past my vices and pleasures of the world and grant that all inordinate affection to the transitory things of this life may daily decay in me and that I may grow in spirit and ghostly strength till I come to a perfect man in Christ Iesus Amen IV. GIve unto thy servant true humility great contrition a tender conscience an obedient heart an understanding alwayes busied in honest and pious thoughts a will tractable and ever prone to do good affections eaven and moderate a watchfull custody over my senses that by those windowes sin may never enter in nor death by sin Make me to watch over my tongue and keep the doore of my lips that no corrupt or unseemly communication proceed out my mouth that I may never slander calumniate or detract from the reputation of my neighbour that I be not busie in the faults of others but carefull to correct mine own being gentle and mercifull to others and severe towards my selfe that I may speake much of thy praises and what I can for the edification of my brethren Amen V. GIve me understanding in thy Law that I may know thy will and grace and strength faithfully to fulfill the same Give me a feare of thy Name and of thy threatnings and a love and hope of thy promises let me daily feele thy mercies and remove thy judgements farre from me Imprint in my heart a filiall reverence and awfulnes towards thy Divine Majestie that I may studie to please thee with diligence to worship thee with much devotion to submit to the disposition of thy providence with thankfulnesse and that in conscience of my dutie towards thee I may honour the King obey Magistrates under him love the Saints and do all acts of charitie according to my opportunitie and abilitie directing all my actions and intentions not according to custome or in pursuance of mine owne ends and temporall advantages but in thy feare and in holy religion to the advancement of thy honour and glorie Amen VI GIve me a soule watchfull in the services of Religion constant in holy purposes ingenuous and free from sordid ends or servile flatterie a modest gravitie in my deportment affabilitie and faire curteous demeanour towards all men austeritie in condemning mine own sinnes sweetnesse in fraternall correction and reprehending others mature judgement a chaste bodie and a cleane soule patience in suffering deliberation in my words and actions good counsels in all my purposes make me just in performing promises and in all my duties sedulous in my calling profitable to the Common-wealth a true Son of the Church and of a disposition meek and charitable towards all men Amen VII LEt this be my portion and the comfort of my pilgrimage so long as I am detained in the condition of mortality and exiled from my heavenly Countrey that being free from all feare of mine enemies and from vexations cares and solicitudes of this life I may be wholly devoted to thy service that I may attend thee onely and what tends to thee that I may rejoyce onely in thee and my soule may rest in thee that without distractions I may entertain thy heavenly Doctrine and the blessed motions of thy holy Spirit spending my time in the duties of necessity in the workes of charity and the frequent office of Religion with diligence and patience and perseverance and hope expecting the accomplishment of my dayes in peace that when I go unto my dust I may be reckoned amongst those blessed soules whose worke it is to give thee praise and honour and glory to all eternity Amen Blessed be the holy and undivided Trinity now and for evermore Amen An EVENING PRAYER In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Our Father which art in Heaven c I. O Lord God who art the light and splendour of soules in the brightnesse of thy countenance is eternall Day that knowes no night in thy armes and in thy protection is all quietnesse tranquillity and everlasting repose while the darknesse covers the face of the earth receive my body and soule into thy custody let not the spirits of darknesse come neare my dwelling neither suffer my fancy to be abused with illusions of the night Lord I am thy servant and the sheep of thy pasture let not the Devill who goeth up and down seeking whom he may devoure abuse my bodie or make a prey of my soule but defend me from all those calamities which I have deserved and protect my soule that it consent not to any worke of darknesse least mine enemy say he hath prevailed over me or do mischiefe to a soule redeemed with thy most precious Bloud Amen II. PArdon and forgive me all the sinnes and offences of my youth the errours of mine understanding the inordination of mine affections the irregularity of all mine actions and particularly whatsoever I have transgressed this day in thought word or deed Lord let not thy wrath arise for although I have deserved the extremest pressure of thine indignation yet remember my infirmity and how thou hast sent thy sonne to reveale thy infinite mercies to us and convey pardon and salvation to the penitent I beseech thee also to accept the heartiest Devotion and humblest acknowledgement of a thankfull heart for thy blessing and preservation of this Day for unlesse thy Providence and Grace had been my Defence and Guide I had committed more and more grievous sinnes and had been swallowed up by thy just wrath and severest judgements Mercy sweet Iesu. Amen III. LOrd let thy grace be so present with me that though my body sleep yet my soule