thy promises that in following thy foot-steps there is an inheritance of eternity prepared for vs therefore whilest we are in this iourney be thou a staffe to vs whereby we may be sustained in all our wayes And by the comfort of thy holy Spirit repaire our strengths to the end wée may more willingly come vnto thée and as thou art made a way vnto vs seclude all errour become our â—â—uth take away all distrust and confirme our Faith in thée And as thou art made life vnto vs reuiue vs that were dead in sinne by a liuely knowledge of thée For it is eternall life to know thée Father Son and holy Ghost to be one true God Wherefore I humbly beséech thée O most mercifull Father to increase Faith in mee who am thy vnworthy seruant lest at any time I wauer in thy Celestiall doctrine increase obedience in me lest I swerue from thy precepts increase constancy that walking in thy wayes I neuer be allured by the inticements of Satan nor seduced by his terrours but that I may perseuere in thée who art the true way to life eternall increase my Faith that being partaker of thy Promises I may neuer waâ—e slow or dull in the study and practise of godâ—inesse and that I may alwayes striue and endeuour for more and more perfection Increase thy Grace in me that being mortified vnto my selfe I may liue and haue my conuersation with thée in Heauen and be encouraged by thy holy Spirit fearing nothing but thee then whom there is nothing more to be loued or feared glorified or more to be reioyced in who art the true glory of all Saints in whom there is nothing but full and perfect Felicitie A Prayer for the assistance of the holy Ghost No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 3. 4. If ye that be euill can giue good gifts vnto your children how much more shall your heauenly father giue the holy Ghost to them that desire him Luke 11. 13. O Gracious Lord God who didst send vpon thy Apostles and others thy holy Spirit filling their hearts with grace and wisedome I humbly beséech thee by thy vnspeakable mercy that thou wilt vouchsafe to fill my soule with thy grace and water my heart with the vnspeakable swéetnesse of thy Loue in the loue of Jesus Christ thy most dearely beloued Send down Lord thy holy Spirit to guide me being ignorant banish by his light the blacknes of sinne through Christ Jesus by him refresh my sad and sorrowfull soule there is neither wisedome nor strength without thée aide me therefore by that holy Spirit and I shall be able to shunne the deceits of Sathan and to withstand his power Thou art not ignorant that I can doe nothing of my selfe extend thy fauourable hand ouer me therefore and grant that I may forsake and vtterly relinquish my selfe and flie vnto thée Mortifie in me whatsoeuer is displeasant vnto thy Maiestie that in all things thou maiest conforme mée vnto thy will by thy holy Spirit that my life may be euer hereafter perfect in thy sight O Lord my God looke vpon me thy miserable Creature whose soule sigheth after thée day and night when shall I come and appeare before thy presence when shall I enter into that admirable place of thy Tabernacle the house of my God O comfort me with thy presence that I may taste here in this my mortall pilgrimage the swéetnesse of thy glory which shall continue for euer O my God I long to be deliuered from all temptations O eternall fountaine of light bring me backe againe to that eternall goodnesse by whom I am created that I may know thine omnipotencie euen as I am knowne of thée and may so loue thée as I am loued by thée that I may sée and inioy thée in the society of all the Elect who liuest and raignest together with the Father and the Sonne a Trinity in Unitie for euer and euer Amen A Prayer for Sunday-Morning Thus saith the Lord take heede to your soules and beare no burdens on the Sabbath day nor bring it into the gates of Ierusalem Neither carry forth burdens out of your houses on the Sabbath day ney doe ye any worke but sanctifie the Sabbath as I commanded your Fathers Ier. 17. 21. 22. He that gathered stickes on the Sabbath day was stoned to death Numb 15. 32 35. 36. O Eternal God and heaùenly Father I extol thine infinite goodnesse and mercy together with thine eternall wisdome and truth who hast protected me this night made me to rest quietly and securely by thy most holy and diuine prouidence I humbly beséech thée of thine infinite goodnesse to protect and gouerne mée this day by thy mighty hand from all dangers both of Body and Soule Giue thy holy Angels charge ouer mee to direct me in all my wayes driue away the deadly enemy remoue all offences of this World mortifie and kill in me all carnall lusts and euill affections that they may haue no dominion ouer mée giue me a sorrowfull heart to bewaile my wicked life and comfort my soule by a liuely assurance that thou hast fréely forgiuen my sinnes Sanctifie me O Father this day I humbly beséech thée with thine especiall grace that I may haue decent carriage in my behauiour true deuotion in prayer and reuerent attention to heare thy heauenly and holy Word and that thou wilt please to giue mee vnderstanding ioyned with true deuotion to obserue learne and imbrace such things as are necessary to me for the confirming of my faith in Christ Jesus raise me O Lord by the power of thy resurrection from sin and giue me spirituall rest in the Communion et Saints that afterward I may kéep the euerlasting Sabbath with thée in the Kingdome of Heauen behold O Lord I knock at the dore of thy mercy with all my power and strength beséeching thée to continue vnto me the right vse of all my senses and limmes and send thy holy Spirit to beare witnesse to my spirit that I am thy childe and shall be heire of thy glorious kingdome through the mirits of Christ Jesus our Lord for whose sake I humbly pray thee to grant all those things that I haue prayed for and haue neede of Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer before the hearing of Gods Word O Eternall most high and mighty God vouchsafe I humbly beséech thée to inlighten my dark dul vnderstanding that thy word may enter into my soule and be so receiued of me as that Ignorance the mother of disobedience being put away heauenly knowledge may enter in and haue perfect rest and abiding in me Giue power O Lord to the séede of Truth that being sowne in my heart it may take deepe root and bringforth to the comfort of my soule sixty an hundred yea a thousand-fold and let thy Spirit so guide the lips of this thy Minister and Preacher as that he deliuer nothing but the Word
let him come to this holy Table let him eate the Bread and drinke the Bloud of that Lambe that taketh away his sinnes and will present him pure vnto the Lord. The Lords eye is pure and can abide no wickednesse The Sacrament is holy touch it not rashly If thou haue not on the wedding Garment of sincerity come not the Lord will finde thee out and thrust thee forth of his presence among the vnbeleeuers whose portion shall be with the Diuell and his Angels Let vs therefore search and examine our wayes let vs lift vp our hands with our hearts vnto God in the Heauens and feede on this holy mysterie the life of our soules in remembrance of Christs death vntill his second comming O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer to be said at the receiuing of the holy Communion OH most gracious Lord God mercifull and louing Father in Jesus Christ my Redéemer in whom thou art also my Father by Adoption in and by thy Sonne my soule O Lord which was lost in Adam bought and redéemed by the Death and Passion of Jesus Christ doth earnestly long and entirely desire to be more and more assured that I am fully and really vnited vnto thée againe in him and therefore I doe hunger and thirst to partake of those meanes whereby that sweete and precious vnion may be confirmed in mée Increase my knowledge more and more of thy sauing truth reuealed vnto vs in thy word and increase my faith to beléeue what thou hast taught for our saluation let me take perfect and assured hold of my regeneration wrought in me by Baptisme the seale of thy promise set vpon mée when I knew not thy Law wherein as I promised to forsake sinne and cleaue vnto righteousnesse so Lord let the operation of thy holy Spirit then promised worke in my soule a true detestation of the workes of darknesse and loue vnfained to thy celestiall and diuine light And for that thou in Christ hast left vnto vs a second seale of thy loue and our adoption the Sacrament of the body and bloud of that immaculate Lambe who for a remembrance of his death our frée adoption by him instituted the same at his last supper with his Disciples and commanded thy Saints dispersed through the world through all generations to this day and for euer to the end of the world to communicate of this holy Sacrament in commemoration of that high and most preuailing sacrifice the offering of thy Son vpon the Crosse for our redemption and attonement with thée And therefore most louing Father I come in the name of him thy Son not of my selfe presuming but in all humblenes through his merits vnto this holy Table to partake with the rest of thy Saints by adoption here at this time gathered together of this holy and heauenly banquet humbly begging at thy hands for his sake that it may please thée to prepare my heart which of it selfe is not onely dull but prophane teach me being of my selfe not onely ignorant of this sacred mystery but too much knowing sinne Sanctifie me by thy holy Spirit who of my selfe am not onely corrupt but wholly prone to euill euermore consequently vnworthy to eat at this holy Table to partake of thy loue so vnspeakable Oh forgiue me Father in thy Christ here represented vnto vs ingraft in me a liuely assurance that my sinnes are done away by his bloud giue me faith to beléeue in him who by faith is made ours and we in him thine by adoption elected euen of thy frée mercy and made heires with Christ Jesus of eternall glory whereof this holy mystery is the most assured pledge Oh make me a worthy partaker of so precious a benefit And for that sinners Lord are not admitted to this sacred banquet of sauing foode where shall I appeare whose sinnes drew downe from heauen him whom thou most dearely louedst and betraid him to the Crosse how then shall I presume to appeare in this holy assembly appointed for thy Saints onely a Table of sanctitie whereof none partake but such as are frée from sinne Who then Lord dare presume to eate of this bread or to drinke of this Cup onely those whom thou hast called who though sinners by nature yet are they thy children by grace and so their sinnes are not imputed vnto them for whom Christ by his death hath satisfied apprehended by faith shewed forth in newnesse of life and wrought in vs by his righteousnesse in whose name accept me good Father and let the garment of his innocency couer my sinnes and so let me come to this holy Table And as a new man shaped in holinesse and righteousnesse let mée euermore henceforth walk before thée and more delight in thy Commandements then in any or in all worldly things let me by thy power be powerfull ouer Satan let his instigations neuer preuaile in me and let all corrupt affections die in me and let mee wholly die to sinne and liue to righteousnesse and true holinesse And for that I liue among men of diuers dispositions giue me grace to loue all but to couet to conuerse onely with such as are thine as néere as I may to reuenge me of none but to forgiue all wrongs and iniuries and so farre to forget them as I may studie and endeuour to doe good vnto all especially to such as are of the communion of Saints And enlighten mine vnderstanding more and more that I may seé and consider alwayes mine owne weakenesse wants and imperfections that I may so much the more beare with others by how much I cannot but confesie I come farre short of my duty to theé who so offendeth mee most I offend thée much more And therefore good Father frame in my heart loue vnfained true patience and liuely obedience Leaue me not either to the dulnesse peruersenesse or pride of mine owne nature or to mine owne corrupt will make mée little and lowly in mine owne eyes and giue me humblenesse of spirit and indue me with all heauenly vertues that I may rrsemble my first estate of innocency and let my present estate of grace come neere to resemble thy dearest children yea thy selfe who as thou forgauest vs in him that was Lord of all and for vs became as a seruant by his bloud washed away our sins offering his most innocent body a sacrifice for our sinnes whose rent body and spilt bloud being here represented vnto vs by bread and wine I doe most humbly pray theé that wée may be accepted worthy receiuers of his true body and bloud signified thereby and that we may féele euen instantly a renewing of our mindes our hearts to be changed from all corrupt affections and our soules swallowed vp with the due contemplation of this most sacred mystery wherein thou giuest vs not onely thy visible creatures of bread and wine to refresh our weake bodies but thine owne Sonne to saue our soules and bodies Oh who is worthy to open the
and horrible tentations would entrap me when the whole World forsakes mée and all things set themselues against mée then strengthen mée I beséech thée that I forsake not thée my Sauiour and fall from hope of thy frée mercy O comfort my heart with an inward assurance and seale of mine Adoption in thy Sonne in whom the forgiuenesse of sinnes is promised vnto all Beléeuers Call to memory thy holy Couenant entered into with vs at our Baptisme and the promise thereunto annexed Hee which beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued and grant that wée may euermore consider the same to our perpetuall comfort Amen A comfortable Prayer against back-sliding in Religion and for increase of Faith most worthy often to be said of euery Christian. O Almighty Eternall God which hast in thy Word commanded that we should beware of falling from thy grace and hast also witnessed that the end of those which goe backe from thy Word after they haue once knowne the way of righteousnesse will be excéeding fearefull Haue mercy therefore on mee O Lord I most humbly pray thée for I finde in my selfe great weakenesse no power haue I of my selfe to perseuere in goodnesse I beginne to wauer in my iudgement and to grow doubtfull euen of those things which I heretofore haue embraced with fulnesse of perswasion The exercises of godlinesse are not so pleasant vnto me as they haue béen a strange kinde of dulnesse stealeth vpon me and I haue no such life and spirit in matters of Religion as in times past I haue had and to what a wofull passe these things may come though I haue much hope when I thinke vpon thy mercy yet well may I feare when I looke into my selfe I confesse that thy goodnes is great in that thou makest my heart within mee to smart for these things and doest not suffer me to run on without stay into that hellish and infernall Pit in which I should be soone plunged if thou shouldest once leaue mée to my owne weakenesse Therefore O Lord I beséech thée to quicken my dull heart kindle those sparkes which are euen vpon quenching and like vtterly to goe out vnlesse it shall please thée to reuiue them make strong my thoughts and conscience make mée able more and more to sée the Truth in cases of Religion and to discerne things that differ from the same Giue mée vnderstanding to know both good and euill giue mée also increase of zeale that I may spring vp in grace and thriue in godlines vntil I come to that measure to which thou hast appointed mee to come in Christ Jesus let â—eé not in these key-colde and decaying times be carried away with euery blast of doctrine through the subtiltie and wilâ—nesse of those which lie in waite to beguile mée suffer neither the cares of this vaine world to wither and dry vp thy graces in mée nor transitory pleasures to entrap mée nor euill examples to misguide me nor mine owne sloathfull and heauy nature to make mée grow weary of well-doing but make mée so to burne in loue with heauenly things that I may not satisfle myselfe with any measure either of knowledge or practice but may rather still be ashamed of my selfe that I make no better procéedings and so may euer desire and striue to more perfection To this end enkindle in mee affection more and more by the hearing and reading of thy heauenly and holy Word earnest praying intentiue and feruent meditation carefull watching ouer mine owne soule following the example of godly men and imitating their gracious and holy conuersation As thy promises O Lord and most mercifull Father haue encouraged mée thus to pray so I he séech thée let it be thy gracious will to accept of these my humble petitions which procéede from a contrite a sorrowfull heart so shall my soule magnifie thée and my tongue set forth thy praises with ioyfull lips and that in Jesus Christ thy Sonne and my Sauiour Amen A most Christian and comfortable Consultation and sweete resolution what course in time of deepest distresse men ought to take worthy of all men to be considered to their vnspeakable comfort Read and Regard IT is a general complaint among the distressed children of men that great and dangerous is the triall to be long visited with the punishing hand of our high and powerful God especially notwithstanding the many instant cries and humble petitions of the afflicted soule who finding no ease nor feeling any comfort but contrariwise troubles miseries crosses griefes to increase daily thinking himselfe vtterly forgotten of God or méerely to be hated of him the silly afflicted soule thus bewrapped with feare féeling of his miseries many times fainteth and so falleth from faith in God to séek succour at the hands of mortall men and finding that to be a course of cold comfort with whom neither prayers take place nor endeauours preuaile he then pressed downe as vnder the burden of vtter despaire of any succour is moued oftentimes to frame his affections to contriue vnlawfull meanes by his naturall and corrupt conceit that his owne will and wit may shape some course to a hauen of more secure rest and so hoysing the sayles of his owne peruerse imaginations betaketh himselfe to the main sea of his vngodly deuices tâ—l at the length instead of a happy hoped harbour he suddenly sinketh and is swallowed vp of the ougly deuouring gulfe of irrecuperable confusion For the world as a sea tossing the weake ones that saile therein trieth the inclinations of all and approueth and condemneth but not according to the right rule of Christian reason and godly wisedome but after a sensuall manner of false iudgement affirmeth such as saile with a full fore-winde of prosperity here to be onely blessed happy and beloued of God and such as are becalmed with distresse and miseries with crosses and calamities and kéepe not the glorious way with the worldly-minded to be hated and accursed of him And this wretched and false censure of carnall men driues many weake soules vpon the rocks of bitter ruine euen when they dreame of a course of swéetest happinesse For as Dauid found Psalme 49. 18. much more this age affoordeth the experience that men doe praise them that make much of themselues namely such as wallow in the delights and pleasures of the flesh But them they estéeme mad men and fooles and cast-awayes and accursed that liue in a base and low and poore and ignominious estate though neuer so contented the foolishnesse of worldly men is wisedome and the true wisdome of the poore is foolishnesse with the worlds flatterers And this is that dangerous rocke vpon which oftentimes euen the godly make shipwracke when they consult with flesh and bloud which argueth it the safest course to become licentious to imbrace vanity and to studie the profitable and praised arts of flattery and dissimulation to walke the broad way to preferment to scale the wals of wealth and estimation
in the yeere Thirty dayes hath Nouember Aprill Iune and September The rest hath thirty and one Except it be February alone Which alwayes hath twenty eight meere When it is no Bisextile or Leape-yeere A note of the Moneths weekes dayes and houres throughout the whole veere The yeere containeth Moneths 12. Hours 69478 Weekes 5â— Dayes 365. Day Naturall hath 24 houres Artificiali 12 An Alminacke for ten yeeres The vere of our Lord. The prime Sundaies letter Leape yeere Ashwednesday the first day of Lent Easter day Whit sunday 1620 1 B A Mar. 1. Apr. 16. Iune 4. 1621 2 G  Feb. 14 Apr. 1. May 20. 1622 3 F  Mar. 6. Apr. 21. Iune 9. 1623 4 E  Feb. 16. Apr. 13. Iune 1. 1624 5 D C Feb. 11. Mar. 28. May 16. 1625 6 B  Mar. 3. Apr. 17 Iune 5. 1626 7 A  Feb. 12. Apr. 9. May 28. 1627 8 G  Feb. 7. Mar. 25 May 13. 1628 9 F E Feb. 27. Apr. 13. Iune 1. 1629 10 D  Feb. 18. Apr. 5. May 24. TO THE RIGHT Vertuous and godly Lady the Lady MARGERY KILLEGREVVE wife vnto the right Worshipfull SIR WILLIAM KILLEGREVVE KNIGHT IT pleased you RIGHT worthy LADY heretofore to affoord this little Treatise kinde allowance to enter vnder your Roofe and to accept it as a friendlesse Pilgrime committed to your shelter protection and such hath beene the opinion of your selfe the Patrones touching the same that many others in imitation of your kinde acceptance of it haue likewise fauourably censured it and friendly receiued it not for his sake that sent it to seeke friends but for yours I assure me that shewed it and me friendship And now the Booke simple as it is being dispersed into the hands of many with the poore Title of A poore Mansrest becomes to be more and more richly regarded And therefore I could doe no lesse after this seauenth Impression but reuiew it and augment it and recommed it again vnto your fauourable tuition nothing doubting but the longer it passeth abroad in the worlds view the more it shall increase in your high commendation that will vouchsafe to countenance so poore a Guest Your Ladiships euer at commandment Io. NORDEN To all that are in any distresse rest and consolation in Christ IESVS I Am out of doubt by mine own experience that this little Booke intituled The poore Mans rest shall bring no lesse vnto thee then the title importeth if thou faithfully vse it it offereth thee the meane by perseuerance and practice to attaine vnto the rest of the soule not as the rich man vainely promising rest vnto his Soule through the superfluous fulnes of worldly blessings was sent suddenly to hell but that rest which Christ himselfe promiseth Mat. 11. 29. Where he saith Take my yoke on you learn of me that I am meek lowly in heart ye shal finde rest for your soules True rest commeth not by the pleasures of this life but by the yoke of Christ namely by his corrections which consisteth in troubles in crosses in afflictions in miseries in want in hunger in nakednesse in imprisonment in banishment in things displeasing to flesh bloud Why then should we seeme to kicke against Gods louing chastisements and milde corrections which as an easie yoke he putteth on our necks as a light burthen he laieth on our shoulders He tryeth vs but a little while will neuer ouer-charge vs if we seeke rest and reliefe and power and strength to beare it at his hands not at the hands of mortall men whom yet the Lord in mercy vseth to comfort his afflicted Children Why then couet we not to bevisited with the rod rather then to be left to the liberty of this wicked worlds vanities that are only the baits of confusion And therefore saith Eliphas Iob 5. 17. Blessed is the man whom GOD correcteth Paul 2 Thes. 1. 5. affirmeth that it is a token of GODS righteous iudgement to punish his Children here that they may be accounted worthy of the Kingdome of God and that they be not coÌ„demned with the world and it is a righteous thing with him to recompence tribulatioÌ„ to them that trouble you but to you that are troubled rest not the outward rest of the body while it abideth on the earth thogh woldly men hold liberty and lust and health and honour possessions and authority and wealth and waâ—â—onnesse and vanity and fulnesse yea and filthines a sweet and more certayne rest then the rest peace of a good conscience which in all the assaults of sin and Sathan in all trials troubles and crosses in pouerty sicknesse taunts and ignominy and in most bitter misery if thou canst say truly with Paul Gal. 6. 14. God forbid that I should reioice but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ wherby the world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the world thou shalt haue rest for thy soule And therefore what if ye be cast down as into the gulfe of disdaine among men and seeme out-casts in the world cast-awaies of the world for your troubles trials sake and because of the want of the worlds glory thinke it not strange nor grudge hut reioyce for it ministreth vnto you occasion to flye worldly confidence to take hold of the heauenly promises it worketh discord between you Belial and concord betweene you and Christ raising your thoughts from earth to heaue because as the body is earthly being furnished with the worlds pleasing vanities is loth to depart and leaue them so the soule being fettered by naturall carnall affections is held also captiue and cannot lift it selfe vp by the wings of desire of heauenly things vntill the body be depriued of her delights here then hath the Soule inner man scope sanctified by the spirit of God to mount by the wings of Faith vnto her rest namely to a resolute contentation to abide the Lords leasure purpose in all things yea when we seeme to be meerly forsaken of the world we should neither feare nor be faint-hearted knowing that our Redeemer liueth But as the Lord of life saith Seeke yee my face Psal. 27. 8. Let vs answere with Dauid Thy face O Lord will we seeke For this is the rest that poore men must seeke this is the rest that will fill vs better then the Gluttons feast is more precious then the health of the body then the wealth of the world then the pleasures of the flesh The gold of al the Indies cannot purchase it the Kings of the earth by force cannot obtaine it nor the wisest of the world comprehend it But thou poore man who so thou be in what case soeuer thou art poore and needy sicke and weake hated despised threatned and abused apprehended and imprisoned or in what miserable case else soeuer euen thou shalt attaine vnto this rest if thou seeke it instantly praying faithfully if thou be patient and grudge
