be with vs in our defence against the Diuell the world and the flesh Thy tender mercy in Iesus Christ saue vs and let not our sins be a wall of separation betweene thee and vs. Thy true and holy Word instruct vs and giue vs grace to cast off al vaine inuentions of man superstition wil-worship and idolatry Thy gracious Spirit comfort vs by the sweet promises of the Gospell and free pardon in Christ and not by the idle conceit of our owne merits and workes of satisfaction wee being altogether thy vnprofitable seruants Thy holy Angels pitch their Tents about vs and about all belonging to vs that we may be preserued both in body and soule from all perils and dangers of this present life through our onely Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ To whom with thee O Father and that blessed Spirit be all Honour Glory Praise Maiesty and Dominion for al thy blessings and mercies towards vs and towards thy whole Church henceforth and for euermore Amen AN ADMONITORY Conclusion 2. Tim. 2. 19. LEt euery one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity God will not heare such as come in their sinnes Esay 1. Such as despise the Word of reproofe and will not be reformed Pro. 1. 24 25 28. Therefore if we looke that God should heare our prayers let vs vnfainedly repent of sinne and depart from iniquity First from Atheisme which is the denying of a God either secretly or openly We depart from this iniquity when we renounce Atheisme and doe know and acknowledge that there is a God They that come to God must beleeue that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seeke him Heb. 11. 6. The second is Gentilisme which is the acknowledging of many false gods and the taking of them for God which are no gods We depart from this iniquity when we protest against Gentilisme and do know acknowledge but onely one God and the same also the true and euerliuing God The third is Turcisme which is the profession of one God euen that God which made Heauen and Earth but not as he hath manifested himselfe in his Word nor acknowledging God in Christ We depart from this iniquity when we detest this Turcisme and when wee know and acknowledge God in Christ reconcyling the world the Trinity in vnity and the vnity in Trinity as he hath made himselfe manifest vnto vs in his holy Word The fourth is Iudaisme which is the seruing of the true God after the ceremoniall law of Moses reiecting Christ the true Messiah already come and vainely expecting another to come We depart from this iniquity when we disclaim saluation by the law and doe know and acknowledge Iesus Christ to be the true Messiah by whom we looke to be saued seruing God in spirit and truth according to the doctrine of the Gospell The fift is Will-worship which is vnder what shew and pretence soeuer a volūtary worshipping of God in and by such meanes as man inuenteth either against or without the warrant of Gods own reuealed will in his written Word We depart from this iniquity when wee forsake our owne wisedome and wills in his worship and doe know and acknowledge how wherein and after what manner God hath commanded himselfe to be worshipped then do strictly obserue the same The sixth is Heresie which is an obstinate maintaining of any error to the ouerthrowing of any fundamentall point of our Christian profession We depart from this iniquity when wee willingly disclaime our errors when they be made knowne to vs and when we know and readily acknowledge the verity and truths of God according to our measure of knowledge giuen vnto vs. The seuenth is Schisme which is an vncharitable disvnion and an vnlawfull separation from the true Church of Christ or any true member of the same forsaking the fellowship of the Saints wilfully in a factiousnesse of spirit making vnlawfull assemblies within and among themselues We depart from this iniquity when wee condemne such an vnchristian diuision and doe know and acknowledge the true congregations of Gods people abyding with them keeping among you the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace The eighth is Prophanenesse which is to liue vnworthy the holy profession of a Christian after the liberty of the flesh not respecting religion for the pleasures the profits and honours of this present euill world but in comparison of these valewing nothing of religion being the children of Belial children of disobedience and wrath By whom Christianity is stained and God himselfe greatly dishonoured We depart from this iniquity when we deny ourselues flie from the company of such hauing no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse but reprouing them rather and endeuoring to liue godly righteously and soberly in this present world being zealous of good workes The ninth is Hypocrisie which is the shadow onely of piety and shew of wel-doing before men without any power or conscience of religion before God in the heart seruing the times and making profession of religion for aduantage We depart from this iniquity when we hate this sinne and doe take dayly an examination of our hearts by a well informed iudgement setting our selues before God and making conscience the Iudge of all our doings so as wee dare appeale to the Alseeing God of Heauen concerning our vprightnesse in that which outwardly