GERARD'S PRAYERS; OR, A DAILY PRACTICE OF PIETY: Divided into four parts. 1 Of Confession of Sins. 2 Of Thanksgiving, for benefits. 3 Of Petitions for ourselves. 4 Of Supplications for our neighbours. Written (originally) in the Latin Tongue, by john Gerard, Doctor in Divinity, and Superintendent of Heldeburg. Translated and revised By Ralph Winterton, Fellow of King's College in Cambridge. Whereunto is added a Morning and Evening Prayer, for a Family. Printed in ABERDENE, by Edward Raban, 1638. To the Reader. DIstressed soul! if thou conceav'st what 'tis To mount unto the tower of endless bliss, Embrace this Work: It reacheth to the Sky; And higher, if beyond it ought doth lie. Man's dull capacity, weak humane sense; Wide world's expansion, stars circumference, Can not it comprehend. Prayer passeth even To GOD'S Pavilion, to th' imperial Heaven. That is the Golden Chain, fixed to God's ear▪ Knock, & he'll open: Call, & He will hear. This, surely; this is blessed lakobs Ladder, On which our souls climb, by CHRIST, to CHRIST'S FATHER. Faith is Prayers chief Attendant, CHRIST the Way: GOD'S Spirit both moves, and help? us 〈◊〉 to pray. True love admittance gain, humble confession Both helps Devotion, and procures Remission. THE FIRST PART. Of Confession of Sins. THE ARGUMENT. The Meditation of our Sins, comprehendeth in it these two heads; Of original and actual sins. Actual sins, are committed in thought, word, and deed; By the committing of evil, and by the omitting of good▪ Against GOD, our neighbour, and our selves. The offences of our youth are many, and our daily infirmities many. We are often tempted of the flesh, and we do often yield unto it. We partake, many times, in other men's sins: and in many things we are defective our selves. We are convicted of our sins, by all the creatures: and we behold the sexeritie of GOD'S anger against our sins, in the Passion and Death of CHRIST. PRAYER I. He weigheth, and considereth, the grievousness of original sin. Holy GOD, and just judge! I Psal. 51. 5 know that I was conceived and borne in sin: I know that I was form 〈◊〉 24, 4 of unclean seed in the womb of my mother: That poison of sin hath so corrupted and putrified my whole nature, that no faculty of my soul is free from the contagion thereof: That holy pledge of the divyne image, which was committed unto me in our first father, is perished in me: There is no power at all in me, to begin to come unto the saving knowledge of thee, the fear of thee, confidence in thee, and love of thee: There remaineth no sufficiency in me, to perform obedience unto thy commandments: My will is averse from thy law: And the law of sin in my members, Rom. 7, 23 being repugnant to the law of my mind, maketh my whole nature become corrupt and perverse. I wretched and miserable man, do feel the power of sin cleaving fast to my members: I do feel the yoke of wicked concupiscence grievously pressing me: For although I am regenerate, and renewed by the spirit of ▪ Titus ●. 5 grace, in the laver of baptism; yet am I not as yet wholly free from the yoke and captivity of sin. For that root of bitterness, which lieth hidden in me, doth always desire to put forth new branches: The law of sin reigning in my flesh doth strive to captivate me: I am full of doubts, distrust, and desire of mine Matt. 15, 19 own honour: Out of my heart proceed wicked cogitations: Filthy thoughts defile me throughout in thy sight: Out of that poisoned fountain flow forth rivers of poison. Psal. 143. 2 Enter not, therefore, into judgement with thy servant, O LORD; but Psal. 51. 1 be propitious unto me, according to thy great mercy: The deep of my misery, calleth upon the deep of thy mercy: Psal. 42. ● For this uncleanness and filthiness of my polluted nature, I offer unto thee the most sacred conception of thy Son: For me he was borne: Isai 9 6 1 Cor. 1. 30 For me therefore he was conceived. For me he was made sanctification, & righteousness: For me therefore he is become purification and cleanness. Through him, & for him, thy Son, have mercy on me, O thou most highest: and set not in the light of thy Psal. 90. 8 countenance that hidden corruption that cleaveth to my nature; but look upon thy beloved Son, my Mediator, and let his most holy and immaculate conception succour my misery▪ Amen. PRAYER II. He recalleth to our memory the sins of our youth. Holy GOD, and just judge! Remember not the offences of my Psal. 25. 7 ●et. 31, 34 sins that are past▪ How many venomous fruits hath the vicious root of concupiscence, that is inherent in me, brought forth! In my childhood what an innumerable brood of actual transgressions hath the evil of original sin hatched! The very thoughts of my heart are Ge●. 6, 5 wicked and perverse, even from my childhood▪ yea, even from my tender infancy: For when I was an infant but of one day, I was in no ways innocent before thee. As many as the days of my life are, so many offences do burden me; yea, many more by far in number, seeing that the just man falleth seven Pro●▪ 24, 1● times in one day: But if the just fall seven times in one day, than I wretched and unjust man, without doubt, have fallen seaventie times seven times. As my life hath increased, so hath the web of my sins increased: & as much as hath been added to my life by thy bounty; so much hath been added to the course of my sins, by the wickedness of my corrupt nature. I examine my life that is past: and what else do I behold, but a filthy stinking cloak of sin? I attend unto the light of thy precepts: and what do I find in the course of my years that are past, but darkness and blindness? The tender flower of my youth ought to have been crowned with virtues, and offered to thee for a sweet savour: The best part of my age past did owe itself unto thee, the best Creator of nature: But the dirty filth of my sins hath most foully polluted the flower of my age, and the stinking mud of my offences hath in a wonderful & miserable manner defiled me. The first age of man is amongst all the rest the fittest for the service of GOD: But I have spent a good part thereof in the service of the devil. The memory of many sins, which the unbridled looseness of my youth hath committed, is set in my sight: and yet there are many more which I cannot call to memory. Who knoweth how oft he Psal. 29, 12 offendeth? cleanse thy servant from secret faults. For these offences of my youth▪ I offer unto thee (holy Father) the most holy obedience, and perfect innocence of thy Son, Phil. 2. 8 Luke ●, 42 who was obedient to thee unto death, even the death of the cross. When he was but a child of twelve years old, he performed holy obedience unto thee, and began to execute thy will with great alacrity. This obedience I offer unto thee (just judge) for a price and satisfaction for the manifold disobedience of my youth. Amen. PRAYER III. He reckoneth up our daily falls, and slips. Holy God, and just judge! There is no man innocent in thy sight, no man free from the spote of sin: And I am bereft of that glory, which I should bring with me to judgement: I am stripped of that garment of innocence, with which I ought to appear arrayed before Prov. 24, 16 Matt. 26. 〈◊〉 thee: Seven times, yea, and oftener every hour I fall: seventy times seven times I sin every day. The spirit indeed is sometimes ready; but the flesh is always weak: The inward man flowrisheth, and is strong, but the outward man languisheth, and is weak: For I do not the good Rom. 7. 1● that I would, but the evil that I would not. How often do vain, wicked, and impious cogitations arise in my heart: How often do vain, unprofitable, and hurtful words break forth! How often do perverse, wicked, and ungodly actions pollute me! All my righteousness Isai. 6●▪ 6 is as the cloth of a menstruous woman: Therefore, I dare not plead for my righteousness before thee: But I humbly prostrate myself before thy most just tripunall, and out of the deeps do I cry unto thee: Lord, if thou shalt decree P●●●. ●30. 3 to impute sin, who shall abide it? If thou wilt enter into judgement, Psal. 143. 3 who shall stand? If thou wilt call me to appear according to the severity of thy justice, how shall I come before thee? If thou wilt exact a strict job. ●. 3 account of my life, I shall not be able to answer thee one for a thousand: Therefore my mouth is stopped, and I▪ acknowledge before thee, that I have deserved eternal torments; and withal I confess with tears, that thou mayest justly cast me into prison for ever. Therefore, for these daily sins of my life, I offer unto thee (holy Father) the most precious blood of thy Son, which was poured forth on the altar of the cross, which washeth me from all my sins. My sins which lead me captive, are many in number, and most powerful: But the ransom of thy Son is much more precious, and of more efficacy: Let that most perfect, plenary, and holy price paid by Christ, obtain for me remission of sins. Amen. PRAYER IU. He examineth our life, according to the rule of the first table of the Commandments. Holy God, and just judge! Thou. Exod. 20, 1 gavest unto us thy Law in mount Sinai, and thou wouldst have it to be the rule of all our actions, words, and thoughts: That whatsoever is not squared by it, should in thy judgement be accounted sin. As often as I look upon that most clear glass, I perceive mine own filthiness, and tremble every part of me. I ought to love thee (O my God) above all things.: But how often do I love the world, and forget the love of thee! I am bound to fear thee (O my God) above all things: But how often do I consent to sin, and let thy fear slip out of my memory! Thou requirest, that I should trust in thee (O my God) above all things: But how often in adversity doth my soul waver, and anxiouslie and carefully doubt of thy fatherly goodness! I am bound to obey thee (O my God) with all my heart: But how often doth my refractory flesh resist the resolution of obedience, and lead Rom. 7. ● me captive into the prison of sin! My cogitations ought to be holy. my desires pure and holy: But how often is the quiet state of my mind troubled with vain and impious cogitations! I ought to call upon thee (O God) with all my heart: But how often doth my mind wander in prayer, and doth anxioustie doubt, whether her prayers be heard or no! How often am I remiss in prayer, and demisse in conceaving confidence! How often doth my tongue pray, and yet I do not worship thee in spirit and in truth! How john 4. 23 profound oblivion of thy benefits doth seize upon me! Thou dost daily pour thy benefits upon me in a loving manner; and yet I do not daily return unto thee thanksgiving. How cold is my meditation of thy immense and infinite gifts bestowed upon me! What slender devotion is there for the most part in my heart! I use thy gifts, and yet I do not praise thee who art the giver. I stick in the rivers, & come not to the fountain. Thy word is john 6. 5● the word of spirit & life: But I through sin and corruption have destroyed the work of thy holy Spirit within me. The sparks of a good resolution often enkindled, I as often extinguish: and yet I do not sue to thee for increase of thy gifts. For these and all other my sins and defaults, I offer unto thee (O my God) the most pure and perfect obedience of thy Son, who loved thee in the days of his incarnation, most perfectly with his whole heart, & cleaved unto thee most firmly with all his soul: in whose deeds, words, and thoughts, there was found no blot of sin, nor spot of the least Isai 53. 9 offence. That which I want, by faith I draw from his fullness: Therefore for this thy well-beloved Son's sake, have mercy LORD upon thy servant. Amen. PRAYER V. He considereth our life, according to the rule of the second table of the commandments. Holy God▪ and just judge! It is thy eternal and immutable will, that I should honour with due Exod 20. 1● respect my Parents, and the Magistrates: But how often do I think too meanly of their authority! How often do I in heart refuse to obey them! How often do I traduce their infirmities! O how often do I omit by serious prayers to further their safety! I often cherish anger conceived against them, whereas I ought with patience to submit myself unto them. Thy sacred will requireth, that I should do good to my neighbour in all things, to my power: But how often doth it irk me to do him good! How doth it go against my stomach to forgive him? How often am I solicited by my flesh, to anger, hatred, envy, and brawling! how often doth the fire of my angry heart burn within me, although contentious words be not heard without! Thy holy will, requireth that I should live chastely, modestly, and temperately: But how often hath the love of drunkenness & lust, made my soul captive to sin? How often do fires of lust flame within me, although my outward members be restrained! He that looketh upon a woman, to lust Matt. 5▪ 28 after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart, sayeth the Text: How often therefore in the sight of GOD do we commit adultery! The inordinate and immoderate use of meat, drink, and wedlock, often stealeth upon us, and maketh us appear guilty before thee▪ if thou wouldst enter into judgement with us. Thy holy writ requireth, that in bargaining I deceive not my neighbour in any sort; but that I rather further, and procure his good; that I traduce not his faults, but rather cover than with the cloak of charity; and that I do not censure him rashly & unadvisedly: But how often do I seek mine own profit by injustice! How often do I spend my judgement rashly upon my neighbour! Thy holy will requireth, that my spirit, mind, & soul be free from concupiscence: But how often doth my flesh solicit me to sin, and contaminateth my spirit with wicked concupiscences! As a fountain doth abound with continual bubbling of water: So doth my heart always swell with evil concupiscence. For these, and all other my sins and defects, I offer unto thee (most holy Father) the most perfect obedience of thy Son, who loved all men with perfect Isai 53, 9 1 Pet, 2, 22 love, and in whose mouth was found no guile, in whose words and deeds no aberrations, no corruption in nature: To this propitiation I flee with true faith, and by faith I suck out Rome, 3. 