wisdome and humblenesse and obedience and mortification and zeale and faith and hope and all graces that may change me from sinne to sanctity from darkenesse to light and from coldnesse to a more perfect zeale to serue thée in all things Teach me O Lord teach mée to execute my vocation truely and perfectly and giue such issue and blessed successe to all my endeauours labours purposes and procéedings as I may discharge my duety in obedience to thy diuine Maiestie to my brethren in loue and equity and to my selfe and mine in godly care and true piety And let thy holy Spirit so guide and gouerne mée this day and for euer that I may more and more fructifie increase in all godlinesse vntil thou shalt cut off this corruptible life After which good Father in the merits of thy Son let me inhabite euermore inherite that heauenly City new Ierusalem where thou sittest and raignest one God with whom shall liue all thine elect in ioyes vnspeakable for euer Amen O Lord increase our Faith A Morning Prayer where the FAMILY assembles O Almighty God full of loue and pitty the chiefest comfort that any sinfull soule can haue when wée miserable sinners here met together doe consider of thy great mercy and goodnesse which we haue euer since our births and before found and daily doe finde at the hands of thy diuine Maiesty together with our great vnthankfulnesse euery way to thée againe for the same we must néedes confesse and euen from the bottom of our hearts doe acknowledge that most vnspeakeable is thy mercy in sparing vs to liue vntill this morning before which time thou mightest iustly haue consumed vs. But O deare God of thy frée mercies before the foundation of the World was laid thou hast chosen and elected vs for thy Children and hast to our endlesse comfort certified and made knowne the same vnto our spirits by thy spirit by whom and not of our selues wee now cry vnto thée Abba father and for our Redemption hast sent thine owne Sonne to shed his most precious bloud vpon the Crosse no other meanes being whereby wée could be saued Thou hast by thy holy Spirit wrought Faith in our hearts to beléeue by him and in him to be iustified before thée and in some measure begunne the death of sinne in vs and wrought our sanctification and of thy frée fauour we enioy the benefit of thy Word the freedome of conscience great peace and plenty in outward things with many and infinite other benefits waking and sléeping at home and abroad in our selues and our friends for all which instead of thankefulnesse wee become the more disobedient not doing that wée ought to doe but with pleasure and profit with vanity and selfe-loue wée are carried away spending our daies in iniquity carelesnesse and vnféeling of our sinne and there is no goodnesse in vs yet is there mercy with thée O Lord and pardon vpon repentance Wherefore we here this Morning met together before thy Maiesty humbly confesse our wants and most entirely beséech thée for Jesus Christs sake to haue mercy vpon vs Haue mercy vpon vs most mercifull Father and forgiue vs all that is past strengthen vs hereafter that daily both in bodies and soules we may glorifie thée more then we haue done yéelding thankes for daily benefits and striuing in holinesse and righteousnes to please thée all the dayes of our life But because we cannot but offend and fall diuers wayes and euery day good Lord for thy mercy sake pierce our hearts with a féeling of the same and neuer suffer vs to goe on with dull and dead soules not séeing nor sighing for our offences As a speciall meanes to kéepe vs in obedience before thée O deare Father worke in vs a continuall remembrance and an effectuall consideration that wée shall not alwayes liue here in this wretched world that doth much please vs now but that a day wil come when the trumpe shall sound the Dead shall arise and all wée shall appeare before the Tribunall seat of Judgement there to receiue according to our déedes without respect of Persons oh good Lord giue vs a remembrance and a féeling of that vnspeakeable comfort and eternall waight of glory which in that day shall be giuen vnto vs if in this day wée serue and please thée and contrariwise euen terrifle our cousciences and let vs as it were see before our faces the dreadfull Judgements and the fearefull Torments that both in Body and Soule they shall be sure to haue for euermore which in this life doe not serue and please thée but follow their owne fancies and wicked delights giue vs an hatred of sinne and a true loue of righteousnesse blesse thy Word euermore with fruit vnto our soules when we heare it giue vs a desire to heare it often and to practise it faithfully and obediently and keepe our hearts euer free from disūmulation and counterfeit holinesse prepare our hearts diligently to watch for the comming of thy Sonne make vs ready fit and willing to meete him in the clouds if thou wilt that we liue to his comming if it please thee in the meane time to call vs let vs with ioy yeeld our bodies to the earth and receiue our soules vnto thy selfe vntill the day when both our bodies and soules shall be remitted and bee totally glorified with thee in Heauen And let this day be a day of our true reformation and repentance that we becomming new creatures may serue thee in holinesse all the dayes of our liues yeelding thee most humble and hearty thankes for thy goodnesse to vs this night let thy mercifull eye looke vpon vs this day and so keep vs bodies and soules that being occupied in our seuerall callings we may be safe by thee from all our Enemies and liue to thee in feare that we may die in thy fauour and liue hereafter with thee in glory which grant and all things in the meane time necessary for soules and bodies for Christ his sake in whose name we ask them saying as he hath taught vs Our Father vvhich art in heauen hallovved be thy Name Thy Kingdome come Thy Will be done in earth as it is in Heauen Giue vs this day our daily Bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as vve forgiue them that trespasse against vs and lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill For thine is the Kingdome the povver and the glory for euer and euer Amen Let thy mighty hand and out-stretched arme O Lord be still our defence thy mercy louing kindnesse in Iesus Christ our saluation thy true and holy vvord our instruction thy grace and holy Spirit our comfort and consolation vnto the end and in the end Amen The Lord blesse vs and saue vs and make his face to shine vpon vs and be mercifull vnto vs the Lord turne his fauourable countenance tovvards vs this day and euermore Amen A priuate Prayer for the EVENING The Motiue I Will lay
men by nature are likewise so farre tainted with that first offence as infinite offences are bred in euery man by that offence as I for my part good Father against whom that first sinne was done do acknowledge that I féele the force of that originall corruption working so strongly in me that I cannot but accuse my selfe to be the most vile and vnworthiest of all Adams issue for I cannot otherwise iudge of my selfe when I looke into and sée and consider what I am and how I am inclined to sinne I cannot but confesse what I cannot hide from thée who séest the most secret and most couered thought of the heart much more then the déedes of darkenesse which I commit to whose all-séeing eyes the darkenesse and light are all one and therefore findest out all my sins whether they be in thought intent or action And although euery sinne bringeth death yet there is a promise vpon repentance that they shall be forgiuen But Lord among many sinnes remaining in mée thou séest one principall and as it were a raigning commanding sinne in me whereunto I am drawne by the continuall violence of that neuer-ceasing aduersarie Satan who worketh my more corruption and by my corruptions polluteth mine affections and mine affections bréede so strong an inclination to that odious sinne that I am weake to performe what thou commandest and strong to effect what thou forbiddest Therefore good Father kill all and especially this sinne that hangeth so fast on mee that it raigne no longer in mée for I féele it an heauy and loathsome burden vnto my soule which I cannot shake off as of mine owne power but by the speciall working and strength of thy holy Spirit who worketh true repentance O worke true repentance in me and make sinne more and more loathsome vnto mee for thou séest Lord that I commit all sinne as it were against my wil. Giue me therefore power to bridle all my corrupt affections the consideration whereof grieueth me and a heape of feare possesseth my soule despaire presenting it selfe before me which would vtterly deuoure all hope of reconciliation with thée did not thy word and promise firmly assure me not onely of frée pardon for all that is past but of power also to withstand Satans future assaults in the bloud and merits of Christ Jesus thy Son my Sauiour yet not without my true and serious repentance which also is thy gift O worke in me true repentance giue me grace to withstand all temptations And although I shall neuer so mortifie my corruptions but some dregs will remaine and breake forth yet kill the strength of this all other sinnes in me that I may be able truely to assure my conscience that what I would doe that I doe not what I would not that I doe that thy frée fauour and loue in Jesus Christ working in me for me by me faith obedience and a renued heart may worke and preuaile in mee to the withstanding of the tempter and his temptations suppresse my corruptions and their fruits and make mée to become more more holy by the imputed holinesse which in thy sonne by promise is mine to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be ascribed all honour and praise for euer Amen Lord increase my Faith and giue mee true repentance for my sinnes and power euermore to resist them A Prayer for a prosperous Iourney O Lord in whose hands all things and all men are the Guide and Protector of all that beléeue and come vnto thée I come Lord vnto thy diuine Maiesty begging at thy hands pardon for my sins which I doe confesse to be very great worthily may pull downe a great and weighty burden of thy Judgements vpon mée and nothing can truely prosper with mée vntill I be reconciled vnto thee in Christ in whom thou art so well pleased as who so in him commeth vnto thée neuer departeth emptie of some blessing or other and therefore I now good Father vnder thy fauour by thy permission and fatherly furtherance intending to take my iourney doe beséech thée to pardon my sinnes and grant that before I betake mee to my trauell I may séele in my conscience a liuely assurance that thou hast forgiuen mee and that I am reconciled vnto thee and at peace with thée that so I may be assured that as thine holy Angell went with the seruant of Abraham and prospered his iourney as an Hast of Angels were present with Elisha to defend him from the King of Aram and as thine Angels comforted and conducted Iacob in his iourney so thou wilt send thine Angels with me that they may take charge of mée conduct mée guide mée and prosperously spéede my iourney and giue good successe vnto the occasion of my trauels for I doe confesse and acknowledge that it is not in the wisedome the art power â—r prouidence of man either to preuent the dangers which in diuers manners doe lye hid and concealed from the wisest till they fall neither to performe his iourney or to accomplish the occasion of the same prosperously and therefore vnlesse thou maist be pleased to assist me with thy grace to support mee with thy hand to defend me in thy mercy to blesse mee in thy loue and in thy prouidence to comfort mée I cannot but confesse that my iourney cannot be prosperous my selfe in body or soule safe nor the businesse where about I goe come to good effect â—ith therefore good Father thou hast made vnto all men that come vnto thée an assured promise that thou wilt neuer faile nor forsake them but wilt command thine Angels to take charge of them that nothing shall hurt them and that thou wilt be with them in the way they ride or â—o in the house wherin they rest or refresh them and wilt enable them to performe that which they intend better then they haue either skill or ablenesse blesse me I beséech thée with such wisedome will power and discretion as I may so performe my iourney and the occasion thereof as may be to the discharge of my dutie to thée in true obedience to man in a good conscience and to my selfe in a due regard of the reliefe of mée and such as thou hast giuen mée and withall most gracious Father sith that thou hast ordained thy Creatures to serue to my vse in this my iourney blesse them I beséech thée with strength and power to performe the seruice for me which the necessitie of my iourney requireth that my iourney being ended and my busines duly effected I may returne the praise and glory to thy most holy name in Christ to whom with thée and the holy Ghost be ascribed all honour power glory and dominion for euer more Amen Lord increase my Faith and prosper my Iourney A Motiue to the Prayer folowing against Enemies IT is the nature of carnall men to hate their Enemies and seeke all meanes possible to be reuenged of them wherein they offend the Maiestie of
them there will be much required and that our sinnes will be the greater and our iudgement the more heauy if we make not right vse of this thy mercy And concerning the Watch-man whom thou hast appointed ouer our soules wée beséech thée to inlarge his heart to increase his gifts and to replenish him yet with a fuller measure of thy Graces Giue him O Lord the true zeale and spirit of Paul that he may with all boldnesse of spéech giue vnto vs thy Gospell and publish euen the secrets thereof for the edifying and comfort of our soules Make him powerfull in the holy Scriptures like Apolloes that by the power thereof hée may both conuict our consciences and stoppe the mouthes of all gaine-sayers Powre into him thy holy Spirit the word of wisedome and knowledge that he may rightly iudge of our estates and vnderstand what things are most expedient and necessary for vs and so may speake to our consciences finding vs out in our speciall sinnes and directing vs in those holy courses from which wée haue chiefely strayed Let his words pricke our hearts forward that wée may not be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Make him firme and constant in the best courses that he may not be as a Réede shaken with the winde but as a sure foundation that by his perseuerance in good workes our hearts may be the better established And wée beséech thée O Christ who commandest the Starres and holdest them in thy right hand to defend him from vnreasonable and euill men and from the wrongs and iniuries of the wicked enemies of thy truth for doubtlesse men of corrupt mindes will resist the Truth with all their power Therefore good Lord blesse his labour to the calling and conuerting of those which are elected vnto saluation Make our hearts flexible to yéelde true obedience to thy Word deliuered from his mouth that wée may receiue it not as the word of a man but as it is indéede thy Word and make it also effectuall in vs that wée may not onely be professors and hearers of thy holy will but also practisers and continuall performers of the same And teach vs to reuerence him wée beséech thée and to loue him for his profession and workes sake not sparing our goods to relieue him knowing it is a small thing for him to â—eape our earthly things who soweth amongst vs spiritual food for our soules In all our Supplications make vs mindefull of him without ceasing that his studies may be directed his endeauours guided and his labours in thy worke blessed to the glory of thy holy name and the saluation both of him and of vs which heare him All which we humbly and earnestly begge at thy fatherly hands for thy deare Sonnes sake who hath ordained Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of his Saints and who is the supreme and soueraigne Bishop of all our soules to whom be all praise honour and glory now and for euermore Amen O Lord increase our Faith A Prayer for the true obseruation of the Commandements of the Lord. O Omnipotent and euerlasting God maker of heauen and earth who hast froÌ„ the very beginning promised to be our Lord and our God our fortresse our buckler and defence our castle refuge who hast brought vs with a mighty and strong hand with an out-stretched arme out of the land wherein we were strangers and liued in bondage vnder the yoake and tyranny of Antichrist and Satan into the land that floweth with milke and hony and of true Religion wherewith thou feédest the Soules of the faithfull ones to their vnspeakeable comfort grant that as through thy mercy and loue thou vouchsafest to bring vs into this world and to frame vs to thine owne image and likenesse so wée may account thée as our onely God worshipping none other besides thée making our selues none image of any likenesse either of things aboue or things beneath nor to séeke helpe at the hands of any as a God beside thée who as by thy mighty power thou broughtest the children of Israel out of Egypt by the hands of Moses and Aaron where they were in bondage and were continually oppressed with sundry kinds of vexations both of body and minde so thou hast vouchsafed to bring vs and deliuer vs from a greater bondage and slauery euenfrom the power of Sathan vnder whose tyranny wée rested and now escaped not by any other pollicie strength or power but by the bloud-shedding of thine only Sonne Jesus Christ who tooke vpon him the death of the Crosse for our sakes to bring vs from darkenesse wherein we walked according to the wil of the flesh vnto the true knowledge of thée againe and to redéeme vs out of the bondage of sin into the land of righteousnes from blind ignorance to the bright shining day-starre of thy heauenly will who art not onely a most louing and most gentle Father but also a most sharpe punisher and reuenger who art not onely desirous that we should come vnto thée but art also most iealous ouer vs lest wée should séeke or follow any other gods besides thée yea in all our afflictions and troubles thou wilt that wée séeke onely thée and being relieued to attribute the onely meane thereof vnto thy selfe whereby thou hast promised to be mercifull vnto thousands that â—oue thée feare thée séeke thée and truely take hold of thée as their onely God and againe threatnest vengeance on the third and fourth generation of them that hate thee and follow strange gods neglecting thy Commandements O God vouchsafe that wée neuer put our féete towards any strange gods appeare their helpe neuer so likely and plentifull but that it may both now and euer continue in our harts to confesse both in word conuersation that there is none other God besides thée who art a most gracious and louing Father Haue mercy vpon vs O Lord haue mercy vpon vs and so vouchsafe to direct vs in all our doings cogitations and words as we may alwayes and in all things fulfill thy will without taking thy most holy and most glorious Name in vaine by blasphemous spéeches dishonouring the same kéepe vs most louing Father not onely from the most detestable sinne of periurie whereby thy holy Name is often defaced and as it were trodden vnder-foote as in making it the author of abhominable falshoods and lyes but from all friuolous and vaine eathes which to the great griefe of thy Children and dishonour of thy Name are most vncomely in the mouthes of such as vnreuerently and rashly vse it euen in common spéeches without any vrgent cause whereby they fall into the most hainous sinne of taking thy most glorious Name in vaine O Lord forgiue vs and grant that we may vse such a reuerent manner and godly order in triall of matters in controuersie as we may be alwayes true hallowers and not abusers of thy Name therein And forasmuch as thou within sixe dayes didst finish all things in the
importunate with mee for that which I cannot performe and resting in danger of their cruelties haue no other refuge but to depend on thy mercy and prouidence wherein as in a safe sanctuary I shall rest euermore preserued vntill these dangers be ouerpast Many doe looke vpon me to sée and consider what will become of my miseries and I continually pleade thy frée mercy in Christ wherein thou promisest to couer the multitude of my sins for which I am thus afflicted the righteous thereby take hold of hope and in my behalfe wish a prosperous and happy end of my destres encouraging mee to perseuere for that thy word euer sure warranteth a timely deliuery of all such as are penitent patient and faithfull vnto the end But alas good Father in Christ Jesus I a most sinfull man doe challenge no comfort ease or reliefe in mine owne right but in the merits of him in whom thou art well pleased and in whom thou shewest mercy vnto sinners among whom I am the greatest Yea Lord I am ignorant of good things and wander as a beast by nature in the vast wildernesse of this worlds vanities hauing little or no taste of thy sauing truth or féeling of future dangers but of thée onely I haue knowledge of my selfe I am weake but from thee I haue all strength of my selfe is misery from thée is mercy of my selfe I am altogether vnperfect but from thée is all perfection both inward tending to the consolation of my said soule and outward to the reliefe of my distressed body Therefore teach me O Lord teach me thy truth shew me thy wayes and leade mee in thy pathes continually withhold my heart from euery euill thought my hands that they commit no euill kéepe mine eyes sincere and my tongue that it speake no vnséemely thing and my féet from falling Regard moe not as I am in mine owne selfe nor deale with me as I deserue by mine owne wayes but according to thy tender mercies and louing kindnesse banish my sinnes as a mist driue away my imperfections as a cloud and supply my wants with timely reliefe Thou art righteous and gracious and reformest sinners and forgiuest their sins Be mercifull therefore vnto mine iniquities for they are very great Kéepe my soule and deliuer me let mee not be confounded nor perish vtterly for I trust in thée Thou art the light of my saluation the strength of my life and my refuge and sure defence in trouble In the time of my greatest dangers thou shalt hide mee in thy tabernacle namely in the secret places of thy prouidence which no man can finde out thou shalt kéepe me and hide me from them that couet my destruction thou shalt set me vpon a rock against which man shall not preuaile Harken therefore O Lord harken vnto my voyce when I cry vnto thée haue mercy vpon mee and comfort mee Thou sayest Seeke yee my Face And what is it O Lord but to séeke thy helpe in distresse and danger to craue thy fauour and succor in the time of néede O Father my soule by the priuiledge of thy frée Spirit which teacheth truth in the inner parts is ready my heart also is prepared to séeke thée my tongue speaketh vnto thée as vnto the liuely helper of all that are oppressed Hide not therefore thy face in displeasure which in loue thou willest me to seeke be vnto me as heretofore thou hast béene my succour and shield and leaue me not vnto the end My naturall father indéede that begat me and my mother that bare mee may forget mée my friends that pretend to fauour mee may forsake mee when thou rebukest me but thou canst not forget mée nor forsake mee for thou in thy Word hast promised the contrary and therefore I will not feare to flye vnto thée who giuest what earthly fathers cannot giue and supplyest my wants that neither my most familiar and my dearest friends can supply I should vtterly faint did I not verily trust in thée and assuredly know that thou hast no respect of persons and that thou acceptest not of men as the world doth by the outward habite and externall glory but the inward parts decked with faith feare and obedience thou likest and embracest the poorest for pietie and in the proud whom the world doth reuerence thou hast no delight Frame thou therefore mine inward zeale and let not my outward basenes ouer-much depriue me of some comfort among the children of men and when I cry vnto thée be not as men who regard not the poore but with spéede heare and consider and refuse not to answere me with timely reliefe And let not the vnsauorie miseries of this life accompanied with the naturall we akenesse of my flesh draw me into the way of the wicked but let me rather hold fast by thy promised protection as by the Altar of a liuely â—â—fuge â—ow downe thine eare I â—ay O Lord and let me not for euer cry vnto thée in vaine Draw me out of the net that is laid for mée deliuer me from the dangers prepared against me Thou hast séene my troubles and hast knowne my soule in the bitternes of distresse and yet thou hast not vtterly forsaken mée but in mercy hast mightily preserued mee from infinite perils And now Lord euen now séeing my life wasteth in heauinesse and my yéeres consume in forrow sith I am a reproach euen among my neighbours and all my friends faile me and sith I am euen at the point to perish be pleased to thinke of my miseries and send me spéedy reliefe As thy goodnesse O Lord is great which thou hast laid vp as in a treasury for all that feare thee so let thy mercy appeare and thy prouidence and power toward me be séene among such as thinke indéede thou hast forsaken me vtterly O Lord increase my Faith The Motiue to the fift Prayer VVHerein the poore man appealeth vnto God being stricken with a kinde of despaire because there be that say of him There is no helpe for him in God he therefore not onely cryeth vnto God that he will consider it but he himselfe also entreth into the cause why they so say and findeth it to be for that they see his store consumed and his basket emptied and his foes furious against him but hee herewith not dismayed reasoneth against these mens infidelity who in these their allegations seeme to deny that either there is a God or that he careth for or will or can helpe the poore And yet hee presumeth not vpon his owne integrity but confesseth God to be iust and rightly may punish sinners among whom he is the greatest and hee finding this temptation to be very grieuous he prayeth God to second his feeble nature by his free grace and that he will stay him with his staffe while he correcteth him with his rod because he is but a weake man may easily be burdened aboue his owne strength But being assisted by God hee assureth himselfe
