into the affaires of this day I beséech thée blesse me in the duties of my calling this day and euer for idlenesse and godlynesse can not stand together and it is thy pleasure that in the sweat of my face I should eat my bread O Lord preserue me from all fraudulent and deâ—eitfull courses draw my affections more and more from the loue of the World fix my heart vpon those things which are aboue if things succéed according to my mind by thy blessing vpon my labours make me thankefull vnto thée if any crosse come make me patient and carefull to profit by euerie chastisement that it shall please thée to lay vpon me knowing that howsoeuer they are greiuous for the present yet in the end they will bring the quiet fruit of righteousnesse to al them that are thereby exercised which God grant for his Christs sake to whom with the holy spirit bee all praise now and euer Amen Euening Praier for a priuate Person O Eternall God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him my most mercifull father I humbly confesse before thy glorious presence that I am altogether a lump of sinne a masse of corruption and therfore haue for feited thy fauour and incurred thy high displeasure both in thought word and deede My sins O Lord are more in number than the haires of my head yea farre more than I can possibly féele or know and if I should goe about to reckon vp my particular offences I know not where to begin or where to make an end It is thou O Lord who knowest my sins to whom the secrets of my heart are manifest and nothing can be hid from thy sight besides my consciense doth accuse me of many greiuous euils and I daily feele by ful experience how fraile I am how prone to euel and backward to all goodnesse my minde my heart and affections and all the faculties both of soule and body are ful of vanitie profanenesse dulnesse deadnesse drowâ—inesse in matters of thy worship and seruice But O déere father I haue learned from thy mouth that thou art a God full of mercie slow to wrath and of great compassion and kindnesse towards all such as are heauy laden groan vnder the burthen of their sinnes O Lord extend thy great mercy towards mée poore sinner and giue me a general pardon for al mine offences whatsoeuer seale it to my conscience in the blood of thy déere son Christ Iesus assuring me more and more of thy loue an fauour towards me and that thou art a reconciled father vnto me in the same christ O Lord I beséech thée principally giue me victorie ouer those sins thou knowest my nature most prone to commit Mortific in me whatsoeuer is carnall and sanctiffe me by thy good spirit and knit my heart vnthée for euer Lord grant that I may take delight in the reading and hearing of thy holy word that I may loue and reuerence all the faithfull Ministers of the gospell giue O Lord a melting heart that I may tremble at thy worde let not my sinnes holde backe thy mercies from me nor mine vnworthines stop the passage of thy grace I most humbly thank thee for all thy blessings bestowed vpon me necessarie for this life as food raiment health peace liberty c. which many of thy déere children doe want being notwithstanding bought with the pretious blood of Christ Iesus as well as I. Biâ—t aboue all deere Father I praise thy name for the blessings of a better life especially for thy holy worde and sacraments and all the good I enioy therby for the continuance of thy gospell the worde of truth the means of our saluation for the death of thy son and all that happinesse I receiue thereby O Lord open my blinde eies euery day more and more to sée and consider of thy great and meruelous loue towards me in all these things that by the dew consideration therof my heart may be drawne néerer vnto thee to loue thée much because thou hast giuen much and as thou dost abound towards me in goodnesse so grant that I may abound towards thée in obedience and thankfulnesse and in these my weak and imperfect praiers O Lord I am not mindeful of my selfe alone but of the whole estate of thy Church wheresoeuer blesse all christian Kings and Princes calling vpon thy name especially our dread Soueraigne the Kings Maiestie the Quéene and their roial Progonie Blesse all the nobilitie the magistrates and ministers of the Land that all their Councels and labours may begin at thy feare and may be referred thy glory Succour and comfort all those that are comfortlesse sanctifie all their afflictions and troubles vnto them that they may tend to thy glory and their owne good Finally O Lord according to my bounden dutie I commend vnto thy Maiestie all my friends and acquaintance beséeching thée for them as for my selfe to blesse vs all in our particular places and grant that we may do those things which may bée to thy glorie and our comforts through Iesus Christ our Lord. In whose name I end as he hath taught me saying Our father which art in heauen hallowed bee thy name Thy kingdome come Thy-will be done in earth as it is in heauen c. A Prayer for a priuate person necessarie at all times ALmightie God and in Iesus Christ my most mercifull and louing Father I doe here in thy presence acknowledge that I am of my selfe a most wretched and miserable sinner both in respect of the corruptions of my heart as also the transgression of my life more particularly I doe acknowledge the infidelitie of my heart wherby I haue not yet learned to depend vpon thy prouidence for the things of this life nor vpon thy mercie for the saluation of my soule I confesse O Lord the Atheisme and profanenesse both of my mind and heart whereby all my thoughts and affections are estranged from thée and so glewed to the things of this life that I can take more ioy and delight in doing mine owne will and in seruing mine owne lusts then euer I would â—â— in seruing and obeying thée I acknowledge likewise the pride of mine own heart whereby I doe eralt my selfe in the vanity of my own conceit aboue thy maiestie and aboue my Brethren whom thou hast made farre more excellent then my selfe as also the security of the flesh whereby I put away the day of wrath farre from mee promising to me selfe fréedome from all thy curses and plagues notwithstanding I walke in sinne and in the stubbornnes of mine owne heart my hypocrisie wherby I am content my selfe onely with an outward name and profession of religion and holinesse before men not regarding the truth and power of godlinesse besides O Lord my life abounds in all Actuall transgressions against euery one of thy commandements I haue liued in the abuse of thy mercies and haue not béene drawne néerer vnto thee In neglect of thy
