of the Righteous for all holy and humble men of heart Those Incarnate Cherubims Inflamed Seraphims Strong Powers against Devils Principalities in the midst of contumelies Dominions reigning over all enticements Those Virtues in a miraculous life Those Angels of the Churches and Arch-Angels who by close Communion with thee illuminate and encourage us to serve thee For Ananias Azarias and Misael their courage and miraculous deliverance I praise bless and magnifie thy Name for ever Saying Glory be to the Father c. Thanksgivings for all Persons and Times BLessed art thou O Lord God who sustainest all things by the word of thy Power For by thine Ordinance all things are and do continue Thou givest us Rain and fruitful Seasons and fillest our Hearts with food and gladness With admirable Wisdom didst thou create and dost still govern all things But above all I admire thy Wisdom Power and Goodness shewed unto Man Thou madest him of the mould of the Earth and didst breath into his Nostrils the breath of Life Thou didst honour him and create him after thine own Image giving him a capacious Soul sound Judgment clear Understanding ready Apprehension useful Memory clear Reason a ready and obedient Will so that with these faculties we can by thy Divine aid walk at large in the liberty of our thoughts into all the Regions of Heaven and Earth see thee in all times and before all time in that Eternity wherein thou didst live before Time began to be and in that Eternity also which shall be when Time shall be no more By these powers and faculties of our immortal Souls we can see thee also by thy divine Illumination In all thy works of Grace In thy Government of all Ages And in that most stupendious work of Redemption promised in the beginning and performed in the fulness of time for our Salvation O Lord our God how excellent is thy name in all the World It is thou who givest us well order'd Passions sound Sences Health of Body strength of Limbs and useful Members Thou givest us peace of Mind and tranquillity of Spirit by which only we can happily enjoy thee and all things in thee It is thou alone who givest thine Angels charge over us to keep us from falls fractures of Bones Dislocations Epidemical and noisome Diseases from the hands of the violent and wicked man Having placed Man in Paradise when he fell from thee even then thou didst not despise him but didst open the gate of Life in the promised seed unto him Thou didst write thy Laws in his Heart and instruct him in the service of Sacrifices Strengthen our faith by the Oracles of the Prophets Enliven our Hearts with the Melody of the Psalms Teach us by the Wisdom of the Proverbs Evidently point out the coming of thy Son by Types and Figures And at last recompence all their long waitings and expectations by sending him unto us Who took our nature upon him and sanctified it in his Incarnation Birth and Life Redeemed us by his Death and Passion Quickened us by his Resurrection Exalted us by his Ascension Intercedeth for us in his Session at the right hand of the Father Sent down his holy Spirit for our Illumination Sanctification and hope of Glory O blessed be thy Name for giving this Lord of Life and this Son of thy Love unto us For thy glorious Gospel Evangelizing him For the prospect and benefit of his Life and Death It is thou most holy Father who with thine only Son freely givest us all things By thee Kings reign and Princes decree Justice Thou instructest all our Rulers and teachest our Senators wisdom Thou givest us Pastors after thine own heart to fill us with the knowledg of thee and feed us with true faith and obedience unto thee Thou bringest down our hearts for sin so that we sometimes fall before our enemies and there is none to help us Again upon our Repentance thou raisest us up and breakest our bonds in sunder For it is thou who castest our cords from us Thou dost not leave us in the hardness of our hearts but givest us preventing grace with which if we co-operate O how sweet and heavenly are the glorious effects thereof Then we feel compunction for our sins shame of them hearty indignation against them and our selves for them then the sense of thy Love of thy Mercies and of our moâ—t base and vile ingrateful abuse of thy mercies throws down all the strong holds of sin in us and fortifies us against them Nay sometimes thou dost send thy grace so forcibly upon us that thou dost even compell us to come in unto thee Though thou delightest O thou lover of men to see thy Voluntary goodness shine in our Souls O would we draw nigh unto thee with what infinite joy dost thou draw nigh unto us But thou wilt not always force us because thou desirest a free obedience and lovest to save us in the best of all possible manners The glory of a sinner voluntarily returning being greater than that of Adams Innocence and causing greater joy in Heaven then there is over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance Blessed magnified highly exalted and honoured be thy Name for putting such a power into our hands of turning unto thee such desires into our Hearts such powerful workings in our Souls that every true penitent is always turning more and more unto thee ever moving to thee and aspiring after thee till by thy grace he be wholly throughly and effectually turned unto thee Finding no true satisfaction but in thee no rest no comfort no peace but in thee Thus by degrees dost thou wean us from the world and wed us unto thee Till at last we are fully accepted pardoned and in Jesus Christ justified and by thy Spirit wholly united unto thee So thirsting for and drinking in thy grace that at last thou givest us full satisfaction in all thy Glories Dearest Lord it is thine own self that workest all our works in us And therefore well mayest thou require all good works from us Thou makest that good ours which first was thine That so in us thy whole goodness might shine For thou alone enablest us to do good and to resist evil Thou teachest us how to abound without abusing thy mercy and how to want without repining at thy justice Thou dost help us to overcome yet crownest us for overcoming O wonder of Mercy miracle of Grace It is thou only dost comfort us in our sorrows support us in our trials and take care of our welfare in all estates Thou givest us Songs in the night of affliction and victory in the day of temptation It is only thou canst qualifie our turbulent tempestuous spirits and give us calmness and serenity therein Who could make our impatient natures contented in the midst of all the storms and tempests of a raging world but only thou It is thou alone dost establish our fickle hearts and fix them fast on
amend my Life Carry me through all Difficulties And assure unto me by a lively faith and obedience an interest in all thy mercies I praise thee for the comforts of this day in this visible Solemnity For the service of thy Ministers For thy gracious provisions both of learning and maintenance for them For the honour they do unto thee and the service they do unto us For the excellencies of thy Laws and the explications of them by their Ministry And for all the promises of thy holy Gospel O blessed Jesus I praise and magnifie thy name for being the Author of my Joys The Captain of our Salvation The Author and Finisher of our faith Go on I beseech thee to bless and prosper these good works begun in me That I may grow from Grace to Grace and from strength to strength till I appear before God in Glory Lord pardon the iniquity that I have been guilty of even in these holy things Let thy good Spirit bring to my remembrance the good things I have heard and enable me to reduce them all to practice Continue this glorious light of the Gospel to us Give a blessing to the labours of all holy learned painful Ministers Provide graciously for them Give great success and comfort to them and make us all thankful for the graces communicated by them Obedient unto thee true faithful sincere servants unto thee Let us not be Christians in word but in deed Let our zeal to thee be constant Our love infinite And our service indefatigable Let our love to