he may And thou who preservest the way of thy Saints hold up my goings in thy paths that my foote steps slip not Give thine Angels charge over us to keepe us in all our wayes that they may beare us up in their handes lest at any time we dash our foot O be thou with us and keepe us in all places whither we goe and bring us againe and leave us not untill thou hast done that which thou hast spoken to us of O that thou wouldst blesse mee indeed and enlarge my coast and that thine hand might bee with me and that thou wouldest keepe me from evill that it may not grieve me Prosper now I pray thee thy servant this day and grant him mercy in the sight of the man and let the beauty of the Lord our God bee upon us and establish thou the worke of our hands upon us yea the worke of our hands establish thou it We know not what to doe but our eyes are upon thee thou also must worke all our workes in us It is in vaine for us to rise up early to sit up late to eat the bread of sorrowes O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps neither is hee that planteth any thing neither hee that watereth but God that giveth the increase Deliverance from Evill 1. Of SINNE Let not sinne raigne in our mortall bodies that wee should obey it in the lusts thereof neither suffer us to yeeld our members as instruments of unrighteousnesse unto sinne but unto God as those that are aliue from the deast and our members as instruments of righteousnesse unto God looking diligently lest any man faile of the grace of God lest any root of bitternesse springing up trouble us and thereby we be deluded that being now made free from sinne and become the servants of God wee may have our fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing mee into captivity to the law of Sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Cleanse thou mee from secret faults Keepe backe thy servant also from presumptuous sinnes let them not have dominion over me then shall I bee upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression Subdue the pride of our nature cast downe every imagination and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against thee and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ Let not my heart be haughty nor my eyes lofty neither suffer me to exercise my selfe in great matters or in things too high for me but behave and quiet my selfe as a child that is weaned by his mother Order my steps in thy word and let none inâ—quity have donion over me make me also to be upright before thee and to keepe my selfe from mine inâ—quity Let us lay aside every weight and the sinne that doth so easily beset us that we may run with patience the race that is set before us that we may not love the world nor the things in the world because all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but of the world that denying ungodlines and worldly lusts wee may live soberly righteously and godly in this present world That we may walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise giving none occasion to the adversary to speake reproachfully Mortifying our members which are on the earth fornication uncleannesse the inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is idolatry Putting off all these anger wrath malice blasphemie filthy communication That wee may resist unto blood striving against sinne taking heed lest there bee in any of us an evill heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God taking heed to our selves lest at any time our hearts bee over-charged with suffering and drunkennesse and cares of this life That wee may bee sober and vigilant because our adversary the devill as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom hee may devoure whom that wee may resist stedfast in the faith let us take unto us the whole armour of God that we may bee able to stand against all his wiles being strong in the Lord and in the power of his might 2. PVNISHMENT Let no evill befall us neither let any plague come nigh our dwelling Send from heaven and save mee from the reproach of him that would swallow me up My soule is among Lyons and I lye even among them that are set on fire even the sonnes of men whose teeth are speares and arrowes and their tongue a sharpe sword Plead my cause O Lord with them that strive with me fight thou against them that fight against me Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weake O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed My soule also is sore vexed c. Returne O Lord deliver my soule O save me for thy mercies sake For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the grave who shall give thee thankes I am weary with my groaning all the night make I my bed to swimme I water my couch with my teares Mine eye is consumed because of griefe it waxeth old because of all mine enemies Turne thee unto mee and have mercie upon me for I am desolate and afflicted The troubles of my heart are enlarged O bring thou me out of my distresses Looke upon mine affliction and my paine and forgive all my sinnes O my Father if it be possible let this affliction passe from me neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt Lord make mee to know mine end and the measure of my dayes what it is that I may know how fraile I am Behold thou hast made my dayes as an hand-breadth and mine age is as nothing before thee verely every man at his best state is altogether vanity So teach us to number our dayes that wee may apply our hearts unto wisedome The HOLY CATHOLIKE CHVRCH of IESVS CHRIST Preserve that little flocke to whom thou hast promised and reserved the Kingdome Be unto it a wall of fire round about Let thy delight be to Mount Sion grave her on the palmes of thy hands let her walls bee continually before thee Let her builders make haste and cause her destroyers and such as would lay her wast to depart from her Feed them that oppresse her with their owne flesh and make them drunken with their owne blood as with sweet wine Looke downe from heaven and behold from the habitation of thy holinesse
