me from henceforth even for ever and though I sow in Tears yet let me reap in Joy Be thou my Fortress and Deliverer and in the great danger watch over me for good and not for evil and enable me to tell my Friends what the Lord hath done for my Soul through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Thanksgiving after safe deliverance O God! How am I bound to praise thy great and glorious Name who hast not forsaken me when my Soul was in trouble Out of the depth have I cried unto thee and thou hast heard my voice and my supplication For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayst be found O Lord my God I cried unto thee and thou hast healed me Thou hast brought up my Soul from the Grave thou hast kept me alive that I should not go down to the Pit Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing thou hast put off my Sack-cloth and girded me with gladness to the end that my glory may sing praises to thee and not be silent O Lord my God I will give thanks unto thee and delight my self in the Lord for ever thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for one that intends a Single Life O Most gracious God who givest power to the weak and strength to the feeble thou knowest my purposes and seest my desires and art acquainted with my design of being married to none but thee O blessed Bridegroom of my Soul give me chast desires power to resist Temptations strength to subdue the motions of the Flesh. Dwell in me by thy Spirit Teach me to love thee passionately Let no other object engross my Affections Give me a spiritual Appetite Keep me unspotted in this sinful world Be thou my All my Riches my Pleasure my Delight my Crown my Glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for one that is entring into a Married state O God who hast made Marriage an honourable thing and promised to bless those that marry in the Lord In thy name I am entring into another state of life Be merciful unto me O Lord rejoyce the Soul of thy Servant for unto thee O Lord do I lift up my Soul Direct me in all my actions Counsel me in what I am to do Encline my heart to fear thy Name Enrich her that is to be my Yoak-fellow with the choicest of thy favours Give us both hearts to rely and depend upon thee Let 's look up to thee in all our concerns Make our mutual love sincere and constant and let 's encourage one another to godliness Make us helpful one to another and in our lawful endeavours and enterprizes let 's see thy bountiful hand Make us both pleas'd with what thou shalt think fit to send upon us and contented in all conditions and with united force let 's press toward the mark of eternal glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer before a Journey O Thou who wast a Pillar of Cloud to thy People of old in the day and a Pillar of Fire by night watch over me in this Journey day and night Be thou my Guide my Star my Light my Director and bring me safe to the place I intend for Preserve me from all evil Protect me from all dangers let thine Angel be my Guardian and under the shadow of thy Wings let my refuge be that I may observe thy Statutes and keep thy Laws through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Thanksgiving after a safe return BLessed God whose works are honourable and glorious and who hast made thy wonderful works to be remembred give me leave to admire and to praise thy Providence which hath covered me with its Feathers and been my Shield and Buckler which hath kept me from the terrour by night and from the destruction that wasteth at noon day I cheerfully offer here unto thee the Sacrifice of righteousness and as I see the loving kindness of the Lord so enable me for the future to live in a thankful remembrance of thy goodness and let this and all thy other gracious Providences prevail with me to walk before thee with a perfect and upright heart through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for one that is going to Sea O Thou who stillest the raging of the Sea so that the Waves thereof are still Thy Way is in the Sea and thy Path in the great Waters and thy Footsteps are not known O God! I am like to see thy Works and Wonders in the deep Be with me I beseech thee in my going out and in my coming in Spread thy wings over me and let me find by blessed experience that they who trust in thee shall never be confounded Prosper my Voyage and give success to my endeavours Let not the Deep swallow me up neither let the Flouds drown me Shine upon me day and night and with thy love cherish my fainting Spirits Let no evil examples have dominion over me Let thy fear be upon my Soul at all times and let nothing tempt me to depart from my integrity Let my Soul learn by thy Providences to keep close to thy Word and let that be my Comfort in all my Afflictions through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Thanksgiving when one is returned