these withdrawments Grant that I may more estéeme obedience to thee then either the coÌ„tenting of mine own sensual affections or the auoyding of reproche amoÌ„g profane persons or the satisfying of men be their pretenses what they may be I am taught O Lord I do belieue it that thy yoke is easie that thy coÌ„mandements are not grieuous I know that by a holy vse in these religious seruices I shall make them so familiar vnto me shall also find that excéeding swéetnes in them that I shal euen long for thy Sabaoth before it comes the time will séeme short vnto me that is so bestowed And for this day most louing Father I pray thee blesse vnto me the particular businesses thereof In praying giue me reuereÌ„ce to thy Maiestie sense of my own waÌ„ts fayth in thy promises fresh remembrance of thy former kindnesses charitable compassionate yéelding affections towards others In hearing vouchsafe mee an vnlocked an vnderstaÌ„ding heart a right iudgement meekenes of spirit liuelines of affectioÌ„ fastnes of memory In coÌ„municating at thy table bestow on me an huÌ„bled soule a hungring heart a coÌ„science purged from dead workes power of sweet meditation vpon the death of Christ In looking vpon the administration of Baptisme afforde mee mindfulnesse of mine owne vowe remorse for my often fayling in that solemne promise earnestnesse of desire for the good of the baptized ioy for the encrease of thy Church In singing take froÌ„ me all both dulnes and vanity make me to sing with a grace in my heart still striuing to lift vp my soule vnto thee Enlarge my heart towards others as occasion shall be offered that I may bee ready to giue to those that want forward in euery good work comfortable to the sicke tender hearted to those whom thou hast humbled apt to make peace where discord is Let all workes of mercy bee a delight vnto me and make mee carefulll not to stay till I am prouoked but to séeke occasions to doe good And when I am priuate O Lord sanctifie my thoughts that I may meditate in good things and may hide thy worde in my secret parts and may loue it and especially that I may shewe the fruite of it in all my conuersation Finally I humbly pray thee so to guide me both in publique and priuate dutyes that when it commeth to euening I may féele my knowledge to be encreased my fayth strengthened my soule conscience abundantly refreshed and all this for Christ Iesus his sake for thine owne Names sake Amen 6. Another Prayer something more speciall respecting the hearing of Gods word ETernall God most gratious and mercifull in Iesus Christ euery good giuing euery perfect gift coÌ„meth down from thee thou hast coÌ„manded that if any man lacke wisedome hee should aske of thee thou hast promised to deny nothing that is asked of thee in thy Sons name In obedience vnto this thy commaundement in assurance of thy readines to make good thy promise I doe héere cast downe my selfe before thee praying thee as at all other times so now especially to be good vnto mee I am now O Lord by thy gratious prouidence to bee a partaker of thy holy word the preaching whereof is the ordinary meanes appointed by thee to saue my Soule to draw me out of the power of sathaÌ„ vnto thine own selfe I for my part am vnworthy of so great a fauour as to bee admitted to heare it and I am euery way vnfit vnable to heare it with profit My heart is ful of blindnes ignorance my affections are froward and vntractable I am euen reprobate by nature vnto euery good duty I am dul of hearing slow of coÌ„ceit backward to entertaine but apt to let slippe any good instruction I beseech thee in Iesus Christ by the working of thy spirit to reforme within mee these corruptions Make me as a new borne babe to desire the sincere milke of thy most sacred word graunt that I may reioyce at it as one that findeth a great spoyle let it bee better vnto me theÌ„ thousands of gold and siluer Open my heart as thou didst the heart of Lydia that I may euen with a kinde of hunger and gréedinesse attend vnto the things which are deliuered cleare the eyes of my mind anoint them with that pretious salue of thy spirit that the scales of ignorance may fall from them and that I may sée the wonders of thy Law euen thy hid wisedome which my nature of it selfe is not able to discerne And because thou hast promised to guide the humble in thy way and to reueale thy secret to the méeke take from mee I pray thee a proud heart teach mée to become a foole in my selfe that I may bee wise in thee Suffer me not to measure the mysteries of thy kingdome by mine owne blind reason and corrupt affection but giue me grace to deny my selfe and to labour to bring mine owne thoughts into captiuity vnder Christ that I may not