maâ— for ever be watchfull that I sleep not sin in or pâ—termit any opportunity of doing thee service let the remembrances of thy goodnesse and glories be first and last with mee and so unite my heart unto thee with habituall charity that all my actions and sufferings may be directed to thy glory every motion and inclination either of soule or body may in some capacity or other receive a blessing from thee and do thee service that whether I sleep or wake travell or rest eat or drinke live or dye I may alwaies feel the light of thy countenance shining so upon me that my labours may be easie my rest blessed my food sanctified and my whole life spent with so much sanctity and peace that escaping from the darknesses of this world I may at last come to the land of everlasting rest in thy light to behold light and glory through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Blessed be the holy and undivided Trinity now and for evermore Another Prayer for Evening I. VIsit we beseech thee O Lord this habitation with thy mercie and us thy servants with thy salvation and repell farre from us all the snares of the Enemy Let thy holy Angells dwell here to keep us in peace and safety and thy blessing be upon us for ever through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen II. O Lord Jesu
DEVOTIONS FOR THE Helpe and assistance OF ALL CHRISTIAN PEOPLE In all occasions and necessities Printed in the Yeare 1644. A Prayer against wandring thoughts to be said at the beginning of our devotions ALmighty God who hast commanded us to pray unto thee without ceasing and hast added many glorious promises for our incouragement let thy holy Spirit teach me how to pray give me just apprehensions of my wants zeale of thy glory great resentment of thy mercies love of all spirituall imployments that are pleasing unto thee and do thou helpe mine infirmites that the Devill may not abuse my fancy with illusions nor distract my minde with cares nor alienate my thoughts with impertinencies but give me a present minde great devotion a heart fixed upon thy divine beauties and an actuall intention and perseverance in my prayers that I may glorifie thy Name do unto thee true and laudable service and obtain reliefe for all my necessities Heare me O King of Heaven when I call upon thee for thou hast promised mercy to them that pray in the Name of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Amen Penitentiall Prayers and a Forme of Confession of sinnes to God to be said upon dayes of publique or private humiliation O Lord God of mercy and pardon give me a just remembrance and sad apprehensions of my sinnes teach me to bewaile them with as great an indignation and bitternesse as I have committed them with complacency and delight Let my prayers and my confession come into thy presence and obtaine a mercy for me and a pardon Let not thy justice and severity so remember my sinnes as to forget thine own mercy and though I have committed that for which I deserve to be condemned yet thou canst not loose that glorious attribute whence flowes comfort to us and hopes of being saved Spare me therefore O mercifull God for to give pardon to a sinner that confesseth his sinnes and begges remission is not impossible to thy power nor disproportionate to thy justice nor unusuall to thy mercy and sweetest clemency Blessed Jesu acknowledge in me whatsoever is thine and cleanse me from whatsoever is amisse Have pittie on me now in the time of mercy and condemne me not when thou commest to judgement for what profit is there in my bloud Thou delightest not in the death of a sinner but in his conversion there is joy in Heaven and when thou hast delivered me from my sinnes and saved my soule I shall praise and magnifie thy Name to all eternity Mercy sweet Jesu Mercy Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Our Father which art in Heaven c. I am not worthy O Lord to look up to Heaven which is the Throne of thy purity for my sins are moe in number than the haires upon my head and my heart hath failed me Lord be mercifull to me a sinner I have not lived according to thy will but in the vanity of mine own thoughts in idle sinfull and impertinent language in foolish actions in blindnesse of heart in contempt of thy holy Word and Commandments I have not loved thee my God with all my heart nor feared thee with all my soule nor served thee with all my might according to thy holy precept nor loved my neighbour as my selfe Lord be mercifull to me a sinner I have been unthankfull to thy Divine Majesty forgetting that thou madest me and preservest me to thy Son my blessed Saviour forgetting the bitter paines he suffered for me and to the holy Ghost forgetting how many gracious influences I have received from him for my helpe comfort and promotion in the wayes of holy Religion but have rebelled against thee my Maker have sold my selfe to worke wickednesse from whence by the passion of thy holy Son I was redeemed and have resisted the holy Ghost Lord be mercifull to me a sinner I have offended thee my God in an inordinate estimation of my selfe in vaine complacencies and desires to be esteemed as much or more than others in not suffering with meeknesse indifference and obedience the humiliations sent to me by thy divine providence in haughty deportment toward my superiours equals and inferiours and in accepting such honours as have been done to me without returning