pulled out it can doe no harme therefore giue me the wisdome of thy Spirit that I may pull out the sting of death which is sin then death shall not affright mee for as death to the wicked is dismall and packeth to hell so to the godly it is amiable and passeth their soules to heauen grant then deare God that death may be to mee as to all thy Saints seruants the gate to life the end of sinning and sorrowing and the passage of my poore soule to life and glory euerlasting O Lord grant I may euer haue death in mine eie that I may euermore desire it abhor it neuer that I may neuer doe any one act but that I durst doe if I were now dying and called to thy strict tribunall to giue an account for it in my person thus grant mee grace to liue in thy feare and dye in thy fauour and obtaine that blessednesse spoken of in the Reuelations Reuel 14.13 Blessed are they that dye in the Lord thus prepare me for the first death and saue mee from the second in the merits of the Lord Iesus Amen A Prayer for a woman in Child-birth MY most louing gracious God thy power is mighty and thy goodnesse answerable to them that feare thee thou art so potent as thou canst doe more than euer thou wilt doe from feare and danger thou canst and wilt deliuer all those that put their trust in thy mercy thus thou sauedst Sydrach frō the fire Dan. 3.27 and didst diuide the Sea to saue the house of Iacob from the host of Pharaoh Exod. 14.28 Lord I beseech thee saue me from my present danger of Child-bearing and bring mee safely through my present straight and miserie thou O Lord that canst make hard things easie shew now thy might and mercy vpon mee Matth. 19.26 that which is impossible with man is easie with thee to bee accomplished I confess O my God that the woman was first in the transgression and therefore this was her iudgment that in sorrow should shee bring forth yet notwithstanding euen through child-bearing she being truely humbled for her sinne shall bee saued 1 Tim. 2.15 if she continue in faith with holinesse Giue me O Lord to rest comfortably vpon thee for deliuerance Lord grant I may cleaue vnto thee in the extreamitie of my paines If I perish Lord I will perish in thy bosome Lord moderate my torments remember Lord I am but dust vnable to beare thy heauy displeasure for my sinne lay no more vpon mee than thou wilt inable mee comfortably to beare thus good Lord blesse me in my soule in my body in the fruit of my wombe for Iesus Christs sake Amen A Prayer after Child-birth MY most deare gracious God whereas thou hast commanded me to call vpon thee in the day of trouble and vpon deliuerance to glorifie thy Name O Lord according to my bounden duty from the bottome of my heart I desire to magnifie thy Name for that thou hast thus graciously preserued mee from paine and peril of Child-birth let me neuer O Lord forget this thine vnspeakable goodnesse and mercy but let it lead mee into all obedience as I liue yet by thee giue mee grace to liue vnto thee and the praise of thy great Name I thanke thee also gracious God for that thou hast made me a ioyfull mother of children good Lord grant I may labour to bring them vp in thy holy feare that as I am an instrument of their generation which is sinfull and damnable so make mee an happy instrument of their regeneration without which neither I nor they can euer see thy Kingdome O God And good Lord I pray thee grant that I may also submit vnto my husband in all due obedience according to thy will that I may be a comfort vnto him liuing faithfully louingly chastly and godlily with him till death vs depart that so thy blessing may bee vpon him my selfe my children and family from this time forth for euermore Amen A Prayer for the Traueller by land ALmighty GOD by whose prouidence all things are directed supported and preserued I pray thee blesse mee in mine out-goings and incommings make I pray thee this my iourney prosperous vnto mee keepe me from sinning and bad society and that by the watch of grace keepe mee also from all outward perills from perill of theeues peril by beasts perill by lightning Psal 91.12 and from dashing my foot at any time against a stone and that by the watch of thy holy and heauenly Angels And good Father as thou didst goe with Iacob and defend him in his long perillous voyage to Laban Cen. 35.3 and didst bring him safely backe againe so I pray thee preserue mee in this my iourney from all dangers bodily and ghostly and bring mee safe home againe to my friends and family for Iesus Christ his sake Amen A Praier for the traueller by Sea O Most mercifull gracious heauenly Father I beseech thee in this my dangerous voyage by Sea to prosper defend mee Lord make it profitable and aduantageable vnto mee to this end I pray thee direct my course with safety and giue mee fauourable and conuenient winds defend mee from raging tempests that they may not ouerturne