shalt shew me the Path of Life in thy presence is the fulness of joy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for Evermore WE have had Fathers of the Flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in Subjection to the Father of Spirits and live he draweth the mighty with his power he riseth up and no Man is sure of Life WE have received good at the hands of God and shall we not receive Evil Affliction cometh not forth of the dust neither doth Travail come forth of the Ground Let us search and try our wayes and turn again to the Lord for though our outward Man decay our inward Man is renewed WE are chastened of the Lord that we should not be Condemned with the World For we had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God that raised the dead who hath delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver And in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us BUT we know that all things work together for good to them that love God Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing as unto ae Faithful Creator We that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened I KNOW O Lord that thy judgments are just and that thou of very faithfulness hast caused me to be troubled O let this lightaffliction which will quickly pass away cause unto me afterward a more excellent and eternal weight of Glory REMEMBER I beseech thee that thou hast made me as the Clay and wilt thou bring me into the Dust again Deliver me O Lord from Eternal Death in that day wherein Heaven and Earth shall be dissolved when thou comest to judge the Earth I know thou wilt bring me to Death and to the House appointed for all Living A Prayer to be used by a sick Person O GOD my Creator and Preserver thou hast made me after thine own Image in Knowledge Holiness and Righteousness but I have sinned most holy Father against Heaven and against thee and am no more worthy to be called or reckoned amongst thy Children for this Image of thine I have defaced I have filled my Understanding with Ignorance my Will with Stubbornness my Affections with Perverseness my Heart with Deceitfulness and my whole Life with Disobedience ever since I drew my Breath I have drank Iniquity like Water so that I can expect nothing but Death and to be Arraigned at the Bar of thy Justice there to receive an irrevocable Doom BUT O most merciful God for thy dear Sons sake blot out all my Offences and receive me Graciously enlarge my patience to endure thy Tryal and lay no more upon me than I am able to bear give a happy issue unto all Temptations and make a way for me to escape and in the end grant me a full Deliverance As thou hast made me of Dust so thou canst take from me my breath and cast me forth again to that Earth from whence I was taken but I humbly beseech thee for to spare me a little that I may recover my health and strength before I go hence and be no more seen I CONFESS O Lord there is no soundness in my Flesh because of thy Displeasure nor any rest in my Bones by reason of my sin my heart panteth my strength faileth and my beauty consumeth away like a Moth fretting a Garment O Lord if it be thy holy Will ease my Agonies mitigate my Extremities be mindful of my Sorrows and be merciful unto my Sins redeem my Life from Destruction strengthen my Weakness heal my Malady and cause me again to walk before thee in the Land of the Living but if thou hast determined to call me hence thy Will be done grant me patience under thy Correction and a lively Faith in the All-sufficient and Efficacious Merit of Christ my Saviour seal unto me a free and a full pardon of all my sins in the Blood of thy dear Son and say unto my Soul that thou wilt be my Salvation IN assiance of thy merciful Absolution cause me to confess mine Iniquities and fill my heart with such a Godly sorrow as may work my Repentance unto Salvation never to be repented of sprinkle me with the Blood of Jesus and purifie me from my daily Pollutions that being washed justified and sanctified I may be presented unto thee without spot or wrinkle let nothing separate me from the love of thee grant me thy preserving Grace that dying thine Angels may convey my Soul into Abrahams Bosom there to reign with thee World without end Amen A Prayer to be said by the Friends of the Sick O LORD our God and great Creator thou madest us innocent but by sin we have brought Death and Destruction upon our selves for we have profaned thy Sabbaths contemned thine Ordinances cast thy Word behind our backs lived in all sin and sensuality spiritual slumber and security so that thou mightest justly cut us off from the Land of the Living and give us our Portion with Hypocrites where there is weeping and gnashing of Teeth BUT O Lord for thy Mercy sake and for the Merits of thy Son spare us a little and give us space of amendment before we go hence and be no more seen correct us in thy Mercy and not in thy Justice lest we should be consumed and brought to nothing whilst we live teach us to die daily to mortifie the deeds of the Flesh and to contemn the World with the Vanities thereof wean us from inordinate Self-love that we may not endear our selves too much to these Transitory lives of ours but may be ready and willing to depart when it shall stand with thy good pleasure to call for us take away from us the bitterness of Death and sweeten by the Cross of Christ these Waters of Marah that we may sigh and lament in our selves desiring to be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption into the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God LET our lives and the life of this thy sick Servant be now and ever precious in thy sight look mercifully upon him that is grieved with sickness Lord if thou wilt thou canst make him whole send him therefore help and health from thy holy place and evermore mightily defend him let the Enemy have no advantage against him nor the Wicked approach to hurt him but be thou present with him strengthen his Faith increase his patience under thy Correcting-hand raise him up from his sorrowful Bed and if thou art pleased longer to exercise him lend him strength to endure thy Tryal BUT if thou hast determined to take him hence Lord certifie unto him how long he hath to live make him to know his end and the measure of his days that by Prayer and Repentance he may provide wisely for his last end and be found of thee in peace and enjoy everlasting happiness dispose his
