we thank thée for those inestimable blessings which concerne a better life and our eternall happinesse as our Election before the foundations of the world our Creation into the world our Redemption by the bloud of thy deare Sonne Christ Iesus when wee were worse then nothing our Sanctification by the holy Spirit our Uocation from the world our blessed hope of Glorification in the world to come O Lord we confesse we haue not deserserued the least of all these thy blessings either temporall or spirituall but haue rather giuen thée iust cause to depriue vs of euery one of them by reason of our manifold sinnes both Originall and Actuall which we haue multiplied against thée from time to time O Lord we confesse that our Conception our birth yea and our whole liues haue béene in sinne liuing in the breach of all thy Commandements our fathers and mothers were sinfull deriuing it euen from our first parents Adam and Eue and so to vs that as Adam purchased for vs his Children none other inheritance but the vnhappy entrance into sinne and corruption and we béeing in his loynes and engrafted into this detestable stocke of sinne we are sorie O Lord that wee haue offended thée so willingly and disobediently strayed from thy holy Lawes yea we do vnfainedly condemn our selues in thy presence for euery one of our sins purposing in our hearts by the grace of thy Holy Spirit to forsake our former euill wayes and to make more conscience of sinne then euer we haue done heretofore Now for as much as it hath pleased thée to make the night for man to rest in as thou hast ordained him the day to trauell in grant deare father that wee may so take our bodily rest that our soules may continually watch for the time that our Lord Iesus Christ shal appeare for our deliuerance out of this mortall life in the meane season wée beséech thée grant that in our sléepe we be not ouercome by any fantasies dreames or other tentations but that we may fully set our minds vpon thée loue thée feare thée and rest in thée and that our sléepe be not â—â—cessiue or ouermuch after the vnsatiable desire of the flesh but onely sufficient to content our weake natures that wee may be the better enabled the day following to liue in all godly conuersation in the discharge of our callings to the glorie of thy holie name and profit of our brethren through Iesus Christ our Lord. Blesse with vs wee beséech thée thy Children and Church in all places poure downe thy blessings in especiall manner vpon the Kings most excellent Maiesty the Quéene and her Royall Progeny blesse all the Nobilitie and Magistrates of the land Blesse the Ministers and teachers of thy holy Word Lord giue a blessing to their labours that by their ministerie such may daily be woon vnto thee as belong vnto thine Election of grace Blesse and succour all the afflicted members of thy Church wheresoeuer or howsoeuer distressed bée with them in all their sicknesse lay no more vpon them then thou shalt make them able to beare giue them the true sight and féeling of their sinnes so far as may leade them to true repentance a hartie sorrow for the same howsoeuer it shall please thée to deale with them let it bee in mercy and not in iustice knowing they are but flesh and in thy good time send them a happy deliuerance out of their miserie either by life or by death as it shall séeme best tâ— thy maiestie Lastly as duty bindes vs we commend vnto thy fatherly protection all our friends and kindred according to the flesh whether they bee néere or deare vnto vs in affinitie or consanguinity and all whomsoeuer thou wouldest we should commend vnto thy maiesty for them as for our selues wée beséech thee continue thy mercies and goodnesse towards vs euen for thy deare sonnes sake Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour to whom with thee and the blessed Spirit our Comforter be ascribed as is most due all honour and glorie now and for euer Amen Another prayer for Morning O Most mercifull God and heauenly father we thy seruants doe hers humbly prostrat our selues before thy diuine maiesty acknowledging here in thy sight our heinous offences committed against thée both in thought word and worke so that our sinnes are growne more in number then the haires of our heades and if thou shouldest enter into Iudgement with vs we could not be able to answere thée one of a thousand they are so heinous that the very least of them being but conceiued in thought is sufficient in iudgement to throw vs down to the lake that burneth with fire brimstone besides O Lord wee are guilty before thy Maiestie of a huge masse of corruption which we haue drawn from the loines of our first parents which of it owne nature is inough to condemne vs if thou shouldest deale with vs according to Iustice though we had neuer committed actuall sin all the daies of our leues Further O Lord wee are full of blindnes and sencelesse securitie running on headlong to destruction and committing sinne after sinne