and mercy in thy sight without thy assistance this sore burthen is too heavy for me to bear Lord either remove it from me or make it easier for me to bear Lend me thy gracious and helping hand that as I am scourged with thy rod so I may lean upon thy staff let me never despair of thy comfortable relief but in all my miseries be thou my refuge be pleased to endue me with patience from above that I may give no advantage to the Tempter in my suffering open the eyes and the charitable hands of those that should see and know mine adversity and so enlarge their hearts that they may administer relief and comfort to me in the midst of my necessities O thou that feedest the young ravens which call upon thee thou that didst bless the poulse to thy servant Daniel be pleased to fill my hungry Soul with the blessings of thy bounty grant that whatsoever I suffer in my body my Soul may thereby draw near unto thee in the misery of hunger do thou satisfy me with thy grace in my scorching thirst do thou cause me with joy to draw water out of the wells of Salvation in the pinching cold do thou warm my devotion and in my poorest and meanest habit do thou cloth me with the Righteousness of my Redeemer O suffer me not to offend thee in my greatest want but make me rely depend upon thee Teach me by this chastisement the vanity of the World and wean me from the fond delights thereof and carry me so through the storms of this troublesom life that in the end I may arrive at the happy haven of eternal peace and rest through thy own merits and passion O Jesus Christ my Lord and only Saviour Amen A Prayer before the receiving of the Sacrament O Most gracious and merciful Lord God thou hast called all those that are weary and heavy laden with their sins to come unto thee and hast promised to ease and refresh them thou hast invited all those that hunger and thirst after thy Kingdom and the righteousness thereof to come to thy Table to tast of thy Supper and hast promised that thou wilt satisfy them in assurance therefore of these promises I come to thee blessed Lord Jesus beseeching thee to ease me to refresh me to satisfy me with thy mercy for my Soul hungers and thirsts after thee thy Salvation I confess and acknowledge that my dayly sins have made me unworthy of my dayly bread much more of this Manna this Bread of life that came down from Heaven I confess O Lord I am not prepared according to thy preparation of thy Sanctuary yet for as much as this day I have set my heart to seek to thee thou O God be merciful unto me and though I cannot bring with me a clean heart for who can say his heart is clean yet behold O Lord I bring with me a contrite heart and a broken spirit despise not O God this Sacrifice As for the sins that I have committed against thee bind them up into one bundle and cast them into the bottomless Sea of thy mercy bury them in thy wounds and wash them away in the blood of that immaculate Lamb Christ Jesus and for the time to come sprinkle my Conscience with the same blood that being cleansed from dead works I may serve thee the living God in righteousness and true holiness all the days of my life that so this blessed Sacrament may be a means to quiet my Conscience to increase my faith to inflame my charity to amend my life to save my Soul and to assure me that I am of the number of those blessed ones who shall eat at thy Table and be called to the marriage Supper of the Lamb. Grant this O Lord for Jesus Christ his sake in whose name and words I conclude these my imperfect prayers saying as he himself hath taught me Our Father c. A Prayer after the receiving of the Sacrament O Most gracious God from whose bounty every good and perfect gift is derived I and all that is within me praise and magnify thy holy name for all thy mercies and favours which from time to time thou hast bestowed upon me But especially I thank thee for Jesus Christ thy Son the fountain and foundation of all blessings and benefits that thou hast sent him into the world to take our nature upon him and to die for us and that thou hast fed me who am unworthy of the least of thy favours with the precious merits of his death and passion Blessed Lord God thou hast been pleased this day to set thy seal to the pardon and forgiveness of all my sins oh let me not lose it again by unthankfulness or relapsing into my old sins from which thou hast purged me lest my last end be worse than my beginning But if hereafter I shall be tempted by the Devil allured by the world or provoked by my own flesh then set before mine eyes by the remembrance of thy Spirit how dear the expiation of my sins cost my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ even the effusion of his most precious and holy blood that in the contemplation of his death and application of his most bitter passion I may die dayly unto sin and so may shew forth the Lords death till he come and bring his reward with him I may receive the Crown of Righteousness which he hath purchased and prepared for all those that love and expect the day of his appearing with the precious price of his incorruptible blood And whereas I have this day renewed my covenant with thee my God in vows and purposes of better obedience assist me by thy grace and strengthen me by thy power that I may pay the vows which I have made unto thee and that by vertue of thy heavenly nourishment I may grow up in grace and godliness till at last I come to be a perfect man in Christ Jesus Preserve and maintain always this thine Ordinance that it may be a note and a badge of my publick profession and give unto all of us that have been partakers of thy body and blood one heart and one mind in the unity of Spirit for the worthy and reverend receiving of the same whensoever we shall come to thy holy Table again and for this thy mercy towards me do I yield unto thee all praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honour and power and might and majesty through Jesus Christ our Lord in whose most blessed name and words I further pray Our Father c. The Prayer of a Virgin BLessed Lord Son of a Virgin who didst honour Virginity when thou tookest our nature hearken to the cryes of a lamenting Maid Lord I am not worthy to come unto thee I am not worthy to receive any favour from thee for I have forsaken thee my most indulgent Husband and have followed other Lovers My soul is too much polluted to be called thine too often
him for these thy great and unspeakable mercys we render thee most humble thanks from the bottom of our hearts beseeching thee still to continue thy gracious protection over him and to grant him a long and happy reign over us so we will give thee thanks for ever and will always be shewing forth thy praise from generation to generation through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Vpon the Twenty Nineth of May the Day of his Majesties Birth and happy Return NO voice more soft then Thunder can express Our present joy our past heaviness None can the largeness of this Joy set out Unless at once he make three Kingdomes shout O therefore let us jointly all proclaim The praise of this great Act due to the Name Of Him by whom Kings Reign and Oh that we Could make our souls Wing'd with Devotion flee To God on High in Thankfulness and Praise Who without Blood has Crown'd our King with Bays Brought from three conquered Nations which he Holds in Subjection but to keep them free From the hard Yoke of Bondage which of late So gaul'd our necks whilest that we called a State Was nought but mad-men sitting at the Helm T was a great Bedlam which is now a Realm But those bad times are past this day we were Even rescu'd from the Sword without a War Without a War Great Charles his Kingdomes wone Thus strait when God Will hav 't the thing is done O may we thankful be and sing his praise Who for our Cypress now has given us Bayes May we give God and Caesar all their due And always Peace and Loyalty Pursue A Thanksgiving for the 29th of May being the day of his Majesties Birth and happy Return O Lord God who by thy divine providence and goodness didst this day bring into the world and didst this day also bring Back and restore unto us and to his own just and undoubted right our most gracious Soveraign Lord thy Servant KING CHARLES preserve his life establish his throne we beseech thee be unto him a helmet of salvation against the face of his enemies and a strong tower of defence in the time of trouble Let his reign be prospeâ—ous and his days many and let him so duly serve thee on earth that he may hereafter everlastingly reign with thee in heaven and let us thine unworthy