in the firmament for number we have broken thy Commandements we have prophaned thy Sabbaths we have dishonour thy name we have abused thy creatures we have neglected the day of our Visitation and turned thy grace into wantonness whereby we have most justly provoked thy wrath and everlasting displeasure we have wounded our own consciences weakned our assurance of salvation and greived thy good Spirit which sealeth us up unto the day of our redemption And now O Lord if thou shouldst deal with us after our deservings thou mightest pour upon us the deluge of thy wrath and sury to sweep us out of the land of the living into that place of torment prepared for the Devil and his Angels But thou hast revealed thy self to the sons of men to be the Lord the Lord Merciful and Gracious Long-suffering and of great Goodness who pardonest Sinnes and passest by the transgressions of thy people this is thy Name for ever and thy Memorial throughout all generations we beseech therefore for Jesus Christ his sake to be merciful unto us in the free pardon and forgiveness of all our sins that we have ever committed against thee Accept of his obedience for our disobedience of his righteousness for our unrighteousness of his Sufferings for all our sins wash them away in his blood nail them to his cross hide them in his wounds and bury them in his grave that they may never rise up for our confusion here or for our condemnation hereafter O Lord be unto us a Father of Mercy and a God of Consolation Speak peace unto our souls and consciences and say unto us that thou art the God of our salvation And give us grace for the time to come to dye dayly unto sin by vertue of thy sons death and to rise up to newness of life by the power of his resurrection wean our hearts and take off our affections from the things of this world which endure but for a season and raise them up unto those things which are at thy right hand for evermore enlighten the darkness of our understandings subdue the stubbornness of our wills rectify the disorder of our affections and bring into obedience whatsoever exalteth it self against thy will that at last we may become such as thou would'st have us to be Continue and enlarge thy blessings upon the Church and Land wherein we live upon the person and government of our King bless all the Royal Family together with his Majesties councel the Nobility Magistracy Clergy and Gentry of the land Be merciful to all those who are afflicted with any cross or calamity all our relations and acquaintance and all others whom we are bound to pray for O Lord accept our Thanksgiving this Evening for all the mercys and favours which thou hast afforded for our souls or bodies for this life or a better more especially that thou hast preserved us and our Family this day in health and happiness Now holy Father seeing the night is upon us and we are ready to take our rest in thy hands we commit our souls and bodies and all that we have beseeching thee who art the keeper of Israel that neither sleepest nor slumberest to take care of us for if thou protect us not Satan will devour us yea we shall sleep a prepetual sleep and never arise up to praise thee we praise thee therefore be good to us this night deâ—eâ—d us from danger refresh us with comfortable rest and raise us up to glorify thee in the duties of the day following that thou mayst still be our God and we may be thy people hear us and graciously answer us in these our requests and what else thou knowest needful and expedient for us and that for Jesus Christ his sake in whose most blessed name and words we conclude these our imperfect Prayers saying as he himself hath taughts us Our Father c. A Prayer for a Family for Saturday Morning GRacious Lord God thou art the great Creator of Heaven and Earth we confess our selves unworthy to come into thy presence or to speak a word before thee wretched sinful Creatures that we are full of all iniquity and uncleanness and who can make that clean which is taken out of an unclean thing the thoughts and imaginations of our hearts are evil and only evil and that continually Yet O Lord seeing thou hast commanded us to call upon thee and hast mercifully promised to be present with thy Children to hear their prayers and to grant their requests which they put up in faith unto thee O Lord this doth give us boldness to come before thee and in confidence of thy goodness that thou wilt make good the same promises unto us at this time we here offer up unto thee this morning Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving humbly acknowledging and confessing from the bottom of our hearts our manifold transgressions and offences which we have continually multiplied against thee in thought word and deed from the beginning of our dayes unto this present time we acknowledge O Lord our Original corruption in the which we were at the first conceived and born and from which there hath sprung the most bitter and unsavoury fruit of sin apostacy and Rebellion to the great dishonour of thy Name and wounding of our poor souls and consciences and the evil example of others amongst whom we have lived by the which O God we confess that we have justly deserved that thy Wrath and indignation should be poured out upon us both in this life and in the life to come And therefore O God we come not here before thee in our own worthiness but in the worthiness and mediation of Jesus Christ beseeching thy gracious goodness for his sake to forgive all our offences our open sins our secret sins our sins of Presumption sins against Knowledg against Conscience against thee or against our Brethren either in our younger years or in the days of our knowledge as we must needs confess that in many things we offend all we beseech thee O Lord for Christ his sake to forgive the same unto us and perswade our Souls and Consciences more and more that thou art at peace with us and that all our sins are done away in the blood of thy Son And grant O Lord that by the assistance of thy Holy Spirit we may serve thee with more freedom of mind and liberty of will in Righteousness and true Holiness unto the end of our days And good Lord begin not only repentance and true conversion in us but of thy great mercy perfect the same O lead us forward more and more to perfection increase in us the saving knowledge of thee and of thy Son Jesus Christ. And now O Lord we magnify and praise thy Holy Name for thy Blessings and Mercies bestowed upon us both Spiritual and Temporal for our Health Peace Food Rayment and all the comforts of this life O Lord let us make a right use of them that we may not
