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
O Father of mercy for thy deare Sonne Christ Jesus sake our Lord and Sauiour Amen O Lord increase our Faith and blesse our labours A Thankes-giuing or Prayer to be vsed after a mans labour is finished O My gracious Lord God I yéeld vnto thée harty thankes because thou hast preserued me from imminent and infinite dangers which might otherwise haue happened to oppresse and vtterly ouerthrowne me if thou Lord hadst not carefully regarded and kept me from many inconueniences Therefore now O most louing Father I humbly intreate and beseech thée for Jesus Christs sake to pardon all the faults wherein I haue offended thée in the time of my labour or otherwise correct me not in thine anger nor punish me in thy heauy displeasure worke in me so by the power of thy holy Spirit that hence forth I may walke in greater integrity and carefully performe those duties which are required in my vocation and calling to the end that though I labour with my body yet in spirit I may be led by thy spirit to loue serue and glorifie thy name in all my doings words and thoughts Direct and guide me by thy holy Word in all truth and honest conuersation among men neuer swaruing from thy commandements that in the end I may attaine euerlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen Lord euermore increase and confirme my Faith in thee A generall Confession of sins and of the vanities of carnall delights If we acknowledge our sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sins and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse If we say we haue not sinned we make him a lyer and his word is not in vs 1 Iohn 1. 9. 10. O God Almighty and al-knowing Father the fountaine of all comfort and consolation I confesse against my selfe as euermore I haue done that I haue grieuously offended thée by my manifold transgressions and haue thereby drawne downe a most heauy waight of thine importable iudgements vpon me vnder the burthen whereof I cannot but faint and fall vnlesse thou set to thy helping hand of mercy in Jesus Christ to support mée for good Father I am weake and cannot beare thy displeasure I am ignorant and know not which way to turne mée vnlesse thou point out the way vnto me by thy holy Spirit directing mée within as thy Word teacheth me without For it is not euery one that heareth that vnderstandeth not euery one that vnderstandeth that can practise and performe what thou commandest for who so is not guided by a better line then that of flesh and bloud mistaketh the right path and treadeth the way of vanitie whose end is death yet for the time it is most swéete and pleasing to the outward man the man vnsanctified and vnregenerate because hee loueth to be sed with the dainties of this life as with honor preferment riches health friends and worldly delights estéeming these the earnest-penny here of Heauen to come and that wants and pouerty and sicknesse and enemies and imprisonments and crosses are euen here the entrance into Hell it selfe So foolish are they O Lord and ignorant whom thou guidest not in thy way And this hath béene my foolishnesse and my misconceit of the seuerall estates of men in this life euen vnto this day But hauing now found by due triall and experience the foolishnesse of such as put their delight in these transttory fickle and vncertaine vanities doe disclaime all confidence in them and doe heartily and most vnfainedly abhorre and detest the deceiuing baits of temporall and carnall delights and doe wholly betake me vnto the swéet sauing sanctuarie of thy wisedome and prouidence wherein howsoeuer the worldly minded doe contrarily iudge is truest safety happinesse and securitie for therein beare Father is the true feéling and founded hope of future eternall felicitie thy wisedome O Father is the wisedome of the Spirit the Spirit the sanctifier of the Soule the minde and affections which being sanctified begetteth true feare of thée and that feare is the beginning of that sacred wisedome which guideth and gouerneth the whole man in the blessed way the way to life euen vnto Christ himselfe who is the Way the Truth and the Life O Lord increase our Faith A Prayer for humiliation and sorrow after sinne committed O Lord my God and most louing Father in Jesus Christ I confesse and acknowledge that mine offences are increased and my sinnes are growne vp vnto the heauens that I am ashamed to lift vp mine eyes to thée admiring at thy influite mercy in forbearing to punish me knowing that I am worthy to be swallowed vp or swept away with some extraordinary and sudden iudgement And now O Lord especially hauing so grosely sinned against thée and done so great euill in thy sight how haue I vile wretch that I am wounded mine owne conscience how hâ—ue I laid my selfe open to the malice and enuy of the Diuell what a disgrace and slander haue I brought vpon my Profession what an offence and scandall haue I giuen vnto others what a toy will this be to the wicked that they haue now by meÌ„ gotten something to speake euill of But aboue al O Lord how haue I dishonoured thée whose fauours haue béene so many and so innumerable towards me I know not how to expresse my detestable sinnes and the hainous and hideous natures of them when I thinke vpon thy patience vpon the meanes of grace which thou hast afforded mee vpon the