more and more to loath the world and desire to be loosed and to be with Christ and when that good hour and time shall come wherein thou hast determined to call for him out of this present life give him grace peacefully and joyfully to yield up his soul into thy merciful hands and do thou receive him unto thy mercy and let thy blessed Angels carry him into thy Kingdom make his last hour his best hour his last words his best words his last thoughts his best thoughts and when the sight of his eyes is gone and his tongue shall fail to do his office grant O Lord that his soul with Stephen may behold Jesus Christ in Heaven ready to receive him and that thy Spirit within him may make requests for him with sighs that cannot be expressed Teach us in him to read and see our own ends and mortality and therefore to be careful to prepare our selves for our last end and put our selves in readiness against the time that thou shalt call for us in the like manner Thus O Lord we recommend this our dear Brother or Sister thy sick servant unto thy eternal grace and mercy in that prayer which Christ our Saviour hath taught us saying Our Father which art in Heaven c. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ thy love O heavenly Father thy comfort and consolation O holy Spirit be with us all and especially with this thy sick servant to the end and in the end Amen LEt them read often unto the sick some special Chapters of the holy Scriptures as the 14th and 19th chapters of Job the 34th chapter of Deuteronomy the two last chapters of Ioshua the 17th chapter of the first of Kings the 2d 4th and 12th chapter of the 2d of Kings the 38th 40th and 65th chapters of Isaiah the history of the passion of Christ the 8th chapter to the Romans the 15th chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians the 4th of the first to the Thessalonians the first of the second Epistle to the Corinthians the first and the last of St. James the 11th and the 12th to the Hebrews the first Epistle of Peter the three first and the three last chapters of the Revelations or some of these exhorting the sick to wait upon God by faith and patience till he send for him and praying the Lord to send them a joyful meeting in the Kingdom of Heaven and a blessed resurrection at the last day that then they may depart at their pleasure in the peace of God A Prayer in time of imminent Danger O Most merciful Father though my sins are many and grievous that I may rather expect the effects of thine anger than so great a deliverance as to deliver me from my present great danger yet O Lord since thy mercies are over all thy works and thou never failest to relieve all those who with humble and unfeigned repentance come to thee for succour it were to multiply not to diminish my transgressions to dispair of thy heavenly favours wherefore I humbly desire thy Divine Majesty that thou wilt not only forgive all my sins but also free me out of the hand of mine enemies and protect me from the malice of my cruel adversary but if thy wrath and my hainous sins and offences will not otherwise be satisfied than by suffering me to fall under my present afflictions thy will be done yet with humble importunity I do and shall never leave to implore the assistance of thy heavenly Spirit that my cause as I am thy distressed servant may not suffer through my weakness or want of courage O Lord so strengthen and enlighten all the faculties of my mind that with clearness I may shew forth and manfully endure this bloody tryal that so my sufferings may not only glorifie thee but likewise be a furtherance to my salvation hereafter grant this O heavenly Father for his sake who suffered for me even Jesus Christ the Righteous Amen A Prayer of Thanksgiving for any great Deliverance O God my God and Father thou hast strangely preserved and rescued me from all evil and for the glory of thine own Name thou hast diverted the Arrow that was directed against me what am I O Lord and what can I do or what have I done that thou shouldest do this for me I am O God a miserable sinner and I can do nothing without thy mighty grace and I have done nothing by my self but what I am ashamed of and I have received great mercies and miracles of providence I see O God that thy goodness is the cause and measure of all my hopes and all thy good and upon the confidence and greatness of that goodness I humbly beg of thy sacred Majesty to keep and defend me from all evil by thy wise providence to lead me into all good by the conduct of thy Divine Spirit and where I have done amiss give me pardon and where I have mistaken give me pity and where I have been injured give me thy favour and a gracious exchange that I may serve thee here with diligence and hereafter may rejoyce with thee and love thee as I desire to love thee and as thou deservest to be loved even with all the powers and degrees of passion of essence to eternal Ages in the inheritance of Jesus Christ whom I love for whom I will not refuse to die to whom with thee O gracious Father and the holy Spirit be all glory and