us we beseech thee let the eye of thy providence which never slumbereth nor sleepeth watch over us and let the hand of thy power Protect and defend us Cover us this Night under the Shadow of thy Wings that no evil happen unto us Grant that our bodies may be refreshed this night with such moderate rest that we may be the fitter for the works of our vocation and thy service the next morning Hear us we beseech thee for Jesus Christ his sake our Lord and only Saviour in whose Name and Words we call upon thee further Praying Our Father c. A Prayer for a Family for Thursday Morning GLorious Lord God and in Jesus Christ our merciful and loving Father we thine unworthy creatures sinful dust and ashes are here in all humility of souls and bodies prostrate as the lowest footstool of thy glorious Majesty beseeching thee to bow down thine ears unto our prayers to open thine eyes to our Supplications who from the very bottom of our hearts do acknowledg and confess that we have been unprofitable servants prodigal Children and bad stewards of that time which thou hast afforded us for repentance and good works and of those tallents which thou hast committed to our improvement we are Children of rebellious and disobedient parents our hearts are cages of unclean birds of noisome lusts and the thoughts thereof have been evil and only evil and that continually And if we look O Lord unto the actions of our lives there are few sins we have not committed no Commandement which we have not broken These eyes which now look up unto heaven have beheld vanity these tongues which now call upon thee have dishonoured thee and these hands which we now lift up unto thee have been many times lifted up against thee and thy statutes so that we have made our selves unworthy of the east of thy mercies but worthy of the greatest of thy Judgments but deal not with us after our sins neiâ—her reward us according to our â—niquities Spare us O Lord Spare thy people whom thou hast creatâ—d after thine own Image and redeemed with thy own blood And â—ccording to the multitude of thy tender compassions which have ever been of old to us blot out the multitude of our transgressions pardon our sins and receive us again into thy favour for his sake and Suffering who hath Satisfied thy Justice to the utmost farthing And for the short residue and remainder of our days give us grace O Lord to consecrate the remainder of them to thy service to redeem that time which we cannot recall and to make our calling and election sure before we go home and be seen no more And bâ—cause the corruption of our nature are too many and too strong for us and the Devil like a roaring Lyon goes about continually to devour us leave us not to our selves but assist us by thy grace perfed thy strength in our weakness and preserve both our bodies and souls blameless and spotless that wheâ— we shall have finished our course and run the race of our natural Pilâ—grimage we may receive that crown of righteousness which thou the righteous and just Judge hast laid up for all them that love and expect the day of thy appearing And together with us we intreat thee for a blessing upon our King Queen Duke and the rest of the Royal Family upon our Counsellours Ministers and Magistrates upon our friends Kindred and acquaintance upon the whole Church and every afflicted member of it Eccept of our Morning sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for all the mercies and favours comforts and deliverances which from time to time thou hast afforded and continued to us we thank thee for thy last mercy in preserving us from the dangers of this night past for refreshing our bodies with seasonable rest and bringing us safe to the beginning of this day Lord what is man that thou art so mindful of him and the son of man that thou shouldest thus visit and remember him give us grace O Lord to remember thee and to be mindful of thy mercies that we may praise thee for all thee truth and faithfulness which thou shewest to us in the land of the living that as thou hast brought us to the comforts of this day so thou mayst go along with us in the same to enable us for the Duties of those callings wherein we are placed and to deliver us from those dangers to which we are exposed ever for Jesus Christ his sake in whose most blessed name and words we conclude these our weak and imperfect prayers saying as he himself hath taught us in his holy Gospel Our Father c. A Prayer for a Family for Thursday Evening O Eternal God and most merciful Father in Jesus Christ in whom thou hast made a Covenant of Grace and Mercy with all those that come unto thee in him in his Name and Mediation we humbly prostrate our selves before the throne of thy mercy-seat acknowledging that by the breach of all thy holy Laws and Commandements we are become wild Olive Branches strangers to thy Covenant of Grace we have defaced in our selves thy sacred Image imprinted in us by Creation we have sinned against Heaven and before thee and are no more worthy to be called thy children O admit us into the place of hired servants Lord thou hast formed us in ouâ— Mothers Wombs thy Providence hath hitherto watched over us and preserved us to this present time O stay not the course of thy Mercies and loving kindness toward us Have mercy upon us O Lord for thy dear Son Jesus Christ his sake who is the way the truth and the Life In him O Lord we appeal from thy Justice to thy Mercy beseeching thee in his Name and for his sake only that thou wilt be graciously pleased freely to pardon us all our sins and disobedience whether in thought word or deed committed against thy divine Majesty and in his precious Bloodsheding Death and perfect obedience free us from all the guilt the stain the punishment and dominion of all our sins and cloth us with his perfect Righteousness there is mercy with thee O Lord that thou mayest be feared yea thy mercyes swallow up the greatness of our sins speak peace to our souls and consciences make us happy in the free Remission of all our sins and be reconciled to thy poor servants in Jesus Christ in whom thou art well pleased Suffer not the works of thine own Hands to Perish thou art not delighted in the death of sinners but in their Conversion turn our hearts and we shall be turned convert us and we shall be converted Illuminate the eyes of our minds and understandings with the bright beams of thy holy Spirit that we may dayly grow in the saving knowledg of the heavenly mystery of our Redemption wrought by our dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ sanctifie our wills and affections by the same Spirit the most sacred fountain of all
the Mysteries of Salvation my hope established in the promises of the Gospel and my life set forward in a setled course of holyness and righteousness whereby the Kingdom of sin and Satan is beat down and destroyed and the Kingdom of Christ built up in me By this thy Word the careless sinner is admonished the ignorant instructed the presumptuous teâ—rified and the Penitent comforted the Power of sin is abated the force of temptations weakned the motions of the Spirit quickned grace received and my Election assured by the infallible marks and tokens thereof set before me in holy Scriptures Blessed be thy Name for it this day thy word hath dwelt with me richly in all wisdom The dispencer of thy Mysteries hath scattered many Doctrines like so many Pearls among the People Lord grant that with Mary I may keep these and all thy sayings in my heart and make use of them in my life and receive comfort from them at my Death And here I would proceed to intreat at thy hands the continuance and increase of thy Spiritual Temporal blessings upon me but my sins lye at the door of my Conscience and affright me My heart smites me for my failings in the performance of the duties of this day My devout meditations have been â—tifled in the womb that bare them my Prayers have not been without distractions my hearing without â—earisomness nor my Alms-deeds without Grudging Pardon dear Father the want of preparation before I come to thy house of intention and Zeal at thy service and of Meditation