acted with a high hand against Knowledge and the cries of a convinced conscience which makes sinne rebellion to know God yet not to glorifie him as God not in the dayes of our ignorance onely but since the light of the glorious Gospell hath shone into our hearts 3 Without any or with small temptation resolving to sinne selling themselves with Ahab even in cold bloud to doe wickedly Heb. 10. 26. as in sinnes in which there is neither pleasure or profit c. As to sweare prophane the Sabbath refuse preaching praying scorning Gods wayes 4 Against frequent purposes faire promises of more holy obedience reiterated vowes and covenants generall in Baptisme Lords Supper particular on such and such an occasion 5 Against meanes 1 Blessings coards of love 2 Corrections thou hast striken us but wee have not sorrowed Ier. 5. 3. 3 Word early and late all the day long 2 Actuall sinnes against the Gospell 1 Not thirsting after Christ Iesus nor prizing nor loving and cleaving unto him with our dearest affection 2 denying him in our lives 2 Not repenting us of our sinnes though God in mercie vouchsafe space and means but hiding excusing not mourning for nor forsaking sinne 3 Not believing the promises of salvation nor relying upon Iesus Christ for justification sanctification and salvation c. not stirring up our selves to take hold of him but forsaking our owne mercies 4 Sâ—â—ning against the holâ— Ghost by tempting grieving or quenching the holy spirit of God receiving the grace of God in vaine turning it into wantonnes growing cold in religion losing our first love Thus bringing our iniquities to remembrance 1 wee must acknowledge and bewayle them not onely generally but individually also one by one fetching and ferreting them out as so many Achans by the poll especially those which are naturalized and habituated in us our beloved and darling sinnes our dearest Dalilahs And that from a 1 Trobled broken bleeding melting spirit beleeving heart clasping the promises Ezr. 10. 2. yet now there is hope in Israel c. 2 Honest heart wishing the confusion as wel as making the confessioÌ„ of sin meaning to leave every wicked way and with purpose of heart cleaving to the Lord 2 Confession of the evill of punishment acknowledging our selves in regard of these our so many and grievous sinnes not onely to bee lesse than the least of all Gods mercies but most justly worthy of his most dreadfull plagues lyable and obnoxious to all evills of punishment in Iudgements Corporall Spirituall Temporall Eternall vid. Ezr. 9. Dan 9. Thus of the first part of Prayer viz. CONFESSION The Second followes which is PETITION PEtition is either for Our selves Others 1 Our selves and is called Supplication consisting of two branches viz. Apprecation Deprecation 1 Apprecation or collation of good which also consists in desiring 1 Supply of all wants Spirituall Corporall 2 Continuance and encrease of all blessings both Eternall Spirituall Corporall 1 Apprecation for bestowing of all good blessings viz. 1 Supplying all our wants of things 1 Spirituall viz. Grace Encrease of Grace Meanes of Grace 1 For the grace of free Pardon for our sinnes that God for his mercies promise Christs sake even the abundant merits of our Lord Iesus his bloudy passion who hath satisfyed for them to the utmost farthing by pouring out his soule for an oblation for the sinnes of the whole world would be pleased freely to forgive and blot them out of his booke never laying them to our charge beforemen to shame us in this world or to our everlasting confusion before men and Angels in the world to come Of which that we may more fully bee assured wee pray for a lively and apprehensive Faith by which we may be inabled to lay hold on and apply the generall and free Promises of Salvation to our selves in particular that God would seale up the assurance hereof to our consciences by the gracious testimony of his holy spirit giving unto us the spirit of adoption whereby we may with comfort and confidence cry ABEA father that so being justifyed and freed from the guilt and punishment of all our sinnes wee may have peace of conscience being reconciled to him in his Sonne 2 Repentance unto life whereby our stony hearts may be softned broken w th godly sorrow our eyes run down w th rivers of teares for our falls and faylings heretofore and we quickned to new obedience to serve the living God in holinesse and righteousnesse all our remaining dayes 3 All other sanctifying graces accompanying furthering our everlasting happinesse 1. as saving knowledge that we may understand what the holy and acceptable will of the Lord is 2 Fervent love to God our brethren yea our very enemies for his sake that loved us when wee were enemies 3 Ardent zeale 4 Lively hope 5 Son-like feare of God 6 True humility and contrition of spirit 7 Sincerity and boldnesse in the profession of the truth Perseverance patience and strength under the crosse Contentation in all estates either of weale or woe want or abundance 2 Encrease and growth of all these graces that the bruised reed may not be broken nor the smoking Flaxe quenched but that our graces like the light may shine more and more to the perfect day and our works be more at last than at the first 3 The meanes of grace continued and sanctifyed unto us as 1 Gods Word preached at Church 2 Read in private that the holy Ghost blessing it from heaven may bring it close home unto and savingly worke it upon our hearts that thus the heavenly spirit breathing on his own ordinances they may quicken us and become effectuall to our salvation 2 Sacraments 3 Sabbaths 4 Prayer 5 Fasting c. 2 Supply of wants temporall our owne personall concernements and all outward blessings appertayning to this present life Health Liberty Friends Rayment Food giving and preserving to our use the kindly fruits of the earth so as in due time wee may enjoy them preservation in our persons and estates Direction in all our courses thoughts words actions the blessing of God upon all our labours a right and sanctifyed use of all Gods blessings and chastisements 2 Deprecation of Evills personall nationall both of sinne and punishment either before or after it comes Before it comes aversion prevention After it comes ablation or removall 1 Wee pray against the evill of sinne that we may be 1 Delivered freed and acquitted of the guilt and danger of all our sinnes 2 Endued with watchfulnesse power and dominion over them all in our judgements to dislike them in affections to hate them in heart to bewaile them and in life to forsake them 1 From the guilt and danger that our sinne may not shame us before men and torture our consciences here in this life nor condemne us body and soule in the world to com that our doing evil
sicknesses crosses temptations for ordinary and extraordinary favors for desired successe in our labors and vocations for blessing the workes of our hands upon us in the day and for preserving and refreshing us with sweet sleepe in the night and finally all blessings of what kinde soever may here as occasion is offered yea must be remembred with thankful acknowledgement unto God not onely verbally with our lips and tongue but vitally and really in a holy conversation shining in our life lest it be verifyed of us which our Saviour saith concerning the Lepers Were there not ten cleansed but where are the nine There are not found that returned to give glory unto God c. Luk. 17. 17. 18. FINIS Methodi Causes of Distraction in PRAYER Ex P. M. 1. THe naturall lightnesse of our spirits that have much adoe to stay themselves and keepe long in one state 2 Because divine things are farre off from our senses now they are the senses which tye our attention as the sight of the Preacher workes a deeper impression in the hearers 3 Because of our lusts as hatred covetousnesse ambition which being bent to their naturall center will bee setling 4 Because of the Devill who stirs up our lusts and foysteth in vaine thoughts when we pray because Prayer is the maine ram that batters downe the wals of his kingdome Helpes against it 1 A Voice in prayer for the thought alone is easily distracted 2 Darkenesse and the removing of all objects that may distract 3 Be short in thy prayers and pray the oftner Eccles 5. 4 Mortifie our lusts for they clip the wings of our prayers pride covetousnesse wantonnesse cholâ—er 5 Meditate before you pray of Gods greatnesse of his judgements of our sinnes c. The godly man will bee sorry for judge and condemne himselfe for his distraction formalitie deadnesse of spirit c. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth Psal 145 18 to this man will I looke even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in heaven and thou upon earth therefore let thy words be few Take heed thou give not the sacrifice of fooles if thou offer the lame and the sicke unto thy governour will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person Cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flocke a male and voweth and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing Offer incense unto his name and a pure offering whatsoever thine heart prayeth let it bee heartily with all thy might labour for the spirit of prayer which the Lord promiseth to his faithfull ones the Spirit of grace and of supplications for know that 1 A very hypocrite may pray and that as one would thinke very zealously both with others and also apart by himselfe For is the true Christian sometimes hot in prayer hee will sweat is the humbled soule sorrowfull he wil weepe and blubber doth the sincere heart sigh softly hee will cry out amaine with a great and exceeding bitter cry as Esau Blesse me even mee also O my father It stands us therefore in hand to looke that our hearts bee right in the sight of God 2 For what is the hope of the hypocrite will hee delight himselfe in the Almighty will hee alwayes call upon God no for in more grievous crosses he sometimes hath not one word to blesse himselfe withall yet hee sometimes may then seeke God early they powred out their prayer when thy chastning was upon them 3 In thy Praying seeke Gods face herein the hypocrite is too blame hee prayes out of selfe-respects for base ends and out of pride and vaine glory hee prayes more often more zealously with others than alone by himselfe to his father in secret not with all manner of prayer c. the touchstone of prayer is giving of thankes in which he is seldome about which he does but bungle 4 Make not prayer thy end in praying but use it in good sadnesse as a meanes to bee enabled against corruptions and to get grace the hypocrites are lazie lip-prayers hee feeles not sinne like a mountaine of leade lying on his conscience hee sees not a want of grace c. he puts not to the shoulder he useth not the meanes for the atteining of what hee prayes his hands labour not his feet bestirre them not so fast as his tongue hee prayes against sinne yet lives wickedly hee prayes for health c. and yet lives riotously intemperately would I had such and such a grace but hee is not sicke of love nor earnest for those graces hee desireth he never breaketh his sleep for the matter hee hungers not thirsts not for righteousnesse Hunger will breake stone walsand the sincere Christian will have no nay like Rachel give mee children give me this and this grace or I die hee useth the meanes O that my wayes were so directed Like as the Hart brayeth for the water brookes my soule-breaketh for the longing that it hath 5 Pray without ceasing persevere in prayer and faint not never thinke thy selfe to have too much heavenly society and talke with God acquaint thy selfe still more with the Almighty The hypocrite is inconstant fickle off and on Wicked men and hypocrites have taken up a course of prayer and breeding and custome have wrought a kind of conscience in some but they but lust with Balaam let mee die the death of 2. They alwayes have one pad one forme 3. From the lips or braines not from the spirit 4. At randome as men shoot not minding how their arrow lights or speeds 5. They begin and end in themselves with their owne strength for their owne particular ends not for the Church Meanes of PREPARATION to Prayer 1 CLense our soules from the guilt of foule sinnes those lately committed Wash you make you cleane The Iewes and Turkes wash their bodies wash thou thy soule in the brinish teares of sincere sorrow 2 Sequester our thoughts from worldly cares goe up into the mount retire thy selfe some little while before thou prayest outward things stifle our prayers and make them hang the wing 3 Consider we have to doe with God come with feare and trembling into his presence not rushing on a consuming fire Three Questions to bee asked of our selves the serious answer whereunto will stirre up and furnish every babe in Christ to cry Abba father with faith feeling and fervencie Q. 1. VVHat sins have I committed all my life long that lie heavie on my conscience and would affright my soule if I were now to die This Question sincerely answered wil drive thee to a scrutinie and searching them out as the Iewes did Leaven before the Passeover and very seasonable for Christians before
HOLY INCENSE FOR THE CENSERS of the SAINTS OR A method of Prayer with matter and formes in selected Sentences of sacred Scripture ALSO A PRAXIS upon the HOLY OYLE shewing the VSE of SCRIPTURE-PHRASES And Choyse Places taken out of the singing PSALMES digested into a Method of Prayer and Praises Pray alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watch thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints Ephes 6. 18. LONDON Printed for Robert Milbourne at the signe of the Greyhound in Pauls Church-yard 1634. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Sir EDVVARD AYSCOVGH Knight and to his religious and noble Lady the best blessings of this and the blessednesse of a better life through IESVS CHRIST Right Worshipfull IT was the Farewell-clause of HER Letter who is the Honour of this Country the Praise of her owne Sexe and the Glory of your Noble family Mistresse ANNE AYSCOVGH Martyr Pray Pray Pray and in another Letter written to IOHN LACELS Sacrificed with her in the same fire for the Word of God and for the Testimonie which they held Farewell Pray This hath beene the practice of all the Saints Bishop Latimer is famous to Posteritie for his three Grand-petitions which God most graciously granted Master Luther not lesse powerfull with God by Praying than prevailing with Men by his Preaching daily breathed his soule herein like Iacob wrastling with God and not letting him goe without a Blessing and thus the Captaine of our salvation our blessed Saviour continued all night in Prayer to God and in the dayes of his flesh offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and teares unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard as the Apostle tells us Heb 5. 7. PRAYER doubtlesse is the very element in which the Soule liveth the very aliment by which it subsisteth Saint Paul as soone as converted Behold hee Prayeth O Lord by these men live As well may a fish live out of Water or a bird without Ayre as the Christian without Prayer 'T is the vitall breath of Faith stop it and take away Spirituall life And though at sometimes hee breathes short and hardly and insensibly in his deliquium animae fits of Spirituall desertion and temptation yet his life is still in him as in Epilepticks the man possessed with the dum be Spirit Mark 9. 26. who was as one dead yet when Christ takes him by the hand he ariseth Sinne prevailing may tongue-tie him a while that hee chatters not with Hezekiah yet when his lips move not nor his voyce is heard his desires will beate strongly upward his heart works and pants and grones and sighes and breathes and breakes in its longing and looking towards Heaven O thinks hee that my sinnes such and such were Pardoned ô that I had more grace to serve my God! O that I could master such and such a prevailing Lust O that I could more abound in fruits of righteousnesse in my conversation thus his heart is fired alway thus fixed And who can marvell that the children of God are so much herein seeing all the blessings of this and the hopes of a better life are assured and conveyed unto them hereby yea and that the whole service and worship of God is in Scripture stiled a calling upon the name of the Lord the Church a house of Prayer and God himselfe a God that heareth Prayers O thou that hearest Prayer unto thee shall all flesh come Psal 65. 2. Vpon this sacred subject is the ensuing treatise which though but now presented to you Right Worshipfull long since was intended in that mournefull and praying time when Gods chastening was upon the City of my habitation the space of almost two whole yeares together Your noble house was then the Zoar whither I was invited whereto I fled where I was above my deserts freely entertained Those and many other your favours before and since challenge my Prayers and best services Accept of this I intreate you as a testimonie of my thankefull observance towards you yet not as mine but as it hath received spirit and life from the word of life 'T is Holy Incense for the Censers of the Saints dropping from the Tree of Life smelling sweetely in the coales of the Altar hearts enkindled with true devotion flaming and blazing upward Prayer will make the face to shine as Moses talking with God in the Mount The more time we spend herein the more heavenly is our life on earth Godlinesse hath the promises 't will make your names to live and flourish when other Magnifico's whose portion is in the huskey profits frothie pleasures windie honours c emptie shadowes of this life shall bee written in the * earth and rot And though now it bee undervalued and the price beaten downe as a merchandize not worth the owning much lesse of buying at any low rate yet it will quite for cost and be of high esteeme in another world a pearl of price that good part and that one thing necessary You are happy Right Worshipfull above many in that God hath given you a mind to know him a heart to love him Presse on still toward the marke study which way to honour God most and to live to him this will bring you peace at the last 'T is not a forme of godlinesse which even the civill gentry affect hereby gilding over their baser courses rotten practises but the power of it in a sanctified life which before God is much set by Goe on in that good way you have begun count all things but dung that yee may winne Christ and bee found in him Take up the crosse which lies in the waies of God Deny your selves This doe and you shall cause the blessing to rest on your house and posteritie after you and those Olive plants about your table shall become trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord for so long as you hold you fast by him you shall you cannot but prosper and grow as the Lilie as the Olive-tree as the Vine and spread out your branches as the Cedars in Lebanon Thus praying to God for a blessing on these my prayers and on you both I commend my selfe and them to you you and yours to God and to the word of his grace ◠which is able to build you up further and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus In whom he resteth that is Lincolne May 6. 1634. Your Worships in all Christian services to be commanded IOHN CLARKE TO THE READER TO gratifie the expectation of friends and to satisfie some to whom I have long beene much obliged rather than for any conceited worth of any thing that is mine in these formes and method of Prayer are they thus now presented to thy view Christian Reader There be many blessed be God in manifold respects farre beyond these of mine Excellent moulds