the good of others and our selves Delighting in the contemplation of evill 2 Get our hearts deeply affected with a true sense and thorow feeling of the haynousnesse of our Sinnes a serious detestation and vtter hatred of them with vnfeined sorrow and condemning our selves for them 3 Then descend wee to a particular enumeration of them in the bitter root spreading branches cursed fruits and dangerous effects thereof First the Sinne of our first parents Adam and Evah looke unto the rocke whence we were hewen and to the hole of the pit whence wee were digged for wee all sinned in their loynes and so come short of the glory of God Rom. 3. 23. 2 Originall depravation and pollution of nature in the corruption of the Vnderstanding 2 Conscience 3 Memory 4 Will. 5 Sensitive appetite and affections 1 The corruption of the Vnderstanding in 5. 1 Vanity therof our thoughts are vaine taken up with frothy and fruitlesse speculations 2 Blindnesse being ignorant and impotent not able to conceive spirituall things 3 Vnteachatlenesse resisting and opposing the truth 4 Incredulity unapt to believe the truth of God 5 Enmity 1 not subject to the Law of God 2 Not resolving to be so holy pure exact as Gods Word requires 3 but casting off Gods yoke and his coards with reluctancie and distast 2 Conscience which is impure and polluted without light and life 1 A bad remembrancer and false register setting downe sin by the halves like the unjust Steward but fifty where hundreds are due 2 A slack instigatour to good or restrayner from evill being not cleare to discerne things amisse like a dusty looking-glasse Not sensible of sinne or tender but brawney past feeling Not active or stirring up to good but sleeping drowsie not rowsing us to purpose giving us no rest but letting us sleepe securely againe 3 A false accuser or excuser excusing for Sinnes accusing for not Sins 1 It should when the Law is preached accuse thou art the man but then it extenuates that it is no sinne or but a little sinne approving and allowing wayes and courses which seeme good to a Man but tend to death 2 When the Gospell is preached it should extenuate but then it aggravates crying out amaine with Cain My sinne is greater than full of hellish and amazing terrours 3 Memory full of weaknesse our remembrance being like unto ashes 1. forgetting what we ought to remember as our Creatour in the dayes of our youth 2 remembring what wee should forget as injuries and indignities 4 Our Will is full of 1 Contrariety to the Will and Word of God in every thing refusing to doe what hee commands but wilfull in doing what he forbids 2 Pride not dependant on or subject unto Gods will 't will not stoope to bee or to doe any thing for God 't will bee something in it selfe and must be carved to in a good condition as it selfe likes 3 Inconstancie unstable as water in good peremptorie and resolute in evill our tongues are our owne who is Lord over us though in some good mood like Saul to David it may weep yet like the morning dewe it vanisheth presently 4 Disobedience when God commands apt to doe the contrary 5 Sensitive appetite taking pleasure in sensible things too much our appetites and senses outray in things lawfull which come in by the senses 1 Eyes to women wine 2 Eares itching after vanity 3 Taste meat and drinke to Gluttony 4 Touch hands c. 6 Affections deeply distempered being violent turbulent sullen way ward untoward ready to be fired with any temptation rebellious against God either 1. not active lusting after good or 2. placed where they should not bee or 3 exceeding in measure they overjoy over-grieve over love we humour and please them they can but aske and have This corruption is in the concupiscible and irascible faculties of the soule In the concupiscible faculties 1 Love and Hatred 2 Desire and Abomination 3 Ioy sorrow which hath under it Pitty Envie Heavinesse Repentance and Zeale In the irascible faculties 1 Hope and Despaire 2 Boldnes Anger 3 Feare which hath under it Blushing Shamefastnesse Astonishment Agony 1 Love and hatred not of all good not against all sin 2 Delight not in God religion the Saints 3 Feare Man the creature poverty 4 Sorrow cast downe for disgrace 7 Body and members Eyes Eares Tongue Hands Feet Thirdly Actuall transgressions against the Law Gospell of both in our 1 Thoughts being idle vaine frothie not entertaining God in them 2 Words rotten unseasoned they heale not edifie not our tongues set on fire of hell corrupt with lying slander dissembling backbiting 3 Deeds of Omission Commission Not husbanding the talents of grace and nature which wee were betrusted with which we have ill imployed our precious time we raffle out Barren unfruitfull 1 for acts and dueties 1 Neglecting wholly 2 intermitting 3 slighting them Restreyning prayer refuse the Sacrament omit Fasting and Prayer 2 Graces want of love to Christ godly men humility faith zeale 3 Mis-spending our time in vanity raffling out our precious houres and squandring away our talents 4 Occasions of doing and receiving good not clothed not visited not instructed others or trying if at any time God would give them repentance 2 Commission in the rebellion and sinfulnesse of our lives sinning in our generall and particular calling confessing here the sinnes of our Sexe complexion constitution c. those we last of all committed under â—hich our consciences doe yet freshly bleede by which God hath been most dishonoured Both for 1 Quantitie in the greatnesse frequencie 2 Quality in the haynousnesse 3 Relapses iterations 4 Circumstances aggravating sinne viz. The Person against whom The glorious God our most gracious and tender Father Against our Christian Brethren Superiours Inferiours Equalls becomming guilty of other mens sinnes occasioned by our Command Company Counsell Ill example Connivence Silence c. Against our owne soules Against every Creature The Time when In generall in particular In generall before and since our Conversion c. In Infancie Child-hood Youth Mans-age Old-age In particular in the Day Night c. The Place where at home and abroad At home the Table Closet Bed Abroad viz. in the Church in Company in the Fields c. 1 Against God himselfe 2 and that against knowledg 3 without any or with very small Temptation 4 against vowes and covenants 5 against meanes afforded to resist sinne and doe better 1 Hating of God being enemies to him 2 Denying by our workes his power omnipresence justice omniscience setting up base lusts to be our God 3 Despising of God if so we can hide our sinne from man we never care though God see it 2 And thus not onely of ignorance when we-knew not nor of infirmity being transported with passion the Law in our members but even of wilfulnes and presumption
