University of Virginia Library

All-Potent Scatt'rer of Man's o'r rancke state,
Thou that dost raise the humble, the proud hate
Soule-saving God, joy to the best of men,
Great terrour to the damned, guide my Pen,
Head, hand, heart, all, apply my soule to win
Soules to thy glory; let the sence of sin,
(Companion still to misery) affright,
Times scoffing Idiots from the lewd delight
Of soule confounding sinne, make us to pray
With ardency of soule, great God of day,
Fashion our wills to thine, let each proud eye,
Humbled with teares, admire thy Majestie.
The spirit of Prayer must amend us all,
(So writes the Churches Atlas, holy Paul,)
We shipwrack else; soules that will Heav'n inherit,
Must pray, and pray with confidence of Spirit;
Pray for our King, pray for the blest event,
Of this our Englands present Parliament:
Have we not cause; do's not this Nation know,
Warre and the Plague so threats our overthrow;
We soone were lost, did not sweet mercy yet
Protect our Peace? let us not then forget
To fast and pray, (Lord) make us all inclin'd
To praise thy Name, Eternally to mind
Thy mighty favours, unto this Realme more
Then all the World, for Peace and plenties store:
While neighbouring Nations perish by the sword,
Fierce Fire and Famine, wanting the sacred word
To solace soules; this Nation lives at peace,
And might continue, did our murmuring cease.
We heare the word preach't, have our recreations,
Walking abroad, our peacefull preservations,
Our streets have seene no Rider and his horse
O're whelm'd in bloud, nor have we seene what's worse
Big-belli'd women ript, the infants braines
Dasht in their Fathers faces; nor whole lanes
Of Armies in the field wheltering in bloud,
Nor thousands famish't in our streets for food.
Our blessed time of Peace did never spie
Cities a fire, poore people's dismall crie:
Age torne by th' haire o'th' head, Virgins defil'd,
Dainty Dames ravish't, and the tender child
Stab'd in the Mothers Armes; God grant such fights
May never fill our Land, with like affrights:
Importune Heav'n, on God alone rely,
True prayer to God, is what? Nuncius Cœli
Mercies sweet messenger, that sweetly beares
To Heav'ns bright Majesty mans trickling teares
Wrapt up in sighes, hearts griefe, sorrowes sad face
Wrinkled with cares for sinne, which conquers grace;
What humble soule mounts heav'ns celestiall Ayre
In up-flying fervent purity of Prayer,
But God sends downe a pardon; Age and Youth,
Through ardent prayer, prove the sons of truth.
Fear'st thou stearne War, Fire, Sword, Times, deare yeares dearth?
Pray fervently, cease not till Heav'n and Earth
Eccho the Spirit of thy Supplications,
Teares of contrition, holy meditations:
So shall no Devills ruling in the Ayre,
Nor difficult passage stop zealous Prayer.
“The want of prayer, proves the soules decay,
“Men cease to prosper, when they cease to pray.
We all are sinners: sinne raises such a storme
In our base blood, reason can ne're reforme.
Vrge reason to us, it will doe no good,
Fervent Prayer onely masters flesh and blood.
Tis Clavis cœli, which unlockes Gods treasure,
“Fervent prayer opens and shuts Heav'n at pleasure,
The Elements, Fire, Water, Earth, and Ayre,
Are all at the command of fervent Prayer.
Elijah prayed that fier might descend
From Heaven, and heav'n alone did him befriend.
Elijah pray'd, it rain'd not for the space
Of three yeares and sixe moneths on the earths face.
Fervent prayer never did true solace lacke;
Moses he prayed, and the Red-sea fled backe.
The prayers of the faithfull never fail'd;
Moses and Aarons fervent prayers prevail'd
Gainst Korah, Dathan, and Abirams sinne,
Earth open'd, swallow'd them, with all their kinne.
Earnest prayer truely is (Heav'ns truth to say)
From man to God, from God to man the way.
“Prayer maugre all Earths Villanous entices,
“Makes man at peace with God, at war with vices.
O Text of Truth never to be denide,
Celestiall prayer quells Luciferiall Pride.
Cooles raging lust, tames the Malicious,
Envie, Wrath, Gluttony, cures the Covetous,
Heav'ns in that prayer when (circl'd round with vice)
Man conquers sinne, that's Prayers paradice.
Firme Prayer steeres soules to each soule-saving motion,
Sighes, Teares, repentance, and to all devotion.

