CERTAINE Short PRAYERS and MEDITATIONS vpon the Lords Prayer and the Ten Commandements With other particular Prayers for seuerall purposes Written by the right Worshipfull Sir IAMES PERROTT Knight LONDON Printed by Aug. Mathewes for ROBERT SVVAYNE and are to be sold at the Signe of the Bible at Britaines Burse 1630. TO THE Right Honorable WILLIAM Earle of Pembrooke Lord high Steward of his Maiesties Houshold one of the noble Order of the Garter and of his Majesties Honourable Priuy Councell Chauncellor of the Vn uersitie of Oxenford Right Honourable IT may seeme strange vnto some that J being no professed Diuine should presume to present vnto the viewe and verdict of curious Censurers a Treatise of praiers It being a subiect fittest for deepe grounded Divines to deale withall And asmuch that J should Dedicate these my Mediâ—ations vnto your Lordship For the first my excuse is that I offer them not for instruction of the iudicious but for the vse of them that are as weake in Iudgement as I am and to others of meaner capacitie if any such there bee For my addresse of them to your Honour J haue no other excuse or defence but that which is best knowne vnto your Honor to whom I am more obliged then my weake Abilities can giue hopes to yeelde other recompence then by Prayer vnto God that your proceedings may prosper by pietie and be rewarded with eternall felicitie Your Lordships most bounden to be at command'ment IAMES PERROT The Preface to the insuing Praiers and Meditations THE Reader may easily finde the Writers weakenesse yet in reading perchance he may finde sowmewhat though it be but simple that may informe his conscience and stirre vp his minde to better meditations By vsing that is good our inclinations grow to greater goodnes as by the bad that that which is euil becoms worse In this small and slender Tract of mine of Prayers on the Lords Prayer and on the Decalogue or Tenne Commandements The first containing the rule of all our Prayers deliuered by our Lord and Sauiour who taught vs how to whom and for what to pray This Doctrine being the fountaine and so from it by vs there may flow stremes of pious Prayers though our cesternes are but shallow yet the conduit or rather Conductor of them may thereby water the fields of our soules and hearts with piety felicitie fertilnesse that so our selues and our posterities may receiue encrease of all spirituall temporal blessings The true practise of Prayer is as the Path-way to heauen the guide of our life on earth the remoouers of such Remoras and rubbs as doe hinder vs here and doe stay vs from eternall happinesse hereafter For our true beliefe credendorum of things to bee beleeued which we call the Creede is Regula via vitae the rule and way of life So the Decalogue or ten CoÌ„mandements being regula faciendorum the rule of things to be done is vita viae the life of this way both these making vp by feruent frequent and faithfull prayers our progression vnto eternall life This as a gate the other as goles vnto eternall glory betwixt these two Prayers are as the Sayles the holy Spirit as the wings that carries vs thorow the troblesome waues of this world and beareth vs vp in all tentations afflictions and calamities In the vse of Prayers as of the other parts of pietie Humility is the ground Faith the foundation Petition and thankesgiuing the walles eleuated Meditations the roofe knowledge ioyned with conscience the props and pillars So is holy prayer made scala caeli the ladder that leades vs to asscend vnto heauen Prayer then being the precious balme of Gilead that cures the festring sores of our sinnes I craue pardon to publish these my weake conceptions of Prayers and meditations Which proceedeth from no other purpose but to helpe the weake and ignorant in their well disposed devotions To such I say it is not enough to pray much long and often except it bee done with a regenerat a deuout and an vnderstaÌ„ding hart although the saying was ancient Breuis oratio penetrat caelum short Praier pierceth the heauens Yet it is neither the length nor shortnes of our prayer that mooues God vnto mercy vnlesse they be ioyned with a godly and conscionable vse of them in clensing and casting away our corruptions distractions dulnesse coldnesse carnal cares vaine imaginations which presse vpon vs in the time of Prayer when it is not the voyce or the sound of words but the holy affection and pure desires of the heart with the assistance of Gods holy spirit that makes our prayers vnto God profitable and powerfull as the olde verse hath it Non vox sed votum non cordula musica sed cor Non clamans sed amans cantat in ore Dei Which signifieth thus much Not voyce but vowes not musick but the heart Not crâ—es but loue sweet songs to God impart If any man question why so many treatises of prayer being published my selfe or any other should set foorth any more therein yet I conceiue it is with the readers and specially with the vsers and learners of Prayers as with Phisitians who seeking simples to cure their Patients goe not onely to one garden medow or fielde