Christ THat he will draw near by grace unto Knowledge of God and our selves thy soul to strengthen thee with knowledge true faith unfeigned repentance and perfect charity that thou maiest rightly reverently and faithfully receive this holy Sacrament to Gods Ps 14. 22. 1 Jo 1. 8. glory and thine owne comfort and salvation Now when thou commest to communicate and receive this blessed Col. 3. 2. Rom. 12. 1. 2. 1. 15. Sacrament of the Lords Supper First banish all vaine and earthly thoughts and recollect thy heart to the serious meditations of that which is the life of the 1 Tim. 2. 4 Humility 1 Pet. 5. 6. 1 Jo. 2. 2. 4. 14. Sacrament even the death of thy Saviour and humbly and devoutly present thy selfe and service to the Redeemer of thy soule and Lord of the feast the only saviour of mankinde Jesus Christ our righteous Lord. Then apply thy minde to these contemplations First remember with great reverence the infinite Majesty of God his mercy True repentance 1 Jo. 9. Prov. 28. 13. goodnesse and justice in whose presence we are Secondly consider thine owne vilenesse misery and unworthinesse being wholly corrupt both in soul and body Thirdly confesse all thy sins True faith 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19 21. 2. 14. 1. 3. 21. plainly for in hiding our sins this work will not prosper but with most hearty and unfeigned sorrow in all humility cast thy self at Jesus feet earnestly begging for pardon with hatred to all sin and purpose of amendment For who 1 Pet. 3. 22 Heb. 12. 24. 1 Jo. 2. 3. so confesseth and forsaketh their sins shall finde mercy Fourthly trie and acknowledge thy faith and stedfast beliefe in Christ Jesus the blessed Son of God the Creator to be the only Saviour 1 Tim. 21 5. Jam. 1. 17. and Redeemer of the world who dyed for thy sins and rose againe for thy justification and is ascended up to heaven for thy salvation where sitting at Gods right hand he maketh intercession for 1 Tim. 21 5. thee and powreth downe all graces and blessings upon thee who giveth himself with all his merits unto thee in this Sacrament covering all thy offences with Jam. 1. 17. his perfect obedience So making thee righteous and leaving thee a pledge and Sanctification 1 Jo. 17. 19. Heb. 13. 12. seale of thy future and eternall happinesse this his holy institution which the divine word hath sanctified to that end and purpose Now call to minde the exceeding love of God and Christ towards thee the one in sending his only deare Sonne to become man and suffer death The fifth in giving his most pretious body and bloud to bee crucified Gods love to us and shed upon the crosse to satisfie the just wrath of God due for thy sins of which this bread broken wine powred out that we see is a remembrance which we ought often to celebrate and set our hearts and soules duly and truly Our love to God to love and honour this gracious God and Lord who hath loved us first and done such great things as to give himself for us 6. Ponder well in thine heart 1 Ja. 4. 9. 10. all the divine mysteries of this holy Sacrament to which heavenly banquet Jesus thy Saviour now inviteth thee taking away thine hatefull iniquities and Jam. 2. 8. cloathing thee with his innocencie so Jo. 15. 12. Charity to our neighbours 1 Jo. 4. 21. to make thee acceptable in the sight of God the Father and by the gracious operation of the Holy Ghost joyning thee unto himselfe as thy head and all of us in true love one to another as members of one body to walke in newnesse of life the rest of our dayes 7. And Amendment 1 Jo. 33. 10. 1 Pet. 4. 2. lastly forget not to be ever truly thankfull for these inestimable benefits of God the Father of the blessed Trinity and of Jesus Christ our Lord towards us who hath laid downe his own life to redeem us such vile and miserable sinners all which the Holy Ghost applieth unto us Thankfulnesse 1 Jo. 5. 7. Eph. 5. 20. 1 Thess 5. 18. Infinite mercies we are never able sufficiently to acknowledge and admire Prepare not thy belly but thy soule believe and thou hast eaten this saith St. Augustine 14. A thanksgiving after the holy communion of the Lords Supper OH blessed and praised for ever be the Name of the Lord my God who hath done great and many things for me and holy is thy gracious and glorious name and let thy mercy and thy truth O Lord never forsake me but vouchsafe to continue thy goodnesse and loving kindnesse towards me for ever and say unto my soule thou art my God my helpe and my salvation for evermore And now especially O Lord as I am infinitely bound I render unto thy divine Majesty all humble and possible praise and thanks for this present and particular favour shewed unto me thy unworthy servant in feeding my soule to eternall lfe with the most pretious food of thine owne sacred body and bloud blotting out all my sinnes and sanctifying mee by thy holy Spirit imputing to me thy righteousnesse and admitting mee so unworthy to be a happy partaker of this blessed Sacrament The benefit whereof is unspeakable and the mercy therein unexpressable only I admire thy goodnesse towards mankind and magnifie thy great mercy beseeching thee my God as thou hast vouchsafed to accept mee at this holy Table so good Lord let mee not depart without a blessing but be pleased to receive me into thy gracious care and favour that I may live and die therein and give mee grace to spend the rest of my time in a carefull reformation of all evills past a diligent performance of thy most holy will in all things and true obedience to all thy Commandements with a faithfull and right application of all thy mercies and merits so that I may feele thy bitter passion O Lord sweet unto my soule and by the assistance of thy Spirit bring forth the fruits of amendment of life and most hearty thankfulnesse all my daies that at the end of this life I may obtaine a blessed roome in the Kingdome of glory there to praise thy holy name for evermore Amen 15. A short Prayer for conclusion to any prayer O God the Father blesse and governe my soule and body in all things to thy service O Lord the Sonne my Saviour Jesus protect me and direct me at all times to doe thy will O holy Ghost blessed Spirit preserve mee from falling into any sinne or evill but instruct sanctifie and lead me into the waies of truth and righteousnesse that I may live in thy feare and dye in thy favour and may continue in thy right Church and true faith unto my end So that in the houre of my death and in the dreadfull day of judgement I may finde grace in thy sight that thou
maiest pardon and passe by my sins and receive me to mercy through Jesus Christ that I may live with thee my God for evermore Amen 16. A Prayer for the Lords day in the afternoone when you are from Church being seven humble petitions from a poor sinner to our Saviour Jesus Christ the Lord and fountain of mercy prescribed and allowed by sacred Scripture MOst great and gracious Lord and 1. Remission of sins and amendment of life Luke 18. 13. Rom. 6. 6. my only Saviour Jesus Christ whom the Angels doe admire all the Saints doe magnifie and at thy name O Jesus doth every knee bow in heaven and earth I most humbly beseech thee to have mercy on me that presume to speake unto thee who am but dust and ashes yet Lord I beg of thee to forgive all my grievous and manifold offences and cast all my sins out of thy sight and not only to pardon all my past misdeeds but also by thy mighty power and spirit to slay all sin in me for the time to come And of thy gracious favour vouchsafe while I live in this world to make mee a blessed partaker in the first resurrection 2. To rise from sin Rev. 20. in this life to arise here from remaining or lying dead in sin and so the second death shall have no power to hurt me but by thy 3. In death Rev. 14. 13 21. 3. 4. Luke 22. 32. 36. grace and assistance I may become a new creature in all holinesse of life before thee that I may daily bee raised from sin by thy holy Spirit to a new life of grace in Christ But when the appointed time of my death doth approach sweet Jesus leave me not but keep and deliver mee from that great houre of temptation when Sathan will sift mee and seeke my destruction then deare Lord pray for me that my faith may never faile neither let my soules enemies prevaile over mee but make thy poore servant one of those blessed that shall die in thee O Lord whose tears God will wipe from their eyes and they shall rest from their labours and their workes follow them Now good Iesus grant also in the last day and houre of death 4 The first judgemēt Mat. 25. 34. 41. when I shall come to my first account before the Throne of God and the dreadfull Majesty of the Father O my Saviour appeare with mee that by thy gracious mediation I may finde favour in his sight and through thee obtaine to bee received into the society of thy Saints and servants and also by thy infinite mercy and bitter passion that I may in and through thee have my sins covered and pardoned and may be accounted worthy to escape thy just and great wrath which my iniquities have deserved and say alwaies unto my soule thou art my God and my salvation for ever And so I miserable sinner through thy merits sufferings and unspeakable mercy may be made able to stand before thee the blessed Son of God and man at my appearance in thy glorious and awfull presence when thou commest to judge the world and hast full power to save or to condemne us then looke Saviour on me as one of thine And sweet 5. At the last judgement 6. Is after death Rev. 8. 20. 15. Saviour I further beseech thee by thine owne former and free election and meer grace towards me vouchsafe in the dreadfull time of thy great visitation that my poore name may be found written in heaven in the booke of life so as sin nor Sathan may not bee able to blot mee out but that thou gracious Iesus wilt be pleased to acknowledge me thy most unworthy servant to be thine before God and all his holy Angells Now lastly Lord by thy great goodnesse and The 7th For eternall life John 17. 22. 24. Ps 16. 11. Conclusion mercy that I may be received into thy grace and favour and so accepted as to injoy that most happy place and heavenly inheritance of everlasting glory which thou our Iesus hast dearly purchased for us that where he my blessed Saviour is I may live with him who loved me so much as to die for me and through him being admitted into the glorious presence of God which is the fulnesse of joy at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore I shall there eternally serve praise and magnifie his most holy name who liveth for ever and ever Amen 17. A Prayer to the Trinity for direction and acceptance from God of all our prayers MOst glorious God and our heavenly Father in Christ I most humbly pray thee for his sake to heare and accept mee and my supplications that I offer up unto thy Majesty in the name of thy beloved Son And I beseech thee sweet Iesus in thy love and mercie which made thee become our Redeemer vouchsafe also to be my gracious advocate and to direct and receive my petitions and present them to the Father for by and through thee only I must obtaine acceptance Now further I beg of thee Lord Holy Ghost who best can teach us to pray as we ought to take compassion on my frailties and infirmities to heale and helpe them and be pleased to sanctifie and assist my heart and soule to performe this duty and service at all times rightly faithfully and constantly to Gods glory and mine owne comfort and furtherance of my eternall salvation in Christ my Saviour Amen 18. Another Prayer for the afternoon for many severall blessings OH most dear Lord who knowest my manifold infirmities and innumerable miseries In mercy let thy gracious care and holy hand bee over me now and ever to guide me into thy right paths that I may walke in the wayes of thy Commandements and keepe them with my whole heart unto my end And vouchsafe good God to clense and change the thoughts of my corrup heart from vaine and idle imaginations to good and godly meditations which may produce ◠me by thy assistance holy actions agreeable to thy most blessed will and by thy spirit let my affections be reformed and my love withdrawne from the vanities of this vile world and may bee fixed on heavenly things above that there may be my heart and only joy where my Lord Christ sits in glory at the right hand of his Father and so I may with blessed Mary chuse the better part to forsake all the world and my selfe also to follow and heare Iesus and first and chiefly so to seek as to obtaine that which is most needfull even thy glory O God thy Kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof and leave all other things to be bestowed on me as shall seem best unto thee And Lord grant that my understanding may be inlightned to discerne imbrace and practice the holy workes of thy blessed Spirit and that my memory may be strengthned to retaine and make right use of all the good instruction that I heare or read according to thy will and make
