most holy mystery by the outward receiuing of visible bread wine worke gracious Lord in me a true liuely and spiritual feeling of the grace which thou hast promised vnto all worthy Receiuers And for as much as our assurance dependeth vpon thy promise and thy promise confirmed vnto vs by a liuely faith and that faith is thine owne free gift also by the operation of thy holy Spirit worke in me Lord this faith that may confirme vnto mee the effect of thy promise the free forgiuenesse of my sinues newnes of life a holy and sanctified conuersation a right reuerend vse of all thy creatures a religious feare to offend thee and vnfained loue of thee in Christ that as I haue bin now a partaker of the outward elemēts I may also and absolutely partake of the inuisible grace that my soule may be liuely and continually fed with that heauenly bread which maketh our soules strong in and by him whose bodie and bloud I haue here sacramentally eaten drunke and thereby through faith am vnited euen of thy free mercie vnto and made one with thee in him in whom whosoeuer is truly ingrafted shall liue for euer in the glorious heauens with him as coheires of that endlesse Kingdome of glory which he purchased by his obedience to the death of the Crosse. Good father let the remembrance of that his death be so imprinted in my hart this day that I neuer forget it but couet to renue and continually retaine the remembrance thereof by often communicating at this holy Table which though it be as a snare vnto the vnworthy partakers it is a sure seale of saluation to the faithfull truly penitent And therefore good Father confirme my repentace renue mine obedience strengthen my faith Make me a liuely member of Christ that as I haue this day promised to become a new creature and thou hast renued againe to me thy promise of remission of my sins and of my reconciliation with thee through the bloud of the Lambe Let this holy and heauenly condition be truely performed in my behalfe for euer So shall I be assured that thou wilt neuer faile in thy sacred couenant of grace to me being euer the same yea and Amen Thou Lord knowest my strong corruptions and the feeblenesse of my naturall power to resist sinne and what strong and powerfull aduersaries there lie in wayte for my soule laying continuall snares to entangle mee anew to make if it were possible this my reuniting into thee in Christ of none effect and to seduce me again into the wayes of vngodlines But good Father preuent me with thy grace that as I haue promised this day to forsake sinne and cleaue vnto righteousnesse so I may performe and perseuere in a sanctified life vnto my liues end through Christour Lord. Lord increase and confirme my faith euermore A MOTIVE TO a Prayer to be sayd of a man in any kind of trouble ALthough the word of God do approue Afflictiō to be necessary for them that shall be saued yet is it otherwise thought and helde of the carnall man who can hardly beleeue that it is a token of the loue of God towards him hee rather perswades himselfe that when God sends him great increase of Cattell Corne Oyle Wine Health Worldly prosperitie and the pleasures of this life that then God loues him But how farre hee is deceiued the holy Ghost declareth by the Prophet Dauid who confessed that it was good for him that he was afflicted And Christ himselfe affirmeth that through many troubles his Saint◠must enter into the kingdome of heauen Not by pleasures delites of the flesh and vanities of the mind If we did remember the sentence pronounced for Lazarus and against the Rich man and did duely consider it we could not but thinke prosperitie rather dangerous then delightfull and that a meane estate is more profitable then painefull Thou hast receiued thy pleasure saith Abraham but contrarily Lazarus indured paine Therefore art thou tormented and he is comforted No other reason is alleadged of either sentence yet neither of them is said to be punished or preserued for the ill or good that the one or other did Onely fulnesse and want plenty and penurie pleasure and paine are said to be the causes of either condition Not that the ones riches in themselues deserued damnation but the abuse or that the others pouertie deserued saluation but his patience which yet was not the cause but the effect of Gods election And the others abuse of the blessings of God an argument of his reprobatiō But God to preuent the grosse fruits of corruption in vs maketh our powers weake and our willes thereby the more conformable to his will As Physicke often preuenteth a disease that begins to seaze on the bodie and for the time is harsh lothsome bitter and much vnsauorie yet salutary in the end So is Affliction of whatsoeuer kinde medicinable to such as can brooke and digest it through faith patience and prayer and bringeth the affections into a sanctified temper That the vnholy humours of pride arrogancie auarice lust and other corporall and earthly vanities oppresse not the soule which is carried by the violence of superfluous vanities into many noysome desires and consequently into infinite hazards of making shipwracke of saluation Take it not therefore heauily whatsoeuer thou art that art visited with whatsoeuer crosse or triall although in it own nature it be euill being a punishment of sinne for he that made the bitter waters of Mara sweet and changed the nature thereof for his Israels sake hath changed the nature of the crosse to them that are his insomuch as they not onely find comfort in it But many sweet effects it bringeth foorth making them glorious in their basenesse rich in their pouertie strong in their weakenesse and liuely in their seeming death Moreouer it causeth vs to see how iust how prouident and how mercifull the Lord is how weake and miserable all mankind is And how fickle how inconstant and false the world is It beates downe the pride of nature and humbles vs that we are not so prone and apt to sinne as when wee haue prosperitie at will As our sins and transgressions are the fruits of our corruptions So are afflictions and crosses necessarie to mortifie them and to preuent their increase To speake of the kindes of trouble they are many yet may be reduced vnder these three heads pouertie sicknesse enemies vnder the first are comprehended the want of al necessaries vnder the second the griefes of body and mind and vnder the third whatsoeuer is aduersarie vnto vs. And therefore the prayer following is fit to be vsed in any of these that the Lord will be either pleased to remoue them to moderate their extremitie or to giue patience to vndergoe it A generall meditation or prayer in whatsoeuer trouble or crosse GRacious and most mercifull Lord God whose wisedome is past finding out and whose prouidence
diuers manner And therefore though a man say he hath this â—nflicted vpon him vpon an vniust complaint or for a cause surmised and vntrue yet doth God bring it so to passe by such instruments as are fitte in his prouidence to be though against their wils the Phisitians of his children for among many medicines that God vseth to cure our spirituall leproâ—â—â— this Imprisonment be it in respect of the purpose of the instrument right or wrong is one of the principall and the more auaileable by howmuch it is capitall for when a man is bodily fettered and gyued that he cannot walke at his former desired libertie and is in feare of the censure of the law then is the minde set at large not restrained as before with the dâ—sires of forbidden vanities but making vse of the time recapitulateâ— the course of his former libertie 〈◊〉 loosenesse which then appeareâ— most when the body is lest at liber 〈…〉 he recommendeth himselfe to Gâ—â— mercy Therefore for what cause soeuer a man is in this manner restrained if he haue the wisedome of the spirit to make true vse of the same it is profitable though ignominious and disgracefull And though such as are in a spirituall capâ—iuitie themselues and neuer in possibilitie to redeeme their libertie through all eternities will scoâ—â—e at poore men 〈…〉 strained and bee the cruell executioners of their restraint which is but for a moment in respect of theirs and nothing grieuousin respect of the perpetuall torments they shall indure in the infernall dungeon with the reprobate spirits Therefore take in good part thy captiuity whatsoeuer thou'be and for whatsoeuer cause it be make vse of it in redeeming of thine abused libertie aske mercy seeke the fauour of God by true repentance submit thy selfe to the Lords will in well doing in repentance and prayer make Iesus Christ thine aduocate to worke th 〈…〉 atonement with God the father and remember what holy men haue gone before thee in this affliction Muâ—aiaâ— the Lords Prophet Ioseph a chosen of God Paul Peter and other the Saints of God in the olde and new Testaments and since many worthy sonnes and seruants of God aswell as many prophane men who by their imprisonment haue become holy and sanctified It is a furnace to refine the gold to euaporat the sulphur and to consume the drosse And such as haue no spirituall puritie it makes to 〈…〉 eare the dregs of confusion and reprobation and the pure gold to shine as the sunne A Prayer to be said of one in prison for what cause soeuer changing the wordâ— according to the occasion here set down