not the flouds of these dangerous waters ouer-flow mée quite but when I am ready to sinke yéelde mée thy helping hand and saue me lift me out of the mire and clay of all my miseries and set mée on the relieuing pastures of thy continuall frée fauours let the chearefull dewe of thy blessings and blessed graces showre downe vpon me so shall my little store increase and my empty basket become full And forasmuch as I haue no frée portion in this earth not the breadth of a foote neither haue I of mine owne a house to hide my head in put mée therefore where thou wilt and let mine abode in earth be in what place and how long of short time thou wilt for of my selfe whither to turne mée or what to doe I know not Be thou therefore my guide and direct all my desires of earthly things by thy Word and let my will alwayes follow thy will lest my will led by the blinde affections of corrupt reason bring me mine owne preiudice and shame Thou euermore prouidest for them that aske of thée directest them that take counsell of thée therfore hauing thus weakly laid open my cause before thée consider it and giue me patience in all my trials and let me not so much mourne and hang down my head and be heauy for the want of outward necessaries as at the consideration and looking backe into the vgly gulfe of my former continuing sinnes Oh frée me Lord frée mée from my sinnes and sanctifie me anew that howsoeuer the outward man séeme to be discouraged yet the inward man may be still more and more filled with all spirituall knowledge and consolation and true contentment Thou hearest my reproofes thou knowest my sorrowes and my groanes are not hid from thée put my teares few and weake into thy bottle Remember thy promises and I shall neuer forget thy praises Oh faile me not forsake mée not my God and my Redéemer O Lord increase my Faith A Thankesgiuing and Prayer to be vsed of a sicke man when he is recouered oftentimes I Yéelde and giue vnto thée O mercifull and most deare Father all humble thankes honour glory and praise for thine infinite and excéeding great blessings hauing no way merited the least of them and namely for that it hath pleased thée of late to deliuer mée from the very point of death and as it were raised my féeble body from the graue and redéemed my soule from death that I should walke before thée in the land of the liuing that I might further glorifie thy name doe more good in my calling and be made méete for the inheritance of thy Kingdome This worke O Lord procéeded from thy mercy and no desert at all of mine and for thy grace and not of any goodnesse in mée not vnto mée not vnto mée but vnto thy blessed name be giuen all glory But séeing that I through my sinfull corruption am more ready to bury in the graue of obliuion then to kéepe in thankfull remembrance thy great mercy yea and rather to grow cold backward in all holy exercises and duties then to holinesse of life I therefore beséech thée with all earnestnesse to renew my nature and to ingraue the remembrance of this thy goodnesse in my heart by the illumination of thy holy Spirit and grant that for the residue of my temporall life I may in humility and truth be directed by thy most sacred Word and alwayes submit my selfe to the gouernment of thy blessed Spirit Make me good Father a light and example of vertue and godlinesse vnto others and to grow in grace as I increase in yéeres that so I may liue in thy feare and dye in true peace of conscience and assurance of eternall glory with all the Saints and Angels in heauen vouchsafe O my heauenly Father to grant me all other things conuenient for mée in this life for the onely merits obedience and mediation of Jesus Christ our Mediatour and Redéemer Amen In time of affliction pray thus yea often The Lord shall make the Pestilence cleaue vnto thee vntill hee hath consumed thee the Lord shall smite thee with a consumption and with the feuer and with a burning ague c. vntill thou repent Deut. 28. 21. O Lord most iust and Father most mercifull thou it is that renewest thy plagues against man when hée offendeth thée thy vengeance from heauen is both sudden and fearefull toward the rebellious and disobedient children thou for one sinne in King Dauid destroyedst with the loathsome disease of the Pestilence many thousands of his people cast thine eyes of mercy vpon vs O thou preseruer of men which languish now in this land and in this house with the like disease and sicknes Now deare God hath not Dauid onely offended thée in trusting to his strength and numbring of his people but euen each congregation and euery houshold hath one way or other prouoked thee to plague thy disobedient people now that wée sée thy plagues appearing to the piercing and piercing of our bodies and soules asunder Lord wee stand amazed in our mindes heartily sighing with groanes at the sight of our sinnes Now wee consider wée haue sinned grieuously wee haue done amisse wee haue dealt wickedly we haue liued vngodly we haue iwerued from the way of truth without any godly feare or remorse of conscience thy great benefit of peace and rare blessing of long prosperity vnder so good and gracious a Gouernour haue brought too too many of vs to such security and contempt of Religion that altogether forgetting to be thankefull wée haue abused thy benefits as fast as they came that with a churlish kinde of impiety the thoughts of our harts the words of our mouths and the workes of our hands are vaine carnall and diuellish yea our seruice to thee oftentimes but meere abomination so farre alas haue we erred from the path of thy Commandements As thou didst finde with the Israelites wickednesse in Gilgal sinne in Bethel and iniquity in Bâ—rsheba so in euery Church in euery Court nay in euery concourse or assembly amongst vs thou beholdest how the flesh hath ouer-growne the spirit and how reason is ouer-ruled with affections so many labour in these dayes vnder the displayed Ensigne of Sathan that very few deare Father are found setled in the dutifull forme of vpright and spirituall Obedience which thou requirest Wée confesse thou mightest iustly therefore forsake vs as we haue forsaken thée and not onely procéede to sting the head-Cities and whole body of this Land with sundry plagues and grieuous diseases but for our manifold sinnes and iniquities which we daily commit thou mightest iustly and worthily condemne vs man after man to eternall death all consciences being so guilty that they already condemne themselues Yet who is hée O mercifull Lord that can measure thy goodnesse who by thy word doest oftentimes bring sinners to beliefe repentance and saluation though it be not thy pleasure good Lord to make the