grace in the world without the grace of God Some pray for an almes which yet will giue no almes they would receiue good but they will doe no good they would not be denyed in their own desires but they will not sticke to crosse the desires and good déeds of others but doubtlesse hée that will giue no almes to man is vnworthy to receiue an almes of God he that can without pitty sée the wants of christians deserues that his owne wants should be vnpittied of Christ â—ee that crosseth the good desires and good déedes of others deserues a crosse to his owne and a curse to himselfe I will therefore doe good that I may find good I will heare the cry of others that I may be heard my selfe I will not denie my good will to man least God should deny his good will to me I will not crosse men in their lawfull desires least that God should deny me mine Euery man wil pray for his friendes but few for their enemies yet he that will not heartily pray for his enemies as our Lord did and Saint Sâ—euen hee shall not be partaker of the prayer of our Sauiour nor the praise of his Saintes For Christ prayed onely for those that should haue his Spirit and those onely haue the spirit of Christ which doe resemble Christ And indéed it is iust that he that will not pray for his enemies should be debarr'd of Christ who out of his loue did pray for his foes doth make theÌ„ his friends The Psalmist saith Iâ— I incline vnto wickednes with my heart the Lord will not heare me For in déed Gods eare inclineth to vs as our hart inclineth to him and if we decline from him and with our hearts incline to wickednes we mooue him to decline from vs and to incline to wrath If we regard not him in our harts why should hée lend vs his eares If we wil listen vn to that which hee would haue vs loath why should not he loath that to which we would haue him listen I will therefore expell my sinnes least God should repell my suites I wil wash mine hands in innocencie O Lord and so will I goe to thine altar Not to pray or to contemne prayer is a certain signe of a wicked man I will therefore prouoke my selfe to pray that I may be assured that the Spirit of God is in me and that the miscrie of the wicked belongs not to me assuring my selfe that they that wil not pray to God make themselues a prey vnto the Diuell It is a rule of wisedome To serue the season and wisely to bee followed of them that delight in prayer For there is a time in which God is neere and ready to bee found Let vs therefore séeke him whiles he may bee found and call vpoÌ„ him whiles he is near or otherwise we may call and not be heard wee may séeke him and yet not find him There is also a time in which a man may be better disposed to pray then at an other let vs therefore beware we loose it not lest if we will not pray when we may we shall not be able when we would I haue heard some complaine of their dulnes and bewaile their in disposition to pray Let them but lengthen their complaint and lamentation strike their rockie hearts with a serious remembring of their owne miseries and Gods mercies to them and by the grace of God prayers shall gush out of their harts as waters did out of the Rock Neither despair though thou feelst thy selfe as dead for it is a true tokeÌ„n of the life of the spirit to séel and lament the deadnesse of spirit Some imagine if God heare them not as soone as they desire that he will not heare them at all and that they are of no reckoning with him in which they are iniurious to theÌ„selues and to God to themselues because this fansie doth quench their feruencie and hinder their perseuerance and to God who doth not alwaies hate when hée makes as though he heares not For by séeming to neglect vs and by denying our suites at the first heâ— wold rouze vp our spirits he would try our patience and exercise our saith hee would shewe vs that not our merits but his owne mercy moues him to heare vs and finally he would instruct vs to make more account of his benefits when they come For commonly things lightly obtained are lightly estéemed Many men pray for things that are hurtfull to them I will therefore beg temporal blessings as they may be blessings to mee and whatsoeuer I pray for I will submit my selfe to his wisedome and desire him to heare me not to my prayer but to my profit not as I thinke but in what hee knowes to bee fitting for me There are certaine men deuoted to their wicked lusts that stick not sometimes to say that they care not so they may haue halfe an houre before their death to repent them of their sinnes and to pray to God for mercie These men by their presuming of mercy are in great danger to féele the seueritie of iustice They speake as if they had repentance in a string as if they could pray when they listed and as if they could haue God to heare them when they would themselues But I will repent and pray for mercy in my youth least I should be reiected in mine age I wil cry now that I may bée heard now I will not refuse to séeke him now least I should not find him anon I will sue vnto him for his grace whiles I am like to liue that I may not be refused when I am like to die I will die whiles I liue that I may liue when I am dead and I wil pray whiles I may least I cannot when I would I will liue whiles I liue that I may not die when I die I will sue for grace now whiles it is offered least for contemning grace now I should bée denied grace hereafter Because God hath set downe all things in an vnchangeable and eternall decrée and hath determined from eternitie what gifts hee will giue vnto the sonnes of men therefore some imagine that it is to little or no purpose for a man to pray This is a profane and foolish fansie profane because it drawes a side the heart from dutie For the rule of our obedience is not the secret decrées of God but his reuealed pleasure Now his will which he hath disclosed to vs is that wée ought to pray vnto him and that continually I say again it is a foolish fansie for as God hath ordained the end so hée hath appointed meanes vnto it as hée hath ordained to giue men these and these gifts so hée hath ordained commanded that men should aske them And if hée giue temporall things to any man that is not deuout pious and vnderstanding know that such things which should haue béene for his good doe make for his destruction
