mee that the day of death is better than the day when I was borne Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them And that I may dye in thee O make me to live to thee O teach mee so to number my dayes that I may apply my heart unto wisedome that all the while my breath is in me and the spirit of God is in my nostrills I may glorifie thee on earth and finish that worke thou givest me to doe because there is no worke nor device nor knowledge in the grave whither I am going O make mee to passe the time of my Sojourning heere in thy feare because the night commeth in which I cannot worke So long as this my day lasteth let me live as a child of the light let my behaviour be as becommeth holinesse adorning the doctrine of God my Saviour in all things that I may praise thee my God whilest I have my being and my conversation may be in heaven even whilest I Sojourne heere on earth and the life which I now live in the flesh I may live by the faith of the Sonne of God that the world may be crucified unto me and I unto the world For to this end our Saviour Iesus once tasted death for every man and humbled himselfe and became obedient even to the death of the crosse that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose againe When therefore my race is finished and I have served out my time O let mee dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Let my soule be bound up in the bundle of life with the Lord my God shew me the path of life In thy presence is fulnesse of joy at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Pardon all my Sinnes heale my backe-slidings love me freely subdue mine iniquities and cast all my Sinnes into the depths of the Sea Give me peace of conscience and joy in thee that when dust shall returne againe to the earth as it was my spirit may returne to God who gave it Amen A Prayer for a Scholler O Lord thou art the Father of lights every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and commeth downe from thee thou hast commanded that if any lacke wisedome he should aske it of thee thou it is that givest to the simple sharpnesse of wit and to the child knowledge and understanding O give unto me thy servant a wise and understanding heart and make learning delightfull unto my soule that I giving attendance unto reading may meditate upon the things that shall be taught me and give my selfe wholly thereunto that so my profiting may appeare unto all O make mee also to learne Christ in whom are hid al the treasures of wisedome and knowledge that I may grow up before thee as a plant of righteousnesse And because Paul may plant and Appollos water but it is thou alone that canst give the increase command thy blessing from heaven that it may rest upon my studies It will be in vaine for me to rise early and to sit up late unlesse it please thee to prosper mine endeavours O doe thou bestowe on mee knowledge and skill in all learning and wisedome as thou didst on Daniel and his three companions And as Moses was learned in all the wisedome of the Aegyptians so also incline mine eare to wisedome and apply mine heart unto understanding that I may say unto wisedome thou art my Sister and call understanding my Kinswoman make me to seeke her as silver and to search for her as hidden treasures to be instant in season and out of season in labours more abundant in watchings often applying my heart to know to search and seeke out wisedome and the reason of things O make me in the morning to sow my seed and in the evening not to withhold mine hand that I may take hold of instruction and not let her goe but keepe her for shee is my life Make me swift to heare carefull to redeeme the time wisely husbanding those opportunities I have to learne that with all my getting I may get understanding and may not onely learne the wisedome of heathen and prophane Authors but that wisedome also which is from above and heavenly which may give me an inheritance among all them that are sanctified Lord set thy stampe on this my pliable and waxie youth that it may bee holinesse unto thee season my heart with thy feare betimes let me set thee alwayes before mine eyes that as Samuel Iosiah and Solomon I may learne to know thee the Lord God of my Fathers and serve thee with a willing mind make me to give to thee the first fruits of my yeares and to remember thee my creatour in the dayes of my youth whilest the evill dayes come not thus laying up a good foundation for the time to come Thou hast promised that if I seeke thee thou wilt be found of me but if I forsake thee thou wilt cast me off for ever make me therefore diligent to know the Scriptures of a child which are able to make me wise unto salvation let thy glory be the end thy word the rule thy spirit the guide thy will the law thy promises the comforts of my life that thus acquainting my selfe with thee betimes and abhorring all prophane and Atheisticall conceits of thee thy wayes worship I may by thy grace suppresse all filthy and unholy thoughts fancies and desires so fly the lusts of youth Thou hast made me to bee borne into thy Church and hast even from my infancie received me into thy covenant O that there were such an heart in me that I might serve thee alwayes Give me patient obedient humble dutifull and discreet carriage to all my Supiriours to him especially at whose feet as Saint Paul at Gamaliels I now sit make me painfull and industrious carefull to please him reverencing his authority Make mee affable loving courteous harmlesse and of winning behaviour towards my Equalls and Inferiours being gentle and easie to be intreated by them all Pardon and heale the frailties follies and infirmities of my youth give me understanding to conceive largenesse of heart and capacity to apprehend confirme my memorie to retaine my invention to finde out and attaine to humane literature Prosper all my labours and make me wise to understand mine owne wayes to save mine owne soule that I may bee a comfort to my Parents and honour to thy Gospell an example of Learning Pietie and vertue to all my Equalls that so I may heereafter become a profitable instrument of thy glory either in the church or common wealth as thou shalt see it best in thine heavenly wisedome and most agreeable to mine owne disposition that thus glorifying thee in my life I may be blessed of thee in my death and glorified for ever with thee in the world
of thy Gospell is not heard Let thy way be knowne upon earth and thy saving health among all nations cause the Sunne of righteousnesse to arise with healing in his wings upon all those that sit in darkenesse and the shadow of death to guide their feete into the way of peace Give thy sonne Iesus the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession Make all the Kings of the earth to fall downe before him and all nations to doe him reverence That his dominion may bee from Sea even to Sea and from the rivers even to the ends of the earth That Tarshish Pul and Lud that draw the bow Tuball and Iavan and the Iles afarre off that have not heard thy â—ame neither have seene thy glory may be brought into the houshold of faith and be joyned to the people of the God of Abraham and so bee made one folde under that great shepheard and Bishop of their soules Those sinners of the Gentiles O Lord draw them out of the darkenesse of Paganisme Idolatrie ignorance and superstition and though they now bee wallowing in their blood yet let it bee the time of love with thee and say unto them live spread thy skirt over them Let the light of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ shine unto them that they may turne from the service of dumb Idols yea of very Devils to thee the living God Teach them to know thee the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ open the doore of faith unto them that they may beleeve in the name of thy Sonne grant them repentance unto life that they may be saved light up among them some burning and shining lamps to beare thy name among them that the grace of God which bringeth salvation may appeare unto all men that so they which are without Christ being aliens from the Common wealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of Promise that have no hope and are without God in the world may heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and live To this end plant thy grace and feare in their hearts who are of that Colonie and Plantation make them wise to win those poore soules by their unblameable conversation being zealous for thee gentle towards them apt to teach them patient in meeknesse instructing them if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devill who are taken captive by him at his will O Lord this is a worthy worke and who is sufficient for these things therefore doe thou make bare thine owne almighty arme bring in the fulnesse of the Gentiles give them where Satans throne is an heart to perceive and eyes to see and eares to heare the word of thy grace that the ends of the earth may see the salvation of God and they that dwell in the uttermost parts thereof may be converted unto thee then shall the earth bee filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea and they shall feare the name of the Lord from the West and his glory from the rising of the Sunne Amen A Prayer to bee prepared against Death c. O Thou eternall immortall invisible and onely wise God who stretchedst forth the heavens and laidst the foundations of the earth and formedst the spirit of man within him thou art the former of al things thy spirit did at the first make mee and the breath of the Almighty hath given mee life thou hast clothed mee with skin and flesh and fenced mee with bones and sâ—â—ewes my substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth thine eyes did see mee when I was yet unperfect and in thy booke all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them before And thou Lord tookest me out of the wombe thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mothers breasts thou hast fed me and led me all my life long unto this day when I have passed through the waters thou hast beene with me and through the rivers they have not overflowed me thou hast carryed mee on Eagles wings and in the time of trouble hast preserved me safely under thy feathers and there hath not one haire of mine head fallen to the ground without thy Providence But what man is hee that liveth and shall not see death our dayes on the earth are as a shadow and there is none abiding we spend our yeares as a tale that is told our life is even as a Vapour that appeares for a little time thâ—n vanisheth away wee build our house as a moth and as a booth that the Keeper maketh We have here no continuing Citie all flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof as the flower of grasse Man that is borne of a woman is of few dayes and full of trouble he commeth forth like a flower and is cut downe hee fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not O Lord my times are in thy hand all my dayes are determined the number of my months are with thee thou hast appointed my bounds which I cannot passe I must one day returne to the ground for dust I am and to dust I must returne thou wilt bring me to death and to the house appoynted for all living where I shall make my bed in darkenesse and must say to corruption thou art my father and to the wormes thou art my mother and my sisters O that I were wise and did understand this that I could consider my latter end that whether I live I might live unto the Lord or whether I dye I might dye unto the Lord that both living and dying I might bee the Lords then should I use the world as if I used it not then would I not bee conformed to the men of this world who have their portion in this life whose God is their belly who make pleasures and honour and riches their God and mind only earthly things But by that irreversible sentence of thine In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death it is appoynted unto all men once to dye our fathers where are they and the Prophets doe they live for ever they all are gone downe into the chambers of death there they rest together in their beds till the heavens be no more they shall not wake nor bee raysed out of their sleepe and I my selfe also who am a sonne of Adam and formed out of the same clay I must when my dayes be fulfilled sleepe with my fathers and goe the way whence I shall not returne Truly the light is sweete and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sunne and yet thy favour presence and light of thy countenance is better than life whilest I am in the flesh I am absent from thee and thou hast taught
