hast said As surely as I live I desire not the death of a sinner but rather that he should Convert and Amend and Live Who hast also said Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee have mercy upon me for Jesus Christ his sake whom thou wouldest should be a peace-maker to the end that thou mightest shew thine exceeding great Wrath against sin and thine inestimable mercy towards Mankind sanctifie and illuminate my heart with thy holy Spirit O God the guide of my life forsake me not turn from me the filthiness of desire Turne mine Eyes away from beholding vanity strengthen me in thy wayes and grant that mine offences in this world overcome me not and I beseech thee O Lord with a most ardent affection that this day and ever thou wilt keep me and all mine and that thou wilt be unto me a Mighty Protector a firmament of strength a covering against heat a shadow at noon-tide a defence from falling an assister from offending a comforter of my soul an enlightner of my mind a giver of health and happiness in Christ Jesus my Lord and Saviour To whom be all glory honour and power for ever Amen Our Father c. A Prayer for Tuesday-Evening MOst mighty and most merciful Lord God by whose goodness I was created by whose Justice I am punished and by whose mercy I am saved I cast my self down before thee and lift up my hands unto thee at this present as my Evening-sacrifice but alas my conscience accuseth me the secret cogitations of my heart reprove me my fear checketh me the infinite number of my sins oppress me yea my miscarriages this day witness against me and exceedingly condemn me O Lord what am I that thou shouldest yet favour me and shew thy self so loving and bountiful a Father unto me why should'st thou so nourish me who am so unworthy a wretch with thy mercy and loving-kindness I know that it is for His sake in whom there is no guile and in whom there was found no evil that thou regardest me and imbracest me Pardon I beseech thee through Jesus Christ all my sins faults vices and offences and indue me with all holy vertues make me to live a godly life and to continue to the end in good works Take away all darkness from my mind that I may see thee by understanding thee and love thee by knowing thee And grant O Lord that I may so keep and govern and end my life that I may sleep in peace and rest in thee and so into thy hands I commend my self both soul and body this night and for ever Hide me I beseech thee under the shaddow of thy Wings that I may rest quietly void of all fear spiritual darkness danger and despair comfort me in all those things wherein I have been any way discouraged this day Preserve me to the end that sleep with rest and rest with quietness and quietness with everlastingness may receive me that having run the race of this life I may be made partaker of a better that so I may live and reign with thee for ever through Jesus Christ my Lord and only Saviour Amen Our Father c. A Prayer for Wednesday-Morning HOly Lord God the glorious face of the Sun which sheweth it self and casteth its beams over the whole World I take it for an argument and earnest of thy good will toward thy Children in the number of whom I account my self though the chief of Sinners and not worthy to loose the latchet of thy shooe for if we enjoy such benefits in this strange country together with thine Enemies then what joy and glory what excellent goodness shall we be made partakers of when we come to our heavenly country the blessed land of Canaan where we shall not see this earthly Sun but thou O Lord who art the Son of Righteousness will be continually before us And now O Lord I Praise thy blessed name for preserving me from the many dangers of the Night past and for bringing me safe to the beginning of this day As thou hast now wakened my Body from sleep so I beseech thee awaken my Soul from sin and carnal Security and as thou hast caused the Light of the day to shine in my bodily Eyes so good Lord cause the light of thy word and holy Spirit to illuminate my heart and give me grace as a Child of Light to walk in all holy obedience before thy face this day and grant me to endeavour to keep a good Conscience towards thee toward all men in all my thoughts words and dealings and to this end I commend my self and all my ways and actions together with all that do belong to me unto thy gracious direction and protection beseeching thee to keep both them and me from all evil and to give a blessing to my honest Labours and endeavours this day following and for evermore Amen Our Father c. A Prayer for Wednesday Evening O Most Mighty Lord God and most mercifull and loving Father in thy Son Jesus Christ I sinful Creature am bold to return unto thee all possible Praise and thanks for all thy great and manifold favours which thou in thy mercy hast from time to time vouchsafed