infernall spirit that falsely pretendeth dominion in the earth and in the ayre and how he enuieth and opposeth as much as in him is euery good dutie and seruice which thy dearest children owe and endeauour to performe vnto thee and aboue all other duties tending to thine owne glory and mans saluation he seeketh to hinder none with more bitter violence with greater enuy more wicked and subtill wiles then this of diuine prayer and endeauoreth to draw thine owne dearest children into manifold sinnes But Lord as thou hast commaunded vs to call vpon thine holy Name to pray vnto thee for faith repentance obedience and other graces and blessings So according to thine holy ordinance I fall downe prostrate vpon the knees of mine vnfayned heart praying thee to prepare mee to this holy dutie thou sayest Open thy mouth and I will fill it O Lord open thou my mouth and fill it with heauenly words furnish and fill my heart with a strong powerful and liuely faith constant and firme obedience that without wauering and straying thoughts I may at this time make my prayers supplications vnto thee through thy Spirit And thou O inuincible Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah stand vp for me against my most mortall and most malicious enemy satan who among his own is strong and powerfull but where thou my Captaine Christ Iesus appearest he is weake he cannot enter the house where thou dwellest O fortifie therfore O Lord and barre vp the doore of my soule that hee enter not nor preuaile against it with the fire of his tentations Lord thou knowest hee is enemie to thee how much more vnto mee Hee tempted thee but preuayled not but his tentations flesh and blood cannot withstand Therefore arme thou me against him with heauenly weapons and hee shall neither stoppe nor hinder mine intended prayers as he desireth and laboureth to doe Let my spirit O Lord bee strongly assisted by thy Spirit and my prayers shall be faithfull my heart shall entertaine no wandering wauering vnholy or prophane thoughts euill cogitations or wicked motions though I bee an vnholy lumpe of my selfe by nature prompt and more ready to thinke or doe euill then good yet by thy Grace Satan shall slie sinne shall die and thy Spirit shall be liuely in mee and my prayers powerfull and effectuall to thee in my mediator Christ Iesus O let thy heauenly helpe Lord in Iesus Christ descend into all the powers and parts of my soule and body that in speaking vnto thee I may feele the worke and operation of thy Grace so sufficient in my heart that I may obtaine a victorious conquest ouer satan sinne and mine owne corruptions and bee assured through Christ Iesus my Sauiour to bee either freed from his preuayling tentations or to bee able to resist them that all my prayers at all times may bee such as thou maist Fatherly accept them in thy beloued Sonnes mediation for mee howsoeuer weake and imperfect they bee in respect of my selfe who am full of imperfections which I humbly pray thee to grant for his sake who hath conquered him that couets my finall destruction Amen Lord euermore strengthen and increase my faith in Iesus Christ. A meditation or motiue when wee are dull to pray a most necessary preparatiue to prayer AS it is my griefe O Lord to consider the hardnesse of my heart my faintnesse and dulnesse to pray So can I not but comfort my selfe in the consideration of thy great mercie towards mee in often remouing my dulnesse and in steed thereof to giue mee thy holy Spirit and by him power effectually to call vpon thy holy Name which effectuall fauour of thine I haue oftentimes found and felt when I haue had an inward motion tending to a desire to pray and yet no power or ablenesse to open my mouth or aptnesse to mooue my tongue which hath caused mee many times to thinke that thou my God hast beene angry with me and in that thou hast with-holden thy Grace so long that thou hadst forsaken me So that I haue beeâ—e infoâ—ced oftentimes to keepe silence when I would haue prayed and to close my lippes when I would haue spoken Thus good Father haue I beene many times as I am presently troubled and inwardly greeued euen in my soule at the hardnesse of my heart and dulnesse of my spirit And yet at length I haue felt as it were the fire of feruent zeale so inflaming my heart as I haue suddenly spoken with my tongue I haue prayed vnto thee and thou hast heard me This holy and heauenly worke of diuine Prayer I finde to bee farre from mine or the best mans owne power it is the onely worke of thine owne spirit which I haue many times formerly discerned for when I haue beene most dull and most vnapt to pray thou euen then euen in my silent musing and meditation hast enabled mee to breake forth into words through faith which haue pierced the very heauen of heauens euen vnto the Throne of thy great Maiesty where Christ my mediator stands at thy right hand presenting in my behalfe my weake Petitions euen in his owne name and obtayneth mine humble desires according to thine owne will which worketh betâ—er things for mee then I can wish or will I am not therefore discouraged good Father thogh I seeme dull in spirit and as it were cleane destitute of faith for I know thy guifts are without repentance and though I feele not this heauenly worke of thy holy Spirit at all times a like in mee yet doe I assure me hee is in mee and will worke againe the same heauenly effects for where thy blessed Spirit hath once taken habitation and once sanctified the soule that soule is so effectually possessed by that â—pirit and that Spirit so possesseth that soule that he may be assured neuer to bee absolutely dispossest of the same howsoeuer hee may for a time seeme absent It is but to mooue mee to seeke him finding the want of him to long for him Though therefore deare Father my heart bee hard by nature and my spirit dâ—ll to euery holy and heauenly dutie so that I cannot outwardly vtter what I inwardly concâ—iue and desire with such earnestnesse and feruencie of spirit as I would but weakly and coldly yet doe I assure my selfe that thou considerest mine inward desires and hearest my most secret sighes as plainely as if I cryed vocally and aloud vnto thee I cannot therefore but confideÌ„tly assure my selfe that according to thy promise thou wilt heare and consider that I hunger and thirst for thy Grace that my dulnesse being remooued I may conceiue in my heart and frame with my lippes mine humble Petitions which thou hast promised to heare especially such as thine owne Spirit composeth in mee Deny not therefore good Father thy holy Spirit to me that faithfully craue him onely to be enabled effectually to pray vnto thee for thou hearest not the best man nor the best maâ—s best prayers for his
