Word and in Tongue but expressed by our careful study to glorifie thee our God in all our Words and Works through Jesus Christ our Lord. Save thy Universal Church c. THE END THE TABLE WHat Prayer is and the parts of it pag. 1 2 3 4 5 Ejaculations at uprising p. 7 A Morning Prayer for a private Person ibid. When you depart Home p. 9 Ejaculations for the Evening p. 10 An Evening Prayer for a private Person p. 11 Ejaculations on several Occasions When you awake in the Night p. 13 When the Clock strikes ibid. When you intend any Business or Iourney ibid. When thou art Persecuted p. 12 Upon some sudden fear ibid. Upon any disorderly thoughts ibid. Upon any occasions of sadness ibid. Upon any diffidence ibid. When thou performest any good Work p. 15 When thou art provoked to Anger ibid. For thine Enemies ibid. Upon any Deliverance or Mercy received ibid. Upon any Loss or Adversity p. 16 When you hear the Bell Toll for one Departed ibid. Upon thought of thy Sins ibid. When thou art weary of the Cares and Vanities of this World ibid. Meditations for Sunday p. 17 A Prayer for Sunday Morning p. 18 Sunday Noon p. 20 Sunday Night p. 21 Mondays Meditations p. 23 A Prayer for Monday Morning p. 25 A Prayer for Monday Night p. 27 Tuesdays Meditations p. 28 A Prayer for Tuesday Morning p. 30 A Prayer for Tuesday Night p. 31 Wednesdays Meditations p. 33 A Prayer for Wednesday Morning p. 34 A Prayer for Wednesday Night p. 36 Thursdays Meditations p. 37 A Prayer for Thursday Morning p. 39 A Prayer for Thursday Night p. 40 Fridays Meditations p. 42 A Prayer for Friday Morning p. 44 A Prayer for Friday Night p. 45 Saturdays Meditations p. 47 A Prayer for Saturday Morning p. 48 A Prayer for Saturday Night p. 50 Meditations on the Lords Supper p. 51 A Prayer before the Communion p. 53 An Ejaculation before receiving the Bread p. 54 An Ejaculation before receiving the Cup p. 55 A Prayer after the Communion ibid. A Prayer before hearing the Word p. 57 A Prayer after hearing the Word p. 58 A Prayer for necessary Blessings of this life p. 59 A Thanksgiving for Gods Benefits p. 60 A Prayer for Wisdom p. 61 A Prayer for Defence against our Enemies p. 63 A Morning Prayer for a Family p. 64 A Collect for the Day p. 68 An Evening Prayer for a Family ibid. A Collect for the Night p. 72 Prayers for several Persons The Husbands Prayer p. 73 The Wives Prayer p. 75 The Childs Prayer p. 76 The Widows Prayer p. 77 The Orphans Prayer p. 78 A Prayer for a Young Man or Maid p. 79 The Servants Prayer p. 80 A Prayer for the Fruits of the Earth p. 81 A Prayer for seasonable Weather p. 82 A Thanksgiving after a good Harvest p. 83 A Prayer for a Woman with Child p. 84 A Prayer for a Woman near the time of her Travail p. 85 The Midwives Prayer before Deliverance p. 86 A Thanksgiving after Deliverance p. 88 A Prayer for one near any Temptation p. 89 A Prayer for one Afflicted in Mind p. 92 A Prayer to be used in behalf of one troubled in Mind p. 95 Meditations for the Sick p. 97 A Prayer to be used by a Sick Person p. 100 A Prayer to be said by the Friends of the Sick p. 103 Another Prayer to be used by those that are about the Sick p. 106 A Prayer to recommend the Soul to God when it is departing p. 108 A Prayer for a Soul departing p. 109 An Act of Resignation when a Friend is deceas'd p. 109 A Meditation after Recovery from Sickness p. 111 A Thanksgiving after Recovery from Sickness p. 113 A Prayer before a Iourney p. 114 A Thanksgiving after a Iourney p. 116 A Prayer before a Voyage p. 117 A Thanksgiving after a Voyage ibid. A Prayer in a Storm p. 120 A Thanksgiving after a Storm p. 122 A Prayer in time of Thunder and Lightning p. 123 The Mariners Prayer p. 125 The Soldiers Prayer p. 126 The Magistrates Prayer p. 128 A Prayer of a Debtor in Prison p. 129 A Prayer of a Malefactor in Prison p. 131 A Submission to the Sentence of Death p. 132 A Preparation for Death p. 134 A Prayer for pardon of Sin p. 135 Additional Devotions A Prayer for Christmass Day p. 141 For New-years Day p. 142 For Twelfth-Day ibid. For ash-Ash-Wednesday p. 143 On Good-Friday p. 144 On Easter-Day p. 145 Upon Ascension-Day p. 146 On Whitsunday p. 147 Upon Trinity-Sunday p. 148 Upon any Apostles Day p. 149 For the Church p. 150 A Prayer for the King and Queen ibid. For the Royal Family p. 151 For the Clergy ibid. For the High Court of Parliament p. 152 For the Navy and Army p. 153 For Gods people in General p. 154 A Thanksgiving for our Deliverance from the Spanish Invasion p. 155 For our great Deliverance from the Powder Treason and from Popery Slavery and Arbitrary Power ibid. For the haypy success of Their Majesties Arms in reducing of Ireland and for His Majesties safe return to England p. 157 A Prayer for Charity p. 158 To renounce the World and to affect Spiritual things p. 159 A Conclusive Prayer p. 160 The Blessing p. 161 Graces before Meat p. 161-2 Graces after Meat p. 163-4 FINIS