forsake Forsake me not that am the worke Which thine owne hand did make O keepe me as thou wouldest keepe The apple of thine eye And under covert of thy wings Defend me secretly For I doe call to thee O Lord Surely thou wilt me ayde Then heare my prayer and weigh right well The words that I have sayd Into thy hands Lord I commit My spirit which is thy due For why thou hast redeemed it O Lord my God most true The length of all my life and age O Lord is in thy hand Defend me from the wrath and rage Of them that me with-stand Preserve my soule because my wayes And doings holy be And save thy servant O my Lord That puts his trust in thee I layd me downe and quietly I slept and rose againe For why I know assuredly The Lord will me sustaine In peace therefore lye downe will I Taking my rest and sleepe For thou onely wilt me O Lord Alone in safety keepe Within thy Tent I lust to dwell For ever to endure Vnder thy wings I know right well I shall be safe and sure I set the Lord still in my sight And trust him over all For he doth stand on my right hand Therefore I shall not fall He the desires which they require That feare him will fullfill And he will heare them when they cry And save them all he will For why our glory strength and ayd In thee alone doth lie Thy goodnesse eke that hath us stayd Shall lift our hornes on hie Our strength that doth defend us well The Lord to us doth bring The holy one of Israel He is our guide and King Therefore let thy goodnesse O Lord Still present with us be As we alwayes with one accord Doe onely trust in thee 2. Deprecation aversion and ablation of the evill of sinne and punishment MY Lord for guiding of my mouth Set thou a watch before And also of my moving lips O Lord keepe thou the dore Direct my foot-steps by thy word That I thy will may know And never let iniquity Thy servant overthrow Thy countenance which doth surmount The Sunne in his bright hew Let shine on me and by thy Law Teach me what to eschew That I should wicked workes commit Incline thou not my heart With ill men of their delicates Lord let me eate no part O shut not up my soule with them In sinne that take their fill Nor yet my life among those men That seeke much blood to spill All yee that love the Lord doe this Hate all things that are ill For he doth keepe the soules of his From such as would them spill Out of mine eyes great floods gush out Of dreary teares and fell When I behold how wicked men Thy lawes keepe never a dell But I in righteousnesse intend My time and dayes to serve Have mercy Lord and me defend So that I doe not swerve THine arrowes doe sticke fast in me Thine hand doth presse me sore And in my flesh no health at all Appeareth any more My wounds stinke and are festred so As loathsome is to see Which all through mine owne foolishnesse Betideth unto me And I in carefull wise am brought In trouble and distresse That I goe wailing all the day In dolefull heavinesse My loines are fill'd with sore disease My flesh hath no whole part I feeble am and broken sore I roare for griefe of heart Thou know'st Lord my desire my grones Are open in thy sight My heart doth pant my strength doth faile Mine eyes have lost their light One griefe another in doth call As clouds burst out their voyce The floods of evill that doe fall Run over me with noise And as an harth my bones are burnt My heart is smitten dead And withers like the grasse that I Forget to eate my bread By reason of my groning voyce My bones cleave to my skin As Pelican in wildernesse Such case now am I in And as an Owle in desart is Loe I am such a one I watch and as a Sparrow on The house-top am alone Lord take from me thy scourge and plague I can them not withstand I faint and pine away for feare Of thy most heavy hand Wherefore my God some pitty take O Lord I thee desire Doe not this simple soule forsake Of helpe I thee require Then didst thou turne my griefe and woe Into a cheerefull voyce The mourning weede thou took'st me fro And mad'st me to rejoyce For why his anger but a space Doth last and slacke againe But in his favour and his grace Alwayes doth life remaine Trust still in God whose whole thou art His will abide thou must And he shall ease and strength thy heart If thou in him doe trust HOw ev'er it be yet God is good And kind to Israel And to all such as safely keepe Their conscience pure and well For when I saw such foolish men I grudg'd and did disdaine That wicked men all things should have Without turmoile and paine And though I be nothing set by As one of base degree Yet doe I not thy lawes forget Nor shrinke away from thee TRouble and griefe have seaz'd on me And brought me wondrous low Yet doe I still of thy precepts Delight to heare and know When with my selfe I mused much And could no comfort finde Then Lord thy goodnesse did me touch And that did ease my mind How long wilt thou forget me Lord Shall I never be remembred How long wilt thou thy visage hide As though thou wert offended In heart and mind how long shall I With care tormented be How long eke shall my deadly foe Thus triumph over me THou art my hope and my strong hold I to the Lord will say My God he is in him will I My whole affiance stay What gaine is in my blood sayd I If death destroy my dayes Doth dust declare thy Majesty Or yet thy truth doth praise The Lord himselfe hath chastened And hath corrected me But hath not given me over yet To death as yee may see Even when the snares of cruell death About beset me round When paines of hell me caught and when I woe and sorrow found They that be dead doe not with praise Set forth the Lords renowne Nor any that into the place Of silence doe goe downe For why thy mercy shew'd to me Is great and doth excell Thou setst my soule at liberty Out from the lower hell The pangs of death did compasse me And bound me every where The flowing waves of wickednesse Did put me in great feare The flie and subtile snares of hell Were round about me set And for my death there was prepar'd A deadly trapping net How long away from me O Lord For ever wilt thou turne And shall thine anger still
