beseech thee that as I have heard thy word at this time by thy Minister and messenger so grant that I and all that have heard may Know understand the same retain and practice it according to thy Heavenly will that I may thereby grow in knowledge increase in Grace and be a lively instrument of thy Glory unto my lives end Amen A Prayer for Necessary Blessings of this Life O LORD thou hast promised never to fail those that depend upon thee thou openest thine hands and fillest all things living with plenteousness never suffering any of thine to perish that carefully seek relief from thy most gracious bounty I humbly beseech thee dermit me not to want necessaries for this present Life enable me to live without distracting cares to this end bless my labours that I may have a sufficiency for me and mine and not be burdensome unto any but rather be able to administer unto others whatsoever refreshing Comforts they shall stand in need of GIVE me neither Poverty nor Riches but feed me with Food convenient for me lest I be full and deny thee and say who is the Lord or lest I be poor and Steal and take the name of my God in vain afford me such a portion of Health and Wealth as thou in thy Divine Wisdom shalt think most convenient for me succour all such as be in want relieve the oppressed comfort the Afflicted raise the lowly and aid the needy AND O Lord I humbly beseech thee never let me want thy favourable assistance but bless my Basket and encrease my Store with thy never failing blessings that I may be able to live in thy Faith Fear and Love and out of the Depth of misery and danger of all Men through Jesusus Christ my only Lord and Saviour Amen A Thanks giving for Gods Benefits O GOD Almighty the giver of all good things thou art my stay my Comfort and only guide direct me I pray thee to employ that talent which thou hast allotted me for the advancement of thy Glory Lord thou hast been abundantly gracious and bountiful unto me and hast blest my Store insomuch that I have not only what satisfieth my own occasions but have also sufficient to Relieve others in the time of their necessity GIVE me therefore a free Heart to cast my Bread upon the waters and to Relieve my poor distressed Brethren according to the utmost of my ability to feed the hungry to cloth the naked and minister unto thy distressed Saints that I may not live unto my self but for the help of all those that want my assistance that I may lay up in Store a good foundation against the time to come and be found of thee in peace enjoying Life and Salvation through Jesus Christ Amen A Prayer for Wisdom O MOST great and glorious Lord God I confess that whilst I bear about me this Body of sin imprisoning the Soul my Nature corrupted and depraved with Iniquity original and actual seeks by all means possible to oppose the spirit and do those things which are dissonant and contrary to the motions inspirations gracious influences and working thereof my Flesh lusteth against the Spirit so that the things I would do I cannot and the things which I suppose to be done in much knowledge and wisdom will be found not only ignorance and erroneous but sinful wickedness in thy sight WHEREFORE I humbly beseech thee O holy Father to send out thy Light and Truth thy spirit of Wisdom and Revelation to Teach and Instruct me to be my God and Guide to lead me into all Truth Lord send down that Wisdom that waiteth about thy Throne and plant the same in my Heart that all my sayings and doings being always ordered by this Wisdom from on high I may do that which is pleasing in thy sight and profitable for my own Salvation and shun the contrary in all things through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour Amen A Prayer for Defence against our Enemies O LORD my God be not far from me in trouble and in all dangers Ghostly and Bodily draw near and make haste to help me I am I confess a most sinful Creature and have justly deserved thy Wrath and Indignation against me yet O Lord for thy mercy sake turn thee unto me and have compassion on me let mine Enemies prevail not in their mischievous devises lest they be too proud in thy Mercy convert them or in thy Justice consound them make them as stubble before the Wind and thine Angel scattering them LORD I am in thy hand and they are within the compass of thy power stay and allay their fury let them not take effect in their wicked Imaginations and Attempts against me but put them to confusion rid me and deliver me in thy Righteousness and be thou a Sun and a Shield unto me to comfort and protect me TO this end cause thine Angels to pitch their Tents round about me that being defended under the shadow of thy Wings and armed with the power of thy Might I may not fear what Man can do unto me Lord regard me with the eye of thy Grace and guard me with the hand of thy power that being preserved both in Soul and Body I may live in Piety Peace and Godliness unto my lives end Amen A Morning Prayer for a Family O ETERNAL and All-seeing God wonderful in thy Majesty and Infinite in thy Mercy who hast the Heavens for thy Throne and the Earth for thy Footstool the Heavens are full of the Majesty of thy Glory and cannot contain the same look down therefore from thence upon us thy Servants who now prostrate our selves before the Footstool of thy Throne of Grace humbly beseeching thee for thy dear Sons sake to be merciful unto us