keepe vnlesse we lay it vp in our hearts for the enemie goeth about to steale it out of our hearts by many carnall delights and vanities It is the seed sowne to bring forth good fruit we must beware that we admit no tares cockle or darnâ—l to grow vp therewith sinne and iniquity let it fructifie in goodnesse and pray that the grace of God watering our hearts may keepe downe the weeds of sinne and fructifie the good fruits of righteousnes to make vs holy and of vpright conuersation before God and men God hath made a promise to the faithfully praying to send his holy Spirit to helpe our infirmities And to this end vse this Prayer following or some to the like purpose whensoeuer thou hearest the Word preached it shall much confirme thee in a godly desire to heare and practise and thou thereby shalt finde comfort in all thy wayes A Prayer to be said after the hearing of a Sermon MOst bountifull and most louing Lord God the giuer of all good things feeder releeuer preseruer of our soules and bodies I yeeld thee most humble and most hartie thankes for that thou at this time hast so louingly and Fatherly reuealed vnto vs thy will out of thy word and haâ—â— made our fainting soules partakers of that celestiall and blessed Manna thy sauing word Good Father as thou hast plentifully now fed vs with the milke of thy sacred word giue it Lord a relieuing and nourishing power to refresh and strengthen our soules to walke before thee in liuely and acceptable obedience and a sanctified conuersation Grant that the word now sowne in our eares may take deepe roote in our hearts and bring forth fruit manifold Let not the enuious man preuaile in casting in amongst thy good seed the cockle tares and weeds of sinne and iniquitie to the peruerting or preuenting of our new obedience Let not the thorny cares of this world trouble and choake nor the vanities of our corrupt mindes vinder the growth of this sauing seed in our hearts Let not the scorching Sun of ouer heauiâ— afflictions cause this fruit of saluation to wither but water it Lord with the continuall dew of thy holy Spirit as our vnfruitful and harren harts shall grow weak wanting this liuely foode supply it Lord from time to time by the preaching of thy word and giue vs diligent eares and obseruing hearts at all times and grant that wee bee not hearers only but doers of thy will And for that our hearts are hard to conceiue open our vnderstandings and for that our memories are short and vnable to retaine the sauing word giue vs hearts of continuall holy meditation that we may be euer chewing the cudde of that heauenly food and so digest the same that it may more more strengthen our faith vnto saluation And let the words O Lord which we haue now and formerly heard neuer returne in vaine but worke that holy effect for which thou hast appointed it namely the increase and confirmation of our faith in thee obedience repentance and newnes of life that we euer more and more hungring and thirsting for this sweete and sauing food may at length bee made able to liue in all holy and spotlesse conuersation before thee our heauenly Father and indeuour with all holy alacritie and ioyfulnes to take the aduantage of all oportunities to heare thee to speake vnto vs to follow and performe what thou commandest and to shun and with carefulnes to auoid what thou forbiddest Let nothing hinder vs Lord from a louing desire to repaire vnto thy house to refresh our soules with the bread of heauen and let vs not couet to bee seene of men onely hearers but found and allowed of thee doers of thy will Grant this Lord for thy Christs sake Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be said against malicious aduersaries FOr as much as the holy Ghost testifieth that our Sauiour Christ Iesus had his enemies he liuing in all holines integritie and innocencie should we mortall sinners corrupt and many wayes transgressing wretches thinke much to be hated maligned enuied and persecuted of men or doth any man thinke that if he do as his Master hath commanded hee shall not finde the same measure that his Master found who himselfe did what he would we should do and was only enuied for his well-doing Happie is that man that procureth enemies by his godly conuersation for it is certaine they that hate him for his sinceritie are not his but Gods enemies also But to draw men to hate vs for our vices their hatred is rather 〈◊〉 vertue commendable then a fault reproueable for it tendeth not vnto the hurt of our bodies but the reformation of our liues and as we shall begin to incline to godlines so will the hatred of the godly turn into loue And though Satan then step in to incouÌ„ter vs with his malignant ministers there is no cause to feare for thought thousands compasse vs about to deuour vs there shall be more with vs then with them fiue shal chase an huÌ„dred and an huÌ„dred put ten thousand to flight The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise against thee to fall before thy face 〈◊〉 he made the enemies of Iacob to feare him for he feared God! God