let him come to this holy Table let him eate the Bread and drinke the Bloud of that Lambe that taketh away his sinnes and will present him pure vnto the Lord. The Lords eye is pure and can abide no wickednesse The Sacrament is holy touch it not rashly If thou haue not on the wedding Garment of sincerity come not the Lord will finde thee out and thrust thee forth of his presence among the vnbeleeuers whose portion shall be with the Diuell and his Angels Let vs therefore search and examine our wayes let vs lift vp our hands with our hearts vnto God in the Heauens and feede on this holy mysterie the life of our soules in remembrance of Christs death vntill his second comming O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer to be said at the receiuing of the holy Communion OH most gracious Lord God mercifull and louing Father in Jesus Christ my Redéemer in whom thou art also my Father by Adoption in and by thy Sonne my soule O Lord which was lost in Adam bought and redéemed by the Death and Passion of Jesus Christ doth earnestly long and entirely desire to be more and more assured that I am fully and really vnited vnto thée againe in him and therefore I doe hunger and thirst to partake of those meanes whereby that sweete and precious vnion may be confirmed in mée Increase my knowledge more and more of thy sauing truth reuealed vnto vs in thy word and increase my faith to beléeue what thou hast taught for our saluation let me take perfect and assured hold of my regeneration wrought in me by Baptisme the seale of thy promise set vpon mée when I knew not thy Law wherein as I promised to forsake sinne and cleaue vnto righteousnesse so Lord let the operation of thy holy Spirit then promised worke in my soule a true detestation of the workes of darknesse and loue vnfained to thy celestiall and diuine light And for that thou in Christ hast left vnto vs a second seale of thy loue and our adoption the Sacrament of the body and bloud of that immaculate Lambe who for a remembrance of his death our frée adoption by him instituted the same at his last supper with his Disciples and commanded thy Saints dispersed through the world through all generations to this day and for euer to the end of the world to communicate of this holy Sacrament in commemoration of that high and most preuailing sacrifice the offering of thy Son vpon the Crosse for our redemption and attonement with thée And therefore most louing Father I come in the name of him thy Son not of my selfe presuming but in all humblenes through his merits vnto this holy Table to partake with the rest of thy Saints by adoption here at this time gathered together of this holy and heauenly banquet humbly begging at thy hands for his sake that it may please thée to prepare my heart which of it selfe is not onely dull but prophane teach me being of my selfe not onely ignorant of this sacred mystery but too much knowing sinne Sanctifie me by thy holy Spirit who of my selfe am not onely corrupt but wholly prone to euill euermore consequently vnworthy to eat at this holy Table to partake of thy loue so vnspeakable Oh forgiue me Father in thy Christ here represented vnto vs ingraft in me a liuely assurance that my sinnes are done away by his bloud giue me faith to beléeue in him who by faith is made ours and we in him thine by adoption elected euen of thy frée mercy and made heires with Christ Jesus of eternall glory whereof this holy mystery is the most assured pledge Oh make me a worthy partaker of so precious a benefit And for that sinners Lord are not admitted to this sacred banquet of sauing foode where shall I appeare whose sinnes drew downe from heauen him whom thou most dearely louedst and betraid him to the Crosse how then shall I presume to appeare in this holy assembly appointed for thy Saints onely a Table of sanctitie whereof none partake but such as are frée from sinne Who then Lord dare presume to eate of this bread or to drinke of this Cup onely those whom thou hast called who though sinners by nature yet are they thy children by grace and so their sinnes are not imputed vnto them for whom Christ by his death hath satisfied apprehended by faith shewed forth in newnesse of life and wrought in vs by his righteousnesse in whose name accept me good Father and let the garment of his innocency couer my sinnes and so let me come to this holy Table And as a new man shaped in holinesse and righteousnesse let mée euermore henceforth walk before thée and more delight in thy Commandements then in any or in all worldly things let me by thy power be powerfull ouer Satan let his instigations neuer preuaile in me and let all corrupt affections die in me and let mee wholly die to sinne and liue to righteousnesse and true holinesse And for that I liue among men of diuers dispositions giue me grace to loue all but to couet to conuerse onely with such as are thine as néere as I may to reuenge me of none but to forgiue all wrongs and iniuries and so farre to forget them as I may studie and endeuour to doe good vnto all especially to such as are of the communion of Saints And enlighten mine vnderstanding more and more that I may seé and consider alwayes mine owne weakenesse wants and imperfections that I may so much the more beare with others by how much I cannot but confesie I come farre short of my duty to theé who so offendeth mee most I offend thée much more And therefore good Father frame in my heart loue vnfained true patience and liuely obedience Leaue me not either to the dulnesse peruersenesse or pride of mine owne nature or to mine owne corrupt will make mée little and lowly in mine owne eyes and giue me humblenesse of spirit and indue me with all heauenly vertues that I may rrsemble my first estate of innocency and let my present estate of grace come neere to resemble thy dearest children yea thy selfe who as thou forgauest vs in him that was Lord of all and for vs became as a seruant by his bloud washed away our sins offering his most innocent body a sacrifice for our sinnes whose rent body and spilt bloud being here represented vnto vs by bread and wine I doe most humbly pray theé that wée may be accepted worthy receiuers of his true body and bloud signified thereby and that we may féele euen instantly a renewing of our mindes our hearts to be changed from all corrupt affections and our soules swallowed vp with the due contemplation of this most sacred mystery wherein thou giuest vs not onely thy visible creatures of bread and wine to refresh our weake bodies but thine owne Sonne to saue our soules and bodies Oh who is worthy to open the