thee be known by our love to one another O let this love be without dissimulation Let all the good things we have learnt this day be exprest in our lives and conversations Amen Look upon Sion the City of our Solemnity thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet Habitation a Tabernacle that shall not be taken down not one of the stakes thereof shall be removed neither shal any of the cords thereof be broken But there the Glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad Rivers and Screams wherein shall go no Galleys with Oars c. For the Lord is our Judg the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King He will save us The ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Sion with songs and everlasting Joy upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and sighing and sorrow shall flee away DEVOTIONS comprising all our Duties O Lord hear my prayer and let my cry come unto thee I praise thee O Lord for all thy righteous Laws and Commandments I beseech thee give me sincere obedience to them and accept thy Sons obedience for all my transgressions of them I praise thee for thy Creed and for thy holy Gospel I beseech thee give me an understanding and practical faith therein I praise thee for the excellency and fulness of the Lords-Prayer As thou hast given me a rule to pray give me the spirit of prayer to pray by that rule that I may praise thee abundantly for the Lords prayer I praise thee for causing me to be born in a Reformed Church As thou hast graciously placed me in a true Christian Reformed Church give me grace to live according to the Holy Doctrines taught me therein To be a true Reformed Christian in thy true reformed Church And as thou hast commanded me to hear and obey thy Church give me true obedience to her in thee and for thee I praise thee for all the Festivals and Sabbaths of thy Church Give me grace to keep the Holy-days and Festivals appointed with a clear understanding of the Mysteries commemorated in them Give me a sensible feeling of thy mercies in them Unfeigned thankfulness for them Serious meditation and application of them In Union and Communion with thy Saints In imitation of all my Saviours virtues treading in the steps of all thy servants that are gone before us Give me grace also to keep all the Fasting-days appointed with abstinence and penitence with great devotion due Contrition Liberality to the Poor pardon of my Enemies love to all men careful examination of my Conscience and conscionable care to amend my life that for these also I may magnifie thy holy Name I praise thee for all the Order and Decency where-with thou makest the place of thy feet Glorious Make me to observe all the Ecclesiastical Ceremonies and Customs established with understanding and benefit obedience and unity love and conformity without frowardness or contradiction Give me grace to repair to thy Temple as often as I can to delight in thy Worship and to worship thee in the Beauty of Holiness Make me the better for every opportunity thou givest me there Suffer me never to be absent upon any sinful or vain idle or lazy accompt In all my addresses enable me to serve thee acceptably Pray unto thee servently Praise thee heartily Hear thy Word diligently Practise it conscionably O my God I especially praise thee for the benefit of thy holy Sacraments Make me I beseech thee thankfully and reverently frequently and desirously to come to thy Holy Table In memory of thy Passion In thankfulness for thy Mercies For the increase of Virtues and Graces For the extinguishing of all my Vices For the averting of thy Judgments For the obtaining of thy Relief in all my Necessities That I may live more and more in Union and Communion with thee Give thy Gospel and Sacraments free passage among us and let not our sins provoke thee to remove that glorious Light and these saving means of Grace from us Make us mindful of our Vows in Baptism and of our renewed Vows in the Eucharist Give us grace to perform them all Give me grace to serve thee with a true and strong faith a firm hope and perfect love In Fasting Prayers and Alms-deeds For since I have offended thee in Body Soul and Estate I desire to sacrifice all unto thee my Body in Fasting my Soul in Prayer my Estate in Alms. Give me grace I beseech thee To instruct the Ignorant with plainness To correct Offenders with mildness To counsel the Doubtful with prudence To comfort the Afflicted with tenderness To suffer Injuries with patience To forgive Offences heartily To pray for others zealously To my power give me grace to feed the Hungry to refresh the thirsty to cloth the Naked to harbour the Needy to visit and help the Sick to minister to Prisoners and if need be to bury the dead Give me the graces and the blessings of the eight Beatitudes To be poor in Spirit that I may inherit the Kingdom of Heaven To Mourn that I may be comforted To be Meek that I may inherit the Earth So to hunger and thirst after Righteousness that I may be filled To be merciful that I may obtain mercy To be pure in Heart that I may see God To be a Peace-maker that I may be the child of God So to suffer Persecution for Righteousness sake that my reward may be
indignation against my self in hearty confession that I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies to deplore my weakness to implore thy assistance to lay before thee all my wants to beg thy supplies to meditate upon thy life death and passion and to be thankful for the admirable work of our Redemption to shew thee my wounds and to creep into thine for cure to judg condemn and deny my self that I may not be judged condemned and denied by thee I correct my self that thou mayest spare me I abhor my self that thou maist pity me and I desire to die to the world to live with thee I desire not only to fast for sin but above all from sin so to meditate upon thy Life Death and Passion as to make most grateful returns of love and obedience In serious care to imitate all thy Virtues truly conforming my self to all thy imitable perfections Since if our Humiliations produce not these effects it may well be suspected they have more of formality humour or hypocrisie than true sorrow and integrity Therefore I earnestly crave thine Almighty aid and grace for my sincere performance Help me dear Lord to search and try my heart to discover discern and eradicate all my sins to empty my self of all vanity and do thou plant in me true sanctifying grace and constant piety Help me to overcome all my Infirmities and especially those which by my corrupt nature careless and evil customs inadvertency or condition of life I am most subject unto Help me also dear Lord to make worthy preparations for the holy Sacrament that having chastised my self in this time of willing and obediential Humiliation I may come out so cleansed healed and restored by thy Death and Passion that I may partake of all the joys of thy glorious Resurrection Give me therefore I beseech thee blessed and happy opportunities of Retirement and Introversion with the grace of profitable Meditation and a lively faith for effectual Application Give me the blessing of health and strength to perform the same make me so earnestly to implore all thy Graces as to attain them so to deprecate thy Judgments that thou maist ever withhold them deliver me from all vain and sinful company from great disturbances and from all destraction that may impede my duty to thee Give me a discerning Spirit that I may know the duties of my calling that I may neither be negligent of it nor too solicitous in it Give me opportunities of doing good to all but especially to those of the Houshold of Faith for both the Will and power comes from thee Make me a comfort to the afflicted a help to the poor and needy an encourager and example of virtue a discountenancer of Vice a meet help for my individual Relation in all things but especially in the best Help me to bear injuries patiently to take contradictions easily to forgive all freely Make me a true a prudent and a faithful friend a kind neighbour a good Master or Mistress in my Family liberal to the poor and