patience looking for the blessed hope and appearing of thy glorie knowing that then the iust what disgraces so-euer are now cast vpon them shall shine as the light in thy presence Finally O Lord make make me daily to grow so wearie of this vaine wretched world and of the heauy load of mine owne corruptions and of this body of death which is vpon mee to striue to gather that assurance of an interest in that glory which shall be shewed hereafter that I may looke for this great day and in my desires may sigh for it and hasten to it and that whensoeuer it commeth I being foūd waking with my lāp of oyle in my hand may haue cause to lift vp my head not doubting but to haue a gracious admittance into my masters ioy Graunt mee this for his sake which sitteth at thy right hād to make request for mee Iesus Christ the Mediatour of thy chosen Amen 27. A Prayer fitted to the time of warre O Almightie God who art hie aboue all nations and whose glory is aboue the heauens the comfortable successe of all enterprises is from thée onely to bee looked for Thou art hee which giuest victorie vnto kings to thee it is all one to saue by many or by fewe thou canst make one to chase a thousand thou canst cause the hearts euen of the most valiant to melt their hands to bée weake their mindes to faint and their knees to fall away like water If thou fight for vs wee cannot miscary if thou fauour vs not wee must néeds bee discomfited O bée gracious vnto vs and bee on our side now that men are risen vp against vs. They take craftie counsell against thy Church and consult how to cut vs off from being a nation and by what meanes to quench the light of thy truth which shineth in our streetes Their desire is to embrue their hands in our blood and to aduance their owne ambition by our ouerthrow O turne their counsels into foolishnes let not their mischieuous imaginations prosper lest they bee too proud O our God make them like vnto a whéel as the stubble before the wind scatter the people that delight in war Go out O Lorde with our armies giue wisedom and courage to our captaines gird them with strength vnto the battel be with our Souldiers teaching their hands to war their fingers to fight Assist al the consultations prosper the policies crown those enterprises with good successe which are vndertaken for the common good comfort of the State Doubtlesse O Lord we haue deserued thine anger our sins do cry loud in thine eares for vengeance and it were but iust with thee if thou shouldest make vs a prey and spoyle vnto our enemies But O gracious God let vs fall now into thy hands for thy mercies are great let vs not fal into the hāds of men whose displeasure at vs is not for our sins but for our profession and religions sake and that they may fill their own enlarged vnsatiable desires with those blessings of wealth which thou hast giuen vs Put therefore thy hooke into their nostrils bring them backe by the same way they came Let it appear that thou art in the middes of vs that wee shall not bée mooued that thou wilt help vs and that very early Let there be none inuasion nor going out nor no crying in our stréets But set thou peace in our borders make strong the barres of our gates especially let the Gospel of thy Sonne sound yet louder amongst vs that by it many Soules may bee gathered vnto thée So we thy people the shéepe of thy pasture shall prayse thee for euer and from generation to generation we will set foorth thy glory through Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen 28. Another of like nature respecting the time of Dearth and Famine CLeannesse of teeth O Lord and scarcenesse of bread haue béene aunciently threatened by thee as iudgements vpon the sonnes of men for their sinnes Many wayes also thou hast to turne a fruit-full land into barrennesse for the wickednes of the Inhabitants Thou canst make the Heauen ouer our head as brasse the earth vnder vs as yron by bringing a drought vpon the land Or else thou canst cause the séed to rotte vnder the clods by commanding the bottels of heauen to powre out raine in too great abūdance or when the Corne is come vp thou art able to smite it with blasting mildeaw or to send among vs thy great hoste the grashopper the canker the caterpiller and the palmer worme so that although much bee sowen yet little shall bee brought into the barne Or if the Corne doe grow ripe vnto the haruest it is in thy power suddainly to send in an enemy to eat the fruit of the land and to deuoure the labour of the people And though the bread do come to be set in plenty before vs yet thy hand is not shortened thou canst take away the staffe thereof so that wee shall eat not be satisfied Thus O Lord thou hast euen store-houses of punishments so that our hearts can not endure nor our hands be strong in the day that thou shalt haue to doe with vs. And heereof we haue now already some experiēce For now thou hast in part begun to punish our abuse of thy creatures our fulnes of bread our contēpt of the spiritual food of our soules with outward scarcity The time is com by gréedy worldlings long exspected in which they may make the measure small and the prices great selling euen the very refuse of the Wheat Their treading is vpon the poore their desire is to swallow vp the néedy