dishonest and fleshly lusts let not the heate of vnlawfull concupiscene take hold of me but make me to bee fully pleased and satisfied with her loue and to loue her as Christ loued his Church to cherish and comfort her as mine owne bodie and to haue as great a care of her health as of mine owne Grant that we may liue in peace without debate in vnity without discord like the members of one bodie equally desirous to praise thy holy Name And as thou hast O Lord bestowed many children vpon vs giue vs discreet hearts and vnderstanding mindes to bring them vp in thy Faith and Feare in a religious honest and ciuill manner Giue them obedient hearts to thee and to thy commandements and to all that thou requirest of them to be performed in duety towards vs their Parents Keepe them from those which are ready to seduce them and so lead them in thy Faith Feare and Knowledge that they prooue not a curse but a blessing vnto vs and thereby attaine to that blessing which thou hast promised to those which honor and obey their Parents Grant likewise O Lord that I may guide and instruct the familie which is vnder me in thy feare and in honest and carefull manner prouide as well for their bodies as their soules And giue them the like Grace O Lord to performe their duties in feare and obedience not as eye-seruers but in simplicitie of heart as in thy sight And giue vs O Lord a competencie of estate to mainetaine our selues children and family according to that ranke or calling wherein thou of thy goodnesse hast placed vs without excesse riot or vaine-glory and in singlenesse and purenesse of heart with all humility relying vpon thy blessed will who knowest better then wee our selues what is needfull for vs To thee be all Honour and Glory now and for euer For a married Woman O Mercifull and louing Lord God who in the beginning for the propagation of mankinde didst take Eue out of the side of Adam Gen. 2.22 and gaue her to him as an helper Gen. 2.20 I giue thee humble thankes that thou hast vouchsafed to call me to the honourable estate of Matrimony Giue me grace O Lord that I may lead a life worthy thereof that I may loue my husband with a pure and chaste loue acknowledge him for my Head and truly reuerence and obay him in all good things that thereby I may please him and liue quietly with him Grant that I bee not carried away with the vaine fashions of this World but may put on such habits as shal be agreeable and suitable with the estate of my husband and may become a modest woman to weare Helpe me O Lord that I may vnder him prudently and discreetly guide and gouerne his houshould and family and carefully looke that nothing be either carelesly lost or wickedly committed in my house Fit me with those good Graces which the wise man described in a good woman Pro. 31. and Saint Peter in Holy and Sanctified Matrons Giue me such care 1. Pet. 3. concerning the education of my Children as belongeth to my part that I may liue to see them prosper in this life and afterwards we may all be receiued to thy eternall Kingdome through Iesus Christ our Lord. For a Childe O Almighty Lord God to whom the obedience of Children to their Parents is most acceptable and all disobedience most displeasing who hast promised a Blessing to the dutifull and threatned a curse Exod. 20. to the disobedient children I beseech thee to put away from me the detestable sinne of disobedience and rebellion against my Parents and giue me grace to obserue them with all kinde of dutie to obey them in all their iust commands and to be aiding and helpefull to them at all time of their need Giue me grace to beare all their reproofes and errors patiently and not to grieue them by stubborne and euill courses Let me not bee so farre depriued of thy Grace that I scoffe or deride them though by age or infirmitie they shall faile in their Iudgement or Reason but cause me to supply their wants lest that I hauing plenty and they being in any neede or distresse I not supplying it nor succouring them their liues to whom I owe mine may be in danger to be shortned Lord forgiue all the offences which I haue heretofore committed against them Increase the number of their dayes keepe them safe in body and minde let them see their Childrens Children to their comfort and thy Glory Let them gouerne vs and the rest of their family with wholsome Discipline and good example that at the last they may in their due time depart this life in peace and come to thy Kingdome vnspotted through Iesus Christ our Lord. For a woman with Childe O Blessed Lord God who for the offence of the first woman Gen. 3.16 didst denounce and impose an ineuitable curse vpon all her posterity namely that they should conceiue in sinne and bee subiect to many grieuous paines and should bring forth their children with great danger Asswage I beseech thee of thy goodnesse the sharpnesse of that decree and preserue mee that I may ouercome and escape this great danger and be deliuered of the fruite of my body without perill of death and that it may safely be brought to the Sacred Font of Baptisme and be regenerated and ingraffed into the mysticall body of Christ and be made partaker of his death and passion And as thou hast of thy bounty giuen bodily life to it and me so grant to vs both life spirituall and so Sanctifie our Bodies and Soules heere that hereafter we may liue among thy blessed Saints for euer in the life to come For a young man or Maid O Lord forasmuch as I am at these yeares in the heate of the flesh and in the most dangerous time of my life I beseech thee take not thy mercy and fatherly prouidence from me but by how much the greater danger of tentations I am in with so much the more care let thy grace preserue me lest happily I become a prey to mine enemies who goe about to load me with so many sinnes that if they preuaile I shall neuer of my selfe to get from vnder the burthen of them But O mercifull Father distrusting in mine owne strength I betake my selfe wholly to thy protection and desire thee both now and euer to keepe me Let me not get that habit of sinning in my younger yeeres that I be forced in my age if I be not stifled before in my offences to be waile the sins of my youth and to say with Dauid Remember not O Lord Psal 25.6 the offences of my youth but rather accustome me from this time forward to all goodnesse that I may daily more and more profit therein and that seruing thee with a pure heart now I may in mine age say with good King Ezekias O Lord remember I beseech