thee by the holy incarnation and blessed Nativity of thy Son Jesus Christ the thrice happy day Star that appeared to the World let thy Mercy this day rest upon me and the bright beames of thy heavenly light shine forth in the dark corners of my heart that I may not be transported either through the Corruption of my Nature or the power of darkness to spend this day after my own perverse will and pleasure but carefully perform thy holy will willingly speedily and constantly INCREASE in me O Lord the gift of faith and hope that I may believe thee and relie on thy merciful promises made unto me in Christ Jesus bless my Body and Soul that no evil happen to them and preserve my memory and senses that they pass not the limits of reason and understanding Enlighten my mind O Lord to look upon good things inflame my heart with the love of them and conduct me with thy Grace that as thou hast raised my Body from sleep so my Soul may daily be raised from Sin and Soul and Body and Spirit may be renewed in Righteousness to serve thee the Living God for evermore Amen A Prayer for Thursday Night O Lord God great in Mercy and constant in truth I acknowledge and do here in all humility offer unto thy Divine Majesty my duty of praise and thanksgiving for all thy manifold Graces and benefits bestowed upon me and though I am unable to recount them and much unworthy to be a partaker of them yet in full assurance of thine unspeakable love I presume to come unto thee and now again commit to thy almighty protection this night my Soul and Body with all its Faculties beseeching thee to keep them day and night blameless and undefiled against the day of thy coming LORD pardon and forgive whatever Sins I have wretchedly effected or wickedly imagined against thee or my Neighbour O lay not the faults and frailties of my Youth unto my charge but forget O Lord and forgive and cancel the hand writing that is upon the wall which will be ready to witness against me strike my Heart with an awe of thy fear that I may labour to escape thy threatnings and give me the comfort once more of thy Salvation GRANT O Lord that I may this night quietly rest under the shadow of thy Wings free from fears dangers and Spiritual darkness and when the dark end of this mortal life is approached grant me O Lord a vigilant Heart freely disposed to abandon all transitory things and depart hence in the Peace of a good Conscience into thine everlasting rest through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour Amen Meditations for Friday THIS day the first Man Adam was made a living Soul and Christ the second Adam was made a quickening Spirit this day he Sinned in a garden and this day the Saviour of the World sorrowed in a Garden he took upon this day the fruit of the forbidden Tree and thou O Blessed redeemer wert hung upon the accursed Tree this day Adam was cast into a deep sleep and his Wife Eve was formed of his rib flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone likewise was the Son of God cast into a deadly sleep and his Side was pierced with a Spear from whence sprung out two blessed Sacraments the water of regeneration and the blood of Expiation and Sanctification THIS day our first parent borught the curse upon himself and all his posterity but thou O God hast provided an everlasting Blessing for thy self and all thy Members thy Law O God is just holy and pure but I am wicked profane and impure That Medicine is for the most part the best which the Patient least approves of because it exasperates the pain for a time Have I the less affection for the most holy Faith because it restraineth my carnal Liberty and abridgeth me of Worldly Contentments Have not I a Law in my mind which opposeth the Law of my members And is it not much better to Sow unto the Spirit thereunto the flesh which produces only Corruption IS it not as easie for thee to raise me out of ashes as at the first to raise me out of the dust To send back my Spirit into my Body as at the first to breath it in I behold the Seed in the Earth the plants in the Garden dye before they spring forth I see Wormes and insects that spend the Winter season in a kind of death yet revive in the Spring I know I am my self dead in sleep every Night but alive in the Morning Why then should I call in question any one Article of my Belief but humbly say Lord I believe help thou my unbelief A Prayer for Friday Morning O LORD God maker and governour of all things both in Heaven and Earth I come unto thee with a broken and a contrite Heart lamenting my Sins and seeking to find Comfort at thy merciful hands Lord thou knowest my grief my anxity and care Oh let me feel thy comforts to refresh my Soul Be with me this day in all my worldly affairs and let thy holy Spirit evermore defend me and preserve my integrity that I may be acknowledged thine at the last day I YEILD thee all laud and praise for thy preservation of me this night past and for safely bringing me to behold the glorious light of this day Lord excite my heart that I may express my thankfulness by my serviceable obedience preserve and keep me from Sin and all irregularities both of Soul and Body Mortifie all my Corruptions and sensual Appetites and purge me throughly from filthiness both of flesh and Spirit that I may perfect holiness in thy fear STRENGTHEN me against all the vanities of the world the lusts of the Flesh the lusts of the Eyes and the Pride of life and give me Grace to employ this day and the remainder of my Life in all peace and purity sanctity and sobriety to thy Glory the good Example of others and finally the Salvation of my own Soul This and whatsoever for want of memory I have omitted I humbly beg in the Name of thy dear Son and my alone Saviour and Redeemer Amen A Prayer for Friday Night O GOD thou camest into the World to save Sinners behold me I beseech thee the vileâ— of them but wash oh wash away all my sins in the Blood of thy Son sanctifie my Nature abolish my Corruptions guide me here by thy Councel and after that receive me into Glory Keep me now and ever send me a quiet repose and grant that lying down to rest I may rise again in thy peace and walk in thy fear that so the succeeding day may learn me to grow Wise and for ever Glorifie thy Holy Name INSPIRE me O Lord with the Spirit of sweet Consolation and though sleep is the Image of Death and my Bed as the Grave yet suffer me not to perish suddenly or unprepared but watch over me for good guide me now and
