thou séeest euen the very secrets of our hearts and that nothing can be done be it neuer so secret without thy knowledge these mercies and blessings we pray thée to grant vnto vs for Iesus Christs sake our Lord Amen Another Euening Praier ETernall God and in Iesus Christ our most merciful father thou which art the father of mercies the God of al consolations we thy vnworthy seruants doe héere according to our bounden duties humble our selues before thy maiestie and rendring in that poore measure we are able all praise and thankes for all thy mercies blessings bestowed vpon vs from time to time euer since we were borne vntill this present for our election creation redemption vocation iustification sanctification preseruation and the hope of our glorification herafter as also for al those blessings that concern this life present furnishing vs continually with all good things necessarie that wée stand in néede of More especially O Lord we thank thée y â— thou hast preserued defended vs this day from al perils and dangers both of body and soule wherinto many haue fallen and wée might also had we not béen guided by thy merciful prouidence O Lord we confesse to the shame of our owne selues that wee are not worthy of the least of all these thy mercies but as we were conceiued and borne in sinne so haue wée liued in iniquity and in the transgression of thy lawes not regarding to be gouerned by the holy word and therefore haue iustly deserued that thou shouldest poure vpon vs all shame misery in this life and eternall condemnation in the World to come but O Lord we know that thou art a God full of mercy stow to anger great compassion and wilt not the death of a sinner but rather that we should liue In confidence of this thy mercie we confesse before thy maiestie our manifold sinnes in treating thée to pardon them all for the merits of Christ Iesus séeing thou hast giuen vs so large a time of repentance grant that we may now at length returne vnto thée in sinceritie of heart contrition of spirit And for this night present we beséech thée sanctific our rest vnto vs this night that we may enioy the same as thy blessing that thereby our wearied bodies being refreshed with moderate and quiet sléepe wée may be the better enabled to walke before thée in our callings the day following to thy glorie and our owne comforts throgh Iesus Christ Remember with vs thy Church and children in all places gather together thine elect forgiue the crying sinnes of this land make an end of these daies of sinne and hasten the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Preserue thine annointed and our dread soueraign King the Quéen and their roiall Progenie defend and kéep them from plots and trecheries both abroad and at home Let thy spirit of wisdome of Councell and of vpright iudgement rest vpon all the Lords of his maiesties honourable Priuie Councell the Nobilitie and magistracie for the best good of this whole Land Blesse y â— painfull preachers of thy holy word giue good successe we pray thée to their studies and labours for the winning of so many soules as thou hast ordained to eternal life comfort all thy afflicted that suffer vnder thy hand and howsoeuer it shall please thée to deale with them yet support them with patience thankfullnesse to vndergoe whatsoeuer it shall please thée to lay vpon them and when thou shalt sée it fit send them deliuerance that either by life or by death Christ may be to them aduantage Lastly we beséech thée good Lord to blesse all our kinsfolkes in the flesh and all others whom thou would est we should pray for heare vs for them and them for vs Christ Iesus for vs all In whose name we shut vp these our imperfect praiers in that perfect forme which he himselfe hath left vs saying Our father c. Morning Praier for a priuate person MOst Glorious God and mercifull father I thy most vnworthy creature doe héere confesse before thy Diuine Maiestie to thy glory though it be to the shame and confusion of mine owne face that I am not worthy to appeare before thée much more vnworthy to offer vp my praiers vnto thée with confidence that thou shouldest heare them and grant my requests by reason of my manifold sinnes and transgressions that I haue heaped vp against thy maiesty ere since I was borne vntill this present day And now O Lord being come before thée I must néedes confesse the vilenesse of my estate I was conceiued bred born in sinne and in sinne haue I continued all my daies I haue drunke Iniquitie like water yea I haue drawne it after me and tied it vnto me as with great ropes yea I haue eueÌ„ made a mock of sinne and it hath béene a pastime vnto me to doe wickedly Notwithstanding O Lord thou hast called vpon me but still I haue refused thou hast againe and againe stretched out thy hand but I haue not regarded thou hast sought to reclaime me but I haue hated to be reformed thou hast often called vpon mee by thy blessed word yet notwithstanding I haue despised thy patience and abused thy goodnesse so that I haue giuen thée iust cause to heap vpon me all thy seareful plagues and punishments which in the extremity of thy law do belong vnto the wicked It is thy vnspeakeable mercy that thou didst not make my bed my graue neuer to haue risen againe but O Lord I know there is abundance of mercies with thée that thou mayest be feared and excéeding experience haue I had of thy goodnesse long suffering and patience towards me therfore I grow in hope still that thou purposest me good not euill to saue me not to destroy me beséeching thée to accept the death of Christ as a full satisfaction for all my smâ—â—es to wash them away in his blood and to binds them in one bundle cast them behinde thy backe neuer to be remembred I humbly thank thy maiesty for thy manifold mercies extended towards me this night past al y â— daies of my life for my quiet rest sléep my foode and raiment my health peace and libertie and the hope of a better life in the merits of thy deare sonne Christ Iesus for all these thy mercies O Lord I haue nothing to render vnto thée but thine owne If I could giue thée my bodie and soule they might be saued by it but thou wert neuer the richer for it yea euen since I rose I haue tasted many of thy blessings and thou hast begun to serue me before I haue begun to serue thée I can shew no reason why thou shouldest bestow all these blessings vpon me more than others but that thou art mercifull and if thou shouldest draw all back againe from me as iustly thou maiest I haue nothing to say but that thou art iust and séeing O Lord I am now to enter
