neither fast nor pray some fast and pray some fast pray not some pray and fast not but I would both fast and pray Some thinke that thâ— place doth sanctifie praier others thinke that praier doth sanctifie the place I think that Christ doth sanctifie both and that any place may serue to pray in if the heart be prepaired yet of the twaine I doe thinke that the place is sanctified by praier rather theÌ„ the praier by the place I loue the Temple yet in case my study mine house the field the high-waies shall bée my Temple and my chiefest care shall be to cary a Temple alwaies with me in me Some pray saying some singing whether a man sing or say it skils not if he truly pray and crosse not order Some aske their parents blessing but seriously think not of Gods blessing others ask God blessing but care not for their parents But I will aske my father blessing that I may haue Gods and I will aske God blessing that I may haue my fathers I will aske my father blessing that he may commend me to God I wil aske God blessing that he may commend me to my father I will aske them both because I would not be condemned of vndutifulnesse to either but especially God because he is mine especiall father and is able to blesse both mée and my father me to my father and my father to mée and vs both to himselfe Some are common and importunate beggers to Princes but if they were as instant with god I suppose they would not bée so great as good and I thinke Princes would haue more gold in their coffers they also more grace in their hearts though perhaps lesse goods in their houses Some are deuoted to praier and some to preaching I loue them both well I wil preach for praying pray for preaching He that can not finde in his heart to come to the church to heare nothing but praier by my consent he should not be suffered to come into the Church to heare nothing but preaching Gods house is the house of preaching and of praying to There may wée speake to God and heare him speake to vs. And as occasion serueth I will goe thither either for both or for either And I hold him vnworthy to receiue a blessing with the people of God that refuses to goe with them thither though it bée not to heare a Sermon but only to pray for his blessing Some pray and worke not and some worke and pray not the one would séeme to be all for heauen the other is set wholly on the earth But I will both worke and pray for God hath made Munday as wel as Sunday and hath giuen me an earthly body as wel as an heauenly soule But yet this is not all I will sometimes pray when I will not work but I would neuer worke but I will also pray pray before my worke and in my worke and when I haue done my worke I haue heard some extoll preaching and others magnific praying I doe magnifie them both but am loath to compare them I sée not how the one can wel stand without the other This will say hée that is not fit to pray is not fit to preach and he that hath not a good care to héere can not haue a good heart to pray he that hath no deuotion to pray hée cannot haue a deuout affection to heare for surely hée that with a good will can speake vnto God will also with a good will heare God speak vnto him and hée that hath an attentiue and obedient care for the voice of God cannot want an honest and humble heart to poure out his praiers vnto God In like manner also he that is fit to bée Gods mouth to his people is not vnfit to bée the peoples mouth vnto God and hée that is vnfit for this cannot but bée vnfit for that Some pray being halfe a sléepe but Christ saith Watch and pray I thinke a man may do well to pray when others sléep and that a man in case may sléepe when others pray But certainely he that praies sléepily shall be heard sléepily If thy heart be dead Gods eare is deafe his eare is much after our heart I wil therefore watch when I pray and pray when I watch One when hée praies cries a loud another speakes very low But both are loud enough if their hearts be loud but if their hearts open not both are too low Some pray for this and some for that but I will pray for God For hée that hath God wants nothing but hée that wants God hath nothing A man may giue so much as that he may leaue himself nothing but God though hée giue neuer so much is nothing the poorer A man may perhaps turne away beggars lest hee should begge himselfe but God delightes in the number of beggars if their behauiour be good and can giue content to all without detriment vnto himselfe I will therefore goe with my pitcher to this well that can neuer bée drawne dry I will borrow my light at this sunne that cannot but continue I wil begge of this King whose Exchequer is neuer but full whose gates are alwaies open for any of his Subiects that â—ue vnto him There are some that hearing the fourth commandement read vpon the Sabbath day do pray that God would haue mercy vpon them and incline their hearts to kéepe that law which yet doe commonly transgresse that commandement and profane the Sabbath day by glouzing and gaming or by buying selling themselues or their Seruants euen in those few houres that are appointed for the solemne and publike seruice of Almightie God Of whom it may be said they loue their owne gaine more then Gods glorie