them to thee the Fountaine Lord be mercifull to me a sinner I have offended thee my God in impatience in anger intemperate in degree inordinate in the object growing peevish and disquieted by trifling inadvertencies of others and slight accidents about me Lord be mercifull to me a sinner I have offended thee my God by being envious at the prosperous successes and advantages of my neighbours and have had resentments of joy at their displeasures and sadnesses Lord be mercifull to me a sinner I have been negligent in performance of my charge idle in doing my duties soft and effeminate in my life indevout in my prayers slothfull in the exercises of Religion weary of their length displeased at their returne without advertency in the execution of them and glad at an occasion of their pretermission Lord be mercifull to me a sinner I have been diligent and curious in pleasing my appetite of meat and drinke and pleasures loosing my time pampering my flesh quenching the Spirit making matter both for sin and sicknesses and have not been sedulous in mortifying my body for the subduing mine owne intemperances and inordination Lord be mercifull to me a sinner I have been an improvident steward of the good things thou hast given me I have loved them inordinately sought them greedily and unjustly dispensed them idlely parted with them unwillingly I have not been so charitable to the poore or so pittifull to the afflicted or so compassionate to the sicke or so apt to succour and give supply to the miseries of my neighbours as I ought but have too much minded things below not setting mine affections upon Heaven and heavenly things but have been unlike thee in all things I have been unmercifull and unjust Lord be mercifull to me a sinner Mine eyes O Lord have wandred after vanity beholding and looking after things unseemly without displeasure despising my neighbours prying into their faults but have been blinde not seeing mine own sinnes and infinite irregularities Lord be mercifull to me a sinner I have not with care kept the doore of my lips nor bridled my tongue but have been excessive in talking immoderate in dissolute and wanton laughter apt to lie to deny truth to accuse others to scoffe at them to aggravate their faults to lessen their worth to give rash judgement to flatter for advantage to speake of thy Name irreverently and without religious or grave occasions our discourses have been allayed with slander and backbiting not apt to edifie or minister grace unto the hearers Lord be mercifull to me a sinner Mine eares have been greedy after vanity listening after things unprofitable or that might tend to the prejudice of my neighbours and have
to supplant my neighbours full of jealousies and suspition scornfull and censorious burdensome to my friends ingratefull to my benefactors imperious to my inferious boasting to have said what I said not to have seen what I saw not to have done what I did not and have both said and seen and done what I ought not provoking thy divine Majesty with a continuall course of sinne and vanity And yet O Lord thou hast spared me all this while and hast not taken away my life in the midst of my sinnes which is a mercy so admirable and of so vast a kindnesse as no heart or tongue can think or speak If thou hadst dealt with me according as I had deserved and might justly have expected I had been now now at this instant seal'd up to an eternity of torments hopelessely miserable fearing the revelation of thy day with an insupportable amazement and now under the sweet influences of thy mercies J am praying to thee confessing my sinnes with shame indeed at my basenesse and ingratitude but with a full hope and confidence in thy mercy O turne the eyes of thy divine clemency with a gracious aspect upon a wretched sinner open the bowels of thy mercy and receive me into favour O my dear God let thy grace speedily worke that in me for which thou so long hast spared me and to which thou didst designe me in thy holy purposes and mercies of eternity even a true faith and a holy life conformable to thy will and in order to eternall blessednesse I remember O Lord the many fatherly expressions and examples of thy mercies to repenting sinners thy delight in our conversion thy unwillingnesse to destroy us thy earnest invitation of us to grace and life thy displeasure at our dangers and miseries the infinite variety of meanes thou usest to bring us from the gates of death and to make us happy to eternity These mercies O Lord are so essentiall to thee that thou canst not but be infinitly pleased in demonstrations of them Remember not O Lord how we have despised thy mercies sleighted thy judgements neglected thy Commandments but now at length establish in us great contrition for our sinnes leade us on to humble confession and dereliction of them and let thy grace make us bring forth fruits meet for repentance fruits of justice of hope of charity of religion and devotion that we may be what thou delightest in holy and just and mercifull vessels prepared for honour temples of the holy Ghost and instruments of thy praises to all eternity O blessed Iesu who livest and reignest ever one God world without end Amen O Lord Jesu Christ Son of the eternall God interpose thy holy Death thy Crosse and Passion between thy judgement and my soule now and in the houre of my death granting unto me grace and mercy to all faithfull people pardon