we make shew of The tenth is Papisme which is mans superstitious inuention a counterfet Christianity vnchristianly Iudaizing and wickedly imitating the heathenish idolaters teaching old heresies and the professors thereof practising by Machiauillian policies all deceit trechery treason and mercilesse cruelties to vphold the same We depart from this iniquity of the bottonlesse pit when wee disclaim that Antichrist of Rome as the Head that Romish Church as now it stands as the whore of Babylon and being come out from her shall zealously vphold and maintaine this truth and faith which wee now stand in vnto the end which God grant Amen Thus we see these ten heads of iniquity to which may be referred all other sinnes which wee must depart from and all the particular branches thereof if we euer draw neere vnto God with hope to be heard of him for he is a God that hateth wickednesse and if in our hearts wee delight in it the Lord as the Psalmist speaketh will not regard vs. And therefore vvhen vve come before our God let it be in vnfained repentance faith and assurance of Gods mercie to be accepted in Christ Iesus in vvhom our God is euer vvell pleased to vvhom be Glory and Prayse for euermore Amen FINIS
THE GOOD MANS GRACE OR HIS STAY IN ALL DISTRESSE BY RIC. BERNARD LONDON Printed by Felix Kingston 1621. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL HIS VERY GOOD Lady the Lady SVSANNA BILLINGSLEY and to the Vertuous and Christianly affected Gentlewoman Mistris REBECCA STROWDE all sauing graces with dayly increase and practice thereof vnto the end Madame I Cannot but make account that I am bound to returne thankes where I finde fauour and acceptance acknowledgement is the least part of my duty He that will not confesse a debt neuer meanes to pay it some such there be And others againe will ingenuously confesse but not pay not for that they will not but because they cannot And inability giueth an acquittance though the debt be neuer so great and the greatnesse of a debt is to be iudged not alwayes in the value of the thing but after the free disposition of the one and the little deseruing of any such fauour of the other Thus is it with me I haue found your Ladyship my louing friend and this Vertuous Gentlewoman very Christianly respectiue towards mee to whom as also to her second selfe I acknowledge my selfe deeply ingaged It is not a hard matter to finde friends though in these dayes few enow but to finde a faithfull friend one that will know a man in aduersity is not so easie Complementall are obuious euery where but substantiall friends be rare a face of fauour is in those and that onely in prosperity but the force of loue is onely seene in these when a friend needeth them they fayle not they faynt not True loue as Saint Iohn speakes driueth away feare I am bold to present you both with this little Manual It is thus little of purpose that it may be often read ouer to helpe onely for matter of meditation to further you in prayer I beseech you to accept it in lieu of payment and it shall bind mee to pray for the blessing of our God still vpon you to whose gracious guidance and protection I commit you and humbly take leaue Your Ladyships and yours my very good friend euer to be commanded RIC. BERNARD Batcombe Feb. 27. THE PREFACE IT is a saying of the Psalmist The foole hath said in his hart there is no God this is an Atheisticall foole and amongst other markes hee is knowne by this that this wicked foole calleth not vpon God He doth not pray for he cannot pray is not a gift of nature but a worke of Grace Wee know not how to pray as we ought but as the Spirit helpeth our infirmities to pray with groanes that cannot be expressed Iohn taught his Disciples to pray this Christs Disciples obserued and also saw their owne want and therefore desired the Lord to teach them to pray Wherevpon hee gaue them and in them to vs a perfect paterne and forme of prayer After this all our prayers are to be directed It is then necessary that this short prayer be well vnderstood for which cause I haue made this short exposition and drawne out briefly manyfold obseruations the better to acquaint such as know it not with the meaning thereof It will administer sufficient matter for meditation at all times and vpon any occasion to enlarge our thoughts in prayer the practice wherof is the speciall grace of a Christian It is the fruit of Faith so as hee that beleeueth prayeth and so excellent a duty is this as Saint Paul sayth Pray continually as if mans life consisted in it And Christ sayth Watch and Pray It is a meanes of our preseruation from euill and a conseruation of vs in an estate which is good Wōderfull is the effect of prayer Moses by it makes way thorow the Red sea ouercame the Amalekites and obtained pardō for the people By this Iosua had the Sun standing still the space of a day waiting vpon him in the pursute of his enemies by this Hezekiah reuersed the sentence of death and had his life prolonged by this Peter escaped the hands of Herod Ionah gate out of the Whales belly By this Eliah shut heauen three yeeres and againe brought raine from heauen By this Elisha raised one from the dead got sight to Gehezi to see vision of Angels Incredible is the power of prayer the prayer of faith auaileth much