sinne sinfull sinne sins of all sorts committing things forbidden and omitting things commanded So that I cannot but confesse against my selfe I am wholly not only sinfull but a lump of sin it selfe a puddle of putrifaction a sinke of vncleannes a gulfe of grosse impieties and a carcasse of most filthie leprosie full of spirituall rottennesse vnworthy the light of the Sunne to lighten my corporall eyes to see to do euill not worthy to breathe in the ayre to speake euill nor worthie to partake of the ordinary food of men to strengthen my flesh the more to sinne nor worthie to consort with humane societie to make them sinfull by my sin Oh wretch that I am how haue I plunged my selfe into thy heauie displeasure how haue I lost thy loue who louest righteousnes and hatest iniquitie Oh wretch that I am how haue I runne without right reason to my ruine rashly Lord I am vnfainedly sorie for my sinnes and I long to be reconciled vnto thee lest I goe to my graue with griefe lest from the graue I should come into iudgement with horror and be inforced to heare that fearefull and finall sentence of reprobatiō pronounced against 〈◊〉 neuer to be reuoked indure torments neuer to be eased Oh Lor 〈…〉 mercifull and louing remember I am but dust forget not how orignall sinne seazed vpon me before I had sence or power to commit actuall sin call to minde that I was conceiued and borne in sinne and brought corruption in my flesh frō my mothers wombe which I could not preuent And although it be the rule of thy seuere Justice to lay the guilt of parents vpō their children yet let thy mercies which are aboue thy Judgemēts shew themselues now when else there is no hope Amen Lord increase my faith and forgiue my sinnes Another shorter prayer for forgiuenesse of sinnes O Heauenly father thy promises are many faithfull and comfortable Thou wilt not the death of a sinner but desirest rather that he should repent and liue If thou then desirest rather that I liue then perish giue me a repenting hart renue a right spirit within me reforme me and I shall be reformed for in me Lord there is no goodnes no power and as little will to doe good but a will and power to do euill only Let therefore thy grace worke effectually in me a new heart a new minde new affections holy and sanctified So shall sin become lothsome vnto me which I haue loued and holines of life shal be sweet vnto me which I haue neglected thy Commandements that I haue transgressed I shall indeuour to fulfill thy patience which I haue abused I wil answere with more filiall obediēce The curses then that I haue deserued shal be turnd into blessings and I shall frame the residue of my life in better actions I shall abandon as deceiuing vanities those sinnes wherin I haue delited and shal shun the baits wherwith Satan hath allured me to sin and whereunto I consented by the vanity of mine vnregenerate affections Oh pardon pardon my sins good Father in Iesus Christ fill my hart with the liuely apprehension of thy mercies speake peace vnto my sad and sorrowfull soule reuiue my dead distracted thoughts plunged in despaire cast thine ey◠vpon Christ thy beloued in him 〈◊〉 louing eye vpon me who without him am a cast-away Heare him 〈◊〉 mediator for me heare me a sinner for his sake and pardon me for thy mercies sake Take me now Lord out of the dungeon of feare wherin I haue bin long a captiue sold vnder sin Set me now free from the danger of death and hell Let Satan flie and fall before my face Let sin haue no more power ouer me receiue me into thy fauour assure me of full and free remission of my sinnes in Christ worke true peace in my conscience The sting of death being broken the feare of the iudgement to come may be turned into a liuely assurance of saluation that white I liue here I may euermore feele the liuely worke of thy holy Spirit in me Make the residue of my dayes the dayes of vnfained mourning for my former offences and of a most vpright and righteous conuersation to come and let faith euermore preuaile against all future temptations that I may finish the course of my life in that peace which proceedeth of perfect loue which loue bringeth forth filiall obedience vnto thee which obedience is more acceptable in thy fight then the sacrifices of bullocks and goates Accept me now good Father in Iesus Christ into thy fauour remit my sinnes number me amongst thine elect and seale me vp in thy mercies against the day of my finall visitation Heare me O Lord and let thy holy Spirit guide mee euer vnto that day through Christ my Sauiour my Mediator my Strength and my redeemer Amen O Lord increase my faith and pardon my sinnes A MOTIVE TO A Prayer for a godly and holy life and for power of resisting Satan and sinne THe course of euery mans life declar's what kind of man he is whether carnal or spiritual for as the tree is knowne by his fruit so is euery man known of men by his life conuersation And it is much to be lamented that men though carnally minded will iustifie themselues and make protestation of their hope that they shall be saued as well as he that walketh most sincerely