and Application of those things which I heard there since I came thence Bury I beseech thee these slips and all my sins especially of this week and day in the night of eternal oblivion Ease me of the burthen of them that I may more securely repose my soul and body upon thy gracious protection to take their natural refreshing by sleep whereby I may be enabled and strengthened to do the better service the next day in walking carefully diligently conscionably and constantly in the wayes of thy Commandements and in the duties of my Calling so as may be to thy honour and Glory and my eternal comfort through Jesus Christ our Lord. To whom be honour and glory world without end Amen Our Father c. A Prayer for Munday-Morning MOst Glorious Lord God the great Creator and preserver of all mankind Blessed be thy Name that thou hast been graciously pleased to preserve me the night past and that thou hast once more vouchsafed me the light of the Morning whereby to manage my affairs and business O Lord preserve me this day and keep me in all my wayes give unto me the repose of a quiet Conscience and the clear light of the Gospel to guide my feet in the way of peace and grant that this light may convince me of the Errors of my understanding the depravedness of my will the disorder of my affections the Impunity of my thoughts the vanity of my desires the deceitfulness of my heart and the wickedness thereof Make me sensible O Lord what a wretched creature I was in my birth slime and filthiness what I am in my life vanity and solly and what shall be in my death stench and rottenness Discover unto me O Lord that I have nothing which I have not received that without Christ I can do nothing that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good that I am not able of my self as of my self to think a good thought that I cannot desire to think nor have will to desire nor grace to will any good O Lord let me consider that my comforts in this world are very few and small my crosses and troubles many and great my pleasures here are momentary and short my pains hereafter without my repentance and thy great mercy are permanent and everlasting My gifts O Lord are very small my wants and infirmities are great my helps are weak my assaults and temptations are strong my good deeds are few and they tainted with Imperfections but my ill deeds are infinite Let these considerations O Lord humble me in my self that Christ may raise me and wound me in my self that Christ may heal me And O Lord who this day madest the Heavens or Air without which I cannot breath naturally no not for a moment infuse into my heart the Spirit of thy grace without which I cannot breath Spiritually in my Prayers nor sigh nor so much as move any part or faculty of my soul or body unto thee and as oft as I take in or let out the air which I breath let receive me in grace from thee and breathe out praise unto thee Be my guide O Lord this day and do thou keep me both Now and Ever Amen Our Father c. A Prayer for Munday-Evening HOly and Eternal Lord God who art the King of Heaven and the Watchman of Israel who never slumbrest nor sleepest Look upon me thy unworthy servant who by reason of my sin and the corruption of my nature am wholly subject to sloth and am even now ready to ease and rest my self upon my bed I know not whether thou wilt this very night make my bed in the dark and the hour of my visitation be this present Evening all my years are but a span long my dayes pass like a Weavers Shuttle my life ends like a Tail that is told this hour may be my last hour my next sleep may be my last and long sleep I beseech thee therefore that I may every Evening seriously ponder and meditate heaven that I may be the better prepared in that day and hour that thou shalt call me And though my Eyes shall now sleep and enjoy that moderate refreshment which thou hast appointed for the wearisome condition of my weak body yet let my soul continually watch unto thee to attend thy coming Forgive me O Lord the sins of this day past and all other my former sins and misdemeanors keep me this night both in body and soul that I may with the next light joyfully rise again Let not my sleep be unmeasurable and excessive to please the ease of my flesh but sufficient and seasonable whereby I may be the better disposed to thy service to morrow diligently and fruitfully walking in my calling and repenting me of my sins with fear to offend thee Let thy unspeakable mercy alwayes preserve me let thine endless sweetness rejoyce me let thine heavenly truth strengthen me let thy knowledg imbolden me and thy goodness keep me from my Enemies visible and invisible now and for Evermore Amen Our Father c. A Prayer for Tuesday Morning O Eternal Lord God thou commandest us alwayes at all times and in all things to call upon thee day by day I come unto thee beging refreshment from the overflowing streams of thy mercy O Lord open unto me the gate of thy favour and let me be satisfied with the fountain of thy loving kindness O merciful Lord who
Christ is Rich though we be sinners he is Righteous though we be impure yet he is Pure and Holy for his sake therefore O Lord have mercy upon us and Write thy Law in our Hearts engrave it in our Minds we heartily beseech thee And let us this Morning of thy Holy Day wholly turn unto thee with all our Hearts Minds Thoughts Deeds and Meditations that we may joyn in Praises to thy holy Name for thy preservation of us the night past and refreshing us with sweet sleep and let us declare thy loving kindness in the Morning on thy Holy and Blessed Sabbath-Day for it is thy Will and Commandement that we should Sanctifie this thy Day unto thy Service and in Praise unto thee and offer up unto thee a morning Sacrifice of Praises and Thanksgiving and to hear what thy Spirit by the preaching of thy Word shall speak unto us thy Servants O let not our sins stand as a cloud to stop our Prayers from Ascending up unto thee or to keep back thy Grace from Descending by thy Word into our hearts that we may cease from the works of sin as well as from the works of our ordinary calling and that we may feel in our hearts the beginning of that Eternal Sabbath which brings unspeakable Joy and Glory and filling us with the Spirit of Prayer make us diligent and ready in the performance of thy will And take us O Lord into thy custody and governance for ever both our Souls and Bodies yea our Lives and all that ever we have so that our Lives may please thee and our Deaths may praise thee through Jesus Christ our Lord for whose sake we heartily Pray thee to grant these things thus asked and all other things necessary for soul and body and that not only to us but to all others also for whom thou wouldest we should pray Grant unto us all true hearty Repentance that we may turn from our evil ways that thou mayest turn from us the evils that we have so highly deserved And with us O Lord bless thy whole Church especially that part of it in these Kingdomes Be Gracious to thy servant and our Soveraign Lord King Charles Bless him in his Government and in his Royal Relations our Gracious Queen Katherine James Duke of York and all the Royal Family bless the Nobility Clergy Magistracy Gentry and the whole People of this Land be merciful to all our Kindsfolks and Families Neighbours and to all such as are any other way Related to us and we beseech