times of Peace and Prosperity whilest our Protestant Religion the best because the truest is enioyed and established might by Gods permission and all helping power in these serene and and Sunshining dayes before there come more darkenesse and danger cast off carelessenes of planting Truth supplanting Errors practising of Piety preseruing the publique peace and safetie reforming of things amisse in the Church Common-weale which cannot be done withour more diligence and vigilancie courage prouidence and care especially by setting the chief watchmen in the Church and State more closely to their Stations the one by Doctrine Discipline and Diligence the other by Counsell and CircuÌ„spection to prevent perills and to procure the peace of this our Sion And that this may bee performed I conclude with the ensuing Prayer that being the subiect of this small preceding Treatise A Prayer for the peace and prosperitie of the Kings Maiestie his Dominions and Subiects MOst mighty gracious and merciful God who hast made dost gouerne and preserue the Heauens the Earth and all the Creatures therein coÌ„tained Be mercifull vnto vs most miserable and sinnefull creatures who were ordained for thy seruice and yet doe nothing more or so much as commit sins against thy supâ—came Majestie Wee haue from the highest to the lowest beene polluted with originall sinnes Our great our grieuous and our out-crying sinnes call vnto thee for our destruction and damnanation But because thy Mercy is aboue all thy other workes which yet exceede in greatnesse Wee prostrate our selues before thy Throne of grace beseeching thee for thy Sonnes sake and for thine owne goodnesse sake to saue vs poore sinners who desire to doe thee seruice though hitherto wee haue gone astray and walked in the waies of wickednesse Thou hast planted thy glorious Gospell of truth heere amongst vs we haue professed but wee haue not practised it as we should yet because it is the planting of thine own right hand suffer not our sinnes to pluck vp the same but rather supplant our sinnes and thereby strengthen our states and soules To this end good and gracious God looke vpon thy seruant our Soueraign whom thou hast set ouer vs inlighten his royall heart with thy sauing Graces of knowledg piety couÌ„sell care prouidence for preseruation and aduancement of thy truth and of the people that thou hast committed to his charge Giue him Zeale fortitude power peace and protection against all that are Enemies to true Religion and to those Realmes thou hast appointed him to rule Giue him a discerning heart to discouer and shun all dangers and all that bee dangerous to him and to his Dominions vnite his heart in loue to his people and them in loyalty to him O LORD preserue thy people vnder him in peace Protect them from forrayne power and both him and them from home-bred conspiracies and all other mischieuous machinations Make the Prince his Magistrates and People zealous of thy seruice and glory constant and carefull in keeping thy Commandements couragious for defence of thy Trueth and their Countrey Conscionable and Charitable That so they may bee still thy faithfull seruants and thou their mercifull God So shall thy glorious Gospell and the light of thy Trueth euer remaine amongst vs vntill the comming of thy Sonne Christ Iesus that thou mayest raigne ouer vs and we remaine with thee in eternall Blisse Amen Amen Good Lord. A Prayer for our afflicted Brethren the Protestants beyond the Seas MOst gracious and merciful Father who vsest to chasten thy Children and to correct whom thou louest Haue mercy on those that suffer for mainetenance of thy trueth Their sinnes haue deserued thy punishments and yet we that haue sinned as much if not more haue not suffered so much for our sinnes Thou hast sent thy scourge to let them see their sinnes Thou hast not gone out with their hostes but hast scattered them O Lord yet heale and binde vp their bones which thou hast broken gather them together and now thou hast taught the Princes that their power is in vaine without thy protection and the people that there is no confidence in the arme of flesh giue theÌ„ yet confidence in thy fauour patience in aduersity courage to fight for thy Trueth comfort amidst their calamities O Lord thou doest permit thy people Israel many times after thy long sufferings and their great sinnes to bee ouercome by the Iebusites Amalachites and Philistims The Arke was taken and they cried out the glory of Israel was departed yet thou didst send helpe when there was no helpe nor hope in Man O Lord thou hast executed Iustice and Iudgement yet leaue not thine to their oppressors and when thou hast dealt with them according to thy mercy teach them thy Statutes that they may know thy Testimonies It is time O Lord for thee to worke for the persecutors of the Trueth haue destroyed thy Law The Kings of the earth band themselues and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord and his annointed O yet thou Lord of Hostes breake their bandes in sunder and cast away their cordes And though the waters rage and be troubled yet let thy seruants finde and say the Lord of hostes is with them and the God of Iacob is their refuge And that when thy seruants our persecuted brethren haue receiued comfort and deliuerance they may reioyce in thy mercies sing praises vnto thee and call vnto their neighbors to behold the wonderfull workes thou hast done for them to make it knowen vnto the world It is thou that makest wars to cease It is thou that hast broken the bowe cuttest the speare and burnest the Chatiot in sunder So we pray for them and for one another Beseeching thee to graunt vs these requests For thy Sonnes sake our Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen A Prayer to bee vsed on the Sabbath Day O Lord God of infinite power and prouidence who after thy euer to bee admired and praised worke of creating this World didst ordaine one day of seauen to bee kept as a Sabboth not only to be free from labour and trauell but to be wholly dedicated and kept holy for thy seruice in Prayers and praises to be offered vnto thy Maiestie as an incense and oblation of thankefull acknowledgement of thy most great might and mercies in creating this world and ordayning man to gouerne all creatures therein conteyned in conseruing all these thy Creatures for his vse and him for thy seruice in giuing him light of Knowledge and vnderstanding of thy Word and Commandement and of the things hee should doe or leaue vndone As we receiue these thy blessings and benefits so specially on this day which thou hast selected for thy seruice O Lord settle vs vnto it fit vs for it and grant grace not only vnto vs heere present but to the publicke state and to particular persons in other places not only to rest from labours on this day but to shun sinne to communicate with thy seruants in thy seruice to
CERTAINE Short PRAYERS and MEDITATIONS vpon the Lords Prayer and the Ten Commandements With other particular Prayers for seuerall purposes Written by the right Worshipfull Sir IAMES PERROTT Knight LONDON Printed by Aug. Mathewes for ROBERT SVVAYNE and are to be sold at the Signe of the Bible at Britaines Burse 1630. TO THE Right Honorable WILLIAM Earle of Pembrooke Lord high Steward of his Maiesties Houshold one of the noble Order of the Garter and of his Majesties Honourable Priuy Councell Chauncellor of the Vn uersitie of Oxenford Right Honourable IT may seeme strange vnto some that J being no professed Diuine should presume to present vnto the viewe and verdict of curious Censurers a Treatise of praiers It being a subiect fittest for deepe grounded Divines to deale withall And asmuch that J should Dedicate these my Mediâ—ations vnto your Lordship For the first my excuse is that I offer them not for instruction of the iudicious but for the vse of them that are as weake in Iudgement as I am and to others of meaner capacitie if any such there bee For my addresse of them to your Honour J haue no other excuse or defence but that which is best knowne vnto your Honor to whom I am more obliged then my weake Abilities can giue hopes to yeelde other recompence then by Prayer vnto God that your proceedings may prosper by pietie and be rewarded with eternall felicitie Your Lordships most bounden to be at command'ment IAMES PERROT The Preface to the insuing Praiers and Meditations THE Reader may easily finde the Writers weakenesse yet in reading perchance he may finde sowmewhat though it be but simple that may informe his conscience and stirre vp his minde to better meditations By vsing that is good our inclinations grow to greater goodnes as by the bad that that which is euil becoms worse In this small and slender Tract of mine of Prayers on the Lords Prayer and on the Decalogue or Tenne Commandements The first containing the rule of all our Prayers deliuered by our Lord and Sauiour who taught vs how to whom and for what to pray This Doctrine being the fountaine and so from it by vs there may flow stremes of pious Prayers though our cesternes are but shallow yet the conduit or rather Conductor of them may thereby water the fields of our soules and hearts with piety felicitie fertilnesse that so our selues and our posterities may receiue encrease of all spirituall temporal blessings The true practise of Prayer is as the Path-way to heauen the guide of our life on earth the remoouers of such Remoras and rubbs as doe hinder vs here and doe stay vs from eternall happinesse hereafter For our true beliefe credendorum of things to bee beleeued which we call the Creede is Regula via vitae the rule and way of life So the Decalogue or ten CoÌ„mandements being regula faciendorum the rule of things to be done is vita viae the life of this way both these making vp by feruent frequent and faithfull prayers our progression vnto eternall life This as a gate the other as goles vnto eternall glory betwixt these two Prayers are as the Sayles the holy Spirit as the wings that carries vs thorow the troblesome waues of this world and beareth vs vp in all tentations afflictions and calamities In the vse of Prayers as of the other parts of pietie Humility is the ground Faith the foundation Petition and thankesgiuing the walles eleuated Meditations the roofe knowledge ioyned with conscience the props and pillars So is holy prayer made scala caeli the ladder that leades vs to asscend vnto heauen Prayer then being the precious balme of Gilead that cures the festring sores of our sinnes I craue pardon to publish these my weake conceptions of Prayers and meditations Which proceedeth from no other purpose but to helpe the weake and ignorant in their well disposed devotions To such I say it is not enough to pray much long and often except it bee done with a regenerat a deuout and an vnderstaÌ„ding hart although the saying was ancient Breuis oratio penetrat caelum short Praier pierceth the heauens Yet it is neither the length nor shortnes of our prayer that mooues God vnto mercy vnlesse they be ioyned with a godly and conscionable vse of them in clensing and casting away our corruptions distractions dulnesse coldnesse carnal cares vaine imaginations which presse vpon vs in the time of Prayer when it is not the voyce or the sound of words but the holy affection and pure desires of the heart with the assistance of Gods holy spirit that makes our prayers vnto God profitable and powerfull as