before God and men And this out of a voluntarie ignorance and blindnesse in not knowing and truly distinguishing betweene the wayes of sanctitie and sinne the first leading to heauen and eternall life through grace and faith in Christ the other to hell and reprobation through our owne corruption by the obeying the will of Satan It is more then wonderfull to obserue the courses of carnall men who pretend that they are trauelling to that blessed New Ierusalem and yet take the direct way to Cursed Ierico they couet in conceit to ascend the holy hill of Sion and yet will not leaue that wicked Babylon They professe to liue after the Spirit but doe the workes of the Flesh. They would seeme to liue in Light but behold they are in Darknes not considering that he that liues after the flesh shall die yet how loth are carnall men to leaue the way that leadeth to destruction and how vnapt and vnwilling to walke in the way of life which is Christ in whom if we truely beleeue we walke in him if we truly walke in him we truely liue in him and that life is the summe and end of all our hope it is the marke whereat we ayme all our holy endeuours Let vs therefore determine with our selues and constantly resolue to walke before God and to be vpright Let vs make our supplications in his presence with our whole hearts And let vs duely consider our wayes what they haue beene And let vs now turne our feete vnto his testimonies Let vs strengthen and confirme our resolutions of a godly life by
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
many yet forget not to bee good vnto thy chosen leaue not thy Saints vnto the spoyler rather shorten these dayes of sinne lest that the increase of vngodlinesse seduce euen the righteous and they perish also by straying from the way of life Lord increase our faith Another Prayer for the Uniuersall Church in the time of affliction or persecution MOst gracious Father as thou hast shewed thy selfe in former times a most powerfull protector of thy Church euer since the propagation thereof and by thy holy spirit hast conserued it in the vnitie of thy spirit in a constant true profession of thy word in a bolde and sincere confessing of Christ the head of that sanctified body euen when persecution vnto death raged and tyrannized most Bee still mindfull of the same thy little flocke feede it still with thy word defend it still with thy mightie hand guide it euer with thy holy spirit and euermore preserue it as the vine which thine own right hand hath planted Gather together thy sheepe scattered vpon so many mountaines let not the wolues seaze vpon thy tender lambes to teare them in peeces while there is none to helpe Let not the subtill foxes bewitch them with a false religion Let not the wild Boâ—e of Antichristian persecution deuoure them Let not Sathan nor sinne preuaile against them But as thou hast promised let thy Church and euery member of the same be as Mount Sion that shall neuer bee mooued let them stand fast for euer Let them florish in all faith and obedience as trees planted by the riuers and bring forth fruits of religion true pittie aboundantly compasse them with armies of thine Angels as thou diddest compasse Elisha with horses and chariots of fire and as the mountains compasse Ierusalem So let thy preuayling power compasse them about Suffer none O Lord to doe them violence but if in thy wisedome thou thinkest meet to make any member of thy Church a witnesse of thy trueth giue him the spirit of true vnderstanding of thy word faith and constancie to imbrace what measure of affliction or persecution thou shalt thinke fit to lay vpon him for the same forsake him not O Lord in his trials nor lay no more vpon him then it may please thee to giue him power to indure Make thy children O Lord strong and then cannot the threats of the cruellest Tyrants dismay thy outwardly weakest witnesses from vndergoing the extremest passion of martyrdome O fortifie all them whom thou hast appointed to any kind of torment for the testimony of the truth of the Gospel of Iesus Christ. Season them so with the assurance of their future glory that they flie not nor start backe for feare of whatsoeuer torture thine enemies may threaten or execute The least of which not being assisted and made easie by thy all-shining countenance vpon the soule of the persecuted cannot but dismay him and dismaying make him faint and fainting make him fall and so to denie thee Looke downe therefore O Lord vpon and visite all thine afflicted members protect them from secret conspiracies open practises and violent incursions plotted by Sathan and Antichrist and attempted by their bewitched instruments by whom thy Church and the members thereof and dayly afflicted and indangered Take thou wee humbly beseech thee our defence into thine owne hands Stop the breach which the enemie hath made Maintaine Lord thine owne word protect and keepe thine owne people conuert reuert or confound them that fight against thee by word or sword and fight against them that fight against thee in thy members that thou maiest be glorified thy Church