infernall spirit that falsely pretendeth dominion in the earth and in the ayre and how he enuieth and opposeth as much as in him is euery good dutie and seruice which thy dearest children owe and endeauour to performe vnto thee and aboue all other duties tending to thine owne glory and mans saluation he seeketh to hinder none with more bitter violence with greater enuy more wicked and subtill wiles then this of diuine prayer and endeauoreth to draw thine owne dearest children into manifold sinnes But Lord as thou hast commaunded vs to call vpon thine holy Name to pray vnto thee for faith repentance obedience and other graces and blessings So according to thine holy ordinance I fall downe prostrate vpon the knees of mine vnfayned heart praying thee to prepare mee to this holy dutie thou sayest Open thy mouth and I will fill it O Lord open thou my mouth and fill it with heauenly words furnish and fill my heart with a strong powerful and liuely faith constant and firme obedience that without wauering and straying thoughts I may at this time make my prayers supplications vnto thee through thy Spirit And thou O inuincible Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah stand vp for me against my most mortall and most malicious enemy satan who among his own is strong and powerfull but where thou my Captaine Christ Iesus appearest he is weake he cannot enter the house where thou dwellest O fortifie therfore O Lord and barre vp the doore of my soule that hee enter not nor preuaile against it with the fire of his tentations Lord thou knowest hee is enemie to thee how much more vnto mee Hee tempted thee but preuayled not but his tentations flesh and blood cannot withstand Therefore arme thou me against him with heauenly weapons and hee shall neither stoppe nor hinder mine intended prayers as he desireth and laboureth to doe Let my spirit O Lord bee strongly assisted by thy Spirit and my prayers shall be faithfull my heart shall entertaine no wandering wauering vnholy or prophane thoughts euill cogitations or wicked motions though I bee an vnholy lumpe of my selfe by nature prompt and more ready to thinke or doe euill then good yet by thy Grace Satan shall slie sinne shall die and thy Spirit shall be liuely in mee and my prayers powerfull and effectuall to thee in my mediator Christ Iesus O let thy heauenly helpe Lord in Iesus Christ descend into all the powers and parts of my soule and body that in speaking vnto thee I may feele the worke and operation of thy Grace so sufficient in my heart that I may obtaine a victorious conquest ouer satan sinne and mine owne corruptions and bee assured through Christ Iesus my Sauiour to bee either freed from his preuayling tentations or to bee able to resist them that all my prayers at all times may bee such as thou maist Fatherly accept them in thy beloued Sonnes mediation for mee howsoeuer weake and imperfect they bee in respect of my selfe who am full of imperfections which I humbly pray thee to grant for his sake who hath conquered him that couets my finall destruction Amen Lord euermore strengthen and increase my faith in Iesus Christ. A meditation or motiue when wee are dull to pray a most necessary preparatiue to prayer AS it is my griefe O Lord to consider the hardnesse of my heart my faintnesse and dulnesse to pray So can I not but comfort my selfe in the consideration of thy great mercie towards mee in often remouing my dulnesse and in steed thereof to giue mee thy holy Spirit and by him power effectually to call vpon thy holy Name which effectuall fauour of thine I haue oftentimes found and felt when I haue had an inward motion tending to a desire to pray and yet no power or ablenesse to open my mouth or aptnesse to mooue my tongue which hath caused mee many times to thinke that thou my God hast beene angry with me and in that thou hast with-holden thy Grace so long that thou hadst forsaken me So that I haue beeâ—e infoâ—ced oftentimes to keepe silence when I would haue prayed and to close my lippes when I would haue spoken Thus good Father haue I beene many times as I am presently troubled and inwardly greeued euen in my soule at the hardnesse of my heart and dulnesse of my spirit And yet at length I haue felt as it were the fire of feruent zeale so inflaming my heart as I haue suddenly spoken with my tongue I haue prayed vnto thee and thou hast heard me This holy and heauenly worke of diuine Prayer I finde to bee farre from mine or the best mans owne power it is the onely worke of thine owne spirit which I haue many times formerly discerned for when I haue beene most dull and most vnapt to pray thou euen then euen in my silent musing and meditation hast enabled mee to breake forth into words through faith which haue pierced the very heauen of heauens euen vnto the Throne of thy great Maiesty where Christ my mediator stands at thy right hand presenting in my behalfe my weake Petitions euen in his owne name and obtayneth mine humble desires according to thine owne will which worketh betâ—er things for mee then I can wish or will I am not therefore discouraged good Father thogh I seeme dull in spirit and as it were cleane destitute of faith for I know thy guifts are without repentance and though I feele not this heauenly worke of thy holy Spirit at all times a like in mee yet doe I assure me hee is in mee and will worke againe the same heauenly effects for where thy blessed Spirit hath once taken habitation and once sanctified the soule that soule is so effectually possessed by that â—pirit and that Spirit so possesseth that soule that he may be assured neuer to bee absolutely dispossest of the same howsoeuer hee may for a time seeme absent It is but to mooue mee to seeke him finding the want of him to long for him Though therefore deare Father my heart bee hard by nature and my spirit dâ—ll to euery holy and heauenly dutie so that I cannot outwardly vtter what I inwardly concâ—iue and desire with such earnestnesse and feruencie of spirit as I would but weakly and coldly yet doe I assure my selfe that thou considerest mine inward desires and hearest my most secret sighes as plainely as if I cryed vocally and aloud vnto thee I cannot therefore but confideÌ„tly assure my selfe that according to thy promise thou wilt heare and consider that I hunger and thirst for thy Grace that my dulnesse being remooued I may conceiue in my heart and frame with my lippes mine humble Petitions which thou hast promised to heare especially such as thine owne Spirit composeth in mee Deny not therefore good Father thy holy Spirit to me that faithfully craue him onely to be enabled effectually to pray vnto thee for thou hearest not the best man nor the best maâ—s best prayers for his
