often and fearefully threatned vs and yet he hath still put vp his rodde againe in mercie But did hee not see manie thinges amisse in vs he would forbeare to threaten as he hath done And who so seeth not manie things out of course in the carriage of men in their vngodly actions wilfully shuts the eyes of reason and seeth nothing aâ— all with the eyes of Religion Let vs therefore be continually watchfull in prayer that when the Lord commeth to Iudgement we may be so prepared with our Lamps in our hands to attend his comming as becommeth the children of God Thine in Christian goodwill IO. NORDEN A PENSIVE SOVLES Delight A Motiue to Prayer IN our preparation to prayer we must first consider that hee to whome wee speake is the Father of light and we are by nature the children of darknesse we must therefore call vpon him in the sinceritie and vprightnes of our harts for he loues truth in the inward affections Secondly he is the Father of glory we must therefore come before him with feare and reuerence for we are but dust and ashes Thirdly he is the Father of mercie therefore we must repent of our sins and then being thus prepared let vs draw neere vnto him with a pure heart in assurance and faith So will he heare vs and grant better things vnto vs then we know how to aske A prayer for the assistance of Gods holy Spirit in any spirituall or godly corporall action or endeuour fit to be vsed before euery lawfull enterprise especially before euery diuine exercise O Gracious Lord God most merciful louing and helping Father the supporter of the weake the light of the blinde the teacher of the ignorant the directer of all that call vpon thee in their godly endeuors I humbly beseech thy Maiestie in the name of thy Sonne Christ Iesus to heare me in whom thou hast promised to giue vnto thy children what they aske to finde what they seeke and to open vnto them when they knocke I come vnto thee good Father not in mine owne but in his name intreating thee not for mine owne but for his sake to accept me into thy presence to giue me thy holy Spirit of wisedome that I may receiue mercie and finde grace Open vnto mee the gate of true knowledge and assist me in mine intended enterprise for of my selfe I am of a dull and weake vnderstanding of a corrupt conuersation of a polluted heart and of prophane lips vnworthy of my selfe to attempt any worldly or corporall enterprise much lesse worthy to take thy blessed name into my mouth or to intermeddle with any diuine office function or calling But touch my hart Lord and inkindle it with a coale from thine Altar so shal my heart be renued reformed and enlarged the words of my mouth sanctified and the workes of my hands blessed According therefore vnto thy promise Lord open my mouth and fill it strengthen my hands and confirme the powers and senses both of my soule and bodie to euery good and godly action It is not in my power without thy power to open my naturall lippes much lesse able yeâ— altogether vnable to open the dore of my heart and to prepare mine owne affections to any diuine and holy action or to frame the powers of my body rightly in any comfortable enterprise without thy meere working in me both the will and the deed Only my confidence is Lord that thou wilt be pleased to assist me to inlighten my heart to increase my knowledge and to giue me vnderstanding according to thy word That by thee I may be enabled in all mine actions enterprises and inâ—euours to set forth thine owne glory Sanctifâ—e my inward desires blesse the will and the worke in me and accept my weake will for the effectuall deed And so season me in both that I may be sanctified throughout And grant that the fruits of all mine endeuours may so effectually appeare that my selfe in them and by them may be comforted and thy children to whose vse also as to mine owne I truly intend them may bee benefited and stirred vp to a more liuely feeling of their owne wants and a more serious desire to pray to thee for thy blessings and to praise thee for thy relieuing fauours That we thy weake children feeling the Comforter to assist our weaknesse we may in our seueral callings offer vp such daily sacrifices vnto thee as being for Christ accepted of thee thou mayeâ—â— be more and more glorified and euery one of vs comforted and kept in thy fauour for euer through Jesus Christ our Sauiour O Lord increase my faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be vsed in the Morning in priuate Families IT is a common course and an ordinarie care of worldly meÌ„ before they enterprise any thing that concerns their corporal estats to fore-cast how and by what meanes they may doe it to their best aduantage and most safetie which prouidence is not onely not to be condemned but commended yet so farre as it may iustly reproue themselues for being so carefull for their bodies necessaries and so remisse and carelesse of their soules safety which being truly prouided for first there followes a blessing to the second by diuine promise Seeke first the kingdome of God saith Christ and the righteousnes thereof and then all other things necessary shall be administred vnto you How grossely then doe they erre from a Christian course of life that are neuer but conuersant and carefull about corporall things that rise vp earely to seek their profits and pleasures and seeke not God the giuer of goodnesse without whose mercy and prouidence we neither can enioy our sleepe nor safetie in sleepe we cannot worke in our callings nor profit by our labours health of bodie wealth peace plentie friends and all whatsoeuer wee enioy in this life or hope for in the life to come do all proceed of his free mercie who requireth nothing for recompence but our thankefulnesse for them and our prayers vnto him for the continuance of his fauours towards vs in them All which will rise in iudgement against them that vsurpe theÌ„ without acknowledging them to be his gifts and that in Christ blessed vnto them What differs the carnall man that riseth in the morning leauing behind him the print as it were of his pollutions in the bed whence he riseth and neither praiseth God for his sleepe nor safety neither craueth pardon for his sinnes But from his bed betakes him either to his worldly profit or carnall pleasures What differs he I say from the brute beast who riseth in the morning from his den or rest and betakes him to his'prey or pasture looking vnto no other giuer then his own brutish care No more do they that eat and drink and labour or delite them in their vaine pleasures without seeking first in the morning a new blessing for the day following by their hartie thanksgiuing for their rest and preseruation the night past
their better part the soule should so little regard the meanes by whom they receiue it the Ministers of the word of Saluation the Gospell of Christ Many will protest they loue Christ and yet the contrary appeareth when they not only regard not but despise his Ministers whom hee hath sent as Embassadors of his will We beseech you brethren saith Saint Paul to the Thessalonians that yee haue the Ministers of God in singular loue for their workes sake We should loue all men and pray for all men how much more for them that leade vs to the well of life The same Saint Paul willeth the Ephesians not only to pray in an ordinarie maner but in the Spirit with perseuerance and watchfulnes euen for him that vtterance might be giuen vnto him and that he might open his mouth boldly to publish the secret of the Gospell And are we lesse bound to pray for them that haue the Spirituall charge ouer vs the care and cure of our soules that they may be able to deliuer the Word sincerely to open their mouths boldly to our edification and consolation in Christ And that they namely the Ministers may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men for we know that Christ Antichrist Truth and Falsehood Christ and Satan cannot stand together And he that preacheth the word truely is the means to bring men out of darknesse to light from sinne to sanctitie from Satan to Christ. And therefore Satan will euer oppose himselfe and instigate euill men to encounter scandalize and persecute such as are truest and most painefull labourers in Gods Spirituall haruest whereby it commeth to passe that the word of God is oftentimes hindered the Church of Christ diminished Ignorance increased Religion despised Vice aduanced Faith decreased Obedience to God neglected and Truth among men meerely abandoned and cōtemned And al this where Prophecying Preaching faile God giueth not to man a more speciall blessing in earth then the preaching of the word which is as the net to catch men there were three thousand men so catcht at the first preaching of Peter and by his continuance in that spirituall fishing there were caught fiue thousand persons out of the snare of Satan Let all men therefore loue pray for them that thus fish to saue the soules of mē that haue the ouersight and rule ouer them they are the watch men of Christ and whoso loues Christ the Master and Lord cannot but loue his Ministers and pray for them not only as brethren but as men appointed by Corist to direct them the way of saluation And let no man thinke it is not their duetie to pray for them because they are appointed and ought to pray for others and not others for them as some prophanely affirme It is a needfull and required duetie to pray one for another especially for the Ministers who are or ought to be as Gods mouth vnto vs to teach vs his will as Gods hand to support vs by spirituall counsell as Gods eye to obserue our wayes and as Gods Ministers to reproue vs of sinne and to pronounce pardon in Christ to the truely penitent Pray therefore for them that the gifts of the holy Ghost may abound in them that men seeing their good workes may glorifie God our their Father which is in heauē A Prayer to be said for the Ministers of Gods word GRacious and mercifull O Lord our God art thou in all thy wayes and workes towards men and in nothing more gracious then in thy word preached vnto vs whereby thou doest open and reueile vnto vs the mystery of our saluation according to thy good pleasure in Christ our Lord. Thou teachest vs heauenly wisedome in earth by thy holy Spirit giuen vnto men whom thou doest set apart to that holy function as men chosen to winne men to thee And for as much as neither thy beloued Saints Peter nor Iohn nor Paul could preach or prophecie before they were sent neither were they sent before they were sanctified Sanctifie and send foorth Lord worthy Labourers into thine haruest and sanctifie and blesse them whom thou hast sent with such spirituall gifts and graces as may enable them to be instant in season and out of season that they may winue many vnto thee Inlighten their hearts with the light of true knowledge Touch their tongues with the coale from thine Altar that their lips may preserue knowledge and in their hearts may bee true zeale that they may still call vpon thy children to walk in the light of thy truth And as thou diddest send downe vpon thine Apostles the holy Ghost in fiery tongues to teach thē so instill into the hearts of all thy Ministers Preachers of thy word the fire of true zeale a godly boldnes to speake thy truth without respect of persons not to flatter the wicked nor to spare the rebuking of sin and let them comfort the weake harted let thē be able to bring them that erre into the right way that they may conuert liue that they may beleeue liue for Faith cōmeth by hearing and hearing by the preaching of thy word Let therefore the beautiful fruit of thē plentifully appeare amongst vs that bring glad tidings of peace which thē the glad tidings of our saluation And let thē speak nothing but as thy word teacheth thē that they may be foūd good disposers of thy graces Let their conuersatiōs be vpright before thee let thē be as lights set on a hill that they may teach as well by the example of their owne liues as by preaching thy Word that thou in all things mayest be glorified through Iesus Christ to whom is praise and dominion for euer and euer Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer for the Church Uniuersall THe Church which S. Paul calleth the House of God 1. Tim. 3. 15. is the Congregation of the faithfull dispersed throughout the world and in regard of the vniuersalitie thereof is called the Church Catholike Of which Vniuersalitie are many and seuerall societies distinct by place vnited by faith And euery seuerall company professing one and the same truth confessing one and the same faith and holding one and the same forme of administration of the Sacramēts are one intire bodie which bodie is the vniuersall Church wherof Christ is the head one Spouse whereof Christ is the husband He hath begotten this dispersed congregation by vertue of his word and made them one by the vnity of his Spirit By which Spirit the Fathers belieued in Christ before the came in the flesh and were of the same mysticall bodie whereof we that beleeue his word being come are also members and whereof Christ Iesus hath bin is and shall be the euerlasting head The parable of the Sower which Christ propounded Matth. 13. 24. sheweth by the euill seede mixed with the good that this Church shall neuer be free from offences both in doctrine and manners vntill the day of the fina 〈…〉
by the latter but that Antichrist would haue reinuested himselfe where now Christ Iesus is vnto vs all in all Blessed bee thy name O Lord whose eye beheld and whose prouidence preuented them and whose arme as with a rod of yron brake the actors in pieces like a potters vessell To thee therefore most louing Lord God to thy Sonne Christ and to the holy Ghost be prayse for euer Amen Lord increase our faith and euermore preserue thy seruant our King A short thankesgiuing and prayer for the Kings preseruation DEare Father infinite in power towards vs giue vs hearts to remember with thankefulnes thy too much forgotten goodnes in so mercifully defending our King and vs thy people from many dangers And forget not Lord how the wicked still study the meanes to effect that which thou in mercy diddest then preuent CoÌ„sider how they secretly thirst for the blood of thine Anointed and of his most worthy branches likely to proue powerfull protectors of thy truth and consequently long for the confusion of thy people It suffiseth that thou seest it but it suffiseth not for vs to haue the words and not to vse the workes of assurance of thy protection And therfore we humbly pray thee gracious Lord God most louing father to pardon our sinnes which are the greatest aduersaries that can rise vp against vs. Thou sendest good and religious kings to a people from whom thou expectest the fruits of holy obedience But if they waxe cold in profession and slacke in practizing thy reueiled will thou takest their godly 〈◊〉 religious and louing kings from them and in stead sendest them Tyrants mercilesse and irreligious princes neither the wisedome nor power of man can preuaile where thou art a partie in the iudgement Wherefore louing Father as thâ—â— hast furnished the heart of Iames thy seruant our King with heauenly wisedome furnish our hearts with true obedience to follow thy will reueiled in thy word that so our obedience beginning towards thy Maiestie may appeare and worke more and more in our continuall thankefulnesse vnto thee 〈◊〉 him and our loue and true loyalty to him that thy word may still preuaile with vs remaine amongst vs and wee euermore abide constant in thee that howsoeuer enemies rage whatsoeuer euill counsaile they take we may be either still free in thee protected by thy hand or may with patience vndergoe thy fatherly tryall knowing that all things worke together for the best to them that loue thee and are chosen of thy purpose in him by whose merits both hee our king and we thine and his people haue receiued the promise that thou wilt neuer faile vs nor forsake vs. Lord increase our faith A most piâ—â—ie and patheticall Prayer for the King and ouerthrow of Antichristian religion and enemies of the truth BLesse LORD and graciously defend and preserue our King looke vâ—n him as thou didst vpon Dauid chosen after thine owne heart Leade him by thine owne right hand in all his wayes that hee may leade vs thy people vnto thy holy Sanctuarie Giue him a reioycing heart to see his subiects readie to resort vnto thy holy Temple receiuing thy blessed Sacraments and faithfully seruing thy sacred Maiestie by his religious example Let him euer be instant to call vpon stirre vp and incite the Ministers of thy word that they be instant in sounding the trumpet of thy word vnto thy people that sin may bee weakned obedience to thee increased that mercie and truth may meet together and righteousnes and peace may kisse each other Giue him euermore a preuailing power to bring to nought or weaken the power of Idolatry and superstition within his Kingdomes and to further construie the sincere seruice of thee let him neuer cease O Lord vntill hee haue banished or fully reformed the Fauorites of Antichrist namely such as haue the marke of that Beast in their foreheads or in their hands whose names are not written in the booke of Life Giue him Lord an eye to finde them out and a right resolution to abandon them without respect of persons together with all flatterers and Hypocrites And blesse vnto him godly wise religious and faithfull Counsellers and as thou hast giuen him a sword and Scepter let him truly and valorously vse them to the cutting off of all the daungerous branches of sinne and impietie and all the inormities of thy Church and Common weale and to the defence of the godly and innocent Let his person Lord be euer in thy protection keep him as the apple of thine eye preuent all secret practises and open violence preteÌ„ded against him Stand betweene him and the enemie and let the hailestones of thy seuere iudgements fall vpon the heads of them that hate him wouÌ„d the hayrie scalpe of all that rise vp against him And in all his occasioned incounters with Antichrist or any of his adherents giue him Ioshuahs prosperous victories Dauids zeale and Elishacs faith Discouer vnto him largely the counsell of thine owne will giue him a forward willing and constant heart to effect what thou commandest and grant that he dismay not more in the ouerthrow of Antichrist then Ioshuah did at the confusion of Ierico Be thou his buckler whet his sword bend thou his bow make ready his arrowes vpon the string and let them all and alwayes be directed by thy prouidence to the destruction of his thine irreconciliable enemies as was the Sliâ—â— of Dauid against Goliah so let the. Judgements be against the wicked in the day of battell Let his Subiects loue him let his enemies feare and flie him let all Nations admire his righteous iudgements Princely gouernment and religious constancie let them all bee moued to follow him as he deliteth Lord to follow thee in truth and equitie to the glorie of thy vniuersally admired name through Christ in whom let him euer bee blessed And so blesse vs Lord that we may blesse thee for him Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to bee vsed of such as are of the Kings Maiesties priuie Counsell IF men of meanest professions bee moued by common reason to seek vnderstanding to manage their own priuate occasions how much more ought men of most eminent places especially Counsellors to Kings craue wisedome and fitnes of God for so high a calling How can they consult deuise deliberate direct and determine matters of weightiest consequence without extraordinarie gifts of prudence How can they marshall the care and carriage of him that hath the care and charge of the gouernment and defence of Kingdomes and people in peace and warre not onely in matters Ciuill but Ecclesiasticall Spirituall and Temporall Is it a small matter saith Dauid to be sonne in law to a King So may a man say Is it a small preferment to be thought a fit man to be of the secret counsell of a King Many thirst no doubt and desire this highest honor who haue not first truely examined their gifts of