GRacious Lord God the most iust most wise thou disposest all things for all men according to thine own will in mercy and iudgement In both which the wisest caruall man is most ignorant censuring thy waies according to his weake vnderstanding taking and imagining thy fauour and loue towards men to consist it thy plentifully furnishing them with the fulnes of worldly carnal comforts thy hatred anger to appeare by leauing them naked of corporall consolation imprisonment to be the highest argument of thy heauiest displeasure But thou Lord knowest thine owne ends in restrayning men of their libertie wherin they haue scope to run into all forbidden vngodly actions delighting themselues in vanities in wantonnes sinful security and therfore thou restrainest theÌ„ whom thou louest lest their liberty should so admit carnall delights as thy feare being farre off there should be neither time place or occasion to call vpon thee but thy Iudgements are secret therfore mistakeÌ„ of the seeming wisest men of the world who looke not wherunto their own liberty tendeth as to occasion them to run into forbidden lustes consequently into a reprobate sence wherein yet they dreame of highest happinesse And thy mercies are also misconceiued of such as want the light of thy sauing truth as all men doe by nature who thinke euery affliction or crosse bitter and vnpleasant but imprisonment the sharpest tryal that can befall them Flesh and blood Lord cannot conceiue but as thou hast made all thy creatures at their beginnings free So should man thy most excellent creature be euer free and liue at libertie But thou knowest man better then man knoweth himself and seest and considerest whether libertie or imprisonment is most profitable vnto him and forasmuch as I am of the number of them whom thou pleasest to trie with this kind of affliction and of the number also of such as are by nature ignorant whether this thy tryall be in mercy and iudgement Teach me Lord the right rule of diuine knowledge that I may truly find this thy correction to bee in mercy that thou hast found me out in mine offending course of life and that my liberty rather tended to thy dishonour and mine owne danger then to the true seruice of thee and mine owne true comfort And therefore assist me with thy sweet and truly comforting grace that I may make a godly vse of my restraint namely Lord to abandon all the remembrance of former carnall delights vulesse to repent them and wholy and altogether to dedicate my selfe to the meditation of diuine and heauenly things to earnest zealous and faithfull continuall prayer for the increase of thy mercies towards me and mine obedience towards thee And that it may please thee Lord so to season this thy medicine of Imprisonment vnto me with the gift of true patience that it may make meÌ„e to abhorre from hence forth the vanities wherein I delighted in my libertie that if thy pleasure bee to restore me to my former freedome I may liue as if I were still really restrained Thou Lord knowest the harts of those by whose means in thy prouidence I suffer this restraint and the cause on my part If for debt say thus WHich I confesse to bee iust in that I am-indebted and not able to make present and full satisfaction vnto my creditors But I appeale vnto thy mercy and prouidence beseeching thee to mitigate the extremitie and rigour of their desires that thus oppresse me or else raise vp some comfortable preuailing meanes to inable me to pay all that I owe vnto al men that I owe nothing to any man but loue Thou didst incrense the oyle and meâ—â—e of the istressed widow of Sareptha so as she was inabled to pay what she ought thy power is still the same thy loue is not lessened towards them that loue thee giue me that loue Lord So shall my want and mine imprisonment and all other crosses worke together for my greater consolatioÌ„ through Christ. Amen If for matter for which life or member is in danger say thus WHich I cannot but acknowledge to be deseruedly inflicted vpon me for I haue not onely transgressed thy lawes but broken the precepts of thine anointed and stand worthy of the censure of corporall punishment But thou art a merciful God and disposest the hearte
their better part the soule should so little regard the meanes by whom they receiue it the Ministers of the word of Saluation the Gospell of Christ Many will protest they loue Christ and yet the contrary appeareth when they not only regard not but despise his Ministers whom hee hath sent as Embassadors of his will We beseech you brethren saith Saint Paul to the Thessalonians that yee haue the Ministers of God in singular loue for their workes sake We should loue all men and pray for all men how much more for them that leade vs to the well of life The same Saint Paul willeth the Ephesians not only to pray in an ordinarie maner but in the Spirit with perseuerance and watchfulnes euen for him that vtterance might be giuen vnto him and that he might open his mouth boldly to publish the secret of the Gospell And are we lesse bound to pray for them that haue the Spirituall charge ouer vs the care and cure of our soules that they may be able to deliuer the Word sincerely to open their mouths boldly to our edification and consolation in Christ And that they namely the Ministers may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men for we know that Christ Antichrist Truth and Falsehood Christ and Satan cannot stand together And he that preacheth the word truely is the means to bring men out of darknesse to light from sinne to sanctitie from Satan to Christ. And therefore Satan will euer oppose himselfe and instigate euill men to encounter scandalize and persecute such as are truest and most painefull labourers in Gods Spirituall haruest whereby it commeth to passe that the word of God is oftentimes hindered the Church of Christ diminished Ignorance increased Religion despised Vice aduanced Faith decreased Obedience to God neglected and Truth among men meerely abandoned and cōtemned And al this where Prophecying Preaching faile God giueth not to man a more speciall blessing in earth then the preaching of the word which is as the net to catch men there were three thousand men so catcht at the first preaching of Peter and by his continuance in that spirituall fishing there were caught fiue thousand persons out of the snare of Satan Let all men therefore loue pray for them that thus fish to saue the soules of mē that haue the ouersight and rule ouer them they are the watch men of Christ and whoso loues Christ the Master and Lord cannot but loue his Ministers and pray for them not only as brethren but as men appointed by Corist to direct them the way of saluation And let no man thinke it is not their duetie to pray for them because they are appointed and ought to pray for others and not others for them as some prophanely affirme It is a needfull and required duetie to pray one for another especially for the Ministers who are or ought to be as Gods mouth vnto vs to teach vs his will as Gods hand to support vs by spirituall counsell as Gods eye to obserue our wayes and as Gods Ministers to reproue vs of sinne and to pronounce pardon in Christ to the truely penitent Pray therefore for them that the gifts of the holy Ghost may abound in them that men seeing their good workes may glorifie God our their Father which is in heauē A Prayer to be said for the Ministers of Gods word GRacious and mercifull O Lord our God art thou in all thy wayes and workes towards men and in nothing more gracious then in thy word preached vnto vs whereby thou doest open and reueile vnto vs the mystery of our saluation according to thy good pleasure in Christ our Lord. Thou teachest vs heauenly wisedome in earth by thy holy Spirit giuen vnto men whom thou doest set apart to that holy function as men chosen to winne men to thee And for as much as neither thy beloued Saints Peter nor Iohn nor Paul could preach or prophecie before they were sent neither were they sent before they were sanctified Sanctifie and send foorth Lord worthy Labourers into thine haruest and sanctifie and blesse them whom thou hast sent with such spirituall gifts and graces as may enable them to be instant in season and out of season that they may winue many vnto thee Inlighten their hearts with the light of true knowledge Touch their tongues with the coale from thine Altar that their lips may preserue knowledge and in their hearts may bee true zeale that they may still call vpon thy children to walk in the light of thy truth And as thou diddest send downe vpon thine Apostles the holy Ghost in fiery tongues to teach thē so instill into the hearts of all thy Ministers Preachers of thy word the fire of true zeale a godly boldnes to speake thy truth without respect of persons not to flatter the wicked nor to spare the rebuking of sin and let them comfort the weake harted let thē be able to bring them that erre into the right way that they may conuert liue that they may beleeue liue for Faith cōmeth by hearing and hearing by the preaching of thy word Let therefore the beautiful fruit of thē plentifully appeare amongst vs that bring glad tidings of peace which thē the glad tidings of our saluation And let thē speak nothing but as thy word teacheth thē that they may be foūd good disposers of thy graces Let their conuersatiōs be vpright before thee let thē be as lights set on a hill that they may teach as well by the example of their owne liues as by preaching thy Word that thou in all things mayest be glorified through Iesus Christ to whom is praise and dominion for euer and euer Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer for the Church Uniuersall THe Church which S. Paul calleth the House of God 1. Tim. 3. 