Heathen PRIVATE Prayer is a Duty to be used in secret where we can more particularize our sins when alone then is requisite to be done in publick Next we are to be frequent in Prayer and not Complain we want leisure for so doing for he which is most busie may find some time to perform this Duty else how can he expect his Employment should be Sanctified now it is a great advantage for Men to seek God at least Morning and Evening if they expect a Blessing upon their endeavours Next the advantages we reap by Prayer are many First It is a great honour to speak freely to the Almighty Secondly It is a great benifit for it brings down Blessings both Spiritual and Temporal to us Thirdly it is a pleasant Duty it draws us nearer to God which qualifies us for the joys of Heaven where Christ is at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore NEXT we must take care that we ask nothing which is unlawful but whatsoever we stand in need of to ask it in faith and great humility Secondly we must be attentive and mind what we are about Considering that it is the Majesty of Heaven we are to treat withal and that our necessities cannot be supplied without his Divine aid and assistance Thirdly Vigilancy Zeal and Purity of intention must not be omitted for the Sacrifice of the wicked are abomination to the Lord Lastly what we Pray for must be to a good end that is not to Pray for Wealth to Consume it upon our Lusts Or for grandeur to exercise our malice upon our Enemies but whatever we do must be done to the glory of God through whom we have Redemption in his blood even the forgiveness of our Sins Ejaculations at uprising AWake O my Soul and sing unto the Lord. Glory be to the Holy and undivided Trinity for watching and preserving me this Night I laid me down and slept for thou Lord sustainest me Lord arise and lift up the Light of thy Countenance upon me A Prayer for a Private Person in the Morning MOst gracious God whose Mercies are rich and infinite to all thy Servants that call upon thee accept I humbly beseech thee this my morning Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving which I now am to offer up unto thy Divine Majesty O Lord in thee I live move and have my being thou formdst me in the womb and hast writ my name in the Book of Life and that I might not be miserable but happy thou sentest thy only beloved Son to dye for me and to redeem me from all iniquity WHAT shall I render unto thee O Lord for all these thine inestimable benefits pour forth thy Grace upon me I beseech thee that I may abound in Thanksgiving and Praise for them Enlarge my heart with thy Love that I may in some degree Comprehend with all Saints the measure of thine infinite Mercy and goodness manifested to me by thy dear Son and my alone Saviour To whom therefore with thee and thy blessed Spirit be ascribed the whole glory of my Creation Redemption Sanctification and Salvation FORGIVE O Lord the manifold Sins which I commit daily and hourly against thee and grant that for the time to come thy restraining Grace may subdue my unruly inclinations and distempered affections and as I have been a Servant of Sin I may now become an Example of reformation That so I may rejoyce in thee as my only Treasure and rest in thee who art the Center of my felicity and be throughly convinced how good it is to draw nigh unto thee accounting all things but dross and dung in Comparison of the excellency of Jesus Christ and my alone Saviour and Redeemer O LORD as thou in thy tender Mercy and Compassion hast watched over me this Night and defended me from my Ghostly adversary so I beseech thee let thy all-seeing Eye of providence guide me this day in all my Thoughts Words and Actions whereby I may fall into no Sin nor run into any kind of danger But that all my doings may be ordered by thy governance to do alwayes that which is Righteous in thy sight through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour in whose Blessed name and Words I shut up these my imperfect Prayers in that most absolute form of Prayer which he himself hath taught me saying Our Father c. A Prayer at Departure from Home ALmighty and Everlasting God who art the way the truth and the Life looke down from thy Throne of Mercy to thy scorstcol of Compassion and behold me now betwixt the Assaults of the Devil the allurements of the World and my own vain inclinations I cannot look abroad but they are ever ready to molest me but O thou that leadest Ioseph like a sheep thou most faithful and Almighty guide lend me thy hand open mine Eyes direct my steps and cause me to walk in thy fear THOU that didst go out with Iacob from Beer sheba unto Padan aran guiding him in the wast-plains and watching over him on his pillow of Stones be not now far from me lead me O Lord in thy righteousness make my Paths straight and strengthen my goings that having finished my course here I may sit down in thy Kingdom hereafter an inheritance undefiled purchased for me with the blood of my Saviour and thy beloved Son Jesus Christ Amen Ejaculations for the Evening LET not the Sun go down upon thy Wrath Eph. 4. 6. Watch ye for ye know not when the Master of the House cometh at Even or at Mid-night or at the Cock crowing or in the Morning lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping Mark 13. 35 An Evening Prayer for a Private Person OEternal God full of loving kindness and long suffering whose Mercy is above all thy Works and thy Glory above the Heavens forgive me I beseech thee my transgressions this day my vain thoughts idle words and loose Conversation my exceeding neglect and forgetfulness of thee my headstrong inclinations and lusting after the World preferring this Land of Cabul before the Snow of Lebanon and a broken Cistern before the Well of Life JUSTLY O Lord might'st thou have cut me off this day and cast me into the Lake of thy Displeasure but thou hast had Mercy and not Sacrifice thou hast shed upon me the Light of thy Countenance and removed my sins far out of thy sight I know O Lord it is not in Man to Establish his own Ways it is thy Almighty Arm must do it it is thou alone that hast led me through this day and kept me both from doing and from suffering Evil. AND now O thou Preserver of men What shall I do unto thee What shall I render unto my Lord for all the mercies and loving kindnesses shewed unto thy Servant this day and all the days of my life even to this moment I will offer unto thee the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving and call upon the Name of the Lord I will ever love thee fear thee praise thee
