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.

Preparatiues to thank∣fulnesse.

SAluation belongeth vnto the Lord, and his blessing is vpon all that are his,

Psal. 3. 8.

The Lord hath heard my petition, the Lord doth receiue my Prayer,

Psal. 6. 10.

I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, I will be glad and re∣ioyce in thee, Oh thou most High,

Psal. 9. 1.

Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the poore, thou preparest their heart, thou bendest thine eare vnto them,

Psal. 10. 17.

In my trouble did I call vpon the Lord, and cryed vnto my God, hee heard my voyce out of his Temple, my cry came before him, and he helped me,

Psal. 18. 6.

I sought the Lord, and he heard me; yea, hee deliuered me out of all my feare,

Psal. 24. 7.

Taste ye, and see how gracious the Lord is: blessed is the man that trusteth in him,

Psal. 34. 8.

Let the Lordline, and blessed be my strength, and the God of my salua∣tion be exalted,

Psal. 18. 46.

Thou art my Lord, my well do∣ing extendeth not to thee, but to the Saints that are in the earth,

Psalme 26. 2. 3.

THough men by their best gifts can∣not enrich God, yet they must be∣stow Gods gifts to the vse of his children, and that is the best recompence they can make vnto him for all his earthly blessings, and to be obedient vnto him ac∣cording to his will reuealed in his Word, is the Sacrifice wherewith hee is pleased for all his benefits spirituall and corporall, which who so neglecteth, is meerely vn∣thankfull, what shewes so euer he maketh

of outward Thankesgiuing. Therefore e∣uery faithfull receiuer of any his blessings, will fall downe before his Maiesty in this or the like manner of hearty thankfulnes, to manifest with his words, the inward willingnesse of the heart.

A generall thankesgiuing vnto God, for all his benefits, spiri∣tuall and corporall.

ETernall God, and euerliuing, and most louing Father, I the poorest and most vnworthy of all thy crea∣tures, doe bowe and prostrate the knées of a truely thankefull heart vn∣to thy maiesty, yéelding vnto thée all humble, vnfained, and possible thankes for all thy fatherly fauours, both di∣uine and corpora••l; aboue all (Oh Father) I thanke thée, for that thou diddest elect and chuse me to saluation before all worlds: for that thou crea∣tedst mee being nothing, and being borne a sinfull reprobate by nature, diddest redeeme mée from Satan and hell, and adoptedst mée one of thine owne children, by thine owne Sonnes

bloud, in whom, and for whose sake, thou acceptest me an heyre, with thy Saints, of the glory of Heauen. And for ••ine assurance here in this life, hast giuen mée not onely thy promise in thy Word, but hast sanctified mée with thy holy Spirit, whereby I be∣léeue: and can in some measure resist the motions which arise in mee, by meanes of that originall corruption which I brought into the world, and beare about mée, which could not but condemne mée, were it not that the death and resurrection of. Jesus Christ the righteous did iustifie me by a liue∣ly apprehension, and a faithfull féeling of his most frée merits, working for me, and in my behalfe.

These most swéete spirituall fauors so farre surmount the apprehension of the most wise in the world, and any féeling to the comfort of carnall men, that they cannot assure themselues of their owne saluation, a more misera∣ble estate then which cannot light vp∣on man. How much then, Lord, am I wretched creature, bound vnto thy frée mercy, in choosing mee to be one of thine owne by Adoption, and to giue mée the earnest-penny of thy Spirit,

to assure mee thereof, and that so farre from presuming vpon any desert of mine owne, as I wholly condemne my selfe, and acknowledge all my hope and assurance to be wrought in me by thine owne frée loue, I vnworthy, de∣seruing nothing lesse, deseruing rather thine heauy and high indignation, and consequently thy iust Judgements, whereby, in stead of my frée election, I should be reiected, in stead of my re∣demption, I should be condemned, and to be retained in the fearfull power and bondage of Satan and hell: in stead of my sanctification and iustification, I haue merited reprobation, and yet, deare Father, in the abundance of thy fauors, I haue, and doe inioy the bles∣sings of all spirituall comfort and con∣tentment, and withall haue inioyed so many corporall comforts, and earthly graces at thy hands, as are more in number then my sinnes, which are more then the dust of the earth: my life I had of thée, the continuance thereof of thée: the health of my body thou preseruest, and when I haue beene sicke, thou hast healed me. In my hun∣ger thou féedest mée, and refreshest me, when I am thirsty: thou cloathest me,

and which is more, thou bearest me as the Eagle doth her young, euen vpon the wings of thy prouidence: so that I haue bin defended from infinite im∣minent dangers, both from the perill of the sword, and the plague, and from the violence of many misfortunes which might haue befallen me, where∣by had I not béene protected by thée, I had perished long agoe, and many times being poore, thou hast relieued mée: being e••uied, thou hast kept mee from the power, and open force, and secret deuices of my many enemies. And moreouer, which is not the least, (Lord) thou hast not onely giuen mée the vse of my limbes, and seruice of my senses, but hast taught my heart to conceiue, and my hands to performe that, by which, in thy prouidence, I profit in my calling, and liue. How then, most gracious and louing Fa∣ther, am I bound vnto thy diuine Ma∣iesty, for such and so many heauenly and spirituall blessings, and corporall and ••arthly benefits, the least of which as I haue not deserued, so can I not make recompence vnto thée for the least? But as thou hast fréely bestow∣ed them all vpon me in Christ: so in

Christ I returne to thée the glory, in whom thou art well pleased, and in him reconciled vnto mée, or else would the benefits which I receiue, become rather a curse then a blessing vnto me.

Oh that I were therefore of wise∣dome sufficient, of power able, in dis∣position willing, and in zeale so ser∣uent, as I might powre forth thy de∣serued praises with a ioyfull heart. But, good Father, accept the sacrifice of my wi••ling minde, and impute not vn∣to me either weakenesse or vnwilling∣nes, vnthankfulnesse or forgetfulnesse of this high duty, forasmuch as that all-sufficient Lambe sacrificed for mée, mediateth as well for me, and in my be∣halfe my inward thanksgiuing, & pre∣senteth them vpon thine altar of mer∣cy, as he euer presenteth vnto thée my prayers for pardon of my sins. Of my selfe, Lord, I cannot bring thée Abel or Elias sacrifice, but an heart of true thanksgiuing, which it may please thée to accept, as thou didst the sacrifice of Bullockes and Goates. ••nd let mée, Lord, be truely able to offer vnto thée Dauids morning and euening sacrifice of praise: especially that most swéete and preuailing sacrifice of ••iliall obe∣dience

which thou so much acceptest: and although it can merit no fauour at thy hands, as it is my worke, it be∣ing sanctified in Christ, it is the speci∣all meane, not onely to discharge my duety in part, but to obtaine new and continuing blessings and benefits at thy hands in Christ: to whom, with thée and the holy Ghost, be all honour, power, praise, and thanksgiuing, for euermore,

Amen.

O Lord increase my Faith, and make me euermore thankfull.