and holy Spirit my Comfort and Consolation THE peace of God which passeth all Understanding keep my Heart and Mind in the love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord and the blessing of God Almighty the Father Son and Holy Ghost be with me and remain with me and mine and with the whole Church of God from this time forth and for evermore GOD be merciful unto me and bless me the Lord lift up the light of his Countenance upon me and be merciful unto me and grant me his everlasting peace Amen A Prayer for one afflicted in Mind O FATHER of Mercy and God of all Consolation vouchsafe I beseech thee relief and succour unto me a wretched Sinner who am much tormented in Mind and afflicted in Conscience Lord I am afraid of thy Judgments and the severe Threatnings written in thy Law against those sins I have committed but O Lord break not the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax wound not my humble and contrite Heart but revive my Spirit that goes mourning all the day long though Satan thinks thou hast smitten and forsaken me yet frustrate his hopes and expectations leave me not destitute of thy Grace as a prey unto the Enemy of my Soul but mightily preserve and evermore defend me AND though my Conscience accuses me my Memory witnesses against me and my Reason condemns me though I am overwhelmed in discomfort and have lost the voice of joy and gladness and have neither worth to appease thy wrath nor patience to endure thy tryal yet send me O Lord the comfort of thy holy Spirit into my heart that I may not be swallowed up with overmuch heaviness but may rejoyce in thee with joy unspeakable and full of Glory Open and set open the Gate of thy Mercy to the greatness of my Misery for my mind is sorrowful my heart heavy my spirit is oppressed my words are stopt with sighs and my complaints watered with tears IN executing thy Judgments Lord remember Mercy try me not least I be condemned weigh not my offences but pardon my offences sanctifie all those means unto me which may afford me relief as Prayer Conference Meditation reading and hearing of thy Word and receiving the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of thy Son and my alone Saviour and Redeemer mitigate my extremities abate my fears and moderate my afflictions let not Night Visions like Nebuchadnezzar's make me affraid but when I awake stay me with Flaggons and comfort me with Apples thy precious promises which are pleasant to the Soul RECTIFIE my Understanding as in the days of Old and Drink no longer unto me in the Cup of Affliction but in the Chalice of refreshing that I may pay my Vows unto thee and call upon thy Name in the sight of all thy Congregation but if it be thy good pleasure to try me and not take away this Cup from me confirm my Faith and continue unto me that Hope which is to be revealed to this end cause me with the Eye of Faith to look up to thee who chastisest me and wait for the appointed time of my delivery out of all my Troubles LORD suffer me not to be swallowed up with despair but vouchsafe me a full assurance of thy Mercy that thou wilt never leave me nor forsake me but wilt be in life my God in death my Deliverer and after death my Eternal Rewarder Lord hearken and incline thine Ear unto these my Requests for thy Sons sake my only Lord and Saviour Our Father c. THE Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the love of God the Father and the most comfortable Fellowship of God the holy Ghost be with me bless preserve and keep me both in Soul and Body in Goods and good Name in Life Health Peace and Godliness together with thy whole Church and all that appertain unto me now and for evermore Amen A Prayer to be used in behalf of one troubled in Mind ALMIGHTY God the only Guide and Comfort of our Souls and to whom alone we fly for succour in all afflictions O Lord we presume now to appear before thee in behalf of this thy afflicted Servant Support him I beseech thee in his greatest conflicts silence and appease his troubled Spirit that he may quietly hearken to thy blessed Words of Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest THOU hast solemnly proclaimed O Lord in thy holy Scripture that thou dost not delight in the death of a Sinner but rather that he should turn from his Wickedness and live O make him with joy feel his Soul turning to thee since no satisfactory Comfort can be acquired but only in thy love and favour which to all thy Servants is better than life it self We beseech thee speak peace to his Conscience and say unto him and all that are here present that thou art our Salvation ENDUE him with thy Grace give him peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost O give him the Comfort of thy help again and Establish him with thy free Spirit quicken him O Lord for thy Names sake and for thy Righteousness sake bring his Soul out of this trouble Put gladness into his heart and restore him again if it be thy Blessed will that he and we may Evermore rejoyce in thee who art the Father of all Mercies and the God of all Consolation to whom be Glory and Praise now and for Evermore Amen Meditations for the Sick O GOD thou dost what thou pleasest in Heaven and in Earth in the Sea and in all deep places thou art full of Compassion and tender Mercy long suffering and aboundest in goodness and truth thou alone forgivest Sins and savest all those that trust in thee in time of affliction I KNOW that all Flesh is Grass and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field the grass withereth the flower fadeth but the Word of thee our God shall stand for Ever In thy word therefore and gracious promises is my hope which is my greatest Comfort in my affliction IN the multitude of thy thoughts within me thy Comforts shall delight my Soul I will rejoyce even in the midst of my tribulation and glory in thy Holy Name who makest all things work together for good to them that love thee Though I walk through the vally of the shadow of Death I will fear no evil for thou art with me thy rod and thy staff doth Comfort me WE are but of Yesterday and know nothing because our dayes upon Earth are as a shadow When thou with rebukes dost correct Man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to Consume away like a Moth Surely every Man is vanity my time is in thy hand Make thy face to shine upon thy Servant Save me for thy Mercies sake HIDE not thy face from me put not thy Servant away in thine anger Thou hadst been my help leave me not neither forsake me O God my of salvation Thou
