sinne sinfull sinne sins of all sorts committing things forbidden and omitting things commanded So that I cannot but confesse against my selfe I am wholly not only sinfull but a lump of sin it selfe a puddle of putrifaction a sinke of vncleannes a gulfe of grosse impieties and a carcasse of most filthie leprosie full of spirituall rottennesse vnworthy the light of the Sunne to lighten my corporall eyes to see to do euill not worthy to breathe in the ayre to speake euill nor worthie to partake of the ordinary food of men to strengthen my flesh the more to sinne nor worthie to consort with humane societie to make them sinfull by my sin Oh wretch that I am how haue I plunged my selfe into thy heauie displeasure how haue I lost thy loue who louest righteousnes and hatest iniquitie Oh wretch that I am how haue I runne without right reason to my ruine rashly Lord I am vnfainedly sorie for my sinnes and I long to be reconciled vnto thee lest I goe to my graue with griefe lest from the graue I should come into iudgement with horror and be inforced to heare that fearefull and finall sentence of reprobatiō pronounced against 〈◊〉 neuer to be reuoked indure torments neuer to be eased Oh Lor 〈…〉 mercifull and louing remember I am but dust forget not how orignall sinne seazed vpon me before I had sence or power to commit actuall sin call to minde that I was conceiued and borne in sinne and brought corruption in my flesh frō my mothers wombe which I could not preuent And although it be the rule of thy seuere Justice to lay the guilt of parents vpō their children yet let thy mercies which are aboue thy Judgemēts shew themselues now when else there is no hope Amen Lord increase my faith and forgiue my sinnes Another shorter prayer for forgiuenesse of sinnes O Heauenly father thy promises are many faithfull and comfortable Thou wilt not the death of a sinner but desirest rather that he should repent and liue If thou then desirest rather that I liue then perish giue me a repenting hart renue a right spirit within me reforme me and I shall be reformed for in me Lord there is no goodnes no power and as little will to doe good but a will and power to do euill only Let therefore thy grace worke effectually in me a new heart a new minde new affections holy and sanctified So shall sin become lothsome vnto me which I haue loued and holines of life shal be sweet vnto me which I haue neglected thy Commandements that I haue transgressed I shall indeuour to fulfill thy patience which I haue abused I wil answere with more filiall obediēce The curses then that I haue deserued shal be turnd into blessings and I shall frame the residue of my life in better actions I shall abandon as deceiuing vanities those sinnes wherin I haue delited and shal shun the baits wherwith Satan hath allured me to sin and whereunto I consented by the vanity of mine vnregenerate affections Oh pardon pardon my sins good Father in Iesus Christ fill my hart with the liuely apprehension of thy mercies speake peace vnto my sad and sorrowfull soule reuiue my dead distracted thoughts plunged in despaire cast thine ey◠vpon Christ thy beloued in him 〈◊〉 louing eye vpon me who without him am a cast-away Heare him 〈◊〉 mediator for me heare me a sinner for his sake and pardon me for thy mercies sake Take me now Lord out of the dungeon of feare wherin I haue bin long a captiue sold vnder sin Set me now free from the danger of death and hell Let Satan flie and fall before my face Let sin haue no more power ouer me receiue me into thy fauour assure me of full and free remission of my sinnes in Christ worke true peace in my conscience The sting of death being broken the feare of the iudgement to come may be turned into a liuely assurance of saluation that white I liue here I may euermore feele the liuely worke of thy holy Spirit in me Make the residue of my dayes the dayes of vnfained mourning for my former offences and of a most vpright and righteous conuersation to come and let faith euermore preuaile against all future temptations that I may finish the course of my life in that peace which proceedeth of perfect loue which loue bringeth forth filiall obedience vnto thee which obedience is more acceptable in thy fight then the sacrifices of bullocks and goates Accept me now good Father in Iesus Christ into thy fauour remit my sinnes number me amongst thine elect and seale me vp in thy mercies against the day of my finall visitation Heare me O Lord and let thy holy Spirit guide mee euer vnto that day through Christ my Sauiour my Mediator my Strength and my redeemer Amen O Lord increase my faith and pardon my sinnes A MOTIVE TO A Prayer for a godly and holy life and for power of resisting Satan and sinne THe course of euery mans life declar's what kind of man he is whether carnal or spiritual for as the tree is knowne by his fruit so is euery man known of men by his life conuersation And it is much to be lamented that men though carnally minded will iustifie themselues and make protestation of their hope that they shall be saued as well as he that walketh most sincerely before God and men And this out of a voluntarie ignorance and blindnesse in not knowing and truly distinguishing betweene the wayes of sanctitie and sinne the first leading to heauen and eternall life through grace and faith in Christ the other to hell and reprobation through our owne corruption by the obeying the will of Satan It is more then wonderfull to obserue the courses of carnall men who pretend that they are trauelling to that blessed New Ierusalem and yet take the direct way to Cursed Ierico they couet in conceit to ascend the holy hill of Sion and yet will not leaue that wicked Babylon They professe to liue after the Spirit but doe the workes of the Flesh. They would seeme to liue in Light but behold they are in Darknes not considering that he that liues after the flesh shall die yet how loth are carnall men to leaue the way that leadeth to destruction and how vnapt and vnwilling to walke in the way of life which is Christ in whom if we truely beleeue we walke in him if we truly walke in him we truely liue in him and that life is the summe and end of all our hope it is the marke whereat we ayme all our holy endeuours Let vs therefore determine with our selues and constantly resolue to walke before God and to be vpright Let vs make our supplications in his presence with our whole hearts And let vs duely consider our wayes what they haue beene And let vs now turne our feete vnto his testimonies Let vs strengthen and confirme our resolutions of a godly life by
he shal recouer and liue with them which kinde of comfort is rather iniurious then friendly for what if the partie thus idlely secured perish without repentance These kindes of comforters haue little cause to imagine they haue performed a Christian dutie in this their visitation of their sick friend whom they seemed to loue much bewailing his sicknes and yet content to send him away with the heauie burden of his sinnes A second Christian duty is to pray for the sicke either in priuate or in publike assemblies of and with such as are present with the sick person wherein also the sicke person may conioyne either in the whole prayer by an inward lifting vp of his repenting and faithful heart to God in a holy meditation of what they pray or to conclude with them all Amen The prayer of the faithfull auaileth much if it be feruent The Lord by this meanes will strengthen him vpon his bed raise him to health or translate him in his good time To visite the sicke is an action most acceptable to God Yee haue visited me saith Christ when I was sicke therefore c 〈…〉 yee blessed c. Them that comfort the afflicted God will comfort He is the Father of mercies and comforteth vs 〈◊〉 all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort them which are in any aff 〈…〉 by the comfort wherewith we our selues are comforted of God O Lord increase my faith A Prayer to be said for a sicke man or woman of his or her friendes that visite them O Most gracious Lord God who hast made all things preseruest euen the meanest of them by thy prouidence a sparrow lighteth not on the ground without thee Much lesse can any thing befall man but by thy will and determinate counsell So that we doe acknowledge that thou visitest this thy seruant here at this present languishing and that