the olde verse hath it Non vox sed votum non cordula musica sed cor Non clamans sed amans cantat in ore Dei Which signifieth thus much Not voyce but vowes not musick but the heart Not crâ—es but loue sweet songs to God impart If any man question why so many treatises of prayer being published my selfe or any other should set foorth any more therein yet I conceiue it is with the readers and specially with the vsers and learners of Prayers as with Phisitians who seeking simples to cure their Patients goe not onely to one garden medow or fielde to gather them but vnto many for in some places there grows of one kind in some another sort So in the relish vse choise of prayers which is that herbe of grace Some desire such as are short and pithy others make vse of them that are of good length waight Besides this consideration though I acknowledge there are diuers excellent treatises of Prayers yet I haue seldome seene any that haue closly and punctually handled the Petitions of the Lords Prayer and the parts of the Ten CoÌ„mandements with a strict mixture of Doctrinall Meditations in the forme and to be vsed as praiers containing therein their contents which I haue indeauoured to doe according to my weake skill and iudgement First for mine owne exercise and then for the use of such as shal neede and desire it as much as I doe Which I haue done the rather because I see how feareful dangerous and common a thing it is to finde such multitudes of people who vsing only the Lords Prayer or reading the Tenne CoÌ„mandements with out premeditation or knowledge what either of them contains do yot think that they haue sufficiently serued God when they know little or vse not that aright they shold know and doe better To knowe much and doe little doth little auaile in diuine or humane things to doe much to know little proues vnprofitable if not hurtfull Yet not to finde fault with others but to come home vnto my selfe for these my Meditations such as they are I leaue them with the readers and vsers of them to the direction of Gods holy Spirit The Contents of the Prayers and Meditations contained in this Booke SEuerall Prayers vpon the seuerall Petitions of
fell from it when wee sought not from the sacred Counsels of thy holy Commandements which way wee should walke Our Temptations O blessed resister and restrainer of the Tempter are either sodaine wherein our flesh and frailty easily suffers vs to be surprized or else continued and importunate wherein wee cannot without thy heauenly assistance maintaine the Combate or continue the Conflict In all these wee are weake and thou O Lord art strong strengthen our weakenesse sustaine vs against Sathan Suffer vs not to bee surprized Repulse him by re-uniting thy heauenly Spirit vnto our fraile flesh stregthening vs when we cannot stand and restoring vs when we are fallen O Lord Thou onely art able to deliuer vs from dangers both of body and soule Our temptations comes from both Our naturall corruptions in the body our infused contagions in the soule had neede of thy ayde to defend and deliuer vs from temptations Our deliuerance comes from thee that our prayses and thanksgiuing may returne vnto thee O deliuer saue and defend vs from the suggestions of Sathan Amen For thine is the Kingdome Power Glorie and Dominion THe Kingdoms and Territories of the Earth most mighty Lord are thine in Creation power praise and Dominion It is thine O LORD for thou hast first framed it It is thine for thou dost conserue and presetue it It is thine for thou dost rule and gouerne the Vniuerse Thy Sonne hath said His Kingdome vvas not of this Worlde because he would not rule visibly and temporally but spiritually and eternally Yet thou hast giuen him power in heauen and in earth to redeeme sinners and to saue sinnefull men What Kingdome can bee greater more glorious and firme What power can bee more ample or so beneficiall What glory can shine more in and vnder the firmament of Heauen O therefore by that thy power bring vs vnto this thy Kingdome where wee may haue rest without trouble comfort without contention ioy without end and thou mayest receiue kingdome without resistance Power without diminution Glorie without deniall and Dominion without disobedience To this thy Kingdome by thine owne power bring vs to giue thee glory and to be true subiects of thy dominion for thine owne for thy Sonne and for thy seruants sake Amen One Prayer framed vpon all the parts of the Lords Prayer MOst mightie God most mercifull Father Thou art not onely in Heauen by thy presence but in Heauen and Earth by thy power Thou in thy mercy hast vouschsafed to choose and accompt vs for thy children Wee by our transgressions haue failed to doe the duties of Children Thou art in heauen and beholdest vs We are on earth and are so earthly minded that we cannot behold and confesse as wee should thy Maiesty thy mercie and thy Iustice Thy Name is hallowed and holy yet we take thy name in vaine dishonour it and thereby destroy our own soules Thy Kingdome is already come both in heauen and in the hearts of the Regenerate O graunt vs regenerate hearts that wee may come vnto thee and vnto thy kingdome Thy Will O good and gracious God is that they whom thou hast ordayned to bee Saints in Heauen should bee holy and so serue thee to doe thy will here on earth that they may attaine to thy heauenly inheritance But alas how doe wee transgresse the will breake thy lawes and follow our owne willes O yet here make vs Ministers and fulfillers of thy holy will that hereafter we may bee partakers of thy heauenly possessions Thou giuest vs good Lord dayly bread foode and sustenance wee as we haue neede dayly desire the continuance thereof Wee come with