although not notorious to the world yet horrible before thy pure eyes which seest all things but O Lord wee dayly grone vnder the burden of our sinnes inwardly lamenting our own folie In Heauen Earth or Hell we see none able to sustain thy wrath for them but euen thy deare Son Christ Iesus the Son of thy loue who in mercy infinite and in compassion endles hath suffered and ouercome that endlesse punishment which was due vnto vs for them In him therfore most mercifull Father and through him do we come vnto thee beingful assured according to thy promise that thou wilt accept and take that full recompence which he our Sauiour hath made for vs on his Crosse In him therefore we see thine anger towards vs appeased and thy wrath satisfied and our debt payed O Lord enlarge our hearts with thankefulnesse to thy Maiestie for the same and make sinne to dye in vs more and more that wee may hate detest and vtterly abhorre all sinne in all men but especially in our selues and strongly through thy spirit set our selues in open war against all sinne and wickednesse that we may not please our selues in the least sinne but streightly examine sinne by the strict Rules of thy holyword we may alwaies walke not onely before the eyes of man but circumspectly in this respect that we haue the eies of thy maiestie to take a view of our doings we humbly thank thy maiesty for all thy mercies bestowed vpon vs either for soule or bodie amongst the rest wee acknowledge this not to bee the least that we haue quietly passed this night and that thou hast giuen vs quiet rest and sléepe for the refreshment of our weake bodies which without the same could not endure grant we beseech thée that we may bestowe this day and the residue of our life wholly in thy
into the affaires of this day I beséech thée blesse me in the duties of my calling this day and euer for idlenesse and godlynesse can not stand together and it is thy pleasure that in the sweat of my face I should eat my bread O Lord preserue me from all fraudulent and deâ—eitfull courses draw my affections more and more from the loue of the World fix my heart vpon those things which are aboue if things succéed according to my mind by thy blessing vpon my labours make me thankefull vnto thée if any crosse come make me patient and carefull to profit by euerie chastisement that it shall please thée to lay vpon me knowing that howsoeuer they are greiuous for the present yet in the end they will bring the quiet fruit of righteousnesse to al them that are thereby exercised which God grant for his Christs sake to whom with the holy spirit bee all praise now and euer Amen Euening Praier for a priuate Person O Eternall God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him my most mercifull father I humbly confesse before thy glorious presence that I am altogether a lump of sinne a masse of corruption and therfore haue for feited thy fauour and incurred thy high displeasure both in thought word and deede My sins O Lord are more in number than the haires of my head yea farre more than I can possibly féele or know and if I should goe about to reckon vp my particular offences I know not where to begin or where to make an end It is thou O Lord who knowest my sins to whom the secrets of my heart are manifest and nothing can be hid from thy sight besides my consciense doth accuse me of many greiuous euils and I daily feele by ful experience how fraile I am how prone to euel and backward to all goodnesse my minde my heart and affections and all the faculties both of soule and body are ful of vanitie profanenesse dulnesse deadnesse drowâ—inesse in matters of thy worship and seruice But O déere father I haue learned from thy mouth that thou art a God full of mercie slow to wrath and of great compassion and kindnesse towards all such as are heauy laden groan vnder the burthen of their sinnes O Lord extend thy great mercy towards mée poore sinner and giue me a general pardon for al mine offences whatsoeuer seale it to my conscience in the blood of thy déere son Christ Iesus assuring me more and more of thy loue an fauour towards me and that thou art a reconciled father vnto me in the same christ O Lord I beséech thée principally giue me victorie ouer those sins thou knowest my nature most prone to commit Mortific in me whatsoeuer is carnall and sanctiffe me by thy good spirit and knit my heart vnthée for euer Lord grant that I may take delight in the reading and hearing of thy holy word that I may loue and reuerence all the faithfull Ministers of the gospell giue O Lord a melting heart that I may tremble at thy worde let not my sinnes holde backe thy mercies from me nor mine vnworthines stop the passage of thy grace I most humbly thank thee for all thy blessings bestowed vpon me necessarie for this life as food raiment health peace liberty c. which many of thy déere children doe want being notwithstanding bought with the pretious blood of Christ Iesus as well as I. Biâ—t