to gather them but vnto many for in some places there grows of one kind in some another sort So in the relish vse choise of prayers which is that herbe of grace Some desire such as are short and pithy others make vse of them that are of good length waight Besides this consideration though I acknowledge there are diuers excellent treatises of Prayers yet I haue seldome seene any that haue closly and punctually handled the Petitions of the Lords Prayer and the parts of the Ten CoÌ„mandements with a strict mixture of Doctrinall Meditations in the forme and to be vsed as praiers containing therein their contents which I haue indeauoured to doe according to my weake skill and iudgement First for mine owne exercise and then for the use of such as shal neede and desire it as much as I doe Which I haue done the rather because I see how feareful dangerous and common a thing it is to finde such multitudes of people who vsing only the Lords Prayer or reading the Tenne CoÌ„mandements with out premeditation or knowledge what either of them contains do yot think that they haue sufficiently serued God when they know little or vse not that aright they shold know and doe better To knowe much and doe little doth little auaile in diuine or humane things to doe much to know little proues vnprofitable if not hurtfull Yet not to finde fault with others but to come home vnto my selfe for these my Meditations such as they are I leaue them with the readers and vsers of them to the direction of Gods holy Spirit The Contents of the Prayers and Meditations contained in this Booke SEuerall Prayers vpon the seuerall Petitions of
O Lord graunt that wee ouerweane not our selues thinking our selues wiser then our Parents Teachers Magistrates or Superiours but that wee may performe all their lawfull Commandements without grudging or delaying◠lest by disobedience we dishonour them procure thy curse thy displeasure and our own danger Let vs not bee like to cursed Cam the discouerer of his Fathers nakednesse But that wee may so keepe this thy Commandement that in honouring them wee may receiue honour from thee and that happines which thou hast promised that our dayes may bee long and blessed not onely in this Land which thou hast giuen vs to liue heere vpon earth but euen in the Land of the Liuing where thou dost raigne for euer and where we may remaine in thy glorious presence euermore to giue thee Praise Amen Thou shalt doe no Murder MOst merciful GOD that giuest life desirest not the death of sinners nor that wee by sinne or violence should slay our owne soules or our Brethren that beare thine Image Wee beseech thee to teach vs wherein wee commit murther by our hands tongues or hearts that so wee may shunne the sinne and punishment that followeth the same O Lord wee slay our owne soules by our manifold and great sinnes wee murther other mens soules by causing them to commit sinnes by which wee take from our selues and them the life of grace O Lord we slay our soules by extinguishing the inspirations of thy holy spirit not suffering it to purge our sinnes by Prayer and Repentance not receiuing or retaining but reiecting those good motions and holy desires which thy grace giues vnto vs. Wee commit Murther if not of the liues of men yet of their good Names In our hearts by Anger Wrath and Enuy with our tongues by slander reproach sowing of sedition cursing and euill speaking with our hands done vpon the persons of our selues by Violence Drunkennesse Adultery and other Distempers whereby either the soules or liues of our selues or of others are destroyed by not succouring them as wee are able with counsell correction or charitable reliefe when they stand in need of vs by these many other waies most mercifull GOD we murther either our own soules or bodies or the soules and bodies of our Neighbours O Lord God therefore who hast giuen vs soules and bodies giue vs grace and assistance not to destroy them in our selues or others but purifie our hearts and affections inlighten our vnderstandings kindle zeale to thy glory and truth which may saue our owne soules and settle vs to seeke the saluation of others and not to be a meanes of our own or of other mens subuersions Plant in our hearts Charitie Meekenesse and Mercifulnesse towards all men sobriety in our desires carriage and conuersations a desire to seeke the good and not the hurt of our Neighbours Remoue from vs Pride Presumption Cruelty and hardnes of heart whereby we slay our owne soules and destroy the liues estate or estimation of our brethren So wee being thus fenced by the grace and good gifts of thy holy Spirit with faith and feare to offend thy Majesty may thereby learne to keepe this thy holy Commandement to the sauing and not the destroying of the soules and liues of our selues and others Graunt this good Lord for thy mercies sake Amen Thou shalt not commit Adulterie O Lord GOD thou by thy holy Word hast taught vs that there is spirituall and corporall Adultery Thou hast commanded not to commit them Yet our corrupt natures drawe vs to both We forsake thee our