their own pleasures more then his precepts and that they are more fearefull of their own losse then trustfull to his prouidence But I will pray and practise to kéepe the Sabbath because God doth bid me kéep it and as knowing that he that sets light by the Lords Sabbath on earth shall not celebrate a Sabbath with the Lord in heauen and that they that make so small account of the assembiies of his Saints in this life are vnworthy to liue in the assemblies of â—is Saints in the life to come I would not haue men forget the Market-day for their bodies and I would haue them likewise remember the Market-day for their Soules Being sicke we pray for the health of our bodies seeing then wee be sinfull why should we not pray for the health of our soules Because God hath giuen me a Soule and a Body my prayer and and labour shall be that I may haue an healthy Soule in an healthy Bodie Some mens prayers are abominable some mens are accepted The reason is this some men are out of fauour therefore their suites are scorned some men are in grace therfore their prayers are heard I had therefore rather bee in grace with God then haue all the
seruice wal king faithfully and conscionably in our callings wherin thou hast placed vs O Lord blesse all our gouernours whom thou hast set ouer vs in thy roome in especiall manner showre downe thy blessings vpon the Kings Maiestie blesse him both in body and soule with all graces necessarie for so high a calling and make him long a Nursing Father in this Israell Blesse our graciousquéen make her a help vnto him in all good things Blesse their Royall issue graunt that they may dayly growe in fauour both with God and man and make them loyall to his maiesty all the dayes of his life blesse all the Nobilitie the Magistrates and Ministers of thy holy word and graunt that euery one of vs from the highest to the lowest may walk faithfully in our places before thee all the daies of our liues through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost bee all praise and glorie both now and euer Amen Another Euening Praier for priuate Families O Eternall and euerliuing Lord God and in Iesus Christ our louing Father thou which hast giuen vs our bodies and soules our health our strength our maintenance whence haue wee all these things but from thée thy fatherly protection ouer vs this day in our calling to whom can we ascribe it but vnto thée that wee haue liued hitherto that wee haue not béene swallowed vp with some suddaine Iudgement that Sathan had not his will vpon vs that we know the way and the meanes to a better life that we are deliuered from the power of darkenesse and translated into the kingdome of thy deare Sonne that we haue dayly accesse into thy glorious presence to offer vp our petitions vnto thée and to make knowne our wants whence are all these blessings O Lord but from the fréedome of thy grace we confesse O Lord if thou hadst giuen vs our deserts we should haue perished long agoe therefore it is from thy mercy alone that we are not consumed Now if receiuing so many blessings from thee wee should not stirre vp our selues to returne some thankefulnes to thy Maiestie for them how wretched and miserable creatures should we be O Lord wee pray thée make vs ashamed of our vnthankefulnesse wound our hearts with the consideration of our owne dulnesse whom so many fauours haue not wrought vnto more obedience and vouchsafe wee humbly beséech thée not withstanding our small deseruings to looke graciously vpon vs and accept this our Euening sacrifice of praise which wee doe here render vnto thy Maiestie O Lord let not the skantnesse of our seruice make thee turne away thine eyes from vs but euen as thou art wont to spare thy seruants as a man spareth his own sonne that serueth him and in them to accept the will for the full performance so be pleased to looke vpon vs in Iesus Christ grant that we may sensibly feele the power of his death killing sin corruption in vs and the power of his resurrection raising vs vp to newnes of life Make vs resolue to renounce euen our sweetest best beloued sins and not to take libertie to our selues to continue in any knowne vngodlines that we may think it more then sufficient that we haue hitherto giuen the raines to our ownlusts therfore now to labour to stop kill all sin in the beginning before it come to the act resolue to bestow the rest of our liues according to thy blessed word And because the night is at hand which thou hast appointed for vs to rest in he beséech thée to take vs into thy fatherly protection this night and euer command the guard of thy holy Angels to pitch their tents about vs preserue vs both sléeping waking that we may be the better fitted and prepared the day following to goe on in our vocations callings to thy glory our own comforts the benefit of our brethren through Iesus Christ our Lord Sauiour In whose name we beg these mercies at thy hands whatsoeuer else thou knowest to bee néedfull either for soule or body better then we our selues can aske in that forme of prayer which hée himselfe in his holy word hath taught vs saying Our father which art in heauen c. Another Morning praier MOst mercifull God and louing Father we thy poore and