Days Grace and Vertue and guide my Feet in the way of peace Amen A Prayer for a Young Man or Maid MOST gracious God vouchsafe to me thy Heavenly Grace now and at all times more especially in this most dangerous part of my Life when the heat of Youth and many temptations do surround me O preserve me I beseech thee as the apple of thine Eye and though the flesh strives against the Spirit yet do thou exercise thy power and strengthen my imbecillity Stifle Sin in me at the beginning that it arise not up to a habit and prevent in me all evil and unworthy thoughts against thy Divine Majesty O LORD I recommend unto thee my Soul as a Child that can of it self do nothing defend me from all enemies Spiritual and Temporal keep my Soul and Body pure chast and undefiled that I offend not either in thought word or deed Give me grace O Lord to obey my Parents and those to whose tuition I am committed and grant that if thou shalt be pleased to call me to the honourable estate of Matrimony I may be joyned with one with whom I may serve thee in peace and holiness all the dayes of my Life Amen A Prayer for a Servant O HOLY and blessed Lord God who tookest upon thee the form of a Servant and wast obedient unto death even the death of the Cross that thou mightest work the Salvation of all people as well bond as free thou hast been pleased to call me to the State and Condition of a Servant below many others in the world O make me humbly submit to it and alwayes praise and magnifie thy holy Name that thou hast given me Health and strength of Body to perfrom my Duty LORD cast forth all murmurings and repinings in me and all Envy at the prosperity of others Endue me with meekness and humility and deliver me from the slavery of Sin that I may be made a Servant of Righteousness teach me to understand my duty and to reverence those whom I serve accounting them worthy of that honour which appertains to them Preserve me from Pride unseemly passions or disrespectfull behaviour towards my Superiors quicken my diligence in businesse and grant that whatever I shall take in hand I may not do it with Eye Service but in singleness of heart and obtain thy Grace and favour for Evermore Amen A Prayer for the fruits of the Earth MOST gracious God thy Works are to be wondered at through the World thou makest the grass to grow for the Cattel and Herb for the service of Man Thou bringest forth food out of the Earth and blessest the encrease of it look down O Lord I beseech thee upon all the dwellers upon earth wherein we inhabit That our Land may become fruitful and yield forth plenty in its proper Season And O thou who openest thy hand and fillest all things Living with good things fill our hearts with wisdome and all Christian vertues that we may bring forth abundantly the fruit of good works to the honour and glory of thy holy Name And as thou Crownest the Year with thy goodness and thy Clouds drop fatness So grant that we may evermore praise thee for all thy Mercies from whom cometh every good and perfect gift to whom be ascribed all honour power and glory now and forever Amen A Praier for Seasonable Weather O LORD God who for our sins art justly displeased at us and dost now chastise us by keeping back thy rain from watering the Earth whereby we are in danger of losing the diligent labour of our hands Pardon O Lord we humbly beseech our high provocations and accept of our hearty and true Repentance and favourably and Mercifully forgive all our transgressions committed against thee SHOWER down again thy blessings of Rain upon the Earth and water it O Lord that it may be softened and replenished But let not immoderately the Floods overflow us nor the Seed be spoiled under the Clod But let thy loving kindness renw the face of the Earth ' and make the green Pastures rejoyce Hearken unto the Cry of the Poor and Needy and though we eat our Bread in the sweat of our Face yet punish us not with the Scarcity of it which is the Staff and Support of our Lives Lord prosper all our labours and let us with moderation enjoy the fruit of it this we beg for thy Sons sake our blessed Lord and Saviour Amen A Thanksgiving after a good Havest WE Bless and praise thy holy Name O Lord for sending us Rain from Heaven and fruitful Seasons whereby thou hast filled our hearts with Food and gladness Thou hast made the Grass to grow upon the Mountains and given Food to the Beasts of the field and hast filled us with the finest of the Wheat flower thou hast given Seed to the Sower and Bread to the Eater and hast loaded the Earth with thy bounty that our Barns might be filled BLESSED for ever art thou O Lord and magnified be thy Name for these and all others this benefits which thou from time to time hast bestowed upon us O that our hearts may overflow with love and our Tongues with expressions of thankfulness to thee grant that we may never forget nor abuse thy loving kindness towards us but by a sober and charitable use of these thy Mercies we may be made fit for a continual supply of them and at the last be made heirs of thy glorious Kingdom Amen A Prayer for a Woman with Child O GOD the Creatour and preserver of all things who in the beginning didst place mankind in unspeakable happiness and had there continued had not our first Parents broke thy Divine precepts given them in Paradise So that the Earth for their sakes was accursed and unto us the Daughters of Eve for our transgressions thou hast alotted most grievous pains and torments of Body in bringing forth Children LORD extend unto me and to all Women thy Mercy mitigate the torments thereof that we may be able patiently to endure the pains of our travell at the hour appointed And make that easie and light to us which our defects have made heavy and burdensome and that wherewith I am now laden may graciously be delivered from my frail Body and send us all good Lord a safe deliverance that we may be made joyful and happy Mothers VOUCHSAFE unto me and to all that have conceived with child strength to bring forth that which thine omnipotency hath so wonderfully wrought in us in our greatest perils O Lord help us and mightily deliver us let thy powâ—r might and Love be no less manifest en the delivery then in the forming of thiy Creature that being through thy goodness made a joyfull Mother I may obtain my perfect strength again and live to praise thee for evermore Amen A Prayer for a Woman near the time of her Travel O GOD most holy the speedy helper of all those who relie upon thee by thy almighty power I
