Sermons in One Volume, Prayers
THREE PRAYERS: ONE FOR THE MORNING, ANother for the Euening, the third for a ſicke man.
Whereunto is annexed a godly Letter to a ſicke friend: and a comfortable ſpeech of a Preacher vponupon his death bed. Anno. 1591.
A Morning Prayer.
O Lord prepare our hearts to praye.
ETernall God, giuer to them which want, Comforter to them wich ſuffer, and forgiuer to them which repent: we hauehave nothing to render thee but thine owne. If we could giuegive thee our bodies and ſoules, they ſhould be ſaued by it: but thou wert neuer the richer for them. Al is our duetie, & al of vsus cannot performe it: therefore thy ſon died, & thy ſpirite deſcended, and thy Angels guide, and thy Miniſters teach, to helpe the weakenes of men. All things cal vponupon vsus, to cal vponupon thee, and we are proſtrate before thee, before wee know how to worſhip thee: euē ſince we roſe, we hauehave taſted many of thy bleſſings, & thou haſt begun to ſerue vsus, before wee begin to ſerue thee. Why ſhouldſt thou beſtow thy health and wealth, and reſt, and libertie vponupon vsus more then other? we can giuegive no reaſon for it, but that thou art mercifull. And if thou ſhouldſt drawe all backe againe, we hauehave nothing to ſay, but that thou art iuſt. Our ſinnes are ſo grieuous and infinite, that we are faine to ſay with Iudas, I hauehave ſinned and there ſtop, becauſe we cannot reckon them. All things ſerue thee, as they did at firſt, onelyonly men are the ſinners in this world.
Our heart is a roote of corruption, our eies are the eyes of vanitie, our eares are the eares of follie, our mouthes are the mouthes of deceipt, our hands are the hands of iniquitie, and eueryevery part doth diſhonour thee, which would be glorified of thee. The vnderſtanding which was giuen vsus to learne vertue, is apt now to apprehend nothing but ſinne: the will which was giuen vsus to affect righteouſnes, is apt now to louelove nothing but wickednes.
The memorie which was giuen vsus to remember good things, is apt now to keep nothing but euill things. There is no difference betweene vsus and the wicked, we hauehave doone more againſt thee this weeke, then we hauehave doone for thee ſince we were borne, and yet we hauehave not reſolued to amende: but this is the courſe of our whole life, firſt we ſinne, and then we pray thee to forgiue it, and then to our ſinnes againe, as though we came to thee for leaue to offend thee.
And that which ſhould get pardon at thy hands for all the reſt, that is, (our prayer) is ſo full of toyes and fancies, for want of faith and reuerence, that when we hauehave praied, we had need to praie againe that thou wouldeſt forgiue our prayers, becauſe wee thinke leaſt of thee when wee pray vntounto thee: what Father but thou, could ſuffer this contempt, and bee contemned ſtill? Yet when we thinke vponupon thy ſonne, all our feare is turned into ioye, becauſe his righteouſneſſe for vsus, is more then our wickedneſſe againſt our ſelues. Settle our faith in thy beloued, and it ſufficeth for all our iniquities, neceſſities, and infirmities.
Now Lord we goe foorth to fight againſt the world, the fleſh, and the diuell, and the weakeſt of our enemies, is ſtronger than wee: therefore wee come vntounto thee, for thy holy ſpirite to take our part; that is, to change our mindes and wils, and affections, which wee hauehave corrupted, to remooue all the hindrances which lets vsus to ſerue thee; and to direct all our thaughts, ſpeeches, and actions, to thy glorie, as thou haſt directed thy glorie vntounto our ſaluation. Although we be ſinners (O Lord) yet we are thine, and therefore we beſeech thee to ſeparate our ſins from vsus, which would ſeparate vsus from thee, that we may be ready to eueryevery good, as we are to euill. Teach vsus to remember our ſinnes, that thou maieſt forget them, and let our ſorrowe here, preuent the ſorrowe to come. Wee were made like thee, let not fleſh and bloud turne the image of God to the image of Satan: our foes are thy foes, let not thine enemies preuaile againſt thee to take vsus from thee; but make thy word vntounto vsus, like the ſtarre which led vntounto Chriſt: make thy benefites like the pillar which brought to the land of promiſe: make thy croſſe, like the meſſenger which compelled gueſts vntounto the banquet; that wee may walke before men like examples, and alway looke vponupon thy ſonne, how he would ſpeake and doe, before we ſpeake or do any thing.