servants make an oblation of our selves unto thee vowing all holy obedience in thought word and work unto thy divine Majesty promising in thee and for thee all loyall and dutiful Allegiance to thine anointed servant and to his heirs after him whom we beseech thee to bless with all encrease of grace honour and happiness And together with him bless the whole Royal Family with the dew of thy heavenly Spirit that they ever trusting in thy goodness protected by thy power and Crowned with thy gracious and endless favour may continue before thee in health peace joy and honour a long and happy life upon earth and after death obtain everlasting life and glory in the Kingdome of Heaven by the merits and mediation of Christ Jesus our Saviour who with the Father The â—Pestilence 〈◊〉 1665 and the holy Spirit liveth and reigneth for ever world without end Amen Vpon the Dreadful Pestilence in 1665. ON the great City of this Sinful Land London with Wealth and Folk abounding and With sin the cause of woe too God first pour'd The brim full Vial of his wrath and showr'd His ireful Judgments There his Angel drew The sword of Vengeance and that people slew At first by Tens which soon to Hundreds come Then Thousands weekly sent to their long home The frighted Citizens begin to fly From house and habitation lest they dye A wrathful day a dismal time wherein Thousands receive the wages of their sin Now might you see Red Crosses there great store And Lord have Mercy upon many a door The Knells of death continually do ring And that same doleful sound of Buryers Bring Your dead out Mortal ears with Terror Pierce And now a Cart becomes too many a Hearse Now might you see all faces blackness gather The son lamenting for his dying Father The wife for her deceased husband crying And parents mourning for their Children dying And some who did in stately houses dwell Now gladly creep into a Country Cell And others wandering up and down the Fields No Town or Village them admittance yeilds Thus from the Rod of God poor sinners fly Not from their Crimes for which they smart and dye Had you your selves forsaken when at home You need not thus about the countrey rome Had you fled from your sins before as fast You need not from the Plague have made such hast There have been three great Plagues in London within these sixty years and how much greater this last was then the former may appear by this Comparison In the year 1625. Buried of all Diseases 54265 Whereof of the Plague 35417 In the year 1636. Buried of all Diseases 23359 Whereof of the Plague 10400 In the year 1665. Buried of all Diseases 97301 Whereof of the Plague 68586 A Prayer in time of Pestilence OMnipotent Lord thou sin revenging God who for disobedience didst threaten thine own people Israel to smite them in the knees and in the legs with a sore botch that could not be healed be pleased O thou great offended Lord in the bowels of thy compassion to let thine anger cease and to bow down thine ear to thy sorrowful servants we turn unto thee our weeping eyes our dejected countenances our wringing hands our bended Knees our mournful voices and our groaning hearts O Merciful God behold our tears and view our countenances and look upon our hands and strengthen our Knees and hearken to our voices and comfort our hearts Give us a fight of our sins O Lord which have thus provoked thee to enter into Judgment with thy Servants and make us more to loath and tremble at our wickedness then at these Messengers of death wean us from the love of sin from the consideration both of thy displeasure and our own mortality and speak peace and health unto our souls which do every moment expect our dissolution to come O Lord thou art a God who canst not abide to behold unrighteousness look not therefore with thy wrathful eye upon us who are full of sin and pollution but look upon thy Son and his righteousness or if thou wilt look upon us first cloth us with the righteousness of that immaculate Lamb and so shalt thou see us with love and delight and we shall behold thee with unspeakable joy Seal unto our souls the remission of our offences and then make us willing to resigne our bodies to thy disposing yet we know O Lord if thou dost but Speak the word we shall be made whole if thou say'st the Plague shall not come near our habitations we then know we shall be safe if it be thy blessed will O Lord let us praise thee in the
2. Oh happy harbour of the Saints Oh sweet and pleasant Soil In thee no sorrows may be seen No Cross no Grief no Toil. 3. In thee no sickness ever is No Hurt no Ach no Sore There is no Death nor ugly Devil but life for evermore 4. No damp no mist is found in thee No Cloud nor darksome Night There every Star shines like the Sun There God himself gives Light 5. Thy Houses are of Ivory Thy windows Christal clear Thy Tiles are maide of beaten Gold Oh would that I were there 6. Thy Turrets and thy Pinacles With Carbuncles do shine Thy very streets are pav'd with Gold Exceeding pure and Fine 7. Within thy Gates can nothing Come Which is not passing Clean No Spiders Web no Dust no Dirt No Filth may there be Seen 8. Thy Saints are Crown 's with Glory great They see God face to face They still Triumph they still Rejoyce Most happy is their case 9. We that live here in Banishment continually do Moan We sigh we Sob we Weep we Wail continually we Groan 10. But there they in such pleasure Live and such delight alway That unto them a thousand Years doth seem but Yesterday 11. Thy Vineyards and thy Orchards are Most beautiful and Fair Full furnished with Trees about Exceeding Rich and Rare 12. Thy Gardens and thy gallant Walks Continually are Green There grows such sweet and pleasant Fruit As no where else is Seen 13. There 's Nectar and Ambrosia There 's Musk and Civet Sweet There 's many fine and dainty Drugs lie trodden under Feet 14. There 's Cinamon and Sugar too There Myrrh and Balm abound What tongue can tell or heart conceive The joys that there are found 15. Quite through the streets with silver streams The flood of Life doth flow Upon whose Banks on every side The Trees of Life do grow 16. The trees do evermore bear Fruit And evermore do spring There evermore do Angels sit And evermore do sing 17. There David stands with Harp in hand As Master or'e a Quire Ten thousand times that man is Blest that doth this Musick hear 18. Gods praises there are always sung with Harmony most sweet Old Zachary and Simeon Have not their songs to seek 19. Their Magdalen hath left her moan and cheerfully doth sing With blessed Saints whose Harmony In every street doth Ring 20. O Heavenly frame Jerusalem At length I hope to see Thy glorious Throne and in the same For evermore to be 21. O Heavnely City fair and bright when shall I come to thee When shall my sorrows have an end Thy Joys that I may see Upon the Passion 1. THus died the Prince of Life He That could not die even dyed for me My thoughtful heart Lord shall arise And ponder these deep Mysteries 2. What means his Death that knew no sin Or what my life who live therein Mine was the debt and Death my due Though thou wast pleas'd thy Son to sue 3. Thou Lord wast pleased on him to lay The debt and He the price to pay Thy Gospel-feasts though sweet to me Are the Emblems of His Agony 4. And Oh! how great his Sufferings were Who the Wrath of God man did bear The Father then forsakes the Son And creatures against their maker run 5. Judas betrays Disciples flee Whilst Jews and Romans Crucifie Hereat the Sun furls up his light And clothes the Earth in sable Night 6. The joyless Stars even seemed to say Israel had quenched the Lamp of day The stubborn Mountains they lament The Rocks they are asunder Rent 7. The Graves their sealed doors unclose The dead awakened also Rose The amazed Centurion mourning crys Oh! 