of vanity what is my heart but a filthy prison of corrupt thoughts What is my mouth but a stinking chanel of vain words what are my feet but chariots to bloodshed what are my hands but battlers with charity what is my head but a castle of wicked devices and what is my life but a fardel of iniquity I am nothing better than a dead tree the root is perished the bough wither'd being good for nothing but for the fury of the flame what then good Lord shall it be so what shall I burn sweet Jesus O save me for thy Names sake and quicken â—me create a new heart within me that I may bring forth much fruit and for ever flourish like a Tree planted by a river side O pour the Oyl of Grace into my defiled heart and season it with the salt of thy mercy lest the fume of mine iniquities ascend up to thy nostrils and provoke thy fury against me Pour down some drops of thy precious blood from the clouds of thy Mercy to quench out the angry flame of sin which of my self I am not able to put out by the virtuous water of any merit O Lamb of God let me eat thy flesh and drink thy blood that I may live by thee and cloath me in the wooll of thy mercy that no winter or storm of sin do pinch my silly soul Thou O God art full of compassion and long-suffering which continuest thy mercy for thousands taking away iniquities sins and offences Thou callest us after thy wonted mercy by thy Word to repentance and hearty conversion for unto all and every one is repentance and forgiveness of sins preached in thy Name therefore unto thee O most merciful Father do I cry desiring thee to look back upon me thy unworthy servant with the eyes of pity even as thou looked'st back upon the sinful woman in the banquet likewise favour thou me O Lord as thou didst the Publican who standing afar off smote his breast and said Lord be merciful unto me a sinner And grant O Lord that among the fears and terrours of conscience I may take hold of thee by a lively Faith and never in the sight of conscience do yield my self and despair but upholden by the voice of the Gospel I may flee unto thee my Redeemer and have by faith peace with God And thou my Saviour which hast suffered for me in the flesh give me grace that likewise in the same mind I may be arm'd for the mortifying of my flesh that henceforth I may live not after the lusts of men but after the will of God and keep the Devil under O LORD that he compel not my troubled conscience to despair either by heaping or ripping up mine offences or extenuating thy mercy and grant that I may come unto thee by hearing thy word unto Repentance that thereby the Angels in Heaven may continually have occasion to rejoyce before thee which livest and reignest ever one God world without end Amen A Prayer for the Aid of GOD's Holy Spirit O Dear Father forasmuch as every man living is of himself before thee but as a beast neither knowing thee nor the things concerning their duties unto thee I as one of the most perverse filthy and corrupt do here humble my self before thee begging at thy hands that thou hast promised to give unto as many as ask it of thee thy holy Spirit that heavenly Comforter which revealeth thee and thy will to the simple and ignorant which also stireth up the minds and inward affections of thy children to call upon thee by preparing their hearts and opening their mouths to celebrate thy Name bestow it good Father bestow it upon me thy unworthy servant and upon all thy children and grant that although all of us are of corrupt affections and polluted lips yet we may be sprinkled with that Heavenly Hyssop that we may have our hearts cleansed of the corrupt affections of this World and the eyes of our understanding opened that we may see the good things we should ask and our feet that are fettered with the cares of vain things may be set at liberty that we may walk the right way unto the Kingdom of Heaven and that the hands of our souls may apprehend take hold of the Righteousness of thy Son Jesus Christ that by the aid of the same Spirit we may cast off all impediments letts and incumbrances that detain us from coming unto thee Sanctifie me within without wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow let thy truth and thy spirit meet together in my soul that my prayers may enter into thy presence and that thine ears may incline unto my humble petition so shall I declare thy loving kindness in the morning and thy truth in the night season Thou knowest whereof we be made thou forgettest not that we are but dust and unprofitable children not fit apt nor able of our selves to pray unto thee and praise thy Name therefore good Lord allure me unto thee to seek thee and grant that with my whole heart and mind I may always rejoyce and be comforted by thee for ever and ever Amen A Prayer to acknowledg God in his Works O Most mighty and eternal God thou by the creation of the world and all that therein is hast sufficiently declared thy self to be the everlasting and Almighty God for that these things do far pass the reach of mans wisdom and not herein only hast thou declared thy self to be God but in that also that thou dost continually guide and govern the same and all things of thee created Seeing therefore O most merciful Father that we have both in our selves and also in thy creatures so manifest Testimonies that thou only O Lord art that eternal and loving God which dost reign in all thy creatures guiding and governing them by thy Heavenly Providence Grant I do beseech thee that my heart may be hereof fully assured to acknowledge thee not only to be God eternal who hast created all things but also that I may in heart be fully perswaded that thou O Lord dost govern all things according to thy most blessed will so that nothing can be done in the whole world without thine appointment and that thou hast such a singular care over thine Elect so that not so much as an hair of their heads shall fall without thy Providence Grant therefore O Lord I beseech thee that I may hereof be fully assured in my Heart and Soul and that I may in all my doings set thee before mine eyes acknowledging thee to be my only Lord and Father and by the working of thy holy Spirit in me I may be confirmed in Faith comforted in Soul and lightned in Understanding that always here on Earth I may glorifie thy holy Name and after the dissolution of this my mortal body I may attain thy everlasting joy with thy Elect in thy glorious Kingdom for ever and ever Amen A very fruitful Prayer to
Of this cup of pride father Adam drank when by his disobediâ—nce he lost thy favour and by the taste of â—n Apple thought to be thy Co-mate in knowing of good and evil Give me thy Grace not only to consider this but also fulâ—y to digest it that detesting it as a venemous Viper I may in humbleness of heart â—erve thee holily and soundly without hyâ—ocrisie who art the pattern of low liness â—nd a mirror of humility continually to â—e looked upon and truly to be followed 〈◊〉 life and lover of Souls give me grace â—lways to hear and hearing thy word to â—ollow thee my Lord and God both now â—nd for ever Amen A Prayer for Gods fear O Almighty and eternal God thy Holy Word teacheth us that thou art not â—nly a Father but also a LORD not only 〈◊〉 Forgiver but also a revenger not only 〈◊〉 Saviour but also a Judge and as thou beâ—â—g a Father a Saviour and Forgiver dost â—ardon and shew Mercy so thou being a â—ord a revenger and a Judge punishest â—nd condemnest Neither doth thy Holy Word set forth unto us a Gospel which comâ—orteth us quickneth us sheweth us Joy ful tidings quieteth our Consciences bringeth us unto everlasting life but also a Law which reproveth accuseth condemneth woundeth and slayeth our Consciences yeâ— and throweth us down head-long into everlasting perdition so that by this we may see that we may not only love thee as Father Saviour and forgiver but also fear thee as a Lord a revenger and a Judge for asmuch therefore O most gentle Saviour and most righteous Judge as nothing doth so mightily put away sin and make us to walk in the way of thy Commandments as reverently to fear thee and to stand in awe of thy Judgments and heavy despleasure I most entirely pray and beseech thee to give me that fear which thou requirest of us in thy holy Word and whereunto thou hast promised so many large and bounteous benefits that I may not only love thee as a Father and honour thee as a Saviour but reverence thee as a Lord and fear thee as 〈◊〉 Judge O Lord all things are open to thine eyes neither is any thing hid froâ— Thee which seest the most inward thought and secrets of our hearts Give me grace O Lord I beseech thee that in all my enterprises I may ever set thy fear before mine eyes and so stand in aw of thee and of thy Righteous judgments thaâ— I attempt nothing whereby I should provoke thy heavenly displeasure against me but so walk in thy fear and in thy holy Ordinance that I may at all times love thee as a Father honour thee as a Saviour reverence thee as a Lord and fear thee as a Judge So shall it come pass that I reverently loving thee as a child doth his Father shall not only avoid all such evils as might make thee my heavy Lord and fearful Judge but also imbrace those virtues which shall both evidently declare my faithful love true honour unfeigned reverence and humble fear towards thee and also thee my Lord and loving Father and most merciful Saviour to whom be all honour and glory for ever Amen A Prayer for the desire of Heavenly things O My GOD O the sweet life of my soul what other thing besides thee ought I to look after what have I not all things if I do possess thee who hast created all things There is nothing of any estimation but only such things as thou hast made for whatsoever grace of â—omliness pleasantness fineness sweetness virtue dignity or riches consisteth in any creature the same proceedeth from thee O God and all things abundantly slow without any lack O Creator most excellent thou art the pleasure of all things thou art the abundant fulness of perfect joy and the unmeasurable Sea of all holy delight Thou art that light and incredible clearness and passing brightness which they do hear see taste and feel that are inwardly joyned unto thee through exceeding pureness of heart while they yet remain in this present exile The loving embracements nor the dainty kisses of the Mother appeaseth the weeping of her tender child nor the pleasant countenance of the husband towards his loving wife are but as shadows and of no value in respect and consideration of the sweet embracements wherewith thou O Lord dost allure the souls of those that love thee But if poor banished men can be so blessed and happy and that they can see such incomparable goodness who see thee but in a dark shadowed glass how much more happie ought we then to judge of thy holy Citizens who see thee face to face those thy beloved children do now most manifestly know and in themselves do feel how much thou dost favour and love them and from the beginning hast loved them thou O Lord it is that doth qualifie gladden refresh and satisfie with a delicate desire of enjoying thy company the hearts and wills of all men and to say all O eternal GOD thou art all in all in that most holy City of New Jerusalem That is the happy day and the singular day whereof thou O Lord Jesus hast spoken to thy Disciples In that day you shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you O day so much wished-for with most hearty desire wherein the holy souls shall be united unto thee O GOD and shall be inspired with a marvellous light of wisdom and transformed into the brightness of eternal Glory O Jesus grant I beseech thee that so long as I am in the darkness of this misty desart that the eyes of my mind may behold and contemplate the most shining light and brightness of thee O God and that I may always praise thee for ever and ever Amen A Prayer to God for zeal in Prayer O My GOD and Father I beseech thee that if at any time I feel in my self any faintness or failing of fervency in calling upon Thee that Thou wilt kindle within my heart the Heavenly heat of thy most holy Spirit that I may burn in the Zeal of thee and thy holy house and grant me thy Grace O LORD to cry with thy holy Apostle for the increase of Faith that being awakned and stirred up by thy most tender and Fatherly affection and instigation I may enjoy the effect of all my godly and necessary desires which thou hast promised to give unto me in thy Son JESUS Christ for whose sake I expect all good things at thy hands make my heart the undefiled instrument of peace and perfect thoughts and my tongue the Trumpet of thine eternal Praise my body the habitation of the Holy Ghost mine eyes the windows to behold the worthy way that leads to Thee my legs the supporters of my body and Soul towards the attaining of thy heavenly Kingdom O LORD thou knowest my hearty desire is always to serve thee and evermore to abide in thy love and favour Grant unto
strictly that I should believe without doubting so wouldst thou in all my needs I should come unto thee as a Father and make my moan without mistrust of being heard in thy good time as most shall make for thy glory and my comfort Lo therefore to thee dear Father do I come in thy Son Jesus Christ praying thee of thy great mercy and goodness to be merciful unto me that I may love thee with all my heart for ever that my works may be ever found holy in thy sight and that I may always not only strive against sin but also overcome the same dayly more and more as thy children do and above all things desire the sanctifying of thy Name the coming of thy Kingdom the doing of thy Will here on earth as it is in Heaven and that only through my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to whom be all honour and glory for ever and ever Amen A Prayer to GOD to bless our endeavours O My Celestial Father be favourable unto me thy repentant servant fled from mine enemies to thy help and succour Impute not my sins unto me for Christs sake for I have heard thy fatherly voice and it soundeth daily in mine ears out of Heaven promising me and affirming constantly thy self to be appeased with me for thy Sons sake whom thou commandest me to hear and believe who is made of thee my righteousness my salvation my Peace my Mediator and intercessor my fulfiller of the Law my deliverer and my whole holy accomplisher of all my just desires and my Saviour Christ Jesus God and man in whose Name at this time I attempt and take in hand all my just doings according to my calling desiring thy gracious goodness O Lord God and Father to prosper it further it and give it happy increase that whatsoever I take in hand justly to finish the same O holy Father bless all my endeavours with thy blessed increase and let me not seek mine own will but ever to pray that thy will be fulfilled and let me not be led into temptation but deliver me from all evil for ever and ever Amen A Prayer to live uprightly in our Calling O GOD of all comfort and giver of all consolation forgive my sins cleanse and wash me from all iniquities which disable me to perform my calling in such sort as becometh me and through the blood of thy Son purifie my heart and my imperfections and sanctifie me with thy grace that my sins being forgiven I may rest in thy favour and continual comfort and be daily blessed with new gifts that I may be found perfect in my calling seasoned so with a lively faith in thee that thy holy Spirit may continually dwell and bear rule in me and lead me to the due performance of those things which thou requirest to be done in my calling that all unnatural affection being truly mortified I may only rest in thee and rely on thee and be ruled by thee in all things Good Father grant that I may take the direct and right course in my vocation to eternal life in which course consisteth the inward peace of the Soul which is only delighted in thy inviolable truth revealed by thy Son and is left unto us in His Word and last Will in which his last Will and Testament are comprehended all necessary Rules and the sacred discipline whereby thy children are to guide themselves in their several callings which directions are comprehended in three principal virtues by thee bestowed on them that seek them at thy hand in the Name of thy Son as Faith Hope and Love which three are so united and knit together in one in thine elect children that they through thy grace go not awry in their calling I therefore dear Father being of my self ignorant and of mine own power unable to comprehend the height of my calling instantly beseech thee in mercy to behold me an unperfect creature without these Virtues and so adorn me with them that I may be made perfect in all good works of the Spirit that my labours and endeavours be not in vain in thee and grant that I may joyn with all my travils desires and endeavors faith with â—aith knowledge with knowledge temperance with temperance patience with patience godliness with godliness brotherly kindness with brotherly kindness and with brotherly kindness that I be not unfruitful in my calling but may acknowledge thy Son Jesus Christ and in him have peace of conscience that I may be patient in troubles long-suffering in wrongs faithful in expecting hope in distress rejoycing in heart quieted in mind in hope to enjoy at thy hands and in thy good time whatsoever maketh for the true comfort of my soul and the relief of my body that in all true and inward feeling of thine aid my calling may be made perfect and sealed with the seal of thine own Spiritual Probation so shall I thy unworthy servant be directed in the true knowledge of Thee O blessed Lord and loving Father except thou thus direct me I cannot stand but shall fall into many miseries for no Estate no Degree no Calling Office Function or Trade of life can prosper or be rightly performed without thy continual aid direction and providence therefore good Lord guide me by thy Spirit increase my faith give me wisdom and ableness in all things to execute my calling as I ought and to the execution thereof bless all my members make them apt and ready instruments to perform their duties that in no point I fail in a Christain proceeding therein and bridle me in the nature of flesh and blood which unless thou season my affections by thy Spirit will so much the more glory by how much that thou hast exalted me and inabled me to live in this world in higher reputation than other men whereunto flesh and blood is ready to attribute chiefest hearts ease and by that subtil shift Stan many times moveth us to rely upon vain things Wherefore O good Father vouchsafe I beseech thee to ground all my affections upon thy fear that I be not miscarried in my calling from the true obedience of thee without which neither honour profit wealth wisdom or any other blessing of thine can stand relieve or comfort me be pleased therefore dear Father with me and grant that all things that I take in hand may begin in knowledge proceed in fear and end in love that the whole course of my life may be blessed with good effect in all mine enterprises that neither mine enemies rejoyce at my miseries the Godly be offended at my rashness nor my estate hindred by my foolishness grant this good Lord for thy dear Sons sake Jesus Christ to whom be all honour and glory for even Amen Prayers for Thursday Night O Lord my God and Heavenly Father blessed be thy Name for ever dispose my heart open my lips and give me thy Holy Spirit c. A Psalm GRacious is the LORD and righteous yea our GOD is
