let thy right hand uphold and sustaine me to preserve me from all my spirituall enemies that wait to destroy my soule But thou my Lord art sufficient for me O Lord vouchsafe me thy grace to direct my heart and words towards thee and by thy ready helpe to assist me in all things and at all times that in thy mercie at the last thou maiest finish all thy favour in mee which is the accomplishment of my faith and hope in thee And Lord grant that I may willingly and readily come unto thee when thou callest and vouchsafe O blessed Spirit Holy Ghost to fit and prepare me by unfeigned repentance to obtaine remission of all my sinnes that I have done before thee with true faith to lay hold of all the mercies of my God in Christ and with stedfast hope to rest on all thy gracious promises O Lord who never failest those that trust in thee Now Lord give me strength and patience to wait thy good leasure and pleasure untill thou have pity and compassion on me either to recover and restore my health here if it be thy will that I may live and glorifie thee longer in this life or else that thou wilt please to receive and prepare me for thy selfe and give me all saving graces for thine own mercifull acceptance when thou pleasest to call and take me to thee out of this wretched world that so my faith and sure trust in thee may never faile unto my last breath Now lastly Lord grant that as the outward man the body decayeth and groweth weaker so the inward part the soule may by thy gracious assistance grow together in faith and confidence towards thee with full assurance of thy Spirit within me of thy favour to me for my eternall salvation Then come Lord Iesus when thou pleasest for into thy hands I humbly commend my spirit that when this life shall leave me thy grace and mercy may receive mee into that endlesse happinesse in heaven which my Lord and only Saviour hath purchased for me that I may praise God everlastingly Amen 6. My Prayer of thanksgiving after my long and great fit of sicknesse which begun on Twelfth day at night and held me till Whitsontide This may serve upon any other occasion MOst gracious Lord God I blesse and praise thy great and holy Name for all thy blessings and benefits both spirituall and temporall vouchsafed to my soule and body but especially I magnifie thy glorious Majesty for all those spirituall graces thou hast bestowed upon my soule before I was borne and hitherto which I beseech thee of thy mercie daily to continue and increase towards me Now deare Lord make me thy unworthy servant ever truly thankfull to thee for all thy goodnesse extended towards me and grant me grace to make such right use of all thy mercies as may be most to thy glory and my salvation in Christ But now O Lord that art my God I must at this time render thee humble thanks in particular and not forget to acknowledge thy benefits and to praise thy holy Name for all thy mercies shewed unto me for in my late and long sicknes thou hast heard my groanes and taken pity on me and released me from all my paine and griefs for thou dost visit my transgressions with favour not in wrath and hast alwaies been my stay and comfort from my youth and thou art my deliverance and ready helpe in all my adversities thou didst bring me downe for my sinnes almost to the grave and hast in mercy lifted me up again from the gates of death and restored me to health who healest all my infirmities pardonest all my iniquities and givest me present supply in all my necessities blessed be thy glorious Name for ever Now O God as thou art pleased to prolong my dayes on earth so especially I humbly pray thee daily to increase all saving graces in mee for thy true and faithfull service and vouchsafe alwaies to continue all thy goodnesse and mercies towards me that I may truly feare perfectly love and carefully obey thee in all things and by the assistance of thy holy Spirit make me to become and ever to continue to bee more and more thy unfeigned servant And now I am aged and fit to leave the world when thou pleasest yet while I am in it Lord make me continually to grow from grace to grace unto the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ with faith in him rightly to please and praise thee so long as I live And gracious Lord vouchsafe never to withdraw thy grace and favour from me untill thou hast finished thy greatest worke of mercy and the height of my hopes and happinesse which is the salvation of my poor soule through thine owne deare Sonne and my only Saviour Jesus Christ and when it shall please thee to call me away to thy selfe out of this vaine world be pleased to give me a happy and blessed departure to dye in my Lord Jesus and in thy true faith and favour that thou having pardoned all my sins and passing by my unworthinesse in Christ thou maiest after death receive and accept mee poore sinner into thy grace and favour though thy dearly beloved Sonne in whom only thou art pleased who is my righteousnesse Lord and my Redeemer and so when I have left this life I shall rest in peace and safety sleep in Christ and bee raised by him hereafter to great glory amongst his servants and may obtaine favour to be accepted into the society of holy Angels and blessed Saints and admitted into the glorious presence of Almighty God there to praise and magnifie his Name for ever and ever Amen 7. My conclusion A Prayer to my blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ OH my deare Lord Jesus I most humbly begge for thy love and mercies sake to pardon all my sinnes past that thou maiest looke downe in pity and compassion on me to heare the prayer of thy unworthy sinfull servant who doth earnesty intreat thee to vouchsafe me thy gracious and continuall helpe protection and direction in all my weake endeavours wants and troubles that so all my desires wayes and actions being begun continued and ended in thee I may bee able rightly and faithfully to serve and please thee at all times really to love and honour thee above all things truly and carefully to feare and obey thee according to thine owne will confidently to relye upon thee and willingly to submit to thy pleasure in all my crosses and calamities and constantly to praise and magnifie thy most worthy and holy Name for thy great and manifold blessings and benefits bestowed upon me of thy meer grace and mercy O my blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who art the author and finisher of my good and finally of my eternall salvation to thee be all praise honour and glory for ever and ever Amen 8. Another short Prayer O Lord my God have pity upon me that am a most miserable sinner and full of frailty unapt and unable to doe any good I earnestly desire rightly to serve thee but without thy grace and help I cannot doe it a fit subject for thy great mercy Dear Iesus pardon all my sinnes past and give me grace henceforth to become a new creature in thee daily to attend thy service constantly and to performe all holy duties which Iowe unto thee faithfully and to shun and resist all sinfull neglects towards thee carefully that so while I live I may duly feare and obey thee rightly and truly to love and praise thee here and for ever Amen FINIS
Christ THat he will draw near by grace unto Knowledge of God and our selves thy soul to strengthen thee with knowledge true faith unfeigned repentance and perfect charity that thou maiest rightly reverently and faithfully receive this holy Sacrament to Gods Ps 14. 22. 1 Jo 1. 8. glory and thine owne comfort and salvation Now when thou commest to communicate and receive this blessed Col. 3. 2. Rom. 12. 1. 2. 1. 15. Sacrament of the Lords Supper First banish all vaine and earthly thoughts and recollect thy heart to the serious meditations of that which is the life of the 1 Tim. 2. 4 Humility 1 Pet. 5. 6. 1 Jo. 2. 2. 4. 14. Sacrament even the death of thy Saviour and humbly and devoutly present thy selfe and service to the Redeemer of thy soule and Lord of the feast the only saviour of mankinde Jesus Christ our righteous Lord. Then apply thy minde to these contemplations First remember with great reverence the infinite Majesty of God his mercy True repentance 1 Jo. 9. Prov. 28. 13. goodnesse and justice in whose presence we are Secondly consider thine owne vilenesse misery and unworthinesse being wholly corrupt both in soul and body Thirdly confesse all thy sins True faith 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19 21. 2. 14. 1. 3. 21. plainly for in hiding our sins this work will not prosper but with most hearty and unfeigned sorrow in all humility cast thy self at Jesus feet earnestly begging for pardon with hatred to all sin and purpose of amendment For who 1 Pet. 3. 22 Heb. 12. 24. 1 Jo. 2. 3. so confesseth and forsaketh their sins shall finde mercy Fourthly trie and acknowledge thy faith and stedfast beliefe in Christ Jesus the blessed Son of God the Creator to be the only Saviour 1 Tim. 21 5. Jam. 1. 17. and Redeemer of the world who dyed for thy sins and rose againe for thy justification and is ascended up to heaven for thy salvation where sitting at Gods right hand he maketh intercession for 1 Tim. 21 5. thee and powreth downe all graces and blessings upon thee who giveth himself with all his merits unto thee in this Sacrament covering all thy offences with Jam. 1. 17. his perfect obedience So making thee righteous and leaving thee a pledge and Sanctification 1 Jo. 17. 19. Heb. 13. 12. seale of thy future and eternall happinesse this his holy institution which the divine word hath sanctified to that end and purpose Now call to minde the exceeding love of God and Christ towards thee the one in sending his only deare Sonne to become man and suffer death The fifth in giving his most pretious body and bloud to bee crucified Gods love to us and shed upon the crosse to satisfie the just wrath of God due for thy sins of which this bread broken wine powred out that we see is a remembrance which we ought often to celebrate and set our hearts and soules duly and truly Our love to God to love and honour this gracious God and Lord who hath loved us first and done such great things as to give himself for us 6. Ponder well in thine heart 1 Ja. 4. 9. 10. all the divine mysteries of this holy Sacrament to which heavenly banquet Jesus thy Saviour now inviteth thee taking away thine hatefull iniquities and Jam. 2. 8. cloathing thee with his innocencie so Jo. 15. 12. Charity to our neighbours 1 Jo. 4. 21. to make thee acceptable in the sight of God the Father and by the gracious operation of the Holy Ghost joyning thee unto himselfe as thy head and all of us in true love one to another as members of one body to walke in newnesse of life the rest of our dayes 7. And Amendment 1 Jo. 33. 10. 1 Pet. 4. 2. lastly forget not to be ever truly thankfull for these inestimable benefits of God the Father of the blessed Trinity and of Jesus Christ our Lord towards us who hath laid downe his own life to redeem us such vile and miserable sinners all which the Holy Ghost applieth unto us Thankfulnesse 1 Jo. 5. 7. Eph. 5. 20. 1 Thess 5. 18. Infinite mercies we are never able sufficiently to acknowledge and admire Prepare not thy belly but thy soule believe and thou hast eaten this saith St. Augustine 14. A thanksgiving after the holy communion of the Lords Supper OH blessed and praised for ever be the Name of the Lord my God who hath done great and many things for me and holy is thy gracious and glorious name and let thy mercy and thy truth O Lord never forsake me but vouchsafe to continue thy goodnesse and loving kindnesse towards me for ever and say unto my soule thou art my God my helpe and my salvation for evermore And now especially O Lord as I am infinitely bound I render unto thy divine Majesty all humble and possible praise and thanks for this present and particular favour shewed unto me thy unworthy servant in feeding my soule to eternall lfe with the most pretious food of thine owne sacred body and bloud blotting out all my sinnes and sanctifying mee by thy holy Spirit imputing to me thy righteousnesse and admitting mee so unworthy to be a happy partaker of this blessed Sacrament The benefit whereof is unspeakable and the mercy therein unexpressable only I admire thy goodnesse towards mankind and magnifie thy great mercy beseeching thee my God as thou hast vouchsafed to accept mee at this holy Table so good Lord let mee not depart without a blessing but be pleased to receive me into thy gracious care and favour that I may live and die therein and give mee grace to spend the rest of my time in a carefull reformation of all evills past a diligent performance of thy most holy will in all things and true obedience to all thy Commandements with a faithfull and right application of all thy mercies and merits so that I may feele thy bitter passion O Lord sweet unto my soule and by the assistance of thy Spirit bring forth the fruits of amendment of life and most hearty thankfulnesse all my daies that at the end of this life I may obtaine a blessed roome in the Kingdome of glory there to praise thy holy name for evermore Amen 15. A short Prayer for conclusion to any prayer O God the Father blesse and governe my soule and body in all things to thy service O Lord the Sonne my Saviour Jesus protect me and direct me at all times to doe thy will O holy Ghost blessed Spirit preserve mee from falling into any sinne or evill but instruct sanctifie and lead me into the waies of truth and righteousnesse that I may live in thy feare and dye in thy favour and may continue in thy right Church and true faith unto my end So that in the houre of my death and in the dreadfull day of judgement I may finde grace in thy sight that thou