and formes of prayer That which I here undertake is but to gather into heapes and heads some graines of sweet gummes myrrh aloes cassia and frankincense more precious than all the perfumes and pouders of the Merchant out of the Spouses garden of spices which thou maist scatter on the burning coals of thy zâ—alous Devotions If any even the meanest that calleth God Father can make use hereof in framing his petitions to bee put up and presented to the high Court of Heaven I have my ends and desires how ever they shall be taken or take others I prescribe no man a way the spirit of God is not limited by me Private prayers may bee framed as the holy spirit gives us utterance and it is a vaine thing when the heart is full and boyles upward to quench and restraine its free operations No poure out thy heart in prayer as thou feelest enlargement Publike prayers would bee more composed and set to that exact and heavenly platforme and prayer of our Saviour that others who pray with us may perceive the orderly passing from one part to another and so bee helped edified and affected thereby For the Common-prayers in our Church Liturgie it were to be wished that in great and noble families which are more than a modell of a little Church they would use the Common-prayer-booke there they may have most excellent prayers for almost-any occasion incident and imaginable such as both Martyrs and all other peaceable and sober-minded Christians have ever honoured extolled vindicated and practised Pitie it is to see some out of I know not what humour to cavill carpe at and cry downe not onely formes of private Devotion such as these but that which all antiquitie hath so much magnified and hath under so gracious and pious Princes a by publike authority so long beene established in the Church Certes Publike Prayers of the people of God in Churches throughly setled did never use to be voluntary Dictates proceeding from any mans private spirit gift or extemporall wit God himselfe framed to his Priests the very speech wherewith they were charged to blesse the people And our Lord even of purpose to prevent this fancie of extemporall and voluntary Prayers hath left us of his owne framing one which might both remaine as a part of the Church-Liturgie and serve as a paterne whereby to frame all other Prayers with efficacie yet without superfluitie of words Prayers doubtlesse are accepted of God otherwise than being coÌ„ceived alwayes anew according to the exigent of present occasions being not actions which ought to waste away themselves in the making they may bee resumed and used againe as Prayers and yet no instruments of superstition Moses hath left a prayer for that admirable victorie given them against Pharaoh cast into a Poeticall mould which grew afterward to be a part of the ordinary Iewish Liturgie c. The Lord grant unitie and concord to all that call upon his name that they may agree in the truth of his holy Word and live in Godly love one with another that all unhappy differences in opinion may bee composed and those swellings and great thoughts of heart layed downe That wee may all mind one thing to serve our God out of a pure heart without evill surmisings or making things worse by jealous and suspicious censurings which exasperate rather than heale our breach Let us pray and labour hereunto The prayers of the Christian Souldiers brought raine to the fainting armies of the heathen Emperours Elias a man subject to passions as others bee by Prayer shut opened heaven Est quaedam precum omnipotentia one calls it the wonder-working power of Prayer able to beate backe the very Ord'nance of Hell a spirituall Engine able to batter downe all the Bull warks of the Devill the most precious and almost if not altogether omnipotent Grace and great Master of miracles wrought both in heaven and earth Beleeve it if then wert in a state more dangerous than Death in a place worse than Hell yet if thou couldst but thence pray truly thou shouldst find comfort Out of the belly of hell cried I Iona. 2. Hereby thou mayst have accesse to God on all occasions for Prayer beares about the privie Keyes of heaven yea forceth entrance when all is locked Be in love with this so heavenly a grace f and that time breath and spirits which others spend in prating of and censuring the actions of superiours doe thou in praying to God for thy selfe for the Church for our gracious King and all in authority under him that wee may still lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie which is the Prayer of thy fellow servant in Christ Iesus Promises made to Prayer EXceeding great and precious Promises are made by God to his Elect and yet how often doth the poore soule lag and droope for not Knowing or not Vsing them as need requires living like some Misers besides their hopes besides their meanes They deserve to want who lack supply for want of fetching 'T is not the having of wealth meate or cloathing but the Vsing applying digesting and putting on that does us good Spirits and life may bee in the heart and blood may bee in the liver yet unlesse these flow kindly to every part the body is not healthfull beautifull or vigorous The Promises therefore should be often chewed sucked and meditared on God must be humbly and holily remembred of them not as if he were not faithfull and just but because we are distrustfull he cannot lye and though we be weak in Faith our unbeliefe cannot make his promise of none effect He will not falsifie his covenant nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips hath he said and shall he not doe it hath he spoken and will hee not bring it to passe Now as wee would receive of his fulnesse so the promises must enlarge our hearts Promises made to Prayer in Generall Before they call I vvill answer and whilst they are yet speaking I will heare Aske and it shall be given seeke and ye shall find knocke and it shall be opened unto you And yee shall bee unto mee a kingdome of Priests In every place incense shall be offered in my name and a pure offering Wee know not what to pray for as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groning which cannot be uttered Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine eare to heare Whatsoever things ye desire when ye pray beleeve that ye receive them ye shal have them Secondly the Parts of Prayer 1. Confession of Sinne. Hee that covereth his sinnes shall not prosper but who so Confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercie If we Confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes and to cleanse us from
the good of others and our selves Delighting in the contemplation of evill 2 Get our hearts deeply affected with a true sense and thorow feeling of the haynousnesse of our Sinnes a serious detestation and vtter hatred of them with vnfeined sorrow and condemning our selves for them 3 Then descend wee to a particular enumeration of them in the bitter root spreading branches cursed fruits and dangerous effects thereof First the Sinne of our first parents Adam and Evah looke unto the rocke whence we were hewen and to the hole of the pit whence wee were digged for wee all sinned in their loynes and so come short of the glory of God Rom. 3. 23. 2 Originall depravation and pollution of nature in the corruption of the Vnderstanding 2 Conscience 3 Memory 4 Will. 5 Sensitive appetite and affections 1 The corruption of the Vnderstanding in 5. 1 Vanity therof our thoughts are vaine taken up with frothy and fruitlesse speculations 2 Blindnesse being ignorant and impotent not able to conceive spirituall things 3 Vnteachatlenesse resisting and opposing the truth 4 Incredulity unapt to believe the truth of God 5 Enmity 1 not subject to the Law of God 2 Not resolving to be so holy pure exact as Gods Word requires 3 but casting off Gods yoke and his coards with reluctancie and distast 2 Conscience which is impure and polluted without light and life 1 A bad remembrancer and false register setting downe sin by the halves like the unjust Steward but fifty where hundreds are due 2 A slack instigatour to good or restrayner from evill being not cleare to discerne things amisse like a dusty looking-glasse Not sensible of sinne or tender but brawney past feeling Not active or stirring up to good but sleeping drowsie not rowsing us to purpose giving us no rest but letting us sleepe securely againe 3 A false accuser or excuser excusing for Sinnes accusing for not Sins 1 It should when the Law is preached accuse thou art the man but then it extenuates that it is no sinne or but a little sinne approving and allowing wayes and courses which seeme good to a Man but tend to death 2 When the Gospell is preached it should extenuate but then it aggravates crying out amaine with Cain My sinne is greater than full of hellish and amazing terrours 3 Memory full of weaknesse our remembrance being like unto ashes 1. forgetting what we ought to remember as our Creatour in the dayes of our youth 2 remembring what wee should forget as injuries and indignities 4 Our Will is full of 1 Contrariety to the Will and Word of God in every thing refusing to doe what hee commands but wilfull in doing what he forbids 2 Pride not dependant on or subject unto Gods will 't will not stoope to bee or to doe any thing for God 't will bee something in it selfe and must be carved to in a good condition as it selfe likes 3 Inconstancie unstable as water in good peremptorie and resolute in evill our tongues are our owne who is Lord over us though in some good mood like Saul to David it may weep yet like the morning dewe it vanisheth presently 4 Disobedience when God commands apt to doe the contrary 5 Sensitive appetite taking pleasure in sensible things too much our appetites and senses outray in things lawfull which come in by the senses 1 Eyes to women wine 2 Eares itching after vanity 3 Taste meat and drinke to Gluttony 4 Touch hands c. 6 Affections deeply distempered being violent turbulent sullen way ward untoward ready to be fired with any temptation rebellious against God either 1. not active lusting after good or 2. placed where they should not bee or 3 exceeding in measure they overjoy over-grieve over love we humour and please them they can but aske and have This corruption is in the concupiscible and irascible faculties of the soule In the concupiscible faculties 1 Love and Hatred 2 Desire and Abomination 3 Ioy sorrow which hath under it Pitty Envie Heavinesse Repentance and Zeale In the irascible faculties 1 Hope and Despaire 2 Boldnes Anger 3 Feare which hath under it Blushing Shamefastnesse Astonishment Agony 1 Love and hatred not of all good not against all sin 2 Delight not in God religion the Saints 3 Feare Man the creature poverty 4 Sorrow cast downe for disgrace 7 Body and members Eyes Eares Tongue Hands Feet Thirdly Actuall transgressions against the Law Gospell of both in our 1 Thoughts being idle vaine frothie not entertaining God in them 2 Words rotten unseasoned they heale not edifie not our tongues set on fire of hell corrupt with lying slander dissembling backbiting 3 Deeds of Omission Commission Not husbanding the talents of grace and nature which wee were betrusted with which we have ill imployed our precious time we raffle out Barren unfruitfull 1 for acts and dueties 1 Neglecting wholly 2 intermitting 3 slighting them Restreyning prayer refuse the Sacrament omit Fasting and Prayer 2 Graces want of love to Christ godly men humility faith zeale 3 Mis-spending our time in vanity raffling out our precious houres and squandring away our talents 4 Occasions of doing and receiving good not clothed not visited not instructed others or trying if at any time God would give them repentance 2 Commission in the rebellion and sinfulnesse of our lives sinning in our generall and particular calling confessing here the sinnes of our Sexe complexion constitution c. those we last of all committed under â—hich our consciences doe yet freshly bleede by which God hath been most dishonoured Both for 1 Quantitie in the greatnesse frequencie 2 Quality in the haynousnesse 3 Relapses iterations 4 Circumstances aggravating sinne viz. The Person against whom The glorious God our most gracious and tender Father Against our Christian Brethren Superiours Inferiours Equalls becomming guilty of other mens sinnes occasioned by our Command Company Counsell Ill example Connivence Silence c. Against our owne soules Against every Creature The Time when In generall in particular In generall before and since our Conversion c. In Infancie Child-hood Youth Mans-age Old-age In particular in the Day Night c. The Place where at home and abroad At home the Table Closet Bed Abroad viz. in the Church in Company in the Fields c. 1 Against God himselfe 2 and that against knowledg 3 without any or with very small Temptation 4 against vowes and covenants 5 against meanes afforded to resist sinne and doe better 1 Hating of God being enemies to him 2 Denying by our workes his power omnipresence justice omniscience setting up base lusts to be our God 3 Despising of God if so we can hide our sinne from man we never care though God see it 2 And thus not onely of ignorance when we-knew not nor of infirmity being transported with passion the Law in our members but even of wilfulnes and presumption