thee to grant us all thy Blessings and thy holy Spirit to sanctifie us and to keep us this day and for Evermore from all Evil to thy Eternal Glory and our everlasting comfort through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour in whose Blessed Name and Words we further Pray Our Father c. A Prayer for a Family for Sunday Evening O Eternal God our most loving and merciful Father in Jesus Christ it is thine own commandment that we should call upon thy name and it is thy gracious and merciful promise that where two or three are gathered together in thy name there thou wilt be present among them we thy poor and unworthy servants Dust and Ashes yet the Workmanship of thine own Hand are more bold to come before thee to offer unto thee this Evening sacrifice of Prayer and Thanksgiving O Lord we beseech thee to sanctifie unto us thy word which we have heard and read this day make it the seed of life unto our souls that it may fructifie grow and increase and get such strength by thy good providence that neither the burning heat of affliction or persecution cause it to wither but that as seed sown in good ground it may bring forth thirty sixty and a hundred fold as thy heavenly wisdom hath appointed And now O Lord being here before thee we cannot but acknowledg and confess ever from the bottom of our Hearts against our selves our own Unworthiness that we are greivous sinners Conceived in sin and born in iniquity whereof we have brought forth most vile fruits in our lives to the great dishonour of thy Name the utter dismaying of our own Consciences and the evil example of our Brethren by which we have deserved likewise thy wrath and heavy indignation to be poured upon us both in this life and that which is to come in such sort that no creature in heaven or earth is able to reconcile us again to thy Majesty but only thy Son Jesus Christ we intreat thee therefore O Lord to be merciful unto us and as we acknowledg our sins unto thee so be thou faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness wash us thorowly from our wickedness and cleanse us from our sins for we acknowledg O Lord against thee we have sinned and done evil in thy sight To thee therefore O Lord do we come to crave the pardon of our sins both â—or the guilt and punishment of the same that so they may not draw down upon us our deserved Judgment And good Lord we pray thee accept of our Thanksgiving unto thy Majesty for all thy mercies and blessings from time to time bestowed upon us for this life and for a better we praise thee for our Election Vocation Justification Sanctification continual Preservation and the assurance thou hast given us of a better Life when this is ended as also for all temporal blessings health peace and prosperity for thy goodness extended toward us for this day past that thou hast goâ— in and out before us and freed us from many dangers of soul and body and hast brought us with peace and comfort to the beginning of this night Lord Watch over us by thy Spitit and Presence give us a holy and sanctified use of our rest and sleep and fit us for the Duties of the next day especially O Lord fit us for that day which shall never give place to night And grant unto us all good things that thou in thy Wisdome knowest more expedient to give than we to ask and all we beg for Jesus Christ His sake in whose Name and Words we conclude these our imperfect Prayers saying as he hath taught us Our Father c. A Prayer for a Family for Munday Morning MOst Merciful and Gracious Lord God we do not present our selves here before thy Majesty trusting in our own merits or worthiness but in thy manifold Mercies which hast Promised to hear our Prayers and grant our Requests which we shall make unto thee in the Name of thy Dear Son Jesus Christ our Lord who hath also commanded us to assemble our selves together in his Name with full assurance that He will not only be amongst us but also be our Mediator and Advocate toward thy Majesty that we may obtain all things which shall seem expedient to thy blessed Will for our necessities Therefore we beseech thee most Merciful Father to turn thy loving Countenance
toward us and impute not unto us our manifold sins and offences whereby we justly deserve thy Wrath and sharp punishment but rather receive us to thy Mercy for Jesus Christ his sake accepting his Death and Passion as a just recompence for all our offences in whom only thou art Pleased and through whom thou canst not be offended with us And seeing that of thy great Mercy we have quietly passed this night Grant O Heavenly Father that we may bestow this day wholly in thy Service so that all our thoughts words and deeds may redound to the Glory of thy Name and good examples to all men who seeing our good works may Glorifie thee our Heavenly Father And because thou hast commanded us to pray one for another we do not only make request O Lord for our selves and them that thou hast already called for the true understanding of thine heavenly Will but for all People and Nations of the World who as they know by thy wonderful Works that thou art God over all so they may be instructed by thine own Spirit to believe iâ— their only Saviour and Redeemer And the Lord be merciful to us and let not our sins and wickedness be a hinderance to thy Mercy We are now come before thee to bewail our sins and miscarriages heartily desiring thee to cause us to turn unto thee to seek and love thee that our hearts may cleave fast unto thee diligently following thee all the residue of our days and that thou wilt be pleased to guide us with thy holy Spirit that we may make Conscience of all that we do never accounting any sin little because thy Son died for the least Remove from our minds all Ignorance and Blindness making thy Word unto us as a Lanthorn unto our feet to guide ouâ— paths that we may find Christ our Saviour and Redeemer and by his rule be so directed that all ignorance in the Mysteries of our calling be done away and that we may learn thereby how to live and further good Lord settle every one of us in such a constant course of obedience to thee that we may serve thee as thy own Children ought to serve thee and not as the World the flesh and the Devil will have us Suffer us not O Lord to set our hearts upon things below but having Food and Rayment let us be therewith content and be thankful unâ—o thy Heavenly Majesty that thou O Lord our God mayst prosper all our labours and handy-Works These and all other blessings we beg of thee in the Name of Jesus Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour in whose blessed Name and Words we further Pray Our Father c. A Prayer for a Family for Munday Evening O Lord God Almighty and our Heavenly Father who art Everlasting and full of Pity we acknowledg and confess that we are not Worthy to lift up our Eyeâ— unto Heaven much less to presenâ— our selves before thy Majesty witâ— confidence that thou wilt hear ouâ— Prayers and grant our requests iâ— we consider our own deservings For our Consciences accuse us anâ— our Sins do Witness against usâ— we know that thou art an uprighâ— Judge which doth not justifie sinners and wicked Men but punishâ— est the Faults of all such as breaâ— thy Commandements yet moâ— Merciful Father since it hath pleased thee to Command us to call oâ— thee in all our Troubles and Adversities promising even then to help us when we