afflicted under the medicine thou criest the Physitian hears thee not according to thy will but thy weal thou canst not endure thy malady and wilt thou not be patient of the remedy No man would be more miserable than he that should cull out his own waies What a specious shew carried Midas his wish with it and how did it pay him with ruine at last Surely I have seen matters fall out so unexpectedly that they have tutered me in all affairs neither to despair nor to presume not to despair for God can help mee not to presume for God can crosse me One day made Marius Emperour the next saw him rule and the third he was slain of his Souldiers Well then if with Paul thou hast besought the Lord often that thy present affliction might depart from thee and canst not be heard in the thing which thou desirest know that thou art heard in that which is more conducible to thy profit and consequently rejoice more in that thy petition is denied than if it had been granted This was the use which Saint Paul made of Gods denial and he knew what he did though he had as much to boast and rejoice of as any one living yet saith he of myself I will not rejoice except it bee of mine infirmities that is afflictions reproaches persecutions inward temptations fears distrust c. But in these I will very gladly rejoice Why That the power of Christ may dwell in me Note his reason he had heard God say that his power was made perfect through weaknesse 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. Neither had he onely cause to rejoice in his infirnities but all God's people have the same cause to rejoice for what the spirit of comfort speaks in this and in all the former places recited do equally belong to thee for thy consolation with all the regenerate for whatsoever was written afore-time was written for thy learning and mines that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15. 4. And accordingly will a good hearer apply to himself whatsoever is written in the Word for as the stomach sends the strength of the meat into every member of the body so we should send to the eie that which is spoken to the eie and to the ear that which is spoken to the ear and to the tongue that which is spoken to the tongue and to the hand that which is spoken to the hand and so to the heart and every faculty and member of soul and body if we hear comfort we should apply it to fear if wee hear a promise we should apply that to our distrust if wee hear a threatning we should apply that to our presumption and so fill up the gap still where the Devil would enter And indeed had it not been for this Aqua coelestis David had surely fainted in his affliction Psal. 27. ver 13. 119. 72. but this good Word from heaven fetch him again when he was ready to sink and indeed if Moses and the Prophets the Evangelists and Apostles will not comfort us in this case then as Abraham told Dives in another caâ—… nothing will perswade nor prevail Believest thou the former Scriptures spoken by Christ and his Apostles I know that thou believest with some mixture of unbelief and art almost perswaded not onely to do but to suffer chearfully for well-doing But why dost thou not altogether believe that it is a blessed and happie thing thus to suffer Mat. 5. 10 11 12. That thou hast great cause to rejoice and be glad that thou art counted worthi to suffer shame for Christs name Acts 5. 41. Thou seest it is not for nothing that David acknowledgeth It was good for him that be was afflicted Psal. 119. 71. that Job blesseth the time that ever he was corrected Job 42. That Jeremy praied for correction as a good thing Jer. 10. 24. That a whole Church voted the same Lam. 3. 27. It is not for nothing that Chrâ—…t saith Blessed and happy are yee when men revile you and persecute you That Saint James saith Count it exceeding joy when yee fall into divers temptations James 1. 2. It is not for nothing that Saint Paul saith I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches an â—…cessities in persecutions in anguish for Christ's sake c. 2 Cor. 12. 10. That Peter and John when they were beaten and imprisoned departed from the Council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for Christs name Act. 5. 41. For even bearing the Crosse with Christ is as great a preserment in the Court of Heaven as it is in an earthly Coâ—…t for the Pâ—…nce to take off his own Roab and put it on the back of one of his servants as you may perceive by the Lord's speech to Paul Act. 9. 15 16. 23. ver 11. and our Saviour Christs words to his Apostles Ast. 1. 