sometimes punisheth the enemies of his children by other meanes then by them to whom they are enemies as he gaue the enemies of Lot into Abrahams hands if we obey the Lord he will persecute them that couet to persecute vs though we be silent and desire no reuenge Vengeance is the Lords and he will reward There is no greater reuenge to be offered against an enemie then to leaue him to Gods reuenge and to liue in the presence of the enemy so as he can take no exceptions against our coÌ„uerâ—ation vpright before God and men it breeds a terror in a tyraâ—nous aduersarie to see him whom he hateth to liue in the feare of God furious Saul was aâ—â—aid of Dauid because he saw the Lord was with him If we could truely iudge of Gods purpose in sending vs enemies we should neuer be so disquiâ—ted at their practises against vs whether they threaten to kill vs as Saul did Dauid and the souldiers Paul and Iesabel â—liah or whether they vexe vs at the Law vniustly or slander vs maliciously or work any other mischiefe against vs treacherously if we feare God and rest vpon his prouidence he shall turne all their deuices to our good as he did the enuie of Iosephâ— brethren Ioseph was condemned for an Adulterer Daniel for a Rebell Iob for an Hypocrite and Christ our Sauiour for a Malefactor And how did God worke for these Ioseph was freed and exalted Daniel cleared and iustified Iob restored approued though Christ were condemned for vs he was glorified and shall glorifie vs. Enemies are most necessarie euils as a man may terme them euill in themselues yet necessarie for vs we know that an
sobrietie modesty patience and true magnanimitie and boldnes Preuent in me wantonnesse ryoting drunkennes swearing blasphemy whoredome and such a profane and vngodly course as commonly too much accompanieth this militarie life And seeing Lord that I in duty am inforced to vse the sword against those that rise vp against vs blesse the vse of it to me as thou didst the sling of Dauid and the sword of Gideon teach my hands to war my fingers to fight Giue me a couragious heart vndaunted spirit to incounter the enemy as ofteÌ„ as need requireth make strong my loynes and fortifie my armes let good successe befall our armies daunt our enemies hearts Teach our Leaders and Commanders wisedome and Christian policie to direct vs and giue vs courage strength and obedience to performe our dutie with good conscience And if in thy wisedome peace be more to our profit and comfort and to thy glory then warre send vs peace in thy name and let both peace and warre life and death bee to our aduantage in Christ in whom al things are blessed to them that truly serue thee Let vs want no maner of thing Lord that is good vouchsafe vs all things necessary for our warfare Stand euer on our side and let thy sauing and protecting Angel preserue vs in all danger Remamber thy louing promises and thy mercies of old bee vnto vs a shield and buckler of defence and a sword of offence against our enemies accept vs into thy blessed protection neuer faile nor forsake vs O God of hostes Goe euermore foorth with our armies keepe euery one of vs free from the excommunicate thing sin and iniquity And sanctifie vs with thy holy spirit that in thoughts words and deeds we may be approued not souldiers carnally valiant or desperately bold but truly and religiously couragious both in our outward and inward warfare through Christ to whom with thee and the holy Ghost beâ— ascribed all â—ouor and power for euer Amen Lord increase our faith and euermore mightily defend vs. A MOTIVE TO a prayer to be said of such as trauaile by sea SVch as vse the seas as Dauid obserueth and haue occasion to passe the great waters by ship see the wonderfull workes of the Lord. Wonderfull in deed in the creation of so huge a heape of waters wonderfull in containing them within appointed limits wonderful in ebbing and flowing wonderfull in violence and rage wherein sometimes it swelleth and worketh wonderfull in respect of Iehouah at whose word the most furious waues therof are appeased And lastly wonderfull in respect of man whom God hath indued with the vnderstanding to frame a vessell wherein as in a house he may safely fly as it were through the furious furrowes of so mercilesse waters But all these wonders may be knitte vp in one namely in the wonderfull power and prouidence of Iehouah who by his word hath made the seas and gathered the great waters into one place and commandeth them not to passe their bounds and they obey hee hath giuen man iudgement and art to frame the hull to place the Roder to stretch out the Tacklings and to spread the sailes to descend into the deepe But if God should there leaue him to his owne will wit power or art though he haue his card and compasse to guide him he should neuer attaine his wished port when the winds blow the tempests rise the seas rage the waues lift them vp as vpon mountaines and hurle them downe againe as into deepe gulfes What then can art or force do Doe not their hearts then melt for feare vntill the winds cease the