that we be not overcome by them but may when thou shalt call us to it resist even unto Blood striving against sin that we being faithful unto death thou mayest give us the Crown of Life O remember not Lord our iniquities nor the iniquities of our Fore-fathers neither take thou vengeance of our Sins but spare us good Lord spare thy People whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious Blood Spare us good Lord and deliver us from all Evil and Mischief from Sin from the crafts and assaults of the Devil from thy Wrath and from everlasting Damnation from all blindness of Heart from Pride Vain-Glory and Hypocrisie from Envy Hatred and Malice and all Uncharitableness from Fornication and all other deadly Sin and from the deceits of the World the Flesh and the Devil from Lightning and Tempest from Plague Pestilence and Famine from Battel and Murder and from sudden Death from all Sedition Privy Conspiracy and Rebellion from all false Doctrine Heresie and Schism from hardness of Heart and contempt of thy Word and Commandment good Lord deliver us O Lord our heavenly Father Almighty and Everlasting God who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day defend us we pray thee in the same with thy mighty Power and grant that this day we fall into no sin neither run into any kind of danger but that all our doings may be order'd by thy governance to do always that which is righteous in thy sight And vouchsafe O Lord we beseech thee to direct sanctifie and govern both our Hearts and Bodies in the ways of thy Laws and in the Works of thy Commandments that through thy most mighty protection both here and ever we may be preserved in Body and Soul through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Almighty and everlasting God who by thy holy Apostles hast taught us to make Prayers and Supplications and to give thanks for all Men we humbly besseech thee most mercifully to receive these our Prayers which we offer to thy Divine Majesty beseeching thee to inspire continually the Universal Church with the Spirit of Truth Unity and Concord And grant that all they that do confess thy holy Name may agree in the truth of thy holy Word and live in Unity and godly Love We beseech thee also to save and defend all Christian Kings Princes and Governours and especially thy Servants William and Mary our King and Queen that under them we may be godly and quietly govern'd And grant unto their whole Council and to all that are put in Authority under them that they may truly and indifferently minister Justice to the punishment of Wickedness and Vice and to the maintainance of God's true Religion and Vertue Give grace O heavenly Father to all Bishops and Curates more particularly to those under whose care thou hast placed us that they may both by their Life and Doctrine set forth thy true and lively Word and rightly and duly administer thy holy Sacraments And to all thy People give thy heavenly grace and especially to us and ours all sorts of Relations Friends Benefactors and even to our Enemies that with meek hearts and due reverence we may ever hear and receive thy holy Word and Ordinances truly serving thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of our Life And we most humbly beseech thee of thy goodness O Lord to comfort and succour all them who in this transitory Life are in trouble sorrow need sickness or any other Adversity especially our afflicted Friends c. And we also bless thy holy Name for all thy Servants departed this Life in thy faith and fear beseeching thee to give us grace so to follow their good Examples that with them we may be partakers of thy heavenly Kingdom Grant this O Father for Jesus Christ's sake our only Mediator and Advocate Amen Hear us and graciously answer our Petitions for thou art the good King over all the Earth whose Power is infinite and art able to do for us above all that we can ask or think and to whom belongeth the Glory of that good thou workest in us or for us Therefore Blessing Honour Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne to our God for ever an ever Amen All this O God and whatsoever thou knowest best for us in respect both to this life and that which is to come we do earnestly and penitently beg through the satisfactory Merits and Intercession and in the sacred Name and Words of our glorious Redeemer as himself hath taught and commanded us when we pray to say Our Father which art in Heaven c. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen Holy Vows and Meditations GOOD Prayers never came weeping home I am sure I shall receive either what I ask or what I should ask It is the basest Love of all others that is for a Benefit for herein we love not another so much as our selves Tho' there were no Heaven O Lord I would love thee now there is one I will esteem it I will desire it Yet still I will love thee for thy goodness-sake thy self is reward sufficient As it is a happy necessity that enforceth to good so is that next happy which hinders from Evil. Not only commission makes a Sin a Man is guilty of all the Sins he hateth not If I cannot avoid all I will yet hate all Sin and abstain from all Appearance of Evil. I will loath every Evil for it's own sake I will do good but not trust to it If it be well-accepted it is well