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
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
euery godly man to vse all holy meanes to inkindle their hearts to the right performance of this heauenly duty And nothing more preuaileth thâ—… in then Meditation whereunto we are also very vnapt by nature know not how nor vpon what grouÌ„d to lay the foundation thereof yet if we can truly frame our hearts to a holy Meditation we shall finde that it is the very key that openeth our dull hearts lookt vp vnder griefe vnder feare vnder trouble vnder persecution misery and sendeth forth by little little the fire of true zeale which at length becommeth a great flame of preuailing prayers which thing they easily finde that are conuersant in this sacred exercise of Meditation and Prayer who yet many times finde themselues most dull most vnapt to pray hauing yet an inward desire thereunto which desire they cannot containe but labouring a while in silence speaking inwardly to God in sighes and groanes at length they speake effectually with their tongues Seeing therefore that all men neede motiues to stir them vp to payer let eueryman addresse himself to the word of God or peruse some godly worke of religious men And although vocally he cannot read by reason of his naturall dulnes yet if his heart can be but conuersant duly attend the sence as the eye obserues the letter his mind by little and little shall mount it selfe from earth to heauen fixed on the Trinity whence shall arise such spirituall fruits of faith feruency of Spirit as shall fill the soule with more sweet consolation by inkindled prayer then the tongue can vtter And to this end gentle Reader according to the small measure of mine vnderstanding I haue prefixed before euery prayer a Motiue or Meditation touching the substance and matter of the Prayer following THANKS-GIVING after PRAYER THe third and last duty in this holy exercise is Thanksgiuing which cannot but follow sanctified praiers and that with such ioy in the holy Ghost as it cannot but breake forth into most vnspeakable inward thankefulnesse to God who hath been so graciously pleased not onely to forgiue our sinnes but to help our infirmities by his holy Spirit by whom we haue had accesse vnto the Throne of grace and found such fauour with God in Christ as we haue obtayned by the holy Ghost both the will and the power to pray Also we ought in all things to giue thanks to God for euery blessing and benefit we receiue at his hands according to the counsell and precept of the Apostle who commands vs to giue thanks alwaies for all things vnto God euen the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Ephes. 5. 20. Thus much touching the admonition A PRIVATE PRAYER for the Morning The MOTIVE I Laid me downâ— and slept and rose againe for the Lord sustained me Psal. 3. 5. This Confession did holy Dauid make to the glory of God in the morning and hath left it to vs to moue vs likewise to glorifie God by whom we liue and labor and by whose loue and prouidence we lay vs downe to rest after our wearinesse and daily trauell and doe enioy the comfortable benefit of sweet sleepe which he hath afforded to refresh all Creatures And man the most excellent of all other Creatures receiuing this sweet blessing and rising from his bed without thanksgiuing to him that can giue it or depriue him of it cannot assure himselfe whether his sleepe shall turne to his good or euill for the greatest good thing that we receiue at the hands of God turneth to our hurt if we be vnthankfull But vnto the godly to such as feare him and giue him praise he turneth euen euill things to good Therefore as Dauid saith I will giue thanks vnto the Lord his praise shall be in my mouth continually Morning and Night and at all times and for all things Psal 34. 1. Wherby it commeth to passe that no danger can annoy vs for why The Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about vs to preserue vs sleeping and waking if we feare him and call vpon his Name Pâ—al 34. 7. The poore man therefore cryeth vnto the Lord Lord here my voyce in the morning for in the morning will I direct my prayer vnto thee and will waite till thou heare me and helpe me Psal. 5. 3. O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer for the Morning to be said in priuate OH Father full of power mercy and loue how dare I looke vp vnto heauen where thou sittest in Maiesty and glory How can I thinke or hope to receiue any good thing here in the earth where thou art in thy power and knowledge for thou Lord séest my wayes and my vanities and my corruptions and my sinnes yea my thoughts idle and euil are before thée yea my pollutions and imperfections are such and so great as I am afraid of thy iudgements if thou shouldest note all that I haue done amisse yet like a louing Father thou hast mercifully preserued mée this night and vouch safed me swéet rest and sléepe and hast raised me by thy hand for it is thou onely that preseruest me and defendest me whether I wake or sléepe walke or worke eate or drinke yea thou blessest all these things vnto me or else they would easily destroy mée For I a weake Creature am subiect to the infinite dangers that lurke in the pathes of this euil and corrupt life In the night and darkenesse I sléepe and haue no watch and therefore easily may I be ouer-taken with the dangers of the wicked that hate the light and practise euill in the darke but that thou the watch-man of Israel thou sléepest not but hast a fatherly care and vigilant eye and louing regard to thy weakest ones when they slumber beset with dangers thou appointest thine Angeâ—s and they pitch about them and they are late O good Father I thank thée for thy infinite blessings beare with my weaknesse and wash me from my sins and forgiue mine offences and direct me in the â—ight way of obedience of thankfulnesse of repentance and reformation of my life which is still subiect to vanity still ready to slide into one sinne or other I am neuer frée Oh Father from temptations neuer at true peace but beset with continuall enemies within me my own corruptions fight against faith and obedience wresting my will and mine affections from sincerity to sin from a desire of good things to euill from obedience to rebellion from trust in thée to despaire or to depend on the vain things of this deceiuing world which being full of subtil baits euery where beset with snares to catch my souâ—e and to seduce me with dangerous vanitâ—es I flye onely to the sanctuary of thy loue to the castle of thy prouidence and to the harbour of thy sauing promises Kéepe me therefore kéepe me deare Father as the apple of thine Eye shrowde me vnder the shadow of thy sauing wings this day and teach mée truth giue me knowledge
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
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
booke of this so high and so heauenly a mysterie not the worldly wise not the great learned nor the most glorious in the world onely the poore in spirit the humble and méeke such as truely hunger and thirst for their saluation in and by Christ. They onely aske séeke and knocke they receiue knowledge and finde mercy and they are accepted into this heauenly society seeing yet but in part knowing yet but in part féeling yet but in part receiuing but in part glorying but in part where they yet praise thée but in part But thou hast promised that we partaking of thée in this life after this life we shall fully enioy thée in and by Christ in the heauens to our euerlasting comfort to our inestimable glory and endlesse praising thée in him whom here we sée by the eyes of our soules in faith on whom we depend in faith and of whom we here partake in faith which faith O Lord increase more and more for euer in vs all Amen A thankesgiuing after the receiuing of the holy Communion IEsus Christ our true Soueraigne and eternal sacrifice thou art seated at the right hand of God vpon the Throne of Maiestie in heauen hauing the administration of all goodnesse to come and of the true Tabernacle which is not made by hands Thou entredst once by thy precious bloud into the holy places and hast obtained for vs eternall Redemption by sacrificing thy selfe vnto thy Father to cleanse our consciences from al dead workes to the end we might serue the liuing