vnworthinesse to inuite me to this blessed banquet which thou hast ordained for the strengthning of my weaâ—e faith and for the preseruation of the memorie of Christs death O Lord I beséech thée giue me grace to put on the wedding garment and séeing thou hast commanded that I should examine my selfe grant that I may not presume to thrust my self into thy holy presence without a due examination of mine owne estate both how I haue liued and also how I am prepared for so weightie a seruice I desire to do it O Lord help my desire I promise to liue more holy than I haue done giue me power I pray thée to performe my promise O Lord I confesse I am by nature a childe of wrath as well as others giue me a true and liuely faith wherwith as with a spirituall hand I may be spiritually ioined vnto thée that in this outward pledge wherby it hath pleased thée to stoope to my sences by visible signes of bread and wine setting forth thereby inuisible graces so grant good Lord I may wholly rest in thy death and passion which is the matter of both thy Sacraments cleanse mee O Lord that thou maiest enter into me and maiest vouchsafe to take vp thy habitation within me I know O Lord that I am most vnworthy of this excellent mercy but it is thou that for thine own names sake hast shewed vnto me this great saluation not sparing thine only begotten son whom when the fulnesse of time was come thou diddest send into the World made of a woman that in him thou mightest receiue a full satisfaction for my sinnes committed both in body and soule remoue far from me O Lord all swelling disdainefull and vncharitable affections for this is a feast of loue therefore to it a malicious and reuengeful heart cannot be a welcome guest and when I present my self before thée at thy table O Lord I beséech thée restrain wy wandring and idle thoughts and let them bée seriously fixed on that which is the Sacrament namely the death of my sauiour quicken me vp to deuote and consecrate my self for euer vnto his seruice who hath vouchsafed himselfe to be a sacrifice for me and grant that when I sée bread and wine on the table with my bodily eie I may with the eie of my soule behold Christ on the Crosse and when I looke vpon the wine powred out of the vessell I may consider how Christs blood was powred out for my sinnes and as I receiue this bread and wine into my stomack for bodily sustenance so cause me I beséech thée to féede on the body and blood of our Lord and Sauiour Christ that it may be nourishment for my soule Amen A Praier after the Receiuing of the Lords Supper O most louing and mercifull father I cannot giue thée thankes worthy enough according to the desire of my minde for the inestimable treasure of this heauenly foode which thou hast now made me partataker of in this heauenly mysterie to wit the true bread of heauen that euerlasting meat that abideth for eueâ—â— thy blessed sonne pur Sauiour Christ Iesus in whom I haue obtained by the gift of this holy Communion an earnest of an immortall inheritance to come O Lord let not this pretious blood of his be shed in vaine for me but nourish my soule by his flesh and more and more clense it by his blood quicken me O Lord I beséech thée in this life that in the body of his Church I may be partaker of all spirituall blessings through him and as thou hast seperated me O Lord from the wicked in this holy banquet so kéep me I pray thée from their corruptions that I be not as a dog that returneth to his vomit and as a filthy swine that is washed to her wallowing in the mire but good Lord grant that I may seusibly féele the death of Christ to be swéete vnto my soule as I doe now these creatures of bread and wine to afforde a pleasant taste and refreshing to my body O heauenly Father let me not depart hence forgetful of thy kindnesse but grant that I may euen now at this present time euen resolue with mine owne soule to walke in a better course of holy obedience to thy Magesty than heretofore hauing respect vnto all thy Commandements and as I haue béene this day put in minde of the benefit of Christs death so let mée euery day thinke often of his death that thereby I may liue vnto righteousnesse and learne to die vnto sinne and grant that euer heereafter I may so walke before thée that all men may sée that I am become a new creature thus endeuouriug to walke in this life according to thy will expressed in thy holy worde I may heereafter enioy the ioies of thy kingdome in thy presence there to abide for euer euer Amen A Pâ—aier before a man begins the workes of his calling O Almightie and euerliuing God séeing all iust and lawfull vocations and callings grounded vpon thy worde are warranted for vs to liue in and also hast commanded that no man should be idle giue me grace I humbly pray thée that I may walke faithfully before thée as in thy holy presence so that no deceit cunning