hard and stony hearts to humble our selues before thée with dread and reuerence and on the other side the sauing feeling of thy loue shed abroad in our hearts by thy holy spirit may comfort vs in the stedfast assurance of the frée forgiuenesse of all our sinnes in the bloudshed and death of thy deare son Christ Iesus and incourage vs with all delight and chéerefulnesse constantly to practise all good duties both in time of afflictions and troubles and in time of peace and prosperity And séeing that it hath béene thy good pleasure to call vs with an holy calling into the communion and fellowship of Iesus Christ thy onely Sonne to the ende that denying all worldly and fleshly lusts wée should be vnto thée a chosen generation a royall Priest-hood an holy natition a peculiar people to shew forth the vertues and graces of thy good spirit inable vs to mortifie all euill workes and sinfull lusts that our liues may expresse our light and faith in thée And principally giue vs victory ouer those personall sins which thou knowest our nature most prone to commit Powre vpon vs thy holy spirit of wisedome and grace gouerne and lead vs by thy good word that it may be a lanthorne to our féete and a light to our paths So inlighten the naturall blindnesse of our darke hearts by thy spirit as that wée may daily be renued by the same By the which we pray thée to purge the grosnes of our hearing and vnderstanding that wée may euer-more profitably reade heare and vnderstand thine holy word and heauenly will And to that end O Lord beget in vs a true loue and reuerence of all the faithfull Ministers of thy Gospell Giue vs melting hearts to feare and tremble at thy voyce turbing all worldly vaine and light imaginations in vs that commonly shut the doore of the heart against the effectuall passage of thy word into the same O Lord our naturall hearts are so full of rebellion and hatred of thée as that we cannot abide to hear thy voyce or know thy will All our deuotion towards thée is as the morning dew and the exercises of Christian dueties quickly become wearisome vnto vs. Giue vs grace therefore to loue thy word feruently to search the Scriptures diligently to read them humbly to vnderstand them truely to heare thy word attentiuely and to liue thereafter effectually and carefully Giue vs such measure of wisedome and discerning of spirits that among the manifold errors opinions and iudgements that are in the world wée may stand vpright and constant in thy truth taught in thy holy word O Lord sanctifie euery one of vs throughout in spirit soule and body that wée may be kept blameles till the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ Strengthen our faith more and more confirme our hope increase our loue towards thée and our brethren for thy sake giue vs a feare of thy name a reuerence of thy maiesty a zeale of thy glory In time of peace and safety kéepe vs from contention oppression and cruelty In plenty and prosperity from pride vain-glory wantonnes intemperancy contempt of thee thy word thy Ministers and the poore In afflictions comfort vs that neyther we despaire nor blaspheme thy holy name but with patient thankefulnes trust in thy deliuerance And as wée daily fall into one sinne or other through humane frailty so giue vs continuall penitent hearts and spirits that wée may be sorry without desperation and trust in thy mercy without presumption That wée may more and more amend our liues and become truly religious without hypocrists lowly in heart without feigning faithfull without deceit ioyfull without lightnesse sad without distrust sober without slothfulnesse conscionable in all our dealings without gripplenesse content with that which thou sendest without couetousnesse ready to euery good worke apt to draw all men from vaine and foolish behauiour by our sober counsells godly spéeches and religious carriage To make much of them that feare God and entertaine them gladly to embrace the fellowship of the godly wise and to eschew the company of all prophane persons and despisers of them that are good to assist comfort and incourage the Ministers of thy worde in that high waighty and glorious calling to our vttermost power to gather together with them and constantly to withstand all scatterers spoylers and deuourers These vertues and graces of thy good spirit O heauenly Father like as wée acknowledge to receiue them from thée by vertue of our ingraffing into the mysticall body of thy Sonne Iesus Christ so wée beséech thée to beget to cherish preserue and increase the same in vs that wée may daily more and more be transtormed into the image of thée that hast translated vs out of darkenes into thy maruellous light and that to thy honour and glory the destruction of the kingdome of sinne and Satan and to the vtter and endlesse confusion of all Inffdells Idolaters and hypocrites that exalt and magnifie themselues against thée