thy promise ease my burden giue me quiet and comfortable sléepe and refreshment to my restlesse body and to blesse all those good meanes which shall be prescribed vnto mée that they may tend to my cure and amendment for without thy blessing they are of no force and vertue that I with thy blessed Seruants Iob Lazarus Dauid and others hauing experience of thy might truth and mercy in my reliefe and amendment may with all ioy and loue praise thée truely serue thée and more confidently relye vpon thée all the dayes of my life yea and for the instruction and incouragement of the afflicted publish and declare the infinite and excéeding Power of thy might and compassion Uouchsafe O most gracious Father to incline thine eares to this mine humble Petition and to grant me all other things néedfull and necessary for my soule and body for thy deare Sonne Christ â—esus sake my onely Sauiour and Redéemer to whom with thy Maiesty and thy blessed Spirit thrée persons and one God al-powerfull and sufficient be ascribed and giuen all honour praise and glory now and alwayes Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer to be said at the point of Death O Lord God Almighty I assuring my selfe my time is come my soule waxeth heauy euen vnto death vouchsafe therefore O Lord to cast downe thine eyes vpon mée bedew my heart with the Oyle of thy grace forgiue mée my sinnes confirme my faith shorten my pangs of Death expell Sathan for thine infinite mercy helpe mée in this my last conflict looke vpon Jesus Christ thy Sonne my Sauiour and Redéemer into thy most blessed and gracious hands I commit my soule refuse it not O God but accept me for it is thy owne workemanship and let me depart in thy feare and rise againe in thy mercifull fauour that I may attaine and come to thy eternall and most wished ioyes of heauen for and through the merits of my blessed Sauiour Christ Jesus to whom with thée and the holy Ghost be all glory honour and praise for euermore Amen O Lord increase my Faith and receiue my soule A Confession of sinnes with a very necessary Prayer to be said of poore distressed men Morning and Euening and at all times else as they shall be thereunto moued O Father ful of mercy I yéeld vnto thée all praise and thanks for thy continual most swéet fauors and especiall graces bestowed frankely on me thy vnworthy Creature for Electing me to saluation for Creating me for Redéeming mée for Relieuing mee and for Preseruing me euermore Great is thy loue in Christ my Sauiour infinite thy Power vnspeakeable thy Mercies Relieue me alwayes and direct nice in all things let thy will be a Law vnto my will that my corrupt affections draw me not to consent againe to the vnsauoury lusts of my carnall will which to this day haâ—h ouer-much miscarryed mée into the vaine destres of this wicked Worlds pleasures the baits of that mortall aduersary deceiuing Sathan the defiled fruits of my sinnefull flesh and the cords whereby I haue beene drawne from vertue to vice from sanctity to sinne from light to darkenesse from Heauen to dreadfull Hell My sinnes O Lord haue beene many and continuall my seruing of thee cold and seldome O forgiue mee and let not my yeeres consume any longer in vanity let mine hands hate to handle vnholy things let my heart harbour no more the hatefull thoughts of vnrighteousnesse and let my soule be so seasoned with the spirituall dew of thy blessed Word that my Soule and Body being sanctified to euery good work I may cast off the vnprofitable works of darkenesse and onely cleaue to the true seruice of thée who art ful of grace and truth Be vnto me the sweet sauour of life vnto life be vnto me the light of truth that my life be not vnprofitable in good things nor my soule depriued of thy sacred spirit without which man is poore possessing all worldly riches base in most high worldly honour and dead liue he neuer so strongly in the flesh Therefore Father full of mercy be mercifull vnto mée full of power protect mée prouident relieue mee most sacred sanctifie me Let the eyes of thy fauour be alwayes on mée let the relieuing hand of thy helpe be alwayes toward mée be vnto mée a strong Castle a Restfull refuge a Fountaine of reliefe the Supply of my wants my Protector my Sauiour my Guide and my wisedome my will and my zeale Be vnto me my Jesus my Christ my Father my Physition my lot and my portion be vnto me all in all that nothing want in mée which thou likest nor any thing dwell in mée which thou mislâ—kest that I being a sanctified vessell of heauen may be a fit Mansion for thy sacred Maiesty to abide in by thy blessed Spirit Yéelde me O Lord yéelde me continuall shelter vnder thy relieuing wings foster mée with the hid treasures of thy loue and learne mée so to liue that I may euer liue in thée and thou in me make that vnion betwéene my will and thy Word that I will nothing but as thou hast willed and blot out all mine vnworthinesse and in stead thereof imprint the merits of thy Sonne in whom Lord Almighty let me be also partaker of the good things of this life let not pouerty vtterly depriue me of a competent estate here but blesse thou the workes of my hands prosper thou my endeuours and raise vp gracious meanes for me that I may liue not lack things necessary Thou art all sufficient and in thy gifts manifold thy loue is without limitation and thy will without contradiction what thou decréest shal stand and what thou willest shall come to passe Will thou therefore will thou thy creatures which thou hast ordained for the good and seruice of thy children â—o serue my vse that I and mine may be sustained by thy prouidence for what am I Lord that I should stand vpon mine owne power wit or policy which are weaknesse and foolishnesse before thée Thy Word preuaileth speake and all things in heauen and earth shall obey thée yea thine heauenly Angels shall be ministring Spirits for my good and all the fruits of the earth shall adde comfort to my wretched estate Good Father sanctifie mée within and without and fructifie my calling blesse my endeuours and teach me to vse my function iustly and as I ought that I may so prosper in this present life that I may truly pay all men their due and owe nothing to any man but good will a thing to mee impossible but to thee easie to bring to passe To thee therefore I referre mée wholly blesse me that being blessed I may prosper that prospering I may praise thée and in praising thée please thée and be here comforted of thée and liue righteously in thee through the merits of thy beloued Sonne Christ Jesus who hauing purchased all things for this life and in the life to come for me be with thée and