15. is the Congregation of the faithfull dispersed throughout the world and in regard of the vniuersalitie thereof is called the Church Catholike Of which Vniuersalitie are many and seuerall societies distinct by place vnited by faith And euery seuerall company professing one and the same truth confessing one and the same faith and holding one and the same forme of administration of the Sacramēts are one intire bodie which bodie is the vniuersall Church wherof Christ is the head one Spouse whereof Christ is the husband He hath begotten this dispersed congregation by vertue of his word and made them one by the vnity of his Spirit By which Spirit the Fathers belieued in Christ before the came in the flesh and were of the same mysticall bodie whereof we that beleeue his word being come are also members and whereof Christ Iesus hath bin is and shall be the euerlasting head The parable of the Sower which Christ propounded Matth. 13. 24. sheweth by the euill seede mixed with the good that this Church shall neuer be free from offences both in doctrine and manners vntill the day of the fina 〈…〉
holy life And no action produceth more solide comfort in all occasions of the hearts heauines then doth the practise of true prayer and supplication in the spirit to God who is more moued therby then with any other whatsoeuer sacrifice of man and the neglect of this most holy duetie is more inexcusable then any other diuine action whatsoeuer Euery man cannot giue almes by reason he wanteth the meanes yet may he Pray many godly duties may be omitted by necessitie but Prayer neuer nothing pleaseth God more nor appeaseth him sooner then Prayer And nothing more woundeth and resisteth that spiritual enemie then it And that maketh him seeke and execute all meanes to preuent peruert hinder it As long as a maÌ„liueth carelessely carnally and sencelesse of the necessitie of this diuine duty SataÌ„ neuer trobles him he is at peace with him but let him begin to addresse himselfe to God in Prayer then wil that subtile Serpent thrust in a thousand opposite thoughts to crosse his holy intention Prayer is a most irâ—some exercise to Satan he neuer hath or wil permit a man truely to serue God but hee will peruert his will and holy affections as much as in him lieth and therefore must euery man that wil liue in this sacred seruice of God arme himselfe to the combate as euery true childe of God well knoweth by experience The reading of prophâ—ne bookes gaming surfeting drunkennesse whoredome corporall and carnall delights and worldly affaires passe without breach of league with Satan neyther troubleth it the minde of the secure man But Prayer so farre troubles and disquiets the Serpent that he roares like a Lion against it which argueth Prayer to bee the onely and safest defence against Satan and Hel and the vanities of this life to be the weapons which mortal men beare and vse to fight for Sâ—tan against God A fearefull condition it is to bee bewitched with these corporall carnal and worldly inchantments which so possesse the hearts and soules of such as neglect Prayer as they are alreadie dead in their soules being yet aliue in their bodies they are alreadie partakers of that blacke and infernall darknesse heere onely weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth futurely attend them Happie therefore is that man and happie is that family that haue the holy exercise of prayer in continuall vse though in continuall warre with Satan and his Angels and instruments It is frequent in your family let no worldly occasion discontinue it It seasoneth all your actions and maketh them acceptable to God helpfull to men profitable to your selfe God hath giuen you a rich taste of his blessings let him still smell that sweete sauour of your continuall supplications and thankfulnes which you haue begun you runne well continue to the end Looke not back lest you lose the rich prize you first aimed at for a vanishing shadow that will flie from you and faile you when you come to your race end I need not aduertise you that there are in euery man two coÌ„trarie substances the Soule and the Bodie and that euerie man is euen so capable of two contrary and incompatible pleasures the spirituall and the carnall and so farre as doth the substance so far doth the pleasure of the soule exceed that of the bodie which being but a painted and temporarie pleasure is neuer desired of those that are truely acquainted with the delights of the soule which are eternall Thus I write Right worshipfull not to teach you but as a louing Prompter to put you in minde of your first loue to him that loued you first loue him and serue him still and hee will blesse you still and so I wish in him whom he loueth best Christ our common Sauiour and Redeemer Hendon this 6. of May 1615. Your Worships euer to be commanded IOHN NORDEN A FAMILIAR Admonition to the Christian Reader touching the most comfortable exercise of Diuine Prayer Seeke the Lord while hee may bee found call vpon him while he is neere Esai 55. 6. THere are three things especially to be considered in the true seeking calling vpon God The first is Preparation before we call vpon God in prayer The second is Attention in Prayer The third and last is Thanksgiuing after prayer Preparation to Prayer As touching the first namely preparation we may obserue and vse a kinde of imitation of men occasioned to comunicate with mortall Princes who are obserued to to preponder with themselues first how to shape their behauiour and externall gesture Secondly how toâ— frame their speech to gaine Attention of him to whom they speake and how to auoide the censure of indiscretion in the deliuery of what they affirme or defend If such curiositie and carefulnesse be necessarily obserued in our communication with men whose breath is in their nosthrels how much more obseruant and carefull ought we to bee when wee addresse our selues to speake vnto the Maiestie of the immortal God To intrude abruptly into the presence of this great God vnaduisedly to speake vnto him becommeth not a petitioner but bewrayeth an vnsanctified and an vnprepared heart rather tempting and dishonouring then glorifying of the name of God And therefore before we presume to present our petitions to God in hope to be heard we must prepare ourselues not in our outwardgesture onely in eloquence of words and Pharisaicall outward holines But in rightly ordering and disposing the affections of the inner man which if they be set on carnall or earthly vanities if our hearts delight in the fruits of the flesh and the vnprofitable works of darknesse though our words be neuer so good of themselues we may feare the reward of Ananias and Saphira his wife who brought a part of their substance hypocritically conceiling the rest and layd that part at the Apostles feet So if we come vnto God giuing him good words keeping backe our hearts to serue our owne carnall and prophane appetites Shall we thinke that God will be content with the leaues of our good words when we giue the fruits of our hearts to the world will God take such hypocrites by the hand we must know that vnlesse we can truely and vnfeinedly cast off our carnall thoughts corrupt desires and sinnefull affections it cannot be that God who loueth holinesse and truth in the inward affections can looke vpon vs as vpon his children who speake vnto him as to a father with counterfeit words proceeding from vnsanctified hearts When wee come therefore vnto God in prayer we must depart from all iniquitie knowing that he heareth not sinners such as the promises of God cannot win to obedience nor his threates inforce to forsake their sinnes who yet will aduenture to rush rashly into the presence of God in a formall kind of praying with the lips without any premeditation preparation or reformation of the heart at all These offer wordes for deedes Leaues for Fruit Wolues for Lambes and all maner halt lame blinde and blemished sacrifices and yet