honour love and obedience for ever and for ever Amen A Prayer wherewith to conclude all our Devotions ALmighty God who hast promised to hear the Petitions of all them that ask in thy Sons Name I beseech thee mercifully to encline thine ears unto me who have now made my prayers and supplications unto thee and grant that those things which I have faithfully asked in thy Sons Name according to thy Will may be effectually obtained to the relief of my necessity and to the setting forth of thy glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Blessing THe Peace of God which passeth all understanding the blessing of God Almighty the Father Son and the Holy Ghost the Vertue of Christs blessed Cross and Passion be with me and all mine now and at the last hour Amen FINIS Here thou mayest confess thy particular sins
returned I desire with all the most fervent and inflamed affections of a grateful heart to bless and praise thee for those inestimable mercies thou hast vouchsafed me O Lord what is man that thou shouldest so regard him as to send thy Beloved Son to suffer such bitter things for him But Lord what am I the worst of men that I should have any part of this Sacrament who have so often despised him and his sufferings O the height and depth of this mercy of thine that art pleased to admit me to the renewing of that Covenant with thee which I have so often and perversly broken that I who am not worthy of that daily bread which sustains the body should be made partaker of this bread of life which nourisheth the soul and that the God of all purity should vouchsafe to unite himself to so polluted a wretch O my God suffer me no more I beseech thee to turn thy grace into wantonness to make thy mercy an occasion of security but let this unspeakable love of thine confirm me to obedience that since my blessed Lord died for me I may no longer live unto my self but to him O Lord I know there is no concord between Christ and Belial therefore since he hath now been pleased to enter my heart O let me never permit any lust to chase him thence but let him that hath so dearly bought me still keep possession of me and let nothing ever take me out of his hand To this end be thou graciously pleased to watch over me and defend me from all assaults of my spiritual enemies but graciously and specially from my self from the treachery of my own heart which is too willing to yield it self a prey and where thou seest me either by nature or custom most weak there do thou I beseeeh thee magnifie thy power in my preservations here mention thy most dangerous temptations and Lord let my Saviours sufferings for my sins and the vows that I have now made against them never depart from my mind but let the remembrance of the one enable me to perform the other that I may never make truce with those lusts which nailed his hands piercing his side and made his soul heavy to the death but that having now anew listed my self under his banner I may fight manfully and follow the Captain of my salvation even through a Sea of blood Lord strengthen the hands that fall down and feeble knees that I faint not in this warfare O be thou my strength who am not able of my self to struggle with the slightest temptations how often have I turned my back in the day of battel how many of these Sacramental Vows have I violated and Lord I have still the same unconstant deceitful heart to betray me to the breach of this O thou who art Yea and Amen in whom there is no shadow of change communicate unto me I beseech thee such stability of mind that I may no more thus start aside like a broken Bow but that having my heart wholly with thee I may continue stedfast in thy Covenant that not one good purpose which thy Spirit hath raised in me this day may vanish as so many have done formerly but that they may bring forth good fruit unto life eternal grant this O merciful Father through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ my only Saviour Amen A Prayer of Intercession to be used either before or after the Receiving of the Sacrament O Most gracious Lord who so tenderly lovest all mankind as to give thy Son out of thy bosom to be a propitiation for the sins of the whole world grant that the effect of this Redemption may be as universal as the design of it that it may be to the salvation of all O let no person by impenitence and wilful sin forfeit his part in it but by the power of thy grace bring all even the most obstinate sinners to repentance enlightning all in darkness Hereticks Jews Turks and Infidels take from them all blindness hardness of heart and contempt of thy Word and so fetch them home Blessed Lord bring them into thy fold that they may be saved among the number of the true Israel and for all those upon whom the Name of thy Son is called grant O Lord that their conversion may be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ that his Name be no longer blasphemed amongst the Heathens through us O blessed Lord how long shall Christendom continue the vilest part of the world a sink of all abominable pollutions which