that I may assure my self that my sins are forgiven by his death and passion And now O Lord I beseech thee to imbrace me in the Armes 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 whom I refer my self wholly to thy protection beseeching thee that when this life shall end my last sleep being come I may take my everlasting rest with thee in thy heavenly Kingdome for the glory of thy holy Name and to my eternal comfort through the merits of thy dearly beloved Son my Lord and only Saviour in whose perfect form of Prayer I conclude my imperfect Petitions saying Our Father c. A Prayer for Saturday Morning O Merciful Father for Jesus Christ his sake I beseech thee forgive me all my known and secret sins which in Thought Word or Deed I have committed against thy Divine Majesty and deliver me from all those Judgments which are due unto me for them and sanctifie my heart with thy Holy Spirit that I may henceforth lead a more Godly and Religious life And here O Lord I praise thy Holy Name for that thou hast refreshed me this Night with moderate sleep and rest And I beseech theee to defend me this day from all Perils and dangers of Body and Soul and to this end I commend my self and all my actions unto thy blessed protection and government beseeching thee that whether I live or die I may live and die to thy Glory and the Salvation of my poor Soul which thou hast bought with thy precious Blood Blesse me O Lord in my going out and comming in and grant that whatsoever I shall think speak or take in hand this day may tend to the glory of thy Name the good of others and the comfort of my own Conscience when I shall come to make up my last accounts before thee O my God help thy servant that I do no evil to any man this day and let it be thy blessed will not to suffer the Devil nor any of his wicked Angels nor any of his evil Members to have power to do me any hurt or violence but let the eye of thy holy providence watch over me for good and not for evil and command thy holy Angels to pitch their Tents round about me for my defence and Safety in my going out and coming in as thou hast promised they shall do about them that fear thy name Grant this O heavenly Father for Jesus Christ thy sons sake in whose blessed name I give thee glory and beg at thy hands all other graces which thou seest to be needful for me this day and ever in that prayer which Christ himself hath taught me saying Our Father c. A Prayer for Saturday-Evening O Most gracious God and loving Father who are about my Bed and knowest my down-lying and mine up-rising and art near unto all that call upon thee in truth and sincerity I wretched sinner do beseech thee to look upon me with the Eyes of thy Mercy Father I beseech thee let thy holy Spirit work in me such a serious Repentance as that I may with Tears lament my sins past with grief of heart be humbled for my sins present and with all my endeavour resist the fame sins for the time to come And now O Lord I Bless thee for my Health Food Rayment and Prosperity and more especially that thou hast defended me this day now past from all dangers and Perils both of Body and Soul furnishing me with all necessary good things that I stand in need of and as thou hast ordained the Day for man to Travel in and the Night for him to take his rest so I beseech thee sanctifie unto me this Nights rest and sleep that I may enjoy the same as thy sweet blessing and benefit that so this dull and wearied body of mine being refreshed with moderate sleep and rest I may be the better enabled to walk before thee doing all such good works as thou hast appointed when it shall Please thee of thy Divine goodness to waken me the next Morning More especially I beseech thee to prepare me for thy Service to Morrow it is thine Holy day O Lord prepare me for the Sanctifying of the same that I may not spend it in my own Lusts and pleasures but that my chief delight may be to Consecrate it to thy Glory and Honour and that ceasing from the works of sin as well as from the works of my ordinary Calling I may through thy Blessing feel in my heart the beginning of that Eternal Sabbath which in unspeakable Joy and Glory I shall celebrate with the Saints and Angels to thy Praise and Glory in thy Heavenly Kingdom for Evermore Keep my heart O Lord in thy fear and guide all the course of my life by thy Favour and prepare me against the hour of Death and Dissolution that if thou shouldest this night make my Bed in the dark and turn my sleep into Death I may Live and Die unto thee who livest Everlastingly these Graces and all other Blessings which thou O Father knowest to be requisite and necessary for me I humbly beg and crave at thy Hands in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ thy Son in that form of Prayer which he himself hath Taught me saying Our Father c. FAMILY DEVOTIONS OR A COLLECTION OF Morning and Evening PRAYERS For Families for every day in the Week But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord Josh 25. 