me downâ— and also sleepe in peace for thou Lord onely makest me dwellin safety Psal. 4. 8. Dauid by this declareth his ovvne bodily infirmity vvherunto all men are likevvise subiect namely to such debility as without rest and sleepe they cannot long continue yet this rest as he acknowledgeth may be a troublesome rest vnles God blesse it for as Dauid did so all men lye downe and take their rest but all not in peace for such as lye downe forgetting God God leaueth them to themselues and so their sleepe in stead of peace turneth into troublesome dreames idle sinfull imaginations horrible visions and fearefull fantasies whereby not onely the body is distempered but the soule also grieuously vexed And therefore though we couch vs on a bed of Downe with Curtaines of gold Couerings of silke these administer not the peace that Dauid speaketh of but God is he that giueth it onely It is not then the sweet sound of Musicke or the cradle of pleasures that can giue vs that peaceable sleepe and safe rest that Dauid speaketh of but Prayer vnto God in faith and true attonement with him in Christ thoughts free from sinne and the conscience cleered may safely assure a man that when he lyeth downe God is with him and when he riseth vp God wil not giue him ouer but be his God louing and mercifull for euer A Prayer for the Euening MY God and Father louing and al-sufficient I yéeld thée praise and thankes for thy mercies in that thou hast this day past strongly guarded mée with thy hand louingly refreshed mée with thy fauours and now safely brought mée to the end of this day night and darkenesse being at hand wherein all thy creatures draw to their rest And I wretched creature finding mine owne infirmity and imbecillity run now vnto thy heauenly fauour who hast made me of that brittle and grosse matter as cannot continue without rest after labour without sléepe after waking and without comfort after sorrow and griefe I doe therefore beséech thée as thou art the Fountaine of all rest and succour and health and helpe so thou wilâ— consider mée in my weakenesse and giue mée strength sée and behold my miseries and be mercifull vnto me And sith the time now is come wherein I couet rest and sléepe receiue me into thy protection and yéelde me thy helping hand that when this my corrupt lumpe of flesh shall through the heauinesse and dulnesse of sléepe be depriued of mouing and sense and ablenesse to helpe it selfe I may be kept safe and securely preserued by thée for it is thy selfe Lord onely that makest mée dwell and abide in safety Thou art my Watch-man when I slumber thou art my Defender when I am in danger thou art my Castle my Rocke my Sword my Buckler and my Refuge thou art to me and for me all in all without thée what am I but a beast that know nothing but a blocke that féele nothing but a wretch that can doe nothing rightly And therefore deare Father stretch out thy louing fauour ouer the house wherein I rest let thy Angels compasse the bed whereon I rest and thy holy Spirit kéepe my soule and spirit in peace when I rest that I may rest in peace that I may rise in peace and liue in peace that the troubles of the world dismay me not that the sleights of sinne deceiue mée not and that the deuices of the wicked ouertake me not but as I am weake of my selfe I may be made strong by thy strength as I am poore of my self I may be made able by thy riches and as I am ignorant of my selfe I may be made wise in thée so shall my lying downe be acceptable my sléepe comfortable and my rising vp profitable In hope of this thy free bountie louing fauour and high prouidence I will lay me downe and take my rest let it be in peace and Lord let it be vnto me and all thine when they rest swéet and comfortable in thée who makest all thine to rest and rise vp in safety Amen O Lord increase our Faith An Euening Prayer where the Family assembles O Most high mighty God Father and Protector of all things in heauen earth before whom all creatures feare and tremble were it not in that thou hast commanded vs neuer durst wée appeare before thée so corrupt is our nature and so many are our sinnes But good Father thou doest bid and therefore wée obey thou doest call and therefore we come giue vs spirits to pray aright Wee yéelde thée most humble and hearty thankes for all the mercies that euer thou hast bestowed vpon vs in body or minde in our selues or in ours priuate or common temporall or eternall Many and marueilous haue they béene and still are vpon vs yea eueu good Lord past finding out This day what thou hast done for vs which of vs knoweth or is able to expresse Father of heauen forgiue vs that wée cannot acknowledge them or praise thée for them as we ought and quicken vs in this duty more and more Pardon and forgiue vs whatsoeuer we haue offended thée withall this day or at any time either in thought word or déede euen our secret sinnes such as we haue committed and know not of remit them vnto vs for Christs sake change vs O Lord and we shall be changed create in vs cleane hearts and renue a right spirit within vs. Breake the strength of sin that would subdue vs more more And O mercifull Father so frame these hearts of ours within vs that we may more delight to liue according to thy will then to enioy all the world and all the pleasures therein Lay it often good Lord before our eyes by thy remembring Spirit that thou hast not breathed the breath of life into vs that we should liue as we list but that in holines and righteousnesse we should walke before thée all our daies Lay it before vs O Lord that the time will come when the Trumpet shall sound the dead shal rise and we euen we here met together at this time all and euery one of vs shal most assuredly stand before thy Judgement-seate with naked hearts with open and vnâ—olded consciences there to giue an account how and what we haue done Then shall all such as haue beléeued in Christ and truely serued thée in this life to their endlesse ioy heare that most comfortable voice of thine Come ye blessed of my Father possesse the Kingdome prepared for you But woe woe to all carelesse liuers in that day they shall drinke the wiue of the wrath of God be tormented in fire and briâ—stone before the holy Angels before the Lambe They shall haue no rest day nor night and the smoake of their torment shall ascend for euermore Father of heauen haue mercy vpon vs knit these hearts of ours fast vnto thée and now while we haue time giue vs grace not onely rightly to thinke of these things but