most holy Name And grant me grace to spend the rest of my time to come more carefully and faithfully then I have formerly done to seeke serve feare love obey and please thee my Lord in all things as I ought to doe so that it may bee more then meat and drinke unto me to doe the will of thee my heavenly Father And I most humbly beseech thee O God the fountaine of mercy to forgive and pardon all my sinnes and offences past that I have committed against thee either in soule or body throughout my whole life Lord blot them out of thy remembrance with the most pretious bloud of thy deare Son my only Saviour Jesus Christ and grant through thy mercies and his merits and sufferings that my iniquities may never be imputed unto me But vouchsafe O God now and ever to keepe me thy poore servant as the apple of thine own eie from all sin and shame and hide mee under the shadow of thy wings from falling into any evill or danger this day especially O Lord preserve mee alwaies from the great wickednesse of committing any presumptuous sin before thee and from the fearfull sinne against the Holy Ghost which is unpardonable and from the dangerous sins of neglect towards thee hardnesse of heart senselesse security or falling into wicked despaire whereby I may prevent my soule of thy mercy in Christ for my salvation But good God direct thou my thoughts desires words and deeds to be ever agreeable to thy most holy will and obedient to all thy Commandements that I may henceforth live before thee with an upright heart daily studying and striving to serve and please thee in all things so long as I live that after death I may praise and magnifie thy Name in heaven among thy Saints and servants for ever and ever These great mercies O gracious God with all other thou knowest needfull for me either for this life or the life to come I further beg of thee in the name merits and mediation of thy deare Son and my sweet Jesus concluding in that perfect forme of prayer which hee hath taught us saying Our Father c. 12. A Prayer to God the Father for Munday night O Lord my God how excellent is thy name in all the world who hast done great workes and brought mighty things to passe ALmighty Lord and my heavenly Father in Christ most high and mighty God Creator possessor preserver and disposer of heaven and earth and all that is therein the fountaine of grace and mercy and Father of light from whom commeth all good and perfect gifts I most humbly pray thee of thy great goodnesse to give mee thy poore sinfull servant thy grace and holy Spirit to direct my heart and all my waies aright in thy sight and to guide me in the paths of truth and righteousnesse and Lord lead mee into that streight way and through that narrow gate which bringeth unto life eternall that so of thy infinite mercie through Christ I may enter in though most unworthy with them that obtaine grace to finde it and there to live with thee my God in joy and blisse for evermore And further I yeeld and render unto thee my Lord all humble and possible praise honour and thankes for all thy great and manifold mercies and benefits spirituall and temporall vouchsafed unto me thy most unworthy servant in soule and body from time to time and also for thy gracious preservation of me and mine and all other thy blessings bestowed upon me this day past and all my life hitherto Now good God for Christs sake I humbly pray thee to forgive and pardon all my sinnes and trespasses that I have committed before thee inwardly or outwardly in soul or body by thought desire word or deed this present day or any time of my life heretofore Mercifull Father wash away all my sinnes out of thy sight with the most pretious bloud of that All-sufficient sacrifice the innocent Lamb of God Jesus who was slaine for our transgressions hide all my sins in his wounds and bury them in his grave so as they may never bee able to rise in judgement against me either to accuse or to condemne mee But Lord make me of that blessed number whose sinnes thou wilt cover and whose iniquities thou wilt pardon And vouchsafe also to forgive my omission of all those good deeds I ought to have done and my sinfull neglect in the true performance of all duty and service that I owe unto thee especially my wicked negligence in calling upon thy holy Name and daily praising thee for all thy mercies and likewise I beg pardon for my often omitting or slightly performing this duty of praying unto thee as I ought now and at all times which Lord give me grace more carefully faithfully and devoutly to perform towards thee by the assistance of thy holy Spirit ever hereafter that so of thine infinite mercy thou maiest bâ—ing mee to that eternall Kingdome which thou hall prepared O God the Father before the world began for all that truly love and beleeve in thee to thy great praise and honour and my salvation iâ— Christ through thy mercy O blessed Lord God to whom be glory now and ever Amen 13. The conclusion for Munday to be said last or in bed O My God I most humbly commmend and commit my selfe both body and soule my children and grand-children my kindred friends and family and all that doth belong unto me here or else where with all my fellow members in thy whole Church into thy most gracious protection and preservation this night and alwaies Good God I beseech thee vouchsafe to blesse sanctifie and keep our soules and bodies in thy true faith feare and favour with safety this night and to our lives end Amen 14. A Prayer at first awaking for Tuesday to our Saviour Jesus Christ MY soule shall magnifie thee O Lord and my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour who hath done and suffered great and many things for me blessed be thy most holy Name for thy infinite benefits and blessings both spirituall and temporall bestowed upon mee thy unworthy sinfull servant from time to time And chiefly Gracious Lord for thy accomplishment of my redemption before I had any being who didst vouchsafe to come into the world amongst evill men and to be borne of a Virgin to take the shape and nature of man upon thee and in our flesh didst work and performe all righteousnesse to bee imputed unto us and also submitted thy selfe to suffer the most bitter and ignominious death of the Crosse to free us from that eternall death which our sinnes have deserved and also rose againe from the grave the third day to overcome sin death the grave hell and Sathan with all other things for us And so thou sweet Jesus art become our reconciliation redemption righteousnesse and justification with hope also through thee of salvation and glorification hereafter Of all which thy inestimable benefits I
humbly pray thee O Lord my Saviour of thy infinite mercy both in this world and after this life is ended to make me thy poor unworthy servant a happy partaker amongst thy Saints and servants that I may live hereafter with thee and them to praise and glorifie thy Name my deare Jesus for ever Amen 15. A Prayer for Tuesday morning to God the Son our Redeemer I Know that my Redeemer liveth and shall stand the last day upon the earth to judge the world in righteousnesse and all the people with equity O sweet Iesus Christ who art my Lord and perfect Saviour the beloved Son of God the blessed Redeemer of the world the only searcher of mans heart before whom all things are manifest all desires knowne and from thee no secrets can be hid Lord cleanse and reforme the thoughts of my wicked corrupt heart by the inspiration of thy most holy Spirit to purge my heart soul and conscience from all sin evill and dead works rightly and faithfully to feare and serve thee the true and living Lord that I may unfainedly love thee and constantly praise and magnifie thy holy and blessed Name all the daies of my life and for ever Now Gracious Iesus grant that the words of my mouth and the thoughts and meditations of my heart in these and all other prayers and petitions that I make unto thy Majesty may bee alwaies guided by thy blessed Spirit and that all my waies and actions be directed according to thy holy word and so by thy merciful assistance all things I goe about shall be ever right and acceptable in thy sight O Lord God of truth that art my strength and my Redeemer And deare Saviour who knowest the infinite corruption of my wretched nature and my unaptnesse to all goodnesse vouchsafe to draw and knit my heart and soule to thy true feare and faithfull service and suffer no worldly respects regard of persons nor any pleasures to withdraw my minde or hinder my soule from the true performance of my daily duties and service towards thee my God with due observance of thy great Majestie faithfully devoutly and constantly serving thee and calling on thy holy name now and at all times and daily worshipping thee in spirit and truth as thy selfe hast commanded And be thou pleased dear Lord by thy grace to guide and direct my heart soule and body with all my desires waies and workes according to thy owne good will and pleasure for I humbly commend and commit my selfe my children and grand-children with all belonging to mee and all things that any way concerneth me to thy most gracious protection direction and disposing now and ever And I humbly pray thee O my sweet Iesus so to prevent me with thy holy Spirit that I bee led into no temptation this day by the divell or his evill agents the vaine world or my owne corrupt flesh neither suffer any sinfull thoughts to possesse my soule but assist me I beseech thee to set a watch over my heart and waies and before my mouth and set a seale of grace and wisdome over my soul and upon my lips that I offend not with my tongue or in my actions either against thee my God my neighbour or my owne soule but Lord make my heart cleane and upright before thee and keep me from falling into my former sins againe but indue me with grace so to number my daies that I may apply my heart to wisdome and goodnesse and daily endeavour and strive to lead a new and godly life in thy sight and make me firme stedfast and constant in thy right Church saving truth and true faith unto my lives end to live and die therein but if I hold any errors contrary to thy will and word O Lord speedily convert my soule unto thee and shew me the paths of life and teach me thy truth and suffer me not to slide from it but so long as I live here constantly to set my whole heart soule and delight to seek to serve to love and to fear thee my Lord in all true obedience humility repentance and purity with stedfast faith in thee and true holinesse of living as is required of thy children and servants through the assistance of thy blessed Spirit and the blessing of thy heavenly Father who liveth and reigneth with thee three Persons and one true eternall God blessed for ever Amen Concluding my humble petition with that perfect prayer which Christ our advocate hath sanctified and taught us saying Our Father c. 16. A Prayer for Tuesday at night to our blessed Saviour for my selfe and children O Sweet Iesus Christ that art both God and man my blessed Saviour Redeemer and Mediator who understandest all things and seest what we want before we aske and knowest best what is in miserable mortall man that is made of earth how corrupt my nature and substance is how many and great my frailties and infirmities are and how subject I am to fall into all manner of evill both in soule and body if thy grace uphold me not therefore I most humbly beseech thee O Lord to receive me and mine now and ever into thy provident and gracious care to protect and direct us in all our waies to doe thy blessed will and to live in all thy holy feare to save and guide us waking from all sinne and shame and to keep and defend us sleeping from all perills and dangers either of soule or body that so by thy mercie we may rest in peace and safety this night and also awake in thy grace and favour and doe all things to thy honour and glory and may live and dye thy true and faithfull servants and after death vouchsafe dear Lord by thy merits and sufferings to give us eternall life with thee in heaven which thou hast dearly purchased for us Now sweet Jesus vouchsafe to indue and assist mee with thy grace and holy Spirit that I may be able rightly faithfully and confidently as I ought to doe to cry and pray unto thee my God for grace and mercie that I may finde favour in thy sight and that my trust in thee may never cease that so I may obtaine true contrition for all my offences and pardon for my sins past with all saving graces for my salvation both in life and death and assured hope of everlasting life when this is ended through thy pretious death and bitter passion sweet Iesus my Saviour Now good Lord indue me with grace to fit and prepare my soule as I ought before my day of death approacheth that I be not taken unprovided but assist me with thy blessed Spirit to worke in my heart a true and lively faith to lay fast hold upon all thy mercies merits and gracious promises and rightly to apply them to my owne soule And further give mee I humbly pray thee unfaigned repentance and remission of all my sinnes with other needfull graces for the performing of all holy duties to thy Majestie
the grave hell and Sathan and didst willingly lay down thine owne life for us which no man could take from thee that wee might live by faith through thee and also thou hadst power to take it up againe and didst rise from the grave the third day for our justification and to vanish all our spirituall enemies and lastly thou our Lord didst gloriously ascend into heaven there to take possession and make intercession for us unto thy heavenly Father with whom thou dost reigne in heaven for ever whither thou dost graciously and daily draw to thee all those that truly beleeve in thee there to live hereafter with thee of which number deare Lord in the fulnesse of thy mercies make me one Now I further humbly pray thee sweet Jesus the Saviour of all that trust in thee that thou wilt have mercy on mee to forgive and pardon all my sinnes and offences past and present both originall and actuall of omission and commission of infirmity or presumption whatsoever I stand guilty of before theee and even those secret sinnes that none but thy All-seeing eyes and my owne conscience can testifie against mee which is more then a thousand witnesses I humbly pray thee to cast them all behinde thy backe into the pit of oblivion never to come in remembrance with thee and wash all my faults out of thy sight with that blessed streame of thine owne most pretious bloud which thou didst so plentifully shed for us in thy most bitter passion O blessed Lord let not all these thy mercies and benefits which thou hast done and purchased for mankinde be fruitlesse or in vaine towards mee thy poore unworthy servant whose confidence is only in thee that thou wilt make mee a happy partaker of all thy great benefits and favours And sweet Iesus grant through thy mercies merits and infinit sufferings that my transgressions may never bee laid to my charge for there is no other name under heaven but thine only blessed Iesus our righteous Lord by which we can be saved To thee bee rendred as is due all honour praise thanks and glory for ever and ever Concluding my petition with that perfect Prayer which thy selfe hast taught us saying Our Father which art in heaven c. 28. A Prayer for Friday night to God the Sonne our blessed Saviour I Will love thee dearly O Lord my strength for thou art my helper my refuge and the lifter up of my head and I will praise thy name so long as I have breath O Lord Christ by whom was fulfilled the Law and the Prophets and in thee all the promises of God are Yea and Amen to the glory of God the Father and the comfort of all thy servants thou art that pure and innocent Lambe of God that was killed and is alive to thee was given all power honour and glory who liveth and raigneth for ever in heaven and earth of whose Kingdome there is no end to thee Lord bee all possible praise and thanks for ever This is my only Lord and blessed Saviour Jesus Christ the righteous who died