continuall prayer otherwise what good we determine to day will be repented to morrow and we through our weaknes shall fall againe contrarie to our godly resolutions Our supplications to God for his assistance and strengthening of our resolued reformation must be continuall because our spirituall aduersaries are continually working to seduce vs out of the way of a sanctified life A ship as soone as her sailes are hoised feeles the winde and begins to make way if then there be no skilfull pilote at the helme to steere shee either rusheth vpon some rocke or driues the contrarie course So are mens affections swayed with the good or euill spirit Needs there not therefore a wise consultation of all the sences of the inner and outer man how to steere the affections aright which as the sailes are to the ship so are they vnto the minde for being once hoised they carrie the desires as the sailes the hull and if it want right reason to steere it it neuer can shape the course of godlines Let vs therefore pray that we may be able to manage the ship of our affections to the port of true obedience in a sincere course of life And happie is that man that truly determines constantly continues faithfully prayeth and wisely considers the course of his life and euer remembreth his end A Prayer for a godly life and to resist sinne and Sathan O God my God in Iesus Christ maker and creator of all things gouernour of heauen and earth preseruer of our soules and bodies the giuer of life light The framer disposer of all right and religious hearts The perfecter and finisher of our faith In by whom are all things and without whom nothing can haue any being Much lesse corrupt man haue any existence in life though be seeme to liue in the body except thou liue in him for our life which is our saluation and our glory and our crowne is hidde with thee in Christ. Such is thy mercy towards vs as thou vouchsafest to shew vs our blessed being with thee in the heauens in this our mortalitie in part as in a glasse lest wee should faint in our trials powre downâ— O Lord a full and large measure of thy sauing grace into my heart that I apprehending in part the sweetnesse of the life to come may frame my selfe to that course of life heere as may assure me of that which is to come Abandon and abolish the darkenes of mine vnderstanding and giue me the light of true iudgement that I may warily watchfully wisely foresee obserue shun the subtill baytes and allurements of sinne and Sathan giue me grace to walk in the way of life leaue not the powerfull power of Satan nor the poysoning sting of death in me Settle mine affections vpon the hid treasures of thy loue guide garde me with thy sauing power instruct me in the way of true wisedome Adorne me with all thy spirituall graces and diuine vertues sow in me the seedes of sanctity water me with the dew of thy holy Spirit purifie and cleanse my heart rectifie mine affections blesse my godly enterprises and holy endeauours frame all the parts powers faculties and sences of my soule and bodie that they may all meete in the loue of thee and euery one performe his office according to the greatnesse of thy name Let my heart harbour holy thoughts let my will euer be framed after thy word let mine vnderstanding bee manifested by righteousnesse and a sanctified life let my memorie neuer let â—â—ipthe good things thou hast done for my soule Let my handes be purely clensed from pollution my tongue from prophanation mine eyes from the gilt of concupiscence my feer from following vanitie and all the parts of my body from the least appearance of 〈◊〉 That I being thus clensed and reformed I may walke euer in thy faith liue euer in thy feare and at the last yeeld my body to the graue in thy fauour where the power and sting of death shall faile of further pursuing me and there shall I leaue that sinning part vntill it shall bee made a shining part with my soule by the brightnesse glory of thy presence in the heauens Thy goodnesse and mercy shewed vnto sinners in this life leadeth the seriously penitent and truely faithfull to the consideration of their present weakenesse wants and imperfections and to the contemplation of their future fulnesse of ioy comfort and euer-continuing consolation O stirre vp in me a liuely hunger and thirst for spirituall graces in this life where we are pressed downe with a mighty masse of corruption and compassed about with a darke cloud of errors Insomuch as I a man begotten conceiued and borne in sinne can neuer be able to stand vnder the burden of the one or to comprehend thee my Light and my saluation through the other How then Lord shall I be able to walke in thee who art the true way vnderstand thee the sauing trueth or attaine vnto thee being eternall life Therefore Lord vouchsafe to inlarge my heart in all godly forwardnesse to proceede from knowledge to knowledge from faith to faith from one diuine grace to another vntill I attaine to full perfection in Christ in whom all our holy indenours be euermore blessed sinne euermore weakened and all goodnesse euermore increased But many are the blockes which Sathan layeth and couereth them with the vayle of pleasure and profite which make many to stumble and fall Many ministers hee vseth to snare vs and many miseries and mischiefes hee plotreth and practiseth against vs to dismay vs from following of thee but hee hath not so many agents to allure or terrifie vs as thou Lord hast meanes to preuent the one and to defend vs in the other Plead thou therefore my cause and defend me against that spirituall enemie that fighteth against me leaue me not in his power shorten the extent of his chaine breake his teeth that he may haue no power to seize vpon me weaken the poyson of his inchantments that he pollute in me neither the will nor the deede That I may leade my life vnspotted in the world and that all mine actions and indeauours may prosper that sinne that hangeth on so fast may be cast off And giue me a sound knowledge of thy good pleasure that I may truely determine to shake cleane off the vnprofitable workes of darkenesse and be truly clothed with the holy robes of righteousnesse and sanctity That I may be euer able and ready to pray vnto thee obtaine at thy hands the direction to liue vprightly in thy sight and that I may euer consider mine owne weakenesse and imperfections to the end I may indeauour to keepe a good conscience in all mine actions for as our sences and the members of our bodie are many and euery one subiect to sundry infirmities and temptations and euery of our actions open to diuers infections and pollutions So Lord I beseech thee to blesse all
God must be conceiued of vs in our prayers as subsisting in the whole three persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost The vnitie in Trinitie and Tâ—initie in vnitie is to be worshipped retaining in mind the distinction and order of all the three persons without seuering or sundring them for as they are conioyned in nature so are they to be conioyned in worship And therefore he that prayeth vnto God the Father for the forgiuenesse of his sinnes must aske it of him for the merits of the Sonne and by the assurance of the holy Ghost and he that prayeth for the remission of sinnes to God the Sonne must pray that he would procure the Father to graunt him pardon and to assure it by his Spirit He also that prayeth for the same to God the holy Ghost must pray that he would assure vnto him the remission of his sinnes from the Father for and by the merits of his Sonne Thus must we apprehend the Trinitie in our prayers so shall we auoide that idolatrous conceiuing of him imbraced of some who cannot pray vnlesse they haue the figure of a humane creature to represent vnto their bodily eyes the shape of God the Father in likenesse of an olde man and a crucifixe figuring Christ suffring on the Crosse and the holy Ghost by a Doue whose worship cannot bee reputed spirituall but carnall and their prayers not heauenly but prophane Prayer is a spirituall action proper onely to the children of God who are Saints by calling sanctified in Christ And they and none other truely call vpon the name of the Lord Iesus prophane persons pray not though they seeme to pray But most happie is that man that commeth vnto God Father Sonne and holy Ghost truely prepared and duely attentiue he may boldly aske and confidently assure himselfe to receiue grace for grace and all blessings spirituall without limitation and all benefits corporall needfull If our prayers bee made in vs by him who hath promised and hath power to giue what we aske shall wee thinke hee will faile to performe The hope of hypocrites in deed shall perish and their prayers vanish as the smoake because they wait vpon lying vanities and desire carnall pleasures and worldly profits But the Lord will surely fulfill the desires of them that feare him because their prayers tend to the setting foorth of Gods glory to the good of the Church to the remission of their owne sinnes and other mens to the obtaining of Gods graces to the increase of the vnderstanding of heauenly things that they may walke before God and be vpright that they may doe the workes and bring sorth the fruits of the spirit These are the prayers that are the PENSIVE SOVLES DELIGHT These are the prayers that wound the Serpent that please God bringing peace to the conscience afflicted But which is to bee lamented all men are dull by nature And the very elect sometimes weakely disposed to pray And therefore is euery godly man to vse all holy meanes to inkindle their hearts to the right performance of this heauenly dutie And nothing more preuaileth therein then Meditation whereunto wee are also very vnapt by nature and know not how nor vpon what ground to lay the foundation therof yet if we can truly frame our hearts to a holy Meditation wee shal find that it is the very key that openeth our dull hearts lockt vp vnder griefe vnder feare vnder trouble vnder persecutioÌ„ misery and sendeth forth by litle and litle the fire of true zeale which at length becommeth a great flame of preuailing prayers which thing they easily find that are conuersant in this sacred exercise of Meditation and Prayer who yet many times finde themselues most dull and most vnapt to pray hauing yet an inward desire thereunto which desire they cannot containe but labouring a while in silence speaking inwardly to God in sighes and groanes at length they speake effectually with their tongues Seeing therefore that all men need motiues to stirre them vp to prayer let euery man addresse himselfe to the word of God or peruse some godly worke of religious men And although vocally he cannot reade by reason of his naturall dulnes yet if his heart can be but conuersant and duely attend the sence as the eye obserues the letter his minde by little and little shall mount it selfe from earth to heauen fixed on the Trinitie whence shall arise such spirituall fruits of faith and feruencie of spirit as shall fill the soule with more sweet consolation byinkindled praier then the tongue can vtter And to this end gentle Reader according to the small measure of mine vnderstanding I haue prefixed before euery prayer a Motiue or Meditation touching the substance and matter of the Prayer following Thankesgiuing after Prayer The third and last duty in this holy exercise is Thankesgiuing which cannot but follow sanctified praiers that with such ioy in the holy Ghost as it cannot but break forth into most vnspeakeable inward thaÌ„kfulnes to God who hath beene so graciously pleased not only to forgiue our sins but to helpe our infirmities by his holy spirit by whom wee haue had accesse vnto the throne of grace found such fauour with God in Christ as we haue obtained by the holy Ghost both the will and the power to pray Also we ought in all things to giue thankes to God for euery blessing and benefit wee receiue at his hands according to the counsell and precept of the Apostle who commands vs to giue thankes alwayes for all things vnto God euen the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Ephes. 5. 20. Thus much touching the admonition Great Britaines happines in regard of the free vse of the Gospell in respect of other Nations FInally I thinke it not impertinent altogether by way of comparison to consider of our happines in being partakers of the free vse of the Gospell in respect of the most vnhappie condition of many Nations and infinite people that either know not God at all or knowing him honour him not as God The Old and New Testaments haue beene freely opened vnto vs neere threescore yeares without Persecution and so it hath not been in any one Kingdom we reade of Some Kingdomes and Free States in their Iurisdictions haue and doe in a sort permit the Gospell but with the same tolerate contrary religions professions Where doth the freedome of the Gospell appeare as in Great Britaine In what Kingdome is it so publikely receiued so plentifully preached and so freely professed without danger or contradiction We haue heard and seene the troubles of the Netherlands and the Massacres of France and the persecutioÌ„s in other territories for the profession of the Gospell and we all this while haue quietly enioyed that for the profession wherof many haue perished May wee not therefore truely say with Dauid The Lord hath not dealt so with euery Nation Queene ELIZABETH restored Religion almost smothered by Queen