are wee to conceiue the glory prepared for thine elect in the heauens Giue vs therefore good father hearts of loue vnto thy Maiestie that we may striue with a godly egernesse rather to abandon all lets impediments which may hinder vs from that promised glory then curiously to seeke to knâ—w in this mortalitie that the secrets whereof thou hast reserued vntil our immortalitie And let not the cares of this transitory life and the blind affections which we naturally beare vnto the pleasures thereof choake the good seede of grace in vs. Make the way of our saluation familiar vnto vs as thou hast made it plaine for vs. And let not our bodily labours hinder our hearts from continuall meditation of thy goodnesse towards vs. Let vs lift vp pure mindes vnto the heauens with a longing desire to with thee where is no labour or sweate or feare or care or hunger or thirst or nakednesse or enemies or strife or paine or griefe But all comfort all ioy all peace and blessednes and glory vnspeakable Giue vs therefore longing hearts to remoue out of this body of miseries yet so as we omit not our callings vntill thine appointed time but that we may labour accordingly in the world not as we so loued the world as we should imbrace it as our home but vse it as our Tabernacle or lodging place for the time of our pilgrimage And let thy blessing bee so vpon our labours this day as wee may liue thereby haue sufficient of all necessaries as food rayment friendship peace plentie health of bodie preseruation of our limbes and sences and a blessing vpon all that belongeth vnto vs. That we be not constrained to vse vnlawfull meanes for our reliefe Then as we by thy blessing haue entred into this morning shall passe the day with comfort and end the same in peace of conscience and consolation of the holy Ghost and so continue from day to day vntill the last of our dayes when we shall surrender againe vnto thee to be disposed both our soules and bodies for euer to liue with thee in the glory purchased by Christ our mediator our hope our strength and our euerlasting redeemer to whom with thee and the holy Ghost bee all power maiestie and dominion ascribed for euer Amen O Lord euermore increase and confirme our faith A short prayer for the morning to be said of one in priuate or in a Family vsing the plurall instead of the singular number ALmightie Lord God whose presence is alwaies light vnto thy Saints vouchsafe as thou hast banished the darknesse of the night past and made the light to shine vnto our corporal eyes So let the sauing Sunne of thy holy Spirit lighten the darkenesse of mine vnderstanding this morning And as the Sun of the firmament cleareth cheereth and comforteth all thy creatures in earth with the beames thereof so let thy sacred and sauing countenance recomfort my sad and dulled heart and as it hath pleased thee to giue me power and ablenesse to rise out of my bed of corporall rest and by the sleepe which I haue this night enioyed haue in some measure shaken off the heauie sluggishnes of my fleshly part So I beseech thee to giue me power to rise out of the bed of sinne and securitie and with cheerefull alacritie to cast off the dulnes and drowsines of my corrupt heart that with full affection and entire loue I may praise thee for thy loue wherein thou hast preserued mee this night from perils and dangers of the darknes wherein the secret arrowes of Satan and sin are sent forth to wound euen the vpright in heart wherein diuers casualties befall them that are dead in their sleepe not able to preuent the least danger incident to soule or bodie and hast now graciously brought me to the beginning of this day in safety the end whereof nor the least remaining part what it shall afford me thou only knowest from whose all-seeing eyeâ— nothing is hid but as well the times to come as the seasons past and present are alike manifest As thou therefore knowest what shal succeed me this day turne those things from me Lord in thy prouidence which thou knowest dangerous and blesse vnto me all things for my comfort and whatsoeuer befalleth me contrary to my health wealth or peace make me wise to make vse thereof to the confirmation of my further faith in thee knowing Lord that all things shall worke together for the best to them that loue thee And therefore giue me patience to vndergoe al thy corrections and trials and to be vnfainedly thankfull for all thy benefits And for asmuch as nothing can prosper vnto vs without thy blessing blesse Lord I beseech thee vnto me all such thy creatures as I shall haue cause to vse this day giue a blessing vnto all that appertaineth vnto me whomsoeuer or whatsoeuer and let the meditations of my hart the words of my mouth and the labours both of my bodie and minde be sanctified vnto me this day that whatsoeuer I doe it may prosper I recommend my selfe my soule and bodie all that I haue charge of vnder thee into thy fatherly tuition and defence this day for I know Lord and am assured that thou to whom I commit me arâ— able and willing to keepe me Let not my sinnes gracious Father which I haue no power to resist preuent thy mercies but in thy mercie preuent my sinnes for Satan the World and mine owne corruptions are euer ready to draw me into forbiddeÌ„ vanities But strengthen thou the armes of my faith teach my spirituall fingers to fight valiantly against their enemies giue me the sword of the Spirit the brest-plate of righteousnes the helmet of saluation that I feare not their assaults this day that fighting the good fight of faith I may preuaile and receiue the crowne of victorie through Christ that triumphant Lion of the Tribe of Iudah Remember thy promises made vnto all that beleeue in him I beleeue Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe Let the fruits of that loue that is greater then faith and hope appeare in mine actions this day the chiefe wherof is obedience vnto thee So shall I passe this day in thy faith feare due reuerence of thy great and glorious name and daily more and more prepare my selfe in a holy readines to attend thy calling mee out of this mortall to an immortall condition And for my greater comfort in this my pilgrimage giue me a true feeling of the ioyes promised in the Kingdome of glorie euen here in the Kingdom of grace that hauing heere receiued the earnest of thy holy Spirit I may daily looke for the principall in the Kingdom purchased by Iesus Christ in whose name I humbly recommend my selfe and all my labours this day vnto thy blessed prouidence and direction yeelding vnto thee all praise in Iesus Christ by the holy Ghost blessed for euer and euer Lord increase my faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be said
in me diuine meditations and prayers that my heart being truly and zealously exercised therein in my wakings I may admit no idle thought to possesse the same nor giue Sathan or mine owne corrupt affections oportunity to snare me and to seduce me from the works of the spirit to the deeds of the flesh but that sleeping and waking I may euer rest vnder the shadow of thy powerfull protection out of the â—each of all my corporall and spirituall enemies who are euer restlesse in their practises and deuices Be thou therefore Lord on my â—â—dâ— preuent them of their purposes garde 〈…〉 ee with thy holy Angels this night keepe me whom and whatsoeuer belongeth vnto me let all things prosper vnder my hands O Lord let neither the darkenesse of the night the distemperature of the ayre the sterilitâ—e and barrennesse of nature hinder the prosperitie of the creatures ordained to my vse Neither let my sinnes make breach of thy fauours towards me let the health of my body be at thy good pleasure continued my limbes sences preserued my sleepe blessed and all my thoughtes words and deeds sanâ—tiâ—â—ed vnto me in Christ my Sauiour and Redeemer this night and euer Amen Lord increase my faith and watch ouer me this night A MOTIVE TO A Prayer for the members of Christ to be vsed after priuate praiers in families IT were a matter much to be wondred at that any member of a body should be so little carefull of it fellow members of the same bodie as that it should not extend it vttermost power to support and aide them all As if the one hand should suffer violence and the other should disdaine to assist it or that the foote or any other part should be annoyd and the eye should scorne to looke vnto it or the hand to helpe it How much more lamentable were it if the members of our spirituall bodie whereof Christ our common Redeemer is the head should not pray one for another What can a man doe lesse for an ordinary friend then to speake for him to him that may steede him being at no further charge or trouble then to vse the breath of his mouth for him And shall wee thinke it too tedious a labor to vse our petitions to God in the behalfe of such as are our fellow members and our dearest brethren in Christ being professors of his name with vs and of the same fellowship and communion together with vs hauing the selfe same seales of adoption that we haue God forbid The neglect of which spirituall duetie implyeth our want of loue vnto our head Christ wherein we also breake the law of Christian Religion which commands vs to loue our neighbours as our selues If we then thinke it our dueties to pray for our selues we ought to pray also for them which Christ intendeth in teaching vs how to pray not as in our owne names my Father But in the name of all the Church Our Father though vpon some particular occasions a priuat maÌ„ may vse it in the name of himselfe But in generall supplications to God it is a duetie inseparable in Christian Charitie to pray one for another yea and for all men Let vs therefore in all our priuate prayers either with our families or by ourselues adde this consequent prayer or to the like purpose that wee discharging that Christian duetie for others God may the more esteeme our prayers for our selues and stirre vp other faithfull members to do the like for vs which may be much comfortable to all for the prayer of the faithfull auaileth much if it bee feruent Iam. 5. 