God We giue thée thankes with all our hearts because by willing obedience to thy Father thou didst suffer a most ignominious death on the Crosse for vs poore miserable and wretched sinners and hast instituted this blessed Sacrament for an eternall memory of thy faithfulnesse and fauour on out behalfe leauing it like wise as an earnest penny seale or testimony for the remission of our sinnes Thou hast called and brought vs to the Communion of this wonderfull féeding to the end that wee might refresh our hungry soules languishing and thirsting after life euerlasting O Lord my God great is thy loue thy mercy vnexprsseable thy grace vncomprehensible Thou despisest no persons comming to this Banquet except they exclude themselues or intrude thither vnworthily If any one doe hunger or thirst here he is fully satisfied such as are in necessitie may here finde the riches and treasures of Life the desolate here méete with comfort the stâ—ke here finde physicke and health for their soules such as are ouer-laden with their sins are here disburdoned in their consciences and they which are assailed by Death doe here méete with life that cannot be molested Helpe vs then O good God that this blessed Sacrament which we haue receiued may auaile vs to our saluation and that hereafter we may retaine the fulnesse of our hope without any wauering because thou art faithfull in all thy promises and let vs care one for another giue vs grace to loue all but couet onely the societie of such as either may stirrevs vp more and more to godlinesse or that we may win them to more knowledge of and obedience to thée and that wee may in a holy and heauenly vnion often assemble our selues at this holy and sacred banquet comforting one another in thée hopefully looking for thy blessed appearance in the clouds for our full and finall redemption Amen Lord increase our faith and renew a right spirit within vs. A Motiue to the Prayer following against Temptation FOrasmuch as no man is free from Temptation it is a necessary exercise for the Children of God to pray daily to be strengthened against the same for if the Diuell spared not to tempt Christ Mat 4. 1. 3. Marke 1. 12. 13. he cannot but tempt vs. And as hee began with Christ knowing him to haue long fasted and deemed him so desirous to eate as hee would haue done any thing to haue had bread as Esau longed for his brothers pottage And as hee himselfe in the beginning fell by ambition and vainglory he thought it had beene the humour of Christ likewise to deâ—…e terrene glory according therefore to these two occasions he tempted Christ to accept of both or either of them But hee had no aduantage against Christ but fifteth and findeth man of another inclination wholy and altogether corrupt and so prone naturally to sinne as there resteth in all men some peculiar humour and a kinde of priuate and commanding sinne which so farre commonly ouer-ruleth the affections as whensoeuer it offereth it selfe it easily draweth consent euen of the whole man as Nabals couerousnes whom the rich doe imitate who although they might be free from all other sinnes as they cannot be it were sufficient to condemne them some are wholly ouercome and make drunkennesse their whole delight some bribery and extorsion some whoredome some wantonnesse And these and such like sins are as it were the Bailiffes and Stewards of the houses of mens hearts which who so embraceth and holdeth them so deare as he will not endeauour to be freed of them is not the childe of God And therefore this prayer following may be vsed of all men to that end although hee would be ashamed to confesse it before men God already knowing it his confession to him shall more and more make a way for repentance and obtaine strength to resist the Diuell in his temptation who obseruing our inclinations bendeth his temptations accordingly and hauing wonne but the outerward of our hearts at the first a bare consent he then will visite oftner vntill he haue made custome so strong as it becommeth an habite or as it were another nature So that a man may as well endure the plucking out of his eyes as the shaking off of that accustomed sinne And therefore it behooueth all men to be watchfull against Satan and to resist him by prayer A Prayer against Temptations especially fit for a man that findeth in himselfe a continuall strong inclination to any particular sinne O Gracious God and most louing Father who in the beginning didst create man to thine owne image and likenesse in all sinceritie and didst place him in the holy estate of his innocency in the swéet garden of all heauenly and earthly delights and in thy superabundant mercies didst ordaine all thy creatures in Heauen and Earth to doe him seruice O what was man that thou hadst such respect vnto him And yet how suddenly Lord God did hée fall from that estate of originall grace how grossely did hée disobey and rebell against thy will reuealed vnto him By whose fall all corruption entred where before was nothing but sanctity by whose corruption the earth became corrupt and all things in the earth began to disobey him for whom they were created as he disobeyed thée by whom he was created And by his transgression all that haue procéeded of him by a lineall originall pollution haue all defiled their wayes and all
when thou art in danger and of his presence when thou séemest to be left alone forsaken of all By his Word hée saith Come by thine obedience say Lord I come delay not to cast away the superfluous eare of carnall things and séeke things spirituall and heauenly By his Word he saith Seeke first the Kingdome of God answere thou by a detestation of the World and worldly vanitie Lord thy Kingdome I seeke séeke then this heauenly Inheritance more to be wished then the Land and Reuenewes and Riches and glory of the greatest earthly subiect who hath but the casuall and vaine and slippery things of this World that leaue him and wée leaue them but loe a Kingdome is prouided in Heauen for the poorest Childe of God Séeke this Kingdome O my Soule euen while thou art here in this vast Wildernesse of this Worlds miseries for when thou hast suffered thou shalt receiue glory and when thou hast fought that good fight thou shalt be crowned and when thou leauest these things so vile and vaine and loathsome below thou shalt enioy things glorious and swéet and full of ioy and consolation aboue when thou hast left the society and fellowship of men below thou shalt accompany Angels aboue and when thou hast made an end of sighing and grieuing and groning vnder the burthen of tyrannous men here thou shalt sing praise and glory to this glorious God aboue who hath sent thée his Wordhere in thy mortality to comfort thée with the swéet contemplation of thine immortality Oh then let this be thy daily meditation let this be thy continuall exercise that in want and weaknesse in sorrow and ignominy and misery and crosses and temptations and in al trials whatsoeuer thou mayest duely weigh how thou maiest be assured that none of these shall hurt thée for loe euen this glorious and swéet and most ioyfull word telleth thée from thy louing Redéemer My grace is sufficient for thee O swéet word of truth yea of truth for hée speaketh and performeth his grace is sufficient what then shall I feare If his fauour be not further off but alwaies at hand what shal I scare if it be sufficient what can resist it nothing but sinne nay his grace is sufficient to kill sinne then nothing can stand betwéene me and this Kingdome of God if I flye vnto this Word if I kéepe this Word and meditate this Word bring forth the fruits of this Word then this Word will further assure me that this good God this powerfull prouident and louing God will neuer faile me nor forsake me O Lord increase my Faith The word of God is liuely and mighty in operation and sharper then any two-edged Sword and entreth thorow euen vnto the diuiding a sunder of the Soule and the Spirit and of the ioynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. The word of God is our delight in affliction And giueth wisdome to the simple Psal. 119. 130. As new borne Babes desire the sincere milke of the Word that ye may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2. 