our frailty and assist vs with his holy Spirit against such temptations Also when wee begin and after wee haue begun our prayers we must bring with vs and keepe with vs this consideration and resolution not to seeke so much temporall as spirituall blessings at Gods hands And if our necessities call vpon vs to craue temporal blessings yet let our desires be so farre limited alwayes to submit our wills to Gods heauenly will let vs begin to begge of God things spirituall before temporal blessings though both be necessary and neither to be neglected To all this must bee added Charity in pardoning offences that are committed against vs according to the president precept which our Sauiour himself hath set downe in that forme of prayer vvhich ought to be the rule of all our prayers and so reconciling our selues first by charity to our aduersaries we may come with more cleere Consciences and more acceptable sacrifice in our supplications vnto God For if wee aske forgiuenesse of our sins and do not forgiue others wee can find but little assurance to obtaine what we aske So then we see it is not fit nor safe to runne rashly vnto prayer without preparation premeditation faith repentance reconciliation and resistance of temptations CAP. VI. An entrance to Prayer HAuing prepared our mindes and our heartes for Prayer we may then most safely make our entrance into it which consisteth chiefely of these parts Inuocation Confession Laâ—ding or Thankesgiuing Supplication Inuocation is a calling or appellation on the name of God most high Which declareth denounceth the attributes belonging to the nature of God and these doe concerne his Iustice Mercie Power his Prouidence His Iustice as a most iust God who by thy Iustice doest distribute dispose vnto all creatures all that belongs and is most fitte for them who therby dost gouerne and guide 〈…〉 and men with all that is in heauen and earth His Mercy as thus Most mercifull and gracious God whose mercy is aboue all thy other wonderfull workes in pardoning and preseruing from destruction and in sending thy Son to saue sinners The inuocation of Gods Power may bee made after this manner O God of vnspeakeable power and might which madest all things of nothing by thine owne onely word wisedome and art able at all 〈◊〉 â—â—ing all this againe vnto nothing The inuocation of Gods prouidence may be in this wise O Lord God of wonderful wisedom he whose prouidence all things are preserued and from whose wisedome we haue all our knowledge and wisedom These and the like inuocations according to the appellation and declaration of Gods attributes uttered in this or the like sort may serue as some instruction to the ignorant so from Introduction and entrance into their prayer vntill by practice they bee made more perfect as the first part thereof yet to be altered amended augmented as euery mans capacity and ability shall affoord him meanes Next to Inuocation in prayer Confession hath her proper place For if we haue offended God as there is no man but dayly and hourely doth it then it is most needfull 〈◊〉 first we do confesse our selues before we ask any benifits This Confession is of two kindes the one generall the other particular That generall as when one doth declare and deplore his greeuous sinnes that hee is polluted with the same thoroughout all his parts and faculties the latter which is a mention and recitall of seuerall sinnes such as euery man may finde himselfe to bee most burdened with as those which were last committed most fresh in memory namely that this day of late I haue done these euils in thy sight I haue seduced such personnes I haue slandered my neighbour I haue in this denyed or darkened the truth I haue harbored these euil thoughts of such persons without iust cause giuen I haue followed this vaine desire affected this fond inuention presented to me by others or entertayned by my selfe I haue not withstood such an euill worke when I could haue done it I haue bene silent in such a cause when I might haue made the truth manifest And so of our seuerall sinnes either committed whereof wee may take knowledge or of necessary duties omitted which in Christian dutie wee ought to haue done when wee make faithfull confession vnto God ioyned with some repentance and the same accompanied with acknowledgement Thanksgiuing for mercies receiued are the best preparatiues in our prayers After this and the like both generall and particular confessions of our sins in prayer vnto God a lauding and a thankesgiuing for the blessings imparted vnto vs wherof we ought to be sensible and not to be silent comes next in place For it were vnseemly inconuenient and improuident to ask any new good turnes of any man before we return any shew of thankefulnesse for what good we haue receiued so would it bee as vnbeseeming and altogether as vnprofitable for mortall man to pray vnto the immortal God for any encrease of mercies before hee acknowledge those which haue beene formerly powred on him The forme of this praise and thankesgiuing may bee made after this manner We praise and magnifie thy Diuine Maiesty most glorious God for thy fauour and goodnesse extended alwayes on vs sinfull Creatures since our Creation for giuing vs vnderstanding of thee and of thy wil for preseruing maintayning and protecting vs more particularly for c. Lastly supplication or petition is to be made especially for the pardoning of our sinnes for