every Communion c. to a particular confession and bewayling of them Thou maist set them downe in a paper Qu. 2. What would I desire God to doe for me if I were sure to obtaine my wish of him Thy heart will answer O that God would please to forgive my sinnes such and such O that hee would give unto me stedfast faith in the Lord Iesus the grace of Perseverance Health c. Set downe the particulars 3. Qu. What speciall favours and blessings hath God bestowed on mee from my infancie till now for which I owe him all possible thankesgiving Thy heart will make answer such and such a time hee delivered mee from danger from death c. made such a man to be my friend gave mee a husband a wife preferment c. Thus if thou signifie to God thy hatred of those sinnes want and hearty desire of those graces thankesgiving for those blessings Exercise will make this easie and Christs spirit that great master of requests will be ready to draw thy petitions for thee prompting thee with sit words and holy affections thou shalt make thy prayers unto him and hee shall heare thee and if thou seeke him hee will be found Iob 22. 27. Doe this daily it will bee no hinderance to thy worldly employments No man ever lost by serving God Meat and Mattens hinder no mans thrift Godlinesse hath the Promise for as hee rideth not furthest that goes early out on a bad horse c. or hee that is early up at his busines with blunt and dull-edged tooles but weaâ—ies himselfe and mars his worke so he prospers not best that goes about his calling before he hath seasoned his heart with holy meditations reading and prayer to God Exod. 40. 5. Thou shalt set the Altar of Gold for the Incense before the Arke of the Testimonie Exod. 30. 7. Aaron shall burne thereon sweet Incense every morning vers 8 and at Even hee shall burne incense upon it a perpetuall incense before the Lord. Levit. 16. 12. He shall take a censer full of burning coales of fire from off the Altar before the Lord and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small and bring it within the veile vers 13. And hee shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord that the cloud of the incense may cover the Mercie-seat that is upon the Testimonie Holy Incense for the the Censers of the Saints Or Selected Sentences of holy Scripture furnâ—shing with materialls and serving as Formes of Prayer according to the heads of the former Method PREPARATION LEt us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens Unto thee lift I up mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the heavens DESCRIPTIONS of GOD. O God the God of the Spirits of all flesh Thou art a God ready to pardon gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindenesse O thou that hearest prayers Thou Lord that createdst the heavens and stretchedst them out that spreadest foorth the earth and that which commeth out of it that givest breath unto the people upon it and spirit to them that walke therein The God in whose hand our breath is and whose are all our wayes The high and lofty One that inhabitest eternity whose name is holy who dwellest in the high and holy place c. The living God and the everlasting King Who hast made the earth by thy power and hast established the world by thy wisedome and stretched out the heavens by thy discretion That formest the mountaines and createst the wind declarest unto man what is his thought that makest the morning darkenesse and treadest upon the high places of the earth The blessed and onely Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Who onely hast immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approch unto whom no man hath seene or can see The Lord of Hoasts which dwelleth betweene the Cheâ—uâ—ims Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot containe thee Thine is the Kingdome O Lord and thou art exalted as head above all Both riches and honour come of thee and thou reignest over all and in thine hand is power and might and in thine hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all Behold even to the Moone and it shineth not yea the Stars are not pure in his sight O Lord my God thou art very great thou art cloathed with honour and Majesty Who coverest thy selfe with light as with a garment who stretchest out the heavens like a curtaine The nations are as a drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the ballance hee taketh up the Isles as a very little thing All nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse than nothing and vanity It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the Earth and the inhabitants thereof are as grashoppers that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtaine and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in O Lord of Hoasts that trieth the righteous and seest the reines and the heart The Lord which giveth the Sunne for a light by day and the ordinances of the Moone and of the Stars for a light by night which divideth the Sea when the waves thereof roare the Lord of Hoasts is his name Lord God behold thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arme and there is nothing too hard for thee Thou shewest loving kindnesse unto thousands and recompencest the iniquity of the Fathers into the bosome of their children after them the great the mighty God the Lord of hoasts is his name Great in Councell and mighty in worke for thine eyes are open upon all the wayes of the Sonnes of men to give every one according to his wayes and according to the fruit of his doings The King whose name is the Lord of Hoasts Him that maketh the seaven Stars and Orion and turneth the shaddow of death into the morning and maketh the day darke with night that calleth for the waters of the Sea and powreth them out upon the face of the earth the Lord is his name He that buildeth his stories in the heaven and hath founded his troupe in the earth Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because hee delighteth in mercie He rebuketh the Sea and maketh it dry and drieth up all the Rivers I hou art of purer eyes then to behold evill and canst not looke on iniquity Descriptions of God from his Mercie and long-suffering Exod 34. 6. 2 Pet. 3. 9. 2 Chron. 30. 9. Nehem. 9. 31. Psal 103. 8. 11. 13. 17. Mic. 7. 18. 19. Rom. 2. 4. Gracious Promises Gen. 3
