to my everlasting Comfort Amen After the Bread say Oever blessed Jesus Son of the moâ high God sanctifie this Bread to thâ Soul that it may enable me to overcomâ all Assaults of the World the Flesh anâ the Devil and that I may continue thâ faithful Servant to my Live's end Amen Before Receiving of the Cup say THe Lord himself is the portion of ââ Inheritance and my Cup thou shâ maintain my Lot my Lât is fallen to ââ in a fair Ground yea I have a good Heritage I have set God always befââ me he is on my right-hand therefoââ shall not fall Gracious is the Lord aâ Righteous yea our God is merciful Wââ reward shall I give unto the Lord for the benefits he hath done for me I ââ receive the Cup of Salvation and callâ on the Name of the Lord. Devout Prayers Praises and Thanksgivings upon several Occasions A Short Collection of some of the Holy Resolutions of Holy DAVID concerning Prayer and Praises PSALM ix Verse 1 2. I Will praise thee O Lord with my whole heart I will shew forth all thy marvellous works I will be glad and rejoice in thee I will sing praises to thy Name O thou most High Verse 11. Sing praises to the Lord that dwelleth in Zion declare among the People his doings Psal xviii 3. I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised so shall I be saved from my Enemies Psalm xix 12 13. Who can understand his Errors Cleanse thou me from secret Faults Keep back thy Servant also from presumptuous sins let them not have dominion over me Psal xxviii 1 2. Unto thee O Lord will I cry my Rock be not silent to me Hear the Voice of my Supplications when I cry unto thee Psalm xxxiii 1 2 3. Rejoice in the Lord O ye Righteous for Praise is comely for the Upright Praise the Lord with Harp sing unto him with the Psaltery and an Instrument of ten Strings Sing unto him a new Song play skilfully with a loud Noise Psalm li. 1 2. Have Merey upon me O God according to thy loving kindness According to the multitude of thy tender Mercies blot out my transgressions Wash me throughly from my Iniquity and cleanse me from Sin Psalm lxvii 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. God be merciful unto us and bless us and cause thy Face to shine upon us That thy way may be known upon the Earth and thy saving health among all Nations Let the People praise thee O God let all the People praise thee O let the Nations be glad and sing for joy for thou shalt judge the People righteously and govern the Nations upon the Earth Let the People praise thee O God let all the People praise thee Then shall the Earth yield her Increase and God even our God shall bless us God shall bless us and all the ends of the Earth shall fear him Psalm c. 1 2 3 4 5. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye Lands Serve the Lord with gladness come before his presence with singing Know ye that the Lord he is God it is he that hath made us and not we our selves we are his People and the Sheep of his Pasture Enter into his Gates with thanksgiving and into his Courts with Praise Be thankful unto him and bless his Name For the Lord is good his mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth to all Generations Some few of God's Promises to those that truly serve him and call upon his Name Psalm cxii Verse 1 2 3. BLessed is the Man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandments His seed shall be mighly upon the Earth the Generation of the Upright shall be blessed Wealth and Riches shall be in his House ând his Righteousnes shall endure for ever Job li. 7. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto âim and he shall hear thee and if thou seek âim he will be found Isa lxv 24. Before they call I will answer and while they are yet speaking I will hear John xv 7. Ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you John xvi 24. Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be-full John xiv 13 14. Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name I will do it Matthew xxi 22. And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing ye shall receive Matthew vi 6. Pray to thy Father which seeth in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Matt. vii 7. Ask and it shall be given you seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you A Morning Prayer for a Family MOst glorious and ever blessed Lord God whose goodness and mercy is extended to the very ends of the Earth who dost from thy Throne behold all the actions of the Sons and Daughters of Men whether they be good or evil that thou mayest reward them according to their doings O Lord we poor sinful Dust and Ashes are this Morning come before thee to beg Grace of thee hoping in thy Mercy which is over all thy Works Keep us we humbly pray thee this Day as thou hast kept us the Night that is past and gone keep us in thy Faith Fear and Love and forgive