15. Family-Devotions A Prayer for a Family for Sunday Morning LOrd teach us to Pray that we may call upon thy Name Prepare our hearts to seek and open thou thy ears Mercifully to hear us O Eternal and Everliving Lord God Creator and continual Preserver of all things both in Heaven and in Earth by whose gracious Providence as we were at the first wonderfully and fearfully Made so we are no less preserved and kept unto this present We the Workmanship of thy own hands desire to humble both Soul and Body before thee And now O Lord we being here in thy Presence cannot but acknowledg and confess against our selves our own unworthiness to come before thee to call upon thee or to perform even the least Duty that shall concern thy Worship and Glory Our hearts alas are no better then the sink of sin and a mass of all Pollution and uncleanness Wheresore O dear God most meek and Merciful Father we poor Wretches heartily beseech thee to be Gracious unto us for Jesus Christ thy Sons sake for his Death sake for thy Promise Truth and Mercies sake have Mercy upon us Pardon us and Forgive us all our Sins Iniquities and Trespasses whatsoever we have committed against thee in thought Word or Deed Ever or at any time hitherto by any meanes Dear Father have mercy upon us though we be poor yet our
wilt Crown us with Life in the World to come Why shouldest thou be so careful of us since we are so careless of thee surely O Lord in that thou affordest us health to our bodyes liberty to our persons prosperity to this Family in which we live we can give no reason but because thou art Merciful The Heavens are within a Spain the Earth within a Circle the Waters within thy fist mountains upon the ballance but what number or measure or bounds can we set to thy Goodness and Mercy O God O let the Ocean of this thy Mercy be a Partition between us and our sins betwixt thee and thy Judgments who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean but thou alone who justifiest the ungodly and quickenest the dead in sin Remove therefore from us O Lord whatsoever there is in us that displeaseth thee for thine Eyes do behold our manifold imperfections send thy Hand of Mercy we pray thee upon us and take away from us whatsoever there is within us which doth offend the Eyes of thy Goodness And as thou hast in great Mercy kept us this Night past from all Perils and Dangers of the same so we beseech thee keep us this day that the Son of Righteousness may Rule in our Hearts and that all the darkness that lurketh in them may be scattered to the comfort of our souls and that we may walk in the light as thy Children without danger of stumbling Prosper O Lord our labours and the works of our hands and grant that we may grow in Grace all our days until we come to Live and Reign with thee in thy Heavenly Kingdome And together with us bless O Lord thy Church Universal comfort all that Mourn in Sion give them Beauty for Ashes and the Oyl of gladness for the Spirit of Mourning and Heaviness Bless our Gracious King defend his Person uphold his Crown maintain his Government bless our gracious Q. Katharine James Duke of York and all the Royal Family bless the Nobility Magistrates Bishops and Ministers and let thy blessing be upon all of us in this houshold guide us in our wayes and lead us into thy Truth Bless all our Friends and Kindred all that are in any Affliction or Tribulation And do for them and us whatsoever thou knowest necessary for us for the Sake of Jesus Christ our only Saviour and Redeemer in whose Name and Words we beseech the saying Our Father c. A Prayer for a Family for Tuesday Evening HOly and Glorious Lord God what shall we reader unto thee for all thy Benefits because thou host inclined thine Ear unto us therefore will we call upon thee as long as we live from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same let thy Name be praised among the infinite Riches of thy Mercies toward us we render thee abundant of praise and thanks for thy merciful preservation of us this day as well as all the times and days of our lives that thou hast bestowed upon us so many excellent blessings and mercys both Spiritual and corporal contrary to our deservings All these thy mercys call upon us that we should be thankful to thee for them and all our miseries call upon us that we should call upon thee for the continuance of thy mercies Cleanse our Souls therefore we beseech thee O Lord from whatsoever is offensive to thee and hurtful to us and give us what is necessary for us And now O Lord Watch over us this night give us comfortable and sweet sleep fit us for all services of the day following make our souls to watch for the comming of the Lord Jesus Christ let our beds put us in mind of our Graves and our rising from thence of our last Resurrection so that whether we wake or sleep we being thine may wait for thee O Heavenly Father so form these hearts of ours that we may ever delight to live according to thy Will and Ordinance in Holiness and Righteousness before thee all the days of our lives O Lord let us consider the time will come when the Trumpet shall and will sound the dead shall Rise and we even we all and every one of us shall assuredly stand before thy Judgment Seat with open and unfolded Consciences there to give an account of all our deeds whatsoever at which time all such as have believed in Christ and truly served thee in this life shall to their endless and unspeakable joy hear that comfortable saying of thine Come ye blessed of my Father Receive the Kingdome prepared for you before the beginning of the World