freeing and keeping vs from falling into the same or the like againe for the obtayning of spirituall graces and of temporall necessities for the pardoning of sinnes it may bee in such like sort Thou that art the God of mercy shew mercie and compassion on me a most miserable sinner Lord let thy mercie shine aboue all thy other works Cast not thy louing countenance from me bewayling my many heynous transgressions Lord God thou seest our wantes and our weakenesse I beseech thee strengthen me in body and in health Blesse me in estate that I may be the better able to serue thee and imploy what thou shalt affoord according to thy sacred will pleasure The supplication for spirituall graces may be after this wise Though wee haue deserued no goodnes hauing done so much euill yet according to thy wonted goodnes grant vs such graces and heauenly gifts as may make vs blessed in thy sight and beloued of thy Saints Giue me a stedfast faith an humble contrite heart penitence for all my sinnes past watchfulnesse ouer my waies for time to come zeale of thine honour and glory a loue of thy truth and of such as loue the same an vnderstanding heart to discerne it constancie in following and keeping thy commandements teach me to examine mine owne heart to search it strictly to see if there yet remaine any hypocirsie or hollownesse in it Take from mee the temptations of lust vaine-glory malice sensuality
in health nor the body in life So are they indeede both whilest they haue their well-being like vnto Hippocrates twinnes born bred liuing and dying together It is true that at al times they cannot be conioined for sometimes Contemplation and Meditation may come and are inuited into the heart by the good Spirite of GOD at such times and places where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 publike nor priuâ—â—â— p◠〈…〉 when strength and â—aculâ—â— of spâ—ech â—aileth 〈…〉 when thâ— Conscience by contemplation may consider and secretly confesse the frailties falles which are then or hath bene before by them committed and yet there is no opportunitie or admittance to expresse it there mentall Prayer and Meditation is most proper But vocall is most powerfull when it may bee practised CAP. II. The Necessity of Prayer NExt to the examination and knowledg what Prayer is there comes to bee considered what the necessitie is of the same wherein I might well conceyue there shold neede no great labour to proue it nor more then to prooue it is day-light when the Sun shines the one being manifest in the workes of Nature the other as apparant in the effects of Grace Yet because ignorance needs information curiosity requires confirmation we will say somewhat to make the necessity of prayer to bee in our sight as indeede it is in it selfe perspicuous and plaine It is euident to all good and well instructed Christians That as wee are all Creatures of the heauenly Creator 1. Prayer is needfull in respect of Creation so to this end did he cheefely create vs that we being his Worke-manship we should worship our great Worke-master and giue him his deserued glory by acknowledging this innumerable benefites in magnifying his Diuine Maiesty making supplications vnto him Which most necessary Christian dutie wee cannot performe without Prayer Therefore the necessity of Prayer is proued in the cause and end of our Creation Next as we are created onely by God 2. For our Saluation so are wee onely saued by him and of our selues through our sinnes Originall and Actual we deserue nothing but destruction death damnation Therefore as we stand in 〈◊〉 of pardon for our sins and of 〈◊〉 pacifie Gods indignation for the sinne whome vnto doe dayly and greeuously offend so can bee no way so well satisfie him obtaine pardon of them and saluation of our soules as â—y frequent zeallous and feruent Prayer the best procurers of pardon for our transgressions against God Thirdly as well our temporall preseruation as our Creation and Saluation sheweth the necessitie of Prayer For our youth is accompanyed with rashnesse our riper yeares with dangerous aduentures our elder yeeres with sickenesse and sundry infirmities In all which seasons of mans life he is so subiect and so beset with calamities dangers and maladies both of minde and of body that without faithfull and feruent Prayer vnto God he cannot escape those miseries where-with this life and euery part thereof is enuironed And by acceptable Prayer vnto GOD he passeth thorow all these perils Therefore if wee consider who is our Creator what benefites hee hath bestowed on vs and to what end hee hath done this In acknowledging that hee hath created vs we are bound to confesse his power prouidence In beholding thankfully receiuing his blessings as life helth liberty peace wealth knowledge maintenance mutuall and comfortable society wee cannot in duty but agnize his wonderfull bountie clemency and mercy which by no other meanes be so performed as by ardent deuout Prayer vnto God So then we may see if sence do not blind reason or if reason go not too far in giuing rules vnto Religion the necessity of praier vnto God to be so great that without it we cannot well obtaine the things we rightly desire nor shun that which is hurtfull CAP. III. Of the profit of prayer THe third thing to be considred handled and well weighed is the benefit and profit of praier vnto God which though it cannot be truly valued by any but those that feele the