land of Righteousnesse Giue me grace O Lord. Rom. 7.18 To know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing To abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the Soule To keepe in minde alwayes that the world passeth away and the desires thereof and that the benefit which a man getteth by the world is nothing but destruction Truely to say Psal 119.52 I haue remembred thy euerlasting Iudgements and my Soule receiueth comfort thereby O Thou that a 1. Pet. 5.5 giuest grace to the humble giue me grace to be humble Giue me a good heart which Luc. 8.15 hearing thy Word may keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience O Lord Gen. 6.8 let me finde grace in thine eyes Heb. 12.17 Let me finde a place and time of Repentance Let me not receiue thy Grace in vaine 2. Cor. 6.1 Let Heb. 12.15 mee not faile or fall from it But Act. 13.43 let me continue in it And 2. Pet. 3.18 let me grow in it To the end of my daies 2. Cor. 7.11 Giue me O Lord the workes of RepentaÌ„ce Carefulnesse Defence or clearing my selfe Indignation Feare Vehement desire Zeale Reuenge Phil. 4.8 Giue mee Grace to thinke vpon doe Whatsoeuer things are True Venerable Honest Iust Pure Louely Of good report Giue vnto me ô Lord Humility of heart Charity to my Neighbour Patience of minde Temperance of life Chastity of body Contentednesse of minde Alacrity of Spirit Giue vnto me good Lord. Perfect knowledge of my sinnes Hearty sorrow for them Perfect hatred against them Feruent loue to all goodnesse True obedience to thy Will 2. Pet. 1.5 Giue mee grace O Lord to adde To faith Vertue To Vertue Knowledge To Knowledge Temperance To Temperance Patience To Patience Godlinesse To Godlinesse Brotherly Kindnesse To Brotherly kindnesse Charitie Gal. 5.22 Giue vnto me ô Lord the fruites of the spirit Loue Ioy Peace Long suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith Meekenesse Temperance Giue vnto mee good Lord. Contempt of the world Hatred of sinne Loathing of the flesh Desire of Heauen Giue vnto me O Lord. A right Faith to liue well A sure Hope to perseuere well A perfect Humility to obay well A true Charitie Neuer to be diuided from thee Giue mee grace O Lord To be content with that which â—s necessary To despise that which is superfluous Grant O Lord That I may so liue that I repent not to haue liued That I may so liue that no man may know I haue liued amisse That I may so liue that I may alwaies liue Luc. 2.29 That dying I may liue and liuing I may dye and say with a chearefull Spirit Lord now lettest thou thy Seruant depart in peace Phil. 1.23 I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ Prayers for Spirituall Graces O Blessed LORD Iesus Christ who art my only Tutor and instructer and from whom I haue learned whatsoeuer I know I beseech thee that thou wouldest further teach me those things whereof I am ignorant and which are necessary for my Saluation that thou wouldest keepe me in those things which I haue already learned and rectifie mee in those matters wherein as a man I erre strengthen mee and make mee firme whereinsoeuer I wauer and am doubtfull and keepe me from that which is erroneous and hurtfull Aboue all things O Sauiour strengthen my Faith and giue me grace dayly to profit in the knowledge and vnderstanding of thy Holy Word and so gouerne all my actions by thy Holy Spirit that my life may be answerable to my knowledge and that I may shew the fruites of whatsoeuer I haue learned by my good and religious conuersation Giue mee a firme and assured hope in thee and thy gratious promises that in all my troubles and necessities I may haue an assured confidence in thy mercy Be vnto me a strong tower of defence against mine enemies that whether the world allure me the Deuill assayle me or the flesh rebell I may flie vnto thee for refuge And although thou presently put not forth thy hand to helpe me but deferre thy comfort according to thy good pleasure yet keepe me from doubting or despairing of thy aid because thy promises are sure Giue me a feruent loue and perfect charity to my neighbour that I may be as kinde to him and as carefull of him as of one who is a member with mee of the same body whereof thou O sweete Sauiour art the Head Let my loue to him bee sincere and vnfained which may charitably releeue him in his wants patiently beare with his infirmities and willingly forgiue him all his trespasses against me Create in mee I beseech thee a pure milde peaceable and humble heart which may thinke harme to no man nor recompense euill for euill but good for iniuries Cleanse me from all vncleane and earthly desires and lift vp my heart to thee and Heauenly things and so write thy Lawes in it that I may wholly bend my selfe to keepe them and please thee perseuering in the same to my liues end Giue me O Lord true Compunction of heart and so water it with the dew of thy heauenly Grace that I may in the bitternesse of my soule with abundance of teares sighes and groanes bewaile and lament all my hainous and grieuous transgressions against thee Giue mee grace O Lord that I may not boast in any merits or workes of mine owne or haue any confidence in them but let mee glory in this alone that I am a member of that Body of thine which was crucified for me and did sufficiently satisfie for all the sinnes of the world If thou O Lord looke or expect or any merits from me behold I tender vnto thee thine owne merits the merits of thy death and Passion which thou hast vouchsafed to make me partaker of by vertue whereof alone I dare boldly appeare before thy Tribunall These merits I set betweene my sinnes and thy Iustice and otherwise or in any other manner I dare not I will not contend with thee O sweet Iesu I desire thee to offer them to the Father as a propitiatory Sacrifice for all my great and grieuous offences that when my soule shall depart from this body it may by the same be freed and deliuered from all the Iudgements and punishments which are due vnto it for sinne and be carried to that blessed Place where there is no sorrow but endlesse felicitie where thou together with the Father and the blessed Spirit liuest and raignest for euer Before Prayer O Almighty and euerliuing God Heauenly Father to whom it is manifestly knowne how inconstant and wandering the mindes of Men are in any good actions and how easily we suffer our selues to be carried away from the contemplation of thee by diuersity of distractions and vnseasonable thoughts which take hold of vs in the time of our deuotions and praiers vnto thee who also by thine only begotten Sonne Christ Iesus didst