28 of his wounds, as much as is sufficient to justify me, and save me: Have mercy on me my GOD, and my Father. Amen. PRAYER VI He showeth that we often partake in other men's sins. Holy God, and just judge! Thou hast committed unto me, not only the care of mine own soul, but also the care of my neighbours: But how often doth my neighbour through my negligence suffer great loss of godliness! How often do I neglect freely and boldly to chide him, when he sinneth! How often do I, being hindered either by favour or fear, reprove him for his sins more slightly than I ought! 1 Tim, 2, 1● In pouring out prayers for his salvation, I am too remiss; in reprehending his sins, I am tootoo timorous; in furthering his salvation, I am too slothful: insomuch that thou mayest justly require at my hands Ezek. 3, 21 the blood of my neighbour that perisheth. If there were in me a perfect and sincere love of my neighbour, surely from thence would proceed freedom in reproving of sin. If the fire of sincere charity did burn in my heart, surely it would break forth more clearly into the spiritual incense of prayers, to be made for the salvation of my neighbours. For a man to pray for himself, it is a duty of necessity: But to pray for the salvation of his neighbour, it is a deed of charity: As often therefore, as I neglect to pray for the salvation of my neighbour, so often I condemn myself for the breach of the commandment of the love of my neighbour. My neighbour dieth the death of the body, and sorrow filleth all with lamentation and mourning; when as yet the death of the body bringeth no hurt to a godly man, but rather giveth him a passage into a celestial country: My neighbour dieth the death of the soul, and behold, I am nothing troubled at it: I see him die, and grieve not at all; when as yet sin is the true death of the soul, and bringeth with it the loss of the inestimable grace of God, & eternal life. My neighbour delinquisheth against the king, who can only kill the body; and behold, I seek by all means his reconciliation: but ho sinneth against the King of all kings, that can cast both body and soul Matt. 10. 28 into hellfire: and yet I behold it in security, and consider not that this offence is an infinite evil. My neighbour stumbleth at a stone; and I run presently to save him from a fall, or otherwise to raise him up, if he be fallen: He Psal. 118 22 stumbleth at the corner stone of our salvation; and behold, I securely pass by it, and labour not with care and diligence to lift him up again. Mine own sins are grievous anough: And yet I have not been afraid to participate in other men's sins. Be propitious (O God) unto me, great sinner, and overburdened. To thy mercy I flee in Christ, and through Christ promised unto me, I come unto this life, being dead in sin: I come unto this Way, having gone astray in the path of sin: I come unto this Salvation, being by reason of my sin guilty of damnation. Quicken me, guide me, and save me, thou which art my Life, my Way, and my Salvation, for ever and ever, Amen. PRAYER VII. He showeth that we are many ways convinced of sin. Holy God, and just judge! If I look up to heaven, I think with myself, that I have many Luke 15, 1● 19▪ ways offended thee, my GOD and Father: I have sinned against heaven and before thee, I am not worthy 19 to be called thy son. If I look down upon the earth, I think with myself, how I have abused thy creatures by my sins: I have infinitely abused not only the darkness of the night, but also the light of the day, to work works of darkness. If I look upon the examples of sinners, upon whom thou in thy just judgement hast inflicted punishment, I find that the weight of my sins will counterpoise theirs. If I look upon the examples of the saints, I find that I come far short of them in my holy service of thee. If I think upon the Angel my keeper, I find that often I put him to flight by my sins. If I think of the devils, I find that I have often given place to their suggestions. If I weigh with myself the rigour of thy law, I find that my life is many ways irregular. If I look upon myself, I find that the very cogitations of my heart do accuse me before thy judgement. If I think upon the hour of death to come, I find that it is the just reward of my sins, and (unless Rom. 6, 23 thou of thy mere mercy for Christ his sake shalt receive me) the gate and entrance into everlasting death. If I think upon the judgement to come, I find my deserts such, that thou mayest justly call me to the most exact account, and punish my sins according to the strict severity of thy law. If I think upon hell, I find that I have deserved by my sins the most just punishment there, If I think upon eternal life, I find that I have by my sins justly fallen away from all hope of attainment. All things therefore convince me of my sins: Only thou thou, O my God, be not thou extreme against me! To Christ thy beloved Son my only mediator I betake myself: By him I most firmly believe I shall obtain thy grace & remission of my sins. Thy creatures accuse me; the book of my conscience accuseth me; both the tables of thy divyne law accuse me; Satan accuseth me day and night: But take thou upon thee my patronage. O sweet jesus! To thee the poor man is left bereft of all solace of the creatures. All my refuge is placed in thy satisfaction for my sins, and in thy intercession at the right hand of the Father for me. My soul, take thou the wings of the morning, and, like a dove, hide thy Cant. 2. 14 self in the clests of the rock, that is, in the wounds of Christ thy Saviour. Hide thyself in this rock, till the anger of the LORD be passed by: and thou shalt find rest, and thou shalt find protection, and thou shalt find deliverance therein. AMEN. PRAYER VIII. He by the effects of contrition argueth us to be convicted of the heinousness of sin. Holy God, and just judge! My heart is contrite and humbled▪ my spirit is heavy, and in a great strait, by reason of the burden of my sins where with I am oppressed. The courage of my heart hath failed, and the sharpness of my eyes is decayed. My heart is pressed, and from thence gush out tears: My spirit is oppressed, and I forget to take my bread: My heart is wounded, and from thence gusheth out blood, and Psal. 18▪ 〈◊〉 a fountain of tears. Who knoweth how of thee offendeth? Who knoweth the sorrow of the heart, that is in a great strait by reason of offences? My soul is dry and broken in pieces, and thirsteth after the fountain of Psal. 4●. ● life: O Christ feed me with the dew of thy Spirit of grace. My heart that is in a great strait sigheth unto thee: O thou true joy, give unto me peace and quietness of heart, Rom. 5. 1 that being justified by saith, I may have peace with God. My heart condemneth me: But do ●Iohn 3, 20 thou absolve me, who art greater than my heart. My conscience accuseth me: But do thou absolve me, who hast fastened to the cross the hand-writing Col. 2, 14 of my conscience. I offer unto thee (o my God) my contrite & humbled heart, for a most acceptable sacrifice: Psal. 51. 17 I offer unto thee my sighs as the messengers of true & serious contrition: I offer unto thee my tears as abundant witnesses of my unfeigned grief. In myself I despare: In thee is my trust. In myself I faint: In thee I am refreshed. In myself I feel straightness: In thee again I find Matt, 〈◊〉. 28 enlargement, I am troubled and burdened overmuch: Thou shalt refresh Psal. ●30. ● me, and give rest unto my soul. One deep calleth upon another: The deep of my misery calleth upon Psal. 230, 1 Mic. 7▪ 19 Psal. 38. 3 the deep of thy mercy. Out of the deeps do I cry unto thee. Cast thou my sins into the deep of the sea. There is no soundness in my flesh, by reason of thy anger: neither is there any rest to my bones by reason of my sins: For mine iniquities are gone ●ver my head, and become too heavy for me. Cure my soul, thou heavenly Physician, that I be not swallowed up of eternal death. Take the burden of my sins from me, thou that hast taken it upon thyself on the cross, that I despare not under the intolerable burden thereof. Have mercy on me, thou fountain of grace and mercy. Amen. PRAYER IX. He declareth the number and greatness of God's benefits unto us, and the grievousness of our sins. Holy God, and just judge! By how much the more benefits thou hast bestowed upon me, by so much the more I grieve, that I have so often displeased thee, so loving a Father. As many gifts as thou hast heaped upon me, so many bonds of love hast thou sent over unto me▪ Thou wouldst have bound me unto thyself: But I have forgotten thee and thy beneficiencie, and linked sin unto sin. Father, Luke 15, 19 I have sinned against heaven, and before thee: I am not worthy to be called thy sin: make me as one of thy hired servants. I am altogether displeased with myself: Make thou me altogether to please thee. Thy large bounty, and wonderful patience, Rom. 2, 4 have often invited me to repentance: But hitherto I have been backward to come. Thou hast often called me (O most Bountiful GOD) by the preaching of thy word, by the teaching of thy creatures, by the punishment of the cross, and by inward inspiration: But I have stopped the ears of my heart altogether at thy call. All the faculties of my soul, all the members of my body are thy gifts: I ought therefore, with all the powers of my soul, and parts of my body, be ready to do thee all holy service, which is due unto thee: But I have made them (the more is my grief) the weapons of iniquity and unrighteousness. The breath which I fetch is thine; the air which I suck in is thine; the sunne, whose light I see daily, is thine: All these aught to have been unto me as furtherances and instruments to sanctity of life: But I have abused them, the more is my grief, to the slavery of sin. Thy creatures I should have used to the glory of thee the Creator: But I have wickedly abused them to thy dishonour. In the light of the sun I should have put on the armour of Rom. 13. 〈◊〉 light: But therein have I committed the works of darkness. How much soever is added unto my life, cometh all from thy bounty: Therefore my whole life ought to be employed in thy service, on whom it doth wholly depend: And yet I have scarce bestowed the least part thereof in thy service. As many good inspirations as I have felt within me, so many handmaids of thy grace hast thou sent as ambassadors to invite me most lovingly to return unto thee by true repentance: But alas, how often have I stubbornly refused to give them audience! But yet receive him, who now at length returneth unto thee with sighing & a contrite heart. Sprinkle me with the blood of thy Son, that so being 2 Cor 7. ● purged from all the pollutions of the flesh and the spirit, I may become Psal. 5●. 7 whiter than snow, and with all thy elect praise thee in the heavenly jerusalem world without end. AMEN. PRAYER X. He considereth the severity of GOD'S anger against our sins, in the death and passion of CHRIST. Holy God, and just judge! I behold thy Son hanging upon the cross, and pouring forth plentiful rivers of blood: ● behold him; and behold, for very terror, I ●aint altogether. My ●innes are those iron nails with which I have boared his hands and his feet. My sins are those pricking thorns with which his most sacred head (which is to be rever●●ed of the Angelical powers) was crowned. My sins are those stinging thongs, with which his most pure body (the proper temple of Divinity) was scourged. Gen. 〈◊〉. 33 A cruel wild beast hath torn in pieces the heavenly joseph, and embrued his coat with his blood: I miserable sinner am that wicked beast: for my sins did make an assault, and rush upon thy most beloved Son. If thy most obedient Son is so vexed & Isai 53. ●5 troubled for other men's sins: What cause hath the undutiful and disobedient servant to fear in regard of his own sins! The wounds of my soul must needs be great indeed and mortal, when as thy only begotten Son is so miserable smitten for to cure them. The disease of my soul must needs be great indeed and mortal, when as the heavenly Physician, and life itself, doth die upon the cross to cure it. I see the torment of his most holy soul: I hear the miserable exclamation of my most holy Saviour upon the cross: For me it is he is so vexed: it is for my sins that he complaineth, that he is forsaken Matt. 27. 