't is the Son of God that Dyes 8. Thus these all labour to confess Thy Deity thy Righteousness Enough Dear Lord these offer me Supports for the utmost faith in thee The Souls Farwell 1. FArwel poor world I must be gone Thou art no home no rest for me I 'le take my staff and travel on Till I a better world may see 2. Why art thou loath my heart O why Do'st thou recoil within my Breast Greive not but say Farwel and fly Unto the Ark my Dove there 's Rest. 3. I come my Lord a Pilgrims pace Weary and weak I slowly move Longing but can't yet teach the place The gladsome place of rest above 4. I come my Lord the floods here rise These troubled Seas foam nought but mire My Dove back to my bosom flys Farwel poor world Heaven 's my desire 5. Stay stay said Earth whether fond one Here 's a fair World what wouldst thou have Fair World Oh no! thy beauties gone An heavenly Canaan Lord I crave 6. Thus th' ancient Travellers thus they Weary of earth sigh'd after thee They are gon before I may not stay Till I both thee and them may see 7. Put on my Soul put on with speed Though th' way be long the end is sweet Once more poor world Farwel indeed In leaving thee my Lord I meet Of Mans Life by the Right Honourable the Lord B. 1. THe World 's a Bubble and the life of Man Less then a Span In his Conception wretched from the Womb So to the Tomb. Curst in the Cradle and brought up to Years With cares and fears Who then to frail Mortality shall trust But Limns the Water or but Writes in dust 2. Yet since with sorrow here we live opprest What life is best Courts are but only Superficial Schools To dandle â—ools The Rural parts are turn'd into a den of savage men And where 's a City from all vice so free But may be termed the worst of all the three 3. Domestick cares afflict the husbands bed Or pains his head Those that live single take it for a Curse Or do things worse Some would have children those that have them moan Or wish them gon What is it then to have or Have no Wife But a single thraldome or a double strife Our affections still at home to please Is a disease To cross the Sea to any forreign soil Perils and Toyl Warrs with their noyse affright us when they cease W' are worse in peace What then remains but that we still should cry Not to be born or being born to die All Vanity but Virtue SWeet day so cool so calm so bright The Bridle of the Earth and Sky Sweet dews shall weep thy fall to Night For thou must Die Sweet Rose whose hew angry and Brave Bids the rash Gazer wipe his Eye Thy root is ever in its Grave And thou must Die Sweet Spring full of sweet Days and Roses A Box where sweets compacted lye My Musick shews you have your Closes And all must Die Only a sweet and virtuous Soul Like seasoned Timber never gives And when the whole World turns to Coal Then chiefly Lives The Vanity of mans Life WHat are poor men but quickned lumps of earth A feast for worms a bubble full of breath A looking-glass for grief a flash a minute
A painted tomb with putrefaction in it A map of death a burthen of a Song A winters dust a worm of five foot long Begot in sin in darkness nourisht born In sorrow naked shiftless and forlorn His first voice heard is crying for relief Alas he comes into a world of grief His first age is sinful his youth is vain His life 's a punishment his death 's a pain His life 's an hour of joy a world of sorrow His death 's a winters night that finds no morrow Mans life 's an hour-glass which being run Concludes that hour of joy and so is done 2. How poor a thing is man how vains his mind How strange how base and wavering like the wind How uncouth are his ways how full of danger How to himself is he himself a stranger His hearts corrupt and all his thoughts are vain His actions sinful his words prophane His wills deprav'd his senses are beguiled His reasons dark his members are defiled His hasty feet are swift and prone to ill His guilty hands are ever bent to kill His tongues a spunge of venom or of worse His practice is to swear his skill to curse His eyes are fire-balls of lustful fire And outward helps to inward foul desire His body is a well-erected station But full of folly corrupted passion 3. How slight a thing is man how frail briâ—le How seeming great is he how truly little Within the bosom of his holiest works Some hidden embers of old Adam lurks Which oftentimes in men of purest ways Burst out in flame and for a season blaze Lord teach our hearts and give our souls directions Subdue our passions curb our stout affections And in thy mercy grant this boon to me That I may die to sin and live to thee 4. Our life on earth is a like a thred of flax That all may touch and being toucht it cracks Death is a Kalender compos'd by fate Concerning all men never out of date His days Dominical are writ in blood She shews more bad days then she sheweth good She tells when days and months and terms expire Mesuring the lives of mortals by her squire Death is a Pursuvant with Eagles wings That knocks at poor mens doors and gates of Kings Worldling beware betimes death sculks behind thee And as she leaves thee so will Judgment find thee A Farewel to the World by the Honourable Sir H. W. FArewel ye gilded follies pleasing troubles Farewel ye honoured rags ye glorious bubbles Fames but a hollow Eccho gold pure clay Honour the darling but of one short day Beauty the eyes idol but a damask'd skin State but a golden prison to live in And torture free-born minds imbroydered trains Meerly but pagents for proud swelingveins And blood ally'd to greatness is alone Inherited not purchas'd not our own Fame honour beauty state train blood and birth Are but the fading blossoms of the earth 2. I would be great but that the Sun doth stil Level his rays against the rising hill I would be high but see the proudest oak Most subject to the rending thunderstroke I would be rich but see men too unkind Dig in the bowels of the richest mine I would be wise but that I often see The fox suspected whilst the ass goes free I would be fair but see the fair proud Like the bright Sun oft setting in a cloud I would be poor but see the humble grass Still trampled on by each unworthy Ass Rich hated wise suspected scorn'd if poor Great fear'd fair tempted high still envyed more I have wisht all but now I wish for neither Great high rich wise nor fair poor I le be rather 3. Would the world now adopt me for her heir Would beauties Queen entitle me the fair Fame speak me fortunes minion could Ivy Angels with India with a speaking eye Command bare heads bow'd knees strike Justice dumb As well as blind lame or give a tongue To stones by epitaphs be call'd great master In the loose rimes of every Poetaster Could I be more than any man that lives Great fair rich wise in all superlatives Yet I more freely would these gifts resign Than ever fortune would have made them mine And hold one minute of this holy leasure Beyond the riches of this empty pleasure 4. Welcome pure thoughts welcome ye silent groves These guests these courts my Soul most dearly loves Now the wing'd people of the sky shall sing My cheerful anthems to the glad somspring A pray'r book now shall be my looking-glass In which I will adore sweet vertues face Here dwell no hateful looks no palace cares No broken vows dwell here nor pale-fac'd fears Then here I le sit sigh my hot-loves folly And learn to affect an holy melancholly And if contentment be a stranger then I le nere look for it but in Heaven agen Conclusion BIrth is a brag Glory a blaze Honours earth 's pomp riches a gaze Fame is but a wind Beauty a flower Pleasure a dance the World a bower In Heaven with thee Lord let me be On earth my Heaven 's alone in thee Quatuor Novissima OR Meditations on the four Last Things Death Judgment Heaven and Hell Death CAn he be fair that withers at a blast Or he be strong that airy breath can cast Can he be wise that knows not how to live Or he be rich that nothing hath to give Can he be young that 's feeble weak wan So fair strong wise so rich so young is man So fair is man that death a parting blast Blast his fair flower makes him earth at last So strong is man that with a gaspingbreath He totters and bequeaths his strength to death So wise is man that if with death he strive His wisdom cannot teach him how to live So rich is man that all his debts being payd His wealths the winding sheet wherein he layd So young is man that broke with care and sorrow He 's old enough to day to die to morrow Why brag'st thou then thou worm of five foot long Tho' art neither fair nor strong Nor wise nor rich nor young Judgment The trumpet shall blow the dead awak'd shall rise And to the clouds shall turn their wondring eyes The Heavens shall ope the Bridegroom forth shall come To Judge the World and give the World her doom Joy to the Just to others endless smart To those the voice bids come to these depart Death Iudgment Heaven Hell Depart from life yet dying live for ever For ever dying be and yet dye never Depart like dogs with Devils take your lot Depart like Devils for I know you not Like doggs like Devils go go howl and bark Depart in darkness for your deeds were dark Let roaring be your musick and your food Be flesh of vipers your drink their blood Let fiends afflict you with reproach shame Depart depart into eternal flame If Hell the portion then of sinners be Lord give me
