A progresse of pietie. Or the harbour of heauenly harts ease to recreate the afflicted soules of all such as are shut vp in anye inward or outward affliction. By Iohn Norden.

The Prayer that euerie man may liue vprightly in his calling.

O God of all comfort, and giuer of all con∣solation, forgiue my sinnes, cleanse mee, and wash mee from all iniquitie, which disable mee to performe my calling, in such since∣ritie as becommeth mee. And through the bloud of thy Sonne, purifie my heart, and my imper∣fections, increase my knowledge and sanctifie mine affections with thy grace, that my sinnes being forgiuen, I may rest in thy fauor, and in thy fauour finde continuall comfort, and be dayly blessed with new gifts: that I may be founde perfect in my calling, seasoned so with a liuely faith in thee that thy holy spirite may continually dwell and beare rule in me, and lead mee to the due performance of those things which thou requirest to be done in my calling: that all vn∣naturall affections being truelye

mortified, I may onely rest in thee, and relie on thee, and be ruled by thee in all things.

Good Father, graunt that I may take the direct & right course in my vocation to eternall life. In which course consisteth the in∣ward peace of the soule, which is onely delighted in thine inuiolable truth, reueiled by thy Sonne, and left vnto vs in his word and last will. In which his last will and Testament are comprehended all necessarie rules, and the sacred dis∣cipline, whereby thy children are to guide them selues in their seue∣rall callings: which directions, are comprehended in three principall vertues, by thee bestowed vp∣on them that seeke them at thy hands, in the name of thy sonne, faith hope and loue: which three are so vnited and knit in one, that they dwell altogether in thine elect children: & so precisely direct them through thy grace, that they goe not awry in their callings.

I therefore (good Father) be∣ing of mine owne wisdom igno∣rant, and of mine owne power vn∣able

to comprehend the height, the length, and depth of my calling, in∣stantly beseech thee, in mercy to be∣holde mee, an vnperfect creature▪ without these vertues, and so a∣dorne me with them, that I, may be made perfect in all good workes of the spirit, that my bodilie labors be not in vayne in thee.

Graunt also, that I may ioyne with all my trauailles, labors, af∣fections, desires, and endeuours, faith with faith, knowledge with knowledge, temperance with tem∣perance; patience with patience, godlines with godlines, brotherly kindnes, and with brotherly kind∣nes loue: that I bee not vnfruit∣full in my calling. But may ac∣knowledge thy sonne Christ Je∣sus, and in him to haue peace of conscience: that I may bee patient in troubles, long suffering in wronge••: meeke in trials: faithfull in expecting helpe in distresse, re∣ioycing in heart, quieted in minde, in hope to inioy at thy handes, and in thy good time, whatsouer ma∣keth to the true comforte of my soule, and the reliefe of my bodie.

That in all truth and inward fee∣ling of thine aide, my calling may be made perfecte, and sealed with the seale of thine owne spirituall approbation. So shall I thine vn∣worthy creature, and all such as thou hast committed to my charge bee directed in the true know∣ledge of thee, and sustayned with thinges necessary while wee liue here.

Oh blessed Lord and louing fa∣ther, except thou thus direct me, I cannot stande, but shall fall into many miseries. For no estate, no degree, no calling, office function, or trade of life, can prosper or bee rightly performed, without thy continuall ayde, direction and pro∣uidence.

Therefore Lord, guide mee by thy spirite, encrease my faith, giue mee wisedome and ablenes in all thinges to execute calling as I ought: and to the execution there∣of, blesse all my members, make them apt and ready instrumentes to perform their duties, that in no poynt I fayle in a Christian pro∣ceeding therein. And bridle in mee

the nature of flesh & bloud, which (vnles thou season my affections by thy spirit) will so much the more glorie, by howe much thou hast exalted me to worldly preferment, & enable mee to liue in this world, in higher reputation than other men, whereunto flesh and bloud is ready to attribute chiefest harts ease. And by that subtil shift, Sa∣than manie times, mooueth vs to relie vpon vain things. And ther∣fore (good Father) vouchsafe so to ground all mine affections vppon thy feare, that I bee not miscarri∣ed in my calling, from the true o∣bedience vnto thee, without which neither honour, profit, friendes, wealth, wisedome, or any other blessing of thine, can steede, releeue, or comfort me.

Be present therefore, good and gracious Father, with mee, and grant that all thinges that I take in hand, may begin in knowledge, proceed in feare of thee, and end in loue, that my whole course of life may be blessed with good effect, in all my endeuours. That neither mine enemies reioyce at my mise∣ries,

the godly bee offended at my rashnesse, nor my estate hindered by my foolishnes. Good Lord grant this for thy sonnes sake. Amen.