And graunt that I may duely consider that two thus conioyned shall be made one flesh And therefore not vnaduisedly to be attempted lest of a member of Christ my Sauiour I should make my selfe the member of some prophane and wicked person which is not in my power or policie but in thy prouidence to preuent Preuent it Lord and whomsoeuer thou pleasest that I imbrace we may bee both made one intire bodie sanctified throughout in Christ Iesus that our vnion being thus made holy it may resemble that heauenly vnion which is betweene Christ and the Church his spowse And let our hearts and affections bee so truely and intirely knit together in thee that after the consummating of this sacred mysterie betweene vs there may succeede no cause of disparadgement no breach of thy sacred ordinance nor any offence iâ— thy Church But that comming together in thy fauour we may liue in thy feare prosper by thy prouidence be blessed in the fruit of our bodies gouerne our selues and our families religiously liue in thy Church sincerely deale with all meÌ„ iustly and obtaine of thee necessaries plentifully That wee and for all things may giue glory and prayse vnto thee ioyfully and 〈◊〉 our liues in thee faithfully and aâ—ter reigne with thee in glory etâ—â—nally through Christ our Sauiour and euerlasting red 〈…〉 Amen Lord increase my faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to bee sayd of married folkes NAture teacheth euery man and woman to loue themselues what then but the peruersenesse and crookednes of our natures maketh that a man and his wife being of two made one flesh should not loue nourish and cherish one another as the Lord loueth and comforteth his Church Neuer man yet bated his owne flesh saith Saint Paul And therefore Euery man ought to loue his wife as himselfe and let the wife see that she feare her husband Ephe. 5. 33. Whereby it appeareth that vnder loue and feare are comprehended the speciall dueties of man and wife one towards another Loue importeth all desire of ayding and helping and feare implyeth all care and diligence to preuent occasions of offending one the other To this kind of mutuall loue and feare if it bee in the Lord are promised many blessings peace plentie fruitfulnesse and sweetest contentment But if it be counterfeit and vsurped contrary to the holy ordinance of God namely for carnall respects onely there will follow in stead of comfort crosses contentions and many discontentments And therefore it much behooueth men and women thus of two made one to consider the endes of their vniting whether they asked first counsell of the Lord by prayer had the consent of parents and approbation of the word of God If so then to bee vnfeinedly thankefull to God by whose prouidence they became man and wife If they find any impediment or defect in their first insinuation communication or consummation of this high and holy mysterie they are speedily to appeale vnto God for pardon for their not crauing his ayde in so weightie an action and to redeeme their rashnesse by vnfained repentance and prayer Such is the frailtie of our natures as the most men and women erre in this point from the rule of right religion hauing their affections either naturally blinde and miscarried or by the meanes of parents sinisterly wrested Lust and Lucre are two mayne cords to draw the affections of men and women from making conuenient choice according to the rule of Gods word following their owne idle and vaine fantasies comming together not as Christians in the feare of the Lord and in sincere loue but many after a beastiall and brutish manner heaping vpon themselues shame and miserie Their dissembled loue proues hatred their vowes falsified the promise of each to other plighted wilfully and perfidiously broken It behooueth therefore all men and women thus coupled together in marriage to be especially mindfull of their dueties to God for without the sauour of God no true duetie can bee performed by either to other to their children or families Tokens of a good husband are to be louing to his wife to be wise in his words to be milde in his conuersation to be faithfull in his promises to bee circumspect in his gouernment to bee carefull for the education of his children to bee discreete in disposing of his goods to bee patient in troubles and to order his family religiously Tokens of a good wife to be no common gadder abroad to be modest and graue in companie to be neat and alwayes well busied in her house carefully to saue what the husband gets to attend and tender her children motherly to bee modestly silent patiently to suffer constantly to loue her husband prouidently to care for her household And the husband and the wife to bee religiously carefull to please God together So shall God bee pleased to blesse them in all things in their going out and comming in in their house and in the fieldes in their goods and good name in their children and families and whatsoeuer shall concerne their comfort in this life and the life to come A Prayer to be sayd of married folkes either priuatly or mutually together O Heauenly Father that madest in the beginning all things of nothing man of the dust of the earth and woman of the man that as she came of the substance of the bodie flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones So to be reunited vnto man and in a mysticall manner became one body with him by the holy institution of marriage which we hauing by thy