or guile take any hold of me but that I may labour truly and diligently as doing thine owne work Good Lord I beséech thée so prosper and blesse my godly endeuours that in Iesus Christ they may be a seale of thy fauour towards me to maintaine me and mine and that I may be also helpfull and beneficial vnto others knowing it to be a better thing to giue than to receiue and when it shall please thée O Lord by thy blessing vpon my labours that my basket and my store is increased grant that I may not ascribe to mine owne industry pains but to giue thée the praise of it to whom it wholly belongeth And good father grant that I may not set my heart vpon these outward things but rather as riches encrease so I may be more and more affraid of my selfe least the cares of this World and the deceitfulnesse of riches choake in me the séedes of grace so steale my minde away from better things let me not I beséech thée so eagerly follow the duties of my calling that I should abridge and skant my selfe of conuenient seasons for heauenly and spirituall exercises but alwaies make me behold thy all séeing presence in whose sight all things are naked that so I may approue my selfe vnto thée by a streight vpright cariage and in so doing I shall imitate thy son Christ Iesus who in the daies of his flesh humbled himselfe to liue as a man vpon this earth by following a painfull trade and when the time was come that he was to publish himselfe to the World he was neuer idle but went about doing good yea with that alacritie and chéerefulnesse that it was his meat to do the will of his
to hide that from thee which thou before whom all things are naked doest know better then my selfe yea such is thy mercie that when I do lay my sinnes open thou doest couer them good Father I beseech thee giue mee that minde which a seeke man should haue and increase my patience with my pain call to my mind all which I haue heard or read or felt or meditated to strengthen mee in this my visitation that though I neuer taught any good while I liued yet I may now instruct others how to die and to beare patiently whatsoeuer thy holie hand shall lay vpon them Apply vnto me al thy mercies and merites of Christ Iesus as if he had died for me in particular bee not farre from mee I beseech thee when the enemie comes to tempt me but when hee is most busie then let thy good spirit be busiest also to defend me and let my last houre be my best houre and my last thoughtes and words the best that euer I did thinke or speake Lord I know that I can not escape death then why should I feare it and if I must dye why not now if it so please thee for my chiefest happines is behind and I can not haue it vnles I go vnto it I confesse O Lord my paines are great but séeing I trauell to heauen make mee patient I beseech thee to beare my paines and when it shall please thee to call me out of this vaile of miserie command thy holy Angels I humbly pray thee to carrie my soule into the bosome of blessed A. braham there to rest with thee in eternall glorie for euer and euer Amen A Prayer of thanks-giuing vnto God for Deliuerance out of any Sicknesse ALl honour and praise be giuen vnto thee most gracious God and mercisull Father for all thy mercies and fauours bestowed vpon mee euen from my cradle to this present houre for my Election Creation Redemption Iustification Sanctification Preseruation and that blessed hope of Glorification in the world to come O Lord thou hast loaded mee with thine abundant fauors as if I had euer done thy will although I neuer knew thée as I ought loued thee as I should obayed thee as thou commandedst nor beene thankefull to thee as thou hast deserued excéeding experience haue I had of thy goodnes many times but neuer more then in my late sicknesse wherewith thou didst visit mee Lord grant that I be not in the number of those who are forward to aske in time of trouble and affliction but slacke and carelesse to acknowledge their thankfulnes when mercy is bestowed like those Lepers that when they were cleansed returned not to giue God thanks for his mercy O Lord thou hast chastened me and corrected me but herein appeares thy mercy that thou hast not giuen mee ouer to death I confesse thou mightst iustly haue cut mee off depriued mee of the rest of my yeares but it was thy good pleasure to deliuer my soul from the pit of corruption Imprint in my mind I beséech thée the vowes promises which I made in my sicknesse of better obedience and seruice to thy maiestie then heretofore and grant that I may make conscience to performe them and let me know that howsoeuer thou hast now giuen me some little respite and prolonged my daies yet I must not deâ—eiue my selfe in putting farre from my remembrance the day of my death but that I may make a holy vse of this thy fatherly correcting me and to expresse my thankefulnes in my life and