tempests appease the seas calme and the waues be still And who worketh this wished and most comfortable change only that mightie Jehouah hee that made the seas he commandeth them to rage to shew his power and againe willeth them to bee quiet to shew his mercie Are not these the wonderful workes of God who but he commandeth and the seas obey Ye therefore that are occupied in this dangerous trade of life bee not vnmindfull to serue the liuing God for ye see by experience how suddenly hee commandeth and calleth for a tempest and then ye thinke your selues neere vnto the doore of death Yet as saith Dauid When they cried vnto the Lord he deliuered them out of their distresse and brought them to the hauen where they would bee There is none that vseth the seas but hath seene and felt this If then they confesse not the power prouidence and louing kindnesse of Iehouah and acknowledge the wonderfull workes that he hath done for them euen before the sonnes of men Let them bee assured that a thousand perils futurely attend them But the most of them that exercise this kind of trauell shew themselues temporizers when dangers appeare they seeme much humbled promising reformation of their finfull liues they pray and are cast downe with importable feare and sorrow but the danger past they forget it and God that deliuered them from it especially wheÌ„ they approch the hauen where they would bee in safetie where in stead of giuing of thanks to God for his mercies in leading and conducting them the first thing they doe is to shew they owe him no duty by presently falling to transgresse his will by drunkennesse wantonnesse whoredome swearing and blaspheming him as though the danger past were the last they need to feare or could befall them But they deceiue themselues for God is patient and long suffering but neuer forgetteth them in iudgement that so forget and neglect his mercies Hee followeth them when they thinke dangers farthest off Shipwracke Pirats Famine or some other Iudgement seazeth vpon all carelesse Sea-faring men Wherefore yee that occupie the Seas remember that as in discretion you prepare all needfull things fit for your Sea voyage so are there things most materiall to bee prouided toÌ„wards your heauenly peregrination Godlinesse Faith Obedience true Feare and sincere Loue and seruice of God which if you omit let your corporall prouision bee neuer so plentifull let your ship bee neuer so strong neuer so swift of sayle neuer so well manned and munited the least breath of the Lords mouth is able to coÌ„found you No men haue more interims and times of leasure to serue God then Seafaring men Why then spend yee not those times in searching the word of God in prayer and in holy exercises that God may be your guide your defence preseruer and protector so shall all things goe well with you and whatsoeuer ye doe it shall prosper A Prayer to be said of such as haue occasion to vse trauell at sea GRacious Lord God mightie mercifull and louing Father in Iesus Christ who hast made all things by thy word And by thy power and prouidence dost gouerne all and all obey thee in their kinds the heauens the earth and the seas but man only is disobedient only rebellious therefore doe thy creatures whom thou madest to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 become aduersaries vnto man
to swim with the blood of his religious subiects Good and gracious Princes are as defensiue walles vnto a people against the rage and violence of enemies such as of whom Dauid speaketh Psal. 47. 9. Gebal and Ammoâ— and Amalâ—â—h the Philiflims the inhabitants of Tyre and such like conspiratora against and oppressors of the children of God that sticke not to say Come and let vs cut them off from being a nation Psal. 68. 4. 7. Dauid complained in his time that the kings of the earth did band themselues and Princes assenibled together against the Lord and against his people and hath it not bene seene in our dayes that mighty potentates haue conspired against Gods anointed and vs And that secret trecheries haue bene coyned to indanger the peace and safety of prince and people And hath not that God that deliuered Dauid from Saul deliuered vs from them that rose vp against vs And shall we thinke that the publike and prinate petitions which the godly haue made for their Soueraignes hath not much preuailed to preuent the dangers which haue bene euen at the point of execution Let vs therefore neuer forget his goodnesse but so much the more become instant suppliants vnto that great King of kings that he will blesse preserue protect and defend his most excellent Maiestic whose vertues shine to the glory of the kingdome his integritie learning religious constancie admired were he a tyrant we ought to pray for his prosperitie how much more being most graciously louing vnto his subiects ought wee to intercede for him to God according to the precept of the Apostle 2. Tim. 1. 