the present infirmity wherewith he is afflicted is of theesent to humble him for his sinnes Let it please thee O Lord to behold him in mercy and lay not vpon him too great a weight of thy dispeasure knowing that man in his greatest strength is weake how much more feeble being crushed as it were in â—eeces by the violence of thy visitation mitigate if it please thee the extremitie of his sicknesse and giue him patience to beare this thy light and louing correction And for that sinne is the cause of all troubles and tribulations Remoue Lord the guilt of all his offences through the merits of Iesus Christ and moderate his punishmeÌ„t though in iustice the most iust man is worthy of more stripes then he is able to beare yet thou refusest no truely repenting sinner bee his sins as reâ— as scarlet thou hast promised to make them as white as snow through the blood of Iesus Christ the sauing Lambe that taketh away the sinnes of the world Touch the hart of this thy seruant with a liuely feeling of his sinnes and a full assurance of thy mercy in forgiuing them That hee being really reunited vnto thee through an â—ufained faith in Christ may â—ouze vp his fainting soule vnto thee and by thee that howsoeuer his corporall weakenesse may argue the heauy displeasure towards him thy holy Spirit may yet work such peace in his conscienc through the assurance that his sins are freely forgiuen him that hee may take this thy visitation as a fatherly correction and louing chastisement for his former offences And that if thou be pleased to restore him to health it may worke in him a true renouation reformation of the rest of his life heare haue mercy vpon him O Lord haue mercy vpon him and according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away all his offences Looke fauourably vpon him cure him if it please thee restore him to health if it may stand with thy glory and his good But thou knowest Lord whether sickenesse or health bee most expedient for him whereof both he and wee are ignorant And therefore wee recommend him vnto thy fatherly disposition beseeching thee to confirme his hope assure him so of thy mercie that hee may imbrace life or death at thy pleasure and willingly to vndergoe this affliction knowing that all the tribulations which man can beare in this life are not worthy of the glory which thou hast prepared for them that loue thy second comming whâ—â— thou wilt giue to euery man according to his workes And therfore Lord turne his heart from the loue and vanities of this life vnto thâ— loue of the ioyes to come And 〈◊〉 him no longer set his heart and affections vpon this world or thâ— things in the world but onely and altogether vpon heauen and heauenly things That when the moment of time shall be wherein thâ—â— shalt determine the separation 〈◊〉 his soule from the bodie let 〈◊〉 the common enemie of our saluâ—tion preuent him But let thy sanctifying spirit possesse all thâ— powers of his soule that with holy alacritie and cheerefulnesse he may commend his spirit into thy hands and be thou pleased to reâ—â—iue him as one of thine adopted children into that celestial inheritance by the merits of Christ And in the meane time while hee shall rest here either in health or sickenesse be euer present with him for whose bodily recouery and hiâ— soules saluation O Lord hearâ— our prayers and let our cry come vnto thee Amen O Lord increase his and our faith for euermore A MOTIVE TO A Prayer before a man bâ—gin his Iourney HEe that well considereth the casualties of this life and hath but the least measure of vnderstanding and of the feare of God cannot attempt the least enterprise of the body but will forecast diuers daÌ„gers incident in euery action much more taking a Iourney on horse or foot being subiect to so many misfortunes and crosses as he maketh steppes in his wayes It is not rare to heare of one breaking his legge another his arme a third bruzing his body a fourth comming to vntimely death by falling off or from his horse nay the slip of the foote hath many wayes occasioned death besides hazard of meeting with and suffâ—ring danger by the ministers of Sathan and by malignant men laying wait to doe mischiefe Our bodies being thuâ— daily and vniuersally beset with perill requireth watchfulnesse in our wayes and walkings But it is not in our power wisdome to preuent the least crosse much lesse able are we to defend our selues as of our selues froÌ„ the hidden and sudden misfortunes of this lifes casualties And therefore had we neede to leaue our owne selfe wisedome and prouidence though not our Christian care and betake vâ— to the holy protection of the Holy one of Israel who guided Iacob in his Iourney towards Laban and the seruant of Abraham iourneying for a wife for Isack But they prayed for good successe So must euery faithfull man if he hope of the like Otherwise as the Lyon mette the Prophet and sâ—ue him So can God rayse
and by crauing pardon for their sinnes Howsoeuer things may seeme to succeed to their great contentment they doe but deceiue themselues for there is no blessing promised to such carelesse meÌ„ though they haue the names and receiue the seales of Christians And therefore let euery man that feareth God and desireth to see a good day to follow the morning let him begin the day with the seruice of God in prayer if hee haue a family let him conuent them and conioyne with them in prayer If he haue none or be absent from it let him serue the Lord in priuate The faithful herein findeth such liuely comfort and assurance of Gods prouidence as he feareth not whatsoeuer the day following can cast vpon him all things shall worke together for his consolation And whatsoeuer hee doth it shall prosper A Prayer for the Morning for priuate families Lord increase our faith prepare our hearts to prayer and open our lippes O Mercifull Lord God louing father in Iesus Christ wee thine vnworthy people fall heere downe before the footstoole of thy Maiestie and with vnfayned hearts giue thankes vnto thee for thy mercies in number more then can be numbred for they are more then our sinnes and our sins more then the sea sands which are without number Thou hast bene our watchman this night thou hast not onely kept vs from bodily daungers and harmes but hast giuen vs rest when our weake bodies were infeebled with wearinesse and labours and hast brought vs to the beginning of this day in safety whereas many haue perished this night in their beds and haue not risen to prayse thee How vnthankefull should wee shew our selues Lord if we should enter into our worldly affaires without remembring thy mercies and our owne sinnes in asking pardon for them Receiue therefore wee humbly pray thee good father at our vnworthy hands the sacrifice of our humble prayers and prayses which we offer vnto thee this morning in the name of thine owne dearest Sonne in whom thou hast acknowledged thy selfe so well pleased as thou deniest nothing to any faithfully asking for his sake Jn him and by him and for him we come Lord vnto thee humbly and heartily praying pardon for our sinnes wherby we haue transgressed thy lawes offended thy great Maiestie in whose displeasure is death Pardon vs mercifull Lord God pardon vs remoue our sinnes farre from vs and wiâ—e them out of the booke of thy remembrance Remember the merits of Christ our Redeemer leaue vs not in our owne miserable estates lest we should forget to be mindfull or to be ignorant how to prayse thy Name for thy goodnes past and enter into our worldly occasions without being reconciled vnto thee in Christ for thy wrath being inkindled towards vs neuer so little nothing can truely prosper that we take in hand we may labour and yet without thy blessing it shall not profite vs 〈◊〉 may eat and drinke but it shall not nourish vs we may follow our vocations with great diligence rysing earely and taking rest late yet shall it not feede vs. Oh gracious Lord let thy blessings accompany all our labours And grace vs euer with thy presence according to thy promise not to obserue our imperfections but to direct our heartes in prayer to prepare vs to obedience to season vs with thy holy spirit and to blesse and prosper all our actions That whatsoeuer wee thinke speake or doe this day may be acceptable in thy fight So shall all things goe well with vs and prosper vnder our hands we shall prayse thy