of the land Look mercifully O Lord vpon vs wée beséech thée lift vp thine hand forget not the poor Thou preparest for the rauen his meate when his birds cry to thee wandring for lack of food thou takest no delight in the confusion of thy creatures thou hast promised that if wée séeke to thée we shall want nothing that is good thou wilt preserue vs in the time of dearth and in the dayes of famine wee shall haue inough Accomplish wée beséech thée these thy gracious promises Saue vs from this encreasing miserie and deliuer vs from their crueltie which being without all bowels of mercy doe respect nothing but their owne commoditie And because O Lord our sinnes doe separate betwixt thee and vs and doe hinder good things from vs therefore humble our soules vnder thy mighty hand make vs to see and to consider our owne deseruings drawe from vs an hearty and sincere acknowledgement how great cause wee haue giuen thee to affamish both our bodies and soules for euer Giue vs an vnderstanding of our particular grosse sinnes which doe lay vs open to this iudgement aboue others namely our wantōnesse our pride our luxuriousnes our riot our feastings without feare our want of mercy to the poore our spurning with the héele against thee
Hereupon I thought with my selfe that as familiar Catechismes and plaine Treatises haue their vse being ioyned to the publique ministry to bring those which are yet but babes in Christ 1. Cor. 3.1 vnto knowledge so also some helpe in this kind might bee good to beget feeling and to be a guide to those which haue as yet but stammering and lisping tongues vntill they shall be able hauing tongues as fined siluer Pro. 10.20 plainly and distinctly to speake the lāguage of Canaan Isa 19.18 For this cause I gaue my booke no greater title thē A HELP to DEVOTION because I would not bee mistaken or thought to intend any thing els but onely to further their religious purpose who would faine learn to pray orderly and effectually vnto God And in this course I am sure that I am not without Examples Worthy Diuines haue in these latter times bestowed their paines this way M. Iohn Bradford M. Edw. Deering M. H. Smith M. R. Rogers pag. 421. of his 7. Treatises M. Brinsly in the second part of the True Watch and others whome I need not name I might mention others of other countreyes as M. Caluin in the end of his Cathechisme c. But the warrant of the Scripture is aboue all I will say nothing of those formes which wee finde appointed for publique vse in the Temple that which I endeauour to iustifie is the lawfulnesse of formes for priuate helpe I might tell thee of the words of Prayer which the Prophet bade the people to take vnto them and to say vnto the Lord Hos 14.3 of the forme which Habakkuk was wont to vse for the ignorances of the people Chap. 3.1 of the many Psalmes which are stiled Psalmes of instruction not onely because the matter was of vse to instruct Christians but also because the very mould it selfe might remaine as a helpe in Prayer for those who should at any time fall into the like occasion which the enditer of the particular Psalmes was exercised with These other things might I insist vpō But I finde a title giuen to one Psalme which shall be to mee in stead of many proofes Psal 102. It is this A Prayer of the afflicted when he shall bee in distresse and powre foorth his meditation before the Lord. Which Psalme thogh ayming perhaps at some more speciall afflictiō in which the seruants of God then were yet inasmuch as it is reported in the title to be for the general vse of an afflicted person as indeede it is excellent for such an occasion it seemeth to mee abundantly to satisfie all those who shall doubt of the conueniencie of such set directions Thus hauing acquainted thee with my whole intent and laboured least thou shouldest be forestalled by any mis-opinion to shew warrant for my doing I commend my endeauours to thee and thee to the Lord praying him to furnish thee with the spirit of supplication Zech. 12.10 that thou mayest bee so full of holy matter Iob 32.18 and so aboūding with gratious speach Col. 4.6 that thine ability to vtter thine owne feeling vnto God may bring much sweetnesse to thy Soule and no lesse comfort to others if thou bee at any time occasioned to speake in the name of others vnto his Maiestie Adding this withall that if thou ayme not at this grace but content thy selfe still to speake no other wordes but such as are put into thy mouth thou wrongest thy selfe greatly and all those who haue laboured to bring thee vnto more perfection Farewell Thine in the Lord Sam. Hieron A short Aduertisment touching Preparation before Praier In which is shewed 1. The necessitie of it 2. The manner of it THe necessitie of Preparation may appeare manie waies 1 By our sauiours platform in which the Petitions are not set downe abruptlie but a solemne preface is prefixed like a faire porch to a beautifull house to teach vs to frame our affections and set them in due order before we draw neere to speak vnto the Lord. 2 By expresse commandement Bee not rash with thy mouth nor let thine heart be hastie to vtter a thing before God Eccles 5.1 It is a dangerous thing to babble out vndigested vnaduised words in his eares 3 By example O GOD sayth Dauid mine