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.

The fifth Prayer, wherein the poore man prayeth God to keepe him from despaire, howsoeuer men goe about to make him afraid.

IN thee, O Lord, I put my trust, and yet there are that say, There is no helpe for mee in thée: but thou art my God, how say they then, Thou canst not helpe me? sith thou art most louing and absolutely al-sufficient.

I am indéed brought low and much weakned, I haue no helper among the sons of men. This they consider, that say, There is no helpe for me in thee.

They perceiue that my baiket is empty, they sée that my store is con∣sumed, and therefore they say, There is no helpe for me, nor recouery of mee by thee.

I ponder these their words, O Lord, in my heart, and kéepe silence: I consi∣der their thoughts, yet faint I not: I marke what they speake of mee, and yet I despaire not, for thou art my God, that canst defend me, my Father that ca••st restore me and sustaine me,

thou art to mée all in all: how say they then, There is no helpe for me in thee?

Do not these men say in their hearts, Thou art not God, that thus diminish thy power? and that thou art either vnable, or vnwilling to helpe the née∣dy, and to vphold thy distressed chil∣dren? But as thou knowest them liers, so make them know their vaine con∣ceits, by some sure token, that thou ne∣uer faiisst them for euer, that perseuere constantly, and trust truely in thée vn∣to the end.

Thou art indéede a iealous God, and punishest such as go•• astray; yet thou art a louing God, and callest thy chosen children from their euill waies, by a gentle correction.

And therefore foolish and vnadussed are they, that measure thy fauour to∣wards men, by the fulnesse of good things, tending to the saciety of fleshly desires, and thy displeasure by want and affliction, that thinke that thou lo∣uest them, that thou féedest fat with the plenty of worldly riches and pleasures of this life, and hatest them that are low by crosses and corrections.

And great is this temptation (good father) vnlesse thou second our féeble

natures by thy grace, being touched with thy correcting hand, stay me ther∣fore, O stay me, with thy staffe, whi∣lest thou smitest me with thy punishing rod.

Lay not vpon me wretched man, a more heauy burthen then I shall be able to beare. And though thou sée it most conuenient for me to suffer want, afflictions, crosses, and reproaches in this life, to the end that I be not mis∣carried with the pleasing vanities of this World, yet withall consider, that I am but a man, weake and vnapt to beare the yoake of ouer-sharpe trials, without such supply of thy blessed com∣fort, inward and outward, as may maintaine faith and bodily necessaries in me, and for me.

So shall I reioyce in my low estate, and no calamity shall bring mee into despaire of thy prouident protection: I shall be assured that thou art indéede my God, and that whatsoeuer men say of me to the contrary, thou art & wilt be my helper, in the time of my greatest néede.

And then shall it come to passe, that euen these men shall sée how great thy goodnesse is, which thou hast in store

for them that feare thee, and thy mer∣cy, which thou shewest them that trust in thée, euen in the sight of the sonnes of men.

They shall sée and behold, how thou doest séeme to expose thy chil∣dren, as it were, to the furie and rage of the worlds miseries, and yet doest hide them as in a sacred Sanctuary, a place, whereunto the proud, and such as embrace vanity, shall neuer come.

And such as now pursue me, either with hate or reproach, shall sée in the end, that there is helpe only in thée, and that no arme of flesh can preuaile a∣gainst thée, O God, nor against them that trust in thée.

They shall say, when they sée the issue of my hope to be good, and that my prosperity is renewed, Loe, wee thought this man mad, wee deemed him a cast away: but loe, the Lord, in whom hee trusted, hath made him to stand, and his hand hath brought to passe what hee desired.

And I my selfe shall then consider that I erred, when rashly I said, I was vtterly cast downe; for though when I cryed, thou séemedst not to

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heare; when I sought thée, thou sée∣medst to hide thée from me: and when I complained vnto thée, thou diddest not regard it: I shell then confesse, that thy wisdome in humbling me, thy mercy in sustaining me, and thy proui∣dence in relieuing me, doth passe the capacity of the wisest men.

Therefore (deare Father) I will yet wait that acceptable time, I will yet attend thy good pleasure and will, and will not indent with thée when, nor direct thée the manner how thou shoul∣dest helpe me: but submitting my selfe vnto thée, I will hold my peace, though men say yet of me, There is no helpe for me in thee.

O Lord increase my Faith.