instrument of my eternal Happiness that from this temporal Commemoration I may rise to the blessed Vision of my sweet Redeemer I am now almost in the Suburbs of Death grant that it may be in order to my entrance into the heavenly Jerusalem 't is not long before I shall try the Grand Experiment for now my Pulse beats about threescore and much further the strength of man cannot go Therefore I desire to settle the affairs of my Soul before I go hence and be no more seen I cannot tell whither I shall have another opportunity to partake of thy holy Table Therefore let this present participation of the holy Sacrament be a Seal and Testimony for the Remission of my Sins Though I have not long to live yet I will enter into covenant with my Soul to serve and obey thee to love the Lord my God with all my heart and with all my strength for the Righteousness of thy Testimonies is everlasting give me understanding and I shall live O thou who art the appointed Heir of all things the express Image of thy Fathers Person let thy Grace comfort and refresh me who hunger and thirst after eternal life let my Soul never faint in the Courts of the Lord as long as my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God Let Satan never find an opportunity to tempt and ensnare my Soul may I ever be diligent to prevent a surprize and abstain from transgressions lest my portion be among sad and accursed Souls As for me I will call upon God and the Lord shall save me Evening and Morning and at noon day will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my voice he hath delivered my Soul in peace from the Battel that was against me therefore I will put my trust in him for ever I confess I have omitted much good and am guilty of many Offences of Ignorance Infirmity and Knowledge therefore thy pardon I still beg and assistance of thy Grace that I may bring forth fruits worthy of Repentance Make thy Church happy in a Moses and Aaron in Nursing Fathers to go in and out before thy people and holy Ministers to stand before thee our God Preserve them from the malice of their Enemies and the strivings of the people let their lips preserve knowledge that we may seek the Law at their mouth Spare thy people bless them in their Souls Bodies and Estates that this Nation may be at length as great an instance of thy mercy as it has been of thy wrath and fury Every one of us more or less has contributed to the vast heap of crying sins yet seeing thou hast graciously afforded us a space for repentance and suspended the dreadful execution let our sorrow procure the continuance of thy Favours that Peace and Plenty may be within our Borders and no Invasion in the Land I thank thee O merciful Father for the freedom of thy Gospel the food of the Word the sweet refreshings of thy Sacraments publick Communions in thy Church and for all the benefits which are enjoyed by the society of Saints and good men Pitty all those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of Death who are not acquainted with thy Name or knowing it are nevertheless carried away by strong delusions into the ways of errour and mischief Bless all the sons and daughters of affliction strengthen them in the hour of tryal that neither the love of this world nor the loss of light neither the fear of death nor the terrors of Hell may make them unwilling to depart this life And now at length I humbly desire thee to give me wisdom to order my life aright from henceforth that I may be wary and circumspect in all my actions a careful and an understanding Hearer of thy Word a constant frequenter of thy Courts sober and temperate exercising my self unto all godliness that my whole Spirit Soul and Body may be kept blameless unto the end Plant in my Soul a deep detestation of all evil that when I see my sins I may also behold my Redeemer Bless this Religious Society the pious and aged Brethren that Peace and Love may endear and unite us all together that we may faithfully communicate heavenly things one to another temper our minds with submission and reverence that we may honour our Governours and pay our just duty to all our Superiours and no way carry our selves insolently to our Inferiours O Father Son and Holy Ghost the Blessed Three in One the All in All accept of these and all my hearty Prayers through Jesus Christ my God and Saviour Amen In the time of Sickness O Thou determiner of my days in whose hands are the Issues of Life and Death behold and pity thy aged and sinful Servant diseased in body and distressed in mind turn thy face unto me send down thine aid to comfort me for I am in pain desolate and poor Speak peace unto my Soul and say thou art my Salvation O dearest Jesus the brightness of thy Fathers Glory dispel these Clouds of Darkness and Despair thou who art the Souls Physician