As the true skill of a Pilote is unknowne
But in a Tempest; (or a Captaine prone
To noble deeds) his valour is unseene
But in a battell (where the field hath beene
His mount of Honour) so the rare worth
Of a true Christian, can be ne'r set forth,
Nor ever of th' All-viewing eye discern'd,
Till like the Hebrewes Gen'rall he has learn'd
Heav'ns pleasing science, the Celestiall Art
Of fervent Prayer; that's the true Christians pare.
When the Hearts tooke with a delight to pray,
Soules clearely see, finde a compendious way
To know Heav'n savingly, to curbe offence,
And burne in ravishing joy, truth's Excellence.
Such sweet content, all mortalls Mundane wit,
(Humane delights,) can never equall it
“The fixing of our hearts on heav'n by prayer,
“Heales sinnes deepe festering wounds, kills killing care,
Cures the distracted minde, proves soules defence,
Mercies subduer, sacred conference.
O thou Ens Enriam, sempeternall light,
Give me the spirit to pray, to pray aright;
Lest Tempest-tost with cares, thinking to shunne
Sinnes gulfe, on ruines Rocke my soule's undone:
“Pray then, O pray; he that prayes willingly,
“Be rich or poore, can ne'r live wickedly.
Prayer is the wing by which the soule do's flie
To Heav'n; and meditation is the eye
Wherewith we see God: by prayer we talke,
And by our Charity with God we walke,
Soules that will mount, gaine a Celistiall Crowne,
Must pray with ardency, looke up, not downe,
Like times too many mumblers that doe fall
To pray, on the halfe knee, or none at all,
Nor desperately like such, as thinke no sinne
To come to Church, till Sermon time beginne;
Entring (O most abhorr'd) so sneakingly,
So rude in rev'rence, pray so peakingly,
As doth amaze religious fortitude,
To see lewd Mortalls base ingratitude
To their Redeemer; he that dreads heav'ns Rod,
Prayes ardently t'appease the wrath of God.
Else like the sickles edge, or Razor keene,
Heav'ns wrath works worldlings quick dispatch unseene,
Sharpe Vengeance undiscernd full swift do's fall,
Leaves not a life uncut; but mowes downe all,
All grumbling Nations for their sinnes excesse,
Pride to the poore, and rude unthankfulnesse,
All Sects, all Schismes, that dare by booke maintaine,
And for their owne base ends, their godlesse gaine,
“Make Scripture fight with Scripture: fatall ill,
“Sanctity save Kingdomes from such cursed skill.
O the deepe folly that on man attends!
Our flesh and bloud are to our selves salfe friends.
We aske, and pray, but both amisse, and why?
We neither aske nor pray with fervency,
Our mindes at randome runne, this way, and that,
Vpon a world of vanities; Idle chat,
Fashions, and fooleries; heav'n pardon sinne:
We oft are out in Prayer, seldome in.
Sinne like a whirlewind circles feeble prayer,
Snatches it up, then whirles it into ayre,
Infections ayre, whose fatall poyson spreads,
Powers downe hot vengeance, misery on our heads,
Crosses, continuall cares, perpetuall paine,
Weake Prayer makes bitter still the fruit of gaine,
Converts the key of kindnes into lust,
Carelesse prayer makes the life of love unjust,
Dulls noble wisedome, over-rules all reason,
To the forgetfull soules Eternall Treason.
“We pray to heav'n, yet mind not heav'nly things,
“O foule ingratitude to the King of Kings.
“Mans mingling prayer with Earths cold cogitation,
“Merits swift vengeance; cloath'd in blacke damnation.
Think on thy God then, in thy dayes of youth,
Search in the Morning of thy yeares for truth;
Early betimes, before the evill day
Of sinne, and Satan, that does ev'ry way
Stops mans Celestiall journey, scatters snares
In every place; we are not safe at Prayers:
No sooner man to heaven divine thoughts reare,
But straight the Devill whispers in his eare,
Thinke on the world, thy wealth, thy poore estate,
Meanes must be had; thinke on thy neighbours hate:
Thinke on revenge, thinke on thy change, thy crosses,
Thy law-suites, ships at sea, thy land, thy losses;
Away with Prayer; puzzell not thy braine,
Mind thou what's present, what's to come refraine.
Thus speakes the subtile Fiend, of purpose bent,
To put us out of practise to repent.
Like a false Sexton, he sets backe the Clocke
To delay time, makes that our stumbling blocke;
Makes Time our Bawd, with flat'rie to betray,
And put us quite, out of the mind to pray:
With glorious outside, and deceitfull riches,
Satan fooles mortalls, wisest men bewitches.
Note but the whore-like minde of mans condition,
(So generally in all) when they petition
Their earthly King; (Lord) what a stirre we keepe,
The busie braine's in labour, cannot sleepe,
Nor take it's naturall rest, the carefull minde
Is totally tooke up, wholly inclin'd
To give each word his weight; for to relieve
Our wants, to sue for pardon, or repreive,
Profit or gaine; then head, hand, heart and all,
Knees that ne'r bend at Hean's high will, can fall
Prostrate in all obsequiousnes for place,
Lofty preferment, and a Princes Grace,
Then tongue and heart both jumpe in one agree,
Minde nothing but his Earthly Majestie;
Beg, kneele, implore, we fervently importune
Pardon for some foule fact, some brittle fortune.
This we can doe, we can with hot pursuite
To compasse our vaine ends, ne'r cease sinnes suite;
The trot, the amble, and the full cariere,
No speede is wanting, nor no paines too deare
To purchase sinnes Exchequer, riches store,
Ambitious aymes, Times glory, Beauties whore.
This too too many can, and in that way,
Eager like hungry hounds, soone sent sinnes prey;
But to the King of those Eternall fires
That spangle Heav'n, luke warme in their desires,
“Impudent in all Vice, in basenesse bold,
“Christians halfe coddl'd, neither hot nor cold,
“O Hell of hells; Man to'th' Celestiall Race
“Do's seldome runne, but with a Iade-like pace,
Never considering how the mind that's wrapt
In wilfull wickednesse, is ever apt.
To pine at Princes, snarle at pious lawes,
Scold people on to fight Religions cause.
When truth and all true Christians know Religion
Consists in true obedience, not Rebellion;
“Men that give way to ill, t'increase their good,
“Bring famine on a land, fierce fire and blood.
“All villages in a Kingdome, Sinne do's delude,
“Leaves it a prey to'th' law-lesse Multitude.