in righteousnesse Pro. 25. 5. VVE render and yéelde vnto thée all possible thanks O Lord of mercy King of all Kings and Kingdomes of the Earth for as a great blessing vnto vs thou hast placed ouer vs in this Realme so â—ure a guide of true Religion IAMES by thy heauenly prouidence our gracious King vnder whom enioying frée liberty of the true seruice of thée wée rest in a quiet estate both of body and minde wée humbly beséech thée to behold with thy eyes of mercy the same thy Seruant our Soueraigne Lord and Gouernour to replenish his heart with the grace of thy holy Spirit that hee by the working thereof being inclined to the setting forth of thy Word may walke according to the truth of the same sincerely that wée thy Seruants and vnder thée his Subiects séeing his godly examples may be ashamed to fall from that true forme of honoring thy Name which for thy glory through thy grace by the rule of thy holy Word is prescribed vnto vs and vouchsafe to stir vp in him zeale of thy glory a desire to establish whatsoeuer wanteth in this Church of England for the increase of true and sincere Discipline Let no ignorance abide in his Royall heart but inrich him with diuine and heauenly Knowledge giue him an obedient minde abounding with all humility towards thy diuine Maiestie saue and defend him from the tyranny of forraigne Powrr and Authoritie and from all such as professe not inwardly vnfaigned zeale of thy Gospell giue him godly Counsellors and such zealous and true hearted Ministers of thy Will that hee and wée may sincerely serue thée in this life and in the end for euermore raigne with thée in thy heauenly Kingdome for Jesus Christ his sake our onely Aduocate Amen A Prayer for obedience vnto God Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as when his voyâ—e is obayed Behold to obay is better then sacrifice to harken is better then the fat of Rams 1 Sam. 15. 22. Paul commendeth the obedience of the Romans Rom. 16. 19. Obay my voyce saith God and I will be your God and ye shall be my people Ier. 7. 23. O God the Gouernour of Heauen and Earth thou that rulest in the highest that only canst doe all things and raignest for euer at whose becke the Pillers of Heauen shake and all Creatures tremble I miserable creature framed of the earth do with great feare and trembling prostrate my selfe before the â—hrone of thy Maiesty acknowledging and confessing my wickednesse and wayes abhominable in thy sight Without thée I thinke not a good thought without thée I doe no good worke without thée I am worse then a worme of the earth yea a beast in thy sight I render vnto thée thanks O God that thou hast vouchsafed mée that knowledge that I may sée and know that I am nothing and vnable to doe any thing without thée Thou art the Potter I the Clay such as thou pleasest to haue me be such canst thou form and fashion me if thou makest me blessed thou shewest thy mercy and grace if thou cast me into hell thou shewest thy iustice executest thy iudgement neither is it my duty to contradict thée why or for what reason thou doest it for thou hast mercy vpon him whom thou louest These things I consider with my selfe O Lord and I feare thy iudgmeÌ„ts depend only on thy mercy Forasmuch therefore as all my safetie and saluation relieth wholy on thee and consisteth in thy hand and power and thou hast shewed thy selfe a mercifull long-suffering God to the whole world hast testified the same indéede in that thou wouldest thy onely Sonne Christ Jesus the innocent should die for our offences should wipe away our sins with his bloud on the Crosse and since thou hast taught vs in al our perturbations and afflictions to call vpon thée craue thy grace and mercy for that thou wilt giue vs althings which we shall aske in the name of thy Sonne I come vnto thée being drosse and clay O mercifull and celestial Father humbly beséeching thée that thou wilt in thy mercy make of this vnworthy carkasse of mine an habitation for thy holy spirit that though I line in the earth I may haue my conuersation holy as in the Heauens O mercifull and most louing Father grant me forgiuenesse of all my sinnes through the death of thy beloued Sâ—n Jesus Christ make me to please thée increase in mee all heauenly vertues and grant that I may perseuere in the same to the end increase in mee that faith and loue towards thée which thou hast begun in me kindle my affections towards thée more and more in liuely obedience that by thy helpe and presence of thy grace I may obtaine euerlasting life which thou hast promised vs of thy méere goodnesse to the end I may praise thée and giue thée thanks in thy celestiall Kingdome for euer and euer Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer to be confirmed in the way of Righteousnesse God is the fountaine of righteousnesse and he that giueth himselfe to righteousnesse is knowne to be borne of him 1 Iohn 2. 29. O Gracious Lord God louing in Jesus Christ Redéemer of mankinde who is the Way the Truth and the Life I humbly begge at thy hands that I may neuer wander nor goe astray from thée who art the way neither at any time to distrust thy promises who art the truth performest whatsoeuer thou dost promise thou art eternall Life more to be destred then any thing in heauen or in earth by thée wée haue learned the true and direct way to eternall saluation thou diddest instruct and teach vs readily how to beléeue what to doe what to hope and in whom we ought to trust by thée we haue learned how vnhappy wée were borne through our first Father Adam by thée we are taught that there is no hope of saluation except by faith in thée we take hold of our frée redemption and adoption in Christ. Thou art the onely light that shâ—nest to all Creatures in the Desert of this World conduding them through the ignorance of their minds from the Egyptian darknes to that blessed Land which thou promisest vnto the méeke and such as follow thée in humility For in vs was nothing but vtter darknesse who neither could discerne our calamitie neither knew from whence to séek the remedy of our misery Thou didst enter into the World in the shape of a Seruant and didst take vpon thée our nature that thy brightnesse might disperse the cloud of our ignorance that by thy precepts thou mightst directour féet in the way of peace by the examples of thy life in thy humility thou didst limit out a path for vs to immortality making it easie for vs to tread in by thy heauenly way so becamest thou vnto vs a way that leadeth to Life in which lest we should be wearied thou hast assured vs by