God the true Spouse of our soules by adhering in confidence worship or disordinate affection vnto the corruptible creatures and so adulterating thy seruice and Worship become forgetfull of thee following more our own lusts pleasures or profits then thy precepts O God full of power who hast created vs thy poore creatures who seest and searchest the secret corners of our hearts vnsearchable and secret vnto our selues Cleanse these secret yet strong and preuailing lusts which drawe vs to commit the Spirituall and Carnall Adultery restraine our vnchaste lookes and inticing aspects one of another Cause vs to refraine wanton speeches to abstaine from Drunkennes and excesse of Diet which are the Instrumentes and prouocation to Idolatry To forbeare pampering of our bodies Gorgiousnes Curiosity of apparell which drawes vs to ouer-much delight of our selues and to a desire to defile our bodies with Adultery Fornication other filthy bestiall Contaminating of our owne bodies corrupting of others and breaking the boundes of this thy holy Commandement That wee should not commit Adultery spirituall against thee or corporall against one another and both against thy Lawes Keepe vs therefore O Soueraigne Lord within the compasse of this thy holy Commandement by thine own power and prouidence By and for which onely we shall be able to giue thee laude and glory now and for euer Amen Thou shalt not steale THou O gracious GOD who hast giuen vs sufficiencie requirest of vs contentednesse with that we haue And though we thinke wee haue lesse then wee neede and haue much lesse then wee desire yet thou O our good God the giver of all wee haue doest onely know what is best for vs Our seuerall estates haue neede of meanes for maintenance according to our callings but wee doe not rightly measure the lawfull and right means by which wee should come to this competency wee go by vngodly means to seeke it wee onely weigh what wee would haue but doe not consider so well where and how it may be godly and lawfully gotten which makes vs to take from our Neighbours and others what belongeth vnto them O Lord therefore take from vs Couetousnes the roote of deceit and false dealing stealthes of things we want or would haue Extortion to get any thing by colour of Iustice and bribing to pervert Iustice Violence to take any thing by force power or strong hand from others Negligence and slothfulnes in our seuerall estates and callings which breede beggery necessitie and robbery Send vs lawfull christian and honest care to prouide things necessarie without deceipt cosening or double dealing discretion and frugality in the disposing of our Estates whereby wee may prouide things needefull without being burthēsome to others or forced to steale or purloine frō them Graunt good Lord therefore that our endeauor may be to get what is sufficient for our selues without doing wrong vnto others Diligence in our callings without ouermuch care cruelty couetousnesse or circumuention Iust dealing with all men Frugalitie without miserie Contentednesse with our estates And if we haue plenty to vse it prouidently and charitably auoyding misery or mispending not seeking any thing by vniust or vnlawfull meanes nor keeping it by frande or falsehood O Lord GOD graunt that wee robbe not thee of thine honour by stealing from our selues in sloth and security that time which wee should spend in thy seruice but that we may keep this thy holy Commandement with
doe faithfully call and trust on thee Wee most miserable and wretched sinners doe confesse vnto thee against our selues to our owne shame and to thy glory that wee were borne and conceiued in sinne that wee haue liued and continued in sinne that our whole liues haue beene nothing else but a heaping vp of sinne and iniquity against thy Holy and Heauenly Maiestie That there is no sinne in his owne nature so heynous or to thee so displeasing but either wee haue committed or else wee haue a pronenesse to commit the same The sinnes of our youth of our riper age and of our later euen of these last time shaue flowed one vpon another and haue polluted our soules defiled our bodies and displeased thy Maiestie so that there is nothing due vnto vs if thou shouldst deale with vs according to our deserts but death and destruction in this life Hell and perdition in the life to come Whither then should we flie for succour and reliefe If we goe vnto Man his breath is in his nostrils that perishing he perisheth If wee goe vnto Angels or to any power in Heauen they haue no power but what they receiueâ— from thee We come therefore vnto thee whose mercy is aboue all thy workes beseeching thee in the multitude of thy mercies to haue compassion on vs. And in that loue which thou shewedst vnto Mankind in sending thy Son to suffer for vs and to saue vs sinners that thou wouldst by his blood death and suffering wash away our sinnes And since thou hast sent him to Redeeme vs suffer vs not to be destroyed O Lord GOD graunt vs penitence and true repentance for our sins past watchfulnesse ouer all our wayes for time to come