Contrary Abba Father all things are possible to thee manifest I pray thee thy gracious power vpon my heart in mollifying the hardnesse of it Make me to relent and to haue remorse Worke in mee a godly sorrow and such hatred of all sinne that I may for euer abominate it Fourthly 4. Comparison and grant deare Father that I may be able as zealously to follow thy commandements as euer I haue delightfully followed and fulfilled mine owne vnlawfull desires or such like 4 Petition for direction in our personall calling may bee enlarged First from the cause Secondly from the contrarie Thirdly froÌ„ the effect Fourthly from the Adiunct thus First O Lord in as much as thou hast ordained that wee should all liue in some honest calling and that therein wee should shew forth our faith and holy profession I humbly intreat thee to direct me in this my vocation ... Secondly Lord make me conscionable and to abhorre idlenesse Blesse my labours grant that the world carrie not away my heart but that I may so care for the things of this life that I forget not that I am called to thy Kingdome O make me so to liue as one who through thy goodnesse expects that heauenly inheritance Thirdly let my life bee to thy glory the good of others and mine owne eternall comfort Fourthly and in as much as thou hast appointed the Crosse to thy Disciples I beseech thee to sanctifie whatsoeuer trouble it shall please thee to lay vpon me and to giue me patience and such contentednesse with thy holy will that it may not draw me from thee but vnto thee and that vnder the same I may haue cause to reioyce in the experience of thy fauors through Iesus Christ my Lord or such like 5 Petition for perseuerance may be enlarged 1 From the cause 2 From the adiunct 3 From the contraries when speciall instance may bee made of that speciall corruption which we are most subiect vnto thus 1 O Lord let it bee thy good pleasure 1. Cause continually to watch ouer me and to preserue me in the zealous performance of my duty to the end of my daies which without thy helpe I cannot doe 2 For the daies are euill and dangerous 2. Adiunct the occasions and examples of sinne are infinite Lord keepe mee in the faith that I fall not away and preserue mee from the sinnes of these times 3 And more then this 3. Contrary Satan is my deadly enemie seeking to deuoure my soule and I am weake O Lord thou knowest Deare Father confound Satan and confirme my faith so bridle him that he may not haue power ouer me so strengthen mee that I may bee alwaies able to resist and repell him when thou shalt thinke it good to suffer him to tempt mee O Lord forsake mee not faile not of thy promised helpe that I may not faile in my faith and obedience make mee to preuaile and by the might of thy spirit to haue victory in Iesus Christ And whereas I am compassed about with many infirmities specially with ... O Deare God and Father strengthen me here and giue mee power to rule and gouerne my affections and to subdue them all to the obedience of thy holy word through Iesus Christ my Lord. Or such like 6 Petition for the Church may bee enlarged 1 Generally 2 Particularly 1 Generally by desiring the fulfilling of all the promises made vnto it as 1. Defence 2 Destruction of enemies 3 Conuersion of the elect 4 Confirmation of the conuerted 5 Comfort of the afflicted by Common calamities of Body Mind Speciall as persention In affliction of body as sicknesse 1 That God would sanctisie it to the furtherance of their repentance 2 That hee would giue them patience 3 That he would recouer them if it bee his will if otherwise 4 That hee would prepare theÌ„ for a peaceable departure In affliction of mind that God would 1 Pardon their sins 2 Giue them repentance 3 Encrease their faith 4 Defend them from Satan and 5 Giue them an happy issue In Persecution that they may be 1 Assisted with the holy spirit and that they may 2 Boldly glorifie God in witnessing to the truth euen with the losse of their liues 2 Particularly by making mention of the Churches of England Scotland and Ireland that God would 1 Pardon our crying sinnes 2 Hold backe his heauie iudgements deserued 3 Continue his Gospell 4 Preserue our dread Soueraigne Lord King Iames our Noble Queen the hopefull Prince 〈◊〉 c. 5 Blesse the Honourable Councell Nobility Gentry Iudges Iustices the Ministers of the Word and Sacraments the Comminalty And here we are to remember our families parents friends yea our very enemies c. 2 Thankes-giuing may be enlarged by an enumeration of benefits according to the distribution of them before meÌ„tioned and may be notably amplified by the contraries in considering how miserable wee should be in the want of those blessings all or some