all unrighteousnesse Secondly to Petition for 1 Pardon of Sinne. Though your sinnes be as scarlet they shall bee as white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wooll I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes I will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more I have seene his wayes and will heale him I will lead him also and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners If the wicked will turne from all his sinnes that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right hee shall surely live he shall not dye All his transgressions which he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him in his righteousnesse that he hath done he shall live Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should dye saith the Lord God not that he should returne from his wayes and live Come unto mee all ye that labour and are heavie laden and I will give you rest 2 Power against Sins Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgressions of his heritage c. He will turne againe he will have compassion on us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the depths of the Sea The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly Sin shall not have dominion over you Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast downe for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand 3 Grace conferred continued and encreased I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be cleane A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put into you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh I will give you a heart of flesh And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgements and doe them And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seede to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou mayst live I will poure upon him that is thirstie and flouds upon the dry ground I will poure my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring A bruised reede shall he not breake and the smoking flax shall he not quench he shal bring forth judgement unto truth Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be filled He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it untill the day of Iesus Christ Fourthly the Meanes of Grace With joy shall ye draw waters out of the wels of salvation Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters In all places where I record my name I will come unto thee and I will blesse thee 5 Personall concernements in our particular calling Commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established In all thy wayes acknowledge him and he shal direct thy paths thy eares shall heare a word behind thee saying this is the way walke ye in it when ye turne to the right hand and when yee turne to the left The Lord shall preserve thy going out thy cōming in from this time forth for evermore Blessed shalt thou bee when thou commest in blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out The Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every worke of thy hand The Lord he is he that goeth before thee he wil be with thee he wil not faile thee neither forsake thee feare not neither bee dismayed Hee shall give his Angels charge over thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes Thou may est in the reading of the Scriptures find out and adde hereunto promises made to thy more particular occasions Thirdly Thansgiving The tongue of the dumb shall sing for in the wildernes shal waters break out the ransomed of the Lord shall return come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtain joy gladnes and sorrow and sighing shall flye away Ye shall eate in plenty and be satisfied and praise the name of the Lord your God that hath dealt wondrously with you Ye shall go forth with joy and be led forth with peace the mountaines the hils shall break forth before you into singing and al the trees of the fields shall clap their hands A METHOD of PRAYER PRayer is a lifting up of the Soule to God Wherein there is to bee considered the Preface to it and the Parts of it The Preface to it consists 1 In a description or compellation of God by his glorious inajesty terrible names holy nature incommunicable attributes strict justice consuming wrath gracious promises c. 2 In a craving of audience assistance and accceptance wee may conclude also herewith as Dan. 9. 17. 18. The Parts of Prayer are usually three 1 Confession 2 Petition 3 Thanksgiving Though in exactnes of speech Confession and Thankesgiuing be not Prayers formally but commonly prefixed or annexed therunto as Dan. 9. Ezr. 9. 1 Confession is an humble hearty and feeling acknowledgment of the evill of Sinne and of punishment done to or due for Sinne. 1 Confession of the euill of Sinne both in the Habits Acts Kindes thereof Which that it may bee done effectually and to purpose we must 1 Labour for the particular knowledge and discovery of Sin in our owne soules which must be by looking our selves in the glasse of the Law whereby we shall discover our Sinnes in each Commandement viz. 1 Comandement Atheisine Epicurisme Idolatry c Atheism in want of the Knowledge Love Feare of God Zeale Faith Epicurisme in mis-placing our affections Idolatry in neglect of Gods mercies in neglect of Gods works of Iustice in neglect of Gods Saints and communion with them c 2 Command Not worshipping God by praying reading Will-worship Idol-worship 3 Command Serving God hypocritically when his Word is preached read and prayer When his Sacraments are administred not examining our selves not reconciling our selves to our brethren not discerning the Lords body Luke warmenesse Uncheerefulnesse Unteachablenesse Incorrigiblenesse Security 4 Command Not remembring the Lords day longing to have it past Idlenesse omitting duties publike or private 5 Command In the Family Wife Husband Children Parents Master Servants In the Common-wealth Subjects Magistrates c. In the Church Ministers People c 6 Command Not pittying or relieving the afflicted Envying Anger Hatred Worldly sorrow Cursing Murthering of Soule or Body 7 Command Uncleannesse Wantonnesse Whoredome Drunkennesse Gluttony 8 Command Discontentednesse Sloth Unthriftinesse Oppression Sacriledge 9 Command Disgracing and speaking evill of others Censuring Lying Slandering Vaine-boasting Flattering False-witnesse 10 Command Not desiring