light of knowledge which thou hast giuen mee vpon the good motions which thou hast from time to time stirred vp in mee vpon the profession which I make vpon the sundry vowes and promises of better obedience with which I haue linked my selfe vnto thy Maiestie vpon the diuers admonitions which by thy prouidence I know haue béene vsed to mée by thy Seruants purposely to preuent and stop this euill in mée mée thinketh I may call it rebellion which is as the sinne of witchcraft or presumption in the highest degrée O Lord I sée my sinnes and know them to bée exceeding great neuerthelesse I cannot so lament them so grieue for them so detest and abhorre them as I should Striue O gracious God strike I beséech thée my flinty heart make it euen to melt within mée at the sight of mine owne transgression Settle in it that godly sorrow which causeth Repentance vnto saluation Humble my soule vnder thy mighty hand and suffer me not to fréeze in the dregges of mine owne corruptions make my head full of water and mine eyes a fountaine of teares which may runne downe like a Riuer day and night O let me take no rest nor suffer the apple of mine eye to cease cause me to powre out my heart like water before thy face that I may by all meanes testifie the vnfained griefe of my Soule that I haue so displeased thée And grant O Lord that I may not sorrow so much because of hell condemnation which J haue
vnlesse thou maiest be pacified with mée I cry in vaine I séeke and finde nothing and knocke and féele no comfort I haue nothing to giue thée to redéeme thy fauour towards mée for if I had Mountaines of gold if I had Riuers of Oyle or ten thousand Sacrifices to bestow vpon thée it booted me nothing they are all thine owne Accept therefore the Calues of mine vnâ—ained lips and the simple zeale of my sorrowful soule and be at peace with mée in the mediation of thy all-sufficient Peace-maker thy beloued Sonne in whom thou delightest Oh heare mee for him and reléeue me in him without whom there can be no helpe for my soule no case for my heart nor reliefe of mine estate neither can inward comfort nor outward aide appeare vntill thou be appeased with me in him O vnhappy wretch that I am that euer I offended so louing a God that worketh all good for them that feare him so wise a God that can finde man out in his most secret waies so watchfull a God that considereth whatsoeuer man thinketh heareth whatsoeuer man speaketh and séeth whatsoeuer he doth a God most powerfull that for sinne can hurle downe the loftiest and in loue can exalt the lowliest O Lord increase our Faith A fit and comfortable Meditation when God seemeth most angry with vs. ALas that euer I offended this great God this God of all gods this high King of all Kings that God that preuaileth against mightiest mortall men This God alas haue I offended this God haue I stirred vp against me and he in recompence of my sinnes maketh all his Creatures as it were displeased with me also and hardeneth the hearts of men against mee The blessings and good things of the earth he with-holdeth from me and instead thereof he sendeth me a troupe of euils to afflict me Alas what shall I say vnto thée deare Father what course can I take to helpe this by this are my sorrowes encreased and one euill followeth another as waues in the Sea I am weary to beare the burthen of so many calamities and still I cry to mine offended God in hope of helpe but my hope quarleth and I despaire all my comforts are crossed with continuall troubles as if I were onely the man that had deserued to be punished aboue all other men I would yet gladly appeale vnto my God but I feare to be reiected againe But shall I thinke it a fruitlesse worke to repaire vnto my God that of his owne accord calleth sinners to come vnto him Is it bootlesse to fall downe before his Throne of mercy in prayer may not mine vnfained cries at last preuaile with him that is full of pitty I will frame my heart to meditate and my tongue to vtter what may please him though I be a Sinner I will goe vnto him in the Name of him that he dearely loueth that hée may be appeased and looke vpon me againe in loue He is a God all-sufficient and can aswell behold and consider my inward faithfull desires as hée séeth and obserueth what I haue done by ignorance or negligence what I haue done contrary to his will All that I thinke speake or doe amisse hée noteth and writeth it vp in his remembrance as with a Pen of Iron Oh why should he not also mercifully consider what I intend iustly to doe though I cannot doe it who hath promised to accept the Will for the Déede Hée knoweth that I am but flesh and what is flesh but frailty it selfe and what is man but a lumpe of naturall corruption and frailty And wil this high Iehouah this God so strong and powerfull set hisforce so fiercely against a weak Worme What conquest can there be in God against a silly man But why reason I thus with my Maker Why rather doe I not lay my selfe do â—ne vnto his will if hée will afflict mée more let it be so if hée will punish me further let it be so if he will kill me let it be so for I am his and he will doe with mée what hée listeth there is no reasoning against him there is no pacification of his displeasure by Art or Flatterie It is not words that will worke my welfare with him friends cannot defend me from his furie nor take me out of the