deliuered from all euill Deliuer vs from euill both spirituall and temporall that wee may serue thee not as seruants but with that freedome of spirite which becommeth thy adopted children But especiallie deliuer vs from that great euill the Deuill the archeenimie to thee and thy Church in whose kingdome and power all euill is included These thinges graunt vnto vs O gracious Sauiour not for ought in vs but for thy owne For thine is thy kingdom c. names sake for hereby thy kingdome shall be enlarged thy power manifested and thy name gloryfied wherevnto with hart and voyce we most willinglie subscribe saying Amen A Prayer to be said by those whose houses be infected GRATIous God whoe in Christ Iesus art the Father of mercies and God of all consolation Wee thy poore creatures nowe humbled vnder thy mightie hand in soule and bodie entirelye desire thy Fatherlye goodnesse to pardon and forgiue vs all our sinnes which haue so poysoned and infected our soules as the contagion thereof hath euen zeased vpon the outward man Cleanse and washe vs wee beseech thee in the blood of the Lambe that the sting of death neuer haue power ouer vs vnto a second death Confirme and strengthen vs in the faith of thy sonne against all the temptations of Sathan comfort vs in thy promises against the force of death perfect our repentance in the due examination of our selues and assure our consciences by the testimonie of thy spirite that whether wee liue or dye wee shall bee thine As it is thy propertie alwayes to haue mercie so haue thy mercies euer-more then shined moste gloriouslye when wee stand in greatest need of them which thing of all others hath been the greatest comfort to thy children in their greatest distresse that though they haue walked through the vallyes of the shadowe of death yet they haue feared no euill because thou hast euer beene with them yea thy rodde and thy staffe hath then beene moste readye for to comforte them Deare Father now is the time yea the time is come wherein wee long for mercie death is at the doore in the house it compasseth vs round wee walke in the vallie of the shaddowe of death Giue vs grace that wee feare no euill for death is but a shaddowe the strength and substance of it is taken awaye in the death of thy Sonne the sting is lost in the wounds of our blessed Sauiour it may scare vs a little but cannot hurt vs. And though wee bee compassed in that wee come not foorth though wee bee shutte vp from our neighbours and depriued of all earthly comforte yet bee thou present with vs by thy blessed spirite and wee shall not be desolate for thou Lorde alone shall make vs dwell in safetie Open therefore our eyes of faith that we may discerne a greater force of spirituall souldiers with vs then against vs. Let thine Angels guarde vs in this miserable life from all euill vntill they carrie our soules into thy fatherlye bosome Heauenly Father who hast made vs preserue vs for thou art a faithfull Creatour who delightest not in destroying the worke of thine owne hands Sweete IESVS thou sonne of the Father who hast redeemed vs keepe vs for thou hast deerely bought vs. Holye spirite of comforte that hast taken such paines with vs dwell in vs vnto the end and in the end Blessed Trinitie Father Sonne and Holy-ghost who haue created redeemed and preserued vs thus farre leaue vs not at the laste gaspe but heare our cryes receiue our prayers eyther to the restoring of vs in this life to the glorifying of thy name amongst men or if it bee thy pleasure to the receiuing of vs into thy euerlasting habitations These things and what-so-euer else may stande with thy good pleasure and our comforte wee begge them at thy hands O eternall Deitie not onelye in the name and mediation of IESVS CHRIST because wee are vnworthye to offer anye thing in our owne names but also because our prayers are vnperfect and earthlie wee come in his very wordes and prescript forme of Prayer who is best acquainted with the stile of heauen and with whose name and prayer and wordes thou must needes be well pleased Our Father which art in heauen Hallowed be thy name c. FINIS
dissolued our Incense shall ascend euen as pillers of smoake in his presence and couer the mercie seate Yet for all this let the people take heed how by conferring the burthen of this dutie vpon the Minister they doe any way seeke to exonerate or ease themselues for concerning the spirituall function of offering this Incense of prayer we are all of vs Priests at large A chosen generation and â— Pet. â— â— Reu. â— 10 royall Priest hood ordained and made Priests vnto God by the Lambe which now sitteth vpon the Throne 1. Let euery one therefore bring his Censer that is his hart vnto the Lord a hallowed sanctified vessell for this purpose to offer vp incense of praier vnto God a vessell laid vp in the holy of holies in the heauenly tabernacle where Christ Heb â—â— Coâ—o 3. 2 sitteth at the right haÌ„d of God 2. Let him put fire in the ceÌ„ser the fire of zeale that he may be feruent in Prayer for the wrath of God waxeth hot and our high Priest hath taught vs by his own exaÌ„ple in his agony wheÌ„ the hand of God is vpoÌ„ vs Luk. 22. â—â— then to pray more earnestly 3. But alas we knowe not what nor how to pray happily we shall pray for life because that is sweet vnto vs or for our houshold and friends for that they are deere vnto vs or some such like petitioÌ„ which flesh blood in this case shall reueale vnto vs neither do we know in these extremities how to limit our praiers according to the wil of our heauenly father neither will our earthly fire of carnall zeale carye the smoake of our incense high inough to couer the Luk. 16. 