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 fourth Prayer: wherein he prayeth for faith, for zeale and strength, to vndergoe Gods corrections, and to be deliue∣red from the dangers pre∣pared against him.

LOrd, I lift vp mine heart vnto thoe, my soule trusteth in thée, let me not be confounded: let not men haue their desires against mée: let thy blessings be powred downe vpon mee, let thy cup of comfort and saluation be filled vnto me, and let thy right hand be ready and outstretched to hold mee vp, and in thy prouidence furnish me with the hid treasures of thy loue.

So shall I sit safely vpon a sure rocke, and be furnished with such things as may pacifie such as now are importunate with mee for that which I cannot performe: and resting in danger of their cruelties, haue no other refuge, but to depend on thy mercy and prouidence, wherein (as in a safe sanctuary) I shall rest euermore preserued, vntill these dangers be ouer∣past.

Many doe looke vpon me, to sée and consider what will become of my mise∣ries, and I continually pleade thy frée mercy in Christ, wherein thou promi∣sest to couer the multitude of my sins, for which I am thus afflicted: the righteous thereby take hold of hope, and in my behalfe wish a prosperous and happy end of my destres, encoura∣ging mee to perseuere; for that thy word, euer sure, warranteth a timely deliuery of all such as are penitent, pa∣tient, and faithfull vnto the end.

But alas, good Father in Christ Jesus, I a most sinfull man, doe chal∣lenge no comfort, ease, or reliefe in mine owne right, but in the merits of him, in whom thou art well pleased, and in whom thou shewest mercy vnto sinners, among whom I am the grea∣test.

Yea, Lord, I am ignorant of good things, and wander as a beast, by na∣ture, in the vast wildernesse of this worlds vanities, hauing little or no taste of thy sauing truth, or féeling of future dangers; but of thée onely I haue knowledge, of my selfe I am weake, but from thee I haue all strength; of my selfe is misery, from

thée is mercy, of my selfe. I am altoge∣ther vnperfect, but from thée is all perfection, both inward, tending to the consolation of my said soule, and outward, to the reliefe of my distressed body.

Therefore teach me, O Lord, teach me thy truth, shew me thy wayes, and leade mee in thy pathes continually: withhold my heart from euery euill thought, & my hands that they commit no euill, kéepe mine eyes sincere, and my tongue that it speake no vnséemely thing, and my féet from falling.

Regard moe not as I am in mine owne selfe, nor deale with me as I de∣serue by mine owne wayes, but accor∣ding to thy tender mercies and louing kindnesse banish my sinnes as a mist, driue away my imperfections as a cloud, and supply my wants with time∣ly reliefe.

Thou art righteous and gracious, and reformest sinners, and forgiuest their sins. Be mercifull therefore vn∣to mine iniquities, for they are very great. Kéepe my soule and deliuer me, let mee not be confounded, nor perish vtterly, for I trust in thée.

Thou art the light of my saluation,

the strength of my life, and my refuge, and sure defence in trouble.

In the time of my greatest dangers, thou shalt hide mee in thy tabernacle, namely, in the secret places of thy pro∣uidence, which no man can finde out: thou shalt kéepe me, and hide me from them that couet my destruction: thou shalt set me vpon a rock, against which man shall not preuaile.

Harken therefore, O Lord, harken vnto my voyce, when I cry vnto thée, haue mercy vpon mee, and comfort mee.

Thou sayest, Seeke yee my Face: And what is it, O Lord, but to séeke thy helpe in distresse and danger? to craue thy fauour and succor in the time of néede.

O Father, my soule (by the priui∣ledge of thy frée Spirit, which teach∣eth truth in the inner parts) is ready; my heart also is prepared to séeke thée: my tongue speaketh vnto thée, as vn∣to the liuely helper of all that are op∣pressed.

Hide not therefore thy face in dis∣pleasure, which in loue thou willest me to seeke: be vnto me as heretofore thou hast béene, my succour and shield,

and leaue me not vnto the end.

My naturall father indéede that be∣gat me, and my mother that bare mee, may forget mée, my friends that pre∣tend to fauour mee, may forsake mee, when thou rebukest me, but thou canst not forget mée, nor forsake mee; for thou in thy Word hast promised the contrary; and therefore I will not feare to flye vnto thée, who giuest what earthly fathers cannot giue, and supplyest my wants, that neither my most familiar and my dearest friends can supply.

I should vtterly faint, did I not verily trust in thée, and assuredly know that thou hast no respect of persons, and that thou acceptest not of men, as the world doth, by the outward ha∣bite and externall glory, but the in∣ward parts, decked with faith, feare, and obedience thou likest, and embra∣cest the poorest for pietie, and in the proud whom the world doth reuerence, thou hast no delight.

Frame thou therefore mine inward zeale, and let not my outward basenes ouer-much depriue me of some comfort among the children of men; and when I cry vnto thée, be not as men, who

regard not the poore; but with spéede heare and consider, and refuse not to answere me with timely reliefe.

And let not the vnsauorie miseries of this life, accompanied with the na∣turall we akenesse of my flesh, draw me into the way of the wicked, but let me rather hold fast by thy promised pro∣tection, as by the Altar of a liuely ••••∣fuge.

••ow downe thine eare, I ••ay. O Lord, and let me not for euer cry vnto thée in vaine.

Draw me out of the net that is laid for mée, deliuer me from the dangers prepared against me.

Thou hast séene my troubles, and hast knowne my soule in the bitternes of distresse, and yet thou hast not vt∣terly forsaken mée, but in mercy hast mightily preserued mee from infinite perils.

And now, Lord, euen now, séeing my life wasteth in heauinesse, and my yéeres consume in forrow: sith I am a reproach euen among my neighbours, and all my friends faile me: and sith I am euen at the point to perish, be plea∣sed to thinke of my miseries, and send me spéedy reliefe.

As thy goodnesse, O Lord, is great, which thou hast laid vp as in a trea∣sury, for all that feare thee: so let thy mercy appeare, and thy prouidence and power toward me, be séene, among such as thinke indéede thou hast forsa∣ken me vtterly.

O Lord increase my Faith.