increased and euery member of the same euerlastingly comforted in Christ their head Be it so good Father Amen Lord increase our faith Another short Prayer for the prosperitie of the Church and gouernment thereof GOd Father in Iesus Christ looke downe from heauen vpon and visite the viâ—e which thy right hand hath planted Send labourers into thy vineyard that they may so prune it and dresse it that it may branch and beare plentifully good fruit Suffer nâ— loyterers or idle persons in steade of labourers to enter into or vndertake to husband this vine Let no prophane person haue any superintendencie within the same But let the holy the faithfull the diligent industrious and such 〈◊〉 haue care to aduance thy Gospel and glory to instruct to exhort to improue rebuke and to bee instant in season and out of season be established ouerseers in this vineyard By whose watching and worke all the branches may be so succoured and carried vpward as they may not cease growing vntill they mount vp vnto the perfection of spirituall knowledge and practise of all pietie and fiâ—â—all obedience and consequently became members of that celestiall Ierusalem Send Lord such watchmen to keepe thy vine as by the sword of the spirit may be able to incounter and keepe out expulse abandon and driue away all hurtfull and prophane beasts all Swinelike drunkards all Lyonlike furious and Wolfelike denouring and rauening persons all Camelionlike Hypocrites all Leopardlike spotted Professors and all Foxelike crafty deuisors of and inâ—iâ—â—rs to new and false doctrines which the Gospel of thy Sonne Christ Iesus warranteth not Let onely the meeke sheepe and humble lambes the truly religious and holy be euermore gouernours and the gouerned in this heauenly Vineyard thy Church And although no visible Congregation can bee without these hidden and dangerous members knowne onely to thy selfe confirme the faith of euery childe of thine that they may be more and more inlightened confirmed in their hope through a sound and sincere profession of thy truth neuer to be remoued vnto the end Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be sayd for the Kings Maiestie WHen God had caused to be diuided the land of Canaan into parts according to the Twelue tribes of Israel he substituted as vnder and in the name of himselfe first Judges and after Kings to gouerne theâ— whereof some were vertuous religious and fearing God and they defended the truth of God protecteâ— his Church vnder them Some weroâ— dolaters perturbers of the Church 〈◊〉 God and Tyrants The first respecting the lawes of God and good of his Church made the lawes of God the paterne of their gouernments The second either not knowing God or knowing him did not honour him as God but fell from the liuing God themselues and caused the people to fall likewise from God to Idols therby highly incensing God to indignation against them who grieuously punished them with their Kings Dauid Iosiah Hezekiah Asa and Ieboshaphat were Kings that feared God 1. King 15. 12. 2. Chron. 17. 3. These did God aduance to comfort his children by the free vse of his word and to defend them from the aduersaries hand 2. Chron. 1. 11. Contrarily he setteth vp tyrants for the punishment of a rebellious people as Nehemiah complaineth Nehem. 9. 37. Manasses made the streets of Ierusalem
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
disposeth of all the estates of men in mercy and iudgement thou liftest out of the dunghill the humbled poore and hurlest downe the mightie thou giuest takest when what from whom and wherefore it pleaseth thee All thy wayes O God are mercie and truth to them that feare thee Thou Lord art righteous in all thy workes and holy in all thy wayes Howsoeuer thou correctest thy children it is for their purgation to clense them from the rust and drosse of their corruptions And makest pouerty sickenesse enemies and all crosses not onely not burdensome or irkesome vnto thine but sweete and easse to be borne though the naturall man seeme to kicke against them the man regenerate and borne a new of the holy Ghost imbraceth them as the true tokens of thy fatherly affection towards him who hauing learned out of thy sacred word that through many troubles thy Saints must enter into ioy and through disgrace into glory Hee feareth most when he is most free from crosses left that he should not be of the number of them that shal be saued whose saluation is the more certaine by how much thou correctest him by thy fatherly visitations All flesh is corrupt and all men sinners Thou therefore who art iust cleane and pure in all thy wayes and workes canst not but vse thy rod of gentle corrections vpon them whom thou louest in Iesus Christ But lettest the wicked either to lie securely in a reprobate sence or to lay thy heauy iudgement vpon them euen in this life where they begin their condemnation But good Father Enter not into iudgement with mee Let not thy corrections become curses vnto me but rather Lord let them be meerely medicines to cure the disease of sinne in me So shall I by the working of thy holy