and trust in thee my Song shall be of thee in the Night Season and in the Day time I will be speaking of thy wondrous Works AND forasmuch as thou out of thy tender Love and Compassion on thy Creatures hast ordained this time for their rèpose and refreshment that having past through the Cares and Dangers of the Day they might under the shadow of thy Wings find rest and security keep me I most humbly beseech thee from the Hours and the Powers of darkness watch over me this Night in thy Almighty Providence and scatter all the Rebellions and Devices of my Adversaries enlighten my Soul sanctifie my Body govern my Affections and guide my Thoughts that in the fastest closures of my Eye-lids my Spirit may see thee and in the depth of sleep be conversant with thee This and what ever thou knowest is needful for me I humbly beg at thy hands through the merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer Amen Ejaculations to be used on several Occasions When you awake in the Night HOly holy holy Lord God of Sabbath Heaven and Earth are full of the Majesty of thy Glory When the Clock strikes BLESSED be the hour in which my Lord Iesus was Born and the hour in which he Died O Lord remember me at the hour of Death and in the Day of Iudgment When you intend any Business or Journey O do well unto thy Servant that I may live and keep thy Word Prosper thou the Work of my hands upon me O prosper thou my handy Work When thou art Persecuted HASTE thee O God to deliver me make haste to help me O Lord Upon some sudden Fear O set me upon the Rock that is higher than I for thou art my Hope and a strong Tower for me against my Enemy Upon any disorderly Thoughts MAKE me a clean Heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me Upon any occasions of Sadness THY rebuke hath broken my Heart I am full of Heaviness but thou O Lord shalt lift me up again Upon any Diffidence THOU art my Hope O Lord even from my Youth through thee have I been holden up ever since I was Born though thou shouldst kill me yet will I trust in thee When thou perform'st any good Work NOT unto me O Lord not unto me but unto thy Name give the praise When thou art provoked to Anger GIVE thy peace unto thy Servant O God let no man take away my Crown in patience O Lord let me possess my Soul For thine Enemies LORD lay not this Sin to their Charge they know not what they do Upon any Deliverance or Mercy received THE Lord is my Shepherd I shall not Want he maketh me to lie down in green Pastures he leadeth me besides the still Waters he hath prevented me with the blessings of Goodness he hath granted me my Hearts desire and not with-holden the Request of my Lips Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my Life and I will dwell in the House of my God for ever Upon any Loss or Adversity SHALL we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive Evil Naked came I out of my Mothers Womb and Naked shall I return thither the Lord Gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. When you hear the Bell Toll for one Departed TEACH me O Lord to number my days that I may apply my Heart unto Wisdom Upon thought of thy Sins TURN away thy Face from my Sins O Lord and blot out all mine Offences Praise the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his Benefits who forgiveth all thy Sins and healeth all thine Infirmities When thou art weary of the Cares and Vanities of this World LIKE as the Hart brayeth for the Water-brooks so thirsteth my Soul after thee O God O who will give me the Wings of a Dove that I may fly away and be at rest Meditations for Sunday THis is the day which the Lord hath made let me rejoyce and be glad therein it is a day of rest and sweetness unto my Soul and a day of Ease from Labour◠unto my Body as thou O God didst rest this day from the Works of thy Creation so grant that I may cease this day from all Sin and by an earnest Repentance implore thy Pardon thaw this frozen Heart of mine that this day it may melt at thy presence and say unto my Soul those comfortable Words which thou wert pleased once to say to Zacheus This day is Salvation come to thy House O Lord I am utterly unworthy in my self to stand at the Door of thy Sanctuary much less to appear in thy presence and be made partaker of thy Heavenly Gifts for thou O Lord art a God of pure Eyes and canst not behold Iniquity and I am thy sinful Creature not only wilfully opposite unto thee but even Enmity it self against thee Unto thee therefore belongeth Righteousness and unto me shame and confusion of Face Lord when I thus see my self in the Glass of thy Law my flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Iudgments I HAVE sinned against Heaven and before thee by my sad refusal of thy gracious offer of Eternity in my sinful relinquishing of thy Sacred Word and am now no more Worthy to be called thy Child I have been too long feeding on the empty husks of vanity amongst the filthy Swine of sensuality and am now