whereof thou wouldest haue mee to bee in a certainty of my saluation for euer For else I cannot belieue my pâ—aier to be heard if that fâ—nally I should not bee deliuered from euill and therfore thou ioinest here to a giuing of thankes which with thy Church I should say For thine is the kingdom thine is the power thine is the glory for euer By reason whereof I haue great cause to lament and to reioice To lament because of my corruption infirmity weakenesse obliuion and carelesnesse for thy people ingratitude c. because of Satans power vigilance and prudency which hath ouercome most graue wise and holy men whereof some neuer recouered as Cain ChaÌ„ Achitopel Saul Iudâ—s c. To reioice because of thy good nes which teachest mee this and shewest mee the remedy commaundest all thy Church to pray for mee and will at length deliuer mee from all euill and giue mee glory But alas I am altogeather carelesse and miserable O bee mercifull vnto me deare Father for Christs sake forgiue mee all my sinnes grant mee thy holy spâ—rit to reueale to mee mine infirmities weakenes perills dangers c in such sort that as I may heartily lament my miseries so I may aske and obtaine thy grace to guide me from all euill for euermore Againe grant mee the same thy holy spirit to reueale to mee thy loue and kindnesse towards me and that in eternity in such sort that I may be throughly perswaded of the same become thankefull vnto thee daily expect and looke for the reuelation of thy kingdome power and glory as one that for euer shall haue the fruition of the same through thine own goodnes and mercy in Christ prepared for me before the beginning and foundation of the world was laid Here call to mind our security Sathans vigilancy our negligence his diligence our infirmity his aility our ignorance his craft and subtlety c. Againe call to mind how that hee hath ouerthrowne for a time many of the deare Saints of God to whom we are to be compared in nothing as Adam 〈◊〉 Lot Iudas Thâ—mar Mâ—ses Aaron M ri n Samsan Gâ—deon Eli Dauid Salomon Ezechias Iosias Peter Thmas and innumerable moe Also call to mind the goodnesse of God and of our shepheard Christ which hath kept vs hitherto keepeth vs still and teacheth vs here to know that hee will keepe vs for euer for hee would not haue vs aske for deliuerance from euil if that he would not we should certainely looke for the same If thou doubt of finall perseuerance thou dishonorest God Be certaine therefore rest in hope be still in his word See also how he hath commanded his whole Church and euery member thereof to pray for thee as well as for themselues in these all other things Now and then goe about to reckon how many and diuers kinds of euils there bee and thereby as you may know you are deliuered froÌ„ nâ—ne but by Gods great goodnes so may you see that the number of euils that you haue are nothing to be compared to the multitude of euils wherewith if your Christ were not the diuel would al to betray you insect corrupt you But what are all the miseries and euils that can be to be compared to the least ioy prepared for vs in heaue O thinke of these ioies and pray that when the tide of death commeth we may haile forth of the hauen of this flesh and this world ioyfully In praying this petition call to mind the euils you haue been in the euils you are in the euils you may fall into if God should not preseue you that you might be stirred vp the more to thankfulnes to praier and to trust in God For thine is the kingdome thine is the power thine is the glory for euer AS in the beginning of this praier by these words Our Father which art in heauen thy children are excited stirred vp to a ful confideÌ„ce of obtaining the petitions following all things necessary so in the later end thou hast added for the same purpose these words For thine is the kingdom thine is c. wherin I am taught these many things First that in praier I should haue such consideration of thy kingdome power glory and eternity that my minde should be stricken with an admiration of the same Secondly that I should so consider them especially in praier that I should not doubt but that thou workest rulest and gouernest althings euery where in al persons and creatures most wisely iustly and mercifully Thirdly that in praier all my petitions should tend to the setting forth of thy power of thy kingdome and of thy glory Last of all that in praier I should in no wise doubt of being heard but be assured that thou which hast commanded me to pray and hast promised to heare me doest most graciously for thy mercies sake and truthes sake heare my petitions according to thy good wil throgh Iesus Christ thy deare sonne our Lord and onely Sauiour By reason whereof I haue great cause to lament and reioyce To lament because I consider not these things in praier in such sort as should moue mee to admiration and gratitude because I consider not thy power and wisedom generally in all things because I am so careles for thy kingdome because I am so full of dubitation and doubting of thy goodnesse To reioyce I haue great cause because thou reuealest these things vnto me in this sort because of thy power kingdom and glory which maketh to the bearing of my praiers and helping of mee because thou