neuer wearieth the soules of such as delight in the liuing God whose beautie Dauid saw as neuer satisfied with the contemplation of the glorious Maiestie oâ— Iehouah whose beautie the more the Spirituall minde beholdeth in his word his workes his fauour power and prouidence the more is hee mooued with desire to see more and more And thinkes no happinesse comparable to the happinesse of a heauenly life Much were the Disciples mooued at the sight of Christs transfiguration in so much as they desired to haue built there Tabernacles to haue enioyed that blessed sight Still to desirous was Dauid still to behold the beautie of the Lord and to visite his holy Temple Where God is truely heard and duly called vpon by a holy congregation nay by one particular faithfull Christian there appeareth the glorie of God There is the Arke of the Lord the presence of the mightie God of Iaakob whose glorie filleth the Temple which onely the Spirituall man seeth with a supernaturall eye Though the carnall man bodily present apprehendeth it not Paul at his conuersion saw Gods glorie but they that were with him heard onely a voyce but saw it not Such beautie shineth in the hearts of the deere Children of God by the operation and illumination of the Holy Ghost by whom Stephen saw the glorie of God in the heauens and Christ sitting at his right-hand which none 〈◊〉 can see but such onely aâ—are inlightened who take such surpassing sweet delight in the beholding the face of God not onely in the Word wherein hee is in part seene but especially through faith that their soules are euen rauished and as it were transchanged by the splender therof as it were into the Image of the glorie of the onely begotten Sonne of the Father â—od commanding the light to shine out of darkenesse shineth in our hearts to giue light of the knowledge of the Glorie of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Let vs therefore indeuour to exercise our selues in puritie and sanctitie clensing our consciences from all counterfeit sincerity and labour to become in deed such as wee would seeme to bee And not to neglect the visiting of the materiall Temple to heare the Word of GOD and to pray vnto him if wee hope to be happie for there is none happie but they whom GOD loueth and who loue GOD if wee loue God wee will delight in him to heare him often for our instruction and confirmation of our faith and to seeke him by our prayers for he is ready to bee found of all them that are true of heart who shall heere behold his beautie and hereafter enioy his glorie A Prayer vnto God that he will prepare our hearts to the visiting of his holy Temple to heare his Word to pray vnto him and to prayse him GRant O most gracious Lord God according to the riches of thy grace that I may bee strengthened by thy Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in my heart by faith and so my whole spirit soule and bodie may bee kept blamelesse to the comming of the Lord Iesus for thou Lord knowest what I am by nature a man vnworthy to take thine holy Name into my mouth or to come into thy presence being inclynable to no good dutie but apt to euery vanity I come therefore vnto thee heauenly Father in the Name of Iesus Christ thy Sonne in whom thou hast promised to receiue them that sincerely seeke thee heare the voyce of my petitions O Lord when I crie vnto thee and when I lift vp my hands towards the mercies seat of thy holy Temple reiect me not vnto thee O Lord I lift vp my soule crauing pardon for my sinnes and that thou wilt admit me into the holy societie of thy Saints and that I may delight to dwell in thy holy Temple vnder the shadow of thy protecting wings for euer Let my heart bee euer vpright in thy Statutes and faithfull euer before thee for thou hast pleasure in righteousnesse and hee is blessed in whose heart are thy wayes knit my heart vnto thee that I may feare thy Name giue me a holy desire to seeke thee and to walke euer vprightly as in thy presence Indue me with thy Spirituall knowledge leade me by thy right hand to thine holy Temple shew mee thy glorie and thy beauty that I may be comforted through thy presence Open mine eares that I may heare thee and thy Word by thy holy Ministrie and prepare my heart to receiue knowledge and vnderstanding and open my mouth and fill it with thy prayses and let my prayers in thy Sons Name bee acceptable vnto thee Shew me thy way and giue mee vnderstanding that I may learn thy Commandements and walke in them My hearts desire Lord is to dwell with thee to haue the full free fruition of thine house and the place where thine honour dwelleth that I may serue thee with a pure affection and giue thee prayse in the congregation of thy Saints Turne thy face vnto me O Lord that I may see the beautie of thy countenance and bee changed into the same Image by thy Spirit and in the same Spirit bee admitted to visite thine holy Temple with faith and assurance of thy presence wherein I know is libertie and life protection and plentie of all good things Make my heart stable vnblameable before thee in holinesse that I may serue thee with a sincere and pure conscience and vndefiled that I may not come into thine house only to bee seene and to seeme seruiceable or dutifull vnto thee but may inwardly hunger thirst for thy Word the food of my soule the bread of life and imprint the same so effectually in my soule that it may prooue fruitfull in â—ee and that I may shâ—w it in my 〈◊〉 holy conuersation to thy Glorie that being filled with the comforts proceeding from the beautie of thy countenance I may euer posâ—sesse my soule in that peace which passeth all vnderstanding euer-more reuerencing thy glorious Maiâ—stie that euer-more filleâ—h both the heauens and the earth fill my heart O Lord with thy Spirit that I may draw neere vnto thee and to thy Holy place my strong Rocke to thee will I alwayes resort Make mee to heare ioy and gladnesse and that I may more abound in hope and be strengthened to euery good work through the power of the holy Ghost by Iesus Christ my Lord and onely Sauiour Lord increase my faith The Conclusion A Prayer for true happinesse which shall bee consummate onely in heauen O Lord what am I the son of dust and ashes that I should presume to come into thy presence to seeke and desire felicity and happinesse here in this wildernesse of so many vanities miseries and troubles as are among the children of men As for me Lord thou knowest wherof I am made thou remembrest that I am but dust what happinesse therfore Lord can I look to obtaine here where sinne dwelleth in my mortall body
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
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