heart is prepared so is my tongue c. Psal 108.1 It was the difference betwixt him and hypocrites that he washed his hands in innocencie before he would compasse the Altar Psal 26.6 4 By due proportion from outward things If a man goe before a Prince or man of authority he will thinke vpon his cariage he will set his tale in order and meditate what to say how much more then should we prepare when we come to speake to God who is higher then the Kinges of the Earth 2 The manner of Preparation stands in Praying Meditating 1 PRaying Meruaile not that I make Praying a preparatiue to praier A little eating prepareth a weake stomacke and setteth an edge vppon the appetite to eate more so in prayer Therefore Dauid before prayer praied Let my prayer be directed in thy sight as incense c. Set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lips Ps 141.2.3 A lifting vp of the soule to heauen with a desire of direction is a good preparatiue 2 Meditating vpon three things 1 GODS maiestie 2 GODS promises 3 Our owne vilenes The reason is this There are 3 thinges chiefelie requisite in prayer which are helped by this threefold meditation 1 Humilitie and lowlines of spirit begotten by the due consideration of Gods Maiestie 2 Confidence and assurance to be heard bredde by the knowledge of Gods promises 3 Feruencie of affection springing from the apprehension of our owne vileness That the maiestie of God must bee thought vpon is proued Eccles 5.1 Hee that speaks to God is bidden to remēber that God is in heauen That the promises must be muzed vppon appeares 2. Sam. 7.27 Thou hast reueiled vnto thy seruant c. Therefore hath thy seruant beene bold to pray c. Genesis 32.11.12 I pray thee deliuer me c. for thou sayedst I will surelie dooe thee good What courage can we haue to goe to the throne of grace without the warrant of promise That our owne vilenesse must bee remembred it is euident Gen. 32.10 I am lesse then the least of thy mercies Ezra 9.6 O my God I am ashamed and confounded to lift vp mine eyes c. for our iniquities are increased c. Thus then prepare thy self to pray Exercise thy thoughts before hand vpon these three things 1 what a presence full of maiestie thou must come into 2 what sweete promises he hath made to encourage thee 3 what neede thou hast to fly to his mercie This will furnish thee with humilitie tempered with cheerefulnes both whetted on quickened by the feeling of thy owne necessitie To helpe thy meditations of Gods maiesty remember Psal 104.1 O Lord my God thou art exceeding great thou art clothed
with thee and to approue our very thoughts vnto thee Giue vs a sober vse of thy creatures make vs readie to reach out our hands vnto the wants of others beget in vs a godlie iealousie ouer our selues that we may walke circumspectly taking heede to our selues in our eatings in our apparell in our companie in our recreations often considering our wayes and labouring quicklie after euerie error to turne our féete into thy testimonies And Lord cause vs to be earnestlie mindfull of the estate of thy whole Church blesse all kingdomes and states professing thy truth bee gratious especiallie to this our kingdome forgiue the crying sins of the times continue thy gospel disappoint the hope and expectation of all Papists let them perish as manie as haue euill will at Sion discouer Antichrist more and more enlarge the territories of thy church stablish thy kingdome of grace hasten the kingdome of glorie Heape thy blessings vppon our gratious King make him a further instrument of much good vnto thy chosen blesse his Quéen prosper the worke of thine owne handes begun in the young Prince shew mercy to the rest of the royall progenie Be gracious to the Councell to the Court the Nobles the Gentry of the Realme graunt that they may all ayme at the honouring of thee by whom they haue receiued honor amongst men Bee with the Magistracy Ministrie of the Realme make thy word to grow by the labours of those whome thou hast appointed to the seruice of thy church Containe the subiects in their due obedience to authority bring to nought all tumultuous rebellious practises comfort al thine afflicted seruants refresh them with a sweete feeling of thy fauour Giue vs compassionate harts and a fellow feeling of others miseries prepare vs vnto the daie of triall and keepe vs by thy mightie power through faith vnto saluation Graunt vs these good thinges for Christs sake in whose name wee commend our selues and our sutes vnto thee saying as he hath taught vs Our Father c. 2. An Euening Prayer for priuate Families O Lord our GOD most mercifull and gratious in Iesus christ among other thy mercies with which thou doest euen follow vs thy most vnthankfull seruants we acknowledge this to be none of the least that we haue this comfortable freedom of comming into thy presence there to poure out our soules before thee and to laie open our necessities vnto thee We praie thee teach vs to value this priuiledge according to the true worth thereof that wee may come together to the performance of this duty with glad hearts and cheerefull spirits reioycing in it that wee haue opportunitie giuen vs to testifie some part of that great dutie which in manie respects wee owe vnto thy maiestie And now Lorde being come before