had no maruell then they finde it not and yet perswade themselues they haue in some measure what they desire euery man in his peculiar affection and well may it bee sayd in some measure for that in what measure soeuer they haue that they craue yet they want the fulnesse of what they desire And therefore can there be no full content for where there is wanting some thing the want of the thing desired is a kinde of ineuitable miserie and distraction of the minde These things duely considered a kinde of voluntarie blindenesse or rather desperate madnesse seemeth to appeare in the most who contrarie to the aduice of the Apostle that willeth to vse this world as if wee vsed it not vse onely this world and the vaine pleasures of the same as if they perswaded themselues that either they shall euer remaine here or that after this there will be no other being whereas the contrarie is most apparent For this world passeth away and the glorie thereof and therefore should we so liue as only to passe thorow it as the Jsralites thorow the Red-sea that we may arriue in Heauēly Canaan the place of true Felicitie Happinesse and absolute content in deed for the greatest pleasures and deerest delights that this world can yeeld are like the vnsauorie waters of Asphaltis or the sea of Sodome whereof who so drinketh infatuateth or dieth instantly And yet wee see that hee is accounted the happiest man that is euen drunke with this worlds vanities Therefore doe the truely Wise passe by them as it were disdayning to stoope to such deceiuing alurements stopping their eares with Vlisses least these forbidden vanities should inchant them and with their seeming sweet infecting harmony draw them to the gulfe of perdition for the vanities of this world bewitch the mindes of carnall men who though they reade and heare their danger it takes no impression in their obdurate hearts they reade seldome and heare and vnderstand not they yet know too much of that wherof the practice doth shew they are not wise to saluation which indeed is that absolute happinesse that the truely Wise doe onely seeke knowing that it auayleth them not to gaine the whole world and to take all the pleasures and delights of the same to lose their owne soules The best thing then that we are to seeke to be happy is to be assured in this life of the Kingdome of God and our saluation to come and to labour for the righteousnesse thereof for if worldly men take so much paines for the getting of the vanishing things of this world counterfeit happinesse it may well be imputed not onely as a shame vnto vs but a iudgement vpon vs if wee neglect the absolute best thing the saluation of our soules And therefore Saint Paul exhorts vs to the studie of righteousnesse and hatred of sinne the contrary ends of both being set before vs namely as touching sinne wherein the best man hath once defiled himselfe how much more the wicked What fruit had they in it Onely shame and griefe and in the end death eternall without repentance therefore it behooueth vs now to cast off sinne The vanities of the world the lusts of the flesh the pride of life to which things whosoeuer is or hath beene seruant while he liueth therein is free from righteousnesse but now let vs seeke to bee freed from the seruitude of sinne and to become seruants vnto God so shall wee haue our fruit in holinesse and in the end euerlasting life which is the gift of GOD through Iesus Christ which is the greatest happinesse that we can desire or attaine vnto either in this life or that which is to come for the obtayning whereof euery Christian is to be carefull to auoide the vanities of this world and the seruice of sinne in the same indeuoring to become the seruant of God which consisteth in an holy and heauenly conuersation here to which is required the due and diligent hearing of God in his Word and the true practise of the same and faithfull prayer to him By these two rules rightly obserued a man becomes by acceptation perfect and by imputation iust To attaine vnto this degree of perfection and happinesse it lyeth not in our owne powre wee cannot heare without the Word preached and none that heareth vnderstandeth but he whose eares the Lord openeth Carnall men may heare indeed but not profit by hearing vnlesse God open also their hearts as hee did the heart of Lydia for both the Word hearing vnderstanding and practise are all the gifts of God Prayer also is the gift of God so is Gods Spirit by whom wee pray and faith in which we pray and the assurance to obtaine that for which wee pray How many men yet are there of conceit that they can pray when they list and how they list as if earnest and truely cordiall prayer were as familiar with them as to tell a tale Liplabour babling indeed is as easie as to speake any thing else But this kinde of saying prayers is not indeed prayer but prattle a mocking of God and hee deceiueth himselfe that so speaketh prayers A great man would take scorne to haue a tale told him when hee that tells it speakes he knowes not what his minde being vpon some other matter will God then accept of those prayers which onely are from the lippes when the heart thinks of nothing lesse then what the mouth speaketh Their words may bee the words of holy prayer indeed but if the heart consent not nay if the Minde the Will and Affections and the Vnderstanding agree not with the mouth though the words bee good the prayer is counterfeit True and feruent faithfull and feeling prayer will easily bee diserned from cold and counterfeit for whereas a man may fluently without stoppe or stagger powre forth many and good words either by heart or booke thinking that God hath enough if hee haue many and good words he cannot but acknowledge that he doth but flatter God so commits sinne instead of a sacrifice But the prayer that pleaseth God and profits a mans selfe comes from the heart to the lippes or the heart it selfe sighes and groanes vnto God in such vehemencie of spirit as if not with outward teares yet doth the heart rent it selfe within through the feruencie of zeale and power of a liuely faith which kinde of prayer is effectuall and pleasing to God It behooueth therefore euery man to be warie how hee prayeth least hee offer the sacrifice of fooles and so instead of being heard to his comfort hee be reiected with shame Prayer consisteth not in the motion of the tongue onely which is proper as well to the wicked as to the godly But prayer is a diuine exercise of a sanctified heart And therefore before we presume to approch into the presence of God with our Petition we must duely and reuerently consider to whom we speake what we speake and how we speake wherein we may
neuer wearieth the soules of such as delight in the liuing God whose beautie Dauid saw as neuer satisfied with the contemplation of the glorious Maiestie oâ— Iehouah whose beautie the more the Spirituall minde beholdeth in his word his workes his fauour power and prouidence the more is hee mooued with desire to see more and more And thinkes no happinesse comparable to the happinesse of a heauenly life Much were the Disciples mooued at the sight of Christs transfiguration in so much as they desired to haue built there Tabernacles to haue enioyed that blessed sight Still to desirous was Dauid still to behold the beautie of the Lord and to visite his holy Temple Where God is truely heard and duly called vpon by a holy congregation nay by one particular faithfull Christian there appeareth the glorie of God There is the Arke of the Lord the presence of the mightie God of Iaakob whose glorie filleth the Temple which onely the Spirituall man seeth with a supernaturall eye Though the carnall man bodily present apprehendeth it not Paul at his conuersion saw Gods glorie but they that were with him heard onely a voyce but saw it not Such beautie shineth in the hearts of the deere Children of God by the operation and illumination of the Holy Ghost by whom Stephen saw the glorie of God in the heauens and Christ sitting at his right-hand which none 〈◊〉 can see but such onely aâ—are inlightened who take such surpassing sweet delight in the beholding the face of God not onely in the Word wherein hee is in part seene but especially through faith that their soules