omitting good particular failings frailties distractions indisposednes to serve God our ignorance Atheism infidelitie hypocrisie inconstancie pride vaine-glory envy uncharitablenesse putting off our repentance forgetfulnesse distrustfulnesse unthankefulnesse dulnesse unchearfulnesse felfe-love strife wrath flattery idlenesse gluttony uncleannesse covetousnesse all inordinate desires and all the evill of our good workes c. may never bee imputed or layd to our charge As likewise the Nationall unthankfulnesse heresies schismes swearing oppression security which crye open mouth'd against us may not enter into the eares of the Lord of hosts Secondly That we may from on high be indued with power over those corruptions and lusts to which pleasure allures profit provokes sinfull custome most of all swayes us the plague of our own heart that the lusts of our flesh may be crucifyed and the whole body of sinne abolished and we leade our captivity captive 2 Victory over all the deceits of the whole world which lieth in wickednesse and all the temptations thereof that neither the persons nor things therein may become our suare 3 Over the Devill that arch-enemy of our salvation and his fiercest and eraftiest assaults that he may never finally prevaile over us that the God of peace would tread downe Satan under our feete and so make us more than conquerors through our Lord Iesus who hath loved us Secondly Deprecation of the evill of Punishment 1. All those dreadfull curses due to our sinnes that they may not be inflicted on us 2 Deliverance from all plagues which we now feele or hereafter may feare viz. 1 Iudgements nationall which the whole Land mournes under Plague of the pestilence famine warre sedition conspiracie 2 Afflictions personall that lie on our selves either in soule body or in estate troubles and terrours of conscience griefe of minde scandalls and offences imprisonment banishment sicknesse poverty disgrace losse of friends or any other afflictions of what kinde soever preservation from and in all dangers Death it selfe the king of terrours the day of judgement from Hell and chaines of darknesse from Gods wrath and everlasting damnation c. Secondly We petition for others which is Intercession and thus here wee pray for the Catholike Church of Iesus Christ militant every where on earth which is either 1 Uncalled yet belonging to the election of grace that they may be converted as 1. Iews our elder sister which was in the covenant before us 2 Pagans and Infidels that they may heare the glad tidings of salvation and that the Sunne of righteousnesse may arise on them with healing in his wings that they may enjoy Gods Word Sacraments Sabbaths that God would bring home them that goe astray instruct the ignorant and forgive them that rebelliously transgresse Heretickes yea the Enemies and Persecutours of the Church that they all may bee converted or if implacable confounded beseeching God to forgive our Enemies Persecutors and Slanderers and to turne their hearts 2 Already called that the Lord would purge it from Schisme and Heresie and appease all unhappy differences in the Church making all Christians keepe the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace and that he would warme and enliven the setling and cooled affections of these secure and earthly-minded times To watch over it for good whether in the transmarine parts and forraigne countries abroad or our owne nation at home herein especially our gracious soveraigne King Charles and his Highnes Dominions with all his sacred Stocke and Lineage the Queene young Prince Princesse Duke the Lady Elizabeth the Kings onely sister and her Progenie The Lords spirituall and temporall those of his Majesties most honourable Privie Councell the Nobility Majestraâ—ie Ministrie the two Universities the Gentry and Commonalty our Parents Kindred Friends Benefactours all such as we stand obliged unto by nature desert duty or any speciall relation Thirdly Afflicted in soule body or in estate being oppressed and persecuted under Popish tyranny or Mahumetan cruelty those that bee destitute of all comforts of this life that want foode rayment harbour liberty peace health that grone under poverty famine nakednesse c. that all the Israel of God may bee delivered from all their troubles 3. THANKSGIVING THe third and last Part of our Prayers is Thankesgiving that God would give us thankefull hearts for all his Blessings First Positive Secondly Privative in Temporall spirituall and eternall good things towards his whole Church 1 Triumphant for providing for it Heaven a place of rest and happinesse for the glorious Martyrs godly Bishops Preachers and Confessors that out of their ashes he hath wondrously raysed up beleevers 2 Militant for giving â—â—â—m 1 Christ to be their Saviour captaine and leader 2 Holy spirit to bee their comforter 3 God himself to be their father 4 His Gospell Sacraments c. Secondly For his blessings to our selves for that eternall unchangeable infinite everlasting undeserved love of his to us in our Election in and Redemption by Iesus Christ our vocation our Adoption Iustification Sanctification inchoate with assured hope of future Glorification That we were borne of Christian and beleeving Parents in a land of righteousnesse in a time of knowledge planted in religious families towns undergodly and painfull Ministers and gracious Governours that we enjoy Gods word and Sacraments in the power and purity of them for the many great and precious promises made to us therein Which are either performed already towards us or shall be hereafter in due time accomplished For all the Graces of the holy spirit for the gracious and free pardon of our many sinnes Faith Repentance some care of sincere obedience and tender hearts desiring to feare God for power against and prevailing over any sinne that we are not given over to Heresies and Errours in opinion nor to those base and fleshly Lusts that some others are in our lives nor to a hard heart reprobate minde benummed conscience and finall Apostasie for victory in any temptation over subtle Satan the alluring world and our own selfe-deceiving selves Secondly Temporall Blessings viz. of Creation Providence 1 Creation after Gods own image not being made a Beast Toad Foole c. 2 Gods providence Nationall Personall in those wonderfull Deliverances of the nation Preservation peace plenty towards us and fatherly care over us in our birth and infancie ever since we hung upon the â—rests in our childe-hood youth mans estate unto old age and gray haires for our health continued so long or restored of late for understanding judgement and discretion peace liberty prosperity food raiment same and good esteeme among Gods people for wealth friends Godly parents carefull â—utours masters and governours good education quietnesse of minde contentment c. Daily preservation manifold deliverances from imminent and apparent yea unseene and unfeared dangers For his fatherly chastisements and corrections for sanctifying to our everlasting good our afflictions
every Communion c. to a particular confession and bewayling of them Thou maist set them downe in a paper Qu. 2. What would I desire God to doe for me if I were sure to obtaine my wish of him Thy heart will answer O that God would please to forgive my sinnes such and such O that hee would give unto me stedfast faith in the Lord Iesus the grace of Perseverance Health c. Set downe the particulars 3. Qu. What speciall favours and blessings hath God bestowed on mee from my infancie till now for which I owe him all possible thankesgiving Thy heart will make answer such and such a time hee delivered mee from danger from death c. made such a man to be my friend gave mee a husband a wife preferment c. Thus if thou signifie to God thy hatred of those sinnes want and hearty desire of those graces thankesgiving for those blessings Exercise will make this easie and Christs spirit that great master of requests will be ready to draw thy petitions for thee prompting thee with sit words and holy affections thou shalt make thy prayers unto him and hee shall heare thee and if thou seeke him hee will be found Iob 22. 27. Doe this daily it will bee no hinderance to thy worldly employments No man ever lost by serving God Meat and Mattens hinder no mans thrift Godlinesse hath the Promise for as hee rideth not furthest that goes early out on a bad horse c. or hee that is early up at his busines with blunt and dull-edged tooles but weaâ—ies himselfe and mars his worke so he prospers not best that goes about his calling before he hath seasoned his heart with holy meditations reading and prayer to God Exod. 40. 5. Thou shalt set the Altar of Gold for the Incense before the Arke of the Testimonie Exod. 30. 7. Aaron shall burne thereon sweet Incense every morning vers 8 and at Even hee shall burne incense upon it a perpetuall incense before the Lord. Levit. 16. 12. He shall take a censer full of burning coales of fire from off the Altar before the Lord and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small and bring it within the veile vers 13. And hee shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord that the cloud of the incense may cover the Mercie-seat that is upon the Testimonie Holy Incense for the the Censers of the Saints Or Selected Sentences of holy Scripture furnâ—shing with materialls and serving as Formes of Prayer according to the heads of the former Method PREPARATION LEt us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens Unto thee lift I up mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the heavens DESCRIPTIONS of GOD. O God the God of the Spirits of all flesh Thou art a God ready to pardon gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindenesse O thou that hearest prayers Thou Lord that createdst the heavens and stretchedst them out that spreadest foorth the earth and that which commeth out of it that givest breath unto the people upon it and spirit to them that walke therein The God in whose hand our breath is and whose are all our wayes The high and lofty One that inhabitest eternity whose name is holy who dwellest in the high and holy place c. The living God and the everlasting King Who hast made the earth by thy power and hast established the world by thy wisedome and stretched out the heavens by thy discretion That formest the mountaines and createst the wind declarest unto man what is his thought that makest the morning darkenesse and treadest upon the high places of the earth The blessed and onely Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Who onely hast immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approch unto whom no man hath seene or can see The Lord of Hoasts which dwelleth betweene the Cheâ—uâ—ims Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot containe thee Thine is the Kingdome O Lord and thou art exalted as head above all Both riches and honour come of thee and thou reignest over all and in thine hand is power and might and in thine hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all Behold even to the Moone and it shineth not yea the Stars are not pure in his sight O Lord my God thou art very great thou art cloathed with honour and Majesty Who coverest thy selfe with light as with a garment who stretchest out the heavens like a curtaine The nations are as a drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the ballance hee taketh up the Isles as a very little thing All nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse than nothing and vanity It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the Earth and the inhabitants thereof are as grashoppers that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtaine and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in O Lord of Hoasts that trieth the righteous and seest the reines and the heart The Lord which giveth the Sunne for a light by day and the ordinances of the Moone and of the Stars for a light by night which divideth the Sea when the waves thereof roare the Lord of Hoasts is his name Lord God behold thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arme and there is nothing too hard for thee Thou shewest loving kindnesse unto thousands and recompencest the iniquity of the Fathers into the bosome of their children after them the great the mighty God the Lord of hoasts is his name Great in Councell and mighty in worke for thine eyes are open upon all the wayes of the Sonnes of men to give every one according to his wayes and according to the fruit of his doings The King whose name is the Lord of Hoasts Him that maketh the seaven Stars and Orion and turneth the shaddow of death into the morning and maketh the day darke with night that calleth for the waters of the Sea and powreth them out upon the face of the earth the Lord is his name He that buildeth his stories in the heaven and hath founded his troupe in the earth Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because hee delighteth in mercie He rebuketh the Sea and maketh it dry and drieth up all the Rivers I hou art of purer eyes then to behold evill and canst not looke on iniquity Descriptions of God from his Mercie and long-suffering Exod 34. 6. 2 Pet. 3. 9. 2 Chron. 30. 9. Nehem. 9. 31. Psal 103. 8. 11. 13. 17. Mic. 7. 18. 19. Rom. 2. 4. Gracious Promises Gen. 3
15. Psal 103 3. 9. Psal 30. 5. Psal 126. 5. Isay 1 18. Isay 54 8. Ezec. 18 21. 23. Ezech. 33. 11. Math. 12. 20. Math. 11. 28. Rom. 8. 1. Omnipotent goodnes Eph. 3. 20. Gen. 17. 1. 2 Cor. 9. 8. Rom. 10. 12. Craving of AVDIENCE ASSISTANCE and ACCEPTANCE Looke downe from thy holy habitation from heaven have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant and to my supplication O Lord my God to hearken to the cry and to the praier which thy servant prayeth before thee this day Thou hast commanded that we should call upon thee in the day of trouble and hast promised also that thou wilt deliver us Lord bow downe thine eare and heare open Lord thine eyes and see and heare the words Let my prayer bee set forth before thee as incense and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice Thou hast promised that if wee shall aske any thing in thy Sonnes name thou wilt doe it Now therefore O our God heare the prayer of thy servants and their supplication and cause thy face to shine upon us for the Lords sake for wee doe not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesse but for thy great mercies Wee know not what wee should pray for as we ought therefore let thy Spirit it selfe helpe our infirmities and make intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered It shall come to passe when he cryeth unto me that I will heare for I am gracious Hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant and of thy people Israel when they shall pray towards this place heare thou in heaveÌ„ thy dwelling place and when thou hearest forgive Heare thou in heaven and forgive the sinne of thy servants and of thy people Israel that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walke and give raine upon thy land which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance Heare thou in hâ—eaven thy dwelling place and doe according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for that all people of the earth may know thy name to feare thee as doe thy people Israel Heare thou in heaven thy dwelling place and forgive and doe and give to every man according to his wayes Let thine eare now be attentive and thine eyes open that thou may est heare the prayer of thy servants Hearken unto the voyce of my cry my King and my God for unto thee will I pray Heare the voyce of my supplication when I cry unto thee when I lift up my hands toward thy holy Oracle Give eare O Lord unto my prayer and attend to the voyce of my supplication Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer Unto thee lift I up mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the heavens Heare my prayer O Lord give eare to my supplications in thy faithfullnesse answer me and in thy righteousnesse Heare me speedily O Lord my spirit faileth hide not thy face from me lest I be like unto them that goe downe into the pit Looke downe from heaven and behold from the habitation of thy holinesse and of thy glory O Lord how long shall I cry and thou wilt not heare I even cry out unto thee of violence and thou wilt not save CONFESSION of Sinne. O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for our iniquities are increased over our heads and our trespasse is growne up unto the heavens Thou createdst our first Parents in thine owne image and breathedst into their nostrils the breath of life but the Serpent beguiled them and they did eate of the forbidden Fruit whereby all mankind being then in their loines also sinned and now come short of the glory of God thou madest man upright but they sought out many inventions We are risen up in our fathers steed an increase of sinfull men to augment yet the fierce anger of the Lord toward us Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in Sinne did my mother conceive me We know Lord that in us that is in our flesh dwelleth no good thing for though to will be present with us yet how to performe that which is good we finde not Thou Lord seest that the wickednesse of man is great upon earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is onely evill continually If I justifie my selfe mine owne mouth shall condemne me the heaven shall reveale our iniquity and the earth shall rise up against us What is man that he should bee cleane and hee which is borne of a woman that hee should be righteous abominable and filthy is man which drinketh iniquity like water for mine iniquityes are growne over mine head and as a heavy burden they are too heavie for me Who can say I have made my heart cleane I am pure from my sinnes Wee are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy ragges and our iniquities like the wind have taken us away and there is none of us that calleth upon thy Name that stirreth up himselfe to take hold on thee We have made thee to serve with our sinnes we have wearied thee with ouâ— iniquities The shew of our countenance doth witnesse against us and we declare our sinne as Sodome and hide it not woe unto our soule for we have rewarded evill to our selves If thou Lord shouldest marke iniquities O Lord who shall stand But â—hâ—re is forgivenesse with thee that thou mayest be feared If we should be weighed by thee in the balances we should be found wanting And that which makes our sin become exceeding sinfull in the land of uprightnes have we dealt unjustly would not behold the majestie of the Lord. We are ashamed of the Gospell of Christ though it be the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleeveth Thou hast spread out thy hands all the day unto a rebellious people which have walked in a way that was not good after their owne thoughts Ah Lord God! we love not the Lord Iesus in sincerity We hide as it were our faces from him and will not have him to raigne over us Alas wee count not all things losse and doung for the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ Iesus our Lord. That we might bee found in him not having our owne righteousnesse We take no paines to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings or to bee made conformable to his death Thou hast given us space to repent of all our abominations that wee have committed but we repented not Wee confesse not our transgressions unto thee Lord that thou mightest forgive the
