Sighs of them that mourn attend to the Prayers which we pour out before thee in our distresse and tribulation and clemently hear them that whatever the malice of Man or subtilty of Satan can work against us may by the wisdom of thy Piety be dasht and brought to nothing so as being hurt by no Adversities but delivered from all Affliction and sorrow we may joyfully yield thanks to thee in thy Church Forgive O Lord our sins and bestow on us thy mercy look down upon our low and sad condition pity our many miserys and break asunder the bonds that lie heavy on us and in all our necessities graciously hear thy Suppliants through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God world without end Amen Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy on us Lord have mercy upon us Lord Jesu hear our Prayers Lord Jesus receive our Petitions Our Father c. ALmighty God the Fountain of all Wisdom who knowest our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking we beseech thee to have Compassion upon our Infirmities and those things which for our unworthinesse we dare not and for our blindnesse we cannot ask vouchsafe to give us for the Worthiness of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the felloship of the Holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen I Shall not undertake to trouble you with the particular Opinions concerning the keeping of this day holy since some are of one Opinion and some of another and many Learned Treatises being thereupon already written to which when you shall by the good pleasure of God attain to a more mature judgment I shall refer you but rather advise you to sollow the Order of holy Church therein and withal to assure you of my own Experience and observations of that day which have been that when ever I have been so unhappy either by the perswasions of others or my own evil Inclinations to undertake or meddle with any Affairs of the World upon that day any more than of necessity they have alwayes had a very ill Successe and a most unhappy Conclusion therefore since it is the Command of God and holy Church that this day should be kept holy I would advise you not to be singular in neglecting your duty upon that holy day which the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the great God of all the holy Saints and Angels in Heaven who keep a holy and perpetual Sabboth grant you may perform with all holy devotions and pious works Amen DEVOTIONS for Friday FRiday being the Day of the Week upon which our blessed Lord and Saviour by most cruel hands was Crucified for the Redemption of the whole World hath by the Christian Church in all times been observed as a day of Fasting yet some Countrys have herein made some difference As first not to fast upon Friday within the twelve dayes of Christmas and Easter week Secondly others not to fast upon any Friday that happeneth to fall upon any holy-day observed by the Command of the Church Thirdly others not to fast upon any Friday between Easter and Ascension from that saying of our Saviour Mat. 9. 15. Can the Children of the Bride Chamber mourn as long as the Bridegroom is with them But you may use your discretion herein having a special regard to the Order of your holy Mother the Church of England who commands all Fridays in the year to be observed as Fasts except Christmasse-day when it shall happen to fall upon a Friday Fasting dayes ought to be dayes of Repentance and abstinence from sin as well as from meat and drink And being dayes of Repentance you shall do well that day to recite the seven Penitential Psalms which are these the 6. the 32. the 38. the 51. the 102. the 130. and the 143. dividing them in your Devotions as you shall be hereby directed First when you prepare your self for your duty of Fasting standing before the place where you intend your devotion which may be so early as this Office may be ended by you before the Church Morning Service begin and say The sixth Psalm 1. O Lord rebuke me not in thine indignation neither chasten me in thy displeasure 2. Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed 3. My Soul is also sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou punish me 4. Turn thee O Lord and deliver my Soul O save me for thy mercies sake 5. For in death no man remembreth thee and who will give thee thanks in the Pit 6. I am weary of my groning every night wash I my Bed and water my Couch with my tears 7. My beâ—uty is gone for very trouble and worn away because of all mine enemies 8. Away from me all ye that work vanity for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping 9. The Lord hath heard my petition the Lord will receive my Prayer 10. All mine enemies shall be confounded and sore vexed they shall be turned back and put to shame suddenly Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The 32. Psalm 1. BLessed is he whose unrighteousnesse is forgiven and whose sin is covered 2. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth no sin and in whose Spirit their is no guile 3. For while I held my tongue my bones consumed away through my daily complaining 4. For thy hand is heavy upon me day and night and my moisture is like the drought in Summer 5. I will knowledge my sin unto thee and mine unrighteousnesse have I not hid 6. I said I will confesse my sins unto the Lord and so thou forgavest the wickednesse of my sin 7. For this shall every one that is godly make his Prayer unto thee in a time when thou mayst be found but in the great water-floods they shall not come nigh him 8. Thou art a place to hide me in thou shalt preserve me from trouble thou shalt compasse me about with songs of deliverance 9. I will inform thee and teach thee in the way wherein thou shalt go and I will guid thee with mine eye 10. Be ye not like to Horse and Mule which have no understanding whose mouths must be holden with bit and bridle lest they fall upon thee 11. Great plagues remain for the ungodly but who so putteth his trust in the Lord mercy embraceth him on every side 12. Be glad O ye Righteous and rejoyce in the Lord and be joyful all ye that are true of heart Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. Then say By the sign of the holy Crosse O Lord deliver me Then kneeling devoutly upon your knees say In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Blessed be the holy and undivided Trinity now
would be pleased to Command his holy Angels to take charge of you and to preserve you both in Body and Soul from all evil visible and invisible I rest Your most affectionate and Loving Father T. W. From the Prison at the Castle in Glocester 9 Novembris 1668. For my Worthy Friend Mr. Nathaniel Gwinn Master of the Free-School at Cyrencester these humbly present Most worthy Sir IT is said That if it had not been for Aristotle Alexander had not been Alexander although the Simile may not well hold yet truly what my poor Children have attained unto They and my Self must be very ungrateful if we do not acknowledge it to come from you And therefore Sir I do with all the Offerings of a free heart in all humility return you my humble and hearty thanks for your unheard of Civilities to my poor Sons hoping that your Indulgence to them will not be forgotten when ever it shall please God they may be Capacitated to return those thanks that are due for Obligations of so large a magnitude I must now beg you to contract another trouble upon your self viz. That you would he pleased to peruse the following Meditations and as you shall approve of them â—o give encouragement unto those â—hey are designed for to use them Thus beseeching your Prayers to â—he God of all Recompences for me a poor Prisoner in this Goal I remain Reverend Sir Your most obliged and faithful Servant T. W. From the Castle in Glocester 9 die Novembris 1668. Devout MEDITATIONS For the Morning for every Day in the Week When you awake in the Morning say O Saviour of the World who by thy Crosse and precious Blood hast redeemed us save us and help us we humbly beseech thee O Lord. And afterwards before you stir out of your Bed because the first thoughts ought to be offered to Almighty God say O Lord open thou our lips And our mouth shall shew forth thy praise O Lord deal not with us after our sins Neither reward us after our iniquities Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us OUr Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name Thy kingdom come Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver uâ— from evil For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen GLory be to God on high Anâ— in Earth peace good will to wards Men. We praise thee we blesâ— thee we worship thee we glorifâ—â— thee we give thanks to thee for thy great Glory O Lord God heavenly King God the Father Almighty O Lord the only begotten Son Jesu Christ O Lord God Lamb of God Son of the Father that takest away the Sins of the World have mercy upon us thou that takest away the sins of the world have mercy upon us thou that takest away the sins of the world receive our Prayers thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father have mercy upon us For thou only art Holy thou onely art the Lord thou onely O Christ with the Holy Ghost art most high in the glory of God the Father Amen And when you arise out of your Bed make a reverent bow with your body and say Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen When you are putting on your Apparel let your thoughts be truly towards God and of his most bountiful goodness towards you at all times and say O Sweet Jesu that the shame of my sinful Soul may not be seen cloath it with the robes of thy Justice and cover it with the Ornaments of all manner of grace and vertues Amen And before you stir out of your Chamber prepare your thoughts for Prayer repairing to some convenient place of the Room and with great reverence bow your body and say the eighth Psalm following O Lord our Governour how excellent is thy Name in all the world thou that hast set thy glory above the Heavens Out of the mouth of very Babes and Sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies that thou mightest still the Enemy and the Avenger For I will consider the Heavens even the works of thy Fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained What is Man that thou art mindful of him and the Son of Man that thou visitest him Thou madest him lower than the Angels to crown him with glory and worship Thou makest him to have dominion of the works of thy hands and thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet all Sheep and Oxen yea and the Beasts of the field The Fouls of the Air and Fishes of the Sea and whatsoever walketh through the paths of the Seas O Lord our Governour how excellent is thy Name in all the world Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Then kneeling down upon your knees with your heart and hands lift up to Almighty God say In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen Blessed be the holy and undivided Trinity now and for ever Amen O Lord save the King And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee OUr Father which art in heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen O Everlasting God who hast ordained and constituted the services of Angels and Men in a wonderful order mercifully grant that as thy holy Angels alway do thee service in Heaven so by thy appointment they may succour and defend us on Earth through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen ALmighty and everlasting God who hatest nothing that thou hast made and dost forgive the sins of all them that are penitent Create and make in us new and Contrite hearts that we worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchednesse may obtain of thee the God of all Mercy perfect remission and forgiveness through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen ALmighty God who seest that we have no power of our selves to help our selves keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen O Almighty God whose dwelling is in the highest Heavens and yet vouchsafest to regard the lowest Creature upon
and for ever O Lord hear our Prayers And let our Supplications come unto thee Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Jesu hear my Prayers Lord Jesu grant my Petitions Our Father c. The Collect for the first Sunday in Lent O Lord who for our sakes didst fast forty dayes and forty nights give us grace to use such abstenence that our flesh being subdued to the Spirit we may ever obey thy godly motions in righteousnesse and true holinesse to thy honour and glory which livest and reignest c. The Collect for the third Sunday in Lent WE beseech thee Almighty God look upon the hearty desires of thy humble Servants and stretch forth the right hand of thy Majesty to be our defence against all our enemies through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen The Collect for the fourth Sunday in Lent GRant we beseech thee Almighty God that we which for our evil deeds are worthily punished by the Comfort of thy grace may mercifully be relieved through our Lord Jesus Christ O Merciful Jesu Redeemer of the World whose sacred Head was Crowned with Thorns whose Hands and Feet were extended on a Cross cruelly bored with Nailes whose Side was pierc'd with a Spear and immediately there gusht out Water and Blood whose whole Body was ignominiously Crucified between two Thieves What tongue can express those Innumerable pains which thy Innocence suffered we beseech thee for these so exceeding great torments illuminate our Souls with the light of thy knowledge and moderate our unruly passions strengthen our hands to good works and convert our footsteps into thy wayes direct our thoughts words and deeds according to thy holy Law and in the end of our lives bring us to thy everlasting Kingdom where with thy holy Angels we may praise thee for ever who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost ever one God woâ—ld without end Amen BEhold O holy Father thy dearly beloved Son so cruelly tormented for me Behold most merciful King who it is that suffers and remember for whom he suffers Is it not O Lord thy most innocent Son whom thou hast given to Death that he might Redeem thy Servants Is it not the Authour of Life who being led as a Sheep to the Slaughter was made obedient even to death and that the most cruel kind of death Call to mind O eternal Authour of all goodnesse that this is he whom thou hast begotten of thy Divine Power and vertue yet hast thou made him partaker of my Infirmity and weaknesse Verily this is thy Son the Son of the living God who being clothed with my nature ascended the Gibbet of the Crosse on which he suffered a most dolorous Death O Lord cast the eyes of thy Majesty on the work of thy ineffable bounty behold thy most sweet Son with his whole Body stretched out behold his innocent hands besprinkled with his precious Blood and mercifully pardon those faults which my hands have committed Look upon his naked Side pierced with a Spear and bath my Soul in that sacred Fountain which I believe issued from thence