of this Sacrifice of Thanks giving for thy great Mercy in appearing so wonderfully for me to my great Ease and Comfort in that dreadful and painful Hour of Child-bearing that thou hast been pleased safely to deliver me from the Perils of it and to lengthen out my Days in the Land of the Living and to see the Fruit of my hard Labour and Travail Lord grant that it may prosper and grow up in thy Fear to thy Glory and both our Comforts And grant Lord that I may live worthy of this Mercy and make thee some grateful Returns for all thy Mercies Pardon and forgive me all my Sins and preserve me from sining against thee any more And all I beg upon the account of thy dear Son To whom with the O Father and with the blessed Spirit be all Honour Praise and Glory both now and for evermore A Prayer for all Christian Vertues as Love Faith Hope and Charity c. O Lord Father of all Mercies and God of all Consolations bless me with all thy Spiritual Blessings and Heavenly Graces make me rich in Love strong in Faith full in Assurance of Hope and abound in all Charitable Actions according to that Sufficiency thou hast been pleâ—sed to bless and entrust me with that I may have nothing to answer for at that great and terrible Day wherein the Secrets of all Hearts shall be opened and every one rewarded according to their Doings Lord grant that thy Graces may all flourish in me as the Bay-Tree that so by my good Example others may return to thee their Lord and Saviour and so have cause to sing Praises to thy Great Name for all thy Wondrous Works Lord keep me from Insolence and Pride and grant me true Humility and Zealousness of Mind and give me a true Consideration of my own Vileness that so I may tremble and stand in Awe before thee as a sinful Man having always a better esteem of others than my self Gracious Lord when the Devil shall accuse my own Conscience bear Witness against me and the whole World forsake me for my Sins do thou be my Strength my Salvation my Rock and strong Tower of Defence against these potent Enemies of my Soul Enflame my Dead Heart with the Heavenly Affection of an unseign'd Love that I may love and adore thee above all and my Neighbour as my self Grant me a good Mind to help and succour all to my Ability to forbear and forgive all that ever any did against me Let not the least Spark of Envy or Wrath lodge within my Breast nor never let the Sun go down upon my Anger but let me be satisfied that Vengeance is thine and that thou art so just that thou wilt send it upon the Heads of those that fear thee not and call not upon thee but that live in Envy and Malice and Implacableness of Spirit against thy Children Give me Grace O Lord to follow the Example of all good Men and keep me from that hateful Sin of Sloath and Iâ—leness which is the High-way to Want and Beggary Grant me a contented mind and moderate my Desâ—res towards the Things of this World and Lord be with me at the Hour of Death and when I go hence and be no more seen I may be admitted into thy Kingdom of Glory that I may eternally sing Hallelujah's to thy great Name Grant this O God and whatever else I stand in need of for Jesus Christ his sake To whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all Honour Praise and Glory both now and for evermore A Prayer for all Earthly Blessings O Lord God Eternal which causeth the Sun to shine upon the Just and the Unjust satisfie the Desires of thy Servants with thy bountiful Goodness we cannot but must humbly acknowledge that we are not worthy of the least of thy Favours but that it is of thy Eternal Goodness we are living Monuments of thy mercy all this Day Lord do thou supply our daily Necessities and give us this Day and every Day our daily Bread Bless the manuring of our Ground prosper 〈◊〉 Corn and bless the Seed-time with the Former and Latter Rain in their due Seasons Keep our Fruits while they be upon the Earth from Haâ—l and Thunder from excessive Droughts over much Raâ—o and Mildews and send us a joyful Harvest O Lord bless and increase our Cattle and keep them from those Casualties they are obnoxious to amd bless our â—â—skeâ— and our Store and keep our Granaries Barns and Store Houses from Fire and boisterous Winds Thieves aâ—d sudden Inundations Prosper all our Undertakiâ—gs whether by Sea or Land Be thou a present Hâ—lp in time of Trouble and turn our Dearâ—â—s into Cheapness and Scarcity into Pleâ—ty And Lord open the Hearts of those to whom thou hast dealt liberally that as thou hast been to them they may be to their poor Fellow-Creatures that are in Want Help us O Lord in all our Straits and oppress us not with too much Poverty neither let us be puffed up in the Day of Prosperity but keep us in Evenness of Temper in either extreme that we may live in thy Fear and die in thy Favour And all this we beg upon the Account of thy dear Son and our blessed Redeemer to whom with thee O Father and the blessed Spirit