oflife with such sincerity and bolduesse as neither feare nor affection may hinder the same that we thy flocke may fructifie and increase our knowledge in Faith thereby and more and more desire to féede at that the Table of thy Word and be filled open my heart as thou didst Lidyacs that I may attend with diligence to the preaching of thy Word Send forth store of Labourers O good Lord into thy Haruest which by their carefull paines and faithfull endeuours may gather the dispersed sheaues of thy Church into thy celestiall Barne and banish from this wholesome worke all such as are not sent from thée and come not truly to edifie but rather to reape their owne gaine making as it were maâ—… chandise of thy holy Word teaching in stead of truth the tradition of men Lord vouchsafe grace into the lips of those that are now prepared to declare thy will grace into our hearts that are present to heare it that they by teaching truely and we by following effectually may through Christ obtaine of thée remission of our sinnes past light instead of darkenesse peace for trouble and heauenly happinesse in stead of worldly felicitie that tasting the swéetnesse of celestiall comfort we may despise terrestriall and after this life ended enioy the perfect ioyes of eternall felicity through Jesus Christ our Sauiour and Redéemer O Lord increase our Faith A Prayer after the Preaching of the holy Word Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Luke 11. 28. The hearers of the Lavv are not righteous but the doers of the Lavv shall be iustified Rom. 2. 13. Be ye doers of the word not hearers onely deceiuing your selues Rom. 1. 22. O Heauenly Father and most mercifull God séeing that wee haue now receiued the benefit of the hearing of thy heauenly and holy word by the mouth of thy Minister the fruits whereof doetend to the perfection of a godly life and a godly life is the way to eternall life in Christ our Lord vouchsafe O good Father we humbly beséech thée to imprint in our hearts the gladsome and most comfortable tidings which wée haue heard and receiued this day of thée by the mouth of thy Minister and grant that in faith vnfained â—t may lay vp the same in our vnderstanding and remembrance lest that forgetting the same and neglecting the exercise of a godly life wée be taken away as trées that beare no truit and so be cast into the fire therefore we most humbly pray and beséech thée that thou wouldest send vs thy holy Spirit the Comforter which may retaine the good tidings of the Gospell in our hearts wherby we may appeare as trées bearing good fruits and so be preserued vntill the comming of our Lord Jesus who will then receiue vs and giue vs the inheritance which he hath purchased for as many as beléeue in his most holy Word Amen O Lord increase our Faith A Prayer for the Sabbath day at night O euerlasting and mercifull God I giue thée thankes from the bottome of my heart that of thy mercy thou hast nourished and preserued me by thy diuine power and gouerned me by thy Word holy Spirit this day and all this wéeke yea and at all other times of my life protected me by thy power and prouidence and I most humbly beséech thée for the merits of Christ Jesus to couer and bury all my misdéedes which heretofore I haue committed in thought word and déede against thy diuine Maiestie in the death of thy Sonne Forgiue O Lord the euill that I haue committed supply the good which I haue omitted restore what I haue lost heale my sores cleanse my filthinesse lighten my darkenesse and alter the whole state of my minde that nothing may be wanting to good purposes in me nor any thing lurke in mee which may offend thée Water O Lord the séede of thy holy Word which I haue receiued this day with the dew of thy grace that with sound iudgement and godly deuotion I may practise such things as are pleasing to thy diuine Maiestie and that my heart being alwayes obedient to thy Commandements I may passe my time in peace through thy protection O Lord stretch out thy hand ouer me and of thy accustomed goodnes defend me this night Kéepe me from searefull and wicked dreames vnprofitable cares idle cogitations and outward violence Compasse me about on euery side with thy grace that when I shall either take care for things of this life or carefully séeke for those things which appertaine vnto the Kingdome of heauen I may heare the voyce of thy holy Spirit sounding in my heart from the mouth of the Apostie The Lord shall relieue thee in all thy necessities and yeelde thee a Crowne of eternall glory with Christ his beloued in the heauens Grant O Lord this and all other graces méete for me euen for Jesus Christs sake my onely Lord and Sauiour Amen O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer to be said before a man begins his Labour or enter into the execution of any profession OMnipotent God and most mercifull Father since thou hast commanded that all humane creatures shall labour and eate their bread in the sweat of their browes while they abide in this life and yet séeing no man can prosper without thy blessing or receiue any good successe in his affaires we humbly beséech thée that thou wouldest blesse our labours in such sort as therby we may haue iust occasion to confesse thy goodnesse assistance and fatherly care which thou takest of vs. Let thy holy Spirit O Lord be our guide to the end we may faithfully exercise the workes of our estate and vocation without any fraud or deceit giue vs grace rather to regard the following of thine ordinance then to satisfie the appetite of our owne sinfull flesh which couets to enrich it selfe by any meanes whatsoeuer Neuerthelesse if it be thy pleasure to blesse and prosper our endeuours grant vs also chéerefull dispositions to helpe and relieue such as are in distresse according to thy talents best owed vpon vs. And let vs kéepe within the bounds of humility not puffing our selues vp aboue the poore and needy by that which we enioy by thy bounty and goodnes But if thy good pleasure be so to deale with vs as to abase and impouerish vs farre beyond that which our weake nature can beare yet vouchsafe to enrich vs with cleauing faithfully to thy promises whereby we shall no way fall into distrust but rather be more certainely assured that thou wilt neuer forsake vs in the extremity of our wants and calamities inable vs to performe truely the duties of our callings giue vs the vse of all our limmes and senses with an holy endeuour to performe our callings and patience to attend thy leasure to replenish vs both with temperall and spirituall comforts receiuing thereby daily new occasion to giue thée praise and thankes and to expect all things from thée Heare vs