are euen rauished and as it were transchanged by the splender therof as it were into the Image of the glorie of the onely begotten Sonne of the Father â—od commanding the light to shine out of darkenesse shineth in our hearts to giue light of the knowledge of the Glorie of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Let vs therefore indeuour to exercise our selues in puritie and sanctitie clensing our consciences from all counterfeit sincerity and labour to become in deed such as wee would seeme to bee And not to neglect the visiting of the materiall Temple to heare the Word of GOD and to pray vnto him if wee hope to be happie for there is none happie but they whom GOD loueth and who loue GOD if wee loue God wee will delight in him to heare him often for our instruction and confirmation of our faith and to seeke him by our prayers for he is ready to bee found of all them that are true of heart who shall heere behold his beautie and hereafter enioy his glorie A Prayer vnto God that he will prepare our hearts to the visiting of his holy Temple to heare his Word to pray vnto him and to prayse him GRant O most gracious Lord God according to the riches of thy grace that I may bee strengthened by thy Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in my heart by faith and so my whole spirit soule and bodie may bee kept blamelesse to the comming of the Lord Iesus for thou Lord knowest what I am by nature a man vnworthy to take thine holy Name into my mouth or to come into thy presence being inclynable to no good dutie but apt to euery vanity I come therefore vnto thee heauenly Father in the Name of Iesus Christ thy Sonne in whom thou hast promised to receiue them that sincerely seeke thee heare the voyce of my petitions O Lord when I crie vnto thee and when I lift vp my hands towards the mercies seat of thy holy Temple reiect me not vnto thee O Lord I lift vp my soule crauing pardon for my sinnes and that thou wilt admit me into the holy societie of thy Saints and that I may delight to dwell in thy holy Temple vnder the shadow of thy protecting wings for euer Let my heart bee euer vpright in thy Statutes and faithfull euer before thee for thou hast pleasure in righteousnesse and hee is blessed in whose heart are thy wayes knit my heart vnto thee that I may feare thy Name giue me a holy desire to seeke thee and to walke euer vprightly as in thy presence Indue me with thy Spirituall knowledge leade me by thy right hand to thine holy Temple shew mee thy glorie and thy beauty that I may be comforted through thy presence Open mine eares that I may heare thee and thy Word by thy holy Ministrie and prepare my heart to receiue knowledge and vnderstanding and open my mouth and fill it with thy prayses and let my prayers in thy Sons Name bee acceptable vnto thee Shew me thy way and giue mee vnderstanding that I may learn thy Commandements and walke in them My hearts desire Lord is to dwell with thee to haue the full free fruition of thine house and the place where thine honour dwelleth that I may serue thee with a pure affection and giue thee prayse in the congregation of thy Saints Turne thy face vnto me O Lord that I may see the beautie of thy countenance and bee changed into the same Image by thy Spirit and in the same Spirit bee admitted to visite thine holy Temple with faith and assurance of thy presence wherein I know is libertie and life protection and plentie of all good things Make my heart stable vnblameable before thee in holinesse that I may serue thee with a sincere and pure conscience and vndefiled that I may not come into thine house only to bee seene and to seeme seruiceable or dutifull vnto thee but may inwardly hunger thirst for thy Word the food of my soule the bread of life and imprint the same so effectually in my soule that it may prooue fruitfull in â—ee and that I may shâ—w it in my 〈◊〉 holy conuersation to thy Glorie that being filled with the comforts proceeding from the beautie of thy countenance I may euer posâ—sesse my soule in that peace which passeth all vnderstanding euer-more reuerencing thy glorious Maiâ—stie that euer-more filleâ—h both the heauens and the earth fill my heart O Lord with thy Spirit that I may draw neere vnto thee and to thy Holy place my strong Rocke to thee will I alwayes resort Make mee to heare ioy and gladnesse and that I may more abound in hope and be strengthened to euery good work through the power of the holy Ghost by Iesus Christ my Lord and onely Sauiour Lord increase my faith The Conclusion A Prayer for true happinesse which shall bee consummate onely in heauen O Lord what am I the son of dust and ashes that I should presume to come into thy presence to seeke and desire felicity and happinesse here in this wildernesse of so many vanities miseries and troubles as are among the children of men As for me Lord thou knowest wherof I am made thou remembrest that I am but dust what happinesse therfore Lord can I look to obtaine here where sinne dwelleth in my mortall body
A GODLIE MANS GVIDE to Happinesse A Manuell of necessary Motiues holy Meditations and godly Prayers to stirre vp the hearts of men vnapt to pray To the great Comfort of all that with due and holy attention will practise this most godly and Christian dutie Written for his owne and published for the Comfort of them that long for trvâ— happinesse By I. N. LONDON Printed by A M. for Iohn Marriott and are to bee sold at his Shop in Saint Dâ—nstons Churchyard in Fleetsheet 1624. TO THE HONORAble Sir IAMES FVLLERTON Knight one of his Highnesse Councell of Reuenues c. I Know Sir that I shall be censured very rash in attempting more vnaduised in publishing and most improuident in making your selfe the Patron of so weak a Pamphlet for the first I may excuse me in that I haue bin long vnwillingly idle and loath to lose the benefit of the inforced intermission of mine accustomed former imployments I could conceiue no fitter or better passe-time then in this interim to seek some inward consolation in my outward discomforts for the Second I acknowledge that imparting these weake Meditations vnto some seeming wel affected to the best things I was incouraged to lay them down to the pleasure of the Printer who not without examination allowance hath brought the same to publike view And as touching the Third and last in making choyce of your name among so many of that Honourable Societie whom I most humbly and sincerely honour and reuerence I cannot but acknowledge the reason to be no other then that I haue bene longest knowen vnto your selfe And you best know how I haue past many yeares in Seruice and attendance commanded by that Honorable Table These no fained excuses may in honourable fauour free me from the censure of rashnesse in attempting it of presumption in publishing it and of neglect or respect of persons in patronizing it So shall I think mine idle time not altogether lost though gaining little outward profit whether happy or vnhappy in gaining the one or loosing by the other I am so much the more doubtful to iudg by how much I obserue that men are heere censured happy vnhappy not in respect of inward or outward qualities bee they good or bad but according to their present prosperitie or aduersity glory or basenesse riches or pouertie which as a sea often ebbes and flowes As variable winds blow and waues tossed are lifted vp and come low wherein some sayling with a full gale of glory thinke themselues in highest felicity who yet forgetting