for our sinnes and rose againe for our justification and art our Advocate in heaven so that whatsoever we shall ask the Father in thy name according to thy will if we beleeve we shall obtaine it for thy sake who art the beloved Son of God in whom only hee is well pleased My deare God have mercy upon me a most grievous sinner to pardon all my offences past in soule or body of ignorance or wilfulnesse of frailty neglect contempt or wicked stubbornesse bury them all sweet Jesus in thy grave and cleanse them from before thine eyes with thy most pretious bloud which thou didst of thine owne accord and infinite love shed for us to free us from eternall death which by our sinnes are due therefore gracious Lord grant through thy merits and manifold sufferings that my iniquities may never be able to appeare before thee against me either to accuse or condemne me neither in this life at my death nor in the great and last judgement but in that dreadfull day Lord by all thy mercies I beseech thee shew thy self my loving Saviour to passe by cover all my misdeeds with thy righteousnesse that so I may escape thy just wrath which my transgressions have deserved Now deare Iesus while I live here make me thy unworthy servant wholly thine to be thy faithfull and constant disciple and so to love thee as to keep thy Commandements which are not grievous but in obeying them there is great reward and let me so follow thee here as to bee lowly and meek to forsake my selfe and the world and to take up all my crosses with patience and strive to goe after thy steps though I be farre unable to drinke of that heavy and bitter cup of Gods wrath of which thou so deeply tastedst who art the propitiation for our sinnes to deliver us from that fearfull condemnation due unto us my offences Lord I confesse did adde unto that weighty burden of Gods heavy displeasure and our grievous sinnes which thou didst beare upon the crosse for all true beleevers who shall passe from death to life eternall which thy sufferings O Christ hath purchased for us whereby I the unworthiest of thy servants doe also hope to follow thee hereafter from the grave to heaven at the resurrection of the just that according to thy will declared before thy death all that are thine shall bee with thee even where thou art to enjoy all blisse and happinesse in thine owne love by thy unmerited mercies we shall bee made partakers with thee of thy heavenly Kingdome of glory there to serve and praise thy glorious Name who art most worthy world without end Amen 29. The conclusion for Friday night LOrd Iesus vouchsafe to receive me this night into thy gracious protection both in life and death And deare Lord I humbly pray thee to inlighten me with thy grace rightly and faithfully to serve and obey thee in all true devotion and with due submission to thy holy will in all things so long as I live and now Lord I am in health laid downe in my bed by thy loving permission hoping to take quiet rest and sleep which I beseech thee to give me and also I trust by thy mercie to a wake in thy grace and favour to the morning light againe because thou gracious Lord dost only me sustaine and wilt in safety thy poore servant keep who doe most humbly commend and commit my selfe my soule and body my children and grand-children and all I have to thee from whom I have received all the good I doe enjoy for thou hast shewed great mercies unto me for which I blesse and praise thy holy Name beseeching thee to give me grace never to forget thy benefits but to continue Lord thy true and faithfull servant unto my death and for ever Amen 30. A Prayer to the blessed Trinity at first waking for Saturday morning I
patience to wait thy leasure untill thou please to have mercy on us to our release and comfort and to thy owne praise and glory who never failest those that depend upon thee Now I most humbly acknowledge with all possible praise and thanks which I am bound ever to render unto thee that thou hast formerly delivered me out of many sorrowes eares troubles and vexations both in body and minde and also I blesse and magnifie thy holy Name for all thy great and manifold blessings which thou hast bestowed upon me thy most unworthy servant and I pray thee Lord of thy infinite goodnesse not to let my sinnes and wickednesse hinder thy mercies towards me but pardon and cast all my offences out of thy sight through Jesus Christ my Saviour and vouchsafe alwaies to continue thy grace and favour to mee and especially in daily renewing all spirituall graces in me that so when or how soone soever thou hast appointed an end unto my daies here I may then obtaine the end of my faith and hope even thy glory and my owne salvation through thy beloved Son and my only Saviour Jesus for whose sake Lord heare me and grant these my humble requests with all things else which thou best knowest necessary either for my soule or body for this life or for the life to come in which deare God make mee in thy manifold mercies partaker of eternall happinesse for evermore Amen 3. A Prayer for due preparation before the holy Communion of the Lords Supper O Most gracious God and our heavenly and mercifull Father in Jesus Christ who hatest nothing thou hast made and desirest not the death of sinners but that we should return to thee and live thou absolvest all those that truly repent and beleeve thy holy Gospell and didst send thine only and beloved Son Jesus into the world to seek those that were lost and to save sinners by thy grace of whom I am chiefe O sweet Jesus thou callest to thee those that are heavy laden and truly penitent and weary of their burthensome sinnes that thou maiest mercifully ease and refresh them thou camest to call sinners to repentance and restore us that were lost by sinne and to lay downe thine owne life to redeeme mankinde from eternall death and hast left us a gracious remembrance thereof in thy most holy Supper of that unspeakable worke of our redemption which we are exceedingly bound often to celebrate in acknowledgement of thy unexpressible mercy and favour towards us But oh my Lord I tremble and feare knowing that I am a wretched and wicked sinner and my offences have made me abominable in thy sight being wholy corrupt both in soule and body from the crowne of my head to the soal of the foot the worst deserving of all thy servants and if thou shouldest strictly marke what I have done amisse or enter into judgement with me how should I dare to come into thy presence having nothing to answer for my selfe but to cry with the Publican I have grievously offended Lord be mercifull to mee a sinner and as another saith of himselfe how should I presume to appeare in the presence of God can the Lord be mercifull to so miserable a sinner as I am But Lord I have learned and do beleeve that there is mercy with thee and plentifull redemption therefore we are infinitly bound to love and feare thee but I doe humbly confesse that I am altogether unworthy of my selfe to approach unto thy blessed table but thou Lord that givest both the will and the deed in all good workes so Lord I pray thee to worke in me a due preparation for thy acceptance and then inable me to performe my duty herein in a right and faithfull manner for there at thy heavenly banquet thou Lord Father Son and Holy Ghost art present in thy great Majesty beholding our unperfect devotions wants in preparation and manifold infirmities but thou Lord by thy powerfull grace cleansest us from sin and changest us into new creatures and in thy highest bounty giving thy selfe really unto us to be received spiritually by faith and by the working of the Holy Ghost thou art the heavenly food of our soules unto eternall life powring such great and wonderfull treasure into poore earthen vessels as we are and and so making us partakers of all the benefits of thy unspeakable merits and bitter passions and sufferings Oh Lord who invitest me thither continue thy mercy to perfect the good worke thou hast begun for my salvation and heale thou my corrupt soule converting my straying and deceitfull heart and knit it unto thee my God and by thy grace prepare and fit me rightly reverently faithfully and worthily to receive that high and divine mystery in all humility contrition true faith and charity with such devotion as I ought to doe Now deare Lord give me grace rightly to understand and duly to consider and ponder of thy greatnesse to feare thee of thy goodnesse to love thee of thy power and manifold mercies towards me ever to beleeve and trust in thee And also to looke into my owne rebellious disobedience and shamefull ingratitude towards thee and my most miserable estate who am in danger of everlasting damnation by my innumerable transgressions committed against thee Lord touch my hardened heart with the oyle of thy grace that it may be fastened to receive a sound and sensible feeling and sight of all my grievious sinnes past both in committing the evill I was forbidden and omitting the good I am commanded with a true sense of thy just wrath against me for the same which may worke in mee by thy assistance such unfaigned sorrow and penitencie even to breake my stony heart with hatred of my self and all sinne for so offending thee with such true contrition and repentance unto salvation as I may obtaine thy mercifull pardon sweet Jesus that by thy wounds I may bee healed and all my offences hidden never to bee imputed unto me hereafter and by thy grace heartily purposing constantly to endeavour the amendment of all my misdeeds for the time to come and by thy helpe to lead a holy and a sanctified life so long as I live Now I humbly beseech thee oh dear Lord to indue me also with the blessed gift of true faith which is the only hand to lay hold of thee and all thy mercies whereby thou maiest dwell in me and I in thee for ever I beleeve Lord helpe my unbeleefe and strengthen and increase in me a right hope and lively faith stedfastly to beleeve and rightly to apply to my owne soule all thy gracious promises benefits merits and sufferings for me to my salvation Oh my God Holy Ghost vouchsafe to inspire my heart with true and perfect charity towards all my brethren and neighbours yea even to my very enemies for thy sake that I may forgive them as thou dost pardon me And thou Lord preserver of mankinde by thy gracious operation in this blessed
them publicke but have beene lately over perswaded by some that much desired to have them Therefore I have adventured to beare all censures and desire their patience and pardon whose exquisite judgements may finde many blameworthy faults justly to condemne my boldnesse which I thus excuse the matter is but devotions or prayers which surely concernes and belongs to women as well as to the best learned men And therefore I hope herein I neither wrong nor give offence to any which I should be very loath to doe This Booke was written at Chelsey in the yeare 1625. by E. A. at the Duke of Buckinghams house a part whereof was lent me by the good Dutches my most honoured Lady when the great sicknesse was in London A Letter to my foure Daughters Elizabeth Frances Anne and Katherine Ashbournham of whom three were then unmarried only Anne was married to Sir Edward Deering Knight and Baronet My deare Children I Have long and much grieved for your misfortunes and want of preferments in the world but now I have learned in what estate soever I am therewith to be content and to account these vile and transitorie things to be but vaine and losse so I may win Christ the fountaine of all blisse wishing you with me to condemne that which neglecteth you and set your hearts and affections on better subjects such as are above more certain and permanent and feare not but what is needfull for this present life shall bee supplyed by him who best knows our wants and had it not been for your sakes whose advancements love and nature bindeth me to seeke I had prevented the spite of my enemies and forsaken the World before it despised me But though I am so unhappy as to be left destitute not able to raise you portions of wealth yet shall I joy as much to adde unto the portion of Grace which I trust and pray that God will give to each of you to whose mercy I daily commit you nothing doubting but that he will receive you into the number of those fatherlesse he graciously taketh care of if you omit not to serve and depend upon him faithfully for he never faileth them that trust in him God is as free and ready to give as we to aske and contrary to the World he grows not weary of importunate suters but often deferreth his blessings to make us the more earnest for them Neither hath the Lord withdrawn his favour so from us as to leave us utterly desolate to despair but hath graciously raised us comfort by honourable friends to be carefull and deare parents unto us whom God preserve and shew mercy to them and theirs as they have done to us And here I send you a motherly remembrance and commend this my labour into your loving acceptance that in remembring your poor mother you may be also put in minde to performe your humble duty and service to our heavenly Father who hath created us to his owne glory and service and all we can performe comes far short of what we owe unto him yet is he well pleased if we returne for all his mercies but obedience and the sacrifice of praise and calling upon his holy Name Now prayer being the winged messenger to carry our requests and wants into the ears of the Lord as David saith he will praise the Lord seven times a day and prevent the light to give thanks unto God and indeed who can awake to enjoy the light and pleasure of the day and not begin the same with intreaty of the Lords gracious direction in all things and desire of his blessing upon us and all that we have or doe Or how can we possesse or hourely receive so many favours and benefits from God and not offer unto him an evening sacrifice of thanksgiving Or who dares adventure to passe the dreadfull night the time of terror and yeeld themselves to sleep the image of death before they are at peace with God by begging pardon for their sins and craving his protection and care over them in the night I know you may have many better instructers then my self yet can you have no true mother but me who not only with great paine brought you into the world but do now still travell in care for the new birth of your soules to bring you to eternall life which is my chiefest desire and the height of my hopes And howsoever this my endeavour may be contemptible to many because a womans which makes me not to joyne my sons with you lest being men they misconstrue my well-meaning yet I presume that you my daughters will not refuse your Mothers teaching which I wish may be your ornament and a crown of glory to you who I hope will take in the best part my carefull industrie for your present and future happinesse towards which I have not failed to give you the best breeding in my power to bring you to vertue and piety which I esteem the greatest treasure and sure I am it leads you to him that is the giver of all good things both spirituall and temporall to whose infinite mercy I most humbly commend you who I trust will fulfill all your necessities through the riches of his grace and make you perfect in all good workes to doe his will And the God of peace sanctifie you throughout that your whole spirits soules and bodies may bee kept blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ which shall bee the endlesse 1 Thess 5. 23. joy of your most loving Mother Eliz. Ashbournham A Preface or inducement to Prayer THe great God and Lord of Heaven Acts 17. 2â— 27. 8. Cap. 23. 14. 17. Rom 1. 19 20. and Earth whose wee are and whom only we ought to serve hath not left himselfe without witnesse For as much as that which may be knowne of God is made manifest unto us for the invisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are seen by His power Godhead Rom. 5. 5. 8 9. the creation of the world being considered in his workes to the intent wee should bee without excuse Also the infinite love of God is shed abroad in His love Redemption Jo. 3. 16. Jo. 4 9. 10 3. 16. Jo. 15 23. 10. 15. our hearts and set out towards us in the most gracious worke of our redemption in that Christ died for us being sinners and when we were enemies God reconciled us unto himself by the death of his only begotten Son whom God sent into the world that wee might live through him and be saved by his life Christs love greater love then this can none have to lay downe his owne life for us Now there are three speciall things amongst many that doe alwaies binde and urge us to the acknowledgement of God to the love of his Majesty and the often His benefits Of our sins calling upon his holy Name viz. First the multitude and greatnesse of his benefits towards us for