truly loving to my Relations Tender and compassionate meek humble and courteous to all Make me as much to honour thee as ever I have dishonoured thee as much to please thee as ever I have displeased thee O that thou wouldst make me a great instrument of thy glory and though without thy grace I can do nothing enable me so that I may experimentally say and evidence to all the world that through thy grace I can do all things That thy strength may be seen in my weakness and that from the greatness of my sin and misery the greater glory may arise to thine infinite goodness and mercy Lord do thy work of Grace speedily and mightily upon me and make thy servant unalterably constant in thy faith and service to which end bless all the means of grace unto me Let my private devotions so fit and prepare me for thy publick Worship that all thine Ordinances may be profitable to me that so by thy Grace derived from them my whole life may be acceptable in and through my blessed Lord and Saviour A Daily Thanksgiving I Praise thee for electing me before all time For creating me in time For redeeming me in the fulness of time For all the parts and mysteries in my Redemption For thy patient forbearance of me so long a time For giving me a time to repent and repentance in that time For justifying me in thy good time For my Sanctification at all times And for my hope of Glorification when time shall be no more I praise thee for thy wonderful mercy in preserving me from a thousandfold dangers miseries diseases falls and troubles which without thy mercy had befaln me For delivering me from those calamities I have so particularly feared and so much deserved For delivering me out of all the mire of iniquity and those sinks of sin in this evil world which without thy grace and mercy I had faln into and perisht in if thou hadst not snatched me as a firebrand pluckt out of the fire For all the blessings of thy bounty which we daily receive from thy mercy For thy supply to me in all my wants Thy relief in all my necessities My comforts in all my sadness For the kindness affection ability support and comfort of my dear H. For preserving him in health and safety For thy miraculous preservation of us from the late Plague in time of eminent danger For keeping us from drowning and from all hurt and loss by fire For preserving us from Falls Fractures of Bones Dislocations Hurt or loss of any of our members or senses Above all I praise thee for making me a member of thy Holy Catholick Church and the satisfaction I enjoy therein For the miraculous preservation of the King and thy wonderful Restauration of thy Church To some degree of its wonted glory To a full degree of thy saving Truth And to a peaceable possession of our ancient Priviledges For the joy of thy Courts in the beauty of Holiness For the comforts of all our solemn Assemblies For an able pious and learned Clergy For a willing obedient and conformable Laity For the glory of our Festivals and all the glorious mysteries contained commemorated and reduc'd to practice in them For our Weekly Monthly Quarterly and yearly Fasts in our Fridays Eves Embers and Lent For the excellent uses designed in them For the unspeakable benefits derived from them By giving us in holy abstinence Life to our Prayers Light to our Understandings Vigor to our Affections Wings to our Devotions Examination of our Consciences Sorrow for our Sins Acts of penitence for them and charity against them I praise thee for our excellent Liturgy containing penitential Confessions Effectual Absolutions Charitable Intercessions for all Invocating thy Mercies Deprecating thy Judgments I praise thee for the Tears sighs and groans of our Hearts Souls and Spirits at our Prayers to the delight of God and the joy of Angels
Printed for Ionathan Edwin in Ludgate Street DAILY DEVOTIONS Consisting of Thanksgivings Confessions and Prayers In Two Parts For the Benefit of the more Devout and the assistance of weaker Christians By an Humble Penitent LONDON Printed by A. Maxwell for Jonathan Edwin at the Three Roses in Ludgate-street 1673. The Preface to the READER THe following Meditations Praises Prayers and Confessions were the Devotions of a learned and pious Christian humbly offered up in due order to the Divine Majesty as their nature and the time to which they were fitted required being very Rational Comprehensive and Emphatical are offered now to the most sacred Consideration and practice of all those holy and humble Votaries that may in any sort be assisted by or delighted in the same In the Meditations suggested to the Readers use as he is going to Church sitting there and coming thence the best and most opposite Reflections and Resentments of holy David that Royal Pattern which God himself hath set before our Eyes are so collected and digested that they may easily pass into the apprehensions and affections of the Peruser The Praises contain the great and manifold effects of Gods goodness the Demonstrations of his Love the causes of our Joy and the Incentives that feed and enflame our Love and Gratitude The Prayers for the third sixt and ninth hour are every day to be used in memory of our Saviors Passion for the more effectual application of the merits of his bitter Death the more lively exercise of our Faith therein aswel as for our daily Communion with him in the sight and sense of all his love sufferings on the Cross for us after the manner of the ancient Christians in the best most pure Primitive Times The residue are Devotions adapted some to the use of Sinners for the bewailing of their sins at all times others for the use of Christians in our most eminent Fasts and Festivals and some by way of Preparation for Death that meditating upon it wisely fitting our selvs for it here it may be a blessed change unto us 〈◊〉 bring us to the life of â—…nal Glory hereafter I shall not speak more in praise of the Devotions which several learned and holy men have seen and approved but leave them to the experience of all the intelligent and pious that shall use them praying for a Blessing upon their Exercises in the same The Contents 1. DEvotions and Meditations to be us'd as we go to Church 2. Devotions in the Church 3. After Church 4. Devotion comprising all our Duties 5. A Paraphrase upon the Objective Hymn of Praise 6. Thanksgivings for all persons and times 7. An Hymn to Jesus wherein the Soul may expatiate it self with delight in him 8. A Prayer to the Holy Ghost out of St. Augustine 9. A Prayer for the Sixth hour 10. A Prayer for the Ninth hour 11. Additional Devotions for the Evening 12. A Prayer for Lent 13. Daily Thanksgiving 14. A Prayer for Christmas-day 15. A Prayer for Easter-day 16. A confession of sin out of Bishop Andrews 17. Deprecations of Bishop Andrews 18. Intercessions for all Mankind 19. A Christian Dedication of himself unto God 20. A Prayer for acceptation of Acts of Humiliation or abstinence on fasting-days 21. Evening thoughts and exercises to Bed-ward The Advice 22. A Prayer against Afflictions 23. An Exercise preparative to a good death consisting of several Acts of Piety 1. A brief Soliloquy by way of Admonition 2. Submition to the sentence of death 3. Thanksgiving for all benefits of your life past 4. Confession of our sins 5. A Prayer to die to sin 6. A petition for the virtues of the dying Jesus Devotions and Meditations to be used as we go to Church I Was glad when they said unto me let us go to the House of the Lord. Our feet stand within thy gates O Jerusalem Jerusalem is built as a City that is compact together Whither the Tribes go up the Tribes of the Lord unto the Testimony of Israel to give thanks unto the name of the Lord. For there are set Thrones of Judgment the Thrones of the House of David O pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy Palaces For my Brethren and Companions sake I will now say peace be within thee Because of the House of the Lord our God I will seek thy good Glory be to the Father c. O how amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God Blessed are they that dwell in thy House they will be still praising thee They go