us all our Transgressions by the Merits of thy dear Son Teach us to bewail them as we ought and separate them from us that would separate us from thee our God O Lord take away from our Minds all Ignorance and Blindness and all hardness of heart and make thy Word more precious to us than the Gold of Ophir and guide us by thy holy Spirit here out of all that is evil into all that is good that when our great change comes we may receive that Crown of Glory that is laid up for all those that run and are not weary that walk and are not faint but that travel in thy strength and by thy gracious assistance till they arrive to their Journeys end which is to rest in thy Bosom O Lord do thou strengthen our Weakness enlighten our Understandings more and more that in the greatest Temptation we may have knowledge of thee and of thy ways that we may never be overtaken but that for the future we may press forward towards the mark of the high Calling in Christ Jesus our Lord. Lord do thou prosper all our Undertakings and bless our Goings out and Comings in and give us Hearts to learn something of every thing and make a spiritual Use of our Actions and Occasions till we come to lodge with thee in thy Kingdom Let our Affections grow one towards another unfeignedly and that we may love our Enemies and bless them that curse us but especially the houshold of Faith and that we may always pray for them and they for us and both of us be heard of thee for our selves and one for another and thy Son for us all Bless Lord the Catholick Church with Truth Peace soundness of Doctrine and holy Discipline Continue thy
Favours upon this Land of our Nativity and with the choicest of thy blessings bless the King upon the Throne and all the Royal Family sanctifie the Lives and the Studies oâ thy Servants that labour in thy Word oâ Doctrine Bless his Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council and all others iâ Authority with necessary Favours Bless the Nurseries of good Learning all Grammar-schools the famous Universities of Oxford and Cambridge and the Inns of Court Bless this City and Place wherein we live Remove the Punishments due for the Sins thereof and give them Grace to repent in time lest they be destroyed Bless all our Friends Relations and others for whom thou hast appointed us to make Prayers and Supplications Bless this Family with Grace and Peace that they all may know their several Duties towards thee and one towards anâther And all we beg for Jesus Christ his sake To whom with thee O Father and the Blessed Spirit be all Praise Honour and Glory ascribed by us here and all thine elsewhere both now and for evermore An Evening Prayer for a Family O Lord God Father of all Mercies and God of all Consolations we ãâã come this Evening by thy great Mercy ãâã to the Throne of Grace to beg Grace oâ thee to help us in the time of Need anâ also to return thee hearty thanks for ãâã multitude of thy great Mercies but ãâã especially for thy merciful preservatin oâ us this Day and all the Times and Days of our Lives that thou hast by thy mighty Power and streched out Arm brought us out of innumerable Perils and Dangers and hast attended us both by Night and by Day and poured upon us contrary to our deserts so many Excellent Blessings and Benefits both Spiritual and Temporal Good Lord we beseech thee keep us as thou hast done hitherto from Day to Day and make us steadfast in the profession of thy Holy Name and keeping of thy Commandments that neither the Wrath of Man nor the Malice of the Devel may turn us away from thee Lord turn thy back upon our Iniquities blot ouâ our Transgressions and remember our Sins noÌ more in which we have so much delighted change our corrupt and polluted-Hearts and wash and cleanse us in the Blood of our dear Redeemer Forgive us all that is past and grant us the assurance of that Forgiveness seal'd up iââur Consciences by thy Holy Spirit Forgive us our intolerable Barenness in good Works our base Unthankfulness and the Abuse of thy Grace and strike our stony âearts with the Rod of thy Fear that wâ may attain unto a due Thankfulneness for ãâã thy Favours and a most unfeign'd and ârnest Repentance of our Sins O Lord âess us all this Night and after our Boâies have been refreshed do thou bring us ââ the light of another day wherein we âay praise thy great Name in the Land âf the Living Sanctifie us by thy Word ââroughout Soul Body and Spirit for thy âord is Truth Bless this Nation preâerve the King and all that are in Auâhority and all thy Children Raise up ââe Heavy-hearted that mourn in Zion Give them Beauty for Ashes the Oil of âoy for Mourning and the Garments of âraise for the Spirit of Heaviness Lord âe merciful unto them whom thou hast âade any way helpful unto us Bless every one of us in our proper station that we âay