the wind and as stubble against a flaming fire Though I have sinned grievously in thy sight preferring my wicked desires before thy holy Commandments esteeming the pleasure of a moment before eternal and everlasting joys yet am I bold O merciful Father to prostrate my self before the Throne of thy Majesty heartily to beseech and humbly to intreat thee that thou wilt not deal with me according to my deserts for I have none in heaven to fly unto but thee nor in the earth of whom I may receive any comfort but at thy fatherly hands which are stretched out day and night to receive all that by earnest repentance turn unto thee and to refresh their distressed consciences wherefore O Lord in the multitude of thy mercies I approach unto thee desiring thee to look down from the height of thy sanctuary upon me poor and wretched sinner and to wipe away mine offences and to blot out my misdeeds especially all those my ungracious unclean and ungodly acts that they may not come up in remembrance with thee nor be imputed to me for ever For thy Sons sake O Lord in whom thou art well pleased and in whom thou wast fully satisfied upon the Cross for my sins grant me free pardon and remission in that I have so foolishly by my exceeding frailty committed against thee but quicken thou me O Lord that art the fountain of life and call thou out of heaven thy dwelling place that my wandring soul may hear the voice of her shepherd and follow thee wheresoever thou leadest O give me thy helping hand and by thy Spirit cast down subdue and mortifie my raging â—usts and affections let me not any longer be occupied in ungodliness lest mine enemies triumph over me pluck up O my good Father these roots of bitterness that no unsavoury fruit may come of the Tree which thou of thine own hand hast planted I desire I look I call I cry for thy assistance that I may conquer and subdue all the sinful and unruly motions of my heart O blessed Saviour that hast granted so many petitions upon earth to them that were careful for the body fulfil 〈◊〉 pray thee this my desire mortifie good Father in me the old body of sin and give unto me a new body purged from these works to serve thee the living God â—enew my spirit daily that I may cast away these works of darkness why should my body made by thy hands and my soul framed according to thy Image be given over as a prey into the hands of Satan Deliver me O Lord from the snare of the hunter and preserve me from the hand of mine enemy who lieth in wait for my spiritual life and laboureth for my everlasting destruction To thee I fly O Lord for succour hide me therefore under the shadow of thy hand that none of the fiery darts of Satan take hold on me And so good Lord to conclude for the love thou bearest unto mankind for thy Sons sake Jesus Christ who hath taken our nature upon him grant that I may not be tempted above my strength but that in all temptations I may fly unto thee as mine only comfort and salvation and that thou wilt of thy mercy and goodness give me grace and desire to withstand all the motions of my sinful flesh and affections which word of thine I beseech thee O Lord to perfect and fully accomplish in me that I may do all things pleasing in thy sight for ever Amen A Prayer for redress of a sinful life O Most merciful God and dear Father grant that with heart I desire thee with desiring seek thee in seeking find thee in finding that I love thee and by loving thee that I turn not again to my former sins which thou hast redeemed give me O Lord a repentant heart and a contrite spirit quench in me O King of glory the lust of my flesh and kindle in me the â—ire of thy love O my Redeemer take from me the spirit of pride and most favourably enrich me with the measure of humility remove from me O my Saviour the fury of anger and graciously arm me with the shield of patience O my Creator root out of me all rancour and endue me with a chearful and meek heart and bestow upon me a perfect faith right hope and constant love preserve me from all vanity inconstancy of mind wavering of heart scoffing of tongue wicked slandering from the vice of hypocrisie the poyson of flattery contempt of the poor oppression of the weak from greedy avarice cankered envy and deadly blasphemy root out of me O my Lord and Maker rash boldness contumacy frowardness negligence idleness blindness of heart obstinacy of mind savage conditions contempt of that good is rigour towards my neighbour O my God and merciful Father I beseech thee in Jesus Christ to bless me with the works of mercy and zeal of godliness to suffer with the afflicted to minister to the needy to counsel them that go astray to comfort the sorrowful to pardon them that trespass against me to love them that hate me to render good for evil to imitate the good to beware of the evil and to embrace vertue to guard the door of my mouth to watch the enemies that compass my lips to despise worldly things and earnestly to thirst after the Heavenly through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour to whom be all honour and glory for ever Amen A Prayer for continual remembrance of our end O God the only giver of life and the maintainer and preserver thereof and the life after death grant me true consideration that this body of mine is builded upon an earthly foundation and framed of the substance of dust and clay which is not durable the glory whereof vanisheth like the flower of the field which is soon cut down and withered the body is the mansion or rather the prison of the soul and the same so frail weak and feeble subiect to so many causes that procure the dissolution of body and soul that death often happeneth when we think least thereon wherefore grant O God of my life that I may have such continual care foresight and diligent respect unto the direction of my doings cogitation and words as I load not my poor Soul so much with the burthen of sensless security sin and iniquity that the body being suddenly intangled with the snares of death be carried where there is no rest nor joy but continual mourning and anguish of mind O my most loving Father lighten mine Eyes that I sleep not in sin nor wander in darkness according to the will of the flesh but make me always willing to come unto thee even with desire when it pleaseth thee to call me let not me as it were draw backward when thou invitest me to the sweet banquet of thy Heavenly Kingdom as by thy Word and Gospel preached and revealed unto us which is an especial calling of us and when I feel my self grieved or
remorse of faith or sin in such coldness and broken sort that there hath been no life nor comfort in it Judge thy self whether in Prayer thou hast practised the exercises of a broken heart healed in Christ and changed into righteousness whether the just mediation of God's goodness moveth thee to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving and worketh in thee the love thereof that thou mightest be stirred up to love him and to walk in that obedience that he requireth of thee And because the abusing of Gods Creatures is a great sin examine thy self whether thou dost misuse them in forgetfulness of God in pride of life to please thy self in the creature more than in the Creator seeing with the abuse of them to set forth thy self in pride to please thy self and the fleshly eyes of others rather than in humbleness to use them to the pleasing and praising Almighty God the Creator In the use of all which things the love of God which appeareth unto thee to a continual meditation to make thee to spie out sin in thy self and to judge that to be sin which is sin indeed and in no wise to mince or diminish it or to cover it with the figg-leaves of thine own vain excuses but to lay it open before the Lord nakedly and plainly as it is so that thou call not sin righteousness nor righteousness sin good evil nor evil good but condemn that which thou knowest to be sin to abhor it to flee from it without all hypocrisie and cloaking of it with self-love or nourishing it or else with lightness and contempt to dwell in it and therefore thou must examin this sin throughly of not applying thy heart and mind to meditate and understand to believe and taste of the work of thy salvation wrought in Christ crucified through which thou walkest in security wanting faith and yet not feeling thy want wanting the food of life and the tast of God and yet hungrest not after it but thinkest thy self full when thou art empty and nevertheless art empty and poor indeed to beg it at Gods hands the supplyer thereof through which thou feelest not the incorporation into Christs body feel the effect thereof in CHRIST's Death to Die from sin in his Resurrection is to live no Righteousness in his Ascension to ask after Heavenly things and to leave the Earth and flesh at his coming again to be ready with faith and joy to meet him Anâ— here withal weigh what a great sin it is not to hearken to the Spirit of God when 〈◊〉 might work in it whereby thou dost grieve in and quench it when thou dost not gladly obey it and yield to the motions of it and therefore judge thy self for not putting off the old man with all his works and for not putting on the New Man in bringing forth the fruits of regeneration for not considering thine exile in the flesh from GOD or in this World from Heaven to lament it and the cause of it and to extol the Providence of GOD by which thou livest and for being idle vain â—roud in thinking speaking and doing Again for not feeling the estate of GOD's afflicted Church to sorrow in the affliction of it for not seeking zealously to glorifie his Gospel through which thou art not throughly touched for any false Doctrine Idolatry or sin for standing against which the Saints of God have been and still are persecuted and killed and yet thou livest carelesly without feeling of it and art at a good point sink it or swim it To conclude then I mean by sin whatsoever is declared to be sin in the word of God which lyeth either seen or unseen in our hearts of what estate soever we be 〈◊〉 appeareth in life which is found out 〈◊〉 the word of God and so adjudged which thou oughtest to lament before God in the â—xercises of a broken heart to beat down thy heart with humbleness to cause thee to beg mercy with aking heart and very need to seek that heavenly Physician Jesus Christ and of eager desire to feed on him by faith to the assurance of life and Salvation that the sweetness thereof may work in thee the love of thy God to praise him the love of his written Word to do it and in doing it to deny thy self thy will affection and life that with humbleness thou maist walk always with and before the Lord in the holiness and righteousness that pleaseth him knowing that His eye doth search thy heart and life to see in it his will done and obeyed and always practising that which is good that thou maiest please Him and therefore must ask mercy and so if thou continually strive and labour to do it He doth accept of thy imperfect doings in Christ to encourage thee to take better hold and to do better c. Wherefore think and thank God and utterly despise thy self and think thy self a wretch in that God hath done so much for thee and thou hast so oft offended his Highness and also done him so little service and surely it is also great wisdom for thee to think that if it had pleased God for to have given to all other men grace as he hath given to thee that they would have served him better than thou hast done wherefore by his mercy and grace call unto thy remembrance thy degree or dignity which Almighty God of his goodness hath called thee unto and according thereto yield thy debt and do thy duty First and principally honour God as thy Maker love him as thy Redeemer fear him as thy Judge Secondly thy Neighbour which is thy superiour obey have concord and peace with them which be like with thee in degree and have mercy on thy inferiors Thirdly provide thee to have a heart purged and a good custody of thy tongue and in all thy words and deeds have ever in thy mind that thou shalt die shortly and that God heareth and seeth every thing and that nothing is so privily done but it shall be made open And every morning among other Meditations and Prayers pray unto the Lord God that the day following thou mayest use this wretched world in thy thoughts words and deeds that thou mayest by the merits of Christ's passion eschew the pains of Hell and come to the Joy everlasting And 〈◊〉 executing thereof keep truth in words 〈◊〉 deeds defend no man nor no matter against the truth In all things think and trust in God and he shall direct thy ways Trust not to thine own wit but fear God and he will keep thee from evil Be content to hear good counsel though it be contrary to thy will for he is a very fool that will hear nothing gladly but what is according to his own mind do no man harm lest thou suffer the same as thou wouldest be done unto so do thou unto others be such to others as thou desirest they should be unto the. If thou be Religious remember that the due execution of
even in the truth of thy Salvation Psal 69. 14. Who can tell how oft he offendeth O cleanse me from my secret faults Psal 19. Have mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Psal 51. Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10. 3. Hearty Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is an humble joyful acknowledgment and expression of our thanks unto Almighty God for any mercy or blessing received or promised and for preservation and deliverance from any calamity danger or distress with denial of our own merits of the least of these and a magnifying of the greatness and goodness of GOD unto us in and through Jesus Christ Give thanks unto the Lord and call upon his Name Psal 105. Whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the Name of the Lord JESUS giving thanks to God the Father and by him Col. 3. 17. My mouth shall daily speak of thy Righteousness and Salvation for I know no end thereof Psal 71. 13. O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness and declare the wonders he doth for the children of men that they would offer unto him the Sacrifice of thanksgiving Psal 107. O Lord thou art my God I will exalt thee I will praise thy Name for thou hast done wonderful things Isa 25. 1. What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits he hath done unto me I will take the cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the LORD Psal 116. MOST Comfortable Prayers FOR Sunday Morning O Lord my God and heavenly Father blessed be thy Name for ever dispose my heart open my lips and give me thy Holy Spirit to a true acknowledgment of all my sins that my prayers may be heard of thee in the Name of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Psalm HEar me when I call O God of my Righteousness for thou hast set me at liberty when I was in trouble Have mercy upon me and hearken unto my Prayer My voice shalt thou hear betimes O Lord early in the Morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up For thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickedness neither shall any evil dwell with thee Therefore O Lord rebuke me not in thine indignation neither chasten me in thy displeasure Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed Turn thee O Lord and deliver my soul O save me for thy mercies sake For in death no man remembreth thee and who will give thee thanks in the pit Wherefore away from me all ye thâ—â— work vanity for the Lord hath heard thâ— voice of my complaint The Lord hath heard my petition the Lord will receive my prayer For why my righteous God tryeth tâ—â— very heart and reins And my help cometh of God which preserveth them that are true of heart Therefore will I give thanks unto theâ— O Lord with my whole heart and I wâ—â—â— speak of all thy marvellous works I will be glad and rejoyce in thee yâ—â— my Songs and praise will I make of thâ—â— O thou most Highest For God is a Righteous Judge strong and patient and God is provoked every day If a man will not turn he hath bent his Bow and will whet his Sword and make it ready Morning Prayer MOst mighty and gracious God which hast brought me out of the Nights darkness into the light of thy Truth to see the light of thy Love that I may rejoyce in the day of my visitation and Salvation whereby the day spring from on high hath visited me and in the day of Salvation thou wilt succour me This day make me hear thy voice and not harden my heart through unbelief or deceitfulness of sin but that by Faith I may enter into thy promised rest give grace unto me O Lord and to all thy people to walk warily diligently and dutifully in my vocation to do such good works wherewithal thou mayest be well pleased and that walking in thy ways I may work out my salvation with fear and trembling and that all my meditations thoughts words and works may tend to the edifying of my Christian Brethren the discharge of my duty the consolation of my conscience and the glorifying of thy most holy Name which art my God my guide my saviour and defender to whom be all Praise and Glory Power Might Dominion and Majesty now and for ever Amen Morning Prayer I Yield thee humble and hearty thanks O heavenly Father in thy Son Jesus Christ for thy innumerable benefits poured upon my Soul and Body and that thou hast kept me this night past from many evils both Spiritual and Corporal and of thy great mercy dost offer and give unto me time and space to repent and amend my life so as I might live henceforth not as I will but as thou wilt and as my body doth draw continually nearer and nearer to the end the grave I mean so my soul might approach unto his end that is Heaven and not Hell for in one state we stand not still but either we are nearer the happy state of Life or else the unhappy condition of Death Eternal Wherefore O my dear Father I beseech thee to be merciful unto me and as of thy goodness thou givest me time to repent so of the same thy goodness in Christ I humbly beseech thee to give me thy gracious gift of true holy perfect and perpetual repentance that I may more and more lament my former sinful life trusting unseignedly in the rich mercies of thee my God through the merits of thy Son Jesus Christ for the pardon of all my sins And grant O Lord I beseech thee that I may unseignedly purpose and effectually labour to amend my life this day and so long as I have to live to the praise of thy Name and the good example of others And forasmuch as thou knowest my weakness my ignorance and great untowardness to carry any cross or affliction that Thou wilt of thy merciful goodness so temper and order all things towards me this day and ever that I be never tempted or proved further than I shall be able to bear but so to help me in the same as may be most for thy Glory and my comfort And although O God thy Goodness Mercy and Truth to Mankind in all thy Works doth abundantly appear yet herein chiefly Thou declarest thy self to be most favourable merciful and gracious that not suffering us to walk in darkness ignorance and blindness Thou hast given us thy most holy and blessed Word to be a lanthorn to our feet to lighten our steps in the path-way of everlasting Life lest we should walk in the shadow of death In which thy most blessed and sacred Word thou hast finally and perfectly set forth unto mankind so much of thy glorious Majesty as was expedient for us to know and not only
may see the mysteries of thy profound and excellent truth increase O Lord all holy desires in me to attain the knowledge of thy will let my whole delight be in it to meditate therein day and night that it may be more precious unto me than Gold and Silver many times fined Further howsoever thy graces and gifts O Lord are to be acknowledged in men yet because thy good pleasure is so that all men should carry the scars of ignorance and infirmity draw in my whole delight I beseech thee and kindle all my affections to the love of thy Law and Testimonies and to those Scriptures that were written and indited by thine own self and thy spirit for those good Lord contain thy whole will in that everlasting Covenant that thou hast stricken with thy Saints This O Lord is that well spring of wisdom and grace that shall make us wise before thee howsoever the world condemn it of madness and folly Teach thou me O Lord and I shall be taught open thou mine eyes that I may see the excellent things of thy Law reform my heart that self-love and vain-glory may be quite vanquished and slain in me that I may only set before mine eyes thy glory O gracious God spoil this power of Satan in me that by thy means thy good gifts of knowledge and wisdom be not abused against thee thy Gospel and Glory that I be not carried through emulation spite or envy of any mans credit or gifts to set my self against thy truth but give me true humility that above all things I may rejoyce in the advancement and praise of thy Name whether it be with my honour or shame with my peace or trouble with good report or evil report I know O Lord that true wisdom is from thee alone and that thou hast so ordained thy servants in so gracious a dispensation of thy gifts that they who have the greatest need of theirs that are the least the greatest Master-builders of them that are but labourers basket-bearers in thy Church The unity of thy Spirit and the bond of Peace knit us fast together and hold us in to reverence each other and to be at one in thy work O knit our hearts together that we may all seek thee to thy eternal Praise to whom only belongeth Renown Glory and Honour for ever c. A fruitful Prayer to God ALmighty and Eternal God my Creator and lover I praise adore and bless Thee for that in my offences and ungratefulness thou hast so mencifully and leisurably forborn and suffered me to live even to this hour whereunto thou by thy benefits hast brought me giving anto me thy wretched servant life and necessaries thereunto belonging appointing Angels to be my keepers O my good God who knoweth whether till evening my life shall be prolonged or what death is appointed for me O merciful God and Heavenly Father grant that I may with hearty repentance truly repent my sins and inwardly bewail that ever I offended thy Godly Majesty suffer not my soul to depart this body before it be through thy mercy perfectly reconciled unto thee by grace bedeck'd with thy merits and vertues O merciful Saviour if these things I desire stand with thy Pleasure and Will grant them I beseech thee although I be not worthy to be heard And in thy mercy grant that by the merits of thy passion I may be purged from all my sins and that at the hour of my death I may be stricken with true and vehement contrition and being knit with thee in perfect charity I may immediately fleet unto thee my sweet Redeemer safely from all damnation desiring this one thing at thy hands that thou wilt remember my fragility unworthiness unstableness and miseries together with thine own goodness and most charitable mercy praying thee never to forsake me or leave me but that thou wilt always possess and govern me according to thy will to whom be all glory for ever and ever Amen A Prayer to be restored to Gods Favour O Almighty and everlasting God and Father which hast made Heaven and Earth and all things therein contained O incomprehensible unity O always to be worshipped most blessed Trinity I humbly beseech thee and pray thee by the assumption and crucified humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ that thou wouldest drive from me all kind of wickedness and sin creating in me a clean heart and a right spirit O Lord Jesus I beseech thy goodness for the exceeding great love which drew thee out of thy fathers bosom in the womb of thy holy Virgin and for the assumption of mans nature wherein it pleased thee to save me and to deliver me from eternal death That thou wouldst draw me out of my self unto thee my Lord God And grant that this my love may recover again to me thy grace to increase and make perfect in me that which is wanting to raise up in me that is fallen to restore to me that which I have lost and to quicken in me that which is dead and should live That so I may become conformable unto thee in all my life and conversation Thou dwelling in me and I in thee my heart being suppled with thy grace and settled in thy Faith for ever O my God loose and set at liberty my Spirit from all inferiour things govern my Soul and so work that both in soul and body I may be holy and live to thy Glory world without end Amen A Prayer to Christ to rest in his Love O My most loving Saviour I have chosen thee I wish and look for thee I run to meet thee I do renounce all things that are not of thee whatsoever thou wilt I will and whatsoever thou wilt not I forsake utterly detest in my heart and whatsoever shall hereafter happen unto me contrary to this present choice of my mind not to impute the same unto me but according to this choice of my soul judge me For all things which I ought not to do I utterly forsake them and if at any time hereafter I shall chance by any sinister occasion to agree to any thing that may be a cause to withdraw thy mercy from me I do now at this present hour utterly detest them And here O my sweet Saviour and Redeemer if it please thee or stand with thy Glory grant I beseeeh thee in this my present life that I may be delivered and preserved from all offences wherein I have offended and from all the pains whereunto deservedly I ought to come after my death and that thou wilt with the hands of thy mercy immediately after this life receive my soul into everlasting joy and felicity there to raign with thee for ever Amen A Prayer to God to grant our Petitions O Christ which art the strength of the weak the salvation of all believers and an aider of the oppressed yea our life and safe-guard in the peril of death I beseech thee that pitying mine Afflictions