watch for the euening of our dayes and so labour while it is to day that when the night of our last and finall sleepe shall ouertake vs our workes may follow vs not to condemne vs nor as able to iustifie vs but to witnes with vs and for vs that we haue not laboured altogether in thee in vaine but according to that measure of grace which thou art pleased to bestow vpon vs we may worke out our saluation with feare and trembling Looke Lord vpon vs heere gathered together before thee in a reuerend humiliation of our hearts And because naturally we are obdurate and our affections hardly brought vnder or subdued subdue Lord all the rebellious imaginations that intrude now or at any time into our thoughts And let vs giue no entertainment vnto those desires which tende to vanities whether of the minde of the will or the pride of life Let no euill accompany vs vnto our corporall rest much lesse Lord vnto our finall sleepe Let vs now begin to cast off the dregges of sinne while we haue time Let vs nâ—t put off our repentance vntill to morrow Rather as the day is past that gaue vs corporall light and the night come threatning darknesse let vs liue this night in thy spirituall light and let the darknesse of sinne vanish as the light of the day neuer to rise againe vnto vs That we beginning euen now to liue in that light which lighteneth the hearts of thy Saints we may neuer adâ—it the darknesse of vngodlines to ouershadow vs againe But let vs make vse of the night not for sleepe only but rather meditating of the resemblance the night hath with the state of impenitent sinners who liuing out of thy fauour are still in darknesse And as our sleepe resembleth our bodies rest in the graue So giue vs grace Lord to consider that we are euen at the end of our finall day wherein we shall vntill the day of our resurrection commend our dust to dust as we now for a night betake our bodies to our beds And as we hope and humbly desire thee that our sleepe this night may be vnto vs more for the relieuing our wearinesse then for wanton delight So we likewise hope and desire that when we shall lay downe our bodies in the graue it may not bee as of the sauour of death vnto â—eath but of life vnto euerlasting life Grant gracious Lord God that thy power and prouidence may preserue vs safe in bodie and soule vntill the morning that we may then betake vs againe vnto our lawfull callings and that when our bodies shall rest in our graues our soules may be preserued vnder thine Altar among the rest of thy Saints vntill the most wished and glorious morning of our resurrection when wee shall no more returne vnto our labour no more feare dangers no more hunger thirst nor care for bodies necessaries but for euermore enioy the most blessed Crowne of eternall glorie which graunt gracious Lord God in and for thy Christ in whom all things for this life and the life to come are blessed vnto vs to whome with thee and the holy Ghost bee ascribed all honour power Maiestie and dominion for euermore Amen O Lord encrease our faith blesse vs and preserue vs this night and for euermore So be it A short Prayer for the Euening to be vsed of one man in priuate O Lord my God mercifull and louing Father in Jesus Christ I yceld thee humble thankes for thy mercies and louing fauours shewed towards me this day past wherein thou hast bountifully testified thy fatherly care of me and hast largely dealt with me in the vse of thy good creatures And as I haue found grace fauor at thy hands this day shorten not thy hand of comforts now the night is come wherein we are beset with many dangers the more in regard of the darkenesse of the night wherein all that worke wickednesse take their fittest oportunities to worke their deuices I haue no defence thou knowest no protection no refuge no meanes of safetie of my selfe but all my helpe standeth in thy Name Thy power and prouidence Lord is my sure defence and the least measure of thy fauour is sufficient to deliuer me from an hoast of enemies much more from all the power practice deuices of Sathan and his ministers who howsoeuer subtilly they lay waite and furiously assaile me yet are they limited by thy power and beyond the bounds of thy permission they cannot goe onely my owne corrupt nature and mine owne sinful inclination make readiest way for their attempts I am a sinner not worthy to approch into thy presence but as the poore Publicane crying Lord be mercifull vnto mee a sinner Clense mee from my faults committed this day wash me in the blood of the Lambe that I bee not bard from thy presence who refusest to heare sinners among whom I am the greatest therfore in forgiuing me the greater shall thy mercies appeare and the more bound shall I bee vnto thee who hast forgiuen much and I shall loue thee much in him whom thou louest most In him heare me for him forgiue me and let not the faults that I haue done this day be registred against me in the heauens nor reserued to be witnesses against me at the day of mine account Blot out of the booke of thy remembrance my sinnes done yesterday and to day and henceforth guide me in so sincere and perfect obedience that I sinne not though darkenesse ouershadow my body Let the light of thy loue shine in my soule that although my bodie sleepe and bee senceles of many dangers thy prouidence may watch ouer me and in my deadest slumbers preserue me and the more the darkenesse of the night doth blind my corporal eyes so much the more let me couet and obtaine the light of thy sauing countenance That howsoeuer I haue through weakenesse falne this day I may be now raysed againe to newnesse of life that I carry not the burden of my sinnes vnto my bed but cast them off as the rotten ragges of my naturall corruption and being clensed I may become more watchfull and constant that the errors of darkenesse seize not vpon me That the enemies of my present happinesse in thee and of my future glory with thee take not oportunitie in the time of my sleepe or night wakings either to plot or practise my hurt or my soules trouble by vaine dreames or feareful visions which grow partly by the distemperature of our corrupt humors but especially by Sathans temptations And because Lord the night is as a closet of wandring fantasies by reason of the darkenes thereof wherin many vaine and idle imaginations arise to prouoke vs to euill when sleepe ceaseth let thy holy Spirit O Lord rule in my heart and keepe the house of my soule as the strong man that the workes of darkenes creepe not into myheart but as an holy prompter vnto my soule he may stirre vp
to accompany one another in that most holy exercise And where one two or more prepare themselues to thee in diuine supplications assist them with thy holy Spirit that all for one and one for all may pray vnto thee in the name of our Redeemer That all our hearts may agree in so holy a harmony of praying one for another as thou mayest be pleased to blesse vs all with peace in Christ with plentie health and the vse of all necessaries for this life and grace to obtaine the glory to come for his sake who hath euer bene is and shall be our Mediatour our strength and our Redeemer Amen O Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO the confession of our sinnes to God and to stirre vs vp to pray for the remission of the same THE beginning of our saluation is the true confession and acknowledgement of our vnworthinesse and to aske pardon for our sinnes in a liuely faith in Christ Iesus For whose sake God faithfull and iust hath promised to forgiue vs So that we neede not to feare to confesse our sinnes seeing he that is faithfull and true hath made vs a promise to forgiue vs. And therefore saith the Wise man Be not ashamed to confesse thy sinnes especially vnto God in Christ our Mediatour who is not ignorant of our infirmities but knoweth whereof we are made he remembreth t 〈…〉 we are but dust he was tempted as 〈◊〉 are but resisted the tempter to teach vs to withstand the assaults of Sathan whom God permitteth to trie vs to the end that we may striue to preuaile and hauing sustained any foyle falling into any sinne that we might learne that wee haue an aduocate with the Father euen Iesus Christ t 〈…〉 righteous who is a propitiatioÌ„ for our 〈◊〉 Let vs not therefore be ashamed or afraid to confesse our sinnes to God for it is the first steppe to Repentance But men generally are more ashamed to confesse their sinnes that they haue committed then they are to commit them and more willingly doe they vndergoe the committing of sinne then wisely to represse or strongly to resist it the knowledge of our sinâ— and the confession of them is the chiefest token that we are in the way of saluation And nothing more witnesseth against vs then a purpose to hide our sins from God or to thinke he seeth vs not when in deed he not onely is priuie to all our outward actions but knoweth our very thoughts long before And therefore our pretence of conceiling our iniquities from him aggrauateth the sinne arguing that God is not an all-knowing God which implieth a denial of his omnipotence and commeth neere vnto the foole that sayth in his heart there is no God Let vs therefore be wise in searching out our sinnes which lurke vnder the cloude of our naturall blindnesse Let vs obserue whereunto wee are most inclinable what sin is our chiefest Dalilah our corrupt hearts Delite for howsoeuer men are subiect to many sinnes yet there is one aboue the rest a master sinne which though all other sinnes seeme to hide their heads when the stronger man the spirit of God beginneth to possesse the house of our soules yâ—â— that predominant sinne wil hardly be cleane thrust out And therefore are wee to bee wise as Serpents to obserue and preuent sin and innoceÌ„t as Doues to liue a godly life which can neuer be where sin of any sort beares the sway If wee confesse them God is faithfull and iust to forgiue them according to his promise which he hath also confirmed by many examples Dauid Paul Peter Mary Magdaâ—ene The Publicane and m 〈…〉 liuely figured by the Prodigall sonne God is most rich in mercie and m 〈…〉 readie to forgiue as Dauid doth wâ—nes I will confesse saith he my sinne and mine vnrighteousness against my selfe and thou forgauest me the wickedness◠〈◊〉 my heart So readie is God to forg 〈…〉 as if we doe but truly purpose to confesse and repent he euen then receueth vs to mercie how much more 〈…〉 with a lowly contrite and brok 〈…〉 heart and an humble spirit we 〈◊〉 pardon in Iesus Christ the righte 〈…〉 shall we obtain fauour and find gr 〈…〉 If our sinnes be as red as scarlet 〈◊〉 will make them as white as snow 〈◊〉 vs therefore pray for remission of 〈◊〉 sinnes past and for power to resist 〈◊〉 â—ure temptations if there remaine 〈◊〉 vs any hope of saluation O Lord increase my faith A confession of sinnes with a prayer for pardon for the same O Great and most mercifull God maker of the heauens founder of the earth gouernor of the raging seas and Creator of all things visible and inuisible who all obey thee in their conditions Man the most glorious of all creatures excepted who rebelled as soone as he was created I the poorest and vnworthiest of creatures doe heere cast my selfe downe before thy mercies seat and with the poore sinning Publican humbly acknowledge mine iniquities who am a man of the seed of transgressing Adam in whom by whom and from whom the most deadly infection of originall sinnâ— is fallen vpon me which hath so polluted mine vnderstanding that I erre in iudging betweene good and euill So tainted my will that I runne after forbidden vanities so blinded mine affections that I loue what thou lothest and adhor what thou wouldest I should embrace and my hart is so defiled and corrupted that I lay vp in store as in a treasury within the bosome of my soule a huge masse of most lothsome sinnes whence ariseth as out of a stincking dunghill of detestable vncleannesse most vgly and abhorred transgressions and most desperate rebellions against theâ— more and more prouoking theâ— to indignation by my continuall offending thy lawes by contemning thy mercies by abusing thy long-suffering by despising thy most sacred word by not belieuing thy fatherly promises by not fearing thâ— terrible iudgements and by 〈◊〉 cursed and carelesse course of life whereby I haue defaced that diuine Image of puritie and sanctitie wherein I was first created 〈◊〉 thiâ—â— owne Image in Adam Infinite are my sinnes Lord and paâ— finding out oh clense me from my secret sinnes If thou Lord straitly maâ—kest what is done amisse who shall 〈◊〉 able to stand Lord turne away t 〈…〉 face from my sinnes put away 〈◊〉 transgressions out of thy remembrance consider not Lord mi 〈…〉 offences how readie I haue been to embrace those forbidden fruits of the flesh which being the sauour of death vnto death and how wilfully I haue reiected the fruits of the Spirit sauouring vnto life eternall It is too much Lord that I brought death into the world with my life but much more by adding actual to mine original transgression There is no part within me or without me free from deserued condemnation my hart is corrupted my tongue and lippes profane mine eyes blinded my hands defiled my feet polluted and all the members of my body stained with the filthines of
meane to obtaine saluation But how farre we wretched sinners heere gathered together are short of feeling our own wants of power to cast off our sinnes and how far from true sanctification thou knowest And therfore louing Father in Iesus Christ clense thou vs and wee shall bee cleane sanctifie vs and we shall be holy and though our imperfections be great though our faith be weak we shall be made perfect and our obedience confirmed by the sincerity of the obedience of Christ our Sauiour whose righteousnes and merits are made ours by thy fatherly and free imputation requiring of vs mortall men only to beleeue I beleeue Lord help mine vnbeliefe that I may lift vp a pure heart vnto thee begge faithfully of thee and receiue plentifully from thee all spirituall graces that I comming vnto this holy table hauing fully cast off the habite of sinne may be clothed with the sacred Robe of Christs Innocencie and be found among the rest of thy Saints hauing on that heauenly wedding garment that I be not taken from this holy Table thrust out with shame and horror into the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth Remember not our offences Lord burie them in the graue of euerlasting forgetfulnesse forget not whereof we are made and be not vnmindefull what an armie of spirituall enemies doe continually assayle vs and how in our most deuotest and most religious actions and exercises they are most busie to seduce and circumuent vs. Assist vs therefore Lord and be thou on our side grace vs now with thy blessed presence that we may heere offer vp vnto thee our soules and bodies a holy liuely and acceptable sacrifice and become worthie Receiuers of this holy Mysterie that as we eate of this Bread and drinke of this Cup we may truly find an effectual mortification of our sinning part and a liuely viâ—ification and regeneration of our spirituall part and may be more and more changes in our liues that we may walk before thee and be vpright from hencefoorth all the dayes of our earthly pilgrimage and teach vs euer more and more to obey and loue him who so infinitly loued vs that he contented himselfe to giue his bodie to be crucified and his bloud to be shed for vs which great loue of his being heere represented vnto vs by these thy visible creatures of bread and wine giue vs truely and faithfully beleeuing hearts that we may worthily receiue them and rightly retaine the reuerend memorie of his death and be euer the better enabled to resist and abandon sinne and cleaue vnto righteousnes al the dayes of our liues that at his comming againe we may be raised and ascend with him as members sanctified and heires adopted into that inheritance which he purchased with his bloud in heauen Graciously grant this O Father for his sake that suffered that ignominious death and seale vp in our consciences by thy holy Spirit a full and liuely assurance that wee are truly ingrafted into him our head and in and by and with him shall liue eternally glorified in heauen Amen Lord increase our faith and prepare our hearts to a faithfull and reuerend receiuing of this holy Sacrament to our soules comfort A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be said after the receiuing of the Lords Supper IT is a dangerous thing vpon the recouerie of health after sicknes to suffer a relapse and falling downe againe but much more dangerous to fall into new sinnes after