name and extoll thy mercies and goodnesse which haue bene are and shall be towards vs for euer And as thou hast taken away the vale of the darkenesse of night which resembleth death And hast opened vnto vs the windowes of heauen to giue vs the light of the Sunne which resembleth life So abandon thou the workes of darkenesse and ignorance put away our faintnesse and dulnesse in prayer And let the light of thy sauing truth shine vnto vs and the Sunne of righteousnesse extend his beames of heauenly vnderstanding into our heartes That we all may walk this day in the way which is Christ the Lord imbrace the truth which is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world And euer inioy that life which is eternall in him which was and which is and which is to come So shall our rysing from our naturall rest this morning by thy power as out of our graues of mortalitie assure vs of our finall rysing out of the graue of our sins to immortality And as thou hast blessed vnto vs our temporal sleepe this night So vouchsafe to blesse vnto vs this day the vse of thy creatures that they may all serue to our comfortable vse in Christ Iesus according to our necessities And graunt that wee abuse them not to ryot or wantonnesse but may carefully and religiously watch and be sober that when our finall sleepe shall ouertake vs we may lay downe our mortall bodies not vnto the resurrection of death vnto death but of the resurrection of life vnto life eternall And during the time of our mortalitie remember vs O Lord in the abundance of thy mercies lest that wee who are but dust and ashes should so fasten the eyes of our desires vpon the base things of this life that we should forget the life to come Graunt rather Lord that we may vse the things of this life at thy hands so as we may not be seduced by them but rather led by the consideration whence and from whom we receiue them vnto the authour and giuer of them So shal they not onely not be vnto vs vaine or base but worthy to be had in reuerence for thy sake that giuest them freely and blessest them graciously vnto our vse comfort which great mercy of thine cannot but aduance the eies of our dul vnderstandings to the contemplation of thy spirituall and heauenly blessings As how we were freely from all beginnings elected to saluation by thee how we were created when wee were not by thee how we were redeemed when wee were captiues vnto Sathan by thee How wee were sauctified when we were most prophane by thee How we are iustified being guiltie of iudgement by thee How we haue taken hold of the hope future glorification of our corrupt vile bodies in the life to come by thee These thy super-abounding mercies O Lord who hath a heart to conceiue or a tongue sufficiently to expresse The Angels that attend thee in the heauens beholding thee face to face and minister thy will in heauen and earth are not yet able to declare the good things themselues inioy by the glory of thy presence Much lesse are we Lord who lodge in houses of clay able to comprehend thee and the height and depth of thine incomprehensible goodnes shewed to them in earth whom thou hast made heires with thy Sonne of the glory in heauen How much lesse able
watch for the euening of our dayes and so labour while it is to day that when the night of our last and finall sleepe shall ouertake vs our workes may follow vs not to condemne vs nor as able to iustifie vs but to witnes with vs and for vs that we haue not laboured altogether in thee in vaine but according to that measure of grace which thou art pleased to bestow vpon vs we may worke out our saluation with feare and trembling Looke Lord vpon vs heere gathered together before thee in a reuerend humiliation of our hearts And because naturally we are obdurate and our affections hardly brought vnder or subdued subdue Lord all the rebellious imaginations that intrude now or at any time into our thoughts And let vs giue no entertainment vnto those desires which tende to vanities whether of the minde of the will or the pride of life Let no euill accompany vs vnto our corporall rest much lesse Lord vnto our finall sleepe Let vs now begin to cast off the dregges of sinne while we haue time Let vs nâ—t put off our repentance vntill to morrow Rather as the day is past that gaue vs corporall light and the night come threatning darknesse let vs liue this night in thy spirituall light and let the darknesse of sinne vanish as the light of the day neuer to rise againe vnto vs That we beginning euen now to liue in that light which lighteneth the hearts of thy Saints we may neuer adâ—it the darknesse of vngodlines to ouershadow vs againe But let vs make vse of the night not for sleepe only but rather meditating of the resemblance the night hath with the state of impenitent sinners who liuing out of thy fauour are still in darknesse And as our sleepe resembleth our bodies rest in the graue So giue vs grace Lord to consider that we are euen at the end of our finall day wherein we shall vntill the day of our resurrection commend our dust to dust as we now for a night betake our bodies to our beds And as we hope and humbly desire thee that our sleepe this night may be vnto vs more for the relieuing our wearinesse then for wanton delight So we likewise hope and desire that when we shall lay downe our bodies in the graue it may not bee as of the sauour of death vnto â—eath but of life vnto euerlasting life Grant gracious Lord God that thy power and prouidence may preserue vs safe in bodie and soule vntill the morning that we may then betake vs againe vnto our lawfull callings and that when our bodies shall rest in our graues our soules may be preserued vnder thine Altar among the rest of thy Saints vntill the most wished and glorious morning of our resurrection when wee shall no more returne vnto our labour no more feare dangers no more hunger thirst nor care for bodies necessaries but for euermore enioy the most blessed Crowne of eternall glorie which graunt gracious Lord God in and for thy Christ in whom all things for this life and the life to come are blessed vnto vs to whome with thee and the holy Ghost bee ascribed all honour power Maiestie and dominion for euermore Amen O Lord encrease our faith blesse vs and preserue vs this night and for euermore So be it A short Prayer for the Euening to be vsed of one man in priuate O Lord my God mercifull and louing Father in Jesus Christ I yceld thee humble thankes for thy mercies and louing fauours shewed towards me this day past wherein thou hast bountifully testified thy fatherly care of me and hast largely dealt with me in the vse of thy good creatures And as I haue found grace fauor at thy hands this day shorten not thy hand of comforts now the night is come wherein we are beset with many dangers the more in regard of the darkenesse of the night wherein all that worke wickednesse take their fittest oportunities to worke their deuices I haue no defence thou knowest no protection no refuge no meanes of safetie of my selfe but all my helpe standeth in thy Name Thy power and prouidence Lord is my sure defence and the least measure of thy fauour is sufficient to deliuer me from an hoast of enemies much more from all the power practice deuices of Sathan and his ministers who howsoeuer subtilly they lay waite and furiously assaile me yet are they limited by thy power and beyond the bounds of thy permission they cannot goe onely my owne corrupt nature and mine owne sinful inclination make readiest way for their attempts I am a sinner not worthy to approch into thy presence but as the poore Publicane crying Lord be mercifull vnto mee a sinner Clense mee from my faults committed this day wash me in the blood of the Lambe that I bee not bard from thy presence who refusest to heare sinners among whom I am the greatest therfore in forgiuing me the greater shall thy mercies appeare and the more bound shall I bee vnto thee who hast forgiuen much and I shall loue thee much in him whom thou louest most In him heare me for him forgiue me and let not the faults that I haue done this day be registred against me in the heauens nor reserued to be witnesses against me at the day of mine account Blot out of the booke of thy remembrance my sinnes done yesterday and to day and henceforth guide me in so sincere and perfect obedience that I sinne not though darkenesse