serve thee with all our Hearts fear âhy Majesty and love thy Precepts These âhings O Lord and what ever thou knowâst is needful for us we humbly crave of âhee in the Name and Merits of Jesus Christ our blessed Redeemer saying as âe hath taught us Our Father which art in Heaven c. A Prayer against the Temptations of the Worlâ the Flesh and the Devil O Most merciful Father and mighâ God of Jacob a strong Tower ãâã the Faithful a Rock of Defence an Refuge for all the Distressed thou knoâest I am set in the midst of many Daâgers my Weakness is very great insâmuch as that without thy help I cannot âvoid being ruined and that for ever beseech thee preserve my Body and Soâ from all Temptations and Snares of thâ Devil and suffer not my Senses to taâ that Pleasure and Delight in the things ââ this World as I used to do but Lord lâ me use them as if I used them not anâ take my Affections more and more off them and settle them upon their rigâ Objects those things that are above Lord do thou take from me all that ãâã Deformed and of a corrupt Nature anâ work and establish that which thy Graââ hath wrought in me that having on thâ Armour I may be able to stand against aâ the Besetments of the Enemy Let mâ not be drawn away into any Sensuality ãâã any desire of the Flesh but give me power to overcome it that I may live soberly righteously and godly in this present evil World and serve thee better and live âore in the Spirit Lord preserve me ârom the darkness filthiness and deceitâulness of this World that I may not faâhion my self like unto it to follow a Mulâitude but being changed by the renewâng of the Mind I may walk upââghtly âefore thee all the days of my appointed âime till my change comes O Lord do âhou be a present help unto me in the time âf Trouble for in thee I do and will âut my trust and confidence therefore âead me no further into Temptations than âhou art pleased to give me strength to oâercome them O Lord that I may with âârong Faith resist Satan and help me to âull down his Kingdom more and more ãâã Watching Fasting and Praying morâfying the Deeds of the Flesh and let thy âighteous Law be my meditation Day ând Night and not the foolish Vanity and ânful Pleasures of this World Let not ârosperity make me forget thee nor Adâersity cast me into Despair but let me âake all thy dealing with me whether on âhe one hand or on the other in love from âee which is that wherein thy Dispensaâons are towards me Lord arm me with thy Spirit encourage me with thy Prâsence and let me always feel the effectuââ working of thy Power which is ever madâ perfect thro' Weakness even for Chriââ Jesus his sake A Prayer for the Remission of Sins O Glorious Lord God and everlastinâ Father I a wretched and an uâdone Sinner without thy Mercy aâ come before thee to beg favour of thee foâ all my Offences begging praying deâring and beseeching thy heavenly Majestâ that thou would'st in Mercy look dowâ upon me I cannot but confess were not for the hope I have of thy Mercy aâ the hold of thy Comfort and the reneâing Graces I sometimes receive from thâ and that sweet rellish I have of thy gooâ Gifts and thy Heavenly Word I sink inââ Despair for my sins are continually bâfore me if I go they follow me if run they fly after if I look back the staâe upon me if I go forward
And St. Marâ 14. 22 23. And as they did eat Jesus tooâ Bread and blessed it and brake it and gave tâ them and said Take eat this is my Body Anâ he took the Cup and when he had given thanks he gave it to them and they all drank of it Luk 22. 19 20. And he took Bread and gave thanks and brake it and gave unto them saying This is my Body which is given for you do this in remembrance of me Likewise also the Cup after Supper saying this Cup is the New Testament of my Blood which is sheâ for you And by St. Paul we have a hint oâ it 1 Cor. 11. 23 24 25. For I have receiv'â of the Lord that which also I have delivereâ unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night that he was betrayed the same night took Bread And when he had given thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my Body which is broken for you This do in remembrance of me And the reason that is given is For as often as ye eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup ye do shew forth the Lord's Death till he come How we ought to examine and resolve with our selves before we Communicate in this great Ordinance WE are Exhorted to it by the Apostle St. Paul 1 Cor. 11. 