wilt vse me as thine instrument to set foorth thy kingdome power and glory and because it pleaseth thee to heare my praiers and assuredly wilt saue me for euer But alas how far am I from these lamentings and reioycingâ— By reason whereof I deserue damnation O bee mercifull vnto mee and forgiue me and of thy goodnesse grant me thy holy spirit to reueaâ—e to me my blindnes obliuion contempt of thy kingdome power and glory with the greatnes of my doubtings that as I may hartily lament them so haue them pardoned and taken from me through the merits of â—esus Christ thy sonne Againe giue me thy holy spirit to reueale to mee in such sort thy kingdom power glory and eternity thaâ— I may alwaies haue the some before mine eyes be moued with the admiration theâ—eof labour effectually to set forth the same and finallâ— as to haue the fruition thereof after this life so to encrease in an assured certaine and liuely expectation of the same that I may alwaies and in all things reioyce in thee through Christ and giue landes thanks and praises perpetuall vnto thy most holy name Oh blessed Father Sonne and holy Ghost three persons and one God to whom bee all honour and glorie world without end Here thiâ—ke that if the kingdome power glory and eternity be Gods which is our fâ—ther what our dignity is which be his children
flesh readily obeyed To reioyce I haue great cause for that thou hast opened thy selfe will vnto mankind for that also thou peculiarly hast taught me these things because thou wilt grant me grace to doe the same But alas how vnthankfull I am and how hard hearted thou Lord dost know Oh be mercifull vnto me and forgiue mee I beseech thee gracious God Grant mee thy holy spirit to reueale to mee my ignorance of thy will my pouerty and peruersity that I may hartyly bewaile it c and by the helpe and working of the same spirit may suppresse the will of the flesh Againe grant mee thy holy spirit to reueale to me thy will declared in thy Law and Gospel that I may truly know the same and inflame so my affections that I may will and loue the same in such sort that it may bee my meate and drinke to doe thy will Here call to mind the ten coÌ„mandements of God particularly or generally what therein hee requireth and pray for the same particularly as you see your need and that not only for your self but also for others Pray for patience to suffer what crosse soeuer God shal lay vpon you and pray for them that be vnder the crosse that they may be patient pray for spiritual wisdome in euery câ—osse peculiar or publike that you may see and loue Gods will Giue vs this day our daily bread BY Bread Bread the foode of the body are vnderstood all things necessary for this corporall life as meate drinke health successe in our vocation c By this word Giue Giue wee should vnderstand that not only spirituall things but also corporall benefites are Gods free gifts and come not for our worthines or trauel taken about the same although our trauels be often times meanes by the which God doth giue corporall things By dayly Daily we vnderstand the contented mindes of thy children with that which is sufficient for the preseÌ„t time as hauing hope in thee that they shall not want but dayly shall receiue at thy hands plenty and inough of all things By this word Our Our are as wel vnderstood publike beneâ—â—ts as peace in the common weale good Magistrates good lawes reasonable weather c. Also particular benefits namely children health succes in the workes of our vocation c. And besides this by it we should see the care euen for corporall things which thy children haue for others as well as for themselues So that heere I may learne how farre I am from that I should bee and that I see thy children are come vnto I see my ignorance also how that as spirituall things dâ—e come from thee so doe temporall things and as they come from thee so are they conserued and kept of thee and thereforâ— thy children are thankefull and looke for them as thy meer gifts notwithstanding the meanes which they vse if they haue them howbeit they vse them but as meanes for except thou worke therewith all is in vaine Againe heere I am taught to be content with that which is sufficient for the present time as thy children be which haue the shortnesse of this life alwaies before their eies and therefore they aske but for daily sustenance knowing this life to bee compared to a day yea a watch a sound a shadow c. Moreouer I may learne to see the compassion and brotherly care which thy childâ—en haue one for another Last of al heere I may see thy goodnesse which as thou wilt giue me all things necessarie for this life or else thou wouldest not bid me aske c. so thou commandest all men to pray and care for mee and that bodily much more then if they be able they are commanded to helpe mee both in body and soule By reason whereof I haue great cause to lament and reioyce To lament because I am not so affected as thy Children bee because of my ignorance my ingratitude my peruersitie and contempt of all goodnes and of the necessitie of thy people which alas be in great misery some in exile some in prison some in pouertie sicknesse c. To reioice I haue geat cause because of thy goodnesse in teaching mee these