Let thy lawes be alwayes before their eyes let them neuer swarue from thy statutes in condemning the innocent and instifying the wicked Blesse them Lord with true knowledge of the word direct them by thy holy Spirit so shall they not erre in Judgement and thy people be freed frâ—â— iniustice and wrongs thy Church shall be in peace and euery member receiue iustice the Common-weale shall flourish righteousnesse and peace shall meete together mercie and truth shall imbrace each other Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be said of a man or woman vnmarried intending to marrie IT is the highest point of discretion in a man or woman to bee very carefull and circumspect in making choice of a husband or wife for rash and vnconsiderate mariages haue bred dangerous inconueniences not only betweene the man and wife in inferiour families but Cities and Kingdomes haue bene ruined by vnequall irreligious vnions of men and women of contrarie humors qualities and conditions Gods holy institution prophaned religion slaundered and the Church of God offended Mariage maketh two persons one before God but how can light and darknesse truth and falshood sinne and sanctitie good and euill agree can fire and water be at vnion in one vessell how then can a faithfull man marrying an Infidel a good woman knitting her selfe to a ribald a religious man or womaÌ„ vniting her self to a wicked and irreligious partie become one holy body How can it be but the euil wil rather peruert the good then the good reforme the euil For al men and women are by nature more apt to be ouercome with duill then to permit their euil to be ouercome 〈◊〉 goodnesse And therefore dis 〈…〉 premeditation holy consultation 〈◊〉 deepe deliberation ought to p 〈…〉 this kind of resolution Lawfull it is for euery man and woman to 〈…〉 ie yet in the Lord namely in his feare in a reuerend regard of his holy institution respecting the ends of that holy mysterie procreation of children mutuall societie and helpe one of another And how standeth the coniunction of the religious and prophane of the beleeuer and the infidell of the godly and the wicked with the former ends Can there be concordance or sweete societie betweene these contraries It may be said that the vnbeleeuing wife shall thâ— saued by the beleeuing husband and t 〈…〉 vnbeleeuing husbaÌ„d by the beleeuing wife but not without the beliefe of either for the vnbeleeuing wife must learne to beleeue of the beleeuing husband and the vnbeleeuing husband of the beleeuing wife and so bee saued otherwise he or she shall not be saued for euery man and woman shall be either saued by his or her owne faith or not at all But for a man or woman for any carnall respect to aduenture coniunction with the contrary minded and qualified tempteth God and consequently in steade of a promised blessing to them that marry in the feare of God a threatned curse followes them The godly wife of the religioâ—s husband shall be as a fruitfull vine vpon the walles of his house his children like oliue branches round about his table Thus shall the man and wife bee blessed that feare the Lord. This blessing yet consisteth not in the fruitfulnesse of the wife nor multitude of chlidren onely for so haue many heathens bene blessed that neither know God nor feare him But the substance of the blessing is in the vertues and religious carriage of the louing wife and in the obedience and goodnesse of the children wherewith God will blesse a godly man and vertuous wife for there cannot be in it self a greater burden or crosse to a vertuous father then to haue many and they vitious children It behooueth therefore these kindes of vnmarried persons to obserue in this weighty action some necessarie rules the first not to consummate the contract without approbation of their parents or gouernours secondly if either partie respect any priuate end more then the vertue and religious conuersation of the other that partie giues testimonie that it is not the feare of God that he or she standeth vpon but the satisfaction of his or her carnall affection which commonly is met withall in the iustice of God with many crosses and domesticall or forraigne afflictions wherefore it behoueth euery man or woman thus intending to couple him or her selfe in marriage with any to aske counsell of God in prayer So no doubt but God according to his promise will be the marriage maker and yeeld them mutuall continuing comfort one of another But if they rashly run into it without the approbation and allowance of the word of God it is seldome auoided but mischiefe or misery succeedeth A Prayer to be sayd of a man or woman vnmarried intending to marrie O Gracious euerliuing and most louing Lord God vouchsafe I humbly beseeth thee as thou in the beginning diddest create man and woman and diddest institute the holy order of marriage that the one of them might be a helper vnto the other and hast confirmed and approued this holy coniunction by many diuine examples of thy blessed presence As also by thy prouidence in ayding and assisting the vnmarried depending on thee to make their choice according to the rule of right religion Be pleased Lord that I feeling in my self a desire to enter into this sacred order may be directed by thee that I setting apart all carnall respects as chiefe motiues I may aime onely and altogether to make such a choice as aboue all things may please thee who art the authour and giuer of all goodnesse without whose prouidence and direction things of meanest importance cannot be effected without great affliction and danger And by whose fauour mercy things of weightiest consequence are easily and most comfortably brought to passe Forasmuch therefore gracious father as this mysterie of marriage is most high and honourable among all men the bed vndeâ—â—led Let mee not rashly runne into my choice as if mine owne wisedome or naturall policie could worke my contentment or comfort But aduise thou me and direct me O Lord and although I confesse it not expedient that I should expect from thee publike reuelatioÌ„ or visible Angels to leade me yet let thy holy Spirit so guide mine affections that I like not whom thou thinkest not meet to be conioyned vnto me in thy feare But let all things so succeede my proceedings as may argue and assure me of thy fatherly furtherance and diuine allowance as thou diddest in all things further with blessed successe the seruant of Abraham in choosing a wife for Isaac So let all things O Lord be blessed vnto me preuent mine owne desires if they concurre not with thy good pleasure and alter my will and intention if they answere not thy will and giue me an vnderstanding and feeling heart that I giue not way vnto my naturall motions and vaine inclination which in this single estate often ouerswayeth in me the rule of right reason
MARIES persecution which was maruailous in euery mans eyes But which is more maruailous the same Religion is continued by the meere loue and prouidence of God in raising vnto vs a Prince of most admired learning of sincerest pietie And that when it was vniuersally either expected or suspected to haue bin vtterly abolished and rooted out vpon the dissolution of the precedent Gouernesse we hauing then the free vse of the meanes of our Saluation vnder God by our worthiest of Kings wee should shew our selues most vnworthie both of it and him if we should not most louingly embrace him vnfainedly honor him cheerefully obey him willingly aide him and zealously pray for him Many other Princes tyrannously suppresse what hee religiously maintaineth the sincere seruice of God In so much as in regard of the time that wee haue had true Religion in free vse wee might haue beene all teachers of the Truth yea the meanest amongst vs of competent age might haue beene as Doctors and all our Diuine Doctors as the Angels of God But which is lamentable to be considered the most of vs are not only not able to instruct them of our owne housholds but haue nee de that the principles of Christian Religion should be taught vs anew How shall we then answere the Master of this great Family that hath giuen vs many talents to vse to our soules profit who when he shall come to take our account and finde that we haue not only not profited by them but to haue wasted them vpon our vanities will hee allow our counterfeite hearing of his Word our idle prayers our workes of darknesse Hee hath giuen vs the light of truth and hidden it from many millions of soules altogether in Asia Africa and America and dazeled the eyes of many in Europe that onely see a glimmering of that light which lighteneth the world and yet many in their pretended light comprehended it not To passe ouer such as are â—emisted in Europe let vs looke into some of the territories of the East and West Indies Into Brasill Callicut Virginia and many other Nations in those parts who know no other GOD but the Diuell to whom they pray whom they worshippe and to whom they doe sacrifice offering their dearest children vnto him The Guyneans adore for their god the Creature which they first meetâ— in the morning Beast Bird or Serpent The Angolans honour the Sunne as the greatest god and the Moone as the lesse Besides which euery man hath his peculiar god according to his owne priuate fansie In the Kingdome of Loaugo in Africa are a people called Anziques hauing in vse the Sâ—ale of the first Couenant Circumcision yet hath God left them to that more then bestiall condition as they will cut their owne flesh and butcher themselues for their deceiuing Mahomets sake yet doe they eate one the other fatting their slaues like hogs hauing a Shamble Market and Cookeries of mans flesh and the neerest of kin is killed and eaten for the greatest and rarest daintie Many other like Canibals are in those partes visibly seene to eate men really But in some other more neere territories they deuoure men aliue Couert Canibals It were much to remember all the nations infinite vnder the apparant captiuitie of Sathan who how hee bewitched the olde world with false gods the Canonicall Scriptures doe declare The Sidonians adored Balaam and Ashteroth The Ammonites Moloch The Moabites Chamos The Babylonians Bel the father of Ninus To whose counterfeit that great king Cyrus did worship and allowed a dayly dyet of twelue measures of fine flowre containing of our statute measure thirteene bushels and a halfe fortie sheepe and sixe great potts of wine of our measure threescore gallons This was a gluttonous god a besoâ—ted king a bewitched people and most accursed priestes that coozoned their god of his victuals whom by this meanes the deuill robbed of their Saluation Besides these whom God hath shut vp vnder darknesse the dispersed runnagate Iewes are most of all the rest to bee condemned who wilfully abandoned their Messias whom they knew and crucified And according to their owne imprecation are helde still in most palpable blindnesse and in â—â—auerie both in bodies and soules hauing neither Scepter gouernour nor gouernement nor any certaine place of commorance Insomuch as if all the people nations and tongues in Asia Africa America and Europe were truely calculated and their Religions discouered as Master PVRCHACE hath most worthily begunne there would not bee found vpon the earths vniuersall Globe one of two hundred parts truely professing Christ without whome there is no promise of Saluation which discouereth the most miserable condition of infinite millions of people vnder the slauery of Sathan and our most happy and most blessed estate vnder Christ whose Gospell we enioy whose promises we haue whose merits are ours whose mercies we find the aide and helpe of whose spirit wee feele Greater blessings God could neuer haue bestowed on man for these in earth are but pledges of our saluation in Heauen which being well weighed and compared to the former forlorne Nations cannot in reason but mooue vs to loue and to serue this so mercifull a GOD with such sincere and intire affection as should swallow vp in vs all worldly and carnall desires and as it were rauish vs with most spirituall contemplations But if wee that haue receiued so manie and sure tokens of our blessednesse in Christ and hauing promised and vowed obedience to GOD in him If we I say that haue the name of Christians should liue like these Pagans It had beene better for vs neuer to haue knowne the truth for it shall bee easier in th 〈…〉 daie of iudgement for Pagans that neuer knew GOD then for vs that know his will and doe it not And it is probable that if the blindest of these blinde Nations â—ad had the time of the learning of Christ crucified as wee haue had they had beene Christians and exceeded our present sinceritie sanctitie zeale obedience and true seruice of the liuing God in CHRIST by the Holy Ghost Let vs therefore well weigh our happinesse in respect of theirs that are in a most cursed condition and let vs consider that there is with GOD Mercie and Iustice hee can call them in his free mercie as he called vs and reiect vs in his Iustice for our contempt of his Word And therefore as wee haue the light let vs walke in the light as children of the light Let euery one as hee professeth practise the truth and depart euery one from his euill way and cheerefully call vpon the Lord Iesus Let vs abandon all our carnall affections our moderate libertie our too much securitie and our coldnesse in our Religion knowing that most vnsauourie seruitude followes these at the heeles For GOD hath his Pharaoh his Nabucadnezer and manie other like Tyâ—aâ—ts alwayes readily prepared besides infinite other plagues to afflict and confound a rebellious and thanklesse people Hee hath
in me diuine meditations and prayers that my heart being truly and zealously exercised therein in my wakings I may admit no idle thought to possesse the same nor giue Sathan or mine owne corrupt affections oportunity to snare me and to seduce me from the works of the spirit to the deeds of the flesh but that sleeping and waking I may euer rest vnder the shadow of thy powerfull protection out of the â—each of all my corporall and spirituall enemies who are euer restlesse in their practises and deuices Be thou therefore Lord on my â—â—dâ— preuent them of their purposes garde 〈…〉 ee with thy holy Angels this night keepe me whom and whatsoeuer belongeth vnto me let all things prosper vnder my hands O Lord let neither the darkenesse of the night the distemperature of the ayre the sterilitâ—e and barrennesse of nature hinder the prosperitie of the creatures ordained to my vse Neither let my sinnes make breach of thy fauours towards me let the health of my body be at thy good pleasure continued my limbes sences preserued my sleepe blessed and all my thoughtes words and deeds sanâ—tiâ—â—ed vnto me in Christ my Sauiour and Redeemer this night and euer Amen Lord increase my faith and watch ouer me this night A MOTIVE TO A Prayer for the members of Christ to be vsed after priuate praiers in families IT were a matter much to be wondred at that any member of a body should be so little carefull of it fellow members of the same bodie as that it should not extend it vttermost power to support and aide them all As if the one hand should suffer violence and the other should disdaine to assist it or that the foote or any other part should be annoyd and the eye should scorne to looke vnto it or the hand to helpe it How much more lamentable were it if the members of our spirituall bodie whereof Christ our common Redeemer is the head should not pray one for another What can a man doe lesse for an ordinary friend then to speake for him to him that may steede him being at no further charge or trouble then to vse the breath of his mouth for him And shall wee thinke it too tedious a labor to vse our petitions to God in the behalfe of such as are our fellow members and our dearest brethren in Christ being professors of his name with vs and of the same fellowship and communion together with vs hauing the selfe same seales of adoption that we haue God forbid The neglect of which spirituall duetie implyeth our want of loue vnto our head Christ wherein we also breake the law of Christian Religion which commands vs to loue our neighbours as our selues If we then thinke it our dueties to pray for our selues we ought to pray also for them which Christ intendeth in teaching vs how to pray not as in our owne names my Father But in the name of all the Church Our Father though vpon some particular occasions a priuat maÌ„ may vse it in the name of himselfe But in generall supplications to God it is a duetie inseparable in Christian Charitie to pray one for another yea and for all men Let vs therefore in all our priuate prayers either with our families or by ourselues adde this consequent prayer or to the like purpose that wee discharging that Christian duetie for others God may the more esteeme our prayers for our selues and stirre vp other faithfull members to do the like for vs which may be much comfortable to all for the prayer of the faithfull auaileth much if it bee feruent Iam. 5. 16. A Prayer for the members of Christ whersoeuer dispersed fit to bee vsed after our ordinarie prayers of Morning and Euening GRacious Lord God merciful and louing Father the keeper and protector of all that truly professe the name of Christ thy Sonne we the poore and weake members of that mysticall bodie whereof he is the head as feeling the wantes of our brethren as our own do here humblie present our petitions vnto thee for thy whole Church and the members thereof howsoeuer or whersoeuer distracted dispersed and estranged by nation tongue or place from vs. That it may please thee who knowest who are thine to haue a fatherly care ouer them and whom thou hast already called to the knowledge of thy trueth graunt them Lord mercifull louing and constant hearts to stand in the profession thereof without wauering or starting backe call and incorporate such as are contrarily minded and whom thou hast in thy fore-election appointed to saluation That they also may be made of the same holy Communion with vs. And such as yet sit in darkenesse in the shadow of ignorance by the seducements of the ministers of Antichrist or of any other aduersaris inlighten and bring home by thy word vnto the sheepefold of the great Shepheard of our soules Multiply thy sauing spirit vpon vs and vpon all that belong vnto the kingdome of thy Sonne Aâ—â— vouchsafe good Father to inlarge the harts increase the knowledge confirme the faith more and more of all those that haue any chiefe place in Church or Commonwealth Kings Priests and People About the rest Lord open the heart of our King giue him a complete measure of true wisedome not only in gouerning his subiects in due obedience to his owne lawes but in a religious course of obeying seruing of thee in holinesse and trueth Protect and deliuer him from all plots complotments and conspiracies of whatsoeuer aduersaries domesticall or forraine Suffer not Lord the peace of thy Church or Common-weale to suffer violence by ciuill tumults treasons or rebellions Preserue his health increase his strength weaken his enemies and confirme his crowne to his sonne and his sonnes sonnes to the end of time Blesse and prosper in vertue and trueth his Queene and all that truly loue him in and for thee loue thou them and comfort them for thou hast made him a true maintainer of thy truth an enemie of all thine enemies Blesse vnto him a godly religious and wise counsell learned zealous and painefull ministers faithfull religious and truely loyall subiects comfort helpe ayde assist and relieue all and euery true member of thy Sonne Those that are persecuted for thy truth comfort confirme that they may constantly endure vnto the end Them that are weak strengthen Them that are poore and distressed relieue Cure or comfort those that are sicke Many are the troubles of thine own children Lord and according to thy promise deliuer them out of all make them able to indure and laâ— no more vpon any of them theâ— they shall be able to beare Touch the hearts of all thy children that they may be watching in prayer considering the dayes wherein we liue are euill And as thou hast promised to be present with vs and with all thy children in their meetings before thee in prayer Stir vs all vp we beseech thee to a more holy desire
