Household Prayers, Dedication – Illustration
To the honourable and moſt vertuous, Miſtriſſe Francis Smith.
I Doe heere offer vp vntounto your vertue (which dooth yet make you more worthy then the worth of your moſt Honourable birth) theſe vn-Frenched Prayers, which the religious zeale of that reuerend man, Beza of Geneua, hath in his priuate Exerciſes povvred out vntounto GOD. To commend their excellencie vntounto you, by my iudgement, were to commend them to little; and therefore, let your owne iudgement (as it can beſt) conceiue their worth; and your godly deuotion, in making vſe of them, ſupplie whatſoeuer want of grace is come vntounto them, by my changing theyr language, in the weight and life which your vtterance ſhal giuegive them. To none could they be addreſſed by mee, ſo fitly, both in reſpect of your vertue (prone to affect ſuch religious exerciſes) and for the reſpect & ſeruice I owe your woorthie Husband, (whoſe fauour towardes me doth iuſtly challenge a moſt grateful acknowlegement;) And therfore if you will be pleaſed graciouſly to receiue theſe Prayers at my hands, you ſhall adde to their number this one, That God (to whom they are ſent) will, both heere on Earth, & in Heauen, bleſſe you with vnſpeakeable felicity.
At your commandement moſt humbly I. B.
A Table of the Praiers contained in this Booke.
1 A prayer vppon the Lordes prayer.
2 A prayer vppon the Beliefe.
3 A prayer vppon the tenne Commaundements.
4 A prayer to one only God in Trinitie of perſons.
5 A prayer to knowe God in Ieſus Chriſt.
6 A prayer for obtaining of the gift of the Holyghoſt.
7 A prayer to God for the light of his word.
8 A prayer that wee may not depart from the holy Church.
9 A prayer to obtaine the efficacie of holie Baptiſme.
10 A prayer for the Communion of the holie Euchariſt.
11 A prayer to giuegive thanks after the Communion.
12 A praier to obtaine the gift of Faith.
13 A prayer to obtaine the vertue of Hope.
14 A prayer to obtaine the virtue of Charitie.
15 A praier for the wel vſing of afflictions.
16 A praier to obtaine the virtue of patience
17 A praier for the wel vſing of mans life.
18 A praier vponupon temporall death.
19 A prayer vponupon heauenly life.
20 A prayer vppon eternall death.
21 A morning prayer.
22 A prayer among a Family.
23 A Prayer beefore meate.
24 A Prayer to giuegive thanks after meate.
25 An euening praier among a family.
26 A Prayer for him that ſuffreth much by ſickeneſſe.
27 A prayer in the Viſitation of the ſicke.
28 A prayer for him that feeleth him ſelfe to be neere death.
The end of the Table.
To al Chriſtians, zealous in holy Prayers.
Luke 21.
The Kingdome of God is at hand, watch therfore, praying at all times.
IF wee are indued with the true knowlege of our estate, and condition, as alſo, the efficacie of holy prayers, wee ſhoulde not neede to be aduertiſed often, to preſent our ſelues before God, to offer vntounto him our vowes, and to beſeech his fatherly louelove, or dilection, for guiding vsus, by his good ſpirit, vntounto the light of his trueth, to encreaſe in our heartes, faith, louelove, conſtancie, humilitie, and other his heauenly giftes, to forgiue vsus our debts, to mortifie the corruptions of our nature, to clothe vsus with his ſpirituall armour, againſt the aſſaults of the diuel, the world & the fleſh, to prouide for our neceſſities, to preſerue vsus from infinite dangers, which compaſſe vsus round about: to be ſhort, to graunt vsus his holie ſpirite, to guide the whole courſe of our life, to the glorie of his name, and the peace and ſaluation of our owne ſoules. For, he who hath not a feeling of the great want of all theſe graces, or bleſſings, and conſequently, the neceſſitie of praiers vntounto God, for obtaining the ſame, knoweth not himſelfe, but is ſenſleſſe and voyd of all feeling. By prayer wee bleſſe God for his goodneſſe, power, wiſedome, iustice, and