éHelpe t Amber Prayer,jmetbmg morefyseidl i rejefPiírá theheariat ofGods Word. TernallGod, molt ' gracious and éé mercifuil in Iefus Chrift, euerie good giamg and euerie perfe& gift commcthdown from thee : thou haft commaunded that ifanie man lacke wifedome, bee Mould aske of thee, and thou haft promifed to denie nothing that .is askedof thee in thy Sonnes name : In obedience untothis thycommandement, and in aflurance ofthy readincffe to makegood thy promife,l doe here cart downmy felfe before thee;praying thee, as at all o- ther times, fo now éfpecially to bee good untome. Iamnow(OLord)by thy gracious proüidence, tobeapar- takerof thyhölieword,the preaching whereof is means ap- pointed by theeto faue myfoule, and to drawmeoutofthe powerof Satan unto thine owne folk. . I for mypart, am unworthy of fogreat a fauouras tobe admitted to hcareit, and I am curry way unfit and unable to heare itwith profit.Myheart sfull ofblind- ncffe and ignorance, my affe&ions are froward and vntradable. Iam euen reprobatebynature vetocurry good duty : I am dull of hearing, flowof conceit, backwardtoentertaine, but apt to let flip any good 3nftrudion. I befeech thee in Iefus Chrift, by the workingofthyfpirit,to reformwithi inmee thefe corruptions :Make nice asa newborne babe,todelire therm,. cere /Mike ofthymoff furred Word: Grant that I may reioyceatit, as one that findeth a great fpoile, letit bee better vnto mee, then thoufands,of gold and filuer : Open myheart, as thou didit the heart of iydoa; that I Mayuenwith a kind ofhunger and greedincffè attend unto the things whichare deliuered : cierrethe eies of my.minde, and annoint'çhem with thatprecious Glue ofthy Spirit, that theMales of ignorance may fall from them,and that I may fee the wonders pfthyLaw;; euenthy hid wifedome; nto Doctiao. 699 which mynature ofit felfe is notable to difcerne. And becaufe'thou haft promifedtogguidethe humble in thy way, and to reueale thyferrettothe meeke, take frommeet praythee, a proud heart, teach mee to becomea fooleinmy felfe,t hatI maybe wife ir thee: Suffermenottomeafure the ínyl fteriesofthykingdome bymine own* blindreáfon and corruptiffeption:bgt gluemegracetodenymy felfe, andto labour to bringmine owne thought' into captiuìty'endet Çhrilt, that'P may not dare to oppofemine owne conceits and 'fancies unto the Maier. ftie ofthytruth reueaiedin'thyWord. Giuevntothe Pteacher',ä'dooreofvt- terance, thathe may openhis mouth boldly tó publifh the- ferret of thy Gofpell. Dire&his tongue that bee mayfpeake untomy confcience, , and thatittherebee any dofe' eorríiptiop lurking in me (asLord, Who canun- derhand his faults ?) the -fearching power ofthywordmay difcouer it,ec rippeltup earn to the Verybottomed And vouchfafe untomee that meeke_ nesoffpirit,and fachcalme and yeel_ dingof nations, that Imay notrepine nor murmure at reproofe, but may loue him rather thatrebulteth,& may take it, as a fpeciall fauour from thee that lamnotfuffcred togooon infin, nor gmenouertomineown.corrnpti- ons. In cueryppointof holy - Doctrine taughtme makemeto remntnrherwho it is that fpeaketh by the-mouth of man,that I trayreceiuè thewordasa mellengerfrom thee, whether itbee comfort, ór,reproofe orinftru&ion. and fomaygiue itthat reuercnceand thatawefull rerpe&whichisdueunto thy holyoracles: Andbecaufe" 0Lord as I am naturally forgetful!, fothe Die ueilwatehethtocatch awaytheworcc asfoone asitis deliuered;;therefore I- pray thee to ftabiith my ine maty, that;;, may horde fait thy bided truth, and,may alwaies'hane it in Rote -' aguinil the time of neede. To thisend, make . metearefuil in the vfe of all good private means, fuch as .are,Player , _Meditation; Ar'r x Con-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=