miserable sinners one deep calleth upon another the depth of Misery unto the depth of Mercy have Mercy therefore upon us O Lord and in the multitude of thy Mercies do away all our Offences WE Confess we are not worthy to think of thee much less speak unto thee we being so vile and miserable thou so glorious and admirable yet being assured that in forgiving of Sins and helping afflicted Souls thy fountain of Mercy is never dryed up we thine unprofitable Servants are emboldned to present our selves this Morning before thee to offer up unto thee a lively Sacrifice of Prayer and thanksgiving who didst offer up thy Son upon the Cross to be a propitiation for our Sins O let this lifting up of our hearts and hands be a morning Sacrifice pure and acceptable in thy sight Let not the greatness of our Sins with-hold thy emplored Mercy but wash us from all uncleanness and remove thy judgments due unto us for them as far from thy presence as the East is from the West O BURY them in the Grave with Christ raise us up by the power of thy Spirit unto newness of Life that we may walk in all holy obedience before thee this day and that endeavouring
and trust in thee my Song shall be of thee in the Night Season and in the Day time I will be speaking of thy wondrous Works AND forasmuch as thou out of thy tender Love and Compassion on thy Creatures hast ordained this time for their rèpose and refreshment that having past through the Cares and Dangers of the Day they might under the shadow of thy Wings find rest and security keep me I most humbly beseech thee from the Hours and the Powers of darkness watch over me this Night in thy Almighty Providence and scatter all the Rebellions and Devices of my Adversaries enlighten my Soul sanctifie my Body govern my Affections and guide my Thoughts that in the fastest closures of my Eye-lids my Spirit may see thee and in the depth of sleep be conversant with thee This and what ever thou knowest is needful for me I humbly beg at thy hands through the merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer Amen Ejaculations to be used on several Occasions When you awake in the Night HOly holy holy Lord God of Sabbath Heaven and Earth are full of the Majesty of thy Glory When the Clock strikes BLESSED be the hour in which my Lord Iesus was Born and the hour in which he Died O Lord remember me at the hour of Death and in the Day of Iudgment When you intend any Business or Journey O do well unto thy Servant that I may live and keep thy Word Prosper thou the Work of my hands upon me O prosper thou my handy Work When thou art Persecuted HASTE thee O God to deliver me make haste to help me O Lord Upon some sudden Fear O set me upon the Rock that is higher than I for thou art my Hope and a strong Tower for me against my Enemy Upon any disorderly Thoughts MAKE me a clean Heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me Upon any occasions of Sadness THY rebuke hath broken my Heart I am full of Heaviness but thou O Lord shalt lift me up again Upon any Diffidence THOU art my Hope O Lord even from my Youth through thee have I been holden up ever since I was Born though thou shouldst kill me yet will I trust in thee When thou perform'st any good Work NOT unto me O Lord not unto me but unto thy Name give the praise When thou art provoked to Anger GIVE thy peace unto thy Servant O God let no man take away my Crown in patience O Lord let me possess my Soul For thine Enemies LORD lay not this Sin to their Charge they know not what they do Upon any Deliverance or Mercy received THE Lord is my Shepherd I shall not Want he maketh me to lie down in green Pastures he leadeth me besides the still Waters he hath prevented me with the blessings of Goodness he hath granted me my Hearts desire and not with-holden the Request of my Lips Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my Life and I will dwell in the House of my God for ever Upon any Loss or Adversity SHALL we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive Evil Naked came I out of my Mothers Womb and Naked shall I return thither the Lord Gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. When you hear the Bell Toll for one Departed TEACH me O Lord to number my days that I may apply my Heart unto Wisdom Upon thought of thy Sins TURN away thy Face from my Sins O Lord and blot out all mine Offences Praise the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his Benefits who forgiveth all thy Sins and healeth all thine Infirmities When thou art weary of the Cares and Vanities of this World LIKE as the Hart brayeth for the Water-brooks so thirsteth my Soul after thee O God O who will give me the Wings of a Dove that I may fly away and be at rest Meditations for Sunday THis is the day which the Lord hath made let me rejoyce and be glad therein it is a day of rest and sweetness unto my Soul and a day of Ease from Labour◠unto my Body as thou O God didst rest this day from the Works of thy Creation so grant that I may cease this day from all Sin and by an earnest Repentance implore thy Pardon thaw this frozen Heart of mine that this day it may melt at thy presence and say unto my Soul those comfortable Words which thou wert pleased once to say to Zacheus This day is Salvation come to thy House O Lord I am utterly unworthy in my self to stand at the Door of thy Sanctuary much less to appear in thy presence and be made partaker