was formed and fashioned in the Womb by thy tender care I was brought from thence and by thy Mercifull providence I have been preserved even to this momenthin laud and magnifie thy holy Name and implore thy never failing aid in this approaching time of my necessity O be not far off rom me when trouble is nigh at hand but hear my voice and save me when I call upon thee mitigate my pains or endue me with patience and support my Spirits in that great conflict LORD perfect what thou hast begun and what thou hast wrought in secret bring forth I beseech thee into thy most marvellous light that we may all behold the wonders of thy Wisdom and extol thy power O Lord in thee alone do I humbly place my Confidence for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth I wholly resign my self unto thee beseeching thee to have Mercy upon me and when ever thou shalt be pleased to call me from this Life Lord fit me for a better where all sorrows and tears shall be done away and everlasting joyes possess our hearts for evermore Amen The Midwives Prayer before Deliverance MOST gracious God who by thy never failing providence hast kept me even from my Mothers Womb to this moment and hast now deputed me the unworthiest of all thy Servants to this great office for a help and comfort in that great pain and peril of Child birth Be with me O Lord I beseech thee and assist me in this great work which I am now ready to undertake prosper thou O Lord the work of my hands O prosper I beseech thee my handy work O PUT thy fear into my heart that I may be as sincere to the Poor as to the Rich to save life and not to destroy let me not be too timerous nor too violent but endue me with those vertues and graces which thou knowest most convenient for me and give a Blessing to this undertaking preserve me I humbly beseech thee in the dangerous times from contagion infection or any bodily diseases which may be received from sick Persons AND as thou hast by thy Almighty power made her Conceive and hast now even brought it to the Birth so give her strength also to bring forth Support her Spirits in her labour bless the endeavours of those who are present with her preserve the life of that which strugles in her Womb to be delivered And let us behold the operation of thy hands to all our Joy and Comfort Lord hear our Prayers and let our cry come unto thee save her and help her we humbly beseech thee O Lord. Our Father c. A Thanksgiving after Deliverance FORASMUCH as it hath pleased thee O Almighty God of thy gra cious Goodness to ease me of my pains and deliver me of my burden and from the great danger and peril of Childbirth I here humbly prostrate my Soul and Body before thee to be unto thee a reasonable lively and living Sacrifice holy and acceptable in thy sight giving thy Divine Majesty infinite and unfeigned thanks for this thy gracious preservation of me and delivering me out of this great danger of Death under which I might have perished had not thy mercy and goodness embraced me on every side TO thee alone most heavenly Father be given and ascribed all Praise and Thanksgiving now and for ever as thou hast been graciously pleased to give me a Child so Lord give me thy Grace which is sufficient for me to devote and consecrate it wholly to thee and thy service to this end work mightily in it by thy holy spirit sanctifie it from the Womb not whilst it hangs upon the Breasts but so long as it shall breathe in the Land of the Living until thou translate it hence to Reign with thee in Glory Amen A Prayer for one near any Temptation O MERCIFUL God thou exercisest thy Children with sundry Trials and Temptations leaving them to themselves as thou didst Hezekiah to the end he might see his frailty some like St. Peter thou exposest to the boysterous Winds of Satans Winnowings and others like St. Paul to the blows of the Adversaries vehement Buffetings O God thine only Son thou didst not exempt from Satans sharpest and stoutest Trials when thou conductedst him into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil IF thou O Lord shouldst permit me in like manner to be tried and tempted suffer me not at any time to be overcome but hold me up by thy Almighty power animate by the presence of thy blessed Spirit and let thy Grace be ever sufficient for me whereby I may foil my Enemy and in the end get the Victory detect his Policies discover his Subtilties defeat his doings and dealings which are against me to this end endue me with such Wisdom as may make me foresee his Stratagems such vigilancy as I may avoid his Snares which he prepares for my Souls destruction LET no temptation take me but what is common to Man try me not above my strength but with the temptation make me a way to escape let me never yield to the motions of Satan suggesting unto me Death or Desperation but grant me patience to expect the hour of my Departure my Souls Separation the dissolution of my Body and deliverance from the misery of this wretched World let my trouble be without distress my perplexity without despair my persecution without forsaking and my casting down without destruction if Tears fall from my Eyes in thy good time wipe them away and preserve them in thy Bottle that they may be precious in thy sight O LORD if thou leavest me for a while draw nigh again unto me in great Compassion cover my head in my spiritual Conflicts let thy Love be my Banner thy Faithfulness and Truth my Shield and Buckler let no trial surprize me but give me a right Judgment that I may count it all Joy when I fall into divers Temptations O let not my heart be hardned by them as the Israelites were who provoked thee in the Wilderness but sanctifie all thy visitations unto me that I may be bettered and reformed by them that my Faith being tryed patience may have her perfect work in me intire lacking nothing I KNOW O Lord in all thy Temptations thou ever hast one end and Satan another thou triest me to the end that being faithful thou mightest give me a Crown of Life but Satan seeks to seduce me to Wickedness but O holy Spirit thou preserver of all Men keep me by thy Grace and strengthen me by thy Power be present with me and president in me and as thy sufferings abound in me so let thy consolation much more abound and in the midst of my greatest Agonies of Mind let thy Comforts refresh my disquieted Soul LORD let thy mighty Hand and stretched-out-Arm be now and always my Defence thy mercy and loving kindness in Christ Jesus thy dear Son my Salvation thy true and holy Word my Instruction thy Grace