things in commaunding mee to aske whatsoeuer I want in giuing me so many thingâ— vnasked in keeping the benefits giuen me in commaunding men to care for me to pray for mee to helpe me c. But alas how far I am either froÌ„ true lamenting or reioycing Lord thou knowest Oh bee mercifull vnto me and helpe mee forgiue me and graunt mee thy holy spirit to reueale to me my neeed ignorance great ingratitude and contempt of thy mercies and thy people and that in such sort that I might heartily lament bewaile my misery and through thy goodnes be altered with thy people to mourne for the miseries of thy children as for mine owne Againe reueale to mee thy goodnesse deare father euen in corporall things that I may see thy mercy thy presence power wisedome righteousnes in euery creature and corporall benefite and that in such sort that I may bee throughly affected truly to reuerence feare loue and obey thee to hang vpon thee to bee thankfull to thee in all my neede to come vnto thee not onlie when I haue ordinary meanes by the which thou commonly workest but also when I haue none yea when all meanes and helps are cleane against me Heere remember the state of your children family also your parents neighbors kinâ—folks also your friends country magistrates c. as you shall haue time thereto and by Gods good spirit shall be prouoked Forgiue vs our debts as we forgiue them that are debtors vnto vs. BY Our debts Debts we vnderstand not onely the things wee haue done but the omission and leauing vndone of the good things wee ought to doe By Our Our wee vnderstand not only the particular sinnes of one but also generally of the sins of all and euery one of the Church By Forgiuenesse Forgiuenes we vnderstand free pardon and remission of sins by the merits and deserts of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ who gaue himselfe a ransome for vs. By Our Forgiuing Our forgiuing of other mens offences to vs ward wee vnderstand thy good will not onely that it pleaseth thee that wee should liue in loue and amitie but also that thou wouldest haue vs to be certain of thy pardoning vs of our sinnes For as certain as we are that we pardon them that offend vs so certaine should we be that thou doest pardon vs wherof the forgiuing our trespasses iâ— as it were a sacrament vnto vs. So that by this petition I am taught to see that thy children although by imputation they be pure from sin yet they acknowledge sin to be and remaine in them therfore doe they pray for the remission and forgiuenesse of the same Againe I am taught heereby to see how thy children do consider and take to heart
whom wee are made thy children that I may truely know thee heartily loue thee faithfully hang vpon thee in all my needs with good hope call vpoÌ„ thee tender faithfully this honor to thee that thou art my God and Father and I thy dear Child through thy grace in Christ and so alwaies bee endued with an assured hope of thy goodnesse and a faithfull obedient heart in all things to thy holy will As thy hands and from thee as I must looke for all things so come I vnto thee and pray the to giue me those things which thy deare children haue and thou requirest of me that I come and aske them of thee as now I do through Iesus Christ our Lord. As by this word Father I am taught to glorie of thee and in thee and all that euer thou hast for thou art wholy mine my Lord my God my father so by this word Our I am taught to glorie of all the good that all and euerie of thy seruants that euer were are or shall bee had haue or shall haue For now I am taught to beleeue that thou hast called mee into the communion of thy Church and people whom hereby I perceiue thou hast commanded to be as carefull for mee as for hâ—mselues and in all their praiers â—o bee as mindefull of me as of themselues Againe as by this word Father I am taught to remember render my duty I owe to thee-wards faith loue feare obedience c so by this word Our I am taught my duety towards thy people to be carefull of them and to take their sorrow pouerty afffiction c. as mine owne and therefore to labour to helpe them in heart and hand after my vocation and ability vtterly abhorring all pride selfe-loue arrogancy and contempt of any By reason whereof I haue great cause to lament and to reioyce To lament because I am so farre from consideration much more from doing my duty to thy people in thoughts words and deeds To reioice because I am called of thee placed in the blessed society of thy Saints and made a member and citizen of the heauenly Ierusalem because thou hast giuen in commandement to all thy Church to bee as carefull for mee as for themselues But alas how farre am I heerefrom As I am guilty of vnthankfulnesse for this thy calling mee vnto the blessed communion of thy deare sonne and Church yea of thy selfe so am I guilty of selfe-loue vnmercifulnesse pride arrogancy forgetfulnesse and contempt of thy children for else I could not but be otherwise affected and otherwise labour then I doe Oh bee mercifull vnto mee good Father forgiue mee and grant for Christes sake that as my tongue soundeth this word Our so I may in heart feele the true ioy of thy blessed communion and the true loue and compassion which thy children haue and feele