8. yea to suffer for Christ saith Father Latimer is the greatest privilege that God gives in this world and the story of Job is a book-case to prove it for did not God by him as sometimes a Schoolmaster with his Pupill who when he hath polished and perfected a good Scholar brings him sorth provokes adversaries to set upon him with hard questions and takes a pride to see the fruit of his own labours And in the warrs to have the bottect and most dangerous services imposed upon them by their â—…eneral is accounted the greatest honour neither will he confer the same upon any but the stoutest and most valiant This Rod of the Lord like Abasuerus his Scepter is never stretcht forth toward any of his but in great love and favour It is like the kisse which Cyrus in Xenophon gave to Chrysanthas which was accounted a greater and more special favour than the Cup of gold which he gave to Artabazus Which being so let us in this particular imitate the Muscovitish women who will not think their husbands love them unlesse they chastise them and the Indians who are ambitious to be burnt with them and the Thracians who are proud to wear their scarrs Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of AEgypt Heb. 11. 25 26. And the Apostles esteemed it a grace to be disgraced for him and shall we grumble or think much at it No in the greatest extremity of straights let us acknowledge it a favour and give him thanks and so much the rather for that it is more acceptable to God to give him thanks once in adversity then six hundred times in prosperity as a grave Divine well observs and indeed it is the summe of all Religion to be thankful to God in the midst of miseriex True it is hard for Job when the terrours of God fight against him and the arrows of the Almighty stick so sast 〈◊〉 him that the venome thereof hath drunk up his spirit Job 6. 2 3 4. to think it a special favour and dignity but so it was being
A SOVEREIGN ANTIDOTE against all Grief Extracted out of the choisest Authors Ancient and Modern both Holy and Humane Necessary to be read of all that any way suffer Tribulation The Fourth Impression By R. YOUNGE Florilegus Imprimatur Thomas Gataker CHAP. 33. Use and Application of the former Reasons Use 1. THese latter Reasons being dispatcht return we to make use of the former for I may seem to have left them and be gone quite out of sight though indeed it cannot properly be call'd a digression seeing the last of the former reasons was That God suffers his Children to be persecuted and afflicted for the increase of their Patience First if God sends these afflictions either for our Instruction or Reformation to scoure away the rust of corruption or to try the truth of our sanctification either for the increase of our patience or the exercise of our saith or the improvement of our zeal or to provoke our importunity or for the doubling of our Obligation seeing true gold flies not the touchstone Let us examine whether we have thus husbanded our affliction to his glory and our own spiritual and everlasting good I know Gods fatherly chastisements for the time seem grievous to the best of his Children Yea at first they come upon us like Samsons Lion look terrible in shew as if they would devoure us and as Children are afraid of their friends when they see them masked so are we But tell me hath not this roaring Lion prevailed against thy best part Hast thou kept thy head whole I mean thy soul free For as Fencers will seem to fetch a blow at the leg when they intend it at the head so doth the Devil though he strike at thy name his aim is to slay thy soul. Now instead of being overcome doest thou overcome Hath this Lion yielded thee any Honey of Instruction or Reformation Hath thy sin died with thy fame or with thy health or with thy peace or with thy outward estate Doest thou perceive the graces of Gods Spirit to come up and flourish so much the more in the spring of thy recovery by how much more hard and bitter thy winter of adversity hath been Then thou hast approved thy self Christs faithful Souldier and a Citizen of that Jerusalem which is above Yea I dare boldly say of thee as Saint Paul of himself That noâ—…hing shall be able to separate thee from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8. 