shalt be fed and shalt haue cause to reioyce in him and to sing praises vnto his name for trusting in him his mercy shall compasse me about and comfort mee with ioyfull deliuerance yea none that trusteth in him shall perish The eyes of the Lord are vpon them that trust in him trust in him O my soule then shalt thou say I sought the Lord and hee heard mee and deliuered mee and relieued mee and defended mee and brought mee out of all my dangers O how good and how gracious is this God who sendeth his Angels to encampe about such as truely trust 〈◊〉 him that no perill or feare or crosse or temptation hurt them Blessed are they that trust in him Feare the Lord O my soule trust in him cry vnto him cease not to doe good be not weary of well doing for nothing wanteth to them that feare him Delight thy selfe in the Lord and he shall giue thee thy hearts desire commit thy vvay vnto the Lord and trust in him and he shall bring all things to good end for thee Waite patiently vpon the Lord hope in him feare not though the earth be moued and though trouble inuiron thée round about for the Lord out of heauen shall send and saue thée and shall not suffer thée to perish altogether O God remember thy promises how thou hast said thou wilt not faile mée I beléeue it Lord Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe Upon thée I haue béene stayed from my youth and it is onely of thy mercy that I had not béene confounded long agone for of my selfe I haue fallen but thou Lord hast raised me of my selfe I perish but through thée I haue béene euer preserued Consider this O my soule and forget not the benefits of the Lord how hée hath made thée as Mount Sion that can neuer be moued Let neither pouerty or sicknesse or losse or enemies or any crosses or whatsoeuer troubles driue thée from trust in this God and assure thée that neither life nor death nor things present nor things to come shall dismay thée his mercies and goodnesse and blessings and fauour loue shall follow thée and féede thée and relieue thée and protect thée and saue thée from all dangers for eueâ— O Lord increase my Faith Faith is the ground of things which are hoped for the euidence of things that are not seene Heb. 11. 1. Aboue all take the shield of faith wherewith ye may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked Ephes 6. ver 16. I beleeued and therefore I spake Psal. 116. 10. They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion that cannot be moued Psal. 125. 1. A necessary Meditation concerning the vncertainty of mans happinesse in this life and the certainty of the endlesse happinesse of the children of God in the life to come notvvithstanding their present miseries here MJne eyes haue séene and mine heart hath duely considered the fickle and fraile and féeble and vncoustant happinesse of man in this life yea I my selfe haue found by experience that this world administreth vnto man no periect comfort while hée liueth vpon the earth Yet flesh bloud the foolish outward man besotted with the vaine delights of sinnes deceits and snared with the baits of vaine hope the pleasures and comforts and glory and ease and fulnes of earthly vanities thinketh himselfe safe and in state of such sure and neuer-failing happinesse that he walloweth in the mire of deceiuing security vntill at vnawares the hand of the liuing God be stretched out against him and either turneth his hope to despaire his glory into shame his ease into trouble his fulnesse into want or all the vaine things wherein he delighteth into griefe and sorrow O my soule trust not therefore in the transitory trash and pelfe wealth of this world for it deceiueth and deuoureth men and as the rust and canâ—er eateth and wasteth iron so doth the loue thereof deuoure thy trust in God and thy practice of better things Trust not in worldly friends for their words are vaine their promises not performed nor their helpe worth thy hope It is better to put confidence in the Lord then to trust in Princes for they who haue their breath in their nostrels are but men whose power is of the earth and whose hands are féeble and their deuices vaine Some trust in chariots and some in horsemen but O my soule trust thou in the liuing God be doing good and thou shalt remaine when the foolish man that beleeueth in flesh and dependeth on earthly meanes shall fall and perish Be not carried away O my soule therefore with the hope of any mans helpe nor feare what man can doe against thée for suddenly is thy friend taken from thée and he that séeketh thy destruction brought to a fearefull end Thy happinesse is not to haue heapes of gold and siluer many friends and all earthly abundance for the abuse of these are dangerous because they draw thée from séeking God and they are short and bring thée to destruction leauing thy carkase naked in the graue and thy selfe O my soule in the mercilesse pit What auailed the rich mans worldly pleasures when hée went suddenly to hell What hindred the beggers pouerty when hee went immediately to heauen How was Iob impouerished hauing mighty wealth What miseries doe follow the mightest men is daily séene and how terrible the end is of such as haue not the Lord their strength but put their trust in the multitude of their riches Who can say The wealthy man is happy When he sléepeth he sléepeth in feare when he walketh he walketh in danger and when hee is in his best age strongest body and best state hée suddenly dieth and leaueth his wealth he knoweth not to whom And who can say the poore fearing God is vnhappy in his basenesse and want and iâ—nominy sith hée setteth his hope vpon the neuer-failing God he séeketh his helpe from heauen and is fed as with the dew thereof onely hope sustaineth him and his want is timely supplied with wished necessaries and his heart comforted in his déepest miseries he lieth downe in faith and patience and thankefulnesse and the Lord sustaineth him and when he dieth he liueth and raigneth and reioyceth in God his Sauiour O that I might haue no delight in the vaine things of this world O my soule be at peace within mée when I haue warres without me be contented and grudge not when I want the outward fulnesse of worldly things for I sée and consider that carnall meanes cannot saue me but the mercies of the Lord wherein he affordeth vnto his faithfull ones all things to enioy Though he make me a reproach among my friends and though hée suffer me to stand a gazing stocke before the eies of the wicked who triumph in their owne glory gotten by their owne hands and deuices and the Lord none of their counsell I will not yet be dismayed neither will I be moued at their prosperity for I
thy promise ease my burden giue me quiet and comfortable sléepe and refreshment to my restlesse body and to blesse all those good meanes which shall be prescribed vnto mée that they may tend to my cure and amendment for without thy blessing they are of no force and vertue that I with thy blessed Seruants Iob Lazarus Dauid and others hauing experience of thy might truth and mercy in my reliefe and amendment may with all ioy and loue praise thée truely serue thée and more confidently relye vpon thée all the dayes of my life yea and for the instruction and incouragement of the afflicted publish and declare the infinite and excéeding Power of thy might and compassion Uouchsafe O most gracious Father to incline thine eares to this mine humble Petition and to grant me all other things néedfull and necessary for my soule and body for thy deare Sonne Christ â—esus sake my onely Sauiour and Redéemer to whom with thy Maiesty and thy blessed Spirit thrée persons and one God al-powerfull and sufficient be ascribed and giuen all honour praise and glory now and alwayes Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer to be said at the point of Death O Lord God Almighty I assuring my selfe my time is come my soule waxeth heauy euen vnto death vouchsafe therefore O Lord to cast downe thine eyes vpon mée bedew my heart with the Oyle of thy grace forgiue mée my sinnes confirme my faith shorten my pangs of Death expell Sathan for thine infinite mercy helpe mée in this my last conflict looke vpon Jesus Christ thy Sonne my Sauiour and Redéemer into thy most blessed and gracious hands I commit my soule refuse it not O God but accept me for it is thy owne workemanship and let me depart in thy feare and rise againe in thy mercifull fauour that I may attaine and come to thy eternall and most wished ioyes of heauen for and through the merits of my blessed Sauiour Christ Jesus to whom with thée and the holy Ghost be all glory honour and praise for euermore Amen O Lord increase my Faith and receiue my soule A Confession of sinnes with a very necessary Prayer to be said of poore distressed men Morning and Euening and at all times else as they shall be thereunto moued O Father ful of mercy I yéeld vnto thée all praise and thanks for thy continual most swéet fauors and especiall graces bestowed frankely on me thy vnworthy Creature for Electing me to saluation for Creating me for Redéeming mée for Relieuing mee and for Preseruing me euermore Great is thy loue in Christ my Sauiour infinite thy Power vnspeakeable thy Mercies Relieue me alwayes and direct nice in all things let thy will be a Law vnto my will that my corrupt affections draw me not to consent againe to the vnsauoury lusts of my carnall will which to this day haâ—h ouer-much miscarryed mée into the vaine destres of this wicked Worlds pleasures the baits of that mortall aduersary deceiuing Sathan the defiled fruits of my sinnefull flesh and the cords whereby I haue beene drawne from vertue to vice from sanctity to sinne from light to darkenesse from Heauen to dreadfull Hell My sinnes O Lord haue beene many and continuall my seruing of thee cold and seldome O forgiue mee and let not my yeeres consume any longer in vanity let mine hands hate to handle vnholy things let my heart harbour no more the hatefull thoughts of vnrighteousnesse and let my soule be so seasoned with the spirituall dew of thy blessed Word that my Soule and Body being sanctified to euery good work I may cast off the vnprofitable works of darkenesse and onely cleaue to the true seruice of thée who art ful of grace and truth Be vnto me the sweet sauour of life vnto life be vnto me the light of truth that my life be not vnprofitable in good things nor my soule depriued of thy sacred spirit without which man is poore possessing all worldly riches base in most high worldly honour and dead liue he neuer so strongly in the flesh Therefore Father full of mercy be mercifull vnto mée full of power protect mée prouident relieue mee most sacred sanctifie me Let the eyes of thy fauour be alwayes on mée let the relieuing hand of thy helpe be alwayes toward mée be vnto mée a strong Castle a Restfull refuge a Fountaine of reliefe the Supply of my wants my Protector my Sauiour my Guide and my wisedome my will and my zeale Be vnto me my Jesus my Christ my Father my Physition my lot and my portion be vnto me all in all that nothing want in mée which thou likest nor any thing dwell in mée which thou mislâ—kest that I being a sanctified vessell of heauen may be a fit Mansion for thy sacred Maiesty to abide in by thy blessed Spirit Yéelde me O Lord yéelde me continuall shelter vnder thy relieuing wings foster mée with the hid treasures of thy loue and learne mée so to liue that I may euer liue in thée and thou in me make that vnion betwéene my will and thy Word that I will nothing but as thou hast willed and blot out all mine vnworthinesse and in stead thereof imprint the merits of thy Sonne in whom Lord Almighty let me be also partaker of the good things of this life let not pouerty vtterly depriue me of a competent estate here but blesse thou the workes of my hands prosper thou my endeuours and raise vp gracious meanes for me that I may liue not lack things necessary Thou art all sufficient and in thy gifts manifold thy loue is without limitation and thy will without contradiction what thou decréest shal stand and what thou willest shall come to passe Will thou therefore will thou thy creatures which thou hast ordained for the good and seruice of thy children â—o serue my vse that I and mine may be sustained by thy prouidence for what am I Lord that I should stand vpon mine owne power wit or policy which are weaknesse and foolishnesse before thée Thy Word preuaileth speake and all things in heauen and earth shall obey thée yea thine heauenly Angels shall be ministring Spirits for my good and all the fruits of the earth shall adde comfort to my wretched estate Good Father sanctifie mée within and without and fructifie my calling blesse my endeuours and teach me to vse my function iustly and as I ought that I may so prosper in this present life that I may truly pay all men their due and owe nothing to any man but good will a thing to mee impossible but to thee easie to bring to passe To thee therefore I referre mée wholly blesse me that being blessed I may prosper that prospering I may praise thée and in praising thée please thée and be here comforted of thée and liue righteously in thee through the merits of thy beloued Sonne Christ Jesus who hauing purchased all things for this life and in the life to come for me be with thée and
not when thou art visited of the Lord thou shalt be merry when others mourne and thou shalt sing when others lament And therfore learne of Paul in what estate soeuer thou be to be content Infinite are the comforâ—â— in the Bible search and yee shall adde more and more rest vnto your soules For this little trifle which I here offer thee peruse it and vse it It may moue thee to meditate and procure thee to pray which preuaileth much if it be feruent The eyes of the Lord are ouer the Righteous and his eares are open vnto their cryes 1 Pet. 3. 12. And therefore cast your care vpon him for he careth for you he will not faile you nor forsake you that hath conquered and hath prouided for you a Crowne therfore fight the good fight and feare not what man can doe to you Yours in Christian good will Io. NORDEN A familiar Admonition to the CHRISTIAN READER touching the most comfortable exercise of Diuine Prayer ESAY 55. 6. Seeke the Lord while he may be found call vpon him while he is neere THere are three things especially to be considered in the true seeking and calling vpon God The first is Preparation before we call vpon God in Prayer The second is Attention in Prayer The third and last is Thanksgiuing after Prayer A PREPARATION to PRAYER AS touching the first namely Preparation we may obserue vse a kinde of imitation of men occasioned to communicate with mortal Princes who are obserued to preponder with themselues first how to shape their behauiour and externall gesture Secondly how to frame their speech to gaine Attention of him to whom they speake and how to auoide the censure of indiscretion in the deliuery of what they affirme or defend If such curiosity and carefulnesse be necessarily obserued in our communication with men whose breath is in their nostrils how much more obseruant and carefull ought we to be when we addresse our selues to speake vnto the Maiesty of the immortall God To intrude abruptly into the presence of this great God and vnaduisedly to speake vnto him becommeth not a Petitioner but bewrayeth an vnsanctified and an vnprepared heart rather tempting and dishonouring then glorifying of the name of God And therefore before we presume to present our petitions to God in hope to be heard we must prepare our selues not in our outward gesture onely in eloquence of words and Pharisaicall outward holines But in rightly ordering disposing the affections of the inner man which if they be set on carnal or earthly vanities if our harts delight in the fruits of the flesh and the vnprofitable works of darknes though our words be neuer so good of themselues we may feare the reward of Ananias and Saphira his wife who brought a part of their substance hypocritically Concealing therest laid that part at the Apostles feet So if we come vnto God giuing him good words keeping back our harts to serue our own carnal and prophane appetites Shal we thinke that God wil be content with the leaues of our good words when we giue the fruits of our hearts to the world will God take such hypocrites by the haÌ„d we must know that vnlesse we can truly and vnfainedly cast off our carnall thoughts corrupt desires and sinfull affections it cannot be that God who loueth holinesse and truth in the inward affections can looke vpon vs as vpon his children who speake vnto him as to a father with counterfeit words proceeding from vnsanctified hearts When we come therefore vnto God in prayer we must depart from all iniquity knowing that hee heareth not sinners such as the promises of God cannot win to obedience nor his threats inforce to forsake their sinnes who yet will aduenture to rush rashly into the presence of God in a formall kinde of praying with the lips without any premeditation preparation or reformation of the heart at all These offer words for deeds leaues for fruits Wolues for Lambes and all manner halt lame blinde and blemished sacrifices and yet would seeme holy And so in stead of a blessing procure a curse vnto themselues for their hypocrisie We must consider that God is a iealous God and holdeth none guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine as they manifestly doe that come neere him with their lips when their hearts are far from him It is a kinde of spirituall adultery outwardly to seeme wholy to be Gods and yet inwardly to be meere worldlings Before we open our mouthes therefore to God we must cast out of the Temple of God which is our heart all buyers and sellers as Christ did out of the Temple of Ierusalem for as long as our hearts doe harbour the desires of worldly profits and carnall pleasures aboue the sincere seruice of God our heart the Temple of the liuing God becommeth a den of theeues that steales away all our godly affections to settle them on Belial Let vs looke vnto the man Christ Iesus crucified by whose bloud we are redeemed by whose mediation we are sure to haue our prayers heard of God and granted especially if for our further and more perfect preparation we can truly obserue the rule of Christ to forgiue our Enemies knowing that if we forgiue not our brother that offendeth vs God wil not forgiuevs that farre more grieuously offend him And therefore Christ counselleth vs that if we bring our sacrifice to the Altar namely if we intend to pray and there remember that a brother hath ought against vs we ought to leaue our offering before the Altar that is forbeare for the time to pray yet to continue our holy intention to pray and to goe first and be reconciled to our brother then to come to offer our gift namely our praiers freely vnto God in Christ for before we be vnburthened of all Rancor Malice Enuy Hatred and all other prophane desires it is not onely not auaileable but lamentable that so many will as doe presume to come before God with hearts so fearefully fraught with these vnholy affections and stagger no more to presse into Gods presence nay not so much as some that come vnto God with most prepared peacefull and most sanctified consciences Let such cast out the bondwoman with her sonneâ— namely the old man the works and lusts of the flesh and giue entertainment vnto the free-woman and her son the new man which after God is created vnto righteousnes true holinesse And so recommend our prayers vnto God the obiect of our prayers in Christ the Mediator of our prayers by the holy Ghost the Author of all holy prayers ATTENTION IN PRAYER BEing thus prepared let vs indeuor to yeelde due and true Attention in our Prayers that is to giue heede to what we pray to whom we pray for what we pray and with what zeale we pray which are the truest tokens and greatest arguments that our prayers are liuely powerfull effectuall and of faith which properties can neuer be in lip-labour