2. where he chargeth that all men should pray for kings who are appointed by God Let vs therefore pray for his health wealth peace prosperitie and safety that wee likewise in and by him may still as we now doe partake of thosâ— excellent blessings peace plentie and the free vse of the Gospel of Christ. And as Dauid prayed that the counsell of Athithophel might be made foolishnesse So let euery one of vs pray that God will destroy all the deuices of such as seeke or wish the hurt of his Maiestie the disturbance of his Church or Common-weale and to that end let this prayer following or some to the like purpose bee often vsed A Prayer and thankesgiuing for the Kings Maiestie to be often vsed of euery good subiect O Mighty and euerliuing Lord God who dwellest in the most glorious heauens in greatnes and glory whose wonderfull and vnresistible power protecteth those that feare thee and confoundest the strongest mightiest princes that rise vp against thee Thou afflictest the subiects of rebellious princes and comfortest those that are conformable vnto thy will kings and people 〈◊〉 cannot forget how the multitude of thy mercies did compasse vs aboâ—â— on euery â—ide in the dayes of thy late chosen Elizabeth vnder whâ—â— thou gauest vs peace plentie 〈◊〉 aboue all the vse of thy sacred word the staffe and strength of our soules which hath the promise of all kinds of blessings which 〈◊〉 inioyed vntill her translation froâ— vs vnto thee At what time aâ— thou Lord well knowest such was our generall feare of perill to haue succeeded her departure as the wisest of our Ancients became doubtful what would be the successe of the succession yet farre beyond our imaginations but farre more beyond our deserts thou forgetting our sinnes remembredst thy mercies Insomuch as although thou tookest from vs a most worthy De 〈…〉 yet thou hast in her steade giuen vs in thy prouidence a Iosiah most worthy who still leadeth vs thy people through the wildernes of many spirituall dangers towards mount Sion the holy hill of assurance of saluation through Christ thy Sonne and laboureth through a holy zeale to bring them that erre from thy truth into the way that leadeth vnto eternal life to reconcile the obstinate and to confirme the weake So that we cannot but acknowledge that indeede thy mercies are infinite towards vs in him O that men would therefore prayse thy name for thy goodnesse and for thy blessings bestowed vpon vs the most vnworthy amongst the children of men Lord we confesse that among all thy mercies and miracles there is none more admired in the world then is thy goodnesse and loue towards vs howsoeuer vnworthy in keeping vs notwithstanding so many Antichristian stratagems vnder thine owne protection continuing to vs the light of thy sacred truth that shineth amongst vs more bright theâ— the 〈…〉 nne in her strength As if thâ—â— haddest a more speciall respect vnto vs thâ—â— to any other nation 〈◊〉 thine owne dearest and peculiar people Thou hast anointed vnto vs a religious â—ing to watch 〈…〉 uer vs to nourish vs with the 〈…〉 ilke of thy sauing word and hast not permitted a stranger from thy truth to intrude vpon vs But with the sword of the spirit hast hitherunto guarded vs from the entrie of forraigne Potentates enemies vnto thy Gospel Inlargâ— therefore good Father thy gift of wisedome and power vnto thiâ—â— owne peculiar choice Iames thiâ—â— Anointed that he may be watchfull to obserue and powerfull to withstand the enemies of thy truth abroad and at home Let no Achitophel bee neere his person nor any sinister counsell bee heard or malicious hand be lifted vp against him Be a Father of mercy vnto him and to his seede that vnder thee he and they that haue and shall proceed from his or the loynes of them that proceede from him may be fathers and furtherers of many comforts to thy Church for euer Take him not from vs as thou hast taken our neighbour kings though our sinnes deserue it and haue already made a dangerous breach in that Royall stocke wherein vnder thee our hope of happinesse dependeth much And therefore Lord depriue vs not of him nor any of his issue in thine anger who brought vs peace after peace and is as Dauid vnto vs a man chosen after thine owne 〈…〉 uing kindnesse to rule vs 〈◊〉 to continue vs in the rules of right religion a blessing aboue blessings Giue vs not â—uer therefore vnto the will of his and ours and thine owne enemies who vnder the counterfeit colour of the name and cause of Christ seeke to persecute Christ himself in his meÌ„bers falsly perswading themselues that the murdering of Princes and massacring of people is a sacrifice acceptable to thee and a marke of Catholike religion How it had fared with vs the king and people if thou hadst permitted that plot of confusion lately practised to haue preuailed thou knowest Thy chosen Israel wanting a king all people did what they listed If then Lord they had depriued thine English Israel of King Counsell Bishops Iudges and Chiefe men of the land what could haue succeeded but vniuersall confusion Wee confesse thy power and prouidence to â—e absolute and couldest haue raysed and restored others for thine owne glory But our sinnes deseruing the first could not bee worthily seconded
