to study to liue according to thy blessed will during our whole life Wee doe not onely pray for our selues but also for all thy whole Church especially such as bee persecuted for thy word grant vnto them that whether it be by death or life they may glorifie thy Name to their liues end Be mercifull to this Church of England Scotland Ireland we beseech thee good Lord preserue euery part and menber of the same especially thy seruant Iames our King grant him all such giftes as bee needfull for so high a calling to the aduancement of thy glorie and benefit of this Common wealth to the establishing of a perfect gouerment of thy Church according to the prescript rule of thy blessed word to the rooting out of all superstition and reliques of Antichrist to the gouerning of his subiects in all peace and tranquilitie Defend him O Lord from all conspiracies treasons rebellions and so worke in the hearts of all his subiects that knowing his authoritie doth come from thy heauenly Maiesty they may with obedient hearts humbly obey them in thee and for thee Preserue the whole Councell and the Magistrates of the Realme that being lightened through thy holy Spirit they may defend the truth suppresse wickednesse and maintaine equitie Behold all the Pastours and Preachers of thy word blesse their labours increase the number of them place ouer euery Church a painefull watchman remoue all idle lubbers and confound the power of Antichrist and turne the hearts of the people that they may be obedient to thy truth Blesse the two famous Vniuersities Cambridge and Oxford all the students of the same with all Schooles of Learening Behold all those that bee afflicted with any kind of crosse that they may profit by thy correction in newnesse of life Lastly for our selues here gathered wee humbly O Lord craue at thy handes that it would please thee to make vs thankefull vnto thy Maiestie for all thy louing kindnesse shewed vnto vs euen from our infancie especially that thou hast this present night deliuered vs from all dangers both of body and soule whereinto many haue fallen as wee in the like manner should haue done if we had not beene staied with thy mercifull hand that thou hast aâ—so granted vnto vs so sweete comfortable rest and hast now presently brought vs to the beginning of this day For these things good Lord wee yeeld thee most hearty thankes beseeching thee to make vs more more daily thankfull vnto thy Maiestie for them and pardon our vnthankfulnesse And as thou hast safely preserued vs vnto this present houre from all the dangers of this life so we beseech thee continue thy fauour towardes vs this day and the whole course of our life Defend vs O Lord that we now entring into the affaires of this day bee not drawne away with the vaine allurements of this world to sinne and wickednesse that wee walke not in the shadow of death that wee be not intangled in the snares of sinne that wee stumble not at the blockes of iniquitie that we finally fall not into the pit of death and destruction but beeing shadowed vnder thy wings we may cheerefully constantlie goe on forward to the end of our course Grant vnto vs O Lord our God that this good time which thou grantest vnto vs in this life be not idlely or vainly of vs consumed but that euery one of vs may be diligently exercised in his calling this day and all our life long being assured that thou wilt once call vs to yeeld an account of our Stewardship Indue vs we beseech thee with those gifts and graces which bee needfull for vs in our calling that with a pure heart sincere conscience wee may vse them to the benefit of our bretheren and discharge of our owne conscience before thy Maiestie We beseech thee O Lord that in all our consultations words and workes this day and the whole course of our life we may alwayes haue thee presnet before our eyes knowing that thou seest euen the very deepe thoughts of our hearts which alwaies may bee as a bridle to pull vs backe that wee neither do nor yet consent to any sinne or wickednesse but that alwaies wee may bee so exercised in the affaires of this life that wee looke still to the end of our course when it shall please thee to bring vs through the pilgrimage of this life to our euerlasting rest with thy deere Sonne Iesus Christ our Sauiour In whose Name for these mercies and whatsoeuer thou knowest to bee needfull for vs for thy whole Church wee pray vnto thee as hee himselfe hath taught vs in his holy word saying Our Father c. The Lord blesse vs saue vs the Lord make his face shine vppon vs and bee mercifull vnto vs the Lord turne his fauorable countenance towards vs grant vs his peace The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God the Father and the most comfortable fâ—llowshippe of the holy Ghost bee with vs preserue vs this day and euermore Amen Euening Prayer for priuate Houses and Families O Gracious God and louing Father according to thy Commandement we do heere present our selues againe before thy Maiestie humbly prostrating our sinfull selues before the Throne of thy mercy acknowledging and confessing from the bottome of our hearts that wee are miserable sinners daylie breaking thy Commaundements both in thoght word and deede wherein we iustly deserue euerlasting damnation and to bee vtterly throwne from thy presence Yet O Lord wee see thy goodnesse againe towardes vs who not sâ—ffering vs thus to perish in our sinnes hast set thine owne deere Sonne Iesus Christ to take vppon him whatsoeuer is due â—o reconcile and make vs at one with thee againe In him theâ—efore good Lord and through him doe wee come vnto thee beseeching thee for his sake that wee feeling the greeuousnesse of our sins and groaning vnder the burthen of them may feele the release and ease of them in that we be through thy holie Spirit assured and stedfastly beleeue that Christ Iesus our Lord hath borne the burden of them euen for vs. Graunt O Lord that wee being assured heereof in our Consciences may thorough thy most holy and blessed Spirit be renewed in the inner man to hate detest and vtterly abhorre all sinne and that wee may studie to liue according to thy blessed will during our whole life And now O Lord God we pray not onely for our selues but likewise for all thy whole Church especiallie for such as be persecuted for the testimony of a good conscience Grant vnto them O Lord that whether it be by death or life they may glorifie thy Name to their liues end Blesse these Churches good Father wherein wee liue and therein our gracious Soueraigne and thy seruant Iames King of Great-Britaine France and Ireland Keepe him O Lord from all Conspiracies Treasons and Rebellions Preserue the Noble and hopefull Prince Charles the
and vsed the same that together with them wee may haue thy Spirit to instruct vs as well in the wants as in the true lawfull vse of them that wee may more earnestly and seriously study and labour in these vocations wherein thou hast set vs through thy great mercy to the promoting and increasing of thy Kingdome to the benefite and comfort of thy Children And wee pray not onely for our selues but beseech thee make vs earnest and feruent in prayer vnto thy Maiesty euen for others also yea for all men that as thou art the Creator of all so thou wouldest mercifully regard them and continue thy gracious goodnesse mercy in adminstring ordering the world so that by no Tyrants nor wicked men that order which thou hast established be ouerthrown but the spring and haruest the raine fruitefull times and the ioy which thou shewest and giuest by them may prouoke all men continually to feare and loue thee yea to seeke thee and finde thee That not in those outward blessings alone but much more in thy Spirit they whâ—me thou hast there-unto ordayned may reioyce in thy Fatherly goodnesse by Iesus Christ And that to this end it may please thee to poure out thy graces vppon men that they may bee instructed and framed meete instrtments for the calling of all such as thou hast appointed to bee of thy Church That these builders may be cunning and expert That these Gardiners may bee wise to plant water with iudgement and discretion that these Stewards of thy mysteries may so behaue themselues in thy Church that they knowing how and wherewith to feede thy house the glory beauty thereof may appeare in the eies of all the world which thou hast before so long time promised and which to see the eyes dazell faint with looking for And although wee know well O Lord that the cause of all miserable disorders deformities and breaches nowe adaies is in our selues which shutte vp thine hand as it were bind thine armes from reaching them out vnto vs for our saluation and comfort yet let the Lord arise and be mercifull vnto Sion haue pitty on the ruines thereof For the time is come our owne Country and people are before our eies continually whose sinne and disorder whose Ignorance and stubbrnoesse whose negligence and contempt of thy word thou hast now long time punished withdrawing thy hand from doing them good For by thy iust iudgment now many yeares thou hast plagued them and vs with idle prophane vnlearned and vnskilfull Pastors Guiders thou hast giuen them but to their ruine Feeders but of themselues not of thy flocke Teachers and Doctors who haue mouthes but speake not eyes but see not neither haue they Iudgement to instruct thy people nor wisedome how to goe out and in before them and that which is most fearefull thy good hand is not wiâ—h those Prophets which are amongest them who do sowe indeed but the earth giueth not her encrease They water but thy plants rise not in any number They feede but thy flocke is poore not fat nor beautifull O let the Lord forget the sinnes of his people Why hath hee bound them vppon his hand to looke vppon them for euer Why hath he set them day and night in the sight of his countenance Wee confesse and acknowledge against our selues O Lord all our sinnes we iudge and condemne our selues yea wee testifie against our selues that we haue deserued that euen those sparkes of thy fire and heauenly light which are amongst vs shold bee quenched and put out that the smoake of thy glory which is still in thy Church amongst vs should rise vp and vanish away from amongst vs as the dew of the morning that the same building which as yet standeth were to bee throwne downe that the Lord shold mount vppon his Chariot and flee from vs. But shall the Lord deale with his people by waight and measure shall hee vse iudgement and not mercy shall our Father forget his Children although we prouoke him shall not the sighes grones of them that bewayle Syon come before him enter into his eares O Lord let the iudgement â—nd seuerity which we haue deserued bee stayed let Chariots and Horses bee loosed let the Armies of the Lord bee discharged and let the Lord vngird himselfe and forgette his counsell and turne and bee mercifull gracious vnto them acknowledge and confesse their sinnes Let the Angels that bee the destroyers goe from before thy face to ouerthrow and cast downe all that standeth to hinder thy glory and to maintaine sinne and Ignorance Pride and Vanity That thy good Angels may follow to mete out and describe all thinges that pertayne to the building of thy Temple Let them lay to it the square and plummet and let all thy people stand and showte and sing glory at the laying of this foundation Let thy Spirit guide all those good Lord that in feare and reuerence before thee walke in their vocation In the Vniuersities and in all parts of the Realme yea of the earth looking labouring for this worke encrease the little mumber as the thousands of Ephraim the tenne thousands of Manasses and those that laugh at and hinder drawe backe this worke let them bee ashamed and confounded and all thy maruelous blessiings be shewed in the successe thereof But let them haue no force nor strength to hinder it so shall Iacob reioyce in thy mercy and Israel in thy euerlasting truth So shall our eies see thy glory O Lord and wee sing perpetually to thy prayse So shall Iesus Christ delight in the beauty of his Church and his people bee a people meete to serue him decked and adorned with his guifts labouring and studying to please him that in them his loue may rest To this end good Lord shew thy mercy vppon all Princes and Magistrates of the earth that belong to thy election turning the hearts of all those that hitherto haue not knowne thy truth but lent their power and might to Sathan and Antichrist to persecute thy people to the great dishonor of thy name That yet now at the last they may bâ—e brought home into thy sheepfold and in stead of persecutors become Nurse-fathers and Nurse-mothers to thy Church But especially wee most humbly beseech thee for all such Princes and Magistrates as haue receiued thy truth And namely for our deare Soueraigne Lord the Kings Maiesty whome thou hast placed ouer vs in this Realme for his most honorable Counsel and all Magistrates therein that thou wouldst augment the graces of thy holy Spirite in him and in them especially the spirit of wisedome counsel and power that hee and they may goe forwarde in the worke of the building vp of thy Church in all obedience to thy will speedily and constantly and perseuerantly that thy people the Sheepe of thy pastours whome thou hast committed to him and their gouernment may godly and peaceably liue
and dye to thee with them and for them glorifie thy most holy name for euer and euer We beseech thee also good Lord our God for all our Bretheren wheresoeuer that those which are in thy Church in peace and safety may prosper and goe for ward and stand in thy truth for euer that thy goodnesse may bee assured vnto them-and that thou wouldst keepe their place and maintaine their cause against all that labour to trouble them And for such as doe yet labour vnder tyranny and affliction whose sufferings thou knowest O Lord better then we can declare It may please thee to breake the rodde of their oppressours to quench the fire of their aduersaries to lighten or rather cleane take away that burthen that they so presse them withall that they together with vs may ioyne in thy Congregation and feede safely So that there may bee none to scar vs. Let thy Spirit of comfort possesse our hearts that all trouble may seeme lesse then thy trueth and glory so lighten our eies that in our darknesse we may haue such sight of thy glory and of Iesus Christ who is in that high Mountaine where hee is now so glorious that our griefes may bee swallowed vp A Speciall Morning Prayer for the Sabbath MOst Mighty and glorious Lord of Hosts God of Sabbaths Who though thou didst rest from all thy workes of Creation yet daily workest in all the world disposing and preseruing all things therein by thy generall prouidence and especially rulest in thy Church and Children doing all their workes for them and daily preseruing them from the euils of the time encouraging them daily by the renuing of thy mercies to seeke thy face refreshing thy Beloued daily from Sabbath to Sabbath with the fruits of thy house that they may bee fitted to rest for euer with thee in thine eternall Sabbath It is thy singular mercy great patience O Lord our God that thy vnworthy vnprofitable seruants hauing so often prouoked thee to call vs to an account and take our Talents from vs are yet respited to a further vse of thy blessings and redeeming of the time in better husbanding thereof But O Lord our God how wonderfully and aboue all other vnspeakeable is this thy goodnesse that though wee haue no better then prophaned this thy holy day generally heretofore by speaking our owne words and thinking our owne thoughts therein so far from being bettered by thine ordinances that wee still remaine more hardened and inexcusable thereby more leauened with hypocrisie and worldlynes more barren in vprightnesse and holynesse of conuersation and so deserue for euer to be plucked vp by the rootes and cast out of thy presence Yet hast thou offered vs once againe this gracious opportunity of thy blessed Presence and to drawe neere vnto thee his thy day in the vse of thy holy ordinances How iustly mightest thou long since either fatted vp our hearts and so giuen vs vp to our owne lust and reprobate waies that all good motions might bee vtterly quenched in vs all desire of thy presence wholly extinguished Or though wee had any desire yet thou mightest iustly hide thy face from vs and turne this day of our visitation into a perpetuall night Hast thou not thus reckoned with our neighbours round about And what mightest thou find in vs O blessed Lord that any way could stay this fearefull reckoning Is it because wee haue enioyed more fauours longer then they haue done Lord what may wee truly expect