so to walke before thée in this present life as becommeth thy Saints O continue thy word of truth amongst vs euer to our comfort Let the séede thereof now sowne in our hearts take such déepe roote that neither the burning heate of persecntion cause it to wither nor the thorny cares of this world riches or voluptuous liuing choake it but as séede sowne in good ground it may bring forth fruit according to thy pleasure O Father giue vs grace that when we heare or â—â—nde by thy word any sinne that is in vs we may striue and study without delay willingly to reforme it Kéepe vs good God that wée neuer swarue for the feare of man from our owne true knowledge becomming seruers of time and deuiers of thée Kéepe vs from all hardnesse of heart contempt of thy word and from all dissembling of sinceritie Increase true loue amongst vs more and more Blesse thy whole Church O God with graces necessary this parcell of it our natiue Land and Country deare Father blesse it still with continuance of thy truth Iessen in it daily the number of blinde and ignorant Papists prophane Atheists and increase the number of thy true children Preserue vnto vs long aliue good Lord if it please thée our gracious King and Gouernour multiply thy Spirit vpon him and all his that still more and more he and they may séeke and set forth thy glory in maintaining Christian religion in all purity suppressing all vice superstition and Idolatry with all seuerity Giue vnto him an honourable Counsell giue them graces necessary for such a calling Blesse all other Nobles Magistrates and the whole body of this Realme with true hearts to thée and to this Countrey Increase in this our Israel the number of true Watchmen whose hearts may séeke thée and thy people and not their owne glory and commodity Bring to thy fold by them such wandring remnants as are thine And O Lord be gracious to our kindred and friends in the flesh lighten their hearts with the Sunne of vnderstanding that they and wée acknowledgeing one truth may glorifie thée in the true and constant profession of the same all the dayes of our life Comfort O Christ thy afflicted members wheresoeuer or howsoeuer troubled and grant vs peace in our dayes if it be thy pleasure Finally because the night is now vpon vs and we ready to take our rest let the bed O Lord strike into our hearts a consideration that the graue is almost ready for vs. Which of vs can tell whether these eies of ours once closed vp shall euer open any more againe or no Lord therefore receiue vs into thy hands we all here now commend our selues bodies soules vnto thy holy protection and prouidence kéepe vs this night and euermore ready for thée when thou shalt call vs. Heare vs O Lord O God and Father mercifull in these our petitions for thy Sonne Jesus Christ his sake our Sauiour in whose name we altogether begge these mercies saying as Christ our Sauiour hath taught vs Our Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdome come Thy Will be done in earth as it is in Heauen Giue vs this day our daily Bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs and lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill For thine is the Kingdome the power and the glory for euer and euer Amen Let thy mighty hand and out-stretched arme O Lord be still our defence thy mercy louing kindnesse in Iesus Christ our saluation thy true and holy word our instruction thy grace and holy Spirit our comfort and consolation vnto the end and in the end Amen The Lord blesse vs and saue vs and make his face to shine vpon vs and be mercifull vnto vs the Lord turne his fauourable countenance towards vs this night and euermore Amen A Prayer to be vsed in priuate Families Morning and Euening Leuit. 26. 6. If yee truely serue God yee shall sleepe and none shall make you afraid Lord prepare our hearts open our lips sanctifie our prayers and increase our Faith O Most mighty Lord God and our most mercifull and louing Father in Jesus Christ we thy poore creatures and vnworthy children humbly present our selues in his name before thy glorious maiesty acknowledging that we be most vnworthy to appeare in thy presence by reason not onely of our originall but also of our continuall actuall sinnes and déepe disobedienee being originally borne the children of wrath and the least of our actuall transgressions is sufficient to cast vs into hell and vtter perdition if thou shouldest deale with vs according to the measure of our manifold iniquities We therefore doe humbly beséech thée O mercifull Father in the merits of Jesus Christ fréely to pardon and forgiue our manifold offences both in that wée haue committed and done those things thou hast forbidden and left vndone the things thou hast commanded Lord forgiue vs and remember our sinnes no more let them neuer good and gracious Father rise vp in Judgement to our condemnation Giue vs a full assurance of thy mercies and frée forgiuenesse in Jesus Christ and let thy holy Spirit from henceforth euermore so sanctifie our hearts minds and bodies that wée neuer hereafter giue consent to the corrupt motions of our fleshly affections and vnclean desires and let the liuely light of thy continuall presence so illuminate our dark vnderstandings that we may still search for thy will in thy word reuealed and giue vs will and power to practise and performe all godly seruice duties and obedience to thée giue vs féeling hearts that we may finde out our own weakenesse and confesse vnto thée our infirmities and that we may boldly in the Name of thy Sonne Christ Jesus fall downe before thée calling faithfully and sincerely vpon thy holy name for pardon for our former euils for grace to reforme so the rest of our wicked liues that thou maist be pleased to accept vs anew into thy fauour and fatherly protection Grant that we may continually féele in our hearts and consciences more and more the virtue and power of the death resurrection of our Lord and Sauior Jesus Christ that we may continually striue against and mortifie our grosse sins and foule corruptions and grow more strong against all euill motions and temptations in thought word and déede and be more and more renewed in the spirit of our mind and féele a continuall increase of ioy and comfort in the reading hearing and meditating of thy holy and heauenly word and a feruency of true zeale to séekethy glory by encreasing more and more in knowledge and in the hatred of sinne in our selues rebuking it in others especially in those of whom we haue charge and in a happy and faithfull going forward in all godly obedience vnto thy will all the dayes of our liues Direct and strengthen vs that we may with all faithfulnesse labour to
O Father of mercy for thy deare Sonne Christ Jesus sake our Lord and Sauiour Amen O Lord increase our Faith and blesse our labours A Thankes-giuing or Prayer to be vsed after a mans labour is finished O My gracious Lord God I yéeld vnto thée harty thankes because thou hast preserued me from imminent and infinite dangers which might otherwise haue happened to oppresse and vtterly ouerthrowne me if thou Lord hadst not carefully regarded and kept me from many inconueniences Therefore now O most louing Father I humbly intreate and beseech thée for Jesus Christs sake to pardon all the faults wherein I haue offended thée in the time of my labour or otherwise correct me not in thine anger nor punish me in thy heauy displeasure worke in me so by the power of thy holy Spirit that hence forth I may walke in greater integrity and carefully performe those duties which are required in my vocation and calling to the end that though I labour with my body yet in spirit I may be led by thy spirit to loue serue and glorifie thy name in all my doings words and thoughts Direct and guide me by thy holy Word in all truth and honest conuersation among men neuer swaruing from thy commandements that in the end I may attaine euerlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen Lord euermore increase and confirme my Faith in thee A generall Confession of sins and of the vanities of carnall delights If we acknowledge our sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sins and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse If we say we haue not sinned we make him a lyer and his word is not in vs 1 Iohn 1. 9. 10. O God Almighty and al-knowing Father the fountaine of all comfort and consolation I confesse against my selfe as euermore I haue done that I haue grieuously offended thée by my manifold transgressions and haue thereby drawne downe a most heauy waight of thine importable iudgements vpon me vnder the burthen whereof I cannot but faint and fall vnlesse thou set to thy helping hand of mercy in Jesus Christ to support mée for good Father I am weake and cannot beare thy displeasure I am ignorant and know not which way to turne mée vnlesse thou point out the way vnto me by thy holy Spirit directing mée within as thy Word teacheth me without For it is not euery one that heareth that vnderstandeth not euery one that vnderstandeth that can practise and performe what thou commandest for who so is not guided by a better line then that of flesh and bloud mistaketh the right path and treadeth the way of vanitie whose end is death yet for the time it is most swéete and pleasing to the outward man the man vnsanctified and vnregenerate because hee loueth to be sed with the dainties of this life as with honor preferment riches health friends and worldly delights estéeming these the earnest-penny here of Heauen to come and that wants and pouerty and sicknesse and enemies and imprisonments and crosses are euen here the entrance into Hell it selfe So foolish are they O Lord and ignorant whom thou guidest not in thy way And this hath béene my foolishnesse and my misconceit of the seuerall estates of men in this life euen vnto this day But hauing now found by due triall and experience the foolishnesse of such as put their delight in these transttory fickle and vncertaine vanities doe disclaime all confidence in them and doe heartily and most vnfainedly abhorre and detest the deceiuing baits of temporall and carnall delights and doe wholly betake me vnto the swéet sauing sanctuarie of thy wisedome and prouidence wherein howsoeuer the worldly minded doe contrarily iudge is truest safety happinesse and securitie for therein beare Father is the true feéling and founded hope of future eternall felicitie thy wisedome O Father is the wisedome of the Spirit the Spirit the sanctifier of the Soule the minde and affections which being sanctified begetteth true feare of thée and that feare is the beginning of that sacred wisedome which guideth and gouerneth the whole man in the blessed way the way to life euen vnto Christ himselfe who is the Way the Truth and the Life O Lord increase our Faith A Prayer for humiliation and sorrow after sinne committed O Lord my God and most louing Father in Jesus Christ I confesse and acknowledge that mine offences are increased and my sinnes are growne vp vnto the heauens that I am ashamed to lift vp mine eyes to thée admiring at thy influite mercy in forbearing to punish me knowing that I am worthy to be swallowed vp or swept away with some extraordinary and sudden iudgement And now O Lord especially hauing so grosely sinned against thée and done so great euill in thy sight how haue I vile wretch that I am wounded mine owne conscience how hâ—ue I laid my selfe open to the malice and enuy of the Diuell what a disgrace and slander haue I brought vpon my Profession what an offence and scandall haue I giuen vnto others what a toy will this be to the wicked that they haue now by meÌ„ gotten something to speake euill of But aboue al O Lord how haue I dishonoured thée whose fauours haue béene so many and so innumerable towards me I know not how to expresse my detestable sinnes and the hainous and hideous natures of them when I thinke vpon thy patience vpon the meanes of grace which thou hast afforded mee vpon the light of knowledge which thou hast giuen mee vpon the good motions which thou hast from time to time stirred vp in mee vpon the profession which I make vpon the sundry vowes and promises of better obedience with which I haue linked my selfe vnto thy Maiestie vpon the diuers admonitions which by thy prouidence I know haue béene vsed to mée by thy Seruants purposely to preuent and stop this euill in mée mée thinketh I may call it rebellion which is as the sinne of witchcraft or presumption in the highest degrée O Lord I sée my sinnes and know them to bée exceeding great neuerthelesse I cannot so lament them so grieue for them so detest and abhorre them as I should Striue O gracious God strike I beséech thée my flinty heart make it euen to melt within mée at the sight of mine owne transgression Settle in it that godly sorrow which causeth Repentance vnto saluation Humble my soule vnder thy mighty hand and suffer me not to fréeze in the dregges of mine owne corruptions make my head full of water and mine eyes a fountaine of teares which may runne downe like a Riuer day and night O let me take no rest nor suffer the apple of mine eye to cease cause me to powre out my heart like water before thy face that I may by all meanes testifie the vnfained griefe of my Soule that I haue so displeased thée And grant O Lord that I may not sorrow so much because of hell condemnation which J haue
made to be due to me but that my chiefe vexation may be to thinke how I haue abused thy mercy and requited thy excéeding loue with so foule a trespesse Withall most mercifull God séeing there is mercy with thée and that thou desirest not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turne from his wickednesse and liue giue me leaue to become a suter vnto thy grace not in mine owne name but in the name of thy dearest Sonne the onely Mediator Intercessor of his chosen I most humbly beséech thée for his sake to haue mercy on me O Lord one drop of his most precious bloud shall be a soueraigne Medicine to cure my running â—ore his stripes and wounds are of an healing nature O then I pray thée purgeme cleane from mine intquitie and according to the multitude of thy mercy wipe away all my vncleannesse let the apprehension of my sinne be tempered with a comfortable application of thy mercy that I may hold an euen course betwixt fearlesse security and faithlesse despaire beholding at once both my vilenesse to humble me and the riches of thy grace to reuiue me And Lord permit me not I humbly pray thee to thinke it sufficient that I haue once made some shew of humiliation and sorrow for my falâ— but grant I may endeuor my selfe in the performance of these dueties and may euery day renew and increase my repentance with a déepe detestation of my sinnes and with a feruent desire more and more earnestly striue to be renewed in the spirit of my minde that being so cleansed from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit I may attaine vnto perfect holinesse in thy feare through our Lord Jesus in whose name I commend vnto thée my Petitions and for whose sake thou hast promised to deny nothing to thy Seruant So be it Amen Lord increase my Faith A preparation to the Receiuing of the holy Communion of the Body and Bloud of IESVS CHRIST ADAM the first man was forbidden to eate of one fruit which was fore-shewed to be mortall and hee did hasten to eate thereof Wee the Children of the second Adam are commanded to eate of the liuely and sauing fruit the Body and Bloud of Christ to our saluation yet how slacke are we to prepare vs thereunto and to partake thereof The first step therefore of true preparation thereunto is to search the Scriptures who teach the Mysterie of this holy Communion and the institution of the same as also the signification of the outward signes which are Bread and Wine the things signified the Body and Bloud of Christ shed for all beleeuers the end of the receiuing whereof is to retayne the remembrance of the Death Passion of Christ which he suffered for our sins By the true receiuing of this Sacrament we are vnited vnto the loue of God in and by the death of Christ the second Adam being separated from him by the fall of the first We are made heires by adoption of eternall saluation in by and with Christ which we lost in by Adam The true receiuing of this blessed Sacrament must be in sincerity with a repentant heart and faith vnfained And because it is not prouided for sinners who comming thereunto vnworthily receiue their owne damnation wee must before we repaire thereunto cleanse our soules from all sinne which cannot be done without diuing into our own soules with an impartiall search to finde out our owne corruption and truely to repent our sinnes Therefore saith the Apostle Let a man try and examine himselfe before he presume to come to this holy Table c. It is not fit that wee should come to this holy Banquet abruptly â—s men doe to their ordinary feasts where they Pharisaically and ceremoniously will wash their hands before they eate but to this most holy Supper we are not to come without inward washing of the soule from sinne for if vnwashed hands prophane the meat for the belly how much more an vnwasht heart this sacred Sacrament the foode of the Soule Inward examination impartiall accusation and an absolute condemnation of our selues for sinne is the best preparation to this holy Table For hee that looketh into and examineth the hidden prophanenesse lurking in the heart cannot but vpon due view of the same accuse himselfe of deepe disobedience to God which deserueth death Finding this he cannot but iudge himselfe worthy to be reiected from this communion of Saints and so condemne himselfe that he be not condemned of the Lord for he that confesseth his sinnes to God couereth them and he that coueteth to hide them increaseth them Therefore the Apostle willeth all men to trye and examine themselues which importeth repentance and so to eate This caueat is no inhibition but a terrifying of the soule not to presume to come to this holy Table without purification and sanctification Herein doth the Lord Iesus discouer his wonderfull loue towards vs who before hee inuite vs to come to this Table to eate doth instruct vs how wee should come and how we should feede He layes not this Table to snare vs as Absalom did Amnon and yet forewarnes vs that there is danger in receiuing it namely with polluted hands with hands full of bribery and extortion to take it with lips defiled with blasphemy cursing and lying to put it into a stomacke gorged with drunkennesse and gluttony and with a heart making no difference of the Lords body We must therefore lay aside all our old sinnes and put on the new man a Righteous a Holy and Christian conuersation and disposition Wee must be holy and heauenly minded towards God we must be louing to our Neighbours slow in taking aduantages or reuenging wrongs wee must be lowly and little in our owne eyes meeke and sober in all our actions And because things of so wonderfull value are herein exhibited and offered to the worthy Receiuers wee must consider who wee are how wee are cleansed of our spirituall Leprosie before we presume into the company of the Saints to communicate Wee must consider well whether vpon tryall made as afore is said wee can assure our selues that we are of the number of those to whom these holy things doe appertaine For who so is prophane in his person and an vnsanctified Creature let him forbeare to come to this holy Table and let him first vse the meanes of better assurance namely repentance for his sinnes amendment of his corrupt and sinfull life let him vse often zealous prayer to God for remission of his omissions and transgressions let him craue the assistance of his holy Spirit to assist him in the beating downe and mortifying sinne in him and that his Heart and Conscience may be sanctified And when he is cleansed let him shew himselfe to the Priest his Pastor and let him take knowledge by his outward Confession of his inward Contrition not by particularising of his sinnes but by manifesting his repentance and then in all reuerence
booke of this so high and so heauenly a mysterie not the worldly wise not the great learned nor the most glorious in the world onely the poore in spirit the humble and méeke such as truely hunger and thirst for their saluation in and by Christ. They onely aske séeke and knocke they receiue knowledge and finde mercy and they are accepted into this heauenly society seeing yet but in part knowing yet but in part féeling yet but in part receiuing but in part glorying but in part where they yet praise thée but in part But thou hast promised that we partaking of thée in this life after this life we shall fully enioy thée in and by Christ in the heauens to our euerlasting comfort to our inestimable glory and endlesse praising thée in him whom here we sée by the eyes of our soules in faith on whom we depend in faith and of whom we here partake in faith which faith O Lord increase more and more for euer in vs all Amen A thankesgiuing after the receiuing of the holy Communion IEsus Christ our true Soueraigne and eternal sacrifice thou art seated at the right hand of God vpon the Throne of Maiestie in heauen hauing the administration of all goodnesse to come and of the true Tabernacle which is not made by hands Thou entredst once by thy precious bloud into the holy places and hast obtained for vs eternall Redemption by sacrificing thy selfe vnto thy Father to cleanse our consciences from al dead workes to the end we might serue the liuing God We giue thée thankes with all our hearts because by willing obedience to thy Father thou didst suffer a most ignominious death on the Crosse for vs poore miserable and wretched sinners and hast instituted this blessed Sacrament for an eternall memory of thy faithfulnesse and fauour on out behalfe leauing it like wise as an earnest penny seale or testimony for the remission of our sinnes Thou hast called and brought vs to the Communion of this wonderfull féeding to the end that wee might refresh our hungry soules languishing and thirsting after life euerlasting O Lord my God great is thy loue thy mercy vnexprsseable thy grace vncomprehensible Thou despisest no persons comming to this Banquet except they exclude themselues or intrude thither vnworthily If any one doe hunger or thirst here he is fully satisfied such as are in necessitie may here finde the riches and treasures of Life the desolate here méete with comfort the stâ—ke here finde physicke and health for their soules such as are ouer-laden with their sins are here disburdoned in their consciences and they which are assailed by Death doe here méete with life that cannot be molested Helpe vs then O good God that this blessed Sacrament which we haue receiued may auaile vs to our saluation and that hereafter we may retaine the fulnesse of our hope without any wauering because thou art faithfull in all thy promises and let vs care one for another giue vs grace to loue all but couet onely the societie of such as either may stirrevs vp more and more to godlinesse or that we may win them to more knowledge of and obedience to thée and that wee may in a holy and heauenly vnion often assemble our selues at this holy and sacred banquet comforting one another in thée hopefully looking for thy blessed appearance in the clouds for our full and finall redemption Amen Lord increase our faith and renew a right spirit within vs. A Motiue to the Prayer following against Temptation FOrasmuch as no man is free from Temptation it is a necessary exercise for the Children of God to pray daily to be strengthened against the same for if the Diuell spared not to tempt Christ Mat 4. 1. 3. Marke 1. 12. 13. he cannot but tempt vs. And as hee began with Christ knowing him to haue long fasted and deemed him so desirous to eate as hee would haue done any thing to haue had bread as Esau longed for his brothers pottage And as hee himselfe in the beginning fell by ambition and vainglory he thought it had beene the humour of Christ likewise to deâ—…e terrene glory according therefore to these two occasions he tempted Christ to accept of both or either of them But hee had no aduantage against Christ but fifteth and findeth man of another inclination wholy and altogether corrupt and so prone naturally to sinne as there resteth in all men some peculiar humour and a kinde of priuate and commanding sinne which so farre commonly ouer-ruleth the affections as whensoeuer it offereth it selfe it easily draweth consent euen of the whole man as Nabals couerousnes whom the rich doe imitate who although they might be free from all other sinnes as they cannot be it were sufficient to condemne them some are wholly ouercome and make drunkennesse their whole delight some bribery and extorsion some whoredome some wantonnesse And these and such like sins are as it were the Bailiffes and Stewards of the houses of mens hearts which who so embraceth and holdeth them so deare as he will not endeauour to be freed of them is not the childe of God And therefore this prayer following may be vsed of all men to that end although hee would be ashamed to confesse it before men God already knowing it his confession to him shall more and more make a way for repentance and obtaine strength to resist the Diuell in his temptation who obseruing our inclinations bendeth his temptations accordingly and hauing wonne but the outerward of our hearts at the first a bare consent he then will visite oftner vntill he haue made custome so strong as it becommeth an habite or as it were another nature So that a man may as well endure the plucking out of his eyes as the shaking off of that accustomed sinne And therefore it behooueth all men to be watchfull against Satan and to resist him by prayer A Prayer against Temptations especially fit for a man that findeth in himselfe a continuall strong inclination to any particular sinne O Gracious God and most louing Father who in the beginning didst create man to thine owne image and likenesse in all sinceritie and didst place him in the holy estate of his innocency in the swéet garden of all heauenly and earthly delights and in thy superabundant mercies didst ordaine all thy creatures in Heauen and Earth to doe him seruice O what was man that thou hadst such respect vnto him And yet how suddenly Lord God did hée fall from that estate of originall grace how grossely did hée disobey and rebell against thy will reuealed vnto him By whose fall all corruption entred where before was nothing but sanctity by whose corruption the earth became corrupt and all things in the earth began to disobey him for whom they were created as he disobeyed thée by whom he was created And by his transgression all that haue procéeded of him by a lineall originall pollution haue all defiled their wayes and all