Consider his holy Feet which never stood in the way of sinners but alwaies walked in thy Law with sharp and long Nails fastned to the Crosse and guid my steps in the path of thy Commandments O my God make me hate the wayes of Iniquity and alwayes choose those of truth and Piety O King of Angels and Saints I beseech thee for this Holy of Holies for this my Redeemer make me continually remember his excessive love that I may be united to him in Spirit who hath not disdained to be clad with my flesh Blessed Father feest thou not the Head of thy dear Son with his Neck bending to die behold most meek Creator the Humanity of thy beloved Son and have mercy on the frailty of thy Creature his white and innocent Breast is naked his Side red in his own Blood his extended bowels dried up his fair and beautiful eyes grown dim and faint his royal Visage pale and the streams of his most precious Blood water his pierced Feet Behold O glorious Father the torn Body of thy beloved Son and graciously remember what my substance is behold the sufferings of Jesus thy Son and release the miseries of Man thy Creature behold the punishment of the Redeemer and forgive the offences of the Redeemed This is he O my Lord whom thou hast smitten for the sins of thy People although he was thy beloved in whom thou wast well pleased This is that Innocent in whom there was found no guilt and yet was he reputed among the wicked O Benign Lord pour we beseech thee thy grace into our hearts that we restraining our sins by voluntary Chastisement may rather be afflicted temporally then deputed to eternal Punishments through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God world without end Amen The short LITANY Of our Blessed Saviour JESUS LOrd have mercy on us Christ have mercy on us Lord have mercy on us Jesu receive our Prayers Lord Jesu grant our Petitions O God the Father Creator of the World have mercy on us O God the Son Reedeemer of Mankind have mercy on us O God the Holy Ghost Perfecter of the Elect have mercy on us Holy Trinity one God have mercy on us Jesu Son of the living God have mercy on us Jesu the expresse Image of thy Fathers glory have mercy on us Jesu the bright Candor of eternal Light have mercy on us Jesu the increated Wisdom by whom all things are governed have mercy on us Jesu the Eternal Word made Man for our Redemption have mercy on us Jesu most blessed Son of the Virgin Mary have mercy on us Jesu most powerful have mercy on us Jesu most Glorious have mercy on us Jesu most Humble and Meek have mercy on us Jesu most Patient and Obedient have mercy on us Jesu most Chast and Holy have mercy on us Iesu lover of Poverty have mercy on us Iesu lover of Peace have mercy on us Iesu lover of us ingrateful have mercy on us Iesu who camest down from Heaven to teach us with thine own sacred mouth the truths of Salvation have mercy on us Iesu who Conversed so long on Earth to shew us by thine own holy Example the way to Heaven have mercy on us Iesu who diedst even the death of the Crosse to take off our aversion from whatever passage into Life have mercy on us Iesu who ascendedst into Heaven to confirm our belief and raise up our affections to the sure joyes of Eternity have mercy on us Iesu Author of our Faith and Finisher of our Hope have mercy on us Iesu Supreme Object of our love and over flowing satiety of all our desires have mercy on us Iesu our God blessed for ever have mercy on us Have mercy O Iesu and spare us Have mercy O Iesu and hear us From all
a most perfect Example and finally thou didst consent upon that tree to die and by thy Death to Redeem us I humbly beseech thee for the incomparable patience thou shewedst in the whole course of thy Life and then especially when thy malicious Enemies so raged against thee when they mocked thee and spit upon thy Face when they hood-winked thine eyes and with their most impure hands buffeted thy Cheeks when they cruelly scourged thee fast bound to a Pillar when they did thrust upon thy sacred Head a Crown of Thornes and prest their sharp points into thy Temples when with Iron Nails they pierced thy blessed Hands stretched along upon the Cross when thy blessed Side was transfixt with a Spear when in thy great thirst and extreme Agony they offered thee a spunge full of vinegar and gall when with thy Head inclined down thou saidst It is Consummate when thou didst commend thy Spirit into the hands of God the Father and in the end gavest up thy last breath for the Redemption of Mankind For all these Pains and Passions O most gracious Lord Jesus Christ I poor and miserable sinner humbly beseech thy infinite Majesty not to forsake me nor suffer me to be Condemned in thy terrible Judgment but let thy dolorous Passion so help me that I may be brought to everlasting felicity let thy holy Angels alwayes be in my Company and specially at the hour of my death that they may protect defend and keep me so that the cruel â—nfernal Enemy may never have any power over me Amen O Jesu who for the Redemption of the World patiently enduredst