifold sins, we are not worthy to ask any blessing for ourselves at thy hands, much less to become suitors to thy Majesty in the be... Read More
Lewis Bayly
Practice of Piety 68 - Consolations Against Impatience in Sickness.
If in thy sickness by extremity of pain thou be driven to impatience, meditate- 1. That thy sins have deserved the pains of hell; therefore thou mayest with greater patience endure these fatherly corrections. 2. That these are the scourges of thy heavenly Father, and the rod is in his hand. If thou ... Read More
Lewis Bayly
Practice of Piety 28 - A Prayer for the Evening.
O most gracious God and loving Father, who art about my bed and knowest my down-lying and my uprising, and art near unto all that call upon thee in truth and sincerity, I, wretched sinner, do beseech thee to look upon me with the eyes of thy mercy, and not to behold me as I am in myself; for then th... Read More
Lewis Bayly
Practice of Piety 48 - Of the second End of the Lord's Supper.
2. To confirm our faith; for God by this sacrament doth signify and seal unto us from heaven, that according to the promise and new covenant which he hath made in Christ, he will truly receive into his grace and mercy all penitent believers who duly receive this holy sacrament; and that for the meri... Read More
Lewis Bayly
Practice of Piety 49 - Of the third End of the Lord's Supper.
3. To be a pledge and symbol of the most near and effectual communion which Christians have with Christ. "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?" (1 Cor. x. 16;) that is, a most effe... Read More
Lewis Bayly
Practice of Piety 69 - Consolations Against the Fear of Death
If in the time of thy sickness thou findest thyself fearful to die, meditate- 1. That it argueth a dastardly mind to fear that which is not; for in the church of Christ there is no death (Isa. xxv. 7, 8), and whosoever liveth and believeth in Christ, shall never die (John xi. 26). Let them fear deat... Read More
Lewis Bayly
Practice of Piety 29 - Another shorter Evening Prayer.
O eternal God and heavenly Father, if I were not taught and assured by the promises of thy gospel, and the examples of Peter, Mary Magdalene, the publican, the prodigal child, and many other penitent sinners, that thou art so full of compassion, and so ready to forgive the greatest sinners, who are ... Read More
Lewis Bayly
Practice of Piety 50 - Of the fourth End of the Lord's Supper.
4. To feed the souls of the faithful, in the assured hope of life everlasting. For this sacrament is a sign and pledge, to as many as shall receive the same according to Christ's institution, that he will, according to his promise, by the virtue of his crucified body and blood, as verily feed our so... Read More
Lewis Bayly
Practice of Piety 30 - Meditations for Household Piety.
1. If thou be called to the government of a family, thou must not hold it sufficient to serve God and live uprightly in thy own person, unless thou cause all under thy charge to do the same with thee. For the performance of this duty God was so well pleased with Abraham, that he would not hide from ... Read More
Lewis Bayly
Practice of Piety 70 - Seven Sanctified Thoughts and Mournful Sighs of a Sick Man Ready to Die.
Now, forasmuch as God of his infinite mercy doth so temper our pain and sickness, that we are not always oppressed with extremity, but gives us in the midst of our extremities some respite, to ease and refresh ourselves, thou must have an especial care, considering how short a time thou hast either ... Read More
Lewis Bayly
Practice of Piety 51 - The fifth End of the Lord's Supper.
5. To be an assured pledge unto us of our resurrection. The resurrection of a Christian is twofold: First, The spiritual resurrection of our souls, in this life, from the death of sin (John v. 25; Rom. vi. 4, 5, 11), called the first resurrection; because that by the trumpet-voice of Christ, in the ... Read More
Lewis Bayly
Practice of Piety 31 - Morning Prayer for a Family.