of conuersation teach transgressors how they shall keepe thy waies and commandements and by that meanes thy Grace assisting they which now are sinners shall forsake their wickednesse and shall bee truely conuerted to thee 14 Deliuer me and quit me from my former bloody offences and keepe mee henceforth from blood guiltinesse and carnall corruptions O God my protector Thou God which art my Redeemer and Author of my Saluation and all the dayes of my life my tongue for ioy thereof shall sing vnto thee and that aloud and cheerefully and praise thy Name by extolling of thy righteousnesse who dost iustifie sinners and art mercifull to the penitent 15 O Lord who giuest wisedome to the simple Open thou my lippes which are closed by sinne from doing any seruice vnto thee and then with boldnesse my mouth shall vtter and shew forth thy praise for to thee alone belongeth all Honour and Glory 16 For thou O God desirest not that I should offer the Sacrifice of Goates and Calues to expiate my offences else would I willingly giue it and lay it on thy Altar but thou hauing by sending thy Sonne Christ Iesus abrogated the ceremonies of the Law delightest not any longer in burnt offerings but in obedience to thy Commandements 11 The Sacrifices accepted of God and whereby wee are in Christ reconciled to him are a broken and humble Spirit deiected with the sight of sinne a broken and contrite heart truly mortified and repentant O God thou hast promised that thou wilt not despise but louingly accept 18 Doe good O God in thy good pleasure and be fauourable and gratious vnto Sion thy Catholique Church Build thou vpon a sure foundation of religion and establish the hearts of thy Saints and Seruants the walles of thy Church Ierusalem 19 Then shalt thou in Christ Iesus be pleased with vs and with the Sacrifices of Righteousnesse in thy Congregation And with burnt Offerings and Oblations of our hearts Then shall they thy Seruants thus established offer bullockes the Sacrifice of praise vpon thine Altar in thy presence to the honour of thy most holy Name Glory be to the Father c. 5 Psalme 102. 1 HEare my prayer which in the bitternesse of my soule I make to thee O Lord whose mercy is the Sanctuary of distressed sinners and let nothing stand betweene that mercy and me which may hinder my cry to come to thee 2 Hide not thy face turne not away thy countenance from me as if thou wert offended at me but rather in the day of aduersity when I am in trouble and sorrow encline thine eare of pitie vnto me and that right soone and speedily 3 For my daies which I haue mis-spent are cōsumed away like smoke which for want of substance resolueth to nothing and my bones which by my broken spirit are dried vp are burnt vp as a firebrand 4 My heart is deiected and smitten with the thought of thy Iustice and it is withered with remembrance of thy Iudgements like grasse without iuyce or sap so that in this anguish of soule I forget and loath to eate my bread 5 By reason of the grieuous voyce of my groaning sighes and teares I am so consumed away that my bones for want of flesh cleaue to my skinne and I am nothing but skin and bone 6 I am for shame that I haue offended thee become in condition like a Pellican that liueth solitarily in the Wildernesse and I am like an Owle not daring to be seen but that auoideth the light and is continually in the desert shunning the company of other birds 7 I watch and sleepe not for the thought of my sinnes and am as a sparrow that caring for no company sitteth alone making grieuous lamentation in a mournfull note vpon the house top 8 Mine enemies seeing mee thus penitent reproach mee with opprobrious speeches all the day continually deriding mee and they that while I was their companion in sinne applauded mee are vpon my conuersion mad against me and doe combine and are sworne to doe me mischiefe and to that end set themselues against me 9 For this cause taking no pleasure in this world I haue eaten ashes and fed vpon course meate like as if it were fine bread and dainty fare and I haue mingled my drinke with teares weeping and lamenting for my sinnes 10 Because of thine indignation at me for them and thy wrath against my life past all this euill and more hath befallen me for thou hast lifted mee vp very high and from thence hast cast mee downe that my fall might be the greater 11 My dayes few and euill are passed like a shadow vpon a Sun-diall that declineth toward the euening and I that lately seemed to flourish am withered and dryed vp like grasse without sap for want of thy comfort 12 But thou O Lord which wert and art shalt continue immutable and shalt endure for euer while all transitory things passe and come to nothing and thy glorious workes shall be had in remembrance vnto all generations euen vnto the end of the world 13 Thou O Lord who seemest to men to sleepe shalt arise in thy strength and haue mercy and compassion vpon Sion thy Church militant now oppressed with the tyranny of Antichrist for the time to looke vpon her and fauour her is at hand yea the set time which thou hast decreed for her deliuerance is or will not be long ere it come 14 For they which bee thy true and faithfull Seruants take pleasure and delight in her stones their fellow Seruants and are glad when they see them prosper and fauour and pitie the very dust and ruines thereof when they see them vnder persecution 15 So that when they shall be deliuered from their misery the very heathen shall feare and tremble at the Name of the Lord and be conuerted to him and all the Kings and Potentates of the earth which now oppose the Truth shall acknowledge thee O Lord to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords and be afraid at the greatnesse of thy Glory and Maiestie 16 When the Lord by his almighty power shall build vp Sion and repaire the ruines of his Church he shall then to the confusion of his enemies appeare in his glory which they shall not be able to endure 17 He will then in mercy regard and hearken to the prayer of his poore seruants and the destitute of his helpe and not any longer seeme to turne away his face from them nor despise their prayer and earnest supplications 18 This mercy of his shall then be recorded and written as a remembrance for the generations to come euen to the end of the world which shall attempt the like against his Church and the people yet vnborne that shall succeed and be created in ages to come shall praise and magnifie the Lord which only doth marueilous things 19 For hee hath in mercy by sending his Sonne Christ Iesus looked downe from the height of his Sanctuary his holy place euen from