dare to oppose mine owne conceipts and fancies vnto the maiestie of thy trueth reuealed in thy word Giue vnto the Preacher a doore of vtterance that he may open his mouth boldly to publish the secret of thy Gospel Direct his tongue that he may speak vnto my coÌ„science that if there bee any close corruptioÌ„ lurking in me as Lord who can vnderstaÌ„d his faults the searching power of thy word may discouer it and rip it vp euen to the very bottome And vouchsafe vnto me that meeknesse of spirit and such calme and yéelding affections that I may not repine nor murmure at reproofe but may loue him rather that rebuketh and may take it as a speciall fauour froÌ„ thee that I am not suffered to go on in sin nor giuen ouer to mine own corruptions In euery point of holy doctrine taught me make me to remember who it is the speaketh by the mouth of man that I may receiue the worde as a message from thee whether it be comfort or reproofe or instructioÌ„ so may giue it the reuereÌ„ce that awful respect which is due vnto thy holy Oracâ—â—s And because O Lord as I am naturally forgetfull so the deuill watcheth to catch away the worde as soone as it is deliuered therefore I pray thee to stablish my memorie that I may hold fast thy blessed trueth and may alwayes haue it in store against the time of néed To this end make mée carefull in the vse of all good priuate meanes such as are Prayer meditation conference with others as occasion shall require Beget in mée a godly discretion that I may diligently search the Scriptures whether the things I heare are so and may try all things neither rashly reiecting nor suddenly belieuing whatsoeuer is deliuered And when I haue found thy trueth so stablish my heart that I may not wauer nor be caryed about with euery wind of doctrine but may continue in the things which I haue learned
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 Phil. 4. verse 6. In all things let your requests be shewed vnto God in Prayer and Supplication with giuing of thankes Imprinted at London by H. L. for Samuel Macham and are to be solde at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Bull-head 1608. To the right Worshipfull the Lady Mary Strode of Newingham in Deuon MAdam if I should vndertake a discourse of the worth and excellencie of Prayer it vvould be much harder for mee to keepe measure then to bee furnished vvith matter How it is commaunded by God and commended by the frequent practise of all the faithful there is no man reading the Scripture can bee ignorant and what svveetnesse it brings to the Soule and Conscience by hauing such a continuall entercourse communion with the Lord I hope your Ladyship can witnesse from your owne experience This is all I will say on the behalfe of Prayer that as it is one of Gods titles of Honour to be stiled The hearer of Prayers Psal 65.2 so to call vpon the Name of the Lord is put for the whole duety and as it vvere the life and substance of a Christian 1. Cor. 1.2 2. Ti. 2.19 Prayer is that vvhich seasoneth all other seruices which we offer vnto God it is an argument of a mans effectual profiting by other exercises of godliness it is a thing vvhich the persecuters of the Saints vvhen they violently cause all publike acts of worshipping God to be intermitted cannot abbridge vntil life it selfe be extinguished Much talking there is of Prayer in the world but if setting aside mens lip-deuotiō enquiry be made into them what apprehension they haue of their owne wants what conceit of the Maiestie and presence of God what knowledge and vnderstanding of his promises vvhat care when they come to pray to watch ouer their own straggling thoughts and to tye their hearts to that business of deuotion vve shall find such an vniuersal scarcitie of these things that it may bee safely affirmed that albeit there be many kneelers and speakers and repeaters of words yet there are fewe true petitioners vnto God Now among those fevve which make conscience to performe this duty as they ought I haue obserued a great defect namely that for want of exercised vvits of knovvledge in the Scriptures and especially of experiēce in the power of godliness and of a liuely sense and distinct conceiuing of their own personall necessities they are not able to bee their ovvne messengers nor to doe their owne errand in presenting the sacrifice of Prayer before the Lord. They vvould pray vvith their families but they know not hovv they haue a vvillingness vpon other occasions to become suters vnto God but they cānot deuise which way to begin To helpe these I haue lately taken a little paynes not vvith an intent to bind their deuotions to my words for vvho am I that I should take vpon mee to limit the motions of