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
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
I haue attained vnto thou mightest weaken my senses and the faculties of my body and minde all which I cannot but confesse I haue abused and without the vse of them thou knowest I cannot performe the workes of my calling I humbly therfore pray thee good Father rather to increase and continue in me that measure of knowledge and that perfection of my body and minde which thou hast already bestowed vpon mee then either to depriue mee of them or to weaken them in mee I acknowledge Gracious Lord that there is no vocation or calling high or low no labour exercise or endeuour that can bee vsefull or profitable to himselfe or others no mans life pleasing or commendable without thine especiall direction and blessing and that in the Name of that blessed of all blessings in whom as all blessednesse doth consist So through his most blessed mediation and merrits blessings vpon blessings are powred vpon the godly labours of all them that in whatsoeuer calling â—n his Name truely seeke to be blessed In him therefore Father of blessings let thy blessing be vpon mee in all my labours enterprises and endeuours for without thy blessing ayde direction and protection I may labour trauaile bee carefull solicitous diligent and most industrious yet all in vaine my paines may bee great my rising vp to my labours earely yet without thy blessing little profit mee I may get much but I shall put it as it were in a broken bagge my going foorth without thy blessing cannot be but dangerous my trauailes subiect to many perils in euitable inconueniences Mine owne carnall corruptions accompany mee whithersoeuer I goe ride or remaine the vanities of the world euery where distract my wauering and inconstant minde And Satan with his millions of infernall ministers prouoking mee to sinne pursue mee euer plotting and practising occasions to draw mee from thee suggesting Idlenesse and Ease to bee sweete and Labour and Trauaile in lawfull and honest callings painefull deceite in my vocation gainefull iust dealing foolish nicenesse negligent performance a sufficient discharge of my dutie Thus being beset good Father within and without with sundry tentations I cannot without thy Grace auoyde the committing of many sinnes not only in abusing my calling but in mine ordinary conuersation and course of life and sinne committed draweth on thy displeasure and thy displeasure punishments such as in thy seueritie may iustly disable mee to performe my dutie in my calling hauing no power in or of my selfe to performe the least part of my duetie either in my vocation or conuersation Leaue me not therfore deare Father vnto mine owne weakenesse nor to the will and wiles of my Spirituall or corporall enemies that hate me and couet to hinder or slander euery good worke in mee reioycing when any euill befals in my life or calling Preuent them O Lord and for thy best beloueds sake teach mee wisdome and giue me vnderstanding according to thy Word that in all my wayes I may bee watchfull in my labours painfull in my carriage and calling faithfull and iust that my principall chief care may euer bee to please thee And furnish mee so with true iudgement in all and euerie part of my duetie as there may bee nothing wanting in mee which may further thy Glorie which grant for thy blessed Sonnes sake IESVS CHRIST to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost bee praise for euermore Amen Lord increase my faith Hee whose calling requireth Iourneys by land or sea may prepare himselfe by adding this Prayer following or to vse it by it selfe MOst louing and most mercifull Father in â—esus Christ I acknowledg my selfe the weakest and most ignorant of al humane creatures hauing receiued in thy prouidence a calling requiring continuall trauailes iourneys and much labour of body and mind hauing such and so great a troupe of aduersaries and dangers accompanying me in the execution thereof as euermore seeke to stop the way of my good successe therein as well in my iourneying forth in performing my lawfull labors abroad as also in my returning home I most humbly therefore pray thee to haue a fatherly care of mee and to take charge of me in all my proceedings in all places among all men and at all times that all my iourneis from and to mine owne home may be prosperous and all my labors indeauors may succeed to thine owne glory to the faithfull discharge of my dutie in all mine imployments to the competent supply of whatsoeuer I need And forasmuch as these my iourneys trauailes and labours are and may bee much hindered through sicknes infirmities of my body defects of my limbes bodily members and senses the perfection of which being originally thine own gifâ—s continue my body in health my limbs in streÌ„gth and all my senses perfect vntill the time when thou shalt thinke fit to dissolue my whole bodily frame when I shall no more trauaile no more labour nor feele any defect of body or mind And grant if it bee thy good pleasure that neither sicknesse death or any other corporall infirmitie seize vpon mee in my trauels and iourneys submitting my will yet vnto thy will knowing that thou knowest what is most necessary for mee and that who so is thine is thine and in thy fauour and protection as well