or his prayers sake but for thy best beloued Soâ—nes sake and such onely prayers as proceed from thine owne Spirit Fulfill therefore good Father all my godly desires through Christ Iesus Amen Let vs pray that wee may pray A Prayer to God for the helpe of his holy Spirit and other blessings Spirituall and Corporall comprehending the most needfull blessings fit at all times for all men to bee desired GRacious Lord God and most louing in Iesus Christ thou hast of thine owne free fauour willed all men in all their troubles dangers and wants of Spirituall and corporall things to come vnto thee to aske in the Name of thy Sonne and they shall receiue whatsoeuer they faithfully pray for to seeke helpe of thee and they shall finde it in due and conuenient time to knocke and they shall be admitted into thy holy presence But good Father as thou hast thus commanded me worke in me power truely to performe what thou commandest to pray I am of my selfe dull to seeke I am by nature blinde to knock I am weake and therefore thou seemest to command things to mee impossible to be effectually performed say therefore vnto mee and performe it namely that thy Spirit may bee a sufficient helpe vnto me Thou well knowest mine insufficiencie Lord for I cannot of my selfe thinke a good thought how then can I of my selfe pray and obtaine seeke and finde what I want or knock and bee heard This sacred vertue none by nature hath it is of thine owne free Grace and they onely to whom thou vouchsafest thine owne Spirit to helpe their weakenesse such in deed can faithfully aske such can dilligently seeke and constantly knock they onely obtaine what they aske they finde what they seeke and they are heard and admitted into thy presence when they knock Oh! admit me Lord into the number of them to whom thou hast vouchsafed this blessed priuiledge for they belong onely to the truely faithfull to such as thou hast chosen of thine owne purpose whom thou hast made fit to aske apt to seeke and constant to knock Apt I am to aske many things because I want manie and I know thou art able and willing to grant euery good thing But I am ignorant so to aske as I may obtaine for I know not what to aske as I ought and therefore though I often aske I receiue not because I aske amisse tending my prayers rather to the obtayning of carnall then Spirituall and heauenly riches and finde them not because thou seest the granting of them rather hurtfull then profitable vnto me Send therefore deare Father send downe thine holy Spirit who onely knoweth how and for what to pray though I bee ignorant of hee knoweth thy will though I bee weake he is powerfull and though I be corrupt He is holy as thou art holy â—ee onely knoweth my wants and how they may bee supplied Therfore none but he Lord can make my Petitions effectuall none but he can speake for me with me and in me Good Father denie him not vnto me leaue mee not destitute of his helpe When he commeth he shall teach mee all things fit for mee to learne hee will prompt and tell mee what is fit for me to aske he will prepare my heart hee will rectifie mine affections he will abandon my darkenesse deadnesse and dulnesse he will vntie my faultring tongue and open my closed lippes hee will inlarge my knowledge and increase my faith If I pray without the helpe of this thy blessed Spirit I doe but vtter a bare voyce O Lord which cannot come into thy presence nor returne any comfort to mine owne soule but speaking in and by him I shall assuredly bee heard for when I pray sinceerely and effectually in deed it proceedeth not from mee but from thine owne Spirit that speaketh in mee and beareth the greatest burden of my prayers though the words passe thorow my lippes they are not mine but his Holy Father euer louing louing in Iesus Christ inkindle mine inward godly desires through the heauenly heate of that Sacred fire touch my tongue with that celestiall cole from thine Alter then shall my heart be prepared then shall my lippes be opened then shall I speake with my tongue according to the meaning of thine owne Spirit then shall mine vnderstanding be inlarged then shall I appâ—ehend thy mercie and fully enioy thy fauour in Christ my Redeemer then shall I finde and feele in my heart an assured testimony that my prayers are come vp into thy presence then shall my guilty conscience burdened with sinne be eased and all my wants spirituall and corporall outward and inward bee fully and timely supplied and all my feare bee remooued and all things howsoeuer seeming contrary shall worke together yea together to my perpetuall peace and comfort in thee Then shall I receiue in this corrupt and weake vessell of dust the Image of my Redeemer bring forth the fruits of his Kingdome and euen here feele and be assured to bee sealed vp in the number of thine Elect Saints and enioy the glorie of that future Kingdome in full which heere I partake and know but in part according to that measure of knowledge which it hath pleased thee through thy holy Spirit to reueale vnto mee in this mortality where yet I finde the merits of my Redeemer preuayling to the washing away of my sinnes I heare his voyce and heere desire to follow him and to obey thee in him submitting my selfe to vndergoe whatsoeuer crosse for his sake as hee endured the death of the Crosse for mine euermore looking for longing to be dissolued freed from this worlds vanities and to bee partaker of the glory which by his death hee hath purchased for all that in faith and holy desire Looke for his second comming for which all that are guided by that thy Sacred Spirit inwardly and dayly cry Come Lord Iesus come quickly and end these dayes of sinne In the meane time thou knowest louing Father that I am inforced to bee combred about manie things of faâ—re inferiour condition following the things of my worldly calling which much hinder mee in the performance of better things and which often hinder the liuely working of thy holy Spirit in me I am much and often oppressed with the strength of mine owne inherent corruption often assayled by that my deadly enemie Satan who seeketh by all meanes to stop the course of thy Spirit in mee But thy Grace is sufficient to preuent him for me Thou knowest also deare Father that I am much and often afflicted heere and stand subiect to many and seuerall tryals as to Sicknesse of the body danger of the decay and losse of my Limbes and the vertue and vse of my Senses vnto Pouertie Enimies and Persecution for the constant profession of thy sincere Religion vnder the burden and feare of these ineuitable miseries I should faint but that I know thee and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ and haue the assistance