2. Let not the booke of the Law depart out of thy moâ—th but meditate therein day and night that thou maist obserue and doe according to all that is written therein for then shalt thou make thy wayes prosperous and haue good successe Ioshua 1. 8. A Meditation concerning the â—enefit of Faith in God and how it holdeth the Children of God from falling from him in their deepest miseries OWretch that I am where is my hope where is my helpe where is my rest where is my assurance of saluation or helpe in my troubles I haue a forcible and strong Law in mine owne carnall wisedome that to trust in Man to put confidence in Wealth and to flye vnto the reliefe of mine owne deuices mine owne waies and workes auaile mee more then all other meanes that else-where I may séeke O Foole that I am O silly Sot and wretch most féeble what can I do or speake or worke or deuise to bring to passe the least good thing to comfort me withall Mine heart is corrupt my conuersation euill my tongue vnholy and all parts of my body vnpâ—… can I then hope of any helpe or worke any good or deuise any course to comfort 〈◊〉 No I disdaine all mine own â—aies and workes and wisedome and inclâ—me wholy vnto the counsell of the most high and hée will instruct mée I will trust in him and hée will helpe mée I will flie to him and he will receiue me I will pray to him and hée will heare me I will fall downe yet againe yea againe and againe before him and he will take me vp Shrinke not therefore O my soule nor be ouer-sad at these my miseries be not afraid at the Worlds iniuries saint not at the furie of the euâ—il and malicious men for thou hast an helper in heauen in whom whosoeuer trusteth shall reioyce whom whosoeuer feareth shall stand fast whom whosoeuer truely séeketh shall preuatle in his desires shall triumph euermore O my soule set the Lord alwaies before thée for hée alwayes is néere thée Let me not thinke that he séeth not my wayes and my walkings as if he were a God that considered not the actions of men Hée is at my right hand and on my left hand hée is before me and behinde me he compasseth me about on al sides and findeth me out in my secret intentions his wayes are onely perfect and 〈◊〉 his Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 capacity of wisest men In this God I trust in this Word I beléeue in this Wisdome I repose my hope and as he hath promised it shall come to passe and as is fittest I shall receiue And therefore I will not dismay I wil not be discouraged at my miseries no if I should passe through the â—alley of the shadow of Death I will not feare for my God attendeth mée and is in all things at all places and at all times with mée and though he correct me with his rod he vpholdeth me and comforteth mée with his preuayling hand None that trusteth in God shall be put to shame not one that putteth his confidence in him and embraceth his Word obeyeth his Will and walketh in his Wayes shall be confounded for euer He is my light and he directeth me he is my helpe and he sustaineth mée he is my rest and mysaluation whom then or what néede I to feare O my soule I should haue fainted in â—â—se importable miseries and contisée the goodneâ—… did not beléeue to life if I were not assured to taste of his blessings before I goe hence and bâ— no more séene And I finde his fauour and his mercy and his power and his prouidence and his infinite blessings both within me and without me daily yea he is my strength and my shield hee is my defence in trouble and my portion and my saluation O my soule trust in him and thou
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
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
beginning and in the seuenth day didst rest from the same labour commanding vs to obserue the sanctification of the same for euer and to rest from all labours trauels and wordly businesses and not onely our selues but our Seruants Oxen Asses and such like Grant that we may not onely lay a side all worldly cares and businesses on the Sabbath day but may in all things sanctifie and kéepe it holy with godly exercises diuine prayers and heauenly meditations with diligent regard to the auoyding of all pastimes foolish and vncomely exercises and vnlawfull practices whereby oftentimes the affection being mooued to impatience powreth forth choler to the dishonouring of thée Let our conuersation be altogether modest mortifying our owne desires wholly applying our selues not onely on the Sabbath day but all the wéeke yea all our whole life to the seruice of thée to the honouring and glorifying of thy Name to the benefit of our soules profit of our neighbours and due reuerence to our Parents whom thou hast commanded vs to honor loue and obey as the instruments of our beginning thou being the workman Grant Lord that wee truely and vnfainedly reuerence them as thou willest we should that we may long continue vpon the earth not in the number of carelesse and disobedient children in whom resteth no thankfulnesse for so great benefits had and receiued at the hand of their parents from whom thou hast said thou wilt with-hold thy blessings and altogether depriue them of their libertie of liuing But grant that we may so order our selues by thy grace both to them and other our Superiours that wee may receiue at thy hands many good gifts and length of dayes here according to thy promise in Christ. Let it likewise please thee O Lord to continue thy blessings in and vpon vs that it may goe well with vs all the dayes of our liues take from vs Lord all destres of reuenge all rancour hatred and malice lest the Diuell who reaâ—ily stands to pricke vs forward to a desperate minde procure vs to slay the innocent Wée beséech thée good Lord let not at any time such euill imaginations enter into our hearts lest wée giuing our selues thereunto loose the reynes of our naturall disposition which is 〈◊〉 inclined to wrath that vnlesse the strength thereof be subdued or the venomous sâ—ing thereof pluckt out by vertue of thy holy Spirit it prouoke vs to waite opportunity to wreake our malice with violence vpon such as by small occasions haue offended vs yea and by little and little breake out into that height of hatred as to prouoke vs to séeke the meanes to destroy the innocent O Lord forbid it and kéepe vs from the most pernitious sinne of adultery which being so odious in thy sight as thou causedst to fall in one day for the same twenty and thrée thousand but indue vs with thine holy Spirit that we may kéepe our bodies cleane and vndefiled members of thée endued with perfect sanctity may abandon all occasions that may procure vs to offend thée retaining a godly behauiour which thou dearely louest and expelling euill concupiscence which thou deadly hatest O mercifull God vouchsafe to kéepe vs from taking any thing by indirect meanes from any man whom wee ought to loue as our selues the desire whereof good Lord procéedeth often by scarcitie and want by pouerty and néede which indéede thou art able and willing to relieue without any such vnlawfull meanes And therfore I beséech thée to grant vs a sufficient and necessary portion or else constancy and vnfained hope in thee to be relieued in thy good time and vtterly to detest the horrible sinne of stealing for thou hast promised neither to faile vs nor forsake vs calâ—ing faithfully vpon thée in time of our necessity And as we ought to beware of taking any thing of others by steaith so likewise vouchsafe when any occasion serueth to grant vs héedfull mindes to depose and testifie that which is truth according to our knowledge without any respect either of greatnesse friendship or fauour of the one or the eâ—uy malice or pouerty of the other And grant that wée raise no false accusation or slander vpon any man but that wée may kéepe our mouthes from speakeing any thing hurtfull vnto others but to shew our selues helpefull both in word and déede to all and like good men muse and meditate afore-hand what we ought to speake not letting the bridle of our lips loose to babble out that which first commeth into our mindes and that we may content ourselues with our estates whatsoeuer thou sendest without an vngodly desire of any thing that belongeth vnto our Neighbours And grant vs by thine especiall grace euermore to obserue and faithfully to fulfill all thy most godly Commandements in the name for the sake of Jesus Christ in whose Name as well for