mee saue mee from all dangerous rocks and sands that they may not despoile mee keepe me safe also from piraticall and tyrannous enemies that they may neuer preuaile against me To this end Lord giue me and my whole company to bee constant and instant in praier with thee to spend our houres in hearing and reading thy holy and heauenly Word to flye and shun all euill and when I come to the hauen where I would be Lord giue mee to praise thee for my safe arriuall and saue mee from the sins of the place and people whither I goe and let me not bee corrupted or peruerted by them but grant by my good counsel and holy conuersation I may labour the conuersion of them which mercy if thy Maiesty shall vouchsafe to grant I shall more reioyce in heart than if I had won the whole world And good Lord I pray thee giue mee a safe and timely returne with credit profit comfort that so I tasting of thy mercies in this life I may not faile of saluation when I die and that for Iesus Christs sake Amen A Prayer for the Church O Most glorious mercifull Lord God I pray thee for thy mercies sake behold from heauen thy Church and people honor them Lord that honour thee and confound them that rise vp against thee great is our present misery the earth and world throughout good Lord saue thy seruants from the hands of all their enemies thy Church is euery where despised and despighted and trodden vnder foot of the wicked of the world O Lord sleepe not but arise in thy power and let all thine and our soes bee scattered Giue O Lord thy Gospell a free passage for the
thee nor presume to sinne vpon expectation of thy pardon what greater abuse of thy mercie than this can there be Rom. 2.4 thy mercy should lead mee from my sins vnto repentance not from repentance vnto sinne Lord with griefe of heart I doe mournfully confesse before thee that I haue too too much presumed in bold and wilful sinning against thee vpon hope of pardon from thee Lord humble me more and more for this my most dangerous sinne and offence and let it not bee mee but sinne in me whensoeuer I sin against thee LORD aboue all things saue me from an impudent and shamelesse soule saue mee from sinning against thee with so high an hand in so great a measure that my chiefest care being to master sinne in this life it may bee thy good will and pleasure to free mee from damnation in the world to come for Iesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer against the Plague O Lord my God most mighty and glorious whereas thy gracious promise is Psal 91.4.7 to saue mee from plague and pestilence to hide mee vnder thy wings and to keep me safe vnder thy feathers thousands shall fall on my right hand and ten thousand on my left and no plague shall come neere my dwelling Lord for thy mercies sake saue me from this wrath of thine and euermore defend mee And heauenly Father I pray thee to this end purge my soule from the leprosie of sinne the cause of all thy iudgments present and to come this fearfull affliction neuer commeth but alwaies some or other sin procuring it foure great and grieuous plagues thou sentest against the house of Israel foure lamentable sinnes procuring the same as bellicheare Num. 11. Num. 16. Num. 25. 2 Sam. 24. contempt of thy Ministers fornicating and putting confidence in the arme of flesh for victorie O Lord preserue mee and this whole nation from these and al other transgressions that so iniquity may neuer be our destruction Thus I most humbly beseech thee saue me from sins iudgments in this life from euerlasting damnation in the world to come for Iesus sake Amen A Prayer against the Sword ALmighty and most merciful Father great are thy iudgments and fearefull thy punishments appointed for sinners yea for thine owne people if they sinne against thee though thou wilt in the Lord IESVS spare them in thine euerlasting loue from an euerlasting damnation yet if they bee bold to sinne thou wilt lash them with a temporary correction as thou didst threaten thine owne people Israel Ezek. 21.4 that thou wouldest draw thy Sword and cut off the righteous with the wicked O Lord I beseech thee saue me from this fearfull miserie let the sword of thy law pierce and humble mee that the sword of thy iudgments may neuer ouertake me I blesse thee O Lord God for peace in our borders wee haue no howling in our gates no complaining in our streets Psal 144.14 no leading into captiuity no defiling of Temple and City blessed are the people that are so happy are they that haue thee O Lord for their God O Lord God giue mee and the whole nation grace to repent with Nineve of all our sinnes Iâ—â— 3.10 that so wee may neuer bee deuoured by the sword but in peace if it bee meet for thy glory and the good of thy church we may passe to peace and glory euerlasting Amen A Prayer against Famine O Most mighty and most glorious Lord God I beseech thee saue me from miserie