46 of GOD. If the weight of other men's sins doth so exceedingly press the Almighty Son of God, that it wringeth from him a bloody sweat: How intolerable shall the anger of God be, and how unmeasurable shall be his wrath against the unprofitable servant! O thou dry and unhappy wood, that hast always served as a slave the everlasting fire of hell! What must thou fear, when thou seest these things come to pass in the green wood! Christ is the green tree: In the root of his divinity, in the love of his humanity, in the boughs of his virtues, in the leaue● of his holy words, and in the fruit of his good works. He is the cedar of chastity, the vine of joyfulness, the palm of patience, and the olive of mercy. But if the fire of the divyne anger inflameth this green tree of life: How much more shall it consume the sinner like dry wood for his unfruitful works! In what capital and bloody letters are my sins engraven in the body of Christ! How conspicuous (O thou most just GOD) is thine anger against mine iniquities! How straight must that captivity needs be in which my soul was held, when so precious a ransom was paid for her delivery! How great must the stains of my sins needs be, when rivers of blood flow down from the body of Christ to wash them away! O thou most just God, and yet most merciful Father, consider what indignities thy Son hath suffered for me▪ and forget the wicked works of me thy unworthy servant! Behold the profundity of his wounds; and overwhelm my sins in the profound sea of thy mercy▪ Amen. THE SECOND PART. Of thanksgiving for Benefits. THE ARGUMENT. The Meditation of God's benefits, doth gather out of the garden of nature, and of the Church, sundry, & those most fragrant 〈◊〉 of divine gifts: and recreating itself with the odour thereof, offereth again to God the sacrifices of the lips, for a savour of sweet smell. Now the immense and innumerable benefits of God, may be divided according to three articles of our Christian faith; God hath created, rédeemed, and sanctified us. He heapeth his benefits on us in this life, and hath promised greater unto us in the life that is everlasting. He conferreth upon us the gift of the mind, of the body, and of fortune, which we ca●● external goods. He preserveth us from evil, and conserveth us in good. That which is p●●t he covereth, that which is to come he governeth. His privative blessings are more than his positive. In brie●e, woe can neither in word express, nor in thought conceive, the number and dignity of God's benefits, which will afford unto us hereafter, in the world to come, most plentiful matter of eternal praise and thanksgiving. PRAYER I. He giveth thanks for our forming in the womb, and for our nativity. Almighty, eternal GOD, Father, Son, and holy Ghost: I give thanks to thee, I praise thee, I glorify thee: because thy job 10, 8 hands have fashioned me, and made me wholly round about. Thou formedst me like clay in my mother's womb. 9 Thou didst draw me like milk. Thou 10 didst curdl● me like cheese: With 11 flesh and skin hast thou covered me, and compacted me together with bones and sinews. Thou hast given 12 me life and mercy, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit. This thy great mercy bestowed upon me, I will celebrate with perpetual praises. Thy goodness I will sing of in continual songs. Psal, 1●9 Thou didst protect me in my mother's womb. I will confess unto thee: 13 For I am wonderfully form: Marvellous 14 are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well. My bones 15 are not had from thee, which th●n didst make in secret, and deckedst me▪ 〈◊〉 with diverse members in the lower parts of the earth. Thy eyes saw me yet being imperfect, and in thy book were all my members written, which day by day were fashioned when as yet there were none of them. How precious 17 unto me● are thy thoughts O GOD! How great i● the sum of them! If I 18 go about to reckon them, I find them multiplied above the sands of the sea. Thou didst show thy mercy unto me before I understood it: Thou didst prevent me with thy blessings before I did desire them: Thy bounty did embrace me on every side, before I could give thanks for it. Thou art he who not only didst form me wonderfully in the womb, but also didst take me out: Thou art my hope even from my mother's breast: Out of my mother's womb I was cast upon thee: Thou art my GOD from my mother's womb. As often as I think upon many that have been extinct▪ and never came to the light of this life: so often I admire and praise thee for thy mercy, which brought me out of that prison into the theatre of this world safe and sound. How many years are passed in which I was not, and yet thou didst erect for me this house of my body, and didst bring me out of that bottomless pit, and the darkness of my mother's womb! Thou gavest unto me a reasonable soul: Thou madest me a man, not a stone, or a serpent. To thee (O my God) for this thy mercy be honour and glory for ever. AMEN. PRAYER II. He rendereth thanks for our sustentation. I Render thanks unto thee, Almighty and merciful God, for that thou hast sustained me from the very first days of my life. Naked I came into this world, and thou coveredst me most graciously. Hungry I entered into this world, and thou hast hitherto fed me most bountifully. In thee I live, move, & have my being: Without thee I fall again into nothing, and die. Through thee I ●owe, and move my members: Without thee I can neither be partaker Matt. 5. 44 of life, or motion. Thine is the sun that giveth me light, which I see daily with mine eyes. Thine is the air which I draw in with continual breath. The night is thine, and the day is thine, whose intercourses serve for my labour and rest. Thine is the earth, whose fruits do nowrish me most plentifully. Every creature in heaven, air, earth, and sea is thine, and is apppointed for my use Hag. 2. ● and service. Silver is thine, and gold is thine. Whatsoever is necessary for the sustentation of this my present life, all that I receive from thy most liberal and bountiful hands. O GOD, how liberal art thou to mankind! All things thou createdst long ago for the use of man: All things thou dost as yet preserve for the good of man. Whatsoever thou, of thine infinite goodness, afford to the other creatures, thou afford also unto me; for as much as thou dost wonderfully form, furnish, and conserve them for my sake. Some of the creatures serve to obey me; some to nowrish me; some to clothe me; some to cure me; some to chastise me: But all of them to teach and inform me. Who can reckon up those diverse kinds of nutriments, which thou hast created, and dost as yet produce out of the earth unto this day to nowrish us? Who can enumerate those diverse species of herbs, which thou dost every year cause the earth to bring forth to cure us? Who can in words comprehend those sundry kinds of living creatures, which were made for man's use, and do yet all serve him? To thee be praise and honour for ever, who art the Creator and Conserver of all things! Without thee the true sun, I should vanish away as doth the shadow: Without thee the true life, I should presently depart out of this life: Without thee the true being▪ I should suddenly fall to nothing. To thee only is due, that I live, move, and have my being. Therefore to thee alone will I live and adhere for ever. Amen. PRAYER III. He rendereth thanks for our redemption wrought by Christ. I Owe unto thee (O eternal and Almighty GOD) most hearty thanks, for that thou hast created me when I was nothing: But much more for that thou hast redeemed me when I was lost and condemned. I did hang in the jaws of hell: And thou didst pluck me out by Colos 1, 14 the blood of thy Son. I was the slave of Satan: but thy grace hath delivered me out of the power of the devil, and translated me into the kingdom of Christ, I owe myself wholly unto thee: because thou createdst me wholly. My tongue ought always to praise thee▪ because thou gavest it unto me. My mouth ought always to set forth thy praise: because the air and breath which it draweth is thine. My heart ought always to cleave unto thee with perpetual love: because thou didst form it. All my members ought to be ready for thy service: because thou didst wonderfully frame them, how many and how great soever they be. But if I owe myself wholly unto thee, because thou createdst me: What shall I repay unto thee for redeeming me out of slavery and captivity! The lost sheep thou hast delivered out of the claws of the infernal wolf. The fugitive slave thou hast plucked out of the prison of the devil. The lost gr●at thou hast sought out Luke 15. 8 with great carefulness. In Adam I fell, and thou hast erected me: In Adam I was captivated in the bonds of sin, but thou hast set me at liberty: In Adam I was lost, and again thou hast saved me: What am I worm, that thou shouldest be so solicitous for redeeming me? What am I worm that thou shouldest be so prodigally bountiful for saving me? If thou hadst altogether cast off our first parents after their fall, and hadst thrown them with all their posterity out from the presence of thy glory into the lowest pit of hell▪ there is none of us could justly complain of any wrong done unto him: For they had received, and we had received for our deeds a just reward. What else could we have desired or expected from thee, who createdst us after thine own image, & furnishedst us with power and sufficiency to have kept our innocence. But in this thou didst manifest thy incomprehensible and unspeakable love towards us, in that thou didst promise unto our first parents after their fall, thy Son for their Redeemer, and Gal. 4▪ 4 in the fullness of time didst send him unto us, to call us from death to life, from sin to righteousness, and from the infernal pit unto celestial glory. O thou lover of man, whose delight is with the sons of Prov. 8▪ 3● men, who can worthily set forth the praise of thy love to man? Yea, who can in mind conceive the worthiness thereof? These are the incomprehensible riches of thy goodness: This is the infinite treasure of thy gifts, which the slenderness of our capacity and understanding cannot conceive. Was a servant so dear unto thee, that thy Son must be delivered to death for his redemption! Was an enemy so much to be beloved, that thou shouldest appoint thy most beloved Son to be his redeemer! My soul is astonished with the very consideration of this thy goodness, and doth wholly turn and dissolve itself into the love of thee. AMEN. PRAYER IU. He rendereth thanks for the incarnation of the Son. I Render thanks unto thee. Ies● Christ, thou alone Mediator, and Redeemer of mankind▪ for that thou hast in the fullness of time personally Gal. 4, 4 united unto thee the true humane nature, and hast vouchsafed to be borne of a Virgin. How great Isai 7. 14 Heb. 2, 16 1 Tim 3. 16 is thy love to man, in that thou d●●●● not assume the nature of Angels, but the seed● of Abraham! How great is the mystery of godliness, that thou being very GOD▪ wouldst be made manifest in the flesh▪ How great is the inclination of thy pity, that descending from heave● for my sake, thou hast endured to be borne of a Virgin! For me, most vile creature, Creator Almighty, thou art become man. For me, most abject servant, most glorious Lord, thou hast put on the shape of a servant, that by taking flesh upon thee, thou mightest set my Isai ●. 6 flesh at liberty. To me thou art borne: Whatsoever celestial good therefore thou bringest with thee in thy Nativity, shall▪ be mine. To me● thou art given: And therefore all things with thee. My nature in thee is more glorified, than it was in Adam dishonoured: For thou dost assume it into the Unity of thy Person, whereas it was weakened with accidental corruption only by Satan. Thou art flesh of my flesh, and Ephes' 5. 3● b●●● of my bone. Thou art my brother: And what canst thou deny unto me, seeing thou art most nearly joined unto me in the same flesh & affection of brotherly love▪ Thou art the bridegroom, who according to the good pleasure of thy heavenly Father, hast coupled unto thee by a personal league, the humane nature, as a spouse: To the joy of those nuptials I do proclaim & Matt. 22. 