shalt be fed and shalt haue cause to reioyce in him and to sing praises vnto his name for trusting in him his mercy shall compasse me about and comfort mee with ioyfull deliuerance yea none that trusteth in him shall perish The eyes of the Lord are vpon them that trust in him trust in him O my soule then shalt thou say I sought the Lord and hee heard mee and deliuered mee and relieued mee and defended mee and brought mee out of all my dangers O how good and how gracious is this God who sendeth his Angels to encampe about such as truely trust 〈◊〉 him that no perill or feare or crosse or temptation hurt them Blessed are they that trust in him Feare the Lord O my soule trust in him cry vnto him cease not to doe good be not weary of well doing for nothing wanteth to them that feare him Delight thy selfe in the Lord and he shall giue thee thy hearts desire commit thy vvay vnto the Lord and trust in him and he shall bring all things to good end for thee Waite patiently vpon the Lord hope in him feare not though the earth be moued and though trouble inuiron thée round about for the Lord out of heauen shall send and saue thée and shall not suffer thée to perish altogether O God remember thy promises how thou hast said thou wilt not faile mée I beléeue it Lord Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe Upon thée I haue béene stayed from my youth and it is onely of thy mercy that I had not béene confounded long agone for of my selfe I haue fallen but thou Lord hast raised me of my selfe I perish but through thée I haue béene euer preserued Consider this O my soule and forget not the benefits of the Lord how hée hath made thée as Mount Sion that can neuer be moued Let neither pouerty or sicknesse or losse or enemies or any crosses or whatsoeuer troubles driue thée from trust in this God and assure thée that neither life nor death nor things present nor things to come shall dismay thée his mercies and goodnesse and blessings and fauour loue shall follow thée and féede thée and relieue thée and protect thée and saue thée from all dangers for eueâ— O Lord increase my Faith Faith is the ground of things which are hoped for the euidence of things that are not seene Heb. 11. 1. Aboue all take the shield of faith wherewith ye may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked Ephes 6. ver 16. I beleeued and therefore I spake Psal. 116. 10. They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion that cannot be moued Psal. 125. 1. A necessary Meditation concerning the vncertainty of mans happinesse in this life and the certainty of the endlesse happinesse of the children of God in the life to come notvvithstanding their present miseries here MJne eyes haue séene and mine heart hath duely considered the fickle and fraile and féeble and vncoustant happinesse of man in this life yea I my selfe haue found by experience that this world administreth vnto man no periect comfort while hée liueth vpon the earth Yet flesh bloud the foolish outward man besotted with the vaine delights of sinnes deceits and snared with the baits of vaine hope the pleasures and comforts and glory and ease and fulnes of earthly vanities thinketh himselfe safe and in state of such sure and neuer-failing happinesse that he walloweth in the mire of deceiuing security vntill at vnawares the hand of the liuing God be stretched out against him and either turneth his hope to despaire his glory into shame his ease into trouble his fulnesse into want or all the vaine things wherein he delighteth into griefe and sorrow O my soule trust not therefore in the transitory trash and pelfe wealth of this world for it deceiueth and deuoureth men and as the rust and canâ—er eateth and wasteth iron so doth the loue thereof deuoure thy trust in God and thy practice of better things Trust not in worldly friends for their words are vaine their promises not performed nor their helpe worth thy hope It is better to put confidence in the Lord then to trust in Princes for they who haue their breath in their nostrels are but men whose power is of the earth and whose hands are féeble and their deuices vaine Some trust in chariots and some in horsemen but O my soule trust thou in the liuing God be doing good and thou shalt remaine when the foolish man that beleeueth in flesh and dependeth on earthly meanes shall fall and perish Be not carried away O my soule therefore with the hope of any mans helpe nor feare what man can doe against thée for suddenly is thy friend taken from thée and he that séeketh thy destruction brought to a fearefull end Thy happinesse is not to haue heapes of gold and siluer many friends and all earthly abundance for the abuse of these are dangerous because they draw thée from séeking God and they are short and bring thée to destruction leauing thy carkase naked in the graue and thy selfe O my soule in the mercilesse pit What auailed the rich mans worldly pleasures when hée went suddenly to hell What hindred the beggers pouerty when hee went immediately to heauen How was Iob impouerished hauing mighty wealth What miseries doe follow the mightest men is daily séene and how terrible the end is of such as haue not the Lord their strength but put their trust in the multitude of their riches Who can say The wealthy man is happy When he sléepeth he sléepeth in feare when he walketh he walketh in danger and when hee is in his best age strongest body and best state hée suddenly dieth and leaueth his wealth he knoweth not to whom And who can say the poore fearing God is vnhappy in his basenesse and want and iâ—nominy sith hée setteth his hope vpon the neuer-failing God he séeketh his helpe from heauen and is fed as with the dew thereof onely hope sustaineth him and his want is timely supplied with wished necessaries and his heart comforted in his déepest miseries he lieth downe in faith and patience and thankefulnesse and the Lord sustaineth him and when he dieth he liueth and raigneth and reioyceth in God his Sauiour O that I might haue no delight in the vaine things of this world O my soule be at peace within mée when I haue warres without me be contented and grudge not when I want the outward fulnesse of worldly things for I sée and consider that carnall meanes cannot saue me but the mercies of the Lord wherein he affordeth vnto his faithfull ones all things to enioy Though he make me a reproach among my friends and though hée suffer me to stand a gazing stocke before the eies of the wicked who triumph in their owne glory gotten by their owne hands and deuices and the Lord none of their counsell I will not yet be dismayed neither will I be moued at their prosperity for I
oflife with such sincerity and bolduesse as neither feare nor affection may hinder the same that we thy flocke may fructifie and increase our knowledge in Faith thereby and more and more desire to féede at that the Table of thy Word and be filled open my heart as thou didst Lidyacs that I may attend with diligence to the preaching of thy Word Send forth store of Labourers O good Lord into thy Haruest which by their carefull paines and faithfull endeuours may gather the dispersed sheaues of thy Church into thy celestiall Barne and banish from this wholesome worke all such as are not sent from thée and come not truly to edifie but rather to reape their owne gaine making as it were maâ—… chandise of thy holy Word teaching in stead of truth the tradition of men Lord vouchsafe grace into the lips of those that are now prepared to declare thy will grace into our hearts that are present to heare it that they by teaching truely and we by following effectually may through Christ obtaine of thée remission of our sinnes past light instead of darkenesse peace for trouble and heauenly happinesse in stead of worldly felicitie that tasting the swéetnesse of celestiall comfort we may despise terrestriall and after this life ended enioy the perfect ioyes of eternall felicity through Jesus Christ our Sauiour and Redéemer O Lord increase our Faith A Prayer after the Preaching of the holy Word Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Luke 11. 28. The hearers of the Lavv are not righteous but the doers of the Lavv shall be iustified Rom. 2. 13. Be ye doers of the word not hearers onely deceiuing your selues Rom. 1. 22. O Heauenly Father and most mercifull God séeing that wee haue now receiued the benefit of the hearing of thy heauenly and holy word by the mouth of thy Minister the fruits whereof doetend to the perfection of a godly life and a godly life is the way to eternall life in Christ our Lord vouchsafe O good Father we humbly beséech thée to imprint in our hearts the gladsome and most comfortable tidings which wée haue heard and receiued this day of thée by the mouth of thy Minister and grant that in faith vnfained â—t may lay vp the same in our vnderstanding and remembrance lest that forgetting the same and neglecting the exercise of a godly life wée be taken away as trées that beare no truit and so be cast into the fire therefore we most humbly pray and beséech thée that thou wouldest send vs thy holy Spirit the Comforter which may retaine the good tidings of the Gospell in our hearts wherby we may appeare as trées bearing good fruits and so be preserued vntill the comming of our Lord Jesus who will then receiue vs and giue vs the inheritance which he hath purchased for as many as beléeue in his most holy Word Amen O Lord increase our Faith A Prayer for the Sabbath day at night O euerlasting and mercifull God I giue thée thankes from the bottome of my heart that of thy mercy thou hast nourished and preserued me by thy diuine power and gouerned me by thy Word holy Spirit this day and all this wéeke yea and at all other times of my life protected me by thy power and prouidence and I most humbly beséech thée for the merits of Christ Jesus to couer and bury all my misdéedes which heretofore I haue committed in thought word and déede against thy diuine Maiestie in the death of thy Sonne Forgiue O Lord the euill that I haue committed supply the good which I haue omitted restore what I haue lost heale my sores cleanse my filthinesse lighten my darkenesse and alter the whole state of my minde that nothing may be wanting to good purposes in me nor any thing lurke in mee which may offend thée Water O Lord the séede of thy holy Word which I haue receiued this day with the dew of thy grace that with sound iudgement and godly deuotion I may practise such things as are pleasing to thy diuine Maiestie and that my heart being alwayes obedient to thy Commandements I may passe my time in peace through thy protection O Lord stretch out thy hand ouer me and of thy accustomed goodnes defend me this night Kéepe me from searefull and wicked dreames vnprofitable cares idle cogitations and outward violence Compasse me about on euery side with thy grace that when I shall either take care for things of this life or carefully séeke for those things which appertaine vnto the Kingdome of heauen I may heare the voyce of thy holy Spirit sounding in my heart from the mouth of the Apostie The Lord shall relieue thee in all thy necessities and yeelde thee a Crowne of eternall glory with Christ his beloued in the heauens Grant O Lord this and all other graces méete for me euen for Jesus Christs sake my onely Lord and Sauiour Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer to be said before a man begins his Labour or enter into the execution of any profession OMnipotent God and most mercifull Father since thou hast commanded that all humane creatures shall labour and eate their bread in the sweat of their browes while they abide in this life and yet séeing no man can prosper without thy blessing or receiue any good successe in his affaires we humbly beséech thée that thou wouldest blesse our labours in such sort as therby we may haue iust occasion to confesse thy goodnesse assistance and fatherly care which thou takest of vs. Let thy holy Spirit O Lord be our guide to the end we may faithfully exercise the workes of our estate and vocation without any fraud or deceit giue vs grace rather to regard the following of thine ordinance then to satisfie the appetite of our owne sinfull flesh which couets to enrich it selfe by any meanes whatsoeuer Neuerthelesse if it be thy pleasure to blesse and prosper our endeuours grant vs also chéerefull dispositions to helpe and relieue such as are in distresse according to thy talents best owed vpon vs. And let vs kéepe within the bounds of humility not puffing our selues vp aboue the poore and needy by that which we enioy by thy bounty and goodnes But if thy good pleasure be so to deale with vs as to abase and impouerish vs farre beyond that which our weake nature can beare yet vouchsafe to enrich vs with cleauing faithfully to thy promises whereby we shall no way fall into distrust but rather be more certainely assured that thou wilt neuer forsake vs in the extremity of our wants and calamities inable vs to performe truely the duties of our callings giue vs the vse of all our limmes and senses with an holy endeuour to performe our callings and patience to attend thy leasure to replenish vs both with temperall and spirituall comforts receiuing thereby daily new occasion to giue thée praise and thankes and to expect all things from thée Heare vs
made to be due to me but that my chiefe vexation may be to thinke how I haue abused thy mercy and requited thy excéeding loue with so foule a trespesse Withall most mercifull God séeing there is mercy with thée and that thou desirest not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turne from his wickednesse and liue giue me leaue to become a suter vnto thy grace not in mine owne name but in the name of thy dearest Sonne the onely Mediator Intercessor of his chosen I most humbly beséech thée for his sake to haue mercy on me O Lord one drop of his most precious bloud shall be a soueraigne Medicine to cure my running â—ore his stripes and wounds are of an healing nature O then I pray thée purgeme cleane from mine intquitie and according to the multitude of thy mercy wipe away all my vncleannesse let the apprehension of my sinne be tempered with a comfortable application of thy mercy that I may hold an euen course betwixt fearlesse security and faithlesse despaire beholding at once both my vilenesse to humble me and the riches of thy grace to reuiue me And Lord permit me not I humbly pray thee to thinke it sufficient that I haue once made some shew of humiliation and sorrow for my falâ— but grant I may endeuor my selfe in the performance of these dueties and may euery day renew and increase my repentance with a déepe detestation of my sinnes and with a feruent desire more and more earnestly striue to be renewed in the spirit of my minde that being so cleansed from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit I may attaine vnto perfect holinesse in thy feare through our Lord Jesus in whose name I commend vnto thée my Petitions and for whose sake thou hast promised to deny nothing to thy Seruant So be it Amen Lord increase my Faith A preparation to the Receiuing of the holy Communion of the Body and Bloud of IESVS CHRIST ADAM the first man was forbidden to eate of one fruit which was fore-shewed to be mortall and hee did hasten to eate thereof Wee the Children of the second Adam are commanded to eate of the liuely and sauing fruit the Body and Bloud of Christ to our saluation yet how slacke are we to prepare vs thereunto and to partake thereof The first step therefore of true preparation thereunto is to search the Scriptures who teach the Mysterie of this holy Communion and the institution of the same as also the signification of the outward signes which are Bread and Wine the things signified the Body and Bloud of Christ shed for all beleeuers the end of the receiuing whereof is to retayne the remembrance of the Death Passion of Christ which he suffered for our sins By the true receiuing of this Sacrament we are vnited vnto the loue of God in and by the death of Christ the second Adam being separated from him by the fall of the first We are made heires by adoption of eternall saluation in by and with Christ which we lost in by Adam The true receiuing of this blessed Sacrament must be in sincerity with a repentant heart and faith vnfained And because it is not prouided for sinners who comming thereunto vnworthily receiue their owne damnation wee must before we repaire thereunto cleanse our soules from all sinne which cannot be done without diuing into our own soules with an impartiall search to finde out our owne corruption and truely to repent our sinnes Therefore saith the Apostle Let a man try and examine himselfe before he presume to come to this holy Table c. It is not fit that wee should come to this holy Banquet abruptly â—s men doe to their ordinary feasts where they Pharisaically and ceremoniously will wash their hands before they eate but to this most holy Supper we are not to come without inward washing of the soule from sinne for if vnwashed hands prophane the meat for the belly how much more an vnwasht heart this sacred Sacrament the foode of the Soule Inward examination impartiall accusation and an absolute condemnation of our selues for sinne is the best preparation to this holy Table For hee that looketh into and examineth the hidden prophanenesse lurking in the heart cannot but vpon due view of the same accuse himselfe of deepe disobedience to God which deserueth death Finding this he cannot but iudge himselfe worthy to be reiected from this communion of Saints and so condemne himselfe that he be not condemned of the Lord for he that confesseth his sinnes to God couereth them and he that coueteth to hide them increaseth them Therefore the Apostle willeth all men to trye and examine themselues which importeth repentance and so to eate This caueat is no inhibition but a terrifying of the soule not to presume to come to this holy Table without purification and sanctification Herein doth the Lord Iesus discouer his wonderfull loue towards vs who before hee inuite vs to come to this Table to eate doth instruct vs how wee should come and how we should feede He layes not this Table to snare vs as Absalom did Amnon and yet forewarnes vs that there is danger in receiuing it namely with polluted hands with hands full of bribery and extortion to take it with lips defiled with blasphemy cursing and lying to put it into a stomacke gorged with drunkennesse and gluttony and with a heart making no difference of the Lords body We must therefore lay aside all our old sinnes and put on the new man a Righteous a Holy and Christian conuersation and disposition Wee must be holy and heauenly minded towards God we must be louing to our Neighbours slow in taking aduantages or reuenging wrongs wee must be lowly and little in our owne eyes meeke and sober in all our actions And because things of so wonderfull value are herein exhibited and offered to the worthy Receiuers wee must consider who wee are how wee are cleansed of our spirituall Leprosie before we presume into the company of the Saints to communicate Wee must consider well whether vpon tryall made as afore is said wee can assure our selues that we are of the number of those to whom these holy things doe appertaine For who so is prophane in his person and an vnsanctified Creature let him forbeare to come to this holy Table and let him first vse the meanes of better assurance namely repentance for his sinnes amendment of his corrupt and sinfull life let him vse often zealous prayer to God for remission of his omissions and transgressions let him craue the assistance of his holy Spirit to assist him in the beating downe and mortifying sinne in him and that his Heart and Conscience may be sanctified And when he is cleansed let him shew himselfe to the Priest his Pastor and let him take knowledge by his outward Confession of his inward Contrition not by particularising of his sinnes but by manifesting his repentance and then in all reuerence