prouidence in thy presence solemnized by our mutuall coniunction wee pray thee in Iesus Christ to blesse vs according to thy promise in all things And although through our naturall and originall weakenesse we cannot but confesse that we haue erred from the right and religious rules of thy holy ordinance in yeelding too much vnto our owne carnall desires foolish fantasies and fraile affections Pardon vs we humbly pray thee knowing and wee confessing that flesh and blood cannot so precisely containe but that it will fall into many noysome desires offending thy Maiestie Clense therfore O mercifull Lord God clense our hearts and conforme our conuersations to thy will giue vs power to abandon all lightnesse wantonnesse and vanities that we may become truely and religiously affected one towards another keeping our selues cleane without incastitie without any violating of thy holy ordinance in thought word or deede and our hearts and bodies vndefiled That with the more integritie of loue and heartie obedience towards thee we may passe our limited course of this life And forasmuch as thou knowest Lord that many crosses commonly accompany the estate of wedlocke and many both domesticall and forraigne troubles distract our affections especially while wee remaine in our naturall vanities season them gracious Lord whatsoeuer they be or shall be with thy fauour and loue So shall they not proue the fruits of thy displeasure but of thy meere goodnes to
gracious Father with vnderstanding and apprehending hearts that we in teaching neglect not our dueties nor our children in learning and obeying thee be fouÌ„d vnwilling Teach vs all thy word O Lord that wee may direct our duties and frame our conuersations thereby that wee and they may walke before thee and bee vpright Incline their hearts and their affections vnto such course of life as in thy prouidence may best stand with their ingenious inclinations for their honest reliefe in this life knowing that all are bound to betake them to some vocation or calling in Church or Common-weale Direct them therefore by thy prouidence good Father in Christ Iesus that they may imbrace such callings as may best staÌ„d with thy glory and their comfort adde blessing vpon blessing vnto their honest endeuours giue them religious hearts and holy mindes that in sinceritie of conuersation they may walke before thee and euermore discharge a holy and Christian dutie before and among men and neuer leaue them Lord vnto their owne naturall corruptions which are strong cordes to draw them from good to euill from obedience to rebellion Let thy grace beare chiefe sway in them that they may euer and in all things prosper in this life not as worldlings in fulnesse of forbidden pleasures and carnall contentments but in a competent estate of this lifes necessaries as able rather to giue vnto thy needie members then to be inforced through penurie to want or begge their bread I recommend them Lord into thine owne Fatherly disposition and protection they are thine left vnto me by thee and therefore good Father take a fatherly care ouer them that in this life they may so liue as after this life they may be made partakers with thee of the heauenly inheritance in Christ our Sauiour Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be vsed by children for their Parents THere is or ought to bee such a sympathy or mutuall passion of affection betweene children and parents as one grieueth not but the other soroweth the one reioyceth not but the other is glad what measure of good or euill the one enioyeth or suffereth the other partaketh But the burden of care lieth vpon the parents feares griefes sorrowes paines and expences in fostering protecting educating and instructing their children Therefore ought children to endeuor with al diligence diligent carefulnes to loue reuereÌ„ce obey performe whatsoeuer may work to the coÌ„fort of their parents not only in outward obedience but in inward and a sincere affection of the heart neuer forgetting their parents paines patience perplexities which for their childrens sake they vndergo and endure Loue them therefore yee children hartily without flattery feare them truly without hypocrisie reuerence theÌ„ vnfainedly without dissimulation pray for them zealously without wearinesse and do them good cheerefully without grudging And when yee haue done all the good offices that ye can yet shal ye be continuall debters vnto your parents especially to such parents as striue religiously to educate you godly for it is not the wealth parents leaue you but the wisdome they teach you not the pleasures they permit you but the practise of honestie they learne you that shal steed you most and help you best in life and death Good and gracious children are an ornament to their parents more then their wealth or beautie but irreligious wicked wanton riotous and rebellious children the shame and sorrow of them more then their wits weaknes or their bodies deformities But where there is a religious and a holy mutuall affection betweene parents and children and loue and obedience of both to God infinite blessings corporall and spirituall cannot but follow Dauid was olde and had beene yong yet neuer saw hee godly parents forsaken nor their godly children to want And where this sweete harmonie is betweene parents and children there cannot faithfull and mutuall prayer but bee on all sides frequent and blessings on all sides shall follow both vpon