for there cannot be a more apparant discouery of a rancke Hypocrite then to make outward shewes of Deuotion with the gesture and lips and yet the heart to be busied in the cogitation of idle earthly and prophane things And nothing more discouereth an idle heart outwardly then the wandering of the eye in the time of diuine prayer for it is probable and often found by experience that the eye withdraweth the heart and if the eye be inconstant the prayer hath not nor can haue the due Attention of the heart yet it doth not follow that although the eye be fixed on any certaine obiect or be shut that therefore the heart is rightly set on God for oftentimes the eye followes the heart the cogitation of the heart making the eye to forget it obiect as when the heart is wandring in the fields of Corne viewing the heards of Cattell and flocks of Sheepe when it is in the Ware-house in the Shop in the Chest minding bands and payments ouer-come with pride plotting reuenge oppressed with feare besotted with pleasure intangled with cares or otherwise peruerted by any prophane and vngodly cogitations Prayers made with such an extrauagant heart be they in words neuer so holy they are imputed vnto vs as sin for shall we thinke that God will heare our prayers to our profit or comfort when the thoughts of our harts in the meane time dishonor him Many pray in their owne familiar language and yet consider no more what they speake for want of Attention then if they spake in an vnknown tongue yet such men will hold themselues very deuout to haue power in themselues to pray when they list as if true prayer were of that facility and ease to vtter as in an idle tale and as it seemes by Beggars that tumble out the Lords Prayer with one breath at a dore yet minde nothing but their Almes Such men are to be pittied and to be wished better to aduise themselues before they attempt this seruice of God most holy for Prayer is not an easie worke it is of a deeper straine then a tale that is but from the tongue to the teeth from the teeth to the lips so into the ayre True Prayer is cordial of that force efficacy as it constraineth the heart to sighes groanes teares with such inward feruency of holy zeale as tenters the heart with such internall gripes as may betruly said the renting of the heart And the more we feele our hearts thus inwardly sharply touched so much the more comfort it yeeldeth to the soule of the faithfull Petitioner yea such and so great consolation as he that feeles it cannot expresse it with his tongue be he neuer so eloquent neither can any conceiue or apprehend the sweetnesse of it that is not exercised and experienced in the same for nature apprehendeth it not No man can say that Iesus is Christ but by the holy Ghost and none can desire the Spirit of God but by the Spirit of God Flesh bloud cannot as much as desire spirituall things spiritually for spirituall things are to be compared with spirituall things and spirituall gifts are obtained by spirituall meanes And therefore are words without the Spirit as naked and bare Incense without fire but being inkindled in the heart and sanctified by the holy Spirit of God who is promised to assist our spirits they are as a liuely and acceptable sacrifice to God working so powerfully with him through Christs mediation as they neuer returne empty of whatsoeuer blessing we desire Prayer can neuer be effectuall vnlesse there be some certayne spirituall obiect of the minde to moue the attention of the heart which obiect is God and we must consider that when we pray vnto him or yeeld him any other worship that we are not to conceiue him in the forme of any earthly or heauenly bodily or spiritual creature whatsoeuer for in that manner not to conceiue him is a degree of conceiuing him aright according to Master Perkins God must be conceiued of vs in our prayers as subsisting in the whole three persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost The Vnity in Trinity Trinity in Vnity is to be worshipped retayning in minde the distinction and order of all the three persons without seuering or sundring them for as they are conioyned in nature so are they to be conioyned in worship And therefore he that prayeth vnto God the Father for the forgiuenesse of his sinnes must aske it of him for the merits of the Sonne and by the assurance of the holy Ghost and he that prayeth for the remission of sinnes to God the Sonne must pray that he would procure the Father to grant him pardon and to assure it by his Spirit He also that praieth for the same to God the holy Ghost must pray that he would assure vnto him the remission of his sinnes from the Father for and by the merits of his Sonne Thus must we apprehend the Trinity in our prayers so shall we auoide that Idolatrous conceiuing of him imbraced of some who cannot pray vnlesse they haue the figure of a humane Creature to represent vnto their bodily eyes the shape of God the Father in likenesse of an old Man and a Crucifix figuring Christ suffring on the Crosse and the holy Ghost by a Doue whose worship cannot be reputed spirituall but carnall and their prayers not heauenly but prophane Prayer is a spirituall action proper onely to the children of God who are Saints by calling sanctified in Christ And they and none other truly cal vpon the name of the Lord IESVS prophane persons pray not though they seeme to pray But most happy is that man that commeth vnto God Father Sonne holy Ghost truly prepared and duly attentiue he may boldly aske and confidently assure himselfe to receiue grace for grace and all blessings spirituall without limitation and all benefits corporall needfull If our prayers be made in vs by him who hath promised and hath power to giue what we aske shall wee think he will faile to performe The hope of Hypocrites indeede shall perish their prayers vanish as the smoke because they wait vpon lying vanities and desire carnall pleasures and worldly profits But the Lord will surely fulfil the desires of them that feare him because their prayers tâ—â—d to the setting forth of Gods gloly to the good of the Church to the remission of their owne sinnes and other mens to the obtayning of Gods graces to the increase of the vnderstanding of heauenly things that they may walke before God and be vpright that they may do the works bring forth the fruits of the Spirit These are the prayrs that are the POORE MAMS REST. These are the prayers that wound the Serpent and that please God bringing peace to the conscience afflicted But which is to be lamented all men are dull by nature And the very Elect sometimes weakly disposed to pray And therefore is
thy promises that in following thy foot-steps there is an inheritance of eternity prepared for vs therefore whilest we are in this iourney be thou a staffe to vs whereby we may be sustained in all our wayes And by the comfort of thy holy Spirit repaire our strengths to the end wée may more willingly come vnto thée and as thou art made a way vnto vs seclude all errour become our â—â—uth take away all distrust and confirme our Faith in thée And as thou art made life vnto vs reuiue vs that were dead in sinne by a liuely knowledge of thée For it is eternall life to know thée Father Son and holy Ghost to be one true God Wherefore I humbly beséech thée O most mercifull Father to increase Faith in mee who am thy vnworthy seruant lest at any time I wauer in thy Celestiall doctrine increase obedience in me lest I swerue from thy precepts increase constancy that walking in thy wayes I neuer be allured by the inticements of Satan nor seduced by his terrours but that I may perseuere in thée who art the true way to life eternall increase my Faith that being partaker of thy Promises I may neuer waâ—e slow or dull in the study and practise of godâ—inesse and that I may alwayes striue and endeuour for more and more perfection Increase thy Grace in me that being mortified vnto my selfe I may liue and haue my conuersation with thée in Heauen and be encouraged by thy holy Spirit fearing nothing but thee then whom there is nothing more to be loued or feared glorified or more to be reioyced in who art the true glory of all Saints in whom there is nothing but full and perfect Felicitie A Prayer for the assistance of the holy Ghost No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 3. 4. If ye that be euill can giue good gifts vnto your children how much more shall your heauenly father giue the holy Ghost to them that desire him Luke 11. 13. O Gracious Lord God who didst send vpon thy Apostles and others thy holy Spirit filling their hearts with grace and wisedome I humbly beséech thee by thy vnspeakable mercy that thou wilt vouchsafe to fill my soule with thy grace and water my heart with the vnspeakable swéetnesse of thy Loue in the loue of Jesus Christ thy most dearely beloued Send down Lord thy holy Spirit to guide me being ignorant banish by his light the blacknes of sinne through Christ Jesus by him refresh my sad and sorrowfull soule there is neither wisedome nor strength without thée aide me therefore by that holy Spirit and I shall be able to shunne the deceits of Sathan and to withstand his power Thou art not ignorant that I can doe nothing of my selfe extend thy fauourable hand ouer me therefore and grant that I may forsake and vtterly relinquish my selfe and flie vnto thée Mortifie in me whatsoeuer is displeasant vnto thy Maiestie that in all things thou maiest conforme mée vnto thy will by thy holy Spirit that my life may be euer hereafter perfect in thy sight O Lord my God looke vpon me thy miserable Creature whose soule sigheth after thée day and night when shall I come and appeare before thy presence when shall I enter into that admirable place of thy Tabernacle the house of my God O comfort me with thy presence that I may taste here in this my mortall pilgrimage the swéetnesse of thy glory which shall continue for euer O my God I long to be deliuered from all temptations O eternall fountaine of light bring me backe againe to that eternall goodnesse by whom I am created that I may know thine omnipotencie euen as I am knowne of thée and may so loue thée as I am loued by thée that I may sée and inioy thée in the society of all the Elect who liuest and raignest together with the Father and the Sonne a Trinity in Unitie for euer and euer Amen A Prayer for Sunday-Morning Thus saith the Lord take heede to your soules and beare no burdens on the Sabbath day nor bring it into the gates of Ierusalem Neither carry forth burdens out of your houses on the Sabbath day ney doe ye any worke but sanctifie the Sabbath as I commanded your Fathers Ier. 17. 21. 22. He that gathered stickes on the Sabbath day was stoned to death Numb 15. 32 35. 36. O Eternal God and heaùenly Father I extol thine infinite goodnesse and mercy together with thine eternall wisdome and truth who hast protected me this night made me to rest quietly and securely by thy most holy and diuine prouidence I humbly beséech thée of thine infinite goodnesse to protect and gouerne mée this day by thy mighty hand from all dangers both of Body and Soule Giue thy holy Angels charge ouer mee to direct me in all my wayes driue away the deadly enemy remoue all offences of this World mortifie and kill in me all carnall lusts and euill affections that they may haue no dominion ouer mée giue me a sorrowfull heart to bewaile my wicked life and comfort my soule by a liuely assurance that thou hast fréely forgiuen my sinnes Sanctifie me O Father this day I humbly beséech thée with thine especiall grace that I may haue decent carriage in my behauiour true deuotion in prayer and reuerent attention to heare thy heauenly and holy Word and that thou wilt please to giue mee vnderstanding ioyned with true deuotion to obserue learne and imbrace such things as are necessary to me for the confirming of my faith in Christ Jesus raise me O Lord by the power of thy resurrection from sin and giue me spirituall rest in the Communion et Saints that afterward I may kéep the euerlasting Sabbath with thée in the Kingdome of Heauen behold O Lord I knock at the dore of thy mercy with all my power and strength beséeching thée to continue vnto me the right vse of all my senses and limmes and send thy holy Spirit to beare witnesse to my spirit that I am thy childe and shall be heire of thy glorious kingdome through the mirits of Christ Jesus our Lord for whose sake I humbly pray thee to grant all those things that I haue prayed for and haue neede of Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer before the hearing of Gods Word O Eternall most high and mighty God vouchsafe I humbly beséech thée to inlighten my dark dul vnderstanding that thy word may enter into my soule and be so receiued of me as that Ignorance the mother of disobedience being put away heauenly knowledge may enter in and haue perfect rest and abiding in me Giue power O Lord to the séede of Truth that being sowne in my heart it may take deepe root and bringforth to the comfort of my soule sixty an hundred yea a thousand-fold and let thy Spirit so guide the lips of this thy Minister and Preacher as that he deliuer nothing but the Word
euery godly man to vse all holy meanes to inkindle their hearts to the right performance of this heauenly duty And nothing more preuaileth thâ—… in then Meditation whereunto we are also very vnapt by nature know not how nor vpon what grouÌ„d to lay the foundation thereof yet if we can truly frame our hearts to a holy Meditation we shall finde that it is the very key that openeth our dull hearts lookt vp vnder griefe vnder feare vnder trouble vnder persecution misery and sendeth forth by little little the fire of true zeale which at length becommeth a great flame of preuailing prayers which thing they easily finde that are conuersant in this sacred exercise of Meditation and Prayer who yet many times finde themselues most dull most vnapt to pray hauing yet an inward desire thereunto which desire they cannot containe but labouring a while in silence speaking inwardly to God in sighes and groanes at length they speake effectually with their tongues Seeing therefore that all men neede motiues to stir them vp to payer let eueryman addresse himself to the word of God or peruse some godly worke of religious men And although vocally he cannot read by reason of his naturall dulnes yet if his heart can be but conuersant duly attend the sence as the eye obserues the letter his mind by little and little shall mount it selfe from earth to heauen fixed on the Trinity whence shall arise such spirituall fruits of faith feruency of Spirit as shall fill the soule with more sweet consolation by inkindled prayer then the tongue can vtter And to this end gentle Reader according to the small measure of mine vnderstanding I haue prefixed before euery prayer a Motiue or Meditation touching the substance and matter of the Prayer following THANKS-GIVING after PRAYER THe third and last duty in this holy exercise is Thanksgiuing which cannot but follow sanctified praiers and that with such ioy in the holy Ghost as it cannot but breake forth into most vnspeakable inward thankefulnesse to God who hath been so graciously pleased not onely to forgiue our sinnes but to help our infirmities by his holy Spirit by whom we haue had accesse vnto the Throne of grace and found such fauour with God in Christ as we haue obtayned by the holy Ghost both the will and the power to pray Also we ought in all things to giue thanks to God for euery blessing and benefit we receiue at his hands according to the counsell and precept of the Apostle who commands vs to giue thanks alwaies for all things vnto God euen the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Ephes. 5. 20. Thus much touching the admonition A PRIVATE PRAYER for the Morning The MOTIVE I Laid me downâ— and slept and rose againe for the Lord sustained me Psal. 3. 5. This Confession did holy Dauid make to the glory of God in the morning and hath left it to vs to moue vs likewise to glorifie God by whom we liue and labor and by whose loue and prouidence we lay vs downe to rest after our wearinesse and daily trauell and doe enioy the comfortable benefit of sweet sleepe which he hath afforded to refresh all Creatures And man the most excellent of all other Creatures receiuing this sweet blessing and rising from his bed without thanksgiuing to him that can giue it or depriue him of it cannot assure himselfe whether his sleepe shall turne to his good or euill for the greatest good thing that we receiue at the hands of God turneth to our hurt if we be vnthankfull But vnto the godly to such as feare him and giue him praise he turneth euen euill things to good Therefore as Dauid saith I will giue thanks vnto the Lord his praise shall be in my mouth continually Morning and Night and at all times and for all things Psal 34. 