which we ought to give him continuall thanks Secondly the infinitenesse of our grievous sins Our mâ—â—◠◠〈…〉 neâ—â—ssiâ—iâ—â— for which we must of necessity daily aske mercy and pardon from him Thirdly our owne manifold miseries and infirmities for which we are constrained to seek reliefe and remedy The first of thâ—se David considered saying What shall I render unto the Lord for all Psal 116. 12 13. his benefits towards me I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name 9. 1. of the Lord I will praise him with my whole heart all the daies of my life All his Psalmes are full of thanksgiving To the second Christ inviteth us saying Come unto me all ye that are weary and Matth. 11. 28. heavy laden and I will ease you If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the just He is the 1 Jo. 2. 1. 2. 1. reconciliation for the sins of the whole 9. world And if wee acknowledge our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse For the third wee are incouraged by God himselfe saying Call upon me in the day of trouble so will I deliver Psal 50. 15. Isay Matth. 8. 17. thee and thou shalt glorifie me for he will have mercy upon us and heal all our infirmities and when wee are in misery he saveth and delivereth us Now for the performance of our duty in thanksgiving the blotting out of all our offences and the release of our miseries with the continuance of Gods grace and favour in all things the chiefe and only way to find and obtain all is rightly to seek and truly to serve the Lord by prayer who is the author and fountain of all goodnes grace and mercy Every good gift comming from above even from him that freely saith Aske and yee shall receive seek and yee shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you for hee that is Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him in truth and the prayer of the faithfull avails much if it be fervent for faithfull and devout prayer is a continuall intercourse and communion betwixt the Lord and us and it is like Jacobs ladder by which our prayers make our wants ascend unto God and his mercie descend downe upon us for with the heart man believeth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth we confesse unto salvation but take heed in sending up thy desires prefer the good of the Col. 3. 2. soule before the pleasures or content of thy body and set thy affections on things that are above First seeke the Kingdome Mat. 6. 33. of God and his righteousnesse and all other wants shall be supplied by his mercie according to his will and our necessities And when thou enterest into the house of God take heed thou offer not unto him the sacrifice of fooles but before thou prayest prepare thy self Col. 3. 2. Eccles 4. 17. 18. 22. thy heart and tongue as David did lest thou tempt God to displeasure Be not rash with thy mouth nor let thy heart be hasty to utter a thing before God But ere thou presume to present thy self Psal 108. 1. or service unto the Lord meditate upon these three things First of the reverence we owe to the great Majesty of God Psal 104. in whose presence we are and to whom we must speake this brings humility and lowlinesse of spirit which makes us acceptable unto him Secondly of our knowledge and beliefe of the Lords Esay 65. 24. Job 15. 16 sweet and gracious promises which causeth boldnesse to come unto him with sure confidence of being heard Thirdly of our unworthinesse and what apprehension we have of our owne wants and miseries and the great necessity of Gods helpe and mercy to relieve us This makes us to know and hate our selves and to love and honour God in whom is all our help hope and happinesse therefore with devout reverence zeal humility and true faith flye unto his mercy and cease not to call often as David did seven times a day upon the holy Name of the Lord Psal 119. 164. by whom we shall bee saved Rom. 10. 13. 1. A preparation to Prayer O Everlasting fountaine of all goodnesse and well-spring of grace without whose speciall assistance we are altogether unapt and unable to performe any duty or service that may be acceptable unto thee Vouchsafe therefore deare Lord to helpe mine infirmities who cannot of my selfe pray as I ought but let thy holy Spirit direct and teach me truly to call upon thy divine Name with a penitent and faithfull heart an humble contrite and lowly spirit a quiet observant and recollected minde freed from the vanities and cares of this vilde world or the love of this present life so as I may dedicate my selfe wholly unto thee a living sacrifice faithfully and devoutly to serve thee now and all the daies of my life O Lord make mee to lift up innocent hands with a pure heart and guide thou my lips with wisdome and set a watch of grace before my mouth that my tongue may not offend thee at any time but duly praise thy glorious Name now and for ever Amen 2. A Prayer to the Holy Ghost O Gracious Lord Holy Ghost I humbly beseech thee to fit and prepare my heart and to direct and assist me in the right and true performance of this duty and service now of prayer towards my God Thou understandest my disability of my selfe to any goodnesse neither know I how to pray as I ought except thy holy Spirit teach me Therefore I earnestly and humbly pray thee to give mee thy grace and true spirit of prayer that so I may now and at all times offer up my petitions and praises in calling upon thy great and glorious Name in a right faithfull and acceptable manner to the glory of God and the good and comfort of me thy poor servant in soul and body with the furtherance of my salvation through Jesus Christ my blessed and only Saviour Amen 3. A Preface to any Prayer O My Lord in all humility I come unto thee the giver of all grace thou knowest my unaptnesse to any goodnesse thou hast given me an earnest desire to please thee make perfect thine owne good worke and grant me a ready will and ability to performe my humble duty herein aright that so I may sincerely and intirely love fear and honour thee above all and most carefully obey thy blessed will in all things Good Father let thy manifold mercies cover my infinite offences from thy All-seeing eyes and by thy grace cast all vaine thoughts and sinfull hindrances out of my soule that thy sacred Spirit may direct my spirit to pray with due reverence to thy Majesty confidence in thy mercy with sure trust in thy promises and feare of thy judgements And that I may offer up all my supplications unto thee with unfeigned
deserved but convert thou me and I shall be changed make me turne unto thee in true contrition that thou maiest returne unto me in gracious compassion to forgive all mine iniquities remit my ungratefulnesse and remember my offences no more O wash and cleanse my sinfull soule in the pure bloud of that innocent Lambe that I may feele the vertue of his death to slay all sin in me and the power of his resurrection to raise me to newnesse of life in true obedience to all thy Commandements and with a child-like love feare to offend thee striving to please thee in all things that so I may obtaine favour and mercy in thy sight both for thy blessing in this life and eternall salvation after death through thy dear Son and my only Saviour Jesus Christ Amen 11. A short Prayer for night O God the fountaine of all goodnesse I humbly and thankfully acknowledge although I am altogether unworthy of the least of thy manifold mercies yet have I great experience of thy infinite goodnesse bounty and favour both towards my soule and body all my time past this day and alwaies preserving me from all the evills which sin and nature have made me subject unto with a gracious supply daily ever since I was born of all things needfull for this present life For all which I humbly bow the knee of my heart and soule unto thy glorious Majesty but especially for all thy graces furthering my salvation by Jesus Christ I blesse and praise thy most holy name yeelding all possible and hearty thanks for all thy benefits vouchsafed to mee the continuance whereof I humbly beg at thy gracious hands commending and committing my soule and body into thy mercifull protection this night and ever praying thee to preserve me therein from all perills sin or evill for thou Lord only keepest mee in safety now stretch out thy wings of grace and mercy over me that while sleep seizeth upon my body let not security oppresse my soule but so sanctifie all outward refreshings unto me as thereby I may bee the more fit and able to serve thee faithfully all my life to come that taking quiet rest because thou Lord sustainest me I may also when this life ceaseth lay downe my head in thy peace and be made partaker of thy glory through thy mercies and Christs merits with the assistance of the blessed Spirit To whom O Father Son and Holy Ghost be all praise power dominion and glory now and for ever Amen Continuing my prayers further as Christ hath taught us saying Our Father c. 12. A short Prayer in bed before sleep DEare Lord receive me this night and alwaies into thy gracious protection to give mee now health safety and rest if it be thy will And dear God when I shall enter into my long sleep of death vouchsafe to sanctifie and prepare my soule for eternall life by the assistance of thy grace and holy Spirit before thou call me away hence and grant me a happy and blessed departure out of this world that thou maiest receive me into thy favour and mercy to be with mee in my death that I may dye in the Lord and rest in peace and obtaine a blessed resurrection that so I may be accepted to live with thee to praise thy great and holy name for ever Amen 13. A Prayer before the receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper O Most sweet Saviour Jesus Christ and my deare Lord who art the author and finisher of my faith redemption and salvation the life and food of my soule I most miserable sinner presuming nothing at all on mine owne merits or worthinesse but trusting wholly in thy infinite mercy and goodnesse doe feare and tremble to appeare before thy Majesty or to come unto the table of this heavenly banquet But thou Lord Jesus who graciously callest me and all heavy laden sinners accept in mercy the will for the deed in that I am unworthy and ill prepared to presume into thy presence and vouchsafe me the assistance of thy divine Spirit I humbly beseech thee in this holy action that my duty and service therein may bee acceptable in thy sight And powre down thy heavenly blessing upon this thy holy Ordinance of thy Word and Sacraments that they may be effectuall to revive strengthen and supply in me all sanctifying and saving graces needfull to the due and right performance of this sacred duty in an acceptable manner whereby to enlighten my understanding with thy grace to the right knowledge of thee and thy truth and work in me a lively true faith wherewith I may lay hold and apply unto my sicke soule all the sweet and comfortable promises and benefits purchased by the bitter death of my sweet Saviour Indue me also with most unfeigned and hearty sorrow and repentance for all my great and grievous sins and offences committed against thee for all which I most humbly beg thy gracious pardon and grant me such perfect love and charity that I may sincerely with all due reverence and devotion love thee my God with all my heart soul and strength and may love my neighbour as my selfe yea my very enemies for Christs sake that so I may rightly receive this blessed Sacrament being prepared by thy grace as I ought to bee And let O Lord thy pretious bloud shed for me cleanse and wash away all my sins and the breaking of thy pretious body heale all the wounds of my corrupt soule that by the gracious operation of the Holy Ghost I may be inwardly and inseparably joyned to thee my head Christ that thou maiest supply all my weaknesse and defects in soule or body out of thy infinite fulnesse of grace and mercy that being cloathed with thy righteousnesse I may be accepted by thee and through thee and so be accounted worthy to be partaker of all thy merits that with the outward signe of bread and wine I may blessedly receive the true signified Christ with all his benefits and may have grace to hunger and thirst after the spirituall food of Christs body and bloud to nourish my soule unto eternall life and to make me become a new creature in holinesse of living with all true and humble thankfulnesse to thy glory and my everlasting salvation beseeching thee to accept my poor endeavours for perfect performance and reach forth thy helping hand from heaven to save me thy unworthy servant pardoning my sins and covering my imperfections with the pure innocencie of that immaculate Lambe Jesus my Saviour And so I humbly commend my selfe unto thy mercy who art able to doe abundantly above all that I can aske or thinke to thee be all honour power and praise for evermore Amen A short meditation direction or preparation before you presume to enter into the presence and sight of God to approach unto the heavenly banquet humbly desiring this or the like by prayer As thou drawest near unto the holy table pray earnestly in thy heart unto