let him come to this holy Table let him eate the Bread and drinke the Bloud of that Lambe that taketh away his sinnes and will present him pure vnto the Lord. The Lords eye is pure and can abide no wickednesse The Sacrament is holy touch it not rashly If thou haue not on the wedding Garment of sincerity come not the Lord will finde thee out and thrust thee forth of his presence among the vnbeleeuers whose portion shall be with the Diuell and his Angels Let vs therefore search and examine our wayes let vs lift vp our hands with our hearts vnto God in the Heauens and feede on this holy mysterie the life of our soules in remembrance of Christs death vntill his second comming O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer to be said at the receiuing of the holy Communion OH most gracious Lord God mercifull and louing Father in Jesus Christ my Redéemer in whom thou art also my Father by Adoption in and by thy Sonne my soule O Lord which was lost in Adam bought and redéemed by the Death and Passion of Jesus Christ doth earnestly long and entirely desire to be more and more assured that I am fully and really vnited vnto thée againe in him and therefore I doe hunger and thirst to partake of those meanes whereby that sweete and precious vnion may be confirmed in mée Increase my knowledge more and more of thy sauing truth reuealed vnto vs in thy word and increase my faith to beléeue what thou hast taught for our saluation let me take perfect and assured hold of my regeneration wrought in me by Baptisme the seale of thy promise set vpon mée when I knew not thy Law wherein as I promised to forsake sinne and cleaue vnto righteousnesse so Lord let the operation of thy holy Spirit then promised worke in my soule a true detestation of the workes of darknesse and loue vnfained to thy celestiall and diuine light And for that thou in Christ hast left vnto vs a second seale of thy loue and our adoption the Sacrament of the body and bloud of that immaculate Lambe who for a remembrance of his death our frée adoption by him instituted the same at his last supper with his Disciples and commanded thy Saints dispersed through the world through all generations to this day and for euer to the end of the world to communicate of this holy Sacrament in commemoration of that high and most preuailing sacrifice the offering of thy Son vpon the Crosse for our redemption and attonement with thée And therefore most louing Father I come in the name of him thy Son not of my selfe presuming but in all humblenes through his merits vnto this holy Table to partake with the rest of thy Saints by adoption here at this time gathered together of this holy and heauenly banquet humbly begging at thy hands for his sake that it may please thée to prepare my heart which of it selfe is not onely dull but prophane teach me being of my selfe not onely ignorant of this sacred mystery but too much knowing sinne Sanctifie me by thy holy Spirit who of my selfe am not onely corrupt but wholly prone to euill euermore consequently vnworthy to eat at this holy Table to partake of thy loue so vnspeakable Oh forgiue me Father in thy Christ here represented vnto vs ingraft in me a liuely assurance that my sinnes are done away by his bloud giue me faith to beléeue in him who by faith is made ours and we in him thine by adoption elected euen of thy frée mercy and made heires with Christ Jesus of eternall glory whereof this holy mystery is the most assured pledge Oh make me a worthy partaker of so precious a benefit And for that sinners Lord are not admitted to this sacred banquet of sauing foode where shall I appeare whose sinnes drew downe from heauen him whom thou most dearely louedst and betraid him to the Crosse how then shall I presume to appeare in this holy assembly appointed for thy Saints onely a Table of sanctitie whereof none partake but such as are frée from sinne Who then Lord dare presume to eate of this bread or to drinke of this Cup onely those whom thou hast called who though sinners by nature yet are they thy children by grace and so their sinnes are not imputed vnto them for whom Christ by his death hath satisfied apprehended by faith shewed forth in newnesse of life and wrought in vs by his righteousnesse in whose name accept me good Father and let the garment of his innocency couer my sinnes and so let me come to this holy Table And as a new man shaped in holinesse and righteousnesse let mée euermore henceforth walk before thée and more delight in thy Commandements then in any or in all worldly things let me by thy power be powerfull ouer Satan let his instigations neuer preuaile in me and let all corrupt affections die in me and let mee wholly die to sinne and liue to righteousnesse and true holinesse And for that I liue among men of diuers dispositions giue me grace to loue all but to couet to conuerse onely with such as are thine as néere as I may to reuenge me of none but to forgiue all wrongs and iniuries and so farre to forget them as I may studie and endeuour to doe good vnto all especially to such as are of the communion of Saints And enlighten mine vnderstanding more and more that I may seé and consider alwayes mine owne weakenesse wants and imperfections that I may so much the more beare with others by how much I cannot but confesie I come farre short of my duty to theé who so offendeth mee most I offend thée much more And therefore good Father frame in my heart loue vnfained true patience and liuely obedience Leaue me not either to the dulnesse peruersenesse or pride of mine owne nature or to mine owne corrupt will make mée little and lowly in mine owne eyes and giue me humblenesse of spirit and indue me with all heauenly vertues that I may rrsemble my first estate of innocency and let my present estate of grace come neere to resemble thy dearest children yea thy selfe who as thou forgauest vs in him that was Lord of all and for vs became as a seruant by his bloud washed away our sins offering his most innocent body a sacrifice for our sinnes whose rent body and spilt bloud being here represented vnto vs by bread and wine I doe most humbly pray theé that wée may be accepted worthy receiuers of his true body and bloud signified thereby and that we may féele euen instantly a renewing of our mindes our hearts to be changed from all corrupt affections and our soules swallowed vp with the due contemplation of this most sacred mystery wherein thou giuest vs not onely thy visible creatures of bread and wine to refresh our weake bodies but thine owne Sonne to saue our soules and bodies Oh who is worthy to open the
life that after my long estraying from thée I may be at last brought home to thy blessed fauour againe wherein is life and liberty and comfort and fulnesse and ioy and rest and peace for euer Oh happy is he that is in thy protection most happy is hee whom thou fauourest for he is wise he is strong he is godly he is fed he is clad hée is safe and hee is rich in euery good thing When he calleth thou hearest when hee asketh thou giuest when hée séeketh hée findeth when hée is sicke thou curest him when hée is poore thou prouidest for him when he is sad thou comfortest him when he is weary thou easest him when he hungreth thou féedest him when he is in trouble thou defendest him when he is in danger thou preseruest him when he is hated thou louest him and when he is dead he then entereth into that life which is eternall and then partaketh of the ioyes which are vnspeakable Oh accept mée into this fauour wherein are so many blessings certaine furnish me with these blessings wherein are so swéete contentations and bestow on mee those graces that make the most despised in the world most honourable with thée So shall my sorrowes be turned into ioy my want into sufficiency my teares into gladnesse and all my miseries into godly mirth Deliuer my soule from death kéepe my féete from sliding let mée walke righteously before thée and call instantly vpon thée who performest thy promises and sufferest none to depart empty away that séeke thée with their whole hearts Oh send therefore and saue mee from them that would deuoure mee and from that which afflicteth me for my soule is among Lyons I wade as through a raging sea I dwell among men set on fire against me whose teeth are speares and whose tongues are as a two edged sword let thy mercy therfore and truth be my shield buckler Thou hast euer béen mine hope helpe me therefore and let not my troubles increase renew my ioyes and set mée vpon the rock of neuer-failing reliefe and let my rest and refuge be for euer vnder the shadow of thy protection Bring to passe what is fit for me and which thou knowest expedient let the righteous sée the blessed end of my hope that they may likewise talke of thy glory and speake of thy praise And all men shall say Verily there is fruit for the righteous doubtlesse there is a God that worketh good for them that are of a perfect heart O Lord increase my Faith The Motiue to the ninth Prayer for assurance of Gods Prouidence THe poore man notwithstanding his present heauy burthen of affliction hath and feeleth in himselfe an inward instinct of comfort and in meere zeale of Gods glory breaketh out into an admiration as it were of his infinite Maiestie power and excellency and consequently recounteth the innumerable blessings and infinite mercies of the Lord who so regardeth the frailty of man as hee seemeth to winke at his many euils confessing it the meere kindnesse and free fauour of God that all mankinde is not confounded for disobedience laying vpon himselfe the guilt of his own sinnes for which beyond all other the Lord may iustly punish him acknowledging that hee more offendeth God by his sins then he can appease him with his Prayers and doth more moue him to anger by his transgressions then hee can please him by his best zeale And yet he longeth still to be at one with God in whom he knoweth there is mercy and loue and liberty and reliefe In hope whereof and that God will remember his louing kindnesse againe towards him hee will yet trust and pray and be patient And yet seeing his corruptions still strong to beat down his faith in God prayeth God to bridle his vngodly affections lest hee feare ouer-much and so faint and giue ouer his suite and desireth by the examples of Ioh Ioseph and Dauid and other godly Fathers that endured their troubles patiently he may likewise be patient vnto the end And thus rowzing vp his dead thoughts and sorrowfull soule with the sweet consideration of infinite comforts which his louing God hath euer and doth daily bestow vpon his poore oppressed children he resolueth not to faint The ninth Prayer in which the poore distressed Man acknowledgeth that though God doe deseruedly punish him yet he assureth himselfe that God will relieue him O Lord my God thy name is most excellent in all the World thy glory is spread abroad thorow the Heauens and thy praise is vttered by all thy Creatures as in an vniuersall harmony thorow Heauen and Earth For thy mercies are infinite and thy blessings without number that thou hast best owed vpon them all especially vpon the Children of men who yet among all other Creatures are most forgetfull and aptest to breake out into strongest disobedience against thy Maiestie and of thy free fauour and mercy it is that all Adams issue is not vtterly rooted out of the Land of the liuing And I for my part Father most louing cannot hold my selfe guiltlesse of infinite euils whereby I haue yéelded greatest cause among many that thou shouldest punish euen the whole World for disobedience but my selfe especially I confesse worthy of my miseries and not to deserue the vse of the Aire to breathe in nor of any of thy creatures to be comforted by them Worthily therefore hast thou afflicted me and worthily maist thou stil visite me for I sée I doe rather more incense thée by my sins then appeaâ—e thée by my prayers I more offend thâ—e by transgressions then I can please thée by my best zeale I faint at mine owne vnworthines yet faine would I be at one with thée in whom is onely safety and succour and assured saluation to them that truly reforme their liues rightly frame their repentance and sincerely follow thy will which is thine owne gift All this I desire to performe and distrust thée not for thou hast promised pardon to the penitent and reliefe to the lowly and to be with them that séeke thée and to hold them vp that hold by thée and to instruct them that séeke wisedome of thée Forasmuch therefore as I haue so long cryed vnto thée so long sought thée I will yet hope though I shut vp my sad soule in siâ—ence onely vnto thée who wel coÌ„siderest the inward groâ—es and rightly ponderest the sorrowes and sighes and wants and desires of thy distressed Children though they séeme mute in their lips and to speake nothing with their tongues If thou mightest at all haue béene pleased to heare by earnest cryes thou mightst haue heard me if it might haue pleased thée to succour mée by earnest desires I might haue béene relieued But loâ— the time is not yet come that thou hast appointed for my deliuery and therefore I will still wait and not be weary for my helpe and my comfort and my life and my saluation dependeth on thée O brible therefore all
borne noble some left rich many preferred to Offices and that immediately of their Parents Friends or themselues neuer conceiuing that the hand of God had a share in these And therefore it to any they giue the glory to the wrong meanes forgetting their Creator by whom they were made preserued and by whom they were indéede preferred to place of dignity or profit by whom they were taught and instructed in the mysteries whereby they become glorious in the â—…orld and so become gracelesse vsurpers of Gods gracious and frée blessings in recompence whereof it is often obserued that God as it were winking at their vanities for a time permitteth them to runne their owne race vntill they fall into some apparant dangers as some into want some into disgrace some into sicknesse some into the hands of Enemies some into grosse fatuity and foolishnes In all which they run vnto their former vaine considerations séeking redresse by wrong meanes and finding none they then consult with some better guide who set them in the way to séeke God who being mercifull refuseth not to be their refuge that come vnto him at length by faith in prayer who yet will séeme not to heare them by and by when they speake vnto him nor to giue what and when they aske to make them the more earnest and seruent in asking and finding at the length Gods fauour and receiuing in some measure what they want then the vpright in heart as Dauid saith become thankefull hauing gotten comfort from the Lord they willingly giue him the glory the true Children of God caÌ„not rest contented when God hath refreshed them with his mercies till they haue truly giuen the Lord againe his due praises a marke to distinguish the Children of God from the wicked who swallow vp all Gods blessings namely the profitable and pleasing things of this life ascribing the glory and doing their Sacrifices as it were vnto their owne armes for the same what blessings soeuer God doth bestow vpon them they are neuer the fuller of thankefulnesse nor made thereby the more obedient to God like the Lake Asphaltis or the dead Sea whereinto Iordan runneth the water of it selfe being salt becomes nothing the fresher by the swéetenesse of the qualitie nor the bigger by the quantitie of the water of Iordan they take from the Lord without giuing againe like barren and vnprofitable ground that receiueth the séede but returneth none and therefore is neere vnto burning as the Prophet Hosea saith whose end is to be burned Let vs therefore learne to be thankefull to God for euery benefit receiued of God which if it increaseth not thankfulnes it increaseth iudgement It is a dangerous thing to forget God in thanksgiuing neglecting heauen and heauenly things and to minde the world onely and worldly things they that preach vnto themselues peace without peace with God in what outward state of contentment soeuer they stand in their owne conceits and in the view and admiration of men they be but in slippery state though they séeme to haue no occasion to flye vnto God for succour they are in déeper danger then he whose estate without séemeth most dangerous who yet within hath an assurance of the helpe of Iehouah Such as to whom Christ spake Ioh. 16. Verily verily I say vnto you ye shâ—ll weep and lament but the world such as haue all things in the world at their desires shall reioyce and ye shall sorrow but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy You shall be deliuered from all your dangers wherein you shall reioyce and glorifie God for your deliuerance whereas this sentence being turned contrary may be applied vnto such as forgetting their duties and thankfulnesse to God because they are full and thinke they haue no néede of Gods assistance Verily verily I say vnto you yee shall reioyce and triumph but the godly shall lament and mourne ye shall laugh but your laughter shall be turned into weeping But I will leaue the ingratefull Worldlings whom not I but God will iudge and will onely séeks to stir vp my selfe and others that are afflicted to flye vnto God as I haue done assuring them in the good time they shall be comforted And let patience haue it true worke in you that are in any aifliction and let true thankefulnesse appeare in you that haue béene any way comforted by the Lord. Patience and Thankfulnes are qualities or rather vertues obserued onely in the Children of God yet are they not in these accounted fooles or mad men for if a man that feareth God fall into penury pouerty want or into any kind of misery or is ouer-taken with any strong temptation or tryed by Gods visitation hee is censured according to the naturall and caruall opinions of the worldly minded who as they are blinde in heauenly things as in the secret disposition of the things of God so iudge they amisse of the man afflicted holding him as a man accursed of God because he is chastened of God and themselues whose matters prosper wel in the world to be only blessed as by desert and this bréedeth such coniempt of the rich towards the poore fearing God and this vsurpeth such reuerence of the poore towards the rich both which especially procéede of an ouer-good opinion that the rich haue of themselues of a base conceit they haue of such as are of law estate though they be the dearest children of God which in the rich is arrogancy and in the poore fearing God humility yet it often commeth to passe that the rich are made poore the high are â—…ade low the most glorious become despised and again the poore are made rich the lowly exalted such as were before despised become honorable euen among men according to the saying of the blessed Wirgin The Lord sheweth strength with his aâ—me hee scattâ—reth the proud in the imaginations of their hearts he putteth downe the mighty from their seats and exalteth the humble and meek he filleth the hungry with good things and sendeth the rich empty away These are the works of Gods iustice prouidence his iustice then sheweth it selfe when hée plucketh downe the ingratefull arrogant and his prouidence in prouiding for and exalting the faithfully thankfull poore man The first cannot pretend iniustice or wrong in God for taking away from him that which he falsely suggested to be his in such sort as he was not beholden to God for it neither can the other nor will hee assume vnto himselfe merit to haue that bestowed vpon him by desert which he cannot but acknowledge and thankfully accept to be the frée gift of God as God is â—ust so is he mercifull and euen in this case of his iustice hée sheweth mercy to the end men may séeke and finde mercy and in this case of his prouidence hée confirmeth his mercy and performeth his promise the one to moue to thankefulnesse the other to increase and continue it hée interrupteth the haughty and high-minded in the
