Friday Morning A Confession of Sins O Most mighty and merciful God I presume to present my self this Morning before thy Divine Majesty to offer up unto thee this my early sacrifice but in the performance of it I make known my unworthiness and disclose my Weakness and exceedingly discover my imperfections and wretchedness II. For alas I draw near unto thee with my lips but my heart is far from thee I call upon thee with my tongue but my soul at the same time commits wickedness against thee My righteousness comes short of the Scribes and Pharisees and are but as filthy Rags my holiness but as a morning Dew yea all my actions of Devotion if weighed in thy Balance are but abomination in thy sight From the soal of the Foot unto the crown of the Head I am altogether polluted and unclean yea nothing to be found in me but wounds and putrefied sores imprinted and stamped into my soul and flesh by the custom of my Sin â— My Eyes are full of Vanity my Ears full of â—niquity my Hands of Impurity my Will perverse to that which is Good my Remembrance affable â—nd pleasing to that which is Evil my Understanding is darkned my Conscience seared my Head full of mischief my feet swift to shed blood Destruction and Wickedness are in all my ways and the way of Peace have I not known IV. Since then O Lord that my Sins are so great and grievous against thy Law and against thy Gospel if thou shouldest be so extream as to mark against me what I have done amiss who is able to abide it If thou shouldst call me suddenly to a strict account how should I shew my Face If I deny waht is laid to my charge my Conscience will accuse me If I forswear the dumb and senseless Creatures will bear witness against me V. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is no Friend in the Earth beneath which I have in comparison of thee no other Mediator amongst Men and Angels but even thine only begotten Son Christ Jesus in whom only thou art well pleased by the virtue of whose Death and Passion and the remembrance of whose precious blood which trickled down from his side wash me from my sins and besprinkle my polluted Heart from an evil Conscience VI. And I beseech thee O Lord not only to wash away my sins with the blood of thine immaculate Lamb but also to purge my heart by thine only Spirit from the dross of my natural Corruptions that I may feel thy Spirit more and more killing Sin in the power practice thereof so that I may with more freedom of mind and liberty of will serve thee the ever living God in Righteousness and Holiness this Day and all the days of my Life for evermore Amen A Prayer for Friday Noon For God's Direction O Lord most holy I beseech thee to direct all my ways correct my wanderings and erect my wild and worldly Thoughts unto thee the God of my Salvation Learn me that divine Art of living in thy Fear to labour in thy Service and evermore run swiftly in the ways of thy Commandments Direct my Thoughts Words and Works preserve and bless me in my going out and coming in and grant that whatsoever my heart shall think my tongue utter or my hands exercise this day may tend to the glory of thy holy Name the good of others and the comfort of my own Conscience II. End these sinful days O blessed Redeemer and hasten thy coming and give me Grace to stand ready prepared to meet thee who art the sweet Bridegroom of my Soul that at thy coming whether it be by the hour of Death or at the day of Judgment I may joyfully pronounce those blessed words of Come Lord Jesus come quickly III. Deliver me O Lord from all those heavy Judgments which hang over my head as due unto me for my Transgressions separate them as far from thy presence in distance as the East is from the West bury them all in thy Grave that they neither rise to shame me in this Life nor condemn me in the World to come To whom be ascribed for thine infinite Mercy all Honour Praise and Glory from this time forth and for evermore Amen A Prayer for Friday Night Against carnal Security O Merciful Father I here prostrate my self in all humility and reverence of heart and mind beseeching thee to guide and protect me this Night with thy blessed Spirit and though my sinful flesh shall slumber and sleep yet grant that my Soul may continually â—e vigilant II. Let not the Enemy come upon me unawares and find me slumbering or sleeping as rocked in the Cradle of carnal Security lest I being unarm'd and destitute of thy favour and help he enter into the House of my sinful Body and their takes possession of my leprous Soul and endanger both to be thrown into the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone III. Make me to consider that my Bed is but a pattern of the Grave and that when I lay my self down in it I cannot rise up unless thy heavenly Providence enables me Teach me to acknowledge that sleep is the very Figure and Image of Death to whose stroak at thy appointed time I must submit and resign my self endue me with Love and Charity to all Men let my Lamp O Lord be filled with fresh Oil that whensoever thy Messenger Death approaches and knocks at the Gate of this mortal Body I may at his Summons in the day of the Resurrection of the Dead be ready to attend on thee