hell on earth Lord give me Heaven with thee Heaven When I consider New Jerusalem Wherein 's reserv'd my Crown my diadem O what a Heaven of bliss my Soul enjoyes On sudden rapt into that Heaven of Joyes Where troops of Powers Vertues Cherubins Angels Archangels Saints and Seraphins Are chaunting praises to their heavenly King Where Hallelujahs they for ever sing Where ioyes are full and pure not mixt with mourning All endless from which is no returning No theft no cruel murther harbours there No hoary-headed care no sudden fear No pinching want no griping fast oppression Nor Death the stipend of our first transgression But dearest friendship love lasting pleasure Still there abides without stint or measure Fulness of riches comfort sempiternal Excess without surfeting life eternall Hell Let Poets please to torture Tantalus Let griping Vultures gnaw Prometheus And let poor Ixiâ— turn his endless wheel Let Nerveâ—s toâ—ment with whips of steel They far come short t' express the pains of those That rage in hell enwrapt in endless woes Where time no end and Plagues find no exemption Where cries admit no help nor place Redemption Where fire lacks no flame the flame no heat To make their torments sharp plagues compleat Where wretched Souls to tortures bound shall be Serving a world of years and not be free Where nothings heard but yells and suddain cries Where fire never slacks nor worm ere dies But where this Hell is placed my muse stop there Lord shew me what it is but never where Of Death and Judgment Heaven Hell Who oft doth think must needs die well Short Graces and Thanksgivings before and after Meat Before Meat SAnctify O Lord unto us the use of these thy creatures of which by our sins we have made our selves and grant that the end of our eating and drinking may be to be better enabled to serve thee in our several places through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen After Meat ETernal thanks and praise be ascribed unto thee O blessed Lord which hast opened thy hand at this time and made us partakers of thy benefits Lord let us never cease to offer unto thee the Sacrafice of praise and thanksgiving through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Before Meat HUmble our souls before thee O Lord and cause us to see the Smalness of out desert even in respect of the least of thy mercies and bless these thy creatures to us at this time to the rejoycing of the soul of thy Servants through Jesus Christ. Amen After Meat We give thee most hearty thanks O Lord for thy bountiful Liberality to us at this time grant we may serve thee better in the enjoyment of these favours Amen Before Meat LOrd lift up our hearts to look unto thee for a blessing upon our meats that we may comfortably use thy creatures as pledges of thy favour through Jesus Christ. Amen After Meat LOrd accept our thanks for the mercy we have enjoyed in receiving these thy creatures for our bodily relief and let us also labour for the meat that perisheth not for the sake of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen Before Meat O Lord bless us and bless these thy good creatures to the nourishment of our bodies and grant that whether we eat or drink or whatever we do we may do all to the praise and glory of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen After Meat AS thou hast filled our bodies O Lord with thy good creatures far above our desert so be pleased to endue our souls with all Spiritual blessings in heavenly things through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen FINIS
the Mysteries of Salvation my hope established in the promises of the Gospel and my life set forward in a setled course of holyness and righteousness whereby the Kingdom of sin and Satan is beat down and destroyed and the Kingdom of Christ built up in me By this thy Word the careless sinner is admonished the ignorant instructed the presumptuous teâ—rified and the Penitent comforted the Power of sin is abated the force of temptations weakned the motions of the Spirit quickned grace received and my Election assured by the infallible marks and tokens thereof set before me in holy Scriptures Blessed be thy Name for it this day thy word hath dwelt with me richly in all wisdom The dispencer of thy Mysteries hath scattered many Doctrines like so many Pearls among the People Lord grant that with Mary I may keep these and all thy sayings in my heart and make use of them in my life and receive comfort from them at my Death And here I would proceed to intreat at thy hands the continuance and increase of thy Spiritual Temporal blessings upon me but my sins lye at the door of my Conscience and affright me My heart smites me for my failings in the performance of the duties of this day My devout meditations have been â—tifled in the womb that bare them my Prayers have not been without distractions my hearing without â—earisomness nor my Alms-deeds without Grudging Pardon dear Father the want of preparation before I come to thy house of intention and Zeal at thy service and of Meditation and Application of those things which I heard there since I came thence Bury I beseech thee these slips and all my sins especially of this week and day in the night of eternal oblivion Ease me of the burthen of them that I may more securely repose my soul and body upon thy gracious protection to take their natural refreshing by sleep whereby I may be enabled and strengthened to do the better service the next day in walking carefully diligently conscionably and constantly in the wayes of thy Commandements and in the duties of my Calling so as may be to thy honour and Glory and my eternal comfort through Jesus Christ our Lord. To whom be honour and glory world without end Amen Our Father c. A Prayer for Munday-Morning MOst Glorious Lord God the great Creator and preserver of all mankind Blessed be thy Name that thou hast been graciously pleased to preserve me the night past and that thou hast once more vouchsafed me the light of the Morning whereby to manage my affairs and business O Lord preserve me this day and keep me in all my wayes give unto me the repose of a quiet Conscience and the clear light of the Gospel to guide my feet in the way of peace and grant that this light may convince me of the Errors of my understanding the depravedness of my will the disorder of my affections the Impunity of my thoughts the vanity of my desires the deceitfulness of my heart and the wickedness thereof Make me sensible O Lord what a wretched creature I was in my birth slime and filthiness what I am in my life vanity and solly and what shall be in my death stench and rottenness Discover unto me O Lord that I have nothing which I have not received that without Christ I can do nothing that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good that I am not able of my self as of my self to think a good thought that I cannot desire to think nor have will to desire nor grace to will any good O Lord let me consider that my comforts in this world are very few and small my crosses and troubles many and great my pleasures here are momentary and short my pains hereafter without my repentance and thy great mercy are permanent and everlasting My gifts O Lord are very small my wants and infirmities are great my helps are weak my assaults and temptations are strong my good deeds are few and they tainted with Imperfections but my ill deeds are infinite Let these considerations O Lord humble me in my self that Christ may raise me and wound me in my self that Christ may heal me And O Lord who this day madest the Heavens or Air without which I cannot breath naturally no not for a moment infuse into my heart the Spirit of thy grace without which I cannot breath Spiritually in my Prayers nor sigh nor so much as move any part or faculty of my soul or body unto thee and as oft as I take in or let out the air which I breath let receive me in grace from thee and breathe out praise unto thee Be my guide O Lord this day and do thou keep me both Now and Ever Amen Our Father c. A Prayer for Munday-Evening HOly and Eternal Lord God who art the King of Heaven and the Watchman of Israel who never slumbrest nor sleepest Look upon me thy unworthy servant who by reason of my sin and the corruption of my nature am wholly subject to sloth and am even now ready to ease and rest my self upon my bed I know not whether thou wilt this very night make my bed in the dark and the hour of my visitation be this present Evening all my years are but a span long my dayes pass like a Weavers Shuttle my life ends like a Tail that is told this hour may be my last hour my next sleep may be my last and long sleep I beseech thee therefore that I may every Evening seriously