haue mercy vpon thy poore seruant here and in heauen Amen A Prayer against Periury O Lord God to whoÌ„ vengeance belongeth thou great Iudge of heauen and earth to whom all secrets are knowen I most humbly pray thee that thy feare grace may so assist me that I may neuer swerue from the truth of thy Law thou hast charged mee not to beare false witnes against my neighbour Exod. 20.16 but to speake the truth impartially when I am thereunto called for Lord thou knowest all secrets though man cannot detect them therefore keepe mee from false swearing for as it is great wrong in iudgement so is it odious and abominable before thee for thine infinite wisdome is dishonoured and he that dishonoureth thee in this desperate impudent and damnable manner thou wilt dishonour and condemne him for euer Lord giue me an honest heart and faithfull soule that in all things I may carry my selfe vpright as in thy great and mightie presence now and for euermore Amen A Prayer against Security BLessed and euer-glorious LORD GOD I pray thee most humbly and earnestly in Christ Iesus to keep mee from that dangerous euill of security many are the enemies of my soule the deuill goeth vp and downe seeking whom he may deuoure the world by his allurements seeketh to ouerturne my soule carnall concupiscence and inbred corruption takes all aduantages to betray and ouerthrow mee I beseech thy Maiesty seeing my poore soule is thus dangerously assaulted giue mee all diligence and care to keepe my soule from sinning against thee O giue mee the watch of thy Spirit of grace to preuent these wofull enemies of my soule Matth. 26.41 let mee euer watch and pray and stand vpon my guard lest I fall into temptation let me be lesse carefull for the things of this life more carefull for thy glory and the eternall saluation of my soule that I glorifying thy great Name constantly in this life may in IESVS CHRIST bee euerlastingly glorified of thee in the life to come Amen A Prayer against Desperation O Lord my God most mighty and glorious I most humbly intreat thee to assist me in all assaults of Satan this enemy is strong I poore sinner weake I pray thee then helpe me against all his most desperate and dismall temptations I confesse my sins most odious most damnable yet vpon my true humiliation I am bold to rest vpon thy renowned mercies for forgiuenesse of them To whom wilt thou looke O blessed Lord God but to him that is of a contrite heart Esa 66.2 and trembleth at thy words therfore in the confidence of this thy promise mercy giue mee resolution against all feares and desperate harmes of my soule not to beleeue thy promise who art truth it selfe not to hope in thy performance who art most faithfull and iust it were to deny thy glorious Name it were heauy and fearefull sinning against thee I haue sinned Lord thou knowest too too much alreadie shall I now by despaire adde sinne to sinne O Lord God forbid it though my sinnes bee many yet thy mercies are more though they bee as red as crimson yet in the crimson Blood of Christ thy Sonne Esa 1.18 thou canst make them all as white as snow or wool O Lord my God who art so full of mercy as thou delightest not in the death of the greatest sinner Ezek. 18.32 but rather that hee may conuert and liue giue mee to breake mine heart for sinne but not to despaire of thy mercies for the forgiuenesse of my sinnes for thou giuest grace and saluation to the humble and the Lord Iesus came to call none but bleeding sinners to repentance In hope of which thy truth and mercy I make bold to rest vpon thee O Lord my God and Sauiour for present peace for euerlasting saluation Amen Amen A Prayer against Heresie O LORD and heauenly Father seeing there is but one truth one faith one way laid out for life which is the Lord Iesus Iohn 14.6 for he is the Way the Truth and the Life saue me O Lord from all by-paths and errors all false waies Psal grant with Dauid thy seruant I may vtterly abhorre especially I beseech thee keepe me that I drinke not of the cuppe of fornication which the Whore of Babylon holdeth in her hand wherewith the greatest part of the world is deceiued poisoned drunke a cup pleasing to flesh and blood Reuel 17.4 and therfore called A golden Cup yet within it is full of deadly poison and abomination Lord grant I may not bee misled in iudgment nor obstinate in defending errours against thy truth but giue mee an humble heart 