and thine holy ordinances And in these our weake and imperfect praiers O Lord we are not mindful of our selues alone but of the whole estate of the Catholike Church militant héere in earth and euery particular member thereof Blesse all Christian Kings and Princes that call vpon thy name and especially poure downe thy blessings vpon our dread Soueraigne whom next and immediately vnder thy selfe thou hast appointed to be our King and Gouernour Blesse him both in body and soule inrich him with all gifts necessary for so high a calling and make him long a nurcing Father in Israell Blesse him in his Quéene make her an helpe to him in all good things Blesse the young Prince and all their royall issue on this side and beyond the Seas and grant that there may not want one of that line to sit vpon this throne so long as the Sun and Moone endureth Blesse all his Maiesties most honourable priuy Counsell be thou present with them in all their Counsells and president ouer all their consultations that whatsoeuer they intend or doe may be to thy glory the honour of the King and comfort of thy people Blesse al Iudges Magistrates giue them thy heauenly grace indifferently to execute iustice to the punishment of wickednes and vice and to the maintenance of god inesse and vertue Blesse all the Ministers of thy word and Sacraments thou that art Lord of the haruest thrust forth many faithfull and painfull labourers that may féede thy people with knowledge and vnderstanding And giue to all thy people humble loyall and obedient hearts to thy Gospell with loue and reuerence to the Ministers thereof whom thou hast appointed to be the Shepheards Teachers and Gouernours of their souls in thy roome and place till thy comming to iudgement at the last day Moreouer we desire to render vnto thy heauenly Maiesty all hearty and possible thanks for all thy mercies and blessings bestowed on vs from the beginning of our dayes till this present time
Lord of Heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding hast opened them vnto babes It is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such Héerein the Disciples might learne First that the Gospell cannot be comprehended with mans vnderstanding and reason Secondly that there is no power disposition or inclination in mans will to receiue the Gospell being not onely not congruous but flat contrary to the same For these Cities though they were not such brutish sinners as the Sodomites but ciuilly honest or naturally vertuous yet they were as vnbeléeuing and more vnbeléeuing then the Sodomites would haue béene therefore they shall receiue the greater condemnation Thirdly the Disciples héereby might learne that to repent and beléeue is the meere mercy and grace of God Fourthly that this mercy and grace méerely procéedeth of the good pleasure of his will Fiftly that God being absolute Lord of all the world and maker of all men respecteth not persons but hath mercy on whom hée will and passeth by whom he will Rom. 9. 15. Therefore séeing that these old rotten rags our darke hearts cannot retaine the new péece neither that these olde corrupt vessels can conteyne the new wine of the Gospell there must a new heart be giuen vs and a new spirit put within vs Ezech. 36. 26. 27. We must be borne againe before we can enter into the kingdome of grace and of glory Iohn 3. 5. Now this second birth is not of flesh and bloud nor of the will of man but of the spirit of God who regardeth not persons ages sexes worldly prerogatiues 1 Cor. 1. 26. 27. 28. Brethren you see your calling how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the mighty things and vile things of the world and things that are despised hath God chosen and things that are not to bring to nought things that are Christ chose not nor called any of the Politicians or Péeres of Ierusalem to bée the planters and builders of his Church and Kingdome nor yet any of the Pharises Scribes or Lawyers for they were not fit nor apt to make Disciples of those rotten tattered garments and fusty vessels were too farre worne and spent and too much corrupted with fleshly wisdome worldly policy and craft sensuality bodily pleasures pomp vanities of naturall life So far were they ouergrowne throughly corrupted herewith as they could not empty themselues nor lay aside these things to prepare themselues for Christ vnlesse they should lay their whole selues aside But hée chose simple and silly Fishermen which hauing their businesses and getting their liuing by sea had least fellowship and smallest dealings with men which were men of no imployment little acquainted with the subtilty craft of the world and were as babes in comparison of Citizens and such as deale in great and many matters These and such like as are least infected with the world and whose bodies are broken and tamed with labour and trauell hunger and cold are fittest instruments for the