usefull for those particular occasions whereto they are directed which I shall be very glad and joyfull if my children grand-children kindred friends or any good Christian that shall peruse them may make a good and right use of them to Gods glory And I doe most heartily and humbly pray that God will vouchsafe to heare in heaven and to receive accept and grant their just requests to his owne honour their comfort and my great happinesse who am a wel-wisher and true lover of their soules in the Lord. Eliz. Richardson THese Prâ—â—â—â—â— I composed for the instructions of my children grand-children after the example of my dear parents Sir Thomas Beaumont and his Lady of Stoughton in the County of Leicester who I thinke were as carefull and industrious to breed up their children which were living in the instruction and information of the Lord to serve and obey God as any parents could possibly be which made them take much paines with us more then is usuall by their endeavours to bring us to know and feare God and to keep his Commandements Which Solomon saith is the whole duty of man But when parents have done the best and all we can it is Gods grace and blessing that must perfect the worke which I humbly pray him to adde to accomplish my desire to their eternall happinesse An Exhortation concerning Prayer BEfore thou goest to pray consider seriously of these three things which are very necessary to fit and prepare thee the better for that holy and blessed exercise First ponder with thy selfe into whose presence wee come and to whom we presume to speak being before the great Majesty of God Almighty Secondly in what manner we pray and to what end our prayers tend which must chiefly respect the glory of God and his service and then out owne desires and necessities both for soule and body Thirdly weigh well what good or hurt what benefit or danger may ensue by the performing of this duty carefully or negligently 1. A short Petition to precede any other Prayers O Lord Holy Ghost who knowest my corrupt heart and the frailty of my soule which can performe no good but by thy grace Vouchsafe my Lord to sanctifie assist and teach me the unworthiest of thy servants by thy holy Spirit so to pray now and alwayes that my supplications may be faithfull and acceptable to my God to his glory and the comfort and good of my selfe both in soul and body for ever Amen 2. A Prayer to God the Holy Ghost for the true spirit of grace in prayer O God Holy Ghost the giver of all good gifts and graces give mee thy true Spirit Lord who art the comforter and sanctifier of thine Elect thou knowest my great and manifold infirmities and frailties all which I humbly pray thee in thy love and mercie to heale and helpe And Lord give me power strength and grace by thy assistance to resist and overcome all wicked assaults and temptations of the divell that seeke to draw me from God and goodnesse and lead mee to all evill but vouchsafe Lord I beseech thee still to be present with me in this holy exercise and indue thy poore servant with thy blessed Spirit and gift of prayer to call upon thy glorious Name faithfully and sincerely whereby my unworthy petitions though full of imperfections may be received and accepted by thee And Lord banish all wandring thoughts and wicked hindrances from my soule in the performance of this my bounden duty and service that I owe unto thee my God Father Son and Holy Ghost And be pleased Lord to assist mee now and ever with thy grace to worship thee at all times in spirit and truth as thou requirest and not to present a dead dull and corrupt offering unto my Lord of the lips without the heart or by joyning in my thoughts God and the world or mammon together which thou hatest and so make my prayers abominable to thy Majesty for thou hast made the heart who ought and must be served and honoured with it Therefore I humbly pray thee to inable me by thy assistance to offer unto thee my God a holy and living sacrifice of my selfe my prayers and praises daily in a right and acceptable manner not looking so much to the benefit and recompence of reward that shall bee received thereby from thy mercifull hands to my owne good but chiefly for the honour and glory of thy great Name whose I am and whom I am bound to serve and from whom I have already received so many great blessings and benefits both spirituall and temporall for which I render most humble and hearty thanks unto thy Majesty Now lastly deare Lord Holy Ghost I earnestly beg of thee daily to unite mee unto thy glorious head and only Saviour Jesus Christ that so I may performe with true faith good devotion humility and sincerity this and all other holy duties and services according to thy blessed will and word to thy glory and my great comfort now and for ever So be it 3. A short preface before any other Prayers for the Lords day ALmighty Lord God in whose glorious presence I am presuming to take thy sacred name into my sinfull mouth before thee Lord I most humbly prostrate my selfe thou seest the heart and knowest our wants before we aske yet hast thou commanded us to ask in thy Sons name promising for his sake to grant us all needfull blessings both for soule and body O Lord thou understandest my great weaknesse and disability who can doe no good but by thy assistance I now most humbly pray thee to keep all evill interruptions from my heart and soule and so to indue mee with thy true Spirit of grace and prayer in performing this duty and service to thy glorious Majesty that so all my supplications may now and at all times be right faithfull acceptable and pleasing unto thee and by thy great mercy also prevailing for my good and furtherance of my salvation through my only Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen 4. A Prayer for the Lords day at first awaking O Most glorious Lord God the high and gracious Creator of heaven and earth with all things therein Thou didst finish that mighty workin six dayes and rested the seventh commanding thy Church and people of the Jewes to keep holy the seventh day to thy due service and praise But our Lord Jesus having finished the redemption of mankinde by his crosse and passion and bitter sufferings didst bury that Sabbath in his grave upon that day and by thy Spirit didst guide thy Apostles and Christian Church to sanctifie and keep holy this first day of the weeke in perpetuall memory of his glorious resurrection and eternall rest from that labour and suffering for our redemption to thy due service and praise blessed be thy holy name therefore And now dear Lord for all my former neglects of my duty herein for Jesus his sake pardon my sinfull breaches of this and all
other thy holy Commandements heretofore and vouchsafe O God alwaies to knit my straying heart to the true feare of thy great name to keep me from offending thee and fill my soul with the infinite love of thy divine Majesty that I may daily strive to lead the rest of my life in all obedience to thy holy will And Lord vouchsafe to inspire me thy most unworthy servant I humbly pray thee with thy blessed Spirit that I may withdraw my minde this blessed day from all worldly cogitations thinking my owne thoughts speaking my owne words doing my daily works or going my owne waies but assist me with thy grace that I may apply my heart and soule wholly to meditate of thy wonderfull works and manifold mercies with thankfulnesse and to attend thy service either publique or private with care and faithfulnesse and to obey all thy Commandements henceforth with diligence and constantly serving thee all my life to come that so I may praise and glorifie thee and thou maiest pardon my sins and save my poore soule through thy great and unmerited mercie in Jesus Christ my Lord and only Redeemer Amen 5. A Prayer for the Lords day in the morning before going to Church My soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name who is most worthy of all honour and glory ALmighty God our heavenly Father in Jesus Christ thy beloved Son who of thy infinite goodnesse by thy great power and divine word didst in six dayes create heaven and earth the sea and the whole world with all things therein and resting the seventh day didst blesse and hallow it commanding all thy people in purity after thine owne image to keep the same holy to thy due honour and praise having also given us six dayes for our owne occasions and after this great and unexpressible worke thou didst also in thy appointed time accomplish by thy beloved Son Jesus that happy redemption of mankinde who were lost by sin and fallen from thee which unspeakable mercie and benefit was as upon this first day of the week consummated by the miraculous blessed resurrection of our Saviour which wee Christians now keep in commemoration of these thy infinite benefits that according to thine appointment thy servants may rest this holy Lords day from all worldly affaires to thy honour and glory blessed and praised now and for ever bee thy glorious Name for these thy marvellous workes Therefore I most humbly beseech thee O Lord of thy great mercie by thy Spirit of grace to sanctifie mee thy most unworthy servant both in soule and body that I may at all times but especially this Lords day and upon all other daies consecrated by thy Church to the memory of any of thy blessings benefits and deliverances wholly devote my selfe to thy true feare holy devotion and faithfull service in performance of thy blessed will and commandement And so thy worthy name may be glorified my salvation furthered and thy favour and blessing rest alwaies upon me and mine And likewise I most humbly pray thee O God for thy Son Jesus sake to forgive all my sins done in my whole life past in breaking this and all other thy divine Laws that through the death and bitter passion of my deare and innocent Saviour which hee suffered to redeem us thou wilt vouchsafe to be reconciled unto me thy guilty and sinfull creature that as this is a day of rest to thy due praise so by thy marcy it may bee a happy day of joy and peace to my poore soule and conscience through my only Lord and blessed Saviour Jesus Christ Amen Amen 6. A Prayer to be said at the Church as soone as we are come into our seat O Lord our God who art here present amongst us thou seest and understandest all things and knowest my heart prepare sanctifie and assist my heart and soule with thy grace so to behave my selfe both outwardly and inwardly as in the presence of thy glorious Majesty in this thy blessed house of prayer and hearing thy word with such due reverence feare humility true faith and devotion as may be best pleasing and acceptable unto thee and most profitable and available for the good of mine owne soule O God indue thy servant the Preacher with thy holy Spirit to teach thy saving truth rightly and sincerely that it may be powerfull to our edification and effectuall to the beating downe and banishing of all sins from our soules and the encrease of faith and grace in us that heare him to thy glory and the furthering of our salvations through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen 7. Another shorter Prayer to the same purpose GOod Lord that knowest my infirmities prevent and remove all sin and evill hindrances and impediments of drousâ—nesse and wandring thoughts from me fraile sinfull creature and open my ears and heart like Lidiees to attend and marke diligently what is taught out of thy most sacred word Inlighten Lord my understanding to conceive rightly what I heare and keep my mind wholly intentive upon thy faithfull service in hearing thy holy word with true devotion before thee and make my memory retentive of all the good instructions that I learne and give me grace carefully and conscionably to practice them throughout my whole life to the honour of thy great name the performance of thy most holy will the amendment of all my faults and finally the salvation of mee thy poore servant through my Saviour Jesus Christs merits and mercies Amen 8. A Prayer after the Sermon is ended before we go out of the Church MOst Gracious Lord God I humbly beseech thee to pardon all my sinfull neglects defects and want of due preparation or any infirmities that have overtaken mee in the performance of my duty towards thee in this thy house and blessed exercise of Prayer and hearing of thy divine Word And let me not depart out of this holy place without thy blessing whereby my knowledge faith holinesse and comfort in thee may be daily increased in me And Lord adde thy grace to what I have now heard that by thy gracious assistance it may bring forth plentifull fruit in me to the reformation of my life and conversation in avoiding all evill and doing all good which may be serviceable and acceptable to thy Majesty and best pleasing in thy sight through Jesus Christ my only Saviour Amen A Prayer for the Lords day at night of three Petitions FIrst thankfulnesse for benefits already received with prayer for the continuance of all Gods mercies Secondly for repentance true faith remission of sins and amendment of life Lastly so to live and dye unto God here that after death we may live with him in heaven for ever 9. The Prayer MY soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefits which forgiveth all thine iniquities and healeth all thine infirmities which redeemeth thy life from death and crowneth thee in mercy and compassion who provided a ransome
