dishonest and fleshly lusts let not the heate of vnlawfull concupiscene take hold of me but make me to bee fully pleased and satisfied with her loue and to loue her as Christ loued his Church to cherish and comfort her as mine owne bodie and to haue as great a care of her health as of mine owne Grant that we may liue in peace without debate in vnity without discord like the members of one bodie equally desirous to praise thy holy Name And as thou hast O Lord bestowed many children vpon vs giue vs discreet hearts and vnderstanding mindes to bring them vp in thy Faith and Feare in a religious honest and ciuill manner Giue them obedient hearts to thee and to thy commandements and to all that thou requirest of them to be performed in duety towards vs their Parents Keepe them from those which are ready to seduce them and so lead them in thy Faith Feare and Knowledge that they prooue not a curse but a blessing vnto vs and thereby attaine to that blessing which thou hast promised to those which honor and obey their Parents Grant likewise O Lord that I may guide and instruct the familie which is vnder me in thy feare and in honest and carefull manner prouide as well for their bodies as their soules And giue them the like Grace O Lord to performe their duties in feare and obedience not as eye-seruers but in simplicitie of heart as in thy sight And giue vs O Lord a competencie of estate to mainetaine our selues children and family according to that ranke or calling wherein thou of thy goodnesse hast placed vs without excesse riot or vaine-glory and in singlenesse and purenesse of heart with all humility relying vpon thy blessed will who knowest better then wee our selues what is needfull for vs To thee be all Honour and Glory now and for euer For a married Woman O Mercifull and louing Lord God who in the beginning for the propagation of mankinde didst take Eue out of the side of Adam Gen. 2.22 and gaue her to him as an helper Gen. 2.20 I giue thee humble thankes that thou hast vouchsafed to call me to the honourable estate of Matrimony Giue me grace O Lord that I may lead a life worthy thereof that I may loue my husband with a pure and chaste loue acknowledge him for my Head and truly reuerence and obay him in all good things that thereby I may please him and liue quietly with him Grant that I bee not carried away with the vaine fashions of this World but may put on such habits as shal be agreeable and suitable with the estate of my husband and may become a modest woman to weare Helpe me O Lord that I may vnder him prudently and discreetly guide and gouerne his houshould and family and carefully looke that nothing be either carelesly lost or wickedly committed in my house Fit me with those good Graces which the wise man described in a good woman Pro. 31. and Saint Peter in Holy and Sanctified Matrons Giue me such care 1. Pet. 3. concerning the education of my Children as belongeth to my part that I may liue to see them prosper in this life and afterwards we may all be receiued to thy eternall Kingdome through Iesus Christ our Lord. For a Childe O Almighty Lord God to whom the obedience of Children to their Parents is most acceptable and all disobedience most displeasing who hast promised a Blessing to the dutifull and threatned a curse Exod. 20. to the disobedient children I beseech thee to put away from me the detestable sinne of disobedience and rebellion against my Parents and giue me grace to obserue them with all kinde of dutie to obey them in all their iust commands and to be aiding and helpefull to them at all time of their need Giue me grace to beare all their reproofes and errors patiently and not to grieue them by stubborne and euill courses Let me not bee so farre depriued of thy Grace that I scoffe or deride them though by age or infirmitie they shall faile in their Iudgement or Reason but cause me to supply their wants lest that I hauing plenty and they being in any neede or distresse I not supplying it nor succouring them their liues to whom I owe mine may be in danger to be shortned Lord forgiue all the offences which I haue heretofore committed against them Increase the number of their dayes keepe them safe in body and minde let them see their Childrens Children to their comfort and thy Glory Let them gouerne vs and the rest of their family with wholsome Discipline and good example that at the last they may in their due time depart this life in peace and come to thy Kingdome vnspotted through Iesus Christ our Lord. For a woman with Childe O Blessed Lord God who for the offence of the first woman Gen. 3.16 didst denounce and impose an ineuitable curse vpon all her posterity namely that they should conceiue in sinne and bee subiect to many grieuous paines and should bring forth their children with great danger Asswage I beseech thee of thy goodnesse the sharpnesse of that decree and preserue mee that I may ouercome and escape this great danger and be deliuered of the fruite of my body without perill of death and that it may safely be brought to the Sacred Font of Baptisme and be regenerated and ingraffed into the mysticall body of Christ and be made partaker of his death and passion And as thou hast of thy bounty giuen bodily life to it and me so grant to vs both life spirituall and so Sanctifie our Bodies and Soules heere that hereafter we may liue among thy blessed Saints for euer in the life to come For a young man or Maid O Lord forasmuch as I am at these yeares in the heate of the flesh and in the most dangerous time of my life I beseech thee take not thy mercy and fatherly prouidence from me but by how much the greater danger of tentations I am in with so much the more care let thy grace preserue me lest happily I become a prey to mine enemies who goe about to load me with so many sinnes that if they preuaile I shall neuer of my selfe to get from vnder the burthen of them But O mercifull Father distrusting in mine owne strength I betake my selfe wholly to thy protection and desire thee both now and euer to keepe me Let me not get that habit of sinning in my younger yeeres that I be forced in my age if I be not stifled before in my offences to be waile the sins of my youth and to say with Dauid Remember not O Lord Psal 25.6 the offences of my youth but rather accustome me from this time forward to all goodnesse that I may daily more and more profit therein and that seruing thee with a pure heart now I may in mine age say with good King Ezekias O Lord remember I beseech
this bread 1. Cor. 11.27 and drinke this cup of the Lord vnworthily shall bee guilty of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. I am in such a streight that I know not what to doe For gladly would I receiue this Sacrament being desirous to liue but fearefull I am to take it vnworthily trembling at thy Commination I come therefore to thee the fountaine of mercy hoping that thou wilt wash me I come to thee the good Samaritan Luc. 10.34 hoping that thou wilt cleanse my wounds I open my griefe and discouer my iniquities to thee I looke vpon my finnes great and grieuous and thereupon tremble Yet beholding thy mercies great and plentifull I am therewith againe refreshed Remember O Lord how many drops of Sweat and Bloud thou didst shed How many Paines and Sorrowes thou didst sustaine to expiate my sins I entreate thee therefore by them to purge and purifie me that I may worthily bee incorporated into thy body which is thy Church and may worthily also receiue this blessed Sacrament that so together with thy whole Church I may giue thee praise euerlastingly Or thus O Mercifull Lord Iesus I confesse my selfe to be a most grieuous and wretched sinner not worthy to approach into thy presence altogether vnfit and vnmeet Luc. 7.6 to receiue thee vnder the roofe of my soule in respect of the staynes and pollutions thereof and that it is not decked and fitted with such good graces as thy Maiestie and presence requireth and therefore am afraid to come neere vnto thee Yet O Lord considering thy comfortable saying that Thou dost not desire the death of a sinner Mat. 11.28 but that he should turne vnto thee and liue and thy blessed inuitation how louingly with the armes of thy mercy stretched out thou hast called all that are heauily oppressed with the burden of their sinnes to come to thee for comfort and ease And lastly thy vsuall practize in pitying and releeuing those which were cast downe with the thought of their misdeedes as the a Luc. 23. Theefe on the Crosse b Luc. 7. Mary Magdalen c Ioh. 8. The woman taken in adultery the d Luc. 18. Publican e Luc. 26. Peter and Paul all of them grieuous sinners I am comforted and emboldned to come vnto thee assuredly trusting that thou wilt of thy goodnesse supply my defects and make me a worthy receiuer of the high mystery and benefit of thy blessed Sacrament whereof of my selfe I am altogether vnworthy Stretch out thy right hand O sweete Iesu to me thy poore seruant and giue out of thy rich store-house of mercy what I want that thereby I may be made a liuing Temple to thee and an acceptable habitation for thine honour to abide in And grant that being cleansed by thy mercy and goodnesse I may by thy grace and power perseuere in all godlinesse and holinesse of conuersation to the end of my dayes and attaine to that blessed place where thou raignest with the Father and holy Spirit world without end Amen Meditations and Prayers after the Sacrament receiued IF all the Creatures in the world should offer themselues together with me to praise thee O Lord yet is it certaine that we could not giue thee sufficient thankes for the least of thy mercies and if together we cannot sufficiently praise thee for the least how much lesse can I alone performe so great a duty for such inestimable blessings as I haue at this time receiued for vouchsafing to visite me comfort me honor me with acceptance and admittance of me to thy blessed Table Luc. 1.43 If Elizabeth the mother of Iohn Baptist vpon the Virgin Maries entrance to her house said Whence is it that the mother of my Lord should come to me What shall I say whom the Lord himselfe hath visited and vnited to him by his blessed Sacrament being a vessell and receptacle of all impuritie who hath so often offended despited and neglected him King Dauid wondred Psal 8. why God should so esteeme of or visite man But I wonder much more why hee should be made man for man abide with him suffer death for him and giue himselfe to him for spirituall food Salomon after he had built a Temple to God reasoned thus 1. Kings 8.27 But will God dwell indeed on the earth Behold the heauen of heauens cannot contayne thee how much lesse this house that I haue builded May not I much more maruell that God will not disdaine to come and abide in this my poore and wretched soule What greater benefit or grace what greater argument of his loue is there can there be shewed to me Oh my soule if thou wouldest but throughly conceiue the happinesse that commeth to thee by this holy Sacrament then consider and well weigh what benefits it bringeth with it By it the sonnes of men are made the Sonnes of God and all that is earthly or carnall in vs is mortified that the Deity may liue and abide with vs. What therefore O my Lord shall I doe What thankes shall I render to thee with what feruency shall I loue thee For if thou so mightie a Lord hast vouchsafed to loue me poore wretched creature how should it be but that I should returne loue againe to thee And how shall I expresse my loue better then in forbearing those things which thou dost abhorre and following those things which thou dost command Giue O Lord to this end thy concomitant grace to mee whereby I may returne a reciprocall loue to thee and loue those things which are acceptable to thee and auoide those things which are to thee vnpleasing Giue me a heart which may loue thee with so true faithfull and constant affection as that nothing vnder the Sun may separate me from the loue of thee Rom. 8.39 Let me not follow the loue of the world or delight in the vanities of it any longer but giue me power to kill and quench all other loue and desires and to loue thee onely desire thee only and only thinke of thee and thy Commandements that all my affections and thoughts may be fixed on thee that in all tentations and aduersities I may haue recourse to thee onely and receiue all comfort from thee alone who liuest and raignest one God world without end Amen Another I Humbly thanke thee O sweet Sauiour Iesus Christ that thou hast so plentifully refreshed my dry and fainting soule with the holy Sacrament of thy pretious bodie and bloud I earnestly entreat thee further that whatsoeuer is in me vicious or contrary to thy blessed will may by vertue of this Blessed Sacrament bee rooted out of me that my soule may become a fit habitation for thy holy Spirit Let it be to me the absolution of my sinnes the confirmation of my faith an encrease of all thy graces in me the viands of this my peregrination and pilgrimage the only delight of my soule peace and ioy in tribulation health and
towards God then presently God will withdraw his hand of mercy and bounty from vs. Thankesgiuing I Thanke thee O mercifull Father Lord of heauen and earth for all thy mercies and fauours continually heaped vpon me for that thou hast not onely created me after thine owne Image and likenesse Gen. 9.6 and giuen to me a body with all the parts and members thereof and a soule with all the powers and faculties thereof that with them and by them I might know loue and serue thee but that thou hast so gratiously preserued both body and soule from time to time from all dangers Thou hast alwayes beene my refuge in tribulations and my defence and succour in aduersities When I went astray thou didst reduce me into the right way when I offended thee thou didst gently correct me when I was sad thou didst comfort me and when for the grieuousnesse of my sinnes I was ready to despaire thou of thy mercy and compassion didst strengthen me and keepe me from vtter ruine I acknowledge O Lord thy more then fatherly indulgence toward me from my birth to this present time for volesse thou of thy goodnesse hadst vpheld me I had long ere this time beene drowned and ouerwhelmed in the bottomlesse gulfe of my sinnes But thou hast deliuered me from the iawes of the roaring Lyon who hath daily sought to deuoure me 1. Pet. 5.8 and hast defended me from al his snares and assaults And as thou hast of thy mercy preserued my soule from destruction so thou hast oftentimes deliuered my body from the gates of death when many sickenesses and infirmities tooke hold of me I thanke thee also O Lord for all other thy temporall blessings which thou in plentifull manner hast heaped vpon me as foode rayment wealth possessions and children For my health and liberty for the prerogatiue which thou hast giuen mee ouer all thy creatures in their subiection to my seruice and vse I thanke thee also O Sweete Sauiour for the infinite worke of my Redemption and for thy exceeding great loue in accomplishing that great worke that thou wouldest suffer so many torments sorrowes labours and griefes yea so bitter and disgracefull a death euen the death of malefactors to Redeeme me from a most desperate and certaine state of damantion which I must iustly haue fallen into to a state of Glory and Immortality which I by no meanes could haue deserued I thanke thee also O Lord most holy for all other thy Spirituall graces and blessings as my Regeneration Vocation Sanctification for thy blessed Sacraments for my preseruation and hope of glorification O Lord I am not sufficient to render vnto thee condigne thankes and praises for all these thy mercies yet accept I humbly pray thee these poore and weake thankes which I offer vnto thee according to my bounden duty and Seruice For as there is no houre of my life wherein I doe not enioy thy fauours and taste of thy goodnesse so if my frailty would permit I should spend no time of my life without remembring them and praising and blessing thee for the same Glory bee therefore to thee O Lord my Creator Glory be to thee O Iesus my Redeemer Glory be to thee O Holy Ghost my Sanctifier Glory to the high and vndiuided Trinitie whose workes are inseparable and whose dominion endureth world without end Another ALmightie and euer-liuing God I humbly thanke thy heauenly Maiestie for all thy blessings which thou hast vouchsafed to mee poore and sinfull creature that thou hast created me and giuen to me a body the worke-manship and excellency whereof when I behold and well consider I finde so many seuerall benefits receiued as I haue members veines ioynts sinewes and nerues all which discouer and manifest the wisedome and power of the Maker of them The benefit of which seuerall parts none can so well know as they which want any of them or are grieued with the infirmitie or weakenesse of them I therefore blesse thee that thou hast not created me blinde lame deafe or dumbe euill-shaped or weake in my sences but hast giuen me a sound and right minde in a healthfull body I further praise thy name O Lord for that thou hast infused a soule into this my body a worke so glorious and transcendent that if I were not altogether stupid and void of all Iudgement I would not by my actions account so basely of it as I seeme to doe nor defile it with such impure contemptible and vucleane workes as I daily commit I thanke thee O Lord that I was not borne among Infidels and amongst those who doe not truely call vpon thy Name but in that part of the world where thy Gospell is truely preached and thy Sacraments duely administred I thanke thee also for thy gratious preseruation of me from my birth to this present houre I confesse O Lord that it is of thy mercy and goodnesse that I am thus preserued for if thou shouldest but with-draw thy hand of preseruation from me it could not be but that in the twinckling of an eye I should miserably perish and returne to nothing I thanke thee that thou hast of thy prouidence appointed all thy Creatures for my sustenance and seruice some for health and some for delight Grant O Lord that I may vse them to those ends for which thou hast created them and that by them I may be mooued truely to meditate on thy goodnesse and seriously praise thee for them I further thanke thee O Father that when as by our first parents fall all mankinde was in the state of damnation it pleased thee not to deale with vs as thou diddest with Lucifer whom thou vtterly expelledst thy presence but to send thy onely Sonne from thy bosome into this world that by his bitter death we might be restored to our former estate I acknowledge O Lord that I owe much vnto thee for my Creation but much more for my Redemption For what would it haue profited me nay what misery should I not haue suffered to haue beene borne and afterward to be condemned for euer I thanke thee O Lord that thou hast also vouchsafed to call me out of the depth of darkenesse and shadow of death wherein I lay by the admirable light of thy Iustifying Grace to the true knowledge and loue of thee It is not the least of thy benefits O Lord it sheweth not the least part of thy power that thou hast called me from so vile an estate whereinto I had cast my selfe after Baptisme and in the same had continued many yeeres rebelliously to the estate of Saluation For it must needs be acknowledged that thy mercy is great in pardoning sinners their offences but withall it cannot be denied but that thy power is greater in making sinners righteous and iust Great was the benefit of my Creation but by that act I was only made the Son of man but greater is the benefit of Iustification for thereby in Christ I am made the