from strength to strength every one of them in Zion appeareth before God O Lord of Hosts hear my prayer give ear O God of Jacob. For a day in thy Courts is better than a thousand I had rather be a door-keeper in the House of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield the Lord will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he with-hold from him that walketh uprightly O Lord God of Hosts blessed is the man that trusteth in thee Glory be to the Father c. Praise waiteth for thee in Zion and to thee shall the vow be performed in Jerusalem O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy Courts We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy House even of thy holy Temple The Lord loveth the Gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Therefore I will come into thy House in the multitude of thy mercies and in thy fear will I worship towards thy holy Temple Lead me O Lord in thy righteousness make thy way strait before my face One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple I will wash mine hands in innocency so will I compass thine Altar about Lord I have loved the habitation of thy House and the place where thine honour dwelleth Thou art my my hiding place thou shalt preserve me from trouble thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance O Lord instruct me in the way that I should go guide me with thine eye I will wait for thy loving kindness in the midst of thine holy Temple O send out thy Light and thy Truth let them lead me and bring me to thy holy Hill and to thy Tabernacles Then will I go unto the Altar of God unto God my exceeding joy I will praise thee O God my God As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God
yea even for the living God When shall I come and appear before God My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise Truly my soul waiteth upon God from him cometh my Salvation He only is my Rock and Salvation my soul wait thou only upon God For my expectation is from him he only is my Rock and my Salvation He is my defence I shall not be moved In God is my Salvation and my Glory the Rock of my strength and my refuge is in God Trust in him at all times pour out your heart before him He is our refuge O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no water is To see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Because thy loving kindness is better than life my lips shall praise thee Thus will I bless thee while I live I will lift up my hands in thy name My Soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips I will praise God in the great Congregations I will enter into thy gates with thanksgiving and into thy Courts with praise Open to me the gates of Righteousness I will go into them and I will praise the Lord. This is the day that the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it Give Israel thine Oracles and fill Zion with thine unspeakable Glory O magnifie the Lord our God and fall down before his footstool for he is holy O worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness O come let us fall down and kneel before the Lord our Maker In thy fear do I worship thee in this thy holy Temple desiring to praise thee in the great Congregation before much people Here O Lord in the beauty of Holiness I approach to worship thee among thy Saints in the great Assembly I adore thine infinite Bounty that notwithstanding all my sins thou permittest me to tread thy Courts to attend thy Majesty in thy holy Temple For I have profaned thy Sabbaths Defiled thy Sanctuary Polluted thine holy Ordinances Dishonoured my Profession Been cold in my Prayers Dull in my Praises Careless and censorious in my Hearing Extreamly negligent in my Meditation Miserably distracted in all So that I have deserved a curse rather than a blessing from thee But O merciful Father Tender and compassionate Lord. Jesus my Saviour Most blessed and holy Spirit By thy Grace I return unto my heart and with all my heart I return unto thee Hear O Lord and have mercy upon me Pardon all my sins and let them not hinder the ascending of my prayers and praises unto thee nor the descending of thy mercies and graces now upon me My Soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thy Judgments The Law of thy mouth is dearer unto me than thousands of Gold and Silver Thy Testimonies are my delight and my counsellers O now in the accepted time make them so to thy servant Open thou mine eyes that I may see the wonderful things of thy law Make me to understand the way of thy precepts Order my steps in thy Word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me Teach me thy way O God and I will walk in thy paths O knit my heart fast unto thee that I may fear thy name It is my joy to see these Temples erected in the Land To see all Nations adoring and offering prayers and praises unto thee O that thou wouldst fill my heart with all the love of all the Souls that ever were are or shall be that I might offer it up now unto thee with all the love of Angels and glorified Saints for thou hast shewed more mercy to me than to them For I have offended thee more than all Give me therefore the love and obedience of them all to offer it up now unto thee Amen Devotions in the Church O Most holy God who art glorious in Holiness fearful in praises doing wonders give me great and dreadful apprehensions of thee that all the words of my mouth and thoughts of my heart may now and ever be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my Redeemer Bless all thine holy Ordinances at this time and at all times unto me Give me understanding in thy Word both read and preached Grant that it may be so mixt with faith and obedience that it may be the savour of life unto life to me and to every one here before thee and not the savour of death unto death Direct I beseech thee and assist thy Minister that he may rightly divide and utter thy Word that what in his Studies he hath conceived and composed of thy holy Oracles he may now powerfully preach to thy Glory Fill him with the Holy Ghost that he by thy Spirit may minister grace to the Hearers Make him to speak Knowledg and Instruction to the ignorant Comfort to the afflicted Terror to the profane That he may melt the hard hearted and make the proud to tremble at thy Word Lord enable him to correct all my errors to search out and eradicat all all my sins And then and not till then let him speak peace to my Conscience So guide the sword of the Spirit in his hand that it may meet with and smite all our corruptions and bosom sins who are now before thee known or unknown to us but all known to thee discover them all by this thy holy Minister that we may be purged purified and cleansed before thee Endue me and all that are here with wisdom to understand thy Word With serious attention to it With holy veneration of it With love and delight in it With all obedience to it And give us the grace of perfect amendment by it O let thy word drop as heavenly dew upon me and make my barren heart fruitful in the fruits of the same What I beg for my self I beg for all thy people for all my friends in special for all mankind in general and for all thine all the world over humbly beseeching thee to make thine holy Ordinances profitable unto all Amen After Church I Praise and magnifie thy great and Glorious Name that notwithstanding all my sins and great unworthinesses thou hast again admitted me into thy Holy Temple to make my prayers and supplications unto thee and to offer up my Praises in the Songs of Zion to thy great and Glorious Name I humbly thank thee for thy most holy Word read and Preached That Treasury of thy Graces That dispensation of thy Mercies That word of Life and Comfort That Helmet and Shield of Salvation Make it to have mighty operation upon me Let it make a deep impression in me Write it in my heart Record it in my Memory Make it familiar pleasant and present to my understanding The only subject of my Study And the sole object of my Love Let it