herefrom then to be beaten with more stripes And though thy patience bee more enlarged towards vs yet shall not the reckoning bee the more intollerable Or is it not thy singular wisdome to warne vs graciously by our Bretherens harmes and humble vs the more by the sence of our vnprofitablenes as if our case were bootlesse desperate Or is it because thou hast giuen vs some remorse of Iosephs affliction and enlarged our hearts with some compassion towards them Oh how doth this continue our cruelty towards them that while wee seeke to ease them of their smart by our cold compassions wee yet encorage them by our example in sinne How doth this challenge our want of mercy to our selues while wee more harden our hearts hereby in wickednesse as if we were more righteous then they because wee are spared and they are punished and so heape vp more wrath against our selues by our impenitencie while we labour to reclaime others from the fury thereof Thus find wee nothing by our selues why wee fare better then others but that our best fare is like to proue our deadly bane Onely in thee O our God there is absolute power to doe with thine owne what thou wilt with thee there is free mercy to spare whome thou pleasest In thee there is infinite wisdome to draw thy Children vnto thee by contrary meanes some by feare plucking out of the fire alluring others by thy tender compassions that thou onely mightest haue the glory of all thy workes melting some by thy patience which harden others and hardning some by thy corrections which soften others Meditate O my soule on this Power Wisdome and mercy of thy glorious God Exalt him and say who is like our God that spareth and punisheth whome hee pleaseth that punisheth by sparing and spares by punishing And solet thy heart beginne this day with such deuoute Meditation and rauishment therewith that it may truely cast thee downe before his glorious presence and vtterly cast thee out of all carnall confidence and so wholy cast out of thee all vaine and earthly thoughts that may interrupt thy sweete fellowship with thy glorious God while thou labourest to power out thy soule before him in iudging thy selfe iustifying his free goodnes for thy former preseruation and crying for acceptance in thy Sauiour for the pardon of thy sinnes and to be cloathed with his righteousnesse that thou mayest appeare all faire in the presence of thy God and so be safely carried by his Spirit into the Chamber of thy Mother there to sucke and bee satisfied O grant vs gracious God thus to beginne this day in thee and with thee And that wee may bee better quickened and enabled hereunto and set to the spending thereof wholy in thy feare Perswade our hearts wee pray thee Blessed Lord of the moralitie and equitie of this thine owne ordinâ—nce that what thou hast for thine owne intire and solemme worship so vnchangeably ratified wee may not esteeme common and indifferent as either to seeke my selfe any whit therein or els not to seeke thee in all thy waies as if either thou hadst imposed rest from our worldly imployments because idlenes pleaseth thee and the ease of the flesh were part of the worship or els might excuse vs from spirituall imployments or else that herein also wee might take our ease and serue our selues refreshing the labours of our soules by satisfing the flesh But cause vs gracious God to know that
not worthy to entertaine and receiue thee into my sinfull vncleane house Neuerthelesse most louing Lord which hast said that who so eateth thy flesh drinketh thy blood shall dwell in thee and thou in him haue mercy vppon mee O haue mercy vpon mee most mercifull Sauiour and behold mee most miserable sinner prepared at this present not only to let thee in vnder the roofe of my mouth but also to lodge thee in the house of my heart O bountifull Iesu be my gracious Redeemer and grant that I receiue not the Sacrament of thy body and blood vnworthily purchasing thereby vnto my selfe death and damnation but rather be made through faith in thee a worthy receiuer a meete member of thy blessed body and so by the strength of this heauenly foode may not onely bee enabled to cast away all my former sinnes and most beloued corruptions but may also walke before thee in all constant holines to the making sure of mine election Grant this I beseech thee for thine owne mercy sake Amen A Prayer to be said after the receiuing of the Sacrament O Sweete Sauiour which with thy precious salue of compassion curest the foule and filthy sores of our sinnes and prouidest for vs all necessarie preseruatiues against the poyson of the soule-infecting maliciousnes heare I beseech thee the humble supplications of me thy poore seruant which heere present my selfe before thee at this present and grant that this my receiuing of the Sacrament of thy blessed body and blood may be a true testimony vnto my conscience that I haue through faith in thee receiued full remission of all my sinnes and offences past and am now become as it were a new Creature in thy sight I beseech thee likewise grant that casting away all my former workes of wickednesse I may henceforth walke in newnesse of life and godly conuersation bringing forth such fruits of true conuersion as may mooue others by my example to honor praise thy holy name And that running the whole race of my life in dutifull obedience toward thee I may when it shall please thee to thinke meete receiued among the number of thine elect into that euerlasting happinesse where wee shall bee perfect in holinesse Amen A Prayer for Constant perseuerance in praying when wee are dull to prayer O Lord God most mercifull Father according to thy commandement in mine afflictions and necessities I seeke to thee for succor by continuall prayer calling vppon thy Name I call vppon thee in the day time and in the night season doe I poure out my prayers vnto thee and yet for all that I feele mee nothing released but oftentimes worse and worse which maketh me many times deare Father almost to doubt of thy goodnesse that thou dost reiect my Prayers and giuest no heed vnto them whereby I doe almost thinke that it is no boot for me to pray seeing I feele no release but O Lord this is but weaknesse in me and the frailty of flesh which will not willingly bee subdued vnto thy Spirit which my frailty I beseech thee O Lord forgiue me For thou dost O Lord God see my conflicts and lookest vppon my continuall sighes and petitions but thou dost deferre prolong thy helpe the longer dost not at first helpe me to this end that I may see fully mine owne weaknes learne by little and little to subdue my rebellious will to thy good will who knoweth better what is meet for mee then I my selfe Therefore O most deare Father strengthen mee by thy holy Spirit that I may still perseuere and continue in prayer and with longing desires patiently waite for thee O Lord being assured that although it appeare not yet thou art alwaies present with mee and hearest my sighes and complaints and wilt when thou seest thy time declare thy selfe manifestly in the renewing my heart with spirituall ioy stirre vp O Lord my dull sluggish nature to call vpon thee continually appointing thee neyther time nor the meanes of my deliuerance but leauing all to thy good will and pleasure I may in the meane time neuer cease my continuall prayer to call for thy mercifull helpe vntill such time as it shall please thy goodnesse to send mee full deliuerance I feele my selfe O Lord oftentimes very vnwilling to pray for that I doe not fully perceiue my prayers to be heard but doe go on still languishing in my sorrowes as though thou hadst no care of mee But this my dulnesse I beseech thee O mercifull Father pardon in me and grant that I may be raised vppe to pray for aide and releefe of thee continually although I should see no signe of fauour yet that I may continue still with the faithfull Woman of Canaan and neuer cease in heart mind and mouth till thou grant my requests at thine appointed time when thou knowest it shall be most for my behoofe and for thy glory And that when thou shalt mercifully looke vpon mee to deliuer mee I may then fully with my whole heart acknowledge thy goodnesse toward me and let it neuer stirre out of my heart but continue thankfull for the same all the daies of my life whereby thy glorie in mee may be declared and my soule releeued thorough Christ my Lord and Sauiour Amen A Prayer for all times O Lord God Father of mercy and God of all consolation without whom wee haue neither hope nor comfort we poore wretched sinners beseech thee of thy Fatherly goodnesse to looke vpon vs and to make vs partakers of thy gracious goodnesse so that euermore wee may set foorth thy honor and glory let our conuersation bee such that a great many beholding our good workes may glorifie thee our heauenly Father and so direct our waies that we may hold forth the profession of thy Gospell as a Lanterne to lighten the steps of a great many that they may turne to the and prayse thy name in their visitation Thus O Lord wee beseech thee to deale with vs that in deed wee may be vessels of honor vnto thee now to set forth the glory of thy name and after this transitorie life to behold thy glory who hast immortallitie alone and dwellest in light that no man hath approched vnto remoue farre from vs our sinnes and iniquities that they may not separate betweene vs and thee blotte out of vs our offences and make our prayers righteous that thou mayest fauourably grant our requests looke vppon vs with thy fauourable mercy that thou mayest haue pittie vppon vs and behold vs in the righteousnesse of thy beloued Sonne Christ Iesus and that wee may be presented faultlesse in thy sight and thou accepting vs as holy we may haue the grace euermore to set forth thine honor and glory and to speake of thy praises in the midst of all thy people Let vs loue O Lord the things that are good and hate the things that are euil let vs delight in all things that may please thee and let vs
forth into thy light so in thy time adde him also to thy Church and beget him againe vnto a liuely hope by the immortall seed of thine holy word deliuering him from the power of darkenes in which by nature we are all into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God And if it shall seeme good vnto thee to lay any further triall either of sickenesse or death vpon this thy seruant or the fruite of her wombe prepare vs all to a quiet and patient bearing of thine holy hand and to a comfortable and contented resting vpon thy prouidence assuring our selues that all things shall turne to the good and benefite of thy chosen And so into thine holy hands wee commend our selues with thy seruant and her issue together with hers and our Families and that great Familie of thy chosen wheresoeuer distressed and dispersed to be kept by thy mighty power through Faith vnto saluation Grant vs these things O God of our saluation for the merite of thy beloued Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Amen A Prayer for such as in this world be very rich and wealthy ETernall GOD and most mercifull Father from whom all good things doe come and proceede who in thy wisedome distributest thy benefits and bestowest thy blessings manifoldwife as seemeth good to thy heauenly will to some more to some lesse as thou who knowest all things seest it to be best for euery one I giue thee hearty thanks in that it hath pleased thee to bestow vpon me a most vnworthy sinner such large blessings of earthly treasures and riches in this life most humbly beseeching thee for thy great mercies sake to giue mee grace to vse them to thy glory and to the helpe and comfort of those that haue neede knowing that thou hast giuen mee this aboundance to the end that I should be ayding and helpfull to others vpon whom it hath pleased thee to lay the crosse of pouerty and that I am but as a Steward from thee which must render account how I haue bestowed them I beseech thee also good Lord that while I liue and possesse plenty of all things from thee I may bee carefull to doe good vnto all men but especially vnto them that be of the houshold of Faith according as thy holy word hath commanded me laying vp therby a good store of my selfe against the day of wrath and to make me friends of vnrighteous Mammon that when I depart hence they may receiue mee into euerlasting habitations And as these thy good gifts O heauenly Father so I beseech thee that I abuse them not either by getting retaining or otherwise by mispending of them Let not my heart at any time be affected towards them nor my minde drowned in the delight of them but that alwaies I may esteeme both them and all things else as vile dung and filthy durt in respect of thee And in the midst of mine aboundance keepe mee O Lord that I aduance not my selfe vaingloriously aboue my Brethren that I be not puffed vp nor high minded that I consume not thy treasure vpon pride whoredome gluttonie drunkennesse or any other wickednesse else whatsoeuer thereby purchasing thy heauy iudgement against me for the same But grant good Lord that as thou hast made me rich wealthy in worldly substance so thou wilt make me much richer in all goodnesse righteousnesse holinesse and innocencie of life thorough Iesus Christ our only Mediatour and Aduocate to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be praise for euer Amen A Prayer for such as bee poore and needy O Eternall and euerliuing God who appointed diuers sundry states and conditions of men some rich some poore some high some low and hast notwithstanding commanded euery one to be content with his estate and calling without repining or grudging against thee for the same I poore wretch and miserable caitiue whom it hath pleased thee to place in the lowest and meanest degree most entirely beseech thy Fatherly goodnesse to giue me grace to be well contented with the sâ—me to submit my will to thy will to depend wholly vppon thy prouidence to cast all my care vppon thee who hast promised to care for mee to repose all my affiance trust and confidence in theâ— and none else and to looke for all good things from thy mercifull hands And though I be poore and needy O Lord yet I beseech thee let mee not dispaire of thy helpe nor yet attempt any vnlawfull or vniust meanes to maintaine my estate withall contrary to thy will But grant that I hauing all things necessary in this life for body and soule may neither bee swallowed vp nor choaked with the cares of the world nor yet remaine barren and destitute of good workes through Iesus Christ our Lord who liueth and raigneth with thee and the holy Ghost world without end Amen A Prayer to obtaine grace of God against the assaults of the world the Flesh and the Diuell O Lord God of eternall glory and Father of endlesse mercy wee thy vnworthy Creatures are bold in the name of thy beloued Sonne to represent our selues before thee humbly beseeching thee for his sake that thou wilt vouchsafe to send downe thy holy Spirit into our hearts to guide and gouerne vs in all our godly waies and to defend vs from all manner of temptations of this world and the assaults thereof Lord God of thine vnspeakable goodnesse grant that thy grace may continue with vs alwaies and that at no time we swerue nor fall from thee Let thy truth euermore bee with vs and make vs constant in the same that wee neuer bee afraid of any thing which lieth in the power of man ouer our bodies but alwaies confessing that whomsoeuer thou pleasest to defend no Tyrant shall bee able to destroy Strengthen and increase Faith Loue and Charity in the hearts of all people Make vs able to resist the vaine pleasures of the world let not the perillous allurements haue any power to conquer ouercome vs nor the subtilties thâ—reof bee able to deceiue vs. Defend vs also O Lord from the many perils and temptations which the diuell our aduersarie practiseth against vs least wee fall into his snaâ—es Let neither his endeuours nor the wanton inticements of our owne flesh preuaile against vs. Wee know O Lord that without thy sufferance hee of himselfe can take no hold on vs nor bee able to diminish the least haire of our head Giue therefore vnto vs such grace from thee that we may be willing to striue against the world the flesh and the diuell and such strength as we may be able to breake and beate downe the forcâ— and vehemencie of their strong temptations Grant vs thy heauenly light whereby wee may perfectly see and perceiue those malicious and cruell engines which they lay to entrap vs least vnawares we fall into the fame Euen now O Lord in these perillous daies the diuell and his ministers doe most busily seeke to sift vs by