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
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
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
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
God and make him their enemy for he hath said Vengeance is mine Rom. 12. 19. And therefore we must take heede wee take not the office of God vpon vs in taking reuenge of our Enemies either by our owne sword or by any sinister meanes but to appeale vnto the Christian Magistrate who beareth the Sword to right the wrongs done vnto his children Wee must leaue the reuenge to whom it belongeth and seeke to be and to continue at peace with God without which no Creature can be at true peace with vs. And being reconciled to him in Christ we shall not need to feare our enemies for he will make our Enemies to feare vs as he made Esau to feare Iacob Genes 35. 5. 6. If we walke in his commandements and obserue his Lawes among many other blessings We shall chase our Enemies they shall fall before vs Leuit. 26. 7. 8. Deut. 11. 23. 25. 28. 1. 7. And hee will deliuer our Enemies into our hands if it be expedient or our cause being heard before the Magistrate hee will giue censure with vs and make vs to reioyce ouer them that would triumph ouer vs. And therefore in these crosses of Enemies we must flye vnto God by prayer as Dauid in many of his Psalmes sheweth himselfe to haue done and especially in the 35. Psalm If therefore thy cause be iust and thou be vniustly pursued feare not for God will not faile thee nor forsake thee A Prayer against the power and practices of Enemies who slander and pursue a man either without a cause or in a matter which he cannot reconcile INcline thine eare Lord vnto my prayer and harken mercifully vnto my complaints for thou séest how man intendeth mischiefe against mée many lay snares for mée to catch me that they may take mée and so deuoure mée but thou art my trust I will not feare what man can doe vnto mée yet good Father iudge and reuenge my cause let them not triumph ouer me that hate me without a cause say I without a cause yea Lord without cause coÌ„mitted against them vnlesse thou calling to minde my sins committed against thée doest stirre them vp to be instruments of thy wrath against me So am I indéede in excusable for I doe confesse that I haue transgressed thy Lawes I haue done euil in thy â—ight but to these men Lord what haue I done my conscience is cleare of all desire to offend them and therefore Lord let their malice come to an end if not Lord giue me Faith in thée and patience to indure them for thée whom indeede I haue offended They trauell in mischiefe thou art mercifull they conceiue wickednesse and bring forth lyes but thou art righteous the God of truth my defence is in thée and therefore though they digge pits for mee they shall fall in themselues and be taken in the same that they themselues haue laid Their mischiefe shall returne vpon their owne head and their cruelties vpon their owne pates although in their pride and malice they boast themselues as if they had already destroyed me Up Lord therefore and defend mee let them not preuaile against mee rather let them relent or perish They thinke in their hearts as it séemeth by their insolence they shall neuer be remooued and thou séest it thou beholdest their wrong done vnto thée take my cause therefore into thine owne hand for thou iudgest right and helpest such as suffer violence Oh breake the arme of the wicked and malicious who bend their bow and make ready their arrowes vpon the string that they may secretly shoote at them which are vpright in heart they shoote out their sharpe and malicious accusations bitter words and slenders against mée yet Lord of thy mercy it is that though they hit mee yet they wound mée not deadly their hatred and malice tendeth but to the hurt of my body not being able to touch my soule and therefore if they should preuaile their conquest were small but my ransome is their owne ruine curbe them good Father and bridle their wicked deuices set mée at liberty whom these wicked men would hold for euer snared I rest vpon thy prouidence to be defended I séeke not reuenge against them vengeance is thine thou wilt reward but were I inclinable to reuenge they are more mighty then I more carnally politicke then I more befriended of the world then I and yet as Elisha said vnto his Seruant there are more with mée then with them for thou pitchest an Hoast of Angels about such as are thine Therefore I will neuer feare what these men can doe vnto mee either by fraud or force openly or secretly for thou who iudgest rightly wilt turne all their malicious deuices to worke for my good and their owne confusion as thou didst end the malice of hatefull Haman against harmelesse Mordecai Wherein thy prouidence brought it to passe that he was snared that laid the grin and fell into the pit he made for another Therefore good Father I will rest me vpon thy prouidence and relye vpon thy mercies in Christ in whom all things shal worke together for my good as did the selling of Ioseph by his Brethren his Mistresses false accusation his wrongfull imprisonment all which together wrought to his high aduancement Euen so Lord let all things worke to my conformation and consolation in Christ heare mée oh heare me lest they reioyce ouer me for when my féet slip they reioyce and extoll themselues against me O Lord increase my Faith and weaken mine Enemies A Prayer of the Flocke for their diligent painfull and faithfull Pastor O Most bountifull and great God how gracious hast thou béen vnto vs in lending vs a good and godly Past or according to thine owne heart who is able and willing to instruct vs with knowledge and vnderstanding and to deliuer vnto vs faithfully thy holy Word one who is sufficient to resolue vs in our doubts and to comfort vs in our calamities to recall our wandrings to instruct our ignorances and to goe before vs as a guide in the way that leadeth to saluation O Lord thou hast not so dealt with all people neither is there any desert at all in vs for which thou shouldest bestow on vs such a fauour If thou hadst still left vs in our naturall darknesse and hadst suffered vs to be perpetually plunged into that region of the shadow of death in which we sate of our selues it had béene but iustice in thée euen vtterly to haue forsaken â—s O Lord make vs thankfull and quicken vs vp that we may euen fill our mouthes with the praises of thy name who hast caused the light of thy Gospell thus to shine amongst vs to our excéeding great comfort O make vs carefull and diligent to walk while we haue light that wée may be the children of light and to beware how we receiue thy word in vaine or neglect so great saluation let vs euer remember that to whom much is giuen of
them there will be much required and that our sinnes will be the greater and our iudgement the more heauy if we make not right vse of this thy mercy And concerning the Watch-man whom thou hast appointed ouer our soules wée beséech thée to inlarge his heart to increase his gifts and to replenish him yet with a fuller measure of thy Graces Giue him O Lord the true zeale and spirit of Paul that he may with all boldnesse of spéech giue vnto vs thy Gospell and publish euen the secrets thereof for the edifying and comfort of our soules Make him powerfull in the holy Scriptures like Apolloes that by the power thereof hée may both conuict our consciences and stoppe the mouthes of all gaine-sayers Powre into him thy holy Spirit the word of wisedome and knowledge that he may rightly iudge of our estates and vnderstand what things are most expedient and necessary for vs and so may speake to our consciences finding vs out in our speciall sinnes and directing vs in those holy courses from which wée haue chiefely strayed Let his words pricke our hearts forward that wée may not be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Make him firme and constant in the best courses that he may not be as a Réede shaken with the winde but as a sure foundation that by his perseuerance in good workes our hearts may be the better established And wée beséech thée O Christ who commandest the Starres and holdest them in thy right hand to defend him from vnreasonable and euill men and from the wrongs and iniuries of the wicked enemies of thy truth for doubtlesse men of corrupt mindes will resist the Truth with all their power Therefore good Lord blesse his labour to the calling and conuerting of those which are elected vnto saluation Make our hearts flexible to yéelde true obedience to thy Word deliuered from his mouth that wée may receiue it not as the word of a man but as it is indéede thy Word and make it also effectuall in vs that wée may not onely be professors and hearers of thy holy will but also practisers and continuall performers of the same And teach vs to reuerence him wée beséech thée and to loue him for his profession and workes sake not sparing our goods to relieue him knowing it is a small thing for him to â—eape our earthly things who soweth amongst vs spiritual food for our soules In all our Supplications make vs mindefull of him without ceasing that his studies may be directed his endeauours guided and his labours in thy worke blessed to the glory of thy holy name and the saluation both of him and of vs which heare him All which we humbly and earnestly begge at thy fatherly hands for thy deare Sonnes sake who hath ordained Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of his Saints and who is the supreme and soueraigne Bishop of all our soules to whom be all praise honour and glory now and for euermore Amen O Lord increase our Faith A Prayer for the true obseruation of the Commandements of the Lord. O Omnipotent and euerlasting God maker of heauen and earth who hast froÌ„ the very beginning promised to be our Lord and our God our fortresse our buckler and defence our castle refuge who hast brought vs with a mighty and strong hand with an out-stretched arme out of the land wherein we were strangers and liued in bondage vnder the yoake and tyranny of Antichrist and Satan into the land that floweth with milke and hony and of true Religion wherewith thou feédest the Soules of the faithfull ones to their vnspeakeable comfort grant that as through thy mercy and loue thou vouchsafest to bring vs into this world and to frame vs to thine owne image and likenesse so wée may account thée as our onely God worshipping none other besides thée making our selues none image of any likenesse either of things aboue or things beneath nor to séeke helpe at the hands of any as a God beside thée who as by thy mighty power thou broughtest the children of Israel out of Egypt by the hands of Moses and Aaron where they were in bondage and were continually oppressed with sundry kinds of vexations both of body and minde so thou hast vouchsafed to bring vs and deliuer vs from a greater bondage and slauery euenfrom the power of Sathan vnder whose tyranny wée rested and now escaped not by any other pollicie strength or power but by the bloud-shedding of thine only Sonne Jesus Christ who tooke vpon him the death of the Crosse for our sakes to bring vs from darkenesse wherein we walked according to the wil of the flesh vnto the true knowledge of thée againe and to redéeme vs out of the bondage of sin into the land of righteousnes from blind ignorance to the bright shining day-starre of thy heauenly will who art not onely a most louing and most gentle Father but also a most sharpe punisher and reuenger who art not onely desirous that we should come vnto thée but art also most iealous ouer vs lest wée should séeke or follow any other gods besides thée yea in all our afflictions and troubles thou wilt that wée séeke onely thée and being relieued to attribute the onely meane thereof vnto thy selfe whereby thou hast promised to be mercifull vnto thousands that â—oue thée feare thée séeke thée and truely take hold of thée as their onely God and againe threatnest vengeance on the third and fourth generation of them that hate thee and follow strange gods neglecting thy Commandements O God vouchsafe that wée neuer put our féete towards any strange gods appeare their helpe neuer so likely and plentifull but that it may both now and euer continue in our harts to confesse both in word conuersation that there is none other God besides thée who art a most gracious and louing Father Haue mercy vpon vs O Lord haue mercy vpon vs and so vouchsafe to direct vs in all our doings cogitations and words as we may alwayes and in all things fulfill thy will without taking thy most holy and most glorious Name in vaine by blasphemous spéeches dishonouring the same kéepe vs most louing Father not onely from the most detestable sinne of periurie whereby thy holy Name is often defaced and as it were trodden vnder-foote as in making it the author of abhominable falshoods and lyes but from all friuolous and vaine eathes which to the great griefe of thy Children and dishonour of thy Name are most vncomely in the mouthes of such as vnreuerently and rashly vse it euen in common spéeches without any vrgent cause whereby they fall into the most hainous sinne of taking thy most glorious Name in vaine O Lord forgiue vs and grant that we may vse such a reuerent manner and godly order in triall of matters in controuersie as we may be alwayes true hallowers and not abusers of thy Name therein And forasmuch as thou within sixe dayes didst finish all things in the
and horrible tentations would entrap me when the whole World forsakes mée and all things set themselues against mée then strengthen mée I beséech thée that I forsake not thée my Sauiour and fall from hope of thy frée mercy O comfort my heart with an inward assurance and seale of mine Adoption in thy Sonne in whom the forgiuenesse of sinnes is promised vnto all Beléeuers Call to memory thy holy Couenant entered into with vs at our Baptisme and the promise thereunto annexed Hee which beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued and grant that wée may euermore consider the same to our perpetuall comfort Amen A comfortable Prayer against back-sliding in Religion and for increase of Faith most worthy often to be said of euery Christian. O Almighty Eternall God which hast in thy Word commanded that we should beware of falling from thy grace and hast also witnessed that the end of those which goe backe from thy Word after they haue once knowne the way of righteousnesse will be excéeding fearefull Haue mercy therefore on mee O Lord I most humbly pray thée for I finde in my selfe great weakenesse no power haue I of my selfe to perseuere in goodnesse I beginne to wauer in my iudgement and to grow doubtfull euen of those things which I heretofore haue embraced with fulnesse of perswasion The exercises of godlinesse are not so pleasant vnto me as they haue béen a strange kinde of dulnesse stealeth vpon me and I haue no such life and spirit in matters of Religion as in times past I haue had and to what a wofull passe these things may come though I haue much hope when I thinke vpon thy mercy yet well may I feare when I looke into my selfe I confesse that thy goodnes is great in that thou makest my heart within mee to smart for these things and doest not suffer me to run on without stay into that hellish and infernall Pit in which I should be soone plunged if thou shouldest once leaue mée to my owne weakenesse Therefore O Lord I beséech thée to quicken my dull heart kindle those sparkes which are euen vpon quenching and like vtterly to goe out vnlesse it shall please thée to reuiue them make strong my thoughts and conscience make mée able more and more to sée the Truth in cases of Religion and to discerne things that differ from the same Giue mée vnderstanding to know both good and euill giue mée also increase of zeale that I may spring vp in grace and thriue in godlines vntil I come to that measure to which thou hast appointed mee to come in Christ Jesus let â—eé not in these key-colde and decaying times be carried away with euery blast of doctrine through the subtiltie and wilâ—nesse of those which lie in waite to beguile mée suffer neither the cares of this vaine world to wither and dry vp thy graces in mée nor transitory pleasures to entrap mée nor euill examples to misguide me nor mine owne sloathfull and heauy nature to make mée grow weary of well-doing but make mée so to burne in loue with heauenly things that I may not satisfle myselfe with any measure either of knowledge or practice but may rather still be ashamed of my selfe that I make no better procéedings and so may euer desire and striue to more perfection To this end enkindle in mee affection more and more by the hearing and reading of thy heauenly and holy Word earnest praying intentiue and feruent meditation carefull watching ouer mine owne soule following the example of godly men and imitating their gracious and holy conuersation As thy promises O Lord and most mercifull Father haue encouraged mée thus to pray so I he séech thée let it be thy gracious will to accept of these my humble petitions which procéede from a contrite a sorrowfull heart so shall my soule magnifie thée and my tongue set forth thy praises with ioyfull lips and that in Jesus Christ thy Sonne and my Sauiour Amen A most Christian and comfortable Consultation and sweete resolution what course in time of deepest distresse men ought to take worthy of all men to be considered to their vnspeakable comfort Read and Regard IT is a general complaint among the distressed children of men that great and dangerous is the triall to be long visited with the punishing hand of our high and powerful God especially notwithstanding the many instant cries and humble petitions of the afflicted soule who finding no ease nor feeling any comfort but contrariwise troubles miseries crosses griefes to increase daily thinking himselfe vtterly forgotten of God or méerely to be hated of him the silly afflicted soule thus bewrapped with feare féeling of his miseries many times fainteth and so falleth from faith in God to séek succour at the hands of mortall men and finding that to be a course of cold comfort with whom neither prayers take place nor endeauours preuaile he then pressed downe as vnder the burden of vtter despaire of any succour is moued oftentimes to frame his affections to contriue vnlawfull meanes by his naturall and corrupt conceit that his owne will and wit may shape some course to a hauen of more secure rest and so hoysing the sayles of his owne peruerse imaginations betaketh himselfe to the main sea of his vngodly deuices tâ—l at the length instead of a happy hoped harbour he suddenly sinketh and is swallowed vp of the ougly deuouring gulfe of irrecuperable confusion For the world as a sea tossing the weake ones that saile therein trieth the inclinations of all and approueth and condemneth but not according to the right rule of Christian reason and godly wisedome but after a sensuall manner of false iudgement affirmeth such as saile with a full fore-winde of prosperity here to be onely blessed happy and beloued of God and such as are becalmed with distresse and miseries with crosses and calamities and kéepe not the glorious way with the worldly-minded to be hated and accursed of him And this wretched and false censure of carnall men driues many weake soules vpon the rocks of bitter ruine euen when they dreame of a course of swéetest happinesse For as Dauid found Psalme 49. 18. much more this age affoordeth the experience that men doe praise them that make much of themselues namely such as wallow in the delights and pleasures of the flesh But them they estéeme mad men and fooles and cast-awayes and accursed that liue in a base and low and poore and ignominious estate though neuer so contented the foolishnesse of worldly men is wisedome and the true wisdome of the poore is foolishnesse with the worlds flatterers And this is that dangerous rocke vpon which oftentimes euen the godly make shipwracke when they consult with flesh and bloud which argueth it the safest course to become licentious to imbrace vanity and to studie the profitable and praised arts of flattery and dissimulation to walke the broad way to preferment to scale the wals of wealth and estimation