1 Cor. 14.32 and let my spirit be euermore subiect to the iudgment of thy zealous Prophets O Lord giue mee to this end with the Boroans to examine all things Acts. and to conferre Scripture with Scripture that so I may neuer swerue from thy most pure holy and sacred Truth And giue mee my good Father courage and magnanimity to defend and vphold thy glorious Gospell against barking Papists and cauilling Atheists and all malicious opposers of the same to the losse and laying downe of my deâ—rest life and blood Thus grant me gracious God to stand for thy truth against al defacers of the same to my liues end Amen A Prayer against Lying MOST deare and gracious heaueÌ„ly father who art truth it selfe in whom no errour nor falcity can abide or dwell grant me of thy goodnesse that I may abhor that vaine and vile euill of lying let me euermore speake the truth with feare and care in a good conscience The iesting lye is meere vanity the officious lye or lye for profit or aduantage is grosse iniquity the malicious lye or lye to doe hurt is most pernicious and damnable impiety Good Lord keep me from all these abominations giue me to know that thine infinite wisdome and all-seeing knowledge is most grieuously dishonoured herein for Lord thou knowest all secrets nothing hidden from thine all-seeing eye though man may bee deceiued yet thy Maiesty can neuer bee deceiued A lye then is most foolish most odious Lord keepe me from this vanity now and for euermore Amen A Prayer against Sabbath-breaking O Eternall GOD Creator and gouernour of all things seeing thou hast put a principall charge vpon thy fourth commandement Exod. 20.8 Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day O my God grant me thy feare thy grace that that thy day may neuer bee neglected of mee Lord grant I may spend it in prayer publike priuate in hearing and reading of thy holy word in instructing my family Lord vouchsafe me so great a care so heauenly a desire as I may not therein speake mine owne words Esay 58.13 nor think mine owne thoughts and that I may make the exercise of that day my ioy my soules delight No one shall enter thy Sabbath rest of glory but hee that hath been strictly carefull to keepe
THE PRISONERS PRAYERS OR An Heauenly helpe to DEVOTION Composed by H. Greenwood Preacher of the Word of God 1 THESS 5.17 Pray continually LONDON Printed by I. H. for Henry Bell. 1628. To the most Illustrious and right Vertuous Princesse the Lady KATHERINE Duchesse of Buckingham her grace all honor and grace in this life and eternall glorie in the life to come RIght Gracious Lady the counsell of the holy Apostle is Iam. 5.13 That if any bee afflicted let him pray I haue not onely in my long and great afflictions in some measure herein delightfully obeyed but also composed some few yet comfortable praiers for the benefit of the Church of God Now considering with my selfe to whom I should commend the same I thought vpon your Grace as most worthy of the Dedication both in regard of your late and happy call from darknesse to light as also for your constant conscionable maintenance of holy and wholesome praiers in your family to the glory of the Almighty and the daily supporting and refreshing of your owne soule Now that your Grace may grow and goe on in grace and in the sauing knowledge of the Lord Iesus let mee intreat you at your best leasure to peruse this poore yet profitable present the Lord giue you grace to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ Iesus made you free Gal. 5.1 and bee not intangled againe with the yoke of bondage And as your Grace by Gods especiall mercy hath tasted of the true and heauenly refreshing the Lord make you an happy and heauenly Instrument of the conuersion of many great Ones among vs so shall you shine as a starre in the firmament of saluation Thus Andrew drew on Peter and Philip Nathaniel thus doing greater shall your reward be in heauen And because euery thing is sanctified by the Word and Prayer 1 Tim. 4.5 the Lord giue you grace to reuerence the one and highly respect the other that your soule may be preserued aliue in the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus to life and glory euerlasting Psal 45.10 If you thus forget your fathers house then shall the heauenly King and earthly too take pleasure in your beauty The Psalmist setting forth the glory of that famous Ierusalem speaketh thus