bee removed neither shall any of the cords thereof bee broken O Scripture Psal 63. 1. how my soule thirsteth for thee how Head Desire my flesh longeth after thee in a dry and thirstie land where no water is But now O blessed day thrice welcome newes the Head Die messengers of death Scripture Pro. 16. 14. tell mee that the Scripture Gen. 47. 29. time drawes neere that I must dye 1. And shall I so Head Death Scripture Math. 25. 23. soone enter into the joy of my Lord is the time of my DEPARTING so Scripture 2 Tim. 4. 6. neere at hand then blesse the Lord O Scripture Psal 103. 1. my soule and all that is within mee bless his holy name I have long lyen Head World Scripture Dan. 7. 2. upon this great SEA the world looking longly for this happy day when one sweet gale of wind my last breath should wast me over Scripture Hebr. 11. 10. unto a better countrey that is an heavenly where Scripture 3. 11. I shall enter into REST and bee Scripture Col. 1. 12. partaker of the inheritance of the Saints in light 2. Alas I am but a Stranger on this earth and woe is Scripture Psal 120. 5. Head Wicked me that I Sojourne in Mesech that I dwell in the tents of Kedar my soule Scripture 6. hath too long dwelt Scripture Mal. 3. 15. with such as tempt Scripture Ephe. 2. 2. Head Profane God children of disobedience that Scripture Pro. 30. 12. are not washed from their filthynesse I have beene long Head Vngodly absent from the Lord But now Scripture Eccle. 12. 5. I am going to my long HOME to Head Death my Fathers House Head Heaven Scripture Ioh. 14. 2. 3. where are many mansions whither my Saviour is gone before to provide me a place there Scripture 1 Sam 20. 3 is now but a step betwixt me and life everlasting Head Glorified I shall Scripture 2 Cor. 5. 8. now shortly be present with the Lordbeing Scripture Hebr. 7 26. seperate from sinners and made higher than the heavens 3. I dwell now Scripture Iob 4. 19. in a house of clay whose foundation is in the dust an Head Body Scripture 2 Cor. 5. 1. earthly Tabernacle which may bee crushed before the moaths But blessed bee God now I am â—â—itting to an House Head Heaven not made with hands but eternall in the Heavens whose builder and Scripture Heb. 11. 10. maker is God 4. Why should I then feare death Head Death though a King of terrours to ungodly Scripture Iob 18. 14. men â—aâ— with holy â—oâ— All the dayes of Scripture 14. 14 my appointed time I will waite till my CHANGE comefâ—r death is but a-Change yea and a Head Glorifie Change also for the better for thereby Scripture Phil. 3. 21. Christ shall Change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body Scripture 2 Co 5. 4. mortalitie shall bee swallowed up of life then I shall hunger no more neither thirst any more nor sinne any more O blessed Change for my sinning against my God hath grieved me sore hath even Scripture Psal 69. 20. made me weary of my life and broken my heart but I shall then follow Scripture Rev 14 4. the Lambe whither soever hee goeth 5 What is Death Head Die but a putting off the rags of mortalitie Scripture 2 Cor. 5. 4. and why should I feare to be uâ—cloathed or be loath to put off this corruptible yea rather why should I not be glaâ— when I can find the grave For 6 Now I shall Scripture Iob 3 22. Scripture Iob 7. 21. -14. 12. Head Die Sleepe in the dust I shall lye downe and not rise againe till the heavens bee no more I shall make Scripture 17. 13. my bed in darkenesse I shall fall Scripture 1 Thess 4. 14. Scripture Acts 13. 36. asleepe in IESVS and bee laid to my Fathers where though wormes be spread under mee and wormes cover me and though after this skin they Scripture Iob 19. 26. shall destroy this body Head Resurrecti ¦ on yet in my flesh I shall see God Therefore as the Scripture Psal 42. 1. Hart panteth after the water-brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth Scripture 2 for God for the living God when shall I come and appeare Head Life before God My times Lord Scripture Psa 31. 15. are in thy hand-thou breathedst into me Scripture Gen. 2. 7. at first the breath of life command Head Die Scripture Tobit 3. 6. now therefore my Spirit to bee taken from me that I may be dissolved and become earth and my soule returne to God that gave it Father into thy hands I commend Scripture Psal 31. 5. my spirit for thou hast redeemed mee O Lord thou God of truth Amen An humble Soule bemoaning it selfe under its many Sins may thus pray O My God I am ashamed and Scripture Ezr. 9. 6. Head Ashamed blush to lift up my face to thee my God for mine inquities are increased over mine head and my trespasse is growne up unto the heavens yet suffer me O thou Holy Scripture 2 King 19. 22. Head God One of Israel suffer me who am Scripture Dan. 4. 17. Scripture Iob. 30. 8. Head Base the basest of men viler than earth Scripture 1 Tim. 1. 15 the chiefe of sinners to bring Scripture Numb 5. 15 mine iniquity to remembrance Head Repent to afflict Scripture 29 7. my soule in thy sight to abhorre Scripture Iob. 42. 6. Head Humble my selfe and repent in â—ust and â—shes Scripture Isai 57. 9. dâ—basing my selfe even unto hell because of my manifolde Scripture Amos 5. 12. transgressions Head Sinne. and my mightie sinnes Father I have sinned Scripture Luk. 15. 21. against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to bee called thy Sonne I have dealt treacherously Scripture Hos 5. 7. against thee and have gone a whoring Scripture 9. 1. from my God yea in the land of righteousness I have Head Sinne. done wickedly and thee the God Scripture Dan. 5. 23. in whose hands my life is and whose are all my wayes have I not glorified But have walked Scripture Lev. 26. 21. contrary unto 〈…〉 and to make Scripture Rom. 7. 13. 〈…〉 me become exceeding sinnefull I have added rebellion Scripture Iob. 34. 37. unto my sin Alas how often have I yeelded my Scripture Rom. 6. 13. members as instruments of unrighteousnesse unto sinne doing evill with Scripture Mic. 7. 3. both hands earnestly seeking after Scripture Numb 15. 39. mine owne heart and mine owne eyes making my Scripture Lev. 20. 25. soule abominable by those things which are forbidden to bee Scripture 5. 17. done by the commandements of the Lord. And as if it had Scripture 1 K. 16. 31. beene a light thing for me to commit those sinnes which men commit I Scripture 1 Kin. 16. 25. have done woorse than all that were before me drinking iniquity like water Scripture Iob 15. 16 and selling my selfe to doe eviâ—l in
of the Sea though the waters thereof roare and bee troubled though the mountaines shake with the swelling thereof for unto thee O Lord belong the issues from death O make us to cast the anchor of our hope still on thee who hast hitherto mercifully delivered us from so great a death and dost deliver us in whom we trust that thou wilt yet deliver us Let not the depths we pray thee cover us neither let us sink into the bottome as a stone though the flouds compasse us about yet let not the waves and billowes passe over us thou makest a way in the Sea and a path in the mighty waters thou art the God that hast made the Sea and the dry Land doe not thou suffer that there be the losse of any mans life among us let not a hayre of our heads perish Appease the mighty tempest when it ariseth that our Ship may not be broken rebuke the wind and say unto the waves peace and be still O teach every Ship-master and all the company in Ships those that handle the Oare the Marriners and all the Pilots of the Sea and as many as trade by Sea to trust in the saving helpe of thy right hand when we be toyled in rowing and the wind is contrary unto us and not to rely on our owne skill take from us that desperate boldnesse fearelesnesse of thee and danger that Atheisme Swearing and Prophanenesse and notorious Ungodlinesse which is too often found in many of us Make us to be at peace with thee in the blood of thy Sonne that he may be advantage unto us both in life and death There is continually but a step betwixt us and death yea even but an hand-breadth for thou hast made all mens dayes as an hand-breadth and our age is as nothing before thee Be thou our life in death and to trust thee with our bodies and soules knowing that the Sea shall at the last day give up the dead that are in it and our spirits shall returne unto God that gave them If thou please to bring us safely to land O make us to remember our vowes which we uttered with our-lips when wee were in trouble lest otherwise thou shouldst deliver us no more Grant this grace unto us for Iesus sake to whom with thee c. Amen Husbandman in Seed time O Lord doe thou teach me to cast abroad the fitches and scatter the cummin and cast in the principall wheat and the appointed barley and rye in their places and that I may plough and sow in hope make me to breake up the fallow ground of mine owne heart that the earth bring not forth bryars and thornes and thistâ—es unto me when it is tilled neither be cursed for my Sinne. Make me to sow to my selfe in righteousnesse 2 Spring-time BLessed bee thy name that thus renewest the face of the earth that crownest the yeare with thy goodnes and thy steps drop fatnesse the winter is past the raine is over the time of the singing of birds is come and the voyce of the turtle is heard in our Land the pastures are clothed with flocks the valleyes also are covered over with corne they shout for joy and sing O make my barren heart to flourish in grace to abound in the fruits of righteousnesse For Seasonable weather Plentie c. O Lord give us the raine of our seed that we have sowed the ground withall