28. But let â Man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. The Apostle's reason is Because he that eateth and drinketh Unworthily eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself not discerning the Lord's Body O Dreadful that any shou'd be so careless so heedless and presumptuous to go to this Table of the Lord and not be fitted and prepared for it when they that run may read the fatal Consequence of Unworthy Receiving Therefore that you may not come to this Ordinance and go away in a far woâse Condition than you came fit and prepare your self for it First by examination examine thy own Heart which is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it and try your own ways see what you are doing whether serving of God or the Devil or your self And if you have been serving your self or the Devil do so no more but turn from all your wicked ways with a full resolution and purpose of heart and ceaâ from doing evil learn to do well Examine and see what God hath saiâ concerning those that break his Statuteâ that observe not his Commandments tâ keep them that are stubboân careless anâ unconverted Sinners that will not havâ God for their Portion nor none of hâ ways but will walk after the imaginatioâ of their own Hearts striving as it werâ with all their might to make sure of Eternal Burnings which will be the certaiâ Portion of all the Workers of Iniquity a God himself hath declar'd that cannoâ Lye Ask thy self the Question whether thoâ art one of those head strong Sinners or noâ Why shouldst thou be afraid to ask thiâ Question when no less than eternal Joyâ or eternal Woes depend upon it I am not afraid to look over my Estate to seâ whether I am a rich Man or a poor anâ why shou'd I be afraid of seeing whetheâ I am a wise Man or a Fool a Friend ââ an Enemy to God and whether the blesed Portion of the Righteous or the cuâsed Portion of the Wicked will fall to mâ Share What means my living in so many known Sins and be contented to perform some formal Ceremonies in the Service of God and now and then put up a dead âull heartless Prayer and put him off with âhe world's leaving O dreadful poor deâuded Soul that I am to think that the All-wise God maker of Heaven and Earth and the Fountain of Waters will be conâented with these false hypocritcal and indifferent Actions No God is not such a âne as my self he is of purer eyes than to behold such Wickedness with any approbation Therefore take heed O my Soul and âheat not thy self any longer but turn to âhe Lord with singleness and uprightness of Heart and serve him with a ready and â thankful Mind and take as much nay more pleasure in obeying his Commandments in doing his Will in observing his âtatutes and Judgments as ever thou didst ââ thy most darling Sin in deceitful Daliâh's which will certainly bring thee to âverlasting Ruine and Destruction if thou âost not leave them and forsake them and âeave to the Lord and fear his dreadful âame and love him with all thy Heart ââd with all my Soul and with all thy Mind ââd with all thy Strength and thy Neighbours as thy self and love mercy and do justly and walk humbly with thy God and then thou wilt be fit and prepared for this Heavenly Banquet whereby thy Soul will be infinitely refreshed and the Souls of all those that are Receivers in the true Faith Fear and Love A Prayer to be used before the Receiving of the Blessed Sacrament MOst Holy Lord God and Everlasting Father who out of thy infinite loving kindness to Mankind gavest thy only begotten Son to make satisfaction to thy Justice for the Sins of the whole World O Lord thy Mercy is very great towardâ me and all Men in that we have sinned and thou hast appointed thy only Son to bear the Burthen of the Punishment foâ them O Lord do thou fit and preparâ me by thy Heavenly Grace for this thy great Ordinance and so grant me by thy Strength as that I may perform my paâ of it with that holy Fear and Reverenâ as I ought And Lord Grant I may râceive that benefit by it thou designest ââ in it which is that Soul-satisfying Cordiâ the fresh stream of thy Everlasting Lovâ Lord make me more and more sensible by it of thy great Loving-kindness towards me O Lord grant this and abundantly more than I am able to ask or think for thy dear Son's sake to whom with thee O Father and the blessed Spirit be all Honour Praise and Glory from this time henceforth and for ever At the time of Receiving you may use these Ejaculations BLess the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name for his wonderful Mercy and Loving-kindness to me is very great Magnifie the Lord O my Soul and sing Praises to the most high God for he hath visited and redeemâd his People with his most precious Blood At the Receiving of the Bread say THis is that Bread which came down from Heaven That whosoever eateth âhereof shall never hunger Thou hast dealt âây Bread to the Hungry O feed me with âis Bread of Life O strengthen my Faith ând open my Mouth with fervent desires âat I may eat not to satisfie my Bodily âunger but Spiritual and to the refreshâent of my Immortal Soul O let my Soul feel the Efficacy of thy Grace that may not eat unworthily O Lord I beseech thee to direct me by thy holy Spiriâ to receive it worthily