grace to kéepe thy Lawes as also for all necessaries for body and soule I heartily beséech thée in that forme of prayer which hée hath set downe vnto vs in these words Our Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heauen Giue vs this day our daily bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs And leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill For thine is the Kingdome the power and glory for euer and euer Amen A Prayer and Meditation concerning the continuance of Gods corrections notwithstanding our continuall humiliation and daily Prayers vnto him for comfort and reliefe O Father most mercifull and louing in Jesus Christ what shall I bring vnto thée whereby to appease thy wrath conceiued against my sinne If I should bring the sacrifice of Buls or Goates thou art not delighted with them Teach mée therefore O Lord teach me what to doe to be reconciled vnto thée againe I haue long called vpon thée and that in the name of thy most beloued Sonne and finde not that I haue long sought I receiue not that I haue many dayes desired of thée I haue long and earnestly knocked at the doore of thy mercy and finde no entrance for my Soule I sée I am shut out of thy presence I wait and am weary I sigh and sée no remorse and lingring thus in distresse I languish vnder the burden of thy displeasure which séemeth to be so hetly kindled against mée as I am ready to giue ouer my suite For behold Lord my miseries are beyond measure and my griefe groweth daily more and more being of my selfe ignorant what to say more vnto thée then I haue said I know not what course to take nor to whom to make my mone direct mée and heare my prayers Thou being angry with mée all thy Creatures séeme to be also offended at mée and nothing séemeth to yéelde mée comfort Deare Father what shall I doe whither shall I flye to finde rest there is no rest for me but in thée and therefore
by fraud and force to leape ouer loue and lowlinesse as dangerous blocks and to sit in the seat of scorning the poore with the proud and ambitious And if the godly such as haue professed knowledge and zeale be driuen from their right course by the winde of this vaine worlds Paralites what becomes of such as haue no coasting card of Christian knowledge nor néedle of faith to conduct them And if such as haue the world vnder their féet can crush the poore in their fist be easily carried away fromÌ„ iustice and iudgement to rapine and bribery extortion and wrong what a dangerous triall is it vnto the poore and distressed man who euen for relieuing necessaries is forced to bend his course to the hauen of any small comfort Yet this worlds wisedome censureth that it is holden hardly lawfull for the poore to tread the steppes of the rich to relieue himselfe Such an vnequall match there is betwéene these two that for strength the one subdueth the other without great encounter for wisdome he stoppeth his mouth with faire words Eccles. 9. 16. Because the world holdeth him wisest that is wealthiest and him best that is brauest The wisedome of the poore is despised and his words are not heard He is accounted most honourable that can subdue the lowest with loftiest lookes great men often speake what their hearts thinke not and the poore pine in penurie while the rich preach dissimulate plenty the worst in their liues séeme most glorious in their liuings the wicked increase in worldly wealth while the poore doe perish But sith it thus fareth with the dearest children of God that they must be as cast-outs in the world and cast-awayes among worldlings sith they haue no hope here nor helpe nor succour nor pleasure nor delight here it is necessary that a carefull consultation be had in such a dangerous warfare how wée may be best defâ—â—ded and most eased and surest guarded And for that the poore sâ—â—me to haue no share amongst the rich the weake no part with the strong nor the simple any portion with the deceitfull and yet a necessity laid vpon the poorest to prouide â—oode though in meane measure to sustaine life and ragges in simplest manner to couer the skinne a course must be taken after the rule of right reason wherein wée must leaue the sleights of the méere flesh and leane to the aduice of the spirit lest that through a carelesse negligence and negligent sluggishnesse we be found authors and workers of our owne miseries And to this end that all should be without excuse and none should plead Gods iniustice or partiality in punishing or correcting God the Father of all hath sent proclamation and warrant to all to come to him Such as are burdened he will ease such as are hungry he will feed such as are sad he will comfort and such as are in miserie he will releeue He then that complaineth must complaine to him he that praieth must cry to him and hée that nâ—â—deth must come to him But a caueat is giuen as a prouâ—so in this generall warrant that hee that will come to God must depart from sâ—â—ne wherein are comprehended two inseparable conditions the one that wée beléeue the premise of Gods protection the other that wée performe our duties in our calling for without the latter the first hath no ground for wée cannot beléeue without the promise and to the promise is tied obedience and to this obedience exercise of good things the endeauours of vertue and godly life And this cannot be without the blessing which bringeth with it the timely supply of bodily necessaries here and the true assurance of the ioyes to come in heauen which also begin euen here through the testimony of that liuely spirituall Comforter which giueth inward contentation in outward crosses and outward reliefe in inward sorrow it yeeldeth illumination to the dark vnderstanding and quickneth the dull desires to doe good it heaueth vs from the earth and vnhelping earthly things séene to heauen and heauenly society concealed it turneth our carnall desires of workeing our owne wils to the contemplation of diuine things and maketh vs to séeke first that Kingdome which is aboue as the principall end of our hope and happinesse and then to séeke the things of this life as things of necessity and not to couet them to be the more glorious here but the more godly not to be wealthy here but rightly wise not to be ambitious here but humble and content with a meane estate not to fill our bellies with the gluttonous but to séede as fasting from all desire of superfluities Being thus mortified in our affections and furnished and adorned with the most sauory fruits of contentation in our estates high or low rich or poore famous or base wée cannot but walke patiently in our callings and not to grudge at our miseries be they neuer so great wée cannot but be resolute Christians and abide the encounter of the worlds furies be they neuer so fierce and cruell and therefore let vs be all of good courage let vs fight the good fight and stand as men Flie not to idle and euill meanes to reléeue our distresses nor repine at the wealthy and wicked that haue the winde of euery mans plausible Al haile to driue them on from one proud conceit of themselues to another for if it be duely weighed what weight of vanities it heapeth on them which as stabble in the end shall consume themselues with the fire of their guilty consciences it will cause vs to leaue off to loue their liues or long for the like for their time is short and swéet as a feast in a dreame here but in the end bitter and for euer And contrariwise our miseries are but for a moment and our ioyes perpetuall and the smallest things if we feare God are better to vs then the greatest riches to the wicked And though wee fall wée shall not be cast off for God supporteth vs with his hand But the wicked shall be cast downe and neuer be able to rise though they flatter themselues in their owne eyes while their wickednesse is found out worthy to be hated and abhorred of all godly and vertuous men Let vs therefore trust in the Lord and not be idle in well-doing and in our déepest miseries let vs wait patiently for the Lord and not be weary let vs hold fast by his promises for though hée sée me to hide himselfe from vs he will be found at length and will grant and giue vs what is necessary for vs as children and not what may make vs more wanton as his Enemies Worldlings and Reprobates hée may suffer vs to lye among Lyons for a season with Daniel but hée will shut close vp their deuouring lawes that they shall not preuaile till the Wicked come within their power whom they shall teare in péeces without mercy Hée may suffer vs a while to liue in the Wildernesse as hée did