my Bride with my Lamp burning IV. Let me be ever mindful of the great and last day wherein I must render an account of every idle thought word and work and grant I may be prepared with Faith and Repentance as with a Wedding-Garment against the time that thou O Lord shalt call for me out of this sinful World In the mean time let me fly from Sin as from a Serpent and from unrighteousness as from a Cockatrice and above all things seek thy Glory and when this mortal Life is ended I may be made partaker of Immortality and Life Eternal in thy most blessed and glorious Kingdom V. Let thy Mercy and Loving-kindness follow me O Lord all the days of my Life that I may dwell in thy House and evermore praise thy holy Name grant that I may in the acknowledgment of thy greatness confess my own unworthiness and visit me O Lord by driving from me all the Assaults of my Enemies both ghostly and bodily VI. Let thy holy Angel be with me to keep me this Night and evermore fit me for the duties of the next day if it be thy heavenly will to spare me this Night this O Lord I beg at thy merciful Hands through the Merits and Mediation of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost now and for ever Amen Meditations for Saturday I Will cry
Pyrates and Robbers preserve us from Lightning Tempest and Captivity hold the Winds in thy right hand and the Waves in thy left keep us from Thunder whose fearful Crack may rend us in pieces save us in the bitterness of Frost Hail Ice Snow or Whirlwind let us be prepared for Death and meditate upon those things that concern our better Life II. Send us the Prayers of those that are upon Land and bless all our Friends that are now parted from us Save our Souls from the great Leviathan whose Jaws are ready to devour us Make good our Provision for Bodily Sustenance as well as Furniture for our Ships Let thy Peace be amongst us save us succour and defend us O Lord thou Anchor of our Hope for thy Glory and for thy Name 's sake to whom be Praise and Glory World without end Amen A Thanksgiving for a safe arrival upon the Land after a Storm O Almighty God who hast now delivered me out of the Prison of the raging Sea and brought me to a Port of rest O make me truly thankful unto thee for this thy favour and mercy and in thy due time lead me also from out of the troublesome Sea of this World unto the longed for Haven and eternal Bliss and Happiness Thou hast brought me out of a great deal of danger which I was liable to whilst I was amongst the boisterous Waves and foaming Billows of the Waters I am subject O Lord every hour to as many Perils being now at Land how secure so ever I may think my self to be my feet are still slipping into the Grave I beseech thee to uphold me to save preserve and keep me that I may still glorifie thee the God of my Salvation II. Give me Wisdom Sobriety and Temperance when I now come amongst my old Lovers Friends Cause me to make a right use of those things which I have observed and beheld in Foreign Parts free my Soul and Conscience from any stain of Corruption and Infection which may hurt or destroy me keep me in all my ways send me Health and all things necessary for this Life that having passed the Waves of this troublesome World I may at last safely arrive at the harbour of everlasting rest through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for Rain BLessed Lord who commandest the former and the latter Rain who in the time of Elias didst so shut up the Flood-gates of Heaven that it rained not on the Earth for the space of Three Years and six Months and yet when he prayed the Heaven gave Rain and the Earth brought forth her Fruit behold us thy People who mourn for want of moisture the Rivers of Waters are dried up and the Trees of the Field are withered send now we beseech thee a gracious Rain upon thine Inheritance and refresh it now it is weary make the Springs as Milk to moisten and to water the Valleys so shall the Earth bring forth her increase our Land have a plentiful supply and our Garners be furnished with store our Baskets shall be replenished our Cattle increased and thy holy Name for ever magnified II. We do confess and acknowledge O Lord that our Sins call for nothing but death and destruction and considering our deservings we cannot expect any blessing at thy hands Pardon we beseech thee what is past give us Obedience and Grace to do thy Will for the time to come and to satisfie the lawful desires of us thy Servants that we may not be wanting of our Food and daily Bread but may be pâ—rtakers of thy heavenly Blessings and wait upon thee for our Meat in due season Oppress us not with too much Poverty O Lord neither puff us up with too much Plenty but give us a competent store of things necessary for this life and grace to use them soberly to thy glory and our comfort through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for fair Weather O Lord God who feedest with thy blessing every living thing and satisfiest the lawful desires of thy Servants with thy bountiful Goodness we wretched Sinners unworthy of the least of thy Benefits humbly beseech thee that thine Anger may cease which is threatned against us by this Rain and Tempest