or neglecting to steere aright the huge bulke of their conceiued happinesse rush many times vpon the rocke of Disgrace more grieuous then their former fortunes were glorious He that seeketh and thinketh to finde true felicitie in the inconstant things of this life is as happy a man as hee that dreameth that hee hath sound great store of golde and seemeth to reioyce beyond measure in his good fortune and when hee awakes hee findes it a dreame So may men dreame of happinesse here but it is onely reserued for such as make least account of this worlds glory who haue their conuersations in Heauen while they liue in the earth where yet no man can iudge of a truely happy man At yours and to the rest of their Honourable Commaunds euer ready IOHN NORDEN To as many as long for true happinesse IT is not to be doubted but that euery man that liueth desireth to liue a happie life but euery man taketh not the right course to be truly happy For as there is in euery man a double life the one in this world the other in another the one perishing the other permanent so are men carnally or diuinely qualified and accordingly bend their indeuors to visible or inuisible things are commonly most affected to things visibly seene and sencibly felt tasted or heard But as for inuisible things few attaine to know them much lesse to seeke them least of all to enioy them No although their bodies bee ouerwhelmed with millions of maladies their minds with cares griefs infinite passions which nothing can cure or releeue but some speciall inward spirituall working yet seldome or neuer looke they vp aboue these earthly things but in whatsoeuer outward or inward hard estate they are they seeke helpe here below if they finde it they ascribe it to the visible meanes and acknowledge them happie in finding it in sicknesse to finde a Phisition to heale them in pouertie to haue a friend to enrich them is imputed happinesse how much more happinesse were it then for a man neuer to be sicke to be rich to be glorious in the eyes of all men to be reputed the wisest man in the world and to enioy what his heart could thinke here Would not all men admire this mans happinesse And would not all men desire and couet to bee in his like estate And admit hee attaine vnto it is this the happinesse he aymes at No hee must haue peace and long life to enioy it else the very consideration of death and to forgoe this faigned happinesse would be vnto him as if a sword hung ouer his head by the haire of a horse taile euerie minute readie to fall on his head Alas what shall a man then so much struggle and striue for the happinesse of this life that consisteth onely of such things as the getting of them requires labour somtimes lies the hauing of of them enuie the keeping of them feare and the losse of them sorrow Which yet is not all there must bee finally a redde rationem an account a fearefull reckoning which if men would dulie consider in the time of their greatest supposed happinesse it would make their hearts to tremble and their knees to knock one against another like Balteshars for feare of the infelicitie to come If then the greatest happinesse that man can attaine vnto in this life be thus accompanied where is that true happinesse that absolute felicitie finally promised Such a happinesse there is but what it is no man can declare it for the eye hath not seene it the eare hath not heard neither can it enter to mans heart what God hath prepared for those that loue him But by examination of the chiefe things wherein man in this life can repute himselfe most happie and comparing them with what things wee shall futurely enioy it will appeare that mans happinesse doth not onely consist in the enioying of good things but in the freedome from euill things The happiest man in this life hath causes of mourning griefe and vexation of spirit his life requireth labour labour brings wearinesse wearinesse couets rest and rest presupposeth the bodies infirmitie and consequently decay and death And death precedeth eternall saluation the happinesse of the soule and bodie or damnation of both This is the portion of all men mortall how happie soeuer hee seeme to liue heere where they haue hunger thirst heate and cold want of things
desired and a thousand discontents from which wee can neuer bee freed vntill wee come to our heauenly Country where Christ is ready to receiue vs where the holy Angels and Saints are euer expecting the increase of that heaueÌ„ly coÌ„pany whose ioy and happinesse increaseth by the increase of sanctified soules to accompanie them where the seruitude which in this life oppresseth vs shall bee turned into ioyfull libertie where we shall haue no more cause of mourning of sorrow or griefe God himselfe will wipe away our teares which the tribulations which we heere indure haue prouoked death shall haue no more power ouer vs wee shall haue there no night nor darkenesse we shall neede there neither sleepe nor corporall sustinance wee shall be free from sicknesse we shall feare there no enuie or malice of neighbours wee shall neither buy nor sell we shall neede neither gold nor siluer wee shall want no garments to adorne and couer our base bodies as heere wee need wee shall not be oppressed with the euills wherewith we are here infested But bee replenished and made rich in euery delightfull thing wee shall be there imbraced of our God as his deere Children our happinesse shall be so vnspeakeable as it cannot be manifested here what and how glorious it shall be there but we shal haue pleasure at Gods right hand for euermore If men therefore that now delight themselues in the multitude of their riches in their siluer and gold and boast themselues of the greatnesse largenesse of their possessions of their magnificent Mansions of their rare iewels the abundance of their plate and sumptuous feasts wherein they repose their felicitie and happinesse did duely consider the shortnesse and inconstancie of these deceiuing vâ—nities and other inferiours that delight themselues in all kindes of vices would but call themselues to minde what they lose by these false baytes of Sathan they would cast their most precious things ouer-boord into the sea of contempt as disdayning this worlds accounted best things and their dearest sinnes wherein they finde a kinde of counterfeit content and felicitie which shall bee futurely requited with future infelicitie and horrour Happie then shall that man bee euen heere seeme he neuer so vnhappie that for this pearle wil sell all his carnall and corporall delights to buy such a precious purchase and so permanent which hee shall hold to himselfe for euer freely without râ—nt without feare of forfeiture and without any other mans claime for euery man shall haue so competent a portion as none shall couet another mans The purchase in respect of the value is not deere And the Lord of whom he shall hold it will neuer expose his tennant nor exact any seruile seruice at his hands but such as shall bee vnto himselfe more glorious and sweet then the most honourable attendance of the greatest Potentate of the World Hee that hath a heart to conceiue the least portion of this vnexpressible happinesse let him seeke it while hee hath time let him aske Wisdome of him that giueth it freely let him heare and consider what comfortable words and serious promises are spoken of in the Scriptures touching this happinesse by the Prophets by CHRIST who is Truth it selfe and by his Apostles who beare witnesse of