willing by thy Grace to return home unto thee and to humble my self low before thee that thou mayest have the Glory and I the Comfort of thy Gracious Pardon Amen A Prayer for Sunday Morning O Lord I acknowledge this day to be thine as consecrated and set a part for thy Worship and Service and to be obeserved not only as a Holy day but a glorious day unto thee wherein I ought to pay my vows present my Person and my Prayers before thee to hear thy word and Meditate upon the same to thy Glory and my own Everlasting Comfort To this end remove far from me all wandering thoughts and Worldly Affections and work in me a desire of studying thy Law and walking in the Truth that thy word may not prove unto me the Savour of Death unto Death but of Life unto Life LET my Ears be attentive that I may hear those things which thou shalt instruct me that hearing I may understand them understanding I may remember them remembring I may practice them to adorn that profession which I have invocated in thy name and confirm me in the Faith of thy Son Jesus Christ wherein I was Baptized and made a Member raise me O Father by the power of my Saviours Resurrection from Sin and iniquity and give me Spiritual rest Peace of Conscience joy in the Holy Ghost and Fellowship in the Communion of Saints that when I shall leave this Earthly Tabernacle I may keep an Everlasting Sabbath with thee in the Kingdom of Heaven BEHOLD O
the Children of Men thou hast provided all Creatures the Fowls of the Air Fish in the Sea and Beasts of the Field to furnish his Table cloath his Nakedness and serve his Necessities The Earth thou Createdst to sustain him the Waters to wash and cool him the Air to breath him the Fire to warm him the Flowers to refresh him the Herbs to cure him the Fruits to nourish him the Mines to enrich him the precious Stones to adorn him and the glorious Luminaries of Heaven the Sun and the Moon to light him the one in the Day and the other in the Night and both to measure his time to direct his Husbandry to divert him in his Peregrinations to ripen his Fruits and to encrease his Stores I CANNOT plead Ignorance of thy Deity for the Heavens declare thy Glory and the Firmament sheweth thy Handy-work I cannot pretend Ignorance of thy Law for thou hast put thy Word into my Mouth and written thy Law in my Heart nor I cannot affirm that I never heard of the Light of thy Gospel for the Light came into the World and shined in the Darkness and the Darkness comprehended it not but Men love darkness rather than light because their Deeds are evil FOR which thou mightest most justly have cast us into utter Darkness where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of Teeth but there is mercy with thee that thou maist be feared there is Balm in Gilead to cure our deadly Wounds there is Unction in Christ and Salvation in Jesus out of his precious side he opened to all the Inhabitants of the Earth a Fountain for Sin and all Uncleanness whereby we might be Purified even as he is pure A Prayer for Wednesday Morning O ETERNAL God who art of Infinite Majesty look down from Heaven the Habitation of thy Holiness upon me thy unworthy Servant thou art a God of Power and canst relieve me of Goodness and wilt in thy good time mercifully help me O Lord the Fountain of thy Mercy can never be dryed up nor the Merits of my Saviour diminished O therefore Bath my Soul in them that being Sanctified and Justified I may appear in thy sight more pure and white than the Snow in Salmon I BLESS thy Name for keeping me this Night past and bringing me to the beginning of this Day let thy Eyes always attend upon me prosper preserve cherish guide and govern me in all my Studies Actions and Employments so that I may spend this day and the remainder of my life according to thy blessed Will Grant O Lord that whatever I do it may be acceptable in thy sight to the Glory of thy most Holy Name the peace of my Conscience and the Salvation of my own Soul TO this end be thou O Lord my God and my Guide my Protector and Defender Keep me unspotted of the World teach me to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live Soberly towards my self Righteously towards my Neighbour and Piously towards thee my God repenting truly of my Sins and serving thee in holiness and righteousness all my daies that in life thou mayst be my God in death my deliverer and after death my Eternal rewarder Amen A Prayer for Wednseday Night O MOST glorious God I do here at this time with the good Samaritan return to give thee thanks for all thy Mercies and Blessings bestowed on my soul and body in things Spiritual and temporal for my Election before all time my Creation in the beginning of time and my Redemption in the fulness of time I praise and glorifie thee for thy preservation of me this day and that thou hast yet spared me and hast given me Liberty and a gracious opportunity once more to call upon thee LORD I acknowledge and confess that thou mightest have taken me away in the midst of my Sins and in the very act of Committing them but thou hast dealt more merciful with me Keep me O Lord this Night from fear and danger and from all noysome Dreams and from all hinderances of sweet repose which thou hast appointed for the refreshing of wearied Nature SEAL unto me a full and a free Pardon of all my Sins of what Nature or quality soever they be whether they be Sins of omission or Commssion of knowledg ignorance weakness or wilfulness O Lord deal not with me according to