Defend us from those Evils which we are now likely to suffer make our Habitations like the Land of Goshen in the times of the Plagues of Aegypt Cause not the Waters O God thus to swell let not thy thunder go forth against us II. Preserve our Bodies Houses and Goods keep us from Deluge and Inundation and shew us some speedy token of Peace Send us a Remedy in this our presâ—nt misery turn our Dearth into Cheapness and our Scarcity into Plenty Give a blessing to that which we shall reap bless our store furnish us wherewithal to relieve others let not thy hand be shortned at this time but rebuke the Wind and Storm that we may have a pleasant Calm III. At thy Word O Lord the Mountains smoak the Heavens tremble and the Earth quakes at thine Anger the Sea roareth and makes a noise and the fearful Depths are broken down and troubled thou commandest the Clouds and they obey O shut them up for a time and let thy punishing Angel be no more seen Hear us O Lord in these our Prayers that with joyful and thankful Hearts we may sing Praises unto thee who rulest all things world without end Amen A Prayer of a Child before he goes to School ALmighty God who has promised that out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings thou wilt have thy Wonders expressed behold I am a Child and cannot speak unto thee or call upon thee as I should but open thou my Lips that my Mouth may shew forth thy Praise Pour into my Lips the Waters of the Well of Life that I may learn those things that may lead me unto the knowledge of thy holy Laws II. Let me remember thee my Creator in the days of my youth while the evil days come not Teach me O Lord how to lead my life according to the Rule of Godliness Make me obedient to my Parents dutiful to my Teachers proud towards no man but rightly affectioned towards all People Add unto me length of Days supply me with vertues guide my feet in thy ways direct my mind sanctifie my stuâ—ies govern all my actions preserve my Body in health my Soul from uncleanness take from me all dulness and incapacity that may hinder my growth in knowledge and bring me to life everlasting through Jesus Christ my only Lord and Saviour Amen A Prayer in time of War O Eternal God who rulest and beholdest all the World and hast many times miraculously preserved defended us we beseech thee to shew thy power in these needful and perillous times whilst there is nothing but Wars and rumours of Wars amongst us Save us O Lord our God from our Enemies and put them to shame that hate us turn the weapons of our Adversaries and their
behold the divine Presence IV. Open my Eyes more and more that I may discern the wonderous works of thy Law and open thou O Lord likewise my Lips that my Mouth and Tongue may shew forth thy Praise and extol thy great and glorious Name Prepare my Heart O Lord I beseech thee for thy divine Service this next day following It is thy holy-day O fit me for the sanctifying of the same that I may not spend it on my Lusts and the pleasures of Sin but dedicate it wholly to thy Honour and Glory V. Let my chief delight be to cease from the works of Sin as well as from my worldly Employment that I may through thy Blessing feel in my Heart the beginning of that eternal Sabbath which is Joy unspeakable and full of Glory Govern O Lord my heart in thy Fear and guide and steer all the whole course of my Life in thy Favour Fit and prepare me against the hour of Death and day of Dissolution that if thou shouldest this Night make my Bed in the Grave of Silence I may live and die unto thee who livest for ever to whom be ascribed all Power and Glory Adoration and Subjection now and for evermore Amen An humble Confession of Sins before the most holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper O Most holy Lord God who according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies dost put away the Sins of all those that truly repent and remembrest them no more Open O Lord I beseech thee the Eyes of thy boundless Mercy and fatherly Compassion upon me the most unworthy of all thy Servants from the very bottom of my heart I earnestly implore thy pardon and forgiveness for all my past Sins and Offences the number of them exceeds the ordinary expectation of thy Mercy and are so heinous that they can plead no excuse the sad Account being cast up is no less than the breach of all thy holy Commandments both in Thought Word and Deed thy Mercy and Goodness which should have led me to Repentance I have abused I have slighted thy Judgments and thy Punishments have I not feared I have utterly neglected the means of my own Salvation and by my Wickedness have most grievously provoked thy Wrath and Indignation against me my Life which should have been wholly devoted to thy Service I have mispent in the desire and sinful Lusts of the Flesh my ways have been evil and that continually the secret cogitations of my heart most wicked and so detestable hath the whole course of my Life been that my heart is vexed within me and my soul trembleth to look up to heaven for Mercy for fear of thy displeasure If therefore thou O Lord shouldst be extream to mark what I have done amiss and take Vengeance for my Sins I should be as