c. In the conclusion we may remember to aske preseruation for the day or night followingâ— aptly falling into it 〈◊〉 from the mention of the benefits bestowed vpon our bodies in the thankes-giuing 1 For the day taking occasion by similituder to desire grace to walke soberly as in the day 2 For the night by similitude to desire to be preserued from the works of darknesse and from eternall death and that God would giue protection and comfortable refreshing Both for night and day to bee amplified from the shortnesse of â—ife and suddennesse of death and to adde something for preparation thereunto For the life of a Christian â—ought to be a continuâ—ll meditation of death And thus reuerently to shut vp all with the Lords prayer A SHORT PRAIER according to the same order gathered out of diuers places of holy Scripture by which as by a pâ—terne may bee conceiued both the manner and the vse of a Note-booke to be made and kept of those things which we reade concerning the seuerall parts of Prayer O a The preface in a description of God and a begging of audience Lord my God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ b Ephes 3.14 I beseech thee haue respect to the prayer of thy seruant and to his supplication to hearken to the cry and to the prayer which thy seruant prayeth before thee this day c 1. Kin. 8.28 d Confession of sinne O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift vp my face to thee my God for â—ine iniquities are encreased ouer my head and my trespasse is growne vp vnto heauen e Ezra 9.6 f 1. Petition for pardon O Lord forgiue g Dan. 9.19 and cause thy face to shine vpon thy seruant for the Lords sake h Dan. 9.17 Take away all mine iniquitie and receiue me graciously so will I render the calues of my lips i Hos 14.3 k 2. For saith O stir me vp to take hold vpon thee l Esa
cheerefulnesse and reioycing for benefits receiued then it 's not vnsitting that thankes-giuing should bee in the â—â—st place If thou findest thy heart more affected with griefe for sin then if thou pleasest let confession of sin and desire of pardoÌ„ precede Wait vpon God wiâ—â— an honest and reuerâ—â—â— heart and the annoâ—â—ting will helpe thy 〈◊〉 firmities and teach thâ—â— to cry Abba Father An example of the parts before propounded in their order O Lord 1 I confesse that I am a vile sinner 2 I beseech thee of 1 Pardon by Iesâ—â— Christ 2 O Lord giue mee faith that I may feeâ—â— this pardon liuelily in my heart 3 And I beseech thee â—â—ue mee true repenâ—ance to amend my â—icked life that my â—aith may bee seene in the fruits of holy obediâ—nce 4 And whereas thou hast called me to this estate and calling ... Direct mee therein I â—umbly pray thee by â—he wisedome of thy spirit and furnish mee with such necessary gifts that I may discharge my duty to thy glory the good of others and the comfort of mine owne soule 5 And because Satan is a deadly enemie and I am weake O Lord I beseech the forsake mee not in 〈◊〉 houre of tentation 〈◊〉 stablish my heart in grace giue me perseuerance in goodnesse and in the end victory by Iesus Christ 6 This which I beg for my selfe I humbly craue for thy whole Church vpon earth that it may please thee to performe all thy promises to thine elect and to bring vs all to thy heauenly kingdome O Lord thy name be for euer praised for all thy loue and for all my benefits spirituall â—nd temporall thereby â—estowed vpon me And I humbly intreat thee to preserue me in safety this night through my Lord Iesus Christ to whom c. or in whose name c. praying in the words of the Lords prayer The same with the thanksgiuing in the first place O Lord I humbly thanke thee for all thy fauours spirituall and temporall of the least of which I am most vnworthie by reason of my great sinnes for I confesse that I am a vile sinner c. The enlargement of these parts followeth Before we particularly sâ—â—â—k of enlargemeÌ„t be thou admonished of 2. things 1 Feruent praying though short is more accepted then long praying with coldnesse The Publicans prayer Å¿ Luk. 18.13 was short in words but full of sense and desire of more worth with God then all the long praiers of the Pharisies for God measures not our deuotions by the length and by the outward habite of words but by the inward meaning of the spirit So our blessed Sauiour in the garden t Mat. 26.39.42.44 vsed but few words but his desire and the gronings of his spirit wherin is the power of our prayers were vnutterable Hee that vseth many words without the desire of the heart speaketh indeed but prayeth not for prayer is the desire of the heart crying Abba Father words but the expressing of this desire The noyse of our lips without the voice of the heart is no more a