1. Wherby it commeth to passe that no danger can annoy vs for why The Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about vs to preserue vs sleeping and waking if we feare him and call vpon his Name Pâ—al 34. 7. The poore man therefore cryeth vnto the Lord Lord here my voyce in the morning for in the morning will I direct my prayer vnto thee and will waite till thou heare me and helpe me Psal. 5. 3. O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer for the Morning to be said in priuate OH Father full of power mercy and loue how dare I looke vp vnto heauen where thou sittest in Maiesty and glory How can I thinke or hope to receiue any good thing here in the earth where thou art in thy power and knowledge for thou Lord séest my wayes and my vanities and my corruptions and my sinnes yea my thoughts idle and euil are before thée yea my pollutions and imperfections are such and so great as I am afraid of thy iudgements if thou shouldest note all that I haue done amisse yet like a louing Father thou hast mercifully preserued mée this night and vouch safed me swéet rest and sléepe and hast raised me by thy hand for it is thou onely that preseruest me and defendest me whether I wake or sléepe walke or worke eate or drinke yea thou blessest all these things vnto me or else they would easily destroy mée For I a weake Creature am subiect to the infinite dangers that lurke in the pathes of this euil and corrupt life In the night and darkenesse I sléepe and haue no watch and therefore easily may I be ouer-taken with the dangers of the wicked that hate the light and practise euill in the darke but that thou the watch-man of Israel thou sléepest not but hast a fatherly care and vigilant eye and louing regard to thy weakest ones when they slumber beset with dangers thou appointest thine Angeâ—s and they pitch about them and they are late O good Father I thank thée for thy infinite blessings beare with my weaknesse and wash me from my sins and forgiue mine offences and direct me in the â—ight way of obedience of thankfulnesse of repentance and reformation of my life which is still subiect to vanity still ready to slide into one sinne or other I am neuer frée Oh Father from temptations neuer at true peace but beset with continuall enemies within me my own corruptions fight against faith and obedience wresting my will and mine affections from sincerity to sin from a desire of good things to euill from obedience to rebellion from trust in thée to despaire or to depend on the vain things of this deceiuing world which being full of subtil baits euery where beset with snares to catch my souâ—e and to seduce me with dangerous vanitâ—es I flye onely to the sanctuary of thy loue to the castle of thy prouidence and to the harbour of thy sauing promises Kéepe me therefore kéepe me deare Father as the apple of thine Eye shrowde me vnder the shadow of thy sauing wings this day and teach mée truth giue me knowledge
booke of this so high and so heauenly a mysterie not the worldly wise not the great learned nor the most glorious in the world onely the poore in spirit the humble and méeke such as truely hunger and thirst for their saluation in and by Christ. They onely aske séeke and knocke they receiue knowledge and finde mercy and they are accepted into this heauenly society seeing yet but in part knowing yet but in part féeling yet but in part receiuing but in part glorying but in part where they yet praise thée but in part But thou hast promised that we partaking of thée in this life after this life we shall fully enioy thée in and by Christ in the heauens to our euerlasting comfort to our inestimable glory and endlesse praising thée in him whom here we sée by the eyes of our soules in faith on whom we depend in faith and of whom we here partake in faith which faith O Lord increase more and more for euer in vs all Amen A thankesgiuing after the receiuing of the holy Communion IEsus Christ our true Soueraigne and eternal sacrifice thou art seated at the right hand of God vpon the Throne of Maiestie in heauen hauing the administration of all goodnesse to come and of the true Tabernacle which is not made by hands Thou entredst once by thy precious bloud into the holy places and hast obtained for vs eternall Redemption by sacrificing thy selfe vnto thy Father to cleanse our consciences from al dead workes to the end we might serue the liuing God We giue thée thankes with all our hearts because by willing obedience to thy Father thou didst suffer a most ignominious death on the Crosse for vs poore miserable and wretched sinners and hast instituted this blessed Sacrament for an eternall memory of thy faithfulnesse and fauour on out behalfe leauing it like wise as an earnest penny seale or testimony for the remission of our sinnes Thou hast called and brought vs to the Communion of this wonderfull féeding to the end that wee might refresh our hungry soules languishing and thirsting after life euerlasting O Lord my God great is thy loue thy mercy vnexprsseable thy grace vncomprehensible Thou despisest no persons comming to this Banquet except they exclude themselues or intrude thither vnworthily If any one doe hunger or thirst here he is fully satisfied such as are in necessitie may here finde the riches and treasures of Life the desolate here méete with comfort the stâ—ke here finde physicke and health for their soules such as are ouer-laden with their sins are here disburdoned in their consciences and they which are assailed by Death doe here méete with life that cannot be molested Helpe vs then O good God that this blessed Sacrament which we haue receiued may auaile vs to our saluation and that hereafter we may retaine the fulnesse of our hope without any wauering because thou art faithfull in all thy promises and let vs care one for another giue vs grace to loue all but couet onely the societie of such as either may stirrevs vp more and more to godlinesse or that we may win them to more knowledge of and obedience to thée and that wee may in a holy and heauenly vnion often assemble our selues at this holy and sacred banquet comforting one another in thée hopefully looking for thy blessed appearance in the clouds for our full and finall redemption Amen Lord increase our faith and renew a right spirit within vs. A Motiue to the Prayer following against Temptation FOrasmuch as no man is free from Temptation it is a necessary exercise for the Children of God to pray daily to be strengthened against the same for if the Diuell spared not to tempt Christ Mat 4. 1. 3. Marke 1. 12. 13. he cannot but tempt vs. And as hee began with Christ knowing him to haue long fasted and deemed him so desirous to eate as hee would haue done any thing to haue had bread as Esau longed for his brothers pottage And as hee himselfe in the beginning fell by ambition and vainglory he thought it had beene the humour of Christ likewise to deâ—…e terrene glory according therefore to these two occasions he tempted Christ to accept of both or either of them But hee had no aduantage against Christ but fifteth and findeth man of another inclination wholy and altogether corrupt and so prone naturally to sinne as there resteth in all men some peculiar humour and a kinde of priuate and commanding sinne which so farre commonly ouer-ruleth the affections as whensoeuer it offereth it selfe it easily draweth consent euen of the whole man as Nabals couerousnes whom the rich doe imitate who although they might be free from all other sinnes as they cannot be it were sufficient to condemne them some are wholly ouercome and make drunkennesse their whole delight some bribery and extorsion some whoredome some wantonnesse And these and such like sins are as it were the Bailiffes and Stewards of the houses of mens hearts which who so embraceth and holdeth them so deare as he will not endeauour to be freed of them is not the childe of God And therefore this prayer following may be vsed of all men to that end although hee would be ashamed to confesse it before men God already knowing it his confession to him shall more and more make a way for repentance and obtaine strength to resist the Diuell in his temptation who obseruing our inclinations bendeth his temptations accordingly and hauing wonne but the outerward of our hearts at the first a bare consent he then will visite oftner vntill he haue made custome so strong as it becommeth an habite or as it were another nature So that a man may as well endure the plucking out of his eyes as the shaking off of that accustomed sinne And therefore it behooueth all men to be watchfull against Satan and to resist him by prayer A Prayer against Temptations especially fit for a man that findeth in himselfe a continuall strong inclination to any particular sinne O Gracious God and most louing Father who in the beginning didst create man to thine owne image and likenesse in all sinceritie and didst place him in the holy estate of his innocency in the swéet garden of all heauenly and earthly delights and in thy superabundant mercies didst ordaine all thy creatures in Heauen and Earth to doe him seruice O what was man that thou hadst such respect vnto him And yet how suddenly Lord God did hée fall from that estate of originall grace how grossely did hée disobey and rebell against thy will reuealed vnto him By whose fall all corruption entred where before was nothing but sanctity by whose corruption the earth became corrupt and all things in the earth began to disobey him for whom they were created as he disobeyed thée by whom he was created And by his transgression all that haue procéeded of him by a lineall originall pollution haue all defiled their wayes and all
be difmayed at any of thy corrections Lie my heart within mée reioyce let my soule triumph and my conscience retaine true peace and godly alacrity in the middest of the causes of my déepest discontentments And assist me Lord so with thy grace that I may not onely séeme but be indéede truely patient and by the same thy grace let Patience haue her true and liuely working in mée bringing forth all other spirituall effects of Obedience all the fruits of thy sanctifying Spirit Faith to beléeue zeale to pray and constant perseuerance in that hope which maketh not ashamed So shall all my tryals and temptations crosses and afflictions worke for my good to thy glory and al my troubles be approued tryals of thy loue and fatherly fauours toward me howsoeuer the desires of flesh and bloud oppose themselues to weaken the swéete assurance setled in mée by a liuely féeling of thy promises made in thy word infinite in number comfortable and neuer failing Plant therefore in me O good Father plant in mée these sauing fruits and water them continually with the distilling dewe of thy sanctifying Spirit that they may grow vp in mée from the small and weake buds that scarcely appeare in mée to such liuely fructifying and neuer-dying branches as may beare in mée true testimonies vnto my selfe of mine assured Saluation and future Glorification and to thine Elect encouragements of diuine imitation and to the contrary minded examples either to their reformation or condemnation A Prayer against the temptations of the Diuell MOst mercifull God and leuing Father thy blessed World teacheth vs that the old Dragon and subtle Serpent our aduersary the Diuell â—uns about vs like a roaring Lion séeking daily to deuoure vs. Hée vseth all his wicked sleights against our Soules with an in finite number of diuellish Stratagems to make vs fall into sinne or despaire He practiseth to entrap vs by riches by pouerty by voluptuous and wanton pleasures by gréedy desire after honour worldly dignities by coueting earthly goods and possessions by care for the belly and prouision therefore with all other vnrighteous and sinfull affections and desires Hée cunningly doth cast abroad his daits and snares to intangle vs night and day in our words and workes so that wake we or sléepe we he is before or behind vs to deuoure vs. O glorious God who can escape for he is continually watching and neuer at rest and wée are weake and vnable of our selues to resist Open thou our eyes O Lord that we may comprehend how mighty and crafty our enemie is Confirme our Faith for we are not to fight against flesh and bloud but against Sathan the vtter enemy of the Soule therefore O faithfull Father haue compassion on vs. Make vs strong in the power of thine owne streugth put vpon vs thy defensiue armour to resist manfully the temptations and subtle deuices of the Diuell Giue vs thy weapons gird our reynes with the Girdle of truth put on our brests the Brest-plate of righteousnes let our féete be shod with Euangelical peace and aboue all things let our hearts be defended with the shield of Faith so shall wée be sure to quench all the fiery darts of the diuell so that our hearts be couered with the Helmet of Saluation and our hands hold fast the Sword of the Spirit which is thy most sacred anâ— neuer failing Word Then shall wée be able to doe any good thing and valiantly through thy â—ide and succour ouer come our aduersary the Diuell for in thy very name we shall strongly with stand him Be thou but our helper and no feare can assault vs stand thou but by vs and though the world should be ouer-whelmed and the Mountaines tumbled into the bottome of the Sea yet shall wee be safe for thou art our assistance that liuest and raignest world without end Amen The Motiue to the first Prayer in distresse Being a Confession of sinnes and a Petition to be released of the punishments due for the same DAngers and afflictions moue poore men to repaire vnto God not onely in their silent sighes as Anna and Moses did but also in their vnfamed zeale vsing the meanes the tongue and lips in crying vnto the Lord who willeth vs to aske and enioyneth vs to waite vntill his good time be to giue what we desire And for that God heareth not sinners here is inserted a Confession and Prayer for forgiuenesse that our vnworthinesse may be put away and our vnaptnesse turned into true submission and our coldnes into zeale that the Spirit of God being renewed within vs through our humiliation and prayer we may not faint but liue in hope and vndergoe the correction of our louing God in what manner and for what time heseeth it fit for vs without indenting with him what to doe for vs or when to come to vs because he is wise and we our selues fooles he is mercifull and neuer faileth nor forsaketh the miserable God is loue and imbraceth them that deserue to be hated And therefore heâ— beareth with our imperfections and accepteth vs righteous being vnrighteous worthy being vnworthy of our selues And in this hope and assurance is this prayer following to be faithfully vsed and it shall comfort the soule of the most sorrowfull The way truely to seeke our God is to doe iustly to loue mercy to humble our selues and to walke with him Reioyce in hope be patient in tribulation continuing in Prayer Rom. 12. 12. The first Prayer in distresse O Father full of knowledge thou searchest the hidden thoughts of all hearts thou beholdest the desires euen of such as kéepe silence But yet thou requirest that thy children should know and confesse thée to be their Father and so to iudge of thy workes as that thou hast framed in man an heart wherewith to beléeue and a tongue and lips whereby to confesse thée to be his louing Father and dost challenge at his hands the Sacrifices of Prayer and Praise continually Thy children must not be dumbe in their Soules nor mute in their lips that want thine aide no thou commandest them to aske séeke and knocke an t she west thy selfe ready to heare ready to be found and ready to receiue thy distressed ones who are faithfull and patient and perseuere vnto the end And therefore deare Father I beset with many miseries come vnto thee as vnto the chiefe fountaine of all rest and reliefe inward and outward but I am stâ—full and that I confesse and thou wiâ—â— not heare such as are defiled with iniquity the wicked cannot finde thée and the vniust cannot come before thy presence Alas what shall I then doe being so vnfit to aske so vnapt to séeke and so vnworthy to receiue what I desire by reason of my sinnes But cleanse mée O Father most pure and sanctifie mée O thou most holy teach mee what to speake vnto thée for I cannot keepe silence my griefes are great and my miseries increase more and more I must
