true Religion is not in the wearing of the habit but with a clear mind in very deed to execute the rules of true Religion and the ordinances thereof If thou be lay and unmarried keep thee clean unto the time thou be married and remember the sore and terrible punishment of Noahs flood and of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha done to man for mis rising flesh and if thou intend to marry or to be married and hast a good Wife thank God therefore for she is of his sending and remember that there be three things pleasing to the Spirit of God that is to say concord between brethren love and charity between Neighbours and a man and wife well agreeing together and having in remembrance that the intent of marriage is not in the beastly appetite of the flesh but to eschew the evil thereof or to have children And if thou have children as much as thou maist bring them up in virtue to be the servants of God for it were better for them and thee not to be born than otherwise In thine Authority busie thee rather to be beloved of thine inferiours than to be dreaded Let thy subjects and servants rather serve and obey thee for love than for dread or need With such a Sovereign goodness govern thy Subjects that they may be glad to serve thee both in punishment and in cherishing Keep a measurable mean be not too streight forget not to keep a convenient measure in all thy works go not to meat but as a reasonable man with thanks to GOD for his gifts and then remember that more be sick and die by superfluities of meats and drinks than otherwise Wherefore eat with measure to live in health at thy meat have no other but honest communication and such as is according to thy knowledge backbite no man be merry in honesty for sorrow and care hath killed many and no profit is therein In no wise swear without compulsion of the Law for where 〈◊〉 great swearing from thence is never the â—â—ague of GOD. In no wise brawl nor chide for Solomon saith Better is a little with joy than much with brawl and contention And he saith An evil person is ever chiding and therefore the Angel of God shall be set against him Be content at all times to give part of that which God hath sent thee for he that will not hear the cry of the poor shall cry to God and not be heard With good providence and discretion see the time where when how why and wherefore thou speakest dost or biddest any thing to be done when thou deemest or judgest any thing to be done in poor or rich behold and consider the cause and not the person be as meek in other mens cause and offences as in thine own sit never in doom and judgment without pity and mercy for while thou hast pity and mercy on other mens offences thou hast mercy on thine own for in what measure thou measurest to others it shall be measured to thee again yet thou must execute judgment for to do mercy and justice is more pleasant to God than to pray or do sacrifice unto him Judge no man by light suspicion prove first and then judge in doubts refer the Judgment and Sentence to Gods might and what thou knowest not commit it to God might have little or none affection of these earthly and transitory things for blessed iâ— the Rich man that trusteth not in mony or treasure remember as as man loveth so he is for the lover is in the thing loved more properly than in himself wherefore if a man love earthly things he may be called an earthly man but if he love properly Heavenly things or God he may be called an Heavenly or a Godly man therefore love God and heavenly things for undoubtedly that is the best and most assured love for they be and ever shall be permanent all earthly things be soon vanished and ended and so the love of them is in vain Also it is high wisdom to fear God for that he saith himself Fear not him that can kill the body and cannot hurt the Soul but fear him that can kill the body and also the Soul and commit them to everlasting pain Wherefore every evening before thou go to bed call to thy remembrance as much as thou canst thy thoughts words and deeds said and done that day and if any have been to thine own profit and to the pleasure of God heartily thank him for by his grace it was done and if any have been contrary to his will and pleaâ—â—re ask heartily mercy and reconcile thy 〈◊〉 shortly to Him by repentance to eschew the everlasting destruction of thy soul For as S. Augustine saith there is not a greater madness than for a little temporal delectation which is soon done to lose the eternal Joy and to be bound to everlasting pain From the which the Almighty Father by his infinite power and mercy bitter passion and infinite wisdom of Jesus Christ and by the infinite goodness and charity of the Holy Ghost keep us now and for ever Amen Jam. 5. 20. Let him know that he which hath converted a sinner from going astray out of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins What Prayer is PRayer is an humble Request either of the heart or tongue or both unto God proceeding from our belief and acknowledgment of his power as God and of his goodness as our Father in Jesus Christ to supply all our necessities with thanksgiving unto him for any blessing received The parts of a Prayer are usually three 1. Humble Confession 2. Petition or Supplication 3. Hearty Thanksgiving 1. Confession Which is an humble and penitent repetition of our sins and wickedness with an acknowledgment of punishments and miseries thereby deserved and with an earnest desire and prayer for absolution and that for JESUS Christ alone He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Prov. 28. 13. I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Psal 32. 5. If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1 John 1. 19. My misdeeds prevail against me O be thou merciful to my sins Psal 67. 3. 2. Petition Petition or Supplication is that part of Prayer in which we beseech God the Author of all good and punisher of all ill for all the Mercies Comforts Graces and Blessings of this Life and the Life to come and for deliverance from all fears ills dangers and punishments of this Life and the Life to come for our selves and others and all for the merits of Christ Jesus alone and his mediation Hearken unto my voice O Lord when I cry unto thee have mercy upon me and hear me Psal 27. 8. Hear me O GOD in the multitude of thy mercies
GOD. WE are all Publicans O LORD open the ears of thy favour unto our cry and have mercy upon us have mercy upon us we sin dayly but yet save us of pity save us O shew thy compassion upon me and let me not dye a Judas death let me never tune the doleful song of Cain but ingrave in my heart a full and lively faith in thee that never doubting of thy bounteous mercy I may with a free conscience set Satan at defiance and all his hellish band O merciful Lord hear this my cry and defend me with thy Grace against the power of Satan who roareth of cruelty and lurketh in every corner of malicious subtilty to tear me with the claws of his fury and merciless envy Defend me with faith against him O Lord lay the plaister of comfort to my wounded conscience and cover me with the wings of thy favour that I may live and die in thee and so be blessed for ever to whom O Father with thy dear Son and the Holy Ghost be all power for ever A Prayer to Jesus Christ O My Lord God and sweet Saviour Jesus Christ grant unto me most frail sinner and miserable wretch thy grace and mercy and that I may ever have present before the eyes of my soul thy most holy life and behaviour and that for my possibility and power I may in living and manners follow the same And grant me good Lord to profit grow and increase therein to such perfections as may be acceptable unto thee for the salvation of my soul lighten Lord and make clear and bright my heart with the glorious light of thy Grace that it may ever go before me follow me in all my acts so that by thy conduct and guiding I may accomplish fulfil all that may please thy goodness and utterly eschew and avoid the contrary and vouchsafe sweet Saviour so to order and direct all my cogitations and thoughts all my speech and words all my acts and deeds in thy Law and Commandments and in thy Monitions and Counsel and so take me good Lord unto thee that here in all things doing thy will I may by grace become one of thy saved souls to live with thee my Redeemer for ever Amen Prayers for Tuesday Night O Lord my God and Father blessed be thy Name for ever Dispose my heart and open my lips c. A Psalm MY GOD my GOD look upon me Why hast thou forsaken me and art so far from my health and from the words of my complaint O My GOD I cry unto thee in the day time but thou hearest not and in the night-season also I take no rest And yet thou continuest holy O Thou Worship of Israel Wherefore unto thee O LORD will I lift up my soul my GOD I have put my trust in thee O let me not be confounded neither let mine enemies triumph over me O remember not the sins and offences of my Youth but according to thy mercy think thou on me Who can tell how oft he offendeth O cleanse me from my secret faults Keep thy servant also from presumptuous sins lest they get the dominion over me so shall I be undesiled and innocent from the great offence Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be always acceptable in thy sight O Lord my Strength and my Redeemer For thy Name sake O Lord be merciful unto my sin for it is great Look upon mine adversity and misery and forgive me all my sins Hearken unto my voice O Lord when I cry unto thee have mercy upon me and hear me O hide not thy face from me nor cast thy servant away in displeasure Thou hast been my succour leave me not neither forsake me O God of my Salvation I should utterly have fainted but that I believe verily to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living Therefore shall every good man sing of thy praise without ceasing O my God and I will give thanks unto thee for ever Glory c. A Prayer for the remission of sins O Most loving bountiful Father forasmuch as it is most meet right just and requisite that all flesh should praise magnifie and worship thee should without ceasing give thanks unto thee who only art the Creator and Maker of all things who of thine own mercy and goodness didst send down thine only begotten Son to take our nature upon him and to suffer death for our sins thereby to make a recompence for the offences which Man had committed against thee And all this thou didst of thine exceeding bounty and kindness without any desert of Mankind not being so much as by any one Prayer or yet treaty thereunto incited I being therefore O dear Father imboldened with such an inestimable benefit so freely given and bestowed do without any fear at this time appear before thy Divine Majesty prostrating my self before the seat of thy Mercy and with all humbleness of heart and mind do make this my Prayer unto thee despise me not O Lord being defiled with sin and iniquity be â—merciful unto me a sinner lighten the evil-sighted eyes of my mind open the stopped stopped ears of my heart that I may both see and hear understand that which thou teachest do always that thou commandest and that I be not only a hearer of thy Word but a practiser of the same in my life and conversation Save and defend me from all shame and reproach be thou my shield and buckler against all temptations cleanse my mind and thoughts from all uncleanness keep and preserve me from all danger both in body and soul and guide me with thy grace so to spend this my small short and transitory time in this world that I may be a member of Christ and partaker of thy eternal felicity to the which seeing that by mine own weakness I shall never be able to aspire I do here O Lord take hold of that promise of thine where thou hast said Come unto me all ye that labour and I will refresh you this is my hold-fast this is my anchor and sure stay for verily sweet Saviour when I look upon mine own frailness and behold how ready I am to offend then I quake for fear but as soon as I call to mind thy great love and Kindness and thou wilt not the death of a sinner and that in what day soever he doth heartily repent and call unto thee then thou wilt hear him then I am relieved then I am not a little comforted knowing surely that Thou wilt perform that which thou hast promised in faithful assurance whereof I now say unto thee Turn thou me O my GOD and I shall be turned be favourable unto me O Lord be favourable unto me thy servant and heal my soul which is wounded with sin for I do acknowledge mine iniquity and am heartily sorry for mine offences through which I have either in word or deed thought or any other
shall this snake of conscience sting me to death What good Lord is the stream of thy mercy stopped are the rivers of thy grace dryed up dost thou not call me saying Come unto me Yea good Lord and therefore despair I will not it is not thy will that any sinner should perish and thou hast not only said but sworn it that thou wilt not the death of a sinner but rather his conversion and life Behold therefore dear Father I come unto thee being a grievous offender in hope of pardon in the Name of thy Son who by his own testimony came into this world to save sinners he was content to blot out that obligation which Satan had against me by the floud of his most precious blood which issued out of his glorious side In this pool he hath washed away the leprosie of sin were it never so desperate O Lord and gracious God I have wasted my days in vanity I have from time to time trodden under my feet the pearls of Christian profession even from the womb have I been a rebellious traitor to thy Majesty a friend to this world to godliness an enemy But now O Lord I cry unto thee forgive me forgive me Now I come unto thee therefore cover me with the wings of thy mercy that I perish not good Lord accept thy Sons merits for a satisfaction for my sins drown them in the stream of thy mercy and cast them behind thee for ever good Lord I beseech thee Oh sweet Lord look upon me with thy most precious and piteous eye lest that be destroyed which thou of thy great goodness hast made and Christ thy Son of inestimable love and infinite charity hath redeemed through his bitter passion This is the total sum unto thee of all my suit O Lord mercy mercy O Father of mercy mercy is the thing that I beg have mercy and pity upon me be thou my shepherd to defend me my Castle of defence to save me against the power of the Devil thou hast store of mercy for them that ask it Therefore O Lord for the wounds of thy dear Son have mercy upon me let not sin sting me to death but lay to my fore soul the salve of thy mercy grant this O dear Father of thy merciful compassion to whom be all glory for ever and for ever world without end Amen A fruitful Prayer to God the Father O Lord my God wherein is my hope fixed in this life or what is my greatest comfort of all things that are any where under the cope of heaven but only thou my Lord and God whose mercy is infinite when was it with me well if thou wert absent or ill if thou wert present doubtless I would rather chuse to be poor for thee than rich without thee and rather to be with thee a pilgrim on earth than without thee to possess Heaven where thou art there is joy and peace of conscience where thou art not there is woe and destruction thou alone art the thing I desire and there is none can assist me in my troubles but thou alone O God thou art my hope thou art my confidence thou art my comforter in all things most faithfully all men seek their own but thou desirest nought but my welfare and turnest all things for me to good therefore in thee my Lord and God I place all my confidence on thee I do lay all my calamities and troubles for without thee whatsoever I behold is as frail and transitory For neither can friends profit nor strong men help nor wise men counsel well nor learned books comfort nor riches save nor secret place hide unless thou be present to help strengthen comfort instruct and keep for whatsoever seems to belong to the attainment of peace and felicity without thee is nothing and bringeth indeed no felicity at all so that thou art the chiefest end and perfection of life and that in thee to trust above all things is the chiefest comfort of thy servant O my God and Father of mercy bless make my soul holy with celestial happiness that it may be thy sacred habitation and temple purged from all filthiness O Lord according to the greatness of thy mercy look upon me and hear the supplications of thy poor servant living far off a banished man in a savage country Protect and keep the soul of thy servant among so many dangers of this mortal life and bring me by the conduction of thy savour into the country of eternal glory through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom be all honour power and glory for ever and ever Amen Prayers for Friday Night O Lord my God and Father blessed be thy Name for ever Dispose my heart open my lips and give c. A Psalm WIth my whole heart have I sought thee O let me not go wrong out of thy commandments Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me O give me the comfort of thy help again and stablish me with thy free Spirit Stablish thy word in thy servant that I may fear thee and turn away mine eyes lest they behold vanity and quicken thou me in thy way So shall I always keep thy law yea for ever and ever Yea at midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments O let thy merciful kindness be my comfort according to thy word unto thy servant And let thy loving mercies come unto me that I may live for thy law is my delight My soul hath longed for thy salvation and I have a good hope because of thy word O how sweet are thy words unto my throat yea sweeter than honey unto my mouth Through thy commandments I get understanding therefore I hate all wicked ways Order my steps in thy word so shall no wickedness have dominion over me O let my soul live and it shall praise thee and thy judgments shall help me I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost O seek thy servant that I do not forget thy commandments Glory be to the Father c. A Prayer for the suppressing of corrupt affections O My God and most loving Father I do acknowledge that I have most highly offended thy sacred Majesty by my gross and most filthy life and have provoked thee to anger by my abominable wickedness wherefore O Lord be merciful unto me and pardon me this great wickedness look not upon me good Father with the eyes of Justice neither do thou draw against me the sword of Judgment for then how shall I that am but dust and ashes stand in thy sight when thy wrathful indignation cometh forth as a whirlwind and thy heavy displeasure as a mighty tempest seeing the earth trembleth the depths are discovered and the very Heavens are shaken when thou art angry Exercise not therefore good Lord thy fury against me that am but as chaff before
into the place of everlasting torment But O Lord with thee there is mercy that thou mightest be feared thou art a God of all comfort and consolation a merciful loving and gracious Father ready and willing to hear all penitent sinners that in heart are sorrowful for their sins In the Name therefore of Jesus Christ my blessed Redeemer I humbly prostrate my self before the Throne of thy Mercy seat accompanied with no other hope than such as proceeds from the richness of thy mercy that for his only sake thou wilt have compassion upon me for in humility of spirit and contrition of heart I submit my self to thy goodness beseeching thee not to let my sins be a cloud between my Prayer and thy pity thy goodness and my distress but forgive and forget all my transgressions all my mis-doings let them be sins of what condition soever whether sins of my youth or sins of my age sins of my body or sins of my soul secret and open sins notorious and presumptuous sins sins of pride envy hatred malice c. Good Lord remit them all and of thy great goodness grant me perfect remission and absolution for the same for which the Prophet David Out of the depth of my misery I cry unto thee for the depth of thy mercy O Lord hear my petitions and consider my tears the contrition of my heart and the sorrow of my soul and in the merits of his blood that was so plentifully shed on the Cross for penitent sinners wash away the multitude of my transgressions that my soul by thy mercy being cleansed from the stain of sin I may be found a worthy partaker of this great mystery And now O Lord that I am about to receive the blessed Sacrament of the body and blood of Jesus Christ how shall I that am so great a sinner dust and ashes dare to presume to approach thy Table The Heavens in thy sight being not clear and the pillars of the Earth shake at thy presence What then shall become of me miserable that I am Yea Lord thou hast provided a special means and in thy Gospel left us a command Come unto me all ye c. Which command I obey and in confident assurance of thy promise in Christ Jesus I trust thou wilt have mercy upon me in the easing and refreshing of my soul that is wearied with the burthen of my intolerable sins Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin and renew a right spirit within me And of thy gracious goodness direct me in this great action with a reverend and awful fear of thy Majesty that all the faculties of my soul and body may be intent rightly to apprehend and joyfully to receive this eternal food this bread of life this heavenly and wonderful mystery and that by thy grace I may obtain the vertue fruit and benefits of the death and passion of my Saviour and by the same the remission of all my sins and everlasting salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer before the receiving of the Communion O Most holy and heavenly God and Father which by the immortal seed of thy Word hast begotten us to be thy children and with the same as with milk dost nourish us purely as new born babes as also with the divine mysteries of thy holy Sacraments as by a visible word dost confirm and strengthen us in faith righteousness and having so adopted us into thy family continually feedest and nourishest us unto eternal life we humbly beseech thee so to prepare our souls to the due receiving thereof worthily that we may thereby effectually feel taste and feed on thy Son Jesus Christ the true Manna and Bread that came down from Heaven that we may by him have eternal life pardon O Lord pardon our unpreparedness in coming to the participation of so holy and divine Mysteries Make thy Word and Sacraments always so powerful and effectual in our ears and hearts that we may thereby be sanctified and renewed unto all holy obedience unto thy will in the mortification of our sinful corruptions and renewing of thy perfect Image in us unto holiness righteousness sobriety truth knowledge faith and temperance through his most power ful and glorious Resurrection Stablish our Conscience in the assurance of our salvation by the remission of our sins in the blood of thy Son which was shed for us on the Altar of the Cross as a Sacrifice of expiation to cleanse away all sin O Lord seal and confirm this Covenant of Grace in our hearts by these holy Sacraments pledges of thy grace and love towards us that at no time we may stagger at thy promises nor fall away from hope and confidence in thee but being hereby incorporated into one Body we may partake of one Spirit and grow in love one towards another as members of the same mystical Body that we may forgive one another as thou hast forgiven us O Lord make us ever thankful for thy manifold and great mercies in providing unto us such means and helps of our salvation and grant that we may not put any confidence in external actions and exercises thereof in any hope to be justified thereby but that we may thereby exalt our minds to heavenly and spiritual contemplations and by faith be firmly united to thee our Head in Heaven to be made one with thee and thou with us and howsoever heretofore we have transgressed and defiled our selves as well with our natural impurities and actual impieties henceforth being now wash'd and purified in the blood of the Lamb which was sacrificed for us we may have our conversation in Heaven and being new creatures in Christ may have new thoughts desires and delights far from the lusts of our former ignorance and may live ever unto him and with him who sitteth at thy right hand our Redeemer and Advocate and shall return to be our Judge to justifie and acquit us before thee to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all praise c. A Psalm 1. AS the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God 2. O let thy merciful kindness be my comfort according to thy Word unto thy Servant 3. Help me O God of my salvation for the glory of thy Name O deliver me and be merciful unto my sin for thy Name 's sake 4. O remember not my old sins but have mercy upon me and that soon for I am come to great misery 5. Consider and hear me O Lord my God for my trust is in thy mercy 6. Turn thy face from my sins and put out all my mis-deeds 7. Have mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away my offences 8. Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin For I acknowledge my faults and my sin is ever before me 10. Behold I was shapen in wickedness and in sin hath my mother conceived me
beseech thee to have compassion on this thy servant who by thy visitation hath been sorely afflicted and by the same even brought to the termination of his days and end of his life be pleased good Lord to have mercy upon him acept of him as the work of thine own hand a Lamb of thy fold thy servant redeemed by Jesus Christ who is willing by thy appointment to leave this miserable World in full assurance of thy mercy in Jesus Christ for the remission of his sins guide him good Lord in this his last journey that he being quit of all the troubles of this transitory World may safely by thy power be conducted to the Haven of eternal happiness into the arms of thy unspeakable mercy to everlasting peace to perpetual joy and there to reign with all the company of Saints and Angels in eternal Bliss for evermore Good Lord we beseech thee by the abundance of thy goodness by the multitude of thy Mercies by the merits of thy Death and Passion by the glorious Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ have mercy upon him deliver him from the burthen of his sins the fear of Death and the power of Hell and give him a quiet and joyful departure and receive him in thy favour to the fulness of Joy in thine everlasting Kingdom to reign with thee world without end Amen Thanksgiving after Recovery O Lord my God and heavenly Father seeing it hath pleased thee of thy infinite mercies to with-hold my life from the pit of corruption and in good measure restored me again to my former health crowning me with mercy and loving kindness my soul and all that is within me shall praise thy holy Name I will praise thee O Lord with my whole heart and sing praise unto thy Name O thou most High for the health of my body I bless thee for it with my soul And good Lord give me also the health of my soul then shall I magnifie and praise thee for thy goodness with soul and body This gentle correction hath brought me nigher unto thee and upon thy forbearance I have promised amendment of life and that I may so do assist me with thy grace give me constancy and perseverance in good works and keep me from relapsing into those sins which induced thy former judgments and though the custom of sin take away the sense of sin and my infirmities being many yet good Lord forsake not my soul in any temptation neither suffer me to fall into such notorious sins again which I have truly repented me of but so guide me by thy grace in the small remainder of my days that I have to live in this World that my life may be ordered by thy governance and always do that which is righteous in thy sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Psal 116. I Am well pleased that the Lord hath heard the voice of my Prayer 2. That he hath inclined his ear unto me Therefore will I call upon him as long as I live 3. The snares of Death compassed me round about And the pains of Hell gat hold upon me 4. I shall find trouble and heaviness and I shall call upon the Name of the Lord O Lord I beseech thee deliver my soul 5. Gracious is the Lord and righteous yea our God is merciful 6. The Lord preserve the simple I was in misery and he helped me 7. Turn again then unto thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath rewarded thee 8. And why thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling 9. I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the living 10. I believed and therefore will I speak but I was sore troubled I said in my hast All men are lyers 11. What reward shall I give unto the Lord for all the benefits that he hath done unto me 12. I will receive the cup of salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. 13. I will pay my vows now in the presence of all his people right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints 14. Behold O Lord how that I am thy servant I am thy servant and the Son of thy handmaid thou hast broken my bonds in sunder 15. I will offer unto thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon the Name of the Lord. 16. I will pay my vows unto the Lord in the sight of all his people in the Courts of the Lords house even in the midst of thee O Jerusalem Praise the Lord. A Morning Prayer for a private Family O God the Father Creator and Maker of all things in Heaven and Earth O Christ the Redeemer of all Mankind and thou O blessed Spirit the Sanctisier of all the Elect have mercy upon us spare us most miserable sinners whom thou hast redeemed and be not angry with us for ever but hearken unto our Prayers receive our petitions and grant our requests for Jesus Christ his sake our only Lord and blessed Saviour We thy poor and unworthy servants in all humility of Soul and Body unfeigned acknowledgment of our bounden duty prostrate our selves before the Throne of thy mercy seat praising and magnifying thy Fatherly goodness for the abundance of thy blessings for the multitude of thy mercies continually heaped upon us beseeching thee for Christ his sake to be merciful to all our sins committed against thy divine Majesty upon the consideration of which we confess we are not worthy to appear in thy sight much less to ask a blessing at thy hands for by reason of our corrupt Nature in us derived from our first parents our inclination hath been prone to commit all manner of sin and wickedness against thy goodness thy Laws and Precepts we have broken both in thought word and deed out of our hearts proceed evil and wicked imaginations which defile the soul and the whole man is altogether abominable the eyes that now look up to thee for mercy have beheld vanity our tongues that now call upon thee have blasphemed thee our hands now lifted up to heaven have been lifted up against thee our feet have been willing to run to commit any mischief by the temptation of Satan our wills being continually averse to thy commandments the Law of sin is in our members repugnant to the Law of our mind making us altogether unworthy of the least of thy mercies and miserable that we are the numberless number of our sins have been multiplyed as the number of our sinful days have increased these things O Lord we have done to our shame and if thy mercy prevent not judgment to our utter destruction of soul and body we must acknowledge thou who art our Creator who hast made us by the precious death of Jesus Christ redeemed us and by thy holy Spirit sanctified us and many are the blessings and benefits which we enjoy both in soul and body therefore by the contrition of ouâ— hearts by the testimony of
nor flight I beseech thee to cast off the blind burthen of fleshly affections subdue my reason regenerate my will and purifie my nature lead my desire that I may seek thee lighten my understanding that I may see thee for I can neither seek thee without thou direct me nor see thee except thou reveal thy self LORD forgive mine ignorance forget my presumption Pardon mine iniquities relieve my necessities Let my sins no longer be a cloud between my Prayers and thy pity between thy goodness and my distress most gracious GOD who art merciful towards all suffer me not to be destitute of thy Mercy for although I have committed that whereby I may be destroyed yet hast thou neither forgone nor forgotten that whereby thou art wont to save O wretch that I am how coldly do I cry how weakly do I crave how senseless is my unclean soul alas I am nothing but vanity a rotten root without any life or virtue a barren ground bringing forth nothing but sin shame and damnation I am unable either to give thee any thing but of thine own goods or do any thing for my self but by thy free gift Wherefore O my sweet Saviour by the tender love and by all thy mercies reach thy helping hand draw my soul out of the mire of sin wherein it is fast set that I perish not in the presence of thy pity deliver me from the snares that the enemy hath laid to take the soul of sinners either wilful or secure Put away occasions of evil before me guide me unto thee the streightest course and so long as I am to continue in this vile vale of misery settle me in that state of life wherein I may best please thee Give me grace O gracious God although I have hitherto had no care to live well yet I may now wholly and holily bend my care to dye well and that from henceforth I may live in thy fear and dy in thy favour rest in thy peace and remain in thy joy for ever Amen A Prayer for Patience O Most gracious and omnipotent Father whose mercy is everlasting and power infinite bow down thine ear and hearken unto my Prayer which I make before thee beseeching thee of thy accustomed goodness to endue me with the works of Mercy and deeds of charity and above all things to give me patience in adversity meekly to suffer and patiently to take whatsoever it shall please thee to lay upon me and never to murmur or to grudge thereat but always to think thy loving and gentle correction to be much less than the deserts of my great and manifold offences And again if I be not under correction then am I not thy child for what father is he that correcteth not his children whom he most entirely loveth this then is a most evident token that thou lovest us when as thou correctest us for as the Scripture saith Whom God loveth him He chasteneth Thou â—eest all things Thou understandest and knowest all things so that not so much as one little sparrow lighteth upon the ground without thy knowledge yea and our very thoughts are fore-known unto thee Thou disposest and orderest all things as seemeth best to thy holy will and pleasure By thy help I may do all things but without thee I can do nothing When thou pourest upon us thy creatures thy good gifts and benefits Thou dost it to this end that we acknowledging the same should thereby be encouraged to serve honour and obey thee and contrary wise when thou strikest us with thy rod of correction thou dost it to put us in mind that we have transgressed thy Commandments that we have not hearkened unto thee but willingly fallen into the puddle of sin and following our own appetites have provoked thy just wrath and indignation against us Thus thou dealest with us O Lord to the intent that we suffering bodily punishment and feeling the smart of the same may thereby be admonished of our duties and with true compunction of heart desire to be released from the scourge that we have deserved This O heavely Father I acknowledge to be our duty but alas I for my part have not performed the same as I ought yet I beseech thy goodness not to execute the rigour of thy Justice upon me but to stay thy hand and before thou give me any greater wound to behold my humility and repentance and here I do offer thee O Lord according as the poor widow did all which I am able to give that is a sorrowful contrition of heart for my former offences done and past wherefore I beseech thee to give me grace that what way soever it shall please thee to punish me 〈◊〉 may take it patiently and say Naked I came into this World and naked I shall return to the Earth again The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away even as it pleaseth the Lord so be it Suffer me not O Lord to despair or to think that thou dealest unjustly with me but say Shall I receive Prosperity at the LORD's hands and not be conâ—ent with adversity and always to think upon this Happy are they whom thou â—ost punish for though thou makest a wound Thou also givest a plaster though Thou smitest thy hand maketh whole again Mine iniquities are great be thou merciful unto my wickedness O deliver me from thine anger and press me not further than I shall be able to bear but now 〈◊〉 acknowledge that whatsoever trouble thou hast sent me or wilt lay upon me is either for the punishment of mine iniquities or for the tryal of my Constancy I may with repentant David find remission of my sins and with patient Job release of mine adversity and obtain such favour in thy sight that I may so pass this life that I may afterwards live with thee in thy eternal Glory grant this Oâ— most loving Father for thy dear Son's sake Jesus Christ to whom with the holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen A Prayer for Humility O My sweet Saviour Jesus it is thine own Lesson Be humble and meek as I am it is thy Word also My sheep hear my Voice but Lord what shall I do the flesh is proud I daily rebel against thy holy will I envy my superiours I love not my equals I despise mine inferiours This is the fruit of the â—lesh O Lord but thou art love and life O loving Jesus and therefore I beseech thee of thy tender love to pity me and to endue me with the spirit of humbleness that being poor iâ— in spirit I may with the little ones of thy Kingdome be blessed and live for ever O Lord for the avoidance of pride give me thy grace to consider that by it an Angel became a devil and Man was excommunicated from the Paradise of pleasure desire of Soveraignty begat the devil sin death and damnation so that out of it as a most filthy puddle issu'd a whole Sea of mischief and misery
of thee joyntly both with trembling and trust settle the love of thee in me and the care of me in thee let my prayer come unto thee and thy mercy unto me let the joy of thy happiness remain with me and the compassion of my miseries with thee let my heart love thee let my flesh fear thee and let my whole substance in this world joy wholly in thee that I may enjoy thee wholly in the world to come by thee O Christ who art my Saviour and Deliverer to whom belongeth all power and glory for ever and ever Amen A Prayer in heart to feel spiritual comforts O Lord GOD and most dear Father now I fully know the heart of man is not in his own power for thou hast taught me by thy dâ—minishing the Spirit of comfort in my heart that it is thou only which makest joyful the heart of man and which diminishest the same joy according to thy good pleasure and will therefore O dear Father I beseech thee to send me thy most blessed comfort and strength of Faith into my heart to fill the same with spiritual joy and that by the working of thy holy Spirit in me the comfortable promises of thy merciful Protection may be sealed in my heart and sink deep into my soul that I may be fully assured that thou art my strong rock and house of defence that thou dost keep me as the apple of thine eye and that thou wilt not lay more upon me than thou wilt give me strength to abide but that thou wilt assuredly at thy appointed time renew my heart and the whole power of my mind that I may fully glorifie thy Name Thy Holy Spirit O Lord in me which is the assurance of my Salvation doth continually send forth unspeakable sighs and longings for thy full and joyful presence I beseech thee therefore O dear Father for thy Son JESUS's sake hearken to my prayers and grant my requests make tender my hard and stony heart by thy holy Spirit that I may from the bottom of my heart acknowledge thee to be my most merciful God and Father and all things in thy holy Word to be most certain and true and reverently embrace the same and in my soul to take comfort and joy of the same that I may even to my lives end walk before thee in sincerity of heart being assured of my salvation through that one alone sacrifice for my sins made by thy dear Son Jesus Christ to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory for ever Amen A fruitful petition to GOD. O LORD GOD of infinite wisdom inspire my heart and direct my voice that I may not think nor utter any thing before thy Maiesty but that which thou knowest to be expedient for me to ask and glorious for thee to give Turn not my prayer Good Lord into perdition nor my suit into sin for thou art the God of my Fathers on whom I wholly depend save me for thy mercies sake O save me as I have always put my trust in thee and when through the perverseness and froward inclination of my nature I fall into any wickedness and sin leave me not good Lord unto them acquit me from the inordinate lust of the body let no desire of uncleanness take hold upon me and give me not over to an unshamefast and obstinate mind Lord here I stand vile wretch before the throne of thy dreadful presence hoping that I shall be heard not in the faintness of my faith but in the power of thy promises O weigh my weakness and grant my desires as thou knowest most meet for me then can I want nothing and my conscience shall be comforted with all spiritual consolation in Jesus Christ to whom with thee O Father and the holy Spirit be ascribed all power and glory for ever Amen A Prayer to be ingrafted into Christ O LORD it is mercy without merit that I am a branch of the Vine Jesus that I am the house and Temple of the Holy Ghost It is of Justice that thou hast appointed thy house to be a place of prayer and of duty therefore that we should pray unto thee For this O Lord I thank thee that thou hast made me thy child to lodge me and I acknowledge that of duty I am bound to serve thee but give me O Lord the grace of thy Spirit to conduct me in the way of thy will cleanse or create a new heart within me that I may be a fit lodging for thee and yield up the savoury sacrifice unto thee which thou requirest of every Christian I mean the sacrifice of prayer the sacrifice of the heart which savoureth sweetly unto thee And at this time in hope of the assistance of thy holy Spirit I desire thee that as thou hast of mercy covered me under thy wings of safety so thou wilt defend and keep me from all the storming rages of Satan who is wont not only by day but also and that especially by night to undermine man when his senses are fettered in bands of rest but I hope O good Lord that as I am then most unable and at all times else to withstand the buffets and assaults of Satan so thou wilt be most ready to succour me and partly because thereby thou shalt unlock the riches of thine infinite mercy and pity and partly because thou lovest every thing which thy hands have made For which and for all other thy blessings I yield thee all honour power and glory which is due only to thy blessed Majesty for ever world without end Amen A Prayer against evil imaginations O Lord cleanse my heart I do beseech thee from all impure and wicked cogitations and thoughts give me a clear conscience shame-fac'd eyes modest hands and a tongue to tell the truth and seeing there is nothing hid that shall not be discovered good Lord I beseech thee to search my thoughts and renew in me thy holy Spirit direct my feet in thy ways that walking after thee in the path of the righteous I may pass through this vail of misery bearing thy banner stoutly in my warfare and in the end obtain everlasting joy the promised hire of such as have born thy Cross and valiantly fought with the armour of faith against temptations and all evil vouchsafe O Lord to grant all these my supplications and petitions for thy dear Sons sake Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be ascribed all power and glory for ever Amen An Evening Prayer O Heavenly Father the giver of all good things and the protector of all those that love thee I yield thee most humble and hearty thanks not only for keeping and preserving me this day but all my life that neither my enemies have prevailed against me as they sought nor any other danger which in this world is incident unto mankind hath overcome me but hast like a loving Father and careful purveyor given and
come Amen A Prayer for the increase of Faith O Almighty God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ by thy Word we are taught to love thee fear thee and serve thee and in true godliness and sincerity of life is the only way and means to continue thy love and favor towards us without the which we cannot but perish and that belief and confidence in thy Son Jesus Christ is the only means of our redemption and atonement with thee and the only hold of our salvation whereof we cannot be sufficiently assured without thy special gift of faith which is the anchor whereto the cable of our salvation is fastened which being broken the hope of our salvation cannot but decay and be of none effect vouchsafe therefore O most merciful God to plant one spark of true faith in my heart and that it may grow to such perfection that I may know thee perfectly love thee duly fear thee and unseignedly acknowledge Jesus Christ to be sent into this wretched world to save us miserable sinners O Lord grant me to take such hold of his Death and Passion Resurrection and Ascension that by his Death I may have pardon and by his Re surrection rise to righteousness and by his Ascension ascend with him to thy celestial glory and finally attribute the cause and means of my salvation to proceed only of his Passion increase this faith in me good Lord daily more and more that it may grow by the working of thy holy Spirit to full perfection accompanied with good works and godly behaviour without the which I confess that faith cannot be withhold not from me good Lord that singular gift of thine which is the stay of my happiness and the want thereof a most certain token of my perdition no good thing is wanting to him on whom thou vouchsafest to bestow this gift to him all things are light and in him remaineth no darkness at all banish most sweet Lord therefore all misbelief all wavering and doubting out of my heart and plant instead thereof unfeigned faith that applying the same to every affliction both of body and mind I may vanquish and overcome Satan withstand the delights of this world and suppress the corruptible motions of the flesh and enjoy at thy good pleasure health of body and soundness of mind and all things requisite for me A most precious jewel is faith for thou hast said that whosoever heareth the Word and believeth in Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent shall have everlasting life then on the contrary he that believeth not is in danger of everlasting death O Lord increase my faith wherein I may believe in that thy Son and take hold of all his promises who said that whosoever believeth in him shall want no manner of thing that is good Lord I believe help my unbelief and give me faith yea but as a grain of mustard-feed and I shall be able to remove Satan out of his desired habitation and to expel him and his ministers and walk no longer according to the will of the flesh but casting away the works of darkness enjoy the pure light of the Gospel and persevere and abide therein without fainting in any tribulation or vexation of spirit going forward in hope in fear in love and unfeigned zeal towards thee and obtain at thy merciful hands whatsoever is necessary in this life and after this life ended enjoy thy celestial inheritance which grant me for thy Son Jesus Christ his sake to whom be all honour c. A Prayer or Thanksgiving for the Passion of Christ O Lord Jesus Christ God and man we thank thee for that of thy only and free mercy without any works or worthiness at all of ours thou hast redeemed us miserable sinners through thy most innocent and holy Passion O sweet Jesus how bitter and great were thy pains how horrible and cruel thy punishment how grievous and lamentable thine afflictions how bloody thy wounds thy dolours how divers and thy death how shameful which thou suffered for us O how inestimable was thy love that moved thee to endure such and so great torments to reconcile us to thy Father in the Mount of Olives through our infinite sins lighting upon thee thou didst sweat contrary to our nature blood that the drops like blood trickled upon the earth and so after a marvellous manner blood came out of thee being expelled by the resolutions of the Spirits nature being broken and languishing by reason of thine intolerable sorrows and torments and thy Disciples being fled thou wast and also didst most voluntarily commit thy self into the hands of most cruel Jews which brought thee most rigorously bound without compassion fromthe presence of one corrupt Judge unto another more cruel where thou wast most unjustly condemned thy blessed body was so mangled that even an Ethnick pitying the same uttered these words Behold the man Finally for our enormous offences thou wast afflicted with a most odious kind of death and so in the extremity of pain thou didst give up the Ghost commending the same unto thy Father in wonderful patience that so by thy torments having quitted us from all guiltiness as well of fault as of punishment we might be healed to this end thou didst bear the burden of our sins upon the wood of the Cross that thou mightest recover the peace of souls and obtain the true righteousness for as many as believe in thee wherefore O Jesus Christ thou Son of the living God for these torments and all other thy passions I will honour and praise thee for ever beseeching thee most humbly that thy passions may work and take effect in me and that always being mindful of the same I may rejoyce therein and make it a comfort for my self against all the temptations of Satan and the fear of sin and the Law and that thy Cross may be an example unto me that walking in thy steps I render not rebuke but for rebuke may imitate thy long-suffering praying for such as persecute and offend me and finally that I may so think upon and celebrate the cause of thy death that the consideration thereof may utterly extinguish all the flames of unlawful concupiscence and bury the inticements of the flesh and nourish the love of vertue within me that so being wholly dead unto sin I may live unto righteousness and serve thee which barest our sins in thy body upon the Cross which livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost one God for ever Amen A Prayer for mercy for our offences O Lord I am a grievous sinner I have passed and broken the banks of thy Commandments from the womb to this day I have with the Pirate Satan sailed in the ship of iniquity so that I may say with Paul I am chief of all sinners This must I needs confess to thee thou God of Justice and this worm of conscience biteth me what then good Lord shall the worm devour me
the wind and as stubble against a flaming fire Though I have sinned grievously in thy sight preferring my wicked desires before thy holy Commandments esteeming the pleasure of a moment before eternal and everlasting joys yet am I bold O merciful Father to prostrate my self before the Throne of thy Majesty heartily to beseech and humbly to intreat thee that thou wilt not deal with me according to my deserts for I have none in heaven to fly unto but thee nor in the earth of whom I may receive any comfort but at thy fatherly hands which are stretched out day and night to receive all that by earnest repentance turn unto thee and to refresh their distressed consciences wherefore O Lord in the multitude of thy mercies I approach unto thee desiring thee to look down from the height of thy sanctuary upon me poor and wretched sinner and to wipe away mine offences and to blot out my misdeeds especially all those my ungracious unclean and ungodly acts that they may not come up in remembrance with thee nor be imputed to me for ever For thy Sons sake O Lord in whom thou art well pleased and in whom thou wast fully satisfied upon the Cross for my sins grant me free pardon and remission in that I have so foolishly by my exceeding frailty committed against thee but quicken thou me O Lord that art the fountain of life and call thou out of heaven thy dwelling place that my wandring soul may hear the voice of her shepherd and follow thee wheresoever thou leadest O give me thy helping hand and by thy Spirit cast down subdue and mortifie my raging â—usts and affections let me not any longer be occupied in ungodliness lest mine enemies triumph over me pluck up O my good Father these roots of bitterness that no unsavoury fruit may come of the Tree which thou of thine own hand hast planted I desire I look I call I cry for thy assistance that I may conquer and subdue all the sinful and unruly motions of my heart O blessed Saviour that hast granted so many petitions upon earth to them that were careful for the body fulfil 〈◊〉 pray thee this my desire mortifie good Father in me the old body of sin and give unto me a new body purged from these works to serve thee the living God â—enew my spirit daily that I may cast away these works of darkness why should my body made by thy hands and my soul framed according to thy Image be given over as a prey into the hands of Satan Deliver me O Lord from the snare of the hunter and preserve me from the hand of mine enemy who lieth in wait for my spiritual life and laboureth for my everlasting destruction To thee I fly O Lord for succour hide me therefore under the shadow of thy hand that none of the fiery darts of Satan take hold on me And so good Lord to conclude for the love thou bearest unto mankind for thy Sons sake Jesus Christ who hath taken our nature upon him grant that I may not be tempted above my strength but that in all temptations I may fly unto thee as mine only comfort and salvation and that thou wilt of thy mercy and goodness give me grace and desire to withstand all the motions of my sinful flesh and affections which word of thine I beseech thee O Lord to perfect and fully accomplish in me that I may do all things pleasing in thy sight for ever Amen A Prayer for redress of a sinful life O Most merciful God and dear Father grant that with heart I desire thee with desiring seek thee in seeking find thee in finding that I love thee and by loving thee that I turn not again to my former sins which thou hast redeemed give me O Lord a repentant heart and a contrite spirit quench in me O King of glory the lust of my flesh and kindle in me the â—ire of thy love O my Redeemer take from me the spirit of pride and most favourably enrich me with the measure of humility remove from me O my Saviour the fury of anger and graciously arm me with the shield of patience O my Creator root out of me all rancour and endue me with a chearful and meek heart and bestow upon me a perfect faith right hope and constant love preserve me from all vanity inconstancy of mind wavering of heart scoffing of tongue wicked slandering from the vice of hypocrisie the poyson of flattery contempt of the poor oppression of the weak from greedy avarice cankered envy and deadly blasphemy root out of me O my Lord and Maker rash boldness contumacy frowardness negligence idleness blindness of heart obstinacy of mind savage conditions contempt of that good is rigour towards my neighbour O my God and merciful Father I beseech thee in Jesus Christ to bless me with the works of mercy and zeal of godliness to suffer with the afflicted to minister to the needy to counsel them that go astray to comfort the sorrowful to pardon them that trespass against me to love them that hate me to render good for evil to imitate the good to beware of the evil and to embrace vertue to guard the door of my mouth to watch the enemies that compass my lips to despise worldly things and earnestly to thirst after the Heavenly through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour to whom be all honour and glory for ever Amen A Prayer for continual remembrance of our end O God the only giver of life and the maintainer and preserver thereof and the life after death grant me true consideration that this body of mine is builded upon an earthly foundation and framed of the substance of dust and clay which is not durable the glory whereof vanisheth like the flower of the field which is soon cut down and withered the body is the mansion or rather the prison of the soul and the same so frail weak and feeble subiect to so many causes that procure the dissolution of body and soul that death often happeneth when we think least thereon wherefore grant O God of my life that I may have such continual care foresight and diligent respect unto the direction of my doings cogitation and words as I load not my poor Soul so much with the burthen of sensless security sin and iniquity that the body being suddenly intangled with the snares of death be carried where there is no rest nor joy but continual mourning and anguish of mind O my most loving Father lighten mine Eyes that I sleep not in sin nor wander in darkness according to the will of the flesh but make me always willing to come unto thee even with desire when it pleaseth thee to call me let not me as it were draw backward when thou invitest me to the sweet banquet of thy Heavenly Kingdom as by thy Word and Gospel preached and revealed unto us which is an especial calling of us and when I feel my self grieved or
how I shall think of thee teach me with what words I shall call upon thee and the works wherewith I may please thee O most mighty God that art blessed for evermore I commit into thy hands at this time and at all other times else my Soul my Body and all my thoughts affections words and works my memory my faith my belief and continuance in the same that thou maiest defend them with thy most mighty power that thou maist keep them day and night and every moment of time hear me O Holy Trinity and keep me from all evil from all offences from all deceits and despites of the Devil and from all mine Enemies visible and invisible give me O Lord perfect sense and understanding that I may be able to perceive thine exceeding and great mercies teach me what I shall ask and grant that thou wilt hear that which I require give me tears from the bottom of my heart that may unloose the bands of my sins If thou regard me not I perish if thou look upon me I live if thou examine my righteousness I stink and am corrupt being dead but if thou look on me with mercy thou raisest me out of my grave spare my Soul spare my sin visit me that am weak heal me that am diseased give me a heart to fear thee a mind to love thee Ears to hear thee and Eyes that I may always see thee I ask Lord remission of all my sins have mercy on me and hear me O Lord my Salvation I have asked some things which 〈◊〉 need I have remembred those things which I fear wherefore vouchsafe me thy grace O Lord to live in thy true fear to my lives end through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom be all honour and glory for ever and ever Amen A Prayer for Faith and ableness to pray O Most gracious God and dear Father I thy unworthy servant ignorant oâ— all good things unprofitable and unfit to serve thee by reason of my corruption do yield thee all humble thanks that thou dost vouchsafe me access to the throne oâ— thy mercy in Christ where all wisdom aid consolation and comfort do abound and from whom all good gifts and graces do most frankly flow unto thy Children 〈◊〉 I here a Sinner in regard there is in me no strength to stand nor wisdom to walk nor faith to frame my affections accord ing to thy will do heartily crave supply of the good gifts at thy hands where fore dear Father grant me thy holy Spirit which being inspired into mâ— by thy divine power may work iâ— me such effects as are fit for the strengthning of my weak understanding and for the increase of faith and renewing the inner man I may become a fit member of thy Church good Father sanctifie me within and without purifie mine affections and let me be made holy in all my proceedings direct me to call upon thee aright and shape in me a sound course of life and let faith unfeignedly be the ground of all my desires that I may be thereby renewed daily in lively hope of thy gratious deliverance whensoever I am touched with any calamity dear Father banish all unbelief in me and make me thereby faithful that by thy divine working I may be able to conceive aright speak aright and walk aright O learn me and I shall be learned teach me and I shall understand and do thy will then shall neither prosperity puff me up nor calamities cast me down nor any evil make me afraid O happy man that is so far in thy favour that obtaineth this blessing at thy hands therefore I â—â—y unto thee my Allsufficient and truly helping God and Father be pitiful to thy perplexed children to thee I fly and will not faint for I believe thy promises Lord help my unbelief thou art the cause and absolute perfection of my soul the Preserver of life the everlasting and only good that I seek from whom as from a lively spring floweth whatsoever is good either for soul or body make perfect therefore in me this good gift O Lord increase it in me more and more daily that I applying the same in humble manner with reverent prayer to thy divine Majesty both for corporal and spiritual relief may be continually heard and so resting herein under the shadow of thy sacred wings may be safe and secure in all my miseries good Lord I here commend mine estate unto thee in all patience humbly beseeching thee that in thy good time I may reap the fruit of a lively confidence in thee namely what in this life is expedient for the preservation and maintenance thereof and after this life the absolute end thereof that is eternal salvation in Jesus Christ to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all glory for ever Amen A Prayer to be defended against our enemies O Lord strengthen my faith and arm me with continual hope in thee whereby I may be able to withstand all the cruelties of mine adversaries in such sort that they may know it to be thy self who fightest for me and defendest my cause against their fury behold O Lord my trust is in thee thy rod and thy staff comfort me and stay me up that I fall not into their hands by trusting unto mine own policy or wisdom which is but a foolishness before thee nor to the help or friendship of man which is but vain but lead thou me O Lord guide me in all my doings cogitations and words lest I erring from thy Commandements incline my heart to vanity and vice mine enemies take just occasion to say ah we saw it with our eyes and bring up an evil report of me and that deservedly O Lord guide me in all truth establish my heart with true desire and ableness to walk uprightly in all thy ways vouchsafe to keep me from the dangerous desires of fleshly lusts and from haunting the place suspected or polluted with uncleanness lest mine enemies taking just occasion by my lewd behaviour speak that indeed which may redound to my shame and deserved infamy Finally O Lord keep me from all evil and though by reason of my corruption I be naturally inclined to wantonness and excess thou wilt give me sobriety lowliness love even to mine enemies chastity wisdom and discreet understanding both of their wills and mine own weakness that so through thy grace leading the whole course of my life in sincerity and godly behaviour I may magnifie thy holy Name who so regardeth the prosperity of thy servant that thou sufferest him not to fall into the hands of all such as should eat him up and let not the adversaries of thy truth O Lord unjustly rejoyce over me I am in thy hand and they are within the compass of thy power stay their fury let them not take effect in their devices against me I refer all things to thy heavenly providence and wholly commit my self into thy hands humbly praying thee
even so truly through faith we perceive in the body and blood Sacramentally presented the very taste of eternal life For the worthy receiving of this Sacrament these four things are very considerable 1. Preparation or Examination 2. Faith 3. Repentance 4. Thanksgiving 1. Preparation consisteth in self-examination and in an act of the soul reflecting upon it self in a general survey of our spiritual state in grace comparing our present condition which we find in our selves with the word of God by which will quickly appear what good we should have done and the evil we should not have done S. Paul's admonition is that before the receiving of this holy Sacrament there should be a strict examination Let a man examine himself and so let him eat and drink of this Cup. 1 Cor. 11. For he that drinketh unworthily drinketh his own damnation Therefore certainly great is the danger to us if premeditation precedes not this great undertaking Thus saith the Lord Consider your ways Hag. 1. 5. Consider well what you go about for this duty is no perfunctory imployment no exercise by the bye but such a work as ought to be done exactly seriously with deep meditation and study recollecting in privacy and calling to question all thy actions past the omission of good duties and the doing of evil sweeping as it were all the corners of thy heart and view thy self in the glass of God's Law by which quickly will appear thy great and many sins of all kinds whatsoever as want of love and fear of God abusing his mercies and blessings neglect of works of charity piety and justice offending thy God by blaspheming cursing and customary passion Intemperance by gluttony and drunkenness lust and uncharitable desires hatred malice back-biting and all manner of evil imaginations these are they that defile thy soul and except we do as the Prophet commands us Isaia 1. 16. Wash us make us clean put away the evil of our doings before the Lord's eyes and cease to do evil we shall at the last be rewarded with them that had not on the wedding garment Therefore laying aside all carnal security and self-dissimulation Commune with thy self and be still Psal 4. Search thy soul enquire of thy conscience and rip up thy bosome sins and confess them to the Lord in deep sorrow and contrition of heart imploring his mercy stedfastly purposing by his blessed assistance to lead a new life Accuse thy self and say with the Prodigal in the Gospel Good Father I have sinned I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies it is thy mercy I am not consumed And with Mary Magdalene cast thy self down at the feet of Jesus and wash them with tears in tokens of thy sorrow and signs of thy love and be truly sorrowful for so often offending so precious so merciful a God as our God the greatness of whose love can't be measured whose mercy hath no bounds Therefore O my soul contemplate of the great goodness of our good God which hath this day sent salvation to thy soul and calleth thee to this great feast to be partaker of the precious body and blood of Jesus Christ being prepared by humble repentance to receive in faith and joy thy blessed Redeemer giving thanks always to God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ whose mercy is everlasting whose truth endureth from generation to generation 2. Faith which is a certain knowledge with an assured confidence kindled in our heart by the Holy Ghost being assuredly resolved that the free remission of all our sins everlasting righteousness and life eternal is given unto us through the mercies and goodness of Almighty God for the alone merits of Jesus Christ For by Grace are ye saved through Faith and not of your selves it is the gift of God Ephes 2. 8. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Jesus Christ Rom. 13. 24. For as by one man's disobedience all were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Rom. 5. 3. Repentance which is a godly sorrow for sin wrought in the heart by the supernatural grace of the Holy Ghost turning from all our evil ways unto God is meekness and humility of spirit Circumcise therefore the fore-skin of your hearts and be no more stiff-necked Deut. 10. 16. Wash thy heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee Jer. 4. 14. Return ye now every one from his evil ways and make your doings good Jer. 18. 11. Let us search and try our ways and turn again unto the Lord Lam. 3. 4. Return again unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine own iniquities Hos 14. 1. Draw nigh to God clanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double-minded Jam. 4. 8. 4. Thanksgiving praising God the Lord for all his benefits and mercies especially for sending his only Son Jesus Christ to die for the remission of all our sins and always to be mindful of the greatness of his goodness and the unworthiness of our deserts Worthy is the Lamb that was stain to receive power riches wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing Rev. 5. 12. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will sing praises unto my God while I have a being Psal 104. Accept I beseech thee the free-will-offering of my mouth O Lord Psal 11. Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his Name Heb. 13. 15. An humble confession before the Sacrament O Most mighty God and merciful Father which according to the multitude of thy mercies dost put away the sins of those which truly repent and remembrest them no more open O Lord I beseech thee the eyes of thy mercy upon me thy most unworthy servant who in heart earnestly desireth pardon and forgiveness of all my sins and offences the number of which exceeds the ordinary expectation of mercy and such they are as cannot bear any conformity with excuse the total sum whereof is the breach of all thy Commandments both in thought word and deed thy blessings and benefits I have abused thy judgments and punishments not feared the means of my own salvation utterly neglected and most grievously by my wickedness have I provoked thy wrath and indignation against me my life that was appointed for the service of thee the living God hath been for the most part spent in the service of the Devil in the desires and sinful lusts of the flesh my doings have been evil my desires and thoughts wicked and so detestable hath the whole course of my life been that my soul trembleth to look up to Heaven for fear of thy displeasure shouldest thou therefore O Lord be extream to mark what is done amiss and take vengeance for my sins I were as dust before the face of the wind and in justice might be swept away
remorse of faith or sin in such coldness and broken sort that there hath been no life nor comfort in it Judge thy self whether in Prayer thou hast practised the exercises of a broken heart healed in Christ and changed into righteousness whether the just mediation of God's goodness moveth thee to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving and worketh in thee the love thereof that thou mightest be stirred up to love him and to walk in that obedience that he requireth of thee And because the abusing of Gods Creatures is a great sin examine thy self whether thou dost misuse them in forgetfulness of God in pride of life to please thy self in the creature more than in the Creator seeing with the abuse of them to set forth thy self in pride to please thy self and the fleshly eyes of others rather than in humbleness to use them to the pleasing and praising Almighty God the Creator In the use of all which things the love of God which appeareth unto thee to a continual meditation to make thee to spie out sin in thy self and to judge that to be sin which is sin indeed and in no wise to mince or diminish it or to cover it with the figg-leaves of thine own vain excuses but to lay it open before the Lord nakedly and plainly as it is so that thou call not sin righteousness nor righteousness sin good evil nor evil good but condemn that which thou knowest to be sin to abhor it to flee from it without all hypocrisie and cloaking of it with self-love or nourishing it or else with lightness and contempt to dwell in it and therefore thou must examin this sin throughly of not applying thy heart and mind to meditate and understand to believe and taste of the work of thy salvation wrought in Christ crucified through which thou walkest in security wanting faith and yet not feeling thy want wanting the food of life and the tast of God and yet hungrest not after it but thinkest thy self full when thou art empty and nevertheless art empty and poor indeed to beg it at Gods hands the supplyer thereof through which thou feelest not the incorporation into Christs body feel the effect thereof in CHRIST's Death to Die from sin in his Resurrection is to live no Righteousness in his Ascension to ask after Heavenly things and to leave the Earth and flesh at his coming again to be ready with faith and joy to meet him Anâ— here withal weigh what a great sin it is not to hearken to the Spirit of God when 〈◊〉 might work in it whereby thou dost grieve in and quench it when thou dost not gladly obey it and yield to the motions of it and therefore judge thy self for not putting off the old man with all his works and for not putting on the New Man in bringing forth the fruits of regeneration for not considering thine exile in the flesh from GOD or in this World from Heaven to lament it and the cause of it and to extol the Providence of GOD by which thou livest and for being idle vain â—roud in thinking speaking and doing Again for not feeling the estate of GOD's afflicted Church to sorrow in the affliction of it for not seeking zealously to glorifie his Gospel through which thou art not throughly touched for any false Doctrine Idolatry or sin for standing against which the Saints of God have been and still are persecuted and killed and yet thou livest carelesly without feeling of it and art at a good point sink it or swim it To conclude then I mean by sin whatsoever is declared to be sin in the word of God which lyeth either seen or unseen in our hearts of what estate soever we be 〈◊〉 appeareth in life which is found out 〈◊〉 the word of God and so adjudged which thou oughtest to lament before God in the â—xercises of a broken heart to beat down thy heart with humbleness to cause thee to beg mercy with aking heart and very need to seek that heavenly Physician Jesus Christ and of eager desire to feed on him by faith to the assurance of life and Salvation that the sweetness thereof may work in thee the love of thy God to praise him the love of his written Word to do it and in doing it to deny thy self thy will affection and life that with humbleness thou maist walk always with and before the Lord in the holiness and righteousness that pleaseth him knowing that His eye doth search thy heart and life to see in it his will done and obeyed and always practising that which is good that thou maiest please Him and therefore must ask mercy and so if thou continually strive and labour to do it He doth accept of thy imperfect doings in Christ to encourage thee to take better hold and to do better c. Wherefore think and thank God and utterly despise thy self and think thy self a wretch in that God hath done so much for thee and thou hast so oft offended his Highness and also done him so little service and surely it is also great wisdom for thee to think that if it had pleased God for to have given to all other men grace as he hath given to thee that they would have served him better than thou hast done wherefore by his mercy and grace call unto thy remembrance thy degree or dignity which Almighty God of his goodness hath called thee unto and according thereto yield thy debt and do thy duty First and principally honour God as thy Maker love him as thy Redeemer fear him as thy Judge Secondly thy Neighbour which is thy superiour obey have concord and peace with them which be like with thee in degree and have mercy on thy inferiors Thirdly provide thee to have a heart purged and a good custody of thy tongue and in all thy words and deeds have ever in thy mind that thou shalt die shortly and that God heareth and seeth every thing and that nothing is so privily done but it shall be made open And every morning among other Meditations and Prayers pray unto the Lord God that the day following thou mayest use this wretched world in thy thoughts words and deeds that thou mayest by the merits of Christ's passion eschew the pains of Hell and come to the Joy everlasting And 〈◊〉 executing thereof keep truth in words 〈◊〉 deeds defend no man nor no matter against the truth In all things think and trust in God and he shall direct thy ways Trust not to thine own wit but fear God and he will keep thee from evil Be content to hear good counsel though it be contrary to thy will for he is a very fool that will hear nothing gladly but what is according to his own mind do no man harm lest thou suffer the same as thou wouldest be done unto so do thou unto others be such to others as thou desirest they should be unto the. If thou be Religious remember that the due execution of
that sin may no more prevail with me and that Satan mine old enemy may well perceive that he hath neither part nor fellowship in me but that I am both Body and Soul altogether thine to whom O my sweet Saviour with the Father and the Holy Ghost be ascribed all power glory and honour for ever and ever Amen A Prayer to the Holy Ghost O Holy Spirit worthy of all honour which makest up the Almighty Trinity which proceedest from the Father and the Son and art equal to either of them in glory but differing from them but only in property of person which of thy goodness forgivest the sins of them that amend which with thy holy breath cleansest mens minds comforting them when they be in sorrow cheering them up with pure gladness when they be in heaviness leading them into all truth when they be out of the way kindling in them the fire of charity when they be a cold knitting them together with the glue of peace when they are at variance and garnish them with sundry gifts which profess the Name of thy Son Jesus Christ by whose working all things live which live indeed whose delight is to dwell in the hearts of the simple which thou hast vouchsafed to consecrate for Temples to thy self wherefore I do beseech thee O dear Father to maintain those thy gifts in me and to increase them daily more and more that by thy Governance the lusts of the flesh may dye in me and the desire of the Heavenly Life may quicken and increase Let me so pass I beseech thee O my God through the misty desart of this world thy light go before me as I may never be desiled with Satans vices nor be intangled with any Errors disagreeing from thy Truth which the true Catholick Church hath delivered unto us by the instinct of thee which livest and raignest with the Father and the Son everlasting to whom be all honour and glory for ever Amen A fruitful Prayer to God O My dear Lord and God what is this World it is evil it is a place of vain pleasure a cage of iniquity or rather lump of misery and what am I Lord what am I but a friend of this present evil World and an enemy to thee what am I but a child of wrath and son of darkness so glued to sin and lymed with iniquity that my body is a body of sin what then O Lord shall I do shall the mountain of sin oppress me or the world with the baits of vanity so choak me that I shall never like an Eagle fly to the carkass nor be able to cry for help to thee the only Morning Star which are wont to spread forth the beams of comfort unto the needy in time of extremity O Lord my God give me the wings of Faith to flee unto thee and pour upon me the dew of thy blessing that I may bud and bear the fruit of holiness through the operations of thy gracious beams Give me thy Grace that I fail not in my vocation that I may do good and eschew evil and so make good that vow which I made unto thee in my Baptism Save me from falling and stay my feet from slipping by thy holy Word which is the glass of thy Will that being guided over this misly desart I may arrive at the land of Promise and Palace of rest in a lively faith through thy dear Son Jesus Christ to whom be all honour and glory for ever Amen A Prayer for the Church and true worship of GOD. O Most gracious God and loving Father look in favour I do beseech thee upon the Church generally dispersed throughout the whole World and whom by the malice of Satan and tyranny of Antichrist thou seest continually assailed with many and great dangers Be thou therefore O Lord a castle of defence a buckler and rock strong and forcible to withstand the force and fury of all adversaries that rise up against it And for the better comfort endue it with faith unfeigned wherein it and every member thereof may safely run and repair under the shadow of thy sacred wings whensoever perils approach Graciously guide and govern it by taking the defence thereof into thine own hands to whom it specially and alone belongeth and let it hold on the true course of professing and practising of thy true Religion that the adversaries thereof may have no cause to condemn it through sin which howsoever it may seem to dwell in the most godly while we live here yet let us always have an eye and diligent watch over all our thoughts words and works that our light may shine to thy Glory our good and example to others in Peace and War in Comfort and Calamity and not to be dismayed at any noise and report of the greatest danger whatsoever Thou art O Lord my God my only comfort and riches what am I that I dare speak unto thee I am thy poor servant yea and much more poor and vile than I either know or dare shew forth and yet Lord I remember this one thing that I am nothing that I have nothing and that I am nothing worth Thou alone art Good thou alone art Righteous thou alone art Holy Thou knowest all thou dost all thou fillest all only the wicked thou sendest empty away remember O Lord thy tender mercies and fill me with thy favour Thou wilt that none of thy works should serve in vain for how can I stand upright in this wretched world unless thy mercy and favour hold me up turn not therefore thy cheerful countenance from thy servant defer not to help me from day to day withdraw not thy comfort that my Soul be not as the thirsty Land but teach me to do thy Will for that thou O my God art my wisdom and knowest what is meet and convenient for me to whom with the Son and the Holy Ghost be all Glory for ever Amen Prayers for Sunday Night O Lord my God and Father blessed be thy name for ever dispose my heart and open my lips c. A Psalm HOW long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever how long wilt thou hide thy Face from me How long shall I seek counsel in my soul and be so vexed in my heart how long shall mine enemies triumph over me Consider and hear me O Lord my God lighten mine eyes that I sleep not in death For why my trust is in thy mercy and my heart is joyful in thy salvation Therefore will I sing of the Lord because he hath dealt so lovingly with me yea I will praise the Name of the Lord most Highest I will thank the Lord for giving me warning my reins also chasten me in the Night season I have set God always before me for he is on my right hand therefore I shall not fall Wherefore my heart was glad and my Glory rejoyced my flesh also shall rest in hope For why thou shalt not leave my soul in Hell neither
shalt thou suffer thine holy One to see corruption Thou shalt shew me the paths of life in thy presence is the fulness of joy and at thy right hand there is pleasure for evermore O hold thou up my goings in thy paths that my foot-steps slip not So shall he hear me out of his holy Temple and my complaint shall come before him it shall enter even into his ears He shall send down from the height to fetch me and shall take me out of many waters Thou shalt also light my candle the Lord my God shall make my darkness to be light The Lord liveth and blessed be my strong helper and blessed be the God of my Salvation Glory be to the Father c. A Confession to God O Lord my God and everlasting Father I do acknowledge and confess before thy High and Glorious Majesty that I was bred and born in sin and corruption and that since my birth I have not ceased nor do cease daily to transgress thy holy commandments in respect whereof I cannot escape ruine and destruction according to thy rightful justice yet notwithstanding forasmuch as I am sorry that I have offended thee my Lord and God and do condemn both my self and my sin receive me to mercy and as it hath pleased thee to love us even when we were thine enemies and for assurance thereof to give unto us thine only and well-beloved Son to be a Mediator and Advocate between thee and us promising us to obtain whatsoever we shall ask of thee in his Name vouchsafe O most loving God and dear Father to pardon and forgive me in his Name and for his sake and not only to cleanse my heart from all vanity and uncleanness but also to govern and guide me by thy holy Spirit in all my ways that I may live according to thy holy heavenly Will all the days of my life to the glory of thy Name through the same thy well-beloved Son Jesus Christ to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be praise and glory for ever Amen A Prayer against the temptations and malice of Satan O Heavenly Father and eternal God unto thee do we cry Protect and strengthen us O Lord against the temptations of Satan which is the sworn and extream enemy to our Salvation a slanderer and our accuser who rageth and rangeth in a deadly hatred against thy Flock and by all means seeketh the destruction of all mankind divers and sundry ways laying snares to intrap us and our Souls preying for any occasion whereby he may allure us unto shameful offending for as many corporal affections as be in man so many occasions doth he take to tempt us and thereby to wound us He layeth snares to take us in wealth in poverty in pleasure and in the inticements of the flesh in anguish of mind in ambition and desire of glory in the wearisomness of our calling and inferiour condition in cares both for the back and the belly and in lust of revenge night and day whether we sleep or wake he is always about to devour us that our senses may be corrupted from the simplicity that we owe unto Christ even as the Serpent deceived Eve by his subtilty Therefore O thou Son of God which art the blessed seed bruising the head of the Serpent bring and bruise this mine enemy Satan under thy feet Thou my chief Champion which of thine own accord enteredst into temptation that so thou mightest as it were hand to hand wrestle with this mine enemy and purchase a triumph for me by thy victory hold him fast bound that he exercise not his cruelty upon me as he desireth but make me partaker of thy victory that even as thou hast in thy body overcome Satan so utterly suppress him in me thy unworthy servant And I beseech thee O Lord to give unto me thy whole Armour that I may like a right good Souldier resist in the evil day and vanquish this my strong enemy gird me with the truth put upon me the breast-plate of Righteousness and let me be shod and prepared for the Gospel of peace and above all things give me the shield of Faith which can extinguish all the fiery darts of wicked spirits bestow upon me the Helmet of salvation with the sword of the Spirit and the Word of God that through thee I may encounter valiantly and gloriously attain the Victory And Holy Spirit Almighty GOD comfort thou and strengthen my mind against so divers conflicts of Satan which beset me by many snares and especially then most of all when I seek deliverance by other means than by thy word revealed and grant that leaving thy Word delivered unto me I look not after new revelations or violent ravishings but may resist the Devil by thy word and power during my whole life O dear Father to whom it is more easie to do all things than for me to think any good thing Do thou but speak a word and thy deadly sick servant my soul shalâ— be made whole Help O Lord for thâ— great mercies sake for thy truth sake and for thy dear Son Jesus Christs sake and let thy strength suffice against my weakness and thy holy Spirit against my sinful Flesh and old man Thou art faithful O Father who hast promised that I shall not be tempted further than thou wilt make me a ble to bear Give now therefore thy gracâ— and strength unto thy servant that I maâ— with a strong faith in thine infallible Trutâ— and promised mercy vanquish and subdâ—â—â— whatsoever rebelleth against thy most blessed will preserve and keep holy my soul and body and let them not be defiled and made a dungeon of wicked Spirits through delectation in sin Shall now alas the Devil the World or the Flesh pluck from thee that thing that presently cryeth to thee with assured trust in thy promised help Nay Father but grant that I may by thy mighty Power turn all their crafts deceits and raging assaults unto the increase of my faith and that by experience of thy fatherly assistance in this my present temptation I may with assured hope and trust in thy ready help and comfort overcome my sad enemies hereafter in like assaults and praise thy holy Name for the Victory through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom be all power praise and glory for ever World without end Amen A Prayer for grace to do the will of GOD. O Most bountiful Father extend thy favour towards me and let it be with me and labour with me unto the end and give me thy grace to wish to covet such things as may be grateful to thee and acceptable in thy sight let thy will be mine and let me always follow thine and agree therewith Grant that I may like that which thou dost and never like or mislike any thing but that which thou dost like or mislike Assist me O Lord to crucifie my self to all worldly things set me free from wicked affections of the
mind and heal my soul of all unbridled desires and sins that being inwardly healed and purged throughly I may be made fit to love strong to suffer and constantly to continue And above all things grant that I may have rest and peace in Thee for thou art the true peace thou art alone the quietness of mind and without thee all things are hard and troublesome In this peace that is in thee alone which art the chiefest and everlasting felicity I will repose my self both now and for ever and constantly persevere and continue in the same through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour Amen A Prayer not to distrust the mercy of God THY mercy O Lord my God endureth for ever and thy loving kindness towards thy Children is not able to be uttered the truth of thy promise never faileth thine Elect Thou hast made calm the troubled waves of wavering thoughts which overwhelm my soul and brought me to the quiet Haven of thy merciful protection and defence and hast delivered mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling and my heart from distrust O Lord my God and loving Father let this thy great mercy and loving kindness shewed upon me never depart out of my mind and heart but that I may be thereof continually mindful all the days of my life And for these thy unseparable mercies towards me grant good Lord that I may have a thankful heart to render due honour praise and thanksgiving unto thy Majesty acknowledging from the bottom of my heart thy wonderful works in me And that I may hereof be more assured I beseech thee good Lord that as thou hast begun to deliver me so I may feel more and more daily thy good will and mercy towards me increase in me true understanding of thy heavenly Will and thy blessed Word strengthen my faith in thy loving promises that I may be assured of thy protection and mine election and salvation Make me daily more and more to love Thee my dear Father and God unâ—eignedly for all thy goodness shewed unto me to have my full delight and joy in thee and walk before thee in sincerity of heart and godly conversation that I may here on earth glorifie thy Name and after this life with all thy faithful flock possess that everlasting inheritance which thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord hath purchased to whom with Thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory for ever Amen A Prayer to be always bent to Heavenly things O I would to God that that day might once Shine in the which I might see my Redeemer and all these temporal days would end for the days of this world are few short full of evil and sorrow where man is defiled with many sins oppress'd with griefs and cares disturbed with thoughts wrap'd in vanities compassed with errours molested with temptation drowned in sensuality and crucified with Poverty O when shall there be an end of these manifold and miserable labours when shall I be delivered from the miserable bondage of wickedness when shall I only remember thee O Lord when shall I fully and perfectly rejoyce in thee when shall I be out of all danger and delivered from all grief of Body and Soul and come to true liberty when shall I rest in that quiet secure and undisturbed peace where peace is both within and without in all things O Lord Jesus when shall I see thee behold the Glory of thy Kingdom which thou hast prepared for thine Elect from the beginning I do wish to be joyned to Heavenly things but temporal Pleasure and mortal passions keep me back from them In mind I would fain vanquish all wickedness and vice but yet I am constrained to be subject to the froward flesh and I unhappy wretch am at controversie with my self for whilst my soul aspireth upward my flesh draweth downward O what passions do I inwardly suffer For when my soul beginneth to contemplate of Heavenly things then presently heaps oâ— carnal thoughts withdraw me from Prayer O my God do not linger from me depart not in anger from thy servant Thunder forth thy Lightening-bolt and disperse my worldly thoughts abroad and drive away all the temptations of mine enemy Turn my senses unto thee O my dear Father and make me to forget all earthly things Grant that I may cast of all sinful thoughts and fantasies O eternal verity succour me to the end that no vanity do tempt or remove me from thee O heavenly Father help me for all vanity and impureness melteth before thy face which livest and raignest ever one God in Power and Glory world without end Amen An Evening Prayer O Eternal God and merciful Father hear my voice and listen to my Prayers and forgive all my sins which this day I have done in the sight of thee and be not angry with thy servant for ever but listen unto thine only begotten Son which maketh intercession to thee for me for his sake hear me and have mercy upon me defend me this night of thy merciful goodness from unclean and troublesome spirits and from the snares and illusions of the Devil preserve me from all dangers and save my Body and Soul from destruction and grant that this night I may sleep quietly without grief or trouble that in darkness I may behold with the eyes of my heart the light of thy countenance shineing upon me for in thee alone do I trust Thou art my Lord and God into thy hands I commend my soul and body now and ever Therefore O Lord let thy unspeakable mercy preserve me thy endless sweetness rejoyce me thy heavenly truth strengthen me thy knowledge embrace me and thy goodness keep me now and evermore Amen Prayers for Munday Morning O Lord my God and Heavenly Father blessed be thy Name for ever dispose my heart open my lips and give me thy Holy Spirit c. A Psalm HElp me O God of my Salvation for the glory of thy Name O deliver me and be merciful unto my sin for thy Names sake O remember not mine old sins but have mercy upon me and that soon for I am come to great misery My Soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh rejoyceth in the Living God Blessed are they that dwell in thy House they will be always praising thee Preserve thou my soul therefore O my God and save thy servant that puts his trust in thee O comfort the soul of thy servant for unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul For thou Lord art good and gracious and of great mercy unto all them that call upon thee And blessed is the man whose strength is in thee and in whose heart are thy ways O Lord I have cryed day and night before thee O let my Prayer enter into thy presence incline thine ear to my calling And be merciful unto me O Lord for I will call daily upon thee for thou dost wondrous
things thou art God alone O turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me give thy strength unto thy servant and help the son of thy handmaid Shew some good token upon me for good that they which hate me may see it and be ashamed because thou Lord hast holpen me and comforted me O satisfie me with thy mercy and that soon so shall I rejoyce and be glad all the days of my life Shew thy servants thy work and thy children thy Glory And the glorious Majesty of the Lord my God be upon me prosper thou the work of my hands upon me O prosper thou my handy work A Morning Prayer O Almighty God and merciful Father which gavest the children of Israel in charge to offer a daily Morning and Evening Sacrifice unto thee that thereby they may glorifie and thank thee for the benefit of their protection both night and day receive of me O Lord the calves of my lips which I lay upon thine Altar being my morning Sacrifice of thanksgiving unto thee I glorifie thee O eternal God for thou hast broken the bands wherewith I was tyed this night by reason of the midst of darkness and hast delivered me from the shadow of death by bringing me safe and sound to the beginning of this day wherefore I will praise thy Name and magnifie thee for ever O Lord continue thy goodness towards me this day and grant that all my Prayers and works may both begin and end in thee vouchsafe O Lord to keep me this day without sin and fill me in this present hour with thy favour and Grace that all this day and ever I may rejoyce and delight in thy Praises Grant merciful God that descending into my soul I may reprehend and condemn mine own spots and vices within me deliver me O Lord from lying lips and save me from a deceitful tongue keep me O Lord from the edge of the Sword from sudden death from the infectious pestilence from mortal sickness and deadly vexation O Almighty sanctifier both within and without keep me this day from danger of blood-thirsty men whose feet are swift to shed blood For into thy hands this day and ever I commend my spirit and that I may watch upon thee my Maker both night and day beseeching thee to protect me in the day of my trouble that the Enemy have no advantage of me and grant O Lord that if in thy justice for punishment of my sin or of thy gracious favour for trial of my Faith and exercise of my patience thou suffer me to fall into any distress or danger to give me I beseech thee a contented mind to yield to thy good pleasure and assured hope and belief as all things are wrought to thy Glory so they may work for the best unto me as one that loveth thee Grant this O most merciful Father To whom with thy Son and the Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen A Prayer for forgiveness of Sins O God the God of my Salvation I do here acknowledge my sins unto thee and mine iniquities I have not hid Wherefore O my God turn thy face towards me and let thy loving mercy ever more and more extend unto me for I am miserable sinful and poor and I come unto thee the fountain of all help Forgive my sins wash me and I shall be whiter than snow let me tast of thy old loving kindnesses that have been ever of old ready to forgive and to embrace them that turn from their evil ways as appeareth by David Peter and many others who repenting of their sins found favour Wherefore have mercy upon me O God have mercy upon me according to the multitude of thy compassions do away mine iniquities O cleanse me from my secret sins and cover my known sins with the Righteousness of thy Son Jesus Christ remove mine iniquities far away from thee and be not angry with thy servant for ever O enter not into judgment with thy servant for if no flesh before thee be justified what shall become of me who have so highly offended Lord my God full of mercy and pity I appeal unto thee I flee unto thee I rest upon thee leave thy displeasure against me and how weak soever and unable I am to stand in thy presence yet let thy spirit of strength hold me up and say unto me Fear not for my Grace is sufficient for thee I take upon thy love I rest upon thy favour in Christ reject me not though there be no good in me Pour down that absolute good thing even thy Grace and let it direct to amendment of life Thou hast said that thou art well-pleased in Christ thy Son in him be thou also pleased with me and receive me again into thy love through his merits by whom every sinner receiveth free access unto thee and although I for my part most loving Lord am a vessel full of many faults and enormities yet dear Father have mercy upon me and cast me not from thy presence but rather endue me again with a new Spirit and a lively feeling of thy Will and an ableness to do hereafter that I may fill up the residue of my days in sincerity holiness and righteousness and in the due service of thee that from henceforth instead of straying from thee I may dwell and be shrowded under the shadow of thy wings and that instead of sin which hath miscarried me I may embrace Piety Godliness and true Zeal and instead of ignorance whereby I have so long gone astray I may take hold of thy saving truth that it may be a lanthorn unto my seet and a light unto my paths that I may rest safe in thee through a lively faith that never decayeth and here I wait for thy loving kindness and mercy O Lord promised in Christ in whom I am bold with deep sighs of heart to cry and say Lord forgive mine offences cover my sins and lay not my former evils to my charge And for the better performance of this my duty unto thee from henceforth good Lord quench all the corrupt motions of my mind striving with thy divine pleasure that being thus inwardly renewed in my mind reformed in my conversation I may serve thee with gladness through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom be all glory and honour for ever and ever Amen A Prayer for knowledge to do the will of God O Lord God and Heavenly Father the God of all wisdom and understanding I acknowledge that by thy just sentence in that general corruption which I have drawn from Adams Ioins I am deprived of all spiritual wisdom and knowledge of thee and thy will and that there is nothing in man but blockish and beastly ignorance such as springeth from infidelity and is most contrary to thy will There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh God O Lord have mercy upon me most miserable and vile wretch and open mine eyes that I
thou wilt vouchsafe to grant me my petitions which at this time I have asked at thy hands so shall I serve thee here in the Kingdom of Grace and hereafter in thy Kingdom of Glory where I beseech thee O Lord that I may have a place to dwell with thee eternally which livest with God the Father and the Holy Ghost everlastingly to whom be praise and Glory for ever and ever Amen Prayers for Munday Night O Lord my God and Father blessed be thy Name for ever dispose my heart and open my lips c. A Psalm MY Song shall be of mercy and judgment Unto thee O Lord will I sing O let me have understanding in the way of Godliness When wilt thou come unto me I will walk in my house with a perfect heart I will take no wicked thing in hand I hate the sins of unfaithfulness there shall no such cleave unto me Hear my Prayer O Lord and let my crying come unto thee Hide not thy face from me in the time of my trouble incline thine Ears unto me when I call O hear me and that right soon My days are gone like a shadow and I am withered like grass But thou O Lord endurest for ever and thy remembrance throughout all Generations And I said O my God take me not away in the midst of mine age As for thy years they endure throughout all Generations 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 infirmity Which saveth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindness He will not always be chiding neither keepeth he his anger for ever For look how high the Heaven is in comparison of the earth so great is his mercy also towards them that fear him Glory be to the Father c. Confession to God the Father O Lord Almighty the God of our Father and Lord of Mercy which hast made Heaven and Earth with all their Ornaments which hast bound the Sea by the word of thy Commandment which hast shut up the deep and seal'd it by thy terrible and Glorious Name whom all do â—ear and tremble before thy Power for the Majesty of thy Glory cannot be born and thy angry threatnings towards sinners is â—mportable but thy merciful promises are unmeasurable and unsearchable for Thou art the Lord God most High above all the Earth long suffering and most merciful and sorry for the malice of men and thou O Lord according to thy great Goodness and of thine infinite Mercies hast appointed repentance unto sinners that they might be saved Therefore thou O Lord that art the God of the just hast not appointed repentance to those which stand to justify themselves in thy sight but thou hast appointed repentance unto me that am a sinner for I have sinned O Lord I have sinned above the number of the sands of the Sea my transgressions O Lord my transgressions are multiplied and are exceeding many so as I am not worthy to behold or lift up mine eyes unto the Heavens for the multitude of my unrighteousness I have provoked thine anger O Lord and done evil before thee in committing abominations and multiplying of offences Now therefore I bow the knees of my heart beseeching thee for Grace I have sinned O Lord I have sinned and I acknowledge my wickedness desiring thee by Prayer to forgive me O Lord forgive me destroy me not with mine iniquities neither do thou always remember mine evils to punish them but save me that am unworthy according to thy great mercies And I most humbly beseech thee O Lord not to suffer my soul to perish which Thou hast bought so dearly with thy most precious Blood make me poor in Spirit and low of Heart submitting me wholly into thy hands so as my desire and my delight may be always to thy will and pleasure which is always good and godly and grant my poor soul rest in thee for thou hast said They shall never be confounded that put their trust in thee which trust good Lord grant me never to forsake for any vain trust temptation or tribulation that may happen to vex my soul but grant me thy holy Spirit to comfort and defend me from all things that should procure thy displeasure Thou that art in Trinity one God and Lord over all give ear to my Prayer and pardon all my sins so shall I praise thee for ever and ever all the days of my life through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom be glory for ever Amen A Prayer to Jesus Christ O Jesus thou Son of God have mercy upon me and forgive the great offences which I have done in the sight of thee this day and give me grace O Lord for the love of thee to despise sin and worldly vanity O Jesus help me to overcome the temptations of sin and the maâ—ice of my spiritual enemy and strengthen my soul and body to exercise the works of virtue whereby I may come to thy everlasting joy and felicity Grant me a â—ast purpose O merciful Jesus to amend my life and to remove the sins of my youth far from me Jesus lighten me with Ghostly Wisdom for to know thy goodness and those things which are most acceptable unto thee and give me grace to give good and profitable example that none may be hurt by me make me to proceed from virtue to virtue until I be grown a perfect man in thee Let me not return to those sins which by my confession have accused me and with sorrow have oppressed me The horrible sentence of endless death the terrible judgment of damnation thy wrath ire and indignation merciful Lord let never fall upon me Jesus give me grace to fly evil company and when I come among them I beseech thee to preserve me that no occasion of sin overcome me keep my mouth O Lord from slanderous speaking lying false witness bearing cursing swearing uncharitable chiding dissolute laughing and words of vanity O sweet Jesus make me perseverant in the blessed service of Thee in holy Exercises and vertuous Meditations Lord keep my Soul and Body and make me to slay all sinful delectation and patiently to suffer injuries and rebukes in following thine own most Holy and blessed Example Provide good Lord that life for me which thou knowest most for thine honour and my comfortable stay in thee Jesus grant me specially in the time of Prayer to fix my mind on thee and thou to remember my wretchedness The blood that ran from thy blessed heart wash my soul from all sin and iniquity and purchase to me thy grace faithfaithfully to serve thee O my Lord God my might my life my light lead me and feed me in this mortality and at the hour of death when I shall be accused before thee have mercy upon me break my froward heart and make
kind of way offended thee blot them out of thy remembrance and let the Blood of that immaculate Lamb JESUS Christ wash them away let mine old offences decay and die in me that I never commit them any more or by any means renew them in thy sight and in the mean time do not withdraw thy grace from me but cause me to do all that good is O Father remove thy wrath away from me and restore me to thy favour turn thou thy loving countenance unto me and plentifully pour forth thy mercy upon me Guide thou my foot-steps in thy paths and suffer me not at any time to stray from thy ways let me always have the fear of thee in my heart and if at any time through weakness and frailty I do transgress thy Commandments yet do thou not therefore good LORD reject me but be thou that good Samaritan and pour the oyl and wine of mercy and forgiveness into those wounds which sin shall make in me make me thy servant and so endue me with thy grace that I may unfeignedly with heart and voice serve honour and praise thee through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom be praise and glory for ever and ever Amen A Prayer setting forth the power of GOD's Grace O Lord my GOD who hast created me after thine own Image give me Thy Grace which is most excellent and necessary unto all Salvation that I may subdue my wicked nature drawing me always unto sin and destruction for I see in my flesh the Law of sin rebelling against the Law of my mind and leading me captive to the satisfying of my vain desires in many things so that without the assistance of thy most heavenly grace poured zealously into my mind I am unable to resist the assaults thereof Yea LORD I take thy grace and that much grace of thine whereby my nature prone to all impiety even from my youth may be subdued and overcome for Nature being fallen through the offence of the first Man and desiled through sin the punishment whereof hath redounded unto all mankind so that that nature which at the first thou didst make good and righteous is now counted for the sin and infirmity of the corrupt nature insomuch as the motions left unto it tend always unto evil and inferiour things hence O Lord it is that touching the inward man I am delighted with thy Law knowing that thy statutes are good righteous and holy and that they reprove wickedness and teach that which is to be avoided but in my flesh serve the Law of sin whilest I obey the appetite more than reason hence it is that to will is present with me but alas I find no means to perform hereof it is that often times I purpurpose to do many things well but because thy heavenly favour and grace is wanting which may help mine infirmity I flee back and retire yea hereof it is that I know indeed the way of righteousness and see as it were in a glass what my duty is but through the weight of my sin I have no power to arise unto perfection O Lord how greatly do I lack thy grace both to begin what good is and also to proceed throughly in goodness for without it I can do nothing but through the help thereof I can do all things in thee O Heavenly Grace without which neither the merits of Man nor the gifts of Nature are of price whatsoever For the gifts of Nature are common as well to the wicked as to the good but thy Grace is a gift peculiar only to the Elect which whoso have are counted meet and worthy eternal life Finally it is so excellent that without doubt neither the gift of prophecy nor the working of Miracles is any thing worth yea neither faith nor hope nor any other virtue are of price or accepted of thee without love and grace O blessed Grace which maketh him rich with vertue who is poor in spirit Come O come down unto me and fill me early with thy comfort that my mind with weariness and hunger faint not O Lord I beseech thee impart thy grace unto me that is sufficient for me though I have nothing in me else that nature would require yea I protest if that be with me I will dread no temptation nor trouble whatsoever this is my strength that bringeth counsel and help yea it is both mightier than all enemies and wiser than the prudent it is the Mystery of Truth the teacher of Discipline the light of the mind the comfort in affliction the expeller of sadness the remover away of care and the nourisher of Religion At a word without it what am I but withered wood and a root most unprofitable to be cast away Wherefore O Lord let this thy grace both go before and also follow me whereby I may continually apply my self to well-doing through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom be all honour and glory for ever and ever Amen A Prayer for a competent living O Almighty GOD and loving Father who of nothing hast created all things living thy Providence is so great over them all that thou sufferest not the most vile and simplest of them all to perish for want of relief and things requisite for them seeking the same at thy hands yea and such is thy favour O Lord towards Man that thou dost most miraculously provide for him in that all the rest of thy creatures thou hast ordained for his use and service and yet not for all alike for it hath pleased thee to make some poor and some rich some thou exaltest and some thou keepest low some to live at case and some by labour and yet none live without thy Providence and I among the rest of thy creatures do acknowledg my self greatly bound unto thee for helping me hitherto and as thy silly creature and work of thy hands I humbly prostrate my self in heart before thy Majesty beseeching thee favourably to look down upon my necessity and grant me whatsoever thou seest necessary for me even a competent and necessary portion here not over-much lest I wax proud and disdain my inferiours and if it be thy will vouchsafe unto me not over little lest urgent necessity drive me to over-much care and over-much care carry me to unlawful means and so I run headlong into thy displeasure but by truth in my calling I may be able to live and wade through the hardness of this world and be rather helpful to the poor than burthensome to the rich O Lord bring it thus to pass for without thy blessing and Fatherly furtherance I cannot sufficiently execute neither can that prosper thereupon the whole state of my longing and maintenance dependeth wherefore good Lord bless my understanding and endeavours to the prosperous execution of all things which concern my vocation and calling and grant O Lord that whatsoever doth happen unto me as poverty or Riches I may be of a patient mind that in
JESUS Saviour of the world whose mercy cometh unto us like a stream who art my eternal happiness I do from the botto mof my heart beseech thee to increase establish hope and strengthen patience within me for this certainly is true that one little drop of thy sacred Blood shed for us is of more power to save us than all our enormous sins to condemn us wherefore O sweet Saviour look upon me with the eyes of mercy as thou lookedst back upon Peter in the Hall of the High-Priests Palace after he had both renounced thee and cursed himself O God the holy Ghost be thou present with me in mine extream need when the Devill will accuse me and my conscience bear witness against me when I shall be environed with horrible danger and temptations and all things set themselves against me Strengthen my heart at that time O comfortable Spirit with the Zeal of thy Testimony that undoubtedly I may believe the forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the flesh and everlasting life which shall be given to all believers O blessed Trinity and eternal God of one essence give grace that in every combate especilly at the point of death being mindful of thy Covenant made with me in Baptism and of thy most comfortable promise annexed which is that all that believe and are baptised shall be saved I may never doubt either of thy merciful good will towards me or of the free remission and forgiveness of my sins but by often remembrance of this Sign and Covenant I may daily more and more be confirmed in faith and hope of eternal happiness and here O holy Trinity lift up my sorrowful heart and pour upon me the wholsome comfort of thy Heavenly bliss and at the point of death refresh me with the sweet light of thy chearful countenance that with exceeding joy I may desire to depart and come to thy heavenly house where Thou livest and reignest as my eternal GOD and Father for ever and ever Amen A Prayer for the Power of GOD's Spirit to abide in us O Omnipotent and eternal GOD and Father which comfortest such as be sorrowful and who givest all good gifts thou of thy free favour and love hast willed us in all our affairs and necessities and as often as we stand in need of any of thy blessings or feel our selves burdened with any kind of tribulation or affliction either of body or mind to call upon thee in the Name of thy Son Jesus Christ and thou wilt grant what we want most humbly I beseech thee to send down upon my dark understanding the bright beams of thy most holy Spirit to lighten me and to direct me in all my supplications and prayers and especially at this time O Lord for that thou knowest my weakness and ignorance to be such as I am altogether unable to frame my requests according to thy will or to seek that which is for mine own souls health wherefore I most humbly beseech thee O Lord in the Name of him thy Son to address and prepare my heart to the true understanding and unfeigned calling on thy Name for such things as thy wisdom shall think most expedient for me both to the obtaining of thy heavenly Kingdom which is before all things to be sought for and for temporal blessings best known to thee which in respect of my ignorance my dulness my corruption my weakness and the guilt of mine own conscience I cannot crave in such due and faithful manner as I ought and therefore most dear Father I here beseech thee in the Name of thy Son Christ that thou wilt aiâ— me with thy holy Spirit in my prayers that being of my self dull I may be made Zealous and whereas I am of my self cold I may be thereby made fervent and faithful that my Prayers be not as a smoke which vanisheth or as the wind which passeth away being only in the lips and not firm in the heart let it be effectual and an acceptable sacrifice sweet and pleasing in thy sight and that nothing pass the bounds of thy unfeigned lips that which may beseem a single heart always sounding thine honour and setting forth of thy most glorious praise let thy holy Spirit O Lord come unto me let it continue with me work and prevail effectually in me unto the end that I may both at this time begin and for evermore continue as thou will est I should namely in Faith that I fall not into any temptation in hope that I may constantly look for and faithfully attain unto perfect understanding of thy will and ableness in all things to fulfil the same make me also good Lord fervent in love that I may freely and unfeignedly even from my very heart forgive and forgot all injuries wrongs and evil doings of such as by any means have offended me with hearty prayer for their amendment that I approaching unto the Throne of thy mercy in a pure and single heart may heartily as well for all others as for my self for things necessary both for my soul and body make my humble petitions unto thee and in thy good time tast that most sweet fruit of my humble desires according unto thy will so shall I shew forth thy praise and give glory to thy Name for ever and ever world without end Amen A Prayer for the victory against sin O LORD there is no Victory without Fighting nor any Crown without Victory give me therefore power O Lord that fighting valiantly I may be crowned gloriously in Heaven with thee to live for ever minister strength unto me that I may over-master mine enemies and give me the spirit of patience that continuing unto the end I may be found and taken as a faithful Souldier of thy Son Jesus Christ and so be blessed let me not faint in fear but let me fight in a lively saith which over-matcheth all the whole world plant me a natural branch by the power of thy holy Word in the Vine Jesus and make me able to endure every crack let no canker of sin eat me let no worm of a guilty conscience gnaw me let no blast of the world overcome me but stay me up with thy mighty hand and be ever at my elbow that I may be crowned though I be crossed and saved though now soused in extream misery in this is all my hope for surely of my self I am but a vapour a worm I am born of a woman in sin a sinful child by nature and to my power wage battel with Satan against my self to my utter undoing O Lord unless thou regenerate me and assist me with thy Spirit always to resist him which do O gracious God I beseech thee for thy great mercy to whom be all power and glory for ever Amen A Prayer to be mindful of death O GOD in whose hands consisteth the life of all mankind for thy Son Christ's sake vouchsafe to give me grace to set before mine eyes as a most certain mark whereto
charity with thee and my Heavenly Bridegroom Christ Jesus to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be ascribed all power and glory for ever and ever Amen Prayers for Thursday Morning O Lord my God and Heavenly Father blessed be thy Name for ever dispose my Heart open my Lips and give me thy Holy Spirit c. A Psalm SAve me O GOD for thy Names sake and avenge me in thy strength Hear my Prayer O God and hearken to the words of my mouth An offering of a free heart will I give thee and praise thy Name O Lord because it is so comfortable I will praise God because of his Word I have put my trust in God and will not fear what flesh can do unto me In Gods word will I rejoyce in the Lords word will I comfort me For thou hast delivered my soul from death and my feet from falling that I might walk before thee in the light of the Living Therefore will I call unto the most High God even unto the God that shall perform the cause which I have in hand He shall send from Heaven and save me from the reproof of him that would eat me up He verily is my strength and my Salvation he is my defence so that I shall not greatly fall For the greatness of his mercy reacheth to the Heavens and his truth unto the Clouds Wherefore my soul thirsteth for him my flesh also longeth after him in a dry and barren land where no water is Thus have I looked for thee in holiness that I might behold thy power and glory For thy loving kindness is better than the life it self my lips shall praise thee My soul shall be satisfied even as it were with marrow and fatness when my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips Because thou hast been mine helper therefore under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce Glory be c. A Morning Prayer O Heavenly Father which like a diligent Watchman attendest always upon thy children whether they wake or sleep and mightily defendest them not only from Satan that old enemy of mankind but also from all other their adversaries so that through thy Godly power they be harmless preserved I most humbly thank thee that it hath pleased thy goodness so to take care of me thy unprofitable servant this night past that thou hast both safely kept me from all mine enemies and hast given me sweet sleep unto the comfort of my body I most entirely beseech thee merciful Father to shew the like goodness towards me this day in preâ—erving my body and Soul that mine enemies may have no power over me and that so likewise I may neither breath â—peak or do any thing that may be displeaâ—ing to thy Fatherly goodness dangerous â—o my soul or hurtful to my neighbour â—ut that all my enterprises may be agreeâ—ble to thy most blessed will which is always good and godly doing that that may always advance thy glory and â—nswer to my vocation that whensoâ—ver Thou shalt call me from this vale of misery I may be found the child not of darkness but of light and so for ever to reign with thee in glory who art the true and everlasting Light to whom with the Son and the Holy Ghost be all power and glory for ever and ever Amen A Prayer for true sorrow of heart for sin O Most merciful God and dear Father vouchsafe I beseech thee to look down with thy fatherly eyes of pity upon me most vile and wretched sinner which lye here prostrate in heart before the feet of thy bottomless mercy for I have sinned against the throne of thy glory and before thee O Father yet nevertheless forasmuch as thou art the God of all comfort and again desirest not the death of a sinner make me I pray thee by infusing thy precious oyl of comfort into my wounds that I may joyfully run with the lost son into the lap of thy pity for loâ— thou art my hope and trust in whom 〈◊〉 repose my self having in thee full confidence in faith yea and I most vile wretch do here accuse my self unto thee O Father in that I have so sore and grievously offended thy Almighty goodness in the committing of so many grievous and manifold offences I have not kept the least of thy most holy Commandments like as thy righteousness may require the same of me but in what manner soever I have offended against thy eternal Majesty whether it hath been by day or by night secretly or openly O merciful GOD I am sorry for it even from the bottom of my heart yea my soul mourneth that I am not a thousand times more sorry than I am and here in token of true repentance I do knock and strike my heart and say in bitterness of my heart and soul Lord GOD the Father have mercy Lord GOD the Son have mercy Lord GOD the Holy Ghost have mercy and spare me of thy infinite goodness now and for ever and let my heart have part of thy abundant grace so as I may change my sinful life and put off the old man with all concupiscence and that I may die unto the world and the world to me give my soul grace O my GOD to desire in thee only to rejoyce and repose my self and that I may utterly renounce and forsake the vain assistance of this World so that thou mayst find me ready with the good servant in the midnight of death which shall suddenly steal upon me like a thief ere I be aware wherefore be thou to me at that time O Lord a tower of strength a place of refuge and a defensible GOD namely against the face of the Devil who then will be ready to devour me and against desperation which then will be ready to grieve me let then thy comfort cleave fast to me thy mercy keep me and thy grace guide me fetch then again Lord GOD the Father that which thy puissant might hath shapen fetch then again Lord GOD the Son that which thou hast so wisely governed and bought with thy precious Blood take again thou Lord GOD the Holy Ghost that which thou hast kept and preserved so lovingly in this region of sin and vale of misery three persons and one GOD to whom be all glory and power for ever Amen A Prayer for Wisdom O Almighty and everlasting GOD it is thy gift that babes and men of base degree have the knowledge and understanding of thy will and men of profound learning deep study and worldly appearance often want the same It is thou which expellest darkness and givest light which takest away ignorance and plantest knowledge and wisdom denying the same to none that unfeignedly ask it at thy hands without the which nothing can be obtained which good is nor nothing avoided with the evil and that did Solomon very well consider who had a promise at thy hands that whatsoever he asked he should obtain vouchsafe therefore O Lord to send it
strictly that I should believe without doubting so wouldst thou in all my needs I should come unto thee as a Father and make my moan without mistrust of being heard in thy good time as most shall make for thy glory and my comfort Lo therefore to thee dear Father do I come in thy Son Jesus Christ praying thee of thy great mercy and goodness to be merciful unto me that I may love thee with all my heart for ever that my works may be ever found holy in thy sight and that I may always not only strive against sin but also overcome the same dayly more and more as thy children do and above all things desire the sanctifying of thy Name the coming of thy Kingdom the doing of thy Will here on earth as it is in Heaven and that only through my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to whom be all honour and glory for ever and ever Amen A Prayer to GOD to bless our endeavours O My Celestial Father be favourable unto me thy repentant servant fled from mine enemies to thy help and succour Impute not my sins unto me for Christs sake for I have heard thy fatherly voice and it soundeth daily in mine ears out of Heaven promising me and affirming constantly thy self to be appeased with me for thy Sons sake whom thou commandest me to hear and believe who is made of thee my righteousness my salvation my Peace my Mediator and intercessor my fulfiller of the Law my deliverer and my whole holy accomplisher of all my just desires and my Saviour Christ Jesus God and man in whose Name at this time I attempt and take in hand all my just doings according to my calling desiring thy gracious goodness O Lord God and Father to prosper it further it and give it happy increase that whatsoever I take in hand justly to finish the same O holy Father bless all my endeavours with thy blessed increase and let me not seek mine own will but ever to pray that thy will be fulfilled and let me not be led into temptation but deliver me from all evil for ever and ever Amen A Prayer to live uprightly in our Calling O GOD of all comfort and giver of all consolation forgive my sins cleanse and wash me from all iniquities which disable me to perform my calling in such sort as becometh me and through the blood of thy Son purifie my heart and my imperfections and sanctifie me with thy grace that my sins being forgiven I may rest in thy favour and continual comfort and be daily blessed with new gifts that I may be found perfect in my calling seasoned so with a lively faith in thee that thy holy Spirit may continually dwell and bear rule in me and lead me to the due performance of those things which thou requirest to be done in my calling that all unnatural affection being truly mortified I may only rest in thee and rely on thee and be ruled by thee in all things Good Father grant that I may take the direct and right course in my vocation to eternal life in which course consisteth the inward peace of the Soul which is only delighted in thy inviolable truth revealed by thy Son and is left unto us in His Word and last Will in which his last Will and Testament are comprehended all necessary Rules and the sacred discipline whereby thy children are to guide themselves in their several callings which directions are comprehended in three principal virtues by thee bestowed on them that seek them at thy hand in the Name of thy Son as Faith Hope and Love which three are so united and knit together in one in thine elect children that they through thy grace go not awry in their calling I therefore dear Father being of my self ignorant and of mine own power unable to comprehend the height of my calling instantly beseech thee in mercy to behold me an unperfect creature without these Virtues and so adorn me with them that I may be made perfect in all good works of the Spirit that my labours and endeavours be not in vain in thee and grant that I may joyn with all my travils desires and endeavors faith with â—aith knowledge with knowledge temperance with temperance patience with patience godliness with godliness brotherly kindness with brotherly kindness and with brotherly kindness that I be not unfruitful in my calling but may acknowledge thy Son Jesus Christ and in him have peace of conscience that I may be patient in troubles long-suffering in wrongs faithful in expecting hope in distress rejoycing in heart quieted in mind in hope to enjoy at thy hands and in thy good time whatsoever maketh for the true comfort of my soul and the relief of my body that in all true and inward feeling of thine aid my calling may be made perfect and sealed with the seal of thine own Spiritual Probation so shall I thy unworthy servant be directed in the true knowledge of Thee O blessed Lord and loving Father except thou thus direct me I cannot stand but shall fall into many miseries for no Estate no Degree no Calling Office Function or Trade of life can prosper or be rightly performed without thy continual aid direction and providence therefore good Lord guide me by thy Spirit increase my faith give me wisdom and ableness in all things to execute my calling as I ought and to the execution thereof bless all my members make them apt and ready instruments to perform their duties that in no point I fail in a Christain proceeding therein and bridle me in the nature of flesh and blood which unless thou season my affections by thy Spirit will so much the more glory by how much that thou hast exalted me and inabled me to live in this world in higher reputation than other men whereunto flesh and blood is ready to attribute chiefest hearts ease and by that subtil shift Stan many times moveth us to rely upon vain things Wherefore O good Father vouchsafe I beseech thee to ground all my affections upon thy fear that I be not miscarried in my calling from the true obedience of thee without which neither honour profit wealth wisdom or any other blessing of thine can stand relieve or comfort me be pleased therefore dear Father with me and grant that all things that I take in hand may begin in knowledge proceed in fear and end in love that the whole course of my life may be blessed with good effect in all mine enterprises that neither mine enemies rejoyce at my miseries the Godly be offended at my rashness nor my estate hindred by my foolishness grant this good Lord for thy dear Sons sake Jesus Christ to whom be all honour and glory for even Amen Prayers for Thursday Night O Lord my God and Heavenly Father blessed be thy Name for ever dispose my heart open my lips and give me thy Holy Spirit c. A Psalm GRacious is the LORD and righteous yea our GOD is
Merciful The Lord preserveth the simple I was in misery and He helped me Turn thou again unto my rest O my soul for the Lord hath rewarded thee And why thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling What reward shall I give unto the Lord for all the benefits that he hath done unto me I will offer unto Him the Sacrifice of thanksgiving and call upon his Name For why the Lord is on my side therefore I will not fear what man can do unto me The Lord taketh my part with them that help me Therefore shall I see my desire upon mine enemies It is better to trust in the Lord than to put any confidence in man it is better to trust in the Lord than to put any confidence in Princes The Lord is my strength and my song and is become my salvation The right hand of the Lord hath the preeminence the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass I will not die but live and declare the works of the Lord. The Lord hath chastned and corrected me but he hath not given me over to death Thou art my God and I will thank thee thou art my God and I will praise thee O give thanks unto the Lord for he is gracious and his mercy endureth for ever Glory be to the Father c. A devout Prayer to GOD the Father O Most blessed LORD and loving Father I wretched sinner do here ask at thy hands mercy and grace who am in thy sight most weak to stand in thy truth and most frail to fall and to break thy holy commandments by the keeping of which we are known to be thy true servants and by nothing else O most merciful LORD GOD I acknowledge my self daily to break the same but where I have thus offended I humbly ask of thee mercy and forgiveness and Lord for the true performance of the same I humbly ask of thee strength to make me stand strong in faith knowledge to work thy blessed will the power to resist all errour and wicked imagination thy wisdom to know the truth for I confess and know O LORD that all the worldly wit policy knowledge and strength is but foolishness in thy sight Therefore I ask and continually crave O Lord that thy holy Spirit may guide all the imaginations thoughts and desires of my heart so that it may be my spiritual heart and not my fleshly heart for the most perfect among the children of men lacking the wisdom shall not be regarded for the thoughts of mortal men are miserable and our forecastings are uncertain and why this corruptible body is so heavy to my soul that it keepeth down my understanding that it museth most on vain things wherefore good Lord I beseech thee comfort my sick soul that it may walk in thy wayes and work thy will and like as thou knowest the secrets of my heart and the desires of the same and how I would walk in thy truth and work in the works of the same truth so Lord I beseech thee refresh my soul according to thy merciful calling that I may be sted fast in the true faith and that I may never swerve from the holy and most blessed Ordinances of the Church but that I may use them receive them and honour thee in them according to thy most holy will as in things which thou hast left to declare thy love unto us and to assure our hope and exercise our faith that it should not be idle or wavering for all things are possible unto thee though they seem never so impossible unto us O most loving Father I know that by my sins I am not worthy thy blessed comfort and help in this troublesome time of temptation and trying of our faith for that I am as one laden with ignorance not knowing the height of thy high mysteries nor the deceitfulness or subtil arguments of my Ghostly enemy which daily doth assault my sinful soul that I can find no rest therefore O LORD like as thou knowest my will and hearts desire is to serve thee and live and die in thy perfect faith so I beseech thee never to suffer the subtil perswasions contrary to thy truth to take place or root in my heart but like as thou hast created my heart and given me a will to order the same so Lord I most humbly yield the same again into thy hands desiring thee by thy holy Spirit so to direct my ways that they may be acceptable in thy sight now and for ever through Jesus Christ my Saviour to whom with the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory for ever Amen A Prayer to obtain the true love of GOD. O Lord my God teach me thy humble servant teach my heart I beseech thee with what reverence it should think of thee tell my Soul with what delight it should love thee give my tongue some power to pour forth praises unto thee correct my weakness recreate my hope direct my desires finish the work thou hast begun and bring me to the fulness of thy mercy O LORD my GOD I bow the neck of my soul under the feet of thy Majesty and in the lowest degree of reverence do give thee most humble hearty thanks I yield thee praises O LORD although base and bare far unanswerable to thy deserts yet something my weakness is bound to perform namely to settle my mind to be hold and love thee O that my heart did so languish with thy love that it might melt the moisture of my body into tears that the bowels of my soul were so inflamed with thy love that it might consume all drossie desires dry up the very marrow of my bones O that I were sick for the love of Him who dyed for the Love of me LORD although I be not worthy so to love thee yet art thou much more to be loved than I can express therefore do not so deny me of that whereof I acknowledge my self unworthy that thy self be deprived of that thou art most worthy and grant O Lord I beseech thee for thy mercies sake to my soul that it may love thee as thou hast deserved that I may be worthy to give that which thou art worthy to receive so shall I then be worthy of that whereof now I am most unworthy O most dear Lord I feel in my heart a weak warmness of thy love but my prayer is that the coals were throughly kindled with desire and blown with delight into a full flame O sacred fire how comfortably dost thou burn O heavenly Light how sweetly dost thou shine how desirous are they more and more to burn whom thou dost inflame how are they delighted whom thou dost enlighten hear O my God hear O light of mine eyes increase my desire and grant my request stop not thine ears against me because of my sins endue my soul with thy love subdue my flesh with thy fear that I may always think
shorten the dangerous days of iniquity increase the number of thy chosen and peculiar Saints hasten thy coming O Saviour Christ that I with the Fellowship of thy Saints heavenly Angels and the blessed Company of Martyrs may celebrate thy praise and worship thee in thy glorious Kingdom before thy Father my God and the Holy Ghost to whom be all honour praise and glory for ever Amen A Prayer taken out of the first Psalm O Almighty and most gracious God take away from me I beseech thee all evil counsels and then my sins suffer me not to run into an ungodly and wicked life and finally keep my mind far from the contempt of godliness and scorning of virtue and instead of these evils Grant that I may continually be occupied in thy Law and sacred Scriptures and that I be not carried about like the wicked as light dust and fruitless chaff with every blast of affection and doctrine but rather that I be as a Tree planted by the Water-brooks and endued with the life of thy Spirit and Faith I may also by the same Spirit bring forth the fruit of good works and that whatsoever I take in hand it may prosper and tend to the praise and glory of thy Name and furtherance of my salvation and that at the last when the wicked shall fall away in thy judgments I may stand stedfast and be made perfect through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour for ever Amen A Prayer to be unloosed of the bands of Satan O Lord by thy mighty power subdue the works of Satan in me O thou wicked Seducer thy works are destroyed thy bands are broken thou shalt not take or bind me avoid sin thou hast lost thy sting thou wast condemned in the flesh nailed to the Cross and crucified with my Lord Christ avoid Death for thou art dead and Hell for thou art swallowed up in Victory avoid thou Dragon and all thine Angels for Michael hath beaten thee and broken thy head he hath freed us from sin and led away captivity captive even he Satan hath over-mastered thee that cried out unto me Fear not for I have overcome the World even he that hath promised to be with me to the end of my Pilgrimage and crieth out that if he be with me none can be against me fight therefore Satan as long as thou wilt thou shalt at length be put to the foil for the mighty Lyon of the Tribe of Juda telleth me that there is no condemnation to them that be in him that Jesus is the Conquerour of the whole World and vanquisher of thee rage thou never so much therefore I say avoid from me for in Christ Jesus I have passed the Sea of my sins thy cursed Army and if thou follow to pursue me thou shalt be drowned in the red Sea of Christs bloud to whom be all honour power and glory for ever and ever Amen A Prayer to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven O Father merciful and Everlasting be merciful unto me and give me a feeling of thy blessed will open unto me the way of true knowledge prepare my steps to walk aright that in all the course of my life I may be guided aright and savour more of Heavenly than of Earthly things and let my whole delight be to meditate righteousness let me imbrace equity and execute justice and abound in love mercy sanctity and true holiness and furnish me largely good Lord with all spiritual graces whereby I may continually seek thy Everlasting Kingdom and practise the righteousness thereof for ever illuminate my understanding by thy Spirit and let thy Word be my whole comfort and the use thereof my continual delight and abandon good Lord all superfluous care of worldly things from my thoughts that I may by a continual holy meditation of thee and things above use the things of this life as if I used them not knowing this and assuring my self by thy promise that if I seek and covet to have my conversation on things spiritual all temporal things shall be assuring my self by thy promise that if I seek and covet to have my conversation on things spiritual all temporal things shall be ministred unto me all which my Petitions grant me O Father for thy dear Sons sake Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom be all glory for ever and ever Amen Prayers for Saturday Night O Lord my God and heavenly Father blessed be thy Name for ever Dispose my heart open my lips and give me thy holy Spirit c. A Psalm OUT of the deep have I called unto thee O Lord Lord hear my Voice O let thine Ears consider well the voice of my complaint If thou Lord wilt be extream to mark what is said or done amiss O Lord who may abide it I look for the Lord my Soul doth wait for him in his Word is my trust My Soul melteth away for very heaviness comfort thou me according to thy Word O take from me the way of lying and cause thou me to make much of thy Law Make me to go in the paths of thy Commandments for therein is my desire O take not the Word of thy truth utterly out of my mouth for my hope is in thy Judgments I will never forget thy Commandments for with them thou hast quickned me Wherefore O ye that fear the Lord trust in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption For when I called upon thee thou heardest me and enduedst my Soul with much strength And though I walk in the midst of trouble yet shalt thou refresh me The Lord shall make good his loving kindness towards me yea thy mercy O Lord endureth for ever despise not then the work of thine own hands Wherefore I will praise the Lord for the Lord is gracious O let us sing praises unto his name for it is lovely Thy Name O Lord endureth for ever so doth thy memorial O Lord from Generation to Generation Glory be c. A most fruitful Prayer for a blessed aad godly life O Merciful Father the honour of my salvation and my defender in whom I only put my whole trust I unhappy wretch have many waies stirred thee up I have done evil before thy face I have provoked thy displeasure I have sinned and thou hast suffered me I have offended and yet thou sustainest me Yea and besides all this while I defer from time to time thou tarriest for me O Lord the God of my health I cannot tell what to answer there is no place to fly from thee or to hide me thou shewest me the way to live well and givest me knowledge how to go Wherefore O Father of mercy and God of all consolation strike my heart with thy fear that with fearing I may escape those things which thou threatnest and grant me the comfort of thy salvation that in loving I may obtain those things which thou promisest O Lord which art my strength and deliverer tell me
as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin Eph. 5. 1 2. Be ye therefore followers of God as dear Children and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5. Ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord. See then ye walk circumspectly redeeming time because the daies are evill Jude 25. To the only wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power both now and ever Amen Prayers for the Sick REmember not Lord our offences nor the offences of our Forefathers neither take thou vengeance of our sins but spare us good Lord spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood and be not angry with us for ever Spare us good Lord. O Lord I beseech thee favourably to hear the prayers of thy servant that I which am rightly punished for my offences may by thy goodness be mercifully delivered for the glory of thy Name through Jesus Christ who liveth and reigneth world without end Amen ALmighty and everlasting God in whose hand consists the life of all mankind which correctest those whom thou receivest mercifully I beseech thee to hear my complaint and despise not the prayer that I make now in the time of my trouble in the vexation of my spirit and the anguish of my soul I remember thee and cry unto thee for mercy O thou that hast created and made me of nothing and redeemed me from the bondage of sin death and everlasting destruction by the most precious blood of Jesus Christ shed upon the Cross for the ransom of all my sins Have mercy upon me O Lord have mercy upon me bow down thine ear unto my cry and cast me not away in thine anger though for my wickedness I have deserved thy wrath and heavy displeasure against me And now for my transgressions in thy indignation thou hast stricken me with grievous sickness and I begin to fall as leaves beaten with a vehement wind yet are thy punishments less than my deservings But of thy mercy and goodness O Lord correct me not to death but to amendment of life for thine own sake for thy holy Names sake for Christ Jesus sake be merciful unto my sin for it is very great and there is no rest in my bones by reason of my transgression Spare thy Servant O God which confesseth his sins pour thy sanctifying Grace into my heart and work thereby true and immediate repentance and restore me again to thy favour according to thy gracious promise in Jesus Christ Let thy merciful providence so govern all this sickness that I never fall into utter dakness ignorance of thee or inconsideration of my self let the faintness of my spirit and the condemnation of my self be overcome with thy irresistable light thou God of all consolation grant that I may be mindful of the great account that I have to make at the day of Judgment and that I may bear in mind the image of that which is to be faithful the end of misery and the beginning of all happiness but to the secure and careless the beginning of eternal pain Strengthen my faith accept my repentant tears speak peace to my soul and conscience and say thou art my salvation My grace is sufficient for thee then shall my heart rejoyce and my soul shall be right glad desiring to be dissolved and be at peace that after this my bodily death I may enjoy the eternal fruition of thy heavenly presence Let me not O Father in this my trial be stricken with fear of condemnation or distrust thy promises but in sure confidence of heart apply to my self the remission of my sins that at the last gasp by faith in Jesus Christ I may have a taste of eternal salvation let not death if thou please to send it be terrible or bitter unto me but when it cometh I may with joy receive the same and having escaped the hardness of temptation and the peril of Satan I may triumph like a Conqueror and behold the power and presence of thy holy spirit let my last words be those which thy Son did utter upon the Cross saying Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and when my speech is taken from me hear the groanings of my heart and the desire of my soul that thy servant may depart in peace through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom be all Praise Power Might Majesty and Dominion now and for ever Amen The Sick saith Job 14. 1. MAn that is born of a Woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misery he cometh up and is cut down like a flower He fleeth as it were a shadow and never continueth in one state In midst of life we are dying of whom shall we seek for succour and comfort but of thee O Lord God our Maker A Psalm 1. IN thee O Lord have I trusted let me never be confounded but rid me and deliver me in thy righteousness incline thine ear to me and save me 2. O Lord rebuke me not in thine indignation neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure 3. Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord â—eal me for my bones are vexed 4. Turn thee O Lord and deliver my soul O save me for thy mercies sake for in death no man remembreth thee and who shall give thee thanks in the pit 5. Consider and hear me O Lord my God lighten mine eyes that I sleep not in death shew me thy marvellous loving kindness thou art the Saviour of them that put their trust in thee 6. Thou hast been my succour leave me not neither forsake me O God of my salvation look upon my affliction and pain and forgive all my sins 7. O remember not my old sins but have mercy upon me and that soon for I am come to great misery 8. Preserve thou my soul therefore O my God and save thy servant that putteth his trust in thee 9. O comfort the soul of thy servant for unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul 10. O turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me give thy strength unto thy servant and help the son of thy handmaid 11. Shew some good token upon me for good that they which hate me may see it and be ashamed because thou Lord hast holpen me and comforted me 12. O satisfie me with thy mercy and that soon so shall I rejoyce and be glad all the days of my life 13. I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the day long I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joynt my heart is like wax it melteth in the midst of my bowels 14. Help me O God of my salvation for the glory of thy Name O deliver me and be merciful unto my sin for
thy Names sake 15. The righteous cry and the Lord heareth them and delivereth them out of all their troubles 16. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart and will save such as be of an humble spirit 17. O tarry the Lord's leisure be strong and he shall comfort thy heart and put thou thy trust in the Lord. 18. O put thy trust in God for I will give him trauks which is the help of my countenance and my God Glory be to the Father c. O Lord my God and Heavenly Father who art the health of all men living and the everlasting life of them which die in faith open I beseech thee the eyes of thy mercy upon me thy sick servant who in heart is truly sorrowful for all my sins and of thy fatherly goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies put away all my transgressions out of thy remembrance renew in me what hath been decayed by the fraud or malice of the Devil or by mine own frailty preserve me in the unity of the Church consider my contrition accept my tears and asswage my pain and if it be thy blessed will restore me to my former health or if otherwise thou hast appointed give me grace so to take this visitation that after this painful life ended I may dwell with thee in life everlasting Amen Lord Jesus preserve me Lord Jesus comfort me Lord Jesus pray for me for only into thy hands who hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of Truth I commend my soul both now and for ever Amen The Sick saith Lord have mercy upon me Christ have mercy upon me Our Father which art in Heaven c. I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto one Write from henceforth Blessed are the Dead which dye in the Lord. A Psalm 1. O Lord rebuke me not in thy indignation neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure 2. Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed 3. My soul is also sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou punish me 4. Turn thee O Lord and deliver my soul O save me for thy mercies sake 5. For in death no man remembreth thee and who shall give thee thanks in the pit 6. I am weary of my groaning every night wash I my bed and water my Couch with my tears 7. My beauty is gone for very trouble and worn away because of all my enemies 8. Through thee have I been holden up ever since I was born thou art he that took me out of my mothers womb my praise shall be always of thee 9. Cast me not away in the time of Age forsake me not when my strength faileth me 10. O hide not thy face from me nor cast away thy servant in displeasure 11. Thou hast been my succour leave me not O God of my salvation 12. I am poor and needy make hast unto me O God thou art my help and my deliverer O Lord make no long tarrying O Lord deliver me from the power of the enemy Lord help thy poor servant that putteth his trust in thee Send me help from thy holy place and evermore mightily defend me be unto me a strong Tower O Lord and evermore cover me with thy wings O Lord hear my Prayer And let my cry come unto thee The Sick saith I know that my Redeemer liveth and that I shall rise out of the Earth in the last day and shall be covered again with my skin and shall see God in my flesh yea and I my self shall behold him not with other but with the same eyes O Almighty and immortal God the Saviour and defender of all that put their trust in thee the only refuge and hope of the distressed in time of need mercifully behold the sorrows of my heart and the groanings of my spirit thou hast O Lord of thy power made me of nought and in thy good time I shall return to nought again I brought nothing into the world neither shall I carry any thing away when I depart thou art my portion my salvation my Mediator and my Saviour O blessed Jesus by thee came grace and life to the chosen O receive me to thy mercy thou sufferedst most cruel death for my sake and art risen the first fruits of them that sleep thou art crowned with power and glory destroyed'st death and givest eternal life to all believers thou O Saviour Christ shalt raise me up in the last day and give me possession of thy everlasting Kingdom which thou hast purchased in thy blood and righteousness according to the will of our merciful Father whom thou hast pacified and pleased for my redemption and salvation for the performance of the oath which in his eternal and unsearchable purpose he promised our Fore-Fathers whereof in thy merciful favour thou hast called me to be partaker whereby I am taught and comforted by thy holy Spirit to despise this world and this corrupt tabernacle of sinful flesh which of it self hath deserved nothing but death and damnation and wholly to rely upon thee Therefore O Lord stand by me and defend me against the assaults of Satan that after triumphant victory through grace and power in thy Spirit I may joyfully give over this fleshly being and come into thy presence O Lord to rest in blissful peace until the delivery of thy Saints with whom I am in assured hope by the witness of thy Spirit to have my portion of the inheritance of perpetual salvation and life everlasting through Jesus Christ Amen O my soul be joyful in the Lord and despise not his correction neither faint thou at his rebukes For whom the Lord loveth him he correcteth yea he scourgeth every child whom he receiveth Thy sins were innumerable neither couldest thou claim ought of duty but death and damnation Thy merciful Lord hath accepted thy tears and repentant groanings and turned away his face from thy offences he freely hath forgiven thee thy sins And because thou hast repented and trusted in his mercy he hath put them all out of his remembrance neither will he think on them any more He will receive thee into his house and crown thee with glory and kindness Thou shalt stand before his presence in the Sanctuary everlasting With Angels and Arch angels with the Patriarchs and Prophets with the faithful Witnesses and with all the rest of the chosen Children of grace to honour him to serve him to magnifie him and praise him with continual thanks in eternal joy and felicity for ever and ever Amen A Psalm 1. O God my God look upon me why hast thou forâ—aken me and art so â—ar from my health and from the words of my complaint 2. How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever how long wilt thou hide thy face from me 3. O God I cry in the day time but thou hearest not and in the night season also I take no rest 4. And thou continuest holy O thou
our contrition and repentance In affliction saith the Lord they will hear me Davids troubles made him pray Hezekiah's sickness made him weep and misery drew the Prodigal child home We have the Prophets examples and patterns of bearing afflictions patiently which though the punishment and shame is of sin God turns to be the subject of his honour and glory in saving a sinner that calls upon him in faith and true repentance to Heaven His chastisements are signs of his Fatherly love which though for the present seem grievous unto us afterward it bringeth quiet fruit of righteousness to those whom the Lord giveth grace to make a sanctified use of it for which he hath inflicted this sickness on you And know you certainly though your sins are many and grievous which you have committed by the temptation of the Devil yet upon your true repentance God hath promised to forgive the benefits of which are the escaping eternal death God's everlasting punishments and the attaining eternal salvation where sin abounds there grace much more abounds God calls all those that are heavy laden to refresh and ease them of all their trouble the Lord forsaketh no man till man forsaketh him Look not so much upon the greatness of thy sins as to the riches of his mercy and let thy soul be comforted in the All-sufficient atonement of the blood of Jesus Christ Let the wicked saith the Lord forsake his way the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto me and I will have mercy upon him and I will pardon him abundantly Let not your conscience be terrified at the remembrance of your transgressions for there is no sin bars a man from salvation but incredulity and impenitency Therefore lift up your hearts unto the Lord call unto him for mercy repent earnestly of your sins and have a lively considence in Christ's merits and doubt not but upon your humble contrition and sorrow for sin with sighs and tears the blood of a wounded soul God will receive your soul into everlasting happiness to live in eternal glory which he of his infinite mercy grant through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The sick saith O God the Father of Heaven have mercy upon me miserable sinner O God the Son Redeemer of the world have mercy upon me miserable sinner O God the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son have mercy upon me miserable sinner c. By thine Agony and bloody sweat By thy Cross and Passion By thy precious Death and Burial By thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension and by the coming of the Holy Ghost Good Lord deliver us In all time of our tribulation In all time of our wealth in the hour of death and in the day of Judgment Good Lord deliver us I Humbly beseech thee O Father mercifully to look upon mine infirmities and for the glory of thy Names sake turn from me all those evils that I most righteously have deserved grant that in all my troubles I may put my whole trust and considence in thy mercy evermore serve thee if I live in holiness and pureness of living to thy honor glory through Jesus Christ our only Mediator and Advocate Amen The friends of the sick party shall exhort him to examine himself of his estate both towards God and towards man that so by the condemning of himself he may find mercy at the hands of God for Christ Jesus sake 1. Of the confession of his faith 2. Of his sins and offences both against God Almighty either publick or private or his Neighbor in word or deed 3. Of his considence and faith in Jesus Christ for the death and passion he suffered for all sinners 4 Advise the party to send for the Minister that he may pray with him for the Lord hath promised to hear the prayers of the Faithful for us and to forgive us our trespasses And that he may give him the holy Communion of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ the living Bread that came down from Heaven If any man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever the Bread that I give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the World for whosoever eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood hath eternal life and I will raise him at the last day Joh. 6. 51. 5. Advise him to call to mind what injury or wrong he hath done to any man in word or deed that he may like good Zacheus make satisfaction where he hath injuriously fraudulently taken and detained from any man by oppression or deceit his goods or money for without restitution there can be no Repentance and if no Repentance no expectation of salvation 6. Advise him also to set his house in order for death will not be long in coming and that the covenant of the grace is not revealed to any And to make a judicious distribution of his estate not forgetting the poor The sick saith 1. I believe in God the Father Almighty c. 2. I am fully perswaded and undoubtedly in my conscience believe and do confess and acknowledge before God and you here present that every Point and Article of this my belief is true and necessary to Salvation 3. I acknowledge that I have been a grievous sinner offending my God many ways both in thought word and deed and am guilty of the breach of all his Commandments deserving for the same his heavy wrath and indignation against me I am sorrowful and mourn in my soul for them trusting that the Lord for Jesus Christ his sake who sitteth at the right hand of God making intercession for my sin will have mercy upon me and grant me forgiveness for the same and after this life ended receive me to his eternal habitation 4. I confidently believe that Jesus Christ is the only Mediator and Saviour of all mankind and that I shall be saved by the only merits of his precious Death and Passion which he suffered on the Cross for my Salvation denying all meritorious works of my own and that there is no name under Heaven whereby I may be saved but in the name of Jesus Christ 5. I do from my heart freely forgive all the World all those that have any way wronged injured or offended me by word or deed as I desire to be forgiven of God And I desire likewise all men whom I have often offended by committing any unjust unconscionable or uncharitable act or deed to forgive me being sorry for what I did to their prejudice or hurt O Lord I beseech thee hear my Prayer and spare me which do confess my sins that I whose conscience by sin is accused by thy merciful pardon may be absolved through Jesus Christ Amen O Lord my Redeemer have mercy upon me and receive my Spirit A Prayer to be said by those that visit the Sick O most mighty and eternal God which hast compassion on all men and hatest nothing that thou hast made mercifully we
our Consciences we stand convicted and at the horrid thought of our sins we are mightily astonished what shall we say or wherein shall we open our mouths who shall deliver us from the misery due to us for our transgressions nothing can be expected in this life but misery and confusion and in the world to come eternal condemnation But yet O Lord in obedience of thy command and in confident assurance of thy endless and unspeakable mercy promised in Jesus Christ to all sinners with sorrow in our hearts with shame in our face in humility of spirit we appeal from thee to thee from thee a just Judge to thee a merciful Father from the Throne of thy justice to the seat of thy mercy beseeching thee to have mercy upon us O Lord to have mercy upon us and turn thy face away from all our sins and blot out all our transgressions for the only meritorious death and passion of Jesus Christ thy innocent Lamb who so abundantly shed his blood on the Cross to take away the sins of the world accept we intreat thee that inestimable price of his suffering for a full ransom for all our sins remit them unto us and divert thy Judgments and punishments from us and assure us of thy love and favour in Christ and for the time to come work in us by the graces of thy holy Spirit true and unfeigned Repentance and faith with strength against sin and grace in some better measure to do thy will reform our affections transform us out of sin into the glorious liberty of thy own children to live in newness of life in holy conversation and continual obedience to thy divine Majesty And seeing O Lord it hath pleased thee of thy goodness to deliver us from the power of darkness and all dangers of the night past affording us quiet and comfortable rest bringing us safe to the beginning of this day our souls and all that is within us shall praise thy holy Name desiring continually to render unto thee all possible praise and thanksgiving for the incarnation of our Blessed Saviour for our Redemption by passion for our Creation Election Justification and Sanctification in some good measure and assured hope of Glorification in the World to come we likewise bless thee for our lives health liberty peace and prosperity for our preservation and deliverance from evil since we were born for the freedom of thy Gospel for the comfort we enjoy under His Majesties happy Reign for delivering our Church and Kingdom from Foreign Invasion for sparing and giving us so long a time of Repentance for these thy blessings and benefits our Souls shall praise the Lord of Heaven whose mercy endureth from generation to generation Bless and defend us O Lord this day direct and protect us in the same bless our going out and coming in let thy Spirit guide us in all our Actions deliver us from the temptation and malice of the Devil and keep us both in Soul and Body from all his devices and let thy grace preserve and guide us in all our wayes that we may walk circumspectly and strive to avoid all occasions of committing or running into such sins which by nature we are apt to fall into set a watch before the door of our lips that we may not offend thy Majesty by ill words or blasphemous Oaths keep us we beseech thee from violent passions which provoke thy wrath and indignation against us and guide our feet in the way of peace which leads us to Everlasting Salvation Let the dew of thy blessing descend upon our labours and prosper thou the work of our hands O prosper thou our handy-work make us diligent and dutiful in our calling and that we may have a good Conscience in all our dealings not any way to defraud any man knowing one day we must give an account for all our words and deeds And good Lord we beseech thee so to bless our endeavours that we may raise such a competency and convenient sufficiency void of wretched care for the supportation of our lives in a modest and civil manner and especially give us hearts and minds contented with what thou shalt be pleased to lay upon us strength and patience in all afflictions and temptations troubles and adversities which seal thy Children to Salvation give us meekness and humility in prosperity and constancy in well doing and for the small remainder of our lives that we have to live here on Earth give us grace to consecrate it to thy service and live in thy fear not setting our hearts on transitory things but carefully labour to redeem the time not deferring our repentance but endeavour to make our calling and election sure working our salvation in fear trembling before we go hence and be no more seen And grant us O Lord that when the race and course of our natural life here on Earth is finished we may at the last receive a crown of righteousness which thou from the beginning hast laid up for them that fear thy Name In these our Prayers we further intreat thee O Lord for a blessing upon thy Church universal more especially we beseech thee to continue the peace and prosperity of these Churches wherein we live and every member thereof more especially ever mightily protect and defend from all evil and danger and bless with the chiefest of thy blessings thine Anointed our dread Soveraign Lord King Charles the Queens Majesty James Duke of York and the rest of the Royal Progeny Bless the Lords of his Majesties honourable Privy Council the Reverend Clergy and all Civil Magistrates bless all our Friends and Kindred and acquaintance bless us all good Lord from the highest to the lowest help and comfort all our brethren that in this transitory life be in trouble sorrow need sickness or any other adversity Comfort the comfortless help the distressed and defend all that travel by Land or Water and work in all and every one of us true fear of thy holy Name and constant resolution to serve thee to our lives end Good Lord hear Lord hearken unto us we beseech thee and accept of this our Morning sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving hear our prayers and grant our petitions that we have asked and all other blessings which thou in thine infinite wisdom knowest most necessary for us and thy whole Church we ask and crave at thy merciful hands in the Name and through the Mediation of thy dear Son our blessed Redeemer our only Lord and blessed Saviour Jesus Christ in that most excellent form of Prayer which he in his holy Gospel hath taught us saying Our Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come c. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the love of God and the Fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all for evermore Amen An Evening Prayer for a private Family O Eternal God and Heavenly Father which hast made of one blood all mankind and breathed