spirit become more and more mortifâ—ed in the affections of my heart which are then most offending thy Maiestie when I am in greatest securitie And therefore louing father take from me all grudging discontent of mind and murmuring against thy corrections of what kind or qualitie soeuer they be for thou hast testified vnto vs by thy word that thou scourgest euery sonne thou receiuest And therefore he that wanteth thy fatherly chastisements seemeth to be a bastard and no sonne And forasmuch Lord as the causes of mens troubles in this life be many and hidden some to correct for sinnes alreadie committed some to preuent sinnes whereunto we are inclinable and some to manifest thy power by way of iudgement against the impeniteÌ„t wicked Take Lord away from the eyes of my darke vnderstanding the vayle of ignorance that I may see and feele in my conscience a sure testimonie of thy sauing spirit that thy corrections light not vpon me in iudgement but in mercy not to condemn me but to approue me to be one of thy Church militant whose members haue their continuing afflictions which howsoeuer outwardly they seeme to blemish them yet doe they make them beautifull within and most amiable vnto thee howsoeuer wee seeme vnto the world outcastes castawayes yet are we thereby made the more like vnto our Sauiour who procured out saluation through affliction And thereby thou Lord knowing our weakenesse to vndergoe his crosses lay no more vpon me then withall thou mayest be pleased to giue mee grace and strength to beare it according to thy promise and then lay vpon me what thou wilt pouertie sicknesse enemies and whatsoeuer crosses may make me likest vnto thy sonne in his patient sufferings although I haue learned Lord that all the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory that shal be shewed in the life that is to come And therefore Lord assist me with thy grace that I with patience and godly reioycing may vndergoe whatsoeuer it shall please thee to lay vpon me As did Saint Paul Silas Saint Peter and other thine Apostles who imbraced all thy corrections and their troubles for thy names sake with heauenly alacritie and spirituall consolation O Lord increase my faitli A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be said in pouerty and want of this lifes necessaries OF all the miseries that can befall a man in this mortall life none is more bitter and burdensome then pouertie and want of this lifes necessaries And therefore we may obserue how all men generally striue to auoyd it by meanes lawfull or vnlawfull It made Iacob to pray for sufficiencie left want should constraine him to vniust meanes to supply his necessities namely to clothe and feed himselfe and them that he hath committed to his eare for there is no other reall want to bee complained of but the want of food and rayment if a man haue to sustaine nature in the meanest measure and to couer his nakednesse in the basest manner and be free from danger of debt and be not an idle but a diligeÌ„t man in some lawfull calling he hauing the feare of God cannot be said a poore man for the feare of God maketh him wise and wisdome maketh him patient patieÌ„ce coÌ„tent he that is coÌ„teÌ„t in this mean estate is rich He that treasures vp the word of God in his soule though he haue neither Siluer nor Gold he may be rich as Peter who waÌ„ting these was yet rich in all Christian vertues and much beloued of the Lord and vpon such poore men doth the Lord cast his fatherly and louing countenance he watcheth ouer them and feedeth them Harken my beloued brethren saith Saint Iames hath not God chosen the poore of this world that they should be rich in faith and heires of the Kingdom which he promised to them that loue him God preferreth the poor in worldly goods being faithfull and iust before the vnfaithfull rich howsoeuer carnal iudgement maketh great differeÌ„ce between the worldly rich whom it reuerenceth and the corporall poore whom it scorneth But let the bodily poore whome the Lord hath inriched with spirituall graces reioyce in their tribulations for God hath prouided for them a Citie a Crowne glorie and immortalitie where they shall neither want siluer gold rayment food or any necessaries for the Lord Christ shal be vnto them all in all things But it is to be vnderstood that it is not the pouertie of any that can deserue these future fauours but they are the free gifts of God in Christ to the godly poore not prouided for the idle prophane wicked and dissolute that assume vnto themselues voluntary beggerie or consume their corporall meanes lewdly and so become poore vsing no lawfull calling to maintaine and support their estates when they shall pleade their pouertie and miseâ—iâ— in time to come it shall be said vâ—â—o them Goâ— ye vnthrifâ—ie seruants into euerlasting pouertie perpetuall nakedâ—â—sse and endlesse hunger thirst Whosoeuer therfore thou be that art pressed with pouertie seeke the riches that shal neuer diminish Diuine Knowledge 〈◊〉 Faith and pray vnto the God of Lazarus that if it be his pleasure he will remoue thy pouerty and renue thy