Heauen his Fathers bosome did the Lord Iesus behold the earth and had compassion vpon all the Sonnes of men 20 To heare and pitie the groaning of the prisoners such as did groane vnder the burden of the law and to loose and set at liberty by his passion and intercession those of the posterity of Adam that are appointed to suffer death for not fulfilling the same 21 To the end that they being so deliuered may declare and shew the power and the Name of the Lord which is Iesus the Sauiour in Sion his Church and magnifie and extoll his praise in Ierusalem his holy habitation 22 When the faithfull people which are yet dispersed ouer the face of the earth are gathered together and made one congregation and the Kingdomes of the earth which are yet in darknesse are instructed to serue thee the only Lord of Heauen and earth 23 He euen the Lord in the time of this expectation hath weakened and abated my strength so that I can doe no good of my selfe in the way of this my earthly pilgrimage he hath shortned and cut off my dayes by afflicting me for my sinne 24 I said yet in this weakenesse and anguish of my soule O my God withdraw not now thy mercy from me and take me not away out of this world in the midst of my dayes in the chiefe time of my strength as for thy yeeres as they are from all eternity so shall they endure throughout all generations euen for euer 25 Of old at the beginning of time hast thou of thine owne power layd and created the foundations of the earth the visible world anwd all things in it and the heauens and firmament thereof are the onely worke of thy almighty hands and power 26 They euen heauen and earth and all things in them shall passe away and perish from the forme they now haue but thou O Lord the creator of them shalt endure immutable Yea without all doubt all of them as thou hast decreed shall waxe old and consume with age like a garment long worne and as a vesture or garment shalt thou by the sound of the last trump change and dissolue them and they shall yeeld to thy power and be changed 27 But thou O Lord art the same alwayes vnchangeable and thy yeeres being from all eternity shall haue no end but continue for euer 28 The children and posterity of thy faithfull Seruants begotten by the seedes-men of thy Word shall continue in grace in this life and their righteous seed shall stand fast and be established for euer together with them in glory hereafter and enioy euerlasting happinesse before thee in thy blessed presence Glory be to the father c. 6 Psalme 130. 1 OVt of the depth of tentations dangers and sorrowes for my sinnes wherein my Spirit is almost ouerwhelmed haue I by feruent prayer cryed and called vnto thee O Lord who onely art able to giue me reliefe 2. Lord of thy mercy haste thee and heare my voyce and petition and deliuer me from my misery O my God Let thine eares of pitie and compassion be attentiue to consider and well weigh the lamentable voyce of my humble supplications and let not my prayer returne vnpitied or vnheard of thee 3 If thou Lord contrary to thy disposition shouldest be so exact and extreame as in the rigour of thy Iustice to marke the iniquities which we by our naturall corruption dayly fall into and punish vs accordingly O good Lord who none not the most vpright shall be able to answere one for a thousand or stand before thee without much horror at thy Iudgement seate 4 But for the comfort of poore wretched sinners and to keepe vs from vtter desperation we finde it recorded by the holy Spirit that There is forgiuenesse of sinnes and mercy towards sinners repenting with thee by Iesus Christ who came to saue sinners and yet this mercy of thine is tyed with such conditions that thou who also art Iust mayest be also feared lest thy lenity be abused 5 I for my part wait and confidently expect for the Lord to receiue mercy from him My sinfull but repentant soule doth wait to receiue consolation and in his Word whereby he promiseth mercy to repentant sinners doe I hope and place my whole confidence because I know that he which hath promised is Iust 6 My sinfull Soule in this expectation waiteth for the Lord and tarieth his good pleasure to comfort it more earnestly then they that in a disconsolate long night watch for the morning yea I say it againe more zealously then they that are weary of the night and watch for the light of the morning 7 Let Israel and all Gods faithfull people hope still and put their trust in the goodnesse of the Lord and not without cause For with the Lord though hee iustly take vengeance on vs for our sinnes yet there is euer was and will bee found Mercy towards penitent sinners and with him by Iesus Christ is not onely forgiuenesse for a few sinnes but plenteous redemption from the captiuity of the Deuill and sinne 8 And he euen Iesus Christ by his merits and intercession shall redeeme and saue Israel and each of his faithfull seruants from all his iniquities and the punishment due for them Glory be to the Father c. 7 Psalme 134. 1. HEare my earnest and humble Prayer O Lord which in misery I make vnto thee Giue eare and be not deafe to my supplications in the time of my distresse but in thy faithfulnesse and truth which endureth for euer answer me and grant my petition which I make not trusting in any merits of mine owne but in thy righteousnesse 2 And my further petition to thee is that thou enter not into the throne of thy Iudgement by strictly examining my misdeeds and dealing rigorously with me thy poore Seruant who hath misspent his talent for in thy all-seeing sight shall no man liuing in this vale of misery be iustified or found innocent 3 For the old enemie of mankinde the Deuill hath by his malice persecuted and sought to entrap my soule to separate it from the loue of thee he hath smitten and cast my life and soule downe to the ground and filled me full of earthly desires he hath made and caused me to dwell and take pleasure in the darkenesse of my sinnes as those that are without sence and haue beene long dead 4 Therefore O Lord considering my desperate estate is my spirit ouerwhelmed with griefe within me and my heart is disquieted within me and is also desolate and sore troubled 5 I yet in the midst of the sorrowes that are in my heart doe remember what I haue read and heard what thou hast done in the dayes of old how that thou hast beene gratious to the penitent and seuere against the vnrepentant sinner I meditate also on all thy workes but especially on that of thy mercy and I muse and exercise my selfe in contemplating on the worke