another mans heart to a forme of my deuising neither yet to cherish any in this their insufficiency to deliuer their owne apprehensions and particular cases vnto God but that by seeing the order and course of Prayer and by acquainting themselues with words and formes of speach agreeing to the nature of such an exercise they may at last like little children vvho by creeping by the leading of others learne to go be able to performe this holy duety with cōtentment to themselues and with comfort also to others vppon occasion Hauing ended this little labour I emboldened my selfe to offer it to your Ladyship not so much for your owne neede who I hope are able with Hannah out of the abundance of inward feeling to poure out your Soule before the Lorde 1. Sam. 1.15.16 but as a pledge of my loue and as a witnesse of my thankefulnesse vnto God for his graces in you And so leauing this Manuel with you as a memoriall of that respect which your Ladyship may many wayes challenge from mee I pray God in Christ to keepe you by his mighty Power through fayth vnto Saluation Modbury the 10. of October 1608. Your La. in all Christian duty Sam. Hieron To the Christian Reader I Am not ignorant good Reader that set formes of Prayer are very distastfull vnto many They are adiudged to bee a kind of confining and limiting of Gods Spirit And some which doe allow them a lawfull vse in the Congregation doe yet not so well approue them for priuate purposes For mine owne part as I fauour neither their fondnesse who scarce account it praying vnlesse it bee by a booke nor their carelesness who labor not to attaine to an ability of commending their personall occasions euen in wordes of their owne conceiuing vnto God so I could neuer see good reason why platformes of direction for those who are yet but beginners in this spirituall exercise of Prayer should bee thought any way inconuenient or needlesse amongst Christians There is a great deale more arte in the cariage of a sute to be put vppe vnto God especially when a man is to be the mouth of others as in a family or in visiting the sicke or the like occasion then euery one though perhaps hee haue some good feeling and vnderstanding in Religion can at the first attaine vnto Neither is it as is pretended any straitning or bounding of Gods Spirit but a meanes rather of quickening and stirring vp the spirit of him that prayeth when he shall see the necessitie of bemoning some corruptions or of crauing some graces or of giuing thanks for some blessings receiued which himselfe did not so much as thinke vpon before Besides that hee may according as his spirituall feeling shall increase enlarge any particular request if it bee not so full to his present case or insert his owne more personall concernements which he who went about onely to giue him some generall directions was not able to coniecture And touching that which I do here offer to the worlde I professe sincerely that in my first vndertaking it I had no meaning to take vpon mee to set downe lawes for other mens deuotions or to prescribe any man in his particular occasions of going to the Lord to speake so or so and no otherwise as though I would reduce all supplications to be put vppe into the high court of Heauen vnto a proportiō scantling of my conceiuing He shal wrong me very much whosoeuer shall so imagine Only this was it I intended and thought I saw the ignorance of that place where I liued I had often earnestly commended Prayer I had many times with the best reasons I could perswaded the vse of it in priuate families I perceiued withall in some a better inclination to it then power to performe it
with thee and to approue our very thoughts vnto thee Giue vs a sober vse of thy creatures make vs readie to reach out our hands vnto the wants of others beget in vs a godlie iealousie ouer our selues that we may walke circumspectly taking heede to our selues in our eatings in our apparell in our companie in our recreations often considering our wayes and labouring quicklie after euerie error to turne our féete into thy testimonies And Lord cause vs to be earnestlie mindfull of the estate of thy whole Church blesse all kingdomes and states professing thy truth bee gratious especiallie to this our kingdome forgiue the crying sins of the times continue thy gospel disappoint the hope and expectation of all Papists let them perish as manie as haue euill will at Sion discouer Antichrist more and more enlarge the territories of thy church stablish thy kingdome of grace hasten the kingdome of glorie Heape thy blessings vppon our gratious King make him a further instrument of much good vnto thy chosen blesse his Quéen prosper the worke of thine owne handes begun