Keepe vsus in that feare of thy Maieſtie that we may make conſcience of all that we doe, and that wee may count no ſinne ſmall, but leaue our lying, and ſwearing, and ſurfetting, and coueting, and boaſting, and flanting, and inordinate gaming, and wanton ſporting, becauſe they drawe vsus to other ſinnes, and are forbidden as ſtraightly as other. Let not our hearts at any time be so dazled, but that in all temptations, we may diſcerne between good and euill, between right and wrong, between trueth and errour: and that we may iudge of all things as they are, and not as they ſeeme to bee: let our mindes bee alwaies ſo occupied, that wee may learne ſome thing of euerie thing, and vſe all thoſe creatures as meanes and helpes prepared for vsus to ſerue thee. Let our affections growe ſo towarde one another, that wee may louelove thee aſmuch for the proſperitie of other, as if it were our owne: let our faith, and louelove, and prayer be alway ſo readie to goe vntounto thee for our helpe, that in ſicknes we may finde patience, in priſon wee may finde ioy, in pouertie wee may find contentment, and in all troubles we may finde hope. Turne all our ioyes to the ioye of the holy Ghoſt, and all our peace to the peace of conſcience, and all our feares to the feare of ſin, that we may louelove righteouſneſſe, with as great good will as euer we loued wickednes: and goe before other in thankfulnes towards thee, as farre as thou goeſt in merciemercy towards vsus before them, taking all that thou ſendeſt as a gift, and leauing our pleaſures before they leaue vsus, that our time to come, may be a repentance of the time paſt, thinking alway of the ioyes of heauen, the paines of hell, our owne death, and the death of thy ſonne for vsus. Yet Lord let vsus ſpeake once again like Abraham, one thing more we will beg at thy hands, our reſolutions are variable, & we can not performe our promiſes to thee: therefore ſettle vsus in a conſtant forme of obedience, that we may ſerue thee from this houre, with thoſe dueties which the world, the diuell, and the fleſh, woulde hauehave vsus deferre vntill the point of death.
Lord we are vnworthie to aske any thing for our ſelues, yet thy fauor hath preferred vsus to be petitioners for other. Therefore wee beſeech thee to heare vsus for them, and them for vsus, and thy ſonne for all. Bleſſe the vniuerſall Church, with truth, with peace, and thy holie Diſcipline. Strengthen all them which ſuffer for thy cauſe, and let them ſee the ſpirite of comfort comming towardes them, as thy Angels came to thy ſonne, when he was hungrie.
Be mercifull vntounto all thoſe which lie in anguiſh of conſcience, for remorſe of their ſinnes: as thou haſt made them examples, ſo teach vsus to take example by them, that wee may looke vponupon thy Goſpel to keepe vsus from deſpaire, and vponupon thy lawe, to keep vsus from preſumption. Proſper the armies which fight thy battailes, and ſhew a difference betweene thy ſeruantes and thy enemies, as thou didſt betweene the Iſraelits and the Aegyptians, that they which ſerue thee not, may come to thy ſeruice, ſeeing that no God dooth bleſſe beſides thee. Make vsus thankefull for our peace, whome thou haſt ſet at libertie, while thou haſt laid our dangers vponupon others which mighteſt hauehave laide their dangers vponupon vsus: And teach vsus to build thy Church in our reſt, as Salomon builte thy temple in his peace. HaueHave merciemercy vponupon this ſinfull Lande, which is ſicke of long proſperitie: Let not thy bleſſings riſe vp againſt vsus, but indue vsus with grace as thou haſt with riches, that wee may goe before other nations in religion, as wee goe before them in plentie: giuegive vsus ſuch harts as thy ſeruants ſhould hauehave: that thy will may be our will; that thy Law may be our Lawe; and that we may ſeeke our kingdome in thy kingdome. GiueGive vntounto our Prince a Princely heart, vntounto our counſellers, the ſpirit of counſel, vntounto our Iudges, the ſpirite of Iudgement, vntounto our Miniſters the ſpirite of doctrine, vntounto our people, the ſpirite of obedience: that wee may all retaine that communion here, that we may enioy the communion of Saints hereafter.