16. A Prayer for the members of Christ whersoeuer dispersed fit to bee vsed after our ordinarie prayers of Morning and Euening GRacious Lord God merciful and louing Father the keeper and protector of all that truly professe the name of Christ thy Sonne we the poore and weake members of that mysticall bodie whereof he is the head as feeling the wantes of our brethren as our own do here humblie present our petitions vnto thee for thy whole Church and the members thereof howsoeuer or whersoeuer distracted dispersed and estranged by nation tongue or place from vs. That it may please thee who knowest who are thine to haue a fatherly care ouer them and whom thou hast already called to the knowledge of thy trueth graunt them Lord mercifull louing and constant hearts to stand in the profession thereof without wauering or starting backe call and incorporate such as are contrarily minded and whom thou hast in thy fore-election appointed to saluation That they also may be made of the same holy Communion with vs. And such as yet sit in darkenesse in the shadow of ignorance by the seducements of the ministers of Antichrist or of any other aduersaris inlighten and bring home by thy word vnto the sheepefold of the great Shepheard of our soules Multiply thy sauing spirit vpon vs and vpon all that belong vnto the kingdome of thy Sonne Aâ—â— vouchsafe good Father to inlarge the harts increase the knowledge confirme the faith more and more of all those that haue any chiefe place in Church or Commonwealth Kings Priests and People About the rest Lord open the heart of our King giue him a complete measure of true wisedome not only in gouerning his subiects in due obedience to his owne lawes but in a religious course of obeying seruing of thee in holinesse and trueth Protect and deliuer him from all plots complotments and conspiracies of whatsoeuer aduersaries domesticall or forraine Suffer not Lord the peace of thy Church or Common-weale to suffer violence by ciuill tumults treasons or rebellions Preserue his health increase his strength weaken his enemies and confirme his crowne to his sonne and his sonnes sonnes to the end of time Blesse and prosper in vertue and trueth his Queene and all that truly loue him in and for thee loue thou them and comfort them for thou hast made him a true maintainer of thy truth an enemie of all thine enemies Blesse vnto him a godly religious and wise counsell learned zealous and painefull ministers faithfull religious and truely loyall subiects comfort helpe ayde assist and relieue all and euery true member of thy Sonne Those that are persecuted for thy truth comfort confirme that they may constantly endure vnto the end Them that are weak strengthen Them that are poore and distressed relieue Cure or comfort those that are sicke Many are the troubles of thine own children Lord and according to thy promise deliuer them out of all make them able to indure and laâ— no more vpon any of them theâ— they shall be able to beare Touch the hearts of all thy children that they may be watching in prayer considering the dayes wherein we liue are euill And as thou hast promised to be present with vs and with all thy children in their meetings before thee in prayer Stir vs all vp we beseech thee to a more holy desire
sinne sinfull sinne sins of all sorts committing things forbidden and omitting things commanded So that I cannot but confesse against my selfe I am wholly not only sinfull but a lump of sin it selfe a puddle of putrifaction a sinke of vncleannes a gulfe of grosse impieties and a carcasse of most filthie leprosie full of spirituall rottennesse vnworthy the light of the Sunne to lighten my corporall eyes to see to do euill not worthy to breathe in the ayre to speake euill nor worthie to partake of the ordinary food of men to strengthen my flesh the more to sinne nor worthie to consort with humane societie to make them sinfull by my sin Oh wretch that I am how haue I plunged my selfe into thy heauie displeasure how haue I lost thy loue who louest righteousnes and hatest iniquitie Oh wretch that I am how haue I runne without right reason to my ruine rashly Lord I am vnfainedly sorie for my sinnes and I long to be reconciled vnto thee lest I goe to my graue with griefe lest from the graue I should come into iudgement with horror and be inforced to heare that fearefull and finall sentence of reprobatiō pronounced against 〈◊〉 neuer to be reuoked indure torments neuer to be eased Oh Lor 〈…〉 mercifull and louing remember I am but dust forget not how orignall sinne seazed vpon me before I had sence or power to commit actuall sin call to minde that I was conceiued and borne in sinne and brought corruption in my flesh frō my mothers wombe which I could not preuent And although it be the rule of thy seuere Justice to lay the guilt of parents vpō their children yet let thy mercies which are aboue thy Judgemēts shew themselues now when else there is no hope Amen Lord increase my faith and forgiue my sinnes Another shorter prayer for forgiuenesse of sinnes O Heauenly father thy promises are many faithfull and comfortable Thou wilt not the death of a sinner but desirest rather that he should repent and liue If thou then desirest rather that I liue then perish giue me a repenting hart renue a right spirit within me reforme me and I shall be reformed for in me Lord there is no goodnes no power and as little will to doe good but a will and power to do euill only Let therefore thy grace worke effectually in me a new heart a new minde new affections holy and sanctified So shall sin become lothsome vnto me which I haue loued and holines of life shal be sweet vnto me which I haue neglected thy Commandements that I haue transgressed I shall indeuour to fulfill thy patience which I haue abused I wil answere with more filiall obediēce The curses then that I haue deserued shal be turnd into blessings and I shall frame the residue of my life in better actions I shall abandon as deceiuing vanities those sinnes wherin I haue delited and shal shun the baits wherwith Satan hath allured me to sin and whereunto I consented by the vanity of mine vnregenerate affections Oh pardon pardon my sins good Father in Iesus Christ fill my hart with the liuely apprehension of thy mercies speake peace vnto my sad and sorrowfull soule reuiue my dead distracted thoughts plunged in despaire cast thine ey◠vpon Christ thy beloued in him 〈◊〉 louing eye vpon me who without him am a cast-away Heare him 〈◊〉 mediator for me heare me a sinner for his sake and pardon me for thy mercies sake Take me now Lord out of the dungeon of feare wherin I haue bin long a captiue sold vnder sin Set me now free from the danger of death and hell Let Satan flie and fall before my face Let sin haue no more power ouer me receiue me into thy fauour assure me of full and free remission of my sinnes in Christ worke true peace in my conscience The sting of death being broken the feare of the iudgement to come may be turned into a liuely assurance of saluation that white I liue here I may euermore feele the liuely worke of thy holy Spirit in me Make the residue of my dayes the dayes of vnfained mourning for my former offences and of a most vpright and righteous conuersation to come and let faith euermore preuaile against all future temptations that I may finish the course of my life in that peace which proceedeth of perfect loue which loue bringeth forth filiall obedience vnto thee which obedience is more acceptable in thy fight then the sacrifices of bullocks and goates Accept me now good Father in Iesus Christ into thy fauour remit my sinnes number me amongst thine elect and seale me vp in thy mercies against the day of my finall visitation Heare me O Lord and let thy holy Spirit guide mee euer vnto that day through Christ my Sauiour my Mediator my Strength and my redeemer Amen O Lord increase my faith and pardon my sinnes A MOTIVE TO A Prayer for a godly and holy life and for power of resisting Satan and sinne THe course of euery mans life declar's what kind of man he is whether carnal or spiritual for as the tree is knowne by his fruit so is euery man known of men by his life conuersation And it is much to be lamented that men though carnally minded will iustifie themselues and make protestation of their hope that they shall be saued as well as he that walketh most sincerely before God and men And this out of a voluntarie ignorance and blindnesse in not knowing and truly distinguishing betweene the wayes of sanctitie and sinne the first leading to heauen and eternall life through grace and faith in Christ the other to hell and reprobation through our owne corruption by the obeying the will of Satan It is more then wonderfull to obserue the courses of carnall men who pretend that they are trauelling to that blessed New Ierusalem and yet take the direct way to Cursed Ierico they couet in conceit to ascend the holy hill of Sion and yet will not leaue that wicked Babylon They professe to liue after the Spirit but doe the workes of the Flesh. They would seeme to liue in Light but behold they are in Darknes not considering that he that liues after the flesh shall die yet how loth are carnall men to leaue the way that leadeth to destruction and how vnapt and vnwilling to walke in the way of life which is Christ in whom if we truely beleeue we walke in him if we truly walke in him we truely liue in him and that life is the summe and end of all our hope it is the marke whereat we ayme all our holy endeuours Let vs therefore determine with our selues and constantly resolue to walke before God and to be vpright Let vs make our supplications in his presence with our whole hearts And let vs duely consider our wayes what they haue beene And let vs now turne our feete vnto his testimonies Let vs strengthen and confirme our resolutions of a godly life by