parents who haue a promise that they shall see their childrens children and peace vpon Israel and children shall haue their daies prolonged in peace plentie and all happinesse Therefore I counsell all children of discretion to bee euermore louing and obedient to their parents and be euermore conuersant in praier to God for them And because it is no ordinarie thing for youth to bee able to pray by nature let them inwardly hunger and desire with inward sighes to God the good of their parents and the increase of Gods blessings and benefits vpon them and themselues and endeuour by little and little to vtter words as God shal enable them in secret to God who knoweth their desires and will grant what they in heart require tending to the obtaining of spirituall graces for themselues and others And for their better furtherance I haue set downe this weake Motiue and a forme of Prayer fit to be vsed of all good children or the like for their parents according to the flesh as also for such as are any way helpers in their vertuous and religious educations A Prayer fit for children to vse for their parents GRacious Lord God and louing father in thy beloued Sonne Iesus Christ as thou hast brought me into this world by the carnall propagation of naturall parents and hast giuen mee a life and being heere in the earth and afforded me of thy great goodnes some measure of naturall and spirituall vnderstanding whereby I apprehend a dutie which I owe vnto my parents according to the flesh So giue me grace I humbly pray thée to performe all dutifull obedience vnto them in thee and grant that their godly care and religious endeuours tending to my education instruction in the true knowledge and feare of thee may take such roote and worke such effect inwardly in my heart as may approue mee to belong vnto thee by whome I am begotten anew in Christ Iesus Accept my hartie thankfulnes O gracious Lord God for thy spirituall blessings and for thy goodnes towards me in not only taking me out of my mothers womb wherin I had perished and she with me hadst not thou beene the Author of her strength and my deliuery but also in preseruing me from many both spirituall and corporall dangers whereby I could not but haue vin many times confounded without thy goodnesse and prouidence in giuing me carefull and louing parents who vnder thee haue beene the meanes of my often preseruation What recompence Lord shall I giue vnto thee for thy great goodnes and manifold mercies towards me Thou requirest no sacrifice but obedience which with thee is more precious then the offering of many Bullocks and Goats Giue me therefore a faithfull heart that I may search to know and endeuour to 〈◊〉 thy will So shall I be the better able to yeeld vnto my parents condigne honor for by nature I am as â—n vntamed Heyâ—er or vnbridled Colt prone to disobedience wantonnes and all forbidden vanities vnable of my selfe
ablenes to discharge the office according to iudgement it is not enough to be a deepe Politician a profound Naturalist but to be a religious Christian well seene in the booke of God especially and in the Lawes and ordinances of the Kingdome to be of an vpright heart of a godly conuersation qualified in the vertues diuino the first whereof is to respect Gods glory secondly the honor of the King the good of the Church and Weale publike to shine before men in godlines for that ministreth ioy consolation to the good and terror to the wicked It is impossible for him to giue good counsell to men that hath not taken counsell before of God Psal. 33. 10. And therefore hee that seeketh not wisdome where Salomon found it let hiâ— be as wise in humane affaires 〈◊〉 was Achitophel it will either come to nought or redound to his owne disgrace to the dishonor of the King and hurt of the Church or Common-weale Great happines then it is to that King and Kingdome where men of worthie not for their Religion Prudence and Integritie are inuested in that most honorable societie and therefore much behoueth it all honorable persons of that most worthy rancke to commence in humilitie and in the feare of God from whence cannot but proceed that true wisedome and sinceritie which are the truest arguments of the Kings and Subiects happinesse and safetie And for that these supernaturall gifts no man attaineth vnto by chance arte or carnall means they are to be sought for by prayer at the hands of him that freely giues them without remuneration Iam. 1. 5. He then that loueth righteousnes and is in this eminent place cannot but desire true Wisdome and that instantly in regard of the vertues that accompanie her As Sobernes Prudence Righteousnesse and Fortitude Wisd. 8. 