ouershadow my body Let the light of thy loue shine in my soule that although my bodie sleepe and bee senceles of many dangers thy prouidence may watch ouer me and in my deadest slumbers preserue me and the more the darkenesse of the night doth blind my corporal eyes so much the more let me couet and obtaine the light of thy sauing countenance That howsoeuer I haue through weakenesse falne this day I may be now raysed againe to newnesse of life that I carry not the burden of my sinnes vnto my bed but cast them off as the rotten ragges of my naturall corruption and being clensed I may become more watchfull and constant that the errors of darkenesse seize not vpon me That the enemies of my present happinesse in thee and of my future glory with thee take not oportunitie in the time of my sleepe or night wakings either to plot or practise my hurt or my soules trouble by vaine dreames or feareful visions which grow partly by the distemperature of our corrupt humors but especially by Sathans temptations And because Lord the night is as a closet of wandring fantasies by reason of the darkenes thereof wherin many vaine and idle imaginations arise to prouoke vs to euill when sleepe ceaseth let thy holy Spirit O Lord rule in my heart and keepe the house of my soule as the strong man that the workes of darkenes creepe not into myheart but as an holy prompter vnto my soule he may stirre vp
continuall prayer otherwise what good we determine to day will be repented to morrow and we through our weaknes shall fall againe contrarie to our godly resolutions Our supplications to God for his assistance and strengthening of our resolued reformation must be continuall because our spirituall aduersaries are continually working to seduce vs out of the way of a sanctified life A ship as soone as her sailes are hoised feeles the winde and begins to make way if then there be no skilfull pilote at the helme to steere shee either rusheth vpon some rocke or driues the contrarie course So are mens affections swayed with the good or euill spirit Needs there not therefore a wise consultation of all the sences of the inner and outer man how to steere the affections aright which as the sailes are to the ship so are they vnto the minde for being once hoised they carrie the desires as the sailes the hull and if it want right reason to steere it it neuer can shape the course of godlines Let vs therefore pray that we may be able to manage the ship of our affections to the port of true obedience in a sincere course of life And happie is that man that truly determines constantly continues faithfully prayeth and wisely considers the course of his life and euer remembreth his end A Prayer for a godly life and to resist sinne and Sathan O God my God in Iesus Christ maker and creator of all things gouernour of heauen and earth preseruer of our soules and bodies the giuer of life light The framer disposer of all right and religious hearts The perfecter and finisher of our faith In by whom are all things and without whom nothing can haue any being Much lesse corrupt man haue any existence in life though be seeme to liue in the body except thou liue in him for our life which is our saluation and our glory and our crowne is hidde with thee in Christ. Such is thy mercy towards vs as thou vouchsafest to shew vs our blessed being with thee in the heauens in this our mortalitie in part as in a glasse lest wee should faint in our trials powre downâ— O Lord a full and large measure of thy sauing grace into my heart that I apprehending in part the sweetnesse of the life to come may frame my selfe to that course of life heere as may assure me of that which is to come Abandon and abolish the darkenes of mine vnderstanding and giue me the light of true iudgement that I may warily watchfully wisely foresee obserue shun the subtill baytes and allurements of sinne and Sathan giue me grace to walk in the way of life leaue not the powerfull power of Satan nor the poysoning sting of death in me Settle mine affections vpon the hid treasures of thy loue guide garde me with thy sauing power instruct me in the way of true wisedome Adorne me with all thy spirituall graces and diuine vertues sow in me the seedes of sanctity water me with the dew of thy holy Spirit purifie and cleanse my heart rectifie mine affections blesse my godly enterprises and holy endeauours frame all the parts powers faculties and sences of my soule and bodie that they may all meete in the loue of thee and euery one performe his office according to the greatnesse of thy name Let my heart harbour holy thoughts let my will euer be framed after thy word let mine vnderstanding bee manifested by righteousnesse and a sanctified life let my memorie neuer let â—â—ipthe good things thou hast done for my soule Let my handes be purely clensed from pollution my tongue from prophanation mine eyes from the gilt of concupiscence my feer from following vanitie and all the parts of my body from the least appearance of 〈◊〉 That I being thus clensed and reformed I may walke euer in thy faith liue euer in thy feare and at the last yeeld my body to the graue in thy fauour where the power and sting of death shall faile of further pursuing me and there shall I leaue that sinning part vntill it shall bee made a shining part with my soule by the brightnesse glory of thy presence in the heauens Thy goodnesse and mercy shewed vnto sinners in this life leadeth the seriously penitent and truely faithfull to the consideration of their present weakenesse wants and imperfections and to the contemplation of their future fulnesse of ioy comfort and euer-continuing consolation O stirre vp in me a liuely hunger and thirst for spirituall graces in this life where we are pressed downe with a mighty masse of corruption and compassed about with a darke cloud of errors Insomuch as I a man begotten conceiued and borne in sinne can neuer be able to stand vnder the burden of the one or to comprehend thee my Light and my saluation through the other How then Lord shall I be able to walke in thee who art the true way vnderstand thee the sauing trueth or attaine vnto thee being eternall life Therefore Lord vouchsafe to inlarge my heart in all godly forwardnesse to proceede from knowledge to knowledge from faith to faith from one diuine grace to another vntill I attaine to full perfection in Christ in whom all our holy indenours be euermore blessed sinne euermore weakened and all goodnesse euermore increased But many are the blockes which Sathan layeth and couereth them with the vayle of pleasure and profite which make many to stumble and fall Many ministers hee vseth to snare vs and many miseries and mischiefes hee plotreth and practiseth against vs to dismay vs from following of thee but hee hath not so many agents to allure or terrifie vs as thou Lord hast meanes to preuent the one and to defend vs in the other Plead thou therefore my cause and defend me against that spirituall enemie that fighteth against me leaue me not in his power shorten the extent of his chaine breake his teeth that he may haue no power to seize vpon me weaken the poyson of his inchantments that he pollute in me neither the will nor the deede That I may leade my life vnspotted in the world and that all mine actions and indeauours may prosper that sinne that hangeth on so fast may be cast off And giue me a sound knowledge of thy good pleasure that I may truely determine to shake cleane off the vnprofitable workes of darkenesse and be truly clothed with the holy robes of righteousnesse and sanctity That I may be euer able and ready to pray vnto thee obtaine at thy hands the direction to liue vprightly in thy sight and that I may euer consider mine owne weakenesse and imperfections to the end I may indeauour to keepe a good conscience in all mine actions for as our sences and the members of our bodie are many and euery one subiect to sundry infirmities and temptations and euery of our actions open to diuers infections and pollutions So Lord I beseech thee to blesse all