and bread of the encrease of the earth that it may be sat and plenteous Let not the Locust Catterpillar Cankerworme Blasting Mildew or unseasonable weather deprive us of the fruits of the earth but blesse them and bring them to maturity that our garners may be full abounding in all manner of store let our oxen be strong to labour let the mower fill his hand and hee that gathereth up the sheaves his bosome that our barnes may bee filled with plentie and our presses burst with new wine Reserve for us the appointed weeks of harvest and though wee deserve not the least morsell of bread we eate yet thou that art goodnesse it selfe and canst not but put on bowels of pitty wilt fulfill thine owne gracious promise that Seed-time and Harvest summer and winter may not cease true it is Lord we deserve not onely that the fruits of the earth but even that our selves also should be swept away like dung from off the earth for thou art pressed under us as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves thou changest the seasons because we change our obedience our hearts are stony and the heavens weepe for their hardnesse yet we lay not all this to heart teach mee to provide my meate in summer as a Sonne of wisedome and although the fig-tree shall not blossome neither fruit be in the vine though the Labour of the Olive shall faile and the fields shall yield no meate the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls yet that I may rejoyce in the Lord and joy in the God of my salvation Amen FINIS Some Choise places taken out of the singing PSALMES Digested into a method of PRAYER And PRAISES Per hujusmodi aurium oblectamenta quae pietatis doctrinam continent saepe infirmior animus in affectum pietatis assurgit Theodoret. Printed at London for Rob. Milbourne 1634. To the Christian READER AThanasius in his Treatise upon the Psalmes to Marcelinus reports that the ancient old Father Philoponus in a learned discourse which he vouchsafed once to make to him did evidently demonstrate that whatsoever was contayned abroad in the whole Scriptures was fully reported in the Booke of Psalmes It conteineth saith he the motions the mutations the alterations of every Christians heart and conscience described and lively painted to his owne sight so that if a man list he may easily gather out thereof certaine considerations of himselfe as out of a bright glasse and plaine patterne set before his face so thereby to reforme himselfe He may have a very good forme of Prayer meet to be sayd and presently at hand in every case and state The words here delivered in the Psalmes are as it were his owne spoken in his owne person and is so affected with them as if they were first by him conceived and pronounced c. Liber Psalmorum est ars ritè precandi Oratorium ut ita dicam divinisssimum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil Magn. Veteres vocârunt librum Psalmorum PARVA BIBLIA quia breviter omnia quae in Biblijs habentur continet ut historias legem promissiones fidem consolationes poenitentiam bona opera Antiquitùs hic liber vocatus est Soliloquium quia solius hominis Christiani cum solo Deo colloquium habetur Est anatome conscientiarum Nullum in se affectum quisquam reperiet cujus in hoc speculo non reluceat imago Ab alijs rectè appellatur Panacea
HOLY INCENSE FOR THE CENSERS of the SAINTS OR A method of Prayer with matter and formes in selected Sentences of sacred Scripture ALSO A PRAXIS upon the HOLY OYLE shewing the VSE of SCRIPTURE-PHRASES And Choyse Places taken out of the singing PSALMES digested into a Method of Prayer and Praises Pray alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watch thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints Ephes 6. 18. LONDON Printed for Robert Milbourne at the signe of the Greyhound in Pauls Church-yard 1634. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Sir EDVVARD AYSCOVGH Knight and to his religious and noble Lady the best blessings of this and the blessednesse of a better life through IESVS CHRIST Right Worshipfull IT was the Farewell-clause of HER Letter who is the Honour of this Country the Praise of her owne Sexe and the Glory of your Noble family Mistresse ANNE AYSCOVGH Martyr Pray Pray Pray and in another Letter written to IOHN LACELS Sacrificed with her in the same fire for the Word of God and for the Testimonie which they held Farewell Pray This hath beene the practice of all the Saints Bishop Latimer is famous to Posteritie for his three Grand-petitions which God most graciously granted Master Luther not lesse powerfull with God by Praying than prevailing with Men by his Preaching daily breathed his soule herein like Iacob wrastling with God and not letting him goe without a Blessing and thus the Captaine of our salvation our blessed Saviour continued all night in Prayer to God and in the dayes of his flesh offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and teares unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard as the Apostle tells us Heb 5. 7. PRAYER doubtlesse is the very element in which the Soule liveth the very aliment by which it subsisteth Saint Paul as soone as converted Behold hee Prayeth O Lord by these men live As well may a fish live out of Water or a bird without Ayre as the Christian without Prayer 'T is the vitall breath of Faith stop it and take away Spirituall life And though at sometimes hee breathes short and hardly and insensibly in his deliquium animae fits of Spirituall desertion and temptation yet his life is still in him as in Epilepticks the man possessed with the dum be Spirit Mark 9. 26. who was as one dead yet when Christ takes him by the hand he ariseth Sinne prevailing may tongue-tie him a while that hee chatters not with Hezekiah yet when his lips move not nor his voyce is heard his desires will beate strongly upward his heart works and pants and grones and sighes and breathes and breakes in its longing and looking towards Heaven O thinks hee that my sinnes such and such were Pardoned ô that I had more grace to serve my God! O that I could master such and such a prevailing Lust O that I could more abound in fruits of righteousnesse in my conversation thus his heart is fired alway thus fixed And who can marvell that the children of God are so much herein seeing all the blessings of this and the hopes of a better life are assured and conveyed unto them hereby yea and that the whole service and worship of God is in Scripture stiled a calling upon the name of the Lord the Church a house of Prayer and God himselfe a God that heareth Prayers O thou that hearest Prayer unto thee shall all flesh come Psal 65. 2. Vpon this sacred subject is the ensuing treatise which though but now presented to you Right Worshipfull long since was intended in that mournefull and praying time when Gods chastening was upon the City of my habitation the space of almost two whole yeares together Your noble house was then the Zoar whither I was invited whereto I fled where I was above my deserts freely entertained Those and many other your favours before and since challenge my Prayers and best services Accept of this I intreate you as a testimonie of my thankefull observance towards you yet not as mine but as it hath received spirit and life from the word of life 'T is Holy Incense for the Censers of the Saints dropping from the Tree of Life smelling sweetely in the coales of the Altar hearts enkindled with true devotion flaming and blazing upward Prayer will make the face to shine as Moses talking with God in the Mount The more time we spend herein the more heavenly is our life on earth Godlinesse hath the promises 't will make your names to live and flourish when other Magnifico's whose portion is in the huskey profits frothie pleasures windie honours c emptie shadowes of this life shall bee written in the * earth and rot And though now it bee undervalued and the price beaten downe as a merchandize not worth the owning much lesse of buying at any low rate yet it will quite for cost and be of high esteeme in another world a pearl of price that good part and that one thing necessary You are happy Right Worshipfull above many in that God hath given you a mind to know him a heart to love him Presse on still toward the marke study which way to honour God most and to live to him this will bring you peace at the last 'T is not a forme of godlinesse which even the civill gentry affect hereby gilding over their baser courses rotten practises but the power of it in a sanctified life which before God is much set by Goe on in that good way you have begun count all things but dung that yee may winne Christ and bee found in him Take up the crosse which lies in the waies of God Deny your selves This doe and you shall cause the blessing to rest on your house and posteritie after you and those Olive plants about your table shall become trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord for so long as you hold you fast by him you shall you cannot but prosper and grow as the Lilie as the Olive-tree as the Vine and spread out your branches as the Cedars in Lebanon Thus praying to God for a blessing on these my prayers and on you both I commend my selfe and them to you you and yours to God and to the word of his grace ◠which is able to build you up further and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus In whom he resteth that is Lincolne May 6. 1634. Your Worships in all Christian services to be commanded IOHN CLARKE TO THE READER TO gratifie the expectation of friends and to satisfie some to whom I have long beene much obliged rather than for any conceited worth of any thing that is mine in these formes and method of Prayer are they thus now presented to thy view Christian Reader There be many blessed be God in manifold respects farre beyond these of mine Excellent moulds