if not my thanks is with God I will not be more afraid of doing good things amiss than of being proud when I have well performed them The Godly sow in Tears and reap in Joy the Seed-time is commonly waterish and lowring I will be content with a wet Spring so I may be sure of a clear and joyful Harvest Nothing shall more joy me than my inward Quietness Whatever become of my Body Reputation or Estate here I will ever labour to find somewhat added to the Stature of my Soul In having I will account that my good which doth me good I account it the only valour to remit a wrong and will applaud it to my self as Right Noble and Christian that I might hurt and will not If it be ill with me on Earth it is well my Torment is so short and so easie I will not be so covetous to hope for two Heavens Henceforth I will envy none but a good Man and I will pity nothing so much as the prosperity of the Wicked An Evening Prayer for Family or Closet c. Lord we call upon thee haste thee unto us and consider our voice when we cry unto thee Let our Prayers be set forth in thy sight as the Incense and let the lifting up of our hands be an Evening Sacrifice Psal 141.1 2. O Holy Blessed and
depraved Will lay thy self prostrate before the Throne of Grace cry mightily to God for Pardon and Mercy and begin now to wash off thy filthiness in the Tears of Penitence fly to the laver of Regeneration and pray for divine help in the due knowledge and performance hereof and for this end consider my Soul what is this Repentance is it not a Sorrow for sin A due sense and acknowledgment with an utter abhorrence of all Impiety 2. The descrip and division and an entire Reformation of Life Is it not a Mourning in a more doleful manner than was heretofore signifyed by the external signs of Sackcloth and Ashes And is it not a weeping an inward roaring disquietness and grief with stronger crying and Tears then can be express'd by rending the Hair and Garments and besmearing the Face For this is a rending of the Heart afflicting the Mind and Soul creating such a troubled Spirit such a broken and contrite Heart as God may not despise and thus true and sincere Repentance consists of these three Parts Confession Contrition and firm Resolution of Amendment with actual Deeds of a new and throughly Reformed Life O set about this then betimes and view thy necessary Obligations and Incouragements hereto do not the Commands of thy Creator and Redeemer at all move thee 3. The Causes Does not Love Justice and Gratitude compell thee to this Duty Will not the experienc'd Abomination and Odiousness the ridiculous Folly and Vanity the sordid irksome drudgery the manifest Evils Mischiefs and dangers and even the self-punishment of sin force thee to Repent Or may not the most benigh and bountiful Offers of heavenly Grace and assistance the assured hopes of Gods favour here and glory hereafter or the inevitable privation of these in insuportable Misery and an Eternity of Torments drive thee to work out thy own Salvation with fear and Trembling Oh will neither the greatest benefits the most earnest invitations and charming Inducements on the one hand nor the dreaded displeasures certain Vengeance and Terrours of the Lord on the other perswade thee Or dost thou not remember thy Baptismal Vows and repeated Promises and Resolutions with thy manifold breaches thereof adding the worse of Perjury Rebellion and Treachery to the black and dismal Catalogue of thine innumerable transgressions But further do not Nature and Conscience check and inform thee Do not the invisible Motions and secret whisperings of the Blessed Spirit instruct and reprove thee And do not the sacred Ordinances of God and his Church whereof thou art a sworn Member or the ordinary visible means of Grace and Salvation in the solemn Administration of God's holy Word Rites and Sacraments remind thee of all And do not thus thy lawful Pastors and Teachers those Stewards of the unfathomable Mysteries and Embassadors of Heaven cry aloud lift up their Voices like Trumpets and call frequently upon thee to turn from thy Evil Ways and live Enough enough I groan under the intolerable weight of sin my bones are broken my heart is contrite my Spirit Heavy my flesh 4. The Effects my wounds stink and are corrupt I am abominable and loathsome I abhor my self in dust and ashes in great bitterness and anguish I cry unto the Lord I call upon my blessed Physician for ease comfort and freedom for help and Pardon I loath the mire which I have been long wallowing in I run with horrour and amazement from the fatal Precipice which I was tumbling down I have laid hold upon the Horns of the Altar and fled to the Sanctuary and now methinks I am almost rap'd up into the third Heaven I am risen from death I am flying in Ahrahams Bosom I admire and love the Life of the Saints and I long to be triumphant with them above Since now my God thou hast mercifully cleansed and heal'd me thou hast purg'd me with Hyssop thou hast wash'd me and made me whiter than Snow yea thou hast made me hear of joy and gladness in turning thy Face from my misdeeds blotting out my Transgressions with thy Blood nailing them to thy Cross and renewing in me a clean Heart and a right Spirit therefore will I rejoice in thy Salvation I will love