hands to receiue but not with hearts to render pray â—ses for these thy blessings O let our daies to come be as full of thankefullnesse as those past haue bene of vnthankefullnesse Teach vs day by day to desire not onely corporall but spirituall foode holyly to vse and not fleshly to abuse either of both That we may not desire our meat to pamper our bodies and to prouoke them to lust but to liue soberly to take sufficient and to auoide excesse That wee seeke not spirituall foode onely to seeme to be but indeed to be truely religious Our trespasses mosâ— mercifull Father are great infinite and grieuous Wee come to thee and wee cry to thee for forgiuenesse Thou O Lord art ready to remiâ— them vpon our repentance Wee goe oâ— with our sinnes buâ— not with sorrow foâ— hauing committed them with promisâ— of pardon vnto other who haue offendeâ— vs and yet wee for giue not them as wee desire to bee forgiuen This is the cause that wee neither receiue pardon nor amende our sinnefull liues And this is the cause of our present hardnesse of our hearts and will bee of our future greater punishments except thou in thy mercy forget and forgiue our former trespasses make vs able hereafter to amend them and make vs charitable to forgiue the trespasses of our brethren offending vs as we doe thee It is not thou gracious God that leadest vs into temptations but wee are ledd into them by our owne lustes and infirmities wee fall into them by our owne fraileties wee are inuited by the inticements oâ— others and by the subtiltie of Satan Iâ— thou good God dost suffer and noâ— sustaine vs wee noâ— onely receiue buâ— runne headlong into temptations and eueâ— sincke vnder the burthen Before wee know where we stand we fall and can neither withstand nor rise vp againe except thou helpe vs O bee thou our supporter strength Arme our soules our hearts and our consciences so shall wee bee safe vnder thy saluation and bee couered vnder the wings of thy most mercifull protection The euills that come to vs are from the euills that are within vs and are intertained by vs The euill affections of our hearts threaten to pull vpon vs corporall temporall spirituall and eternall punishments O keepe vs from the euill of our offences and sinnes that wee may shunne the euill of punishment for the same that so wee may not feele the weight of thy power and indignation but may here so be subiect obedient to thy Dominion that wee may hereafter enter into the ioyes of that celestiall kingdome which is thine and which thou hast prepared for such as truely serue thee heere and shall bee blessed Saints in heauen Amen Certaine short Prayers and Meditations vpon the ten Commandements I am the Lord thy God that brought thee out of Bon dage SInce thou O Lord GOD great and glorious hast brought vs from bondage not onely corporall but from spirituall and eternall captiuitie by sending thy Sonne our Sauiour to suffer for our sinnes Suffer vs not O gracious God to fall againe into worse then the Aegyptian bondage of Idolatry Infidelitie Superstition and Ignorance Teach vs only truely and faithfully to adore thee our euerliuing God and our God that giuest life Let vs not O Lord doubt or distrust of thy power or prouidence
but that our faith may bee firme our hope assured and our confidence in thee alwaies constant to expect the good pleasure in performance of thy gracious promises but that I may loue and honour thee aboue and more then all creatures which are corruptible the workemanship of thy hands and which as they haue their being from thee so they can not bee at all or subsist without thy sustentation As thou art O Lord graunt that wee may honour thee as thou art our God that wee may praise thee World without end Amen Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me THe Heathen O LORD GOD euerlasting giue thy glory vnto stickes stones and other imaginary idle vaine and euill things The Infidels and vnbeleeuers doe either openly or secretly deny thy Deitie and diuine incomprehensible Majestie The ignorant and evill instructed people though they by custome professe somewhat of thy seruice and power yet they know not what it is but either through euill instruction or for want of instruction know not or care not how to keepe thy Commandements O Lord teach them that beleeue amisse the wayes of truth and to amend their errors those that beleeue not touch their hearts make them to tremble at thy terrors and diuine Iustice which yet they feele not and so to entertaine Faith that their soules may be saued Teach vs that professe thy truth to practise it That we may haue none other Gods but thee the True and onely Euerliuing GOD There is none other but onely thou that art good and goodnesse it selfe How then shall wee stand in iudgement before thee who preferre and accompt any any created thing before or in comparison of thee O let our knees and hearts bow downe before thee alone with faith with feare and with acknowledgement Then we shall haue none other Gods but thee neither follow our owne fantasies nor the corrupt doctrine of such as misleade others Thou shalt not make vnto thy selfe the Image or likenesse of any thing in Heauen above or in the Earth beneath or in the Waters vnder the Earth For c. AS thy power O LORD is greatest and thy preheminence aboue all thy Creatures in the heauens and in the earth So is thine Honour so precious that thou wouldest not haue it giuen to any thing in heauen or in in earth Yet good Lord our natures are so fraile and our soules so sinfull that wee fancie and frame vnto our selues imaginary worshippe of creatures in Heauen in earth and in the waters by their similitude and likenesse giuing or attributing thy glory to those