in the young Prince shew mercy to the rest of the royall progenie Be gracious to the Councell to the Court the Nobles the Gentry of the Realme graunt that they may all ayme at the honouring of thee by whom they haue receiued honor amongst men Bee with the Magistracy Ministrie of the Realme make thy word to grow by the labours of those whome thou hast appointed to the seruice of thy church Containe the subiects in their due obedience to authority bring to nought all tumultuous rebellious practises comfort al thine afflicted seruants refresh them with a sweete feeling of thy fauour Giue vs compassionate harts and a fellow feeling of others miseries prepare vs vnto the daie of triall and keepe vs by thy mightie power through faith vnto saluation Graunt vs these good thinges for Christs sake in whose name wee commend our selues and our sutes vnto thee saying as he hath taught vs Our Father c. 2. An Euening Prayer for priuate Families O Lord our GOD most mercifull and gratious in Iesus christ among other thy mercies with which thou doest euen follow vs thy most vnthankfull seruants we acknowledge this to be none of the least that we haue this comfortable freedom of comming into thy presence there to poure out our soules before thee and to laie open our necessities vnto thee We praie thee teach vs to value this priuiledge according to the true worth thereof that wee may come together to the performance of this duty with glad hearts and cheerefull spirits reioycing in it that wee haue opportunitie giuen vs to testifie some part of that great dutie which in manie respects wee owe vnto thy maiestie And now Lorde being come before thee wee cannot but confesse the vilenesse of our estate wee were conceiued in sinne and in sin wee haue continued all our dayes wee haue euen drunke iniquitie like water wee haue drawne it after vs and tyed it vnto vs as with cartropes wickednesse hath beene swéet in our mouth we haue fauoured it and would not forsake it we haue euen made a mocke of sinne and it hath beene a pastime to vs to doe wickedly Thou hast often called vs but we haue still refused thou hast againe and againe stretched out thine hand but wee haue not regarded thou hast sought to reclayme vs but wee haue hardned our neckes as it were yron sinewes and haue hated to be reformed Thou hast waited to haue mercie vppon vs thy spirit hath striuen with vs thy verie bowels haue beene troubled for vs and how graciouslie hast thou called vpon vs by thy word saying Returne yee sonnes of Adam why will ye die Come vnto me and ye shall finde rest for your soules Yet we notwithstanding haue despised thy patience wee haue abused thy goodnes we haue turned thy graces into wantonnesse and haue giuen thee cause to heape vppon vs all those fearefull plagues and punishmentes which in the extreamitie of thy law are belonging to the wicked When we looke into our hearts we see nothing but a confused heape of grosse corruptions vanitie ignorance frowardnes vnteachablenes dulnes vnwillingnes and vnaptnes vnto good pronenesse readines to any manner of euill secure irreligious profane vncleane enuious couetous and gréedy thoughts peruerse and disordred affections all these as it were marching together to rebell against thee and leading vs captiue vnto sinne The verie wisedome of our flesh is death and the spirits of our minds are defiled when we look forth into our liues wee behold sinnes more in number then the haires of our head when wee take view of our selues in the glasse of thy Law we can see in our bodies and soules in our outward and inward man nothing but vglines and deformitie Yea the sinnes of this one daie are sufficient to bring downe vppon vs the eternall weight of thy displeasur How negligent haue we béen in our callings how haue we yeelded to our own vnbridled lusts in the vse of thy creatures how haue we cherished in our selues worldlie carnall and voluptuous thoughts howe many blessings haue we vnthankefully enioyed neuer thinking vpon thee which didst bestow them how haue wee misspent this pretious time which thou vouchsafest vs how manie good opportunities haue we let slip by which wee might haue edified our selues done good to others howe negligentlie haue wee kept our heartes by meanes whereof sathan hath got great vantage against vs how slenderlie haue wee bewailed the iniquities of the times howe poorelie haue wee striuen against our owne corruptions O LORD if thou shouldest straightlie marke our iniquities O Lord how shall wee stand where shall we appeare what shal become of vs what answere shall wee bee able to make thée to one of a thousand And yet most gratious God which is worst of all custome in euill hath bred such a