2 thankfully acknowledge that I myself am invited. I wonder now no more that the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them were made for man by God, seeing that God himself would for man become man. Thou canst not utterly divorce me, and cast me away from thee, seeing that thou canst not deny that thou art a man, and therefore my brother. Thou canst not altogether forget me, because thou hast grave● me in thy●e ●w● Isai 49▪ 16 hands: For the very communion of the flesh doth daily and continually put thee in mind of me. Thou canst not altogether forsake me, seeing that it hath pleased thee to con●oyne unto thee tyre humane nature, in a most near bond of personal union. Although therefore my sins do hinder me, yet the communion of nature doth not repel me. I will adhere wholly unto thee, because thou hast wholly assumed me wholly. Amen. PRAYER V. He rendereth thanks for Christ's passion. HOw great thanks do I owe unto thee. O most holy jesus, for that thou hast taken upon thee the punishment of my sins, and hast endured hunger, thirst, cold, weariness, reproaches, persecutions, sorrows, poverty, bonds, whips, pricking of thorns; yea, and that most bitter death of the cross for me sinner! How great is the flame of thy love which forced thee of thine own accord to throw thyself into that sea of passions, and that for me most vile and unthankful servant! Thy innocence and righteousness made thee free from all sufferings: But thy infinite and unspeakable love made thee debtor and guilty in my room. It is I that trespassed, and thou makest satisfaction. It is I that committed rapine, and thou makest restitution. It is I that sinned, and thou undergoest the passion. O jesus most benign, I acknowledge the bowels of thy mercy and the fiery heat of love. Thou seemest to love me more than thyself, seeing thou deliverest up thyself for me. O most innocent jesus, what hast thou to do with the sentence of death? O thou most beautiful amongst the sons of men, what hast thou to do with spittings upon thee? O thou most righteous, what hast thou to do with whips and bonds? These things belong not unto thee: They are all due unto me: But thou of thine unspeakable love didst descend into the prison of this world, and take upon thee the shape of a servant, and most willingly undergo the punishment that was due unto me. I was for my sins to be adjudged to the lake that burneth with everlasting fire: But thou by the fire of love being burnt upon the altar of the cross, dost free me from it. I was to be cast away for my sins from the face of my heavenly Father: And thou for my sake complainest that thou art forsaken of thy heavenly Father. Matt. ●7, 46 I was to be tormented of the devil & his angels for ever: and thou of thine infinite love dost deliver thy self unto the ministers of Satan to be afflicted and crucified for me, As many Instruments as I see of thy passion, so many tokens do I see of thy love towards me: For my sins are those bonds, those whips, and those thorns which afflicted thee, all which of thine unspeakable love thou enduredst for me. Thy love was not yet satisfied with taking my flesh upon thee: but thou wouldst make it as yet more manifest, by that most bitter passion of thy soul and body. Who am I, most mighty Lord, that for me disobedient servant, thou thyself wouldst become a servant so many years? Who am I, most beautiful bridegroom, that for me the most filthy vassal of sin, and whore of the devil, thou hast not refused to die? Who am I, most bountiful Creator, that for me most vile creature, thou hast not been afraid of the passion of the cross? I am to thee, most loving bridegroom, the true spouse of blood, for whom thou dost pour forth such plenty of blood. I am to thee, most beautiful Lily, a thorn indeed that is full of prickles. It is I that laid upon thee a heavy and sharp burden, with the weight whereof thou wast so squeezed, that drops of blood did distil abundantly from thy sacred body. To thee, Lord jesus, my alone redeemer and Mediator, for this thine unspeakable love will I sing praises for ever. AMEN. PRAYER VI He rendereth thanks for our calling by the word. Unto thee, O Lord my God, is most due, all praise, honour, and thanksgiving, for that thou wouldst by the preaching of thy word make manifest unto us that thy fatherly will and determinate counsel concerning our salvation: By nature 〈◊〉 Ephes' 5. 8 Luke 1. 79 are darkness; we sit in darkness, and in the region of the shadow of death: But thou by the most clear light of the Gospel dost dispel this darkness. In thy light do we see light; that Psal, 36▪ 11 is, in the light of thy word we see true light that lighteneth every one john 1, 9 that cometh into this world. What use were there of a treasure that is hid, and a light that is put under a Matt, 5. 15 bushel? I do therefore declare with thankfulness that great benefit, in that thou hast by the word of thy Gospel revealed unto us that treasure of benefits in thy Son. How Isai 52 ● Nah▪ 1. 15 beautiful are the feet of those that bring good tidings, and tell of salvation! This peace of conscience, and salvation of the soul, by the preaching of Rom. 10. 15 the Gospel thou dost yet declare unto us, and call us unto the kingdom of thy Son. I was led into the by-paths of errors, as it were a weak and miserable sheep: But thou hast called me into the way again by the preaching of thy word. I was condemned and utterly lost: But thou in the word of thy Gospel dost offer unto me the benefits of Christ; and in the benefits of Christ, thy grace; and in thy grace, remission of sins; and in remission of sins, righteousness; and in righteousness, salvation and life everlasting. Who can sufficiently in words express those bowels of thy mercy? yea, who can in mind conceive the greatness, and the riches of thy goodness? The mystery of our salvation Rom. 11. 25 kept secret from eternity, by the manifestation of thy Gospel thou dost lay open unto us. The counsels which thou hadst concerning our peace before the foundations of the world were laid, thou dost reveal unto us by the preaching of thy Psal, 119 105 word, which is a lantern unto our feet, whiles we go through this darksome valley into light everlasting. What had it profited us to have been borne, unless by Christ thou hadst delivered us when we were captivated through sin? What had it profited us to have been redeemed, unless thou hadst by thy word declared unto us the great benefit of our redemption? ●●ai ●5, ● Revel 3▪ 20 Thou dost spread foorththy hands unto us all the day. Thou knockest at the ga●● of our heart every day, & callest us all unto thee by thy word. O Lord most benign, how many thousand thousands of men do live in the blindness of Gentilism, and in errors, and have not seen that light of thy heavenly word which thy bounty hath granted us of all men most unthankful! Alas, how often through our contempt and unthankfulness do we deserve that thou Revel ●, 5 Wisd▪ 11. 1● shouldest take from us the candlestick of thy word! But thou of thy long patience dost make as if thou sawest not our sins; & of thy unspeakable mercy dost yet continue unto us that most holy pledge, and most precious treasure of thy word. For which thy great benefit we render unto thee eternal thanks, and we humbly beseech thee to continue it still unto us. Amen. PRAYER VII. He rendereth thanks unto God for the expectation of our conversion. I Render unto thee, most merciful Father, immortal thanks▪ for that thou wouldst with so great patience and long-suffering expect my conversion; and hast brought me out of the path of sin, unto the fellowship of thy kingdom. How great is thy long-suffering, that Rom. ●, 4 thou hast not cast me away from thy face, and thrust me down into everlasting torments, whereas I have deserved it a thousand times! How many thousands hath death prevented before they could attain unto true repentance! How many sinners hath the devil made obstinate, that they might not obtain, forgiveness of their sins! There was no distinction in nature between me and them; only thy goodness and long-suffering: My offence was no less than theirs; but thy grace did abound. Thy mercy strove with my misery: I went on in my sin; and thou didst go on in thy mercy: I differred my conversion; and thou didst differre my punishment: I went astray and thou didst call me: I refused to come; and still thou didst expect me. This thy goodness, most indulgent Father, I cannot extol with sufficient praises. This thy long patience, most merciful GOD, I cannot recompense with any merits. Thou didst preserve me from many sins, whereinto the corruption of the flesh, the deceat of the world, and the persuasion of the devil, would have thrown me headlong as well as others. Neither hast thou only kept me from falling into sin; but also hast most graciously expected my conversion from sin, into which I had fallen. I find thee more merciful than I am sinful: I sinned; and thou madest as if thou didst not see it▪ I contained not myself from wickedness; and yet thou didst abstain from punishment. I Bernard. in his 2 Serm. of the seven lo●us. did long time prolong my iniquity, and thou didst prolong thy pity. What were then my deserts? Surely evil, and the worst of evils, to wit, my sins, many in number, most grievous for weight, and detestable for variety. Therefore to thy grace and bounty alone do I attribute it, that thou hast so long expected my conversion, and delivered my soul out of the s●ares of sin. To thee, O Lord, be praise, honour, and glory, for ever and ever. Amen. PRAYER VIII. He rendereth thanks for our conversion. I Render thanks unto thee, my God, for that thou hast converted my heart that was hard, and knew not how to repent; and for that thou hast taken from me my stony heart, and given me an heart of flesh. I had of myself power to sin: But I had not of myself power to rise again to repentance. I could go astray of myself: But I could not return again into the way without thee. For even as he that is borne Gra●at in the 2 book of the life of Chr. cap, 2 crooked from his mother's womb, cannot be made strait by natural means, but only by divyne and supernatural power: So my soul being by nature crooked and prone to sin, and the love of earthly things, could by no humane power, but thy grace only, be rectified, and lifted up to the love of thee▪ & heavenly things. I could deform myself by my sins most foully: But thou only couldst reform me. As the Ethiopian cannot change his jerm 13, 23. Skin, nor the Leopard his Spots: So neither can I do that which is good, being by nature addicted unto the love of that which is evil. Thou my God didst convert me, and I was converted; and when I was converted, Ierm. 31. 〈◊〉 than I repented; and when I was instructed, than I smote my Ephes' 2, ● thigh. I was dead in sin: And thou didst quicken me. As much power as a dead man hath to raise himself: So much had I to convert myself. Unless thou hadst drawn me, I had never come unto thee; unless thou hadst stirred me up, I had never watched unto thee; unless thou hadst illuminated me, I had never seen thee. My sins were more sweet unto me than honey and the honey comb: But I am to thank thee, that now they are sharp and bitter unto me; for thou hast given me a spiritual taste. The works of virtue were more bitter unto me than gall and aloes: But I am to thank thee that now they are become pleasant and sweet; for thou hast by thy Spirit changed the corrupt judgement Isai 53. ●▪ of my flesh. I went astray as a sheep that is lost, and declined to the way G●anat▪ out of Aug●●●ines Medications▪ of iniquity: But thou, which art the good shepherd, hast found me out, and brought me again unto the flock of thy saints. It was late ere I knew thee; for there was a great & darksome cloud of vanity before mine eyes, which would not suffer me to see the light of the truth: It was late ere I saw the true light; because I was blind and loved blindness, and walked through the darkness of sin, into the darkness of hell: But thou hast illuminated me; thou soughtest me, when I sought not thee: thou called'st me, when I called not upon thee; thou convertedst me, when I was not converted unto thee; and thou saidst with a most powerful voice▪ Let there be light in the inward parts of his heart, and there was a light; and I saw thy light, and I knew mine own blindness. For this thy immense and infinite benefit, I will praise thy Name for ever and ever. AMEN. PRAYER IX. He rendereth thanks for the forgiveness of sins. I Owe and render unto thee, eternal and merciful GOD, great thanks, for that thou hast not rejected john 6. 37 me when I came unto thee, but didst most readily receive me, and most mercifully forgive me all my sins. I was that prodigal son, most indulgent Father, I was that prodigal son, that by living Luke 15. 13 riotously wasted his father's substance: For I have defiled the gifts of nature; I have refused the gifts of grace; I have deprived myself of the gifts of glory, I was naked and destitute of all good things: and thou coveredst and enrichedst me, with the robe of righteousness: I was lost and condemned: and thou of thy free grace hast bestowed upon me eternal salvation. Thou of thine ardent mercy didst embrace me and kiss me, in sending john 1. ●8 C●●●▪ ●▪ ● thy most beloved Son that is in thy bosom, and thy holy Spirit, which is the kiss of thy mouth▪ as ample witnesses of thine infinite love: Thou cloathedst me with my first robe, in restoring me my former innocence. Thou gavest me a ring for my hand, by sealing me with thy Spirit of grace. Thou didst put shoes upon my feet, by arming me Ephes' 6, 25 Luke ●5. 