unto me a sinful wretch who am full of sin and iniquity I beseech thee favourably to hear my imperfect prayers and to grant my requests and needful suits which I make unto thee at this time Forgive me I intreat thee good Father all the sins that I have committed from day to day against thy divine Majesty and suffer me not O Lord to offend thee any more hereafter that neither sin nor Satan nor any unruly passions may have dominion nor reign any longer in my mortal body for I confess I have herein done wickedly and have broken all thy commandments for which thou mightest in thy severe Justice punish me both in Soul and Body to eternal Death besides those sins which I have this day committed Forgive me O Lord all my sins past and blessed be thy name that thou hast kept me this day in my going out and in my returning home O Lord watch over me this night and be thou my defence and protection from all dangers casualties and troubles grant that I be not overcome with any fantasies and dreams or other Temptations but that I may fully set my mind upon thee love thee fear thee and rest in thee and thou O Lord waken me again in due time that I may behold the light of the next day to my comfort still preparing my heart and mind to thy service every day and my whole life time in truth and sincerity that when I have run the short race of this mortal life thou mayest be pleased to call me to be partaker of a better and so I may live and die and ever remain with thee in thy Heavenly Kingdom through Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour in whose name I beg all these
O my Soul and forget not all his benefits Psal. 103. 2. The Lord killeth and maketh alive he bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up 1 Sam. 2. 6. It is God that girdeth me with strength and maketh my way perfect Psal. 18. 32. Also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before Job ult Thou hast set me at liberty when I was in thrall Psal. 4. 1. And these all having obtained good report through Faith receive not the promise Heb. 11. 39. Ointment and Perfume rejoyce thy heart so doth the sweetness of a mans friend by hearty Counsel Thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety Psal. 4. 8. The Lord shall preserve thee from evil he shall preserve thy Soul Psal. 121. 7. A Preparatory Hymn Collected out of divers Psalms THou sayest seek ye my face my heart saith unto thee Thy face Lord will I seek Psal. 27. 8. Hide not thy face far from me nor put thy servant away in anger vers 9. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me Psal. 51. 11. Hear O Lord when I cry unto thee have mercy also upon me and answer me Psal. 27. 7. Ponder my words O Lord consider my meditation Psal. 5. 1. My heart is inditing a good matter my tongue is the pen of a ready writer Psal. 45. 1. O Lord open thou my lips and my lips shall shew forth thy praise Psal. 51. 15. Let my prayer be set forth before thee as Incense and the lifting up of my hands as an Evenâ—â—â—â—â—â—rifice Psal. 141. 2. Set a watch O Lord â—efore my mouth and keep the door of my lips Psal. 141. 3. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my Redeemerâ— Psal. 19. 14. An Exhortation to stir up Christians to Prayer PRayer is of that force and virtue that it ties the ear of God to the tongue of man O it is an acceptable Incense to God always for how hath he always rewarded it and regarded it It never returned but with a blessing so that the Prayer be sent up out of a pure and upright heart mingled with Faith for we must ask in Faith and waver not as St. James saith By fervent Prayer the children of Israel were delivered from the Egyptian bondage as you may read That when they cryed unto the Lord he heard them and delivered them out of their Enemies hands Therefore let us continually pray unto God both Morning and Evening and let us call and cry unto him for a blessing upon us and desire him to preserve us and to remove his Judgments from us To which end I have thought good to frame this Manual of private Devotions for a help to those that may want them PRIVATE DEVOTIONS OR A COLLECTION OF Morning Evening PRAYERS For Private Persons For every day in the Week Evening and Morning and at Noon will I Pray and cry Aloud and he shall hear my voyce Psal. 55. 