conuersation in walking godly before thee and in preparing my selfe for my end that I may finish my course with ioy and bee ready to meete my Sauiour in the clouds and to rest with him and his holy Angels for euer and in his euerlasting kingdom of glorie Ameâ— A Prayer for a Sick man MOst gracious God and in Christ Iesus our mercifull Father wée poore wretches gathered here before thee doe truely and most freely confesse that wee are most vile and miserable vtterly vnworthy to speake vnto thee or to receiue the least fauour from thee by reason of our many and grieuous sinnes our blindnes of minde ignorances negligences peruersenes of heart and vnseruiceablenesse in our liues but with all we doe remember thy great loue and mercifull promises made vnto them that with â—enitent and humble spirits do sue vnto thée wherfore wee are enboldned to approch vnto thy throne of grace in the name of thy Son Christ Iesus beseeching thée for his sake to forgiue vs all our sinnes originall and actuall wash vs we pray thée in his bloud and cloth vs with his righteousnes giue vs grace to turne vnto thée with our hearts from all our sinnes and inable vs by thy grace to serue thee in righteousnes holines all the dayes of our liues Take care we beséech thée of this thy Seruant whom thou hast afflicted before our eyes O Lord receiue him to thy grace and assure him of thy glory grant vnto him faith in thy promises patience vnder thine hand and hope of thy mercy restore him if it be thy blessed will to his perfect health againe and blesse all good meanes vnto it if not prepare him for death and for thy kingdome comfort him with an assured hope of a ioyfull resurrection and whensoeuer his soule shall depart from his body grant that it may be presented without all sinne to thée through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen A Prayer for a Woman with child BLessed God and gracious Father I thy poore Handmaide doe héere humbly present my selfe before thy throne of Grace beseeching thee to forgiue me all my manifold sins committed against thee burie them in the death of my Sauiour thy Son Christ Iesus O Lord I beseech thee for his sake to accept of me and this poore worme inclosed in my wombe vouchsafe to giue vs thy Sonne and to sanctifie vs with thy Holy Spirit grant me strength and patience I humbly intreat thee to indure and ouercome those paines which for my sinnes are worthily imposed on me Asswage them O Lord I pray thee and vouchsafe mee a safe deliuerance with safetie to this child within me if it may please thy Maiestie so will I dedicate my selfe and that which thou shalt giue me to the glorie of thine holy Name O Lord heare O Lord help be thou my God and my guide my saluation and my succour not for my merites but for the honour of thy mercie and the all sufficient merites of Iesus Christ to whome with thee and thy Holy Spirit three persons but one euer-liuing and euerlouing God bee all honour and glorie for euer and for euer Amen A Prayer for a Midwife by her selfe alone O Lord my God I beseech thee forgiue me my manifold sins and wickednes accept of me I beseech thée in thy Sonne Iesus Christ honour mee with all the graces of thy spirit grant me wisedoms modesty temperance and a religious heart
forsaketh them shall find mercie Some pray for remission but care not for repentance they desire a blessing but yet absteuie not from that which pâ—â—ureth cursing These pray in vaine because their practise is vaine For God heareth Saints not Sinners and granted his pardon to the penitent onely and not to such as perseuere impenitent He therfore that would obtaine pardon let him abstaine from ssnne which might deteine his pardon He that would not that sinne should damne him must not indure sinne to dominere with in him Though this be true that no man is pardoned because he is penitent yet this is true that No man is pardoned but he that is penitent If thou wilt not mortifie sin sinne shall mortifie thée if thou wilt not dye to it thou shalt dye for it If thou wilt not that it should dye in thee thou shalt dye in it Some seeme to couet nothing more then a ioyfull resurrection after death yet shall they not attaine to a ioyfull resurrection of their bodies after death because they labour not the resurrection of the soul before death There are two resurrections the first of the ssoule from the sléepe of sinne in this life the second of the body from the sleepe of death in the life to come Woe be vnto him that riseth not tâ—ise for if he rise but once he shal rise but from death to death from sleepe to sorrow his body shall rise from the earth and fall into hell But hee that riseth from the death of sinne in this world shall bee raised vp to the life of happinesse in the world to come I will therefore pray for a ioyfull resurrection of my body to glorie and will not forget whiles I liue the