to me that haue confidence in nothing but thy meere mercy O Lord it griueth me that I haue offended thy Maiestie and it grieueth me much that I can grieue no more then I doe And I humbly pray thee by the Death Passion and Intercession of thy Sonne Christ Iesus to pardon my offences promising that if I recouer my former health thy grace assisting me to abstaine from displeasing thy Maiestie hereafter I willingly O Lord and freely from my heart for thy sake forgiue all offendors and offences against me and I heartily desire all those whom I haue any way offended to forgiue me O Lord though my naturall man trembleth at the thought of death yet I professe that I am willing to die if it be thy good pleasure I haue receiued life and all the blessings of this life from thee what shall I render backe to thee for them I will willingly receiue this Cup of death and praise thy Name Psal 31.6 I commend into thy hands my spirit and whither thou disposest of me to liue or die I resigne it to thy good will and disposition and humblie pray thee that if thou seest it good for mee to prolong my dayes on earth that thou wouldst renew my conuersation by the direction of thy holy Spirit that I may passe those dayes in thy feare if thou be otherwise pleased to dispose of me take mee I beseech thee into the armes of thy mercie for Iesus Christs sake my only Sauiour and Redeemer Or thus O GOD of all consolation who hast promised to heare all those that faithfully call vpon thee and not to reiect any that with a contrite heart and penitent soule shall humble himselfe before thee I humbly intreat thee in the name and mediation of thy Sonne Iesus Christ that thou wouldest bee pleased to bee mercifull to mee thy poore Seruant at this time afflicted with sicknesse O Lord pardon forget and blot out of thy remembrance whatsoeuer I haue committed against thee in the whole course of my life Seale and confirme vnto me by thy Spirit a pardon vnto me for all my offences that I may thereby receiue such comfort in my soule that I may with all ioy and willingnesse depart out of this life vnto thee Let me be certified that there is Rom. 8.1 no condemnation to those which are vnited and engraffed into Iesus Christ by Faith that I may be confident 32. that neither my sinnes death the Deuill nor ought else can draw me away or separate me from thee and that I may be assured that thy Throne will not be to me a Barre of seueritie but a Hauen of safety and a sure Sanctuary and refuge for mee to flie vnto Strengthen this Faith in me which may serue as a Buckler to defend me from all tentations and that forsaking the confidence or strength of all other things I may flie wholly to thy mercy in Christ Iesus whereby I may be protected from the Terrors of thy Iudgement Grant vnto mee distressed sinner these graces euen for the same Iesus Christ his sake who with thee and the Holy Spirit liueth and raigneth for euer Or thus ALmightie and euerlasting God whose yeares faile not and who hast determined the daies of man which he cannot passe yet thy selfe endurest for euer and thy Throne from generation to generation Remember that I am but dust like grasse and my dayes as the flower of the field which flourisheth in the morning and in the euening is dried vp and withered Psal 39.5 O let me know my end make me mindefull of my mortalitie Psal 39.14 I am a stranger with thee and a soiourner as all my fathers were and cannot promise my selfe one houre much lesse any dayes or yeares in this my Pilgrimage Psal 6.2.3 I am like a tottering wall and a broken fence giue mee grace therefore that I trust not in the vncertainty of this life like the rich foole in the Gospell but that I may euery houre Luc. 12. prepare my selfe in thy feare to passe out of this fraile mansion and to expect thee with a solid faith and firme hope waiting cheerefully for the day and time of my dissolution Tit. 2.13 And looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of our Saniour Iesus Christ Make me like the faithfull and wise seruant euer ready and prepared for the comming of my Lord lest being suddenly preuented I bee taken like a Bird in the snare of the Fowler O Lord thou hast by this gentle correction put me in minde of my mortalitie giue me also Grace that I may make good vse of it that I may cast of all the cares of this world and wholly betake my selfe to make my peace with thee And I humbly pray thee that thou wouldst not forget me in my paines and miseries in all my infirmities be not farre from me when by reason of the terrors of death and assaults of the enemie I shall haue most neede of thy helpe but strengthen my soule with thy holy grace against all tentation that my Faith faile mee not but that thy holy Spirit assisting me I may ouercome my spirituall enemies and at the houre of death Lord I beseech thee let thy seruant depart in peace according to thy Word Luc. 2.29 Or thus BLessed Lord Iesus Christ the only comfort of the liuing and the eternall life of those which dye in thee I wholly submit my selfe to thy blessed Will whether it please thee to suffer my soule any longer to liue in this earthly Tabernacle to serue thee or to haue it depart out of this transitory world being certainely assured that it cannot perish being committed to thy keeping O Lord I put of this fraile flesh with a willing minde in the hope of the Resurrection of it at the last day togither with my soule when it will become much more glorious and happie then now it is I beseech thee O Lord Iesu strengthen mee with thy Grace against all temptations and defend mee with the shield of thy mercie against all the assaults of the Deuill I know that of my selfe I haue no strength wherefore my whole confidence is in thee I haue no merits of mine owne to alleadge for I see many yea too many of my sins to stand vp against me but by thy mercy I trust that thou wilt repute â—…e amongst the Iust Thou wert borne for me didst hunger thirst fast and pray for me thou didst many good workes and sufferedst many bitter things for my sake Let thy blood wash away the spots of my offences Let thy Iustice couer my vnrighteousnesse and thy Merits plead for me before the great and seuere Iudge And as my sicknesse encreaseth let thy Grace encrease that my faith faile not my hope wauer not nor my loue to thee waxe cold Let me not bee cast downe or deiected with the terror of death but when death shall seize on the eyes of my body let the eyes of my soule looke to thee and when the vse of my tongue shall faile me let my heart crie vnto thee Psal 31.6 I commend my spirit into thy hands O Lord who liuest and raignest c. Psal 23.4 Although thou kill me yet will I trust in thee and though I walke in the midst of the shadow of death yet will I not feare because thou Lord art with me A short Table of the chiefe Heads contained in this Booke A Generall Exhortation to Prayer page 1 In regard of Gods Precept 2 Promise 3 Christs example ibid. The Necessity ibid. The Dignitie 4 The Benefit 5 Directions how to Pray 1. To God only 8 2. In Faith 9 3. In Hope 10 4. In Charitie ibid. 5. In Humilitie of Spirit 12 13 Of Body 14 6. In Perseuerance 15 with feruency and attention 17 The Time for Prayer 20 The Place for Prayer 21 How to pray aright 22 Prayer diuided into Parts 25 The vse of the Lords Prayer 28 The Lords Prayer analysed 32 Petitions for spirituall Graces 68 A Prayer before Prayer 78 Before a Sermon 80 Petitions for temporall blessings 82 Rules for the Morning 84 Morning prayers priuate 85 For a Family 97 Rules for the Euening and Night 102 Euening prayers priuate 105 For a Family 116 Prayers For a married man 121 For a married woman 124 For a Childe 126 For a woman with Childe 128 For a young man or maid 129 For a Seruant 132 Before a Iourney 133 After a Iourney 135 Intercession 137 Deprecation 140 In affliction 145 In time of Pestilence 147 The Creed analysed 152 Confession of Gods Glory 164 Motiues to Repentance 169 The Dutie of Repentance 175 Confession of sinnes 179 Seuen Penitentiall Psalmes analysed 218 Direction before the Sacrament 259 Meditations and Prayers before the Sacrament 263 Meditations and Prayers after the Sacrament 276 Motiues to Thankesgiuing 285 Thankesgiuings 289 Seuen Psalmes of Thankesgiuing analysed 305 Imprecation 345 The Tenne Commandements analysed 350 Meditations of death 384 Meditations for the sicke 387 Prayers for the sicke 395 FINIS Faults escaped Page 38. line 16. in the margent reade Hallowed p. 80. l. â—… r. thou p. 97. in the mar r Gen. 1.26.9.6 p. 114. l. 7. r. seuenty times seuen p. 116. l. 9. r. sleep in peace p. 119 l. vlt. r. powre p. 130. l. 1. r. selfe be able to get p. 144. l. 13. r. sentence Depart p. 156. l. 9. put out vs. p. 164. l. vlt. r. bosome p. 169 l. 9. r. who p. 178. l. 5. r. Repentance p. 190. l. 6. r. I haue brought forth p. 211. l. 15. r. art patient p. 267. l. 16. r. long p. 271. l. 6. r. the greatnesse p. 291. 17. r. damnation p. 297. l. 16. r. Iust man of a sinner p. 307. l. 23. r. thy vicegerent p. 309. l. 15. r. triumph p. 314. l. 8. r. to the end that all p. 323. l. 17. for not onely r. as well p. 328. l. 23. r. felt p. 329 l. 7. r. with p. 340. l. 13. r. wherewith p. 341 l 26. r. generations p. 345. l. 14. r. incorrigible p. 374. l. 10. r. beatificall
Mat. 11.25 When you stand praying forgiue if you haue ought against any that your Father also which is in Heauen may forgiue you your trespasses And againe Mat. 6.14.15 if you forgiue men their trespasses your Heauenly Father will also forgiue you But if you forgiue not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgiue your trespasses 2 Secondly in praying for his wants and supplying them to our powers according to Saint Iames direction Ia. 5.16 1. Tim. 2.1 Pray for one another And to Saint Paul I exhort that first Prayers c. bee made for all men And to encourage vs to relieue them our Sauiour pronounceth a blessing to all that are charitable in that kinde Blessed are the mercifull Mat. 5.7 for they shall obtaine mercy So that by this we may plainly see that if we be vncharitable our prayers wil be barren and vnfruitfull 5. Humility Fifthly with these Humility must goe along for by it wee acknowledge with the Publican Luc. 18. whom our Sauiour commended to vs for a patterne our owne vnworthinesse to deserue any fauour which Humility as appeareth by that story or parable made his prayer more acceptable to God then the vaunting and boasting of the proud Pharise And Dauid saith Psal 51.17 A broken and contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise And the Sonne of Sirach The prayer of the Humble pierceth the Clouds Ecclus. 35.17 And the Virgin Mary he hath exalted the humble and meeke Luc. 1.52 And this Humility is likewise two fold First of the Spirit Secondly of the Body 1. For by the Humility of the Spirit we acknowledge the impurity of our soules and confesse our selues wicked miserable and wretched in our owne sight and that our strength is not worth the boasting of which kinde or manner of praying hath euer wrought effectually with God as by the Prophet Esay he confesseth To this man I looke Esa 66.2 euen to him that is poore and of a contrite Spirit And the Psalmist testifieth how propense and propitious God is to such kinde of petitioners The Lord is nigh vnto them that are of a contrite heart Psal 34.17 and will saue such as bee of an humble Spirit and the Blessed Virgin acknowledgeth that she found the fruits of her Humility Luc. 1.48 He hath regarded the lowlinesse of his Handmayden 2 Secondly wee must shew our Humility by a reuerend posture of the Body too For it was euer the ancient and vsuall custome in prayers and supplications to vse the most humble and decent gesture of body that might be thereby to testifie the Sympathy of the Body with the Soule a 1. King 8.22 Solomon at the dedication of the Temple stood before the Lord and spread forth his hands to Heauen b Luc. 18.13 The Publican stood and smote his breast c Exo. 17.11 Moses held vp his hands to Heauen d Dan. 6.10 Daniel e Act. 7.60 Stephen f Act. 9.40 Peter g Paul kneeled h Psal 95.6 Dauid kneeled and lifted vp his eyes i Matth. 26.39 Lastly our Sauiour Christ euery one of whose actions ought to be a rule to vs sometimes fell on his face sometimes k Lue. 22.41 kneeled and sometimes l 10.11.41 lifted vp his eyes when he Prayed And to this reuerend gesture of the Body must be added the vnconering of the head m 1. Cor. 11.4 Our heads must be bare and not pray so familiarly as if we were speaking to our equals for the higher and more eminent the person is whom we petition the more reuerend and submisse ought our behauiour to be to him 6. In Perseuerance In the next place wee must resolue with our selues not to be impatient of delayes as we call it if God seeme not to heare vs presently But we must Pray with perseuerance Our Sauiour himselfe immediately after he had prescribed vnto his Disciples that absolute forme of prayer taught them also and vs in them the effects of this perseuerance by the Example of the friend that came in the night to borrow loanes Luc. 11.8 Which effects also Psal 40.1 Dauid and the woman of Canan felt Matth. 15.28 Wherefore not without good reason did Saint Paul so often consaile this assiduity Colloss 4.2 and instancie in prayer 1. Thess 4.17 If therefore our prayers be not heard as we conceiue at the first second or third time shall wee then giue ouer Surely no wee must not leaue so For no doubt but he which said Luc. 11.9 Aske and yee shall haue will also giue what he hath promised when hee thinketh expedient that wee should receiue it O tary thou the Lords leysure saith Dauid And let not vs prescribe to God Psal 27.14 either time place or manner but let vs in all modestie willingly and patiently attend his good pleasure For he many times deâ—…yeth vs and putteth vs off either to prooue our faith perseuerance and patience and so to reward vs the more plentifully or else least wee should loath or litle esteeme his Blessings by obtaining them too easily Feruency and ottention Two other qualities there are which seeme to depend vpon this vertue of perseuerance namely feruency of the Spirit for what we craue and Attention and regard to what we craue For it is not a chill and cold Perseuerance or expectation that will serue our turnes to preuaile with God but a feruent Spirit to pursue the same For God heareth not at least regardeth not cold faint and drowzie prayers nor loud crying long babling or many tautologies or repetitions not intending or minding what wee pray for which proceede onely from the lips but it is the affection and zealous desires of the deuout mixed with sighes teares Ro. 8.26 and grones not to bee vttered which mooue and preuaile with him For God being a Spirit looketh to bee worshiped in Spirit To which purpose it is that our Sauiour Christ aduiseth vs when we pray to enter into our Clossets and to sâ—ut the doore intimating to vs thereby Mat. 6.6 that we being alone and priuate should cast away all publike wandering and worldly thoughts which trouble our deuotions and hinder vs from lifting vp our hearts vnto God and wholly feruently and considerately bend our thoughts and desires vnto him And these retired Soliloquies and priuate meditations and conferences betweene God and our soules and betweene our selues and our soules haue euer beene much approued by the Ancients Our prayer saith an ancient Father ought to be in such manner Ephr. Syr. 1. Sam. 1. as Hannas was She wept praid and her lippes onely were perceiued to moue Let euery one heare this and imitate it especially they who with extreame babling without all modesty yet with lowdnesse of voice make their prayers Let vs therefore pray with sighes and groanes But withall taking heed as much as we can