Mercy thy Divine Truth I magnifie for that of thy fatherly goodness thou hast graciously heard me at this time giving me a penitent heart modesty to utter the same Therefore will I praise thee for this and all other thy goodness this evening and going to rest I will give thee thanks because thou hast kept me this day of thine only Mercy without any merit of mine from all danger both in soul and body O Christ and King of Glory I beseech thee bless and defend me this night let my rest be in thee and grant me thy grace that neither much sleep overwhelm me nor Satan invade me nor the flesh betray me unto him Let mine eyes sleep but let my heart wake O Lord lighten mine eyes that I sleep not in death lest the subtil tempter overtake me and I sleep a continual and perpetual sleep and awake no more For thou art my everlasting helper Keep me as the apple of thine eye hide me under the shadow of thy sacred wings O LORD that neither ugly visions nor horrible dreams nor sights nor monstrous apparitions trouble me in the dark In thy name O JESUS will I go to rest this night give sleep unto mine eyes and slumber to mine eye-lids compass me about and raise me again to the joyful sight of to-morrow light and after this my miserable life bring me to the beholding of eternal happiness that in thy light I may see light and evermore praise thee for ever Amen Prayers for Tuesday Morning O Lord my God and heavenly Father blessed be thy Name for ever Dispose my heart open my lips and give me thy holy Spirit c. A Psalm O God my heart is ready my heart is ready O Lord I will sing and give praise with the best member I have I will sing and give thanks unto thee Lord among the People and I will sing Praises unto thee among the Nations For thy Mercies are greater than the Heavens and thy truth reacheth unto the Clouds Set up thy self therefore O GOD above the Heavens and thy Glory above all the Earth That thy beloved may be delivered Let thy right hand save me and hear thou me O help me against mine enemy for vain is the help of man Through God I shall do great acts and it is he that shall tread down mine enemies And deal thou with me O Lord God according to thy Name for sweet is thy mercy Then will I give thanks unto thee O Lord with my whole heart secretly among the Faithful and in the Congregation The works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein His work is worthy to be praised and had in honour and his righteousness endureth for ever The merciful and gracious Lord hath so done his marvellous works that they ought to be had in remembrance The works of his hands are verity and judgment all his Commandments are true He sent Redemption unto his people he hath commanded his Covenant for ever holy and reverent is his Name The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom a good understanding have all they that do thereafter the praise of it endureth for ever Glory be to c. A Morning Prayer BLessed be my Lord God which doth wondrous things and blessed be the Name of his Majesty for evermore which hath set the Sun to lighten the day and ordained the Moon and the Stars to govern the night O most high God which by thy unspeakable wisdom hast distinguished the day from the night and hast so decreed that while the World shall last this course of times and days shall never have end so that man in the night may rest and in the day labour until the evening for these and all other thy benefits I praise thy Name and give thanks unto thee for thy great Glory O God the guider of my life forsake me not turn from me the filthinâ—ss of desire remove from my heart all concupiscence and take from thy servant too over-bold a stomach suffer me not to run beadlong into riotousness let not unlawful love overcome me and give not thy servant over into an impudent mind Turn mine eyes that they behold no vanity strengthen me in thy way and grant that mine offences in this World overcome me not And I beseech thee O Lord with a most aâ—dent affection that this day and ever thou wilt keep me and all mine and that thou wilt be unto me a mighty Protector firmament of strength a covering against heat a shadow at Noon-tide a defence from falling an assister from offending a comforter of my Soul a lightner of my mind a giver of health and happiness in Christ JESUS my Lord and Saviour to whom be all glory honour and power for ever and ever Amen A Confession to GOD. O LORD I am unworthy thy Comfort or any spiritual consolation by reason of my sins that which I deserve is punishment because I have so often offended thee and in so many things so grievously sinned And yet O gracious and merciful GOD who wilt not that thy works should perish to declare the richness of thy goodness upon the vessels of thy mercy far beyond the manner of men But what have I done O Lord that thou shouldst impart upon me any spiritual comfort at all truly I have done no good but always have been prone unto sin and slow to repent and this is so true if I should deny it that thou wilt find me guilty and no man durst stand up to excuse me and therefore O most dear Father I do confess that I am worthy all reproach and contempt and most unworthy to live among thy Sons and Servants yea and because it is true I will yet confess against my wickedness that so the sooner I may obtain mercy at thy hands But what shall I wretch that I am say being full of all manner of shame and infamy What shall I say Nothing but this I have sinned Lord I have sinned take mercy upon me forgive me suffer me yet a while to bewail my wretchedness before I pass over into the Land of promise covered with the shadow of death for what dost thou else of a guilty and miserable man require but that he afflict and humble himself for his sins from a true repentance and humbling of the mind ariseth hope of Pardon the troubled conscience is relieved the favour of God which was lost is recovered and man is preserved from the vengeance to come and with a holy kiss both God and the sorrowful soul do meet together With the which work of true repentance endue me Good Lord that I may do thy sacred Will in this life and in the end enjoy everlasting happiness in the World to come through Jesus Christ my Saviour to whom be all glory power and might for ever and ever Amen A Prayer for true Repentance to be purged of sin O Lord my God what do I daily but wander in the field
adversity I run not headlong into such means as are ungodly neither in prosperity wax the prouder but wait thy good pleasure in them both with thankfulness and evermore live in thee and by thee and in the end raign with thee in Heaven where thou â—ittest as author and giver of all thy Blessings Grant this O most merciful Father to whom with thy Son and the Holy Ghost be all power and glory for ever Amen A Prayer to subdue our affections O Lord Mighty and Merciful who didst create Man in the beginning simple sincere and without spot of sin In which his integrity and innocency he then presented thine own Image which was pure and without spot of sin and yet such was man that he fell from thee by disobedience whereby he corrupted his ways and became â—ar unlike unto thee being defiled with all vanities wherein alas we all of us wallow the most with greediness wherefore most dear Father in JESUS Christ create in me new thoughts new affections shape in me true obedience that I may mortifie and kill all sin and vain inclinations which rise up against Thee let sin no longer bear rule in me O Lord but let thy grace more and more abound that all that I do think speak or do may bâ— favouring more of the desire of Heaven and Heavenly things than of earthly and carnal desires that so I may be approved not only before men to be as ought but to thee to be as Thou requirest to whom O Lord be all honour and glory for ever Amen A Prayer for the Kings Majesty O Lord Almighty the Governour Preserver and continual Protector of Princes to whose beck and will all Kingdoms of the Earth are subject look in mercy and favour O Lord I beseech thee upon the state of thy servant our dear Soverign Lord King Charles and his Royal issue be thou unto him and them a safe refuge in all time of danger and let thy holy Spirt be unto him a continual guide in all his acts and procedings direct him to comfort defend and support us and either to bring our enemies to a perfect peace in embracing the Truth with us or confound their power and devices for ever An Evening Prayer O Heavenly Father and eternal GOD I honour thee I praise thee I yield thee most hearty thanks for all thy benefits and at this time especially O Lord because thou hast patiently and attentively heard my petitions and hast given me soberness and humbleness of mind to utter the same without any interruption I bless Thee my everlasting GOD and with all my heart give thee thanks for that not only thou hast saved me this day from death from hurts and from all perils from my cradle but hast defended both my soul and body from all Misfortunes and Dangers Therefore my soul magnifieth the Lord and my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour for he hath looked upon the afflictions of his servants and now among all other thy goodness O Lord hear O Lord forgive hearken O God for thy Name sake for it is called upon by me O GOD of Heaven and earth in the evening do I call upon thee that remitting my sins Thou wouldst receive me into thy Protection keep me this Night that the Devil have no power over me for Thou O Lord art my everlasting Protector for behold whether I sleep or wake whether I live or die I am always thine let thy mercy follow me O Lord all the days of my life that I may dwell in thy house and praise thee and that I may in acknowledging thy greatness confess my sinful and wretched weakness And visit me O Lord and drive from me all the assaults of mine enemies both bodily and ghostly and let thy holy Angel be with me and keep me this night and evermore by thy grace and ever let thy blessing be upon me this night and for evermore Amen Prayers for Wednesday Morning O Lord my God and Father blessed be thy name for ever dispose my heart and open my lips c. A Psalm IN thee O LORD have I put my trust let me never be put to confusion deliver me in thy Righteousness Bow down thine Ear unto me make hast to deliver me Into thy hands I commend my Spirt for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth I have hated them that hold superstitious vanities and my trust hath been in the Lord. I will be glad and rejoyce in thy mercy for thou hast considered my trouble and hast known my soul in adversity Shew thy servant the light of thy countenance and save me for thy mercies sake O how plentiful is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee and that thou hast prepared for them that put their trust in thee Wherefore I will confess my wickedness and be sorry for my sin I will take heed unto my ways that I offend not in my tongue Therefore withdraw not thou thy mercy from me O Lord but let thy loving kindness and thy truth always preserve me For my soul is a-thirst for God yea God yea even for the living God when shall I come to appear before the presence of God Yea as the Hart desireth the water-brooks so longeth my soul after thee O God Wherefore send out thy light and thy truth that they may lead me and bring me to thy holy hill and to thy dwelling Why art thou so heavy O my soul and why art thou so disquieted within me O put thy trust in God for I will yet give Him thanks who is the help of my countenance and my God Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the holy Ghost c. A Morning Prayer O Most merciful and loving Father I thank thee for the sweet sleep and comfortable rest that thou hast given me this night and forasmuch as thou hast commanded by thy holy Word that no man should be idle but always occupied in godly and virtuous exercises every man according to his calling I most humbly beseech thee O Lord that thine eyes may attend upon me that thy grace may daily defend me in danger succour cherish and comfort me in all my needs and distress and govern all my counsels studies and labours in such wise that I may spend this day according to thy blessed will and the discharge of mine own conscience in thee that warily avoiding all things that may displease thee and setting always before mine eyes thy fear I may thy grace assisting me and thy holy spirit guiding me work that which is acceptable before thy divine Majesty unto thy praise and glory for ever Amen A fruitful Confession to GOD for sins commited O Gracious GOD have mercy upon me have mercy upon me look favourably upon me incline thine ears towards me and hide not thy Face now my soul is troubled O Almighty GOD from whose Sight there is no covert and against whose power there is neither resistance
JESUS Saviour of the world whose mercy cometh unto us like a stream who art my eternal happiness I do from the botto mof my heart beseech thee to increase establish hope and strengthen patience within me for this certainly is true that one little drop of thy sacred Blood shed for us is of more power to save us than all our enormous sins to condemn us wherefore O sweet Saviour look upon me with the eyes of mercy as thou lookedst back upon Peter in the Hall of the High-Priests Palace after he had both renounced thee and cursed himself O God the holy Ghost be thou present with me in mine extream need when the Devill will accuse me and my conscience bear witness against me when I shall be environed with horrible danger and temptations and all things set themselves against me Strengthen my heart at that time O comfortable Spirit with the Zeal of thy Testimony that undoubtedly I may believe the forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the flesh and everlasting life which shall be given to all believers O blessed Trinity and eternal God of one essence give grace that in every combate especilly at the point of death being mindful of thy Covenant made with me in Baptism and of thy most comfortable promise annexed which is that all that believe and are baptised shall be saved I may never doubt either of thy merciful good will towards me or of the free remission and forgiveness of my sins but by often remembrance of this Sign and Covenant I may daily more and more be confirmed in faith and hope of eternal happiness and here O holy Trinity lift up my sorrowful heart and pour upon me the wholsome comfort of thy Heavenly bliss and at the point of death refresh me with the sweet light of thy chearful countenance that with exceeding joy I may desire to depart and come to thy heavenly house where Thou livest and reignest as my eternal GOD and Father for ever and ever Amen A Prayer for the Power of GOD's Spirit to abide in us O Omnipotent and eternal GOD and Father which comfortest such as be sorrowful and who givest all good gifts thou of thy free favour and love hast willed us in all our affairs and necessities and as often as we stand in need of any of thy blessings or feel our selves burdened with any kind of tribulation or affliction either of body or mind to call upon thee in the Name of thy Son Jesus Christ and thou wilt grant what we want most humbly I beseech thee to send down upon my dark understanding the bright beams of thy most holy Spirit to lighten me and to direct me in all my supplications and prayers and especially at this time O Lord for that thou knowest my weakness and ignorance to be such as I am altogether unable to frame my requests according to thy will or to seek that which is for mine own souls health wherefore I most humbly beseech thee O Lord in the Name of him thy Son to address and prepare my heart to the true understanding and unfeigned calling on thy Name for such things as thy wisdom shall think most expedient for me both to the obtaining of thy heavenly Kingdom which is before all things to be sought for and for temporal blessings best known to thee which in respect of my ignorance my dulness my corruption my weakness and the guilt of mine own conscience I cannot crave in such due and faithful manner as I ought and therefore most dear Father I here beseech thee in the Name of thy Son Christ that thou wilt aiâ— me with thy holy Spirit in my prayers that being of my self dull I may be made Zealous and whereas I am of my self cold I may be thereby made fervent and faithful that my Prayers be not as a smoke which vanisheth or as the wind which passeth away being only in the lips and not firm in the heart let it be effectual and an acceptable sacrifice sweet and pleasing in thy sight and that nothing pass the bounds of thy unfeigned lips that which may beseem a single heart always sounding thine honour and setting forth of thy most glorious praise let thy holy Spirit O Lord come unto me let it continue with me work and prevail effectually in me unto the end that I may both at this time begin and for evermore continue as thou will est I should namely in Faith that I fall not into any temptation in hope that I may constantly look for and faithfully attain unto perfect understanding of thy will and ableness in all things to fulfil the same make me also good Lord fervent in love that I may freely and unfeignedly even from my very heart forgive and forgot all injuries wrongs and evil doings of such as by any means have offended me with hearty prayer for their amendment that I approaching unto the Throne of thy mercy in a pure and single heart may heartily as well for all others as for my self for things necessary both for my soul and body make my humble petitions unto thee and in thy good time tast that most sweet fruit of my humble desires according unto thy will so shall I shew forth thy praise and give glory to thy Name for ever and ever world without end Amen A Prayer for the victory against sin O LORD there is no Victory without Fighting nor any Crown without Victory give me therefore power O Lord that fighting valiantly I may be crowned gloriously in Heaven with thee to live for ever minister strength unto me that I may over-master mine enemies and give me the spirit of patience that continuing unto the end I may be found and taken as a faithful Souldier of thy Son Jesus Christ and so be blessed let me not faint in fear but let me fight in a lively saith which over-matcheth all the whole world plant me a natural branch by the power of thy holy Word in the Vine Jesus and make me able to endure every crack let no canker of sin eat me let no worm of a guilty conscience gnaw me let no blast of the world overcome me but stay me up with thy mighty hand and be ever at my elbow that I may be crowned though I be crossed and saved though now soused in extream misery in this is all my hope for surely of my self I am but a vapour a worm I am born of a woman in sin a sinful child by nature and to my power wage battel with Satan against my self to my utter undoing O Lord unless thou regenerate me and assist me with thy Spirit always to resist him which do O gracious God I beseech thee for thy great mercy to whom be all power and glory for ever Amen A Prayer to be mindful of death O GOD in whose hands consisteth the life of all mankind for thy Son Christ's sake vouchsafe to give me grace to set before mine eyes as a most certain mark whereto