cast-awaies but in our owne consciences the childrē of God through Christ and they in their own conceits blessed in their wealth wanton and delicate and loose liues but by the Word of God without repentāce Reprobates And therefore faith Christ vnto them Woe be vnto you that are rich for you receiue your consolation in this life And againe Weepe and howle yee wealthy and worldly men for the miseries that shall come vpon you But vnto his little ones such as are least estéemed in the World he saith Feare not my little Children I haue prepared for you a City And againe I will neither faile you nor forsake you What shall wée then say The Lord is our portion and our sure defence why then should wée feare what man can doe vnto vs Esay 9. 7. The zeale of the Lord of Hoasts will performe this Let vs therefore rouze vp our soules that are dulled with our miseries and let vs rest vpon him that is the God of mercies Let vs be faithfull patient and humble let vs only grieue that we haue sinned and be fearefull to offend againe Let vs fall downe before his foot-stoole for he is holy let vs cry to him for hee is pittifull let vs aske of him for he is liberall let vs referre vs to his will for he is louing O Lord increase our Faith Here follow sundry most effectuall Prayers for distressed men howsoeuer their trials continue or increase When thou saydest Seeke my face my heart answered Thy face O Lord will I seeke Psal. 27. 8. IT appeareth by this resolution of godly Dauid that hée was moued by the Spirit of God in his troubles to séeke aide from aboue and not in the Earth of God and not of Man And to the end that Dauids true affection which he bare towards the good of all Posterities and especially the loue of God towards his Children might be recorded to their perpetuall encouragement it is continued euen vnto vs that wée that are euen now afflicted should sée and as in a glasse behold the good will of God wherein hée willeth vs to séeke his face which importeth a most swéet encouragement that all men troubled should séeke aide at God who to the end that this World and the comforts thereof should not allure his Children lest they should be also miscarried thereby and so be condemned with the World hée setteth a veile as it were before their eyes namely pouerty ignominy crosses miseries and sundry calamities that they delight not in the face and shape of this World but that rather it appearing vgly and nothing pleasant vnto them they might séeke another way to comfort themselues namely the most amiable face of heauenly Iehouah who willeth vs as hée did will Dauid to séeke him onely in our distresse that is to call on him faithfully to craue his fauour instantly and to leade our liues vprightly So shall his most louing countenance shine vpon vs his hand be extended towards vs and his power and might be with vs. And therefore as hée saith fréely Séeke ye 〈◊〉 let vs instantly and faithfully séeke him with our whole hearts so shall wée be sure to sée his saluation after wée haue patiently vndergone the swéete burden of the yoke of his fatherly chastisements A Motiue to the Prayer following for Patience in Affliction PErforce maketh a man patient against his will but that cannot be called Patience but a discontentment But thatis Patience when a man beareth all iniuries wrongs crosses afflictions and miseries with a willing minde without grudging or murmuring without seeking or vsing any euill or sinister practice or attempt to ease himselfe of that which God layeth vpon him wherein he would seeme to be wiser then God who knoweth better then the wisest man what is best for him And therefore Dauid giueth counsell To wait patiently vpon the Lord and to hope in him in what estate soeuer we be although we be poore and see others rich and prosper Fret not thyselfe for him which prospereth in his wayes Psal. 37. 7. Naturall reason is deceiued when it conceiueth men happiest that prosper most in the world for then were the Word of God not true which saith Many are the troubles of the righteous◠and then were the wicked in better case then the godly for they prosper best in the world But reade the 37. Psalme their estate is there described their end presaged and the godly comforted and confirmed in patience A Prayer for patience in affliction very comfortable HEauenly Father mercifull and louing full of power absolute in wisedome vnsearchable in thy prouidence and giuer of all diuine and spirituall graces whereby thy children are guided in the way of Obedience supported in their dangers and relieued in their wants whereby they learne to loue thée for thy mercies to reuerence thée for thy greatnesse and to obey thée for thy goodnesse and in all the changes and alterations of their estates to imbrace Patience whereby such as thou blessest become thankefull such as thou afflictest become méekely contented and beare the burden of their crosses without any outward shew of discontentment or inward grudging or murmuring at thy corrections but depending vpon thy fatherly prouidence they are either timely deliuered or inwardly comforted their hearts eased and their consciences quieted neuer presuming to limit the time when or the manner or meanes how thou shouldest ease or reléeue them but rest assured by thy Spirit working in their hearts that they are thine and therefore all things are promised by thée in thy Word to work together for their good sicknesse of the body griefe of the minde want of necessaries enemies and all crosses all conioyne to worke good vnto those that are thine and being hereof assured they rest themselues in patience and wait thy timely release for their miseries in hearty obedience to thy will And for that most gracious Father it is not the nature nor in the power of man to accomplish these heauenly duties no not in thine owne Elect giue mée this heauenly vertue Patience to vnder-goe whatsoeuer thou shalt lay vpon mée with a willing and contented minde acknowledging that I know nothing lesse then thy secret purpose in working with man in this life why thou aduancest one and pullest downe another Why one prospereth and another is miserable knowing yet by thine own Word and Promise that to such as are thine all things turne to their good And therefore I come vnto thée who hast willed mée to come I begge of thée who hast willed mée to aske and I knocke at thée who hast willed mée to enter into thy presence and all for Patience Good Father giue patience vnto my perplexed Soule that howsoeuer I féele either inward griefe or outward troubles I may rest me onely in thée and by thée in peace within howsoeuer the outward man séeme to perish And let neither my fainting heart be cast downe nor my spirit disquieted within mée nor my conscience
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
therefore speake O shape in mée a new Spirit giue me a renewed heart and a tongue that may speake acceptable things vnto theé that thine eares may be opened at my cries and thy mercies O Lord ready to receiue my humble complaints Thine eyes O Lord are open vnto the cries of all that feare thée and relicuest al that trust truly in thée thou deliuerest their soules from death and comfortest their hearts in the time of sorrow And therefore doth euery man that is godly make his prayer vnto thée and holdeth not his tongue hée may â—use and meditate for a time at his miseries but at the length the fire of zeale will enkindle and he cannot but speake with his tongue and cry vnto thée to shew his hope that hée hath an helper in heauen he cryeth and thou considerest he desireth and thou relieuest he beléeueth and at the last thy mercy and goodnes appeareth and thou imbracest him with ioyfull and timely deliuerance And how commeth it to passe O mercifull Lord that I so long haue sought thée and thou séemest to hide thée from me How long haue I prayed vnto thée and thou séemest to giue no â—are vnto mée which maketh mée weary and almost ready to faint and to giue ouer my suite which I haue so long sought and made vnto thée O God my Strength and my Redéemer But loe O Lord God thy promises and louing kindnesse do only â—éede and nourish me with a continuall and neuer dying hope that the time expected will come at the last when thou forgetting my sinnes wilt both heare me and fully deliuer me Thou art God and therefore good thou art the Father of all and therefore onely thou knowest the wants of all thy children and the things most fit to giue vnto them and the time when to bestow it on them And therefore Father all-sufficient and full of loue I presume not to say vnto thée Come now or Doe this but for the time when and the thing what thou wilt work for me I refer to thée yet be not ouerelong away for thou knowest my séeblenesse and my miseries and how néere I am brought to an vnrecouerable fall what shall I doe Lord but hope onely in thée Thy Prophet witnesseth vnto vs wretched men that when the righteous cry thou hearest them and deliuerest them out of all their troubles But who is righteous O Lord who is cleane he also witnesseth that none is righteous none is cleane but all are sinners yea our most holy fathers were impute in thy sight and yet they receiued the Promise and obtained grace and mercy and reliefe and strength and saluation at thy hands But Lord they were thus comforted and thus blessed and thus relieued onely of thy frée â—auour wherein thou acceptedst them righteous and imputedst not sinne vnto them and not of their deseruings Thou art loue and in loue thou imbracest them that deserue to be hated for their sinnes and therefore sith thou art so full of compassion and so infinite in thy mercies beare with mine imperfections and couer my sins accept me righteous and I am righteous accept mée worthy and I am worthy to receiue the good things of thy loue which is without all limitation Hold me righteous in the righteousnesse of thy beloued that I also may be heard when I cry as my righteous Fathers were and let me be deliuered out of my distresses as the righteous haue béene deliuered out of all their troubles For what can it profit thée O Father to forsake me vtterly and to suffer me to be forsaken of all as if thou haddest no respect vnto mine offering I cry daily and yet my trouble continueth I séeke thée and am depriued of all earthly blessings O wretch that I am what shall be the end of my complaint I will cry yet if thou wilt heare I will séeke thée still till thou maiest be found be it as thou wilt into thy hands I commend mée and to thy prouidence I commit mine estate most grieuous and best knowne vnto thy selfe O Lord increase my Faith The Motiue to the second Prayer to be said of distressed men WHerein the poore man desireth God to consider in mercy his temptations which are so much the more heauy and grieuous because the worldly minded doe taunt at him for his afflictions affirming that God hath forsaken him for that hee punisheth him so deepely And the poore man hauing no other refuge but to flye vnto God iâ— encouraged through Gods promises and perswaded through faith that these men speake so hardly of him for that they sauour not of the true knowledge of Gods louing corrections whereby hee visiteth his dearest Children here for a time that they perish not eternally and resolueth himselfe to holde fast by God and therefore prayeth for strength and withall he desireth the assistance of Gods directions in the gouernment of his life and actions lest that such as see his pouerty and afflictions should see him fall from God by grosse sinnes and so take the stronger occasion to censure him iustly punished for his wickednesse Yet withall hee confesseth vnto God that hee is indeede a sinner and for his sinnes iustly touched with crosses by the meere prouidence of God in loue and taketh comfort by examining his waies his will which although they be not so right as they ought yet in respect he erreth through frailty not by a full consent rather as a sufferer by Satans oppressions then a wilful doer against the will of his Maker hee desireth God to looke vpon him in the merite of Christ and in him prepare his dull heart to repentance and his whole man to a more sincere course of life that his wayes being reformed by the word of Truth his hard afflictions may be in the end and by little and little mitigated and that God will breake the fetters of griefe and sorrow and according to his diuine Promises by his deliuery giue him occasion to sing a new song a song of ioyfull deliuerance both from the tyranny of Sathan and also from the heauy burthen of his afflictions The second Prayer for Constancy in affliction and to endure malicious slanders patiently LOrd how are my troubles increased how many and how grieuous miseries haue seized taken hold vpon mée insomuch as the world argueth me forsaken of thee affâ—rming that there is no helpe for me in thée But Lord are they not such as haue a carnall eye and doe not spiritually discerne thy secret purposes in chastifing them whom thou louest They looke onely vpon the outward meanes that the world worketh and comprehend not thy mercy and prouidence wherein thou workest by means without meanes and against meanes euen as thou wilt Therefore let not their malice moue me nor their taunts dismay me I will hold me by thy promises and endeuour to kéepe thy Statutes and performe what thou hast commanded O Father leade me in thy righteousnesse that I sinne not in their sight
that couet to catch me in the snare and to 〈◊〉 ap me in the net of deserued reproofe Beare me vpon the wings of thy blessed protection and let mée not come within the reach of their malicious inuentions Let not such as lay wait for mée haue iust cause to desire or opportunity to worke any euill against mée rather let me so trend the pathes of that loue and performe that duety to all men that thou hast willed in thy word that my conscience bearing me witnes of mine innocency I may fréely say The Lord is my helper no euill shall happen vnto me I confesse that I cannot so carry my selfe in this life but offence wâ—ll be taken against mée and I shall deserue as I doe the iust reproofes of men yea against my will and consequently the carnally affected cannot but breake out into bitternesse against me for the same and the more by reason they sée me afflicted as it were by thy hand which they take as a strong argument that I am a sinner most notorious and that thou hast vtterly cast mée off foreuer I cannot indeede louing Father but confesse my sinnes and that I am worthy of sharper corrections theâ— I haue yet tasted or am able to beare yet consider that I haue not maliciously done what thou dislikest but in weaknesse and of naturall imbecility onely and much against my will rather as suffering Sathans oppressions then willingly or wilfully committing sin And therfore trust I in thy mercies O forgiue me I depend on thy power O saue me and deliuer me lest my miseries ouer-whelming me such as pretend euill against me take occasion to pursue me and so dâ—uoure me Consider my troubles O Lord behold my dangers and be vnto me a perpetuall rest and refuge Why standest thou aloose O Lord and séemest not to regard my tâ—oubles why turnest thou away thy face and considerest not my wants thy hidest thou thy selfe when my troubles so much abound Arise and let not the wicked take occasion through mine afflictions to say there is no helpe for me in thée or that thou regardest not the causes of thy distressed children Deliuer me rather and reléeue me that the righteous perceiuing thy readinesse to saue me may the more feare thée and trust in thee and not â—aint when they are likewise afflicted Thou willest the poore to commit himselfe vnto thée and promisest to relieue such as haue no helper Thou preparest the dull hearts to call vpon thée thou againe hearest their cries and comfortest them How long then O Lord how long wilt thou forget me how long shall I cry and not be heard how long shall I seeke counsell of thee and yet be ignorant what course to take I am wearied with my daily sighes and groanes which my heart fraught with griefe and heauines doth powre forth before thée continually O be vnto mee that liuely light that may lighten my sad and pensiue Soule Send that Comforter vnto me whom thou hast promised to send that hee may teach mee what to doe in this my miserie Thou hast threatned to increase the sorrowes of such as seeke vnto other gods why then should they continue still miserable and heauy and grieued that seeke thee onely and onely beleeue in thee how shall they be still ignorant that aske counsell and wisedome of thee who hast created all in the beginning and doest preserue all and maintaine all for euer being God onely powerfull prouident and louing To thée I only come on thee I onely call thee I onely seeke with thee is mercy and with thee is right Redemption and thou deliuerest all that trust in thee as a most sure Sauiour and mighty Protector And thy Word expresseth the liuely force of thy loue and power wherein thou keepest them that are thine as the apple of thine est and couerest them with the wings of thy sauour from the mercilesse and cruell men O be therefore my Rocke whereon I may safely rest be thou my strong Castle wherein I may be freed from the dangers prepared against mee for thou hast promised that all such as hope in thee shall be as Mount Sion that shall neuer be moued Breake thou my fetters Lord wherewith I am tyed and remoue my sorrowes wherewith I am brought euen to the doore of death that I walking in the liberty of a free spirit may grieue no more at my crosses but glorifie thee with a song of ioyfull deliuerance Let not sinne preuaile against mee any more which as a Lyon teareth in peeces the assurance of my soule Beare me vpon thy sauing wings through the miseries of this life and let not the Mire and Clay wherein I sticke fast detaine mee euer let not the Water-flouds which roare fearefully and fiercely swell against me vtterly swallow mevp But rather diuide and put backe the mercilesse Waues that so dangerously rage on all sides against me that I may passe on and finish this my mortal course as one that liueth and hath his being of thy meere loue and not as one that languisheth in thy displeasure O Lord increase my Faith The Motiue to the third Prayer VVHerein the poore Man disclaymeth his owne worthinesse and appealeth to the mercies of God yet grieued vnder the burthen of his miseries he instantly prayeth vnto God that he will not correct him ouer-sharpely lest he faint For by reason of his grieuous crosses not withstanding his continuall prayers he feareth as it were lest hee pray in vaine and be driuen to thinke that either God heareth him not or regardeth not his Petitions and therefore beseeching God to come now at the length either with deliuery or to giue him such inward spirituall strength as hee may constantly indure vnto the end For hee hauing tryed the helpe of mortall men findeth it to tend onely to words and not to relieuing workes assuring himselfe that God is not as Man that promiseth and performeth not but is absolute to worke by meanes against meanes and without meanes euen what hee will for his setting before the eye of his hope Gods former fauours and fatherly assistance shewed vnto our faithfull Fathers of old by whose example hee seemeth to challenge at the hands of God the like louing kindnesse and that God will not suffer him vtterly to perish putting his trust in him although the World gaze on him and deride him as if he were a Monster and no man expostulating as it were with God that forasmuch as hee was cast vpon him as soone as hee was borne he onely depending on his mercies he cannot leaue him in the deepe but rather for his owne glories sake lift him out of his calamities lest the Righteous faint also to see him still visited notwithstanding his continuall Prayers and that the wicked should thereby gather that there is not a God that regardeth the causes of poore Men. The third Prayer wherein he flyeth and wholly relyeth vpon God and trusteth not in the helpe nor