go down to the pit O what great troubles and Adversities hast thou shewed me and yet didst thou turn and refresh me yea and broughtest me from the deep of the Earth again Praised be god which 〈◊〉 not cast out my Prayer nor â—â—â—ned his Mercy from me LORD what is Man that thou hast respect unto him Or the Son of Man that thou so regardest him The Lord is Righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his Works The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him yea all such as call upon him faithfully He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their Cry and will help them SING Praises unto the Lord O ye Saints of his and give thanks unto him for a remembrance of his Holiness for his Wrath endureth but the twinkling of Eye and in his pleasure is Life Heaviness may endure for a Night but joy cometh in the Morning Praised be the Lord daily even the God which helpeth us and pouereth his benefits upon us HE is our God even the God of whom cometh Salvation God is the Lord by whom we escape Death I will be glad and rejoyce in thy Mercy For thou hast Considered my trouble and hast known my Soul in adverâ—ity thou hast turned my heaviness into joy thou hast put off my Sackeloth and girded me with gladness PRAISE the Lord O my Soul And all that is within me Praise his holy Name Praise the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits Which forgiveth all thy Sin and healeth all thine infirmities Which saveth thy life from destruction and Crowneth thee with Mercy and loving kindness I shall not dye but live and declare the works of the Lord The Lord hath chastned me and corrected me but he hath not given me over unto Death A Thanksgiving after Recovery from Sickness OMNIPOTENT Lord God the Author of Life who bringest down to the Grave and raisest up again I most humbly confess to the Glory of thine infinite Majesty that if thou hadst not out of thy tender Compassion blessed and sustained me in my sickness I should have gone down to the Gates of Death but it was thy goodness and loving kindness to spare and deliver me from all dangers Let me for ever Praise and glorifie thy holy Name for this and all other thy Mercies towards me THOU art gracious when thou smitest me but I cannot express thy infinite sweetness when thou Relievest my necessity when thou sustainest my Sorrows when thou doâ—t deliver me from thy Wrath when thou hearest my prayers and when thou pourest thy Benefits upon me O give unto me thy unworthy Servant a thankful Heart and obedient and loving Spirit a carefulness of my Duty Charity and Humility Zeal of thy Glory and a submission to thy Divine will and Pleasure that serving thee in all things I may be conducted at last to thy Heavenly Kingdom TEACH me alwayes to remember my latter end and that this Life is but a shadow that declineth and withereth like Grass But thou O Lord shalt endure for ever for thou art the same and thy Years shall have no end Bring me by an unchangeable love and obedience to thee in all the changes and chances of this mortal Life for his sake who loved me and gave himself for me even thy Son and my alone Saviour Amen A Prayer before a Iourney O MOST gracious and Merciful Lord God who art a God a far off as well as nigh at hand be pleased to send thy holy Angel before me thy Servant to defend me in this my journey from the heat of the day and the Cold of the night from the Arrow that flies at Noon and the evil Spirits that walk in darkness from errors and falls from precipices and fracture of bones from Robbers evil intentions and bad accidents from violent Weather and violent Fears from all impressions of evil Men and evil Spirits let this Journey be safe and useful to me thy Servant Comfortable to my Relations and holiness to thy great Name THE Lord bless me and keep me the Lord make his Face to shine upon me and be gracious unto me keep me from all evil and lead me into all good by the Conduct of thy good Spirit let thy providence and love be my defence and security thy Grace be my portion and thy Service my Employment do thou O Lord go in and out before me and keep me in all my wayes and lead me in thy Paths bring me back again in peace and safety and prosper all my innocent and holy purposes and when the few and evil daies of my Pilgrimage are ended do thou of thy infinite Mercy bring me to the Regions of holiness and eternal peace through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Thanksgiving after a Iourney O GOD the great Creator and preserver of all Men I give thee humble and hearty thanks for thy great Mercies shewed unto me all the dayes of my Life how often O Lord hast thou turned away thy Face from my sins and made as if thou perceivest them not How often mightest thou have with-held thy hand of preservation from me and yet thy patience hath extended so far towards me that thou hast suffered no prejudice to befall me And as I owe thee infinite thanks for thy former preservations so now I am further obliged to thee that thou hast at this time not only guided me to the place whither I designed to go but hast also brought me back in safety and in my absence hast preserved all things unto me GIVE me thy Grace O Lord to be alwaies mindful of these and all other thy Mercies towards me and make me truly thankful unto thee for them and grant that as by this thy Mercy I have well finished my affairs abroad and am returned safe to this my Temporal habitation so grant that my Spirit after this Pilgrimage here on Earth may return to thy Heavenly mansion and there dwell with thee for ever and that for the sake and merits of Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour Amen A Prayer before a Voyage OETERNAL God even the God of our Salvation the hope of all the ends of the Earth and of them that remain in the wide Ocean under the shadow of whose Wings we are always secure and without whose protection we cannot expect safety I have been O Lord preserved by thee until this moment from many dangers for which I have not expressed my thankfulness in acknowledging those dayly blessings I have received from thee but O Lord forget and forgive those manifold sins which I have Committed against thee and blot them out of thy Book of remembrance PURGE me O Lord I beseech thee from all vile affections and grant I may bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit go along with me with thy blessed Spirit in this my Voyage preserve me from Pirates Robbers and Enemies defend me from Rocks Sands and Shelves and keep me from Thunder