thee wee cannot but confesse the vilenesse of our estate wee were conceiued in sinne and in sin wee haue continued all our dayes wee haue euen drunke iniquitie like water wee haue drawne it after vs and tyed it vnto vs as with cartropes wickednesse hath beene swéet in our mouth we haue fauoured it and would not forsake it we haue euen made a mocke of sinne and it hath beene a pastime to vs to doe wickedly Thou hast often called vs but we haue still refused thou hast againe and againe stretched out thine hand but wee haue not regarded thou hast sought to reclayme vs but wee haue hardned our neckes as it were yron sinewes and haue hated to be reformed Thou hast waited to haue mercie vppon vs thy spirit hath striuen with vs thy verie bowels haue beene troubled for vs and how graciouslie hast thou called vpon vs by thy word saying Returne yee sonnes of Adam why will ye die Come vnto me and ye shall finde rest for your soules Yet we notwithstanding haue despised thy patience wee haue abused thy goodnes we haue turned thy graces into wantonnesse and haue giuen thee cause to heape vppon vs all those fearefull plagues and punishmentes which in the extreamitie of thy law are belonging to the wicked When we looke into our hearts we see nothing but a confused heape of grosse corruptions vanitie ignorance frowardnes vnteachablenes dulnes vnwillingnes and vnaptnes vnto good pronenesse readines to any manner of euill secure irreligious profane vncleane enuious couetous and gréedy thoughts peruerse and disordred affections all these as it were marching together to rebell against thee and leading vs captiue vnto sinne The verie wisedome of our flesh is death and the spirits of our minds are defiled when we look forth into our liues wee behold sinnes more in number then the haires of our head when wee take view of our selues in the glasse of thy Law we can see in our bodies and soules in our outward and inward man nothing but vglines and deformitie Yea the sinnes of this one daie are sufficient to bring downe vppon vs the eternall weight of thy displeasur How negligent haue we béen in our callings how haue we yeelded to our own vnbridled lusts in the vse of thy creatures how haue we cherished in our selues worldlie carnall and voluptuous thoughts howe many blessings haue we vnthankefully enioyed neuer thinking vpon thee which didst bestow them how haue wee misspent this pretious time which thou vouchsafest vs how manie good opportunities haue we let slip by which wee might haue edified our selues done good to others howe negligentlie haue wee kept our heartes by meanes whereof sathan hath got great vantage against vs how slenderlie haue wee bewailed the iniquities of the times howe poorelie haue wee striuen against our owne corruptions O LORD if thou shouldest straightlie marke our iniquities O Lord how shall wee stand where shall we appeare what shal become of vs what answere shall wee bee able to make thée to one of a thousand And yet most gratious God which is worst of all custome in euill hath bred such a hardnesse in vs and hath brought such a crust vpon our consciences that wee cannot be perswaded that thy wrath is so terrible or our sinne so greeuous or our estate so wofull as indeede it is Hence it commeth that we do not stand in such awe of thy maiestie as we should we doe not so tremble at thy iustice nor esteeme thy promises and mercies as we ought to doe wee beseech thée therefore to take the stony hearts out of our bodies and to put newe spirites into our bowels that wee maie with feeling and with a liuelie and sensible apprehension confesse our selues to bee as we are poore and wretched and miserable and blind naked such as in whom there is no goodnes such as to whom there is nothing due but shame and confusion of face for euer And héere Lord according to that measure of spirituall féeling which by thy grace wee haue attayned to wée doe vtterlie renounce our selues wee doe whollie disclaime all hope of help by our selues we account all that is in vs but as drosse and dung and
cōtinually euē so lōg as I haue my being Graunt that I may learne by this euidence of thy mercy and might for euer hereafter to depend vpon thee Quicken me vp to all holy dutyes that my thankefulnesse may appeare in my pure and Christian cariage Make me a kinde and carefull Mother willing to vnder-goe the paines and troubles of education let no nicenesse or curiositie hinder me frō those seruices to which both Nature Religion haue appointed mee Let mee also bee carefull heereafter when time shall require to season that which thou hast giuen mee with the knowledge of thee and of thy Sonne that my desire may manifestly appeare to bee set for the encreasing of thy kingdom Vouchsafe so to order my affections to bring them into obedience vnder thee that if it should bée thy pleasure either now or hereafter to take this infant from mee I may patiently submit my self to thy appointment And now O good God perfite in mee that strength which thou hast begun make me to growe in care to serue thée faithfully both in the duetyes of piety in other businesses of my place and calling that I may be a comfort to my husbād an example to my neighbours a grace to my profession a means of glory to thy Name through Iesus