arise with healing under thy wings and shew thy skill in my weakness If it be thy Will and uncontroulable Decree by this thy Chastisement to finish my days draw near to my humble and afflicted Soul support it by thy strength in this day of Trial as I have alwaies endeavoured to live so let me now dye the death of the Righteous diminish the fears of death by the hopes of a blessed life hide not thy face from me in the time of my trouble hold not thy peace at my tears now my Soul cleaveth unto the dust but let the last Minute be the best of all my life Many days have I enjoyed the Comforts of Life in this quiet and Religious Sanctuary and all I ascribe to thy particular mercy and gracious instances of Providence But now my spirits faint my eyes wax dim my hands shake and the pillars of my house tremble now I find the time of my dissolution approaches by the regular Course of Nature therefore what is my Hope O Lord truly my hope and affiance is even in Thee O Lord my heart is smitten down and wither'd like Grass so that I forget to eat bread there is no health in my flesh because of thy displeasure and no rest in my bones by reason of my sin Therefore dear Saviour pardon me forgive me all my sins comfort me in this day of sorrow ease my pains and satisfie my doubts strengthen my hopes and relieve my Soul Thou who are the First-born from the dead the appointed Heir of all things uphold my faint and trembling Soul in the conflict and agony of death that I may utter nothing displeasing to thee O God and give me assurance that my portion shall never be among hopeless and accursed Souls in the Regions of Torment and Despair Welcome blessed Hour the period of my Pilgrimage the term of my
obtain when time shall be swallowed up in Eternity when Faith shall be turn'd into Vision bare hopes into actual Enjoyment O Lord hear and graciously accept of these my Prayers through Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Preparatory Prayer before the Sacrament O Thou Searcher of hearts who knowest the secrets and most silent passages of the mind assist me in the survey and examination of my Soul that I may draw up a true Inventory of all the furniture of sin which is lodged in my breast I dare not approach thy Table before I have entred into my self and laid open all my sins and iniquities before thee which I have been contracting so long that I am become an aged sinner I have no other Sanctuary to repair to but thy mercy therefore O Lord pardon the sins of my whole life and pity the Infirmities of age and though I am of small esteem and no reputation among men though this trembling and wither'd Body of mine is become unwelcome to the eye of the World yet grant that thy holy Spirit would vouchsafe to dwell in this Ancient Temple that I may daily magnifie thy holy Name I dare not presume to draw near thy Table without making my addresses to the Throne of Grace for he that confesses his sins shall obtain a covering for them O Lord cleanse my hands and purifie my heart and make me conformable to thy Will and thy Image that I may not pollute thy heavenly food nor prophane the most blessed body and blood of my dearest Saviour To this end sanctifie my body and soul that no unclean thing may come out of my mouth that I may detest and abhor covetousness lying and injurious dealing all cursing blasphemy and unreasonable anger that I may be chaste virtuous meek and religious that I never offer to put that heavenly Food into a mouth used to gluttony and drunkenness to falsifying the truth and speaking evil of my Brethren for this will be to make no difference yea to prophane the Lord's Body Teach me to put off the Old man and repair the breaches of my decay'd Nature prosper and direct my present purposes of communicating at thy Table that I may prove a true Disciple and know my Lord in breaking of bread This is the commemoration of my Saviours death may it prove instrumental to my eternal life strike an aw and reverence in my heart because of thy Presence and in consideration that it is thy holy Ordinance My soul mourns when I consider at what a great distance my sins have set me from thee but yet now I begin to revive and wax glad because of thy faithful promise of re-union O how I hunger and thirst for thy saving health to be united to that sacred Body whose Head is Christ Give me Faith to believe in him who by Faith and new Obedience is made mine Make me a welcome Guest at thy holy Table that all the days of my life I may bear a good Conscience both towards God and towards Man which will be a continual Feast O Lord this is a Feast of Love therefore expel out of my mind all disorderly and uncharitable thoughts that I may lovingly embrace all my aged Brethren who are fed within the walls of this Religious House that I may extend it to all