The embassador between heauen and earth, betweene God and man. Or A booke of heauenly and healthy meditations and prayers for earthly and sickly soules and sinners Fit to be borne in the hand, and worne in the heart of euery good Christian. By W.C. preacher of the word.

Another Prayer or med: to be vsed before the vndertaking of any iourney or businesse eyther by sea or land.

GOod father, the mysery and blindnesse of our na∣ture is such, and our ingratitude so great, that we steale thy beni∣fites,

and take them absolutely to our selues, and inioy them freely to our owne vse as if they were originally the worke and labour our of our owne handes and we had them without thy know∣ledge and assistance, that riches are the succeeders pollicy, that health is eyther recouered or kept by obseruation or diet, & lost by disorder or abuse, that successe or defect in any our pro∣ceedings, sute according to our wisedome or industry in contri∣uing the same, and so in a setled perswasion, & resolution hearin we goe forward in this blind∣fould course asking councell nor crauing successe of any but our selues or creatures of the same f••aylty and beeing that wee our∣selues are of, whereby often∣times

we faile of our purpose, and know not the reason there∣of, Lord giue vs grace to cor∣rect this errour, and giue vs light in this our blindnesse, teach vs to know that we are a∣shamed, wee are ignorant of that, Except thou build▪ the house, they labour in vaine that build it: For it is thou that must cōmand thy blessings to be with vs in our store-houses, & in all that wee set our hands vnto, or our labour dieth betweene our fingers▪ like an vntimely fruit. And as a sparrow falleth not to the ground without thy suffe∣rance, so there is nothing that commeth to passe without thy appoyntment and direction: therefore what businesse soeuer we haue, what regard soeuer we

haue thereunto, let vs haue so much regard thereto as to re∣gard thee that must regard it, or else all will fall to the ground: let vs go out in thy name, with thy assistance implored on our knees, let vs loose so much time to gaine so great aduantage: for it abridges the way, and cuts off many tedious imperfections in whatsoeuer: in thy protecti∣on let vs enter againe, let vs not take our bread, our daily food, our sustenance without thankfulnesse to thee: let vs not couch our selues in the bed of our rest, but close our eyes in thy fauour and blessing: for it is that that must bee vpon the building of our houses, ope∣ning of our Shops, and ware∣houses, watching of our Cit∣ties,

tilling of our ground, in feeding of our bodies, in the education of our children, or whatsoeuer paine, industry, or labour in the securest course we can deuise: for without this ayd and assistance all falleth in∣to emptinesse and vastity; Lord giue vs grace to consider it, and blesse this our out-go∣ing and our comming in, the fruit of our bodies, and the fruit of our hands, our intents and purposes: Bee regardfull vnto our labours, whatsoeuer wee take in hand; walke by vs on the land, on y^e water, as thou diddest by thy Disciples, & saue vs, or we perish: for neither the land y^e safer, nor the sea y^e more dangerous, can protect vs, nor destroy vs▪ till thou hast sealed

thereunto thy consent, nor any creature nor casualty in y^e world offer either violence or iniury, where thy hand but takes our part; and where that is opposed, though all the creatures in the world, the whole host of heauen and earth should ioyne with vs, we goe to racke and ruine. Giue vs therefore grace to be minde∣full hereof, and throughly per∣swaded herein, to make our pre∣paration therafter, that we may aske, and thou mayst giue thy successe and blessing vpon all that wee take in hand, or enioy, which grant vs Lord in this present occasion, and in all occa∣sions and times hereafter, for thine owne deere sake.

Amen.