abroad as in his owne house yea whensoeuer wheresoeuer and in what manner soeuer thou art pleased to touch him with thy correcting hand or to call him out of this mortall life And forasmuch good Father as there are many other impediments to hinder my necessary iourneys trauels and labours as distemperature of the ayre immoderate weather difficulties of wayes inundations of water danger of theeues euilly disposed persons defects in the creatures which thou vouchsafest for my vse in trauell and many other dangers and hinderances infinite in number all concealed from mee vntill they fall yet all knowne and foreseene of thee and all disposed and permitted by thee I most humbly therefore pray thee to watch and spread the wings of thy power and prouidence ouer mee and stretch foorth thy helping hand ouer me that no euill if it please thee befall me But if thy will bee so grant me wisedome and patience not to impute it to fained Fortune but as indeed it is to mine own sinfull deseruings and that I may be euer thankfull vnto thee whatsoeuer befal me Let the Angel of thy presence accompany mee let thy heauenly spirit euer possesse me let my heart euermore possesse thee let my thoughts be euermore free from sinne and all the parts and powers of my body my mind affections and will from euery euill action and vngodly desire Giue me a holy feare to walke worke trauaile and vse mine occasions as in thy presence knowing that thou beholdest me mine inward inclination and outward actions Thou knowest also good Father that besides mine owne wandring and wauering heart Sathan ceaseth not to watch opportunitie to snare mee
had no maruell then they finde it not and yet perswade themselues they haue in some measure what they desire euery man in his peculiar affection and well may it bee sayd in some measure for that in what measure soeuer they haue that they craue yet they want the fulnesse of what they desire And therefore can there be no full content for where there is wanting some thing the want of the thing desired is a kinde of ineuitable miserie and distraction of the minde These things duely considered a kinde of voluntarie blindenesse or rather desperate madnesse seemeth to appeare in the most who contrarie to the aduice of the Apostle that willeth to vse this world as if wee vsed it not vse onely this world and the vaine pleasures of the same as if they perswaded themselues that either they shall euer remaine here or that after this there will be no other being whereas the contrarie is most apparent For this world passeth away and the glorie thereof and therefore should we so liue as only to passe thorow it as the Jsralites thorow the Red-sea that we may arriue in Heauēly Canaan the place of true Felicitie Happinesse and absolute content in deed for the greatest pleasures and deerest delights that this world can yeeld are like the vnsauorie waters of Asphaltis or the sea of Sodome whereof who so drinketh infatuateth or dieth instantly And yet wee see that hee is accounted the happiest man that is euen drunke with this worlds vanities Therefore doe the truely Wise passe by them as it were disdayning to stoope to such deceiuing alurements stopping their eares with Vlisses least these forbidden vanities should inchant them and with their seeming sweet infecting harmony draw them to the gulfe of perdition for the vanities of this world bewitch the mindes of carnall men who though they reade and heare their danger it takes no impression in their obdurate hearts they reade seldome and heare and vnderstand not they yet know too much of that wherof the practice doth shew they are not wise to saluation which indeed is that absolute happinesse that the truely Wise doe onely seeke knowing that it auayleth them not to gaine the whole world and to take all the pleasures and delights of the same to lose their owne soules The best thing then that we are to seeke to be happy is to be assured in this life of the Kingdome of God and our saluation to come and to labour for the righteousnesse thereof for if worldly men take so much paines for the getting of the vanishing things of this world counterfeit happinesse it may well be imputed not onely as a shame vnto vs but a iudgement vpon vs if wee neglect the absolute best thing the saluation of our soules And therefore Saint Paul exhorts vs to the studie of righteousnesse and hatred of sinne the contrary ends of both being set before vs namely as touching sinne wherein the best man hath once defiled himselfe how much more the wicked What fruit had they in it Onely shame and griefe and in the end death eternall without repentance therefore it behooueth vs now to cast off sinne The vanities of the world the lusts of the flesh the pride of life to which things whosoeuer is or hath beene seruant while he liueth therein is free from righteousnesse but now let vs seeke to bee freed from the seruitude of sinne and to become seruants vnto God so shall wee haue our fruit in holinesse and in the end euerlasting life which is the gift of GOD through Iesus Christ which is the greatest happinesse that we can desire or attaine vnto either in this life or that which is to come for the obtayning whereof euery Christian is to be carefull to auoide the vanities of this world and the seruice of sinne in the same indeuoring to