true prayer then ringing of belles or babling of a Parrot As a body without a soule much wood without fire a bullet in a gun without powder so are words in prayer without spirit Prayers are as gold in a little quantitie of words there must bee a great value of spirit He that is feruent in the spirit prayes much though he speake little 2 Secondly when thou prayest let thy words follow thy desire If thou findest a dulnesse of spirit and coldnesse of thy affections be the shorter and conclude with a groning of the spirit for thy drowsinesse with a lifting vp thy heart to God that hee would looke mercifully vpon thee and quicken thee Let this bee an occasion to humble thee the more and it will be a meanes to worke thee to more liuelinesse and feruency the next time thou presentest thy selfe before God And if thou bee'st truly humbled it will driue thee to God and thou wilt thinke long till the time come about wherin thou maist complaine and poure forth thy heart before him If thou findest a viuacity and cheerfulnes of minde and the desire of thy heart to be strong and feruent prompting thee with matter and words conclude not thy praiers and praises too soone but let thy soule take her fill of celestiall delicacies in her familiar confereÌ„ce with God If the desire of the heart be weak and faint it is not to bee wearied and oppressed with words The enlargement of the seueral parts in prayer is either 1. Generall or 2. Particular The generall is that which in common belongs to al the parts and it is twofold 1 The vsing of some description of God whom wee inuocate from his Attributes Promises Effects c. Such a beginning hath the Lords Prayer Our Father which art in heauen u Mat. 6.9 Thus began our Sauiour in the Garden * Mar. 14.36 Abba Father all things are possible vnto thee Thus lehosophat begins his prayer x 2. Chron. 20.6.7.8.9.10 Thus Peter and Iohn y Acts 4.24.25.26 looke the places which are to long to be transcribed Such description is to be vsed in the beginning of our Prayers for the helping of our faith and assurance in which we ought to pray and may also be well vsed in any of the seuerall parts when wee would stir vp faith 2 A begging of audience So Dauid a Psa 5.1.2.3 Psal 102.1.2 Psal 140.1.2 Both these are excellently vsed by Hezekiah b 2. Kings 19.15.16 This also may very fitly bee vsed in the conclusion of our prayers as thus Daniel most passionately and feruently endeth c Dan 9.17.18.19 The particular enlargement is of each part by it selfe The arguments ordinarily seruing hereunto are the causes The effects The subiects The adiuncts The contraries Similitudes and comparisons Distributions Testimonies There are certaine ornaments also not to be neglected for the polishing and beautifying our speech in prayer as 1 Comely transitions and passings from one part to another 2 Exclamations wheÌ„ we speak of the goodnes of God thus How great is thy goodnes to them which feare thee d Psal 31.19 When we speake of the promises thus How sweete are thy promises to my mouth e Ps 119.103 When wee speake of our owne wretchednesse thus O wretched man that I am f Ro. 7.24 c. 3 Interrogations as when Dauid lay vnder a great affliction of mind and cried out Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer And will hee shew no more fauour Is his mercy cleane gone for euer Doth his promise faile for euermore Hath God forgotten to bee mercifull Hath he shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure g Ps 77.7.8.9 The power of these Interrogations Who is able to expresse it Whose heart akeâ— not in the very reading of them How doe they increase our feeling and raise our desires 4 Options or wishes as
64.7 I beleeue Lord helpe my vnbeleefe m Mark 9.24 and encrease my faith n Luk. 17.5 Seale me to the day of Redemption o Ephes 4.30 and shed abroad thy loue in my heart by thy holy spirit p Rom. 5.5 I humbly beseech thee q 3. For repentance Turne me O Lord vnto thee and I shall bee â—â—â—ned r Lam. 5.21 Create in me a cleaâ—â— heart O Lord and reneâ—â—â— right spirit within me Å¿ Psal 51.10 〈◊〉 take the stony heart out 〈◊〉 my body and giue me 〈◊〉 heart of flesh that I wiâ—â— walke in thy flatutes 〈◊〉 that I may be thy serâ—â—â— and thou mayst be my 〈◊〉 for euermore t Ezech. 11.19.20 u 4. For direction in our personall callings Aâ—â— whereas thou hast caâ—â—â— mee to this estate ... 