which the world cannot giue that both our hearts and workes may answere thy Commandements and that our dayes through thy protection may be alwayes quiet from trouble Speake thou peace vnto all people especially to thy Saints Let thy saluation be nigh them that feare thée that glory may dwell within our Land Let mercy and Truth méete together yea let Justice and Peace imbrace each other Let Truth arise out of the Earth and Righteousnesse looke downe from Heauen Let the Mountaines and the Hils bring Peace to the people and Shéepe of thy Pasture Blesse Lord all Countries Cities Townes and places where thy Word doth abide and is purely preached and increase the number of them in the vniuersall World O Lord send them much peace that delight in thy Law let them be without stones to stumble at and blesse them with prosperity within their places O eternall God which hast called vs in peace grant wée may haue peace with all men and let vs highly account of holinesse without which none can sée the Lord nor haue peace in the Lord. Represse the Diuell the breaker of godly Concord and Christian Peace which 〈◊〉 aging throughout al Nations soweth euery where the séede of strife and discord as the Séeds-man of falshood and lâ—es O God of Peace which makest an end of Warre throughout the World protect vs from War and slaughter scatter the Kingdomes that delight in Warre breake and hinder all euill Counsels and the purpose of such as minde after nothing else but the shedding of innocent bloud Let them come to shame and perish through their owne imaginations that practise euill against thy Church Giue all men a desire of peace contented mindes in their vocation and a care to aduance the welfare of that place where they inhabite Where Strife Contention and Discord is amongst men reconcile their hearts and mindes that these flames fires may speedily be put out for thou canst conclude a Truce for vs and all Men and make the Wolfe to dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard to lye downe with the Kid. Make our Tabernacles safe and quiet that about them there may be arich tranquillity which may abound like the Streame running ouer his Bankes and our righteousnesse as the Waues of the Sea which is neuer dry In thee shall wee haue our wished peace and the worke of righteousnesse shall be peace and her fruit rest and quietnesse for euer and thy people shall dwell in the Innes of peace and in sure dwellings and in safe places of comfort Heare vs O Lord of peace and grant that thy peace which passeth all vnderstanding may kéepe our hearts and mindes in the loue of our Lord Jesus Christ who liueth and raigneth with thée in the vnity of the holy Spirit now and for euermore Amen O Lord increase our Faith in Peace A Prayer to be vsed of a Widdow Doth not the teares runne downe the Widdowes checkes and her cry is against them that causeth them for from her cheekes doe they goe into heauen and the Lord which heareth them doth accept them Ecclus. 25. 15. Shee that is a Widdow indeede and left alone trusteth in God and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day But shee that liueth in play is dead while shee liueth 1 Tim. 5. 5 6. O Eternall and most mercifull God which according to thine holy will hast made mée a poore distressed Widdow by taking away my beare and louing husband out of this transitory world vnto thée do I cry in this my misery haue mercy on mée I humbly beséech thée and forgiue all mine offences which I haue committed against thy diuine â—aiesty be fauourable vnto mée O Lord and take pitty on mée for I am alone and comfortlesse Behold mine affliction and misery relieue my wants as thou didst relieue that Widdow of Sarepta whom thou diddest most miraculously preserue by the Prophet Elias take the like compassion on mée assist mée behold my necessity and deliuer mée out of all troubles Grant likewise that I may finde fauour in the sight of all Gouernours and Magistrates that I be not iniured contrary to equity In like manner let mée finde amongst men Christian consideration and commiseration of my present â—state and succour with godly counsell protect mée from false tongues which are like rasors cutting deceitfully and as the sharpe arrowes of a mighty man Kéepe mée O Lord from slander and from the tongues of wicked men which with poysoned words haue bent themselues to cast downe the poore and néedy and to destroy such as are of vpright conuersation I humbly betéech thée O Lord to giue mée grace to liue in this mine estate of widowhood chastly and godly shewing my selfe an example of godlinesse to others putting alwayes my hope and affiance in thy mercy let me with all patience and fortitude indure all crosses laid vpon me and continue faithfully in making of supplicatious night and day vnto thée Looke how the eyes of a seruant are vpon her Mistresse so are mine eyes bent vpon thée my Lord vntill thou haue mercy on me Haue mercy therefore O Lord on mée for I am full of infirmity heare me O Father euen for Christs sake thy Sonne and my Sauiour to whom be giuen all praise and honour now and euermore Amen A Prayer for one that prepares himselfe for marriage House and riches are the inheritance of the fathers but a prudent wife commeth of the Lord Pro. 19. 14. Well is hee that dwelleth with a wife of vnderstanding Ecclus. 25. 8. Blessed is he that hath a vertuous wife for the number of his yeares shall be double an honest woman recouereth her husband and she shall fill the yeares of his life with peace A vertuous woman is a good portion which shall be giuen as a gift vnto such as feare and serue the Lord Ecclus. 26. 1. 2. 3. O Heauenly God euerlasting and most powerful Father I do prostrate my selfe before the throne of thy Maiesty humbly thanking thée in that thou hast formed mée in the wombe of my mother and suffered mée to be borne such as I am maintained me likewise from mine infancy to this instant and preserued me from infinite perils for it is through thy goodnesse and fatherly blessing that I haue attained to the yéeres I am now in and in that time thou hast taught mee by thy holy word to know Jesus Christ thy beloued Sonne the onely ioy and comfort that a Christian can haue because in the true knowledge of him consisteth eternall life and therefore I cannot sufficiently yéelde thée praise for the infinite and innumerable benefits thou hast bestowed on me Neuerthelesse because thou hast commanded vs to call vpon thée in all our necessities and most louingly hast promised to heare vs let it now please thée graciously to helpe me For I haue found and proued that in regard of mine owne natures corruption I cannot continue chaste and blamelesse except I vse the meanes which thou
wisdome and humblenesse and obedience and mortification and zeale and faith and hope and all graces that may change me from sinne to sanctity from darkenesse to light and from coldnesse to a more perfect zeale to serue thée in all things Teach me O Lord teach mée to execute my vocation truely and perfectly and giue such issue and blessed successe to all my endeauours labours purposes and procéedings as I may discharge my duety in obedience to thy diuine Maiestie to my brethren in loue and equity and to my selfe and mine in godly care and true piety And let thy holy Spirit so guide and gouerne mée this day and for euer that I may more and more fructifie increase in all godlinesse vntil thou shalt cut off this corruptible life After which good Father in the merits of thy Son let me inhabite euermore inherite that heauenly City new Ierusalem where thou sittest and raignest one God with whom shall liue all thine elect in ioyes vnspeakable for euer Amen O Lord increase our Faith A Morning Prayer where the FAMILY assembles O Almighty God full of loue and pitty the chiefest comfort that any sinfull soule can haue when wée miserable sinners here met together doe consider of thy great mercy and goodnesse which we haue euer since our births and before found and daily doe finde at the hands of thy diuine Maiesty together with our great vnthankfulnesse euery way to thée againe for the same we must néedes confesse and euen from the bottom of our hearts doe acknowledge that most vnspeakeable is thy mercy in sparing vs to liue vntill this morning before which time thou mightest iustly haue consumed vs. But O deare God of thy frée mercies before the foundation of the World was laid thou hast chosen and elected vs for thy Children and hast to our endlesse comfort certified and made knowne the same vnto our spirits by thy spirit by whom and not of our selues wee now cry vnto thée Abba father and for our Redemption hast sent thine owne Sonne to shed his most precious bloud vpon the Crosse no other meanes being whereby wée could be saued Thou hast by thy holy Spirit wrought Faith in our hearts to beléeue by him and in him to be iustified before thée and in some measure begunne the death of sinne in vs and wrought our sanctification and of thy frée fauour we enioy the benefit of thy Word the freedome of conscience great peace and plenty in outward things with many and infinite other benefits waking and sléeping at home and abroad in our selues and our friends for all which instead of thankefulnesse wee become the more disobedient not doing that wée ought to doe but with pleasure and profit with vanity and selfe-loue wée are carried away spending our daies in iniquity carelesnesse and vnféeling of our sinne and there is no goodnesse in vs yet is there mercy with thée O Lord and pardon vpon repentance Wherefore we here this Morning met together before thy Maiesty humbly confesse our wants and most entirely beséech thée for Jesus Christs sake to haue mercy vpon vs Haue mercy vpon vs most mercifull Father and forgiue vs all that is past strengthen vs hereafter that daily both in bodies and soules we may glorifie thée more then we haue done yéelding thankes for daily benefits and striuing in holinesse and righteousnes to please thée all the dayes of our life But because we cannot but offend and fall diuers wayes and euery day good Lord for thy mercy sake pierce our hearts with a féeling of the same and neuer suffer vs to goe on with dull and dead soules not séeing nor sighing for our offences As a speciall meanes to kéepe vs in obedience before thée O deare Father worke in vs a continuall remembrance and an effectuall consideration that wée shall not alwayes liue here in this wretched world that doth much please vs now but that a day wil come when the trumpe shall sound the Dead shall arise and all wée shall appeare before the Tribunall seat of Judgement there to receiue according to our déedes without respect of Persons oh good Lord giue vs a remembrance and a féeling of that vnspeakeable comfort and eternall waight of glory which in that day shall be giuen vnto vs if in this day wée serue and please thée and contrariwise euen terrifle our cousciences and let vs as it were see before our faces the dreadfull Judgements and the fearefull Torments that both in Body and Soule they shall be sure to haue for euermore which in this life doe not serue and please thée but follow their owne fancies and wicked delights giue vs an hatred of sinne and a true loue of righteousnesse blesse thy Word euermore with fruit vnto our soules when we heare it giue vs a desire to heare it often and to practise it faithfully and obediently and keepe our hearts euer free from disūmulation and counterfeit holinesse prepare our hearts diligently to watch for the comming of thy Sonne make vs ready fit and willing to meete him in the clouds if thou wilt that we liue to his comming if it please thee in the meane time to call vs let vs with ioy yeeld our bodies to the earth and receiue our soules vnto thy selfe vntill the day when both our bodies and soules shall be remitted and bee totally glorified with thee in Heauen And let this day be a day of our true reformation and repentance that we becomming new creatures may serue thee in holinesse all the dayes of our liues yeelding thee most humble and hearty thankes for thy goodnesse to vs this night let thy mercifull eye looke vpon vs this day and so keep vs bodies and soules that being occupied in our seuerall callings we may be safe by thee from all our Enemies and liue to thee in feare that we may die in thy fauour and liue hereafter with thee in glory which grant and all things in the meane time necessary for soules and bodies for Christ his sake in whose name we ask them saying as he hath taught vs Our Father vvhich art in heauen hallovved be thy Name Thy Kingdome come Thy Will be done in earth as it is in Heauen Giue vs this day our daily Bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as vve forgiue them that trespasse against vs and lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill For thine is the Kingdome the povver and the glory for euer and euer Amen Let thy mighty hand and out-stretched arme O Lord be still our defence thy mercy louing kindnesse in Iesus Christ our saluation thy true and holy vvord our instruction thy grace and holy Spirit our comfort and consolation vnto the end and in the end Amen The Lord blesse vs and saue vs and make his face to shine vpon vs and be mercifull vnto vs the Lord turne his fauourable countenance tovvards vs this day and euermore Amen A priuate Prayer for the EVENING The Motiue I Will lay
me downâ— and also sleepe in peace for thou Lord onely makest me dwellin safety Psal. 4. 8. Dauid by this declareth his ovvne bodily infirmity vvherunto all men are likevvise subiect namely to such debility as without rest and sleepe they cannot long continue yet this rest as he acknowledgeth may be a troublesome rest vnles God blesse it for as Dauid did so all men lye downe and take their rest but all not in peace for such as lye downe forgetting God God leaueth them to themselues and so their sleepe in stead of peace turneth into troublesome dreames idle sinfull imaginations horrible visions and fearefull fantasies whereby not onely the body is distempered but the soule also grieuously vexed And therefore though we couch vs on a bed of Downe with Curtaines of gold Couerings of silke these administer not the peace that Dauid speaketh of but God is he that giueth it onely It is not then the sweet sound of Musicke or the cradle of pleasures that can giue vs that peaceable sleepe and safe rest that Dauid speaketh of but Prayer vnto God in faith and true attonement with him in Christ thoughts free from sinne and the conscience cleered may safely assure a man that when he lyeth downe God is with him and when he riseth vp God wil not giue him ouer but be his God louing and mercifull for euer A Prayer for the Euening MY God and Father louing and al-sufficient I yéeld thée praise and thankes for thy mercies in that thou hast this day past strongly guarded mée with thy hand louingly refreshed mée with thy fauours and now safely brought mée to the end of this day night and darkenesse being at hand wherein all thy creatures draw to their rest And I wretched creature finding mine owne infirmity and imbecillity run now vnto thy heauenly fauour who hast made me of that brittle and grosse matter as cannot continue without rest after labour without sléepe after waking and without comfort after sorrow and griefe I doe therefore beséech thée as thou art the Fountaine of all rest and succour and health and helpe so thou wilâ— consider mée in my weakenesse and giue mée strength sée and behold my miseries and be mercifull vnto me And sith the time now is come wherein I couet rest and sléepe receiue me into thy protection and yéelde me thy helping hand that when this my corrupt lumpe of flesh shall through the heauinesse and dulnesse of sléepe be depriued of mouing and sense and ablenesse to helpe it selfe I may be kept safe and securely preserued by thée for it is thy selfe Lord onely that makest mée dwell and abide in safety Thou art my Watch-man when I slumber thou art my Defender when I am in danger thou art my Castle my Rocke my Sword my Buckler and my Refuge thou art to me and for me all in all without thée what am I but a beast that know nothing but a blocke that féele nothing but a wretch that can doe nothing rightly And therefore deare Father stretch out thy louing fauour ouer the house wherein I rest let thy Angels compasse the bed whereon I rest and thy holy Spirit kéepe my soule and spirit in peace when I rest that I may rest in peace that I may rise in peace and liue in peace that the troubles of the world dismay me not that the sleights of sinne deceiue mée not and that the deuices of the wicked ouertake me not but as I am weake of my selfe I may be made strong by thy strength