hands of so powerfull a God no shield nor backler can preuent the stroake of his Rod. I will yéeld me â—…erefore to his wil I will say vnto him Lord doe with me what thou wilt turne me whither thou wilt I will wait thy leasure till the time shall come wherein I may sée the issue of thy determinate purpose with me And in the meane time I will consult with thy Word I will therein exercise my selfe and take comfort through hope I will refresh my dulled spirits with the dew of thy swéete promises and laying aside all vaine expectation of fleshly aide I will onely rest my selfe vpon thy protection and in an assured resolution I will séeke thée being the Way wherein who so walketh shall at length attaine vnto perfect happinesse the Truth which who so imbraceth shall neuer erre and the Life wherein who so liueth shall neuer die eternally O Lord increase our Faith A Prayer against Despaire O God of mercy for as much as many wayes I hâ—… transgressed thy holy Precepts contemned thée our Lord and maker offended thy diuine Maiestie greatly am I grieued in minde and stand wonderfully in feare of thine euerlasting displeasure And although thine holy Word doth tender vnto mée pardon and remission of my sinnes freely through thy méere grace and mercy yet haue I not grace as yet to apprehend the same for busie is our most cruell and crafty aduersary and doth labour to bring vs from all hope and comfort of saluation The only remedy which wee haue against this our deadly aduersary is that wee neuer doubt of thy grace and readinesse to forgiue our sinnes Comfort vs at all times especially at the houre of death and giue vs grace to fasten all our confidence and trust on thee and neuer to thinke my offence greater then thou canst and wilt pardon O louing and euer-liuing God the liuely Fountaine of all grace ouer-flowing the whole World with the Riuers of thy mercy inlighten mine vnderstanding increase my Faith that I may truly know and assuredly beléeue the Death and Merits of Christ thy Son the least drop of whose most precious bloud shed for me is of more efficacy and power to saue me then all my enormities and hainous sinnes to condemne me Looke vpon me O my Sauiour with those Eyes of pitty and fatherly compassion wherewith thou diddest behold Peter after hee denied thée leâ—t otherwise I despaire and so commit the sin against the holy Ghost Giue mée Lord the holy helpe of thy sacred Spirit that when Satan doth accuse mée and my Conscience beare witnesse against mée when the cogitations of Hell and Death doe dismay me when the snares of Death
importunate with mee for that which I cannot performe and resting in danger of their cruelties haue no other refuge but to depend on thy mercy and prouidence wherein as in a safe sanctuary I shall rest euermore preserued vntill these dangers be ouerpast Many doe looke vpon me to sée and consider what will become of my miseries and I continually pleade thy frée mercy in Christ wherein thou promisest to couer the multitude of my sins for which I am thus afflicted the righteous thereby take hold of hope and in my behalfe wish a prosperous and happy end of my destres encouraging mee to perseuere for that thy word euer sure warranteth a timely deliuery of all such as are penitent patient and faithfull vnto the end But alas good Father in Christ Jesus I a most sinfull man doe challenge no comfort ease or reliefe in mine owne right but in the merits of him in whom thou art well pleased and in whom thou shewest mercy vnto sinners among whom I am the greatest Yea Lord I am ignorant of good things and wander as a beast by nature in the vast wildernesse of this worlds vanities hauing little or no taste of thy sauing truth or féeling of future dangers but of thée onely I haue knowledge of my selfe I am weake but from thee I haue all strength of my selfe is misery from thée is mercy of my selfe I am altogether vnperfect but from thée is all perfection both inward tending to the consolation of my said soule and outward to the reliefe of my distressed body Therefore teach me O Lord teach me thy truth shew me thy wayes and leade mee in thy pathes continually withhold my heart from euery euill thought my hands that they commit no euill kéepe mine eyes sincere and my tongue that it speake no vnséemely thing and my féet from falling Regard moe not as I am in mine owne selfe nor deale with me as I deserue by mine owne wayes but according to thy tender mercies and louing kindnesse banish my sinnes as a mist driue away my imperfections as a cloud and supply my wants with timely reliefe Thou art righteous and gracious and reformest sinners and forgiuest their sins Be mercifull therefore vnto mine iniquities for they are very great Kéepe my soule and deliuer me let mee not be confounded nor perish vtterly for I trust in thée Thou art the light of my saluation the strength of my life and my refuge and sure defence in trouble In the time of my greatest dangers thou shalt hide mee in thy tabernacle namely in the secret places of thy prouidence which no man can finde out thou shalt kéepe me and hide me from them that couet my destruction thou shalt set me vpon a rock against which man shall not preuaile Harken therefore O Lord harken vnto my voyce when I cry vnto thée haue mercy vpon mee and comfort mee Thou sayest Seeke yee my Face And what is it O Lord but to séeke thy