Christ my Lord and Sauiour Amen 21. A Prayer for those which are employed in the assistance helpe of a trauailing woman IT is not our diligence O Lord or paines which can do any thing without thy blessing our sins are sufficient to bring thy curse vpon whatsoeuer we vndertake Be pleased we pray thée to be reconciled to vs in the blood of thy Sonne Make vs to remēber that we are here in thy presence that all our thoughts words actions are open to thy sight prosper the busines for which wee are come together put far frō vs all supersticious cōceits idle fancies teach vs to séek help only frō thy grace Enable vs to speak comfortably to this pained woman that we may further her dependance vpon thy holy Maiestie and may be a means vnder thee of her true refreshing in her sharpest fits Furnish vs with skill and her with strength patiently to awaite the appointed time of her deliuerance knit al our hearts vnto thee that we may feare thy Name noting obseruing thy mercy and power in all thy works studying to giue thee prayse and glory for the same through Iesus Christ our only Lord Sauiour Amen 22. A Thankesgiuing after when God hath blessed their paines in the womans deliuerie O Lorde wee haue séene thy goodnes and haue receiued an apparant token of thy readines to heare the Prayers of those which call vpon thée and to succour those which flye vnto thee for thy helpe Thou hast giuen ease and deliuerance to the woman light and life to the infant ioy and gladnesse to vs all The glory and prayse is thine alone Fill our hearts with thankefulnesse make vs forward both now hereafter to prouoke and stirre vp one another thereunto And And let not our thankefulnes stand in words onely or outward shewes but cause it to appeare in our whole course that the obedience the sobrietie the modestie the vertue of our liues may witnes the thankfull féeling of our hearts Goe on in thy mercy wee pray thee both to the Mother and her babe continue encrease their strength so as may serue best for thy glory And as thou hast added one vnto the number of mankind shewing thy wonderful wisedome power both in the framing of him in the wombe in bringing him foorth into this light so in thy time adde him also to thy Church and beget him again vnto a liuely hope by the immortall séed of thy holy word deliuering him from the power of darkenesse in which by nature we are al into the glorious libertie of thy chosen And if it shall so séeme good to thee to lay any further triall eyther of sickenes or death vpon this thy seruant or vpon the fruite of her wombe prepare vs all to a patient and quiet bearing of thy hand and to a contented cōfortable resting vpon thy gracious prouidence assuring our selues that all things shall turne to the good and benefit of thy chosen Heare vs O Lord and accept vs and forgiuing the weakenes of our Prayers graunt vs all néedfull graces out of the rich store-house of thy bottomlesse bounty and that for Iesus Christ our gracious Redéemer Amen 23. A Prayer for a Souldier fighting for his Countrey or the confederates thereof O Lord it is thy glorie to bee called The Lord of hostes and it is thou alone from whom when men haue made their most politicke and puissant preparations the victorie must be looked for Drawe my heart I beséech thee from all relying vpon my own valor or vpon the strength of the battaile in which I stand and teach me to looke vpward and to waite and trust onely vpon thee Thou giuest conquest and thou giuest courage thou deliuerest from the perill of the sword or else makest death a meanes of happinesse to thy seruants Forgiue my sinnes I pray thee and assure mee of pardon by the witnesse of thy spirit that the guilt thereof make not my heart to tremble in me and to behold death as a messenger to conuey me into hell If thou O Lord bée on my side peace being made betwixt thée and my Soule through Christ what can bee against mee what hazard can befall my Soule Nothing shall be able to depriue mee of thy loue Let not spoyle or blood or mine owne aduancement be the ends of mine attempts but make me to ayme onely at thy glory in the defence of thy trueth and in the good and safety of the State wherein I liue The issue of all things to thee O Lorde is knowen but to man it is hidden prepare me therefore indifferently to whatsoeuer shall befall me If I dye giue mee comfort in my last breathing and take my Soule into thy gracious hands If I bee taken captiue giue mee patience giue mee wisedome and godly courage to doe nothing contrary to the honour of my countrey or preiudiciall to the profession of a faithful Christian If I returne with life and victorie make me thankefull kéepe mee from taking frō thee any part of thy glory Preserue mee from those riotous lasciuious and blaspheming courses which are the vsuall fruits of good successe Let me not thinke deuotion to be an enemie to resolution or that a religious feare of thy Maiestie doeth abate the spirit that should bee in a Souldier but settle me in this that the assurance of a lawfull cause the hope and confidence of a better life by the merites of Christ the care to please thee and to depend vpō thy power are the onely true grounds of valour which can giue a man boldnesse and life in the day of battaile Vouchsafe me these