hardnesse in vs and hath brought such a crust vpon our consciences that wee cannot be perswaded that thy wrath is so terrible or our sinne so greeuous or our estate so wofull as indeede it is Hence it commeth that we do not stand in such awe of thy maiestie as we should we doe not so tremble at thy iustice nor esteeme thy promises and mercies as we ought to doe wee beseech thée therefore to take the stony hearts out of our bodies and to put newe spirites into our bowels that wee maie with feeling and with a liuelie and sensible apprehension confesse our selues to bee as we are poore and wretched and miserable and blind naked such as in whom there is no goodnes such as to whom there is nothing due but shame and confusion of face for euer And héere Lord according to that measure of spirituall féeling which by thy grace wee haue attayned to wée doe vtterlie renounce our selues wee doe whollie disclaime all hope of help by our selues we account all that is in vs but as drosse and dung and
féele that strength and power of thy spirit which I would O Lord if thy mercy be not my stay I must néedes bee ouercome whom haue I in Heauen but thee whither shall I fly but to thy gracious assistance I beséech thee to haue compassion on me crucifie and kill these vnruly lusts abate the strength of these violent and wicked desires Weaken them I pray thee suffer them not to haue dominion ouer mee Let thy Spirit guide me and lead mee into the land of righteousnesse Or if it bee thy pleasure O Lord still to exercise me yet leaue me not destitute of thy grace but encrease it in mee that I may grow vnto a larger measure of sanctification Make me hereby the more feruent and frequent in Prayer the more strait to preuent all occasions leading vnto euill the more ielous ouer my wayes the more humble and vile in mine owne sight that so euen out of euill there may spring good vnto me that I may sée the fulfilling of that holy promise that all things worke together for the best vnto thy seruants Heare me I entreate thee in this and in all other my requests for Christ Iesus sake thy best beloued Sonne and the onely sauiour of thy chosen Amen 14. A Prayer of Humiliation and sorrow after some special sinne committed O My God I am ashamed and confounded to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee mine iniquities are encreased ouer my head and my trespasses are growne vp vnto the heauen I must néedes wonder at thy great forbearance that I am not euen swallowed vppe or swept away with some extraordinary iudgemēt And now O Lord especially hauing so grosly sinned against thee and done so great an euill in thy sight How haue I vile wretch that I am wounded my owne conscience How haue I laid my self open to the malice mischief of the diuel What a disgrace slander haue I broght vpon my profession What an offence scandal haue I giuen vnto others What a ioy will this be to the wicked that they haue now by me gotten something to speak euil of But aboue all O Lord how haue I dishonoured thee whose fauors haue bin so many so continuall towards me I know not with what names tearms to set out my sin sufficient to expres the hainous hideous nature thereof When I thinke vpon thy patience vpon the meanes of grace which thou hast afforded me vpon the light of knowledge which thou hast giuen me vpon the good motions as it were so many gracious aduertisements which thou hast from time to time stirred vp in me vpon the profession which I make vpon the sundry promises vowes of better obedience with which I haue tied my selfe vnto thy Maiestie vpon the diuers admonitions which by thy prouidence I knowe haue béene vsed to mee by thy seruaunts purposely to preuent and to stoppe this euil in me me thinketh I may call it rebellion which is as the sin of witchcraft or presumption in the highest degrée And yet O Lord I féele such a benummednesse to créepe vpon mée such a hardned crust to growe vpon my secret parts that albeit I sée my sinne and knowe it to be excéeding great neuerthelesse I cannot so bemone it so lament it so grieue for it so detest abhorre it as I should Smite O gracious God smite I beséech thée my flinty heart make it euen to melt within me at the sight of mine own transgressions Settle in it the godly sorrow which canseth repentance vnto saluatiō Humble my soule vnder thy mightie hand and suffer mee not to fréeze in the dregs of mine own corruptions Make mine head full of water and mine eyes a foūtaine of teares which may runne downe like a riuer day and night Oh let me take no rest nor suffer the apple of mine eye to cease cause mee to powre out my heart like water before thy face that I may by all meanes testifie the vnfayned griefe of my soule that