so to keepe vs vnder that wee more effectually may giue our selues to serue thee Or if it bee thy will and pleasure more abundantly to blesse vs and our trauaile to send vs abundance of all things wee beseech thee deare Father giue vs a thankfull heart to acknowledge them to bee thy good giftes and frame our hearts with such liberality that wee may be contented to distribute them according to the necesity of thy children being assured that thou hast to this ende made vs Stewards ouer them that maist at his hands require much on whome thou hast bestowed much so that we hauing the due estimation of thy benefits which we ought to haue may both reuerence thy goodnesse in thy benefits and supply the want of our bretheren to the releefe of their necessity and furtherance of thy glory The fift petition Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. AND whereas most mercifull Father thy Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ hath in our nature paide the ransome and debt of all our sinnes which wee haue from the beginning of our life committed and do dayly commit wee beseech thy gracious gooodesse that thou wilt by thy holy spirit in our hearts assure our soules and consciences with a liuely faith that by that same one onely sufficient sacrifice the punishment of our sinnes is paide thy wrath appeased and thy Iustice satisfied whereby our consciences may be quieted set at peace with thee our mercifull Father and God Let vs deare Father feele in our soules and consciences that wee are vnited to thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ and made one body with him and heires with him of euerlasting glory so coupled and ioyned with him that wee are members of his body so that whatsoeuer hee hath done in his body wee may bee assured that it is ours that his righteousnesse is our righteousnesse his sanctification and holinesse is ours the curse condemnation and death which hee suffered is the same curse condemnation and death due for our sinns that wee know that our sins bee done away and cleane forgotten and forgiuen by thy mercifull loue goodnesse declared in offeâ—ing vp thy Sonne to death for vs wee may be driuen to loue thee vnfainedly from the bottome of our hearts for this thine vnspeakable loue And considering that thou hast in mercy pardoned so many our haynous offences we may gladly bee moued to forgiue one another their offences and put out of our heart all rancour malice hatred toward ouâ— Bretheren knowing that we are all members of one body Christ our Sauiour that so surely as we haue forgiuen them that offend vs we may be so certainely assured that our mercifull Father hath forgiuen vs like as we haue forgiuen our Bretheren The sixt petition Lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill ANd for as much most heauenly Father as we of our selues bee feeble and fraile and weak and haue a strong and subtile Aduersarie Sathan the Diuell who goeth about continually like a roaring Lyon seeking whome hee may deuoure we beseech thee strengthen vs by thy holy Spirit that wee may withstand his subtle suggestions and motions hold thou vs by thy mercifull hand and keepe vs alwaies in thy safegard and protection that wee be not ouercome in the mighty assaults of our aduersary And forasmuch as he often vseth euer our owne flesh armed against vs to conquer vs we beseech thee deare Father mortifie subdue and kill in our flesh all subtle suggestions and sinfull motions of Sathan that we yeeld not our selues as slaues thereunto but continually fight against them and bring them into subiection of the Spirit Grant vnto vs deare Father that we may not be drawne through the subtile and sliely torments of Sathan to haue our delight pleasure in the vanities of this world but by thy grace might and power may so in the prosperity of this life bee vpholden that our minds with full ioy and comfort may be lifted vp to our perfect consolation in our Lord and Sauiour Christ and in him take our full and perfect ioy and consolation so that no vaine delight of this world put vs from the same neyther any sharpe aduersaty as pouerty misery or calamity through the malice of the diuell driue vs to dispaire of thy mercifull goodnesse towards vs but alwaies being through thy grace and assistance defended we may be fully perfectly armed against all the subtile intrappings of Sathan and rest wholy in thy mercifull defence and aide For thou hast O Lord and eternall God in thy gouernment all things in heauen and earth all power dominion ouer all creatures Angels and diuels to rule them according to thy good pleasure and will to the profit and commoditie of thy Church and euery faithfull member thereof and to thine incomprehensible glorie that in all things in all ages for euer and euer thy glorious Name may be exalted and thy faithful flocke edified thâ—ough Christ our Lord Amen A Confession of sinnes with Faith and Repentance O Mercifull and heauenly Father we thy Seruants doe humbly pâ—ostrate our selues before thy Maiesty acknowledging here in thy sight our haynous offences committed against thy Maiesty seeing and beholding thy heauie wrath against them wee feele our selues laden O Lord our God with a huge company of horrible sins whereof the very least beeing but conceiued in thought is sufficient in iudgment to throw vs downe to the euerlasting burning lake Our owne consciences O Lord do beare witnesse against vs of our manifold transgressions of thy blessed Law of our security sencelesse blindnesse running headlong to destruction committing sinne after sin although not notorious to the world yet horrible before thine eyes The thoughts of our harts rise vp in iudgement against vs the vanity of our talke before thy Maiesty condeÌ„neth vs the wickednesse of our deeds from thy sight reiecteth vs all our wicked thoughts words and deeds with the inward corruption of our nature doe altogether as it were a whole lumpe loade of sinne lye heauy vpon vs and with their intollerable waight doe euen presse vs downe to Hell Wee doe daily groane vnder the burthen of them inwardly lamenting our owne folly too greedily running into them In heauen earth or hell wee see none able to sustaine the waight of them but euen thy dearely beloed Sonne Iesus Christ who in mercy infinite and compassion endlesse hath sustained and ouercome that endlesse punishment due vnto them in him therfore in him most mercifull Father and through him we come to thee being fully assured according to thy promise that thou wilt accept take that full recompence which hee thy deare Sonne hath made for vs as a iust ransome for the sinne of all those who with a true Faith take hold on him In him therfore we see thine anger towardes vs appeased thy wrath satisfied and our debts paide Increase in vs good Lord wee beseech thee this liuely and feeling faith for we feel it oftentimes in vs very weake and troubled with many doubtes Increase it in vs O Lord that
vanities of this world all licentious and inordinate life all flattering and dissimulation being vtterly banishâ—d the fâ—are of thy glorious Maiesty may so reigne in the harts of all within his Highnesse Pallace and Court that their liues and conuersation may bee agreeable to thy blessed will in sinceritie and true holinesse and integritie of life that from them as from the head may shine purity of life and conuersation as an example and patterne of true godlinesse to the whole Realme Preserue him wee beseech thee good Lord from all conspiracies and Treasons that if it bee thy good will he may haue a long quiet raigne ouer vs to the benefite of thy Church and aduancement of thy glory Indue the whole Counsell good Lord with true and perfect wisedom that in all their consultations Counsels hauing thee present before their eies they may consult of those things which principally cheefly may bee for the aduancement of thy glory and the commodity of thy Church and next for the quiet peace and gracious gouernment of this his Realme So lighten all inferior Magistrates of this Realme good Lord with brightnesse of thy holy Spirit that vnderstanding thy will they may zealously defend maintaine and further the course of the Gospell with the sword of iustice cut off the wicked and cherish the godly Defend and gouerne by thy holy Spirit the Pastours of thy Church and labourâ—rs in thy vineyard that â—hey may zealously earnestly and diligently feed thy flocke committed vnto them with the food of life thy bl ssed word wherewith their soules may bee nourished to life euerlasting Increase the number of them deare Father place ouer euery flocke a godly learned and painfull Pastor who may painfully carefully trauell euery one in his charge to bring thy people which now alasse in many parts doe wander and goe astray like lost sheepe to the true knowledge of their Lord and God and of thy deare Son Iesus Christ their Sauiour And for thy mercy wee beseech thee to take pitty vppon thy poore and simple flocke roote out all rauening woolues which haue craftily crept into thy sheepfold and doe make hauocke of the soules of thy simple Flocke Câ—st out all hirelings time-seruers dumbe Dogges which to fill their bellies onely haue thrust themselues among thy sheepe and doe pittifully suffer the Flocke of Christ thy Sonne to be deuoured and scattered of the Woolfe Stirre vp good Lord and place in their roomes faithfull Sheepeheards which diligently painefully carefully and earnestly may labour in thy Vine-yard seeke to winne the soules of thy people out of the tyranny and power of Sathan to the freedome of thy deare Sonne Christ Iesus our Lord. And that thy Church may better be furnished with godly learned Pastors wee beseech thee good Lord to prosper and increase in all Godly knowledge all schooles of leaâ—ning especially the two Vniuersities Cambridge and Oxford Grant deare Father vnto all the students of the same that the chiefe end of all their studies may bee to the furtherance of thy Church and maintenance of the common-wealth Blesse their studies deare Father that al vaine studies set aside they may so fructifie in all profitable and godly Sciences that hereafter they may become profitable members of thy Church godly Vpholders of the Common-wealth Grant good Lord to all the whole Commons of this Realme that their hearts being touched with a sincere feare and reuerence of thy Heauenly Maiesty acknowledging thy mercy in placing ouer them a godly Religious Prince they may euery one in their callings walke in all true and humble obedience vnto him in thee and for thee without resistance tumults Insurrections conspiracies or rebellions knowâ— grâ—at to resist the higher Powers is to rebel against thy Maiesty Finally wee beseech thy goodnesse so to giude gouerne the hearts of all the whole Realme of euery degree that euery one in his calling being by thy holy wisedome supported may so occupy his Talent that thy glory in all things may be aduanced thy church inlarged this whole Realme into sincere godlines vertuously reduced Moreouer wee beseech thee O Lord our God in Mercy to behold all those which suffer persecution for thy glorious words sake whether it bee imprisonment death or banishment or whatsoeuer else strengthen them good Lord that they hauing thee alwaies before their eyes and the glory laide vp for them in the life to come may continue constant in defending thy truth without feare of man or vaine allurements of the world that whether it come by life or death they may glorifie thy holy Name in continuing in the truth to the end Preserue in like manner wee beseech thee all others thy Children whome it hath pleased thee with any kind of Crosse to chasten for their amendment whether by pestilence famine warre pouerty Imprisonment sicknesse or banishment trouble of conscience vexation of spirit vnquietnesse of minde want of spirituall comfort or whatsoeuer kinde of affliction of body or minde thou dost try them with that by thy holy spirit being fully assured that thou by this thy correction mindest to call them backe to a feeling of their sinne due consideration of their life conuersation they may patiently abide thy Fatherly tryall looking for aide helpe and comfort from thee when it seemeth most conuenient to thy holy wisedome and being by thy mercifull hand once deliuered may acknowledge thy singular power and worke giuing all laud and praise to thy glorious name and afterwards all the daies of their life study and liue before it hee in sincerity and perfect holinesse euen to their liues end This O Lord we beseech thee in Mercy to grant for thy beloued Sonnes sake Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen Morning prayer for priuate Houses and Families O Gracious God and louing Father according to thy commandement wee doe here present our selues before the throne of thy mercy acknowledging and confessing from the bottome of our hearts that we be miserable sinners daily breaking thy commandements both in thought word and deed wherein wee iustly deserue euerlasting damnation and to bee vtterly throwne from thy presence yet O Lord wee see thy goodnesse againe toward vs who not suffering vs thus to perish in our sins hast sent thine owne deare Sonne Iesus Christ to take vppon him whatsoeuer is due to reconcile and make vs at one with thee againe In him therfore good Lord and through him doe wee come vnto thee beseeching thee for his sake that wee feeling the grieuousnesse of our sinnes and groaning vnder the burthen of them may feele the release ease of them in that we bee thorough thy holy Spirit assured and stedfastly beleeue that Christ hath borne the burthen of them euen for vs. Grant likewise O most mercifull Lord heauenly Father that wee being assured hereof in our consciences may through thy holy Spirit be renued in the inner man to hate detest and abhorre sinne and
illustrious Prince Palatine the Lady Elizabeth with their Princely Issue Blesse the Lords of his Maiesties most honourable Priuie Counsell the Magistrates Ministers of this Land Shower downe thy blessings O Lord vpon both the Vniuersities and all Schooles of Learning Comfort all those that bee afflicted with any kind of crosse that they may profit by thy correction to newnesse of life And lastly gracious Lord God we come vnto thee for our selues heere gathered together rendering vnto thy glorious Maiesty most hearty Thankes which hast hitherto from our infancy presetued vs by thy mercy from all perils and daungers both of soule and body whereunto fraile man is subiect that thou hast sent vnto vs euerie thing necessarie for this present life as health foode apparrell and such like which many of thy deere Children do want being notwithstanding as preciouslie bought with the precious bloud of thy deere Sonne as we be yet be in misery and calamity oppressed with pouertie nakednesse imprisonment and banishment in vvhose case also deare Father thou mightest haue brought vs saue onely that thou dealest herein more fauourably with vs then with them For the which thy louing kindnesse we giue thee hearty thankes desiring thee that as thou hast hitherto thus fauorably in mercie preserued vs by thy protection and euen presently this day hast brought vs past all dangers therof so we beseech thee good Lord in like fauour to behold vs this night that we taking our naturall rest and quietnes may through thy protection bee defended that our Bodies resting our soules may bee occupied in beholding thy fauour and mercie towardes thy Children still looking for the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ for our full Redemption Graunt that our sleepe bee not immoderate according to the lust of our flesh but as much as is sufficient to refresh our weake nature that being thus refreshed both the body and the mind may be more able to doe their seuerall office and Function in that Vocation wherein thou hast placed vs. Grant that we laying our bodies downe to rest mâ—y be thereby put in minde oâ— our long rest of death that as we do now lay down our bodies in bed so we may be therby admonished that heereafter they shall be layde downe in the Graue to bee consumed to dust earth ashes from whence they were taken That we hauing this before our eyes may be stirred vp in minde warily to walke in this our Pilgrimage not knowing when the time shall be of our departure but alwaies to be found readie with ouâ— Lampes of pure faith clearly burning that we may be accepted to meete the Bridegroome when our mortall earthly and corruptible Bodies shall be made like to the glorious body of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ there to reigne with him in perpetuall ioy and consolation together with all the Elect children of God continually lauding with thy Heauenly multitude the glorious Maiesty of thee our Lord