iniquity of our sinne Thou hast stricken us but we have not grieved thou hast consumed us but wee have refused to receive correction wee have made our faces harder than a rocke and have refused to returne We have received the grace of God in vaine and have neglected the great Salvation which thou tendrest unto us in Iesus Christ Wee have grieved the holy Spirit of God whereby wee are sealed to the day of redemption and have turned the grace of God into lasciviousnesse We have left our first love our soule thirsteth not for God for the living God We have even sinned wilfully since we received the knowledge of the truth so that we may justly feare there remayneth now no more sacrifice for our sinnes but a certaine fearefull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation For if he that despised Moses law died without mercy Of how much sorer punishment shall wee be thought worthy who have troden under foote the Sonne of God and have counted the blood of the covenant wherewith we were sanctified an unholy thing and have done despite to the Spirit of Grace Many scarlet and crimsin sins have wee committed whereby great occasion hath beene given by us to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme Yea we overpasse the deeds of the wicked Wherefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes For innumerable evils have compassed me about mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to looke up they are moe then the haires of my head therefore my heart faileth me For thou art the God of my strength why dost thou cast me off why goe I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy Thou hast set our iniquitles before thee our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance When yee come to appeare before me who hath required this at your hand to tread my courts For Ierusalem is ruined and Iudah is fâ—llen because their tongues and their doings are against the Lord to provoke the eyes of his glory Woe unto them that draw injquity with cords of vanity and sinne as it were with a Cart rope But your injquities have separated between you and your God and your sinnes have hid his face from you that hee will nor heare As a Fountaine casteth out her waters so shee casteth out her wickednesse violence and spoyle is heard in her before mee continually is griefe and wounds Yet I had planted thee a noble vine wholly a right seed How then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me For though thou wash thee with niter and take thee much sope yet thine injquities is marked before mee saith the Lord God The sinne of Iudah is written with a pen of jron and with the point of a diamond it is graven upon the table of their heart and upon the hornes of your altars Behold I am pressed under you as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sinnes For wee know that the Law is spirituall but I am carnall sold under sinne But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death 2. EVILL of punishment And for all these thou our God hast punished us lesse than our injquities deserve It is of the Lords mercies that wee are not consumed because his compassions faile not If thou shouldst lay judgement to the line and righteousnesse to the plummet thou mightest make thy anger and jealousie to smoke against us and all the curses that are written in thy booke thou mightest lay upon us and blot out our name from under heaven Thou mightest give us our portion with the wicked that are turned into hell and all the nations that forget God See the heads Plague Punish c. in the Seripture Phrases 2. PETITION for FORGIVENES But with thee Lord is mercy and with thee is plenteous redemption O therefore pardon our injquities and our sinne and take us for thine inheritance Put away our transgressions as a cloud and our sinnes as a mist O Lord though our injquities testifie against us doe thou it for thy names sake for our back-slidings are many we have sinned against thee O that I might have my request and that God would grant mee the thing that I long for even that it would please him to cover mine injquity and cause my sinne to be blotted out from before him Remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my transgressions according to thy mercie remember thou mee for thy goodnesse sake O Lord. For thy names sake O Lord pardon mine injquity for it is great O remember not against us former iniquities let thy mercies speedily prevent us Take away our injquitie and receive us graciously so will we render the calues of our lips Turne againe and have compassion upon us subdue our injquities and cast all our sinnes into the depthes of the Sea Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world To this end was hee borne and for this cause came hee into the world that hee might save sinners of whom wee are the chiefe Hee was wounded for our transgressions hee was bruised for our injquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes are we healed For his sake and in his blood wash me throughly from mine injquities and cleanse me from my sinne Purge me with Hysope and I shall be cleane wash mee and I shall bee whiter than snow Hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out all mine injquities I have sinned greatly in that I have done and now I beseech thee O Lord take away the injquitie of thy servant for I have done very foolishly Looke thou upon me and bee mercifull unto me as thou usest to doe unto those that love thy name Though your sinnes bee as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like câ—imson they shall be as wooll Behold thou art the Lord the God of all flesh there is nothing too hard for the. For FAITH O we are of little faith therefore O Lord encrease our faith though it be yet but as a graine of mustard seed that being justified by faith wee may have peace with thee Worke in us not a dead faith but that which may bee rich in good workes following after peace with all men and holinesse without which none shall see God Create in mee a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of