he may And thou who preservest the way of thy Saints hold up my goings in thy paths that my foote steps slip not Give thine Angels charge over us to keepe us in all our wayes that they may beare us up in their handes lest at any time we dash our foot O be thou with us and keepe us in all places whither we goe and bring us againe and leave us not untill thou hast done that which thou hast spoken to us of O that thou wouldst blesse mee indeed and enlarge my coast and that thine hand might bee with me and that thou wouldest keepe me from evill that it may not grieve me Prosper now I pray thee thy servant this day and grant him mercy in the sight of the man and let the beauty of the Lord our God bee upon us and establish thou the worke of our hands upon us yea the worke of our hands establish thou it We know not what to doe but our eyes are upon thee thou also must worke all our workes in us It is in vaine for us to rise up early to sit up late to eat the bread of sorrowes O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps neither is hee that planteth any thing neither hee that watereth but God that giveth the increase Deliverance from Evill 1. Of SINNE Let not sinne raigne in our mortall bodies that wee should obey it in the lusts thereof neither suffer us to yeeld our members as instruments of unrighteousnesse unto sinne but unto God as those that are aliue from the deast and our members as instruments of righteousnesse unto God looking diligently lest any man faile of the grace of God lest any root of bitternesse springing up trouble us and thereby we be deluded that being now made free from sinne and become the servants of God wee may have our fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing mee into captivity to the law of Sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Cleanse thou mee from secret faults Keepe backe thy servant also from presumptuous sinnes let them not have dominion over me then shall I bee upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression Subdue the pride of our nature cast downe every imagination and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against thee and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ Let not my heart be haughty nor my eyes lofty neither suffer me to exercise my selfe in great matters or in things too high for me but behave and quiet my selfe as a child that is weaned by his mother Order my steps in thy word and let none inâ—quity have donion over me make me also to be upright before thee and to keepe my selfe from mine inâ—quity Let us lay aside every weight and the sinne that doth so easily beset us that we may run with patience the race that is set before us that we may not love the world nor the things in the world because all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but of the world that denying ungodlines and worldly lusts wee may live soberly righteously and godly in this present world That we may walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise giving none occasion to the adversary to speake reproachfully Mortifying our members which are on the earth fornication uncleannesse the inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is idolatry Putting off all these anger wrath malice blasphemie filthy communication That wee may resist unto blood striving against sinne taking heed lest there bee in any of us an evill heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God taking heed to our selves lest at any time our hearts bee over-charged with suffering and drunkennesse and cares of this life That wee may bee sober and vigilant because our adversary the devill as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom hee may devoure whom that wee may resist stedfast in the faith let us take unto us the whole armour of God that we may bee able to stand against all his wiles being strong in the Lord and in the power of his might 2. PVNISHMENT Let no evill befall us neither let any plague come nigh our dwelling Send from heaven and save mee from the reproach of him that would swallow me up My soule is among Lyons and I lye even among them that are set on fire even the sonnes of men whose teeth are speares and arrowes and their tongue a sharpe sword Plead my cause O Lord with them that strive with me fight thou against them that fight against me Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weake O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed My soule also is sore vexed c. Returne O Lord deliver my soule O save me for thy mercies sake For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the grave who shall give thee thankes I am weary with my groaning all the night make I my bed to swimme I water my couch with my teares Mine eye is consumed because of griefe it waxeth old because of all mine enemies Turne thee unto mee and have mercie upon me for I am desolate and afflicted The troubles of my heart are enlarged O bring thou me out of my distresses Looke upon mine affliction and my paine and forgive all my sinnes O my Father if it be possible let this affliction passe from me neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt Lord make mee to know mine end and the measure of my dayes what it is that I may know how fraile I am Behold thou hast made my dayes as an hand-breadth and mine age is as nothing before thee verely every man at his best state is altogether vanity So teach us to number our dayes that wee may apply our hearts unto wisedome The HOLY CATHOLIKE CHVRCH of IESVS CHRIST Preserve that little flocke to whom thou hast promised and reserved the Kingdome Be unto it a wall of fire round about Let thy delight be to Mount Sion grave her on the palmes of thy hands let her walls bee continually before thee Let her builders make haste and cause her destroyers and such as would lay her wast to depart from her Feed them that oppresse her with their owne flesh and make them drunken with their owne blood as with sweet wine Looke downe from heaven and behold from the habitation of thy holinesse
rise not againe Make them like Iohn burning and shining lights that they may bee holinesse to the Lord Whom thou hast set as watch-men over thy people make them instant in season and out of season that they may give warning from thee that they may cry aloud and not spare lifting up their voyce like a trumpet and shew thy people their transgressions COMMONALTIE Blesse all Israel from Dan to Beershebah make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowles of heaven breake the bow and the sword and the battell out of the earth and make them to lye downe safely For the AFFLICTED And thou Lord who givest power to the faint and to them that have no might encreasest strength comfort them that lie upon beds of languishing make all their beds in their sicknesse for unto thee Lord belong the issues from death Behold the teares of such as are oppressed and have no comforter Lord remember them that are in bonds that are tryed in the furnace of affliction Bind up the breach of thy people heale the stroke of their wound Let the sighing of the prisoners come before thee according to the greatnesse of thy power preserve thou those that are appoynted to dye Bee thou a strength to the poore a strength to the needy in their distresse a refuge from the storme a shadow from the heat when the blast of the terrible Ones is a storme against the wall His place of defence shall bee the munition of rockes bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure THANKS GIVING for Blessings Spirituall and Eternall And now our God we thanke thee and praise thy glorious name for blessing us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ for delivering us from the power of darknesse and translating us into the Kingdome of thy deare Sonne Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort who when we were sometimes aliens and enemies in our mind by wicked workes and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others out of his rich mercy for the great love where with hee loved us even when we were dead in trespasses and sinnes and the uncircumcision of our flesh hath quickned us together with Christ having forgiven us all trespasses Blotting out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us which was contrary unto us and tooke it out of the way nayling it to his Crosse Blessed bee thy glorious Name which is exalted above all blessing and praise for great is thy mercie towards us and thou hast delivered our soule from the lowest hell and hast made us meet to bee partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light 3. For TEMPORALL blessings of Creation and Providence I thanke thee Father Lord of heaven and earth that Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within mee blesse his holy name c. For thou art he that tookest me out of the wombe thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mothers breasts I was cast upon thee from the wombe thou art my God from my mothers belly We have beene borne by thee from the belly and are carried from the wombe And even to our old age be thou hee and even to hoarie haires doe thou carry us Thou hast covered me in my mothers wombe I will praise thee for I am fearefully and wonderfully made marveilous are thy workes and that my soule knoweth right well How precious are thy thoughts unto me O God how great is the summe of them If I should count them they are moe in number than the sand Thy hands have made me and fashioned me I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed nuto thy servant Thus will I blesse thee while I live I will lift up my hands in thy name My soule shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse and my mouth shall praise thee with joyfull lips when I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches c I know Lord that thy judgements are right and that thou in faithfulnesse hast afflicted me Before I was afflicted I went astry but now I have kept thy word O Lord my God I cryed unto thee and thou hast healed me O Lord thou hast brought up my soule from the grave thou hast kept me alive that I should not goe downe to the pit c. Thou hast delivered mee in sixe troubles yea in seven there hath no evill touched me c. There hath no evill befallen me neither hath any plague come neere my dwelling Thou hast delivered my soule from death my eyes from teares and my feete from falling What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. Thou hast extended peace unto us like a river and prosperity like a flowing streame we drinke waters out of our owne Wells Thou hast strengthened the barres of our gates and blessed our children within us c. Thou hast given us bread to eate and rayment to put on yea our bread like Ashurs is fat and wee have pleasures which even Kings doe want Thou hast not dealt so with any nation O that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull workes to the children of men CONCLVSION with a craving of Audience Two things have I required of thee deny me them not before I depart Thy Sonne our Saviour hath promised that What things soever wee desire when we pray if we beleeve we shall receive them Lord we beleeve helpe thou our unbeliefe Now unto him that is able to doe exceeding abundantly above all that wee aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in us unto him be glory in the Church of Christ throughout all ages world without end Amen Now the God of Peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus that great Shepheard of the Sheepe through the the bloud of the everlasting covenant Make us perfect in every good worke to doe his will working in us that which is well pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen REVEL 5 13. Blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lambe for ever and ever Reve. 7. 12. Amen Blessing and glory and wisedome and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever Amen MEDITATIONS for the Morning My soule waiteth on thee O Lord more than the morning watch watcheth