but woe to all that live wicked sinful lives in that day they shall drink of the Wine of the Wrath of God and shall be Tormented in Fire and Brimstone for Evermore O Dear God and gracious Father keep us from this condition and knit our hearts fast unto thee and cause us now while we have time with the help of thy Grace not only to think rightly of these things but so to walk before thee in this present life as becometh thy people and Children O continue the Word of Truth evermore amongst us to comfort us and let the seed thereof take such fast root in our hearts that it may fructifie and bring forth fruit to thy Glory and our own good and comfort that we may be the more enabled thereby to walk in they fear in the midst of a wicked and perverse Generation Shower down thy blessings upon the Head and Heart of our gracious King and Queen and upon all the Royal Family Bless O Lord the Ministers Judges and Magistrates of this Land Bless all the people of all degrees and kinds Let thy blessing be upon our Relations Kindred and Freinds and upon all others whom we are bound to pray for in any affliction pain trouble sickness or any other distemper whatsoever Bless them all and bless us and ours and do more for us then we can express unto thee and all we beg in the Name and Words of our blessed Saviour and Redeemer saying Our Father c. A Prayer for a Family for Wednesday Morning MOst gracious Lord God and holy Father thine eyes are more pure than the Son and cannot behold any thing that is unclean the Cherubins and Seraphins cover their faces before thy glorious Majesty the heaven of heavens are not clean in thy sight How then shall earth sinful earth dust and ashes appear before thee we persume not O Lord to come before thy Tribunal to plead for our righteousness for all our righteousness is as filthy rags but we prostrate our selves with all humility of body and soul at thy mercy seat to make confession of our sins Hear Lord and have mercy on us and as thou hast Redeemed us by thy Son so we beseech thee to sanctifie us by thy holy Spirit Mortifie in us every day more and more all sinful lusts and affections and quicken us in all saving graces and vertues
mans brains are dasht Full in the next mans face his bowels pasht On his next neighbour a third is found Groaning his Soul out in a wide-mouth'd wound There bullets fierce drive a heart out which dies To mortals rage a bloody Sacrifice Good Lord how will Heaven quietly hold those Souls who just now wert here such deadly Foes A Prayer in the Time of War ALmighty Lord God Thou art he only which givest victory to thee it is all one to save by many or by few thou canst make one to chase a thousand thou canst cause the hearts even of the most valiant to melt their hands to be weak their minds to faint and their knees to fall a way like Water if thou fight for us we cannot miscarry if thou favour us not we must needs be discomfited O be gracious unto us and be on our side now that men are risen up against us Go out O Lord with our Navys and Armies give wisdom and courage to our Captains gird them with strength unto the battel be with our Sea-men and Souldiers teaching their hands to war and their fingers to fight Assist their consultations prosper their policies crown their enterprizes with good success which are undertaken for the common good and comfort of the State Doubtless O Lord we deserved thine anger and our Sins do cry aloud in thine ears for vengeance it were but just with thee it thou shouldst make us a prey and spoil unto our enemies but O gracious God let us now fall into thy hands for thy mercies are great and let us not fall into the hands of men let it appear that thou art in the midst of us and that we shall not be moved that thou wilt help us and that very early and in thy due time set thou peace in our borders and make strong the bars of our Gates especially let the Gospel of thy Son sound yet louder among us that by it many Souls may be gathered unto thee So we thy people and the sheep of thy pasture shall praise thee for ever and from generation to generation we will set forth thy glory through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour Amen A Prayer in time of Prosperity HEavenly Father Lord of plenty thou who hast created the world by thy power and continuest thy love in thy providence and protection to thee do I render thanks for my plenty and to thee do I offer the service of my store what I have is thine for the Earth is thine and all that therein is the Compass of the World and they that dwell therein it is thou only that givest a blessing to the fruits of the Land to the Corn to the Wine and to the Oyl It is thou only that commandest thy blessing in the store-houses and in all that thy servants do set their hands unto Lord make me one of thy faithful servants that what thou hast sent me may be a Testimony of thy love and not of thy hatred make me allways to magnify thee in the time of plenty and not to be high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in thee the living God who givest me all things richly to enjoy O suffer me not to treasure up the deceitful riches of this sinful world as thereby forgeting to be rich toward thee but as from thy bounty I receive these temporal blessings so in thy mercy