even Barbarians detest O let not our profession and our practice be alwaies at so wide a distance let not the Disciples of the holy Immaculate Jesus be of all others the most prophane and impure let not the subjects of the Prince of Peace be of all others the most contentious and bloody but make us Christians indeed as well as in Name that we may walk worthy of that holy Vocation wherewith we are called and may all with one mind and one mouth glorifie the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Have mercy on this languishing Church look down from Heaven the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory where is thy zeal and thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and of thy heart towards us are they restrained be not wroth very sore O Lord neither remember our iniquities for ever but though our backslidings are many and we have grievously rebelled yet according to all thy goodness let thine anger and thy fury be turned away and cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary which is desolate for the Lords sake and so separate betwixt us and our sins that they may no longer separate between us and our God Save and defend all Christian Kings Princes and Governours specially to whom we owe subjection plead thou their Cause O Lord against those that strive with them and fight thou against those that fight against them and so guide and assist them in the discharge of that Office whereunto thou hast appointed them that under them we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godliness and honesty Bless them that wait at thine Altar open thou their lips that their mouth may set forth thy praise O let not the Light of the World be put under bushels but place them in their Candlesticks that they may give light to all that are in the house Let not Jeroboams Priests prophane thy service but let the seed of Aarons Hill minister unto thee And O thou Father of mercies and God of all comfort succour and relieve all that are in affliction deliver the out-cast and poor help them to right that suffer wrong let the sorrowful sighing of the prisoners come before thee and according to thee greatness of thy power preserve them that are appointed to die Grant ease to those that are in pain supplies to those that are in want Give to all presumptuous sinners a sense of their sins and to all
happiness in thy heavenly Kingdom In the mean time O Lord whilst it is thy blessed will and pleasure that I may continue to spend and end that small number and remnant of my daies that I may apply my heart to wisdom and as thou dost add daies to my life so I beseech thee to add repentance and amendment to my sinful daies that as I grow in years I may grow in grace and favour with thee and all thy people and to this end give unto me a supply of all those graces which thou knowest to be wanting in me and necessary for me with an increase of all those good gifts wherewith thou hast already endowed me that so I may be the better enabled to lead such a godly life and an honest conversation as that thy Name may thereby be glorified others may take good example by me and my soul may cheerfully feed on the peace of a good conscience and be more replenished with the Joy of the Holy Ghost And here O Lord according to my bounden duty I give the most humble and hearty thanks for all those blessings which of thy goodness thou hast bestowed upon me and namely for that thou hast of thy free grace and love according to thine eternal purpose elected me before the foundation of the world was laid unto salvation in Jesus Christ For that thou hast created me in thine own Image and hast begun to restore that in me which was lost in our First Parents For that thou hast effectually called me by the working of thy Holy Spirit in the Preaching of the Gospel and the Receiving of thy Sacrament to the knowledge of thy saving grace and obedience to thy blessed Will For that thou hast bought and redeemed me with the blood of thy only begotten Son from the torment of Hell and thraldom of Satan For that thou hast by Faith in Christ freely justified me who am by nature the child of wrath For that thou hast in good measure justified me by thy Holy Spirit and given me so large a time to repent together with the means of Repentance I thank thee likewise good Lord for my life health wealth liberty food rayment peace prosperity and plenty and for that thou hast preserved me this night from all perils and dangers of soul and body and hast brought me safe to the beginning of this day and as thou hast now awakened my body from sleep so I beseech thee to awaken my body from sin and carnal security and as thou hast caused the light of the day to shine in our bodily eyes so good Lord cause the light of thy Word and Holy Spirit to illuminate my understanding and give me grace as one of thy children of light to walk in all holy obedience before thy face this day and all the daies and time of my whole life and that I may endeavour to keep faith and a good conscience towards God and towards all men in