resurrection of my soule to grace as knowing that if I will not study to be gracious I shall not attain to be glorious I haue heard some desire to dye and some desire to liue neither durst I condemne the desires of either I will desire to lâ—ue till I haue learn'd to dye I will desire to die when I haue learn'd to liue For a bad death cannot follow a good life and hee hath learn'd to dye that hath learned well to liue If I can gain Christ in my life Christ will not loose mee at my death If the loue of Christ liue in mee whiles I liue I cannot but liue in the loue of Christ when I dye There are many that often pray they were in heaued which yet I dare not say they shall go to heauen For he y â— praies for heaueÌ„ and goes in the way to hel shall not ascend whether he wisheth but descend whether he walketh hee shall gee whether his féet doth lead him not whether his fooilsh fancie slatters him There are some pray for death yet cannot dye others dye and would not And God by crossing both doth punish both For to the one nothing seemes swéeter then death and to the other nothing seemes swéeter then life to the one it séemeth death to liue to the other the very thought of death is a verie death accounting it the only heauen to liue alwaies vpon the earth Some pray they may dye and may dye to their cost if they pray without care and liue without conscience If the heauinesse of crosses and not the hope of a crowne if the losse of libertie and not the lothing of lust if the sustaining of sorrowes and not the wearisomenesse of sin if the feeling of paines and not the fellowship of Christ doth make a man desire to dye his desire is naught and his death not good For those onely desire well and dye well that are mooued more with sinne then sickenesse with heauenly comforts then earthly crosses with Christ then with all calamities Before thou pray to dye first pray for the death of sinne which is the sting of death and when thou dost desire to die let it be rather to be disâ—nedeâ—ed of thy sinnes then of thy sorrowes and to liue with Christ rather then to be deliuered of thy crosses I sée much hardnesse of hart amongst men and but a little mercy I suppose such persons implâ—re not pray not much for Gods mercy For it cannot bée that any man should bée without mercie to his neighbour who doth truly pray for Gods mercy to himselfe There are in the world which pray God to pardon them yet will they not forgiue their neighbours These are not men but monsters which would receiue mercie of God but wil shew no mercie to men for God which would haue God forgiue them but will not forgiue others Such cannot say the Lords Praier but they pray to the Lord against themselues make their truest friend their greatest for For wrath without pardon belongs to them that wil not pardon I will forgiue and I will pray to be forgiuen I would not that any man should néede my pardon but if he doe desire it God grant I may not denie it The rich and the poore pray together and both do obtain the rich being poore in spirit and the poore being rich in faith Thus would I bée poore that I way be rich thus would I be rich least I should bée poore The rich the poore both pray and neither are heard the rich because he is poore in humilitie the poore because he is rich in pride the rich because he hath no pity the poore because he hath no patience the rich because hée contemnes the poore the poore because he enuies the rich I will labor therefore to be rich in humilitie and poore in hautinesse I wold be pitifull and patient courteous and contented There are many that cry Lord help whom the Lord wil not help Hée that would haue help of God let him not deny his helpe to Man hée that would haue God help him let him not forget to help himselfe For God helpes the helpefull such as are ready to helpe themselues and others to T is pitty but that thou shouldest lie and die in the ditch that saiest Lord help but will vse no meanes if thou maiest to helpe thy selfe I will therefore pray for helpe and yet vse the meanes of helpe and pray that God would help me in those meanes of helpe and blesse them to mée There are many which desire Christ might bée their Sauiour which yet shall not be saued because they would bée saued but will not serue their Sauiour they like his saluation but they loue not his seruice he may suffer or do what he will for them but they will neither suffer nor doe ought for him His merits they pray for but his lawes they care not for Now hée will not bée their Sauiour because they will not be his seruants for hée will saue none but such as will serue him I will therefore suffer him to be my Lord as I doe desire him to be my Sauiour Two graces I desire of him grace to serue him grace to be saued by him Some
