A poore mans rest founded vpon motiues, meditations, and prayers. Expressing to the inward man, true consolation. In all kindes and times of afflication. By Io. Norden.

A Prayer to be vsed in priuate Families, Morning and Euening.

Leuit. 26. 6.

If yee truely serue God, yee shall sleepe, and none shall make you afraid.

Lord prepare our hearts, open our lips, sanctifie our prayers, and increase our Faith.

O Most mighty Lord God, and our most mercifull and louing Father in Jesus Christ, we thy poore creatures, and vnworthy chil∣dren, humbly present our selues in his name before thy glorious maiesty, ac∣knowledging that we be most vnwor∣thy to appeare in thy presence, by rea∣son not onely of our originall, but also of our continuall actuall sinnes, and déepe disobedienee, being originally borne the children of wrath, and the least of our actuall transgressions is sufficient to cast vs into hell and vtter perdition, if thou shouldest deale with vs according to the measure of our

manifold iniquities. We therefore doe humbly beséech thée (O mercifull Fa∣ther) in the merits of Jesus Christ, fréely to pardon and forgiue our ma∣nifold offences, both in that wée haue committed and done those things thou hast forbidden, and left vndone the things thou hast commanded. Lord forgiue vs, and remember our sinnes no more: let them neuer (good and gra∣cious Father) rise vp in Judgement to our condemnation, Giue vs a full assurance of thy mercies, and frée for∣giuenesse in Jesus Christ, and let thy holy Spirit from henceforth euermore so sanctifie our hearts, minds, and bo∣dies, that wée neuer hereafter giue consent to the corrupt motions of our fleshly affections, and vnclean desires: and let the liuely light of thy continu∣all presence so illuminate our dark vn∣derstandings, that we may still search for thy will in thy word reuealed, and giue vs will and power to practise and performe all godly seruice, duties and obedience to thée: giue vs féeling hearts, that we may finde out our own weakenesse, and confesse vnto thée our infirmities, and that we may boldly in the Name of thy Sonne Christ Jesus

fall downe before thée, calling faith∣fully and sincerely vpon thy holy name, for pardon for our former euils, & for grace to reforme so the rest of our wic∣ked liues, that thou maist be pleased to accept vs anew into thy fauour and fa∣therly protection.

Grant that we may continually féele in our hearts and consciences, more and more the virtue and power of the death & resurrection of our Lord and Sauior Jesus Christ, & that we may continually striue against, and mortifie our grosse sins and foule corruptions, and grow more strong against all euill motions and temptations in thought, word and déede, and be more and more renewed in the spirit of our mind, and féele a continuall increase of ioy and comfort in the reading, hearing and meditating of thy holy and heauenly word, and a feruency of true zeale to séekethy glory, by encreasing more and more in knowledge, and in the hatred of sinne in our selues, & rebuking it in others, especially, in those of whom we haue charge, and in a happy and faith∣full going forward in all godly obedi∣ence vnto thy will all the dayes of our liues. Direct and strengthen vs, that

we may with all faithfulnesse labour to discharge that duty whereunto wee are bound by our seuerall callings, which in thy prouidence either are al∣ready, or shal be allotted vnto vs. Hold vs, we beséech thée, by thy right hand, that we fall not into any danger of bo∣dy or minde.

Guide vs by thy holy Spirit in the paths of righteousnesse: set conti∣nuall watch before our lips, that wee offend not with our tongues. Keepe our eyes from looking any more vpon, and our hearts from seeking after or consenting vnto vanities: shut vp our eares, that they delight not in hearing the things offensiue to thy sacred Ma∣iesty. Rule & gouerne our hearts, that wée may be alwayes studious of good things, and that wee may be alwayes truely inclined to deale faithfully with all men, and inable vs to performe all duties required at our hand by them, and keepe both our hands and feete, that wee goe not about, or take any thing in hand dishonourable to thee, dangerous to our selues, or hurtfull to any, and that all that wée think, speake or doe, may be to the glory of thy name. Let vs not spend the time, O Lord, of

this our pilgrimage, any more in wan∣tonnesse, idlenesse, or vanity, but in all godly & vertuous exercises, alwaies in simplicity and singlenesse of heart, and in a good conscience, as becommeth thy dearest Children. Blesse, we humbly beséech thée, and prosper all the labors and works of our hands, and blesse all the Creatures which thou hast ap∣pointed for our vse, that wée may re∣ceiue comfort and reliefe in them, and by them in due season, by thy blessing, and by the daily comfortable vse of them, be the more moued and stirred vp to a thankfull acknowledging thy fa∣therly goodnesse, in vouchsafing them vnto vs, which without thy blessing, would rather turne to our preiudice then profit, rather to a curse vnto vs, then to our true comfort: therfore good Father, blesse vs to a godly vsing of al thy good creatures, and thy creatures to a comfortable vse for vs.