to accompany one another in that most holy exercise And where one two or more prepare themselues to thee in diuine supplications assist them with thy holy Spirit that all for one and one for all may pray vnto thee in the name of our Redeemer That all our hearts may agree in so holy a harmony of praying one for another as thou mayest be pleased to blesse vs all with peace in Christ with plentie health and the vse of all necessaries for this life and grace to obtaine the glory to come for his sake who hath euer bene is and shall be our Mediatour our strength and our Redeemer Amen O Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO the confession of our sinnes to God and to stirre vs vp to pray for the remission of the same THE beginning of our saluation is the true confession and acknowledgement of our vnworthinesse and to aske pardon for our sinnes in a liuely faith in Christ Iesus For whose sake God faithfull and iust hath promised to forgiue vs So that we neede not to feare to confesse our sinnes seeing he that is faithfull and true hath made vs a promise to forgiue vs. And therefore saith the Wise man Be not ashamed to confesse thy sinnes especially vnto God in Christ our Mediatour who is not ignorant of our infirmities but knoweth whereof we are made he remembreth t 〈…〉 we are but dust he was tempted as 〈◊〉 are but resisted the tempter to teach vs to withstand the assaults of Sathan whom God permitteth to trie vs to the end that we may striue to preuaile and hauing sustained any foyle falling into any sinne that we might learne that wee haue an aduocate with the Father euen Iesus Christ t 〈…〉 righteous who is a propitiatioÌ„ for our 〈◊〉 Let vs not therefore be ashamed or afraid to confesse our sinnes to God for it is the first steppe to Repentance But men generally are more ashamed to confesse their sinnes that they haue committed then they are to commit them and more willingly doe they vndergoe the committing of sinne then wisely to represse or strongly to resist it the knowledge of our sinâ— and the confession of them is the chiefest token that we are in the way of saluation And nothing more witnesseth against vs then a purpose to hide our sins from God or to thinke he seeth vs not when in deed he not onely is priuie to all our outward actions but knoweth our very thoughts long before And therefore our pretence of conceiling our iniquities from him aggrauateth the sinne arguing that God is not an all-knowing God which implieth a denial of his omnipotence and commeth neere vnto the foole that sayth in his heart there is no God Let vs therefore be wise in searching out our sinnes which lurke vnder the cloude of our naturall blindnesse Let vs obserue whereunto wee are most inclinable what sin is our chiefest Dalilah our corrupt hearts Delite for howsoeuer men are subiect to many sinnes yet there is one aboue the rest a master sinne which though all other sinnes seeme to hide their heads when the stronger man the spirit of God beginneth to possesse the house of our soules yâ—â— that predominant sinne wil hardly be cleane thrust out And therefore are wee to bee wise as Serpents to obserue and preuent sin and innoceÌ„t as Doues to liue a godly life which can neuer be where sin of any sort beares the sway If wee confesse them God is faithfull and iust to forgiue them according to his promise which he hath also confirmed by many examples Dauid Paul Peter Mary Magdaâ—ene The Publicane and m 〈…〉 liuely figured by the Prodigall sonne God is most rich in mercie and m 〈…〉 readie to forgiue as Dauid doth wâ—nes I will confesse saith he my sinne and mine vnrighteousness against my selfe and thou forgauest me the wickedness◠〈◊〉 my heart So readie is God to forg 〈…〉 as if we doe but truly purpose to confesse and repent he euen then receueth vs to mercie how much more 〈…〉 with a lowly contrite and brok 〈…〉 heart and an humble spirit we 〈◊〉 pardon in Iesus Christ the righte 〈…〉 shall we obtain fauour and find gr 〈…〉 If our sinnes be as red as scarlet 〈◊〉 will make them as white as snow 〈◊〉 vs therefore pray for remission of 〈◊〉 sinnes past and for power to resist 〈◊〉 â—ure temptations if there remaine 〈◊〉 vs any hope of saluation O Lord increase my faith A confession of sinnes with a prayer for pardon for the same O Great and most mercifull God maker of the heauens founder of the earth gouernor of the raging seas and Creator of all things visible and inuisible who all obey thee in their conditions Man the most glorious of all creatures excepted who rebelled as soone as he was created I the poorest and vnworthiest of creatures doe heere cast my selfe downe before thy mercies seat and with the poore sinning Publican humbly acknowledge mine iniquities who am a man of the seed of transgressing Adam in whom by whom and from whom the most deadly infection of originall sinnâ— is fallen vpon me which hath so polluted mine vnderstanding that I erre in iudging betweene good and euill So tainted my will that I runne after forbidden vanities so blinded mine affections that I loue what thou lothest and adhor what thou wouldest I should embrace and my hart is so defiled and corrupted that I lay vp in store as in a treasury within the bosome of my soule a huge masse of most lothsome sinnes whence ariseth as out of a stincking dunghill of detestable vncleannesse most vgly and abhorred transgressions and most desperate rebellions against theâ— more and more prouoking theâ— to indignation by my continuall offending thy lawes by contemning thy mercies by abusing thy long-suffering by despising thy most sacred word by not belieuing thy fatherly promises by not fearing thâ— terrible iudgements and by 〈◊〉 cursed and carelesse course of life whereby I haue defaced that diuine Image of puritie and sanctitie wherein I was first created 〈◊〉 thiâ—â— owne Image in Adam Infinite are my sinnes Lord and paâ— finding out oh clense me from my secret sinnes If thou Lord straitly maâ—kest what is done amisse who shall 〈◊〉 able to stand Lord turne away t 〈…〉 face from my sinnes put away 〈◊〉 transgressions out of thy remembrance consider not Lord mi 〈…〉 offences how readie I haue been to embrace those forbidden fruits of the flesh which being the sauour of death vnto death and how wilfully I haue reiected the fruits of the Spirit sauouring vnto life eternall It is too much Lord that I brought death into the world with my life but much more by adding actual to mine original transgression There is no part within me or without me free from deserued condemnation my hart is corrupted my tongue and lippes profane mine eyes blinded my hands defiled my feet polluted and all the members of my body stained with the filthines of
disposeth of all the estates of men in mercy and iudgement thou liftest out of the dunghill the humbled poore and hurlest downe the mightie thou giuest takest when what from whom and wherefore it pleaseth thee All thy wayes O God are mercie and truth to them that feare thee Thou Lord art righteous in all thy workes and holy in all thy wayes Howsoeuer thou correctest thy children it is for their purgation to clense them from the rust and drosse of their corruptions And makest pouerty sickenesse enemies and all crosses not onely not burdensome or irkesome vnto thine but sweete and easse to be borne though the naturall man seeme to kicke against them the man regenerate and borne a new of the holy Ghost imbraceth them as the true tokens of thy fatherly affection towards him who hauing learned out of thy sacred word that through many troubles thy Saints must enter into ioy and through disgrace into glory Hee feareth most when he is most free from crosses left that he should not be of the number of them that shal be saued whose saluation is the more certaine by how much thou correctest him by thy fatherly visitations All flesh is corrupt and all men sinners Thou therefore who art iust cleane and pure in all thy wayes and workes canst not but vse thy rod of gentle corrections vpon them whom thou louest in Iesus Christ But lettest the wicked either to lie securely in a reprobate sence or to lay thy heauy iudgement vpon them euen in this life where they begin their condemnation But good Father Enter not into iudgement with mee Let not thy corrections become curses vnto me but rather Lord let them be meerely medicines to cure the disease of sinne in me So shall I by the working of thy holy spirit become more and more mortifâ—ed in the affections of my heart which are then most offending thy Maiestie when I am in greatest securitie And therefore louing father take from me all grudging discontent of mind and murmuring against thy corrections of what kind or qualitie soeuer they be for thou hast testified vnto vs by thy word that thou scourgest euery sonne thou receiuest And therefore he that wanteth thy fatherly chastisements seemeth to be a bastard and no sonne And forasmuch Lord as the causes of mens troubles in this life be many and hidden some to correct for sinnes alreadie committed some to preuent sinnes whereunto we are inclinable and some to manifest thy power by way of iudgement against the impeniteÌ„t wicked Take Lord away from the eyes of my darke vnderstanding the vayle of ignorance that I may see and feele in my conscience a sure testimonie of thy sauing spirit that thy corrections light not vpon me in iudgement but in mercy not to condemn me but to approue me to be one of thy Church militant whose members haue their continuing afflictions which howsoeuer outwardly they seeme to blemish them yet doe they make them beautifull within and most amiable vnto thee howsoeuer wee seeme vnto the world outcastes castawayes yet are we thereby made the more like vnto our Sauiour who procured out saluation through affliction And thereby thou Lord knowing our weakenesse to vndergoe his crosses lay no more vpon me then withall thou mayest be pleased to giue mee grace and strength to beare it according to thy promise and then lay vpon me what thou wilt pouertie sicknesse enemies and whatsoeuer crosses may make me likest vnto thy sonne in his patient sufferings although I haue learned Lord that all the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory that shal be shewed in the life that is to come And therefore Lord assist me with thy grace that I with patience and godly reioycing may vndergoe whatsoeuer it shall please thee to lay vpon me As did Saint Paul Silas Saint Peter and other thine Apostles who imbraced all thy corrections and their troubles for thy names sake with heauenly alacritie and spirituall consolation O Lord increase my faitli A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be said in pouerty and want of this lifes necessaries OF all the miseries that can befall a man in this mortall life none is more bitter and burdensome then pouertie and want of this lifes necessaries And therefore we may obserue how all men generally striue to auoyd it by meanes lawfull or vnlawfull It made Iacob to pray for sufficiencie left want should constraine him to vniust meanes to supply his necessities namely to clothe and feed himselfe and them that he hath committed to his eare for there is no other reall want to bee complained of but the want of food and rayment if a man haue to sustaine nature in the meanest measure and to couer his nakednesse in the basest manner and be free from danger of debt and be not an idle but a diligeÌ„t man in some lawfull calling he hauing the feare of God cannot be said a poore man for the feare of God maketh him wise and wisdome maketh him patient patieÌ„ce coÌ„tent he that is coÌ„teÌ„t in this mean estate is rich He that treasures vp the word of God in his soule though he haue neither Siluer nor Gold he may be rich as Peter who waÌ„ting these was yet rich in all Christian vertues and much beloued of the Lord and vpon such poore men doth the Lord cast his fatherly and louing countenance he watcheth ouer them and feedeth them Harken my beloued brethren saith Saint Iames hath not God chosen the poore of this world that they should be rich in faith and heires of the Kingdom which he promised to them that loue him God preferreth the poor in worldly goods being faithfull and iust before the vnfaithfull rich howsoeuer carnal iudgement maketh great differeÌ„ce between the worldly rich whom it reuerenceth and the corporall poore whom it scorneth But let the bodily poore whome the Lord hath inriched with spirituall graces reioyce in their tribulations for God hath prouided for them a Citie a Crowne glorie and immortalitie where they shall neither want siluer gold rayment food or any necessaries for the Lord Christ shal be vnto them all in all things But it is to be vnderstood that it is not the pouertie of any that can deserue these future fauours but they are the free gifts of God in Christ to the godly poore not prouided for the idle prophane wicked and dissolute that assume vnto themselues voluntary beggerie or consume their corporall meanes lewdly and so become poore vsing no lawfull calling to maintaine and support their estates when they shall pleade their pouertie and miseâ—iâ— in time to come it shall be said vâ—â—o them Goâ— ye vnthrifâ—ie seruants into euerlasting pouertie perpetuall nakedâ—â—sse and endlesse hunger thirst Whosoeuer therfore thou be that art pressed with pouertie seeke the riches that shal neuer diminish Diuine Knowledge 〈◊〉 Faith and pray vnto the God of Lazarus that if it be his pleasure he will remoue thy pouerty and renue thy
corporall portion or that hee will giue thee patience that may inure hope that may euer hold fast the assurance of the glory to come To which purpose the prayer following or the like may much stead thee and comfort thee A Prayer to be sayd in pouerty and want of this lifes necessaries ALmightie Lord God most powerfull and most louing I humbly recommend my selfe into thy holy protection and to thy fatherly prouidence who madestine and createdst me of nothing and I came into this world poore and wretched bringing nothing with me but nakednes and original miserie more hardly bested of mine owne power then the beast that perisheth And in this manner all men came and daily come into the world from Adam to the last that shall be borne into the earth yet in thy great and vnsearchable wisedome thou disposest of men in diuers maners according vnto thine owne will Some Lord thou makest Princes of the world some abiects in the world and yet neither the greatest nor the meanest by their high or low estate can bee iudged by humane reason happy or vnhappy Teach me therefore true wisedome Lord that I may rightly conceiue and iudge of mine owne â—enury and pouerty not as a iudgement inflicted but as a fauourable and fatherly portion giuen me lest I should presume vpon and rest the more secure consequently become the more proud of a more rich and more glorious worldly estate for thou Lord best knowest whether pouerty or riches be most agreeable to my condition and therefore I humbly accept and embrace that portion which thou hast giuen me though it be to flesh and bloud harâ— and vnpleasant make it yet good father spiritually sweet vnto 〈◊〉 by thy grace because it is thy will that I should be poore in worldly make me so much the more rich in heauenly things So shall I boâ— my portion Lord great and glorious howsoeuer I seeme outwardly base and abiect It is manifest that thou causest the Sun to shine and the raine to fall vpon the good and the wicked So giuest thou and distributest riches and pouertie to the iust and vniust but to diuers ends and they likewise receiue and vse them diuersly the first both riches and pouertie to one only end namely to thy glory and their own true comfort being rich as if they were poore being poore as if they possessed all things and this by the working of thy holy Spirit on their sanctified hearts Sanctiste my heart therefore Lord and giue mee patience and a truely contented minde in my greatest wants and vnfained thankfulnesse for the least supplie or encrease of thy bountie towards me and let not my poore estate direct me as it doth the hypocrites who in prosperitie waxe proud and in pouertie grudge and murmure and so offend thy Maiestie who workest all for the best to them that are thine my weakenesse by Nature I confesse to bee such as I am prone to fall both in fulnes and in want And were I not vpholden by thy grace I should in the one run headlong into many noysome iustes and forbidden vauities and by the other into vniust dealing to supplie mâ— necessities And therefore good and gracious father I humbly pray thee for Christ thy Sonues sake either to inlarge my portion in a competent measure that I be not driuen through too much penurie to repine as of mine owne nature I am apt or els giue me that true patience through a liuely faith in thy prouidence and mercie that may worke in me that hope that may neuer make me ashamed The world thou knowest Lord loueth her owne on whom she fawâ—es But thy base ones are hatefull vnto worldlings disdained and abhorred which is a sharpe tryall and made thine owne dearest Dauid to stagger in his troubles and welnere made he shipwraâ—h of his faith and constancie but when hee considered thy purpose in afflicting him when he had consulted with thy word he then found and confessed that it was good for him that thou haddest afflicted him Lord lend an eare vnto my petition and remember thy promise in Christ thy beloued that thou wilt lay no more vpon thine then they shall be able to beare Lord thou knowest my weakenesse to beare this heauy burden of pouertie and disgrace among the sonnes of men therefore let it please thee to make it more light or giue me sufficient strength and then lay what thou wilt vpon me more onely Lord be mindfull of me who knowest what I neede before I aske And therefore giue me grace to auoyde that presumption which offereth to limite thee the holy one of Israel either in the time the manner or matter of my helpe I will rest me only vpon thy prouidence and mercy make hast to helpe O Lord my God my strength and my Redeemer Amen O Lord increase my faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be said of such as are in prison AS libertie is a great blessing of God and much pleasing vnto all creatures reasonable and vnreasonable So is imprisonment and restraint most vnsauorie to man and beast Although some men rather make choice to liue in that kind of captiuitie then to tedeeme their freedom by discharging a sound sincere conscience by paying their debts being able or yeelding vnto some honest lawful condition for refusing whereof they indure wilfully vndergoing that which with more sincerity they might auoid which kind of voluntarie imprisonment implyeth a most vnchristian disposition For how can he that knoweth he doth ill and perseuereth therein thinke that the prayers which he maketh can be acceptable to God admit his resolutioÌ„ be grounded on will not to giue way to his aduersaries iust demaund it is erronious and dangerous yea though it arise in regard of a fatherly care and affection he hath to his children and posteritie If hee shew not himselfe willing to make satisfaction according to his abilitie If then the Creditor obdurate wil not accept his honest offer his helpe is then in God to whom he must repaire in faithfull prayer that he will be pleased either to moderate the extremitie of the Creditors demand or to inable him to satisfie the debt But as mens occasions of dealing and their mutuall commerce are many and diuers so are there diuers causes of mens restraint and imprisonment and all are or ought to be lawfull and iust The lawful restraint ought to be the more grieuous because it is alwayes for breach of the law the vniust festraint needs not much presse the conscience for that he is innocent of the accusation or crime suggested for it is farre better to be falsly then truely accused But for asmuch as there are diuers occasions of this affliction it behoueth euery man thus restrained to consider with himselfe that whether it be iustly or vniustly layd vpon him it is not yet by chance for God obserueth in vs what we our selues conceiue not of our selues and punisheth sinne after a