by reason of his corruptions But this is a certain truth God giues nothing to any which is a true blessing vnto him but he giues him grace truly to desire it I will therefore aske least I should not receiue I will séeke least I shold not find I wil knock lest the gates of grace should not bée opened to me I wil sincerely instantly and incessantly pray for glorie that I may haue hope that God will vouchsafe me glorie These things good Reader I haue written for thy profit which I commend to thée and thée to God farewell in Christ Trin-vni Deo gloria Thine in Christ T. T. CERTAINE NECESSARIE Rules to be remembred of euerie Christian concerning Praier viz. IF thou wouldest make such a praier as God may bée pleased to heare thou must repent thée of thy sinnes and so daily renue thy repentance as thou renuest thy sins as Isay 1. 15. Dan. 9. 5. 6. 2. Before thou makest thy praier to almighty god thou must bee or at least desire to bée reconciled to those whom thou hast offended as néede requireth Math. 5. 23. Mark 11. 25. 3. Thou must prepare thy selfe both in heart and minde as one that is to speake familiarly vnto god Eccles 5. 1. 4. Euery petition thou makest must procéede from a liuely sence and féeling of thine owne wants of thy spirituall pouertie for otherwise no praier can bée powerfull and harty and consequently acceptable vnto God 5. Thou must endeuor that thy praier do procéede from an earnest desire of that grace thou wantest and this desire indéede before God is praier it selfe Exod. 14. 15. Rom. 8. 26. 6. Thy praier must procéede from sauing and true iustifying Faith because it is impossible that either thy person or thy praier or any other dutie thou performest should bée pleasing vnto God without Faith Heb. 11. 6. 7. It must be grounded vpon Gods word and not framed after the carnall opinion and fancie of thine owne braine as 1. Epist Iohn 5. 14. 8. Thou must present thy praier to God alone to none other for none else can héere all men in all places and at all times but he only 9. It must be presented to God in the name merit and meditation of Christ alone for we our selues are not worthy of any thing but shame and confusion Coloss 3. 17. Iohn 16 23. 10. Thy affections should be instant and perseuere in praier and that not only in the time of praier but also afterward and till the thing asked bée granted Luke 18. 1. Esay 62. 7. 11. Euery praier should ordinarily haue in it if it bée set and solemne some thanks-giuing vnto God for his benefits both for soule and body Phil. 4. 6. 12. When praier is ended thou must haue a particular Faith whereby thou maiest depend vpon God for the granting of thy particular requests so far forth as god shall sée them fitting for thée Marke 11. 24. 13. Lastly thou must labour to doe and practise that which thou praiest for and not only to pray for blessings but to vse all lawfull meanes whereby those blessings which thou askest may be obtained 12. Briefe notes shewing the necessitie of Praier BEause without praier wée cannot giue vnto God his due glory which belongs vnto him 2. Wée can neither bée assured that we are Gods Children nor that we haue right vnto any creature before we make conscience to practise this dutie daily Rom. 8. 15. 16. 3. All things are sanctified vnto vs by the word and by praier therefore without praier euery thing workes to our condemnation 1. Tim. 4. 5. 4. Without praier wée cannot looke to obtain any thing from God as a blessing nor to turne away any euil from vs Math. 7. 7. 5. Wée are no better then earth-wormes and worldlings and not fit to speake of any thing well without praier Rom. 8. 5. 6. The Lord our God commandes vs all to step into the breach with godly Moses and by harty praier to stay his hands from being auenged of the iniquities raigning amongst vs Ezek. 22. 30. 7. God requires a dayly and constant course of praier at our hands which hath béene the practise of the Saints of God in all ages Iob. 1. 1. Psal 1. 8. God doth daily bestow blessings vpon vs therefore wée must daily serue him Lament 3. 23. Psal 103. 2. 9. Because Satan is neuer wearie of tempting vs therefore wee should haue our loines girt and bee alwaies vpon our watch to resist him 1. Pet. 5. 8. 10. We haue not a daies warrant no not an houres certaintie of life therefore wée are at no time to bée vnprepared because wee know not the houre when our master commeth Math. 24. 42. 11. Wee are Pilgrimes and Trauellers in this World and therefore wée must trauell each day home ward to our owne countrie Heb. 11. 10. 12. By ourâ—calling wée are watchmen Souldiers c. and therefore we must daily be exercised in this spiritual warefare as 2. Tim. 2. 6. FINIS Set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lips Psal 141. 3. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my hart he acceptable in thy sight ô lord my strength my redeemer Psa â—9 4. A GODLY AND necessarie Praier to be said at all times O Eternall God and in Iesus Christ our most mercifull and loning father wee thy vnworthy and vnprofitable seruants doe héere in thy sight fréely confesse and acknowledge before thy Deuine Maiestie that wée are most miserable and wretched sinners and grieuous transgressors of all thy holy Lawes and Commandements that as wee were borne and bred in sinne and stained in the wombe so haue wee continually since that time multiplied many actuall transgressions against thy Maiestie both in thought word and déed so that our sins are grown more in number than the haires of our head and heauier in waight than the sands by the Sea shore therefore it is thy méere mercie long ere this they haue not pressed vs downe to the verie pit of Hel thou only O Lord knowest our sinnes who knowest our hearts nothing can bee hid from thy al-séeing eye thou knowest both what we haue béene what wee are yea our conscience doe accuse vs of many and greiuous euils and thou being farre greater than our conscience art able to lay much more vnto our charge we appeale therefore from thy iustice to thy mercy which is aboue all thy workes how much more aboue our sinnes Intreating thée to looke vpon vs in the face and countenance of thy well pleased sonne Christ Iesus for his sake O Lord we pray thée bee good and gratious to all our sinnes iniquities past of what nature or kind soeuer they be whether of ignorance or of knowledge of commission of euill or of omission of our duties wash them all away in the blood of thy déere sonne burie them in his graue and lay such a waight of his righteousnesse vpon them
forsaketh them shall find mercie Some pray for remission but care not for repentance they desire a blessing but yet absteuie not from that which pâ—â—ureth cursing These pray in vaine because their practise is vaine For God heareth Saints not Sinners and granted his pardon to the penitent onely and not to such as perseuere impenitent He therfore that would obtaine pardon let him abstaine from ssnne which might deteine his pardon He that would not that sinne should damne him must not indure sinne to dominere with in him Though this be true that no man is pardoned because he is penitent yet this is true that No man is pardoned but he that is penitent If thou wilt not mortifie sin sinne shall mortifie thée if thou wilt not dye to it thou shalt dye for it If thou wilt not that it should dye in thee thou shalt dye in it Some seeme to couet nothing more then a ioyfull resurrection after death yet shall they not attaine to a ioyfull resurrection of their bodies after death because they labour not the resurrection of the soul before death There are two resurrections the first of the ssoule from the sléepe of sinne in this life the second of the body from the sleepe of death in the life to come Woe be vnto him that riseth not tâ—ise for if he rise but once he shal rise but from death to death from sleepe to sorrow his body shall rise from the earth and fall into hell But hee that riseth from the death of sinne in this world shall bee raised vp to the life of happinesse in the world to come I will therefore pray for a ioyfull resurrection of my body to glorie and will not forget whiles I liue the resurrection of my soule to grace as knowing that if I will not study to be gracious I shall not attain to be glorious I haue heard some desire to dye and some desire to liue neither durst I condemne the desires of either I will desire to lâ—ue till I haue learn'd to dye I will desire to die when I haue learn'd to liue For a bad death cannot follow a good life and hee hath learn'd to dye that hath learned well to liue If I can gain Christ in my life Christ will