feareth the hurt of men O Lord I cannot excuse mine euils they are infinite in mine own eyes and many as grosse which I haue forgotten sleightly past ouer as if they were no sinnes before thee and therefore I appeale vnto thy mercy for all for by mine own deseruing or satisfaction I can cleare my selfe of none at all Who can rehearse or call to memory all that he hath done amisse before thee who keepest account of the least sins And therfore what auaileth it me to iustifie my selfe if I knew nothing by my selfe It is thou that seest and iudgest it is thou that hast found matter enough to condemne me and cause enough to punish me therfore I haue no means to be freed from thine anger and consequently from my miseries but thy mercy onely in thy beloued Christ Jesus Correct me not therefore deare Father as I deserue but in him haue compassion vpon me and as for my reformation thou beatest mee with thy rod so for my preseruation hold me vp by thy staffe that I be not confounded vtterly or perish altogether Thou seemest as if thou hadst vtterly forsaken mee Oh why art thou so farre from me in the wofull time of my troubles Why stoppeâ—t thou thine eares at my cry Why dost thou turne away thy face when I offer the sacrifice of praier vnto thee and seemest not to regard mee though I put my trust wholly in thee O come Lord come now at the last performe thy promises of aid and comfort when most neede is for vaine are the helps of flesh weake is mans arme and his heart is not right in equity and iudgement therfore I trusting in thee onely let me not be disappointed of my hope let me not goe mourning by reason of my miseries and neuer finde reliefe at thy hands Our Fathers trusted in thee they called vpon thee in their troubles and dangers and were deliuered and freed from that which oppressed them they prayed vnto thee and were heard they fought thee and thou shewedst thy selfe a helping Father vnto them euen when they were ready to be swallowed vp of mercilesse waters Great was thy fauour towards all our beleeuing fathers but alas Lord what am I I am a Worme and no Man yet I beleeue Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe I am couered with shame be thou my glory that I may glorifie thée among the people that now contemne me because thou séemest to hide thy face from me I am gazed on and derided scorned and despised because of my miseries my neighbours that should assist mée disdaine me my familiars that should comfort me doe not onely forsake mée but say of mée that all my hope is in vaine my kinsfolkes who should aide me in my necessities adde griefe vnto my miseries and tauntingly say I am deseruedly fallen and cannot rise againe Oh behold this thou that sittest on high consider this and instead of these miseries increased by such as should friendly visit mée stand thou by mée and afford me the cup of thy saluation that I tasting of it may answere these men and say as I am assured that my Redéemer liueth euen thou my God mercifull and all-sufficient who art one and the same for euer I was cast vpon thée as soone as I was borne and thou receiuedst mee But the faults of my youth and the sinnes of my riper yeeres haue caused a diuorce betwéene thy loue and my lewd life I am sorry deare Father J am sorry for my fault take me again into the bosome of thy fauour and from hence forth be present with me againe and let me only ioy in obeying thée and let my soule take comfort of thée and my whole man be relieued by thée for besides thée I haue no helper Oh helpe thou mée and restore mée to comfort againe banish all mine afflictions as a mist and refresh my soule with the timely dew of thy reliete powre downe the swéete drops of thy quickning Spirit and let a comfortable calme follow the fearefull stormes of this dangerous tempest And I will yéelde thée the praise who art worthy of all praise I will magnifie thy name that workest wonderfull things and bringest to passe that which the worldly ones cannot comprehend I will declare thy name for euer among the children of men The righteous shall heare it and be glad and the wicked shall quaile to sée me restored whom they so long haue scorned and deemed a cast-away because of my miseries For thine owne names sake therfore O Lord my God heare my prayers consider my meditations helpe mée in time conuenient before I shall vtterly lest the righteous be discouraged by my decay and the vngodly take heart to perseuere the more in their obstinate and malicious wayes whilest they imagine there is not a God that respecteth the miseries of his distressed Children O Lord increase our Faith The Motiue to the fourth Prayer WHerin the poore man sheweth his accustomed constancy and faith And feeling the weight of his crosses yet heauy prayeth that he may not be vtterly consumed nor that his enemies preuaile against him but rather God will furnish him with such ability as he may pacifie them in paying all men their due and the rather for that many doe looke vpon his dangers both the wicked the godly the one in derision the other in griefe These yet expect what will be the issue of the poore mans crosses But the godly wishing it to be comfortable he prayeth that they may see it come to a wished end for conformation of their hope in the like dangers and because the poore man findeth his owne infirmities hee prayeth for strength and seeing his owne ignorance prayeth for knowledge and looking into his dulnesse cold inclination to good things prayeth for feruency and zeale knowing assuredly that there is no way to attaine vnto deliuery from thraldome but to walke rightly before the Lord who is ready to set the iust vpon a sure rocke against which the wicked cannot preuaile And although Father Mother Kinsmen and Friends forsake him he is assured the Lord supplieth them all and by the experience hee hath of the Lords readinesse to helpe hauing vpholden him in former dangers he will not faile him nor forsake him when he is ready to be swallowed vp of most mercilesse troubles The fourth Prayer wherein he prayeth for faith for zeale and strength to vndergoe Gods corrections and to be deliuered from the dangers prepared against him LOrd I lift vp mine heart vnto thoe my soule trusteth in thée let me not be confounded let not men haue their desires against mée let thy blessings be powred downe vpon mee let thy cup of comfort and saluation be filled vnto me and let thy right hand be ready and outstretched to hold mee vp and in thy prouidence furnish me with the hid treasures of thy loue So shall I sit safely vpon a sure rocke and be furnished with such things as may pacifie such as now are
is blessed for euer Heathen men are thankfull vnto their false gods for the supposed good turnes they doe receiue of them and in recompence they do not onely giue verball thanks but will offer vnto them euen their dearest Children in Sacrifice to shew their thankfulnesse And yet such as receiue euery day new blessings of the true God yea although their plenty and health neuer so much increase and continue they will not offer vnto him the least part of their superfiuous store in giuing it to the Poore in whom euen Christ himselfe maketh Petition for a cup of cold water as it were and yet can hardly obtaine it at their hands that will not sticke to affirme they are most thankefull to God But know that God will not be serued as Men are Masters can no further iudge of their Seruants and their seruice then they sée the idlenesse and loytering of their Seruants they may in presence obserue but the hidden and concealed falshoods they cannot discerne and if it be discouered it is but by doubtfull meanes as by coniecture or report but our great and all-knowing Master hath neuer his eye from our work nay he séeth and knoweth our wils the secret idlenesse or vanity of the heart howsoeuer the hands or lips may seeme to labour in the praise of God before men he can finde out our counterfait holinesse and dissembling thankes It is no boote to tell men We be thankfull to God though men cannot reproue vs nor distinguish betwéene our dissimulation and true thankfulnesse Who would or could haue condemned Ananias and Saphira that voluntarily gaue the most part of their goods to the vse of Gods people yet the holy Ghost finding their hypocrisie gaue them the reward of death for that which they concealed from men Man could not haue found out the bribery of Gehezi nor the hypocrisie of Iudas It is a dangerous thing to dally with holy things much more to dissemble with him that is most holy Ingratitude is a contemptible vice yet not so odious as is hypocriticall vnthankefulnesse for by the one man findeth apparantly who are thought vnworthy of a second good turne but by the other man is drawne to doe a fauour vnto the vndeseruing that by dissembling insinuation and counterfait thankes for a former obtaines a second kindenesse when in truth hée is méerely vnthankefull for both but God is not thus ouer-taken he cannot deceine by dissembling gifts nor be deluded by counterfeit thankes And yet God oftentimes giueth new gifts as health wealth honor office fauour of friends a good wife and dutifull children and many such like earthly blessings to the most vnthankefull by which the mindes of carnall men are so much the more besotted in obseruing that all things succéede so well they thinke God is well pleased with them flattering themselues that they stand much in Gods fauour because their occasions succéede better then other mens perswading themselues that to kéepe a formall morall course of life among men and to make a superficiall shew of thankfulnesse vnto God and at their death to allot some matter of forced beneuolence to the World as the building of an Almes-house Hospitall Colledge or such like is so high a recompence to God for the loane of his benefits as he resteth rather in such a benefactors debt for this good déede then such a vaine-glorious giuer indebted to God for his long vsing and abusing of his blessings By which I condemne not such workes tending to charitable vses as are done in due time and by men first séeking to be themselues in the true fauour of God before they so séeke the glory and commendation of the world for I presume to say that the bestowing of mens goods while they are their owne by their owne hands in secret to the needy members of Christ is more acceptable to God then the former though commendable intendments after their deaths while we liue wée know what is for the time in our disposition but after death wée cannot take knowledge what course will be taken with that we intend to best actions neither doth the giuing after death testifie a mans assurance of Gods prouidence as doth the liberall giuing in time of life for who so kéepes his treasure till hée dye hee leaueth it perforce and against his will which no man can deny and though he grieue to forgoe he cannot feare to want them but hee that giueth in his life time giueth in assurance that hée that gaue it him and made the promise of rewarding the Giuers to the poore dependeth so surely thereupon as hée shall neuer want what may be sufficient which indéede is a worthy testimony of truest thankefulnesse to God for the things he enioyeth in this life Preparatiues to thankfulnesse SAluation belongeth vnto the Lord and his blessing is vpon all that are his Psal. 3. 8. The Lord hath heard my petition the Lord doth receiue my Prayer Psal. 6. 10. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart I will be glad and reioyce in thee Oh thou most High Psal. 9. 1. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poore thou preparest their heart thou bendest thine eare vnto them Psal. 10. 17. In my trouble did I call vpon the Lord and cryed vnto my God hee heard my voyce out of his Temple my cry came before him and he helped me Psal. 18. 6. I sought the Lord and he heard me yea hee deliuered me out of all my feare Psal. 24. 7. Taste ye and see how gracious the Lord is blessed is the man that trusteth in him Psal. 34. 8. Let the Lordline and blessed be my strength and the God of my saluation be exalted Psal. 18. 46. Thou art my Lord my well doing extendeth not to thee but to the Saints that are in the earth Psalme 26. 2. 3. THough men by their best gifts cannot enrich God yet they must bestow Gods gifts to the vse of his children and that is the best recompence they can make vnto him for all his earthly blessings and to be obedient vnto him according to his will reuealed in his Word is the Sacrifice wherewith hee is pleased for all his benefits spirituall and corporall which who so neglecteth is meerely vnthankfull what shewes so euer he maketh of outward Thankesgiuing Therefore euery faithfull receiuer of any his blessings will fall downe before his Maiesty in this or the like manner of hearty thankfulnes to manifest with his words the inward willingnesse of the heart A generall thankesgiuing vnto God for all his benefits spirituall and corporall ETernall God and euerliuing and most louing Father I the poorest and most vnworthy of all thy creatures doe bowe and prostrate the knées of a truely thankefull heart vnto thy maiesty yéelding vnto thée all humble vnfained and possible thankes for all thy fatherly fauours both diuine and corporaâ—l aboue all Oh Father I thanke thée for that thou diddest elect and chuse me to saluation before all
worlds for that thou createdst mee being nothing and being borne a sinfull reprobate by nature diddest redeeme mée from Satan and hell and adoptedst mée one of thine owne children by thine owne Sonnes bloud in whom and for whose sake thou acceptest me an heyre with thy Saints of the glory of Heauen And for â—ine assurance here in this life hast giuen mée not onely thy promise in thy Word but hast sanctified mée with thy holy Spirit whereby I beléeue and can in some measure resist the motions which arise in mee by meanes of that originall corruption which I brought into the world and beare about mée which could not but condemne mée were it not that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ the righteous did iustifie me by a liuely apprehension and a faithfull féeling of his most frée merits working for me and in my behalfe These most swéete spirituall fauors so farre surmount the apprehension of the most wise in the world and any féeling to the comfort of carnall men that they cannot assure themselues of their owne saluation a more miserable estate then which cannot light vpon man How much then Lord am I wretched creature bound vnto thy frée mercy in choosing mee to be one of thine owne by Adoption and to giue mée the earnest-penny of thy Spirit to assure mee thereof and that so farre from presuming vpon any desert of mine owne as I wholly condemne my selfe and acknowledge all my hope and assurance to be wrought in me by thine owne frée loue I vnworthy deseruing nothing lesse deseruing rather thine heauy and high indignation and consequently thy iust Judgements whereby in stead of my frée election I should be reiected in stead of my redemption I should be condemned and to be retained in the fearfull power and bondage of Satan and hell in stead of my sanctification and iustification I haue merited reprobation and yet deare Father in the abundance of thy fauors I haue and doe inioy the blessings of all spirituall comfort and contentment and withall haue inioyed so many corporall comforts and earthly graces at thy hands as are more in number then my sinnes which are more then the dust of the earth my life I had of thée the continuance thereof of thée the health of my body thou preseruest and when I haue beene sicke thou hast healed me In my hunger thou féedest mée and refreshest me when I am thirsty thou cloathest me and which is more thou bearest me as the Eagle doth her young euen vpon the wings of thy prouidence so that I haue bin defended from infinite imminent dangers both from the perill of the sword and the plague and from the violence of many misfortunes which might haue befallen me whereby had I not béene protected by thée I had perished long agoe and many times being poore thou hast relieued mée being eâ—uied thou hast kept mee from the power and open force and secret deuices of my many enemies And moreouer which is not the least Lord thou hast not onely giuen mée the vse of my limbes and seruice of my senses but hast taught my heart to conceiue and my hands to performe that by which in thy prouidence I profit in my calling and liue How then most gracious and louing Father am I bound vnto thy diuine Maiesty for such and so many heauenly and spirituall blessings and corporall and â—arthly benefits the least of which as I haue not deserued so can I not make recompence vnto thée for the least But as thou hast fréely bestowed them all vpon me in Christ so in Christ I returne to thée the glory in whom thou art well pleased and in him reconciled vnto mée or else would the benefits which I receiue become rather a curse then a blessing vnto me Oh that I were therefore of wisedome sufficient of power able in disposition willing and in zeale so seruent as I might powre forth thy deserued praises with a ioyfull heart But good Father accept the sacrifice of my wiâ—ling minde and impute not vnto me either weakenesse or vnwillingnes vnthankfulnesse or forgetfulnesse of this high duty forasmuch as that all-sufficient Lambe sacrificed for mée mediateth as well for me and in my behalfe my inward thanksgiuing presenteth them vpon thine altar of mercy as he euer presenteth vnto thée my prayers for pardon of my sins Of my selfe Lord I cannot bring thée Abel or Elias sacrifice but an heart of true thanksgiuing which it may please thée to accept as thou didst the sacrifice of Bullockes and Goates â—nd let mée Lord be truely able to offer vnto thée Dauids morning and euening sacrifice of praise especially that most swéete and preuailing sacrifice of â—iliall obedience which thou so much acceptest and although it can merit no fauour at thy hands as it is my worke it being sanctified in Christ it is the speciall meane not onely to discharge my duety in part but to obtaine new and continuing blessings and benefits at thy hands in Christ to whom with thée and the holy Ghost be all honour power praise and thanksgiuing for euermore Amen O Lord increase my Faith and make me euermore thankfull Another thankesgiuing in and for Gods gentle corrections O Eternall God powerfull and true which bringest downe to nought again aduancest thou in mercy often correctest thy dearest children and holdest them in by afflictions lest their ouer-much liberty should giue them ouer-much scope to run astray and consequently to sinne and dishonour thy name to their owne destruction Therefore O louing and most mercifull and deare Father I doe yéelde thée thankes that thou hast visited me with crosses and beaten me with gentle afflictions and corrected mée with fatherly chastisements for they are thy louing imbracements welcome to the spiritually minded â—â—kesome yet to flesh and bloud that fauour not of any thing contentedly but of sinne delight and vanity baites and snares of death Good therefore is it for mée deare Father that thou hast humbled me with thy louing corrections and great is thy fauour yeâ— and thy prouidence and power past all the capacity of the wisest for 〈◊〉 Lord I haue found fauour in thy sight I haue receiued comfort at thy hands euen in the time of my déepest afflictions yea when I was cast downe and in the conceit of mortall men confounded altogether thou yet didst take me vp and didst not suffer mée to perish vtterly for when mine enemies laid waite for mée and snares to take mée and intended my destruction they were by thée preuenced of their purpose and when they hasted to take me they stumbled and fell and I escaped from them as a bird from the snare of a Fowler therefore doe I giue thée the glory I praise thy name and I will magnifie thy goodnesse for euer O Father who hath looked vpon me in my troubles but thou who hath sustayned me but thou who hath fed me but thou who hath preserued me but thou who tooke me out of the Lyons