iniquity of our sinne Thou hast stricken us but we have not grieved thou hast consumed us but wee have refused to receive correction wee have made our faces harder than a rocke and have refused to returne We have received the grace of God in vaine and have neglected the great Salvation which thou tendrest unto us in Iesus Christ Wee have grieved the holy Spirit of God whereby wee are sealed to the day of redemption and have turned the grace of God into lasciviousnesse We have left our first love our soule thirsteth not for God for the living God We have even sinned wilfully since we received the knowledge of the truth so that we may justly feare there remayneth now no more sacrifice for our sinnes but a certaine fearefull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation For if he that despised Moses law died without mercy Of how much sorer punishment shall wee be thought worthy who have troden under foote the Sonne of God and have counted the blood of the covenant wherewith we were sanctified an unholy thing and have done despite to the Spirit of Grace Many scarlet and crimsin sins have wee committed whereby great occasion hath beene given by us to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme Yea we overpasse the deeds of the wicked Wherefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes For innumerable evils have compassed me about mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to looke up they are moe then the haires of my head therefore my heart faileth me For thou art the God of my strength why dost thou cast me off why goe I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy Thou hast set our iniquitles before thee our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance When yee come to appeare before me who hath required this at your hand to tread my courts For Ierusalem is ruined and Iudah is fâ—llen because their tongues and their doings are against the Lord to provoke the eyes of his glory Woe unto them that draw injquity with cords of vanity and sinne as it were with a Cart rope But your injquities have separated between you and your God and your sinnes have hid his face from you that hee will nor heare As a Fountaine casteth out her waters so shee casteth out her wickednesse violence and spoyle is heard in her before mee continually is griefe and wounds Yet I had planted thee a noble vine wholly a right seed How then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me For though thou wash thee with niter and take thee much sope yet thine injquities is marked before mee saith the Lord God The sinne of Iudah is written with a pen of jron and with the point of a diamond it is graven upon the table of their heart and upon the hornes of your altars Behold I am pressed under you as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sinnes For wee know that the Law is spirituall but I am carnall sold under sinne But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death 2. EVILL of punishment And for all these thou our God hast punished us lesse than our injquities deserve It is of the Lords mercies that wee are not consumed because his compassions faile not If thou shouldst lay judgement to the line and righteousnesse to the plummet thou mightest make thy anger and jealousie to smoke against us and all the curses that are written in thy booke thou mightest lay upon us and blot out our name from under heaven Thou mightest give us our portion with the wicked that are turned into hell and all the nations that forget God See the heads Plague Punish c. in the Seripture Phrases 2. PETITION for FORGIVENES But with thee Lord is mercy and with thee is plenteous redemption O therefore pardon our injquities and our sinne and take us for thine inheritance Put away our transgressions as a cloud and our sinnes as a mist O Lord though our injquities testifie against us doe thou it for thy names sake for our back-slidings are many we have sinned against thee O that I might have my request and that God would grant mee the thing that I long for even that it would please him to cover mine injquity and cause my sinne to be blotted out from before him Remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my transgressions according to thy mercie remember thou mee for thy goodnesse sake O Lord. For thy names sake O Lord pardon mine injquity for it is great O remember not against us former iniquities let thy mercies speedily prevent us Take away our injquitie and receive us graciously so will we render the calues of our lips Turne againe and have compassion upon us subdue our injquities and cast all our sinnes into the depthes of the Sea Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world To this end was hee borne and for this cause came hee into the world that hee might save sinners of whom wee are the chiefe Hee was wounded for our transgressions hee was bruised for our injquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes are we healed For his sake and in his blood wash me throughly from mine injquities and cleanse me from my sinne Purge me with Hysope and I shall be cleane wash mee and I shall bee whiter than snow Hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out all mine injquities I have sinned greatly in that I have done and now I beseech thee O Lord take away the injquitie of thy servant for I have done very foolishly Looke thou upon me and bee mercifull unto me as thou usest to doe unto those that love thy name Though your sinnes bee as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like câ—imson they shall be as wooll Behold thou art the Lord the God of all flesh there is nothing too hard for the. For FAITH O we are of little faith therefore O Lord encrease our faith though it be yet but as a graine of mustard seed that being justified by faith wee may have peace with thee Worke in us not a dead faith but that which may bee rich in good workes following after peace with all men and holinesse without which none shall see God Create in mee a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of
the law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith For REPENTANCE Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and night for O that all the night I could make my bed to swim that I could water my couch with my teares that I might repent in sacke-cloth and ashes and grant us repentance unto life Thou hast in love to our soules vouchsafed unto us space and time to repent in O that thou wouldst also give us grace to repent O that there were such an heart in us that wee might repent and recover our selues out of the snare of the Devill who have beene hither to taken captive by him at his will Doe thou melt our stonie hearts into godly sorow which worketh repentance unto salvation not to bee repented of SANCTIFYING GRACE Sprinkle cleane water upon us that we may bee cleane from all our filthinesse and from all our a new heart also doe thou give us and a new spirit doe thou put within us and take away the stony heart out of the middest of us and give thou unto us an heart of flesh and put thy Spirit within us and cause thou us to walke in thy statutes and keepe thy judgements and doe them KNOWLEDGE That the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the father of glory would give unto us the spirit of wisedome and â—evelation in the knowledge of him The eyes of our understanding being inlightned that we may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints that the earth may bee filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea that all may know thee from the least to the greatest of us That Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith that we being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and heighth And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that wee might be filled with all the fulnesse of God That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death And because it is not good that the soule bee without knowledge incline our eares to wisedome and apply our hearts to understanding that we may cry after knowledge and lift up our voice for understanding that wee may understand the feare of the Lord and find the knowledge of God That wee may be enabled to cry unto thee Our God wee know thee Vid. Ier. 31. 33. 34. LOVE of GOD c. That wee may love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soule and with all our mind that because our sinnes which are many are forgiven us therefore we may love thee much That wee may love one another as Christ hath loved us that our love may abound yet more and more towards all men especially them that are of the houshold of faith That wee may love our enemies blesse them that curse us doe good unto them that hate us and pray for them that dispitefully use and persecute us ZEALE Make us to bee zealous of good workes that we may not rest contented with a luke-warme profession being neither cold nor hot but that our soule may breake for the longing that it hath to thy judgements at all times that the zeale of thine house may eate us up that so our zeale may provoke very many SINCERITIE Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts O therefore make us Israelites indeed in whom there is no guile That in simplicitie and godly purenesse wee may have our conversation in the world because thine eyes are upon all our wayes and thou understandest our thoughts a farre off and art acquainted with all our wayes for there is not a word in our tongue but loe O Lord thou knowest it altogether And thou wilt bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and wilt make manifest the counsels of the heart Though they dig into hell thence shall my hand take them though they climbe up to heaven thence will I bring them downe And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel I will search and take them out thence and though they be hid from my sight in the bottome of the Sea thence will I command the Serpent and hee shall bite them If thou sayest behold wee knew it not doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it and that keepeth thy soule doth not he know it and shall not he render to every man according to his workes God shall bring every worke into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evill the Lord seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart I beseech thee O Lord remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts Can any hide himselfe in secret places that I shall not see him sayeth the Lord doe not I fill heaven and earth sayeth the Lord. Shall not God know this for he knoweth the secrets of the heart The darknesse hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day the darknesse and the light are both alike to thee The Spirit of man is the candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly thou even thou knowest the hearts of all the children of men Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened to the eyes of him with whom they have to doe BOLDNES the Profession of the GOSPEL That we may not be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleeveth Grant unto thy servants that with all boldnesse we may speak of and professe thy word Considering that if we shall bee ashamed of Our Lord Iesus Christ and of his words in this adulterous and sinfull generation the Sonne of man also will be ashamed of us when he commeth in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels PERSEVERANCE O that there were such an heart in us that we might feare thee and keepe thy commandements alway that it might be well with us and with our children after us for ever Give us our heart and our way that we may feare thee for ever and make thou an everlasting covenant with vs that thou wilt not turne away from us to doe us good and put
he may And thou who preservest the way of thy Saints hold up my goings in thy paths that my foote steps slip not Give thine Angels charge over us to keepe us in all our wayes that they may beare us up in their handes lest at any time we dash our foot O be thou with us and keepe us in all places whither we goe and bring us againe and leave us not untill thou hast done that which thou hast spoken to us of O that thou wouldst blesse mee indeed and enlarge my coast and that thine hand might bee with me and that thou wouldest keepe me from evill that it may not grieve me Prosper now I pray thee thy servant this day and grant him mercy in the sight of the man and let the beauty of the Lord our God bee upon us and establish thou the worke of our hands upon us yea the worke of our hands establish thou it We know not what to doe but our eyes are upon thee thou also must worke all our workes in us It is in vaine for us to rise up early to sit up late to eat the bread of sorrowes O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps neither is hee that planteth any thing neither hee that watereth but God that giveth the increase Deliverance from Evill 1. Of SINNE Let not sinne raigne in our mortall bodies that wee should obey it in the lusts thereof neither suffer us to yeeld our members as instruments of unrighteousnesse unto sinne but unto God as those that are aliue from the deast and our members as instruments of righteousnesse unto God looking diligently lest any man faile of the grace of God lest any root of bitternesse springing up trouble us and thereby we be deluded that being now made free from sinne and become the servants of God wee may have our fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing mee into captivity to the law of Sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Cleanse thou mee from secret faults Keepe backe thy servant also from presumptuous sinnes let them not have dominion over me then shall I bee upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression Subdue the pride of our nature cast downe every imagination and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against thee and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ Let not my heart be haughty nor my eyes lofty neither suffer me to exercise my selfe in great matters or in things too high for me but behave and quiet my selfe as a child that is weaned by his mother Order my steps in thy word and let none inâ—quity have donion over me make me also to be upright before thee and to keepe my selfe from mine inâ—quity Let us lay aside every weight and the sinne that doth so easily beset us that we may run with patience the race that is set before us that we may not love the world nor the things in the world because all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but of the world that denying ungodlines and worldly lusts wee may live soberly righteously and godly in this present world That we may walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise giving none occasion to the adversary to speake reproachfully Mortifying our members which are on the earth fornication uncleannesse the inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is idolatry Putting off all these anger wrath malice blasphemie filthy communication That wee may resist unto blood striving against sinne taking heed lest there bee in any of us an evill heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God taking heed to our selves lest at any time our hearts bee over-charged with suffering and drunkennesse and cares of this life That wee may bee sober and vigilant because our adversary the devill as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom hee may devoure whom that wee may resist stedfast in the faith let us take unto us the whole armour of God that we may bee able to stand against all his wiles being strong in the Lord and in the power of his might 2. PVNISHMENT Let no evill befall us neither let any plague come nigh our dwelling Send from heaven and save mee from the reproach of him that would swallow me up My soule is among Lyons and I lye even among them that are set on fire even the sonnes of men whose teeth are speares and arrowes and their tongue a sharpe sword Plead my cause O Lord with them that strive with me fight thou against them that fight against me Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weake O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed My soule also is sore vexed c. Returne O Lord deliver my soule O save me for thy mercies sake For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the grave who shall give thee thankes I am weary with my groaning all the night make I my bed to swimme I water my couch with my teares Mine eye is consumed because of griefe it waxeth old because of all mine enemies Turne thee unto mee and have mercie upon me for I am desolate and afflicted The troubles of my heart are enlarged O bring thou me out of my distresses Looke upon mine affliction and my paine and forgive all my sinnes O my Father if it be possible let this affliction passe from me neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt Lord make mee to know mine end and the measure of my dayes what it is that I may know how fraile I am Behold thou hast made my dayes as an hand-breadth and mine age is as nothing before thee verely every man at his best state is altogether vanity So teach us to number our dayes that wee may apply our hearts unto wisedome The HOLY CATHOLIKE CHVRCH of IESVS CHRIST Preserve that little flocke to whom thou hast promised and reserved the Kingdome Be unto it a wall of fire round about Let thy delight be to Mount Sion grave her on the palmes of thy hands let her walls bee continually before thee Let her builders make haste and cause her destroyers and such as would lay her wast to depart from her Feed them that oppresse her with their owne flesh and make them drunken with their owne blood as with sweet wine Looke downe from heaven and behold from the habitation of thy holinesse