all my thoughts words and dealings and so good Lord bless all studies and actions which I shall take in hand this day as that they may tend to thy glory the good of others and the comfort of my own soul and conscience in that day when I shall make my final request unto thee for them O my God keep thy servant that I do not evil unto any man this day and let it be thy blessed will not to suffer the Devil nor his wicked Angels nor any of his evil members or my malicious enemies to have any power to do me any hurt or harm this day but let the eyes 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 my coming in as thou hast promised they should do about them that fear thy Name for into thy hands O Father I do here commend my soul and body my actions and all that ever I have to be guided and protected by thee being assured that whatsoever thou takest into thy custody cannot suffer or take any hurt or harm and if I at any time this day shall through frailty forget thee yet Lord I beseech thee do thou in mercy remember me And I pray not alone for my self unto thee O Father but I beseech thee also be merciful unto thy whole Church and chosen people wheresoever they live upon the face of the whole Earth defend them from the rage and tyranny of the Devil the World and Antichrist give thy Gospel a free and a joyful passage through the world for the conversion of those who belong to thine Election and Kingdom Bless the Church and Kingdoms wherein we live with the continuance of peace and true Religion and Justice Defend our gracious King Charles from all his enemies and grant him a long life in health and all happiness to raign over us Bless our gracious Queen Katherine James Duke of York and all the rest of the Royal Family increase in them all heroical and spiritual graces which may make them fit for those places for which thou ordainedst them direct all the Nobility Bishops and Magistrates of this Kingdom and Commonwealth govern thou them that they may govern the Commons in true Religion Justice Obedience and Tranquility Be merciful unto all the people that fear thee and call upon thy Name and comfort as many among them as lie sick or are comfortless in body or mind especially be favourable to all such as suffer any trouble or persecution for the testimony of the Truth and holy Gospel and give them a gracious deliverance out of all their troubles which way it shall seem best to thy wisdom for the glory of thy Name the farther inlarging of the Truth and the more ample increase of their comfort and consolation Hasten thy coming O blessed Saviour and end these sinful daies and give me grace that like a wise Virgin I may be prepared with Oil in my Lamp to meet thee the sweetest Bridegroom of my soul at thy coming whether it be by the day of death or the day of judgment and then Lord Jesus come quickly even Lord Jesus come when thou wilt these and all other graces which thou knowest to be needful and necessary both for my soul and my body this day and for ever I humbly beg and crave at thy hands O Father giving thee thy praise and glory in that absolute form of prayer which Christ himself hath taught me to say unto thee Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name c. Another Shorter Morning Prayer O Most gracious God and merciful Father I thine unworthy servant do acknowledge that as I have been born in sin so I have lived in iniquity and broken every one of thy commandments in thought word and deed following the desires of my own will and lusts of my flesh not caring to be governed by thy holy Word and Spirit therefore I have
death of sin my good name to be traduced with some scandalous reproaches and make my self liable to all manner of crosses and casualties And I confess Lord that thy mercy is the cause I have not been long ago consumed and confounded But O my God as thy mercy only stayed thy judgments from falling upon me hitherto so I humbly beseech thee in the bowels of thy mercy in Jesus Christ in whom only thou art well pleased that thou wilt not deal with me according to my deserts but that thou wouldest freely and fully remit unto me all my sins and my transgressions and that thou wouldest wash them clean from me with the vertue of that precious blood which thy Son Jesus Christ hath shed for me for he alone is my Physician and his blood only is the medicine that can heal my sickness and is the true brazen Serpent that can cure that poison wherewith the fiery serpents of my sins have stung and poisoned my sick and wounded soul and give me I beseech thee thine holy Spirit which may assure me of mine Adoption and that may confirm my Faith increase my Repentance inlighten my Understanding purifie my Heart and rectifie my Will and Affection and so sanctifie me throughout that my whole Body and Soul and Spirit may be kept unblamable until the glorious coming of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And now O Lord I give unto thee most humble and hearty thanks and praise for that thou hast this day preserved me from all harm and dangers notwithstanding all