feel our selves as it were Swallowed up of Death and Desparation we utterly renounce all worldly confidence and fly to thy Soveraign Bounty as our only stay and refuge beseeching thee not to call to Remembrance our manifold Sins and Wickedness whereby we continually provoke thy Wrath and Indignation against us Neither do thou lay to our charge our negligence nor our unthankfulness that we have not worthily esteemed nor in our lives sufficiently exprest the sweet comfort of the Gospel revealed unto us But do thou rather Accept the obedience and Death of thy Son Jesus Christ who by offering up himself a Sacrifice once for all hath made a sufficient recompence for all our sins Have mercy therefore upon us O Lord and forgive us our offences Teach us by thine holy Spirit that we may rightly weigh them and earnestly Repent for the same and so much the rather O Lord because that Reprobates and such as thou hast forsaken cannot praise thee nor call upon thy Name but the repenting Heart the sorrowful Mind the Conscience Oppressed Hungring and Thirsting for thy Grace shall ever set forth thy Praise and Glory And now O Lord though we are but Dust and Worms yet thou art our Creator and we are the work of thine Hands yea thou art our Father and we are thy Children thou art our Shepheard and we are thy Flock thou art our Redeemer and we are thy People whom thou hast bought thou art our God and we are thine Inheritance Correct us not therefore in thine Anger O Lord neither according to our deserts punish us but mercifully Chastice us with a Fatherly affection that all the World may know that if a sinner repent him of his sins from the bottom of his Heart thou wilt put away his wickedness out of thy Rememberance as thou hast promised by thy holy Prophets And for as much as it hath pleased thee to make the Night for Man to rest in as thou hast Ordained him the day to travel in Grant dear Father that we may so take our bodily rest that our Soul may continually watch for the time that our Lord Jesus Christ shall appear for our deliverance out of this mortal life and grant that we be not overcome this Night by any Fancies Dreams or other Temptations but that we may fully set our mind upon thee love thee fear thee and rest in thee and let not our sleep be excessive or overmuch after the inâ—atiable desires of our flesh but only sufficient to content our weak Nature that we may be the better disposed to live in all Godly Conversation to the Glory of thy holy Name and the profit of our brehrent through Jesus our Lord in whose Name we pray as he hath taught us saying Our Father c. A Prayer for a Family for Tuesday Morning MOst Mighty and most glorious Lord God who art of infinite Mercy who sittest upon thy Throne above Heaven and Earth are full of thy Glory we that are but Dust and Ashes unprofitable Servants presume to present our selves before thee this morning and beg such things as we have need of from thy Divine Majesty we have tasted of thy Favors this night past and for ever since we awaked we have tasted of thy Goodness Thou thoughtest of Saving us before we began to serve thee thou hadst an eye upon us when we were yet unborn and notwithstanding our unworthiness thou still receivest us thou givest us our dayly Bread and hourly Breath thou continuest and we hope wilt comfort us in Death and
increase our faith confirm our hope inflame our Charity teach us to imitate the life of Christ the true pattern of perfect Obedience and only true rule of a Godly life Teach us Humility Patience Meekness Gentleness Chastity Temperance Teach us to contemn earthly things to deny our selves to overcome the world grant us consolation in adversity and true tranquillity of mind grant us victory in temptations and deliverance from the devils treacheries grant us in thine appointed time a blessed departure of this life and a blessâ—â— resurrection unto life everlâ—sting And we pray not for our selves alone but in obedience to thy Command we make our supplication unto thee for all men save and defend thy universal Church enlarge thou her borders propagate thy Kingdom Bless thy servant Charles our most gracious King and governour Bless together with him our gracious Q. Katharine James Duke of York and the rest of the Royal Family Bless we beseech thee the Lords of his Majestys most Honourable Privy Council the Nobles Judges Ministers and Magistrates of this Realm Be thou a Father to the Fatherless a Comforter to the Comfortless a Deliverer to the Captives a Physitian to the Sick Grant that the Sickness of their Bodies may be for the good of their souls Hear us likewise O Lord for the sake of Christ and accept our thanksgiving we thank thee for preserving us ever since we were born and for defending us this night from all perils and dangers for the quiet rest wherewith thou hast refreshed our bodies for thy mercy renewed unto us this morning let thy mercy be continued unto us this day let thy Spirit direct us in all our ways that we may walk before thee as Children of the light doing those things that are pleasing in thy sight Let the dew of thy blessing descend upon our labours for without thy blessing all our labour is in vain Prosper thou the works of our hands upon us and grant that we may so conscionably seek after things temporal in our callings that we do not finally lose the things which are eternal we are unworthy O Lord we confess to obtain any thing at thy hand either for our selves or any other even for the sinfulness of these our prayers But since thou hast promised to hear all those that call upon thee in thy sons name make good we beseech thee thy promise unto us now calling upon thee in thy Sons name and praying as he hath taught us in his holy Gospel Our Father c. A Prayer for a Family for Wednesday Evening MOst Glorious Lord God whose dwelling is in the highest heavens And yet beholdest the lowly and the humble upon earth we blush and are ashamed to lift up our eyes unto heaven because we have sinned against thee which dwellest in the heavens But look down we beseech thee from heaven thy dwelling place and behold the humility of thy servants here on earth which prostrate themselves at the foot-stool of thy mercy confessing their own guiltiness begging pardon for our sins we confess O Almighty Creator that thou madest us at the first after thine own Images thou cloathedst us with Innocency as with a Garment thou seatest us in Paradice a place of all delight and Pâ—easure But we have defaced thine Image we have cast off our first Covering we have thrust our selves out of that pleasant place we ran away from thee and were not obedient to thy Voice And we do still shut our Eyes O Lord that we might not see and we have refused to be ruled by thy Law The law of sin in our flesh doth dayly captâ—vate us The root of sin which lyeth hidden in us doth every day put forth new branches all the parts and faculties of our bodies and souls are as so many Instruments of unrighteousness to fight against thy Divine Majesty Our hearts imagine wicked things our mouths utter them and our hands put them in practise Thy Mercys are every day renewed unto us and our sins are every day multiplyed against thee in the day of health and prosperity we forget thee and we never think upon thee in the day of sickness and adversity Thy benefits heaped upon us do not allure us to obey thee neither do