will moue me to deale euermore iustly knowing that I fit not to execute mine owne will or mans iudgement but thine And if I wilfully erre thou wilt not hold me guiltlesse but wilt iudge me vniust and punish mee iustly Let not the opinion of the multitude either ouersway the truth in me or terrifie me from giuing sentence according to equitie And let me neuer be wearie of well doing but if cause so require it giue mee strength as thou diddest to Moses to heare and iustly to determine all controuersies from morning to night giue me a sincere heart free from malice and reuenge close mine eyes shut vp mine eares and claspe my hands that neither affection blinde me nor bribes peruert iudgement in me but that I may doe all things to the glory of thy name euer ayded by thy holy Spirit in and for thy welbeloued Sonnes sake Christ Jesus Amen Lord increase my faith in me confirme wisdome and iust iudgement A MOTIVE TO be vsed of Christians for Iudges and superior Magistrates THe necessitie of establishing Iudges and Magistrates to gouerne direct and punish doth giue vs to vnderstand that such and so many are the corruptions of our crooked deformed and rebellious nature at could not but breake into most inhumane vnnaturall impious and dangerous actions as if it were not preuented by laâ—es ordinances punishments and executions would breede speedie confusion among men And were there not Magistrates and Iudges to arbitrate and administer iustice and iudgement euery man would be Iudge reuenger of his owne pretended wrongs and would doe right to none he would maintaine his owne euill wayes to be vpright his oppressions to be iustice and his actions were they neuer so impious to be lawfull and right the weakest in power in their iustest complaints should be iudged vniust Wee may obserue notwithstanding lawes and statutes that in stead of Iustice and righteous dealing among men Rapine hatred dissention wrongs and murders vniuersally abound and what might we thinke would bee the state of things if Iustice should cease to execute her office and offenders goe without punishment Would not cain kill Abel Would not Haman conspire against Mordecai Would not Iesabel murther Naboth for his vineyard Would not Shemei raile vpon nay take away the life of Gods Anointed Would not Achan take the excommunicate thing Would not Iudas betray his master Nay would not Zimri and Cozhi commit wickednesse openly Would not all and all sorts of men run out of rule and would not sorrowfull confusion soone follow God foresaw this when he prescribed the lawes in two tables and constituted gouernours to keepe the people in obedience by inflicting punishments vpon offenders and to defend the cause of the innocent Moses and his Centurions first gouerned the multitudes of Israel then Iâ—shuah after them Judges and lastly Kings and were it not that Iustice continued her force neither Church nor Common-weale could stand If God should deale with vs as oftentimes he did with his owne peculiar people the Iewes for their sinnes namely to send vs corrupt Judges irreligious and tyrannous Magistrates would it not be vnsauory vnto vs and burdensome for vs And nothing more procureth it then our disobedience to God and there is no other mean to free vs but our obedience to godly and religious Magistrates and to the wholesome Christian lawes established for our peace not for feare of punishment but for a religious conscience sake If we obey God we cannot but loue and obey such as he hath set gouernours ouer vs and if we loue them we cannot but pray for them not as they are men onely and as they are members of Christ mysticall body with vs but as they are Gods ministers and beare the sword to correct the guilty and to defend the innocent Let no man thinke it therfore a superfluous but a Christian duety to pray for Iudges and superior Magistrates that God will indue them with graces and gifts answerable to their callings as with Wisedome Iustice Righteousnesse right Religion Courage and Christian integritie that they doing their dueties as gouernours we may as rather led by their godly examples then by their seuere iustice neither feare the punishment for disobedience to Gods Magistrates nor they our gouernours the threats denounced against such as peruert Iustice and Judgement A Prayer for Iudges and superior Magistrates to be vsed of all good and Christian subiects and especially of them that haue causes depending before Iudges and Magistrates FOrasmuch most gracious God and louing Father in Iesus Christ as thou being the Iudge of Iudges hast appointed Iustice and Iudgement to be done in earth and hast for the execution thereof appointed ministers called Iudges hast commanded thy people to obey them wee appeale vnto thy mercie for our disobedience vnto thy lawes which we dayly transgresse and thereby cannot but incurre the danger of Judgement euen in this life And we acknowledge that the sentence of an earthly Judge is not his but thine he pronouncing our punishment thâ—â— confirmest it Their censure 〈◊〉 thine if it be iust if vniust it is not thine but theirs yet their mini 〈…〉 is our iust reward for our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therfore humbly beseech 〈◊〉 to direct our hearts and our câ—â—â—ersations in all obedience to thy lawes and to the constitutions of thine Anointed who beareth the sword to punish offenders and to defend the innocent the fatherles widowes and the oppressed and from his supereminent authoritie vnder thee the power of inferiour Iudges and Magistrates is deri 〈…〉 to heare and determine causes of controuersie betweene man and man and matters of offence against the stare of superiours the peace of the Church and Common-weale They are indeed bu◠〈◊〉 whom wee see in their sâ—â—tâ—s of Judgement whom wee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom we obseruâ— to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 th 〈…〉 censure they pronounce but their hearts are in thine hands and their sentence by thy direction or permission thou directest none but according to equitie yet permittest iniustice to bee done vnto men for their iniquities hee that iudgeth vniustly and hee that is vniustly iudged haue their punishments the one in augmentation of his 〈◊〉 to his greater punishment to â—â—â—ne the other either in iudgement for sinnes past or in mercy to reforme him Consider therefore most gracious Lord God how and in what porill thy people stand vnder the censures of Judges vniust and lay not vpon vs the burden of their vniustice but conforme their hearts to true Judgement and account none to that high office of iudging thy people but such as thou shalt first furnish with wisedome experience and true sinceritie Let them be of like and of one mind with thee abandoning partialitie bribery and respect of persons and be thou alwayes with them and direct them in all causes of Judgement let them neither admit reward and so corrupt Justice nor follow the opinion of the multitude and so ouerthrow the truth
gracious Father with vnderstanding and apprehending hearts that we in teaching neglect not our dueties nor our children in learning and obeying thee be fouÌ„d vnwilling Teach vs all thy word O Lord that wee may direct our duties and frame our conuersations thereby that wee and they may walke before thee and bee vpright Incline their hearts and their affections vnto such course of life as in thy prouidence may best stand with their ingenious inclinations for their honest reliefe in this life knowing that all are bound to betake them to some vocation or calling in Church or Common-weale Direct them therefore by thy prouidence good Father in Christ Iesus that they may imbrace such callings as may best staÌ„d with thy glory and their comfort adde blessing vpon blessing vnto their honest endeuours giue them religious hearts and holy mindes that in sinceritie of conuersation they may walke before thee and euermore discharge a holy and Christian dutie before and among men and neuer leaue them Lord vnto their owne naturall corruptions which are strong cordes to draw them from good to euill from obedience to rebellion Let thy grace beare chiefe sway in them that they may euer and in all things prosper in this life not as worldlings in fulnesse of forbidden pleasures and carnall contentments but in a competent estate of this lifes necessaries as able rather to giue vnto thy needie members then to be inforced through penurie to want or begge their bread I recommend them Lord into thine owne Fatherly disposition and protection they are thine left vnto me by thee and therefore good Father take a fatherly care ouer them that in this life they may so liue as after this life they may be made partakers with thee of the heauenly inheritance in Christ our