Household Prayers, Prayer 16
The ſixteenth Prayer, For obtaining the Vertue of Patience.
Al things written, are for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the ſcriptures, might hauehave hope, patient in tribulation, perſeuering in praier.
Rom. 4. & 12.
O GOD of pacience, and of all conſolation, the iuſt diſpencer both of calamities and benefits, and that all to one end, euermore happie to thoſe whom thou loueſt in thy eternall ſonne, our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, as there is nothing in thy worde, but ſerueth to our learning, and to the guiding of our temporall life, as a meanes to obtaine the poſſeſſion of heauenly ioyes: ſo doeth it principally inſiſt in this, to lift vp our heartes to an earneſt meditation, and firme expectation of eternall life, ſtanding vsus in ſteede, in regard of the ſame, among the thorns of this worlde, to the attaining of a conſtant patience, and therein confirming vsus by holie conſolations, to the ende, that hauing doone thy will, O Lorde, we may reape thy promiſe. This vertue therefore is the firme piller of our hope, and which teacheth vsus, not to louelove the things of the earth, as any felicity, but conſtantlie to looke vp into heauen, where our peace and ioy dooth remaine. But becauſe the effect of ſo holy a reſolution doeth far ſurmount our owne forces. I beſeech thee, (my God) to graunt me this true patience of the faithfull, which is ſo neceſſary for me, namely with a meek and moderate heart, to beare all aduerſitie, alſo that I may learn to humble the pride of my nature, which otherwiſe is exceſſiue, and not to be tamed, that ſo I may acknowledge and knowe howe to contemne the vanitie of the fleſh his reaſoning, which together with the luſts therof is with ſweete and delicate thinges nouriſhed vntounto death: and that contrariwiſe I may affectionate, and ſtrengthen my ſelfe with goodlie meditations of the ſpirit, which ſuſtaine themſelues with hard and ſharpe things, to a holie and heauenly life. That going forwarde, I may reioyce and take comfort in theſe ſacred oracles: That affliction in the houſe of the righteous, is a ſecret merciemercy which thou giueſt him, as proſperitie with the wicked is a hidden indignation of thy countenance: That the preſent ſorrow of thy Children, is vntounto them the watch of ſome future ioy at hand, and that at all aduentures, the laſt of their moſt painefull dayes, is the firſt of their eternall reſt, in the ſecond life. If therfore I beare any ſickneſſe, or other miſerie in my fleſh, let it bee borne with patience, as knowing very wel, that the reward of ſinne is death, and the ſorrows and diſtemperatures of the bodie are the heraults, and neceſſary fore-runners, euen acceptable to all true faithfull people, becauſe they call and diſpoſe them to departe from labour to reſt, from a mortall eſtate, to immortalitie of life. If I hauehave but fewe of theſe goods and vaine honors of the world, that doe ſo vex worldly men, I doe liue in the greater content, not ſubiect to their enuie, but taking comfort in the true and only goods of the ſoule, wherof, O Lord, thou art the liberall giuer, as alſo of grace, to thoſe that are thine, becauſe thou art their Father. O Lorde our Redeemer, if I looſe ſome of my friends, euen of thoſe that are very neere me; yet can I take it peaceably, becauſe their felicitie is haſtened, in that they departe in Chriſt, and that I can looſe, neither thee, nor the conſolation of thy ſpirit, for that I ſhal ſoon after follow them into heauen, whereby I ſhall therefore bee the rather mooued to giuegive thee thankes for the time that thy goodneſſe hath giuen mee to enioy their preſence to the comfort of my life, and not as it were by a certaine kinde of ingratitude towards, both thee and them, mourne for their ioy and felicitie. In all other forrowes and griefes that ſhould leſſe trouble vsus, giuegive me grace, my Lord, that I be not mooued to bitterneſſe or anger, but that with a quiet minde, I may beare al, and tread vnderunder feete the thornes of my life, as being aſſured in the end, to finde both the coſts, and reward. To the ſame end alſo touch my heart earneſtly with the feeling of thy benefits; namely, of thoſe which thou haſt liberally granted vsus, for the neceſſities of this life, leſt, as an ingrateful wretch I ſhould forget them, after the maner of carnall men that are neuer content with thy benefites, but doe enioy them without any acknowledgement, and which is more, are ready to complain if they hauehave not all their vanities at a wiſh: yea which is worſt of all, when they hauehave often eaten at the table of thy Sonne, doe lift vp their heele againſt him, wherein they are worſe then beaſts, that doe acknowledge thoſe that feede and dreſſe them, and doe humble themſelues in their preſence. O moſt mightie GOD, deliuer mee from the counſell of theſe wicked ones and hypocrites, and let mee not ſit vponupon the ſeate of theſe ſcorners, with whom godlineſſe is folly, and the equitie of thy law but a ſporte. But whether I walke, or ſtand ſtil, whether I do, or ſuffer, grant, O Lord, that I may alwaies walke as in thy preſence, to the glory of thy holy name, and that my ſoule may take counſaile, and be ſatisfied in thy righteouſneſſe, whilſt in all patience I waite for my deliuerance from all paine, and the perfection of my felicity, at my departure from this carnall habitation, when according to thy promiſe I ſhall be receiued into thy kingdome, in the company of the Angels & Saints, there to behold thy glory eternally. So be it.