39. To finde this Honey in the Lion more then makes amends for all former fear and grief and in case any man by his humiliation under the hand of God is grown more faithful and conscionable there is Honey out of the Lion or is any man by his temptation or fall become more circumspect after it There is also Honey out of the Lion c. For there is no Samson to whom every Lion doth not yield some Honey for as affliction sanctified ever leaves some blessing behinde it like the River Nilus which by overflowing the Land of Egypt fattens and fils it with flowers and fruits so a fine wit and a Christian will makes use of any thing like the little Bee which will not off the meanest flower till she hath made somewhat of it Even Sauls malice shall serve to enhance Davids zeal and the likelihood of losing Isaac shall both evidence and improve Abrahams love to God or Hath the Lord made Hannah barren And doth her adversary vex her sore year by year and grievously upbraid her for it so that she is troubled in her minde why even that shall make her pray and weep sore unto the Lord and make vows yea and when God gives Samuel to her she will give Samuel back again to God Lastly Saint Paul in this School of Affliction will learn in what estate soever he is prosperous or adverse therewith to be content Phil. 4. 11. And thou mayest fouly suspect thy self if thou beest not the better for thy being the worse He is no true born Christian who is not the better for his evils whatsoever they be no price can buy of the true believer the gain of his sins Yea Satan himself in his exercise of Gods Children advantageth them And look to it if the malice and enmity of wicked men hath beaten thee off from thy profession thou wert at the best but a counterfeit and none of Christs own Band. A little faith even so much as a grain of Mustard-seed would be able to remove greater mountains of fear and distrust out of thy soul then these for know this that Good men are like Diamonds which will shine in the dirt yea they resemble Glow-wormes which shine most in the dark or Juniper which smels sweetest in the fire or Pomander which becomes more fragrant by chasing or Roses which are sweeter in the Still then on the stalk Use 2. 2 If the malice of our enemies as it is husbanded to our thrist by a divine and supream providence doth make so much for our advantage and benefit here and hereafter as namely that it opens our eyes no less then peace and prosperity had formerly shut them that nothing doth so powerfully call home the conscience as affliction and that we need no other art of memory for sin besides misery It commonly we are at variance with God when we are at peâ—…ce with our enemies and that it is both hard and happy not to be the worse with liberty as the sedentary life is most subject to diseases if vigour of body and infirmity of minde do for the most part lodge under one roof and that a wearish outside be a strong motive to mortification if God the All-wise Physician knows this the fittest medicine for our souls sickness and that we cannot otherwise be cured if our pride forceth God to do by us as Sâ—…rtorius did by his Army who perceiving his Souldiers puft up through many Victories and hearing them boast of their many Conquests led them of purpose into the lap of their Enemies to the end that stripes might learn them moderation If this above all will make us pray unto him with heat and fervency As whither should we flie but to our Joshua when the powers of darkness like mighty Aramites have besieged us If ever we will send up our prayers to him it will be when we are beleagur'd with evils If true and saving joy be onely the daughter of sorrow if the security of any people be the cause of their corruption as no soâ—…ner doth the Holy Ghost in sundry places say Israel had rest but it is added They committed wickedness Even as standing waters soon grow noisome and Vines that grow out at large become wilde and fruitless in a small time if it weans us from the love of worldly things and makes us no less enamoured with heavenly as Zeno having but one flie-boat lesâ—… him hearing news that both it and all therein was cast away said O Fortune thou
our learning and recorded by the holy ghost to the end that wee may gather unto our selvs assurance of the same pardon for the same sins upon the same repentance and beleeving Are thy sins great his mercies are infinite hadst thou committed all the sins that ever were committed yet in comparison of Gods mercy they are less than a more in the Sun to all the world or a drop of water to the whole Ocean for the Sea though great yet may bee measured but God's mercy cannot bee circumscribed and hee both can and will 〈◊〉 easily forgive us the debt of ten thousand millions of pounds as one penny and assoon pardon the sins of a wicked Manasses aâ—… of a righteous Abraham if wee come unto him by unfaigned repentance and earnestly desire and implore his grace and mercy Rom. 5. 20. The Tenure of our salvation is not by a covenant of works but by a covenant of grace founded not on our worthinesâ—…s but on the free mercy â—…d good pleasure of God and therefore the Prophet well annexeth blessedness to the remission of sins Blessed is bee whose transgression is forgiven Psal. 32. 