by the latter but that Antichrist would haue reinuested himselfe where now Christ Iesus is vnto vs all in all Blessed bee thy name O Lord whose eye beheld and whose prouidence preuented them and whose arme as with a rod of yron brake the actors in pieces like a potters vessell To thee therefore most louing Lord God to thy Sonne Christ and to the holy Ghost be prayse for euer Amen Lord increase our faith and euermore preserue thy seruant our King A short thankesgiuing and prayer for the Kings preseruation DEare Father infinite in power towards vs giue vs hearts to remember with thankefulnes thy too much forgotten goodnes in so mercifully defending our King and vs thy people from many dangers And forget not Lord how the wicked still study the meanes to effect that which thou in mercy diddest then preuent CoÌ„sider how they secretly thirst for the blood of thine Anointed and of his most worthy branches likely to proue powerfull protectors of thy truth and consequently long for the confusion of thy people It suffiseth that thou seest it but it suffiseth not for vs to haue the words and not to vse the workes of assurance of thy protection And therfore we humbly pray thee gracious Lord God most louing father to pardon our sinnes which are the greatest aduersaries that can rise vp against vs. Thou sendest good and religious kings to a people from whom thou expectest the fruits of holy obedience But if they waxe cold in profession and slacke in practizing thy reueiled will thou takest their godly 〈◊〉 religious and louing kings from them and in stead sendest them Tyrants mercilesse and irreligious princes neither the wisedome nor power of man can preuaile where thou art a partie in the iudgement Wherefore louing Father as thâ—â— hast furnished the heart of Iames thy seruant our King with heauenly wisedome furnish our hearts with true obedience to follow thy will reueiled in thy word that so our obedience beginning towards thy Maiestie may appeare and worke more and more in our continuall thankefulnesse vnto thee 〈◊〉 him and our loue and true loyalty to him that thy word may still preuaile with vs remaine amongst vs and wee euermore abide constant in thee that howsoeuer enemies rage whatsoeuer euill counsaile they take we may be either still free in thee protected by thy hand or may with patience vndergoe thy fatherly tryall knowing that all things worke together for the best to them that loue thee and are chosen of thy purpose in him by whose merits both hee our king and we thine and his people haue receiued the promise that thou wilt neuer faile vs nor forsake vs. Lord increase our faith A most piâ—â—ie and patheticall Prayer for the King and ouerthrow of Antichristian religion and enemies of the truth BLesse LORD and graciously defend and preserue our King looke vâ—n him as thou didst vpon Dauid chosen after thine owne heart Leade him by thine owne right hand in all his wayes that hee may leade vs thy people vnto thy holy Sanctuarie Giue him a reioycing heart to see his subiects readie to resort vnto thy holy Temple receiuing thy blessed Sacraments and faithfully seruing thy sacred Maiestie by his religious example Let him euer be instant to call vpon stirre vp and incite the Ministers of thy word that they be instant in sounding the trumpet of thy word vnto thy people that sin may bee weakned obedience to thee increased that mercie and truth may meet together and righteousnes and peace may kisse each other Giue him euermore a preuailing power to bring to nought or weaken the power of Idolatry and superstition within his Kingdomes and to further construie the sincere seruice of thee let him neuer cease O Lord vntill hee haue banished or fully reformed the Fauorites of Antichrist namely such as haue the marke of that Beast in their foreheads or in their hands whose names are not written in the booke of Life Giue him Lord an eye to finde them out and a right resolution to abandon them without respect of persons together with all flatterers and Hypocrites And blesse vnto him godly wise religious and faithfull Counsellers and as thou hast giuen him a sword and Scepter let him truly and valorously vse them to the cutting off of all the daungerous branches of sinne and impietie and all the inormities of thy Church and Common weale and to the defence of the godly and innocent Let his person Lord be euer in thy protection keep him as the apple of thine eye preuent all secret practises and open violence preteÌ„ded against him Stand betweene him and the enemie and let the hailestones of thy seuere iudgements fall vpon the heads of them that hate him wouÌ„d the hayrie scalpe of all that rise vp against him And in all his occasioned incounters with Antichrist or any of his adherents giue him Ioshuahs prosperous victories Dauids zeale and Elishacs faith Discouer vnto him largely the counsell of thine owne will giue him a forward willing and constant heart to effect what thou commandest and grant that he dismay not more in the ouerthrow of Antichrist