may receive them as pledges of thy favour and gracious assurances of thine everlasting love through Iesus c Matter for Graces after meate Blessed bee thy name for health life strength and for all the blessings of this and the blessed hopes of a better life make it our meate and drinke to doe the will of thee our heauenly father make us to hunger after that bread which endureth to everlasting life Provide dayly bread for all thy poore servants till thou bring us to that place where we shall never hunger nor thirst any more thy loving kindnesse is better than life that I may labour not so much for this meat that perisheth but for that meate which endureth to everlasting life the body and bloud of our Saviour which is meate indeed and drinke indeed Keepe us in thy feare while we live on earth and afterward receive us to glory in thy kingdome We thanke thee O Lord for the comfortable use of these good blessings we beseech thee also feed our soules to everlasting life with the meate that perisheth not through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Blessed bee thy name O Lord God for thus opening thy hand and filling us at this time with thy good creatures vouchsafe still to be our God with-hold no good thing from our soule or body Save all thy Church protect our King Queene Prince Royall Progeny and Realme Grant free passage to to thy Gospel comfort to thy Servants and peace of conscience to us all through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen An EPITOME of a Christians Conversation and Religious course of life gathered out of some Godly Practicall Divines c. Every day bestow halfe an houre in reading the Scriptures and Prayer Gods word will not onely shew thee what to do what to pray but will worke a secret power to accomplish the same Appoint and set a part some time once every day seriously and solemnely to cast up the eye of thy Faith on that never-fading crowne of life which after an inch of time shall for ever rest upon thy head The comforts hereof will make a man live almost without a soule and sweeten all the troubles of this life Set one houre in the weeke a part Saturday in the afternone is more fit by reason of the approching day to consider of search and try thy wayes this will snub and keepe downe the weeds of corruptions from overspreading thy soule Thou bestowed an houre on thy body every day in dressing it and lookest thy selfe in a glasse to attire thy outward sheath and wilt thou not once a weeke doe as much for thy soule thy body must one day rot and turne to dust perhaps to morrow thy soule must live ever either in weale or woe Life and death are now in thy choyse chuse then that good part Give God the honour of thy thoughts as well as of thy words and actions often thinke how all the glistering shewes of this whole world must and doe vanish and moulder into vanity and nothing very smoke As soone as thou hast broken of sleepe set God before thee and thinke What shall I doe what course shall I take that I may bring glory to God that I may not sinne this day O that my wayes were so directed Never speake the evill which thou too certainely knowest by others but with fearefulnesse as it were and some kinde of enforcement being sure thou hast a calling to it and then doe it seasonably charitably discreetly and not in humour spleene imperiousnesse T is the humor of Hypocritts to be supercilious and censorious but for Gods glory thy owne discharge use no moe wordes against mâ—ns sinnes than thou wilt make prayers for their soules in secret Be bold yet wise in speaking for Christ and with height of resolution goe through all the disgraces that the sinfull times lay in the wayes of God In Actions civil Doe as thou wouldst be done to religious Strive to live by faith because faith is the soule of all our actions our prayers will bee cold unlesse this warme them Take heed of falling from thy first love Serve not God for by-respects but onely for himselfe So long as thou art unfeinedly displeased with and sorry for all thy sinnes and dost mortifie the deedes of thy body by the spirit thy cafe is the state of salvation Let thy whole conversation favour of the Lord. Bee alwayes bemoaning thy spirituall pride knowne hypocrisie covetousnesse perfâ—â—ctorinesse and formality in Gods service Give not way to a heartlesse neglect of the use of Gods holy ordinances reading prayer fasting private humiliation for this is the fore-runner to some fearefull sinne or fiery temptation to some heavie judgement or dangerous apostasie Seeke not thy selfe in any of thy actions Looke to thy repentance that it bee sincere universall constant from the heart root for all sinne Incorporate thy selfe into the Communion of Saints be intimate onely with them such an holy and humble majesty is in their carriage such a deale of heaven is in their countenances such spirituall ravishments is in their hearts such grace and powerful piercings in their speeches such zeale and hearty melting is in their prayers that they cannot but worke upon thy heart if thou converse with them Looke well to thy carriage that thou leave not an ill savour behinde thee in any company Wait for occasions to doe good Act. 26. 28. In bad company give them apparent signes of thy dislike Unlesse you give some kinde of reall or verball reproofe they will be hardned Often withdraw your selfe apart imparting unto God your griefes wants desires Walke with God on the top of Mount Tabor once a day Prayer in secret will bee unto thee an unspeakeable comfort a testimony that thou art not left to thy selfe if words will not come sigh God heares the sighing of his servants if thou canst not sigh breath God hath an care for that thou hast heard my voyce hide not thine eare at my breathing at my cry yea speake with thy countenance be humbled for thy unfitnesse dulnesse c. Then wee pray most happily when wee arise from prayer most humbled After prayer thou shalt carry thy selfe in thy vocation with much more zeale and standing thus upright with God thou wilt not feare the world thou shalt have rest and peace within what ever stirres bee without Have a speciall eve to a sincere constant and fruitfull performance of holy duties take heed of customarinesse and Formality which cuts out the heart and drawes the very life-blood from them Strive by all meanes for attainment of what thou prayest for by all occasions helpes and heavenly offers Be diligent in thy personall employments and take heed of idlenesse 2 Have an eye to Gods glory in all thy undertakings 3 Goe about earthly busines with an heavenly mind 4 Let not any unrighteous gaine entice thee to sinne or belime thee 5 Set not thy delight
on any earthly thing for nothing brings true content to the soule but God Delight thy selfe in him this will both purifie thy heart and assure it before God In thy carnall delight there are or may be losse of crosses in curses for them They are broken cisternes In the end of every day aske thy selfe What have I done What have I done amisse What have I left undone Thus summe up thy accounts and make all streight twixt God and thee Keepe a Catalogue of all thy g 〈…〉 knowne sinnes nor balking any but dealing truely with thy selfe and then falling downe on thy knees disburden thy conscience of them by humble confession to God carrying this thy owne inditement and spreading it before the Lord and pleading guilty drag thy sinfull lusts to the crosse of thy Saviour and there crucifie them 2 Pray for a soft and tender heart as for life Lord thou hast promised to take out the heart of stone to give an heart of flesh 3 Get the particular promises which thou desirest to have fulfilled to thy soule without booke yea into thy heart as well as thy head Mr. Byfield Mr. GEORGE FLETCHER in Christs victory and triumph pag. 50. VVHo is it sees not that he nothing is But he that nothing sees what vveker brest Since Adams armour faild dares warrant his That made by God of all his creatures best Straite made himselfe the worst of all the rest If any strength we have it is to ill But all the good is Gods both povv'r and vvill The dead man cannot rise though he himselfe may kill Mr. QVARLES Historie of SAMPSON Medit. 21. LOrd if our Father Adam could not stay In his upright perfection one poore day How can it be expected we have povver To hold out siege one scruple of an houre Our armes are bound vvith too unequall bands We cannot strive vve cannot loose our hands Great Nazarite avvake and looke upon us Make haste to helpe the Philistims are on us Medit. 22. ibid. Lord shouldst thou punish every part in me That does offend what member would be free Each member acts his part they never lin Vntill they joyne and make a body of sinne Make sinne my burthen let it never please me And thou hast promis'd when I come to ease me Medit. 19. idem ibid. Thou great Chirurgion of a bleeding soule Whose soveraigne balme is able to make whole The deepest wound thy sacred salve is sure We cannot bleed so fast as thou canst cure Heale thou our wounds that having salv'd the sore Our hearts may feare and learne to sinne no more And let our hands be strangers to those knives That wound not fingers only but our lives Some particular formes of PRAYER 1. For the Sacrament of the LORDS Supper WOnderfull art thou O Lord in all thy works towards the sons of men but more especially wonderfull in that great worke of our redemption by the death of thy Son Hadst thou left us to have perished in that estate of damnation into which wee desperately had implunged our selves by the wilfull disobedience of our first parents it had beene but just with thee so to have done for wee were the clay thou wast our Potter and we all are the work of thine owne hands and hadst thou taken no delight in us to doe us good thou mightest easily have made us dishonourable vessels of thy wrath as well as thou didst the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their owne habitation whom thou hast reserved in everlasting chaines under darkenesse under the judgement of the great day But thou in love to our soules wouldest not that wee should perish and therefore out of thine own incomprehensible wisedome foundest out a meanes of rasoming and redeeming man from hell by causing thine own sonne God equall for ever with thy blessed selfe to bee made sinne for us that so wee might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree and the more to confirme us in the assured hope of everlasting salvation which he once purchased for us by his bloody passion did institute for his Church the blessed Sacrament of his body and blood in which I see him againe crucified and freshly bleeding before mine eyes in the outward elements of bread and wine which he hath appointed to bee often celebrated in remembrance of him Blessed bee thy holy name therefore my daily sinnes have made mee unworthy of daily bread much more of this bread of life yet seeing thou callest and invitest mee at this time to the Supper of the Lambe to eate of that Manna that came down from heaven to partake of those divine mysteries O let not mee suffer my selfe to bee needlesly detained from so blessed a feast by any pretended occasions whatsoever as those did that made excuses and set light by their invitation to the marriage of the Kings sonne Math. 22. 5. left thou sweare in thy wrath that I shall never taste of thy Supper nor enter into that rest which my Saviour is gone to prepare for thy beloved ones For if those in the law that did neglect to eate the Passeover and to worship at Hierusalem at the times appoynted were to bee cut off from the number of thy people of how much sorer punishment shall I bee worthy if I refuse to partake in thy blessed Sacrament and neglect so great salvation which thou tenderest unto mee hereby O therefore make me to come as a guest invited comming prepared unto thy table having on my wedding garment because thou thy selfe the great master of this feast art present in the assembly eying and observing thy guests Let mee therefore first wash my hands in innocencie my heart from wickednesse and so compasse thine Altar O Lord that seeing Christ my Passeover is sacrificed for mee I may purge out the old leaven and become a new lumpe keeping this feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth feeding on him with the sowre herbes of godly sorrow and unfained repentance for all my former sins O make the very remembrance of them to be grievous and the burthen of them intollerable unto mee O wash mee Lord wash mee not onely the feete but even the hands also and the head for I am uncleane I am uncleane a very Leper a sinke of sinne whom thou mighest shut out of the congregation of thy people for ever but yet O Lord if thou wilt thou canst make mee cleane Thy blood O sweet Iesus is able to cleanse more throughly than the waters of Iordan did Naomans leprosie and to wash away all my pollutions and make my Ethiopian skin my leopards spots to be white as snow in Salmon Now the good Lord pardon me and every one that prepareth himselfe to seeke thee in the truth of his heart though wee bee not cleansed and prepared according to that exact purification of thy Sanctuary O Lord make me to search
and try my wayes to looke backe upon all the ungodly actions and aberrations of my fore-past life to view my sinne-deformed soule in the cleare glasse of thy undefiled â—aw that so I may judge and abhorre my selfe in dust and ashes and bee still more vile in mine owne esteeme make me to examine my selfe and so eate of that bread and drinke of that cup knowing that if I eate and drinke thereof unworthily I eate and drinke damnation to my selfe because I discerne not the Lords body Teach mee to try my selfe whether I be in the faith or no for without faith it is impossible to please thee in any service T is my faith in the death of my Saviour that is the hand and mouth by which I must apply him and make him mine in this Sacrament Assure me by these broad seales annexed to the covenant of grace and letters patents of thy holy word that thou wilt make good what thou hast promised that as thou hast called Ho every one that thirsteth come to the waters so thou wilt refresh this my gasping and thirsting soule as thou callest all that be weary and heavie laden to come unto thee so thou wilt in no wise send mee empty away that cast my selfe into the bleeding armes of my dying Saviour Perswade my unbeleeving and doubting heart that as thy Minister taketh and blesseth and breaketh and poureth out and giveth and saith Take and eate the bread take and drinke the wine of the Sacrament so thou from everlasting hast separated consecrated and ordained Iesus Christ to be a Sacrifice for my sinnes hast poured out his blood to be a satisfaction to thy offended justice for my sinfull soule and that hereby I shall continue in communion with him my head and his mysticall body my fellow members Thy flesh O sweet Saviour is meate indeed and thy blood is drinke indeed O let me I beseeth thee find it so in my fainting soule that I may bee ravished with thy love that I may taste and see how gracious the Lord is and find thy free promises and pledges of thy grace to bee better than wine sweeter also than the honey and the honey combe Let thy holy spirit set to his privie seale on my heart inwardly by the secret and sweet refreshment of his blessed testimonie that I am my well beloveds and my well beloved is mine establishing my heart in thy love and knitting my soule unto thee for ever O draw me and I shall run after thee shew me the light of thy countenance and I shall bee saved And Lord make mee to love my brethren as thou hast loved me yea to love my very enemies for thy names sake reconciling my selfe to those whom I have offended following peace with all men and forgiving them their hundred pence as thou hast freely forgiven me my ten thousand talents Vouchsafe me this aud all other graces which may fit mee for thy service in thy kingdome of grace and prepare mee for the enjoyment of everlasting glory through my Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Amen After the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper O Lord what shall I render unto thee for all the benefits which thou hast bestowed upon mee and daily ladest mee withall a most unworthy sinner how shall I bee sufficiently thankefull unto thee for them when they bee more than I can reckon up unto thee more then my heart is able to conceive or comprehend Should I offer up unto thee thousands of rams or ten thousand rivers of oyle they all would come farre short of thy most free eternall undeserved infinite love Lebanon it selfe is not sufficient for wood nor the beasts upon a thousand hils for a burnt offering What shall I then doe unto thee O thou Preserver of men or what recompence shall I make thee I will even take the cup of salvation and give thankes to thy name O Lord. I will offer up my soule and body for a holy living and acceptable sacrifice unto thee this will please thee better than bullocke that hath hornes and hoofes Thou O Lord in the beginning didst make mee to bee when I was not before and when I had lost my selfe and forfeited my being and life and happinesse didst in Christ restore mee to a more blessed estate than at my Primitive integrity Thou thy selfe art become my Father thy sonne my Saviour thy holy Spirit my Sanctifier thy word my Instructor thy Sacraments the food to refresh satisfie and feed my poore hungry soule to everlasting life This day thou hast called me to thy holy Mountaine and made me joyfull in thy house of prayer this day hast thou invited me to sit downe at thy table and made unto mee a feast of fat things full of marrow a feast of wines on the lees well refined thou hast abundantly satisfied me with the fâ—â—nesse of thy house and hast made mee to drinke of the river of thy pleasures Blessed bee thy glorious name for ever and ever which is above all thankesgiving and prayse of mine O that I could bee indeed thankefull unto thee as thou art gracious unto me If I should open my mouth never so wide thou wouldest fill it thy favours to my poore soule are more than all tongues of men and Angels can worthily magnifie And now O Lord accept I beseech thee the free will-offering of thy servant that desires to feare thy name and to make a covenant with thee never to bee broken that my soule shall cleave close unto thee and avouch thee this day to bee my God and Saviour for ever more Here I doe resigne myselfe soule and body all that is in me and all that belongs unto me to bee wholly thine and that I will never wickedly depart from thee my God as I have done O that my wayes were so directed that I might keepe thy commandements alway Never let mee with the disgorged dog returne any more to my former vomit nor with the washed sow to wallow in the mire but as I have now washed my feete so suffer mee no more againe to defile them as I have put off the filthy rags of my old conversation so I may never againe put them on but become a new creature That seeing the expiation of my sins cost my Saviour so deare as the shedding of his precious blood and that thy wrath lay so heavie upon him who was our suretie onely being innocent in himselfe I may hence conceive how heinous a thing sinne is how abhorred by thee and so hate it in my selfe with a perfect hatred and resist it even to blood and not crucifie againe hereby the Lord of life and glory O make mee thankefully to remember that bitter passion of his and thy love O Father unto mee in that thou hast accepted mee to life in him and hast brought salvation this day home to my house to my heart Lord enter in abide with and dwell in my soule for ever Take not