make me abound in grace that allways having Sufficiency in all things I may abound to every good work In this my prosperity prepare me for adversity if it shall please thee at any time to send it unto me give me a sence of the afflictions of many of thy saints and distressed servants and enlarge my heart that I may be ready and forward to contribute to their necessities make me to shew mercy with cheerfulness and to possess with thankfulness what thou sendest unto me that I may neither â—orget thee in thy poor members nor deny thee to be the giver let me never stop mine ears at the cries of the distressed who beg for relief in the name oâ— thy self Thou Christ who wert rich didst for my sake become poor that so through thy poverty thou mightest make me rich Lord make me as willing to the poor for thy sake always considering that the Vanities of the earth are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed Make me labour for heavenly riches and for the ornament of the hidden man in the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in thy sight of great price make me O heavenly Father rich in thy self rich unto liberality rich in good works and in faith make me to buy of thee gold tryed in the fire that I may be rich and white rayment that I may be clothed that the shame of my nakedness may not appear let me always remember that great account which one day I must render to thee the Lord of Heaven earth that so I may serve thee here with my substance in my body and in my Soul with zeal and devotion and hereafter be received to thine everlasting glory through the merits of thy Son in thy bosom Jesus Christ my only Lord and Saviour Amen A Prayer in time of adversity FAther of pitty and Lord of comfort thou that hearest the cry of the afflicted look down in mercy on a distressed Sinner thy hand O God is heavy upon me for thou hast taken from me what I called mine by reason that I did not call it thine O Lord thou knowest my bleeding heart my sorrowful eyes and my mourning tears thou seest how poor I am and what miseries I suffer I am a scorn to my neighbours and a derision to those that are round about me my life is become a burden unto me because thou hast deprived me of the comforts thereof my lovers and my acquaintance stand looking upon my misery and my â—insmen stand asar off Lord if it be thy pleasure thus to humble me let it be thy goodness to give me patience to endure it the pride of my heart my forgetfulness of thee in the time of plenty did cry aloud for thy severest punishments now O now I feel thy just displeasure and groan under the burden and weight thereof yet thou O Lord canst ease me thou canst restore me hear Lord and have mercy Lord be thou my helper suffer me no more to rely upon the arm of flesh or to put my trust in uncertain riches but make me forever to depend upon thy bounty forgive me O Father the sins which I have committed when I lived in prosperity for I am sensible that they are a cause why at this time thou hidest thy face from me and causest me to be troubled O give me a sight and sence of the greatness of them and true contrition and sorrow for them that so though the world forsake me I may yet find favour
the Mysteries of Salvation my hope established in the promises of the Gospel and my life set forward in a setled course of holyness and righteousness whereby the Kingdom of sin and Satan is beat down and destroyed and the Kingdom of Christ built up in me By this thy Word the careless sinner is admonished the ignorant instructed the presumptuous teâ—rified and the Penitent comforted the Power of sin is abated the force of temptations weakned the motions of the Spirit quickned grace received and my Election assured by the infallible marks and tokens thereof set before me in holy Scriptures Blessed be thy Name for it this day thy word hath dwelt with me richly in all wisdom The dispencer of thy Mysteries hath scattered many Doctrines like so many Pearls among the People Lord grant that with Mary I may keep these and all thy sayings in my heart and make use of them in my life and receive comfort from them at my Death And here I would proceed to intreat at thy hands the continuance and increase of thy Spiritual Temporal blessings upon me but my sins lye at the door of my Conscience and affright me My heart smites me for my failings in the performance of the duties of this day My devout meditations have been â—tifled in the womb that bare them my Prayers have not been without distractions my hearing without â—earisomness nor my Alms-deeds without Grudging Pardon dear Father the want of preparation before I come to thy house of intention and Zeal at thy service and of Meditation and Application of those things which I heard there since I came thence Bury I beseech thee these slips and all my sins especially of this week and day in the night of eternal oblivion Ease me of the burthen of them that I may more securely repose my soul and body upon thy gracious protection to take their natural refreshing by sleep whereby I may be enabled and strengthened to do the better service the next day in walking carefully diligently conscionably and constantly in the wayes of thy Commandements and in the duties of my Calling so as may be to thy honour and Glory and my