thy gracious Precepts and in love will I ever obey thy holy good and just Laws O stablish me with thy free Spirit that I may teach thy Ways unto the Wicked and Sinners shall be converted unto thee O satisfie me with the Pleasures of thy House let me dwell in thy Temple and wait at thine Altar yea thus let me live that I may never be disappointed of my hope O come Lord Jesus come quickly and let thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven But Lord what is Man that thou shouldest be thus mindful of him 5. The Subjects and Adjuncts or the Son of Man that thou shouldest so regard him Man whom thou didst make after thine own Image didst indow with Innocence seat in paradise and gavest him Dominion over all the works of thy hands yet Man who so soon fell and was so wretchedly tempted to a fatal sin by the miserable Serpent Man who thus brought the Devil sin Death and Hell with all Temporal and Eternal Curses and Plagues upon himself Yet Man whom thou hast prodigiously thro' meer Compassion and infinite loving kindness redeem'd O Father by the Incarnation and Blood of thine own eternal and only begotten Son and Man of whom thou requirest no more than Faith and Repentance and a godly righteous sober living according to thy most reasonable and upright Laws which alone can render him happy both here and hereafter For is not Godliness O my Soul profitable unto all things having the promise of the Life that now is and of that which is to come and yet O Man why dost thou sin why dost thou remain still disobedient and prove the only Rebel of the whole Creation Dost thou not know that God is of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity Dost thou not see the Devil prevailing upon the weakness of thy Flesh alluring thee with Worldly Vanities enslaving and fettering thee only to secure thy Soul and Body for his eternal Torments dost thou not perceive thy barbarous Ingratitude in making thy dear Saviour bleed afresh by thy blasphemy prophaneness irreligion by thy Covetousness uncharitableness oppression cruelty prodigality worldly-mindedness by thy Luciferian pride arrogance presumption hypocrise Schism Heresie Ambition Lust Rage Intemperance with all the Brutal Vices Diabolical Villanies and innumerable wilful Transgressions daily and impenitently perpetrated in the World Why dost thou not cast off this old Man Why dost thou not seek to be renewed O seek to the Lord to heal thee of these Ulcers and to expell these torturing Feavers hast thou not the means before thee canst thou not fast and pray without which this kind goeth not forth canst thou not abstain and mortify and bring thy Body in Subjection to thy Soul canst thou not deny
thy corrupt Appetites and resist Satan that he may fly from thee Canst thou not sincerely repent and thus religiously and constantly use all the means of Grace and Salvation Oh canst thou not thus take upon thee Christs Yoak and Burthen which thou wilt soon experience to be most easie light and pleasant And now consider O my Soul what a blessed Change is this to be the Servant of God instead of the Devil's Bond-slave 6. The contrary and Comparison a Son and an Inheritor in the Kingdom of Heaven instead of being a Factor for and Heir of Hell Is it not better here to live innocently and with a quiet Conscience than to be always in a Hurricane to be ever guilty restless and uneasie Is it not better to make for thy self an Interest with the Almighty and become a Friend of the Lord than to make God and Man and thine inward Accuser thy just Enemies and Avengers Is it not more Eligible to be truly rational than altogether senstive to be a Man than a Beast to be a Christian than an Infidel is it not better to adore and worship thy great Creator and Redeemer to renew thy Baptismal Covenant frequently at the Lord's Table and to lay hold of all opportunities for doing good and offering to the Lord the devout Sacrifices of Prayer and Thanksgiving which is thy bounden Duty and reasonable Service than to blaspheme and prophane God's holy Word Ministers and Ordinances and to neglect all and thus dare and provoke Heaven's Vengeance against thee And thus too is it not better and easier to remember thy Creator in the days of thy Youth to repent and live well betimes than to run the bazard of an uncertain morrow and futurity to continue impenitent till thou art harden'd in sin and chained fast in the Old Serpent's Trap till thou art reprobated and hast no place left for Repentance And is it not safer to live under Gods protection and be sure both of his temporal and eternal Blessings to be holy as he is Holy and thus to anticipare Heaven 's Joys and resemble upon Earth the inconceivable felicities and glories above than to be discarded an abandoned to the roaring Lyon and all the Calamities Accidents and Miseries of Life and at length to be certain of nothing but frying in everlasting Flames in unquenchable Fire and be gnawed by the Worm that never dyeth O turn ye turn ye then from your evil Ways 7. The Names and Testimonies ye sinful Worms that ye may live and not dye Oh be converted and the Lord will heal you confess thy sins unto the Lord and he will forgive the Multitude of thy Transgressions Smite thy Breast and pray to God to be merciful to thee a sinner eschew