as I am poore of my self I may be made able by thy riches and as I am ignorant of my selfe I may be made wise in thée so shall my lying downe be acceptable my sléepe comfortable and my rising vp profitable In hope of this thy free bountie louing fauour and high prouidence I will lay me downe and take my rest let it be in peace and Lord let it be vnto me and all thine when they rest swéet and comfortable in thée who makest all thine to rest and rise vp in safety Amen O Lord increase our Faith An Euening Prayer where the Family assembles O Most high mighty God Father and Protector of all things in heauen earth before whom all creatures feare and tremble were it not in that thou hast commanded vs neuer durst wée appeare before thée so corrupt is our nature and so many are our sinnes But good Father thou doest bid and therefore wée obey thou doest call and therefore we come giue vs spirits to pray aright Wee yéelde thée most humble and hearty thankes for all the mercies that euer thou hast bestowed vpon vs in body or minde in our selues or in ours priuate or common temporall or eternall Many and marueilous haue they béene and still are vpon vs yea eueu good Lord past finding out This day what thou hast done for vs which of vs knoweth or is able to expresse Father of heauen forgiue vs that wée cannot acknowledge them or praise thée for them as we ought and quicken vs in this duty more and more Pardon and forgiue vs whatsoeuer we haue offended thée withall this day or at any time either in thought word or déede euen our secret sinnes such as we haue committed and know not of remit them vnto vs for Christs sake change vs O Lord and we shall be changed create in vs cleane hearts and renue a right spirit within vs. Breake the strength of sin that would subdue vs more more And O mercifull Father so frame these hearts of ours within vs that we may more delight to liue according to thy will then to enioy all the world and all the pleasures therein Lay it often good Lord before our eyes by thy remembring Spirit that thou hast not breathed the breath of life into vs that we should liue as we list but that in holines and righteousnesse we should walke before thée all our daies Lay it before vs O Lord that the time will come when the Trumpet shall sound the dead shal rise and we euen we here met together at this time all and euery one of vs shal most assuredly stand before thy Judgement-seate with naked hearts with open and vnâ—olded consciences there to giue an account how and what we haue done Then shall all such as haue beléeued in Christ and truely serued thée in this life to their endlesse ioy heare that most comfortable voice of thine Come ye blessed of my Father possesse the Kingdome prepared for you But woe woe to all carelesse liuers in that day they shall drinke the wiue of the wrath of God be tormented in fire and briâ—stone before the holy Angels before the Lambe They shall haue no rest day nor night and the smoake of their torment shall ascend for euermore Father of heauen haue mercy vpon vs knit these hearts of ours fast vnto thée and now while we haue time giue vs grace not onely rightly to thinke of these things but
so to walke before thée in this present life as becommeth thy Saints O continue thy word of truth amongst vs euer to our comfort Let the séede thereof now sowne in our hearts take such déepe roote that neither the burning heate of persecntion cause it to wither nor the thorny cares of this world riches or voluptuous liuing choake it but as séede sowne in good ground it may bring forth fruit according to thy pleasure O Father giue vs grace that when we heare or â—â—nde by thy word any sinne that is in vs we may striue and study without delay willingly to reforme it Kéepe vs good God that wée neuer swarue for the feare of man from our owne true knowledge becomming seruers of time and deuiers of thée Kéepe vs from all hardnesse of heart contempt of thy word and from all dissembling of sinceritie Increase true loue amongst vs more and more Blesse thy whole Church O God with graces necessary this parcell of it our natiue Land and Country deare Father blesse it still with continuance of thy truth Iessen in it daily the number of blinde and ignorant Papists prophane Atheists and increase the number of thy true children Preserue vnto vs long aliue good Lord if it please thée our gracious King and Gouernour multiply thy Spirit vpon him and all his that still more and more he and they may séeke and set forth thy glory in maintaining Christian religion in all purity suppressing all vice superstition and Idolatry with all seuerity Giue vnto him an honourable Counsell giue them graces necessary for such a calling Blesse all other Nobles Magistrates and the whole body of this Realme with true hearts to thée and to this Countrey Increase in this our Israel the number of true Watchmen whose hearts may séeke thée and thy people and not their owne glory and commodity Bring to thy fold by them such wandring remnants as are thine And O Lord be gracious to our kindred and friends in the flesh lighten their hearts with the Sunne of vnderstanding that they and wée acknowledgeing one truth may glorifie thée in the true and constant profession of the same all the dayes of our life Comfort O Christ thy afflicted members wheresoeuer or howsoeuer troubled and grant vs peace in our dayes if it be thy pleasure Finally because the night is now vpon vs and we ready to take our rest let the bed O Lord strike into our hearts a consideration that the graue is almost ready for vs. Which of vs can tell whether these eies of ours once closed vp shall euer open any more againe or no Lord therefore receiue vs into thy hands we all here now commend our selues bodies soules vnto thy holy protection and prouidence kéepe vs this night and euermore ready for thée when thou shalt call vs. Heare vs O Lord O God and Father mercifull in these our petitions for thy Sonne Jesus Christ his sake our Sauiour in whose name we altogether begge these mercies saying as Christ our Sauiour hath taught vs Our Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdome come Thy Will be done in earth as it is in Heauen Giue vs this day our daily Bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs and lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill For thine is the Kingdome the power and the glory for euer and euer Amen Let thy mighty hand and out-stretched arme O Lord be still our defence thy mercy louing kindnesse in Iesus Christ our saluation thy true and holy word our instruction thy grace and holy Spirit our comfort and consolation vnto the end and in the end Amen The Lord blesse vs and saue vs and make his face to shine vpon vs and be mercifull vnto vs the Lord turne his fauourable countenance towards vs this night and euermore Amen A Prayer to be vsed in priuate Families Morning and Euening Leuit. 26. 6. If yee truely serue God yee shall sleepe and none shall make you afraid Lord prepare our hearts open our lips sanctifie our prayers and increase our Faith O Most mighty Lord God and our most mercifull and louing Father in Jesus Christ we thy poore creatures and vnworthy children humbly present our selues in his name before thy glorious maiesty acknowledging that we be most vnworthy to appeare in thy presence by reason not onely of our originall but also of our continuall actuall sinnes and déepe disobedienee being originally borne the children of wrath and the least of our actuall transgressions is sufficient to cast vs into hell and vtter perdition if thou shouldest deale with vs according to the measure of our manifold iniquities We therefore doe humbly beséech thée O mercifull Father in the merits of Jesus Christ fréely to pardon and forgiue our manifold offences both in that wée haue committed and done those things thou hast forbidden and left vndone the things thou hast commanded Lord forgiue vs and remember our sinnes no more let them neuer good and gracious Father rise vp in Judgement to our condemnation Giue vs a full assurance of thy mercies and frée forgiuenesse in Jesus Christ and let thy holy Spirit from henceforth euermore so sanctifie our hearts minds and bodies that wée neuer hereafter giue consent to the corrupt motions of our fleshly affections and vnclean desires and let the liuely light of thy continuall presence so illuminate our dark vnderstandings that we may still search for thy will in thy word reuealed and giue vs will and power to practise and performe all godly seruice duties and obedience to thée giue vs féeling hearts that we may finde out our own weakenesse and confesse vnto thée our infirmities and that we may boldly in the Name of thy Sonne Christ Jesus fall downe before thée calling faithfully and sincerely vpon thy holy name for pardon for our former euils for grace to reforme so the rest of our wicked liues that thou maist be pleased to accept vs anew into thy fauour and fatherly protection Grant that we may continually féele in our hearts and consciences more and more the virtue and power of the death resurrection of our Lord and Sauior Jesus Christ that we may continually striue against and mortifie our grosse sins and foule corruptions and grow more strong against all euill motions and temptations in thought word and déede and be more and more renewed in the spirit of our mind and féele a continuall increase of ioy and comfort in the reading hearing and meditating of thy holy and heauenly word and a feruency of true zeale to séekethy glory by encreasing more and more in knowledge and in the hatred of sinne in our selues rebuking it in others especially in those of whom we haue charge and in a happy and faithfull going forward in all godly obedience vnto thy will all the dayes of our liues Direct and strengthen vs that we may with all faithfulnesse labour to
in righteousnesse Pro. 25. 5. VVE render and yéelde vnto thée all possible thanks O Lord of mercy King of all Kings and Kingdomes of the Earth for as a great blessing vnto vs thou hast placed ouer vs in this Realme so â—ure a guide of true Religion IAMES by thy heauenly prouidence our gracious King vnder whom enioying frée liberty of the true seruice of thée wée rest in a quiet estate both of body and minde wée humbly beséech thée to behold with thy eyes of mercy the same thy Seruant our Soueraigne Lord and Gouernour to replenish his heart with the grace of thy holy Spirit that hee by the working thereof being inclined to the setting forth of thy Word may walke according to the truth of the same sincerely that wée thy Seruants and vnder thée his Subiects séeing his godly examples may be ashamed to fall from that true forme of honoring thy Name which for thy glory through thy grace by the rule of thy holy Word is prescribed vnto vs and vouchsafe to stir vp in him zeale of thy glory a desire to establish whatsoeuer wanteth in this Church of England for the increase of true and sincere Discipline Let no ignorance abide in his Royall heart but inrich him with diuine and heauenly Knowledge giue him an obedient minde abounding with all humility towards thy diuine Maiestie saue and defend him from the tyranny of forraigne Powrr and Authoritie and from all such as professe not inwardly vnfaigned zeale of thy Gospell giue him godly Counsellors and such zealous and true hearted Ministers of thy Will that hee and wée may sincerely serue thée in this life and in the end for euermore raigne with thée in thy heauenly Kingdome for Jesus Christ his sake our onely Aduocate Amen A Prayer for obedience vnto God Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as when his voyâ—e is obayed Behold to obay is better then sacrifice to harken is better then the fat of Rams 1 Sam. 15. 22. Paul commendeth the obedience of the Romans Rom. 16. 19. Obay my voyce saith God and I will be your God and ye shall be my people Ier. 7. 23. O God the Gouernour of Heauen and Earth thou that rulest in the highest that only canst doe all things and raignest for euer at whose becke the Pillers of Heauen shake and all Creatures tremble I miserable creature framed of the earth do with great feare and trembling prostrate my selfe before the â—hrone of thy Maiesty acknowledging and confessing my wickednesse and wayes abhominable in thy sight Without thée I thinke not a good thought without thée I doe no good worke without thée I am worse then a worme of the earth yea a beast in thy sight I render vnto thée thanks O God that thou hast vouchsafed mée that knowledge that I may sée and know that I am nothing and vnable to doe any thing without thée Thou art the Potter I the Clay such as thou pleasest to haue me be such canst thou form and fashion me if thou makest me blessed thou shewest thy mercy and grace if thou cast me into hell thou shewest thy iustice executest thy iudgement neither is it my duty to contradict thée why or for what reason thou doest it for thou hast mercy vpon him whom thou louest These things I consider with my selfe O Lord and I feare thy iudgmeÌ„ts depend only on thy mercy Forasmuch therefore as all my safetie and saluation relieth wholy on thee and consisteth in thy hand and power and thou hast shewed thy selfe a mercifull long-suffering God to the whole world hast testified the same indéede in that thou wouldest thy onely Sonne Christ Jesus the innocent should die for our offences should wipe away our sins with his bloud on the Crosse and since thou hast taught vs in al our perturbations and afflictions to call vpon thée craue thy grace and mercy for that thou wilt giue vs althings which we shall aske in the name of thy Sonne I come vnto thée being drosse and clay O mercifull and celestial Father humbly beséeching thée that thou wilt in thy mercy make of this vnworthy carkasse of mine an habitation for thy holy spirit that though I line in the earth I may haue my conuersation holy as in the Heauens O mercifull and most louing Father grant me forgiuenesse of all my sinnes through the death of thy beloued Sâ—n Jesus Christ make me to please thée increase in mee all heauenly vertues and grant that I may perseuere in the same to the end increase in mee that faith and loue towards thée which thou hast begun in me kindle my affections towards thée more and more in liuely obedience that by thy helpe and presence of thy grace I may obtaine euerlasting life which thou hast promised vs of thy méere goodnesse to the end I may praise thée and giue thée thanks in thy celestiall Kingdome for euer and euer Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer to be confirmed in the way of Righteousnesse God is the fountaine of righteousnesse and he that giueth himselfe to righteousnesse is knowne to be borne of him 1 Iohn 2. 29. O Gracious Lord God louing in Jesus Christ Redéemer of mankinde who is the Way the Truth and the Life I humbly begge at thy hands that I may neuer wander nor goe astray from thée who art the way neither at any time to distrust thy promises who art the truth performest whatsoeuer thou dost promise thou art eternall Life more to be destred then any thing in heauen or in earth by thée wée haue learned the true and direct way to eternall saluation thou diddest instruct and teach vs readily how to beléeue what to doe what to hope and in whom we ought to trust by thée we haue learned how vnhappy wée were borne through our first Father Adam by thée we are taught that there is no hope of saluation except by faith in thée we take hold of our frée redemption and adoption in Christ. Thou art the onely light that shâ—nest to all Creatures in the Desert of this World conduding them through the ignorance of their minds from the Egyptian darknes to that blessed Land which thou promisest vnto the méeke and such as follow thée in humility For in vs was nothing but vtter darknesse who neither could discerne our calamitie neither knew from whence to séek the remedy of our misery Thou didst enter into the World in the shape of a Seruant and didst take vpon thée our nature that thy brightnesse might disperse the cloud of our ignorance that by thy precepts thou mightst directour féet in the way of peace by the examples of thy life in thy humility thou didst limit out a path for vs to immortality making it easie for vs to tread in by thy heauenly way so becamest thou vnto vs a way that leadeth to Life in which lest we should be wearied thou hast assured vs by