of thy blessed Spirit testifying vnto my spirit that thou art the whole and sole disposer of all these and that all things worke together for the comfort of all that loue thee knowing and being assured of thy presence and prouidence I will not feare whatsoeuer befall mee for all troubles crosses and miseries I finde to bee but holesome medecines tempered and gently prepared by thine owne hand for the cure and preseruation of my sicke and sinnefull soule from eternall death I humbly therfore deare Father pray thee so to moderate my troubles and afflictions as by the helpe and aide of thy holy Spirit I may with patience and an heauenly kinde of alacrity vndergoe them And according to thy good pleasure continue the health of my body the vse of my senses limbs peace with thee my God and with all men as becommeth mee still guided by thy Spirit that I abuse none of thy blessings through 〈◊〉 corruptions And while I liue here in this earthly pilgrimage as a stranger vouchsafe me with thy heauenly Spirit to giue mee a competent portion to sustaine me and those whom thou hast coÌ„mitted vnto my charge both in spirituall and corporall sustinance Let not too heauie tentations ouer-presse me let too much want and too heauy crosses ouer-afflict me but lay vpon mee what thou wilt and neuer take from me thy holy spirit so shal I be able to beare what soeuer thou thinkest fit to be laid vpon me for by the strength of thy preuayling spirit I shall vndergo what thou in loue as indeed it is shalt lay vpon me By promise thou carest for me and hast willed mee to cast my care vpon thee which I haue done euer since it pleased thee to reueale thy selfe vnto mee in thy beloued Son and thou hast not deceiued me for I haue euer found thee true in performing whatsoeuer thou hast promised euen in sending that Comforter who hath euer assisted mee in reuealing thy Son in whoÌ„ thy continual fauour I haue euer found most certaine secret sweet so enabling me to speake vnto thee as when I haue offended thee by my sinnes I haue felt the pardon of them in my conscience by the blood of that Lambe testified vnto mee by thy blessing and sanctifying Spirit When I haue been sicke thou hast healed me I haue been in mortall danger and thou hast preserued me I haue had enemies and thou hast defended mee and often haue I been in distresse and want and thou hast without my desire or desert plentifully releeued mee yea Lord thou hast giuen when and what I haue not asked thou camest and soughtest mee first Lord I sought not thee thou aboue all shewedst thy selfe most louing vnto me in sending me thy heauenly spirit without whose ayd I could neither aske nor receiue I could neither seeke nor find comfort neither could I knock or deserue to enter into thy fauour By his presence I haue felt the fulnes of ioy and gladnesse And therefore as thou hast graciously begun Lord so continue thy grace in mee and thy loue towards me alwayes in all places among al men in all my labours iournies and lawfull and godly endeauors for thou hast commaunded mee while I liue â—eere not to rest idle but to bee doing that which is good Thou hast giuen mee a calling wherin without thy blessing I may labour and yet lacke I may ayme by good intent and yet erre without the gracious direction of thy Spirit I am ignorant of and dull to performe that which may bee either well pleasing vnto thee or truly profitable to my self But by the blessing of thy holy spirit I shall please thee in Christ who pleaseth thee for mee and then whatsoeuer I thinke speak or doe shall prosper and yeeld mee supply in all my wants both spirituall and corporal and that from day to day which by thine owne promise shall be sufficient for the day O holy and heauenly Father hold me euer in thine â—bedience shelter me vnder â—he shaddow of thy protecting wings stop the whole course of sinne in mee and continue thine holy spirit euermore in me that he being my guide in all mine actions I may finish the course of this my pilgrimage in all sinceritie sanctitie and safetie and in the end obtain the glory which thy Sonne my Sauiour hath purchased for mee by the shedding of his blood vpon the Crosse and that euermore while I liue I may hunger and thirst for righteousnesse vntill I become a perfect man in Christ Iesus that leauing this mortall life I may ioyfully enter into that euerlasting rest Amen Amen in Christ my hope my strength and my assured and faithfull Redeemer Lord euermore increase and confirme my faith and continue that holy spirit in mee A motiue to begin the day with Prayer IT is a dutie not so much required by God for his owne sake of vs as necessary and profitable for our selues to begin the morning with Thanksgiuing and Prayer The first God requireth of vs as due vnto him for preseruing vs and giuing vs rest and sleepe and safetie the night past The second namely Prayer most necessary for our selues for without the helpe fauour power protection and prouidence of God wee can expect no comfort or safetie or good successe the day following wherein doe lye hidden many dangers of our bodies many bayts allurements and tentations of Sathan the world and our owne corruption for our soules much weaknesse and ignorance in our selues to performe the works of our owne callings besides ill successe in our labours without his blessing And shall we think that God will giue a blessing to our labours safetie to our persons or defence from these spirituall enemies vnlesse we recommend our selues to him in the name of his sonne No no we may not flatter our selues that because we are lustie and strong our senses good our wit and vnderstanding quick we may goe from bed to businesse and walke in our owne wayes vntill the euening either forgetting or neglecting God who with-holding his help and hand infinite are the dangers wee are subiect vnto both spirituall and corporall Therefore looke vp powre out thy pâ—ayers as a sweet morning sacrifice to God in the name of Christ and then goe on thy lawfull occasions and prosper And for want of thine own abilitie to discouer thine owne necessities and to craue Gods blessings and to declare thy thankefulnesse vse the helpe of the labours of such as haue framed prayer for this holy purpose Or this howsoeuer weake prayer following wherein thou mayst finde comfort and so with inward ioy thou maist from day to day the more cheerefully follow thy vocation A Prayer fit to be vsed euery morning O My God my God and my most louing Father in thy best beloued Christ Iesus I yeeld thee vnfained thankes for thy wonderfull mercies and vndeserued fauors vouchsafed vnto mee all my life and especially for electing creating and redeeming mee and for all