vnworthinesse to inuite me to this blessed banquet which thou hast ordained for the strengthning of my weaâ—e faith and for the preseruation of the memorie of Christs death O Lord I beséech thée giue me grace to put on the wedding garment and séeing thou hast commanded that I should examine my selfe grant that I may not presume to thrust my self into thy holy presence without a due examination of mine owne estate both how I haue liued and also how I am prepared for so weightie a seruice I desire to do it O Lord help my desire I promise to liue more holy than I haue done giue me power I pray thée to performe my promise O Lord I confesse I am by nature a childe of wrath as well as others giue me a true and liuely faith wherwith as with a spirituall hand I may be spiritually ioined vnto thée that in this outward pledge wherby it hath pleased thée to stoope to my sences by visible signes of bread and wine setting forth thereby inuisible graces so grant good Lord I may wholly rest in thy death and passion which is the matter of both thy Sacraments cleanse mee O Lord that thou maiest enter into me and maiest vouchsafe to take vp thy habitation within me I know O Lord that I am most vnworthy of this excellent mercy but it is thou that for thine own names sake hast shewed vnto me this great saluation not sparing thine only begotten son whom when the fulnesse of time was come thou diddest send into the World made of a woman that in him thou mightest receiue a full satisfaction for my sinnes committed both in body and soule remoue far from me O Lord all swelling disdainefull and vncharitable affections for this is a feast of loue therefore to it a malicious and reuengeful heart cannot be a welcome guest and when I present my self before thée at thy table O Lord I beséech thée restrain wy wandring and idle thoughts and let them bée seriously fixed on that which is the Sacrament namely the death of my sauiour quicken me vp to deuote and consecrate my self for euer vnto his seruice who hath vouchsafed himselfe to be a sacrifice for me and grant that when I sée bread and wine on the table with my bodily eie I may with the eie of my soule behold Christ on the Crosse and when I looke vpon the wine powred out of the vessell I may consider how Christs blood was powred out for my sinnes and as I receiue this bread and wine into my stomack for bodily sustenance so cause me I beséech thée to féede on the body and blood of our Lord and Sauiour Christ that it may be nourishment for my soule Amen A Praier after the Receiuing of the Lords Supper O most louing and mercifull father I cannot giue thée thankes worthy enough according to the desire of my minde for the inestimable treasure of this heauenly foode which thou hast now made me partataker of in this heauenly mysterie to wit the true bread of heauen that euerlasting meat that abideth for eueâ—â— thy blessed sonne pur Sauiour Christ Iesus in whom I haue obtained by the gift of this holy Communion an earnest of an immortall inheritance to come O Lord let not this pretious blood of his be shed in vaine for me but nourish my soule by his flesh and more and more clense it by his blood quicken me O Lord I beséech thée in this life that in the body of his Church I may be partaker of all spirituall blessings through him and as thou hast seperated me O Lord from the wicked in this holy banquet so kéep me I pray thée from their corruptions that I be not as a dog that returneth to his vomit and as a filthy swine that is washed to her wallowing in the mire but good Lord grant that I may seusibly féele the death of Christ to be swéete vnto my soule as I doe now these creatures of bread and wine to afforde a pleasant taste and refreshing to my body O heauenly Father let me not depart hence forgetful of thy kindnesse but grant that I may euen now at this present time euen resolue with mine owne soule to walke in a better course of holy obedience to thy Magesty than heretofore hauing respect vnto all thy Commandements and as I haue béene this day put in minde of the benefit of Christs death so let mée euery day thinke often of his death that thereby I may liue vnto righteousnesse and learne to die vnto sinne and grant that euer heereafter I may so walke before thée that all men may sée that I am become a new creature thus endeuouriug to walke in this life according to thy will expressed in thy holy worde I may heereafter enioy the ioies of thy kingdome in thy presence there to abide for euer euer Amen A Pâ—aier before a man begins the workes of his calling O Almightie and euerliuing God séeing all iust and lawfull vocations and callings grounded vpon thy worde are warranted for vs to liue in and also hast commanded that no man should be idle giue me grace I humbly pray thée that I may walke faithfully before thée as in thy holy presence so that no deceit cunning or guile take any hold of me but that I may labour truly and diligently as doing thine owne work Good Lord I beséech thée so prosper and blesse my godly endeuours that in Iesus Christ they may be a seale of thy fauour towards me to maintaine me and mine and that I may be also helpfull and beneficial vnto others knowing it to be a better thing to giue than to receiue and when it shall please thée O Lord by thy blessing vpon my labours that my basket and my store is increased grant that I may not ascribe to mine owne industry pains but to giue thée the praise of it to whom it wholly belongeth And good father grant that I may not set my heart vpon these outward things but rather as riches encrease so I may be more and more affraid of my selfe least the cares of this World and the deceitfulnesse of riches choake in me the séedes of grace so steale my minde away from better things let me not I beséech thée so eagerly follow the duties of my calling that I should abridge and skant my selfe of conuenient seasons for heauenly and spirituall exercises but alwaies make me behold thy all séeing presence in whose sight all things are naked that so I may approue my selfe vnto thée by a streight vpright cariage and in so doing I shall imitate thy son Christ Iesus who in the daies of his flesh humbled himselfe to liue as a man vpon this earth by following a painfull trade and when the time was come that he was to publish himselfe to the World he was neuer idle but went about doing good yea with that alacritie and chéerefulnesse that it was his meat to do the will of his