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
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
sobrietie modesty patience and true magnanimitie and boldnes Preuent in me wantonnesse ryoting drunkennes swearing blasphemy whoredome and such a profane and vngodly course as commonly too much accompanieth this militarie life And seeing Lord that I in duty am inforced to vse the sword against those that rise vp against vs blesse the vse of it to me as thou didst the sling of Dauid and the sword of Gideon teach my hands to war my fingers to fight Giue me a couragious heart vndaunted spirit to incounter the enemy as ofteÌ„ as need requireth make strong my loynes and fortifie my armes let good successe befall our armies daunt our enemies hearts Teach our Leaders and Commanders wisedome and Christian policie to direct vs and giue vs courage strength and obedience to performe our dutie with good conscience And if in thy wisedome peace be more to our profit and comfort and to thy glory then warre send vs peace in thy name and let both peace and warre life and death bee to our aduantage in Christ in whom al things are blessed to them that truly serue thee Let vs want no maner of thing Lord that is good vouchsafe vs all things necessary for our warfare Stand euer on our side and let thy sauing and protecting Angel preserue vs in all danger Remamber thy louing promises and thy mercies of old bee vnto vs a shield and buckler of defence and a sword of offence against our enemies accept vs into thy blessed protection neuer faile nor forsake vs O God of hostes Goe euermore foorth with our armies keepe euery one of vs free from the excommunicate thing sin and iniquity And sanctifie vs with thy holy spirit that in thoughts words and deeds we may be approued not souldiers carnally valiant or desperately bold but truly and religiously couragious both in our outward and inward warfare through Christ to whom with thee and the holy Ghost beâ— ascribed all â—ouor and power for euer Amen Lord increase our faith and euermore mightily defend vs. A MOTIVE TO a prayer to be said of such as trauaile by sea SVch as vse the seas as Dauid obserueth and haue occasion to passe the great waters by ship see the wonderfull workes of the Lord. Wonderfull in deed in the creation of so huge a heape of waters wonderfull in containing them within appointed limits wonderful in ebbing and flowing wonderfull in violence and rage wherein sometimes it swelleth and worketh wonderfull in respect of Iehouah at whose word the most furious waues therof are appeased And lastly wonderfull in respect of man whom God hath indued with the vnderstanding to frame a vessell wherein as in a house he may safely fly as it were through the furious furrowes of so mercilesse waters But all these wonders may be knitte vp in one namely in the wonderfull power and prouidence of Iehouah who by his word hath made the seas and gathered the great waters into one place and commandeth them not to passe their bounds and they obey hee hath giuen man iudgement and art to frame the hull to place the Roder to stretch out the Tacklings and to spread the sailes to descend into the deepe But if God should there leaue him to his owne will wit power or art though he haue his card and compasse to guide him he should neuer attaine his wished port when the winds blow the tempests rise the seas rage the waues lift them vp as vpon mountaines and hurle them downe againe as into deepe gulfes What then can art or force do Doe not their hearts then melt for feare vntill the winds cease the tempests appease the seas calme and the waues be still And who worketh this wished and most comfortable change only that mightie Jehouah hee that made the seas he commandeth them to rage to shew his power and againe willeth them to bee quiet to shew his mercie Are not these the wonderful workes of God who but he commandeth and the seas obey Ye therefore that are occupied in this dangerous trade of life bee not vnmindfull to serue the liuing God for ye see by experience how suddenly hee commandeth and calleth for a tempest and then ye thinke your selues neere vnto the doore of death Yet as saith Dauid When they cried vnto the Lord he deliuered them out of their distresse and brought them to the hauen where they would bee There is none that vseth the seas but hath seene and felt this If then they confesse not the power prouidence and louing kindnesse of Iehouah and acknowledge the wonderfull workes that he hath done for them euen before the sonnes of men Let them bee assured that a thousand perils futurely attend them But the most of them that exercise this kind of trauell shew themselues temporizers when dangers appeare they seeme much humbled promising reformation of their finfull liues they pray and are cast downe with importable feare and sorrow but the danger past they forget it and God that deliuered them from it especially wheÌ„ they approch the hauen where they would bee in safetie where in stead of giuing of thanks to God for his mercies in leading and conducting them the first thing they