great in the Kingdom of Heaven Deliver me from the Seven deadly sins Pride Covetousness Luxury Envy Gluttony Anger Sloth Grant me the Seven contrary Virtues Humility Liberality Chastity Gentleness Temperance Patience and Devotion for thy mercy sake Amen A PARAPHRASE upon the Objective Hymn of Praise O My God do all thy works praise thee and shall not I shall not I who am the work of thy hands praise thee whose care over me hath been such as if thou hadst nothing else to care for Yet thy providence is so great over all that it becomes our wonder and joy to see thee so particularly careful over every one and so amiable in thy goodness unto all that the more thou takest care for all thy care is so much the greater over every one All the benefit of thy wisdom goodness and providence being guided to the benefit of every person I praise thee therefore O Lord For the Glory of Angels For the Faith of the Patriarchs For the Inspiration of the Prophets For the labours of the Apostles For the truth of the Evangelists For the Zeal of Confessors For the Blood of Martyrs For the Learning of the Fathers For the Study of Doctors For the Industry of all pious Ministers For the Hope Virtue Faith and Zeal of all thy Saints and Servants For all whom I praise and magnifie thy Name O Lord. I also praise thee for the Heavens and all the Glory of them For the glory of the Sun which comes forth as a Bridegroom out of his Chamber rejoycing as a Giant to run his course I praise thee for its Beams whose light and splendor revives mine eye beautifies and quickens all the Earth digesteth Minerals animates the Air enlivens Trees perfects Flowers excites the influences of the Heavens raiseth exhalations dissolveth Ice causeth the Rivers to flow begetting propagating and cherishing all the Creatures which are the life and beauty of this habitable World By it I am warm'd and refresh'd By it I see all thy works in this glorious World By it I am exhilerated and excited to praise thee O thou eternal Sun of Righteousness who didst rise upon us with healing in thy Wings purchasing this glorious light and restoring it to me when by my sins I had forfeited the same O let not this Sun ever behold me doing any work of darkness O thou Eternal Sun who art the Light of this make me to remember that thine Eye which is ten thousand times brighter than the Sun is ever upon me that I may always walk as a child of the light before thee I praise thee O most blessed Lord for the shady glittering and Majestick Light of the Moon For its weaker and milder Beams For all its Revolutions and wonderful effects By which our Days are refreshed and our Nights enlightened By which we know Times and Seasons By which our Air is tempered our Droughts are moistened and all Productions hastened O blessed be thy Name for the precious things put forth by the Sun and for the precious things put forth by the Moon For the blessed Interchanges of our Days to travel and our Nights to rest in for the comfort of our lives continued by their constant Motions and Returns I praise thee for the illustrious Stars in all their order which govern things below by thine appointment while thou governest them in all their ways I praise thee for their powerful and precious influences I praise thee for the Waters above the Firmament and for thy Clouds that drop down fatness For the Coelestial Waters of Repentance which I beseech thee evermore to drop down upon me I praise thee for the winds thou sendest out of thy Treasuries to purifie the Air qualifie the heat and refresh our Spirits by which all living Creatures breathe and live I praise thee for the comfort light and warmth with all other benefits we receive from fire For the blessings of Winter in its healthful Airs wholsome Winds candid Frosts warmer Snows curling Floods and abounding Waters For the verdure life and beauty of the Spring for all the lovely Blossoms knitting Fruits Grain and Grass sweetly growing and springing in the same For the might and beauty of the Summers glory in the fuller growth and increase of all For the blessing of time and happy length of days to contemplate thy Glory and enjoy thy rich blessing in these in all our pleasant Fruits joyful harvests and various delicates of soft Wool Milk Butter Honey Balm and Spices and for all the Refreshments thou givest us in these thy good Creatures I revere thy Majesty which with such terror thou dost manifest to us in the Lightenings I adore thy greatness appearing in the Thunderings Thine Omnipotency in all Thy wonderful Providence over all Thy Goodness to all I praise thee for our Temperate Seasons Autumnal fruits rich and wholsome Wines Oyls and Siders For all the precious things of the Earth For the chief things of the ancient Mountains for the precious things of the lasting Hills For our Stately Woods and lovely Trees which afford us Wine Oyl and Spices fruits both for profit and pleasure yielding Timber also fuel shade and medicine I praise thee for the beauty fragrancy benefit variety and delight of all the curious Flowers the least of them shewing us a God Creator and Preserver For our fruitful Valleys wherein our Corn stands so thick that they laugh and sing thy Praises For the excellent Bread and daily food thou givest us therewith For thy blessings on all our several labours in raising and preparing it For thy continual blessing upon us in our daily use thereof For all the wonders of thy goodness and wisdom comprised in it For all our rich and beautiful Gardens stately Walks fruitful Fields pleasant Pastures rich Meadows Roots and Plants all sorts of Grain for Food Health Pleasure and Medicine I praise thee for all our Mines of Gold Silver Brass Iron Tin Copper Lead and Coal For all the Riches Lustre Virtue Use and Benefit of precious Stones For all our soveraign and wholsome Wells Springs and Fountains marvellous and healing Waters deep Seas and Treasures that lie in the Deep For bounding the Sea by thy Laws which though written in sand stand fast for ever For the magnitude of the Whale and all the wonderful Fishes of the Deep For subduing all things to the service of Man I magnifie thy name for ever For all the Fowls of the Air in all their warbling Melody delightful food pleasure variety and beauty For all the Insects and creeping things that are subject to thy care and providence the provident Ant the industrious and curious Bee in its marvellous working and delicious Honey For all the Beasts and Cattel upon a thousand Hills in all their strength use service food and pleasure But most of all do I praise thee for the Children of Men for the Israel of God for the Priests that serve at thine Altar for all the Spirits and Souls
thee Who givest us joy in our reproaches and in all our labours of serving thee peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost intire love of our enemies and zeal of Souls yet alienated from thee O thou that hast given us such a sense of them hear our prayers for them that they also may see the felicity of thy chosen and rejoyce in thy Salvation That all the Sons of God may shout for joy in the Gates of Jerusalem O thou who hast shewed a miracle of Mercy in converting us who do call upon thee shew the same upon them who do not yet call effectually upon thee O Lord God of Mercy convert all Infidels all dead insensible Souls into a true sense of thee make them and us to yield all obedience to thee And to thy Name be rendered all Honour Praise and Glory for all these and for all other thy abundant mercies shewed unto us from everlasting until now and from this time forth for evermore Amen An Hymn to Jesus wherein the the Soul may expatiate it self with delight in Him JEsus the only thought of thee Fills with delight my memory But when thou dost thy presence shew Heaven into my brest doth flow No Theme for voice so sweet can be Nor to the ear such Melody No Heart can Thought so charming frame As Jesus his most precious Name Our hope when we for sins do grieve Thy mercies all our wants relieve If good to those that seek thy Grace What art thou when they see thy face Jesus in whom we comfort find Life of our Souls light of our Mind Thou dost our Hearts with true joys feed Thy gifts our utmost wish exceed No eloquence