and destruction which iustly for my sinnes might come vpon me O Lord in particular I pray thee for thy mercies sake preserue me from famine and perishing by hunger that ruefull iudgment and of all deaths the most miserable vnder the Sun for none like staruing to death Lord grant I may daily dye vnto my sinnes that for them I may neuer in this terrible iudgment die how heauie is it to my soule the remembrance of that distressed woman 2 Kings 6.28 who in that famine of Samaria complained to her King That her neighbour shared with her in the eating of her child but she could not againe haue part with her neighbour a lamentable complaint a distresse most miserable O Lord of thy goodnes saue mee and this nation from the same And as we would be spared from these thy dismall iudgments so Lord grant wee may labor to be freed from our wicked and abominable transgressions wee haue abused thy creatures vnto vanity and thy comfortable mercies vnto riot and excesse it were iust with thee to fulfill that heauy sentence vpon vs Hee that hath not it shall bee taken away that which he hath he that hath not to a good and holy vse it shall bee taken away that which he hath O Lord haue mercy vpon mee and deliuer me from famine in this life and destruction in the next to come for Iesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer for grace in generall O Eternall GOD and my most mercifull heauenly Father who art Author and finisher of my faith from whom euery good and perfect gift descendeth I most humbly intreat thee to sanctifie my soule with thy holy and heauenly grace especially with those excellent gifts of thy holy Spirit spoken of by thine holy Apostle Peter proper onely to thine elect and chosen as faith vertue knowledge patience temperance godlines brotherly kindnesse loue for if these things be in me and abound I shall neuer fall into the ditch of hell Lord let me not do mine own wil but giue mee alwaies to bee guided by the motions of thine holy Spirit into all truth let it bee my meat and drinke the obedience of thy word grant I may finde out that old and good way Ier. 6.16 the way of thy feare and grace that walking in it constantly and conscionably I may finde euerlasting peace and rest to my soule O Lord giue me to loath sinne as the greatest enemy of my soule for the wages of sinne is death but the gift of thee O my God is eternall life Rom. 6.23 through my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ If I bee not borne twice better it had beene for mee neuer to haue beene borne except I repent I perish Luke 13.3 Lord who shall dwell in thy holy Tabernacle euen hee that leadeth an incorrupt life for no vncleane thing shall enter into thy kingdome vnsanctified vnsaued and without holinesse I can neuer see thee O God therefore I beseech thine holy and heauenly maiesty to mortifie sinne in mine earthly members and to renew mee in soule and body giue me O my God a new minde new will new affections new thoughts new words new waies all new for he that is a member of the Lord Iesus is thus become a new creature O Lord euermore delight my soule with holinesse and let thy feare preserue mee alwaies from euill thus giue mee I pray thee to liue purely in some good measure in this life that I
confesse with a heauy heart O Lord that I grow but poorely in the power and might of grace Lord quicken mee Lord abound thy graces in mee Ioh. 6.12 thou that madest bread grow double thy graces in mee as that oile increased 2 King 4.6 Lord increase the oile of thy graces within mee Ioh. 2.7 as those water pots were filled so fill my soule with thy goodnesse euen vp to the brim and let my cup runne ouer with thine euer-flowing mercies that hereby I may bee made more able to serue thee in holinesse and also more assured of euerlasting happinesse in Christ Iesus to whom thou gauest the Spirit without measure to whom with thee and thy holy Spirit bee all glorie returned now and for euermore Amen A Prayer for perseuerance in Grace MY most deare gracious GOD many are the troubles of the righteous and those that truely profess thy feare Name haue man and deuill against them for Cain wil hate Abel for good and Ismael mock Isaac for God thus they persecuted the Lord Iesus and the Prophets O Lord hereupon I pray thee giue mee magnanimity and courage that nothing may draw me from thy law thy loue thy feare grant I may hold the faith to the death Reuel 2.10 that so I may haue a crowne of life for hee that endureth to the end Matth. 