holy Ghost to worke in They are the fittest by whom God might shew forth his sauing wisedome and by and in whom his goodnesse mercy and grace might be most clearely manifested to the world And this is the glory of his mercy and grace to exalt honour and glorifie the foolish weake and contemptible things of the world by calling them to be the greatest in the kingdome of grace to whom the honour glory and wisedome of this world must stoope and yéeld it selfe in homage yea the least in this kingdome is aboue all principality and power Another example hereof there is in the poore family of Lazarus of Bethania whether Christ often resorted to dinner to supper and to lodging and where he had his heartiest intertainement Why was not Ierusalem the most conuenient place for the Lord of Heauen and earth the King of glory to be intertained in Was it not more fitting that Herod the King that Pilate the Romaine president or rather that Caiphas the high Priest or that some of the Princes or at the least-wise that some of the Elders should haue giuen him royall intertainment according to the maiesty of a King Where were the Scribes and Pharises that sit in Moses chaire whose Disciples they boasted themselues to be How could they be better imployed then in receiuing and glorifying the Sonne of God before all the people teaching all men by their owne example to reuerence to fall downe and worship him Why doe they not with all submission and prostrate humilitie as their Maister Moses commanded them heare this Prophet that the Lord their God hath raised vp vnto them which is greater then Moses than Elias than Salomon being the Lord of life the Prince and Sauiour of the world If Christ had appeared in earthly royalty worldly ostentation pompe power dignity then would Annas and Caiphas the high Priests the Elders the Pharises haue gathered to him and giuen him royal intertainment because they would haue hoped by him to haue béene freed from the tributes taxations and seruitude of the Romains from the pollage and pillage of the Publicanes and Officers because that by him they might be honoured and graced in the sight of the Commons and because that by him they might be promoted to worldly dignities But because his appearance was spirituall not worldly hée hath neither forme nor beauty Esa 53. 2. they saw nothing in him wherefore they should desire him They saw onely out of their proud couetous and enuious hearts matter of contempt because that for the endlesse comfort of the meanest and basest estate he appeared in forme of a seruant And though the brightnesse of the glory of the Father together with his mercy compassion and goodnes towards man more manifestly shined heerein yet they looking on him with fleshly eyes iudge of him according to the outward appearance Ioh. 7. 41. Therefore as a seruant they estéeme him and vse him And because he wholly did the workes of God in gathering together and sauing the Elect to the onely honor and glory of God and not to the honour of himselfe and of them especially therefore do they condemn him for the most wicked man and handle him like the vilest creature of the earth Let our litterall teachers that are so ripe headed but dead-hearted and all common Protestants commonly carnall Gospeliers thinke and consider well of this and apply it to the present times and their present selues if so be that in séeing they can perceiue and in hearing they can vnderstand For as Christ the head was receiued intertained and vsed then so shall his true members be to the worlds end among them that professe his name For this is the mistery of iniquity And the Apostle testifieth that the afflictions of Christ are accomplished in his members And all that are in
eloquence what dost thou with thy wealth what vse dost thou make of thy friends assistants what doth thy soule work with those instruments the members of thy body Let not the sword boast it selfe of the good mettall the curious workmanship and sharp edge but rather who doth vse it and to what end Whether the Magistrate doth vse it to the terrifying of the wicked and the comfort of the godly in their preseruation or the tyrant doth vse it to shedde innocent bloud therewith as King Manasses did Whether the true man doth weare it for his defence or the robber to spoyle and kill If thou beest an vngodly person and settest thine heart to doe mischiefe then all these excellent parts are but as a sharpe edge or whetting whereby Sathan spoyleth and deuoureth but yet so as the will of the Lord which is cleane contrary to thy will and Satans will shall be executed by thée and him to the punishment of the wicked to the triall of the godly to the destruction of thy selfe and to the glory of God and good of his elect Fourthly the Lord doth grant the wicked their desires as they are vessels of wrath Because he will magnifie his power and iustice in their iust ouerthrow which is altogether their owne séeking For all that they desire aske wish and séeke for is is against themselues and so they bring euill vpon their owne heads Rom. 9 22. 