Bleſſe this familie with thy grace and peace, that the Rulers thereof may gouerne according to thy word, that the ſeruants obey like the ſeruants of God, and that wee may all be loued of thee. Now Lorde wee hauehave commenced our ſuite, our vnderſtanding is weake, and our memorie ſhort, and wee vnworthie to pray vntounto thee, more vnworthie to receiue the things which we praye for. Therefore we commend our prayers and our ſelues vntounto thy merciemercy in the name of thy beloued ſon our louing Sauiour, whoſe righteouſneſſe pleadeth for our vnrighteouſnes.
Our father which art in heauen, &c.
ruption, as though wee were made to ſinne: indeede, or in worde, or in thought, wee hauehave broken all thy Commandements, that wee might ſee what good is in euill, which hath lefte nothing but guilt, and ſhame, and expectation of iudgement, while we might hauehave had peace of conſcience, ioye of heart, and all the graces which come with the holie ſpirite. Some hauehave been wonne by the word, but we would not ſuffer it to change vsus: ſome hauehave been reformed by thy croſſe, but wee woulde not ſuffer it to purge vsus: ſome hauehave been mooued by thy benefites, but wee would not ſuffer them to perſwade vsus: nay, we hauehave giuen conſent to the Diuell, that wee will abuſe all thy gifts, ſo faſt as they come: and therefore thy bleſſings make vsus proude, thy riches couetous, thy peace wanton, thy meates intemperate, thy merciemercy ſecure, and all thy benefites are weapons to rebell againſt thee, that if thou looke into our hearts, thou maiſt ſaye our Religion is hypocriſie, our zeale enuie, our wiſedome pollicie, our peace ſecuritie, our life rebellion: our deuotion ends with our prayers, and wee liue, as though wee had no ſoules to ſaue.
What ſhall wee anſwer for that which our conſcience condemnes? Wee are one daye neerer to death ſince we roſe, when we ſhall giuegive account how eueryevery day hath been ſpent, and how we hauehave got thoſe things which other will conſume when we are gone. And if thou ſhouldeſt aske vsus now, what luſt aſſwaged, what affection qualified, what paſsion expelled, what ſin repented, what good performed, ſince we began to receiue thy benefites this day, wee muſt confeſſe againſt our ſelues, that all our works, words, & thoughts, hauehave been the ſeruice of the world, the fleſh and the diuell: we hauehave offended thee, and contemned thee all the day, and at night wee pray vntounto thee: Father, forgiue vsus all our ſins, which hauehave diſhonored thee, while thou diddeſt ſerue vsus: run from thee while thou didſt call vsus: and forgotten thee whileſt thou didſt feede vsus, ſo thou ſpareſt vsus, ſo we ſleepe, and to morrow we ſinne againe: this is the courſe of al our pilgrimage, to leaue that which thou commandeſt, and doe that which thou forbiddeſt. Therefore thou mighteſt iuſtly forſake vsus, as we forſake thee, and condemne vsus, whoſe conſcience condemnes our ſelues: but who can meaſure thy goodneſſe which giueſt all, and forgiueſt all? Though we are ſinfull, yet thou loueſt vsus: though wee knocke not, yet thou openeſt: though we aske not, yet thou giueſt: what ſhould wee hauehave if wee did ſerue thee, which haſt done all theſe things for thine enemies? Therefore thou which haſt giuen vsus al things for thy ſeruice, O Lord giuegive vsus a heart to ſerue thee, & let this be the houre of our conuerſion, let not euill ouercome good, let not thine enemie hauehave his will, but giuegive vsus ſtrength to reſiſt, patience to endure, and conſtancie to perſeuere vntounto the end.
