Certain devout prayers of Mr. Bolton upon solemn occasions. PublishedCertaine devout prayers of Mr. Bolton upon solemne occasions. Published
Certain devout prayers of Mr. Bolton upon solemn occasions. Published by E. B. by M. Bolton's own copyCertaine devout prayers of Mr. Bolton upon solemne occasions. Published by E. B. by M. Boltons owne coppy
Robert Bolton 1572–1631London: printed by George Miller, 1638
[22], 287, [1] p. · 23k words · STC 3226 · ESTC S119263
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Most gracious GOD, sith by thy good providence we are met together at this time solemnly to humble our selves, and afflict our souls in thy glorious presence, and before thy pure eye, we humbly beseech thee to give unto ⟨p. 187⟩every one of us spiritual ability, and the saving assistance of thy Holy Spirit, that we may all do it unfeignedly, fruitfully, effectually, in the name of JESUS CHRIST.
MOst gratious GOD, sith by thy good providence we are met together at this time solemely to humble our selves, and afflict our soules in thy glorious presence, and before thy pure eye, we humbly beseech thee to give unto ⟨p. 187⟩every one of us spirituall ability, and the saving assistance of thy Holy Spirit, that we may all doe it unfainedly, fruitfully, effectually, in the name of JESVS CHRIST.
O Most mighty, and blessed LORD GOD, our ever loving Father in JESUS CHRIST. We poor wretches, thy unworthiest servants, do here humbly prostrate our selves, our souls and bodies before thy Throne of grace, acknowledging ⟨p. 188⟩
from our hearts, that we are the vilest of all Thy Creatures, by reason of our manifold, and heinous sins, we are defiled and polluted in every power and part both of body and soul, to the very heart root, and from the beginning of our being, we laid at first a bloody foundation with Adam in Paradise, which utterly undid all mankind, and had our hands in that horrible rebellion, which brought all mischiefs and miseries, all sin and sorrow upon all the sons and
⟨p. 189⟩
daughters of Adam from the Creation to the end of the world, yea and all those Hellish woes and tortures which shall lie upon damned souls everlastingly. O LORD strike our hearts with remorse for This sin, of which we take so little notice, that we may be humbled for it, all the days of our life; We came into this world very sinks of all impurity, concupiscence, and filth, we brought with us understandings stark blind in all heavenly things; wills stubborn,
⟨p. 190⟩
froward, rebellious to every good word and work: Memory sinful and defiled: hard and stony hearts, raging and bedlam passions, earthly and sensual thoughts and imaginations, dead and guilty consciences; eyes full of Adultery, wantonness, and wanderings, ear open to all rotten and ribald talk, tongues set on fire by hell, hands full of iniquity, feet ready to carry us to all manner of villainy, and vanity: even bodies and souls ingrafted
⟨p. 191⟩
into the cursed communion of the Devil, and wicked spirits, by reason of that original corruption, and crookedness which we drew from the loins of our sinful Parents. And this hereditary mass of natural filth, lurked in our natures like venom and poison, which made us odious and abominable in thy sight before we were able to sin: when we had power to serve the Devil, it broke out upon us into as many fearful transgressions and abominable lusts, as
⟨p. 192⟩
could possibly proceed from so empoisoned a fountain. And since that time, good Lord thou knowest we have borne our selves like Traitors and rebels against thy holy Majesty: we have actually transgressed all thy blessed Laws and Commandments, every manner of way, in thought, word, and deed:
O Most mighty, and blessed LORD GOD, our ever loving Father in JESVS CHRIST. We poore wretches, thy unworthiest servants, do heere humbly prostrate our selves, our soules and bodies before thy Throne of grace, acknowledging ⟨p. 188⟩from our hearts, that we are the vilest of all Thy Creatures, by reason of our manifold, and hainous sins, we are defiled and polluted in every power and part both of body and soule, to the very heart roote, and from the beginning of our being, we laid at first a bloudy foundation with Adam in Paradise, which utterly undid all mankinde, and had our hands in that horrible rebellion, which brought all mischiefs and miseries, all sinne and sorrow upon all the sonnes and ⟨p. 189⟩daughters of Adam from the Creation to the end of the world, yea and all those Hellish woes and tortures which shall lie upon damned soules everlastingly. O LORD strike our hearts with remorse for This sin, of which we take so little