23. What and if God would to shew his wrath to make his power knowne suffer with long patience the vessell of wrath prepared to destruction and that hee might declare the riches of his glory vpon the vessels of mercy which hee hath prepared to glory An example hereof in the Amorites Gen. 14. 13. 16. The Amorites and Canaanites c. must be spared 400. yeares till their wickednesse and strength were come to the full They must be strong for their multitude the Giant-like Anakins must be multiplied their walls must be mounted vp to heauen their munition good the land affording store of iron and brasse and then will God magnifie his power and iustice in casting them out by a weake people that were but as Grashoppers in comparison of them and his mercy in planting them in and the glory of his name in both So Goliah must be a strong Giant trained vp in feates of warre from his youth bold and couragious able to handle a speare and to tosse a pike as thicke as a Weauers beame and therefore so confident in his strength and skill as that hée durst oppose himselfe against the whole host of Israell and euen bid defiance to all men Contrarily Dauid must be a Shepheard the yongest and meanest of all his brethren not able to handle speare shield or sword or to weare harnesse but with a little stone in a sling must hee deliuer the people of God and destroy their enemies that the power of God might be made manifest in the ouerthrow of his enemies and his mercy in the deliuerance of his seruants The like wee sée in Nebuchadnezzar in Senacherib in the foure Monarchyes in Antichrist in our owne obseruation euery where The vse If thou dost excell other men in naturall gifts and worldly prerogatiues and that the world and all things concurre together for thy desired aduancement looke well to thy heart and to thy affections what thou aymest at what thou séekest for and feare take héede that thou oppose not thy selfe inwardly or outwardly against God his Church his Gospell and professors thereof least thou proue a vessell of wrath on whom God will shew forth his power and iustice when thou art at the height and in most safety trusting in thine owne strength and his mercy in deliuering his out of thy oppressing hand Examples hereof wée haue in Pharaoh Haman Antiochus and others before mentioned For it is the glory of the Lord to catch the wise in their own craftines 1 Cor. 3. 19. To bring downe the high lookes of the proud to cast downe Princes from the Throne into the dust and to raise the poore out of the dust to sit with Princes Psalm 113. Therefore if thou béest high and eminent in the world be humble and lowly in heart disrobe thy selfe of all earthly royalty and set the Lord alwaies before thine eyes that so thou maist with Dauid be eminent in the Church and kingdome of Christ Then mayest thou and shalt thou with ioyfulnes and with a good conscience inioy the blessings of God Moreouer séeing that God suffereth the wicked to waxe great that in their humiliation deiection the glory of his name may be more manifested to all people that they may feare him and praise him this teacheth the godly being oppressed by their might to be patient till the Lord come which is a sure deliuerer of his Seruants for as Dauid saith The patient abiding of the meeke shall not alway be forgotten The consideration heereof also affoordeth great comfort to them that feare God that whiles the vngodly triumph saying who is Lord ouer vs who shall controll vs wée will tread downe on euery side all that withstand vs that whiles they are thus digging pittes to bury the children of God in and with Haman making gallowes to hang them on themselues shall fall into the same destruction Marueile not therefore if one be made rich or if the glory of his house be increased as Dauid saith III. He illustreteth his doctrine by the contrary But if any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth Héere he sheweth whom God heareth to wit the godly which is opposed to the sinner The godly man hee describeth by his fruits of sanctification He is a godly man that is a worshipper of God and doth his will Herein obserus two things First he saith not that doth worship but that is a worshipper which word implieth a continuance in worshipping or habite whereas hypocrites worship God by constraint by fits and in outward shew and are therefore vnconstant not being firmely setled on the foundation as the graft is vnited to the stocke growing together with it but rather loose and tottering as things ioyned together called contigua and not as things vnited called continua which haue one spirit or common forme He that worshippeth God in spirit without hypocrisie and in truth without will-worship is one spirit with the Lord and there is none vnrighteousnesse in him 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Secondly note that these words must be taken collectiuely not distributiuely that is they must not be parted but goe together The reason is because that worshipping of God without obedience is formall hypocrisie obedience without workes is but ciuill honesty and both are sinnes The former is false worship and hypocrisie for disobedience discouers it to be so the latter are false workes or beautifull abhominations for prophannesse shewes it and God will heare neither the false worshipper nor prophane liuer Concerning the former worship without