safely O God thou art the God that doest Wonders thou hast declared thy strength among the People Thou hast with thine arm redeem'd thy People the Sons of Jacob and Joseph I will praise thee for thy goodness and for thy wonderful Works to the Children of men I will exalt thee in the Congregation of the People and praise thee in the Assembly of the Elders I cried unto the Lord in my trouble and thou broughtest me out of my distresses Thou hath delivered me from the great Waters and my Life hath been precious in thy sight Recreate my Soul with the thoughts of thy mercy and while I am sailing through the boisterous Sea of this World let thy Word be a Lanthorn to my Feet and a Light to my Paths through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A short Prayer before Divine Service or Sermon O God I am come into the house where thy Honour dwelleth Overaw me with a sense of thy Presence that I may pray with understanding and like a person concern'd about the blessings I shall pray for Fix my Thoughts and Affections on thy sweet self and teach me to make intercessions with groans which cannot be uttered Let thy Word be sweet to me and give me a tractable Spirit that may cheerfully and willingly submit to the Yoak of the Lord Jesus Assist me in all my Duties and Devotions and let thy good Spirit direct and order them to thy Glory Make my Soul a gainer by these spiritual Exercises and let all the Congregation feel the power of thy influences that with one heart and one voice we may glorifie God in the day of Visitation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer after Divine Service
THE EXERCISE OF PRAYER OR A Help to Devotion BEING A SUPPLEMENT TO THE Happy Ascetick OR Best Exercise Containing Prayers and Devotions suitable to the respective EXERCISES With Additional PRAYERS for several Occasions By ANTH. HORNICK D. D. â—ONDON Printed for Mark Pardoâ— at the Black Raven over against Bedford-house in the Strand 1685. THE PREFACE TO THE READER THe Book-seller being upon Printing a second Edition of the HAPPY ASCETICK or BEST EXERCISE I thought it might not be amiss in order to make those Exercises more effectual to adde some Prayers and Aspirations whereby Souls enamour'd with those pleasing Severities might be enabled to arrive to a greater facility in the practice of them I intended at first to adde them to the Book but the Devotions swelling under my hand I was upon second thoughts prevailed with to let them come forth in a Treatise by it self Though the Age we live in be full of dangerous Diseases and Impiety be mounted up to a very great height yet in the midst of this crooked and perverse Generation there are persons and those of the Church of England too who seem ambitious to emulate the Holiness of Martyrs and the Sanctity of the Primitive Christians and as we have reason to bless God who lets such Wheat thrive in the large spot of ground that is over-run with Weeds so it is but necessary we should upon all occasions strengthen and help their Faith who like Lot in Sodom do not onely preserve their innocence but by a secret Fire working in their Hearts rise to more than ordinary fervours As in all other Sciences there are young beginners as well as persons who are arrived to perfection so it is in Religion There are Children in Grace as well as Young men and Fathers and as no man can be so weak as to imagine that I design these Helps for the greater Proficients in goodness so without my telling him the Reader may guess that these Crutches are intended for the weaker Christians who if they receive any benesit by them I have my wish To assist such I was willing to let these Devotions come abroad not for the goodness of the composure but to put more Oyl to those Lamps which already shine before men that they may go on like the Sun unto a perfect day and preserve their brightness till the coming of the Bridegroom and be ready against a cry is made at midnight Behold the Bride groom comes go ye out to meet him BOOKS Printed for and sold by Mark Pardoe at the sign of the Black Raven over against Bedford-house in the Strand THe Happy Ascetick or the best Exercise to which is added a Letter to a Person of Quality concerning the holy Lives of the Primitive Christians by Anthony Horneck D. D. in Octavo Delight and Judgement or a Prospect of the great day of Judgement and its Power to damp and imbitter Sensual Delights Sports and Recreations By Anthony Horneck D. D. in Octavo A Sermon preached before the King on the Fifth of November By George Hooper D. D. in Quarto A Sormon preached before the Lord Mayor on the 30th of October By George Hooper D. D. in Quarto Another Essay in Political Arithmetick concerning the Growth of the City of London with the Measures Periods Causes and Consequences there of 1682. By Sir William Petty Fellow of the Royal Society In Octavo Observations upon the Dublin Bills of