Lord I knock at the Door of thy Mercy and tender Compassion with all the Faculties of my Soul and Body for all these Graces and particular favours beseeching thee to continue unto me the right use of them that thy Spirit may witness unto my Spirit that I am thy Son and shall be Heir of thy Kingdom of Glory and that I may be partaker of the inheritance of thy Saints in light where are Pleasures that last for Evermore Grant this O Father for Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer for Sunday Noon O God thou art great in Majesty and infinite in Mercy wonderful in thy goodness unto thy Church and Children Thou hast Commanded me to offer up my Prayer and supplications for those that shall enter into the Ministry and stand before thee to wait at thine alter the heaviest O Lord is very great and the painful and Conscionable Labourers but few I beseech thee be pleased to send able Ministers into thy Church and place such over particular Congregations as like Iohn the Baptist may be burning lights burning as being zealous in fervency and lights also as being conspicuous and eminent for Charity Sanctity of life and all holy Graces of thy Spirit LET thy Urim and thy Thummim be upon them as upon thy Holy one let them be sound for Doctrine and holy for Life and Conversation Preaching let them practice and by practice let them preach and teach the things which concern thy Kingdom Open wide unto them the Door of utterance that they may deliver thy Word freely and boldly Take away all differences and animosities from amongst them make them examples to those that believe in soundness of Doctrine and integrity of Conversation bless them with all Graces befitting so high a Calling that I may give thanks unto thee for them finding the benefit of thy blessing upon me through their Labours and may praise thy Name for evermore Amen A Prayer for Sunday Evening O Lord look down from Heaven thine holy Habitation and behold with the Eye of thy Love and tender Compassion a wretched Creature who now calls upon thee in the Words of the poor Publican O God be merciful unto me a Sinner Write not bitter things against me neither suffer me to possess the Sins of my Youth O forgive and forget all my Transgressions and cast mine Iniquities as far from thy presence in distance as the East is from the West LORD pardon I humbly beseech thee the faults and frailties which I have escaped this day in the sanctifying of thy Sabbath whether they be Sins of Omission or Commission wash them all away in the Blood of thy Son sanctifie me by the Word thy Word of Truth that this day hath sounded in my Ears Grant that like good Seed sown in good Ground it may take root downward and bring forth Fruit upwards to the Glory and Praise of thy great Name and the Salvation of my Immortal Soul O LET thy Word be ever in my Mind to meditate of it in my Mouth to speak of it and in my Life and Conversation to practice it By it Work in my Heart Faith Hope Charity and all other supernatural Graces which accompany Salvation open mine Eyes that I may see thy Law and incline my Heart that I may love the Truth and loving the same may yield Obedience to it doing thy Will on Earth or at least endeavouring to do it as the Angels in Heaven willingly without murmuring speedily without delaying constantly without ceasing and universally without omitting what thou commandest and commendest in thy Word so shall I not be distracted with Foolish fears nor dispair of thy Mercy but ever Hope and Trust in thee and find Grace to help me in time of need to whom be ascribed all Honour Power and Glory World without end Amen Mondays Meditations O GOD the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth who Created the Evening and the Morning continue I beseech thee unto me as well the Comfortable rest of the Evening to refresh my weariness as the most necessary Light of the Morning to manage my affairs and business make my Conscience serene and clear and let the pure Light of thy Gospel guide my Feet in the way of peace This Light of thine O Lord sheweth what I was in my Birth Slime and Filthiness what I am in my Life Vanity and Folly and what I shall be in the Grave Stench and Corruption LET these ponderous Considerations Lord humble me that Christ may raise me wound me that Christ may heal me load me that Christ may ease me and make me most vile in my own Eyes that I may be most dear and precious in his sight O thou which as upon this day createdst the Clouds to Rain upon the Earth shower down thy Graces plentifully into my hardned heart to mollifie it whereby I may be fruitful in all good Works LORD who this day didst separate the Waters separate I beseech thee and distinguish betwixt the Water of Tears which I shed for my Sins and those which I shed for Worldly crosses and afflictions cast away the one and put the other into thy Bottle This day thou madest the Heavens and the Air without which I cannot breath naturally no not one moment Infuse into my Soul thy blessed Spirit of Grace without which Spiritually I cannot breath forth my Prayers nor sigh nor so much as move any Faculty of Soul and Body unto thee But Lord as oft as I take in or let out the Air which I breath let me receive in Grace from thee and breath out Praise unto thee Amen A Prayer for Monday Morning O GOD as thou hast now rais'd up my Body from Sleep the Image of Death so I beseech thee deliver my mind and affections from the Sleep of Sin and from the Darkness of this World and as thou hast brought me to the beginning of this day be thou present with me and president in me Let thy holy Spirit be my Counsellor and Instructor my God and my Guide to lead me into all Truth help me by assistance of the same Spirit to watch over my Thoughts Words and Works that I may neither think speak nor do any thing which is not agreeable to thy holy Word LET me in all reverence and humility of Soul submit my self unto thy holy Will so that ordering my Conversation aright and walking according to thy Golden Rule peace may be upon me as upon the Israel of God Suffer me not to oppress or defraud my Brother in Bargaining Buying and Selling by using false Weights and Ballances or any other unlawful means but Guide me so by thy Grace that my Conscience may ever cheer me up through a delightful apprehension of thy blessed Favour TO this end order thou my Paths and establish my goings in the way of Peace Grace and Salvation cause thou me to walk upright before thee make me to provide things honest before thee and Men behave my self as in thy