then Ioshuah did at the confusion of Ierico Be thou his buckler whet his sword bend thou his bow make ready his arrowes vpon the string and let them all and alwayes be directed by thy prouidence to the destruction of his thine irreconciliable enemies as was the Sliâ—â— of Dauid against Goliah so let the. Judgements be against the wicked in the day of battell Let his Subiects loue him let his enemies feare and flie him let all Nations admire his righteous iudgements Princely gouernment and religious constancie let them all bee moued to follow him as he deliteth Lord to follow thee in truth and equitie to the glorie of thy vniuersally admired name through Christ in whom let him euer bee blessed And so blesse vs Lord that we may blesse thee for him Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to bee vsed of such as are of the Kings Maiesties priuie Counsell IF men of meanest professions bee moued by common reason to seek vnderstanding to manage their own priuate occasions how much more ought men of most eminent places especially Counsellors to Kings craue wisedome and fitnes of God for so high a calling How can they consult deuise deliberate direct and determine matters of weightiest consequence without extraordinarie gifts of prudence How can they marshall the care and carriage of him that hath the care and charge of the gouernment and defence of Kingdomes and people in peace and warre not onely in matters Ciuill but Ecclesiasticall Spirituall and Temporall Is it a small matter saith Dauid to be sonne in law to a King So may a man say Is it a small preferment to be thought a fit man to be of the secret counsell of a King Many thirst no doubt and desire this highest honor who haue not first truely examined their gifts of
promise they may be assured of timely deliueraÌ„ce in the instant of their greatest danger Some trust in chariots and some in horses but let vs remember the name of the Lord our God A Prayer to be vsed in the time of warre O God of hoasts wee beseeth thee looke downe vpon vs thy people oppressed and afflicted with the fearefull visitation of the sword wherwith thou threatnest to punish vs for our disobedience Thou art the God of peace send peace if it please thee and if they will not bee appeased breake the swords of thine and the Kings and thy Churches enemies shiuer their speares in sunder confound their counsels distract their league dissipate and disperse their companies stop their furie frustrate their hopes strike terror in their hearts weaken their armes take from them the staffe of bread and stand thou in the defence of thine Anointed incourage his heart and the hearts of all his subiects to shew themselues faithfull in thee girâ— thou their victorious swords vpon their loynes Manage thou their battels and giue them the victorie Giue them such successe as Iehosh aphat had against his enemies by thee Confound the enemie as thou didst Sennacheribs souldiers do vnto them as thou didst vnto Pharaoh and to his hoast Prosper them that fight for thy truth as thou didst Dauid against the Philistims and let thine Anointed take vp the triumphant song of Dauid The Lord hath diuided mine enemies asunder as water is diuided Goe out before our Captaines as thou didst before Deborah and Barak giue vs vi 〈…〉 ie as vnto them for it consisteth in thy power and prouidence not in Goliahs strength nor in Achitophels counsell nor in multitudes but in thee alone and therefore in thee do we trust let vs neuer be confounded It is sinne wee confesse that stirreth vp these calamities against vs giue vs repenting hearts and reformed spirits Let vs lift vp pure hands with vndefiled hearts as Moses did vnto thee and prosper Let our enemies fly before vs as before Iosuah and let their strong holâ—â— be as the wals of cursed Iericho hurle them downe and let them neuer bee built againe to trouble the peace of thy Church Thou art the author of peace extend thy peace ouer her like a floud Lord lift thou vp thy countenance vpon vs and giue vs thy peace in Christ. Amen Lord increase my faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer in the time of famine or dearth FAmine is the most grieuous plague that can befall man in this life for the want of foode causeth the bodie to pine and consume it pincheth the very entrails of al creatures brutish and humane without respect In so much as to appease this greedie monster as it may be termed men are inforced to feed on things most lothsome and vnwholesome instead of things salutarie and good There may be a Dearth without Famine but neuer Famine without a Dearth for to appease the violent furie of hunger men will giue their greatest Jewels and in the times of much necessitie hunger is of so homely a condition as where in the time of abuÌ„dance it scorned base and homely meats she scornes not now the basest nor the vilest things Famine is a Tyrant Dearth but a theefe the one fauours neither poore nor rich but oppresseth all without respect of person age or sexe the other is parciall stealeth from the poore and giueth