ponder and meditate heaven that I may be the better prepared in that day and hour that thou shalt call me And though my Eyes shall now sleep and enjoy that moderate refreshment which thou hast appointed for the wearisome condition of my weak body yet let my soul continually watch unto thee to attend thy coming Forgive me O Lord the sins of this day past and all other my former sins and misdemeanors keep me this night both in body and soul that I may with the next light joyfully rise again Let not my sleep be unmeasurable and excessive to please the ease of my flesh but sufficient and seasonable whereby I may be the better disposed to thy service to morrow diligently and fruitfully walking in my calling and repenting me of my sins with fear to offend thee Let thy unspeakable mercy alwayes preserve me let thine endless sweetness rejoyce me let thine heavenly truth strengthen me let thy knowledg imbolden me and thy goodness keep me from my Enemies visible and invisible now and for Evermore Amen Our Father c. A Prayer for Tuesday Morning O Eternal Lord God thou commandest us alwayes at all times and in all things to call upon thee day by day I come unto thee beging refreshment from the overflowing streams of thy mercy O Lord open unto me the gate of thy favour and let me be satisfied with the fountain of thy loving kindness O merciful Lord who
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
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
toward us and impute not unto us our manifold sins and offences whereby we justly deserve thy Wrath and sharp punishment but rather receive us to thy Mercy for Jesus Christ his sake accepting his Death and Passion as a just recompence for all our offences in whom only thou art Pleased and through whom thou canst not be offended with us And seeing that of thy great Mercy we have quietly passed this night Grant O Heavenly Father that we may bestow this day wholly in thy Service so that all our thoughts words and deeds may redound to the Glory of thy Name and good examples to all men who seeing our good works may Glorifie thee our Heavenly Father And because thou hast commanded us to pray one for another we do not only make request O Lord for our selves and them that thou hast already called for the true understanding of thine heavenly Will but for all People and Nations of the World who as they know by thy wonderful Works that thou art God over all so they may be instructed by thine own Spirit to believe iâ— their only Saviour and Redeemer And the Lord be merciful to us and let not our sins and wickedness be a hinderance to thy Mercy We are now come before thee to bewail our sins and miscarriages heartily desiring thee to cause us to turn unto thee to seek and love thee that our hearts may cleave fast unto thee diligently following thee all the residue of our days and that thou wilt be pleased to guide us with thy holy Spirit that we may make Conscience of all that we do never accounting any sin little because thy Son died for the least Remove from our minds all Ignorance and Blindness making thy Word unto us as a Lanthorn unto our feet to guide ouâ— paths that we may find Christ our Saviour and Redeemer and by his rule be so directed that all ignorance in the Mysteries of our calling be done away and that we may learn thereby how to live and further good Lord settle every one of us in such a constant course of obedience to thee that we may serve thee as thy own Children ought to serve thee and not as the World the flesh and the Devil will have us Suffer us not O Lord to set our hearts upon things below but having Food and Rayment let us be therewith content and be thankful unâ—o thy Heavenly Majesty that thou O Lord our God mayst prosper all our labours and handy-Works These and all other blessings we beg of thee in the Name of Jesus Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour in whose blessed Name and Words we further Pray Our Father c. A Prayer for a Family for Munday Evening O Lord God Almighty and our Heavenly Father who art Everlasting and full of Pity we acknowledg and confess that we are not Worthy to lift up our Eyeâ— unto Heaven much less to presenâ— our selves before thy Majesty witâ— confidence that thou wilt hear ouâ— Prayers and grant our requests iâ— we consider our own deservings For our Consciences accuse us anâ— our Sins do Witness against usâ— we know that thou art an uprighâ— Judge which doth not justifie sinners and wicked Men but punishâ— est the Faults of all such as breaâ— thy Commandements yet moâ— Merciful Father since it hath pleased thee to Command us to call oâ— thee in all our Troubles and Adversities promising even then to help us when we feel our selves as it were Swallowed up of Death and Desparation we utterly renounce all worldly confidence and fly to thy Soveraign Bounty as our only stay and refuge beseeching thee not to call to Remembrance our manifold Sins and Wickedness whereby we continually provoke thy Wrath and Indignation against us Neither do thou lay to our charge our negligence nor our unthankfulness that we have not worthily esteemed nor in our lives sufficiently exprest the sweet comfort of the Gospel revealed unto us But do thou rather Accept the obedience and Death of thy Son Jesus Christ who by offering up himself a Sacrifice once for all hath made a sufficient recompence for all our sins Have mercy therefore upon us O Lord and forgive us our offences Teach us by thine holy Spirit that we may rightly weigh them and earnestly Repent for the same and so much the rather O Lord because that Reprobates and such as thou hast forsaken cannot praise thee nor call upon thy Name but the repenting Heart the sorrowful Mind the Conscience Oppressed Hungring and Thirsting for thy Grace shall ever set forth thy Praise and Glory And now O Lord though we are but Dust and Worms yet thou art our Creator and we are the work of thine Hands yea thou art our Father and we are thy Children thou art our Shepheard and we are thy Flock thou art our Redeemer and we are thy People whom thou hast bought thou art our God and we are thine Inheritance Correct us not therefore in thine Anger O Lord neither according to our deserts punish us but mercifully Chastice us with a Fatherly affection that all the World may know that if a sinner repent him of his sins from the bottom of his Heart thou wilt put away his wickedness out of thy Rememberance as thou hast promised by thy holy Prophets And for as much as it hath pleased thee to make the Night for Man to rest in as thou hast Ordained him the day to travel in Grant dear Father that we may so take our bodily rest that our Soul may continually watch for the time that our Lord Jesus Christ shall appear for our deliverance out of this mortal life and grant that we be not overcome this Night by any Fancies Dreams or other Temptations but that we may fully set our mind upon thee love thee fear thee and rest in thee and let not our sleep be excessive or overmuch after the inâ—atiable desires of our flesh but only sufficient to content our weak Nature that we may be the better disposed to live in all Godly Conversation to the Glory of thy holy Name and the profit of our brehrent through Jesus our Lord in whose Name we pray as he hath taught us saying Our Father c. A Prayer for a Family for Tuesday Morning MOst Mighty and most glorious Lord God who art of infinite Mercy who sittest upon thy Throne above Heaven and Earth are full of thy Glory we that are but Dust and Ashes unprofitable Servants presume to present our selves before thee this morning and beg such things as we have need of from thy Divine Majesty we have tasted of thy Favors this night past and for ever since we awaked we have tasted of thy Goodness Thou thoughtest of Saving us before we began to serve thee thou hadst an eye upon us when we were yet unborn and notwithstanding our unworthiness thou still receivest us thou givest us our dayly Bread and hourly Breath thou continuest and we hope wilt comfort us in Death and