healeth all thy diseases and thy infirmities by the regeneration and renewing of his holy Spirit in thee 4 Who only redeemeth and saueth thy life from destruction and vtter ruine and who instead of taking iust and seuere reuenge of thee for thy sinnes crowneth and compasseth thee with louing kindnesse many blessings and comforteth thee with his tender mercies which are aboue the rest of his workes 5 Who in his prouidence satisfieth and filleth thy mouth and desire with all good things necessary for thy sustentation so that thy youth by his power is renewed like the Eagles by curing thy weaknesse and infirmitie and making the lustie and strong 6 The Lord releeueth them that suffer wrong and executeth Righteousnesse and Iudgement without respect of persons and standeth for all that are vniustly oppressed against those that are too mightie for them 7 He in former times at the publishing of the Law made knowne his wayes and taught his Commandements vnto Moses by whom he gaue directions to succeeding ages what they were to follow and what to auoid and his mightie acts were well knowne vnto the children of Israel by their many and great deliuerances 8 The Lord our God is mercifull in forgiuing offences and gratious in not imputing our sinnes vnto vs he is slow to anger expecting the conuersion of sinners and plenteous in mercy exceeding in his loue and liberall in his benefits to those that feare him 9 He will not alwayes chide nor be euer displeased with his children neither will he remember our sinnes and keepe his anger against vs for them for euer but in his wrath he will euer be mindfull of his mercy 10 He hath not dealt with vs nor punished vs rebellious wretches after the qualitie of our sins wherewith we haue dayly offended his patience nor hath he rewarded or retributed to vs according to the hainousnesse of our iniquities for he knoweth that if hee should strictly enter into Iudgement with vs no flesh could be saued 11 For like as the Heauen is high as we see and farre aboue the earth so great is his mercy aboue his Iustice towards them that feare him and in remorse for their offences truely turne vnto him 12 As farre also in distance as the East part of the world is scituate from the West which by reason of their separation can neuer come neere to each other so farre at the least hath hee remoued and put away our transgressions and sinnes from vs that they neuer shall come neere vnto vs to doe vs any harme 13 Like as a tender and compassionate Father pitieth his disobedient Children and vpon submission receiueth them againe to Grace so the Lord who is the Father of mercies pitieth and grieueth to see the afflictions of them that in feare and trembling for their sinnes returne vnto him 14 For hee the Lord which knoweth all things knoweth also our frame that wee consist of flesh and bloud subiect to corruption and frailty and he with all remembreth and considereth that we are but euen Dust fashioned out of the earth and therefore must needs partake and sauour of earthly substance 15 As for wretched and fraile Man therefore his dayes are but as grasse which is greene in the morning and before night is cut downe and withered and as a fading flower of the field which for a while only in the spring time is beautifull and afterward is cropt or decayeth euen so and in no more assurance is he that in the greatest prosperitie flourisheth For after a while in a short time hee is no more seene nor his remembrance shall be no where found 16 For as the Winde and Stormes passeth ouer it and presently it is gone and withered and the place thereof where it grew shall not know it nor beare it no more So man after he hath a while left the troubles and stormes of this world shall soone die and bee forgotten and the place of his being will bee no more knowne 17 But yet the mercy and louing kindnesse of the Lord to the Sonnes of Men is and was from euerlasting and shall continue to euerlasting to the end of the world and shall euer be vpon them especially that which vnfeined hearts serue loue and feare him and his righteousnesse in all his promises shall bee accomplished to his seruants and vnto their Childrens Children their posteritie through many generations 18 To such especially as forget not his Commandements but faithfully keepe and obserue his Couenant and to those that remember and be mindefull of his Commandements and frame themselues to doe them 19 The Lord who commandeth the obseruance of his Lawes is most worthy of all Honour and not to be neglected for hee hath before the foundations of the World prepared his Throne and seate of Maiestie in the Heauens where hee is attended on by the glorious company of Angells and his Kingdome is not streightned or limited to one peculiar place or countrey but he Ruleth and commandeth ouer all people and nations 20 Blesse therefore the Lord that is so mighty ye that be his holy Angels magnifie and laud his holy Name ye that excell in strength and that gladly doe and execute his Commandements and that by hearkning vnto and obeying the voice of his Word willingly execute his Will and pleasure 21 Blesse ye and praise I say the Lord your and our God all ye his heauenly Hostes ye blessed Angels ye that are Ministers and Seruants of his that willingly and gladly execute and doe his pleasure 22 Blesse and praise together with one accord the Lord our God all his workes which hee hath created for the celebrating of his Glory where so euer ye remaine in all places of his Dominion euery where and lastly as I began with thee O my Soule to stirre thee vp to his praise so I end with the same excitation Blesse Praise Laud and Magnifie the Lord thy God O my Soule to whom hee hath euer beene so gratious and mercifull Glory be to the Father c. 5 Psalme III. 1 I Will praise the Lord and giue thankes vnto his holy Name with my whole heart and that not only in my priuate deuotions but in the publique assembly and meeting of the vpright in heart and in the congregation of the faithfull the Church also 2 The wondrous workes of the Lord our God euen from the beginning through all ages euen to this time are so great and glorious that worthily he alone deserueth to be magnified for them they are sought out and searched into of all them that haue pleasure and delight in meditating and contemplating therein 3 His worke in the creation and fabrique of the vniuerse is honourable and glorious of all his creatures worthily to bee admired and his righteousnesse and equitie his care and prouidence in the preseruation and gouerment of it is likewise to be magnified because it is permanent and endureth for euer 4 He hath made and perfected his wonderfull workes with