with Gods assistance and our owne endeauours that in the time of our prayers no extrauagant thought steale vpon vs least happily we haue one thing in our hearts and another in our tongues And to this purpose also speaketh Saint Basile Basil Serm. in Martyr Iulittam All our prayers ought to bee made not in sillables but in the hearty affection of the Soule For how doe or can we thinke that God will giue vs that for which wee pray when by our behauiour and gesture our faint and weake sollicitation we seeme to him that either we doe not want what we pray for or that he will vpon euery sleight and cold motion be perswaded to giue vs what wee desire Or how can we expect to be heard of God when we our selues not being serious in our deuotions but diuerted with other phantasies heare not nor know what we do petition for The wise man therefore giueth vs good and wholsome counsell in this matter Before thou prayest Ecclus. 18.23 prepare thy selfe and be not as one that tempteth the Lord. Of the Time and Place for Prayer 1. The Time TAke a little taste of the Time when and the Place where our prayers are to be offered vp to God For the Time in generall the places before named doe and may direct vs. a 1. Thess 5.17 Pray without ceasing b Colloss 4.3 Continue in Prayer And c Eph. 6.18 Luc. 11.18 Pray alwaies More particularly d Num. 28.3 Twice a day that is Morning and Euening The sacrifices were to be made Dauid prayed thrice e Psal 55.18 In the Euening Morning and at noone day And f 119.164 Seuen times in a day g Dan. 6.10 Daniel prayed thrice In the morning before day h Mar. 1.35 Christ prayed Dauid prayed i Psal 63.1 early k Act. 2.15 The Apostles at the third houre of the day l 10.9 At the Sixth houre m 3.1 The ninth houre And Dauid at n Psal 119.62 midnight 2. The Place For the Place In all places saith a Exo. 20.24 God Euery where saith b 1. Tim. 2.8 Saint Paul Christ prayed in c Mat. 1.35.35 the desert On a d Matth. 14.23 mountaine e Matth. 26.36 In the Garden f Gen. 24.63 Isaac in the field g Act. 10.9 Peter prayed on the house top or tarris h Psal 111.1 In the congregation saith Dauid To the Temple went i Act. 3.1 Saint Peter Saint Iohn and Saint k 22.17 Paul And Christ bids vs when wee would be priuate in prayer and not bee molested to goe to our l Matth. 6.6 Clossets So that it appeareth that there is no Time nor Place vnseasonable to offer vp our Prayers vnto God as occasion shal be offered though the chiefe place for publike prayer is the Temple and for Priuate our Clossets How to pray aright To pray aright BVt it may come to passe though we be prepared and fitted with all the former circumstances that we may pray and not be heard if in the last place we doe not carefully consider to pray for those things which are fit and requisite for God to giue and for vs to receiue For as Saint Iames saith many times we aske and receiue not Ia. 4.3 because we aske amisse For our better instruction therefore we are to consider that there be two sorts of blessings to be required of God First Spirituall Secondly Temporall Spirituall Blessings 1. The first part pertaine to Gods owne honour and the good of our owne soules as Faith Hope Charitie Thankefull hearts Remission of sinnes and other of the same kinde which are meerely Spirituall and Heauenly And these Blessings we may without doubt safely and confidently beg at Gods hands and hee will not deny them Temporall 2 The Second are Temporall and Indifferent as Riches Honour Health Peace Seasonable times Children and the like And these are not to bee prayed for but according to Christs patterne of prayer with thy Will bee done Matth. 6.10 or according to Christs practise with a not as I will 26.39 but as thou wilt or with the Leaper in the Gospell Mat. 8.2 Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Bern. Serm. 5. in quadrag Saint Bernard disposeth these into three heads Two for blessings of this life for the Body and Soule and the third for the life to come and in praying for these he giueth three Cautions with his Reasons First that our prayer for Temporall blessings which the Body wanteth bee restrained to things needfull because many times we pray for things superfluous to satisfie our pleasures Secondly that our petition for the Graces of the soule bee free from impuritie because we oftentimes desire to haue them for Ostentation Thirdly that our request for the blessing of eternall Life be in all Humility because many require it at Gods hands as presuming vpon their owne merits Our Prayers being thus qualified being preferred only to God in Faith Hope Charity with God and our Neighbour Humilitiy of body and soule perseuerance feruency of Spirit our soules and bodies attending to what we pray for and in due time and place praying aright both for temporall and Spirituall blessings wee shall no doubt by the mercy of God through the mediation intercession and merits of Iesus Christ obtaine in his good time all things which shall bee needfull and expedient for vs. Prayer diuided into Parts DEuotions and Prayers are either Priuate or Publique 1. Priuate Prayers are whereby euery particular man prayeth to God for those things which he wanteth In which kinde of deuotion we ought at all times to exercise our selues because at all times we stand in need of Gods particular assistance and therefore we are tyed or limited herein neither to time nor place for whether it bee in the night or morning midday or euening at home or abroad in the Citie or Countrie in our beds or at our worke if we call vpon him faith-fully he will heare vs. 2. Publique prayers are whereby the whole Congregation meet in a place dedicated to Gods honour aswell to praise his Name as to pray for those things which shall bee needfull For although Christians ought to pray priuately yet ought they not in the meane time to neglect the publike worship and seruice of God in the Church For from the beginning it was held and obserued as a Duty required and therefore before the erection and dedication of Temples and Churches the Patriarches and holy men erected Altars in certaine places where at set times of the day they might offer Sacrifices Exo. 29.39 and Publike Prayer to God In the 2. Ioel 2. of Ioel you shall finde a set and prescribed forme of prayer for the Minister to vse togither with the place and the Congregation that were to assist In the New-Testament also Mar. 18.10 our sauiour
iust and charitable in workes true in words to loue thee with all our hearts as a Father to feare thee as a God to preferre nothing before Christ who preferred vs before all things and the like Thy Will and all thy Will without exception Thy Will and not our Will a Act. 21.14 The Lords Will be done b Iam. 4.15 If the Lord will Thy Will be done in all things as well in things pleasing as displeasing to vs but especially let it be done in vs. That our blinde and peruerse will may be led by thy most holy Will If our wills be refractory to thine roote out dissipate ours and establish thine Turne our Nill into thy Will Jn earth as it is in heauen In earth as in Heauen Hallowed bee thy Name In earth as in Heauen Thy Kingdome come In earth as in Heauen Thy Will bee done Let Heauen bee the paterne and Rule to Earth in all things Let vs begin to be on Earth as we would be in Heauen hereafter In earth In Earth in all the Earth But especially in this part of the earth where we liue Wee are of this Earth let thy Will be done in vs. As in heauen As in Heauen not as much or as well But let vs imitate though we cannot equall We beg thy grace to doe thy Will as thy Angels and Saints do it But because many things hinder vs wee say with Saint Aug. Aug. Giue vs power and ability to doe thy commands and then command vs what thou pleasest And if our condition in this life will not admit so much yet Lord accept our desires which crie to thee Thy Will be done And if our desires be also vnperfect yet heare our cry in the Prophets words Our soules haue longed to desire thy Lawes and Commandements alwaies Psal 119. Giue vs this day our daily Bread Here we may consider the excellent Order of this Prayer for what ought a Sonne before all things with more feruency desire then the Honour of his Father the prosperitie of his Kingdome and obedience to his Will And in the next place what is more proper to children then to aske Bread of their Father There is in vs a double nature or substance which requires two sorts of Bread 1. The Soule hath her viands to be prouided a Esa 55.2 The Bread of Angels b Ier. 15.16 Psal 65.4 Heb. 5.13.14 The Bread of heauen the Word c Ioh. 6.33.35.48 The Bread of Life Christ Iesus in the flesh Lord giue vs of this Bread euermore Ioh. 6.3.4 2. The Body also cryeth for her sustenance her Bread that is all the necessaries of this life Psal 132.15 for except it bee satisfied likewise it draweth our mindes from thee Thou hast promised O Father to adde all other things to vs Mat. 6.33 if we first seeke thy Kingdome Behold we haue sought it giue vs therefore Bread either fine middlesort or course which of them shall seeme good to thee And which may feed and not choake vs either with the care of them or neglect of thee With Bread giue vs O Lord a Leuit. 26.26 1. King 19.8 The staffe of Bread b Psal 6.2.91.16 Health of Body Wholesome Ayre c Pro. 15. Content in minde Conuenient dwelling Peace in our daies and the like Our Bread Ours gotten either by a Mat. 7.7 Prayer or b Gen. 3.19 Labour Ours 2. Thes 3.8 as first Thine Thine by Gift Ours by Vse Not due to vs but of thy mercy and bounty giuen to vs. Ours 1. Thes 5.14 So as if we haue more then we need we are to communicate it to those which want Ours that being contented with our owne we couet not other mens Daily Bread That we dayly wanting might dayly pray for it and that we daily receiuing might daily praise thee for it To put vs also in minde of the the vncertainty and shortnesse of this life that begging Bread but for a day it may bee perhaps enough for the time we haue to liue Bread For our necessity not for superfluity Which may profit the Soule and not hurt the Body Which may nourish the Soule and not destroy the Body If the Lord will bee with mee Gen. 28.20 and will keepe me in the way that I shall goe and will giue me bread to eate and rayment to put on so that I returne in peace then the Lord shall be my God Two things haue I required of thee Pro. 30.7,8,9 deny mee not them before I dye Remooue farre from me vanity and lyes giue me neither pouerty nor riches feed mee with food connenient for me lest I bee full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord or lest I bee poore and steale and take the Name of my God in vaine Giue Giue it thou Blesse the labours of our hands Breake it thou and giue it Let not vs take it for if thou giue it thou wilt giue it in time place and measure Whereas if we take it our selues wee obserue none of these rules but take it to the destruction of our owne soules and bodies To vs. Not only to mee and my family but to all thy seruants that need it This day That is this day of our life This time For we being vncertaine of our Dayes Heb. 3â—… why should wee begge bread for vncertaine times For we are not assured of an age a yeare or a day Our life is but a day and a day is the resemblance of our life Yet for all this Prouidence is not hereby forbidden or that none should lay vp with a Gen. 41. Ioseph or with the b Pro. 6.6 Ant. Giue vs O Lord Bread conuenient and meet to serue vs to day and to morrow also And forgiue vs our trespasses Esa 27.9 This is all the fruite to take away sinne Esa 59.2 Our iniquities haue separated betweene vs and our God and our sinnes haue hid his face from vs that he will not heare vs. Ier. 5.25 Our iniquities haue with-holden good things from vs. Lam. 3.44 Thou hast set our sinnes as a Cloud that our prayers might not passe through Ioh. 9.31 We know that God heareth not sinners As long as our sinnes stand vp against vs and are not forgiuen we are out of hope of receiuing any good at Gods hands Forgiue Therefore O Lord not only giue but forgiue also The Guilt The Punishment And in this thy mercy is manifested that thou giuest to those who after they haue receiued must craue forgiuenesse Giue vnto vs who are thine enemies and when thou hast giuen forgiue vs also Thou hast not dealt so with Angells Their sinnes are not Iude 6. will not be forgiuen ours may in thy good pleasure We are vnworthy Let vs not be vnthankefull Our trespasses or debts We become debtors or trespassers as often as
prescribe vnto his Disciples a forme of Prayer to be offered vp to thee and hast deriued the same from them to vs. Behold me most wretched sinner wholly depraued and corrupt intreating thee by the same Sonne that for his sake thou wouldest infuse thy holy Spirit into mee which may adopt me into the number of thine Elect that it may teach me how I ought to pray according to thy Holy Will that it may allay all troublesome and wandering thoughts in me while I offer vp my prayers and praises vnto thee Suffer me not to serue thee with my lippes and be absent in heart from thee but create a right spirit within me that I being sensible of all thy graces and comforts may with ioyfull and holy zeale performe my dutie to thee that so my prayers and desires may appeare before thee and in thy Sonnes Name I may effectually be heard and my petitions may bee granted to the glory and honour of thy most Holy Name and the endlesse comfort of mine owne Soule through the same our only Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Before a Sermon O Most louing SAVIOVR I most humbly intreat thee that rhou wouldest be pleased at this time to enlighten my vnderstanding and to open my inward eares with the grace of thy holy Spirit that I may heare the Sacred VVord with an humble heart and reioyce in it in the obedience of the Spirit that I may be fully instructed thereby how to doe good and auoid euill and bring forth the fruite thereof in my life and conuersation that thy Honour and Glory may bee thereby increased the Deuill and all other the enemies of my soule may bee vanquished my Soule may bee saued and at the last I may appeare with boldnesse before thy Tribunall and receiue the reward of a good and faithfull seruant euen his Masters ioy euerlasting Blessednesse and that by thy merits onely O Blessed Sauiour Petitions for Temporall Blessings In which we are to desire of God THat he would be pleased to continue vnto vs The Blessing of a good King iust and religious To giue vnto vs Magistrates and Iustices vpright and carefull to see good Lawes duely executed Teachers to direct vs in the Truth That he would blesse vs with Length and goodnesse of Dayes Health of Body Contentednesse of Minde Competencie of Estate Foode and Rayment Conueniencie of Dwelling Wholesomenesse of Ayre Fruitefulnesse of Cattell That he would make vs happy In Wedlocke In Children In Faithfull friends In Peaceable louing neighbors In Honest Seruants In Skilfull Phisicians That hee would preserue Our Goods Good Name Our Senses and vnderstanding That he would protect vs From Trouble From Enemies From Dangers From Losses From Sicknesses That he would giue Peace To all Nations To our Land In our priuate dwellings Rules to be obserued in the Morning WHen thou awakest in the Morning shut and close vp the entrance to thy heart from all vncleane prophane and euill thoughts and let the consideration of God and goodnesse enter in When thou art arisen and art ready retire thy selfe to thy Closet or other priuate place and offer to God the first fruits of the Day and in praying to him and praysing him remember 1. To giue him thankes for thy quiet rest receiued for deliuering thee from all dangers ghostly and bodily and for all other his benefits to thee 2. Offer vnto him thy selfe and all things that thou dost possesse and desire him to dispose of thee and them according to his good pleasure 3. Craue his Grace to guide thee and to strengthen thee from and against all Tentations that so thou mayest doe nothing the day following contrary to his will 4. And lastly beg of him according to the Rules before prescribed all things needfull for the Soule and Body To which purpose pray as followeth Morning Prayer I Thanke thee O Heauenly Father LORD of Heauen and Earth for all thy Blessings which I vndeseruedly haue receiued from thee that thou gauest me a being from honest Parents and in that part of the world where thy Sonne Christ Iesus is purely professed that thou didst endue me with reason and vnderstanding and didst also giue mee perfect members and sences that thou hast preserued me since my birth and vouchsafed me health and liberty and a competencie of meanes to maintaine me and those whom thou hast placed vnder me that thou hast Elected me in thy Loue Redeemed me by thy Sonne Sanctified me by thy Spirit and kept me this night past from all perills of body and Soule and giuen me a sweete and comfortable rest O Lord I commend into thy hands my soule and body thoughts words and actions and humblie beseech thee that thou wouldest guide and order them all to thy honour and glory and my endlesse and eternall happinesse Enlighten my minde that the Darkenesse and cloudy mists of mine offences being dispelled I may walke before thee in my vocation without offence as in the day cleane vnspotted and vnblameable Giue vnto me thy Holy Spirit which may bridle my vaine cogitations and head-strong desires and order thou I beseech thee my words and rectifie all my actions O Lord as thou hast of thy bounty raised vp my body from sleepe so stirre vp my drowzie soule from the sleepe of sinne and carnall securitie Let my body be euer assistant to my soule in all good actions in this life that they may both be partakers of life euerlasting Thou O Lord hast promised to those which shall faithfully aske all things necessary for this life giue I beseech thee vnto mee if it seeme good vnto thee such a competent estate as shall be expedient to support my life in a ciuill modest and religious manner Giue vnto me that which shall be conuenient but especially O Lord 1. Tim. 6.8 a heart and minde contented with whatsoeuer thou shalt be pleased to allot vnto me Grant O Lord that in thy Name I may cast forth my net into the Sea of this world and diligently carefully and with an vpright conscience follow that vocation in which thou hast placed me that by thine aid and assistance I may prosper and haue good successe in all my affaires Blesse O Lord the Kings Maiesty gouerne his heart in thy feare and guide his vnderstanding to doe those things which shall be acceptable to thee and profitable to his kingdomes Giue him louing and loyall Subiects and suppresse his open and secret enemies And together with him blesse his Queene make her as the fruitfull Vine on the house top Psal 128.3 Blesse all the estate Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill from the highest to the lowest Comfort the comfortlesse and helplesse Bring all Trauellers to their owne beings in safety and direct all vpon the Seas to their safe Ports Shew the light of thy Truth to those which wander out of the right way Giue to all sinners true and hearty repentance strengthen those which haue begun well and giue them thy