known unto God LONDON Printed in the Year 1692 ADDITIONAL DEVOTIONS A Prayer for Christmass Day O BLESSED Lord who as upon this day took our Nature upon thee and wast born of a pure Virgin keep me from defiling my self with sinful pollutions or abasing or enthralling it to Satan let thy Spirit quicken me thy Flesh nourish me thy Wisdom guide me thy Grace sanctifie me Let thy holy Ghost of whom thou wast conceived beget thee in me by the Immortal Seed of thy Word let my Faith conceive thee my Profession bring thee forth my Love embrace thee and Devotion entertain and continually keep thee with me un-thy second coming Amen A Prayer for New Years Day O Lord who this day wast Circumcised and Bleddest for my sins have pity and compassion who with weeping Eyes and a bleeding heart come unto thee beseeching thee that those drops of blood which fell from thee this day may satisfie for the sin of my unworthy Birth and as thou hast begun a new Year begin in me a new reformation make me I beseech thee a clean heart and renew a right Spirit within me let me now cast off the old Man and put on the new and from this day to the end of my life walk in newness of life that I may become a fit guest to be admitted into the new Heaven where dwelleth Righteousness and to be entertained at thy Table and drink new Wine with thee in thy Heavenly Kingdom for evermore A Prayer for Twelfe Day O GOD thou light of all the World who guidedst the Heathen Sages by a Star to seek after thee give me Grace to hearken to the more sure Word of Prophesy in thy holy Scripture till the day dawn and the day-star arise in my heart the Star guided them till they approached thy presence so O Lord let the light of Faith guide me in all the Paths of this Life even till I come to behold thee not in a poor Stable littered with straw and dung but in a celestial Palace founded upon Pearls and built with Saphyrs not receiving a present of Gold which fades away but wearing a never fading Crown of Glory not having a quantity of Frankingense or Myrh in thy hand but a golden Censor full of Sweet odours which are the praises of thy Saints and Angels amongst which I beseech thee offer up the Prayers of me a Sinner that I may become a Saint thy Heavenly Kingdom Amen A Prayer for Ash-wednesday O ETERNAL God who dist fast forty dayes in the wilderness accept of my humiliation these forty days and grant that I may not only fast from accustomed Meats but that all my senses may be restrained from their usual affections of this World let no object delight me till I behold my sins removed like a mist and the light of thy Countenance shine upon me Let no sound or voice delight my Ear till I hear thee by thy Spirit speak peace to my Conscience and say unto my Soul I am thy Salvation Let no other pleasures take hold of me till with the lower Herbs of Sorrow and anguish I have Eaten the Christian passover the flesh of thee that Immaculate lamb slain from the beginning of the World Hear me O belssed redeemer and as thou wrotest in dust when thou tookest the woman in a adultery So I beseech thee write my sins in dustand bury them all in the ashes of oblivion Amen A Prayer on good Friday O MOST Merciful and Gracious Lord God who by thy obedience unto Death even the Death of the Cross didst become the Sacrifice of the whole universe the magnificent example of patience the Lord of Life the good shepherd laying down thy Life for thy sheep and the only Mediator between God and Man let thy bleeding wounds heal thy precious blood cleanse thy shameful death make me to live and thy holy Spirit make me to work righteousness all my dayes that I may by thy aid and example obey my Heavenly father with all my powers and faculties reason and affections with my Soul and Body time and Estate in prosperity and in adversity that I may bear my Cross patiently do thy work cheerfully and be ready to benefit mankind with great Charity and industry that being a follower of thy Life and a partaker of thy death I may receive a part in the Resurrection of the just in thy inheritance for evermore Amen A Prayer on Easter Day O MOST glorious redeemer thou didst pass from a painful life to an Ignominious death and from the bitterness of it to the darkness of the Grave and by thy Divine power didst raise thy self from thence to Life I give thee thanks for thy infinite love to me and all Mankind I acknowledg thee to be my Lord and confess thee to be my God I adore thy Majesty and rejoyce in thy Mercies I humbly pray thee to enable me with thy Spirit to believe all thy Doctrines and obey all thy Commandments that after a holy and religious life spent in doing honour to thy holy Name I may be a partaker of thy holy Resurrection passing from death to life from the darkness of the Grave to the light of Heaven from an imperfect duty to the perfection of holiness in the fruition of the joyes of God in thy Heavenly Kingdom Amen A Prayer upon Ascension Day O BLESSED Jesus thou didst ascend to thy holy Father and didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers thou hast espoused thy Church unto thy self with the Everlasting circles of thy providence with thy Love and with thy Care with thy Word and with thy Spirit thy promises and thy holy intercession thou hadst a feeling of my infirmiteis and art my Merciful high Priest making intercession for me for ever O be thou pleased to represent all my wants and supply them and excuse all my infirmities pity all my Calamities pardon my Sins and send down thy holy Spirit of Grace into my heart that though I wander here upon Earth yet my Conversation may be in Heaven where let my inheritance be for ever Amen A Prayer on Whitsunday O GOD the Father of all Spirits who didst send thy holy Spirit upon thy Church in the day of pentecost and hast promised that he shall abide with thy Church for ever let thy holy Spirit lead me into all truth defend me from all Sins enrich me with his gifâ—s refresh me with his Comforts rule in my heart for ever Conduct me with his truth and lead me in the way Everlasting that living by thy Spirit and walking in him I may by him be Sealed up to the day of my redemption O let thy Spirit witness to my Spirit that I am thy Child and make me to be so for ever through Jesus Christ my Redeemer who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same Spirit one God world without end Amen A Prayer upon Trinity Sunday O HOLY Blessed and glorious Trinity the Angels are amazed in the