thy holy spirit from mee make mee one with Christ my head flesh of his flesh bone of his bone make mee one with the mysticall body of thine Elect that I may have my part in the prayers of the Church in the Communion of Saints here on earth in the kingdome of grace and may enjoy thee and them face to face and sit downe and eat and drinke with thee in thy kingdome of glory Amen For the Sacrament of Baptisme O Lord our God the great the mighty and the terrible God who keepest covenant and mercy with all them that feare thy name and trust upon thee even to a thousand generations thou hast promised to bee our God and the God of our seed to enter into covenant with us that wee should bee thine O Lord I come to thy throne of grace at this time to lay claime to my interest in that new covenant sealed unto thy Church in the blood of Iesus that thou wouldst performe the same unto mee and mine also hast not thou said thou wilt circumcise mine heart and the heart of my seed to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soule that thou wilt put thy Law in our inward parts and write it in our hearts and that thou wilt bee our God and wee shall bee thy people that thou wilt forgive our injquity and wilt remember our sinne no more O Lord hast thou said it and wilt not thou also doe it By faith I plead my interest thereunto not for my selfe alone but for mine also with whom I beseech thee to make an everlasting covenant of life and peace that being baptized into Iesus Christ they may bee sanctified and cleansed with the washing of water by the word O Lord wee are all borne the children of wrath and there is no way for us to escape the damnation of hell except wee bee borne againe of water and of the Spirit O Lord doe thou sprinkle cleane water upon us wash away the filth of Zion and purge the blood of Ierusalem from the midst thereof Baptize us with the Holy Ghost that having our hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and our bodies washed with pure water wee may bee new creatures fit to bee an habitation of God through the spirit O blessed be thy goodnesse for ever which hast given us this seale of thy rich promise this is that Arke in and through which thou savest thine Elect thou dalliest not with us herein it is no idle ceremonie thou art present in thy own ordinance to fulfill that which thou hast promised O wash our soules with the baptisme of Repentance as thou doest our bodies with the outward element of water Let the vertue of Christs death kill sinne in us for how shall wee that are buried with Christ by baptisme and thereby dead to sinne live yet therein Doe not wee herein vow to forsake the Devill the Pomps and vanities of this wicked world and all the sinfull lusts of the flesh and shal we break our vow transgresse the covenant O let this be far from us teach us therefore to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts deliver us from every evill worke that we may serve the living God Sprinkle cleane water upon us that we may bee cleane from our naturall filthinesse and from all our uncleannesses Wash us O wash us throughly from our iniquities and cleanse us from our sinnes Make our hearts to be stedfast in thy love and never to forget this covenant of our God thy mercie doe thou keepe for us and ours for evermore and let thy covenant stand fast with us and bee established for ever as the Moone and as a faithfull witnesse in heaven And as thou hast thus brought us into the bond of the covenant so let us never depart from thee Bee thou unto us a God and let us be thy people for evermore even till thou bringest us unto Mount Sion and to the Citie of the living God the heavenly Ierusalem and to an inumerable company of Angels to the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in heaven and to God the judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediatour of the new covenant and to the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better than that of Abel Make me to be thine my self be thou my Father and make me to be thy Sonne for if the first fruit be holy the lumpe also shall be holy and if the roote be holy so also shall the branches bee This mercie I beg of thee in his name merits and mediation out of whose pierced side issued forth water and bloud for the sanctifying and justifying of thine Elect. To whom with thee and the Holy Spirit be all glory service thanksgiving and dominion through all the Churches of the Saints for ever Amen For Regeneration Sanctification and grace to serve God O Lord thou God of truth who hast sworne in thy faithfulnesse that as thou livest thou hast no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that hee should turne from his way and live and therefore commandest thy people saying Turne ye turne ye from your evill wayes for why will ye dye O house of Israel and hast enjoyned that I should wash me and make me cleane put away the evill of my doings from before thine eyes promising moreover that though my sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as Snow though they bee red like crimson they shall be as wooll I that am a wicked and miserable caitiffe a sinner before the Lord exceedingly even as the men of Sodome that have done abominable workes and denied the God that is above wilfully sinning after I had received the knowledge of the truth and treading under foote the Sonne of God counting the bloud of the covenant wherewith I was sanctified an unholy thing and having done deâ—piâ—e to the spirit of grace O Lord even out of the deepes doe I call unto thee for helpe yea out of the belly of hell doe I earnestly cry for thy mercie O cast not out my prayer Though mine iniquities be more than the haires of my head my transgressions heavier than the sand yet is there forgivenesse with thee and although my sinnes have reached up to heaven yet thy mercie is above the heavens mine are at the most but the sinnes of a man but thine at the least are the mercies of an infinite God yea thou hast the relenting bowells of a most tender Father O spread the robe of thy Sonnes righteousnesse over me that so thou mayest not behold my nakednesse cloath me with the garments of his salvation say unto my soule Live cause breath to enter into my dry bones lay sinewes upon them and bring flesh upon them and cover them with skinne that I may know that thou art the Lord. And albeit I be dead in trespasses and sinnes yet open my grave and cause me
to come out of it yea though with Lazarus I stinke already yet roll away the stone and speake thou by thy all-powerfull word and I shall come forth and live O purge my conscience from dead workes redeeme mee from death ransome me from power of the grave and though I be lesse than the least of all Saints lesse than the least of all thy mercies yet make me a prisoner of hope and by the bloud of thy covenant send forth my soule out of the pit wherein is no water Wash my robes and make them white in the bloud of the Lambe Create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Make thy word to be unto me like a refiners fire and like fullers sope cleansing me from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit that so I may be meete to be a partaker of the inheritance of the Saints in light not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but holy and without blemish the sonne of thy love through Christ Thou hast promised that if I returne unto thee thou wilt receive me and that if I seek thee early I shall finde thee that thou wilt have mercie upon me and wilt abundantly pardon all my sinnes heale my backeslidings and love me freely O Lord it is not sinne in the highest degree when it is out of measure sinfull and is come to the full that can hinder the Sunne of righteousnesse from arising with healing in his wings on any humbled soule no for where Sinne abounded Grace doth much more superabound and where shall or can the skill of thee our heavenly Physician be so much seene so much adored and magnified as in healing a poore soule weltring and wallowing in its bloud and desperately wounded unto everlasting death O speake thou the word and my soule shall live Subdue mine iniquities and cast all my sinnes into the depths of the Sea O redeeme me from my former vaine conversation that I may renounce the hidden things of dishonesty turne thou mee and I shall be turned betroth my soule unto thee in faithfulnesse make with me a covenant of peace And because no man can come to thee except the father which sent thee draw him O draw me and I will run after thee open my blinde eyes say Epphata to my deafe eares touch my lips with a coale from thy Altar that my iniquity may bee taken away and my sinne purged then shall my lame feet leape as an Hart and my dumbe tongue shall sing forth thy praise A new heart doe thou also give me and a new spirit doe thou put within me and take away the stony heart out of the midst of me and bestow upon me an heart of flesh and put thy spirit within mee as thou hast promised and cause me to walke in thy statutes and to keepe thy judgements and doe them And for the time to come Lord make me more zealous of thy glory more profitable in wayes of my calling more carefull to doe and receive all possible good that I can Alas I have beene a barren tree thou hast planted mee neere the rivers of water hast digged about me and taken much paines with me but I am still unfruitfull thy glory is not so deare unto me as it ought to be nor is my owne salvation or the edification of others so sincerely indevoured by me as was meet O turne me into another man circumcise the foreskinne of my heart let the time past of my life suffice to have served and live in sinne Give mee grace now in this my day to know the things that belong to my peace to make use of this time of my visitation to lay hold on eternall life to take the kingdome of heaven by violence now thou standest at the doore and knockest O let me open unto thee that thou mayest enter in and sup with me Give mee grace to worke out my salvation with feare and trembling to bee often in calling upon thee in prayer and lifting mine eyes up to the hills from whence both pardon of sinne and power over sinne must bee expected Make mee often search and trye my wayes and examine my selfe whether I be in the faith or no. Now I beseech thee to heare me and helpe me doe away the iniquity of thy servant cover my transgressions and let my sinnes bee blotted out from before thee for the Lord Iesus Christs sake Amen Amen Some particular formes of PRAYER For the English Colonies and Plantations in New-England Virginia c. O Most high God Possessor of heaven and earth the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the habitation of thy holinesse and of thy glory by thee the Mountaines were brought forth and thou hast formed the earth and the would and hast given it to the children of men for a possession And by thy word of blessing hast commanded man to encrease and multiply and replenish the face of the earth We in this nation have found thy gracious Providence over us in thy continuall protection and preservation for thou hast strengthned the bars of our gates and blessed our children within us thou hast set peace in our borders and hast abundantly given us blessings of the brest and of the wombe insomuch that wee are exceedingly multiplyed so that the place where wee dwell is too narrow for us for our seed is become as the sand and the offspring of our bowels as the gravell thereof And now O Lord thou of thy good providence hast espied out for us an exceeding good land watred with the dew of heaven from above blessed with the farnesse of the earth from beneath and hast made roome for us to bee planted therein that wee who are growne into so great a nation and are thronged at home may swarme out and bee gathered thither for the glory of thy great name the honour of this Kingdome and the further enlargement of our Kings dominions O let their designe be holinesse to the Lord honour and wealth to our nation and enlargement also to the kingdome of thy Christ who are transplanted into those remoter parts of the world Build a place of rest for thy tabernacle among them that the heathen that have not knowne thee and the families that have not called on thy name may by this meanes bee delivered from the power of darkenesse and translated into the kingdome of thy deare sonne Bee thou a wall of fire round about our people and a little Sanctuary unto them Let no sonne of wickednesse approach neere to hurt them build them up into a nation there plant them and make them to dwell in safety Let no seditious Sheba be author of faction or schisme among them And as thou causest the Sun to arise upon all the earth so that nothing is hid from the heate thereof so leâ— there bee no speech nor language where the voyce
to come Amen A Prayer for a Trades-man Merchant c. O Lord the righteous God that triest the reines and the heart thou lovest truth in the inward parts and hast commanded all those that call upon thy name to depart from iniquity and to put away lying speaking the truth from his heart every man unto his neighbour not using false weights deceitfull ballances or unjust measures and wouldest that no man should goe beyond and defraud his brother in any matter because that the Lord is the avenger of all such O Lord the heart of man is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked and in nothing more discovers it selfe than in the gaine of unrighteousnesse The love of money is the roote of all evill which while some have coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrowes Thus in buying and selling and trading with each other so they may lade themselves with thicke clay they care not to load their consciences with heavie Sinne. Thus it often is as with the buyer so with the seller 'T is naught 't is naught saith the buyer but when he is gone his way he boasteth and how many severall tricks of deceit and sleights there are practised by the cunning craftinesse of men that lye in waite to deceive which the false and dissembling heart of man is guilty of thou onely knowest who searchest the heart and tryest the reines and wilt one day bring to light the hidden things of dishonesty and darknesse so that as a naile sticketh fast betweene the joyning of stones so doth Sinne sticke close betweene buying and selling O Lord what shall it profit me to win the whole world and to lose mine owne soule could I rejoyce because my wealth was great or because my hand had gotten much If I should get my house full of silver and gold heaping up silver as dust and fine gold as the mire in the streets or prepare rayment as the clay being filled with all precious and pleasant riches yet thou that hatest false ballances and the bag of deceitfull weights canst blow upon all my substance that it shall melt away by thy blast it would perish a fire not blowne should consume it suddenly thou couldst make my riches to take them wings and fly away as an Eagle towards heaven to vanish as a dreame and not bee found or chased away as a vision of the night And thou hast in thy assured mee that hee that getteth riches and not by right shall leave them in the midst of his dayes and at his end shall bee a foole and howsoever bread of deceit may bee sweet to a man yet afterwards his mouth shall bee filled with gravell O let mee never be given over to that reprobate mind supposing that gaine iâ— godlinesse Let mee not grind the face of my brother or pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poore making the Ephah small and the shekell great and falsifying