the same Truth that so being assâ—â—ed of the certaintie of this happinesse to come hee may labour to attaine it hungering and thirsting for it with continuall prayer to him that giues it Yours in Christian good will I. N. To the zealous Reader THinke not the Prayers contained in this little Booke too tedâ—oâ—s by reason of their length and proâ—ixitie for if thy heart be well prepared thou wilt thinke it no burden to thy tongue lips to speak vnto God Short prayers in deâ—d are most pleasing to them that vse prayers without â—eeling more for custome then comfort A truely 〈…〉 man is not onely not wearie in Prayer but the longer hee prayeth with the more feâ—uency he prayeth and the more ferueâ—t the more pleasing vnto God Pray therefore alwayes in all manner Prayer and Supplication in the 〈◊〉 as long as Gods holy Spirit 〈…〉 Spirit and watch thereunto with all perseuerance without wauering or wearinesse And so shall thy Prayers be acceptable to God and true comfort to thy selfe This is the way walk in it A HELPE to Happinesse A premeditation or consultation what are the best things men in this life should principally ayme at to attaine vnto highest happinesse which are hearing the Word and faithfull prayer EVery man by nature hath in himselfe a desire of the best things and in heart wisheth and endeauoureth to obtaine them wherin euery man hath his priuate and peculiar affection according to his inward qualification But as Nature and Grace mans corruption and Gods holy Spirit doe differ in euill and good so doe mens desires differ in choyce of things yet all seem to tend to the attaining of the things they conceiue to be best and they are such as may giue them the content they ayme at which they account happinesse And the most of men in stead of true happinesse desire and seeke things not only not best but meerely hurtfull things subiect â—o the outward senses which are often deceiuing taking that for best that is to bee abandoned and reiecting that which is to bee chiefly imbraced as truest happinesse The best things are such as the eye sees not the mouth tasteth not the handes hâ—ndle not neither are they subiect to natures vnderstanding For the things wee see touch or taste haue neither true goodnes such as to giue a man best content nor continuance to tarry with them and therfore are but shadowes of seeming happinesse which by experience are found fickle and vanishing Beautie Health of the body Riches Honour high Office Long life Delights Carnall pleasures Humane wisdom and Naturall Literature are things much esteemed But what happinesse is there in any of these Beautie decayes Health impayreth Riches vanish Honour is enuied Offices dangerous Long life a burden humane wisdome foolishnesse naturall Learning a puffe of vaine glory Wee may therefore conclude that if a man haue all the former seeming contentments yet may he not be happie for euery of them drawes with it as many disasters as variable accidents as many peeuish passions of the minde which draw him into as many calamities and miseries And therefore doth no truely wise man thinke that these are worthy the name of happinesse for then had many Heathens attained vnto that best But true happinesse consisteth onely in the enioying of Gods graces and Spirituall blessings which carnall men who enioy onely the former haue not But are possest with an erronious opinion of those things which seeme best rather by an implicite conceit following and allowing that for happinesse whiâ—h the most hold so and to attaine the same they vse all meanes labours and endlesse trauailes to get that which indeed is not of the world to be
not consult with our owne fantasies and so vnsanctifiedly to rush vpon the holy Throne of Iehouah but with the Word of God wherein is layde downe the persons to whom the manner how and the things for what we should pray These things being vnderstood it behooueth vs also to looke into our selues whether this great worke of diuine prayer bee within the compasse of our owne vnderstanding what to pray for Saint Paul was a man Diuinely qualified and yet hee accounteth himselfe of the number of them that know not what to pray as hee ought what then Should wee not pray at all because wee know not how or what to pray as we ought God forbid wee haue a promise that the Spirit of God shall helpe our infirmities and shall make request for vs vnto God How then can our prayers but bee heard and answered seeing they proceed from Gods own Spirit that dwelleth in vs The truely faithfull in deed haue a promise that if they open their mouthes God will hil them And what is it but to assist them in their prayers And therefore not euery one that seemeth to pray prayeth in the Spirit yet this promise may also appertaine vnto and in time be felt of them that yet want him Therefore let euery man indeuour to be assured that the Spirit of God is in him which hee shall finde by the feruencie of his heart in prayer although he be not at all times a like powerfull in vs but retires himselfe for a time to make vs to acknowledge the want of him and to thirst the more eagerly for his presence againe which euery faithfull soule exercised in this diuine dutie apparently apprehendeth for the Spirit by degrees as it were mooueth our dull spirits and at length sheweth himselfe strong and powerfull in vs for when we finde a will and an inclination to pray though wee be dull not able to open our mouthes if we continue in desire lifting vp our hearts to God wee shall feele and that sensibly the Spirit to beginne to worke and to touch our hearts that at length we shall not onely bee able to speake with our tongues but the same Spirit will frame such an holy forme of words that of our selues wee were-neuer able to vtter which I confesse to the praise of God I haue found by most comfortable experience and therfore to my more effectuall motiue I haue framed by the ayde of the same Spirit this Meditation and Prayer following which may bee also vnto others that delight in this holy exercise some meane to suppresse their dulnesse and to stirre vp their affections to an vnexpressible zeale A motiue to a prayer against the tentations of Sathan who alwaies endeauoureth the hinderance of prayer and all other diuine and holy exercises in the children of God wherby their happinesse may bee made certaine IT is impossible that any man be he neuer so deuout and religious that takes any action in hand tending either to Gods glory or his owne soules saluation that can pâ—rforme it but that Sathan that malicious enemy of mans saluation will endeauour to peruert it or altogether to hinder it As when Iehoshua the high Priest was standing before the Lord to pray Sathan stood at his right hand to resist him Zach 3.1 And therefore shall any man thinke that though he be strong in faith and feruent in zeale to pray vnto God for any holy and heauenly gift that he shall haue no opposition by this ougly Dragon and subtill inuisible Serpent nay the more faithfull the more zealous and the more strong a man seemeth or indeed is in any holy and diuine exercise so much the more mad and malicious is Sathan to oppose him especially when he betaketh himselfe to holy prayer whereof no true child of God is or can be ignorant he cannot but find that Sathan thogh vnseene standeth at his right hand at his elbow laying before the eye of his mind infinite idle and vnholy thoughts not to be nuÌ„bred or declared either to peruert or vtterly to hinder his faith zeale that