Evil and do good seek peace and ensue it weep and lament and learn the ways of God's Commandments and be stedfastly purposed to observe his statutes and keep his righteous judgments Refrain thy Lips from Evil and thy Tongue from speaking guile wash thy hands in innocency and so mayest thou compass the divine Altar Examln thy self try thy Reins and thy Heart and search our all thy ways acknowledg with righteous Job I have sinned what shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of Men Job 9.20 Relent cry and be sorrowful with Holy David and the Lord will pardon thy sin run to Christ with Mary Magdalen and lye at his feet weeping till his grace and compassion raise thee up Call to mind all thine impiety and then retire with St Peter and weep bitterly Luk. 22.62 Know that the Lord is gracious long-suffering and of great goodness and that he willeth not the death of the Wicked Exod. 33.11 but that the Wicked turn from his way and live O turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye dye O house of Israel Now this does God admonish his Ministers under the Title and duty of Watch-Men to forewarn his people of denouncing death to either of them that neglect their Duty as may be seen in the beginning of this Chapter Draw near then thou stubborn or ignorant sinner come for thy Souls good to thy Spiritual guide as thou wouldst for thy Body and Estate to the Physician and the Lawyer Yea is not thy Soul more precious and oughtest thou not to be more zealous for and carefull of it And so in all its sickness to send for the Elders of the Church thy lawful Ministers to pray over thee as St. James directs Chap. 5. v. 14. And know what God declares by his Prophet Malachy c. 2. v. 9. That the Priests Lips should keep knowledge and they should hear the Law at his Mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts O therefore attend upon our sacred Ministry keep holy the Lords day and joyn with us at all times possible in all our publick Duties especially in that most necessary one at the Lords Table in devout obedience to our dying Saviour's own holy Institution and Command to eat his Flesh and drink his Blood that we may have eternal Life and he may raise us up at the last day and that we may dwell in him and he in us according to his gracious Promise in John 6.54 55 56. And thus too as Christ has most exceedingly loved us so ought we to love one another which is his positive Commandment in Joh. 15.12 and upon this has he left his blessed Legacy of Peace amongst us Now how can the Transgressors of these Commands pretend to be Christians Who can know them to be Christ's Disciples and how can they hope to be saved contrary to the Gospel Covenant Oh therefore consider this thou irreligious Soul and know thy self to be in a state of damnation as long as thou continuest in this state of sin Oh consider and repent quickly and so for this end as the Apostle to the Hebrews advises c. 13. v. 16 17. To do good and to Communicate forget not for with such services God is well pleased Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you Pray for us for we trust we have a good Conscience in all things willing to live honestly And as St. Paul admonishes 1 Cor. 4.1 Let a Man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God Moreover 't is requir'd in Stewards that a Man be found faithful And accordingly will God protect us in our Duty vindicate our Wrongs and for instance even accounts the defrauding of our very temporal maintenance a robbing of himself for does not God thus expostulate with the sacrilegious herein by his Prophet Malachy chap. 3. v. 8 9. Will a Man rob God yet ye have robbed me And ye say Wherein have we robbed thee in Tythes and Offerings You are cursed with a Curse for
Tribulation in all time of our Wealth in the Hour of Death and in the Day of Judgment O God who knowest us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers that we cannot always stand upright grant to us such strength and protection as may support us in all dangers and carry us through all Temptations And O God who art the Author of Peace and Lover of Concord give unto us thy humble Servants that peace which the World cannot give O deliver us from te fear of all our Enemies both Spiritual and Temporal that we pass our time in rest and quietness and lighten our darkness we be beseech thee O Lord and by thy great Mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this Night and now and evermore be pleased O Lord to save us and all Mankind in all dangers Ghostly and Bodily and to keep us from all Sin and Wickedness and from our Ghostly Enemy and from everlasting Death And particularly we pray thee O blessed Lord whose Mercy is over all thy Works to have Mercy upon all Men and grant that the Pretious Ransom which was paid by thy Son for all may be effectual to the saving of all Give thy inlightning Grace to those that are in Darkness and thy Converting Grace to those that are in Sin Look with thy tenderest Compassions upon the Universal Church O be favourable and gracious unto Sion build thou the Walls of Jerusalem unite all those that profess thy Name to thee by purity and holiness and to each other by Brotherly Love O blessed Lord how long shall Christendom continue the vilest part of the