thy holy spirit from mee make mee one with Christ my head flesh of his flesh bone of his bone make mee one with the mysticall body of thine Elect that I may have my part in the prayers of the Church in the Communion of Saints here on earth in the kingdome of grace and may enjoy thee and them face to face and sit downe and eat and drinke with thee in thy kingdome of glory Amen For the Sacrament of Baptisme O Lord our God the great the mighty and the terrible God who keepest covenant and mercy with all them that feare thy name and trust upon thee even to a thousand generations thou hast promised to bee our God and the God of our seed to enter into covenant with us that wee should bee thine O Lord I come to thy throne of grace at this time to lay claime to my interest in that new covenant sealed unto thy Church in the blood of Iesus that thou wouldst performe the same unto mee and mine also hast not thou said thou wilt circumcise mine heart and the heart of my seed to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soule that thou wilt put thy Law in our inward parts and write it in our hearts and that thou wilt bee our God and wee shall bee thy people that thou wilt forgive our injquity and wilt remember our sinne no more O Lord hast thou said it and wilt not thou also doe it By faith I plead my interest thereunto not for my selfe alone but for mine also with whom I beseech thee to make an everlasting covenant of life and peace that being baptized into Iesus Christ they may bee sanctified and cleansed with the washing of water by the word O Lord wee are all borne the children of wrath and there is no way for us to escape the damnation of hell except wee bee borne againe of water and of the Spirit O Lord doe thou sprinkle cleane water upon us wash away the filth of Zion and purge the blood of Ierusalem from the midst thereof Baptize us with the Holy Ghost that having our hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and our bodies washed with pure water wee may bee new creatures fit to bee an habitation of God through the spirit O blessed be thy goodnesse for ever which hast given us this seale of thy rich promise this is that Arke in and through which thou savest thine Elect thou dalliest not with us herein it is no idle ceremonie thou art present in thy own ordinance to fulfill that which thou hast promised O wash our soules with the baptisme of Repentance as thou doest our bodies with the outward element of water Let the vertue of Christs death kill sinne in us for how shall wee that are buried with Christ by baptisme and thereby dead to sinne live yet therein Doe not wee herein vow to forsake the Devill the Pomps and vanities of this wicked world and all the sinfull lusts of the flesh and shal we break our vow transgresse the covenant O let this be far from us teach us therefore to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts deliver us from every evill worke that we may serve the living God Sprinkle cleane water upon us that we may bee cleane from our naturall filthinesse and from all our uncleannesses Wash us O wash us throughly from our iniquities and cleanse us from our sinnes Make our hearts to be stedfast in thy love and never to forget this covenant of our God thy mercie doe thou keepe for us and ours for evermore and let thy covenant stand fast with us and bee established for ever as the Moone and as a faithfull witnesse in heaven And as thou hast thus brought us into the bond of the covenant so let us never depart from thee Bee thou unto us a God and let us be thy people for evermore even till thou bringest us unto Mount Sion and to the Citie of the living God the heavenly Ierusalem and to an inumerable company of Angels to the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in heaven and to God the judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediatour of the new covenant and to the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better than that of Abel Make me to be thine my self be thou my Father and make me to be thy Sonne for if the first fruit be holy the lumpe also shall be holy and if the roote be holy so also shall the branches bee This mercie I beg of thee in his name merits and mediation out of whose pierced side issued forth water and bloud for the sanctifying and justifying of thine Elect. To whom with thee and the Holy Spirit be all glory service thanksgiving and dominion through all the Churches of the Saints for ever Amen For Regeneration Sanctification and grace to serve God O Lord thou God of truth who hast sworne in thy faithfulnesse that as thou livest thou hast no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that hee should turne from his way and live and therefore commandest thy people saying Turne ye turne ye from your evill wayes for why will ye dye O house of Israel and hast enjoyned that I should wash me and make me cleane put away the evill of my doings from before thine eyes promising moreover that though my sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as Snow though they bee red like crimson they shall be as wooll I that am a wicked and miserable caitiffe a sinner before the Lord exceedingly even as the men of Sodome that have done abominable workes and denied the God that is above wilfully sinning after I had received the knowledge of the truth and treading under foote the Sonne of God counting the bloud of the covenant wherewith I was sanctified an unholy thing and having done deâ—piâ—e to the spirit of grace O Lord even out of the deepes doe I call unto thee for helpe yea out of the belly of hell doe I earnestly cry for thy mercie O cast not out my prayer Though mine iniquities be more than the haires of my head my transgressions heavier than the sand yet is there forgivenesse with thee and although my sinnes have reached up to heaven yet thy mercie is above the heavens mine are at the most but the sinnes of a man but thine at the least are the mercies of an infinite God yea thou hast the relenting bowells of a most tender Father O spread the robe of thy Sonnes righteousnesse over me that so thou mayest not behold my nakednesse cloath me with the garments of his salvation say unto my soule Live cause breath to enter into my dry bones lay sinewes upon them and bring flesh upon them and cover them with skinne that I may know that thou art the Lord. And albeit I be dead in trespasses and sinnes yet open my grave and cause me