if it be feruent Let therfore here in euery good Christian exercise himselfe and this let him know that it is a great honour to be admitted into Gods presence to put vp his requests vnto so high a Maiesty The due esteeme of prayer will make vs exercise our selues in prayer for as wee prize a thing so we practise so we employ our selues about it Therefore little praying argueth we make little account thereof but the lesse we esteeme and practise it the lesse grace wee haue and the more corruption of heart is in vs. The truth of this is cleared in such as wee see to make no conscience of this duty But this euill be farre from the faithfull in whom the gift of prayer is euer found as a peculiar property of them that shall inherit Glory A BRIEFE EXPOSItion with obseruations vpon the Lords Prayer The Preface Our IN brotherly communion By the Grace of adoption And sealed by holy vnction Father Tender in louing Carefull in prouiding Liberall in bestowing Which art in Heauen The place of thy Maiesty The Throne of thy Glory The fulnesse of Felicity The first Petition Hallowed In heart be thou feared In speech reuerenced In our liues honoured Be thy Name Thy attributes so glorious Thy workes so maruelous Thy heauenly Word so Gracious The second Petition Thy Kingdome Of Power generall Of Grace speciall Of Glory Celestiall Come With power to defend vs. With Grace to conuert vs. With glory to crowne vs. The third Petition Thy Will In thy holy Word reuealed In workes of prouidence shewed In good examples confirmed Be done In our true beleeuing In our Godly liuing In our patient suffering In Earth The Wickeds best heritage The place of our Pilgrimage And here to Heauen our passage As it is in Heauen By holy Angels most faithfully By the blessed Saints most cheerfully By all of them there most constantly The fourth Petition Giue vs this day By thy prouident hand mercifully By the labour of our calling honestly By all good meanes prosperously Our dayly bread Necessary for liues sustentation Conuenient for states preseruation Sufficient for Needies consolation The fift Petition And forgiue vs Of thy mercy freely In Christ deseruedly In our hearts assuredly Our trespasses In nature originally polluted In euils wilfully committed In dueties carelesly omitted As we forgiue them From our hearts most vnseignedly Expressed in words most louingly And shewed by deeds most cheerefully That trespasse against vs In heart maliciously In tongue slanderously By deeds iniuriously The sixth Petition And lead vs not By laying obiects before vs. In the danger so leauing vs. And by withdrawing grace from vs. Into temptation Satans powerfull suggestion Natures
present prouision should content vs and not be troubled with distrustfull cares for the time to come 6. That our desire is to be moderate and to rest with that which is necessary 7. That the bread that is the meanes which wee liue vpon is to be our owne 8. That we are euery day to depend on God for these outward things 9. That care of prouision is to be had of our brethren as well as of our selues The fift petition The former petition was for the body so Christ descendeth to our weakenesse to let vs begin there first with the care whereof we be most troubled this petition is for soules safety teaching that with care of bodies welfare the soules danger should be seene vnto And forgiue vs our trespasses We be here taught to beg of God pardon of sinnes Out of which we learne 1. That all and euery one are offenders against God for all are to aske forgiuenesse 2. That we offend not in one but in many things we are to acknowledge not a trespasse but trespasses 3. That therefore euery mans sanctification is weake to resist sin and imperfect here 4. That God onely can and doth forgiue sinnes 5. That Gods pardon is a free pardon we get it not by satisfaction but beg forgiuenesse of his mercy 6. That all the children of God doe obtaine pardon of their sins and are assured thereof Else Christ would not bid them aske pardon if their sinnes were not pardonable and to be pardoned when they aske forgiuenesse being truly penitent 7. That repentance is dayly to be renewed for our dayly slips for this request must be dayly put vp to God 8. That wee are to pray that God would forgiue our brethren as well as our selues 9. That therefore we are not to prouoke men to sinne nor make a sport of their sinning As we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Here is the signe of forgiuenes by which we may know to whom remission belongeth and it is for strengthning of our faith in the assurance of pardon The words are not a comparison nor any sampler to God how he should forgiue vs Nor doe they plead any cause to moue God but are as a witnesse from this grace and mercy to others that God will be mercifull to vs. If we that haue so little mercy yet can forgiue how much more our Father the God of mercy yea and mercy it selfe Hence may we learne 1. That our forgiuing one another is not of the sinne but of the iniury and damage against our owne persons 2. They that looke for pardon of their owne sinnes from God are to remit the trespasses done against themselues to their brethren 3. That the mercifull may assure themselues that they shall obtaine mercy 4. That though men doe trespasse