by well doing to walke before God and to be vpright Thus whosoeuer prepareth himselfe in a sanctified life in earth he cannot feare death which is an entrance into a glorious life in heauen where God before whom he sincerely walketh hath prouided him a Citie a Kingdome a Crowne He then that longeth to see good dayes while he liueth will be euer studious to please him by whom he is assured he shall receiue that endlesse inheritance when he dies Let euery man therefore while it is to day pray that God will vouchsafe him his grace not to prolong his godly preparation to die but to teach him wisdome in the inner parts that he may so rectifie his conuersation as he may be acceptable to God through Christ in his life vpon earth and wishedly surrender vp his spirit to him that gaue it when he requires the same And to this holy purpose serueth this prayer following Remember euer that thou must die and thou shalt neuer doe amisse nor die eternally A Prayer to be often vsed that we may so liue as we neuer need feare to die fit to be often vsed of all men especially in sicknesse GOod and gracious Father who formedst me of dust and breathedst life into a lumpe of earth wher of I am made and hast made mee partaker of thy Spirit and so a liuing soule of an eternall being beyond that which thou hast done for any other earthly creature who dying perish turne wholly to dust whereof they are wholly and only made As for mee thou hast taught mee to know thy more then wonderfull work-manship and thy more then apprehensible fauour and loue in that thou hast not only made me a liuing creature as are the beasts of the field the fowles of the aite and creeping things of the earth but little inferiour to thine heauenly Angels giuing me a soule diuine and immortal which liueth eternally And of thy further and more free grace hast vouchsafed me a seed of the light of diuine vnderstanding and thy word of glad tidings to teach me thy will to direct and encourage me in the way of saluation lest hauing receiued the testimonie of thy louâ— here in this life and the earnest of thy Spirit I should yet liue to die and not die to liue Thou Lord knowest whereof I am made thou canst not forget that I am but dust giue me grace to remember alwayes my mortalitie and that I am borne to die and that then commeth iudgement Lord we are all the children of ssinning Adam elected and reiected according to thy will vessels of honor or dishonor as thou pleasest to make vs we are the clay thou the Potter thou giuest life and againe thou sayest Returne yee children of men to dust Oh what is man that thou so regardest him or the son of Man that thou so fatherly visâ—test him Thou hast clothed him with glorie And he hath brought shame vpon himselfe thou off reâ—â—st life vnto him but he hath embraced death And he shall die thou hast so decreed yet hast conceiled from him the time when the place where and the maner how to the end that none should presume vpon his strength health wisedome or wealth to become secure and in their securitie to forget thee sinne against thee our Creator whâ— as with the breath of thy mouth thou madest vs liuing soules so by the breath of thy mouth canst thou confouÌ„d our bodies soules yea Lord our dearest soules deare in respect of thee who gauest them deare in respect of him that shed his dearest bloud for them but most deare vnto vs wretches if for our mindes vanities and our bodies pleasures we should lose our bodies make shipwracke of our soules Precious in thy sight is the death of thy Saints but most feareful to the wicked in the death of their bodies that sleeping in the graue send their soules before them to be mutually tormented when they shall meet in Judgement This fearefull separation Lord amazeth mee when I consider it in my naturall vnderstanding not looking into the course of thy loue wherein thou didst send thy dearest Soune to die for sinners penitent Oh teach me thy waies instruct me in thy Commandements Giue me a repenting heart and sanctified conuersation that before I goe hence and be no more seene I may assure my selfe that I am of the number of them to whome thou imputest no sinne Let thy word worke fruitfully in mee the sauour of life vnto life Teach me and guide me in the true course of holy obedience in righteousnesse and true holinesse that I may euer walke before thee and be vpright giue me a prepared heart constantly and faithfully to desire to be dissolued to be with Christ. Take away the frailty of my fainting flesh increase and confirme my faith in thee and my hope of the glory promised in Christ after this mortall life Let me alwayes wait the time of my deliuery and be willingly content to lay downe this my earthly tabernacle and to giue vp my soule into thy hands giue me a continuall watchfull heart that death come not vpon me vnawares a prepared heart that I may be still readie when or where or how thou hast determined my dissolution Let nothing be so deare vnto me as Christ my Sauiour Let me esteeme all things as dung in respect of the glorie to come Let nothing bewitch or intice me to the loue of this sinfull life nor dismay or terrifie me froÌ„ embracing death But that I may vse this life as if I vsed it not and feare death as if I feared it not That when my life shall be swallowed vp of death I may then enter into that new life and treade downe death and the power thereof vnder my feete by Christ that triumphed ouer Satan death and Hell vpon the Crosse for me grant it for me my Lord my God my life my light my strength and my Redeemer Amen Lord increase my faith and grant that I may liue in thy feare and die in thy fauour Amen A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to bee said of one in his sicknes or in any disease or defect of his sences or limbes fit to be read of or vnto the sick and diseased person SIcknes of the bodie is the gentlest and most fauourable crosse that God layeth vpoÌ„ his children and yet it is grieuous to flesh and bloud which delite altogether in Ease in Health in Strength of the body to which griefe sicknesse and weaknesse are contraries and therefore vnwelcome to carnall men who thinke nothing more to bee wished then power to sinne which power is diminished by sicknes and consequently in most salutarie and healthful for the soule And therefore doth the Wise-man counsell vs to humble our selues before we be sicke and while wee yet haue power to sinne to shew our conuersion whose counsell whoso truly and carefully followeth preuenteth the feare of death for he that before sicknes seaze vpon him duely
and wayes are full of hidden dangers which without thy protection could not but haue faln vpoÌ„ me so is not this place whereinto I am safely retired by thy prouidence free from perils and therefore as thou hast hitherunto kept me keepe me now in this place wherein if thou dwel not by thy power and louing fauor there cannot but abide Sathan sinne and vanities powerfull enemies and able to surprise the strongest naturall man Strengthen me Lord aboue nature and helpe the parts of most infirmitie that my soule body being strengthened I may be able to giue thâ—â— the more sound prayses and haue spirituall power to resist whatsoeuer shall spiritually seeke to seducâ— me and in thy prouidence preseruâ— me in body safe giue me whatsoeuer is needfull for me in this place and continue thy louing fauour towards me that all things at all times in all places may prosperously succeed vnto me depart not from me good Father but blesse me first that I may be euer blessed So shall all things goe well with me both going foorth and comming in and all things worke together for my continuall consolation wherefore giue me grace euer to loue thee in Christ mine euerlasting Redeemer Amen O Lord increase my faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be said before a Sermon MAn by nature being a sincke of corruption and a gulfe of hidden hypocrisie his conscience naturally oppressed with a slauish feare lest his inward and secret euill thoughts should be reueiled and his hidden iniquities discouered as much as in him lyeth coueteth to shun the light of the word of God which comprehendeth both the killing Law and the sauing glad tidings of the Gospel by the one he is condemned and therefore hateth the sentence which pronounceth that whosoeuer sinneth shall die yet apprehendeth he not either the grieuousnesse of his sinnes nor the miserie of the Gospel which is the preaching of repentance and the forgiuenesse of sinnes but lying securely in his sinnes thinketh not of any account and therfore regardeth not much the word preached But wheÌ„ shame or authoritie presseth the carnall man to heare the word he thâ—â— heareth sinne reproued and the sinfull condemned which is so vâ—sauâ—ry vnto him as he wisheth himselfe out of the hearing Herod could not endure the preaching of Iohn Baptiâ—â— reprouing him for his brothers wife be it the Law or the Gospel that such men heare it is as harsh vnto them as the words of Michaiah to Ahab yet we must vnderstand that though maâ— deliuer the word it is not his but the word of God and therefore no man but such a one as is yet in the state of reprobation wil refuse to he are God who is mercifull and louing speake vnto him if it be but the threatning Law which teacheth what is sinne and what is the reward of sinne wherby being cast downe with sorrow that he hath committed things so contrary to the will of his Creator he may seeke atonement and reconciliation with his offended God by the Gospel the testimonie of his loue Are not my words saith God good vnto him that walkes vprightly Therefore none but the obstinately wicked will shun the word preached which aswell offereth remission of sinnes committed as it threatneth death to the impenitent The Scriptures in many places command vs to seeke the Lord which argueth that we by nature are strangers from God separated by sinne and to remaine so is the most miserable condition that can befall the sonnes of men And where is the Lord to be sought but in his word which is the life of the soule As the soule body are knit together and conserued by breath So are our soules connexed and conioyned vnto God by the word of truth preached by Gods minister apprehended by faith and practised in spirit and truth The naturall man couets and delights to refresh himselfe in his griefes and crosses by musicke by merry company and by reading prophane bookes or hearing pleasant conceited songs or comedies which doe not onely not comfort but rather increase their griefes Contrarily Dauid protested that hee sought and found the onely true comfort in the word of God So doe all that are truely qualified in the rules of right religion though worldlings account it a melancholike wearinesse to sit an houâ—e to heare God speake vnto them But let them thinke that this wearinesse shall be a witnesse against them that they belong not to the Lord. Euery man desires to see his image in a glasse for two ends the one to see his feature the other to correct his deformities And Saint Iames compares the word of God to a glasse wherein are two sorts of Images discouered namely of Nature and Grace The first sheweth what we our selues are the second what we ought to seeke to be namely to be like vnto our head Christ Iesus in all sanctitie and holinesse in suffering patiently and obeying God truely This is by no other meanes learned but by the word of God preiched But some that haue made the least progresse in the loue to godlinesse of life thinke it sufficient to read the word of God or the workes of good and godly men at home an exercise not to bee in it selfe condemned but in respect of it to neglect the word preached is the contempt of Gods ordinance who hath in greatest fauour instituted his ministers to teach by the powerfull preaching of the word which worketh a more deepe impression in the heart of the hearer then of the reader For if wee consider the authoritie of the word preached it is from God the ministery from the mouth of man who is the mouth of God he therefore that neglects or contemnes the word preached neglectes the meanes of his saluation which is faith in Christ Iesus For faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God preached It is not yet sufficient to heare the word but as Marie laid vp the word in her heart so must euery profitable hearer retaine the word in their mindes permit it to rule in their affections and to bring foorth the fruits thereof in their actions reioycing when they doe the commandements of God and grieuing when they transgresse the same And because there be many things that hinder the growing of this sauing seede and many grounds receiue it but onely one namely good ground can bring forth the fruit It behooueth to pray that our hearts may be made fit to heare our affections fit to loue and our whole man apt to cherish this seede by continuall holy practise Lord increase my faith A Prayer to be said before the hearing of a Sermon THou Lord hast commanded vs or rather louingly inuited vs to seeke thy face and yet thou art in the highest heauens among thine Angels Seraphims and Cherubims and wee dust and ashes are in the earth full of infirmities not able to looke vnto much lesse into the heauens to behold thee there no the very Angels hide
their faces at the glory of thy great Maiestie And as for man clothed with mortality thou affirmest cannot see thy face and liue And yet thou sayest Seeke my face Lord what is it to seeke thy face but to seeke thy truth and to search thy word to couet to know thy will and to bee truely instructed and faithfully and sincerely inclined to keepe thy commaundements Thy word is a light vnto our pathes and a lanthorne vnto our feet It is the life of our soules the heauenly Manna without it there is no light no hope no spirituall comfort no assurance of saluation O how deare ought this word then be vnto vs Farre more sweet then the hony or the hony combe more precious then golde yea then the finest gold therein Lord see wee thy face therein beholde wee thy louing countenance there finde we the hidde pearle which to purchase the wisest will sell all worldly vanities yet is it to the foolish foolishnesse and a stumbling blocke vnto the carnally minded Jt is a mysterie Lord and a secret hidden from the wise of the world and reuealed onely vnto the humble to such as acknowledge themselues ignorant and hunger and thirst for the knowledge of the truth Such hast thou promised to teach and to instruct in the way of true wisedome by reuealing thy word which howsoeuer it seeme in the outward letter easie to be vnderstood it hath a spirituall and diuine sense which requireth a spirituall and diuine interpretation which commeth not neither can it be apprehended by nature And therefore in thy great mercy and loue thou hast ordained meanes whereby they whom thou hast appointed to saluation may bee made able to vnderstand the same namely the outward ministrie of men and the iuward elumination of thy holy spirit for without the second the first auayleth nothing neither in the minister that speaketh nor they to whom he speaketh vnlesse hee be sent of thee and the hearers eares opened and their hearts prepared by thee hee preacheth and they heare in vaine To the one a woe is pronounced as not preaching the Gospel sincerely to the other a curse for not receiuing the good word of truth as into good and fruitfull ground bringing foorth the liuely fruits of a life answerable to that word which is either the sauour of life vnto life or the sauor of death vnto death O Lord I am now come into thy presence to heare thee speake vnto vs here assembled by the mouth of thy seruant whom thou hast sent to preach thy word open therefore mine eares prepare my heart sanctifie mine Attention inlighten mine Vnderstanding strengthen my memorie rectifie my will that I may diligently heare attentiuely harken retentiuely remember and willingly imbrace and practice what shall bee truely and sincerely deliuered by thy minister And let not thy word Lord that shall fall from his mouth bee either choaked in mee with the thorny cares of the world nor be cast into so corrupt a heart as the vaine delights of my minde should deuoure it nor into so â—arraine a heart as should not bring foorth fruit at the least twentie fold to the glory and prayse of thy most blessed name to the beâ—â—ering and better direction of my conuersation before men to the assurance and sure sealing vp of my saluation in Jesus Christ to whom with thee O Father and the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 prayse for euer Amen Lord increase my faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to bee said after a Sermon heard AS the body of a man 〈◊〉 beast neither groweth to strength nor co 〈…〉 nueth in health without naturall foodâ— no more can the soule of man liue without Spirituall food the word of God And as man by art helpeth nature to concoct and digest his food to make it nutratiue to his body So the spiritual man hauing heard the sauing word of God vseth the means to make it profitable to the soule for as natural food takeÌ„ into the mouth and instantly spet out againe though it be a while detained and chawed and not taken into the bodie relieueth not the body So the Word heard with the care and not conueyed into and retained in the heart yeeldeth no comfort vnto the soule but rather worketh a kinde of contempt by custome and a kinde of lothing of the Word as a matter without the which his soule may liue for as that meate wherein the pallet hath no feeling of a pleasing taste delighteth not the appetiâ—â— no more can that Word which is not sauourie and delightfull to the soule be pleasing or profitable to the outward eare and consequently nothing comfortable to the vnfeeling soule But it is not in the power of man by nature profitably or with comfort to heare much lesse to make true vse of the word of God It is the gift of God to open the eare which is common to the good and bad hearers but a worke of the holy Ghost to open and prepare the heart to receiue the Word and to bring forth the fruit thereof without the which it is not only not an idle sound but a killing letter for it neuer falleth into the ears of any but it is either the sauour of life vnto life by the operation of faith and repentance or the sauour of death vnto death by the hardnes of the impenetrable and impenitent heart Therfore it much behoueth Christians not only to be carefull to heare but to be diligent and considerate how they heare to lay it vp in their hearts to make vse of it vpon all occasions in prosperity and aduersitie in sicknes and health and in what estate soeuer he is for it is as a treasure to purchase in euery calamitie comfort through patience and in all consolation inward or outward liuely and true thankfulnes Whatsoeuer or whosoeuer therefore thou be that hast at any time tasted of the good word of God forget not that although it be pronounced by man it is the word of the most Highest who will take an account of thee how and what thou hast heard and if thou fold it vp in the napking of forgetfulnes and put it not forth to the vse of thy soule it shall be taken from thee euen that thou hast and thou cast out of his presence whose word and counsaile thou hast so neglected Be not therefore forgetfull to ruminate and as it were often to â—hew the cud of that word thou hearest as at the mouth of God and because we are naturally al flow to heare what we should heare and our mindes very hard to retaine the good things proceeding out of the mouth of God we are to pray and humbly to petition the Lord of life to turne the word heard to the sauour of life vnto our eternally life it ought to be our continuall studie yea aboue al our worldly cares and occasions to meditate of the word we haue heard that it slippe not out of our mindes it is a Iewell which we shall hardly