of thy Heavenly Gifts for thou O Lord art a God of pure Eyes and canst not behold Iniquity and I am thy sinful Creature not only wilfully opposite unto thee but even Enmity it self against thee Unto thee therefore belongeth Righteousness and unto me shame and confusion of Face Lord when I thus see my self in the Glass of thy Law my flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Iudgments I HAVE sinned against Heaven and before thee by my sad refusal of thy gracious offer of Eternity in my sinful relinquishing of thy Sacred Word and am now no more Worthy to be called thy Child I have been too long feeding on the empty husks of vanity amongst the filthy Swine of sensuality and am now willing by thy Grace to return home unto thee and to humble my self low before thee that thou mayest have the Glory and I the Comfort of thy Gracious Pardon Amen A Prayer for Sunday Morning O Lord I acknowledge this day to be thine as consecrated and set a part for thy Worship and Service and to be obeserved not only as a Holy day but a glorious day unto thee wherein I ought to pay my vows present my Person and my Prayers before thee to hear thy word and Meditate upon the same to thy Glory and my own Everlasting Comfort To this end remove far from me all wandering thoughts and Worldly Affections and work in me a desire of studying thy Law and walking in the Truth that thy word may not prove unto me the Savour of Death unto Death but of Life unto Life LET my Ears be attentive that I may hear those things which thou shalt instruct me that hearing I may understand them understanding I may remember them remembring I may practice them to adorn that profession which I have invocated in thy name and confirm me in the Faith of thy Son Jesus Christ wherein I was Baptized and made a Member raise me O Father by the power of my Saviours Resurrection from Sin and iniquity and give me Spiritual rest Peace of Conscience joy in the Holy Ghost and Fellowship in the Communion of Saints that when I shall leave this Earthly Tabernacle I may keep an Everlasting Sabbath with thee in the Kingdom of Heaven BEHOLD O
was formed and fashioned in the Womb by thy tender care I was brought from thence and by thy Mercifull providence I have been preserved even to this momenthin laud and magnifie thy holy Name and implore thy never failing aid in this approaching time of my necessity O be not far off rom me when trouble is nigh at hand but hear my voice and save me when I call upon thee mitigate my pains or endue me with patience and support my Spirits in that great conflict LORD perfect what thou hast begun and what thou hast wrought in secret bring forth I beseech thee into thy most marvellous light that we may all behold the wonders of thy Wisdom and extol thy power O Lord in thee alone do I humbly place my Confidence for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth I wholly resign my self unto thee beseeching thee to have Mercy upon me and when ever thou shalt be pleased to call me from this Life Lord fit me for a better where all sorrows and tears shall be done away and everlasting joyes possess our hearts for evermore Amen The Midwives Prayer before Deliverance MOST gracious God who by thy never failing providence hast kept me even from my Mothers Womb to this moment and hast now deputed me the unworthiest of all thy Servants to this great office for a help and comfort in that great pain and peril of Child birth Be with me O Lord I beseech thee and assist me in this great work which I am now ready to undertake prosper thou O Lord the work of my hands O prosper I beseech thee my handy work O PUT thy fear into my heart that I may be as sincere to the Poor as to the Rich to save life and not to destroy let me not be too timerous nor too violent but endue me with those vertues and graces which thou knowest most convenient for me and give a Blessing to this undertaking preserve me I humbly beseech thee in the dangerous times from contagion infection or any bodily diseases which may be received from sick Persons AND as thou hast by thy Almighty power made her Conceive and hast now even brought it to the Birth so give her strength also to bring forth Support her Spirits in her labour bless the endeavours of those who are present with her preserve the life of that which strugles in her Womb to be delivered And let us behold the operation of thy hands to all our Joy and Comfort Lord hear our Prayers and let our cry come unto thee save her and help her we humbly beseech thee O Lord. Our Father c. A Thanksgiving after Deliverance FORASMUCH as it hath pleased thee O Almighty God of thy gra cious Goodness to ease me of my pains and deliver me of my burden and from the great danger and peril of Childbirth I here humbly prostrate my Soul and Body before thee to be unto thee a reasonable lively and living Sacrifice holy and acceptable in thy sight giving thy Divine Majesty infinite and unfeigned thanks for this thy gracious preservation of me and delivering me out of this great danger of Death under which I might have perished had not thy mercy and goodness embraced me on every side TO thee alone most heavenly Father be given and ascribed all Praise and Thanksgiving now and for ever as thou hast been graciously pleased to give me a Child so Lord give me thy Grace which is sufficient for me to devote and consecrate it wholly to thee and thy