10.22 the same shall be saued but reuolters and back-sliders shall goe vnder the earth and great shall be their torment in hell Giue me to look vpon the constancy and courage of thy holy Martyrs who went as cheerefully to the flame as to a delicate feast my blessed Sauiour suffered ten thousand times more for mee than I can doe for him therefore grant that I may lose my life rather than thy loue for hee that will saue his life shall lose it and hee that loseth his life for thy Names sake shall euerlastingly saue it Come then torment come torture come what will come come welcome nothing shal separate me from my Lord Iesus O Lord giue me to this end to bee sincere in thy seruice to be increased in thy graces to be inflamed with the loue of thy Law and zeale of thy glory to consider the disgrace that is done to thy truth by reuolting and the danger of back-sliding and the incomparable glory laid vp in heauen for those that defend thy faith with their dearest blood that so I may neuer bee daunted at whatsoeuer torment but passe couragiously and cheerefully through the same to life and glory euerlasting in the might and merit of the Lord Iesus thy Sonne my Sauiour Amen A Prayer for preparation to the Sacrament O Almighty and most gracious Lord God great is thy mercy and rare is thy loue to mortal and miserable man in that thou hast not onely giuen him thy Word to beget faith but also the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of the Lord Iesus to seal him to life and saluation good Lord I pray thee so addresse my soule and prepare my heart that I may receiue the same thy holy and heauenly ordinance to my comfort not condemnation 1 Cor. 11.29 for whosoeuer eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth drinketh his own condemnation therefore holy Father grant I may neuer come to this thy holy table without the wedding garment without holy and due preparation prepare then deare God my heart hereunto especially in these six and seuerall Graces First I beseech thee grant that I may come with knowledge knowledge of my self knowledge of my blessed Sauiour Iesus knowledge of this most reuerend ordinance and of the holy vse of the same that I may graciously and wisely distinguish that bread Sacramentall from bread at home it prefiguring the Lord Iesus that Bread of my soule that came from heauen Secondly grant I may come with humiliation of soule for the Lords breakings heale none but the broken heart contrite soule If I cannot roar for my sinnes that killed the Lord Iesus the roarings of the Lord Iesus cannot ease me Againe prepare me by faith to rest vpon thy Son for mercy and forgiuenesse If my heart be thus humbled for sin what shall hinder me to beleeue for thy grace in Christ Iesus is giuen only to the humble therfore grant as my mouth eateth the bread my soule by faith answerably may bee comforted by the merits of Christ Iesus Fourthly I beseech thee to giue me sound repentance to die to sinne to liue to my blessed Redeemer in holinesse and righteousness all the daies of my life Fiftly giue mee a thankfull heart to thy sweet Maiesty for the redemption of my poore soule in the merits of thy Sonne Lastly giue me loue to my brethren as thou hast pardoned my sins so giue mee thy grace that I may freely and heartily pardon those that haue offended me and wish the holy Sacrament as effectuall vnto them as mine owne soule Lord grant vnto me all these my requests for the honor of thy great name in the worthy merits of the Lord Iesus Amen A Prayer for the Gospels continuance MOst holy heauenly Lord God of all thy mercies vouchsafed to thy Church on earth none like that of thy word therefore it is said by thine Apostle shewing the prerogatiue of the Iew aboue the Gentile that to them were committed the oracles Rom. 3.2 of God as though thy Law was the principall of thy blessings their preferments I pray thee then good Father continue thy Word Sacraments vnto vs of this nation and our posterities after vs till Iesus come in the clouds to iudgement To this end Lord giue vs that wee may walk in the light while the light thus clearely shineth vnto vs Reuel 2.5 lest for our contempt and prophaneness thy candlestick be remoued from vs whatsoeuer iudgement thou wilt please to afflict thy Church withall Lord saue vs from the famine of thy Word the famine of bread brings but a bodily death but that of thy Word brings perpetuall destruction to body and soule O Lord also continue good and faithfull Pastors Teachers of thy Flocke grant a bright shining Lampe to euery candlesticke and an able instructor to euery Congregation that many hereby may bee drawen from darknes to light from the power of sinne and Sathan to the knowledge and saluation of thee O God for thy mercies sake in the Lord Iesus Amen A Prayer for preparation to Death O Lord God most mighty and glorious seeing I am of a mortall condition and the time of my death vncertaine and as I am found in death so shall I bee in iudgement if in sin impenitent condemned then for euer if vigilant in godlines then imbraced to heauenly saluation Good Lord grant I may prepare for this day and so liue here as I may liue with thee in heauen for euer 1 Cor. 15.56 Death is a Scorpion and the sting of this Scorpion is sin now if the sting of a scorpion be