Merciful The Lord preserveth the simple I was in misery and He helped me Turn thou again unto my rest O my soul for the Lord hath rewarded thee And why thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling What reward shall I give unto the Lord for all the benefits that he hath done unto me I will offer unto Him the Sacrifice of thanksgiving and call upon his Name For why the Lord is on my side therefore I will not fear what man can do unto me The Lord taketh my part with them that help me Therefore shall I see my desire upon mine enemies It is better to trust in the Lord than to put any confidence in man it is better to trust in the Lord than to put any confidence in Princes The Lord is my strength and my song and is become my salvation The right hand of the Lord hath the preeminence the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass I will not die but live and declare the works of the Lord. The Lord hath chastned and corrected me but he hath not given me over to death Thou art my God and I will thank thee thou art my God and I will praise thee O give thanks unto the Lord for he is gracious and his mercy endureth for ever Glory be to the Father c. A devout Prayer to GOD the Father O Most blessed LORD and loving Father I wretched sinner do here ask at thy hands mercy and grace who am in thy sight most weak to stand in thy truth and most frail to fall and to break thy holy commandments by the keeping of which we are known to be thy true servants and by nothing else O most merciful LORD GOD I acknowledge my self daily to break the same but where I have thus offended I humbly ask of thee mercy and forgiveness and Lord for the true performance of the same I humbly ask of thee strength to make me stand strong in faith knowledge to work thy blessed will the power to resist all errour and wicked imagination thy wisdom to know the truth for I confess and know O LORD that all the worldly wit policy knowledge and strength is but foolishness in thy sight Therefore I ask and continually crave O Lord that thy holy Spirit may guide all the imaginations thoughts and desires of my heart so that it may be my spiritual heart and not my fleshly heart for the most perfect among the children of men lacking the wisdom shall not be regarded for the thoughts of mortal men are miserable and our forecastings are uncertain and why this corruptible body is so heavy to my soul that it keepeth down my understanding that it museth most on vain things wherefore good Lord I beseech thee comfort my sick soul that it may walk in thy wayes and work thy will and like as thou knowest the secrets of my heart and the desires of the same and how I would walk in thy truth and work in the works of the same truth so Lord I beseech thee refresh my soul according to thy merciful calling that I may be sted fast in the true faith and that I may never swerve from the holy and most blessed Ordinances of the Church but that I may use them receive them and honour thee in them according to thy most holy will as in things which thou hast left to declare thy love unto us and to assure our hope and exercise our faith that it should not be idle or wavering for all things are possible unto thee though they seem never so impossible unto us O most loving Father I know that by my sins I am not worthy thy blessed comfort and help in this troublesome time of temptation and trying of our faith for that I am as one laden with ignorance not knowing the height of thy high mysteries nor the deceitfulness or subtil arguments of my Ghostly enemy which daily doth assault my sinful soul that I can find no rest therefore O LORD like as thou knowest my will and hearts desire is to serve thee and live and die in thy perfect faith so I beseech thee never to suffer the subtil perswasions contrary to thy truth to take place or root in my heart but like as thou hast created my heart and given me a will to order the same so Lord I most humbly yield the same again into thy hands desiring thee by thy holy Spirit so to direct my ways that they may be acceptable in thy sight now and for ever through Jesus Christ my Saviour to whom with the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory for ever Amen A Prayer to obtain the true love of GOD. O Lord my God teach me thy humble servant teach my heart I beseech thee with what reverence it should think of thee tell my Soul with what delight it should love thee give my tongue some power to pour forth praises unto thee correct my weakness recreate my hope direct my desires finish the work thou hast begun and bring me to the fulness of thy mercy O LORD my GOD I bow the neck of my soul under the feet of thy Majesty and in the lowest degree of reverence do give thee most humble hearty thanks I yield thee praises O LORD although base and bare far unanswerable to thy deserts yet something my weakness is bound to perform namely to settle my mind to be hold and love thee O that my heart did so languish with thy love that it might melt the moisture of my body into tears that the bowels of my soul were so inflamed with thy love that it might consume all drossie desires dry up the very marrow of my bones O that I were sick for the love of Him who dyed for the Love of me LORD although I be not worthy so to love thee yet art thou much more to be loved than I can express therefore do not so deny me of that whereof I acknowledge my self unworthy that thy self be deprived of that thou art most worthy and grant O Lord I beseech thee for thy mercies sake to my soul that it may love thee as thou hast deserved that I may be worthy to give that which thou art worthy to receive so shall I then be worthy of that whereof now I am most unworthy O most dear Lord I feel in my heart a weak warmness of thy love but my prayer is that the coals were throughly kindled with desire and blown with delight into a full flame O sacred fire how comfortably dost thou burn O heavenly Light how sweetly dost thou shine how desirous are they more and more to burn whom thou dost inflame how are they delighted whom thou dost enlighten hear O my God hear O light of mine eyes increase my desire and grant my request stop not thine ears against me because of my sins endue my soul with thy love subdue my flesh with thy fear that I may always think
of thee joyntly both with trembling and trust settle the love of thee in me and the care of me in thee let my prayer come unto thee and thy mercy unto me let the joy of thy happiness remain with me and the compassion of my miseries with thee let my heart love thee let my flesh fear thee and let my whole substance in this world joy wholly in thee that I may enjoy thee wholly in the world to come by thee O Christ who art my Saviour and Deliverer to whom belongeth all power and glory for ever and ever Amen A Prayer in heart to feel spiritual comforts O Lord GOD and most dear Father now I fully know the heart of man is not in his own power for thou hast taught me by thy dâ—minishing the Spirit of comfort in my heart that it is thou only which makest joyful the heart of man and which diminishest the same joy according to thy good pleasure and will therefore O dear Father I beseech thee to send me thy most blessed comfort and strength of Faith into my heart to fill the same with spiritual joy and that by the working of thy holy Spirit in me the comfortable promises of thy merciful Protection may be sealed in my heart and sink deep into my soul that I may be fully assured that thou art my strong rock and house of defence that thou dost keep me as the apple of thine eye and that thou wilt not lay more upon me than thou wilt give me strength to abide but that thou wilt assuredly at thy appointed time renew my heart and the whole power of my mind that I may fully glorifie thy Name Thy Holy Spirit O Lord in me which is the assurance of my Salvation doth continually send forth unspeakable sighs and longings for thy full and joyful presence I beseech thee therefore O dear Father for thy Son JESUS's sake hearken to my prayers and grant my requests make tender my hard and stony heart by thy holy Spirit that I may from the bottom of my heart acknowledge thee to be my most merciful God and Father and all things in thy holy Word to be most certain and true and reverently embrace the same and in my soul to take comfort and joy of the same that I may even to my lives end walk before thee in sincerity of heart being assured of my salvation through that one alone sacrifice for my sins made by thy dear Son Jesus Christ to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory for ever Amen A fruitful petition to GOD. O LORD GOD of infinite wisdom inspire my heart and direct my voice that I may not think nor utter any thing before thy Maiesty but that which thou knowest to be expedient for me to ask and glorious for thee to give Turn not my prayer Good Lord into perdition nor my suit into sin for thou art the God of my Fathers on whom I wholly depend save me for thy mercies sake O save me as I have always put my trust in thee and when through the perverseness and froward inclination of my nature I fall into any wickedness and sin leave me not good Lord unto them acquit me from the inordinate lust of the body let no desire of uncleanness take hold upon me and give me not over to an unshamefast and obstinate mind Lord here I stand vile wretch before the throne of thy dreadful presence hoping that I shall be heard not in the faintness of my faith but in the power of thy promises O weigh my weakness and grant my desires as thou knowest most meet for me then can I want nothing and my conscience shall be comforted with all spiritual consolation in Jesus Christ to whom with thee O Father and the holy Spirit be ascribed all power and glory for ever Amen A Prayer to be ingrafted into Christ O LORD it is mercy without merit that I am a branch of the Vine Jesus that I am the house and Temple of the Holy Ghost It is of Justice that thou hast appointed thy house to be a place of prayer and of duty therefore that we should pray unto thee For this O Lord I thank thee that thou hast made me thy child to lodge me and I acknowledge that of duty I am bound to serve thee but give me O Lord the grace of thy Spirit to conduct me in the way of thy will cleanse or create a new heart within me that I may be a fit lodging for thee and yield up the savoury sacrifice unto thee which thou requirest of every Christian I mean the sacrifice of prayer the sacrifice of the heart which savoureth sweetly unto thee And at this time in hope of the assistance of thy holy Spirit I desire thee that as thou hast of mercy covered me under thy wings of safety so thou wilt defend and keep me from all the storming rages of Satan who is wont not only by day but also and that especially by night to undermine man when his senses are fettered in bands of rest but I hope O good Lord that as I am then most unable and at all times else to withstand the buffets and assaults of Satan so thou wilt be most ready to succour me and partly because thereby thou shalt unlock the riches of thine infinite mercy and pity and partly because thou lovest every thing which thy hands have made For which and for all other thy blessings I yield thee all honour power and glory which is due only to thy blessed Majesty for ever world without end Amen A Prayer against evil imaginations O Lord cleanse my heart I do beseech thee from all impure and wicked cogitations and thoughts give me a clear conscience shame-fac'd eyes modest hands and a tongue to tell the truth and seeing there is nothing hid that shall not be discovered good Lord I beseech thee to search my thoughts and renew in me thy holy Spirit direct my feet in thy ways that walking after thee in the path of the righteous I may pass through this vail of misery bearing thy banner stoutly in my warfare and in the end obtain everlasting joy the promised hire of such as have born thy Cross and valiantly fought with the armour of faith against temptations and all evil vouchsafe O Lord to grant all these my supplications and petitions for thy dear Sons sake Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be ascribed all power and glory for ever Amen An Evening Prayer O Heavenly Father the giver of all good things and the protector of all those that love thee I yield thee most humble and hearty thanks not only for keeping and preserving me this day but all my life that neither my enemies have prevailed against me as they sought nor any other danger which in this world is incident unto mankind hath overcome me but hast like a loving Father and careful purveyor given and
Death overwhelm me nor my sleep in the night alter my thoughts and understanding when I should take rest but grant me a good and quiet sleep going unto my Bed which representeth my Grave that rising in the Morning to render due praise and thanks unto thee my Protector I may likewise at the Day of Judgment rise as one of thy chosen Children upon thy right hand into Heaven where I may sing praises unto thy holy and blessed Name for ever Prayers for Saturday Morning O Lord my God and Father blessed be thy Name for ever Dispose my heart open my lips and give me thy holy Spirit c. A Psalm WHom have 〈◊〉 in Heaven but thee O Lord and there is none upon Earth that I desire in comparison of thee My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever For 〈◊〉 they that forsake thee shall perish and thou wilt destroy them that commit fornication against thee But it is good for me to hold me fast by God and to put my trust in my Lord God and to speak of all his works For God is King of old the help that is done upon Earth he doth it himself Wherefore I will cry unto God with my Voice even unto God will I cry with my voice and he shall hearken unto me When I am in heaviness I will think upon God when my heart is vexed I will complain I have considered the days of old and the years that are past I call to remembrance my Song and in the night I commune with mine own heart and search out my spirits Will the Lord absent himself for ever and will he be no more intreated Is his mercy clean gone for ever and is his promise come utterly to an end for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious and will he shut up his loving kindness in displeasure And I sald it is mine own infirmity but I will remember the years of the most High I will remember the works of the Lord and call to mind the wonders of old time I will think of all thy works and my thinking shall be of thy doings Glory c. A Morning Prayer O Almighty Protector and Keeper both of the Souls and Bodies of the faithful I yield thee humble and hearty thanks for defending me and saving me this night past and all the rest of my life hitherto from sudden death and from all other perils and dangers whereunto my Soul and weak Body are subject to fall and wherewith I am so beset that had I not been preserved by thee it could not otherwise have been but my body had perished and my Soul been carried into everlasting perdition But most sweet Lord my succour and defence who hath continual regard of the safety of thy servants and never suffer est them to be overcome with any kind of danger vouchsafe to forgive me whatsoever I have committed and done against thy Divine Majesty either sleeping or waking this night or at any time secretly or openly heretofore by reason of the corruption which remaineth in me and grant that as I have by thy protection passed this night so I may enjoy at thy merciful hands whatsoever thy Fatherly Providence shall think meet and convenient for me and so in hope of thy loving kindness and mercy go forward this day and all my life in perfect love unfeigned zeal and continual obedience to thy most blessed will that so continuing unto the end I may receive the reward of thy Coelestial Kingdom which thy Son Jesus hath purchased for all true Believers in thee in number of whom sweet Lord for the mercies of him thy Son make me that I with them and they with me may continually sing laud and praise unto the Trinity eternally Amen A Confession to God for sin MOst gracious God and loving Father in Jesus Christ I confess mine unrighteousness which maketh me unworthy to come before thee not only in regard of mine original corruption which I traduced from disobedient Adam but in regard of my continual sins and actual evils which I daily commit against thee whereby I cannot but be offensive unto thee and ever loathsome in thy sacred Eyes but alas such is mine estate that being considered as it is in and of my self that I can bring forth no better fruits than the Tree of Adam's disobedience whose roots as they are sin so bear they sin in me and consequently procure death and destruction but dear Father as by Adam sin entred and took hold of himself and of all his Posterity so by thy Son Jesus Christ we are all justified by our adoption into his righteousness of thy free love if we take hold of thy promises in him and become obedient unto thee and therefore dear Father howsoever our corruptions as they are in us of our selves have bewrapped us in bondage to sin and death so let thy Sons merits be unto us a sufficient ransom for our Everlasting liberty not only to come freely to the Throne of grace but in the end to obtain the joys eternally with him in Heaven who liveth and raigneth with thee and the holy Spirit for ever World without end Amen A Prayer for the true worship of God O Most gracious God and loving Father establish my heart and mind in the true Worship of thy Divine Majesty make me to believe thy holy and sacred Gospel wherein I am daily and hourly instructed to love fear honour and obey thee to hate sin and iniquity to renounce all superstitious Ceremonies whereby thy worship is defaced thy glory prophaned and thy honour greatly diminished Give me grace to hate sin and to renounce the vanities and wanton pleasures of this wicked World and finally give me power from above to withstand Satan the Prince of darkness and all his damnable Ministers who by divers temptations provokes and allures us from godly purity and perfect integrity which passeth only from Christ Jesus to us who is the fulness of our perfection and holiness to all kind of evil impiety and uncleanness by means whereof thy glory is greatly prophaned and of a set purpose contemned make me O Lord I beseech thee by the power of a fruitful faith to resist and bridle the conconcupiscence of my flesh in such sort that my Soul may triumph with Victory and continue constant in worshiping thee from whom passeth the fulness of my joy prepare my heart and mind to spread forth the glory of thy Name keep my tongue from all filthy talk and uncomely gesture lest by the exercises of such sin I contemn thy worship and provoke thee to displeasure against me set thou a watch before the gates of my mouth that my lips may by grace be made open to sound forth thy praise and glory be merciful to mine offences think thou not on my unrighteousness but open thy clemency forgive thou freely and pardon graciously all my sins make me faithful in Christ Jesus