so many Injuries Calamities and Afflictions and even Death it self We humbly beseech thee by all thy Sufferings and by the effusion of thy precious Blood deliver us from the dangers of this Life from the pains of Hell and from suddain and everlasting death Amen O Holy Jesus who for our sakes didst suffer Incomparable anguish and pains Commensurate to thy love and our miseries which were infinite that thou mightest purchase for us Blessings upon Earth and an Inheritance in Heaven dispose us by love thankfulnesse humility and obedience to receive all the benefit of thy Passion granting unto us and thy whole Church remission of all our sins integrity of mind health of body competent maintainance peace in our dayes a temperate air fruitfulnesse of the Earth unity and integrity of Faith extirpation of Heresies reconcilement of Schismes destruction of all wicked Counsels intended against us and bind the hands of Rapine and Sacriledge that they may not destroy the Vintage and root up the Vine it self Multiply thy Blessings upon us sweetest Jesus increase in us true Religion sincere and actual Devotion in our Prayers patience in troubles and whatsoever is necessary to our Souls health or conducing to thy glory Amen O Holy and eternal Jesus who didst for our sakes Fast forty dayes and forty nights and hast left to us thy Example and thy prediction that in the dayes of thy absence from us we thy Servants and Children of thy Bride-Chamber should Fast teach us to do this act of discipline so that it may become an Act of Religion Let us never be like Esau valuing a Dish of meat above a Blessing but let us deny our appetites of Meat and Drink and accustome our selves to the yoke and substract the fuel of our lusts and the incentives of all our unworthy desires that our bodies being free from the intemperances of nutriment and our Spirits from the load and pressure of Appetite we may have no desires but of thee that our outward Man daily decaying by the violence of time and mortified by the abatements of its too free and unnecessary support it may by degrees resign to the intire dominion of the Soul and may passe from vanity to piety from weakness to ghostly strength from darknesse and mixtures of impurity to great transparencies and charity in the society of a beautiful Soul reigning with thee in the glories of eternity O holy and eternal Iesu Amen O God the Authour of peace and lover of Charity give to our Enemies peace and true Charity grant them remission of all their sins and deliver us from all their deceipts through our Lord Iesus Christ Amen O Almighty everlasting God the eternal Salvation of them that believe hear us for thy Sick-Servants for whom we humbly crave the help of thy mercy that health being restored to them they may yield thanksgiving to thee in thy Church through our Lord Iesus Christ Amen O Almighty everlasting God the Consolation of the sorrowful and the strength of those that travel let the Prayers of all that call upon thee out of any tribulation distress or calamity whatsoever come to thy ears that they may rejoyce to find thy mercies present with them in their necessities through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen TUrn thou us O good Lord and so shall wee be turned be favourable O Lord be favourable to thy People who turn to thee in weeping fasting and praying For thou art a merciful God full of compassion long-suffering and of great pity Thou sparest when we deserve punishment and in thy wrath thinkest upon Mercy Spare thy People good Lord spare them and let not thine Heritage be brought to confusion Hear us O Lord for thy merty is great and after the multitude of thy mercies look upon us through the Merits and mediation of thy blessed Son Iesus Christ our Lord Amen O Lord hear our Prayers And let our Cry come unto thee O God whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive receive our humble Petitions and grant that the tender mercy of thy piety may mildly absolve us whom the chain of sin doth bind through thy sweet Son Iesus Christ our Lord Amen The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen Then devoutly rise from your knees and say The 143. Psalm 1. HEar my Prayer O Lord and consider my desire hearken unto me for thy truth and righteousness sake 2. And enter not into judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified 3. For the enemy hath persecuted my Soul he hath smitten my life down to the ground he hath laid me in the darknesse as the men that have been long dead 4. Therefore is my Spirit vexed within me and my heart within me is desolate 5. Yet do I remember the time past I muse upon all thy works yea I exercise my self in the works of thy hands 6. I stretch forth my hands unto thee my Soul gaspeth unto thee as a thirsty land 7 Hear me O Lord and that soon for my Spirit waxeth faint hide not thy face from me lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit 8. O let me hear thy loving kindnesse betimes in the morning for in thee is my trust shew thou me the way