for the morning O God be mercifull unto me and blesse me and cause thy upon face to shine upon me O fill me with thy mercie this morning so shall I rejoyce and bee glad all my dayes O God thou art my God earwill I seeke thee my soule thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no wattr is O Sunne of righteousnesse shine upon me My voyce shalt thou heare in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will looke up Unto thee have I cryed O Lord and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light The night is past the day is at hand worke while it is called day the night commeth when no man can worke MEDITATIONS for the Evening Thou knowest my downe sitting and mine up rising thou understandest my thought a farre off Thou compassest my path and my lying downe and art acquainted with all my wayes Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense and the lifting up of my hands as the evening Sacrifice Let teares run downe like a river day and night give thy selfe no rest let not the Apple of thine eye cease Arise cry out in the night in the beginning of the watches powre out thy heart like water before the face of the Lord lift up thy hands towards him Lighten mine eyes that I sleepe not in death He that keepeth Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth the day is thine the night also is thine the darknesse hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day the darknesse and the light to thee are both alike I will lay me downe in peace take my rest c. when thou liest downe thou shalt not bee afraid yea thou shalt lie c. MEDITATIONS for thee as thou goest into Bed Think with thy selfe that 1 Thou art one day neerer end than thou wert in the morning 2 Consider what thou hast seene heard or read that day worth the remembring and make use thereof 3 Seriously examine thy selfe what Sinne thou hast committed what duty thou hast omitted how thou hast failed and lament them on thy knees begging pardon in thy Saviours Name 4 Consider that many goe well to bed and never rise againe till the day of Iudgement therefore say Father into thy hands I commend my spirit 5 Let thy stripping thee naked put thee in mind of thy death thy bed of thy grave thy coverings of the moulds and wormes of the earth thy sheets of thy winding sheete thy sleepe of thy death thy waking of thy resurrection In the night when thou awakest say With my soule have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early Thus will I blesse thee while I live I will lift up my hands in thy name my soule shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse and my mouth shall praise thee with joyfull lips when I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches MEDITATIONS for the Lords day in the Morning It is a good thing to give thankes unto thee O Lord and to sing praises to thy name O thou most high to shew forth thy loving kindnesse in the morning and thy faithfulnesse every night This is the day which the Lord hath made wee will rejoyce and be glad in it Blessed is the man that doth thiâ— and the Sonne of man that layeth hold on it that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it and keepeth his hands from doing any evill they that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God they shall still bring forth fruit in old age they shall bee fat and flourishing As thou goest to the Church meditate thus One thing have I desired of the Lord that I will seeke after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his temple My soule longeth yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God At the Church thinke with thy selfe that The place where thou standest is Holy ground none other but the house of God How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hoasts Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will bee still praysing thee For a day in thy court is better than a thousand I had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of my God then dwell in the tents of wickednesse They that joyne themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love the name of the Lord to bee his servants every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it and taketh hold of my covenant Even them will I bring to my holy mountaine and make them joyfull in my house of prayer the like course thou mayest take in other places of Scripture which thou mayest make use of for all kinde of meditations at home abroad in field towne journeyes c Matter for Graces before meat O Lord our God the onely giver of all good gifts thou feedest the young ravens when they cry they have their meat of God the eyes of all waite upon thee thou openest thy hand and fillest with thy blessing every living thing thou lovedst us before we were thou hast kept us from our birth supply all our wants sanctifie all thy dealings towards us and let thy blessing be on the food which we are now to receive Speake a word of blessing to it from heaven that it may nourish and strengthen us comfort and do us good let us taste and see how gracious the Lord is let us feele the sweetnesse of that love with which thou hast loved us in Christ man liveth not by bread alone 't is by thy word of blessing not our meates alone that wee are nourished and preserved which satisfiest our mouth with good things thou shalt eate and blesse the name of the Lord thy God Let not these creatures turne to the hurt of our souls which thou hast given us for good of our bodies I am not worthy of the least morsell of thy good creatures unworthy of the crums which fall under thy table Let not our table become a snare unto us breake not the staffe of our bread curse not unto us any blessing Good Lord forgive us all our sinnes and blesse at this time these good creatures to our nourishment through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen O Lord it is not by bread alone that man lives it is thy blessing upon the creatures that they sustaine us O draw up our hearts and eyes to heaven to acknowledge thy providence in them to praise thy goodnesse for them that we
may receive them as pledges of thy favour and gracious assurances of thine everlasting love through Iesus c Matter for Graces after meate Blessed bee thy name for health life strength and for all the blessings of this and the blessed hopes of a better life make it our meate and drinke to doe the will of thee our heauenly father make us to hunger after that bread which endureth to everlasting life Provide dayly bread for all thy poore servants till thou bring us to that place where we shall never hunger nor thirst any more thy loving kindnesse is better than life that I may labour not so much for this meat that perisheth but for that meate which endureth to everlasting life the body and bloud of our Saviour which is meate indeed and drinke indeed Keepe us in thy feare while we live on earth and afterward receive us to glory in thy kingdome We thanke thee O Lord for the comfortable use of these good blessings we beseech thee also feed our soules to everlasting life with the meate that perisheth not through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Blessed bee thy name O Lord God for thus opening thy hand and filling us at this time with thy good creatures vouchsafe still to be our God with-hold no good thing from our soule or body Save all thy Church protect our King Queene Prince Royall Progeny and Realme Grant free passage to to thy Gospel comfort to thy Servants and peace of conscience to us all through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen An EPITOME of a Christians Conversation and Religious course of life gathered out of some Godly Practicall Divines c. Every day bestow halfe an houre in reading the Scriptures and Prayer Gods word will not onely shew thee what to do what to pray but will worke a secret power to accomplish the same Appoint and set a part some time once every day seriously and solemnely to cast up the eye of thy Faith on that never-fading crowne of life which after an inch of time shall for ever rest upon thy head The comforts hereof will make a man live almost without a soule and sweeten all the troubles of this life Set one houre in the weeke a part Saturday in the afternone is more fit by reason of the approching day to consider of search and try thy wayes this will snub and keepe downe the weeds of corruptions from overspreading thy soule Thou bestowed an houre on thy body every day in dressing it and lookest thy selfe in a glasse to attire thy outward sheath and wilt thou not once a weeke doe as much for thy soule thy body must one day rot and turne to dust perhaps to morrow thy soule must live ever either in weale or woe Life and death are now in thy choyse chuse then that good part Give God the honour of thy thoughts as well as of thy words and actions often thinke how all the glistering shewes of this whole world must and doe vanish and moulder into vanity and nothing very smoke As soone as thou hast broken of sleepe set God before thee and thinke What shall I doe what course shall I take that I may bring glory to God that I may not sinne this day O that my wayes were so directed Never speake the evill which thou too certainely knowest by others but with fearefulnesse as it were and some kinde of enforcement being sure thou hast a calling to it and then doe it seasonably charitably discreetly and not in humour spleene imperiousnesse T is the humor of Hypocritts to be supercilious and censorious but for Gods glory thy owne discharge use no moe wordes against mâ—ns sinnes than thou wilt make prayers for their soules in secret Be bold yet wise in speaking for Christ and with height of resolution goe through all the disgraces that the sinfull times lay in the wayes of God In Actions civil Doe as thou wouldst be done to religious Strive to live by faith because faith is the soule of all our actions our prayers will bee cold unlesse this warme them Take heed of falling from thy first love Serve not God for by-respects but onely for himselfe So long as thou art unfeinedly displeased with and sorry for all thy sinnes and dost mortifie the deedes of thy body by the spirit thy cafe is the state of salvation Let thy whole conversation favour of the Lord. Bee alwayes bemoaning thy spirituall pride knowne hypocrisie covetousnesse perfâ—â—ctorinesse and formality in Gods service Give not way to a heartlesse neglect of the use of Gods holy ordinances reading prayer fasting private humiliation for this is the fore-runner to some fearefull sinne or fiery temptation to some heavie judgement or dangerous apostasie Seeke not thy selfe in any of thy actions Looke to thy repentance that it bee sincere universall constant from the heart root for all sinne Incorporate thy selfe into the Communion of Saints be intimate onely with them such an holy and humble majesty is in their carriage such a deale of heaven is in their countenances such spirituall ravishments is in their hearts such grace and powerful piercings in their speeches such zeale and hearty melting is in their prayers that they cannot but worke upon thy heart if thou converse with them Looke well to thy carriage that thou leave not an ill savour behinde thee in any company Wait for occasions to doe good Act. 26. 28. In bad company give them apparent signes of thy dislike Unlesse you give some kinde of reall or verball reproofe they will be hardned Often withdraw your selfe apart imparting unto God your griefes wants desires Walke with God on the top of Mount Tabor once a day Prayer in secret will bee unto thee an unspeakeable comfort a testimony that thou art not left to thy selfe if words will not come sigh God heares the sighing of his servants if thou canst not sigh breath God hath an care for that thou hast heard my voyce hide not thine eare at my breathing at my cry yea speake with thy countenance be humbled for thy unfitnesse dulnesse c. Then wee pray most happily when wee arise from prayer most humbled After prayer thou shalt carry thy selfe in thy vocation with much more zeale and standing thus upright with God thou wilt not feare the world thou shalt have rest and peace within what ever stirres bee without Have a speciall eve to a sincere constant and fruitfull performance of holy duties take heed of customarinesse and Formality which cuts out the heart and drawes the very life-blood from them Strive by all meanes for attainment of what thou prayest for by all occasions helpes and heavenly offers Be diligent in thy personall employments and take heed of idlenesse 2 Have an eye to Gods glory in all thy undertakings 3 Goe about earthly busines with an heavenly mind 4 Let not any unrighteous gaine entice thee to sinne or belime thee 5 Set not thy delight