become the seruant of God which consisteth in an holy and heauenly conuersation here to which is required the due and diligent hearing of God in his Word and the true practise of the same and faithfull prayer to him By these two rules rightly obserued a man becomes by acceptation perfect and by imputation iust To attaine vnto this degree of perfection and happinesse it lyeth not in our owne powre wee cannot heare without the Word preached and none that heareth vnderstandeth but he whose eares the Lord openeth Carnall men may heare indeed but not profit by hearing vnlesse God open also their hearts as hee did the heart of Lydia for both the Word hearing vnderstanding and practise are all the gifts of God Prayer also is the gift of God so is Gods Spirit by whom wee pray and faith in which we pray and the assurance to obtaine that for which wee pray How many men yet are there of conceit that they can pray when they list and how they list as if earnest and truely cordiall prayer were as familiar with them as to tell a tale Liplabour babling indeed is as easie as to speake any thing else But this kinde of saying prayers is not indeed prayer but prattle a mocking of God and hee deceiueth himselfe that so speaketh prayers A great man would take scorne to haue a tale told him when hee that tells it speakes he knowes not what his minde being vpon some other matter will God then accept of those prayers which onely are from the lippes when the heart thinks of nothing lesse then what the mouth speaketh Their words may bee the words of holy prayer indeed but if the heart consent not nay if the Minde the Will and Affections and the Vnderstanding agree not with the mouth though the words bee good the prayer is counterfeit True and feruent faithfull and feeling prayer will easily bee diserned from cold and counterfeit for whereas a man may fluently without stoppe or stagger powre forth many and good words either by heart or booke thinking that God hath enough if hee haue many and good words he cannot but acknowledge that he doth but flatter God so commits sinne instead of a sacrifice But the prayer that pleaseth God and profits a mans selfe comes from the heart to the lippes or the heart it selfe sighes and groanes vnto God in such vehemencie of spirit as if not with outward teares yet doth the heart rent it selfe within through the feruencie of zeale and power of a liuely faith which kinde of prayer is effectuall and pleasing to God It behooueth therefore euery man to be warie how hee prayeth least hee offer the sacrifice of fooles and so instead of being heard to his comfort hee be reiected with shame Prayer consisteth not in the motion of the tongue onely which is proper as well to the wicked as to the godly But prayer is a diuine exercise of a sanctified heart And therefore before we presume to approch into the presence of God with our Petition we must duely and reuerently consider to whom we speake what we speake and how we speake wherein we may
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
GOD of Hostes who sent his Angell and that night destroyed in Senacheribs campe one hundred fourescore and fiue thousand men Thus God can deale with the enemies of his faithfull people hee can destroy them without their helpe as wee our selues haue found by memorable experience to shew that it is not alwayes the multitude of armed souldiers that are the absolute meanes of victorie it is the meere hand of God to declare himselfe to be in deed the GOD of Hosts against whom no power pollicie or humane wisdome can preuaile And therefore admitteth not the arme of flesh though a necessary meane to haue the glorie of the distruction of his enemies he will confound When Joshua was to goe against Jericho a Citie whom God would destroy though hee was accompanied with a multitude of armed souldiers yet the Lord would not haue the ouerthrow ascribed vnto battery and engines of warre violent instruments But at Gods command they blew with Rams-hornes onely about the wals with a shoute and the walls fell downe God by weake meanes can doe wonderfull things for his Fiue mighty kings combined their forces together against Ioshua and though God permitted Ioshua to haue the victory and slaughter of some of them yet God himselfe had the prayse who slew more with hayl stones from heauen then Ioshua slew with the sword Thus doth God manifest his power that all men may see that they that haue God on their side neede not feare though kings combine and people rage as if they would deuoure Gods people at their pleasures casting their accounts and disposing of their pray before the victorie Benadab that mighty Aramite king threatned Ahab king of Israel to depriue him of all that he had His siluer and his gold his women and his faire children But God gaue Ahab the victorie both on the Mountaines and the Vallies Because they obiected against God that he was God in the Mountaines not in the Vallies as if we should say he were God at Land but not at Sea or to impute good or ill successe in these weighty occasions to false and contrary causes as is commonly seen and obserued to ignorance or negligence of some Commanders or to this or that omission ouer-sight or rashnesse which indeed may bee blame-worthy yet for that wee attribute not good successe to God but to humane power wisdome