notice, that we may bee humbled for it, all the daies of our life; Wee came into this world very sinkes of all impurity, concupiscence, and filth, we brought with us understandings starke blinde in all heavenly things; wills stubborne, ⟨p. 190⟩froward, rebellious to every good word and worke: Memory sinfull and defiled: hard and stony hearts, raging and bedlam passions, earthly and sensuall thoughts and imaginations, dead and guilty consciences; eyes full of Adultery, wantonnesse, and wandrings, eare open to all rotten and ribald talke, tongues set on fire by hell, hands full of iniquity, feete ready to carry us to all manner of villany, and vanity: even bodies and soules ingrafted ⟨p. 191⟩into the cursed communion of the Divell, and wicked spirits, by reason of that originall corruption, and crookednesse which we drew from the loines of our sinfull Parents. And this hereditary masse of naturall filth, lurkt in our natures like venome and poison, which made us odious and abominable in thy sight before wee were able to sin: when wee had power to serve the Divell, it broke out upon us into as many fearefull transgressions and abominable lusts, as ⟨p. 192⟩could possibly proceed from so empoysoned a fountaine. And since that time, good Lord thou knowest we have borne our selves like Traytors and rebells against thy holy Majesty: we have actually transgrest all thy blessed Lawes and Commandements, every manner of way, in thought, word, and deed:
O Lord we have ⟨p. 193⟩grievously sinned against Thee, by contempt of thy Word, The crying sin of this place: by Atheism, ignorance, profaneness, unbelief, distrust of thy providence, carnal security, pride, hypocrisy; By fearlessness, and forgetfulness of thy great Majesty, Love of this world, and putting from us the evil day: by impatience, discontent, inward Idolatry in preferring some Creature before the mighty LORD of Heaven and Earth: By the gross neglect, or ⟨p. 194⟩wicked abuse of all the parts and kind of thy Divine Worship: Precious and powerful are those heavenly Ordinances of thine. Thy Word preached or read, prayer, meditation, conference, vows, fasting, use of good books, good company and the like, some of those have been utterly neglected by us, others quite marred by formality and sloth.
O Lord wee have ⟨p. 193⟩grievously sinned against Thee, by contempt of thy Word, The crying sinne of this place: by Atheisme, ignorance, profanenesse, unbeliefe, distrust of thy providence, carnall security, pride, hypocrisie; By fearelissnesse, and forgetfullnesse of thy great Majesty, Love of this world, and putting from us the evill day: by impatiency, discontent, inward Idolatry in preferring some Creature before the mighty LORD of Heaven and Earth: By the grosse neglect, or ⟨p. 194⟩wicked abuse of all the parts and kinde of thy Divine Worship: Pretious and powerfull are those heavenly Ord•nances of thine. Thy Word preached or read, prayer, meditation, conference, vowes, fasting, use of good bookes, good company and the like, some of those have been utterly neglected by us, others quite mard by formality and sloth.
We have highly dishonoured thy Majesty, by taking thy great name in vain: in want of due esteem, and an holy use ⟨p. 195⟩of thy Titles, Attributes, Ordinances, Creatures, Works of justice and mercy abroad in the world.
We have highly dishonoured thy Majesty, by taking thy great name in vaine: in want of due esteeme, and an holy use ⟨p. 195⟩of thy Titles, Attributes, Ordinances, Creatures, Workes of justice and mercy abroad in the world.
And as we have thus wickedly neglected thy Worship and Service in the first place, so we have been justly given over to bear our selves wretchedly, and unworthily towards our brethren: we have behaved our selves unthankfully ⟨p. 196⟩to our Superiors: proudly to our Equals, unmercifully to our Inferiors.
And as we have thus wickedly neglected thy Worship and Service in the first place, so wee have beene justly given over to beare our selves wretchedly, and unworthily towards our brethren: we have behaved our selves unthankfully ⟨p. 196⟩to our Superiours: proudly to our Equals, unmercifully to our Inferiours.
Though it may be we have kept our hand from the gross act of murder: yet LORD thou knowest our tongues have been swords, and our hearts full of blood.
Though it may bee we have kept our hand from the grosse act of murder: yet LORD thou know'st our tongues have beene swords, and our hearts full of blood.
Our noble spirits that can never die, have been basely chained down to the earth; and kept in a wicked and dunghill slavery, and bondage to ⟨p. 197⟩the world and worldly things.