service to this end work mightily in it by thy holy spirit sanctifie it from the Womb not whilst it hangs upon the Breasts but so long as it shall breathe in the Land of the Living until thou translate it hence to Reign with thee in Glory Amen A Prayer for one near any Temptation O MERCIFUL God thou exercisest thy Children with sundry Trials and Temptations leaving them to themselves as thou didst Hezekiah to the end he might see his frailty some like St. Peter thou exposest to the boysterous Winds of Satans Winnowings and others like St. Paul to the blows of the Adversaries vehement Buffetings O God thine only Son thou didst not exempt from Satans sharpest and stoutest Trials when thou conductedst him into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil IF thou O Lord shouldst permit me in like manner to be tried and tempted suffer me not at any time to be overcome but hold me up by thy Almighty power animate by the presence of thy blessed Spirit and let thy Grace be ever sufficient for me whereby I may foil my Enemy and in the end get the Victory detect his Policies discover his Subtilties defeat his doings and dealings which are against me to this end endue me with such Wisdom as may make me foresee his Stratagems such vigilancy as I may avoid his Snares which he prepares for my Souls destruction LET no temptation take me but what is common to Man try me not above my strength but with the temptation make me a way to escape let me never yield to the motions of Satan suggesting unto me Death or Desperation but grant me patience to expect the hour of my Departure my Souls Separation the dissolution of my Body and deliverance from the misery of this wretched World let my trouble be without distress my perplexity without despair my persecution without forsaking and my casting down without destruction if Tears fall from my Eyes in thy good time wipe them away and preserve them in thy Bottle that they may be precious in thy sight O LORD if thou leavest me for a while draw nigh again unto me in great Compassion cover my head in my spiritual Conflicts let thy Love be my Banner thy Faithfulness and Truth my Shield and Buckler let no trial surprize me but give me a right Judgment that I may count it all Joy when I fall into divers Temptations O let not my heart be hardned by them as the Israelites were who provoked thee in the Wilderness but sanctifie all thy visitations unto me that I may be bettered and reformed by them that my Faith being tryed patience may have her perfect work in me intire lacking nothing I KNOW O Lord in all thy Temptations thou ever hast one end and Satan another thou triest me to the end that being faithful thou mightest give me a Crown of Life but Satan seeks to seduce me to Wickedness but O holy Spirit thou preserver of all Men keep me by thy Grace and strengthen me by thy Power be present with me and president in me and as thy sufferings abound in me so let thy consolation much more abound and in the midst of my greatest Agonies of Mind let thy Comforts refresh my disquieted Soul LORD let thy mighty Hand and stretched-out-Arm be now and always my Defence thy mercy and loving kindness in Christ Jesus thy dear Son my Salvation thy true and holy Word my Instruction thy Grace
shalt shew me the Path of Life in thy presence is the fulness of joy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for Evermore WE have had Fathers of the Flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in Subjection to the Father of Spirits and live he draweth the mighty with his power he riseth up and no Man is sure of Life WE have received good at the hands of God and shall we not receive Evil Affliction cometh not forth of the dust neither doth Travail come forth of the Ground Let us search and try our wayes and turn again to the Lord for though our outward Man decay our inward Man is renewed WE are chastened of the Lord that we should not be Condemned with the World For we had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God that raised the dead who hath delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver And in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us BUT we know that all things work together for good to them that love God Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing as unto ae Faithful Creator We that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened I KNOW O Lord that thy judgments are just and that thou of very faithfulness hast caused me to be troubled O let this lightaffliction which will quickly pass away cause unto me afterward a more excellent and eternal weight of Glory REMEMBER I beseech thee that thou hast made me as the Clay and wilt thou bring me into the Dust again Deliver me O Lord from Eternal Death in that day wherein Heaven and Earth shall be dissolved when thou comest to judge the Earth I know thou wilt bring me to Death and to the House appointed for all Living A Prayer to be used by a sick Person O GOD my Creator and Preserver thou hast made me after thine own Image in Knowledge Holiness and Righteousness but I have sinned most holy Father against Heaven and against thee and am no more worthy to be called or reckoned amongst thy Children for this Image of thine I have defaced I have filled my Understanding with Ignorance my Will with Stubbornness my Affections with Perverseness my Heart with Deceitfulness and my