may haue the surer hope of happines in heauen for blessed are the pure in heart they shall see thee O God Blesse me then good Father with the blessing of sanctity in this life and of euerlasting felicity in the life to come for the Lord Iesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer for Knowledge MOst blessed and heauenly Father I confesse by nature I am a creature most miserable so blinded and darkened by sinne as I know not what may make for thy glory or the comfortable saluation of my poore soule the darkness of Aegypt was not so blacke so palpable as the blindnesse and darknesse of my soule O Lord my God my suit vnto thee is with blind Bartimeus that I may receiue my sight Marke 10.51 send mee Lord some or other good Ananias to vnscale mine eies that I may iudge and see the wonders of thy Law Acquaint me good Father by thy Law with my wofull sinnes thy fearefull curses due vnto mee for the same that so I may bee broken hearted for them and made capable of remission and saluation acquaint mee also with thy promise made vnto the hūbled in Iesus Christ for forgiuenesse for thou giuest grace to the humble acquaint mee also with the way of the regenerate affect my soule with holinesse that so I may come to saluation in the end this is life eternall to know thee thus and him whom thou hast sent euen Iesus Christ Iohn Make good vnto me that thy gracious promise Psal 25. thou wilt impart thy secrets to them that feare thee Lord discouer thy glory vnto me that I may answerably feare thy Name reueale thy will O Lord most plentifully vnto mee that I may strictly serue thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of my life for Iesus sake Amen A Prayer for Humiliation MOst mighty and most glorious Lord God seeing that thine holy Word hath taught mee that the Lord Iesus came to saue none but sinners grieued sinners wounded sinners such sinners as would neuer sinne more and moreouer thou wilt look to none but to such as are of a contrite spirit Esay 66.2 and tremble at thy words O Lord Esay 66.2 breake mine heart for breaking thy commandements and smite my soule for sinning against thee grant I may bee ashamed of the filthinesse of my sinnes grieue for offending so louing a God by them and quake and tremble lest thou shouldst condēne me in thy strict iustice for them for euermore if my sinfull soule bee not thus rent thus tormented for my wicked sinnes in this life I cannot escape at the day of iudgement the damnation of hell better ten thousand times to haue my hell here than hereafter Lord therefore bruise my soule for all my vile transgressions and fearefull abhominations And leaue mee not good Lord I pray thee in these my soule afflictions affrightments but when thou hast sufficiently corrected mee then Lord turne again and reuiue mee Psal say vnto my soule thou art thou wilt bee my saluation for thou hast made this gracious promise that the laden shall bee eased and the wearied shall bee refreshed Lord heare then these my mournfull praiers and let these my groning cries come vp vnto thee for Iesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer for Faith MOST deare and gracious God I humbly beseech thee to cut mee off from the stocke of corruption and sinne and that by sound humbling and to plant mee who art that heauenly husbandman by the power of thy blessed Spirit into that holy stocke the Lord Iesus and that by effectuall beleeuing Lord giue mee to liue by faith and not by flesh by grace and not by sinne for they that are in Christ Iesus walk not after the flesh Rom. 8.1 but after the Spirit Grant gracious God I may rest vpon thee in thy Son Christ for forgiuenesse of sin and for life euerlasting grant vpon this my deliuerance I may liue to the praise of thee my blessed Redeemer in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of my life grant holy Father I may not onely by faith depend vpon all thy promises for this life and for heauen but likewise by the same faith labor to walke in the obedience of all thy commandements O Lord increase my faith for my heart is full of doubting thou O Lord art faithfull and true yea truth it selfe why should I then wauer My soule is weake through my remaining corruptions in obeying thy holy Word Lord strengthen mee my heart is faint and ready to sink vnder the least triall and affliction Lord for thy mercies support and comfort mee Giue me my deare God to beleeue beyond beleefe when I feele not to rest vpon thee for comfort as thy seruant Iob Iob. resolued Lord if thou killest me yet will I put my trust in thee Lord giue me by faith clearely to see my sinnes pardoned my life reformed my soule reconciled with thee and my name written in the booke of heauen Most louing Father I pray thee grant mee thy grace that I may deny my selfe that I may wholly rest vpon Christ Iesus and follow his