〈◊〉 Good Lord grant 〈◊〉 grace therin to worketh 〈◊〉 which is good x Ephes 4.28 2 Thes 3.12 with qâ—â—â—etnesse and to eate miâ—â—â—â—owne bread shewing all good conscience that I may adorne the doctrine of God my Sauiour in all things y Tit. 2.15 and in as much as thy disciples must take vp the â—rosse and follow thee z Mat. 16.24 I way thee Deare Father strengthen mee with all might through thy gloriâ—â—â— powâ—e vnto all patiâ—â—ce and long suffering with ioyfulnesse a Col. 1.11 b 5. For perseuerance And because Satan as a râ—ring â—â—ion seeketh to deuour 〈◊〉 O my God tread down â—atan vnder my feet c Rom. 16.20 stablish me in euery good word and work d 2. These 17 and preserue my whole spirit soule and body blamelesse vnto the comming of our 〈◊〉 Iesus Christ c 6. For the Church Doe good thy good pleasure to 〈◊〉 on and build the mallâ—â—â— thy IerusaleÌ„ f Psal 51.18 Good 〈◊〉 preserâ—â— thy little flockâ—â— whom thâ—n hast prâ—â—â—â— the kingdome g Luk. 12.32 h Thankesgiuing I thâ—â—â— thee O Father Lord 〈◊〉 heauen and â—arth i Mat. 11.25 thâ—â— thou hast deliuâ—red 〈◊〉 from the power of darâ—â—â— and translated we into 〈◊〉 kingdome of thine 〈◊〉 Saâ—ue O Lord thou 〈◊〉 been my God from my â—â—â—ther â—wâ—mbe k Psa 22.10 Thou 〈◊〉 â—â—pt mee â—nto this dâ—â—â— thy prâ—â—â—dence thou 〈◊〉 giuen me bread to 〈◊〉 clothes to put on l 〈◊〉 28.20 I hâ—â—â—ly praise thy name and I beseech thee make me dwel 〈◊〉 safety m Psal 4.8 vnder the shadow of thy wings n Psal 17.8 this day or night through Ieâ—is Christ in whose name c. Or to whom with thee O Father Amen Thou maist also make vse of the Lords Prayer excellently to this purpose IT was giuen for a paterne and speciall direction to the Church vpon earth how to pray There can be no better direction for if wee require wisdome wisedome it selfe endited it if perfection it comprehends all the kinds of all things to be prayed for if order the method is diuine if perspicuous breuity so much could not by any onely-created vnderstanding be compacted into so little if force and power there can bee none more effectuall then that which Iesus Christ the Word of the Father hath left and commended to his Church If thou wouldest profitably vse it Obserue bese things 1 Learne throughto vnderstand it 2 Beare in mind the â—uerall petitions with â—â—e it order 3 Note downe in thy memory as thou wert before directed these graces thou crauest in â—uery petition giuing theÌ„ their proper place in thy booke in thy memory and in thy prayer 4 Fourthly take due knowledge of thy wants in euery petition vnder their seuerall heads setting downe the phrases and things thou meetest with al concerning them And specially note vpon thy heart and imprint in it the graces thou most wantest the wants which most doe trouble thee Principally meditate of those graces and labour to bee humbled with the feeling of those wants To helpe thee to spell 〈◊〉 this lesson out of the Lords Prayer After a description of God as before keeping the petitions with their order in thy minde thou maist enlarge theÌ„â—us The 1. Petition Hallowed be thy name 1 Heere thou maist how how God hath commanded and it is our dutie to glorifie his name in regard of our First Creation Secondly preseruation but specially in regard of our Thirdly Redemption 2 Then acknowledge First thy negligence and carelesnesse this way Secondly thy pride in seeking thine owne glory more then Gods Thirdly thy want of zeale Fourthly such sinnes whereby thou hast dishonoured God most causing his name thereby to be blasphemed Thirdly Desire grace the thou maiest chiefly in all thy thoughts words and deeds propound to thy self to glorifie God and to respect his glory more then euen the saluation of thy soule The 2. Petition Thy Kingdome come 1 Enlarge this by a mourning of thy soule vnto God for thy bondage vnder sinne and Satan amplified from the consideration First of our first Creation Secondly of our present traiterous and rebellious disposition by the power of originall sinne which hath wholly possessed all parts of body and soule 2 Desire that God would First rescue and redeeme thee out of the power of Satan and sinne Secondly that hee would by his spirit rule in thy heart casting out the strong man and diuiding his spoyles Thirdly that hee would make the affections subiect to the regiment of his spirit and renew thee according to his image Thou maist make this the place of repentance 3 Here thou maist remember the Church the kingdom of Christ The 3. Petition Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen 1 Here confesse and bewaile First thy readinesse to doe thine owne will yea the will of Satan making these the rule of thy life and not the will of God Secondly thy ignorance of Gods word which is the copie of his will Thirdly thy negligence in hearing of it Fourthly thy contempt shewed in continuance in knowne sins after admonition 2 Then desire grace First to denie thy selfe Secondly to vnderstand the word Thirdly to loue and reuerence it more Fourthly to make it the rule of thy life in as much as it is the scepter of Christs kingdome Fifthly that thy conuersation may bee in heauen after the example of the Angels Sixthly whatsoeuer be the will of God for thee to doe or suffer that thou maist alwaies with patience and contentation say Thy will be done The 4. Petition Giue vs this day our daily bread 1 Here acknowledge that thy life preseruation and all good things come from God 2 Confesse and bewaile thy First couetousnesse Secondly thy vniust dealing to enrich and maintaine thy selfe Thirdly Matth. 