whole Life with Disobedience ever since I drew my Breath I have drank Iniquity like Water so that I can expect nothing but Death and to be Arraigned at the Bar of thy Justice there to receive an irrevocable Doom BUT O most merciful God for thy dear Sons sake blot out all my Offences and receive me Graciously enlarge my patience to endure thy Tryal and lay no more upon me than I am able to bear give a happy issue unto all Temptations and make a way for me to escape and in the end grant me a full Deliverance As thou hast made me of Dust so thou canst take from me my breath and cast me forth again to that Earth from whence I was taken but I humbly beseech thee for to spare me a little that I may recover my health and strength before I go hence and be no more seen I CONFESS O Lord there is no soundness in my Flesh because of thy Displeasure nor any rest in my Bones by reason of my sin my heart panteth my strength faileth and my beauty consumeth away like a Moth fretting a Garment O Lord if it be thy holy Will ease my Agonies mitigate my Extremities be mindful of my Sorrows and be merciful unto my Sins redeem my Life from Destruction strengthen my Weakness heal my Malady and cause me again to walk before thee in the Land of the Living but if thou hast determined to call me hence thy Will be done grant me patience under thy Correction and a lively Faith in the All-sufficient and Efficacious Merit of Christ my Saviour seal unto me a free and a full pardon of all my sins in the Blood of thy dear Son and say unto my Soul that thou wilt be my Salvation IN assiance of thy merciful Absolution cause me to confess mine Iniquities and fill my heart with such a Godly sorrow as may work my Repentance unto Salvation never to be repented of sprinkle me with the Blood of Jesus and purifie me from my daily Pollutions that being washed justified and sanctified I may be presented unto thee without spot or wrinkle let nothing separate me from the love of thee grant me thy preserving Grace that dying thine Angels may convey my Soul into Abrahams Bosom there to reign with thee World without end Amen A Prayer to be said by the Friends of the Sick O LORD our God and great Creator thou madest us innocent but by sin we have brought Death and Destruction upon our selves for we have profaned thy Sabbaths contemned thine Ordinances cast thy Word behind our backs lived in all sin and sensuality spiritual slumber and security so that thou mightest justly cut us off from the Land of the Living and give us our Portion with Hypocrites where there is weeping and gnashing of Teeth BUT O Lord for thy Mercy sake and for the Merits of thy Son spare us a little and give us space of amendment before we go hence and be no more seen correct us in thy Mercy and not in thy Justice lest we should be consumed and brought to nothing whilst we live teach us to die daily to mortifie the deeds of the Flesh and to contemn the World with the Vanities thereof wean us from inordinate Self-love that we may not endear our selves too much to these Transitory lives of ours but may be ready and willing to depart when it shall stand with thy good pleasure to call for us take away from us the bitterness of Death and sweeten by the Cross of Christ these Waters of Marah that we may sigh and lament in our selves desiring to be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption into the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God LET our lives and the life of this thy sick Servant be now and ever precious in thy sight look mercifully upon him that is grieved with sickness Lord if thou wilt thou canst make him whole send him therefore help and health from thy holy place and evermore mightily defend him let the Enemy have no advantage against him nor the Wicked approach to hurt him but be thou present with him strengthen his Faith increase his patience under thy Correcting-hand raise him up from his sorrowful Bed and if thou art pleased longer to exercise him lend him strength to endure thy Tryal BUT if thou hast determined to take him hence Lord certifie unto him how long he hath to live make him to know his end and the measure of his days that by Prayer and Repentance he may provide wisely for his last end and be found of thee in peace and enjoy everlasting happiness dispose his
Noâ—trils can drive us like Chaff before the face of the Wind and chase us into the bottomless Pit from whence there is no Redemption BUT thine Eye O Lord hath spared us and we are yet alive O make us living Monuments of thy Mercy that we may work out our Repentance unto Salvation and let it be such a Repentance never to be repented of possess my heart with such a fear and a love of thee that I may tremble at thy Word and melt at the sight of thy Judgments deliver me I humbly beseech thee in that great day of thy appearance and let me not be in the number of Depart ye Cursed but among those whom thou callest Come you blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you This I humbly beg for thy Sons sake our only Lord and Saviour Amen The Marriners Prayer O GOD the great Creator of Heaven and Earth thou dost whatsoever thou pleaseâ—t in the Sea and in all deep places I the most unworthiest of all thy Servants am at this time called upon to behold thy Wonders in the Deep and to perform my Duty in great Waters Guide me I beseech thee in all times and in all places be thou