heauenly commandements for life grant that my faith Iam. 2.26 may not bee a dead faith but a liuely walking working faith that is a dead and vaine faith that moueth not in the obedience of thy most holy commandements thus I pray thee guide me by thy good Spirit into all truth that thy power of grace possessing me in this life I may haue the better hope of eternall saluation in the life to come and that for the merits of the Lord Iesus Amen A Prayer for Obedience O Lord God most mighty most glorious I most humbly craue thy gracious and louing fauour that I may bee inabled by strength and power receiued from thee to walke in absolute obedience before thee Lord let mee not doe my will but thy will in all things Luke 7.8 as the Centurion said of his seruants He said to one goe and hee goeth to another come and he commeth to another doe this and hee doth it Lord grant me the like obedience and tractability to thy will in all things 1 Sam. 15.22 Lord giue me to vnderstand that obedience is better than sacrifice yea to obey is the best of all sacrifices let mee then obey thee in all thy commandements and submit vnto thee in all thy corrections not my will but thy will most willingly bee yeelded vnto in all things my Lord my God O Lord vouchsafe me sincerity in this my most bounden duty seruice that I may obey thee in one commandement as well as in another let mee with thy godly seruant Dauid Psal 119. euermore haue respect vnto all thy commandements O then that my waies were made so direct that I may neuer sinne more but in all things do thy righteous iudgments O let it bee my meat and drinke the obedience of thy will O that I could finde out the old
way which is the good way that walking constantly and conscionably in the same I may finde euerlasting rest and peace to my poore soule Lord thus sanctifie me in this life with thy holy feare that I may not faile of saluation in the world to come for thy loue in the Lord Iesus Amen A Prayer for Zeale MOst blessed and glorious heauenly Father my heart is grieued and much perplexed within mee because I finde my soule so dead so cold in all good duties which thou hast appointed mee to walk in O Lord quickē me and make me more zealous more feruent for the praise and glory of thy great and heauenly Name let I pray thee thy good pleasure be my chiefest glory and the constant seruice of thee the greatest delight of my soule O Lord my God grant I may neuer endure thy Name to bee dishonoured nor thy holy Law disgraced by my selfe or others but so affect my soule with thy feare care loue that I may euermore defend thee and support the glory of thy Name giue mee to bleede in heart and melt in soule at the great and grieuous euils of the time let mine eies gush out into riuers of water because men keepe not thy Law Psal 119. let euery euill beholden of me be as a goad in my side and as a thorne in mine eie grant good God I may most strictly walke before thee and so burne in zeale of thy law and glory that thy seruice and the obedience of thy will may bee more precious more delightfull vnto mee than the eternall saluation of my soule Thus Lord inflame my soule with thy loue feare grace that so my part and portion may be with thy Saints and Angels in ioy and glory euerlasting in and through my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen A Prayer for brotherly loue O Almighty and most mercifull Father for as much as thou hast shewen vnto me 1 Ioh. 4.16 that he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in thee for thou art loue and by this shall all men know that we are thy disciples if we loue one another and againe If I cannot loue him whom I see daily how shall I perswade my self I loue thee 1 Ioh. 4.20 whō I neuer saw good Lord I beseech thee then to fill my soule with loue and to abound mee with charity and goodnesse toward my brethren as the members of the body cary themselues one to another so I pray thee giue mee grace to behaue my selfe to my brethren and fellow-members of the Lord Iesus one member despiseth not another grant then I may not be puffed vp one member enuieth not another grant I may not grudge at the prosperity of my brethren one member is helpefull to another grant Lord that I may doe all the good I can vnto others while I liue one member suffereth with another grant that I may weepe with them that weepe one member reuengeth not another Lord grant that I may beare offered wrongs iniuries and neuer seeke reuenge Thus I beseech thee possesse me with thy Spirit of loue for it is the ground and mother of all goodnesse yea the fulfilling of thy whole Law and without loue I am as sounding brasse and as a tinkling Cymball I am nothing 1 Cor. 13.1 Thus giue mee to resemble thy Maiesty in loue and kindnesse in this life that I may be admitted to that place of happinesse where loue shall neuer vanish away and that for thy loue