The Ambassador Between Heaven and Earth, Prayers · Prayer 27
In time of peſtilence.
TThe life of man, moſt glorious Lord therof, by whoſe handes it was made, & in whoſe hands it is inlightned with ſuch vnderſtanding, capacity, ſo large & ample, thy creatures, & benefits ſo good, ſo innumerable and all for the delight and ſeruice of man, which are ſo powerful and comfortable to him in the ouerlooking thereof in his large diſcourſe and reaſon, that he could wiſh in this world a perpetuity without change, not knowing in his fleſhly and blinded indgemēt, what may be more in heauen with thée to content his naturall deſire, that he inioys, not in this eclipſe & glimpſe of thy goodnes vponupon earth, that lands, poſſeſſions, ſumptuous building, gorgeous clothing, the cō fort of children, friends, ſeruāts with many other adiunctes, cannot be equalled or exceeded in ye world to come: we confeſſe O thou giuer of all good guiftes y• we are not worthy of ye leaſt of theſe thy benifits, not thy friēds but thine enemies, & ſuch that hauehave pulled thee frō the crowne to ye Croſſe, nayld thee there vntounto death, and not greeuing our ſelues that we hauehave thus greeued thée, ſnacht thy benefits out of thy hands not returning that eaſy curteſy vntounto thee thou requireſt of vsus, which is nothing but gratuity and thankes, being more vngratefull vntounto thee for all we hauehave, for by thee we liue and moue, and hauehave our being, inioying nothing but from thy al-filling hands, from that ouerflowing fountaine of thy goodnes, yet more returning to a mortall man for one ſingle curteſy, then to thee for all theſe, correct O Lord this fault in nature, this vniuerſal defect in mā kind: O Lord if thou haſt prepared ſo good things for thy enemies and friends together, what haſt thou in ſtore for thy elect there ſeuered: ſurely ſuch things as ye eye hath not ſene the eare hath not hard, ye tongue cannot vtter, ye hart cannot conceiue, we thée ò Lord there is fulnes of ioy & at thy right hād pleaſures for euermore. Pſal. 16. & who giueth vsus drinke out of a whole riuer of pleaſure. Pſal. 36. where ioy ſhal be euer preſent yet we cannot be filled, or rather filled but not ſatiſfied, what it is O Lord thou knoweſt beſt, but there is ye fountaine & ſpring from whēce all goodnes floweth, take vsus into thy beſome, vnderunder the wings of thy mercy, into that celeſtiall habitation where the ſight and ſplendor of yt heauenly preſence, ſhal more delight then all ye obſcured and mixed pleaſures the world can afford, on the other ſide we know as a ſtrong motiue vntounto vsus, the vnſupportable and heauy iudgement prepared againſt the day of wrath, for thoſe y• hauehave drunke downe ſinne as the Leuiathan the waters, terrefie O Lord our vnderſtanding with there horrour & fearfullnes, y• we neuer come there to feele them, bring vsus by one meanes or other to the heauen of our happineſſe, what thy promiſes cānot perſwade, let thy threatnings performe, by y• terrour of thy puniſhments, which are impoſſible to be vttered, and yet muſt be indured, bound hand and foot, & caſt into vtter darkeneſſe, where thy fauour nor mercy ſhall neuer-more be extended: where nether the light of the ſunne, nor the moone, or ſtarres, much leſſe the light of Gods face ſhal euer ſhine, where for euer ſhal be weping and gnaſhing of teeth, without determinatiō or ceaſing. O Lord who is able to indure it: thy Angell y• walkes in the darkenes, and ſtriketh at noone dayes, ye many dangers that accompany our wretched liues, ye leaſt of which one time or other ſtrikes home, take vsus in our pallace, in our gardēs, in ourwarehouſes, in ye feild, on ye ſea on ye earth, in ye ayre, in our beds, at our tables, whatſoeuer our bodies do, whatſoeuer our minds thinke, comes thy meſſēger in one ſhape or another takes vsus by the hand, leades vsus from whatſoeuer is deareſt vntounto vsus, to the tribunall ſeat of thy iuſtice and mercy, where we are eyther to be acquitted, or condemned, eyther to be receiued or thruſt out. Lord therfore deale with vsus according to thy mercy, that if thou prolong our liues & bring vsus ſafe out of this ſtorme & tempeſt of mortality, that by y• fal & ſlaughter of others we be brought to ſuch a ſerious cōſideration of our owne mortality & eſtate y• we make our preparation thereunto, all y• days of our life, knowing y• he may fal in his tent, y• hath eſcaped y• feild periſh in y• hauen y• hath paſſed y• Ocean, & y• it muſt be ſurrendered one time or another, and if it pleaſe thée ye we fall by y• ſtroke of this thy deuouring Angel, as ye corruption & ranlineſſe of our nature infectious enough to procure it and bring to paſſe that thou accept as my deed my will, deſire, and purpoſe to ſerue thée, my intent for my action that I would, as if I ſhould liue to glorifie thée, & make mée out of louelove with this wretched world and all the allurements and baytes therein, and in louelove only with thee and thy heauenly kingdom for thy bleſſed name ſake.
Amē.