bury them in thy grave so as they may never be able to come in judgement against mee either to accuse or shame me in this world or to condemne and confound mee in the world to come for thy mercies sake sweet Jesus my Saviour But I most humbly beseech thee O Lord â—â— sanctifie and cleanse my heart and soule from all sinne and evill by thy holy Spirit that I may be upright in thy sight to reforme all my waies before thee and let thy grace and holy Spirit lead mee into the paths of truth and righteousnesse all my life that after death thou maiest of thy infinite mercy bring me to that everlasting inheritance of happinesse which thou hast so dearly purchased for us with thine owne bloud in whom is all my trust who art my only Saviour Mediator and Advocate for ever O God the Holy Ghost our comforter preserve and sanctifie thou my heart and soule that I may unfeignedly love thee truly feare thy holy Name and faithfully serve please and obey thee as I ought to doe now and all the daies of my life And vouchsafe O blessed Spirit to instruct and inlighten my soule and understanding with the true knowledge devout love and stedfast beliefe of thy sacred truth and keepe me therein for ever O Holy Ghost vouchsafe to make thy seat and dwelling in my soule and let thy holy Spirit take full possession of my heart and abide alwaies with mee to fill me with all saving graces whereby I may bee preserved from falling into any sinne or evill and bee inabled to doe all good that may be best pleasing unto thee and to performe all duty and service by thy assistance in an acceptable manner unto my gracious and Almighty God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost three Persons and one ever glorious Trinity to whom be rendred all praise honour power and thanks as is right due for ever and ever Amen 20. An evening Prayer to God the Holy Ghost for Wednesday O God the Holy Ghost blessed Spirit by whom we are sanctified and sealed unto the day of redemption and by whose holy operation we are joyned unto our blessed Lord and head Christ Jesus from whom let nothing in heaven or earth ever separate me And mercifull Lord I humbly pray thee cast me not in thy displeasure out of thy care and favour for my sinnes and withdraw not thy grace and holy Spirit from me neither forsake me nor leave me to my selfe who am wholly subject to all wickednesse But I most humbly beseech thee to creat in me a new a clean an upright a faithfull and perfect heart in thy sight to walke in all true holinesse before thee as thou requirest all my daies to come and good Lord daily renue thy grace and a right holy spirit within mee to sanctifie and cleanse my soule from sinne to preserve mee from falling into evill and to guide me into the waies of truth and righteousnesse Now dear Lord marke me thy poore servant for thine owne and prevent mee with thy grace that I never grieve despight or neglect thee my God in any thing neither to resist or quench the good motions of thy holy Spirit in my heart at any time but I most humbly pray and desire to bee led and directed in all things by thee who best knowest my frailties and infirmities that I can of my selfe neither will nor performe any good at all much lesse call upon thy holy Name as I ought all my best works and endeavours being full of imperfection and corruption but I humbly beseech thee good Lord to accept in me the will for thee deed the affection for the action and vouchsafe to heale and helpe my great disability to any goodnesse and teach and assist me rightly faithfully and constantly to pray unto thee my God now and at all times according to thy holy will and daily to call upon thy great Name in truth and sincerity And be pleased O Lord Holy Ghost to prepare assist and lift up my heart and soule towards thee and bend downe thine eare of mercy to heare me and vouchsafe thou blessed Lord to make request by thy grace in mee with such inward and faithfull devotion humility sighs and groans as cannot be expressed that so my supplications may bee acceptable to God my heavenly Father through the merits and sufferings of my dear Saviour Jesus and the holy working of thee O God the Holy Ghost my comforter who art the sanctifier and preserver both of my soule and body I humbly pray thee to inflame my heart and spirit with fervent zeale and unfeigned devotion to the true and constant performance of all duties and services that I owe unto thee my God And vouchsafe Lord by thy holy Spirit to infuse into my soule everlasting and devout love towards thy Majesty with Christian charity towards all my brethren thy children and servants And Lord put thou a right and stedfast hope into my heart that my trust in thee may never faile till I have attained to the eternall felicity which God the Father hath prepared and our blessed Saviour hath purchased and thou blessed Spirit by thy holy assistance wilt bring us unto to glorifie the Name of my God in heaven hereafter for ever Amen 21. The conclusion for Wednesday at night to the blessed Trinity MErcifull God heavenly Father blessed Son and Holy Ghost who hast appointed the night for all mortall creatures to take rest without which our weake natures cannot subsist I am now in health by thy gracious providence by thy favour and laid downe in my bed which representeth the grave and by thy mercie hope also to take quiet rest and sleepe that is the image of death from which I know not whether ever I shall awake againe to this worlds light for my life dependeth on thy good pleasure therefore I most humbly pray thee of thy infinite mercy O God to forgive all my sins past that I have committed against thee this present day or heretofore through the merits and sufferings of my Redeemer Jesus and vouchsafe heavenly Father to bee reconciled unto mee thy most guilty sinfull servant in and through thy dear and innocent Son who is my righteous Saviour And grant while I live here that in Christ I may hereafter live to thee and thy faithfull service and when I sleepe Lord let me safely rest by thy blessed preservation and by the assistance of thy holy Spirit that I may continue in thy true faith feare and favour with a good conscience unto my last breath that so if thou call me away this night or any other time in my sleep thou wilt in Christ pardon my sinnes and after death receive my soule to thy grace and mercy to remaine with thee for ever and may praise thee my God everlastingly Amen Amen 22. A Prayer for Thursday morning at first awaking to God the Father MY God I heartily praise thee for my present health rest and
in all my necessities and chiefly for all spirituall graces to my soule And as I trust thou wilt awake mee from the dulnesse of this nights sleep in safety to the morning light so dear Lord by thy holy Spirit daily quicken my soule from the deadnesse of sinne to newnesse of life and raise me up in mercie hereafter from the darknesse of death unto light and life eternall to live with thee my God for evermore Now gracious Lord receive mee with all that doth belong unto me into thy mercifull protection now and alwaies to keep and deliver us from all sinne and evill giving us this night quiet sleep health and rest if it be thy will and grant whether I sleep or wake live or dye I may be wholly thine and doe all to thy honour and glory that so both in life and death Christ may be to me an advantage through thy infinite mercie O my blessed Lord God Now I humbly pray thee so to inlighten the darknesse of my soul and understanding with thy grace that I may see clearly the right way to heavenly happinesse and by thy assistance follow hard after it untill I have attained to it and also for thy holy Names sake defend mee from all perills and dangers of this night either to my soule or body to me or any of mine for the love of thy only Son my deare Saviour Jesus Christ for whose sake grant me also the guard of thy holy and good Angells now and ever that they may pitch their tents about mee to preserve mee from all my enemies bodily and ghostly and commit mee Lord to the custody of thy blessed Spirit to keep me from falling into any sinne or evill and to guide my waies into the paths of truth and righteousnesse that I may live in thy holy feare and dye in thy faith and favour and good God grant that in the howre of my death and in the day of judgement thy dear Son and my sweet Jesus may bee my mercifull judge and Saviour to pardon and pasle by all my sinnes and cover them with his righteousnesse that after death I may bee received and accepted into thy grace and favour to live and remaine in joy and blisse eternally with thee my God Father Son and Holy Ghost Now O God who canst doe abundantly more then I can aske or thinke to thee be all praise honour and glory for ever and ever Amen 25. The conclusion for Thursday night in bed O Lord my God I thanke thee for all thy mercies vouchsafed unto mee this present day and formerly and now be pleased O Lord by thy holy Spirit to sanctifie me thy poor unworthy servant in soule body and spirit throughout to thy right faithfull and constant service all my daies and assist me with thy grace that I may daily confesse lament hate leave and amend all my former misdeeds and may become faithfully and unfainedly thine in all true obedience and sincere and perfect love toward thy Majesty both living and dying and for ever that through thy mercy and Christs merits I may be found blamelesse at the appearance of my Lord Jesus by whom I trust to obtaine to live in heaven with thee and to bee presented by my Saviour unto thy gracious acceptance in that great day of the Lord to remain with thee my God for ever Amen 26. A Prayer for Friday at first awaking to God the Son DEare Saviour Jesus have mercy upon mee a miserable sinner Thou immaculate Lambe of God that knewest no sinne but diedst for our transgressions and shed thine owne most pretious bloud to cleanse us from sinne I most humbly praise and magnifie thy holy Name for all thy mercies who hast done and suffered great and many things for mee but especially I blesse thee for those spirituall blessings thou hast bestowed upon me before I was borne and hitherto Now sweet Jesus who knowest my frailty I doe most humbly pray thee never to leave me to my self nor to my soules enemies neither while I live at my death nor in the great and dreadfull day of judgement when all things shall bee made manifest before thee and it will be wholly in thy power to save or to condemne then Lord Jesus looke in mercie on me as one of thine whom thou lovest to the end to pardon and cover all my sinnes and receive me into thy grace and favour for by thee only commeth my salvation and in thee O Lord is my whole trust Therefore vouchsafe Lord to continue thy goodnesse thy favour and thy loving kindnesse towards me this day and for ever in forgiving all my iniquities that I have committed in my whole life past and also my sinfull omission of those duties and good workes which thou hast commanded and I have wickedly neglected But I most humbly beseech thee my Saviour to indue mee thy most unworthy servant with thy grace and holy Spirit to direct my heart and all my waies aright before thee and preserve me at all times in the sincere and perfect love of thy divine Majesty and in thy feare and favour with unfaigned repentance and amendment of life that I may obtaine thy gracious pardon for all my offences and Lord give me true faith stedfast hope and perfect charity unto my liâ—â—â— end These great mercies I aske at thy gracious hands deare Jesus Christ who art my only Saviour Redeemer Mediator and Advocate to whom be all praise and glory for ever Amen 27. A morning Prayer for Friday to God the Sonne SWeet Saviour none can come to the Father but by thee and whosoever commeth unto thee thou castest not away but wilt raise him up at the last day unto eternall life Now deare Jesus thou blessed Son and innocent Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the sinnes of the world who graciously callest unto thee all heavy laden and penitent sinners that thou maiest ease and refresh them have pity on me and vouchsafe to sanctifie and cleanse my soule and body from all sinne and evill by thy holy Spirit and make mee pure and upright in thy sight and be pleased to protect and direct my heart and soule and all my waies before thee and to indue me with thy blessed Spirit to preserve mee from falling into any sin or offence towards thee but assist me with thy grace in all things I goe about to doe that I may doe that which may be most acceptable and best pleasing in thy fight Now Lord I confesse that I was conceived and borne in sinne and I am a miserable and wretched sinner above all others and unto whom should I come but to thee the Saviour of mankinde who camest into the world to save sinners by thy grace of whom I am chiefe O fountaine of mercy who didst vouchsafe to bee borne of the blessed and pure Virgin Mary to become man and tookest our wretched nature upon thee therein to suffer death to reassume us from eternall death sinne
deserved but convert thou me and I shall be changed make me turne unto thee in true contrition that thou maiest returne unto me in gracious compassion to forgive all mine iniquities remit my ungratefulnesse and remember my offences no more O wash and cleanse my sinfull soule in the pure bloud of that innocent Lambe that I may feele the vertue of his death to slay all sin in me and the power of his resurrection to raise me to newnesse of life in true obedience to all thy Commandements and with a child-like love feare to offend thee striving to please thee in all things that so I may obtaine favour and mercy in thy sight both for thy blessing in this life and eternall salvation after death through thy dear Son and my only Saviour Jesus Christ Amen 11. A short Prayer for night O God the fountaine of all goodnesse I humbly and thankfully acknowledge although I am altogether unworthy of the least of thy manifold mercies yet have I great experience of thy infinite goodnesse bounty and favour both towards my soule and body all my time past this day and alwaies preserving me from all the evills which sin and nature have made me subject unto with a gracious supply daily ever since I was born of all things needfull for this present life For all which I humbly bow the knee of my heart and soule unto thy glorious Majesty but especially for all thy graces furthering my salvation by Jesus Christ I blesse and praise thy most holy name yeelding all possible and hearty thanks for all thy benefits vouchsafed to mee the continuance whereof I humbly beg at thy gracious hands commending and committing my soule and body into thy mercifull protection this night and ever praying thee to preserve me therein from all perills sin or evill for thou Lord only keepest mee in safety now stretch out thy wings of grace and mercy over me that while sleep seizeth upon my body let not security oppresse my soule but so sanctifie all outward refreshings unto me as thereby I may bee the more fit and able to serve thee faithfully all my life to come that taking quiet rest because thou Lord sustainest me I may also when this life ceaseth lay downe my head in thy peace and be made partaker of thy glory through thy mercies and Christs merits with the assistance of the blessed Spirit To whom O Father Son and Holy Ghost be all praise power dominion and glory now and for ever Amen Continuing my prayers further as Christ hath taught us saying Our Father c. 12. A short Prayer in bed before sleep DEare Lord receive me this night and alwaies into thy gracious protection to give mee now health safety and rest if it be thy will And dear God when I shall enter into my long sleep of death vouchsafe to sanctifie and prepare my soule for eternall life by the assistance of thy grace and holy Spirit before thou call me away hence and grant me a happy and blessed departure out of this world that thou maiest receive me into thy favour and mercy to be with mee in my death that I may dye in the Lord and rest in peace and obtaine a blessed resurrection that so I may be accepted to live with thee to praise thy great and holy name for ever Amen 13. A Prayer before the receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper O Most sweet Saviour Jesus Christ and my deare Lord who art the author and finisher of my faith redemption and salvation the life and food of my soule I most miserable sinner presuming nothing at all on mine owne merits or worthinesse but trusting wholly in thy infinite mercy and goodnesse doe feare and tremble to appeare before thy Majesty or to come unto the table of this heavenly banquet But thou Lord Jesus who graciously callest me and all heavy laden sinners accept in mercy the will for the deed in that I am unworthy and ill prepared to presume into thy presence and vouchsafe me the assistance of thy divine Spirit I humbly beseech