not loose mee at my death If the loue of Christ liue in mee whiles I liue I cannot but liue in the loue of Christ when I dye There are many that often pray they were in heaued which yet I dare not say they shall go to heauen For he y â— praies for heaueÌ„ and goes in the way to hel shall not ascend whether he wisheth but descend whether he walketh hee shall gee whether his féet doth lead him not whether his fooilsh fancie slatters him There are some pray for death yet cannot dye others dye and would not And God by crossing both doth punish both For to the one nothing seemes swéeter then death and to the other nothing seemes swéeter then life to the one it séemeth death to liue to the other the very thought of death is a verie death accounting it the only heauen to liue alwaies vpon the earth Some pray they may dye and may dye to their cost if they pray without care and liue without conscience If the heauinesse of crosses and not the hope of a crowne if the losse of libertie and not the lothing of lust if the sustaining of sorrowes and not the wearisomenesse of sin if the feeling of paines and not the fellowship of Christ doth make a man desire to dye his desire is naught and his death not good For those onely desire well and dye well that are mooued more with sinne then sickenesse with heauenly comforts then earthly crosses with Christ then with all calamities Before thou pray to dye first pray for the death of sinne which is the sting of death and when thou dost desire to die let it be rather to be disâ—nedeâ—ed of thy sinnes then of thy sorrowes and to liue with Christ rather then to be deliuered of thy crosses I sée much hardnesse of hart amongst men and but a little mercy I suppose such persons implâ—re not pray not much for Gods mercy For it cannot bée that any man should bée without mercie to his neighbour who doth truly pray for Gods mercy to himselfe There are in the world which pray God to pardon them yet will they not forgiue their neighbours These are not men but monsters which would receiue mercie of God but wil shew no mercie to men for God which would haue God forgiue them but will not forgiue others Such cannot say the Lords Praier but they pray to the Lord against themselues make their truest friend their greatest for For wrath without pardon belongs to them that wil not pardon I will forgiue and I will pray to be forgiuen I would not that any man should néede my pardon but if he doe desire it God grant I may not denie it The rich and the poore pray together and both do obtain the rich being poore in spirit and the poore being rich in faith Thus would I bée poore that I way be rich thus would I be rich least I should bée poore The rich the poore both pray and neither are heard the rich because he is poore in humilitie the poore because he is rich in pride the rich because he hath no pity the poore because he hath no patience the rich because hée contemnes the poore the poore because he enuies the rich I will labor therefore to be rich in humilitie and poore in hautinesse I wold be pitifull and patient courteous and contented There are many that cry Lord help whom the Lord wil not help Hée that would haue help of God let him not deny his helpe to Man hée that would haue God help him let him not forget to help himselfe For God helpes the helpefull such as are ready to helpe themselues and others to T is pitty but that thou shouldest lie and die in the ditch that saiest Lord help but will vse no meanes if thou maiest to helpe thy selfe I will therefore pray for helpe and yet vse the meanes of helpe and pray that God would help me in those meanes of helpe and blesse them to mée There are many which desire Christ might bée their Sauiour which yet shall not be saued because they would bée saued but will not serue their Sauiour they like his saluation but they loue not his seruice he may suffer or do what he will for them but they will neither suffer nor doe ought for him His merits they pray for but his lawes they care not for Now hée will not bée their Sauiour because they will not be his seruants for hée will saue none but such as will serue him I will therefore suffer him to be my Lord as I doe desire him to be my Sauiour Two graces I desire of him grace to serue him grace to be saued by him Some
so as they may neuer bee able to rise vp against vs either in this World to accuse vs or in the World to come to condemne vs. And because O Lord our nature is so prone to commit sume and that with grée dinesse so that if thou shouldest euen at this instant giue vs a frée pardon of all our sins yet we confesse such is the corruption of our weake flesh that without the restraining grace of thy holy spirit we should fall into the same sinnes againe or â—nto worse therefore wee humbly pray thée most gracious God not only to pardon that which is past but also purge our present corruptions and by the grace of thy good spirit preuent those that are to come graÌ„t good Lord that wee may thinke it more than sufficient that we haue spent the time past of our liues according to the lusts of the flesh and after our own desires and fancies and may now euen resolue to dedicate the rest of our liues that yet remaineth to thy glorie our owne comfort and the good of our brethren throgh Iesus Christ our Lord. In these our weake praiers O Lord wee are not mindefull of our selues alone but of thy whole Church dispearsed ouer the face of the earth farre and wide blesse O Lord the principall member thereof our dread Soueraigne king Iames Enrich his roiall heart with all grares necessary for so high a place stablish his throne we beséech thée and let his soule bee bound in the bundle of life with thée O God blesse Quéene his wife make her a helpe vnto him in the best things blesse their Roiall Progenie and grant that they may not want one of that line to sit vpon this throne so long as the Sun and Moone endures Blesse all his Maiesties most honourable priuie Counsell be thou present with them and president ouer all their counsels as may bee most for thy glorie the honour of the King the peace of the State and the comfort of thy people Blesse all the Iudges and magistrates of the land Blesse the Ministers of thy Word and Sacraments Thou that art the Lord of the haruest thrust forth many faithfull and painefull Labourers that they may féed thy people with knowledge and vnderstanding blesse O Lord all the afflicted members of thy Church diseased either in body or minde or both especially those that suffer for the testimonie of a good conscience O Lord to whom all their cases and necessities are manifest we beséech to make al their bed in their sicknesse lay no more vpon them than thou shalt make them able to beare giue them the true sight feeling of their sins so farre as may lead them to true repentance with harty sorrow for the same And good father deale with them in mercy not in iustice either to release them out of that present miserie wherein they are either by life that they may glorifie thée in this World or by faithfull departure that they may be gloriffed of thée in the world to come These mercies most gracious God and whatsoeuer else thou knowest in thy wisedome to bee better for vs than we our selues can ask we beg them at thy hands not for our owne merits for they are nothing but for the merits of thy decre son Christ Iesus our Lord and sauiour in whose name in whose words we conclude saying Our father which art in Heauen c. Morning Prayer for priuate Families MOst gracious God and mercifull Father thou that art glorious in power and holines we thy poore