for thee before thou hadst being to understand thine owne wretched estate Oh my Lord God! how good and gracious hast thou ever been in all thy mercies both spirituall and temporall towards me the least and unworthiest of thy servants before I was borne and ever since from time to time Now Lord I humbly pray thee in the same love and favour from which I have hitherto received so many and great benefits vouchsafe thou alwaies to continue thy blessings unto me especially in daily renewing all spirituall graces in my soule for the true performance of all holy duties and service in a right and acceptable manner towards thy Majesty and Lord make my humble thankfulnesse unto thee appeare in my true obedience of thee in all things that I may duly praise and glorifie thy name for ever Now deare God let not thy mercy in prolonging my daies encrease the number of my sinnes and so to heap up wrath unto my selfe against the day of wrath by drawing upon me due punishments for my offences but mercifull God adde thou grace unto my daies and for Jesus sake forgive all my sinnes past that I have done before thee in my whole life time especially in my many breaches of this holy and blessed Lords day which we keep in remembrance of our Saviours resurrection with all my neglects and defects in the performance of my duties towards thee this present day and heretofore according to thy Commandements And grant O God through thy mercies and my Saviours merits that my iniquities may never bee imputed unto mee but Lord let thy goodnesse patience and long sufferings lead me to daily and unfaigned repentance and give me true faith in all thy gracious promises and by the assistance of thy holy Spirit to bring forth amendment of all my former faults with true obedience unto thy blessed will and holinesse of living all my life to come That so I may obtaine grace and favour in thy sight to prevent and keep mee hereafter from all sin and evil or offending thee my God in thought word and deed and direct thou my waies right before thee in all godlinesse and uprightnesse of heart that I may be enabled through my Lord Jesus Christ to doe every good worke and by thy grace to live here according to all thy Commandements and when thou pleasest to call for mee â—ut of this wicked world unto thy selfe Lord assist me with thy spirit and grace to make a blessed end and to die in thee my Lord and so I shall finde mercie through the merits of my Saviour Jesus after death to be accepted and received into the Kingdome of heaven and through Christ my Saviour may bee admitted into thy glorious presence O God where is the fulnesse of joy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore of which Lord make me a happy partaker when this life is ended Amen Amen 10. A Prayer for Munday to God the Father at first awaking I Will praise thee with my whole heart for thou hast dealt lovingly with mee Blessed and praised now and ever be thy most glorious Name O my God heavenly Father for all thy great and manifold mercies and blessings both spirituall and temporall in soule and body vouchsafed unto mee thy most unworthy and sinfull servant before I was borne and hitherto this last night and all my life past for thy favours have ever been right good and gracious towards mee having done great and many things for mee praysed be thy most holy Name who hast been my only stay succour helpe and comfort in this world and thy infinite mercy in Ghrist is all my hope and confidence for the life to come Now Gracious Lord who hast been my good God and guide from my youth have pity upon my infirmities and for Jesus sake forgive all my sinnes that I have committed before thee in my whole life past and let thy mercy and truth never leave me nor forsake me neither in life in death nor in the last judgement but be pleased by thy Spirit to say alwaies unto my soule especially at my death thou art my God and my salvation for in thee will I trust so long as I live and for ever So be it A short supplication before the weekly Prayers 11. A morning Prayer for Munday to God the Father HEare me when I call upon thee O God of my righteousnesse have mercy upon mee and hearken unto my prayer Most Gracious Lord God and my heavenly Father in Christ Jesus my Saviour thou knowest my great and grievous infirmities that I can of my selfe neither will nor performe any good nor think a good thought but by thy grace therefore I most humbly pray thee to indue mee thy poore unworthy servant with thy holy Spirit whereby these and all other my prayers and petitions that I presume to offer unto thy Majesty may by thy assistance be made in a right manner and in an acceptable time when thou wilt please to be found of me and graciously to heare and receive me and my supplications And now vouchsafe dear God to sanctifie prepare and assist my heart and soule with thy true Spirit of grace and prayer to drive away all vaine and wandring thoughts sluggish dulnesse and all evill temptations out of my minde and knit my heart and soule to the true feare of thy great Name and to the devout love of thy divine Majesty and teach mee with all due reverence and such true humility and devotion as is fit to appear in thy sacred presence that I may rightly faithfully and humbly now and at all times call upon thy holy Name as I ought to doe and daily pray unto thee O my blessed Lord God who hast awaked mee in health and safety to this daies light which I most thankfully acknowledge with all other thy blessings and benefits both spirituall and temporall bestowed on me thy sinfull servant from time to time beseeching thee of thy infinite mercy alwaies to continue them unto me And as thy gracious providence hath brought me to begin this new day so Lord by thy power defend me therein from falling into any sin or evill to offend thee but give me grace at this present to performe and ever continue to lead a new a holy and an upright life in thy sight all the rest of my daies to come to frame my heart and reforme my waies in all true obedience hereafter to thy most holy will and Commandements And further I humbly praise thy glorious Name for thy gracious preservation of me and mine and all other thy benefits vouchsafed me the last night and all my life past unto this instant houre having hitherto given me health maintenance and safety which I pray thee whilst I live still to vouchsafe me and make me truly thankfull to thee for all thy mercies and let thy benefits never slip out of my minde but that I may daily and duly acknowledge them to the true praise of thy
preservation this night and formerly and safe approach by thy providence to this light I humbly beseech thee vouchsafe this day and alwaies to bee my present helpe in all dangers and my mercifull God to pardon all my sinnes and wickednesse that I have done heretofore and to prevent and to protect mee by thy grace and favour from falling into any sin or evill to offend thee hereafter and direct me by thy holy Spirit in all things I goe about to doe that which is acceptable in thy sight through Christ and to the best for my owne soule Deare Lord give me thy sinfull servant thy grace whereby I may be able rightly and faithfully to seeke serve and please thee my God as I ought to doe this day and at all times throughout my whole life These great blessings I beg of thee O God the Father by thy gracious assistance in and through and for the sake of thine owne deare Sonne and my only Saviour Jesus Christ the righteous So bee it 23. A Prayer for Thursday morning to God the Father MOst mighty God and my mercifull Father the giver of all good gifts grant mee thy grace and the light of thy countenance to guide mee this day and ever to walke in thy paths of truth and righteousnesse all my life and to runne in the way of thy Commandements unto my end for thy beloved Sonne hath taught us before all things to seek that which is most needfull even the Kingdome of God and the rightousnesse thereof and then our heavenly Father will supply all things else which he knoweth to be necessary for us Good Lord make me with Mary to choose the better part to seek heare and follow our Saviour Jesus and let that never bee taken from mee thy poore servant To which end I humbly pray thee O God to weane and withdraw my heart and soule from the cares love or liking of this vilde world and all the vanities thereof all which like a dream and shadow fade away And Lord drive all wicked thoughts out of my minde and banish covetous desires the root of all evill from my heart and make me ever consider what it would advantage me if I could win the whole world and should lose my owne soule Therefore I beseech thee O Lord by thy holy Spirit to settle my heart and soul my desires affections and delight only upon thee my God thy glory thy Kingdome thy righteousnesse and make me to account all earthly things but drosse and dirt so that I may win Christ and attaine to the excellent knowledge of Jesus my Saviour who is the Lord of life him chiefly O God let me finde and obtaine to be mine with whom I shall have all other good things by thy infinite mercie I beseech thee that so I may be able rightly and faithfully to serve and please thee as I ought while I live heare that after death thou of thy unspeakable goodnesse maiest make mee partaker of thy heavenly Kingdome of glory And now deare God vouchsafe unto me thy most unworthy servant the grace of daily and unfeigned sorrow and repentance for all my sins with a sound sense and feeling of them in a contrite spirit with care to reforme all my former faults in the rest of my life and make me strictly to examine my owne heart soule knowledge and conscience of all the evills I have done before thee and severely to judge hate and condemne my selfe for them that so I may escape thy great wrath and may not bee judged and condemned by thee in thy heavy displeasure which I am not able to beare for who can stand in the sight of thy great Majesty when thou art angry therefore I most humbly pray thee good God in the multitude of thy mercies to forgive and grant me thy grace and pardon of all my sins and offences past that I am guilty of for thy beloved Sonnes sake that so my iniquities may never be imputed unto me but Lord give me true faith to lay fast hold upon thy mercies and all thy gracious promises and the merits and sufferings of Ghrist with grace rightly to apply them to my owne salvation through Jesus my Saviour that so I may be quit through him and freed of my account with thee before I die and grant that I may daily die unto the world and hate all the vaine pressures thereof and may live more and more unto thee in all righteousnesse and true holinesse of living before thee as becommeth thy Saints that so when thy appointed time is come for me to enter into my long sleep of death that thou wilt be pleased by thy holy Spirit to fit and prepare me and to give me a happy and blessed departure out of this life to die in the Lord that I may rest in peace and safety and be raised up by my Saviour to grace and glory that thou pardoning all my sinnes and receiving me to mercie thou maiest wipe all teares from mine eies and remove all sorrow from my soule and for Jesus sake to admit me into thy glorious presence and there to enjoy eternall felicitie and be a happy member of thy blessed Church triumphant to praise thee there for evermore Amen And the blessing of God Almighty the eternall Father the beloved Son and the Holy Ghost be ever with mee to sanctifie blesse and preserve my soule and body in thy feare and favour and true faith stedfast hope and perfect charity unto my lifes end Amen 24. A Prayer to God the Father for Thursday night HAve mercy upon me O Lord and hearken unto my prayer for I know thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous and with thy favour wilt compasse him as with a shield Lord thou lovest not wickednesse neither shall evill dwell with thee thou shalt destroy them that speake lies for thou abhorrest all them that worke iniquity yet thou desirest not the death of a sinner but that he should returne and live therefore deare Lord deliver my soule and save me in thy manifold mercies for I have grievously sinned before thee and my iniquities are gone over my head into thy presence and are too heavy for mee to beare But I most humbly beseech thee for thy beloved Son Jesus sake to give me unfaigned sorrow and repentance for all my sinnes past which are great and many and grant me thy gracious pardon and remission for all my offences committed this day or heretofore against thee and Lord indue me with true faith to lay hold of all thy mercies and my Saviours merits and sufferings with grace to amend reforme my life according to thy most holy word and Commandements all the rest of my daies to come to which end Lord give me a soft a penitent upright and contrite heart with a tender conscience and a true and sound sense and feeling of all my sinnes infirmities and spirituall wants with grace earnestly and faithfully to cry and pray unto thee for mercie and reliefe
Will praise the Lord because he is good for his mercy endureth for ever by whom we live move and have our being our maintenance safety and preservation Now glorious Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost I humbly pray thee vouchsafe unto mee thy most unworthy servant such grace and favour to knit my heart and soule fast to theee so that my sinnes nor my soules enemies the wicked world my owne corrupt flesh nor the malice of the Divell may not be able to pluck mee out of thy mercifull and powerfull hands but Lord assist me with thine owne blessed Spirit that I may daily continue and increase in all sincere and perfect love and obedience towards thy Majesty and in thy feare and favour and all other saving graces to have a good conscience before thee with true faith stedfast hope and perfect charity unto my lifes end Amen 31. A Prayer unto the Trinity for Saturday morning O Lord our God how excellent is thy Name in all the world for thou hast laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the workes of thy hands and thou didst create and dost governe dispose and rule the whole world with all things therein according to thy good pleasure O most divine and adored Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost three persons but one true eternall and everliving God to whom be all praise honour and glory as is right and due for ever Thou only by thy word and power didst make all things for thine owne glory especially mankinde after thine image in purity and holinesse to thine own service for by thy ptovidence and mercy commeth all good gifts and blessings unto us and also deliverances only from thee of those evills and dangers which sinne hath made us subject unto in falling from thee and our first integrity by the subtillty and malice of Sathan and our owne frailty yet of thine owne free grace thou didst elect a number by thee selected of thy chosen servants to inherit an eternall Kingdome with and through thy beloved Son whom thou didst ordain and send into the world at thine appointed time to be the redemption of all that beleeve in thee O God the Son our blessed Lord Jesus Christ it is written of thee that thou shouldest doe the will of God the Father who ordained thee to be our Redeemer and wert made of God unto us wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and salvation with glorification hereafter Now deare Jesus who hast paid our ransome even the all-sufficient and acceptable sacrifice of thine own pretious bloud to wash away our sins who was lifted upon the crosse between heaven and earth to make an attonement betwixt God and man his heavy wrath and our grievous offences and so thou art become our Priest to offer up thy innocent selfe to cleanse us from our sinnes who art our Prophet to instruct and teach us and direct our waies aright to shew us the path of life and make the way plaine before our faces and by thy example to beare our crosse patiently and follow thee that art the way the truth and the life to lead us to eternall salvation also thou art our King to protect defend and reigne over us in mercy truth and