thou séeest euen the very secrets of our hearts and that nothing can be done be it neuer so secret without thy knowledge these mercies and blessings we pray thée to grant vnto vs for Iesus Christs sake our Lord Amen Another Euening Praier ETernall God and in Iesus Christ our most merciful father thou which art the father of mercies the God of al consolations we thy vnworthy seruants doe héere according to our bounden duties humble our selues before thy maiestie and rendring in that poore measure we are able all praise and thankes for all thy mercies blessings bestowed vpon vs from time to time euer since we were borne vntill this present for our election creation redemption vocation iustification sanctification preseruation and the hope of our glorification herafter as also for al those blessings that concern this life present furnishing vs continually with all good things necessarie that wée stand in néede of More especially O Lord we thank thée y â— thou hast preserued defended vs this day from al perils and dangers both of body and soule wherinto many haue fallen and wée might also had we not béen guided by thy merciful prouidence O Lord we confesse to the shame of our owne selues that wee are not worthy of the least of all these thy mercies but as we were conceiued and borne in sinne so haue wée liued in iniquity and in the transgression of thy lawes not regarding to be gouerned by the holy word and therefore haue iustly deserued that thou shouldest poure vpon vs all shame misery in this life and eternall condemnation in the World to come but O Lord we know that thou art a God full of mercy stow to anger great compassion and wilt not the death of a sinner but rather that we should liue In confidence of this thy mercie we confesse before thy maiestie our manifold sinnes in treating thée to pardon them all for the merits of Christ Iesus séeing thou hast giuen vs so large a time of repentance grant that we may now at length returne vnto thée in sinceritie of heart contrition of spirit And for this night present we beséech thée sanctific our rest vnto vs this night that we may enioy the same as thy blessing that thereby our wearied bodies being refreshed with moderate and quiet sléepe wée may be the better enabled to walke before thée in our callings the day following to thy glorie and our owne comforts throgh Iesus Christ Remember with vs thy Church and children in all places gather together thine elect forgiue the crying sinnes of this land make an end of these daies of sinne and hasten the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Preserue thine annointed and our dread soueraign King the Quéen and their roiall Progenie defend and kéep them from plots and trecheries both abroad and at home Let thy spirit of wisdome of Councell and of vpright iudgement rest vpon all the Lords of his maiesties honourable Priuie Councell the Nobilitie and magistracie for the best good of this whole Land Blesse y â— painfull preachers of thy holy word giue good successe we pray thée to their studies and labours for the winning of so many soules as thou hast ordained to eternal life comfort all thy afflicted that suffer vnder thy hand and howsoeuer it shall please thée to deale with them yet support them with patience thankfullnesse to vndergoe whatsoeuer it shall please thée to lay vpon them and when thou shalt sée it fit send them deliuerance that either by life or by death Christ may be to them aduantage Lastly we beséech thée good Lord to blesse all our kinsfolkes in the flesh and all others whom thou would est we should pray for heare vs for them and them for vs Christ Iesus for vs all In whose name we shut vp these our imperfect praiers in that perfect forme which he himselfe hath left vs saying Our father c. Morning Praier for a priuate person MOst Glorious God and mercifull father I thy most vnworthy creature doe héere confesse before thy Diuine Maiestie to thy glory though it be to the shame and confusion of mine owne face that I am not worthy to appeare before thée much more vnworthy to offer vp my praiers vnto thée with confidence that thou shouldest heare them and grant my requests by reason of my manifold sinnes and transgressions that I haue heaped vp against thy maiesty ere since I was borne vntill this present day And now O Lord being come before thée I must néedes confesse the vilenesse of my estate I was conceiued bred born in sinne and in sinne haue I continued all my daies I haue drunke Iniquitie like water yea I haue drawne it after me and tied it vnto me as with great ropes yea I haue eueÌ„ made a mock of sinne and it hath béene a pastime vnto me to doe wickedly Notwithstanding O Lord thou hast called vpon me but still I haue refused thou hast againe and againe stretched out thy hand but I haue not regarded thou hast sought to reclaime me but I haue hated to be reformed thou hast often called vpon mee by thy blessed word yet notwithstanding I haue despised thy patience and