Lord I knock at the Door of thy Mercy and tender Compassion with all the Faculties of my Soul and Body for all these Graces and particular favours beseeching thee to continue unto me the right use of them that thy Spirit may witness unto my Spirit that I am thy Son and shall be Heir of thy Kingdom of Glory and that I may be partaker of the inheritance of thy Saints in light where are Pleasures that last for Evermore Grant this O Father for Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer for Sunday Noon O God thou art great in Majesty and infinite in Mercy wonderful in thy goodness unto thy Church and Children Thou hast Commanded me to offer up my Prayer and supplications for those that shall enter into the Ministry and stand before thee to wait at thine alter the heaviest O Lord is very great and the painful and Conscionable Labourers but few I beseech thee be pleased to send able Ministers into thy Church and place such over particular Congregations as like Iohn the Baptist may be burning lights burning as being zealous in fervency and lights also as being conspicuous and eminent for Charity Sanctity of life and all holy Graces of thy Spirit LET thy Urim and thy Thummim be upon them as upon thy Holy one let them be sound for Doctrine and holy for Life and Conversation Preaching let them practice and by practice let them preach and teach the things which concern thy Kingdom Open wide unto them the Door of utterance that they may deliver thy Word freely and boldly Take away all differences and animosities from amongst them make them examples to those that believe in soundness of Doctrine and integrity of Conversation bless them with all Graces befitting so high a Calling that I may give thanks unto thee for them finding the benefit of thy blessing upon me through their Labours and may praise thy Name for evermore Amen A Prayer for Sunday Evening O Lord look down from Heaven thine holy Habitation and behold with the Eye of thy Love and tender Compassion a wretched Creature who now calls upon thee in the Words of the poor Publican O God be merciful unto me a Sinner Write not bitter things against me neither suffer me to possess the Sins of my Youth O forgive and forget all my Transgressions and cast mine Iniquities as far from thy presence in distance as the East is from the West LORD pardon I humbly beseech thee the faults and frailties which I have escaped this day in the sanctifying of thy Sabbath whether they be Sins of Omission or Commission wash them all away in the Blood of thy Son sanctifie me by the Word thy Word of Truth that this day hath sounded in my Ears Grant that like good Seed sown in good Ground it may take root downward and bring forth Fruit upwards to the Glory and Praise of thy great Name and the Salvation of my Immortal Soul O LET thy Word be ever in my Mind to meditate of it in my Mouth to speak of it and in my Life and Conversation to practice it By it Work in my Heart Faith Hope Charity and all other supernatural Graces which accompany Salvation open mine Eyes that I may see thy Law and incline my Heart that I may love the Truth and loving the same may yield Obedience to it doing thy Will on Earth or at least endeavouring to do it as the Angels in Heaven willingly without murmuring speedily without delaying constantly without ceasing and universally without omitting what thou commandest and commendest in thy Word so shall I not be distracted with Foolish fears nor dispair of thy Mercy but ever Hope and Trust in thee and find Grace to help me in time of need to whom be ascribed all Honour Power and Glory World without end Amen Mondays Meditations O GOD the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth who Created the Evening and the Morning continue I beseech thee unto me as well the Comfortable rest of the Evening to refresh my weariness as the most necessary Light of the Morning to manage my affairs and business make my Conscience serene and clear and let the pure Light of thy Gospel guide my Feet in the way of peace This Light of thine O Lord sheweth what I was in my Birth Slime and Filthiness what I am in my Life Vanity and Folly and what I shall be in the Grave Stench and Corruption LET these ponderous Considerations Lord humble me that Christ may raise me wound me that Christ may heal me load me that Christ may ease me and make me most vile in my own Eyes that I may be most dear and precious in his sight O thou which as upon this day createdst the Clouds to Rain upon the Earth shower down thy Graces plentifully into my hardned heart to mollifie it whereby I may be fruitful in all good Works LORD who this day didst separate the Waters separate I beseech thee and distinguish betwixt the Water of Tears which I shed for my Sins and those which I shed for Worldly crosses and afflictions cast away the one and put the other into thy Bottle This day thou madest the Heavens and the Air without which I cannot breath naturally no not one moment Infuse into my Soul thy blessed Spirit of Grace without which Spiritually I cannot breath forth my Prayers nor sigh nor so much as move any Faculty of Soul and Body unto thee But Lord as oft as I take in or let out the Air which I breath let me receive in Grace from thee and breath out Praise unto thee Amen A Prayer for Monday Morning O GOD as thou hast now rais'd up my Body from Sleep the Image of Death so I beseech thee deliver my mind and affections from the Sleep of Sin and from the Darkness of this World and as thou hast brought me to the beginning of this day be thou present with me and president in me Let thy holy Spirit be my Counsellor and Instructor my God and my Guide to lead me into all Truth help me by assistance of the same Spirit to watch over my Thoughts Words and Works that I may neither think speak nor do any thing which is not agreeable to thy holy Word LET me in all reverence and humility of Soul submit my self unto thy holy Will so that ordering my Conversation aright and walking according to thy Golden Rule peace may be upon me as upon the Israel of God Suffer me not to oppress or defraud my Brother in Bargaining Buying and Selling by using false Weights and Ballances or any other unlawful means but Guide me so by thy Grace that my Conscience may ever cheer me up through a delightful apprehension of thy blessed Favour TO this end order thou my Paths and establish my goings in the way of Peace Grace and Salvation cause thou me to walk upright before thee make me to provide things honest before thee and Men behave my self as in thy
