The Art of Building Comfort, Prayer
An Electuary in forme of a Prayer called aApothecaries have an Electuary called Manus Christi.Manus Chriſtiani: a comfortable Confection out of the former Treatiſe to repell the Infection of all kinde of Affliction.
O Lord my God, and I beleeve there is no Take it thus next the heart, it will work the better.other Gods beſides, I beleeve, therefore I call upon thee: that as the firſt Commandement thou giveſt to me, is to have no other gods but thee; ſo my firſt care may be to ſettle all my thoughts and affections, words and actions upon nothing in Heaven or in Earth beſides thee. bPſal. 73. 25.For whom have I in Heaven but thee? and there is none upon Earth that I deſire beſides thee. Thou art my Refuge, my Rock of defence, my ſure ſtay, my whole Hearts delight; O Lord accept this Expreſſion of my Faith, whom have I in Heaven to relye on but thee in all my Neceſsities? accept this expreſſion of my devotion, whom have I in Heaven but thee to call upon in all my troubles? accept this expreſſion of my affections, whom have I in Heaven to love but thee? the Giver of all things to be beloved; whom have I in heaven to feare but thee? the Diſpoſer of all things to be feared; Whom have I in Heaven to rejoyce in but thee? the Infuſer of all true Joy; Whom have I in Heaven to deſire but thee? the Satisfier of all lawfull deſires; and there is none upon Earth that I deſire beſides thee; yea, I confeſſe there is nothing in the World that is worth the deſiring, but in thee, and from thee. Pſal▪ 94. 19.In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy Comforts delight my ſoule. In the great throng of all my perplexed thoughts thy Comforts delight my ſoule; the Comforts of thy Providence over me as a faithfull Creator and Preſerver, thou didſt create me of nothing, haſt preſerved me from nothing, even from my Mothers wombe, and wilt ſtill preſerve me even to my laſt houre, theſe thy Comforts delight my ſoule. Nay more, Comfort of thy ſpeciall care as a gracious Father and Redeemer, Care of Proviſion and Protection; of all good, from all evill; of Mercy, Grace, and Favour, from Sinne, Satan, Death, the Grave and Hell. Theſe are thy Comforts O Lord. And whenſoever theſe thy Comforts doe not delight my ſoule, give me grace to check and chide my ſoule ſharply for it. dPſal. 42. ult.Why art thou caſt downe ô my ſoule? why art thou diſquieted within me? thou haſt no reaſon to be caſt down or to be diſquieted at all, as long as thou haſt a God to hope in; hope thou in God, I lay this charge upon thee, O my ſoule; and this my charge is grounded upon my confidence of better times to come, when I ſhall yet praiſe him; and this my confidence is ſtrengthned by my experience of what God is unto me, the health of my countenance, Salvation to my inward man, Joy to my heart … my outward man, cheerefulneſſe …. And this my experience is well backed by my intereſt that I have in God, my God in Chriſt Ieſus my Saviout; and if my God be with me what can be againſt me? neither health, nor ſickneſſe, neither wealth, nor want, neither principalities, nor powers nor death, nor life …, nor depth, nor things preſent, nor things to come, nothing can ſeparate me from the Love of God, my God in Chriſt. Therefore will I now and ever caſt my Burden upon thee O Lord, with aſſurance that thou wilt ſuſtaine me. ePſal. 55. 22.the greateſt Burden in the world, Sinne, My ſinnes are gone over my head, and are too heavy a Burden for me to beare, therefore will I caſt them upon thee my Lord and my Saviour: yea, the afflictions and puniſhments that lye at the doore of my ſinnes; they are able to preſſe me down to the loweſt pit, but in an humble awfull ſubmiſſion to thy will, (truſting that thou wilt lay no more upon me, then I am able to beare) I will beare according to my Ability, and awaite thy goodneſſe either to deliver me from, or to ſuſtaine me in all; thy Will be done O Lord, and give me Patience.
Amen.
Glory be to God on high, On Earth Comfort.
FINIS.
Imprimatur.
Iohannes Hanſley. Feb. 4. Anno Dom. 1639.
End of the text · William Gilbert, The Art of Building Comfort (1640)