abused thy goodnesse so that I haue giuen thée iust cause to heap vpon me all thy seareful plagues and punishments which in the extremity of thy law do belong vnto the wicked It is thy vnspeakeable mercy that thou didst not make my bed my graue neuer to haue risen againe but O Lord I know there is abundance of mercies with thée that thou mayest be feared and excéeding experience haue I had of thy goodnesse long suffering and patience towards me therfore I grow in hope still that thou purposest me good not euill to saue me not to destroy me beséeching thée to accept the death of Christ as a full satisfaction for all my smâ—â—es to wash them away in his blood and to binds them in one bundle cast them behinde thy backe neuer to be remembred I humbly thank thy maiesty for thy manifold mercies extended towards me this night past al y â— daies of my life for my quiet rest sléep my foode and raiment my health peace and libertie and the hope of a better life in the merits of thy deare sonne Christ Iesus for all these thy mercies O Lord I haue nothing to render vnto thée but thine owne If I could giue thée my bodie and soule they might be saued by it but thou wert neuer the richer for it yea euen since I rose I haue tasted many of thy blessings and thou hast begun to serue me before I haue begun to serue thée I can shew no reason why thou shouldest bestow all these blessings vpon me more than others but that thou art mercifull and if thou shouldest draw all back againe from me as iustly thou maiest I haue nothing to say but that thou art iust and séeing O Lord I am now to enter
into the affaires of this day I beséech thée blesse me in the duties of my calling this day and euer for idlenesse and godlynesse can not stand together and it is thy pleasure that in the sweat of my face I should eat my bread O Lord preserue me from all fraudulent and deâ—eitfull courses draw my affections more and more from the loue of the World fix my heart vpon those things which are aboue if things succéed according to my mind by thy blessing vpon my labours make me thankefull vnto thée if any crosse come make me patient and carefull to profit by euerie chastisement that it shall please thée to lay vpon me knowing that howsoeuer they are greiuous for the present yet in the end they will bring the quiet fruit of righteousnesse to al them that are thereby exercised which God grant for his Christs sake to whom with the holy spirit bee all praise now and euer Amen Euening Praier for a priuate Person O Eternall God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him my most mercifull father I humbly confesse before thy glorious presence that I am altogether a lump of sinne a masse of corruption and therfore haue for feited thy fauour and incurred thy high displeasure both in thought word and deede My sins O Lord are more in number than the haires of my head yea farre more than I can possibly féele or know and if I should goe about to reckon vp my particular offences I know not where to begin or where to make an end It is thou O Lord who knowest my sins to whom the secrets of my heart are manifest and nothing can be hid from thy sight besides my consciense doth accuse me of many greiuous euils and I daily feele by ful experience how fraile I am how prone to euel and backward to all goodnesse my minde my heart and affections and all the faculties both of soule and body are ful of vanitie profanenesse dulnesse deadnesse drowâ—inesse in matters of thy worship and seruice But O déere father I haue learned from thy mouth that thou art a God full of mercie slow to wrath and of great compassion and kindnesse towards all such as are heauy laden groan vnder the burthen of their sinnes O Lord extend thy great mercy towards mée poore sinner and giue me a general pardon for al mine offences whatsoeuer seale it to my conscience in the blood of thy déere son Christ Iesus assuring me more and more of thy loue an fauour towards me and that thou art a reconciled father vnto me in the same christ O Lord I beséech thée principally giue me victorie ouer those sins thou knowest my nature most prone to commit Mortific in me whatsoeuer is carnall and sanctiffe me by thy good spirit and knit my heart vnthée for euer Lord grant that I may take delight in the reading and hearing of thy holy word that I may loue and reuerence all the faithfull Ministers of the gospell giue O Lord a melting heart that I may tremble at thy worde let not my sinnes holde backe thy mercies from me nor mine vnworthines stop the passage of thy grace I most humbly thank thee for all thy blessings bestowed vpon me necessarie for this life as food raiment health peace liberty c. which many of thy déere children doe want being notwithstanding bought with the pretious blood of Christ Iesus as well as I. Biâ—t aboue all deere Father I praise thy name for the blessings