17. Private Devotions A Prayer for Sunday-Morning ALmighty God the blessed Creator and Finisher of the Salvation of Mankind who in memory of thy glorious Rest from both thy noble works hast blessed and sanctified a day of holy rest unto thy self sanctify me for it that laying aside my accustomed business and sequestring my thoughts from all worldly cares I may keep it and my self holy to thee by dedicating and devoting my self wholly to thy peculiar worship and immediate service and to the end that this my Religious service may be more acceptable to thee quicken me with thy Spirit that I may perform it with all allacrity and cheerfulness and may make thy Sabbath my delight Touch my Heart and Tongue with a coal from thy Altar that from the sweet Incense of my Meditations Hymns Prayers and Thanksgivings thou mayest smell a savour of Rest. O Prince of Peace sanctify thy rest unto me that I may find rest to my Soul from all temptations troubles and fears and may rest from my own works which are painful and sinful travels and may imploy this day all the powers and faculties of my Soul and Body in doing and considering thy works in adoring thy Majesty and admiring thy wisdom and acknowledging thy Power and embracing thy Love and magnifying thy goodness and rejoycing in thy Mercies and trembling at thy Judgments In visiting thy holy Temple and praising thee with thy Saints and offering up the Calves of my lips In diligently reading thy Scriptures attentively hearing thy Word â—everently celebrating thy Mysteries charitably relieving thy Members zealously practizing all holy duties both publick and private O let me this Whole day walk with thee as Enoch sometimes did and talk with thee as Moses did and seek thy Face as David did And grant that beholding thine Image in thy holy Word as in a clear and Christal Mirrour I may be changed â—to the same Image even from Glory to Glory Let this Sabbath put me in mind of thy Holy rest from thy works and assure me thereby of an Everlasting Sabbath in Heaven from my Works into which rest that I may enter stir up good desires in me raise my thoughts and affections to the things which are above renew me according to the Image of thy Son and frame my Life to a Heavenly conversation enlighten my understanding sanctify my will moderate my desires govern my affections mortifie my fleshly members destory the man of sin in me and deliver me from the Body of death work 〈◊〉 me a fear of thy power and a love of thy goodness and zeal of thy glory and thirst after thy grace and an earnest desire and constant resolution as much as in me lyeth to approve my self to thee in all things and frame all my actions to the rule of thy Word Hear me I beseech thee for thy Church and thy Church for me and Christ for us all saying Our Father c. A Prayer for Sunday Evening HOly Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which wast which art and which art to come Hollow my nature that I may Hollow thy Name As thou impartest thy goodness to me whereby I live and move in thee communicate to me some measure of thy Holiness that I may live and move to thee Let thy Spirit of grace possess my Body and Soul that the desires of my mind and thoughts of my heart and words of my lips may be holiness unto thee Sanctifie me that I may glorifie thee And first with Joy and Thankfulness I acknowledg it a special Testimony of thy love that thou hast given me liberty and meanes to keep a holy Sabbath unto thee to meet in thy House to offer up my Joynt-Prayers and thanksgiving with thy Holy congregation to confess my sin to profess my faith to lay open my wants to clear up my self by Singing the sweet Songs of Sion to hear thy Sacred Word read and Preached whereby my faith hath been strengthened in
that I may assure my self that my sins are forgiven by his death and passion And now O Lord I beseech thee to imbrace me in the Armes of thy mercy vouchsafe to receive me into the bosom of thy love shadow me with thy wings that I may safely take my rest in thee this night in the Name of thy Son Jesus Christ in whom I refer my self wholly to thy protection beseeching thee that when this life shall end my last sleep being come I may take my everlasting rest with thee in thy heavenly Kingdome for the glory of thy holy Name and to my eternal comfort through the merits of thy dearly beloved Son my Lord and only Saviour in whose perfect form of Prayer I conclude my imperfect Petitions saying Our Father c. A Prayer for Saturday Morning O Merciful Father for Jesus Christ his sake I beseech thee forgive me all my known and secret sins which in Thought Word or Deed I have committed against thy Divine Majesty and deliver me from all those Judgments which are due unto me for them and sanctifie my heart with thy Holy Spirit that I may henceforth lead a more Godly and Religious life And here O Lord I praise thy Holy Name for that thou hast refreshed me this Night with moderate sleep and rest And I beseech theee to defend me this day from all Perils and dangers of Body and Soul and to this end I commend my self and all my actions unto thy blessed protection and government beseeching thee that whether I live or die I may live and die to thy Glory and the Salvation of my poor Soul which thou hast bought with thy precious Blood Blesse me O Lord in my going out and comming in and grant that whatsoever I shall think speak or take in