fruites of it both inwardly in their comforts and consciences and outwardly in their estates and they only that taste and enioy the spiritual consolation they feele and find in this heauenly exercise of prayer can tell somewhat what it is though they are not able to expresse it yet to shew some sparkles of the splendor of praier besides that which hath beene already spoken of the necesity of it we will summarily set downe some examples what beneâ—â—ts the Children of God haue receiued by the vse of holy and faithfull prayer and next touching the promises which our Sauior hath made vnto such as shall pray vnto God zealously and truly If we looke into the sacred Scripture and holy Bible wee shall find sufficient examples of deliuerance from dangers the diuerting of Gods iudgements from sinners by the prayers of holy men euen at the time when most eminent perils haue presented themselues And when there hath beene no hope or likelyhood of helpe to bee deliuered by mortall man yet the faithfull prayer of one man hath deliuered many from destruction As when the Israelites did fight against the Amalekites as long as Aaron Hâ—zâ— held vp the hands of Moses to pray the Israelites did preuaile when Iudas Machabeus fought against Gorgeas and his armie against Lysias and his armie hee prayed and by effectuall prayer vnto God he ouercame and got the victory By prayer Moses freed his Sister from the Leprosie and by prayer he pacified Gods displeasure against the people And by praier Abraham did oure Abimelech all which and many more examples might be alledged how profitable the praier of one man hath beene for the preseruation of many Then if we consider the promises which God who is able to performe all that hee doth promise hath made vnto all those that make faithfull supplications vnto him wee shall finde the same to bee so great as greater cannot come to man by any indeauour For it is said if two or three be assembled together to aske any thing lawfull in Gods name hee will giue it And againe the holy Ghost saith by the princely Prophet David Call vpon me in the time of thy need and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt praise me Likewise the same Prophet speaking by the same Spirit Let him call vpon mee and I will heare him I am with him in his trouble and will bring him to honour But because the sacred Scriptures are full of these certaine promises for the obtaining of things faithfully and rightly asked of God in prayer it shall bee sufficient for confirmation of this point to adde what our Sauiour himselfe hath said Verily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer you shall aske for vnto the Father in my name it shall be giuen you If then we be commanded by God himselfe to pray vnto him we cannot but clearly see as in a Christall glasse of Gods holy word that prayer
disgraces IT is iust with thee O Lord and I haue iustly deserued that thou shouldest send me some wants and small disgraces after thou hast giuen me prosperitie plenty and sufficiencie when not vsing thy blessings well and neglecting the meanes thou hast affoorded for my maintainance I am faln from that I had which was sufficient to want some things for my necessary vse And yet my wants are not so great as my sinnes are or as they haue deserued Since then howsoeuer my estate or my estimation is in this world I do beseech thee graunt me patience to beare this or whatsoeuer crosse it pleaseth thee to lay vpon mee and to acknowledge that I my selfe am the cause of it And so when thou hast brought me home vnto thy self by the acknowledgement of my selfe and of my sinnes comfort me againe according to thy eternall wisedome that I bee neyther dismaide with aduersitie or puffed vp with prosperity but if it be thy good pleasure that pouerty shall still pursue mee prepare me with patience to beare this crosse though hard for flesh and blood yet once obtaining the victorie by thy sole strength ouer this inward enemy my infirmities sticking closest vnto me I may possesse my soul in peace and whatsoeuer becomes of my worldly estate the spiritual state of my soul may be safe I saued thorow thy abundant mercies Amen A Prayer in time of sicknesse MOst gracious Father we confesse and wee are driuen to confesse wee haue deserued plagues pestilence and other sicknesses whereto we are subiect of our selues aswell by the naturall infection of our bodies whereby one taketh contagion from another as by our spirituall pollutions whereby our sinnes being the inward festring sores doe ascend vnto the Tribunall in heauen calling and crying for vengeance on the earth on the sonnes of men the inhabitants and Rulers of the earth The effects of this good Lord we haue often and visibly seene though wee doe not well consider the cause Wee feele the stroke but do not see the hand that strikes neither do we well weigh what moues that hand to bee stretched out agaynst vs. Now the sicknesse thou hast sent vs makes vs to looke somewhat about vs and to feel that which our flesh can easily find paine anguish aches torments comming from the body to the mind But O Lord we are not so sensible of that which concernes the sicknesse of the soule Yet in this time of our visitation whilest paine and perill doth oppresse vs teach vs to take this as an information of our infirmities heale vs good Lord inwardly in the diseases of our soules and keepe vs from those corruptions of our naturall