23 with the Gospel of peace. Thou killed'st the fat calf for me, by delyvering thy most dear Son to death for me. Thou didst cause me to feast and make merry by restoring the joy of heart, and the true peace of conscience unto me. I was dead; and through thee I was restored to life: I went astray; and through thee I came again into the way: I was consumed with poverty; and through thee I entered again into my former possession. Thou mightest in thy just judgement have rejected me, seeing that I was polluted with so many sins, covered with so many offences, and corrupted with so many iniquities: But thy mercy did abound above my sins; Rom. 5, 21 thy goodness was greater than mine iniquity. How often have I shut the gate of my heart when thou didst knock! Therefore when I knocked thou mightest most justly have shut the door of mercy against me. How often have I stopped mine ears, that I might not hear thy voice! Therefore when I sighed unto thee, thou mightest most justly have stopped thine ears, and not harkened unto my voice. But thy grace was more abundant than all my sin and transgression. Thou didst Isai 65▪ ● receive me with thy hands spread forth, and put away my iniquities as it were a cloud, and cast all 〈◊〉 Isai 38▪ 〈◊〉▪ sins behind thy back. Thou remember'st my sins no more, but receavest me into the most ample bosom of thy mercy. For this thy inestimable benefit, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. Amen. PRAYER X. He rendereth thanks unto God for conserving us in that which is good. TO thee, LORD, be honour▪ and Reve▪ 6. 〈◊〉 glory, and blessing, and thanksgiving: for that thou hast not only in mercy received me upon my repentance; but also hast enabled me to abstain from sin, and live more reformedlie. What should it profit a man, to be free from his sickness, and presently to fall into a worse relapse? What should it profit to be absolved from sins past, unless grace be conferred to lead a godly life? Thou, God most faithful, hast showed all the parts and offices of a faithful and skilful Physician in the cure of my souls wounds. My wounds were deadly, and thou didst cure them by the wounds of thy Son: But there was cause to fear, that the wounds that were healed might wax raw again: And thou by the grace of thy holy Spirit, as it were a fomentation, hast hindered it. How many be those, that after remission of sins obtained, return again to their former▪ course of life, and reiterating their sins, more grievously offend GOD! Alas, how many do we see, that being freed from the yoke of sin, return to their former captivity, and being brought out of the spiritual Egypt, look back again to the pots! They 2 Pet. 2. 20 have fled from the pollutions of the world, by the knowledge of CHRIST, and do wallow again in the same, by 22 repeating the former conversation of their most wicked life. They were freed out of the bonds of Satan by their conversion, and again are held entangled in the same, by the delusion of wicked spirits: Surely, their latter end is worse than the beginning: And it 2 Pet▪ 2. 21 had been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the path of the holy commandments, which were delivered unto them. These 22 are the dogs that return again to their vomit; and sows that after their washing, wallow again in the mire. Whatsoever hath happened unto them, might have happened unto me; but that it hath pleased thee by the grace of thy power, & the efficacy of thy holy Spirit, to enable me to continue in that which is good. The same wicked spirit that vanquished them, assaulted me: The same world that seduced them, enticed me: The same flesh that overcame them, alured me: Only thy grace protected me against their assaults, and furnished me with power sufficient for victory. Thy strength 2 Cor 12. 9 was powerful in my weakness: From thee the strength of the Spirit descended, with which I was enabled to bridle the assaults of the flesh. Whatsoever good there is in me, it descendeth all from thee, who art the fountain of all good: For in me by nature there is nothing but sin. Therefore, as many good works as I find in me, which notwithstanding are impure and imperfect, by reason of my flesh; so many gifts they are of thy grace, I must needs confess. For this thine inestimable gift conferred upon me, I will give thee thanks for ever. Amen. PRAYER XI. He rendereth thanks for all the gifts of the soul and body, and for external goods. I Render unto thee, eternal and merciful God, as it is most due, eternal thanks: for that thou hast not only made me a body and a soul; but moreover hast furnished me with sundry gifts of the soul and body, and also with external goods. Thou which art wisdom itself, teachest men all knowledge: If Psal. 94. 10 therefore I know any good, it is a demonstration of thine abundant grace, towards me. Without thy light, my mind is darksome: Without thy grace, my will is captive. If there be in me either any wit or prudence, it is all to be attributed to thy clemency. Wisdom is the eye of the soul, and divyne grace is the eye of wisdom. Whatsoever we know, we know either by the light of nature, or by the revelation of thy word: But from thee, O thou light of eternal wisdom, doth the illumination of nature spring: From thee also doth the revelation of the word come: Therefore whatsoever we know, descendeth unto us as thy gift. Thou, O indeficient fountain of life, art my life, and the length of my days. Thou, O eternal health itself, art the strength of my body, and the vigour of my virtue. Man liveth not by Matt. 4. 4 bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of thy mouth: So than man is not preserved in health and strength by bread only; neither is he preserved from diseases by Physic only: but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Tranquillity of the mind preserveth the health of the body: And true godliness begetteth tranquillity of the conscience. From thee (O thou chief good) all true godliness, all tranquillity of the mind without disturbance, and all wished-for health of body doth come. Moreover, whatsoever external good I do possess, all that I owe unto thy liberality and bounty. A crust of bread is not due unto my deserts: How much less than are all these external goods which thou dost heap upon me? They are called indeed the gifts of fortune: But they are in deed and in truth the gifts of thy grace. There is nothing more blessed than to do good, and to be liberal to others: And thou hast made me partaker of this blessedness, by bestowing liberally these outward goods upon me. Thou hast sowed in me the seed of thy grace, that from thence there may arise to others an harvest of liberality and beneficency. Thou hast committed many things unto me, as unto a steward, that I might have wherewithal to do good to my fellow-servants. From thee the fountain of all good, there descendeth upon me streams of goods: Whatsoever I am, whatsoever I possess, whatsoever I bestow, dependeth all I confess, upon thy bounty. For this thine inestimable mercy, I will give thee thanks for ever. Amen. PRAYER XII. He rendereth thanks for the sacrament of Baptism. TO thee, O eternal, and merciful God, Father, Son, and holy Ghost, I render humble thanks for that thou hast washed me in the holy laver of baptism from all my sins: and for that thou hast received me into the covenant of grace, & made me an heir of everlasting life. I acknowledge it is thy gift that I was borne of Christian parents, and by them brought unto this heavenly fount. How many thousands of infants are borne in Gentilism, and without this sacrament do die in their sins! There is no difference in nature between me and them: Only thy superaboundant grace hath made a difference. I was joined with them in communion of sin: But I was separated from them by participation of thy grace. How great is thy goodness, that thou didst find me, Matt, 7. 7 when I sought thee not, that thou didst hear me, before I asked, that thou didst open unto me, before I knocked. This thy mercy exceedeth all praise, yea, and all admiration. I was baptised in thy holy Name, thy Matt. ●8. 19 Name for me was called upon. Therefore, I am received into the heavenly family, being made the son of my heavenly Father, the brother of Christ, and the temple of the holy Ghost. This is an holy and heavenly laver: In it therefore, I am washed and purged from all my uncleanness. It is the laver of regeneration & renovation: By it therefore I am regenerated and renewed by the grace of the holy Ghost. Whatsoever Christ my Saviour merited by his most holy obedience, and by the effusion of his most precious blood: of all that he hath left the saving fount of baptism as a pledge. Therefore, the conferring of baptism, is the besprinkling of the blood of Christ. That precious ● john 1. 7 Psal, 51. 7 blood of Christ doth make me clean from all my sins, and maketh me whiter than snow in the sight of God. O eternal God, thou hast made an eternal covenant with me in baptism; unto which I have always recourse by true and serious repentance. Thou hast betrothed me unto Hos●● 2. 19 thee for ever in judgement and righteousness, in grace and mercy: Thou hast given me an earnest and Ephes' 1. 14 pledge of thy Spirit in baptism: Therefore, thou wilt not cast me away from thy face; but being mindful of thy promise, thou wilt lead me into the joys of the celestial marriage. As at the baptism of Christ my Mediator and head, Matt. 3, 16 the heavens were opened: So by the communion of the same baptism, thou hast opened unto me the gate of paradise. As at the baptism of Christ, the holy Ghost descended upon him, and a voice from heaven did testify that he was the beloved Son of GOD: So by the same communion of the same baptism, I am made a partaker of the holy Ghost, and adopted to be a son of GOD. For which inestimable benefit, I will give thanks unto thee, my GOD, for ever. AMEN. PRAYER XIII. He rendereth thanks for the sacrament of the Lords Supper. HOw great thanks do jowe unto thee, most high God, for that in the most sacred mystery of the supper, thou dost feed me with the body and blood of thy Son! What is there in heaven or in earth of more price and excellency, than that body which is united to thy Son personally? What more certain testimony and pledge of thy grace can there be, than the precious blood of thy Son poured out for my sins, on the altar of the cross? The very price of my redemption thou bestowest upon me, that I may have a most certain testimony of thy grace towards me. As often as I fall through my sins from the covenant of baptism: So often by true repentance, and the saving use of this supper, I am restored unto it again. It is a sacrament of the new Testament, and it always enricheth me with new gifts of the Spirit. In this body life itself dwelleth, and therefore it refresheth me, & quickeneth me unto everlasting life. By the effusion of this blood, satisfaction is made for our fins: And therefore by the drinking thereof, the remission of my sins is confirmed unto me. Christ sayeth it, Truth itself sayeth it; Whosoever john 6. 54 shall eat my flesh, and drink my blood, hath eternal life▪ and I will raise him up at the last day, that is, to the life of 50 glory. For this is the bread of life which descended from heaven, that whosoever shall eat thereof, may not die, but have everlasting life. It is the eating by faith that Christ so commendeth. which must needs be added unto the sacramental eating▪ that so that which was apppointed to life, may be received by us un▪ to life. I come therefore with true faith unto this heavenly banquet, being firmly persuaded, that the body which I eat, was delivered unto death for me, and the blood which I drink, was poured forth for my sins. I cannot in any wise doubt of the remission of my sins, when as it is confirmed by the participation of the price which was offered for my sins. I cannot in any wise doubt of Christ his dwelling in me, when he sealeth unto me the same by the communion of his body and blood. I cannot in any wise doubt of the assistance of the holy Spirit, when my Infirmity is strengthened with such safeguard. I am not afraid of Satan's assaults, when as this Angelical food doth make me strong to fight. I am not Hilar. in his 8 book of the Trinity. pag. 141 afraid of the allurements of the flesh, when as this quickening and spiritual food doth corroborate me by the virtue of the Spirit. These taken and drunk do make Christ to dwell in me, and me in Christ. The good shepherd will not suffer the sheep that is fed with his own body and blood, to be devoured by the infernal wolf: Neither will the power of the Spirit suffer me to be overcome by the weakness of the flesh. To thee (O Saviour most benign) be praise, honour, and thanksgiving, for ever and ever. Amen. PRAYER XIV. He r●●nd●reth thanks to God, for preserving us from sundry evils. TO thee (O eternal and merciful GOD) I render eternal thanks, for that thou hast hitherto preserved me from infinite evils and dangers, and hast kept me safe by the guard of thy holy Angels. Thy privative blessings, by which thou dost keep me from evil, are more in number than thy positive, by which thou dost confer good upon me. As many evils of soul and body as I see in others; so many tokens do I see of thy mercy towards me: For my deliverance from those evils is to be attributed as due only to thy goodness. How great is the power of the devil! How great is his subtlety! As often therefore as that malignant and most subtle spirit, and our most potent adversary doth labour to do us any mischief; so often by the buckler of thy benignity and by the guard of the holy Angels being protected, I have been able to escape his nets. But who can reckon up the treacherous assaults and invasions of the devil? Who can therefore reckon up the riches of thy bounty? When redst, that I may be able to endure and overcome all the violent invasions of the infernal powers. Let my last word in this life be the same with which thou didst consummate all upon the cross: and receive my Luke 23 46 soul, which thou hast redeemed with so dear a price, when I shall commend it into thy hands. Let a blessed resurrection follow a blessed death: In that great day of thy severe judgement, delyver me from that cruel sentence, thou which in my life didst with thy ready help protect me. Let my sins be covered Psal, 32. ● Mic. 7. 