Sauiour Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be vsed by children for their Parents THere is or ought to bee such a sympathy or mutuall passion of affection betweene children and parents as one grieueth not but the other soroweth the one reioyceth not but the other is glad what measure of good or euill the one enioyeth or suffereth the other partaketh But the burden of care lieth vpon the parents feares griefes sorrowes paines and expences in fostering protecting educating and instructing their children Therefore ought children to endeuor with al diligence diligent carefulnes to loue reuereÌ„ce obey performe whatsoeuer may work to the coÌ„fort of their parents not only in outward obedience but in inward and a sincere affection of the heart neuer forgetting their parents paines patience perplexities which for their childrens sake they vndergo and endure Loue them therefore yee children hartily without flattery feare them truly without hypocrisie reuerence theÌ„ vnfainedly without dissimulation pray for them zealously without wearinesse and do them good cheerefully without grudging And when yee haue done all the good offices that ye can yet shal ye be continuall debters vnto your parents especially to such parents as striue religiously to educate you godly for it is not the wealth parents leaue you but the wisdome they teach you not the pleasures they permit you but the practise of honestie they learne you that shal steed you most and help you best in life and death Good and gracious children are an ornament to their parents more then their wealth or beautie but irreligious wicked wanton riotous and rebellious children the shame and sorrow of them more then their wits weaknes or their bodies deformities But where there is a religious and a holy mutuall affection betweene parents and children and loue and obedience of both to God infinite blessings corporall and spirituall cannot but follow Dauid was olde and had beene yong yet neuer saw hee godly parents forsaken nor their godly children to want And where this sweete harmonie is betweene parents and children there cannot faithfull and mutuall prayer but bee on all sides frequent and blessings on all sides shall follow both vpon parents who haue a promise that they shall see their childrens children and peace vpon Israel and children shall haue their daies prolonged in peace plentie and all happinesse Therefore I counsell all children of discretion to bee euermore louing and obedient to their parents and be euermore conuersant in praier to God for them And because it is no ordinarie thing for youth to bee able to pray by nature let them inwardly hunger and desire with inward sighes to God the good of their parents and the increase of Gods blessings and benefits vpon them and themselues and endeuour by little and little to vtter words as God shal enable them in secret to God who knoweth their desires and will grant what they in heart require tending to the obtaining of spirituall graces for themselues and others And for their better furtherance I haue set downe this weake Motiue and a forme of Prayer fit to be vsed of all good children or the like for their parents according to the flesh as also for such as are any way helpers in their vertuous and religious educations A Prayer fit for children to vse for their parents GRacious Lord God and louing father in thy beloued Sonne Iesus Christ as thou hast brought me into this world by the carnall propagation of naturall parents and hast giuen mee a life and being heere in the earth and afforded me of thy great goodnes some measure of naturall and spirituall vnderstanding whereby I apprehend a dutie which I owe vnto my parents according to the flesh So giue me grace I humbly pray thée to performe all dutifull obedience vnto them in thee and grant that their godly care and religious endeuours tending to my education instruction in the true knowledge and feare of thee may take such roote and worke such effect inwardly in my heart as may approue mee to belong vnto thee by whome I am begotten anew in Christ Iesus Accept my hartie thankfulnes O gracious Lord God for thy spirituall blessings and for thy goodnes towards me in not only taking me out of my mothers womb wherin I had perished and she with me hadst not thou beene the Author of her strength and my deliuery but also in preseruing me from many both spirituall and corporall dangers whereby I could not but haue vin many times confounded without thy goodnesse and prouidence in giuing me carefull and louing parents who vnder thee haue beene the meanes of my often preseruation What recompence Lord shall I giue vnto thee for thy great goodnes and manifold mercies towards me Thou requirest no sacrifice but obedience which with thee is more precious then the offering of many Bullocks and Goats Giue me therefore a faithfull heart that I may search to know and endeuour to 〈◊〉 thy will So shall I be the better able to yeeld vnto my parents condigne honor for by nature I am as â—n vntamed Heyâ—er or vnbridled Colt prone to disobedience wantonnes and all forbidden vanities vnable of my selfe
to wish well vnto them that haue done much good for me much more vnable to performe that good towards them that I would and ought Forasmuch therefore as I haue no power of my selfe giue mee at least a will that my inward destres may work with thee by the mediation of thy welbeloued Sonne to the obtaining of inward loue and filiall affection towards them and be able to expresse it in my coÌ„tinual faithfull prayers for them Deale with them mercifully O Lord heape vpon them thy blessings the peace of a good conscience plentie of diuine knowledge holy and religious hearts towards thee the continuall abundant supply of all necessaries health of bodie the strength and vse of their limbes ayde in whatsoeuer their neede defence from enemies and prosperity in all things Blesse them with all spirituall blessings and graces in heauenly things Let them heare thy word attentiuely let them beleeue it faithfully let them embrace it cheerefully let them practise it religiously and in a good conscience and let them taste of thy fauours and loue continually and seeke to please thee in all things truely giue them comfort I beseech thee in my well doing and of thâ— vertuous and religious conuersations of al their children friends â—llies and seruants Let not 〈◊〉 misbehauiour or vnseemely course of life procure their griefe or shame but grant that they liâ—iâ—â— long according to thy good pleasure in thy faith feare fauour 〈◊〉 loue they may so giue vp the 〈…〉 soules in peace into thy hands thâ—â— gauest them through Christ Jesâ—â— our Lord and our euerlasting Redeemer Amen Lord increase my faith A MOTIVE TO stirre vp Masters to a godly gouernment of their seruants and to pray for them AS there is areciprocal dutie between the husband the wife between the parents their children so is there likewise betweene masters and seruants In euery of these there is a superioritie and a power to command and Subiection mouing inferiours to obey It is a great priuiledge that masters haue ouer their seruants yet not such as some masters doe impose vpon their seruants for although they haue a libertie to gouerne and to command it is not so absolute but it hath it limitations and bounds for now as well seruants as masters beleeuing the promise are equally within the couenant And therefore seruants although bound to corporall masters as touching their bodily seruice are yet the Lords free men and so fellow-members of Christ with their beleeuing masters which maketh them brethren in the Lord whose feare should preuent too much seueritie in the master moue the seruant to the more obedience and faithfull seruice The strength of Israel said vnto me saith Samuel Thou shalt beare rule ouer men being iust and ruling in the feare of God Heere is the bound and limit of mans authoritie ouer them whom they gouerne Iustice and the feare of God whereby we are taught that masters are not to quarell with and threaten their seruants or afflict them without good cause they may not vniustly taxe them or correct them neither ought masters to conceile but teach them their trades and mysteries The feare of God imports a diuine office which the Masters owe vnto their seruants and that is to indeuour to make them the true members of the Church of Christ by godly education and counsell to vse the authoritie they haue ouer their seruants modestly and holily seeing that they in another respect haue a common Master which is in heauen who will iudge both the bond and the free the master the seruant without respect of the ones glory and the others basenes of the ones authoritie to command or the others seruitude and bondage and it is not commendable for masters too much to insult ouer their seruants or mistresses and sterne dames to tyrannize ouer their maydes who were begotten borne and brought forth in as glorious a maner as the proudest richest and most vaine-glorious master or dame whâ— haue but gotten as it were the start of their seruants by Gods permission who as we daily may see and obserue hurleth downe and confoundeth the most imperious and insolent masters and exalteth the humble and obedient seruants yee masters and dames threaten not nor abuse your seruaÌ„ts