men even my enemies and forgive the whole world for thou didst the same thing to us who were at variance with thy holiness and purity For he that comes to thy Table with the barbarous thoughts of Revenge does certainly crucifie his Saviour afresh If my Lord and Saviour descended from his glorious Palace in Heaven was so humble as to take our Nature upon him endured the contradiction of sinners and at last laid down his life for my sake truly I am ashamed to think that I should scruple acts of kindness and civility Instances of love and charity to those who are bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh for so thy Prophet tells me by advising me not to turn away my face from my own flesh Seeing my God was made a Sacrifice for me what can I do less than make my solemn vows in the House of the Lord to serve him faithfully all the days of my life than to thank him for the pledges of his love and the seals of his Favour that while I carry about with me this frail and shattered body I may fit my self for the glorious Mansions above where there will be an Eternal Communion of Saints Who can tell how oft he offendeth therefore O Lord cleanse me from my secret faults Cast me not away in the time of my old age and forsake me not when my strength faileth me enable me to get the mastery of sin that I may perform holy duties with more ease and satisfaction and that I may have sweeter fellowship with thy Spirit I am eternally bound to thank thee for thy gracious instances of Providence in my own behalf that when I was a slave to sin and punishment thou gavest thy Son for a Ransom didst send thy holy Spirit for a pledge and comforter thy Word for a Guide and hast prepared a Kingdom for my inheritance I am now going about to renew thy Covenant to beg pardon for my failure in any of the conditions that I may not forfeit my right to Eternal Happiness Accept of my Prayers and Vows my imperfect offers of Duty and Obedience for the sake of the Son of thy Love the Holy Jesus my Mediator and Redeemer the Saviour of Mankind Grant that I may be a worthy Receiver that this holy action prescribed us by the great Attonement may prove efficacious and add to the life and refreshment of my Soul through Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer after the Receiving the holy Communion O Dearest Jesu the Head of the Church the Beginning and First-born from the Dead thou who gavest thy self a Sacrifice and Propitiation for my sins accept of my hearty Prayers and receive my Thanksgiving thou who upholdest all things by the word of thy Power sustain my weak and aged body thou who art the brightness of thy Fathers glory purifie and refine my Soul that it be not sullied with the filthiness of sin I humbly thank thee for the greatness of thy love in humbling thy self to the death of the Cross for thy institution of this Blessed Sacrament for thy gracious invitation to this holy Table and lastly for the unspeakable comfort and refreshment of my Soul Possess my Soul with a mighty sense of thy great goodness that I may declare to the sons of men the wonderful works that the Lord hath done unto me Let me clearly perceive the manifestation of thy wisdom and love who to inform and instruct my weakness are pleased by these Elements of Bread and Wine to figure out unto me the Body and Blood of my dearest Saviour may the Shadow lead me to the Substance and this Seal of thy gracious Covenant be an
place O Lord grant that by my life I may answer the ends of my admission and the purposes of our Noble Founder's Charity Sanctify my memory to treasure up good things purifie my conscience to have peace in thee and reform my will to do thy pleasure Teach me to be humble and meek to be patient full of content and thankfulness for the riches of thy mercy For how poor must that man be who is not content with a God so rich as thou art Let the remainder of my time be spent in the thoughts of eternity and the ravishing joys of another life that while I carry about with me this decay'd and wither'd body which will soon moulder into dust and ashes while I have time and opportunity I may endeavour to live in thy fear that I may dye in thy favour O thou Strength and Redeemer of Israel Amen On the Founder's Day BLessed be thy Name O God and this happy Morn wherein the Foundation of my present Comfort of this Life was laid wherein this Noble Benefaction was given by Thomas Sutton a great Lover of Souls and Bodies who has so plentifully provided for the repair and support of my aged Body and the heavenly entertainment of my Soul O my Soul give thanks unto the Lord for he is good and his mercy endureth for ever This Day let us worship him in the beauty of holiness let us come before his Presence with Thanksgiving and make a joyful noise unto him with Psalms Blow