doe is to shew they owe him no duty by presently falling to transgresse his will by drunkennesse wantonnesse whoredome swearing and blaspheming him as though the danger past were the last they need to feare or could befall them But they deceiue themselues for God is patient and long suffering but neuer forgetteth them in iudgement that so forget and neglect his mercies Hee followeth them when they thinke dangers farthest off Shipwracke Pirats Famine or some other Iudgement seazeth vpon all carelesse Sea-faring men Wherefore yee that occupie the Seas remember that as in discretion you prepare all needfull things fit for your Sea voyage so are there things most materiall to bee prouided toÌ„wards your heauenly peregrination Godlinesse Faith Obedience true Feare and sincere Loue and seruice of God which if you omit let your corporall prouision bee neuer so plentifull let your ship bee neuer so strong neuer so swift of sayle neuer so well manned and munited the least breath of the Lords mouth is able to coÌ„found you No men haue more interims and times of leasure to serue God then Seafaring men Why then spend yee not those times in searching the word of God in prayer and in holy exercises that God may be your guide your defence preseruer and protector so shall all things goe well with you and whatsoeuer ye doe it shall prosper A Prayer to be said of such as haue occasion to vse trauell at sea GRacious Lord God mightie mercifull and louing Father in Iesus Christ who hast made all things by thy word And by thy power and prouidence dost gouerne all and all obey thee in their kinds the heauens the earth and the seas but man only is disobedient only rebellious therefore doe thy creatures whom thou madest to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 become aduersaries vnto man
especially the seas which oftentimes rage and roare vnder the burden of their sinnes that passe in them much daunting dismaying and threatning the dry land and the inhabitants thereof much more such as in thy prouidence are appointed to haue their trauell and trafficke therein we therefore in al humblenesse come vnto thee O Iehouah who art the God and gouernour of the immensible and vnfadomable sea Thou callest for and commandest the tempests to arise thou liftest vs the waues thereof and wee are mounted vp to the clouds and suddenly descend into the deepe againe So that we are euen at the doore of death yet such is thy might and thy mercie that at thy rebuke they are still and at thy word the tempest ceaseth Receiue vs therefore into thy blessed protection for we recommend our selues vnto the seas in thy name confessing that it is neither the strength or swiftnes of our ship that can saue vs neither can our power or policy preuent the dangers of the merciles waues It is not the Card nor CoÌ„passe that can direct or bring vs to the hauen where wee would be It is only thy power prouidence and conduction whereupon we doe depend In thee is our hope and help for thou commandest and the Seas obey at thy word the Red Sea â—laue in sunder it stood still in heaps to giue way to Israel a worke against the ordinarie course of nature and therefore much more easie may it seeme to vs for thee to giue way to vs through the Seaâ— by naturall and ordinarie meanes And the rather for that wee know that at thy rebuke the Sea of Ienazeret being in violent rage was suddenly appeased Speake the word and the Seas shall giue vs comfortable free passe without any impediment The winds and Seas obey thee thou art omniâ—â—tent thou canst doe what thou will in mercy and iudgement Go with vs O Iehouah and be our guide as thou wert neere vnto thy Disciples when they were like to perish iâ— the mercilesse waters Prosper 〈◊〉 voyage blesse our meanes let thy holy Angels accompanie vs as assisting and preuailing ministers for our safetie and good successe Rebuke and quiet the winds and tempests when they arise Defend vs from mercilesse and tyrannous â—â—rates when they assaile vs keepe vs from ship wracke when wee are in perill Supply vs with all necessaries for our corporall sustinance and safetie â—ouchsafe vnto vs health and strength of body wisdome and power to manage our affaires to thy glory and our comfort Take from vs and euery one of vs all impietie sinne and vncleannes furnish vs with heauenly knowledge increase and strengthen our â—aith in thee confirme our hope of happie successe make vs intirely to loue thee giue vs true zeale to serue thee and to call vpon thee â—â—tonely in all our calamities and â—angers as of necessitie but contiâ—ually as of a Christian duty That thou maist bee pleased euermore to guide vs and by thy mighty hand in thy mercy to direct our course and bring vs to the hauen where we would be and leaue vs not vnto the mercilesse waters for without thee there is none that can deliuer vs. O giue vs hearts neuer to forget thy goodnesse watchfull and obedient hearts that wee neuer fall from thee to our naturall vanities and corruptions giue vs not ouer to our owne hearts lusts to sweariâ—â— swaggering drunkenuesse whoredome and to