glowormes being false and fading fantasies of our owne imaginations Since then most mighty Maker and Monarch of heauen and earth thou seest our frailtie to fall and the dishonor of thy Maiestie by false worship by framing the likenesse of any creature to worship O suffer vs not to make to set vp or to adore false Gods to fall before them to place any power or hope in them to trust to our owne policie or power to depend vpon earthly helpes ioyes or delights but to rely onely vpon thy strength good will and pleasure That nothing in heaven aboue in the earth beneath or in the waters vnder the earth may carry vs from thy true worship and seruice which is our safety and concernes thy glory to whom be giuen praise without ceasing and Honour without Superstition now and for euer Amen Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine O Lord GOD most mighty and merciful since thy maiestie is so high great and glorious how carefull should wee be to conserue a reuerend and awefull estimation of thy holy name as to honour it in thought word and deed But O most gracious God how carelesse are wee to keep thy holy Commandement How ready by irreligion to blaspheme thy holy Name with oathes curses execrations to abuse thy holy Attributes in forswearing and false accusing to name thee O our good GOD in our mouthes when wee haue thee not in our hearts to dissemble and make Hypocriticall profession of thy holy and true Religion without any care or conscience to put it in practise O most mightie and mercifull God we beseech thee to pardon and passe by our profanenesse in taking thy name in vaine our impiety in blaspheming thy holy name our rashnesse in naming thee without inward reuerence or remembrance of thy power honour and Maiestie our pronesse to mention thy Word Workes and Worship without due premed tation and consideration O teach vs when wee talke thinke or inuocate thy holy name to doe it with conscience faith and seare when we thinke on it to cogitate and call to memory that wee are in thy presence to beleeue that wee are vnder thy power and subiect to thy punishment Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath Day sixe dayes c. SInce thou most glorious God by thine omnipotent power hast created this World and by thy providence for a perpetuall memoriall of this thy most wonderfull Worke hast or dained a Sabbath or seaueth day of rest to bee celebrated and set apart for thy Seruice In which wee should be free from seruile workes and worldly cares O LORD therefore sanctifie vs and so prepare our heartes for this thy seruice that we may make a conscience of performing this thy Precept For this purpose Let vs bee carefull to keepe thy Sabbaothes in publique in the Congregation and Assembly of thy Seruants by Prayer prayses and hearing of thy Word In priuate by Preparation Meditation Conference Consideration of thy Clemencie and Workes of Creation and Preseruation as in deeds of Charitie Mercie and Compassion to the needy For this ende good and gracious GOD fitte and furnish our hearts our wits and our vnderstandings with Zeale Knowledge and Conscience to shake off on this thy holy Sabbaths sloth and slownes to come vnto thine Assemblies and to exercise these religious Duties to cast away worldly cares bodily labours except such as are for necessitie for present preseruation of things ready to perish which cannot bee otherwise preuented or longer deferred and of that which may with most Moderation set forward the religious Exercises and holy Duties of that Day These Graces graunt vs Amen Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy c. O Lord God as thou art the Propagator and Protector of our soules to whom only we should giue diuine Honour so wouldst thou that we should giue to our naturall Parents reuerence obedience sustenance and faithfulnesse which in Iustice is due for the cause of our birth being education and maintenance by them And that we may doe this which thou good God requirest Wee beseech thee remoue from vs Pride selfe-conceite and selfe-loue neglect of our dutie to our Parents and Superiours impatience when they shall exercise authoritie inflict punishment or demaund those things to bee done which we doe dislike or not desire Hardnesse of heart when they stand in neede of our helpe
O Lord graunt that wee ouerweane not our selues thinking our selues wiser then our Parents Teachers Magistrates or Superiours but that wee may performe all their lawfull Commandements without grudging or delaying◠lest by disobedience we dishonour them procure thy curse thy displeasure and our own danger Let vs not bee like to cursed Cam the discouerer of his Fathers nakednesse But that wee may so keepe this thy Commandement that in honouring them wee may receiue honour from thee and that happines which thou hast promised that our dayes may bee long and blessed not onely in this Land which thou hast giuen vs to liue heere vpon earth but euen in the Land of the Liuing where thou dost raigne for euer and where we may remaine in thy glorious presence euermore to giue thee Praise Amen Thou shalt doe no Murder MOst merciful GOD that giuest life desirest not the death of sinners nor that wee by sinne or violence should slay our owne soules or our Brethren that beare thine Image Wee beseech thee to teach vs wherein wee commit murther by our hands tongues or hearts that so wee may shunne the sinne and punishment that followeth the same O Lord wee slay our owne soules by our manifold and great sinnes wee murther other mens soules by causing them to commit sinnes by which wee take from our selues and them the life of grace O Lord we slay our soules by extinguishing the inspirations of thy holy spirit not suffering