A helpe vnto deuotion: containing certain moulds or forms of prayer, fitted to seuerall occasions; & penned for the furtherance of those, who haue more desire then skil, to poure out their soules by petitions vnto God. By Sam. Hieron.
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- Title
- A helpe vnto deuotion: containing certain moulds or forms of prayer, fitted to seuerall occasions; & penned for the furtherance of those, who haue more desire then skil, to poure out their soules by petitions vnto God. By Sam. Hieron.
- Author
- Hieron, Samuel, 1576?-1617.
- Publication
- Imprinted at London :: by H[umphrey]. L[ownes]. for Samuel Macham, and are to be solde at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Bull-head,
- 1608.
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- Subject terms
- Devotional literature
- Prayers
- Cite this Item
-
"A helpe vnto deuotion: containing certain moulds or forms of prayer, fitted to seuerall occasions; & penned for the furtherance of those, who haue more desire then skil, to poure out their soules by petitions vnto God. By Sam. Hieron." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A72314.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 7, 2024.
Pages
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A short Aduertis∣ment, touching Prepa∣ration before Praier. In which is shewed
- 1. The necessitie of it,
- 2. The manner of it.
THe necessitie of Prepa∣ration may appeare ma∣nie waies.
1 By our sauiours platform, in which the Petitions are not set downe abruptlie; but a solemne preface is prefix∣ed, like a faire porch to a
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beautifull house: to teach vs to frame our affections and set them in due order, before we draw neere to speak vnto the Lord.
2 By expresse commande∣ment: Bee not rash with thy mouth, nor let thine heart be hastie to vtter a thing before God. Eccles. 5.1. It is a dange∣rous thing to babble out vn∣digested & vnaduised words in his eares.
3 By example. O GOD (sayth Dauid) mine heart is prepared, so is my tongue &c. Psal. 108.1. It was the dif∣ference betwixt him and hy∣pocrites, that he washed his hands in innocencie, before
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he would compasse the Altar Psal. 26.6.
4 By due proportion from outward things. If a man goe before a Prince, or man of au∣thority, he will thinke vpon his cariage, he will set his tale in order, and meditate what to say: how much more then should we prepare when we come to speake to God, who is higher then the Kinges of the Earth?
2 The manner of Preparation stands in
- Praying,
- Meditating.
1 PRaying: Meruaile not that I make Praying a prepa∣ratiue to praier. A little eat∣ing
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prepareth a weake sto∣macke, and setteth an edge vppon the appetite to eate more; so in prayer: There∣fore Dauid before prayer, praied, Let my prayer be di∣rected in thy sight as incense &c. Set a watch, O Lord, be∣fore my mouth, and keepe the doore of my lips, Ps. 141.2.3. A lifting vp of the soule to heauen, with a desire of di∣rection, is a good prepara∣tiue.
2 Meditating, vpon three things: 1 GODS maiestie: 2 GODS promises: 3 Our owne vilenes. The reason is this: There are 3 thinges chiefelie requisite in pray∣er
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which are helped by this threefold meditation: 1 Hu∣militie and lowlines of spirit, begotten by the due consi∣deration of Gods Maiestie; 2 Confidence and assurance to be heard, bredde by the knowledge of Gods promi∣ses; 3 Feruencie of affection, springing from the appre∣hension of our owne vile∣ness.
That the maiestie of God must bee thought vpon, is proued, Eccles 5.1. Hee that speaks to God, is bidden to re∣mēber, that God is in heauen.
That the promises must be muzed vppon, appeares, 2. Sam. 7.27. Thou hast reueiled
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vnto thy seruant &c. There∣fore hath thy seruant beene bold to pray &c. Genesis, 32.11.12. I pray thee de∣liuer me, &c. for thou say∣edst, I will surelie dooe thee good. What courage can we haue to goe to the throne of grace without the warrant of promise?
That our owne vilenesse must bee remembred, it is euident. Gen. 32.10. I am lesse then the least of thy mercies. Ezra, 9.6. O my God, I am ashamed and confounded to lift vp mine eyes, &c. for our iniquities are increased, &c. Thus then prepare thy self to pray: Exercise thy thoughts
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before hand vpon these three things: 1 what a presence full of maiestie thou must come into: 2 what sweete promises he hath made to encourage thee: 3 what neede thou hast to fly to his mercie. This will furnish thee with humilitie tempered with cheerefulnes, & both whetted on & quic∣kened by the feeling of thy owne necessitie.
To helpe thy meditations of Gods maiesty, remember Psal. 104.1. O Lord my God, thou art exceeding great, thou art clothed with glorie and honor &c. 1. Tim. 6.16. who only hath immortality, and dwelleth in a light that none can attaine to, &c. and such like places.
To supply thee with words
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of promise: consider Psa. 50.15. Call vpon me &c. so wil I deliuer thee &c. Is. 65.24. yea before they call I will answer, and whiles they speake I will heare. Iohn, 14.13. Whatso∣euer you aske in my name, that will I do: and many such testimonies.
To bring thee to see thy own vilenesse, ponder Iob, 5.14. Man drinks iniquitie like water. cha. 25.4. Hee cannot bee cleane that is borne of a woman. Psalme, 51.5. I was borne in Iniquitie &c. Romanes, 7.18. I knowe that in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. Gather account of thy particular
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sinnes as Iob did, Chapter, 9.3. View thy selfe of∣ten in the glass of the Law.