beginning and in the seuenth day didst rest from the same labour commanding vs to obserue the sanctification of the same for euer and to rest from all labours trauels and wordly businesses and not onely our selues but our Seruants Oxen Asses and such like Grant that we may not onely lay a side all worldly cares and businesses on the Sabbath day but may in all things sanctifie and kéepe it holy with godly exercises diuine prayers and heauenly meditations with diligent regard to the auoyding of all pastimes foolish and vncomely exercises and vnlawfull practices whereby oftentimes the affection being mooued to impatience powreth forth choler to the dishonouring of thée Let our conuersation be altogether modest mortifying our owne desires wholly applying our selues not onely on the Sabbath day but all the wéeke yea all our whole life to the seruice of thée to the honouring and glorifying of thy Name to the benefit of our soules profit of our neighbours and due reuerence to our Parents whom thou hast commanded vs to honor loue and obey as the instruments of our beginning thou being the workman Grant Lord that wee truely and vnfainedly reuerence them as thou willest we should that we may long continue vpon the earth not in the number of carelesse and disobedient children in whom resteth no thankfulnesse for so great benefits had and receiued at the hand of their parents from whom thou hast said thou wilt with-hold thy blessings and altogether depriue them of their libertie of liuing But grant that we may so order our selues by thy grace both to them and other our Superiours that wee may receiue at thy hands many good gifts and length of dayes here according to thy promise in Christ. Let it likewise please thee O Lord to continue thy blessings in and vpon vs that it may goe well with vs all the dayes of our liues take from vs Lord all destres of reuenge all rancour hatred and malice lest the Diuell who reaâ—ily stands to pricke vs forward to a desperate minde procure vs to slay the innocent Wée beséech thée good Lord let not at any time such euill imaginations enter into our hearts lest wée giuing our selues thereunto loose the reynes of our naturall disposition which is 〈◊〉 inclined to wrath that vnlesse the strength thereof be subdued or the venomous sâ—ing thereof pluckt out by vertue of thy holy Spirit it prouoke vs to waite opportunity to wreake our malice with violence vpon such as by small occasions haue offended vs yea and by little and little breake out into that height of hatred as to prouoke vs to séeke the meanes to destroy the innocent O Lord forbid it and kéepe vs from the most pernitious sinne of adultery which being so odious in thy sight as thou causedst to fall in one day for the same twenty and thrée thousand but indue vs with thine holy Spirit that we may kéepe our bodies cleane and vndefiled members of thée endued with perfect sanctity may abandon all occasions that may procure vs to offend thée retaining a godly behauiour which thou dearely louest and expelling euill concupiscence which thou deadly hatest O mercifull God vouchsafe to kéepe vs from taking any thing by indirect meanes from any man whom wee ought to loue as our selues the desire whereof good Lord procéedeth often by scarcitie and want by pouerty and néede which indéede thou art able and willing to relieue without any such vnlawfull meanes And therfore I beséech thée to grant vs a sufficient and necessary portion or else constancy and vnfained hope in thee to be relieued in thy good time and vtterly to detest the horrible sinne of stealing for thou hast promised neither to faile vs nor forsake vs calâ—ing faithfully vpon thée in time of our necessity And as we ought to beware of taking any thing of others by steaith so likewise vouchsafe when any occasion serueth to grant vs héedfull mindes to depose and testifie that which is truth according to our knowledge without any respect either of greatnesse friendship or fauour of the one or the eâ—uy malice or pouerty of the other And grant that wée raise no false accusation or slander vpon any man but that wée may kéepe our mouthes from speakeing any thing hurtfull vnto others but to shew our selues helpefull both in word and déede to all and like good men muse and meditate afore-hand what we ought to speake not letting the bridle of our lips loose to babble out that which first commeth into our mindes and that we may content ourselues with our estates whatsoeuer thou sendest without an vngodly desire of any thing that belongeth vnto our Neighbours And grant vs by thine especiall grace euermore to obserue and faithfully to fulfill all thy most godly Commandements in the name for the sake of Jesus Christ in whose Name as well for grace to kéepe thy Lawes as also for all necessaries for body and soule I heartily beséech thée in that forme of prayer which hée hath set downe vnto vs in these words Our Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heauen Giue vs this day our daily bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs And leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill For thine is the Kingdome the power and glory for euer and euer Amen A Prayer and Meditation concerning the continuance of Gods corrections notwithstanding our continuall humiliation and daily Prayers vnto him for comfort and reliefe O Father most mercifull and louing in Jesus Christ what shall I bring vnto thée whereby to appease thy wrath conceiued against my sinne If I should bring the sacrifice of Buls or Goates thou art not delighted with them Teach mée therefore O Lord teach me what to doe to be reconciled vnto thée againe I haue long called vpon thée and that in the name of thy most beloued Sonne and finde not that I haue long sought I receiue not that I haue many dayes desired of thée I haue long and earnestly knocked at the doore of thy mercy and finde no entrance for my Soule I sée I am shut out of thy presence I wait and am weary I sigh and sée no remorse and lingring thus in distresse I languish vnder the burden of thy displeasure which séemeth to be so hetly kindled against mée as I am ready to giue ouer my suite For behold Lord my miseries are beyond measure and my griefe groweth daily more and more being of my selfe ignorant what to say more vnto thée then I haue said I know not what course to take nor to whom to make my mone direct mée and heare my prayers Thou being angry with mée all thy Creatures séeme to be also offended at mée and nothing séemeth to yéelde mée comfort Deare Father what shall I doe whither shall I flye to finde rest there is no rest for me but in thée and therefore
be difmayed at any of thy corrections Lie my heart within mée reioyce let my soule triumph and my conscience retaine true peace and godly alacrity in the middest of the causes of my déepest discontentments And assist me Lord so with thy grace that I may not onely séeme but be indéede truely patient and by the same thy grace let Patience haue her true and liuely working in mée bringing forth all other spirituall effects of Obedience all the fruits of thy sanctifying Spirit Faith to beléeue zeale to pray and constant perseuerance in that hope which maketh not ashamed So shall all my tryals and temptations crosses and afflictions worke for my good to thy glory and al my troubles be approued tryals of thy loue and fatherly fauours toward me howsoeuer the desires of flesh and bloud oppose themselues to weaken the swéete assurance setled in mée by a liuely féeling of thy promises made in thy word infinite in number comfortable and neuer failing Plant therefore in me O good Father plant in mée these sauing fruits and water them continually with the distilling dewe of thy sanctifying Spirit that they may grow vp in mée from the small and weake buds that scarcely appeare in mée to such liuely fructifying and neuer-dying branches as may beare in mée true testimonies vnto my selfe of mine assured Saluation and future Glorification and to thine Elect encouragements of diuine imitation and to the contrary minded examples either to their reformation or condemnation A Prayer against the temptations of the Diuell MOst mercifull God and leuing Father thy blessed World teacheth vs that the old Dragon and subtle Serpent our aduersary the Diuell â—uns about vs like a roaring Lion séeking daily to deuoure vs. Hée vseth all his wicked sleights against our Soules with an in finite number of diuellish Stratagems to make vs fall into sinne or despaire He practiseth to entrap vs by riches by pouerty by voluptuous and wanton pleasures by gréedy desire after honour worldly dignities by coueting earthly goods and possessions by care for the belly and prouision therefore with all other vnrighteous and sinfull affections and desires Hée cunningly doth cast abroad his daits and snares to intangle vs night and day in our words and workes so that wake we or sléepe we he is before or behind vs to deuoure vs. O glorious God who can escape for he is continually watching and neuer at rest and wée are weake and vnable of our selues to resist Open thou our eyes O Lord that we may comprehend how mighty and crafty our enemie is Confirme our Faith for we are not to fight against flesh and bloud but against Sathan the vtter enemy of the Soule therefore O faithfull Father haue compassion on vs. Make vs strong in the power of thine owne streugth put vpon vs thy defensiue armour to resist manfully the temptations and subtle deuices of the Diuell Giue vs thy weapons gird our reynes with the Girdle of truth put on our brests the Brest-plate of righteousnes let our féete be shod with Euangelical peace and aboue all things let our hearts be defended with the shield of Faith so shall wée be sure to quench all the fiery darts of the diuell so that our hearts be couered with the Helmet of Saluation and our hands hold fast the Sword of the Spirit which is thy most sacred anâ— neuer failing Word Then shall wée be able to doe any good thing and valiantly through thy â—ide and succour ouer come our aduersary the Diuell for in thy very name we shall strongly with stand him Be thou but our helper and no feare can assault vs stand thou but by vs and though the world should be ouer-whelmed and the Mountaines tumbled into the bottome of the Sea yet shall wee be safe for thou art our assistance that liuest and raignest world without end Amen The Motiue to the first Prayer in distresse Being a Confession of sinnes and a Petition to be released of the punishments due for the same DAngers and afflictions moue poore men to repaire vnto God not onely in their silent sighes as Anna and Moses did but also in their vnfamed zeale vsing the meanes the tongue and lips in crying vnto the Lord who willeth vs to aske and enioyneth vs to waite vntill his good time be to giue what we desire And for that God heareth not sinners here is inserted a Confession and Prayer for forgiuenesse that our vnworthinesse may be put away and our vnaptnesse turned into true submission and our coldnes into zeale that the Spirit of God being renewed within vs through our humiliation and prayer we may not faint but liue in hope and vndergoe the correction of our louing God in what manner and for what time heseeth it fit for vs without indenting with him what to doe for vs or when to come to vs because he is wise and we our selues fooles he is mercifull and neuer faileth nor forsaketh the miserable God is loue and imbraceth them that deserue to be hated And therefore heâ— beareth with our imperfections and accepteth vs righteous being vnrighteous worthy being vnworthy of our selues And in this hope and assurance is this prayer following to be faithfully vsed and it shall comfort the soule of the most sorrowfull The way truely to seeke our God is to doe iustly to loue mercy to humble our selues and to walke with him Reioyce in hope be patient in tribulation continuing in Prayer Rom. 12. 12. The first Prayer in distresse O Father full of knowledge thou searchest the hidden thoughts of all hearts thou beholdest the desires euen of such as kéepe silence But yet thou requirest that thy children should know and confesse thée to be their Father and so to iudge of thy workes as that thou hast framed in man an heart wherewith to beléeue and a tongue and lips whereby to confesse thée to be his louing Father and dost challenge at his hands the Sacrifices of Prayer and Praise continually Thy children must not be dumbe in their Soules nor mute in their lips that want thine aide no thou commandest them to aske séeke and knocke an t she west thy selfe ready to heare ready to be found and ready to receiue thy distressed ones who are faithfull and patient and perseuere vnto the end And therefore deare Father I beset with many miseries come vnto thee as vnto the chiefe fountaine of all rest and reliefe inward and outward but I am stâ—full and that I confesse and thou wiâ—â— not heare such as are defiled with iniquity the wicked cannot finde thée and the vniust cannot come before thy presence Alas what shall I then doe being so vnfit to aske so vnapt to séeke and so vnworthy to receiue what I desire by reason of my sinnes But cleanse mée O Father most pure and sanctifie mée O thou most holy teach mee what to speake vnto thée for I cannot keepe silence my griefes are great and my miseries increase more and more I must
life that after my long estraying from thée I may be at last brought home to thy blessed fauour againe wherein is life and liberty and comfort and fulnesse and ioy and rest and peace for euer Oh happy is he that is in thy protection most happy is hee whom thou fauourest for he is wise he is strong he is godly he is fed he is clad hée is safe and hee is rich in euery good thing When he calleth thou hearest when hee asketh thou giuest when hée séeketh hée findeth when hée is sicke thou curest him when hée is poore thou prouidest for him when he is sad thou comfortest him when he is weary thou easest him when he hungreth thou féedest him when he is in trouble thou defendest him when he is in danger thou preseruest him when he is hated thou louest him and when he is dead he then entereth into that life which is eternall and then partaketh of the ioyes which are vnspeakable Oh accept mée into this fauour wherein are so many blessings certaine furnish me with these blessings wherein are so swéete contentations and bestow on mee those graces that make the most despised in the world most honourable with thée So shall my sorrowes be turned into ioy my want into sufficiency my teares into gladnesse and all my miseries into godly mirth Deliuer my soule from death kéepe my féete from sliding let mée walke righteously before thée and call instantly vpon thée who performest thy promises and sufferest none to depart empty away that séeke thée with their whole hearts Oh send therefore and saue mee from them that would deuoure mee and from that which afflicteth me for my soule is among Lyons I wade as through a raging sea I dwell among men set on fire against me whose teeth are speares and whose tongues are as a two edged sword let thy mercy therfore and truth be my shield buckler Thou hast euer béen mine hope helpe me therefore and let not my troubles increase renew my ioyes and set mée vpon the rock of neuer-failing reliefe and let my rest and refuge be for euer vnder the shadow of thy protection Bring to passe what is fit for me and which thou knowest expedient let the righteous sée the blessed end of my hope that they may likewise talke of thy glory and speake of thy praise And all men shall say Verily there is fruit for the righteous doubtlesse there is a God that worketh good for them that are of a perfect heart O Lord increase my Faith The Motiue to the ninth Prayer for assurance of Gods Prouidence THe poore man notwithstanding his present heauy burthen of affliction hath and feeleth in himselfe an inward instinct of comfort and in meere zeale of Gods glory breaketh out into an admiration as it were of his infinite Maiestie power and excellency and consequently recounteth the innumerable blessings and infinite mercies of the Lord who so regardeth the frailty of man as hee seemeth to winke at his many euils confessing it the meere kindnesse and free fauour of God that all mankinde is not confounded for disobedience laying vpon himselfe the guilt of his own sinnes for which beyond all other the Lord may iustly punish him acknowledging that hee more offendeth God by his sins then he can appease him with his Prayers and doth more moue him to anger by his transgressions then hee can please him by his best zeale And yet he longeth still to be at one with God in whom he knoweth there is mercy and loue and liberty and reliefe In hope whereof and that God will remember his louing kindnesse againe towards him hee will yet trust and pray and be patient And yet seeing his corruptions still strong to beat down his faith in God prayeth God to bridle his vngodly affections lest hee feare ouer-much and so faint and giue ouer his suite and desireth by the examples of Ioh Ioseph and Dauid and other godly Fathers that endured their troubles patiently he may likewise be patient vnto the end And thus rowzing vp his dead thoughts and sorrowfull soule with the sweet consideration of infinite comforts which his louing God hath euer and doth daily bestow vpon his poore oppressed children he resolueth not to faint The ninth Prayer in which the poore distressed Man acknowledgeth that though God doe deseruedly punish him yet he assureth himselfe that God will relieue him O Lord my God thy name is most excellent in all the World thy glory is spread abroad thorow the Heauens and thy praise is vttered by all thy Creatures as in an vniuersall harmony thorow Heauen and Earth For thy mercies are infinite and thy blessings without number that thou hast best owed vpon them all especially vpon the Children of men who yet among all other Creatures are most forgetfull and aptest to breake out into strongest disobedience against thy Maiestie and of thy free fauour and mercy it is that all Adams issue is not vtterly rooted out of the Land of the liuing And I for my part Father most louing cannot hold my selfe guiltlesse of infinite euils whereby I haue yéelded greatest cause among many that thou shouldest punish euen the whole World for disobedience but my selfe especially I confesse worthy of my miseries and not to deserue the vse of the Aire to breathe in nor of any of thy creatures to be comforted by them Worthily therefore hast thou afflicted me and worthily maist thou stil visite me for I sée I doe rather more incense thée by my sins then appeaâ—e thée by my prayers I more offend thâ—e by transgressions then I can please thée by my best zeale I faint at mine owne vnworthines yet faine would I be at one with thée in whom is onely safety and succour and assured saluation to them that truly reforme their liues rightly frame their repentance and sincerely follow thy will which is thine owne gift All this I desire to performe and distrust thée not for thou hast promised pardon to the penitent and reliefe to the lowly and to be with them that séeke thée and to hold them vp that hold by thée and to instruct them that séeke wisedome of thée Forasmuch therefore as I haue so long cryed vnto thée so long sought thée I will yet hope though I shut vp my sad soule in siâ—ence onely vnto thée who wel coÌ„siderest the inward groâ—es and rightly ponderest the sorrowes and sighes and wants and desires of thy distressed Children though they séeme mute in their lips and to speake nothing with their tongues If thou mightest at all haue béene pleased to heare by earnest cryes thou mightst haue heard me if it might haue pleased thée to succour mée by earnest desires I might haue béene relieued But loâ— the time is not yet come that thou hast appointed for my deliuery and therefore I will still wait and not be weary for my helpe and my comfort and my life and my saluation dependeth on thée O brible therefore all
mouthes but thou who relieued mée when I wanted things necessary but thou who hath deliuered mée in the time of danger but thou who shall haue the praise and glory but thou the God of my saluation and mine euerlasting refuge But what recompence deare Father shall I make vnto thée what reward shall I giue thée what sacrifice shall I offer thée I am a worme no man I haue no good thing to present vnto thée but onely I say and confesse and acknowledge euen from my heart and soule with my tongue and lips that thou onely art God onely good onely able and willing to helpe the poore to relieue the distressed to comfort the abiect and to deliuer them that are ready to be swallowed vp of mercilesse waters I am poore yet thou prouidest for mée I want and thou giuest mée things expedient I haue Enemies but thou defendest mée from their tyranny I am féeble and weake and fearefull to fall but thou doest yet strengthen mée and vphold mée thou leauest mée not in misery thou forgettest mée not in my calamity thou doest not euer hide thée from mée nor turne thy face when I séeke thée but thou rather hearest me before I call and preparest mée salue before I vnfold my sore and giuest before I aske more then I can desire Yea Father when I thinke my selfe ouer-whelmed with the troubles that like raging waues doe follow one another thou takest mée vp and settest me on a sure Rocke and when I begin to slide and my faith séemeth to faile me thou euen then with thy helping hand dost hold me vp so that neither the waters of this worlds troubles can altogether swallow mee vp neither I altogether so fall as if there were none to helpe me vp Therefore O Father full of loue full of power full of compassion and patient to thée onely I yéeld praise for my present reliefe and comfort I thanke thée for thy louing and fatherly helpe who art absolute in thy prouidence and therein raisest meanes to support thy Children when they are in danger And as thou of thy frée fauour in Christ thy beloued hast at this time and for euer deliuered mee yea when I was past hope so continue my louing God and helper and Sauiour vnto the end and as thou séest my Soule in aduersity continually so be thou my continuall helper that I may still sing vnto thee the song of praise for thou art worthy to be praised oh thou art worthy to be praised to thée be praise for euer Amen O Lord increase my Faith PSAL. 18. 2. The Lord is my rock and my fortresse and he that deliuereth me my God and my strength In him will I trust my shield and the horne also of my saluation and my refuge A Thankesgiuing to God for that Enemies haue not preuailed according to their desires with prayer to preuent them OH Lord of Hosts Lord of heauen and earth who defendedst Dauid from the malice of Saul Hezekiah from the power of Senacherib and all thy Children from their Enemies so farre as was euer expedient for thy glory and their soules comfort I thanke thée and blessed be thy holy Name for euer for that thou hast not suffered mine Enemies to triumph ouer mée buc hast most graciously deliuered mée from their malicious deuices hatefull inuentions Thine eye hath séene their laying in wait for mée and their wicked practices and in thy prouidence they are fallen and I stand they are snared and I am deliuered they are punished and I am preserued But it was not mine owne policy mine owne power wisedome or sword that hath kept them backe it was thine owne will thy worke and thine is the glory neither haue I escaped their wicked practices because I was iust nor because I was innocent neither of which deserueth so much but it was thine owne frée mercy in Jesus Christ by which they are snared and I am deliuered and I doe acknowledge it and doe confesse before all men yea I doe publish thy praise for thy goodnesse who art my strength and my saluation be thou euermore so and I shall neuer be moued be thou my rock whereupon I may euer more rest saie And grant that as I haue séene thy saluation tasted of thy sauing health felt the power of thy right hand and béene partaker of so many of thy benefits and blessings make mée able to glorifie thy Name that as thou hast now disappointed mine Enemies of their hope and weakned their power as thou hast scattered them brought their deuices and imaginations to nought so Lord stand alwaies by me and as they haue made a mocke of me trusting in thée so let shame befal them for their cruelties let their mouthes which spake lyes be stopped their armes still weakened and their hearts waâ—e faint whensoeuer they shall attempt their malicious deuices against me againe when they shall compasse me about with the multitude of their wicked imaginations then let the multitude of thy mercies ouer-match them They haue sought my hurt without a cause and therefore fell without my force thou tookest my cause into thine owne hand and hast brought me out of the snare that they had laid and taken them for thou iudgest right let them therefore know that it is thou hath hast done it and although they say in their hearts The Lord will not see nor consider let them finde that thou séest and considerest their practises and let them vnderstand that thou regardest the cause of the oppressed let them neuer haue power to rise againe against me let them neuer preuaile let mee euermore reioyce in thée O Lord my God my strength and my Redéemer O Lord increase my Faith A Thankesgiuing to be vsed after the returne of a Iourney or comming to some Inne or place of rest O God of all goodnesse mercy and loue I giue thée most humble hearty thankes for thy diuine prouidence in leading and conducting me in this my Journey and for preseruing mée from dangers in the same wherein I doe acknowledge thy goodnes towards me who as thou diddest euen by thy hand conduct Lot out of Sodome so hast thou taken mée as it were in thine armes and deliuered mée from perill And as thou diddest send Raphael thine Angell to conduct Tobias And as thou diddest leade the Seruant of Abraham and diddest guide Iacob in their iournies euen by thy holy ministring Spirits so doe I acknowledge that thou hast béene this day with me in my iourney thou hast brought mee in peace and safety vnto this place wherein I may take my bodily rest and refection hauing graciously protected mée from many secret dangers not onely of Enemies Robbers and Théeues but also from danger and hurts of my limbes which are commonly incident and d ee befall euen thine owne Children blessed be therefore thy holy Name for euer I giue glory vnto thy sacred and most glorious Name for that thou hast not onely preserued me but