Seruants to whom in particular thou extendest thy mercy shall blesse and continually praise thee for the same 11 They especially shall not bee silent but speake of and declare vnto those that haue not knowne thy Name the Glory and Maiestie of thy Kingdome which is aboue all the kingdomes of the earth and shall wheresoeuer they come talke of and set forth thy mightie power which no potentate is able to resist 12 To make knowne and to make manifest thereby to the sonnes of men euen all the gratiousnesse to come his mightie and wonderfull acts which he hath done in our time and in the ages foregoing and also the glorious Maiestie and super-excellency of his Kingdome and power 13 Thy kingdome O Lord is not temporary or of short continuance but it is an euerlasting Kingdome was without beginning and neuer shall haue end and this thy dominion and rule endureth firme stable throughout all generations to the end of the world 14 The Lord in his mercy vpholdeth and lifteth vp all those that fall by frailty and weakenesse and raiseth vp by the grace of his holy Spirit all those that be deiected bowed and cast downe with the thought of their sinnes 15 The eyes of all creatures waite and are fixed vpon thee as vpon their carefull father for sustenance and helpe and they no sooner call vnto thee but thou of thy prouidence suppliest their wants and giuest them their meate and all things necessary for them not onely in due proportion but in due season and time also 16 Thou openest thy hand of bounty and satisfiest the insatiable desire of men which nothing but thy selfe can satisfie and of euery other liuing thing besides 17 The Lord is only righteous iust and vnreproueable in all his wayes and actions and it is hee only that is holy and pure in all his workes 18 The Lord is nigh and ready at hand vnto all them that in distresse call vpon him and seeke vnto him for helpe Yea to all without respect of persons that call vpon him in truth faith and vprightnesse of heart 19 He is so gratious that he will not only heare them but grant their petitions and fulfill and satisfie the desire and request of them that feare and serue him he also will heare their cry in time of affliction and will saue and deliuer them out of all their trouble 20 The Lord by his omnipotent power preserueth and keepeth all them that loue him sincerely and obey his Commandements but as for all the wicked and vnrepentant obstinate sinners those will he destroy from the face of the earth 21 My mouth shall as long as I haue any being speake of and declare the praise and Maiestie of the Lord most mightie and as I doe so Let all flesh people nations and kindreds from the rising of the Sunne to the going downe thereof blesse land and magnifie together with me his holy and great Name euen for euer and euer from this time forth for euermore Glory be to the father ' c. Imprecation THis part of Deuotion or of zeale as I may call it although it seeme harsh and not well to stand with the Charitie of a Christian yet in these Cases it hath beene and may be lawfully vsed 1 When the Church of God in any part of the World lyeth as it were at the stake and groaneth vnder the burden of Persecution and the enemies thereof are incorrigeable and not to be reconciled in this case not onely a priuate man in his Deuotions but the Church also in generall may vse these Imprecations to the end that the Church may by these kind of Prayers and Gods assistance recouer its former peace and quiet 2 When as a Christian man shall perceiue that his enemies ayme altogether against the Rules of Charitie at his vtter subuersion both in Body and Soule in this case also a man may without breach of Charitie vse these Imprecations And in either of these Cases if the children either of Gods or our owne enemies shall ioyne assist or persist maliciously in the steps of their Parents they are in our estimation to be accounted of no better nay not so well as the very Heathen who haue not knowne the name of God at all And to this end I haue onely giuen you a taste of some of the zealous wishes and earnest desires or Imprecations of some Holy men Prophets and Apostles which are set downe in sacred Scripture and left no doubt for our imitation in the seuerall Cases before named Imprecations against the enemies of God and his Church REspect not thou their offering Num. 16.15 The Lord shall trouble thee Ios 7.25 Destroy them Psal 5.10 let them fall by their owne counsels Breake the arme of the wicked Psal 10.15 Breake their teeth O God Psal 58.6 Let them be scattered Psal 68.1.2 Let them flee Driue them as Smoake melt them as waxe Powre out thy wrath vpon them Psal 79.6 Make them like a wheele Psal 83.13 and as the stubble before the winde Burne them as the fire burneth the wood Psal 83.14 Persecute them with thy tempest Psal 83.15 Fill their faces with shame Psal 83.16 Let them be confounded and troubled for euer Psal 83.17 Let them be as grasse on the house top Psal 129.6 Grant not their desires Psa 140.8 Let the mischiefe of their owne lips couer them Psa 140.9 Let burning coales fall vpon them Psa 140.10 Let them not be established vpon the earth Psa 140.11 Let euill hunt them If any man loue not the Lord Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 16.22 let him be Anathema Maranatha If any man preach any other Gospell Gal. 1.9 c. Let him be accursed I would they were euen cut off Gal. 5.12 Against the enemies of our Soules Let them be confounded and put to shame Psal 35.4 that seeke after my soule Let them be as chaffe before the winde Psal 35.5 Let the Angell of the Lord chase them Let their way be darke and slipery Psal 35.6 Let the Angell of the Lord persecute them Let Destruction come vpon them Psal 35.8 Let them be confounded and ashamed Psal 40.14 Let them bee driuen backward Let them be desolate Psal 40.15 Let death seize vpon them Psal 55.15 Let them go downe quicke to Hell Let them be couered with reproach and dishonour Psal 71.13 Set a wicked man ouer him Psal 109.6 Let Satan stand at his right hand Let his prayer become sinne Psal 109.7 Let his daies be few Psal 109.8 Let his children bee fatherlesse Psal 109.9 and his wife a widdow Let his children be vagabonds and beggers Psal 109.10 Let the extortioner catch all he hath Psal 109.11 Let there be none to extend mercy to him or his children Psal 109.12 Let his posteritie be cut of Psal