the Trumpet at the time appointed at our Solemn Feast-day Be pleased O Lord to send the Influence of thy Grace upon me that I may answer the intent and purposes of our Noble Founder in my Life and Conversation that my years and department may be exemplary for Piety and Devotion that I may sanctifie this Earth with a blameless and angelick Life and that at my last hour I may be reconciled unto Thee or else all these Benefits will rather become a Curse than a Blessing unto me Teach me O dearest Saviour to live a life worthy of the name I bear as a Member of thy Church worthy of the Blessings I have received of the Food I eat and the Ease I take of the Love my gracious God hath shewed to me and the Glory he has reserved for me I live in the abundance of thy Favours and within the influence of thy Goodness I thank thee O Lord for the fixedness and condition of my Life for many corporal and earthly comforts which I now enjoy nay thy blessings exceed far the number of my sins which are more than the hairs upon my head In this House is God known and his Name is great in our Israel for his mercy reacheth unto the Heavens and his truth unto the Clouds O Lord thou hast brought up my Soul from the grave thou hast kept me alive that I should not go down unto the Pit Thou art my Shepherd and I shall never want yea though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of Death I will fear no evil for thou art with me thy Rod and thy Staff they comfort me This day thou preparedst a full Table for me surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and afterwards I hope to dwell in the House of the Lord for ever When I looked round about and saw no hand to help me thy Providence relieved my fears and all my wants and led me to this Habitation of Comfort When I was weak and stooped for Age thou wast my strength and the lifter up of my head when my eyes waxed dim and I was almost banished from the sense of the pleasures of this life thou didst recompense that loss with the joyful prospect of those Blessings which are in the Kingdom above Though my hands and the Pillars of my House tremble yet I rejoyce because my hope is founded upon the Rock of Ages which cannot be removed but abideth stedfast for ever My Passions decay and all things prove insipid unto me I have but a small relish of mortal Joys because the sense of them is swallowed up in the unexpressible thoughts of Heaven and Happiness what I am capable of partaking of in this life I heartily thank the Great Preserver of Men that he has plenteously afforded it me I had perisht long ago if I had not been sustained by his protecting Hand Therefore will I pour forth his deserved Praises with a joyful and thankful heart hoping in God's due time to sing Eternal Hallelujahs with the Blessed Saints above O thou first born of the Dead put me always in mind of the Resurrection now I am full of years let me be full of Grace and full of Faith I am heartily sensible of all the Miscarriages of a long and sinful Life yet thy mercy is over all thy Works though my Sins are as Scarlet yet thou canst make me all over as white as Snow As I have tasted of thy benefits here so let me partake of thy Salvation hereafter I consult not with Flesh and Blood but rely upon thy Providence desiring thee to bestow upon me Wisdom and Patience and Thanksgiving to know thy Will to suffer what I deserved and to extoll and praise my Guide to everlasting Glory This is the glorious Day of Relief and Consolation therefore from the rising up of the Sun to the going down of the same the Lord's Name be praised The Dead praise not the Lord nor any that go down into the Pit but we that are alive and in health who live in the Enjoyment of his peculiar Blessings will bless the Lord from this time forth for evermore Glory be to God on high on Earth peace and good will towards men Amen Vpon the Decease of a Pensioner O Thou who art the Spring and Original of all Comfort the Hope of them that live and the Resurrection of the Dead Sanctifie this mournful occasion to me thy Servant that I may seasonably prepare for my latter end and wisely provide for the journey to my long Home Spare me a little before I go hence and be no more seen I am daily sensible of the near approaches of death every moment I receive some warnings of mortality and I know within a few days I must depart and render an account of all my life Therefore teach me rightly to state the Accounts of my Soul and to improve the precious minutes of my stay in this life for on the least of them depends Eternity My Soul longeth and waiteth for the living God I desire in thy due time to appear before thy glorious Presence that I may see the good things thou hast laid up in Heaven for them that are thine Confirm my hope and make it perfect until I enjoy the lively Fruits of thy assured Salvation Bear me upon thy saving wings through the miseries of this life and let not the mire and clay wherein I stick fast detain me for ever For thy Names sake