And forasmuch, good Father, as our duty in this sacred exercise of prayer, bindeth vs also to intreate thy Maie∣stie for all our Brethren and Sisters, members of that body, whereof thy Sonne Jesus Christ is the head, frame in vs a true, perfect, and hearty

zeale to pray, and heare vs, also for them: beséeching thée to raise vp the Ministry of thy Gospell in all pla∣ces of the earth, that by the meanes thereof, such as doe appertaine to thy Kingdome, may be daily called home to thy fold: and that the Kingdome of Satan, Antichrist, Sinne and darke∣nesse may be weakened, and more and more beaten downe in all the world: hold vp & maintaine the scepter of thy word, where thou hast already planted and aduanced the same, & increase all the meanes by which it may be increa∣sed and confirmed, and weaken all the powers that resist or striue against it. Blesse those, O Lord, that endeuor to promote and further it: increase their zeale, wisdome, knowledge and power; him especially, good Father, whom in great mercy towards vs, thou hast made Soueraigne ouer vs, Iames thy seruant, our King, and all his Roy∣all Issue, the Counsellors, Magi∣strates, Nobility, and the Preachers of thy holy word; all godly and Chri∣stian Families, all true Professors of thy Gospell. Beséeching thée to powre on euery of them in their seuerall Cal∣lings, such graces, benefits and bles∣sings,

as are most méete for them, wherby they may all shew themselues thy true and faithfull miuisters, in fur∣thering all sincerity in Religion, and all purenesse and godlinesse of life, not onely in themselues, but in others, so farre as appertaineth to their charge, publike or priuate. Beséeching thée also to be mindfull to comfort all our afflicted Brethren and Sisters, how∣soeuer, or for whatsoeuer they suffer; especially such as suffer for the testi∣mony of a good conscience. Comfort all them that are pressed downe with the burthen of their sinnes: helpe, relieue, succour and assist all that be in want, in misery and affiction, that flie vnto thée for succour. And as, good Father, we doe thus boldly begge at thy hands these many and seuerall fauours, for our selues and others: so (Lord) accept at our hands our humble thankfulnes which we here yéeld vnto thée, for thy manifold blessings and benefits daily, so louingly and fréely bestowed vpon vs, both inward and outward, spiri∣tuall and corporall, in number infinite, for greatnesse vnspeakeable, and for goodnesse farre better then wée could either aske or thinke: beséeching thée

to continue thy gracious fauour to∣wards vs alwayes, and in all things, that we may still giue thée the glory for our continuall safety and reliefe.

In the Morning. Adde this.

ANd finally, we thanke thée, good Father, that thou hast so graci∣ously kept and preserued vs this night past, and hast giuen vnto our bo∣dies rest, and hast brought vs to the beginning of this day in peace, good Father, pardon whatsoeuer corrupti∣on hath taken hold of vs this night: pardon our present dulnesse of Spirit, coldnesse of Zeale, weaknesse of Faith, and all whatsoeuer offendeth thée in vs: & blesse the labours of our hands, and our godly endeuours this day, and make vs rather able to be helpfull to others that néede, then to be forced to aske, or to be chargeable to any, by reason of our corporall wants. Grant these things, good Father, and al other graces necessary for vs, and for euery member of thy Church, for Jesus Christ thy Sonnes sake: in whose

name wee further pray, Our Father which art, &c.

In the Euening, Adde this.

WE thanke thée also, most graci∣ous Father, for that thou hast so mercifully kept and relieued vs this day past: beséeching thée to re∣ceiue vs also this night into thy Fa∣therly protection, and kéep our soules, bodies and goods frée from dangers: let thine Angels encampe about vs, guard vs, and defend vs: giue vnto our bodies that competent rest and sléepe, that may be onely sufficient, and let our thoughts be euer on thée, in loue, feare, and due obedience and re∣uerence, that wée may be fearefull to commit the least euill, yea, in the darke, which with thée is as the noone day. Watch ouer vs, good Father, that Satan preuaile not against vs: and giue vs grace to be alwayes watchfull for the time, when our Lord and Sauiour Jesus Christ shal make his glorious appearance in the clouds, to finish these dayes of sinne. And at

this time, pardon, O Lord, our weake∣nes in prayer, our coldnes in zeale, and whatsoeuer doth hinder vs from the true publishing of our own wants and imperfections at full, & thy praise and glory as thou deseruest: increase our Faith, and grant vs, and all thy Chil∣dren, all other graces necessary for soules and bodies, for Jesus Christs sake: in whose name we further pray, Our Father, &c.