Inſtruct vsus by thy word, guide vsus by thy ſpirite, mollifie vsus by thy grace, humble vsus by thy corrections, winne vsus by thy benefites, reconcile our nature to thy will, and teach vsus to make profite of eueryevery thing, that wee may ſee thee in all things, and all things in thee: & becauſe (O moſt mercifull father) we walk between thy merciemercy and iuſtice, through many temptations, gouerne our ſteps with ſuch diſcretion, that the hope of merciemercy may preuent diſpaire, & the feare of iuſtice may keepe vsus from preſumption: that in mirth wee bee not vaine, in knowledge we be not proude, in zeale we bee not bitter, but as the tree bringeth foorth firſt leaues, then bloſſomes, and then fruit, ſo firſt wee may bring foorth good thoughts, then good ſpeeches, and after a good life, to the honor of thy name, the good of thy children, & the ſaluation of our ſoules, remembring the time when we ſhall ſleepe in the graue, and the day when wee ſhall awake to iudgement. Now the time is come (O Lord) which thou haſt appointed for reſt, and without thee wee can neither wake nor ſleepe, which haſt made the day and night, and ruleſt both: therefore into thy hands we commend our ſoules and bodies that thou haſt bought, that they may ſerue thee: reſtore them O Lorde to their firſt Image, and keepe them to thy ſeruice, and reſigne vsus not to our ſelues againe, but finiſh thy work, that we may eueryevery day come neerer and neerer to thy kingdome, till we hate the way to hell, as much as hell it ſelfe, and eueryevery cogitation, and ſpeech, and action, be ſo many ſteps to heauen. For thy names ſake, for thy promiſe ſake, for thy ſonnes ſake O Lord, wee lift vp our hearts, hands & voyce vntounto thee in his name, which ſuffered for ſinne, and ſinned not. Our Father &c.
A Prayer for a ſicke man.
ALmightie God and all mercifull Father, which art the Phiſition of our bodies and ſoules, in thy hands are life and death, thou bringeſt to the graue, and pulleſt backe againe: we came into this world vponupon condition, to forſake it whenſoeuer thou wouldeſt call vsus, and now the Somners are come, thy …etters hold me, and none can looſe me but he which bound me. I am ſicke in bodie and ſoule, but he hath ſtroken me which in iudgment ſheweth merciemercy. I deſerued to dye ſo ſoone as I came to life: but thou haſt preſerued me till now, and ſhall this merciemercy bee in vaine as though wee were preſerued for nothing? Who can praiſe thee in the graue? I hauehave done thee no ſeruice ſince I was borne, but my goodneſſe is to come, and ſhall I dye before I begin to liue? but Lord thou knoweſt what is beſt of all, and if thou conuert me, I ſhall be conuerted in an houre: and as thou acceptedſt the will of Dauid as well as the act of Salomon: ſo thou wilt accept my deſire to ſerue thee, as well as if I did liue to glorifie thee. The ſpirit is willing, but the fleſh is fraile, and as I did liue ſinfullie, whenſoeuer thy ſpirite was from mee, ſo I ſhall dye vnwillingly vnleſſe thy ſpirite prepare mee: therefore deare father, giuegive mee that minde which a ſicke man ſhould hauehave, and increaſe my patience with my payne, and call vntounto my remembrance, all which I hauehave heard or read, or felt, or meditated to ſtrengthen mee in this houre of my triall, that I which neuer taught any good while I liued, maye nowe teach other how to dye, and to beare theyr ſicknes patiently: apply vntounto me all the mercies and merites of thy beloued ſonne, as if he had dyed for me alone. Be not from me when the enemie comes; but when the tempter is buſieſt, let thy ſpirite bee buſieſt too: and if it pleaſe thee to looſe me out of this priſon, whē I ſhal leaue my earth to earth, let thine Angel carrie vp my ſoule to heauen, as they did Lazarus, and place me in one of thoſe manſions which thy ſonne is gone to prepare for me. This is my mediator which hath reconciled me and thee, when thou didſt abhorre mee for my ſinnes, and thou didſt ſend him from heauen to vsus, to ſhew that thou art bound to heare him for vsus. Therfore in him I come vntounto thee, in him I call vponupon thee. O my redeemer, my preſeruer, and my ſauiour, to thee be all prayſe with thy father and the holy ſpirite for euer. Amen.
What ſhall ſtay me from my Father, my brother, and my Comforter.
A comfortable ſpeech, taken from a godly Preacher, lying vponupon his death-bed: written for the ſicke.