109.13 Let the iniquitie of his Fathers be remembred Psal 109.14 Cast foorth lightning Psal 144.6 and scatter them shoote out thine arrowes and destroy them THE TENNE COMMANDEMENTS analysed THe Law of the Two Tables was written by the a Deut. 4.13.10.3.4 Finger of God and deliuered and promulgated by the Ministery of b Exo. 19.24 Moses and c Act. 7.53 Gal. 3 19. Heb. 2.2 Angels and contained summarily what God commanded the people to obserue and what to auoid It is diuided into two Parts Our Dutie towards God Our Dutie towards our Neighbour The foure first Commandements enioyne the first Duty The sixe last the last And thus follow The preface Exo. 20. God spake all these words saying I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage God spake c. This Preface belongeth to all the Decalogue and containeth a description of the Person who gaue the Lawe Who being God the Creator and disposer of all things is to be obeyed neither are we to make any scruple or doubt but that all things which he commandeth vs in his Lawe are iust and Holy I am the Lord. Who only is Omnipotent and was from all Eternitie from whom all things that are had their beginning and who hath absolute and sole power to command and prescribe Lawes vnto vs. Thy God Psal 144.15 Happie is the people who haue the Lord for their God By these words thy God euery one of vs may receiue particular comfort that as he is able so hee is willing and ready by making this couenant to be ours in his particular prouidence and care to doe good to euery one of us in our need if wee keepe his Commandements God A God to releeue and aide vs not a seuere Iudge to condemne vs. Let vs therefore With all reuerence serue him as a Lord. With earnest desire repaire to him in our need as to a mercifull God With heartie zeale loue him for his goodnesse With trembling feare to offend him for his Iustice Leuit. 20.7 And let vs be holy as he is holy Which brought thee c. In this deliuery of the Iewes from their seruitude is his infinite Power described whereby he is declared to be as well able to saue his Seruants as to confound his enemies And this deliuerance is foretold and paraleld by the Prophet as a Type of our deliuerance Esa 52. from the seruitude of sinne The first Commandement Thou shalt haue no other Gods before me Thou shalt haue no other Gods HAuing as it were setled in our hearts his Authoritie and Power to prescribe and make Lawes vnto vs his first precept is that wee haue no other Gods before him 1 Neither by abating any reuerence due to him But to worship him with all our heart By acknowledging him to be the only true God By honouring seruing and praising him aboue all things By trusting and relying wholly vpon him By expecting all good from him By humbling our selues before him and patiently bearing whatsoeuer he shall please to lay vpon vs and subiecting our wils wholly to his 2 Nor by attributing any honour to other Gods or Idols or putting any confidence in Saints or Angels Earthly pleasures Riches Honours or the like lest we offend thereby As Rachel did Gen. 30.1 by asking children of Iacob As the King of Syria 2. Kings 5.6 by desiring Ioram to heale Naamans leprosie As Asa 2. Chr. 16.12 by too much trusting to his Phisicians As the Foole in the Gospell Luc. 12.16 trusting to his riches Before me Neither secretly in thy heart Nor in the view of God and the World openly Not but that God is euery where and seeth into the secret corners of our hearts and is omniscient but to set a note or brand of impudence vpon vs for our indignity to him if wee shall make open profession of our Idolatry to any false God or Idoll in worshipping it or of our excessiue loue or doting vpon any Creature by putting confidence in it and neglecting our dependance on God who is only able by his omnipotencie to relieue vs. The second Commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image c. AS in the first Commandement God requireth that we worship him only so in this he forbiddeth all vndue and indirect worshipping of him and enioyneth vs not to make any resemblance to worship him by because he is a Spirit and is only to bee worshipped in Spirit and Truth Thou shalt not c. 1 Therefore wee are not to graue or make any Image or resemblance of him For when hee gaue the Law saith Moses Deut. 4.15 he appeared in no manner of similitude Esa 40.18 To whom then will ye liken God or to what likenesse will ye compare him 2 Neither are wee to make the likenesse of any thing to worship it For as wee ought not to make any resemblance of him so neither when we make the similitude of any thing else the true vse of making pictures and the like being lawfull not to worship it or attribute any honour to it Saint Paul saith Rom. 1.23 that the Gentiles changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image like to corruptible man and to Birds and foure footed Beasts and creeping things wherefore God gaue them vp to vncleannesse c. Thou shalt not bow downe c. 1 Either by bowing the body vncouering the head or bending the knee to them 2. Or by setting the same in any eminent place to worship them bestowing extraordinary cost on them making Pilgrimages to them or dedicating Altars Lampes or the like to them For I the Lord c. By this Commination hee sheweth his Power to punish offendors and that hee is able and all sufficient to supply our wants likewise Am a iealous God And suffereth no Corriuall Competitor or sharer in his Seruice My Sonne giue me thy heart thy whole heart And visite the sinnes c. Punishing them that run after false Gods in many descents euen as long as they shall continue in their Idolatrous courses As the Iewes in generall Salomon and others 1 To shew how odious Idolatry is to him 2 To force men who naturally haue a loue and care to their posteritie by this commination to abstaine from it least their issue be plagued Psal 97.7 Confounded bee all they that worship carued Images and that delight in vaine Gods And shewing mercy c. The mercy of the Lord is a Psal 145.9 ouer all his Works b Ia. 2.13 ouer his Iustice For whereas he punisheth Idolaters in his Iustice but to three or foure generations He is mercifull to thousands of those that worship him aright throughout all generations Luc. 1.50 His reward is alwaies greater then his punishment It is his proper worke Esa 28.21