hand this day may tend to the glory of thy Name the good of others and the comfort of my own Conscience when I shall come to make up my last accounts before thee O my God help thy servant that I do no evil to any man this day and let it be thy blessed will not to suffer the Devil nor any of his wicked Angels nor any of his evil Members to have power to do me any hurt or violence but let the eye of thy holy providence watch over me for good and not for evil and command thy holy Angels to pitch their Tents round about me for my defence and Safety in my going out and coming in as thou hast promised they shall do about them that fear thy name Grant this O heavenly Father for Jesus Christ thy sons sake in whose blessed name I give thee glory and beg at thy hands all other graces which thou seest to be needful for me this day and ever in that prayer which Christ himself hath taught me saying Our Father c. A Prayer for Saturday-Evening O Most gracious God and loving Father who are about my Bed and knowest my down-lying and mine up-rising and art near unto all that call upon thee in truth and sincerity I wretched sinner do beseech thee to look upon me with the Eyes of thy Mercy Father I beseech thee let thy holy Spirit work in me such a serious Repentance as that I may with Tears lament my sins past with grief of heart be humbled for my sins present and with all my endeavour resist the fame sins for the time to come And now O Lord I Bless thee for my Health Food Rayment and Prosperity and more especially that thou hast defended me this day now past from all dangers and Perils both of Body and Soul furnishing me with all necessary good things that I stand in need of and as thou hast ordained the Day for man to Travel in and the Night for him to take his rest so I beseech thee sanctifie unto me this Nights rest and sleep that I may enjoy the same as thy sweet blessing and benefit that so this dull and wearied body of mine being refreshed with moderate sleep and rest I may be the better enabled to walk before thee doing all such good works as thou hast appointed when it shall Please thee of thy Divine goodness to waken me the next Morning More especially I beseech thee to prepare me for thy Service to Morrow it is thine Holy day O Lord prepare me for the Sanctifying of the same that I may not spend it in my own Lusts and pleasures but that my chief delight may be to Consecrate it to thy Glory and Honour and that ceasing from the works of sin as well as from the works of my ordinary Calling I may through thy Blessing feel in my heart the beginning of that Eternal Sabbath which in unspeakable Joy and Glory I shall celebrate with the Saints and Angels to thy Praise and Glory in thy Heavenly Kingdom for Evermore Keep my heart O Lord in thy fear and guide all the course of my life by thy Favour and prepare me against the hour of Death and Dissolution that if thou shouldest this night make my Bed in the dark and turn my sleep into Death I may Live and Die unto thee who livest Everlastingly these Graces and all other Blessings which thou O Father knowest to be requisite and necessary for me I humbly beg and crave at thy Hands in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ thy Son in that form of Prayer which he himself hath Taught me saying Our Father c. FAMILY DEVOTIONS OR A COLLECTION OF Morning and Evening PRAYERS For Families for every day in the Week But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord Josh 25. 15. Family-Devotions A Prayer for a Family for Sunday Morning LOrd teach us to Pray that we may call upon thy Name Prepare our hearts to seek and open thou thy ears Mercifully to hear us O Eternal and Everliving Lord God Creator and continual Preserver of all things both in Heaven and in Earth by whose gracious Providence as we were at the first wonderfully and fearfully Made so we are no less preserved and kept unto this present We the Workmanship of thy own hands desire to humble both Soul and Body before thee And now O Lord we being here in thy Presence cannot but acknowledg and confess against our selves our own unworthiness to come before thee to call upon thee or to perform even the least Duty that shall concern thy Worship and Glory Our hearts alas are no better then the sink of sin and a mass of all Pollution and uncleanness Wheresore O dear God most meek and Merciful Father we poor Wretches heartily beseech thee to be Gracious unto us for Jesus Christ thy Sons sake for his Death sake for thy Promise Truth and Mercies sake have Mercy upon us Pardon us and Forgive us all our Sins Iniquities and Trespasses whatsoever we have committed against thee in thought Word or Deed Ever or at any time hitherto by any meanes Dear Father have mercy upon us though we be poor yet our