our skilful Pilot to steer us and protect us from all Dangers and rebuke the Winds and the Seas when they molest us preserve our Vessel from being rent by the loud cracks of Thunder or from being burnt by Lightning or any other accident keep us and save us from tempestuous Weather from bitter Frosts Hail Ice Snow or Whirlwinds and from Captivity and Slavery TEACH me O God to remember thee my Creator in the days of my Youth to continually think upon thee and to praise thy Name for all thy Mercies bless all our Friends I beseech thee that are on Land and let their Prayers for us be acceptable in thy sight and grant that our next meeting together may be for the better and not for the worse even to the praising and magnifying of thy holy Name and the Salvation of our own Souls in the great day of the Lord Jesus to whom with thee and thy blessed Spirit be ascribed all Honour Power and Glory Adoration and Subjection now and for evermore Amen The Soldiers Prayer O MOST Omnipotent Lord God Heaven is thy Throne and Earth is thy Footstool and the whole Host of Heaven continually pays obedience to thee O Lord I present my self before thee acknowledging my own vileness but thy infinite goodness my own weakness but thy infinite Power and Majesty O thou that teaches our hands to War and our fingers to Fight endue me with a courage and resolution to run through those difficulties I may meet withal and when any engagement presents it self for the publick good of my King and Country then O my God animate me with that vigour and Christian fortitude that I may overcome all those which oppose thee and thy people PRESERVE me I beseech thee and bless me in all my Enterprises save me from Death and cover my head in our day of Battel prosper our Arms with good success make our Religion and Country like the House of David grow stronger and stronger but let the Enemy like the House of Saul grow weaker and weaker let no covetous desires greediness of spoil ambition vain-glory hatred malice uncharitableness or any thing that exalts it self against thee and thy Kingdom ever take hold of me keep me from all Atheism Infidelity Blasphemy and Prophaneness from all Rioting Chambering and Wantonness grant that I may do no violence to any man nor accuse no man falsly but be content with my Wages that when ever Death approaches I may joyfully giving up the Ghost pronounce this saying I have fought a good fight I have finish'd my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Iudge shall give unto all those which love and fear him and put their trust in his mercy Amen The Magistrates Prayer O GOD thou Supreme Judge of the World thou didit ordain Man through thy Wisdom and gavest him dominion over thy Creatures and authority to govern the World according to equity and righteousness and to execute Judgment with all uprightness thou hast appointed me a Minister O Lord and a Judge of thy Sons and Daughters but none can discharge so great a trust without thy divine power and assiâ—tance TO thee therefore O Lord do I humbly address my self thou art the Fountain from whence every good and perfect gift cometh and none can rule without thy Wisdom guides them Endue me O Lord with that wisdom which is from above which is first pure and then peaceable inspire me with an understanding Spirit that I may discern between Good and Evil between Light and Darkness that I may be always ready to pronounce a just sentence in all Causes let the Scales of Justice be ever even and let my Eyes be blind and my Ears deaf to all gifts or popular applause amongst men suffer me not to bear thy Sword in vain but fill me with that Zeal and Courage that I may be ready to punish Wickedness and Vice but encourage true Religion and Vertue so that at the last when thou shalt be pleased to call me hence I may give up my accounts with joy and not with grief and receive those blessed Words which thou hast pronounced of Well done thou good and faithful Servant enter into the joy of thy Lord. Amen A Prayer of a Debtor in Prison O GOD the helper of the poor and needy and all those who are in adversity look down I beseech thee with an Eye of Pity and Compassion upon thy afflicted Servant the place I am in is miserable disconsolate and comfortless but withdraw not the light of thy countenance from me O Lord I confess I have abused all those mercies I have enjoyed I have not employed that precious time thou hast given me to improve but on the contrary I have been negligent and guilty of all profuseness I have been worse than an Infidel in not making that provision for my Family which I was obliged in Justice to perform neither have I paid those due Debts which I became bound to do therefore aâ— I plunged into this depth of misery Divers ways I am apprehensive I have highly offended thy Divine Majesty both in thought word and deed for which I earnestly implore thy gracious pardon and forgiveness I acknowledge thy Divine Goodness and Mercy that thou hast not snatched me hence and sent me into everlasting burnings amongst the damned but thou hast preserved me unto this moment that I might live and praise thy great Name My Body O Lord is now confin'd but I beseech thee enlarge my Spirit whereby I may offer up the Sacrifice of Prayer and Thanksgiving with all cheerfulness for all thy innumerable benefits which I have from time to time received from thee dispose the hearts of my