it to purge our sinnes by Prayer and Repentance not receiuing or retaining but reiecting those good motions and holy desires which thy grace giues vnto vs. Wee commit Murther if not of the liues of men yet of their good Names In our hearts by Anger Wrath and Enuy with our tongues by slander reproach sowing of sedition cursing and euill speaking with our hands done vpon the persons of our selues by Violence Drunkennesse Adultery and other Distempers whereby either the soules or liues of our selues or of others are destroyed by not succouring them as wee are able with counsell correction or charitable reliefe when they stand in need of vs by these many other waies most mercifull GOD we murther either our own soules or bodies or the soules and bodies of our Neighbours O Lord God therefore who hast giuen vs soules and bodies giue vs grace and assistance not to destroy them in our selues or others but purifie our hearts and affections inlighten our vnderstandings kindle zeale to thy glory and truth which may saue our owne soules and settle vs to seeke the saluation of others and not to be a meanes of our own or of other mens subuersions Plant in our hearts Charitie Meekenesse and Mercifulnesse towards all men sobriety in our desires carriage and conuersations a desire to seeke the good and not the hurt of our Neighbours Remoue from vs Pride Presumption Cruelty and hardnes of heart whereby we slay our owne soules and destroy the liues estate or estimation of our brethren So wee being thus fenced by the grace and good gifts of thy holy Spirit with faith and feare to offend thy Majesty may thereby learne to keepe this thy holy Commandement to the sauing and not the destroying of the soules and liues of our selues and others Graunt this good Lord for thy mercies sake Amen Thou shalt not commit Adulterie O Lord GOD thou by thy holy Word hast taught vs that there is spirituall and corporall Adultery Thou hast commanded not to commit them Yet our corrupt natures drawe vs to both We forsake thee our God the true Spouse of our soules by adhering in confidence worship or disordinate affection vnto the corruptible creatures and so adulterating thy seruice and Worship become forgetfull of thee following more our own lusts pleasures or profits then thy precepts O God full of power who hast created vs thy poore creatures who seest and searchest the secret corners of our hearts vnsearchable and secret vnto our selues Cleanse these secret yet strong and preuailing lusts which drawe vs to commit the Spirituall and Carnall Adultery restraine our vnchaste lookes and inticing aspects one of another Cause vs to refraine wanton speeches to abstaine from Drunkennes and excesse of Diet which are the Instrumentes and prouocation to Idolatry To forbeare pampering of our bodies Gorgiousnes Curiosity of apparell which drawes vs to ouer-much delight of our selues and to a desire to defile our bodies with Adultery Fornication other filthy bestiall Contaminating of our owne bodies corrupting of others and breaking the boundes of this thy holy Commandement That wee should not commit Adultery spirituall against thee or corporall against one another and both against thy Lawes Keepe vs therefore O Soueraigne Lord within the compasse of this thy holy Commandement by thine own power and prouidence By and for which onely we shall be able to giue thee laude and glory now and for euer Amen Thou shalt not steale THou O gracious GOD who hast giuen vs sufficiencie requirest of vs contentednesse with that we haue And though we thinke wee haue lesse then wee neede and haue much lesse then wee desire yet thou O our good God the giver of all wee haue doest onely know what is best for vs Our seuerall estates haue neede of meanes for maintenance according to our callings but wee doe not rightly measure the lawfull and right means by which wee should come to this competency wee go by vngodly means to seeke it wee onely weigh what wee would haue but doe not consider so well where and how it may be godly and lawfully gotten which makes vs to take from our Neighbours and others what belongeth vnto them O Lord therefore take from vs Couetousnes the roote of deceit and false dealing stealthes of things we want or would haue Extortion to get any thing by colour of Iustice and bribing to pervert Iustice Violence to take any thing by force power or strong hand from others Negligence and slothfulnes in our seuerall estates and callings which breede beggery necessitie and robbery Send vs lawfull christian and honest care to prouide things necessarie without deceipt cosening or double dealing discretion and frugality in the disposing of our Estates whereby wee may prouide things needefull without being burthēsome to others or forced to steale or purloine frō them Graunt good Lord therefore that our endeauor may be to get what is sufficient for our selues without doing wrong vnto others Diligence in our callings without ouermuch care cruelty couetousnesse or circumuention Iust dealing with all men Frugalitie without miserie Contentednesse with our estates And if we haue plenty to vse it prouidently and charitably auoyding misery or mispending not seeking any thing by vniust or vnlawfull meanes nor keeping it by frande or falsehood O Lord GOD graunt that wee robbe not thee of thine honour by stealing from our selues in sloth and security that time which wee should spend in thy seruice but that we may keep this thy holy Commandement with