of all then If thou wilt thou canst deliuer me or moderate the sentence against me or else giue mee patience to vndergoe whatsoeuer shall be laid vpon me and as I acknowledge 〈…〉 t my sinne is the cause of my restraint of my corporall feare and am truely sorry for mine offences So Lord I beseech thee pardon thou mee in Christ that whatsoeuer become of my bodily punishment I may be yet assured of thy fauour in the kingdome of glory through Jesus Christ Amen If vpon vniust occasion say thus For thou Lord knowest although I cannot but confesse that I haue many wayes offended thy high Maiestie yet in this whereof I am accused and for which my libertie is restrained I am innocent And therfore good father in lesus Christ giue me patience worke in the hearts of mine oppressors some remorce that they may recal repent of their iniustice Thou knowest how innoceÌ„t Ioseph was falsly accused And thou yet were pleased to permit him to be restrained long but in the meane time diddest giue him fauour with thâ— Gâ—olor and in the end diddest aduance him to honor Be pleased I beseech thee to deliuer me if it may be for my good or make the prison easie the â—â—olor louing giue me wisedome to make right vse of my present restraint and to acknowledge it to be for my sinnes and for my reformation And when I shall in thy prouidence receiue my former liberty let me not be ashamed of my restraint but rather glory in thy mercy that I suffer vpon an vniust accusation though I stand guilty before thee of infinite sinnes for which I am sorry and humbly craue pardon and thy diuine direction that I may lead a holy life in a godly and sincere conuersation before men and to walke before thee in vprightnes of heart through Christ my Sauiour and Redeemer If for the testimonie of thy faith in Iesus say thus THe witnessing of thy truth the profession of thy name which my persecutors persecute in me more then me for they aime more to suppresse the confession of thy glorious name then them that professe it they more seeke to abandon the publike practise religious vse of thy word and Gospel then the abuse And therefore good Father as thou hast in some measure inlightned mine vnderstanding of thy will and by thy spirit taught me how to professe thy name according to thy truth So confirme my faith therin and mine obedience to thee that neither this lothsome prison the furie of my persecutors nor the feare of death terrifie me from the constant profession of Iesus Christ whom these men seeke to persecute in his members And therfore Lord gracious in him in him looke vpon me here at this time restrained for his sake and either in thy mercy workâ— my deliuery out of their hands and out of this place of restraint by some ordinarie meanes as thou diddest extraordinarily deliuer thy seruants Paul Silos Peter and other thine Apostles out of their cruell captiuities or els giue me constant patience to indure thy tryal to vndergoe whatsoeuer shal seeme good vnâ—â— thee to lay vpon me And graciously consider the weakenesse of flesh blood which if thou suffer to preuaile in me I cannot stand And therefore assist me with thy holy spirit that as I haue begun so I may preseuere in thee and be sustained by thee vnto the end Let neither the vnsauory prison nor the bitternes of death remoue my heart nor let my tongue from professing thy name vnto the end if thou think me worthy of the glory of martyrdome and to crowne me with the honour of being a witnes of thy truth giue me an obedient heart and a thankefull minde willingly to lay down this earthly Tabernacle to whatsoeuer kind of death it shall please thee to giue mine and thine owne aduersaries power to inflict vpon me That after this life ended I may be really crowned with the merits not of my suffering but with the merits of him who suffered for me and for whose sake graunt Lord I may constantly suffer what thou pleasest to lay vpon me Amen Lord encrease my faith giue me patience and comfort in Iesus Christ. A MOTIVE TO A Prayer that wee may be alwayes readie to die and to be so prepared as wee may not feare death THough it had neuer bin writteÌ„ that it is appointed by God that all men must once die yet common experience and the continuall practise of death could not but assure all men that they must die If any man had bin priuiledged from the power of death since the creation men might haue beene perswaded that they might haue the like immunitie and freedome But seeing death hath not spared the strong the wise the rich nor the persons of mightiest potentates but all the godly and the wicked haue tasted of the cup of death What man is he that is so soâ—â—ed as to thinke he shall not die Nay to thinke that by reason of the strength of his bodie he shall liue many yeares Yet so foolishly perswaded are many men and assume vnto themselues a kinde of desperate boldnes to commit many grosse and grieuous sinnes promising vnto themselues a time of repentance in their decrepite age A preposterous rule of godlesse men who though they know that as sure as they liue they shall die and as sure as they liue and shall die so surely they shall liue or die eternally yet being deluded by the opinion of their strength and health and bewitched by their vaine idle and forbidden lusts of the flesh and the minde they delay their preparation to die wel vntill the time they haue no power to reforme their wicked liues past So that their present liuely carnall life is a begun spirituall death And the time of their foolishly prefixed repentance is the beginning of their endlesse condemnation But the truely wise indeed guided by grace haue the time of their dissolution continually before their eyes and in a holy meditation of death prepare themselues to die daily thinking euery day they rise that that is the day of their dissolution and when they betake them to their nightly rest they recommend them to their beds as to their graues and perswade themselues that that night may be the day-spring of their spirituall and neuer ending life Such as thus prepare themselues haue neuer any feare to die but in their hearts wish to be dissolued and to be with Christ And because that this holy preparation is not wrought neither can a man desire to leaue and remoue out of this earthly tabernacle by nature they cannot but naturally feare to die And therefore when the messengers of death begin to summon men vnprepared to their graues they cannot but entertaine horror in stead of hope and despaire in stead of assurance of the life to come How much then doth it concerne all men to abandon sinne betimes and to seek attonement with God
haruest wheÌ„ this holy Congregation as good corne shall be gathered into the celestiall garner and the wicked and vncleane shall be cast off into vtter darknesse And therefore are the faithfull to arme themselues with patience and to vndergo with constancie the offences of the contrarily minded for therfore is the Church of Christ called a Church Militant because it is still exercised with enemies whom we are to resist and incounter with the weapons of the Spirit The contrary also are called a Church but a malignant Church a Church full of vanitie and prophanenesse sin Schismes Hypocrites and Reprobates Who also incounter and exercise the Church Militant with spirituall weapons the weapons of iniquitie whose head is Satan the Red Dragon the man of sinne the sonne of perdition Antichrist So that Bethel the house of God hath continuall warre with Bethauen the house of the Diuell Sanctitie with Sin Truth with Falshood Light with darknesse Christ in his members with Satan and his adherents heauenly holines with spirituall wickednes Ephes. 6. 12. Zechar. 3. 1. 2. The Church of Christ being thus continually assailed hath only refuge in danger to her head Christ Iesus who hath promised not only to send the Comforter to teach vs all things but to defend vs and to be with vs to the end of the world Matth. 28. 