to come Amen A Prayer for a Trades-man Merchant c. O Lord the righteous God that triest the reines and the heart thou lovest truth in the inward parts and hast commanded all those that call upon thy name to depart from iniquity and to put away lying speaking the truth from his heart every man unto his neighbour not using false weights deceitfull ballances or unjust measures and wouldest that no man should goe beyond and defraud his brother in any matter because that the Lord is the avenger of all such O Lord the heart of man is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked and in nothing more discovers it selfe than in the gaine of unrighteousnesse The love of money is the roote of all evill which while some have coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrowes Thus in buying and selling and trading with each other so they may lade themselves with thicke clay they care not to load their consciences with heavie Sinne. Thus it often is as with the buyer so with the seller 'T is naught 't is naught saith the buyer but when he is gone his way he boasteth and how many severall tricks of deceit and sleights there are practised by the cunning craftinesse of men that lye in waite to deceive which the false and dissembling heart of man is guilty of thou onely knowest who searchest the heart and tryest the reines and wilt one day bring to light the hidden things of dishonesty and darknesse so that as a naile sticketh fast betweene the joyning of stones so doth Sinne sticke close betweene buying and selling O Lord what shall it profit me to win the whole world and to lose mine owne soule could I rejoyce because my wealth was great or because my hand had gotten much If I should get my house full of silver and gold heaping up silver as dust and fine gold as the mire in the streets or prepare rayment as the clay being filled with all precious and pleasant riches yet thou that hatest false ballances and the bag of deceitfull weights canst blow upon all my substance that it shall melt away by thy blast it would perish a fire not blowne should consume it suddenly thou couldst make my riches to take them wings and fly away as an Eagle towards heaven to vanish as a dreame and not bee found or chased away as a vision of the night And thou hast in thy assured mee that hee that getteth riches and not by right shall leave them in the midst of his dayes and at his end shall bee a foole and howsoever bread of deceit may bee sweet to a man yet afterwards his mouth shall bee filled with gravell O let mee never be given over to that reprobate mind supposing that gaine iâ— godlinesse Let mee not grind the face of my brother or pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poore making the Ephah small and the shekell great and falsifying the ballances by deceit Never let me bee so greedy of gaine that in the seeking thereof I should enlarge my desire as hell or as death that cannot be satisfied O make me to hate and take heed of guile Let not my soule bee poysoned with the mammon of unrighteousnesse that I should by lying and fraud obtrude bad wares on the men I trade withall for hereby I should take the name of my God in vaine and cause thy Gospell to bee evill spoken of Wicked ballances and the bag of deceitfull weights are an abomination unto thee and much better will a dry morsell be or a dinner of greene herbes gotten by honest dealing then a stalled Oxe by coozening and deceit Godlinesse with contentment is great gaine but they that will bee rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drowne men in destruction and perdition O Lord faith and a good conscience are speciall jewels a precious treasure Let not mee make shipwracke of them for every trifle how ever prophane and godlesse men may disesteeme them they are not to bee valued with the gold of Ophir with the precious Onyx or the Saphire Let mee ever remember that golden rule to doe unto other men as I would they should doe unto me And if by my industry thou doest please to blesse my estate that my riches doe encrease O let me not set my heart upon them making gold my hope or saying to fine gold thou art my confidence or if I shall wax poore and fall into decay through crosses and losses by thy hand of providence and not by mine owne negligence sloth or ill husbandry yet make mee to learne in whatsoever state I am therewith to bee content and may know both how to be abased and how to abound to be full and to bee hungry which grace I beseech thee to grant me for Christ Iesus sake Amen A Servants Prayer MOst holy and great God thou hast commanded servants to be obedient to them which are their masters according to the flesh with feare and trembling in singlenesse of heart as unto Christ not with eye-service as men-pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart Therefore as thy good hand of providence hath placed mee in this condition so I beseech thee give me thy grace that with good will I may doe service as to the Lord and not unto men knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth the same shall hee receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free O teach me therefore first to serve and to feare thee for thy service is perfect freedome thus being the Lords free man I shall no more be a Servant but a Sonne and heire of God through Christ To this end make thy face to shine upon thy servant be thou with me in all that I doe and let the beauty of the Lord my God be upon mee and establish thou the worke of my hands upon me that thy blessing may be upon all that my master hath in the house and in the field make thou a hedge about him and about all that he hath on every side and blesse thou the worke of his hands that his substance may be encreased in the Land And as thou blessedst Laban for Iacobs sake Potiphar for Iosephs sake Obed Edom for the Arkes sake Ahab for Obadiahs sake so also I beseech thee to blesse me and all the things that are under my hand cause thy blessing to rest in my masters house prevent him daily with blessings of goodnesse that he may learne by experience that thou Lord hast blessed him since my comming O make mee a faithfull and a wise servant as Eliezer unto Abraham that if my master commit his goods into my hand and make me ruler over his houshold to appoint them their worke to give them their meate in due season I may with all my power serve him therein not eating the bread of
the greatnesse of thine excellencie confounding all those that are implacable enemies to thine elect we the people of this land who have at this day tasted and seene how gracious thou art in saving us by so great a deliverance as the like was never heard of since man dwelt upon the faâ—e of the earth doe with all humble and hearty acknowledgement prayse and blesseâ— thy glorious name for that admirable and strange deliverance which thou graciously vouchsafedst to our King Prince Nobles and the whole body of this Kingdome and state assembled together in the high-court of Parliament How great a cause have wee to praise thee day by day and to blesse thy name for ever ever who hast given us such deliverance as this which if ever we forget let our tongues cleave to the roofe of our mouth Doubtlesse unto God the Lord belong the issues from death it was thou that saidst hither to shall yee goe and no further here shall the proud waves of your hellish attempts stop themselves O yee popish conspiratours your mischiefe shall returne upon your owne head and your violent dealing shall come downe upon your owne pate and all that see it shall say this hath God done for they shall perceive it was thy worke Blessed be thy name O Lord who hast not given us as a prey unto their teeth that kept the proud waters from going over our soule and deliveredst us from so great a death thou hast broken the jaw-bone of those ravening Lyons and hast plucked us as a prey out of their teeth our soule is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler the snare is broken and we are delivered Not unto us O Lord not to us but to thy name be the praise for ever given that thus savedst thy people with an outstretched hand and watchedst betwixt our enemies and us they thought to have cut off head and tayle branch and rush in one day to have swallowed us up alive as the grave and whole as those that goe downe into the pit but themselves are salne into the pit which they digged for us Righteous art thou O Lord God of recompences just and true are thy judgements who maintainedst our right and our cause and gavest not the soule of thy turtle into their hands but gavest them blood to drinke for they were worthy Blessed be thy name who redeemedst our life from destruction and thus crownest us with loving kindnesse thou satest in heaven and laughedst them to scorne thou Lord hadst them in derision and though they cursed yet thou didst blesse us yea thou didst curse them and didst blow upon them in the fire of thy wrath and dashedst them in pieces like a Potters vessell They digged deepe to hide their counsell from thee but the darkenesse â—ideth not from thee thou broughtest to light their workes of darkenesse thou causedst their own tongus to maâ—e them to fall thus when thou pleasest to worke for thy Church a bird of the aire shall carry the voyce and that which hath wings shall discover the matter and in the thing wherein they deale proudly thou wilt bee above them They tooke craftie counsell against thy Saints and were mad against thy people and sworne together against us and had their mischievous device not beene defeated by thee our land had beene as Sodome our people as Gomorrah a desolation our Cities Golgotha our fields Aceldama Cursed bee their anger for it was fierce and their wrath for it was cruell but blessed bee thou O Lord who savedst us by a great deliverance and gavest us not over to the will of our enemies into the hands of bruitish men and skilfull to dust oy more fierce then the Evening Woulues bloody and breathing out cruelty This was none other but the finger of God this was thy doing O Lord and it is marvellous in our eyes this is the day which thou hast mâ—de to be unto us a good day a day of blessings and prayses we will rejoyce and be glad in it yea and the children which are yet unborne shall arise and for it praise thy name and tell it also unto their children that even to perpetuall generations we all may remember this day as the Iewes did their feast of Purim and keepe it throughout every generation every Family every Province and every Citie that it may not faile from among the people of this land nor the memoriall of it perish from our seed Still confound all their devilish practises blast their purposes infatuate their policies as many as have evill will to Zion Let the ravens of the valies picke out those eyes and the young Eagles eate them as many as rejoyce not to see thy Gospell flourish nor thy Saints prosper nor the welfare of this state and Church all their dayes So let all thine enemies perish O Lord but let them that love thee bee as the Sunne when hee goeth forth in his might Amen Deut. 4. 