in the Lord Iesus my most louing Sauiour and Redeemer Amen A Prayer for humility MOst holy and heauenly Lord God for as much as thou hast reuealed vnto mee from thy holy Word That thou resistest the proud 1 Pet. 5.5 giuest grace to the humble and none but the humble shall bee exalted O Lord my God endue me w th the spirit of humility grant I may be far from vain thoughts and proud lookes giue mee to learne of my blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ to bee humble and meeke so shall I finde rest to my soule the humbled Publicane went home exalted but the proud Pharisee condemned O Lord my God I cannot but confesse that I haue deserued shame and confusion for my sinnes done against thee yea the best of mine actions are so corrupted as I deserue no lesse than damnation for them yea when I haue done all that I can I am an vnprofitable seruant what cause holy Father then haue I to boast my selfe before thee If any good I doe it is not I but thy Spirit in mee for what haue I that I haue not receiued Giue mee then to bee glad of thy gifts of grace but not proud Act. 12.23 Not vnto mee O Lord not vnto me but vnto thy Name grant I may euermore giue the praise lest for mine arrogance I bee smitten as was Herod and the wormes and thy wrath consume mee Lord possess me with meeknesse and lowlines here that my portion may bee with thy Saints in glory euerlasting hereafter for thy Christs sake Amen A Praier for Patience MOST louing and gracious GOD seeing I am compassed about with so many miseries some from thy Maiesty as corrections some from Sathan as temptations some from wicked men as persecutions some from concupiscence as treacherous seductions I beseech thee therefore giue me patience in this sinfull and sorrowfull world let me possess my soule with patience Heb. 12.1 and run the race that is set before mee with comfort and patience Thus the Lord Iesus possessed himselfe in patience who when he was reuiled reuiled not again but praied for his persecutors and in his dying afflictions opened not his mouth thus thy seruants went quietly and gently thorow their sharpe afflictions as Iob Steuen Act. 7.60 and others Lord grant I may gently and meekly goe thorow whatsoeuer tribulation for the kingdome of heauen sake Grant I may not repine or murmure vnder the crosse whether it be want or imprisonment or sicknesse or banishment or death of friends or any other affliction Heb. 12.6 for whom thou louest thou wilt chasten and it is good for me to be in trouble for thereby I learne better to keep thy Law and as grace is the way of life so is crosse the companion of this way all that wil liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution I must bee contented to suffer with Christ and for Christ on earth if euer I would reigne with Christ in heauen Thus submitting my soule to thy wil pleasure in this life I shall haue the surer hope of admssion to life and saluation when I dye in the merits of the Lord Iesus thy Sonne my Sauiour Amen A Praier for Innocency O Eternal and euerliuing LORD GOD seeing I must one day rise to giue an account for all things done in my body I most humbly beseech thee therefore to giue me grace to endeuour with thine holy Apostle Paul alwaies to keepe a cleere conscience both toward thee and
man Lord giue mee to bee innocent from all manner of offence innocent to thee innocent to man Psal 37.38 O that I could keepe innocency and doe the thing that is right this would bring me peace at the last Lord grant I may wrong no man neither in body goods nor name grant I may say with Samuel 1 Sam. 12.3 whose Oxe haue I bribed whose Asse haue I taken whom haue I done wrong to giue mee to doe good to all hurt to none giue me to be wise as the Serpent but innocent as the Doue that liuing harmlesly in this world I may liue happily in the next for the merits sake of the Lord Iesus Amen A Praier for mercy and compassion O Lord my GOD most mighty and glorious seeing thou hast commanded mee to weepe with them that weepe Rom. 12.15 and being also the godly practise of my Sauiour for he wept ouer Ierusalem and lamented their destruction grant good Lord I may compassionate the present miseries of thy Church abroad that my heart may melt within me to see thy vine thus stroyed and thy Church thus trodden down by the enemies of thy truth O Lord Psal 80.14 betimes look downe from heauen and visite this vine though thou sufferest it to bee pruned Lord let it neuer bee extinguished I further intreat thee O my God that I may not only mourne ouer the afflictions of my brethren but likewise bee pricked in heart at the falls and sinnes of thy people and let not this my pitty bee in word and shew alone but in deed and in truth to pull them out of their impiety and succour them in their aduersitie to couer the naked to feed the hungry to visit the sicke and imprisoned Matth. 