feeble knees and support my weak hands and revive my deaded heart and so powerfully assist me with the spirit of strength that I may with confidence call upon thee with patience endure this trial with hope expect thy good pleasure with wisdom make use of this thy Visitation and with thankfulness ever praise thy goodness and mercy for my safe recovery if it may fland with thy will whereunto I submit and wholly resign now and for ever through Jesus Christ my blessed Lord and Saviour in whose most holy words I further pray Our Father A Thanksgiving after recovery O Lord God of my health and salvation who hast known my Soul in trouble and didst make my bed in my painful and dangerous sickness and hast now raised me out of it to stand before thee I offer now unto thee a sacrifice of praise because I emplyed not the saculties of my Soul and members of my body as I should have done thou didst bereave me of the strength and vigour and use of them for a season but now because thy compassion fails not thou hast returned them to me again wherefore I consecrate and devote them perpetually to thy sâ—rvice and as I am in the state of my body so by the power of thy renewing grace I will become in the estate of my Soul a new man My broken heart which thou hast healed shall now entirely love thee my feeble knees and weak bones which thou hast settled shall night and day bow to thee my weak hands which tâ—ou hast strengthned shall continually be lifted up unto thee I confess unto thee O Lord that in my health I often read and heard that worldly delights and comforts were vain and much like flags and bulrushes which men in danger of drowning câ—tch to bear them up but they sink doâ—â—â— under water with them yet did I not learn till I suffered till thy rod had imprinted it even in my flesh Now O Lord I beseech thee to knit my heart unto thee that I may fear thy name create in me a new heart renew a right spirit within me I asked life of thee thou gavest it me I now desire and crave thy Salvation O my God withhold it not make me to repent of my sins the cause of my sickness and to depend upon thee the giver of all good things and make me in the time of prosperity to think of adversity in health to think of sickness in sickness to think of death and at all times so to think of judgment that whither I wake or sleep eat or drink or whatsoever I do else I may ever have this voice sounding in mine ears Arise ye dead and come to judgment Give me grace O Lord to make this use of mine affliction past and to cleave and stick fast unto thee in all holiness for the time to come through my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in whose name and words I further pray Our Father c. The Prayer of the Sick now ready to depart this World ETernal and Omnipotent infinite incomprehensible God Lord of my life and determiner of my days my body now is returning into dust and my soul returning to thee that gavest it O Lord most holy O most mighty draw near unto me who make hast to come unto thee give me a clearer sight of thee by how much the nearer I am out of the dark prison of my body Give me also a quicker tast of the powers of the life to come that I may the more comfortably pass over these last troubles of this present life O Father of mercy and God of all consolation let not the guilt of my sâ—â—s or horror of thy judgments or Satans suggestions or the fear of death or terrors of hell drive me to desperation I confess that for my unmindfulness of thee and ungratefulness to thee all my life I deserve that thou shouldest utterly abandon and forsake me now at my death but thy thoughts are not like our thoughts nor thy affections like ours Dear Father shew thy strength in my greatest weakness confirm thy mercy to me in my greatest need apply thy comforts to me in this my last extremity asswage the pains of my body with spiritual Comforts and diminish the fear of death by the assured hope of a better life O let me that am now returning to dust and ashes speak but this once to my Lord and Maker with ill my heart soul and strength I beseech thee by all that my Saviour Jesus Christ hath done and Suffered for me I entreat thee to speak peace unto my soul at its departing and say unto it I am thyâ— Salvation Make my election sure by my true repentance fervent charity assured confidence constant patience and comfortable perseverance to the end and in the end Amen At the Hour of death WElcome blessed hour the period of my pilgrimage the term of my bondage the end of my cares the close of my sighs the bound of my tarvels the goal of my race and the heaven of my hopes I have fought a long fight in much weakness I have finished my course though in great faintness and the crown of my joy is that through the strength of thy grace I have kept the true faith and now I dye in it I willingly resign my flesh I despise the world and I defie the Devil who hath no part nor