to wish well vnto them that haue done much good for me much more vnable to performe that good towards them that I would and ought Forasmuch therefore as I haue no power of my selfe giue mee at least a will that my inward destres may work with thee by the mediation of thy welbeloued Sonne to the obtaining of inward loue and filiall affection towards them and be able to expresse it in my coÌ„tinual faithfull prayers for them Deale with them mercifully O Lord heape vpon them thy blessings the peace of a good conscience plentie of diuine knowledge holy and religious hearts towards thee the continuall abundant supply of all necessaries health of bodie the strength and vse of their limbes ayde in whatsoeuer their neede defence from enemies and prosperity in all things Blesse them with all spirituall blessings and graces in heauenly things Let them heare thy word attentiuely let them beleeue it faithfully let them embrace it cheerefully let them practise it religiously and in a good conscience and let them taste of thy fauours and loue continually and seeke to please thee in all things truely giue them comfort I beseech thee in my well doing and of thâ— vertuous and religious conuersations of al their children friends â—llies and seruants Let not 〈◊〉 misbehauiour or vnseemely course of life procure their griefe or shame but grant that they liâ—iâ—â— long according to thy good pleasure in thy faith feare fauour 〈◊〉 loue they may so giue vp the 〈…〉 soules in peace into thy hands thâ—â— gauest them through Christ Jesâ—â— our Lord and our euerlasting Redeemer Amen Lord increase my faith A MOTIVE TO stirre vp Masters to a godly gouernment of their seruants and to pray for them AS there is areciprocal dutie between the husband the wife between the parents their children so is there likewise betweene masters and seruants In euery of these there is a superioritie and a power to command and Subiection mouing inferiours to obey It is a great priuiledge that masters haue ouer their seruants yet not such as some masters doe impose vpon their seruants for although they haue a libertie to gouerne and to command it is not so absolute but it hath it limitations and bounds for now as well seruants as masters beleeuing the promise are equally within the couenant And therefore seruants although bound to corporall masters as touching their bodily seruice are yet the Lords free men and so fellow-members of Christ with their beleeuing masters which maketh them brethren in the Lord whose feare should preuent too much seueritie in the master moue the seruant to the more obedience and faithfull seruice The strength of Israel said vnto me saith Samuel Thou shalt beare rule ouer men being iust and ruling in the feare of God Heere is the bound and limit of mans authoritie ouer them whom they gouerne Iustice and the feare of God whereby we are taught that masters are not to quarell with and threaten their seruants or afflict them without good cause they may not vniustly taxe them or correct them neither ought masters to conceile but teach them their trades and mysteries The feare of God imports a diuine office which the Masters owe vnto their seruants and that is to indeuour to make them the true members of the Church of Christ by godly education and counsell to vse the authoritie they haue ouer their seruants modestly and holily seeing that they in another respect haue a common Master which is in heauen who will iudge both the bond and the free the master the seruant without respect of the ones glory and the others basenes of the ones authoritie to command or the others seruitude and bondage and it is not commendable for masters too much to insult ouer their seruants or mistresses and sterne dames to tyrannize ouer their maydes who were begotten borne and brought forth in as glorious a maner as the proudest richest and most vaine-glorious master or dame whâ— haue but gotten as it were the start of their seruants by Gods permission who as we daily may see and obserue hurleth downe and confoundeth the most imperious and insolent masters and exalteth the humble and obedient seruants yee masters and dames threaten not nor abuse your seruaÌ„ts they are but lent you for your ease and seruice by their and your Father and Master for a time who will take an account of you how you haue gouerned them and of them how they haue serued and obeyed you and if you take astrict account of euery offence committed by your seruaÌ„t how think you that your Master which is in heauen should winck at or passe by your many transgressions against him as if there were a priuiledge for you to offend the God that made you men and women and made you masters and gouernours ouer men and women your gouernmeÌ„t being but only carnall and their seruice but corporall whereas your Master which is in heauen gouerneth spiritually and your seruice towards him ought to be holy and truely spirituall And thinke that if your seruants disobedience be offensiue vnto you what are your sins and rebellious courses of life vnto God your great Master which seeth your sinnes in secret and will reward them openly Make the case of your corporall seruants disobedience vnto you your case of disobedieÌ„ce to God and consider whether you could be content that euery sinne you haue committed should haue it due reward would it not be a terror vnto you and make you lesse furious and lesse bitter vnto your seruants for euery trifle in committing of a fault or omitting some small dutie to be done I mooue not this to defend or incourage euill and disobedient seruants but to aduise masters and women commanders to vse Christian counsell to their seruants and to gouerne them in the feare of God according to the rule of religion and let none of them thinke it a needlesse a superfluous or a base dutie for masters and gouernours to pray for their seruants and such as are vnder their commaund But let them know it is a duety required of and performed by all godly masters and dames that God may be pleased to make them honest religious and fit for the businesse wherein they vse them to make them dutifull and obedient fearing God so shall such masters and gouernours be blessed for such godly religious seruants sakes vnder whose hands all that they doe shall prosper And to this purpose I haue framed a forme of prayer which or some other to the like purpose such Masters and Dames may vse as desire the meanes to haue good and gracious seruants and whosoeuer scorneth or neglecteth the means is worthy to be crossed by their crooked behauiour and a more excellent meane there is not then godly counsell and diuine prayer to keepe them in obedience A prayer to be said of masters for their seruants not vnfit to bee vsed of all that haue command ouer others GRacious Father who
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