other thine vnspeakeable fauours from time to time bestowed vpon mee touching my corporall comfort which I neither can expresse with tongue nor conceiue with my heart Accept I humbly beseech the merrits of thy Sonne and his obedience in stead of my thankfulnesse for I am corrupt and sinnefull not worthy to take thy glorious Name into my mouth nor to heare that sacred Word from thine I am dull in hearing thee speake vnto mee and slower in practise of the good things thou commandest but prone and apt to doe the contrarie Such is my wretched condition that what I should doe in answer of thy will I cannot doe it But what thou forbiddest I cannot but doe it A wretched creature deare Father I am by nature yet grieued in heart that I am thus yoked that when I would serue thee I finde a law in my members rebelling against thy Spirituall working in mee and am cast downe in my Spirit finding so strong an enemy in mine owne flesh that still fighteth against thy Grace working in me striuing to hinder euery good and holy motion arising of thy Spirit So that when I would doe good euill is present with me when I would pray dulnesse and drowsinesse nay to my shame O Lord meere infidelity seemeth so to possesse my heart that I cannot open my mouth vnto thee Thou giuest mee many occasions through the infinite tokens of thy loue to mooue mee to thankefulnesse and yet I rest vnthankefull I feele also in my selfe as many occasions through mine owne corruption and wants to huÌ„ble my selfe before thee in prayer yet I rest often-times altogether mute and can neither pray nor be sufficiently thankefull The comforts which thou daylie and hourely vouchsafest mee I receiue and enioy yet doe I not shew my selfe so forward to acknowledge these thy mercies as I am ready to receiue them They are infinite my selfe not worthy the least of them And such is thy loue and Fatherly prouidence ouer mee that euery day and euery night and euerie minute in them doe testifie vnto mee that thou art euer my mightie God in defending mee from dangers and my most louing Father in coÌ„tinually supplying all my wants Thou mayst Lord iustly with-hold from mee my food in the day and my rest in the night because in the day I neglect to serue thee and in the night I forget to call vpon thee Thou canst not but obserue that I haue not so thought and meditated of thy louing kindenesse and mine owne dangers this night as to affoord the least breach of my sleepe to thanke thee I layde me downe I haue slept my sleepe and by thy power risen againe O that mine vprising from my sleepe might through thy Grace worke mine vprising from my sleepe in sinne Gracious God and full of loue grant me thy loue that I may render thee loue which I confesse deserueth not the name of loue in comparison of thine though for thy loue I should giue my body to be burned yet such is thy mercie that thou acceptest the least mite of true obedience as a great measure of my loue so full of humane and spirituall infirmities which haue ouerspread as thou knowest all-offending Adams issue Holy Father I know thee and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ hee it is that hath taken away that heauie burden of my corruption by his most perfect Righteousnesse and the guilt and punishment of my transgressions by his owne al-sufficient sufferings Therefore though I be slack in thankfulnesse for thy blessings and fauours formerly bestowed vpon mee Let mee euen this morning as I newly enter into the light of the day so by thy Grace grant Lord that I may enter into the light of new and sincere knowledge and obedience Humbly praying thee to bee vnto mee this day following a God to preserue a Captaine to defend mee a light to guide me and a louing Father to releeue me Let thy blessings bee plentifully powred vpon mee let heauenly knowledge abound in mee let faith more and more increase and be strengthened in me and the power of sin and Satan more more be weakened in mee So shall mine obedience towards thee my God more and more appeare in mee and then shall all that I take in hand this day and at all times prosper which grant good Father in Iesus Christ sake Amen Lord increase my saith this day and euer A motiue to prayer before a man goes to bed IT is commonly obserued that hee that forgets to giue God thankes when hee beginnes the day for the rest and saftie in the night past will not be well disposed to commend himselfe to God when hee goes to rest in the night yet is the night the most dangerous time when darkenesse ouer shadowes the house wherein wee sleepe and when our eyes are shut vp by the drowsinesse of our spirits what comfort can there then appeare Though wee may lie downe in some artificiall light wee are suddenly be cloudâ—d with naturall darkenesse wherein all that intend wicked and secret mischiefes are most apt to attempt most dangerous plots vpon such as are secure without God And Satan himselfe findeth the darkenesse of the night the fittest time to present vnto our wandring thoughts some euill imaginations our mindes being then at seeming quiet free from externall obiects And what that malignant enimie suggesteth in darkenesse the man not hauing faith and the feare of God longeth for the light to put that euill in practise that Satan hath in the darke mooued him vnto Besides we see by dayly experience that many haue layd themselues downe to rest in the night in seeming safty that could not say with Dauid J rose againe in safetie for the Lord sustained me for some haue beene preuâ—nted by sudden death some by sickenesse So that if the Lord sustaine vs not if hee defend vs not if hee watch not ouer vs if his Angels garde vs not especially in the night wee cannot but be subiect to manie ineuitable perils And how can wee thinke to enioy quiet rest in safty if we cal not vpon him that is our keeper and the giuer of rest sleepe and health For where God is not in the minde there are the thoughts wandring vpon things offensiue to God pleasing to Satan hurtfull to our soules and distempering the body which in a moment may seperate the vnprepared soule from the wretched body What and how diffâ—rs the man that lies downe to sleepe not calling vpon God from brute creatures which couet and take there rest and sleepe as man and rise vp to feed Should reasonable man so neerely resemble vnreasonable creatures who in their kinde praise God and man to dishonour him by vsurping the benefit of rest and sleepe without acknowledging them his owne gifts And how can he acknowledge them his gifts without thankesgiuing vnto him for them and prayer to him to enioy them Let no man be so stupid sottish and bruitish as to goe to