eternal comfort through Jesus Christ our Lord. To whom be honour and glory world without end Amen Our Father c. A Prayer for Munday-Morning MOst Glorious Lord God the great Creator and preserver of all mankind Blessed be thy Name that thou hast been graciously pleased to preserve me the night past and that thou hast once more vouchsafed me the light of the Morning whereby to manage my affairs and business O Lord preserve me this day and keep me in all my wayes give unto me the repose of a quiet Conscience and the clear light of the Gospel to guide my feet in the way of peace and grant that this light may convince me of the Errors of my understanding the depravedness of my will the disorder of my affections the Impunity of my thoughts the vanity of my desires the deceitfulness of my heart and the wickedness thereof Make me sensible O Lord what a wretched creature I was in my birth slime and filthiness what I am in my life vanity and solly and what shall be in my death stench and rottenness Discover unto me O Lord that I have nothing which I have not received that without Christ I can do nothing that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good that I am not able of my self as of my self to think a good thought that I cannot desire to think nor have will to desire nor grace to will any good O Lord let me consider that my comforts in this world are very few and small my crosses and troubles many and great my pleasures here are momentary and short my pains hereafter without my repentance and thy great mercy are permanent and everlasting My gifts O Lord are very small my wants and infirmities are great my helps are weak my assaults and temptations are strong my good deeds are few and they tainted with Imperfections but my ill deeds are infinite Let these considerations O Lord humble me in my self that Christ may raise me and wound me in my self that Christ may heal me And O Lord who this day madest the Heavens or Air without which I cannot breath naturally no not for a moment infuse into my heart the Spirit of thy grace without which I cannot breath Spiritually in my Prayers nor sigh nor so much as move any part or faculty of my soul or body unto thee and as oft as I take in or let out the air which I breath let receive me in grace from thee and breathe out praise unto thee Be my guide O Lord this day and do thou keep me both Now and Ever Amen Our Father c. A Prayer for Munday-Evening HOly and Eternal Lord God who art the King of Heaven and the Watchman of Israel who never slumbrest nor sleepest Look upon me thy unworthy servant who by reason of my sin and the corruption of my nature am wholly subject to sloth and am even now ready to ease and rest my self upon my bed I know not whether thou wilt this very night make my bed in the dark and the hour of my visitation be this present Evening all my years are but a span long my dayes pass like a Weavers Shuttle my life ends like a Tail that is told this hour may be my last hour my next sleep may be my last and long sleep I beseech thee therefore that I may every Evening seriously ponder and meditate heaven that I may be the better prepared in that day and hour that thou shalt call me And though my Eyes shall now sleep and enjoy that moderate refreshment which thou hast appointed for the wearisome condition of my weak body yet let my soul continually watch unto thee to attend thy coming Forgive me O Lord the sins of this day past and all other my former sins and misdemeanors keep me this night both in body and soul that I may with the next light joyfully rise again Let not my sleep be unmeasurable and excessive to please the ease of my flesh but sufficient and seasonable whereby I may be the better disposed to thy service to morrow diligently and fruitfully walking in my calling and repenting me of my sins with fear to offend thee Let thy unspeakable mercy alwayes preserve me let thine endless sweetness rejoyce me let thine heavenly truth strengthen me let thy knowledg imbolden me and thy goodness keep me from my Enemies visible and invisible now and for Evermore Amen Our Father c. A Prayer for Tuesday Morning O Eternal Lord God thou commandest us alwayes at all times and in all things to call upon thee day by day I come unto thee beging refreshment from the overflowing streams of thy mercy O Lord open unto me the gate of thy favour and let me be satisfied with the fountain of thy loving kindness O merciful Lord who
And after strict search made under the Parliament house about midnight the very night before the Parliament was to set at the door of the entrance of the cellar was found one Guy Fauks clothed and booted he was apprehended and then removing some billets that were laid to prevent discovery they found the serpents nest stored with thirty six barrels of pouder and searching the Villain there was found about him a dark lanthorn three matches and other instruments for blowing up the pouder And thus was this horrible plot discovered and we saved and the Conspirators received their deserved punishment Those that were first in the Treat son were Robert Catesby Thomas Piercy Tho. Winter Robert Winter John Wright Chr. Wright Guy Fauks Gentlemen and Bates Catesbies Man Persons made acquainted with and promoters of it were Sr. Everard