THE PRACTISE of the faithfull Containing many godly Praiers both for Morning and Euening and other necessarie occasions Whereunto are added diuers profitable and comfortable meditations necessarie to be remembred and practised of euery Christian Coloss 4. 2. Continue in Praier and watch in the same with thankesgiuing LONDON Printed by Io. Beale for Samuel Man and are to be sold in Pauls Church yard at the signe of the Ball. 1613. TO THE RIGHT WORshipfull and vertuous Lady the Lady Ioan Leuenthorpe GOod Madame this Booke of priuate prayer being brought vnto mee by a Friend to peruse and being withall requested by him to write the Preamble to the booke with three or foure Prayers for certain particular vses I yeelded to him and haue made choyse of your Ladiship on whom I might bestow it being assured of your deuout affection and kinde acceptance of these my labours and endeauours I goe not about to teach you that you know not but rather put you in mind of what you know already desiring nothing more then that your pious disposition might increase vnto the period of our time Prayer saith S. Augustine is a Speach to God when you read God speakes to you when you pray you speake with God a seruice it is of no small commoditie For by it wee obtaine good things and the remotion of euilles by it our faith is exercised and increased our loue is proued our zeal is inflamed Gods graces are augmented his creatures sanctified tentations vanquished and the tempter banished To this GOD hath giueÌ„ vs his precept and made vs a promise Christ hath also giuen vs a patterne and his owne ensample his Saints hath made it their practise and we are dayly called vnto it and now more then heretofore the iudgements of GOD hauing beene within these few yeeres very strangely inflicted vpon vs by grieuous and long lasting pestilence by inundation of waters extremitie of cold heat of drought and moisture vnusuall diseases and outrageous windes so as it may bee feared he hath some farther punishments yet remaining except by our deuout and instant prayers and sincere repentance he may be pacified I suppose it therfore not vnmeet for euery one to stir vp himselfe and one to excite another to this duty so needfull commodious Accept therefore I pray you of these things as written to this end so shall I count my labors if any wel rewarded and my selfe contented The God of Grace vouchsafe you his grace whiles you liue on earth and make you shine in immortall glorie with him in the heauen Your Ladiships in all dutie THOMAS TVKE AN INTRODVCTION TO PRAIER HE that would pray wel must know â—hat he desires and with What mind To pray sâ—ruently for things vnlawfull is a thing vnlawfull and to pray colâ—ly for things lawfull will proue but a cold suite the colder the Suiter the greater the sinner One man praies going and knéeles not another praies â—néeling and goes not Yet both are heard if their soules doe bend if their mindes attend and if they burne their incense vpon the right Altar One praies and speakes not another speakes and praies not This mans voice though loud is not heard because his praying is all in voice aud nothing in vertue in outward sound not with inward sense the former is heard yet speakes not for though his mouth be shut yet his heart is open his heart talkes though his tong be tied vp that 's loud though this below One praies but kéepes no good order yet gets his suit another kéepes time and measure yet gaines nothing This had the arte but the other had the hart The beâ—t minde is the best methode and he praies orderly that praies honestly One iustified himselfe in his praier and yet went away condemned another condemned himselfe and went away absolued I wil condemne my selfe that I may be iustified I will not iustifie my selfe leaâ—â— I be condemned And though I did build an hundred fréeâ—chooles a thousand hospitals ten thousand colledges and al this for the loue of my Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus and in loue of christianity christians for Christ his sake yet would I write in the foundation of all those Buildings God be mercifull vnto me a sinner And though I will condemne my selfe least I should bée condemned of my Iudge yet will I not thinke I deserue to be iustified because I will not iustifie my selfe but I will still pray for fauour least the opinion of merit should hinder me from mercy and least whiles I look to be iustified for condemning mine owne iustice I méete with the sharpenesse of Gods iustice forgetting the iustice of Christ idolizing with a iustice of mine owne conceiued for condemning my selfe of iniustice One praies for God an other for goods he obtains for God is his goods this is still poore and hauing because goods are his God One praies for God and another for goods and it may be neither are heard because the former wants his heart and the latter his head He that would finde God let him séeke God for God and other things vnder God God is found of one that sought him not and an other séekes and craues him but cannot finde him at the first Why God will haue the former serue and praise him and the other to séeke him still Sometimes hée shewes vs the libertie of his grace and sometimes he tries the strength of our faith and the truth of our loue One man praies long an other is but briefe and both obtaine alike for God measures his gifts by his loue and not by the length of our praiers by his owne benignitie and not by our breuitie One praies at length loses for lacke of deuotion another is but short and yet receiueth because his affection is â—arge feruent One being long in his praiers is counted briefe while another being briefe is counted tedious the former is long but vehement the latter is short and shallow as cold as briefe tedious and too-long because his praier is too-short for deuotion without sense soule One is very violent and importunate and another is not so earnest in appearance and yet this second only is heard Either for that the former knowes not Christ or because his violence is rather from his strong sides then true sense or a labor of lip rather than of loue or else perhaps caused by some horrid apprehension of hell and not of loue to God or godlinesse for God Two men pray for the kingdome of God one importunatly the other remisly the violent caries it away the cold suiter goes away empty For God loues the laborious and contemnes the lazie if men pray as if they praied not he also will heare as if hée heard not pray féelingly if thou wouldest be heard fauourably if thou woullest taste of Gods beneuofence be thou sure to presse him with all violence One praies chiefly for grace and God giues him both grace and