sicknesses crosses temptations for ordinary and extraordinary favors for desired successe in our labors and vocations for blessing the workes of our hands upon us in the day and for preserving and refreshing us with sweet sleepe in the night and finally all blessings of what kinde soever may here as occasion is offered yea must be remembred with thankful acknowledgement unto God not onely verbally with our lips and tongue but vitally and really in a holy conversation shining in our life lest it be verifyed of us which our Saviour saith concerning the Lepers Were there not ten cleansed but where are the nine There are not found that returned to give glory unto God c. Luk. 17. 17. 18. FINIS Methodi Causes of Distraction in PRAYER Ex P. M. 1. THe naturall lightnesse of our spirits that have much adoe to stay themselves and keepe long in one state 2 Because divine things are farre off from our senses now they are the senses which tye our attention as the sight of the Preacher workes a deeper impression in the hearers 3 Because of our lusts as hatred covetousnesse ambition which being bent to their naturall center will bee setling 4 Because of the Devill who stirs up our lusts and foysteth in vaine thoughts when we pray because Prayer is the maine ram that batters downe the wals of his kingdome Helpes against it 1 A Voice in prayer for the thought alone is easily distracted 2 Darkenesse and the removing of all objects that may distract 3 Be short in thy prayers and pray the oftner Eccles 5. 4 Mortifie our lusts for they clip the wings of our prayers pride covetousnesse wantonnesse cholâ—er 5 Meditate before you pray of Gods greatnesse of his judgements of our sinnes c. The godly man will bee sorry for judge and condemne himselfe for his distraction formalitie deadnesse of spirit c. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth Psal 145 18 to this man will I looke even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in heaven and thou upon earth therefore let thy words be few Take heed thou give not the sacrifice of fooles if thou offer the lame and the sicke unto thy governour will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person Cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flocke a male and voweth and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing Offer incense unto his name and a pure offering whatsoever thine heart prayeth let it bee heartily with all thy might labour for the spirit of prayer which the Lord promiseth to his faithfull ones the Spirit of grace and of supplications for know that 1 A very hypocrite may pray and that as one would thinke very zealously both with others and also apart by himselfe For is the true Christian sometimes hot in prayer hee will sweat is the humbled soule sorrowfull he wil weepe and blubber doth the sincere heart sigh softly hee will cry out amaine with a great and exceeding bitter cry as Esau Blesse me even mee also O my father It stands us therefore in hand to looke that our hearts bee right in the sight of God 2 For what is the hope of the hypocrite will hee delight himselfe in the Almighty will hee alwayes call upon God no for in more grievous crosses he sometimes hath not one word to blesse himselfe withall yet hee sometimes may then seeke God early they powred out their prayer when thy chastning was upon them 3 In thy Praying seeke Gods face herein the hypocrite is too blame hee prayes out of selfe-respects for base ends and out of pride and vaine glory hee prayes more often more zealously with others than alone by himselfe to his father in secret not with all manner of prayer c. the touchstone of prayer is giving of thankes in which he is seldome about which he does but bungle 4 Make not prayer thy end in praying but use it in good sadnesse as a meanes to bee enabled against corruptions and to get grace the hypocrites are lazie lip-prayers hee feeles not sinne like a mountaine of leade lying on his conscience hee sees not a want of grace c. he puts not to the shoulder he useth not the meanes for the atteining of what hee prayes his hands labour not his feet bestirre them not so fast as his tongue hee prayes against sinne yet lives wickedly hee prayes for health c. and yet lives riotously intemperately would I had such and such a grace but hee is not sicke of love nor earnest for those graces hee desireth he never breaketh his sleep for the matter hee hungers not thirsts not for righteousnesse Hunger will breake stone walsand the sincere Christian will have no nay like Rachel give mee children give me this and this grace or I die hee useth the meanes O that my wayes were so directed Like as the Hart brayeth for the water brookes my soule-breaketh for the longing that it hath 5 Pray without ceasing persevere in prayer and faint not never thinke thy selfe to have too much heavenly society and talke with God acquaint thy selfe still more with the Almighty The hypocrite is inconstant fickle off and on Wicked men and hypocrites have taken up a course of prayer and breeding and custome have wrought a kind of conscience in some but they but lust with Balaam let mee die the death of 2. They alwayes have one pad one forme 3. From the lips or braines not from the spirit 4. At randome as men shoot not minding how their arrow lights or speeds 5. They begin and end in themselves with their owne strength for their owne particular ends not for the Church Meanes of PREPARATION to Prayer 1 CLense our soules from the guilt of foule sinnes those lately committed Wash you make you cleane The Iewes and Turkes wash their bodies wash thou thy soule in the brinish teares of sincere sorrow 2 Sequester our thoughts from worldly cares goe up into the mount retire thy selfe some little while before thou prayest outward things stifle our prayers and make them hang the wing 3 Consider we have to doe with God come with feare and trembling into his presence not rushing on a consuming fire Three Questions to bee asked of our selves the serious answer whereunto will stirre up and furnish every babe in Christ to cry Abba father with faith feeling and fervencie Q. 1. VVHat sins have I committed all my life long that lie heavie on my conscience and would affright my soule if I were now to die This Question sincerely answered wil drive thee to a scrutinie and searching them out as the Iewes did Leaven before the Passeover and very seasonable for Christians before