God and heauenly Father in our God and Sauiour Iesus Christ For these and whatsoeuer else thou knowst to be needfull for vs and thy whole Church we pray vnto thee as he himselfe hath taught vs saying Our Father c. The Lord blesse vs saue vs the Lord make his face to shine vpon vs and be mercifull vnto vs The Lord turne his fauourable countenance vnto vs and graunt vs his peace The grace of our Lord Iesu Christ the loue of God the Father and the most comfortable Fellowship of God the holy Ghost be with vs preserue and keepe vs this night forth and for euermore Amen A forme of Prayer dayly to bee vsed of all faithfull Christians in their houses or elswhere ALmighty God and mercifull Father in and thorough Iesus Christ our Lord in whom and by whom we trust that thou art our God and Father we most humbly heere prostrate our selues before the Throne of thy Maiestie beseeching thee first good Father and God to pardon all our sinnes which wee confesse and acknowledge against our selues bâ—seeching thy gracious Spirit to worke in vs the knowledge of them daily more and more that thereby we may coâ—e vntâ— true Repentance for them together therewith vnto the knowledge of the heighth bredth depth and fulnesse in all sorts of thy grace and mercie whereby through Iesus Christ thou hast forgotten them and remoued them as farre from vs as the East is from the West And althogh we know by them too well good Lord that wee haue as much as in vs lay lyeth laboured to prouoke thine anger against vs heaping sinne vpon sinne and multiplying offences and transgressions against thy high grace and Maiesty breaking thy holy word Commandements yet thou O Lord hast not beene as Man nor thy affections as the affections of the Sonnes of men but hast continued gracious and mercifull and bountiful vnto vs in pardoning our sinnes and daily renewing in vs with the morning thy graces diuers and manifold Therefore we beseech thee most mercifull Father so to giue vs thy holy Spirit that wee prouoke thee no more that thou rise not against vs to destroy vs as we haue deserued for we haue bene are dry as stubble and yet thou hast not dispersed and consumed vs we haue beene vnfruitfull and thou hast not cut vs downe yea Lord we haue brought forth wild and sower Fruite corrupt and detestable and yet thou lettest thy raine to fall and Sun to shine vpon vs. Make vs therefore wee beseech thee sorry as becometh thy Children for that wee haue disobeyed thee so mercifull and louing a Father and frame vs daily and fashion vs to the likenesse of thy wel beloued Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord that in knowledge and true holinesse wee may glorifie thee before the world and by the fruits of godlinesse and righteousnesse be assured and made certaine of thy holy Spirit and of the loue wherewith thou louest vs. Make vs thankfull deere Father for the infinite vnspeakeable benefites of our election to life and euerlasting glory before all time and for our creation redemption and sanctification in time to bring thy glorious counsell to passe Worke in vs certaine faith and assured hope in thy promises the true feare of thy Maiesty perfect hate and detestation of all disordered and sinfull affections Worke in vs eternal loue of thy trueth and Gospell sincere affection and loue towards thy Children and amongst our selues patience knowledge vertue loue compassion with all graces of thy kingdome that in all on behauiour thou O God mayest be glorified in vs. Also wee beseech thee most mercifull Father for the benefites of this life That as thou art not onely the God of our spirites and soules but also of our bodies so it would please thee notwithstanding our sinnes to grant vs thy blessings of health peace and maintenance of which by thy gracious prouidence some of vs doe feele the want and some of vs haue for long time enioyed
of my duetie to my selfe and mine that so in our fayling each other wherein happily we might be more confounded as making this the main of our Religion rather to be honoured of each other in mutuall helpe then to honor thee our God in seeking help from thee alone wee might knowe the true cause why thou didst fail vs in the publike euen because we sought our selues and not thy Glory Oh the infinite riches of the wisedome of God! How wisely didst thou abase thy Seruant at home where hee sought to aduance himselfe in priuat by profiting others who neither sought thine honour abroad nor how to benefit himselfe by the publike Ordinances And yet how mercifully diddest thou heerein deale with him by calling him to account and charging him as an vnprofitable seruant for his vnworthy walking before thee in the publike while he was casting vp his peniworthes at home and expiated the approbation and recompence of a profitable seruant Euen thus O Lord my God fared it with me at home the best that I reaped was accordingly as I had sowne As I sowed to the flesh abroad so of the flesh I reaped corruption and confusion at home and while I endeuoured to heale the wound and mend my selfe by imparting of my bâ—d peniworths to others it was more encreased by their drowsinesse and deceitfull chaffering with me yeelding me no better then the chaffe and refuse of bodily and formall attendance for all my Lip-labour and cold deuotions bestowed vppon them And this is all that I can truly account with thee O thou Searcher of my secret parts for all the goodnesse I haue receiued from thee this day euen to account my selfe vnworthy of the least of thy mercies not able to answere thee one for a thousand if thou sholdst enter into iudgment with me But herein yet haue I boldnesse before thee comfort from thee that in this I do vnfeignedly iudge my selfe that thou mayest not condemne mee that in the iudging of my self I desire to giue thee the onely glorie of all thy mercies vouchsafed vnto me this day in acknowledging my selfe vnworthy of the least of them that so still I may bee found of thee in Iesus Christ not hauing mine owne righteousnes and so in his Peace may find peace and comfort with thee O pardon therfore I humbly pray thee the manifolde wanderings of thy poore seruant from thee this day euen while he hath bin with thee and discharge him of those fearefull reckonings which he hath had with his owne soule because he hath reckoned without thee not measured himselfe by his acceptance with thee but rather by what he hath slightly performed vnto thee Accept me therfore in the righteousnesse of my Sauiour and couer all mine imperfections with the perfect holinesse of my Redeemer that in him I may appeare all faire before thee And speake vnto my poore soule by the testimonie of thy good Spirit sealing vp vnto me the forgiuenesse of my best endeauours that so the conscience of my manifold wanderings and backeslidings from thee in my vain worldly thoghts carnall walking and behauiour farre vnbeseeming either this day or thy presence may not confound me in thy presence while I sue out my discharge from thee O giue me to mourne vnfainedly for greeuing thy Spirit so often this day and dishonoring thy great name wherein I haue sought to honour thee and make mee to abhorre my selfe before thee in a iust detestation of my best endeuouâ—s as to bee iustified thereby that so I may be acquitted by thy free mercy in Iesus Christ and in him may finde peace comfort in thee both that my faylings are not imputed vnto me and that my poore endeuours being the worke of thine owne Spirit may bee accepted of thee Let this comfort me O my God that I haue desired to walk before thee this day in the trueth of my heart and let this still humble me before thee that I haue not answered my desires heerein that so I may haue comfort in thy free acceptance aboue all that I could do or desire And so in this comfort grant mee to repose my selfe whollie in thy free Grace both to refresh me in the night season that I may not sleep in death and so to raise me vp again to a wise redeeming of the time of my ciuill Calling therein to lay vp a good foundation for better preparation against the next Sabbath and so to be prepared to my eternall Sabbath with thee for euer in thy glorious kingdom Heare mee O Lord in these my supplications pardon the weaknesse of my sinful prayers accept my person in the Sonne of thy loue and answere me aboue all that I can aske or thinke euen for the onely merit of thy deere Son my onely Sauiour Iesus Christ in whom thou art wel pleased Amen A Prayer to be said before the hearing or reading of the holy Scripture O Heauenly Father whatsoeuer I am whatsoeuer I haue whatsoeuer I know it is only by thy grace for by nature I am the child of wrath and I am not borne anew of flesh and bloud neither of the seed of man or of the will of man Flesh bloud cannot reueale the mystries of thy heauenly kingdome vnto me but by thy blessed will I am that I am and by the same know I that I know Therefore O Father doe I commit into thy hands onely my saluation If my knowledge be small yet I doubt nothing but that I am the child of thy euerlasting kingdome and therfore by thy mighty power I shall grow when it shall bee thy good will and pleasure to a more full and riper knowledge as of a more perfect age wherein my faith shall bee fully able to comprehend and perceiue the breadth depth heighth and largnesse of thy great mercies and gracious promises But seeing O Father this power of full knowledge and perfect reuelation passeth all power naturall and remaineth onely in thy power and light of thy Spirit O Lord doe thou whatsoeuer it shall please thee to open vnto me and all the rest of thine elect seruants and children depending vpon thee so much of the light of thy countenance as may bee most for thy glory and our comfort yea and at such time as shall seeme good to thy wisedome and fatherly mercy In the meane while thus resting wholy vppon thee neithet can I despaire neither will I be too much carefull although I cannot attayne to the knowledge of many of thy workes neither to the vnderstanding of many places of thy Scriptures But I will confesse vnto thee the weaknesse of my faith waiting alwaies for the further reuealing of thy glorious light to bee vttered vnto me thy poore seruant when thou shalt thinke of thy Fatherly beneuolence goodnesse meete and conuenient I knowing most assuredly that thou wilt pittie my weake imbecilitie and childish infancie and cause the same to serue for thy glory and my great commoditie
be greiued with whatsoeuer is displeasant in thy sight And to the intent we may haue true vnderstanding and be able to descerne betweene things what is good or euill wee beseech thee let thy word dwell in vs plentifully that it may guide our vnderstandings so that wee may abound in all knowledge and doe according to that which is righteous And in this estate of true Christianitie being instructed in mind and readie in body in all holy obedience we beseech thee make vs to grow and encrease from grace to grace from faith to faith vntill we come vnto the fulnesse of age to bee perfect members of the body of Christ waiting for the blessed hope of thine elect and sighing in spirit vntill the time that thy Children be reuealed In the meane season let vs sigh with all those that haue receiued the first fruits of thy spirit that these daies of sinne may cease that Sathan bee troden downe vnder feet that Antichrist may be reuealed yet to many thousands that bee in ignorance that the number of thine elect may be full the bodie of thy Saints made perfect all teares wiped from their eies euen then when thy Sonne shall appeare the second time to iudge the quicke and the dead which time O Lord send quickly according to thy good will and teach vs to pray with all thy Saints Come Lord Iesus come quickly Grant this O most mercifull Father for thy Sonnes sake in whose name wee pray vnto thee And although wee bee but earth and ashes yet wee are bold to say vnto thee the God of all glorie euen as hee hath taught vs. Our Father which art in heauen c. A Prayer for all estates O Lord God Father of light with whome is no change neyther yet shadow of change but hast established thine appointed counsels which shall not be changed for euer thou O God hast made among vs this diuersitie of estates and degrees according as euery Common-wealth needfully requiteth keepe vs all wee beseech thee that wee may walke obediently in our calling and follow the steps that thou hast set before vs euen from the highest to the lowest let vs accomplish that dutie vnto which thou hast appointed vs and with a faithfull remembrance of thy promise made of old to our Father Abraham that thou art his exceeding great reward wee may likewise depend on thy prouidence and seeke not any shamefull waies to get our liuing wandring from the righteousnes of our vocation into the manifold errors of sinne and iniquitie Looke vppon vs O Lord inrich vs with thy grace make vs obedient to our superiours meeke towards our enemies faithfull to our friends true and iust towards all men that wee may dwell stedfastly rooted in the hope of thine â—lect vntill thou shalt make an end of all our labour looke vppon our most excellent King and Prince with his Highnes honorable Counsell as thou hast called them to the highest roomes so giue vnto them the greatâ—st measure of grace that they faithfully dispense the Talents commited vnto them Lead them with good King Dauid into the Sanctuarie that they may see thy louing kindnes which is better then life and say with the Prophet All flesh is grasse and the glorie of man is as the flower of the field so consecreate themselues to do thy will offer vp their bodies to be holy liuing and reasonable sacrifices vnto thee that they may bee nurse-fathers vnto thy Church looke also wee beseech thee vppon the Ministers whom thou hast appointed to the preaching of thy Gospell make them O God faithfull dispencers of thy mysteries without respect of persons to do the worke vnto which thou hast appointed them that they may conuert sinners and haue their glorie perfect in the day of Christ knit vs together in peace and loue that they may bee full of compassion one towards another to reioyce with them that reioyce and mourne with them that mourne especially to instruct one another in the way of righteousnesse that by our mutuall helpe wee may the better withstand our enemie and dwell safe in hope of thine elect till our daies shall bee full and we shall walke in the waies of all the world which time we beseech thee bring vs happily vnto euen for thy Sonnes sake we beseech thee to whom with thee and the holy Ghost three persons and one God be all honor and glorie now for euer euermore Amen A Prayer to bee confirmed in the knowledge of God O Most mightie and eternall God thou that by the creatioÌ„ of the world the Sunne the Moone and Starres the Earth the Sea and all that therein is hath sufficiently declared thy selfe to be the euerlasting Almightie God for that these things doe farre passe the reach of mans wisedome And not herein onely hast thou declared thy selfe to bee a God but in that also that thou dost continually guide and gouerne all things of thee created It is thou therfore that thunderest from heauen that with lightnings and tempestes and of waters windes shewest thy terrible vengeance vpon sinfull flesh It is thou O God which lettest vs feele sensibly in our selues thy mighty power and working not only in that that thou hast made our bodies and soules but especially that thou makest vs euen of force to confesse thy eternall Spirit in vs who so mightily fighteth against the assaults of the enemie that of force we are driuen to acknowledge that it is thy working in vs and not we our selues Seeing therefore O most mercifull Father that wee haue both in thy creatures and also in our selues so manifest testimonie that thou onely art the eternall and euer-liuing God which raigneth in all thy creatures guiding them by thy heauenly prouidence grant we beseech thee that our hearts may be hereof fully assured to acknowledge thee not onely to bee God eternall who hath created all things but also that we may in heart be fully perswaded that thou O Lord God dost gouerne all things according to thy most blessed will so that nothing can bee done in the world without thine appointment and that thou hast such a singuler care ouer thine elected people so that not so much as an hayre of their head shall fall without thy prouidence that thou so guidest all their doings that all things shall turne to their commoditie and thy glory Grant O Lord God that hereof we may be fully assured in our hearts and soules that we may in all our doings set thee before our eyes acknowledging thee to bee our onely Lord and Father and by the working of thy holy Spirit in vs may bee confirmed in Faith and comforted in soule and lightened in vnderstanding that alwaies here vppon earth wee may glorifie thy holy name and after the dissolution of this body wee may attaine to euerlasting ioy through our Lord Sauiour Iesu Christ who liueth and raigneth world without end Amen A Prayer for the obtaining of sauing Faith O