7. What nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord the shield of thy helpe and who is the sword of thy excellencie and thine enemies shall be found lyars unto thee A Praxis upon the Holy Oyle shewing the Vse of the Scripture Phrases In Praying meditating writing Letters exhorting comforting reproving c. yea in any Christian dutie on any occasion to be performed For Example Wouldst thou in the time of dearth and famine insert a seasonable petition or two into thy prayers that God would please to provide for thee thy family and the poore c. to remove this judgement and send plenty Turne then to the Heads Famine Poore Plenty provide c. Let me if thou wilt spell thee out this lesson and shew thee the way-thus then O Lord the God of the Spirits Scripture Numb 27. 16. Head GOD of all flesh who givest to the beast Scripture Psal 247 9 his food and to the young ravens which cry the God which Scripture Gen. 48. 15. hast fed us all our life long unto this day and hast said thou wilt never Scripture Heb. 13. 5. leave us nor forsake us Give us this day Scripture Math. 6. 11. Head Compe ∣ tencie our daily bread feed us with food Scripture Fro. 30 8. convenient for us The eyes of all wait Scripture Psal 145. 15 -16. Head Provide upon thee and thou givest them their meate in due season thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing Look Scripture Deut. 26. 15. downe now from thy holy habitation from heaven and Head Famine kill not the assembly Scripture Exod. 16. 3. of thy people with hunger Thou hast Scripture Amos 4. 6. given us cleannesse of teeth in all our Cities and want of bread in all our palaces Scripture Hos 2. 9. thou hast
Scripture 2 Ki. 17. 17. the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger Alas Head Excuse how shall I Scripture Gen. 44. 16. cleere my selfe concerning these my overspreading abominations Scripture Dan. 9. 27. how shall I lift up my face before thee my God for though I should Head Purge wash my selfe with Scripture Iob. 9. 30. snow-water and make my hands never so cleane yet Head Disclose Scripture Ier. 2. 22. mine iniquitie is marked before theeyea the heaven shall Scripture Iob 20. 27. reveale mine iniquitie and the earth shall rise up against me woe unto my Scripture Isay 3 9. soule for I have rewarded evill unto my selfe But if thou Lord be extreme to mark iniquities if thou enter into judgement with the servant Lord who who shall stand for so detestable and Scripture Ier. 16. 18. abominable are my doingâ— that for the â—einousnesse therof thou mightest let death seaze upon me Scripture Psal 55. 15. and make mee goe downe quicke into Head Damne hell where the Scripture Isai 66. 24. worme shall never dye and the fire shall never be quenched But thou hast in love to my soule Scripture 38. 17. delivered it from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sinnes behind thy backe thou hast ransomed Scripture Hos 13. 14. me from the power of the grave thou hast redeemed mee from death by the mediatour betwixt Scripture 1 Tim. 2 5. God and man even Iesus who Scripture 1 Thess 1. 10. hath loved me and given himselfe for me and hath washed mee from my sinnes in his blood and delivered mee from the wrath to come O that I Head Repent Scripture Ezek. 36. 31 could loath my selfe in mine owne sight for all mine iniquities and abominations O that they might grieve me at the heart O that Scripture 21 6. I could sigh even with the breaking of my loines wailing Scripture Mic. 1. 8. as the dragons and mourning as the owles because I have sinned against the Lord and have Scripture Psal 18. 21. departed wickedly from my God Amen A Letter consolatorie to his friend perswading to patience in his afflictions Faithfull and beloved brother Scripture Col. 4. 9. GOd that comforteth Scripture 2 Cor. 7. 6. Head God those that are cast downe Scripture 1 Cor. 16. 18. 2 Scripture Thess 2. 16. refresh your spirit and give you everlasting consolation Head Comfort and good hope through grace for he hath torne and he Scripture Hosea 6. 1. will heale you hee hath smitten and he onely can bind you up I indeed faine Scripture Iob 16. 5. would strengthen you with my mouth and the moving of my lips should asswage your griefe But alas miserable Scripture 2. comforters are wee all if the comforter that should relieve your soule bee farre from you It grieveth mee Head Grieve Scripture Ruth 1. 13. much for your sake that the hand of the Lord is gone out against you that the Scripture 20. Almighty hath delt so very bitterly with you making Head Afflict Scripture Eze. 20. 37. you to passe under the rod and to Scripture Iob 13. 26. possesse the iniqui-quities of your youth you were at â—ase but hee hath broken you asunder hee hath also taken Scripture Iob 16 12. you by the necke and shaken you to pieces and set you up for his marke It is good for a man Scripture Lam 3. 27. saith Ieremy that he beare the yoke in his youth for whom the Lord loveth Scripture Hebr. 12. 6. he chasteneth and scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth but if you be without chastisement Scripture 8. whereof all are partakers then are you a bastard and not a sonne Assure Scripture Isai 1 25. Head Purge yourselfe when God shall have purged away your drosse and taken away al your tin when he hath tryed you you Scripture Iob 23. 10. shall come forth as gold Therefore in your Head Murmure Scripture Luk. 21. 19. patience possess your soule looke unto Scripture Hebr. 12. 2 Iesus the author and finisher of your faith Hee was oppressed Scripture Isay 53. 7. and hee was Scripture 10. afflicted yet he opened not his mouth Behold and see if Scripture Lam. 1. 12 there were ever any sorrow like to his sorrow O then Scripture Mar. 10. 21 take up the crosse and follow him Be dumbe and open Scripture Psal 39. 9. not your mouth for it is his doing Bee you partaker of the Head Afflict Scripture 2 Tim. 1. 8. affliction of the Gospell Take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches Scripture 2 Cor. 12. 10. in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake for this light affliction Head Patient which is but for a Scripture 2 Cor. 4. 17. moment worketh for you a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Though you Scripture 1 8. bee now pressed out of measure above strength insomuch that you dispaire even of life yet unto Scripture Psal 68. 20. God the Lord belong the issues from death Wherefore lift Scripture He. 12. 12. up the hands which hang downe and the feeble knees look Scripture Isa 17. 7. to thy Maker and let Head Rely thine eyes have respect unto the Holy one of Israel and Scripture Hos 12. 6. waite on thy God continually and he will turne for thee thy mourning into dauncing hee will Scripture Psal 30. 11 put off thy sackcloth and gird thee with gladnesse Amen The Lord doe Scripture Ier. 28. 6. so Farewell and Head Requite according to the Scripture Gen. 21. 23. kindnesse that I have done unto thee in this day of thy distresse thou shalt likewise doe unto me who also am Your Brother and Scripture Rev. 1. 9. Companion in tribulation and in the kingdome and patience of Iesus Christ L. M. If thou wert to disswade thy friend from keeping bad company thou mightst find here happily some prevailing arguments nay were I to preach on such a text as I might find sufficient footing to ground this point of Doctrine that A godly man must avoid the company of the wicked If I doe but turne to some of these heads Godly Regenerate Righteous Christian live Godly Sanctifie Hate Fly Abborre Wicked Vngodly Prophane live Wickedly Company c. I shall t is likely in â—t with good matter and savourie expressions suiting to my purpose for example suppose my text were Psal 26. 5. I have hated the congregation of evill doors It might bee confirmed by Pro. 1. 10. 15. Psal 97. 10. or 2 Cor. 6. 14. or Eph. 5. 7. 11. c. For what should a godly man doe in the wickeds company seeing 1 Vngodly men are Gods enemies Psal 92 9. for loe thine enemies O Lord God himselfe sayes of them Zech. 11. 8. my soule loathed them and their soule also abhorred me Now every Godly man is on the Lords side Exod. 32. 26. yea are the friends of God Ioh. 15. 15. Lam. 2 23. Shouldst thou then helpe the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord as Iehu the Seer reproved Iehoshaphat â— Chron. 19.