I haue so displeased thee And grant O Lord that I may not sorrow so much because of hell and condemnation which I haue made to be due vnto me but that my chiefe vexation may bée to thinke how I haue abused thy mercy and requited thy exceeding loue with so foule a trespasse Withall O most gracious Father séeing there is mercy with thee and that thou hast no desire that the wicked should dye giue me leaue to become a sufer vnto thy grace not in mine owne name for what am I that I should presse into thy presence but in the name of thy dearest Sonne the alone Mediatour and the onely Peace-maker of his chosen I most hūbly beséech thee for his sake to haue mercy on me O Lord a plaister of his blood shall be a most soueraigne medicine to cure my running and rotten and festered sore His stripes wounds are of an healing nature no sope nor nitre of mine owne tempering can purge away my filthines onely his bloud hath that scouring force that it can make scarlet and crimson sinne as white as wooll Oh then I pray thee wash me throughly from mine iniquitie and according to the multitude of thy compassions cleanse me from my sin Turne thy face from mee and from my hatefull and enormous course and look vpon the perfite and vnspotted righteousnes of thy son Supply my emptienes out of his infinite fulnes the depth wherof cannot be fadomed nor the store thereof consumed Couer my vncleannesse with the rove of his holinesse euen with the garment of saluation with which thou deckest and tirest thine elect And albeit I am of all others which either haue béene are or shall be the most vnworthy yet vouchsafe to certifie my Soule of thy grace fauor by the secret teaching of thy holy Spirit make me to féele inwardly the ioy of thy saluation restore to mee that sweet taste of thy loue which I was wont to haue which I now haue robbed my selfe of by this my disobedience towards thee Let the apprehension of my sinne bee tempered with a cōfortable application of thy mercy that I may hold an euen course betwixt fearelesse security and faith-lesse despaire beholding at once both my vilenes to humble me the riches of thy grace to reuiue me And as an euidence of thy loue in this behalf strengthē me by thy grace to the making of the best vse of mine owne corruptiōs Grant that the thought of them may kill in me al pride of heart and may make me to abase my self and to become euen vile in my own sight Grāt me to be hereupō the more watchfull ouer my course the more diligent to auoyd all inducements inticements vnto these or the like euils the more apt to be taught the more willing to bee admonished the more forward to beg thy assistance the more charitably cōpassionate towards others rather pitying and bemoaning and praying for then censuring their infirmities And Lorde
suffer me not I beseech thee to satisfie my selfe with this that I haue once made some shew of humiliatiō and sorrow for my falles but graunt I may encrease in the performance of these duetyes and may euery day renue enlarge my repentance for particular slippes growing still into a deeper detestation of my sins and desiring with more and more earnestnesse and striuing to bee renewed in the Spirit of my mind that so being cleansed from all filthinesse both of the flesh and Spirit I may growe vppe vnto full holinesse in thy feare through Iesus Christ In whose name only I commend vnto thee my requests and for whose sake thou hast promised to deny nothing to thy seruants So be it * ⎠* 11. A Prayer in respect of death needful at all times but especially in sickenesse O God the God of the Spirits of all flesh and which hast the keyes of hell and of death thou hast prepared them both and thou rulest them both at thine owne pleasure I beséech thee bee mercifull to a poore trembling weak-hearted sinner and vouchsafe to preserue mee from the horror and extreamitie of dread into which I am euen now ready to fall When I consider O Lord how that I dwell in a house of clay my foundation being in the dust that I must erelong make my bed in the dark saying to corruptiō Thou art my Father and to the worme Thou art my Mother my Sister O how my belly trembleth what a kind of rottennesse cōmeth into my bones my spirit seeming to fayle me my heart within mee being filled with dismayednes Especially when I thinke vpon the iudgement that commeth after it the straitnesse of that account which I am instantly to be called to and vpon those euerlasting chaynes vnder darkenes in which the wicked are reserued vnto the last sessions I am then so euen ouerwhelmed with amazednesse that I séeme to my selfe for the present not to know where to find any true refreshing I am told by thy blessed and not-deceiuing word that