share in me And now what is my hope my hope Lord Jesus is even in thee for I know that thou my Redeemer livest and thou wilt immediately receive my soul and rayse up my body at the last day and I shall see thee in my flesh with these eyes and no other my heart â—ainteth my strength faileth my tongue faltereth Lord let thy spirit of comfort help mine insâ—â—mities and make Supplication for me with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered I submit my self wholly to thy will I commit my soul to thee as my faithful Redeemer who hast bought it with thy most precious bloud I profess to all the world I know no name under heaven by which I may be saved but thine my Jesus my Saviour I renounce all confidence in any merits save thine I thankfully acknowledg all thy blessings I unfainedly bewail all my sins I steadfastly believe all thy promises I heartily forgive all mine enemies I willingly leave all my friends I utterly loath all earthly comforts I entirely long for thy coming Come Lord Jesus come quickly Lord Jesus receive my spirit SACRED POEMS UPON SELECT SUBJECTS WITH Divine Meditations OF THE Vanity of Mans Life and the World And also of the Four Last Things Death Judgment Heaven and Hell With Graces Speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing and making melody with your Heart to the Lord Eph. 5. 19. The Souls Breathing after Her Heavenly Country 1. JErusalem my happy home O that I were in thee Oh would my Woes were at an end thy joys that I might see
Jacobs Ladder A MANVAL of DEVOTIONS By Jo. Hall B. D. London Printed for N. Crouch Jacobs Ladder OR THE DEVOUT SOULS Ascention to HEAVEN IN Prayers Thanksgivings and Praises In Four Parts viz. 1. Private Devotions for every day in the Week 2. Family Devotions for every day in the Week 3. Occasional Devotions 4. Sacred Poems Upon Select Subjects With Graces and Thanksgivings Illustrated with Sculptures By Jo. Hall B. D. The second Edition Enlarged London Printed for N. Crouch in Exchange-Ally in Cornhil 1676. To the Virtuous and Religious Gentlewoman Mrs. M. P. IT is not the excellency of the Gift but your Goodness that must render this small Manual acceptable to you of which having had so great experience I cannot doubt its continuance And knowing your devout Inclinations towards books of this nature I could not think of a more pleasing return for your many Favours than this Jacobs Ladder whereby your Soul may Ascend to Heaven and make known all your wants and by Faith accompanying your Prayers may receive answers to all your holy Desires and Petitions I doubt not but many have done Worthily yea much excelled in this kind but I have found though there are many Manuals of private Devotion yet there are very few for Families which Want I have heard complained of and therefore though I could not better employ my vacant hours than to make a Collection of some dayly Prayers that might be both plain and pertinent and indeed the Family-Devotions were my first design only I thought that to make it compleat and conformable to others of this nature it will be convenient to add some Private and Occasional Devotions together with some brief Meditations of the vanity of mans life and certainty of his death which we can never too much think of nor too soon prepare for If you or any other reap any benefit by it I have my desire If it be not well it is because I could not help it however I doubt not but you will accept the will for the deed because it is from Your devoted Servant Jo. Hall Preparations to Devotion PRemeditation is the preparation to Private Prayer Private to Publick Private and Publick to the hearing of the Word to Private and Publick Prayer together with the hearing of the Word to the worthy participation of the holy Sacrament For the Sacrament receives strength and vigour from the Word the Word preached from publick Prayer publick Prayer from private devotion and that from Premeditation and Pre-consideration of the nature of Devotion and the necessity of preparation it self to all holy duties in the immediate worship of God What Devotion is DEvotion is the hearts warmth or rather the life-blood of Religion It is a sacred bond knitting the Soul unto God It is a Spiritual Muscle moving only upward and lifting the heart eyes and hands continually to Heaven Whosoever desires to make a Divine Prayer must by Premeditation frame in his mind First the Form which must be 1. Short or conceived in as few words as may be 2. Conformable in all things to the Pattern the Lords prayer Secondly The Matter which consists of three parts 1. Humble Confession 2. Confident Invocation Petition or Supplication 3. Hearty Thanksgiving 1. In humble Confession set before thee 1. God his terrible name glorious Majesty All-seeing-Eye Infinite Purity strict Justice Fierce wrath against Sin 2. Man his