1. Yea the more miserable wretched and sinfull wee are the more fit objects wee are whereupon hee may exercise and shew the infinite riches of his bounty mercy virtue and all-sufficiency And this our spirituall Physitian can aswell and easily cure desperate diseases even the remediless Consumption the dead Apoplex and the filthy Lâ—…prosie of the soul as the smallest malady or least faintness Yea hee can aswell raise the dead as cure the sick and aswell of Stones as of Jews make Abrahams children Did hee not without the Sun at the Creation cause light to shine forth and without rain at the same time make the earth fruitfull why then should you give your self over where your Physitian doth not Besides what sin is there whereof wee can despair oâ—…â—…e remission when wee hear our Saviour pray for the forgiveness of his mâ—…rtherers and blasphemers And indeed despair is a sin which never knew Jesus It was a sweet saying of one at his death When mine iniquity is greater than thy mercy O God then will I fear and despair but that can never bee considering our sins bee the sins of men his mercy the mercy of an infinite God Yea his mercies are so great that among the thirteen properties of God mentioned Exod. 34. almost all of them appertain to his mercy whereas one onely concerns his might and onely two his justice Again shall it ever enter into our hearts to think that God gives us rules to keep and yet break them himsef Now his rule is this Though thy brother sin against thee seven times in a day and seven times in a day turn again to thee saying it repenteth mee thou shalt forgive him The son angers his father he doth not straight dis-inherit him but Gods love to his people exceeds a fathers love to his son Matth. 7. 11. and a mothers too Isa. 49. 1â—… I hear many menaces and threats for sin but I read as many promises of mercy and all they indefinite excluding none whose impenitency and infidelity excludeth not themselvs every sin deservs damnation but no sin shall condemn but the lying and continuing in it Wherefore if our clamorous conscience like some sharp fang'd officer arrests us at Gods suit let us put in bail two subsidue virtues Faith and Repentance and so stand the triall the Law is on our side the Law of grâ—…ce is with us and this Law is his that is our Advocate and he is our Advocate that is our Judge and hee is our Judge that is our Saviour even the head of our selvs Jesus Christ. For the first of these do but repent and God will pardon thee hee thy sins never so many and innumerable for multitude never so hainous for quality and magnitude Isa. 55. 7. Ezek. 18. 33. 17. Yea sins upon Repentance are so reâ—…itred as if they had never been committed I have put away thy transgressions as a cloud and thy sins as a mist Isa. 44. 22. and what by corruption hath been done by repentance is undone as the former examples and many other witness Come and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow Isa. 1. 18. yea whiter for the Prophet David laying open his blood-guiltiness and his originall impurity useth these words Purge me with Hyssop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow Psal. 51. 7. And in reason did hee come to call sinners to repentance and shall he not shew mercy to the penitent Or who would nor cast his burthen upon him that doth desire to give ease As I live saith the Lord I would not the death of a sinner Ezek. 18. 32. and 33. 11. Section 5. Ojection Yea but I cannot Repent Answer In time of temtation a man is not a competent Judge in his own case In humane Laws there is a nullity held of words and actions extoâ—…ted and wrung from men by fear because in such cases a man is held not to bee a free-man 〈◊〉 to have power or command in some sort of himself A troubled soul 〈◊〉 like troubled waters wee can discern nothing clearly in it wherefore if thou canst lay aside prejudice and tell mee in cold blood how it fares with thee at other times though indeed thy words at present are enough to convince thee For first thou findest sin a burthen too heavy for thee to bear which thou didst not formerly what 's the reason are thy sins more and greater No but the contrary for though they appear more yet they are less for sin thé more it is seen and felt the more it is hated and thereupon is the less Motes are in a room before the Sun shines but they appear onely then Again secondly the very complaint of sin springing from a displeasure against it shews that there is somthing in thee opposite to sin viz. that thou art penitent in affection