to the rich it pineth the needie and filleth the wealthie and therefore is Dearth vncharitable vnreasonable and vnconscionable vncharitable in not giuing to the poore vnreasonable in not obseruing where most need is vnconscionable in withholding from the poore and giuing to the rich but they are both the instruments of Gods heauie displeasure for sinne and therefore not bee preuented or relieued without true repentance and faithfull prayer God hath promised that such as seekâ— him with a faithfull heart shall want no maner of thing that is good and in the time of dearth they shall haue enough Woâ— bee vnto them that in the time of dearth keepe in their corne and other victuals to inhaunce the prices that grinde the facts of the poore they shall be numbred among the wicked and their names shall be written among those that haue no loue but the faithfull shal feed and be satisfied and the little that the righteous hath shall be better more comfortable vnto him then the great abundance of the vngodly Therfore in the time of this kinde of visitation it behoueth all men to pray vnto God whose power is able to doe wonderfull things to make a cup of cold water and a morsell of bread to giue strength whereupon to walke fortie dayes as Eliah did and to increase the small portion that we haue and to make it powerfull to nourish vs as to the widow of Sarepthah Trust thou therefore in the Lord be doing good and thou shalt be fed assuredly They shall not bee confounded in the perillous time that trust in the Lord but in the dayes of famine they shall haue enough A Prayer in the time of Famine and Dearth O Great and powerfull mercifull and louing Father in Jesus Christ who hast made man to serue thee and all creatures to serue maÌ„ Look down wee beseech thee vpon vs now in the time of distresse want of necessaries to sustaine our mortal bodies Thou knowest whereof we are made remember that we are but dust and our liues are sustained by those thy creatures that thou hast created for our vse which thou hast now so diminished and decreased as the staffe of our sustinance is broken and we waxe faint vnder the burthen of thy heauie displeasure It is our sinnes Lord that haue drawne downe this fearefull visitation vpon vs which we are not able to beare And therefore as thou art gracious merciful powerfull and prouident forgiue vs our sinnes in thy mercie in Christ. Releeue vs by thy power for his sake and prouide for vs in thy prouidence call to minde thy mercies of old wherein thou relieuedst not only our faithfull Fathers but such as were strangers also vnto thy Couenant the Aegyptians to whom thou diddest send Ioseph to prouide for the Famine to come a speciall worke of thy wonderfull prouideÌ„ce Come now vnto vs Lord coâ—â— now vnto vs increase our small store and blesse it as thou diddest the oyle and meale of Eliahs h 〈…〉 faile vs not nor forsake vs in the 〈…〉 e of our greatest need leaue vs not in our distresse Thou haddest compassion Lord vpon foure thousand which were to depart from thee and diddest feede them when they had nothing to eate and thou gauest them sufficient with seuen loaâ—es â—as also fiue thousand with fiue loâ—â—es and a few fishes all men suffised and many fragments remained Why therefore should we feare or despaire of thy prouidence seeing thou canst feed so many with so little shew of outward meanes and as thou canst releeue with little in quantitie so
canst thou with things meane in qualitie Daniel and his fellowes liued by pulse and water and were more strong and in better liking then they that had the ful measure of the Kings choice dainties Great and wonderfull art thou in thy power vnsearchable in thy prouidence and thou art one and the same for euer thy loue is not diminished towards them that loue thee neither is thy power weakened neither can thy prouidence be hindred but whatsoeuer thou willest commeth to passe in Mercie and lustice Will thou therfore good Father will thou and worke our comfort and reliefe and whatsoeuer we then need shall bee supplied vnto vs. Mollify the harts of such as haue reliefe in abuÌ„dance that detain it to inrich themselues when the poore perish Sâ—ffer vs not Lord to fall into greaâ—â—â— miserie and want then wee can bea rt Our flesh is weake and vnable to vndergo the want of necessary food giue vs Lord competent reliefe that we faint not nor perish altogether for thy Christs sake our only Redeemer and Aduocate for whose sake thou hast promised to deliuer the soules of thine from death and to preserue them in the time of famine Therefore Lord heare and grant our requests Amen Lord increase our faith and blesse vnto vs competent reliefe A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to bee said in the time of the Pestilence THe Pestilence of all other pâ—â—gues is the most lothsome grieuous especially to the parties infected for that their dearest friends commonly flie them and forsake them none are readily willing to visite them and yet of all the three ineuitable plagues that God tendred to Dauids election hee made choice of this as willing rather to fall into the hands of God then of meÌ„ To flie before furious enemies in the warres is a fearefull thing and to pine and perish for want of food more grieuous then Death Therefore is the Pestilence rather to be vndergone then either the Sword or Famine but that we are not at our choice as Dauid was But as touching sinne in the same danger Sinne was the cause of his and sinne is the cause of our visitation And therefore to preuent the danger we are to make peace with our offended God by true repentance humble submission faithfull and vnfained prayer It was the remedie that Dauid vsed whereby the Lord was appeased with the Land and the plague ceased 2. Sam. 24. 