Digby Ambrose Roohwook Esq Francis Wesham Esq Robert Kegs John Grant Gent. A Thanksgiving for the fifth of November for Gods miraculous deliverance of this Land King and people from that horrid Gunpowder Treason 1605. O Our gracious Lord God who is like unto thee or who can strive beyond thy admittance hath any thing been done or attempted but what thou knowest of Yea thou seest all things savest all thine and wilt not let a hair of their heads perish O then who is like unto thee for thou art ever gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness O come then let us worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord our maker for never any people had more occasion ministred unto them than this people of great Britain and Ireland yea all that belong to this Monarchy to praise the great God of Majesty Power Might and Dominion who did deliver us out of thraldome when nothing was wanting for making this Sacrilegious Parracide a pattern of mischief and a crime without example they would have joyned the destruction of the body to the head so as all at one Thunderclap should have been sent to Heaven together the King our Head the Queen our fertile Mother and those young and hopeful Olive plants yea not only theirs but also ours our honourable and worthy Senators yea the whole representative body of the Land without distinction of degree or Age yea even the stones and walls should have felt their fury and the Hall of Justice the house of Parliament the Church used for the Corronation of our Kings the Monuments of our former Princes the Crown and other Royalties all the Records as well of Parliaments as of every mans particular right with a great number of Charters and such like should all have been comprehended under that fearful Chaos and the remaining trophies of the eternal glory of our former Princes should have all been cousumed together and so not only we but the memory of us and ours should have been extinguished in an instant how can we therefore sufficiently magnify and praise thy great mercy who didst thus preserve us when we were so near destruction Therefore consider our dangerous estate we come unto thee O thou great and mighty Judge in trembling and in fear humbly beseeching thee not to heap upon us thy deserved vengeance but let thy tender kindness and love thou bearest to Christ thy dear Son our gracious Lord and Redeemer cover our iniquities for whose sake do thou pardon us and have compassion The Martyrdâ—me of King Charles on us to whom with thy self and thy blessed Spirit be given all prays honour and glory of us and all our posterity after us from this time forth and for evermore Amen Vpon the Martyrdome of King Charles the first January 30th 1648. An Epitaph STay Passenger Behold and see The widdowed grave of Majesty Why tremblest thou her 's that will make The most stupid Soul to shake Here lies entomb'd the Sacred dust Of Peace and Piety Right and Just The Blood O start thou not to hear Of a blest King 'twixt hope and fear Shed and hurried hence to be The miracle of Misery The Law-giver amongst his own Sentenc'd by a Law unknown Voted Monarchy to death By the course Plebian breath The Soveraign of all command Suffering by a common Hand A Prince to make the Odium more Matryr'd at his very Dore. â—â—The Head cut off Oh death to see 't In obedience to the Feet And that by Justice you may know If thou hast Faith to think it so Wee 'l stir no further then this Sacr'd Clay But let it slumber till the Judgment Day Of all the Kings on earth it s not denyed Here lies the first that for Religion Dyâ—d A Prayer for the 30th of January being the day of the Martyrdome of King Charles the First 1648. O Blessed Lord God who by thy wisdome not only guidest and orderest all things most sutable to thine own Justice but also performest thy pleasure in such manner that we cannot but acknowledg thee to be righteous in all thy ways and holy in all thy works We thy sinful people fall down before thee confessing that thy Judgments were right in permitting wicked men this day to Imbâ—ue their hands in the Blood of thine Anointed we having drawn down the same upon our selves by the great and long provocation of our sins against thee for which we do therefore here humble our selves before thee imploring thy mercy for the pardon of them all and that thou wouldest deliver this Nation from blood guiltiness that of this day especially and turn from us and our Posterity all those Judgments which we by our sins have deserved And now O Lord thou whose righteousness is like the strong mountains and thy Judgments like the great deep and who by the Martyrdom of thine Anointed our Soveraign this day hast taught us that neither the greatest Kings nor the best of men are more secure from violent then from natural death Teach us also hereby so to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom and grant that neither the splendour of any thing that is great nor the conceit of any thing that is good in us may any way withdraw our eyes from looking upon our selves as sinful dust and ashes but that according to the example of this thy blessed Martyr we may press forward toward the price of the high calling that is before us in faith and patience humility and meekness mortification and self-denial charity and constant perseverance unto the end and we desire to bless thee O Lord that thou didst not leave us for ever as sheep without a shephard but by thy gracious providence didst miraculously preserve the undoubted Heir of his Crown our most gracious Soveraign KING CHARLES the Second from his bloody enemies hiding him under the shadow of thy wings until their Tyranny was overpast and bringing him back in thy good appointed time to sit in peace upon the throne of his Father The Kings 〈◊〉 Returne and to excercise that authority over us which of thy Special grace thou hast committed unto