vnprofitable seruants doe here humbly cast downe our selues and our sinfull soules before the foot-stoole of thy maiestie acknowledging and confessing that we are not worthy to approach into thy presence much losse to haue any thing to do with thée in any part of thy most pure worship and seruice séeing wee haue liued and continued in the breath of thy holy commandements not only through negligence and infirmitie but many times witingly and willingly contrarie to our owne knowledge and the holy motions of thy good spirit to the wounding of our own soules and consciences to the great dishonour of thy maiestis O Lord we besâ—ech thée regard vs not as wee are in our selues but looke vpon vs in the countenance of thy sonne our Al-sufficient sauiour Christ Iesus for his sake wee pray thée bee gratious and good to al our sinnes both in generall and particular original or actuall of ignorance or of knowledge of omission or commission whereby wée haue offended thée from the first houre of our conception till this present time Lord accept the death and passion of thy sonne as a sufficient ransome for all our sins burie them déeply in his graue and cancell the book of thy wrath wherin they are written with his bloud that they may neuer be laid to our charge either in this life present or in the next Let thy blessed spirit seale the pardon of them all to the comfort of our coÌ„sciences Furnish vs we beséech thée with all néedefull graces especially as Christians to walke worthy of Christ Iesus in holy conuersation vouchsafe to blesse al good means vnto vs which thou hast sanctified for our continuall groath in grace and thy fears especially thy holy word the ministry therof print déeply in our heartes all holesome instructions which are deliuered and taught vs out of the same by thy ministers good lord make vs thankefull euermore for al thy benefits bestowed vpon vs chiefely for thy sonne Christ Iesus the fountaine of all good to vs and ours as also for all those blessings that concerne this life present as health libertie apparell such like for thy fatherly protection ouer vs bringing vs to the light of this present day kéepe defend vs we pray thée from all euill that may hurt vs and from falling into any grosse sin that may displease thée set thy feare alwaies before our eies that we may speÌ„d this day and all the daies of our liues to thy glory the peace of our owne consciences for this day wée beséech thee giue a blessing to our endeuours in our calling that wee may bee therein conscionably occupied knowing that
so as they may neuer bee able to rise vp against vs either in this World to accuse vs or in the World to come to condemne vs. And because O Lord our nature is so prone to commit sume and that with grée dinesse so that if thou shouldest euen at this instant giue vs a frée pardon of all our sins yet we confesse such is the corruption of our weake flesh that without the restraining grace of thy holy spirit we should fall into the same sinnes againe or â—nto worse therefore wee humbly pray thée most gracious God not only to pardon that which is past but also purge our present corruptions and by the grace of thy good spirit preuent those that are to come graÌ„t good Lord that wee may thinke it more than sufficient that we haue spent the time past of our liues according to the lusts of the flesh and after our own desires and fancies and may now euen resolue to dedicate the rest of our liues that yet remaineth to thy glorie our owne comfort and the good of our brethren throgh Iesus Christ our Lord. In these our weake praiers O Lord wee are not mindefull of our selues alone but of thy whole Church dispearsed ouer the face of the earth farre and wide blesse O Lord the principall member thereof our dread Soueraigne king Iames Enrich his roiall heart with all grares necessary for so high a place stablish his throne we beséech thée and let his soule bee bound in the bundle of life with thée O God blesse Quéene his wife make her a helpe vnto him in the best things blesse their Roiall Progenie and grant that they may not want one of that line to sit vpon this throne so long as the Sun and Moone endures Blesse all his Maiesties most honourable priuie Counsell be thou present with them and president ouer all their counsels as may bee most for thy glorie the honour of the King the peace of the State and the comfort of thy people Blesse all the Iudges and magistrates of the land Blesse the Ministers of thy Word and Sacraments Thou that art the Lord of the haruest thrust forth many faithfull and painefull Labourers that they may féed thy people with knowledge and vnderstanding blesse O Lord all the afflicted members of thy Church diseased either in body or minde or both especially those that suffer for the testimonie of a good conscience O Lord to whom all their cases and necessities are manifest we beséech to make al their bed in their sicknesse lay no more vpon them than thou shalt make them able to beare giue them the true sight feeling of their sins so farre as may lead them to true repentance with harty sorrow for the same And good father deale with them in mercy not in iustice either to release them out of that present miserie wherein