his rest without recommending himselfe to God his body his soule and all that hee possâ—ssâ—th for it is hee onely that keepeth Israel namely all that feare him hee is euer watchfull ouer his for he neuer slumbreth nor sleepeth To his power prouidence and protection then let vs recommend our selues confessing our sins and crauing pardon â—n the mâ—rits of his Sonne so shall we lay our selues downe in peace to rest and rise againe in safetie for the Lord himselfe will sustaine vs. A Prayer before a man goe to his nightly rest O God powerfull and louing in Iesus Christ I thanke thee that thou hast safely brought mee to the end of this day wherein I thankfully confesse I haue receiued at thy most bountiful hands through Christ many coÌ„fortable blessings not worthy of the least of them but rather of punishment for this dayes sinnes though committed in the light yet are they the works of darknes Good Father disperse dispell the darknesse of my sinning minde as a mist and send mee the light of thy sauing grace to enlighten mee now in the darknes of the night which with thee is as the noone day but to me it is fearefull without thee for that in it many dangers lye hidden to mee vnknowne and if I knew them vnable I am without thee to preuent the least of them But thou that hast made the blacke euening hast made also the bright morning and in both thou art a like watchfull ouer those that are thine I doe therefore humbly recommend my selfe my soule and my body into thy most powerfull protection The darknesse of the night doth as well declare thy glory as doth the clearest rest day Though to mee weake creature the night is most dangerous but that thou art my light and my saluation what or whom therefore need I to feare Thou art the strength of my life of whom or of what should I be afrayd Thou art to mee a strong rocke a house of saftie in the night for weake is the strength of the strongest materiall house vnable to preuent the dangers which thou permittest to befall many But Lord I trust not in houses of clay I trust in thee my strength to thee I come for succour defence this night withhold not thy helpe lest I perish in the darknesse I trust in thee let my darknesse be turned into light and let the light of thy sauing couÌ„tenance cheere mee in this nights darknesse for without thy fauor I liue in darknesse in the most cleare day light and hauing thee my light the darknesse of the night shall bee light vnto mee Lord abandon from my heart all vnholy thoughts this night and giue mee a watchful heart though my body sleepe mine eyes shut vp and all thy visible creatures all carnall obiects be taken from my sight let the eyes of mine vnderstanding be alwayes open to behold to my comfort thy brightnesse and glory The Heauens declare thy glory and the Firmament sheweth the work of thine hands these and all other thy creatures shew thy greatnes and the preseruation of them sheweth thy goodnes and mine owne continuall preseruation I cannot but to my shame and condemnation confesse to thy praise and glory Giue me therefore holy Father a thankfull heart for thy mercies this day past and a fearefull heart to offend thee sleeping by euill and corrupt dreames or waking by euill and vngodly thoughts and vnholy imaginations that sleeping and waking I may feele the working of thy Spirit either in holy Meditations or faithfull Prayers that euen as the day requireth mee not to bee idle in well performing my lawfull labours so I may not spende my night-wakings in idle fantasies but in holy thoughts And let mee not be ouercome as Samson with sleep who lost his strength least Sathan finding mee so sleeping should depriue me of my faith in thee which is my strength the strength of my life but that I may so watch as whether I wake I may wake to thee or whether I sleepe I may sleepe in thee Lord let me not sleepe in my sinnes â—et mee not carry the guilâ— of my transgressions past vnto my bed but through the merites of my Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus vouchsafe mee pardon for all my sinnes and be thou pleased to bee reconciled vnto mee through his Blood So will I lay mee downe to take my rest beseeching thee so to watch ouer mee that I may rest in peace and rise in peace and let the words of my mouth that I shall vtter this night and the meditations of my heart bee acceptable vnto thee O Lord my GOD my Strength and my Redeemer Amen Lord increase my Faith this night and confirme it in mee for euermore Amen A most comfortable incouragement to all poore and distressed men to vndergoe whatsoeuer trouble with patience by the example of most holy men that haue been in greatest affliction and may serue as a generall motiue to sundry seuerall Prayers following TRouble comprehendeth all the miseries that man endureth in this life aduersitie enemies sicknes pouertie persecution and all kindes of afflictions and sufferings infinite in number grieuous in qualitie and irksome to flesh and blood and befalleth on men diuersly either for the punishment of sinne past or for the preuenting of sinne to come God sendeth affliction vpon his owne dearest children to weine them from the loue of the vanities of the world that they perish not with the world But vnto the wicked as the beginning of their sorrowes and to terrifie his own from committing like sinnes by example of their punishments Gods children are forewarned that they must suffer He that will liue godly in Christ must suffer affliction yet by promise not aboue their strength for God putteth to his hand to make their burden light with a promise also of future comfort and though their troubles seeme great and grieuous faith in God maketh them more easie to them that suffer then they conceiue that beholde them with carnall eyes Great indeed are the troubles of the righteous but God deliuereth them out of all Sorrow heauinesse may endure for a night namely during this life but ioy commeth in the morning after this death and at the resurrection of the dead glory for euermore Troubles are but for a moment and then commeth comfort therfore doe the children of God with ioy and patience vndergoe them But contrary the comfort of the wicked is here short and momentany but thâ—ir future misery will be perpâ—tuall The patient suffering of the children of God is a manifest token of the righteous iudgement of God as Saint Paul saith to the Thessalonians whose patient suffering he commended imputing it a glory vnto them that they were accounted worthy of the kingdome of God for which they suffered Whereby it appeareth that euery suffering euen of the godly is not glorious such as befall them for their transgressions But if we liue godly in Christ and for that suffer