workes is counterfeit and hypocrisie the Lord cannot abide it Esay 1. The Lord saith that their sacrifices burnt offerings incense are abhominations that their new Moones Sabaoths solemne feasts solemne dayes and assemblies are a but then and wearisomnesse neyther will he heare their prayers But they must be washed they must be purged the euill of their workes must be taken away they must cease to doe euill they must learne to doe well This was the sinne of Saul he would séeme to be a true worshipper of God offering sacrifice and therein was he diligent enough but hée was slow enough in doing the will of the Lord when hee was commaunded to slay the Amalekites man woman childe beast c. he spared the King and brought of the best of the things to sacrifice with 1 Sam. 15. 21. 22. There be aboundance of Sauls in these dayes Therefore S. Iames teacheth Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your owne selues Iam. 1. 22. Hee that looketh in the perfect Law of liberty and continueth therein he not being a forgetfull hearer shall be blessed in his deede And the whole second Chapter throughout Therefore Worship without Obedience is flat hypocrisie Againe concerning ciuill honesty or morall life wherein the common Protestant resteth himselfe with contentment is odious in the sight of God without sincere worship For the frame of mans heart is euill continually Gen. 8. 21. how good soeuer he séeme to be to himselfe and others that cannot discerne betwéene naturall and spirituall life but make a confusion of both vnder an outward profession or rather bare name and title All our righteousnes is as a menstrous cloth Esay 64. 6. and Iob saith Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse Iob 144 vaine therefore are the supposed good works of Papists séeing that they worship not God rightly and as vaine are the workes of vaine-glorious worldlings séeing that they worship not God truely Therefore worship and obedience must go together procéeding from a right fountaine that is from an humble and obedient heart purged from hypocrisie by a working faith and vnfeigned repentance from sanctified affections and a good conscience This is onely acceptable to God and those actions obedience that procéed from this fountaine though stayned with many wants and imperfections God accepteth as pure the impurity not being imputed Psal 32. 1. 2. Furthermore there be sundry reasons why that God heareth the godly namely those that worship him sincerely and doe his will First because that they being redéemed from the bondage of sinne are the sonnes of God they haue the spirit of adoption or of ingenuous and frée-borne sonnes by which they both know God acknowledge God to be their God and loue God their Father and consequently call vpon him Prayers procéeding from a prophane heart doe not pierce the heauens but those which come from Gods owne spirit therefore S. Paul saith Ephes 6. 18. Pray alwaies with all manner prayer and supplication in the spirit And Rom. 8. 26. The spirit maketh request for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed Such holy motions and rauishments doth the spirit of God worke in our hearts as that wée are not able to expresse the same in words but with sighes euen as when words faile vs wée vse to declare our mindes by gestures Such prayers come as it were immediately from the spirit with little vse of mans discourse and phantasie and no vse of the tongue Esau prayed with wéeping eyes but with a prophane heart therefore he is not heard The Pharises make long prayers with an hypocriticall heart therefore they are not heard But Moses prayed onely in minde and his desire is heard Exod. 14. 15. Yea the Lord accepted his prayer as much as if he had earnestly cryed therefore the Lord sayd to him Why cryest thou Goe forward with the people So Anna prayed in her heart with submisse and vnperfect words which caused Eli to thinke that shée was drunke 1 Sam. 1. 13. Therefore the Lord heard her And hence it is that the Apostle bids vs pray continually 1 Thes 5. 17. For with the heart minde or spirit a man may pray alway This teacheth vs in praying to pray for the spirit of Prayer Secondly the Lord heareth the godly because they alone being taught by the word and spirit doe pray aright As Rom. 8. 