they me me if I turn to the right-hand they terifie me if to the left-hand they tormeâ me If I look down into the Earth Hâ is ready to devour me Now I have â way but to look up to thee help me good God save me dear Father succour me âweet Redeemer assist me merciful Creaâor that my Prayers may be so servent so âealous so affectionate towards thee that âhey may draw down thy Mercies upon me Power down thy Blessings showre âown thy Graces open thy hand of Merây and restore joy and consolation to my âeavy-laden Soul wash away my Sins âipe away my Iniquities heal my Infirâities purge my wicked Mind of all ill âhoughts pardon all my Damnable Deeds ând detestable Dealings take all hardness ââ heart from me and according to thy âood promise renew a right Spirit within âe send the Joys of thy holy Comforts ââon me O Lord let me have some taste ââd some sense of thy most glorious and âost comfortable Presence let me be reâewed by thy Grace and established in ây Service that I may never back-slide âom thee But grant O most merciful âther that my whole dependance may be âon thee so that in all my Thoughts âords and Actions I may rejoyce in serââg fearing and obeying of thee that I ây spend the residue of my Days in thy âvice seeking thy Honour and Glory And most merciful Father favourably govern help instruct guide and teach me by thy Wisdom to magnifie thy Name and preserve me in all my Ways and Workâ and all about me Remember thy poâ Flock build up thy Church in the moâ holy Faith Comfort Sion govern anâ assist all painful Pastors and Teachers teach them and us rightly to know thee and truly to follow thee in all the Paths oâ Righteousness and true Holiness O Lordâ Rouse my sleepy Soul and defend it froâ evil Imaginations keep me always in thâ good frame of Spirit which will causâ me to meditate upon thy Law Day anâ Night Grant that I may not do anâ thing that is contrary to thy Commandâ but that I may walk in Piety and in Peace Give me a true and hearty Repentanâ for Sin that I never may repent of that â may be truly sorrowful for spending of mâ time so much in the Devils Service â powerful preserver of Men remember mâ and restore me to Joy and Comfort anâ hasten in time thy Salvation unto mâ Draw my lingring Soul with the Coâ of thy Love and it shall run after the Good Lord declare thy Mercy unto mâ that I may make known thy hand-âoâ Establish me in thy Grace excite me to Goodness give me Grace that I may grow stronger and stronger to walk before thee and weaker and weaker to sin against thee and faithful and stedfast in thy Service to my Life's End Grant this dear God for thy Son ' sake my blessed Redeemer Amen A Prayer before a Sermon MOst gracious Father give us Hearts to hear thy Word with that due Reverence and Attention as we ought knowing that it is the Word of God and not of Man therefore we ought to hear what by thy Servant thou art pleased to command us that we may do it with all our Hearts and with all our Souls Lord do thou keep our Thoughts upon what we hear and let them not be carried away with any vain Illusions and wicked Imaginations Grant that we be not overcome with Sleep and Drowsiness but quicken O Lord we beseech thee our Senses open our Ears to hear and make us to understand how to observe thy heavenly Word for thy only Son's sake our Saviour Amen A Prayer to be said after Sermon O Lord God we beseech thee to leâ that Word which we have heard thâ Day with our Ears to be set home to oââ Hearts that we may not be only Heareâ of thy Word but Doers that we may so learn to live to please thee and make iâ our Business to keep thy Commandments and spend the rest of our Lives in thâ Service to the Honour and Glory of thy Great Name and the Salvation of oââ Immortal Souls through Jesus Christ oââ Lord. Amen A Prayer against wicked Thoughts MOst Glorious and Eternal God I one of the unworthiest of thy Creatures am come on my bended Knees to implore the gracious Assistance of thy Holy Spirit against the Evil Thoughts that do arise in me to the great Dishonour of thy Holy Name and the great Trouble of my own Conscience When I have Thoughtâ to be fervent with thee in Prayer either the Devil the World or the Flesh do disappoint me and I cannot do as I would for those things that I do I would noâ do and those that I would I do not ân follows me Shame is ready to overâke me Confusion is like to lay hold on âe Destruction attends me and Horrors âd Fear affright me I have none to âake my Supplications to but to thee my âviour my Rock and Salvation Help â God save me merciful Father deând me dear Creator a Poor worthless âorm as I am draw me from my Sins âe succour pardon and forgive me âash me and I shall be clean help me to ât away the Evil of my Doings and âarn