keepe vnlesse we lay it vp in our hearts for the enemie goeth about to steale it out of our hearts by many carnall delights and vanities It is the seed sowne to bring forth good fruit we must beware that we admit no tares cockle or darnâ—l to grow vp therewith sinne and iniquity let it fructifie in goodnesse and pray that the grace of God watering our hearts may keepe downe the weeds of sinne and fructifie the good fruits of righteousnes to make vs holy and of vpright conuersation before God and men God hath made a promise to the faithfully praying to send his holy Spirit to helpe our infirmities And to this end vse this Prayer following or some to the like purpose whensoeuer thou hearest the Word preached it shall much confirme thee in a godly desire to heare and practise and thou thereby shalt finde comfort in all thy wayes A Prayer to be said after the hearing of a Sermon MOst bountifull and most louing Lord God the giuer of all good things feeder releeuer preseruer of our soules and bodies I yeeld thee most humble and most hartie thankes for that thou at this time hast so louingly and Fatherly reuealed vnto vs thy will out of thy word and haâ—â— made our fainting soules partakers of that celestiall and blessed Manna thy sauing word Good Father as thou hast plentifully now fed vs with the milke of thy sacred word giue it Lord a relieuing and nourishing power to refresh and strengthen our soules to walke before thee in liuely and acceptable obedience and a sanctified conuersation Grant that the word now sowne in our eares may take deepe roote in our hearts and bring forth fruit manifold Let not the enuious man preuaile in casting in amongst thy good seed the cockle tares and weeds of sinne and iniquitie to the peruerting or preuenting of our new obedience Let not the thorny cares of this world trouble and choake nor the vanities of our corrupt mindes vinder the growth of this sauing seed in our hearts Let not the scorching Sun of ouer heauiâ— afflictions cause this fruit of saluation to wither but water it Lord with the continuall dew of thy holy Spirit as our vnfruitful and harren harts shall grow weak wanting this liuely foode supply it Lord from time to time by the preaching of thy word and giue vs diligent eares and obseruing hearts at all times and grant that wee bee not hearers only but doers of thy will And for that our hearts are hard to conceiue open our vnderstandings and for that our memories are short and vnable to retaine the sauing word giue vs hearts of continuall holy meditation that we may be euer chewing the cudde of that heauenly food and so digest the same that it may more more strengthen our faith vnto saluation And let the words O Lord which we haue now and formerly heard neuer returne in vaine but worke that holy effect for which thou hast appointed it namely the increase and confirmation of our faith in thee obedience repentance and newnes of life that we euer more and more hungring and thirsting for this sweete and sauing food may at length bee made able to liue in all holy and spotlesse conuersation before thee our heauenly Father and indeuour with all holy alacritie and ioyfulnes to take the aduantage of all oportunities to heare thee to speake vnto vs to follow and performe what thou commandest and to shun and with carefulnes to auoid what thou forbiddest Let nothing hinder vs Lord from a louing desire to repaire vnto thy house to refresh our soules with the bread of heauen and let vs not couet to bee seene of men onely hearers but found and allowed of thee doers of thy will Grant this Lord for thy Christs sake Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be said against malicious aduersaries FOr as much as the holy Ghost testifieth that our Sauiour Christ Iesus had his enemies he liuing in all holines integritie and innocencie should we mortall sinners corrupt and many wayes transgressing wretches thinke much to be hated maligned enuied and persecuted of men or doth any man thinke that if he do as his Master hath commanded hee shall not finde the same measure that his Master found who himselfe did what he would we should do and was only enuied for his well-doing Happie is that man that procureth enemies by his godly conuersation for it is certaine they that hate him for his sinceritie are not his but Gods enemies also But to draw men to hate vs for our vices their hatred is rather 〈◊〉 vertue commendable then a fault reproueable for it tendeth not vnto the hurt of our bodies but the reformation of our liues and as we shall begin to incline to godlines so will the hatred of the godly turn into loue And though Satan then step in to incouÌ„ter vs with his malignant ministers there is no cause to feare for thought thousands compasse vs about to deuour vs there shall be more with vs then with them fiue shal chase an huÌ„dred and an huÌ„dred put ten thousand to flight The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise against thee to fall before thy face 〈◊〉 he made the enemies of Iacob to feare him for he feared God! God sometimes punisheth the enemies of his children by other meanes then by them to whom they are enemies as he gaue the enemies of Lot into Abrahams hands if we obey the Lord he will persecute them that couet to persecute vs though we be silent and desire no reuenge Vengeance is the Lords and he will reward There is no greater reuenge to be offered against an enemie then to leaue him to Gods reuenge and to liue in the presence of the enemy so as he can take no exceptions against our coÌ„uerâ—ation vpright before God and men it breeds a terror in a tyraâ—nous aduersarie to see him whom he hateth to liue in the feare of God furious Saul was aâ—â—aid of Dauid because he saw the Lord was with him If we could truely iudge of Gods purpose in sending vs enemies we should neuer be so disquiâ—ted at their practises against vs whether they threaten to kill vs as Saul did Dauid and the souldiers Paul and Iesabel â—liah or whether they vexe vs at the Law vniustly or slander vs maliciously or work any other mischiefe against vs treacherously if we feare God and rest vpon his prouidence he shall turne all their deuices to our good as he did the enuie of Iosephâ— brethren Ioseph was condemned for an Adulterer Daniel for a Rebell Iob for an Hypocrite and Christ our Sauiour for a Malefactor And how did God worke for these Ioseph was freed and exalted Daniel cleared and iustified Iob restored approued though Christ were condemned for vs he was glorified and shall glorifie vs. Enemies are most necessarie euils as a man may terme them euill in themselues yet necessarie for vs we know that an
many yet forget not to bee good vnto thy chosen leaue not thy Saints vnto the spoyler rather shorten these dayes of sinne lest that the increase of vngodlinesse seduce euen the righteous and they perish also by straying from the way of life Lord increase our faith Another Prayer for the Uniuersall Church in the time of affliction or persecution MOst gracious Father as thou hast shewed thy selfe in former times a most powerfull protector of thy Church euer since the propagation thereof and by thy holy spirit hast conserued it in the vnitie of thy spirit in a constant true profession of thy word in a bolde and sincere confessing of Christ the head of that sanctified body euen when persecution vnto death raged and tyrannized most Bee still mindfull of the same thy little flocke feede it still with thy word defend it still with thy mightie hand guide it euer with thy holy spirit and euermore preserue it as the vine which thine own right hand hath planted Gather together thy sheepe scattered vpon so many mountaines let not the wolues seaze vpon thy tender lambes to teare them in peeces while there is none to helpe Let not the subtill foxes bewitch them with a false religion Let not the wild Boâ—e of Antichristian persecution deuoure them Let not Sathan nor sinne preuaile against them But as thou hast promised let thy Church and euery member of the same be as Mount Sion that shall neuer bee mooued let them stand fast for euer Let them florish in all faith and obedience as trees planted by the riuers and bring forth fruits of religion true pittie aboundantly compasse them with armies of thine Angels as thou diddest compasse Elisha with horses and chariots of fire and as the mountains compasse Ierusalem So let thy preuayling power compasse them about Suffer none O Lord to doe them violence but if in thy wisedome thou thinkest meet to make any member of thy Church a witnesse of thy trueth giue him the spirit of true vnderstanding of thy word faith and constancie to imbrace what measure of affliction or persecution thou shalt thinke fit to lay vpon him for the same forsake him not O Lord in his trials nor lay no more vpon him then it may please thee to giue him power to indure Make thy children O Lord strong and then cannot the threats of the cruellest Tyrants dismay thy outwardly weakest witnesses from vndergoing the extremest passion of martyrdome O fortifie all them whom thou hast appointed to any kind of torment for the testimony of the truth of the Gospel of Iesus Christ. Season them so with the assurance of their future glory that they flie not nor start backe for feare of whatsoeuer torture thine enemies may threaten or execute The least of which not being assisted and made easie by thy all-shining countenance vpon the soule of the persecuted cannot but dismay him and dismaying make him faint and fainting make him fall and so to denie thee Looke downe therefore O Lord vpon and visite all thine afflicted members protect them from secret conspiracies open practises and violent incursions plotted by Sathan and Antichrist and attempted by their bewitched instruments by whom thy Church and the members thereof and dayly afflicted and indangered Take thou wee humbly beseech thee our defence into thine owne hands Stop the breach which the enemie hath made Maintaine Lord thine owne word protect and keepe thine owne people conuert reuert or confound them that fight against thee by word or sword and fight against them that fight against thee in thy members that thou maiest be glorified thy Church increased and euery member of the same euerlastingly comforted in Christ their head Be it so good Father Amen Lord increase our faith Another short Prayer for the prosperitie of the Church and gouernment thereof GOd Father in Iesus Christ looke downe from heauen vpon and visite the viâ—e which thy right hand hath planted Send labourers into thy vineyard that they may so prune it and dresse it that it may branch and beare plentifully good fruit Suffer nâ— loyterers or idle persons in steade of labourers to enter into or vndertake to husband this vine Let no prophane person haue any superintendencie within the same But let the holy the faithfull the diligent industrious and such 〈◊〉 haue care to aduance thy Gospel and glory to instruct to exhort to improue rebuke and to bee instant in season and out of season be established ouerseers in this vineyard By whose watching and worke all the branches may be so succoured and carried vpward as they may not cease growing vntill they mount vp vnto the perfection of spirituall knowledge and practise of all pietie and fiâ—â—all obedience and consequently became members of that celestiall Ierusalem Send Lord such watchmen to keepe thy vine as by the sword of the spirit may be able to incounter and keepe out expulse abandon and driue away all hurtfull and prophane beasts all Swinelike drunkards all Lyonlike furious and Wolfelike denouring and rauening persons all Camelionlike Hypocrites all Leopardlike spotted Professors and all Foxelike crafty deuisors of and inâ—iâ—â—rs to new and false doctrines which the Gospel of thy Sonne Christ Iesus warranteth not Let onely the meeke sheepe and humble lambes the truly religious and holy be euermore gouernours and the gouerned in this heauenly Vineyard thy Church And although no visible Congregation can bee without these hidden and dangerous members knowne onely to thy selfe confirme the faith of euery childe of thine that they may be more and more inlightened confirmed in their hope through a sound and sincere profession of thy truth neuer to be remoued vnto the end Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be sayd for the Kings Maiestie WHen God had caused to be diuided the land of Canaan into parts according to the Twelue tribes of Israel he substituted as vnder and in the name of himselfe first Judges and after Kings to gouerne theâ— whereof some were vertuous religious and fearing God and they defended the truth of God protecteâ— his Church vnder them Some weroâ— dolaters perturbers of the Church 〈◊〉 God and Tyrants The first respecting the lawes of God and good of his Church made the lawes of God the paterne of their gouernments The second either not knowing God or knowing him did not honour him as God but fell from the liuing God themselues and caused the people to fall likewise from God to Idols therby highly incensing God to indignation against them who grieuously punished them with their Kings Dauid Iosiah Hezekiah Asa and Ieboshaphat were Kings that feared God 1. King 15. 12. 2. Chron. 17. 3. These did God aduance to comfort his children by the free vse of his word and to defend them from the aduersaries hand 2. Chron. 1. 11. Contrarily he setteth vp tyrants for the punishment of a rebellious people as Nehemiah complaineth Nehem. 9. 37. Manasses made the streets of Ierusalem
to swim with the blood of his religious subiects Good and gracious Princes are as defensiue walles vnto a people against the rage and violence of enemies such as of whom Dauid speaketh Psal. 47. 9. Gebal and Ammoâ— and Amalâ—â—h the Philiflims the inhabitants of Tyre and such like conspiratora against and oppressors of the children of God that sticke not to say Come and let vs cut them off from being a nation Psal. 68. 4. 7. Dauid complained in his time that the kings of the earth did band themselues and Princes assenibled together against the Lord and against his people and hath it not bene seene in our dayes that mighty potentates haue conspired against Gods anointed and vs And that secret trecheries haue bene coyned to indanger the peace and safety of prince and people And hath not that God that deliuered Dauid from Saul deliuered vs from them that rose vp against vs And shall we thinke that the publike and prinate petitions which the godly haue made for their Soueraignes hath not much preuailed to preuent the dangers which haue bene euen at the point of execution Let vs therefore neuer forget his goodnesse but so much the more become instant suppliants vnto that great King of kings that he will blesse preserue protect and defend his most excellent Maiestic whose vertues shine to the glory of the kingdome his integritie learning religious constancie admired were he a tyrant we ought to pray for his prosperitie how much more being most graciously louing vnto his subiects ought wee to intercede for him to God according to the precept of the Apostle 2. Tim. 1. 