affections which draws vs vnto fond desires with false and foolish appetites the procurers of these our bodily diseases O Lord yet cleanse vs within from our sins and then we shal be cured from our corporall sicknes but if it be thy blessed will to continue this Contagion yet comfort and support vs during the time of sicknesse Make thou good Lord our beddes and bodies such as may make vs able to vndergo our sickenesse comfort vs with the inward consolation of thy holy Spirit when cold heat coniunction or succession of either comes then O Lord in the time of extremity whilest Naâ—uâ—e is distempred our bodiâ—s disâ—ased our minds distracted betwixt feare of death danger of our estate care of our children friends kindrâ—d and family wee may yâ—t receyue a sweet repose from the influence of thy holy Spirit to rest content with thy good will and pleasure with a reference and relying on the same for resolution of life or of death So may wee by thy assistance say still and peaceably vnto thee in the sincerity of our owne soules We are heere now good Lord at thy disposing do with vs what thou wilt Only make vs able to bear our owne infirmities and thy visitations with faith help vs in the time of this weaâ—nesse and danger of this disease if thou giue life graunt amendment of life If thou appoint death grant vs preparation for our dissolution Repentance for our sinnes and a ioyfull assurance of thy mercies the bodie is weake the flesh tremâ—les the Spirit is troubled O thou the giuer of life and the disposer of death wheÌ„ sense is dull or distracted infuse thy Spirit to temper it and to turne vs vnto thee dispose our harts so that whither life or death do come they may bee alike welcome vnto vs and we may entertaine either according to thy good wil and pleasure Arme vs against the feare of death if life be graunted graunt wee may leade a new life setting forth thy glory If death be designed let the period of this life bee finished in thy praises lift vp our hearts at the last gaspe And now at this instant plant in my heart faith to beleeue in thy sauing health feruencie to pray for it courage to endure the conflicts of sickenesse and of sinne and in the end a blessed death and a ioyfull resurrection thorow Iesus Christ our Lord Amen A prayer for knowledge THou O great and gracious God who art the light of our liues and the Conseruer of all sauing knowledge enlighten our vnderstanding with the true knowledge of thee of our selues and of the wayes wherein we should walke And although we can neuer in this world knowe thee as thou art being inuisible infinit in goodnesse and in greatnes yet giue vs such and so much knowledge of thee as our capacities can comprehend and thy will is to reueale Let vs attaine to so much knowledge as to see thy wonders in thy works and thy good pleasure reuealed in thy word if that which thou hast not reuealed of thy selfe let vs bee satisfied with what thou hast reuealed in thy word Of the first let our naturall inquisition of thy supernaturall power weaken or preiudice our faith And in that knowledge which thy word deliuereth let vs not be content with a weake and meane measure but couet to come vnto that knowledg which may strengthen our faith informe our consciences and reforme our liues In the knowledge of our selues teach vs to consider and know our owne weaknesse and wickednesse our frailtie and manifold infirmities our sinnes and transgressions against thy holy and heauenly Maiesty For the knowledge of our owne wayes grant vs warinesse and watchfulnes to see and finde out our faylings in the keeping of thy Commandements our feare plainly to professe thy truth thorow doubt of danger scoffe or losse the smal account we make of thy good things wee leaue vndone or do amis of the euill wee haue committed And when good Lord thou hast rightly instructed vs in the knowledg of thee by thy works and word of our selues in finding and confessing our sinnes and of our owne wayes by acknowledging them to be wandering by-paths then bring vs home vnto thee to pray vnto thee and praise thee in this life
into the world to suffer for vs sinners to redeeme vs from life to death to lay downe his owne life to saue vs from damnation This thy mercie as it is vnspeakeable and vnualewable O Lord wee acknowledge it to bee so great that we cannot giue thee condigne prayses but doe pray thee to accept our weake sacrifices in the Eucharisticall reioycing rendering of laud vnto thee for the suffering of thy Sonne to offer himselfe vnto death euen for them that were become enemies to our gracious God breakers of thy Couenants defilers of thy Sabaths haters of truth truce breakers loaden with sin and voyde of grace Now most mercifull Lord God that thou hast vouchsafed vs this fauour to approach vnto thy blessed Table and to renew the seale of the Couenant graunt likewise for a farther addition of grace for the increase of thy glorie that we may approach neerer and neerer vnto thee by newnesse of life watchfulnesse ouer our owne wayes firmenesse in faith constancie in keeping thy Commandements obedience to thy holy word and will and this thorow the helpe of thee our Lord which only art able to saue those that serue thee Amen A prayer in the time of vnseasonable weather THe heauens the earth and all the Creatures therein contained thou O Lord hast ordained thou in thy eternall counsell and prouidence hast appoynted seasons of