forsake Forsake me not that am the worke Which thine owne hand did make O keepe me as thou wouldest keepe The apple of thine eye And under covert of thy wings Defend me secretly For I doe call to thee O Lord Surely thou wilt me ayde Then heare my prayer and weigh right well The words that I have sayd Into thy hands Lord I commit My spirit which is thy due For why thou hast redeemed it O Lord my God most true The length of all my life and age O Lord is in thy hand Defend me from the wrath and rage Of them that me with-stand Preserve my soule because my wayes And doings holy be And save thy servant O my Lord That puts his trust in thee I layd me downe and quietly I slept and rose againe For why I know assuredly The Lord will me sustaine In peace therefore lye downe will I Taking my rest and sleepe For thou onely wilt me O Lord Alone in safety keepe Within thy Tent I lust to dwell For ever to endure Vnder thy wings I know right well I shall be safe and sure I set the Lord still in my sight And trust him over all For he doth stand on my right hand Therefore I shall not fall He the desires which they require That feare him will fullfill And he will heare them when they cry And save them all he will For why our glory strength and ayd In thee alone doth lie Thy goodnesse eke that hath us stayd Shall lift our hornes on hie Our strength that doth defend us well The Lord to us doth bring The holy one of Israel He is our guide and King Therefore let thy goodnesse O Lord Still present with us be As we alwayes with one accord Doe onely trust in thee 2. Deprecation aversion and ablation of the evill of sinne and punishment MY Lord for guiding of my mouth Set thou a watch before And also of my moving lips O Lord keepe thou the dore Direct my foot-steps by thy word That I thy will may know And never let iniquity Thy servant overthrow Thy countenance which doth surmount The Sunne in his bright hew Let shine on me and by thy Law Teach me what to eschew That I should wicked workes commit Incline thou not my heart With ill men of their delicates Lord let me eate no part O shut not up my soule with them In sinne that take their fill Nor yet my life among those men That seeke much blood to spill All yee that love the Lord doe this Hate all things that are ill For he doth keepe the soules of his From such as would them spill Out of mine eyes great floods gush out Of dreary teares and fell When I behold how wicked men Thy lawes keepe never a dell But I in righteousnesse intend My time and dayes to serve Have mercy Lord and me defend So that I doe not swerve THine arrowes doe sticke fast in me Thine hand doth presse me sore And in my flesh no health at all Appeareth any more My wounds stinke and are festred so As loathsome is to see Which all through mine owne foolishnesse Betideth unto me And I in carefull wise am brought In trouble and distresse That I goe wailing all the day In dolefull heavinesse My loines are fill'd with sore disease My flesh hath no whole part I feeble am and broken sore I roare for griefe of heart Thou know'st Lord my desire my grones Are open in thy sight My heart doth pant my strength doth faile Mine eyes have lost their light One griefe another in doth call As clouds burst out their voyce The floods of evill that doe fall Run over me with noise And as an harth my bones are burnt My heart is smitten dead And withers like the grasse that I Forget to eate my bread By reason of my groning voyce My bones cleave to my skin As Pelican in wildernesse Such case now am I in And as an Owle in desart is Loe I am such a one I watch and as a Sparrow on The house-top am alone Lord take from me thy scourge and plague I can them not withstand I faint and pine away for feare Of thy most heavy hand Wherefore my God some pitty take O Lord I thee desire Doe not this simple soule forsake Of helpe I thee require Then didst thou turne my griefe and woe Into a cheerefull voyce The mourning weede thou took'st me fro And mad'st me to rejoyce For why his anger but a space Doth last and slacke againe But in his favour and his grace Alwayes doth life remaine Trust still in God whose whole thou art His will abide thou must And he shall ease and strength thy heart If thou in him doe trust HOw ev'er it be yet God is good And kind to Israel And to all such as safely keepe Their conscience pure and well For when I saw such foolish men I grudg'd and did disdaine That wicked men all things should have Without turmoile and paine And though I be nothing set by As one of base degree Yet doe I not thy lawes forget Nor shrinke away from thee TRouble and griefe have seaz'd on me And brought me wondrous low Yet doe I still of thy precepts Delight to heare and know When with my selfe I mused much And could no comfort finde Then Lord thy goodnesse did me touch And that did ease my mind How long wilt thou forget me Lord Shall I never be remembred How long wilt thou thy visage hide As though thou wert offended In heart and mind how long shall I With care tormented be How long eke shall my deadly foe Thus triumph over me THou art my hope and my strong hold I to the Lord will say My God he is in him will I My whole affiance stay What gaine is in my blood sayd I If death destroy my dayes Doth dust declare thy Majesty Or yet thy truth doth praise The Lord himselfe hath chastened And hath corrected me But hath not given me over yet To death as yee may see Even when the snares of cruell death About beset me round When paines of hell me caught and when I woe and sorrow found They that be dead doe not with praise Set forth the Lords renowne Nor any that into the place Of silence doe goe downe For why thy mercy shew'd to me Is great and doth excell Thou setst my soule at liberty Out from the lower hell The pangs of death did compasse me And bound me every where The flowing waves of wickednesse Did put me in great feare The flie and subtile snares of hell Were round about me set And for my death there was prepar'd A deadly trapping net How long away from me O Lord For ever wilt thou turne And shall thine anger still
Lords day Page 10 Sacraments Page 11 Supply of all wants temporall health Page 12 Preferment maintenance dwelling food Page 13 Plenty prosperity trust in Gods deliverance Page 14 Preservation Page 16 Deprecation against the evill of sin Page 18 Against the evil of punishment in body Page 19 Estate conscience troubled Page 21 Death Page 22 Hell and Satan Page 23 World Warre and all enemies Page 24 Reproach and slander Page 28 Against evils nationall Page 31 Church of Christ Page 32 Confusion to the enemies of the Church Page 33 Thankesgiving for our Election c. Page 35 For Gods Word temporall blessings and creation Page 36 Providence preservation plenty and prosperity Page 37 Safety afflictions Conclusion with thankesgiving Page 38 FINIS Recensui hunc librum cui titulus Holy Incense c. nihilque in eo inveni quod Christianos mores ac pietatem non redoleat Ac ob id dignum existimo ut Typis mandetur Ex aedibus Fulham Iun 17. 1634. Thomas Weekes R-P D. Episc Lond. Cap. domest a Mr Foxe Acts monum vol. 2. pag 578. col 1. lin 41. * Rev. 6. 9. b Fox ibid. col 2. lin 32. c Pref. before his Sermons d Nullus abit dies quin â—t minimum tres â—â—ras easque studijs aptissimas in orationâ—m poâ—aâ— c. Viâ— Theodor ad Melanc Vid. Acts monum vol. 2 pag 〈◊〉 col 1. 〈◊〉 55. * Luk 6. 1â—â— Acts 9. 11. Isay 38. 16. * Innocentius ex advocâ—t vicar prâ—â—fectur misâ—râ— labâ—â—ns morbo â—â—â—ula câ—â—â—pit orare quibus modis quo affectu quo motu animi quo â—luvio lachrymaruÌ„ quibus gemitibus atquè sâ—â—gultibus-Domine quastuorum â—reces ex 〈…〉 as 〈…〉 nihil enim mihi viâ—ebatur addi jam posse 〈…〉 exâ—iraret orandâ— qui miraculose à Deo sanabatur ab illoâ—â—n let hali morbo Aug. li. 22. de civit dei c. 8. â—ooker Eccles policie lib. 5. * Kâ—lsey Ier. 17. 13. u Galcacius Caracciolus sonne and heire apparent to Calantonius Marquesse of Vicum in Naples bred born brought up in Poperie a Courtier to the Emperour Charles the 5. nephew to Pope Paul the 4. being married to the Dake of Nucernes daughter having by her sixe goodly children at a sermon of Pet. Martyrs was first touched after by reading Scripture and other good meanes was fully converted laboured with his Lady but could not perswade her Therefore that hee might enjoy Christ and serve him with a quiet conscience he left the lands livings and honours of a Marquesdome the comforts of his Lady and children the pleasures of Italy his credit with the Emperour his kindred with the Pope and forsaking all for the love of Christ came to Geneva and there lived a poore and meane but yet an humble and holy life for fortie yeares together And though his Father his Lady his kinsmen yea the Emperour and the Pope did all they could to reclaime him yet continued he constant to the end and lived and died the blessed servant of God leaving behind him a rare example to all ages Hee lived vvith his vvise till the yeare 1551. and then forsooke all His lâ—â—e was translated out of Italian into Latine by Beza and englished by Mr. Crashaw 1608. Reading meditating in this word hath beene the practise of all gods saints Marcella nunquam Hieronymum ipsum conveniret quin de Scripturis aliquid interrogaret tantamquè sibi eruditionâ—m compararet ut si in aliquo testimonio scripturarum esset aborta contentio ad illam judicem pergeretur Chamier de canonis usu lib. 10. cap. 4. Sect. 18. * Dr. Taylour taking his leave of his vvife vvith vveeping and teares before his Martyrdome gave her for his Fare well and last token a book of the Church-service set out by K. Edward which in the time of his imprisonment he daily used Mr. Fox Acts and Mon vol. 3. pag. 175 col 1. lin 10. a Pet. Martyr and the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury offered to defend the Protestants Common-Prayer Booke against Queene Maries Religion Acts Mon. vol. 3. pag. 18 col 2. lin 50. The Prelates in King Edwards time after long learned wise and deliberate advise did finally conclude and agree upon one Vniform order of Common-Prayer Sacraments c. vol. 2 pag. 659. lin 47. And Doctor Taylour Parson of Hadley saith therof that the book of Church-service vvas so fully perfected according to the rules of our Christian religion in every behalfe that no Christian conscience could bee offended with any thing therein contained vol. 3 pag. 171. lin 20. b M. Hooker lib. 5. Sect. 26. Eccles policie * Pause before thou speak Solomons caveat Be not rash an Extempore oration before a Prince becomes not much lesse to open our mouthes rashly before our Mâ—ker Mr Harrâ—â— Ha in Epist to Peters Enlargement c Nu 6. 23. d From the tyrannie of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable errours idolatries and abominations good Lord deliver us Acts Mon. vol. 3. pag. 170. lin 19. Hooker ibid. e Preces hirudo curarum Luth Ep. ad Melan Swanus King of Denmarke to all his ouâ—â—â—ges done in Eng. and his â—â—â—â—ing excessive impositions upon the people having entred the territory of St. Edmund spoyling the countrey and despising the holy Martyr menacing also the place of his Sâ—pulture the men of that countrey fell to prayer and fasting so that Swanus shortly after died suddenly crying and yelling among his Knights See the vertue of Christian mens prayer Acts Mon. vol. â— pag 208 col 2 lin 20. K. Ethelred then at service and meditations when his broâ—â—er Alured was in fight with the Danes being required to make haâ—e such was his devotion hee would not starre out one foote before their service was fully complet his brother being in great danger then neverthelesse the King through the gracious assistance of that God whom hee invoked wan the field and the Danes lost both the victory and their lives Mr. Fox Acts. Mon. vol. 1. pag. 182. li 58. Pious Oâ—wâ—ld also K. of Northumberland boat Penda Cedwall by the power not so much of his sword as prayer Strength of prayer overcoÌ„meth armies Act. Mon. vol. 1. pa. 157 col 1. lin 71. What should I speak of his Praiers which were soardent unto Christ that they which stood under his window as hee was praying might see his teares falling aropping downe Meâ—aâ—cth de Luthero Againe with such power hee prayed that he as himselfe confesseth had obtained of the Lord that so long as â—elâ—â—ed the Pope should not prevaile in his country after my death said hee let them pray who can M. Fox Act Monn vol. 2 pag 88. f. An exercise I can assure thee of unspeakable strength and comfort without which thou canst not live and by which thou maist live in the mouth of death c. Mr. Harris of Han. in Epist before Peters enlargement 2. Pet. 1. 4. Isay 65. 24. Math. 7.