vileness wretchedness sinfulness wants and inability 2. In the second part Invocation and Petition fix thy thoughts 1. On God his love to man his mercy and long suffering his gracious promises and his omnipotent goodness 2. On Christ his perfect obedience his plenary satisfaction his perpetual Intercession In the third which is hearty Thanksgiving recount Gods benefits 1. Spiritual as Election Creation Redemption Vocation Justification Sanctification and hope of Glorification 2. Temporal as Health Strength Wealth Liberty good Name Friends and Safety Some Texts of Scripture which may be orderly applyed to every one of the foregoing particulars When you pray use not vain Repetitions as the Heathen do for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking Matt. 6. 7. After this manner pray ye Mat. 6. 9. I said I will confess my Transgressions to the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Psal. 32. 5. Let them praise thy great and terrible Name for it is holy Psal. 99. 3. Who is the King of glory even the Lord of Hosts he is the King of glory Psal. 24. 10. Mine eyes are upon all their ways they are not hid from my face neither is their Iniquity hid from my eyes Jer. 16. 17. And one cryed to another and said Holy Holy holy is the Lord of Hosts Isai. 6. 3. Who will render to every man according to his works Rom. 2. 6. Thou even thou art to be feared and who may stand in thy sight when thou art angry Psal. 76. 7. Surely every man is altogether vanity Psal. 39. 11. O wretched maâ— that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7. 24. We are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousness is as filthy rags Isai. 64. 6. Without me ye can do nothing John 15. 5. All things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer believing you shall receive Mat. 21. 22. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believed in him should not perish but should have everlasting life John 3. 16. The Lord is merciful and Gracious slow to anger and plentiful in mercy Psal. 103. 8 11. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Mat. 11. 28. Though your sins are as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like Crimson they shall be as wool Isai. 1. 18. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy Psal. 126. 5. To him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above that we ask or think be glory c. Eph. 3. 20. Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood Rev. 5. 9. Christ is entred into Heaven now to appear in the presence of God for us Heb. 9. 24. Giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father Eph. 5. 20. What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits Psal. 116. 12. God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through sanctification of the spirit c. 2 Thes. 2. 13. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me Psal. 119. 73. Blessed be the Lord for he hath visited and redeemed his people Luke 1. 68. I am not come to call the Righteous but sinners to repentance Mat. 9. 13. Being justified by his grace we shall be made Heirs according to the hope of eternal life Tit. 3. 7. Such were some of you but ye are washed ye are sanctified 1 Cor. 6. 11. Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel and afterward receive me to Glory Psal. 73. 24. Bless the Lord
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
have I broke my vows and my promises to hope for thy love or thy gracious pardon But Lord what shall I now do if yet I shall fall into a dispair of thy Mercies I should increase my disloyalâ—y and either deny or despise the power of thy Passion So great was thy love to the Church thy Spouse that thou gavest thy self to sanctifie and cleanse it by the washing of water by the Word My Soul O Christ is a member of thy Spouse be pleased O Jesus so to sanctifie and wash my soul that thou mayst present it to thy self without spot or wrinckle both holy and blamless O thou who hast opened a Funtain to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness do thou wash me throughly from mine iniquity cleanse me from my sir. And Lord as in mercy thou hast given me Chastity of body so give me likewise Chastity of mind and purity of soul suffer not either the flesh or the Devil by their wicked suggestions to seduce me to uncleaness And though I am but a weak and an earthen vessel yet be thou pleased to make me a chosen vessel a vessel of mercy cause me to keep my body holy and to possess it in sanctification and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence like the Gentiles which know thee not O be thou mâ— Father in the grace of Adoption be thou my Brother in thy pitty and compassion be thou my Husband in thy love affection be thou my Jesus in the salvation of my sinful Soul Arm me with constancy against all assaults of carnal