assisting grace that they may perseuere in goodnesse To all my friends kindred and enemies and to those which pray for me giue all thy good blessings Keepe vs all from all euill and make vs to continue in thy Seruice to our liues end and after the course of this miserable life ended bring vs to thine euerlasting Kingdome through Iesus Christ our Lord. Or thus ALmighty and Euerlasting GOD I praise and blesse thee from the bottome of my heart that of thy infinite goodnesse thou hast preserued me this night past and hast with the impregnable defence of thy Prouidence defended mee from the power and malice of the Deuill and kept me both in soule and body from all his deuices and snares and raised me from sleepe the Image of death and not left me to be stifled in the darknesse of my sinnes but hast giuen me a longer space to repent me of them I humbly intreat thee that thou wouldest not withdraw thy hand of Protection from me but take mee into thy Tuition Watch ouer me with the eyes of thy mercy and direct me in the way of thy Commandements Endue me with those graces of thy Holy Spirit which may assist me to passe this day and the rest of my life to the praise and glory of thy holy Name the benefit of my Neighbour and the saluation of my sinfull soule Keepe me O Lord from all sinne bridle and mortifie my flesh that I offend not nor fall into any transgressions which may prouoke thy wrath against mee Direct my soule and body my words and actions according to the rule of thy Will Diuert my heart from fastning too much on transitory pleasures and conuert it to the delight of eternall ioyes And because I am not worthy O Lord that thou shouldest heare me poore wretched sinner behold I set before thee the merits of thy only Sonne who is the propitiation of our sinnes looke vpon him and for his Righteousnesse pardon the offences of thy Seruant and grant to me Those things by thy mercy which by the strict Rule of thy Iustice are not due to me Defend me O Lord from all mine enemies Arme me with thy Spirituall weapons put on me the Clothing of wisedome and strength Ephes 6. the Brestplate of Righteousnesse the Helmet of Saluation the Shield of Faith and the Sword of the Spirit that in this earthly Pilgrimage I may manfully oppose the enemies of my Soule the Concupiscence of the Flesh Tentations of the World and Malice of the Deuill that so hauing finished valiantly the course of this Terrestriall warfare I may hereafter praise thee in thy Celestiall Kingdome And thou O Lord who giuest food to euery liuing Creature Psal 147.9 and feedest the young Rauens which call vpon thee be mercifull vnto me in the supply of those necessaries which I dayly want Preserue mee in health 1. Tim. 6.8 giue mee foode and rayment and sufficient to maintaine me in that course of life to which it hath pleased thee to call mee that hauing sufficient in all things I may abound in good workes And grant that I may leade a quiet life in all Godly conuersation that hauing and vsing thy blessings worthily I may passe this life with ioy and comfort till it please thee to call me to a better Giue thy blessings to the Kings Maiestie the Queene and the whole estate of this Kingdome and grant that we all may bend our thoughts and studies to please thee that at the last by the merits and intercession of Iesus Christ we may bee receiued to thy Heauenly Kingdome Amen Or thus O Almighty Lord God which day after day dost minister to sinfull man infinite occasions whereby hee may be stirred vp to praise thy holy Name and art most plentifull in pittie and fauourable to those which with pure hearts and vnfained faith call vpon thee behold me thy poore vnworthy seruant with the eyes of compassion that at this time aâ—… bold to offer vp vnto thee a morning Sacrifice of praise and thankes for all thy blessings and amongst the rest for that thou hast vouchsafed after a sufficient and quiet sleepe to raise me safe from my bed againe which fauour thou hast not affoorded to many others who in farre greater measure haue deserued it then my selfe for which mercy of thine I am not able through my insufficiencie and weakenesse to giue vnto thee due praise and thankesgiuing I pray thee therefore in thy deare Sounes Name In whom thou art well pleased to accept these poore and weake thankes and for his sake also to be further aiding and assisting vnto me this day following in whatsoeuer I shall take in hand For thou knowest O Lord how feeble mans nature is insomuch that if he trust to his owne strength of necessitie he must fall into many miseries errors and dangers Haue mercy therefore vpon mine infirmities and be propitious and helping to me that by thine Illumination I may discerne and perceiue good from euill and by thy leading and direction may follow the one and auoid the other Lord so guide me with thy Holy Spirit that I may neither doe speake nor thinke any thing this day contrary to thy holy Will Behold O Lord I offer my selfe a Liuing Sacrifice to thee and humbly pray thee to aceept it Good God direct my soule in the way of thy Commandements increase my faith strengthen my Hope enlarge my Charitie and infuse all the good graces of thy Holy Spirit into me Giue me grace so to remember my sinnes as that thou mayest forget them and so to forsake them as that thou mayest forgiue them Instruct me in all goodnesse and giue me the grace of Perseuerance that I flye not backe from any good courses in this life but that I may goe forward and continue in them to the end of my dayes O Lord who hast promised the necessaries of this life to those which shall first seeke thy Kingdome I humbly intreat thee to giue vnto me this day all things necessary for my sustentation as foode rayment health of body ioy of heart peace of conscience and a blessing to all my endeauours giue me a minde contented with that which shal be sufficient and not desirous of that which is superfluous that I may passe the rest of my dayes on earth religiously honestly and soberly as becommeth thy seruant to thy honour and my endlesse comfort Bee gratious to the Kings most excellent Maiestie his Royall Queene the whole Estate Cleargie Nobility Gentry Magistrates and Commons giue vs all grace in our seuerall places to doe our Duties as in thy sight that at the last by the merits of Iesus Christ our Sauiour we may receiue the reward thereof in thy Eternall Kingdome where thou raignest together with the same our Lord Iesus Christ and the Holy Spirit World without end Morning Prayer for a Family O Almighty Lord God heauenly Father we giue thee most humble and heartie thankes in that thou
O Lord that I haue offended thy Maiestie in Repeat the sinnes thou canst call to minde And not onely these doe I acknowledge but all the rest which I haue committed from my Infancy to this present houre wittingly or ignorantly in thought word or deed against Thee my neighbour and my selfe O Lord I confesse my weaknesse I doe not that which I should Rom. 7.19 and would doe but that which I should not and am vnwilling to doe I doe not regarding or fearing thy incomprehensible glory venerable presence terrible power exquisite Iustice nor thy goodnesse vnspeakeable for which if thou shouldest enter into iudgement what would become of me But O Lord for as much as thou art a Father of mercies and dost not desire the death of a sinner if hee returne vnto thee by vnfeined repentance I most humbly in the Name and Mediation of our blessed Sauiour Christ Iesus craue pardon for them Lord I repent helpe my impenitencie and heare my request Be mercifull to mee a sinner and pardon all my offences whereof thou O Lord knowest me to be guilty And I beseech thee O Lord for the time to come to mollifie my heart water it with the dew of thy heauenly Grace that I may not alwaies bring forth Thornes and Weedes fit for nothing but the fire Conuert me O Lord I shall be conuerted open mine eyes direct my heart and wayes Draw me after thee and being conuerted suffer me not to returne againe with the Dogge to his vomit 2. Pet. 2.22 And for as much O Lord as thou hast appointed the Night to refresh our bodies I humbly pray thee to defend mee as well sleeping as waking from the snares of the Deuill Psal 31.5 O Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit which thou by thy pretious death and passion hast redeemed Suffer it not to sleepe in sinne and in it to lie languishing vnto death and so be buried in the graue of thy Iudgements but watch ouer it I beseech thee and defend it vnder the shadow of thy Wings Let me not be oppressed with vnnecessary sleepe but raise me in due time to thy Seruice and Praise Thou knowest O Lord that of my selfe I haue no strength waking much lesse when I sleepe I humbly therefore pray thee to defend my soule body goods and all things which thou hast bestowed vpon me this night from all euill and damage and so to dispose of me that I bee not troubled with any terrors terrified with any vaine phantasies weakned by any sicknesse or impouerished with any casualties or crosses Keepe me O Lord from all euill dreames and vncleane thoughts and compasse me with a wall of thy mercies that the Tempter approach not to my Bed so that being preserued by thy protection and refreshed with comfortable rest I may arise and offer vnto thee my daily bounden duty and seruice euen praise and thankes to thy most Holy Name Or thus O Blessed Lord Iesus Christ to whose inexhaustible bounty we owe all honour and praise I giue thee all possible thankes that thou hast vouchsafed to keepe me this day from all euill so that none of thy fearefull Iudgements to which I was iustly lyable haue fallen vpon me but of thy vnspeakeable mercy thou hast preserued mee from them and hast also liberally and with a bountifull hand supplyed me with the necessaries of this life notwithstanding my great and manifold sinnes committed against thee O Lord I confesse that I haue wasted the time which thou hast giuen mee for repentance altogether idely vainly and vnprofitably not so much as considering or taking notice that this day might haue beene the last of my life but haue added and heaped vp sinne vpon sinne in thy alseeing sight as if I had stood in no feare of thee at all dayly renewing as much as in me lay thy torments and passions for which I haue deserued that the earth should open vnto me and hell deuoure mee and which that it is not come to passe I ascribe withall thankefull acknowledgement to thy infinite mercy and goodnesse O Lord I acknowledge that it is of thy goodnesse alone that I am thus preserued from al thy iudgements seeing that many calamities haue befallen diuers others who haue lesse deserued them then my selfe That therefore some haue perished by water some by fire some by sword others by sudden and violent death and that I liue that some haue beene taken blinde some lame some distracted in their sences that others haue sustained much damage in their worldly estate and I haue escaped and not been punished in any of these kindes to what shall I ascribe and attribute the cause surely to thy mercy alone for which I cannot giue vnto thee sufficient thankes But O Sweete Sauiour as thy mercy exceedeth so doe our necessities increase thou canst not want matter for thy mercy to worke vpon by reason of our inabilities to helpe our selues wherefore I further pray thee that this night following may be also safe and prosperous vnto me that by a sweete sleepe and comfortable refreshing I may be fitted when I awake to serue thee with a thankefull and chearefull heart And because O Lord that this life hath not one certaine houre Psal 13.4 I beseech thee to enlighten mine eyes that I sleep not in death and grant that after I haue rested quietly I may by thy grace and mercy arise to serue thee in singlenesse of heart Lighten O Sauiour my darkenesse and mercifully keepe me from all dangers of this night Saue mee waking and keepe me sleeping that I may watch in thee and rest in peace There is nothing that more resembleth our life then the Day nor Death then the Night nor the Graue then our Beds O Lord therefore when I am laid downe and by sleepe made vnable to helpe my selfe being like vnto a dead man defend me then by thy power from the crafts and assaults of the enemy that he doe me no harme so that though my body sleepe my soule may watch vnto thee and contemplate of the life to come And graunt that hauing passed the night quietly I may arise as well from the sleepe of sinne as from my naturall sleepe and with all alacrity passe the day following in thy seruice and in the end of my pilgrimage by thy merits receiue the Crowne which thou hast promised to those that loue thee in that day which no night shall follow and in that heauenly Kingdome where thou raignest togither with the Father and the Blessed Spirit world without end Euening Prayer Psal 141.2 LEt my prayer O Lord be set forth in thy sight as the incense and let the lifting vp of my hands be an euening Sacrifice Psal 55.18 In the Euening Morning and at noone day will I pray and that instantly and thou Lord shalt heare my prayer Psal 91.5 Blessed be thou O Lord who hast preserued me from the arrow that flyeth by day and
thee Esa 38.3 how I haue walked before thee in truth with a perfect heart and haue done that which is good in thy sight Most louing Father who takest care of all men I commend vnto thee my soule as a childe that can of himselfe doe nothing defend me I pray thee from all mine enemies spirituall and temporall keepe my body and soule pure chaste and vndefiled that I offend not either in obscene speech impure thought or vncleane act My chastity is a more pretious Iewell then I can keepe without thy helpe I therefore beseech thee who louest the pure in heart to keepe my heart pure be thou my guide and preseruer lest in the heate of concupiscence I forget thee Giue me grace O Lord to serue and obay my Parents and those to whose gouerment I am committed and that in all humility And grant that if thou shalt be pleased to call me to the honourable estate of Wedlocke I may be matched with one with whom I may serue thee in peace and holinesse all the dayes of my life at the last rest with thee in thy heauenly Kingdome through Iesus Christ our Lord. For a Seruant BLessed Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who when thou wert the Son of God and Lord of all the World didst take vpon thee the forme of a Seruant Phillip 2.7 that by thy obedience thou mightst worke the saluation of all people as well bond as free I pray thee that since thou hast bin pleased to call me to the stare of a Seruant thou wouldst giue me an humble and obedient heart and make me contented with this condition of life as alotted to me by thy prouidence Grant that I may with gentlenesse of Spirit and singlenesse of heart and willingnesse of minde serue those vnder whom I am placed and that I may not either murmure against them or enuy those that seated in a higher estate that I may obey them in all their honest commands in all feare and true respect not with eye-seruice as men-pleasers Col. 3.22 but withall my heart and the rather because thy commandement bindeth me so to doe Grant that seruing them diligently faithfully and carefully I may auoide their displeasure and obtaine thy fauour and blessing and at the end of my dayes come to that blessed place where Thou with the Father and blessed Spirit dost raigne world without end Before a Iourney ALmighty euerlasting God who art the Way the Life and the Truth behold I beseech thee amongst how many dangers of the World Flesh and Deuill I am to passe so that without thy aid I cannot safely passe through this vale of misery Lead guide and direct me therefore O Lord in the high and right Way whither I would goe that I turne neither to the right hand or the left nor become a pray to mine enemies O Lord thou hast a generall care ouer thy creatures I therefore in this my Iourney commend vnto thee my soule and body defend me from all perills I beseech thee O Lord which didst send thy Angell as a Companion or Fellow-Traueller with the Sonne of Tobias Tob. 5.4 and didst preserue Abraham and all other thy Seruants in their trauells vouchsafe thy blessed Angell to guide and conduct me Be thou my comfort in the way and a defence in all dangers Prosper the businesse which I goe about and make this enterprise successefull to me And grant that my affaires being dispatched I may returne home safe in body and minde Preserue in my absence my family all I possesse that I being returned in safety and they securely preserued we may all together giue thankes to thy glorious Name through Iesus c. After a Iourney I Giue thee thankes O gratious Lord for thy great mercies to me all the dayes of my Life Thou art he which created me and thou art also he that preseruest that which thou hast created How often O Lord hast thou turned thine eyes from my sinnes and made as though thou didst not see them How often and that iustly mightst thou haue with-held thy hand of preseruation from me and yet thy patience hath beene so great towards me that thou hast suffered no harme to befall me And as I owe thee many thankes for thy former preseruations so now I am further obliged to thee in that thou hast at this time not onely guided me to the place whither I intended to goe but hast also brought me backe in safety and in my absence hast preserued all things vnto me Good Lord giue me grace to be alwaies mindfull of these and all other thy benefits to me and to be truely thankfull to thee for them And grant that as by thy mercy I haue well ended my affaires abroad and am safely returned to this temporall habitation so my Spirit after this Pilgrimage may returne to thy Heauenly Mansion and there abide with thee for euer and that euen for the merits of our onely Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen Intercession IN which we are to pray For all Mankinde For the conuersion of Iewes Turkes Heathen to the truth For all Christians That they may be strengthned that stand That they may bee conuerted that are in error For the Churches throughout the World that they may be vnited in Religion For our Church that whatsoeuer is amisse in it may bee amended For the Kings Maiestie and his prosperitie For all Kingdomes Christian For Ours and each part of it that it may flourish in peace For the Clergy That they may Teach Liue well For wisedome in the Counsell Integrity in the Iudges Strength in our Armies Discretion in the Magistrates Obedience in the People For the prosperitie and good successe Of Merchants Husband-men Artificers Trades-men And that they may liue carefully and honestly in their vocations For the prosperous education of Youth either in Vniuersities Schooles or Other parts of the Kingdome For our Parents Kindred Friends Neighbours and Benefactors For those of whom wee haue the charge committed to vs. Either in Church Common wealth or Families For our Enemies especially those that hate vs without cause that God would conuert them For those that commend themselues to our prayers and whose affaires and troubles will not suffer them to pray as they ought For those who are in affliction of Body or Minde Who are in danger or want in Prison or condemned to Death For those that Excell In qualities of the minde Strength of Body Abundance of Wealth That they exalt not themselues aboue their brethren For those who vndertake any notable Action which may redound To the Glory of God The Peace of the Church The Honour of the Kingdome Deprecation Psal â—…38 1 O Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath Psal 44.23 Cast me not off for euer Psal 51.11 Cast mee not away from thy presence Psal 69.17 Hide not thy face from me Psal 40.11 With-hold not thy mercy from me Psal 38.11 Forsake me not