me O God to do well Give me âiritual Thoughts to renew all good purâoses within me help me to put away ââr from me all vain and lustful Thoughts âf the Flesh and all malicious reproachââl and froward Thoughts that proceed ââom the Devil or any worldly Occasions âo that I may live purely and have no Thoughts but what are innocent and âhaste always fearing to displease so graâous a God and loving a Father as thou âât and walking circumspectly before âhee that I may be a good Example to ãâã my Neighbours round about me that âey may see my good Works and glorifie âee the only and alone Author of them To whom I give Praise Honour and Glâry at this time henceforth and for evermore A Prayer in Prosperity MOst bountiful Father as thou haâ been pleased to bless me with a large Portion of this World's Wealth give me an humble thankful and charitable Heart that I may be a good Stewardâ that thou hast been pleased to entrust mâ with in bestowing of it upon those Objects of Pity and Compassion that are iâ great Straits and Necessity for it and nââ upon base and sordid Lusts of which should certainly have cause to repent oâ and that for ever O Lord grant that thâ more earthly Blessings that thou give me I may the more seek thy Heavenâ Graces that I may be the more humbleâ in the due consideration of my great uâ thankfulness and ungratefulness of Spiâââ that I may live more piously and religiouâly and that when I depart this sinful Lâ I may be mindful to leave some good aââ godly Examples of Charity to those thâ follow Grant that this my Wealth maâ be no hindrance to my Salvation but rather a furtherance to me in all
be thy Will Let me recover a little strength Spare me a little before I go hence and be no more O grant that I may find thy Grace work in me for my good that if it be thy Will to take me hence receive me to thy self Come Lord Jesus come quickly So I commit and commend my self to thee in that Prayer thou hast taught me saying Our Father which art c. Lord strengthen my Faith to the end I believe in God c. A Prayer for a young Virgin MOst Glorious and Everlasting Father look in Mercy Pity and Compassion upon thy poor Hand-Maiden and grant me the for giveness of my Sins and grant that all thy Graces may flourish in me that I may be in favour both with God and Man Crown my Virginity with pious and chaste Thoughts that I may be as watchful to wait for thy coming as the Wise Virgins that I may enter with thee and them into thy Blessed Kingdom before the Door be shut Give me such good and heavenly Thoughts that a good Name is better than any thing that I can enjoy and let me not part with my Reputation for the greatest Offers this World can afford but help me to live a sober meek and chaste Life by the gracious assistance of thy most holy Spirit O defend me frome base and slandrous Tongues and all wicked Temptations O Lord make me faithful and honest in all my actions in this Life that whatsoever Charge is committed to my Care I may be so careful of it that nothing may be wanting when I come to resign it up Marry me O Lord to thy self in Mercy and Righteousness and if thou shalt be pleased to call me to the honourable Estate of Matrimony let me take Rachel Rebecca and Sarah for my Examples in Love Wisdom Faithfulness and Obedience to my Wife and towards all Persons with whom I have to do Let me behave my self in all things so as becometh one that is wholly devoted to thy Service Grant these things O Lord and whatever else thou knowest I stand in need of for Jesus Christ his sake To whom with thee O Father and the Holy Spirit be all Praise Honour and Glory both now henceforth and for evermore The Wife's Prayer for her Husband O Lord God as thou hast joyned me in thy Fear and Name in thy great Mercy to a loving and kind Husband grant that I may be so loving kind and obedient to him as may conduce to thy Glory and both our Comforts so endue me with a meek and quiet Spirit and defend me and him from the power of all Temptation that may attend us that so thy Strength may be made perfect in our Weakness Grant us both the assistance of thy holy Spirit that so it may teach us to love and cherish each other and give us the Gifts of Chastity and Sobriety that bothin body and mind we may live a pure Life binging up our Children and Servants in thy Fear and Dread O Lord forgive us all our Sins and grant us both Grace to love fear and serve thee our appointed time till our Change come that so ãâã this Life we may reap the Comfort of ãâ¦ã enjoy and receive the Fruit of ãâ¦ã that is laid up in thy mercies ãâã all I beg upon the account of thy âear Son To whom with thee and the âoly Spirit be all Praise Honour and Glory âoth now henceforth and for Evermore The Widow's Prayer EVerlasting Lord God a poor distress'd and afflicted Servant of thine is come