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
keepe vs vnderthine obedience Lest our continuing tranquility prosperity should cause vs to forget thee Giue vs we beseech thee holy conuersations that we may euer walke before thee in all vprightnes that we may prosper in all our wayes by thy blessing grant that our children may grow vp in all goodnes vertues honesty religion to means whereby they may passe this their pilgrimage with much spirituall comfort in Iesus Christ. Increase according to thy good pleasure our stocke store multiply thy many blessed benefits vnto vs performe thy promises vnto vs and vnto our seed as thou didst to Abraham Isaac Iaacob and to their seed make vs our seed faithfull that we may be blessed with faithfull Abraham and as the house of Obed edom was blessed for the Arkes sake so Lord blesse vs with thine own presence that we the house wherin we remaine may be euer blessed and all that belongeth vnto vs Through Iesus Christ our only mediatour Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO Parents to stirre them vp to instruct and pray for their children THere can bee no stronger band of loue and mutuall affection betweene humane creatures then is or ought to bee betweene parents and their children being of one flesh blood But this loue appeareth in some by counterfeit markes as by their continual care carke toile in the world to get wealth to inrich their posterity Some in a doting maner pamper vp decke their children like peacocks making them admired guls for their vanities Some through a blind affection not only permit but incourage their children to take their vaine delights and pleasures in dycing carding company keeping drinking and in all kind of vnseemely riotous and irreligious courses and some Ignorants of the world commende such foolish and doting parents But not onely Religion but meere humane reason condemnes this kinde of loue and holds it rather madnesse then modestie rather wickednes then wisdome for Seneca saith It is impossible for that man to be of a vertuous disposition that is wantonly brought vp in rioting and pleasures Wise parents and religious care more how to bring vp their children in honestie vertue and in the feare of God then how to make them to liue wealthily pleasantly and gloriously in the world They consider that it is better for their children to be esteemed of the good for their vertues then to please the phantasies of their fond parents and others by their beautie brauery comlines and the liniaments of their bodies which are most graceful in their silly parents singular opinions yet is it a common course of worldlings to care more for the bodies then for the soules more for the wealth then for the wisdome more for the health then for the happines and more for the present prosperitie then for the future saluation of their dearest children A preposterous kinde of loue and contrarie to the counsell of the holy Ghost who teacheth parents to learne their children the lawes of God as Deut. 6. 7. Thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children shalt talk of them when thou tariest in thine house as thou walkest in the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp In all places at all times and by all meanes parents ought to instruct their children It is reputed a great glorie and a speciall blessing to haue many children but it is not the number but the vertues of them and the comfort parents take of their godly qualities that giueth the blessing Gideon or Ierubaal had 70. children and one of them Abimelech slew threescore and nine of them What comfort or consolation can parents looke for of prophane and irreligious children but griefe and vexation of spirit It behoueth parents therefore not only to take care of the instruction of their children and educating them in the feare of God but to pray for a blessing vpon them also For parents may teach and children may heare but without a blessing from God it little profiteth Paul may plant Apollos may water but it is God that giueth the increase Eli could say vnto his sonnes that were wicked Doe no more so my sonnes do no more so but they reformed not but were slaine by Gods iudgements and at the newes Eli their father fell backward from his seat and brake his necke Adramelech and Sharazer impious sonnes kild Senacherib their wicked father If euer there were a time of necessitie for parents to instruct exhort rebuke reprooue and pray for their children This corrupt age of necessitie requires it for there is none so ignorant but may obserue the irreligious vaine and vnbridled courses of children of both sexes who without the especial grace of God we see daily to fall into so grosse inormities as draw downe vpon them their swift confusion to the perpetuall shame intolerable griefe and deserued ignominie of their carelesse parents A prayer fit for parents to make vnto God in the behalfe of their children O Gracious Lord God father of mercy and louing kindnes I giue thee hearty thanks for thy goodnesse in blessing me with the gift of children Blesse me also with wisedom and vnderstanding to instruct them in the knowledge of thee to educate them in thy fear to confirme them in thy faith and to winne them to thy loue This dutie thou requirest at the hands of parents towards their children and punishest the neglect thereof as in Eli. Powre downe Lord therfore into the hearts of my children thy holy Spirit that they may become fit members of that mysticall bodie wherof Christ thy Sonne is the head leade them by thine own right hand in the way of knowledge faith and obedience that their obedience beginning at them it may extend vnto vs their parents and assist vs that we may teach them instruct them rebuke them reproue them and wish all goodnes vnto them which yet is altogether fruitlesse without thy blessing and grace fruitlesse in respect of our selues their parents vnlesse thou blesse vs with a holy and powerfull zeale to performe our parently duties towards them religiously faithfully in teaching them fruitlesse in respect of them vnlesse thou inable them by thy holy Spirit to learne and imbrace such religious wholesome documents as thou mayest be pleased to furnish vs with for their instruction Season my heart I humbly beseech thee with a holy desire to seeke their saluation and season their harts with an humble and holy inclination to obey thy truth All humane creatures are prone to sin against thee youth especially who are most apt to fall into many forbidden vanities and therefore need they not only continuall instruction in and to goodnes and debortation from sinne but continuall watchfulnes and careful diligence to obserue and follow the good and to preuent and auoid the euill which neither we their parents are able sufficiently to teach nor they our children to performe by nature furnish vs therfore most