7. ornaments of highest honor to such as are of the secrets of Princes But fearing lest I should seeme to lightâ— candle to giue light to the Sunne I craue pardon and patience onely I aduenture to insert this among other Motiues not to teach but by way of well-wishing vnto all of that most high and most honorable association whose wisdome and iudgement is a light in the Court and life of the Kingdome A Prayer not vnfit to be sometimes vsed of a Counsellour of Estate as he hath oportunitie O Gracious Lord God most wise prouident and louing Father I acknowledge my selfe farre vnworthy of the plâ—câ— and dignitie whereunto thou iâ— great mercie hast aduanced me a man of meanest vnderstanding What am I O Lord that thâ—â— shouldest respect me so That thoâ— shouldest associate mee with the grauest and most prudent to m 〈…〉 me partaker of the secret counsel of thine Anointed I know that witâ— thee is wisedom and counsell mercie and iudgement but I am ignorant only thou art the Author and fountaine of true wisedom giuest prudence knowledge abundaÌ„tly to them that truly faithfully aske it of thee to the end to do good to execute Justice to aduante thy word 〈◊〉 loue countenance and defend the true professors of the same not to seeme the more singular in Naturall and Humane policies But indeed to be the more able to preuent the euils which the enemies of thy sacred and sauing truth plot and practise against thy Church and thine Anointed And therefore Father Al-sufficient seeing it is thy good pleasure to put into the heart of thine Anointed to call me vnworthy to his Counsell make 〈◊〉 more worthy by infussing into mee wisedome to aduise iudgement to determine and strength to performe all the godly duties required in my high calling Make me especially studious in thy worâ— giue 〈◊〉 vnderstanding according vnto the same lest I through ignorance or rashnesse should propose deliberat or censure any thing to thy dishonor to the danger or damage of our Soueraigne Lord to the distaste or disturbance of thy Church or against the peace or profit of the â—â—â—eale publike of the Dominious vnder the charge of thine Anointed And aboue all things Lord giue mee a religious heart that in a godly and right constant resolution I may more and more seeke the propagation increase continuance and aduancement of the Gospell of Iesus Christ and more and more seeke to weaken and bring to nought all Idolatrie and superstition Take from me a parciall eye that in respect of persons I seeke not to free the faulty or to discountenance or condemne the innocent Giue me a loyal hart to my Soueraigne season my loue towards him with thy loue that as much as in mee lieth I may euer defend his person though to the losse of whatsoeuer is dearest unto me and that I may seeke to discouer those that hate him and endeuour to bring them to their deserued shame and punishment Lord increase my faith and mine vnderstaÌ„ding according to thy word Another short effectuall Prayer to be said of a priuie Counseller fit to bee said before consultation FRuctifie my heart O gracious Lord God with righteousnesse and sincere iudgement that I may wisely consult sincerely censure and iudge iustly all things that at any time shall be propounded to mine opinion for of my self Lord I doe acknowledge that I am a man of weake vnderstanding of a corrupt heart and ignorant of perfect equitie and therefore I humbly beg knowledge and wisedome of thee Keepe my feet aright in all my wayes free my hands and keepe them euer cleane from gifts that they cause me not to peruert iustice and wrest sound counsell Indue mee with a mercifull heart and let mine affections be euer such as may in all things administer true tokens of mine integrity And for as much as things may diuersly fall out to be debated and determined by vs of this high calling of so worthy and weighty consequence as may concerne the life and state of Church Common-weale and we being but men not able to fadome by our wisedomes the end of thy secret purposes nor to sound the depth of thine vnsearchable iudgements bee pleased to reueale vnto vs thy will for the good of thine Anointed vnder whom thou hast placed vs that we may accordingly consult and determine for nothing succedeth wiâ—â— without thee and against thee there is neither wisedome vnderstanding or counsell that can preuaile Thy Judgements are vnsearchable and thy wayes past finding out Furnish vs therfore O louing Father with all graces and vertues necessarie to the performance of out bound duties to thy selfe thine Anointed thy Church and the Common-weales vnder the gouernment of our Soueraigne Lord thy seruant through Christ our wisedome our Strength and ou◠〈◊〉 â—eeiner Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be said of euery good subiect for the good successe of the Counsell Royall SAint Paul in the first to Timothie cap. 1. 2. exhorteth all men to make prayers and supplications for kings and men in authoritie and yeeldeth such a reason to moue thereunto as
in me diuine meditations and prayers that my heart being truly and zealously exercised therein in my wakings I may admit no idle thought to possesse the same nor giue Sathan or mine owne corrupt affections oportunity to snare me and to seduce me from the works of the spirit to the deeds of the flesh but that sleeping and waking I may euer rest vnder the shadow of thy powerfull protection out of the â—each of all my corporall and spirituall enemies who are euer restlesse in their practises and deuices Be thou therefore Lord on my â—â—dâ— preuent them of their purposes garde 〈…〉 ee with thy holy Angels this night keepe me whom and whatsoeuer belongeth vnto me let all things prosper vnder my hands O Lord let neither the darkenesse of the night the distemperature of the ayre the sterilitâ—e and barrennesse of nature hinder the prosperitie of the creatures ordained to my vse Neither let my sinnes make breach of thy fauours towards me let the health of my body be at thy good pleasure continued my limbes sences preserued my sleepe blessed and all my thoughtes words and deeds sanâ—tiâ—â—ed vnto me in Christ my Sauiour and Redeemer this night and euer Amen Lord increase my faith and watch ouer me this night A MOTIVE TO