holy thoughts and may diligently watch ouer my selfe for the preuenting of all vncleane and worldly cogitations Let me neuer presume vpon the aduantage of my secrecie seeing thou art in my secret parts nor that I am vnknowne in the places where I come as to doe ought vnbeseeming the profession of a Christian seeing in all places I am knowne to thee and would bee knowne and approued of thee And if I light into the company of others make me still carefull to seeke and entertaine all good opportunities of doing or receiuing good that I may neuer conforme my selfe to the humors of prophane persons but in a godly discretion may so cary my selfe as that I may neither wilfully make my selfe a scorne to the wicked neither yet may any why bee offensiue to the godly either by wounding them by my scandalous carriage or wounding mine soule by communicating with their euils but either may winne or bridle or at least make them inexcusable either bettering them or being better by them not returning to them if they will not returne to mee This grant mee gracious God in an assured expectation of thy gracious guidance to betake my selfe to mine entended iourney And so I commend both my selfe and it together with these my suits vnto thee my louing Father in the name and worthinesse of Iesus Christ my onely Mediator and Redeemer Amen A Thanksgiuing after a Iourney IT is thy great mercy O Lord my God that as I craued thy assistance in my iourney so it hath pleased thee to giue mee good successe therein and to bring mee safe againe vnto mine owne home and it is my dutie as I haue obtayned fauour from thee heerein so to returne thee the onely praise and glory thereof For thou O Lord hast onely prospered my occasions thou onely causest me to go forth and returne in safetie Gracious hast thou beene vnto mee euen from the wombe vnto this present deliuering mee out of all my troubles supplying all my wants and doing all my workes for mee aboue all crowning thine owne graces in mee and accepting both me and all my seruice aboue the worth thereof in the merit of my Sauiour in whom thou hast paâ—doned all my sinnes and sanctified my afflictions yea my very sinnes vnto my good There is no day nor houre of the day nor minute of the houre no occasion that hath befallne mee in any moment of time in which thy blessings are not renewed towards me O that I could bee so liuely and effectually thankefull vnto thee as becommeth mee O that my heart within mee might euen melt with greefe that I haue passed ouer so many of thy fauours without due regard And yet behold how now also thou prouokest mee to this dutie O quicken mee I humbly pray thee heerevnto Make me diligently to looke backe into the course and order of the whole iourney and to obserue by degrees how thou hast bene good vnto mee how thou hast blessed my going out and my comming in hast brought me in peace to my resting place Many dangers might haue swallowed me vp which yet through thy great goodnesse I haue happily escaped sundry times hath there bene such is the brittlenes of this house of clay which I beare about mee but euen a stâ—ppe betweene me and death out of the iawes whereof thy right hand and thine owne onely arme hath saued mee I can ascribe nothing to my selfe or mine owne prouidence neither can I say that my safety is the reward of mine owne deseruing Not vnto me O Lord not vnto mee but to thy Name doth belong the glory for thou hast preserued mee O God of truth And now grant I beseech thee that the sense of thy loue may beget in mee such a loue of thee and of that which thou commandest that I may willingly cheerfully and with full purpose of heart dedicate my selfe to thy seruice accounting as my life now renewed vnto mee so euery new kindnes is as it were a new bond and a fresh encouragement hereunto that I may walke before thee daily in newnesse of life passing the time of my pilgrimage in feare and going on from strength to strength till I appeare before thee my God in Sion euen that new Ierusalem which is aboue Grant me these things gracious Father euen for thy deere Sonne sake Iesus Christ our Lord Amen A Prayer for a woman in time of her trauaile RIghteous and holy Lord God I doe now finde by experience the fruite of my sin that I must trauaile in sorrow and bring forth in paines and I vnfeignedly adore the truth of thy Sacred word as certifying vnto me that sorrow must bee in the Euening so comforting me also against the Morning that a Childe shall be borne Willingly do I desire to submit my selfe in hope into this thy chasticement and to learne the desert of my sinne horrible in themselues that these temporall paines are fore-runners of eternall and yet by thy mercie may bee so sanctified vnto mee as not onely to preuent eternall vengance but also prepare for eternall comforts euen to bee Sacred by bearing of Children Grant me therefore gracious Father true repentance and pardon for my sinnes past that they may not stand at this time in this my need betweene mee and thy mercie Giue mee a comfortable feeling of thy Loue in Christ which may sweeten all other pangs though neuer so violent or extreame make mee still to lift vp my soule vnto thee in my greatest agonies knowing that thou alone must giue a blessing to the ordinary meanes for my safe deliuerance Lay no more vpon mee then I am able to endure and strengthen my weake body to the bearing of what sorrow soeuer by which it shall seeme good vnto thee to make triall of me Grant me to consider that howsoeuer it be with mee yet I am alwaies as thine hand whose mercies faile not who will bee found in the Mount and greatest extreamitie and to whom belong the issues of death so prepare mee therefore to death that I may bee fit for life euen to yeild fruite aliue vnto the world and to bee renewed and enabled to nourish the same And when thou hast safely giuen mee the expected fruite of my wombe make mee with a thankfull heart to consecrate both it and my selfe wholly to thy seruice all the daies of my life through Iesus Christ mine onely Sauiour and Redeemer Amen A Thanksgiuing after safe deliuerance O Blessed for euer be thy great glorious Name most deere and louing Father for thy great mercy to mee most weake and sinfull woman Wonderfull art thou in all thy workes O Lord the riches of thy mercies are past finding out thou hast plunged mee with great afflictions and yet thou hast returned refreshed me againe thou hast brought me to the feare of the graue and yet thou hast raised mee vp againe to life O how hast thou shewed thy power in my weaknesse How hath thy louing kindnesse
soule in mercy preserued and thy whole Church edified now for euer Amen A Prayer for patience in tribulation and that God may bee glorified thereby GRacious and mercifull Father who hast from time to time in all ages exercised euen thy most deere children with greeuous afflictions and sharpe corrections to draw their minds from too much loue of earthly pleasures to delight in heauenly ioyes and spirituall comforts of the soule graunt I beseech thee that I euen from my heart may acknowledge this affliction which doth nowe greeuously pierce my soule to bee thy Fatherly correction and scourge of thy meere mercy and loue layd vppon mee to put mee in minde of my dutie towards thee least else with too much quietnesse I should haue beene drawne through the flattering pleasures of this vaine world from the remembrance and delight of my spirituall ioy in heauenly things to haue had my sinfull delight in this vaine world and so should haue runne headlong to euerlasting damnation with the wicked world But that thou O Father hast called me back by this thy Fatherly rod whereby thou mindest to let me see that of my selfe I haue no strength vnto goodnesse but that it was thou who by thy aboundant mercy hadst before time replenished my heart with ioy that I tooke great pleasure and comfort in reading and hearing thy holy word and receiuing other benefits which spirituall comfort and quietnesse of mind because I did not fully acknowledge to bee thy good gift in mee thou hast now taken from mee for a time that I may effectually perceiue and learne by the lacke of it that it was thy worke in me and when thou restorest the same againe I may more aboundantly glorifie thee in thy manifold mercies But while it shall be thy good will pleasure O Lord to exercise mee with this thy louing correction giue me grace that I may patientiy abide whatsoeuer it shall please thee to lay vpon me for my amendment strengthen mee O Lord that I doe not faint vnder the burthen of affliction but being vpholden by the strength of thy holy Spirit in mee I may neuer cease calling vppon thy name with full perswasion that thou wilt at thy time appointed send mee full assurance to my singular comfort and thy eternall glory And when it shall please thee O Lord fully to deliuer mee I beseech thee so worke in my heart that I may acknowledge the same to come from thee and to be thy onely worke that I may be thankfull for thy so great mercies in all the daies of my life and I neuer forget thy louing and Fatherly dealings towards mee but so to the end of my life I may liue in thy feare and loue that thy holy name in my life may be glorified and after death I may bee receiued to that full ioy which thou hast prepared for thine elect children through our onely Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen A Prayer for mortification and holinesse BLessed Lord God and most mercifull Father I doe acknowledge vnto thee that I am vnworthy to appeare before thy high Maiestie to offer vp vnto thee a sacrifice of prayer being full of sinne and corruption naturally glad of euill and vnprofitable to good Yea being so miserable yet I see not my miserie I feele it not I bewaile it not as I ought to doe but multiply mine iniquities prouoking thy iust iudgement against me My zeale is cold my loue feeble my exercises of Religion faint and few and I take no way but that which leadeth from euill to worse and finally would lead me from sinne to the reward of sin All this is true deere Father yet my heart is not moued with feare all this is true yet I doe not sorrow for it but walke with ioy where I must if I continue reape affliction therefore be mercifull vnto mee and blesse me be mercifull vnto me in Christ Iesus wash away all mine iniquities be mercifull vnto me and create in me a new heart and prepare it to prayer and to thy holy seruice for thou alone O Lord art my hope and the mighty God of my saluation Thou hast giuen mee a desire to serue thee O teach me that I may doe it and the good worke which thou hast begun make it perfect in me that I may no more loue wickednes follow vanity but that my good desires in thee may be increased and all of them accomplished so shall I praise thee and magnifie thee for euer For ther is no honor but thy honor no glory but thy glory O Lord it is vaine to trust in Princes but truely to trust in the Lord bringeth plentifull saluation From age to age it hath appeared that thou O Lord God art mercifull and that in thy Courts there is nothing but truth and holinesse This world is full of vanitie full of pride full of rebellion and the flesh also The world hath many baites of destruction and the flesh doth delight in them they are sworne together to betray vs to Sathan yea wee betray our selues therefore deere Father by the crosse of Christ mortifie in vs the deeds of the flesh and crucifie in vs the deeds of the flâ—sh and crucifie both vs to the world and the world to vs that our soules may liue In our generall calling make vs obedient to serue thâ—e in holinesse and in righteousnesse all the daies of our life in our particular callings also make vs faithfull that we may neither put away a good conscience nor make ship-wracke of faith I beleeue O Lord helpe my vnbeleefe in the day of peace and prosperitie make vs sober in the day of trouble and aduersitie make vs looke vppe and cheerefuly to waite and trust in thee for our deliuerance that our enemies mouthes may bee stopped by our godly conuersation and their hearts pricked with zeale to turne vnto thee Neither do I pray O Lord for my selfe alone but for the whole body into the which I am grafted by Christ Iesus that is for thy Church O God for thine inheritance that rhou wouldest encrease it from one end of the world to another that all Nations may worship before thy foot-stoole Especially O Lord I pray for them that professe thy Gospell as for this our Nation that thou wouldest be mercifull vnto it turning our hearts to thee for our gracious Soueraign the King and for all our Councell that thou wouldest poure thy graces vpon them to discharge of their dutie and our peace for all the holy Teachers in the Church that thou wouldest blesse them and their labours for the peace and full beautie of this Church for the peace and wealth of the Common-weale Wee pray thee also for to blesse all the meanes to bring this to passe Also we pray thee for our Parents for all others to whom wee owe speciall loue or seruice but principally wee beseech thee to shew thy compassion vpon all that are in persecution for thy Gospel O Lord
commanded vs in thy holy word may receiue the reward of thy promise that is all things necessary for this life and in the life to come euerlasting glorie through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen A Prayer against vsuall and common swearing ETernall God and louâ—ng Father in thy holy word the word of truth thou sayest that the man who vseth to sweare much is accursed and the plague shall neuer depart from his house and in thy holy Gospell hast said that we shall render account at the day of iudgement for euery idle word that we shall speake O how much more shall we giue accounts of euery pâ—ophane blasphemous and bloody oath that wee sweare And therefore to the end wee might auoyd thy vengeance against that day thou hast commanded vs not to sweare at all but that our communication be yea yea nay nay for whatsoeuer is more then that commeth of euill Wherefore I beseech thee good Lord in the bowels of mercy so to dispose order my tongue and mouth the vse whereof thou hast giuen me aboue other creatures to glorifie thee withall that thereby I abuse nor blaspheme not thy holy name For true it is O Lord that swearers blasphemers of thy holy name as much as lyeth in them do crucifie thy Sonne afresh and are as guilty of his blood as Iudas was that betrayed him or the cursed Iewes that slewe him And seeing that to sweare by thee whose blessed name is neuer to bee thought of nor yet once called into question but with great reuerence feare and dread is most horrible blasphemy and to sweare by any creature else is most detestable Idolatry keepe me I beseech thee from all manner of vnlawfull swearing and from all wicked bloody Oaths that both my heart tongue and mouth and all parts else both of body and soule may bee instruments of praise to set forth thy glory all the daies of my life through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen A Prayer against pride HOly Lord thou hast in thy blessed Gospell commanded vs by all meanes possible to eschew the filthy vice of pride which is a certaine rebellion of the heart against thee and aboue all things to embrace and euer hold fast the anchor of humility A perfect patterne whereof wee may learne in thee O blessed Sauiour who was humble lowly curteous gentle mercifull pittifull full of compassion and all goodnesse not disdaining the vilest person or loathsomest Lazer that euer liued if hee faithfully beleeued in thee Thou humbledst thy selfe that we might bee exalted thou becamest poore to make vs rich thou camest downe to the earth to liue in humility that we might be exalted to liue in felicity Thou wast poore in estate meane in attire and base in all things before the world in respect of thy humanity but before thy heauenly Father in respect of thy Deity most magnificall and glorious And therefore not without cause thou biddest vs learne of thee saying Learne of me for I am humble lowly your Soules shall liue Thou ouerthrowest the proud in their owne imagination and giuest grace to the humble yea thou so much abhorrest pride that thou iudgest them to eternall damnation that offend therein If wee would consider with our selues our owne misery wee should haue no