and miserable Creatures being but dust and Ashes do here humbly prostrate our selues and our sinfull soules before the throne of thy Maiestie Confessing and acknowledging from the bottomâ— of our hearts that wee are most vile sinners conceiued and borne in some and that we are by nature nothing else but a â—â—nye of all wickednesse whese nature and propertie is to grow and encrease in sin as we grow in yeares and to war strong in wickednesse euen as the powers of our mindes and bodies receiue strength and although our cursed estate doth here in greatly appear yet our sinne is made out of measure sinfull through the excéeding grace which thou hast offered vnto vs. by thy Gospell of thy dear Sâ—â—me whereby we are so farre from proâ—iting that of our selues without the grace of thy holy Spirit in our hearts we should war worse and worse wherefore wee beséech thée O Lord as our sâ—nes haue magnified themselues in an infinite length bredth depth and height so let thy mercies which passe all vnderstanding outstrippe them and howsoeuer by reason of our sinnes wée haue iustly deserued to bée depriued of all thy blessings in this life and hereafter to haue our portion with the diuell and his Angels yet O Lord God wee pray thée remember that we are thy people and shéep of thy pasture whom thou host redéem'd with thy most precious bloud despise not therefore O Lord the worke of thy hands but for thy glories sake and for thy blessed names sake spare vs sparevs good Lord according to thy vsuall dealing with those which in prayer haue had recourse vnto thée and according to the old and vnchangeable Nature of a kinde long suffering and mercifull God Thy mercie O Lord hath manifestly appeared vnto vs this night past in that thou hast giuen vs quiet rest sléep for the refreshment of our weake bodies whereas for our sinnes past committed the day before thou mightst iustly euen in our dead sléep haue taken our soules from vs and so suddenly haue brought vs to our account but it hath pleased thée to spare vs and to giue vs a larger time of repentance O Lord as thou giuest vs space so wee beséech thée giue vs also grace to repent vs of our former euill wayes and to turne vnto thée and for as much as thou hast commanded in thy holy word that no man should be idle but euery one occupied in godly and vertuous exercises according to their Callings wee most humbly beseech thée that thine eyes may attend vpon vs dayly defend vs cherish comfort gouerne counsell vs in all our studies and labours in such wise that we may spend and bestow this day and all the dayes of our liues according to the blessed will setting thée alwaies before our eyes and liuing in thy feare euer working that which may be fonnd acceptable in thy sight through Iesus Christ our Lord in whose name we end as hée hath taught vs saying Our Father which art in heauen c. Euening Prayer for priuate Families OAlmightie Lord God and in Iesus Christ our most mercifull and louing Father we thy poore and vnworthy seruants do here from the ground of our hearts render vnto thy diuine Maiestie in that poore measure wée are able all praise and thankes for all thy blessings mercies bestowed vpon vs from time to time euer since we were born vntill this present houre especially O Lord
seruice wal king faithfully and conscionably in our callings wherin thou hast placed vs O Lord blesse all our gouernours whom thou hast set ouer vs in thy roome in especiall manner showre downe thy blessings vpon the Kings Maiestie blesse him both in body and soule with all graces necessarie for so high a calling and make him long a Nursing Father in this Israell Blesse our graciousquéen make her a help vnto him in all good things Blesse their Royall issue graunt that they may dayly growe in fauour both with God and man and make them loyall to his maiesty all the dayes of his life blesse all the Nobilitie the Magistrates and Ministers of thy holy word and graunt that euery one of vs from the highest to the lowest may walk faithfully in our places before thee all the daies of our liues through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost bee all praise and glorie both now and euer Amen Another Euening Praier for priuate Families O Eternall and euerliuing Lord God and in Iesus Christ our louing Father thou which hast giuen vs our bodies and soules our health our strength our maintenance whence haue wee all these things but from thée thy fatherly protection ouer vs this day in our calling to whom can we ascribe it but vnto thée that wee haue liued hitherto that wee haue not béene swallowed vp with some suddaine Iudgement that Sathan had not his will vpon vs that we know the way and the meanes to a better life that we are deliuered from the power of darkenesse and translated into the kingdome of thy deare Sonne that we haue dayly accesse into thy glorious presence to offer vp our petitions vnto thée and to make knowne our wants whence are all these blessings O Lord but from the fréedome of thy grace we confesse O Lord if thou hadst giuen vs our deserts we should haue perished long agoe therefore it is from thy mercy alone that we are not consumed Now if receiuing so many blessings from thee wee should not stirre vp our selues to returne some thankefulnes to thy Maiestie for them how wretched and miserable creatures should we be O Lord wee pray thée make vs ashamed of our vnthankefulnesse wound our hearts with the consideration of our owne dulnesse whom so many fauours haue not wrought vnto more obedience and vouchsafe wee humbly beséech thée not withstanding our small deseruings to looke graciously vpon vs and accept this our Euening sacrifice of praise which wee doe here render vnto thy Maiestie O Lord let not the skantnesse of our seruice make thee turne away thine eyes from vs but euen as thou art wont to spare thy seruants as a man spareth his own sonne that serueth him and in them to accept the will for the full performance so be pleased to looke vpon vs in Iesus Christ grant that we may sensibly feele the power of his death killing sin corruption in vs and the power of his resurrection raising vs vp to newnes of life Make vs resolue to renounce euen our sweetest best beloued sins and not to take libertie to our selues to continue in any knowne vngodlines that we may think it more then sufficient that we haue hitherto giuen the raines to our ownlusts therfore now to labour to stop kill all sin in the beginning before it come to the act resolue to bestow the rest of our liues according to thy blessed word And because the night is at hand which thou hast appointed for vs to rest in he beséech thée to take vs into thy fatherly protection this night and euer command the guard of thy holy Angels to pitch their tents about vs preserue vs both sléeping waking that we may be the better fitted and prepared the day following to goe on in our vocations callings to thy glory our own comforts the benefit of our brethren through Iesus Christ our Lord Sauiour In whose name we beg these mercies at thy hands whatsoeuer else thou knowest to bee néedfull either for soule or body better then we our selues can aske in that forme of prayer which hée himselfe in his holy word hath taught vs saying Our father which art in heauen c. Another Morning praier MOst mercifull God and louing Father we thy poore and vnprofitable seruants doe here humbly cast downe our selues and our sinfull soules before the foot-stoole of thy maiestie acknowledging and confessing that we are not worthy to approach into thy presence much losse to haue any thing to do with thée in