Our noble spirits that can never die, have been basely chained downe to the earth; and kept in a wicked and dunghill slavery, and bondage to ⟨p. 197⟩the world and worldly things.
But above all, our hearts have been restless fountains of all ill: innumerable litters, and swarms of vain, vile, filthy Thoughts, affections, and desires have continually bred in them; very thorough-fairs have they been for Satan's impure suggestions, to walk up and down in: in regard of malicious thoughts, very slaughter-houses; in regard of unclean ⟨p. 198⟩lusts, very stews, and brothel-houses; in regard of the heat of boiling concupiscence, very hot-houses, and as the Prophet Hos. 7. 4. speaks, like a bakers Oven. And LORD our GOD, these are but the heads of our sins: The branches, streams, and particulars are infinite, able to sink us into the bottom of ten thousand hells: And that which makes our sins a great deal more sinful, we have wretchedly and stubbornly committed them against many ⟨p. 199⟩means of sanctification; against the ministry of thy Word; against many Sermons and gracious invitations; against the motions of thy Spirit, the checks of our conscience, the light of our knowledge; against our vows, and promises, Thy many fatherly corrections, great mercies, and miraculous patience.
But above all, our hearts have beene restlesse fountaines of all ill: innumerable litters, and swarmes of vaine, vile, filthy Thoughts, affections, and desires have continually bred in them; very thorough-faires have they beene for Satans impure suggestions, to walke up and downe in: in regard of malicious thoughts, very slaughter-houses; in regard of uncleane ⟨p. 198⟩lusts, very stewes, and brothel-houses; in regard of the heate of boyling concupiscence, very hot-houses, and as the Prophet Hos. 7. 4. speakes, like a bakers Oven. And LORD our GOD, these are but the heads of our sins: The branches, streames, and particulars are infinite, able to sinke us into the bottome of ten thousand hells: And that which makes our sinnes a great deale more sinfull, wee have wretchedly and stubbornely committed them against many ⟨p. 199⟩meanes of sanctification; against the ministery of thy Word; against many Sermons and gratious invitations; against the motions of thy Spirit, the checks of our conscience, the light of our knowledge; against our vowes, and promises, Thy many fatherly corrections, great mercies, and miraculous patience.
Good LORD we beseech thee to open our eyes, that we may see the length, and breadth, the height and depth of this our woeful misery: The least of all ⟨p. 200⟩our sins without repentance may justly bring upon us all manner of plagues and judgements in this world; despair and horror upon our beds of death, and everlasting misery and torment in the world to come. What height of horror then, and depth of hell do all our fearful pollutions, and provocations all our life long deserve at thine hands?
Good LORD wee beseech thee to open our eyes, that wee may see the length, and breadth, the height and depth of this our wofull misery: The least of all ⟨p. 200⟩our sins without repentance may justly bring upon us all manner of plagues and judgements in this world; dispaire and horror upon our beds of death, and everlasting misery and torment in the world to come. What height of horror then, and depth of hell doe all our fearefull pollutions, and provocations all our life long deserve at thine hands?
Now good LORD our GOD help us, and for the blood of CHRIST give unto ⟨p. 201⟩every one of us before thee this day, true, and saving repentance, unfeigned godly sorrow for them all. Let them all now come into our minds, and be represented to the eye of our conscience, as so many fiery Scorpions, out of which, except we take as it were the stings, by turning from them, while it is called to day; they will sting hereafter with everlasting horror. Let us look upon them, as upon so many foul fiends, (sin made the glorious Angels damned ⟨p. 202⟩spirits) how foul then do they make us, who are sons and daughters of Adam: Let us behold them as so many foul and bloody instruments of CHRIST his death, and cruel cut-throats to our own souls, &c.
Now good LORD our GOD helpe us, and for the blood of CHRIST give unto ⟨p. 201⟩every one of us before thee this day, true, and saving repentance, unfained godly sorrow for them all. Let them all now come into our mindes, and be represented to the eye of our conscience, as so many fiery Scorpions, out of which, except we take as it were the stings, by turning from them, while it is called to day; they will sting hereafter with everlasting horrour. Let us looke upon them, as upon so many foule feinds, (sin made the glorious Angels damned ⟨p. 202⟩spirits) how foule then doe they make us, who are sons and daughters of Adam: Let us behold them as so many foule and bloody instruments of CHRIST his death, and cruell cut-throats to our owne soules, &c.