In true obedience then, with humble knee,
Eye, head, hand, heart, pray to Eternity.
Throw from thy minde all worldly cares, temptations,
All wandring, idle, vaine imaginations.
Abandon flaring pride, close fisted bribes,
And like the Father of twelve potent Tribes,
Tugge with Almighty God, still strive to winne
Pardon for each foule fact, times uggly sinne.
“Like Arts rare engin's Excellent's defence,
“Gainst fires in Cities which (to cleare offence)
Raises from Earth so sweet a watery showre,
As slacks the furious flame, extincts her powre:
So let the Art of fervent prayer raise
Our watery teares to Heav'n, to Heav'n that paies
In the descent, mans penitent desires,
With plenitude of grace, to quench sinnes fires.

God made the eare to heare the happinesse
We have from him, the tongue still to expresse
The glory of his name; the eye to see
The workes of his divine Integrity.
Eye, head, hand, heart, God the whole man did frame,
All to rejoyce in his All-Sacred name.
Happie the soule that prayes with sincere sorrow,
Repent to day, deferre not till to morrow.
And when you pray, thinke unto whom you pray;
T'is to the Worlds great builder, Lord of day,
Mercies bright Majestie, th' Almighty strong,
Iust grand decider of each poore mans wrong,
That tumbles downe the mighty, only can
Make the most Potent Prince, the poorest man;
The peace of Kingdomes in a breath disjoynt,
Spit all Earth's Children on warrs Rapiers point;
Turne fruitfull fields to yron, burne the grasse,
And for our sinnes, convert the Heav'ns to brasse;
Swell surging seas, the dreadfull deepes with waves,
Stormes, famine, fire and sword, to dig our graves.
How dare proud mortalls then ne'r take to minde
Heav's sacred eye-sight? shall darke deedes so blinde
Mans Machivilian mischiefe, as to thinke
Rais'd on Ambitions top, he cannot sinke?
He must, he must; bad states-men ne'r so big
Fall of themselves in time, breake like a twig,
As one naile drives another out of place,
So time cleares truth, drives flat'rie to disgrace:
Flatt'rers are fearefull Fiends, bright honours sting,
Serpents, the worst of Traitors to a King;
Court-Eare-wiggs, nimbly wrigling in the Eares
Of greatnesse, mighty profits, madnesse, feares,
So painted o're, shaddow'd for sound advice,
“A good King cannot knowes vertue from vice,
Till Heav'n (that brings the darkest deedes to light)
Produce in time the truth, twixt wrong and right.
Man whosoe're thou art, take this advice,
'Tis Angels counsell, Prayers Paradise.
“Walke after Gods way in the day of light.
“Or end thy journey in the darkest night.