or pollicie and ill euents and issues to our owne sinnefull deseruings and waâ—t of calling vp on God for a blessing God many times permits his owne children to suffer violence when they forget to serue him The Israelites committing wickednesse in the sight of the Lord God gaue them ouer into the hands of their enemies the Midianites for seuen yeares yet vpon their repentance and returning to God hee raysed vp Deborah and Barak to deliuer them Sinne is the cause that God permitteth a mighty multitude to bee ouer-throwne by a few foure hundred thousand Israelites for one sinne were ouercome twice by sixe and twentie thousand Beniamits If God for one sinne suffered his people to bee thus slaine by a few what will hee not permit to bee done vnto a nation that commits infinite sinnes For one seeming small sinn of one man Achan the children of Israel were chased and put to flight by a few to shew that where sinne raigneth there is no strength in the people to withstand their enemies God is a righteous God perseruing and punishing as hee findeth men faithfull or sinnefull not sparing his dearest children when they rebell against him but as long as they truely obay him no enemie shall preuaile against them Let Pharoh pursue Gods children with purpose to consume them let them but call vpon God let them bee faithfull and they shall see the saluation of God the confusion of their enemies by the immediate hand of God without the helpe or hand of man An hoste of men cannot hurt one man whom God will protect and yet permits sometimes one of his to preuaile against many as Samson who slewe one thousand men with the iaw-bone of an asse and Shamgar with an Oxe goad slew six hundred men to shew that God is not tyed to multitudes to auenge him of the enemies of his children and that a multitude to him is but as one man and as easie to bee ouercome And yet he many times permitteth the wicked to take away the liues of the most righteous and innocent as Kain to kill Abel Herod to kill Iohn Baptist James c. he permits bloody massacres and suffers his dâ—arest children to be martyred after many fearefull meanes not that he is not able to deliuer them but that his owne name by their patient suffrings may be glorified On the other side if it please him and that it stand for the good of his hee can and will defend them hee can send an hoste of Angels to defend theÌ„ and fire from hâ—auen to consume the aduâ—â—saries of them that take him for their streÌ„gth But not according to naturall mans reuengefull desire As when his disciples willed him to call for fire from heauen to consume their enemies he answered them Yee know not of what spirit yee are And therefore although he in his iustice in former times hath and yet is in his power to execute his seuere iudgments with fearefull fire as vpon Sodome vpon Nadab and Abihu and vpon the fifties which came to apprehend Eliah yet ought we to be farre from desire to haue like iudgements inflicted vpâ—on our most mortall enemies vpon such as would euen eate vs vp but rather as wee are instructed first to pray for their reformation and serious reconciliation and refer the issue to God though it may be we cannot as properly say of some malicious aduersaries as Stephen sometimes said of his Lord lay not this his death vnto their charge for they know not what they doe No our most malicious enemies are not ignorant that their malice towards vs is sinne against God to whose iudgement we are in charitie to leaue them for to him not to vs belongeth reuenge who being wise in his vnderstanding and iust in his iudgements is also mercifull and patient in punishing and in all things both to them and vs will do that which is equal right and will reward tyranous oppressors malicious persecuters of his faithful children in his time according to his owne will and for his owne he will neuer leaue nor forsake them Although our enemies may pretend Religion the cause of their malice and couer their inward hatred vnder a counterfeit pretence to worke our reformation therein and with many seeming sweet insinuations worke themselues into our thoughts it behooueth vs to be wise lest that in conceiuing they seek our good they get not our goods which are our obedience to God faith in him and perseuerance True it is that Religion is the cause of many both priuat and publike controuersies and quarrels but that Religion that is increased and maintained
and by sinne I offend and displease thee and in thy displeasure is death O preuent me Lord therfore from sinfull feeding my foolish mind with false felicitie as to repose my happinesse in the things of this life in health riches honour beautie carnall friends worldly wisdome pleasures delights ease which are not worthy in respect of true happinesse in deed to bee the least esteemed Giue me therefore here O Lord euen in this life an entrance into true happinesse send foorth thy Spirit and breath life into my dead soule transforme me into thine own image from glory to glory by thy Spirit withdraw me from delight in the vanities of this life for as long as I delight in the pleasing things of this world I am farre from happinesse and it lies not in my power to restrain my heart from that which naturally I affect I cannot subdue the corruption of mine owne nature but that which is impossible to mee