any part of thy most pure worship and seruice séeing wee haue liued and continued in the breath of thy holy commandements not only through negligence and infirmitie but many times witingly and willingly contrarie to our owne knowledge and the holy motions of thy good spirit to the wounding of our own soules and consciences to the great dishonour of thy maiestis O Lord we besâ—ech thée regard vs not as wee are in our selues but looke vpon vs in the countenance of thy sonne our Al-sufficient sauiour Christ Iesus for his sake wee pray thée bee gratious and good to al our sinnes both in generall and particular original or actuall of ignorance or of knowledge of omission or commission whereby wée haue offended thée from the first houre of our conception till this present time Lord accept the death and passion of thy sonne as a sufficient ransome for all our sins burie them déeply in his graue and cancell the book of thy wrath wherin they are written with his bloud that they may neuer be laid to our charge either in this life present or in the next Let thy blessed spirit seale the pardon of them all to the comfort of our coÌ„sciences Furnish vs we beséech thée with all néedefull graces especially as Christians to walke worthy of Christ Iesus in holy conuersation vouchsafe to blesse al good means vnto vs which thou hast sanctified for our continuall groath in grace and thy fears especially thy holy word the ministry therof print déeply in our heartes all holesome instructions which are deliuered and taught vs out of the same by thy ministers good lord make vs thankefull euermore for al thy benefits bestowed vpon vs chiefely for thy sonne Christ Iesus the fountaine of all good to vs and ours as also for all those blessings that concerne this life present as health libertie apparell such like for thy fatherly protection ouer vs bringing vs to the light of this present day kéepe defend vs we pray thée from all euill that may hurt vs and from falling into any grosse sin that may displease thée set thy feare alwaies before our eies that we may speÌ„d this day and all the daies of our liues to thy glory the peace of our owne consciences for this day wée beséech thee giue a blessing to our endeuours in our calling that wee may bee therein conscionably occupied knowing that
into the affaires of this day I beséech thée blesse me in the duties of my calling this day and euer for idlenesse and godlynesse can not stand together and it is thy pleasure that in the sweat of my face I should eat my bread O Lord preserue me from all fraudulent and deâ—eitfull courses draw my affections more and more from the loue of the World fix my heart vpon those things which are aboue if things succéed according to my mind by thy blessing vpon my labours make me thankefull vnto thée if any crosse come make me patient and carefull to profit by euerie chastisement that it shall please thée to lay vpon me knowing that howsoeuer they are greiuous for the present yet in the end they will bring the quiet fruit of righteousnesse to al them that are thereby exercised which God grant for his Christs sake to whom with the holy spirit bee all praise now and euer Amen Euening Praier for a priuate Person O Eternall God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him my most mercifull father I humbly confesse before thy glorious presence that I am altogether a lump of sinne a masse of corruption and therfore haue for feited thy fauour and incurred thy high displeasure both in thought word and deede My sins O Lord are more in number than the haires of my head yea farre more than I can possibly féele or know and if I should goe about to reckon vp my particular offences I know not where to begin or where to make an end It is thou O Lord who knowest my sins to whom the secrets of my heart are manifest and nothing can be hid from thy sight besides my consciense doth accuse me of many greiuous euils and I daily feele by ful experience how fraile I am how prone to euel and backward to all goodnesse my minde my heart and affections and all the faculties both of soule and body are ful of vanitie profanenesse dulnesse deadnesse drowâ—inesse in matters of thy worship and seruice But O déere father I haue learned from thy mouth that thou art a God full of mercie slow to wrath and of great compassion and kindnesse towards all such as are heauy laden groan vnder the burthen of their sinnes O Lord extend thy great mercy towards mée poore sinner and giue me a general pardon for al mine offences whatsoeuer seale it to my conscience in the blood of thy déere son Christ Iesus assuring me more and more of thy loue an fauour towards me and that thou art a reconciled father vnto me in the same christ O Lord I beséech thée principally giue me victorie ouer those sins thou knowest my nature most prone to commit Mortific in me whatsoeuer is carnall and sanctiffe me by thy good spirit and knit my heart vnthée for euer Lord grant that I may take delight in the reading and hearing of thy holy word that I may loue and reuerence all the faithfull Ministers of the gospell giue O Lord a melting heart that I may tremble at thy worde let not my sinnes holde backe thy mercies from me nor mine vnworthines stop the passage of thy grace I most humbly thank thee for all thy blessings bestowed vpon me necessarie for this life as food raiment health peace liberty c. which many of thy déere children doe want being notwithstanding bought with the pretious blood of Christ Iesus as well as I. Biâ—t aboue all deere Father I praise thy name for the blessings of a better life especially for thy holy worde and sacraments and all the good I enioy therby for the continuance of thy gospell the worde of truth the means of our saluation for the death of thy son and all that happinesse I receiue thereby O Lord open my blinde eies euery day more and more to sée and consider of thy great and meruelous loue towards me in all these things that by the dew consideration therof my heart may be drawne néerer vnto thee to loue thée much because thou hast giuen much and as thou dost abound towards me in goodnesse so grant that I may abound towards thée in obedience and thankfulnesse and in these my weak and imperfect praiers O Lord I am not mindeful of my selfe alone but of the whole estate of thy Church wheresoeuer blesse all christian Kings and Princes calling vpon thy name especially our dread Soueraigne the Kings Maiestie the Quéene and their roial Progonie Blesse all the nobilitie the magistrates and ministers of the Land that all their Councels and labours may begin at thy feare and may be referred thy glory Succour and comfort all those that are comfortlesse sanctifie all their afflictions and troubles vnto them that they may tend to thy glory and their owne good Finally O Lord according to my bounden dutie I commend vnto thy Maiestie all my friends and acquaintance beséeching thée for them as for my selfe to blesse vs all in our particular places and grant that we may do those things which may bée to thy glorie and our comforts through Iesus Christ our Lord. In whose name I end as he hath taught me saying Our father which art in heauen hallowed bee thy name Thy kingdome come Thy-will be done in earth as it is in heauen c. A Prayer for a priuate person necessarie at all times ALmightie God and in Iesus Christ my most mercifull and louing Father I doe here in thy presence acknowledge that I am of my selfe a most wretched and miserable sinner both in respect of the corruptions of my heart as also the transgression of my life more particularly I doe