cause to rise vp into pride For in respect of our bodies are wee any thing else then vile dung and ashes And in respect of our soules til they be regenerate by the Spirit of God are they not bondslaues to Sathan receptacles to fiendes and subiect to euerlasting damnation What haue wee now that we haue not receiued Or whereof may we be proud Wherefore O my God I beseech thee who art the true mirrour of all humility giue me the spirit of meeknes humblenesse and lowlinesse of heart and keepe me from all filthy pride arrogancy of body or mind that I neuer lift vp my selfe into pride against thee or thinke of my selfe aboue that which I am of my selfe but that I casting downe my selfe and distrusting mine owne worthinesse may be by thee aduanced to eternall glory Grant that those things which thou gauest me for necessities sake onely as thou diddst my apparell to hide my shame withall may neuer bee abused of mee as instruments of wickednesse And those things which thou gauest me to praise and glorifie thee withall as thou diddest my heart my tongue mouth I neuer abuse to thy dishonour And as it may please thee to indue mee with this true humility of mind towards thee so I beseech thee to giue me the true humility of body and mind towards my brethren also that I be not puft vp nor aduance my selfe aboue them disdaining or contemning them though otherwise neuer so meane or contemptible before the world And whensoeuer the Enemie assaulteth me to stirre mee vp to pride I beseech thee whose power is incomprehensible to strengthen mee to with-stand his temptations and set before the eies of my minde the examples of thy Iudgement inflicted vpon the children of pride in all ages as namely how thou threwest downe Lucifer a bright Angel in heauen into hell fire how thou condemnest Adam and all his posterity How thou destroyedst Nymrod that huge Giant Goliah that fierce monster Nabuchadnezar that ambitious bloody tyrant Herod that arrogant miscreant and many others who through the sinne of pride rebelled against thee and may by these examples bee terrified from committing that great heynous sinne against thee that I humbling my selfe in this world after the consummatioÌ„ of this life may bee exalted in the kingdome of heauen there to raigne with thee for euer and euer Amen A Prayer against Gluttony and drunkennesse BLessed Lord as thou hast created man after thy owne similitude and likenesse and hast giuen him a perfect body like vnto thy Sonne Iesus Christ so thou hast ordained and prouided for him ordinary meanes as meate drinke flesh fish hearbes oyles wines what not to keepe and sustaine the same And hast commanded these thy creatures to bee moderately taken to the sustentation of the body with praise and thanksgiuing to thee accursing them to hell who by abusing not lawfully vsing these thy blâ—ssings make them instruments of sinne and so consequently of damnation to themselues Giue me grace I beseech thee that I may neuer abuse thy giftes through gluttony drunkennesse riot or excesse but that I liuing in all godly temperance and sobriety may bee thankfull vnto thee for them and also vse them for my necessity Knowing that our meates without thy blessing cannot nourish the body but destroy it rather as experience daily teacheth Make me O Lord to loath and detest this horrible vice so much the more in respect of the filthynes of the same for besides that it transformeth man into the Image of a beast or rather maketh him worse then a beast for they neither eate nor drinke without measure it also blindeth his eies of reason
know that thou O Lord dost raigne in al ages to the behoofe of thy Church and terror of thinâ— enemies Grant these mercies good Lord not onely to a whole Church in generall but especially to euery one of vs thy Children particularly grant that we may affectually feele the force of this thy kingdome in our hearts Beat downe in vs our old Adam with all sinfull delights thoughts motions and desires and renew in vs day by day our spirituall and inward Man that we may be wholly bent to delight thinke desire doe those things which bee acceptable in thy sight The third petition Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heauen FRame our hearts good Lord with such humble obedience to thy holy will that we may be hartily well content with whatsoeuer it pleaseth thy goodnes to lay vpon vs that we neuer cease in our miseries but continually call on thee by harty prayres athough wee feele no release at all yet that still patiently we may abide and quietly wait for thy good leysure and appointed time of deliuerance when thou knowest it shall be most expedient for vs. The fourth petition Giue vs this day our dayly bread GRant vs deare Father that all our Counsels studies labours and endeauors being by thy holy spirit guided and framed we may euery one in that vocation in which thou hast placed him so fairhfully trauaile to the discharging of our Consciences and edyfying of thy Church that our account may be found acceptable before thy Throne Iudgement seate So blesse our labours and trauailes that we may haue sufficient for the preseruing of this present life and be content with those benefits which thou shalt bestow vppon vs whether they be many or few acknowledging them to be receiued of thee not greedily to care for them or vainely to delight in them and thankefully esteeme of them as thy benifits bestowed vpon vs and as faithfull Stewards moderately to vse them to the releefe of our bretheren and discharge of our consciences The fift petition Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse aginst vs. ENcrease in vs O Lord the gifte of Faith that we may daily more more in our Soules and consciences be assured that our sins be defaced cleane blotted out and couered with the full perfect and sufficient sacrifice of thy deare sonne Christ Iesu our Lord and Sauiour once made for vs that we are vnited knit and made one body with him partakers of his righteousncs iustification and holynesse and euen fellow-heirs with him of euerlasting life that wee may vnfainedly from the bottome of our hearts loue thee for this thine vnspeakeable goodnes and mercy forgetting from our hearts our Bretheren that do offend vs pray for them loue cherish and comfort them as fellow members all of one body with perfect naturall loue and compassion linked together vnto our head Christ Iesus The sixt petition Lead vs not into temptation STrengthen vs good Lord with thy holy Spirit that we be not ouercom with the subtle suggestions and sinfull motions of Sathan the diuel hold vs vp with thy merciful hand that we sleepe not in sinne that we be not drawne away with the wicked world nor the enticâ—ments of the flesh to delight in Wickednesse but so arme vs vvith thy mightie power that wee may strongly abide all the assaults and subtile sliâ—hteâ— of our ghostly enemy and sincerely to walke befoâ—â—â—â—ces both in prosperity and aduersity to thy honour and glory the health of our souls and profite of thy Church through Iesus Christ our only Lord and Sauiour Amen The Lords Prayer more at large The first Petition Our Father which art in Heauen MOst mighty and eternall Lord God who of thine infinit loue to mankinde hast giuen vs thine owne eternal Sonne Christ Iesus our Lord to be made man for vs in the similitude of sinnefull flesh to become flesh of our flesh bone of our bones in all things like vnto vs sin onely excepted who beeing thy true and naturall Sonne hath made vs with him sons children and heyres to thee our most merciful Father giuing vs by thy grace that which is his by Nature And by his due alone once suffered sufficient Sacrifice hath payde the ransome of our sins before thy diuine Maiestie to satisfie thy iustice vppon sinfull flesh Which debt being paide for vs he hath brought vs in fauor with thee so that we may now with boldnesse and trust come to thee as vnto our most mercifull and louing Father with full assurance that as thy soule is so much greater and more excellent towards vs then all loue of eatthly Parents toward their Children as thou passest all men in goodnesse and mercie so thou wilt deny vs nothing which shall be expedient for vs. So that although all the Fathers that are in earth hauing shaken off all seeing of Fatherly naturalnesse would forsake their children yet wouldest thou neuer forsake vs beecause thou canst not deny thy selfe Who promisest that if earthly Fathers being euill can giue good giftes to their Children how much more wilt thou our heauenly Father being altogether goodnes it selfe giue good things to them that aske in thy Sons name And that although a Mother should forsake her Children yet wilt thou not forsake vs thy children whoÌ„ thou hast before the beginning of the World in thy deere Sonne Iesus Christ chosen to be thy children heires with him of thine immortall Kingdome Whereof that we our selues might bee sure and certaine and out of al doubt that we are the children â—nd heyrs of euerlasting life thou hast giuen into our hearts thy holy Spirite as a true pledge and earnest of our inheritance which Spirit doth assure our spirites that we are thy children and thou therefore crieth in our hearts Abba Father Graunt this for thy deere Sonne Iesus Christ our Sauior Amen The Second Petition Hallowed bee thy Name WEe therefore as thy deere Children ransommed and bought by thy deere Sonne flye to thee our most louing â—nd merciful Father who in goodnes art infinite in mercie abundant in substance incomprehensible in immortality euerlasting who by thy mightie power and singulare prouidence rulest all things according to thy heauenly Wisedome beseeching thee for thy deere Sonne Christ Iesus his sake that as thou hast sufficiently set forth thy glorious name in making and framing the whole world heauen earth and all the things therin contained so we may in beholding viewing thy Creatures the works of thine hands may be lifted vppe to thee our Lord God the Creator and maker and in them glorifie thy holy name acknowledging in them thy singular goodnesse and loue towards man for whose vse thou hast created all thinges both in heauen and earth that we may for the same euen from the bottome of our harts yeeld due honor praise and thankesgiuing vnto thee deere Father all the daies of our life Grant most mercifull Father that wee may in
wee may through thy holy spirit bee assured that the punishment of our sinne is fully in thy Sonne discharged Make vs O Lord our God to feele the same in our soules and consciences that Iâ—sus Christ is ours and all that hee hath done that we are ingrafted into his body and made one with him and therefore fellow-heires with him of euerlasting life Let vs not onely haue these words in our mouths good Lord but through thy holy Spirit let vs feele the comfort of them in our hearts fully sealed setled in vs that we feeling our selues inwardly before thy Iudgement seate discharged and our consciences towards thee appeased may bee swallowed vp with an vnfained loue towards thy heauenly Maiesty and towards our Bretheren for thy sake Make sinne to die in vs daily more and more that wee may hate detest and vtterly abhorre all sinne and wickednesse in all men but especially in our selues that wee mâ—y strongly through thy holy Spirit sette our selues in open defiance against all sin and wickednesse that wee please not our selues in our sins but straightly examining sin by the iust rule of thy holy Lawes wee may vtterly from the bottome of our hearts condemne euen the least sinne in our selues hauing our whole ioy comfort and consolation vpon those things which bee agreeable to thy blessed will alwaies being afraide to doe any thing contrary to the same that wee may euen from the bottome of our hearts examine and try our thoughts before thy presence that they bee vpright vnfained not hypocritical in outward shew only appearance but that euen all the corners of our hearts being opned and disclosed before thee we may euen as though it were openly before the face of the whole world bring them in shew knowing that a double heart is destitute in thine eyes and that wee may walke alwayes as before thine eyes not onely before the eyes of man being more carefull to walk circumspectly in this respect that we haue thee to be a viewer of our doings a thousand fold more then the eyes of man That thus wee may walke as becommeth thy Children not onely in outward shew but also in sincerity of hart abhorring euen the least sinne in our selues striuing resisting and fighting against sinne not nourishing the same in our breast but earnestly embracing and studiously seeking after those things which bee pleasant in thine eyes that neyther the feare of man nor losse of goods life landes possessions or friends draw vs away from thee to doe anie least thing contrary vnto thy will and pleasure neither the fauour and friendship of man nor yet the flattering enticements of this World nor the vaine promotions of the same do mooue vs â—ny whit from the true and endlesse ioy delight pleasure which we ought to haue in those things which be agreeable to thy will and the constant performance of the same but that alwayes to the end of our life wee may continue in thy pathes growing and increasing from faith to faith from strength to strength till at length we shall come to thine euerlasting rest Amen ¶ A Prayer for the prosperous estate of the whole Church O Lord our God and heauenly Father forasmuch as by thy holy word we are commanded in our Prayers not onely to be mindefull of our selues but also of all other thy children yea euen of our enemies wee commend vnto thy diuine Maiestie all thy whole true and Catholicke Church and euery member thereof that as it hath pleased thy goodnesse by the bright beames of thy holy word to shine ouer the whole world whereby thou hast expelled driuen away caused to vanish the darke and misty cloudes of ignorance and superstition so thou wouldest vouchsafe by thy holy Spirit to touch the hearts of men that they may ioyfully imbrace that thine so high a Treasure sent amongst vs that through our vnthankefulnesse wee prouoke not thy Maiesty in anger to take it from vs. Crush bruise and destroy with the breth of thy mouth the mightie power of that man of sin which so proudly exalteth himselfe aboue al that is called God Let not thy simple flocke deere Father in whose consciences he so long time hath yet doth sit as God bee any longer poisoned with his sweet inticing poisons but so lighten their harts that they may perceiue his iuglings embrace the sweet and comfortable doctrine of life euerlasting reuealed in thy glorious Gospell And forasmuch as it hath pleased thee in mercy aboue all Nations of the earth to powâ—e down the sweet showers of thy heauenly graces vpon this our English Nation aboundantly in more plentifull wise watering the same with the giftes of thy holy Spirite in promoting thy Gospell and ouerthrowing Idolatrie we beseech thee continue thy fauour towards the same and vttery roote out all Remnants Reliques and Monâ—ments of Idolatrie that thy glorious name may be throughly exalted in sincere pure and holy worship And as thou hast in mercie from amongst vs in this thy Church vtterly banished all false venomous and poisonfull doctrine wherewith the soules of thy Children heretofore haue beene wounded â—o death and in place thereof hast placed the true and comfortable doctrine of life euerlasting wherewith the soules of thy children may be fedde and norished to euerlasting ioy so in like mercie and fauour we beseech thee deare Father establish in the same thy Church a true perfect and sincere regiment therof according to the prescript rule of thy blessed Word all fantasies of mans brains and dreames of humane policie vtterly abolished that thy glorious Maiesty onely may be exalted in the light of thy glorious Gospel and that thy Church may flourish increase being through thy protection aided supported maintained and defended we beseech thee â—â—thy holy Spirit guide and rule euery part and member thereof especially thy seruant Iames our King whome thy gracious fauor and mercifull prouidence hath appointed a cheefe member of the same vnder whose winges next vnto thy protection it hath a cheefe succour and support Grant vnto him O Lord a pure and perfect zeale aboue all things to promote thy glorie first cheeflie in labouring and endeuoring of himselfe earnestlie in wiping away and purging out of the Church all blots and deformities to reduce the same to a pure sincere forme of worshippe agreeing to thy blessed word vtterly to remooue all stumbling blockes which stay and hinder the course of thy Gospell Giue in like manner O Lord GOD the spitit of wisedome discretion gouerment that with equitie and iustice he may see this whole Realme which thou hast committed to his charge peaceably quietly gouerned that hee may studiouslie labour that as well through the whole Realme vertue be exalted vice abandoned as especially in his owne house and Court that all wicked