6. thy distrust in the good prouidence of God who feedeth the fowles clotheth the Lillies Fourthly thy earthly and worldly mind that cannot sauor ought but earth and earthly things 3 Then desire First the prouidence of God to watch ouer thee for thy preseruation and main
tenance Secondly faith to rest vpon God in all estates not vpon the meanes Thirdly not to vse vnlawfull meanes Fourthly that God would blesse his gifts vnto thee and that thou mayst vse them soberly and comfortably Fifthly thou mayst here make vse of the direction concerning thy personall calling 5 Petition Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue c. 1 Here make vse of the confession of sin and petition for pardon for faith and repentance according to the former direction 2 Here also desire a charitable heart toward thy neighbours as thou desirest to bee forgiuen so to forgiue others and to be ready to grant the pardon thou crauest 6. Petition Leade vs non into tentation but deliuer vs from euill Here desire strength against Satan his tentations and against all things whereby thou mayst be drawne from faith in God and holy obedience making vse of that which is in the Petition for perseuerance according to the former direction And for conclusion as our Sauior concludes with a kind of praise to God so doe thou The heads of thankfulnes thou mayst make the graces which God hath giuen thee according to euery petition First for making thee in any measure studious of his glory Secondly for giuing thee his Spirit Thirdly for his word Fourthly for his prouidence ouer thee Creating Preseruing thee Fifthly for pardon of sinne Iustification Sanctification c. Sixthly for strength in any tentation If thou wilt bestow some time and study to practise according to this I cannot but be perswaded that thou shalt find much benefit which God grant To conclude I would admonish a learner of fiue things First enter not vpon the practise here commended till thou hast these generall proiects perfect in thy head or some other Secondly in the meane time make vse of some good praier-book and out of it get by hart such prayers as best befit thy deuotion and necessities or if thou canst not reade vse some others help to reade theÌ„ or repeate them to thee at least neglect not to say vpon thy knees reuerently the Lords prayer alwaies prouided that thou well vnderstand the meaning of euery petition or otherwise thou shalt take GODS name in vaine Secondly giue not ouer this course though thou findest it hard but ouercome the difficulty with thy diligence and paines To giue ouer a good exercise for difficulties argues idlenesse and sloth All good things are hard to vs because of our corruption and prayer of all holy exercises the hardest wee must force nature Children learne not to speake perfectly in a day or a moneth much lesse can wee crie Abba Father perfectly and distinctly vpon the sudden Redeeme some of the time thou bestowest vpon thy pleasures and vanities and bestow it this way it shal neuer repent thee Fourthly remember that the Pharisies could make excellent prayers and the Reprobate can â—â—ie Lord Lord. A wicked man may attaine thus farre as to make prayers very notable but with feeling and in faith to cry Abba Father a wicked man cannot This is prayer and a certaine token of Adoption the other is not Fifthly labor to haue grace in thy heart and whatsoeuer thou askest in prayer practise in life He that prayes for the pardon of his sinnes and for grace to liue well and yet neither endeuoureth to auoid sin or to practise pietie mockes God and shall not goe vnpunished Liue as thou prayest that thou mayest liue euer So be it PSAL. 66.18 If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not beare me 2. TIM 2.19 Let euery one that calleth on the name of Christ depart from iniquitie Now to the only wise God who is able to doe aboue all wee aske or thinke the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost bee praise in the Church throughout all generations for euer Amen FINIS Short and godly Admonitions concerning Time and the vâ—â— of ingâ—â—â—ered out of Eph. 5.16 Redeeming the Time because the daies are euill Here are two parâ—â— An exhortation To 〈◊〉 dâ—eâ—â— the Tiâ—â— A reason Because 〈◊〉 dayes are euill Redeeming the time TIme is the measure of Motion Opportunity is that part of time which is fittest for our affaires This is meant here as it is the measure of good motions called also occasion season due time It is the beautie of things for euery thing is beautifull in his time a Eccles 3.11 Meates are welcomest when they are in season so a word spoken in due season is comely b Prou. 25.11 Euen a refreshing of the wearie soule c Esay 51.4 As some imprison truth in vnrighteousnes (d) Rom. 1.18 so doe they time (e) Hierome It is charitie to redeeme time by righteousnes Opportunitie of time is a rich commoditie the couetousnesse of it to doe well is an honest couetousnesse As Merchants f Augustine obserue carefully the seasons of buying in and venting their Merchandise so buy thou and redeeme time to doe good They that loose time are the greatest loosers and wastfullest prodigals for of all other possessions two may be had together but two moments of time cannot be possessed together This precious commoditie is most out of request with great and rich men who consume and mispend time as fast as their vnthriftie children doe their inheritances Idlenesse vanity and neglecting the pretious time is the disease of great and rich men as they say the Gout is these can find time to dally to court to be riotous c. but not to pray and serue God therfore for the most part they are most poore in the best things Time is the price of time when thy profit thy pleasure thy vaine delights thy lusts call thee after them exchange time for time As thou giuest thy money for meate and apparrell so giue these things to purchase the time of prayer and wel-doing Salomon saith Buy the truth g Prou. 23.23 but Pilate saith What is truth h John 18.38 so Paul saith buy the time but our profane wretches say What is time let vs spend it say they as though it were little worth Time is Gods creature he allowes thee no time to bee vaine and wicked but hee giues thee time that thou mayst repent and doe good Make thy aduantage of it Of the time thou bestowest in prayer singing of Psalmes reading the Scriptures and good bookes and in doing good it shall neuer repent thee But time otherwise spent wil one day torment thy conscience Thou must giue account for time on this moment depends eternitie of blessednesse if it be well of miserie if it be ill imployed It is great wisdome to know the time and to redeeme it i Eph. 5.15.16 The men of Isachar were in great account with Dauid because they had vnderstanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do so are they in great account with God k 1. Chr. 12.32 who regard and vse the season of well doing When a poore man
ABBA FATHER OR A PLAINE AND short direction concerning Priuate Prayer Also SVNDRY GODLY ADmonitions concerning Time and the well vsing of it By ELNATHAN PARR Minister of the Word Rom. 8.15 Ye haue receiued the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Ephes 5.16 Redeeme the time because the dayes are euill LONDON Imprinted by F. K. for Samuel Man and are to be sold at the signe of the Swan in Pauls Church-yard 1618. TO THE VERY HONORABLE and most worthy Lady the Lady Iane Cornwaleys wife to the very Noble and Religious Gentleman Master NATHANAEL BACON Esquire Grace and Peace PRaier is the true Christian proper element without which hee can no more liue then without fire Breath is the instrument of the life of the body Prayer is the breath of the soule I haue obserued in many a difficulty of this breathing which I haue endeauoured according to my simple skill something to remedie by this direction I humbly desire your Ladiship to giue it leaue to passe vnder your worthy Name I confesse it can bee no waies vseful to you but it may bee to weaker Christians who are yet as babes newly beginning to cry Abba Father Herein I present my thankfull mind to your Ladiship whose great fauours and encouragements my deserts can neuer equall I daily pray for your Ladiship that as God hath highly aduanced your Name on earth for godlinesse so he would in the time appointed glorifie your soule in heauen for the merits of your Iesus Your Ladiships deuoted seruant in all humble obseruance ELN PARR TO THE CHRISTIAN READER encrease of all good gifts TO condemne a set forme of prayer argues want of sobrietie and wisdome In publike prayers in the Congregation it is necessary to haue a prescribed forme called Liturgy or Diuine Seruice which for more ease of memory is to be read out of the booke The ancientest Fathers in the peace of the Church haue by their practice so iudged it many Councels haue approued it and the best