Care to keepe thy Comman dements strength to withstand the temptations of Satan Humility of heart patience in the times of tryall and aduersitie Constancy in calling vpon thee Feruency in praier Faith in thy promises Assurance of thy loue Assistance in Temptations Deliuerance from dangers of soule and body The right and Sanctified vse of thy creatures Charitie towards our neighbors and contentednes with our estates To this end gracious God take from vs all those things that take vs from thee and giue vs those graces that may make vs to loue thee and declare vs to be intirely beloued of thee Take from vs hardnesse of heart dulnesse and slownes in comming to thy seruice Neglect of those Holy duties thou requirest vs to doe Contempt of thy Commaundements Misbeliefe Vnbeliefe Despaire and doubting of thy mercy Distrust of thy prouidence Giue vs aboue all things Faith stedfaâ—â—ly to beleeue in thee feruour in thy seruice faithfulnesse in maintenance of thy trueth courage to lay downe our liues for the continuance of thy glorious Gospell thankefulnesse for all thy vnspeakable mercies a loue of those that serue thee in sin cerity of heart Liberalitie according to our abilities to those that are in distresse and danger for doing that they ought to do And when thou hast fitted vs for thy seruice and furnished our hearts with thy good graces then send vs the ioy of thy Holy Spirit a detestation of our former euill courses delight in keeping thy Lawes a desire to bee dissolued in thy good appointed time a meditation of our fraile liues and a preparation for our vncertaine deaths And now O blessed Lord wee pray not for our selues alone here present but for thy despised dispersed and distressed flocke throgh the face of the earth It is a little flocke O Lord increase it It is dispersed O Lord gather theÌ„ together into thy fold It is despised distressed Lord succour defend support them Let not the wild Boares destroy thy Vineyard nor the fat Bulles of Basan inuiroÌ„ and ouerwhelme thy chosen ones those that loue thy trueth Thou hast heretofore hedged thy Syon Thou hast mightily and miraculously defended thy chosen Israel Thy hand is not shortned thy power is still the same Let not therefore those that loue not thy trueth or them that loue it say where is now their God Be mercifull to our soueraign to all the Royall Progeny Gouerne the Gouernours of this Land Giue them true wisdome sincere vncorrupt and couragious hearts Innoble the true Nobility with Loyaltie to their Prince and State the leading of a good life and the longing for a better Inspire the Clergie with care and diligence to discharge their duties in their seuerall places Make the Commons of this Kingdome more iust more holy more conscionable in their courses more carefull of the common safety and prosperity of the publike State touch vs all with a zeale of thy feruice and truth an inward reuerence of thy most holy Maiestie a remorse of our former irreligious life That so when wee shall part from this place wee may part from our sinnes but not from sorrow for hauing committed them but may leaue them and leade a better life till wee bee brought from death to that life where sorrow and sin raigneth not where death hath no dominion and where complaints controuersies are not known but haue their ende This life good Lord graunt vs to leade in thy feare and in the ende to inioy that life where ioyes doe last for euer by the mercies of thee our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen A Prayer against Pride anger and Enuy. O LORD God who seest and searchest the secrets of all mens hearts Thou that knowest how subiect I am to Pride Anger and Enuie My heart good Lord is puffed vp with pride it swess with selfe conceipt vaine glory and ostentation I take too much pride of those parts of my Bodie as beautie strength and stature and make my selfe beleeue they are much more faire and fashionable then indeede they are So am I efflated and blowne vp like a bladder with conceit of mine owne knowledg wit vnderstanding and skill making them greater and more goodly vnto my selfe then they are or can bee These foule faults gracious God sometimes I finde in my selfe but nothing so often as I commit them And though now I confesse it yet I haue no power of my selfe to forsake this sinne by which our first Parents fell out of Paradise and we his sinnefull Progeny follow the same steppes and are ready thereby to runne headlong vnto Hell O yet most merciful father clense me from this corruption cure me and I shal be cleane graunt me a lowly penitent and humble heart Teach me to thinke worse of my selfe for my sins then of other men whose faults I know not that I may not thinke so well of my selfe to contemne others O teach me to learne meckenesse of thee my Sauiour who in thy humanitie hast ledde vs to the way of humblenes and meeknesse both of thy precepts and practise Thou hast said learne of me for I am meeke O sweet Sauiour what precept could bee sweeter better or what Example could bee more Holy and perfect If Lucifer an Angel of Heauen could