repentance and reconciliation with God A man hauing polluted himselfe with pitch and being clensed is worthy to suffer shame if he wallow in it againe How much more shamefull is it for a man that hath vowed reformation of his corrupt life and to forsake his sins and hath thereupon receiued in token of forgiuenesse the seale of Gods promise the Sacrament of the bodie and bloud of Christ to binde him vpon paine of condemnation to new obedience if he wilfully fall backe againe Thou therefore whatsoeuer thou be that hast beene partaker of this holy and most sacred mysterie remember what thou hast done how thou hast eaten thy saluation or damnation for there is not a meane betweene this if therefore thou hauing beene a guest at this heauenly Feast feele in thy selfe a heart not so well formerly prepared as the holy Ghost commandeth retaining still the froth and filth of thy sinnes begin now to cast them off and put on instantly the wedding garment of true regeneration that thou mayest be found worthie to sit at this holy Table and to partake of the sauing food of thy soule by chewing the cudde of continuing repentance and newnesse of life heere that hereafter thou mayest enioy the fruits of thy new birth with Christ in heauen And for as much as no man hath power of himselfe to performe that obedience in the inner man which he may promise by outward words there is no surer or more preuailing meanes then prayer And therefore it behoueth thee to continue and end this heauenly exercise with hartie prayer to God in the same Christ that he would be pleased for that his Sons sake to accept thee into the inseperable societie of his Elect Saints And let not this desire be as a pusse of winde or as a flame suddenly quenched but let it be a daily exercise to meditate of this thy holy vnion with Christ that thy backe sliding to sinne heap not vp a more heauie weight of condemnation against thee in the time of thine account when it will be demanded how thou presumest to come to that holy Table without the habite of true faith and obedience it will not boote thee to say thou camest for feare of the law or for company with the congregation for who so commeth not for and apprehendeth not inward and spirituall comfort commeth vnworthily and he that falleth to his old sins againe hath eaten this Spirituall bread and drunke of that Spirituall rocke which is Christ to his owne damnation O Lord increase my faith A Prayer to be said after the receiuing of the holy Communion GReat good and most gracious Lord God the Author and finisher of our faith who of thy free fauour hast now vouchsafed me to be a guest at this thy heauenly banquet where I haue beene refreshed not so much with the visible creatures of bread and wine for the strengthening of my weake bodie which without thy corporall nutriment cannot long indure But with the heauenly Manna the food of the soules of thy Saints the blessed body and bloud of that immaculate Lambe who sealed our attonement with thee with his bloud vpon the ignominious and grieuous crosse and there cancelled the hand-writing which was against vs and of the bond-â—â—aues of Satan made vs the free men of the new Jerusalem and in our nature and for vs and in our behalfes triumphed ouer Satan Death and Hell and now Lord as it hath pleased thee to accept me into this holy communion and to make me partaker of that
considereth that death is the end of all flesh and that sicknesse is the fore-runner of death cannot bee suddenly surprised because he stil expecteth the comming of that which whether it tarrie long or come quickly come it will and finding vs secure and wanton and carelesse and deliting our selues in the strength of our sinning parts it wil be so much the more grieuous and irkesome by how much we affect the strength to sinne which is thereby weakened And to that end doth God euen in loue punish his own children with sicknes and maladies of the bodie to kill sinne presently possessing vs and to preuent the power of future sinning and threatneth the stifnecked and rebellious with many infirmities as to smite them in the knees and in the thighes with a fore botch that they shall not be healed euen from the sole of the â—â—ore to the top of their head The Lord will make the plagues of the disobedient wonderfull and of long continuance and their diseases cruell and of long durance For as much then as Sicknesse is both the reward of sinne as also the physicke for sinne It implieth both the mercie of God towards his and his iudgements against the impenitent And therefore whosoeuer thou be that art visited with whatsoeuer bodily disease or infirmitie think that God hath sent it as a cure or a curse A cure to them that enter into the examination of their sinnes and truely repent them and a curse vnto them that make no vse of it as too many worldlings doe who in their sicknesse are as inclinable in desire to sinne as in their health And nothing preuenreth the acte of sinne but weaknes to effect it or oportunitie to attempt it If therfore the will to do euill be not mortified by the sicknes of the bodie it is an argument that that man or woman hath his or her conscience seared vp which is a fearefull estate and full of horror howsoeuer it be for the time hidden euen from his or her feeling and sence in fine it will work in the accusing conscience and bring forth the fruit of despaire of recouery of bodily health and plunge the soule into the pit of ineuitable perdition It is therefore a most dangerous negligence in men so little to consider the inconstancy of corporal health which is long in decaying yet sodaine in surprising men of greatest strength and when men are taken and cast downe be he as strong as Samson he is inforced to yeeld vnto weaknes and if he haue any sparke of grace he will then indeuour to turne his heart vnto God as Hezekiah did but then cannot his petitions be so powerfull as when he enioyed his health neither can his repentance be so well manifested being as it were wrested from him by this kinde of extremitie as when it is wrought in bodily strength for whatsoeuer commeth by compulsion is not so acceptable as what is voluntarie yet is repentance truely begun in sicknesse and effectually continued though weakly in respect of the bodies infirmity yet may it be most true through the strength of faith without repentance there is no cure comfortable to the soule or bodie Though God may permit a wicked man to be cased or cured of his bodily disease by humane physicke yet the soule lieth still in almost deadly sicknesse The truest ground of preuailing physicke is to make peace first with God the good and great Physitian according to the counsell of the Wiseman who thus aduiseth My sonne faile not in thy sicknesse to pray vnto the Lord and hee will make thee whole yet he addeth a condition That he leaue off from sinne that he order his hands aright and that he clense his heart from all wickednesse and if hw be able truely to say as Hezekiah in his sicknes did I beseech thee Lord remember now how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and haue done that which is good in thy sight Then he may bee assured that his sicknesse shall be turned from a curse to a blessing and God that hath made the wound will binde it vp and cure it he will raise him againe or giue him patience in a liuely hope to change this mortall for an immortall estate and for his patient suffering this medicinable crosse will giue him a glorious crowne of eternitie Whosoeuer therfore thou be that art visited turne vnto the Lord pray vnto him trust in him and recommend thy life death vnto his free disposition who worketh all things for the best to them that loue him A Prayer to be said of one that is sick or diseased LOrd God almightie Father louing in thy Son Iesus Christ cast thine eye of compassion â—n me thy creature whom thou hast at this time touched with sicknesse and brought low by thy present visitation Thou createdst me in the beginning not to liue euer in this â—abernacle of dust but that my liuing bodie of dust should be againe dissolued into dust without life at â—hine appointed time for all â—lesh is grasse and as the flower of the 〈◊〉 it withereth decayeth with 〈◊〉 sicknes or griefe of minde we are all but as â—arthen vessels whome thou canâ—â— make and confound with the breath of thy mouth and howsoeuer and whensoeuer the most Iustie and strong stand conceited of their health and permanent securitie of their bodies agilitie and the â—imbleâ—es of their limbes and sences suddenly thou touchest them and they become feeble in strength their beautie changed their sences dulled their hearts fainting and all the parts and powers of their bodies altered and the whole man turned as it were into the very image of pale death it selfe Thou hast appointed that all men shall once die but thou conceilest from al men the time when the place where the manner how they shall die and therefore it behâ—ueth all men to be euer watchful in well doing that when thou shalt send thy Messenger Sicknes of bodie to put them in mind that their day is comming they be not found vnprepared and great happinesse it is to him whom when he is suniâ—â—oneâ— he may chearefully say I am heereÌ„ Lord ready to attend thy will Oh make me thus ready deare father that now thou callest me I may not only not flie from thee for feare of death but hartily willingly and faithfully crie Come Lord Iesu come quickly for I am no better then my Fathers who are fallen asleepe therfore if this my sicknes be vnto death fortifie me against the feare thereof The spirit Lord is willing but flesh and bloud weake and fearefull But assist my spirit by thy sauing Spirit So shall 〈◊〉 heart within me reioyce that thou remembrest me and my weake 〈◊〉 feeble body shal sing forth thy goodnes in this sad and sicke estate all the powers of my bodie and faculties of my soule shall conioyne in the heauenly harmonie of thy sauing truth in the peace of mine owne conscience
in Iesus Christ iâ— hope that thou wilt either restore me to happie health or in thy good time take me to thy more happ 〈…〉 kingdome and howsoeuer the will shall be make me patient in my greatest fits of paine and 〈◊〉 mitigate the extremitie of my disease that I be not driuen to bee sencelesse of my sinnes or forgetfull of thy promises through the violennce thereof nor lay more vpon me Lord then I shall be able to beare Another prayer to be said of a sicke man I Doâ— confesse vnto thee Oh father my sinnes for which I do acknowledge thou doest deseruedly afflict me I cannot beare nor vndergoe the stripes that I haue deserued at thy hands who knowing thy will haue not done according vnto the same but haue cast thy holy CommaÌ„dements and mine obedience vnto them behinde my backe what I should not haue done that I haue done and what I should haue done I haue not done O vnprofitable seruant that I haue bin yet cast me not away good father for I am the worke of thine owne hands as touching the framing of this my earthly tabernacle as for sinne it is of myselfe therein was I begotten and borne and thereby doe I daily offend thee and so much the more haue I sinned by how much I haue enioyed the health and strength of my bodie and the vse of my sences and I cannot but acknowledge Lord that it is good for-me thaâ— thou hast afflicted mee with this thy fatherly visitation giue me grace to accept it as a fauour of thine and the fruit of thy mercie for my renouation and reformatiâ—on and let not Satan suggest or perswade mee that it is in iudgement as the fruit of thine indignation to driue me to despaire of the sauing health The health of my bodie is a sweet blessing vnto me yet thou knowest Lord what a spurre it is to forbidden vanities And sicknes as it is in it selfe is most grieuous and lothsome yet being seasoned with thy inward grace a sweet remedie against the killing disease of sinne Oh show it downe Lord into my distressed soule the sweet showres of thy sanctifying Spirit that I may hee sanctified throughout so shall my sicke and weake bodie bee richly and sweetly comforted in this comfortlesse condition which were it not supported by thy fauour loue could not but faint al the powers both of my soule bodie faile within me Oh speak coÌ„fortable things Lord vnto thy diseased seruant extend a fatherly helping hand to make my bed in my sicknes Thou art the Physitian of our soules bodies I am sicke in both cure me Lord in both my sicke soule hath need of the bloud of the Lambe to refresh it and to clense it from spirituall leprosse and my body Lord lieth at the foot-stoole of thy mercy and as thou by thy word didst make me in the beginning so by thy word canst thou reuiue me that am neere both spiritually corporally dead If thou in thy wisedome thinke that this my infirmity be more profitable vnto me then health or death more coÌ„uenient for me theÌ„ life performe thine owne good pleasure towards me only make me inwardly and outwardly ready that I setting both the houses of my soule and bodie in order through Christ I may recommend both into thy most sacred and sauing disposition Grant this Oh Father for Iesus Christ thy beare Sonnes sake who liueth and raigneth with thee in the heauens with whome and in whom grant Lord that I may liue and after this life raigne for euermore Amen O Lord increase my faith euermore Meditations vpon the sicke mans recouerie of his health I Will prayse thee O Lord with all my heart and I will magnifie thy name for euer for many are thy mercies towards me for thou hast deliuered my soule from the lowest graue Therefore now as thâ—â— hast renued my outward health renue my inward obedience Rectifie my iudgement make true peace in my conscience blesse my sences purifie my affections order my memorie increase and con 〈…〉 e my loue of thee who hast shewâ—â— me more mercies and fauours then my tongue can expresse O my soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within thee praise his holy name my soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefits which forgiueth all thy sinnes and healeth all thine infirmities which hath redeemed thy life from the graue crowned thee with mercie and louing kindnesse which filleth thy mouth with good things and renueth thine age as an Eagle Thou Lord are full of compassion and mercie slow to anger and of great goodnesse thou wilt not alway childe neither keepest thou thine anger for euer Thou hast not dealt with mee according to my sinnes nor rewarded mee according to mine iniquities As a father hath compassion on his sonne so hast thou compassion on them that feare thee I will praise thee O Lord among the people I will sing vnto thee in the congregation of the Saints for thy mercie is great aboue the Heauens and thy truth reacheth vnto the cloudes Thou knowâ—st whereof I am made Thou remembrest that I am but dust Let my soule therefore liue and it shall prayse thee Lord increase my faith and confirme it ouermore in Christ Iesus Amen A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be said of such as visite a sicke friend or brother MAn that is borne of a â—â—man hath but a short time to liue and is full of miserie Therefore is euery man subiect to sicknes and death To bewaile therefore the sickenesse or death of our dearest friends beyond that which is â—it is much to be reproued because it argueth a kinde of discontent that God should visite vs in the visitation of our friends children or dearest parents We must therefore auoid two extreameâ— â—â—â—st that we sorrow not as doe the Heathen that haue no hope of a future better life Secondly wee must beware wee follow not the steps of Ieroboam who â—ought help at the hands of Baal-zebuâ— for his sonne And as did Ahaziah in his owne sicknesse we must rather enter into an holy consideration that God in whatsoeuer he layeth vpon our selues or vpon them we loue as our selues it is for his owne glory and therefore to be praised of vs both for ours the good of those our friends whom he afflicteth if we beleeue his promises that all things shall worke together for the good of them that loue him The best office then and the most Christian duety that a Father can performe for and in the behalfe of his sicke childe or one deare friend or brother for another is first to admonish him that sinnes cause sicknesse and to moue him to repent them that euery man is borne to die and therefore to perswade him to prepare himselfe for another condition not to flatter him as too many doe as that they seenâ— cause why he should feare death at this time they seeme rather to assure him