thee in this holy action that my duty and service therein may bee acceptable in thy sight And powre down thy heavenly blessing upon this thy holy Ordinance of thy Word and Sacraments that they may be effectuall to revive strengthen and supply in me all sanctifying and saving graces needfull to the due and right performance of this sacred duty in an acceptable manner whereby to enlighten my understanding with thy grace to the right knowledge of thee and thy truth and work in me a lively true faith wherewith I may lay hold and apply unto my sicke soule all the sweet and comfortable promises and benefits purchased by the bitter death of my sweet Saviour Indue me also with most unfeigned and hearty sorrow and repentance for all my great and grievous sins and offences committed against thee for all which I most humbly beg thy gracious pardon and grant me such perfect love and charity that I may sincerely with all due reverence and devotion love thee my God with all my heart soul and strength and may love my neighbour as my selfe yea my very enemies for Christs sake that so I may rightly receive this blessed Sacrament being prepared by thy grace as I ought to bee And let O Lord thy pretious bloud shed for me cleanse and wash away all my sins and the breaking of thy pretious body heale all the wounds of my corrupt soule that by the gracious operation of the Holy Ghost I may be inwardly and inseparably joyned to thee my head Christ that thou maiest supply all my weaknesse and defects in soule or body out of thy infinite fulnesse of grace and mercy that being cloathed with thy righteousnesse I may be accepted by thee and through thee and so be accounted worthy to be partaker of all thy merits that with the outward signe of bread and wine I may blessedly receive the true signified Christ with all his benefits and may have grace to hunger and thirst after the spirituall food of Christs body and bloud to nourish my soule unto eternall life and to make me become a new creature in holinesse of living with all true and humble thankfulnesse to thy glory and my everlasting salvation beseeching thee to accept my poor endeavours for perfect performance and reach forth thy helping hand from heaven to save me thy unworthy servant pardoning my sins and covering my imperfections with the pure innocencie of that immaculate Lambe Jesus my Saviour And so I humbly commend my selfe unto thy mercy who art able to doe abundantly above all that I can aske or thinke to thee be all honour power and praise for evermore Amen A short meditation direction or preparation before you presume to enter into the presence and sight of God to approach unto the heavenly banquet humbly desiring this or the like by prayer As thou drawest near unto the holy table pray earnestly in thy heart unto
and soule to seek after thee and thy Kingdome with the righteousnesse thereof and then I shall obtain the end of my faith and hope even thy glory and my owne salvation through thee only dear Jesus my blessed Lord and alone Saviour To whom with God the Father and the Holy Ghost three Persons one eternall God and glorious Trinity be rendred as is due all praise honour and glory for ever and ever Amen 20. The conclusion to this booke A short Prayer so to performe our duties here towards God that we may obtaine heaven hereafter OH most mercifull Lord God thou knowest my unaptnesse to any good I humbly pray thee to give me thy poor unworthy servant grace so truly to feare thee as not to offend thee so constantly to beleeve in thee and confidently to relye upon all thy gracious promises in all my troubles and necessities and so entirely and sincerely to love and honour thee above all things that nothing in this world may withdraw my minde from thee nor any vaine hopes or earthly desires make mee neglect my service to thee but that I may daily study and strive rightly and carefully to obey thee my Lord at all times diligently to seek thee and know thy will and faithfully to serve and please thee as I ought to doe as long as I live For thou O God the Father lovedst us first and sent thy deare Son out of thy bosome to redeeme us and our sweet Saviour Jesus in his love gave himselfe and laid downe his owne life to save us from eternall death greater love cannot bee found then for one to dye for a friend but thou Lord diedst for thine enemies much more having now reconciled us to the father and to thy selfe I trust being united to thee also by the Holy Ghost by sanctification and true faith wrought in me by that blessed Spirit I shall obtaine mercy through the merits and sufferings of my deare Jesus to live with thee in heaven hereafter to glorifie the great Name of God the eternall Father Son and Holy Ghost to whom bee all praise and honour for ever and let heaven and earth Saints and Angells and all creatures give glory to him for evermore Amen Here is one Prayer more which I joyne to these because it concerned one of my daughters to whom this Booke belonged though it was lately penned upon a very strange accident 21. A thanksgiving to Almighty God for his most mercifull preservation of my noble kinswoman the Lady Eliz. Feelding and of my owne daughter the Lady Eliz. Cornwalleis from drowning under the Bridge and was long under water and one worthy Gentlewoman in the company could not bee recovered This may serve upon any such fearfull accident MOst Mighty God Creator of heaven and earth and the only disposer of all things therein thou art the defender and protecter of all thy children and servants and the gracious preserver of all those that depend upon thee thy power ruleth both by sea and land and thy all-guiding providence directeth all things in the world according to thy own high will and good pleasure and for the good of all them that trust in thee Whereof thou hast given many and mee the unworthiest of thy servants an especiall testimony of thy infinite mercy towards my deare daughter and kinswoman in that great and miraculous deliverance lately of them in the dreadfull danger of sudden death by drowning in the Thames for thou didst mercifully provide and take care to save their lives when they were past sense to take care of themselves or to call upon thee for helpe yet beyond all hope thou didst bring them backe from the gates of death praised for ever be thy most glorious Name and let neither us nor any of our generation forget this thy great mercy Now Lord make us duly to acknowledge all thy benefits and let us not passe them out of our mindes without true thankfulnesse for all thy favours continually vouchsafed unto us undeserved for all which we poor creatures have nothing to returne to thee but devout love faithfull service and carefull obedience with the humble sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving which by thy assistance I will performe towards thee with a gratefull heart so long as I live and for ever Amen 22. A Petition of the Author for herselfe O Lord as Paul said he would readily performe the duty in his charge that lay upon him lest while he preached to save others himself should become a cast-away so dearest Lord I having taken pains to compose many Prayers for the use of others under my care to further them in the constant performance of this duty of prayer which being rightly used will draw many blessings from thee Almighty God I most humbly beseech thee to heare and receive their supplications that call upon thee by these Prayers So Gracious Lord suffer not me to neglect my duty and daily service herein towards thy Majesty but make me carefully rightly and reverently to offer up due praises and prayers daily unto thee in a faithfull and acceptable manner all the daies of my life And give me thy poor servant the assistance of thy grace and holy Spirit to reform all my waies before thee to suppresse and overcome the corruption of my heart the vanity of my mind and to forsake and abandon the love of this vile world with all the deceitfull vanities thereof and to cast off those great superfluous cares and desires after the things of this mutable life which passe away like a shadow or dream Wise Solomon that had the plenty and triall of all things under the Sun tells us what it will prove only vanity of vanities and vexation of spirit Wherefore let me learne with Paul in what estate soever I am therewith to be content and to submit with humble patience to thy pleasure in all things thou sendest who knowest what is best and fittest for me and keep me for repining and despairing in thy chastisements for thou canst heale as well as wound when thou pleasest Therefore I will dedicate my heart and soule and all my endeavours unto thy faithfull service striving to make my calling and election sure by looking after thee my God thy Kingdome and thy righteousnesse which is the only thing needfull This grace grant unto mee O God for Jesus Christs sake Amen The end of the first Book BOOK II. THis Book I began to write at my house at Barking in Essex where I retired my selfe in solitarinesse after the death of my worthy and dear husband Sir Thomas Richardson Knight Lord chiefe Justice of the Kings Bench who dyed at Candlemas 1634. Where shortly after I finished these Prayers following for my owne private use being the fittest imployment for my time who was then in so much heavinesse I call this Book a weekly exercise of Prayer either for a private person or in their owne family To which there are added some other necessary Prayers very
usefull for those particular occasions whereto they are directed which I shall be very glad and joyfull if my children grand-children kindred friends or any good Christian that shall peruse them may make a good and right use of them to Gods glory And I doe most heartily and humbly pray that God will vouchsafe to heare in heaven and to receive accept and grant their just requests to his owne honour their comfort and my great happinesse who am a wel-wisher and true lover of their soules in the Lord. Eliz. Richardson THese Prâ—â—â—â—â— I composed for the instructions of my children grand-children after the example of my dear parents Sir Thomas Beaumont and his Lady of Stoughton in the County of Leicester who I thinke were as carefull and industrious to breed up their children which were living in the instruction and information of the Lord to serve and obey God as any parents could possibly be which made them take much paines with us more then is usuall by their endeavours to bring us to know and feare God and to keep his Commandements Which Solomon saith is the whole duty of man But when parents have done the best and all we can it is Gods grace and blessing that must perfect the worke which I humbly pray him to adde to accomplish my desire to their eternall happinesse An Exhortation concerning Prayer BEfore thou goest to pray consider seriously of these three things which are very necessary to fit and prepare thee the better for that holy and blessed exercise First ponder with thy selfe into whose presence wee come and to whom we presume to speak being before the great Majesty of God Almighty Secondly in what manner we pray and to what end our prayers tend which must chiefly respect the glory of God and his service and then out owne desires and necessities both for soule and body Thirdly weigh well what good or hurt what benefit or danger may ensue by the performing of this duty carefully or negligently 1. A short Petition to precede any other Prayers O Lord Holy Ghost who knowest my corrupt heart and the frailty of my soule which can performe no good but by thy grace Vouchsafe my Lord to sanctifie assist and teach me the unworthiest of thy servants by thy holy Spirit so to pray now and alwayes that my supplications may be faithfull and acceptable to my God to his glory and the comfort and good of my selfe both in soul and body for ever Amen 2. A Prayer to God the Holy Ghost for the true spirit of grace in prayer O God Holy Ghost the giver of all good gifts and graces give mee thy true Spirit Lord who art the comforter and sanctifier of thine Elect thou knowest my great and manifold infirmities and frailties all which I humbly pray thee in thy love and mercie to heale and helpe And Lord give me power strength and grace by thy assistance to resist and overcome all wicked assaults and temptations of the divell that seeke to draw me from God and goodnesse and lead mee to all evill but vouchsafe Lord I beseech thee still to be present with me in this holy exercise and indue thy poore servant with thy blessed Spirit and gift of prayer to call upon thy glorious Name faithfully and sincerely whereby my unworthy petitions though full of imperfections may be received and accepted by thee And Lord banish all wandring thoughts and wicked hindrances from my soule in the performance of this my bounden duty and service that I owe unto thee my God Father Son and Holy Ghost And be pleased Lord to assist mee now and ever with thy grace to worship thee at all times in spirit and truth as thou requirest and not to present a dead dull and corrupt offering unto my Lord of the lips without the heart or by joyning in my thoughts God and the world or mammon together which thou hatest and so make my prayers abominable to thy Majesty for thou hast made the heart who ought and must be served and honoured with it Therefore I humbly pray thee to inable me by thy assistance to offer unto thee my God a holy and living sacrifice of my selfe my prayers and praises daily in a right and acceptable manner not looking so much to the benefit and recompence of reward that shall bee received thereby from thy mercifull hands to my owne good but chiefly for the honour and glory of thy great Name whose I am and whom I am bound to serve and from whom I have already received so many great blessings and benefits both spirituall and temporall for which I render most humble and hearty thanks unto thy Majesty Now lastly deare Lord Holy Ghost I earnestly beg of thee daily to unite mee unto thy glorious head and only Saviour Jesus Christ that so I may performe with true faith good devotion humility and sincerity this and all other holy duties and services according to thy blessed will and word to thy glory and my great comfort now and for ever So be it 3. A short preface before any other Prayers for the Lords day ALmighty Lord God in whose glorious presence I am presuming to take thy sacred name into my sinfull mouth before thee Lord I most humbly prostrate my selfe thou seest the heart and knowest our wants before we aske yet hast thou commanded us to ask in thy Sons name promising for his sake to grant us all needfull blessings both for soule and body O Lord thou understandest my great weaknesse and disability who can doe no good but by thy assistance I now most humbly pray thee to keep all evill interruptions from my heart and soule and so to indue mee with thy true Spirit of grace and prayer in performing this duty and service to thy glorious Majesty that so all my supplications may now and at all times be right faithfull acceptable and pleasing unto thee and by thy great mercy also prevailing for my good and furtherance of my salvation through my only Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen 4. A Prayer for the Lords day at first awaking O Most glorious Lord God the high and gracious Creator of heaven and earth with all things therein Thou didst finish that mighty workin six dayes and rested the seventh commanding thy Church and people of the Jewes to keep holy the seventh day to thy due service and praise But our Lord Jesus having finished the redemption of mankinde by his crosse and passion and bitter sufferings didst bury that Sabbath in his grave upon that day and by thy Spirit didst guide thy Apostles and Christian Church to sanctifie and keep holy this first day of the weeke in perpetuall memory of his glorious resurrection and eternall rest from that labour and suffering for our redemption to thy due service and praise blessed be thy holy name therefore And now dear Lord for all my former neglects of my duty herein for Jesus his sake pardon my sinfull breaches of this and all