of a better life especially for thy holy worde and sacraments and all the good I enioy therby for the continuance of thy gospell the worde of truth the means of our saluation for the death of thy son and all that happinesse I receiue thereby O Lord open my blinde eies euery day more and more to sée and consider of thy great and meruelous loue towards me in all these things that by the dew consideration therof my heart may be drawne néerer vnto thee to loue thée much because thou hast giuen much and as thou dost abound towards me in goodnesse so grant that I may abound towards thée in obedience and thankfulnesse and in these my weak and imperfect praiers O Lord I am not mindeful of my selfe alone but of the whole estate of thy Church wheresoeuer blesse all christian Kings and Princes calling vpon thy name especially our dread Soueraigne the Kings Maiestie the Quéene and their roial Progonie Blesse all the nobilitie the magistrates and ministers of the Land that all their Councels and labours may begin at thy feare and may be referred thy glory Succour and comfort all those that are comfortlesse sanctifie all their afflictions and troubles vnto them that they may tend to thy glory and their owne good Finally O Lord according to my bounden dutie I commend vnto thy Maiestie all my friends and acquaintance beséeching thée for them as for my selfe to blesse vs all in our particular places and grant that we may do those things which may bée to thy glorie and our comforts through Iesus Christ our Lord. In whose name I end as he hath taught me saying Our father which art in heauen hallowed bee thy name Thy kingdome come Thy-will be done in earth as it is in heauen c. A Prayer for a priuate person necessarie at all times ALmightie God and in Iesus Christ my most mercifull and louing Father I doe here in thy presence acknowledge that I am of my selfe a most wretched and miserable sinner both in respect of the corruptions of my heart as also the transgression of my life more particularly I doe acknowledge the infidelitie of my heart wherby I haue not yet learned to depend vpon thy prouidence for the things of this life nor vpon thy mercie for the saluation of my soule I confesse O Lord the Atheisme and profanenesse both of my mind and heart whereby all my thoughts and affections are estranged from thée and so glewed to the things of this life that I can take more ioy and delight in doing mine owne will and in seruing mine owne lusts then euer I would â—â— in seruing and obeying thée I acknowledge likewise the pride of mine own heart whereby I doe eralt my selfe in the vanity of my own conceit aboue thy maiestie and aboue my Brethren whom thou hast made farre more excellent then my selfe as also the security of the flesh whereby I put away the day of wrath farre from mee promising to me selfe fréedome from all thy curses and plagues notwithstanding I walke in sinne and in the stubbornnes of mine owne heart my hypocrisie wherby I am content my selfe onely with an outward name and profession of religion and holinesse before men not regarding the truth and power of godlinesse besides O Lord my life abounds in all Actuall transgressions against euery one of thy commandements I haue liued in the abuse of thy mercies and haue not béene drawne néerer vnto thee In neglect of thy
greeuous iudgement is on them from whom this word is hiâ— 9 Lastly the least measure of true fâ—â—tâ— that a man can haue is â—hen of an humble spirit by reason of the smalenesse of his faith he doth not yet féele the forgiuenesse of his sinnes and yet is perswaded that they are pardonable and therefore desireth y â— they should be pardoâ—ned with his whole hart praieth to God to pardon them Esay 42. 3. Luke 17. 5. Christian directions necessarie to be practised in the course of our liues FIrst aboue all things sée that thou feare God and kéepe his commandements for this is the whole dutie of man Eccles 12. 13. 2 Exercise your minde in meditating often on the works of God as his creating gouerning the world his prospering and punishing the wicked his blessing correcting his children as séemeth best to his godly wisedome Ier. 12. 2. Math. 25. 31. 32. 3 Submit and humble your selfe for your sinnes that the lord may raise you vp for he that iudgeth himselfe aright shall neuer be iudged of the Lord 1. Cor. 11. 31. 4 Loue all things for Gods sake and God cheifly for his owne and remember you make him your friend whosoeuer be your enemy this you shall doe if as an obedient childe you liue alway in the eie of your heauenly father 5 Neuer make mention of God or any word or work of his but with feare and reuerence nor of any man but with loue vsing his name as you wold haue him to vse yours Deut. 28. 58. Math. 7. 12. 