he shal recouer and liue with them which kinde of comfort is rather iniurious then friendly for what if the partie thus idlely secured perish without repentance These kindes of comforters haue little cause to imagine they haue performed a Christian dutie in this their visitation of their sick friend whom they seemed to loue much bewailing his sicknes and yet content to send him away with the heauie burden of his sinnes A second Christian duty is to pray for the sicke either in priuate or in publike assemblies of and with such as are present with the sick person wherein also the sicke person may conioyne either in the whole prayer by an inward lifting vp of his repenting and faithful heart to God in a holy meditation of what they pray or to conclude with them all Amen The prayer of the faithfull auaileth much if it be feruent The Lord by this meanes will strengthen him vpon his bed raise him to health or translate him in his good time To visite the sicke is an action most acceptable to God Yee haue visited me saith Christ when I was sicke therefore c 〈…〉 yee blessed c. Them that comfort the afflicted God will comfort He is the Father of mercies and comforteth vs 〈◊〉 all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort them which are in any aff 〈…〉 by the comfort wherewith we our selues are comforted of God O Lord increase my faith A Prayer to be said for a sicke man or woman of his or her friendes that visite them O Most gracious Lord God who hast made all things preseruest euen the meanest of them by thy prouidence a sparrow lighteth not on the ground without thee Much lesse can any thing befall man but by thy will and determinate counsell So that we doe acknowledge that thou visitest this thy seruant here at this present languishing and that the present infirmity wherewith he is afflicted is of theesent to humble him for his sinnes Let it please thee O Lord to behold him in mercy and lay not vpon him too great a weight of thy dispeasure knowing that man in his greatest strength is weake how much more feeble being crushed as it were in â—eeces by the violence of thy visitation mitigate if it please thee the extremitie of his sicknesse and giue him patience to beare this thy light and louing correction And for that sinne is the cause of all troubles and tribulations Remoue Lord the guilt of all his offences through the merits of Iesus Christ and moderate his punishmeÌ„t though in iustice the most iust man is worthy of more stripes then he is able to beare yet thou refusest no truely repenting sinner bee his sins as reâ— as scarlet thou hast promised to make them as white as snow through the blood of Iesus Christ the sauing Lambe that taketh away the sinnes of the world Touch the hart of this thy seruant with a liuely feeling of his sinnes and a full assurance of thy mercy in forgiuing them That hee being really reunited vnto thee through an â—ufained faith in Christ may â—ouze vp his fainting soule vnto thee and by thee that howsoeuer his corporall weakenesse may argue the heauy displeasure towards him thy holy Spirit may yet work such peace in his conscienc through the assurance that his sins are freely forgiuen him that hee may take this thy visitation as a fatherly correction and louing chastisement for his former offences And that if thou be pleased to restore him to health it may worke in him a true renouation reformation of the rest of his life heare haue mercy vpon him O Lord haue mercy vpon him and according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away all his offences Looke fauourably vpon him cure him if it please thee restore him to health if it may stand with thy glory and his good But thou knowest Lord whether sickenesse or health bee most expedient for him whereof both he and wee are ignorant And therefore wee recommend him vnto thy fatherly disposition beseeching thee to confirme his hope assure him so of thy mercie that hee may imbrace life or death at thy pleasure and willingly to vndergoe this affliction knowing that all the tribulations which man can beare in this life are not worthy of the glory which thou hast prepared for them that loue thy second comming whâ—â— thou wilt giue to euery man according to his workes And therfore Lord turne his heart from the loue and vanities of this life vnto thâ— loue of the ioyes to come And 〈◊〉 him no longer set his heart and affections vpon this world or thâ— things in the world but onely and altogether vpon heauen and heauenly things That when the moment of time shall be wherein thâ—â— shalt determine the separation 〈◊〉 his soule from the bodie let 〈◊〉 the common enemie of our saluâ—tion preuent him But let thy sanctifying spirit possesse all thâ— powers of his soule that with holy alacritie and cheerefulnesse he may commend his spirit into thy hands and be thou pleased to reâ—â—iue him as one of thine adopted children into that celestial inheritance by the merits of Christ And in the meane time while hee shall rest here either in health or sickenesse be euer present with him for whose bodily recouery and hiâ— soules saluation O Lord hearâ— our prayers and let our cry come vnto thee Amen O Lord increase his and our faith for euermore A MOTIVE TO A Prayer before a man bâ—gin his Iourney HEe that well considereth the casualties of this life and hath but the least measure of vnderstanding and of the feare of God cannot attempt the least enterprise of the body but will forecast diuers daÌ„gers incident in euery action much more taking a Iourney on horse or foot being subiect to so many misfortunes and crosses as he maketh steppes in his wayes It is not rare to heare of one breaking his legge another his arme a third bruzing his body a fourth comming to vntimely death by falling off or from his horse nay the slip of the foote hath many wayes occasioned death besides hazard of meeting with and suffâ—ring danger by the ministers of Sathan and by malignant men laying wait to doe mischiefe Our bodies being thuâ— daily and vniuersally beset with perill requireth watchfulnesse in our wayes and walkings But it is not in our power wisdome to preuent the least crosse much lesse able are we to defend our selues as of our selues froÌ„ the hidden and sudden misfortunes of this lifes casualties And therefore had we neede to leaue our owne selfe wisedome and prouidence though not our Christian care and betake vâ— to the holy protection of the Holy one of Israel who guided Iacob in his Iourney towards Laban and the seruant of Abraham iourneying for a wife for Isack But they prayed for good successe So must euery faithfull man if he hope of the like Otherwise as the Lyon mette the Prophet and sâ—ue him So can God rayse
and wayes are full of hidden dangers which without thy protection could not but haue faln vpoÌ„ me so is not this place whereinto I am safely retired by thy prouidence free from perils and therefore as thou hast hitherunto kept me keepe me now in this place wherein if thou dwel not by thy power and louing fauor there cannot but abide Sathan sinne and vanities powerfull enemies and able to surprise the strongest naturall man Strengthen me Lord aboue nature and helpe the parts of most infirmitie that my soule body being strengthened I may be able to giue thâ—â— the more sound prayses and haue spirituall power to resist whatsoeuer shall spiritually seeke to seducâ— me and in thy prouidence preseruâ— me in body safe giue me whatsoeuer is needfull for me in this place and continue thy louing fauour towards me that all things at all times in all places may prosperously succeed vnto me depart not from me good Father but blesse me first that I may be euer blessed So shall all things goe well with me both going foorth and comming in and all things worke together for my continuall consolation wherefore giue me grace euer to loue thee in Christ mine euerlasting Redeemer Amen O Lord increase my faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be said before a Sermon MAn by nature being a sincke of corruption and a gulfe of hidden hypocrisie his conscience naturally oppressed with a slauish feare lest his inward and secret euill thoughts should be reueiled and his hidden iniquities discouered as much as in him lyeth coueteth to shun the light of the word of God which comprehendeth both the killing Law and the sauing glad tidings of the Gospel by the one he is condemned and therefore hateth the sentence which pronounceth that whosoeuer sinneth shall die yet apprehendeth he not either the grieuousnesse of his sinnes nor the miserie of the Gospel which is the preaching of repentance and the forgiuenesse of sinnes but lying securely in his sinnes thinketh not of any account and therfore regardeth not much the word preached But wheÌ„ shame or authoritie presseth the carnall man to heare the word he thâ—â— heareth sinne reproued and the sinfull condemned which is so vâ—sauâ—ry vnto him as he wisheth himselfe out of the hearing Herod could not endure the preaching of Iohn Baptiâ—â— reprouing him for his brothers wife be it the Law or the Gospel that such men heare it is as harsh vnto them as the words of Michaiah to Ahab yet we must vnderstand that though maâ— deliuer the word it is not his but the word of God and therefore no man but such a one as is yet in the state of reprobation wil refuse to he are God who is mercifull and louing speake vnto him if it be but the threatning Law which teacheth what is sinne and what is the reward of sinne wherby being cast downe with sorrow that he hath committed things so contrary to the will of his Creator he may seeke atonement and reconciliation with his offended God by the Gospel the testimonie of his loue Are not my words saith God good vnto him that walkes vprightly Therefore none but the obstinately wicked will shun the word preached which aswell offereth remission of sinnes committed as it threatneth death to the impenitent The Scriptures in many places command vs to seeke the Lord which argueth that we by nature are strangers from God separated by sinne and to remaine so is the most miserable condition that can befall the sonnes of men And where is the Lord to be sought but in his word which is the life of the soule As the soule body are knit together and conserued by breath So are our soules connexed and conioyned vnto God by the word of truth preached by Gods minister apprehended by faith and practised in spirit and truth The naturall man couets and delights to refresh himselfe in his griefes and crosses by musicke by merry company and by reading prophane bookes or hearing pleasant conceited songs or comedies which doe not onely not comfort but rather increase their griefes Contrarily Dauid protested that hee sought and found the onely true comfort in the word of God So doe all that are truely qualified in the rules of right religion though worldlings account it a melancholike wearinesse to sit an houâ—e to heare God speake vnto them But let them thinke that this wearinesse shall be a witnesse against them that they belong not to the Lord. Euery man desires to see his image in a glasse for two ends the one to see his feature the other to correct his deformities And Saint Iames compares the word of God to a glasse wherein are two sorts of Images discouered namely of Nature and Grace The first sheweth what we our selues are the second what we ought to seeke to be namely to be like vnto our head Christ Iesus in all sanctitie and holinesse in suffering patiently and obeying God truely This is by no other meanes learned but by the word of God preiched But some that haue made the least progresse in the loue to godlinesse of life thinke it sufficient to read the word of God or the workes of good and godly men at home an exercise not to bee in it selfe condemned but in respect of it to neglect the word preached is the contempt of Gods ordinance who hath in greatest fauour instituted his ministers to teach by the powerfull preaching of the word which worketh a more deepe impression in the heart of the hearer then of the reader For if wee consider the authoritie of the word preached it is from God the ministery from the mouth of man who is the mouth of God he therefore that neglects or contemnes the word preached neglectes the meanes of his saluation which is faith in Christ Iesus For faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God preached It is not yet sufficient to heare the word but as Marie laid vp the word in her heart so must euery profitable hearer retaine the word in their mindes permit it to rule in their affections and to bring foorth the fruits thereof in their actions reioycing when they doe the commandements of God and grieuing when they transgresse the same And because there be many things that hinder the growing of this sauing seede and many grounds receiue it but onely one namely good ground can bring forth the fruit It behooueth to pray that our hearts may be made fit to heare our affections fit to loue and our whole man apt to cherish this seede by continuall holy practise Lord increase my faith A Prayer to be said before the hearing of a Sermon THou Lord hast commanded vs or rather louingly inuited vs to seeke thy face and yet thou art in the highest heauens among thine Angels Seraphims and Cherubims and wee dust and ashes are in the earth full of infirmities not able to looke vnto much lesse into the heauens to behold thee there no the very Angels hide