sometimes with seeming though counterfeit diuine thoughts As when in the mayd he spake seeming commendably crying of Paul and other Apostles saying These men are the seruants of the most high God which shew vnto you the way of saluation Act 16.16 17. But what intended he by this his flattery onely to hinder Paul the rest from prayer a worke that offends him most and makes vs most happy Therefore when he flattereth a man most as perswading him that hee hath graces and holy giftes enough hee needs seeke no more of God he may saue his labor of praying he may take his case and betake himselfe to his wonted worldly affaires he needs not bee so curious in reading the Word or hearing Sermons he hath knowledge sufficient and in the right way to happines and may take more pleasure and delight in many other things to his better content And thus are too many ouermuch lulled asleepe by these most dangerous inchantments of Sathan especially when he coueteth to deceiue by his crafty vndermining men vnder his counterfet shew of being an Angell of light Hauing then such a dangerous enemy more malicious then the red Dragon more wiâ—y and subtill then the crooked Serpent and more strong then the roaring Lyon We had need to craue wisedome to preuent his subtilties and strength to withstand his forces for being ignoraÌ„t of his stratagems and weake to encounter his malice we can neither speake vnto God in our prayers which are the principall weapons to wound and put backe the force of this enemy nor with true desire attentiue eare a feeling heart constant resolution firme faith heare God speaâ—e vnto vs by his holy Messengers and Ministers the life of our soules and truest happinesse It behoueth vs therefore to labour to haue the eyes of our minds inlightned and to be filled with all spirituall prudence and wisdome that wee may bee able to discouer his deceiuing intisements to auoyd hâ—s forged â—laâ—teries and to withstand his deadly tentations let vs indeauor by continuall prayer to God that in vs may be created and confirmed a strong and liuely faith pâ—rfect and constant zeale to serue the liuing God and an holy iealousie ouer our selues lest Sathan cirâ—umuent vs with his secret and subtill intisements in stealing away our mindes and estranging our thoughts from heauen and heauenly things from God in Christ in our holy Meditations and Prayers A Prayer for Gods holy assistance against Sathan who indeauoureth to hinder our most godly prayers fit to bee said in all tentations O Holy mercifull louing and most powerfull Lord God who sittest in the heauens and extendest thy power ouer all the powers in heauen earth who hast the rule and absolute gouernment of all thy creatures and to whom all Principalities Powers Angels and spirits doe obey Consider I humbly pray thee the malignity and malice of that reprobate
or his prayers sake but for thy best beloued Soâ—nes sake and such onely prayers as proceed from thine owne Spirit Fulfill therefore good Father all my godly desires through Christ Iesus Amen Let vs pray that wee may pray A Prayer to God for the helpe of his holy Spirit and other blessings Spirituall and Corporall comprehending the most needfull blessings fit at all times for all men to bee desired GRacious Lord God and most louing in Iesus Christ thou hast of thine owne free fauour willed all men in all their troubles dangers and wants of Spirituall and corporall things to come vnto thee to aske in the Name of thy Sonne and they shall receiue whatsoeuer they faithfully pray for to seeke helpe of thee and they shall finde it in due and conuenient time to knocke and they shall be admitted into thy holy presence But good Father as thou hast thus commanded me worke in me power truely to performe what thou commandest to pray I am of my selfe dull to seeke I am by nature blinde to knock I am weake and therefore thou seemest to command things to mee impossible to be effectually performed say therefore vnto mee and performe it namely that thy Spirit may bee a sufficient helpe vnto me Thou well knowest mine insufficiencie Lord for I cannot of my selfe thinke a good thought how then can I of my selfe pray and obtaine seeke and finde what I want or knock and bee heard This sacred vertue none by nature hath it is of thine owne free Grace and they onely to whom thou vouchsafest thine owne Spirit to helpe their weakenesse such in deed can faithfully aske such can dilligently seeke and constantly knock they onely obtaine what they aske they finde what they seeke and they are heard and admitted into thy presence when they knock Oh! admit me Lord into the number of them to whom thou hast vouchsafed this blessed priuiledge for they belong onely to the truely faithfull to such as thou hast chosen of thine owne purpose whom thou hast made fit to aske apt to seeke and constant to knock Apt I am to aske many things because I want manie and I know thou art able and willing to grant euery good thing But I am ignorant so to aske as I may obtaine for I know not what to aske as I ought and therefore though I often aske I receiue not because I aske amisse tending my prayers rather to the obtayning of carnall then Spirituall and heauenly riches and finde them not because thou seest the granting of them rather hurtfull then profitable vnto me Send therefore deare Father send downe thine holy Spirit who onely knoweth how and for what to pray though I bee ignorant of hee knoweth thy will though I bee weake he is powerfull and though I be corrupt He is holy as thou art holy â—ee onely knoweth my wants and how they may bee supplied Therfore none but he Lord can make my Petitions effectuall none but he can speake for me with me and in me Good Father denie him not vnto me leaue mee not destitute of his helpe When he commeth he shall teach mee all things fit for mee to learne hee will prompt and tell mee what is fit for me to aske he will prepare my heart hee will rectifie mine affections he will abandon my darkenesse deadnesse and dulnesse he will vntie my faultring tongue and open my closed lippes hee will inlarge my knowledge and increase my faith If I pray without the helpe of this thy blessed Spirit I doe but vtter a bare voyce O Lord which cannot come into thy presence nor returne any comfort to mine owne soule but speaking in and by him I shall assuredly bee heard for when I pray sinceerely and effectually in deed it proceedeth not from mee but from thine owne Spirit that speaketh in mee and beareth the greatest burden of my prayers though the words passe thorow my lippes they are not mine but his Holy Father euer louing louing in Iesus Christ inkindle mine inward godly desires through the heauenly heate of that Sacred fire touch my tongue with that celestiall cole from thine Alter then shall my heart be prepared then shall my lippes be opened then shall I speake with my tongue according to the meaning of thine owne Spirit then shall mine vnderstanding be inlarged then shall I appâ—ehend thy mercie and fully enioy thy fauour in Christ my Redeemer then shall I finde and feele in my heart an assured testimony that my prayers are come vp into thy presence then shall my guilty conscience burdened with sinne be eased and all my wants spirituall and corporall outward and inward bee fully and timely supplied and all my feare bee remooued and all things howsoeuer seeming contrary shall worke together yea together to my perpetuall peace and comfort in thee Then shall I receiue in this corrupt and weake