seeing that I erre as a child before such a Father which canst not but off thy Fatherly pitty and compassion but rather as thou hast bought mee vnto thee to bee an heire of thy kingdome by the bloud of thy naturall Sonne my Sauiour Iesus Christ so am I sure that thou wilt lighten mee in the end with full fruition of the bright light of thy countenance that I may see thee and know that as this thy Sonne knoweth thee yea see thee and know thee my Father face to face to know thâ—e as I am knowne Thus rest I onely in thy hands O my God crauing of thee to encrease my knowledge in thy holy word whereby I may know thy good will pleasure And knowing the same giue mee O Lord thy holy Spirit to conduct and lead mee in the same all the daies of my life that in sinceritie of faith and purenes of liuing and conuersation thy glorious Maiesty bee magnified in mee for euer Giue mee grace therefore most mercifull Father that for so high a treasure left among vs as is this thy most holy word I may be thankfull reuerently embrace accept and esteeme of the same as the most precious iewell in earth bee thereâ—n confirmed more strongly that all things therein contayned to be most certaine and vndoubtedly true not by any mortall man but by thy most holy Spirit in man penned and written to the comfort and behoofe of man that I may most humbly lowly and with most high reuerence submit my selfe thereunto as becometh thy Maiestie and thy word proceeding out of thy most blessed mouth that I may reuerently with humblenesse and obedience read heare and occupie my selfe in the same to the comfort of my soule and encrease of thy glory Lighten mine vnderstanding most deere Father with thy holy Spirit that I may learne cleerely to conceiue and vnderstand the things therein contained which no mortall man can conceiue saue those who haue learned of thee whom thou by thy holy Spirit dost lighten and instruct Guide mee deerâ— Father with thy holy Spirit that hauing the true vnderstanding of the mysteries therein contained I may be fully established and confirmed in the true knowledge of thee my deere Father of thy beloued Sonne Iesus Christ my Lord and Sauiour throughly in conscience perswaded that I haue my full and perfect saluation life euerlasting in him and through his attonement made through his death and passion that I doe not vainly abuse the knowledge of thy sacred word to satisfie vaine curiositie or bragge of knowledge but onely to the releeuing of my hungry and wounded conscience to the loosing of my fettered soule and the appeasing of my sorrowfull heart that I may to the end of my life walke in sincerity before thee my heauenly Father in the comforts of thy deere Sonne our Sauiour vpholden still by the mercifull power of the holy Ghost to thine euerlasting praise and glory world without end Amen A Thanks-giuing after the hearing or reading of the word of God O Eternall God and most mercifull Father I yeeld vnto thee most heartie thankes for all thy benefits bestowed vppon mee especially that it hath pleased thy heauenly goodnesse to shine into my heart through the light of thine holy Spirit in the Mysteries of thy holy word and that thou hast framed my heart and mind to take such vnspeakeable ioy and comfort in thy most blessed holy word and the embracing of my saluation therein offered vnto mee For these thine vnspeakable mercies I beseech thee O Lord make mee thankfull that I may acknowledge the great benefit thereof and esteeme of so inestimable a treasure aboue all earthly possessions or treasures And O Lord my God for so much as I wander in this present life among many and infinite dangers whereby I am euery moment in perill of sliding backe and falling from this feruent zeale of thy euerlasting truth which thou hast kindled in my brest if otherwise thou doe not stay mee by thy mercifull hand and for so much as I learne out of thy most blessed and holy word that it is not sufficient to haue begunne well vnlesse I continue to the end not sufficient to hold my hand to the plough and looke backe I craue at thy hands in the name of thy beloued Sonne my Lord and Sauiour Christ that this thy worke which thou hast begun in mee thou wilt in mercy encrease in me more and more and continue it euen to the end of my life that I doe not waxe cold secure dull or faint but continually encreasing in true zeale I may still more and more be delighted with reading hearing and meditating of thy holy word I may thereby also daily encrease in true knowledge of thy blessed will from faith to faith that I may euen from the bottome of my heart so sincerely professe thy true Religion that all hypocrisie vaine-glory and fained holinesse vtterly through thy holy Spirit rooted out of my heart I may onely hold my selfe contented that I may haue the eyes of thy Maiesty beholding my inward heart minde whereby I onely studying to be allowed before thy Maiesty may vtterly reiect all the vaine praise of men which might puffe mee vp or the scoffing iests taunts or reproches of the vngodly which might else driue me downe To this end O Lord my God that I may encrease and daily more and more be confirmed in thy mercies begun in mee I beseech thee stirre vp true sincere Preachers and Messengers who daily may stirre vp my minde and heart otherwise by nature dull to the ioyfull embracing of the glad tidings of peace Leaue mee not destitute O Lord my God of the meanes which thou hast appointed for the encrease of a liuely faith true zeale which meane is onely the Ministery of thy blessed and holy word but make mee alwaies carefull for the seeking of it and so prouide O Lord my God that I may alwaies haue it comfortably receiue it and sweetly digest it Keepe mee by thy holy Spirit O Lord that I neuer be seduced by erronious doctrine but that onely I may giue eare vnto thy voice that cleauing onely vnto thee I may in this present life which thou hast giuen mee so occupy my selfe and vse this good time which thou hast appointed that I may still looke for the comming of thy deere Sonne to receiue mee into the euerlasting rest prepared for all the elect and chosen whereby I shall for euer remaine together with my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whom with thee the holy Ghost be all honor and glory world without end Amen A Prayer before the receiuing of the Sacrament O Lord Iesus Christ which art the sweete comfort of all that call vpon thee and the sure succour of all such as sue vnto thee behold mee a most sinfull creature and foule offender which bowing the knees of my heart with all humilitie before thee confesse vnfainedly that I am
vnnecessary luggage and fretting cares nor setting vp my rest in any present Inne of outward happinesse or inward means therto but still casting away euery thing that presseth down and the sinne that hangeth so fast vpon me I may run with ioy the race that is set before looking vnto Christ Iesus the Authour and finisher of my Faith and so by him seeing within the rule into the glory that is set before mee I may despise the shame and waite with patience the great recompence of Reward That so neither riches may daunt my Faith by presuming too farre nor depth may quayle it by stooping too low That Principalities may not shake it by force of tentation nor Powers ouercome it by their violent impressions that neither things present may abase it by groueling thereon nor things to come may deiect it by doubtings or false feares That neither life may corrupt it by doting thereon nor death may confound it by vnpreparednesse thereto That nothing may separate me from the loue of God in Iesus Christ in whom by Faith I am more then Conqueror ouer all things Thus grant mee gracious God to walke by Faith and not by sight And that I may receiue the end of my Faith euen the saluation of my soule Oh keepe me by thy mighty power through faith vnto saluation and guide me by the word of Faith in all my wayes that I may not leane to mine owne wisdom bur to thy sure Word as to a Light shining in a dark place that so I may daily grow in knowledge and in the grace of Iesus Christ from Faith to Faith filled with all ioy and peace in beleeuing abounding in all fruits of righteousnesse and perfect holines that so I may be perfect and intyre wanting nothing waiting for the appearance of Iesus Christ that so my Conuersation being in heauen an entrance may bee thereby made vnto me into the euerlasting kingdom of thy deare Sonne euen to take possession by faith in this life therof and to see a farre off by faith into the fulnesse of that glory that so I may fight the good fight of Faith and lay hold of eternall life in full assurance of what I haue alreadie the earnest of by Faith and so in that hâ—pe daily purging my selfe of all wickednesse of the Spirit and of the Flesh that I mâ—y grow vp to perfect holinesse in thâ— fauor of GOD waiting daily by Faith the adoption of the sonnes of God and laboring to attaine the resurrection of the dead that so I may bee kept blamelesse in Soule Body and Spirit vnto the comming of my Sauiour Iesus Christ Grant these things gracious Father euen for his sake in whome thou art well pleased Iesus Christ the righteous To whome with thine owne blessed Spirite one glorious Vnitiue Trinity be glory and prayse Dominion now and for euer Amen A Prayer to feele in heart Spirituall comfort and the liuely sence of our Adoption by Faith O Lord God most mercifull Father now I fully perceiue know that the heart of man is not in his owne hand for thou hast taught mee by diminishing thy Spirit of comfort in my heart that it resteth wholie in thy power to make ioyfull the heart of man and to diminish the same ioy according to thy good pleasure and will For if O God it had beene in mine owne power and will to haue receiued comfort in thy holie word or to haue beleeued thy promises from my hart I would long since haue enioyed comfort and beene confirmed in faith but I cannot most mercifull Father it is thy meere worke I looke therefore O gracious God for thy blessed comfort strength of faith which I beseech thee O Lord send into my heart to fill the same with spirituall ioy that by the working of thy holy Spirit in mee the comfortable promises of thy mercifull protection may be throughly sealed in mine heart and sinke downe deep into my soule that I may be fully assured that thou art my strong rocke and house of defence that thou dost keepe mee as the apple of thine eye as thou hast promised in thy blessed word that thou wilt not lay more vppon mee then thou wilt giue mee strength to abide and that thou wilt assuredly at thine appointed time renew my heart the whole powers of my mind that I may fully glorifie thy holy name But in the meane time O Lord alas my heart is cleane voyde of spirituall ioy yea euen as hard as a stone so that the louing promises of thy holy word although I know them to bee true yet they cannot sinke into my hard stony heart vntill such time as thou by encreasing of thy holy Spirit to me shalt mollifie and make tender my hard heart that it may bee meete to receiue the sweet comfort of thy Spirit Thy holy Spirit O Lord in mee which is the assurance of my saluation doth continually send forth vnspeakable sighs and longings for thy full ioyfull presence I beseech thee therefore deere Father for thy Sonne Christ Iesus sake harken vnto my prayers and grant my requests make tender my hard and stony heart by thy holy Spirit that I may from the bottome of my heart acknowledge thee to bee my most mercifull God and Father and all things in thy holy word contained to be most certaine and true reuerently embrace the same and into my soule take comfort and ioy in the same that I may deere Father euen vnto my liues end walke before thy face in sinceritie of heart being assured of my saluation through that one alone sufficient sacrifice for my sinnes made by thy deere Sonne Christ Iesu to whom with thee and the holy Ghost bee all honor and glory world without end Amen A Prayer against doubting to strengthen a weake Faith and to perseuere therin GLorious and mightie Lord who by â—hy Soueraigne All-sufficient power as thou madest al things of nothing so thou callest those things which are not as if they were and dost command light to shine out of darkenesse that so wee might bee translated out of darknesse into this maruelous light Holy Father it is thine vnspeakable mercy that I thy most vnworthy seruant being once the child of hell yea darknesse it selfe am now through thy free grace illightning mine heart by Faith enabled to behold thy face in Iesus Christ and so through this light am become light in the Lord being enabled by faith to discerne the great Mystery of Christ and so by faith to lay hold thereon as to bee freely thereby discharged from the guilt of my sinne and to be inuested with the perfect righteousnesse of my Sauiour that so I might bee found acceptable vnto thee Holy Father how vnspeakable herein haue beene thy mercies to me a vilde sinner that passing by the wise and noble of the world it hath pleased thee of thy free grace to visite mee a very reprobate branch with thy sauing health and to
preuailed against my vnworthynesse Thou mightest for my sinnes haue left me to perish in mine extremities but thou hast compassed mee about with ioyfull deliuerance thou mightest haue made my wombe a graue to burie the dead or in affoording life to another thou mightest haue procured my death but yet thou hast not onely made my wombe a wel-spring of life but restored life vnto me also for the cherishing thereof Marueilous O Lord are thy workes infinite are thy mercies my soule by present experience knoweth it well O my soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy Name My soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefits Thou hast heard my prayers and looked vppon my sorrow thou hast redeemed my life from death and healed mine infirmities and crowned mee with thine euerlasting compassions O giue me I humbly pray thee a thankfull heart not onely now while the memorie and sense of thy fauour is fresh before mee but continually euen so long as I haue any being Grant that I may learne by this liuely euidence of thy power and mercy for euer heereafter to depend onely on thee Quicken mee also to all holy duties that my thankfulnesse may appeare in my pure and Christian carriage Make mee a kind and carefull mother willing to vndergoe the paine and trouble of education Let no nicenesse or curiositie hinder mee from those seruices to which both nature and religion hath appointed me let me also be carefull when time requireth to season the fruite thou hast giuen mee with the sauing knowledge of thee and thy deere Sonne that my desire may manifestly appeare to be set for the encrease of thy Kingdome Vouchsafe so to order my affections and to bring them in obedience vnder thee that if it should be thy pleasure either now or heerafter to take this Infant from me I may as willingly part with it as thou freely gaue it me And now O God perfect in mee that strength which thou hast begunne make me to grow in care to serue thee faithfully both in the duties of pietie and in other businesse of my place and calling that I may bee a comfort to my husband and example to my neighbours a grace to my profession and a meanes of glorie to thy Name through Iesus Christ my Lord and Sauiour Amen A Prayer for those who are employed in the assistance of a trauailing woman HOly Father who hast commanded vs to serue one another in loue and hast made this the triall of our true loue vnto thee and our neighbour that wee helpe them in the time of need Be present we pray with vs â—y thy gracious Spirit to seale vp the pardon of our sinnes that they hinder vs not in this businesse and to assist vs with such conscience and diligence that our labour may not bee in vaine Wee confesse O Lord that wee are not worthy of â—ny gâ—â—d for our selues much lesse that wee should smother the good of others neither that any labour of ours can further thy good without thy speciall Grace enabling vs therein and accepting the same Accept vs therefore wee pray thee in the blood of thy Son shed thy loue into our hearts by thine holy Spirit that all our labour may be done in loue In loue to thy Maiesty who enablest vs to all good and in loue to our Christian Sister especially to her soule And therefore keepe vs wee pray thee from all idle sauours and superstitious