care and conscience to thy honour and our owne saluation thorow Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy Neighbour THou O Lord that art the God of truth and teachest vs to maintaine truth forbiddest vs to beare false witnesse to the losse discredit hinderance or shame of our Neighbours that wee neither slaunder them with our tongs accuse them by oath or word wrongfully thinke or iudge euill of theÌ„ without cause Deceiue them by flatery or Hipocrysie backebite any nor boulster any bad causes by countenance cunning or giue sodaine and rash beliefe vnto raysers of sedition or euill reports that wee teach not false doctrine in matters of faith nor violate faith or promise with any man to their delusion and deceipt but that wee may avoyde the perill and punishment of breaking this Commandement Teach vs most iust and wise GOD to make Conscience of our words aswell as our workes to avoide slaunder false accusation to speake the truth to bee sincere and single-hearted when we come or are called to giue testimonie of the truth without respect of persons profit friendship enuy reuenge or reward that wee may knowe and consider we are alwayes in thy presence and vnder thy power to bee punished if wee transgreâ—se these thy holy precept That wee may say and sweare the truth in all things since all that we say sweare or doe is in thy sight and subiect to thy seuere and vncorrupted Iudgement Graunt and giue vs grace by thy power to doe this for thy glory and our owne good thou gracious God to whom be praise for euer and euer Amen Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours house his Wife his seruant c. SInce thou our Soueraign Lord and God hast giuen vs all that wee haue knowest what is needfull for vs to haue and keepest for vs that thou hast giuen Thou coÌ„mandest we should subdue our lustfull thoughts and desires of coueting that which is not ours and bee content with that thou art pleased to make ours O make vs most mercifull God moderate in desiring sober in vsing and abstinent from concupiscence and coveting those things that belong not vnto vs Suffer not our wanton eyes to wander our corrupt hearts to couet or our loose thoughts to bee led with inticements of worldly vaine and transitory things which may make vs to cover any thing that thou hast given and doth belong to others and not vnto our selues whether it be the persons estates lives liberties seruices or duties of our Neighbours be they our Superiors equals or inferiors O Lord God holy and iust to this ende clense our Conseiences restraine our appetites and evil affections chastise our inordinate desires subdue our lustfull inflammations Conquer our vnbridled corruptions Send thy holy and heauenly spirit into our hearts to take the possession and protection of our poore sinnefull soules that wee be not seduced but may be kept as cleaue vessels sanctified for thy seruice to keepe this and all thy CoÌ„mandements for thy mercies sake for thy merits thorough the Mediation of thy Son our Lord and Sauiour O LORD if our Houses be but poore let vs not covet to make them better by seeking that which belongs not vnto vs or by getting that which we cannot lawfully haue If our store be small suffer vs not to seeke that which wee should not seeke either our Neighbours Wiues by Adultery inticements or carnall prouocations or any of his goods by oppression deceit or any kinde of corruption his seruants by fraude flattery or false dealing But doe thou gracious God settle our soules to contentment with what wee haue or may obtaine by industry voyde of iniury by lawefull meanes without vnlawfull practises with conscience moderation and sobrietie that shunning to seeke and covet that which is not ours we may heere faithfully serue thee set foorth thy glory and heereafter receiue eternall happinesse with thee in Heauen Amen My Mementoes which I should make to my selfe 1 THe consideration and acknowledgement of my sinnes generall and particular by prayer and by repentance 2 The Examination of my life how it hath beene lead either in goodnesse or in loosenesse of liuing 3 Whether I haue amended or continued in any known grosse sinnes 4 What they are how they haue their beginning growth 5 What resistance I haue made and what successe that hath had 6 Whether I haue repelled those sinnes and whether they haue againe returned 7 What hopes or means I haue to banish those or the like sinnes 8 Whether my prayers befainter or stroÌ„ger more frequent or seldomer then they haue beene 9 Whether my distractions doubts and dulnesse in the time of prayer remaines or be remooued 10 Whether those Passions which were more preualent in me are yet pacified 11 Whether I cannot yet heartily forgiue and pray for those that haue iniured mee 12 Whether my want of Loue and Charitie to my Neighbours be yet amended 13 Whether I haue ioyned Faith with Examination and that with Repentance There is no day wherein I liue but I should call my selfe to accompt and bestow some time in examination of my self to see and search which of these or the like sinnes I haue committed which of them I haue corrected what yet remaines to bee done that I may no more doe them And if I can fall to these remembrances by exact repetition I shall sooner come to repentance If I cannot altogeter remember them yet I must first reade them in these or the like lines then answere to euery Article as if I were examined before the strickest Iudge for any capitall offence or else I may be assured I shall come at last before a seuere and all-seeing Iudge who knowes and will iudge all when I haue done this I must goe to prayer for the remoouing of these euills the continuance in doing better Or if I finde I cannot doe it I must still pray that I may bee able to doe it These Meditations and the Prayers following them being the best Medicines to cure all the maladies of my minde and soule for which end and to attaine to that holy and happy ende It is necessarie that I should frame vnto my selfe if not vnto others some short supplications as thâ—se following or the like A Prayer for performance of the former Points O Lord GOD my sinnes are great grieuous many and infinit in number they are so many that I cannot reckon or remember them Those that I doe remember which are the fewest in comparison of the rest I haue not confessed or acknowledged as I should doe I haue not examined my sinnefull life that I haue ledde nor sought amendment of the same I haue not looked into the beginning or grouth of my sinnes nor how I haue resisted the same or if at any time I haue done it yet I haue fallen more backewards then I went forwards My hope of resistance is nothing but in thy power and mercy O therefore