feeble knees and support my weak hands and revive my deaded heart and so powerfully assist me with the spirit of strength that I may with confidence call upon thee with patience endure this trial with hope expect thy good pleasure with wisdom make use of this thy Visitation and with thankfulness ever praise thy goodness and mercy for my safe recovery if it may fland with thy will whereunto I submit and wholly resign now and for ever through Jesus Christ my blessed Lord and Saviour in whose most holy words I further pray Our Father A Thanksgiving after recovery O Lord God of my health and salvation who hast known my Soul in trouble and didst make my bed in my painful and dangerous sickness and hast now raised me out of it to stand before thee I offer now unto thee a sacrifice of praise because I emplyed not the saculties of my Soul and members of my body as I should have done thou didst bereave me of the strength and vigour and use of them for a season but now because thy compassion fails not thou hast returned them to me again wherefore I consecrate and devote them perpetually to thy sâ—rvice and as I am in the state of my body so by the power of thy renewing grace I will become in the estate of my Soul a new man My broken heart which thou hast healed shall now entirely love thee my feeble knees and weak bones which thou hast settled shall night and day bow to thee my weak hands which tâ—ou hast strengthned shall continually be lifted up unto thee I confess unto thee O Lord that in my health I often read and heard that worldly delights and comforts were vain and much like flags and bulrushes which men in danger of drowning câ—tch to bear them up but they sink doâ—â—â— under water with them yet did I not learn till I suffered till thy rod had imprinted it even in my flesh Now O Lord I beseech thee to knit my heart unto thee that I may fear thy name create in me a new heart renew a right spirit within me I asked life of thee thou gavest it me I now desire and crave thy Salvation O my God withhold it not make me to repent of my sins the cause of my sickness and to depend upon thee the giver of all good things and make me in the time of prosperity to think of adversity in health to think of sickness in sickness to think of death and at all times so to think of judgment that whither I wake or sleep eat or drink or whatsoever I do else I may ever have this voice sounding in mine ears Arise ye dead and come to judgment Give me grace O Lord to make this use of mine affliction past and to cleave and stick fast unto thee in all holiness for the time to come through my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in whose name and words I further pray Our Father c. The Prayer of the Sick now ready to depart this World ETernal and Omnipotent infinite incomprehensible God Lord of my life and determiner of my days my body now is returning into dust and my soul returning to thee that gavest it O Lord most holy O most mighty draw near unto me who make hast to come unto thee give me a clearer sight of thee by how much the nearer I am out of the dark prison of my body Give me also a quicker tast of the powers of the life to come that I may the more comfortably pass over these last troubles of this present life O Father of mercy and God of all consolation let not the guilt of my sâ—â—s or horror of thy judgments or Satans suggestions or the fear of death or terrors of hell drive me to desperation I confess that for my unmindfulness of thee and ungratefulness to thee all my life I deserve that thou shouldest utterly abandon and forsake me now at my death but thy thoughts are not like our thoughts nor thy affections like ours Dear Father shew thy strength in my greatest weakness confirm thy mercy to me in my greatest need apply thy comforts to me in this my last extremity asswage the pains of my body with spiritual Comforts and diminish the fear of death by the assured hope of a better life O let me that am now returning to dust and ashes speak but this once to my Lord and Maker with ill my heart soul and strength I beseech thee by all that my Saviour Jesus Christ hath done and Suffered for me I entreat thee to speak peace unto my soul at its departing and say unto it I am thyâ— Salvation Make my election sure by my true repentance fervent charity assured confidence constant patience and comfortable perseverance to the end and in the end Amen At the Hour of death WElcome blessed hour the period of my pilgrimage the term of my bondage the end of my cares the close of my sighs the bound of my tarvels the goal of my race and the heaven of my hopes I have fought a long fight in much weakness I have finished my course