be all Praise Honour and Glory both now and for evermore Graces before and after Meat Grace before Meat O Lord God Maker of Heaven and Earth who hast created â—ll things for the use and service of Men Bless these thy Creatures which thou hast provided for us and set before us at this time that they may strengthen our Bodies so that thereby we may be the better able to live to thy Praise Honour and Glory both now and for evermore Grace after Meat ALmighty God and Everlasting Father who out of thy infinite Goodness hast most plentifully fed us for which and all other Mercies we return thee hearty Thanks begging of thee so to direct and guide us as that we may in some measure live answerable to thy Goodness to us All which we beg for Jesus Christ his sake To whom with thee O Father and the holy Spirit be Praise Honour and Glory henceforth and for evermore Grace before Meat MOst Gracious Father we crave thy Blessing upon these good Creatures that thou by thy good hand of Providence hast bestowed upon us grant that they may give Nourishment to these our mortal Bodies and sanctifie them so unto us as that we may live to thy Praise to thy Honour and to thy Glory both now henceforth and for evermore Grace after Meat MOst Bountiful and Gracious Lord God whose Goodness is extended to the uttermost Parts of the Earth what cause have we to praise and magnifie thy holy Name for this great and singular mercy of daily taking care for us and plentifully feeding of us with the best and choicest of thy Creatures As thou hast filled our Bodies with them so fill
short Joys linked together â—ur seven years of plenty are past no mentiâ— no memory remaineth of them your â—â—ry is vanish'd your felicity is swallow-up in the Sea of Sorrow your Pleaâ—es are turn'd into Serpents in your â—â—es into Bellows which blow up the â—e to torment you And altho' this Fire be of one only sort â—t doth it not in one sort torment the â—mned but yieldeth to every Sinner a deâ—ee of Punishment answerable to the deâ—ee of his Transgression even as when â—ny stand under the scorching Sun all are â—t vexed with Heat alike but as their Boâ—es are differently disposed so doth one â—mplain above another and therefore that which is a property of our material Fire by reason of diversity of Bodies is proper also to the Fire of Hell by reason of diversity of Sins for as the same material Fire burneth not Straw Wood and Iron a like so the same Hell fire perplexeth different sinners in a different sort because not so much the Persons as the Sins of Men are the proper subject of this burning the eternal Fuel of these Flames But this Pain of Sense is far surmounted as Divines hold Opinion by another Pain which they term the Pain of Loss because that which the Damned do feel in Hell iâ— nothing comparable to that which they forego and that is to be deprived both oâ— the Society and Sight of God wherein consisteth the Essential Glory of the Saints for the more good a thing is the greater Pain and Grief doth it cause in being either not attained or lost And therefore seeing that God is infinitely good noâ— only comprehending but exceeding the perfection of all things and therewith the last end of our desires and the perfect Rest of a reasonable Soul it followed that all the other Torments of Hell do noâ— so much afflict the Soul as to be deprived for ever of him It cannot be expressed it cannot be conceived as how excellent and glorious is the â—ight and enjoyment of God so what Punishment it is to be deprived thereof Mâ—â—y are so weak in judgment that they deâ—ire no more than to escape Hell but there â—s a far greater Torment than the Torment of Hell it is a greater Torment to be shut â—ut of Heaven than to be perpetually imprisoned in Hell Hell is intolerable but â—uch more intolerable than to be depriv'd â—f the Glory of Heaven than to be hated â—f Christ than to have him turn away his â—oul-satisfying Countenance than to shut is amiable Eyes than to say unto us Dâ—â—art from me ye cursed I know ye not O â—weet Jesus suffer us not I beseech thee â— taste of these Torments suffer us not seâ—ure Souls lightly to esteem it at least sufâ—er us not with a high pace to hasten unto â— So much as thy Glory and Beauty doth â—â—ceed the Torments of Hell so much is â—e Torment greater to be deprived of the â—â—e than to be possessed with the other And besides these common Torments â—â—ery Offender shall have his particular â—ains according to the difference of his â—ns either in quality or kind The Proud shall be abased and beaten under foot the Covetous shall be crushed with the weight of their want the Gluttonous shall be devoured with ravenous hunger the Drunkard shall be dried up with scorching thirst the Lascivious and Unchaste shall be wrapt up in the Embrace of stinking stinging and scorching Flames they that regarded not the Poor crying tâ— them for a crumb of Bread shall becomâ— there