us we beseech thee let the eye of thy providence which never slumbereth nor sleepeth watch over us and let the hand of thy power Protect and defend us Cover us this Night under the Shadow of thy Wings that no evil happen unto us Grant that our bodies may be refreshed this night with such moderate rest that we may be the fitter for the works of our vocation and thy service the next morning Hear us we beseech thee for Jesus Christ his sake our Lord and only Saviour in whose Name and Words we call upon thee further Praying Our Father c. A Prayer for a Family for Thursday Morning GLorious Lord God and in Jesus Christ our merciful and loving Father we thine unworthy creatures sinful dust and ashes are here in all humility of souls and bodies prostrate as the lowest footstool of thy glorious Majesty beseeching thee to bow down thine ears unto our prayers to open thine eyes to our Supplications who from the very bottom of our hearts do acknowledg and confess that we have been unprofitable servants prodigal Children and bad stewards of that time which thou hast afforded us for repentance and good works and of those tallents which thou hast committed to our improvement we are Children of rebellious and disobedient parents our hearts are cages of unclean birds of noisome lusts and the thoughts thereof have been evil and only evil and that continually And if we look O Lord unto the actions of our lives there are few sins we have not committed no Commandement which we have not broken These eyes which now look up unto heaven have beheld vanity these tongues which now call upon thee have dishonoured thee and these hands which we now lift up unto thee have been many times lifted up against thee and thy statutes so that we have made our selves unworthy of the east of thy mercies but worthy of the greatest of thy Judgments but deal not with us after our sins neiâ—her reward us according to our â—niquities Spare us O Lord Spare thy people whom thou hast creatâ—d after thine own Image and redeemed with thy own blood And â—ccording to the multitude of thy tender compassions which have ever been of old to us blot out the multitude of our transgressions pardon our sins and receive us again into thy favour for his sake and Suffering who hath Satisfied thy Justice to the utmost farthing And for the short residue and remainder of our days give us grace O Lord to consecrate the remainder of them to thy service to redeem that time which we cannot recall and to make our calling and election sure before we go home and be seen no more And bâ—cause the corruption of our nature are too many and too strong for us and the Devil like a roaring Lyon goes about continually to devour us leave us not to our selves but assist us by thy grace perfed thy strength in our weakness and preserve both our bodies and souls blameless and spotless that wheâ— we shall have finished our course and run the race of our natural Pilâ—grimage we may receive that crown of righteousness which thou the righteous and just Judge hast laid up for all them that love and expect the day of thy appearing And together with us we intreat thee for a blessing upon our King Queen Duke and the rest of the Royal Family upon our Counsellours Ministers and Magistrates upon our friends Kindred and acquaintance upon the whole Church and every afflicted member of it Eccept of our Morning sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for all the mercies and favours comforts and deliverances which from time to time thou hast afforded and continued to us we thank thee for thy last mercy in preserving us from the dangers of this night past for refreshing our bodies with seasonable rest and bringing us safe to the beginning of this day Lord what is man that thou art so mindful of him and the son of man that thou shouldest thus visit and remember him give us grace O Lord to remember thee and to be mindful of thy mercies that we may praise thee for all thee truth and faithfulness which thou shewest to us in the land of the living that as thou hast brought us to the comforts of this day so thou mayst go along with us in the same to enable us for the Duties of those callings wherein we are placed and to deliver us from those dangers to which we are exposed ever for Jesus Christ his sake in whose most blessed name and words we conclude these our weak and imperfect prayers saying as he himself hath taught us in his holy Gospel Our Father c. A Prayer for a Family for Thursday Evening O Eternal God and most merciful Father in Jesus Christ in whom thou hast made a Covenant of Grace and Mercy with all those that come unto thee in him in his Name and Mediation we humbly prostrate our selves before the throne of thy mercy-seat acknowledging that by the breach of all thy holy Laws and Commandements we are become wild Olive Branches strangers to thy Covenant of Grace we have defaced in our selves thy sacred Image imprinted in us by Creation we have sinned against Heaven and before thee and are no more worthy to be called thy children O admit us into the place of hired servants Lord thou hast formed us in ouâ— Mothers Wombs thy Providence hath hitherto watched over us and preserved us to this present time O stay not the course of thy Mercies and loving kindness toward us Have mercy upon us O Lord for thy dear Son Jesus Christ his sake who is the way the truth and the Life In him O Lord we appeal from thy Justice to thy Mercy beseeching thee in his Name and for his sake only that thou wilt be graciously pleased freely to pardon us all our sins and disobedience whether in thought word or deed committed against thy divine Majesty and in his precious Bloodsheding Death and perfect obedience free us from all the guilt the stain the punishment and dominion of all our sins and cloth us with his perfect Righteousness there is mercy with thee O Lord that thou mayest be feared yea thy mercyes swallow up the greatness of our sins speak peace to our souls and consciences make us happy in the free Remission of all our sins and be reconciled to thy poor servants in Jesus Christ in whom thou art well pleased Suffer not the works of thine own Hands to Perish thou art not delighted in the death of sinners but in their Conversion turn our hearts and we shall be turned convert us and we shall be converted Illuminate the eyes of our minds and understandings with the bright beams of thy holy Spirit that we may dayly grow in the saving knowledg of the heavenly mystery of our Redemption wrought by our dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ sanctifie our wills and affections by the same Spirit the most sacred fountain of all
grace and goodness reduce them to the obedience of thy most holy will in the practise of all piety toward thee and charity towards all men And with us be gracious to thy whole Church bless thy servant Charles our gracious King and Governour bless our gracious Queen James Duke of York and all the Royal Family bless the Nobility the Magistracy and Ministery of this land of what quality or degree soever Be merciful to all that are under any affliction or tryal whatsoever be a Father to the fatherless a husband to the Widdow and a Comforter to the Comfortless in what streight or necessity soever they are support them and bring them out of it to thy Glory and their comfort Be merciful to all that we are bound to pray for bless our Relations Kindred and Friends and let them serve thee and live to thy Glory And now we desire to return all humble and hearty thanks to thy heavenly Majesty for all thy blessings continually showred down upon us In Creating us and Preserving us to this day in keeping us the day past from all dangers and casualties that we are continually subject to Continue O Lord we beseech thee this favour to us and let thy Angels pitch their Tents round about us this night to guard and defend us from all perils both of soul and body let our weak and wearied bodies be refreshed with seasonable and convenient rest and sleep that so we may be the more fit to discharge our duties both toward God and man the day following Grant these our weak Petitions and give us all other blessings that thou knowest we stand in need of and all we ask of thee in the blessed Name and Words of our dear Saviour and Redeemer further Praying Our Father c. A Prayer for a Family for Fryday Morning MOst Holy most Glorious and Eternal Lord God we thy poor and unworthy servants in all humility of soul and body and unfeigned acknowledgment of our duty prostrate our selves before the Throne of thy Mercy praising and magnifying thy fatherly goodness for the abundance of thy blessings and for the multitude of thy mercies heaped upon us beseeching thee for Christ his sake to be merciful to all our sins committed against thy divine Majesty upon the consideration of which we confess we are not worthy to appear in thy presence much less to ask a Blessing at thy hands for by reason of our corrupt nature in us derived from our first Parents our inclinations have been proâ—e to commit all manner of sin and wickedness against thy goodness thy laws and precepts we have broken both in thought word and deed out of our hearts proceed