hast also blessed my iourney with such successe as in thy wisedome is most for my comfort and profit for in all things thou knowest better what is fit for man then man and therefore as thou hast béene pleased to deale with me or shalt thinke hereafter fit for me grant that I consult not with flesh and bloud to finde the expediency of the successe of my iourney knowing this that we are ignorant of the things most conuenient for vs And therefore whatsoeuer doth or shall succéede by thy prouidence giue me wisedome patience and thankefulnesse to imbrace the same Let mée neuer forget the words of thy mouth thy promises made vnto thy Children that all things shall worke together for the best for them And therefore I doe assure mée that thou hast brought my iourney to prosper to farre as may be to thy glory my comfort and the discharge of my duety in all the circumstances of the occasion of the same Make me able therefore to extoll thée O my God let my Soule praise thée O euerlasting Guide Lord most louing God all-sufficient and euer-helping Father to whom with thy Sonne in whom thou preseruest and to the holy Ghost in whom thou sanctifiest all that are thine be euermore ascribed all Glory Power Dominion and Maiesty for euer Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer for the Fruits of the Earth O Almighty and most mercifull God the Lord of Heauen and Earth which of thine abundant and infinite goodnesse doest adorne and fill the Earth with all kinde of fruit and graine whereby is sustayned both the life of Man and Beast and which yet cannot prosper without thy blessing we humbly beséech thée of thine infinite goodnesse and mercy to blesse our Fields and Ground and make them prosperous to yéelde their increase for without thy fauour and blessing the Earth can bring forth nothing but vnprofitable and hurtfull wéedes nor we by our endeauours make the same to prosper Let not our grounds be desolate in thine indignation shut not vp the Heauens in wrath for our sinnes that it be not as Iron nor our Earth as Brasse but of thy goodnesse giue vs both the earely and latter raine that wée may haue abundance of all Fruit. Thy Riuer O Lord is full of Water prepare our Corne and prosper our earth crowne the yeare with thy goodnesse and let the clouds drop fatnesse let the Pâ—aines be replenished with Shéepe and the Uallies with Corne that the Possessors of the earth may be merry and reioyce Preserue vs O Lord in the time of dearth that wée perish not for hunger nor be confounded in the time of danger wée confesse our sinnes O Lord with groanings and griefe of heart vnto thée heare our prayers in thy holy Habitation and be mercifull vnto thy people which haue transgressed thy holy Commandements and giue euery man according to his wants that in all things wee may confesse and acknowledge with all reuerence thy omnipotent and diuine power and thy bountifull hand with giuing thankes and continuall praises vnto thée which hast giuen vs all things here to inioy Amen O Lord increase my Faith Meditations A most diuine and comfortable Meditation concerning the Maiesty and Power and Loue of God whereby men distressed and in continuall dangers may be stirred vp the more assuredly to depend on him for their deliuery and reliefe though it come not suddenly WHy shouldest thou feare or faint O my poore soule though yet thou finde no more rest then the Doue that could finde no place to set her foot on Be yet comforted for the Lord hée is God and hee turneth all things to good to them that are his Thou hast long sighed and bewayled thy miseries and yet thou art as Ioseph stil in prison but looke not vpon the weake meanes of flesh and bloud to be fréed looke not vpon the staffe of Egypt the bruised Réede of carnall aide to be stayed by they are but false allurings to draw thée from the swéet contemplation of the admirable works of the worker of all good the Lord of hostes besides whom there is no God He sitteth in glory in the Heauens and hath cloathed himselfe with Maiesty It is he that maketh all knées to bow and forceth Kings to stoope and driueth away the armies of his most mighty enemies Hée is the hope and strength and helpe and refuge and rescue and reliefe of them that trust in him and hée is not curious or coy as man that worketh for money hée doth not good for good againe but all in loue all in mercy fréely and wanting no power to bring to passe what hée will either in mercy to his children or in iudgement against his enemies For the heauens are his seate the earth is his foot stoole the Angels are his ministers and all creatures serue him and that for man onely I will not then dismay though I cry yet and be not yet heard there is an appointed time and there is an appointed meane in his prouidence already decréed in my behalfe I know well by his promises which are Yea and Amen Therefore be yet patient O my soule trust yet O my soule stand fast and this God yea this high and glorious God this great and terrible God will be thy kéeper thy Sauiour and protector euermore Hée is an immaculate God a God pure perfect holy feare him therefore O my soule for as hée is cleane he will haue thée cleansed from all impiety hée will haue thée beautified with sanctity and holinesse as hée is holy no euill dwelleth in him sinne must not remaine with thée flye therefore all impiety and embrace the righteousnesse of Christ who will put on thée his robe of righteousnesse and thou shalt be perfect And this God then shall be with thée this God I say shall be thy refuge for euermore Though he sit in the high heauens not séene with the eye of flesh nor can be reached vnto by the hand of natural reason yet he commandeth all doth euen what he will both in heauen and in earth So powerfull he is so magnificent and so absolute in power that at his word the earth trembleth the mountaines moue and in his displeasure he killeth euen Kings for his righteous childrens sakes The heauens aboue doe shew the glory of this God and the artificiall frame of the firmament the glistering Stars therein the Sun and Moone and their due courses vnchangeable throughout all ages and the beautifull ornaments of the earth beneath do approue the admirable workes of his hands His voyce is a mighty voyce for he speaketh and it is heard from one end of the world to another his voyce is a terrible voyce at which all powers Princes Potentates doe tremble That mighty Nebuchadnezzar at his voyce was thrust forth into the field among the wilde Beasts from his Throne and Dauid from the wildernesse called backe to sit in the seate of honour by him was Haman hanged and
Mordecay deliuered Susanna cleared and the Iudges stoned Euery Kingdome is this great Gods and hée raigneth ouer all Nations hée controlleth and is not controlled he â—â—iteth and is not resisted thée aduanceth and none can throw them downe O my Soule feare and serue and loue and reuerence obey this great God this Lord high and terrible that approueth himselfe a King ouer all the earth being guarded with such inuincible power and maiesty that hée can strike Saul to the ground with his terrible voyce and againe raise Saul with a louing and kinde hand O Lord how terrible art thou in thy works Through the infinite greatnesse of thy power thou hast made all things and preseruest all men insomuch as all such as séeme to deny thée thy power and prouidence the fooles that say in their harts there is no God are made mute and put to silence and both their will and their practises made all subiect vnto thy will and pleasure What then shall I rest amazed at the friuolous inuentions of fleshly men that séeme by their owne power to build themselues Babels on earth working terrour to the poore by their pride and practice impiety without any remorse of conscience No I will kéepe silence and neither mine owne wants nor sorrowes nor dangers nor the worlds ignominious taunts at my base estate shall wrest me from this glorious God from this powerfull Iehouah from this so louing and kinde a father that feareth not the strength and forces of millions of Kings but shieldeth and defendeth his by his mighty hand and kéepeth them safe in the flaming fire in the raging seas and in the strength of the Lyons pawes Let this God I say arise and chase his enemies and cherish his little ones and pull downe the proud and set vp the simple and scatter the wicked that they dwel not beyond his time appointed to tyrannize ouer his chosen vpon the earth The Chariots of this God are twenty thousand Angels the Lord himselfe being among them the generall worker of all good for all his and of all iudgement against the vniust All the gods that are estéemed as Gods among men are but Idols but the Lord he is God that hath couered himselfe with light as with a garment whereby hée discouereth all darkenesse infidelity disobedience and sinne he findeth out the faithlesse howsoeuer they dissemble zeale and approueth them not most godly that are most glorious nor them reprobates that the world reiecteth but through the light of his most high wisdome and prouidence he yéeldeth to euery one his owne to him that doth well life and reliefe and succour and patience and rest and peace but vnto the wicked sorrow and anguish and tribulations and a worme euer deuouring in perpetuall horror in hell fire O my soule be therefore patient in these transitory troubles in these momentany afflictions stand fast faint not feare not flie not but féed on hope for a strong helpe commeth for this smal suffering thou shalt receiue a perpetuall and most admirable waight of glory O my soule now consider whom hast thou in heauen but this God or whom or what desirest thou in earth in comparison of him for hée is the portion of thine inheritance he filleth the cup of saluation vnto thée for euer therefore I feare not neither will I faint for this God hath promised neither to faile me nor forsake me There is none like vnto God Oh righteous people which rideth vpon the heauens for thy helpe and on the clouds in his glory The eternall God is thy refuge and vnder his arme thou art for euer he shall cast out the enemy before thee and will say Destroy them Deuteronomy 33. 26. 27. O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! how vnsearchable are his Iudgements and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11. 33. Of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glory for euer Amen Vers. 36. They inherited not the Land by their owne sword neither did their owne arme saue them but thy right hand and thine arme and the light of thy countenance because thou didst fauour them Psal. 44. 3. A sweet Meditation concerning the knowledge and prouidence of God whereby the soules of the distressed members of Christ are so quickened through faith in Christ that they rest assured that God hauing foreseene all things cannot but in mercy bring all their sorrowes to a ioyfull and wished end IT is in vaine I sée for me a wretched creature to striue with my powerfull Creator If I should séeme to bide me from him and to séeke to escape his rod and corrections he being alwayes solitary I doe but deceiue my selfe for he is in all places and with all persons and knoweth the wayes of men searcheth the hidden thoughts within and soeth mine actions without the workes of his children hée séeth and approueth the euill actions of the reprobates hée séeth and condemneth yea this righteous God tryeth the very hearts and reynes he findes out the hidden dissimulation of hypocrites pretend they neuer so great denotion and sanctity Should I therefore thinke to colour my sinnes with the painted shew of dissimulate holinesse could I performe it so farre as men might approue of all my sayings and allow all my doings and that I were held iust No no for if my inner parts be not perfect hée in his most absolute knowledge findeth me a deceiuer and so will make mine euils at the last breake out as the morning light O my soule therefore as thou tenderest thy saluation to come and my comfort here in this life leaue off to sinne in secret and flie al shewes of impiety and regard truth and imbrace iustice and follow good euen with thy most inward affection and let neither my hand nor mine eye nor mine eare nor my tongue be instruments of iniquity but rather of sincere piety and of a sanctified life The cause of misery is sin the way to obtaine mercy is repentance and a reformed conuersation How canst thou looke for loue that louest not to liue well and how canst thou liue and not lacke many yea all Gods blessings inward and outward vnlesse thou loue him and reforme thy selfe before him that séeth thy loose behauiour towards him Thou art in outward pouerty because thou art full of inward impiety thou hast many enemies because thou art enemy to God and thy dangers encrease daily because thou dwellest not in God nor Gods Spirit in thée Thou sayest thou art Gods and yet vngodly thou sayest thou fearest him and yet thou still offendest him thou thinkest thou shouldest receiue what good thou destrest and yet thou destrest amisse and deseruest euill God knoweth who are his and who are not his and none know they are Gods but who know God and serue him rightly The righteous onely he knoweth and their wants and the vnrighteous he despiseth because of their sins wherein they say Tush
the Lord will not regard it O Lord thou séest and beholdest thou findest out and considerest all mens wayes mischiefe and wrong equity and iustice are before thée and thou takest the causes of men into thy hands and thou giuest iust iudgement because thou onely knowest the truth of euery mans cause The poore commit themselues to this God that knoweth them to this God that séeth them and to this God that pittieth them and prouideth for them The Lord looketh downe from heauen vpon all men such is the force of his knowledge that hée knoweth in man more then the heart of man it selfe for he fashioneth the heart and vnderstandeth all my thoughts long before they be conceiued within me And therefore my soule prepare thée to patience addresse thée to praise God and continue in prayer be not idle to meditate good things that the Lords goodnes may be thy goodnesse that his loue may be thy life and his prouidence thy protection for as hée knoweth thy going and marketh well thy wandring when thy féele follow value things and fatherly correcteth thée for them so doth hée behold thy teares and heareth thy groanes which thou makest for sinne committed against him and healeth thée and comforteth thée Yet all things are so hidden in the treasure-house of his prouidence that the naturall man séeth not the meanes how to be cured when hée is sicke how to be raised againe being brought low how to be defended hauing many mighty enemies But the Spirit of God discerneth and as he is God knowing all things done so he is a God fore-séeing al things to be done hereafter And hée séeing mée in my mothers wombe before I was any thing or dained for me then what I receiue now therefore my hope must not faile but take hold of his ancient loue wherein hée first created me to liue in him and by him and therfore Oh that I might be able truely to serue him that hée might louingly relieue me still that I might faithfully obey him that hee might fatherly helpe me still He is the good shepheard Oh that I were a good shéepe of his pasture hee féedeth and guideth and holdeth vp and comforteth and maintaineth all that are his hée looseth none that are his he confoundeth none that are his neither doth he forsake any of his vnto the end Within his fold is his fauour and in his fauour is life and in that life is liberty and in that liberty is reliefe and in that reliefe true peace and in that peace the assurance of saluation and in that assurance the ioy and comfort of the Spirit whereby euery outward vnsauory thing is made inwardly swéet euery crosse hath his comfort and euery tryall and temptation and sorrow and griefe is turned to the vnspeakable good of the shéepe of his pasture Therefore O my soule sigh no more sorrow no more be no more pensiue at outward pouerty fret no more at the worlds miseries dismay no more for thy many sinnes but striue to stand in the fauour of this God and he will set thée frée and banish thy feare and fill thy Cup and féede thée with the hid treasures of his neuer-failing loue O Lord increase my Faith God knoweth the hearts of all men Acts 1. 24. 15. 8. The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his and let euery one that calleth on the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2. vers 19. Thou hast counted my wandrings and put my teares into thy bottle Psal. 56. 8. A Godly Meditation of the Word of God whereby men distressed may be strongly resolued to cast off all feare and to cast all their care on God that careth for them according to his promise in his Word OH what am I that I should conceiue of any happinesse or glory or ioy or comfort to be giuen mee either in this earth below or in the heauens aboue for I am a man of corrupt conuersation my heart is fraught within mée with corruption my soule is defiled and my whole man polluted Is it not therefore my iust portion to haue here misery and calamity and crosses and enemies and euils innumerable to follow me for my sinne and to vexe me for mine iniquities so hath the Lord threatned in his word Most true it is that right it were that I should receiue these vnsauoury things of this life and to be depriued of the Land of them that liue for euer if I should receiue according to my deseruings for death is due for sinne O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this danger of death that shall neuer haue end Surely when I looke into this book of mine owne wayes and workes and wantonnes and wicked life I sée nothing but danger and feare and sorrow and death it selfe written therein how then my poore soule vnhappy soule wretched soule how canst thou escape oh tremble and feare for i◠thou finde not fauour thou are fallen for euer and for euer forlorne Where then wilt thou séeke for succour to whom wilt thou flye for grace to the weake and wicked and wofull World or wanton worldlings No my Soule flye from these feeble friends and looke into and consider and beléeue and imbrace the Word of God taste that Bread of life drinke of that Fountaine that floweth from the liuely Spirit of truth thou shalt liue It is a pure Word and will purifie thée it is a liuely Word and will reuiue thée the Word of truth and will teach thée the Word of comfort and will recomfort thée O my soule what thing is so precious as this Word that bringeth the glad tidings of thy saluation thou deseruing damnation of Life thou deseruing death of Comfort thou deseruing confusion and of mercy endlesse thou deseruing miseries infinite It is a Word full of consolation to such as are sorry for their sinnes and séeke after righteousnesse a Word of terror to the obstinate it is a killing sword vnto the wicked and sauing shield vnto Gods children the sauour of Life vnto life to them that are his and the sauour of Death vnto death to the wicked It is more to be desired then the purest gold or swéetest hony Come vnto me saith this Word and I will refresh you Seeke saith this Word and you shall finde rest for your soules O my Soule here then to thy rest here is thy safety and here is thy saciety and here is thy life and liberty and here shalt thou dwell as vpon the Mountaine of Peace vpon the Rocke of Reliefe and Hill of continuall Helpe This is the Staffe to stay thée by this is the Weapon to defend thee with this is the Way to walke in and this is the Foode to relieue thée withall Oh reioyce therefore in the Lord O my soule because of his Word by which he assureth thée of health if thou be sicke of comfort when thou art sad of defence
when thou art in danger and of his presence when thou séemest to be left alone forsaken of all By his Word hée saith Come by thine obedience say Lord I come delay not to cast away the superfluous eare of carnall things and séeke things spirituall and heauenly By his Word he saith Seeke first the Kingdome of God answere thou by a detestation of the World and worldly vanitie Lord thy Kingdome I seeke séeke then this heauenly Inheritance more to be wished then the Land and Reuenewes and Riches and glory of the greatest earthly subiect who hath but the casuall and vaine and slippery things of this World that leaue him and wée leaue them but loe a Kingdome is prouided in Heauen for the poorest Childe of God Séeke this Kingdome O my Soule euen while thou art here in this vast Wildernesse of this Worlds miseries for when thou hast suffered thou shalt receiue glory and when thou hast fought that good fight thou shalt be crowned and when thou leauest these things so vile and vaine and loathsome below thou shalt enioy things glorious and swéet and full of ioy and consolation aboue when thou hast left the society and fellowship of men below thou shalt accompany Angels aboue and when thou hast made an end of sighing and grieuing and groning vnder the burthen of tyrannous men here thou shalt sing praise and glory to this glorious God aboue who hath sent thée his Wordhere in thy mortality to comfort thée with the swéet contemplation of thine immortality Oh then let this be thy daily meditation let this be thy continuall exercise that in want and weaknesse in sorrow and ignominy and misery and crosses and temptations and in al trials whatsoeuer thou mayest duely weigh how thou maiest be assured that none of these shall hurt thée for loe euen this glorious and swéet and most ioyfull word telleth thée from thy louing Redéemer My grace is sufficient for thee O swéet word of truth yea of truth for hée speaketh and performeth his grace is sufficient what then shall I feare If his fauour be not further off but alwaies at hand what shal I scare if it be sufficient what can resist it nothing but sinne nay his grace is sufficient to kill sinne then nothing can stand betwéene me and this Kingdome of God if I flye vnto this Word if I kéepe this Word and meditate this Word bring forth the fruits of this Word then this Word will further assure me that this good God this powerfull prouident and louing God will neuer faile me nor forsake me O Lord increase my Faith The word of God is liuely and mighty in operation and sharper then any two-edged Sword and entreth thorow euen vnto the diuiding a sunder of the Soule and the Spirit and of the ioynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. The word of God is our delight in affliction And giueth wisdome to the simple Psal. 119. 130. As new borne Babes desire the sincere milke of the Word that ye may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2. 2. Let not the booke of the Law depart out of thy moâ—th but meditate therein day and night that thou maist obserue and doe according to all that is written therein for then shalt thou make thy wayes prosperous and haue good successe Ioshua 1. 8. A Meditation concerning the â—enefit of Faith in God and how it holdeth the Children of God from falling from him in their deepest miseries OWretch that I am where is my hope where is my helpe where is my rest where is my assurance of saluation or helpe in my troubles I haue a forcible and strong Law in mine owne carnall wisedome that to trust in Man to put confidence in Wealth and to flye vnto the reliefe of mine owne deuices mine owne waies and workes auaile mee more then all other meanes that else-where I may séeke O Foole that I am O silly Sot and wretch most féeble what can I do or speake or worke or deuise to bring to passe the least good thing to comfort me withall Mine heart is corrupt my conuersation euill my tongue vnholy and all parts of my body vnpâ—… can I then hope of any helpe or worke any good or deuise any course to comfort 〈◊〉 No I disdaine all mine own â—aies and workes and wisedome and inclâ—me wholy vnto the counsell of the most high and hée will instruct mée I will trust in him and hée will helpe mée I will flie to him and he will receiue me I will pray to him and hée will heare me I will fall downe yet againe yea againe and againe before him and he will take me vp Shrinke not therefore O my soule nor be ouer-sad at these my miseries be not afraid at the Worlds iniuries saint not at the furie of the euâ—il and malicious men for thou hast an helper in heauen in whom whosoeuer trusteth shall reioyce whom whosoeuer feareth shall stand fast whom whosoeuer truely séeketh shall preuatle in his desires shall triumph euermore O my soule set the Lord alwaies before thée for hée alwayes is néere thée Let me not thinke that he séeth not my wayes and my walkings as if he were a God that considered not the actions of men Hée is at my right hand and on my left hand hée is before me and behinde me he compasseth me about on al sides and findeth me out in my secret intentions his wayes are onely perfect and 〈◊〉 his Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 capacity of wisest men In this God I trust in this Word I beléeue in this Wisdome I repose my hope and as he hath promised it shall come to passe and as is fittest I shall receiue And therefore I will not dismay I wil not be discouraged at my miseries no if I should passe through the â—alley of the shadow of Death I will not feare for my God attendeth mée and is in all things at all places and at all times with mée and though he correct me with his rod he vpholdeth me and comforteth mée with his preuayling hand None that trusteth in God shall be put to shame not one that putteth his confidence in him and embraceth his Word obeyeth his Will and walketh in his Wayes shall be confounded for euer He is my light and he directeth me he is my helpe and he sustaineth mée he is my rest and mysaluation whom then or what néede I to feare O my soule I should haue fainted in â—â—se importable miseries and contisée the goodneâ—… did not beléeue to life if I were not assured to taste of his blessings before I goe hence and bâ— no more séene And I finde his fauour and his mercy and his power and his prouidence and his infinite blessings both within me and without me daily yea he is my strength and my shield hee is my defence in trouble and my portion and my saluation O my soule trust in him and thou