father that sent him O Lord grant that I may follow his steps endeuouring to please thée in the whole course of my life through the same Iesus Christ our Lord and only Sauiour Amen A Praier containing humble confession of Sinne and desire of pardon O Eternall God and mercifull father infifinite in iustice and truth taking vengance vpon all disobedient children and yet abundant in goodnesse and mercy towards al such as vnfainedly feare thy name and return vnto thée in sincerity of heart and contrition of spirit prostrating their soules before thée I most vile and wretched sinner doe humbly beséech thée of thy infinite mercy to haue compassion vpon my sinnes which are so grieuous and so vile and loathsome as thy pure eies can not abide to looke vpon them I confesse O Lord that all my life hath béen in sinne our fathers and mothers were sinnefull euen from the sâ—ock of our great grandfather Adam whose blindnesse should haue béen our light and whose sight was turned to our blindnesse and darkenesse by the deceitfull entisements of that enemy of our saluation that subtill serpent Satan by whose baites our forefather being clothed with innocency and integretie and vnspeakable hapinesse was moued by the desire of the knowledge of that which thou wouldest he should haue béene ignorant of by breaking of which thy commandement he with the woman which thou gauest to bee a help comfort vnto him were according to thy determinate will cast out of Paradice a place of ioy to a place of miserie and labour I beseech thee most gratious God smite my hard and stonie heart and make it euen to melt with in me at the sight of my manifold transgressions settle in it I pray thée that godly sorrow which causeth repentance vnto saluation not to be repented of humble my soule vnder thy mighty hand and suffer it not to fréeze in the dregs of mine owne corruptions and make my head full of water mine eies a fountaine of teares which may run down like a riuer day night and grant O Lord that I may sorrow not so much because of hell and damnation which is due vnto me for my sinnes but that my chiefest sorrow may be this that I haue offended so good and gratious a God as thou art in abusing thy mercies and requiting thy excéeding loue with so greiuous sins O Lord I am bold to come vnto thée at this time not in my owne name for who am I that I should dare to presse into thy presence but in the name and mediation of thy déere and welbeloued son Christ Iesus Let his death passion be a full satisfaction for all my sinnes wash me throughly in his blood from mine iniquities and clense me from my sinnes let not thy hand of iustice destroy me but giue me the comfort of thy help and stablish me with thy truth Most gratious father thou which art the father of mercies and the God of consolations of thée I aske mercy and forgiuenesse of all my sinnes thou wouldest that none should perish but that all should be saued and come to the knowledge of thy truth thou hast commanded me most gratious God in thy holy word to call and knock vnto thée whereupon thou hast gratiousty promised so to finde as to enter into me and to entertaine me I beséech thée make good my promise vnto me at this time and regard my teares my sighes and my groanes which doe knock at the gate of thy mercies I endeuour most gracious God and striue to do thy will Lord make good thy promise I beséech thée in thy word and accept my desire and howsoeuer vilde wretch that I am euer since I Couenanted with thée to doe thée seruice I haue either vngratiously forgotten or vngratefully remembred all thy benefits and haue not so estéemed thée for them as I would haue done a mortall friend for a few common Curtesies yet neuer the lesse haue mercy vpon me I can not excuse my faults and If I should yet my consciense would condemne mée for I had thy expresse word to stay me and mine owne conscience to bridle me yea I would haue allowed those things which I did if any other had done them but my selfe now when my memorie is the handwriting of my debt and my thoughts are willing wâ—â—nesses against me and mine owne knowledge condemneth me what remaineth but that I must néeds fall into thy hands O Lord I beséech thée according to thy wonted mercy and old louing kindnesse haue pity vpon me miserable sinner and grant me a frée remission of all my sinnes and a perfect reconciliation with thée in Christ Iesus this O Lord I earnestly craue at thy hands euen for the same Iesus Christ sake our Lord and sauiour Amen A godly Prayer in time of sicknesse or at the point of Death ALmightie God and in Iesus Christ my most mercifull Father I thy poore wretched seruant which doe here lye vnder thy hand féeling thy punishment of the corruption and transgression that is in me and in all flesh euen this same sicknesse which at this time thou hast sent vnto mee I doe here humble my selfe vnder thy hands and acknowledge against my selfe my heinous sins and corruptions so that I confesse that I haue not only deserued sicknes of body yea the separation of my soule from my body but also the separation both of bodie and soule from thée and thy kingdome for euer but good Father I humbly beseech thee looke vpon me in the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus in whome thou hast loued mee before the foundations of the world were laid though sinne haue brought sicknes and sicknes bee an vndoubted messenger of death at the time thou hast appointed yet grant good Lord that I may be vndoubtedly perswaded in this that death is swallowed vp in victorie and that this death can no more hold me vnder then it hath done Iesus Christ into whom I am translated therefore I beseech thée giue me a swéet féeling of my incorporation into Christ Iesus in whose death though I dye yet I shall liue by y â— vertue of his resurrection eternally O Lord in this my sicknesse giue me I beséech thée a déep touch and a sensible vnderstanding of my sinnes past that I haue not vsed this temporall life which thou didst lend mee more to thy glorie that I did not so watch for death as that I was no better prepared for it that I was no more diligent in my calling to seeke the aduancement of thy glory Now O Lord I pray thee take from me all guile of Spirit all disposition to flatter or to sooth vp my selfe or to lessen either the number or the qualitie of my sinnes cause mee euen to breake vp my hart and to search and trie my waies that so out of the abundance of my feeling I may poure out a most plentifull and sincere confession before thee knowing it to be in vaine to endeuour