Mortality and the State of that City By Sir William Petty Fellow of the Royal Society in Octavo Novels of Queen Elizabeth Queen of England containing the History of Queen Ann of Bullen of Bassa Solyman and the Princes Eronima in two Parts in Twelves Observations on Fevers und Febrifuges Twelves The Plain mans way to Worship and Practice In Twelves Becheri Minera Arienaria In 4. de Nova Temporis 4. THE EXERCISE OF PRAYER A Prayer relating to Exercise 1. which is to Pray without ceasing O God Gracious and Merciful who givest power to the Weak and strength to the Feeble who knowest the backwardness of my Heart and the unwillingness of my Soul to Spiritual Duties who understandest all my Wants and art acquainted with all my Weaknesses behold how loth my Soul is to have her conversation in Heaven and what excuses my Flesh makes to hinder my mind from frequent addresses to thy Mercy-seat I entreat thee to apply thy healing Hand to my sickly Soul and to fill it with Spiritual desires Oh give me a praying Spirit and let my Soul follow hard after thee Teach me to make a Spiritual use of every thing and instruct me to see the Creator in the Creature Lord free my Spirit from the bondage of the Flesh that it may mount up cheerfully to thy Throne upon all occasions Direct my Mind to look up in all my Actions and let me take notice of the Operations of thy Hand in all occurrences whatsoever Let thy good Spirit help my infirmities and when I know not what to say my dearest Lord suggest unto me how to fill my Mouth with Arguments Acquaint me with the art of Extracting good out of every thing O that I had that Spiritual temper which might incline me to think of God whenever I behold the works of Creation and Providence How sweet is it to walk with God! O let no company be so pleasing to me as thine Make me desirous to embrace all opportunities to reflect on thy Perfections and Excellencies Thou hast both commanded and promised spiritual Wisdom O bestow upon me that excellent gift that I may know how to glorifie thee in this world and arrive at last to that glory which thou hast promised to them that overcome and continue faithful unto death through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer relating to Exercise 2. which is Every Morning to resolve to tie our selves that day to certain Rules of Living OThou who dwellest in the Heavens and yet humblest thy self to behold the ways of the Children of men Thou hast been graciously pleased to reveal thy Will to me and given me Rules to walk by Rules which if a man follows he shall live for ever How sweet are thy Testimonies They enlighten the Eyes and give understanding to the Simple How glorious is that Soul in thy sight that makes thy Will a Lanthorn to her Feet and a Light unto her Paths Lord in these pleasant Paths I desire to walk there is nothing like them They end in peace I read of those who have found it so they could not be mistaken Thy Spirit inflamed their Souls They have ventured their lives to attain unto it O the Serenity O the Calmness of mind O the inward Joy they found by walking in the Paths of Righteousness Why should not I take of this Tree of Life as well as they and live This O Lord I often think of and see great loveliness in all this But my Will is weak my Resolutions faint When I resolve I meet with Waves and
with me after my sins neither rewardest me after mine iniquities Even my best Actions thou mightest justly except against but thy Charity covers a multitude of faults How often do I provoke thee and yet thou shootest not thine Arrows at me I transgress thy Laws I affront thee I am an unprofitable Servant yet thou pitiest me and do'st not suffer thy displeasure to arise against me In the midst of my follies thou art kind not that thou approvest of them but that thou wouldest lead me to Repentance O let me think of this and let me love my Neighbour with a pure heart fervently spread thy Wings over me Form in me bowels of Mercy Come Charity thou lovely grace Come into my Garden my Spouse my Beloved O thou celestial Husbandman plant this wholesome Herb in my barren ground Pull up the Weeds that grow there Banish from me all sourness of Spirit Let all bitterness and wrath die in me Let all malice flee away from my Soul Rid me of that ill nature which lodges in me Let gentleness and meekness be the welcome guests in my Heart Make me peaceable and tractable easie to be intreated full of good works ready to forgive Let the Charity of the Lord Jesus be my guide and let me truly follow the Lamb whethersoever he goes O Jesu Can I after thy Charity to my Soul be unkind to others Can I be churlish morose and ill-natured when I remember how thou diedst for thy Enemies I believe thou intercedest for me in Heaven what favourable constructions must I suppose are put upon my Actions in that intercession When Satan accuses me in the presence of God and