Ther's but one universall remedy
For all our ills, each soules extremity,
And that is fervent prayer, all must resort
To Prayer, or perish; there is no safe port
(In this worlds Mare Mortuum) for man
To put into, but prayer; prayer only can
Powr'd out in fervency of soule prevent
Plagues, famine, bloud, and death, warr's dire event,
Bred by seditious subjects, whose desires
Are still the fuell unto popular fires.
Prayer shall confound, dead all the divellish deedes
Of forraigne foes, all home-corrupted seedes:
Dissembling Hypocrites, by hells aide appointed
To stifle truth, and grieve the Lords annointed.
Prayer like to hastie powder fir'd shall choake,
Flame viperous Rebels to a sudden smoake.

Pray then, through fervent prayer imitate
Moses and Iacob, wrestle with blessed fate,
Subdue thy sinnes, 'gainst sinfull flesh and bloud,
“Importune heaven, and heaven will doe thee good.
“Gods promise is, if fervently we pray,
“And use our best indeavours ev'ry day
“To fly from sinne, resolving to betake us
“To holy meanes, he never will forsake us.
“Never did any doe their faire endeavour
“To pray to God, that ever lost his labour.
“Nay more, if God but see thy inclination
“To pray, he will prevent thy supplication,
Answer thy full desire, e're thou canst crave,
Grant that, thy heart did never hope to have:
Witnesse good heaven 'tis true; ther's no deniall,
For I have found th' experimentall triall,
And were for ever like a soule in hell
Worthy to burne; should I forget to tell,
In midst of dangers, how I call'd on thee,
Mercifull God; and thou did'st set me free.
At home, abroad, at Sea, upon the land,
Here, there, and ev'ry where, thou Lord did'st stand
My sure protector 'gainst griefes infinite,
Times flatt'ring ruine, and the worlds despite,
Sicknesse, sad discontent, when I and care,
Shooke hands with sorrowes Minion deepe despaire.
That very hower, in heavinesse lockt up
Beyond all hope of health; then mercies Cup
I freely tasted; blessed be thy name,
To me my Gracious God, prove still the same.

Circle me round thou All-Eternall health,
Gainst all enticements, Honour, Beauty, Wealth,
Those fatall flies of sinne; which though best men
Do ne're so much flap off, flie on agen:
Arme,, a me good heaven, Times Microcosme in me,
Through Faith, Hope, Love, enable me to be
Truths Champion; Troopes of Furies to withstand,
And stave Hells Tempter off, dead sinnes command.
“Times expert faithfull souldier is a Iewell,
“Fit for a King, to fight a Kingdomes Duell.
“Valour and honesty are Princely twinnes,
“Ther's nothing makes a Coward, but his sinnes.
Lord, let a watchfull Centinell within
My weake mortality, so keepe out sinne,
That when so e're we meet, Morne, Noone, or Night,
I with my good sword Faith, may in thy sight,
Heavens Saint-like Souldier prove, subdue and winne
At truths close constant fight, conquest o're sinne.
Heare me my God, mount thoughts with admiration,
Vpon the highest step of contemplation,
Irradiate (Lord) my mind, past sinnes controle
Conari Sancta; Angelize my soule.
Give what thou dost command great God, and then,
Command even what thou wilt; Amen, Amen.