13 mercy seat besides euery blast of winde euery idle wandring cogitation wil be ready to disperce it into the ayre before euer it come neere the clouds wherefore we must beg some holy fire froÌ„ the Altar desire God with Dauid that he wold direct our prayers in his sight like Incense that they might ascend directly without interruption whereof assurance is made by the Apostle Rom. 8. 20. The spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to may as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh â—ouâ—d to God for vâ— with 〈…〉 to be expressed 4 Vpon this holy fire must we put incence that is powre out our soules before God and our prayers in his presence not casting forth vnâ—â—uerently before his throne our soâ—d affection or what euer our hart lusteth nor presenting before such a maiestie whatsoeuer our foolish conceite doth suggest for the present but our incense must be compounded or sweete odours and artificially made after the skill of the Apothecary Choise and select Meditations are to be prouided by mature premeditation composed according to the praescript of our Lorde and master who hath not onely giuen vâ— generall directions and rules of supplication but also framed for vs a generall summe an exact forme and most perfit patterne of all prayer These Odours must bee brused or beaten to powder A sacrifice of God 〈◊〉 a troubled spirit a contrite and broken hart Psal â—â— 17. O God wilt not thou despise It is no small griefe which breakes the hart no sleight humiliation which brings vs to dust and powder We say we are sorrie for our sinnes but we cannot weepe sorrie but we eate and drinke neuer the lesse we sigh and say our prayers and by and by as cheerefull and light harted as euer before These sudden qualmes be farre from that humiliation and contrition which the Scripture calleth the breaking and the â—enting of Ioel. â— 13 the heart for can we perswade our selues it is no greater torment Gal â— 24 Rom. â— 29. then so to haue our flesh mortified yea and crucified or can we assure our consciences that we doe indeed circumcise the foreskin of our harts vnlesse we feele them bleed within vs God prophesied by Zacherie of true penitents that after they had looked vpon him whom they had pierced and duly considered how their sinnes had offended the Almightie they should lament for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne and Zach 12. 10. great reason that as our sinnes had pierced him so sorrow for sinne should pierce vs as we caused him to giue his son his onely sonne vnto death for vs so our mourning should not be slight superficiall but as one mourneth for his onely sonne To the end our incense may be beaten smaller our Sauiour Christ hath commanded vs to ioine praier with fasting which maketh our Incense both to asceÌ„d higher to smel sweeter for 〈◊〉 doth not only eleuate the minde in deuine meditation which was the effect of Moses his fast in the mount but in depriuing our flesh of her ordinary food we do worke reueÌ„ge vpoÌ„ our selues for offending such a gratious God and withall giue vnfained testimonie that our selues we coÌ„demne as the only causes of our own misery Thus displeasing our selues we our incense are more pleasing vnto God iudging condemning our selues we shall not be iudged 2. Cor 7. 1â— reueÌ„ging our selues vpoÌ„ our selues we shall preuent the greater iudgment of God If publike fasts vpon the occasion of this generall visitation should appeare manifestly by the rules of Phisicke not to stand with safetie of some weaklings in a time of infection then let them performe it priuatly that our Father which seeth them in secret may releeue them openlie For albeit our gratious God in regarde of our feares and infirmities doth dispense with the maner of his worship in some cases as he dispensed with Dauid who should haue gone to Gibeon to aske counsel of God but onely that he was afraide of the sworde of the Angell â— Chro. â—â— 30. â— Thes 5. 27. of the Lorde yet for the substance of his worship we are neuer dispensed withall If we should seriously thinke of these things and practise vpon our selues to purpose wee should not onely preuent the Prophet his complaint that wee hang downe our heads like a Esa â—â— â— Bull-rush which boweth in a storme and after standeth pricke vp as before but wee should finde such alteration in our selues as wee should haue small list to commit the same sinnes againe Yea the very remembrance of them would make vs to loue our selues the worse while we liued 5. And as for prayer all times are conuenient so is it a generall dutie to be performed for all persons for the whole congregation of what condition soeuer Let prayers be made for all men for Kings and for all 1. Tim. 2. 1. that be in authoritie for our enimies and them that rise vp against vs as in this place against Aaron for as prayer is a benefit which none so poore but is able to bestow so there is none so rich but standeth in need of it and againe as it is in the powre of euery one to giue so is it
excellent benefite but of all power to be dulye thankefull for the same Wee haue blemished thine honour defaced thine Image brought a cursse vpon our selues and miserable thraldome vpon the rest of thy good creatures Wee haue left our selues nothing but miserie and wretchednesse shame and nakednesse nothing but mortalitie terrours of death fearefull expectation of iudgements and euerlasting confusion And albeit there be left vnto vs some reliques of vnderstanding as the candle-light of nature for direction by which we are able to discerne some few things vnder heauen yet when wee consider how some of our brethren made of the same mould are borne into the worlde naturall fooles and starke ideods who by due might challenge as much as the best of vs wee are thereby driuen to confesse that this small remnant of thine image is deriued vnto vs not by any right of inheritance but onelye by the indulgence of such a faithfull creatour who in the middest of thy iudgementes doest remember mercie Yet cursed