the Children of Men thou hast provided all Creatures the Fowls of the Air Fish in the Sea and Beasts of the Field to furnish his Table cloath his Nakedness and serve his Necessities The Earth thou Createdst to sustain him the Waters to wash and cool him the Air to breath him the Fire to warm him the Flowers to refresh him the Herbs to cure him the Fruits to nourish him the Mines to enrich him the precious Stones to adorn him and the glorious Luminaries of Heaven the Sun and the Moon to light him the one in the Day and the other in the Night and both to measure his time to direct his Husbandry to divert him in his Peregrinations to ripen his Fruits and to encrease his Stores I CANNOT plead Ignorance of thy Deity for the Heavens declare thy Glory and the Firmament sheweth thy Handy-work I cannot pretend Ignorance of thy Law for thou hast put thy Word into my Mouth and written thy Law in my Heart nor I cannot affirm that I never heard of the Light of thy Gospel for the Light came into the World and shined in the Darkness and the Darkness comprehended it not but Men love darkness rather than light because their Deeds are evil FOR which thou mightest most justly have cast us into utter Darkness where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of Teeth but there is mercy with thee that thou maist be feared there is Balm in Gilead to cure our deadly Wounds there is Unction in Christ and Salvation in Jesus out of his precious side he opened to all the Inhabitants of the Earth a Fountain for Sin and all Uncleanness whereby we might be Purified even as he is pure A Prayer for Wednesday Morning O ETERNAL God who art of Infinite Majesty look down from Heaven the Habitation of thy Holiness upon me thy unworthy Servant thou art a God of Power and canst relieve me of Goodness and wilt in thy good time mercifully help me O Lord the Fountain of thy Mercy can never be dryed up nor the Merits of my Saviour diminished O therefore Bath my Soul in them that being Sanctified and Justified I may appear in thy sight more pure and white than the Snow in Salmon I BLESS thy Name for keeping me this Night past and bringing me to the beginning of this Day let thy Eyes always attend upon me prosper preserve cherish guide and govern me in all my Studies Actions and Employments so that I may spend this day and the remainder of my life according to thy blessed Will Grant O Lord that whatever I do it may be acceptable in thy sight to the Glory of thy most Holy Name the peace of my Conscience and the Salvation of my own Soul TO this end be thou O Lord my God and my Guide my Protector and Defender Keep me unspotted of the World teach me to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live Soberly towards my self Righteously towards my Neighbour and Piously towards thee my God repenting truly of my Sins and serving thee in holiness and righteousness all my daies that in life thou mayst be my God in death my deliverer and after death my Eternal rewarder Amen A Prayer for Wednseday Night O MOST glorious God I do here at this time with the good Samaritan return to give thee thanks for all thy Mercies and Blessings bestowed on my soul and body in things Spiritual and temporal for my Election before all time my Creation in the beginning of time and my Redemption in the fulness of time I praise and glorifie thee for thy preservation of me this day and that thou hast yet spared me and hast given me Liberty and a gracious opportunity once more to call upon thee LORD I acknowledge and confess that thou mightest have taken me away in the midst of my Sins and in the very act of Committing them but thou hast dealt more merciful with me Keep me O Lord this Night from fear and danger and from all noysome Dreams and from all hinderances of sweet repose which thou hast appointed for the refreshing of wearied Nature SEAL unto me a full and a free Pardon of all my Sins of what Nature or quality soever they be whether they be Sins of omission or Commssion of knowledg ignorance weakness or wilfulness O Lord deal not with me according to the magnitude and multitude of them but for thine infinite Mercies blot them out of thy Book of remembrance and Cast them out of thy sight into the bottomless Sea of thy Compassion that they may never rise in this Life to shame me nor in the Life to come to Condemn me Amen Meditations for Thursday LOrd Teach me of what Spirit I am or should be even of that which descended upon thy Son in the likeness of a Dove without gall By this Spirit mortifie in me the Lusts and affections of the Flesh such as envy wrath and revenge by the still small voice in which thou discoursest with Elias let me obâ—erve that thou art not in the fire of my rage nor in the storm of my Passion but in the soft gale of Grace Thou didst on this day replenish the Sea and Rivers with Fish and the Ayr with Fowls in Shapes admirably various and in number almost infinite stir me up by this Consideration to admire thy power and Wisdom in thus enriching this vast and seeming solitude BLESSED Lord who this day madest the Waters fruitful let thy Spirit move upon the waters of my Tears that they may abound in the fruits of Repentance and be blessed in the encrease of Spiritual Consolation This day thou Commandest the Fowls to fly through the Ayre lift up my Soul from ths Earth with the wings of Faith and hope that She may mount up towards Heavenâ— Make me light and cheerful after my heavy Sorrows and afflictions and though I have been as if I had layen among the Pots yet I may be by the Grace of thy Spirit like that Dove whose wings are Silver and her feathers like Gold FOR my light and momentary Afflictions are no way worthy the Glory that shall be revealed unto me hereafter And for the present what are Afflictions or Crosses or Persecutions but the common lot of thy Children when I am thus chastned I am Judged of thee that I may not be Condemned of the World How can I ever forget thee who rememberest me at all times and in all places Amen A Prayer for Thursday Morning O LORD God who dwellest in that light which no mortal Eye can approach yet beholdest in Mercie the Sons and Daughters of Men thou makest the outgoings of the Morning full of thy Glory and causest the Sun to shine upon the just and the unjust mercifully chasing away the darkness of the Night and shadow of Death I praise thy holy Name that thou hast vouchsafed me to pass this Night in rest and quietness and hast brought me safe to the beginning of this day I HUMBLY beseech