19 1 Sam▪ 25, 2● with the shadow of thy grace, and overwhelmed in the bottom of the sea. Let my soul be bound up in the bundle of the living, that with all the elect I may come into the fellowship of everlasting joy. Amen. THE FOURTH PART. Of Supplications for others. THE ARGUMENT. The meditation of our neighbours wants and indigencies, concerneth the common good & welfare of the Church & commonwealth, and maketh us look upon others miseries as our own. This is the first of true and sincere charity, which bindeth us all together into one mystical body, under one head, which is Christ; and commendeth unto us a serious care of the whole Church, and of all the particular members thereof. That is not a true member of the body, which laboureth not, as much as in it lieth, to preserve in safety the whole structure of the body: That is not a true member of the body, which suffereth not with a fellow-member that suffereth. And the same reason is of force in the mystical body of Christ. Whosoever therefore is a true and a living member of the Christian Church let him daily prey: For the conservation of the word: For pastors and people: For magistrates and subjects: and For the economical and household estate. For these are those three Hierarchies, and holy magistracies, apppointed by GOD for the safety and preservation of this life, and for the propagation & increase of the heavenly kingdom. Let him pray also For his kinsfolk, and his benefactors, to whom he must acknowledge himself to be bound in some special bond of deity. Let him pray For his enemies and persecutors, and seriously desire their conversion and salvation. Let him pray likewise For all those that are afflicted and in misery, and show himself to be moved with a fellow-feeling of their calamities. PRAYER I. He prayeth for the conservation and continuance of the word, and for the propagation and increase of the Church. Almighty, eternal, and merciful GOD, Father of our Lord jesus Christ, that by thy holy Spirit dost gather thy Church out of mankind, and in it dost keep the heavenly doctrine committed unto it: In humility I adore and worship thee, and pray unto thee, that thou wouldst be pleased to continue unto us the saving doctrine of thy word inviolable, and every day propagate and enlarge the bounds of thy Church. Thou hast of thine infinite mercy lighted unto us that were in the darkness of this world, the light of thy word: Suffer not therefore, the clouds of humane traditions to extinguish it, or to obscure it. Thou hast given unto us thy word for the wholesome meat of our souls: Suffer it not therefore, by the delusion of the devil and the corruption of men, to be turned into poison. Mortify in us the sinful lusts of the flesh, that thirsteth after earthly things; that so we may taste the spiritual delicates of thy word which is that heavenly Manna: No man can feel the sweetness thereof, but he that will taste: and no man can taste, whose palate is corrupted with abundance of worldly delights. Thy word is the word of spirit and life, of light and grace. Take away therefore the carnal affections, and the corrupt senses of our hearts; that it may shine to us within, and be a light to lead us unto the light of everlasting life. From the light of thy word let there arise in our hearts the light of saving faith, that Psal, 36. 9 in thy light we may see light, in the light of thy word, the light of thy Son. As in the old time that heavenly Manna descended in the wilderness with a wholesome dew: So likewise by the hearing of thy word let our hearts be silled with the fire of the Spirit, that our cold & lukewarm flesh may be excited, and may be tempered against the boilings of sinful lusts. Let the seed of thy word take deep root in our hearts that by the dew of thy holy Spirit watering it, it may bring forth wholesome fruit, & plentiful increase like standing corn. Protect, O Psal. 80. 15 ●sai 5. 2 Lord, the vineyard of thy Church in which thy word is as seed scattered, and fruit is gathered unto everlasting life. Set an hedge of Angelical guard round about it, that the wild boars and the foxes break it not down: the wild boars by violent persecutions, and the foxes by fraudulent delusions. Erect up in it an high tower of thy fatherly providence, that by thy custody it may be free from all devastation. But if thou shalt at any time think good to press the grapes of this vineyard in the press of the cross, and of calamities, let them beeripened first by the heat of thy grace; that they may yield the most delicious fruits of faith and patience. Whatsoever is put into the root of the vine, is converted in the grapes into the most sweet liquor of wine: Grant, I beseech thee, that whatsoever shall happen unto us in this life, whether scoffings, persecutions, praises, or whatsoever else, our souls may turn it into the wine of faith, hope, and charity, and into the fruit of patience and humility. Out of this militant Church translate us at length into the Church triumphant: And let this tabernacle of clay be changed into that most beautiful and everlasting temple of the heavenly jerusalem. Amen. PRAYER II. He supplicateth for Pastors and their hearers. O jesus Christ, Son of the living God, our alone mediator and redeemer, who being exalted at the right hand of the Father, Ephes' 4, 11 dost send pastors and teachers of thy word, by whose ministry thou dost gather together unto thee thy Church amongst us: I humbly entreat thee, the only true GOD, together with the Father and the holy Spirit, to govern these thy ministers in the way of truth, and to turn the hearts of their hearers unto the true obedience of the faith. There is no state or condition of men, that is more subject to the hatred and treacheries of Satan, than the ministers of thy word: Defend them therefore, by the buckler of thy grace, and furnish them with the strength of patience, that Satan by his sleights may not supplant them. Give, I beseech thee, unto thy ministers, that knowledge that is necessary for them, and a pious vigilancy in all their actions; that they may first learn of thee, before they presume to teach others: Govern and illuminate their hearts by thy Spirit; that being in the place of GOD, they 1 Pet, 4. 11 Acts 20. 28 preach nothing else but the oracles of GOD. Let them feed the flock that is committed unto them, which thou hast bought and redeemed with thy precious blood. Let them john ●1. 15 feed the flock out of true and sincere love, and not for covetousness and ambition. Let them feed them Bern. 2 Serm, of the resurrection, Col, ●34, with their mind, with their mouth, and with their works. Let them feed them with the sermon of the mind, with the exhortation of the word, and with their own example; that they may be followers of his steps, to whom the cure of the LORDS flock was three several times commended. Stir them up; that they may watch Heb. 13. 17 over their souls that are committed unto them, as being to give a strict d●eou●● for them in the day of judgement. Gregor. ● book of pastoral C●●e, cap. 6 Whatsoever they exhort by the word of their holy preaching, let them studiously labour to demonstrate the same in their actions: l●st that being lazy themselves, and loath to work, they labour in vain to stir up others. Unto what good works soever they stir up others, let them shine by the same first themselves, being set on fire by the holy Spirit. Before the words of exhortation be heard, let them first proclaim by their works, whatsoever they shall speak with their tongues. Thrust forth Matt. 9 last faithful labourers into thy harvest; that they may gather together many Acts 1●, 14 handfuls of Saints. Open likewise the hearts of the hearers; that they may receive the seed with holy obedience. Give unto them thy grace; that with a pure heart they may keep thy holy word committed unto them, & bring forth plentiful fruit with patience. Let them harken attentively; let them hear carefully; let them practise fruitfully: that the word which is preached unto them, for want of faith condemn john 〈◊〉. 48 Heb. 4, 2 Isai 55. 〈◊〉 them not in the last day. There is a notable promise of thy bounty, that thy word shall not return unto thee spoken in vain: Be mindful of this thy promise, and bless the labour of him that planteth, and him that 1 Cor 3, 7 Matt. ●3, 4 watereth. Suffer not the infernal crows to pick out of the field of the hearer's hearts, the seed of thy holy word. Suffer not the spiny thicket of the thorns of pleasures, & Luke 8, 14 riches, to choke it. Suffer not the hardness of the stony ground to hinder 13 the fructification of it: But pour down the dew of thy heavenly grace from above, and water thy heavenly seed; that the fruit of good works like standing corn may spring up most plenteously. Knit together in a near bond of love and charity the hearts of the pastors, and of the hearers: that they may labour together with mutual prayers, and raise up one another with mutual comfort. Amen. holy that Nursery of the Church and Commonweal. Give unto virgins, widows, and married persons true sanctity of mind, and pure chastity of body: Let virgins cleave unto thee without any distraction: Let widows persevere in ● Tim 5. 5 prayers and supplications night and day: Let those that are married love one another with mutual love: Let them all serve thee, with their whole heart in holiness: Let the marriage Heb. 13, 4 bed b●e vnde●●●ed, and let the minds of them all be unspoted: Let them be violets of humility, and lilies of chastity: Let them be roses of charity, and balsam of sanctity. Tie the hearts of them that are knit together in holy wedlock, with the bond of chaste love: that they may mutually embrace & obey one another, and persevere in thy holy service. Preserve thou them from Tobi● 3. 8 the treacheries of Ascendent, that they burn not with mutual hatred one towards the other. Let the wife be an help unto her husband▪ and Gen. 2. 20 comfort him in adversity: Let the indissoluble bond of matrimony be a token and seal unto us of the love that is between Christ and the Ephes' 5. 32 Church. By how much the nearer the society is between the man and the wife: by so much the more fervent let their zeal be in prayer. By how much the more obnoxious and subject they are to dangers and calamities: by so much the more conjoined let their minds be in piety and prayer. Be present by thy grace with religious parents, that they may bring up their children in Ephes' 6. 4 holy admonitions▪ and instructions and good discipline: Let them acknowledge those fruits of wedlock to be thy gift, and restore them again unto thee by godly and faithful instruction: Let them shine before them by the example of their godly life, and not become guilty of that grievous sin of scandal. Bend likewise the hearts of the children, that they may perform due obedience unto their parents: that they may become sweet smelling plants of the heavenly paradise, and not unprofitable wood adjudged to the flames of hellfire. Let them cast forth a most pleasant smell of piety, obedience, reverence, and all kind of virtue: that they fall not into that most filthy sink of sin, and so consequently into the pit of hell. Let them remember the commandment of honouring their parents: let them be careful to recompense their parents▪ after the manner of storks: let them remember to feed them as they have been fed by them, that they precipitate not themselves into the gulf of sundry evils. Let parents and children with joint desires study in this life to worship thee the true GOD: that they may bear parts in consort, and together praise thee in the life to come. Let servants ●●ey their masters with alacrity, and with fear, and with singleness of Ephes' 6. 