Psal 87.3 Glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of God so without flattery I auerre it good things are spoken of thee O thou hopefull and happy Daughter of God Great is the outward glory cast vpon your Grace I pray God with all my heart that the commendation of the Kings daughter may be yours That you may bee found also all glorious within Psal 45.13 Now the Lords best blessings euermore attend you and the Lord prosper the person of your dearest friend the most Noble and Illustrious DVKE with grace and honour and all his lawfull attempts with good successe and victory for Iesus Christ his sake Amen Your Graces most humbly obseruant in the Lord Iesus H. Greenewood From his Majesties Prison of the Fleet this 13 of Nouemb. 1627. A Catalogue of the Praiers contained in this Booke with a note of the Pages where they may bee found A Praier against sinne and Sathan in generall Page 1 A prayer against the worlds illusions Page 5 A Prayer against Pride Page 7 A Praier against Enuy Page 9 A Praier against Adultery Page 12 A Praier against Couetousnesse Page 15 A Praier against hardnesse of heart Page 18 A Praier against Drunkennesse Page 21 A prayer against Murther Page 25 A Praier against Hypocrisie Page 27 A Praier against Reuenge Page 31 A Praier against Theft Page 35 A Praier against Swearing Page 38 A Praier against Periury Page 41 A Praier against Security Page 43 A Praier against Desperation Page 46 A Praier against Heresie Page 50 A Praier against Lying Page 54 A Praier against Sabbath breaking Page 56 A Praier against idle words Page 60 A Praier against euill thoughts Page 63 A Praier against disobedience to Parents Page 67 A Praier against blasphemy against the holy Ghost Page 69 A Praier against Presumption Page 73 A Praier against the Plague Page 77 A Praier against the Sword Page 80 A Praier against Famine Page 83 A Praier for grace in generall Page 87 A Praier for knowledge Page 92 A Praier for Humiliation Page 96 A Praier for Faith Page 99 A Praier for obedience Page 105 A Praier for Zeale Page 109 A Praier for brotherly loue Page 112 A Praier for Humility Page 116 A Praier for Patience Page 120 A Praier for Innocency Page 124 A Praier for mercy and compassion Page 126 A Praier for peace of Conscience Page 130 A Praier for ioy in the Holy Ghost Page 134 A Praier for increase of Grace Page 138 A Praier for perseuerance in Grace Page 143 A Praier for preparation to the Sacrament Page 147 A Praier for the Gospels continuance Page 153 A Praier for preparation to Death Page 156 A Praier for a woman in Child-birth Page 160 A Praier after Child-birth Page 164 A Praier for the Traueller by land Page 167 A Praier for the Traueller by sea Page 170 A Praier for the Church Page 174 A Praier for the conuersion of the Iew. Page 179 A Morning Praier for a family Page 183 An Euening Praier for a Family Page 188 The Prisoners Prayers A Prayer against sin and Sathan in generall MOST blessed and glorious LORD GOD I beseech thee of thine infinite mercies be pitifully mercifull vnto mee poore miserable and most corrupted sinner O Lord cast out sinne and Sathan let a greater than Sathan enter euen thine holy and good Spirit and binde that enemie of thy glory my saluation that he may preuaile no longer against mee Thus thou didst deale O my gracious God most mercifully with Mary Magdalene â—uk 8.2 casting seuen Deuils out of her Good Father I confesse that seuenty times seuen doe grieue my poore and pensiue soule for so many foule lusts so many vncleane Deuils Lord in thy might and mercy giue mee to preuaile against them What will sinne afford mee but shame in this world and confusion in the world to come Lord therfore strengthen mee against these corruptions and chiefest enemies of my soule let mee be as willing euermore to put a Toad into my mouth as to suffer a sinne to rest and reigne in my soule O that my wayes were made so direct that I might neuer sinne more Lord heare my mournfull prayers and let these my cries come vp vnto thee for Iesus Christs sake thy Sonne my Sauiour Amen A Prayer against the worlds illusions MOst gracious and blessed heauenly Father forasmuch as thou hast taught mee that I must vse the world as not abusing it and seeing also I finde my selfe by nature too too prone and ready to set my delight on things below and to giue more affection to things seene than things vnseene O Lord who art the only sanctifier of thine elect saue mee from immoderate loue