Faith of Repentance of other diuine graces hée onely requireth the true vse of them as to loue him aboue all things to liue in sobriety temperance in his feare in the exercise of true religion in prayer in hearing his Word preached in reading the same with reuerence in continuall going forward from faith to faith from one heauenly vertue to another and in behauing our hearts inwardly in such a liuely and willing remembrance and execution of his diuine Will as nothing may miscarry vs from what hée hath commanded or draw vs into what hée hath forbidden Thus if hée finde vs prepared hée will then as hee hath promised blesse vs more and more and giue and bestow vpon vs more and more of his spirituall benefits and adde vnto our stocke and store such abundance of all necessary outward things of this life as wée shall not onely be able to féede cloathe maintaine and relieue our selues with wished contentment but will giue such continuall increase as we shall be able to performe these former duties to his néedy members and there by not onely testifie to the World our Faith by our workes who will glorifie God for vs but God shall sée our faith in him and approue our outward workes amongst men to be good by our faith These being the fruits of true obedience and obedience the most acceptable sacrifice of thankfulnesse a worke not onely not painefull or tedious but most swéet vnto the soule let vs unbrace it as the true wisedome which for the swéetenesse passeth the hony and the hony-combe and for preciousnesse and worth of more value then the finest gold or dearest earthly Jewels Who will not then apply his heart vnto this most acceptable thankefulnesse to which is promised a new and daily renuing of blessings one blessing shall follow another as the swéet drops of the morning dew happy is the man that is in such a case But most vnhappy the man forgetting God and Gods benefits nay who offereth the sacrifice of praise in a false or a cold or counterfait manner as Cain did who would be séene to giue vnto God part of his earthly abundance but because it was done with no true affection it was not accepted no more are these vnworthy praises which many worldlings séeme to flatter God withall offering the Sacrifices not of idle but of hatefull fooles though in common spéech they can make semblance of great piety As when they speake of Gods blessings the increase of their Corne Oile and Wine the prosperity of their Cattle the long continuance of the health of their bodies good successe in their affaires they can vse an outward kinde of humiliation bowing their counterfait knée and â—ailing their dissembling â—onnet as if the true praise of God consisted in these ceremonies when indéede their hearts are full of â—â—arice their hands of Bribes and their lips of dissimulation Hath God respect to these kinds of offerings No he accepteth the obedience to his will and his will is that thankfulnesse to him being in heauen not séene should begin in earth in doing good to our brethren whom we daily see else though God vouchsafe to seâ— as hée did vpon Cain a marke vpon such vngratefull dissemblers that they come not into misfortune in this life like other men yet it shall be a marke of their reprobation which they shall cary with them to their eternal graues Had not the men of the old world great blessings at the hands of God But where was their thankefulnesse The earth was full of cruelty a base recompence for so many blessings yet did thinke themselues very secure yea when God in his secret Justice prepared their general confusion Was God so strict in obseruing so seuere in punishing the whole world for vnthankefulnes hauing but the Law of nature their guide and will hée be lesse to a stiffe-necked people or to one disobedient person hauing the vse of his word Is not mans vnthankfulnes towards man censured in most euill part by man how much more mans vnthankfulnesse to God Laban found great benefit and many blessings to grow vnto him in his earthly estate by Iacobs faithfull and true seruice yet how vnkindly did he reward him Gen. 31. 2. Yet sée the mercies of the Lord who séeing thankfull Iacobs afflicted heart vnder his vngratefull and seuere Master wrought his deliuery and sent him from cruell Laban rich But did Iacob attribute his successe and increase of his wealth to procéede from his care and industry or did he attribute it to his â—rt of speckled Rods No hée confessed by whose meanes he was so blessed namely by God to whom as to the Author of all the good that befell him he gaue the glory saying at his returne Ouer this Brooke I came with my staffe and scrippe onely but loâ— Lord I now returne with mighty Droues Here was the true and liuely image of the Sacrifice of praise in godly iacob and the very picture of ingratitude in vnthankefull Laban giuing thankes neither to God nor Men for his prosperity Many Labans now liue that receiue the benefits of poore mens trauels and endeauours and at the hand of God rich blessings and yet they will not admit either the helpe of man nor the prouidence of God to be the meanes of their aduancement but their owne wit policie desert or humane friendship and to defend their grosse and 〈◊〉 ingratitude â—â—icke not to aâ—firme that the Seruant that laboureth is worthy of his hire I am saith this caruall Logician the Seruant of God and therefore worthy of the gifts I receiue from him Such hellish Syllogisms worldly men the Schollers of perdition can frame against themselues not finding the subtilty of the Diuell in these Arguments who striueth to colour by his Sophistry this erronious conceit of theirs in assuming desert to receiue good where they deserue to receiue euill euermore The Seruant of an earthly Master may performe in some measure his Masters worke and may thereby deserue his promised hyre but who so thus pretendeth himselfe to be or is indéede the seruant of God by whom a lawfull calling may be assigned him howsoeuer he wade in the execution of his externall vocation yet hée commeth to farre short of his true duety commanded as he not onely meriteth no earthly or temporall benefits but to be corrected with many stripes As who so looketh into or compareth his owne performance with the Commandements of God shall finde himselfe so farre behinde with God in thankefulnesse for his least benefits as hée shall be driuen to confesse he is vnworthy of the Bread and Rayment be it neuer so meane that hée inioyeth which also how meane soeuer it be it is the gift of God and in no other nor by any other meanes made ours but in Christ alone without whom the greatest Riches the most glorious Estate and most wished earthly prosperity becommeth a curse vnto them that make them not theirs by him that
hast also blessed my iourney with such successe as in thy wisedome is most for my comfort and profit for in all things thou knowest better what is fit for man then man and therefore as thou hast béene pleased to deale with me or shalt thinke hereafter fit for me grant that I consult not with flesh and bloud to finde the expediency of the successe of my iourney knowing this that we are ignorant of the things most conuenient for vs And therefore whatsoeuer doth or shall succéede by thy prouidence giue me wisedome patience and thankefulnesse to imbrace the same Let mée neuer forget the words of thy mouth thy promises made vnto thy Children that all things shall worke together for the best for them And therefore I doe assure mée that thou hast brought my iourney to prosper to farre as may be to thy glory my comfort and the discharge of my duety in all the circumstances of the occasion of the same Make me able therefore to extoll thée O my God let my Soule praise thée O euerlasting Guide Lord most louing God all-sufficient and euer-helping Father to whom with thy Sonne in whom thou preseruest and to the holy Ghost in whom thou sanctifiest all that are thine be euermore ascribed all Glory Power Dominion and Maiesty for euer Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer for the Fruits of the Earth O Almighty and most