25. to comfort and releeue them if this pitty dwelleth not in me no piety can possesse mee Lord grant I may bee thus mercifull as thou my heauenly Father art mercifull giue mee with thy holy Apostle to cry out Who is afflicted and I mourne not Keepe me from mercilesnesse O Lord of thy goodnesse for iudgement shall bee ministred without mercie Iam. 2.13 to him that hath shewed no mercie Thus I pray thee vouchsafe me a tender heart for thy glory the good of the afflicted and the eternall saluation of my poore soule in the merits of the Lord Iesus Amen A Prayer for peace of Conscience O Almighty and most mercifull God I beseech thee to remoue from my soule all desperate feares all vile corruptions and giue me that great and heauenly blessing namely Prou. The peace of Conscience which passeth all vnderstanding which is a most comfortable and continuall feast And seeing this peace of conscience ariseth from thy reconcilement remission of sins and assurance of life euerlasting good Lord I pray thee be at peace with mee through the Lord Iesus let all my sins in the bloody passions of thy Sonne bee discharged and let my name be found written in the Booke of life And giue me further I beseech thee good Father to preserue this peace of conscience and that by auoiding all but especially knowen sinnes by doing euery duty vprightly though not perfectly and by renewing my humiliation repentance more throughly Lord grant I may not sinne against the light of conscience that I may neuer defile and wound my conscience by wilfull offending that faith and holinesse may dwell therein O helpe me good Lord Act. 4.16 thus to keepe a cleare conscience both toward thee and man Saue mee my God from a benummed conscience a desperate conscience an erroneous conscience a polluted conscience and giue me a pure conscience a peaceable conscience a good conscience that this may minister cōfort vnto me in the greatest afflictions strongest temptations at the houre of death at the day of iudgement and bee a sure seale to my soule of life and saluation euerlasting in the merits of the Lord Iesus Amen A Prayer for ioy in the holy Ghost MOST deare and gracious GOD for as much as thy diuine consolation is a sure marke and euidence of thy loue for life for thy blessed Apostle affirmeth Rom. 14.17 that thy kingdome standeth in righteousnes peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Lord of thy goodnesse fill mine heart with this thy heauenly ioy let it not be hidden vnto mee as it is vnto those that are lost but I pray thee shed abroad this thy loue in mine heart this sweet and heauenly ioy is thine owne wine laid vp in thine owne seller for thine owne spouse the wicked of the world shall neuer taste thereof This ioy the wise men found when they found the Lord Iesus Matth. 2.10 for they reioyced with an exceeding great ioy This ioy was in the blessed Virgin Luke 1.47 for her spirit reioyced in Christ her Sauiour So good Lord distill some sauing drops of this water of life into my thirsting soule Lord shew me this thy glory Psal 4 6. some craue worldly goods and riches doe imbrace but Lord grant mee thy countenance thy fauour and thy grace for thou thereby shalt make my heart more ioyfull and more glad than they that of their corne and wine full great increase haue had O Lord to this end increase my faith inflame my zeale better my obedience mortifie my corruptions sanctifie my affections that so I may euermore reioyce vnder the hope of saluation in the LORD IESVS yea here and in heauen for euer Amen A Prayer for increase of Grace MOst blessed and heauenly Father I read in thy holy word That thy Kingdome is like a graine of Mustard seede Luk. 13.19 a little seede yet in time it sendeth forth a mightie stalke that the birds of the aire may nestle therein thy Maiestie intimating therby the smalnesse of Grace at the first and the great increase by degrees in the hearts of thy children at last now good Father I pray thee increase thy graces in mee for I may say with that poore beleeuer in the Gospel Lord I beleeue but helpe mine vnbeleefe Lord giue mee to increase in faith in knowledge in obedience in all goodnesse that so I going on from strength to strength may in the end enioy thy face in Sion That tree that groweth not is dead if I grow not better and better and bring not forth more fruit in mine old age I cannot proue my selfe an impe of the Lord Iesus And as it fareth with the naturall birth so doth it also with the spirituall a child new born is weak and small yet in time it groweth to be a tall and strong man so the soule at first is weake and feeble in grace as smoake to fire as a bruised reed to a sturdie oake of Lebanon but in time the conuert groweth to be a perfect man in the Lord Iesus therefore my gracious GOD grant I may as a new borne babe 1 Pet. 2.2 desire the sincere milke of the word that I may grow thereby I