righteousnesse till thine enemies be made thy footstoole and all that hate thee be destroyed before thee for God hath put all things in subjection under his feet then shalt thou judge the whole world in righteousnesse and equity and wilt bring thy servants to that eternall inheritance which thou hast by thy merits and sufferings so dearly purchased for us who wert borne unto us to be the joy and comfort of all people and the glory and salvation of all that truly beleeve and trust in thee our Saviour O God Holy Ghost the giver worker and sealer of all graces unto us by thee we are called to the knowledge of God and his saving truth sanctified to the performance of his will and Commandements certified by the holy Spirit of our salvation in Christ Jesus and by thee applied unto us to bee regenerated and borne againe by thy holy operation from sin to grace to thy glory and our endlesse felicity And thy Spirit also witnesseth to our spirits that we are the children of God and heires with Christ of the Kingdome of heaven to the eternall comfort of all thy servants being by thee also united to our blessed Christ and sealed to the day of redemption and continually assisting us to all goodnesse Now great and glorious Lord God Father Son and Holy Ghost thou hast plentifully powred downe thy manifold mercies and favours upon us and multiplied exceedingly thy blessings and benefits spirituall and temporall towards us before we had being in the world since we were borne and after death thou hast laid up an eternall weight of glory for all those to possesse that truly beleeve in thee which give me grace to doe for none hath or ever can deserve them Oh the abundant mercy bounty and goodnesse of our gracious God towards mortall mankinde who can declare the height and depth of Gods unspeakable love or be sufficiently thankfull to him for such unexpressible benefits but with David we may say Lord What is man that thou art mindefull of him Or what shall we render to thee for all thy mercies having in us no good at all but what we receive from thy selfe therefore Lord adde this further grace unto thy former favours by the assistance of thine owne Spirit to make us thy unworthy servants able rightly faithfully and constantly to feare love honour serve obey and praise thy most glorious Name while we live and for ever and ever Amen 32. A Prayer to God the Holy Ghost for Saturday night O God Holy Ghost the giver of all graces and and my gracious sanctifier comforter and preserver thou knowest my infirmities my inclination to all evill and backwardnesse to any goodnesse vouchsafe Lord to sanctifie mee thy poore sinfull servant in soule body and spirit throughout to thy true feare intire love and right faithfull and constant service all my time to come And be pleased Lord by thy grace to enlighten my dull soule and understanding with the sound knowledge sincere love and stedfast beleefe of thy saving truth and keepe me ever constant therein And vouchsafe deare Lord to inrich me thy poore unworthy servant with the infinite treasure of that heavenly wisdome from above which waiteth about thy Throne that may teach me thy holy will and what is good and acceptable unto thee and inable me with grace to doe it that so I may discerne between good and evill and make me shunne and hate that which is evill and follow and cleave unto that which is good and to withdraw my love from this vaine world and fix my affections upon thee my God and on heavenly things that are above that my chiefe treasure may be settled there in heaven and my heart also and so I shall first seek to obtaine that
which is most needfull even thy glory thy favour and thy blessed Kingdome and then Lord I know thou wilt supply all the defects of grace in my soule and heale all the infirmities of my body but chiefly vouchsafe daily to continue and increase all spirituall graces in my soule by thy mercy and mighty power O my blessed Lord God to which end O gracious Spirit give mee an upright and penitent heart an humble and lowly spirit a quiet recollected minde freed from the vanities and cares of this present world and the love of this vile life but Lord teach mee with Mary first and above all things to seek after thee my God thy Kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof so that I may have grace wholly to devote and dedicate my selfe my time and best endeavours unto thy true and faithfull service and daily study and strive to doe thy holy will in all things and seek thy glory here that so I may be partaker of thy heavenly Kingdome hereafter And deare Lord Holy Ghost inspire me with thy grace daily to heare and read thy holy and blessed word as I ought to do and that I may so imploy my time therein as to frame my life hereafter to thy glory and my soules good And grant mee graciously O God to chuse to speake and to walke in the waies of truth and righteousnesse and to set thy heavy judgements against sin continually before my face to deter and make mee daily to remember my owne last end and by thy assistance to prepare for it and to consider the end in all my actions before I doe them that I may never doe amisse and let me still remember thy all-seeing eyes are ever upon our waies that I may not displease or offend thee in any thing But Lord indue me with thy holy Spirit to direct my heart and all my waies aright before thee that so thou maiest witnesse to my spirit that I am the childe of God and ever continue unto mee that unspeakable comfort to give me the joyfull hope of my salvation through my Lord Jesus Christ unto my end and in my end especially establish me with thy free spirit to worke in my soul all saving graces that may make me acceptable in thy sight through my Lord Jesus Christ for whose sake I beseech thee further to extend thy goodnes towards me to forgive all my sinnes and offences that I have done before thee in my whole life past and preserve me in soul and body from all sin and evill either committing or falling on mee but deare Lord vouchsafe daily to supply and bestow upon me all the benefits and blessings necessary for this present life but chiefly be pleased to sanctifie my soule and body unto thy faithfull service and indue me with all saving graces for my salvation both in life and death that so I may bee able rightly and constantly to serve and please thee whilst I live here that also by thy gracious assistance I may obtaine a place hereafter to live with thee eternally O Holy Ghost and my blessed Lord God to whom be all thanks and praise for ever Amen 33. The conclusion for Saturday night in bed to the weeks Prayers for mornings and nights I Most humbly beseech thee my Lord God mercifully to loke upon me and my manifold infirmities and for Jesus my Saviours sake vouchsafe to forgive and pardon all my sinnes and grievous offences that I have committed in thy sight all the daies of my life past and in thy great mercy turne from me all those evils that my transgressions have justly deserved and Lord grant me thy preventing grace and fatherly providence to bee still with mee to preserve me at all times from falling into any sinne or evill either to offend thee my God or to hurt my owne soule And vouchsafe Lord so to direct and dispose the heart and waies of me thy most unworthy servant towards the right performance of all duties and services that I owe unto thee my God and the happy obtaining by my Lord Iesus of everlasting salvation to my owne selfe that amongst all the changes chances and adversities of this miserable mutable and mortall life I may ever be defended by thy ready helpe and favour from falling into sin shame harme or danger either in soule or body and may be directed and assisted by thy grace and providence to walke in the waies of righteousnesse and true holinesse before thee that thou my Lord Holy Ghost maiest guide me in all things I goe about to doe that which may be most serviceable acceptable and best pleasing in the sight of my Lord God to whom be all praise honour power and eternall glory for ever and ever Amen The end of the second Book BOOK III. Short Prayers which may belong to any the three Books when time serves not for longer devotions 1. A short Preface before other prayers or petitions O Lord Holy Ghost who best knowest my manifold infirmities have mercy and pity upon me and vouchsafe to prevent or to banish and drive away all evill hindrances and temptations that may withdraw my heart from God in the offering up of my prayers and humble petitions unto thy Majesty and be pleased Lord to sanctifie teach and assist me herein with thy holy Spirit and grace that I may rightly and faithfully performe this duty and service before thee to thy glory and my good and comfort of my soule through Christ Jesus Amen 2. A short thanksgiving at first sight of the morning light MY blessed Lord God I most humbly praise thee for thy gracious preservation of mee with quiet rest and health this night past and bringing me in safety to this light Lord blesse and sanctifie me this day and ever unto thy faithfull service and keep me alwaies in thy true faith feare favour and ready obedience and make me constantly and unfaignedly thine all my life time but in my death especially that when it pleaseth thee to call for me out of this miserable world thou maiest bring me to eternall salvation by thine own merits and meer mercy sweet Jesus I most humbly beseech thee So be it 3. A Prayer for helpe in present temptation in the time of prayer to our Lord Jesus who overcame and subdued the old tempter the subtile Serpent our everlasting enemy from whom God defend us OH my God heavenly Father who hast made and seest all hearts and knowest my great affection and fervent desire rightly to serve thee and my weaknesse and frailty in performance thereof have pity on my infirmities and assist me with thy grace And sweet Jesus my Saviour who didst suffer thy selfe to bee tempted by the Divell that thou mightest overcome the tempter and succour all those that are tempted to thee Lord I call and pray for helpe and defence against this malicious adversary O God the Holy Ghost indue me with thy blessed Spirit and power so to resist him that he may flye from me
and banish thou Lord all wicked hindrances and temptations away from thy poore servant in performing all my duties towards thee Now deare God have mercy upon me most miserable sinner and in thy infinite mercy drive away this subtill enemy of my poore soule with his pernitious agents the vaine world and the corruptions of our owne nature let them not prevaile over me at any time for these are very ready to assault tempt and draw my minde from thee in all my devotions and services that I endeavour to offer unto thy Majesty and to make my prayers vaine and void and drive me to fall into wicked neglect towards my God whereby to prevent destroy and divert all my comforts and hopes in thee O Lord which is the whole life of my soule But Gracious God Almighty whose power and strength is above all vouchsafe to overcome and banish all from mee never to returne againe and let thy blessed Spirit rest constantly in me to withstand all disturbances in the performance of my duty before thee and deare Lord make new cleane and upright my heart and frame it to thy holy will that so by thy gracious assistance I may faithfully serve and honour thee please and praise thee my God now and at all times in this life and for ever to thy glory and my eternall comfort Amen The afternoone prayers at foure a clock for each day in the week Munday 1. A thanks giving to the blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost O My good and gracious God great and many are thy mercies and blessings I have received from thee both spirituall and temporall from time to time and now what shall I render unto thee having no good to returne but the poore fruit of my lips which is nothing unto thee but the performance of our duties to praise thy great Name and to acknowledge all thy benefits therefore now I will give thanks to God the Father our gracious Creator who so loved us when we were his enemies and had lost our selves by sinne that he ordained and after sent his only begotten and beloved Son into the world that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Christ being the propitiation for our sinnes that we may live by faith through him And also I yeeld all possible praise unto my blessed Saviour who became man and in his infinite love willingly laid downe his life for us and washed away our sinnes with his owne pretious bloud and made us by his merits and sufferings Kings and Priests unto God and adopted children to his Father and heires with himselfe of an eternall Kingdome by whose resurrection we have a lively hope of an inheritance that cannot be shaken and withereth not reserved in heaven for us Now to thee Lord Holy Ghost the preserver sanctifier and comforter of mankinde by whom we are sealed unto the day of redemption and by whose holy working wee are united unto Jesus our blessed head and are certified by thy Spirit witnessing to our spirits that wee are the children of God to our great comfort and further by thy assistance and grace our weake prayers are rightly and effectually offered up unto the Lord our God Now to thee Almighty God three Persons and glorious Trinity but one true and everliving God from whose mercifull hands we daily receive all the good we doe injoy in this present world with further and full assurance of far greater happinesse by thy infinite mercies in the life to come be all praise and glory Amen Tuesday 2. A Prayer to the Trinity for grace and true faith O Sweet Jesus Christ Son of God who art the divine word without whom nothing was made and being made had been utterly lost hadst thou not been our powerfull and mercifull Redeemer thou art the way the truth and the life and thou who hast said that no man can come unto the Father but by thee who camest into the world and didst willingly lay down thine owne life only to save sinners by thy grace of whom I am chiefe have mercy upon me miserable sinner who can of my selfe neither will nor performe any good worke towards God as I ought to doe but vouchsafe Lord to indue mee with grace to serve and obey thee to learne thy will and to doe it and through faith to lay hold of thy mercies that so thou my Saviour maiest in thy righteousnesse present me to thy heavenly Father that hee may looke upon me poor sinfull creature through thee his deare Son and for thy sake to receive and accept me into his gracious favour to pardon all my sinnes and save my soule through thy perfect righteousnesse and manifold sufferings all performed for me Now thou Lord hast further said that none can come unto thee except the Father draw him therefore I most humbly pray thee O God the Father by that infinite love to wards mankind which caused thee to send downe thy beloved Son out of thine owne bosome into this wicked world that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life I earnestly pray thee O God the Father to draw me to thy Son Jesus that I may lay fast hold by faith on him to be my Saviour and to be his faithfull and constant servant and to be made through him and by thy mercie a happy member of him our blessed head then I shall be sure never to fall into condemnation but by stedfast faith in him obtaine eternall salvation And deare Lord Holy Ghost the giver of grace by whom we are joyned to our Lord and head Christ and sanctified to a new and holy life Lord cleanse and frame my heart and soule by the holy working and assistance of thy Spirit and grace unto the right faithfull and constant service of my Lord God my Saviour Jesus with thee O Holy Ghost so long as I live Lord daily increase my faith and all saving graces in me for my salvation and may by thee be directed and lead into the waies of righteousnesse untill thou hast brought me unto endlesse happinesse through Jesus Christ Amen Wednesday 3. A prayer to God for charity O Mercifull Lord God the giver of all graces I humbly beseech thee to frame my heart will and affections in all ready obedience to thy most holy will and Commandements in all things especially in the workes of mercy and charity they being a sweet smelling sacrifice wherewith thou art well pleased and wherein we may imitate thee and shall thereby gaine the honour to be made like unto thy selfe and be knowne to bee one of thy disciples if we love our brethren as our selves O God as thou hast blessed mee of thy meer goodnesse with an estate above some others to give me the grace of compassion and charity and inlarge my heart towards thy service to shew mercy unto them that want as thou hast been mercifull unto me that I may willingly distribute communicate to those that are