acknowledge the infidelitie of my heart wherby I haue not yet learned to depend vpon thy prouidence for the things of this life nor vpon thy mercie for the saluation of my soule I confesse O Lord the Atheisme and profanenesse both of my mind and heart whereby all my thoughts and affections are estranged from thée and so glewed to the things of this life that I can take more ioy and delight in doing mine owne will and in seruing mine owne lusts then euer I would â—â— in seruing and obeying thée I acknowledge likewise the pride of mine own heart whereby I doe eralt my selfe in the vanity of my own conceit aboue thy maiestie and aboue my Brethren whom thou hast made farre more excellent then my selfe as also the security of the flesh whereby I put away the day of wrath farre from mee promising to me selfe fréedome from all thy curses and plagues notwithstanding I walke in sinne and in the stubbornnes of mine owne heart my hypocrisie wherby I am content my selfe onely with an outward name and profession of religion and holinesse before men not regarding the truth and power of godlinesse besides O Lord my life abounds in all Actuall transgressions against euery one of thy commandements I haue liued in the abuse of thy mercies and haue not béene drawne néerer vnto thee In neglect of thy
Iudgements and fatherly chastisements both vpon others and vpon my selfe and haue not profited therby to true repentance and reformation of life yea O Lord I haue liued in the proâ—anation of thy holy ordinances thy Word Sacraments and this exercise of Prayer neither preparing my selfe hereunto â—right nor being conuersent therin with that care diligence and conscience as I ought and therfore thou maist iustly depriue me of that fruit of edification I might haue reaped by the reuerent and religious vsing of these diuine Ordinances Many other sins O Lord I haue committed the least whereof if thou shouldest lay vnto my charge I were neuer able to appeare in thy sight or to answere thée one of a thousand I beseech thee deale fauourably with me as thou art wâ—nt to doe with thy children that call vpon thy name and séeke thee in the truth of their hearts In the midst of Iudgement I pray thée remember mercie open my blinde eyes that I may come to a particular knowledge of my sinnes touch my hard and stony heart that I may sigh and grone vnder the burthen of them beeing heartily displeased with my selfe because I haue dishonored thy name stirre vp my heart also that I may hunger and thirst after Christ and his righteausnes and after euery drop of his most precious bloud in him alone to bee well pleased with me and for his sake to pardon and forgiue me all my sinnes wash them all away in his bloud and my heart from the filthinesse and impuritie of them all say vnto my soule I am thy saluation and let me féele thy good spirit perswading my conscience by the inward testimonie of the same that my sinnes are pardoned that I stand discharged of them all before thy Iudgement seate and séeing it is the lot of thy children to be tryed sundry waies O Lord prepare mee to the dayes of tryall Arme mee with spirituall patience to endure thy hand that I may méekely and contentedly submit my will to thy good will and pleasure howsoeuer it shall please thée to deale with me onely teach mee to profit vnder thy rod of correction and grant that I may learne thereby to deny my selfe to forsake this world the pleasures profits and preferments of the same to make vile and base account of them in respect of the heauenly things destring to be dissolued and to be with Christ that sinne and the corruption thereof might bee abolished and I may â—aue neere coniunction â—ith thy Maiestie in thine â—wne Kingdome notwithstanding so long as â—hoâ— pleasest to hold mee in this earthly Tabernacle increase dayly more and more the graces of thy Holy Spirit in mee as namely Faith Repentance Feare Loue Humilitie and a good Conscience and all other graces whereby thine Image may be renued in me that the longer I liue in this world the neerer I may drawe to thy Kingdome indeauouring to serue and please thée in righteousnes and new obedience all the dayes of my life Be mercifull I beséech thée to all thine afflicted whether with sicknesse vpon their beds or distressed in conscience for sinnes relieue them I beséech thée accorcording to their seueral necessities strengthen them in their weakenes sanctifie all thy corrections vnto them and grant them a speedie issue in thine owne good time as shall seeme best to thy godly wisedome Be mercifull to all my friends in the flesh and acquaintance in the Spirit and all other for whom I am bound by any duty to pray for granting vnto vs all a supply of all graces néedefull for our present state and callings and eternall saluation of our â—oules these mercies I beg â—t thy hands for Iesus Christs sake in that prayer which he hath taught vs saying Our Father which art in heauen c. Morning Prayer for the Sabbath day before hearing of the Word O Most gracious God and mercifull Father wee thy vnworthy seruants do here prostrate our selues our bodies and selues to offer vp to thy maiestie this morning sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing for all thy mercies and blessings bestowed vpon vs we blesse thy name for the quiet rest and comfortable sléepe this night passed from all perils and dangers of the same wee confesse O Lord if thou shouldest deale with vs according to our deserts thou mightest haue made our beds our graues and our sléepe our death euen for the sins of this night past O Lord we haue done more against thée this wéeke past then wee haue done for thée all the dayes of our life yet notwithstanding O Lord manifold are thy mercies towards vs still and thy goodnes is infinite in euery particular which befalleth vs we haue exceeding experience of thyloue It is thy great mercy that wee which haue so many wayes prouoked thée should be suffered to liue to behold the light comfort of the day but herein thy mercie is much more manifest that hauing béene heretofore profaners of thy Sabbaths barren and hypocriticall professors of thy holy word yea fruitlesse and vnprofitable hearers of the same that-we should yet enioy the blessed opportunitie of another Sabbath O Lord wee confesse thou mightst iustly haue fatted vp our hearts and giuen vs ouer to a Reprobate sâ—nce and commanded the doores of thy Sanctuarie to be shutte vp against vs and not to suffer vs to tread within thy Courts O Lord grant that we may rate estéeme thy mercy towards vs in this kinde according to the true valew thereof and that wee may not carelessely forget this or any other of thy fauours and as thou hast of thy mercie brought vs to the beginning of this holy Sabbath so we humbly pray thée enable vs to sanctifie the same as thou requirest and our dutie bindes vs Lord make vs to remember that this is not any Commandement or Ordinance of man but that it is thine owne ordinance and one of those lawes which thou wrotest with thine owne hand namely that this day should after a more speciall manner be consecrated to thy seruice Lord giue vs grace that in this thy Sabbath wee may beware of doing our owne works or of séeking our own wils or of speaking vaine and idle words that wee may seriously binde our selues to the performing of such duties as doe belong to this day O Lord we know that herein wee shall méete with many corruptions in this holy seruice our own corrupt nature and affections will thinke it a taske that can not bee endured besides in the world wee shall haue many examples of the wicked to draw and entise vs froÌ„ our diligence and constancie in our godly course but wée beseech thée from the bottome of our hearts to strengthen vs that these things preuaile not against vs and grant that wee may more estéeme the performance of our duties to thy maiesty then either the contenting of our owne corrupt natures or wicked persons and séeing O Lord we are now to heare thy holy word we beséech thée poure downe thy blessings