thy Judgments inflicted upon others make us afraid to offend thee what couldst thou have done O Lord more for us or what could we have done more against thee Thou didst send thy Son in the fulness of time to take our nature upon him to fulfil thy Law for us and to be Crucified for our sins but we have not followed the example of his Holy Life but have every day afresh Crucified him by our sins and now O Lord if we should become our own Judges we cannot but confess that we have deserved everlasting torments in Hell fire but there is mercy with thee O Lord therefore will we not despair our sins are many in number but thy mercys are without number the weight of our sins is great but the weight of thy Sons Cross was greater our sins press us down to hell but thy mercy in Christ Jesus raiseth us up by Satan we are accused but by Jesus Christ we are defended By our own Consciences we are condemned but by Jesus Christ we are absolved and pardoned in us there is nothing but Sin Death and Damnation in him there is treasured up for us Righteousness Life and Salvation we are poor Christ is our Riches we are naked he is our covering We are exposed to thy fury pursuing of us he is the buckler of our defence and our refuge he is the Rock of our Salvation and in him do we trust Guide us O Lord by thy holy Spirit to amend what is amiss in us increase all gifts and graces which thou hast already given and give unto us what thou best knowest to be wanting Be gracious and favourable to thy whole Church especially to that part of it among us Bless thy Servant and our soveraign Lord King Charles our gracious Queen Katharine and all the Royal Family we beseech thee also to be gracious to the Kings Council the Nobility the Magistracy the Ministry the Gentry the Commonalty Forget not O Lord all those that are under the Cross and affliction Cloth the Naked feed the Hungry visit the Sick deliver the Captives defend the Fatherless and Widow releive the Oppressed confirm and strengthen those that suffer Persecution for Righteousness sake cure those that are broken in heart speak peace unto their consciences that are tormented with the sence of their sins stand by those that are ready to depart out of this life and when the house of their earthly Tabernacle shall be destroyed then Lord receive their Souls And now O Lord we bless and praise thy Name for our Health Maintenance and Liberty for preserving us ever since we were born for blessing us in all that we have put our hands unto this day Let thy mercy still be continued unto
abuse them unto licentiousness but let us be daily stirr'd up by them to devote our selves unto thee and thy service we acknowledge thy goodness towards us the night that is now past freeing us from many imminent dangâ—rs both of Soul and Body and giving us sweet and comfortable rest we beseech thee to be with us this day and bless us in all our lawful undertakings and keep us all the days of our lives and teach us to walk as Children of the light that thy Name may be glorified by us others may take good example we our selves enjoy the peace of a good Conscience so that at the last we may come to reign with thee in Glory Bless the Churches and Kingdoms wherein we live with the continuance of our peace and true Religion bless all in Authority especially the Kings most excellent Maiesty our gracious Queen James Duke of York and all the Royal Family Bless the Nobility Clergy and Gentry of this Nation bless us all out of Sion from the highest to the lowest Be merciful to all that are afflicted in body or mind or both let it please thee O Lord to stay them and support them in time of their distress and gâ—vâ— them a happy issue out of the same as it shall seem good unto thee and â—it us all for all times and conditions which thou shalt please to bring upon us And thus O Lord we have commended our suits unto thee humbly beseeching thee to pardon our infirmities in the performance of this present service and since thou knowest our wants better than we our selves can express them unto thee we pray thee to take notice of them and minister unto us a gracious supply in thine own due time even for Jesus Christ his sake in whose Name we conclude these our weak and imperfect Prayers in that perfect form of Prayer which he himself hath further taught us saying Our Faâ—hâ—r c. A Prayer for a Family for Saturday Evening HOly Lord God and our Heavenly Father in Jesus Christ we thine unworthy creatures now here before thee caâ—not but acknowledge and confess even from the bottom of our hearts against our selves our own unworthiness that we are grievous sinners conceaved in sin and born in iniquity whereof we have brought forth most vile fruits in our lives to the great dishonour of thy name the utter dismaying of our own consciences and the evil example of our brethren by which we have deserved likewise thy wrath and heavy indignation to be poured upon us both in this life and that which is to come But yet O Lord we know that the merits of thy dâ—ar Son do far exceed our sins though the multitude of â—hem were as the sand upon the Sea-shore in his name therefore and for his sake we present our selves Souls and bodies before thy most heavenly Majesty beseeching thee to forgive us all our sins and transgressions and we do further desire to bless thy name and to shew forth thy praise this Evening and to magnify thy goodness toward us for perserving us this day from all dangers and for keeping us from our birth even hitherto for thou art a God of patience pity and much forgiveness shewing mercy unto thousands and blotting out all our offences O Lord set not before us the sinfulness of our hearts and ways so as to hinder good things from us but grant us thy grace that we may amend our lives and unfeignedly serve thee in the several duties of our callings to thy glory and the comfort of our Souls remit our punishment continue thy favour unto us and receive us into thy most gracious protection and keep us this night and for evermore that the Devil may have no power over us nor any evil overtake us and O Lord whether we sleep or wake live or dye let us be always thine for thou art our Creator and Redeemer guard us about with the Armies of thy holy Angels in our habitations do thou O God assist us that we may peaceably sleep and rest in thee hide us in thy Tabernacle and we will fear no evil for thou that keepest us dost neither slumber nor sleep let thy rod and thy staff comfort and defend us and let thy mercies O God prevent and follow us all the days of our lives that at last we may dwell with thee praising thee for evermore and to that end refresh our wearied weak bodies with moderate sleep that if thou shalt let us live till the next day even thy holy Sabbath day we may be fit to perform all the services and duties thou requirest of us Let us hear thy word with fear and reâ—erence and let us lay it up in our hearts that the fruits of it may be seen in our holy lives and conversations Let us pray unto thee by saith that so we may receive what we aske and let us devote our whole Souls minds and affections to thy service And with us be gracious to these Churches in this Kingdom we beseech thee to put a stop to that Spirit of Atheism Irreligion and Prophaness that is come in upon us like a flood and make us all an holy people that so we may be a happy people Let the choicest of thy blessings descend upon our gracious King and Queen and all the Royal Family bless all estates and conditions of men of what quality soever the Nobility Clergy Gentry and Commonalty bless all our friends kindred and relations be a father to the fatherless a husband to the widdow and a comfort to the comfortless Be our God and guide in all our ways lighten our darkness we beseech thee O Lord and by thy great mercy defend us from all Perils and dangers of this night let thy mighty Hand and Out-stretched Arm O Lord be still our defence And hear us and answer us above and beyond the desires of these our weak Petitions In the blessed Name of Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour in whose most holy Words we further pray Our Father c. OCCASIONAL DEVOTIONS OR A COLLECTION OF Prayers Thanksgivings UPON Several Occasions And for several Persons Be careful for nothing but in every thing by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving 〈◊〉 your requests be made to God Phil. 4. 