Mary that better part which may never be taken from mee chiefly to serve and follow thee that so I may turne this freedome from the bond of mariage only the more to thy service and may become thy bond woman to serve and praise thee day and night like Hanna so long as I live And Lord assist me with thy grace to obey thee in all things according to thy holy will daily endeavouring to work out my salvation with feare and trembling and continually striving by a godly life and holy conversation to make my calling and election sure which is one of the chiefest things needfull Now deare God make me to change and far exceed the fervent affection and carefull observance I have lived in towards my husband into a holy feare with devout and sincere love of thy Majesty and service and due watchfulnesse over my selfe that I displease not thee my God in any thing And good God by thy holy Spirit withdraw my heart from the covetous seeking desiring and longing after the vanities riches delights preferments or vaine pleasures of this wicked deceitfull world but instead of my former care and troubles in worldly businesses to please my husband and for the good of my children let me now bend my minde and wholly set my heart and soule to seeke after thee my good God thy glory thy Kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof that so I may walke before thee all the rest of my daies with an upright faithfull and perfect heart in thy sight Lastly indue mee with true thankfulnesse to thy gracious Majesty for all thy manifold mercies vouchsafed unto me Lord give me grace to use those benefits thou bestowest on me conscionably as may be best pleasing unto thee and to imploy all I have to thy glory the relievement of thy truest servants and my owne comfort especially the good of my soule in performing my duty towards thee in striving to doe all the good I can while I have time for I desire so to use and receive thy blessings here as I may be also received into the place of eternall blessednesse hereafter through Jesus Christ my Lord. Finally I most humbly beg that thou wilt vouchsafe to be a loving and gracious Father in thy care and comfort to me and all mine and let thy mercie blessing and favour rest alwaies upon me my children and grand-children kindred and friends with all that thou hast given thy poore servant who doth in all humility commend and commit my selfe my waies and workes wholy to thy most blessed protection and direction to dispose according to thy good pleasure that so I may doe all things to thy glory here and by thy mercy be a happy partaker of thy eternall Kingdome of glory hereafter through Jesus Christ my Lord Amen 2. A Prayer to the God of mercy in time of affliction O Most gracious Lord God the originall of all goodnesse and fountaine of mercie thou hast commanded thy poore servants to call upon thee in the day of trouble that thou maiest deliver us and we may glorifie thee great are the troubles of thy children but thou deliverest them out of all thine eyes O Lord are upon thy servants and thine eares are open to their cry for thou art near unto all that call upon thee in truth and wilt save such as bee afflicted in spirit the sorrows of my heart are increased Lord draw me out of my troubles the poore crieth and the Lord heareth he prepareth their hearts and bendeth his eares to them and delivereth them out of all their feare and care for the hope afflicted shall not perish before thee for ever The Lord also will be a refuge in due time even in affliction and they that know thy Name will trust in thee for thou wilt not faile them that seek thee have mercy upon me O Lord consider my troubles which I suffer of them that hate me without cause thou hast been my defence and hast lifted me up from the gates of death O Lord my God in thee I put my trust save me from them that persecute mee and deliver me in thy good time But dear God I most humbly confesse that my sinnes are so many and grievous as they have deserved farre greater punishment then I am able to beare and I can hope for no helpe or release but from thine owne goodnesse who art my only hope and sure refuge for thou hast mercy on whom thou wilt have mercy and takest compassion on whom thou pleasest but I acknowledge that my sufferings are not answerable to my sinnes for thou hast corrected me with favour not in rigor therefore if thou shouldest kill me yet will I trust in thee for thy mercy exceedeth all thy workes and under the shadow of thy wings will I rest in confidence till all my afflictions be overpassed Yet Lord if it seem good unto thee to continue these heavy troubles and visitations that now lye sore on me I humbly pray thee to sanctifie all my afflictions unto me thy poore servant which I hope are but fatherly chastisements for the amendment of my faults and not the fearfull judgements and ensignes of thy wrathfull displeasure from which Lord for thy Sonnes sake preserve me â—â—y poore sinfull creature and lay no more upon me then thou wilt make me able to undergoe as I ought to doe saying with Ely It is the Lord let him do what he pleaseth and make me to consider like Job that naked I came into the world and naked I shall returne the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken praised be his name for ever but thou Lord art my stength and my stay in all distractions I further humbly beseech thee to give me grace and patience in all things and at all times to keep my selfe from any offence towards thee by repining at thy just and favourable corrections for my transgressions but grant that I may as Christ hath taught us meekly and humbly submit my selfe to thy most righteous and blessed will that so I may by thy assistance make the best and right use of whatsoever thou sendest that all may be to the best for thy honour and turne to my good when thou art pleased to give a happy issue to this temptation and in thy good time to ease and deliver me out of these great adversities to thy glory But I know that the afflictions of this present world are not worthy of the glory that shall bee revealed to us hereafter yet I humbly desire if it so please thee that I may live the rest of my daies in peace and quiet constantly to attend thy service and seek after my owne salvation Lord be mercifull to this whole Kingdome now in very great distraction distresse and misery and also to all my fellow members in thy whole Church universall wheresoever any of us are afflicted inwardly or outwardly in body or minde grant us either speedy delivery or else grace to performe thy good pleasure and with
and deceits that old subtill serpent Sathan that first wrought our ruine he now steals away our time and hearts only to make us lose our souls also But deare Lord though I have too long gone astray yet while I am going towards my God Lord let it be thy worke of grace and mercie to make me see and understand when I am out of the right way before I goe too far to fall into irrecoverable danger from which I cannot returne Oh shew me the paths of life and lead mee into the true way to heaven that I may first turne to thee in true faith with a contrite spirit and a broken heart for my lost time past which I have mispent that so I may obtaine pardon for all my sinnes formerly committed before thee and then I know thou wilt receive me as one of thine and in mercie bring me to thy salvation Now Lord although our times are only knowne to thee yet I cannot have long to live for the life of man is but short and old age laden with infirmities and sicknesse is a sure messenger and forerunner of death and then draweth near the first appearance when my breath ceaseth of my poore soule before the tribunall seat of thy great Majesty O God and before all thy holy Angels there to bee called to give an account of all my life and time mispent Alas how can I answer one thing of a thousand now what should I doe if I had not there in heaven an All-sufficient Saviour who is also my blessed advocate to mediate for me in whom is all my trust comfort and confidence therefore gracious Lord Jesus helpe me now while I am here and assist me to make my peace as thou dost advise while I am in the way before the grim and cruell Sergeants of sicknesse and death lay hold upon me to prevent me of the freedome and ability of my senses and spirit being aided with thy power strength and grace by unfaigned repentance and true faith to obtaine through Christ my release and pardon of those grievous debts and trespasses that I stand guilty of before God which I am no waies able to satisfie but only by thee my Saviour Jesus or else I shall be throwne into that dreadfull dungeon from whence there is no escaping Therefore now I doe most humbly beg and pray thee that I may finde such favour in thy sight knowing my owne disabilities that thou Lord wouldest knit and prepare my heart and soule for thine owne mercifull acceptance before thou call and ceise upon me by death to take me out of this life and make me continually mindfull of my last end while I live in health and of that strict reckoning which then I must make unto thee the great God of heaven and earth who seeth and knoweth all things of all my life past even to my very words And let me still remember that thou Lord searchest the hearts and triest the reines and beholdest all our waies and will bring each worke to judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or evill Therefore I most humbly beseech thee while I am in this world give me the grace of daily and unfaigned repentance for all my sinnes past with care to amend all my former faults in the rest of my life and narrowly to examine my own heart soule and conscience of all the evills I have done before thee hating and severely judging and condemning my selfe for them that so I may escape thy great wrath and not be judged and condemned by thee O Lord in thy heavy displeasure which I am not able to beare for who can stand in the sight of thy great Majesty when thou art angry Therefore gracious God let me here obtain thy mercifull pardon for all my offences past with grace to reforme my former misdeeds and by thy blessed assistance become a new creature all my daies that so I may gaine a blessed end through my Saviour to dye in him and make my peace with God here before I goe hence and be no more To which purpose I humbly pray thee while I live to make me a true and faithfull member of thy right Church Kingdom of grace here to professe and practice true Religion and all holinesse of life to my last end but chiefly Lord give me a blessed part in the first resurrection that I may not lye dead in trespasses and sinnes but may by thy holy Spirit be daily raised from the grave of sinne and enabled to live the life of grace that so the second death may have no power to hurt me and at the last when it shall please thee to appoint a stop to my daies and to set a period unto my time grant that my death be neither suddaine nor unexpected neither my paines violent whereby I should be unable faithfully earnestly and constantly to cry unto thee my God and call upon thy holy Name for reliefe and comfort in that great and dreadfull day and time of death and danger when my soules enemies will seek my utter destruction then Lord depart not from me but pray that my faith in thee faile not and strengthen my weaknesse by thy power and supply my soule with all saving graces and defend me from the malice and subtill temptation of my spirituall adversaries that they may never be able to prevaile against me in any thing But I humbly pray thee sweet Saviour to grant that in the day of thy great visitation my poore name through thy unspeakable goodnesse may be then found written in thy blessed booke of life so that my sinnes nor my soules enemies may not be able to blot it out but that by thy infinite mercy and favour sweet Jesus unto me I may then be accounted in thee worthy to escape thy just wrath and by thy power and clemency who didst vouchsafe to be borne of a woman and shalt bee judge of the whole world grant through thy mercies merits and manifold sufferings that I poore sinfull creature may be made able to stand before thee the blessed Son of God and man in that great and dreadfull day of judgement when all our secret wickednesses shall be made manifest and thou Lord to whom all judgement is given by the Father art to give our finall sentence Oh then dear Jesus in whom only I trust receive me into thy gracious favour as one of thine that my sinnes may be covered with thy righteousnesse that so I may be preserved from thy wrath and that wofull doom Go ye cursed into hell fire appointed for the Divell and his Angells but Lord in the fulnesse of thy mercy make me one of that happy chosen number to whom that joyfull call shall belong Come ye blessed of my Father inherit and enter into that Kingdome which he hath prepared for you before the beginning of the world and also thou our Saviour hast purchased for us then Lord in thy infinite love grant me a part in that