evermore let no appalements disturb me keep me from Fire Storms Tempests Thieves sudden Death and Danger cause thine Angels to pitch their Tents round about me my House and Habitation and preserve all that is near and dear unto me Here name your particular Friends REMEMBER thy Church and every Member of it have pity on the poor afflicted Protestants in all parts beyond the Seas who suffer for the Testimony of their Faith and a good Conscience send them help from thy Holy place and evermore mightily defend them be unto them a Sun and a Shield a Sun to Comfort and a Shield to defend them to all Dangers and Tribulations put a period unto all their afflictions and in â—hy good time vouchsafe them a happy Deliverance Lord receive them and me and all that appertain unto me this Night and for ever into thy Gracious protection through the Mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Meditations for Saturday THE great Creator this day rested from all his Work which he had made and blessed it O Lord grant that after this painful life is ended I may enjoy a comfortable rest with thee in Heaven where I may keep an eternal Sabbath and hold a perpetual Feast there will be rest without Labour tranquillity without Molestation and joys without End There my Soul wilt thou behold a Glorious City the Streets of Gold the Gates of Pearl and the Foundations garnished with all sorts of precious Stones I SHALL behold thee the Father in thy Majesty Christ thy Son in his Glory the Spirit in his Sanctity the Arch-Angels and Angels in their Exceilency and the Saints in their Felicity then shall I no more hunger labour nor travel I shall no more fear grieve nor desire I shall want no more an earthly House for the Heaven of Heavens shall be my Habitation God will be my Temple and the Lamb that shineth for ever shall enlighten me LORD let the hope and expectation of this eternal rest and felicity sweeten all my labours and ease my torments let it mitigate my afflictions and comfort my spirits that I faint not in my Journey nor be depressed under my burden but hold on cheerfully and valiantly till I arrive at the Land of Promise and there receive the Lot of mine Inheritance with the Saints in light for evermore Amen A Prayer for Saturday Morning MOST Gracious God sanctifie I humbly beseech thee this day unto me and my self now and ever unto thy service thy Mercies O Lord they are new every Morning and therefore my Thanks ought every day to be a new repeated I praise thy holy Name for keeping me this Night past unto this present hour and moment and hast now brought me unto the last day of the Week grant that I may spend the same soberly righteously and holily BRING me to the knowledge of thy Blessed Will in all things that I may endeavour to perform the same to thy Glory the peace of my Conscience and the preservation of my own Soul purge and cleanse my Heart and Conscience from all dead Works that I may serve thee the living God for evermore Be thou my Guide in all my ways my stay and support in all my necessities put an end to the motions of the Flesh enlarge my Heart for all pious Duties and habitual Graces of thy Spirit that I may bring forth the Fruits of them in my Life and Conversation BLESS the Kingdom wherein I inhabit and thy holy Catholick Church whereof I am an unworthy Member bless thy Servants and our dear Lord and Lady King William and Queen Mary as thou hast Crowned them with a Temporal Crown here so in thy due time give them a Crown of Glory hereafter Bless Katherine the Queen Dowager her Royal Highness the Princess Ann of Denmark with the rest of the Royal Family Bless all persons whether dignified or distinguished from the swayer of the Scepter to the drawer of Water have mercy upon all sick persons Women travelling with Child and those who are troubled in Body Mind or Estate O Lord speak peace unto their Consciences and as thou hast laid laid them down with the one hand so raise them up with the other if not to this life to life eternal for the Merits and Mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord Amen A Prayer for Saturday Evening O GOD the maker and preserver of all things look down with thy eye of pity and compassion upon me a miserable sinner I here prostrate my self Soul and Body before thy Divine Majesty beseeching thee in much mercy to pardon my sins to Sanctifie me with thy grace and to bring me to thy glory That so my Soul may be refreshed with such things as Eye hath not seen Ear hath not heard nor hath it entered into the heart of Man to conceive ENTER not into Judgment with thy Servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no Flesh living be justified Examine not my wayes this Week past by the strickt rule of thy Law neither reward me in the severity of thy Justice But have Mercy upon me a miserable offender that have deserved the sharpest of thy Judgments but as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so is thy Mert cy over all thy Works of and great exten to poor Sinners SATISFIE my Soul with thy Mercy and that right soon so shall I rejoyce and be-glad in thee and learn to praise thee Evermore And now O Lord as this Week is ended so let my Sins be ended and never be repeated again any more Be pleased to be my merciful protector and preserver from all perils and dangers this Night Refresh my Body with quiet rest that my mind may be chearful and be fit to serve thee in Sanctifying thy Sabbath and keeping it as a glorious day unto thee through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Meditations on the Lords Supper HOW can I approach so divine a banquet and not by an humble confession wash my hands in innocency holy things must not be given to Dogs nor Pearls cast before Swine What is so holy as the Body and blood of Christ and what Pearl so precious as this Sacrament There is no Dog so filthy or Sow so unclean as I am by Nature but with great detestation of my Rebellious Corruptions I confess that never Dog so often returned to his Vomit nor Sow to her wallowing in the mire as I have to the sink of Sin and mire of sensual filthiness O WASH my hands in purity cleanse my Mouth and purge my Heart that I may take with a pure Hand eat with an undefileth mouth and keep in a faithfull heart this bread of life and food of Angels give me grace throughly and sincerely to examine my self and grant that after Examination I may find my desire fervent my knowledge Competent my Sorrow for Sin unfeigned my purpose of amendment sled fait my love sincere and my Faith lively AND finding my self thus apparelled in a wedding garment let me be found of thee