their faces at the glory of thy great Maiestie And as for man clothed with mortality thou affirmest cannot see thy face and liue And yet thou sayest Seeke my face Lord what is it to seeke thy face but to seeke thy truth and to search thy word to couet to know thy will and to bee truely instructed and faithfully and sincerely inclined to keepe thy commaundements Thy word is a light vnto our pathes and a lanthorne vnto our feet It is the life of our soules the heauenly Manna without it there is no light no hope no spirituall comfort no assurance of saluation O how deare ought this word then be vnto vs Farre more sweet then the hony or the hony combe more precious then golde yea then the finest gold therein Lord see wee thy face therein beholde wee thy louing countenance there finde we the hidde pearle which to purchase the wisest will sell all worldly vanities yet is it to the foolish foolishnesse and a stumbling blocke vnto the carnally minded Jt is a mysterie Lord and a secret hidden from the wise of the world and reuealed onely vnto the humble to such as acknowledge themselues ignorant and hunger and thirst for the knowledge of the truth Such hast thou promised to teach and to instruct in the way of true wisedome by reuealing thy word which howsoeuer it seeme in the outward letter easie to be vnderstood it hath a spirituall and diuine sense which requireth a spirituall and diuine interpretation which commeth not neither can it be apprehended by nature And therefore in thy great mercy and loue thou hast ordained meanes whereby they whom thou hast appointed to saluation may bee made able to vnderstand the same namely the outward ministrie of men and the iuward elumination of thy holy spirit for without the second the first auayleth nothing neither in the minister that speaketh nor they to whom he speaketh vnlesse hee be sent of thee and the hearers eares opened and their hearts prepared by thee hee preacheth and they heare in vaine To the one a woe is pronounced as not preaching the Gospel sincerely to the other a curse for not receiuing the good word of truth as into good and fruitfull ground bringing foorth the liuely fruits of a life answerable to that word which is either the sauour of life vnto life or the sauor of death vnto death O Lord I am now come into thy presence to heare thee speake vnto vs here assembled by the mouth of thy seruant whom thou hast sent to preach thy word open therefore mine eares prepare my heart sanctifie mine Attention inlighten mine Vnderstanding strengthen my memorie rectifie my will that I may diligently heare attentiuely harken retentiuely remember and willingly imbrace and practice what shall bee truely and sincerely deliuered by thy minister And let not thy word Lord that shall fall from his mouth bee either choaked in mee with the thorny cares of the world nor be cast into so corrupt a heart as the vaine delights of my minde should deuoure it nor into so â—arraine a heart as should not bring foorth fruit at the least twentie fold to the glory and prayse of thy most blessed name to the beâ—â—ering and better direction of my conuersation before men to the assurance and sure sealing vp of my saluation in Jesus Christ to whom with thee O Father and the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 prayse for euer Amen Lord increase my faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to bee said after a Sermon heard AS the body of a man 〈◊〉 beast neither groweth to strength nor co 〈…〉 nueth in health without naturall foodâ— no more can the soule of man liue without Spirituall food the word of God And as man by art helpeth nature to concoct and digest his food to make it nutratiue to his body So the spiritual man hauing heard the sauing word of God vseth the means to make it profitable to the soule for as natural food takeÌ„ into the mouth and instantly spet out againe though it be a while detained and chawed and not taken into the bodie relieueth not the body So the Word heard with the care and not conueyed into and retained in the heart yeeldeth no comfort vnto the soule but rather worketh a kinde of contempt by custome and a kinde of lothing of the Word as a matter without the which his soule may liue for as that meate wherein the pallet hath no feeling of a pleasing taste delighteth not the appetiâ—â— no more can that Word which is not sauourie and delightfull to the soule be pleasing or profitable to the outward eare and consequently nothing comfortable to the vnfeeling soule But it is not in the power of man by nature profitably or with comfort to heare much lesse to make true vse of the word of God It is the gift of God to open the eare which is common to the good and bad hearers but a worke of the holy Ghost to open and prepare the heart to receiue the Word and to bring forth the fruit thereof without the which it is not only not an idle sound but a killing letter for it neuer falleth into the ears of any but it is either the sauour of life vnto life by the operation of faith and repentance or the sauour of death vnto death by the hardnes of the impenetrable and impenitent heart Therfore it much behoueth Christians not only to be carefull to heare but to be diligent and considerate how they heare to lay it vp in their hearts to make vse of it vpon all occasions in prosperity and aduersitie in sicknes and health and in what estate soeuer he is for it is as a treasure to purchase in euery calamitie comfort through patience and in all consolation inward or outward liuely and true thankfulnes Whatsoeuer or whosoeuer therefore thou be that hast at any time tasted of the good word of God forget not that although it be pronounced by man it is the word of the most Highest who will take an account of thee how and what thou hast heard and if thou fold it vp in the napking of forgetfulnes and put it not forth to the vse of thy soule it shall be taken from thee euen that thou hast and thou cast out of his presence whose word and counsaile thou hast so neglected Be not therefore forgetfull to ruminate and as it were often to â—hew the cud of that word thou hearest as at the mouth of God and because we are naturally al flow to heare what we should heare and our mindes very hard to retaine the good things proceeding out of the mouth of God we are to pray and humbly to petition the Lord of life to turne the word heard to the sauour of life vnto our eternally life it ought to be our continuall studie yea aboue al our worldly cares and occasions to meditate of the word we haue heard that it slippe not out of our mindes it is a Iewell which we shall hardly
holy life And no action produceth more solide comfort in all occasions of the hearts heauines then doth the practise of true prayer and supplication in the spirit to God who is more moued therby then with any other whatsoeuer sacrifice of man and the neglect of this most holy duetie is more inexcusable then any other diuine action whatsoeuer Euery man cannot giue almes by reason he wanteth the meanes yet may he Pray many godly duties may be omitted by necessitie but Prayer neuer nothing pleaseth God more nor appeaseth him sooner then Prayer And nothing more woundeth and resisteth that spiritual enemie then it And that maketh him seeke and execute all meanes to preuent peruert hinder it As long as a maÌ„liueth carelessely carnally and sencelesse of the necessitie of this diuine duty SataÌ„ neuer trobles him he is at peace with him but let him begin to addresse himselfe to God in Prayer then wil that subtile Serpent thrust in a thousand opposite thoughts to crosse his holy intention Prayer is a most irâ—some exercise to Satan he neuer hath or wil permit a man truely to serue God but hee will peruert his will and holy affections as much as in him lieth and therefore must euery man that wil liue in this sacred seruice of God arme himselfe to the combate as euery true childe of God well knoweth by experience The reading of prophâ—ne bookes gaming surfeting drunkennesse whoredome corporall and carnall delights and worldly affaires passe without breach of league with Satan neyther troubleth it the minde of the secure man But Prayer so farre troubles and disquiets the Serpent that he roares like a Lion against it which argueth Prayer to bee the onely and safest defence against Satan and Hel and the vanities of this life to be the weapons which mortal men beare and vse to fight for Sâ—tan against God A fearefull condition it is to bee bewitched with these corporall carnal and worldly inchantments which so possesse the hearts and soules of such as neglect Prayer as they are alreadie dead in their soules being yet aliue in their bodies they are alreadie partakers of that blacke and infernall darknesse heere onely weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth futurely attend them Happie therefore is that man and happie is that family that haue the holy exercise of prayer in continuall vse though in continuall warre with Satan and his Angels and instruments It is frequent in your family let no worldly occasion discontinue it It seasoneth all your actions and maketh them acceptable to God helpfull to men profitable to your selfe God hath giuen you a rich taste of his blessings let him still smell that sweete sauour of your continuall supplications and thankfulnes which you haue begun you runne well continue to the end Looke not back lest you lose the rich prize you first aimed at for a vanishing shadow that will flie from you and faile you when you come to your race end I need not aduertise you that there are in euery man two coÌ„trarie substances the Soule and the Bodie and that euerie man is euen so capable of two contrary and incompatible pleasures the spirituall and the carnall and so farre as doth the substance so far doth the pleasure of the soule exceed that of the bodie which being but a painted and temporarie pleasure is neuer desired of those that are truely acquainted with the delights of the soule which are eternall Thus I write Right worshipfull not to teach you but as a louing Prompter to put you in minde of your first loue to him that loued you first loue him and serue him still and hee will blesse you still and so I wish in him whom he loueth best Christ our common Sauiour and Redeemer Hendon this 6. of May 1615. Your Worships euer to be commanded IOHN NORDEN A FAMILIAR Admonition to the Christian Reader touching the most comfortable exercise of Diuine Prayer Seeke the Lord while hee may bee found call vpon him while he is neere Esai 55. 6. THere are three things especially to be considered in the true seeking calling vpon God The first is Preparation before we call vpon God in prayer The second is Attention in Prayer The third and last is Thanksgiuing after prayer Preparation to Prayer As touching the first namely preparation we may obserue and vse a kinde of imitation of men occasioned to comunicate with mortall Princes who are obserued to to preponder with themselues first how to shape their behauiour and externall gesture Secondly how toâ— frame their speech to gaine Attention of him to whom they speake and how to auoide the censure of indiscretion in the deliuery of what they affirme or defend If such curiositie and carefulnesse be necessarily obserued in our communication with men whose breath is in their nosthrels how much more obseruant and carefull ought we to bee when wee addresse our selues to speake vnto the Maiestie of the immortal God To intrude abruptly into the presence of this great God vnaduisedly to speake vnto him becommeth not a petitioner but bewrayeth an vnsanctified and an vnprepared heart rather tempting and dishonouring then glorifying of the name of God And therefore before we presume to present our petitions to God in hope to be heard we must prepare ourselues not in our outwardgesture onely in eloquence of words and Pharisaicall outward holines But in rightly ordering and disposing the affections of the inner man which if they be set on carnall or earthly vanities if our hearts delight in the fruits of the flesh and the vnprofitable works of darknesse though our words be neuer so good of themselues we may feare the reward of Ananias and Saphira his wife who brought a part of their substance hypocritically conceiling the rest and layd that part at the Apostles feet So if we come vnto God giuing him good words keeping backe our hearts to serue our owne carnall and prophane appetites Shall we thinke that God will be content with the leaues of our good words when we giue the fruits of our hearts to the world will God take such hypocrites by the hand we must know that vnlesse we can truely and vnfeinedly cast off our carnall thoughts corrupt desires and sinnefull affections it cannot be that God who loueth holinesse and truth in the inward affections can looke vpon vs as vpon his children who speake vnto him as to a father with counterfeit words proceeding from vnsanctified hearts When wee come therefore vnto God in prayer we must depart from all iniquitie knowing that he heareth not sinners such as the promises of God cannot win to obedience nor his threates inforce to forsake their sinnes who yet will aduenture to rush rashly into the presence of God in a formall kind of praying with the lips without any premeditation preparation or reformation of the heart at all These offer wordes for deedes Leaues for Fruit Wolues for Lambes and all maner halt lame blinde and blemished sacrifices and yet