Blesse mee in this calling to which thou hast appointed mee prosper me I pray thee in the thoughts of my heart the words of my mouth the workes of mine hands Be mercifull I most humbly beseech thée to all those women and children with whom I am to deale Bee mercifull to this thy Seruant that is now in trauel O good Lord comfort her strengthen her and grant her a seasonable and safe deliuerance blesse her burthen O Lord and giue iâ— strength life to be borne so will I render praise and thanksgiuing vnto thee Heare O Lord and grant mee my hearts desire for Christ Iesus his sake mine onely Lord and Sauiour Amen A Thanksgiuing priuate for the safe deliuerance of a woman to bee said by the Midwife or some woman present at her Deliuerie VVEE giue thee thankes most mercifull God for all thy mercies and fauours to vs for Electing Creating Redeeming Sanctifying and Preseruing vs for our health peace and libertie for the worde and Gospell and for preseruing both it and vs from that barbarous Powder-Treason of wicked Papists and finally for the safe deliuerance of this thine Handmaide and the birth of this Infant wee beseech thee giue vs thankefull heartes vnto thee and grant that by true thankefulnesse wee may consecrate our soules our selues and seruices vnto thee all the dayes of our life endeauouring to leade a godly quiet and vertuous life before thée in this world that wee may liue for euer with thée in the world to come through Iesus Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour Amen The Lord bee mercifull vnto vs send health and strength vnto this thine Handmaide Lord blesse this Childe vouchsafe it life that it may by Baptisme bee admitted into thine house and haue interest in thy Couenant the Lord keepe vs all and honour vs with his grace in this life and with immortall glorie in the life to come Amen A Prayer in time of Pestilence or any other Contagious Sicknesse MOst gracious and euerliuing god whose Iudgements are vnsearchable and workes past finding out much lesse to bee comprehended within our weake shallow braines we can not wonder that we are afflicted with so many sorts of diseases and extraordinarie visitations for wee confesse that our sinnes haue prouoked thee not only to take vengeance vpon our bodies and those things that belong vnto vs for this life but also euen that thou shouldest seperats both our bodies and soules from thee for euer to the eâ—ternall destruction of both and howsoeuer this iudgement of the plague be grieuous vpon vs yet it is the smallest part of our desert and if thou shouldest make it cleaue fast to our loines and euen sweep vs off from the face of the earth as dung is swept away till all be gone wee haue nothing to except against thee but that thou art iust for wee haue multiplyed our sinnes before thée and haue pressed thee with the burden of them as a Cart is pressed with sheaues so that neither wee nor our Fathers haue kept thy Commandements and besides O Lord we must confesse thou hast iustly plagued vs because wee haue abused and set at naught thy manifold mercies which thou hast shewed vnto vs for our conuersion as the continuall admonitions giuen vnto vs by thy ministers rising early and late yet wee haue hardened our heartes as in the day of slaughter and haue despised thy Prophets and put farre from vs the euill day thereby adding drunkennes to thirst yet notwithstanding wee will returne vnto thée that hast smitten vs for thou art the father of mercies and the God of forgiuenesses O remember vs not according to our sins but according to thy mercies O Lord thinke vpon vs for thy goodnesse sake cleare vs wee beseech thee and make vs frée from the contagion and Leprosie of sinne and then we shall bée fréed from the noysome infection of the Pestilence so that it shall not hurt vs teach vs O Lord to feare sinne as we feare the sicknesse it selfe for it is the cause of this wasting sicknesse which is the fruit of sinne but this good Father belongeth onely vnto thee for thou canst doe both the one and the other therefore comfort vs wee pray thee according to the dayes that thou hast afflicted vs turns vs vnto thée O Lord and we shall be turned conuert thou vs and we shall be conuerted If wee humble our selues and meete thee with true faith vnfained repentance with hartie sorrow and teares thy wrath shal cease and then thou wilt call in againe thy messengers commanding thine Angell to put vp the sword of vengeance into the â—heath and shew mercie vpon vs and if it bee thy good pleasure to stretch out thy hand stil and chastise vs yet more for our Iniquities giue vs wee pray thée grace and strength patiently to endure thy fatherly hand to the vtmost tryall and teach vs that whensoeuer wee are iudged by thée we shall not be iudged with the world and much better is it for vs to bee temporally corrected in this life then eternally to ber tormented in the life to come therefore O Lord we choose rather to fall into thy hands then in to the hands of men because thy grace is great and mercie is with thee that thou maist bee feared laying fast hold of faith in Christ Iesus who is theeuerlasting propitiation and perfect sacrifice for all our sins in whom alone thou art well pleased to whom with thée thy good spirit bee all honour glory now and for euermore Amen A Prayer for the Kings Maiestie the whole State OEternall God gracious Father who in thy eternall counsell and inestimable wisedome hast ordained Kings Princes to be as Fathers Nurses to thy church and as thou hast giuen them high soueraignty and speciall authority so thou hast communicated vnto them thine own names and titles both to put them in continuall remembrance that they are for thée for thy glory and also vs thy subiects of that same continuall loue obedience which we owe vnto thy Maiestie that vnder them we may be godly and peaceably gouerned seeing y â— by thée Kings raigne and thy soueraigne authority reacheth ouer all wee beséech thée good Lord shew thy mercy vpon al christian Kings Princes calling on thy name especially wee pray thée multiply thy graces vpon thy seruant our dread soueraigne Iames by thy prouidence King of great Britaine France Ireland defender of the faith As thou hast doubled his croune lifted his head aboue others so wee pray thée double redouble thy graces and blessings vpon him both spirituall temporall make vs euermore truely thankfull we beséech thée for all thy preseruations of him from thine his enemies especially graunt that wee may neuer forget that inestimable deliuerance of his Maiestie the whole state from that more then barbarous and hellish plot of the gunpowder treason kéepe him as the Apple of thine