the magnitude and multitude of them but for thine infinite Mercies blot them out of thy Book of remembrance and Cast them out of thy sight into the bottomless Sea of thy Compassion that they may never rise in this Life to shame me nor in the Life to come to Condemn me Amen Meditations for Thursday LOrd Teach me of what Spirit I am or should be even of that which descended upon thy Son in the likeness of a Dove without gall By this Spirit mortifie in me the Lusts and affections of the Flesh such as envy wrath and revenge by the still small voice in which thou discoursest with Elias let me obâ—erve that thou art not in the fire of my rage nor in the storm of my Passion but in the soft gale of Grace Thou didst on this day replenish the Sea and Rivers with Fish and the Ayr with Fowls in Shapes admirably various and in number almost infinite stir me up by this Consideration to admire thy power and Wisdom in thus enriching this vast and seeming solitude BLESSED Lord who this day madest the Waters fruitful let thy Spirit move upon the waters of my Tears that they may abound in the fruits of Repentance and be blessed in the encrease of Spiritual Consolation This day thou Commandest the Fowls to fly through the Ayre lift up my Soul from ths Earth with the wings of Faith and hope that She may mount up towards Heavenâ— Make me light and cheerful after my heavy Sorrows and afflictions and though I have been as if I had layen among the Pots yet I may be by the Grace of thy Spirit like that Dove whose wings are Silver and her feathers like Gold FOR my light and momentary Afflictions are no way worthy the Glory that shall be revealed unto me hereafter And for the present what are Afflictions or Crosses or Persecutions but the common lot of thy Children when I am thus chastned I am Judged of thee that I may not be Condemned of the World How can I ever forget thee who rememberest me at all times and in all places Amen A Prayer for Thursday Morning O LORD God who dwellest in that light which no mortal Eye can approach yet beholdest in Mercie the Sons and Daughters of Men thou makest the outgoings of the Morning full of thy Glory and causest the Sun to shine upon the just and the unjust mercifully chasing away the darkness of the Night and shadow of Death I praise thy holy Name that thou hast vouchsafed me to pass this Night in rest and quietness and hast brought me safe to the beginning of this day I HUMBLY beseech
thee by the holy incarnation and blessed Nativity of thy Son Jesus Christ the thrice happy day Star that appeared to the World let thy Mercy this day rest upon me and the bright beames of thy heavenly light shine forth in the dark corners of my heart that I may not be transported either through the Corruption of my Nature or the power of darkness to spend this day after my own perverse will and pleasure but carefully perform thy holy will willingly speedily and constantly INCREASE in me O Lord the gift of faith and hope that I may believe thee and relie on thy merciful promises made unto me in Christ Jesus bless my Body and Soul that no evil happen to them and preserve my memory and senses that they pass not the limits of reason and understanding Enlighten my mind O Lord to look upon good things inflame my heart with the love of them and conduct me with thy Grace that as thou hast raised my Body from sleep so my Soul may daily be raised from Sin and Soul and Body and Spirit may be renewed in Righteousness to serve thee the Living God for evermore Amen A Prayer for Thursday Night O Lord God great in Mercy and constant in truth I acknowledge and do here in all humility offer unto thy Divine Majesty my duty of praise and thanksgiving for all thy manifold Graces and benefits bestowed upon me and though I am unable to recount them and much unworthy to be a partaker of them yet in full assurance of thine unspeakable love I presume to come unto thee and now again commit to thy almighty protection this night my Soul and Body with all its Faculties beseeching thee to keep them day and night blameless and undefiled against the day of thy coming LORD pardon and forgive whatever Sins I have wretchedly effected or wickedly imagined against thee or my Neighbour O lay not the faults and frailties of my Youth unto my charge but forget O Lord and forgive and cancel the hand writing that is upon the wall which will be ready to witness against me strike my Heart with an awe of thy fear that I may labour to escape thy threatnings and give me the comfort once more of thy Salvation GRANT O Lord that I may this night quietly rest under the shadow of thy Wings free from fears dangers and Spiritual darkness and when the dark end of this mortal life is approached grant me O Lord a vigilant Heart freely disposed to abandon all transitory things and depart hence in the Peace of a good Conscience into thine everlasting rest through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour Amen Meditations for Friday THIS day the first Man Adam was made a living Soul and Christ the second Adam was made a quickening Spirit this day he Sinned in a garden and this day the Saviour of the World sorrowed in a Garden he took upon this day the fruit of the forbidden Tree and thou O Blessed redeemer wert hung upon the accursed Tree this day Adam was cast into a deep sleep and his Wife Eve was formed of his rib flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone likewise was the Son of God cast into a deadly sleep and his