2. Surely there will bee wrath upon us from the Lord for so doing 2 Wicked men are Sonnes of Belial 1 Sam. 2. 12. of their father the Devill Ioh. 8. 44. servants of â—inne Rom. 6. 20. now the Godly are borne of God Sons of God 1 Ioh. 3. 9. heires of God Gal. 4. 7. the servants of God 1 Pet. 2. 16. who have fellowship with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ 1 Ioh. 1. 3. and shall such keepe company with prophane wretches uncircumcised in the heart Ier. 9. 26. 3 Wicked men are of the Synagogue of Satan Rev. 3. 9 the Godly are the Temple of the living God 2 Cor. 6. 16. of the houshold of Faith Gal. 6. 10. Besides the Godly feare the Lord and thinke upon his name Malch 3. 16. Wicked men forget God neither is God in all their thoughts their 's are the paths of all that forget God Iob. 8. 13. 4 What communion hath light with darkenesse now wicked men walke in darkenesse 1 Ioh. 1. 6. nay are darknesse Ephe. 5. 8. But the Godly are light in the Lord 1 Thes 5. 5. yee are all the children of the light Againe Godly men are Wise men Math. 7. 24. wicked men Fooles Psalm 14. 1. and what credit shall a Wise man have by keeping Fooles company 5 What should living men doe among the dead Luk. 24. 5. why seeke yee the living among the dead None but Lâ—gion a mad man possessed of the Devill lived among the tombes But all ungodly men are dead in trespasses and sinnes Ephe. 2. 1. Dead while they live 1 Tim. 5. 6. yea they seeke death Pro. 21. 6. Now the Godly are quickened together with Christ Eph. 2. 5. and therefore should arise from the dead Eph. 5. 14. Vse Exhort Therefore have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse all yee that know righteousnesse the people in whose heart is Gods law order your conversation aright and walke worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing behave your selves holily justly and unblameably say with David Psal 139 â—2 Doe not I hate them that hate thee O Lord And as inducements Feare lest ye perish in the sinnes of the ungodly men and partake of their Plagues for consider I pray that among prophane ungodly men the best of them are as a Bryer and the most upright of them are like a thorne hedge Bryers and Thornes bee with thee and thou dwellest among scorpions a generation of vipers that will sting the conscience scratch and teare your flesh 2 Wicked men pervert their wayes are out of the way but the Godly walke in the way of the Lord they walke with God their faces are to Zion-ward what then should they doe in such company as turne their backs on heaven they have turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord and turned their backs 2 Chr. 29. 6. 3 Consider your owne dignity you are Saints on earth and excellent Psal 16. 3. Gods jewells Mal. 3. 17. wicked men make themselves vile very swine dogs that love the myre 2 Pet. 2. 22. 4 The Godly are trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord wicked men are roots that beare gall and wormwood Deut. 29. 18. 5 The shame and discredit will light on your selfe If you follow vaine persons you will get to your selfe a blot Prov. 9. 7. It s a shame for Christs Spouse whom he hath married to himselfe Hos 9. 1. to keepe strumpets company they are a wicked and adulterous generation Math. 12. 39. that goe a whoriug from the Lord Psal 37. 24. and will you associate your selfe with such This for a taste I meant not to handle the Point exactly but only to point to a way in which there may be use of these Phrases for who seeth not that Reasons Uses Motives Meanes Marks c. may from hence as a Sacrum pena be drawne which have a speciall weight Emphasis and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in them surely the Spirit and blessing of God goes along with his Word even those expressions which it pleased the Holy Ghost to utter himselfe in at the first carry with them an heate and warmth to the soule of a beleever And why may not the most able memorie and best versed in Scripture be helped hereby to find readily some apt expressions which memorie could not command presently What disparagement to any mans Prayers Meditations Exhortations to have a helpe at hand In the time of Pestilence thou mayest thus order thy complaint and meditate RIghteous art thou O Lord Head God Scripture Ier. 12. 1. when I plead with thee yet let mee who am but dust Scripture Gen. 18. 27. and ashes talk with thee of thy judgements Wherefore hast thou shewed Head Man Scripture Esal 60. 3 thy people hard things and made us to drinke the wine of astonishment why hast thou smitten Scripture Ier. 14. 19. Head Afflict and there is no healing for us why doth thine anger Scripture Psal 74 1. smoake against the sheepe of thy pasture All joy is Scripture Isai 24. 11. Head Plague darkned the mirth of the land is gone all the merry-hearted Scripture 7 doe sigh weep and howle Scripture Iam. 5. 1. Head Mourne for the miseries that are come upon us Scripture Psal 83. 15. for thou persecutest us with thy tempest and makeâ—â— us afraid with thy stormes The arrowes of the Scripture Iob 6. 4. Almiâ—hty are within us the poyson whereof drinketh Head Afflict up our spirits the terrours of God do set themselves in array against us For Loe Death is come up Head Pestilence Scripture Ier. 9. 21. into our windowes and is entred into our palaces to cut off the children from without and the young men from the streets thy anger Scripture Deut. 29. 20 and thy jealousie smoake against us and thou hast Scripture 21 separated us unto evill there is a Head Plagues Scripture 1 Sam. 5. 11 deadly destruction throughout all the Citie and Country the hand of the Lord is very heavie there upon us The Scripture 1 Chr. 21. 12. Sword of the Lord even the Pestilencefills all places with Scripture Psal 110. 6. the dead bodies Head Slay the carkeises of men Scripture Ier 9. 21 fall as dung upon the open held the valliant men are swept Scripture Ier. 46. 15. away and thou Scripture Rev. 2. 23. hast killed our children with death O thou Sword of Scripture Ier. 47. 6. the Lord how long will it be ere thou be quiet put up thy Head Peace selfe into thy Scabberd rest and bee still Surely for the Scripture Ier. 13. 22. greatnesse of our iniquities Head Plague our skirts are discovered and our heeles made bare Our transgressions Scripture Ezek. 33. 10 and our Head Sinne. sinnes bee upon us and wee pine away in them how should we then live We are a people that Scripture Isai 65. 3. provoke thee continually Scripture Psal 78. 8. a generation that set not our heart aright and Head