other thy holy Commandements heretofore and vouchsafe O God alwaies to knit my straying heart to the true feare of thy great name to keep me from offending thee and fill my soul with the infinite love of thy divine Majesty that I may daily strive to lead the rest of my life in all obedience to thy holy will And Lord vouchsafe to inspire me thy most unworthy servant I humbly pray thee with thy blessed Spirit that I may withdraw my minde this blessed day from all worldly cogitations thinking my owne thoughts speaking my owne words doing my daily works or going my owne waies but assist me with thy grace that I may apply my heart and soule wholly to meditate of thy wonderfull works and manifold mercies with thankfulnesse and to attend thy service either publique or private with care and faithfulnesse and to obey all thy Commandements henceforth with diligence and constantly serving thee all my life to come that so I may praise and glorifie thee and thou maiest pardon my sins and save my poore soule through thy great and unmerited mercie in Jesus Christ my Lord and only Redeemer Amen 5. A Prayer for the Lords day in the morning before going to Church My soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name who is most worthy of all honour and glory ALmighty God our heavenly Father in Jesus Christ thy beloved Son who of thy infinite goodnesse by thy great power and divine word didst in six dayes create heaven and earth the sea and the whole world with all things therein and resting the seventh day didst blesse and hallow it commanding all thy people in purity after thine owne image to keep the same holy to thy due honour and praise having also given us six dayes for our owne occasions and after this great and unexpressible worke thou didst also in thy appointed time accomplish by thy beloved Son Jesus that happy redemption of mankinde who were lost by sin and fallen from thee which unspeakable mercie and benefit was as upon this first day of the week consummated by the miraculous blessed resurrection of our Saviour which wee Christians now keep in commemoration of these thy infinite benefits that according to thine appointment thy servants may rest this holy Lords day from all worldly affaires to thy honour and glory blessed and praised now and for ever bee thy glorious Name for these thy marvellous workes Therefore I most humbly beseech thee O Lord of thy great mercie by thy Spirit of grace to sanctifie mee thy most unworthy servant both in soule and body that I may at all times but especially this Lords day and upon all other daies consecrated by thy Church to the memory of any of thy blessings benefits and deliverances wholly devote my selfe to thy true feare holy devotion and faithfull service in performance of thy blessed will and commandement And so thy worthy name may be glorified my salvation furthered and thy favour and blessing rest alwaies upon me and mine And likewise I most humbly pray thee O God for thy Son Jesus sake to forgive all my sins done in my whole life past in breaking this and all other thy divine Laws that through the death and bitter passion of my deare and innocent Saviour which hee suffered to redeem us thou wilt vouchsafe to be reconciled unto me thy guilty and sinfull creature that as this is a day of rest to thy due praise so by thy marcy it may bee a happy day of joy and peace to my poore soule and conscience through my only Lord and blessed Saviour Jesus Christ Amen Amen 6. A Prayer to be said at the Church as soone as we are come into our seat O Lord our God who art here present amongst us thou seest and understandest all things and knowest my heart prepare sanctifie and assist my heart and soule with thy grace so to behave my selfe both outwardly and inwardly as in the presence of thy glorious Majesty in this thy blessed house of prayer and hearing thy word with such due reverence feare humility true faith and devotion as may be best pleasing and acceptable unto thee and most profitable and available for the good of mine owne soule O God indue thy servant the Preacher with thy holy Spirit to teach thy saving truth rightly and sincerely that it may be powerfull to our edification and effectuall to the beating downe and banishing of all sins from our soules and the encrease of faith and grace in us that heare him to thy glory and the furthering of our salvations through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen 7. Another shorter Prayer to the same purpose GOod Lord that knowest my infirmities prevent and remove all sin and evill hindrances and impediments of drousâ—nesse and wandring thoughts from me fraile sinfull creature and open my ears and heart like Lidiees to attend and marke diligently what is taught out of thy most sacred word Inlighten Lord my understanding to conceive rightly what I heare and keep my mind wholly intentive upon thy faithfull service in hearing thy holy word with true devotion before thee and make my memory retentive of all the good instructions that I learne and give me grace carefully and conscionably to practice them throughout my whole life to the honour of thy great name the performance of thy most holy will the amendment of all my faults and finally the salvation of mee thy poore servant through my Saviour Jesus Christs merits and mercies Amen 8. A Prayer after the Sermon is ended before we go out of the Church MOst Gracious Lord God I humbly beseech thee to pardon all my sinfull neglects defects and want of due preparation or any infirmities that have overtaken mee in the performance of my duty towards thee in this thy house and blessed exercise of Prayer and hearing of thy divine Word And let me not depart out of this holy place without thy blessing whereby my knowledge faith holinesse and comfort in thee may be daily increased in me And Lord adde thy grace to what I have now heard that by thy gracious assistance it may bring forth plentifull fruit in me to the reformation of my life and conversation in avoiding all evill and doing all good which may be serviceable and acceptable to thy Majesty and best pleasing in thy sight through Jesus Christ my only Saviour Amen A Prayer for the Lords day at night of three Petitions FIrst thankfulnesse for benefits already received with prayer for the continuance of all Gods mercies Secondly for repentance true faith remission of sins and amendment of life Lastly so to live and dye unto God here that after death we may live with him in heaven for ever 9. The Prayer MY soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefits which forgiveth all thine iniquities and healeth all thine infirmities which redeemeth thy life from death and crowneth thee in mercy and compassion who provided a ransome
most holy Name And grant me grace to spend the rest of my time to come more carefully and faithfully then I have formerly done to seeke serve feare love obey and please thee my Lord in all things as I ought to doe so that it may bee more then meat and drinke unto me to doe the will of thee my heavenly Father And I most humbly beseech thee O God the fountaine of mercy to forgive and pardon all my sinnes and offences past that I have committed against thee either in soule or body throughout my whole life Lord blot them out of thy remembrance with the most pretious bloud of thy deare Son my only Saviour Jesus Christ and grant through thy mercies and his merits and sufferings that my iniquities may never be imputed unto me But vouchsafe O God now and ever to keepe me thy poore servant as the apple of thine own eie from all sin and shame and hide mee under the shadow of thy wings from falling into any evill or danger this day especially O Lord preserve mee alwaies from the great wickednesse of committing any presumptuous sin before thee and from the fearfull sinne against the Holy Ghost which is unpardonable and from the dangerous sins of neglect towards thee hardnesse of heart senselesse security or falling into wicked despaire whereby I may prevent my soule of thy mercy in Christ for my salvation But good God direct thou my thoughts desires words and deeds to be ever agreeable to thy most holy will and obedient to all thy Commandements that I may henceforth live before thee with an upright heart daily studying and striving to serve and please thee in all things so long as I live that after death I may praise and magnifie thy Name in heaven among thy Saints and servants for ever and ever These great mercies O gracious God with all other thou knowest needfull for me either for this life or the life to come I further beg of thee in the name merits and mediation of thy deare Son and my sweet Jesus concluding in that perfect forme of prayer which hee hath taught us saying Our Father c. 12. A Prayer to God the Father for Munday night O Lord my God how excellent is thy name in all the world who hast done great workes and brought mighty things to passe ALmighty Lord and my heavenly Father in Christ most high and mighty God Creator possessor preserver and disposer of heaven and earth and all that is therein the fountaine of grace and mercy and Father of light from whom commeth all good and perfect gifts I most humbly pray thee of thy great goodnesse to give mee thy poore sinfull servant thy grace and holy Spirit to direct my heart and all my waies aright in thy sight and to guide me in the paths of truth and righteousnesse and Lord lead mee into that streight way and through that narrow gate which bringeth unto life eternall that so of thy infinite mercie through Christ I may enter in though most unworthy with them that obtaine grace to finde it and there to live with thee my God in joy and blisse for evermore And further I yeeld and render unto thee my Lord all humble and possible praise honour and thankes for all thy great and manifold mercies and benefits spirituall and temporall vouchsafed unto me thy most unworthy servant in soule and body from time to time and also for thy gracious preservation of me and mine and all other thy blessings bestowed upon me this day past and all my life hitherto Now good God for Christs sake I humbly pray thee to forgive and pardon all my sinnes and trespasses that I have committed before thee inwardly or outwardly in soul or body by thought desire word or deed this present day or any time of my life heretofore Mercifull Father wash away all my sinnes out of thy sight with the most pretious bloud of that All-sufficient sacrifice the innocent Lamb of God Jesus who was slaine for our transgressions hide all my sins in his wounds and bury them in his grave so as they may never bee able to rise in judgement against me either to accuse or to condemne mee But Lord make me of that blessed number whose sinnes thou wilt cover and whose iniquities thou wilt pardon And vouchsafe also to forgive my omission of all those good deeds I ought to have done and my sinfull neglect in the true performance of all duty and service that I owe unto thee especially my wicked negligence in calling upon thy holy Name and daily praising thee for all thy mercies and likewise I beg pardon for my often omitting or slightly performing this duty of praying unto thee as I ought now and at all times which Lord give me grace more carefully faithfully and devoutly to perform towards thee by the assistance of thy holy Spirit ever hereafter that so of thine infinite mercy thou maiest bâ—ing mee to that eternall Kingdome which thou hall prepared O God the Father before the world began for all that truly love and beleeve in thee to thy great praise and honour and my salvation iâ— Christ through thy mercy O blessed Lord God to whom be glory now and ever Amen 13. The conclusion for Munday to be said last or in bed O My God I most humbly commmend and commit my selfe both body and soule my children and grand-children my kindred friends and family and all that doth belong unto me here or else where with all my fellow members in thy whole Church into thy most gracious protection and preservation this night and alwaies Good God I beseech thee vouchsafe to blesse sanctifie and keep our soules and bodies in thy true faith feare and favour with safety this night and to our lives end Amen 14. A Prayer at first awaking for Tuesday to our Saviour Jesus Christ MY soule shall magnifie thee O Lord and my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour who hath done and suffered great and many things for me blessed be thy most holy Name for thy infinite benefits and blessings both spirituall and temporall bestowed upon mee thy unworthy sinfull servant from time to time And chiefly Gracious Lord for thy accomplishment of my redemption before I had any being who didst vouchsafe to come into the world amongst evill men and to be borne of a Virgin to take the shape and nature of man upon thee and in our flesh didst work and performe all righteousnesse to bee imputed unto us and also submitted thy selfe to suffer the most bitter and ignominious death of the Crosse to free us from that eternall death which our sinnes have deserved and also rose againe from the grave the third day to overcome sin death the grave hell and Sathan with all other things for us And so thou sweet Jesus art become our reconciliation redemption righteousnesse and justification with hope also through thee of salvation and glorification hereafter Of all which thy inestimable benefits I