the ballances by deceit Never let me bee so greedy of gaine that in the seeking thereof I should enlarge my desire as hell or as death that cannot be satisfied O make me to hate and take heed of guile Let not my soule bee poysoned with the mammon of unrighteousnesse that I should by lying and fraud obtrude bad wares on the men I trade withall for hereby I should take the name of my God in vaine and cause thy Gospell to bee evill spoken of Wicked ballances and the bag of deceitfull weights are an abomination unto thee and much better will a dry morsell be or a dinner of greene herbes gotten by honest dealing then a stalled Oxe by coozening and deceit Godlinesse with contentment is great gaine but they that will bee rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drowne men in destruction and perdition O Lord faith and a good conscience are speciall jewels a precious treasure Let not mee make shipwracke of them for every trifle how ever prophane and godlesse men may disesteeme them they are not to bee valued with the gold of Ophir with the precious Onyx or the Saphire Let mee ever remember that golden rule to doe unto other men as I would they should doe unto me And if by my industry thou doest please to blesse my estate that my riches doe encrease O let me not set my heart upon them making gold my hope or saying to fine gold thou art my confidence or if I shall wax poore and fall into decay through crosses and losses by thy hand of providence and not by mine owne negligence sloth or ill husbandry yet make mee to learne in whatsoever state I am therewith to bee content and may know both how to be abased and how to abound to be full and to bee hungry which grace I beseech thee to grant me for Christ Iesus sake Amen A Servants Prayer MOst holy and great God thou hast commanded servants to be obedient to them which are their masters according to the flesh with feare and trembling in singlenesse of heart as unto Christ not with eye-service as men-pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart Therefore as thy good hand of providence hath placed mee in this condition so I beseech thee give me thy grace that with good will I may doe service as to the Lord and not unto men knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth the same shall hee receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free O teach me therefore first to serve and to feare thee for thy service is perfect freedome thus being the Lords free man I shall no more be a Servant but a Sonne and heire of God through Christ To this end make thy face to shine upon thy servant be thou with me in all that I doe and let the beauty of the Lord my God be upon mee and establish thou the worke of my hands upon me that thy blessing may be upon all that my master hath in the house and in the field make thou a hedge about him and about all that he hath on every side and blesse thou the worke of his hands that his substance may be encreased in the Land And as thou blessedst Laban for Iacobs sake Potiphar for Iosephs sake Obed Edom for the Arkes sake Ahab for Obadiahs sake so also I beseech thee to blesse me and all the things that are under my hand cause thy blessing to rest in my masters house prevent him daily with blessings of goodnesse that he may learne by experience that thou Lord hast blessed him since my comming O make mee a faithfull and a wise servant as Eliezer unto Abraham that if my master commit his goods into my hand and make me ruler over his houshold to appoint them their worke to give them their meate in due season I may with all my power serve him therein not eating the bread of
idlenesse nor brawling nor quarrelling with my fellow servants but make me to be peaceable gentle easie to bee intreated Let me not be sloathfull in businesse or indammage my master by my neglect but desirous to promote his good and to please him in all things not answering againe not purloyning but shewing all good fidelity that I may adorne the doctrine of God my Saviour in all things And though my master should become a hard man and should make my life bitter with sore bondage making me serve with rigor yea though he make me a hewer of wood or drawer of water or imploy me even to the basest offices yet let not my proud heart swell and repine hereat Grant that I may submit my selfe under his hand not onely when hee is good and gentle but also when he is froward even when I am buâ—feted for my faults remembring my blessed Saviour that tooke on him the forme of a servant who though he was our Lord and Master yet willingly gave himselfe an example and patterne of all patience and humility And although with One simus I have beene sometimes unfaithfull and unprofitable heretofore yet make me profitable to my master for the time to come that he may receive me not now as a servant but above a servant never suffer me like Iudas in a religious family to be ungodly to betray my master or bewray his secrets nor a lying covetous and dissembling servant as Gehezi nor as Ziba slandering my master but counting him worthy of all honour that he being a beleever I may not despise him because he is a brother but rather doe him service because he is faithfull and beloved pertaker of the benefit of thy Sons redemption Let my behaviour be as becommeth holinesse grant that with patience I may beare his threatnings chidings revilings because thou hast taught mee that a soft tongue breaketh the bones Make mee wisely to forbeare and in my patience to possesse my soule referring all my wrongs and injuries to thee though he should not doe unto mee that which is just and equall knowing that even hee also hath a Master in heaven neither is there respect of persons with thee O Lord I beseech thee let now thy eare bee attentive to the prayer of mee thy servant who desires to feare thy name and prosper I pray thee thy servant this day and grant me grace instantly to serve thee that so thou who hast the hearts of all men in thy hands as the rivers of water maist give me favour in the sight of my master that my worke and labour may bee accepted O Lord I beseech thee free me from sinne that I may become a servant of righteousnesse â— alasse I have made thee too long to serve with my sinnes I have wearied thee with mine iniquities pardon I pray thee all my transgressions and enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight no flesh living shall bee justified let mee not henceforth serve sinne any longer but grant that I may serve thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of my life Amen Lord Iesus Amen A thankesgiving to our Saviour Iesus Christ MOst loving Lord and blessed Saviour the mighty God everlasting Father Prince of peace and life the rocke of my salvation the fountaine opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for uncleannesse the Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world who now art set downe at the right hand of the Majestie on high and yet hast respect unto thy poore members here on earth O Lord heare O Lord forgive O Lord accept the groanings of my humbled soule which followeth â—aâ—d after thee which thirsteth longeth for thee in a dry and barren land where no water is O my sweet Saviour very loving hast thou beene to me thy love to me was wonderfull passing the love of women at the which so infinit so unconceivable unchangable everlasting and undeserved love of thine to me a miserable sinner the very Angels stand amazed desiring to prie into the mysterie of thy incarnation and admire to see thee the brightnesse of thy Fathers glory and the expresse image of his person assuming a nature inferiour to theirs who though thou wert Lord of Lords King of Kings the image of the invisible God the first borne of every creature heire appointed of all things by whom also the worlds were made yet tookest upon thee the forme of a servant and wast made in the likenesse of men being delivered to death for my sinnes and made a curse for mee Was there ever love like this love of thine that one should dy for his enemies from the beginning of the world was it ever heard before that God should become man to save man from the wrath of God due to mans sinne But thou art that good Shepherd that givest thy life for thy Sheepe and thou hast loved me and washed me from my sinnes in thy owne bloud and delivered me from the wrath to come O Lord Iesus Christ thou thou onely art the hope of Israel the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee without thee and out of thee there is nothing amiable worthy the setting my heart upon Let the world love it selfe let men be Idolaters of their owne concupiscences of their goods lives wisedome reputation c but cause thou me to forsake and to hate all things for thee and to count them dung that I may winne Christ Let my heart take no greater pleasure than to see thee glorified in the world and enthronized in my owne soule Thou art my portion for ever hee whom my soule loveth whose love to mee is better than wine the Lord my righteousnesse Who shall now lay any thing to the charge of thine Elect seeing thou dost justifie who can condemne I desire to know nothing but thee crucified to love nothing more than thy sacred selfe I desire onely to be found in thee not having mine owne righteousnesse which indeed is none but to bee clad with the garments of thy salvation O sweet Iesus spread thy skirt over me for thou art my neere kinsman true Immanuel God with us God for us Never I beseech thee suffer me to bee unmindfull of unthankfull for that wonder of all thy wondrous workes my eternall redemption and salvation by thy precious bloud Order my conversation aright to the pleasing of thee in all my desires thoughts words actions that I may not henceforth live to my selfe but unto thee which hast dyed for mee and rose againe Guide mee Lord with thy counsell whiles I live on earth and afterward receive me to thy glory Amen A thankesgiving to God for his wonderfull deliverance of our King and state from the Gun-powder Treason Novem. 5. 1605. LOrd God Almighty glorious in holinesse working wonders alway for thy poore Church and in
2. Surely there will bee wrath upon us from the Lord for so doing 2 Wicked men are Sonnes of Belial 1 Sam. 2. 12. of their father the Devill Ioh. 8. 44. servants of â—inne Rom. 6. 20. now the Godly are borne of God Sons of God 1 Ioh. 3. 9. heires of God Gal. 4. 7. the servants of God 1 Pet. 2. 16. who have fellowship with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ 1 Ioh. 1. 3. and shall such keepe company with prophane wretches uncircumcised in the heart Ier. 9. 26. 3 Wicked men are of the Synagogue of Satan Rev. 3. 9 the Godly are the Temple of the living God 2 Cor. 6. 16. of the houshold of Faith Gal. 6. 10. Besides the Godly feare the Lord and thinke upon his name Malch 3. 16. Wicked men forget God neither is God in all their thoughts their 's are the paths of all that forget God Iob. 8. 13. 4 What communion hath light with darkenesse now wicked men walke in darkenesse 1 Ioh. 1. 6. nay are darknesse Ephe. 5. 8. But the Godly are light in the Lord 1 Thes 5. 5. yee are all the children of the light Againe Godly men are Wise men Math. 7. 24. wicked men Fooles Psalm 14. 1. and what credit shall a Wise man have by keeping Fooles company 5 What should living men doe among the dead Luk. 24. 5. why seeke yee the living among the dead None but Lâ—gion a mad man possessed of the Devill lived among the tombes But all ungodly men are dead in trespasses and sinnes Ephe. 2. 1. Dead while they live 1 Tim. 5. 6. yea they seeke death Pro. 21. 6. Now the Godly are quickened together with Christ Eph. 2. 5. and therefore should arise from the dead Eph. 5. 14. Vse Exhort Therefore have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse all yee that know righteousnesse the people in whose heart is Gods law order your conversation aright and walke worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing behave your selves holily justly and unblameably say with David Psal 139 â—2 Doe not I hate them that hate thee O Lord And as inducements Feare lest ye perish in the sinnes of the ungodly men and partake of their Plagues for consider I pray that among prophane ungodly men the best of them are as a Bryer and the most upright of them are like a thorne hedge Bryers and Thornes bee with thee and thou dwellest among scorpions a generation of vipers that will sting the conscience scratch and teare your flesh 2 Wicked men pervert their wayes are out of the way but the Godly walke in the way of the Lord they walke with God their faces are to Zion-ward what then should they doe in such company as turne their backs on heaven they have turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord and turned their backs 2 Chr. 29. 6. 3 Consider your owne dignity you are Saints on earth and excellent Psal 16. 3. Gods jewells Mal. 3. 17. wicked men make themselves vile very swine dogs that love the myre 2 Pet. 2. 22. 4 The Godly are trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord wicked men are roots that beare gall and wormwood Deut. 29. 18. 5 The shame and discredit will light on your selfe If you follow vaine persons you will get to your selfe a blot Prov. 9. 7. It s a shame for Christs Spouse whom he hath married to himselfe Hos 9. 1. to keepe strumpets company they are a wicked and adulterous generation Math. 12. 39. that goe a whoriug from the Lord Psal 37. 24. and will you associate your selfe with such This for a taste I meant not to handle the Point exactly but only to point to a way in which there may be use of these Phrases for who seeth not that Reasons Uses Motives Meanes Marks c. may from hence as a Sacrum pena be drawne which have a speciall weight Emphasis and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in them surely the Spirit and blessing of God goes along with his Word even those expressions which it pleased the Holy Ghost to utter himselfe in at the first carry with them an heate and warmth to the soule of a beleever And why may not the most able memorie and best versed in Scripture be helped hereby to find readily some apt expressions which memorie could not command presently What disparagement to any mans Prayers Meditations Exhortations to have a helpe at hand In the time of Pestilence thou mayest thus order thy complaint and meditate RIghteous art thou O Lord Head God Scripture Ier. 12. 1. when I plead with thee yet let mee who am but dust Scripture Gen. 18. 27. and ashes talk with thee of thy judgements Wherefore hast thou shewed Head Man Scripture Esal 60. 3 thy people hard things and made us to drinke the wine of astonishment why hast thou smitten Scripture Ier. 14. 19. Head Afflict and there is no healing for us why doth thine anger Scripture Psal 74 1. smoake against the sheepe of thy pasture All joy is Scripture Isai 24. 11. Head Plague darkned the mirth of the land is gone all the merry-hearted Scripture 7 doe sigh weep and howle Scripture Iam. 5. 1. Head Mourne for the miseries that are come upon us Scripture Psal 83. 15. for thou persecutest us with thy tempest and makeâ—â— us afraid with thy stormes The arrowes of the Scripture Iob 6. 4. Almiâ—hty are within us the poyson whereof drinketh Head Afflict up our spirits the terrours of God do set themselves in array against us For Loe Death is come up Head Pestilence Scripture Ier. 9. 21. into our windowes and is entred into our palaces to cut off the children from without and the young men from the streets thy anger Scripture Deut. 29. 20 and thy jealousie smoake against us and thou hast Scripture 21 separated us unto evill there is a Head Plagues Scripture 1 Sam. 5. 11 deadly destruction throughout all the Citie and Country the hand of the Lord is very heavie there upon us The Scripture 1 Chr. 21. 12. Sword of the Lord even the Pestilencefills all places with Scripture Psal 110. 6. the dead bodies Head Slay the carkeises of men Scripture Ier 9. 21 fall as dung upon the open held the valliant men are swept Scripture Ier. 46. 15. away and thou Scripture Rev. 2. 23. hast killed our children with death O thou Sword of Scripture Ier. 47. 6. the Lord how long will it be ere thou be quiet put up thy Head Peace selfe into thy Scabberd rest and bee still Surely for the Scripture Ier. 13. 22. greatnesse of our iniquities Head Plague our skirts are discovered and our heeles made bare Our transgressions Scripture Ezek. 33. 10 and our Head Sinne. sinnes bee upon us and wee pine away in them how should we then live We are a people that Scripture Isai 65. 3. provoke thee continually Scripture Psal 78. 8. a generation that set not our heart aright and Head