one another yet are they to forgiue one another The sixth petition The last petition concerneth the safety of body and soule The distinct care of the one and of the other maketh vs care for the good of both together And lead vs not into temptation This is the petition in which wee be taught to desire as in the last place Gods aide and assistance against our spirituall enemies to teach vs 1. That the Godly are here subiect to temptations They may not thinke to liue securely 2. That no temptation can or doth befall vs without the will and guidance of God 3. That God will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our power seeing he willeth vs to pray thus vnto him 4. That it is in Gods power and not in vs to preuent temptations 5. That we should tender our brethren in their spirituall temptations 6. That therefore wee should not be tempters our selues to draw them to euill But deliuer vs from euill This is as the explanation shewing how farre we desire not to be led into temptation to wit so farre as wee bee not left in the danger and destruction thereof Whence we learne 1. That wee are not to pray simply not to be tempted at all but respectiuely as it may be euill and sinfull to vs. 2. That euill is the thing wee are to desire to be freed from 3. That it is not in mans power to free himselfe from euill in time of temptation 4. That God onely can and will free his from euill for what we are willed to aske that we may looke to obtaine of God 5. That wee are to pray for our brethren that euill seaze not vpon them that they be not ouercome in temptation The conclusion Which is in part a reason why we aske all these of God partly a confirmation of our faith with an acknowlegement of the things herein which is a praysing of God which teacheth vs that our requests should be grounded vpon good reasons and such as God affordeth vs. And in that the conclusion followeth the sixe petitions we learne that these containe all things needfull to be asked of God either for his glory or our safety else would Christ haue added more For thine is Kingdome power and glory for euer Wee are taught here what to make the grounds of our requests and what to ascribe vnto God Whence we learne 1. That soueraginty power and glory belong onely to God and to him to be ascribed 2. That these three with the consideration of the eternity therof are strong confirmations of our faith in prayer 3. That Gods Kingdome power and glory are endlesse 4. That praises as well as prayers are our duty to God Amen It is an asseueration or wish and an earnest longing to haue what we pray for And hence note two things 1. That the desire is to be inflamed after those things which we beg of God So must we be feruent in prayer 2. That we are to be perswaded that what we aske according to this holy forme of prayer wee shall obtaine Honour and glory and power and prayses and dominion ouer all be ascribed to God our Father in Christ Iesus by the operation of the Spirit now and euer Amen A PRAYER FOR A Family at all times OBlessed Lord God and Our Father which art in Heauen thou that louingly tendrest the welfare of thy people carefully prouiding for them and liberally bestowing thy blessings vpon them we thy poore children by adoption in Christ Iesus assured hereof by thy holy Spirit doe in the brotherly fellowship of loue with the rest of thy Saints most humbly sue vnto thy Diuine Maiesty for thy heauenly grace that wee may serue thee Hallowed O Father be thy Name let such feare and reuerence possesse our hearts that by our words and workes we may set forth thy praise and glory according as thou hast and doest make thy self known to vs in thy Word and in thy Workes We know O Father that wee owe this duty vnto thee for our election for our naturall being for our heauenly vocation for our iustification sanctification and our happy preseruation both bodily and ghostly but we are not of our selues
able to glorifie thy Name by well-doing but as thou thy selfe shalt inable vs therevnto for it is thou O Father and Author of all goodnesse that workest in vs both the will and the deed Let therefore Thy Kingdome come send forth thy Word to teach vs thy Spirit to conuert vs more more subdue the kingdome of sin Satan do thou take the rule and gouernment ouer vs into thy owne hands and by thy power so defend vs and by thy especiall grace make vs such faithfull such loyall subiects to thee alwayes and in all things in this Kingdome of Grace that at the length of thy Fatherly mercy we might attaine to the Kingdome of Glory And because our hearts be deceitfull through too much ignorance self-loue and hidden hypocrisie that we may be thereby easily deceiued in liuing onely in an outward bare profession of thy Name and onely in an outward formall worship and seruice to thy Maiesty giue grace O heauenly Father that by vs thy Will may be done in earth as it is in Heauen Make vs in this our pilgrimage while we here liue from home mingled among Aliens and strangers from the life of God so faithfull in belieuing so conscionable in liuing so patient in suffering for wel-doing as hereby our hearts by thy Spirit may ascertaine vs that wee be truely the children of regeneration and grace Worke in vs this good worke that wee may wholy renounce our owne wills