towards their brethren that I may reioice in al troubles in respect of that ioifull communion that I may deny my selfe to honour thy children vpon earth and endeauour my selfe to doe them good for thy sake through Iesus Christ our Lord I come only to thee to giue me that which I cannot nor must not else where haue and thou requirest it of mee that therefore I should as thy childe come and craue it to thy glory Which art in heauen AS by these words Our Father I am taught to glory and reioice for the blessed communion which I am called to with thee deare Father with thy Christ and wiâ—h the holy Church so also am I heere taught by these words Which art in heauen to reioice in respect of the place and blessed ioyes whereunto at the length in thy good time I shall come For now I may perceiue that as heauen is thy home so is it mine also being as I am thy childe through Christ although here for a time I am bodily on earth and in misery Againe by these words which art in heauen I am admonished not only to discerne thee from earthly Fathers and to know how that thou art almighty present in all places and of most purity to confirme thereby my faith to bee prouoked the more to feare thee to reuerence thee c. But also I am admonished to iudge of thy fatherly loue by heauenly benefits and not by corporall simply alonely for oftentimes the wicked prosper more in the world and haue more worldly benefites then thy children So that by this I see thou wouldest pull vp my minde from earth and earthly things to Heauen and heauenly things and that I should see further by corporall benefits thy heauenly prouidence for mee For if thou place mee thus on earth and thus blesse me as thou doest and hitherto hast done from my youth vp in that thou art nothing so carefull for my body as for my soule how should I but thinke much of thy prouidence for it is thy home where is such glory as the eie hath not seene c Of which things these corporall benefits of thine giuen mee on earth should bee as it were inductions and the takng of them away admonitions to bee more mindeful of permanent things and lesse mindefull of transitorie things By reason hereof I haue great cause to lament and to reioice To lament because I am so earthly minded so little desirous of my home so vnthankefull for thy prouidence and fatherly protection heere on earth To reioice because of my home and the great glorie thereof because thou dost so prouide for me heere because thou doest so correct and chasten me c. But alas I am altogeather a wretch earthly and vnthankfull not only for these corporall benefits health riches friends fame wisedome c. for thy fatherly correction sicknesse temptation c. but also for thy heauenly benefits for Christ Iesus for the promise of thy spirit for thy Gospell c. yea euen for heauen it selfe and thy whole glory as the Israelites were for the land of Canaan Psal 106. and therefore neuer enioyed it but perished in the wildernesse I am proude in prosperitie and forget thee waxing secure and careles I am impatient in the crosse and to much consider worldly discommodities Oh deare Father forgiue mee for thy Christs sake aâ—l mine vnthankefulnesse loue of this world contempt and obliuion of thy heauenly benefits and grant mee thy holy spirit to illuminate the eies of my minde with the light and liuely knowledge of thy presence power wisedome Col. 3 â—hil 3. and goodnesse in thy creatures but specially in Christ Iesus thy sonne and so by the same spirit inflame mine affections that I may desire nothing in earth but thee and to bee present with thee that my conuersation may bee in Heauen continually from whence grant mee still to looke for the Lord Iesus to make this my vile body like vnto his owne glorious and immortall body according to his own power by which he is able to do all things As thou hast giuen
blindnes corruption of our hearts is such that we are not able to arise vp vnto thee by faithfull and hearty praier according to our great necessity without thy singular grace and assistance grant vnto vs gracious Lord thy holy and sanctifying spirit to worke in vs this good worke with grace to weigh and consider the need and greatnesse of that wee doe desire and with an assured faith and trust that thou wilt grant vs our requests because thou art good and gracious euen to yong Rauens calling vpon thee much more then to vs for whom thou hast made all things yea and hast not spared also thine owne deare sonne because thou hast commanded vs to call vpon thee because thy throne wherto we come is a throne of grace and mercy because thou hast giuen vs a mediator Christ to bring vs vnto thee being the way by whom we come being the doore by whom we enter being our head on whom we hang hope that our poor petitions shal not be in vain through him for his names take We beseech thee therefore of thy rich mercy wherin thou art plentifull to all them that cal vpon thee to forgiue vs our sinnes namely our vnthankfulnes vnbeleefe selfeloue neglect of thy word security hypocrisie contempt of thy long suffering omission of prayer doubting of thy power presence mercy and good wil towards vs vnsensiblenesse of thy grace impatience c. And to this thy benefit of correcting vs and this