they are but lent you for your ease and seruice by their and your Father and Master for a time who will take an account of you how you haue gouerned them and of them how they haue serued and obeyed you and if you take astrict account of euery offence committed by your seruaÌ„t how think you that your Master which is in heauen should winck at or passe by your many transgressions against him as if there were a priuiledge for you to offend the God that made you men and women and made you masters and gouernours ouer men and women your gouernmeÌ„t being but only carnall and their seruice but corporall whereas your Master which is in heauen gouerneth spiritually and your seruice towards him ought to be holy and truely spirituall And thinke that if your seruants disobedience be offensiue vnto you what are your sins and rebellious courses of life vnto God your great Master which seeth your sinnes in secret and will reward them openly Make the case of your corporall seruants disobedience vnto you your case of disobedieÌ„ce to God and consider whether you could be content that euery sinne you haue committed should haue it due reward would it not be a terror vnto you and make you lesse furious and lesse bitter vnto your seruants for euery trifle in committing of a fault or omitting some small dutie to be done I mooue not this to defend or incourage euill and disobedient seruants but to aduise masters and women commanders to vse Christian counsell to their seruants and to gouerne them in the feare of God according to the rule of religion and let none of them thinke it a needlesse a superfluous or a base dutie for masters and gouernours to pray for their seruants and such as are vnder their commaund But let them know it is a duety required of and performed by all godly masters and dames that God may be pleased to make them honest religious and fit for the businesse wherein they vse them to make them dutifull and obedient fearing God so shall such masters and gouernours be blessed for such godly religious seruants sakes vnder whose hands all that they doe shall prosper And to this purpose I haue framed a forme of prayer which or some other to the like purpose such Masters and Dames may vse as desire the meanes to haue good and gracious seruants and whosoeuer scorneth or neglecteth the means is worthy to be crossed by their crooked behauiour and a more excellent meane there is not then godly counsell and diuine prayer to keepe them in obedience A prayer to be said of masters for their seruants not vnfit to bee vsed of all that haue command ouer others GRacious Father who
canst thou with things meane in qualitie Daniel and his fellowes liued by pulse and water and were more strong and in better liking then they that had the ful measure of the Kings choice dainties Great and wonderfull art thou in thy power vnsearchable in thy prouidence and thou art one and the same for euer thy loue is not diminished towards them that loue thee neither is thy power weakened neither can thy prouidence be hindred but whatsoeuer thou willest commeth to passe in Mercie and lustice Will thou therfore good Father will thou and worke our comfort and reliefe and whatsoeuer we then need shall bee supplied vnto vs. Mollify the harts of such as haue reliefe in abuÌ„dance that detain it to inrich themselues when the poore perish Sâ—ffer vs not Lord to fall into greaâ—â—â— miserie and want then wee can bea rt Our flesh is weake and vnable to vndergo the want of necessary food giue vs Lord competent reliefe that we faint not nor perish altogether for thy Christs sake our only Redeemer and Aduocate for whose sake thou hast promised to deliuer the soules of thine from death and to preserue them in the time of famine Therefore Lord heare and grant our requests Amen Lord increase our faith and blesse vnto vs competent reliefe A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to bee said in the time of the Pestilence THe Pestilence of all other pâ—â—gues is the most lothsome grieuous especially to the parties infected for that their dearest friends commonly flie them and forsake them none are readily willing to visite them and yet of all the three ineuitable plagues that God tendred to Dauids election hee made choice of this as willing rather to fall into the hands of God then of meÌ„ To flie before furious enemies in the warres is a fearefull thing and to pine and perish for want of food more grieuous then Death Therefore is the Pestilence rather to be vndergone then either the Sword or Famine but that we are not at our choice as Dauid was But as touching sinne in the same danger Sinne was the cause of his and sinne is the cause of our visitation And therefore to preuent the danger we are to make peace with our offended God by true repentance humble submission faithfull and vnfained prayer It was the remedie that Dauid vsed whereby the Lord was appeased with the Land and the plague ceased 2. Sam. 24. 25. Gods anger is easily appeased towards them that are truely penitent and humâ—â—y seeke him in faithfull prayer It appeareth that we haue prouoked the Lord by our sinnes to wrath and in his displeasure be visiteth vs with this heauie correction Let vs offer the sweet and acceptable sacrifice of prayer vnto him in vnfained sorrow for our sinnes It may be God will recall his destroying Angell out of our coasts But if he wil not be appeased pleased to stay his hand from punishing Let vs submit vs to his will in all Christian patience auoiding as much as in vs lieth the wilfull running into the danger and then if God haue numbred vs among them that he hath marked out vnto death let vs not bee dismayed or discouraged let vs not only not thinke vs the more vnhappie but far the more in the fauor of God in that he vouchsafeth vnto vs such a fatherly premonition to prepare vs that which by the course of nature in few yeares cannot be auoided death which seemeth far more terrible then indeed it is for though it hath the name of bitternes yet it is indeed the end coÌ„summatioÌ„ of al the vnpleasing things which our deceiued affections are miscaried by it is the end of sin and sorrow of dangers feares and miseries and is terrible to none but to such as only consider the dissolution of the soule from the bodie and doe not looke to the immediate coniunction of the soule with God we leaue indeed our corporall friends behinde vs whom wee loue But we ought to know that we go to a more blessed fellowship in the heauens to Christ our elder brother whom wee yet neuer saw but if wee loue him as he loued vs first we cannot but desire to see him which we cannot doe in our mortall flesh Let vs therefore with Saint Paul desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ with the Angels and with the spirits of iust and perfect men And let vs be of good courage in this danger of the body which if we caÌ„not flie let vs not feare knowing that whether we liue or die we are the Lords in Christ in whom we are assured that all things shall worke together for the best and to the consolation of them that loue God in life and death Weeping may indure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning A Praier to be said in the time of any mortalitie Pestilence or infectious sicknes O Lord our God who of the dust hast created all mankind for a time to breathe in this mortall life and at their appointed times thou sayest Returne againe into your dust yee children of men Looke wee humbly beseech thee vpon vs vnder thy hand visited with great mortalitie so besâ—t on euery side with the terrors of death as we cannot but deeme out selues neere vnto the graue Our festered corruptions haue brought forth stineking sins that haue deâ—â—â—ed our bodies and infected the verie aire wherein we liue whereby wee haue deseruedly drawne vpon vs in thy iustice this fearefull visitation Giue vs Lord repenting hearts renue right spirits wiâ—iâ— vs that we recounting our manifold and grosse sins may truly bewaile them in the bitternes of our hearts fill our heads with water make our eyes a fountain of teares that both inwardly and outwardly our sorrowes for our sinnes may be vnfainedly expressed and by our constant obedience and sincere seruice of thee our renued conuersations may be approued Make vs we beseech thee alwayes watchfull ouer our wayes that we erre not from thy Commandements in this time wherin many are striken with thy hand many are finally fallen asleepe Blesse vs wee beseech thee with that blessed prerogatiue to be thy truly adopted children in Christ so shall we be safe according to thy promise and this thy visitation shall not come neere our dwellings a thousand shall fall on our rig 〈…〉 hand and ten thousand on our left hand and yet not touch vs. But what are we Lord that we should presume vpon this freedome hauing deserued as heauie a weight of punishment as any whom thy hand hath visited Let not thy patience and long forbearing of vs perswade vs that either thou seest vs not or that for our owne worthines or desert thou passest by vs but rather to thinke that we are also of the number of them whom thou hast ordained to partake of this visitation that wee may apply our selues to a serious calling to mind of our offences and vnfained repentance for them before thy decree come forth against