would seeme holy And so instead of a blessing procure a curse vnto themselues for their hypocrisie Wee must consider that God is a iealous God holdeth none guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine as they manifestly doe that come neere him with their lips when their hearts are farre from him It is a kind of spirituall adultery outwardly to seeme wholy to be gods and yet inwardly to be meere worldlings Before we open our mouthes therefore to God we must cast out of the Temple of God which is our heart all buyers and sellers as Christ did out of the Temple of Ierusalem for as long as our hearts doe harbour the desires of worldly profits and carnall pleasures aboue the sincere seruice of God our heart the Temple of the liuing God becommeth a den of theeues that steales away all our godly affections to settle them on Belial Let vs looke vnto the man Christ Iesus crucified by whose blood wee are redeemed by whose mediation wee are sure to haue our prayers heard of God and granted especially if for our further and more perfect preparation we can truely obserue the rule of Christ to forgiue our enemies knowing that if we forgiue not our brother that offendeth vs God will not forgiue vs that farre more grieuously offend him And therefore Christ counselleth vs that if we bring our sacrifice to the Altar namely if we intend to pray and there remember that a brother hath ought against vs we ought to leaue our offering before the Altar that is forbear for the time to pray yet to continue our holy intention to pray and to goe first and bee reconciled to our brother and then to come to offer our gift namely our prayers freely vnto God in Christ for before we be vnburthened of all rancor malice enuie hatred and all other prophane desires it is not only not auaileable but lamentable that so many will as doe presume to come before God with hearts so fearefully fraught with these vnholy affections and stagger no more to presse into Gods presence nay not so much as some that come vnto God with most prepared peacefull and most sanctified consciences Let such cast-out the bond woman with her sonne namely the old man the works and lusts of the flesh and giue entertainment vnto the free-woman and her sonne the new man which after God is created vnto righteousnes and true holines And so recommend our prayers vnto God the obiect of our prayers in Christ the Mediator of our prayers by the holy Ghost the Author of all holy prayers Attention in Prayer Being thus prepared let vs endeuour to yeeld due and true attention in our prayers that is to giue â—eed to what we pray to whom we pray for what we pray and with what zeale we pray which are the truest tokens and greatest arguments that our prayers are liuely powerfull effectuall and of faith which properties can neuer be in lip-labour for there cannot be a more apparent discouery of a rancke Hypocrite then to make outward showes of Deuotion with the gesture and lippes and yet the heart to be busied in the cogitation of idle â—arthly and prophane things And nothing more discouereth an idle heart outwardly then the wandering of the eye in the time of diuine prayer for it is probable and often found by experience that the eye withdraweth the heart and if the eye be inconstant the prayer hath not nor can haue the due attention of the heart yet it doth not follow that although the eye bee fixed on any certaine obiect or be shut that therefore the heart is rightly set on God for oftentimes the eye followes the heart the cogitation of the heart making the eye to forget it obiect as when the heart is wandring in the fields of corne viewing the herdes of cattle and flockes of sheepe when it is in the ware-house in the shoppe in the chest minding bands payments ouercome with pride plotting reuenge oppressed with feare besotted with pleasure iâ—tangled with cares or otherwise peruerted by any prophane and vngodly cogitations Prayers made witls such an extraâ—agant heart be they in words neuer so holy they are imputed vnto vs as sin for shall wee thinke that God will heare our prayers to our profit or comfort when the thoughts of our hearts in the meane time dishonor him Many pray in their owne familiar language and yet consider no more what they speake for want of attention then if they spake in an vnknowne tongue and yet such men will hold themselues very deuout and to haue power in themselues to pray when they list as if true prayer werâ— of that facilitie and ease to vtter as is an idle tale and as it seemes by beggers that tumble out the Lords prayer with one breath at a doore and yet minde nothing but their almes Such men are to be pitied and to be wished better to aduise themselues before they attempt this seruice of God most holy for Prayer is not an easie worke it is of a deeper straine then a tale that is but from the tongue to the teeth from the teeth to the lips and so into the ayre True prayer is cordiall and of that force and efficacie as it constraineth the heart to sighes groanes and teares with such inward â—eâ—uencie of holy zeale as tenters the heart with such internall gripes as may bee truly said the râ—ting of the hart And the more we feele our hearts thus inwardly sharply touched so much the more comfort it yeeldeth to the soule of the faithfull petitioner yea such and so great consolation as he that feeles it cannot expresse it with his tongue be he neuer so eloquent neither can any conceiue or apprehend the sweetnes of it that is not exercised and experienced in the same for nature apprehendeth it not No man can say that Iesus is Christ but by the holy Ghost and none can desire the Spirit of God but by the Spirit of God Flesh and bloud cannot as much as desire spirituall things spiritually for spirituall things are to be compared with spirituall things and spirituall gifts are obtained by spirituall meanes And therefore are words without the spirit as naked and bare incense without fire but being inkindled in the heart and sanctified by the holy spirit of God who is promised to assist our spirits they are as a liuely and acceptable sacrifice to God working so powerfully with him through Christs mediâ—tion as they neuer returne empty of what soeuer blessing we desire Prayer can neuer be effectuall 〈◊〉 there be sâ—me certaine spirituall obiect of the mind to moue the attention of the heart which obiect is God and we must consider that when we pray vnto him or yeeld him any other worship that we are not to conceiue him in the forme of any earthly or heauenly bodily or spirituall creature whatsoeuer for in that maner not to conceiue him is a degree of coÌ„ceiuing him a right according to Master Perkins
MARIES persecution which was maruailous in euery mans eyes But which is more maruailous the same Religion is continued by the meere loue and prouidence of God in raising vnto vs a Prince of most admired learning of sincerest pietie And that when it was vniuersally either expected or suspected to haue bin vtterly abolished and rooted out vpon the dissolution of the precedent Gouernesse we hauing then the free vse of the meanes of our Saluation vnder God by our worthiest of Kings wee should shew our selues most vnworthie both of it and him if we should not most louingly embrace him vnfainedly honor him cheerefully obey him willingly aide him and zealously pray for him Many other Princes tyrannously suppresse what hee religiously maintaineth the sincere seruice of God In so much as in regard of the time that wee haue had true Religion in free vse wee might haue beene all teachers of the Truth yea the meanest amongst vs of competent age might haue beene as Doctors and all our Diuine Doctors as the Angels of God But which is lamentable to be considered the most of vs are not only not able to instruct them of our owne housholds but haue nee de that the principles of Christian Religion should be taught vs anew How shall we then answere the Master of this great Family that hath giuen vs many talents to vse to our soules profit who when he shall come to take our account and finde that we haue not only not profited by them but to haue wasted them vpon our vanities will hee allow our counterfeite hearing of his Word our idle prayers our workes of darknesse Hee hath giuen vs the light of truth and hidden it from many millions of soules altogether in Asia Africa and America and dazeled the eyes of many in Europe that onely see a glimmering of that light which lighteneth the world and yet many in their pretended light comprehended it not To passe ouer such as are â—emisted in Europe let vs looke into some of the territories of the East and West Indies Into Brasill Callicut Virginia and many other Nations in those parts who know no other GOD but the Diuell to whom they pray whom they worshippe and to whom they doe sacrifice offering their dearest children vnto him The Guyneans adore for their god the Creature which they first meetâ— in the morning Beast Bird or Serpent The Angolans honour the Sunne as the greatest god and the Moone as the lesse Besides which euery man hath his peculiar god according to his owne priuate fansie In the Kingdome of Loaugo in Africa are a people called Anziques hauing in vse the Sâ—ale of the first Couenant Circumcision yet hath God left them to that more then bestiall condition as they will cut their owne flesh and butcher themselues for their deceiuing Mahomets sake yet doe they eate one the other fatting their slaues like hogs hauing a Shamble Market and Cookeries of mans flesh and the neerest of kin is killed and eaten for the greatest and rarest daintie Many other like Canibals are in those partes visibly seene to eate men really But in some other more neere territories they deuoure men aliue Couert Canibals It were much to remember all the nations infinite vnder the apparant captiuitie of Sathan who how hee bewitched the olde world with false gods the Canonicall Scriptures doe declare The Sidonians adored Balaam and Ashteroth The Ammonites Moloch The Moabites Chamos The Babylonians Bel the father of Ninus To whose counterfeit that great king Cyrus did worship and allowed a dayly dyet of twelue measures of fine flowre containing of our statute measure thirteene bushels and a halfe fortie sheepe and sixe great potts of wine of our measure threescore gallons This was a gluttonous god a besoâ—ted king a bewitched people and most accursed priestes that coozoned their god of his victuals whom by this meanes the deuill robbed of their Saluation Besides these whom God hath shut vp vnder darknesse the dispersed runnagate Iewes are most of all the rest to bee condemned who wilfully abandoned their Messias whom they knew and crucified And according to their owne imprecation are helde still in most palpable blindnesse and in â—â—auerie both in bodies and soules hauing neither Scepter gouernour nor gouernement nor any certaine place of commorance Insomuch as if all the people nations and tongues in Asia Africa America and Europe were truely calculated and their Religions discouered as Master PVRCHACE hath most worthily begunne there would not bee found vpon the earths vniuersall Globe one of two hundred parts truely professing Christ without whome there is no promise of Saluation which discouereth the most miserable condition of infinite millions of people vnder the slauery of Sathan and our most happy and most blessed estate vnder Christ whose Gospell we enioy whose promises we haue whose merits are ours whose mercies we find the aide and helpe of whose spirit wee feele Greater blessings God could neuer haue bestowed on man for these in earth are but pledges of our saluation in Heauen which being well weighed and compared to the former forlorne Nations cannot in reason but mooue vs to loue and to serue this so mercifull a GOD with such sincere and intire affection as should swallow vp in vs all worldly and carnall desires and as it were rauish vs with most spirituall contemplations But if wee that haue receiued so manie and sure tokens of our blessednesse in Christ and hauing promised and vowed obedience to GOD in him If we I say that haue the name of Christians should liue like these Pagans It had beene better for vs neuer to haue knowne the truth for it shall bee easier in th 〈…〉 daie of iudgement for Pagans that neuer knew GOD then for vs that know his will and doe it not And it is probable that if the blindest of these blinde Nations â—ad had the time of the learning of Christ crucified as wee haue had they had beene Christians and exceeded our present sinceritie sanctitie zeale obedience and true seruice of the liuing God in CHRIST by the Holy Ghost Let vs therefore well weigh our happinesse in respect of theirs that are in a most cursed condition and let vs consider that there is with GOD Mercie and Iustice hee can call them in his free mercie as he called vs and reiect vs in his Iustice for our contempt of his Word And therefore as wee haue the light let vs walke in the light as children of the light Let euery one as hee professeth practise the truth and depart euery one from his euill way and cheerefully call vpon the Lord Iesus Let vs abandon all our carnall affections our moderate libertie our too much securitie and our coldnesse in our Religion knowing that most vnsauourie seruitude followes these at the heeles For GOD hath his Pharaoh his Nabucadnezer and manie other like Tyâ—aâ—ts alwayes readily prepared besides infinite other plagues to afflict and confound a rebellious and thanklesse people Hee hath
often and fearefully threatned vs and yet he hath still put vp his rodde againe in mercie But did hee not see manie thinges amisse in vs he would forbeare to threaten as he hath done And who so seeth not manie things out of course in the carriage of men in their vngodly actions wilfully shuts the eyes of reason and seeth nothing aâ— all with the eyes of Religion Let vs therefore be continually watchfull in prayer that when the Lord commeth to Iudgement we may be so prepared with our Lamps in our hands to attend his comming as becommeth the children of God Thine in Christian goodwill IO. NORDEN A PENSIVE SOVLES Delight A Motiue to Prayer IN our preparation to prayer we must first consider that hee to whome wee speake is the Father of light and we are by nature the children of darknesse we must therefore call vpon him in the sinceritie and vprightnes of our harts for he loues truth in the inward affections Secondly he is the Father of glory we must therefore come before him with feare and reuerence for we are but dust and ashes Thirdly he is the Father of mercie therefore we must repent of our sins and then being thus prepared let vs draw neere vnto him with a pure heart in assurance and faith So will he heare vs and grant better things vnto vs then we know how to aske A prayer for the assistance of Gods holy Spirit in any spirituall or godly corporall action or endeuour fit to be vsed before euery lawfull enterprise especially before euery diuine exercise O Gracious Lord God most merciful louing and helping Father the supporter of the weake the light of the blinde the teacher of the ignorant the directer of all that call vpon thee in their godly endeuors I humbly beseech thy Maiestie in the name of thy Sonne Christ Iesus to heare me in whom thou hast promised to giue vnto thy children what they aske to finde what they seeke and to open vnto them when they knocke I come vnto thee good Father not in mine owne but in his name intreating thee not for mine owne but for his sake to accept me into thy presence to giue me thy holy Spirit of wisedome that I may receiue mercie and finde grace Open vnto mee the gate of true knowledge and assist me in mine intended enterprise for of my selfe I am of a dull and weake vnderstanding of a corrupt conuersation of a polluted heart and of prophane lips vnworthy of my selfe to attempt any worldly or corporall enterprise much lesse worthy to take thy blessed name into my mouth or to intermeddle with any diuine office function or calling But touch my hart Lord and inkindle it with a coale from thine Altar so shal my heart be renued reformed and enlarged the words of my mouth sanctified and the workes of my hands blessed According therefore vnto thy promise Lord open my mouth and fill it strengthen my hands and confirme the powers and senses both of my soule and bodie to euery good and godly action It is not in my power without thy power to open my naturall lippes much lesse able yeâ— altogether vnable to open the dore of my heart and to prepare mine owne affections to any diuine and holy action or to frame the powers of my body rightly in any comfortable enterprise without thy