World a Sink of all those Abominable Pollutions which even Barbarians detest O let not our profession and our Practice be always at so wide a distance Let not the Disciples of the Holy and Immaculate Jesus be of all others the most prophane and Impure Let not the Subjects of the Prince of Peace be of all others the most contentious and bloody but make us Christians in Deed as well as in Name that we may walk worthy of that Holy Vocation wherewith we are called O may all with one Mind and one Mouth Glorifie thee the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Have Mercy on this desolate Church and sinful Nation thou hast moved the Land and divided it heal the Sores thereof for it shaketh Make us so truly to Repent of those Sins which have provoked thy Judgments that thou also may'st turn and repent and leave a Blessing behind thee Bless those whom thou hast appointed our Governours whether in Church or State so rule their hearts and strengthen their hands that they may neither want Will nor Power to punish Wickedness and Vice and to maintain God's true Religion and Vertue Have pity O Lord on all that are in Affliction be a Father to the Fatherless and plead the Cause of the Widow Comfort the Feeble Minded Support the Weak Heal the Sick Relieve the Needy Defend the Oppressed and Administer to every one according to their several Necessities Let thy Blessings rest upon all that are near and dear to us and grant them whatsoever thou seest necessary either to their Bodies or their Souls Here name all Relations c. Reward all those that have done us good and Pardon all those that have done or wish'd us Evil and Work in them and us all that good which may make us acceptable in thy sight through Jesus Christ And O Merciful God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who art the Resurrection and the Life in whom whosoever believeth shall live though he die and whosoever liveth and believeth in him shall not die eternally we meekly beseech thee to raise us all from the Death of Sin to the Life of Righteousness that whenever we depart this life we may rest in him and that at the General Resurrection in the last day we may be found acceptable in thy sight and receive that Blessing which thy Well-beloved Son shall then pronounce to all that love and fear thee saying Come ye blessed Children of my Father receive the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the World Amen Therefore with Angels and Arch-Angels and all the Company of Heaven we Laud and Magnifie thy Holy Name evermore Praising thee and saying Holy holy holy Lord God Allmighty Heaven and Earth are full of the Majesty of thy Glory Glory be to thee O God most high And thus Finally we beseech thee O Lord to Pardon the Wandrings and Coldness of these and all our Petitions and deal with us not according either to our Prayers or Deserts but according to our Needs and thine own rich Mercies in Jesus Christ in whose blessed Name and Words we conclude these our imperfect Prayers saying Our Father c. Unto thy Mercy and Protection O God we commit our selves this Night and for evermore O Lord bless and keep us Lord make thy Face to shine upon us and be Gracious unto us Lord lift up thy Countenance upon us and give us Peace both now and evermore Amen Holy Meditations and Vows AS Christ was both a Lamb and a Lyon so is every true Christian a Lamb for Patience in Suffering and Innocence of Life A Lyon for boldness in his Innocency I would so order my Courage and Mildness that I may be neither Lyon-like in my Conversation nor Sheepish in the Defence of a good Cause I will not strive for Victory but for Truth I will keep my Passions bare and Impotent I shall rather Bow than breake to God but for Satan or the World I had rather be broken in pieces with their Violence than suffer my self to be Bow'd unto their Obedience A Just War is a Thousand times more happy than an Ill-condition'd Peace In mine own Wrongs I will hold Patience laudable but in God's Injuries Impious Though I find my Brother this day my Friend and to morrow mine Enemy though my Reputation 's Blasted with the Fire of Hell's Engine the Malitious Tongue though his Corroding Envy and Hatred encrease by Unjust Jealousies though he often deceives me by Hypocrisie and Persecutes me with Inveterate Prejudice yet I will bear all Meekly will forgive him until Seventy times Seven and will ever Love my Neighbour as my Self I had rather wrong my self by Credulity than others by Unjust Censures and Suspitions I will so remit Wrongs as I may not encourage others to offer them and so retain them as I may not induce God to retain mine to him I will ever Believe in Worship and Obey God the Father Son and Holy Ghost I will Piously and Constantly attend the Publick Administration of God's Holy Word and Sacraments I will serve the Lord daily according to his own most Sacred Ordinances and will thus Religiously abide in the Communion of his Church I will Conscientiously observe all our Divine and Human Laws and not meddle with those who are given to Change I will have but this one Care to live well to God's Glory and the Salvation of Souls So let me be Free Noble Rich Wise Happy to God I pass not what I am to the World Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. FINIS