both endless and successless Beggaâ— for a drop of Water they that would noâ— in this Lifeonce think on these Pains therâ— by to bridle their Affections shall there bâ— reason of their extensive sense of them bâ— able to think upon nothing else and in liâ—â— manner the rest by weight and measure so that according to the Glory and Plesure they did enjoy Misery and Tormeâ— shall be proportioned to them whereâ— as well the Beauty and Order of God's â—stice as also both the manner of their Eâ—cess and the measure of it shall perfectâ— appear All this doth the Scripture in diveâ— places declare in that it saith In Hell Hunger and Thirst wailing and gnashiâ— of Teeth Two-edg'd Swords Wornâ— Serpents Scorpions Hammers Worâ— wood Water mingled with Gall tempestuous Spirits and Spirits created for Revenge By all which Expressions as well the greatness as also the multitude and variety of Torments are signified which the damned shall for ever endure Finally then shall be poured upon the damned the full Flood of God's Wrath which he hath gathered together upon all the Sins that have been committed since the beginning of the World and all the Torments that possibly can be imagined shall then be heaped upon their Heads Nay all the Torments which in this Life either have been invented or can be imagined do stand in no comparison whether for sharpness or continuance with the Torments of that place which altho' they shall be common to many yet they shall be most heavy upon those that have had the best Means and Opportunities to avoid them And not only all these Pains but any one of them shall be so grievous and so intolerable as that it is impossible for the Wit of Man either to express or imagine for so much as the least Torment of Hell â—hat can be conceived is more than we can possibly conceive and yet shall no Creaâ—ure be griev'd for them and endure they must be without any hope First of Intermission And Secondly of Abatement Thirdly of Change without which things not only painful and indifferent but thingâ— pleasant as appeareth by the Manna God sent down to the Children of Israel become insupportable Fourthly of the pooâ— Comfort of Calamity Pity but on the contrary the Devils shall upbraid them the Damned curse them and the Saintâ— deride them Lastly of End for nothing is perfectly great which hath anâ— End If there might be any End of these Torments altho' it should be after so many millions of Years as there are drops of Water in the Sea as there are Motes of Duâ— upon the Earth as there hath been Moments of time since time began it woulâ— be some comfort to those that do enduâ— them but Eternity is intolerable untâ— them infinite Eternity breaketh theâ— Hearts Eternity is the very Hell of Helâ— If all the Punishments in Hell were nâ— greater than the stinging of Ants or â—â— Fleas Eternity is enough to make them in tolerable the present sense of Pain is no so grievous to the Damned as it is grievoâ—â— to think that after many Millions of Agâ— they shall be as far either from End or Ease as they were at the first day of their beginning It is certain that a thousand Pleasures make no satisfaction for one exquisite torment because the torment is without ease and pleasures are not without Composition and Allay and if they do not make satisfaction for one Torment much less infinite
they me me if I turn to the right-hand they terifie me if to the left-hand they tormeâ— me If I look down into the Earth Hâ— is ready to devour me Now I have â— way but to look up to thee help me good God save me dear Father succour me â—weet Redeemer assist me merciful Creaâ—or that my Prayers may be so servent so â—ealous so affectionate towards thee that â—hey may draw down thy Mercies upon me Power down thy Blessings showre â—own thy Graces open thy hand of Merâ—y and restore joy and consolation to my â—eavy-laden Soul wash away my Sins â—ipe away my Iniquities heal my Infirâ—ities purge my wicked Mind of all ill â—houghts pardon all my Damnable Deeds â—nd detestable Dealings take all hardness â—â— heart from me and according to thy â—ood promise renew a right Spirit within â—e send the Joys of thy holy Comforts â—â—on me O Lord let me have some taste â—â—d some sense of thy most glorious and â—ost comfortable Presence let me be reâ—ewed by thy Grace and established in â—y Service that I may never back-slide â—om thee But grant O most merciful â—ther that my whole dependance may be â—on thee so that in all my Thoughts â—ords and Actions I may rejoyce in serâ—â—g fearing and obeying of thee that I â—y spend the residue of my Days in thy â—vice seeking thy Honour and Glory And most merciful Father favourably govern help instruct guide and teach me by thy Wisdom to magnifie thy Name and preserve me in all my Ways and Workâ— and all about me Remember thy poâ— Flock build up thy Church in the moâ— holy Faith Comfort Sion govern anâ— assist all painful