vessell of dust the Image of my Redeemer bring forth the fruits of his Kingdome and euen here feele and be assured to bee sealed vp in the number of thine Elect Saints and enioy the glorie of that future Kingdome in full which heere I partake and know but in part according to that measure of knowledge which it hath pleased thee through thy holy Spirit to reueale vnto mee in this mortality where yet I finde the merits of my Redeemer preuayling to the washing away of my sinnes I heare his voyce and heere desire to follow him and to obey thee in him submitting my selfe to vndergoe whatsoeuer crosse for his sake as hee endured the death of the Crosse for mine euermore looking for longing to be dissolued freed from this worlds vanities and to bee partaker of the glory which by his death hee hath purchased for all that in faith and holy desire Looke for his second comming for which all that are guided by that thy Sacred Spirit inwardly and dayly cry Come Lord Iesus come quickly and end these dayes of sinne In the meane time thou knowest louing Father that I am inforced to bee combred about manie things of faâ—re inferiour condition following the things of my worldly calling which much hinder mee in the performance of better things and which often hinder the liuely working of thy holy Spirit in me I am much and often oppressed with the strength of mine owne inherent corruption often assayled by that my deadly enemie Satan who seeketh by all meanes to stop the course of thy Spirit in mee But thy Grace is sufficient to preuent him for me Thou knowest also deare Father that I am much and often afflicted heere and stand subiect to many and seuerall tryals as to Sicknesse of the body danger of the decay and losse of my Limbes and the vertue and vse of my Senses vnto Pouertie Enimies and Persecution for the constant profession of thy sincere Religion vnder the burden and feare of these ineuitable miseries I should faint but that I know thee and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ and haue the assistance
of an euill Childe comming into shame and deepest danger with the error of his sonne when as good Children are the gifts God in mercie to the Parents and wicked ones a punishment not so much to the Parents as to themselues Though euery man would willingly haue good Children yet the best men haue had and oft haue wicked Children Adam the first man had wicked Caine. Abraham had an Ismael Izaake an Esau Dauid a rebellious Absolom and an incestious Ammon good Eli had two wicked sonnes Hophnie and Phineas Infinite are the examples yet no doubt these good men gaue good instructions to these their erronious issues whereby it appeareth that it is not in good men to beget good Children neither doth it follow that wicked men alwayes propagate wicked Children God frames both in the wombe giues them life and frames their hearts wills and affections It resteth onely then for Parents of vngodly Children to pray for their reformation and to leaue them to God in whose counsell it is determined what shall be the ends of such as feare not him nor reuerence man A Prayer for the reformation of vngodly and disobedient Children and for patience in Parents not ouermuch to afflict themselues for their irreconciliable stubbornenesse and disobedience HEare the words of my mouth O Lord and consider the meditations and sorrowes of my heart for my spirit is full of heauinesse I am vexed and sore greeued for that they whom thou gauest mee for a blessing are turned to my griefe sorrow and shame I confesse that mine owne sinnes haue prouoked thee to anger against mee and thy displeasure appeareth in that they whom I receiued as a comfort from thee are become not onely disobedient to mee but as it were rebellious against thee and thy counsell Thou art a God that louest not wickednesse and thou hatest iniquity and it cannot be hid from thee what I haue done my neglect in trayning my Children in thy feare thou mayst lay vnto my charge yet thou knowest I haue laboured to winne them vnto thee if it haue beene in vaine thou hast wisdome and power to supply in them what is defectiue in me to giue them I haue endeuoured to make them to know thee and to walke in thy wayes but they haue contemned mine instructions and cast my counsells behinde their backs they will not bee reclaymed from their vanities They forget thee the God of power to punish them and the God of mercie to receiue comfort such as returne from their sinnes to thee Lord it is onely in thee to reclaime them as thou diddest the prodigall son whom thou vouchsafest to receiue vnto mercie after his long going astray no man erreth so farre whom thou canst not recall Oh recall these that erre reduce them back to the sheepe-fold of thy Saints They are the worke of thine owne hands though I wretched man begate them in corruption and their mother conceiued them in sinne and bare them in misery these are no hindrance vnto the worke of thy Grace in them for what is or hath beene the man that hath not had the like beginning thine owne begotten Sonne excepted Enoch that walked vprightly before thee Abraham the Father of the faithfull Eliah and Iohn Baptist and all thine elect vessels came by nature of the same corrupt seed yet thou wert pleased to sanctifie them haddest thou left them vnto their owne original nature they had bin as one of these that lift vp their heeles against not me but thee Lord giue them Grace Wisdome and Vnderstanding Faith and Obedience they are onely thine to giue I may bee as the hand to giue them as from thee food for their bodies wherby by thy blessing they grow and I may sow the seeds of my best knowledge of thy worke in their outward eares but vnlesse thou plow vp the fallow ground of their hearts that it may take roote it cannot fructifie Consider gracious Father that they are of the polluted seede of Adam yet be thou pleased to accept them as thine admit them into thy fauour and guide them by thy Grace in a religious conuersation that they may cease to doe euill cleaue vnto that which is good and walke before thee be vpright TheÌ„ shal they serue thee I shall prayse thee for their reformation and saluation Let neither their sinnes nor mine any more prouoke thee to anger lest thy seuere iudgements should fall vpon them shame grief vpon vs their parents But their repentance Lord shall bee our comfort and wee shall reioyce in their conuersion and not onely wee but all the godly shall reioyce at their returne into the Spirituall societie of thy Saints Grant it gracious Lord for thy Christs sake whose righteousnes make theirs and his merrits a sufficient satisfaction for theirs and for the sins of all that haue erred as they haue done Amen Lord increase in them the holy feare of thy Name Faith Obedience vnto thee giue me grace with patience to waite their holy reformation A Christian incouragement to all that feare God not to bee daunted at the threats power and policies of whatsoeuer enemies be they neuer so many in multitude or seeming strong in armes fit vpon occasion to be taken into consideration to which is added a prayer for Gods holy protection and defence of his in whatsoeuer danger THey that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion that can neuer be mooued but remaine fast for euer And as the mountaines are about Ierusalem so is the Lord about them that trust in him from generation to generation Wherof holy Dauid had good experience who through the assurance of Gods presence with him