know the day of their sorrowes commeth on when they shall howle and cry out in horror for the paines that â—nsue their pleasures and for the want that shall follow their wealth and for the miseries that shall follow their mirth and for their death that shall follow their glorious and wanton life Oh how foolish are they that trust in their goods how mad are they that make wealth their warrant and riches their arme and friends their staffe when none of these can saue them from sicknesse from sorrow from dangers nor from death No man can redéeme his brother from Gods displeasure and from his appointed torments in hell by his much wealth he cannot saue himselfe by the multitude of his riches but God shall deliuer thée my soule from the power of hell and shall saue me Be not therefore afraid O my soule though many be made rich and thou in pouerty many aduanced and thou reiected many graced and thou disdained many comforted and thou iniured among the sons of mortall men thy riches and thy glory and thy fauour and thy comfort and thy ioyes are hid in Christ with God And what thinkest thou O my soule of these short miseries that shall be exchanged for infinite comforts whether is it not profitable for thée to haue these moment any corrections to enioy an eternall crowne thou hast tried the inconstant course of worldly things and the day is comming wherein thou shalt possesse the permanent consolation of heauenly things How long hast thou looked about thée for helpe in the earth Vpon my right hand I looked and behold none that would know me or comfort me as Dauid saith and vpon my left hand and no man I found that cared for my soule Then I cryed vnto the Lord said Thou onely art my hope my portion in whom I liue haue an vnmoueable being O Lord increase my Faith Wee brought nothing into this world and it is certaine that we can carry nothing out 1 Tim. 6. 7. Therefore when we haue food and raiment let vs therewith be content Vers. 8. The children of men are vaine the chiefe men are lyers to lay them vpon a ballance they are lighter then vanity it selfe Psal. 62. 9. A sweete Contemplation of Heauen and heauenly things whereby the sad distressed soule is much comforted and encouraged to endure vnto the end that he may possesse the ioyes prepared for such as patiently suffer and without grudging beare the burthen of this worlds miseries O My soule lift vp thy selfe aboue thy selfe flie away in the contemplation of Heauen and heauenly things make not thy further abode in this inferiour region where is nothing but trauels and trials and sorrow and woe and wretchednesse and sinne and trouble and feare and all deceiuing and destroying vanities Bend all thine affections vpward vnto the superiour place where thy Redéemer liueth and raigneth and where thy ioyes are laid vp in the treasury of his merits which shall be made thy merits his perfection thy perfection and his death thy life eternall and his resurrection thy saluation Estéeme not the trifling pleasures of this life to be the way to this wealth nor the ignominious estate here to be any barre to preuent thée from the full vse and ioyfull fruition of the glory there prepared for thée I am assured that though I want here I shall haue riches there though I hunger here I shall haue fulnesse there though I faint here I shall be refreshed there and though I be accounted here as a dead man I shall there liue in perpetuall glory That is the Citie promised to the Captiues whom Christ hath made frée that is the kingdome assured to them whom Christ shall crowne there are the ioyes prepared for them that mourne there is the light that neuer shall goe out there is the health that shall neuer be impaired there is the glory that shall neuer be defaced there is the life that shall taste no death and there is the portion that passeth all the worlds preferment there is the world that neuer shall waxe worse there is euery want supplyed fréely without money there is no danger but happinesse and honour and singing and praise and thankesgiuing vnto the heauenly Iehouah to him that sitteth on the throne to the Lambe that here was led to the slaughter that now raigneth with whom I shall raigne after I haue runne this comfortlesse race through this miserable earthly valâ— The honour in this earth is basenesse the riches of this world pouerty the fulnesse of this life is want the ioyes of this worlds kingdome are sorrow and woe and misery and sadnesse and griefe and yet the foole saith in his heart There is no other heauen but this harmefull deceiuing worlds happinesse no other hell but this worlds bitternes no better comfort then this worlds cares nor further helpe then this worlds wealth Thus is mans wisedome made foolishnesse and mans glory turned into shame mans power made of no force And the faithfull poore that are here despised there are aduanced the sorrowful are comforted the cast awaies in this world are receiued to that blessed being that cannot be expressed with the tongue of man nor conceiued with the heart of man Oh that I had wings saith heauenly-hearted Dauid that I might flie away from this worlds vanities and possesse heauens happinesse Oh that I were dissolued saith blessed Paul that I might be with Christ. Oh that I were in this place of such wished happinesse where I might rest from these worldly labours and earthly miseries and transitory vanities But be not heauy O my soule though thou must yet wade through the sea of these earthly troubles for these heauenly mysteries are not séene of carnalleyes nor can be obtained by carnall meanes but through troubles and afflictions and dangers and persecutions they must be atchieued and none that are Gods elected shall be frée from this Worlds hatred for such difference there is betwéene earth and heauen and betwéene earthly and heauenly things that who so delighteth in the first shall be depriued of the latter for we cannot haue this worlds heauen and the Heauen of heauens the heauen of Saints and Angels and Cherubins and Seraphins where are all vnspotted and all glorious and all in white Robes of sanctity and where Christ the sacrificed Lambe is vnto them all in all Oh blessed are all they that are thus assured blessed are the Poore that shal haue this heauens riches blessed are the Base that shall be thus aduanced blessed are the Low that shall be thus raised and blessed are the World 's despised that shall haue this heauens happinesse yea happy is this wretched worlds vnhappy man for hée shall be happy I will daily meditate of the greatnesse and Maiesty of this high heauens blessed estate where I shall one day blesse my God with the company of his Saints and where I shall one day sit secure and frée from the dangers