mercy towardes vsus: becauſe of our prayers, he bleſſeth vsus, in doing vsus good, and distributing his benefites amongest vsus: it is vntounto vsus, as the ſoule of our ſoules: for that prayer quickeneth our affections, and lifteth vppe our heartes vntounto heauen; which otherwiſe wold be dead in ſinnes and trespaſſes, by following the vanities of this wicked world. Prayer is as it were the key which openeth vntounto vsus the treaſury of our heauenly Father, as faith is the hand, laying holde vponupon thoſe ſure and permanent poſſeſſions of eternall life, the deſire whereof, ſhould cauſe vsus continually to pray vntounto, and feruently to louelove God. Prayer maketh, that in the miſeries of this life, wee comfort our ſelues, by looking for the benefites of the kingdome of God. Prayer refreſheth vsus through the remembrance of his gracious promiſes, which confirme vsus in the ſame, and of the bleſſings already receiued at his hands, which moue vsus in our neceſſities, to hope for the like, and wait for it, with al patience. It augmenteth in vsus, a deſire to be conioyned with him, throgh our Lorde Ieſus Christ, in whome all our good doth conſist. It cheereth vsus in thoſe workes, which the holy ghost worketh in vsus, & by vsus, yeelding a ſweet ſmell to our ſouls, and is moreouer vntounto vsus, as a ſtrong Tower, and most aſſured fortreſſe, against all that might astoniſh vsus, in this our earthly habitation: yea which is more, prayer doth ſomtimes ſtand vsus inſteede, to obtaine of Almighty God, moſt euident testimonies of his glorie, in matters ſupernaturall, which our reaſon ſhould iudge impoſſible, as it befell vntounto Moſes, praying for the victory of the Iſraelites, against the Amalekites: to Ioſhuah when at his praier, the courſe of the Sunne was ſtayed: to Elias, bringing fire down from heauen, and to Ezechias reſtored to helth after ſentence given of his death: not that wee ſhould ſimply attribute ſo great and profitable effects to the woorke of prayer: but to the goodneſſe, louelove, power, and counſell of God, who worketh ſo, and by ſuch meanes as hee pleaſeth in his creatures: and of his free merciemercy, crowneth the prayers of his elect with rewardes, and with grace for grace. Theſe therefore are the fruits and benefites we are to looke for from our good god and father, when repoſing our ſelues vponupon his louelove in Chriſt, and with humble and penitent hearts, wee doe proſtrate our ſelues before his face, to ſanctifie his name, crauing his merciemercy, and beſeeching him to bleſſe vsus, teach and guide vsus as his children, to beleeue his word, euen as he whom we cal vponupon, doth deſire our good, bicauſe he loueth vsus, may giuegive vntounto vsus that we aske, becauſe he is almighty: and is willing to heare vsus, for his Sonnes ſake, becauſe hee hath ſo promiſed. But it is alſo moſt true, that acording to his wiſdome, he knoweth the time and conuenient meanes, to let vsus fully enioy the efficacie of our praiers. Let vsus perſeuer, only asking thoſe things which are to his glorie, and hee will not faile to helpe vsus in all our neceſſities. Wee are moreouer to note, that it is not the ſound of the lippes which the Lord requireth of vsus, vnleſſe the ſame be alſo guided with the holy affections of the ſoule: for he harkneth rather to the heart than to the voyce, and giueth to vsus openly that which he ſeeth vsus in ſecret to deſire with our affections mortified in his ſight. Therefore wee muſt (praying carefully) lift vppe our heartes with a true zeale to GOD, baniſhing out all other thoughts, abandoning Sathan with all his baites, opening our harts, that our Heauenly Father may thereinto infuſe and powre downe his bleſſings. Neyther ought our prayer to bee bare or naked, but conioyned with reading, and meditation of Gods holy worde, as alſo fruitfull in all goodneſſe.