Pastors and Teachers teach them and us rightly to know thee and truly to follow thee in all the Paths oâ— Righteousness and true Holiness O Lordâ— Rouse my sleepy Soul and defend it froâ— evil Imaginations keep me always in thâ— good frame of Spirit which will causâ— me to meditate upon thy Law Day anâ— Night Grant that I may not do anâ— thing that is contrary to thy Commandâ— but that I may walk in Piety and in Peace Give me a true and hearty Repentanâ— for Sin that I never may repent of that â— may be truly sorrowful for spending of mâ— time so much in the Devils Service â— powerful preserver of Men remember mâ— and restore me to Joy and Comfort anâ— hasten in time thy Salvation unto mâ— Draw my lingring Soul with the Coâ— of thy Love and it shall run after the Good Lord declare thy Mercy unto mâ— that I may make known thy hand-â—oâ— Establish me in thy Grace excite me to Goodness give me Grace that I may grow stronger and stronger to walk before thee and weaker and weaker to sin against thee and faithful and stedfast in thy Service to my Life's End Grant this dear God for thy Son ' sake my blessed Redeemer Amen A Prayer before a Sermon MOst gracious Father give us Hearts to hear thy Word with that due Reverence and Attention as we ought knowing that it is the Word of God and not of Man therefore we ought to hear what by thy Servant thou art pleased to command us that we may do it with all our Hearts and with all our Souls Lord do thou keep our Thoughts upon what we hear and let them not be carried away with any vain Illusions and wicked Imaginations Grant that we be not overcome with Sleep and Drowsiness but quicken O Lord we beseech thee our Senses open our Ears to hear and make us to understand how to observe thy heavenly Word for thy only Son's sake our Saviour Amen A Prayer to be said after Sermon O Lord God we beseech thee to leâ— that Word which we have heard thâ— Day with our Ears to be set home to oâ—â— Hearts that we may not be only Heareâ— of thy Word but Doers that we may so learn to live to please thee and make iâ— our Business to keep thy Commandments and spend the rest of our Lives in thâ— Service to the Honour and Glory of thy Great Name and the Salvation of oâ—â— Immortal Souls through Jesus Christ oâ—â— Lord. Amen A Prayer against wicked Thoughts MOst Glorious and Eternal God I one of the unworthiest of thy Creatures am come on my bended Knees to implore the gracious Assistance of thy Holy Spirit against the Evil Thoughts that do arise in me to the great Dishonour of thy Holy Name and the great Trouble of my own Conscience When I have Thoughtâ— to be fervent with thee in Prayer either the Devil the World or the Flesh do disappoint me and I cannot do as I would for those things that I do I would noâ— do and those that I would I do not â—n follows me Shame is ready to overâ—ke me Confusion is like to lay hold on â—e Destruction attends me and Horrors â—d Fear affright me I have none to â—ake my Supplications to but to thee my â—viour my Rock and Salvation Help â— God save me merciful Father deâ—nd me dear Creator a Poor worthless â—orm as I am draw me from my Sins â—e succour pardon and forgive me â—ash me and I shall be clean help me to â—t away the Evil of my Doings and â—arn me O God to do well Give me â—iritual Thoughts to renew all good purâ—oses within me help me to put away â—â—r from me all vain and lustful Thoughts â—f the Flesh and all malicious reproachâ—â—l and froward Thoughts that proceed â—â—om the Devil or any worldly Occasions â—o that I may live purely and have no Thoughts but what are innocent and â—haste always fearing to displease so graâ—ous a God and loving a Father as thou â—â—t and walking circumspectly before â—hee that I may be a good Example to 〈◊〉 my Neighbours round about me that â—ey may see my good Works and glorifie â—ee the only and alone Author of them To whom I give Praise Honour and Glâ—ry at this time henceforth and for evermore A Prayer in Prosperity MOst bountiful Father as thou haâ— been pleased to bless me with a large Portion of this World's Wealth give me an humble thankful and charitable Heart that I may be a good Stewardâ— that thou hast been pleased to entrust mâ— with in bestowing of it upon those Objects of Pity and Compassion that are iâ— great Straits and Necessity for it and nâ—â— upon base and sordid Lusts of which should certainly have cause to repent oâ— and that for ever O Lord grant that thâ— more earthly Blessings that thou give me I may the more seek thy Heavenâ— Graces that I may be the more humbleâ— in the due consideration of my great uâ— thankfulness and ungratefulness of Spiâ—â—â— that I may live more piously and religiouâ—ly and that when I depart this sinful Lâ— I may be mindful to leave some good aâ—â— godly Examples of Charity to those thâ— follow Grant that this my Wealth maâ— be no hindrance to my Salvation but rather a furtherance to me in all