is possible with thee declare therefore thy great power in mercy vpon me I am by nature wretched miserable and poore and naked a most vnhappy man yet such is my blindnesse that I see it not I feele not mine owne vnhappinesse Lord remooue that darknesse from me and graunt that seeing I may see mine owne errour and in hearing I may vnderstand and take the right way to felicitie work faith in my heart that I may taste how gracious thou art in working in me a new heart a new mind and new affections holy and heauenly the beginning here of happinesse to come Make mee to feele the peace of a good conscience let my faith be seen through obedience vnto thee let me feele in my soule through faith the merits of thy Son working the assurance of the remission of my sinnes and assured hope of the enioying of my finall felicity and endlesse happinesse in heauen None are truly happy or blessed but such as thou dost chuse cause to come vnto thee for none can come vnto thee but whom thou callest and they onely are iustified whom thou iustifiest them wilt thou glorifie and whom thou glorifiest are and none else truly happy Carry me therefore gracious Lord carry me by the wings of thy mercy and by the strength of thy fauour in Christ my Sauiour into that heauenly Canaan the inheritance of them that are in Christ Iesus elected to saluation Let me euen here in this base outward forme of an vnhappy man behold thee through faith in thy word let mee behold thy face in righteousnesse for in the liuely beholding of thee is the fulnes of ioy and highest happinesse in this life O that the time would therefore speedily come wherein I being dissolued may see thee my Sauiour face to face when this my mortall body shall be quickened and made like vnto thy glorious body for I know thou wilt keepe vnto the end that which I haue committed vnto thee both my soule and body to bee glorified and made happie though I yet see not what I shall be and therfore when thou wilt I will willingly lay down my life and commit my soule vnto thee my God through Iesus Christ as vnto my most faithfull Creator and louing Redeemer to whom with the holy Ghost bee all glory for euer Amen The consummation and full perfection of our happinesse shall be When wee shall bee made partakers of the diuine Nature 2. Pet. â— v. 4. When Christ shall tranâ—forme our base bodies that they may bee like the glorious body of Christ Phil. 3. v. 21. When she shall perfectly enioy those things which eye hath not seen nor the eare heard nor euer entred into the heart of man to coâ—ceiue which God hath prepared for them that loue him 1. Cor. 2 11.9 Who then or what shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ in and by whom wee haue firme hope to attaine vnto this so great happinesse neither tribulation nor anguish nor persecution nor famine nor nakednesse nor perill nor the sword Romanes 8. verse 35. Which God for his Christes sake graunt to whome with the Holy Ghost be ascribed all glory for euer Amen The principall things contained in this Booke A Meditation or Consultation what are the best things that men in this life should principally ayme at to attaine vnto highest happinesse c. Fol. 1. A motiue to Prayer against the temptations of Sathan c. 18 A Prayer for Gods holy assistance against Sathan 23. A Meditation to stirre vs vp when wee are vnapt to pray 29. A Prayer to God for the helpe of his holy Spirit and other blessings spirituall and corporall c. 35. A motiue to begin the day with Prayer 54. A Prayer fit to bee vsed euery morning 57. A motiue to Prayer before a man 〈…〉 65. A Prayer for a man before hee goes to hiâ—â—â—ghtly rest 70. A most comfortable incouragement to all poore and distressed men to vndergoe whatsoeuer trouble with patience c. and may serue as a motiue to some prayers that follow viz. 77. A generall Prayer in whatsoeuer troubles and affections with a confâ—ssion that sinne is the cause of them 103 A Prayer for a man hindred by 〈…〉 kind of 〈…〉 lawfull takings c. 114 A consideration or consultation touching the estates and conditions of seuerall men c. necessary for all men that hope of any blessing vpon their labors Trauels Professions Artes Trades or Jmployments 124 A Prayer that God will blesse and prosper our labours and endeauors in whatsoeuer calling 139 A Prayer for a man whose Calling requireth Journeyes by land or sea 149 A motiue to a Prayer for patience in godly Parents that are affâ—icted in minde for the disobedience and vngodly liues of their children c. 150 A Prayer for the reformation of vngodly and disobedient children and for patience in Parents c. 166 A Christian incouragement to all that feare God act to bee 〈◊〉 at the threats 〈◊〉 and policies of whatsoeuer enemies c. To which is added a Prayer for Gods holy protection and defence of his in whatsoeuer danger 173 A Prayer to God that hee will defend vs from our strongest enemies with Thankesgiuing to God for our former deliuerances 189 A necessary motiue to stirre vs vp to a holy desire to resort to the Temple of God to pray vnto him with the Congregation and to heare his VVord c. 198 A Prayer to God that hee will prepare our hearts to the visiting of his holy Temple to heare his Word to pray vnto him and to praise him 219 A Prayer for true happinesse which shall be consummate only in heauen 226 FINIS