before thee to beg the forgiveness of all her Sins and to be a comfortable Husband to me in this my desolate and forlorn condition And Lord as thou hast been pleased to lay so great an Affliction upon me as to take so loving and kind a Husband from me give me out of thy tender and everlasting Mercies some other blessings to ease the Sorrows of my poor afflicted Soul Lord do thou give me Beauty for Ashes the Oil of Joy for Mourning and the Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heaviness that so after this Night of Afflictions I may have some refreshing Comforts and Encouragements to sing Praise to thy great and glorious Name in the land of the living and tell my Friends Neighbours and Kinsfolk how good thou the Lord hast been to me and what great things thou hast dweâ for me whereof I shall be glad And O sakeâ bless me in all honest Endeavours supply all my Wants whether Spiritual or Temporal and let me have the comfortable Fellowship of thy most holy Spirit tâ direct me in all my ways that I may do nothing that tends to the dishonour of thy great Name or the disconsolation of my precious and immortal Soul I pray thee order my Children and Servants Hearts and Minds as that they may love and fear thee as they ought Lord do these things for me and more abundantly than I am able to ask or think for Jesus Christ his sake To whom with thee O Father and the Blessed Spirit be all Praise Honour and Glory both now and for evermore A Prayer for a Woman with Child HEavenly Father and God of all Power and Glory who createdst the Heavens and the Foundations of the Earth and all that in them is who createdst Man in thine own Image but he hath found out many Inventions Lord I am come to supplicate thy Majesty and to implore thy infinite Goodness to bless me in this Condition I am now in of Child-bearing and grant that the Fruit of my Womb may have all the Parts and Members that it ought to have and in their right places and stations and whatever Weakness it may bring upon my Body do thou grant me patience to bear it with all the submission imaginable to thy Will and grant that all thou dost for me and to me may be sanctified that so I may make a right use and improvement of it to the Praise of thy glorious Name and to the everlasting Comfort of my immortal Soul Lord preserve me from untimely Birth grant through Faith Prayer and Patience I may escape all sudden Fears Lord do thou stand by me when I draw near to my hard labour and let thy everlasting Arms be under me to bear me up under those intolerable Pangs which attend that dreadful Hour and grant that the fruit of my Womb as it grows up in bodily Strength so let it grow also in spiritual Strength in thy Faith Fear and Love And grant me O Lord a patient and quiet Spirit at that Hour and safe Deliverance in due Time and make me a joyful Mother Forgive and forget all my past Offences and bless my poor Infant and take it into thy Covenant and give me Wisdom and Strength to bring it up in thy Fear and to thy great Glory and my further Joy through Jesus Christ our Lord. A Thanks giving for safe Deliverance from the Perils of Child-bearing O Lord God Eternal accept
of this Sacrifice of Thanks giving for thy great Mercy in appearing so wonderfully for me to my great Ease and Comfort in that dreadful and painful Hour of Child-bearing that thou hast been pleased safely to deliver me from the Perils of it and to lengthen out my Days in the Land of the Living and to see the Fruit of my hard Labour and Travail Lord grant that it may prosper and grow up in thy Fear to thy Glory and both our Comforts And grant Lord that I may live worthy of this Mercy and make thee some grateful Returns for all thy Mercies Pardon and forgive me all my Sins and preserve me from sining against thee any more And all I beg upon the account of thy dear Son To whom with the O Father and with the blessed Spirit be all Honour Praise and Glory both now and for evermore A Prayer for all Christian Vertues as Love Faith Hope and Charity c. O Lord Father of all Mercies and God of all Consolations bless me with all thy Spiritual Blessings and Heavenly Graces make me rich in Love strong in Faith full in Assurance of Hope and abound in all Charitable Actions according to that Sufficiency thou hast been pleâsed to bless and entrust me with that I may have nothing to answer for at that great and terrible Day wherein the Secrets of all Hearts shall be opened and every one rewarded according to their Doings Lord grant that thy Graces may all flourish in me as the Bay-Tree that so by my good Example others may return to thee their Lord and Saviour and so have cause to sing Praises to thy Great Name for all thy Wondrous Works Lord keep me from Insolence and Pride and grant me true Humility and Zealousness of Mind and give me a true