helpe in distresse and danger to craue thy fauour and succor in the time of néede O Father my soule by the priuiledge of thy frée Spirit which teacheth truth in the inner parts is ready my heart also is prepared to séeke thée my tongue speaketh vnto thée as vnto the liuely helper of all that are oppressed Hide not therefore thy face in displeasure which in loue thou willest me to seeke be vnto me as heretofore thou hast béene my succour and shield and leaue me not vnto the end My naturall father indéede that begat me and my mother that bare mee may forget mée my friends that pretend to fauour mee may forsake mee when thou rebukest me but thou canst not forget mée nor forsake mee for thou in thy Word hast promised the contrary and therefore I will not feare to flye vnto thée who giuest what earthly fathers cannot giue and supplyest my wants that neither my most familiar and my dearest friends can supply I should vtterly faint did I not verily trust in thée and assuredly know that thou hast no respect of persons and that thou acceptest not of men as the world doth by the outward habite and externall glory but the inward parts decked with faith feare and obedience thou likest and embracest the poorest for pietie and in the proud whom the world doth reuerence thou hast no delight Frame thou therefore mine inward zeale and let not my outward basenes ouer-much depriue me of some comfort among the children of men and when I cry vnto thée be not as men who regard not the poore but with spéede heare and consider and refuse not to answere me with timely reliefe And let not the vnsauorie miseries of this life accompanied with the naturall we akenesse of my flesh draw me into the way of the wicked but let me rather hold fast by thy promised protection as by the Altar of a liuely â—â—fuge â—ow downe thine eare I â—ay O Lord and let me not for euer cry vnto thée in vaine Draw me out of the net that is laid for mée deliuer me from the dangers prepared against me Thou hast séene my troubles and hast knowne my soule in the bitternes of distresse and yet thou hast not vtterly forsaken mée but in mercy hast mightily preserued mee from infinite perils And now Lord euen now séeing my life wasteth in heauinesse and my yéeres consume in forrow sith I am a reproach euen among my neighbours and all my friends faile me and sith I am euen at the point to perish be pleased to thinke of my miseries and send me spéedy reliefe As thy goodnesse O Lord is great which thou hast laid vp as in a treasury for all that feare thee so let thy mercy appeare and thy prouidence and power toward me be séene among such as thinke indéede thou hast forsaken me vtterly O Lord increase my Faith The Motiue to the fift Prayer VVHerein the poore man appealeth vnto God being stricken with a kinde of despaire because there be that say of him There is no helpe for him in God he therefore not onely cryeth vnto God that he will consider it but he himselfe also entreth into the cause why they so say and findeth it to be for that they see his store consumed and his basket emptied and his foes furious against him but hee herewith not dismayed reasoneth against these mens infidelity who in these their allegations seeme to deny that either there is a God or that he careth for or will or can helpe the poore And yet hee presumeth not vpon his owne integrity but confesseth God to be iust and rightly may punish sinners among whom he is the greatest and hee finding this temptation to be very grieuous he prayeth God to second his feeble nature by his free grace and that he will stay him with his staffe while he correcteth him with his rod because he is but a weake man may easily be burdened aboue his owne strength But being assisted by God hee assureth himselfe
Mordecay deliuered Susanna cleared and the Iudges stoned Euery Kingdome is this great Gods and hée raigneth ouer all Nations hée controlleth and is not controlled he â—â—iteth and is not resisted thée aduanceth and none can throw them downe O my Soule feare and serue and loue and reuerence obey this great God this Lord high and terrible that approueth himselfe a King ouer all the earth being guarded with such inuincible power and maiesty that hée can strike Saul to the ground with his terrible voyce and againe raise Saul with a louing and kinde hand O Lord how terrible art thou in thy works Through the infinite greatnesse of thy power thou hast made all things and preseruest all men insomuch as all such as séeme to deny thée thy power and prouidence the fooles that say in their harts there is no God are made mute and put to silence and both their will and their practises made all subiect vnto thy will and pleasure What then shall I rest amazed at the friuolous inuentions of fleshly men that séeme by their owne power to build themselues Babels on earth working terrour to the poore by their pride and practice impiety without any remorse of conscience No I will kéepe silence and neither mine owne wants nor sorrowes nor dangers nor the worlds ignominious taunts at my base estate shall wrest me from this glorious God from this powerfull Iehouah from this so louing and kinde a father that feareth not the strength and forces of millions of Kings but shieldeth and defendeth his by his mighty hand and kéepeth them safe in the flaming fire in the raging seas and in the strength of the