O Lord have mercy upon me for my sin is great If every moment we offend thee and can do nothing as we ought then how long must my Accusation be who have so many years repeated so many transgressions How dreadful must the thoughts of the Process of the Day of Judgment be unto me who have been so long an experienced sinner I faint at my own unworthiness and yet otherwise I cannot appear before thee O Lord I have no other qualification for thy mercy but my extream misery I am now brought very low to a vale of misery and tears surrounded with all the Chambers and Instruments of Death This dear Brother just deceased only shews the way that I must soon follow e're long I must repair to the House of mourning I must bid my last farewel to the world but wo and eternal sorrow will be my Portion if I dye in my sins and depart in thy displeasure Therefore out of the abundance of thy love pardon cleanse and reform my poor and sinful Soul send me thy sanctifying thy guiding and supporting Spirit that I may pass safely through the valley of Death in the lively sense of thy mercies and the refreshments of thy love in the hopes of pardon and the expectation of glory O thou ancient of days at whose voice the pillars of Heaven shake and the whole Creation trembles thou art my strength and defence in whom is my sole trust deliver my Soul from death mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling cleanse me from all my iniquities and purge me from my secret sins for Heaven is so holy a place that no impure thing can inhabit there teach me so to number the rest of my days that I may apply my heart unto Wisdom Here length of days is in her right hand and her ways lead to those rivers of joy which are at Gods right hand for evermore O Lord who art touched with a sense of my Infirmities let me not be afraid of the thoughts of Death that King of Terrours but soften its severity by a mild Commission sweeten its bitterness with the most pleasant relishes of joy and immortality My life I had of thee and all the blessings I have enjoyed ever since I came into the World O Lord make me willing to render them back again into thy hands Whom have I in Heaven but thee and I desire no other Saviour but thee Teach me often to meditate on Heaven that I may wish for it of Hell that I may abhorr it of Death that I may expect it and of the Day of Judgment that I may be prepared for it To thy mercy I appeal I fly unto thee for succour my sole dependance is on thy love I fear love reverence and adore thy goodness which is thy glory Blessed is the man whom thou choosest for though he seemeth to decay and perish to be a companion of death though the body wax feeble and impotent yet he lives the life of Faith he lives in the secure Courts of thy protection and the Guardian Angels pitch their Tents round about him Let not this be a short heat and suddain fit of Devotion raised by this late instance of mortality and the amazing thoughts of Death but may these exercises of piety continue and endure to my lives end For I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth and though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God Amen In the Morning before he stirs abroad O Lord God Almighty who makest the out-goings of the Morning and Evening to praise Thee I cannot but reverence and adore thy Divine Majesty for the Blessings of the last Night for my Preservation from all evils both of Body and Soul I laid me down and slept and rose up again for the Lord hath sustained me For I am a weak and aged Creature surrounded with Infirmities of Nature and seldom free from the assault of Temptations night and day Though my Limbs wax stiff and cold yet let my Soul be vigorous and fervent that like Jacob I may seem to wrestle with thee for thou delightest in the earnest and importunate Solicitations of thy people Now I am risen from my place of slumber teach me to look upwards to found my hopes on Thee to fix my eye upon that holy place from whence the day does break Bless me in all my endeavours and duties of this day that in every action I may have a regard to thy glory and the salvation of my own Soul Unto thee O Lord have I cryed and early in the morning shall my Prayer come before thee As long as I live will I magnifie thee on this manner and lift up my hands in thy Name O let me hear of thy loving kindness in the morning betimes for in thee is my trust Shew me the way I should walk in for I lift up my Soul unto thee I desire to dedicate the powers of my Soul the Affections of my heart and the Faculties of my Body to be thy Faithful Loyal and Obedient Servants Extend O