6. Papish superstition Tyranny The Return of the Gospel The Spanish Invasion in 1588 Vpon the return of the Gospel and deliverance from Popish Idolatry and Tyranny in the time of Queen Elizabeth Darkness is fled the Sun appears Extinguishing our flames and fears The Glorious Gospel's once more free From Romish dark Idolatry We hear no dying Martyrs groan But Truth and mercy fill the Throne The Smith-field Fires do burn no more And England now does hate the Whore And all her Fallacies defies The King of Glory now doth rise With healing underneath his Wings And England her deliverance sings The Gospel now in Triumph flies Enlightning mens benighted eyes And all may now be safely good Without
land of the living cleanse us from our sin and take away our iniquities and then we need not question but thou wilt take away thy hand from off us Hear us O Lord for our selves and also for thy distressed people and hear them for us and hear thy Christ for us all that to him and thee and thy blessed Spirit we may render as is most due all praise and glory and Thanksgiving and obedience for evermore Amen Vpon the Lamentable fire in London begun Sept. 2. 1666. O Let us ne'r forget that dreadful day That in sad ruins did our City lay When as that blazing and prodigious Fire Without remorse or pitty did conspire To lay it all in ashes which to some Did represent the dreadful day of doom When all the world with fire consum'd shall be And time shall give place to eternity Those mighty flames that were our Conquering foes Were far too great for Mortals to oppose The furious Flames ride on with full carreer London in Flames And no repulse do either feel or fear Fling down strong structures both of stone and wood And proudly scorn their power should be withstood Th' fire marches on roars murmurs rends and raves Burying in ruins Sepulchers and Graves And with a perverse envious mind is bent Not to leave standing one fair Monument That angry Majesty which in the year Six hundred sixty five by death did clear So many Thousands by the Pestilence And from their habitations sent them thence In sixty six a woe as great did make And did the Houses from the dwellers take So this most ancient City ruined fell And scarce can any story parallel In any Age or Country Town or Nation So sudden and so great a Devastation As in three fatal days to ruinate To spoil consume destroy depopulate A Place so Famous so renouned for Glory That 't was the Mirrour both of Age and Story THis lamentable Fire began Sept. 2. 1666. about one a clock in the morning in a Bakers house in Puddâ—ng-Lane near Fish-street Hill London which raged extreamly being blown with a strong North-East wind so that despising all means used for its extinguishing it spread far and wide sometimes with and against the Wind and so continued for the space of near four days till it had burnt down thirteen thousand two hundred houses which stood upon 337 acres of ground within the walls and 63 acres and 3 rod without besides 89 Parish Churches the most spacioâ—s Cathedral of St. Paul six consecrated Chappels the Royal Exchange the great Guild-Hall the Custom-house many magnificent Halls of Companys several principal City-gates and other publick Edifices which was accompanied with the loss of vast quantities of rich household-stuff and goods of all sorts but especially of 4 or 5 sorts of commodities viz. Books of which alone were lost near the value of 150 thousand pounds Tobacco Sugar Wines and Plumbs being heavy goods so that the whole loss is computed by an ingenious person to be nine millions and nine hundred thousand pounds and yet by Gods providence not above six or eight persons were burnt in this vast Incendy A Prayer for Septemb. 2d the begining of that lamentable fire in London 1666. HOly Lord God we must confess thou hast found out the iniquity of thy servants and hast discovered our nakedness and pollution in a vengeance suited and answerable to our grievous crying sin our pride oppression and fulness of bread had made us like unto Sodom and thou hast afflicted us like Gomorrha we would not be reclaimed by thy exemplary punishments upon others or our selves and therefore thou hast made us a terror and an astonishment to all that are round about us yet O Lord we must needs acknowledge that thou art just in all that is come upon us for thou hast done right but we have done wickedly yet consider O Lord we are thy people though a rebellious and unthanâ—ful people suffer us therefore to implore thy pitty and the sounding of thy bowels and for thy names sake and mercies sake incline thine ear to us and save us and above all we beseech thee leave us not to our selves but by what method soever it shall please thee to reduce us though to this cup of trembling thou shalt add more and more grievous afflictions by any the severest course subdue us unto thy self and make us see the things belonging to our peace before they be hid from our eyes that being duly humbled under thy mighty hand we may be capable of being relieved and exalted in thy due time And now we bless and magnify thy name O Lord for that wonderful mercy thou hast vouchsafed us in the midst of thy just and dreadful judgments It is of thy goodness that we are not consumed that when we had proâ—oked thee to give us all up to utter ruin and desolation and thy hand was stretched out to execute thy whole displeasure upon us yet thou hast preserved a remnant and pluck'd us as a brand out of the fire that we should not utterly periâ—h in our sins add we beseeeh thee one mercy more to all that thou hast hitherto so unsuccesfully cast away upon us and by thy convincing Spirit awaken our sleepy Consciences soften and melt our hard hearts that being humbled by thy chastisements we may by thy goodness be led to repentance and sin no more lest a worse thing come unto us therefore let us faithfully improve this respite and relief with all its precious advantages and opportunities to a thankful humble and profitable walking before thee that so thy name may be glorified the Gospel credited and our Souls saved in the day of the Lord. Grant this O Father for Jesus Christ his sake our only Mediator and Redeemer Amen Vpon a Sea-fight MEthinks I see the swelling billows boyl Heat by the fire that doth from guns recoil The roaring guns which pierce the parting Air With terror we on land far distant hear They shake the massy Earth Thunder like Houses windows into trembling strike And each broad-side which strikes my ear I think Now a brave shipwith braver men dothsink Enraged mortals striving to outvy Thundring and Lightning in the lofty sky Bloud from the reeking decks into the Main Pours down like water in a showr of rain Discolouring the Ocean by its fall As if t would turn it to a Red sea all Fire ships set all on flames make a show As subterranean fires were from below Broke through the waves and one would think no doubt Fire strove to drink up sea sea to put out The fire and men by their contentious action Put all the Elements into distraction Now on the deck some shriek with painful wounds And others sinking are in deadly swounds Here a Commander falls the opponents hollow The souldiers soon in death their Leader follow Here from torn shoulder flyes an arm and there From shatterd thigh a leg the bullets tear Here flies a head off one