Chaff before the face of the Wind and in Justice might be swept away into the place of everlasting Torment II. But O Lord from thy ever flowing Fountain there is Mercy that thou may'st be feared thou art a God of all Comfort and Consolation a merciful loving and gracious Father ready and willing to hear all penitent Sinners that with hearty Repentance and true Faith come unto thee I come unto thee therefore in the name of Jesus Christ the Righteous thy beloved Son and my blessed Redeemer I humbly prostrate my self before the Throne of thy Mercy-seat provided with no other hope but what proceeds from the greatness of thy Clemency for his sake only have Mercy upon me III. In all humility of Spirit and with hearty Contrition I submit my Soul and Body to thy Goodness beseeching thee not to let my Sins be as a Cloud to intercept between my Prayers and thy Pity thy Goodness and my necessities blot all my Transgressions out of thy remembrance the Sins of my Youth or Sins of my Age Sins of my Body or Sins of my Soul the Sins that I know and the Sins that I know not Sins of Remissness Omission and Commission all notorious and presumptuous Sins Sins of Pride Envy Hatred Malice and all Uncharitableness here mention thy particular Sins from all which good Lord deliver me and grant me a full and a free Pardon perfect Remission and Absolution for the same IV. As one deep calleth upon another with the prophet David out of the Depth of my Misery I cry unto thee for the depth of thy Mercy O Lord hear my Petitions and hold not thy peace at my Tears consider the Contrition of my Heart and the Sorrow of my Soul and by the Merits of his most precious Blood that was so plentifully shed upon the Cross for all Penitent Sinners and True Believers wash away the multitude of my Transgressions that my Soul by thy Mercy being cleansed from the guilt of Sin I may be found a worthy partaker and receiver of this holy and divine Mystery V. And now O holy Lord that I am about to receive the blessed Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ how shall I that am so great a Sinner Dust and Ashes dare to presume and come into thy Sanctuary or to approach thy holy Table Thou in whose sight the very Heavens are not clear and the Pillars of the Earth shake at thy Presence What then shall become of me poor wretched and miserable that I am but O thou that art the true Balm of Gilead hast left us a command in thy holy Gospel Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laiden and I will give you rest Matth. 11. 28. VI. Upon which Command I come O Lord unto thee at this time in a confident Assurance of thy Promise in Christ Jesus thou wilt have Mercy upon me ease and refresh my Soul that is wearied with the burthen of my Sins wash me and cleanse me throughly from all my Wickedness and renew a right Spirit within me Direct me in this great Mystery with a reverend and awful dread of thy Majesty that all the faculties of my Soul and Body may rightly apprehend and joyfully receive this eternal Food this Bread of Life And grant me thy heavenly Grace that I may obtain the virtue fruit and benefits of my Saviour's Death and Passion with a full remission of all my Sins and everlasting Salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer before the Sacrament O Most gracious God I humbly beseech thee help thy Servant whom of thy great Mercy thou hast created out of nothing repair the ruins of my Soul and enlarge the frame of my Understanding cleanse it from all filthy Corruptions and supply it with all heavenly Graces that it may be both conveniently fit and furnished to receive thee who art a God of all Purity O Make an entry into my Heart and take thy residence there for ever possess that which is thine own both by Creation Redemption and Merits of that bitter Death and Passion through Jesus Christ Amen A Thanksgiving after Receiving of the blessed Sacrament O Almighty God
when I go down to the Pit Shall the dust give thanks unto thee or shall it declare thy truth Hear O Lord and have mercy upon me Lord be thou my helper Shew thy Servant the light of thy Countenance and save me for thy mercies sake Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. A Prayer in time of Sickness O Almighty and ever-living God in whose hands consists the life of all Mankind and who correctest every Son whom thou receivest mercifully I humble beseech thee to hear my voice and despise not the Prayer I make now unto thee in the time of trouble In the vexation of my Spirit and in the very anguish of my Soul I cry unto thee for mercy II. O thou that hast created and made me of nothing and hast redeemed me from the slavery of Sin Death and Hell by the most precious Blood of thy dear Son Jesus Christ which was spilt upon the Cross for my Sins Have mercy upon me Bow down thine all-hearing Ear unto my complaint and cast me not away in thy fierce anger III. My Sins cry aloud to Heaven for Vengeance and I have deserved thy wrath and heavy displeasure against me Thou hast cast me down upon the Bed of Sickness and I begin to fall as leaves beaten with a vehement wind yet thy Chastisments are less than my deservings but of thy mercy and goodness O Lord correct