that so I may be inabled rightly and faithfully to serve and please thee while I live here and also make me carefully to fit and prepare my soule for thy mercifull acceptance before thou call me to thy selfe out of this vale of misery and give mee grace daily to die unto this world and forsake it while I am in it that I may live more and more in true holinesse and righteousnesse before thee and so I shall obtain blessednesse here to be directed by thee in all things and to have thy protection over me to die happily in thee and live eternally with thee who art my only Saviour and Redeemer Iesus Christ the righteous to whom be all glory for ever and ever So be it 17. The conclusion for Tuesday to be said at night or in bed to the Son for my selfe and children MY sweet Iesus by thy grace and holy Name keep mee thy poore servant and all mine from all sinne and shame and by thy bitter death and passion save us from thy great wrath and endlesse damnation and by thy powerfull resurrection raise us daily from sin to grace and newnesse of life and by thy glorious ascention draw me thy unworthy servant continually to heaven after thee by a holy life and godly conversation and of thy great mercie after death reserve me to be where thou art and make me partaker of thy everlasting salvation and in all my troubles sorrows and distresse doe thou my griefes redresse and be my blessed consolation and vouchsafe to receive me this night and alwaies into thy mercifull preservation for now I will lay me downe in peace and also rest and sleep because thou Lord dost only mee sustaine and wilt in safety keep for on thee alone I wholly doe depend who art all my hope helpe comfort and confidence sweet Iesus my Saviour Amen 18. A Prayer for Wednesday to the glorious Trinity at first awaking GReat is our God and worthy to be praised I will speake of all thy marvellous workes for thou hast done great things and holy is thy Name To thee O God heavenly Father our gracious Creator of all things with God the Son that blessed Redeemer of mankinde and God the Holy Ghost the sanctifier of thine elect unto thee O Lord three Persons one true and everliving God be given and rendred as is due by mee and all other thy children and servants all humble and possible praise and thanks now and ever For I thy most unworthy servant doe humbly and thankfully acknowledge that I finde thy blessings and benefits both spirituall and temporall sleeping and waking daily and howrely to be renued towards me for which I blesse and magnifie thy holy Name especially for those spirituall graces thou hast vouchsafed unto my soule from time to time before I had any being for my election by the whole Trinity and my creation by God the Father which thou didst fully performe in thine owne innocent person but chiefly in that infinite love token unto mankinde of God the Father in ordaining and sending thy deare Son out of thy bosome into the world and thou O Christ in comming amongst wicked men to put thy selfe into their cruell hands for our redemption and so become our righteousnesse justification and salvation which thou hast dearly purchased for us with thy own bloud And since I was borne O blessed Spirit for my continuall preservation and daily supply of all needfull blessings for my soule and body especially for my vocation and calling to the right knowledge of God and his saving truth with some measure of true faith sanctification and regeneration from sinne to grace all wrought in mee by the holy operation of thee Lord Holy Ghost by whom also we are united unto our Lord and head Christ Jesus from whom Lord let me never be separated Now vouchsafe O God still to continue all thy mercies towards me and chiefly in giving me daily a supply and increase of all heavenly gifts and spirituall graces whereby I may be able rightly faithfully and constantly to feare and love to seek serve and please thee my God in all things as I ought to doe that so I may obtaine thy grace and favour by thy assistance to live a holy life here according to thy will that thou of thy infinite mercie Almighty God and glorious Trinity maiest make me partaker of thy heavenly Kingdome of glory hereafter Amen 19. A Prayer to the Trinity for Wednesday morning O God the Father of heaven the gracious Creator of all things the righteous judge that searcheth the heart and trieth the children of men and beholdeth all our waies and knowest my substance is but dust flesh and bloud and my nature as it is corrupted by sin is of it selfe earthly sensuall and divelish and can merit nothing from thee O Lord but condemnation Deare God the originall of all goodnesse I most humbly beseech thee to have mercy upon mee miserable sinner and enter not into judgement with thy poore servant for no flesh living is righteous before thee neither reward me after my wickednesse for I am a wretched and most sinfull creature and have done exceeding much evill in thy sight but I humbly pray thee O God for thy dear Son and my Saviours sake to withdraw thy great wrath and heavy displeasure from mee which my sinnes have justly deserved and if it be thy will Lord release my present afflictions which now and long have lain upon me and vouchsafe also to prevent and remove those weighty judgements that hang over my head for my iniquities that by thy unspeakable mercies I may escape them yet if thou please further to visit mee with fatherly chastisements for the amendment of my faults Lord give me wisdome and patience to beare all things as I ought to doe without offence towards thee and by thy grace to make the best and rightest use of all thou sendest so as in the end they may turne to thy glory and the furtherance of my salvation in Christ my Lord. O God the Son Redeemer of mankinde who didst vouchsafe to bee borne of a woman to become man for our redemption and camest into the world to seek and save all those that were lost by sin that they might live by faith in thee which Lord grant unto me sweet Jesus my Saviour and have mercie upon me a wicked sinner to forgive and pardon all my sinnes and offences that I have done before thee all my life past in thought word and deed and impute not my iniquities unto me neither destroy mee with my transgressions nor let thy heavy displeasure reserve evill for me hereafter but deare Lord of thy great goodnesse grant me thy poore servant true faith and unfeigned repentance with thy gracious remission of all my trespasses and wash my sinnes out of thy sight with thine owne most pretious and innocent bloud which thou didst so freely shed for our redemption naile all my offences upon thy crosse and
preservation this night and formerly and safe approach by thy providence to this light I humbly beseech thee vouchsafe this day and alwaies to bee my present helpe in all dangers and my mercifull God to pardon all my sinnes and wickednesse that I have done heretofore and to prevent and to protect mee by thy grace and favour from falling into any sin or evill to offend thee hereafter and direct me by thy holy Spirit in all things I goe about to doe that which is acceptable in thy sight through Christ and to the best for my owne soule Deare Lord give me thy sinfull servant thy grace whereby I may be able rightly and faithfully to seeke serve and please thee my God as I ought to doe this day and at all times throughout my whole life These great blessings I beg of thee O God the Father by thy gracious assistance in and through and for the sake of thine owne deare Sonne and my only Saviour Jesus Christ the righteous So bee it 23. A Prayer for Thursday morning to God the Father MOst mighty God and my mercifull Father the giver of all good gifts grant mee thy grace and the light of thy countenance to guide mee this day and ever to walke in thy paths of truth and righteousnesse all my life and to runne in the way of thy Commandements unto my end for thy beloved Sonne hath taught us before all things to seek that which is most needfull even the Kingdome of God and the rightousnesse thereof and then our heavenly Father will supply all things else which he knoweth to be necessary for us Good Lord make me with Mary to choose the better part to seek heare and follow our Saviour Jesus and let that never bee taken from mee thy poore servant To which end I humbly pray thee O God to weane and withdraw my heart and soule from the cares love or liking of this vilde world and all the vanities thereof all which like a dream and shadow fade away And Lord drive all wicked thoughts out of my minde and banish covetous desires the root of all evill from my heart and make me ever consider what it would advantage me if I could win the whole world and should lose my owne soule Therefore I beseech thee O Lord by thy holy Spirit to settle my heart and soul my desires affections and delight only upon thee my God thy glory thy Kingdome thy righteousnesse and make me to account all earthly things but drosse and dirt so that I may win Christ and attaine to the excellent knowledge of Jesus my Saviour who is the Lord of life him chiefly O God let me finde and obtaine to be mine with whom I shall have all other good things by thy infinite mercie I beseech thee that so I may be able rightly and faithfully to serve and please thee as I ought while I live heare that after death thou of thy unspeakable goodnesse maiest make mee partaker of thy heavenly Kingdome of glory And now deare God vouchsafe unto me thy most unworthy servant the grace of daily and unfeigned sorrow and repentance for all my sins with a sound sense and feeling of them in a contrite spirit with care to reforme all my former faults in the rest of my life and make me strictly to examine my owne heart soule knowledge and conscience of all the evills I have done before thee and severely to judge hate and condemne my selfe for them that so I may escape thy great wrath and may not bee judged and condemned by thee in thy heavy displeasure which I am not able to beare for who can stand in the sight of thy great Majesty when thou art angry therefore I most humbly pray thee good God in the multitude of thy mercies to forgive and grant me thy grace and pardon of all my sins and offences past that I am guilty of for thy beloved Sonnes sake that so my iniquities may never be imputed unto me but Lord give me true faith to lay fast hold upon thy mercies and all thy gracious promises and the merits and sufferings of Ghrist with grace rightly to apply them to my owne salvation through Jesus my Saviour that so I may be quit through him and freed of my account with thee before I die and grant that I may daily die unto the world and hate all the vaine pressures thereof and may live more and more unto thee in all righteousnesse and true holinesse of living before thee as becommeth thy Saints that so when thy appointed time is come for me to enter into my long sleep of death that thou wilt be pleased by thy holy Spirit to fit and prepare me and to give me a happy and blessed departure out of this life to die in the Lord that I may rest in peace and safety and be raised up by my Saviour to grace and glory that thou pardoning all my sinnes and receiving me to mercie thou maiest wipe all teares from mine eies and remove all sorrow from my soule and for Jesus sake to admit me into thy glorious presence and there to enjoy eternall felicitie and be a happy member of thy blessed Church triumphant to praise thee there for evermore Amen And the blessing of God Almighty the eternall Father the beloved Son and the Holy Ghost be ever with mee to sanctifie blesse and preserve my soule and body in thy feare and favour and true faith stedfast hope and perfect charity unto my lifes end Amen 24. A Prayer to God the Father for Thursday night HAve mercy upon me O Lord and hearken unto my prayer for I know thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous and with thy favour wilt compasse him as with a shield Lord thou lovest not wickednesse neither shall evill dwell with thee thou shalt destroy them that speake lies for thou abhorrest all them that worke iniquity yet thou desirest not the death of a sinner but that he should returne and live therefore deare Lord deliver my soule and save me in thy manifold mercies for I have grievously sinned before thee and my iniquities are gone over my head into thy presence and are too heavy for mee to beare But I most humbly beseech thee for thy beloved Son Jesus sake to give me unfaigned sorrow and repentance for all my sinnes past which are great and many and grant me thy gracious pardon and remission for all my offences committed this day or heretofore against thee and Lord indue me with true faith to lay hold of all thy mercies and my Saviours merits and sufferings with grace to amend reforme my life according to thy most holy word and Commandements all the rest of my daies to come to which end Lord give me a soft a penitent upright and contrite heart with a tender conscience and a true and sound sense and feeling of all my sinnes infirmities and spirituall wants with grace earnestly and faithfully to cry and pray unto thee for mercie and reliefe
Will praise the Lord because he is good for his mercy endureth for ever by whom we live move and have our being our maintenance safety and preservation Now glorious Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost I humbly pray thee vouchsafe unto mee thy most unworthy servant such grace and favour to knit my heart and soule fast to theee so that my sinnes nor my soules enemies the wicked world my owne corrupt flesh nor the malice of the Divell may not be able to pluck mee out of thy mercifull and powerfull hands but Lord assist me with thine owne blessed Spirit that I may daily continue and increase in all sincere and perfect love and obedience towards thy Majesty and in thy feare and favour and all other saving graces to have a good conscience before thee with true faith stedfast hope and perfect charity unto my lifes end Amen 31. A Prayer unto the Trinity for Saturday morning O Lord our God how excellent is thy Name in all the world for thou hast laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the workes of thy hands and thou didst create and dost governe dispose and rule the whole world with all things therein according to thy good pleasure O most divine and adored Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost three persons but one true eternall and everliving God to whom be all praise honour and glory as is right and due for ever Thou only by thy word and power didst make all things for thine owne glory especially mankinde after thine image in purity and holinesse to thine own service for by thy ptovidence and mercy commeth all good gifts and blessings unto us and also deliverances only from thee of those evills and dangers which sinne hath made us subject unto in falling from thee and our first integrity by the subtillty and malice of Sathan and our owne frailty yet of thine owne free grace thou didst elect a number by thee selected of thy chosen servants to inherit an eternall Kingdome with and through thy beloved Son whom thou didst ordain and send into the world at thine appointed time to be the redemption of all that beleeve in thee O God the Son our blessed Lord Jesus Christ it is written of thee that thou shouldest doe the will of God the Father who ordained thee to be our Redeemer and wert made of God unto us wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and salvation with glorification hereafter Now deare Jesus who hast paid our ransome even the all-sufficient and acceptable sacrifice of thine own pretious bloud to wash away our sins who was lifted upon the crosse between heaven and earth to make an attonement betwixt God and man his heavy wrath and our grievous offences and so thou art become our Priest to offer up thy innocent selfe to cleanse us from our sinnes who art our Prophet to instruct and teach us and direct our waies aright to shew us the path of life and make the way plaine before our faces and by thy example to beare our crosse patiently and follow thee that art the way the truth and the life to lead us to eternall salvation also thou art our King to protect defend and reigne over us in mercy truth and righteousnesse till thine enemies be made thy footstoole and all that hate thee be destroyed before thee for God hath put all things in subjection under his feet then shalt thou judge the whole world in righteousnesse and equity and wilt bring thy servants to that eternall inheritance which thou hast by thy merits and sufferings so dearly purchased for us who wert borne unto us to be the joy and comfort of all people and the glory and salvation of all that truly beleeve and trust in thee our Saviour O God Holy Ghost the giver worker and sealer of all graces unto us by thee we are called to the knowledge of God and his saving truth sanctified to the performance of his will and Commandements certified by the holy Spirit of our salvation in Christ Jesus and by thee applied unto us to bee regenerated and borne againe by thy holy operation from sin to grace to thy glory and our endlesse felicity And thy Spirit also witnesseth to our spirits that we are the children of God and heires with Christ of the Kingdome of heaven to the eternall comfort of all thy servants being by thee also united to our blessed Christ and sealed to the day of redemption and continually assisting us to all goodnesse Now great and glorious Lord God Father Son and Holy Ghost thou hast plentifully powred downe thy manifold mercies and favours upon us and multiplied exceedingly thy blessings and benefits spirituall and temporall towards us before we had being in the world since we were borne and after death thou hast laid up an eternall weight of glory for all those to possesse that truly beleeve in thee which give me grace to doe for none hath or ever can deserve them Oh the abundant mercy bounty and goodnesse of our gracious God towards mortall mankinde who can declare the height and depth of Gods unspeakable love or be sufficiently thankfull to him for such unexpressible benefits but with David we may say Lord What is man that thou art mindefull of him Or what shall we render to thee for all thy mercies having in us no good at all but what we receive from thy selfe therefore Lord adde this further grace unto thy former favours by the assistance of thine owne Spirit to make us thy unworthy servants able rightly faithfully and constantly to feare love honour serve obey and praise thy most glorious Name while we live and for ever and ever Amen 32. A Prayer to God the Holy Ghost for Saturday night O God Holy Ghost the giver of all graces and and my gracious sanctifier comforter and preserver thou knowest my infirmities my inclination to all evill and backwardnesse to any goodnesse vouchsafe Lord to sanctifie mee thy poore sinfull servant in soule body and spirit throughout to thy true feare intire love and right faithfull and constant service all my time to come And be pleased Lord by thy grace to enlighten my dull soule and understanding with the sound knowledge sincere love and stedfast beleefe of thy saving truth and keepe me ever constant therein And vouchsafe deare Lord to inrich me thy poore unworthy servant with the infinite treasure of that heavenly wisdome from above which waiteth about thy Throne that may teach me thy holy will and what is good and acceptable unto thee and inable me with grace to doe it that so I may discerne between good and evill and make me shunne and hate that which is evill and follow and cleave unto that which is good and to withdraw my love from this vaine world and fix my affections upon thee my God and on heavenly things that are above that my chiefe treasure may be settled there in heaven and my heart also and so I shall first seek to obtaine that
which is most needfull even thy glory thy favour and thy blessed Kingdome and then Lord I know thou wilt supply all the defects of grace in my soule and heale all the infirmities of my body but chiefly vouchsafe daily to continue and increase all spirituall graces in my soule by thy mercy and mighty power O my blessed Lord God to which end O gracious Spirit give mee an upright and penitent heart an humble and lowly spirit a quiet recollected minde freed from the vanities and cares of this present world and the love of this vile life but Lord teach mee with Mary first and above all things to seek after thee my God thy Kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof so that I may have grace wholly to devote and dedicate my selfe my time and best endeavours unto thy true and faithfull service and daily study and strive to doe thy holy will in all things and seek thy glory here that so I may be partaker of thy heavenly Kingdome hereafter And deare Lord Holy Ghost inspire me with thy grace daily to heare and read thy holy and blessed word as I ought to do and that I may so imploy my time therein as to frame my life hereafter to thy glory and my soules good And grant mee graciously O God to chuse to speake and to walke in the waies of truth and righteousnesse and to set thy heavy judgements against sin continually before my face to deter and make mee daily to remember my owne last end and by thy assistance to prepare for it and to consider the end in all my actions before I doe them that I may never doe amisse and let me still remember thy all-seeing eyes are ever upon our waies that I may not displease or offend thee in any thing But Lord indue me with thy holy Spirit to direct my heart and all my waies aright before thee that so thou maiest witnesse to my spirit that I am the childe of God and ever continue unto mee that unspeakable comfort to give me the joyfull hope of my salvation through my Lord Jesus Christ unto my end and in my end especially establish me with thy free spirit to worke in my soul all saving graces that may make me acceptable in thy sight through my Lord Jesus Christ for whose sake I beseech thee further to extend thy goodnes towards me to forgive all my sinnes and offences that I have done before thee in my whole life past and preserve me in soul and body from all sin and evill either committing or falling on mee but deare Lord vouchsafe daily to supply and bestow upon me all the benefits and blessings necessary for this present life but chiefly be pleased to sanctifie my soule and body unto thy faithfull service and indue me with all saving graces for my salvation both in life and death that so I may bee able rightly and constantly to serve and please thee whilst I live here that also by thy gracious assistance I may obtaine a place hereafter to live with thee eternally O Holy Ghost and my blessed Lord God to whom be all thanks and praise for ever Amen 33. The conclusion for Saturday night in bed to the weeks Prayers for mornings and nights I Most humbly beseech thee my Lord God mercifully to loke upon me and my manifold infirmities and for Jesus my Saviours sake vouchsafe to forgive and pardon all my sinnes and grievous offences that I have committed in thy sight all the daies of my life past and in thy great mercy turne from me all those evils that my transgressions have justly deserved and Lord grant me thy preventing grace and fatherly providence to bee still with mee to preserve me at all times from falling into any sinne or evill either to offend thee my God or to hurt my owne soule And vouchsafe Lord so to direct and dispose the heart and waies of me thy most unworthy servant towards the right performance of all duties and services that I owe unto thee my God and the happy obtaining by my Lord Iesus of everlasting salvation to my owne selfe that amongst all the changes chances and adversities of this miserable mutable and mortall life I may ever be defended by thy ready helpe and favour from falling into sin shame harme or danger either in soule or body and may be directed and assisted by thy grace and providence to walke in the waies of righteousnesse and true holinesse before thee that thou my Lord Holy Ghost maiest guide me in all things I goe about to doe that which may be most serviceable acceptable and best pleasing in the sight of my Lord God to whom be all praise honour power and eternall glory for ever and ever Amen The end of the second Book BOOK III. Short Prayers which may belong to any the three Books when time serves not for longer devotions 1. A short Preface before other prayers or petitions O Lord Holy Ghost who best knowest my manifold infirmities have mercy and pity upon me and vouchsafe to prevent or to banish and drive away all evill hindrances and temptations that may withdraw my heart from God in the offering up of my prayers and humble petitions unto thy Majesty and be pleased Lord to sanctifie teach and assist me herein with thy holy Spirit and grace that I may rightly and faithfully performe this duty and service before thee to thy glory and my good and comfort of my soule through Christ Jesus Amen 2. A short thanksgiving at first sight of the morning light MY blessed Lord God I most humbly praise thee for thy gracious preservation of mee with quiet rest and health this night past and bringing me in safety to this light Lord blesse and sanctifie me this day and ever unto thy faithfull service and keep me alwaies in thy true faith feare favour and ready obedience and make me constantly and unfaignedly thine all my life time but in my death especially that when it pleaseth thee to call for me out of this miserable world thou maiest bring me to eternall salvation by thine own merits and meer mercy sweet Jesus I most humbly beseech thee So be it 3. A Prayer for helpe in present temptation in the time of prayer to our Lord Jesus who overcame and subdued the old tempter the subtile Serpent our everlasting enemy from whom God defend us OH my God heavenly Father who hast made and seest all hearts and knowest my great affection and fervent desire rightly to serve thee and my weaknesse and frailty in performance thereof have pity on my infirmities and assist me with thy grace And sweet Jesus my Saviour who didst suffer thy selfe to bee tempted by the Divell that thou mightest overcome the tempter and succour all those that are tempted to thee Lord I call and pray for helpe and defence against this malicious adversary O God the Holy Ghost indue me with thy blessed Spirit and power so to resist him that he may flye from me and banish thou Lord all wicked hindrances and temptations away from thy poore servant in performing all my duties towards thee Now deare God have mercy upon
me most miserable sinner and in thy infinite mercy drive away this subtill enemy of my poore soule with his pernitious agents the vaine world and the corruptions of our owne nature let them not prevaile over me at any time for these are very ready to assault tempt and draw my minde from thee in all my devotions and services that I endeavour to offer unto thy Majesty and to make my prayers vaine and void and drive me to fall into wicked neglect towards my God whereby to prevent destroy and divert all my comforts and hopes in thee O Lord which is the whole life of my soule But Gracious God Almighty whose power and strength is above all vouchsafe to overcome and banish all from mee never to returne againe and let thy blessed Spirit rest constantly in me to withstand all disturbances in the performance of my duty before thee and deare Lord make new cleane and upright my heart and frame it to thy holy will that so by thy gracious assistance I may faithfully serve and honour thee please and praise thee my God now and at all times in this life and for ever to thy glory and my eternall comfort Amen The afternoone prayers at foure a clock for each day in the week Munday 1. A thanks giving to the blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost O My good and gracious God great and many are thy mercies and blessings I have received from thee both spirituall and temporall from time to time and now what shall I render unto thee having no good to returne but the poore fruit of my lips which is nothing unto thee but the performance of our duties to praise thy great Name and to acknowledge all thy benefits therefore now I will give thanks to God the Father our gracious Creator who so loved us when we were his enemies and had lost our selves by sinne that he ordained and after sent his only begotten and beloved Son into the world that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Christ being the propitiation for our sinnes that we may live by faith through him And also I yeeld all possible praise unto my blessed Saviour who became man and in his infinite love willingly laid downe his life for us and washed away our sinnes with his owne pretious bloud and made us by his merits and sufferings Kings and Priests unto God and adopted children to his Father and heires with himselfe of an eternall Kingdome by whose resurrection we have a lively hope of an inheritance that cannot be shaken and withereth not reserved in heaven for us Now to thee Lord Holy Ghost the preserver sanctifier and comforter of mankinde by whom we are sealed unto the day of redemption and by whose holy working wee are united unto Jesus our blessed head and are certified by thy Spirit witnessing to our spirits that wee are the children of God to our great comfort and further by thy assistance and grace our weake prayers are rightly and effectually offered up unto the Lord our God Now to thee Almighty God three Persons and glorious Trinity but one true and everliving God from whose mercifull hands we daily receive all the good we doe injoy in this present world with further and full assurance of far greater happinesse by thy infinite mercies in the life to come be all praise and glory Amen Tuesday 2. A Prayer to the Trinity for grace and true faith O Sweet Jesus Christ Son of God who art the divine word without whom nothing was made and being made had been utterly lost hadst thou not been our powerfull and mercifull Redeemer thou art the way the truth and the life and thou who hast said that no man can come unto the Father but by thee who camest into the world and didst willingly lay down thine owne life only to save sinners by thy grace of whom I am chiefe have mercy upon me miserable sinner who can of my selfe neither will nor performe any good worke towards God as I ought to doe but vouchsafe Lord to indue mee with grace to serve and obey thee to learne thy will and to doe it and through faith to lay hold of thy mercies that so thou my Saviour maiest in thy righteousnesse present me to thy heavenly Father that hee may looke upon me poor sinfull creature through thee his deare Son and for thy sake to receive and accept me into his gracious favour to pardon all my sinnes and save my soule through thy perfect righteousnesse and manifold sufferings all performed for me Now thou Lord hast further said that none can come unto thee except the Father draw him therefore I most humbly pray thee O God the Father by that infinite love to wards mankind which caused thee to send downe thy beloved Son out of thine owne bosome into this wicked world that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life I earnestly pray thee O God the Father to draw me to thy Son Jesus that I may lay fast hold by faith on him to be my Saviour and to be his faithfull and constant servant and to be made through him and by thy mercie a happy member of him our blessed head then I shall be sure never to fall into condemnation but by stedfast faith in him obtaine eternall salvation And deare Lord Holy Ghost the giver of grace by whom we are joyned to our Lord and head Christ and sanctified to a new and holy life Lord cleanse and frame my heart and soule by the holy working and assistance of thy Spirit and grace unto the right faithfull and constant service of my Lord God my Saviour Jesus with thee O Holy Ghost so long as I live Lord daily increase my faith and all saving graces in me for my salvation and may by thee be directed and lead into the waies of righteousnesse untill thou hast brought me unto endlesse happinesse through Jesus Christ Amen Wednesday 3. A prayer to God for charity O Mercifull Lord God the giver of all graces I humbly beseech thee to frame my heart will and affections in all ready obedience to thy most holy will and Commandements in all things especially in the workes of mercy and charity they being a sweet smelling sacrifice wherewith thou art well pleased and wherein we may imitate thee and shall thereby gaine the honour to be made like unto thy selfe and be knowne to bee one of thy disciples if we love our brethren as our selves O God as thou hast blessed mee of thy meer goodnesse with an estate above some others to give me the grace of compassion and charity and inlarge my heart towards thy service to shew mercy unto them that want as thou hast been mercifull unto me that I may willingly distribute communicate to those that are
patience to wait thy leasure untill thou please to have mercy on us to our release and comfort and to thy owne praise and glory who never failest those that depend upon thee Now I most humbly acknowledge with all possible praise and thanks which I am bound ever to render unto thee that thou hast formerly delivered me out of many sorrowes eares troubles and vexations both in body and minde and also I blesse and magnifie thy holy Name for all thy great and manifold blessings which thou hast bestowed upon me thy most unworthy servant and I pray thee Lord of thy infinite goodnesse not to let my sinnes and wickednesse hinder thy mercies towards me but pardon and cast all my offences out of thy sight through Jesus Christ my Saviour and vouchsafe alwaies to continue thy grace and favour to mee and especially in daily renewing all spirituall graces in me that so when or how soone soever thou hast appointed an end unto my daies here I may then obtaine the end of my faith and hope even thy glory and my owne salvation through thy beloved Son and my only Saviour Jesus for whose sake Lord heare me and grant these my humble requests with all things else which thou best knowest necessary either for my soule or body for this life or for the life to come in which deare God make mee in thy manifold mercies partaker of eternall happinesse for evermore Amen 3. A Prayer for due preparation before the holy Communion of the Lords Supper O Most gracious God and our heavenly and mercifull Father in Jesus Christ who hatest nothing thou hast made and desirest not the death of sinners but that we should return to thee and live thou absolvest all those that truly repent and beleeve thy holy Gospell and didst send thine only and beloved Son Jesus into the world to seek those that were lost and to save sinners by thy grace of whom I am chiefe O sweet Jesus thou callest to thee those that are heavy laden and truly penitent and weary of their burthensome sinnes that thou maiest mercifully ease and refresh them thou camest to call sinners to repentance and restore us that were lost by sinne and to lay downe thine owne life to redeeme mankinde from eternall death and hast left us a gracious remembrance thereof in thy most holy Supper of that unspeakable worke of our redemption which we are exceedingly bound often to celebrate in acknowledgement of thy unexpressible mercy and favour towards us But oh my Lord I tremble and feare knowing that I am a wretched and wicked sinner and my offences have made me abominable in thy sight being wholy corrupt both in soule and body from the crowne of my head to the soal of the foot the worst deserving of all thy servants and if thou shouldest strictly marke what I have done amisse or enter into judgement with me how should I dare to come into thy presence having nothing to answer for my selfe but to cry with the Publican I have grievously offended Lord be mercifull to mee a sinner and as another saith of himselfe how should I presume to appeare in the presence of God can the Lord be mercifull to so miserable a sinner as I am But Lord I have learned and do beleeve that there is mercy with thee and plentifull redemption therefore we are infinitly bound to love and feare thee but I doe humbly confesse that I am altogether unworthy of my selfe to approach unto thy blessed table but thou Lord that givest both the will and the deed in all good workes so Lord I pray thee to worke in me a due preparation for thy acceptance and then inable me to performe my duty herein in a right and faithfull manner for there at thy heavenly banquet thou Lord Father Son and Holy Ghost art present in thy great Majesty beholding our unperfect devotions wants in preparation and manifold infirmities but thou Lord by thy powerfull grace cleansest us from sin and changest us into new creatures and in thy highest bounty giving thy selfe really unto us to be received spiritually by faith and by the working of the Holy Ghost thou art the heavenly food of our soules unto eternall life powring such great and wonderfull treasure into poore earthen vessels as we are and and so making us partakers of all the benefits of thy unspeakable merits and bitter passions and sufferings Oh Lord who invitest me thither continue thy mercy to perfect the good worke thou hast begun for my salvation and heale thou my corrupt soule converting my straying and deceitfull heart and knit it unto thee my God and by thy grace prepare and fit me rightly reverently faithfully and worthily to receive that high and divine mystery in all humility contrition true faith and charity with such devotion as I ought to doe Now deare Lord give me grace rightly to understand and duly to consider and ponder of thy greatnesse to feare thee of thy goodnesse to love thee of thy power and manifold mercies towards me ever to beleeve and trust in thee And also to looke into my owne rebellious disobedience and shamefull ingratitude towards thee and my most miserable estate who am in danger of everlasting damnation by my innumerable transgressions committed against thee Lord touch my hardened heart with the oyle of thy grace that it may be fastened to receive a sound and sensible feeling and sight of all my grievious sinnes past both in committing the evill I was forbidden and omitting the good I am commanded with a true sense of thy just wrath against me for the same which may worke in mee by thy assistance such unfaigned sorrow and penitencie even to breake my stony heart with hatred of my self and all sinne for so offending thee with such true contrition and repentance unto salvation as I may obtaine thy mercifull pardon sweet Jesus that by thy wounds I may bee healed and all my offences hidden never to bee imputed unto me hereafter and by thy grace heartily purposing constantly to endeavour the amendment of all my misdeeds for the time to come and by thy helpe to lead a holy and a sanctified life so long as I live Now I humbly beseech thee oh dear Lord to indue me also with the blessed gift of true faith which is the only hand to lay hold of thee and all thy mercies whereby thou maiest dwell in me and I in thee for ever I beleeve Lord helpe my unbeleefe and strengthen and increase in me a right hope and lively faith stedfastly to beleeve and rightly to apply to my owne soule all thy gracious promises benefits merits and sufferings for me to my salvation Oh my God Holy Ghost vouchsafe to inspire my heart with true and perfect charity towards all my brethren and neighbours yea even to my very enemies for thy sake that I may forgive them as thou dost pardon me And thou Lord preserver of mankinde by thy gracious operation in this blessed
Sacrament joyne me an unworthy member unseparably unto thy blessed head Christ Jesus especially at this time grant that through thy holy working and assistance I may bee a happy partaker not only of the outward signes but also of the inward and inestimable graces bestowed upon our soules by the reall body broken and pretious bloud shed of our deare Saviour Jesus which was crucified for us to be the pretious food of our soules all which Lord rightly apply unto my soule with all other benefits thereby signified and assured unto us and through his righteousnesse and merits that I may be reconciled and accepted by God our heavenly Father to my eternall comfort and happinesse that so I may devoutly and everlastingly love and honour magnifie and admire the infinite mercy love and favour of God the Father our deare Saviour Jesus and of the Holy Ghost to whom be all praise and glory for ever Now Almighty God grant me thy poore servant grace to live in true faith ready obedience and continuall thankfullnesse all the rest of my daies here that I may live hereafter in heaven with thee in joy and blisse for evermore Amen 4. An humble thanksgiving after the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper I Yeeld unto thee my mercifull Lord God Father Son and Holy Ghost all humble and possible praise and thanks for all thy great benefits and loving favours vouchsafed unto me thy poor sinfull creature both spirituall and temporall all my life hitherto and deare Lord the fountaine of all mercie thou hast been exceeding good and gracious towards mee which I humbly acknowledge especially in vouchsafing so great and manifold blessings to me thy most unworthy servant in this thy present favour which thou hast been pleased to make me partaker of amongst thy children Now deare Lord make me ever truly thankfull with all my heart and soule unto thee for all thy mercies bestowed on mee who with shame and sorrow doe confesse I have deserved no good but all evill at thy hands by my manifold offences committed against thee therefore in all humility I doe beseech thee to cast all my sinnes and wickednesse out of thy sight and let them be no hindrance to thy grace and mercy towards me but Lord still continue and increase thy fatherly care and loving kindnesse both to my soule and body to prevent and preserve me from falling into any sin or evill and vouchsafe to bestow all spirituall graces on mee that may inable me to live a more holy and acceptable life before thee ever hereafter and seale thou my pardon for all my sinnes past for Christ Jesus sake who dyed for me and with his owne unvaluable bloud paid my ransome and fully satisfied thy great and just wrath against me But gracious God how unspeakable is thy goodnesse and infinite favour towards mankinde that instead of powring down punishments upon us for our great offences against thee thou didst thy selfe in thy tender love ordaine the meanes for our redemption justification and eternall salvation through Christ thine owne deare Son praised be thy glorious Name for ever and chiefly at this time I magnifie thee sweet Jesus the mirrour of mercy who before thou hadst finished the great worke of our redemption didst also institute the blessed Sacrament of thy holy Supper that inestimable benefit to all thy servants which rightly receive the same it being a pledge of thy love a remembrance of thy mercy a renuing of grace in us a testimony of thy favours a confirmation of our faith a uniting of us by thy Holy Ghost to our blessed Lord and head Christ Jesus and all our fellow members in perfect charity one towards another with assurance thereby of the pardon of all our sinnes and eternall salvation to our soules the great benefit thereof is beyond my expression of which this day thou hast graciously vouchsafed to make mee though unworthy of my selfe yet by thy favour a happy partaker Now deare Lord enlarge thy goodnesse further toward me thy poor servant to give me daily the spirituall gifts of sound repentance encrease of true faith to beleeve all thy gracious promises with grace rightly to apply them to my owne soule and all the infinite benefits which thou my deare Saviour hast purchased for me that so this Sacrament may worke those good effects in me which thou hast therein offered unto us and that I may by thy assistance bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse obedience and true holinesse of life all the rest of my daies and to make such thankfull and constant acknowledgement and right use of all thy mercies as I may glorifie thy blessed Name reforme my waies and frame my heart in all things to be faithfully and constantly thine and then I know that thou wilt ever be my gracious God to thy honour and my endlesse felicity through my Lord Jesus Christ the righteous Amen 1. A meditation concerning death O Lord God Holy Ghost our sanctifier preserver and comforter who best knowes my corrupt nature that cannot of my selfe performe any true service towards God being inclined to all evill and unapt to any goodnesse I humbly beseecb thee that understandest my manifold infirmities be pleased to indue me with all saving graces in the performance of all holy duties towards God And I humbly pray thee sweet Jesus to call and draw me daily unto thee and vouchsafe Lord by thy holy Spirit to possesse my heart and soule to make mee wholly and constantly thine truly to feare and love thee to serve and obey thee in all things that so thou in thy infinite mercy maiest never leave me but be my gracious Lord and mercifull God for ever And I humbly pray thee Lord Holy Ghost to sanctifie and assist me thy poore sinfull servant with all spirituall graces for my salvation in Christ both living and dying that I may strive to become what I ought to be and to doe thy holy will in all things while I live Now O good God Father Son and Holy Ghost thou knowest that many and evill have been my daies in this world and by thy providence I have attained to a great age but have not performed the ends for which I came into the world who being made only to serve God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our lives to his glory and our salvation which is the chief thing needfull but alas for the most part it is the least regarded or thought upon where I confesse with sorrow that I have been too much neglectfull having sometimes been drawne by the cares and troubles of this life which necessity brought upon me to set my heart ever carefully upon earthly things and likewise too often have I been carried away with the vanity of my owne heart in following after the preferments or vanity of my owne heart in following after the preferments or delighting in the pleasures of this vile world all which perish in the using by which delusions