eye preserue his Royall person from al conspiracies and treasons both forraine domesticall and continue his gouernment ouer vs and grant there may not want one of that stock to sit vpon this throne till thy son come to Iudgement Blesse in like maner we beséech thée the Quéenes Maiesty make her a helpe vnto him in al good things powre downe thy blessings vpon there Royal progeny and graunt that they may daily grow in grace fauor both with God and man make them loyall to his maiesty all the daies of his life alwaies afford thy gracious presence to the honorable lords of his Maiesties Counsell be thou president ouer them at their table order their purposes and direct all their consultations as may make most for thy glory the honour of the King and the good of this land and commonwealth giue thy blessing vpon all the Magistrates of the land and courts of Iustice grant that they may drawe forth the sword of iustice for the destruction of vice and wickednes and for the maintenance of Gods true religion vertue Blesse O Lord the house of Aaron Tribe of Leui the ministers of thy word and Sacraments and séeing these are thy Stewards which thou hast set ouer vs to disperse thy misteries good Lord giue vs grace not to estéeme of them as mere mortall men like our selues but as they are indéed the embassadors of thée the euerliuing God who art able to saue and to destroy and that they are not such as raigne ouer our faith but as helpers of our ioy which preach not themselues but Iesus Christ our Lord and count themselues our seruaÌ„ts for Iesus sake furnish them liberally of thy rich treasure with all graces fit for so excellent a work giue vs grace with our best endeauours to further y â— maintenance therof to this end blesse al schooles of learning especially both the Uniuersities of this land that daily there may procéed such as may be profitable Instruments both for church common welth and in these our prayers we are not vnmindful of the afflictions of Ioseph wee beseech thée send thy Spirit of comfort to all the afflicted whatsoeuer whether in body or in mind or both especially those that suffer for the testimony of a good conscience wee beséech thée to stand by them in al their distresses and bee thou more neere to defend them then Sathan either is or possible can be to seduce draw theÌ„ from thée giue them patience to endure whatsoeuer it shal please thée to lay on them harty and true repentance for all their sins an happy issue from their miseries as shall séeme best to thy godly wisedome either by life that they may glorifie thée in this world or by faithfull departure they may be glorified of thee in the world to come and that for Iesus Christs sake our Lord and only Sauior In whose name wee conclude these our weake prayers as he hath taught vs. Our Father which art in heauen c. A Praier containing the summe of the Lords Praier OVr Father which art in Heauen Most gratious Lord God we thy children seruants in thy only son Iesus Christ our sauiour assured héere of by thy good spirit do hartily desire thée as we are made redéemed sanctified to praise thée giue vs thy children grace to acknowledge thée the only true God and to worship thée in thought word and déede that so thy name by vs may be hallowed teach vs which way we may most honour thee while we remaine héere to set our hearts wholly thereunto kéep vs from taking any part of thy glory to our selues and let vs account it our greatest honor to honor thée and be euer afraid of dishonoring thée any way because we haue no power nor know the meanes of our selues to serue thée let thy kingdome come giue vs thy word to be faithfully and painfully preached among vs with thy holy spirit to worke inwardly in our hearts faith feare hope and loue with al heauenly graces that we may become thy subiects heires of thy kingdome send vs zelous gouernors faithfull Preachers that Satan Antichrist heresies vice scismes may bee vtterly destroied our déere and pretious soules saued in the day of the Lord Iesus which day wee pray thée to hasten in the meane season thy will bee done in earth as it is in heaueÌ„ make vs to forsake our selues all worldly vanities doing nothing but what thou coÌ„mandest and all that thou doest will vs to do it hartely ioyfully readily faithfully and with a constant heart as thy Saints Angels in Heauen performes it and because our bodies craue necessary sustenance without which we cannot serue thée giue vs this day ourdaily b cad We beféeth thée to blesse our daily labors to get sufficient maintenance and al necessaries that we may be able to do thy will Let neither care nor couetousnes oppresse vs but wholly commit our selues to thy faithfull prouiding for vs and good father forgiue vs our trespasses Let not our sinnes either hinder or depriue vs of thy mercies we confesse that wee haue grieuously sinned against thée both originally actually so as it is thy méere mercy the waight of them haue not pressed vs downe to the pit of hell but thou art mercifull in Christ Iesus and for his sake we beseech thée pardon â—â— as thou hast promised and perswade our consciences that we are forgiuen by giuing vs grace to forgiue them that trespass against vs giue vs power to continue in all godly courses lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill that neither in inward or outward temptation we may euer bee vanquished but may euer ouercome which wee desire O father of heauen as thou hast all rule and power and maiest haue glorie and praise of hereafter for euer euer and as we are bound in dutie for our election creation redemption iustification sanctification for all earthly benefits and spirituall comforts and the certaine hope of eternal glory to which glorie O father bring vs that for Christ Iesus sake our Lord and only sauiour Amen A praier vpon the Articles of the Creede O Heauenly father from whom all good gifts come I pray thée in thy mercy through Christ Iesus my sauiour to grant me thy gratious gift of a sound iustifying faith which I neither haue nor can haue by nature that I may beleeue in thee O God only the father Almightie maker of heauen and earth and also in Iesus Christ thy only sonne and our Lord which was conceiued by the holy Ghost boâ—ne of the Virgine Marie suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried that descended into hell and rose againe the third day and ascended into heauen and there siâ—teâ—h at the right hand of thee O God father Almightie from whence hee shall come to iudge vs all both quick and dead that I may bâ— leâ—â—e in the