gracious gift of repentance faith the spirit of praier the contempt of this world and hearty desiring of euerlasting life Indue vs with thy holy spirit according to thy couenant of mercy aswell to assure vs of pardon and that thou doest accept vs in thy fauour as thy deare children in Christ and for his sake as to write thy law in our hearts and so to worke in vs that wee may now begin and go forward in beleeuing louing fearing obeying praysing hoping seruing thee as thou doest require most fatherly and most iustly of vs accepting vs as perfect in thy sight through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen A praier of the afflicted for the profession of Gods Word O Gratious God which seekest all meanes possible how to bring thy children into the feeling sure sense of thy mercy and therefore when prosperity will not serue then sendest thou aduersity graciously correcting them here whom thou wilt haue elsewhere to liue with thee for euer we poore wretches giue humble praises and thanks to thee that thou hast vouchsed vs worthy of thy correction at this present heereby to worke that which wee in prosperity and liberty did neglect For the which neglecting and many other our grieuous sinnes whereof we now accuse our selues before thee most mercifull Lord thou mightest most iustly haue giuen vs ouer and destroied vs both in soul body But such is thy goodnes towards vs in christ that thou seemest to forget all our offences and as though we were far otherwise then we bee indeed thou wilt that we should suffer this crosse now laid vpon vs for thy truth and Gospels sake and so be thy witnesses with the Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors yea with thy dearely beloued son Iesus Christ to whom thou dost now here begin to fashion vs like that in thiâ— glory we may be like to him also O good God what are we on whom thou shouldest shew this great mercy Oh louing Lord forgiue vs our vnthankfulnesse and sinnes Oh faithfull Father giue vs thine holy spirit now to crie in our hearts Abba dear Father to assure vs of our eternall election in Christ to reueale more and more thy truth vnto vs to confirme strengthen and stablish vs in the same that we may liue die in it as vessels of thy mercy to thy glory and to the commodity of thy Church Indue vs with the spirit of thy wisedome that with good conscience we may alwaies so answer the enemies in thy cause as may turn to their conuersion or confusion our vnspeakable consolation in Christ Iesus for whose sake we beseech thee henceforth to keepe vs to giue vs patience and to wil no otherwise our deliuerance or mitigation of our misery then may stand alwaies with thy good pleasure and mercifull will towards vs. Grant this deare Father not only to vs in this place but also to all others elsewhere afflicted for thy names sake through the death and merits of Iesus Christ our Lord Amen I.B. A praier to God the Father the Son and the holy Ghost O Almighty and euerliuing God the eternall Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which of thy vnmeasurable goodnes hast opened thy self vnto vs and with a loud voice hast said of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord Heare him O maker and preseruer of all things with thy coeternall son our Lord Iesus Christ which raigneth with thee and was manifested in Ierusalem with thy holy spirit which was poured vpon the Apostles O wise God mercifull Iudge and mighty Lord which hast said As truely as I liue I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he shold conuert amend which also hast said Cal vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee haue mercy vpon vp for Iesus Christs sake whom thou wouldest of thy meruellous and incomprehensible counsaile should bee made for vs a slaine sacrifice He. 6.11 mediator reconciler and peace-maker to the end that thou mightest shew thine exceeding great wrath against sin and thine inestimable mercy towards mankind Sanctifie and illuminate our hearts and soules with thy holy spirit that wee may truely beleeue in thee call vpon thee bee thankfull vnto thee and obedient to thy holy will Defend gouerne cherish thy Church as thou hast promised saying Esa 55. This is my couenant that I haue made with them My spirit which is in thee and my word which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed for euer Preserue those kingdomes common weales which giue harboure to thy people and maintaine the ministery of thy holy word and Gospell that the kingdome of thy sonne Iesus Christ may increase and shine throughout all the world O Iesus Christ Sonne of the euerlasting God A praier to God the Son crucified for vs and raised also from the dead and now raigning at the right hand of thy father that thou maist giue gifts vnto men which hast said Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauy loaden and I will refresh you Haue mercy vpon vs and pray for vs vnto thy eternal Father Joh. 14. sanctifie and gouerne vs with thy holy spirit helpe and succour vs in al our necessities as thou hast promised saying I will not leaue you comfortlesse O holy and blessed spirit together with the father and the son one true and euerliuing God full of maiesty and power which with thy heauenly