oflife with such sincerity and bolduesse as neither feare nor affection may hinder the same that we thy flocke may fructifie and increase our knowledge in Faith thereby and more and more desire to féede at that the Table of thy Word and be filled open my heart as thou didst Lidyacs that I may attend with diligence to the preaching of thy Word Send forth store of Labourers O good Lord into thy Haruest which by their carefull paines and faithfull endeuours may gather the dispersed sheaues of thy Church into thy celestiall Barne and banish from this wholesome worke all such as are not sent from thée and come not truly to edifie but rather to reape their owne gaine making as it were maâ—… chandise of thy holy Word teaching in stead of truth the tradition of men Lord vouchsafe grace into the lips of those that are now prepared to declare thy will grace into our hearts that are present to heare it that they by teaching truely and we by following effectually may through Christ obtaine of thée remission of our sinnes past light instead of darkenesse peace for trouble and heauenly happinesse in stead of worldly felicitie that tasting the swéetnesse of celestiall comfort we may despise terrestriall and after this life ended enioy the perfect ioyes of eternall felicity through Jesus Christ our Sauiour and Redéemer O Lord increase our Faith A Prayer after the Preaching of the holy Word Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Luke 11. 28. The hearers of the Lavv are not righteous but the doers of the Lavv shall be iustified Rom. 2. 13. Be ye doers of the word not hearers onely deceiuing your selues Rom. 1. 22. O Heauenly Father and most mercifull God séeing that wee haue now receiued the benefit of the hearing of thy heauenly and holy word by the mouth of thy Minister the fruits whereof doetend to the perfection of a godly life and a godly life is the way to eternall life in Christ our Lord vouchsafe O good Father we humbly beséech thée to imprint in our hearts the gladsome and most comfortable tidings which wée haue heard and receiued this day of thée by the mouth of thy Minister and grant that in faith vnfained â—t may lay vp the same in our vnderstanding and remembrance lest that forgetting the same and neglecting the exercise of a godly life wée be taken away as trées that beare no truit and so be cast into the fire therefore we most humbly pray and beséech thée that thou wouldest send vs thy holy Spirit the Comforter which may retaine the good tidings of the Gospell in our hearts wherby we may appeare as trées bearing good fruits and so be preserued vntill the comming of our Lord Jesus who will then receiue vs and giue vs the inheritance which he hath purchased for as many as beléeue in his most holy Word Amen O Lord increase our Faith A Prayer for the Sabbath day at night O euerlasting and mercifull God I giue thée thankes from the bottome of my heart that of thy mercy thou hast nourished and preserued me by thy diuine power and gouerned me by thy Word holy Spirit this day and all this wéeke yea and at all other times of my life protected me by thy power and prouidence and I most humbly beséech thée for the merits of Christ Jesus to couer and bury all my misdéedes which heretofore I haue committed in thought word and déede against thy diuine Maiestie in the death of thy Sonne Forgiue O Lord the euill that I haue committed supply the good which I haue omitted restore what I haue lost heale my sores cleanse my filthinesse lighten my darkenesse and alter the whole state of my minde that nothing may be wanting to good purposes in me nor any thing lurke in mee which may offend thée Water O Lord the séede of thy holy Word which I haue receiued this day with the dew of thy grace that with sound iudgement and godly deuotion I may practise such things as are pleasing to thy diuine Maiestie and that my heart being alwayes obedient to thy Commandements I may passe my time in peace through thy protection O Lord stretch out thy hand ouer me and of thy accustomed goodnes defend me this night Kéepe me from searefull and wicked dreames vnprofitable cares idle cogitations and outward violence Compasse me about on euery side with thy grace that when I shall either take care for things of this life or carefully séeke for those things which appertaine vnto the Kingdome of heauen I may heare the voyce of thy holy Spirit sounding in my heart from the mouth of the Apostie The Lord shall relieue thee in all thy necessities and yeelde thee a Crowne of eternall glory with Christ his beloued in the heauens Grant O Lord this and all other graces méete for me euen for Jesus Christs sake my onely Lord and Sauiour Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer to be said before a man begins his Labour or enter into the execution of any profession OMnipotent God and most mercifull Father since thou hast commanded that all humane creatures shall labour and eate their bread in the sweat of their browes while they abide in this life and yet séeing no man can prosper without thy blessing or receiue any good successe in his affaires we humbly beséech thée that thou wouldest blesse our labours in such sort as therby we may haue iust occasion to confesse thy goodnesse assistance and fatherly care which thou takest of vs. Let thy holy Spirit O Lord be our guide to the end we may faithfully exercise the workes of our estate and vocation without any fraud or deceit giue vs grace rather to regard the following of thine ordinance then to satisfie the appetite of our owne sinfull flesh which couets to enrich it selfe by any meanes whatsoeuer Neuerthelesse if it be thy pleasure to blesse and prosper our endeuours grant vs also chéerefull dispositions to helpe and relieue such as are in distresse according to thy talents best owed vpon vs. And let vs kéepe within the bounds of humility not puffing our selues vp aboue the poore and needy by that which we enioy by thy bounty and goodnes But if thy good pleasure be so to deale with vs as to abase and impouerish vs farre beyond that which our weake nature can beare yet vouchsafe to enrich vs with cleauing faithfully to thy promises whereby we shall no way fall into distrust but rather be more certainely assured that thou wilt neuer forsake vs in the extremity of our wants and calamities inable vs to performe truely the duties of our callings giue vs the vse of all our limmes and senses with an holy endeuour to performe our callings and patience to attend thy leasure to replenish vs both with temperall and spirituall comforts receiuing thereby daily new occasion to giue thée praise and thankes and to expect all things from thée Heare vs
let him come to this holy Table let him eate the Bread and drinke the Bloud of that Lambe that taketh away his sinnes and will present him pure vnto the Lord. The Lords eye is pure and can abide no wickednesse The Sacrament is holy touch it not rashly If thou haue not on the wedding Garment of sincerity come not the Lord will finde thee out and thrust thee forth of his presence among the vnbeleeuers whose portion shall be with the Diuell and his Angels Let vs therefore search and examine our wayes let vs lift vp our hands with our hearts vnto God in the Heauens and feede on this holy mysterie the life of our soules in remembrance of Christs death vntill his second comming O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer to be said at the receiuing of the holy Communion OH most gracious Lord God mercifull and louing Father in Jesus Christ my Redéemer in whom thou art also my Father by Adoption in and by thy Sonne my soule O Lord which was lost in Adam bought and redéemed by the Death and Passion of Jesus Christ doth earnestly long and entirely desire to be more and more assured that I am fully and really vnited vnto thée againe in him and therefore I doe hunger and thirst to partake of those meanes whereby that sweete and precious vnion may be confirmed in mée Increase my knowledge more and more of thy sauing truth reuealed vnto vs in thy word and increase my faith to beléeue what thou hast taught for our saluation let me take perfect and assured hold of my regeneration wrought in me by Baptisme the seale of thy promise set vpon mée when I knew not thy Law wherein as I promised to forsake sinne and cleaue vnto righteousnesse so Lord let the operation of thy holy Spirit then promised worke in my soule a true detestation of the workes of darknesse and loue vnfained to thy celestiall and diuine light And for that thou in Christ hast left vnto vs a second seale of thy loue and our adoption the Sacrament of the body and bloud of that immaculate Lambe who for a remembrance of his death our frée adoption by him instituted the same at his last supper with his Disciples and commanded thy Saints dispersed through the world through all generations to this day and for euer to the end of the world to communicate of this holy Sacrament in commemoration of that high and most preuailing sacrifice the offering of thy Son vpon the Crosse for our redemption and attonement with thée And therefore most louing Father I come in the name of him thy Son not of my selfe presuming but in all humblenes through his merits vnto this holy Table to partake with the rest of thy Saints by adoption here at this time gathered together of this holy and heauenly banquet humbly begging at thy hands for his sake that it may please thée to prepare my heart which of it selfe is not onely dull but prophane teach me being of my selfe not onely ignorant of this sacred mystery but too much knowing sinne Sanctifie me by thy holy Spirit who of my selfe am not onely corrupt but wholly prone to euill euermore consequently vnworthy to eat at this holy Table to partake of thy loue so vnspeakable Oh forgiue me Father in thy Christ here represented vnto vs ingraft in me a liuely assurance that my sinnes are done away by his bloud giue me faith to beléeue in him who by faith is made ours and we in him thine by adoption elected euen of thy frée mercy and made heires with Christ Jesus of eternall glory whereof this holy mystery is the most assured pledge Oh make me a worthy partaker of so precious a benefit And for that sinners Lord are not admitted to this sacred banquet of sauing foode where shall I appeare whose sinnes drew downe from heauen him whom thou most dearely louedst and betraid him to the Crosse how then shall I presume to appeare in this holy assembly appointed for thy Saints onely a Table of sanctitie whereof none partake but such as are frée from sinne Who then Lord dare presume to eate of this bread or to drinke of this Cup onely those whom thou hast called who though sinners by nature yet are they thy children by grace and so their sinnes are not imputed vnto them for whom Christ by his death hath satisfied apprehended by faith shewed forth in newnesse of life and wrought in vs by his righteousnesse in whose name accept me good Father and let the garment of his innocency couer my sinnes and so let me come to this holy Table And as a new man shaped in holinesse and righteousnesse let mée euermore henceforth walk before thée and more delight in thy Commandements then in any or in all worldly things let me by thy power be powerfull ouer Satan let his instigations neuer preuaile in me and let all corrupt affections die in me and let mee wholly die to sinne and liue to righteousnesse and true holinesse And for that I liue among men of diuers dispositions giue me grace to loue all but to couet to conuerse onely with such as are thine as néere as I may to reuenge me of none but to forgiue all wrongs and iniuries and so farre to forget them as I may studie and endeuour to doe good vnto all especially to such as are of the communion of Saints And enlighten mine vnderstanding more and more that I may seé and consider alwayes mine owne weakenesse wants and imperfections that I may so much the more beare with others by how much I cannot but confesie I come farre short of my duty to theé who so offendeth mee most I offend thée much more And therefore good Father frame in my heart loue vnfained true patience and liuely obedience Leaue me not either to the dulnesse peruersenesse or pride of mine owne nature or to mine owne corrupt will make mée little and lowly in mine owne eyes and giue me humblenesse of spirit and indue me with all heauenly vertues that I may rrsemble my first estate of innocency and let my present estate of grace come neere to resemble thy dearest children yea thy selfe who as thou forgauest vs in him that was Lord of all and for vs became as a seruant by his bloud washed away our sins offering his most innocent body a sacrifice for our sinnes whose rent body and spilt bloud being here represented vnto vs by bread and wine I doe most humbly pray theé that wée may be accepted worthy receiuers of his true body and bloud signified thereby and that we may féele euen instantly a renewing of our mindes our hearts to be changed from all corrupt affections and our soules swallowed vp with the due contemplation of this most sacred mystery wherein thou giuest vs not onely thy visible creatures of bread and wine to refresh our weake bodies but thine owne Sonne to saue our soules and bodies Oh who is worthy to open the
them there will be much required and that our sinnes will be the greater and our iudgement the more heauy if we make not right vse of this thy mercy And concerning the Watch-man whom thou hast appointed ouer our soules wée beséech thée to inlarge his heart to increase his gifts and to replenish him yet with a fuller measure of thy Graces Giue him O Lord the true zeale and spirit of Paul that he may with all boldnesse of spéech giue vnto vs thy Gospell and publish euen the secrets thereof for the edifying and comfort of our soules Make him powerfull in the holy Scriptures like Apolloes that by the power thereof hée may both conuict our consciences and stoppe the mouthes of all gaine-sayers Powre into him thy holy Spirit the word of wisedome and knowledge that he may rightly iudge of our estates and vnderstand what things are most expedient and necessary for vs and so may speake to our consciences finding vs out in our speciall sinnes and directing vs in those holy courses from which wée haue chiefely strayed Let his words pricke our hearts forward that wée may not be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Make him firme and constant in the best courses that he may not be as a Réede shaken with the winde but as a sure foundation that by his perseuerance in good workes our hearts may be the better established And wée beséech thée O Christ who commandest the Starres and holdest them in thy right hand to defend him from vnreasonable and euill men and from the wrongs and iniuries of the wicked enemies of thy truth for doubtlesse men of corrupt mindes will resist the Truth with all their power Therefore good Lord blesse his labour to the calling and conuerting of those which are elected vnto saluation Make our hearts flexible to yéelde true obedience to thy Word deliuered from his mouth that wée may receiue it not as the word of a man but as it is indéede thy Word and make it also effectuall in vs that wée may not onely be professors and hearers of thy holy will but also practisers and continuall performers of the same And teach vs to reuerence him wée beséech thée and to loue him for his profession and workes sake not sparing our goods to relieue him knowing it is a small thing for him to â—eape our earthly things who soweth amongst vs spiritual food for our soules In all our Supplications make vs mindefull of him without ceasing that his studies may be directed his endeauours guided and his labours in thy worke blessed to the glory of thy holy name and the saluation both of him and of vs which heare him All which we humbly and earnestly begge at thy fatherly hands for thy deare Sonnes sake who hath ordained Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of his Saints and who is the supreme and soueraigne Bishop of all our soules to whom be all praise honour and glory now and for euermore Amen O Lord increase our Faith A Prayer for the true obseruation of the Commandements of the Lord. O Omnipotent and euerlasting God maker of heauen and earth who hast froÌ„ the very beginning promised to be our Lord and our God our fortresse our buckler and defence our castle refuge who hast brought vs with a mighty and strong hand with an out-stretched arme out of the land wherein we were strangers and liued in bondage vnder the yoake and tyranny of Antichrist and Satan into the land that floweth with milke and hony and of true Religion wherewith thou feédest the Soules of the faithfull ones to their vnspeakeable comfort grant that as through thy mercy and loue thou vouchsafest to bring vs into this world and to frame vs to thine owne image and likenesse so wée may account thée as our onely God