know the day of their sorrowes commeth on when they shall howle and cry out in horror for the paines that â—nsue their pleasures and for the want that shall follow their wealth and for the miseries that shall follow their mirth and for their death that shall follow their glorious and wanton life Oh how foolish are they that trust in their goods how mad are they that make wealth their warrant and riches their arme and friends their staffe when none of these can saue them from sicknesse from sorrow from dangers nor from death No man can redéeme his brother from Gods displeasure and from his appointed torments in hell by his much wealth he cannot saue himselfe by the multitude of his riches but God shall deliuer thée my soule from the power of hell and shall saue me Be not therefore afraid O my soule though many be made rich and thou in pouerty many aduanced and thou reiected many graced and thou disdained many comforted and thou iniured among the sons of mortall men thy riches and thy glory and thy fauour and thy comfort and thy ioyes are hid in Christ with God And what thinkest thou O my soule of these short miseries that shall be exchanged for infinite comforts whether is it not profitable for thée to haue these moment any corrections to enioy an eternall crowne thou hast tried the inconstant course of worldly things and the day is comming wherein thou shalt possesse the permanent consolation of heauenly things How long hast thou looked about thée for helpe in the earth Vpon my right hand I looked and behold none that would know me or comfort me as Dauid saith and vpon my left hand and no man I found that cared for my soule Then I cryed vnto the Lord said Thou onely art my hope my portion in whom I liue haue an vnmoueable being O Lord increase my Faith Wee brought nothing into this world and it is certaine that we can carry nothing out 1 Tim. 6. 7. Therefore when we haue food and raiment let vs therewith be content Vers. 8. The children of men are vaine the chiefe men are lyers to lay them vpon a ballance they are lighter then vanity it selfe Psal. 62. 9. A sweete Contemplation of Heauen and heauenly things whereby the sad distressed soule is much comforted and encouraged to endure vnto the end that he may possesse the ioyes prepared for such as patiently suffer and without grudging beare the burthen of this worlds miseries O My soule lift vp thy selfe aboue thy selfe flie away in the contemplation of Heauen and heauenly things make not thy further abode in this inferiour region where is nothing but trauels and trials and sorrow and woe and wretchednesse and sinne and trouble and feare and all deceiuing and destroying vanities Bend all thine affections vpward vnto the superiour place where thy Redéemer liueth and raigneth and where thy ioyes are laid vp in the treasury of his merits which shall be made thy merits his perfection thy perfection and his death thy life eternall and his resurrection thy saluation Estéeme not the trifling pleasures of this life to be the way to this wealth nor the ignominious estate here to be any barre to preuent thée from the full vse and ioyfull fruition of the glory there prepared for thée I am assured that though I want here I shall haue riches there though I hunger here I shall haue fulnesse there though I faint here I shall be refreshed there and though I be accounted here as a dead man I shall there liue in perpetuall glory That is the Citie promised to the Captiues whom Christ hath made frée that is the kingdome assured to them whom Christ shall crowne there are the ioyes prepared for them that mourne there is the light that neuer shall goe out there is the health that shall neuer be impaired there is the glory that shall neuer be defaced there is the life that shall taste no death and there is the portion that passeth all the worlds preferment there is the world that neuer shall waxe worse there is euery want supplyed fréely without money there is no danger but happinesse and honour and singing and praise and thankesgiuing vnto the heauenly Iehouah to him that sitteth on the throne to the Lambe that here was led to the slaughter that now raigneth with whom I shall raigne after I haue runne this comfortlesse race through this miserable earthly valâ— The honour in this earth is basenesse the riches of this world pouerty the fulnesse of this life is want the ioyes of this worlds kingdome are sorrow and woe and misery and sadnesse and griefe and yet the foole saith in his heart There is no other heauen but this harmefull deceiuing worlds happinesse no other hell but this worlds bitternes no better comfort then this worlds cares nor further helpe then this worlds wealth Thus is mans wisedome made foolishnesse and mans glory turned into shame mans power made of no force And the faithfull poore that are here despised there are aduanced the sorrowful are comforted the cast awaies in this world are receiued to that blessed being that cannot be expressed with the tongue of man nor conceiued with the heart of man Oh that I had wings saith heauenly-hearted Dauid that I might flie away from this worlds vanities and possesse heauens happinesse Oh that I were dissolued saith blessed Paul that I might be with Christ. Oh that I were in this place of such wished happinesse where I might rest from these worldly labours and earthly miseries and transitory vanities But be not heauy O my soule though thou must yet wade through the sea of these earthly troubles for these heauenly mysteries are not séene of carnalleyes nor can be obtained by carnall meanes but through troubles and afflictions and dangers and persecutions they must be atchieued and none that are Gods elected shall be frée from this Worlds hatred for such difference there is betwéene earth and heauen and betwéene earthly and heauenly things that who so delighteth in the first shall be depriued of the latter for we cannot haue this worlds heauen and the Heauen of heauens the heauen of Saints and Angels and Cherubins and Seraphins where are all vnspotted and all glorious and all in white Robes of sanctity and where Christ the sacrificed Lambe is vnto them all in all Oh blessed are all they that are thus assured blessed are the Poore that shal haue this heauens riches blessed are the Base that shall be thus aduanced blessed are the Low that shall be thus raised and blessed are the World 's despised that shall haue this heauens happinesse yea happy is this wretched worlds vnhappy man for hée shall be happy I will daily meditate of the greatnesse and Maiesty of this high heauens blessed estate where I shall one day blesse my God with the company of his Saints and where I shall one day sit secure and frée from the dangers
perils crosses and afflictions that now doe assatle mée on the right hand and on the left within mée and without me and am neuer frée from one calamity or other But it is good for me to be here humbled that I may be there aduanced where I wish spéedily to come It is good that I was in want here that I might séeke heauenly necessaries It is good that the World did discourage me that I might flie to God that comforteth me It is good that I am daily killed here that I might liue continually there Now therefore O my soule stand vp feare not faint not at this worlds crosses but giue glory to this great God praise this high and helping God séeke him while it is to day driue not off to pray to this God notwithstanding any hope thou hast in mortall men nor reiect not his gracious means who in fauour infinite and mercy endlesse moueth the hearts of men in this life to doe good vnto such as hée séeth distressed he can finde out and afford infinite meanes to succour them that are his and will not leaue them forsaken in danger for hée euen here giueth mée his blessings as pledges of his neuer-failing lout that being visited in his mercy with timely comforts here I may assure me of greater blessings in Heauen where they are prepared beyond all that I can aske or thinke O Lord God of Hosts who is like vnto thee who hast established thy Kingdome with truth and equity with mercy and iudgement thou hast a mighty arme strong is thine hand and high is thy right hand who so is vnder thy protection he is safe and hée that trusteth in thée mercy imbraceth him on euery side Oh blessed art thou O my soule if thou canst reioyce in the Lord he is thy Father he is thy helper walke therefore in the light of his countenance and be patient wait in hope till these stormes be past and then shalt thou haue that quiet rest that he hath â—repared in heauen for thée O Lord increase my Faith Our conuersation is in heauen from whence also we looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus If yee be risen with Christ seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Col. 3. 1. Set your affections on things which are aboue and not on things which are on the earth Vers. 2. A consideration of the dangerous estate of the impenitent wicked ones after this life notwithstanding their wealth and power and great glory which they haue here where they seeme to triumph ouer poore â—istressed men Read and consider yee Rich and Poore IT is a strange temptation vnto a man when he findeth himselfe still afflicted notwithstanding he séeketh helpe continually at the hands of God and the more when he séeth that such as neither serue God or feare God such as are wanton and wicked and hardened in sinne to prosper and to flourish in this life and to haue all things that their hearts can desire Dauid beholding this began a little to stagger and was ready to giue ouer his godly beginning and to end with the wicked and as long as he tooke no better regard but onely as naturall wisdome led him he commended their estates because they were rich and wanted nothing they were healthfull and lusty and their goods did increase which Worldlings hold true happinesse But when Dauid considered their greatnesse as it was discouered vnto him by the light of true knowledge hée then altered his conceit of these Men and renounced their wayes and hated their workes and auoided their company and betooke himselfe to prayer as the thing whereby hee should preuaile better then with all the wealth the world could yéelde him And surely the present time affordeth vnto vs that now liue no lesse cause of vigilent regard that we be not carried away with the World whose glory is imbraced whose power is practised whose policy is preferred and whose happinesse is had in greatest esteeme insomuch as who so is poore or helplesse or distressed or endangered in the World by worldlings is censured a cast-away a reprobate a man forsaken of God It is not vertue nor godly life nor inward zeale nor any good quality of the spirit that hath any fauour in the World but the rich and glorious and men of countenance and of power and of office and of gay attire that be accounted Gods fauourites As for such as are ragged they are not regarded such as are base in shew are accounted base in déede So that Gods children haue the least share of the worlds liberality and the impudent and shamelesse and wicked and worst men are they that possesse and vsurpe the earth and earthly glory But alas short and slippery is this glorious shew of theirs they are as Cedaâ—s that ouer-shaddow the low bushes for a while but they shall be as stubble in the Furnace when the â—re is put to their rootes They are now as deuouring shée Beares and as raging Lyons but the time commeth wherein the Lord will smite them vpon their iaw-bones and will pull out the téeth of these mercilesse wretches They haue set themselues in glory but God shall turne it to shame they haue fastened their footing as they thinke neuer to be moued but the Lord will make their standing vnsure and their wayes slippery and their dayes short and their end horrible And howsoeuer they now make boast of their owne hearts wickednes and though they séeme to contend with God and subdue his members and make no reckoning of his Saints or thinke there is no God God will finde them out and he wil rebuke them with a perpetuall rebuke and put out their name for euer not onely out of the Earth which they hold their Heauen but euen out of Heauen and his Booke of life Who yet are commended and estéemed and aduanced and reuerenced but these men of least merit Onely their riches and their bribes and their flattery win them dignity and preferment and honour and fauour and what may fill them full of all tokens of perdition But this is a heauy weight of temptation to the poore that deserue to be made rich for vertues for the low that ought to be raised for praise-worthy qualities when they sée that the worst are preferred for reward and the best reiected for want Surely this World may be compared to the Poole of Bethesda into which what diseased person stept first was healed but the strongest and best limmed and hée that had best helpes had alwayes the benefit of the healing so now in this Puddle of worldly partiality not the first that commeth is preferred nor the most fit but the most liberall giuer But there is a Judge that sitteth and séeth how the Worlds wealthy ones make others wealthy not for worthinesse but for gaine What striuing and strugling and working and inuenting and swearing and paines-taking is there about the Phylosophers stone Many a man
it as a great benefit and tooke it as an high blessing and said it was good for him Was it good for him and ill for vs was it profitable to him and hurtfull to vs No and therefore Paul was not ashamed of his crosses for crosses make vs the companions of the blessed Children of God nay they make vs the more like to our elder brother Christ Jesus who finished our Redemptions through the Crosse and made the way to the ioyes of heauen through afflictions and he that is ashamed to follow him that way he cannot come to him at all hée will not know him and therefore he shall neuer enter into that holy place hée shall neuer attaine vnto that rest that shall be endlesse and most ioyfull in the heauens How vnsauory therefore soeuer our troubles séeme wée must be patient and neuer giue ouer to cry vnto our helping Father nor to vse our best endeauours in our callings which God will blesse staying our selues in hope vpon his promises Let vs neuer dismay for God that maketh this little wound without doth it to cure a greater within and while hée séemeth to kill vs it is that wée may liue euer and while hée suffereth vs to be here ignominious it is that wée may become all glorious with him in heauen The poore man cryeth and the Lord heareth him and saueth him out of all his troubles Psal. 34. 6. The Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him and deliuereth them Vers. 6. Taste ye and see how gracious the Lord is blessed is the man that trusteth in him Vers. 8. A Prayer to be vsed of a sicke man O Almighty and euerlasting God who although thou art still in thy iudgement yet art thou a mercifull God to the soule that séeketh théeth infinite in thy mercy and plenteous in redemption for though thou send sicknesse yet wilt thou shew pitty according to the multitude of thy compassions for thou dost not willingly chastice and afflict the children of men therefore I poore wretched sinner which am but dust earth and ashes vnworthy the least of thy fauours doe fréely confesse to thy glory and mine owne shame that I am conceiued and borne in sinne that originall corruption stayning and infecting my whole nature hath depriued mée of all holinesse and left in mee an inclination to all euill and that I haue by mine innumerable transgressions in thought word and déede broken all thy holy Commandements and therefore besides all other euils I haue iustly drawne this sickenesse and these diseases vpon me yet not withstand séeing that thou such is thy excéeding great mercy hast no pleasure in the miseries and destruction of thy Children but doest onely by affliction try correct humble and reforme them for there present and euerlasting good I doe therefore most dear and louing Father most humbly beséech thy heauenly Maiesty to pardon my sins the onely causes of my misery and affliction increase and perfect in me all graces that concerne saluation assist mée with the counsell and comfort of thy sacred Spirit and conuert this my visitation to mine amendment and saluation of my soule in Christ. If it be thy good pleasure and will O Lord restore me to my perfect and former health that I may not onely performe my good purposes and pay my vowes which my lips haue promised and my mouth hath spoken in my affliction but also henceforth grow vp in grace in obedience in holinesse vntill I come to the end of mine hope which is the saluation of my Soule But if it be thy will and decrée by this chastisement to finish my dayes I most humbly and earnestly intreat thée O my God as the outward man decaieth to renew in me the inner man and to grant that as the body dyeth so thy grace may liue and reuiue in me Shut not the eies of my mind but open them and make mee vnderstand what the hope of my heauenly calling is and what is the riches of the glorions inheritance that thou hast prepared for me that I may liue in thy faith and obedience and end my life in thy fauour and when this life endeth remaine and raigne with thée in glory for euer Uouchsafe to be a Father to my family kinsfolke and posterity plant thy feare in their hearts confirme them in thy grace and giue them all things competently necessary for the maintenance of this present life Harken O Lord to these my prayers and grant me all other things which thy heauenly wisdome séeth necessary for my soule or body for thy dearly beloued Sons sake To whom with thy Maiesty and God the holy Ghost be rendred and ascribed all honour and glory now and for euer Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer for Patience in sicknesse and truely to expresse sorrow for sinne O My most louing and mercifull Father God omnipotent who art nigh vnto all those that call vpon thée in truth thou art a present helpe in time of trouble all powerfull full of wisdome and compassion wonderfully surpassing all earthly Parents I poore miserable wretch long troubled with grieuous sickenesse and so sore vexed with paine and torment that neither my body can take any sleepe or rest nor my Spirit feele any ease or comfort doe here in the onely merit and mediation of Jesus Christ present and humble my selfe before thée humbly begging and intreating for fauour and mercy at thy hands Worke in my heart by thy holy Spirit godly sorrow and repentance for all mine offences impute none of them vnto mée but let mée féele and be assured in my conscience that the guilt and punishment of them are remoued Be thou my Physition to cure and heale mée auert and turne this present sicknesse into a soueraigne medicine and this vehement and grieuous paine into a fatherly and gentle visitation let thy strength appeare in my weakenesse let thy power be perfected in mine infirmity and so arme mée in this my temptation with the gift of Patience and long-suffering that I be not with-drawne from the constant practice of holy dueties neither yéelde vnto mine owne passions and the suggestions of Sathan To this end powre downe thy blessed and sacred Spirit into mine heart â—each assist and direct mée that hée may open to the eyes of my minde the righteousnesse of thy Judgements that I may in all willingnesse aâ—… knowledge the equity of the same that he may bring to my remembrance the cruell and most bitter paines and torments of my mercifull Lord and Sauiour Jesus who by his death hath swallowed the very dregges of thy wrath and by the merit and vertue of it hath so tempered and swéetned the Cup of affliction vnto â— manifest vnto mée the glorious and heauenly happinesse and holinesse of thy Saints and Seruants in heauen that the certaine assurance hope and expectation thereof may abundantly excéede and take away all my present griâ—ie and torment I beséech thée O Lord according to
not the flouds of these dangerous waters ouer-flow mée quite but when I am ready to sinke yéelde mée thy helping hand and saue me lift me out of the mire and clay of all my miseries and set mée on the relieuing pastures of thy continuall frée fauours let the chearefull dewe of thy blessings and blessed graces showre downe vpon me so shall my little store increase and my empty basket become full And forasmuch as I haue no frée portion in this earth not the breadth of a foote neither haue I of mine owne a house to hide my head in put mée therefore where thou wilt and let mine abode in earth be in what place and how long of short time thou wilt for of my selfe whither to turne mée or what to doe I know not Be thou therefore my guide and direct all my desires of earthly things by thy Word and let my will alwayes follow thy will lest my will led by the blinde affections of corrupt reason bring me mine owne preiudice and shame Thou euermore prouidest for them that aske of thée directest them that take counsell of thée therfore hauing thus weakly laid open my cause before thée consider it and giue me patience in all my trials and let me not so much mourne and hang down my head and be heauy for the want of outward necessaries as at the consideration and looking backe into the vgly gulfe of my former continuing sinnes Oh frée me Lord frée mée from my sinnes and sanctifie me anew that howsoeuer the outward man séeme to be discouraged yet the inward man may be still more and more filled with all spirituall knowledge and consolation and true contentment Thou hearest my reproofes thou knowest my sorrowes and my groanes are not hid from thée put my teares few and weake into thy bottle Remember thy promises and I shall neuer forget thy praises Oh faile me not forsake mée not my God and my Redéemer O Lord increase my Faith A Thankesgiuing and Prayer to be vsed of a sicke man when he is recouered oftentimes I Yéelde and giue vnto thée O mercifull and most deare Father all humble thankes honour glory and praise for thine infinite and excéeding great blessings hauing no way merited the least of them and namely for that it hath pleased thée of late to deliuer mée from the very point of death and as it were raised my féeble body from the graue and redéemed my soule from death that I should walke before thée in the land of the liuing that I might further glorifie thy name doe more good in my calling and be made méete for the inheritance of thy Kingdome This worke O Lord procéeded from thy mercy and no desert at all of mine and for thy grace and not of any goodnesse in mée not vnto mée not vnto mée but vnto thy blessed name be giuen all glory But séeing that I through my sinfull corruption am more ready to bury in the graue of obliuion then to kéepe in thankfull remembrance thy great mercy yea and rather to grow cold backward in all holy exercises and duties then to holinesse of life I therefore beséech thée with all earnestnesse to renew my nature and to ingraue the remembrance of this thy goodnesse in my heart by the illumination of thy holy Spirit and grant that for the residue of my temporall life I may in humility and truth be directed by thy most sacred Word and alwayes submit my selfe to the gouernment of thy blessed Spirit Make me good Father a light and example of vertue and godlinesse vnto others and to grow in grace as I increase in yéeres that so I may liue in thy feare and dye in true peace of conscience and assurance of eternall glory with all the Saints and Angels in heauen vouchsafe O my heauenly Father to grant me all other things conuenient for mée in this life for the onely merits obedience and mediation of Jesus Christ our Mediatour and Redéemer Amen In time of affliction pray thus yea often The Lord shall make the Pestilence cleaue vnto thee vntill hee hath consumed thee the Lord shall smite thee with a consumption and with the feuer and with a burning ague c. vntill thou repent Deut. 28. 21. O Lord most iust and Father most mercifull thou it is that renewest thy plagues against man when hée offendeth thée thy vengeance from heauen is both sudden and fearefull toward the rebellious and disobedient children thou for one sinne in King Dauid destroyedst with the loathsome disease of the Pestilence many thousands of his people cast thine eyes of mercy vpon vs O thou preseruer of men which languish now in this land and in this house with the like disease and sicknes Now deare God hath not Dauid onely offended thée in trusting to his strength and numbring of his people but euen each congregation and euery houshold hath one way or other prouoked thee to plague thy disobedient people now that wée sée thy plagues appearing to the piercing and piercing of our bodies and soules asunder Lord wee stand amazed in our mindes heartily sighing with groanes at the sight of our sinnes Now wee consider wée haue sinned grieuously wee haue done amisse wee haue dealt wickedly we haue liued vngodly we haue iwerued from the way of truth without any godly feare or remorse of conscience thy great benefit of peace and rare blessing of long prosperity vnder so good and gracious a Gouernour haue brought too too many of vs to such security and contempt of Religion that altogether forgetting to be thankefull wée haue abused thy benefits as fast as they came that with a churlish kinde of impiety the thoughts of our harts the words of our mouths and the workes of our hands are vaine carnall and diuellish yea our seruice to thee oftentimes but meere abomination so farre alas haue we erred from the path of thy Commandements As thou didst finde with the Israelites wickednesse in Gilgal sinne in Bethel and iniquity in Bâ—rsheba so in euery Church in euery Court nay in euery concourse or assembly amongst vs thou beholdest how the flesh hath ouer-growne the spirit and how reason is ouer-ruled with affections so many labour in these dayes vnder the displayed Ensigne of Sathan that very few deare Father are found setled in the dutifull forme of vpright and spirituall Obedience which thou requirest Wée confesse thou mightest iustly therefore forsake vs as we haue forsaken thée and not onely procéede to sting the head-Cities and whole body of this Land with sundry plagues and grieuous diseases but for our manifold sinnes and iniquities which we daily commit thou mightest iustly and worthily condemne vs man after man to eternall death all consciences being so guilty that they already condemne themselues Yet who is hée O mercifull Lord that can measure thy goodnesse who by thy word doest oftentimes bring sinners to beliefe repentance and saluation though it be not thy pleasure good Lord to make the