shorten the dangerous days of iniquity increase the number of thy chosen and peculiar Saints hasten thy coming O Saviour Christ that I with the Fellowship of thy Saints heavenly Angels and the blessed Company of Martyrs may celebrate thy praise and worship thee in thy glorious Kingdom before thy Father my God and the Holy Ghost to whom be all honour praise and glory for ever Amen A Prayer taken out of the first Psalm O Almighty and most gracious God take away from me I beseech thee all evil counsels and then my sins suffer me not to run into an ungodly and wicked life and finally keep my mind far from the contempt of godliness and scorning of virtue and instead of these evils Grant that I may continually be occupied in thy Law and sacred Scriptures and that I be not carried about like the wicked as light dust and fruitless chaff with every blast of affection and doctrine but rather that I be as a Tree planted by the Water-brooks and endued with the life of thy Spirit and Faith I may also by the same Spirit bring forth the fruit of good works and that whatsoever I take in hand it may prosper and tend to the praise and glory of thy Name and furtherance of my salvation and that at the last when the wicked shall fall away in thy judgments I may stand stedfast and be made perfect through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour for ever Amen A Prayer to be unloosed of the bands of Satan O Lord by thy mighty power subdue the works of Satan in me O thou wicked Seducer thy works are destroyed thy bands are broken thou shalt not take or bind me avoid sin thou hast lost thy sting thou wast condemned in the flesh nailed to the Cross and crucified with my Lord Christ avoid Death for thou art dead and Hell for thou art swallowed up in Victory avoid thou Dragon and all thine Angels for Michael hath beaten thee and broken thy head he hath freed us from sin and led away captivity captive even he Satan hath over-mastered thee that cried out unto me Fear not for I have overcome the World even he that hath promised to be with me to the end of my Pilgrimage and crieth out that if he be with me none can be against me fight therefore Satan as long as thou wilt thou shalt at length be put to the foil for the mighty Lyon of the Tribe of Juda telleth me that there is no condemnation to them that be in him that Jesus is the Conquerour of the whole World and vanquisher of thee rage thou never so much therefore I say avoid from me for in Christ Jesus I have passed the Sea of my sins thy cursed Army and if thou follow to pursue me thou shalt be drowned in the red Sea of Christs bloud to whom be all honour power and glory for ever and ever Amen A Prayer to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven O Father merciful and Everlasting be merciful unto me and give me a feeling of thy blessed will open unto me the way of true knowledge prepare my steps to walk aright that in all the course of my life I may be guided aright and savour more of Heavenly than of Earthly things and let my whole delight be to meditate righteousness let me imbrace equity and execute justice and abound in love mercy sanctity and true holiness and furnish me largely good Lord with all spiritual graces whereby I may continually seek thy Everlasting Kingdom and practise the righteousness thereof for ever illuminate my understanding by thy Spirit and let thy Word be my whole comfort and the use thereof my continual delight and abandon good Lord all superfluous care of worldly things from my thoughts that I may by a continual holy meditation of thee and things above use the things of this life as if I used them not knowing this and assuring my self by thy promise that if I seek and covet to have my conversation on things spiritual all temporal things shall be assuring my self by thy promise that if I seek and covet to have my conversation on things spiritual all temporal things shall be ministred unto me all which my Petitions grant me O Father for thy dear Sons sake Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom be all glory for ever and ever Amen Prayers for Saturday Night O Lord my God and heavenly Father blessed be thy Name for ever Dispose my heart open my lips and give me thy holy Spirit c. A Psalm OUT of the deep have I called unto thee O Lord Lord hear my Voice O let thine Ears consider well the voice of my complaint If thou Lord wilt be extream to mark what is said or done amiss O Lord who may abide it I look for the Lord my Soul doth wait for him in his Word is my trust My Soul melteth away for very heaviness comfort thou me according to thy Word O take from me the way of lying and cause thou me to make much of thy Law Make me to go in the paths of thy Commandments for therein is my desire O take not the Word of thy truth utterly out of my mouth for my hope is in thy Judgments I will never forget thy Commandments for with them thou hast quickned me Wherefore O ye that fear the Lord trust in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption For when I called upon thee thou heardest me and enduedst my Soul with much strength And though I walk in the midst of trouble yet shalt thou refresh me The Lord shall make good his loving kindness towards me yea thy mercy O Lord endureth for ever despise not then the work of thine own hands Wherefore I will praise the Lord for the Lord is gracious O let us sing praises unto his name for it is lovely Thy Name O Lord endureth for ever so doth thy memorial O Lord from Generation to Generation Glory be c. A most fruitful Prayer for a blessed aad godly life O Merciful Father the honour of my salvation and my defender in whom I only put my whole trust I unhappy wretch have many waies stirred thee up I have done evil before thy face I have provoked thy displeasure I have sinned and thou hast suffered me I have offended and yet thou sustainest me Yea and besides all this while I defer from time to time thou tarriest for me O Lord the God of my health I cannot tell what to answer there is no place to fly from thee or to hide me thou shewest me the way to live well and givest me knowledge how to go Wherefore O Father of mercy and God of all consolation strike my heart with thy fear that with fearing I may escape those things which thou threatnest and grant me the comfort of thy salvation that in loving I may obtain those things which thou promisest O Lord which art my strength and deliverer tell me
11. Thou shalt purge me with Hyssop and I shall be clean thou shalt wash me and I shall be whiter than snow 12. Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me 13. O remember not the sins and offences of my youth but according to thy mercy think thou upon me O Lord for thy goodness 14. For thy Name sake O Lord be merciful unto my sin for it is great 15. Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am destitute and in misery 16. Remember not O Lord mine iniquities nor the iniquities of my fore-fathers neither take thou vengeance of my sins but spare me good Lord whom thou hast redeemed with thy pretious blood and be not angry with me for ever 17. Blessed is he whose unrighteousness is forgiven and whose sin is covered 18. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth no sin and in whose spirit there is no guile 19. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart and will save such as be of an humble Spirit 20. O taste and see how gracious the Lord is blessed is the man that putteth his trust in him 21. O Lord thou hast dealt graciously with thy servant according to thy word Glory be to c. O Most gracious Lord God I beseech thee help thy servant whom of thy mercy thou hast created repair the ruins of my soul inlarge the frame of my understanding thereof cleanse it from all filthy corruption and garnish it with all heavenly graces that it may be both conveniently fit and furnished to receive thee that thou mayst make thy entry and possess that which is thy own both by creation and redemption and merits of thy passion through Jesus Christ Amen Before the receiving Ex Liturg. GRant O most merciful Father I beseech thee that I receiving these thy Creatures of Bread and Wine according to the holy institution of our Saviour Jesus Christ in remembrance of his death and passion may be partaker of his blessed Body and Blood and that my sinful body may be made clean by his Body and my sinful soul washt through his most precious Blood which was shed for the remission of all my sins through the same Jesus Christ Amen Immediately before the Receiving Matth. 8. 8. Lord I am not worthy thou shouldest come under my roof but speak the word only and my soul shall be healed II. O Lamb of God let me eat thy Flesh and drink thy Blood that I may live everlastingly by thee and cloath me with the wool of thy mercy that no winter or storm of sin do pinch my silly soul III. O blessed Jesus let the Blood that ran from thy blessed Heart wash my soul from all sin and iniquity and purchase me thy heavenly grace and benediction Amen Immediately after Receiving PRaise the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise his holy name and forget not all his benefits which saveth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindness Psal 103. I will give thanks unto the Lord for he is gratious and his mercy endureth for ever Psal 106. Alleluja Salvation and Glory and Honour and Power be unto the Lord our God Amen Revel 19. 1. Thanksgiving after the Receiving of the Blessed Sacrament Ex. Liturg. O Almighty and everlasting Lord God I thy most humble servant according to my bounden duty and service do render unto thy Fatherly goodness all possible praise and thanksgiving for that thou hast vouchsafed to feed me with the holy mystery and spiritual food of the precious Body and Blood of Jesus Christ thy Son and my Saviour assuring me thereby of thy grace and favour towards me and that I am a member incorporate in thy mystical body the blessed company of faithful people and also heir through hope of thy everlasting Kingdom by the merits of his most precious death and passion and grant me O Lord for the time to come the assistance of thy grace and heavenly benediction that I may continue in all such good works as thou hast prepared for me to walk in to the glory of thy Name and my everlasting comfort through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory world without end Amen A Psalm 1. PRaise the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me praise his holy name which saveth thy self from destruction and feedeth thee with the Bread of Heaven 2. I will always give thanks unto the Lord his praises shall ever be in my mouth 3. Thy merciful kindness is evermore towards us and thy truth O Lord is everlasting 4. Great is the Lord and marvellous to be praised there is no end of his greatness 5. He loveth Righteousness and Judgment the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. 6. Be glad O ye Righteous and rejoice in the Lord and be joyful all ye that are true of heart 7. I will give thanks unto thee with my whole heart I will speak of thy marvellous works 8. O praise the Lord with me and let us magnifie his holy name 9. Let my heart be filled with gladness and my mouth with praise that I may sing of thy glory and with the rest of thy Saints give honour to thy Majesty in the eternal fruition of thy presence through Christ 10. My mouth shall speak of the praise of the Lord and let all flesh give thanks unto his holy name for ever and ever Amen Vers Praise the Lord. Resp The Lord's name be praised O Almighty and eternal God what worthy praise can I give unto thee by whose goodness I was created by whose mercy I was redeemed by whose power I am preserved and by whose grace I hope to be glorified and for all other thy blessings and benefits which I enjoy both in soul and body and especially for feeding me this day with the precious body and blood of Jesus Christ I will therefore offer unto thee the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving and always praise thy holy Name beseeching thee to pour upon my heart the sweet streams of thy mercy conform my life confirm my faith and guide me by thy grace that thy servant may with strong assurance of thine infallible truth and promised mercy vanquish and subdue whatsoever rebelleth against thy blessed will keep holy my soul and body and let them not be defiled through delectation of sin but that my full delight and joy may be in thee and walk before thee in sincerity of heart and godly conversation that I may here on earth glorifie thy name and after this life with all thy faithful flock possess that everlasting inheritance which thy Son Christ Jesus hath purchased to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory world without end Amen John 5. 14. Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee 1 John 1. 17. If we walk in the light
thy Names sake 15. The righteous cry and the Lord heareth them and delivereth them out of all their troubles 16. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart and will save such as be of an humble spirit 17. O tarry the Lord's leisure be strong and he shall comfort thy heart and put thou thy trust in the Lord. 18. O put thy trust in God for I will give him trauks which is the help of my countenance and my God Glory be to the Father c. O Lord my God and Heavenly Father who art the health of all men living and the everlasting life of them which die in faith open I beseech thee the eyes of thy mercy upon me thy sick servant who in heart is truly sorrowful for all my sins and of thy fatherly goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies put away all my transgressions out of thy remembrance renew in me what hath been decayed by the fraud or malice of the Devil or by mine own frailty preserve me in the unity of the Church consider my contrition accept my tears and asswage my pain and if it be thy blessed will restore me to my former health or if otherwise thou hast appointed give me grace so to take this visitation that after this painful life ended I may dwell with thee in life everlasting Amen Lord Jesus preserve me Lord Jesus comfort me Lord Jesus pray for me for only into thy hands who hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of Truth I commend my soul both now and for ever Amen The Sick saith Lord have mercy upon me Christ have mercy upon me Our Father which art in Heaven c. I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto one Write from henceforth Blessed are the Dead which dye in the Lord. A Psalm 1. O Lord rebuke me not in thy indignation neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure 2. Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed 3. My soul is also sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou punish me 4. Turn thee O Lord and deliver my soul O save me for thy mercies sake 5. For in death no man remembreth thee and who shall give thee thanks in the pit 6. I am weary of my groaning every night wash I my bed and water my Couch with my tears 7. My beauty is gone for very trouble and worn away because of all my enemies 8. Through thee have I been holden up ever since I was born thou art he that took me out of my mothers womb my praise shall be always of thee 9. Cast me not away in the time of Age forsake me not when my strength faileth me 10. O hide not thy face from me nor cast away thy servant in displeasure 11. Thou hast been my succour leave me not O God of my salvation 12. I am poor and needy make hast unto me O God thou art my help and my deliverer O Lord make no long tarrying O Lord deliver me from the power of the enemy Lord help thy poor servant that putteth his trust in thee Send me help from thy holy place and evermore mightily defend me be unto me a strong Tower O Lord and evermore cover me with thy wings O Lord hear my Prayer And let my cry come unto thee The Sick saith I know that my Redeemer liveth and that I shall rise out of the Earth in the last day and shall be covered again with my skin and shall see God in my flesh yea and I my self shall behold him not with other but with the same eyes O Almighty and immortal God the Saviour and defender of all that put their trust in thee the only refuge and hope of the distressed in time of need mercifully behold the sorrows of my heart and the groanings of my spirit thou hast O Lord of thy power made me of nought and in thy good time I shall return to nought again I brought nothing into the world neither shall I carry any thing away when I depart thou art my portion my salvation my Mediator and my Saviour O blessed Jesus by thee came grace and life to the chosen O receive me to thy mercy thou sufferedst most cruel death for my sake and art risen the first fruits of them that sleep thou art crowned with power and glory destroyed'st death and givest eternal life to all believers thou O Saviour Christ shalt raise me up in the last day and give me possession of thy everlasting Kingdom which thou hast purchased in thy blood and righteousness according to the will of our merciful Father whom thou hast pacified and pleased for my redemption and salvation for the performance of the oath which in his eternal and unsearchable purpose he promised our Fore-Fathers whereof in thy merciful favour thou hast called me to be partaker whereby I am taught and comforted by thy holy Spirit to despise this world and this corrupt tabernacle of sinful flesh which of it self hath deserved nothing but death and damnation and wholly to rely upon thee Therefore O Lord stand by me and defend me against the assaults of Satan that after triumphant victory through grace and power in thy Spirit I may joyfully give over this fleshly being and come into thy presence O Lord to rest in blissful peace until the delivery of thy Saints with whom I am in assured hope by the witness of thy Spirit to have my portion of the inheritance of perpetual salvation and life everlasting through Jesus Christ Amen O my soul be joyful in the Lord and despise not his correction neither faint thou at his rebukes For whom the Lord loveth him he correcteth yea he scourgeth every child whom he receiveth Thy sins were innumerable neither couldest thou claim ought of duty but death and damnation Thy merciful Lord hath accepted thy tears and repentant groanings and turned away his face from thy offences he freely hath forgiven thee thy sins And because thou hast repented and trusted in his mercy he hath put them all out of his remembrance neither will he think on them any more He will receive thee into his house and crown thee with glory and kindness Thou shalt stand before his presence in the Sanctuary everlasting With Angels and Arch angels with the Patriarchs and Prophets with the faithful Witnesses and with all the rest of the chosen Children of grace to honour him to serve him to magnifie him and praise him with continual thanks in eternal joy and felicity for ever and ever Amen A Psalm 1. O God my God look upon me why hast thou forâ—aken me and art so â—ar from my health and from the words of my complaint 2. How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever how long wilt thou hide thy face from me 3. O God I cry in the day time but thou hearest not and in the night season also I take no rest 4. And thou continuest holy O thou
our Consciences we stand convicted and at the horrid thought of our sins we are mightily astonished what shall we say or wherein shall we open our mouths who shall deliver us from the misery due to us for our transgressions nothing can be expected in this life but misery and confusion and in the world to come eternal condemnation But yet O Lord in obedience of thy command and in confident assurance of thy endless and unspeakable mercy promised in Jesus Christ to all sinners with sorrow in our hearts with shame in our face in humility of spirit we appeal from thee to thee from thee a just Judge to thee a merciful Father from the Throne of thy justice to the seat of thy mercy beseeching thee to have mercy upon us O Lord to have mercy upon us and turn thy face away from all our sins and blot out all our transgressions for the only meritorious death and passion of Jesus Christ thy innocent Lamb who so abundantly shed his blood on the Cross to take away the sins of the world accept we intreat thee that inestimable price of his suffering for a full ransom for all our sins remit them unto us and divert thy Judgments and punishments from us and assure us of thy love and favour in Christ and for the time to come work in us by the graces of thy holy Spirit true and unfeigned Repentance and faith with strength against sin and grace in some better measure to do thy will reform our affections transform us out of sin into the glorious liberty of thy own children to live in newness of life in holy conversation and continual obedience to thy divine Majesty And seeing O Lord it hath pleased thee of thy goodness to deliver us from the power of darkness and all dangers of the night past affording us quiet and comfortable rest bringing us safe to the beginning of this day our souls and all that is within us shall praise thy holy Name desiring continually to render unto thee all possible praise and thanksgiving for the incarnation of our Blessed Saviour for our Redemption by passion for our Creation Election Justification and Sanctification in some good measure and assured hope of Glorification in the World to come we likewise bless thee for our lives health liberty peace and prosperity for our preservation and deliverance from evil since we were born for the freedom of thy Gospel for the comfort we enjoy under His Majesties happy Reign for delivering our Church and Kingdom from Foreign Invasion for sparing and giving us so long a time of Repentance for these thy blessings and benefits our Souls shall praise the Lord of Heaven whose mercy endureth from generation to generation Bless and defend us O Lord this day direct and protect us in the same bless our going out and coming in let thy Spirit guide us in all our Actions deliver us from the temptation and malice of the Devil and keep us both in Soul and Body from all his devices and let thy grace preserve and guide us in all our wayes that we may walk circumspectly and strive to avoid all occasions of committing or running into such sins which by nature we are apt to fall into set a watch before the door of our lips that we may not offend thy Majesty by ill words or blasphemous Oaths keep us we beseech thee from violent passions which provoke thy wrath and indignation against us and guide our feet in the way of peace which leads us to Everlasting Salvation Let the dew of thy blessing descend upon our labours and prosper thou the work of our hands O prosper thou our handy-work make us diligent and dutiful in our calling and that we may have a good Conscience in all our dealings not any way to defraud any man knowing one day we must give an account for all our words and deeds And good Lord we beseech thee so to bless our endeavours that we may raise such a competency and convenient sufficiency void of wretched care for the supportation of our lives in a modest and civil manner and especially give us hearts and minds contented with what thou shalt be pleased to lay upon us strength and patience in all afflictions and temptations troubles and adversities which seal thy Children to Salvation give us meekness and humility in prosperity and constancy in well doing and for the small remainder of our lives that we have to live here on Earth give us grace to consecrate it to thy service and live in thy fear not setting our hearts on transitory things but carefully labour to redeem the time not deferring our repentance but endeavour to make our calling and election sure working our salvation in fear trembling before we go hence and be no more seen And grant us O Lord that when the race and course of our natural life here on Earth is finished we may at the last receive a crown of righteousness which thou from the beginning hast laid up for them that fear thy Name In these our Prayers we further intreat thee O Lord for a blessing upon thy Church universal more especially we beseech thee to continue the peace and prosperity of these Churches wherein we live and every member thereof more especially ever mightily protect and defend from all evil and danger and bless with the chiefest of thy blessings thine Anointed our dread Soveraign Lord King Charles the Queens Majesty James Duke of York and the rest of the Royal Progeny Bless the Lords of his Majesties honourable Privy Council the Reverend Clergy and all Civil Magistrates bless all our Friends and Kindred and acquaintance bless us all good Lord from the highest to the lowest help and comfort all our brethren that in this transitory life be in trouble sorrow need sickness or any other adversity Comfort the comfortless help the distressed and defend all that travel by Land or Water and work in all and every one of us true fear of thy holy Name and constant resolution to serve thee to our lives end Good Lord hear Lord hearken unto us we beseech thee and accept of this our Morning sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving hear our prayers and grant our petitions that we have asked and all other blessings which thou in thine infinite wisdom knowest most necessary for us and thy whole Church we ask and crave at thy merciful hands in the Name and through the Mediation of thy dear Son our blessed Redeemer our only Lord and blessed Saviour Jesus Christ in that most excellent form of Prayer which he in his holy Gospel hath taught us saying Our Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come c. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the love of God and the Fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all for evermore Amen An Evening Prayer for a private Family O Eternal God and Heavenly Father which hast made of one blood all mankind and breathed