go down to the pit O what great troubles and Adversities hast thou shewed me and yet didst thou turn and refresh me yea and broughtest me from the deep of the Earth again Praised be god which 〈◊〉 not cast out my Prayer nor â—â—â—ned his Mercy from me LORD what is Man that thou hast respect unto him Or the Son of Man that thou so regardest him The Lord is Righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his Works The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him yea all such as call upon him faithfully He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their Cry and will help them SING Praises unto the Lord O ye Saints of his and give thanks unto him for a remembrance of his Holiness for his Wrath endureth but the twinkling of Eye and in his pleasure is Life Heaviness may endure for a Night but joy cometh in the Morning Praised be the Lord daily even the God which helpeth us and pouereth his benefits upon us HE is our God even the God of whom cometh Salvation God is the Lord by whom we escape Death I will be glad and rejoyce in thy Mercy For thou hast Considered my trouble and hast known my Soul in adverâ—ity thou hast turned my heaviness into joy thou hast put off my Sackeloth and girded me with gladness PRAISE the Lord O my Soul And all that is within me Praise his holy Name Praise the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits Which forgiveth all thy Sin and healeth all thine infirmities Which saveth thy life from destruction and Crowneth thee with Mercy and loving kindness I shall not dye but live and declare the works of the Lord The Lord hath chastned me and corrected me but he hath not given me over unto Death A Thanksgiving after Recovery from Sickness OMNIPOTENT Lord God the Author of Life who bringest down to the Grave and raisest up again I most humbly confess to the Glory of thine infinite Majesty that if thou hadst not out of thy tender Compassion blessed and sustained me in my sickness I should have gone down to the Gates of Death but it was thy goodness and loving kindness to spare and deliver me from all dangers Let me for ever Praise and glorifie thy holy Name for this and all other thy Mercies towards me THOU art gracious when thou smitest me but I cannot express thy infinite sweetness when thou Relievest my necessity when thou sustainest my Sorrows when thou doâ—t deliver me from thy Wrath when thou hearest my prayers and when thou pourest thy Benefits upon me O give unto me thy unworthy Servant a thankful Heart and obedient and loving Spirit a carefulness of my Duty Charity and Humility Zeal of thy Glory and a submission to thy Divine will and Pleasure that serving thee in all things I may be conducted at last to thy Heavenly Kingdom TEACH me alwayes to remember my latter end and that this Life is but a shadow that declineth and withereth like Grass But thou O Lord shalt endure for ever for thou art the same and thy Years shall have no end Bring me by an unchangeable love and obedience to thee in all the changes and chances of this mortal Life for his sake who loved me and gave himself for me even thy Son and my alone Saviour Amen A Prayer before a Iourney O MOST gracious and Merciful Lord God who art a God a far off as well as nigh at hand be pleased to send thy holy Angel before me thy Servant to defend me in this my journey from the heat of the day and the Cold of the night from the Arrow that flies at Noon and the evil Spirits that walk in darkness from errors and falls from precipices and fracture of bones from Robbers evil intentions and bad accidents from violent Weather and violent Fears from all impressions of evil Men and evil Spirits let this Journey be safe and useful to me thy Servant Comfortable to my Relations and holiness to thy great Name THE Lord bless me and keep me the Lord make his Face to shine upon me and be gracious unto me keep me from all evil and lead me into all good by the Conduct of thy good Spirit let thy providence and love be my defence and security thy Grace be my portion and thy Service my Employment do thou O Lord go in and out before me and keep me in all my wayes and lead me in thy Paths bring me back again in peace and safety and prosper all my innocent and holy purposes and when the few and evil daies of my Pilgrimage are ended do thou of thy infinite Mercy bring me to the Regions of holiness and eternal peace through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Thanksgiving after a Iourney O GOD the great Creator and preserver of all Men I give thee humble and hearty thanks for thy great Mercies shewed unto me all the dayes of my Life how often O Lord hast thou turned away thy Face from my sins and made as if thou perceivest them not How often mightest thou have with-held thy hand of preservation from me and yet thy patience hath extended so far towards me that thou hast suffered no prejudice to befall me And as I owe thee infinite thanks for thy former preservations so now I am further obliged to thee that thou hast at this time not only guided me to the place whither I designed to go but hast also brought me back in safety and in my absence hast preserved all things unto me GIVE me thy Grace O Lord to be alwaies mindful of these and all other thy Mercies towards me and make me truly thankful unto thee for them and grant that as by this thy Mercy I have well finished my affairs abroad and am returned safe to this my Temporal habitation so grant that my Spirit after this Pilgrimage here on Earth may return to thy Heavenly mansion and there dwell with thee for ever and that for the sake and merits of Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour Amen A Prayer before a Voyage OETERNAL God even the God of our Salvation the hope of all the ends of the Earth and of them that remain in the wide Ocean under the shadow of whose Wings we are always secure and without whose protection we cannot expect safety I have been O Lord preserved by thee until this moment from many dangers for which I have not expressed my thankfulness in acknowledging those dayly blessings I have received from thee but O Lord forget and forgive those manifold sins which I have Committed against thee and blot them out of thy Book of remembrance PURGE me O Lord I beseech thee from all vile affections and grant I may bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit go along with me with thy blessed Spirit in this my Voyage preserve me from Pirates Robbers and Enemies defend me from Rocks Sands and Shelves and keep me from Thunder