they are either by life that they may glorifie thée in this World or by faithfull departure that they may be gloriffed of thée in the world to come These mercies most gracious God and whatsoeuer else thou knowest in thy wisedome to bee better for vs than we our selues can ask we beg them at thy hands not for our owne merits for they are nothing but for the merits of thy decre son Christ Iesus our Lord and sauiour in whose name in whose words we conclude saying Our father which art in Heauen c. Morning Prayer for priuate Families MOst gracious God and mercifull Father thou that art glorious in power and holines we thy poore and miserable Creatures being but dust and Ashes do here humbly prostrate our selues and our sinfull soules before the throne of thy Maiestie Confessing and acknowledging from the bottomâ— of our hearts that wee are most vile sinners conceiued and borne in some and that we are by nature nothing else but a â—â—nye of all wickednesse whese nature and propertie is to grow and encrease in sin as we grow in yeares and to war strong in wickednesse euen as the powers of our mindes and bodies receiue strength and although our cursed estate doth here in greatly appear yet our sinne is made out of measure sinfull through the excéeding grace which thou hast offered vnto vs. by thy Gospell of thy dear Sâ—â—me whereby we are so farre from proâ—iting that of our selues without the grace of thy holy Spirit in our hearts we should war worse and worse wherefore wee beséech thée O Lord as our sâ—nes haue magnified themselues in an infinite length bredth depth and height so let thy mercies which passe all vnderstanding outstrippe them and howsoeuer by reason of our sinnes wée haue iustly deserued to bée depriued of all thy blessings in this life and hereafter to haue our portion with the diuell and his Angels yet O Lord God wee pray thée remember that we are thy people and shéep of thy pasture whom thou host redéem'd with thy most precious bloud despise not therefore O Lord the worke of thy hands but for thy glories sake and for thy blessed names sake spare vs sparevs good Lord according to thy vsuall dealing with those which in prayer haue had recourse vnto thée and according to the old and vnchangeable Nature of a kinde long suffering and mercifull God Thy mercie O Lord hath manifestly appeared vnto vs this night past in that thou hast giuen vs quiet rest sléep for the refreshment of our weake bodies whereas for our sinnes past committed the day before thou mightst iustly euen in our dead sléep haue taken our soules from vs and so suddenly haue brought vs to our account but it hath pleased thée to spare vs and to giue vs a larger time of repentance O Lord as thou giuest vs space so wee beséech thée giue vs also grace to repent vs of our former euill wayes and to turne vnto thée and for as much as thou hast commanded in thy holy word that no man should be idle but euery one occupied in godly and vertuous exercises according to their Callings wee most humbly beseech thée that thine eyes may attend vpon vs dayly defend vs cherish comfort gouerne counsell vs in all our studies and labours in such wise that we may spend and bestow this day and all the dayes of our liues according to the blessed will setting thée alwaies before our eyes and liuing in thy feare euer working that which may be fonnd acceptable in thy sight through Iesus Christ our Lord in whose name we end as hée hath taught vs saying Our Father which art in heauen c. Euening Prayer for priuate Families OAlmightie Lord God and in Iesus Christ our most mercifull and louing Father we thy poore and vnworthy seruants do here from the ground of our hearts render vnto thy diuine Maiestie in that poore measure wée are able all praise and thankes for all thy blessings mercies bestowed vpon vs from time to time euer since we were born vntill this present houre especially O Lord
to hide that from thee which thou before whom all things are naked doest know better then my selfe yea such is thy mercie that when I do lay my sinnes open thou doest couer them good Father I beseech thee giue mee that minde which a seeke man should haue and increase my patience with my pain call to my mind all which I haue heard or read or felt or meditated to strengthen mee in this my visitation that though I neuer taught any good while I liued yet I may now instruct others how to die and to beare patiently whatsoeuer thy holie hand shall lay vpon them Apply vnto me al thy mercies and merites of Christ Iesus as if he had died for me in particular bee not farre from mee I beseech thee when the enemie comes to tempt me but when hee is most busie then let thy good spirit be busiest also to defend me and let my last houre be my best houre and my last thoughtes and words the best that euer I did thinke or speake Lord I know that I can not escape death then why should I feare it and if I must dye why not now if it so please thee for my chiefest happines is behind and I can not haue it vnles I go vnto it I confesse O Lord my paines are great but séeing I trauell to heauen make mee patient I beseech thee to beare my paines and when it shall please thee to call me out of this vaile of miserie command