and peace to the Church unity and amity and to all sinners repentance and amendment to us all life and glory everlasting who livest and reignest ever one God world without end Amen A Forme of thankesgiving with a particular enumeration of Gods blessings MOst glorious Lord God infinite in mercy full of compassion long suffering and of great goodnesse I adore and praise and glorifie thy holy Name worshipping thee with the lowliest devotions of my soule and body and give thee thankes for all the benefits thou hast done unto me for whatsoever I am or have or know or desire as I ought it is all from thee thou art the Fountain of being and blessing of sanctity and pardon of life and glory Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy Name Thou O God of thine infinite goodnesse hast created me of nothing and hast given me a degree of essence next to Angels imprinting thine Image on me enduing me with reasonable faculties of will and understanding to know and chuse good and to refuse evill and hast put me into a capacity of a blessed immortality O praise the Lord with me and let us magnifie his Name together Thou O God of thy great mercy hast given me a comely body a good understanding streight limbes a ready and unloosed tongue whereas with justice thou mightest have made me crooked and deformed sottish and slow of apprehension imperfect and impedite in all my faculties O give thankes unto the God of Heaven for his mercy endureth for ever Thou O God of thy glorious mercies hast caused me to be borne of Christian parents and didst not suffer me to be strangled in the wombe but gavest me opportunity of holy Baptisme and hast ever since blessed me with education in Christian Religion Thy way O God is holy who is so great a God as our God Thou O God out of thine abundant kindnesse hast made admirable variety of creatures to minister to my use to serve my necessity to preserve and restore my health to be an ornament to my body to be representations of thy power and of thy mercy Vnto thee O God will I pay my vowes unto thee will I give thankes Thou O God of thine admirable and glorious mercy hast made thine Angels ministring spirits for my protection and defence against all the hostilities of the Devill thou hast set a hedge about me and such a guard as all the power of hell and earth cannot overcome thou hast preserved me by thy holy providence and the ministery of Angels from drowning from burning from precipice from deformities from fracture of bones and all the snares of evill and the great violations of health which many of my betters suffer I will give thankes unto thee O Lord with my whole heart even before the gods will I sing praise unto thee Thou O most mercifull God hast fed me and clothed me hast raised me up friends and blessed them hast preserved me in dangers hast rescued me from the fury of the sword from the rage of pestilence from perishing in publike distemperatures and diseases epidemicall from terrours and affrightments of the night from illusions of the Devill and sad apparitions thou hast been my guide in my journies my refreshment in sadnesses my hope and my confidence in all my griefes and desolations O give thankes unto the Lord of lords for his mercy endureth for ever But above all mercies it was not lesse than infinite whereby thou lovedst me and all mankinde when we were lost and dead and rebells against thy Divine Majesty thou gavest thine owne begotten Son to seek us when we went astray to restore us to life when we were dead in trespasses and sinnes and to reconcile us to thy selfe by the mercies and the atonement of an everlasting covenant He is our God even the God of whom commeth salvation God is the Lord by whom we escape death O most blessed Iesu I praise adore thine infinite mercies humility and condescension that for my sake thou wouldest descend from the bosome of thy heavenly Father into the
Christ the lively Image of thy Fathers mercies and glories the Saviour of all them that put their trust in thee we offer and present to thee all our strengths powers of our soules and bodies and whatsoever we are or â—ave to be preserved governed and possest by thee Preserve us from all vitious vaine and proud cogitations unchaste affections and from all those things which thou hatest Grant us thy holy charity that we may love thee above all the world that we may with sincerity of intention and zealous affections seek thee alone and in thee onely take our rest inseparably joyning our selves unto thee who art worthy to be beloved and adored of all thy creatures with lowest prostrations and highest affection now and for evermore Amen III. O Father of mercies and God of all comforts let this blessing be upon us and upon all the members of thy holy Church all health and safety both of body and soul against all our enemies visible and invisible now and for ever Send us a quiet night and a holy death in the actuall communion of the Catholique Church and in thy charity through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Our Father which art in heaven c. Now and in all dangers and afflictions of soul and body in the houre of death and in the day of judgement save us and deliver us O sweet Saviour and Redeemer Iesu. Collects to be added upon Various occasions I. For the Church ALmighty and everlasting God who hast revealed thy glory to Iewes and Gentiles in our Lord Iesus Christ extend thy hand