mouthes but thou who relieued mée when I wanted things necessary but thou who hath deliuered mée in the time of danger but thou who shall haue the praise and glory but thou the God of my saluation and mine euerlasting refuge But what recompence deare Father shall I make vnto thée what reward shall I giue thée what sacrifice shall I offer thée I am a worme no man I haue no good thing to present vnto thée but onely I say and confesse and acknowledge euen from my heart and soule with my tongue and lips that thou onely art God onely good onely able and willing to helpe the poore to relieue the distressed to comfort the abiect and to deliuer them that are ready to be swallowed vp of mercilesse waters I am poore yet thou prouidest for mée I want and thou giuest mée things expedient I haue Enemies but thou defendest mée from their tyranny I am féeble and weake and fearefull to fall but thou doest yet strengthen mée and vphold mée thou leauest mée not in misery thou forgettest mée not in my calamity thou doest not euer hide thée from mée nor turne thy face when I séeke thée but thou rather hearest me before I call and preparest mée salue before I vnfold my sore and giuest before I aske more then I can desire Yea Father when I thinke my selfe ouer-whelmed with the troubles that like raging waues doe follow one another thou takest mée vp and settest me on a sure Rocke and when I begin to slide and my faith séemeth to faile me thou euen then with thy helping hand dost hold me vp so that neither the waters of this worlds troubles can altogether swallow mee vp neither I altogether so fall as if there were none to helpe me vp Therefore O Father full of loue full of power full of compassion and patient to thée onely I yéeld praise for my present reliefe and comfort I thanke thée for thy louing and fatherly helpe who art absolute in thy prouidence and therein raisest meanes to support thy Children when they are in danger And as thou of thy frée fauour in Christ thy beloued hast at this time and for euer deliuered mee yea when I was past hope so continue my louing God and helper and Sauiour vnto the end and as thou séest my Soule in aduersity continually so be thou my continuall helper that I may still sing vnto thee the song of praise for thou art worthy to be praised oh thou art worthy to be praised to thée be praise for euer Amen O Lord increase my Faith PSAL. 18. 2. The Lord is my rock and my fortresse and he that deliuereth me my God and my strength In him will I trust my shield and the horne also of my saluation and my refuge A Thankesgiuing to God for that Enemies haue not preuailed according to their desires with prayer to preuent them OH Lord of Hosts Lord of heauen and earth who defendedst Dauid from the malice of Saul Hezekiah from the power of Senacherib and all thy Children from their Enemies so farre as was euer expedient for thy glory and their soules comfort I thanke thée and blessed be thy holy Name for euer for that thou hast not suffered mine Enemies to triumph ouer mée buc hast most graciously deliuered mée from their malicious deuices hatefull inuentions Thine eye hath séene their laying in wait for mée and their wicked practices and in thy prouidence they are fallen and I stand they are snared and I am deliuered they are punished and I am preserued But it was not mine owne policy mine owne power wisedome or sword that hath kept them backe it was thine owne will thy worke and thine is the glory neither haue I escaped their wicked practices because I was iust nor because I was innocent neither of which deserueth so much but it was thine owne frée mercy in Jesus Christ by which they are snared and I am deliuered and I doe acknowledge it and doe confesse before all men yea I doe publish thy praise for thy goodnesse who art my strength and my saluation be thou euermore so and I shall neuer be moued be thou my rock whereupon I may euer more rest saie And grant that as I haue séene thy saluation tasted of thy sauing health felt the power of thy right hand and béene partaker of so many of thy benefits and blessings make mée able to glorifie thy Name that as thou hast now disappointed mine Enemies of their hope and weakned their power as thou hast scattered them brought their deuices and imaginations to nought so Lord stand alwaies by me and as they haue made a mocke of me trusting in thée so let shame befal them for their cruelties let their mouthes which spake lyes be stopped their armes still weakened and their hearts waâ—e faint whensoeuer they shall attempt their malicious deuices against me againe when they shall compasse me about with the multitude of their wicked imaginations then let the multitude of thy mercies ouer-match them They haue sought my hurt without a cause and therefore fell without my force thou tookest my cause into thine owne hand and hast brought me out of the snare that they had laid and taken them for thou iudgest right let them therefore know that it is thou hath hast done it and although they say in their hearts The Lord will not see nor consider let them finde that thou séest and considerest their practises and let them vnderstand that thou regardest the cause of the oppressed let them neuer haue power to rise againe against me let them neuer preuaile let mee euermore reioyce in thée O Lord my God my strength and my Redéemer O Lord increase my Faith A Thankesgiuing to be vsed after the returne of a Iourney or comming to some Inne or place of rest O God of all goodnesse mercy and loue I giue thée most humble hearty thankes for thy diuine prouidence in leading and conducting me in this my Journey and for preseruing mée from dangers in the same wherein I doe acknowledge thy goodnes towards me who as thou diddest euen by thy hand conduct Lot out of Sodome so hast thou taken mée as it were in thine armes and deliuered mée from perill And as thou diddest send Raphael thine Angell to conduct Tobias And as thou diddest leade the Seruant of Abraham and diddest guide Iacob in their iournies euen by thy holy ministring Spirits so doe I acknowledge that thou hast béene this day with me in my iourney thou hast brought mee in peace and safety vnto this place wherein I may take my bodily rest and refection hauing graciously protected mée from many secret dangers not onely of Enemies Robbers and Théeues but also from danger and hurts of my limbes which are commonly incident and d ee befall euen thine owne Children blessed be therefore thy holy Name for euer I giue glory vnto thy sacred and most glorious Name for that thou hast not onely preserued me but
the Lord will not regard it O Lord thou séest and beholdest thou findest out and considerest all mens wayes mischiefe and wrong equity and iustice are before thée and thou takest the causes of men into thy hands and thou giuest iust iudgement because thou onely knowest the truth of euery mans cause The poore commit themselues to this God that knoweth them to this God that séeth them and to this God that pittieth them and prouideth for them The Lord looketh downe from heauen vpon all men such is the force of his knowledge that hée knoweth in man more then the heart of man it selfe for he fashioneth the heart and vnderstandeth all my thoughts long before they be conceiued within me And therefore my soule prepare thée to patience addresse thée to praise God and continue in prayer be not idle to meditate good things that the Lords goodnes may be thy goodnesse that his loue may be thy life and his prouidence thy protection for as hée knoweth thy going and marketh well thy wandring when thy féele follow value things and fatherly correcteth thée for them so doth hée behold thy teares and heareth thy groanes which thou makest for sinne committed against him and healeth thée and comforteth thée Yet all things are so hidden in the treasure-house of his prouidence that the naturall man séeth not the meanes how to be cured when hée is sicke how to be raised againe being brought low how to be defended hauing many mighty enemies But the Spirit of God discerneth and as he is God knowing all things done so he is a God fore-séeing al things to be done hereafter And hée séeing mée in my mothers wombe before I was any thing or dained for me then what I receiue now therefore my hope must not faile but take hold of his ancient loue wherein hée first created me to liue in him and by him and therfore Oh that I might be able truely to serue him that hée might louingly relieue me still that I might faithfully obey him that hee might fatherly helpe me still He is the good shepheard Oh that I were a good shéepe of his pasture hee féedeth and guideth and holdeth vp and comforteth and maintaineth all that are his hée looseth none that are his he confoundeth none that are his neither doth he forsake any of his vnto the end Within his fold is his fauour and in his fauour is life and in that life is liberty and in that liberty is reliefe and in that reliefe true peace and in that peace the assurance of saluation and in that assurance the ioy and comfort of the Spirit whereby euery outward vnsauory thing is made inwardly swéet euery crosse hath his comfort and euery tryall and temptation and sorrow and griefe is turned to the vnspeakable good of the shéepe of his pasture Therefore O my soule sigh no more sorrow no more be no more pensiue at outward pouerty fret no more at the worlds miseries dismay no more for thy many sinnes but striue to stand in the fauour of this God and he will set thée frée and banish thy feare and fill thy Cup and féede thée with the hid treasures of his neuer-failing loue O Lord increase my Faith God knoweth the hearts of all men Acts 1. 24. 15. 8. The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his and let euery one that calleth on the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2. vers 19. Thou hast counted my wandrings and put my teares into thy bottle Psal. 56. 8. A Godly Meditation of the Word of God whereby men distressed may be strongly resolued to cast off all feare and to cast all their care on God that careth for them according to his promise in his Word OH what am I that I should conceiue of any happinesse or glory or ioy or comfort to be giuen mee either in this earth below or in the heauens aboue for I am a man of corrupt conuersation my heart is fraught within mée with corruption my soule is defiled and my whole man polluted Is it not therefore my iust portion to haue here misery and calamity and crosses and enemies and euils innumerable to follow me for my sinne and to vexe me for mine iniquities so hath the Lord threatned in his word Most true it is that right it were that I should receiue these vnsauoury things of this life and to be depriued of the Land of them that liue for euer if I should receiue according to my deseruings for death is due for sinne O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this danger of death that shall neuer haue end Surely when I looke into this book of mine owne wayes and workes and wantonnes and wicked life I sée nothing but danger and feare and sorrow and death it selfe written therein how then my poore soule vnhappy soule wretched soule how canst thou escape oh tremble and feare for i◠thou finde not fauour thou are fallen for euer and for euer forlorne Where then wilt thou séeke for succour to whom wilt thou flye for grace to the weake and wicked and wofull World or wanton worldlings No my Soule flye from these feeble friends and looke into and consider and beléeue and imbrace the Word of God taste that Bread of life drinke of that Fountaine that floweth from the liuely Spirit of truth thou shalt liue It is a pure Word and will purifie thée it is a liuely Word and will reuiue thée the Word of truth and will teach thée the Word of comfort and will recomfort thée O my soule what thing is so precious as this Word that bringeth the glad tidings of thy saluation thou deseruing damnation of Life thou deseruing death of Comfort thou deseruing confusion and of mercy endlesse thou deseruing miseries infinite It is a Word full of consolation to such as are sorry for their sinnes and séeke after righteousnesse a Word of terror to the obstinate it is a killing sword vnto the wicked and sauing shield vnto Gods children the sauour of Life vnto life to them that are his and the sauour of Death vnto death to the wicked It is more to be desired then the purest gold or swéetest hony Come vnto me saith this Word and I will refresh you Seeke saith this Word and you shall finde rest for your soules O my Soule here then to thy rest here is thy safety and here is thy saciety and here is thy life and liberty and here shalt thou dwell as vpon the Mountaine of Peace vpon the Rocke of Reliefe and Hill of continuall Helpe This is the Staffe to stay thée by this is the Weapon to defend thee with this is the Way to walke in and this is the Foode to relieue thée withall Oh reioyce therefore in the Lord O my soule because of his Word by which he assureth thée of health if thou be sicke of comfort when thou art sad of defence
know the day of their sorrowes commeth on when they shall howle and cry out in horror for the paines that â—nsue their pleasures and for the want that shall follow their wealth and for the miseries that shall follow their mirth and for their death that shall follow their glorious and wanton life Oh how foolish are they that trust in their goods how mad are they that make wealth their warrant and riches their arme and friends their staffe when none of these can saue them from sicknesse from sorrow from dangers nor from death No man can redéeme his brother from Gods displeasure and from his appointed torments in hell by his much wealth he cannot saue himselfe by the multitude of his riches but God shall deliuer thée my soule from the power of hell and shall saue me Be not therefore afraid O my soule though many be made rich and thou in pouerty many aduanced and thou reiected many graced and thou disdained many comforted and thou iniured among the sons of mortall men thy riches and thy glory and thy fauour and thy comfort and thy ioyes are hid in Christ with God And what thinkest thou O my soule of these short miseries that shall be exchanged for infinite comforts whether is it not profitable for thée to haue these moment any corrections to enioy an eternall crowne thou hast tried the inconstant course of worldly things and the day is comming wherein thou shalt possesse the permanent consolation of heauenly things How long hast thou looked about thée for helpe in the earth Vpon my right hand I looked and behold none that would know me or comfort me as Dauid saith and vpon my left hand and no man I found that cared for my soule Then I cryed vnto the Lord said Thou onely art my hope my portion in whom I liue haue an vnmoueable being O Lord increase my Faith Wee brought nothing into this world and it is certaine that we can carry nothing out 1 Tim. 6. 7. Therefore when we haue food and raiment let vs therewith be content Vers. 8. The children of men are vaine the chiefe men are lyers to lay them vpon a ballance they are lighter then vanity it selfe Psal. 62. 9. A sweete Contemplation of Heauen and heauenly things whereby the sad distressed soule is much comforted and encouraged to endure vnto the end that he may possesse the ioyes prepared for such as patiently suffer and without grudging beare the burthen of this worlds miseries O My soule lift vp thy selfe aboue thy selfe flie away in the contemplation of Heauen and heauenly things make not thy further abode in this inferiour region where is nothing but trauels and trials and sorrow and woe and wretchednesse and sinne and trouble and feare and all deceiuing and destroying vanities Bend all thine affections vpward vnto the superiour place where thy Redéemer liueth and raigneth and where thy ioyes are laid vp in the treasury of his merits which shall be made thy merits his perfection thy perfection and his death thy life eternall and his resurrection thy saluation Estéeme not the trifling pleasures of this life to be the way to this wealth nor the ignominious estate here to be any barre to preuent thée from the full vse and ioyfull fruition of the glory there prepared for thée I am assured that though I want here I shall haue riches there though I hunger here I shall haue fulnesse there though I faint here I shall be refreshed there and though I be accounted here as a dead man I shall there liue in perpetuall glory That is the Citie promised to the Captiues whom Christ hath made frée that is the kingdome assured to them whom Christ shall crowne there are the ioyes prepared for them that mourne there is the light that neuer shall goe out there is the health that shall neuer be impaired there is the glory that shall neuer be defaced there is the life that shall taste no death and there is the portion that passeth all the worlds preferment there is the world that neuer shall waxe worse there is euery want supplyed fréely without money there is no danger but happinesse and honour and singing and praise and thankesgiuing vnto the heauenly Iehouah to him that sitteth on the throne to the Lambe that here was led to the slaughter that now raigneth with whom I shall raigne after I haue runne this comfortlesse race through this miserable earthly valâ— The honour in this earth is basenesse the riches of this world pouerty the fulnesse of this life is want the ioyes of this worlds kingdome are sorrow and woe and misery and sadnesse and griefe and yet the foole saith in his heart There is no other heauen but this harmefull deceiuing worlds happinesse no other hell but this worlds bitternes no better comfort then this worlds cares nor further helpe then this worlds wealth Thus is mans wisedome made foolishnesse and mans glory turned into shame mans power made of no force And the faithfull poore that are here despised there are aduanced the sorrowful are comforted the cast awaies in this world are receiued to that blessed being that cannot be expressed with the tongue of man nor conceiued with the heart of man Oh that I had wings saith heauenly-hearted Dauid that I might flie away from this worlds vanities and possesse heauens happinesse Oh that I were dissolued saith blessed Paul that I might be with Christ. Oh that I were in this place of such wished happinesse where I might rest from these worldly labours and earthly miseries and transitory vanities But be not heauy O my soule though thou must yet wade through the sea of these earthly troubles for these heauenly mysteries are not séene of carnalleyes nor can be obtained by carnall meanes but through troubles and afflictions and dangers and persecutions they must be atchieued and none that are Gods elected shall be frée from this Worlds hatred for such difference there is betwéene earth and heauen and betwéene earthly and heauenly things that who so delighteth in the first shall be depriued of the latter for we cannot haue this worlds heauen and the Heauen of heauens the heauen of Saints and Angels and Cherubins and Seraphins where are all vnspotted and all glorious and all in white Robes of sanctity and where Christ the sacrificed Lambe is vnto them all in all Oh blessed are all they that are thus assured blessed are the Poore that shal haue this heauens riches blessed are the Base that shall be thus aduanced blessed are the Low that shall be thus raised and blessed are the World 's despised that shall haue this heauens happinesse yea happy is this wretched worlds vnhappy man for hée shall be happy I will daily meditate of the greatnesse and Maiesty of this high heauens blessed estate where I shall one day blesse my God with the company of his Saints and where I shall one day sit secure and frée from the dangers