Noâ—trils can drive us like Chaff before the face of the Wind and chase us into the bottomless Pit from whence there is no Redemption BUT thine Eye O Lord hath spared us and we are yet alive O make us living Monuments of thy Mercy that we may work out our Repentance unto Salvation and let it be such a Repentance never to be repented of possess my heart with such a fear and a love of thee that I may tremble at thy Word and melt at the sight of thy Judgments deliver me I humbly beseech thee in that great day of thy appearance and let me not be in the number of Depart ye Cursed but among those whom thou callest Come you blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you This I humbly beg for thy Sons sake our only Lord and Saviour Amen The Marriners Prayer O GOD the great Creator of Heaven and Earth thou dost whatsoever thou pleaseâ—t in the Sea and in all deep places I the most unworthiest of all thy Servants am at this time called upon to behold thy Wonders in the Deep and to perform my Duty in great Waters Guide me I beseech thee in all times and in all places be thou our skilful Pilot to steer us and protect us from all Dangers and rebuke the Winds and the Seas when they molest us preserve our Vessel from being rent by the loud cracks of Thunder or from being burnt by Lightning or any other accident keep us and save us from tempestuous Weather from bitter Frosts Hail Ice Snow or Whirlwinds and from Captivity and Slavery TEACH me O God to remember thee my Creator in the days of my Youth to continually think upon thee and to praise thy Name for all thy Mercies bless all our Friends I beseech thee that are on Land and let their Prayers for us be acceptable in thy sight and grant that our next meeting together may be for the better and not for the worse even to the praising and magnifying of thy holy Name and the Salvation of our own Souls in the great day of the Lord Jesus to whom with thee and thy blessed Spirit be ascribed all Honour Power and Glory Adoration and Subjection now and for evermore Amen The Soldiers Prayer O MOST Omnipotent Lord God Heaven is thy Throne and Earth is thy Footstool and the whole Host of Heaven continually pays obedience to thee O Lord I present my self before thee acknowledging my own vileness but thy infinite goodness my own weakness but thy infinite Power and Majesty O thou that teaches our hands to War and our fingers to Fight endue me with a courage and resolution to run through those difficulties I may meet withal and when any engagement presents it self for the publick good of my King and Country then O my God animate me with that vigour and Christian fortitude that I may overcome all those which oppose thee and thy people PRESERVE me I beseech thee and bless me in all my Enterprises save me from Death and cover my head in our day of Battel prosper our Arms with good success make our Religion and Country like the House of David grow stronger and stronger but let the Enemy like the House of Saul grow weaker and weaker let no covetous desires greediness of spoil ambition vain-glory hatred malice uncharitableness or any thing that exalts it self against thee and thy Kingdom ever take hold of me keep me from all Atheism Infidelity Blasphemy and Prophaneness from all Rioting Chambering and Wantonness grant that I may do no violence to any man nor accuse no man falsly but be content with my Wages that when ever Death approaches I may joyfully giving up the Ghost pronounce this saying I have fought a good fight I have finish'd my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Iudge shall give unto all those which love and fear him and put their trust in his mercy Amen The Magistrates Prayer O GOD thou Supreme Judge of the World thou didit ordain Man through thy Wisdom and gavest him dominion over thy Creatures and authority to govern the World according to equity and righteousness and to execute Judgment with all uprightness thou hast appointed me a Minister O Lord and a Judge of thy Sons and Daughters but none can discharge so great a trust without thy divine power and assiâ—tance TO thee therefore O Lord do I humbly address my self thou art the Fountain from whence every good and perfect gift cometh and none can rule without thy Wisdom guides them Endue me O Lord with that wisdom which is from above which is first pure and then peaceable inspire me with an understanding Spirit that I may discern between Good and Evil between Light and Darkness that I may be always ready to pronounce a just sentence in all Causes let the Scales of Justice be ever even and let my Eyes be blind and my Ears deaf to all gifts or popular applause amongst men suffer me not to bear thy Sword in vain but fill me with that Zeal and Courage that I may be ready to punish Wickedness and Vice but encourage true Religion and Vertue so that at the last when thou shalt be pleased to call me hence I may give up my accounts with joy and not with grief and receive those blessed Words which thou hast pronounced of Well done thou good and faithful Servant enter into the joy of thy Lord. Amen A Prayer of a Debtor in Prison O GOD the helper of the poor and needy and all those who are in adversity look down I beseech thee with an Eye of Pity and Compassion upon thy afflicted Servant the place I am in is miserable disconsolate and comfortless but withdraw not the light of thy countenance from me O Lord I confess I have abused all those mercies I have enjoyed I have not employed that precious time thou hast given me to improve but on the contrary I have been negligent and guilty of all profuseness I have been worse than an Infidel in not making that provision for my Family which I was obliged in Justice to perform neither have I paid those due Debts which I became bound to do therefore aâ— I plunged into this depth of misery Divers ways I am apprehensive I have highly offended thy Divine Majesty both in thought word and deed for which I earnestly implore thy gracious pardon and forgiveness I acknowledge thy Divine Goodness and Mercy that thou hast not snatched me hence and sent me into everlasting burnings amongst the damned but thou hast preserved me unto this moment that I might live and praise thy great Name My Body O Lord is now confin'd but I beseech thee enlarge my Spirit whereby I may offer up the Sacrifice of Prayer and Thanksgiving with all cheerfulness for all thy innumerable benefits which I have from time to time received from thee dispose the hearts of my