5 heart: not with eye-service, or to please men, but as it becometh the servants of Christ. In like manner, let masters embrace their servants with fatherly kindness: that they turn not their just government into tyrannical cruelty. Let their society in their private house be an economical private Churce, beloved of God, and of the Angels. AMEN. PRAYER V. He prayeth for parents, brethren, sisters, kinsfolk, and benefactors. MOst holy and merciful God▪ from whom large heaps of sundry benefits descend down upon us▪ who hast given unto me kinsfolk and benefactors to be helps unto me in this present life: I beseech thee to bestow upon them in the life to come everlasting rewards. Those whom thou hast joined unto me in a special bond of nature and blood, I do specially commend unto thy protection. Those unto whom I do owe special love and respect, with serious and fervent prayers I commend unto thy keeping. Grant that my kinsfolk may with joint consent and unanimity serve thee in the true faith, and with true piety: that they may receive all of them hereafter a crown of eternal glory. Unto my parents whom thou hast made, next after thee, the authors of my life, and my informers in true piety, I cannot by any means render deserved rewards: I humbly beseech thee therefore, who art the author of all good, and the rewarder of all benefits, to recompense their benefits here with temporal rewards, and hereafter with eternal. Let the example of Christ thy Son, who about the agony of his death commended unto his disciple the care of his mother, let his example teach me even to the last breath to take care for my parents. Let nature itself, by the example of the stork, teach me that I owe perpetual thanks and rewards unto them for their merits. Unto thee, merciful Father, I commend the care and tuition of my brethren, sisters, and kinsfolk: Let them become the brethren and sisters of Christ, and so heirs of the kingdom of heaven. Let us all be joined together in the kingdom of grace, whom thou hast joined together In the life of nature: And let us all, together with those whom by death thou hast separated from us, and taken unto thyself, let us all at length be joined together in the kingdom of glori. Make us all citizens of the heavenly jerusalem, as thou hast made us in this life members of the true Church. The same likewise I entreat of thee for all my benefactors, whose health & welfare both of soul & body I am bound to desire and further even by the law of nature. Receive them into the everlasting tabernacles of the city which is above, whom thou hast used as thy instruments to confer upon me so many and so liberal benefits. My heart propoundeth unto thee the infallible promise of thy word, that thou wilt of thy mere free grace recompense even a cup of cold water: How much Matt▪ 10, 42 more then wilt thou be liberal and bountiful to those that with full hand bestow benefits of all kinds upon those that want! Let not thy graces cease to run down upon them, that pour forth so plentifully upon others. Let the fountain of thy goodness always spring unto them, from whom such plentiful rivers of liberality do flow. Grant, I beseech thee, most merciful GOD, that they which 1 Cor 9 11 ●ow temporal things so liberally, may reap with much increase things spiritual. Fill their souls with joy, that feed the bodies of the poor with meat. Let not the fruit of their bounty perish, though they show it by bestowing of the goods that perish. Give unto them that give unto others, thou that art the giver of every good gift, blessed for ever. Amen. PRAYER VI He prayeth for enemies and persecutors, LORD jesus Christ the only begotten Son of GOD, that hast prescribed us in thy word this rule Matt. 5. 44 of charity, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you: I beseech thee, who art most gracious, and most ready to forgive, to forgive mine enemies, and the persecutors of the Church. Give unto me the grace of thy holy Spirit, that I may not only forgive mine enemies from mine heart, but also pray for their health and salvation even from my soul. Whet not against them the sword of severe revenge, but anoint their heads with the oil of thy mercy and compassion. Extinguish the sparks of hatred and anger that are in their hearts, that they break not forth into the infernal flames of hell. Let them know and acknowledge that Our life is but a vapour and a smoke james 4, 14 that soon vanisheth away; that our body is but ashes & dust that flieth away: that they bear not immortal anger in their mortal bodies, nor entertain into this brittle tabernacle of clay their soul's enemy. Let them know likewise, that inveterate hatred is their greatest enemy: because it killeth the soul, and excludeth them from the participation of heavenly life. Illumiminate their minds, that they beholding the glass of thy divyne mercy, may see the deformity of anger and hatred. Govern their wills, that being moved by the example of thy divyne forgiveness, they may leave off and cease to be angry and to do harm. Grant unto me, merciful GOD, that, Rom. 12, 18 Ephes 4, 4 as much as in me lieth, I may have peace with all men: and turn the hearts of mine enemies to brotherly reconcilement. Let us walk with unanimity and concord in the way of this life, seeing that we hope all for a place in our celestial country. Let us not disagree upon earth, seeing that we all desire to live together hereafter in heaven. We call upon thee our Lord, and our God which art in heaven: And it is not meet for the servants of the same Lord to fall out one with another. We are one mystical body under Christ our head: And it is base and shameful for the members of the same body to fight one with another. They which have one faith and one baptism, aught Ephe 4, 5 to have one spirit and one mind. Neither do I pray alone for my private enemies, but also for the public enemies and persecutors of the Church: O thou which art truth itself, bring them into the way of truth: O thou which art power itself, bring to nought their bloody endeavours and attempts. Let the brightness of thy heavenly truth open their blind eyes, that the raging madness and desire to persecute, which they have in their minds, may hereafter cease. Let them know, O LORD▪ and acknowledge that it is not only a vain thing, but also very dangerous, to kick against Acts ●, 5 the pricks. Why do they imitate the fury of wolves▪ when as they know that the bl●●● of Christ the immaculate Lambe●● as poured out for us? Why do they thirst to shed that innocent blood, for which they know that the blood of the very Son of GOD was poured forth upon the altar of the cross? Convert them, O LORD, that they may be converted unto thee from their heart, and so obtain the fruit of their conversion in this life, and in that which is to come. Amen. PRAYER VII. He supplieateth for those that are afflicted and in misery. Almighty, eternal, and merciful GOD, which art the 1 Tim 4. 10 1 Tim 2, ● Saviour of all men, especially of the faithful, and by the Apostle hast commanded us to make prayers for all men: I entreat thee for all those that are afflicted and in misery, that thou wouldst support them by the consolation of thy grace, and succour them by the aid of thy power. Endue with power and strength fro● above those that labour and swe●● in the most grievous agony of Satan's tentations: Make them partakers of thy victory. O Christ, thou which didst most powerfully overcome Satan: Let the cooler of thy heavenly comfort raise up those, whose bones are become dry with the fire of grief and sorrow. Bear up all those that are P●al. 145 14 ready to fall▪ and raise up those that are already fallen. Be merciful unto those that are sick and diseased, and grant that the disease of the body may be unto them the medicine of the soul; and the adversities of the flesh, the remedies of the spirit. Let them know that diseases are the handmaids of sin, and the forerunners of death. Give unto them the strength of faith and patience, O thou which art the most true Physician both of soul and body. Restore them again unto their former health, if it be for the everlasting salvation of their souls. Protect all those that are great with child, and those that be in labour: Thou art he that dost deliver children out of the straits of their mother's womb, & dost propagate mankind by thy blessing: be present with those that be in labour, O thou lover and giver of life: that they be not oppressed with an immoderate weight of sorrows. Nowrish those that are orphans and destitute of all help and succour. Defend the widows that are subject to the reproaches of all men, thou which hast called thyself the Psal. 68 5 Father of the fatherless, and the judge and defender of the widows. Let the tears of the widows, which flow down from their cheeks, break through the clouds, and rest not until they come before thy throne. Hear those that be in danger by sea, which cry to thee, and send up their sighs unto thee, seeing before their eyes their neighbours suffer shipwreck. Restore liberty unto those that are captive: that with a thankful heart they may sing of thy bounty. Confirm those that suffer persecution for righteousness Matt. 5, 10 sake: that they may get the conquest over all their enemies, and purchase the everlasting crown of martyrdom. Be present with all those that be in danger and calamity: and grant that they may possess their souls in true patience, and denying their Matt. 16. 2●. own wills, take up their cross. Let them follow him under the cross, on whom they believe that he died for us upon the cross. And especially I commend unto thee, most gracious Father, those which are about the gates of death, and are between time and eternity, & wrestle with all their strength with that last enemy. Confirm them, O thou most potent Conqueror of death: Deliver them, O most glorious Captain and Author of life: that they be not overwhelmed in the waves of tentations, but by thy conduct they may be brought unto the haven of everlasting rest. Have mercy upon all men, thou which are the Creator of all: Have mercy upon all men, thou which art the Redeemer of all. To thee be praise and glory for ever and ever. Amen. FINIS. The sum of GERARD'S prayers, reduced into a form of morning prayer for the use of an English family. The four capital words signify the four parts of Gerard's prayers, and the Arithmetical figures point at every prayer of those parts. Holy GOD and just judge! Thy eyes are more pure than the sun, and cannot behold any thing that is unclean: The Cherubims and Seraphims cover their faces before thy glorious majesty; The heavens of heavens are not clean in thy sight. How then shall earth, sinful earth, dust and ashes appear before thee▪ We prefume not, O LORD, to come before thy tribunal, to plead for our righteousness; for all our righteousness is as filthy rags: But we prostrate ourselves with all humility of body and soul at thy mercy-seat, to make CONFESSION of our sins. Hear, Lord, and have mercy. We confess that 1 We sinned in the loins of our first parented, we were conceived in sin; we were shape● in iniquity. 2 In our childhood original sin brought forth actual: and actual sins have increased in us ever since, as our days have increased. Who can reckon up the sins of his youth? Who can tell how oft he offendeth? The just man sinneth seven times a day: But 3 We have sinned seventy times seven times every day. 4, 5 All thy holy laws and commandments we have broken in thought, word and deed. 6 We have been partakers of other men's sins. 7 We are many way●s convinced of our sins: We are convinced 8 By the contrition of heart, and the testimony of 〈◊〉 conscience: 9 By the greatness of thy mercy, and thy benefits bestowed upon us: 10 By the severity of thy justice declared in the death and passion of thy Son our Saviour jesus Christ. Thou art an holle God; and hearest not sinners: Thou art a just judge; and thy justice must be satisfied. We are sinners; and the wages of sin is death: Thy justice must be satisfied; or else we cannot escape death. We have nothing of our own to give for the ransom of our souls: Therefore we offer unto thee, holy Father, that which is not ours, but thy Sons: 1 For our original sin, we offer unto thee, just judge, his original righteousness, who is righteousness itself; for our conception in sin, we offer unto thee his most sacred conception, who was conceived by the holy Ghost; for our birth in sin, we offer unto thee his most pure nativity, who was borne of a pure virgin. 2 For the offences of our youth, we offer unto thee his most perfect innocence, in whose mouth was found no guile. 3 For our daily slips and falls, we offer unto thee his most perfect obedience, who made it his meat and drink to do thy will in all things. 4.5 For our often breach of thy commandments, we offer unto thee his most perfect righteousness, who fulfilled all thy commandments. 6 For our communicating in other men's sins, we offer unto thee his most perfect righteousness communicated unto us. 7. 8, 9, 10 For our most wicked and ungodly life, we offer unto thee his most cruel and bitter death. For ●s was he conceived, for us was he borne, for us was he crucified: His blood still cryeth unto thee in our behalf, Father forgive them. Accept, we beseech then, the inestimable price of thy Son's blood for a full and plenary satisfaction for all our sins: yea▪ O Lord, we know that thou hast accepted it already. Therefore with confidence we put up our PETITIONS unto thee. As thou hast redeemed us by thy Son, so also we beseech thee to sanctify us by thy holy Spirit. 1 Mortify in us every day more and more all sinful lusts and affections, and quicken in us all saving graces and virtues. 2 Increase our saith. ● Confirm our hope. 4 Inflame our charity. Teach us to imitate the life of Christ, the true pattern of perfect obedience, and only true rule of a godly life: Teach us 5 Humility. 6 Patience, 7 Meekness, Gentleness, 8 Chastity, Temperance▪ Tea●h us 9 To conte●●e all earthly things, 10 To deny ourselves, 11 To overcome the world. 