the holy Ghost praised for euermore Amen O Lord increase my Faith A very comfortable and most patheticall Prayer to be said of such as are in greatest distresse and danger hauing wife and children and in debt not able to maintaine and relieue the one or to satisfie the other O Most mighty mercifull and all-knowing Father the fountaine of all comfort and consolation who findest out in thy déepe and all-searching knowledge all the sinnes that are or can be committed amongst the children of men howsoeuer hidden and secret I doe confesse vnto thée against my selfe that I haue grieuously offended thée by my manifold transgressions and thereby haue drawne vpon mée a most intollerable weight of thy deserued wrath and fearefull indignation insomuch as if thou maist not be pleased to mittigate thy â—ury towards me I shall faint and fall and shall not be able to lift vp my head any more in hope of thy fauour for deare Father in Jesus Christ I am weake and am not able to beare thy heauy displeasure by mine owne power or merit And therefore good Father lay not vpon mée the punishments which I haue deserued take away thy heauy hand of correction and as thou art patient and long in suffering the sinnes of thy weake children he yet patient with mée and send thine holy Spirit to season me anew that I may bring forth now the fruits of amendment of life So shall thy punishment cease and comfort increase though I am heset with no small or few dangers before mée behinde mée on my right hand and on my left I am beset with perils so that which way soeuer I séeme to runne or howsoeuer I couet to escape I fall into dangers What shal I doe Lord in these miseries I stand amazed at the consideration what will become of me languishing in fear while there is none to helpe I liue where none but mortall creatures are and what can they doe to my comfort Lord that haue their breath in their nostrils They mooue and breathe and liue and speake but little auaileth their helpe vnlesse thou that guidest and gouernest the hearts of all vouchsafe to moue them to commiseration and patience with mée I haue sinned Lord against thée and am indebted vnto men and cannot be released and all commeth of my sins Father pardon thou me so shalt thou in thy renewed loue send mée new reliefe Raise me meanes to satisfie men or qualifie their extremities that they may be patient vntill thy helpe come And in the meane time teach mee O teach mée the way that I should chuse Direct mée Lord what course I shall take for thou Lord art wise and prouident and mercifull and all goodnes commeth of thée Therefore O Lord instruct mée by the inward working of thy holy Spirit to doe this or that and make mée obedient vnto thy will so shall all returne to my good Raise vp some gracious meanes Lord for my succor for thou knowest though I be but one man whose ruine can be but as the death of the least creature in the censure of such as feele not nor partake of my griefes neither will my ouerthrow grieue such as haue no share of my miseries Some there be yet deare Father whom thou knowest that shall taste of the bitternesse of my fall and therefore Lord consider in mercy and although none of them Lord that shall féele the smart of my calamities but haue also added sinne vnto my sinne and so aggrauated thy displeasure against vs yet in thy Christ forgiue vs all and reclaime vs all by thy gentle corrections not by thy furious iudgements And as a sparrow Lord lighteth not on the ground nor one haire falleth from our heads without thy prouidedre so I know Lord that nothing shall befall mée but what thou hast decréed euen for my good both in this life and in the life to come Thou hast neuer Lord dealt so sharpely with any but vpon serious repentance they haue receiued comfort they haue tasted of thy loue and of inward peace So worke Lord in these my tryals and by these my crosses and dangers that I be neither inwardly too much afflicted with feare and sorrow nor outwardly too much cast downe with want but as I taste of thy correcting rod so I may also flude thy supporting staffe Lord thou art moued by a better Mediator then are my complaints Oh heare me for him and heare him for mée me Lord for his sake and him for thy promise sake lest I remaining here in this vale of continuall miseries where there is no true or liuely helper I vtterly perish in my troubles It is no true helpe Lord that commeth not of true compassion and there is no true compassion without true féeling of anothers miseries but how far Lord that is from the hearts of many thou knowest and I féele it And therefore euery heart truely moued to true commiseration is first moued by thée Oh moue them therefore moue thou such as thou pleasest to vse as instruments of thy will for my good so shall I vse it and accept it as thy goodnesse to thy glory But Lord the course of thy prouidence teacheth vs that thou wilt not haue thy dearest children to be lifted vp by the fulnesse of earthly things aboue that which becommeth the humble to kéepe them still in awe of thy corrections Forere while O Lord I thought of seife-peace little fearing further perils nor to be thus chased anew as I am by such as séeke to molest mée and to exact that from me by rigour which thou knowest I am not yet able to performe though thou féest the inward destres of my heart willing by my best lawfull endeuours to obtaine the meanes to satisfie al men their due and it grieueth mee that I cannot doe as they require And therefore O louing Father as thou well knowest what is wanting supply it in thy mercies in thy good time before I be confounded altogether and before I goe hence and be no more séene As thou blessest mée O Lord by the labours of my hands so thou knowest I yéelde to them to whom it is due And therefore Lord sith they will not haue patience with mée of their owne accord worke their hearts to be more pliable to my entreates or else which I aske especially if it please thée raise vp meanes for me that I may be enabled to pay them all wherein thy will be done I haue séene thy saluation and deliuery already in great dangers and thy promise and thy power and thy prouidence are still in force and thy mercy is no whit diminished therefore Lord remember thy mercies and looke on mée and as thou saidst vnto the blinde man in the Gospell Receiue thy â—ight and he saw so Lord say to mée Receiue comfort and reliefe and I shall receiue it thy word is thy will and thy will is thy worke therefore speake and thy will shall be done to restore mee to constancy let
wicked innocent but rather to visit their iniquities yet haue wée this comfort that thy mercy to the humble euer rests vnmeasurable and vnmoueable though thou spakest to the Prophet against thine own people being disobedient to thée saying Though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet haue I no heart to this people Driue them away that they may goe out of my sight some vnto death some to the sword and some to captiuity yet we know O our good God that when as Ephraim was heard â—amenting and praying heartily in his distresse thou thoughtest then vpon mercy as a Father pittying his owne children This thy clemency to others incourageth vs to cry for thy mercies in this our misery vpon our repentance both for vs ours and the whole Land Uouchsafe O louing Sauiour to represse the vehement heate of thy fire with godly pitty stay thine hand from our destruction thou art long suffering good gracious and vnwilling sinners should perish Be intreated therefore O Lord most glorious to bid th ne Angels cease from punishing looke forth-with vpon this Land good Father pitty the infected people thereof that wée altogether may say The Lord liueth for euer worthy of praise because hee hath béene mercifull vnto sinners Amen O Lord increase my Faith If not Infected pray thus IT pleased thée O heauenly Father who art Lord of life and death once to plague the Egyptians and yet to spare the Israelites in the borders of Gosen onely because thou plaguest where thou pleasest So with the pestilence now hast thou infected euen from Dan to Beersheba yet my selfe and diuers others in this place rest safe from this so pestilent an Infection protected and kept as yet safe therefrom onely by thy hand onely by thy goodnesse for our sinnes we confesse stand vp as rampired walls against vs and deserue no lesse then theirs whom already thou hast bruised with a iust measure of thy Judgements O gracious Lord God stirre vs vp to â—hew our hearts throughly thankefull vnto thée that in thankesgiuing and praise we may go before others which in paines and plagues doe goe before 〈◊〉 And as in mercy thou hast drawne â—…knesse from our bodies so in loâ—e to our soules make vs loath the vaine delights of this life that we may faithfully seâ—ue and séeke thée in these our dayes of health wherein wée obtaine thy mercy inioy thy fauour and rest preserued from the pestilence wherewith many of our Brethren lie perplexed beside sundry thousands whom the graâ—t hath swallowed Blesse vs still O Lord our God blesse vs O Father without within be thou our guard thy Word our guide thy Spirit our comfort and thy Son our Sauiour Lord stand by vs for our good continually that when the world repineth at thy Judgements when the wicked swell in their impatiency when the vnregenerate grudge and murmure at thy plagues and punishments wherewith thou chastisest and correctest thy deare Children that euen then wée may haue and inioy quietnesse of heart and peace of conscience neuer to be dismaied or to distrust thy prouidence ouer vs but still to leaâ—e stedfastly vnto thée and rest vpon thée and the rock of thy Truth This confidence Lord grant vs and thy protection from this couragious disease that raigneth that wée may chearefully â—ound forth thy diuine praises amongst men vnto the praise of thy grace in Christ Jesus To whom our Sauiour and Redéemer with thée the blessed Father of vs all and the holy Spirit the Sanctifiâ—r of our soules thrée persons yet one diuine essence be giuen all laâ—d glory and thankes in this world and in that to come for euer Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer in the time of Tempests and vnseasonable Weather God bringeth vp the cloudes from the ends of the earth and maketh the lightnings with the raine he draweth forth the windâ—s out of his treasures Psal. 135. 7. Hee commandeth and raiseth the stormie windes and it lifteth vp the waues of the seâ— Psal. 107. 25. But he ariseth and rebuketh the windes and the sea and maketh them calme Mat. 8. 26. Marke 4. 39. By his word he stilleth the winde and by his counsell appealeth the deepe Ecclus 43. 23. O Most mighty and mercifull Lord God let all the powers of the earth blesse thée and praise thee their euer-liuing God in thine holy and heauenly habitation for thou O Lord sittest on high in the Throne of thy Maiesty and makest thy strength and might knowne to all Nations thy voyce is vpon the waters From thée O God procéedeth Thunder thy voyce maketh the Wildernesse to tremble yea thou makest the mighty hils to tremble and shake the Earth trembleth and quaketh the foundations also of the Mountaines moue and shake when thou art displeased there commeth out of thy nostrils smoke and out of thy mouth a consuming fire thou makest darkenesse thy secret place and at the glory of thy presence the Clouds passe away thou thunderest from the heauens and giuest out thy voyce thou drawest forth the Windes out of thy treasures and commandest them backe againe to their places all things are in subiection vnto thée thy workes magnifie thée O Lord yea they tremble at thy presence the Mountaines and Hils dread thée when thou art displeased yea the whole world is afraid The Waters O God know thée and are afraid yea the depths tremble thy voyce O Lord diuideth the fiery flames O Lord thy voice maketh the Wildernes to tremble Thou remainest King foreuer thou wilt giue strength vnto thy People and blesse them with peace O most mercifull God shaddow vs from thy displeasure which is too vehement and intollerable let thy countenance shine vpon vs and haue mercy on vs protect thou our houses and vs that we be neither consumed by fire nor drowned by waters send not vpon the earth such vntemperate or vntimely Showres or any other vnseasonable weather whereby the Fruits thereof may be hurt or our soules harmed O God the Father which diddest send thy onely Sonne to die the death of the Crosse for my sake preserue mée and grant vnto me a blessed end O God the Son which didst suffer for my sake the heauy death of the Crosse defend me and O God the holy Ghost comfort mée blesse and kéepe mée from all dangers from this time forth and for euer Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer for Peace in true RELIGION Behold saith the Lord I will extend peace vpon my Church like a floud as one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort you and yee shall be comforted in Ierusalem Esay 66. 12. 13. These things haue I spoken to you saith Christ that yee in mee might haue peace in the world yee shall haue affliction but be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world Iohn 16. 33. O Most high and glorious God who art the Authour of Peace from whom doe procéede holy counsels and righteous destres giue vnto vs thy Seruants that Peace
which the world cannot giue that both our hearts and workes may answere thy Commandements and that our dayes through thy protection may be alwayes quiet from trouble Speake thou peace vnto all people especially to thy Saints Let thy saluation be nigh them that feare thée that glory may dwell within our Land Let mercy and Truth méete together yea let Justice and Peace imbrace each other Let Truth arise out of the Earth and Righteousnesse looke downe from Heauen Let the Mountaines and the Hils bring Peace to the people and Shéepe of thy Pasture Blesse Lord all Countries Cities Townes and places where thy Word doth abide and is purely preached and increase the number of them in the vniuersall World O Lord send them much peace that delight in thy Law let them be without stones to stumble at and blesse them with prosperity within their places O eternall God which hast called vs in peace grant wée may haue peace with all men and let vs highly account of holinesse without which none can sée the Lord nor haue peace in the Lord. Represse the Diuell the breaker of godly Concord and Christian Peace which 〈◊〉 aging throughout al Nations soweth euery where the séede of strife and discord as the Séeds-man of falshood and lâ—es O God of Peace which makest an end of Warre throughout the World protect vs from War and slaughter scatter the Kingdomes that delight in Warre breake and hinder all euill Counsels and the purpose of such as minde after nothing else but the shedding of innocent bloud Let them come to shame and perish through their owne imaginations that practise euill against thy Church Giue all men a desire of peace contented mindes in their vocation and a care to aduance the welfare of that place where they inhabite Where Strife Contention and Discord is amongst men reconcile their hearts and mindes that these flames fires may speedily be put out for thou canst conclude a Truce for vs and all Men and make the Wolfe to dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard to lye downe with the Kid. Make our Tabernacles safe and quiet that about them there may be arich tranquillity which may abound like the Streame running ouer his Bankes and our righteousnesse as the Waues of the Sea which is neuer dry In thee shall wee haue our wished peace and the worke of righteousnesse shall be peace and her fruit rest and quietnesse for euer and thy people shall dwell in the Innes of peace and in sure dwellings and in safe places of comfort Heare vs O Lord of peace and grant that thy peace which passeth all vnderstanding may kéepe our hearts and mindes in the loue of our Lord Jesus Christ who liueth and raigneth with thée in the vnity of the holy Spirit now and for euermore Amen O Lord increase our Faith in Peace A Prayer to be vsed of a Widdow Doth not the teares runne downe the Widdowes checkes and her cry is against them that causeth them for from her cheekes doe they goe into heauen and the Lord which heareth them doth accept them Ecclus. 25. 15. Shee that is a Widdow indeede and left alone trusteth in God and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day But shee that liueth in play is dead while shee liueth 1 Tim. 5. 5 6. O Eternall and most mercifull God which according to thine holy will hast made mée a poore distressed Widdow by taking away my beare and louing husband out of this transitory world vnto thée do I cry in this my misery haue mercy on mée I humbly beséech thée and forgiue all mine offences which I haue committed against thy diuine â—aiesty be fauourable vnto mée O Lord and take pitty on mée for I am alone and comfortlesse Behold mine affliction and misery relieue my wants as thou didst relieue that Widdow of Sarepta whom thou diddest most miraculously preserue by the Prophet Elias take the like compassion on mée assist mée behold my necessity and deliuer mée out of all troubles Grant likewise that I may finde fauour in the sight of all Gouernours and Magistrates that I be not iniured contrary to equity In like manner let mée finde amongst men Christian consideration and commiseration of my present â—state and succour with godly counsell protect mée from false tongues which are like rasors cutting deceitfully and as the sharpe arrowes of a mighty man Kéepe mée O Lord from slander and from the tongues of wicked men which with poysoned words haue bent themselues to cast downe the poore and néedy and to destroy such as are of vpright conuersation I humbly betéech thée O Lord to giue mée grace to liue in this mine estate of widowhood chastly and godly shewing my selfe an example of godlinesse to others putting alwayes my hope and affiance in thy mercy let me with all patience and fortitude indure all crosses laid vpon me and continue faithfully in making of supplicatious night and day vnto thée Looke how the eyes of a seruant are vpon her Mistresse so are mine eyes bent vpon thée my Lord vntill thou haue mercy on me Haue mercy therefore O Lord on mée for I am full of infirmity heare me O Father euen for Christs sake thy Sonne and my Sauiour to whom be giuen all praise and honour now and euermore Amen A Prayer for one that prepares himselfe for marriage House and riches are the inheritance of the fathers but a prudent wife commeth of the Lord Pro. 19. 14. Well is hee that dwelleth with a wife of vnderstanding Ecclus. 25. 8. Blessed is he that hath a vertuous wife for the number of his yeares shall be double an honest woman recouereth her husband and she shall fill the yeares of his life with peace A vertuous woman is a good portion which shall be giuen as a gift vnto such as feare and serue the Lord Ecclus. 26. 1. 2. 3. O Heauenly God euerlasting and most powerful Father I do prostrate my selfe before the throne of thy Maiesty humbly thanking thée in that thou hast formed mée in the wombe of my mother and suffered mée to be borne such as I am maintained me likewise from mine infancy to this instant and preserued me from infinite perils for it is through thy goodnesse and fatherly blessing that I haue attained to the yéeres I am now in and in that time thou hast taught mee by thy holy word to know Jesus Christ thy beloued Sonne the onely ioy and comfort that a Christian can haue because in the true knowledge of him consisteth eternall life and therefore I cannot sufficiently yéelde thée praise for the infinite and innumerable benefits thou hast bestowed on me Neuerthelesse because thou hast commanded vs to call vpon thée in all our necessities and most louingly hast promised to heare vs let it now please thée graciously to helpe me For I haue found and proued that in regard of mine owne natures corruption I cannot continue chaste and blamelesse except I vse the meanes which thou