to keep our Faith and a good Conscience void of offence we may now and in the hour of death be and remain alwayes thine Defend us from all evil and sence us against the assaluts of Satan watch over us by the Eye of thy good providence and cause thy Angels to pitch their tents about us for our safety and continual preservation INTO thy hands we now commit our Souls and Bodies guide our thoughts words and actions and if we forget thee our God at any time O! do thou in mercy remember us and forgive us our trespasses make us to see our Sins in the glass of thy Law to mourn for them in the Closet of our hearts and Confess them in the bitterness of our Souls teach us to cast off the rags of iniquity and by Faith put on the Robes of Righteousness Help us to manage the Sword of the Spirit and the Helmet of Salvation that we may be able to fight against the Wiles of the Devil the vanitics of the World the Lusts of the flesh and the pride of Life BE favourable to Sion build up the walls of Ierusalem more particularly preserve and enlarge these Churches of great Britain and Ireland feed them as thy flock and Family Dress them as thy Vineyard and adorn them as thy Spouse Defend our Soveraign Lord and Lady King William and Queen Mary from all Enemies at home and abroad preserve their Bodies in Health the Hearts and Souls in soundness and truth their lives in honour and their honour from underminers Bless Katherine the Queen Dowager her Royal Highness the Princess Ann of Denmark with the rest of the Royal Family Bless those which rule in Church and State all Schools of good Education and sound Learning all thy Ministers and Magistrates with all our Relations in the Flesh and Friends in the Spirit to whom thou hast any ways made us bounden O Lord enable us to requite them or lay it on thine own account to restore it unto them and their Posterities And here we yield thee all laud and praise for Creating us when we were nothing for Predestinating us unto the Adoption and choosing us in Christ before the Foundation of the World We thank thee for our Preservation this Night past and for bringing of us this day to behold thy glorious light Lord awake our Souls from Sin and Carnal Security that we may be prepared like wise Virgins with Oyl in our Lamps to meet the sweet Bridegroom of our Souls whether at the hour of Death or the Day of Judgment These and all other Graces which for blindness we cannot and for our unworthiness we dare not ask we beseech thee to give us for the worthiness of thy dear Son Jesus Christ our Lord in whose most holy Name and Words we conclude these our imperfect Prayers in that most perfect Form of Prayer which he himself hath further taught us in his holy Gospel saying Our Father c. A Collect for the Day LORD bless us and make thy Face to shine upon us keep us from Sin and Satan sickness and sorrow shame and servitude loss of Goods and good Names or of any thing more near and dear unto us if it be thy good pleasure preserve us evermore in thy Faith and holy Fear guide us constantly by thy Councel and after that receive us to Glory Amen An Evening Prayer for a Family O GOD the God of the Spirits of all Flesh the high and lofty one that Inhabitest Eternity who hast made the Earth by thy power Establish'd the World by thy Wisdom and stretched out the Heavens by thy discretion the Father of Eternity and Fountain of Mercy the giver of all good things the forgiver of all sins and the comforter of all such as fly unto thee Lord we are here present before thee be thou present with us and President amongst us we appeal from the Seat of thy Justice to the Throne of thy Mercy beseeching thee to give us a sense of our own Miseries and an assurance of thy Mercies let us not be possess'd with over much fear but that with a holy confidence of thy goodness we may with joy appear in thy presence in an humble acknowledgment of our sins TO this end we confess that we have sinned against Heaven and before thee and are no more worthy to be called thy Children we have transgressed thy holy Laws and Commandments not only by our Thoughts and Words but by our Deeds and Actions our Iniquities are more in number than the hairs of our Head and make us seem vile in our own Eyes but much more in thy sight Lord unto thee we confess our sins O grant us Pardon and Absolution for them open unto us Penitents that ever streaming Fountain of thy Sons Blood that our sins being Bathed therein we may appear without blemish in thy sight by his Death mortifie our sinful Corruptions hide them in his Wounds and bury them in his Grave that they may neither rise in this life to shame us nor in the World to come to condemn us GIVE us thy holy Spirit let him purge our Consciences heal our Corruptions illuminate our Understandings confirm our Memories and consecrate our Souls and Bodies that they may be fit Temples for thy holy Ghost to dwell in Be merciful to thy Church and enlarge her borders shower down the choicest of thy blessings upon the heads and hearts of thy Servants our Soveraign Lord and Lady King William and Queen Mary bless them with length of days here and with a Crown of Glory hereafter bless Katherine the Queen Dowager her Royal Highness the Princess Ann of Denmark with all the rest of the Royal Family Bless the Nobility Gentry Ministry Magistracy and Commonalty our Relations in the Flesh and Friends in the Spirit protect all that stand up for thy Truth but as for thy Foes let them be ashamed and confounded AND now seeing thou hast brought the Night upon us wherein thou hast ordained man to rest in we humbly beseech thee who art the Keeper of Israel who never slumberest nor sleepest to watch over us by thy Providence cause thy holy Angels to pitch their Tents round about us that being freed from the terrors of the Night and refreshed with moderate rest and sleep we may the better be enabled to praise thy Name and to walk before thee in all good Works and holiness of Conversation all the days of our lives Let our Bed O Lord put us in mind of our Grave and our rising from thence of our Resurrection that whether we wake or sleep we may be always thine AND knowing that thy Name O Lord is a strong To ver of Defence we here commend our selves this Night to thy most holy protection if it be thy Divine Will to call any of us hence in our sleep O Lord for thy Sons sake have mercy upon us and receive our Souls into thy most blessed Kingdom but if it be thy heavenly pleasure