shalt thou suffer thine holy One to see corruption Thou shalt shew me the paths of life in thy presence is the fulness of joy and at thy right hand there is pleasure for evermore O hold thou up my goings in thy paths that my foot-steps slip not So shall he hear me out of his holy Temple and my complaint shall come before him it shall enter even into his ears He shall send down from the height to fetch me and shall take me out of many waters Thou shalt also light my candle the Lord my God shall make my darkness to be light The Lord liveth and blessed be my strong helper and blessed be the God of my Salvation Glory be to the Father c. A Confession to God O Lord my God and everlasting Father I do acknowledge and confess before thy High and Glorious Majesty that I was bred and born in sin and corruption and that since my birth I have not ceased nor do cease daily to transgress thy holy commandments in respect whereof I cannot escape ruine and destruction according to thy rightful justice yet notwithstanding forasmuch as I am sorry that I have offended thee my Lord and God and do condemn both my self and my sin receive me to mercy and as it hath pleased thee to love us even when we were thine enemies and for assurance thereof to give unto us thine only and well-beloved Son to be a Mediator and Advocate between thee and us promising us to obtain whatsoever we shall ask of thee in his Name vouchsafe O most loving God and dear Father to pardon and forgive me in his Name and for his sake and not only to cleanse my heart from all vanity and uncleanness but also to govern and guide me by thy holy Spirit in all my ways that I may live according to thy holy heavenly Will all the days of my life to the glory of thy Name through the same thy well-beloved Son Jesus Christ to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be praise and glory for ever Amen A Prayer against the temptations and malice of Satan O Heavenly Father and eternal God unto thee do we cry Protect and strengthen us O Lord against the temptations of Satan which is the sworn and extream enemy to our Salvation a slanderer and our accuser who rageth and rangeth in a deadly hatred against thy Flock and by all means seeketh the destruction of all mankind divers and sundry ways laying snares to intrap us and our Souls preying for any occasion whereby he may allure us unto shameful offending for as many corporal affections as be in man so many occasions doth he take to tempt us and thereby to wound us He layeth snares to take us in wealth in poverty in pleasure and in the inticements of the flesh in anguish of mind in ambition and desire of glory in the wearisomness of our calling and inferiour condition in cares both for the back and the belly and in lust of revenge night and day whether we sleep or wake he is always about to devour us that our senses may be corrupted from the simplicity that we owe unto Christ even as the Serpent deceived Eve by his subtilty Therefore O thou Son of God which art the blessed seed bruising the head of the Serpent bring and bruise this mine enemy Satan under thy feet Thou my chief Champion which of thine own accord enteredst into temptation that so thou mightest as it were hand to hand wrestle with this mine enemy and purchase a triumph for me by thy victory hold him fast bound that he exercise not his cruelty upon me as he desireth but make me partaker of thy victory that even as thou hast in thy body overcome Satan so utterly suppress him in me thy unworthy servant And I beseech thee O Lord to give unto me thy whole Armour that I may like a right good Souldier resist in the evil day and vanquish this my strong enemy gird me with the truth put upon me the breast-plate of Righteousness and let me be shod and prepared for the Gospel of peace and above all things give me the shield of Faith which can extinguish all the fiery darts of wicked spirits bestow upon me the Helmet of salvation with the sword of the Spirit and the Word of God that through thee I may encounter valiantly and gloriously attain the Victory And Holy Spirit Almighty GOD comfort thou and strengthen my mind against so divers conflicts of Satan which beset me by many snares and especially then most of all when I seek deliverance by other means than by thy word revealed and grant that leaving thy Word delivered unto me I look not after new revelations or violent ravishings but may resist the Devil by thy word and power during my whole life O dear Father to whom it is more easie to do all things than for me to think any good thing Do thou but speak a word and thy deadly sick servant my soul shalâ— be made whole Help O Lord for thâ— great mercies sake for thy truth sake and for thy dear Son Jesus Christs sake and let thy strength suffice against my weakness and thy holy Spirit against my sinful Flesh and old man Thou art faithful O Father who hast promised that I shall not be tempted further than thou wilt make me a ble to bear Give now therefore thy gracâ— and strength unto thy servant that I maâ— with a strong faith in thine infallible Trutâ— and promised mercy vanquish and subdâ—â—â— whatsoever rebelleth against thy most blessed will preserve and keep holy my soul and body and let them not be defiled and made a dungeon of wicked Spirits through delectation in sin Shall now alas the Devil the World or the Flesh pluck from thee that thing that presently cryeth to thee with assured trust in thy promised help Nay Father but grant that I may by thy mighty Power turn all their crafts deceits and raging assaults unto the increase of my faith and that by experience of thy fatherly assistance in this my present temptation I may with assured hope and trust in thy ready help and comfort overcome my sad enemies hereafter in like assaults and praise thy holy Name for the Victory through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom be all power praise and glory for ever World without end Amen A Prayer for grace to do the will of GOD. O Most bountiful Father extend thy favour towards me and let it be with me and labour with me unto the end and give me thy grace to wish to covet such things as may be grateful to thee and acceptable in thy sight let thy will be mine and let me always follow thine and agree therewith Grant that I may like that which thou dost and never like or mislike any thing but that which thou dost like or mislike Assist me O Lord to crucifie my self to all worldly things set me free from wicked affections of the
mind and heal my soul of all unbridled desires and sins that being inwardly healed and purged throughly I may be made fit to love strong to suffer and constantly to continue And above all things grant that I may have rest and peace in Thee for thou art the true peace thou art alone the quietness of mind and without thee all things are hard and troublesome In this peace that is in thee alone which art the chiefest and everlasting felicity I will repose my self both now and for ever and constantly persevere and continue in the same through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour Amen A Prayer not to distrust the mercy of God THY mercy O Lord my God endureth for ever and thy loving kindness towards thy Children is not able to be uttered the truth of thy promise never faileth thine Elect Thou hast made calm the troubled waves of wavering thoughts which overwhelm my soul and brought me to the quiet Haven of thy merciful protection and defence and hast delivered mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling and my heart from distrust O Lord my God and loving Father let this thy great mercy and loving kindness shewed upon me never depart out of my mind and heart but that I may be thereof continually mindful all the days of my life And for these thy unseparable mercies towards me grant good Lord that I may have a thankful heart to render due honour praise and thanksgiving unto thy Majesty acknowledging from the bottom of my heart thy wonderful works in me And that I may hereof be more assured I beseech thee good Lord that as thou hast begun to deliver me so I may feel more and more daily thy good will and mercy towards me increase in me true understanding of thy heavenly Will and thy blessed Word strengthen my faith in thy loving promises that I may be assured of thy protection and mine election and salvation Make me daily more and more to love Thee my dear Father and God unâ—eignedly for all thy goodness shewed unto me to have my full delight and joy in thee and walk before thee in sincerity of heart and godly conversation that I may here on earth glorifie thy Name and after this life with all thy faithful flock possess that everlasting inheritance which thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord hath purchased to whom with Thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory for ever Amen A Prayer to be always bent to Heavenly things O I would to God that that day might once Shine in the which I might see my Redeemer and all these temporal days would end for the days of this world are few short full of evil and sorrow where man is defiled with many sins oppress'd with griefs and cares disturbed with thoughts wrap'd in vanities compassed with errours molested with temptation drowned in sensuality and crucified with Poverty O when shall there be an end of these manifold and miserable labours when shall I be delivered from the miserable bondage of wickedness when shall I only remember thee O Lord when shall I fully and perfectly rejoyce in thee when shall I be out of all danger and delivered from all grief of Body and Soul and come to true liberty when shall I rest in that quiet secure and undisturbed peace where peace is both within and without in all things O Lord Jesus when shall I see thee behold the Glory of thy Kingdom which thou hast prepared for thine Elect from the beginning I do wish to be joyned to Heavenly things but temporal Pleasure and mortal passions keep me back from them In mind I would fain vanquish all wickedness and vice but yet I am constrained to be subject to the froward flesh and I unhappy wretch am at controversie with my self for whilst my soul aspireth upward my flesh draweth downward O what passions do I inwardly suffer For when my soul beginneth to contemplate of Heavenly things then presently heaps oâ— carnal thoughts withdraw me from Prayer O my God do not linger from me depart not in anger from thy servant Thunder forth thy Lightening-bolt and disperse my worldly thoughts abroad and drive away all the temptations of mine enemy Turn my senses unto thee O my dear Father and make me to forget all earthly things Grant that I may cast of all sinful thoughts and fantasies O eternal verity succour me to the end that no vanity do tempt or remove me from thee O heavenly Father help me for all vanity and impureness melteth before thy face which livest and raignest ever one God in Power and Glory world without end Amen An Evening Prayer O Eternal God and merciful Father hear my voice and listen to my Prayers and forgive all my sins which this day I have done in the sight of thee and be not angry with thy servant for ever but listen unto thine only begotten Son which maketh intercession to thee for me for his sake hear me and have mercy upon me defend me this night of thy merciful goodness from unclean and troublesome spirits and from the snares and illusions of the Devil preserve me from all dangers and save my Body and Soul from destruction and grant that this night I may sleep quietly without grief or trouble that in darkness I may behold with the eyes of my heart the light of thy countenance shineing upon me for in thee alone do I trust Thou art my Lord and God into thy hands I commend my soul and body now and ever Therefore O Lord let thy unspeakable mercy preserve me thy endless sweetness rejoyce me thy heavenly truth strengthen me thy knowledge embrace me and thy goodness keep me now and evermore Amen Prayers for Munday Morning O Lord my God and Heavenly Father blessed be thy Name for ever dispose my heart open my lips and give me thy Holy Spirit c. A Psalm HElp me O God of my Salvation for the glory of thy Name O deliver me and be merciful unto my sin for thy Names sake O remember not mine old sins but have mercy upon me and that soon for I am come to great misery My Soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh rejoyceth in the Living God Blessed are they that dwell in thy House they will be always praising thee Preserve thou my soul therefore O my God and save thy servant that puts his trust in thee O comfort the soul of thy servant for unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul For thou Lord art good and gracious and of great mercy unto all them that call upon thee And blessed is the man whose strength is in thee and in whose heart are thy ways O Lord I have cryed day and night before thee O let my Prayer enter into thy presence incline thine ear to my calling And be merciful unto me O Lord for I will call daily upon thee for thou dost wondrous
me LORD of thy gracious goodness that I may live in thy Law walk in thy way and die in thy Faith and that I may clearly be delivered of the bondage of sin and be wholly out of death and damnation give me the peace which the world cannot give grant me the joy which thine Elect do possess sustain me with the comfort that never shall be void erect me with the hope that always shall persist instruct me with thy Word that ever shall endure and advance me to thy Kingdom that never shall have end then shall thy Glory still live in me and I shall never die but Raign with thee for ever to whom O Father be all honour and glory world without end Amen Prayers for Wednesday Night O Lord my God and Father blessed be thy name for ever dispose my heart and â—pen my lips c. A Psalm O LORD my GOD thou hast searched me out and known me thou knowest my downsitting and â—y uprising thou understandest my thoughts long before Thou art about my path and about my â—ed and spyest out all my ways For lo there is not a word in my tongue but thou O Lord knowest it altogether My reins are thine thou hast cover'd me in my mothers womb I will give thanks unto thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy works and that my soul knoweth right well My bones are not hid from thee though I be made secretly and fashioned beneath in the earth Thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy book were all my members written Which day by day were fashioned when as yet there was none of them O how dear are thy counsels unto me O God O how great is the summ of them O enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Keep me O Lord from the hands of the ungodly preserve me from wicked men which are purposed to overthrow my goings Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense and the lifting up of my hands be an evening Sacrifice Set a watch O LORD before my mouth and keep the door of my lips O let not my heart be inclined to any evil thing let me not be occupied in ungodliness with the men that work wickedness lest I do such things as please them But teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee for thou art my God let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness A Prayer for mortification O Righteous God and merciful Father who art so pure and clean that no corruption resteth in thy sight and â—ith there is required in all men the sincere and inward zeal of the soul and an absolute killing of the motions of the flesh and mortifying of all carnal affection look favourably upon me O LORD in whom doth dwell an innumerable troop of foolish fantasies and an heap of sinful affections I find and feel O LORD that though many times to will be present with me yet to perform is not in my power sin doth prevail and death through sin swalloweth me up so that I rest in darkness of sin by giving scope unto mine own perverse will and such is my miserable estate that being thus of my self flesh and blood slattereth it self and concludeth that whatsoever I purpose in an evil desire so that it break not forth into open gross wickedness that I am holy enough that I am as sincere as is requisite and that I stand too fearful of thy judgment When thou knowest O Lord that all and every the least conceit of sin breaking into action in what covert measure or mean degree soever it by and by endangereth my soul and deserveth sudden judgment and therefore let it please thee O Father that as thy dear Son through thy surpassing love hath reconciled all such unto thy favour again that are truly penitent so let thy holy Spirit continually work to the taming of my unbridled flesh and let me by the same Spirit come to a true mortification of all the evils that rise up in me So shall I deny and forsake my self and follow thee so shall I leave my self and come to thee hate my self and love thee conquer my self and serve thee And here thou â—eest O my dear Father that I am most weak and without the continual working of thy grace I cannot in any measure suppress my desires but that they rather the more strongly rise in me I cannot deny my self but I rather deny the working of thy grace in me I do not only not mortifie my sins but sin rather reviveth and becometh strong in me in as much as it bringth forth fruit not unto life but unto death therefore I beseech thee O heavenly Father to sanctifie me that I defile not my self with the filthiness of the flesh nor fleshly things howsoever they may seem to please me let me not be deceived with the pleasing judgments of worldly men who affirm sin to be no sin darkness to be light and light to be darkness Atheism to be Religion and sanctity to be sin O dear Father many are the Enormities that rise up in us and defended not only as things tolerable but as things laudable wherefore I beseech thee to mortifie these evils and let me no longer be sotted with the filthy fashions of this world extinguish the flames of carnal desires repress the rageing lusts of the flesh and grant that I may with shame and with due watchfulness avoid all things that have but the appearance of evil but being thus inwardly subdued I may make outward profession that whatsoever I do it may be simply grounded upon a good conscience and let me still retain this in memory O Lord that I cannot follow mine own will and thy word that I cannot impart my affections to the deed of the flesh and the works of the Spirit that I cannot walk in darkness and light in the way of death and in the way of life wherefore O most dear Father direct me in my whole life and separate me from the World and worldly things and let me dwell with thee in all Godly meditations and contemplations and let me use the things of this world as I used them not and being thus truly mortified in the body and quickned in the spirit I may look in continual watchfulness for the dissolution of this my mortal body that my soul may ascend and in the end both soul and body may for ever more enjoy the eternal joys of Heaven Amen A Prayer against desperation O Most merciful GOD greatly have I sinned and alas am guilty of many crimes therefore unto thee do I cry O most holy Father and eternal God keep me in thy Name that in Temptations and extremities I never faint in courage Moderate and mitigate my vexations let them come to a joyful end that I fall not into the most heinous sin of incredulity and despair O Christ