merciful Father thy loving kindness over all the World especially this sinful Land of my Nativity Herein bless his most Excellent Majesty his Royal Consort and the Illustrious Prince let the Sons of Violence do them no harm Let Mercy and Truth preserve him and his Throne be establish't for ever before thee O thou who art the wonderful Counsellor and Prince of Peace Be gracious to thine Inheritance for the glory of thy Name let not thine Enemies devour the Church and lay waste her dwelling places Defend it with the Custody of Angels and the Patronage of Kings and Princes that She may flourish under the Beams of thy Favour and Providence take root and spread and fill all Lands that the whole Nation may be blessed with thy health and salvation Bless our Noble Governours under whose care and protection we live and are sustained Let thy Truth and Mercy be ever with them and when they have happily finish't their Course in this Life crown their Wisdom and Fidelity with Immortality and Glory Hear me for all those whom I am obliged to by the bonds of Duty Charity or Affection Pity all those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death preserve them in the midst of an untoward and sinful Generation Avert thy Judgments from us and soften the hearts of all our Enemies O Lord whom my Soul does desire and my Spirit seeks early in the morning How excellent is thy Name in all the World Grant me a pure intention of mind and a stedfast regard of thy glory in all my Actions Create in me sorrow for my sins thankfulness for thy benefits fear of thy Judgments and love of thy mercies that I may have a continual reverence for thy Name and be mindful of thy presence for evermore Every morning I draw nearer the last Stage of my Life therefore
Bondage the end of my Care and the Haven of my Hopes now I am to take my flight to the place from whence I shall never more return now I am to enter into the loving Embraces of my Lord and Saviour O thou Father of Comforts how do I love to hear of thy mercy and the joys of Heaven O how dear unto me are the promises of the Living God Suffer me not to be impatient in this day of Visitation but meekly to resign my spirit up into thy Hands and peaceably to pass by the Gates of Death to the Kingdom of Glory Separate my Transgressions O Lord from my Soul or else they will separate me from Heaven Now the Enemy is busie and Satan watches for an advantage secure my apprehension add strength to my faith and pity my Infirmities make all my Friends who stand around my Death-bed sensible of Human frailty by beholding me an object of Mortality just setting out for Eternity O Lord let thy pardon refresh my Soul let thy Spirit guide me safely in the way to the blessed Mansions above If they are at the point of death I have fought a long fight in much weakness I have near finish't my Course though in great faintness and the Crown of my Life is that through the strength of thy Grace I have kept the true faith and now dye in it I thank God for all his blessings the company of my Friends the means of Physick holy Prayers and living and dying in the best established Church in the Christian World I willingly resign my Earthly body to the Dust from whence it came and I earnestly desire to be with God I profess to all the World I know no other Name by which any man can be saved but by the Name of Jesus I renounce all presumption and confidence in my own merits I thankfully acknowledge Gods repeated Blessings and heartily bewail my own sins I repose all my trust in the mercy and promises of God and I forgive all my Enemies as now I beg of God to forgive me Into thy hands O Lord I commend my Soul Amen A Prayer to be said at any time by a young Scholar of the House O Merciful Father the Redeemer and Sanctifier of all thy Children I praise and magnifie thy holy Name because I have received many special and peculiar Blessings at thy hands I thank thee O God that I was born of Christian Parents that I was baptized into the true Faith that my Lot is fallen in this excellent place of Piety and Education and that I have the knowledge and opportunity of making my early approaches to the Throne of Grace Teach me O Lord to remember my Creator in the daies of my Youth to dedicate the Spring and Innocency of my Age to the God of Purity and Perfection I am now soft and tender apt to receive the first Impressions that are laid upon me suffer me therefore not to be led aside by the whispers of sin or the pernicious Examples of a wanton and prophane Age Season the beginnings of my years with thy Grace and Goodness let wisdom teach me the fear of the Lord that I may cheerfully run the way of thy Commandments I am now entring upon the Stage of the World and humbly desire to be led by good Example therefore O blessed Father lead me not