Side was pierced with a Spear from whence sprung out two blessed Sacraments the water of regeneration and the blood of Expiation and Sanctification THIS day our first parent borught the curse upon himself and all his posterity but thou O God hast provided an everlasting Blessing for thy self and all thy Members thy Law O God is just holy and pure but I am wicked profane and impure That Medicine is for the most part the best which the Patient least approves of because it exasperates the pain for a time Have I the less affection for the most holy Faith because it restraineth my carnal Liberty and abridgeth me of Worldly Contentments Have not I a Law in my mind which opposeth the Law of my members And is it not much better to Sow unto the Spirit thereunto the flesh which produces only Corruption IS it not as easie for thee to raise me out of ashes as at the first to raise me out of the dust To send back my Spirit into my Body as at the first to breath it in I behold the Seed in the Earth the plants in the Garden dye before they spring forth I see Wormes and insects that spend the Winter season in a kind of death yet revive in the Spring I know I am my self dead in sleep every Night but alive in the Morning Why then should I call in question any one Article of my Belief but humbly say Lord I believe help thou my unbelief A Prayer for Friday Morning O LORD God maker and governour of all things both in Heaven and Earth I come unto thee with a broken and a contrite Heart lamenting my Sins and seeking to find Comfort at thy merciful hands Lord thou knowest my grief my anxity and care Oh let me feel thy comforts to refresh my Soul Be with me this day in all my worldly affairs and let thy holy Spirit evermore defend me and preserve my integrity that I may be acknowledged thine at the last day I YEILD thee all laud and praise for thy preservation of me this night past and for safely bringing me to behold the glorious light of this day Lord excite my heart that I may express my thankfulness by my serviceable obedience preserve and keep me from Sin and all irregularities both of Soul and Body Mortifie all my Corruptions and sensual Appetites and purge me throughly from filthiness both of flesh and Spirit that I may perfect holiness in thy fear STRENGTHEN me against all the vanities of the world the lusts of the Flesh the lusts of the Eyes and the Pride of life and give me Grace to employ this day and the remainder of my Life in all peace and purity sanctity and sobriety to thy Glory the good Example of others and finally the Salvation of my own Soul This and whatsoever for want of memory I have omitted I humbly beg in the Name of thy dear Son and my alone Saviour and Redeemer Amen A Prayer for Friday Night O GOD thou camest into the World to save Sinners behold me I beseech thee the vileâ— of them but wash oh wash away all my sins in the Blood of thy Son sanctifie my Nature abolish my Corruptions guide me here by thy Councel and after that receive me into Glory Keep me now and ever send me a quiet repose and grant that lying down to rest I may rise again in thy peace and walk in thy fear that so the succeeding day may learn me to grow Wise and for ever Glorifie thy Holy Name INSPIRE me O Lord with the Spirit of sweet Consolation and though sleep is the Image of Death and my Bed as the Grave yet suffer me not to perish suddenly or unprepared but watch over me for good guide me now and
beseech thee that as I have heard thy word at this time by thy Minister and messenger so grant that I and all that have heard may Know understand the same retain and practice it according to thy Heavenly will that I may thereby grow in knowledge increase in Grace and be a lively instrument of thy Glory unto my lives end Amen A Prayer for Necessary Blessings of this Life O LORD thou hast promised never to fail those that depend upon thee thou openest thine hands and fillest all things living with plenteousness never suffering any of thine to perish that carefully seek relief from thy most gracious bounty I humbly beseech thee dermit me not to want necessaries for this present Life enable me to live without distracting cares to this end bless my labours that I may have a sufficiency for me and mine and not be burdensome unto any but rather be able to administer unto others whatsoever refreshing Comforts they shall stand in need of GIVE me neither Poverty nor Riches but feed me with Food convenient for me lest I be full and deny thee and say who is the Lord or lest I be poor and Steal and take the name of my God in vain afford me such a portion of Health and Wealth as thou in thy Divine Wisdom shalt think most convenient for me succour all such as be in want relieve the oppressed comfort the Afflicted raise the lowly and aid the needy AND O Lord I humbly beseech thee never let me want thy favourable assistance but bless my Basket and encrease my Store with thy never failing blessings that I may be able to live in thy Faith Fear and Love and out of the Depth of misery and danger of all Men through Jesusus Christ my only Lord and Saviour Amen A Thanks giving for Gods Benefits O GOD Almighty the giver of all good things thou art my stay my Comfort and only guide direct me I pray thee to employ that talent which thou hast allotted me for the advancement of thy Glory Lord thou hast been abundantly gracious and bountiful unto me and hast blest my Store insomuch that I have not only what satisfieth my own occasions but