perils crosses and afflictions that now doe assatle mée on the right hand and on the left within mée and without me and am neuer frée from one calamity or other But it is good for me to be here humbled that I may be there aduanced where I wish spéedily to come It is good that I was in want here that I might séeke heauenly necessaries It is good that the World did discourage me that I might flie to God that comforteth me It is good that I am daily killed here that I might liue continually there Now therefore O my soule stand vp feare not faint not at this worlds crosses but giue glory to this great God praise this high and helping God séeke him while it is to day driue not off to pray to this God notwithstanding any hope thou hast in mortall men nor reiect not his gracious means who in fauour infinite and mercy endlesse moueth the hearts of men in this life to doe good vnto such as hée séeth distressed he can finde out and afford infinite meanes to succour them that are his and will not leaue them forsaken in danger for hée euen here giueth mée his blessings as pledges of his neuer-failing lout that being visited in his mercy with timely comforts here I may assure me of greater blessings in Heauen where they are prepared beyond all that I can aske or thinke O Lord God of Hosts who is like vnto thee who hast established thy Kingdome with truth and equity with mercy and iudgement thou hast a mighty arme strong is thine hand and high is thy right hand who so is vnder thy protection he is safe and hée that trusteth in thée mercy imbraceth him on euery side Oh blessed art thou O my soule if thou canst reioyce in the Lord he is thy Father he is thy helper walke therefore in the light of his countenance and be patient wait in hope till these stormes be past and then shalt thou haue that quiet rest that he hath â—repared in heauen for thée O Lord increase my Faith Our conuersation is in heauen from whence also we looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus If yee be risen with Christ seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Col. 3. 1. Set your affections on things which are aboue and not on things which are on the earth Vers. 2. A consideration of the dangerous estate of the impenitent wicked ones after this life notwithstanding their wealth and power and great glory which they haue here where they seeme to triumph ouer poore â—istressed men Read and consider yee Rich and Poore IT is a strange temptation vnto a man when he findeth himselfe still afflicted notwithstanding he séeketh helpe continually at the hands of God and the more when he séeth that such as neither serue God or feare God such as are wanton and wicked and hardened in sinne to prosper and to flourish in this life and to haue all things that their hearts can desire Dauid beholding this began a little to stagger and was ready to giue ouer his godly beginning and to end with the wicked and as long as he tooke no better regard but onely as naturall wisdome led him he commended their estates because they were rich and wanted nothing they were healthfull and lusty and their goods did increase which Worldlings hold true happinesse But when Dauid considered their greatnesse as it was discouered vnto him by the light of true knowledge hée then altered his conceit of these Men and renounced their wayes and hated their workes and auoided their company and betooke himselfe to prayer as the thing whereby hee should preuaile better then with all the wealth the world could yéelde him And surely the present time affordeth vnto vs that now liue no lesse cause of vigilent regard that we be not carried away with the World whose glory is imbraced whose power is practised whose policy is preferred and whose happinesse is had in greatest esteeme insomuch as who so is poore or helplesse or distressed or endangered in the World by worldlings is censured a cast-away a reprobate a man forsaken of God It is not vertue nor godly life nor inward zeale nor any good quality of the spirit that hath any fauour in the World but the rich and glorious and men of countenance and of power and of office and of gay attire that be accounted Gods fauourites As for such as are ragged they are not regarded such as are base in shew are accounted base in déede So that Gods children haue the least share of the worlds liberality and the impudent and shamelesse and wicked and worst men are they that possesse and vsurpe the earth and earthly glory But alas short and slippery is this glorious shew of theirs they are as Cedaâ—s that ouer-shaddow the low bushes for a while but they shall be as stubble in the Furnace when the â—re is put to their rootes They are now as deuouring shée Beares and as raging Lyons but the time commeth wherein the Lord will smite them vpon their iaw-bones and will pull out the téeth of these mercilesse wretches They haue set themselues in glory but God shall turne it to shame they haue fastened their footing as they thinke neuer to be moued but the Lord will make their standing vnsure and their wayes slippery and their dayes short and their end horrible And howsoeuer they now make boast of their owne hearts wickednes and though they séeme to contend with God and subdue his members and make no reckoning of his Saints or thinke there is no God God will finde them out and he wil rebuke them with a perpetuall rebuke and put out their name for euer not onely out of the Earth which they hold their Heauen but euen out of Heauen and his Booke of life Who yet are commended and estéemed and aduanced and reuerenced but these men of least merit Onely their riches and their bribes and their flattery win them dignity and preferment and honour and fauour and what may fill them full of all tokens of perdition But this is a heauy weight of temptation to the poore that deserue to be made rich for vertues for the low that ought to be raised for praise-worthy qualities when they sée that the worst are preferred for reward and the best reiected for want Surely this World may be compared to the Poole of Bethesda into which what diseased person stept first was healed but the strongest and best limmed and hée that had best helpes had alwayes the benefit of the healing so now in this Puddle of worldly partiality not the first that commeth is preferred nor the most fit but the most liberall giuer But there is a Judge that sitteth and séeth how the Worlds wealthy ones make others wealthy not for worthinesse but for gaine What striuing and strugling and working and inuenting and swearing and paines-taking is there about the Phylosophers stone Many a man