2. where he chargeth that all men should pray for kings who are appointed by God Let vs therefore pray for his health wealth peace prosperitie and safety that wee likewise in and by him may still as we now doe partake of thosâ— excellent blessings peace plentie and the free vse of the Gospel of Christ. And as Dauid prayed that the counsell of Athithophel might be made foolishnesse So let euery one of vs pray that God will destroy all the deuices of such as seeke or wish the hurt of his Maiestie the disturbance of his Church or Common-weale and to that end let this prayer following or some to the like purpose bee often vsed A Prayer and thankesgiuing for the Kings Maiestie to be often vsed of euery good subiect O Mighty and euerliuing Lord God who dwellest in the most glorious heauens in greatnes and glory whose wonderfull and vnresistible power protecteth those that feare thee and confoundest the strongest mightiest princes that rise vp against thee Thou afflictest the subiects of rebellious princes and comfortest those that are conformable vnto thy will kings and people 〈◊〉 cannot forget how the multitude of thy mercies did compasse vs aboâ—â— on euery â—ide in the dayes of thy late chosen Elizabeth vnder whâ—â— thou gauest vs peace plentie 〈◊〉 aboue all the vse of thy sacred word the staffe and strength of our soules which hath the promise of all kinds of blessings which 〈◊〉 inioyed vntill her translation froâ— vs vnto thee At what time aâ— thou Lord well knowest such was our generall feare of perill to haue succeeded her departure as the wisest of our Ancients became doubtful what would be the successe of the succession yet farre beyond our imaginations but farre more beyond our deserts thou forgetting our sinnes remembredst thy mercies Insomuch as although thou tookest from vs a most worthy De 〈…〉 yet thou hast in her steade giuen vs in thy prouidence a Iosiah most worthy who still leadeth vs thy people through the wildernes of many spirituall dangers towards mount Sion the holy hill of assurance of saluation through Christ thy Sonne and laboureth through a holy zeale to bring them that erre from thy truth into the way that leadeth vnto eternal life to reconcile the obstinate and to confirme the weake So that we cannot but acknowledge that indeede thy mercies are infinite towards vs in him O that men would therefore prayse thy name for thy goodnesse and for thy blessings bestowed vpon vs the most vnworthy amongst the children of men Lord we confesse that among all thy mercies and miracles there is none more admired in the world then is thy goodnesse and loue towards vs howsoeuer vnworthy in keeping vs notwithstanding so many Antichristian stratagems vnder thine owne protection continuing to vs the light of thy sacred truth that shineth amongst vs more bright theâ— the 〈…〉 nne in her strength As if thâ—â— haddest a more speciall respect vnto vs thâ—â— to any other nation 〈◊〉 thine owne dearest and peculiar people Thou hast anointed vnto vs a religious â—ing to watch 〈…〉 uer vs to nourish vs with the 〈…〉 ilke of thy sauing word and hast not permitted a stranger from thy truth to intrude vpon vs But with the sword of the spirit hast hitherunto guarded vs from the entrie of forraigne Potentates enemies vnto thy Gospel Inlargâ— therefore good Father thy gift of wisedome and power vnto thiâ—â— owne peculiar choice Iames thiâ—â— Anointed that he may be watchfull to obserue and powerfull to withstand the enemies of thy truth abroad and at home Let no Achitophel bee neere his person nor any sinister counsell bee heard or malicious hand be lifted vp against him Be a Father of mercy vnto him and to his seede that vnder thee he and they that haue and shall proceed from his or the loynes of them that proceede from him may be fathers and furtherers of many comforts to thy Church for euer Take him not from vs as thou hast taken our neighbour kings though our sinnes deserue it and haue already made a dangerous breach in that Royall stocke wherein vnder thee our hope of happinesse dependeth much And therefore Lord depriue vs not of him nor any of his issue in thine anger who brought vs peace after peace and is as Dauid vnto vs a man chosen after thine owne 〈…〉 uing kindnesse to rule vs 〈◊〉 to continue vs in the rules of right religion a blessing aboue blessings Giue vs not â—uer therefore vnto the will of his and ours and thine owne enemies who vnder the counterfeit colour of the name and cause of Christ seeke to persecute Christ himself in his meÌ„bers falsly perswading themselues that the murdering of Princes and massacring of people is a sacrifice acceptable to thee and a marke of Catholike religion How it had fared with vs the king and people if thou hadst permitted that plot of confusion lately practised to haue preuailed thou knowest Thy chosen Israel wanting a king all people did what they listed If then Lord they had depriued thine English Israel of King Counsell Bishops Iudges and Chiefe men of the land what could haue succeeded but vniuersall confusion Wee confesse thy power and prouidence to â—e absolute and couldest haue raysed and restored others for thine owne glory But our sinnes deseruing the first could not bee worthily seconded
ablenes to discharge the office according to iudgement it is not enough to be a deepe Politician a profound Naturalist but to be a religious Christian well seene in the booke of God especially and in the Lawes and ordinances of the Kingdome to be of an vpright heart of a godly conuersation qualified in the vertues diuino the first whereof is to respect Gods glory secondly the honor of the King the good of the Church and Weale publike to shine before men in godlines for that ministreth ioy consolation to the good and terror to the wicked It is impossible for him to giue good counsell to men that hath not taken counsell before of God Psal. 33. 10. And therefore hee that seeketh not wisdome where Salomon found it let hiâ— be as wise in humane affaires 〈◊〉 was Achitophel it will either come to nought or redound to his owne disgrace to the dishonor of the King and hurt of the Church or Common-weale Great happines then it is to that King and Kingdome where men of worthie not for their Religion Prudence and Integritie are inuested in that most honorable societie and therefore much behoueth it all honorable persons of that most worthy rancke to commence in humilitie and in the feare of God from whence cannot but proceed that true wisedome and sinceritie which are the truest arguments of the Kings and Subiects happinesse and safetie And for that these supernaturall gifts no man attaineth vnto by chance arte or carnall means they are to be sought for by prayer at the hands of him that freely giues them without remuneration Iam. 1. 5. He then that loueth righteousnes and is in this eminent place cannot but desire true Wisdome and that instantly in regard of the vertues that accompanie her As Sobernes Prudence Righteousnesse and Fortitude Wisd. 8. 7. ornaments of highest honor to such as are of the secrets of Princes But fearing lest I should seeme to lightâ— candle to giue light to the Sunne I craue pardon and patience onely I aduenture to insert this among other Motiues not to teach but by way of well-wishing vnto all of that most high and most honorable association whose wisdome and iudgement is a light in the Court and life of the Kingdome A Prayer not vnfit to be sometimes vsed of a Counsellour of Estate as he hath oportunitie O Gracious Lord God most wise prouident and louing Father I acknowledge my selfe farre vnworthy of the plâ—câ— and dignitie whereunto thou iâ— great mercie hast aduanced me a man of meanest vnderstanding What am I O Lord that thâ—â— shouldest respect me so That thoâ— shouldest associate mee with the grauest and most prudent to m 〈…〉 me partaker of the secret counsel of thine Anointed I know that witâ— thee is wisedom and counsell mercie and iudgement but I am ignorant only thou art the Author and fountaine of true wisedom giuest prudence knowledge abundaÌ„tly to them that truly faithfully aske it of thee to the end to do good to execute Justice to aduante thy word 〈◊〉 loue countenance and defend the true professors of the same not to seeme the more singular in Naturall and Humane policies But indeed to be the more able to preuent the euils which the enemies of thy sacred and sauing truth plot and practise against thy Church and thine Anointed And therefore Father Al-sufficient seeing it is thy good pleasure to put into the heart of thine Anointed to call me vnworthy to his Counsell make 〈◊〉 more worthy by infussing into mee wisedome to aduise iudgement to determine and strength to performe all the godly duties required in my high calling Make me especially studious in thy worâ— giue 〈◊〉 vnderstanding according vnto the same lest I through ignorance or rashnesse should propose deliberat or censure any thing to thy dishonor to the danger or damage of our Soueraigne Lord to the distaste or disturbance of thy Church or against the peace or profit of the â—â—â—eale publike of the Dominious vnder the charge of thine Anointed And aboue all things Lord giue mee a religious heart that in a godly and right constant resolution I may more and more seeke the propagation increase continuance and aduancement of the Gospell of Iesus Christ and more and more seeke to weaken and bring to nought all Idolatrie and superstition Take from me a parciall eye that in respect of persons I seeke not to free the faulty or to discountenance or condemne the innocent Giue me a loyal hart to my Soueraigne season my loue towards him with thy loue that as much as in mee lieth I may euer defend his person though to the losse of whatsoeuer is dearest unto me and that I may seeke to discouer those that hate him and endeuour to bring them to their deserued shame and punishment Lord increase my faith and mine vnderstaÌ„ding according to thy word Another short effectuall Prayer to be said of a priuie Counseller fit to bee said before consultation FRuctifie my heart O gracious Lord God with righteousnesse and sincere iudgement that I may wisely consult sincerely censure and iudge iustly all things that at any time shall be propounded to mine opinion for of my self Lord I doe acknowledge that I am a man of weake vnderstanding of a corrupt heart and ignorant of perfect equitie and therefore I humbly beg knowledge and wisedome of thee Keepe my feet aright in all my wayes free my hands and keepe them euer cleane from gifts that they cause me not to peruert iustice and wrest sound counsell Indue mee with a mercifull heart and let mine affections be euer such as may in all things administer true tokens of mine integrity And for as much as things may diuersly fall out to be debated and determined by vs of this high calling of so worthy and weighty consequence as may concerne the life and state of Church Common-weale and we being but men not able to fadome by our wisedomes the end of thy secret purposes nor to sound the depth of thine vnsearchable iudgements bee pleased to reueale vnto vs thy will for the good of thine Anointed vnder whom thou hast placed vs that we may accordingly consult and determine for nothing succedeth wiâ—â— without thee and against thee there is neither wisedome vnderstanding or counsell that can preuaile Thy Judgements are vnsearchable and thy wayes past finding out Furnish vs therfore O louing Father with all graces and vertues necessarie to the performance of out bound duties to thy selfe thine Anointed thy Church and the Common-weales vnder the gouernment of our Soueraigne Lord thy seruant through Christ our wisedome our Strength and ou◠〈◊〉 â—eeiner Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be said of euery good subiect for the good successe of the Counsell Royall SAint Paul in the first to Timothie cap. 1. 2. exhorteth all men to make prayers and supplications for kings and men in authoritie and yeeldeth such a reason to moue thereunto as
thâ—â— hast appointed Counsâ—llâ—rs of Estate vnder our King by the rule of right reason and diuine wisedome that all their consultations and determinations may tend vnto and come to a holy eâ—d being 〈◊〉 rated in thy feare and sanctified by prayer Heare our petitions for them heare them for themselues and vs and heare them and vs for the safetie of thiâ—â— Anointed for the good of thy Church pr 〈…〉 and peace of thy people in and for thy Christ our solâ— and only 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 to whom with 〈◊〉 and the holy â—â—â—st be praise 〈◊〉 nally Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to bee vsed of Iudges and Superiour Magistrates that haue power and authoritie to heare and determine causes betweene man and man which Motiue is fit to be often read and considered of â—hem ABoue all the men in the world Iudges superiour Magistrates and Ministers of Gods word haue greatest cause to seeke wisdome and iudgement at the hands of God by prayes for that Rule and gouernment is giuen them of the Lord and power by the most high who will trie their workes and search their imaginations Wisd. 6. 2. 〈◊〉 If they iudge iustly he will iustifie their Iudgements but if they perueit Iustice horrible and sudden will be â—ppâ—are vnto them a â—ard iudgemeÌ„t shall they haue that rule and rule not according to right Let them pray that God will giue them grace to keepe their hearts vpright and their hands cleane for nothing peruerâ—â—th the heart of a Iudge as do bribes they bewitch him they make him of a free maÌ„ a slaue for being once corrupted with reward he letteth slip the reines of Iustice and wresteth the cause to the Briber whose hireling he is whereby the iust man is oppressed and the oppressor freed the lawes of God neglected the lawes of Common-weales peruerted the King abused Subiects wronged the common peace indangered Gods iudgements threatned confusion feared God will be a seuere Iudge of all partial corrupt Iudges the people shal perish where bribery corruption ouerswayeth Iustice The Iudges of the house of Iacob the Gouernours of the house of Israel did abhor Iudgement and peruert equity they iudged for rewards thinking as corrupt Iudges doe that God saw them not in their priuate studies and therefore could there bee no accuser consequently no danger follow But the Iudges were punished the people oppressed Sion plowed as a field Ierusalem became a heape of stones Mich. 3. 9. 11. Such desolation followeth where Iudges are corrupt where the Priests teach for hire and the Prophets prophesie for mony These may be all set in the table of Iudges Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill Iudges were coupled together by Micah the Prophet and therefore may they heare one and the same admonition namely that they be diligent to seeke wisdome and learning together Ye are al Iudges of things in the earth and in earthly vessels of things Diuine I indeuour not to teach them but to moue them to seeke wisdome at the fountaine Iehouah of him to learne Iudgement for he shall be the Iudge of their Iudgements and he shall reward them that take reward against the innocent If therefore they would remember and ruminate the exhortatioÌ„ of Iehoshaphat which he gaue to the Iudges in his time that they should take heed what they did considering they executed not the iudgements of men but of God They would bee circumspect in iudging and the more if they considered what Iehu said vnto Iehoshaphat Wilt thou helpe the wicked and loue them that hate the Lord As all Iudges doe if for affection or bribes they suppresse a iust and preferre an vniust cause Iudges may bee compared to beautifull women in their places for as the deformed are seldom or neuer assailed or tempted to incoÌ„tineâ—â—ie but the beautifull eagerly often So coÌ„mon persons are seldom or not at al tempted with brib 〈…〉 but Iudges and Magistrates strongly and many times And happie is that Iudge that keepeth his hart free from parriall affection and his hands from gifts A Iudge first mounting into his chaire of Iudgement ought to prâ—meditate of the weighty taske hee hath vndertaken for hâ—â— is entred as into the seat of God himselfe in his â—â—ead to execute Iustice iustly If they fore he poruert Iudgement he doth what in him lieth to make God vniust It is an office not vashly to be desired not vnaduisedly to be vndertaken for if they runne before desert and finde not in themselues fitnes for experience and sinceritie and be there unto called as God commanded Moses to constitute such to be Iudges of the people as would administer righteous Iudgement fit it were to forbeare But being lawfully called and finding â—â—tnes inwardly for gifts let him theâ— pray that God will inable him with wisdome and 〈◊〉 Iudgement that he may discharge a good coÌ„science without respect of persons or bribes two strong enemies to Iustice and impossible it is to preuent them without the especiall grace of God who being instantly petitioned is readie to giue wisdome and to keep the hart cleane from vniust rewards pray therefore and be warned yee that bee Iudges of the earth for fire shall consume the houses of bribers Iob 15. 24. A Prayer to be vsed of Iudges and Magistrates O Gracious and merciful Lord God Father of mercie inst in Judgement absolute in wisdome pure and holy in all thy waies and works Lend thine eare of mercie vnto my petitions who am a man weak in vnderstanding ignorant in iudgement apt to erre in opinion vnworthy of the high calling whereunto thou hast aduanced me to execute Justice and JudgemeÌ„t as in thy stead in earth and in thy name to giue sentence according to equity But I am by nature of a corrupt heart of prâ—phane lips and of a deâ—â—led conuersation Therefore of mine own disposition and wisedome vnable to iudge iustly and consequently vnfit for so high a function But thou louing Father art the fountain of wisdome the directer of the hart the mouer of the tongue the giuer of true knowledge And therfore I do huÌ„bly beseech thee to fill my hart with wisedom from aboue my will with equity mine vnderstanding with iust iudgement that I laying aside all mine own wit policy pretended prudence which naturally is meerely carnall may only rely vpon thy holy heaueÌ„ly direction and obtaine it that I rightly coÌ„ceiuing the equity of all causes that shal be tendred vnto my censure I may iudge iustly between parties without respect of persons that I may truly imitate thee who art iust in thy iudgements acceptest no person for reward Giue me an vnderstaÌ„ding hare to distinguish between truth falshood between the wronged the wrong-doer that I punish not the iust let the wicked goe free Let no priuate respect Lord eyther of mine owne benefit or steeding a friend miscarry my iudgement but let thine owne glory and reueiled