evil and wicked imaginations which defile the soul and the whole man is altogether abominable these things O Lord we confess to our shame and if thy mercy prevent not it will be our utter destruction of soul and body Yet O Lord thou aâ—t our Creator thou hast made us and thou hast sent thy dear Son Jesus Christ to die for us and thy holy Spirit to sanctifie us and many are the benefits and blessings which thou hast bestowed upon us and which by thy goodness we enjoy both of soul and body and therefore by the testimony of our own consciences we stand convicted and the thoughts of our great sins and transgressions do much astonish us what shall we say therefore or wherein shall we open ouâ— mouths who shall deliver us from the misery due unto us for our transgressions nothing can be expected in this life but mercy and confusion and in the world to come eternal condemnation But yet O Lord in obedience to thy command and in confident assurance of thy endless and unspeakable mercy promised in Jesus Christ to all sinners which come unto thee with sorrow in our hearts shame in our faces and in all humility of Spirit And we would appeal from thee a just Judg to thee a merciful Father from the throne of thy Justice to the seat of thy Mercy beseeching thee O Lord to have mercy upon us and to turn away thy face from all our sins and to blot out all our transgressions for the only Meritorious Death and Passion of Jesus Christ who so abundantly shed his Blood on the Cross to take away the sin of the World and be pleased now to reform our affections transform us out of sin into the glorious liberty of thy own children to live in newness of life in a holy conversation and continual obedience to thy divine Majesty And now we further intreat thee O Lord for a blessing upon thy Church Universal more especially we beseech thee to continue the peace and prosperity of these Churches wherein we live and every member thereof and in a more especial manner bless with the cheifest of thy blessings thine Annointed and our Soveraign Lord King Charles the Queens Majesty James Duke of York and the rest of the Royal Family bless the Lords of his Majesties most honourable privy Council the Reverend Clergy and all civil Magistrates bless all our kindred friends and acquaintance bless all O Lord from the highest to the lowest And since it hath pleased thee O Lord of thy Goodness to deliver us from the power of darkness and all dangers of the night past affording us quiet and comfortable rest bring us safe to the beginning of this day our souls and all that is within us shall praise thy holy Name We beseech thee to bless and defend us O Lord this day direct and protect us in it bless our going out and comming in let thy Spirit guide us in all our actions prosper all our labours and endeavours this day make us diligent and dutiful in our Callings that we may keep a good Conscience in all our dealings not any way to defraud any one knowing that one day we must give an account of all our words and deeds Lord hear us we beseech thee and accept of this our morning Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving hear our prayers and grant our petitions that we have asked and all other blessings which thou in thy infinite wisdom knowest most necessary for us we ask at thy merciful hands in the Name and through the mediation of thy dear Son our blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ our Lord in whose most excellent form of Prayer we conclude our imperfect Petitions saying Our Father c. A Prayer for a Family for Fryday Evening MOst glorious and everlasting Lord God which inhabitest eternity and dwellest in that light which no mortal eye can attain unto the God in whom we live and move and have our being we thine unworthy servants do here in all lowliness and humility present our persons and Prayers before thy divine Majesty confessing and acknowledging that we were conceived in sins and brought forth in iniquity and as if that had been but a small matter we have heaped up our Actuall transgressions as the sand upon the sea-shore and as the stars
in the firmament for number we have broken thy Commandements we have prophaned thy Sabbaths we have dishonour thy name we have abused thy creatures we have neglected the day of our Visitation and turned thy grace into wantonness whereby we have most justly provoked thy wrath and everlasting displeasure we have wounded our own consciences weakned our assurance of salvation and greived thy good Spirit which sealeth us up unto the day of our redemption And now O Lord if thou shouldst deal with us after our deservings thou mightest pour upon us the deluge of thy wrath and sury to sweep us out of the land of the living into that place of torment prepared for the Devil and his Angels But thou hast revealed thy self to the sons of men to be the Lord the Lord Merciful and Gracious Long-suffering and of great Goodness who pardonest Sinnes and passest by the transgressions of thy people this is thy Name for ever and thy Memorial throughout all generations we beseech therefore for Jesus Christ his sake to be merciful unto us in the free pardon and forgiveness of all our sins that we have ever committed against thee Accept of his obedience for our disobedience of his righteousness for our unrighteousness of his Sufferings for all our sins wash them away in his blood nail them to his cross hide them in his wounds and bury them in his grave that they may never rise up for our confusion here or for our condemnation hereafter O Lord be unto us a Father of Mercy and a God of Consolation Speak peace unto our souls and consciences and say unto us that thou art the God of our salvation And give us grace for the time to come to dye dayly unto sin by vertue of thy sons death and to rise up to newness of life by the power of his resurrection wean our hearts and take off our affections from the things of this world which endure but for a season and raise them up unto those things which are at thy right hand for evermore enlighten the darkness of our understandings subdue the stubbornness of our wills rectify the disorder of our affections and bring into obedience whatsoever exalteth it self against thy will that at last we may become such as thou would'st have us to be Continue and enlarge thy blessings upon the Church and Land wherein we live upon the person and government of our King bless all the Royal Family together with his Majesties councel the Nobility Magistracy Clergy and Gentry of the land Be merciful to all those who are afflicted with any cross or calamity all our relations and acquaintance and all others whom we are bound to pray for O Lord accept our Thanksgiving this Evening for all the mercys and favours which thou hast afforded for our souls or bodies for this life or a better more especially that thou hast preserved us and our Family this day in health and happiness Now holy Father seeing the night is upon us and we are ready to take our rest in thy hands we commit our souls and bodies and all that we have beseeching thee who art the keeper of Israel that neither sleepest nor slumberest to take care of us for if thou protect us not Satan will devour us yea we shall sleep a prepetual sleep and never arise up to praise thee we praise thee therefore be good to us this night deâ—eâ—d us from danger refresh us with comfortable rest and raise us up to glorify thee in the duties of the day following that thou mayst still be our God and we may be thy people hear us and graciously answer us in these our requests and what else thou knowest needful and expedient for us and that for Jesus Christ his sake in whose most blessed name and words we conclude these our imperfect Prayers saying as he himself hath taughts us Our Father c. A Prayer for a Family for Saturday Morning GRacious Lord God thou art the great Creator of Heaven and Earth we confess our selves unworthy to come into thy presence or to speak a word before thee wretched sinful Creatures that we are full of all iniquity and uncleanness and who can make that clean which is taken out of an unclean thing the thoughts and imaginations of our hearts are evil and only evil and that continually Yet O Lord seeing thou hast commanded us to call upon thee and hast mercifully promised to be present with thy Children to hear their prayers and to grant their requests which they put up in faith unto thee O Lord this doth give us boldness to come before thee and in confidence of thy goodness that thou wilt make good the same promises unto us at this time we here offer up unto thee this