though not yet in action even as a child is rationall in power though not in act Yea more thou accusest and condemnest thy selfe for thy sins and by accusing our selvs wee prevent Satan by judging our selvs wee prevent God Neither was the Centurion ever so worthy as when hee thought himself most unworthy for all our worthiness is in a capable misery nor does God ever thinke well of him that thinkes so of himself But to let this passe Are not your failings your grief are they not besides your will are they not contrary to the current of your desires and the main bent of your resolutions and indeavours Dost thou determine to continue in the practice of any one sin Yea dost thou not make conscience of all Gods Commandements one aswell as another the first table aswell as the second and the second aswell as the first Matt. 5. 19. Dost thou
when wee shall cease to grieve cease to sorrow cease to suffer cease to sin when God shall turn all the water of our tears into the wine of endless comfort Yea when our reward shall bee so much the more joyous by how much more the course of our life hath been grievous First see what promises are made to suffering Blessed are they which mourn saith our Saviour for they shall bee comforted Matth. 5. 4. Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousness for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven ver 10. They that suffer here for well-doing shall bee Crowned hereafter for well-suffering Blessed shall you bee when men revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evill against you for my sake sasty Rejoice and be glad for great is your reward in heaven ver 11. 12. And nothing wee suffer here can bee compared either with those woes wee have deserved in Hell or those joyes wee are reserved to in Heaven When Marcus Marcellus who was the first that saw the back of Hanniball in the field was asked how hee durst enter into battaile with him 〈◊〉 hee answered I am a Romane born and a Souldier and by him I shall make my renown everlasting How much more should the hope of life immortall wihch is the life of our lives mortall wheâ—… oâ—… â—…ude and encourage us in the Christian warfare And so it hath done with thousands Origen was so earnest to suffer with his Father when hee was but sixteen years of age that if his Mother had not kept his cloaths from him hee would have run to the place where his Father suffered to profess himself a Christian and to have suffered with him which was a common thing with the Martyrs making all hast lest they should miss of that noble entertainment Yea it hath not onely been common for men in a bravado to encounter death for a small flash of honour but you shall see a bired servant venture his life for his new master that will scarce pay him his wages at the years end And can wee suffer too much for our Lord and Master who giveth every one that serveth him not â—…lds and 〈◊〉 Saul pretended 1 Sam. 22. Nor Towns and Cities is Cicero is pleased to boâ—…st of 〈◊〉 but even an hundred-fold more than wee part withall in this life and 〈◊〉 mansions in Heaven John 14. 2. Therefore Bazil when hee was offered money and preferments to tempt him answered Can you give me money that can last for ever and glory that may eternally flourish And certainly nothing can bee too much to endure for those pleasures which endure for ever Yea if the love of gain makes the Merchant refuse no adventures of Sea if the sweetness of honey makes the Bears break in upon thâ—… â—…ves contemning the stings Who would not get heaven at any rate at any cost or trouble whatsoever But to go on Behold saith God it shall come to pass that the Devill shall cast some of you into prison that yee may bee tried and yee shall have tribulation ten days yet fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer For be but thou faithfull unto death and I will give thâ—… the Crown of life Rev. 2. 10. And again â—…ssed is the man that endureth temtatation for when hee is tried hee shall receive the Crowâ—… of life Jam. 1. ver 12. A Crown without cares without rivals without 〈◊〉 without end Now if you consider it The gain with hardness makes it far less hard The dangers great but so is the reward The sight of glory future mitigates the sence of misery presâ—… For if Jacob thought not his service tedious because his beloved Rachell was in his eye what can be thought grievous to him that hath Heaven in his eye Adrianus seeing the Martyrs suffer such grievous things hee asked why they would endure such misery when they might 〈◊〉 â—…ing free themselvs to which one of them aleadged that text Eye hath not seen nor ear beard c. the â—…eing whereof and seeing them suffer so cheerfully did so convert him that afterwards hee became a Martyr tonâ—… Lastly not to enlarge my self as I might in promises of reward Whosoever shall forsake Houses or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my name sake he shall receive an hundred-â—…old more and shall inherit everlasting life Matth. 