mercifull God the Lord of Heauen and Earth which of thine abundant and infinite goodnesse doest adorne and fill the Earth with all kinde of fruit and graine whereby is sustayned both the life of Man and Beast and which yet cannot prosper without thy blessing we humbly beséech thée of thine infinite goodnesse and mercy to blesse our Fields and Ground and make them prosperous to yéelde their increase for without thy fauour and blessing the Earth can bring forth nothing but vnprofitable and hurtfull wéedes nor we by our endeauours make the same to prosper Let not our grounds be desolate in thine indignation shut not vp the Heauens in wrath for our sinnes that it be not as Iron nor our Earth as Brasse but of thy goodnesse giue vs both the earely and latter raine that wée may haue abundance of all Fruit. Thy Riuer O Lord is full of Water prepare our Corne and prosper our earth crowne the yeare with thy goodnesse and let the clouds drop fatnesse let the Pâ—aines be replenished with Shéepe and the Uallies with Corne that the Possessors of the earth may be merry and reioyce Preserue vs O Lord in the time of dearth that wée perish not for hunger nor be confounded in the time of danger wée confesse our sinnes O Lord with groanings and griefe of heart vnto thée heare our prayers in thy holy Habitation and be mercifull vnto thy people which haue transgressed thy holy Commandements and giue euery man according to his wants that in all things wee may confesse and acknowledge with all reuerence thy omnipotent and diuine power and thy bountifull hand with giuing thankes and continuall praises vnto thée which hast giuen vs all things here to inioy Amen O Lord increase my Faith Meditations A most diuine and comfortable Meditation concerning the Maiesty and Power and Loue of God whereby men distressed and in continuall dangers may be stirred vp the more assuredly to depend on him for their deliuery and reliefe though it come not suddenly WHy shouldest thou feare or faint O my poore soule though yet thou finde no more rest then the Doue that could finde no place to set her foot on Be yet comforted for the Lord hée is God and hee turneth all things to good to them that are his Thou hast long sighed and bewayled thy miseries and yet thou art as Ioseph stil in prison but looke not vpon the weake meanes of flesh and bloud to be fréed looke not vpon the staffe of Egypt the bruised Réede of carnall aide to be stayed by they are but false allurings to draw thée from the swéet contemplation of the admirable works of the worker of all good the Lord of hostes besides whom there is no God He sitteth in glory in the Heauens and hath cloathed himselfe with Maiesty It is he that maketh all knées to bow and forceth Kings to stoope and driueth away the armies of his most mighty enemies Hée is the hope and strength and helpe and refuge and rescue and reliefe of them that trust in him and hée is not curious or coy as man that worketh for money hée doth not good for good againe but all in loue all in mercy fréely and wanting no power to bring to passe what hée will either in mercy to his children or in iudgement against his enemies For the heauens are his seate the earth is his foot stoole the Angels are his ministers and all creatures serue him and that for man onely I will not then dismay though I cry yet and be not yet heard there is an appointed time and there is an appointed meane in his prouidence already decréed in my behalfe I know well by his promises which are Yea and Amen Therefore be yet patient O my soule trust yet O my soule stand fast and this God yea this high and glorious God this great and terrible God will be thy kéeper thy Sauiour and protector euermore Hée is an immaculate God a God pure perfect holy feare him therefore O my soule for as hée is cleane he will haue thée cleansed from all impiety hée will haue thée beautified with sanctity and holinesse as hée is holy no euill dwelleth in him sinne must not remaine with thée flye therefore all impiety and embrace the righteousnesse of Christ who will put on thée his robe of righteousnesse and thou shalt be perfect And this God then shall be with thée this God I say shall be thy refuge for euermore Though he sit in the high heauens not séene with the eye of flesh nor can be reached vnto by the hand of natural reason yet he commandeth all doth euen what he will both in heauen and in earth So powerfull he is so magnificent and so absolute in power that at his word the earth trembleth the mountaines moue and in his displeasure he killeth euen Kings for his righteous childrens sakes The heauens aboue doe shew the glory of this God and the artificiall frame of the firmament the glistering Stars therein the Sun and Moone and their due courses vnchangeable throughout all ages and the beautifull ornaments of the earth beneath do approue the admirable workes of his hands His voyce is a mighty voyce for he speaketh and it is heard from one end of the world to another his voyce is a terrible voyce at which all powers Princes Potentates doe tremble That mighty Nebuchadnezzar at his voyce was thrust forth into the field among the wilde Beasts from his Throne and Dauid from the wildernesse called backe to sit in the seate of honour by him was Haman hanged and
thy promise ease my burden giue me quiet and comfortable sléepe and refreshment to my restlesse body and to blesse all those good meanes which shall be prescribed vnto mée that they may tend to my cure and amendment for without thy blessing they are of no force and vertue that I with thy blessed Seruants Iob Lazarus Dauid and others hauing experience of thy might truth and mercy in my reliefe and amendment may with all ioy and loue praise thée truely serue thée and more confidently relye vpon thée all the dayes of my life yea and for the instruction and incouragement of the afflicted publish and declare the infinite and excéeding Power of thy might and compassion Uouchsafe O most gracious Father to incline thine eares to this mine humble Petition and to grant me all other things néedfull and necessary for my soule and body for thy deare Sonne Christ â—esus sake my onely Sauiour and Redéemer to whom with thy Maiesty and thy blessed Spirit thrée persons and one God al-powerfull and sufficient be ascribed and giuen all honour praise and glory now and alwayes Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer to be said at the point of Death O Lord God Almighty I assuring my selfe my time is come my soule waxeth heauy euen vnto death vouchsafe therefore O Lord to cast downe thine eyes vpon mée bedew my heart with the Oyle of thy grace forgiue mée my sinnes confirme my faith shorten my pangs of Death expell Sathan for thine infinite mercy helpe mée in this my last conflict looke vpon Jesus Christ thy Sonne my Sauiour and Redéemer into thy most blessed and gracious hands I commit my soule refuse it not O God but accept me for it is thy owne workemanship and let me depart in thy feare and rise againe in thy mercifull fauour that I may attaine and come to thy eternall and most wished ioyes of heauen for and through the merits of my blessed Sauiour Christ Jesus to whom with thée and the holy Ghost be all glory honour and praise for euermore Amen O Lord increase my Faith and receiue my soule A Confession of sinnes with a very necessary Prayer to be said of poore distressed men Morning and Euening and at all times else as they shall be thereunto moued O Father ful of mercy I yéeld vnto thée all praise and thanks for thy continual most swéet fauors and especiall graces bestowed frankely on me thy vnworthy Creature for Electing me to saluation for Creating me for Redéeming mée for Relieuing mee and for Preseruing me euermore Great is thy loue in Christ my Sauiour infinite thy Power vnspeakeable thy Mercies Relieue me alwayes and direct nice in all things let thy will be a Law vnto my will that my corrupt affections draw me not to consent againe to the vnsauoury lusts of my carnall will which to this day haâ—h ouer-much miscarryed mée into the vaine destres of this wicked Worlds pleasures the baits of that mortall aduersary deceiuing Sathan the defiled fruits of my sinnefull flesh and the cords whereby I haue beene drawne from vertue to vice from sanctity to sinne from light to darkenesse from Heauen to