I Owe to God a death, as his Sonne died for me. Euer ſince I was borne I hauehave been ſailing to this hauen, and gathering patience to comfort this houre, therefore ſhal I be one of thoſe gueſtes nowe, that would not come to the banquet whē they were inuited? what hurt is in going to Paradiſe? I ſhal looſe nothing but the ſence of euil: and anon I ſhall hauehave greater ioyes then I feele paines? For my head is in heauen already, to aſſure mee that my ſoule and body ſhall follow after. O death where is thy ſting? why ſhould I feare that which I would not eſcape, becauſe my chiefeſt happineſſe is behinde, and I cannot hauehave it vnles I go vntounto it? I would go through hell to heauen, and therefore, If I martch but through death, I ſuffer leſſe then I would ſuffer for God. My paines doe not diſmay mee, becauſe I trauaile to bring forth eternall life, my ſinnes doe not fright me, becauſe I hauehave Chriſt my redeemer, the iudge doth not aſtoniſh me, becauſe the Iudges ſonne is my aduocate, the diuel doth not amaze me, becauſe the Angels pitch about me. The graue doth not grieue me, becauſe it was my Lords bed. Oh that Gods mercy to me, might mooue other to louelove him! for the leſſe I can expreſſe it, the more it is. The Prophets and Apoſtles are my fore-runners, eueryevery man is gone before me, or elſe he will follow after mee, if it pleaſe God to receiue me into heauen before them which hauehave ſerued him better, I owe more thankefulnes vntounto him. And becauſe I hauehave deferred my repentance till this houre, whereby my ſaluation is cut off, if I ſhould die ſodainly: Lo, how my God in his merciful prouidence, to preuent my deſtruction, calleth me by a lingering ſicknes, which ſtaieth till I be ready and prepareth mee to my end, like a preacher, and makes me by wholeſome paines, weary of this beloued worlde, leaſt I ſhould depart vnwilling, like them whoſe death is their damnation. So he loueth me while he beateth me, that his ſtripes are plaſters to ſalue me, therefore who ſhall louelove him if I deſpiſe him? This is my whole office now, to ſtrengthen my body with my heart, and be contented as God hath appointed, vntill I can glorifie him, or vntil he glorifie me. If I liue, I liue to ſacrifice; and if I die, I die a …acrifice, for his mercy is aboue mine iniquitie. Therefore if I ſhould feare death, it were a ſigne that I had not faith nor hope, as I profeſſed, but that I doubted of Gods truth in his promiſe, whether he will forgiue his penitent ſinner or no. It is my father, let him doe what ſeemeth good in his ſight: Come Lord Ieſus, for thy ſeruant commeth, I am willing, helpe my vnwillingnes.
Thus the faythful departe in another ſort, with ſuch peace and ioy round about them, that all which ſee, wiſh that their ſoules may followe theirs.
A Letter written to ones friend in his ſicknes.
BEloued, I maruel not that you hauehave paine, for you are ſicke: but I maruel that you couer it not for offence, becauſe the wiſdome of a man is to bite in his griefe, & alwaies to ſhew more comfort in God, than pain in ſuffering. Now God calleth to repetitions, to ſee whether you hauehave learned more conſtancie than others: if ſicknes be ſharpe, make it not ſharper with frowardnes, but know this is a great fauour to vsus when we die by ſicknes, which maketh vsus ready for him that calleth vsus: …ow you hauehave nothing to think vponupon but God, & you cannot think vponupon him without ioy: your griefe paſſeth, but your ioy will neuer paſſe. Tell me (patient) how many ſtripes is heauen worth? Is my friend onelyonly ſicke it the world, or his fayth weaker than others▪ You hauehave alwayes prayed Thy will be done, & now are you offended that Gods wil is done? How hath the faithful man forgotten that all things (euen death) turne to the beſt, to them that louelove God? Teach the happy (O Lord) to ſee his happines through troubles. EueryEvery pain is a preuention of the paines of hell, and eueryevery ease in paine, is a fore-taſte of the eaſe, and peace, and ioyes in heauen.
Therfore remember your own comforts to others before, and be not impatient, when there is moſt neede of patience, but as you hauehave euer taught vsus to liue, ſo nowe giuegive vsus an example to die, and deceiue Satan as Iob did.
FINIS.
End of the text · Henry Smith, Sermons in One Volume (1593)