of God and of his good creatures because Dauid saieth There is a God that careth for the poore they deceiue themselues for there is no promise but to the poore fearing God and that endeauour to liue by their lawfull labours for no wilfully idle poor man can expect any promised comfort from God but the godly who are made poore by Gods prouidence to draw them to himselfe through affliction God tryeth all his children poore and rich not after one and the same manner but some by enemies as he did Dauid some by sicknesse as hee did Hezekiah some by imprisonment as he did Joseph some with pouertie and penurie as he did Lazarus some by losse of children and goods as hee did Iob yet hee hath his time againe to release them as hee raysed Dauid to the Crowne of Jsrael as hee healed Hezekiah and gaue him longer life from the prison hee made Joseph a Prince hee gaue Iob abundance of wealth and tooke Lazarus from his misery inâ—o Abrahams bosome When then that hath any faith or feeling of these most worthy examples of Gods humbling his Chrildren and againe raysing them vp will faint or feare whatsoeuer befall them in this life Were he persecuted as Eliah by Jezebel who had no visible helpes but a silly boy attending him did not God send an host of heauenly Angels for his defence God hath his Angels ministring Spirits still ready to incampe about his such is his care and watchfulnesse his power and his prouâ—dence that no Saul shall preuaile against his chosen Dauid though hee were a mightie King with his armies against that one single man he could not hurt him no Senacherib with his mighty Host could not haue his will against faithfull Hezekiah And therfore sayth Dauid full of assurance If an Host pitched against me my heart should not bee affrayd So Iaakob was not dismayde at Esaus coÌ„ming against him with foure hundred men because hee knew that God was with him But admit that an Herode haue power permitted him of God to take away Iohn Baptists head and to kill Iames with the sword shall we deeme it a hurt vnto them in furthering and hastening their deliuery from misery to their future glorie with Christ Whatsoeuer the enemies of God practise against the faithfull Children of GOD by persecuting them as they did by whipping Paul by imprisoning Peter by stoning Steuen Doe they not make these the more glorious in their patient suffering for Christ who hath prouided for them a Citie a Kingdome a Crowne What lose then these seeming miserable men when for their momentanie sufferings they shall receiue a perpetuall reward Gods faithfull Children the more they are persecuted and afflicted the more they flourish in well doing and the more they suffer the more faithfull strong and constant they grow And the more miseries they indure so much the more take they hold of Gods power prouidence and promises who hath assured them that hee will neuer faile them nor forsake them But whatsoeuer by whomsoeuer and in what manner soeuer they suffer all shall worke together for their future eternall happinesse A generall Prayer in whatsoeuer troubles afflictions with a confession that sinne is the cause of them O Father full of mercie and abundant in louing kindnesse in Iesus Christ thy best beloued thou hast euer a most Fatherly care of thy Children though thou permit them often times to vndergoe heauie afflictions in this present life by reason of which their greeuous troubles they are commonly censured of the world to bee euill doers and to bee cast out of thy fauour as was thy deare seruant Iob. And such as euer prosper and fall into no mis-fortunes nor troubles like other men to bee most beloued of thee which often causeth thy dearest Children to doubt of thy loue But Lord I know thee to be a Father whose propertie is to correct those whom thou louest best to keepe them vnder thine obedience who else by reason of their originall corruption the worlds vanities and Satans malice might bee easily drawne to rebell against thee I account it therefore gracious Father an especiall token of thy fauour and loue towards me that thou in so gentle a manner dost remember me and so fauourably to correct me for I cannot but acknowledge Lord and confesse against my selfe that my heart within mee is so filthy my minde so polluted and my will and affections so infected with sinne that if thou shouldest seeme to winke at and passe by mine infinite transgressions and not in some measure to afflict me I could not but according to mine owne corrupt condition but runne into and commit more and more heinous sinnes then hetherunto I haue done which already are more then sufficient to cast mee cleane out of thy fauour and consequently leaue me to mine owne vnruly will which euermore hungreth and thirsteth after things most offensiue vnto thee I doe confesse O Lord that pleasure and ease and fulnesse of all carnall delights are most sweet vnto to my carnall minde but much offensiue to thy most holy will The things that I should doe I cannot doe but the things that I should not doe they are my chiefe delight I loue what I should loathe and loathe that which is life vnto my soule whereby I heape vpon mee dayly a most importable burden of thy wrath And were it not that thou dost visite me with these thy Fatherly corrections I could not but meerely forget that euer thou createst me that Iesus Christ came and suffered to saue mee or that there were a Holy Ghost sent to comfort me And therefore good Father lay vpon me here what troubles or afflictions thou in thy wisdome thinkest sit to reclaime me from my euill wayes and yet as thou knowest to an obduâ—ate heart afflictions though they bee sharpe and greeuous yet they profit not without thou with thy corrections adde the molifying playster of thy Spirit to make my heart appliable to thy working hand Thou saydest vnto Paul hauing carnall motions that thy Spirit was sufficient to sustaine him O let thy Spirit possesse me then shall my stubborne heart relent then shall my peruers will in some measure frame it selfe to thy Will then shall my corrupt mind now wandring after vnholy things be reclaymed and onely seeke thee and the things more pleasing vnto thee The Fathers of our flesh haue beene carefull of our corporall preseruation and haue in loue corrected vs for our childish faults And shall I thinke that it behooueth me not to subiect my selfe to thy louing care of the preseruation of my soule who seeing not onely the faults of my weake youth but the grosse sinnes of my ripest age that I should repine at thy louing chastisements which thou so fauourably inflâ—ctest vpon me not to confound mee but to conforme mee to thine obedience And therfore Father as thou well obseruest my sinnes which either I neglect to call to minde or which I cannot but