hast ordained and by thy holy Word hast also approued the same saying To auoide whoredome let euery man haue his wife and euery woman her husband Then I beséech thee in mercy to lend mâ—e thy helping bend and so blesse mee and my Patents that in this intended matter wee may not be abused by any exteriour appearance either of beauty riches or deceiuing spéeches which may fore-runne or procéede in this businesse but as thy Word saith A vertuous wife is a gift which comes from thee O Lord and as it is most certain that not onely thou gauest Eue to Adam but didst likewise conioyne Abraham with Sarah Iseac with Rebecca and Iacob with his best estéemed Rachel euen so I intreat and beséech thée O Father of lights not onely to be my Father but also to appoint mée my fellow-partner in regard thou oughtest to be the author and actor in so honourable a businesse Send downe the holy Angell to be my guide and leader towards her whom thou hast prepared for mée as in like case thou madest them seruants to Abraham and young Tobias Then let mée méete her inioy her and liue with her in thy feare and fauour O Lord Jesus may it please thée with thy blessing to be with me at my marriage as thou didst vouchsafe to honour that at Cana in Galilee with thy owne presence And as thou art well pleased to conioyne man and wife and to make them one body so vnite vs both vnto thée that we may euermore liue in thée and thou in vs. Amen O Lord increase our Faith A Prayer for a young Man or Maide prepared to Marriage To auoide fornication let euery man haue his wife and let euery woman haue her owne husband 1 Cor. 7. 2. The price of a vertuous woman is farre aboue the value of pearles she will doe her husband good and not euill all the dayes of her life Pro. 31. 10. 12. O Omnipotent and euer-liuing God without whom mens enbenours are friuolous cannot prosper in this world I thy poore creature and the worke of thine hands whom thou hast vouchsafed neuerthelesse to receiue into the fellowship of thy Saints by the holy Sacrament of Baptisme doe here present my selfe before thy diuine Maiesty humbly beséeching thée in the name of Jesus Christ thy beloued Sonne to stretch forth thy holy hand and helpe mée to the end that if it be thy will I shall marry thou maâ—st lead and direct mée to a vertuous yoke-fellow with whom I may liue so long as we shall continue together in thy loue and feare O God it was thou that gauest Eue to Adam and didst addresse the seruant of Abraham to Rebecca that she might be wife to the Patriarke Isaac Thou didst send thine Angell with young Tobias to deliuer Sara the daughter of Raguel out of the poore desolate and approbrious condition wherein she then liued and to match her in marriage with the said Tobias This is not a case of chance or Fortune neither guided by mens wisedome for heaping vp goods together It often hapneth that after one hath carefully considered all circumstances and causes thereto belonging searching into the vttermost as may be deuised that party fals short of his hopes expected and in stead of an helper hapneth on an hinderer I heartily therefore pray thée O God to prouide me such a one as thou knowest fittest for me and so to order the deliberations counsels and enterprises of my Parents friends that the whole issue and euent may first redound to the aduancement of thy glory and next to the endlesse contentment good and saluation of vs all in Christ Jesus our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen A Prayer to be said of Women with childe Women shall be saued by bearing of children if they continue in faith and loue and holinesâ—e with modestie 1 Tim. 2. 15. O Mercifull and mighty God the framer wise gouernour and gratious preseruer of all things I render vnto thy maiesty most humble thanks for that thou art pleased of thy gracious goodnesse to remoue from mée the reproach of barrennesse and hast opened my wombe to conception prosper O Lord within me the worke of thine owne hands which is wonderfully made whose bones and members are knowne to thée whose very hayres thou numbrest and takest care of them Blesse O Lord the worke of thme owne hand within me that it may receiue a perfect shape and portion and liue to praise thée in the midst of the congregation I commend it with my selfe into thy holy hands whom I beséech thée O most gracious God so to blesse guide and preserue that neither the malice of the wicked spirit ouercome me nor any other inconuenience approach nie mée to hurt mée kéepe me from vame feares and foolish destres that without danger I may beare and with ioy bring forth the fruit where with thou hast blessed mée to the glory of thy most holy Name and my great comfort in thée to whom be giuen and ascribed all honor might power and praise now and for euer Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer to be said of a Woman in trauell O Good Lord I acknowledge and confesse that thy displeasure for sinne committed was and is very great which I doe at this present feele and was first committed by our first mother Eue and continued by vs we being by nature inclined thereunto whom for punishment thereof thou hast said in sorrow we shall bring forth children Impose not that heauy burthen vpon my weak body but regard mee with thy fauour in the promised Seede of the woman and giue mee comfort from heauen lay vpon mee no more then I shall be well able to vndergoe and euen in the middest of my calamities prepare thou the way for mee that I may patiently beare them strengthen O Lord my body giue courage vnto my heart and comfort my soule that in all parts being fastened vnto thee neither frailty of the flesh nor temptation of the Diuell in my greatest extremity may make mée faint or fall from thée or haue the least distrust of thy gracious fauour towards mée Thou art nigh O Lord vnto all that call vpon thée in heart I humbly beséech thée not to be absent from me at my time but that the assurance of thy presence may be my stay and comfort that in respect thereof I may sustaine all torments and wholly rest in thée which art the God of my strength and consolation to whom be giuen all praise now and for euer Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Thankesgiuing of a Woman after her Deliuery Oeternall God and most louing Father thou art great and worthy to be feared thou art gracious and worthy to be praised for thy mercy excéedeth all thy workes thou woundest thou healest thou throwest downe and helpest vp againe I most humbly thanke thée my most louing and gentle Father that it hath pleased thée in thy goodnes now at the length to deliuer me from
the great extremity of childe-birth and to giue vnto me the swéete taste and féeling of thy comfort not only in ioy that a man is born into the world which maketh mee to forget my sorrowes but much more in the assurance of thy blessed prouidence and care ouer mee whose holy hand hath strengthened and vpholden mée who hath brought faâ—te weather after stormes and ioy after teares let thy sweete comfort alwayes rest with mée and giue mée grace since it hath pleased thée to make mée a glad mother that I may also become a good mother in shewing my selfe obedient vnto thée and to be carefull for the instruction and bringing vp of my childe in thy â—eare that wee may shew forth thy glory in this life and be made partakers of thy glory in the life to come through Jesus Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour to whom with thée and the sweete Comforter the holy Ghost thrée persons and one glorious God be all honor and praise for euer and euer Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer for a Man-seruant Let seruants be subiect to their Masters and please them in all things not answering againe neither pickers but that they show all good faithfulnesse that they may adorne the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things 1 Tit. 2. 9. 10. 1 Pet. 2. 18. O Most mercifull and euer-liuing God who hast ordained in the world that there should be masters and seruants and didst heare Abrahams seruant crying to thée I now prepare my selfe to thy diuine Maiesty because seruice is necessary for mée to maintaine mée in this life and doe beséech thée O most louing Father to prouide for mee among good people that may not debarre me from hearing thy Word but rather giue me occasion by their good example to séeke those things which belong to my saluation Assist me also by thy holy Spirit that I may render them good and honest seruice and truely take charge of whatsoeuer they trust mee withall Prosper O God my labours and giue a blessing to those affaires which I shall mannage and vnder-take that thy grace gouerning me while I serue on earth I may afterward be an Heire and fellow-Citizen by Christ Jesus â—eanes in the Kingdome of heauen Thy mercy was so great at Capernaum to the Centurions Seruant that hée found a good Master Thou diddest likewise so louingly respect poore Ioseph when he was a seruant that all things prospered vnder his hand I beseech thee extend thy mercy to me a poore willing Seruant and as thou hast appointed so let mee rest contented Amen Lord increase my Faith and prosper mine endeauours A Prayer of a Maid-seruant O My Lord and Sauiour seeing it hath pleased thee to call mee to this estate and condition that I must serue to sustaine life and gaine those benefits necessarily belonging thereto I submit my selfe willingly to thy prouidence and appointment For I know thou didst not despise to speake to Abrahams seruant Hagar and didst likewise prouide good Mistresses for Bilha and Zilpha therefore I humbly beseech thy Maiesty to prouide an honest place for mee where too much rigour seuerity and hard vsage may not be shewed me Giue me grace also to yeeld vnto them faithfull and true seruice carrying alwayes a good conscience and keeping myselfe chaste and honest with dutifull obedience to my Mistris and ordering my Masters businesse as it becommeth mee Blesse all my indenours that I neither waste spoile nor destroy any thing Set a locke on my lips that by euill words I giue no occasion of stâ—ife or dissension but rather that I may procure peace so much as lyeth in my power to doe Thou knowest O God much better then my selfe what is néedfull for me and thy word teacheth me that with thé◠there is no respect of persons but thou hearest the poore and néedy as well as the great and mighty when they vnfainedly make their prayers vnto thée in the mediation of Christ Jesus our onely Lord and Sauiour Amen A Thankesgiuing before Meate O Lord our God and heauenly Father which of thy vnspeakable mercy towards vs hast prouided Meate and drinke for the nourishment of our weake bodies giue vs grace to vse them reuerently as from thy hands with thankefull hearts let thy blessing rest vpon these thy good Creatures to our comfort and sustentation and grant wee humbly beseech thee that as wee doe hunger and thirst for this foode of our bodies so our soules may earnestly long after the foode of eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen A Thankesgiuing after Meate TO thee O Lord our God which hast created redeemed continually preserued and at this time fed vs be ascribed all honour glory and power might and Dominion now and euer more O Lord preserue thy Church vniuersall this Church wherein wee liue the Kings Maiesty the Prince and Realme Grant thy Gospell a free passage confound Antichrist and all Heresies finish soone these dayes of sinne and bring vs to euerlasting peace through thy Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Amen FINIS A briefe Table of all the Prayers and other things contained in this BOOKE THe Motiue for a priuate Prayer for the Morning Fol. 1. A Prayer for the Morning 2 Morning Prayer where the Family assembles 6 The Motiue for a priuate Prayer for the Euening 11 A Prayer for the Euening 13 An Euening Prayer where the Family assembles 15 A Prayer to be vsed in priuate Families Morning and Euening 22 In the Morning adde this 29 In the Euening adde this 30 A Prayer for the King 31 For obedience vnto God 33 To be confirmed in the way of Righteousnesse 36 For the assistance of the holy Ghost 40 For Sunday Morning 42 Before the hearing of Gods Word 44 For the Preaching of the holy Word 46 For Sunday night 48 A Prayer to be said before a man begins his Labour 50 A Thanksgiuing or Prayer to be vsed after a mans Labour is finished 52 A generall Confession for sins and of the vanities of carnall delights 53 For humiliation and sorrow after sinne committed 56 A preparation to the Communion 61 At the Communion 66 After the Communion 73 A Motiue to the Prayer following against Temptation 75 A Prayer against all Temptations especially to any particular sinne 78 For a prosperous Iourney 82 A Motiue to a Prayer against Enemies 85 A Prayer against Enemies 87 Of the flocke for their faithfull Pastor 91 For obseruation of Gods Commandements 95 A Prayer and Meditation concerning the continuance of Gods corrections 104 A fit and comfortable Meditation when God seemeth most angry with vs. 107 Against despaire 110 Against backslyding in Religion and for increase of Faith 113 A comfortable Consultation and sweet Resolution what course to take in time of deepest distresse 116 Effectuall Prayers for distressed men 133 A Motiue to a Prayer for Patience in affliction 135 A Prayer for Patience in affliction 136 Against the Temptations of the Diuell 140 The way truely to seeke our God c. being the first prayer in distresse 144 The Motiue to the second Prayer to be said of distressed men 150 The second Prayer for Constancy in affliction 152 The Motiue to the third Prayer 158 The third Prayer wherein hee flyeth and wholly relyeth vpon God 159 The Motiue to the fourth Prayer 164 The fourth Prayer wherein he prayeth for faith zeale and strength to vndergoe Gods corrections 166 A Moriue to the fift Prayer 172 The fift prayer wherein the poore man prayeth God to keepe him from despaire 174 The Motiue to the sixt prayer 179 The sixt prayer to learne how to leaue the world and to desire heauen 180 A Motiue to the seauenth Prayer wherein the poore distressed mans desire is to hold fast the promises of God and to shew himselfe thankfull 185 The seauenth prayer in distresse 186 The Motiue to the eight prayer wherein the poore distressed man craueth pardon for his sinnes 190 The Motiue to the ninth prayer for assurance of Gods prouidence 197 The ninth prayer wherein the poore distressed man acknowledgeth that though God doe deseruedly punish him yet he assureth himselfe that God will relieue him 199 A Motiue to thankefulnesse to God for comfort and reliefe receiued of him in the time of necessity and affliction 206 Preparatiues to Thankefulnesse 238 A generall Thankesgiuing vnto God for all his benefits spirituall and corporall 240 Another thankesgiuing in and for Gods corrections 245 A Thankesgiuing to God for that enemies haue not preuailed according to their desires 250 A Thankesgiuing to be vsed after the returne of a Iourney or comming to some Inne or place of rest 253 A prayer for the Fruits of the earth 255. Meditations COncerning the Maiesty Power and Loue of God 258 Concerning the Knowledge and Prouidence of God 264 Of the Word of God 272 Of the benefit of Faith in God 279 Concerning the vncertainty of mans haphappinesse in this life 285 A sweet contemplation of heauen and heauenly things 291 A consideration of the dangerous estate of the impenitent wicked ones after this life 298 An exhortatiue Conclusion wherein the afflicted are stirred vp to Patience and not to be ashamed of their miseries and base estate 311 A Prayer to be vsed of a sicke man 318 For Patience in sickenesse 319 A Prayer to be said at the point of death 324 A Confession of sinnes with a Prayer to be said of poore distressed men Morning and Euening and at all times else as they shall be there unto moued 326 A very comfortable and most patheticall prayer to be said of such as are in greatest distresse hauing wife and children and in debt not able to maintaine the one or satisfie the other 331 A Prayer to be vsed of a sicke man when he is recouered 339 In time of Infection pray thus yea often 341 If not infected pray thus 345 In time of Tempests and vnseasonable weather 348 For Peace in true Religion 351 A deuout Prayer to be vsed of a Widdow 355 For one that prepares himselfe for Marriage 358 For a young Man or Maid preparing to Marriage 361 A Prayer to be said of women great with Childe 363 To be said of a woman in trauell 365 A Thankesgiuing of a Woman after her Deliuery 367 A Prayer of a Man-seruant 370 A Prayer of a Maid-seruant 37â— A Thankesgiuing before Meate 373 A Thankesgiuing after Meate 375 FINIS