O Lord. Psal 119.31 Put me not to shame Psal 119.39 Turne away reproch from me Psal 25.2 Let not mine enemies triumph ouer me Psal 27.12 Deliuer mee not ouer to their will Psal 64.1 Preserue my life from them Deliuer me O Lord From Eph. 4.19 hardnesse of heart to impenitence Act. 28.27 Grossenesse of heart Prou 7.13 Impudence of countenance Esa 48.4 Hardnesse of countenance From a seared conscience Tit. 1.16 A reprobate minde 1. Ioh. 5.16 Sinne vnto death Viz. Mat. 12.32 against the holy Ghost From Ia. 1.21 all superfluity of naughtines Heb. 12.1 The waight of sinne 1. Ioh. 2.16 The lusts of the flesh and eyes and pride of life All wicked vaine desires Hurtful vncleane thoghts Desire of Vaine-glory From a deceitfull tongue Mat. 6.2 Ecclus. 51.5 Vnpure lips Hands stretched out to couetousnesse Feet swift to euill Eyes open to Vanity Eares open to Toyes From blindnesse of heart Inconstancie of minde Scurrilitie of speech Intemperance of the belly From desire of Riches Reproch of my neighbours Contempt of the poore Oppression of the weake Rancor of minde Roote out of me O Lord. Prophanenesse and Superstition Pride and Vndecency Anger and Contention Swearing and Cursing Passion and Corruption Fraud and Rapine Lying and Slander Enuy and Malice Take from me The sinne of Gluttony Giue to me The Vertue of Abstinence Take from me The spirit of vncleanenesse Giue to me The Loue of Chastitie Take from me The Desire of the World Giue to me Content of Minde Take from me The heate of Anger Giue to me The spirit of meeknesse Take from me The Care of this Life Giue to me Thy SPIRITVALL Ioy. Take from me Haughtinesse of Minde Giue to me Compunction of Heart Deliuer me O Lord From All euill and mischiefe All noysome diseases All things hurtfull to my Soule Health Estate Quiet From all Scandall Griefe Infamy From all enemies Secret Open Crafty Potent From Sudden death Violent death In all my Prayers and petitions Distresses and dangers Infirmities and neede Tentations and tribulations Good Lord deliuer me and helpe me From the Terrors of Hell Eternall Damnation Apo. 6.6 The angry countenance of the Iudge The fearefull sentence of Mat. 25.41 8.12 Depart from me into vtter darknesse Iude. 6. The chaines of euerlasting darknesse The Apo. 20.10 Lake of Fire and Brimstone The Apo. 14.11 smoke of the torment which ascends for euer Good Lord of thy great mercy deliuer me In Affliction MOst mercifull Redeemer alwaies louing to vs whither thou sendest vs heauinesse or ioy for thy mercy is great whilest by afflictions as by bitter pilles thou curest the inward diseased man and by temporary troubles thou preparest vs and makest vs fit for Ioyes Eternall Grant O Sweete Sauiour that I may drinke of this cup of aduersitie and all others as reached to me by thy hand Thou knowest O Lord that they are bitter to flesh and blood yet withall I know that thou didst endure farre greater things for mee and that I haue deserued to suffer much more then thou hast laid vpon me O Lord thou knowest also the weakenesse and frailtie of mans nature and therefore I doe assuredly beleeue that thou the good Samaritan wilt not only cleanse the woundes of my sinnes Luc. 10.33 with the sharpe Wine of thy Iustice but wilt also adde the oyle of thy Mercy and comfort whereby I may be strengthned againe If thou thinkest not yet sufficient or that enough which thou hast laid vpon mee yet adde patience I beseech thee to my further griefe and grant that these thy punishments may prouoke mee to true repentance whereby I may by thy merits obtaine remission of my sinnes But if thy Fatherly clemencie shall be contented with this gentle and milde chastisement take off thy corrections and heauy hand from me that so I may for both thy mercies to me praise thy holy Name as well that thou hast so gently dealt with me in amending me so vnprofitable a Seruant as that thou hast in time taken of the bitternesse of affliction and not vtterly confounded mee in the first of thy workes of mercy respecting my Necessity and in the last not forgetting my Infirmity To thee O Sauiour with the Father and Holy Spirit be all Praise Laud and Glory now and euermore Amen In time of Pestilence O Lord God who reiectest none that trusting in thy goodnesse and beleeuing in thy promises come to thee for succour and helpe Behold wee beseech thee with the eyes of compassion and mercy thy poore sinfull and miserable people who now are much afflicted and visited with the Plague of Pestilence with the scourge of thine angry hand Our streets are full of griefe and our houses are filled with heauinesse and all our ioy is turned into mourning by reason of thy heauy wrath and hot displeasure which now is gone out to destroy and consume vs from the face of the earth Wee confesse O Lord it is but iust that all thy Creatures should rebell against man and oppose themselues against him who hath so desperately rebelled against thee his Creator for they are all obedient to thee only Man sinfull and wretched Man is continually stubborne and rebellious dayly abusing thy Blessings and hourly transgressing thy Commandements not leauing his euill waies for feare of thy threates nor being allured to goodnesse with the hope of thy promises We daily heare by thy messengers and read in thy Sacred Word what thou hast threatned of old to thy rebellious people and in them to vs. How that if they kept not thy Commandements thou wouldest send vpon them the Sword Leuit. 26.25 to auenge the quarrell of thy couenant and when they should be gathered in their Cities Ierem. 14.12 thou wouldest send the Pestilence among them and they should be deliuered into the hands of the enemie and yet wee haue hitherto beene so sencelesse thereof that wee feare not to adde sinne to sinne and to multiply iniquitie vpon iniquitie And now O Lord we reape the iust reward of our impiety and feele too soone that we are iustly plagued for our disobedience O Lord we confesse that thy Iudgements are iust and withall humbly acknowledge our misdeeds and heartily repent vs of them and earnestly beg and craue that thou wouldest in mercy pardon them and remit the punishment which in Iustice is due vnto vs for them O Lord In thy iust anger remember thy mercy encline thine eare and heare open thine eyes and behold our desolations and vpon our repentance and humiliation remooue this thy punishment which in thy displeasure thou hast begunne to inflict vpon vs. Command thy destroying Angell to spare vs Ezech. 9. and not to strike vs to vtter desolation Be mercifull vnto vs who are euery houre in danger of thy heauy Iudgements Take away the vnwholsomnesse of the ayre and purifie our
soule and giue thee all possible thankes that into this Faith I was Baptized and doe most humbly pray thee O Lord that this Faith may not faile me during this life nor at the houre of death And if I shall at any time hereafter either by the temptation of the Deuill imperfection of my sences paine of any disease weakenesse or any other meanes speake any thing in any other manner then shall bee agreable to this Faith I renounce all such wordes as none of mine and desire thee O Lord to forgiue them and pray all those which shall heare them if any such shall be to account them as none of mine This I protest thy Grace aiding mee To thee bee all Honour and Praise from this time forth for euermore Amen Confession of Gods Glory and Praise FOr his great and wonderfull workes Of Gen. 1. Creation Ecclus. 43. Preseruation Psal 145. Gouernance Rom. 1.20 Ioh. 17.5 Gen. 14.18.21.33 Luc. 1.37 Gen. 18 4. Ier. 23.24 Psal 13 9. Ioh. 21.17 2. King 8.39 Rom. 11.33 Psal 117.2 Mat. 24.35 Psal 111.3 For his Goodnesse The excellency of his Glory His Highnesse His Eternitie His Omnipotence His Omnipresence His Omniscience The height of his Wisedome His Truth His Exquisite Iustice. His Psal 119.456 130.4 17.7 13.6 Great Plentifull Wonderfull Euerlasting Mercy For his Gen. 3.15 Promise of the Seed For performance of that Promise For sending his only Sonne out of his bosme to worke the great worke of our Redemption In being Luc. 2.7 borne in poore and humble manner In being conuersant on earth in painefull manner Matth. Mar. Luc. Ioh. In suffering Death in grieuous manner For all that he did or suffered For vs on Earth For all his comfortable Parables of mercy Of the Mat. 18.23 Two Debtors Luc. 18.10 Publican and Pharisee Luc. 15.4 The lost Sheepe Luc. 8. The lost Groat Luc. 11. The Prodigall Sonne Mat. 20.9 Those that were called at the eleuenth houre For his comfortable sayings of Mercy Ioh. 3.17 God sent not his Sonne into the World to condemne it 12.47 I came not to Iudge the World but to saue it Luc. 9.56 The Son of Man came not to destroy mens liues but to saue them Luc. 5.32 Mat. 9.23 I am not sent to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Mat. 18.11 Luc. 19.10 The Sonne of man came to saue and seeke that which was lost Mat. 11.8 Come vnto me all ye that labour c. Ioh. 6.37 Him that commeth to mee I will in no wise cast out Luc. 23.74 Father forgiue them c. Luc. 23.43 This day shalt thou be with me in Paradice For his examples of mercy Mat. 15.28 The Woman of Canaan Ioh. 4. Samaria Luc. 8.48 With the bloody issue Ioh. 8.11 Taken in Adultery Luc. 7.48 Mary Magdalen Luc. 19.5 Zacheus Luc. 23.43 The Theefe Luc. 22.62 Peter Act. 9. Paul Heb. 12.3 Sinners contradicting Him Luc. 4.29 That would haue destroyed him Ioh. 8.59 10.31 That stoned him Mar. 27.39 Luc. 23.34 That reuiled and blasphemed him Act. 2.23 3.15.19 That crucified him Luc. 15.2 This Man receiueth sinners For the Holy Spirit In the Old Testament Gen. 1.2 By moouing on the waters By sending it into liuing creatures By inspiring it into man By descending on the Prophets In the New Testament visibly Mat. 3.16 In the shape of a Doue at Christs Baptisme Ioh. 20.22 By the guift of Christ to the Apostles Act. 2.3 In the shape of fiery tongues to them Inuisibly In Luc. 1.35 the Virgins Conception of Christ Vpon Act. 4.31 the Congregation in prayer Acts 10.44 Cornelius and others Acts 19.6 The 12. Disciples at Ephesus Ioh. 14.26 16.14 Luc. 12.12 â— Ioh. 1.27 For his care ouer vs. For the Illumination of vnderstanding 1. Cor. 6.11 Ioh. 3.5 Gal. 5.22 Psal 143.10 Act. 2.4 Rom. 8.14 Ioh. 14.16.26 Eph. 13.13.14 Rom. 5.5.8.26 Act. 9.31 In our Iustification Our Regeneration Gouerning our Actions Comforting vs in tentations Strengthning vs in tentations Eph. 13.13.14 Rom. 5.5 8.26 Act. 9.31 Bearing witnesse with vs and Rom. 8.16 Assuring vs that we are Gods Children Ioh. 16.8 Reproouing vs in euill Actions Rom. 8.26 Assisting vs in good workes Ioh. 14.26 Putting good things into our remembrance Rom. 6.26 Interceding for vs with groanes vnutterable Motiues to Repentance FOr as much as it is beyond the compasse and power of the Naturall man not to sin at all but that we adde dayly sin to sinne and iniquity to iniquitie and that it hath pleased God of his mercy to mankinde to promise forgiuenesse to those which shall truely and faithfully repent them of the same Therefore the duty of Repentance of all other parts of Deuotion is most necessary for vs seeing that by it God in Christ Iesus is reconciled to vs his anger towards vs is appeased and we are restored to his fauour Certainely it is a blessed thing to confesse our owne wretchednesse for whosoeuer humbleth himselfe and penitently bewaileth his sinnes shall be heard by God and by him be deliuered from the punishment due for them Origen for a contrite heart suffers no repulse Saint August saith Aug. that daily repentance is necessary for daily sinners for in many things we offend daily which are also daily forgiuen if we continually repent vs of them Greg. To repent is to bewaile and grieue for our sinnes already committed and not to commit againe the sinnes we bewaile and grieue for For he that mournes for his sinnes and leaues them not incurres the greater punishment For Aug. Repentance consisteth not in the often repetition and confession of sinnes without forsaking them for that is but a simple profession of them not a repenting of them But this is true Repentance when that seemeth grieuous and bitter to our Soules which in the euill act was sweete and delightfull and when that ill which was formerly pleasing to vs doth now grieue vs at the heart And this is the fruite of Repentance as the Baptist calleth it Mat. 3.8 lamenting for sinnes past and vtterly forsaking them for the time to come For Confession of offences is neuer perfect and good till absolute profession and purpose to forsake them be ioyned to it And as Repentance in it selfe is necessary to be thought vpon so is it also in time to be considered of For although the bounty of God despiseth not a sinner Repenting euen in the article or point of death and that true Repentance neuer comes too late in this world as appeareth by the Theefe on the Crosse Luc. 23. yet on the other side the example of the foolish Virgins Mat. 25. ought to diswade vs from protraction and putting it of Saint August saith Psal 110.
God hath promised thee pardon but no man can promise thee to liue while to morrow If therefore thou hast liued ill hitherto begin to liue well euen to day Therefore wee must haue a speciall care that we deferre not our Repentance from time to time lest we be taken in a time when we least expect and with the Virgins heare that bitter saying I know you not Mat. 25.12 Yet many there are and those too many that so largely promise to themselues Gods expectancy and patience and thereupon so long continue in their euill courses that they are by his indignation at their procrastination so preuented that they neither finde time to conuert nor the Benefit of Remission Wherefore the wise man giueth good and safe counsell Ecclus. 5.7 Make no tarrying to turne to the Lord and put not of from day to day for suddenly shall the wrath of God come forth and in thy security thou shalt be destroyed and perish in the day of vengeance Neither is it so acceptable to God if thou put of thy Repentance till thou art old as if thou returnedst to him in thy dayes of strength for if thou repentest when thou canst sinne no longer thy sinnes leaue thee and not thou them Lastly the most powerfull act of Repentance with God is vnfained sorrow with sighes groanes and weeping accompanying it For teares are euen as the bloud of a wounded soule and ascend vp to the nostrills of God as the Odour of a sweete smelling sacrifice neither doe Teares which are shed without hypocrisie fall to the ground but as Dauid saith Psal 56.8 God telleth and gathereth them and putteth them into his bottle The teares of penitent sinners worke much vpon Gods mercy Peter hauing denied our Sauiour thrice wept bitterly but said nothing We finde that he wept Luc. 22. we finde not what he said yet we see that he made choise to repent rather with teares and no words then with words and no teares Mary Magdalen said nothing but she wept and Christ said vnto her Luc. 7.48 Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Ezechias wept sore and the Lord said Esa 38.5 I haue heard thy prayers and seene thy teares behold I will adde to thy dayes fifteene yeeres Of teares there are three sorts 1. Naturall which in themselues are neither good nor bad such are those which we spend for the losse of goods friends or the like 2. Euill as the teares of the Hypocrite Harlot and other the Deuills Instruments 3. Good and they are of two kindes First of Hatred or griefe such are the teares we spend in bewailing our sinnes 2 Of Ioy or Loue either for that Comfort which we receiue in our Soules by the Hope that God in Christ Iesus is reconciled to vs or for the Loue and earnest desire we haue to see God in the Communion of Saints Otherwise Teares in themselues are nothing else but plaine water flowing from the Conduits of our heads by the pipes of the eyes a meere excrement The Dutie of Repentance THis Dutie of Repentance consisteth of two parts 1. Mortification of the old man which is the first degree of Regeneration 2. Quickning of the New which is the second Mortification is an act of the holy Spirit in vs Rom. 6.4.5.6 who doth by little and little quench and abate in our soules and bodies the naturall strength of our corruption which was crept into vs partly originally by Adams fall Colos 3. which is that we meane by the old man and partly that Sinne which we haue actually encreased by our owne frailty It consisteth 1. In our acknowledgement of Sinne. 2. In our Contrition and Sorrow for it Both which Psal 38.18 are set down in one Verse of the Psalmist 1. Our acknowledgement is either 1. Inward 2. Outward 1. Inward acknowledgement is when we feele the burden of our sinnes pressing vs downe our consciences accusing vs Psal 38.5 Rom. 2.15 and our thoughts testifying against vs. 2. Outward Psal 38.39 is when we make Confession of them by speech or other outward actions And this Confession of Sinne is a Publication or manifestation of our vnworthinesse and guilt whereby we testifie and bewaile that we haue sinned against God and haue withall a settled resolution and purpose to offend him no more Confession is either Publique Priuate Publique Confession is when vpon the Sabbath day or other dayes appointed for Gods worship we in the open Congregation together or after the Minister doe confesse our sinnes to God Priuate is either 1. To God in our Closets or other priuate places as Psal 32.5 38.9.18 41.4 51. 2. Sam. 24.10 Dan. 9. 2. To men Iam. 5.16 2. Contrition is a sorrow and griefe of the conscience and mourning of the Soule because we haue offended God hauing also ioyned with it a displeasure against our selues and a true humiliation both of soules and bodies as Iam. 4.9 Esa 66.2 Ezec. 36.1 41.10 Ion. 3.8 2. King 22.19 Mat. 5.4 2. Cor. 7.9,10,11 Quickning of the new man is when we returning to God liue spiritually and haue a desire for the time to come to please Him this is also called a Conuersion to God And this we doe 1. By auoiding euill 2. Following that which is good Both comprehended Psal 34.14 Esa 1.16,17 The Benefits we receiue by Repentace are The deferring of Gods punishments due for sinne Psal 95.10 The mitigation of his displeasure Psal 89.32.33 2. Chr. 30.8 Ion. 3. Ezech. 33. Ioh. 3.10 1. King 21.29 Dan. 4.27 The auerting of his iudgements The escaping of eternall death The prolonging of our prosperity The attaining of Eternall Life Confession of sinnes Ier. 9. WHo will giue Water to my Head or Teares to mine Eyes that I may day and night bewaile my sinnes and ingratitude against thee O GOD my Creator Many things there are which terrifie mens consciences and bring them to the true sence of their sinnes but nothing is so auaileable thereunto as the contemplation of the greatnesse of thy goodnesse and the multitude of thy Benefits That therefore O Lord my poore wretched soule may the better see and consider in what state it stands I will recount thy manifold Blessings and withall the number of my sinnes that thereby also I may more clearely vnderstand who thou art and what I am how gratious a God thou hast been to me and how vile and rebellious a sinner I haue beene to thee There was a time O Lord as thy diuine Maiestie best knowest when I was not and thou tookest me out of the dust of the earth and gauest me a being creating in me a soule after thine owne similitude and likenesse and made it capable of thy Glory Thou didst create my Body with all the members and sences thereof Thou didst create my Soule with all the powers and faculties thereof And as thou didst create me so of thy especiall goodnesse thou didst preserue me in my mothers wombe