the sting of death is mine owne sinne and with it I daily feele my selfe goared and galled and wounded so excéedingly that mée thinketh to mee poore wretch there can be no hope of recouery but death must néedes bée as a passage to leade mee into the bottomlesse prison of hell Rayse vp O Lord I beséech thée these my sad vnquiet thoughts teach mee how to ouercome these discouraging and killing perplexities the death may not be vnto me as a king of fear nor I as one of the wicked whose hope doeth perish with their breath the candle of whose comfort is put out when thou art pleased to take away their Soule Reuiue my memory that I may call to minde and cōfortably ponder those things which thy sacred word hath taught me namely how the nature of death is cleane altered to thy seruants the sting is plucked out it selfe is swallowed vp in victory To them the comming thereof shall be a time of discharge they shall by it bee fréed from sicknesses of body from anguishes of spirit from all possibilitie of sinning against their God from the tedious and discontenting societie of the vngodly their flesh shall rest in hope their graues shall bee vnto them as beds of ease being swéetened and seasoned by the buriall of their Sauiour the Angels shall giue attendance vpon their Soules to conuey thē into Abrahams Bosome to the fellowship of belieuers to the spirits of iust and perfit men so shall they bée with Christ which is best of all This O Lorde is the happinesse which cōmeth by death vnto thy chosen Oh what are all the most torturing sicknesses the bitter pangs and sorrowes of the graue vnto such a glorious exchange Who would feare corruption for a neuer sading crowne of righteousnesse What is a momentany yéelding of the body to consumption in the dust in comparison of the euerlasting preseruation of the Soule with assurance also that in the time appointed these vile bodyes shall by the mightie working of thy beloued Sonne be fashioned like vnto his owne glorious body and so both bodyes and soules bee for euer with him in his kingdome Teach mee O Lord effectually to apply these things to mine owne comfort that so this timorousnesse procéeding from the guilt of sinne may be turned into a chéerefull expectation and euen a longing for the day of my dissolution And lest I should beguile my owne Soule in laying clayme to that spirituall refreshing which belonges not to mee make mee to labour for those assured euidences and vndeceiuing fore-runners of a happy departure I know O Lorde that if I liue héere without conscience I shall surely dye without comfort Holinesse here is the way and path to future happinesse I must seeke to glorifie thee if I desire to be glorified with thée I must fight the good fight against sathā against the world against mine owne corruption I must faythfully fulfill my course and performe the seruice to which thou hast appointed me I must know thy trueth and keepe the faith in soundnes and sinceritie to the end otherwise it will bee in vaine to exspect a crowne of righteousnesse I must come to the first resurrection or else I shal neuer escape the second death Graunt mee therefore grace I humbly pray thee to serue thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all my dayes and to endeauour alwayes to haue a cléere conscience towards thee and towards men Kill my corruption in mee that I may bee euen dead to sinne but aliue to thee in Iesus Christ And because if I liue after the flesh taking thought for it to fulfill it I shall dye therefore I beséech thée to mortifie the deedes of the body by thy spirit that so I may haue my fruite in holinesse and my end eternall life Teach mee often to number my dayes and to consider the vncertaine certaintie of my ende that I may dye euen euery day still looking and still preparing for my change and making account that each day may bee the day of my dissolution Strengthen also my weake and faint faith make mee strong in thee and in the power of thy might seale me with the holy spirit of promise as with the earnest of my heauenly inheritance that so no anguish of sicknesse may discourage me no pang of death dismay mee no assault of sathan ouercome mee but that come death when it will or in what manner it shall please thee I may boldly through Christ commit my soule to thee as vnto a faithful creator Grant me this cōfortable blessing for his sake who dyed to free me frō death from him that had the power of death euen for Christ Iesus sake Amen 16. A Prayer more specially fitted to the state and occasions of a sicke person O Most mercifull and gratious God thou whose prouidence reacheth into the most withdrawne and solitarie places and which causest the beames of thy fauour