But alas, if it bee moſt true, that in all our exerciſes of piety wee be neuer able to ſeperate our ſelues from our ſelues, but that our corruption wil ſtil euidently appeare, it is ſure, the ſame will eſpecially befall vsus, when wee prepare our ſelues to pray vntounto God, and frame our petitions, according to his will: for beſides that the diuel doth at al times lie in waite, to ſeduce vsus, ſo doeth hee, eſpecially, at ſuch times, ſeeke to creepe into our minds, to diuert our thoughts elſewhere, that they may bee polluted with many blemiſhes: notwithſtanding, that they of themſelues, ſufficiently goe aſtray: yea our vanitie, imperfection, and coldneſſe, doeth many wayes bewray it ſelfe, that we may well ſay, in one word: no man prayeth rightly, but he, whoſe mouth and minde Chriſt doth direct with his ſpirit. And therefore hath he deliuered vntounto vsus, a ſacred forme, for all holy prayers, in that prayer which is vſually termed, The Lords Prayer, wherein, hee hath ſet downe, the perfect rule, whereby, we may rightly forme our petitions, and keepe them within their bounds: that is, the glory of God, & our ſaluation. And this are wee dilligently to note, as being aſſured, that ſo we ſhall be heard, albeit our frailty do hinder vsus, from praying with that zeale, feeling, and feruency of faith, which true prayer doth require. Let vsus winne from our ſelues ſo much as wee may, calling to minde, for our comfort, that we do offer our prayers, to the father, in the name of his wel-beloued ſonne, and by his own mouth, couered with his righteouſneſſe: who therefore will accept of them, according to his promiſe, but withall, let vsus alſo remember, that ſuch, who vſe many times to ſay, O Lord help vsus, do not, notwithſtanding, thereby obtaine ſaluation: but they, who doe his will, and to that end, doth he command vsus, that we hauehave his word dwelling peaceably in our hearts, that we may be ready to performe eueryevery good worke.
Theſe things, therefore, being by God conioyned vntounto prayer, let vsus take great heed, that wee ſeperate them not, conſidering, that by the ſame, we conuerſe with our father which is in heauen, and ſo enioy, the fulneſſe of his bleſſings: for whenſoeuer we apply our eyes, or our eares, to thoſe things, which he declareth vntounto vsus, in the holy ſcriptures, hee ſpeaketh vntounto vsus, and calling vponupon his name, we ſpeake vntounto him.
Moreouer, in aſmuch as, naturally wee are but little inclined, or rather vtterly careleſſe, of theſe ſpirituall exerciſes, it will not be amiſſe, if we reſtraine our ſelues, to praier, at certaine houres of the day: not for ſuperſtition, but to withſtand our ſlouth, ſlackeneſſe, and other worldly matters, which otherwiſe might induce vsus, to ouerſlippe diuerſe dayes, without any practiſe of this duetie. Dauid bearing vppon his ſhoulders the burden of a great Kingdome, prayed, morning, at noone, and at night: yea ſeauen times a day, did he ſing praiſes to God, day and night meditating in his Lawe. Nowe therefore (gentle Readers) feeling my ſelf toward the declining euening of my dayes, with a taſte of ſo many ſolide, and permanent ioyes, as are daily to be found in prayer: & withall, being inflamed with a deſire, to finiſh the reſt of my courſe, in this ſweete labour, which I finde to be accompanied, with ſo large a recompence, I hauehave here formed for my ſelfe, and for any other, that liſt to reade it, this ſmall mannell, of holy, ſhort, and familiar prayers, grounded vponupon the texts of ſcriptures, ſuch as are indeed, to inſtruct, comfort, and make vsus perfect, in faith, louelove, conſtancy, and to be ſhort, in all chriſtian life. Be of good cheere then, (all godly ſoules) and let vsus vnite all our petitions, in this ſo deuoute, and profitable an exerciſe, of all true faithfull people. Let vsus pray, and meditate, if not inceſſantly, yet at the leaſt, dayly at certaine ſet houres, and as often as wee may, as well in the congregation, as in our families, morning, and euening amongſt our houſhold, as alſo in our ſecret chambers. Thus ſhall wee with our lippes, vponupon the Altars of our hearts, offer vp, many acceptable ſacrifices of ſweete ſauor before his preſence, whereof, the benefite will redound to our ſelues, in that God will bleſſe vsus, in our vocations, workes, and labors. Oh, how happy ſhall theſe men then be, whom the Lord ſhall finde thus watching, and praying! for they ſhall depart vntounto him in peace, in the contemplation of his glory; which grace, God graunt vntounto vsus all. Amen.
E R
HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE