enlargement of thy kingdome all the world thorow in despight of Turke and Pope all malignant enemies of the same continue it where it is where it is not Lord of thy goodnes plant thy heauenly power though wee haue failed and grieuously offended yet correct vs thou in thy mercy and giue vs not ouer a prey vnto their teeth whose tender mercies are cruell downe with Dagon and set vp the glorious Gospell of Christ Iesus among the sonnes of men Now O Lord thy Church is heauily assaulted I beseech thee fight out al our battels and euermore defend vs let them not say There there so would we haue it neither let them say We haue deuoured them let them not mocke and vaunt Where is now their God they cry maliciously Downe with them Psal 137.7 down with them euen to the ground but Lord better than thy Church should bee extinguished the whole army of Sathan to bee confounded If it may bee Lord conuert the enemies of thy Church if that cannot bee Lord confound them Thus Lord I pray thee powerfully protect and graciously direct thy Church on earth and make it one day triumphant in heauen for Iesus sake alone in whom thou art well pleased Amen A Prayer for the conuersion of the Iew. MOst gracious and blessed heauenly Father there was a time wherein thou in thy mercy didst vouchsafe thy Law to Israel all other nations of the world depriued of the same and now is the time wherein they for their contempt of thy Sonne Iesus Christ are depriued of thy Gospell and the Gentiles of the world enlightened with the same and there will come a time wherein Iew and Gentile shall bee of one fold and faith and that is when the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled O Lord pitty the fall of thy first chosen and let not thine anger bee euer against them turne againe O God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and visit them with thy saluation that are now scattered and a despised people ouer the face of the whole earth O Lord conuert them and bring them to the faith of the Lord Iesus dispell the mist of ignorance from their eies and let not such multitudes goe to perdition for Abraham thy seruants sake looke vpon the desolate progeny And seeing contempt and vnbeleefe cast them off Rom. 11.2 Lord giue vs to beleeue obey thy truth left wee also bee cast out and expelled if thou sparedst not the naturall Oliue how wilt thou spare the wilde branch Lord grant that Iew and Gentile may all the world thorow oyne in one faith and truth to thy glory and the saluation of innumerable soules in the LORD IESVS Amen A Morning Prayer for a family O Lord our GOD most mighty glorious and in mercy abundantly gracious wee thy seruants desire this morning and euermore to blesse thy holy and heauenly Name for all thy blessed mercies first and last afforded vs in the Lord Iesus In particular wee blesse thee for thy safe protection and prouidence ouer vs this last night past in keeping vs aliue of thy goodnesse and mercy to this houre day O Lord as we liue by thee giue vs all thy grace to liue vnto thee and to the praise of thy blessed Name And we intreat thy Maiesty to blesse vs this day and euermore to come Lord saue vs from bodily perils and that by the watch of thy good Angels saue vs especially O Lord from sinning against thee and that by the Power and residence of grace in our soules thus blesse vs in body and soule in this life that so wee may haue the surer hope of euerlasting saluation in the life to come And good Father grant that wee may labour and striue against all corruption and sin but most especially against those euils that haue most defiled our soules let vs flie all occasions of them and vse all holy helps against them and in the might and strength of thine all sufficient grace vouchsafe vs daily victory ouer them O that wee could say with thy feruant Paul I thanke my God 1 Cor. 15. concerning sinne I die daily And good Lord so bless vs with thy grace that we may cheerefully and constantly goe on in the performance of all such duties as thou hast appointed for vs to walk in grant that the concupiscence of the eie 1 Ioh. 2.16 the concupiscence of the flesh the pride of life may neuer corrupt and defile vs but let euermore our conuersations be holy and heauenly keepe vs also from idlenesse grant wee may bee alwaies sound exercised in the duties of our calling either generall or particular that when our Lord and Master commeth being found thus vigilant wee may enter with him into the ioy of the Lord. Thus gracious God giue vs to walke in holinesse and vprightnes before thee that so we may both saue our owne soules and those that are about vs for Iesus Christ his sake thy Sonne our Sauiour Amen An Euening Praier for a Family MOST deare and gracious Lord God wee thy humble seruants most earnestly desire thy mercy and compassion vpon vs in pardoning all our sins originall actuall and in giuing vs grace for the preuention of them in time to come and so sanctifie euery of vs that all our ends may be peace O Lord to this end giue vs we pray thee to bee broken in heart for breaking thy commandements smite our sinfull soules for offending thee that so wee may come within compasse of healing and refreshing for none but the laden can be eased and the wearied onely shall bee refreshed And good Father seeing thou hast promised saluation to the humble grant that by faith wee may comfortably rest vpon thy promise for mercy and forgiuenesse and also by power of the same faith liue vnto the praise of thee our Redeemer for euermore Vouchsafe O Lord vnto vs all those blessed graces of thy blessed Spirit onely proper to thine elect and chosen as knowledge vertue faith patience temperance godlines brotherly kindnesse loue if these things be in vs and abound wee shall neuer fall into the ditch of hell Lord turne out sinne and Sathan for wee confesse that wee are out of measure sinfull sinfull by thought sinfull by word sinfull by worke Lord bee merciful vnto vs thus miserable sinners and good Lord let thine holy Spirit make his residence in vs that in this new righteousnes wee shall labour and learne to doe in that wee may saue all our poore soules euerlastingly aliue O Lord blesse with vs thy Church vniuersall Lord saue it from ouerthrow and deliuer it from the present calamity more especially wee beseech thy mercies vpon this nation whereof wee are members this sinfull nation laden with transgression iniquity sinne Lord heale the sores of it pardon the sinnes of it giue it the repentance of Nineue from the Kings person to the begger amongst vs that so thy iudgements may be diuerted from vs. Lord herein wee pray thee blesse the principall Member ouer vs CHARLES by thy good prouidence King of great Britaine France and Ireland giue him a long and lasting life on earth and an euerlasting in heauen blesse our most noble and gracious Queene the Prince and Princesse Palatine and their Princely Issue blesse all the true hearted Nobility all the reuerend Clergie the ciuill Magistracy Gentry Commonalty all Schooles of learning the two Vniuersities all afflicted persons bodily or soulely tormented O Lord deliuer Israel from all their sinnes and sorrowes And good LORD blesse all that are deare and neare in nature vnto vs as father mother brother sister husband wife child LORD giue vs all thy grace in this life thy saluation for euer in heauen And for our selues againe we beseech thee this night to blesse vs in body in soule in basket and store within doores without Lord saue vs from theeues from windes from fire from all dangers and giue vs a sweet rest and comfortable sleepe and for our soules saue them good Lord from sinfull lusts and Sathans assaults that so we being preserued from sin and danger in this life we may not faile of thy mercifull saluation in the end and that for Iesus Christ his sake Amen FINIS
THE PRISONERS PRAYERS OR An Heauenly helpe to DEVOTION Composed by H. Greenwood Preacher of the Word of God 1 THESS 5.17 Pray continually LONDON Printed by I. H. for Henry Bell. 1628. To the most Illustrious and right Vertuous Princesse the Lady KATHERINE Duchesse of Buckingham her grace all honor and grace in this life and eternall glorie in the life to come RIght Gracious Lady the counsell of the holy Apostle is Iam. 5.13 That if any bee afflicted let him pray I haue not onely in my long and great afflictions in some measure herein delightfully obeyed but also composed some few yet comfortable praiers for the benefit of the Church of God Now considering with my selfe to whom I should commend the same I thought vpon your Grace as most worthy of the Dedication both in regard of your late and happy call from darknesse to light as also for your constant conscionable maintenance of holy and wholesome praiers in your family to the glory of the Almighty and the daily supporting and refreshing of your owne soule Now that your Grace may grow and goe on in grace and in the sauing knowledge of the Lord Iesus let mee intreat you at your best leasure to peruse this poore yet profitable present the Lord giue you grace to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ Iesus made you free Gal. 5.1 and bee not intangled againe with the yoke of bondage And as your Grace by Gods especiall mercy hath tasted of the true and heauenly refreshing the Lord make you an happy and heauenly Instrument of the conuersion of many great Ones among vs so shall you shine as a starre in the firmament of saluation Thus Andrew drew on Peter and Philip Nathaniel thus doing greater shall your reward be in heauen And because euery thing is sanctified by the Word and Prayer 1 Tim. 4.5 the Lord giue you grace to reuerence the one and highly respect the other that your soule may be preserued aliue in the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus to life and glory euerlasting Psal 45.10 If you thus forget your fathers house then shall the heauenly King and earthly too take pleasure in your beauty The Psalmist setting forth the glory of that famous Ierusalem speaketh thus Psal 87.3 Glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of God so without flattery I auerre it good things are spoken of thee O thou hopefull and happy Daughter of God Great is the outward glory cast vpon your Grace I pray God with all my heart that the commendation of the Kings daughter may be yours That you may bee found also all glorious within Psal 45.13 Now the Lords best blessings euermore attend you and the Lord prosper the person of your dearest friend the most Noble and Illustrious DVKE with grace and honour and all his lawfull attempts with good successe and victory for Iesus Christ his sake Amen Your Graces most humbly obseruant in the Lord Iesus H. Greenewood From his Majesties Prison of the Fleet this 13 of Nouemb. 1627. A Catalogue of the Praiers contained in this Booke with a note of the Pages where they may bee found A Praier against sinne and Sathan in generall Page 1 A prayer against the worlds illusions Page 5 A Prayer against Pride Page 7 A Praier against Enuy Page 9 A Praier against Adultery Page 12 A Praier against Couetousnesse Page 15 A Praier against hardnesse of heart Page 18 A Praier against Drunkennesse Page 21 A prayer against Murther Page 25 A Praier against Hypocrisie Page 27 A Praier against Reuenge Page 31 A Praier against Theft Page 35 A Praier against Swearing Page 38 A Praier against Periury Page 41 A Praier against Security Page 43 A Praier against Desperation Page 46 A Praier against Heresie Page 50 A Praier against Lying Page 54 A Praier against Sabbath breaking Page 56 A Praier against idle words Page 60 A Praier against euill thoughts Page 63 A Praier against disobedience to Parents Page 67 A Praier against blasphemy against the holy Ghost Page 69 A Praier against Presumption Page 73 A Praier against the Plague Page 77 A Praier against the Sword Page 80 A Praier against Famine Page 83 A Praier for grace in generall Page 87 A Praier for knowledge Page 92 A Praier for Humiliation Page 96 A Praier for Faith Page 99 A Praier for obedience Page 105 A Praier for Zeale Page 109 A Praier for brotherly loue Page 112 A Praier for Humility Page 116 A Praier for Patience Page 120 A Praier for Innocency Page 124 A Praier for mercy and compassion Page 126 A Praier for peace of Conscience Page 130 A Praier for ioy in the Holy Ghost Page 134 A Praier for increase of Grace Page 138 A Praier for perseuerance in Grace Page 143 A Praier for preparation to the Sacrament Page 147 A Praier for the Gospels continuance Page 153 A Praier for preparation to Death Page 156 A Praier for a woman in Child-birth Page 160 A Praier after Child-birth Page 164 A Praier for the Traueller by land Page 167 A Praier for the Traueller by sea Page 170 A Praier for the Church Page 174 A Praier for the conuersion of the Iew. Page 179 A Morning Praier for a family Page 183 An Euening Praier for a Family Page 188 The Prisoners Prayers A Prayer against sin and Sathan in generall MOST blessed and glorious LORD GOD I beseech thee of thine infinite mercies be pitifully mercifull vnto mee poore miserable and most corrupted sinner O Lord cast out sinne and Sathan let a greater than Sathan enter euen thine holy and good Spirit and binde that enemie of thy glory my saluation that he may preuaile no longer against mee Thus thou didst deale O my gracious God most mercifully with Mary Magdalene â—uk 8.2 casting seuen Deuils out of her Good Father I confesse that seuenty times seuen doe grieue my poore and pensiue soule for so many foule lusts so many vncleane Deuils Lord in thy might and mercy giue mee to preuaile against them What will sinne afford mee but shame in this world and confusion in the world to come Lord therfore strengthen mee against these corruptions and chiefest enemies of my soule let mee be as willing euermore to put a Toad into my mouth as to suffer a sinne to rest and reigne in my soule O that my wayes were made so direct that I might neuer sinne more Lord heare my mournfull prayers and let these my cries come vp vnto thee for Iesus Christs sake thy Sonne my Sauiour Amen A Prayer against the worlds illusions MOst gracious and blessed heauenly Father forasmuch as thou hast taught mee that I must vse the world as not abusing it and seeing also I finde my selfe by nature too too prone and ready to set my delight on things below and to giue more affection to things seene than things vnseene O Lord who art the only sanctifier of thine elect saue mee from immoderate loue
and excessiue delight of the same grant that no worldly honour pleasure profit may deceiue me but I beseech thee that thy lower blessings may be receiued of mee with a lower loue and thine heauenly graces thine eternall glories with the greatest glory and chiefest delight of my soule Lord for thy Christs sake heare mee herein Amen Amen A Praier against Pride MOst deare and gracious God I most humbly intreat thee so to assist mee with thy grace that I may euermore take heed of that first and worst sinne the sinne of the Deuill namely pride O Lord grant I may neuer be puffed vp in minde nor haue a scornfull eye for pride will haue a fearfull fall and high-mindednesse alwayes goeth before destruction Dan. 4.27 28. Nabuchadnezzar paid dearly for his vaine and foolish vaunting and that proud and boasting Pharisee went home condemned for his sinne Luk. 18.14 O Lord then giue mee power and strength against this wicked lust this base and senselesse sinne Let not O God of all goodnesse this euill appeare in mee by mine apparell speech looke gate or any other vnseemely behauiour for thou O God resistest the proud and giuest thy grace only to the humble Humble mee then I pray thee that I may in due time be euerlastingly exalted of thee in the Lord IESVS Amen A Prayer against Enuie O LORD GOD wheras thou hast taught me by thy blessed Apostle Rom. 12.15 to reioyce with them that reioyce I beseech thee saue and defend mee from that fearfull sinne of Enuy the sinne of Sathan for hee enuied the standing power of Adam the sinne of Cain Gen. 4.5 who vexed his soule at thy graces apparent in Abel O God of thy goodnesse saue mee from this sinne and wickednesse Grant most holy and heauenly Father that I may abound in loue towards my brethren and blesse thee as heartily for any mercie or blessing conferred vpon others as vpon mine owne soule As one member reioyceth in the glory and welfare of another so grant that I may proue my self a true member of Christ Iesus in delighting in the prosperity of thy Saints and seruants Lord keepe me from an hatefull soule and fulfill mine heart with loue to the glory of thy great name and euerlasting saluation of my poore soule in the merits of the Lord Iesus Amen A Prayer against Adultery MOst mighty and most mercifull Father for as much as thou hast shewen vnto me frō thy holy heauenly word that no vncleane thing shal enter into thy Kingdom and no adulterer shall inherit heauen 1 Cor. 6.9 such shall onely enter into thy glory as haue not defiled thēselues with women as Saint Iohn declareth in his Reuelations Good Father I pray thee purge my soul from all foule and fleshly lusts my body is the Temple of thy holy Spirit Lord let mee neuer defile it grant Lord that I may preserue and present it spotlesse to the comming of the Lord Iesus turne away mine eies that I behold not vanity Matth. 5.20 If mine eye offend mee Lord grant that I may pull it out better for me to go into that life with one eie than to goe with two eies into the darknesse and damnation of hell Giue mee O Lord the helpe of thy grace that I may conquer all beastly lusts all vnclean desires al polluted and polluting actions and be freed from them for the honor of thy name in the worthinesse of the Lord Iesus Amen A Prayer against Couetousnesse O Eternal euerliuing Lord God thou hast reuealed vnto me from thy blessed word Psal 10.3 that thou abhorrest the couetous and couetousnes is so foule an euill as it is called Spiritual Idolatry O LORD of thy mercy saue my soul from this vile and earthly sinne giue mee to take heed and beware of Couetousnesse for a mans life stands not in his wealth and abundance that man in the Gospel was rightly tearmed a foole for resting on his goods Luke 12.20 making them his God O Lord what greater folly can there bee than to leaue thee the fountaine of liuing waters and to trust in vaine and vncertaine riches for as the Psalmist tels me Psal 49.7 A man by his wealth cannot redeeme his brother so precious is the redemption of souls and their continuance for euer Therefore let my conuersation O Lord be without couetousnes for thou hast promised I will not faile thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13.5 Lord raise mine heart from earthly mindednesse and let my chiefe delight bee on heauen and heauenly things giue me this couetousnesse namely to couet after spiritual things and let all my delight bee in thy statutes that my life being holy and conuersation heauenly I may in the end obtaine the kingdome of heauen and life euerlasting through Iesus Christ mine onely Lord and Sauiour Amen A Prayer against hardnes of heart O Lord my God I most humbly beseech thee in the Lord Iesus to frame my soul according to thy will to bring mine heart to the obedience of thy holy and heauenly law in all things mollifie my stiffe and stubborne heart giue me a teachable and tractable spirit that I may euermore be guided by the motions of thy holy Spirit and counsell of thy heauenly word into all goodnesse Take away good Father the stoninesse of my heart for I feele much hardnesse in it and giue me an heart of flesh Ezek. 36.26 giue mee the spirit of good King IOSIAH 2 Chron. 34.27 whose heart melted within him at the reading of thy Law giue mee O Lord to tremble at my sinnes to mourne at thy iudgements to bee comforted by thy mercies in the merits of the LORD IESVS Create in me O Lord a new heart Psal 51.10 and renew a right spirit within mee turne me and I shall bee turned conuert me and then shall my soule be conuerted vnto thee Thy mercies now I aske Lord grant that I may haue thy sweet graces now I seeke grant Lord that I may finde at thy heauenly gates I knock Lord open vnto me the doore of saluation for Iesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer against Drunkennesse MOst deare and gracious God I thine vnworthy seruant am bold vpon the multitude of thy mercies to present my selfe before thee earnestly crauing pardon for my sinnes and thy power and presence of grace for the preuention of them in time to come In particular O Lord I beseech thee that I may bee preserued from that swinish sinne of drunkennesse fearefull are thy woes denounced against the same many other most damnable transgressions alwaies wait vpon the same yea a legion of deuils attends the same as swearing adulterie quarrelling and the like Lord for thy mercies sake saue me from excesse whether I eat or drinke or whatsoeuer I doe else let mee doe all to the glory of thy blessed name And good Father giue me to shun all occasions of this sinne especially I pray thee
thy Sabbath on earth Grant I may deale with no worldly thing on this thy day that I may go to thy Temple and returne to mine house and make no other walke on this thy day that I may not doe or looke vpon any vaine pastimes on this thy day And good Lord stirre vp mine heart to blesse thy Name for so blessed and happie a day wherein thine heauenly instructions are imparted to my soule Did not this day shine in thine ordinance most graciously vpon me all the daies of the weeke yea all the daies of my life would bee dismall vnto me Lord continue this thine holy day to the comming of the Lord Iesus in the clouds to iudgment for thy mercies sake sweet LORD Amen A Prayer against Idle words MOst glorious and blessed heauenly Father whereas thou hast shewen vnto mee from thy heauenly Word Matth. 12.36 That of euery idle word that men shall speake account shall bee giuen at the day of iudgment O GOD of thy great goodnesse and mercy so possesse me with thy power of grace that I may alwaies say with thy good and godly seruant Dauid Psal 39.1 I will take heed vnto my waies that I offend not in my tongue Lord if I speake 1 Pet. 4.11 giue mee that I may speak as thy holy word prescribes mee holily profitably to the glorification of thy great Name the edification of the hearers consolation of mine owne soule Moderate I beseech thee the rudenesse and rashnes of my tongue it is but a little member Iames 3.5 8. but Lord I confesse a very hard thing for me to rule tame grant therefore I may set a watch ouermore before the doore of my lippes Psal 41.3 that no vanity may bee vttered the tongue in the originall signifieth glory Lord grant that I therby may glorifie thy great and godly name O Lord giue me neuer to speake but holily modestly heauenly that I may in the end for euer in heauen with the same my tongue sing a most ioyfull and glorious Halleluiah to thee O blessed Lord God and to the Lambe the Lord Iesus for euermore Amen A Prayer against euill Thoughts MY most holy and heauenly LORD GOD I pray thee in and for the Lord Iesus to reforme mine erroneous nature and sanctifie my most sinful and polluted soule Lord cleanse my heart within and then the outside shall be cleane also It is not O Lord that which goeth into man that defileth a man Matth. 15.19 but that which commeth out of man that defiles him for out of the heart commeth murther adultery and other vncleane euils O my deare and blessed heauenly Father purge the fountaine and the riuer shal be cleane purge mine heart from vaine and euil thoughts and lusts then shall my mouth praise thee and mine actions bee in some measure sutable to thy holy will O Lord Pâ—ou 4.23 giue me to keep mine heart with all diligence for therout commeth life if I keepe it not with all diligence thereout wil come death that is sinne whose wages is death Giue mee my blessed Sauiour to keepe a narrow watch ouer my thoughts that no wicked thought profane lust or vngodly desire may nestle in my soule Wisd 1.9 for inquisition shal be made for the very thoughts of the vngodly Lord grant then that the thoughts of my heart may bee alwaies holy and heauenly that so my soule being taken vp with holy meditations and heauenly contemplations here I may bee admitted to that most excellent glorie of heauen purchased in the blood of the LORD IESVS to whom with thee and thine holy Spirit my soule in her best thoughts desire to render all glory in all reuerence now and for euermore Amen A Praier against disobedience to Parents O Almighty God as thou hast promised long and happy life to those that honor their Father and Mother Exod. 20.12 so is it most certaine that disobedient children shall not escape thy fearefull vindicts and iudgments for hee that disobeyeth his father or mother the Rauens of the vallies shall pick out his eies and deuoured shal he be of the young Eagles Prou. 30.17 O Lord giue mee to consider that I receiued from my Parents my being my maintenance mine education how then shall I sufficiently expresse my dutie vnto them better neuer beene borne than to contemne or neglect them by whom I had my being O good God blesse my parents sanctifie them giue them thy mercies in this life thy saluation in the next and me thy grace to doe vnto them all honour and helpe while I liue Amen A Praier against blasphemy against the Holy Ghost O Blessed and gracious God thy mercy is to be mightily magnified and euerlastingly extolled for thy compassion to humbled and penitent sinners for there is mercie and saluation with thee that thou maiest bee feared Psal 130.4 and trusted to for life yet notwithstanding thou hast reuealed thine irreuocable Sentence against one sinne and but one that hee that committeth it shal neuer bee pardoned neither here nor at the day of iudgment Matth. 12.32 and that is blasphemy against the HOLY GHOST a sinne vnto death vnto damnation not to bee pardoned not to bee praied for Lord giue me thy grace that I may carefully seeke to know it and more carefully seeke to auoid it when a man is enlightned to know thy truth to professe thy truth to giue good allowance of it to reuerence honor it and then by the deuils strong temptatioÌ„s to fall off from the same maliciously to oppose and persecute the same and the professors of the same to raile vpon it and disgracefully blaspheme it the conscience notwithstanding all this while conuincing him this is that vnpardonable sinne and it is impossible for this man to repent and bee saued Good Lord grant that I may neuer be thus ouercome by Sathan grant sweet Iesus I may take heed of the way of this fearfull offence and sinne Lord giue mee grace that I may not bee vnreuerent to thy Word that I may not mocke but make much of sincere professors of the same that euermore I may haue a trembling respect to thy Maiesty and ordinance that so I may bee graciously preserued from this fearfull sinne here and the damnation of it hereafter in hell for euermore Amen A Prayer against Presumption O MOST blessed Lord God I cannot while I liue in this body of sinne be freed from sinne and corruption this world will afford me no perfection therfore good Father seeing I cannot but sinne grant me this fauour and compassion that the sinnes which I daily do offend in may be of infirmity not of wilfulnesse nor of maliciousnes nor against the light of conscience especially with thy seruant Dauid I pray thee keepe mee from presumptuous sinnes Psal 19.13 that they may not preuaile ouer me Gracious heauenly Father let not mee boldly offend thee vpon hope of mercie from
man Lord giue mee to bee innocent from all manner of offence innocent to thee innocent to man Psal 37.38 O that I could keepe innocency and doe the thing that is right this would bring me peace at the last Lord grant I may wrong no man neither in body goods nor name grant I may say with Samuel 1 Sam. 12.3 whose Oxe haue I bribed whose Asse haue I taken whom haue I done wrong to giue mee to doe good to all hurt to none giue me to be wise as the Serpent but innocent as the Doue that liuing harmlesly in this world I may liue happily in the next for the merits sake of the Lord Iesus Amen A Praier for mercy and compassion O Lord my GOD most mighty and glorious seeing thou hast commanded mee to weepe with them that weepe Rom. 12.15 and being also the godly practise of my Sauiour for he wept ouer Ierusalem and lamented their destruction grant good Lord I may compassionate the present miseries of thy Church abroad that my heart may melt within me to see thy vine thus stroyed and thy Church thus trodden down by the enemies of thy truth O Lord Psal 80.14 betimes look downe from heauen and visite this vine though thou sufferest it to bee pruned Lord let it neuer bee extinguished I further intreat thee O my God that I may not only mourne ouer the afflictions of my brethren but likewise bee pricked in heart at the falls and sinnes of thy people and let not this my pitty bee in word and shew alone but in deed and in truth to pull them out of their impiety and succour them in their aduersitie to couer the naked to feed the hungry to visit the sicke and imprisoned Matth. 