his loue towards him and power ouer him could say with a bould and vndaunted spirit If an Host pitched against mee my heart should not be affrayd He alwayes found the redie helpe wherewith God euer assisted him and the true performance of Gods promises at all times in all his dangers and therefore assured himselfe that if tenne thousand of the people did rise against him and beseâ— him round about he would not be affrayde He was in many dangers and wonderfull his deliuerances were as appeareth by diuine History God is not the God of Dauid onely because hee was a King and a man chosen after Gods owne heart but the God of all them that faâ—thfully trust in him of good kings godly subiects through all generations to the end of the world whereof no nation hath had more manifest proofe though vnworthy then wee And therefore bee our dangers neuer so great or many God sheweth himselfe to haue euer as many meanes to deliuer vs. Saluation belongeth to him alone and his blessings are vpon them that call faithfully vpon him Hezekiah sore terrified at the threats blasphemies of Tartan Rabsaries and Rabsakeh the seruants of Senacherib who by his blasphemous letters reuiled not Hezekiah onely but high Iehouah himselfe Hezekiah therefore prayed vnto the
and by sinne I offend and displease thee and in thy displeasure is death O preuent me Lord therfore from sinfull feeding my foolish mind with false felicitie as to repose my happinesse in the things of this life in health riches honour beautie carnall friends worldly wisdome pleasures delights ease which are not worthy in respect of true happinesse in deed to bee the least esteemed Giue me therefore here O Lord euen in this life an entrance into true happinesse send foorth thy Spirit and breath life into my dead soule transforme me into thine own image from glory to glory by thy Spirit withdraw me from delight in the vanities of this life for as long as I delight in the pleasing things of this world I am farre from happinesse and it lies not in my power to restrain my heart from that which naturally I affect I cannot subdue the corruption of mine owne nature but that which is impossible to mee is possible with thee declare therefore thy great power in mercy vpon me I am by nature wretched miserable and poore and naked a most vnhappy man yet such is my blindnesse that I see it not I feele not mine owne vnhappinesse Lord remooue that darknesse from me and graunt that seeing I may see mine owne errour and in hearing I may vnderstand and take the right way to felicitie work faith in my heart that I may taste how gracious thou art in working in me a new heart a new mind and new affections holy and heauenly the beginning here of happinesse to come Make mee to feele the peace of a good conscience let my faith be seen through obedience vnto thee let me feele in my soule through faith the merits of thy Son working the assurance of the remission of my sinnes and assured hope of the enioying of my finall felicity and endlesse happinesse in heauen None are truly happy or blessed but such as thou dost chuse cause to come vnto thee for none can come vnto thee but whom thou callest and they onely are iustified whom thou iustifiest them wilt thou glorifie and whom thou glorifiest are and none else truly happy Carry me therefore gracious Lord carry me by the wings of thy mercy and by the strength of thy fauour in Christ my Sauiour into that heauenly Canaan the inheritance of them that are in Christ Iesus elected to saluation Let me euen here in this base outward forme of an vnhappy man behold thee through faith in thy word let mee behold thy face in righteousnesse for in the liuely beholding of thee is the fulnes of ioy and highest happinesse in this life O that the time would therefore speedily come wherein I being dissolued may see thee my Sauiour face to face when this my mortall body shall be quickened and made like vnto thy glorious body for I know thou wilt keepe vnto the end that which I haue committed vnto thee both my soule and body to bee glorified and made happie though I yet see not what I shall be and therfore when thou wilt I will willingly lay down my life and commit my soule vnto thee my God through Iesus Christ as vnto my most faithfull Creator and louing Redeemer to whom with the holy Ghost bee all glory for euer Amen The consummation and full perfection of our happinesse shall be When wee shall bee made partakers of the diuine Nature 2. Pet. â— v. 4. When Christ shall tranâ—forme our base bodies that they may bee like the glorious body of Christ Phil. 3. v. 21. When she shall perfectly enioy those things which eye hath not seen nor the eare heard nor euer entred into the heart of man to coâ—ceiue which God hath prepared for them that loue him 1. Cor. 2 11.9 Who then or what shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ in and by whom wee haue firme hope to attaine vnto this so great happinesse neither tribulation nor anguish nor persecution nor famine nor nakednesse nor perill nor the sword Romanes 8. verse 35. Which God for his Christes sake graunt to whome with the Holy Ghost be ascribed all glory for euer Amen The principall things contained in this Booke A Meditation or Consultation what are the best things that men in this life should principally ayme at to attaine vnto highest happinesse c. Fol. 1. A motiue to Prayer against the temptations of Sathan c. 18 A Prayer for Gods holy assistance against Sathan 23. A Meditation to stirre vs vp when wee are vnapt to pray 29. A Prayer to God for the helpe of his holy Spirit and other blessings spirituall and corporall c. 35. A motiue to begin the day with Prayer 54. A Prayer fit to bee vsed euery morning 57. A motiue to Prayer before a man 〈…〉 65. A Prayer for a man before hee goes to hiâ—â—â—ghtly rest 70. A most comfortable incouragement to all poore and distressed men to vndergoe whatsoeuer trouble with patience c. and may serue as a motiue to some prayers that follow viz. 77. A generall Prayer in whatsoeuer troubles and affections with a confâ—ssion that sinne is the cause of them 103 A Prayer for a man hindred by 〈…〉 kind of 〈…〉 lawfull takings c. 114 A consideration or consultation touching the estates and conditions of seuerall men c. necessary for all men that hope of any blessing vpon their labors Trauels Professions Artes Trades or Jmployments 124 A Prayer that God will blesse and prosper our labours and endeauors in whatsoeuer calling 139 A Prayer for a man whose Calling requireth Journeyes by land or sea 149 A motiue to a Prayer for patience in godly Parents that are affâ—icted in minde for the disobedience and vngodly liues of their children c. 150 A Prayer for the reformation of vngodly and disobedient children and for patience in Parents c. 166 A Christian incouragement to all that feare God act to bee 〈◊〉 at the threats 〈◊〉 and policies of whatsoeuer enemies c. To which is added a Prayer for Gods holy protection and defence of his in whatsoeuer danger 173 A Prayer to God that hee will defend vs from our strongest enemies with Thankesgiuing to God for our former deliuerances 189 A necessary motiue to stirre vs vp to a holy desire to resort to the Temple of God to pray vnto him with the Congregation and to heare his VVord c. 198 A Prayer to God that hee will prepare our hearts to the visiting of his holy Temple to heare his Word to pray vnto him and to praise him 219 A Prayer for true happinesse which shall be consummate only in heauen 226 FINIS