dye to our selues and to the world submit to thee and to thy will in euery condition and say It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good What thou commandest that put into our harts to practise and whom we see to be examples of wel-doing before vs giue vs grace to follow them and to striue euen to imitate the holy Angels of heauen in doing thy will readily without lingering cheerefully without murmuring faithfully without adding or diminishing sincerely without sinister respect and constantly without wauering and neuer bee weary of weldoing What though we haue crosses and many discontentments yet let it neuer repent vs that wee haue repented denyed our selues and renounced the world to follow thee euen in the straight way which leadeth to life and immortality in the end And now O Lord for that we liue in these decaying Tabernacles in these bodies of clay needing dayly sustentation wee beseech thee giue vs this day our dayly bread of thy goodnesse put forth thy liberall hand towards vs in granting vs what is necessary for life and conuenient for our present estate and calling in which wee liue Afford vs health and peace if it be thy will and such abilities of body and minde as may inable vs to walke painfully in our vocations Blesse the diligent labour of our hands and so guide vs that our gettings may be in iustice and honesty our keeping in commendable frugality and our expending in wisedome and charity If we haue but little let it content vs if much make vs thankfull and mercifull And whatsoeuer we possesse of these outward things Lord grant that with a good conscience we may enioy them and make a good vse of them that they may be blessed to vs and ours And if it please thee to trie vs in any losse let not our inward peace be troubled nor our hearts fret or be any way disquieted there with but say contentedly The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh away blessed bee his Name for euer We know ô Almighty Lord God that thy hand is not shortned thy goodnes is not lessened nor the fountaine of thy mercies drawne dry but that thou canst giue vs all these things and whatsoeuer wee stand in need of in a most plentifull manner but alasse alasse we looking vpon our vnworthinesse and our wretchednesse doe acknowledge that wee haue many wayes sinned against thee of ignorance of knowledge of infirmity and sometimes wilfully we are borne in sin we haue broken forth into trespasses against thee Oh how do we dayly commit one euill or another in thought word deed against thee and against our brethren Oh how vsuall a thing is it with vs to omit our duties to thee and our neighbours and neuer to be grieued at it What other thing therefore may wee looke for at thy hands than thy deserued wrath But O our Father the God of mercy that art infinite in goodnesse and takest no pleasure in the death of a sinner we humbly beseech thee to be mercifull vnto vs to forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Wee that be by corruption of nature mercilesse through thy loue powred into our hearts do freely forgiue our brethren their offences and iniuries done vnto vs we therefore trust that thou being our Father a mercifull God yea mercy it selfe wilt freely remit our sins and neuer lay them vnto our charge in this life nor in the life to come Wee beg this forgiuenes at thy hands for Iesus sake our Sauiour in whom thou art well pleased He is our atonement accept him for vs by his death hee hath payd our debt thy iustice therefore is satisfied of thy mercy be reconciled vnto vs. And here of good Father perswade vs by thy good Spirit that wee may be comforted against despaire and that the dread of thy wrath doe not interrupt our prayers nor breake off our dayly accesse vnto the throne of Grace Be fauourable and not fearefull vnto vs thy children and seruants for wee are sorry for our offences the remembrance of them is greeuous vnto vs we doe desire more carefully hereafter to please thee and euer to walke before thee as it becommeth thy Saints But ô Lord our God thou that beholdest al things dost know the we are very weak of our selues and are compassed about with enemies our nature is corrupted and playeth the Traytor the whole world lyeth polluted in wickednes Satan seeketh restlesly whom he may deuoure we cannot preuent temptations wee cannot free ourselues from the euils thereof And therefore Holy Father tender vs in mercy haue compassion vpon vs and lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill Hold vs vp by diuine inspiration against Satans suggestion by inward sanctification against natures corruption and by a holy conuersation against the worlds pollution that although we be tempted we may not be ouercome and though through infirmity we fall yet helpe thou to raise vs vp againe O thou God of strength and power goe before vs we pray thee and enter into this spirituall battell with vs in danger leaue vs not and doe not withdraw thy good grace from vs. And if in the multitude of thy mercies thou wilt be pleased to pardon what is past to watch ouer vs for the time present and to preuent vs by thy grace for the time to come we will acknowledge as thy due praises from most thankfull harts that thine is Kingdome power and glory for euer Amen Let thy Almighty hand