And graunt that I may duely consider that two thus conioyned shall be made one flesh And therefore not vnaduisedly to be attempted lest of a member of Christ my Sauiour I should make my selfe the member of some prophane and wicked person which is not in my power or policie but in thy prouidence to preuent Preuent it Lord and whomsoeuer thou pleasest that I imbrace we may bee both made one intire bodie sanctified throughout in Christ Iesus that our vnion being thus made holy it may resemble that heauenly vnion which is betweene Christ and the Church his spowse And let our hearts and affections bee so truely and intirely knit together in thee that after the consummating of this sacred mysterie betweene vs there may succeede no cause of disparadgement no breach of thy sacred ordinance nor any offence iâ— thy Church But that comming together in thy fauour we may liue in thy feare prosper by thy prouidence be blessed in the fruit of our bodies gouerne our selues and our families religiously liue in thy Church sincerely deale with all meÌ„ iustly and obtaine of thee necessaries plentifully That wee and for all things may giue glory and prayse vnto thee ioyfully and 〈◊〉 our liues in thee faithfully and aâ—ter reigne with thee in glory etâ—â—nally through Christ our Sauiour and euerlasting red 〈…〉 Amen Lord increase my faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to bee sayd of married folkes NAture teacheth euery man and woman to loue themselues what then but the peruersenesse and crookednes of our natures maketh that a man and his wife being of two made one flesh should not loue nourish and cherish one another as the Lord loueth and comforteth his Church Neuer man yet bated his owne flesh saith Saint Paul And therefore Euery man ought to loue his wife as himselfe and let the wife see that she feare her husband Ephe. 5. 33. Whereby it appeareth that vnder loue and feare are comprehended the speciall dueties of man and wife one towards another Loue importeth all desire of ayding and helping and feare implyeth all care and diligence to preuent occasions of offending one the other To this kind of mutuall loue and feare if it bee in the Lord are promised many blessings peace plentie fruitfulnesse and sweetest contentment But if it be counterfeit and vsurped contrary to the holy ordinance of God namely for carnall respects onely there will follow in stead of comfort crosses contentions and many discontentments And therefore it much behooueth men and women thus of two made one to consider the endes of their vniting whether they asked first counsell of the Lord by prayer had the consent of parents and approbation of the word of God If so then to bee vnfeinedly thankefull to God by whose prouidence they became man and wife If they find any impediment or defect in their first insinuation communication or consummation of this high and holy mysterie they are speedily to appeale vnto God for pardon for their not crauing his ayde in so weightie an action and to redeeme their rashnesse by vnfained repentance and prayer Such is the frailtie of our natures as the most men and women erre in this point from the rule of right religion hauing their affections either naturally blinde and miscarried or by the meanes of parents sinisterly wrested Lust and Lucre are two mayne cords to draw the affections of men and women from making conuenient choice according to the rule of Gods word following their owne idle and vaine fantasies comming together not as Christians in the feare of the Lord and in sincere loue but many after a beastiall and brutish manner heaping vpon themselues shame and miserie Their dissembled loue proues hatred their vowes falsified the promise of each to other plighted wilfully and perfidiously broken It behooueth therefore all men and women thus coupled together in marriage to be especially mindfull of their dueties to God for without the sauour of God no true duetie can bee performed by either to other to their children or families Tokens of a good husband are to be louing to his wife to be wise in his words to be milde in his conuersation to be faithfull in his promises to bee circumspect in his gouernment to bee carefull for the education of his children to bee discreete in disposing of his goods to bee patient in troubles and to order his family religiously Tokens of a good wife to be no common gadder abroad to be modest and graue in companie to be neat and alwayes well busied in her house carefully to saue what the husband gets to attend and tender her children motherly to bee modestly silent patiently to suffer constantly to loue her husband prouidently to care for her household And the husband and the wife to bee religiously carefull to please God together So shall God bee pleased to blesse them in all things in their going out and comming in in their house and in the fieldes in their goods and good name in their children and families and whatsoeuer shall concerne their comfort in this life and the life to come A Prayer to be sayd of married folkes either priuatly or mutually together O Heauenly Father that madest in the beginning all things of nothing man of the dust of the earth and woman of the man that as she came of the substance of the bodie flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones So to be reunited vnto man and in a mysticall manner became one body with him by the holy institution of marriage which we hauing by thy prouidence in thy presence solemnized by our mutuall coniunction wee pray thee in Iesus Christ to blesse vs according to thy promise in all things And although through our naturall and originall weakenesse we cannot but confesse that we haue erred from the right and religious rules of thy holy ordinance in yeelding too much vnto our owne carnall desires foolish fantasies and fraile affections Pardon vs we humbly pray thee knowing and wee confessing that flesh and blood cannot so precisely containe but that it will fall into many noysome desires offending thy Maiestie Clense therfore O mercifull Lord God clense our hearts and conforme our conuersations to thy will giue vs power to abandon all lightnesse wantonnesse and vanities that we may become truely and religiously affected one towards another keeping our selues cleane without incastitie without any violating of thy holy ordinance in thought word or deede and our hearts and bodies vndefiled That with the more integritie of loue and heartie obedience towards thee we may passe our limited course of this life And forasmuch as thou knowest Lord that many crosses commonly accompany the estate of wedlocke and many both domesticall and forraigne troubles distract our affections especially while wee remaine in our naturall vanities season them gracious Lord whatsoeuer they be or shall be with thy fauour and loue So shall they not proue the fruits of thy displeasure but of thy meere goodnes to
gracious Father with vnderstanding and apprehending hearts that we in teaching neglect not our dueties nor our children in learning and obeying thee be fouÌ„d vnwilling Teach vs all thy word O Lord that wee may direct our duties and frame our conuersations thereby that wee and they may walke before thee and bee vpright Incline their hearts and their affections vnto such course of life as in thy prouidence may best stand with their ingenious inclinations for their honest reliefe in this life knowing that all are bound to betake them to some vocation or calling in Church or Common-weale Direct them therefore by thy prouidence good Father in Christ Iesus that they may imbrace such callings as may best staÌ„d with thy glory and their comfort adde blessing vpon blessing vnto their honest endeuours giue them religious hearts and holy mindes that in sinceritie of conuersation they may walke before thee and euermore discharge a holy and Christian dutie before and among men and neuer leaue them Lord vnto their owne naturall corruptions which are strong cordes to draw them from good to euill from obedience to rebellion Let thy grace beare chiefe sway in them that they may euer and in all things prosper in this life not as worldlings in fulnesse of forbidden pleasures and carnall contentments but in a competent estate of this lifes necessaries as able rather to giue vnto thy needie members then to be inforced through penurie to want or begge their bread I recommend them Lord into thine owne Fatherly disposition and protection they are thine left vnto me by thee and therefore good Father take a fatherly care ouer them that in this life they may so liue as after this life they may be made partakers with thee of the heauenly inheritance in Christ our Sauiour Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be vsed by children for their Parents THere is or ought to bee such a sympathy or mutuall passion of affection betweene children and parents as one grieueth not but the other soroweth the one reioyceth not but the other is glad what measure of good or euill the one enioyeth or suffereth the other partaketh But the burden of care lieth vpon the parents feares griefes sorrowes paines and expences in fostering protecting educating and instructing their children Therefore ought children to endeuor with al diligence diligent carefulnes to loue reuereÌ„ce obey performe whatsoeuer may work to the coÌ„fort of their parents not only in outward obedience but in inward and a sincere affection of the heart neuer forgetting their parents paines patience perplexities which for their childrens sake they vndergo and endure Loue them therefore yee children hartily without flattery feare them truly without hypocrisie reuerence theÌ„ vnfainedly without dissimulation pray for them zealously without wearinesse and do them good cheerefully without grudging And when yee haue done all the good offices that ye can yet shal ye be continuall debters vnto your parents especially to such parents as striue religiously to educate you godly for it is not the wealth parents leaue you but the wisdome they teach you not the pleasures they permit you but the practise of honestie they learne you that shal steed you most and help you best in life and death Good and gracious children are an ornament to their parents more then their wealth or beautie but irreligious wicked wanton riotous and rebellious children the shame and sorrow of them more then their wits weaknes or their bodies deformities But where there is a religious and a holy mutuall affection betweene parents and children and loue and obedience of both to God infinite blessings corporall and spirituall cannot but follow Dauid was olde and had beene yong yet neuer saw hee godly parents forsaken nor their godly children to want And where this sweete harmonie is betweene parents and children there cannot faithfull and mutuall prayer but bee on all sides frequent and blessings on all sides shall follow both vpon parents who haue a promise that they shall see their childrens children and peace vpon Israel and children shall haue their daies prolonged in peace plentie and all happinesse Therefore I counsell all children of discretion to bee euermore louing and obedient to their parents and be euermore conuersant in praier to God for them And because it is no ordinarie thing for youth to bee able to pray by nature let them inwardly hunger and desire with inward sighes to God the good of their parents and the increase of Gods blessings and benefits vpon them and themselues and endeuour by little and little to vtter words as God shal enable them in secret to God who knoweth their desires and will grant what they in heart require tending to the obtaining of spirituall graces for themselues and others And for their better furtherance I haue set downe this weake Motiue and a forme of Prayer fit to be vsed of all good children or the like for their parents according to the flesh as also for such as are any way helpers in their vertuous and religious educations A Prayer fit for children to vse for their parents GRacious Lord God and louing father in thy beloued Sonne Iesus Christ as thou hast brought me into this world by the carnall propagation of naturall parents and hast giuen mee a life and being heere in the earth and afforded me of thy great goodnes some measure of naturall and spirituall vnderstanding whereby I apprehend a dutie which I owe vnto my parents according to the flesh So giue me grace I humbly pray thée to performe all dutifull obedience vnto them in thee and grant that their godly care and religious endeuours tending to my education instruction in the true knowledge and feare of thee may take such roote and worke such effect inwardly in my heart as may approue mee to belong vnto thee by whome I am begotten anew in Christ Iesus Accept my hartie thankfulnes O gracious Lord God for thy spirituall blessings and for thy goodnes towards me in not only taking me out of my mothers womb wherin I had perished and she with me hadst not thou beene the Author of her strength and my deliuery but also in preseruing me from many both spirituall and corporall dangers whereby I could not but haue vin many times confounded without thy goodnesse and prouidence in giuing me carefull and louing parents who vnder thee haue beene the meanes of my often preseruation What recompence Lord shall I giue vnto thee for thy great goodnes and manifold mercies towards me Thou requirest no sacrifice but obedience which with thee is more precious then the offering of many Bullocks and Goats Giue me therefore a faithfull heart that I may search to know and endeuour to 〈◊〉 thy will So shall I be the better able to yeeld vnto my parents condigne honor for by nature I am as â—n vntamed Heyâ—er or vnbridled Colt prone to disobedience wantonnes and all forbidden vanities vnable of my selfe
gouernest all thy creatures by the power and prouidence making many and great differences in the estates of humane creatures as some to gouerne as Kings som◠to obey as subiects some masters and some seruants I acknowledge thy great goodnes in that thou hast made me though a subiect to thine Anointed as a King to command in 〈…〉 ine owne family and hast giuen mee seruants to whom I say Goe and they goe Come and they attend Giue me wisedome to command nothing but what may be◠lawfull expedient and necessarie tending euermore to thy glorie and giue vnto all that are vnder my command obedience vnto knowledge of and willingnes to accomplish all things that shall concerne their duties and my necessarie seruice Let thy holy Spirit be vpon them to teach them and to direct them in all their endeuours Let them striue in a godly emulation one to exceed another in wel doing that they may truely and religiously performe whatsoeuer is fit and consonant to their places functions for it is neither the skill nor the desire nor the seruice done can succeed either to my priuate profit to the good of others or to thy glorie without thy speciall direction and blessing Blesse me therefore in right commanding and blesse my seruants in rightly performing what in thy feare and reuerence to thy Maiestie they shall attempt Giue vs all vnderstanding hearts not according to the high points of humane knowledge only But especially according to the right rules of Christian religion Make mee apt able and willing to instruct and direct them in the principles of diuine knowledge that a spirituall blessing may euer accompany their corporall callings and giue me patience to forbeare their infirmities in committing offences against me for I cannot but confesse that thou art to me a Master whome I haue and doe more often and more egregiously offen◠by my many sinnes then any or all my seruants can trespasse against me Giue mee therefore a feeling heart O Lord that I may make vse of my seruāts offences against me in recounting mine own transgressions against thee And as thou hast euer bin patient towards mee in forbearing to punish me according to my disobedience so I may beare with my seruants weaknes not maliciously offēding me Guide thē by thy holy Spirit in all truth make them though my seruants in respect of their corporall seruice to me thy sonnes and daughters by their spirituall seruing of thee and grant that we all may conioyne in one true obedience to serue thee hearing thy word attentiuely and praying vnto thee continually and faithfully that both thy spirituall blessings and corporall comforts in Jesus Christ may alwaies abound amongst vs and that we may prosper together in all truth peace plentie godly loue and happines making no spirituall though there seeme some worldly difference betweene the gouernor the gouerned knowing that thou hast no respect of persons but the Lord seruant the bond and free the outwardly glorious and base fearing thee are equally accepted with thee Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO stirre vp seruants to obey and pray for ablenes to serue their Masters and gouernours truely and to profit in their callings ALthough it seeme a harsh and vnsauourie seruitude and a base condition to be a seruant it is not as it is commonly taken vnlesse to be the seruants of Sinne and of Satan but to be a Christian seruant to a Christian master according to the flesh is to be Gods free-man according to the Spirit all creatures are seruants and seruiceable vnto man Why then should not one man be seruiceable vnto another We cannot be all masters but seruants we are all either vnto God in well doing and in a holy execution and performance of his commandements to the world or to Satan A seruant is nothing else but an agent or instrument to bee commanded by a more eminent person one whom he obeyeth whether it be to God as vnto our Father and preseruer vnto sinne and Satan our seducers to the world as our deceiuer to our vaine affections our betrayers or vnto man our fellow member of that bodie the Church whereof Christ is the head A Christian and beleeuing seruāt may be in the house and doe seruice to an Infidell and an Idolater as Iacob to Laban and Ioseph to Potipher who in their corporall seruice to man performed spirituall seruice to God who requireth obedience in seruants to their masters in all things not with eye-seruice as men-pleasers but in singlenesse of heart cheerefully and hartily fearing God as doing their seruice to God not vnto men so shall they that are bond seruants vnto men be made the Lords free-men and this freedome the Lord doth not onely not preuent but further their submission and obedience vnto their masters according to the flesh Saint Peter commandeth seruants to obey their masters with all feare not in a seruile slauish feare but a feare accompanied with godly loue which loue bindeth the conseience of all godly seruants to deale in all things honestly and carefully for their masters best aduantage not only when he is present but when he is absent to be true and faithfull diligent and vigilant imbracing direction and accepting reproofe with patience And because these vertues are not of nature but of grace It behoueth seruants to bee humble petitioners vnto God that he wil blesse their labours and endeuours to giue them vnderstanding hearts and abilitie of bodie and dexteritie of wit to apprehend and performe their duties both towards God the high and heauenly Master of all to their masters in the earth and for their owne good in learning apprehending and performing the trade mysterie and function whereunto they are called And for their better instruction it behoueth them to giue heede to the word of truth to frequent the place where the Word is preached and to indeuour to practise the same in all sinceritie And to this effect the Prayer following serueth A Prayer fit to be vsed of seruants GRacious Lord louing Father I acknowledge my selfe vnworthy to bee called thy seruant much lesse thy childe by reason of my great weaknes and manifold sinnes turne thy louing countenance towards mee againe O Lord and although I bee a seruant and subiect to the command and authoritie of another according to the flesh as deseruing bondage by reason of my too much seruing of Satan Make me yet free in thee and of the seruant of man make me thy sonne Let thy grace so gouerne mine affections that I be not seduced by the suggestion of Satan nor by my carnall and corrupt affections from that subiection and sincere seruice which I owe vnto my corporall master and commander in thee In thee gracious Lord without whose mercies and grace no seruice can be performed nor any true dutie done I am dull I am ignorant I am vnapt of my selfe to euery good worke but from thee proceedeth the perfection both of