imaginations give me modesty in my countenance decency in my apparel civility in my behaviour sobriety in my discourse and contentedness in my condition make me obedient to my Parents respective to my Superiors courteous to my Inferiors loving unto all Let not my adorning be outward of puting on of apparel but give me that wisdom which is from above to be as an ornament of grace unto my head and as chains abouâ— my neck preserve O Christ both my body and Soul in chastity and honour while I am here upon Earth as becometh a Virgin espoused to thy self and when my dust shall return to the earth as it was let my spirit return unto thy self who gavest it and to thee let it sing that new song with the Quire of Virgins before thy Throne for ever and ever Amen A Prayer of a Married Woman ALmighty Lord and everlasting Father who hast been pleased to vouchsafe me the blessings of this life and to give me my desires both in a husband and children be pleased to give me a Thankful heart for these thy Mercies it is thy goodness and not my merit that I have received from thee these blessings of thy bounty justly O justly mightest thou at once deprive me of these comforts because I have neglected my obedience to the one and my care of the other Humbly O my God I confess my failings and am sorry for mine offences Lord be gracious to me thy servant and let me testify my thankfulness in my industrious care to perform my duties Be thou still the Protector and the gracious Defender both of me and mine Bless him whom thou hast set over me and grant that he may dwell with me according to knowledg that so we being heirs together of the grace of life our prayers may not be hindred As thou hast made me a fruitful Vine by the Walls of his house so make me endeavour to be fruitful in good Works and increase in the Knowledg of thee my God Let those Olive branches about my Table be every one like a green Olive in the house of thee my God and trust in thy mercy for ever and ever make me to my Husband a prudent Wife as sent from thee that he may rejoyce with me the wife of his youth And to this purpose set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keep the door of my Lips make me a gracious Woman retaining Honour that I may be a Crown to my Husband and a wise Woman labouring to build up my house and family and a vertuous Woman fearing thee Hear me O my God and grant me my Petitions for the Worthyness of him who is our indulgent husband to his Spouse the Church even Jesus Christ my only Lord and Saviour in whose blessed Name and Words I further Pray Our Father c. The Prayer for a Woman with Child MOst Merciful and Gracious God who wilt not turn away thine Ear from those that call upon thee in sincerity and truth Look down with an Eye of pity and compassion upon thy unworthy servants I must confess my sins are very great and so is my danger which is at hand my paines to come will be grievous and my life is now most uncertain Assure me I beseech thee of the forgiveness of all my sins mitigate my fear and sorrows strengthen me with the comforts of thy Spirit confirm me in the Faith of my Saviour and bless all good means appointed for my comfort that in due time I may be a joyful Mother and see the fruit of my body safe sound and perfect without blemish or deformity O Lord I know not how soon my travel will steal on me when I must fight that battle of life and death one drop of thy mercy hath soveraign power to cure all the Wounds of those sorrows Shed therefore O holy Father that drop of grace upon me in that minute when I am to encounter with so stern an adversary strengthen me with patience bless me that I perish not bless the work of my Midwife let not the child yet unborn the babe in my Womb be punished for mine offences but give it growth give it flourishing and â—orm and wheâ— the time is come that thou wilt call it out of this close house of â—lesh where it now inhabiteth to dwell in the open world sanctifie thy creature make it by Baptisme a member of thy Church a Lamb of thy Flock and direct it in the wayes of godliness to its lives end and all through Jesus Christ our Lord in wâ—ose blessed Words I continue to Pray Our Father The Prayer of a Woman in the Time of her Travel O My Lord and my God my heavenly Father my merciful Jesus upon whom I depend in the midst of my Anguish hoping in thy wonted mercies Bow down thine Ear and harken to the cryes of a pained Woman unto thee O Lord do I cry thou art my refuge and my portion in the Land of the living Attend therefore unto my cry for I am brought very low Consider mine affliction and deliver me for I do not forget thy Law all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee in thee I trust who art the living God who art the Saviour of all especially of them that believe I love thee O Lord my strength thou art my Rock and