conceits as auaileable heereunto from all rotten and vnsauoury speech which may interrupt the worke and teach vs to seeke helpe onely from thy Grace vsing al gracious communication both among our selues and to the comfort of the distressed that shee may only depend vpon thy mighty power applying all diligence and wisedome in affoording seasonable helpe for the easing of the paine or furthering of the birth Furnish vs with skill and her with strength patiently to awaite the appointed time of her deliuerance and knit all our hearts vnto thee that wee may feare thy Name obseruing the passages of thy prouidence in this and all other thy great workes and studying to giue thee praise and glory for the same in Iesus Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour Amen A thankesgiuing vpon the blessing of their labour in the Deliuerance HOly Father who hast reuealed thy selfe in thy word to bee a God that hearest prayer and hast now made good this promise vnto vs thine vnworthy seruants in hearing our prayers in the behalfe of this distressed woman Giue vs hearts we humbly pray thee to conceiue wisely of this thy great kindnesse and open our mouths we beseech thee that wee declare this thy goodnesse for the comfort of others that by this liuely example we may beleeue in thy great Name What hast thou not done heerein O Lord euen aboundantly aboue what wee could thinke or aske And what can we repay vnto thee worthy of so great saluation Wee confesse our selues vnworthy to aske much lesse to obtain for our selues yet behold thou hast heard our cries and releeued this thy desolate seruant It is not enough that thou hast giuen ease and deliuerance to the Mother vnlesse also thou didst liue to her Babe that so in it her life might bee againe receiued yea thou hast made our cup to run ouer with ioy and gladnesse who were almost ouerwhelmed with sorrow and dispaire Thine O Lord bee the onely glorie and praise heereof O fill our hearts with thankefulnesse that our reioycing may bee in trueth and humble vs vnfeignedly in the consciences of our owne vnworthinesse that we may giue thee the onely glory of all thy mercies Let our humility appeare in seruing each other in loue and let our loue bee manifest in prouoking each other to trust in thee alone for the time to come let our confidence in this prepare vs to this or the like occasion that so we may finde a gracious issue in our greatest extremities And let our experience of thy good hand heerein weane vs from the loue of the world wherin wee are like continually to meet with what will oppose or ensnare vs and prouoke vs to long for our dissolution when all teares shall be wiped from our eyes And let our desire to bee with thee make vs alwaies ready for thee in all sobriety modesty humility patience and perseuerance that so wee may bee found faithfull when our Maister commeth And that wee may bee found in peace at his glorious appearance O grant vs daily to deny our selues that still wee may bee found of thee in the righteousnes of our Sauiour may by the power thereof be daily accepted of thee by the efficacie of the same may bee more and more conformed to thine holy Image and so may at length be fully satisfied therewith And as thou hast now added one vnto the number of mankinde shewing thy wisedome and power in the framing of him in the wombe in bringing him
all meanes and waies possible namely by pride enuie malice couetousnesse gluttonie drunkennesse fornication and all other euill workes wherevnto hee doth moue vs and by him thrust into our hearts and whereby without the assistance of thy grace hee doth bring vs within his baits and snares laid for our soules And contrariwise wee of our selues haue no ability nor any meanes to preuaile against them vnlesse thou of thy mercy vouchsafe to be gracious vnto vs to strengthen vs by thy power and to defend vs in all temptations which he worketh against vs that he may not triumph ouer vs to ouâ— destruction We beseech thee from the bottome of our hearts to vouchsafe to be our comfort in all our troubles to defend vs against all temptations and that it would please thee to lead and gouerne vs in all our thoughts words and deeds so shall wee dwell in safety O Lord thou knowest that among all Creatures man is most rebellious against thee and his offences and transgressions against thee most manifolde and contrariwise euery one creature in his kind doth most worthily shew thy powâ—r might and praise and by them is thine omnipotency declared but we in our liues do shew our selues most vnkind and vnnaturall children towards thee daily offending thy diuine Maiesty and euery minute transgressing against thy Lawes and Commandements nothing regarding thy iudgements which might in a moment destroy vs. But thou O Lord in thy mercy dost vouchsafe notwithstanding to spare vs admonishing vs to repentance and newnesse of life that through our faithfull conuersion wee may bee saued Raise vs vp therefore good Lord from our drowsie sluggishnesse and carelesse security Suffer vs not any longer to wallow and tumble our selues in our grieuous Iniquities Let not sinne haue so much power ouer vs or increase in vs. Destroy and ouerthrow Satan and his wily policies Roote out of our hearts all workes of the world wicked motions of the flesh and pernitious practises of the Diuell that we may no longer offend thy goodnesse And plant in vs such good thoughts good motions and good endeuours that we may diligently serue thee in all things according to thy will and embrace with willingnesse thy holy word to the comfort of our Soules and setting forth of thy glory Open thy bountifull hands O Lord and blesse vs with all good guifts giue vs obedient hearts and willing mindes to search and seeke out the trueth of thy holy word strengthen vs with constancy in the same that in all things wee may leade our liues accordingly not as professors alone but as faithfull performers of the same to the vtter diligence of our power Confirme and establish vs in all good works thar wee may as true Christians sowe such Seeds of thy knowne truth that others from whom the brightnesse of thy Gospell hath beene concealed and kept vnknowne may by our good example take such happy fruites thereof that they may know thee and bee brought home to thy Fold as lost Sheepe Be thou O Lord our Shepheard and let vs be then sheepe of thy Fold and remaine in thy protection both now and alwaies to the end Increase the number of the faithfull diligent and carefull Ministers Preachers and distributers of thy holy word and Sacraments and giue vnto them a single heart towards thee Let them not be such as do onely preach and teach thy word with their lippes and tongues and haue their hearts farre from thee but that they inwardly with all their soule in perfect faith cleaue vnto thee and thy truth and accordingly shew the same in their life and conuersation Driue also out of thy Church all Buyers and Sellers and such as like rauening Wolues seeke to liue by the spoyle of thy sheepe Cast out O Lord wee pray thee such idle Pastors as are crept into thy Church who more respecting gaine then grace imploy their study for promotion and leaue the flocke vnfed which is vnder their charge Lord of thy vnspeakable Mercy deliuer vs from such carelesse keepers and blind guides least we also being made blinde by their negligence may bee kept blind in ignorance and so with them fall into the dangerous pit of thy deepe and heauy displeasure Rehearse and pardon vs all our offences teach vs to serue thee as we ought make strong our faith and hope in thee indue vs with thy heauenly light that wee may perfectly see our foule and manifold enormities and examining our owne conscices and discerning our imperfections wee may learne to amend our liues Make vs willing Followers of thee and diligent louers of thy Law Make vs penitent for our sinnes past and continue in vs thy feare Let vs not fall inro any manner of temptations but by thy mighty power deliuer vs from all euill To thee alone O Lord belongeth mercy and forgiuenesse and thou onely art our louing Sauiour Purge vs and make vs cleane that wee may bee found chosen vessels fit to serue thee in this life and after to obtaine perfect saluation at thy mercifull hands enioy euerlasting rest in thy Celestiall habitation prepared for thy faithfull and elect people and with thy holy and blessed Angels may sing praise vnto thy holy name for euer These blessings O Father wee beseech thee to bestow vpon vs for Iesus Christ his sake in whose name we pray vnto thee as hee himselfe hath taught vs Our Father c. A Thanksgiuing after blessings obtained to acknowledge them aâ— from God BLessed Lord I feele in my selfe how mercifully thou hast dealt with me greeuously I was troubled and now by thy goodnesse partly releasâ—d how dangerouslie I was assaulted and now by thy mercie partly deliuered this releefe although I must needs confesse by infallible arguments â—o bee thy onely worke in me yet such is the pride of my rebellious flesh that it will not suffer me to asâ—â—â—â—e fully the same to proceede of thee and thine onely goodnesse but seeketh out other fained causes according to the vaine deuises of my mind therefore I beseech thee most gracious Father that thou wilt so frame my heart that I may with my whole heart and mind with all the powers of my soule acknowledge aâ— my comfort and ayde to be thy onely worke wrought in me by thy holy Spirit and that I may bee thankfull for the same all the daies of my life O Lord thou hast sworne by thy holinesse that thou wilt not giue thine honor to any other Seeing then deere Father that thou hast sent mee this strength let mee bee perswaded fully in my heart deere Father that it commeth from thee that to thee I may render due honor praise thanksgiuing for the same and the rest of my life that I may be assured in heart of thy mercifull defence in mine extreame dangers as thou hast many times wonderfully deliuered me and thou wilt according to thy promise so continue thy mercifull ayde whereby thy name in mee may be glorified my
increase and renew their strength giue them victorie and turne their aduersaries hearts if they pertaine to thy holy election otherwise O Lord bring vpon them the confusion that they would bring vpon others into the pit that they haue digged let them fall and neuer rise vp againe O Lord heare vs in these suites pardon our dull spirits in praier and giue vs these and all other graces needfull for vs and the Church to thy glorie for our Lord Iesus Christ in whose name wee pray as hee hath taught vs saying Our Father c. A Prayer for the feeling of the sinne of hyprocrisie that wee may direct our life according to the perscript rule of the word RIghteous Lord God and heauenly Father which art a iust â—udge to punish all them that doe continue to offend thee as thou art a Father most pittifull to receiue to mercie all those which giue ouer themselues to please thee shew mee thy grace and fauour To that I may be truely touched with inward displeasure of my sinnes and that in the place of flattering my selfe to sleepe in sinne I may be so cast downe in heart that the rather I may truely with mouth confesse most humbly to giue thee the honour glorie and prayse due vnto thy holy name and that as thou of thy great mercy dost instruct thereunto by thy holy word so for thy mercies sake make that the same may so lighten and cleere our conscience that in due examination of our life wee may truely learne to be angry and displeased with all our former and corruptible liuing O that it may please thee to draw neere vnto vs in addressing and guiding our footsteps in the true and perfect way of obedience to thy holy Lawes and Commandements Send thy holy Angell to pitch his Tents round about vs that Sathan and his infernall army neuer preuaile against vs but that alwaies with strong faith we may through Iesus Christ withstand all his crafty engines and snares knowing vndoubtedly that thou neuer forsakest them that put their trust in thee O let vs not bee led by the infirmity of our outward flesh but strengthen vs by the vertue of thy holy Spirit Suffer vs not to lie vnder thy heauy wrath and vengeance through hypocrisie but rather touch vs so inwardly that we may without ceasing sigh and grone vnto thee by true and vnfeigned repentance And although we be not alwaies so well disposed to aske and pray as we ought to doe yet good Lord for thy glorious Names sake stretch out thy mighty hand that by the gracious working of thy holy Spirit our mindes and hearts may be drawne from all earthly and corruptible things so that our prayers vnto thee may proceede of an inward earnest vehement affection so that wee neuer presume to come before the throne of thy Maiesty with a double heart knowing that whosoeuer asketh and prayeth for any thing of thee not asking in faith cannot obtaine Increase therefore sweet Lord our faith that we presently may liuely feele the benefite of remission and pardon all our sins through the merits and death of Christ Iesus our Sauiour and so worke in vs for euer heereafter to liue in thy feare and to stand in awe of thy displeasure that thou mayest continue our mercifull Father world without end Amen O Shepheard of sheepe seeke out mee thy wandring sheepe And being found lay mee vpon thy blessed shoulders and bring mee home to the very folde of thy flocke heale my sicke soule feede my hungry soule yea almost dying through hunger watch ouer the same O sweete Lord least the rauening Wolfe do inuade my soule and so slay it to vtter destruction Wherefore O most deere GOD be mercifull to mee a wretched sinner and grant pardon to him that repenteth giue not foorth the voice of thy sentence according to my demerits but like as thy mercy before hath done in the beginning of my life so let it conclude the end thereof to remaine with thee world without end Amen deere God Amen Forasmuch as in this life holy Scriptures doeth promise trouble penuries oppressions increase of griefe and aboundance of temptations vouchsafe O most louing Lord GOD to prepare my heart to all possible patience least I doe faint in thy foote-path compell my sweete Lord this stubborne and rebellious flesh of mine to bee subiect to thy holy Spirite beyond all expectation so that I may possesse my soule in patience and keepe the same continually in thy euerlasting seruice to the which purpose thou of thine infinite goodnesse and mercie hast created the same Wherefore O Lord GOD shew thine almighty power vnto mee most wretched sinner that so long as I fight in this wretched life I may obtaine victorie against mine enemies thou being my defence for there is none other that fighteth for mee but onely thou O God Now I say represse the violence of mine enemies and vouchsafe with great effect to bring into bondage my miserable flesh that tormenteth my soule So that obtaining victory I may giue praise to thee my onely deliuerer in perpetuall eternity Amen A prayer against tbe secret venim and great danger of prosperity O Lord prepare my heart to wisedom prepare it to prayer and teach my soule to feele all the dangers wherewith it is beset on euery side and grant good Father that I mâ—y not pray in wordes or in sound of speech but in Spirite and Faith I acknowledge to thee O Lord thy great mercies toward mee at this time for beside the vnspeakable graces of my redemption and of my holy calling in the Gospell which are euermore good thou hast giuen me a large measure of earthly blessings my table is richly and daintily furnished my Cup ouer-floweth mine enemies are chased away and I feele no want no affliction no sorrow My prosperitie leadeth mee as by the hand from one delight to another and from one pleasure to another In the morning peace is at my right hand and at night quietnesse at my left O Lord are not these thy blessings Hast not thou opened thy mercifull hand and filled me with all these comforts True it is O Lord that they came all from thee and for them I am indebted vnto thee and giue thee hearty thanks But alas O Lord I finde by experience that prosperitie such is our infirmitie carrieth vs too too farre away it feedeth vs from day to day and from time to time with new delights it ingendereth also secretly such peace and confidence in these things which are but as a reede to leane vpon that we are carried away wee forget not thee onely but our selues also But the day of aduersitie the day of sicknesse the day of trouble that layeth open our weakenesse it causeth much care to bee released it prouoketh many praiers for releefe O it is a happy day a day of returning to the Lord a day of repentance as in Sackcloath and Ashes O how may my soule praise the