Meditations aright for Mortality and at that last hour make him to deny himself in renouncing his Justification by any inherent worth or righteousness and in all sorrows and sufferings let thy comforts rejoyce his Soul TO this end mortifie in him the Corruption of Nature quicken him with the Soul of new life and establish him with thy free Spirit purge his heart from all worldly thoughts and his mind from carnal desires motions and affections wash his Soul and Body with the Blood of Christ and sanctifie him throughout in Spirit Soul and Body with the Grace of thy holy Spirit that departing in the true Faith not casting away his confidence nor hope of rejoycing in full assurance of a blessed Resurrection he may have boldness in the day of the Lord Jesus and so pass from Death to Life and be ever with thee to behold thy Glory grant this for the sake of thy dear Son our Lord and Saviour Amen Another Prayer to be used by those that are about the Sick O LORD our God thou art the Judge of all the Earth we Dust and Ashes vile and miserable Sinners do here in all humility cast down our selves before thee for our Sins which are the occasion of all the evil of punishment thou inflictest on the Sons and Daughters of Men. Lord hear us and forgive whatsoever is past and grant that we may for ever hereafter serve and please thee through newness of life walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days and because the days are evil give us Grace to redeem the time that numbring our days aright we may apply our hearts unto true Wisdom make us constantly to eschew evil and do good to seek peace and ensue it LOOK with thine Eye of Mercy and Compassion upon this thy Servant who is grieved with Sickness sanctifie this thy Visitation unto him that those Graces which thou hast begun to work in him may be strengthened increased and by degrees perfected restore unto him the voice of joy and health that the Bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce And seeing we have need of patience send this thy Servant such a degree of patience and consiancy that he may continue thy Faithful Soldier and Servant unto his lives end work in him a sense and seeling of sin and true sorrow for the same which may cause repentance unto Salvation never to be repented of O LORD if it be not thy good pleasure to raise him up from his Bed of languishing prepare his heart for Death and his Soul for Heaven and wash away his Sins in the Blood of Jesus wean his affections from the love of this World and set them on those things which are above that being absent from the Body he may be present with thee O Lord. Repair in this thy Servant thine own Image and renew it in knowledge holiness and righteousness that thou mayest acknowledge him for thine raise him up from the Grave unto the Resurrection of Life and for ever satisfie him with thy likeness and transform him into the same from Glory to Glory Amen A Prayer to recommend the Soul to God when it is departing the Body O MOST Gracious God we commend into thy holy hands the Soul of this thy Servant beseeching thee to defend it from all evil and from thy wrath which he hath deserved let thy holy Angels receive this Soul from this ruinous habitation of Clay and carry it unto the bosom of thy dear Son O say unto this Soul this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise and fear not for it is my Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdom GIVE unto his decaying Body a blessed and a glorious Resurrection to his weary and afflicted his penitent and redeemed Soul a portion in the blessed sentence of the right hand amongst the happy Children of thy Father who shall receive the Kingdom prepared for them from the beginning of the World let his Soul dwell in heavenly Mansions be supported with thy hope comforted with a holy conscience rejoyce in a confirm'd pardon be recreated with the visitation of Angels and be arrayed in white to follow after the Lamb whither soever he goeth A Prayer for a Soul departing O LORD remember the good things which by thy Grace and by the Inspiration of thy holy Spirit thy Servant hath performed and remember not his evil Deeds nor the frailties of his Youth which by the weakness of the Flesh and the temptations of Satan and the vain contingencies of this World have afflicted and humbled his poor but penitent Soul O God remember thy only Son did die for these and thy blessed Spirit occasioned the other and for whom thou hast given thy Son and to whom thou hast vouchsafed to give thy Spirit give thy eternal Pardon and thy everlasting Glories through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen An Act of Resignation when a Friend is deceas'd O ETERNAL God who bringest good out of evil comfort out of sorrow and after a gentle visitation dost refresh thy Children have mercy upon us and return to us with thy loving kindness exchanging our present sorrow into the advantages of holiness and blessing Thy Judgments O Lord are unsearchable and thy ways past finding out but we will bless thy holy Name at all times for thou O Lord hast given and hast taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. BE thou now and for ever what thou hast so graciously promised a Father of the Fatherless a Husband to the Widow and a God of Comfort to them that mourn in secret Grant that we thy Servants may not weep as them without hope neither murmur at thy dispensation nor complain of any thing but our selves nor desire any thing but that thy Will may be done nor do any thing but what is agreeable to thy holy Word and Commandment GRANT O Lord that when thou smitest any of us it may encrease thy fear in us and when thou dost good to any of us in smiting or forbearing in chastising or Comforting it may encrease thy love in us And let thy holy Spirit so prevail over all our wills and understandings our Affections and the outward Man our interests and our hopes that we may live in this World pleasing to thee and may depart out of this World with the peace of a good Conscience and may attain to a joyful Resurrection in the last day and to a participation of thy Glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Meditation after Recovery from Sickness O COME hither and behold the Works of the Lord how wonderful he is in his doings towards the Children of Men O come hither and hearken all ye that fear God and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul I called unto him with my mouth and gave him praises with my Tongue O Lord my God I cried unto thee and thou hast healed me THOU Lord hast brought my Soul out of Hell Thou hast kept my Life from them that