have also sufficient to Relieve others in the time of their necessity GIVE me therefore a free Heart to cast my Bread upon the waters and to Relieve my poor distressed Brethren according to the utmost of my ability to feed the hungry to cloth the naked and minister unto thy distressed Saints that I may not live unto my self but for the help of all those that want my assistance that I may lay up in Store a good foundation against the time to come and be found of thee in peace enjoying Life and Salvation through Jesus Christ Amen A Prayer for Wisdom O MOST great and glorious Lord God I confess that whilst I bear about me this Body of sin imprisoning the Soul my Nature corrupted and depraved with Iniquity original and actual seeks by all means possible to oppose the spirit and do those things which are dissonant and contrary to the motions inspirations gracious influences and working thereof my Flesh lusteth against the Spirit so that the things I would do I cannot and the things which I suppose to be done in much knowledge and wisdom will be found not only ignorance and erroneous but sinful wickedness in thy sight WHEREFORE I humbly beseech thee O holy Father to send out thy Light and Truth thy spirit of Wisdom and Revelation to Teach and Instruct me to be my God and Guide to lead me into all Truth Lord send down that Wisdom that waiteth about thy Throne and plant the same in my Heart that all my sayings and doings being always ordered by this Wisdom from on high I may do that which is pleasing in thy sight and profitable for my own Salvation and shun the contrary in all things through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour Amen A Prayer for Defence against our Enemies O LORD my God be not far from me in trouble and in all dangers Ghostly and Bodily draw near and make haste to help me I am I confess a most sinful Creature and have justly deserved thy Wrath and Indignation against me yet O Lord for thy mercy sake turn thee unto me and have compassion on me let mine Enemies prevail not in their mischievous devises lest they be too proud in thy Mercy convert them or in thy Justice consound them make them as stubble before the Wind and thine Angel scattering them LORD I am in thy hand and they are within the compass of thy power stay and allay their fury let them not take effect in their wicked Imaginations and Attempts against me but put them to confusion rid me and deliver me in thy Righteousness and be thou a Sun and a Shield unto me to comfort and protect me TO this end cause thine Angels to pitch their Tents round about me that being defended under the shadow of thy Wings and armed with the power of thy Might I may not fear what Man can do unto me Lord regard me with the eye of thy Grace and guard me with the hand of thy power that being preserved both in Soul and Body I may live in Piety Peace and Godliness unto my lives end Amen A Morning Prayer for a Family O ETERNAL and All-seeing God wonderful in thy Majesty and Infinite in thy Mercy who hast the Heavens for thy Throne and the Earth for thy Footstool the Heavens are full of the Majesty of thy Glory and cannot contain the same look down therefore from thence upon us thy Servants who now prostrate our selves before the Footstool of thy Throne of Grace humbly beseeching thee for thy dear Sons sake to be merciful unto us miserable sinners one deep calleth upon another the depth of Misery unto the depth of Mercy have Mercy therefore upon us O Lord and in the multitude of thy Mercies do away all our Offences WE Confess we are not worthy to think of thee much less speak unto thee we being so vile and miserable thou so glorious and admirable yet being assured that in forgiving of Sins and helping afflicted Souls thy fountain of Mercy is never dryed up we thine unprofitable Servants are emboldned to present our selves this Morning before thee to offer up unto thee a lively Sacrifice of Prayer and thanksgiving who didst offer up thy Son upon the Cross to be a propitiation for our Sins O let this lifting up of our hearts and hands be a morning Sacrifice pure and acceptable in thy sight Let not the greatness of our Sins with-hold thy emplored Mercy but wash us from all uncleanness and remove thy judgments due unto us for them as far from thy presence as the East is from the West O BURY them in the Grave with Christ raise us up by the power of thy Spirit unto newness of Life that we may walk in all holy obedience before thee this day and that endeavouring
known unto God LONDON Printed in the Year 1692 ADDITIONAL DEVOTIONS A Prayer for Christmass Day O BLESSED Lord who as upon this day took our Nature upon thee and wast born of a pure Virgin keep me from defiling my self with sinful pollutions or abasing or enthralling it to Satan let thy Spirit quicken me thy Flesh nourish me thy Wisdom guide me thy Grace sanctifie me Let thy holy Ghost of whom thou wast conceived beget thee in me by the Immortal Seed of thy Word let my Faith conceive thee my Profession bring thee forth my Love embrace thee and Devotion entertain and continually keep thee with me un-thy second coming Amen A Prayer for New Years Day O Lord who this day wast Circumcised and Bleddest for my sins have pity and compassion who with weeping Eyes and a bleeding heart come unto thee beseeching thee that those drops of blood which fell from thee this day may satisfie for the sin of my unworthy Birth and as thou hast begun a new Year begin in me a new reformation make