20. And as he hath thus promised vnto the body so is he euer with euery member where two or three be gathered together in the name of that one head he will be there in the midst of them and therefore it doth not onely behoue euery Christian to be continually watchfull against these many and malignant aduersaries spirituall enemies but to powre foorth coÌ„tinuall supplicatioÌ„s to God the Father in his Son by the Spirit not for himself only but for the whole euery part of this Catholike congregatioÌ„ that he will defend vs aswell from enemies threatning outward persecution as working inward tentation And it much importeth the Church in generall and euery member of the same to seeke and dayly to pray for the reformation of the corruptions cast into the field of the Gospel by that wicked one which doth not onely spring vp among but choaketh and hindereth the growth of the good seede of sinceritie by the errors of doctrine and workes of wickednesse And therfore doth the heauenly husbandman threaten the extirpation euen of the good seede that hee hath sowen and to leaue the ground vnto the weeds of sin and vanitie wherunto it is especially inclined to depriue it altogether of the manurance of his word and neuer againe to water it with the dewe of his holy Spirit lest therefore that he suffer strangers Sathan and his ministers to breake downe the hedges of our religious profession and holy practise of obedience the wild beasts of the field sinnes of all sorts to roote vp and deuoure the fruits of our holy conuersations and lest he should take away or breake the staâ—â—e of our spirituall strength the foode of our soules Let vs be stirred vp to pray vnto our head Christ Iesus for grace and that he will still preserue mainetaine and defend what his right hand hath planted A Prayer for the Uniuersall Church and for euery member of the same fit to be often said of euery Christian. ALmighty Lord God the fountaine of all goodnes the creator of all men who in Iesus Christ thy Sonne hast redeemed them that were captiues recalled brought home them that estrayed receiued and imbraced them again that were run from thee and saued them that were lost Looke now vpon them whom thou hast chosen and behold in mercy whom thou hast redeemed and as thou hast in thine owne free mercy fauour and loue gathered vnto thy selfe and set apart for thy seruice a remnant out of the whole number of mankinde a peculiar companie and hast vouchsafed to make them of many one sanctified body all by the merits of thy sonne in whom they are adopted and made heires of heauen in whom they liue moue and haue their spirituall and heauenly being So Lord be thou still their succour their shield buckler and euerlasting defence thou hast vouchsafed good Father to set apart this elected and small company for thine owne sacred seruice in this mortall life calling them by the voyce of thy word sounding through all partes of the vniuersall world and by the inspiration of that holy comforter left vnto thy children by promise hast taught them that wisedome that is farre about the wisedome of the wisest mortall man endowed theÌ„ with that sanctified integritie that farre exceedeth the sinceritie of the best qualified carnall man and hast thy selfe promised to continue with them by thy spirit to the end of the world lest they should through ouermuch heauinesse and affliction perish in the way of their pilgrimage Some thou hast released of their warfare some the more to testifie vnto the world their faith and constant assurance of thine eternall loue and prouidence ouer them suffrest to fall into the hands of them that could but kill their bodies their soules being safe in thy protection and haue in part receiued their reward in heauen hauing escaped the presentors hands Some thou hast called by a naturall dissolution elected redeemed sanctified and in part glorified And as yet good Father there is a small dispersed remnant which haue not finished their warfare but are still incountred with Sathan with sinne and with their owne corruptions and still afflicted persecuted and distressed be neere vnto them according to thy word assist them by thy grace enlighten them teach them and be euermore their defence and as successiuely from age to age the end of dayes there shall be an increase of people So let thy Gospel continually propagate and beget new children vnto thy selfe and let not the light of thy word decline but rather shine dayly more and more cleerely Let not the power thereof diminish nor the sound thereof cease vntill it haue gained and compleated the number of all that shall be saued Send foorth godly and painefull labourers that they may be instant in season and out of season giue them power to bent downe the power of sinne to stay the violent currant of backessiding and Apostacie Send foorth thy word into all lands let all nations heare it and al tongues professe it where thou hast planted it alreadie water it with the continuall showers of thy grace where it is not yet sowne let it fall fructifie where it hath bene sowne and is withered renew the liuely spring thereof continue increase beget more more children vnto thy selfe through all parts of the world through thy word And although we bee falne into the last most declining age and as it were into the period of time wherin as thou hast foreshewed sinne increaseth godlinesse diminisheth holy zeale waxeth weake loue becomes colde and counterfeit and thy sauing word become of none effect among
will moue me to deale euermore iustly knowing that I fit not to execute mine owne will or mans iudgement but thine And if I wilfully erre thou wilt not hold me guiltlesse but wilt iudge me vniust and punish mee iustly Let not the opinion of the multitude either ouersway the truth in me or terrifie me from giuing sentence according to equitie And let me neuer be wearie of well doing but if cause so require it giue mee strength as thou diddest to Moses to heare and iustly to determine all controuersies from morning to night giue me a sincere heart free from malice and reuenge close mine eyes shut vp mine eares and claspe my hands that neither affection blinde me nor bribes peruert iudgement in me but that I may doe all things to the glory of thy name euer ayded by thy holy Spirit in and for thy welbeloued Sonnes sake Christ Jesus Amen Lord increase my faith in me confirme wisdome and iust iudgement A MOTIVE TO be vsed of Christians for Iudges and superior Magistrates THe necessitie of establishing Iudges and Magistrates to gouerne direct and punish doth giue vs to vnderstand that such and so many are the corruptions of our crooked deformed and rebellious nature at could not but breake into most inhumane vnnaturall impious and dangerous actions as if it were not preuented by laâ—es ordinances punishments and executions would breede speedie confusion among men And were there not Magistrates and Iudges to arbitrate and administer iustice and iudgement euery man would be Iudge reuenger of his owne pretended wrongs and would doe right to none he would maintaine his owne euill wayes to be vpright his oppressions to be iustice and his actions were they neuer so impious to be lawfull and right the weakest in power in their iustest complaints should be iudged vniust Wee may obserue notwithstanding lawes and statutes that in stead of Iustice and righteous dealing among men Rapine hatred dissention wrongs and murders vniuersally abound and what might we thinke would bee the state of things if Iustice should cease to execute her office and offenders goe without punishment Would not cain kill Abel Would not Haman conspire against Mordecai Would not Iesabel murther Naboth for his vineyard Would not Shemei raile vpon nay take away the life of Gods Anointed Would not Achan take the excommunicate thing Would not Iudas betray his master Nay would not Zimri and Cozhi commit wickednesse openly Would not all and all sorts of men run out of rule and would not sorrowfull confusion soone follow God foresaw this when he prescribed the lawes in two tables and constituted gouernours to keepe the people in obedience by inflicting punishments vpon offenders and to defend the cause of the innocent Moses and his Centurions first gouerned the multitudes of Israel then Iâ—shuah after them Judges and lastly Kings and were it not that Iustice continued her force neither Church nor Common-weale could stand If God should deale with vs as oftentimes he did with his owne peculiar people the Iewes for their sinnes namely to send vs corrupt Judges irreligious and tyrannous Magistrates would it not be vnsauory vnto vs and burdensome for vs And nothing more procureth it then our disobedience to God and there is no other mean to free vs but our obedience to godly and religious Magistrates and to the wholesome Christian lawes established for our peace not for feare of punishment but for a religious conscience sake If we obey God we cannot but loue and obey such as he hath set gouernours ouer vs and if we loue them we cannot but pray for them not as they are men onely and as they are members