I belieue Lord that if my faith faile not I shal draw vertue from thee and bee either fully healed or eased Wherfore most gracious Lord God in Iesus Christ increase and confirme my faith and say vnto me Be it vnto thee as thou beleeuest then shall I be whole for I constantly beleeue that thou canst doe it but that thou knowest what is best for me In thy prouidence it befell as a token of thy displeasure for my sins that I might bee thereby continually put in mind when I intend any thing offensiue vnto thee that by my further sinning I should feare greater punishments for thou knowest my corrupt nature euer inclinable to forbidden things and therfore wilt continue thy gentle hand vpon me lest I repenting of my repentance should returne againe to new sinns which good Father I humbly pray thee in fauour to preuent If thou tarry long and delay thy helpe let not my faith falter nor faile mee nor my heart be discouraged for thou knowest better what is best for mee then I my selfe And therefore will I wayte when what and how thou wilt worke for mee nothing doubting but that in thy fatherly prouidence thou wilt prouide for mee and that thou wilt neuer faile mee nor forsake me Amen Lord increase my faith A consideration or consultation touching the estates and conditions of seuerall men their vocations manners liues lawfull and vnlawfull punishable and to bee cherished seruing also as a necessary motiue to a prayer for the blessing of God vpon the lawfull callings of men of whatsoeuer condition necessary for all men that hope of any blessing vpon their labors trauels professions arts trades or imployments IT is not enough for a man to haue or to desire a calling in the Church or Common-wealth but before he vndertake it he must consider whether it be lawfull agreeable to the word of God honest or necessary for the vse and societie of men and whether his apprehension and inclination be capable and able to manage it aright It is not lawfull though it be priuatly profitable to himselfe if a man find himselfe not fit neither is lawfully called thereunto but assumes it to himselfe neither respecting Gods glory â—or the good of others and consequently not honest for that it proceedes only respecting his owne corrupt ends of which kind may bee obserued not a few who intrude into functions and callings such as they cannot with a good conscience nor with sufficient vnderstanding performe which must rest vpon euery mans conscience for his choyce Some haue againe lawfull and laudable callings of themselues sufficient and yet may and often doe erre in the execution either for priuate profit or forbidden ends Some liue without any lawfull profession profitable to none no not to themselues but are onely Ladders to bring most plentiful mulcture to the Deuils mill their patrimonies to Tauernes Ale-houses and worse places mils that grind onely wickednesse feeding themselues and others therewith fat in impieties for the shambles of Sathan Of this are some well descended Gentlemen whose ancestors haue borne honorable praise worthy Offices both in Church Commonwealth doing good to many and to none more hurt theÌ„ vnto their dearest children to whom they haue left great earthly portions and patrimonies and no good education or profession to liue as men no not as men for all men are borne to labour in one commendable calling or another for the Church or Commonwealth to neither of which are many of these men profitable but run on in their lasciuious liues as the horse mule who yet in their kind haue more vnderstanding and are more profitable then many of these men seeme yet to be All parents yet are not much blame-worthy for some are carefull as men to prouide for their children worldly goods to maintaine them after their deaths Some as Religious men desire more the good education of their children in religious knowledge then desirous to make them great they rather endeauour to make them good which last is the worke of God without whose grace howsoeuer parents may instruct and educate their children in Gods feare and by a primary apprehension of their towardnesse in vertue yet it falleth oftentimes out that euen these full of hoped towardnesse to prooue good and vertuous and fit for laudable imployments when their parents full estates befall them they associate the company of such as turne al the good they formerly learned into euill for though the father plant the Minister waters yet if the Spirit of God confirme it not in them they will shew themselues to be but men and such as feare not God nor reuerence man but liue as if there were no law spending as boastingly they will say but their owne It were fault sufficient to consume it had it bin their owne gotten by the sweat of their owne faces but being left vnto them by their carefull fathers or louing friends it is reputed by law theirs indeed yet so as they should hold it as the free gift of God or rather lent of him rather to do good with it then with the prodigall vnthrift to consume it as these men doe vpon their lusts And hauing spent all as in Gods iust iudgment many of them doe as daily experience sheweth what becomes of them doth not like experience tell vs Many idle drones there are also that haue not that they by any colour may call their owne and yet they spend and labour not but are as the froth and scumme of a good Common wealth As touching their conuersation it is not onely idle in good things but laborious in euill they roaue and run about the citie and countrey â—ilching stealing couzening cheating rioting in all kindes of wickednesse and whose profession is only to deceiue Can these men pray for a blessing vpon their vocations and labours Nay can they or doe they pray at all They may haue and often haue the name of God and his parts in their mouthes but for a curse not for a blessing for in stead of praying vnto God they blaspheme his name It is manifestly obserued that God is abused and the Common wealth pestered and priuily endangered by the idlenesse wickednes and mischiefes of these men And yet who taketh it into consideration and endeuour to reforme it Some are in places so eminent as they cannot look so low and some are in place of Office so meane that haue a good will to put hand to helpe it but their power is weake and their countenance and aid small they dare not taxe an offender in this kind especially a Gentleman-like Roarer that can make a whole Street or a Hamlet to quake at his carriage and execrable blasphemies Some haue lawfull callings but vse them not lawfully for want of the grace of God to guide them and the blessing of God to profite the Church or Common-wealth by them because they seldome or neuer pray for a blessing Some are often seene to