me not to death but to amendment of Life for thine own sake for thy holy Name 's sake for thy Son Christ Jesus sâ—ke be merciful unto my Sins for they are great IV. Spare thy Servant good Lord which confesseth his Sins unto thee pour the Oil of thy sanctifying Grace into my Heart and work thereby in me a true and immediate Repentance and restore me again to thy favour according to thy gracious Promise to humble Penitents let thy merciful Providence so guide and govern me in this affliction thou hast been pleased to lay upon me that I may never fall into utter darkness ignorance of thee or inconsideration of my self V. Let the faintness of my Spirit and the Condemnation of my self be overcome by thy irresistable Light thou that art the God of all consolation grant that I may be mindful of the great account I have to make at the day of Judgment and that I may bear in mind the reward which is due to the faithful the end of misery and the beginning of all happiness but to the secure and careless the beginning of eternal punishment VI. Strengthen my Faith accept my penitential Tears speak peace to my Soul and Conscience and say Thou art my Salvation then let thy holy Spirit descend into my Heart with this express My Grace is sufficient for thee then shall my Heart leap for joy and my Soul shall be exceeding glad desiring to be dissolved and be at peace that after this frail mortal Life is ended I may enjoy the eternal fruition of they heavenly Presence VII Suffer me not O Lord in this my trial to be possess'd with a fear of Condemnation or to despond of thy Promises but in sure considence of heart apply to my self the remission of all my Sins that at the last hour by Faith in Jesus Christ I may enjoy a tast of eternal Salvation Let not Death if thou art pleased to send it be terrible or bitter unto me but when it cometh I may rejoicingly receive the fame and having escaped the storm of Temptation and the dangers of Satan I may triumph like a Conqueror and behold the Power and Presence of thy holy Spirit VIII Let my last words be the same which thy Son did utter upon the Cross saying Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit and when my Speech is departed from me hear the groanings and sighs of my Heart and the desire of my Soul that at the last thy Servant may depart in Peace and reach those heavenly Mansions prepared for him My Soul O Lord heartily desireth to attain to that supernatural City whereof such glorious things are spoken IX Breathe inward Comforts to my Heart tho' my Body be going the way of all Flesh yet let my Soul go the way of all Saints Lord hear me and help me stand by me and save me and if thou hast determined to lay my Body into the Grave receive my Soul into thy Kingdom to rest in joy and peace for evermore through Jesus Christ Amen A Prayer to be said by those that visit the Sick O Most gracious God who hast Compassion upon all Men and hatest nothing that thou hast made mercifully we beseech thee to have Compassion on this thy Servant who by thy Visitation hath been sorely afflicted and by the same even brought to the end of his Days and period of his Life be pleased therefore good Lord to have Mercy upon him accept of him as the work of thine own Hands a Lamb of thy Fold thy Servant redeemed by Jesus Christ who is willing by thy appointment to leave this miserable World in full assurance of thy Mercy in Jesus Christ for the remission of his Sins II. Guide him good Lord in this his last Journey that he being quit of all the troubles of this transitory Life he may be safely conducted by thy power to the Heaven of Eternal Happiness into the Arms of boundless Mercy to everlasting Peace and perpetual Joys there to reign with all the Company of blessed Saints and Angels with thee in continual Bliss for evermore III. And gracious God we beseech thee by thy abundant Goodness by the multitude of thy tender Mercies and Compassions by the Merits of thy bitter Death and bloody Passion by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension and by the Coming of thy holy blessed Spirit have mercy upon him deliver him from the burthen and guilt of his Sins from the fears and terrors of Death and from the fury and power of Hell IV. Lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon him that in all the pains of his Body in all the agonies of his Spirit let thy Comforts refresh his Soul and enable him patiently to wait till his Change shall come And grant O Lord that when this earthly House and Tabernacle of his Body shall be dissolv'd he may have a Building of God an House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens and that for his sake who by his most precious Blood hath purchased Salvation for all those who truly believe in him even Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour Amen Meditations after Recovery Psal 116. 1. I Am well pleased that the Lord hath heard the voice of my Prayer 2. That he hath enclined his Ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live 3. The Snares of Death compassed me round about and the Pains of Hell got hold upon me 4. I shall find trouble and heaviness and I shall call upon the Name of the Lord O Lord I