Earnest prayer, and the committing of sinne,
Will never lodge together in one Inne.
For sure if prayer cannot make thee cease
From sinne; sinnes sure to rob thy soule of peace,
And make thee leave off praying; God's all Eye,
Let our petitions then with fervency
Flie unto him, whose Majesty is such,
It comprehends all power; do but touch,
Trie, and then trust, petition but his name
In ardency of soule, you'le find a flame
All-heav'nly holy, thrill through thy vitall blood
To quell corruption, turne all ill to good.
O that the Soules of Mortall's to the life
Would Act this part, subdue sinnes stormy strife
Through fervent prayer; and in that swift course runne,
Firme as the golden taper of the sunne
Which hourely sailes the Circuit of the Skie,
That, were excelling heav'nly harmonie.
'Twould make this Globe on Earth whereon we tread,
Times glorious Theater; the rich stage spread
And hung all-round with silver shining starres
Prickt full of holy thoughts; in them no jarres
Of times discording musicke dare appeare,
The Musick-roome of concord being there;
There Truths faire Actor, where so e're he turnes
His penitent Eye, with holy raptures burnes,
Sees the All-sole Spectator, Three in one
Seated in gloryes Gallery; where none
But his Omniscient blest beatitude,
Sits the sole Iudge of soules Ingratitude,
Actors, and Action; mans good part, and his ill,
Th' unworthy Actors, dull, imperfect skill
Bred by distemper, grosse neglect in studdy;
Carelesse Rehearsalls, and a skull so muddy,
As never minds th' infinite paines and Art,
Penn'd, to advance and fit him with a part
That might immortalize; inflame desire,
Ravish his sinne-sicke sence; his soule inspire
With sacred extasie; high apprehension,
Seraphicall love, divine affection.
Heav'ns gracious Actor makes this pretious use
Of his faire Part; ne'r turnes it to abuse,
Nor wrongs the writer; but amaz'd with wonder,
As one shot through and through with holy thunder
At pious lines; whose powerfull Energie,
(In Noble spirits frustrates miserie,)
Tames Pride, cooles lust, makes the wise Actor see
His soule in danger; circl'd with sinnes, that He,
In all meeke Humblenesse of soule prepares him,
Not rashly hot (like some that goe to swimme,)
But takes a time to coole by meditation,
Ponders with sweet celestiall affectation
On his soule-pleasing Part, dares not venter
To tread Times Stage; nor unadvis'd to enter
Till perfect in that part, whose excellence
Gaines grace, sinnes pardon, Mercies Audience.

Then like a bold and able Musketeire
Arm'd with a world of valour, trampling feare
Vnder his valiant foot, set's bravely on
The front of danger, where destruction
In fiery flames, threatens to scourge his errour,
With never-failing death; yet scorning terrour
He in his good cause, still opposing all,
Horrours and terrours what e're can befall,
Mounted on valours wings never retires,
Still he winnes ground; his ready nimble fires
Play thicke upon the foe, adde flame on flame,
Vndanted stands, to'th honour of his name.
And ne're forsakes the furie of the fight,
Till conquest Crownes him in his Countries right.

So fares it with Truth's Actor, when his Part
Enters him on the Stage a Pious heart.
Then with clutch'd heav'd up hands above his head,
Eyes drown'd in Teares, and Armes divinely spread
To meete with mercy, fervently beginnes
So to bewaile the whirle-poole of his sinnes,
Thar to gaine pardon, rid away all feares,
Sighes swimme in Sobs, deepe groanes in flouds of teares
Importunes heav'n, good Actions ne'r gives ore,
Till he hath quit the world, and clear'd sinnes score,
That like to Ariadne crown'd with starrs,
The soule in glory shines, all ill debarrs.

Admit at first, thou canst not frame thy selfe
For Cares, and Crosses, Lust and worldly pelfe
To pray to God aright; yet still endeavour,
Combate with sinne; for victory persevere:
What though to pray thou sind'st thy selfe unapt,
Dull, heavie, sad, easie to be intrapt?
Start from the Devill that ensnares thee so,
With sloth's lewd lullaby for endlesse woe.
Let me beseech thee to be heavenly wise,
Rub drowsie dulnesse from thy tender eyes.
Retire unto thy chamber, shut the doore,
There wringing of thy hands fall downe, implore
Heav'ns sacred aide, on thy dejected knees,
Pray to that glorious Majestie which sees
The depth of darkest secrets; beate thy breast,
Till teares for sinne arise ne'r give it rest.
Strike, strike the stonie ent'rance of thy heart,
Act to the life, the Publicans true part,
Knocke, and knocke hard; make Vertues hammer felt
On thy hearts flinty Anvile; till it melt
To soft compassion; when that spring appeares,
Eyes turne to pearly drops, to flouds of teares,
Such streaming pearles of pittie, being shed
For sinne in thee; as shall when thou art dead,
Mount thy triumphing soule on Angells wings
To live for ever; Crown'd by the King of Kings:
Great is the power of fervent Prayer, that can
Conquer the All-Creator, ravish man;
Fervent prayer, makes the crooked conscience even;
Prayers, are those scaling laders set to heav'n
That lay long siege unto the throne of God,
Surround divinity, keepe in his Rod.
And never will depart, nor raise the siege,
Till they compell Natures Celestiall Liege
To grant what they doe come for; faine would have,
To shield sad soules from the infernall Grave.