27. He that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit for hee maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God both teaching them what to pray for and how to pray Which prayers the Lord accepteth as S. Iohn teacheth This is the assurance that wee haue of him that if we aske any thing according to his will hee heareth vs. An example héereof 1 King 3. 9. 10. Because Salomon prayed not for riches nor for long life nor the life of his enemies but that a wise and vnderstanding heart might be giuen him to iudge the Lords people righteously therefore it pleased the Lord and he granted his prayers Thus our Sauiour Christ prayed Not my will but thy will be done Thirdly the Lord heareth the godly because they are truely penitent and sorrowfull for sinne and therefore come into the presence of God clad with the righteousnesse of Christ Psalm 51. 17. The sacrifice of God is a contrite spirit a contrite and broken heart O Lord wilt thou not despise Psal 28. 7. Praised be the Lord for he hath heard the voyce of mine humble petitions Our Sauiour Christ calleth onely such vnto him Matth. 11. 28. Come vnto mee all yee that are heauy laden and I will ease you For the Lord hath annointed mee to binde vp the broken hearted Esay 61. 1. Therefore the poore Publicane confessing his sinnes with a penitent and sorrowfull spirit is heard before the Pharisée iustifying himselfe by his workes Luke 18. Fourthly the Lord heareth the godly because they pray feruently I am 5. 16. The praier of a righteous man preuaileth much if it be feruent Heereby two things are specially necessary in Prayer First a man must be a righteous man Hée is righteous that by faith is ingraffed into the righteous Iesus Christ and in him bringeth forth fruits of thankefull obedience to God Secondly he must pray feruently that is to say seriously or with earnest desire For this feruency argueth that a man praieth in the spirit which ouercommeth the dulnes and drowsines of the flesh which quencheth and oppresseth the spirit This wée may sée in the heauy and sléepy Disciples Matth. 26. 40. though they had a willingnesse and desire to watch and to pray yet the flesh quelled and dulled the spirit Secondly feruency argueth the necessity of the thing that wée pray for Wée most of all and most earnestly pray for that which wée haue most néede of Thirdly feruency argueth Faith in Gods power that hée is able to helpe and in his goodnesse that hée is willing and ready to helpe For this
wée doe know in common reason that it is against reason to request earnestly a thing of a man that wee know hee is no way able to doe for vs. But it may bée obiected if a man be willing and ready to helpe vs when we haue occasion to vse him accordingly as hée hath formerly promised vs what néede wée be so earnest So God hath promised that hée will helpe vs when wée come vnto him why is feruency then so necessary To the former part or proposition I answer that good manners require so much For otherwise 1. We should séeme rather to aske a thing of him than to intreat him as though for some respects hée were as much beholding vnto vs when there is no such matter 2. Wée should séeme rather to require a thing of him then to desire it 3. We should cause him to thinke that wée haue no great néede of that which wée request Hence it is that the humble beggar which craueth earnestly doth spéede better than hée that asketh carelesly and much better then hée that asketh commandingly To the second part or reddition I answer that we must come vnto God as a poore harmeles beggar comes to a King to craue almes in whose presence we must estéeme our selues as but a flea as Dauid termes himselfe before Saul 1 Sam. 24. 15. Yea as dust and ashes as Abraham termes himselfe approaching néere to the Lord. The Lord will haue vs to call and crye and as it were clamourously to follow after him when he séemes to turne his backe euen as the beggar doth and as the poore widdow in the Gospell did that claue to the vniust Iudge like a Burre till she had her petition granted And this is indéed a speciall fruit of true faith and an euident signe of trust in God For hereby wée acknowledge him to be our onely helpe and none other and therefore we cleaue fast vnto him as being otherwise destitute helplesse and hopelesse This was the continuall practise of Dauid on this manner to pray This was the practise of the Cananitish Woman whose daughter was possessed with a Deuill Matth. 15. 22. which Christ there taketh for a speciall argument of her faith Wherefore was Balaak so earnest with Balaam to come and curse Israell Euen because he was the onely man in his kingdome on whose helpe he relyed and wherin he most trusted I know saith he that he whom thou blessest is blessed and hee whom thou cursest is cursed Num. 22. 