the prophane course of life whereunto by nature we are inclined But assist vs euer with thy grace that wee we may liue orderly honestly religiously and â—olily before thee to deale faithfully and truly with all men at land and sea euer depending on thy prouidence who neuer failest nor forsakest them that call vpon thee in spirit and truth Blesse our going foorth blesse 〈◊〉 voyage blesse our indeuours bless our calling and trafficke and 〈◊〉 vs a comfortable prosperous and happy returne Make vs thankfull in holy obedience which is the sacrifice wherewith thou art 〈◊〉 pleased Grant vs gracious Father these and all other blessingâ— corporall and spirituall for thâ— Christs sake in whose blessâ—â— name we augment these our 〈…〉 prayers with that heauenly 〈◊〉 which he hath taught vs. Our Fâ—ther which art in heauen c. Lord increase our faith A Prayer before meate PArdon we beseech thee O mercifull Lord God our manifold sins which we haue done and do continually commit against thy Maiestie and thereby haue deserued to bee depriued of al thy blessings and of these which now thou plentifully tendrest vnto vs for our nourishment Thou in Iesus Christ hast promised to blesse thy creatures vnto our vse Blesse these vnto vs we beseech thee and grant that they may be vnto vs the comfortable meanes to strengthen our mortall bodies Let vs not abuse them by excesse but vse them soberly to thy glory and our nourishment through Christ our Lord. A thankesgiuing after meate WE acknowledge good Father louing in Iesus Christ that of thy free mercie and bountie we haue at this time aâ— all the daies of our liues been plentifully nourished with corporall foode Inlarge the gifts of thy sanctifying spirit in vs and in all the members of thy Church Preserue euermore our King giue vs peace plentie health and happines through Christ our Lord. Amen FINIS A briefe Table of all the Mottues and Prayers contained in this Booke Prayers A Motiue to Prayer 1 A Prayer for the assistance of God holy Spirit in any spirituall or godly corporall action or indeuour fit to be vsed before euery lawfull enterprise especially before euery diuine exercise 2 A Motiue to a Prayer to bee vsed in the Morning in priuate Families 5 A Prayer for the Morning for priuate Families 8 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 17 A Motiue to a Prayer to bee said in the Euening in priuate Families 21 A Prayer to be said in priuate Families in Euening before they goe to rest 24 A short Prayer for the Euening to be vsed of one man in priuate 32 A Motiue to a Prayer for the members of Christ to be vsed after priuate Prayers in Families 37 A Prayer for the members of Christ whersoeuer dispersed fit to be vsed after our ordinary Prayers of Morning and Euening 39 A Motiue to the confession of our sinnes to God and to stirre vs vp to pray for the remission of the same 43 A Confession of sinnes with a Prayer for pardon for the same 47 Another short Prayer for forgiuenesse of sinnes 51 A Motiue to a Prayer for a godly and holy life and for power of resisting Satan and sinne 54 A Prayer for a godly life and to resist sinne and Satan 57 A Motiue to a Prayer before the receiuing of the holy Communion or the Lords Supper 63 A Prayer to be said before the receiuing of the Sacrament of the Body and Bloud of Christ. 67 A
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 〈…〉
to swim with the blood of his religious subiects Good and gracious Princes are as defensiue walles vnto a people against the rage and violence of enemies such as of whom Dauid speaketh Psal. 47. 9. Gebal and Ammoâ— and Amalâ—â—h the Philiflims the inhabitants of Tyre and such like conspiratora against and oppressors of the children of God that sticke not to say Come and let vs cut them off from being a nation Psal. 68. 4. 7. Dauid complained in his time that the kings of the earth did band themselues and Princes assenibled together against the Lord and against his people and hath it not bene seene in our dayes that mighty potentates haue conspired against Gods anointed and vs And that secret trecheries haue bene coyned to indanger the peace and safety of prince and people And hath not that God that deliuered Dauid from Saul deliuered vs from them that rose vp against vs And shall we thinke that the publike and prinate petitions which the godly haue made for their Soueraignes hath not much preuailed to preuent the dangers which haue bene euen at the point of execution Let vs therefore neuer forget his goodnesse but so much the more become instant suppliants vnto that great King of kings that he will blesse preserue protect and defend his most excellent Maiestic whose vertues shine to the glory of the kingdome his integritie learning religious constancie admired were he a tyrant we ought to pray for his prosperitie how much more being most graciously louing vnto his subiects ought wee to intercede for him to God according to the precept of the Apostle 2. Tim. 1. 