meere working in me both the will and the deed Only my confidence is Lord that thou wilt be pleased to assist me to inlighten my heart to increase my knowledge and to giue me vnderstanding according to thy word That by thee I may be enabled in all mine actions enterprises and inâ—euours to set forth thine owne glory Sanctifâ—e my inward desires blesse the will and the worke in me and accept my weake will for the effectuall deed And so season me in both that I may be sanctified throughout And grant that the fruits of all mine endeuours may so effectually appeare that my selfe in them and by them may be comforted and thy children to whose vse also as to mine owne I truly intend them may bee benefited and stirred vp to a more liuely feeling of their owne wants and a more serious desire to pray to thee for thy blessings and to praise thee for thy relieuing fauours That we thy weake children feeling the Comforter to assist our weaknesse we may in our seueral callings offer vp such daily sacrifices vnto thee as being for Christ accepted of thee thou mayeâ—â— be more and more glorified and euery one of vs comforted and kept in thy fauour for euer through Jesus Christ our Sauiour O Lord increase my faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be vsed in the Morning in priuate Families IT is a common course and an ordinarie care of worldly meÌ„ before they enterprise any thing that concerns their corporal estats to fore-cast how and by what meanes they may doe it to their best aduantage and most safetie which prouidence is not onely not to be condemned but commended yet so farre as it may iustly reproue themselues for being so carefull for their bodies necessaries and so remisse and carelesse of their soules safety which being truly prouided for first there followes a blessing to the second by diuine promise Seeke first the kingdome of God saith Christ and the righteousnes thereof and then all other things necessary shall be administred vnto you How grossely then doe they erre from a Christian course of life that are neuer but conuersant and carefull about corporall things that rise vp earely to seek their profits and pleasures and seeke not God the giuer of goodnesse without whose mercy and prouidence we neither can enioy our sleepe nor safetie in sleepe we cannot worke in our callings nor profit by our labours health of bodie wealth peace plentie friends and all whatsoeuer wee enioy in this life or hope for in the life to come do all proceed of his free mercie who requireth nothing for recompence but our thankefulnesse for them and our prayers vnto him for the continuance of his fauours towards vs in them All which will rise in iudgement against them that vsurpe theÌ„ without acknowledging them to be his gifts and that in Christ blessed vnto them What differs the carnall man that riseth in the morning leauing behind him the print as it were of his pollutions in the bed whence he riseth and neither praiseth God for his sleepe nor safety neither craueth pardon for his sinnes But from his bed betakes him either to his worldly profit or carnall pleasures What differs he I say from the brute beast who riseth in the morning from his den or rest and betakes him to his'prey or pasture looking vnto no other giuer then his own brutish care No more do they that eat and drink and labour or delite them in their vaine pleasures without seeking first in the morning a new blessing for the day following by their hartie thanksgiuing for their rest and preseruation the night past
are wee to conceiue the glory prepared for thine elect in the heauens Giue vs therefore good father hearts of loue vnto thy Maiestie that we may striue with a godly egernesse rather to abandon all lets impediments which may hinder vs from that promised glory then curiously to seeke to knâ—w in this mortalitie that the secrets whereof thou hast reserued vntil our immortalitie And let not the cares of this transitory life and the blind affections which we naturally beare vnto the pleasures thereof choake the good seede of grace in vs. Make the way of our saluation familiar vnto vs as thou hast made it plaine for vs. And let not our bodily labours hinder our hearts from continuall meditation of thy goodnesse towards vs. Let vs lift vp pure mindes vnto the heauens with a longing desire to with thee where is no labour or sweate or feare or care or hunger or thirst or nakednesse or enemies or strife or paine or griefe But all comfort all ioy all peace and blessednes and glory vnspeakable Giue vs therefore longing hearts to remoue out of this body of miseries yet so as we omit not our callings vntill thine appointed time but that we may labour accordingly in the world not as we so loued the world as we should imbrace it as our home but vse it as our Tabernacle or lodging place for the time of our pilgrimage And let thy blessing bee so vpon our labours this day as wee may liue thereby haue sufficient of all necessaries as food rayment friendship peace plentie health of bodie preseruation of our limbes and sences and a blessing vpon all that belongeth vnto vs. That we be not constrained to vse vnlawfull meanes for our reliefe Then as we by thy blessing haue entred into this morning shall passe the day with comfort and end the same in peace of conscience and consolation of the holy Ghost and so continue from day to day vntill the last of our dayes when we shall surrender againe vnto thee to be disposed both our soules and bodies for euer to liue with thee in the glory purchased by Christ our mediator our hope our strength and our euerlasting redeemer to whom with thee and the holy Ghost bee all power maiestie and dominion ascribed for euer Amen O Lord euermore increase and confirme our faith A short prayer for the morning to be said of one in priuate or in a Family vsing the plurall instead of the singular number ALmightie Lord God whose presence is alwaies light vnto thy Saints vouchsafe as thou hast banished the darknesse of the night past and made the light to shine vnto our corporal eyes So let the sauing Sunne of thy holy Spirit lighten the darkenesse of mine vnderstanding this morning And as the Sun of the firmament cleareth cheereth and comforteth all thy creatures in earth with the beames thereof so let thy sacred and sauing countenance recomfort my sad and dulled heart and as it hath pleased thee to giue me power and ablenesse to rise out of my bed of corporall rest and by the sleepe which I haue this night enioyed haue in some measure shaken off the heauie sluggishnes of my fleshly part So I beseech thee to giue me power to rise out of the bed of sinne and securitie and with cheerefull alacritie to cast off the dulnes and drowsines of my corrupt heart that with full affection and entire loue I may praise thee for thy loue wherein thou hast preserued mee this night from perils and dangers of the darknes wherein the secret arrowes of Satan and sin are sent forth to wound euen the vpright in heart wherein diuers casualties befall them that are dead in their sleepe not able to preuent the least danger incident to soule or bodie and hast now graciously brought me to the beginning of this day in safety the end whereof nor the least remaining part what it shall afford me thou only knowest from whose all-seeing eyeâ— nothing is hid but as well the times to come as the seasons past and present are alike manifest As thou therefore knowest what shal succeed me this day turne those things from me Lord in thy prouidence which thou knowest dangerous and blesse vnto me all things for my comfort and whatsoeuer befalleth me contrary to my health wealth or peace make me wise to make vse thereof to the confirmation of my further faith in thee knowing Lord that all things shall worke together for the best to them that loue thee And therefore giue me patience to vndergoe al thy corrections and trials and to be vnfainedly thankfull for all thy benefits And for asmuch as nothing can prosper vnto vs without thy blessing blesse Lord I beseech thee vnto me all such thy creatures as I shall haue cause to vse this day giue a blessing vnto all that appertaineth vnto me whomsoeuer or whatsoeuer and let the meditations of my hart the words of my mouth and the labours both of my bodie and minde be sanctified vnto me this day that whatsoeuer I doe it may prosper I recommend my selfe my soule and bodie all that I haue charge of vnder thee into thy fatherly tuition and defence this day for I know Lord and am assured that thou to whom I commit me arâ— able and willing to keepe me Let not my sinnes gracious Father which I haue no power to resist preuent thy mercies but in thy mercie preuent my sinnes for Satan the World and mine owne corruptions are euer ready to draw me into forbiddeÌ„ vanities But strengthen thou the armes of my faith teach my spirituall fingers to fight valiantly against their enemies giue me the sword of the Spirit the brest-plate of righteousnes the helmet of saluation that I feare not their assaults this day that fighting the good fight of faith I may preuaile and receiue the crowne of victorie through Christ that triumphant Lion of the Tribe of Iudah Remember thy promises made vnto all that beleeue in him I beleeue Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe Let the fruits of that loue that is greater then faith and hope appeare in mine actions this day the chiefe wherof is obedience vnto thee So shall I passe this day in thy faith feare due reuerence of thy great and glorious name and daily more and more prepare my selfe in a holy readines to attend thy calling mee out of this mortall to an immortall condition And for my greater comfort in this my pilgrimage giue me a true feeling of the ioyes promised in the Kingdome of glorie euen here in the Kingdom of grace that hauing heere receiued the earnest of thy holy Spirit I may daily looke for the principall in the Kingdom purchased by Iesus Christ in whose name I humbly recommend my selfe and all my labours this day vnto thy blessed prouidence and direction yeelding vnto thee all praise in Iesus Christ by the holy Ghost blessed for euer and euer Lord increase my faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be said
by well doing to walke before God and to be vpright Thus whosoeuer prepareth himselfe in a sanctified life in earth he cannot feare death which is an entrance into a glorious life in heauen where God before whom he sincerely walketh hath prouided him a Citie a Kingdome a Crowne He then that longeth to see good dayes while he liueth will be euer studious to please him by whom he is assured he shall receiue that endlesse inheritance when he dies Let euery man therefore while it is to day pray that God will vouchsafe him his grace not to prolong his godly preparation to die but to teach him wisdome in the inner parts that he may so rectifie his conuersation as he may be acceptable to God through Christ in his life vpon earth and wishedly surrender vp his spirit to him that gaue it when he requires the same And to this holy purpose serueth this prayer following Remember euer that thou must die and thou shalt neuer doe amisse nor die eternally A Prayer to be often vsed that we may so liue as we neuer need feare to die fit to be often vsed of all men especially in sicknesse GOod and gracious Father who formedst me of dust and breathedst life into a lumpe of earth wher of I am made and hast made mee partaker of thy Spirit and so a liuing soule of an eternall being beyond that which thou hast done for any other earthly creature who dying perish turne wholly to dust whereof they are wholly and only made As for mee thou hast taught mee to know thy more then wonderfull work-manship and thy more then apprehensible fauour and loue in that thou hast not only made me a liuing creature as are the beasts of the field the fowles of the aite and creeping things of the earth but little inferiour to thine heauenly Angels giuing me a soule diuine and immortal which liueth eternally And of thy further and more free grace hast vouchsafed me a seed of the light of diuine vnderstanding and thy word of glad tidings to teach me thy will to direct and encourage me in the way of saluation lest hauing receiued the testimonie of thy louâ— here in this life and the earnest of thy Spirit I should yet liue to die and not die to liue Thou Lord knowest whereof I am made thou canst not forget that I am but dust giue me grace to remember alwayes my mortalitie and that I am borne to die and that then commeth iudgement Lord we are all the children of ssinning Adam elected and reiected according to thy will vessels of honor or dishonor as thou pleasest to make vs we are the clay thou the Potter thou giuest life and againe thou sayest Returne yee children of men to dust Oh what is man that thou so regardest him or the son of Man that thou so fatherly visâ—test him Thou hast clothed him with glorie And he hath brought shame vpon himselfe thou off reâ—â—st life vnto him but he hath embraced death And he shall die thou hast so decreed yet hast conceiled from him the time when the place where and the maner how to the end that none should presume vpon his strength health wisedome or wealth to become secure and in their securitie to forget thee sinne against thee our Creator whâ— as with the breath of thy mouth thou madest vs liuing soules so by the breath of thy mouth canst thou confouÌ„d our bodies soules yea Lord our dearest soules deare in respect of thee who gauest them deare in respect of him that shed his dearest bloud for them but most deare vnto vs wretches if for our mindes vanities and our bodies pleasures we should lose our bodies make shipwracke of our soules Precious in thy sight is the death of thy Saints but most feareful to the wicked in the death of their bodies that sleeping in the graue send their soules before them to be mutually tormented when they shall meet in Judgement This fearefull separation Lord amazeth mee when I consider it in my naturall vnderstanding not looking into the course of thy loue wherein thou didst send thy dearest Soune to die for sinners penitent Oh teach me thy waies instruct me in thy Commandements Giue me a repenting heart and sanctified conuersation that before I goe hence and be no more seene I may assure my selfe that I am of the number of them to whome thou imputest no sinne Let thy word worke fruitfully in mee the sauour of life vnto life Teach me and guide me in the true course of holy obedience in righteousnesse and true holinesse that I may euer walke before thee and be vpright giue me a prepared heart constantly and faithfully to desire to be dissolued to be with Christ. Take away the frailty of my fainting flesh increase and confirme my faith in thee and my hope of the glory promised in Christ after this mortall life Let me alwayes wait the time of my deliuery and be willingly content to lay downe this my earthly tabernacle and to giue vp my soule into thy hands giue me a continuall watchfull heart that death come not vpon me vnawares a prepared heart that I may be still readie when or where or how thou hast determined my dissolution Let nothing be so deare vnto me as Christ my Sauiour Let me esteeme all things as dung in respect of the glorie to come Let nothing bewitch or intice me to the loue of this sinfull life nor dismay or terrifie me froÌ„ embracing death But that I may vse this life as if I vsed it not and feare death as if I feared it not That when my life shall be swallowed vp of death I may then enter into that new life and treade downe death and the power thereof vnder my feete by Christ that triumphed ouer Satan death and Hell vpon the Crosse for me grant it for me my Lord my God my life my light my strength and my Redeemer Amen Lord increase my faith and grant that I may liue in thy feare and die in thy fauour Amen A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to bee said of one in his sicknes or in any disease or defect of his sences or limbes fit to be read of or vnto the sick and diseased person SIcknes of the bodie is the gentlest and most fauourable crosse that God layeth vpoÌ„ his children and yet it is grieuous to flesh and bloud which delite altogether in Ease in Health in Strength of the body to which griefe sicknesse and weaknesse are contraries and therefore vnwelcome to carnall men who thinke nothing more to bee wished then power to sinne which power is diminished by sicknes and consequently in most salutarie and healthful for the soule And therefore doth the Wise-man counsell vs to humble our selues before we be sicke and while wee yet haue power to sinne to shew our conuersion whose counsell whoso truly and carefully followeth preuenteth the feare of death for he that before sicknes seaze vpon him duely