father that sent him O Lord grant that I may follow his steps endeuouring to please thée in the whole course of my life through the same Iesus Christ our Lord and only Sauiour Amen A Praier containing humble confession of Sinne and desire of pardon O Eternall God and mercifull father infifinite in iustice and truth taking vengance vpon all disobedient children and yet abundant in goodnesse and mercy towards al such as vnfainedly feare thy name and return vnto thée in sincerity of heart and contrition of spirit prostrating their soules before thée I most vile and wretched sinner doe humbly beséech thée of thy infinite mercy to haue compassion vpon my sinnes which are so grieuous and so vile and loathsome as thy pure eies can not abide to looke vpon them I confesse O Lord that all my life hath béen in sinne our fathers and mothers were sinnefull euen from the sâ—ock of our great grandfather Adam whose blindnesse should haue béen our light and whose sight was turned to our blindnesse and darkenesse by the deceitfull entisements of that enemy of our saluation that subtill serpent Satan by whose baites our forefather being clothed with innocency and integretie and vnspeakable hapinesse was moued by the desire of the knowledge of that which thou wouldest he should haue béene ignorant of by breaking of which thy commandement he with the woman which thou gauest to bee a help comfort vnto him were according to thy determinate will cast out of Paradice a place of ioy to a place of miserie and labour I beseech thee most gratious God smite my hard and stonie heart and make it euen to melt with in me at the sight of my manifold transgressions settle in it I pray thée that godly sorrow which causeth repentance vnto saluation not to be repented of humble my soule vnder thy mighty hand and suffer it not to fréeze in the dregs of mine owne corruptions and make my head full of water mine eies a fountaine of teares which may run down like a riuer day night and grant O Lord that I may sorrow not so much because of hell and damnation which is due vnto me for my sinnes but that my chiefest sorrow may be this that I haue offended so good and gratious a God as thou art in abusing thy mercies and requiting thy excéeding loue with so greiuous sins O Lord I am bold to come vnto thée at this time not in my owne name for who am I that I should dare to presse into thy presence but in the name and mediation of thy déere and welbeloued son Christ Iesus Let his death passion be a full satisfaction for all my sinnes wash me throughly in his blood from mine iniquities and clense me from my sinnes let not thy hand of iustice destroy me but giue me the comfort of thy help and stablish me with thy truth Most gratious father thou which art the father of mercies and the God of consolations of thée I aske mercy and forgiuenesse of all my sinnes thou wouldest that none should perish but that all should be saued and come to the knowledge of thy truth thou hast commanded me most gratious God in thy holy word to call and knock vnto thée whereupon thou hast gratiousty promised so to finde as to enter into me and to entertaine me I beséech thée make good my promise vnto me at this time and regard my teares my sighes and my groanes which doe knock at the gate of thy mercies I endeuour most gracious God and striue to do thy will Lord make good thy promise I beséech thée in thy word and accept my desire and howsoeuer vilde wretch that I am euer since I Couenanted with thée to doe thée seruice I haue either vngratiously forgotten or vngratefully remembred all thy benefits and haue not so estéemed thée for them as I would haue done a mortall friend for a few common Curtesies yet neuer the lesse haue mercy vpon me I can not excuse my faults and If I should yet my consciense would condemne mée for I had thy expresse word to stay me and mine owne conscience to bridle me yea I would haue allowed those things which I did if any other had done them but my selfe now when my memorie is the handwriting of my debt and my thoughts are willing wâ—â—nesses against me and mine owne knowledge condemneth me what remaineth but that I must néeds fall into thy hands O Lord I beséech thée according to thy wonted mercy and old louing kindnesse haue pity vpon me miserable sinner and grant me a frée remission of all my sinnes and a perfect reconciliation with thée in Christ Iesus this O Lord I earnestly craue at thy hands euen for the same Iesus Christ sake our Lord and sauiour Amen A godly Prayer in time of sicknesse or at the point of Death ALmightie God and in Iesus Christ my most mercifull Father I thy poore wretched seruant which doe here lye vnder thy hand féeling thy punishment of the corruption and transgression that is in me and in all flesh euen this same sicknesse which at this time thou hast sent vnto mee I doe here humble my selfe vnder thy hands and acknowledge against my selfe my heinous sins and corruptions so that I confesse that I haue not only deserued sicknes of body yea the separation of my soule from my body but also the separation both of bodie and soule from thée and thy kingdome for euer but good Father I humbly beseech thee looke vpon me in the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus in whome thou hast loued mee before the foundations of the world were laid though sinne haue brought sicknes and sicknes bee an vndoubted messenger of death at the time thou hast appointed yet grant good Lord that I may be vndoubtedly perswaded in this that death is swallowed vp in victorie and that this death can no more hold me vnder then it hath done Iesus Christ into whom I am translated therefore I beseech thée giue me a swéet féeling of my incorporation into Christ Iesus in whose death though I dye yet I shall liue by y â— vertue of his resurrection eternally O Lord in this my sicknesse giue me I beséech thée a déep touch and a sensible vnderstanding of my sinnes past that I haue not vsed this temporall life which thou didst lend mee more to thy glorie that I did not so watch for death as that I was no better prepared for it that I was no more diligent in my calling to seeke the aduancement of thy glory Now O Lord I pray thee take from me all guile of Spirit all disposition to flatter or to sooth vp my selfe or to lessen either the number or the qualitie of my sinnes cause mee euen to breake vp my hart and to search and trie my waies that so out of the abundance of my feeling I may poure out a most plentifull and sincere confession before thee knowing it to be in vaine to endeuour