6 Let no more holinesse appeare outwardly then you haue inwardly in your heart which God seeth and in which he desireth truth neither please your selfe with your vnprofitablenes or vnwillingnes to perform that which is good Ro. 12. 11. 7 Speake often to the praise of God neuer or little of your self because many words can not want iniquitie therefore speake as few as you can rather none then vnprofitably Pro. 17. 27. Iam. 1. 19. 8 â—re-patient vnder the correcting hand of God because 1. He doth it 2. â—ee doth it for your good 3. â—ee will moderate it and supply strength and in his due time will deliuer you out of it Psal 39. 9. 9 Stick fast to God as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie the one being as necessarie as the other If you haue necessaries bee humbled for them and vse them well lest hee that gaue them take them away Iam. 1. 2. 10 Take héed of performing holy duties for fashion sake or without féeling and profit for this is hypocrisie and profanenes Heb. 3. 12. Esay 1. 11. 11 Whatsoeuer you take in hand first take counsell by Gods word whether it be lawfull or not be it for profit or pleasure 2. Sa. 2. 1. 1. Sam. 30. 8. 12 When you awake froÌ„ sléep awake with God and before all things giue him your first fruits and calues of your lips 1. Confession of sin 2. Request of things necessary for bodie and soule 3. Thankfulnes for mercies receiued especially your last preseruation and rest 13 Eschew as much as in you lies all occasions of sin wisely endeauor your selfe in subduing the least that at length the greater may take no place 14 Set your selfe carefully as in gods presence that setting him at your right hand you may not fall 1. Cor. 10. 32. 15 Use prayer as a doore to open morning a locke to shut euening first preparing your heart to seek the Lord and thinke in the morning that day may bee your last day when you goe to bed you know not whether you shall rise vnlesse it be to iudgement 16 Waite vpon the Lord and hee will direct your way become his seruant in obaying his will for this is your truest libertie Psal 37. 34. 17 Thinke euermore your present estate and condition to bee the best estate for you whatsoeuer it bee because it is of the good prouidence of God 18 Account of euery day as of the day of death and therefore liue now euen as though you were now dying and doe those good duties euery day which you would doe if it were your last day 19 When night comes before you lie down in bed call to â—â—â—d how you haue spent the day passed think that day lost wherein you haue not done some good 20 Alwaies remember that the greatest work you haue to finish in this world is to die well and to make a happy departure out of this world for they which dye well dye not to die but to liue eternally 29 Estéeme not of your selfe better then you are for the more vile you are in your owne eyes the more glorious you are in y â— eyes of God for he reiecteth the proud giueth grace to the humble 1. Pct. 5. 5. 22 Redéeme the time past of your life with Repentance and looke to the time present with diligence and to the time to come with prouidence Ephes 5. 16. 23 Exercise your selfe in reading something of gods word daily doe not only serue God your self but sée that al that are vnder your charge do the same Dev. 6. 6 24 When you craue any blessings at the hands of God aske them in the name of Christ for no man commeth vnto the Father but by him Ioh. 14. 6. 25 In all your affaires before you attempt any thing first aske counsell of God whether it be lawfull to be done and then you may doe it with a good conscience 1. Sam. 30. 8. 26 Let your carriage in the world bee such as may shew your dislik of y â— world for if any man loue y â— world the loue of the father is not in him because the loue of the world is enmitie with God 1. Ioh. 2. 25 27 Arme your selfe continually against temptations knowing them to bee your portion in this life learne from Christ and his Apostles to beare them patiently 1. Thes 4. 4. 5. 28 Be more afraid of secret sins theÌ„ of open shame and be alwaies perswaded you are in the presence of God and let all your actions be framed accordingly Ier. 23. 24. Acts 17. 28. 29 In all your afflictions and miseries bee still perswaded that your punishment is farre lesse then your â—â—â—ne 30 If Gods mercies abounds to wards you merwell not if he mixe them with some crosses for God sends blessings with crosses lest you should despaire and crosses with blessings lest you should presume 31 Such ontward blessings which you can not haue desire God you may not be vexed for them for if you gréedily couet such things it is longer before you shall enjoy them and more subiect to abuse them when you haue them 32 When you would do any good or receiue any good offer vp your endeuours in a sacrifice to God in Christ beséeching God to giue his holy Spirit to sanctifie his owne sacrifice 33 When God visites you with affliction kisse the toddâ— and offer vp all to him from whom