O Lord our God and heavenly Father, who art the only Creator and Governor of heaven and earth, and all things contained therein, we confess that we are unworthy to appear in thy sight and presence, considering our manifold sins which we have committed against Heaven and before thee; and that we have... Read More
Lewis Bayly
Practice of Piety 71 - Of the Comfortable Assurance of God's Forgiveness of Sins.
The sick Person ought now to send for some godly and religious Pastor. In any wise remember, if conveniently it may be, to send for some godly and religious pastor, not only to pray for thee at thy death-for God in such a case hath promised to hear the prayers of the righteous prophets, and elders o... Read More
Lewis Bayly
Practice of Piety 32 - The Practice of Piety at Meals, and the Manner of Eating.
Before dinner and supper, when the table is covered, ponder with thyself upon these meditations; to work a deeper impression in thy heart of God's fatherly providence and goodness towards thee. Meditations before Dinner and Supper. Meditate that hunger is like the sickness called a wolf; which, if t... Read More
Lewis Bayly
Practice of Piety 72 - Meditations of Martyrdom.
Now follows the Practice of Piety in dying for the Lord. The practice of piety in dying for the Lord is termed Martyrdom. Martyrdom is the testimony which a Christian bears to the doctrine of the Gospel by enduring any kind of death; to invite many, and to confirm all, to embrace the truth thereof. ... Read More
Lewis Bayly
Practice of Piety 52 - The sixth End of the Lord's Supper.
6. To seal to us the assurance of everlasting life. Oh what more wished or loved than life! Or what do all men naturally either fear or abhor more than death? Yet is this first death nothing, if it be compared with the second death: neither is this life anything worth, in comparison of the life to c... Read More
Lewis Bayly
Practice of Piety 53 - Of the seventh End of the Lord's Supper.
7. To bind all Christians, as it were, by an oath of fidelity, to serve the one only true God; and to admit no other propitiatory sacrifice for sins, but that one real sacrifice which, by his death, Christ once offered, and by which he finished the sacrifices of the law, and effected eternal redempt... Read More
Lewis Bayly
Practice of Piety 33 - Grace before Meat.
O most gracious God, and loving Father, who feedest all creatures living, which depend upon thy divine providence, we beseech thee, sanctify these creatures, which thou hast ordained for us; give them virtue to nourish our bodies in life and health; and give us grace to receive them soberly and than... Read More
Lewis Bayly
Practice of Piety 73 - A Divine Colloquy Between the Soul and Her Savior
A Divine Colloquy between the Soul and her Saviour upon the effectual Merits of his dolorous Passion. Soul. Lord, wherefore didst thou wash thy disciples' feet? Christ. To teach thee how thou shouldst prepare thyself to come to my supper. Soul. Lord, why shouldst thou wash them thyself? (John xiii. ... Read More
Lewis Bayly
Practice of Piety 54 - A Confession of Sins before the receiving of the Holy Communion.
O God and heavenly Father, when I consider the goodness which thou hast ever shewed unto me, and the wickedness which I have committed against Heaven and against thee, I am ashamed of myself, and confusion seems to cover my face as a veil; for which of thy commandments have I not transgressed? O Lor... Read More
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Lewis Bayly (born perhaps at Carmarthen, Wales, perhaps near Biggar, Scotland, year unknown; died at Bangor, Wales, October 26, 1631) was an Anglican bishop. He was educated at Oxford, became vicar of Evesham, Worcestershire, and probably in 1604 became rector of St. Matthew's Church, Friday street, London.
He was then chaplain to Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales (died 1612), later chaplain to King James I, who, in 1616, appointed him bishop of Bangor. He was an ardent Puritan.
Bayly's fame rests on his book The Practice of Piety, directing a Christian how to walk that he may please God (date of first edition unknown; 3d edition, London, 1613). It reached its 74th edition in 1821 and has been translated into French, German, Italian, Polish, Romansh, Welsh, and into the language of the Massachusetts Indians. It was one of the two books which John Bunyan's wife brought with her and it was by reading it that Bunyan was first spiritually awakened.