19. 29. This is â—…reasure worthy our hearts a purchase worth our lives Wherefore eye not the stream thou wadest through but the firm Land thou tendest to And indeed who is there that shall hear these promises and compare the seed-time with the Harvest look up from the root to the fruit consider the recompence of the reward 〈◊〉 will not choose rather to suffer adversity with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season Heb. 11. 25. Who will not bee willing to suffer with Christ that hee may also reign with him 3 2 Tim. 2. 12. Who will not suffer these light afflictions which are but for â—…ment when they cause unto us a far more excellent and eternall weight of glory 3 2 Cor. 4. 16. 17. Was Lazarus for a time extream miserable hee is now in Abrahams bosom Yea blessed Lazarus thy sores and sorrows 〈◊〉 ceased but thy joies are everlasting Now mee thinks if thou but considerest that thy pain will shortly pass but thy joies shall never pass away it should prove a notable soveraign Cordiall to strengthen thee not onely against reproaches which attend thy profession but even against fire and faggâ—…t Who would not bee a Philpot for a moâ—…th oâ—… a Lazarus for a day or a Stephen for an hour that he might be in Abrahams bosome for ever nothing can â—…ee too much to endure for those pleasures which endure foreâ—…er It is true if in this life onely â—…ce had hope in Christ we â—…re of all men the most miserable as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 1â—… 1â—… But thou must consider that as this life is our Hell and tiâ—…e wickeds Heaven Job 16. 20. So the next life shall bee their Hell and our Heaven ver 21. 33. Prov. 16 4. As Dives was in Abrahams bosome when Lazarus was in torments so Lazarus was in Abrahams besome when Dives was in torments Luk. 16. ver 23. 25. And herein wee â—…re no worse than Câ—…st Did not his Spirit pass from the Cross into Paradice Did not hee first descend into Hel and then had his ascension Suppose thy sufferings bee great what then Assure thy self that every pang is a prevention of the pains of Hell and every respite an earnest of Heavens rest and how many stripes dost thou esteem Heaven worth It is true flesh and blood is so sensual that it feels a little pain in the finger a great deal more than the health of the whole body But let us better consider on it and behold at once the whole state of a Christian wee shall see
rightly considered It was hard for Josephs brâ—…hren to hear him speak roughly unto them take them for spies accuse them of theft and commit them to prison Gen. 42. 30. and think it is all out of love much more hard for 〈◊〉 to bee cull d cut from the rest and committed to ward while his brethren are set at libertie Vers. 24. and yet it was so yea he loved him best whom he seemed to favour least yet such is the 〈◊〉 of our nature that as weak eies are dazled with the â—…ght which should comfort them so there is nothing more common with God's Children than to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 causes of 〈◊〉 joy and 〈◊〉 with that which is intended for their confirmation Even Manoah conceivs death in that vision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 did consist Judg. 13. 22. And the Shepherds Luk. 2. who were sore afraid when the Angel of the Lord came to bring them good tidings of great joy to all people viz. their Saviours Birth which â—…as Christ the Lord Vers. 9. 10. But what hath been the answer of GOD alwaies to his children in such their extasies but this Fear not Gideon Judg. 6. 23. Fear not Joseph Mat. 1. 20. Fear not Zachary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 13. Fear not Abraham for I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward Gen. 15. 1. Fear not Paul for I am with thee and no man shall lay hands on thee to do thee hurt c. Acts. 18. 9. 10. the words are often repeated as Pharaohs dreams were doubled for the surenesse Yea to the end that we should be fearlesse in all our sufferings so long as we suffer not as evil doers 1 Pet. 4. 