worshipping none other besides thée making our selues none image of any likenesse either of things aboue or things beneath nor to séeke helpe at the hands of any as a God beside thée who as by thy mighty power thou broughtest the children of Israel out of Egypt by the hands of Moses and Aaron where they were in bondage and were continually oppressed with sundry kinds of vexations both of body and minde so thou hast vouchsafed to bring vs and deliuer vs from a greater bondage and slauery euenfrom the power of Sathan vnder whose tyranny wée rested and now escaped not by any other pollicie strength or power but by the bloud-shedding of thine only Sonne Jesus Christ who tooke vpon him the death of the Crosse for our sakes to bring vs from darkenesse wherein we walked according to the wil of the flesh vnto the true knowledge of thée againe and to redéeme vs out of the bondage of sin into the land of righteousnes from blind ignorance to the bright shining day-starre of thy heauenly will who art not onely a most louing and most gentle Father but also a most sharpe punisher and reuenger who art not onely desirous that we should come vnto thée but art also most iealous ouer vs lest wée should séeke or follow any other gods besides thée yea in all our afflictions and troubles thou wilt that wée séeke onely thée and being relieued to attribute the onely meane thereof vnto thy selfe whereby thou hast promised to be mercifull vnto thousands that â—oue thée feare thée séeke thée and truely take hold of thée as their onely God and againe threatnest vengeance on the third and fourth generation of them that hate thee and follow strange gods neglecting thy Commandements O God vouchsafe that wée neuer put our féete towards any strange gods appeare their helpe neuer so likely and plentifull but that it may both now and euer continue in our harts to confesse both in word conuersation that there is none other God besides thée who art a most gracious and louing Father Haue mercy vpon vs O Lord haue mercy vpon vs and so vouchsafe to direct vs in all our doings cogitations and words as we may alwayes and in all things fulfill thy will without taking thy most holy and most glorious Name in vaine by blasphemous spéeches dishonouring the same kéepe vs most louing Father not onely from the most detestable sinne of periurie whereby thy holy Name is often defaced and as it were trodden vnder-foote as in making it the author of abhominable falshoods and lyes but from all friuolous and vaine eathes which to the great griefe of thy Children and dishonour of thy Name are most vncomely in the mouthes of such as vnreuerently and rashly vse it euen in common spéeches without any vrgent cause whereby they fall into the most hainous sinne of taking thy most glorious Name in vaine O Lord forgiue vs and grant that we may vse such a reuerent manner and godly order in triall of matters in controuersie as we may be alwayes true hallowers and not abusers of thy Name therein And forasmuch as thou within sixe dayes didst finish all things in the
beginning and in the seuenth day didst rest from the same labour commanding vs to obserue the sanctification of the same for euer and to rest from all labours trauels and wordly businesses and not onely our selues but our Seruants Oxen Asses and such like Grant that we may not onely lay a side all worldly cares and businesses on the Sabbath day but may in all things sanctifie and kéepe it holy with godly exercises diuine prayers and heauenly meditations with diligent regard to the auoyding of all pastimes foolish and vncomely exercises and vnlawfull practices whereby oftentimes the affection being mooued to impatience powreth forth choler to the dishonouring of thée Let our conuersation be altogether modest mortifying our owne desires wholly applying our selues not onely on the Sabbath day but all the wéeke yea all our whole life to the seruice of thée to the honouring and glorifying of thy Name to the benefit of our soules profit of our neighbours and due reuerence to our Parents whom thou hast commanded vs to honor loue and obey as the instruments of our beginning thou being the workman Grant Lord that wee truely and vnfainedly reuerence them as thou willest we should that we may long continue vpon the earth not in the number of carelesse and disobedient children in whom resteth no thankfulnesse for so great benefits had and receiued at the hand of their parents from whom thou hast said thou wilt with-hold thy blessings and altogether depriue them of their libertie of liuing But grant that we may so order our selues by thy grace both to them and other our Superiours that wee may receiue at thy hands many good gifts and length of dayes here according to thy promise in Christ. Let it likewise please thee O Lord to continue thy blessings in and vpon vs that it may goe well with vs all the dayes of our liues take from vs Lord all destres of reuenge all rancour hatred and malice lest the Diuell who reaâ—ily stands to pricke vs forward to a desperate minde procure vs to slay the innocent Wée beséech thée good Lord let not at any time such euill imaginations enter into our hearts lest wée giuing our selues thereunto loose the reynes of our naturall disposition which is 〈◊〉 inclined to wrath that vnlesse the strength thereof be subdued or the venomous sâ—ing thereof pluckt out by vertue of thy holy Spirit it prouoke vs to waite opportunity to wreake our malice with violence vpon such as by small occasions haue offended vs yea and by little and little breake out into that height of hatred as to prouoke vs to séeke the meanes to destroy the innocent O Lord forbid it and kéepe vs from the most pernitious sinne of adultery which being so odious in thy sight as thou causedst to fall in one day for the same twenty and thrée thousand but indue vs with thine holy Spirit that we may kéepe our bodies cleane and vndefiled members of thée endued with perfect sanctity may abandon all occasions that may procure vs to offend thée retaining a godly behauiour which thou dearely louest and expelling euill concupiscence which thou deadly hatest O mercifull God vouchsafe to kéepe vs from taking any thing by indirect meanes from any man whom wee ought to loue as our selues the desire whereof good Lord procéedeth often by scarcitie and want by pouerty and néede which indéede thou art able and willing to relieue without any such vnlawfull meanes And therfore I beséech thée to grant vs a sufficient and necessary portion or else constancy and vnfained hope in thee to be relieued in thy good time and vtterly to detest the horrible sinne of stealing for thou hast promised neither to faile vs nor forsake vs calâ—ing faithfully vpon thée in time of our necessity And as we ought to beware of taking any thing of others by steaith so likewise vouchsafe when any occasion serueth to grant vs héedfull mindes to depose and testifie that which is truth according to our knowledge without any respect either of greatnesse friendship or fauour of the one or the eâ—uy malice or pouerty of the other And grant that wée raise no false accusation or slander vpon any man but that wée may kéepe our mouthes from speakeing any thing hurtfull vnto others but to shew our selues helpefull both in word and déede to all and like good men muse and meditate afore-hand what we ought to speake not letting the bridle of our lips loose to babble out that which first commeth into our mindes and that we may content ourselues with our estates whatsoeuer thou sendest without an vngodly desire of any thing that belongeth vnto our Neighbours And grant vs by thine especiall grace euermore to obserue and faithfully to fulfill all thy most godly Commandements in the name for the sake of Jesus Christ in whose Name as well for grace to kéepe thy Lawes as also for all necessaries for body and soule I heartily beséech thée in that forme of prayer which hée hath set downe vnto vs in these words Our Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heauen Giue vs this day our daily bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs And leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill For thine is the Kingdome the power and glory for euer and euer Amen A Prayer and Meditation concerning the continuance of Gods corrections notwithstanding our continuall humiliation and daily Prayers vnto him for comfort and reliefe O Father most mercifull and louing in Jesus Christ what shall I bring vnto thée whereby to appease thy wrath conceiued against my sinne If I should bring the sacrifice of Buls or Goates thou art not delighted with them Teach mée therefore O Lord teach me what to doe to be reconciled vnto thée againe I haue long called vpon thée and that in the name of thy most beloued Sonne and finde not that I haue long sought I receiue not that I haue many dayes desired of thée I haue long and earnestly knocked at the doore of thy mercy and finde no entrance for my Soule I sée I am shut out of thy presence I wait and am weary I sigh and sée no remorse and lingring thus in distresse I languish vnder the burden of thy displeasure which séemeth to be so hetly kindled against mée as I am ready to giue ouer my suite For behold Lord my miseries are beyond measure and my griefe groweth daily more and more being of my selfe ignorant what to say more vnto thée then I haue said I know not what course to take nor to whom to make my mone direct mée and heare my prayers Thou being angry with mée all thy Creatures séeme to be also offended at mée and nothing séemeth to yéelde mée comfort Deare Father what shall I doe whither shall I flye to finde rest there is no rest for me but in thée and therefore
cast-awaies but in our owne consciences the childrē of God through Christ and they in their own conceits blessed in their wealth wanton and delicate and loose liues but by the Word of God without repentāce Reprobates And therefore faith Christ vnto them Woe be vnto you that are rich for you receiue your consolation in this life And againe Weepe and howle yee wealthy and worldly men for the miseries that shall come vpon you But vnto his little ones such as are least estéemed in the World he saith Feare not my little Children I haue prepared for you a City And againe I will neither faile you nor forsake you What shall wée then say The Lord is our portion and our sure defence why then should wée feare what man can doe vnto vs Esay 9. 7. The zeale of the Lord of Hoasts will performe this Let vs therefore rouze vp our soules that are dulled with our miseries and let vs rest vpon him that is the God of mercies Let vs be faithfull patient and humble let vs only grieue that we haue sinned and be fearefull to offend againe Let vs fall downe before his foot-stoole for he is holy let vs cry to him for hee is pittifull let vs aske of him for he is liberall let vs referre vs to his will for he is louing O Lord increase our Faith Here follow sundry most effectuall Prayers for distressed men howsoeuer their trials continue or increase When thou saydest Seeke my face my heart answered Thy face O Lord will I seeke Psal. 27. 8. IT appeareth by this resolution of godly Dauid that hée was moued by the Spirit of God in his troubles to séeke aide from aboue and not in the Earth of God and not of Man And to the end that Dauids true affection which he bare towards the good of all Posterities and especially the loue of God towards his Children might be recorded to their perpetuall encouragement it is continued euen vnto vs that wée that are euen now afflicted should sée and as in a glasse behold the good will of God wherein hée willeth vs to séeke his face which importeth a most swéet encouragement that all men troubled should séeke aide at God who to the end that this World and the comforts thereof should not allure his Children lest they should be also miscarried thereby and so be condemned with the World hée setteth a veile as it were before their eyes namely pouerty ignominy crosses miseries and sundry calamities that they delight not in the face and shape of this World but that rather it appearing vgly and nothing pleasant vnto them they might séeke another way to comfort themselues namely the most amiable face of heauenly Iehouah who willeth vs as hée did will Dauid to séeke him onely in our distresse that is to call on him faithfully to craue his fauour instantly and to leade our liues vprightly So shall his most louing countenance shine vpon vs his hand be extended towards vs and his power and might be with vs. And therefore as hée saith fréely Séeke ye 〈◊〉 let vs instantly and faithfully séeke him with our whole hearts so shall wée be sure to sée his saluation after wée haue patiently vndergone the swéete burden of the yoke of his fatherly chastisements A Motiue to the Prayer following for Patience in Affliction PErforce maketh a man patient against his will but that cannot be called Patience but a discontentment But thatis Patience when a man beareth all iniuries wrongs crosses afflictions and miseries with a willing minde without grudging or murmuring without seeking or vsing any euill or sinister practice or attempt to ease himselfe of that which God layeth vpon him wherein he would seeme to be wiser then God who knoweth better then the wisest man what is best for him And therefore Dauid giueth counsell To wait patiently vpon the Lord and to hope in him in what estate soeuer we be although we be poore and see others rich and prosper Fret not thyselfe for him which prospereth in his wayes Psal. 37. 7. Naturall reason is deceiued when it conceiueth men happiest that prosper most in the world for then were the Word of God not true which saith Many are the troubles of the righteous◠and then were the wicked in better case then the godly for they prosper best in the world But reade the 37. Psalme their estate is there described their end presaged and the godly comforted and confirmed in patience A Prayer for patience in affliction very comfortable HEauenly Father mercifull and louing full of power absolute in wisedome vnsearchable in thy prouidence and giuer of all diuine and spirituall graces whereby thy children are guided in the way of Obedience supported in their dangers and relieued in their wants whereby they learne to loue thée for thy mercies to reuerence thée for thy greatnesse and to obey thée for thy goodnesse and in all the changes and alterations of their estates to imbrace Patience whereby such as thou blessest become thankefull such as thou afflictest become méekely contented and beare the burden of their crosses without any outward shew of discontentment or inward grudging or murmuring at thy corrections but depending vpon thy fatherly prouidence they are either timely deliuered or inwardly comforted their hearts eased and their consciences quieted neuer presuming to limit the time when or the manner or meanes how thou shouldest ease or reléeue them but rest assured by thy Spirit working in their hearts that they are thine and therefore all things are promised by thée in thy Word to work together for their good sicknesse of the body griefe of the minde want of necessaries enemies and all crosses all conioyne to worke good vnto those that are thine and being hereof assured they rest themselues in patience and wait thy timely release for their miseries in hearty obedience to thy will And for that most gracious Father it is not the nature nor in the power of man to accomplish these heauenly duties no not in thine owne Elect giue mée this heauenly vertue Patience to vnder-goe whatsoeuer thou shalt lay vpon mée with a willing and contented minde acknowledging that I know nothing lesse then thy secret purpose in working with man in this life why thou aduancest one and pullest downe another Why one prospereth and another is miserable knowing yet by thine own Word and Promise that to such as are thine all things turne to their good And therefore I come vnto thée who hast willed mée to come I begge of thée who hast willed mée to aske and I knocke at thée who hast willed mée to enter into thy presence and all for Patience Good Father giue patience vnto my perplexed Soule that howsoeuer I féele either inward griefe or outward troubles I may rest me onely in thée and by thée in peace within howsoeuer the outward man séeme to perish And let neither my fainting heart be cast downe nor my spirit disquieted within mée nor my conscience