thy holy Angels I humbly pray thee to carrie my soule into the bosome of blessed A. braham there to rest with thee in eternall glorie for euer and euer Amen A Prayer of thanks-giuing vnto God for Deliuerance out of any Sicknesse ALl honour and praise be giuen vnto thee most gracious God and mercisull Father for all thy mercies and fauours bestowed vpon mee euen from my cradle to this present houre for my Election Creation Redemption Iustification Sanctification Preseruation and that blessed hope of Glorification in the world to come O Lord thou hast loaded mee with thine abundant fauors as if I had euer done thy will although I neuer knew thée as I ought loued thee as I should obayed thee as thou commandedst nor beene thankefull to thee as thou hast deserued excéeding experience haue I had of thy goodnes many times but neuer more then in my late sicknesse wherewith thou didst visit mee Lord grant that I be not in the number of those who are forward to aske in time of trouble and affliction but slacke and carelesse to acknowledge their thankfulnes when mercy is bestowed like those Lepers that when they were cleansed returned not to giue God thanks for his mercy O Lord thou hast chastened me and corrected me but herein appeares thy mercy that thou hast not giuen mee ouer to death I confesse thou mightst iustly haue cut mee off depriued mee of the rest of my yeares but it was thy good pleasure to deliuer my soul from the pit of corruption Imprint in my mind I beséech thée the vowes promises which I made in my sicknesse of better obedience and seruice to thy maiestie then heretofore and grant that I may make conscience to performe them and let me know that howsoeuer thou hast now giuen me some little respite and prolonged my daies yet I must not deâ—eiue my selfe in putting farre from my remembrance the day of my death but that I may make a holy vse of this thy fatherly correcting me and to expresse my thankefulnes in my life and conuersation in walking godly before thee and in preparing my selfe for my end that I may finish my course with ioy and bee ready to meete my Sauiour in the clouds and to rest with him and his holy Angels for euer and in his euerlasting kingdom of glorie Ameâ— A Prayer for a Sick man MOst gracious God and in Christ Iesus our mercifull Father wée poore wretches gathered here before thee doe truely and most freely confesse that wee are most vile and miserable vtterly vnworthy to speake vnto thee or to receiue the least fauour from thee by reason of our many and grieuous sinnes our blindnes of minde ignorances negligences peruersenes of heart and vnseruiceablenesse in our liues but with all we doe remember thy great loue and mercifull promises made vnto them that with â—enitent and humble spirits do sue vnto thée wherfore wee are enboldned to approch vnto thy throne of grace in the name of thy Son Christ Iesus beseeching thée for his sake to forgiue vs all our sinnes originall and actuall wash vs we pray thée in his bloud and cloth vs with his righteousnes giue vs grace to turne vnto thée with our hearts from all our sinnes and inable vs by thy grace to serue thee in righteousnes holines all the dayes of our liues Take care we beséech thée of this thy Seruant whom thou hast afflicted before our eyes O Lord receiue him to thy grace and assure him of thy glory grant vnto him faith in thy promises patience vnder thine hand and hope of thy mercy restore him if it be thy blessed will to his perfect health againe and blesse all good meanes vnto it if not prepare him for death and for thy kingdome comfort him with an assured hope of a ioyfull resurrection and whensoeuer his soule shall depart from his body grant that it may be presented without all sinne to thée through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen A Prayer for a Woman with child BLessed God and gracious Father I thy poore Handmaide doe héere humbly present my selfe before thy throne of Grace beseeching thee to forgiue me all my manifold sins committed against thee burie them in the death of my Sauiour thy Son Christ Iesus O Lord I beseech thee for his sake to accept of me and this poore worme inclosed in my wombe vouchsafe to giue vs thy Sonne and to sanctifie vs with thy Holy Spirit grant me strength and patience I humbly intreat thee to indure and ouercome those paines which for my sinnes are worthily imposed on me Asswage them O Lord I pray thee and vouchsafe mee a safe deliuerance with safetie to this child within me if it may please thy Maiestie so will I dedicate my selfe and that which thou shalt giue me to the glorie of thine holy Name O Lord heare O Lord help be thou my God and my guide my saluation and my succour not for my merites but for the honour of thy mercie and the all sufficient merites of Iesus Christ to whome with thee and thy Holy Spirit three persons but one euer-liuing and euerlouing God bee all honour and glorie for euer and for euer Amen A Prayer for a Midwife by her selfe alone O Lord my God I beseech thee forgiue me my manifold sins and wickednes accept of me I beseech thée in thy Sonne Iesus Christ honour mee with all the graces of thy spirit grant me wisedoms modesty temperance and a religious heart