15. Fear not as one well notes is the first word in the Annunciation of Christs Conception and the first word in the first Anâ—…iation of his Birth and the first word in the first Annuuntiation of his Resurrection and almost the last words in his last exhortation a little before his death are Let not your hearts be troubled and be of good comfort strengthening his followers and sweetâ—…ing his Cross by diverse forcible reasons 〈◊〉 21. Mark 13. And the words of dying men have ever been most emphatical most effectual Nay more than all this if yet thou wilt not be comforted look but Joh. 16. 20. and thou shalt have thy Saviour assure â—…hee by a double bond His Word I say Oath Verâ—…ly verily I say unto you that though for the present you do fear and sorrow and weep yet all shall be turned into joy 〈◊〉 that joy shall no man be able to take from you v. 22. And so much of the Patience of the Womans seed Innocency Felicity If you will see the Malice of the Serpents seed Subtilly Misery Read the three soregoing parts viz. The cause and cure of Ignorance Error c. The cure of Misprision Characters of the kinds of preaching The last whereâ—… sold only by James Crump in Little Bartholomews Well-yard A two-fold PRAYER for the Morning and for the Evening as also another to be said at any time Jer. 1â—… 25. Pour out thy fury upon them that know thee not and upon the families that call not on thy name Psal. 145. 18. Rom. 10. 12. The Lord is nigh and rich unto all that call upon him in truth Isa. 65. 24. Before they call I will answer and whiles they are yet speaking I will hear Jer. 33. 3. Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not 1 Joh. 5. 14. If wee ask any thing according to his will he heareth us Joh. 16. 23. Mat. 21. 22. Whatsoever yee shall ask the Father in my Name believing he will give it you Psal. 55. 17. Evening and Morning and at Noon will I pray A PRAYER for the Morning O Lord prepare our hearts to Pray O Most glorious LORD GOD and in JESUS CHRIST our most merciful and loving Father in whom wee live and move and have our being in the multitude of thy mercies we desire to approach unto thee from whom all good things do proceed who knowest our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking It is true O Lord if we should consider onely our own unworthiness and how we have heretofore abused thy goodnesse and long-suffering towards us wee might rather despair with Judas and like Adam run from thee then dare to approach thy glorious presence For we confesse O Lord to the shame and confusion of our own faces that as we brought a world of sinne into the World with us and deserved to dye so soon as wee began to live so ever since that thou hast spared us we have done nothing but add sinne unto sinne as thou hast added mercy to mercy For we have been no lesse rebellious unto thee then thou hast been beneficiall unto us We do daily and hourely break all thy commandements adding unto that our originall corruption which we were conceived and borne in all manner of actuall transgressions by sins of Omission sins of Commission sinnes of Ignorance sinnes of Knowledg sinnes against conscience yea sinnes of Presumption and Will fulness and that in thought word and deed We have sinned against thy Law and against thy Gospel against thy mercies and against thy judgments against the many warnings and the abundance of meanes afforded by thee to reclaime us against the spirit â—…of grace cotinually knocking at the doors of our hearts with infinite checks and holy motions as our first Parents left us a large stock of sinne so we have improved the same beyond measure O that we could have so improved that stock of grace which wee have received from thee But whereas thou gavest us as large a portion we suddenly lost it We were created indeed by thee after thine own image in righteousness holiness in knowledg of the Truth But alas now our understandings are so darkned and dulled our judgmeÌ„ts so blinded our wils so perverted our affections so corrupted our reason so exiled our thoughts so surprised our desires so entrapped and aâ—…l the faculties and functions of our souls so disordered that we are not sufficient of our selves to think much lesse to speak least of all to do ought that is good And yet usually like Bladders we are not more empty of grace than we are blown up with pride whereby with Laodicea we not once see our own spiritual misery and nakednesse but think we are rich and good enough as wanting nothing when as scarce Our eares have been alwaies open to the 〈◊〉 shâ—… unto thee we have abused our eyes to wantonnesse our mouthes to filthynesse and our feet have been swift to all evill flow to ought that is good any â—…ark of grace yet appears in us Yea so far have we been from loving and serving thee that we have hated those that do it and that for their so doing And so far have we been from performing that vow which we made to Christ