let thy right hand uphold and sustaine me to preserve me from all my spirituall enemies that wait to destroy my soule But thou my Lord art sufficient for me O Lord vouchsafe me thy grace to direct my heart and words towards thee and by thy ready helpe to assist me in all things and at all times that in thy mercie at the last thou maiest finish all thy favour in mee which is the accomplishment of my faith and hope in thee And Lord grant that I may willingly and readily come unto thee when thou callest and vouchsafe O blessed Spirit Holy Ghost to fit and prepare me by unfeigned repentance to obtaine remission of all my sinnes that I have done before thee with true faith to lay hold of all the mercies of my God in Christ and with stedfast hope to rest on all thy gracious promises O Lord who never failest those that trust in thee Now Lord give me strength and patience to wait thy good leasure and pleasure untill thou have pity and compassion on me either to recover and restore my health here if it be thy will that I may live and glorifie thee longer in this life or else that thou wilt please to receive and prepare me for thy selfe and give me all saving graces for thine own mercifull acceptance when thou pleasest to call and take me to thee out of this wretched world that so my faith and sure trust in thee may never faile unto my last breath Now lastly Lord grant that as the outward man the body decayeth and groweth weaker so the inward part the soule may by thy gracious assistance grow together in faith and confidence towards thee with full assurance of thy Spirit within me of thy favour to me for my eternall salvation Then come Lord Iesus when thou pleasest for into thy hands I humbly commend my spirit that when this life shall leave me thy grace and mercy may receive mee into that endlesse happinesse in heaven which my Lord and only Saviour hath purchased for me that I may praise God everlastingly Amen 6. My Prayer of thanksgiving after my long and great fit of sicknesse which begun on Twelfth day at night and held me till Whitsontide This may serve upon any other occasion MOst gracious Lord God I blesse and praise thy great and holy Name for all thy blessings and benefits both spirituall and temporall vouchsafed to my soule and body but especially I magnifie thy glorious Majesty for all those spirituall graces thou hast bestowed upon my soule before I was borne and hitherto which I beseech thee of thy mercie daily to continue and increase towards me Now deare Lord make me thy unworthy servant ever truly thankfull to thee for all thy goodnesse extended towards me and grant me grace to make such right use of all thy mercies as may be most to thy glory and my salvation in Christ But now O Lord that art my God I must at this time render thee humble thanks in particular and not forget to acknowledge thy benefits and to praise thy holy Name for all thy mercies shewed unto me for in my late and long sicknes thou hast heard my groanes and taken pity on me and released me from all my paine and griefs for thou dost visit my transgressions with favour not in wrath and hast alwaies been my stay and comfort from my youth and thou art my deliverance and ready helpe in all my adversities thou didst bring me downe for my sinnes almost to the grave and hast in mercy lifted me up again from the gates of death and restored me to health who healest all my infirmities pardonest all my iniquities and givest me present supply in all my necessities blessed be thy glorious Name for ever Now O God as thou art pleased to prolong my dayes on earth so especially I humbly pray thee daily to increase all saving graces in mee for thy true and faithfull service and vouchsafe alwaies to continue all thy goodnesse and mercies towards me that I may truly feare perfectly love and carefully obey thee in all things and by the assistance of thy holy Spirit make me to become and ever to continue to bee more and more thy unfeigned servant And now I am aged and fit to leave the world when thou pleasest yet while I am in it Lord make me continually to grow from grace to grace unto the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ with faith in him rightly to please and praise thee so long as I live And gracious Lord vouchsafe never to withdraw thy grace and favour from me untill thou hast finished thy greatest worke of mercy and the height of my hopes and happinesse which is the salvation of my poor soule through thine owne deare Sonne and my only Saviour Jesus Christ and when it shall please thee to call me away to thy selfe out of this vaine world be pleased to give me a happy and blessed departure to dye in my Lord Jesus and in thy true faith and favour that thou having pardoned all my sins and passing by my unworthinesse in Christ thou maiest after death receive and accept mee poore sinner into thy grace and favour though thy dearly beloved Sonne in whom only thou art pleased who is my righteousnesse Lord and my Redeemer and so when I have left this life I shall rest in peace and safety sleep in Christ and bee raised by him hereafter to great glory amongst his servants and may obtaine favour to be accepted into the society of holy Angels and blessed Saints and admitted into the glorious presence of Almighty God there to praise and magnifie his Name for ever and ever Amen 7. My conclusion A Prayer to my blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ OH my deare Lord Jesus I most humbly begge for thy love and mercies sake to pardon all my sinnes past that thou maiest looke downe in pity and compassion on me to heare the prayer of thy unworthy sinfull servant who doth earnesty intreat thee to vouchsafe me thy gracious and continuall helpe protection and direction in all my weake endeavours wants and troubles that so all my desires wayes and actions being begun continued and ended in thee I may bee able rightly and faithfully to serve and please thee at all times really to love and honour thee above all things truly and carefully to feare and obey thee according to thine owne will confidently to relye upon thee and willingly to submit to thy pleasure in all my crosses and calamities and constantly to praise and magnifie thy most worthy and holy Name for thy great and manifold blessings and benefits bestowed upon me of thy meer grace and mercy O my blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who art the author and finisher of my good and finally of my eternall salvation to thee be all praise honour and glory for ever and ever Amen 8. Another short Prayer O Lord my God have pity upon me that am a most miserable sinner and full of frailty unapt and unable to doe any good I earnestly desire rightly to serve thee but without thy grace and help I cannot doe it a fit subject for thy great mercy Dear Iesus pardon all my sinnes past and give me grace henceforth to become a new creature in thee daily to attend thy service constantly and to performe all holy duties which Iowe unto thee faithfully and to shun and resist all sinfull neglects towards thee carefully that so while I live I may duly feare and obey thee rightly and truly to love and praise thee here and for ever Amen FINIS
everlasting happinesse to live with thee and glorifie thee there for ever and ever Amen 2. A Prayer to live blessedly and dye happily OH gracious Lord God who didst create all things by thy omnipotent power and lastly made mankinde thou best knowest the frailties and corruption of our wretched nature which we inherit from our first parents whose substance was but earth and we are of our selves inclined onely to earthly and evill things and such is the condition of mortall man that all that are borne must dye and returne to dust from whence they came but the spirit returnes to thee O God that gave it to receive either joy or blisse with thee for ever or else eternall banishment from thee who art the only good therefore I doe most humbly beseech thee deare Lord to looke mercifully upon me to helpe my manifold infirmities and daily to prevent and keep me from falling into any sinne or evill to offend thee But especially in the time of my death dear Lord be mercifull unto me a most miserable sinner to forgive all my sinnes and offences past that I have committed against thee my God my brethren or my owne soule and grant through the merits and many sufferings of thy beloved Son and my only Saviour Jesus that they may never bee imputed unto me thy poor servant but vouchsafe good God in thy manifold mercies to indue mee thy most unworthy suppliant with all saving graces leading to my salvation both in life and death for we daily see by example how suddainly death may surprise us when we least expect it therefore while this life is in being and I am going on in the way of all flesh which can be of no long continuance Lord teach and assist mee to make my peace for my offences with thee my God while I am here who else wilt take an account of me in a dreadfull place and art able if thy wrath be not pacified to cast me into hell fire from which there is no redemption therefore have mercy on me sweet Jesus that I may by thy helpe grace and assistance rightly fit and prepare my self for thy acceptance before sicknesse lay hold on me for when death seiseth it will carry mee immediately before the judgement seat of thy great Majesty Oh there let me finde thee deare Jesus to be my gracious Saviour and Advocate and so I shall obtaine mercy and favour and by thy sufferings my offences pardoned and Gods severe justice satisfied And thus in thee and through thee only my blessed Redeemer Iesus Christ I shall be received to grace and mercy and made partaker of eternall life and remaine with Almighty God in whose presence is the fulnesse of joy and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore which Lord make me partaker of there to glorifie the Name of Almighty God Father Son and Holy Ghost for ever Amen 3. A Prayer to be prepared for a happy death and to gaine a joyfull resurrection MOst glorious Lord God who didst make all things thou well understandest that we poor creatures how highly soever we are conceited of our selves are but dust and ashes and must returne to earth from whence we came our lives and times are in thy hand and power and what thou hast appointed we cannot change and all things to our selves are most uncertaine for when thou with just rebuke dost chastise man for iniquity thou makest his strength and beauty to consume away like a flower of the field that withereth and falleth for when thou callest man cannot retaine the spirit nor adde one houre to his time but it returnes to thee that gave it and hee goeth downe to the grave from which he shall not returne againe till this world is at an end Therefore deare Lord I now most humbly beseech thee for thy beloved sonnes sake who hath satisfied thy just wrath by his infinite and innocent sufferings and redeemed me from sin and Sathan by his death Lord forgive and pardon me all my sinnes and offences past either in soule or body that I have committed against thee ever since I came into this miserable world which I confesse are innumerable more then the haires of my head or the sand upon the Sea shoare but vouchsafe O mercifull God to be reconciled unto mee a wicked sinner in thy deare and righteous Son Christ Iesus my only Saviour who hath paid my ransome with his owne pretious bloud wherewith oh God of mercie blot my debt to thee by sinne out of thy sight and also he did fulfill all righteousnesse for me who is now my blessed Mediator in heaven to impute all this unto mee Therefore deare Lord Holy Ghost by thy gracious and holy Spirit joyne and unite me unto my Lord and head Christ never to be separated from him while I live here and when I goe from hence carry me to be where he is and give mee grace and faith in and through him to make my peace while I am in the way and passage of this life and while I have breath to call upon thee before I am laid into the darke dungeon of the earth when the wormes shall eat my corrupt flesh yet I trust and doe believe through him that hath overcome death the grave and hell for me that at the blessed resurrection of thy children and servants that my corruption shall put on incorruption and I shall see my blessed Lord and Saviour with these my eyes who did redeeme me and shall be my mercifull judge to save me therefore I have sure confidence in his favour and under the wings of his mercie shall I rest in safety Now I humbly pray thee O God the Holy Ghost to sanctifie fit prepare and assist my heart and soule with thy Spirit to fill me with all saving graces for my salvation while I live to enable me to call pray and strive to please thee here in all things but especially Lord at my death stand by me and pray for me that my faith faile not fit and prepare me for thy gracious acceptance before thou call and seise upon me to take me out of this present life and make me alwaies mindefull both in health and sicknesse of my owne last end and then of my appearance before thee to make answer before the great God of Heaven Earth from whom nothing can bee hid of all my life and deeds past even to my very words for thou art only and above all to be feared who canst both save and kill and cast both soule and body into utter perdition in hell Therefore Lord vouchsafe to assist me with thy grace to worke in me all things which may make me acceptable unto thee before the day of my departure that when it doth approach it may not bee fearfull and terrible but happy and comfortable unto me in Christ Jesus my Lord that through him my last day may be my best and most welcome to my soule that I may then call and