keepe vnlesse we lay it vp in our hearts for the enemie goeth about to steale it out of our hearts by many carnall delights and vanities It is the seed sowne to bring forth good fruit we must beware that we admit no tares cockle or darnâ—l to grow vp therewith sinne and iniquity let it fructifie in goodnesse and pray that the grace of God watering our hearts may keepe downe the weeds of sinne and fructifie the good fruits of righteousnes to make vs holy and of vpright conuersation before God and men God hath made a promise to the faithfully praying to send his holy Spirit to helpe our infirmities And to this end vse this Prayer following or some to the like purpose whensoeuer thou hearest the Word preached it shall much confirme thee in a godly desire to heare and practise and thou thereby shalt finde comfort in all thy wayes A Prayer to be said after the hearing of a Sermon MOst bountifull and most louing Lord God the giuer of all good things feeder releeuer preseruer of our soules and bodies I yeeld thee most humble and most hartie thankes for that thou at this time hast so louingly and Fatherly reuealed vnto vs thy will out of thy word and haâ—â— made our fainting soules partakers of that celestiall and blessed Manna thy sauing word Good Father as thou hast plentifully now fed vs with the milke of thy sacred word giue it Lord a relieuing and nourishing power to refresh and strengthen our soules to walke before thee in liuely and acceptable obedience and a sanctified conuersation Grant that the word now sowne in our eares may take deepe roote in our hearts and bring forth fruit manifold Let not the enuious man preuaile in casting in amongst thy good seed the cockle tares and weeds of sinne and iniquitie to the peruerting or preuenting of our new obedience Let not the thorny cares of this world trouble and choake nor the vanities of our corrupt mindes vinder the growth of this sauing seed in our hearts Let not the scorching Sun of ouer heauiâ— afflictions cause this fruit of saluation to wither but water it Lord with the continuall dew of thy holy Spirit as our vnfruitful and harren harts shall grow weak wanting this liuely foode supply it Lord from time to time by the preaching of thy word and giue vs diligent eares and obseruing hearts at all times and grant that wee bee not hearers only but doers of thy will And for that our hearts are hard to conceiue open our vnderstandings and for that our memories are short and vnable to retaine the sauing word giue vs hearts of continuall holy meditation that we may be euer chewing the cudde of that heauenly food and so digest the same that it may more more strengthen our faith vnto saluation And let the words O Lord which we haue now and formerly heard neuer returne in vaine but worke that holy effect for which thou hast appointed it namely the increase and confirmation of our faith in thee obedience repentance and newnes of life that we euer more and more hungring and thirsting for this sweete and sauing food may at length bee made able to liue in all holy and spotlesse conuersation before thee our heauenly Father and indeuour with all holy alacritie and ioyfulnes to take the aduantage of all oportunities to heare thee to speake vnto vs to follow and performe what thou commandest and to shun and with carefulnes to auoid what thou forbiddest Let nothing hinder vs Lord from a louing desire to repaire vnto thy house to refresh our soules with the bread of heauen and let vs not couet to bee seene of men onely hearers but found and allowed of thee doers of thy will Grant this Lord for thy Christs sake Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be said against malicious aduersaries FOr as much as the holy Ghost testifieth that our Sauiour Christ Iesus had his enemies he liuing in all holines integritie and innocencie should we mortall sinners corrupt and many wayes transgressing wretches thinke much to be hated maligned enuied and persecuted of men or doth any man thinke that if he do as his Master hath commanded hee shall not finde the same measure that his Master found who himselfe did what he would we should do and was only enuied for his well-doing Happie is that man that procureth enemies by his godly conuersation for it is certaine they that hate him for his sinceritie are not his but Gods enemies also But to draw men to hate vs for our vices their hatred is rather 〈◊〉 vertue commendable then a fault reproueable for it tendeth not vnto the hurt of our bodies but the reformation of our liues and as we shall begin to incline to godlines so will the hatred of the godly turn into loue And though Satan then step in to incouÌ„ter vs with his malignant ministers there is no cause to feare for thought thousands compasse vs about to deuour vs there shall be more with vs then with them fiue shal chase an huÌ„dred and an huÌ„dred put ten thousand to flight The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise against thee to fall before thy face 〈◊〉 he made the enemies of Iacob to feare him for he feared God! God sometimes punisheth the enemies of his children by other meanes then by them to whom they are enemies as he gaue the enemies of Lot into Abrahams hands if we obey the Lord he will persecute them that couet to persecute vs though we be silent and desire no reuenge Vengeance is the Lords and he will reward There is no greater reuenge to be offered against an enemie then to leaue him to Gods reuenge and to liue in the presence of the enemy so as he can take no exceptions against our coÌ„uerâ—ation vpright before God and men it breeds a terror in a tyraâ—nous aduersarie to see him whom he hateth to liue in the feare of God furious Saul was aâ—â—aid of Dauid because he saw the Lord was with him If we could truely iudge of Gods purpose in sending vs enemies we should neuer be so disquiâ—ted at their practises against vs whether they threaten to kill vs as Saul did Dauid and the souldiers Paul and Iesabel â—liah or whether they vexe vs at the Law vniustly or slander vs maliciously or work any other mischiefe against vs treacherously if we feare God and rest vpon his prouidence he shall turne all their deuices to our good as he did the enuie of Iosephâ— brethren Ioseph was condemned for an Adulterer Daniel for a Rebell Iob for an Hypocrite and Christ our Sauiour for a Malefactor And how did God worke for these Ioseph was freed and exalted Daniel cleared and iustified Iob restored approued though Christ were condemned for vs he was glorified and shall glorifie vs. Enemies are most necessarie euils as a man may terme them euill in themselues yet necessarie for vs we know that an
their better part the soule should so little regard the meanes by whom they receiue it the Ministers of the word of Saluation the Gospell of Christ Many will protest they loue Christ and yet the contrary appeareth when they not only regard not but despise his Ministers whom hee hath sent as Embassadors of his will We beseech you brethren saith Saint Paul to the Thessalonians that yee haue the Ministers of God in singular loue for their workes sake We should loue all men and pray for all men how much more for them that leade vs to the well of life The same Saint Paul willeth the Ephesians not only to pray in an ordinarie maner but in the Spirit with perseuerance and watchfulnes euen for him that vtterance might be giuen vnto him and that he might open his mouth boldly to publish the secret of the Gospell And are we lesse bound to pray for them that haue the Spirituall charge ouer vs the care and cure of our soules that they may be able to deliuer the Word sincerely to open their mouths boldly to our edification and consolation in Christ And that they namely the Ministers may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men for we know that Christ Antichrist Truth and Falsehood Christ and Satan cannot stand together And he that preacheth the word truely is the means to bring men out of darknesse to light from sinne to sanctitie from Satan to Christ. And therefore Satan will euer oppose himselfe and instigate euill men to encounter scandalize and persecute such as are truest and most painefull labourers in Gods Spirituall haruest whereby it commeth to passe that the word of God is oftentimes hindered the Church of Christ diminished Ignorance increased Religion despised Vice aduanced Faith decreased Obedience to God neglected and Truth among men meerely abandoned and cōtemned And al this where Prophecying Preaching faile God giueth not to man a more speciall blessing in earth then the preaching of the word which is as the net to catch men there were three thousand men so catcht at the first preaching of Peter and by his continuance in that spirituall fishing there were caught fiue thousand persons out of the snare of Satan Let all men therefore loue pray for them that thus fish to saue the soules of mē that haue the ouersight and rule ouer them they are the watch men of Christ and whoso loues Christ the Master and Lord cannot but loue his Ministers and pray for them not only as brethren but as men appointed by Corist to direct them the way of saluation And let no man thinke it is not their duetie to pray for them because they are appointed and ought to pray for others and not others for them as some prophanely affirme It is a needfull and required duetie to pray one for another especially for the Ministers who are or ought to be as Gods mouth vnto vs to teach vs his will as Gods hand to support vs by spirituall counsell as Gods eye to obserue our wayes and as Gods Ministers to reproue vs of sinne and to pronounce pardon in Christ to the truely penitent Pray therefore for them that the gifts of the holy Ghost may abound in them that men seeing their good workes may glorifie God our their Father which is in heauē A Prayer to be said for the Ministers of Gods word GRacious and mercifull O Lord our God art thou in all thy wayes and workes towards men and in nothing more gracious then in thy word preached vnto vs whereby thou doest open and reueile vnto vs the mystery of our saluation according to thy good pleasure in Christ our Lord. Thou teachest vs heauenly wisedome in earth by thy holy Spirit giuen vnto men whom thou doest set apart to that holy function as men chosen to winne men to thee And for as much as neither thy beloued Saints Peter nor Iohn nor Paul could preach or prophecie before they were sent neither were they sent before they were sanctified Sanctifie and send foorth Lord worthy Labourers into thine haruest and sanctifie and blesse them whom thou hast sent with such spirituall gifts and graces as may enable them to be instant in season and out of season that they may winue many vnto thee Inlighten their hearts with the light of true knowledge Touch their tongues with the coale from thine Altar that their lips may preserue knowledge and in their hearts may bee true zeale that they may still call vpon thy children to walk in the light of thy truth And as thou diddest send downe vpon thine Apostles the holy Ghost in fiery tongues to teach thē so instill into the hearts of all thy Ministers Preachers of thy word the fire of true zeale a godly boldnes to speake thy truth without respect of persons not to flatter the wicked nor to spare the rebuking of sin and let them comfort the weake harted let thē be able to bring them that erre into the right way that they may conuert liue that they may beleeue liue for Faith cōmeth by hearing and hearing by the preaching of thy word Let therefore the beautiful fruit of thē plentifully appeare amongst vs that bring glad tidings of peace which thē the glad tidings of our saluation And let thē speak nothing but as thy word teacheth thē that they may be foūd good disposers of thy graces Let their conuersatiōs be vpright before thee let thē be as lights set on a hill that they may teach as well by the example of their owne liues as by preaching thy Word that thou in all things mayest be glorified through Iesus Christ to whom is praise and dominion for euer and euer Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer for the Church Uniuersall THe Church which S. Paul calleth the House of God 1. Tim. 3. 15. is the Congregation of the faithfull dispersed throughout the world and in regard of the vniuersalitie thereof is called the Church Catholike Of which Vniuersalitie are many and seuerall societies distinct by place vnited by faith And euery seuerall company professing one and the same truth confessing one and the same faith and holding one and the same forme of administration of the Sacramēts are one intire bodie which bodie is the vniuersall Church wherof Christ is the head one Spouse whereof Christ is the husband He hath begotten this dispersed congregation by vertue of his word and made them one by the vnity of his Spirit By which Spirit the Fathers belieued in Christ before the came in the flesh and were of the same mysticall bodie whereof we that beleeue his word being come are also members and whereof Christ Iesus hath bin is and shall be the euerlasting head The parable of the Sower which Christ propounded Matth. 13. 24. sheweth by the euill seede mixed with the good that this Church shall neuer be free from offences both in doctrine and manners vntill the day of the fina 〈…〉