hath but too much reason for those Accusations thou pleadest thy Merits thy Wounds and thy Fathers Love Where my infirmities will bear excuses thou qualifiest them and sufferest not the Enemy to have his will of me O let thy great example be ever before me and when I would forget it represent it in lively colours to my Mind that I may be thy Disciple indeed and having lived in Love and Charity here may at last arrive in the Paradise of everlasting love Amen A Prayer relating to Exercise 10. viz. Conscientiously to discharge the duties of our several Callings Relations MOst glorious God! who hast fitted thy holy and wholesome Laws to my Wants and Necessities and in commanding me dost consult my interest and advantage more than thy profit and glory How am I bound to praise and magnifie thy bounty Thou hast taught me how to live and behave my self in all conditions and to make me a Souldier compleatly armed hast chalked out to me the particular steps I am to tread As these are part of the blessings of thy right hand so let my Soul admire them above those of thy left Whatever Estate I am in whatever Relation Calling Station I stand in give me Grace to adorn it with a suitable Conversation Teach me how to behave my self wisely in a perfect way O when wilt thou come unto me O let me remember that in the Calling thou hast placed me in thou hast called me to certain duties of which thou wilt take an account one day O convince me that I am not called to idleness but to labour in thy Vineyard When my carnal heart would baulk the work thou hast set me in the station I am in let thy good Spirit crush my unwillingness and manifest his power in my weakness I am backward to any thing that requires pains and circumspection but renew thou a right Spirit within me Be thou exalted Lord above the Heavens and thy glory above all the Earth If thou wilt but appear in my Soul every thing will yield and every rebellious Lust will bow to thy Majesty Nothing can resist thy Omnipotence and whatever desire in me hath been hitherto refractory and rebellious will be frighted at thy presence and either retire or become subject to thy power O prepare Mercy and Truth which may preserve me and my mouth shall sing of thy Righteousness O let me remember that every new relation brings a new obligation upon me and that if I regard not that obligation I am unfaithful to my God In every condition in every relation let me consider the duties incumbent upon me and make me zealous to discharge them Let not the example of others whose Consciences are seared tempt me to neglect them O tell my Soul that it 's better to have thy favour than the applause of men and teach me to act according to that rule that the peace of God may be upon me as it is upon the whole Israel of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer relating to Exercise 11. viz. To resist all sorts of Temptations O Lord of Hosts who is a strong Lord like unto thee or to thy faithfulness round about thee Thou rulest the raging of the Sea when the Waves thereof arise thou stillest them Thou seest what temptations I am encompassed with what Enemies surround me and how I am beset with Dangers Extend thy Mercy to me and send from above and take me Deliver me from my strong Enemy and from them which hate me Leave me not to the rage of Temptations neither give me up to the will of those that persecute my Soul I will arise O God and fight the good fight Teach me what Temptations are and give notice to my Soul when I am in danger I know O Lord all Places Callings and Employments bring Temptations with them How diligent how watchful ought I to be that I do not get a fall and that mine Enemy rejoyce not over me Yet I will not be afraid if thou art with me I may defie all that are against my Soul to destroy it For thou Lord wilt bless the righteous and with thy favour thou wilt compass him as with a Shield Up Lord and pluck thy Hand out of thy Bosom Enable me to put on the whole Armour of God Gird about me the Sword of the Spirit and with that let me recover the glory I have lost in Adam's Fall O God I will cry day and night unto thee give me Wisdom and Resolution to secure thy Favour I cannot secure it except I hate those that hate thee and am grieved with those that rise up against thee O Lord mine own Flesh and the World and Messengers from Hell are confederate against thee O teach my hands to war and my fingers to fight My Rock my Fortress my Deliverer my God my Strength in whom I will trust my Buckler and the Horn of my Salvation and my high Tower cover my head in the day of Battle Let mine eye see my desire on the temptations which annoy me Hear my voice out of thy Temple and let my cry come before thee even into thine Ears Arm me with Arguments suggest unto me Reasons whereby I may answer and resist the evil motions which would seduce my Soul Give me power to climb thy holy Hill