the will and the worke of the desire and the deede Inspire into my heart gracious Father in Iesus Christ good and godly motions indue me with a truly obedient heart vnto thee that so I may truly obey and sincerely serue in the place thou hast called me vnto giue mee wisedome vnderstanding and dexterity of wit to apprehend and performe my calling instruct me perfectly in the mysterie trade function imployment which I do professe and practise for without thy assistance I confesse I can doe nothing as I ought to doe neyther in the discharge of mine own dutie seruice to my master according to the flesh for mine owne profit or reliefe nor in answere any duetie in any thing But thou Lord teachest the ignorant thou guidest the hart and framest the hand to euery perfit work Grant therefore that I may discharge my duety in all things faithfully religiously honestly carefully cheerefully vnto my corporal master not in eie-seruice only but at all times in all places and in all things that I giue not occasions of offence by reason of mine ignorance negligence idlenes or disobedience Giue me a religious hart to serue thee before all men to feare loue thee aboue al things that thy blessing may so possesse me that the goods of my master vnder my hand may rather the better and more and more increase and prosper then to miscarrie or diminish for my sake Labans goods prospered for Iaakobs and Potiphers for Iosephs sake So blesse mee that what I doe may be blessed Giue vnto my Master and confirme in him a wise and vnderstanding heart that hee may know how to direct and command according to true knowledge in thy word that he commanding me and I obeying him in thee wee may liue godly peaceably plentifully and helpefully together as long as thou shalt be pleased to continue me in corporall seruice and after dispose of me in thy mercies according to thine owne will Amen Lord increase my faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to bee vsed of Artificers and handicraftsmen THere is no mystery trade occupation or handy-craft that of it selfe be the actor neuer so exquisite in skill neuer so industrious in his labours neuer so warie in disposing that can truly and permaneÌ„tly prosper without the blessing of God The rising earely and labouring late profiteth not vnlesse Gods assistance be therein faithfully desired and really obtained And yet it is too coÌ„monly obserued that men of all conditions are too carelesse and backward in this point standing only vpon their owne wit arte and carnall meanes as sufficient preuentions of future penurie want and miserie which as wee daily see doe suddenly seize vpon men best qualified much more vpon the irreligious and prophane men that thinke their duetie discharged if they indeuour to get by their labor to eate to spend as they gaine neuer crauing a blessing at the hands of God vpon their workes because they feele no present misery and therefore dreame of the continuance of the meanes to relieue support them still forgetting the many causualties that attend euery profession especially such as depend vpon the labour of mens hands one by sicknes of the body a second by the decay and dimnes of sight a third by the weaknes of his limbs a fourth by the distractioÌ„ of his sences is disabled to worke in his vocation besides the many meane of diminishing of goods as by casuall losses by fire by euill seruants and by many hindrances that may be fall men suddenly Therefore to preuent these or the better to prepare to patience it behoueth euery man of these faculties to deale vprightly conscionably and religiously in their professions with all men to seek vnderstanding in the word of truth to pray vnto God in faith that hee may bee pleased to blesse their labors and to make them prospor and their conuersations with modesty honesty and temperance So whatsoeuer shalbefal them shal work for their good prosperitie shall make them thank full aduersity patient and whatsoeuer they doe it shall prosper And for them that are religiously affected I haue set downe a forme of Prayer not vnfit to be vsed of all handy-crafts men and artificers A prayer for Tradesmen Handicraftsmen and Artificers GReat and gracious Lord God mercifull louing Father in Iesus Christ thou hast made the glorious the base the mightiest and meanest of condition some to gouerne some to labor I beseech thee looke vpon me of the lowest ranke in this life And although I were borne to labor as the bird is created to flie the fish to swim let me not be yet Lord so abiected cast out of the society of men as not worthy of some place or function in Church or Common-weale I am a member of thy Church coÌ„firme me so I pray thee in Iesus Christ the I may be the more fit to steed the CoÌ„mon-weale by my vocation though meane for thou hast not left me so naked of vnderstaÌ„ding I thaÌ„k thee but that in thy 〈◊〉 I am able in some measure to performe that calling that thou hast allotted vnto me yet not so exactly and exquisâ—tely as I ought by reason of my many naturall infirmities and therefore I instantly craue of thee my heauenly Father who createdst mee and hasâ— brought me to the estate and calling wherin I stand that thou wilâ— teach mee and instruct mee in this my lâ—wfull trade of life that I 〈◊〉 be able to performe it lawfully perfectly iudicially religiously and sincerely and so prosper and liue thereby knowing that ignorance deceit and corrupt dealing in my calling cannot but offend men with â—homâ— my profession occasioneth me to deale and my corrupt and deceitfull dealing with men cannot but extend to the dishonor and consequently offend thy most righteous Maiestie who punishest vnjust dealing most iustly and seuerely showing thy holy dislike of all vnholy dealing with men Blesse me therefore Lord with spirituall together with my humane knowledge that the last being sanctified by the 〈◊〉 I may studie in all equitie to performe my calling to the good of my brethren and to thy glory Let the labours of my hands prosper let all things go well with me giue me health of bodie the vse of my limbes and of my sences let no euill-happen vnto me in bodie goods or good name Giue me carefull able and faithful seruants preserue vnto mee whomsoeuer and whatsoeuer belongeth vnto me that although I be inforced to â—â—te my bread by the sweate of my bodie according to thy iust sentence pronounced vpon our originall transgression yet I beseech thee blesse my lawfull calling vnto me and blesse me in it that I may end my labour in plentie and my life in peace through Jesus Christ and bee finally sealed vp among the number that shall be eternally saued Amen Lord increase my faith A MOTIVE TO stirre vp Husband-men and Plough-men to prayer vnto God THe Huâ—bandman and 〈◊〉 ler of the ground is
sobrietie modesty patience and true magnanimitie and boldnes Preuent in me wantonnesse ryoting drunkennes swearing blasphemy whoredome and such a profane and vngodly course as commonly too much accompanieth this militarie life And seeing Lord that I in duty am inforced to vse the sword against those that rise vp against vs blesse the vse of it to me as thou didst the sling of Dauid and the sword of Gideon teach my hands to war my fingers to fight Giue me a couragious heart vndaunted spirit to incounter the enemy as ofteÌ„ as need requireth make strong my loynes and fortifie my armes let good successe befall our armies daunt our enemies hearts Teach our Leaders and Commanders wisedome and Christian policie to direct vs and giue vs courage strength and obedience to performe our dutie with good conscience And if in thy wisedome peace be more to our profit and comfort and to thy glory then warre send vs peace in thy name and let both peace and warre life and death bee to our aduantage in Christ in whom al things are blessed to them that truly serue thee Let vs want no maner of thing Lord that is good vouchsafe vs all things necessary for our warfare Stand euer on our side and let thy sauing and protecting Angel preserue vs in all danger Remamber thy louing promises and thy mercies of old bee vnto vs a shield and buckler of defence and a sword of offence against our enemies accept vs into thy blessed protection neuer faile nor forsake vs O God of hostes Goe euermore foorth with our armies keepe euery one of vs free from the excommunicate thing sin and iniquity And sanctifie vs with thy holy spirit that in thoughts words and deeds we may be approued not souldiers carnally valiant or desperately bold but truly and religiously couragious both in our outward and inward warfare through Christ to whom with thee and the holy Ghost beâ— ascribed all â—ouor and power for euer Amen Lord increase our faith and euermore mightily defend vs. A MOTIVE TO a prayer to be said of such as trauaile by sea SVch as vse the seas as Dauid obserueth and haue occasion to passe the great waters by ship see the wonderfull workes of the Lord. Wonderfull in deed in the creation of so huge a heape of waters wonderfull in containing them within appointed limits wonderful in ebbing and flowing wonderfull in violence and rage wherein sometimes it swelleth and worketh wonderfull in respect of Iehouah at whose word the most furious waues therof are appeased And lastly wonderfull in respect of man whom God hath indued with the vnderstanding to frame a vessell wherein as in a house he may safely fly as it were through the furious furrowes of so mercilesse waters But all these wonders may be knitte vp in one namely in the wonderfull power and prouidence of Iehouah who by his word hath made the seas and gathered the great waters into one place and commandeth them not to passe their bounds and they obey hee hath giuen man iudgement and art to frame the hull to place the Roder to stretch out the Tacklings and to spread the sailes to descend into the deepe But if God should there leaue him to his owne will wit power or art though he haue his card and compasse to guide him he should neuer attaine his wished port when the winds blow the tempests rise the seas rage the waues lift them vp as vpon mountaines and hurle them downe againe as into deepe gulfes What then can art or force do Doe not their hearts then melt for feare vntill the winds cease the tempests appease the seas calme and the waues be still And who worketh this wished and most comfortable change only that mightie Jehouah hee that made the seas he commandeth them to rage to shew his power and againe willeth them to bee quiet to shew his mercie Are not these the wonderful workes of God who but he commandeth and the seas obey Ye therefore that are occupied in this dangerous trade of life bee not vnmindfull to serue the liuing God for ye see by experience how suddenly hee commandeth and calleth for a tempest and then ye thinke your selues neere vnto the doore of death Yet as saith Dauid When they cried vnto the Lord he deliuered them out of their distresse and brought them to the hauen where they would bee There is none that vseth the seas but hath seene and felt this If then they confesse not the power prouidence and louing kindnesse of Iehouah and acknowledge the wonderfull workes that he hath done for them euen before the sonnes of men Let them bee assured that a thousand perils futurely attend them But the most of them that exercise this kind of trauell shew themselues temporizers when dangers appeare they seeme much humbled promising reformation of their finfull liues they pray and are cast downe with importable feare and sorrow but the danger past they forget it and God that deliuered them from it especially wheÌ„ they approch the hauen where they would bee in safetie where in stead of giuing of thanks to God for his mercies in leading and conducting them the first thing they doe is to shew they owe him no duty by presently falling to transgresse his will by drunkennesse wantonnesse whoredome swearing and blaspheming him as though the danger past were the last they need to feare or could befall them But they deceiue themselues for God is patient and long suffering but neuer forgetteth them in iudgement that so forget and neglect his mercies Hee followeth them when they thinke dangers farthest off Shipwracke Pirats Famine or some other Iudgement seazeth vpon all carelesse Sea-faring men Wherefore yee that occupie the Seas remember that as in discretion you prepare all needfull things fit for your Sea voyage so are there things most materiall to bee prouided toÌ„wards your heauenly peregrination Godlinesse Faith Obedience true Feare and sincere Loue and seruice of God which if you omit let your corporall prouision bee neuer so plentifull let your ship bee neuer so strong neuer so swift of sayle neuer so well manned and munited the least breath of the Lords mouth is able to coÌ„found you No men haue more interims and times of leasure to serue God then Seafaring men Why then spend yee not those times in searching the word of God in prayer and in holy exercises that God may be your guide your defence preseruer and protector so shall all things goe well with you and whatsoeuer ye doe it shall prosper A Prayer to be said of such as haue occasion to vse trauell at sea GRacious Lord God mightie mercifull and louing Father in Iesus Christ who hast made all things by thy word And by thy power and prouidence dost gouerne all and all obey thee in their kinds the heauens the earth and the seas but man only is disobedient only rebellious therefore doe thy creatures whom thou madest to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 become aduersaries vnto man
haruest wheÌ„ this holy Congregation as good corne shall be gathered into the celestiall garner and the wicked and vncleane shall be cast off into vtter darknesse And therefore are the faithfull to arme themselues with patience and to vndergo with constancie the offences of the contrarily minded for therfore is the Church of Christ called a Church Militant because it is still exercised with enemies whom we are to resist and incounter with the weapons of the Spirit The contrary also are called a Church but a malignant Church a Church full of vanitie and prophanenesse sin Schismes Hypocrites and Reprobates Who also incounter and exercise the Church Militant with spirituall weapons the weapons of iniquitie whose head is Satan the Red Dragon the man of sinne the sonne of perdition Antichrist So that Bethel the house of God hath continuall warre with Bethauen the house of the Diuell Sanctitie with Sin Truth with Falshood Light with darknesse Christ in his members with Satan and his adherents heauenly holines with spirituall wickednes Ephes. 6. 12. Zechar. 3. 1. 2. The Church of Christ being thus continually assailed hath only refuge in danger to her head Christ Iesus who hath promised not only to send the Comforter to teach vs all things but to defend vs and to be with vs to the end of the world Matth. 28. 20. And as he hath thus promised vnto the body so is he euer with euery member where two or three be gathered together in the name of that one head he will be there in the midst of them and therefore it doth not onely behoue euery Christian to be continually watchfull against these many and malignant aduersaries spirituall enemies but to powre foorth coÌ„tinuall supplicatioÌ„s to God the Father in his Son by the Spirit not for himself only but for the whole euery part of this Catholike congregatioÌ„ that he will defend vs aswell from enemies threatning outward persecution as working inward tentation And it much importeth the Church in generall and euery member of the same to seeke and dayly to pray for the reformation of the corruptions cast into the field of the Gospel by that wicked one which doth not onely spring vp among but choaketh and hindereth the growth of the good seede of sinceritie by the errors of doctrine and workes of wickednesse And therfore doth the heauenly husbandman threaten the extirpation euen of the good seede that hee hath sowen and to leaue the ground vnto the weeds of sin and vanitie wherunto it is especially inclined to depriue it altogether of the manurance of his word and neuer againe to water it with the dewe of his holy Spirit lest therefore that he suffer strangers Sathan and his ministers to breake downe the hedges of our religious profession and holy practise of obedience the wild beasts of the field sinnes of all sorts to roote vp and deuoure the fruits of our holy conuersations and lest he should take away or breake the staâ—â—e of our spirituall strength the foode of our soules Let vs be stirred vp to pray vnto our head Christ Iesus for grace and that he will still preserue mainetaine and defend what his right hand hath planted A Prayer for the Uniuersall Church and for euery member of the same fit to be often said of euery Christian. ALmighty Lord God the fountaine of all goodnes the creator of all men who in Iesus Christ thy Sonne hast redeemed them that were captiues recalled brought home them that estrayed receiued and imbraced them again that were run from thee and saued them that were lost Looke now vpon them whom thou hast chosen and behold in mercy whom thou hast redeemed and as thou hast in thine owne free mercy fauour and loue gathered vnto thy selfe and set apart for thy seruice a remnant out of the whole number of mankinde a peculiar companie and hast vouchsafed to make them of many one sanctified body all by the merits of thy sonne in whom they are adopted and made heires of heauen in whom they liue moue and haue their spirituall and heauenly being So Lord be thou still their succour their shield buckler and euerlasting defence thou hast vouchsafed good Father to set apart this elected and small company for thine owne sacred seruice in this mortall life calling them by the voyce of thy word sounding through all partes of the vniuersall world and by the inspiration of that holy comforter left vnto thy children by promise hast taught them that wisedome that is farre about the wisedome of the wisest mortall man endowed theÌ„ with that sanctified integritie that farre exceedeth the sinceritie of the best qualified carnall man and hast thy selfe promised to continue with them by thy spirit to the end of the world lest they should through ouermuch heauinesse and affliction perish in the way of their pilgrimage Some thou hast released of their warfare some the more to testifie vnto the world their faith and constant assurance of thine eternall loue and prouidence ouer them suffrest to fall into the hands of them that could but kill their bodies their soules being safe in thy protection and haue in part receiued their reward in heauen hauing escaped the presentors hands Some thou hast called by a naturall dissolution elected redeemed sanctified and in part glorified And as yet good Father there is a small dispersed remnant which haue not finished their warfare but are still incountred with Sathan with sinne and with their owne corruptions and still afflicted persecuted and distressed be neere vnto them according to thy word assist them by thy grace enlighten them teach them and be euermore their defence and as successiuely from age to age the end of dayes there shall be an increase of people So let thy Gospel continually propagate and beget new children vnto thy selfe and let not the light of thy word decline but rather shine dayly more and more cleerely Let not the power thereof diminish nor the sound thereof cease vntill it haue gained and compleated the number of all that shall be saued Send foorth godly and painefull labourers that they may be instant in season and out of season giue them power to bent downe the power of sinne to stay the violent currant of backessiding and Apostacie Send foorth thy word into all lands let all nations heare it and al tongues professe it where thou hast planted it alreadie water it with the continuall showers of thy grace where it is not yet sowne let it fall fructifie where it hath bene sowne and is withered renew the liuely spring thereof continue increase beget more more children vnto thy selfe through all parts of the world through thy word And although we bee falne into the last most declining age and as it were into the period of time wherin as thou hast foreshewed sinne increaseth godlinesse diminisheth holy zeale waxeth weake loue becomes colde and counterfeit and thy sauing word become of none effect among