25. Gods anger is easily appeased towards them that are truely penitent and humâ—â—y seeke him in faithfull prayer It appeareth that we haue prouoked the Lord by our sinnes to wrath and in his displeasure be visiteth vs with this heauie correction Let vs offer the sweet and acceptable sacrifice of prayer vnto him in vnfained sorrow for our sinnes It may be God will recall his destroying Angell out of our coasts But if he wil not be appeased pleased to stay his hand from punishing Let vs submit vs to his will in all Christian patience auoiding as much as in vs lieth the wilfull running into the danger and then if God haue numbred vs among them that he hath marked out vnto death let vs not bee dismayed or discouraged let vs not only not thinke vs the more vnhappie but far the more in the fauor of God in that he vouchsafeth vnto vs such a fatherly premonition to prepare vs that which by the course of nature in few yeares cannot be auoided death which seemeth far more terrible then indeed it is for though it hath the name of bitternes yet it is indeed the end coÌ„summatioÌ„ of al the vnpleasing things which our deceiued affections are miscaried by it is the end of sin and sorrow of dangers feares and miseries and is terrible to none but to such as only consider the dissolution of the soule from the bodie and doe not looke to the immediate coniunction of the soule with God we leaue indeed our corporall friends behinde vs whom wee loue But we ought to know that we go to a more blessed fellowship in the heauens to Christ our elder brother whom wee yet neuer saw but if wee loue him as he loued vs first we cannot but desire to see him which we cannot doe in our mortall flesh Let vs therefore with Saint Paul desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ with the Angels and with the spirits of iust and perfect men And let vs be of good courage in this danger of the body which if we caÌ„not flie let vs not feare knowing that whether we liue or die we are the Lords in Christ in whom we are assured that all things shall worke together for the best and to the consolation of them that loue God in life and death Weeping may indure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning A Praier to be said in the time of any mortalitie Pestilence or infectious sicknes O Lord our God who of the dust hast created all mankind for a time to breathe in this mortall life and at their appointed times thou sayest Returne againe into your dust yee children of men Looke wee humbly beseech thee vpon vs vnder thy hand visited with great mortalitie so besâ—t on euery side with the terrors of death as we cannot but deeme out selues neere vnto the graue Our festered corruptions haue brought forth stineking sins that haue deâ—â—â—ed our bodies and infected the verie aire wherein we liue whereby wee haue deseruedly drawne vpon vs in thy iustice this fearefull visitation Giue vs Lord repenting hearts renue right spirits wiâ—iâ— vs that we recounting our manifold and grosse sins may truly bewaile them in the bitternes of our hearts fill our heads with water make our eyes a fountain of teares that both inwardly and outwardly our sorrowes for our sinnes may be vnfainedly expressed and by our constant obedience and sincere seruice of thee our renued conuersations may be approued Make vs we beseech thee alwayes watchfull ouer our wayes that we erre not from thy Commandements in this time wherin many are striken with thy hand many are finally fallen asleepe Blesse vs wee beseech thee with that blessed prerogatiue to be thy truly adopted children in Christ so shall we be safe according to thy promise and this thy visitation shall not come neere our dwellings a thousand shall fall on our rig 〈…〉 hand and ten thousand on our left hand and yet not touch vs. But what are we Lord that we should presume vpon this freedome hauing deserued as heauie a weight of punishment as any whom thy hand hath visited Let not thy patience and long forbearing of vs perswade vs that either thou seest vs not or that for our owne worthines or desert thou passest by vs but rather to thinke that we are also of the number of them whom thou hast ordained to partake of this visitation that wee may apply our selues to a serious calling to mind of our offences and vnfained repentance for them before thy decree come forth against