though in great faintness and the crown of my joy is that through the strength of thy grace I have kept the true faith and now I dye in it I willingly resign my flesh I despise the world and I defie the Devil who hath no part nor share in me And now what is my hope my hope Lord Jesus is even in thee for I know that thou my Redeemer livest and thou wilt immediately receive my soul and rayse up my body at the last day and I shall see thee in my flesh with these eyes and no other my heart â—ainteth my strength faileth my tongue faltereth Lord let thy spirit of comfort help mine insâ—â—mities and make Supplication for me with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered I submit my self wholly to thy will I commit my soul to thee as my faithful Redeemer who hast bought it with thy most precious bloud I profess to all the world I know no name under heaven by which I may be saved but thine my Jesus my Saviour I renounce all confidence in any merits save thine I thankfully acknowledg all thy blessings I unfainedly bewail all my sins I steadfastly believe all thy promises I heartily forgive all mine enemies I willingly leave all my friends I utterly loath all earthly comforts I entirely long for thy coming Come Lord Jesus come quickly Lord Jesus receive my spirit SACRED POEMS UPON SELECT SUBJECTS WITH Divine Meditations OF THE Vanity of Mans Life and the World And also of the Four Last Things Death Judgment Heaven and Hell With Graces Speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing and making melody with your Heart to the Lord Eph. 5. 19. The Souls Breathing after Her Heavenly Country 1. JErusalem my happy home O that I were in thee Oh would my Woes were at an end thy joys that I might see
hell on earth Lord give me Heaven with thee Heaven When I consider New Jerusalem Wherein 's reserv'd my Crown my diadem O what a Heaven of bliss my Soul enjoyes On sudden rapt into that Heaven of Joyes Where troops of Powers Vertues Cherubins Angels Archangels Saints and Seraphins Are chaunting praises to their heavenly King Where Hallelujahs they for ever sing Where ioyes are full and pure not mixt with mourning All endless from which is no returning No theft no cruel murther harbours there No hoary-headed care no sudden fear No pinching want no griping fast oppression Nor Death the stipend of our first transgression But dearest friendship love lasting pleasure Still there abides without stint or measure Fulness of riches comfort sempiternal Excess without surfeting life eternall Hell Let Poets please to torture Tantalus Let griping Vultures gnaw Prometheus And let poor Ixiâ— turn his endless wheel Let Nerveâ—s toâ—ment with whips of steel They far come short t' express the pains of those That rage in hell enwrapt in endless woes Where time no end and Plagues find no exemption Where cries admit no help nor place Redemption Where fire lacks no flame the flame no heat To make their torments sharp plagues compleat Where wretched Souls to tortures bound shall be Serving a world of years and not be free Where nothings heard but yells and suddain cries Where fire never slacks nor worm ere dies But where this Hell is placed my muse stop there Lord shew me what it is but never where Of Death and Judgment Heaven Hell Who oft doth think must needs die well Short Graces and Thanksgivings before and after Meat Before Meat SAnctify O Lord unto us the use of these thy creatures of which by our sins we have made our selves and grant that the end of our eating and drinking may be to be better enabled to serve thee in our several places through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen After Meat ETernal thanks and praise be ascribed unto thee O blessed Lord which hast opened thy hand at this time and made us partakers of thy benefits Lord let us never cease to offer unto thee the Sacrafice of praise and thanksgiving through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Before Meat HUmble our souls before thee O Lord and cause us to see the Smalness of out desert even in respect of the least of thy mercies and bless these thy creatures to us at this time to the rejoycing of the soul of thy Servants through Jesus Christ. Amen After Meat We give thee most hearty thanks O Lord for thy bountiful Liberality to us at this time grant we may serve thee better in the enjoyment of these favours Amen Before Meat LOrd lift up our hearts to look unto thee for a blessing upon our meats that we may comfortably use thy creatures as pledges of thy favour through Jesus Christ. Amen After Meat LOrd accept our thanks for the mercy we have enjoyed in receiving these thy creatures for our bodily relief and let us also labour for the meat that perisheth not for the sake of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen Before Meat O Lord bless us and bless these thy good creatures to the nourishment of our bodies and grant that whether we eat or drink or whatever we do we may do all to the praise and glory of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen After Meat AS thou hast filled our bodies O Lord with thy good creatures far above our desert so be pleased to endue our souls with all Spiritual blessings in heavenly things through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen FINIS