this frail body of mine must tend it self the Image of that which is to the faithful the end of pain and the begining of pleasure the end of misery and the beginning of bliss but to the secure and careless the end of their pleasures and beginning of eternal pains And vouchsafe good LORD that I may have an earnest desire of serving thee and leading my life according unto thy will that whensoever it shall please thee to call me out of this life I be not through fear stricken with doubt of condemnation but even at the last gasp through unfeigned Faith in Jesus Christ may take and have taste of eternal Salvation that death be not bitter or terrible unto me but rather when it cometh I with joy receive the same in the Name of thy Son JESUS Christ Bless me good Lord from the second death the everlasting destruction both of body and soul and justifie me in the death of thy Son that my Name may be registred in the Book of Life O Lord comfort my guilty conscience with the everlasting light of thy bountiful savour and let me have place among thy Saints in thy Heavenly Kingdom LORD for thy mercies sake after this my bodily death give me the fruition of thy presence in the rich Palace of endless bliss to whose merciful Protection I commend with all humility and reverence my soul and body Lord Jesus preserve me Lord Jesus comfort me Lord Jesus pray for me for only into thy hands that hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth I commend my soul both now and for ever Amen A Prayer for a happy departure out of this life O Most gracious and eternal GOD thy years endure throughout all generations and thy days are without end or beginning but the days of Man are determined which he cannot overpass and the number of his Months are foreknown unto thee wherefore instruct me O LORD that being always mindful of my mortality I never promise unto my self many years nor long life in this pilgrimage of mine so shall I not live securely deferring my conversion to thee from day to day nor yet put confidence in this frail and uncertain life as that rich man spoken of in the Gospel but give me grace that in thy fear I may dayly prepare my self to depart out of this prison for nothing is more certain than death though nothing more uncertain than the hour thereof therefore I beseech thee O Lord to let me have always before mine eyes an image and mediation of my departure the better to know the fleeting and vanity of this srail and cumbersome life that I may live to thee my God being sound in faith and strong in hope looking with cheerfulness for the day of my departure and the joyful appearing of thy Son Jesus Christ my Redeemer and make me I beseech thee O LORD a faithful and wise servant looking for the coming of my Lord for that I know not when he will come lest by a sudden hour of death being overtook I being found unready but contrariwise by prudent watching in true conversion and repentance I may covet to be dissolved and to be with CHRIST my Redeemer and grant also O LORD that at the point of death having escaped all hardness and temptations I may triumph like a Conquereor and behold the power and presence of thy holy Spirit and let my last word be that which thy Son did utter upon the Altar of the Cross saying Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and when my speech is taken from me hear O God the groanings of my heart and the hour of death being come let thy servant depart in peace through JESUS Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom be all praise and glory for ever and ever Amen A Petition to GOD the Father O Omnipotent GOD and Father I have asked here at this time many things of thee and yet not deserved any I confess alas that not only those things which I require be not due unto me but in stead of them most grievous punishments yet O LORD lay not my sins to my charge for if thou shouldest I were not able to abide or stand in thy sight but O LORD I most humbly beseech thee that thou wilt forgive me all that is past and grant that I may never hereafter offend in the same again and vouchsafe I beseech thee of thy goodness O Lord to direct sanctifie and keep my heart and body my senses and doings my talk and communication in thy most holy Laws and Commandments and that thy holy Angel may be with me to direct my feet unto the way of peace truth and health that I may be whole safe and free in thee and by thee both here and in the world to come O Christ hear me and save me which livest and reignest with the Father and the holy Spirit God in perfect unity to whom be praise for ever world without end Amen An Evening Prayer O Heavenly Father I with all humility and reverence of heart and mind beseech thee this night which thou hast ordained for man to rest in that thou wilt guard and protect me with thy good guiding Spirit and albeit my sinful flesh shall slumber and sleep yet grant that my soul may continually keep watch and ward let not the enemy find me slumbering and sleeping as careless in the cradle of sinful security lest that whilst I am unarmed that is naked and destitute of thy help and favour he enter in and break up the house of my sinful body and make such havock and spoil and that my infected leprous soul deformed by means of mine iniquity and wounded with the dangerous darts of transgression be thrown with the body of sin unto the lake of destruction make me still O good Lord to consider that the bed is the plain pattern of the grave make me to understand that when I am laid of my self without thy Heavenly Providence I cannot be able to rise again make me also to acknowledge that sleep is the very Figure of death to whose stroke at thy appointed pleasure I must submit my self endue me with love and charity to all men let my lamp O Lord be garnished with oyl that whensoever thy messenger death shall draw nigh and knock at the gate of my body I may at his summons in the day of the Resurrection of the dead be ready to attend on thee my Bride with my burning lamp that is with a stedfast faith when as by Faith I shall be cloathed with a new for my mortal body shall be then covered with immortality and the corruption of my sinful and rebellious flesh then changed to incorruption and perfect purity thy righteousness shall be mine thy merits shall make me perfect and holy by vertue whereof hell shall lose his victory death shall lose his sting my faith and hope shall have its end and reward and I with thy Saints continually dwell in love and
charity with thee and my Heavenly Bridegroom Christ Jesus to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be ascribed all power and glory for ever and ever Amen Prayers for Thursday Morning O Lord my God and Heavenly Father blessed be thy Name for ever dispose my Heart open my Lips and give me thy Holy Spirit c. A Psalm SAve me O GOD for thy Names sake and avenge me in thy strength Hear my Prayer O God and hearken to the words of my mouth An offering of a free heart will I give thee and praise thy Name O Lord because it is so comfortable I will praise God because of his Word I have put my trust in God and will not fear what flesh can do unto me In Gods word will I rejoyce in the Lords word will I comfort me For thou hast delivered my soul from death and my feet from falling that I might walk before thee in the light of the Living Therefore will I call unto the most High God even unto the God that shall perform the cause which I have in hand He shall send from Heaven and save me from the reproof of him that would eat me up He verily is my strength and my Salvation he is my defence so that I shall not greatly fall For the greatness of his mercy reacheth to the Heavens and his truth unto the Clouds Wherefore my soul thirsteth for him my flesh also longeth after him in a dry and barren land where no water is Thus have I looked for thee in holiness that I might behold thy power and glory For thy loving kindness is better than the life it self my lips shall praise thee My soul shall be satisfied even as it were with marrow and fatness when my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips Because thou hast been mine helper therefore under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce Glory be c. A Morning Prayer O Heavenly Father which like a diligent Watchman attendest always upon thy children whether they wake or sleep and mightily defendest them not only from Satan that old enemy of mankind but also from all other their adversaries so that through thy Godly power they be harmless preserved I most humbly thank thee that it hath pleased thy goodness so to take care of me thy unprofitable servant this night past that thou hast both safely kept me from all mine enemies and hast given me sweet sleep unto the comfort of my body I most entirely beseech thee merciful Father to shew the like goodness towards me this day in preâ—erving my body and Soul that mine enemies may have no power over me and that so likewise I may neither breath â—peak or do any thing that may be displeaâ—ing to thy Fatherly goodness dangerous â—o my soul or hurtful to my neighbour â—ut that all my enterprises may be agreeâ—ble to thy most blessed will which is always good and godly doing that that may always advance thy glory and â—nswer to my vocation that whensoâ—ver Thou shalt call me from this vale of misery I may be found the child not of darkness but of light and so for ever to reign with thee in glory who art the true and everlasting Light to whom with the Son and the Holy Ghost be all power and glory for ever and ever Amen A Prayer for true sorrow of heart for sin O Most merciful God and dear Father vouchsafe I beseech thee to look down with thy fatherly eyes of pity upon me most vile and wretched sinner which lye here prostrate in heart before the feet of thy bottomless mercy for I have sinned against the throne of thy glory and before thee O Father yet nevertheless forasmuch as thou art the God of all comfort and again desirest not the death of a sinner make me I pray thee by infusing thy precious oyl of comfort into my wounds that I may joyfully run with the lost son into the lap of thy pity for loâ— thou art my hope and trust in whom 〈◊〉 repose my self having in thee full confidence in faith yea and I most vile wretch do here accuse my self unto thee O Father in that I have so sore and grievously offended thy Almighty goodness in the committing of so many grievous and manifold offences I have not kept the least of thy most holy Commandments like as thy righteousness may require the same of me but in what manner soever I have offended against thy eternal Majesty whether it hath been by day or by night secretly or openly O merciful GOD I am sorry for it even from the bottom of my heart yea my soul mourneth that I am not a thousand times more sorry than I am and here in token of true repentance I do knock and strike my heart and say in bitterness of my heart and soul Lord GOD the Father have mercy Lord GOD the Son have mercy Lord GOD the Holy Ghost have mercy and spare me of thy infinite goodness now and for ever and let my heart have part of thy abundant grace so as I may change my sinful life and put off the old man with all concupiscence and that I may die unto the world and the world to me give my soul grace O my GOD to desire in thee only to rejoyce and repose my self and that I may utterly renounce and forsake the vain assistance of this World so that thou mayst find me ready with the good servant in the midnight of death which shall suddenly steal upon me like a thief ere I be aware wherefore be thou to me at that time O Lord a tower of strength a place of refuge and a defensible GOD namely against the face of the Devil who then will be ready to devour me and against desperation which then will be ready to grieve me let then thy comfort cleave fast to me thy mercy keep me and thy grace guide me fetch then again Lord GOD the Father that which thy puissant might hath shapen fetch then again Lord GOD the Son that which thou hast so wisely governed and bought with thy precious Blood take again thou Lord GOD the Holy Ghost that which thou hast kept and preserved so lovingly in this region of sin and vale of misery three persons and one GOD to whom be all glory and power for ever Amen A Prayer for Wisdom O Almighty and everlasting GOD it is thy gift that babes and men of base degree have the knowledge and understanding of thy will and men of profound learning deep study and worldly appearance often want the same It is thou which expellest darkness and givest light which takest away ignorance and plantest knowledge and wisdom denying the same to none that unfeignedly ask it at thy hands without the which nothing can be obtained which good is nor nothing avoided with the evil and that did Solomon very well consider who had a promise at thy hands that whatsoever he asked he should obtain vouchsafe therefore O Lord to send it
provided for me all things necessary for which thine inestimable love I cannot sufficiently praise thee O Lord forgive mine offences which this day 〈◊〉 have committed and done against thy Almighty Majesty pardon them O God for Jesus Christ his sake and vouchsafe me thy grace to amend my life and to return â—nfeignedly to the serving of thee And â—orasmuch as I cannot continue without â—hy continual protection vouchsafe to exâ—end the same unto me thy wretched creaâ—ure this night that I may quietly take my rest which thou hast appointed for â—he refreshing of my wearied and weak â—ody And further I beseech thee O Lord to guard and defend me that nothing hurt me keep me also good Lord from sudden and unprovided death and preserve me by the watch of thy holy Angel that I may take my rest this night in thee until the morning and then give my self to the fulfilling of my duty and the discharge of my vocation and the doing of thy will unto my lives end for which thy favour I humbly beseech thee and for all things else necessary for me and for all other whom thou hast commanded us to pray for and namely for all such as are in any kind of affliction in body or mind for the testimony of thy truth that thou wilt strengthen them and thy whole Church in pure Religion and here O Lord I beseech thee to embrace me with the arms of thy mercy vouchsafe to receive me into the bosom of thy love shadow me with thy wings that I may safely take my rest in thee this night in the Name of thy Son Jesus Christ in whose Name I refer me wholly to thy loving protection beseeching thee that when this life shall end my last sleep being come I may take my everlasting rest with thee in thy eternal Kingdom for the which Kingdom I do heartily beseech thee of thine inestimable goodness both of my self and all other thy dear servants that we may attain the same for the glory of thy holy Name and our endless comfort through the merits of thy dearly beloved Son our Lord and only Saviour Jesus Christ Amen Prayers for Friday Morning O Lord God and heavenly Father blessed be thy Name for ever Dispose my heart open my lips and give me thy holy Spirit c. A Psalm MY soul truly waiteth still upon God for of him cometh my salvation In God is my help and my glory the rock of my might and in God is my trust I called upon him with my mouth and gave him praise with my tongue For thou O Lord God art the thing that I long for thou art my hope even from my youth Through thee have I been holpen up even since I was born thou art he that took me out of my mothers womb my praise shall be always of thee Wherefore praised be God which hath not cast out my prayer nor turned his mercy from me O let my mouth be filled with thy praise that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long Cast me not away in time of age forsake me not when my strength faileth me My mouth shall daily speak of thy righteousness and salvation for I know no end thereof I will go forth in the strength of the Lord God and will make mention of thy righteousness only For thou O God hast taught me from my youth up until now therefore will I tell of thy wondrous works Thy righteousness O God is very high and great things are they that thou hast done O God who is like unto thee O what troubles and adversities hast thou shewed me and yet didst thou turn and refresh me yea broughtest me from the depth of the earth again Therefore will I praise thee and thy faithfulness O God which art the holy One of Israel My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long for there is no end thereof Glory c. A Morning Prayer O Lord the glorious face of the Sun which sheweth it self and casteth its beams over the whole world I take it for an argument and earnest peny of thy good will toward thy children in the number of whom I account my self though chief of sinners and not worthy to loose the latchet of thy shooe for if we enjoy such a benefit in this strange country together with thine enemies then what joyous sights what store of thy goodness shall we reap in our natural country the blisful Land of Canaan where we shall not see this worldly Sun but thee even thee good Lord face to face the Son of thy glory and only Star of Majesty Such joys O Lord shall we have in the beholding of thee as neither the eye hath seen nor ear hath heard nor heart ever conceived such joys I say as pass the reach not only of man but also of Angels to esteem blessed are the door-keepers of this house of joy where thou O Lord the Son of righteousness dost most clearly spread forth the beams of thy divine power Oh how long shall I live in this prison how long shall I journey in this body of sin wherefore O God of comfort and Father of mercy I do not doubt but that as I wander in this field of vanity so thou wilt recal me by the light of thy Gospel to thine house there to dwell and reign for ever Amen An humble Confession to Almighty God O Most mighty God and merciful Father I present my self before thy Majesty defiled with the filthiness of many and most grievous sins whereof I do confess I am not able to answer thee one of a thousand if thou O Lord shouldest enter into judgment with me for in sin was I born and therefore am guilty of original corruption and in sin have I lived and continued and therefore stand guilty of actual transgression which hath broken forth upon me in thought word and deed from time to time continually even unto this present hour wherefore I humbly crave thy mercy and the grace of forgiveness in Jesus Christ for therein I confess O Lord standeth the only hope of my comfort and salvation And forasmuch as it hath pleased thee to give thine own Son to be a slain sacrifie for our sins and to offer the grace of reconciliation by preaching the Gospel to all them that repent and believe the same good Lord I beseech thee vouchsafe to make me of that blessed number work true repentance in my heart increase my faith and give me grace to bring forth the fruits thereof that so it may appear that I have not received thy grace in vain and for this purpose good Lord I beseech thee bless the Ministers of thy Word and give them grace to speak it as it ought to be spoken and give thy people grace to hear it attentively to believe it stedfastly and to follow it obediently that so serving thee faithfully in this life we may live and reign with thee for ever in the life to
shall this snake of conscience sting me to death What good Lord is the stream of thy mercy stopped are the rivers of thy grace dryed up dost thou not call me saying Come unto me Yea good Lord and therefore despair I will not it is not thy will that any sinner should perish and thou hast not only said but sworn it that thou wilt not the death of a sinner but rather his conversion and life Behold therefore dear Father I come unto thee being a grievous offender in hope of pardon in the Name of thy Son who by his own testimony came into this world to save sinners he was content to blot out that obligation which Satan had against me by the floud of his most precious blood which issued out of his glorious side In this pool he hath washed away the leprosie of sin were it never so desperate O Lord and gracious God I have wasted my days in vanity I have from time to time trodden under my feet the pearls of Christian profession even from the womb have I been a rebellious traitor to thy Majesty a friend to this world to godliness an enemy But now O Lord I cry unto thee forgive me forgive me Now I come unto thee therefore cover me with the wings of thy mercy that I perish not good Lord accept thy Sons merits for a satisfaction for my sins drown them in the stream of thy mercy and cast them behind thee for ever good Lord I beseech thee Oh sweet Lord look upon me with thy most precious and piteous eye lest that be destroyed which thou of thy great goodness hast made and Christ thy Son of inestimable love and infinite charity hath redeemed through his bitter passion This is the total sum unto thee of all my suit O Lord mercy mercy O Father of mercy mercy is the thing that I beg have mercy and pity upon me be thou my shepherd to defend me my Castle of defence to save me against the power of the Devil thou hast store of mercy for them that ask it Therefore O Lord for the wounds of thy dear Son have mercy upon me let not sin sting me to death but lay to my fore soul the salve of thy mercy grant this O dear Father of thy merciful compassion to whom be all glory for ever and for ever world without end Amen A fruitful Prayer to God the Father O Lord my God wherein is my hope fixed in this life or what is my greatest comfort of all things that are any where under the cope of heaven but only thou my Lord and God whose mercy is infinite when was it with me well if thou wert absent or ill if thou wert present doubtless I would rather chuse to be poor for thee than rich without thee and rather to be with thee a pilgrim on earth than without thee to possess Heaven where thou art there is joy and peace of conscience where thou art not there is woe and destruction thou alone art the thing I desire and there is none can assist me in my troubles but thou alone O God thou art my hope thou art my confidence thou art my comforter in all things most faithfully all men seek their own but thou desirest nought but my welfare and turnest all things for me to good therefore in thee my Lord and God I place all my confidence on thee I do lay all my calamities and troubles for without thee whatsoever I behold is as frail and transitory For neither can friends profit nor strong men help nor wise men counsel well nor learned books comfort nor riches save nor secret place hide unless thou be present to help strengthen comfort instruct and keep for whatsoever seems to belong to the attainment of peace and felicity without thee is nothing and bringeth indeed no felicity at all so that thou art the chiefest end and perfection of life and that in thee to trust above all things is the chiefest comfort of thy servant O my God and Father of mercy bless make my soul holy with celestial happiness that it may be thy sacred habitation and temple purged from all filthiness O Lord according to the greatness of thy mercy look upon me and hear the supplications of thy poor servant living far off a banished man in a savage country Protect and keep the soul of thy servant among so many dangers of this mortal life and bring me by the conduction of thy savour into the country of eternal glory through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom be all honour power and glory for ever and ever Amen Prayers for Friday Night O Lord my God and Father blessed be thy Name for ever Dispose my heart open my lips and give c. A Psalm WIth my whole heart have I sought thee O let me not go wrong out of thy commandments Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me O give me the comfort of thy help again and stablish me with thy free Spirit Stablish thy word in thy servant that I may fear thee and turn away mine eyes lest they behold vanity and quicken thou me in thy way So shall I always keep thy law yea for ever and ever Yea at midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments O let thy merciful kindness be my comfort according to thy word unto thy servant And let thy loving mercies come unto me that I may live for thy law is my delight My soul hath longed for thy salvation and I have a good hope because of thy word O how sweet are thy words unto my throat yea sweeter than honey unto my mouth Through thy commandments I get understanding therefore I hate all wicked ways Order my steps in thy word so shall no wickedness have dominion over me O let my soul live and it shall praise thee and thy judgments shall help me I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost O seek thy servant that I do not forget thy commandments Glory be to the Father c. A Prayer for the suppressing of corrupt affections O My God and most loving Father I do acknowledge that I have most highly offended thy sacred Majesty by my gross and most filthy life and have provoked thee to anger by my abominable wickedness wherefore O Lord be merciful unto me and pardon me this great wickedness look not upon me good Father with the eyes of Justice neither do thou draw against me the sword of Judgment for then how shall I that am but dust and ashes stand in thy sight when thy wrathful indignation cometh forth as a whirlwind and thy heavy displeasure as a mighty tempest seeing the earth trembleth the depths are discovered and the very Heavens are shaken when thou art angry Exercise not therefore good Lord thy fury against me that am but as chaff before