aboue all deere Father I praise thy name for the blessings of a better life especially for thy holy worde and sacraments and all the good I enioy therby for the continuance of thy gospell the worde of truth the means of our saluation for the death of thy son and all that happinesse I receiue thereby O Lord open my blinde eies euery day more and more to sée and consider of thy great and meruelous loue towards me in all these things that by the dew consideration therof my heart may be drawne néerer vnto thee to loue thée much because thou hast giuen much and as thou dost abound towards me in goodnesse so grant that I may abound towards thée in obedience and thankfulnesse and in these my weak and imperfect praiers O Lord I am not mindeful of my selfe alone but of the whole estate of thy Church wheresoeuer blesse all christian Kings and Princes calling vpon thy name especially our dread Soueraigne the Kings Maiestie the Quéene and their roial Progonie Blesse all the nobilitie the magistrates and ministers of the Land that all their Councels and labours may begin at thy feare and may be referred thy glory Succour and comfort all those that are comfortlesse sanctifie all their afflictions and troubles vnto them that they may tend to thy glory and their owne good Finally O Lord according to my bounden dutie I commend vnto thy Maiestie all my friends and acquaintance beséeching thée for them as for my selfe to blesse vs all in our particular places and grant that we may do those things which may bée to thy glorie and our comforts through Iesus Christ our Lord. In whose name I end as he hath taught me saying Our father which art in heauen hallowed bee thy name Thy kingdome come Thy-will be done in earth as it is in heauen c. A Prayer for a priuate person necessarie at all times ALmightie God and in Iesus Christ my most mercifull and louing Father I doe here in thy presence acknowledge that I am of my selfe a most wretched and miserable sinner both in respect of the corruptions of my heart as also the transgression of my life more particularly I doe acknowledge the infidelitie of my heart wherby I haue not yet learned to depend vpon thy prouidence for the things of this life nor vpon thy mercie for the saluation of my soule I confesse O Lord the Atheisme and profanenesse both of my mind and heart whereby all my thoughts and affections are estranged from thée and so glewed to the things of this life that I can take more ioy and delight in doing mine owne will and in seruing mine owne lusts then euer I would â—â— in seruing and obeying thée I acknowledge likewise the pride of mine own heart whereby I doe eralt my selfe in the vanity of my own conceit aboue thy maiestie and aboue my Brethren whom thou hast made farre more excellent then my selfe as also the security of the flesh whereby I put away the day of wrath farre from mee promising to me selfe fréedome from all thy curses and plagues notwithstanding I walke in sinne and in the stubbornnes of mine owne heart my hypocrisie wherby I am content my selfe onely with an outward name and profession of religion and holinesse before men not regarding the truth and power of godlinesse besides O Lord my life abounds in all Actuall transgressions against euery one of thy commandements I haue liued in the abuse of thy mercies and haue not béene drawne néerer vnto thee In neglect of thy
father that sent him O Lord grant that I may follow his steps endeuouring to please thée in the whole course of my life through the same Iesus Christ our Lord and only Sauiour Amen A Praier containing humble confession of Sinne and desire of pardon O Eternall God and mercifull father infifinite in iustice and truth taking vengance vpon all disobedient children and yet abundant in goodnesse and mercy towards al such as vnfainedly feare thy name and return vnto thée in sincerity of heart and contrition of spirit prostrating their soules before thée I most vile and wretched sinner doe humbly beséech thée of thy infinite mercy to haue compassion vpon my sinnes which are so grieuous and so vile and loathsome as thy pure eies can not abide to looke vpon them I confesse O Lord that all my life hath béen in sinne our fathers and mothers were sinnefull euen from the sâ—ock of our great grandfather Adam whose blindnesse should haue béen our light and whose sight was turned to our blindnesse and darkenesse by the deceitfull entisements of that enemy of our saluation that subtill serpent Satan by whose baites our forefather being clothed with innocency and integretie and vnspeakable hapinesse was moued by the desire of the knowledge of that which thou wouldest he should haue béene ignorant of by breaking of which thy commandement he with the woman which thou gauest to bee a help comfort vnto him were according to thy determinate will cast out of Paradice a place of ioy to a place of miserie and labour I beseech thee most gratious God smite my hard and stonie heart and make