and excessiue delight of the same grant that no worldly honour pleasure profit may deceiue me but I beseech thee that thy lower blessings may be receiued of mee with a lower loue and thine heauenly graces thine eternall glories with the greatest glory and chiefest delight of my soule Lord for thy Christs sake heare mee herein Amen Amen A Praier against Pride MOst deare and gracious God I most humbly intreat thee so to assist mee with thy grace that I may euermore take heed of that first and worst sinne the sinne of the Deuill namely pride O Lord grant I may neuer be puffed vp in minde nor haue a scornfull eye for pride will haue a fearfull fall and high-mindednesse alwayes goeth before destruction Dan. 4.27 28. Nabuchadnezzar paid dearly for his vaine and foolish vaunting and that proud and boasting Pharisee went home condemned for his sinne Luk. 18.14 O Lord then giue mee power and strength against this wicked lust this base and senselesse sinne Let not O God of all goodnesse this euill appeare in mee by mine apparell speech looke gate or any other vnseemely behauiour for thou O God resistest the proud and giuest thy grace only to the humble Humble mee then I pray thee that I may in due time be euerlastingly exalted of thee in the Lord IESVS Amen A Prayer against Enuie O LORD GOD wheras thou hast taught me by thy blessed Apostle Rom. 12.15 to reioyce with them that reioyce I beseech thee saue and defend mee from that fearfull sinne of Enuy the sinne of Sathan for hee enuied the standing power of Adam the sinne of Cain Gen. 4.5 who vexed his soule at thy graces apparent in Abel O God of thy goodnesse saue mee from this sinne and wickednesse Grant most holy and heauenly Father that I may abound in loue towards my brethren and blesse thee as heartily for any mercie or blessing conferred vpon others as vpon mine owne soule As one member reioyceth in the glory and welfare of another so grant that I may proue my self a true member of Christ Iesus in delighting in the prosperity of thy Saints and seruants Lord keepe me from an hatefull soule and fulfill mine heart with loue to the glory of thy great name and euerlasting saluation of my poore soule in the merits of the Lord Iesus Amen A Prayer against Adultery MOst mighty and most mercifull Father for as much as thou hast shewen vnto me frō thy holy heauenly word that no vncleane thing shal enter into thy Kingdom and no adulterer shall inherit heauen 1 Cor. 6.9 such shall onely enter into thy glory as haue not defiled thēselues with women as Saint Iohn declareth in his Reuelations Good Father I pray thee purge my soul from all foule and fleshly lusts my body is the Temple of thy holy Spirit Lord let mee neuer defile it grant Lord that I may preserue and present it spotlesse to the comming of the Lord Iesus turne away mine eies that I behold not vanity Matth. 5.20 If mine eye offend mee Lord grant that I may pull it out better for me to go into that life with one eie than to goe with two eies into the darknesse and damnation of hell Giue mee O Lord the helpe of thy grace that I may conquer all beastly lusts all vnclean desires al polluted and polluting actions and be freed from them for the honor of thy name in the worthinesse of the Lord Iesus Amen A Prayer against Couetousnesse O Eternal euerliuing Lord God thou hast reuealed vnto me from thy blessed word Psal 10.3 that thou abhorrest the couetous and couetousnes is so foule an euill as it is called Spiritual Idolatry O LORD of thy mercy saue my soul from this vile and earthly sinne giue mee to take heed and beware of Couetousnesse for a mans life stands not in his wealth and abundance that man in the Gospel was rightly tearmed a foole for resting on his goods Luke 12.20 making them his God O Lord what greater folly can there bee than to leaue thee the fountaine of liuing waters and to trust in vaine and vncertaine riches for as the Psalmist tels me Psal 49.7 A man by his wealth cannot redeeme his brother so precious is the redemption of souls and their continuance for euer Therefore let my conuersation O Lord be without couetousnes for thou hast promised I will not faile thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13.5 Lord raise mine heart from earthly mindednesse and let my chiefe delight bee on heauen and heauenly things giue me this