and holy Spirit my Comfort and Consolation THE peace of God which passeth all Understanding keep my Heart and Mind in the love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord and the blessing of God Almighty the Father Son and Holy Ghost be with me and remain with me and mine and with the whole Church of God from this time forth and for evermore GOD be merciful unto me and bless me the Lord lift up the light of his Countenance upon me and be merciful unto me and grant me his everlasting peace Amen A Prayer for one afflicted in Mind O FATHER of Mercy and God of all Consolation vouchsafe I beseech thee relief and succour unto me a wretched Sinner who am much tormented in Mind and afflicted in Conscience Lord I am afraid of thy Judgments and the severe Threatnings written in thy Law against those sins I have committed but O Lord break not the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax wound not my humble and contrite Heart but revive my Spirit that goes mourning all the day long though Satan thinks thou hast smitten and forsaken me yet frustrate his hopes and expectations leave me not destitute of thy Grace as a prey unto the Enemy of my Soul but mightily preserve and evermore defend me AND though my Conscience accuses me my Memory witnesses against me and my Reason condemns me though I am overwhelmed in discomfort and have lost the voice of joy and gladness and have neither worth to appease thy wrath nor patience to endure thy tryal yet send me O Lord the comfort of thy holy Spirit into my heart that I may not be swallowed up with overmuch heaviness but may rejoyce in thee with joy unspeakable and full of Glory Open and set open the Gate of thy Mercy to the greatness of my Misery for my mind is sorrowful my heart heavy my spirit is oppressed my words are stopt with sighs and my complaints watered with tears IN executing thy Judgments Lord remember Mercy try me not least I be condemned weigh not my offences but pardon my offences sanctifie all those means unto me which may afford me relief as Prayer Conference Meditation reading and hearing of thy Word and receiving the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of thy Son and my alone Saviour and Redeemer mitigate my extremities abate my fears and moderate my afflictions let not Night Visions like Nebuchadnezzar's make me affraid but when I awake stay me with Flaggons and comfort me with Apples thy precious promises which are pleasant to the Soul RECTIFIE my Understanding as in the days of Old and Drink no longer unto me in the Cup of Affliction but in the Chalice of refreshing that I may pay my Vows unto thee and call upon thy Name in the sight of all thy Congregation but if it be thy good pleasure to try me and not take away this Cup from me confirm my Faith and continue unto me that Hope which is to be revealed to this end cause me with the Eye of Faith to look up to thee who chastisest me and wait for the appointed time of my delivery out of all my Troubles LORD suffer me not to be swallowed up with despair but vouchsafe me a full assurance of thy Mercy that thou wilt never leave me nor forsake me but wilt be in life my God in death my Deliverer and after death my Eternal Rewarder Lord hearken and incline thine Ear unto these my Requests for thy Sons sake my only Lord and Saviour Our Father c. THE Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the love of God the Father and the most comfortable Fellowship of God the holy Ghost be with me bless preserve and keep me both in Soul and Body in Goods and good Name in Life Health Peace and Godliness together with thy whole Church and all that appertain unto me now and for evermore Amen A Prayer to be used in behalf of one troubled in Mind ALMIGHTY God the only Guide and Comfort of our Souls and to whom alone we fly for succour in all afflictions O Lord we presume now to appear before thee in behalf of this thy afflicted Servant Support him I beseech thee in his greatest conflicts silence and appease his troubled Spirit that he may quietly hearken to thy blessed Words of Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest THOU hast solemnly proclaimed O Lord in thy holy Scripture that thou dost not delight in the death of a Sinner but rather that he should turn from his Wickedness and live O make him with joy feel his Soul turning to thee since no satisfactory Comfort can be acquired but only in thy love and favour which to all thy Servants is better than life it self We beseech thee speak peace to his Conscience and say unto him and all that are here present that thou art our Salvation ENDUE him with thy Grace give him peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost O give him the Comfort of thy help again and Establish him with thy free Spirit quicken him O Lord for thy Names sake and for thy Righteousness sake bring his Soul out of this trouble Put gladness into his heart and restore him again if it be thy Blessed will that he and we may Evermore rejoyce in thee who art the Father of all Mercies and the God of all Consolation to whom be Glory and Praise now and for Evermore Amen Meditations for the Sick O GOD thou dost what thou pleasest in Heaven and in Earth in the Sea and in all deep places thou art full of Compassion and tender Mercy long suffering and aboundest in goodness and truth thou alone forgivest Sins and savest all those that trust in thee in time of affliction I KNOW that all Flesh is Grass and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field the grass withereth the flower fadeth but the Word of thee our God shall stand for Ever In thy word therefore and gracious promises is my hope which is my greatest Comfort in my affliction IN the multitude of thy thoughts within me thy Comforts shall delight my Soul I will rejoyce even in the midst of my tribulation and glory in thy Holy Name who makest all things work together for good to them that love thee Though I walk through the vally of the shadow of Death I will fear no evil for thou art with me thy rod and thy staff doth Comfort me WE are but of Yesterday and know nothing because our dayes upon Earth are as a shadow When thou with rebukes dost correct Man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to Consume away like a Moth Surely every Man is vanity my time is in thy hand Make thy face to shine upon thy Servant Save me for thy Mercies sake HIDE not thy face from me put not thy Servant away in thine anger Thou hadst been my help leave me not neither forsake me O God my of salvation Thou