request if it be according to his will reuealed in his word and for all that he giueth requireth onely true thankfulnesse for requitall not that thankfulnesse which some carnally minded rich men would séeme to afford him a cap vailed with both the hands with words onely I thanke God This may be counterfeit and lip-thankefulnesse which God respecteth as the offring of hypocrites The organs of the tongue lips are necessary instruments to declare the meaning of the heart if they moue by the power of a féeling spirit but if the mouth speake in these diuine offices what the heart inforceth not it shall not onely not profit but witnes against the heart conscience that déepe dissimulation before men hypocrisie before God that shall worke their own iust condemnation But wée must fall downe vpon the knées not onely of the outward body but of a liuely féeling heart acknowledge that all we haue receiued to be his blessing and especial gift which if we can rightly performe it will follow that of the same faith wil procéede with words of thankfulnesse workes of obedience which God accepteth aboue all sacrifices whatsoeuer But who so still asketh and receiueth blessings and onely saith They are the gifts of God and disposeth of them contrary to the rule which God hath prescribed in his Word that thankfulnes will returne into his bosome as sin and he be imputed a plaine vsurper of his blessings For as when a man by faire and flattering meanes obtaineth any thing of his friends and hauing obtained it reiecteth the kindnesse of the giuer and becommeth ingratefull and vnkinde what is it but méere extorting of the thing obtained Although the all-séeing eye of God fore-séeth the heart and knoweth how and to what end wée aske whether for our owne gaine or his glory and hée often bestoweth great benefits vpon men neuer desiring them in open spéech The very groanes of the heart ascend vnto God and God is moued euen with the méere desires and that oftentimes when they procéede not of faith yea hée granteth the very things that the wicked long for but not for their comfort onely to fulfill their carnall appetites to make them so much the more beholden to him for their worldly and corporall prosperity and makes their condemnation so much the more iust by how much they are inexcusable for not seruing God in true obedience which is the summe of most acceptable thankefulnesse for all blessings It is the nature of al men to couet earthly things which wée sée God giueth to the euill as well and in greater measure then to the godly yet are the godly farre more thankfull for their smallest then the wicked for their greatest portions which last doe hunger and thirst continually to adde more and more corporall meanes vnto what they haue and no abundance can make a stay to their coueting neither can there be satisfaction to the couetous And howsoeuer it increase all their thankfulnesse is swallowed vp in their Chests or cast vpon their fields giuen to their wits to their Art or drowned in their vanities the backe and belly haue their condigne gratifications of the most and they are most beholding to some who rest as much indebted vnto these two in answering their necessities as vnto God in a sort to whom they owe many and will neuer pay any thankes And yet the prophanest of these will say that all the things they inioy are the gifts of God But as for the cordiall and true thankefulnesse it is a language vnknowne vnto them The blessings of God to many may be compared to swéet showres and our hearts to dry ground receiuing them to refresh it when it is weary but returning no drops backe againe no more doe vnthankefull men returne condigne thankes for Gods greatest benefits but as the Sun by his force and exhalations draweth vp the moistures of the ingratefull earth by force so when men can kéepe their vsurped and extorted earthly blessings no longer then they bestow them and yet oftentimes not at all consulting with the true owner God the lender but bestow them to some such ends as are displeasing vnto him as was their former abusing them They dispose of them by their wils as it were against their wils their Testaments are as testimonies of their vnwillingnesse to leaue what they so dearely loued which proueth their grosse ingratitude euen in their last conflict with death who commonly is not so cruell an Enemy but he telleth a man by one token or another that he must prepare himselfe to endure his encounter sometimes many dayes many moneths and often many yéeres before hee shew his vttermost force in all which time the most forgetfull and most vnthankefull man might call himselfe to minde and consult and consider wherefore and by whom the things he enioyeth were bestowed vpon him if by his owne deserts or by his owne méere industry let him then kisse his owne hand as the author of his happinesse but if it came of the frée gift and méere beneuolence of God let him rather cut off his hands then rest vnthankefull to God who can turne as we sée wealth into wretchednesse mirth into mourning health into sicknesse strength into weakenesse and all whatsoeuer a man in this world delighteth in into bitternesse and wormwood all which may be assured to turne to their good whosoeuer rest patient and thankfull Who then will not affoord so small a recompence for so great blessings And all thankefulnesse is comprehended vnder this one word Obedience Sacrifices were acceptable duties done in their time vnto God but obedience is more acceptable then all other kindes of sacrifices This obedience consisieth not in the outward ceremonies of performing onely the outward duties required at our hands as to liue in this World without doing hurt to others in paying that wée owe in doing good to such as doe vs seruice and to loue them that loue vs but in doing good to them that doe vs hurt in giuing them that take from vs in forgiuing them that offend vs in louing them that hate vs in feeding them that wee sée hunger-starued in cloathing them that we see want their corporall couering in comforting the sad and â—rowfull in visiting such both with counsell and aide that haue not their wished liberty of Body or Minde and in performing such other offices of Christian commiseration and piety as are commanded vs in the Word of God to be done towards our Brethren and Neighbours These are outward workes which being performed by a féeling heart touched with the Spirit of God are swéet sacrifices to God and are accepted of God as that true thankfulnesse which God requireth in recompence of our abundance which God so fréely and louingly bestoweth vpon vs aboue others in this life and for his spirituall gifts and blessings as the blessing of the inward peace of conscience the blessing of the knowledgâ— of his Word and Testimonies the benefit of
it as a great benefit and tooke it as an high blessing and said it was good for him Was it good for him and ill for vs was it profitable to him and hurtfull to vs No and therefore Paul was not ashamed of his crosses for crosses make vs the companions of the blessed Children of God nay they make vs the more like to our elder brother Christ Jesus who finished our Redemptions through the Crosse and made the way to the ioyes of heauen through afflictions and he that is ashamed to follow him that way he cannot come to him at all hée will not know him and therefore he shall neuer enter into that holy place hée shall neuer attaine vnto that rest that shall be endlesse and most ioyfull in the heauens How vnsauory therefore soeuer our troubles séeme wée must be patient and neuer giue ouer to cry vnto our helping Father nor to vse our best endeauours in our callings which God will blesse staying our selues in hope vpon his promises Let vs neuer dismay for God that maketh this little wound without doth it to cure a greater within and while hée séemeth to kill vs it is that wée may liue euer and while hée suffereth vs to be here ignominious it is that wée may become all glorious with him in heauen The poore man cryeth and the Lord heareth him and saueth him out of all his troubles Psal. 34. 6. The Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him and deliuereth them Vers. 6. Taste ye and see how gracious the Lord is blessed is the man that trusteth in him Vers. 8. A Prayer to be vsed of a sicke man O Almighty and euerlasting God who although thou art still in thy iudgement yet art thou a mercifull God to the soule that séeketh théeth infinite in thy mercy and plenteous in redemption for though thou send sicknesse yet wilt thou shew pitty according to the multitude of thy compassions for thou dost not willingly chastice and afflict the children of men therefore I poore wretched sinner which am but dust earth and ashes vnworthy the least of thy fauours doe fréely confesse to thy glory and mine owne shame that I am conceiued and borne in sinne that originall corruption stayning and infecting my whole nature hath depriued mée of all holinesse and left in mee an inclination to all euill and that I haue by mine innumerable transgressions in thought word and déede broken all thy holy Commandements and therefore besides all other euils I haue iustly drawne this sickenesse and these diseases vpon me yet not withstand séeing that thou such is thy excéeding great mercy hast no pleasure in the miseries and destruction of thy Children but doest onely by affliction try correct humble and reforme them for there present and euerlasting good I doe therefore most dear and louing Father most humbly beséech thy heauenly Maiesty to pardon my sins the onely causes of my misery and affliction increase and perfect in me all graces that concerne saluation assist mée with the counsell and comfort of thy sacred Spirit and conuert this my visitation to mine amendment and saluation of my soule in Christ. If it be thy good pleasure and will O Lord restore me to my perfect and former health that I may not onely performe my good purposes and pay my vowes which my lips haue promised and my mouth hath spoken in my affliction but also henceforth grow vp in grace in obedience in holinesse vntill I come to the end of mine hope which is the saluation of my Soule But if it be thy will and decrée by this chastisement to finish my dayes I most humbly and earnestly intreat thée O my God as the outward man decaieth to renew in me the inner man and to grant that as the body dyeth so thy grace may liue and reuiue in me Shut not the eies of my mind but open them and make mee vnderstand what the hope of my heauenly calling is and what is the riches of the glorions inheritance that thou hast prepared for me that I may liue in thy faith and obedience and end my life in thy fauour and when this life endeth remaine and raigne with thée in glory for euer Uouchsafe to be a Father to my family kinsfolke and posterity plant thy feare in their hearts confirme them in thy grace and giue them all things competently necessary for the maintenance of this present life Harken O Lord to these my prayers and grant me all other things which thy heauenly wisdome séeth necessary for my soule or body for thy dearly beloued Sons sake To whom with thy Maiesty and God the holy Ghost be rendred and ascribed all honour and glory now and for euer Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer for Patience in sicknesse and truely to expresse sorrow for sinne O My most louing and mercifull Father God omnipotent who art nigh vnto all those that call vpon thée in truth thou art a present helpe in time of trouble all powerfull full of wisdome and compassion wonderfully surpassing all earthly Parents I poore miserable wretch long troubled with grieuous sickenesse and so sore vexed with paine and torment that neither my body can take any sleepe or rest nor my Spirit feele any ease or comfort doe here in the onely merit and mediation of Jesus Christ present and humble my selfe before thée humbly begging and intreating for fauour and mercy at thy hands Worke in my heart by thy holy Spirit godly sorrow and repentance for all mine offences impute none of them vnto mée but let mée féele and be assured in my conscience that the guilt and punishment of them are remoued Be thou my Physition to cure and heale mée auert and turne this present sicknesse into a soueraigne medicine and this vehement and grieuous paine into a fatherly and gentle visitation let thy strength appeare in my weakenesse let thy power be perfected in mine infirmity and so arme mée in this my temptation with the gift of Patience and long-suffering that I be not with-drawne from the constant practice of holy dueties neither yéelde vnto mine owne passions and the suggestions of Sathan To this end powre downe thy blessed and sacred Spirit into mine heart â—each assist and direct mée that hée may open to the eyes of my minde the righteousnesse of thy Judgements that I may in all willingnesse aâ—… knowledge the equity of the same that he may bring to my remembrance the cruell and most bitter paines and torments of my mercifull Lord and Sauiour Jesus who by his death hath swallowed the very dregges of thy wrath and by the merit and vertue of it hath so tempered and swéetned the Cup of affliction vnto â— manifest vnto mée the glorious and heauenly happinesse and holinesse of thy Saints and Seruants in heauen that the certaine assurance hope and expectation thereof may abundantly excéede and take away all my present griâ—ie and torment I beséech thée O Lord according to
thy promise ease my burden giue me quiet and comfortable sléepe and refreshment to my restlesse body and to blesse all those good meanes which shall be prescribed vnto mée that they may tend to my cure and amendment for without thy blessing they are of no force and vertue that I with thy blessed Seruants Iob Lazarus Dauid and others hauing experience of thy might truth and mercy in my reliefe and amendment may with all ioy and loue praise thée truely serue thée and more confidently relye vpon thée all the dayes of my life yea and for the instruction and incouragement of the afflicted publish and declare the infinite and excéeding Power of thy might and compassion Uouchsafe O most gracious Father to incline thine eares to this mine humble Petition and to grant me all other things néedfull and necessary for my soule and body for thy deare Sonne Christ â—esus sake my onely Sauiour and Redéemer to whom with thy Maiesty and thy blessed Spirit thrée persons and one God al-powerfull and sufficient be ascribed and giuen all honour praise and glory now and alwayes Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer to be said at the point of Death O Lord God Almighty I assuring my selfe my time is come my soule waxeth heauy euen vnto death vouchsafe therefore O Lord to cast downe thine eyes vpon mée bedew my heart with the Oyle of thy grace forgiue mée my sinnes confirme my faith shorten my pangs of Death expell Sathan for thine infinite mercy helpe mée in this my last conflict looke vpon Jesus Christ thy Sonne my Sauiour and Redéemer into thy most blessed and gracious hands I commit my soule refuse it not O God but accept me for it is thy owne workemanship and let me depart in thy feare and rise againe in thy mercifull fauour that I may attaine and come to thy eternall and most wished ioyes of heauen for and through the merits of my blessed Sauiour Christ Jesus to whom with thée and the holy Ghost be all glory honour and praise for euermore Amen O Lord increase my Faith and receiue my soule A Confession of sinnes with a very necessary Prayer to be said of poore distressed men Morning and Euening and at all times else as they shall be thereunto moued O Father ful of mercy I yéeld vnto thée all praise and thanks for thy continual most swéet fauors and especiall graces bestowed frankely on me thy vnworthy Creature for Electing me to saluation for Creating me for Redéeming mée for Relieuing mee and for Preseruing me euermore Great is thy loue in Christ my Sauiour infinite thy Power vnspeakeable thy Mercies Relieue me alwayes and direct nice in all things let thy will be a Law vnto my will that my corrupt affections draw me not to consent againe to the vnsauoury lusts of my carnall will which to this day haâ—h ouer-much miscarryed mée into the vaine destres of this wicked Worlds pleasures the baits of that mortall aduersary deceiuing Sathan the defiled fruits of my sinnefull flesh and the cords whereby I haue beene drawne from vertue to vice from sanctity to sinne from light to darkenesse from Heauen to dreadfull Hell My sinnes O Lord haue beene many and continuall my seruing of thee cold and seldome O forgiue mee and let not my yeeres consume any longer in vanity let mine hands hate to handle vnholy things let my heart harbour no more the hatefull thoughts of vnrighteousnesse and let my soule be so seasoned with the spirituall dew of thy blessed Word that my Soule and Body being