my sins and evil deserts and I beseech thee likewise to defend me this night from the roaring Lion which night and day seeketh to devour me Watch thou O Lord over me this night to keep me from his temptations and tyranny and let thy mercy shield me from his unspeakable rage and malice and to this end I commit my self into thy hands and almighty protection beseeching thee O my Lord and my God not to suffer Satan or any of his evil members to have power to do me any hurt or harm this night and grant good Lord that whether I sleep or wake live or die I may sleep wake live or die unto thee and to the glory of thy Name and the salvation of my soul. Lord bless and defend all thy chosen people every where Grant our gracious Soveraign long life and a happy Raign over us Bless our gracious Queen Katherine James Duke of York and all the Royal Family together with all our Magistrates and Ministers comfort them who are in misery need or sickness or under any kind of Cross or Calamity give me grace to be one of those wise Virgins which may have my heart prepared like a Lamp furnished with the Oil of Faith and Light of good works to meet the Lord Jesus the sweet Bridegroom of my soul at his second and sudden coming in glory grant this good Father for Jesus Christ his sake my only Saviour Redeedeemer and Mediator in whose blessed Name and in whose own words I call upon thee as he hath taught me Our Father which art in Heaven c. A Morning Prayer for a Family O Lord our God and heavenly Father who art the only Creator of Heaven and of Earth and all therein contained we confess that we are unworthy to appear in thy sight and presence considering our manifold sins and offences which we have committed against Heaven and before thee and how that we have been born in sin and do daily break thy holy Laws and Commandments contrary to our knowledge and consciences albeit we know thou art our Creator who hast made us our Redeemer who hast bought us with the blood of thy only begotten Son and our Comforter who bestowest upon us all the good and holy graces which we enjoy in our souls and in our bodies and if thou shouldest but deal with us as our wickedness and unthankfulness have deserved what other thing might we O Lord expect from thee but shame and confusion in this life and in the world to come wrath and everlasting condemnation yet O Lord in the obedience of thy Commandments and in the confidence which we have in thy unspeakable and endless mercy in thy Son and our Saviour Jesus Christ the Righteous we thy poor servants appealing from thy Throne of Justice to thy Throne of Crace whose mercy reigneth to pardon abounding sin do from the bottom of our hearts most humbly beseech thee to remit and forgive unto us all our sins and our offences and misdeeds that by the vertue of the precious blood of Jesus Christ thy innocent Lamb which he so abundantly shed upon the Cross to take away the sins of the world all our sins both original and actual may be so cleansed and washed from us that they may never be laid to our charge nor ever have power to rise up in judgment against us and we beseech thee good Father for Christ his death and passion sake that thou wilt not suffer to fall upon us that fearful curse and vengeance which thy Law hath threatned and our sins have justly deserved And for as much O Lord as we are taught by thy Word that no Idolaters Adulterers covetous men contentious persons drunkards gluttons and such inordinate livers shall inherit the Kingdom of God pour the grace of thy Holy Spirit into our hearts whereby we may see the filthiness of our sins and abhor them and may be more and more stirred up to live in newness of life and love of thy Majesty so we may daily increase in the obedience of thy words and in conscionable care of keeping thy Commandments And now O Lord I render unto thee most hearty thanks for that thou hast elected redeemed called justified us in good measure in this life and given us an assured hope that thou wilt glorifie us in thy heavenly Kingdom when this mortal life is ended Likewise we thank thee for our life health wealth liberty prosperity and peace especially O Lord for the continuance of thy holy Gospel amongst us and for sparing us so long and granting us so gracious a time of repentance Also we praise thee for all other thy mercies bestowed upon us more especially for preserving us this night past and from all dangers that might have befallen our souls or bodies and seeing thou hast now brought us safe to the beginning of this day we beseech thee protect and direct us in the same Bless and defend us in our going out and in our coming in this day and ever more shield us O Lord from the temptations of the Devil and grant us the custody of thy holy Angels to defend and direct us in all our waies and to this end we recommend our selves and all those that belong unto us and are abroad from us unto thy hands and almighty tuition Lord defend them from all evil prosper them with all graces and fill them with thy goodness Preserve us likewise this day from falling