into Temptation but deliver me from Evil Curb and restrain the unruliness of my passion rebuke and subdue the rashness and heat of youth train me up in that way wherein thou desirest I should walk Frame in me an humble and submissive mind that I may be willing to be taught and obey to entertain all godly and profitable Instructions Give me understanding to discern my duty grace and wisdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all corrupt Example and Conveâ—â—â—… and to fix my heart upon Obeâ—â—â—… Thanksgiving Here thy wonâ—… 〈◊〉 mercy has placed me to be brought up in thy Fear and praise thy Name therefore I heartily desire to fulfill thy Will that these my fresh and greener years may be consecrated to thy Service before they receive any taint of Corruption from a lewd and infectious Age I bow my Soul before thee earnestly desiring that I may betimes become a Servant of the Living God Teach me to shun the occasions and appearances of sin that I may never be defiled with its Embraces Teach me to avoid the first steps and entrances of Impiety that I may never be so bold as to violate thy Commands Let the apprehensions of a small sin so terrifie and affright my tender Soul that I may alwaies abhor the malignity of gross and filthy sins that I may keep these Evils at a distance and not be entangled in their Snares As I grow up in years let me encrease in Goodness and Learning that I may fully Answer the ends of my Noble Benefactour and be instrumental to the publishing of thy Honour and Glory Now may I justly sing Hosanna seeing thou hast made so many shiftless Babes and Sucklings to rejoyce Plant in me a just and forward Obedience to all my Governours that are set in Authority over me In an especial manner bless my Soveraign Lord King Charles let him be as the First-born and glorious among the Kings of the Earth let thine Hand hold him fast and thine Arm strengthen him Bless him likewise in all his Royal Relations Be gracious to thine Inheritance bless them who watch diligently for our Souls that at the last day they may give a joyful account of them to the Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls Arise O God maintain thine own Cause remember how the foolish man blasphemeth thee daily continue unto us the Light of thy Gospel that the Name of the Man of thy Right Hand Christ Jesus may be glorified thy Church enlarged and defended and we all brought up in the true Faith of thy only Son Bless our Noble and Wise Governours our Instructors both in Sacred and Human Learning and sanctifie my heart with humility that I may shew all due Reverence to the several Members of this Religious House whether in Age or Authority placed above me Purge and cleanse my Soul from all the seeds and beginnings of evil root out of my mind all folly and vanity idleness and self-conceit expel all loose and wanton desires all stubborn and contumacious Humours which are apt to breed in younger years that every day I may wax wiser and more holy sensible of thy gracious assistance and the comforts of a chaste and vertuous life O thou Father of Lights it is by thy Providence I am placed here in the School of Instruction and from thy Goodness I crave a blessing upon my endeavours otherwise all my labour and study will be vain and fruitless To thee therefore do I lift up my Soul who art the Fountain of all Knowledge the Original of all Tongues and Languages I humbly desire thee to endue my mind with knowledge and discretion quickness of perception and a tenacious memory that I may be sit for that station which thou art pleased to design me for As I now make my Addresses betimes to thy holy Majesty so grant that the sincerity and fervour of my Soul may continue and encrease that I may be accustomed to Prayer and lifting up holy hands unto thee Pardon all the sins of my youth the errors and miscarriages of my few and imprudent years Bless me with health of body and soundness of mind increase of friends and profitable acquaintance sanctifie the ministry of thy Word unto me that my Soul may rejoyce in thy Salvation Make me able and ready every day to extol thy loving kindness and frequently to meditate upon thy mercy O thou Pittier of all that stand in need of help my Guide and Castle of Defence the great Preserver of Youth as well as Men through Jesus Christ his sake Amen FINIS Errata sic corrigat Lector Benevolus Page 10. line 14. read now p. 21. l. 11. r. dolentèr p. 21. l. 18. r. propagentur p. 38. l. penult r. 500 marks to Jesus Colledge p. 55. l. 6. r. cholick p. 87. l. 14. r. Horse-heath p. 114. l. 16. r. fitting p. 127. l. 12. r. all p. 135. l. 20. r. of age p. 187. l. 10. in the marg r. by How 's p. 191. l. penult r. latter p. 195. l. 9. r. Fryans p. 234. l. 18. r. the Senior p. 237. l. 16. r. shoes p. 238. l. 4. r. for such