it euen to melt with in me at the sight of my manifold transgressions settle in it I pray thée that godly sorrow which causeth repentance vnto saluation not to be repented of humble my soule vnder thy mighty hand and suffer it not to fréeze in the dregs of mine owne corruptions and make my head full of water mine eies a fountaine of teares which may run down like a riuer day night and grant O Lord that I may sorrow not so much because of hell and damnation which is due vnto me for my sinnes but that my chiefest sorrow may be this that I haue offended so good and gratious a God as thou art in abusing thy mercies and requiting thy excéeding loue with so greiuous sins O Lord I am bold to come vnto thée at this time not in my owne name for who am I that I should dare to presse into thy presence but in the name and mediation of thy déere and welbeloued son Christ Iesus Let his death passion be a full satisfaction for all my sinnes wash me throughly in his blood from mine iniquities and clense me from my sinnes let not thy hand of iustice destroy me but giue me the comfort of thy help and stablish me with thy truth Most gratious father thou which art the father of mercies and the God of consolations of thée I aske mercy and forgiuenesse of all my sinnes thou wouldest that none should perish but that all should be saued and come to the knowledge of thy truth thou hast commanded me most gratious God in thy holy word to call and knock vnto thée whereupon thou hast gratiousty promised so to finde as to enter into me and to entertaine me I beséech thée make good my promise vnto me at this time and regard my teares my sighes and my groanes which doe knock at the gate of thy mercies I endeuour most gracious God and striue to do thy will Lord make good thy promise I beséech thée in thy word and accept my desire and howsoeuer vilde wretch that I am euer since I Couenanted with thée to doe thée seruice I haue either vngratiously forgotten or vngratefully remembred all thy benefits and haue not so estéemed thée for them as I would haue done a mortall friend for a few common Curtesies yet neuer the lesse haue mercy vpon me I can not excuse my faults and If I should yet my consciense would condemne mée for I had thy expresse word to stay me and mine owne conscience to bridle me yea I would haue allowed those things which I did if any other had done them but my selfe now when my memorie is the handwriting of my debt and my thoughts are willing wâ—â—nesses against me and mine owne knowledge condemneth me what remaineth but that I must néeds fall into thy hands O Lord I beséech thée according to thy wonted mercy and old louing kindnesse haue pity vpon me miserable sinner and grant me a frée remission of all my sinnes and a perfect reconciliation with thée in Christ Iesus this O Lord I earnestly craue at thy hands euen for the same Iesus Christ sake our Lord and sauiour Amen A godly Prayer in time of sicknesse or at the point of Death ALmightie God and in Iesus Christ my most mercifull Father I thy poore wretched seruant which doe here lye vnder thy hand féeling thy punishment of the corruption and transgression that is in me and in all flesh euen this same sicknesse which at this time thou hast sent vnto mee I doe here humble my selfe vnder thy hands and acknowledge against my selfe my heinous sins and corruptions so that I confesse that I haue not only deserued sicknes of body yea the separation of my soule from my body but also the separation both of bodie and soule from thée and thy kingdome for euer but good Father I humbly beseech thee looke vpon me in the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus in whome thou hast loued mee before the foundations of the world were laid though sinne haue brought sicknes and sicknes bee an vndoubted messenger of death at the time thou hast appointed yet grant good Lord that I may be vndoubtedly perswaded in this that death is swallowed vp in victorie and that this death can no more hold me vnder then it hath done Iesus Christ into whom I am translated therefore I beseech thée giue me a swéet féeling of my incorporation into Christ Iesus in whose death though I dye yet I shall liue by y â— vertue of his resurrection eternally O Lord in this my sicknesse giue me I beséech thée a déep touch and a sensible vnderstanding of my sinnes past that I haue not vsed this temporall life which thou didst lend mee more to thy glorie that I did not so watch for death as that I was no better prepared for it that I was no more diligent in my calling to seeke the aduancement of thy glory Now O Lord I pray thee take from me all guile of Spirit all disposition to flatter or to sooth vp my selfe or to lessen either the number or the qualitie of my sinnes cause mee euen to breake vp my hart and to search and trie my waies that so out of the abundance of my feeling I may poure out a most plentifull and sincere confession before thee knowing it to be in vaine to endeuour