dreadfull Hell My sinnes O Lord haue beene many and continuall my seruing of thee cold and seldome O forgiue mee and let not my yeeres consume any longer in vanity let mine hands hate to handle vnholy things let my heart harbour no more the hatefull thoughts of vnrighteousnesse and let my soule be so seasoned with the spirituall dew of thy blessed Word that my Soule and Body being sanctified to euery good work I may cast off the vnprofitable works of darkenesse and onely cleaue to the true seruice of thée who art ful of grace and truth Be vnto me the sweet sauour of life vnto life be vnto me the light of truth that my life be not vnprofitable in good things nor my soule depriued of thy sacred spirit without which man is poore possessing all worldly riches base in most high worldly honour and dead liue he neuer so strongly in the flesh Therefore Father full of mercy be mercifull vnto mée full of power protect mée prouident relieue mee most sacred sanctifie me Let the eyes of thy fauour be alwayes on mée let the relieuing hand of thy helpe be alwayes toward mée be vnto mée a strong Castle a Restfull refuge a Fountaine of reliefe the Supply of my wants my Protector my Sauiour my Guide and my wisedome my will and my zeale Be vnto me my Jesus my Christ my Father my Physition my lot and my portion be vnto me all in all that nothing want in mée which thou likest nor any thing dwell in mée which thou mislâ—kest that I being a sanctified vessell of heauen may be a fit Mansion for thy sacred Maiesty to abide in by thy blessed Spirit Yéelde me O Lord yéelde me continuall shelter vnder thy relieuing wings foster mée with the hid treasures of thy loue and learne mée so to liue that I may euer liue in thée and thou in me make that vnion betwéene my will and thy Word that I will nothing but as thou hast willed and blot out all mine vnworthinesse and in stead thereof imprint the merits of thy Sonne in whom Lord Almighty let me be also partaker of the good things of this life let not pouerty vtterly depriue me of a competent estate here but blesse thou the workes of my hands prosper thou my endeuours and raise vp gracious meanes for me that I may liue not lack things necessary Thou art all sufficient and in thy gifts manifold thy loue is without limitation and thy will without contradiction what thou decréest shal stand and what thou willest shall come to passe Will thou therefore will thou thy creatures which thou hast ordained for the good and seruice of thy children â—o serue my vse that I and mine may be sustained by thy prouidence for what am I Lord that I should stand vpon mine owne power wit or policy which are weaknesse and foolishnesse before thée Thy Word preuaileth speake and all things in heauen and earth shall obey thée yea thine heauenly Angels shall be ministring Spirits for my good and all the fruits of the earth shall adde comfort to my wretched estate Good Father sanctifie mée within and without and fructifie my calling blesse my endeuours and teach me to vse my function iustly and as I ought that I may so prosper in this present life that I may truly pay all men their due and owe nothing to any man but good will a thing to mee impossible but to thee easie to bring to passe To thee therefore I referre mée wholly blesse me that being blessed I may prosper that prospering I may praise thée and in praising thée please thée and be here comforted of thée and liue righteously in thee through the merits of thy beloued Sonne Christ Jesus who hauing purchased all things for this life and in the life to come for me be with thée and
that no arme of flesh can preuaile further against him then shall be profitable for him nay he is assured that it shall come so to passe that euen they that most vpbraid him shall acknowledge the mighty hand of God in deliuering him and therefore determineth to wait the good pleasure of God when and how it shall come to passe and will not be discouraged though men say There is no helpe for him in God The fifth Prayer wherein the poore man prayeth God to keepe him from despaire howsoeuer men goe about to make him afraid IN thee O Lord I put my trust and yet there are that say There is no helpe for mee in thée but thou art my God how say they then Thou canst not helpe me sith thou art most louing and absolutely al-sufficient I am indéed brought low and much weakned I haue no helper among the sons of men This they consider that say There is no helpe for me in thee They perceiue that my baiket is empty they sée that my store is consumed and therefore they say There is no helpe for me nor recouery of mee by thee I ponder these their words O Lord in my heart and kéepe silence I consider their thoughts yet faint I not I marke what they speake of mee and yet I despaire not for thou art my God that canst defend me my Father that caâ—st restore me and sustaine me thou art to mée all in all how say they then There is no helpe for me in thee Do not these men say in their hearts Thou art not God that thus diminish thy power and that thou art either vnable or vnwilling to helpe the néedy and to vphold thy distressed children But as thou knowest them liers so make them know their vaine conceits by some sure token that thou neuer faiisst them for euer that perseuere constantly and trust truely in thée vnto the end Thou art indéede a iealous God and punishest such as goâ— astray yet thou art a louing God and callest thy chosen children from their euill waies by a gentle correction And therefore foolish and vnadussed are they that measure thy fauour towards men by the fulnesse of good things tending to the saciety of fleshly desires and thy displeasure by want and affliction that thinke that thou louest them that thou féedest fat with the plenty of worldly riches and pleasures of this life and hatest them that are low by crosses and corrections And great is this temptation good father vnlesse thou second our féeble natures by thy grace being touched with thy correcting hand stay me therfore O stay me with thy staffe whilest thou smitest me with thy punishing rod. Lay not vpon me wretched man a more heauy burthen then I shall be able to beare And though thou sée it most conuenient for me to suffer want afflictions crosses and reproaches in this life to the end that I be not miscarried with the pleasing vanities of this World yet withall consider that I am but a man weake and vnapt to beare the yoake of ouer-sharpe trials without such supply of thy blessed comfort inward and outward as may maintaine faith and bodily necessaries in me and for me So shall I reioyce in my low estate and no calamity shall bring mee into despaire of thy prouident protection I shall be assured that thou art indéede my God and that whatsoeuer men say of me to the contrary thou art wilt be my helper in the time of my greatest néede And then shall it come to passe that euen these men shall sée how great thy goodnesse is which thou hast in store for them that feare thee and thy mercy which thou shewest them that trust in thée euen in the sight of the sonnes of men They shall sée and behold how thou doest séeme to expose thy children as it were to the furie and rage of the worlds miseries and yet doest hide them as in a sacred Sanctuary a place whereunto the proud and such as embrace vanity shall neuer come And such as now pursue me either with hate or reproach shall sée in the end that there is helpe only in thée and that no arme of flesh can preuaile against thée O God nor against them that trust in thée They shall say when they sée the issue of my hope to be good and that my prosperity is renewed Loe wee thought this man mad wee deemed him a cast away but loe the Lord in whom hee trusted hath made him to stand and his hand hath brought to passe what hee desired And I my selfe shall then consider that I erred when rashly I said I was vtterly cast downe for though when I cryed thou séemedst not to heare when I sought thée thou séemedst to hide thée from me and when I complained vnto thée thou diddest not regard it I shell then confesse that thy wisdome in humbling me thy mercy in sustaining me and thy prouidence in relieuing me doth passe the capacity of the wisest men Therefore deare Father I will yet wait that acceptable time I will yet attend thy good pleasure and will and will not indent