of tongue can teach Nor art of Pen this secret reach Only the experienced Soul doth prove What sweets they taste who Jesus love Him then I 'le seek retired apart Shutting the world out of my heart Amidst my business him I 'le strive With fresh pursuits still to retrive Early with Magdalen I 'le come A Pilgrim to my Saviours Tomb Wailing my sins with mournful cries I 'le seek him with my Mind not Eyes My Tears shall on his Grave distill My faithful Sighs the Garden fill Prostrate before him on my face His sacred feet I 'le fast embrace Striving to follow where they lead Jesus in thy blest steps I 'le tread Nor shall my Soul give o're to mourn Till to thy favour it return O Jesus most admired King Who didst triumph ore deaths sharp sting Thy Mystick sweetness first excites Then satisfies all appetites Thy quickening visits life bestow Thy light true good doth clearly shew That they who once have relisht thee Know all the world 's meer vanity Come then dear Lord possess our Hearts Enflame our Love with thy chaste darts All clouds of error drive away And change our night to thy bright day To thee our Hearts and Voices sing To thee our Vows and Prayers we bring That when we end this life 's short race In Heaven with thee we may have place A Prayer upon the third Hour O Blessed Jesus being the third hour was devoted to thee by the ancient Christians in memory of thy Prayer in the Garden thine Agony there suffered before thy Passion and of thy sending the Holy Ghost to thy Disciples accept of me in Communion with them doing honour to thy Name therein Enable me now seriously to consider that in that Garden of sorrow to thee thou didst repair our sin first committed in a Garden Thine Agony there was so great thy Conflict so strong thy Love so forcible thy Fathers wrath so weighty our Sins so hearty that thou didst sweat drops of blood prest out by thine intollerable anguish for our sins I humbly beseech thee to make me in utter abhorrence of all sin to forsake iniquity Give me a deep sense and sorrow for my sins and a thorough conversion to thee from them all Let this suffering of thine make me contented with all sufferings for thy sake And let thine infinite love therein melt my heart into love of thee and fill me with love to all Mankind for thee Great O Lord was this anguish of thine when it urged thee to pray that this Cup might pass from thee But greater was thy Love which did drink it up for me Great was thy dolor in thy prayer but greater was thy obedience Great was thy human suffering but greater was thy divine perfection that therein could make so perfect a Resignation Great was thy love to our Souls that suffered such inexplicable torments in thine own Most deeply fervent were thy prayers when thou didst shed thy very blood for tears O let me ne're refuse to bleed for thee Who shedst this strange prodigious blood for me O thou who didst pray prostrate on the earth and didst repeat the same prayer thrice Grant I beseech thee that by the outward gesture of our bodies we may encrease the inward devotion of our minds and in often repeating the same prayer may still advance to new degrees of pious affections make me in all things resigned unto thee O thou who wert falsly apprehended and betrayed deliver me from the false apprehension and treacheries of Men and grant that neither for reward nor danger I ever withdraw my fidelity from the but learn by thy example to do good with cheerfulness and to suffer evil with patience O blessed Lord thou didst deliver thy self to the violence of thine enemies suffering them to bind scourge deride and abuse thee in most barbarous manner Grant I beseech thee that the sins of our hands may be loosed by the binding of thine that the scourges due for our sins may be acquitted by thine let all our vain affections be confounded by the indecencies cast upon thee Grant that when ever thou callest us thereunto we may not only be bound but be ready to die for the Lord Jesus O by these bindings of thine deliver us from the chains of eternal darkness and bind our Souls and Hearts unto thee in the Chains of a strong obedience and everlasting love and dissolve now all the bonds of my sins O blessed Jesus being bound thus by Annas thou wast sent to Caiphas the high Priest where thou wert yet worse abused buffeted and blindfolded Have mercy upon me and make me to remember that no darkness can hide me from thy sight that so I may ever behave my self as in thy presence and be able to suffer all things rather than offend thee willingly any more Grant also that for thy sake who wert stript mockt spit upon wounded and derided for me I may patiently bear the devesture of all things and the derision of all men for thee hoping that if I be afflicted for thee here I shall by thy mercy and merit be glorified with thee hereafter I furthermore approach thee to commemorate the sending of thine holy Spirit upon thine Apostles humbly beseeching thee not to take it from me but to renew me
daily by it Grant me by the same spirit therefore to have a right Judgment in all things that I may both perceive and know what I have to do and have grace and power to fulfill the same Give me I beseech thee all the gifts and graces of thy holy Spirit Give me the spirit of wisdom to be sober wise and considerate in all things Give me the spirit of understanding to be quick clear and distinctive in my Apprehensions to distinguish between truth and falshood good and evil Give me the spirit of counsel to consult thy holy will and pleasure before I act any thing Make me meekly to receive all good counsel and prudently to give it Give me the spirit of ghostly strength that I may be modestly confident and impregnably couragious in thy service Give me the spirit of knowledg to know all thy revealed will to me and all my bounden duty to thee that so neither thy Law nor my duty thy mercy nor my sin may ever lie undiscerned in my Soul Give me I beseech thee the spirit of piety that I may ever be devoted unto thee And O my Saviour give me above all things thy holy filial fear that I may never more dare to offend thee Deliver me therefore I humbly beseech thee from all rashness inadvertency and inconsideration From a perverse confused unstable Understanding From refusing Counsel or neglecting to give it From ignorance of thy Will and my duty From all confidence of my self or diffidence in thee From all impiety and profaneness From casting off thy holy fear thereby growing bold or careless in offending And now dearest Lord having implored the gifts of thy holy Spirit and deprecated those evils that oppose it I humbly beg of thy divine Majesty the fruits of thy holy Spirit also that by finding those within me I may know thy holy Spirit rules and governs me Give me dear Lord I beseech thee an universal love make me to love thee for thy self my friend in thee and mine enemy for thee Give me joy in thee in thy works in thy ways in thy Laws in thy Saints and Servants in all the friends and blessings which I enjoy Give me O Prince of peace peace with thee my self my friends and enemies Give me patience in all my sufferings mercy to all who offend me or need my mercy Give me meekness in my heart words and behaviour in all to all Give me a true and irreprovable faith Give me modesty in all disputations shamefac'dness amidst all commendations sobriety in the midst of plenty that I never abuse thy bounty And with these give me I beseech thee the four Cardinal Virtues Prudence to govern me Justice to direct me Fortitude to discharge my duty Temperance to be moderate in all things Make me ever mindful Of Death to be prepared for it Of Heaven to desire it Of Judgment to dread it Of Hell to be deliver'd from it O keep me in with bit and bridle when I stick not close unto thee Make me to delight in the Assembly of the faithful to be among them that the holy Spirit which thou didst send upon thine Apostles may descend upon me even me also O my Lord compell I beseech thee my dearest N.N. to come in unto thee Make him to see the felicity of thy chosen Give him a taste and relish of all these Gifts and Graces of thy