creatures that wee are no sooner doe wee receiue a good guift of nature from thee but wee arme our selues thereby the more to worke mischiefe turning sweetenesse into poyson and imploying all the naturall powers and faculties of soule and bodye as instrumentes and weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto wickednesse Insomuch as if thou shouldest not by thy prouident power binde in that bagge of poyson and restraine the roote of bitternesse within vs but shouldest suffer it to sproute out into the seuerall branches wee should too too soone bewraye what monsters we are Thus are we by nature plunged into the depth of woe and exposed vnto all miserie so that if all the plagues vnder heauen should zease vpon our bodies and send our soules headlong into those hellish torments we doe vnfainedly acknowledge that thou in thy iudgements might thereby reape honour and we our most iust deseruings Yet notwithstanding for all this we are encouraged to approach to thy throne of mercie as to a most gracious God and our louing Father in Iesus Christ O blessed be that sonne who hath taught vs to call thee Father in whose onely name and mediation we come vnto thee beseeching thee vpon our vnseigned repentance to be reconciled vnto vs. Wee repent O Lorde helpe our impenitencie wee are out of loue with our selues we detest our selues for offending such a gratious God we are sorrie for our sinnes and hartilie sorrie that wee cannot bee more sorrie yet accept our endeuours O Lorde and pardon our infirmities Teach vs more and more by thy holye spirite to make the true vse and application of the merites of thy sonne to our soules and consciences Let his humanitie encourage vs with confidēce to come vnto thee in the name of our elder brother Let his holy conception dayly purifie our originall corruption wherein wee were conceaued and borne that it neuer bring forth more of this corrupt and bitter fruite as it hath done in the course of our liues We haue multiplyed manye actuall transgressions and foule offences against thy diuine maiestie but yet thy sonne did neuer transgresse in all his life he was obedient to euery iote and tittle of thy lawe for our sakes looke vppon his righteousnesse We were slaues vnto Sathan but his passion hath redeemed vs bound with the chaine of sinnes but his condemnation before Pilate hath absolued vs borne to eternall death but quickned by his death to euerlasting life cursed creatures we were but his crosse hath blessed vs polluted and vncleane but his bloud hath washed vs. Let all the lusts and affections therefore of our olde man be buried with him that wee may be renewed in spirit by vertue of his resurrection and so shall wee haue the lotte of our heauenly inheritance daylye more and more confirmed vnto vs by his ascention and we secured of all blessings meete and conuenient for the militant estate of thy kingdome by his session at the right hand of the Maiestie Yea these woundes of our consciences which do now seeme to bleed afresh vnder thy heauie hand of visitation shall be suppled and healed vp by the soueraigne vnction of thy gracious spirit descending vpon thy Church and distilling from the head to euery liuely member of the same And seeing thou hast yeelded thus farre vnto vs most gracious Lorde we hope further that thou wilt not denie vs any temporall blessings which may stand with thy glorie and our comfort Then let this great death mortalitie which nowe reigneth bee swallowed vp in the death and passion of our blessed Sauiour Let his sweete Incense make a speedie attonement for vs Let it appease thy wrath which is gone out against vs and stay this plague that is begun amongst vs. O Lorde we haue deserued a thousand plagues wee confesse but wee are sorrie for it Holde thy hand therefore good father and we will doe no more so Lesse of thy iudgement sweete Iesus lesse of thy iudgment and more of thy grace that wee may make the true vse of thy iudgements so shall our happie deliuerance minister matter of praise and thankesgiuing in thy holy congregation to the eternall glorye of thy blessed name and comforte of thine elect children These thinges and whatsoeuer our vnperfect prayers are not able to expresse which thou in wisdome knowest to be needfull for vs and expedient for thy whole Church we humbly begge at thy hands for Iesus Christ his sake thy beloued Sonne and our only Sauiour and redeemer Amen ¶ Another directed by the line of the Lords Prayer to the same purpose O LORD our GOD most Our Father gracious and mercifull we giue thee hūble thankes for that thou hast vouchsafed to giue vs leaue to come so neere thy Maiestie as in the name of children to call thee Father Wee are astonished O Lorde at this great mercie that thou wilt acknowledge vs for thine owne children who are so vnlike the father vglie and deformed as Mephibosheth disobedient and profligate runagates who like the Prodigall sonne haue spent our time and wasted all thy good gifts and blessings in the vanities of this wretched worlde disloyall vnnaturall rebellious as Absolon who by our obstinacie and vnkinde actes by our most cruell and wicked attempts against so tender and louing a Father haue deserued a thousande vntimelye deaths Yet notwithstanding Dauid could bee no more tender in affection and loue towards Absolon then thou art ouer vs thy vngracious and wicked children Hee desired to haue dyed for his Sonne but thou haste giuen thine onely Sonne a thousand times more pretious in thy sight then Absolon could be in Dauids to dye for vs. How shouldst thou not then with him giue vs all things since by him thou hast made vs sonnes wee hope that in him thou wilt denie vs nothing And albeit wee doe nowe feele to our great griefe that we haue greeuouslie offended thee and that thou art highlye displeased with vs yet wee hope this thy correction will