acted with a high hand against Knowledge and the cries of a convinced conscience which makes sinne rebellion to know God yet not to glorifie him as God not in the dayes of our ignorance onely but since the light of the glorious Gospell hath shone into our hearts 3 Without any or with small temptation resolving to sinne selling themselves with Ahab even in cold bloud to doe wickedly Heb. 10. 26. as in sinnes in which there is neither pleasure or profit c. As to sweare prophane the Sabbath refuse preaching praying scorning Gods wayes 4 Against frequent purposes faire promises of more holy obedience reiterated vowes and covenants generall in Baptisme Lords Supper particular on such and such an occasion 5 Against meanes 1 Blessings coards of love 2 Corrections thou hast striken us but wee have not sorrowed Ier. 5. 3. 3 Word early and late all the day long 2 Actuall sinnes against the Gospell 1 Not thirsting after Christ Iesus nor prizing nor loving and cleaving unto him with our dearest affection 2 denying him in our lives 2 Not repenting us of our sinnes though God in mercie vouchsafe space and means but hiding excusing not mourning for nor forsaking sinne 3 Not believing the promises of salvation nor relying upon Iesus Christ for justification sanctification and salvation c. not stirring up our selves to take hold of him but forsaking our owne mercies 4 Sâ—â—ning against the holâ— Ghost by tempting grieving or quenching the holy spirit of God receiving the grace of God in vaine turning it into wantonnes growing cold in religion losing our first love Thus bringing our iniquities to remembrance 1 wee must acknowledge and bewayle them not onely generally but individually also one by one fetching and ferreting them out as so many Achans by the poll especially those which are naturalized and habituated in us our beloved and darling sinnes our dearest Dalilahs And that from a 1 Trobled broken bleeding melting spirit beleeving heart clasping the promises Ezr. 10. 2. yet now there is hope in Israel c. 2 Honest heart wishing the confusion as wel as making the confessioÌ„ of sin meaning to leave every wicked way and with purpose of heart cleaving to the Lord 2 Confession of the evill of punishment acknowledging our selves in regard of these our so many and grievous sinnes not onely to bee lesse than the least of all Gods mercies but most justly worthy of his most dreadfull plagues lyable and obnoxious to all evills of punishment in Iudgements Corporall Spirituall Temporall Eternall vid. Ezr. 9. Dan 9. Thus of the first part of Prayer viz. CONFESSION The Second followes which is PETITION PEtition is either for Our selves Others 1 Our selves and is called Supplication consisting of two branches viz. Apprecation Deprecation 1 Apprecation or collation of good which also consists in desiring 1 Supply of all wants Spirituall Corporall 2 Continuance and encrease of all blessings both Eternall Spirituall Corporall 1 Apprecation for bestowing of all good blessings viz. 1 Supplying all our wants of things 1 Spirituall viz. Grace Encrease of Grace Meanes of Grace 1 For the grace of free Pardon for our sinnes that God for his mercies promise Christs sake even the abundant merits of our Lord Iesus his bloudy passion who hath satisfyed for them to the utmost farthing by pouring out his soule for an oblation for the sinnes of the whole world would be pleased freely to forgive and blot them out of his booke never laying them to our charge beforemen to shame us in this world or to our everlasting confusion before men and Angels in the world to come Of which that we may more fully bee assured wee pray for a lively and apprehensive Faith by which we may be inabled to lay hold on and apply the generall and free Promises of Salvation to our selves in particular that God would seale up the assurance hereof to our consciences by the gracious testimony of his holy spirit giving unto us the spirit of adoption whereby we may with comfort and confidence cry ABEA father that so being justifyed and freed from the guilt and punishment of all our sinnes wee may have peace of conscience being reconciled to him in his Sonne 2 Repentance unto life whereby our stony hearts may be softned broken w th godly sorrow our eyes run down w th rivers of teares for our falls and faylings heretofore and we quickned to new obedience to serve the living God in holinesse and righteousnesse all our remaining dayes 3 All other sanctifying graces accompanying furthering our everlasting happinesse 1. as saving knowledge that we may understand what the holy and acceptable will of the Lord is 2 Fervent love to God our brethren yea our very enemies for his sake that loved us when wee were enemies 3 Ardent zeale 4 Lively hope 5 Son-like feare of God 6 True humility and contrition of spirit 7 Sincerity and boldnesse in the profession of the truth Perseverance patience and strength under the crosse Contentation in all estates either of weale or woe want or abundance 2 Encrease and growth of all these graces that the bruised reed may not be broken nor the smoking Flaxe quenched but that our graces like the light may shine more and more to the perfect day and our works be more at last than at the first 3 The meanes of grace continued and sanctifyed unto us as 1 Gods Word preached at Church 2 Read in private that the holy Ghost blessing it from heaven may bring it close home unto and savingly worke it upon our hearts that thus the heavenly spirit breathing on his own ordinances they may quicken us and become effectuall to our salvation 2 Sacraments 3 Sabbaths 4 Prayer 5 Fasting c. 2 Supply of wants temporall our owne personall concernements and all outward blessings appertayning to this present life Health Liberty Friends Rayment Food giving and preserving to our use the kindly fruits of the earth so as in due time wee may enjoy them preservation in our persons and estates Direction in all our courses thoughts words actions the blessing of God upon all our labours a right and sanctifyed use of all Gods blessings and chastisements 2 Deprecation of Evills personall nationall both of sinne and punishment either before or after it comes Before it comes aversion prevention After it comes ablation or removall 1 Wee pray against the evill of sinne that we may be 1 Delivered freed and acquitted of the guilt and danger of all our sinnes 2 Endued with watchfulnesse power and dominion over them all in our judgements to dislike them in affections to hate them in heart to bewaile them and in life to forsake them 1 From the guilt and danger that our sinne may not shame us before men and torture our consciences here in this life nor condemne us body and soule in the world to com that our doing evil