25. to comfort and releeue them if this pitty dwelleth not in me no piety can possesse mee Lord grant I may bee thus mercifull as thou my heauenly Father art mercifull giue mee with thy holy Apostle to cry out Who is afflicted and I mourne not Keepe me from mercilesnesse O Lord of thy goodnesse for iudgement shall bee ministred without mercie Iam. 2.13 to him that hath shewed no mercie Thus I pray thee vouchsafe me a tender heart for thy glory the good of the afflicted and the eternall saluation of my poore soule in the merits of the Lord Iesus Amen A Prayer for peace of Conscience O Almighty and most mercifull God I beseech thee to remoue from my soule all desperate feares all vile corruptions and giue me that great and heauenly blessing namely Prou. The peace of Conscience which passeth all vnderstanding which is a most comfortable and continuall feast And seeing this peace of conscience ariseth from thy reconcilement remission of sins and assurance of life euerlasting good Lord I pray thee be at peace with mee through the Lord Iesus let all my sins in the bloody passions of thy Sonne bee discharged and let my name be found written in the Booke of life And giue me further I beseech thee good Father to preserue this peace of conscience and that by auoiding all but especially knowen sinnes by doing euery duty vprightly though not perfectly and by renewing my humiliation repentance more throughly Lord grant I may not sinne against the light of conscience that I may neuer defile and wound my conscience by wilfull offending that faith and holinesse may dwell therein O helpe me good Lord Act. 4.16 thus to keepe a cleare conscience both toward thee and man Saue mee my God from a benummed conscience a desperate conscience an erroneous conscience a polluted conscience and giue me a pure conscience a peaceable conscience a good conscience that this may minister cōfort vnto me in the greatest afflictions strongest temptations at the houre of death at the day of iudgement and bee a sure seale to my soule of life and saluation euerlasting in the merits of the Lord Iesus Amen A Prayer for ioy in the holy Ghost MOST deare and gracious GOD for as much as thy diuine consolation is a sure marke and euidence of thy loue for life for thy blessed Apostle affirmeth Rom. 14.17 that thy kingdome standeth in righteousnes peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Lord of thy goodnesse fill mine heart with this thy heauenly ioy let it not be hidden vnto mee as it is vnto those that are lost but I pray thee shed abroad this thy loue in mine heart this sweet and heauenly ioy is thine owne wine laid vp in thine owne seller for thine owne spouse the wicked of the world shall neuer taste thereof This ioy the wise men found when they found the Lord Iesus Matth. 2.10 for they reioyced with an exceeding great ioy This ioy was in the blessed Virgin Luke 1.47 for her spirit reioyced in Christ her Sauiour So good Lord distill some sauing drops of this water of life into my thirsting soule Lord shew me this thy glory Psal 4 6. some craue worldly goods and riches doe imbrace but Lord grant mee thy countenance thy fauour and thy grace for thou thereby shalt make my heart more ioyfull and more glad than they that of their corne and wine full great increase haue had O Lord to this end increase my faith inflame my zeale better my obedience mortifie my corruptions sanctifie my affections that so I may euermore reioyce vnder the hope of saluation in the LORD IESVS yea here and in heauen for euer Amen A Prayer for increase of Grace MOst blessed and heauenly Father I read in thy holy word That thy Kingdome is like a graine of Mustard seede Luk. 13.19 a little seede yet in time it sendeth forth a mightie stalke that the birds of the aire may nestle therein thy Maiestie intimating therby the smalnesse of Grace at the first and the great increase by degrees in the hearts of thy children at last now good Father I pray thee increase thy graces in mee for I may say with that poore beleeuer in the Gospel Lord I beleeue but helpe mine vnbeleefe Lord giue mee to increase in faith in knowledge in obedience in all goodnesse that so I going on from strength to strength may in the end enioy thy face in Sion That tree that groweth not is dead if I grow not better and better and bring not forth more fruit in mine old age I cannot proue my selfe an impe of the Lord Iesus And as it fareth with the naturall birth so doth it also with the spirituall a child new born is weak and small yet in time it groweth to be a tall and strong man so the soule at first is weake and feeble in grace as smoake to fire as a bruised reed to a sturdie oake of Lebanon but in time the conuert groweth to be a perfect man in the Lord Iesus therefore my gracious GOD grant I may as a new borne babe 1 Pet. 2.2 desire the sincere milke of the word that I may grow thereby I