me I beseech thee a clean heart and renew a right Spirit within me let me now cast off the old Man and put on the new and from this day to the end of my life walk in newness of life that I may become a fit guest to be admitted into the new Heaven where dwelleth Righteousness and to be entertained at thy Table and drink new Wine with thee in thy Heavenly Kingdom for evermore A Prayer for Twelfe Day O GOD thou light of all the World who guidedst the Heathen Sages by a Star to seek after thee give me Grace to hearken to the more sure Word of Prophesy in thy holy Scripture till the day dawn and the day-star arise in my heart the Star guided them till they approached thy presence so O Lord let the light of Faith guide me in all the Paths of this Life even till I come to behold thee not in a poor Stable littered with straw and dung but in a celestial Palace founded upon Pearls and built with Saphyrs not receiving a present of Gold which fades away but wearing a never fading Crown of Glory not having a quantity of Frankingense or Myrh in thy hand but a golden Censor full of Sweet odours which are the praises of thy Saints and Angels amongst which I beseech thee offer up the Prayers of me a Sinner that I may become a Saint thy Heavenly Kingdom Amen A Prayer for ash-Ash-wednesday O ETERNAL God who dist fast forty dayes in the wilderness accept of my humiliation these forty days and grant that I may not only fast from accustomed Meats but that all my senses may be restrained from their usual affections of this World let no object delight me till I behold my sins removed like a mist and the light of thy Countenance shine upon me Let no sound or voice delight my Ear till I hear thee by thy Spirit speak peace to my Conscience and say unto my Soul I am thy Salvation Let no other pleasures take hold of me till with the lower Herbs of Sorrow and anguish I have Eaten the Christian passover the flesh of thee that Immaculate lamb slain from the beginning of the World Hear me O belssed redeemer and as thou wrotest in dust when thou tookest the woman in a adultery So I beseech thee write my sins in dustand bury them all in the ashes of oblivion Amen A Prayer on good Friday O MOST Merciful and Gracious Lord God who by thy obedience unto Death even the Death of the Cross didst become the Sacrifice of the whole universe the magnificent example of patience the Lord of Life the good shepherd laying down thy Life for thy sheep and the only Mediator between God and Man let thy bleeding wounds heal thy precious blood cleanse thy shameful death make me to live and thy holy Spirit make me to work righteousness all my dayes that I may by thy aid and example obey my Heavenly father with all my powers and faculties reason and affections with my Soul and Body time and Estate in prosperity and in adversity that I may bear my Cross patiently do thy work cheerfully and be ready to benefit mankind with great Charity and industry that being a follower of thy Life and a partaker of thy death I may receive a part in the Resurrection of the just in thy inheritance for evermore Amen A Prayer on Easter Day O MOST glorious redeemer thou didst pass from a painful life to an Ignominious death and from the bitterness of it to the darkness of the Grave and by thy Divine power didst raise thy self from thence to Life I give thee thanks for thy infinite love to me and all Mankind I acknowledg thee to be my Lord and confess thee to be my God I adore thy Majesty and rejoyce in thy Mercies I humbly pray thee to enable me with thy Spirit to believe all thy Doctrines and obey all thy Commandments that after a holy and religious life spent in doing honour to thy holy Name I may be a partaker of thy holy Resurrection passing from death to life from the darkness of the Grave to the light of Heaven from an imperfect duty to the perfection of holiness in the fruition of the joyes of God in thy Heavenly Kingdom Amen A Prayer upon Ascension Day O BLESSED Jesus thou didst ascend to thy holy Father and didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers thou hast espoused thy Church unto thy self with the Everlasting circles of thy providence with thy Love and with thy Care with thy Word and with thy Spirit thy promises and thy holy intercession thou hadst a feeling of my infirmiteis and art my Merciful high Priest making intercession for me for ever O be thou pleased to represent all my wants and supply them and excuse all my infirmities pity all my Calamities pardon my Sins and send down thy holy Spirit of Grace into my heart that though I wander here upon Earth yet my Conversation may be in Heaven where let my inheritance be for ever Amen A Prayer on Whitsunday O GOD the Father of all Spirits who didst send thy holy Spirit upon thy Church in the day of pentecost and hast promised that he shall abide with thy Church for ever let thy holy Spirit lead me into all truth defend me from all Sins enrich me with his gifâ—s refresh me with his Comforts rule in my heart for ever Conduct me with his truth and lead me in the way Everlasting that living by thy Spirit and walking in him I may by him be Sealed up to the day of my redemption O let thy Spirit witness to my Spirit that I am thy Child and make me to be so for ever through Jesus Christ my Redeemer who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same Spirit one God world without end Amen A Prayer upon Trinity Sunday O HOLY Blessed and glorious Trinity the Angels are amazed in the