sanctified to euery good work I may cast off the vnprofitable works of darkenesse and onely cleaue to the true seruice of thée who art ful of grace and truth Be vnto me the sweet sauour of life vnto life be vnto me the light of truth that my life be not vnprofitable in good things nor my soule depriued of thy sacred spirit without which man is poore possessing all worldly riches base in most high worldly honour and dead liue he neuer so strongly in the flesh Therefore Father full of mercy be mercifull vnto mée full of power protect mée prouident relieue mee most sacred sanctifie me Let the eyes of thy fauour be alwayes on mée let the relieuing hand of thy helpe be alwayes toward mée be vnto mée a strong Castle a Restfull refuge a Fountaine of reliefe the Supply of my wants my Protector my Sauiour my Guide and my wisedome my will and my zeale Be vnto me my Jesus my Christ my Father my Physition my lot and my portion be vnto me all in all that nothing want in mée which thou likest nor any thing dwell in mée which thou mislâ—kest that I being a sanctified vessell of heauen may be a fit Mansion for thy sacred Maiesty to abide in by thy blessed Spirit Yéelde me O Lord yéelde me continuall shelter vnder thy relieuing wings foster mée with the hid treasures of thy loue and learne mée so to liue that I may euer liue in thée and thou in me make that vnion betwéene my will and thy Word that I will nothing but as thou hast willed and blot out all mine vnworthinesse and in stead thereof imprint the merits of thy Sonne in whom Lord Almighty let me be also partaker of the good things of this life let not pouerty vtterly depriue me of a competent estate here but blesse thou the workes of my hands prosper thou my endeuours and raise vp gracious meanes for me that I may liue not lack things necessary Thou art all sufficient and in thy gifts manifold thy loue is without limitation and thy will without contradiction what thou decréest shal stand and what thou willest shall come to passe Will thou therefore will thou thy creatures which thou hast ordained for the good and seruice of thy children â—o serue my vse that I and mine may be sustained by thy prouidence for what am I Lord that I should stand vpon mine owne power wit or policy which are weaknesse and foolishnesse before thée Thy Word preuaileth speake and all things in heauen and earth shall obey thée yea thine heauenly Angels shall be ministring Spirits for my good and all the fruits of the earth shall adde comfort to my wretched estate Good Father sanctifie mée within and without and fructifie my calling blesse my endeuours and teach me to vse my function iustly and as I ought that I may so prosper in this present life that I may truly pay all men their due and owe nothing to any man but good will a thing to mee impossible but to thee easie to bring to passe To thee therefore I referre mée wholly blesse me that being blessed I may prosper that prospering I may praise thée and in praising thée please thée and be here comforted of thée and liue righteously in thee through the merits of thy beloued Sonne Christ Jesus who hauing purchased all things for this life and in the life to come for me be with thée and
not the flouds of these dangerous waters ouer-flow mée quite but when I am ready to sinke yéelde mée thy helping hand and saue me lift me out of the mire and clay of all my miseries and set mée on the relieuing pastures of thy continuall frée fauours let the chearefull dewe of thy blessings and blessed graces showre downe vpon me so shall my little store increase and my empty basket become full And forasmuch as I haue no frée portion in this earth not the breadth of a foote neither haue I of mine owne a house to hide my head in put mée therefore where thou wilt and let mine abode in earth be in what place and how long of short time thou wilt for of my selfe whither to turne mée or what to doe I know not Be thou therefore my guide and direct all my desires of earthly things by thy Word and let my will alwayes follow thy will lest my will led by the blinde affections of corrupt reason bring me mine owne preiudice and shame Thou euermore prouidest for them that aske of thée directest them that take counsell of thée therfore hauing thus weakly laid open my cause before thée consider it and giue me patience in all my trials and let me not so much mourne and hang down my head and be heauy for the want of outward necessaries as at the consideration and looking backe into the vgly gulfe of my former continuing sinnes Oh frée me Lord frée mée from my sinnes and sanctifie me anew that howsoeuer the outward man séeme to be discouraged yet the inward man may be still more and more filled with all spirituall knowledge and consolation and true contentment Thou hearest my reproofes thou knowest my sorrowes and my groanes are not hid from thée put my teares few and weake into thy bottle Remember thy promises and I shall neuer forget thy praises Oh faile me not forsake mée not my God and my Redéemer O Lord increase my Faith A Thankesgiuing and Prayer to be vsed of a sicke man when he is recouered oftentimes I Yéelde and giue vnto thée O mercifull and most deare Father all humble thankes honour glory and praise for thine infinite and excéeding great blessings hauing no way merited the least of them and namely for that it hath pleased thée of late to deliuer mée from the very point of death and as it were raised my féeble body from the graue and redéemed my soule from death that I should walke before thée in the land of the liuing that I might further glorifie thy name doe more good in my calling and be made méete for the inheritance of thy Kingdome This worke O Lord procéeded from thy mercy and no desert at all of mine and for thy grace and not of any goodnesse in mée not vnto mée not vnto mée but vnto thy blessed name be giuen all glory But séeing that I through my sinfull corruption am more ready to bury in the graue of obliuion then to kéepe in thankfull remembrance thy great mercy yea and rather to grow cold backward in all holy exercises and duties then to holinesse of life I therefore beséech thée with all earnestnesse to renew my nature and to ingraue the remembrance of this thy goodnesse in my heart by the illumination of thy holy Spirit and grant that for the residue of my temporall life I may in humility and truth be directed by thy most sacred Word and alwayes submit my selfe to the gouernment of thy blessed Spirit Make me good Father a light and example of vertue and godlinesse vnto others and to grow in grace as I increase in yéeres that so I may liue in thy feare and dye in true peace of conscience and assurance of eternall glory with all the Saints and Angels in heauen vouchsafe O my heauenly Father to grant me all other things conuenient for mée in this life for the onely merits obedience and mediation of Jesus Christ our Mediatour and Redéemer Amen In time of affliction pray thus yea often The Lord shall make the Pestilence cleaue vnto thee vntill hee hath consumed thee the Lord shall smite thee with a consumption and with the feuer and with a burning ague c. vntill thou repent Deut. 28. 21. O Lord most iust and Father most mercifull thou it is that renewest thy plagues against man when hée offendeth thée thy vengeance from heauen is both sudden and fearefull toward the rebellious and disobedient children thou for one sinne in King Dauid destroyedst with the loathsome disease of the Pestilence many thousands of his people cast thine eyes of mercy vpon vs O thou preseruer of men which languish now in this land and in this house with the like disease and sicknes Now deare God hath not Dauid onely offended thée in trusting to his strength and numbring of his people but euen each congregation and euery houshold hath one way or other prouoked thee to plague thy disobedient people now that wée sée thy plagues appearing to the piercing and piercing of our bodies and soules asunder Lord wee stand amazed in our mindes heartily sighing with groanes at the sight of our sinnes Now wee consider wée haue sinned grieuously wee haue done amisse wee haue dealt wickedly we haue liued vngodly we haue iwerued from the way of truth without any godly feare or remorse of conscience thy great benefit of peace and rare blessing of long prosperity vnder so good and gracious a Gouernour haue brought too too many of vs to such security and contempt of Religion that altogether forgetting to be thankefull wée haue abused thy benefits as fast as they came that with a churlish kinde of impiety the thoughts of our harts the words of our mouths and the workes of our hands are vaine carnall and diuellish yea our seruice to thee oftentimes but meere abomination so farre alas haue we erred from the path of thy Commandements As thou didst finde with the Israelites wickednesse in Gilgal sinne in Bethel and iniquity in Bâ—rsheba so in euery Church in euery Court nay in euery concourse or assembly amongst vs thou beholdest how the flesh hath ouer-growne the spirit and how reason is ouer-ruled with affections so many labour in these dayes vnder the displayed Ensigne of Sathan that very few deare Father are found setled in the dutifull forme of vpright and spirituall Obedience which thou requirest Wée confesse thou mightest iustly therefore forsake vs as we haue forsaken thée and not onely procéede to sting the head-Cities and whole body of this Land with sundry plagues and grieuous diseases but for our manifold sinnes and iniquities which we daily commit thou mightest iustly and worthily condemne vs man after man to eternall death all consciences being so guilty that they already condemne themselues Yet who is hée O mercifull Lord that can measure thy goodnesse who by thy word doest oftentimes bring sinners to beliefe repentance and saluation though it be not thy pleasure good Lord to make the
wicked innocent but rather to visit their iniquities yet haue wée this comfort that thy mercy to the humble euer rests vnmeasurable and vnmoueable though thou spakest to the Prophet against thine own people being disobedient to thée saying Though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet haue I no heart to this people Driue them away that they may goe out of my sight some vnto death some to the sword and some to captiuity yet we know O our good God that when as Ephraim was heard â—amenting and praying heartily in his distresse thou thoughtest then vpon mercy as a Father pittying his owne children This thy clemency to others incourageth vs to cry for thy mercies in this our misery vpon our repentance both for vs ours and the whole Land Uouchsafe O louing Sauiour to represse the vehement heate of thy fire with godly pitty stay thine hand from our destruction thou art long suffering good gracious and vnwilling sinners should perish Be intreated therefore O Lord most glorious to bid th ne Angels cease from punishing looke forth-with vpon this Land good Father pitty the infected people thereof that wée altogether may say The Lord liueth for euer worthy of praise because hee hath béene mercifull vnto sinners Amen O Lord increase my Faith If not Infected pray thus IT pleased thée O heauenly Father who art Lord of life and death once to plague the Egyptians and yet to spare the Israelites in the borders of Gosen onely because thou plaguest where thou pleasest So with the pestilence now hast thou infected euen from Dan to Beersheba yet my selfe and diuers others in this place rest safe from this so pestilent an Infection protected and kept as yet safe therefrom onely by thy hand onely by thy goodnesse for our sinnes we confesse stand vp as rampired walls against vs and deserue no lesse then theirs whom already thou hast bruised with a iust measure of thy Judgements O gracious Lord God stirre vs vp to â—hew our hearts throughly thankefull vnto thée that in thankesgiuing and praise we may go before others which in paines and plagues doe goe before 〈◊〉 And as in mercy thou hast drawne â—…knesse from our bodies so in loâ—e to our soules make vs loath the vaine delights of this life that we may faithfully seâ—ue and séeke thée in these our dayes of health wherein wée obtaine thy mercy inioy thy fauour and rest preserued from the pestilence wherewith many of our Brethren lie perplexed beside sundry thousands whom the graâ—t hath swallowed Blesse vs still O Lord our God blesse vs O Father without within be thou our guard thy Word our guide thy Spirit our comfort and thy Son our Sauiour Lord stand by vs for our good continually that when the world repineth at thy Judgements when the wicked swell in their impatiency when the vnregenerate grudge and murmure at thy plagues and punishments wherewith thou chastisest and correctest thy deare Children that euen then wée may haue and inioy quietnesse of heart and peace of conscience neuer to be dismaied or to distrust thy prouidence ouer vs but still to leaâ—e stedfastly vnto thée and rest vpon thée and the rock of thy Truth This confidence Lord grant vs and thy protection from this couragious disease that raigneth that wée may chearefully â—ound forth thy diuine praises amongst men vnto the praise of thy grace in Christ Jesus To whom our Sauiour and Redéemer with thée the blessed Father of vs all and the holy Spirit the Sanctifiâ—r of our soules thrée persons yet one diuine essence be giuen all laâ—d glory and thankes in this world and in that to come for euer Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer in the time of Tempests and vnseasonable Weather God bringeth vp the cloudes from the ends of the earth and maketh the lightnings with the raine he draweth forth the windâ—s out of his treasures Psal. 135. 7. Hee commandeth and raiseth the stormie windes and it lifteth vp the waues of the seâ— Psal. 107. 25. But he ariseth and rebuketh the windes and the sea and maketh them calme Mat. 8. 26. Marke 4. 39. By his word he stilleth the winde and by his counsell appealeth the deepe Ecclus 43. 23. O Most mighty and mercifull Lord God let all the powers of the earth blesse thée and praise thee their euer-liuing God in thine holy and heauenly habitation for thou O Lord sittest on high in the Throne of thy Maiesty and makest thy strength and might knowne to all Nations thy voyce is vpon the waters From thée O God procéedeth Thunder thy voyce maketh the Wildernesse to tremble yea thou makest the mighty hils to tremble and shake the Earth trembleth and quaketh the foundations also of the Mountaines moue and shake when thou art displeased there commeth out of thy nostrils smoke and out of thy mouth a consuming fire thou makest darkenesse thy secret place and at the glory of thy presence the Clouds passe away thou thunderest from the heauens and giuest out thy voyce thou drawest forth the Windes out of thy treasures and commandest them backe againe to their places all things are in subiection vnto thée thy workes magnifie thée O Lord yea they tremble at thy presence the Mountaines and Hils dread thée when thou art displeased yea the whole world is afraid The Waters O God know thée and are afraid yea the depths tremble thy voyce O Lord diuideth the fiery flames O Lord thy voice maketh the Wildernes to tremble Thou remainest King foreuer thou wilt giue strength vnto thy People and blesse them with peace O most mercifull God shaddow vs from thy displeasure which is too vehement and intollerable let thy countenance shine vpon vs and haue mercy on vs protect thou our houses and vs that we be neither consumed by fire nor drowned by waters send not vpon the earth such vntemperate or vntimely Showres or any other vnseasonable weather whereby the Fruits thereof may be hurt or our soules harmed O God the Father which diddest send thy onely Sonne to die the death of the Crosse for my sake preserue mée and grant vnto me a blessed end O God the Son which didst suffer for my sake the heauy death of the Crosse defend me and O God the holy Ghost comfort mée blesse and kéepe mée from all dangers from this time forth and for euer Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer for Peace in true RELIGION Behold saith the Lord I will extend peace vpon my Church like a floud as one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort you and yee shall be comforted in Ierusalem Esay 66. 12. 13. These things haue I spoken to you saith Christ that yee in mee might haue peace in the world yee shall haue affliction but be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world Iohn 16. 33. O Most high and glorious God who art the Authour of Peace from whom doe procéede holy counsels and righteous destres giue vnto vs thy Seruants that Peace