A Prayer for the members of Christ to be vsed after priuate praiers in families IT were a matter much to be wondred at that any member of a body should be so little carefull of it fellow members of the same bodie as that it should not extend it vttermost power to support and aide them all As if the one hand should suffer violence and the other should disdaine to assist it or that the foote or any other part should be annoyd and the eye should scorne to looke vnto it or the hand to helpe it How much more lamentable were it if the members of our spirituall bodie whereof Christ our common Redeemer is the head should not pray one for another What can a man doe lesse for an ordinary friend then to speake for him to him that may steede him being at no further charge or trouble then to vse the breath of his mouth for him And shall wee thinke it too tedious a labor to vse our petitions to God in the behalfe of such as are our fellow members and our dearest brethren in Christ being professors of his name with vs and of the same fellowship and communion together with vs hauing the selfe same seales of adoption that we haue God forbid The neglect of which spirituall duetie implyeth our want of loue vnto our head Christ wherein we also breake the law of Christian Religion which commands vs to loue our neighbours as our selues If we then thinke it our dueties to pray for our selues we ought to pray also for them which Christ intendeth in teaching vs how to pray not as in our owne names my Father But in the name of all the Church Our Father though vpon some particular occasions a priuat maÌ„ may vse it in the name of himselfe But in generall supplications to God it is a duetie inseparable in Christian Charitie to pray one for another yea and for all men Let vs therefore in all our priuate prayers either with our families or by ourselues adde this consequent prayer or to the like purpose that wee discharging that Christian duetie for others God may the more esteeme our prayers for our selues and stirre vp other faithfull members to do the like for vs which may be much comfortable to all for the prayer of the faithfull auaileth much if it bee feruent Iam. 5. 16. A Prayer for the members of Christ whersoeuer dispersed fit to bee vsed after our ordinarie prayers of Morning and Euening GRacious Lord God merciful and louing Father the keeper and protector of all that truly professe the name of Christ thy Sonne we the poore and weake members of that mysticall bodie whereof he is the head as feeling the wantes of our brethren as our own do here humblie present our petitions vnto thee for thy whole Church and the members thereof howsoeuer or whersoeuer distracted dispersed and estranged by nation tongue or place from vs. That it may please thee who knowest who are thine to haue a fatherly care ouer them and whom thou hast already called to the knowledge of thy trueth graunt them Lord mercifull louing and constant hearts to stand in the profession thereof without wauering or starting backe call and incorporate such as are contrarily minded and whom thou hast in thy fore-election appointed to saluation That they also may be made of the same holy Communion with vs. And such as yet sit in darkenesse in the shadow of ignorance by the seducements of the ministers of Antichrist or of any other aduersaris inlighten and bring home by thy word vnto the sheepefold of the great Shepheard of our soules Multiply thy sauing spirit vpon vs and vpon all that belong vnto the kingdome of thy Sonne Aâ—â— vouchsafe good Father to inlarge the harts increase the knowledge confirme the faith more and more of all those that haue any chiefe place in Church or Commonwealth Kings Priests and People About the rest Lord open the heart of our King giue him a complete measure of true wisedome not only in gouerning his subiects in due obedience to his owne lawes but in a religious course of obeying seruing of thee in holinesse and trueth Protect and deliuer him from all plots complotments and conspiracies of whatsoeuer aduersaries domesticall or forraine Suffer not Lord the peace of thy Church or Common-weale to suffer violence by ciuill tumults treasons or rebellions Preserue his health increase his strength weaken his enemies and confirme his crowne to his sonne and his sonnes sonnes to the end of time Blesse and prosper in vertue and trueth his Queene and all that truly loue him in and for thee loue thou them and comfort them for thou hast made him a true maintainer of thy truth an enemie of all thine enemies Blesse vnto him a godly religious and wise counsell learned zealous and painefull ministers faithfull religious and truely loyall subiects comfort helpe ayde assist and relieue all and euery true member of thy Sonne Those that are persecuted for thy truth comfort confirme that they may constantly endure vnto the end Them that are weak strengthen Them that are poore and distressed relieue Cure or comfort those that are sicke Many are the troubles of thine own children Lord and according to thy promise deliuer them out of all make them able to indure and laâ— no more vpon any of them theâ— they shall be able to beare Touch the hearts of all thy children that they may be watching in prayer considering the dayes wherein we liue are euill And as thou hast promised to be present with vs and with all thy children in their meetings before thee in prayer Stir vs all vp we beseech thee to a more holy desire