the yeere fit to produce and propagate things needfull for the sustenance and vse of man and hast vsually sent weather fit for those seasons but our sinnes which onely make a seperation betwixt thee and vs haue caused some alterations of these seasons hath sent many times vnseasonable weather wherby the fruits of the earth haue not come to their full ripenes the Cattle haue not theyr nourishment and man by this meanes wants things necessâ—ry All this and other thy chastisements we confesse do come from the demerits of our owne sinfull liues which draw on deseruedly thy iust indignation Yet O Lord since only thy mercie can free vs from miseries first free vs from our sinnes the causes of them and then from the punishment they haue procured Make our harts cleane so make the weather seasonable vs moderate in the vse of thy creatures them holsome to vs and with the amendment of the weather amend our liues and forgiue our sins So chaunge vs that thy chastisement may be taken away and by this let vs learne to consider thy power to confesse thy mercie and to set foorth thy praise throughout all ages Amen A Prayer to be vsed vvhen dearth and scarsity comes O Most gracious Lord God thou which diddest permit Iosephs Brethren to sell to send him into Egypt that hee being carried from his father into a strange Country might there in time of most want and necessitie after the ouer-passing of his owne afflictions be able to make prouision not onely for his Fathers Family but also for his countrey from which hee was carried So wee good Lord being solde by our owne selues vnto sinne Sathan thereby carried into the Egypt of Ignorance and Iniquitie doe beseech thee by thine owne mercies to grant vs true repentance that the scarsity thou hast sent may bee remooued Encrease our Faith zeale sorrow for our sins with amendment of life and therewith encrease our store the fruits of the earth and prouision of the Land that hauing sufficiencie wee may therewith haue content and thankefulnesse Comfort vs in thy mercies and consolations in the continuance of thy loue Let vs not O Lord with the prodigall Sonne mispend our times estates and thy blessings but with the penitent Publican lift vp our hearts and hands vnto Heauen say still from the heart God be mercifull vnto vs miserable sinners So good Lord take away this dearth and our sinnes which will bring vs vnto death A Prayer in time of plague and pestilence THe Contagion and corruption of our bodies comming O Lord from the sinnes of our soules brings all the diseases of our bodies and dangers of our liues So are we filled with infection which threatneth death vnto vs when as we see others dayly die before our eyes Since then good Lord thou giuest vs a sight and continual representation of our mortality giue vs also a sense and a true feeling with a thorow repentance of all our sinnes past the causers of all our woe distresse and perill and as our first parent by his fall and our naturall parents by theyr transgressions haue drawn vppon themselues and vs death and destruction and we our selues by our actuall iniquities haue added more curses to our particular persons and to the publike state wherein wee liue so yet good Lord remember thy Couenant of Grace remember the Sonne of thy loue and his sufferings whom thou hast sent into the world for the redemption of mankinde let these thy former and long continued mercies mooue thee to continue thy compassion in remoouing thy iudgements from vs in renewing the graces of thy holy Spirit in teaching vs to repent and renounce our former euill liues Then let thy Angel and Messenger of good tydings our Mediator sprinkle the postes and doores of our hearts with the blood of that Paschall Lambe who hath shedde his blood for the sinnes of the world in such sort that receiuing grace from thy all-giuing grace our sins and punishments for the same may cease and wee may with purified hearts after all our pollutions learn to publish thy praise and hauing receyued deliuerance for the contagion of soule and of bodie may be made instruments of thy glory both in this world and in the world to come A Prayer for increase and continuance of spirituall giftes and graces O Almighty God though wee are weake and not strong of our selues specially in the spirituall graces which might make vs beutifull corner-stones in thy Celestiall building yet thou good Lord who hast created Heauen and Earth and doest conserue all heerein contayned art able by thy wonderfull Workemanship not onely to begin and to beget but to increase and to preserue in our hearts the seedes of humility penitence patience piety zeale and other good sauing Graces We are thy creatures and thou our Creator therefore though we haue long dwelt in darkenesse yet now send vs the light of thy countenance to enlighten our vnderstanding the seale and testimony of thy holy Spirit to assure our hearts and consciences of thy loue and of our saluation To this end giue vs fortitude and corage to maintaine thy cause and to defend the trueth a subduing power to master our owne lustes and to subdue our sinnes wisedome from aboue to withstand the assaults of Sathan so of Captiues made Conquerors and of slaues vnto sinne and sathan made subduers of them both We may by the same thy mercy and power magnifie thy Maiesty hallow thy name not only in this world but in the world to come thorow all Ages euen euerlastingly So be it and so