12 Grant us consolation in adversity, and true tranquillity of the mind. Grant us 13 Victory in tentations, and deliverance from the devil's treacheries. Grant us in thine appointed time 14 A blessed departure out of this life, and a blessed resurrection unto life everlasting. We pray not for ourselves alone, but in obedience to thy commandment we make our SUPPLICATIONS unto thee for all men. ● Save and desende the universal Church: enlarge thou her borders, and propagate thy Gospel. 3 Bless all Christian kings and governor's, especially thy servang CHARLES, our most gracious Kin and governor: Bless togethe with him our gracious Queen MARIE: Bless unto them, and us, and our posterity after us, our hopeful Prince Charles: season him betimes with true religion, that he may be an instrument of thy glory, the joy of his parents, and the blessing of thy people. Remember David, and all his troubles, the Lady Elizabeth our King's only sister, and her princely issue. Suffer them not still to mourn in a strange land: but restore them, if it be thy will, to their former inheritance. Bless all our kings loyal subjects from the highest unto the lowest: Give unto the Senators counsel and wisdom: 3 To the magistrates justice and fortitude; to those that are under them Christian subjection and obedience: 2 To the ministers of thy word holiness of life, and soundness of doctrine; to the hearers of thy word diligent attention to the word preached▪ and a care▪ and conscience to live hereafter. Bless 4 Every family in this kingdom, this especially and all that belong unto it. Bless our 5 parents, brethren, sisters, kinsfolk, benefactors and friends. 6 Forgive our enemies. 7 Show pity and compassion to all those that are afflicted and in misery: Relieve them according to their several wants and necessities. Be thou a Father to the fatherless, a Comforter to the comfortless, a Deliverer to the captives, and a Physician to the sick: Grant that the sickness of their bodies may make for the good of their souls: Especially we beseech thee to be present with those that are at the point to die: Fit them for their journey before their departure: Arm them with faith and patience: Seal unto them by thy holy Spirit the pardon and forgiveness of all their sins: And so let thy servants depart in peace, and be translated from death to life, to live with thee for evermore▪ Hear us, we beseech thee, praying for our brethren, hear our brethren for us, and jesus Christ our elder brother for us all: We know, O Lord, that thou hearest him always. Hear us likewise, we beseech thee, for his sake, and accept our THANKSGIVING. We render most hearty thanks unto thee for our Saviour's 4 Incarnation, for his 5 Passion, for our 3 Redemption by his most precious blood: We thank thee for ● forming us in our mother's womb, for 1● washing us in the laver of baptism. for 6 calling us by thy word, for 7 expecting our conversion, for 8 converting us unto the faith, for 13 strengthening our faith by the participation of Christ's body and blood, for 9 sealing unto us the pardon of our sins, for 15 giving us a promise of everlasting life: We thank thee for all other thy blessings 11 corporal and spiritual, internal and external, for our 10 continuance in that which is good, for 14 deliverance from all evil: We thank thee for thy often deliverances of this Church and kingdom from foreign invasions, and homebred conspiracies. ● We thank thee for 2 preserving us ever since we were borne. for defending us this night passed from all perils and dangers▪ for the quiet rest wherewith thou hast refreshed our bodies, for thy mercy renewed unto us this morning. Let thy mercy be continued unto us this day, let thy Spirit direct us in all our ways, that we may walk before thee as children of the light, doing those things that are pleasing in thy sight. Let the dew of thy blessing descend upon our labours▪ for without thy blessing all our labour is but in vain. Prosper thou the works of our hands upon us, O prosper thou our handy work: Grant that we may conscionably in our callings so seek after things temporal, that finally we lose not the things which be eternal. We are unworthy, O Lord we confess, to obtain any thing at thy hands, either for ourselves or any others, even for the sinfulness of these our prayers: But thou hast promised to hear all those that call upon thee in thy Son's name: Make good therefore, we beseech thee thy promise unto us now calling upon thee in thy Son's name, and praying as he hath taught us in his holy Gospel. Our Father which art in heaven▪ etc. An Evening prayer for a family, gathered here and there out of Gerard's Meditations and Prayers. MOst glorious LORD GOD, whose▪ dwelling is in the highest heavens, and yet beholdest the lowly and the humble upon earth, we blush and are ashamed to lift up our eyes unto heaven, because we have sinned against thee which dwellest in the heavens: But look down, we beseech thee, from▪ heaven thy dwelling place▪ and behold the humility of thy servants here on earth, which prostrate themselves at the foot-stooll of thy mercy, confessing their own guiltiness, and begging pardon for their sins. We confess, Almighty Creator, that thou madest us at the first after thine own image, thou cloathedst us with innocence as with a garment, thou seatedst us in paradise a place of all delight and pleasure: But we have defaced thine image, we have cast off our first covering, we have thrust ourselves out of that pleasant place. We ran away from thee, and were not obedient unto thy voice: We were lost and condemned before we came into this world: Our first parents sinned against thee, and we sinned in them: They were corrupted, and we are inheriters of their corruption: They were the parents of disobedience, and we are by nature the children of wrath: Sinful and unhappy children, of sinful and unhappy parents? Thou mightest in thy displeasure after their fall have plunged them into the bott●mlesse pit▪ and made them the fuel of hell, and sent their posterity after them: And neither they nor we could justly have complained. Righteous, O Lord, art thou in thy judgements: And our misery is▪ from ourselves. But great was thy mercy unto us. We came into this world in a flood of uncleanness, wallowing in our mother's blood; and thou didst set open a fountain for us to wash in: We were washed in the laver of baptism▪ and we have returned with the swine to our wallowing in the mire. We came from a place of darkness into this world, we lived as children of darkness▪ we sat in darkness, and in the shadow of death: Thou gavest us thy word to be a lantern unto our feet, and a light unto our paths▪ that in thy light we might see light; that so walking in the way of truth, we might attain everlasting life: But we have loved darkness more than light, & have not been obedient unto thy word. We came into this world crooked even from our mother's womb; and thou gavest us thy law to be a glass wherein we might see our deformity, and a rule whereby to square all our actions, words, & thoughts: But we have shut our eyes that we might not see, and we have refused to be ruled by thy law: The law of sin in our flesh doth daily captivated us. The root of original sin which lieth hidden in us, doth every day put forth new branches: All the parts and faculties of our bodies and souls are so many instruments of unrighteousness to fight against thy divyne Majesty. Our hearts imagine wicked things, our mouths utter them, and our hands put them in practice. Thy mercies every day are renewed unto us, and our sins are every day multiplied against thee: In the day of health and prosperity we forget thee, and we never think upon the day of sickness and adversity. Thy benefits heaped upon us do not allure us to obey thee: Neither do thy judgements infflicted upon others make us afraid to offend thee. What couldst thou, O Lord, have done more for us, or what could we have done more against thee? Thou didst send thy Son in the fullness of time to take our nature upon him, to fulfil thy law for us, and to be crucified for our sins: We have not followed the example of his holy life, but have every day afresh crucified him by our sins. And now, O LORD, if we shall become our own judges, we cannot but confess that we have deserved everlasting torments in hellfire. But there is mercy with thee O Lord: therefore will we not despare. Our sins are many in number: But thy mercies are without number. The weight of our sins is great: But the weight of thy Son's cross was greater. Our sins press us down unto hell: But thy mercy in Christ jesus raiseth us up. By Satan we are accused: But by jesus Christ we are defended. By the law we are convicted: But by jesus Christ we are justified. By our own conscience we are condemned: But by jesus Christ we are absolved. In us there is nothing but sin, death, and damnation: In him there is treasured up for us righteousness. life, and salvation. We are poor: He is our riches. We are naked: He is our covering. We are exposed to thy fury pursuing us: He is the buckler of our defence, and our refuge: He is the rock of our salvation, & in him do we trust: His wounds are the clefts of the rock: Give us, we beseech thee, the wings of a Dove, that by faith we may hide ourselves in the clefts of this rock, that thine anger wax not hot against us to consume us: Let not thy justice triumph in our confusion, but let thy mercy rejoice in our salvation. Pardon the sinful course of our life past, and guide us by thy holy Spirit for the time to come: Amende what is amiss, increase all gifts and graces which thou hast already given, and give unto us what thou best knowest to be wanting. Be gracious and favourable to thy whole Church; especially to that part thereof which thou hast committed unto the protection of thy servant & our Sovereign King CHARLES: Grant that he may see it flourishing in peace and prosperity, in the profession and practice of thy Gospel all the days of his life; and after this life ended, crown him, we beseech thee, with a crown of immortal glory. Let not the sceptre of this kingdom depart from his house, neither let there be wanting a man of his Race to sit upon his throne so long as the sun and moon endureth. Of this thou hast given us a pledge already, in blessing the fruit of the Queen's womb. Let the Queen still be like a fruitful vine: And let the Prince grow up like a plant in thine house. Let thy mercy be extended to the Lady Elizabeth our King's only sister, and her princely issue. How long, Lord just and true, how long shall their enemies prevail, and say, There, there, so would we have it? It is time for thee to lay to thine hand: for they have laid waste their dwelling place. Arise O Lord, and let their enemies be scattered, and let them that hate them flee before them. Carry them back again into their own country (if it may be for thy glory and their good) make them glad with the joy of thy countenance, and let them rejoice under their own vines. We return home again, and beseech thee to be gracious and merciful to the King's Council, the Nobility, the Magistracy, the Ministry, the Gentry, and the Commonalitie. Give unto those whom thou hast vse● as instruments for our good, rewards temporal and eternal. Forgive those that be our enemies, and turn their hearts. Forget not those that groan under the cross. Cloth the naked▪ feed the hungry, visit the sick, deliver the captives, defend the fatherless and widows, relieve the oppressed, confirm and strengthen those that suffer persecution for righteousness sake, cure those that are broken in heart, speak peace unto their consciences that are tormented with the sense of their sins, suffer them not to be swallowed up in despare. Stand by those that are ready to depart out of this life: When their eyes shall be darkened in the agony of doath, kindle in their hearts the light of saving faith: when their ears shall be stopped, let thy Spirit speak unto them inwardly and comfort them: and when the house of their earthly tabernacle shall be dissolved, them Lord receive their souls. As we have made bold to make our prayers and supplications unto thee for ourselves and others: So also we render unto thee all possible praise and thanksgiving for all thy benefits bestowed upon ourselves and others. We thank thee in special for our election, creation, redemption, vocation, justification, for all the blessed means of our sanctification, and for the assured hope of our future glorification: We thank thee for our health, maintenance, and liberty, for preserving us ever since we were borne, for blessing us in all that we have put our hands unto this day. Let thy mercy still be continued unto us, we beseech thee. Let the eye of thy providence which never slumbreth nor sleepeth watch over us, and let the hand of thy power protect and defend us: Cover us this night under the shadow of thy wings, that no evil happen unto us. Grant that our bodies may be refreshed this night with such moderate rest, that we may be the fitter for the works of our vocation, and thy service, the next morning▪ Hear us, we beseech thee, for jesus Christ his sake our Lord and only Saviour; in whose name and words we call upon thee further praying, Our Father, etc. FINIS.