morning Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving humbly acknowledging and confessing from the bottom of our hearts our manifold transgressions and offences which we have continually multiplied against thee in thought word and deed from the beginning of our dayes unto this present time we acknowledge O Lord our Original corruption in the which we were at the first conceived and born and from which there hath sprung the most bitter and unsavoury fruit of sin apostacy and Rebellion to the great dishonour of thy Name and wounding of our poor souls and consciences and the evil example of others amongst whom we have lived by the which O God we confess that we have justly deserved that thy Wrath and indignation should be poured out upon us both in this life and in the life to come And therefore O God we come not here before thee in our own worthiness but in the worthiness and mediation of Jesus Christ beseeching thy gracious goodness for his sake to forgive all our offences our open sins our secret sins our sins of Presumption sins against Knowledg against Conscience against thee or against our Brethren either in our younger years or in the days of our knowledge as we must needs confess that in many things we offend all we beseech thee O Lord for Christ his sake to forgive the same unto us and perswade our Souls and Consciences more and more that thou art at peace with us and that all our sins are done away in the blood of thy Son And grant O Lord that by the assistance of thy Holy Spirit we may serve thee with more freedom of mind and liberty of will in Righteousness and true Holiness unto the end of our days And good Lord begin not only repentance and true conversion in us but of thy great mercy perfect the same O lead us forward more and more to perfection increase in us the saving knowledge of thee and of thy Son Jesus Christ. And now O Lord we magnify and praise thy Holy Name for thy Blessings and Mercies bestowed upon us both Spiritual and Temporal for our Health Peace Food Rayment and all the comforts of this life O Lord let us make a right use of them that we may not
afflicted and needy Supply all my wants and confer upon me all necessary blessings O be reconciled unto me in the blood of thy Son that I may â—ere depend upon thy fatherly protection and may hereafter be received into thy heavenly Kingdom there to reign with thee world without end through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour in whose blessed name and words I conclude my imperfect Prayers saying as he himself hath taught me Our Father c. The Prayer of a Marriner MOst glorious and eternal God whose power and wisdome is infinite and whose dominion is without end thou canst order and dispose of thy poor creatures to thy own praise and to their souls comfort Be pleased to look down from heaven the habitation of thy dwelling place and take notice of the broken requests of a poor worm in thy presence that is not worthy to take thy name into his lips Lord I may well say What is man that thou art mindful of him or the son of man that thou shouldst visit him that thou shouldst compass him about with loving kindness as with a garment The divine Architecture of this goodly fabrick of heaven and earth raysed out of nothing to this admirable perfection is beyond the apprehension of poor sinful dust and ashes but to behold thy glorious works upon the deep waters is much more admirable these declare thy glorious power O blessed Lord vouchsafe thy presence with a poor sinful creature in this undertaking that I may praise thee in the vast Ocean be a preserve from the danger of the Sea and prosper what is lawfully undertaken but especially preserve me from the danger of sin Oh let the gales of thy gracious spirit blow my soul at last to its desired harbour Oh thou that carriest the winds in thy fist so take care of me that the waves of the sea or of worldly desires may not swallow me up and return me home in safety that I may bless the land of the living and in the congregation of thy people and all this and whatsoever else is needful I aske for the sake of Jesus Christ my Lord to whom with the holy Spirit of grace be glory and honour now and ever Ameâ— The Thanksgiving of a Mariner after a prosperous voyage EVerlasting God the powerful preserver of men there are no bounds to be set to thy bounty for besides the great work of thy Creation thy continued Preservations and wonderful works of Providence declare thee to be a God of mighty power so also of wisdom goodness justice and truth oh never to be enough magnified is thy mercy for the continuance of thy favours thou never leavest nor forsakest those that put their trust in thee Oh holy Lord what shall I render unto thee that so aboundest in love and mercy in the deep the Lord hath been seen and every morning thou preventest me with thy loving kindness and though sin hath abounded yet thy grace hath superabounded Thou dost fulfil the desires of them that fear thee oh now as thou hast given me a new life and delivered me from the dangers and terrors of the deep waters so be graciously pleased to give me a thankful heart let there be found in me hungring and thirsting after righteousness that I may be brought home at last to that land of promised blessedness Good Lord do this and what else thou seest needful for thy Son Jesus Christ his sake our Lord in whose most holy name and words I further pray Our Father c. A Prayer to be used by all Christians O Almighty everlasting God and most gracious and dear loving Father I beseech thee for Jesus Christ his sake thy most dear and only Son to have mercy pitty and compassion upon a most vile wretched and miserable sinner whose innumerable offâ—nces both old and new are grievous and great by which I have justly deserved thy grievous wrath and everlasting damnation But now good Lord I do only appeal to thy great mercy which far surmounteth all thy works and thou hast promised in thy holy Word yea and sworn as truly as thou livest that thou desirest not the death of a sinner but ratheâ— that he should repent and live O gracious Lord I do confess that I am a great and grievous Sinner yet O Lord let me not perish nor suffer that everlasting death of my Soul which I have so deeply deserved but make me a vessel of thy great mercy that I may live and praise thy name amongst thy chosen Children for ever O let not my great sins separate me from the sight of thy holy Majesty but let thy great power and mercy be magnified in me as it was in David and Peter and Mary Magdalen and the Thief upon the cross O Lord I put my whole trust and confidence in thee who hast taken away the sins of the World who camest not to condemn the World but to save it that none which truly believe in thee should perish but should have everlasting life who camest noâ— to call the righteous but sinners to repentance O gracious God give me true hearty earnest and unseigned repentance that I may from the very bottom of my heart continually lament my manifold sins and wickednesses and so assist me with thy grace that I may never trespass against thy divine Majesty any more but that I may gladly serve thee in true holiness and righteousness all the days of my life Guide me O Lord by thy holy Spirit in all my ways works words and thoughts that I may gloriâ—y thy holy name which livest and reignest for ever through Jesus Christ my blessed Lord and Saviour in whose name and words I further pray Our Father c. A Prayer of a sick person FAithful Creator and preserver of all men look down I beseech thee upon thy poor servant who is punisht and afflicted in body with the smart of my pain and sickness and who is also troubled with the fear of thy heavy displeasuâ—e for my many sins and iniquities wherewith I have provoked thy holy Majesty in the time of my health I confess that of very faithfulness and goodness to me thou hast laid this scourge upon me to the end that by the stripes of my fleâ—h my spirit might be healed and saved in the day of the Lord Jesus I valued not the benefit of health as I should have done and therefore thou hast made me sensible of it by the want of it in my prosperity I remembred not the afflictions of my brethren and therefore thou hast afflicted me like unto them I was in a kind of spiritual lethargy till thou didst awake me with the strâ—â—ke of thy hand and because I know that it is good for me to be thus disciplined by thee I humble my self under thy mighty hand kiss this thy rod which I trust through thy grace shall make my Soul appear fair beautiful in thine eyes Comfort O Lord my fainting spirit and strengthen my