holy Spirit that he also may be filled with those unspeakable joys which they feel and find who spend their days and hours spirits souls and forces in knowing loving and obeying thee Give me the whole armor of God that I may resist all evil and persist in doing all good O give me the spirit of Grace and Supplication that these and all my other prayers may be acceptable to thee blessed to me and graciously answered for thy mercy sake Amen A Prayer to the Holy Ghost out of St. Augustine O Love of the Divine Power the holy Communication of the Omnipotent Lord and Father and of the most blessed Son come down even now I beseech thee by thy powerful Virtue into my Soul and get into all the corners of my heart and by thy splendor clearly illuminate all the darkness thereof Let thy gracious Visitation and abundant dew make my Soul fruitful in all good works pierce the most retired parts of mine inward man with the keen piercing darts of thy love enflame me with thy holy fires feed me with delicious Viands replenish me with thy Coelestial Graces Give me so to drink of the torrents of thy delights that I may have no taste of vain or sinful pleasures Come O thou comforter of all sorrowful Souls come thou comforter of the weak and strength of the strong come thou supporter of the falling and thou lifter up of the faln come thou cleanser of our sins and curer of our wounds Come thou teacher of the Meek and destroyer of the Proud Come O thou hope of the Poor and reviver of those that faint Come propitious Star of such as sail and haven against Shipwrack Come thou stay and comfort of those that live and thou only hope of all those that die Have mercy upon me have mercy upon me and make me fit for thy self and abide in me for ever And that thou mayst abide with me I do again beg of thee the fear of the Lord because this fear is Beautified by Wisdom Informed by Understanding Directed by Counsel Strengthened by courage Filled with Knowledg And crowned with Piety As this fear advanceth our knowledg so our knowledg brings us to this fear Therefore O thou only spirit of Wisdom give me this knowledg that I may always have this fear Such a fear as may make me wise unto Salvation Give me wisdom to understand thy Word Open mine eyes to see the wondrous things of thy Law Enlighten my Understanding to find out the hidden and glorious treasures thereof Fill me with the love of it With all delight in it Inspire me to meditate humbly of it Make me in every reading or hearing of it to profit by it and in all things to be obedient to it Amen Dearest Lord and most blessed Saviour give me I beseech thee such grace in meditating such divine light in understanding thy sacred sufferings in thy passion for me That by faith I may believe in thee and depend upon thy Merits therein By love feel thy sufferings be crucified to the world and be transformed into thee Make me willing to suffer any thing for thee Enable me to imitate thee in all thy imitable perfections and virtues which thou hast exemplified to me in this thy sacred Passion Give me the vast extensive love which thou didst shew to Almighty God in thy obedience to his Will and satisfaction of his Justice Give me that great Zeal of Souls which thou hadst even to die for their good especially their Coversion as thou didst for their Salvation Give me O Lord I beseech thee thy
World a little before I was by thy Judgments forced to leave it altogether I praise thee for all the Ministry of Angels For my Guardian Angel For all the faithful departed For thy great Graces given to them Their good example given to me For the Suffrages and Prayers of all Saints For my Communion with them and with all those who are at Prayers with me now in this holy hour For the large capacity and extent of my Soul that can be in union with all Ages past present and to come worshipping praising and adoring thee For enabling me so to rejoyce in thy Glories to dilate upon thy Excellencies to delight in thy Service so as if all our affections were united in one holy individual oblation of our Souls and Bodies unto thee As if all Souls were in one and one so in all that we could never more be divided from thee nor cease from the love and service we bear unto thee nor be separated from each other in thee I praise thee for preserving me from all perils and dangers either by day or night For that portion of Health I now enjoy For the contentedness and thankfulness thou givest me in all estates For all the necessaries of this life Healthful dwelling quiet safety plenty of food and raiment For all the retirements and happy opportunities thou givest me of Reading Praying and enjoying thee For assisting me to overcome in any measure any of those great Infirmities I am subject to by nature For all thy gifts of Grace and nature infused or acquired attain'd by study or experience in the world For any good use I make of them For all thy wonderful Mercies to me and mine blessing us in all good things For thy great preservation of us in many dangerous Journeys and deliverances out of very many great troubles which my Soul recounteth unto thee For all these and for all other thy Mercies known or not known manifest or secret willingly or unwillingly received I praise thee I bless thee I give thee thanks and I desire to praise bless and give thee thanks all the days of my life What am I that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am What reward shall I give unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me especially in that he hath spared and forborn me until now Holy holy holy thou art worthy to receive Honour Worship and Praise now and for evermore Amen A Prayer for Christmas-Day HOly Jesus who being infinitely higher than the Heavens didst condescend to look on the Earth to come down and visit us with the saving Presence of thine Eternal Godhead clothed with our Manhood in the Virgins Womb let this miraculous grace of thine effect another miracle in me Let it raise me by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost and change me by a new Birth and exalt me to a Divine and Heavenly life that I may forsake the world and live unto thee O thou who didst assume thy Body and Soul for me that we might be members of thy Body and of thy flesh and of thy bones unite me unto thee make me sensible of thee my head fill me with the joy of thy Nativity and give thy self unto me who wast born for me that I may be thine and my beloved mine for evermore O Eternal Glory of the Father vail'd over with mortal flesh remove the vail from off my heart clarifie my understanding and draw me near unto thee that I may know the mystery which was hid from Ages and Generations but is now revealed for our Glory Receive me to thy self make me one with thee and be thou more dear unto me than all the world O thou who didst vouchsafe to dwell in the dark Cloysters of a Virgins womb thou who didst vouchsafe to close thine infinity within the confines of Humane shape and advance our Humanity to the Throne of God Prepare the Temple of my Soul make it bright with knowledg and wisdom come and dwell in my understanding take possession of my will reign within my heart let thy Scepter of Righteousness be exalted over me and become the rule of my thoughts and actions O reign over all the World and let the Righteousness and true Holiness wherein thou delightest prevail and prosper in the Earth let the Souls be saved which thou hast redeemed Amen Amen A Prayer for Easter-Day ETernal Son of the eternal Father who wast a man of sorrows and art now the Lord of Joys look down from Heaven thy dwelling place upon me thy Servant who rejoyce in thy glorious and blessed Resurrection Thou hast broken the Bars of Death and Hell for it was impossible that he that was innocent should be holden of them Thou hast broken down the gates of the prison of the Grave because thou hast satisfied thy Fathers Justice He knew thy ability and therefore he trusted thee with so great a debt He knew thy Power and therefore did commit so weighty an employment to thy sacred Hands O cause me to know thee my Saviour to be the Son of God by this