Lyons pawes Let this God I say arise and chase his enemies and cherish his little ones and pull downe the proud and set vp the simple and scatter the wicked that they dwel not beyond his time appointed to tyrannize ouer his chosen vpon the earth The Chariots of this God are twenty thousand Angels the Lord himselfe being among them the generall worker of all good for all his and of all iudgement against the vniust All the gods that are estéemed as Gods among men are but Idols but the Lord he is God that hath couered himselfe with light as with a garment whereby hée discouereth all darkenesse infidelity disobedience and sinne he findeth out the faithlesse howsoeuer they dissemble zeale and approueth them not most godly that are most glorious nor them reprobates that the world reiecteth but through the light of his most high wisdome and prouidence he yéeldeth to euery one his owne to him that doth well life and reliefe and succour and patience and rest and peace but vnto the wicked sorrow and anguish and tribulations and a worme euer deuouring in perpetuall horror in hell fire O my soule be therefore patient in these transitory troubles in these momentany afflictions stand fast faint not feare not flie not but féed on hope for a strong helpe commeth for this smal suffering thou shalt receiue a perpetuall and most admirable waight of glory O my soule now consider whom hast thou in heauen but this God or whom or what desirest thou in earth in comparison of him for hée is the portion of thine inheritance he filleth the cup of saluation vnto thée for euer therefore I feare not neither will I faint for this God hath promised neither to faile me nor forsake me There is none like vnto God Oh righteous people which rideth vpon the heauens for thy helpe and on the clouds in his glory The eternall God is thy refuge and vnder his arme thou art for euer he shall cast out the enemy before thee and will say Destroy them Deuteronomy 33. 26. 27. O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! how vnsearchable are his Iudgements and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11. 33. Of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glory for euer Amen Vers. 36. They inherited not the Land by their owne sword neither did their owne arme saue them but thy right hand and thine arme and the light of thy countenance because thou didst fauour them Psal. 44. 3. A sweet Meditation concerning the knowledge and prouidence of God whereby the soules of the distressed members of Christ are so quickened through faith in Christ that they rest assured that God hauing foreseene all things cannot but in mercy bring all their sorrowes to a ioyfull and wished end IT is in vaine I sée for me a wretched creature to striue with my powerfull Creator If I should séeme to bide me from him and to séeke to escape his rod and corrections he being alwayes solitary I doe but deceiue my selfe for he is in all places and with all persons and knoweth the wayes of men searcheth the hidden thoughts within and soeth mine actions without the workes of his children hée séeth and approueth the euill actions of the reprobates hée séeth and condemneth yea this righteous God tryeth the very hearts and reynes he findes out the hidden dissimulation of hypocrites pretend they neuer so great denotion and sanctity Should I therefore thinke to colour my sinnes with the painted shew of dissimulate holinesse could I performe it so farre as men might approue of all my sayings and allow all my doings and that I were held iust No no for if my inner parts be not perfect hée in his most absolute knowledge findeth me a deceiuer and so will make mine euils at the last breake out as the morning light O my soule therefore as thou tenderest thy saluation to come and my comfort here in this life leaue off to sinne in secret and flie al shewes of impiety and regard truth and imbrace iustice and follow good euen with thy most inward affection and let neither my hand nor mine eye nor mine eare nor my tongue be instruments of iniquity but rather of sincere piety and of a sanctified life The cause of misery is sin the way to obtaine mercy is repentance and a reformed conuersation How canst thou looke for loue that louest not to liue well and how canst thou liue and not lacke many yea all Gods blessings inward and outward vnlesse thou loue him and reforme thy selfe before him that séeth thy loose behauiour towards him Thou art in outward pouerty because thou art full of inward impiety thou hast many enemies because thou art enemy to God and thy dangers encrease daily because thou dwellest not in God nor Gods Spirit in thée Thou sayest thou art Gods and yet vngodly thou sayest thou fearest him and yet thou still offendest him thou thinkest thou shouldest receiue what good thou destrest and yet thou destrest amisse and deseruest euill God knoweth who are his and who are not his and none know they are Gods but who know God and serue him rightly The righteous onely he knoweth and their wants and the vnrighteous he despiseth because of their sins wherein they say Tush
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
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
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
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
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