couetousnesse namely to couet after spiritual things and let all my delight bee in thy statutes that my life being holy and conuersation heauenly I may in the end obtaine the kingdome of heauen and life euerlasting through Iesus Christ mine onely Lord and Sauiour Amen A Prayer against hardnes of heart O Lord my God I most humbly beseech thee in the Lord Iesus to frame my soul according to thy will to bring mine heart to the obedience of thy holy and heauenly law in all things mollifie my stiffe and stubborne heart giue me a teachable and tractable spirit that I may euermore be guided by the motions of thy holy Spirit and counsell of thy heauenly word into all goodnesse Take away good Father the stoninesse of my heart for I feele much hardnesse in it and giue me an heart of flesh Ezek. 36.26 giue mee the spirit of good King IOSIAH 2 Chron. 34.27 whose heart melted within him at the reading of thy Law giue mee O Lord to tremble at my sinnes to mourne at thy iudgements to bee comforted by thy mercies in the merits of the LORD IESVS Create in me O Lord a new heart Psal 51.10 and renew a right spirit within mee turne me and I shall bee turned conuert me and then shall my soule be conuerted vnto thee Thy mercies now I aske Lord grant that I may haue thy sweet graces now I seeke grant Lord that I may finde at thy heauenly gates I knock Lord open vnto me the doore of saluation for Iesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer against Drunkennesse MOst deare and gracious God I thine vnworthy seruant am bold vpon the multitude of thy mercies to present my selfe before thee earnestly crauing pardon for my sinnes and thy power and presence of grace for the preuention of them in time to come In particular O Lord I beseech thee that I may bee preserued from that swinish sinne of drunkennesse fearefull are thy woes denounced against the same many other most damnable transgressions alwaies wait vpon the same yea a legion of deuils attends the same as swearing adulterie quarrelling and the like Lord for thy mercies sake saue me from excesse whether I eat or drinke or whatsoeuer I doe else let mee doe all to the glory of thy blessed name And good Father giue me to shun all occasions of this sinne especially I pray thee
thy Sabbath on earth Grant I may deale with no worldly thing on this thy day that I may go to thy Temple and returne to mine house and make no other walke on this thy day that I may not doe or looke vpon any vaine pastimes on this thy day And good Lord stirre vp mine heart to blesse thy Name for so blessed and happie a day wherein thine heauenly instructions are imparted to my soule Did not this day shine in thine ordinance most graciously vpon me all the daies of the weeke yea all the daies of my life would bee dismall vnto me Lord continue this thine holy day to the comming of the Lord Iesus in the clouds to iudgment for thy mercies sake sweet LORD Amen A Prayer against Idle words MOst glorious and blessed heauenly Father whereas thou hast shewen vnto mee from thy heauenly Word Matth. 12.36 That of euery idle word that men shall speake account shall bee giuen at the day of iudgment O GOD of thy great goodnesse and mercy so possesse me with thy power of grace that I may alwaies say with thy good and godly seruant Dauid Psal 39.1 I will take heed vnto my waies that I offend not in my tongue Lord if I speake 1 Pet. 4.11 giue mee that I may speak as thy holy word prescribes mee holily profitably to the glorification of thy great Name the edification of the hearers consolation of mine owne soule Moderate I beseech thee the rudenesse and rashnes of my tongue it is but a little member Iames 3.5 8. but Lord I confesse a very hard thing for me to rule tame grant therefore I may set a watch ouermore before the doore of my lippes Psal 41.3 that no vanity may bee vttered the tongue in the originall signifieth glory Lord grant that I therby may glorifie thy great and godly name O Lord giue me neuer to speake but holily modestly heauenly that I may in the end for euer in heauen with the same my tongue sing a most ioyfull and glorious Halleluiah to thee O blessed Lord God and to the Lambe the Lord Iesus for euermore Amen A Prayer against euill Thoughts MY most holy and heauenly LORD GOD I pray thee in and for the Lord Iesus to reforme mine erroneous nature and sanctifie my most sinful and polluted soule Lord cleanse my heart within and then the outside shall be cleane also It is not O Lord that which goeth into man that defileth a man Matth. 15.19 but that which commeth out of man that defiles him for out of the heart commeth murther adultery and other vncleane euils O my deare and blessed heauenly Father purge the fountaine and the riuer shal be cleane purge mine heart from vaine and euil thoughts and lusts then shall my mouth praise thee and mine actions bee in some measure sutable to thy holy will O Lord Pâ—ou 4.23 giue me to keep mine heart with all diligence for therout commeth life if I keepe it not with all diligence thereout wil come death that is sinne whose wages is death Giue mee my blessed Sauiour to keepe a narrow watch ouer my thoughts that no wicked thought profane lust or vngodly desire may nestle in my soule Wisd 1.9 for inquisition shal be made for the very thoughts of the vngodly Lord grant then that the thoughts of my heart may bee alwaies holy and heauenly that so my soule being taken vp with holy meditations and heauenly contemplations here I may bee admitted to that most excellent glorie of heauen purchased in the blood of the LORD IESVS to whom with thee and thine holy Spirit my soule in her best thoughts desire to render all glory in all reuerence now and for euermore Amen A Praier against disobedience to Parents O Almighty God as thou hast promised long and happy life to those that honor their Father and Mother Exod. 20.12 so is it most certaine that disobedient children shall not escape thy fearefull vindicts and iudgments for hee that disobeyeth his father or mother the Rauens of the vallies shall pick out his eies and deuoured shal he be of the young Eagles Prou. 30.17 O Lord giue mee to consider that I receiued from my Parents my being my maintenance mine education how then shall I sufficiently expresse my dutie vnto them better neuer beene borne than to contemne or neglect them by whom I had my being O good God blesse my parents sanctifie them giue them thy mercies in this life thy saluation in the next and me thy grace to doe vnto them all honour and helpe while I liue Amen A Praier against blasphemy against the Holy Ghost O Blessed and gracious God thy mercy is to be mightily magnified and euerlastingly extolled for thy compassion to humbled and penitent sinners for there is mercie and saluation with thee that thou maiest bee feared Psal 130.4 and trusted to for life yet notwithstanding thou hast reuealed thine irreuocable Sentence against one sinne and but one that hee that committeth it shal neuer bee pardoned neither here nor at the day of iudgment Matth. 12.32 and that is blasphemy against the HOLY GHOST a sinne vnto death vnto damnation not to bee pardoned not to bee praied for Lord giue me thy grace that I may carefully seeke to know it and more carefully seeke to auoid it when a man is enlightned to know thy truth to professe thy truth to giue good allowance of it to reuerence honor it and then by the deuils strong temptatioÌ„s to fall off from the same maliciously to oppose and persecute the same and the professors of the same to raile vpon it and disgracefully blaspheme it the conscience notwithstanding all this while conuincing him this is that vnpardonable sinne and it is impossible for this man to repent and bee saued Good Lord grant that I may neuer be thus ouercome by Sathan grant sweet Iesus I may take heed of the way of this fearfull offence and sinne Lord giue mee grace that I may not bee vnreuerent to thy Word that I may not mocke but make much of sincere professors of the same that euermore I may haue a trembling respect to thy Maiesty and ordinance that so I may bee graciously preserued from this fearfull sinne here and the damnation of it hereafter in hell for euermore Amen A Prayer against Presumption O MOST blessed Lord God I cannot while I liue in this body of sinne be freed from sinne and corruption this world will afford me no perfection therfore good Father seeing I cannot but sinne grant me this fauour and compassion that the sinnes which I daily do offend in may be of infirmity not of wilfulnesse nor of maliciousnes nor against the light of conscience especially with thy seruant Dauid I pray thee keepe mee from presumptuous sinnes Psal 19.13 that they may not preuaile ouer me Gracious heauenly Father let not mee boldly offend thee vpon hope of mercie from