glorious Resurrection Let it quicken me and raise me up who am dead in sins and trespasses Our Surety has paid the debt and is come abroad let all the Earth rejoyce and be glad in him Sing O Mountains and break forth into singing all the valleys in the World for our Redeemer and our Saviour hath conquered Death Hell and the Grave Let the light of his Resurrection transform the World into Heaven and turn the Wilderness into Eden let it restore a better Paradise than the old one unto us Let the power of his Resurrection quicken all the dead in sins and convert all the Kingdoms upon Earth and make them the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ wherein Truth and Peace and Righteousness may reign for evermore O my Soul thy lover and thy friend that was killed dead and buried is alive and he is able to save unto the utmost all them that come to God through him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for us He by and for whom the Worlds were made loved thee to the death O let his Love enflame thee and turn thee all into Love and let the love of God which passeth all understanding possess thy Soul and Body for ever Let the Love of Christ constrain thee to forsake iniquity and to esteem nothing easie honourable or delightful but that which is so to him Love all that he loveth hate all that he hateth O Jesus the love and life of my Soul be thou my sovereign Lord and Friend my only treasure and possession be thou my Wisdom and my Glory my Kingdom and my Crown my Life and Blessedness be thou all in all to me Let thy will be my will and thy pleasure mine As thou camest to do the Will of thy Father let it be my meat and drink to do thy Will to glorifie thy Name and finish the work which thou hast given me
to do O give me the Image of thy Soul and let the same mind be in me that was in Christ Jesus both towards thine Eternal Father and towards all thy Creatures Let me despise all the vanities which thou didst contemn that I may enter into thy Joys and live in Communion with thee for ever Amen A Prayer upon the Day of Pentecost O Lord my Light my Life and Confidence my Love and my only Happiness I place my whole hope and trust in thee I now expect from thine infinite Bounty thy Holy Spirit which thou hast promised in thy mercy O send out thy Light and thy Truth unto me Thy Word is Truth thy Spirit is Truth thou O God art the God of Truth Inspire me with thy Truth and make me to know the Truth embrace love live in the Truth believe and speak the Truth serve obey and praise thee in Truth now and for evermore O blessed Jesus all the Treasures and Joys thou gavest us in thy Birth all the Mercies and mysteries of thy Life all the Benefits of thy Death and Passion all the Victories and Joys of thy Resurrection all the Triumphs and places thou givest us in thy Ascension all the advantages of thy Session and Intercession are lockt up and seal'd in this promise of sending the Holy Ghost Till he unlock and open these Treasuries to us till he illuminate us in and fit us for them till he reveal and apply them to us we cannot enjoy them O send thy Spirit then into us and seal all thy Mercies by him upon us now and evermore Amen Confession of Sin out of Bishop Andrews I Confess O Lord that I was shapen in wickedness and in sin hath my Mother conceived me That I was brought forth in uncleanness That I am a root of bitterness A wild Vine of Sodom A branch of the wild Olive A child of wrath a vessel of dishonour My heart is rebellious like a starting bow My throat an open sepulchre venting folly My lips so polluted that my tongue talketh nothing but vanity Mine eyes and my tongue uncircumcised I have a forehead of brass and a neck of iron My hand slow to do good and my feet swift to do evil I have sin'd against thee O Lord and trespassed in thy sight not fearing thy Majesty My sins are in quantity large of long continuance from my Mothers womb deep heavy like a burden like lead reaching to Heaven with their cry Many in number like the Starrs More than the hairs of my head or the sands of the Sea oftentimes reiterated as a fountain casting out waters till they become as a habit as red as scarlet and crimson For I am sold under sin I sin till they become natural to me like the Aethiopian's skin and the Leopards spots In quality sins as strong as cords and cart-ropes gaining nothing therby For a handful of Barley and a little Bread Committing sin with greediness sin upon sin with impudence not being ashamed knowing it to be sin Giving offence thereby unthankfully like the dog to the vomit Like the Sow to the mire Therefore O Lord because thou art just and thy Judgments true I do or may reap the fruit of my foolishness For what fruit have I in those things whereof I am now ashamed My days are consumed in vanity and my years in the bitterness of my Soul and now there is no health in me because of thy displeasure nor any rest by reason of my sin My Heart trembleth also for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Judgments I feel bitterness beyond the bitterness of death for ever forsaking thee or being forsaken by thee Wo unto me rebellious wretch for so doing by which I become so vile I loath and abhor my self I have roar'd for the very disquietness of my heart And what shall I now say or how shall I open my mouth What shall I answer seeing I have done these things Miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death When I have not what I can farther say or do this only remaineth this is my last refuge that I direct mine eyes unto thee Out of the deep have I cried unto thee O Lord Lord hear my vâ—ice If thou Lord shouldst be extream to mark what is done amiss who may abide it Enter not into Judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Wherefore O Lord I appeal from thee unto thee From thee a just Judg to thee a merciful Father From the Throne of thy Justice to the seat of thy Mercy O Lord be pleased to admit of this appeal if thou do not I perish and carest thou not that I perish who wouldst have all to be saved and none to perish I am thine O save me Despise not the works of thine own hands who hatest nothing that thou hast made I am thy servant the Son of thine handmaid I am called by thy name I am the price of thy Blood O spare thy workmanship spare thy child Thy name the price of thy Son's Blood But I am a sinner and God beareth with sinners be pleased to bear with me and remember of what I am made Remember that I am but dust Frail flesh light wind loose dust and wilt not thou O Lord break a leaf driven to and fro by the wind wilt thou pursue dry stubble Behold O Lord though I have sinned I humble my self before thee Spare the humble and contrite David spared Shimei that railed on him and David was a man after thine own heart therefore do thou spare me Ahab forgave the King of Assyria his offences upon his humiliation Was there ever King of Israel so merciful as thou art Thou therefore whose very nature is to have mercy have mercy upon me spare me and be not angry with thy servant for ever but for the sake of Jesus Christ turn away thy wrath from me and be reconciled to me Accept the sacrifice of a contrite heart and grieved Soul a wounded spirit a troubled conscience pity me and spare me though I have so grievously sin'd against thee It hath ever been thy practice to be merciful They trusted and were not confounded Thy Mercies have been ever of old When I look at the Generations of old I see never any trusted in thee and was confounded and thou never didst despise those that called upon thee Remember thy word unto thy servant in which thou hast caused me to hope Thou hast blessed the man that trusteth in thee my whole trust is in thee let me never be confounded Thy Mercies O Lord are comfortable better than life many plentiful and tender superabundant wonderful and infinite preventing us following us compassing us pardoning iniquity transgression and â—…n Thou art the Father of Mercies Thou sparest when we deserve punishment and in thy wrath thinkâ—… upon mercy Gently correcting in the midst of wrath remembring mercy It being of thy mercy that we