whose mercy is ouer all thy workes Psal 145.9 All things are vnder thy Power and Rule both in Heauen and Earth Thou shewest mercy on whom thou wilt and art pitifull to whom thou pleasest and wouldest not the death of a sinner neither delightest in the destruction of any O God rich in mercy who Eph. 2.4 out of thy extraordinary Loue to mankinde euen when wee were thine enemies Rom. 5.10 didst send thine onely Sonne into the VVorld that euery one that beleeued on him might not perish but haue life euerlasting Haue mercy vpon me haue mercy vpon me according to thy mercy and according to the multitude of thy mercies Psal 51. doe away my offences Holy Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee Luc. 15.18 and am no more worthy to be called thy Sonne I haue turned from thee and haue broken all thy Commandements I haue not walked aright but haue gone after mine owne lusts Esa 65.2 choosing those waies which thou hast forbidden me to tread in Neither O Lord haue I feared thine anger but haue beene in all things disobedient vnto thee and haue hardned my heart against thee I haue hated Instruction and cast thy sayings behinde me Truth hath found no place in mee and my hands haue been the workers of much wickednesse I haue spoken vainly idly and wickedly haue brought forth deceit and meditated the way of vntruth I haue prouoked thy wrath against me by accustoming my selfe to doe the workes of the flesh and reiecting the good motions of the Spirit Woe vnto mee rebellious wretch Esa 30.1 that I haue committed these wicked acts against thee so louing so good so gratious a God to the vtter destruction of my soule without thy mercy in Christ Iesus In remembrance and confidence whereof O Lord I come to thee and humbly intreat thee that thou wouldest not reiect a contrite humble miserable and repentant sinner who at this time earnestly inuocateth thy Name Psal 7.9 Returne a little O Lord and bee intreated for my manifold sinnes doe not vnto me according to the multitude of them neither reward me according to my transgressions Let my humble prayers sighes and groanes come into thy presence and according to thy promises receiue me againe into thy fauour For O Father I am one of those whom thy only Sonne redeemed with his most pretious bloud O Lord my soule doth loath my life by reason of my manifold sinnes and I humble my selfe vnder thy mighty hand 1. Pet. 5.6 because I know that in thine anger thou shewest mercy Abac. 3.2 and in time of trouble thou dost forgiue offences And behold O Lord that I confesse my sinnes beseeching thee for thy goodnesse to doe vnto me according to thy wonted mercy I am confounded and ashamed to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee because my sinnes haue preuented my prayers and haue ascended vp to thee before them Against thee O Lord haue I sinned Psal 51. and done much euill in thy sight yet wherefore should I dye in my sinnes seeing it is not thy pleasure that any sinner should dye Ezech. 18. but turne vnto thee and liue For thou art good and gracious and sauest those who are altogether vnworthy out of the abundance of thy mercy in Christ Iesus the Righteous For although thine anger against sinners is vnsufferable and who may abide it yet thy mercy towards offendors is vnsearchable and who can finde out the depth thereof or describe it Psal 22. Our Fathers in their troubles cried vnto thee and thou diddest deliuer them they put their trust in thee and were not confounded And though they by their offences had iustly prouoked thine anger yet vpon their humiliation thou diddest remember thy couenant and ease them of their afflictions O Lord be mercifull also vnto me for I am miserable and wretched Heale my soule Psal 41.4 for I haue sinned against thee Psal 6.3 My soule is very much disquieted within me how long Lord will it be Psal 13. ere thou looke vpon mee and deliuer it Lighten mine eyes Psal 13.3 for I haue too long slept in death and my sinnes haue too long had domminion ouer me Returne O Lord at the last and be gratious vnto me O deliuer my soule and haue mercy vpon me And all my bones shall say Lord who is like vnto thee To thee be all Honour Praise and Glory world without end Amen Another O Lord Iesus Christ the only Phisition of sicke soules who in the fulnesse of time came into this World not to call the Iust but sinners to Repentance Mat. 9.13 Behold me the most wretched of all sinners who with as much humility as I am able in the confidence of thy great goodnesse cast my self before the footestoole of thy Maiestie confessing my great and grieuous offences And if the Publican in the Gospell durst not lift vp his eyes to Heauen Luc. 18. but stood a farre of and smote his brest saying Lord be mercifull to me a sinner what shall I doe whose sinnes surpasse the greatest sinners offences For all my inward and outward parts are wholly depraued and nothing that is good remaineth in mee And when I looke into the booke of my conscience I finde that I haue abominablie polluted that garment of innocency which I receiued at my Baptisme I haue put all my strength to offend thee with all the members I haue For my feete Rom. 13.15 haue beene swift to euill and slow to good mine eyes open to Vanity and shut to that which is truely amiable My hands stretched to couetousnesse and closed from the workes of mercy mine eares ready to heare euill and stopped to the good motions of the Spirit and my Soule the noblest part in mee which hath eyes to contemplate the Glory of thy Maiestie I haue turned away from the consideration of thy Excellency to vaine and transitory things of this life I haue giuen liberty to whatsoeuer mine eyes haue desired and haue not resisted the vncleane passions of my heart so that the whole course of my life hath beene a continuall warfare against thee How often haue I returned as a dogge to the vomite and as a Sow washed 2. Pet. 2.22 to the myre I am that Foote which hath said in his heart Psal 14. there is no God For I haue liued so dissolutely that I haue made plaine demonstration by my behauiour that I beleeued Thou either wert not at all or else couldest doe nothing at all Thou O Lord hast often called me and I haue neglected thy voice Thou hast expected me and I haue abused thy patience Thou hast giuen me the treasure of a long time to repent and I haue consumed it wastefully Thou hast stricken me and I haue not beene sensible of thy hand Thou hast afflicted me and I haue made no vse of thy correction Thou didst sweate to make me cleane and I
still remaine in my pollution I am hardned as well with thy punishments as with thy blessings being rebellious to the one and vnthankefull for the other And what shall I further say but that my heart soule thoughts and body are all impure and defiled and that of all sinners I am the chiefe 1. Tim. 1.15 vnworthy that the Earth should any longer sustaine me or that I should expect any thing from thee but thy seuerest Iudgements For it thou sparedst not Lucifer and his Angels for one only sinne of Pride but didst cast them from Heauen Iude. 6. to bee reserued for euerlasting chaines of darknesse vnto the Iudgement of the great day what can I hope or looke for that haue offended thee not in one offence alone but in all kinde of transgressions For my sinnes are in number numberlesse in so much that I hate my selfe for my madnesse that from so noble a liberty I am fallen into so base a seruitude and finde my selfe ouerwhelmed with the horrible dread of thy fearefull Iudgements Psal 55.5 Yet when I behold and consider that infinite mercy of thine which surpasseth all the rest of thy workes Psal 145.9 I am a little refreshed and my soule is a little comforted and reuiued for as by the examination of the haynousnesse of my sinnes and the strictnesse of thy Iustice I did almost despaire so considering and weighing the testimonies of thy Seruants left vpon record Ezech. 18. Ioel 2. for the cōfort of poore distressed soules I am some-what againe cheered and raised vp For besides those places of consolation and many more I finde by diuerse Parables and similitude of thine owne how ready and propense thou art to receiue and pardon the penitent As Luc. 15. by the lost peny the lost sheepe and by the Prodigall Son whose Image I finde in my selfe and whose life mine doth fully paralell Wherefore O Lord I humbly intreat thee to restore me thy lost Sonne to thy fauour and withall to giue mee true sence and knowledge of the Innocency I haue lost I doe not desire that thou shouldest deale so kindly with mee as that Father did with his Son but I shall be happy and glad if thou wilt entertaine me as one of the meanest of thy hired Seruants My hope and confidence is that thou wilt pitie mee because thou art the fountaine of pittie and compassion Behold mee therefore with the eyes of pitie looke on me and ease me who come vnto thee laden with the heauy burden of my sinnes pardon them Mat. 11.28 and saue mee for thy infinite mercie and remember not my sinnes but thine owne sufferings thinke not on me as a proud and rebellious malefactor but as an humble and penitent conuert Looke on mee with those eyes of compassion wherewith thou didst sometime behold a Luc. 7.48 Mary Magdalen b Luc. 22.62 Peter and c Luc. 23.43 the good Theefe giue mee true knowledge of my sinnes with the first true contrition with the second and receiue mee with the third into thy Heauenly Paradice Let thy obedience satisfie for my rebellions thy innocency for my guilt thy humility for my arrogancy thy fasting for my intemperance and thy Iustice for my iniquity Mat. 26.39 Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me whole and rerestore mee to thy former grace Purifie purge and cleanse mee from my offences opē mine eies that I may clearely see mine own pollution and make me to grieue that I haue not grieued for my sinnes as I ought to haue done And as thou hast by thy long suffering hitherto expected my repentance so of thy infinite mercy and goodnesse pardon mee repenting and grant mee grace that I may bee affraid to offend thee hereafter Heare me O sweet Sauiour and make intercession for me to the Father with whom and the Holy Spirit thou dost liue and raigne coequall and coeternall Lord God World without end Amen Confession of sinnes I confesse O Lord That Iob 14.4 I was borne in vncleannesse That Psal 51.5 I was shaped in wickednesse and in sinne my mother conceiued me Deut. 29.18 That I am a roote of bitternesse Deut. 32.32 A wilde Vine of Sodome Rom. 11.24 A branch of the wilde Oliue Eph. 2.3 The childe of wrath A Vessell of dishonour and perdition That Osee 7.16 my heart is rebellious like a starting Bow That Psal 5.10 my throat is an opē sepulchre venting all folly That Esa 6.5 I am of polluted lippes That Psal 144.11 my tongue talketh nothing but vanity That Mat. 7.22 mine eyes are euill proue to lust That Psal 58.4 mine eares are vncircumcised and like to the deafe Adder That Ier. 3.3 I haue a Forehead of brasse and a necke of yron That Heb. 12.12 my hands are slow to good That Rom. 3.15 my feete are swift to euill I haue sinned against thee O Lord and in thy sight not fearing thy Maiestie My sinnes are In quantitie Esa 57.8 Psal 25.11 Large and of a great size Of long continuance From my mothers breasts Hos 9.9 Deepe Heauy Like a Psal 38.4 Burthen Like Zach. 5.7 Lead Stretching to heauen with their cry Ier. 30.14.15 Many in number Like the Starres Psal 40.12 More then the hayres of my head Esa 57.20 Oftentimes reiterated Ier. 6.7 As a Fountaine casting out water Till they become as a habite Esa 1.18 As red as Scarlet and Crimson Rom. 7.14 1. King 21.25 I am sold vnder sinne Till they become naturall to me Ier. 13.23 Like the Aethiopians skin The Leopards spots In qualitie The worst of sinnes Strong Esa 5.18 like Cords Cart-ropes Rom. 6.21 Gaining nothing thereby For Ezech. 13.19 a handfull of Barley a little bread Committing Eph. 4.19 sinne with greedinesse sinne vpon sinne Ier. 3.3 with impudence 6.15 not being ashamed Gal. 2.18 Ia. 4.17 knowing it to be sinne Mat. 18.7 giuing offence thereby Rom. 1.21 vnthankefully 2. Pet. 2.22 like the Dog to his vomit the Sow to the mire Psal 119.137 Therefore O Lord because thou art Iust and thy iudgements true I reape the fruit of my foolishnesse Rom. 6.21 For what fruite haue I in those things whereof I am ashamed My dayes are consumed in vanity and my yeeres in the bitternesse of my Soule Psal 38 3. And now there is no health in my flesh because of thy displeasure neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sinne My heart trembleth also with remembrance of thy Iudgements I feele bitternesse aboue the bitternesse of death in that I haue forsaken thee O God and that thou hast forsaken me Woe vnto me rebellious wretch for thus doing See and consider O Lord how vile I am become for my soule abhorreth to liue Psal 38.8 I haue roared for the
him and forgaue him the debt Not only ready to forgiue but profuse in mercy Psal 130.7 With thee is plenteous Redemption Luc. 15.22 The father of the Prodigall not only pardoned him but put on him the best Robe and a Ring and killed the fat Calfe for him Luc. 15.7 He will haue ioy in Heauen for a sinner repenting Thy pardon extendeth not only to small but great sinnes and sinners Such as Peter Luc. 26.74 who forsware thee Paul â— Tim. 1.13 who blaspheamed thee The Luc. 23.43 Theefe on the Crosse The Ioh 8. Adultresse Luc. 7.36 Mary Magdalen Ier. 3.1 They say if a man put away his Wife and shee goe from him and become another mans shall he returne vnto her againe shall not the Land be greatly polluted But thou hast played the harlot with many Louers yet returne againe to me saith the Lord. Luc. 6.35 He is kinde to the vnthankefull and euill But all these are recapitulated and summed vp in Christ Iesus 1. Pet. 1.4 In whom he hath giuen vs great and precious promises 2. Cor. 1.19 And in whom all the promises of God are Yea and Amen In Ioh. 16.23 naming of whom it will bee sufficient Mat. 15.22 Iesu thou Sonne of Dauid haue mercy on me Mat. 1.21 Which name Iesus was giuen vnto him because he saueth vs from our sinnes Aug. Lord doe not so earnestly marke our sinnes as that thereby thou forget thine owne Name Thou Sonne of Dauid 2. Sam. 19. who forgaue Shemei his sworne enemie reuiling him Forgiue me O Christ heare me Intercede for me Make the Father propitious to me Say vnto my Soule Psal 35.3 I am thy Saluation Let not thy Apostle comfort me in vaine when he saith 1. Tim. 1.15 This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners Rom. 5.20 Where six hath abounded there grace hath super-abounded God hath concluded all vnder Rom. 11.32 sinne that he might haue mercy vpon all Rom. 5.10 When we were Gods enemies we were reconciled to him by the death of his Sonne Let not another of thy Apostles say in vaine 1. Pet. 3.18 Christ once suffered for sinne the iust for the vniust that hee might bring vs to God Let not the third Ia. 2.13 Mercy reioyceth aboue Iudgement Let not the fourth 1. Ioh. 2.1 If any man sinne wee haue an Aduocate with the Father Christ Iesus the Righteous 1. Ioh. 2.2 And hee is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours only but for the sinnes of the whole world Let not thine owne Words be spoken in vaine Mat. 11.28 Come vnto mee all yee that labour and are heauie laden and I will giue yee rest Luc. 5.32 I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Ioh. 12.47 I came not to Iudge the World but to saue it These things are not cannot be spoken in vaine Psal 94.19 Wherefore in the multitude of the sorrowes that are in my heart thy comforts O Lord haue refreshed my soule Heb. 4.16 Let vs therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde Grace to helpe in time of neede Which I beseech thee to grant me For thy great and many mercies Thy Names sake The Glory of thy Name Thy promise sake Thy practize sake My misery My infirmitie Euen for thy Sonne Iesus Christs sake The seuen penitentiall Psalmes analysed 1 Psalme 6. 1 O Lord my God rebuke me not I beseech thee in thy fierce indignation against my sinnes either in this life or at the day of Iudgement neither chasten or correct mee in thy hot displeasure by condemning mee to eternall death 2 Haue mercy and compassion vpon me according to thy accustomed goodnesse O Lord for I am weake and fraile by nature strengthen me therefore by thy Grace O Lord and heale me by curing the infirmities of my soule for they are multiplied so greatly vpon me that my bones and all my inward parts are vexed and disquieted with the remembrance of them 3 My sinfull Soule considering my manifold offences and trembling at the thought of thy iust anger against them is also like as is my flesh sore troubled and almost at the point of desperation but thou O Lord that desirest not the death of a sinner how long will it be ere thou looke vpon me and bring mee out of this misery 4 Returne from the rigour of thy Iustice O Lord to the sweetnesse of thy mercie and deliuer my soule from the bondage of sinne O Lord saue mee from the assaults of the Deuill not for any merits of mine but for thy mercies sake in Christ Iesus my Sauiour 5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee to praise and glorifie thy Name and who surely none there is that shall giue thee thankes or celebrate thy goodnesse in the Graue of Hell where nothing is to be heard but weeping gnashing of teeth and blasphemies 6 I am weary and faint with my groaning and sighing for my transgressions euery night when I should take my rest I wash my bed weeping for them and I water my couch the place of my rest with my teares of vnfeined repentance 7 Mine eye of reason and vnderstanding is consumed and groweth weake because of the griefe I take fearing thy Iudgements yet it waxeth Old and I continue in sinne because of the vnited forces of all mine enemies the World the Flesh and the Deuill 8 Depart therefore farre from me all ye mine enemies which are and haue beene the workers and causers of mine iniquitie by your tentations and euill examples for henceforth I will haue no more to doe with you for my conscience assureth mee that the Lord of his infinite goodnesse hath heard and pittied the voyce of my weeping and therefore I should be vnthankefull to him to returne to those sinnes which he in his mercy hath forgiuen 9 The Lord I cannot repeat it too often hath gratiously heard my earnest supplication for the pardon of my sinnes and he The Lord plentifull in pittie hath not only now but will also hereafter receiue my prayer whensoeuer I call faithfully vpon him 10 Let all mine enemies therefore who haue sought my destruction be ashamed at my conuersion and bee sore vexed and troubled at the consideration of Gods Iudgements Let them no longer delay but repent and returne to the Lord and bee ashamed that they haue so long deferred their conuersion and suddenly without any longer delay make their peace with him by vnfeined repentance Glory be to the Father c. 2 Psalme 32. BLessed is he in this life in assured hope and thrice blessed in full and perfect fruition in the life to come Whose transgression by Gods mercy is forgiuen in respect of the offence and whose sinne by the imputation of Christs