with thée when nor direct thée the manner how thou shouldest helpe me but submitting my selfe vnto thée I will hold my peace though men say yet of me There is no helpe for me in thee O Lord increase my Faith The Motiue to the sixt Prayer THe poore Man finding the troubles of this life grieuous vnto him still begins his Prayer with a Meditation wherein hee desireth to leaue the Earth and earthly things and to be with God where all good things are flying to God with serious lamentations for that God absenteth himselfe and keepeth backe his comforts notwithstanding his long crying vnto him And therefore heartily prayeth that God will heare him and helpe him now in the deepest of his troubles being become ignominious to the World by reason of his miseries in somuch as hee is ashamed to be seene of men and withall seemeth to be rapt vp with the contemplation of heauen and heauenly things And standing thus ballanced betweene griefe of his crosses and ioy of his comfort to come he resolueth himselfe to endure for the time and referreth the end and managing of his course to God alone to whom hee prayeth that hee will so much fauour him as that hee may receiue such inward consolation and outward comfort as he may haue cause to beginne his praise of God here for his deliuery promising as it were in himselfe that hee will glory in nothing in this life howsoeuer hee be aduanced but in God onely But fearing lest hee should be depriued of the occasion of praising God for his helpe extended he instantly beseecheth God that as he is beaten downe by his corrections so he may be raised againe by his mercy and prouidence The sixt Prayer to learne how to leaue the world and worldly things and to desire heauen and heauenly things MY soule longeth and thirsteth for the liuing God I
desire to appeare before his glorious presence that I may sée the good things that he hath laid vp in heauen for them that are his For I am weary of my groaning I faint vnder the most cruell burthen of the miseries which hée for my sinnes hath laid iustly vpon mée here in this mortall life O God the Rocke of my strength Lord of mercy why sufferest thou 〈◊〉 thus to languish and finde no reliefe why mourne I daily and haue no comfort why cry I vnto thée and thou hearest not why doe my sorrowes increase â—â—th I séeke thée vnfainedly Defend mée O defend mee in this time of my greatest danger relieue me in the time of my most néede preserue me from the mercilesse and cruell men feede mee with the hid treasures of thy loue and multiply thy blessings vpon me for I am poore miserable and past helpe vnlesse thou helpe mee and sustaine me O Lord. Be not farre away from me and put me not altogether to confusion let me not vtterly perish while there is none to helpe I am ignominious in the sight of all men by reason of my miseries miserable by reason of my sins I am a reproch vnto my neighbours and many iest and laugh at my fall Insomuch as I am ashamed to be seene of men and wish I were able to flye out of the earth and that I might once be where I might with ioy behold thée in thy triumphant Throne where is neither hunger nor thirst nor nakednesse nor want nor ignominy nor sinne nor death but all fulnesse and glory and truth and ioy and life eternall O swéet being with thée most happy dwelling and abiding with thée But loe Lord this place so glorious these ioyes so swéet and these comforts so sure are not attained vnto but with vnfauoury affliction in this life This future happy and immortall life cannot be without the death and suffering of this mortall body And therefore Father eternall be it vnto me in this fraile life euen as thou wilt that I may possesse thée and the ioyes with thée of eternall life Afford mée thy fauour let mee inioy thy blessings euen here in this life that I may here beginne to ioy in thee and here beginne to praise thée among the children of men that they may sée and consider that though great are the troubles and miseries and afflictions which the Righteous suffer here thou yet deliuerest them out of all So shall J also giue thanks vnto thée thy praise shall be in my mouth continually my soule and mâ—ne inward parts shall glory in thée and glorifie thée I will say vnto thée O mine hope and my fortresse thou art my God in thee will I trust when thou shalt make mée glad againe I will be glad in thée and when I reioyce I will reioyce in thée for it is thy selfe onely that comfortest the abiect and deliuerest the poore from them that persecute them Awake therefore in time O Lord awake preserue me that I perish not in these miseries and lest I being as one forgotten and forsaken of thée be censured a cast-away among such as sée me and so being depriued of the occasion of praising thée for my deliuery I be driuen from one sorrow to another and all my hope turned into distrust of any recouery Hide not thou therefore thy face forget not my miseries and be not carelesse of mine afflictions for euer My soule is beaten downe euen to the dust my heart fainteth my hands become weake my knées waxe féeble mine eyes are dimme and all the parts of my body are vexed and I goe continually mourning in my miseries O sée regard my miserable plight looke vpon my griefes and ease the intollerable burthens of my calamities for though thou hast made a great wouÌ„d by thy corrections yet O Lord thou canst cure it againe with spiritual comfort not with-hold the outward good things ordained for the comfort of thy Children in this life Turne thy face vnto mee which I instantly seeke send downe thine aide which I heartily craue and haue mercy vpon mee for I am most desolate and poore Rise vp O Lord rise vp thou that art louing and bountifull let me rise vp againe by thee that am throwne downe by thee and though my sinnes as a sword haue cut me from thy fauour let the righteousnesse of thy beloued vnite me vnto thee againe in such sort as nothing may separate me from thee for euer O Lord increase my Faith A Motiue to the seauenth Prayer In which the poore distressed man sheweth his desire to hold fast the Promises of God and to shew himselfe thankefull THE poore Man being lately in an extreame agonie neere vnto despaire by reason of his sinnes and miseries he here begins to rowze himselfe vp againe sodainely crying out that the Lord is yet his hope and therefore promiseth to hold fast by him and not to giue ouer for euer no whatsoeuer troubles doe befall him and miseries assaile him yea howsoeuer the world and worldly things be moued against him he armeth himselfe with faith in God to stand with patience in all Nay such is his assurance of a more blessed being after this little time of tryall that hee affirmeth these crosses that happen here to be but trifles and of no weight to be borne in respect of the future happinesse yet because hee will not seeme senselesse of Gods corrections and be idle in well doing hee still solliciteth the Lord for some tokens of his loue here namely that hee will binde vp his sores and heale his wounds with his holy helpe and that he will renue him with spirituall vnderstanding and cleanse his affections that he may thinke speake and doe all to the glory of his name and that his tongue may be an instrument to praise him before the children of men for his deliuery promising to continue constant till the time appointed The seauenth Prayer in distresse O Lord thou art yet my hope and strength thou art a helper in trouble and doest not hiâ—e thée for euer from thy distressed Children Therefore I will yet hold fast by thée and will yet trust in thée while I liue and haue breath I will not vtterly faint nor feare though greater stormes yet arise thâ—n hither to I haue endured though the Earth tremble vnder mée and all thy creatures rage round about mée I will say still and confesse and acknowledge that thou art my God and therefore thou wilt not suffer me to be vtterly lost or perish altogether No Lord though the earth be moued and though the mountaines be tumbled into the middest of the Sea though the waters roare and swell and the loftie hils tremble at the furie thereof yet will I not be discouraged because I haue thée my Saluation Should I then faint at the small afflictions which as little darts thou shootest at me in loue not to kill mee but to put me in minde of my vanitie and forgetfulnesse