of Christ mysticall body with vs but as they are Gods ministers and beare the sword to correct the guilty and to defend the innocent Let no man thinke it therfore a superfluous but a Christian duety to pray for Iudges and superior Magistrates that God will indue them with graces and gifts answerable to their callings as with Wisedome Iustice Righteousnesse right Religion Courage and Christian integritie that they doing their dueties as gouernours we may as rather led by their godly examples then by their seuere iustice neither feare the punishment for disobedience to Gods Magistrates nor they our gouernours the threats denounced against such as peruert Iustice and Judgement A Prayer for Iudges and superior Magistrates to be vsed of all good and Christian subiects and especially of them that haue causes depending before Iudges and Magistrates FOrasmuch most gracious God and louing Father in Iesus Christ as thou being the Iudge of Iudges hast appointed Iustice and Iudgement to be done in earth and hast for the execution thereof appointed ministers called Iudges hast commanded thy people to obey them wee appeale vnto thy mercie for our disobedience vnto thy lawes which we dayly transgresse and thereby cannot but incurre the danger of Judgement euen in this life And we acknowledge that the sentence of an earthly Judge is not his but thine he pronouncing our punishment thâ—â— confirmest it Their censure 〈◊〉 thine if it be iust if vniust it is not thine but theirs yet their mini 〈…〉 is our iust reward for our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therfore humbly beseech 〈◊〉 to direct our hearts and our câ—â—â—ersations in all obedience to thy lawes and to the constitutions of thine Anointed who beareth the sword to punish offenders and to defend the innocent the fatherles widowes and the oppressed and from his supereminent authoritie vnder thee the power of inferiour Iudges and Magistrates is deri 〈…〉 to heare and determine causes of controuersie betweene man and man and matters of offence against the stare of superiours the peace of the Church and Common-weale They are indeed bu◠〈◊〉 whom wee see in their sâ—â—tâ—s of Judgement whom wee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom we obseruâ— to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 th 〈…〉 censure they pronounce but their hearts are in thine hands and their sentence by thy direction or permission thou directest none but according to equitie yet permittest iniustice to bee done vnto men for their iniquities hee that iudgeth vniustly and hee that is vniustly iudged haue their punishments the one in augmentation of his 〈◊〉 to his greater punishment to â—â—â—ne the other either in iudgement for sinnes past or in mercy to reforme him Consider therefore most gracious Lord God how and in what porill thy people stand vnder the censures of Judges vniust and lay not vpon vs the burden of their vniustice but conforme their hearts to true Judgement and account none to that high office of iudging thy people but such as thou shalt first furnish with wisedome experience and true sinceritie Let them be of like and of one mind with thee abandoning partialitie bribery and respect of persons and be thou alwayes with them and direct them in all causes of Judgement let them neither admit reward and so corrupt Justice nor follow the opinion of the multitude and so ouerthrow the truth
to auoid the danger when the blow is giuen The very terror of the miseries present will so astonish and perplexe our harts as we shal run as men amazed for succor and shal find none for reliefe and none will giue it and for safetie and none shall bee able to preserue vs from the destroying angels hand Our faith will faile vs our prayer will bee cold and not steed vs when we shall runne here and there as at our wits end for feare of the dangers before our eyes O let vs therefore delay no time to flie vnto God not with our old polluted ragges of sinne and iniquitie but with renewed hearts and heartie repentance Let vs meete the Lord as the Niniuites did so shall wee recouer our spirituall strength and if any of these calamities fall vpon vs wee shall bee hardie in Christ our Sauiour and with courage meete the enemie in the gap namely the sword vndergoe famine with constancie and in pestilence rest boldly on the prouidence of him that hath promised to keepe his faithfull ones in whatsoeuer danger And therefore let vs bee mooued to some consideration that as our fathers haue been visited with these calamities for their sinnes wee cannot dreame of greater immunitie considering our sins are as ripe and as rotten as were theirs and Gods power is not diminished but his heauie and punishing and destroying hand is readie to bee stretched out still A Prayer to God to be vsed in the time of peace to preuent warre in plentie to preuent famine and in the time of health to preuent the pestilence fit also to be vsed in the time of warre famine and the pestilence also GReat and terrible art thou O God and in thy furie takest vengeance against a rebellious stubborne stifenecked and a wicked people Bee patient with vs O Lord be patient with vs and although we be of vnholy coÌ„uersations spare vs and be merciful vnto vs. Shoote not the arrowes of thy displeasure against vs for the least of them is able to wound the hayrie scalpe of thy mightiest enemies and to crush them in peeces like a Potters vessell O stay stay thine anger against vs preuent warres draw not thy sword vpon vs take not the staffe of bread from vs send not the pestilence among vs for we are not able to stand in thy fight when thou art angrie Be appeased towards vs good Father in Christ our Mediatour free vs of the dangers which wee haue deserued and which as wee cannot but feare doe houer ouer our heads for our sins Our sinnes are many monstrous horrible and as it seemeth incorrigible Thou hast shaken thy sword ouer vs wee saw it and were for the time afraid thou hast punished vs with pestilence we haue felt it and were indangered Thou hast weakened the staffe of bread amongst vs wee haue tasted it And yet we continue in our wonted disobedience we goe on still in our wickednesse like vnto those rebellious Iewes that put to death the Lord of life who are giuen vp vnto a reprobate sence We also haue eies to see and yet see not our dangers eares to heare and yet we heare not with sense thy fearefull threats for sinne and thy seuere iudgements vpon them that transgresse thy commandements wittingly we haue hearts to perceiue and yet we seeme not to vnderstand those things that belong vnto our peace and punishment we are not sensible of thy displeasure but we lull our selues asleepe with the sweet deceiuing delights of our fleshly affections and harden our hearts as Adamants against thy word O gracious Father giue vs repentant hearts for our sins vnderstanding harts of thy will giue vs obedient hearts to practise true pietie and holinesse in faith vnfained that we may appease thy wrath inkindled against vs through Christ the Mediatour of all that returne to thee in a holy submission Turne vs therefore Lord and wee shall returne from our euill wayes and obtaine mercy in him that is our aduocate with thee Iesus Christ the righteous by whose intercession it may please thee to spare vs thy people spare vs let neither the sword that deuoureth without mercie come neere vs let not famine too much afflict vs that hath no measure in pinching and let not the pestilence steale vpon vs that secretly flieth and striketh without respect of person sere or age Lord giue vs repentance and accept thine owne gift our repentance and our atonement with thee that if it please thee these euils fall not vpon vs as wee haue deserued but being made one againe with thee thine eye may bee vpon vs euer in mercie to deliuer our soules in death and to preserue vs in faâ—ine Thou art God a strong hold in the day of trouble let vs not esteeme our selues strong in our own might nor leane vpon our own wisdome to defend our selues when any of these calamities shall bee inflicted vpon vs. Make vs righteous so shalt thou preserue vs thou art the strength and hope of Israel of al that are of a holy conuersation faithfull Bee vnto vs a strong rocke whereunto wee may alwaies resort in warre in famine in pestilence and in all the calamities that accompanie or follow them Make vs constant in all goodnesse giue vs helpe against trouble for vaine is the helpe of man Harken therefore vnto the prayer of thy seruants and deliuer vs in Christ. Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A short prayer to be vsed in the time of warre THe children of Israel continuing to commit wickednesse in the sight of the Lord the Lord raised the Philistims against theÌ„ who made war vpon them and made them their seruants for fortie yeeres Iudg. 13 1. he raised likewise the Ammonites against them who vexed them 18. yeeres Iudg. 10. 7. and gaue them into the hands of the Midianites for 7. yeeres Iudg. 6. 1. As men fal from God so he sendeth them enemies as it were to inforce their reformation and if these kinds of afflictions cannot win them hee giues them ouer to more sharper calamities as he did the children of Israel whom he deliuered into the hands of meere spoilers and sold them into the hands of their enemies round about them which way soeuer they went his hand was stil against them Iudg. 2. 14. 15. yet when they repented cried vnto him he raised vp meanes to release them and deliuered them Iudg. 3. 9. 10. whereby we may be mooued to seeke the Lord before the Lord send foorth his persecuring ministers as the children of Israel intreated Samuel to pray vnto God for them before their danger fell vpon them that God might bee pleased to preuent that which they feared and at Samuels intercession they were preserued and their enemies scattered and confounded 1. â—am 7 8. 9. This is the course that Christians ought to take first to clense themselues from sinne and then to repaire vnto God in humble supplication for defence and preseruation and by
especially the seas which oftentimes rage and roare vnder the burden of their sinnes that passe in them much daunting dismaying and threatning the dry land and the inhabitants thereof much more such as in thy prouidence are appointed to haue their trauell and trafficke therein we therefore in al humblenesse come vnto thee O Iehouah who art the God and gouernour of the immensible and vnfadomable sea Thou callest for and commandest the tempests to arise thou liftest vs the waues thereof and wee are mounted vp to the clouds and suddenly descend into the deepe againe So that we are euen at the doore of death yet such is thy might and thy mercie that at thy rebuke they are still and at thy word the tempest ceaseth Receiue vs therefore into thy blessed protection for we recommend our selues vnto the seas in thy name confessing that it is neither the strength or swiftnes of our ship that can saue vs neither can our power or policy preuent the dangers of the merciles waues It is not the Card nor CoÌ„passe that can direct or bring vs to the hauen where wee would be It is only thy power prouidence and conduction whereupon we doe depend In thee is our hope and help for thou commandest and the Seas obey at thy word the Red Sea â—laue in sunder it stood still in heaps to giue way to Israel a worke against the ordinarie course of nature and therefore much more easie may it seeme to vs for thee to giue way to vs through the Seaâ— by naturall and ordinarie meanes And the rather for that wee know that at thy rebuke the Sea of Ienazeret being in violent rage was suddenly appeased Speake the word and the Seas shall giue vs comfortable free passe without any impediment The winds and Seas obey thee thou art omniâ—â—tent thou canst doe what thou will in mercy and iudgement Go with vs O Iehouah and be our guide as thou wert neere vnto thy Disciples when they were like to perish iâ— the mercilesse waters Prosper 〈◊〉 voyage blesse our meanes let thy holy Angels accompanie vs as assisting and preuailing ministers for our safetie and good successe Rebuke and quiet the winds and tempests when they arise Defend vs from mercilesse and tyrannous â—â—rates when they assaile vs keepe vs from ship wracke when wee are in perill Supply vs with all necessaries for our corporall sustinance and safetie â—ouchsafe vnto vs health and strength of body wisdome and power to manage our affaires to thy glory and our comfort Take from vs and euery one of vs all impietie sinne and vncleannes furnish vs with heauenly knowledge increase and strengthen our â—aith in thee confirme our hope of happie successe make vs intirely to loue thee giue vs true zeale to serue thee and to call vpon thee â—â—tonely in all our calamities and â—angers as of necessitie but contiâ—ually as of a Christian duty That thou maist bee pleased euermore to guide vs and by thy mighty hand in thy mercy to direct our course and bring vs to the hauen where we would be and leaue vs not vnto the mercilesse waters for without thee there is none that can deliuer vs. O giue vs hearts neuer to forget thy goodnesse watchfull and obedient hearts that wee neuer fall from thee to our naturall vanities and corruptions giue vs not ouer to our owne hearts lusts to sweariâ—â— swaggering drunkenuesse whoredome and to the prophane course of life whereunto by nature we are inclined But assist vs euer with thy grace that wee we may liue orderly honestly religiously and â—olily before thee to deale faithfully and truly with all men at land and sea euer depending on thy prouidence who neuer failest nor forsakest them that call vpon thee in spirit and truth Blesse our going foorth blesse 〈◊〉 voyage blesse our indeuours bless our calling and trafficke and 〈◊〉 vs a comfortable prosperous and happy returne Make vs thankfull in holy obedience which is the sacrifice wherewith thou art 〈◊〉 pleased Grant vs gracious Father these and all other blessingâ— corporall and spirituall for thâ— Christs sake in whose blessâ—â— name we augment these our 〈…〉 prayers with that heauenly 〈◊〉 which he hath taught vs. Our Fâ—ther which art in heauen c. Lord increase our faith A Prayer before meate PArdon we beseech thee O mercifull Lord God our manifold sins which we haue done and do continually commit against thy Maiestie and thereby haue deserued to bee depriued of al thy blessings and of these which now thou plentifully tendrest vnto vs for our nourishment Thou in Iesus Christ hast promised to blesse thy creatures vnto our vse Blesse these vnto vs we beseech thee and grant that they may be vnto vs the comfortable meanes to strengthen our mortall bodies Let vs not abuse them by excesse but vse them soberly to thy glory and our nourishment through Christ our Lord. A thankesgiuing after meate WE acknowledge good Father louing in Iesus Christ that of thy free mercie and bountie we haue at this time aâ— all the daies of our liues been plentifully nourished with corporall foode Inlarge the gifts of thy sanctifying spirit in vs and in all the members of thy Church Preserue euermore our King giue vs peace plentie health and happines through Christ our Lord. Amen FINIS A briefe Table of all the Mottues and Prayers contained in this Booke Prayers A Motiue to Prayer 1 A Prayer for the assistance of God holy Spirit in any spirituall or godly corporall action or indeuour fit to be vsed before euery lawfull enterprise especially before euery diuine exercise 2 A Motiue to a Prayer to bee vsed in the Morning in priuate Families 5 A Prayer for the Morning for priuate Families 8 A short Prayer for the Morning to be said of one in priuate or in a Family vsing the plurall instead of the singular number 17 A Motiue to a Prayer to bee said in the Euening in priuate Families 21 A Prayer to be said in priuate Families in Euening before they goe to rest 24 A short Prayer for the Euening to be vsed of one man in priuate 32 A Motiue to a Prayer for the members of Christ to be vsed after priuate Prayers in Families 37 A Prayer for the members of Christ whersoeuer dispersed fit to be vsed after our ordinary Prayers of Morning and Euening 39 A Motiue to the confession of our sinnes to God and to stirre vs vp to pray for the remission of the same 43 A Confession of sinnes with a Prayer for pardon for the same 47 Another short Prayer for forgiuenesse of sinnes 51 A Motiue to a Prayer for a godly and holy life and for power of resisting Satan and sinne 54 A Prayer for a godly life and to resist sinne and Satan 57 A Motiue to a Prayer before the receiuing of the holy Communion or the Lords Supper 63 A Prayer to be said before the receiuing of the Sacrament of the Body and Bloud of Christ. 67 A