Promises Ceremonies and the Law it selfe were fulfilled and ended 1 The Promises As Gen. 1.15 the seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head Gen. 22.18 In thee shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed 2 The Ceremonies The Priesthood by his eternall Priesthood Psal 110.4 The Sacrifices by his owne Oblation Heb. 7.27 Circumcision Luc. 2.21 3.21 by his Circumcision and Baptisme Passeouer by the Eucharist Mar. 14.22 3 The Lawe By his satisfaction and absolute fulfilling of it in whom was no sinne nor spot Cant. but an absolute and perfect Righteousnesse which Righteousnesse hee hath of his free will and mercy imputed to vs and made ours if with a liuely Faith we apprehend him and beleeue on him And in this respect it may be said that he obserueth and fulfilleth the Law of God who not trusting to himselfe or his owne workes commendeth himselfe wholly to the Grace of God Rom. 8.3.4 2. Cor. 5.21 and seeketh all his righteousnesse by Faith in Christ Iesus So that wee are to rely on those words which Saint Paul spake in his Sermon at Antioch Bee it knowne vnto you therefore Act. 13.38 men and brethren that through this man Christ Iesus is preached vnto you the forgiuenesse of sinnes And by him all that beleeue are iustified from all things from which you could not be iustified by the Law of Moses But yet wee must take this along with vs. That this Faith whereby we beleeue that Christ satisfied the Lawe and is become our Righteousnesse and Perfection is meerely by Gods Grace and Fauour infused into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which stirreth vp in vs a loue and desire to keep the Law of God which though the same desire neuer attaineth to perfection while we liue in these earthly tabernacles for the frailtie and indisposition of the Flesh yet God in his mercy accepteth the same for Christs sake For the better conceiuing of the drift and scope of these Commandements wee are to take notice of two things 1 Whereas in euery Commandement the grossest sinne tending to the breach of that commandement is only forbidden by name yet wee are to conceiue that all sinnes of that nature though lesser in degree and not named togither with the prouocations thereunto are likewise inclusiuely contained in that prohibition 2 And where any Vertue is commanded to be obserued there all the Vices and Sinnes contrary to that Vertue are forbidden And where any Vice is prohibited there all opposite Vertues to it are enioyned Meditations of Death THat all men must dye being long since enacted by Statute in the Parliament of Heauen vnrepealed and the knowledge of the day of Death being by God kept from vs Aug. in Psal 34. Conc. 1. lest we should promise to our selues any thing for future time I shall not neede to spend many words to proue either the absolute necessitie of the one or the vncertaintie of the other Only giue mee leaue to conclude this worke with a few meditations and Prayers which may serue as well for those who feele the hand of God by sickenesse as for those which are in perfect health to meditate and thinke vpon that they be not taken vnprouided And this exercise of Meditation of death and resolution to die ought not to seeme strange or hard to Christians For the Philosopher in his time accounted all dayes spent without serious consideration of our end to be but fondly consumed and affirmed that the whole life of a wise man Plato was nothing but a meditation of death And therefore it hath been obserued that Abraham Gen. 23.3 19. when he was in the Land of Canaan purchased no more Land then would serue to bury his dead To teach vs that we should not fixe or fasten our mindes upon the transitory things of the World but haue our affections bent vpon another world and meditate vpon the day of our death which bringeth two benefits with it first it deliuereth vs out of many cares and troubles and secondly it leadeth vs to ioyes vnspeakeable The first of these benefits the Heathen man could see Artabanus to Xerxes Herod l. 7. by the light of Nature when hee said that No man liued in so flourishing estate who if not often yet once iâ— his life did not desire rather to die then to liue For the vnauoidable calamitie and greeuous diseases incident to this life doe so often disquiet and vexe a man that notwithstanding our life is naturally short yet sometime it seemeth ouer long vnto him And therefore saith he Death is the most acceptable and wished for Sanctuary and place of refuge for a life full of misery and griefe And for the second take amongst many that of Saint Cyprian Cypr. Wee passe by death to immortality neither can wee come or attaine to eternall life but by leauing this life Nor is our corporall death to bee accounted an end or period of life but a passage to a better for by this temporall journey wee passe to Eternitie For this separation of the soule and body commonly called Death if we consider the true scope and aime of God in it is not inflicted by him as a seuere Iudge to punish the Elect but as a most mercifull Father who only calleth his Children from a dungeon of misery to a place of all felicitie and happinesse And this is that which hath alwaies made the Godly to leaue this life with such willingnesse and ioy and to endure with so great courage and constancie all their greatest agonies Meditations for the sicke Set thy house in order for thou shalt die Esa 38.1 Iob. 19.25 I Know that my Redeemer liueth and that he shall stand at the latter day vpon the earth Iob. 19.26 And that I shall be againe cloathed with this skin and in my flesh I shall see God Iob. 19.27 whom I my selfe shall see and mine eyes shall behold This hope is laid vp in my brest Lord let me know mine end and the number of my dayes that I Psal 39.5 may be certified how long I haue to liue Psal 39.6 Behold thou hast made my dayes as it were a span long and mine age is as nothing in respect of thee and verily euery man liuing is altogether vanity Psal 39.7 For man walketh in a vaine shadow and disquieteth himselfe in vaine he heapeth vp riches and cannot tell who shall gather them Psal 39.8 And now Lord what is nay hope truely my hope is euen in thee Psal 39.9 Deliuer me from all mine offences and make me not a rebuke to the foolish Psal 3911. Take away thy stroake from me for I am consumed by the meanes of thy heauy hand Psal 39.12 When thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sinne thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moath fretting a garment euery man therefore is but vanity Psal 39.13