6. Vpon this knowledge and confidence was hée so earnest with him Likewise vpon our knowledge acknowledgement and confidence in God are wée earnest with him otherwise our prayers are cold and drousie heartlesse and lippe-labour yea almost saying in our harts with the wicked what profit shall wee haue if we pray to the Almighty A special example of this feruency in Prayer sée Psalme 143. 6. My soule gaspeth to thee as a thirsty land Likewise 2 Chron. 32. 20. Ezechias and Esay pray to heauen against Senacherib and were heard Thus Anna prayed 1 Sam. 1. Thus the faithfull in afflictions pray Psal 123. 2. The Iewes in captiuity are taught by Ieremie to pray after this manner Lamentations 2. 18. 19. O wall of the daughter of Sion let teares runne downe like a riuer day and night In the beginning of the watch powre out thine heart like water before the Lord. Thus the Lord commaundeth them to pray in the day of their visitation Ierem. 29. 12. 13. Then shall they cry vnto mee and I will heare you and yee shall seeke mee and finde mee because ye shall seeke me with all your heart Fiftly the Lord heareth the prayers and supplications of the godly because they are not wauering minded but constantly relie on the promises of GOD in the vse of those lawfull meanes that in his prouidence hée hath appointed for them Therefore that our prayers may bée heard wée must pray First in the spirit Secondly according to Gods will Thirdly in Humility Fourthly with feruency Fiftly with constancy A Godly Prayer to be said at all times eyther in publicke or priuate ALmighty and euerliuing God maker and preseruer of all things in Heauen and in earth and in Iesus Christ our most mercifull and louing Father wee thy poore and vnworthy seruants being desirous to offer vnto thy diuine Maiesty the fruits of our lippes euen an Euening or Morning sacrifice of prayer praise and thanksgiuing do intreat thy fatherly goodnesse so to prepare our sinfull hearts by thy good spirit as that although in much infirmity and weakenesse yet in sincerity and true desire wee may performe this duty in some sort acceptably to thy gratious will For O Lord we humbly confesse here before thy glorious presence that wée are altogether in thy fight a loathsome masse of corruption conceiued in sinne and borne in iniquity all our righteousnes being like a menstruous cloth our mindes full of ignorance our wills full of rebellion our affections earthly and sensuall our consciences full of pollution continually casting vp mire and dirt our liues a sinfull race of iniquity to iniquity growing riper in trespasses and sinnes then we doe in yeares Innumerable are the sinnes of our deceitfull hearts which for want of knowledge of our selues and due examination we passe by without confession without sorrow without repentance amendment Our omission of all good dueties towards thy maiesty towards our brethren and towards our selues is infinite And the sins that we daily commit against our owne knowledges and consciences through presumption and carnall security are without number And yet our Consciences accuse vs and we féele by wofull experience how full of wants imperfections and frailty we are how prone to all euill how backward to all goodnes how doubtfull distrustfull fearefull and vnconstant in euery good action yea our whole spirits soules and bodies are full of vanity and prophanenesse deadnesse dulnesse and drowsinesse in thy worship and seruice And whereas thy goodnesse toward vs is endlesse in pouring plentifully vpon vs all temporall benefits and spirituall blessings Yet such is our vnthankefulnesse as that the one wée spend vpon our lusts and the other wée haue contemned and neglected or in our liues haue not sufficiently expressed the swéete comforts thereof in thy Gospell reuealed vnto vs. But sith O deare Father thou hast taught vs by thine owne word that thou hast loued vs with an euerlasting loue in Christ Iesus before all times and in time hast héeretofore declared and doest yet continually manifest thy grace and mercy towards all thy people and to vs in speciall giuing vs thy word and worshippe in so peaceable and plentifull manner and together with the same all things néedfull both for soule and body we beséech thée also vouchsafe this speciall grace vnto vs euen a liuely féeling of our sinne and misery that on the one side through the sensible apprehension of thy wrath and sharpe punishment remorse and sorrow may constraine our