Consideration of my own Vileness that so I may tremble and stand in Awe before thee as a sinful Man having always a better esteem of others than my self Gracious Lord when the Devil shall accuse my own Conscience bear Witness against me and the whole World forsake me for my Sins do thou be my Strength my Salvation my Rock and strong Tower of Defence against these potent Enemies of my Soul Enflame my Dead Heart with the Heavenly Affection of an unseign'd Love that I may love and adore thee above all and my Neighbour as my self Grant me a good Mind to help and succour all to my Ability to forbear and forgive all that ever any did against me Let not the least Spark of Envy or Wrath lodge within my Breast nor never let the Sun go down upon my Anger but let me be satisfied that Vengeance is thine and that thou art so just that thou wilt send it upon the Heads of those that fear thee not and call not upon thee but that live in Envy and Malice and Implacableness of Spirit against thy Children Give me Grace O Lord to follow the Example of all good Men and keep me from that hateful Sin of Sloath and Iâleness which is the High-way to Want and Beggary Grant me a contented mind and moderate my Desâres towards the Things of this World and Lord be with me at the Hour of Death and when I go hence and be no more seen I may be admitted into thy Kingdom of Glory that I may eternally sing Hallelujah's to thy great Name Grant this O God and whatever else I stand in need of for Jesus Christ his sake To whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all Honour Praise and Glory both now and for evermore A Prayer for all Earthly Blessings O Lord God Eternal which causeth the Sun to shine upon the Just and the Unjust satisfie the Desires of thy Servants with thy bountiful Goodness we cannot but must humbly acknowledge that we are not worthy of the least of thy Favours but that it is of thy Eternal Goodness we are living Monuments of thy mercy all this Day Lord do thou supply our daily Necessities and give us this Day and every Day our daily Bread Bless the manuring of our Ground prosper ãâã Corn and bless the Seed-time with the Former and Latter Rain in their due Seasons Keep our Fruits while they be upon the Earth from Haâl and Thunder from excessive Droughts over much Raâo and Mildews and send us a joyful Harvest O Lord bless and increase our Cattle and keep them from those Casualties they are obnoxious to amd bless our ââskeâ and our Store and keep our Granaries Barns and Store Houses from Fire and boisterous Winds Thieves aâd sudden Inundations Prosper all our Undertakiâgs whether by Sea or Land Be thou a present Hâlp in time of Trouble and turn our Dearââs into Cheapness and Scarcity into Pleâty And Lord open the Hearts of those to whom thou hast dealt liberally that as thou hast been to them they may be to their poor Fellow-Creatures that are in Want Help us O Lord in all our Straits and oppress us not with too much Poverty neither let us be puffed up in the Day of Prosperity but keep us in Evenness of Temper in either extreme that we may live in thy Fear and die in thy Favour And all this we beg upon the Account of thy dear Son and our blessed Redeemer to whom with thee O Father and the blessed Spirit be all Praise Honour and Glory both now and for evermore Graces before and after Meat Grace before Meat O Lord God Maker of Heaven and Earth who hast created âll things for the use and service of Men Bless these thy Creatures which thou hast provided for us and set before us at this time that they may strengthen our Bodies so that thereby we may be the better able to live to thy Praise Honour and Glory both now and for evermore Grace after Meat ALmighty God and Everlasting Father who out of thy infinite Goodness hast most plentifully fed us for which and all other Mercies we return thee hearty Thanks begging of thee so to direct and guide us as that we may in some measure live answerable to thy Goodness to us All which we beg for Jesus Christ his sake To whom with thee O Father and the holy Spirit be Praise Honour and Glory henceforth and for evermore Grace before Meat MOst Gracious Father we crave thy Blessing upon these good Creatures that thou by thy good hand of Providence hast bestowed upon us grant that they may give Nourishment to these our mortal Bodies and sanctifie them so unto us as that we may live to thy Praise to thy Honour and to thy Glory both now henceforth and for evermore Grace after Meat MOst Bountiful and Gracious Lord God whose Goodness is extended to the uttermost Parts of the Earth what cause have we to praise and magnifie thy holy Name for this great and singular mercy of daily taking care for us and plentifully feeding of us with the best and choicest of thy Creatures As thou hast filled our Bodies with them so fill