of mercie over all the world that thy Church may spread like a flourishing vine and enlarge her borders to the uttermost parts of the earth that all Nations partaking of the sweet refreshings of thy Gospell thy name may be glorified the honour of our Lord Iesus advanc'd his prophecies fullfilled and his comming hastened Blesse O Lord thy holy Church with all blessings of comfort assistance and preservation extirpate heresies unite her divisions give her patience and perseverance in the faith and confession of thy name in despite of all Enmities temptations and disadvantages destroy all wicked counsells intended against her or any of her children by the Divell or any of his accursed instruments Let the hands of thy grace and mercy lead her from this vale of misery to the triumphant throne of her Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Amen II. For the King O Lord our heavenly Father High and Mighty King of Kings who in thy hands hast the hearts of Kings and can'st turne them as the rivers of water send the light of thy countenance and abundance of blessings upon thy servant our Soveraigne Lord King Charles make him as holy valiant and prosperous as King David wise and rich like Solomon zealous for the honour of thy Law and temple as Josiah and give him all sorts of great assistances to enable him to serve thee to glorifie thy name to protect thy Church to promote true religion to overcome all his enemies to make glad all his leige people that he serving thee with all dilligence and the utmost of his possibility his people may serve him with honour and obedience in thee and for thee according to thy blessed word and ordinance through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen III. For the Queen O God of heaven Father of mercies have mercy upon our most gracious Queen unite her unto thee with the bands of faith and love preserve her to her lives end in thy favour and make her an instrument of glory to thy Name of refreshment to the Church of joy to all faithfull people of this Kingdome of a plenteous and blessed Issue to his Majesty and Crowne her with an eternall weight of glory through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen IV. For the Prince of Wales O Most blessed Iesu Sonne of God who camest from thy Fathers bosome with myriads of blessings to the sonnes of men blesse us all by thy especiall care and providence over the body and soul of the most Illustrious Prince CHARLES Prepare him with plenty of thy grace and with great abilities to succeed his Royall Father in the service of thy Majesty in defending the Catholique Faith in comforting thy holy Church in governing all the people prudently justly and religiously that being partaker of all thy mercies here in proportion to his necessitie and capacity he may enjoy a fulnesse of thy glory hereafter through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen V. For the Bishops O Thou great sheep-heard and Bishop of our soules most glorious Iesu blesse all holy and religious Prelates especially the Bishops of our Church O God let abundance of thy grace and benediction descend upon their heads that by a holy life by a true and Catholique beleife by a confident confession of thy Name and by a Fatherly care great sedulity and watchfullnesse over their flock they may glorifie thee our God the great lover of Soules and set forward the salvation of their people and of others by their example and at last after a plentifull conversion of soules they may shine like the Starres in glory through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen VI For our Parents O Almightie God and mercifull Father who from the loines of our first Parents Adam and Eve hast produced mankinde and hast commanded us to honour our Parents in pursuance of thy holy Commandment and of our dutie to thee our God and in thee to them do with all humilitie begge a blessing of thee for our Parents who from thy mercie and plentie have conveyed many to us pardon and forgive all their sinnes and infirmities increase in them all goodnesse give them blessings of the right hand and blessings of the left blesse them in their persons in their posteritie in the comforts of thy holy Spirit in a persevering goodnesse and at last in an eternall weight of glorie through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen VII For our Children O Father of Heaven God of all the Creatures by whose Providence mankinde is increased I blesse thy Name for bestowing on me that blessing of the righteous man the blessing of Children Lord blesse them with health with life with good understanding with faire opportunities and advantages of education societie tutours and governours and above all with the graces of thy holy Spirit that they may live and be blessed under thy protection grow in grace and be in favour with God and Man and at last may make up the number of thine elect Children through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen VIII For our Patron our Friends and Benefactours O Almightie God thou Fountain of all good of all excellencie both to Men and Angels extend thine abundant favour and loving kindnesses to my Patron to all my Friends and Benefactours reward them and make them plentifull compensation for all the good which from thy mercifull Providence they haue conveyed unto me Let the light of thy countenance shine upon them and let them never come into any