holy Ghost and that there is a Catholick church a Communion of Saints the forgiuenes of sins and the resurrection of the body and life euerlasting that so I may be truely perswaded of thy fatherly prouidence ouer me what Christ hath done that is for my deliuerance the holy ghost to be my comfort assistance being a member of the church and making me effectually partaker of all the priuileges thereof to my endlesse ioy happines which O father giue vnto me I beséech thée for Christs sake Amen A Prayer vpon the ten Commandements O Eternal Lord God I thy humble seruant that do owe all dutifuâ—l obedience to thée and am made partaker of manifold benefits both for body soule which then by the bloud of Christ thy only son hast deliuered from that euerlasting bondage which by corruption of nature I was held in from euerlasting death which I was subiect vnto by daily breaking of thy coÌ„mandements I beséech thée giue me grace now and euer hereafter to haue none other Gods but thée neither to make to my selfe any grauen Image nor the likenes of any thing in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath nor in y â— waters vnder the earth to bow down to them to worship them Nor that I take the name of thée my Lord God in vaine Remembring to kéep holy the Sabath day and to labour six daies doing all that I haue to do but in the seuenth day which is the Sabath of thée O Lord my God giue me grace to do no maner of work And that I may honour my father and mother Neuer to commit any murther neither Adulterie Nor to steale Nor to beare false witnesse against my neighbor Nor to couet my neighbours house nor his wife nor his seruant nor his maide nor his Oxe nor his Asse not any thing that is his that so I may do alwaies my duty to thee O God al the daies of my life beléeuing fearing worshipping giuing thankes louing thée with all my heart with all my mind with all my soul with al my streÌ„gth and louing my neighbour friend or foe euen as my selfe to doe to all men euen as I would they should doe to me to loue honour succour my father mother to honour and obey the King Quéene Prince their ministers to submit my selfe to all my gouernors spirituall temporall to order my selfe to all my betters lowly reuerently to hurt no body by word nor déede to be true and â—ust in all my dealings to beare no malice in my heart to behaue my selfe in the whole course of my life as thou maist be glorified my duty discharged my conscience comforted my brethren woone or confirmed and thye mouths of all the wicked stopped which O father vouchsafe to grant me for thy great goodnes sake thy beloued sonnes â—ake Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with thée and the holy spirit bee all praise and honour giuen by me all thy Saints this time for euermore Amen A Prayer containing the doctrine of the sacraments O Most merciful father thou hast giuen met not onely thy holy word to teach me faith obedience but also two Sacraments outward signes and seales of inward graces Christ all his benefites Giue mee wiledome O Lord to acknowledge the benefite and thankfully vse the same beséeching thée that as by baptisme I am receiued into the church by water outwardly am washed so let it scale the assurance of the purging of my soule from sin by Christs bloud and appeare outwardly by thy holy spirit killing in mee corruption and stirring me vp to holines of life reioysing in my new-birth and growing more more therin dayly that so I may prepare my self in knowledge in true repentance hartie loue and a sound faith to come bee partaker of the Lords supper which is the other sacrament to nourish me vp in the same where by the signes of bread broken and wine poured out taken and giuen Christ my sauiour with his benefits is offered that gaue his body shed his blood for me Now O Lord as by my hand I take the bread wine and with eating and digestion receiue also the strength to nourish my body so I pray thee giue me faith to apply Christ with his merites that I may féele the vertue therof to nourish my soule that I may not come vnprepared least I eate drinke 〈◊〉 owne damnation in â—andling such holy mysteries neither let mee conteiâ—â—e or neglect to be partaker when by the Church thou doest call me but obediently thankefully communicat with my breathren to strengthen my faith encrease mutuall loue shewing obedience Gods mercy in Christs death till hee come to iudge vs all at that great day that for Christs sake our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen Prayer before meate MOst gracious God and mercifull father from whom all good gifts procéed we poore wretches beséech thée to sanctifie to our vses these thy good creatures which we shal receiue now of thy mercy giue vs grace wee pray thee to vse them soberly purely according to thy will grant y â— by these blessings which thou so largely bestowest vpon vs wee may see thy loue towards vs seeking likewise for that spirituall bread of thy word which is the foode of our soules that by the same we may be nourished to eternal life throgh Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Thanksgiuing after meat VVE confesse O Lord it is of thy only goodnes mercy that wee liue moue and haue our beeing in this life and all things whereby our life is preserued comes from thy maiestie good Lord wee beséech thée make vs thankefull for these al other thy mercies both spirituall temporall and as thou hast now fed our bodies with corporall foode so good Lord we pray thée nourish our souls with that heauenly Manna the food of eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Another before meate ALinightie God which hast created meates drinkes for mans sustenance sanctifie them to the vse of thy children without difference that they may vse them for their health hast giuen strength to nourish our bodies to thy pleasure make vs sober and thankfull partakers of theÌ„ graunt that the end of our eating drinking may tend to enable vs to serue thée in our seuerall places through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Another after meate VVE humbly pray thée most gracious God and mercifull to sanctifie these thy good creatures which now of thy mercy we haue receiued at thy hands that they may turne to the nourishment of our bodies where unto thou hast appointed them and teach vs to remember that it is thou which to vs and to all thy creatures giuest food in due season and therfore that we abuse not thy mercies but in some good measure endeuour to walke worthie of them in the course of our liues through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen