And after strict search made under the Parliament house about midnight the very night before the Parliament was to set at the door of the entrance of the cellar was found one Guy Fauks clothed and booted he was apprehended and then removing some billets that were laid to prevent discovery they found the serpents nest stored with thirty six barrels of pouder and searching the Villain there was found about him a dark lanthorn three matches and other instruments for blowing up the pouder And thus was this horrible plot discovered and we saved and the Conspirators received their deserved punishment Those that were first in the Treat son were Robert Catesby Thomas Piercy Tho. Winter Robert Winter John Wright Chr. Wright Guy Fauks Gentlemen and Bates Catesbies Man Persons made acquainted with and promoters of it were Sr. Everard Digby Ambrose Roohwook Esq Francis Wesham Esq Robert Kegs John Grant Gent. A Thanksgiving for the fifth of November for Gods miraculous deliverance of this Land King and people from that horrid Gunpowder Treason 1605. O Our gracious Lord God who is like unto thee or who can strive beyond thy admittance hath any thing been done or attempted but what thou knowest of Yea thou seest all things savest all thine and wilt not let a hair of their heads perish O then who is like unto thee for thou art ever gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness O come then let us worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord our maker for never any people had more occasion ministred unto them than this people of great Britain and Ireland yea all that belong to this Monarchy to praise the great God of Majesty Power Might and Dominion who did deliver us out of thraldome when nothing was wanting for making this Sacrilegious Parracide a pattern of mischief and a crime without example they would have joyned the destruction of the body to the head so as all at one Thunderclap should have been sent to Heaven together the King our Head the Queen our fertile Mother and those young and hopeful Olive plants yea not only theirs but also ours our honourable and worthy Senators yea the whole representative body of the Land without distinction of degree or Age yea even the stones and walls should have felt their fury and the Hall of Justice the house of Parliament the Church used for the Corronation of our Kings the Monuments of our former Princes the Crown and other Royalties all the Records as well of Parliaments as of every mans particular right with a great number of Charters and such like should all have been comprehended under that fearful Chaos and the remaining trophies of the eternal glory of our former Princes should have all been cousumed together and so not only we but the memory of us and ours should have been extinguished in an instant how can we therefore sufficiently magnify and praise thy great mercy who didst thus preserve us when we were so near destruction Therefore consider our dangerous estate we come unto thee O thou great and mighty Judge in trembling and in fear humbly beseeching thee not to heap upon us thy deserved vengeance but let thy tender kindness and love thou bearest to Christ thy dear Son our gracious Lord and Redeemer cover our iniquities for whose sake do thou pardon us and have compassion The Martyrdâ—me of King Charles on us to whom with thy self and thy blessed Spirit be given all prays honour and glory of us and all our posterity after us from this time forth and for evermore Amen Vpon the Martyrdome of King Charles the first January 30th 1648. An Epitaph STay Passenger Behold and see The widdowed grave of Majesty Why tremblest thou her 's that will make The most stupid Soul to shake Here lies entomb'd the Sacred dust Of Peace and Piety Right and Just The Blood O start thou not to hear Of a blest King 'twixt hope and fear Shed and hurried hence to be The miracle of Misery The Law-giver amongst his own Sentenc'd by a Law unknown Voted Monarchy to death By the course Plebian breath The Soveraign of all command Suffering by a common Hand A Prince to make the Odium more Matryr'd at his very Dore. â—â—The Head cut off Oh death to see 't In obedience to the Feet And that by Justice you may know If thou hast Faith to think it so Wee 'l stir no further then this Sacr'd Clay But let it slumber till the Judgment Day Of all the Kings on earth it s not denyed Here lies the first that for Religion Dyâ—d A Prayer for the 30th of January being the day of the Martyrdome of King Charles the First 1648. O Blessed Lord God who by thy wisdome not only guidest and orderest all things most sutable to thine own Justice but also performest thy pleasure in such manner that we cannot but acknowledg thee to be righteous in all thy ways and holy in all thy works We thy sinful people fall down before thee confessing that thy Judgments were right in permitting wicked men this day to Imbâ—ue their hands in the Blood of thine Anointed we having drawn down the same upon our selves by the great and long provocation of our sins against thee for which we do therefore here humble our selves before thee imploring thy mercy for the pardon of them all and that thou wouldest deliver this Nation from blood guiltiness that of this day especially and turn from us and our Posterity all those Judgments which we by our sins have deserved And now O Lord thou whose righteousness is like the strong mountains and thy Judgments like the great deep and who by the Martyrdom of thine Anointed our Soveraign this day hast taught us that neither the greatest Kings nor the best of men are more secure from violent then from natural death Teach us also hereby so to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom and grant that neither the splendour of any thing that is great nor the conceit of any thing that is good in us may any way withdraw our eyes from looking upon our selves as sinful dust and ashes but that according to the example of this thy blessed Martyr we may press forward toward the price of the high calling that is before us in faith and patience humility and meekness mortification and self-denial charity and constant perseverance unto the end and we desire to bless thee O Lord that thou didst not leave us for ever as sheep without a shephard but by thy gracious providence didst miraculously preserve the undoubted Heir of his Crown our most gracious Soveraign KING CHARLES the Second from his bloody enemies hiding him under the shadow of thy wings until their Tyranny was overpast and bringing him back in thy good appointed time to sit in peace upon the throne of his Father The Kings 〈◊〉 Returne and to excercise that authority over us which of thy Special grace thou hast committed unto
the Mysteries of Salvation my hope established in the promises of the Gospel and my life set forward in a setled course of holyness and righteousness whereby the Kingdom of sin and Satan is beat down and destroyed and the Kingdom of Christ built up in me By this thy Word the careless sinner is admonished the ignorant instructed the presumptuous teâ—rified and the Penitent comforted the Power of sin is abated the force of temptations weakned the motions of the Spirit quickned grace received and my Election assured by the infallible marks and tokens thereof set before me in holy Scriptures Blessed be thy Name for it this day thy word hath dwelt with me richly in all wisdom The dispencer of thy Mysteries hath scattered many Doctrines like so many Pearls among the People Lord grant that with Mary I may keep these and all thy sayings in my heart and make use of them in my life and receive comfort from them at my Death And here I would proceed to intreat at thy hands the continuance and increase of thy Spiritual Temporal blessings upon me but my sins lye at the door of my Conscience and affright me My heart smites me for my failings in the performance of the duties of this day My devout meditations have been â—tifled in the womb that bare them my Prayers have not been without distractions my hearing without â—earisomness nor my Alms-deeds without Grudging Pardon dear Father the want of preparation before I come to thy house of intention and Zeal at thy service and of Meditation and Application of those things which I heard there since I came thence Bury I beseech thee these slips and all my sins especially of this week and day in the night of eternal oblivion Ease me of the burthen of them that I may more securely repose my soul and body upon thy gracious protection to take their natural refreshing by sleep whereby I may be enabled and strengthened to do the better service the next day in walking carefully diligently conscionably and constantly in the wayes of thy Commandements and in the duties of my Calling so as may be to thy honour and Glory and my eternal comfort through Jesus Christ our Lord. To whom be honour and glory world without end Amen Our Father c. A Prayer for Munday-Morning MOst Glorious Lord God the great Creator and preserver of all mankind Blessed be thy Name that thou hast been graciously pleased to preserve me the night past and that thou hast once more vouchsafed me the light of the Morning whereby to manage my affairs and business O Lord preserve me this day and keep me in all my wayes give unto me the repose of a quiet Conscience and the clear light of the Gospel to guide my feet in the way of peace and grant that this light may convince me of the Errors of my understanding the depravedness of my will the disorder of my affections the Impunity of my thoughts the vanity of my desires the deceitfulness of my heart and the wickedness thereof Make me sensible O Lord what a wretched creature I was in my birth slime and filthiness what I am in my life vanity and solly and what shall be in my death stench and rottenness Discover unto me O Lord that I have nothing which I have not received that without Christ I can do nothing that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good that I am not able of my self as of my self to think a good thought that I cannot desire to think nor have will to desire nor grace to will any good O Lord let me consider that my comforts in this world are very few and small my crosses and troubles many and great my pleasures here are momentary and short my pains hereafter without my repentance and thy great mercy are permanent and everlasting My gifts O Lord are very small my wants and infirmities are great my helps are weak my assaults and temptations are strong my good deeds are few and they tainted with Imperfections but my ill deeds are infinite Let these considerations O Lord humble me in my self that Christ may raise me and wound me in my self that Christ may heal me And O Lord who this day madest the Heavens or Air without which I cannot breath naturally no not for a moment infuse into my heart the Spirit of thy grace without which I cannot breath Spiritually in my Prayers nor sigh nor so much as move any part or faculty of my soul or body unto thee and as oft as I take in or let out the air which I breath let receive me in grace from thee and breathe out praise unto thee Be my guide O Lord this day and do thou keep me both Now and Ever Amen Our Father c. A Prayer for Munday-Evening HOly and Eternal Lord God who art the King of Heaven and the Watchman of Israel who never slumbrest nor sleepest Look upon me thy unworthy servant who by reason of my sin and the corruption of my nature am wholly subject to sloth and am even now ready to ease and rest my self upon my bed I know not whether thou wilt this very night make my bed in the dark and the hour of my visitation be this present Evening all my years are but a span long my dayes pass like a Weavers Shuttle my life ends like a Tail that is told this hour may be my last hour my next sleep may be my last and long sleep I beseech thee therefore that I may every Evening seriously ponder and meditate heaven that I may be the better prepared in that day and hour that thou shalt call me And though my Eyes shall now sleep and enjoy that moderate refreshment which thou hast appointed for the wearisome condition of my weak body yet let my soul continually watch unto thee to attend thy coming Forgive me O Lord the sins of this day past and all other my former sins and misdemeanors keep me this night both in body and soul that I may with the next light joyfully rise again Let not my sleep be unmeasurable and excessive to please the ease of my flesh but sufficient and seasonable whereby I may be the better disposed to thy service to morrow diligently and fruitfully walking in my calling and repenting me of my sins with fear to offend thee Let thy unspeakable mercy alwayes preserve me let thine endless sweetness rejoyce me let thine heavenly truth strengthen me let thy knowledg imbolden me and thy goodness keep me from my Enemies visible and invisible now and for Evermore Amen Our Father c. A Prayer for Tuesday Morning O Eternal Lord God thou commandest us alwayes at all times and in all things to call upon thee day by day I come unto thee beging refreshment from the overflowing streams of thy mercy O Lord open unto me the gate of thy favour and let me be satisfied with the fountain of thy loving kindness O merciful Lord who
graces in that short and absolute form of Prayer which he hath taught us Our Father c. A Prayer for Thursday-Morning BLessed and glorious Lord God thy mercys are infinite and thy long-suffering and patieâ—ce is exceeding great else had not I a poor wreched miserable sinner been spared so long considering my many provocations against thee in thought word and deed but thou hast exalted thy mercy above all thy works and of thine infinit goodness hast preserved me this night and hast given me the light of this day Lead me I beseech thee O Lord and guide me this day in the way of all truth and righteousness and so govern all my actions that I may not run into any Sin or any kind of danger but that all may Actions may tend to thy glory and the discharge of my duty in my life and Conversation defend and deliver me also from all temptations and afflictions in this sinful world and from all mine Enemies and from all the deceits and dangers of Satan the deadly Enemy of Mankind Kindle in my heart and affections a fervent Zeal to do thy will and let me imbrace thy holy word and walk in thy wayes strengthen me with thy holy Spirit boldly and constantly to profess the honour and service of thy great name O Lord strengthen my weak faith Kindle it more and more in fervency and love to reward thee and in all Christian love towards my Neigbours Give me a contented mind with my estate and all other blessings which thou O Lord God of thy bountiful goodness in mercy hast bestowed upon me that I may use them soberly and discreetly and be truly thankful to thee for them keep my wandring will and affections from all evil thoughts my tongue from profane and lewd Speeches my body and every part thereof from all sinful Actions and outward violence let all my love my hope my delight and confidence be only upon thee And grant that I may lead my whole life and conversation so that I may live in the fear of thy holy and blessed name and may die in thy favour that I may also rise again to live for ever and ever with my Lord Jesus In whose Name and Words I further pray Our Father c. A Prayer for Thursday-Evening 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 also all my life that neither my Enemies have prevailed against me as they might nor any other danger which in this world is incident to Mankind hath overcome me but that thou as a loving father and careful purveyor hast given unto me and provided for me all things necessary for which thine inestimable love I cannot suffiently praise thee O Lord forgive me mine offences which this day I have committed and done against thy most holy Majesty pardon them O God for Jesus Christ his sake and vouchsafe me thy grace to amend my life and to return unfeignedly unto thee in serving of thee And since I cannot have a being without thy continual Protection be pleased to extend the same toward me a wretched poor creature this night that I may quietly take my rest which thou hast appointed for the refreshing of my weak and wearied body I beseech thee O Lord to guard me and defend me that nothing hurt me preserve me by the watching of thy holy Angel that I may take my rest with thee until the morning and that I may then give my self to the fulfilling of my duty and the discharge of my calling and the doing of thy will unto my lives end Here me I beseech thee for these things and for all things necessary for me and for all others whom thou hast commanded me to pray for even for all such as are in any kind of Affliction in body or mind O Lord Strengthen them and bless them and me and keep me and mine this Night and for Evermore All these Petitions I humbly beg of thy Majesty in and through thy Son Jesus Christ in whose Blessed Name and Words I further Pray Our Father c. A Prayer for Friday Morning HOly and most Gracious Lord God who art full of loving Kindness and Mercy and art a continual Defence to all that trust in thee whether they wake or sleep I a poor unworthy Sinner render unto thee humble and hearty thanks that it hath pleased thy Great Goodness to keep and preserve me the Night past as well from all my Enemies as from all other casualties and dangers that poor mortal Creatures are subject unto and that thou hast given me sweet and pleasant sleep that I find my Body refreshed and comforted for performing the Duties of this Day O Lord I beseech thee show thy goodness to me this Day in preserving my Body and Soul that no evil may overtake me and that I may neither speak nor do any thing that may be displeasing to thy Fatherly Goodness nor dangerous to my Soul nor hurtful to my Neighbour but that all my enterprises may be agreeable to thy most blessed Will by doing always that which may advance thy Glory and be sutable to my calling that whensoever thou shalt be pleased to call me from this Vale of Misery I may be found a Child of Light and not of darkness and so may for ever Reign with thee in Glory who art the True and Everlasting Light whose Kingdome is an Everlasting Kingdom whose Joyes and Glories are such as Eye hath not seen neither hath Ear heard nor hath it entred into the heart of Man to conceive what it is To this Blessed Place O Lord doe thou at last bring me through Jesus Christ to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all Honour Glory Power and Praise for Ever and for Evermore Amen Our Father c. A Prayer for Friday Evening GRacious Lord and heavenly Father I cannot cease but I must cry unto thee for mercy because my sins cry against me for Justice how shall I address my self unto thee but with the Publican I must stand and admire thy goodness toward me considering thy tender mercy and long patience toward me in that thou hast kept me this day past from being consumed and brought to naught for Lord what is man or the son of man that thou regardest him for the more days past over my head the more sins and iniquities I heap up against thee if I should cast up the Accounts of my good deeds this day O Lord how few and how small would they be but if I should reckon up my miscarriages this day surely they would amount to many and great O blessed Father let thy sons blood wash me and cleanse me from all my impurities and from all the stains of sin that are upon me give me grace to lay fast hold upon his merites that it may be my Reconcilation and Attonement unto thee
have I broke my vows and my promises to hope for thy love or thy gracious pardon But Lord what shall I now do if yet I shall fall into a dispair of thy Mercies I should increase my disloyalâ—y and either deny or despise the power of thy Passion So great was thy love to the Church thy Spouse that thou gavest thy self to sanctifie and cleanse it by the washing of water by the Word My Soul O Christ is a member of thy Spouse be pleased O Jesus so to sanctifie and wash my soul that thou mayst present it to thy self without spot or wrinckle both holy and blamless O thou who hast opened a Funtain to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness do thou wash me throughly from mine iniquity cleanse me from my sir. And Lord as in mercy thou hast given me Chastity of body so give me likewise Chastity of mind and purity of soul suffer not either the flesh or the Devil by their wicked suggestions to seduce me to uncleaness And though I am but a weak and an earthen vessel yet be thou pleased to make me a chosen vessel a vessel of mercy cause me to keep my body holy and to possess it in sanctification and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence like the Gentiles which know thee not O be thou mâ— Father in the grace of Adoption be thou my Brother in thy pitty and compassion be thou my Husband in thy love affection be thou my Jesus in the salvation of my sinful Soul Arm me with constancy against all assaults of carnal imaginations give me modesty in my countenance decency in my apparel civility in my behaviour sobriety in my discourse and contentedness in my condition make me obedient to my Parents respective to my Superiors courteous to my Inferiors loving unto all Let not my adorning be outward of puting on of apparel but give me that wisdom which is from above to be as an ornament of grace unto my head and as chains abouâ— my neck preserve O Christ both my body and Soul in chastity and honour while I am here upon Earth as becometh a Virgin espoused to thy self and when my dust shall return to the earth as it was let my spirit return unto thy self who gavest it and to thee let it sing that new song with the Quire of Virgins before thy Throne for ever and ever Amen A Prayer of a Married Woman ALmighty Lord and everlasting Father who hast been pleased to vouchsafe me the blessings of this life and to give me my desires both in a husband and children be pleased to give me a Thankful heart for these thy Mercies it is thy goodness and not my merit that I have received from thee these blessings of thy bounty justly O justly mightest thou at once deprive me of these comforts because I have neglected my obedience to the one and my care of the other Humbly O my God I confess my failings and am sorry for mine offences Lord be gracious to me thy servant and let me testify my thankfulness in my industrious care to perform my duties Be thou still the Protector and the gracious Defender both of me and mine Bless him whom thou hast set over me and grant that he may dwell with me according to knowledg that so we being heirs together of the grace of life our prayers may not be hindred As thou hast made me a fruitful Vine by the Walls of his house so make me endeavour to be fruitful in good Works and increase in the Knowledg of thee my God Let those Olive branches about my Table be every one like a green Olive in the house of thee my God and trust in thy mercy for ever and ever make me to my Husband a prudent Wife as sent from thee that he may rejoyce with me the wife of his youth And to this purpose set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keep the door of my Lips make me a gracious Woman retaining Honour that I may be a Crown to my Husband and a wise Woman labouring to build up my house and family and a vertuous Woman fearing thee Hear me O my God and grant me my Petitions for the Worthyness of him who is our indulgent husband to his Spouse the Church even Jesus Christ my only Lord and Saviour in whose blessed Name and Words I further Pray Our Father c. The Prayer for a Woman with Child MOst Merciful and Gracious God who wilt not turn away thine Ear from those that call upon thee in sincerity and truth Look down with an Eye of pity and compassion upon thy unworthy servants I must confess my sins are very great and so is my danger which is at hand my paines to come will be grievous and my life is now most uncertain Assure me I beseech thee of the forgiveness of all my sins mitigate my fear and sorrows strengthen me with the comforts of thy Spirit confirm me in the Faith of my Saviour and bless all good means appointed for my comfort that in due time I may be a joyful Mother and see the fruit of my body safe sound and perfect without blemish or deformity O Lord I know not how soon my travel will steal on me when I must fight that battle of life and death one drop of thy mercy hath soveraign power to cure all the Wounds of those sorrows Shed therefore O holy Father that drop of grace upon me in that minute when I am to encounter with so stern an adversary strengthen me with patience bless me that I perish not bless the work of my Midwife let not the child yet unborn the babe in my Womb be punished for mine offences but give it growth give it flourishing and â—orm and wheâ— the time is come that thou wilt call it out of this close house of â—lesh where it now inhabiteth to dwell in the open world sanctifie thy creature make it by Baptisme a member of thy Church a Lamb of thy Flock and direct it in the wayes of godliness to its lives end and all through Jesus Christ our Lord in wâ—ose blessed Words I continue to Pray Our Father The Prayer of a Woman in the Time of her Travel O My Lord and my God my heavenly Father my merciful Jesus upon whom I depend in the midst of my Anguish hoping in thy wonted mercies Bow down thine Ear and harken to the cryes of a pained Woman unto thee O Lord do I cry thou art my refuge and my portion in the Land of the living Attend therefore unto my cry for I am brought very low Consider mine affliction and deliver me for I do not forget thy Law all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee in thee I trust who art the living God who art the Saviour of all especially of them that believe I love thee O Lord my strength thou art my Rock and
that I may assure my self that my sins are forgiven by his death and passion And now O Lord I beseech thee to imbrace me in the Armes of thy mercy vouchsafe to receive me into the bosom of thy love shadow me with thy wings that I may safely take my rest in thee this night in the Name of thy Son Jesus Christ in whom I refer my self wholly to thy protection beseeching thee that when this life shall end my last sleep being come I may take my everlasting rest with thee in thy heavenly Kingdome for the glory of thy holy Name and to my eternal comfort through the merits of thy dearly beloved Son my Lord and only Saviour in whose perfect form of Prayer I conclude my imperfect Petitions saying Our Father c. A Prayer for Saturday Morning O Merciful Father for Jesus Christ his sake I beseech thee forgive me all my known and secret sins which in Thought Word or Deed I have committed against thy Divine Majesty and deliver me from all those Judgments which are due unto me for them and sanctifie my heart with thy Holy Spirit that I may henceforth lead a more Godly and Religious life And here O Lord I praise thy Holy Name for that thou hast refreshed me this Night with moderate sleep and rest And I beseech theee to defend me this day from all Perils and dangers of Body and Soul and to this end I commend my self and all my actions unto thy blessed protection and government beseeching thee that whether I live or die I may live and die to thy Glory and the Salvation of my poor Soul which thou hast bought with thy precious Blood Blesse me O Lord in my going out and comming in and grant that whatsoever I shall think speak or take in hand this day may tend to the glory of thy Name the good of others and the comfort of my own Conscience when I shall come to make up my last accounts before thee O my God help thy servant that I do no evil to any man this day and let it be thy blessed will not to suffer the Devil nor any of his wicked Angels nor any of his evil Members to have power to do me any hurt or violence but let the eye of thy holy providence watch over me for good and not for evil and command thy holy Angels to pitch their Tents round about me for my defence and Safety in my going out and coming in as thou hast promised they shall do about them that fear thy name Grant this O heavenly Father for Jesus Christ thy sons sake in whose blessed name I give thee glory and beg at thy hands all other graces which thou seest to be needful for me this day and ever in that prayer which Christ himself hath taught me saying Our Father c. A Prayer for Saturday-Evening O Most gracious God and loving Father who are about my Bed and knowest my down-lying and mine up-rising and art near unto all that call upon thee in truth and sincerity I wretched sinner do beseech thee to look upon me with the Eyes of thy Mercy Father I beseech thee let thy holy Spirit work in me such a serious Repentance as that I may with Tears lament my sins past with grief of heart be humbled for my sins present and with all my endeavour resist the fame sins for the time to come And now O Lord I Bless thee for my Health Food Rayment and Prosperity and more especially that thou hast defended me this day now past from all dangers and Perils both of Body and Soul furnishing me with all necessary good things that I stand in need of and as thou hast ordained the Day for man to Travel in and the Night for him to take his rest so I beseech thee sanctifie unto me this Nights rest and sleep that I may enjoy the same as thy sweet blessing and benefit that so this dull and wearied body of mine being refreshed with moderate sleep and rest I may be the better enabled to walk before thee doing all such good works as thou hast appointed when it shall Please thee of thy Divine goodness to waken me the next Morning More especially I beseech thee to prepare me for thy Service to Morrow it is thine Holy day O Lord prepare me for the Sanctifying of the same that I may not spend it in my own Lusts and pleasures but that my chief delight may be to Consecrate it to thy Glory and Honour and that ceasing from the works of sin as well as from the works of my ordinary Calling I may through thy Blessing feel in my heart the beginning of that Eternal Sabbath which in unspeakable Joy and Glory I shall celebrate with the Saints and Angels to thy Praise and Glory in thy Heavenly Kingdom for Evermore Keep my heart O Lord in thy fear and guide all the course of my life by thy Favour and prepare me against the hour of Death and Dissolution that if thou shouldest this night make my Bed in the dark and turn my sleep into Death I may Live and Die unto thee who livest Everlastingly these Graces and all other Blessings which thou O Father knowest to be requisite and necessary for me I humbly beg and crave at thy Hands in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ thy Son in that form of Prayer which he himself hath Taught me saying Our Father c. FAMILY DEVOTIONS OR A COLLECTION OF Morning and Evening PRAYERS For Families for every day in the Week But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord Josh 25. 15. Family-Devotions A Prayer for a Family for Sunday Morning LOrd teach us to Pray that we may call upon thy Name Prepare our hearts to seek and open thou thy ears Mercifully to hear us O Eternal and Everliving Lord God Creator and continual Preserver of all things both in Heaven and in Earth by whose gracious Providence as we were at the first wonderfully and fearfully Made so we are no less preserved and kept unto this present We the Workmanship of thy own hands desire to humble both Soul and Body before thee And now O Lord we being here in thy Presence cannot but acknowledg and confess against our selves our own unworthiness to come before thee to call upon thee or to perform even the least Duty that shall concern thy Worship and Glory Our hearts alas are no better then the sink of sin and a mass of all Pollution and uncleanness Wheresore O dear God most meek and Merciful Father we poor Wretches heartily beseech thee to be Gracious unto us for Jesus Christ thy Sons sake for his Death sake for thy Promise Truth and Mercies sake have Mercy upon us Pardon us and Forgive us all our Sins Iniquities and Trespasses whatsoever we have committed against thee in thought Word or Deed Ever or at any time hitherto by any meanes Dear Father have mercy upon us though we be poor yet our
us we beseech thee let the eye of thy providence which never slumbereth nor sleepeth watch over us and let the hand of thy power Protect and defend us Cover us this Night under the Shadow of thy Wings that no evil happen unto us Grant that our bodies may be refreshed this night with such moderate rest that we may be the fitter for the works of our vocation and thy service the next morning Hear us we beseech thee for Jesus Christ his sake our Lord and only Saviour in whose Name and Words we call upon thee further Praying Our Father c. A Prayer for a Family for Thursday Morning GLorious Lord God and in Jesus Christ our merciful and loving Father we thine unworthy creatures sinful dust and ashes are here in all humility of souls and bodies prostrate as the lowest footstool of thy glorious Majesty beseeching thee to bow down thine ears unto our prayers to open thine eyes to our Supplications who from the very bottom of our hearts do acknowledg and confess that we have been unprofitable servants prodigal Children and bad stewards of that time which thou hast afforded us for repentance and good works and of those tallents which thou hast committed to our improvement we are Children of rebellious and disobedient parents our hearts are cages of unclean birds of noisome lusts and the thoughts thereof have been evil and only evil and that continually And if we look O Lord unto the actions of our lives there are few sins we have not committed no Commandement which we have not broken These eyes which now look up unto heaven have beheld vanity these tongues which now call upon thee have dishonoured thee and these hands which we now lift up unto thee have been many times lifted up against thee and thy statutes so that we have made our selves unworthy of the east of thy mercies but worthy of the greatest of thy Judgments but deal not with us after our sins neiâ—her reward us according to our â—niquities Spare us O Lord Spare thy people whom thou hast creatâ—d after thine own Image and redeemed with thy own blood And â—ccording to the multitude of thy tender compassions which have ever been of old to us blot out the multitude of our transgressions pardon our sins and receive us again into thy favour for his sake and Suffering who hath Satisfied thy Justice to the utmost farthing And for the short residue and remainder of our days give us grace O Lord to consecrate the remainder of them to thy service to redeem that time which we cannot recall and to make our calling and election sure before we go home and be seen no more And bâ—cause the corruption of our nature are too many and too strong for us and the Devil like a roaring Lyon goes about continually to devour us leave us not to our selves but assist us by thy grace perfed thy strength in our weakness and preserve both our bodies and souls blameless and spotless that wheâ— we shall have finished our course and run the race of our natural Pilâ—grimage we may receive that crown of righteousness which thou the righteous and just Judge hast laid up for all them that love and expect the day of thy appearing And together with us we intreat thee for a blessing upon our King Queen Duke and the rest of the Royal Family upon our Counsellours Ministers and Magistrates upon our friends Kindred and acquaintance upon the whole Church and every afflicted member of it Eccept of our Morning sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for all the mercies and favours comforts and deliverances which from time to time thou hast afforded and continued to us we thank thee for thy last mercy in preserving us from the dangers of this night past for refreshing our bodies with seasonable rest and bringing us safe to the beginning of this day Lord what is man that thou art so mindful of him and the son of man that thou shouldest thus visit and remember him give us grace O Lord to remember thee and to be mindful of thy mercies that we may praise thee for all thee truth and faithfulness which thou shewest to us in the land of the living that as thou hast brought us to the comforts of this day so thou mayst go along with us in the same to enable us for the Duties of those callings wherein we are placed and to deliver us from those dangers to which we are exposed ever for Jesus Christ his sake in whose most blessed name and words we conclude these our weak and imperfect prayers saying as he himself hath taught us in his holy Gospel Our Father c. A Prayer for a Family for Thursday Evening O Eternal God and most merciful Father in Jesus Christ in whom thou hast made a Covenant of Grace and Mercy with all those that come unto thee in him in his Name and Mediation we humbly prostrate our selves before the throne of thy mercy-seat acknowledging that by the breach of all thy holy Laws and Commandements we are become wild Olive Branches strangers to thy Covenant of Grace we have defaced in our selves thy sacred Image imprinted in us by Creation we have sinned against Heaven and before thee and are no more worthy to be called thy children O admit us into the place of hired servants Lord thou hast formed us in ouâ— Mothers Wombs thy Providence hath hitherto watched over us and preserved us to this present time O stay not the course of thy Mercies and loving kindness toward us Have mercy upon us O Lord for thy dear Son Jesus Christ his sake who is the way the truth and the Life In him O Lord we appeal from thy Justice to thy Mercy beseeching thee in his Name and for his sake only that thou wilt be graciously pleased freely to pardon us all our sins and disobedience whether in thought word or deed committed against thy divine Majesty and in his precious Bloodsheding Death and perfect obedience free us from all the guilt the stain the punishment and dominion of all our sins and cloth us with his perfect Righteousness there is mercy with thee O Lord that thou mayest be feared yea thy mercyes swallow up the greatness of our sins speak peace to our souls and consciences make us happy in the free Remission of all our sins and be reconciled to thy poor servants in Jesus Christ in whom thou art well pleased Suffer not the works of thine own Hands to Perish thou art not delighted in the death of sinners but in their Conversion turn our hearts and we shall be turned convert us and we shall be converted Illuminate the eyes of our minds and understandings with the bright beams of thy holy Spirit that we may dayly grow in the saving knowledg of the heavenly mystery of our Redemption wrought by our dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ sanctifie our wills and affections by the same Spirit the most sacred fountain of all
subscribing with their blood Lord grant we nere may sin away The mercies of this Gospel day The Persecution in the time of Q. Mary and the carriage of the Papists in it is thus described by the excellent Bp. Jewel YOu have saith he imprisoned your brethren you have stript them naked you have scourged them with rods you have burnt their hands and arms with flaming torches you have famished them you have drowned them you have summon'd them being dead to appear before you out of their graves you have ript up their buried carkases burnt them and thrown them out upon dunghils you took a poor babe falling from its mothers womb and in a most cruel and inhumane manner threw it into the fire By all which several ways and means the Martyrs in all parts of the Kingdom in the 5 years reign of Q. Mary amounted to the number of 277. persons of all sorts and ages for there perished by these flames 5 Bishops 21 Divines 8 Gentlemen 84 Artificers 100 Husbandmen servants and labourers 26 Wives 20 Widdows 9 Virgins 2 boys and 2 infants one springing out of his mothers womb as she was burning at the stake and most unmercifully flung it into the fire at the very birth 64 more in those furious times were persecuted in their faith whereof 7 were whipt 16 perish'd in prison 12 buried in dunghils and many more lay in captivity condemned who were happily delivered by the glorious entrance of Queen Elizabeth A Thanksgiving for the return of the Gospel and our deliverance from Popish Superstition and Tyranny O Most glorious most merciful and gracius Lord God we cannot but remember thy mercies to us and to our Fathers of old when thou wast pleased to deliver this Nation from the spiritual Aegyptian bondage which we were under in the Mariâ—n days when our Fathers were in the condition of those Worthies of old who were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection who wandred about in sheep-skins and goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented in desarts in mountains in dens and caves of the Earth and the sound of the Turtle was not heard in the land This O Lord was our miserable condition under that Romish Tyranny under which we groaned but thou our most merciful Father in the midst of judgment didst remember mercy and didst bring back our captivity as the rivers in the South thou broughtest thy servant Queen Elizabeth from prison to reign and with her did the glorious Sun of thy Gospel arise upon these late dark lands and the word of the Lord went throughout the Nation thou quenchest those flames that destroyed so many of thy blessed Saints and servants and didst at once restore to us religion peace plenty and Victory over all our and thine enemies O what shall we render unto the Lord for all these his great benefits to us a most unworthy wicked and sinful people let us render unto him the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving and let our lives and conversations so shew forth his praise that we may never provoke the Lord to remove his candlestick from us and once more to scourge us with the thorns and bryars of Popish Tyranny from which his grace and goodness hath so wonderfully delivered us and all this we ask through the merits and mercies of thy blessed Son our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen The prayer of King Edward the sixth called Englands Josiah against Popery LOrd God deliver me out of this miserable and wretched life and take me among thy chosen howbeit not my will but thy will be done Lord I commit my spirit to thee O Lord thou knowest how happy it were for me to be with thee yet for thy Chosens sake send me life and health that I may truly serve thâ—e O my God bless thy people and save thine Inheritance O Lord God save thy chosen people of England O my Lord God defend this Realm from Papistâ—y and maintain thy true Religion that I and my people may praise thy holy name Vpon the Spanish Invasion in that remarkable year 1588. intended to reduce this Nation to Popery and slavery by the so called invincible Armada Poor Englands ruin is design'd The Pope and Spain have both combind Both have infallibly decreed In Eighty Eight England must bleed A vast Armada Spain prepares The cost and toyl of many years An hundred fifty Sail and more Come thundring from the Spanish shoar The Pope to make up the bravado Stiles it the invincible Armado Whose vast and numerous Hulls contain The Treasure and the strenght of Spain Full twenty thousand Souldiers And to encrease our woes and fears Fetters and chains they did prepare The marks of slavery we must wear Religion Laws and Liberties All were designed a Sacrifice To Romish Tyranny and we Most wretched slaves design'd to be Our Queen with watchful eyes surveys Th' approaching storm and soon doth raise Two Royal Armies to withstand The bold Invaders of our Land A Royal Fleet too she provides But God himself the cause decides The Lord of Hosts soon made them see There 's none Invincible but He. He with a breath of wind doth blast Designs so mighty and so vast That all might see that none but He An Vniversal King can be In the year of our Lord 1588. and in the one and thirtieth year of the most glorious reign of Q. Elizabeth Philip the second King of Spain set forth this mighty fleet the Spaniards themselves being so amazed at the vastness of it that they named it the Invincible Armada it being the best furnished with men amunition and all manner of provision of any that ever the Ocean saw consisting of a hundred and fifty tall ships in which were twenty thousand Souldiers and the D. of Parma was designed to bring out of Flanders fifty thousand more to join with them it had also eight thousand six hundred mariners two thousand and eighty gally-slaves two thousand six hundred and thirty great Ordnance besides boats and tenders of all sorts with provisions the Pope also contributed a million of gold to this design All these were to be landed at the Thames mouth that by seizing on the head they might the more easily command the body of the Kingdom The Queen had prepared a double guard one for the land and another for the sea that by land was divided into two Armies the one consisting of two and twenty thousand foot and a thousand horse commanded by the Earl of Leicester whose camp was at â—â—lbury where the Queen with a masculine spirit came and took a view of her Army and riding about through the ranks of armed men drawn up on both sides her with a Leaders trunche on in her hand sometimes with a martial pace another while 〈◊〉 liâ—e a woman it is incredible how mâ—ch 〈…〉 ragâ—d the heart of hâ— Captaâ—ns and Souldiers by her presence and peech to them The guard by sea consisted of one hundred and forty
ships divided into 3 squadrons commanded by the L. Howard Admiral Sr. Francis Drake Vice-Admiral and the Lord Henry Seymour Reer-Admiral When the mighty moving wood of Spain was entred into the British seas and found the Queen so well prepared contrary to their expectation they resolved rather to make a chase fight than lye by it The Queen commanded the L. Admiral to make ready eight of her worst ships and to besmear them with wild-fire pitch and rosin and fill them with brimstone and other combustible matâ—er which he sent down the wind in the dead of the night among the Spanish Fleet who spying the flames â—nd thinking them deadly inventions and murthering engines raised a sad oâ—tcry and preseâ—tly weigâ—'d anchor 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 les and in a terrible Panicâ—â—ear with great hast and confusion put to Sea Whereupon the Queens fleet under Drake and other brave Commanders took some of them sunck and drove some on the sands and many others being driven Northwards and grievously tossed impaired and mangled by storms and wracks and enduring all manner of miseries at length returned with shame and dishonour by all which ways were lost more than half the Spanish fleet and of the English only one ship and that of small value And thus this great Armada which had been three compleat years in preparing with infiniâ—e expence was within one months space many times fought with and at last overthrown with the loss of abundance of Spaniards and this mighty design came to nought Gloria Deo A Thanksgiving for our deliverance from the Spanish Armada in 1588. MOst high and mighty Lord God Almighty who workest wonders in the Heavens in the Earth and in the Sea who art a present help to all that call upon thee we the people of these Nations have infinite cause to bless thy holy name for thy mercies of old to our Fathers in delivering us from that slavery and misery that was design'd to be brought upon us by thine and our enemies who intended to have tyrannized over our souls our bodies our consciences they had prepared whips to scourge us chains and fetters to bind and manacle us and they did boast themselves to be invincible and that none could withstand them but thou O Lord didst blow upon them with a blast of thy mouth and they were scattered like chaff before the wind and they perished at thy presence thou didst put fear into their hearts and they fled thou didst confound all their projects and devices and they were all brought to nought O Lord let us never forget this mercy of thine and the multitude of thy mercies that we have recieved since that time which thou knowest O Lord we have not improved as we ought and may therefore justly fear that we have so provoked thee by our crying abominations that thou mayst once more give us over to Romish Tyranny O Lord we beseech thee yet to remember mercy and rather take us into thine own hand to correct us than give us into the hands of wicked and unmerciful men whose tender mercies are cruelties remember thy loving kindness to us of old and save us according to thy wonted mercy not for our own sakes but for the merit of thy dear Son and our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ. Amâ—n Vpon the fifth of November 1 THis day allows thy praises Lord Our grateful hearts to thee shall sing Our thankful lips they shall record Thine antient loves Eternal King 2 Our Land shall boast the holy One My great preserver is become My friends my foes hath overthrown And made the pit they dig'd their tomb 3 With Parthian bows the Archers came Romes poisonous oyl on th' arrows shone Thy Turtle was the Archers aim Shoot shoot saies Satan all 's our own 4 Fond foolish Rome how darest t' oppose Whom God in his safe bosom lays Thy malice may it self disclose But frustrate still shall turn to praise 5 Thy Crozier staff thy tripple Crown Those ensignes of deceit and pride Thy purple robe thy blaz'd renown The Gunpowder Treasâ—n The dust shall ever ever hide 6 Thy merchants shall thy fall lament Thy lovers all in sackloth mourn While Heaven and Earth in one consent Shall sing Amen let Babilon burn 7 Then Lord thy Spouse whose dropping eyes Whose sighs whose sufferings prove her thine Shall from her pensive sorrows rise And as the Lambs fair Bride shall shine 8 Sweet day sweet day when shall it be Why stays my Lord dear Saviour come Thy mourning Spouse cries after thee Stay with me here or take me home Of the Powder Treason THe Plot was to undermine the Parliament-house and with Pouder to blow up the King Prince Clergy Nobles Knights and Burgesses the very confluence of all the flower of Glory Piety Learning Prudence and Authority in the Land Fathers Sons Brothers Allies Friends Foes Papists and Protestants all at one blast This damnable design was coutrived by some Priests Jesuits and other Papists to which end they took lodgings near the Parliament house and then all the Conspirators took an oath of secresy in these words You shall swear by the blessed Trinity and by the Sacrament you now purpose to receive never to disclose directly or indirectly by word or circumstance the matter that shall be proposed to you to keep secret nor desist from the execution thereof till the rest shall give you leave And now the business went on apace and all things being ready the 5 th of November 1605. was the day designed for the execution but about ten days before a letter directed to my Ld. Monteagle was delivered by an unknown person to his footman in the street with a strict charge to give it to his Lords own hand which accordingly he did and the Lord being troubled at the contents presently imparted it to the Secretary of State who soon presented it the King which was in these Words My LORD Out of the love I bear to some of your friends I have a care of your preservation therefore I would advise you as you tender your life to devise some excuse to shift off your attendance at this Parliament for God and man have concurred to punish the wickedness of this time and think not slightly of this advertisement 〈◊〉 retire your self into your Country where you may expect the event with safety for though there be no appearance of any stir yet I say they shall receive a terrible Blow this Parliament and yet they shall not see who hurts them this counsel is not to be contemned because it may do you good and can do you no harm for the danger is past so soon as you have burnt the letter and I hope God will give you the grace to make use of it to whose holy protection I commend you The King reading this letter did conclude by several dark passages in it that it contained in it some extraordinary design and therefore by the Blow did suppose was meant some blast of Gun-pouder
him for these thy great and unspeakable mercys we render thee most humble thanks from the bottom of our hearts beseeching thee still to continue thy gracious protection over him and to grant him a long and happy reign over us so we will give thee thanks for ever and will always be shewing forth thy praise from generation to generation through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Vpon the Twenty Nineth of May the Day of his Majesties Birth and happy Return NO voice more soft then Thunder can express Our present joy our past heaviness None can the largeness of this Joy set out Unless at once he make three Kingdomes shout O therefore let us jointly all proclaim The praise of this great Act due to the Name Of Him by whom Kings Reign and Oh that we Could make our souls Wing'd with Devotion flee To God on High in Thankfulness and Praise Who without Blood has Crown'd our King with Bays Brought from three conquered Nations which he Holds in Subjection but to keep them free From the hard Yoke of Bondage which of late So gaul'd our necks whilest that we called a State Was nought but mad-men sitting at the Helm T was a great Bedlam which is now a Realm But those bad times are past this day we were Even rescu'd from the Sword without a War Without a War Great Charles his Kingdomes wone Thus strait when God Will hav 't the thing is done O may we thankful be and sing his praise Who for our Cypress now has given us Bayes May we give God and Caesar all their due And always Peace and Loyalty Pursue A Thanksgiving for the 29th of May being the day of his Majesties Birth and happy Return O Lord God who by thy divine providence and goodness didst this day bring into the world and didst this day also bring Back and restore unto us and to his own just and undoubted right our most gracious Soveraign Lord thy Servant KING CHARLES preserve his life establish his throne we beseech thee be unto him a helmet of salvation against the face of his enemies and a strong tower of defence in the time of trouble Let his reign be prospeâ—ous and his days many and let him so duly serve thee on earth that he may hereafter everlastingly reign with thee in heaven and let us thine unworthy servants make an oblation of our selves unto thee vowing all holy obedience in thought word and work unto thy divine Majesty promising in thee and for thee all loyall and dutiful Allegiance to thine anointed servant and to his heirs after him whom we beseech thee to bless with all encrease of grace honour and happiness And together with him bless the whole Royal Family with the dew of thy heavenly Spirit that they ever trusting in thy goodness protected by thy power and Crowned with thy gracious and endless favour may continue before thee in health peace joy and honour a long and happy life upon earth and after death obtain everlasting life and glory in the Kingdome of Heaven by the merits and mediation of Christ Jesus our Saviour who with the Father The â—Pestilence 〈◊〉 1665 and the holy Spirit liveth and reigneth for ever world without end Amen Vpon the Dreadful Pestilence in 1665. ON the great City of this Sinful Land London with Wealth and Folk abounding and With sin the cause of woe too God first pour'd The brim full Vial of his wrath and showr'd His ireful Judgments There his Angel drew The sword of Vengeance and that people slew At first by Tens which soon to Hundreds come Then Thousands weekly sent to their long home The frighted Citizens begin to fly From house and habitation lest they dye A wrathful day a dismal time wherein Thousands receive the wages of their sin Now might you see Red Crosses there great store And Lord have Mercy upon many a door The Knells of death continually do ring And that same doleful sound of Buryers Bring Your dead out Mortal ears with Terror Pierce And now a Cart becomes too many a Hearse Now might you see all faces blackness gather The son lamenting for his dying Father The wife for her deceased husband crying And parents mourning for their Children dying And some who did in stately houses dwell Now gladly creep into a Country Cell And others wandering up and down the Fields No Town or Village them admittance yeilds Thus from the Rod of God poor sinners fly Not from their Crimes for which they smart and dye Had you your selves forsaken when at home You need not thus about the countrey rome Had you fled from your sins before as fast You need not from the Plague have made such hast There have been three great Plagues in London within these sixty years and how much greater this last was then the former may appear by this Comparison In the year 1625. Buried of all Diseases 54265 Whereof of the Plague 35417 In the year 1636. Buried of all Diseases 23359 Whereof of the Plague 10400 In the year 1665. Buried of all Diseases 97301 Whereof of the Plague 68586 A Prayer in time of Pestilence OMnipotent Lord thou sin revenging God who for disobedience didst threaten thine own people Israel to smite them in the knees and in the legs with a sore botch that could not be healed be pleased O thou great offended Lord in the bowels of thy compassion to let thine anger cease and to bow down thine ear to thy sorrowful servants we turn unto thee our weeping eyes our dejected countenances our wringing hands our bended Knees our mournful voices and our groaning hearts O Merciful God behold our tears and view our countenances and look upon our hands and strengthen our Knees and hearken to our voices and comfort our hearts Give us a fight of our sins O Lord which have thus provoked thee to enter into Judgment with thy Servants and make us more to loath and tremble at our wickedness then at these Messengers of death wean us from the love of sin from the consideration both of thy displeasure and our own mortality and speak peace and health unto our souls which do every moment expect our dissolution to come O Lord thou art a God who canst not abide to behold unrighteousness look not therefore with thy wrathful eye upon us who are full of sin and pollution but look upon thy Son and his righteousness or if thou wilt look upon us first cloth us with the righteousness of that immaculate Lamb and so shalt thou see us with love and delight and we shall behold thee with unspeakable joy Seal unto our souls the remission of our offences and then make us willing to resigne our bodies to thy disposing yet we know O Lord if thou dost but Speak the word we shall be made whole if thou say'st the Plague shall not come near our habitations we then know we shall be safe if it be thy blessed will O Lord let us praise thee in the
my fortress my strength in whom I trust my buckler the horn of my Salvation and my high Tower O save me now in this heavy distress and deliver thy servant hear me O Lord in this day of trouble O God of Jacob deâ—end me Give an happy end to these my torments that I may enjoy the fruit of my Womb for which I suffer them O Lord in mercy if it may stand with thy eternal decree preserve both my life and the life of my issue arm me with patience to undergo these pangs and in the end give me comfort in what thou shalt send me but if otherwise thou hast determined to end my life by these heavy torments O my sweet and merciful Jesus receive me into thy bosom that I may pass from misery to eternal happiness Hear O Lord and have mercy upon me and mine and grant my petitions for the worthiness of that most merciful and blessed Son of a woman thine only begotten Son Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour in whose most holy name and words I pray Our Father c. A Prayer of a Woman after her delivery O Merciful God and heavenly Father who hast now most especially made known unto me that thou art able to do more exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think make me thankfully to rejoyce in the works of thy love and thy tender mercy thy favours are great and wonderful in sparing the life of my self and mine Infant and freeing me from my pangs and it from the Darkness of the silent Womb. Thine O Lord is thy power by which I am delivered thine is the mercy by which I am safely returned into my bed thine is the work of the frame and fashion of this my Babe thine therefore shall be likewise thy glory for ever and ever Grant blessed Father that I may never forget thy goodness but may express my thankfulness in new obedience Make me careful to perform what service I promised thee in the extremity of mine Anguish As thou hast given me the fruit of my body to the joy of my heart so give me the fruit of Righteousness sown in Peace Give me the Wisdom which is from above that is full of good Works without hypocrisy Lord make me thy servant by grace and make this child thy child by adoption mercy give me comfort in its life for the sorrows which I endured at his birthâ— Give thy blessing on the meanes for the nourishment of this Child Give it strength that it may live to receive the seal of thy Mercy in the Laver of Baptism and do thou be present with thy blessing when the sign shall be administred O let it live if it be thy blessed Will and grow up in wisdome and in stature and in grace both with thee and with men that so I may magnifie thy Name for making me an instrument to propagate the number of thine Elect. Take pity upon all that suffer afflictions especially on those Women who are in Labour with Children Give them comfort in the time of their miseries ease from their Torments joy in their desired Issue and thankfulness for thy blessings Lord grant that both I and they may sing praises to thy Name for the greatness of our deliverance and express our thanks in our godly lives that when this painful life shall have end we may sing triumphantly in Eternal Glory through Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour in whose most blessed Name and words I conclude my imperfect Prayers saying as he himself hath taught me Our Father c. The Prayer of a Widdow O God in the knowledg of whom is the perfection of all joy at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore thou makest the comforts of this life momentany that we may not overprize them and yet hast made them requisite that we may not undervalue them I a late sharer of this worlds happiness but now a sad witness of its Vanity do here address my self to thee the only Crown of all my joys in whom there is no variableness nor shadow of change Lord thou didst give me what my unthankfulness hath taken from me but thou hast taken from me what thy goodness hath promised to Supply Thou hast given and thou hast taken blessed be thy name for ever Thou then O God who art not less able to perform then willing to promise whose mercy is more ready to bestow then my misery is to beg strengthen my faith that I may believe thy promise encourage my hopes that I may expect thy performance quicken my affections that I may love the Promiser Be thou all in all unto me that am nothing without thee Sweeten my misery with the sence of thy mercy and lighten my darkness with the Sun of thy glory Seal in my heart the assurance of adoption that I may with boldness call thee my Father sanctifie my affections with the Spirit of meekness that my conversation may testify that I am thy Child wean my heart from worldly sorrow lost I mourn like those that have no hope But thou my Bridegroom and let our marriage-chamber be thy heart Own me as thy Bride and purifie me with the odours of thy spirit prevent me with thy blessings protect me by thy grace preserver me for thy self and prepare me for thy Kingdom be thou a Father to bless me be thou a husband to comfort me in the midst of my want be thou my plenty in the depth of my mourning be thou my mirth Raise my glory from the dust and then my dust shall shew forth thy praise Supply all my wants for the sake of Jesus Christ my blessed Lord in whose most holy words I further pray Our Father c. The Prayer of an Orphan ALmighty God and heavenly Father who art a Lord of comfort and a God of Consolation look down upon a sinful and distressed Orphan beâ—eâ—â— of the joy and help of earthly Parents It was my own unworthiness of so loving parents that hath made thee to take them away from mine eyes my disobedience to their commands and my neglect of honouring them according to thy laws hath provoked thee to anger and to deprive me of them O Lord forgive me my manifold offences and remember thy promises which thou hast made unto the fatherless and that I may be capable of those thy promises give me grace to become thy child by obedience thou O Lord art my Father to whom belongeth honour thou art my Master and requirest me to fear thee Lord make me fear to offend thee who art a righteous Judg and make me love and honour thee who art a gracious Father be with me in all the ways wherein I shall walk in this mortal life comfort me in my sorrows support me in my miseries provide for me in my wants and in all places and at all times be thou my Father my Rock and my strong salvation do thou defend the poor and fatherless do justice to the
afflicted and needy Supply all my wants and confer upon me all necessary blessings O be reconciled unto me in the blood of thy Son that I may â—ere depend upon thy fatherly protection and may hereafter be received into thy heavenly Kingdom there to reign with thee world without end through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour in whose blessed name and words I conclude my imperfect Prayers saying as he himself hath taught me Our Father c. The Prayer of a Marriner MOst glorious and eternal God whose power and wisdome is infinite and whose dominion is without end thou canst order and dispose of thy poor creatures to thy own praise and to their souls comfort Be pleased to look down from heaven the habitation of thy dwelling place and take notice of the broken requests of a poor worm in thy presence that is not worthy to take thy name into his lips Lord I may well say What is man that thou art mindful of him or the son of man that thou shouldst visit him that thou shouldst compass him about with loving kindness as with a garment The divine Architecture of this goodly fabrick of heaven and earth raysed out of nothing to this admirable perfection is beyond the apprehension of poor sinful dust and ashes but to behold thy glorious works upon the deep waters is much more admirable these declare thy glorious power O blessed Lord vouchsafe thy presence with a poor sinful creature in this undertaking that I may praise thee in the vast Ocean be a preserve from the danger of the Sea and prosper what is lawfully undertaken but especially preserve me from the danger of sin Oh let the gales of thy gracious spirit blow my soul at last to its desired harbour Oh thou that carriest the winds in thy fist so take care of me that the waves of the sea or of worldly desires may not swallow me up and return me home in safety that I may bless the land of the living and in the congregation of thy people and all this and whatsoever else is needful I aske for the sake of Jesus Christ my Lord to whom with the holy Spirit of grace be glory and honour now and ever Ameâ— The Thanksgiving of a Mariner after a prosperous voyage EVerlasting God the powerful preserver of men there are no bounds to be set to thy bounty for besides the great work of thy Creation thy continued Preservations and wonderful works of Providence declare thee to be a God of mighty power so also of wisdom goodness justice and truth oh never to be enough magnified is thy mercy for the continuance of thy favours thou never leavest nor forsakest those that put their trust in thee Oh holy Lord what shall I render unto thee that so aboundest in love and mercy in the deep the Lord hath been seen and every morning thou preventest me with thy loving kindness and though sin hath abounded yet thy grace hath superabounded Thou dost fulfil the desires of them that fear thee oh now as thou hast given me a new life and delivered me from the dangers and terrors of the deep waters so be graciously pleased to give me a thankful heart let there be found in me hungring and thirsting after righteousness that I may be brought home at last to that land of promised blessedness Good Lord do this and what else thou seest needful for thy Son Jesus Christ his sake our Lord in whose most holy name and words I further pray Our Father c. A Prayer to be used by all Christians O Almighty everlasting God and most gracious and dear loving Father I beseech thee for Jesus Christ his sake thy most dear and only Son to have mercy pitty and compassion upon a most vile wretched and miserable sinner whose innumerable offâ—nces both old and new are grievous and great by which I have justly deserved thy grievous wrath and everlasting damnation But now good Lord I do only appeal to thy great mercy which far surmounteth all thy works and thou hast promised in thy holy Word yea and sworn as truly as thou livest that thou desirest not the death of a sinner but ratheâ— that he should repent and live O gracious Lord I do confess that I am a great and grievous Sinner yet O Lord let me not perish nor suffer that everlasting death of my Soul which I have so deeply deserved but make me a vessel of thy great mercy that I may live and praise thy name amongst thy chosen Children for ever O let not my great sins separate me from the sight of thy holy Majesty but let thy great power and mercy be magnified in me as it was in David and Peter and Mary Magdalen and the Thief upon the cross O Lord I put my whole trust and confidence in thee who hast taken away the sins of the World who camest not to condemn the World but to save it that none which truly believe in thee should perish but should have everlasting life who camest noâ— to call the righteous but sinners to repentance O gracious God give me true hearty earnest and unseigned repentance that I may from the very bottom of my heart continually lament my manifold sins and wickednesses and so assist me with thy grace that I may never trespass against thy divine Majesty any more but that I may gladly serve thee in true holiness and righteousness all the days of my life Guide me O Lord by thy holy Spirit in all my ways works words and thoughts that I may gloriâ—y thy holy name which livest and reignest for ever through Jesus Christ my blessed Lord and Saviour in whose name and words I further pray Our Father c. A Prayer of a sick person FAithful Creator and preserver of all men look down I beseech thee upon thy poor servant who is punisht and afflicted in body with the smart of my pain and sickness and who is also troubled with the fear of thy heavy displeasuâ—e for my many sins and iniquities wherewith I have provoked thy holy Majesty in the time of my health I confess that of very faithfulness and goodness to me thou hast laid this scourge upon me to the end that by the stripes of my fleâ—h my spirit might be healed and saved in the day of the Lord Jesus I valued not the benefit of health as I should have done and therefore thou hast made me sensible of it by the want of it in my prosperity I remembred not the afflictions of my brethren and therefore thou hast afflicted me like unto them I was in a kind of spiritual lethargy till thou didst awake me with the strâ—â—ke of thy hand and because I know that it is good for me to be thus disciplined by thee I humble my self under thy mighty hand kiss this thy rod which I trust through thy grace shall make my Soul appear fair beautiful in thine eyes Comfort O Lord my fainting spirit and strengthen my