of thy hands admiring thy Power and Wisedome in the creation of all things 6 I stretch forth and lift vp my hands in my prayers vnto thee O Lord my soule which is drie for want of the deaw of thy grace thirsteth after thee for the water of life as a thirsty land in a time of drought 7 Heare me and answer me speedily delay not O Lord for my spirit waxeth faint and faileth me in my deuotion Oh hide not thy face and louing countenance from me miserable sinner least it come to passe that I bee like in condition vnto them that goe downe headlong after their owne inuentions into the pit of destruction and perdition 8 Cause mee by thy spirit to heare and feele thy louing kindnesse and mercy in the morning speedily least I perish for in thee only and not in the helpe of men or Angels doe I place my whole trust and confidence cause mee by thy grace to know and learne the way of thy testimonies wherein I should and ought to walke without declining to the right hand or the left For I lift vp my soule by prayer and repentance vnto thee who only canst direct me aright 9 Deliuer me O Lord by thy power from all mine enemies visible and inuisible for I flie and make hast for succour vnto thee as to my protector to hide and defend me from their violence 10 Teach and instruct mee that am ignorant to doe thy Will and those things which thou commandest for thou art my God and director Thy Spirit is good and all sufficient for me Lead me therefore by it into the right way which bringeth into the land of righteousnes and truth 11 Quicken mee againe O Lord and reuiue mee from the death of sinne for thy Names sake which is Iesus and for thy righteousnesse sake and loue to goodnesse bring my soule by thy grace out of the trouble and anguish whereinto my sinnes haue brought me 12 And of thy tender mercy and compassion cut of and kill in me mine enemies the concupiscences of the flesh and destroy and confound all them that with iniuries and tentations afflict and disquiet my soule which is wholly deuoted to thee for I am thy Seruant and Sonne of thy handmaid and desire to serue thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of my life Glory be to the Father c. Directions before receiuing the Holy Communion AS many as desire to be partakers of the holy Sacrament of the Bodie and blood of Christ as of necessitte euery one must be that intendeth to receiue benefit by him ought before the taking of it to prepare his soule and fit it for the due receiuing of it and not come to it carelessely without due examination of himselfe and respectiue consideration of the excellency and worth thereof And therefore before the time of communicating wee ought to spend some time or dayes the more the better In meditating vpon the great and vnspeakeable loue and mercy of God toward vs. miserable sinners in ordeining so powerfull a meanes to purge and cleanse vs and bring vs to him In beleeuing all his promises made to vs in Christ Iesus in applying them to our selues in performing the workes of charitie in examining in what estate our soules doe stand in calling to minde our sinnes and confessing them to God in grieuing and repenting for them and that in all humility and Godly sorrow in a Luc. 15.20 returning with the Prodigall smiting our brests with the Publican b Luc. 18.13 weeping with Mary Magdalen begging mercy with the theefe on the Crosse Luc. 7.38 and lastly in promising to God to lead a better life for the time to come Thus if wee doe no doubt but wee shall be welcome guests to this feast as being of that number for whom it was prepared For by how much the more we come prepared to take this Sacrament so much the greater shall bee the grace which we shall receiue by it There are foure Duties required in euery Communicant First Faith to beleeue that Iesus Christ did and suffered all things which are written of him in the Holy Scriptures for the Redemption of mankinde Secondly Repentance by which a man confessing his sinnes to God with a purpose to lead a new life is reconciled to him Thirdly Reuerend behauiour that in all humility we make our selues fit guests for such a feast Fourthly Meditation and Attention that we during the time of the administration of the Sacrament attend no earthly thoughts but wholly fixe our soules vpon our Sauiour Christ and meditate on nothing but this great and high benefit and thereby bee inflamed with a hearty loue and thankefull minde to God not only for his infinite loue in suffering so great things for vs but also for instituting this blessed Sacrament to remaine to the end of the World as a sure pledge of his continuance amongst vs and perpetuall care ouer vs. After we haue communicated and are refreshed wee ought also to be thankfull to God for so great a benefit thankfulnesse being not the least dutie of this seruice The Sacrament it selfe being called Eucharistia which is thankesgiuing and to striue to imitate him as well in life as death to liue purely and not to defile our soules againe being purged and cleansed by the powerfull operation of this blessed Sacrament that so by Examination meditation thankesgiuing faith and constant resolution of amendment Wee may worthily receiue Christ into our soules and be made members of his mysticall bodie Meditations and Prayers before the Communion WHat am I O Lord that I should be so bold as to come neere to thee what am I that should attempt to receiue this so great and high a mystery what is man by nature but a vessell of corruption vnapt to any good and propense and most ready for any euill What is man but a creature of all others most wretched blinde in Iudgement inconstant in his actions vncleane in his desires and though small in desert yet proud and great in his owne conceit Thou seest O Lord what I am But thou O Lord art great good wise and eternall omnipotent in strength wonderfull in wisedome deepe in thy counsells terrible in thy Iudgements and absolutely perfect in all thy workes How then dare I that am so base and vncleane a creature approch to the Feast of so great a God and a Lord of so great Maiestie Behold the Heauens are not cleane in thy sight Iob 15.15 and the pillers of Heauen shake and tremble at thy nod Saint Iohn the Baptist who was sanctified in his mothers wombe professed himselfe not worthy to vnloose the latchâ—t of thy shoes Ioh. 1 27. Saint Peter cried out to thee Luc. 5.8 to depart from him a sinfull man How then can I the chiefe of all sinners but tremble at thy presence O LORD I feare that being thus wretched and vnfit I shall not bee admitted to this Feast but rather
Sonne of God Great is the benefit of Redemption and indeed the greatest of all others but without Vocation and Iustification it had auailed me nothing Great is the benefit which ariseth by the Expectation of Glory and no lesse is this of Iustification for it is a worke of no lesse power to make a Iust man a sinner then to make a Iust man happy and blessed for as much as the difference betweene Sinne and Grace is more then betweene Grace and Glory I acknowledge therefore O Lord that the benefits which arise by these Heauenly guifts and graces are so great that my toung faileth and my heart wanteth ability wherewith sufficiently to praise thee for them I praise thee also O Lord for thy Blessed Sacraments for that of Baptisme whereby I was cleansed from the guilt of originall sinnes and regenerated and adopted into the number of thy Children and for the other of the Blessed body and Blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ the Sacrament of Grace Vnitie Charity and Remission of sinnes the foode of our Soules in this Pilgrimage and the Conduit through which all graces are conueighed to our fainting Soules Lastly I thanke thee for thy preseruation of me in thy Grace by which I am restrained from returning to the mire with the washed Sowe 2. Pet. 2.22 and to the Vomit with the Dogge and by which I am strengthned to doe something acceptable and pleasing vnto thee I confesse O Lord that whatsoeuer good I haue done is wrought in mee by thee and whatsoeuer tentation or euill I escape is meerely by thy prouidence O Lord continue and keepe me still in this Grace that I may so vse all thy blessings and so keepe them in minde that they may stirre vp in mee a more ardent desire to magnifie thy Blessed Name and a great care of ordering my waies hereafter that I may no more grieue thy Holy Spirit who with thee Eph. 4.30 and thy Blessed Sonne our alone Sauiour liueth and raigneth one God world without end Another ALL praise honour and glory be giuen to thee O Lord God Father almightie for all thy inestimable benefits bestowed vpon me and all mankinde whether priuate or publique generall or particular spirituall or temporall Who is able to reckon vp or declare the seuerall kindes or parts of them for creating the world for beautifying enriching and making it fruitfull for the vse of man for giuing vnto vs soules and bodies and adorning them with infinite faculties and gifts and which exceedes the rest of thy blessings for deliuering vs from the power and seruitude of sinne and the Deuill for forbearing and expecting our repentance so long preseruing vs from all dangers and furnishing vs with all things necessary for this life What praise shall we render to thee O Sweet Iesus for all that thou hast done and suffered for vs we praise and blesse thee for thy Incarnation and Birth for all the labours paines sorrowes wounds and disgraces together with the vile and ignominious death which thou didst suffer to reconcile vs to thy Fathers fauour from which our sinnes had iustly excluded vs for which thy great loue to the Sonnes of Men Blessed be thy holy Name O Holy and Blessed Spirit who in the beginning of time didst moue vpon the face of the Waters Gen. 1.2 at our Sauiours Baptisme Mat. 3.16 in the shape of a Doue Act. 2.3 and on the Apostles in the shape of fiery tongues we praise and worship thee for inlightning our vnderstandings for fitting and making vs apt to conceiue the mysteries of life eternall for conuerting vs from euill conuersation to newnesse of life and for Sanctifying vs to life euerlasting for directing vs in the works of truth and gouerning vs in our temporall affaires O Glorious and Sacred Trinity infuse into vs we beseech thee such measure of thy Grace that we may bee dayly mindefull of all these thy Blessings Pardon all our former ingratitude and negligence in that we haue beene no more zealous to loue thee nor more carefull to serue thee and so forgetfull to thanke thee for all thy benefits and mercies Illuminate our hearts that wee may firmely beleeue in thee deuoutly call vpon thee and obediently execute thy Holy Will that at the last wee may by the merits and passion of thee O Sauiour attaine to that heauenly Mansion where thou O blessed Trinitie in Vnitie and Vnity in Trinity abidest world without end I thanke thee O Lord For my Creation my Being my well being That I am endued with Reason That I am A Ciuill man A Christian. Free borne Ingenious Of honest Parents That I am sound in minde Senses Body That I am well brought vp taught I thanke thee For thy guifts of Nature Grace Estate For deliuering me from Danger Infamy Trouble For the health of my Body A Competencie of Estate Friends Children Kindred I thanke thee O Lord For my Redemption Regeneration Instruction Vocation Consolation Illumination Iustification Hope of Glorification For thy Patience toward me Grace preuenting me Gouerning me Continuall care ouer me Strengthning me in tentation Reprouing me in ill Assisting me in good For the Compunction of my heart The hope of pardon for my sinnes For the Benefits I haue receiued For any good done by me For all those that haue done me good by their Writings Sermons Conferences Prayers Examples Reproofes Iniuries For all and euery of these and for all other knowne or vnknowne remembred or forgotten I confesse and will confesse thee I blesse and will blesse thee I thanke and will thanke thee as the Author and Giuer of them all SEVEN PSALMES OF THANKESGIVING analysed 1 Psalme 8. 1 O Lord our God Creator and Preseruer of all things how excellent glorious and reuerend is thy great and holy Name not in one particular nation onely but in all the Kingdomes of the earth who as thou hast magnified thy Name in the earth so hast thou set and extolled thy glory aboue the heauens also 2 Out of the mouthes and tongues of babes and sucklings euen very infants hast thou because men of riper yeeres and vnderstanding neglect thy Glory ordained strength and giuen little children abilitie to praise thee because of the malice of thine enemies the principalities of this world that thou mightest by this thy great wisedome and power still the tongues and suppresse the blasphemous speeches of the enemie and auenger when he shall see that by such weake meanes thou canst effect so great matters 3 When I consider and duly weigh thy Heauens and the Glorious frame thereof the worke of thy fingers made and created only by thee togither with the Moone and the Starres and other beautifull lights of Heauen which thou at the beginning of time hast ordained of nothing I cannot but in the depth of admiration say 4 What is man for whose vse and seruice thou hast made them and all things in this world and him to serue thee That thou so
great and glorious a God art mindefull of him in so large a manner and what is the Sonne of man the posterity of sinfull Adam that thou in such measure of mercy visitest and regardest him 5 For if I looke vnto his creation and consider whose Image he beareth I finde that thou hast made him in all respects very little lower in degree then the pure Angells who are honoured with thy presence and hast of thy bounty and especiall fauour crowned him with Glory and Honour in making him so glorious a Creature 6 Thou madest and hast appointed him also the vicegerent on earth to haue dominion and command ouer thy Creatures the workes of thy hands and creation thou hast subiected and put all things which thou hast made vnder his feete to obey and serue him 7 All Sheepe and Oxen Beasts for his foode and sustentation yea and not those only but the vntamed beasts of the field also hast thou made pliable and seruiceable to him 8 The Foule of the Ayre some for foode and some for pleasure and delight and the fish of the vast Sea which is stored with variety and whatsoeuer else passeth swimmeth or liueth through the vnknowne pathes of the Sea are also created by thee to serue him 9 O Lord our Lord when I seriously consider thy power and wisedome in thy worke of creation and the especiall honour and fauour thou she west to mankinde in giuing him this large commission ouer the rest of thy Creatures I cannot but admire and say how excellent and great is thy Name and power in all the kingdomes of the World there is none O Lord worthy to bee compared to thee Glory be to the Father c. 2 Psalme 30. I Will extoll thee and praise thy Name O Lord as long as I liue and not without great cause for thou in thy mercy hast lifted me vp and endowed me with thy blessings and hast not made no nor suffered my foes who intended if thou hadst forsaken mee to reioyce and triumnh ouer me 2 O Lord my God and Sauiour I cried and made my humble supplication vnto thee in my trouble and aduersitie and thou of thy accustomed goodnesse didst gratiously heare mee and hast healed me of all mine infirmities 3 O Lord thou by the power of thy grace hast brought vp and restored to life my sinfull Soule from the Graue of perdition whereinto my sinnes had well nigh cast me Thou hast in thy loue to mee kept mee aliue and preserued mee from my dangerous sicknesses that I should not yet goe downe into the pit of death but liue and praise thy Holy Name 4 Sing and reioyce vnto the Lord our God O ye Saints and faithfull people of his who haue with me felt and tasted of his mercy and giue thankes togither with mee at the remembrance and consideration of his holinesse 5 For his anger and displeasure endureth towards sinners but a moment and short space if they truely turne vnto him and if we truely consider his mercies we shall finde that in his fauour is life to those that lie desperately sicke in their sinnes if he but touch them with his finger of Grace as for weeping heauinesse and affliction it may and of necessity must sometime befall his seruants but yet it shall endure and afflict them for a night a little while only but ioy and comfort commeth againe to refresh them in the morning by sending the light of his countenance vpon them 6 And before I fully vnderstood how God vsed to deale with his Seruants I was so confident of my selfe that in my prosperitie when I felt the grace of God abundantly in mee I said and presumed that I was so fully settled in Gods fauour that â— shall neuer fall or bee remooued from it 7 Lord by thy fauour and goodnesse thou hadst fixed and made my mountaine of Grace to stand so strong that I conceiâ—…d my selfe so secure that I could not slide backe or fall away yet after a while I found by expâ—… that I was in an error for thou didst but hide thy face and a little while obscured thy Grace from mee and being left to my selfe I found such an alteration and defect in mee to doe good that I was therewith sore troubled and disquieted 8 I thereupon presently recalled my selfe and cried earnestly by prayer to thee O Lord and betooke my selfe vnto the Lord who neuer vtterly forsaketh his Seruants and to him I made my earnest supplication neuer ceasing till I obtained his returne and thus I said in my prayer 9 What profit O Lord is there can there be in my blood or death when I goe downe into the pitt or if I die in my sinnes surely none to thee for thou delightest not in blood or in the death of a sinner Shall the dust or they which are resolued thereinto before repentance praise thee or shall it declare thy Truth and shew thy Glory nay verily they shall rather in the horror of punishment blaspheme thy Name Suffer me not therefore O Lord to bee of that reprobate number of which I must needs bee one if thou absent thy selfe or withdraw thy Grace any longer from me 10 Heare mee therefore O Lord and that right soone for my spirit waxeth faint for want of thy Gratious assistance and haue mercy vpon mee in this distresse O Lord I renounce all further confidence in mine owne strength bee thou my only stay and helper Vpon this petition The Lord heard my request and thereupon I turned my prayer into a song of praise and said 11 Thou O Lord art worthy of all honour and praise for thou hast turned for me and for my good my mourning for thy absence into dancing and ioy for thy gratious presence thou hast made mee to put of my sad habite of Sackecloth and sorrow and in stead thereof hast girded and apparrelled me with a vesture of gladnesse euen the peace of conscience And all these things hast thou done for me 12 To the end all my sorrow being remoued and I being deliuered from all feare my glory tongue and heart together may sing praise and thankes to thee who hast done so great things for me and that I should not bee silent in extolling thy mercy And therefore O Lord my God as thy goodnesse deserueth and my duty requireth I will with all the affections and faculties of soule and body giue thankes vnto thee and praise thy Maiestie for euer as the only author and finisher of my Salution Glory be to the Father c. 3 Psalme 34. 1 I Will blesse and praise the Lord for all that hee hath done vnto mee at all times as well in aduersitie as prosperitie and his praise as it shall euer bee in my minde and heart so shall it be continually without intercession in my mouth by declaring it to others 2 My Soule especially shall make her boast and glory in the Lord and not in any thing that is in me so
Seruants to whom in particular thou extendest thy mercy shall blesse and continually praise thee for the same 11 They especially shall not bee silent but speake of and declare vnto those that haue not knowne thy Name the Glory and Maiestie of thy Kingdome which is aboue all the kingdomes of the earth and shall wheresoeuer they come talke of and set forth thy mightie power which no potentate is able to resist 12 To make knowne and to make manifest thereby to the sonnes of men euen all the gratiousnesse to come his mightie and wonderfull acts which he hath done in our time and in the ages foregoing and also the glorious Maiestie and super-excellency of his Kingdome and power 13 Thy kingdome O Lord is not temporary or of short continuance but it is an euerlasting Kingdome was without beginning and neuer shall haue end and this thy dominion and rule endureth firme stable throughout all generations to the end of the world 14 The Lord in his mercy vpholdeth and lifteth vp all those that fall by frailty and weakenesse and raiseth vp by the grace of his holy Spirit all those that be deiected bowed and cast downe with the thought of their sinnes 15 The eyes of all creatures waite and are fixed vpon thee as vpon their carefull father for sustenance and helpe and they no sooner call vnto thee but thou of thy prouidence suppliest their wants and giuest them their meate and all things necessary for them not onely in due proportion but in due season and time also 16 Thou openest thy hand of bounty and satisfiest the insatiable desire of men which nothing but thy selfe can satisfie and of euery other liuing thing besides 17 The Lord is only righteous iust and vnreproueable in all his wayes and actions and it is hee only that is holy and pure in all his workes 18 The Lord is nigh and ready at hand vnto all them that in distresse call vpon him and seeke vnto him for helpe Yea to all without respect of persons that call vpon him in truth faith and vprightnesse of heart 19 He is so gratious that he will not only heare them but grant their petitions and fulfill and satisfie the desire and request of them that feare and serue him he also will heare their cry in time of affliction and will saue and deliuer them out of all their trouble 20 The Lord by his omnipotent power preserueth and keepeth all them that loue him sincerely and obey his Commandements but as for all the wicked and vnrepentant obstinate sinners those will he destroy from the face of the earth 21 My mouth shall as long as I haue any being speake of and declare the praise and Maiestie of the Lord most mightie and as I doe so Let all flesh people nations and kindreds from the rising of the Sunne to the going downe thereof blesse land and magnifie together with me his holy and great Name euen for euer and euer from this time forth for euermore Glory be to the father ' c. Imprecation THis part of Deuotion or of zeale as I may call it although it seeme harsh and not well to stand with the Charitie of a Christian yet in these Cases it hath beene and may be lawfully vsed 1 When the Church of God in any part of the World lyeth as it were at the stake and groaneth vnder the burden of Persecution and the enemies thereof are incorrigeable and not to be reconciled in this case not onely a priuate man in his Deuotions but the Church also in generall may vse these Imprecations to the end that the Church may by these kind of Prayers and Gods assistance recouer its former peace and quiet 2 When as a Christian man shall perceiue that his enemies ayme altogether against the Rules of Charitie at his vtter subuersion both in Body and Soule in this case also a man may without breach of Charitie vse these Imprecations And in either of these Cases if the children either of Gods or our owne enemies shall ioyne assist or persist maliciously in the steps of their Parents they are in our estimation to be accounted of no better nay not so well as the very Heathen who haue not knowne the name of God at all And to this end I haue onely giuen you a taste of some of the zealous wishes and earnest desires or Imprecations of some Holy men Prophets and Apostles which are set downe in sacred Scripture and left no doubt for our imitation in the seuerall Cases before named Imprecations against the enemies of God and his Church REspect not thou their offering Num. 16.15 The Lord shall trouble thee Ios 7.25 Destroy them Psal 5.10 let them fall by their owne counsels Breake the arme of the wicked Psal 10.15 Breake their teeth O God Psal 58.6 Let them be scattered Psal 68.1.2 Let them flee Driue them as Smoake melt them as waxe Powre out thy wrath vpon them Psal 79.6 Make them like a wheele Psal 83.13 and as the stubble before the winde Burne them as the fire burneth the wood Psal 83.14 Persecute them with thy tempest Psal 83.15 Fill their faces with shame Psal 83.16 Let them be confounded and troubled for euer Psal 83.17 Let them be as grasse on the house top Psal 129.6 Grant not their desires Psa 140.8 Let the mischiefe of their owne lips couer them Psa 140.9 Let burning coales fall vpon them Psa 140.10 Let them not be established vpon the earth Psa 140.11 Let euill hunt them If any man loue not the Lord Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 16.22 let him be Anathema Maranatha If any man preach any other Gospell Gal. 1.9 c. Let him be accursed I would they were euen cut off Gal. 5.12 Against the enemies of our Soules Let them be confounded and put to shame Psal 35.4 that seeke after my soule Let them be as chaffe before the winde Psal 35.5 Let the Angell of the Lord chase them Let their way be darke and slipery Psal 35.6 Let the Angell of the Lord persecute them Let Destruction come vpon them Psal 35.8 Let them be confounded and ashamed Psal 40.14 Let them bee driuen backward Let them be desolate Psal 40.15 Let death seize vpon them Psal 55.15 Let them go downe quicke to Hell Let them be couered with reproach and dishonour Psal 71.13 Set a wicked man ouer him Psal 109.6 Let Satan stand at his right hand Let his prayer become sinne Psal 109.7 Let his daies be few Psal 109.8 Let his children bee fatherlesse Psal 109.9 and his wife a widdow Let his children be vagabonds and beggers Psal 109.10 Let the extortioner catch all he hath Psal 109.11 Let there be none to extend mercy to him or his children Psal 109.12 Let his posteritie be cut of Psal
Promises Ceremonies and the Law it selfe were fulfilled and ended 1 The Promises As Gen. 1.15 the seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head Gen. 22.18 In thee shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed 2 The Ceremonies The Priesthood by his eternall Priesthood Psal 110.4 The Sacrifices by his owne Oblation Heb. 7.27 Circumcision Luc. 2.21 3.21 by his Circumcision and Baptisme Passeouer by the Eucharist Mar. 14.22 3 The Lawe By his satisfaction and absolute fulfilling of it in whom was no sinne nor spot Cant. but an absolute and perfect Righteousnesse which Righteousnesse hee hath of his free will and mercy imputed to vs and made ours if with a liuely Faith we apprehend him and beleeue on him And in this respect it may be said that he obserueth and fulfilleth the Law of God who not trusting to himselfe or his owne workes commendeth himselfe wholly to the Grace of God Rom. 8.3.4 2. Cor. 5.21 and seeketh all his righteousnesse by Faith in Christ Iesus So that wee are to rely on those words which Saint Paul spake in his Sermon at Antioch Bee it knowne vnto you therefore Act. 13.38 men and brethren that through this man Christ Iesus is preached vnto you the forgiuenesse of sinnes And by him all that beleeue are iustified from all things from which you could not be iustified by the Law of Moses But yet wee must take this along with vs. That this Faith whereby we beleeue that Christ satisfied the Lawe and is become our Righteousnesse and Perfection is meerely by Gods Grace and Fauour infused into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which stirreth vp in vs a loue and desire to keep the Law of God which though the same desire neuer attaineth to perfection while we liue in these earthly tabernacles for the frailtie and indisposition of the Flesh yet God in his mercy accepteth the same for Christs sake For the better conceiuing of the drift and scope of these Commandements wee are to take notice of two things 1 Whereas in euery Commandement the grossest sinne tending to the breach of that commandement is only forbidden by name yet wee are to conceiue that all sinnes of that nature though lesser in degree and not named togither with the prouocations thereunto are likewise inclusiuely contained in that prohibition 2 And where any Vertue is commanded to be obserued there all the Vices and Sinnes contrary to that Vertue are forbidden And where any Vice is prohibited there all opposite Vertues to it are enioyned Meditations of Death THat all men must dye being long since enacted by Statute in the Parliament of Heauen vnrepealed and the knowledge of the day of Death being by God kept from vs Aug. in Psal 34. Conc. 1. lest we should promise to our selues any thing for future time I shall not neede to spend many words to proue either the absolute necessitie of the one or the vncertaintie of the other Only giue mee leaue to conclude this worke with a few meditations and Prayers which may serue as well for those who feele the hand of God by sickenesse as for those which are in perfect health to meditate and thinke vpon that they be not taken vnprouided And this exercise of Meditation of death and resolution to die ought not to seeme strange or hard to Christians For the Philosopher in his time accounted all dayes spent without serious consideration of our end to be but fondly consumed and affirmed that the whole life of a wise man Plato was nothing but a meditation of death And therefore it hath been obserued that Abraham Gen. 23.3 19. when he was in the Land of Canaan purchased no more Land then would serue to bury his dead To teach vs that we should not fixe or fasten our mindes upon the transitory things of the World but haue our affections bent vpon another world and meditate vpon the day of our death which bringeth two benefits with it first it deliuereth vs out of many cares and troubles and secondly it leadeth vs to ioyes vnspeakeable The first of these benefits the Heathen man could see Artabanus to Xerxes Herod l. 7. by the light of Nature when hee said that No man liued in so flourishing estate who if not often yet once iâ— his life did not desire rather to die then to liue For the vnauoidable calamitie and greeuous diseases incident to this life doe so often disquiet and vexe a man that notwithstanding our life is naturally short yet sometime it seemeth ouer long vnto him And therefore saith he Death is the most acceptable and wished for Sanctuary and place of refuge for a life full of misery and griefe And for the second take amongst many that of Saint Cyprian Cypr. Wee passe by death to immortality neither can wee come or attaine to eternall life but by leauing this life Nor is our corporall death to bee accounted an end or period of life but a passage to a better for by this temporall journey wee passe to Eternitie For this separation of the soule and body commonly called Death if we consider the true scope and aime of God in it is not inflicted by him as a seuere Iudge to punish the Elect but as a most mercifull Father who only calleth his Children from a dungeon of misery to a place of all felicitie and happinesse And this is that which hath alwaies made the Godly to leaue this life with such willingnesse and ioy and to endure with so great courage and constancie all their greatest agonies Meditations for the sicke Set thy house in order for thou shalt die Esa 38.1 Iob. 19.25 I Know that my Redeemer liueth and that he shall stand at the latter day vpon the earth Iob. 19.26 And that I shall be againe cloathed with this skin and in my flesh I shall see God Iob. 19.27 whom I my selfe shall see and mine eyes shall behold This hope is laid vp in my brest Lord let me know mine end and the number of my dayes that I Psal 39.5 may be certified how long I haue to liue Psal 39.6 Behold thou hast made my dayes as it were a span long and mine age is as nothing in respect of thee and verily euery man liuing is altogether vanity Psal 39.7 For man walketh in a vaine shadow and disquieteth himselfe in vaine he heapeth vp riches and cannot tell who shall gather them Psal 39.8 And now Lord what is nay hope truely my hope is euen in thee Psal 39.9 Deliuer me from all mine offences and make me not a rebuke to the foolish Psal 3911. Take away thy stroake from me for I am consumed by the meanes of thy heauy hand Psal 39.12 When thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sinne thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moath fretting a garment euery man therefore is but vanity Psal 39.13
Heare my Prayer O Lord and with thine eares consider my calling hold not thy peace at my teares Psa 39.14 For I am a stranger with thee and a soâ—ourner as all my fathers were Psa 39.15 O spare me a little that I may recouer my strength before I goe hence and be no more seene Iob 13.23 Answer me O Lord How many are mine iniquities and sinnes make me to know my transgressions and my sinnes Iob 13.24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face from me and holdest me for thine enemie Iob 13.25 Wilt thou breake a leafe driuen to and fro and wilt thou pursue the drie stubble Psal 71.8 Oh cast me not away in my weakenesse forsake me not when my strength faileth me Though I be afflicted yet let me not be destressed Though in want of some of thy comforts yet not of all Though chastned yet not forsaken Psal 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastnest O Lord and teachest him in thy law Psal 94.13 That thou mayest giue him rest in the dayes of euill Psal 119.67 Before I was troubled I went a stray but now I shall learne thy Word Psal 25.7 O Lord remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth Nor iudge me according to my workes For I haue done nothing worthy of thy sight but of eternall death Wherefore I pray thee Psal 51.1.2 blot out all my offences and wash me throughly from my wickednesse and cleanse me from my sinne Iob. 7.20 I haue sinned what shall I doe vnto thee O thou Preseruer of men Why hast thou set me as a marke against thee so that I am a burden vnto my selfe Iob. 7.20 And why dost thou not pardon my transgressions and take away mine iniquitie for now I shall sleepe in the dust and thou shalt seeke me in the morning but I shall not be Iob 10.20 Are not my dayes few cease then and let me alone that I may take comfort a little Iob 10.21 Before I goe whence I shall not returne euen to the land of darkenesse and shadow of death Iob 10.22 A land of darkenesse as darkenesse it selfe and of the shadow of death without any order and where the light is as darkenesse Psal 89.27 What man is he that liueth and shall not see death shall he deliuer his Soule from the hand of the graue Psal 55.4 The feare of death ouerwhelmeth me and my heart is disquieted within me for that I haue daily sinned and not repented considering that from the Infernall pit there is no redemption But be thou mercifull to O Lord and save me for thy Names sake and in thy strength deliuer and comfort me Psal 119.75 I know O Lord that thy iudgements are iust and that thou of very faithfulnesse hast caused me to be troubled Oh let this light affliction which will quickely be gone cause vnto me afterward a more excellent and eternall waight of glory 2. Cor. 4.17 Psal 94.19 In the midst of the sorrowes that are in my heart let thy comforts O Lord refresh my Soule Iob. 10.8 Thine hands haue made me and fashioned me round about yet thou dost destroy me Iob. 10.9 Remember I beseech thee that thou hast made me as the clay and wilt thou bring me into the dust againe Iob. 10.10 Hast thou not powred mee out like milke and crudled mee like a cheese Iob. 10.11 Thou hast cloathed mee with skinne and flesh and fenced mee with bones and sinewes Iob. 10.12 Thou hast granted me life and fauour and thy visitation hath preserued my Spirit O Lord thou numbrest my Iob. 14.16 steps and dost set a watch ouer my sinne Iob. 17.1 My breath is corrupt my daies are extinct the Graue is ready for me Iob. 14. I haue said to corruption thon art my Father and to the worme Thou art my Mother and Sister Iob. 7.1 Is there not an appointed time to man vpon earth and are not his dayes as the daies of an hireling Iob. 9.25 My dayes are swifter then a Post they flee away and see no good Iob. 30.23 I know that thou wilt bring me to death and to the house appoinfor all the lining Woe is me therefore O Lord that I haue sinned What shall I doe whither shall I flie but to thee O Lord my God Be mercifull to mee in the last day My soule is very much disquieted within me but Lord I require thy aidee and comfort Bee mindefull O Lord of thy Psal 119.49 Word wherein thou hast caused mee to put my trust and let thy mercy come vnto me according to thy Promise For thou art my maker and I am the worke of thy hands Deliuer me O Lord from eternall death in that day wherein Heauen and Earth shall be dissolued when thou comest to Iudge the Earth I am affrighted when I consider that day the day of thy wrath the day of misery that great and exceeding bitter day O Lord in that day where shall I hide my selfe from the face of thine anger O Lord when thou comest to Iudgement condemne mee not I beseech thee but deliuer from the gates of hel my poor soule which I commend vnto thee Acknowledge then O Lord thy Creature not made by any strange gods but by thee the true and liuing God Make my Soule ioyfull with thy presence and remember not my sinnes but according to thy great mercy thinke vpon mee in that day for the merits of my Blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen A Prayer for the Sicke ALmightie and most mercifull Lord God who by the infirmities of this life dost put vs in minde of our mortalitie and by these outward afflictions dost call vs to inward Repentance I crie vnto thee with my whole heart Psal 6.1 Rebuke me not in thine anger neither chasten me in thy displeasure Psal 6.2 Haue mercy vpon me O Lord for I am weake O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed Thou art He O Lord a Iob. 5.18 That woundest and healest againe b 1. Sam. 2.6 that killest and reuiuest that leadest to the gates of Hell and bringest backe againe If this my sickenesse O Lord be not vnto death helpe me on this my bed of infirmity and strengthen me If thou thinkest expedient rather that I should die then liue doe with me according to thy good pleasure and receiue my Spirit to thy peace which I commend into thy hands who liuest and raignest God of all mercy world without end Amen Or thus O Mercifull Lord God who of thy great mercy dost forgiue the offences of those who truely repent mercifully looke vpon me thy poore Serand hearken vnto me who humbly craue of thee remission of my sinnes Renew O Lord in me whatsoeuer is corrupt and decayed by the Deuils malice or mine owne frailtie Pitie my sighes pitie my teares pitie my groanes vouchsafe to be reconciled