wicked innocent but rather to visit their iniquities yet haue wée this comfort that thy mercy to the humble euer rests vnmeasurable and vnmoueable though thou spakest to the Prophet against thine own people being disobedient to thée saying Though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet haue I no heart to this people Driue them away that they may goe out of my sight some vnto death some to the sword and some to captiuity yet we know O our good God that when as Ephraim was heard â—amenting and praying heartily in his distresse thou thoughtest then vpon mercy as a Father pittying his owne children This thy clemency to others incourageth vs to cry for thy mercies in this our misery vpon our repentance both for vs ours and the whole Land Uouchsafe O louing Sauiour to represse the vehement heate of thy fire with godly pitty stay thine hand from our destruction thou art long suffering good gracious and vnwilling sinners should perish Be intreated therefore O Lord most glorious to bid th ne Angels cease from punishing looke forth-with vpon this Land good Father pitty the infected people thereof that wée altogether may say The Lord liueth for euer worthy of praise because hee hath béene mercifull vnto sinners Amen O Lord increase my Faith If not Infected pray thus IT pleased thée O heauenly Father who art Lord of life and death once to plague the Egyptians and yet to spare the Israelites in the borders of Gosen onely because thou plaguest where thou pleasest So with the pestilence now hast thou infected euen from Dan to Beersheba yet my selfe and diuers others in this place rest safe from this so pestilent an Infection protected and kept as yet safe therefrom onely by thy hand onely by thy goodnesse for our sinnes we confesse stand vp as rampired walls against vs and deserue no lesse then theirs whom already thou hast bruised with a iust measure of thy Judgements O gracious Lord God stirre vs vp to â—hew our hearts throughly thankefull vnto thée that in thankesgiuing and praise we may go before others which in paines and plagues doe goe before 〈◊〉 And as in mercy thou hast drawne â—…knesse from our bodies so in loâ—e to our soules make vs loath the vaine delights of this life that we may faithfully seâ—ue and séeke thée in these our dayes of health wherein wée obtaine thy mercy inioy thy fauour and rest preserued from the pestilence wherewith many of our Brethren lie perplexed beside sundry thousands whom the graâ—t hath swallowed Blesse vs still O Lord our God blesse vs O Father without within be thou our guard thy Word our guide thy Spirit our comfort and thy Son our Sauiour Lord stand by vs for our good continually that when the world repineth at thy Judgements when the wicked swell in their impatiency when the vnregenerate grudge and murmure at thy plagues and punishments wherewith thou chastisest and correctest thy deare Children that euen then wée may haue and inioy quietnesse of heart and peace of conscience neuer to be dismaied or to distrust thy prouidence ouer vs but still to leaâ—e stedfastly vnto thée and rest vpon thée and the rock of thy Truth This confidence Lord grant vs and thy protection from this couragious disease that raigneth that wée may chearefully â—ound forth thy diuine praises amongst men vnto the praise of thy grace in Christ Jesus To whom our Sauiour and Redéemer with thée the blessed Father of vs all and the holy Spirit the Sanctifiâ—r of our soules thrée persons yet one diuine essence be giuen all laâ—d glory and thankes in this world and in that to come for euer Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer in the time of Tempests and vnseasonable Weather God bringeth vp the cloudes from the ends of the earth and maketh the lightnings with the raine he draweth forth the windâ—s out of his treasures Psal. 135. 7. Hee commandeth and raiseth the stormie windes and it lifteth vp the waues of the seâ— Psal. 107. 25. But he ariseth and rebuketh the windes and the sea and maketh them calme Mat. 8. 26. Marke 4. 39. By his word he stilleth the winde and by his counsell appealeth the deepe Ecclus 43. 23. O Most mighty and mercifull Lord God let all the powers of the earth blesse thée and praise thee their euer-liuing God in thine holy and heauenly habitation for thou O Lord sittest on high in the Throne of thy Maiesty and makest thy strength and might knowne to all Nations thy voyce is vpon the waters From thée O God procéedeth Thunder thy voyce maketh the Wildernesse to tremble yea thou makest the mighty hils to tremble and shake the Earth trembleth and quaketh the foundations also of the Mountaines moue and shake when thou art displeased there commeth out of thy nostrils smoke and out of thy mouth a consuming fire thou makest darkenesse thy secret place and at the glory of thy presence the Clouds passe away thou thunderest from the heauens and giuest out thy voyce thou drawest forth the Windes out of thy treasures and commandest them backe againe to their places all things are in subiection vnto thée thy workes magnifie thée O Lord yea they tremble at thy presence the Mountaines and Hils dread thée when thou art displeased yea the whole world is afraid The Waters O God know thée and are afraid yea the depths tremble thy voyce O Lord diuideth the fiery flames O Lord thy voice maketh the Wildernes to tremble Thou remainest King foreuer thou wilt giue strength vnto thy People and blesse them with peace O most mercifull God shaddow vs from thy displeasure which is too vehement and intollerable let thy countenance shine vpon vs and haue mercy on vs protect thou our houses and vs that we be neither consumed by fire nor drowned by waters send not vpon the earth such vntemperate or vntimely Showres or any other vnseasonable weather whereby the Fruits thereof may be hurt or our soules harmed O God the Father which diddest send thy onely Sonne to die the death of the Crosse for my sake preserue mée and grant vnto me a blessed end O God the Son which didst suffer for my sake the heauy death of the Crosse defend me and O God the holy Ghost comfort mée blesse and kéepe mée from all dangers from this time forth and for euer Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer for Peace in true RELIGION Behold saith the Lord I will extend peace vpon my Church like a floud as one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort you and yee shall be comforted in Ierusalem Esay 66. 12. 13. These things haue I spoken to you saith Christ that yee in mee might haue peace in the world yee shall haue affliction but be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world Iohn 16. 33. O Most high and glorious God who art the Authour of Peace from whom doe procéede holy counsels and righteous destres giue vnto vs thy Seruants that Peace
hast ordained and by thy holy Word hast also approued the same saying To auoide whoredome let euery man haue his wife and euery woman her husband Then I beséech thee in mercy to lend mâ—e thy helping bend and so blesse mee and my Patents that in this intended matter wee may not be abused by any exteriour appearance either of beauty riches or deceiuing spéeches which may fore-runne or procéede in this businesse but as thy Word saith A vertuous wife is a gift which comes from thee O Lord and as it is most certain that not onely thou gauest Eue to Adam but didst likewise conioyne Abraham with Sarah Iseac with Rebecca and Iacob with his best estéemed Rachel euen so I intreat and beséech thée O Father of lights not onely to be my Father but also to appoint mée my fellow-partner in regard thou oughtest to be the author and actor in so honourable a businesse Send downe the holy Angell to be my guide and leader towards her whom thou hast prepared for mée as in like case thou madest them seruants to Abraham and young Tobias Then let mée méete her inioy her and liue with her in thy feare and fauour O Lord Jesus may it please thée with thy blessing to be with me at my marriage as thou didst vouchsafe to honour that at Cana in Galilee with thy owne presence And as thou art well pleased to conioyne man and wife and to make them one body so vnite vs both vnto thée that we may euermore liue in thée and thou in vs. Amen O Lord increase our Faith A Prayer for a young Man or Maide prepared to Marriage To auoide fornication let euery man haue his wife and let euery woman haue her owne husband 1 Cor. 7. 2. The price of a vertuous woman is farre aboue the value of pearles she will doe her husband good and not euill all the dayes of her life Pro. 31. 10. 12. O Omnipotent and euer-liuing God without whom mens enbenours are friuolous cannot prosper in this world I thy poore creature and the worke of thine hands whom thou hast vouchsafed neuerthelesse to receiue into the fellowship of thy Saints by the holy Sacrament of Baptisme doe here present my selfe before thy diuine Maiesty humbly beséeching thée in the name of Jesus Christ thy beloued Sonne to stretch forth thy holy hand and helpe mée to the end that if it be thy will I shall marry thou maâ—st lead and direct mée to a vertuous yoke-fellow with whom I may liue so long as we shall continue together in thy loue and feare O God it was thou that gauest Eue to Adam and didst addresse the seruant of Abraham to Rebecca that she might be wife to the Patriarke Isaac Thou didst send thine Angell with young Tobias to deliuer Sara the daughter of Raguel out of the poore desolate and approbrious condition wherein she then liued and to match her in marriage with the said Tobias This is not a case of chance or Fortune neither guided by mens wisedome for heaping vp goods together It often hapneth that after one hath carefully considered all circumstances and causes thereto belonging searching into the vttermost as may be deuised that party fals short of his hopes expected and in stead of an helper hapneth on an hinderer I heartily therefore pray thée O God to prouide me such a one as thou knowest fittest for me and so to order the deliberations counsels and enterprises of my Parents friends that the whole issue and euent may first redound to the aduancement of thy glory and next to the endlesse contentment good and saluation of vs all in Christ Jesus our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen A Prayer to be said of Women with childe Women shall be saued by bearing of children if they continue in faith and loue and holinesâ—e with modestie 1 Tim. 2. 15. O Mercifull and mighty God the framer wise gouernour and gratious preseruer of all things I render vnto thy maiesty most humble thanks for that thou art pleased of thy gracious goodnesse to remoue from mée the reproach of barrennesse and hast opened my wombe to conception prosper O Lord within me the worke of thine owne hands which is wonderfully made whose bones and members are knowne to thée whose very hayres thou numbrest and takest care of them Blesse O Lord the worke of thme owne hand within me that it may receiue a perfect shape and portion and liue to praise thée in the midst of the congregation I commend it with my selfe into thy holy hands whom I beséech thée O most gracious God so to blesse guide and preserue that neither the malice of the wicked spirit ouercome me nor any other inconuenience approach nie mée to hurt mée kéepe me from vame feares and foolish destres that without danger I may beare and with ioy bring forth the fruit where with thou hast blessed mée to the glory of thy most holy Name and my great comfort in thée to whom be giuen and ascribed all honor might power and praise now and for euer Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer to be said of a Woman in trauell O Good Lord I acknowledge and confesse that thy displeasure for sinne committed was and is very great which I doe at this present feele and was first committed by our first mother Eue and continued by vs we being by nature inclined thereunto whom for punishment thereof thou hast said in sorrow we shall bring forth children Impose not that heauy burthen vpon my weak body but regard mee with thy fauour in the promised Seede of the woman and giue mee comfort from heauen lay vpon mee no more then I shall be well able to vndergoe and euen in the middest of my calamities prepare thou the way for mee that I may patiently beare them strengthen O Lord my body giue courage vnto my heart and comfort my soule that in all parts being fastened vnto thee neither frailty of the flesh nor temptation of the Diuell in my greatest extremity may make mée faint or fall from thée or haue the least distrust of thy gracious fauour towards mée Thou art nigh O Lord vnto all that call vpon thée in heart I humbly beséech thée not to be absent from me at my time but that the assurance of thy presence may be my stay and comfort that in respect thereof I may sustaine all torments and wholly rest in thée which art the God of my strength and consolation to whom be giuen all praise now and for euer Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Thankesgiuing of a Woman after her Deliuery Oeternall God and most louing Father thou art great and worthy to be feared thou art gracious and worthy to be praised for thy mercy excéedeth all thy workes thou woundest thou healest thou throwest downe and helpest vp againe I most humbly thanke thée my most louing and gentle Father that it hath pleased thée in thy goodnes now at the length to deliuer me from
the great extremity of childe-birth and to giue vnto me the swéete taste and féeling of thy comfort not only in ioy that a man is born into the world which maketh mee to forget my sorrowes but much more in the assurance of thy blessed prouidence and care ouer mee whose holy hand hath strengthened and vpholden mée who hath brought faâ—te weather after stormes and ioy after teares let thy sweete comfort alwayes rest with mée and giue mée grace since it hath pleased thée to make mée a glad mother that I may also become a good mother in shewing my selfe obedient vnto thée and to be carefull for the instruction and bringing vp of my childe in thy â—eare that wee may shew forth thy glory in this life and be made partakers of thy glory in the life to come through Jesus Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour to whom with thée and the sweete Comforter the holy Ghost thrée persons and one glorious God be all honor and praise for euer and euer Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer for a Man-seruant Let seruants be subiect to their Masters and please them in all things not answering againe neither pickers but that they show all good faithfulnesse that they may adorne the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things 1 Tit. 2. 9. 10. 1 Pet. 2. 18. O Most mercifull and euer-liuing God who hast ordained in the world that there should be masters and seruants and didst heare Abrahams seruant crying to thée I now prepare my selfe to thy diuine Maiesty because seruice is necessary for mée to maintaine mée in this life and doe beséech thée O most louing Father to prouide for mee among good people that may not debarre me from hearing thy Word but rather giue me occasion by their good example to séeke those things which belong to my saluation Assist me also by thy holy Spirit that I may render them good and honest seruice and truely take charge of whatsoeuer they trust mee withall Prosper O God my labours and giue a blessing to those affaires which I shall mannage and vnder-take that thy grace gouerning me while I serue on earth I may afterward be an Heire and fellow-Citizen by Christ Jesus â—eanes in the Kingdome of heauen Thy mercy was so great at Capernaum to the Centurions Seruant that hée found a good Master Thou diddest likewise so louingly respect poore Ioseph when he was a seruant that all things prospered vnder his hand I beseech thee extend thy mercy to me a poore willing Seruant and as thou hast appointed so let mee rest contented Amen Lord increase my Faith and prosper mine endeauours A Prayer of a Maid-seruant O My Lord and Sauiour seeing it hath pleased thee to call mee to this estate and condition that I must serue to sustaine life and gaine those benefits necessarily belonging thereto I submit my selfe willingly to thy prouidence and appointment For I know thou didst not despise to speake to Abrahams seruant Hagar and didst likewise prouide good Mistresses for Bilha and Zilpha therefore I humbly beseech thy Maiesty to prouide an honest place for mee where too much rigour seuerity and hard vsage may not be shewed me Giue me grace also to yeeld vnto them faithfull and true seruice carrying alwayes a good conscience and keeping myselfe chaste and honest with dutifull obedience to my Mistris and ordering my Masters businesse as it becommeth mee Blesse all my indenours that I neither waste spoile nor destroy any thing Set a locke on my lips that by euill words I giue no occasion of stâ—ife or dissension but rather that I may procure peace so much as lyeth in my power to doe Thou knowest O God much better then my selfe what is néedfull for me and thy word teacheth me that with thé◠there is no respect of persons but thou hearest the poore and néedy as well as the great and mighty when they vnfainedly make their prayers vnto thée in the mediation of Christ Jesus our onely Lord and Sauiour Amen A Thankesgiuing before Meate O Lord our God and heauenly Father which of thy vnspeakable mercy towards vs hast prouided Meate and drinke for the nourishment of our weake bodies giue vs grace to vse them reuerently as from thy hands with thankefull hearts let thy blessing rest vpon these thy good Creatures to our comfort and sustentation and grant wee humbly beseech thee that as wee doe hunger and thirst for this foode of our bodies so our soules may earnestly long after the foode of eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen A Thankesgiuing after Meate TO thee O Lord our God which hast created redeemed continually preserued and at this time fed vs be ascribed all honour glory and power might and Dominion now and euer more O Lord preserue thy Church vniuersall this Church wherein wee liue the Kings Maiesty the Prince and Realme Grant thy Gospell a free passage confound Antichrist and all Heresies finish soone these dayes of sinne and bring vs to euerlasting peace through thy Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Amen FINIS A briefe Table of all the Prayers and other things contained in this BOOKE THe Motiue for a priuate Prayer for the Morning Fol. 1. A Prayer for the Morning 2 Morning Prayer where the Family assembles 6 The Motiue for a priuate Prayer for the Euening 11 A Prayer for the Euening 13 An Euening Prayer where the Family assembles 15 A Prayer to be vsed in priuate Families Morning and Euening 22 In the Morning adde this 29 In the Euening adde this 30 A Prayer for the King 31 For obedience vnto God 33 To be confirmed in the way of Righteousnesse 36 For the assistance of the holy Ghost 40 For Sunday Morning 42 Before the hearing of Gods Word 44 For the Preaching of the holy Word 46 For Sunday night 48 A Prayer to be said before a man begins his Labour 50 A Thanksgiuing or Prayer to be vsed after a mans Labour is finished 52 A generall Confession for sins and of the vanities of carnall delights 53 For humiliation and sorrow after sinne committed 56 A preparation to the Communion 61 At the Communion 66 After the Communion 73 A Motiue to the Prayer following against Temptation 75 A Prayer against all Temptations especially to any particular sinne 78 For a prosperous Iourney 82 A Motiue to a Prayer against Enemies 85 A Prayer against Enemies 87 Of the flocke for their faithfull Pastor 91 For obseruation of Gods Commandements 95 A Prayer and Meditation concerning the continuance of Gods corrections 104 A fit and comfortable Meditation when God seemeth most angry with vs. 107 Against despaire 110 Against backslyding in Religion and for increase of Faith 113 A comfortable Consultation and sweet Resolution what course to take in time of deepest distresse 116 Effectuall Prayers for distressed men 133 A Motiue to a Prayer for Patience in affliction 135 A Prayer for Patience in affliction 136 Against the Temptations of the Diuell 140 The way truely to seeke our God c. being the first prayer in distresse 144 The Motiue to the second Prayer to be said of distressed men 150 The second Prayer for Constancy in affliction 152 The Motiue to the third Prayer 158 The third Prayer wherein hee flyeth and wholly relyeth vpon God 159 The Motiue to the fourth Prayer 164 The fourth Prayer wherein he prayeth for faith zeale and strength to vndergoe Gods corrections 166 A Moriue to the fift Prayer 172 The fift prayer wherein the poore man prayeth God to keepe him from despaire 174 The Motiue to the sixt prayer 179 The sixt prayer to learne how to leaue the world and to desire heauen 180 A Motiue to the seauenth Prayer wherein the poore distressed mans desire is to hold fast the promises of God and to shew himselfe thankfull 185 The seauenth prayer in distresse 186 The Motiue to the eight prayer wherein the poore distressed man craueth pardon for his sinnes 190 The Motiue to the ninth prayer for assurance of Gods prouidence 197 The ninth prayer wherein the poore distressed man acknowledgeth that though God doe deseruedly punish him yet he assureth himselfe that God will relieue him 199 A Motiue to thankefulnesse to God for comfort and reliefe receiued of him in the time of necessity and affliction 206 Preparatiues to Thankefulnesse 238 A generall Thankesgiuing vnto God for all his benefits spirituall and corporall 240 Another thankesgiuing in and for Gods corrections 245 A Thankesgiuing to God for that enemies haue not preuailed according to their desires 250 A Thankesgiuing to be vsed after the returne of a Iourney or comming to some Inne or place of rest 253 A prayer for the Fruits of the earth 255. Meditations COncerning the Maiesty Power and Loue of God 258 Concerning the Knowledge and Prouidence of God 264 Of the Word of God 272 Of the benefit of Faith in God 279 Concerning the vncertainty of mans haphappinesse in this life 285 A sweet contemplation of heauen and heauenly things 291 A consideration of the dangerous estate of the impenitent wicked ones after this life 298 An exhortatiue Conclusion wherein the afflicted are stirred vp to Patience and not to be ashamed of their miseries and base estate 311 A Prayer to be vsed of a sicke man 318 For Patience in sickenesse 319 A Prayer to be said at the point of death 324 A Confession of sinnes with a Prayer to be said of poore distressed men Morning and Euening and at all times else as they shall be there unto moued 326 A very comfortable and most patheticall prayer to be said of such as are in greatest distresse hauing wife and children and in debt not able to maintaine the one or satisfie the other 331 A Prayer to be vsed of a sicke man when he is recouered 339 In time of Infection pray thus yea often 341 If not infected pray thus 345 In time of Tempests and vnseasonable weather 348 For Peace in true Religion 351 A deuout Prayer to be vsed of a Widdow 355 For one that prepares himselfe for Marriage 358 For a young Man or Maid preparing to Marriage 361 A Prayer to be said of women great with Childe 363 To be said of a woman in trauell 365 A Thankesgiuing of a Woman after her Deliuery 367 A Prayer of a Man-seruant 370 A Prayer of a Maid-seruant 37â— A Thankesgiuing before Meate 373 A Thankesgiuing after Meate 375 FINIS