and of thy glory where is thy zeale and thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards me are they restrayned Doubelesse thou art our father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledgeth us not thou O Lord art our father our Redeemer thy name is from everlasting Awake awake put on strength O arme of the Lord awake as in the ancient dayes in the generations of old Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon thou art King of Kings and Lord of Lords Shew thy marveilous loving kindnesse O thou that savest by thy right hand those which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them c Awake why sleepest thou O Lord arise cast us not off for ever Wherefore hidest thou thy face and forgettest our affliction and oppression Let them all be confounded and turned backe that hate Zion c. Let their flesh consume away while they stand upon their feete and their eyes consume away in their holes and their tongues consume away in their mouth Ezek. 11. 16. Isay 40. 11. Blesse every member of the Catholike Church in what place in what case soever women with child blesse them with safe deliverie make them joyfull mothers of children young children blesse them with religious education Seafarring men blesse them with prosperous navigation Husbandmen blesse thou them with plentifull harvests and encrease Captives blesse thou with enlargement Prisoners with repentance and amendment M. Valent. VNCALLED Raise up the Tabernacle of David that is falne and close up the breaches thereof and bee gracious to the remnant of Ioseph that the Day-spring from on high may visite and give light to them that sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death to guide their feete into the way of peace Those other sheepe which thou hast which are not yet of thy folde them also doe thou bring in and make them to heare thy voyce A a shepherd seeketh out his flocke in the day that hee is among his sheepe that are scattered so will I seeke out my sheepe and will deliver them out of all places where they have beene scattered in the cloudy and darke day And I will bring them out from the people and gather them from the countries and I will bring them to their own land and feed them upon the mountaines of Israell by the rivers and in all the inhabited places of the countrey vid. Ezek. 37. 21. 22. I will surely assemble O Iacob all of thee I will surely gather the remnant of Israell I will put them together as the sheepe of Bozrah as the flocke in the middest of their fold they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men CALLED Keepe them as the apple of an eye though Satan like a roaring Lyon goe about seeking whom hee may devoure yet give them not over unto the will of their enemie but upon all the glory let there bee thy defence Lord blesse this land compasse it with thy favour as with a shield Lord doe thou keep it and water it every moment lest any hurt it keepe thou it night and day The KINGS most excellent Majestie Let the soule of my Lord be bound in the bundle of life with thee and the soules of his enemies them cast out as from the middle of a sling Make his seed to endure for ever and his throne as the daies of heaven Prolong the Kings life and his yeares as many generations and that hee may abide with thee for ever O prepare mercy and truth which may preserve him Our renowned and gracious Soveraigne the breath of our nostrils the annoynted of the Lord let his house and throne be established for ever and set him as blessings unto his people Keepe him as the apple of thine eye hide him under theÌ„ shadow of thy wings From the wicked that oppresse him from his deadly enemies that compasse him about His seed doe thou establish for ever and build up his throne to aâ—â— generations Let his seed endure for ever and his throane as the Sunne before thee give him a long life a prosperous raigne that none of all the Kings may bee like him His enemies cloath with shame but on himselfe let his Crowne flourish Let his glory bee great in thy salvation crowne him with outward blessings with inward graces with long life satisfie thou him and shew him thy salvation give him riches and glory that none of the Kings may be like him As thou hast annoynted him to bee ruler of thy people so give him a wise and understanding heart to goe out and come in before this great people that he may governe over them inthy feare serving thee with a willing mind Bee thou unto him a father and make him unto theâ—â— thy sonne Blesse also thy servants house and let it be established before thee make a covenant with him as thou didst with David let the Angell of the Lord pitch round about him let not the sonnes of wickednesse approach neere to hurt him Blesse his Counsell with wisedome his Iudges with integrity his Magistrates with courage his people with obedience his Armies with victorie his raigne with peace M. Val. The LORDS of the Privie Councell Enforme thon his Councellers after thy will and teach his Senators wisedome that judgement may runne downe as waters and righteousnesse as a mighty streame that they may aske at thy mouth that counsell which they shall mister unto their Soveraigne that they may bee to us in stead of eyes filled with the spirit of God in wisedome As they be famous in the congregation and men of renowne so they may be as Gods knowing good and evill that all the counsell which they counsell may bee as if a man should enquire at the Oracle of God MAGISTRACIE And that judgement may not be turned into gall nor the fruit of righteousnesse into hemlocke give courage to our rulers that they may execute justice truely in the gates that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty MINISTERIE And thou who art the Lord of the harvest send our labourers into thy harvest that those which are ordained to eternall life may be saved and let the worke of the Lord prosper in their hand The Chariots of Israel and the horse-men thereof Let thy Thummim and thy Urime be with thy holy one who observe thy word and keepe thy Covenant that they may teach Iaeob thy judgements and Israel thy Law they shall put incense before thee and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine Altar Blesse Lord their substance and accept the worke of their hands smite through the loines of them that rise against them and of them that hate them that they