herein Was not thy servant Moses a very meeke man above all the men that were on the earth Doth not my blessed Saviour command mee to learne of â—iâ— who was meeke and lowly in heart he was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth he was led as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a sheepe before her sherer he was dumb and can all the indignities offered to me be comparable to all those shamefull spittings and revilings that he for my sake was exposed unto alasse no. O teach me therefore to bring downe my swelling and proud heart to suffer patiently for his sake the servant of God must not strive but be patient toward all men why doe I not then rather take wrong and suffer injury why doe I not take up my Crosse daily and follow him that endured such contradiction of sinners Labouring for A meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price but hee that is soone angry dealeth foolishly O make mee therefore wise in watching over mine owne heart in keeping downe mine owne unmortified spirit to restraine my mouth with a bridle seeing the discretion of a man deferreth his anger and it is his glory to passe over a transgression vouchsafe mee thy grace for Iesus Christ his sake To whom with thee and c Against Apostacie and Backsliding in religion O Lord my God never I beseech thee let there be in me an evill heart of unbeliefe to depart from thee the living God let mee never be of the number of them that draw back unto perdition leaving my first love casting off my first faith to embrace this present world or to enjoy the pleasures of sin which are but for a season O Lord though some fall away and are already turned after Satan even denying the Lord that bought them and so bring upon themselves swift destruction yet doe thou please so to establish my heart with grace that I may continue to the end in that good way in which I have begun let mee not leave the pathes of righteousnesse to walke againe in the wayes of darkenesse or with the dog returne to my former vomit and with the sow that was washed to my wallowing in the mire O Lord there is in me by nature a revolting and rebellious heart I am bent to backsliding from thee unlesse thou doe draw me I shall settle and lag O teach mee to looke to my selfe to keepe my heart with all diligence that I lose not those things which I have wrought but that I may receive a full reward make mee to run with patience the race that is set before me and to be faithfull unto the death that thou maist give me a crowne of life As thou hast given mee a little strength to keepe thy word and not to deny thy name so establish O God the thing that thou hast wrought in me ' â— is he that continueth to the end that shall be saved not he that beginneth well that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh backe O let me hold Faith and a good conscience that my last workes may bee better moe than at first thou art able to keep mee from falling and to preserve me faultlesse before the presence of thy glory with exceeding joy O doe it I beseech thee for thy names sake Even so Lord Iesus Amen See Apostate Backslide Persevere c. in the Scripture phrases Against distrustfull Cares O Lord hast not thou commanded me to cast all my care upon thee because thou carest for me hast not thou said thou wilt never leave me nor for sake me art not thou God all-sufficient Thy Sonne my Saviour hath also bidden mee to take no thought for my life what I shall eate or what I shall drinke nor yet for my body what I should put on Doest not thou feed the fowles of the ayre which sow not neither reape nor gather into barnes By taking thought I cannot adde one cubit unto my stature and thou my heavenly father knowest what things I want what things are best for me and hast promised rather to starve the Lyons than to let thy children want any thing that is good for them O let me believe thy gracious promise to live by Faith to be content with those things that I have yea to receive evill at thy hands as well as good I am yet in better condition to the world-ward than many of thy dearest Saints and now-glorious Martyrs that wandered up and downe in sheepe-skins and goatâ—-skins being destitute afflicted and tormented of whom the world was not worthy yea I have more worldly riches than the Lord of the whole world my blessed Saviour who had not wheron to rest his head who when he was to pay tribute-money had never a penny but sent his Disciple Peter to the Sea to cast in a hooke and to take up the first Fish and there found to supply his present necessitie O let not me expect to be carved to in a better condition than my Lord and Master But to wait on thee my God continually Teach me first to seeke the Kingdome of heaven and the righneousnesse thereof then hast thou promised that all other things shall be added unto me Amen Vid. Care Providence c. For Marriners or Seafaring men c. O Lord the great and dreadfull God which hast placed the sand from the bound of the Sea by a perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it and though the waves thereof tosse themselves yet can they not prevaile though they roare yet can they not passe over it for thou shuttest up the Sea with doores and barres and sayest to the waves hither shall yee come and no further Thou art the hope of all the ends of the earth and of such as abide in the broad Sea wee O Lord whose imployment and calling is in the deepe in this heape of great waters in the midst of the Seas that go down to the Sea in ships and doe businesse in great waters we see thy works and wonders in the deep For thou commandest and raisest the stormie wind which lifteth up the waves thereof We mount up to the heaven we go downe againe to the depths our soule is melted because of trouble wee reele too and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at our wits end O teach us to cry unto thee in our trouble and doe thou bring us out of our distresses make thou we beseech thee the storme a calme that the waves therof may be still and so bring us to the desired haven then shall we praise thee Lord for thy goodnesse and for thy wonderfull works towards the children of men Thou art our refuge and strength a very present helpe in trouble therefore will wee not feare though the earth be removed and though the mountaines be carried into the midst
instructa officina remediorum omnium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coloss 3. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome teaching and admonishing one another in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. A PRAYER gathered out of the PSALMES O Lord that Heaven docst possesse I lift mine eyes to thee Even as the servant lifteth his His masters hands to see Thou the foundations of the earth Before all times hast layde And Lord the heavens are the worke Which thine owne hand hath made Thou Lord I say whose seate is set On Cherâ—bins most bright Shew forth thy selfe and doe not let Send downe thy beames of light Incline thine eare unto my words O Lord my plaint consider And heare my voyce my King my God To thee I make my prayer As incenso let my prayers be Directed in thine eyes And the up-lifting of my hands As evening sacrifice FOr loe my wicked doings Lord Above my head are gone A greater load than I can beare They lye me sore upon O Lord our God if thou shalt weigh Our sinnes and them poruse What one shall then escape and say I can my selfe excuse Thou Lord dost know the thoughts of man His heart thou seest full plaine Thou Lord I say mans thoughts dost scan And find'st them all but vaine The wicked workes that we have wrought Thou seâ—'st before thine eye Our privy faults yea eke our thoughts Thy countenance doth spye Both wee and eke our fathers all Have sinned every one We have committed wickednesse And lewdly we have done Our wicked life so farre exceedes That we should fall therein But Lord forgive our great misdeeds And purge us from our sin IN judgement with thy servants Lord O enter not at all For justified be in thy sight Not one that liveth shall From the beholding of my sinne Lord turne away thy face And all my deedes of wickednesse Doe utterly deface Lord turne thee to thy wonted grace My â—illy soule up take O save me not for my deserts But for thy mercies sake Have mercy on me Lord after Thy great aboundant grace After thy mercies multitude Doe thou my sinnes deface Yea Lord remove our sinnes from us And our offences all As farre as is the Sun rising Full distant from his fall The man is blest whose wickednesse Thou Lord hast cleane remitted And he whose sinne and wickednesse His hid and also covered And blest is he to whom the Lord Imputeth not his sin Which in his heart hath hid no guile Nor fraud is found therein O Lord create in me a heart Vnspotted in thy sight And eke with in my bowels Lord Renew a stable spirit With Hysope Lord besprinkle me I shall be cleansed so Yea wash thou me and so I shall Be whiter than the Snow Of joy and gladnesse make thou me To heare the pleasant voyce That so the bruised bones which thou Hast broken may rejoyce For thy Names sake with quickning grace Alive doe thou me make And out of trouble bring my soule Even for thy justice sake O God my God I watch betime To come to thee in haste For why my soule and body both Doe thirst of thee to taste And in this barren wildernesse Where waters there are none My flesh is parcht for thought of thee For thee I wish alone Direct our hearts unto thy grace Convert us Lord to thee Shew us the brightnesse of thy face And then full safe are we Gods promise I doe minde and praise O Lord I sticke to thee I doe not care at all assayes What flesh can doe to me I still depend with all my heart On thee and thus will say My Father and my God thou art My rocke of health and stay O blest is he whose hope and heart Doth in thee Lord remaine That with the proud doth take no part Nor such as lye and faine My heart doth knowledge unto thee I sue to have thy grace Then seeke my face sayst thou to me Lord I will seeke thy face In wrath turne not thy face away Nor suffer me to slide Thou art my helpe still to this day Be still my God and guide SO grievous is my plaint and moane That I waxe wondrous â—aint All the night long I wash my bed With teares of my complaint Thou seest my sinnes that many be Thou on my teares dost looke Reserve them in a glasse by thee And write them in thy booke Burnt offrings thou delight'st not in I know thy whole desire With sacrifice to purge his sinne Thou dost no man require A troubled spirit is sacrifice Delightfull in Gods eyes A broken and an humble heart God thou wilt not despise Surely with ashes as with bread My hunger I have fill'd And mingled have my drinke with teares That from mine eyes have still'd The Lord is high and yet he doth Behold the lowly sp'rite But he contemning knowes afarre The proud and lofty wight O Would to God it might thee please My wayes so to addresse That I might both in heart and voyce Thy lawes keepe and confesse I have both sworne and will performe Most certainely doubtlesse That I will keepe thy judgements just And them in life expresse Prove me my God I thee desire My wayes to search and try As men doe prove their gold with fire My reines and heart espie O Lord thou hast me tride and knowne My sitting thou dost know And rising eke my thoughts a farre Thou understandst also My paths yea and my lying downe Thou compassest alwayes And by familiar custome art Acquainted with my wayes THen in thy paths that be most pure Stay me Lord and preserve That from thy way wherein I walke My steps may never swerve And whilest that breath within my brest Doth naturall life preserve Yea till this world shall be dissolv'd Thy law will I observe From such as thee desire to know Let not thy grace depart Thy tighteousnesse declare and shew To men of upright heart Thy tender mercies Lord from me Withdraw thou not away But let thy love and verity Preserve me still for aye And whiles I live I will not fayle To worship thee alway And in thy name I shall lift up My hands when I doe pray As thou hast giuen power to me So Lord make firme and sure The thing that thou hast wrought in me For ever to endure O Teach me Lord thy wayes and I Shall in thy truth proceede O joyne my heart to thee so nigh That I thy name may dreed WHat thing is there that I can wish But thee in heaven above And in the earth there is no thing Like thee that I can love HAte I not them that hate thee Lord And that in earnest
forsake Forsake me not that am the worke Which thine owne hand did make O keepe me as thou wouldest keepe The apple of thine eye And under covert of thy wings Defend me secretly For I doe call to thee O Lord Surely thou wilt me ayde Then heare my prayer and weigh right well The words that I have sayd Into thy hands Lord I commit My spirit which is thy due For why thou hast redeemed it O Lord my God most true The length of all my life and age O Lord is in thy hand Defend me from the wrath and rage Of them that me with-stand Preserve my soule because my wayes And doings holy be And save thy servant O my Lord That puts his trust in thee I layd me downe and quietly I slept and rose againe For why I know assuredly The Lord will me sustaine In peace therefore lye downe will I Taking my rest and sleepe For thou onely wilt me O Lord Alone in safety keepe Within thy Tent I lust to dwell For ever to endure Vnder thy wings I know right well I shall be safe and sure I set the Lord still in my sight And trust him over all For he doth stand on my right hand Therefore I shall not fall He the desires which they require That feare him will fullfill And he will heare them when they cry And save them all he will For why our glory strength and ayd In thee alone doth lie Thy goodnesse eke that hath us stayd Shall lift our hornes on hie Our strength that doth defend us well The Lord to us doth bring The holy one of Israel He is our guide and King Therefore let thy goodnesse O Lord Still present with us be As we alwayes with one accord Doe onely trust in thee 2. Deprecation aversion and ablation of the evill of sinne and punishment MY Lord for guiding of my mouth Set thou a watch before And also of my moving lips O Lord keepe thou the dore Direct my foot-steps by thy word That I thy will may know And never let iniquity Thy servant overthrow Thy countenance which doth surmount The Sunne in his bright hew Let shine on me and by thy Law Teach me what to eschew That I should wicked workes commit Incline thou not my heart With ill men of their delicates Lord let me eate no part O shut not up my soule with them In sinne that take their fill Nor yet my life among those men That seeke much blood to spill All yee that love the Lord doe this Hate all things that are ill For he doth keepe the soules of his From such as would them spill Out of mine eyes great floods gush out Of dreary teares and fell When I behold how wicked men Thy lawes keepe never a dell But I in righteousnesse intend My time and dayes to serve Have mercy Lord and me defend So that I doe not swerve THine arrowes doe sticke fast in me Thine hand doth presse me sore And in my flesh no health at all Appeareth any more My wounds stinke and are festred so As loathsome is to see Which all through mine owne foolishnesse Betideth unto me And I in carefull wise am brought In trouble and distresse That I goe wailing all the day In dolefull heavinesse My loines are fill'd with sore disease My flesh hath no whole part I feeble am and broken sore I roare for griefe of heart Thou know'st Lord my desire my grones Are open in thy sight My heart doth pant my strength doth faile Mine eyes have lost their light One griefe another in doth call As clouds burst out their voyce The floods of evill that doe fall Run over me with noise And as an harth my bones are burnt My heart is smitten dead And withers like the grasse that I Forget to eate my bread By reason of my groning voyce My bones cleave to my skin As Pelican in wildernesse Such case now am I in And as an Owle in desart is Loe I am such a one I watch and as a Sparrow on The house-top am alone Lord take from me thy scourge and plague I can them not withstand I faint and pine away for feare Of thy most heavy hand Wherefore my God some pitty take O Lord I thee desire Doe not this simple soule forsake Of helpe I thee require Then didst thou turne my griefe and woe Into a cheerefull voyce The mourning weede thou took'st me fro And mad'st me to rejoyce For why his anger but a space Doth last and slacke againe But in his favour and his grace Alwayes doth life remaine Trust still in God whose whole thou art His will abide thou must And he shall ease and strength thy heart If thou in him doe trust HOw ev'er it be yet God is good And kind to Israel And to all such as safely keepe Their conscience pure and well For when I saw such foolish men I grudg'd and did disdaine That wicked men all things should have Without turmoile and paine And though I be nothing set by As one of base degree Yet doe I not thy lawes forget Nor shrinke away from thee TRouble and griefe have seaz'd on me And brought me wondrous low Yet doe I still of thy precepts Delight to heare and know When with my selfe I mused much And could no comfort finde Then Lord thy goodnesse did me touch And that did ease my mind How long wilt thou forget me Lord Shall I never be remembred How long wilt thou thy visage hide As though thou wert offended In heart and mind how long shall I With care tormented be How long eke shall my deadly foe Thus triumph over me THou art my hope and my strong hold I to the Lord will say My God he is in him will I My whole affiance stay What gaine is in my blood sayd I If death destroy my dayes Doth dust declare thy Majesty Or yet thy truth doth praise The Lord himselfe hath chastened And hath corrected me But hath not given me over yet To death as yee may see Even when the snares of cruell death About beset me round When paines of hell me caught and when I woe and sorrow found They that be dead doe not with praise Set forth the Lords renowne Nor any that into the place Of silence doe goe downe For why thy mercy shew'd to me Is great and doth excell Thou setst my soule at liberty Out from the lower hell The pangs of death did compasse me And bound me every where The flowing waves of wickednesse Did put me in great feare The flie and subtile snares of hell Were round about me set And for my death there was prepar'd A deadly trapping net How long away from me O Lord For ever wilt thou turne And shall thine anger still