reformed Churches follow it As for priuate prayer of one Christian alone it is more expedient that it bee vttered without a booke and the most compleat performance of that duty is when a Christian is able not onely to repeate and apply to his owne soule and conscience a prayer conceiued by another but also vpon fit matter and heads suteable to the occasion to conceiue and vtter prayers of his own Yet seeing there are many to whom God hath not giuen memory and vnderstanding fitting to expresse in a continued speech the desires of their hearts for such haue I written this direction The reason why I haue vndertaken this businesse considering there are so many good Prayer-bookes in euery mans hand is first because though it bee cōmendable to vse a booke yet it is more comfortable to pray of our selues whose wants may be such as that we shall hardly finde them sufficiently expressed in any booke for euery man is best acquainted with his owne heart Secondly a man may be cast into prison and his booke taken from him how vncomfortably must he needs passe his time if he cannot pray without his booke The booke cannot be vsed in the darke when we may haue iust occasion to pray The booke may bee forgotten or lost but if thou attainest this gift thou canst neuer loose it vnlesse thou loosest thy selfe For these reasons I commend this Treatise to thee which I could haue amplified further and it may be clothed it with a more elegant stile But I aimed at thy profit remembring that I directed beginners for whom shortnesse and plainnesse are most fitting If thou profitest by this which I heere propound to thee praise God and in thy prayers forget not him who hath at least endeauoured to further thee If thou profitest not yet I haue done my good will for the which I desire thee to loue Thy true friend in Iesus Christ Eln. Parr Abba Father OR A PLAINE AND short direction concerning priuate Prayer PRayer is a holy conference of a godly mind with God whereby beleeuing we aske things necessary and giue thanks for benefits receiued Prayer is either Mentall onely or Vocall also this 1. Extraordinary or 2. Ordinary this 1. Publike or 2. Priuate this 1. Lesse priuate with the familie 2. More priuate by one alone Publike is that which is vsed in the publicke Congregation by the Minister with the people Priuate is that which is vsed by priuate persons in priuate places of this is this present Direction It is a great blessing that God will vouchsafe to attend and receiue our deuotions poured forth in any priuate place Great Personages require places sutable to their Greatnes but thy great God respects not the place how meane so euer but the necessitie of his seruant Where there is a Ieremy a Daniel or a Ionas a dungeon a Lions den the belly of a Whale are godly Oratories But remember that neuer any man prayed well priuately who contemned or neglected the publicke prayers in the Church For the comfortable performance of this priuate seruice two things are to be considered viz. 1. Preparation 2. Execution Preparation is an holy and considerate fitting our selues for this dutie This is necessary in a threefold respect 1. Of the person before whom wee present our selues which is the Almighty 2 Of the importance of the thing it selfe which is a speciall part of diuine worship 3 Of the consequence of this duty which is the obtaining of things needfull for this and a better life Vnto this preparation seuen things belong 1 First a fit place which must bepriuat a Ma. 6.5.6 Christ himselfe went into a mountaine alone to pray b Ma. 14.23 and into a solitary place c Mar. 1.35 So Peter went vp to the vpper part of the house d Act. 10.9 not but that it is lawfull to pray euery where e 1. Tim. 2.8 But priuacy is to be chosen that being sequestred from company we may the more fully descend into our owne hearts and be the freer from ostentation and hypocrisie and from discursation and wandring of mind 2 Secondly a fit time All times are for this exercise f Eph. 6.18 1. Thes 5.17 euen the night is a sweet time for prayer as Dauids midnights practise g Psa 119.62 and our Sauiours whole nights spent in prayer h Luk. 6.12 Lam. 2.19 doe testifie Thou canst not alwaies but at certaine set times speake to great men but thou maist alwaies speak to thy God Yet for set and ordinary prayer some choise of time would be vsed I think it to be most comfortable to begin and end the day with praier as the ordinary sacrifice of the Iewes was morning and euening instituted by God 3. Thirdly a freedom of mind from thoughts of the world and the affaires thereof for earthly things are heauy and their thoughts depressing which hinder the ascēt of the mind to God 4 Repentance and a