in some vaine obiect or other in my silent and solitary trauailes and iourneys laying before the eyes of my corrupt minde infinite bayts to allure mee to sin against thee that so I may offend thee that by offending thee thou in thy displeasure mayest inflict some crosse or hinderance vnto my trauels and so to preuent the good successe of mine endeauors But grant good Father in Iesus Christ that neither sin Sathan nor mine owne corrupt desires hinder thy blessings vpon my trauels but that I may constantly continue in thine obedience and thy loue towards mee not onely in these my trauailes but vnto my liues end Amen Lord increase my faith and prosper my Iourney A motiue to a Prayer for patience in godly Parents that are afflicted in minde for the disobedience and vngodly liues of their children whom if good counsell cannot reforme prayer is to bee made to God for them if that will not preuaile to leaue them to God and the Lawes IT is not the least crosse that can befall godly and religious parents to see and obserue their owne flesh blood their owne dearest children to bee disobedient rebellious and by their lewd liues to become scandalous in themselues and a shame and slander vnto their parents and friends A griefe it is of all griefes especially vnto such parents as haue had not onely a fatherly but a religious care of their holy education And their griefe cannot but bee so much the more by how much the world condemnes the parents censuring them euill by obseruing the vngodly liues of their children A great temptation to a carefull father that hath done his vttermost godly endeauor to educate his children in the feare of God wherin the wise indifferent and impartiall obseruer cannot but spare his condemnation finding this corrupt world so fraught with multitudes of wicked youth whose examples abroad doe worke more euill in children then the wisest and most godly father can worke good in them at home by their best counsell It is no maruel then that a good man may haue euill children who though hee propagate their bodies cannot infuse grace and goodnes into their hearts he can not frame their inclinations to vertue further theâ— God by his diuine Spirit doth second his good endeauors The Husbandman may soyle his land with the best Marle he may be carefull in plowing circumspect in sowing painefull in harrowing as much as in him lieth preuent the vermin that might deuoure the seed sowen Yet it is not his labour diligence or best skil that can forme the blade nor infuse the graine in the eare A good and godly father may infuse his best couÌ„sell into the eares of a refractory sonne and harrowe him with sharp threats to preuent venemous vices that deuoure best counsell But hee cannot imprint grace in his heart nor work the practise of godlinesse in him he cannot driue away Sathan and his wicked instruments from deuouring the good seed sowne in his sonne Euill examples and wicked counsell preuaile more with corrupt flesh then most diuine perswasions or disswasions It is a vaine thing to sowe good corne vpon a stony rocke it will take no root so to giue best counsell to a stubburne and an obdurate heart can not fructifie yet must not parents therfore giue ouer but againe and againe early and late endeauor to encourage his children in veâ—tue and goodnesse and to reclaime them from sin according to the counsell of the Preacher in Ecclesiastes Jn the morning sow thy seed and in the euening let not thine hand rest for thou knowest not whether shall prosper this or that or whether both shall bee a like good So should parents bee alike instant at all times to instruct their children with holy counsell for they know not whether God haue appointed this or that time or this or that aduice to conuert them from euill to good for as one drop often falling descends at last to moisten the root of the tree So time and timely counsell may mollifie the hardest heart and reforme the peruersest mind for as the wind bloweth when and where it listeth and no man knoweth from whence it commeth so may the Spirit of God come into the heart when man thinketh least of it therfore ought parents to pray earnestly and often for godly liues of their Children in whom then if God haue any share it will in time preuaile The reason why the world is so ful of loose lasciuious vnbrideled youth is much in the euill examples of Parents the want of the feare neglect of the seruice of God for the example of a father may something alter the nature of a son in good or euill For there is a kinde of ineuitable imitation in the son of the fathers qualities If they be good nature rebelleth against them in the son because it is corrupt if they be euill nature it selfe teacheth the son without further documeÌ„t how to resemble the father in euill And nothing can help the one or bridle the other but grace which cannot be obtayned but by prayer Another maine cause of Childrens lewdnesse is too much lenitie in Parents and too much libertie in Children wherein idle doting and foolish mothers are commonly most guilty who because they haue giuen their Children suck of their breasts when thâ—y were young they giue them leaue when they become able to sinne to suck their puâ—ses to feede them fat in vices in haunting Tauernes idle and vngodly companies drinking gaming and which is not the least pampering them in pride the beginning of their fall wherein many silly fathers are as guilty in winking at the mothers folly or not hauing the wit or spirit to redresse it vntill their children become so farre plunged in impieties as when they would they cannot not reclaime them and so in fine are inforced to see them to their vnspeakeable griefe come either to publike shame and obloquie or to vntimely and fearefull ends which may befall the vngodly Children of most godly Parents What then Shall the Parents beare the shame of their Children that kick against all good counsell and will obstinately run to their owne ruine No. But if Parents be totally remisse in wholesome counsell erre in their example in the eye of their Children no maruell if they taste of the shame and griefe of and for their Children But least good men men fearing God hauing vngodly Children to whom they haue done their best duties in their youth to teach them the way of godlinesse and they depart from it should be too much deiected and cast downe through griefe conceiued for the wickednesse of their Children let them consider that as they cannot make one haire black that is white no more can they make him good that is euill neither can they keepe them in awe that are wilfully rebellious nor preuent them of confusion that voluntarily seeke it Foolishly vnaduised then are they that will taxe a good Father