and mercy in thy sight without thy assistance this sore burthen is too heavy for me to bear Lord either remove it from me or make it easier for me to bear Lend me thy gracious and helping hand that as I am scourged with thy rod so I may lean upon thy staff let me never despair of thy comfortable relief but in all my miseries be thou my refuge be pleased to endue me with patience from above that I may give no advantage to the Tempter in my suffering open the eyes and the charitable hands of those that should see and know mine adversity and so enlarge their hearts that they may administer relief and comfort to me in the midst of my necessities O thou that feedest the young ravens which call upon thee thou that didst bless the poulse to thy servant Daniel be pleased to fill my hungry Soul with the blessings of thy bounty grant that whatsoever I suffer in my body my Soul may thereby draw near unto thee in the misery of hunger do thou satisfy me with thy grace in my scorching thirst do thou cause me with joy to draw water out of the wells of Salvation in the pinching cold do thou warm my devotion and in my poorest and meanest habit do thou cloth me with the Righteousness of my Redeemer O suffer me not to offend thee in my greatest want but make me rely depend upon thee Teach me by this chastisement the vanity of the World and wean me from the fond delights thereof and carry me so through the storms of this troublesom life that in the end I may arrive at the happy haven of eternal peace and rest through thy own merits and passion O Jesus Christ my Lord and only Saviour Amen A Prayer before the receiving of the Sacrament O Most gracious and merciful Lord God thou hast called all those that are weary and heavy laden with their sins to come unto thee and hast promised to ease and refresh them thou hast invited all those that hunger and thirst after thy Kingdom and the righteousness thereof to come to thy Table to tast of thy Supper and hast promised that thou wilt satisfy them in assurance therefore of these promises I come to thee blessed Lord Jesus beseeching thee to ease me to refresh me to satisfy me with thy mercy for my Soul hungers and thirsts after thee thy Salvation I confess and acknowledge that my dayly sins have made me unworthy of my dayly bread much more of this Manna this Bread of life that came down from Heaven I confess O Lord I am not prepared according to thy preparation of thy Sanctuary yet for as much as this day I have set my heart to seek to thee thou O God be merciful unto me and though I cannot bring with me a clean heart for who can say his heart is clean yet behold O Lord I bring with me a contrite heart and a broken spirit despise not O God this Sacrifice As for the sins that I have committed against thee bind them up into one bundle and cast them into the bottomless Sea of thy mercy bury them in thy wounds and wash them away in the blood of that immaculate Lamb Christ Jesus and for the time to come sprinkle my Conscience with the same blood that being cleansed from dead works I may serve thee the living God in righteousness and true holiness all the days of my life that so this blessed Sacrament may be a means to quiet my Conscience to increase my faith to inflame my charity to amend my life to save my Soul and to assure me that I am of the number of those blessed ones who shall eat at thy Table and be called to the marriage Supper of the Lamb. Grant this O Lord for Jesus Christ his sake in whose name and words I conclude these my imperfect prayers saying as he himself hath taught me Our Father c. A Prayer after the receiving of the Sacrament O Most gracious God from whose bounty every good and perfect gift is derived I and all that is within me praise and magnify thy holy name for all thy mercies and favours which from time to time thou hast bestowed upon me But especially I thank thee for Jesus Christ thy Son the fountain and foundation of all blessings and benefits that thou hast sent him into the world to take our nature upon him and to die for us and that thou hast fed me who am unworthy of the least of thy favours with the precious merits of his death and passion Blessed Lord God thou hast been pleased this day to set thy seal to the pardon and forgiveness of all my sins oh let me not lose it again by unthankfulness or relapsing into my old sins from which thou hast purged me lest my last end be worse than my beginning But if hereafter I shall be tempted by the Devil allured by the world or provoked by my own flesh then set before mine eyes by the remembrance of thy Spirit how dear the expiation of my sins cost my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ even the effusion of his most precious and holy blood that in the contemplation of his death and application of his most bitter passion I may die dayly unto sin and so may shew forth the Lords death till he come and bring his reward with him I may receive the Crown of Righteousness which he hath purchased and prepared for all those that love and expect the day of his appearing with the precious price of his incorruptible blood And whereas I have this day renewed my covenant with thee my God in vows and purposes of better obedience assist me by thy grace and strengthen me by thy power that I may pay the vows which I have made unto thee and that by vertue of thy heavenly nourishment I may grow up in grace and godliness till at last I come to be a perfect man in Christ Jesus Preserve and maintain always this thine Ordinance that it may be a note and a badge of my publick profession and give unto all of us that have been partakers of thy body and blood one heart and one mind in the unity of Spirit for the worthy and reverend receiving of the same whensoever we shall come to thy holy Table again and for this thy mercy towards me do I yield unto thee all praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honour and power and might and majesty through Jesus Christ our Lord in whose most blessed name and words I further pray Our Father c. The Prayer of a Virgin BLessed Lord Son of a Virgin who didst honour Virginity when thou tookest our nature hearken to the cryes of a lamenting Maid Lord I am not worthy to come unto thee I am not worthy to receive any favour from thee for I have forsaken thee my most indulgent Husband and have followed other Lovers My soul is too much polluted to be called thine too often