2. where he chargeth that all men should pray for kings who are appointed by God Let vs therefore pray for his health wealth peace prosperitie and safety that wee likewise in and by him may still as we now doe partake of thosâ— excellent blessings peace plentie and the free vse of the Gospel of Christ. And as Dauid prayed that the counsell of Athithophel might be made foolishnesse So let euery one of vs pray that God will destroy all the deuices of such as seeke or wish the hurt of his Maiestie the disturbance of his Church or Common-weale and to that end let this prayer following or some to the like purpose bee often vsed A Prayer and thankesgiuing for the Kings Maiestie to be often vsed of euery good subiect O Mighty and euerliuing Lord God who dwellest in the most glorious heauens in greatnes and glory whose wonderfull and vnresistible power protecteth those that feare thee and confoundest the strongest mightiest princes that rise vp against thee Thou afflictest the subiects of rebellious princes and comfortest those that are conformable vnto thy will kings and people 〈◊〉 cannot forget how the multitude of thy mercies did compasse vs aboâ—â— on euery â—ide in the dayes of thy late chosen Elizabeth vnder whâ—â— thou gauest vs peace plentie 〈◊〉 aboue all the vse of thy sacred word the staffe and strength of our soules which hath the promise of all kinds of blessings which 〈◊〉 inioyed vntill her translation froâ— vs vnto thee At what time aâ— thou Lord well knowest such was our generall feare of perill to haue succeeded her departure as the wisest of our Ancients became doubtful what would be the successe of the succession yet farre beyond our imaginations but farre more beyond our deserts thou forgetting our sinnes remembredst thy mercies Insomuch as although thou tookest from vs a most worthy De 〈…〉 yet thou hast in her steade giuen vs in thy prouidence a Iosiah most worthy who still leadeth vs thy people through the wildernes of many spirituall dangers towards mount Sion the holy hill of assurance of saluation through Christ thy Sonne and laboureth through a holy zeale to bring them that erre from thy truth into the way that leadeth vnto eternal life to reconcile the obstinate and to confirme the weake So that we cannot but acknowledge that indeede thy mercies are infinite towards vs in him O that men would therefore prayse thy name for thy goodnesse and for thy blessings bestowed vpon vs the most vnworthy amongst the children of men Lord we confesse that among all thy mercies and miracles there is none more admired in the world then is thy goodnesse and loue towards vs howsoeuer vnworthy in keeping vs notwithstanding so many Antichristian stratagems vnder thine owne protection continuing to vs the light of thy sacred truth that shineth amongst vs more bright theâ— the 〈…〉 nne in her strength As if thâ—â— haddest a more speciall respect vnto vs thâ—â— to any other nation 〈◊〉 thine owne dearest and peculiar people Thou hast anointed vnto vs a religious â—ing to watch 〈…〉 uer vs to nourish vs with the 〈…〉 ilke of thy sauing word and hast not permitted a stranger from thy truth to intrude vpon vs But with the sword of the spirit hast hitherunto guarded vs from the entrie of forraigne Potentates enemies vnto thy Gospel Inlargâ— therefore good Father thy gift of wisedome and power vnto thiâ—â— owne peculiar choice Iames thiâ—â— Anointed that he may be watchfull to obserue and powerfull to withstand the enemies of thy truth abroad and at home Let no Achitophel bee neere his person nor any sinister counsell bee heard or malicious hand be lifted vp against him Be a Father of mercy vnto him and to his seede that vnder thee he and they that haue and shall proceed from his or the loynes of them that proceede from him may be fathers and furtherers of many comforts to thy Church for euer Take him not from vs as thou hast taken our neighbour kings though our sinnes deserue it and haue already made a dangerous breach in that Royall stocke wherein vnder thee our hope of happinesse dependeth much And therefore Lord depriue vs not of him nor any of his issue in thine anger who brought vs peace after peace and is as Dauid vnto vs a man chosen after thine owne 〈…〉 uing kindnesse to rule vs 〈◊〉 to continue vs in the rules of right religion a blessing aboue blessings Giue vs not â—uer therefore vnto the will of his and ours and thine owne enemies who vnder the counterfeit colour of the name and cause of Christ seeke to persecute Christ himself in his meÌ„bers falsly perswading themselues that the murdering of Princes and massacring of people is a sacrifice acceptable to thee and a marke of Catholike religion How it had fared with vs the king and people if thou hadst permitted that plot of confusion lately practised to haue preuailed thou knowest Thy chosen Israel wanting a king all people did what they listed If then Lord they had depriued thine English Israel of King Counsell Bishops Iudges and Chiefe men of the land what could haue succeeded but vniuersall confusion Wee confesse thy power and prouidence to â—e absolute and couldest haue raysed and restored others for thine owne glory But our sinnes deseruing the first could not bee worthily seconded