for thy fatherly care ouer vs in prouiding all things necessary for our soules and bodies for our food rayment health peace liberty friends which many of thy children want that are as déere vnto thée as our selues But especially aboue all we praise thy name for the blessings of a better life as namely for our election in Christ Iesus before the world was for our creation after thine owne image in the beginning for our estectuall vocation out of the darkenes of this world into thy glorious light and kingdome by the outward preaching of thy word and the inward operation of thy spirit for our iustification by the obedience bloudshed of thine owne sonne for our adoption from the thraldome of Satan into the glorious liberty and priuiledge of Sonnes for our sanctification in the crucifying of the body of sinne and quickning of the inner man for our continuall preseruation against the temptations and conquest of sinne Satan and this euill world for the frée donation of thy holy spirit the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the possession purchased and for the continuance of thy Gospell the word of truth and the meanes whereby wée are partakers of all these blessings O Lord open our blinde eyes euery day more and more to sée and consider of thy great and maruellous loue towards vs in all these things that by the due consideration thereof we may be drawne néerer vnto thée to loue thée much because thou hast giuen much And as thou doest abound towards vs in all goodnes so grant that wée may abound toward thee in all obedience and thankefulnesse And as O Lord thou being infinite in mercy hast had mercy on vs when wée deserued iudgement euen so we beséech thée be mercifull to all them that sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death cause the glorious light of thy Gospell to shine in their hearts according to the good pleasure of thine owne will and in whom thou hast already begun the worke of conuersion vouchsafe them also the grace of perseuerance that continuing to the end they may be partakers of glory with thy Saints in light And whereas saluation came of thine ancient people the Iewes but they through vnbeléefe were cut off that wée by faith might be grafted in Lord call them in thine appointed time take away the vaile from before their blinde and vncircumcised hearts and reueale the knowledge of thy sonne vnto them that they and wée may be one shéepefold vnder one shepheard Christ Iesus In the meane time destroy the kingdom of sinne Satan and Antichrist euery day more and more Build vp thine owne kingdome of Grace in the hearts of euery one of vs and hasten thy kingdome of glory that when this miserable life is ended wee may raigne with thée eternally in glory Be gratious and mercifull to them that suffer affliction for the testimony of a good Conscience deliuer them out of the hands of their enemies or so strengthen them with the comfortable assistance of thy spirit that in dying they may ouercome the world death and hell Comfort all that are troubled in mind with the burthen of their sins speake peace to their Consciences say vnto their soules I am thy saluation Come vnto me all ye that are weary and heauy laden and I will ease you And to this end giue the tongue of the learned to thy Ministers that they may know to Minister a word in time to him that is weary Be mercifull to them that are afflicted in body with paines sicknesses or diseases giue them grace to beare the crosse with patient thankefulnesse and to learne by those visitations to confesse their sinnes to acknowledge their faults to call vpon thy name to amend their liues that as heretofore they haue gone astray after the course of this world through the inticements of naturall concupiscence so they may now be brought to the knowledge of thée and of themselues And also strengthen them that are any manner of wayes assaulted by Satan giue them a ioyfull issue with the temptation that thy grace in their deliuerance by them may be glorified and thy power conquering Satan in their weakenesse may be manifested and for euer magnified Thankesgiuing before meate VVE thanke thée O Heauenly Father for all thy blessings and mercies heretofore bestowed vpon vs and still continued renued vnto vs. Especially at this time for these thy good creatures that of thine owne goodnesse and bounty thou hast ordained and prouided for the maintenance of our bodies giue them vertue and power to nourish vs that thereby our strengths being renued we may be more fit and able to serue thée in the duties of our callings to thine honour and glory and to the comfort of our owne soules and consciences through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Thankesgiuing after meate VVE desire to return all honour glory praise thankesgiuing to thy Maiesty for thy fatherly care ouer vs since the beginning of our dayes till this present houre Chiefly for thy heauenly word the foode of our soules for thy Sabaoths and the peaceable exercises of all holy dueties therein And in speciall at this time for these thy good creatures whereof at this present wée haue béene partakers by thy good prouidence beséeching thée so to blesse and sanctifie the same vnto vs as that we may walke in the strength of them in the performance of all good duties to thy glory and our owne comforts through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen FINIS