even so truly through faith we perceive in the body and blood Sacramentally presented the very taste of eternal life For the worthy receiving of this Sacrament these four things are very considerable 1. Preparation or Examination 2. Faith 3. Repentance 4. Thanksgiving 1. Preparation consisteth in self-examination and in an act of the soul reflecting upon it self in a general survey of our spiritual state in grace comparing our present condition which we find in our selves with the word of God by which will quickly appear what good we should have done and the evil we should not have done S. Paul's admonition is that before the receiving of this holy Sacrament there should be a strict examination Let a man examine himself and so let him eat and drink of this Cup. 1 Cor. 11. For he that drinketh unworthily drinketh his own damnation Therefore certainly great is the danger to us if premeditation precedes not this great undertaking Thus saith the Lord Consider your ways Hag. 1. 5. Consider well what you go about for this duty is no perfunctory imployment no exercise by the bye but such a work as ought to be done exactly seriously with deep meditation and study recollecting in privacy and calling to question all thy actions past the omission of good duties and the doing of evil sweeping as it were all the corners of thy heart and view thy self in the glass of God's Law by which quickly will appear thy great and many sins of all kinds whatsoever as want of love and fear of God abusing his mercies and blessings neglect of works of charity piety and justice offending thy God by blaspheming cursing and customary passion Intemperance by gluttony and drunkenness lust and uncharitable desires hatred malice back-biting and all manner of evil imaginations these are they that defile thy soul and except we do as the Prophet commands us Isaia 1. 16. Wash us make us clean put away the evil of our doings before the Lord's eyes and cease to do evil we shall at the last be rewarded with them that had not on the wedding garment Therefore laying aside all carnal security and self-dissimulation Commune with thy self and be still Psal 4. Search thy soul enquire of thy conscience and rip up thy bosome sins and confess them to the Lord in deep sorrow and contrition of heart imploring his mercy stedfastly purposing by his blessed assistance to lead a new life Accuse thy self and say with the Prodigal in the Gospel Good Father I have sinned I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies it is thy mercy I am not consumed And with Mary Magdalene cast thy self down at the feet of Jesus and wash them with tears in tokens of thy sorrow and signs of thy love and be truly sorrowful for so often offending so precious so merciful a God as our God the greatness of whose love can't be measured whose mercy hath no bounds Therefore O my soul contemplate of the great goodness of our good God which hath this day sent salvation to thy soul and calleth thee to this great feast to be partaker of the precious body and blood of Jesus Christ being prepared by humble repentance to receive in faith and joy thy blessed Redeemer giving thanks always to God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ whose mercy is everlasting whose truth endureth from generation to generation 2. Faith which is a certain knowledge with an assured confidence kindled in our heart by the Holy Ghost being assuredly resolved that the free remission of all our sins everlasting righteousness and life eternal is given unto us through the mercies and goodness of Almighty God for the alone merits of Jesus Christ For by Grace are ye saved through Faith and not of your selves it is the gift of God Ephes 2. 8. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Jesus Christ Rom. 13. 24. For as by one man's disobedience all were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Rom. 5. 3. Repentance which is a godly sorrow for sin wrought in the heart by the supernatural grace of the Holy Ghost turning from all our evil ways unto God is meekness and humility of spirit Circumcise therefore the fore-skin of your hearts and be no more stiff-necked Deut. 10. 16. Wash thy heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee Jer. 4. 14. Return ye now every one from his evil ways and make your doings good Jer. 18. 11. Let us search and try our ways and turn again unto the Lord Lam. 3. 4. Return again unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine own iniquities Hos 14. 1. Draw nigh to God clanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double-minded Jam. 4. 8. 4. Thanksgiving praising God the Lord for all his benefits and mercies especially for sending his only Son Jesus Christ to die for the remission of all our sins and always to be mindful of the greatness of his goodness and the unworthiness of our deserts Worthy is the Lamb that was stain to receive power riches wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing Rev. 5. 12. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will sing praises unto my God while I have a being Psal 104. Accept I beseech thee the free-will-offering of my mouth O Lord Psal 11. Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his Name Heb. 13. 15. An humble confession before the Sacrament O Most mighty God and merciful Father which according to the multitude of thy mercies dost put away the sins of those which truly repent and remembrest them no more open O Lord I beseech thee the eyes of thy mercy upon me thy most unworthy servant who in heart earnestly desireth pardon and forgiveness of all my sins and offences the number of which exceeds the ordinary expectation of mercy and such they are as cannot bear any conformity with excuse the total sum whereof is the breach of all thy Commandments both in thought word and deed thy blessings and benefits I have abused thy judgments and punishments not feared the means of my own salvation utterly neglected and most grievously by my wickedness have I provoked thy wrath and indignation against me my life that was appointed for the service of thee the living God hath been for the most part spent in the service of the Devil in the desires and sinful lusts of the flesh my doings have been evil my desires and thoughts wicked and so detestable hath the whole course of my life been that my soul trembleth to look up to Heaven for fear of thy displeasure shouldest thou therefore O Lord be extream to mark what is done amiss and take vengeance for my sins I were as dust before the face of the wind and in justice might be swept away
into the place of everlasting torment But O Lord with thee there is mercy that thou mightest be feared thou art a God of all comfort and consolation a merciful loving and gracious Father ready and willing to hear all penitent sinners that in heart are sorrowful for their sins In the Name therefore of Jesus Christ my blessed Redeemer I humbly prostrate my self before the Throne of thy Mercy seat accompanied with no other hope than such as proceeds from the richness of thy mercy that for his only sake thou wilt have compassion upon me for in humility of spirit and contrition of heart I submit my self to thy goodness beseeching thee not to let my sins be a cloud between my Prayer and thy pity thy goodness and my distress but forgive and forget all my transgressions all my mis-doings let them be sins of what condition soever whether sins of my youth or sins of my age sins of my body or sins of my soul secret and open sins notorious and presumptuous sins sins of pride envy hatred malice c. Good Lord remit them all and of thy great goodness grant me perfect remission and absolution for the same for which the Prophet David Out of the depth of my misery I cry unto thee for the depth of thy mercy O Lord hear my petitions and consider my tears the contrition of my heart and the sorrow of my soul and in the merits of his blood that was so plentifully shed on the Cross for penitent sinners wash away the multitude of my transgressions that my soul by thy mercy being cleansed from the stain of sin I may be found a worthy partaker of this great mystery And now O Lord that I am about to receive the blessed Sacrament of the body and blood of Jesus Christ how shall I that am so great a sinner dust and ashes dare to presume to approach thy Table The Heavens in thy sight being not clear and the pillars of the Earth shake at thy presence What then shall become of me miserable that I am Yea Lord thou hast provided a special means and in thy Gospel left us a command Come unto me all ye c. Which command I obey and in confident assurance of thy promise in Christ Jesus I trust thou wilt have mercy upon me in the easing and refreshing of my soul that is wearied with the burthen of my intolerable sins Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin and renew a right spirit within me And of thy gracious goodness direct me in this great action with a reverend and awful fear of thy Majesty that all the faculties of my soul and body may be intent rightly to apprehend and joyfully to receive this eternal food this bread of life this heavenly and wonderful mystery and that by thy grace I may obtain the vertue fruit and benefits of the death and passion of my Saviour and by the same the remission of all my sins and everlasting salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer before the receiving of the Communion O Most holy and heavenly God and Father which by the immortal seed of thy Word hast begotten us to be thy children and with the same as with milk dost nourish us purely as new born babes as also with the divine mysteries of thy holy Sacraments as by a visible word dost confirm and strengthen us in faith righteousness and having so adopted us into thy family continually feedest and nourishest us unto eternal life we humbly beseech thee so to prepare our souls to the due receiving thereof worthily that we may thereby effectually feel taste and feed on thy Son Jesus Christ the true Manna and Bread that came down from Heaven that we may by him have eternal life pardon O Lord pardon our unpreparedness in coming to the participation of so holy and divine Mysteries Make thy Word and Sacraments always so powerful and effectual in our ears and hearts that we may thereby be sanctified and renewed unto all holy obedience unto thy will in the mortification of our sinful corruptions and renewing of thy perfect Image in us unto holiness righteousness sobriety truth knowledge faith and temperance through his most power ful and glorious Resurrection Stablish our Conscience in the assurance of our salvation by the remission of our sins in the blood of thy Son which was shed for us on the Altar of the Cross as a Sacrifice of expiation to cleanse away all sin O Lord seal and confirm this Covenant of Grace in our hearts by these holy Sacraments pledges of thy grace and love towards us that at no time we may stagger at thy promises nor fall away from hope and confidence in thee but being hereby incorporated into one Body we may partake of one Spirit and grow in love one towards another as members of the same mystical Body that we may forgive one another as thou hast forgiven us O Lord make us ever thankful for thy manifold and great mercies in providing unto us such means and helps of our salvation and grant that we may not put any confidence in external actions and exercises thereof in any hope to be justified thereby but that we may thereby exalt our minds to heavenly and spiritual contemplations and by faith be firmly united to thee our Head in Heaven to be made one with thee and thou with us and howsoever heretofore we have transgressed and defiled our selves as well with our natural impurities and actual impieties henceforth being now wash'd and purified in the blood of the Lamb which was sacrificed for us we may have our conversation in Heaven and being new creatures in Christ may have new thoughts desires and delights far from the lusts of our former ignorance and may live ever unto him and with him who sitteth at thy right hand our Redeemer and Advocate and shall return to be our Judge to justifie and acquit us before thee to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all praise c. A Psalm 1. AS the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God 2. O let thy merciful kindness be my comfort according to thy Word unto thy Servant 3. Help me O God of my salvation for the glory of thy Name O deliver me and be merciful unto my sin for thy Name 's sake 4. O remember not my old sins but have mercy upon me and that soon for I am come to great misery 5. Consider and hear me O Lord my God for my trust is in thy mercy 6. Turn thy face from my sins and put out all my mis-deeds 7. Have mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away my offences 8. Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin For I acknowledge my faults and my sin is ever before me 10. Behold I was shapen in wickedness and in sin hath my mother conceived me
as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin Eph. 5. 1 2. Be ye therefore followers of God as dear Children and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5. Ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord. See then ye walk circumspectly redeeming time because the daies are evill Jude 25. To the only wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power both now and ever Amen Prayers for the Sick REmember not Lord our offences nor the offences of our Forefathers neither take thou vengeance of our sins but spare us good Lord spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood and be not angry with us for ever Spare us good Lord. O Lord I beseech thee favourably to hear the prayers of thy servant that I which am rightly punished for my offences may by thy goodness be mercifully delivered for the glory of thy Name through Jesus Christ who liveth and reigneth world without end Amen ALmighty and everlasting God in whose hand consists the life of all mankind which correctest those whom thou receivest mercifully I beseech thee to hear my complaint and despise not the prayer that I make now in the time of my trouble in the vexation of my spirit and the anguish of my soul I remember thee and cry unto thee for mercy O thou that hast created and made me of nothing and redeemed me from the bondage of sin death and everlasting destruction by the most precious blood of Jesus Christ shed upon the Cross for the ransom of all my sins Have mercy upon me O Lord have mercy upon me bow down thine ear unto my cry and cast me not away in thine anger though for my wickedness I have deserved thy wrath and heavy displeasure against me And now for my transgressions in thy indignation thou hast stricken me with grievous sickness and I begin to fall as leaves beaten with a vehement wind yet are thy punishments less than my deservings But of thy mercy and goodness O Lord correct me not to death but to amendment of life for thine own sake for thy holy Names sake for Christ Jesus sake be merciful unto my sin for it is very great and there is no rest in my bones by reason of my transgression Spare thy Servant O God which confesseth his sins pour thy sanctifying Grace into my heart and work thereby true and immediate repentance and restore me again to thy favour according to thy gracious promise in Jesus Christ Let thy merciful providence so govern all this sickness that I never fall into utter dakness ignorance of thee or inconsideration of my self let the faintness of my spirit and the condemnation of my self be overcome with thy irresistable light thou God of all consolation grant that I may be mindful of the great account that I have to make at the day of Judgment and that I may bear in mind the image of that which is to be faithful the end of misery and the beginning of all happiness but to the secure and careless the beginning of eternal pain Strengthen my faith accept my repentant tears speak peace to my soul and conscience and say thou art my salvation My grace is sufficient for thee then shall my heart rejoyce and my soul shall be right glad desiring to be dissolved and be at peace that after this my bodily death I may enjoy the eternal fruition of thy heavenly presence Let me not O Father in this my trial be stricken with fear of condemnation or distrust thy promises but in sure confidence of heart apply to my self the remission of my sins that at the last gasp by faith in Jesus Christ I may have a taste of eternal salvation let not death if thou please to send it be terrible or bitter unto me but when it cometh I may with joy receive the same and having escaped the hardness of temptation and the peril of Satan I may triumph like a Conqueror and behold the power and presence of thy holy spirit let my last words be those which thy Son did utter upon the Cross saying Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and when my speech is taken from me hear the groanings of my heart and the desire of my soul that thy servant may depart in peace through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom be all Praise Power Might Majesty and Dominion now and for ever Amen The Sick saith Job 14. 1. MAn that is born of a Woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misery he cometh up and is cut down like a flower He fleeth as it were a shadow and never continueth in one state In midst of life we are dying of whom shall we seek for succour and comfort but of thee O Lord God our Maker A Psalm 1. IN thee O Lord have I trusted let me never be confounded but rid me and deliver me in thy righteousness incline thine ear to me and save me 2. O Lord rebuke me not in thine indignation neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure 3. Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord â—eal me for my bones are vexed 4. Turn thee O Lord and deliver my soul O save me for thy mercies sake for in death no man remembreth thee and who shall give thee thanks in the pit 5. Consider and hear me O Lord my God lighten mine eyes that I sleep not in death shew me thy marvellous loving kindness thou art the Saviour of them that put their trust in thee 6. Thou hast been my succour leave me not neither forsake me O God of my salvation look upon my affliction and pain and forgive all my sins 7. O remember not my old sins but have mercy upon me and that soon for I am come to great misery 8. Preserve thou my soul therefore O my God and save thy servant that putteth his trust in thee 9. O comfort the soul of thy servant for unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul 10. O turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me give thy strength unto thy servant and help the son of thy handmaid 11. Shew some good token upon me for good that they which hate me may see it and be ashamed because thou Lord hast holpen me and comforted me 12. O satisfie me with thy mercy and that soon so shall I rejoyce and be glad all the days of my life 13. I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the day long I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joynt my heart is like wax it melteth in the midst of my bowels 14. Help me O God of my salvation for the glory of thy Name O deliver me and be merciful unto my sin for