not bee safe but was cast downe frō thence through pride and arrogancy How should I bee safe whilest I commit this sinne so much and so often heere on earth Purge me therefore O God from Pride and leade me by thy Heauenly hand vnto Humility and lowlines of heart Lord God how much am I ouerwhelmed with wrath and anger how suddainly incensed vpon how small and slender occasions am I moued by wrath to vse reproach and to seeke reuenge to forsake Charity to seeke others harme and to aduenture mine owne ruine so that my minde cannot be peaceable and quiet Sodainely by anger reason is disturbed loue and good will forsaken Faith broken and fury drawing mee almost to madnesse by which I breake the bounds of Christian Charitie I beseech thee good Lord who feest how much I am subiect to this finne make me more patient and peaceable suppresse this passion of anger in me that I may passe by small offences and may not bee sodainely prouoked vnto impatience O Lord infuse into me moderation and modestie temperance and sobriety by which and especially by the assistance of thy holy Spirit I may bee able to master anger and passion the furies of my minde and the enemies of my Soule And if anger at any time seize on mee graunt that it may be setled on the zeale of thy truth and the seruice of thee my God for the suppressing of superstition and the seeking to vindicate thine honour against such as seeke to dishonour thee by Atheisme profanenesse and impiety yet so as I sin not by rashnesse or reuiling but by making a difference betwixt the persons and their peruersenes reseruing Charitie to the one and labouring reformation of the other take from me O Lord God enuy and malice suffer me not to fret at the prosperity of any no not of the wicked and impious persons whose bounds are set beyond which they shall not bee able to goe much lesse let me enuy them who walke in vpright waies But if through offence or iniuries I haue been at any time prouoked to proceede against them yet let mee not continue with them in contention through dislike or disgust to wish them euill But teach me by singlenesse and sincerity of heart to shunne the malicing of any man that so shewing mercy and meekenesse I may receiue mercy from thee that art the Lord of mercy to whom bee giuen Honour and glory now and for euer Amen A Prayer of Thankesgiuing after deliuery from Sickenesse and Danger of Disease THou O Lord most mighty and mercifull hast sent sickenesse as a scourge for sinne as a tryall of our Faith and testimony of thy fauour when it pleaseth thee to restore health Thou hast visited me and brought me neere the gates of Death yet hast thou deliuered mee from danger to the end I might publish thy praise and lead a more godly life Feare came vpon mee on euery side my flesh Spirit did faint but thy holy hand did sustaine mee and helpe mee vp What praises most gracious God shall I render vnto thee for thy protection and preseruation But that I doe as I am able And O Lord inable me more to laude thee more to call vpon thy name and to shew thy workes vnto the people to sing vnto thee prayses for this thy mercy in deliuering me from the danger of Death And now that thou hast restored mee to health O Lord restore mee to thy fauour And as thou hast giuen strēgth vnto my body so blessed God strengthen my Soule against Sinne and Satan that I may liue to giue thee Glory and during this fading life I may bee made faithfull in keeping thy Commandements seruing thee in sinceritie of soule and seeking thy glory both now and at all times Amen A Prayer for the mainetenance of Peace O LORD God most mighty and gracious Our sinnes are great and grieuous our pride malice and ambition begets contentions whence growes Warres and Desolation Blood-shedding and destruction thou that art the Lord of Hostes seest it is in the hands of Princes to make warres but it is in thy power only to end them and to saue thy people Great are the gatherings and forces already of armed men ready to destroy one another and great is like to be the slaughter Except thou most mercifull God be pleased to pacifie the minds of the Princes and of the People and to saue them who otherwise will fall to slaughter Take yet most gracious God thine owne Cause into thine own hand help thy people that professethy truth lest they perish Preserue them from perills Saue good Lord such as serue thee in truth and call vpon thee in sincerity of heart Let not the Mightie ouerwhelme thy chosen Children but either let the Oppressors feele thy power or make them to incline their heartes vnto peace and so saue the effusion of bloud and temper the hearts of Christian Princes that they may come to the Knowledge of the truth that Mercy and Truth may meet together that righteousnesse and peace may kisse each other So bee it good Lord. FINIS LONDON Printed by Aug Mathewes for Robert Swayne and are to bee sold at his Shop at the Signe of the Bible in Britaines Burse