to hide that from thee which thou before whom all things are naked doest know better then my selfe yea such is thy mercie that when I do lay my sinnes open thou doest couer them good Father I beseech thee giue mee that minde which a seeke man should haue and increase my patience with my pain call to my mind all which I haue heard or read or felt or meditated to strengthen mee in this my visitation that though I neuer taught any good while I liued yet I may now instruct others how to die and to beare patiently whatsoeuer thy holie hand shall lay vpon them Apply vnto me al thy mercies and merites of Christ Iesus as if he had died for me in particular bee not farre from mee I beseech thee when the enemie comes to tempt me but when hee is most busie then let thy good spirit be busiest also to defend me and let my last houre be my best houre and my last thoughtes and words the best that euer I did thinke or speake Lord I know that I can not escape death then why should I feare it and if I must dye why not now if it so please thee for my chiefest happines is behind and I can not haue it vnles I go vnto it I confesse O Lord my paines are great but séeing I trauell to heauen make mee patient I beseech thee to beare my paines and when it shall please thee to call me out of this vaile of miserie command thy holy Angels I humbly pray thee to carrie my soule into the bosome of blessed A. braham there to rest with thee in eternall glorie for euer and euer Amen A Prayer of thanks-giuing vnto God for Deliuerance out of any Sicknesse ALl honour and praise be giuen vnto thee most gracious God and mercisull Father for all thy mercies and fauours bestowed vpon mee euen from my cradle to this present houre for my Election Creation Redemption Iustification Sanctification Preseruation and that blessed hope of Glorification in the world to come O Lord thou hast loaded mee with thine abundant fauors as if I had euer done thy will although I neuer knew thée as I ought loued thee as I should obayed thee as thou commandedst nor beene thankefull to thee as thou hast deserued excéeding experience haue I had of thy goodnes many times but neuer more then in my late sicknesse wherewith thou didst visit mee Lord grant that I be not in the number of those who are forward to aske in time of trouble and affliction but slacke and carelesse to acknowledge their thankfulnes when mercy is bestowed like those Lepers that when they were cleansed returned not to giue God thanks for his mercy O Lord thou hast chastened me and corrected me but herein appeares thy mercy that thou hast not giuen mee ouer to death I confesse thou mightst iustly haue cut mee off depriued mee of the rest of my yeares but it was thy good pleasure to deliuer my soul from the pit of corruption Imprint in my mind I beséech thée the vowes promises which I made in my sicknesse of better obedience and seruice to thy maiestie then heretofore and grant that I may make conscience to performe them and let me know that howsoeuer thou hast now giuen me some little respite and prolonged my daies yet I must not deâ—eiue my selfe in putting farre from my remembrance the day of my death but that I may make a holy vse of this thy fatherly correcting me and to expresse my thankefulnes in my life and conuersation in walking godly before thee and in preparing my selfe for my end that I may finish my course with ioy and bee ready to meete my Sauiour in the clouds and to rest with him and his holy Angels for euer and in his euerlasting kingdom of glorie Ameâ— A Prayer for a Sick man MOst gracious God and in Christ Iesus our mercifull Father wée poore wretches gathered here before thee doe truely and most freely confesse that wee are most vile and miserable vtterly vnworthy to speake vnto thee or to receiue the least fauour from thee by reason of our many and grieuous sinnes our blindnes of minde ignorances negligences peruersenes of heart and vnseruiceablenesse in our liues but with all we doe remember thy great loue and mercifull promises made vnto them that with â—enitent and humble spirits do sue vnto thée wherfore wee are enboldned to approch vnto thy throne of grace in the name of thy Son Christ Iesus beseeching thée for his sake to forgiue vs all our sinnes originall and actuall wash vs we pray thée in his bloud and cloth vs with his righteousnes giue vs grace to turne vnto thée with our hearts from all our sinnes and inable vs by thy grace to serue thee in righteousnes holines all the dayes of our liues Take care we beséech thée of this thy Seruant whom thou hast afflicted before our eyes O Lord receiue him to thy grace and assure him of thy glory grant vnto him faith in thy promises patience vnder thine hand and hope of thy mercy restore him if it be thy blessed will to his perfect health againe and blesse all good meanes vnto it if not prepare him for death and for thy kingdome comfort him with an assured hope of a ioyfull resurrection and whensoeuer his soule shall depart from his body grant that it may be presented without all sinne to thée through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen A Prayer for a Woman with child BLessed God and gracious Father I thy poore Handmaide doe héere humbly present my selfe before thy throne of Grace beseeching thee to forgiue me all my manifold sins committed against thee burie them in the death of my Sauiour thy Son Christ Iesus O Lord I beseech thee for his sake to accept of me and this poore worme inclosed in my wombe vouchsafe to giue vs thy Sonne and to sanctifie vs with thy Holy Spirit grant me strength and patience I humbly intreat thee to indure and ouercome those paines which for my sinnes are worthily imposed on me Asswage them O Lord I pray thee and vouchsafe mee a safe deliuerance with safetie to this child within me if it may please thy Maiestie so will I dedicate my selfe and that which thou shalt giue me to the glorie of thine holy Name O Lord heare O Lord help be thou my God and my guide my saluation and my succour not for my merites but for the honour of thy mercie and the all sufficient merites of Iesus Christ to whome with thee and thy Holy Spirit three persons but one euer-liuing and euerlouing God bee all honour and glorie for euer and for euer Amen A Prayer for a Midwife by her selfe alone O Lord my God I beseech thee forgiue me my manifold sins and wickednes accept of me I beseech thée in thy Sonne Iesus Christ honour mee with all the graces of thy spirit grant me wisedoms modesty temperance and a religious heart
eye preserue his Royall person from al conspiracies and treasons both forraine domesticall and continue his gouernment ouer vs and grant there may not want one of that stock to sit vpon this throne till thy son come to Iudgement Blesse in like maner we beséech thée the Quéenes Maiesty make her a helpe vnto him in al good things powre downe thy blessings vpon there Royal progeny and graunt that they may daily grow in grace fauor both with God and man make them loyall to his maiesty all the daies of his life alwaies afford thy gracious presence to the honorable lords of his Maiesties Counsell be thou president ouer them at their table order their purposes and direct all their consultations as may make most for thy glory the honour of the King and the good of this land and commonwealth giue thy blessing vpon all the Magistrates of the land and courts of Iustice grant that they may drawe forth the sword of iustice for the destruction of vice and wickednes and for the maintenance of Gods true religion vertue Blesse O Lord the house of Aaron Tribe of Leui the ministers of thy word and Sacraments and séeing these are thy Stewards which thou hast set ouer vs to disperse thy misteries good Lord giue vs grace not to estéeme of them as mere mortall men like our selues but as they are indéed the embassadors of thée the euerliuing God who art able to saue and to destroy and that they are not such as raigne ouer our faith but as helpers of our ioy which preach not themselues but Iesus Christ our Lord and count themselues our seruaÌ„ts for Iesus sake furnish them liberally of thy rich treasure with all graces fit for so excellent a work giue vs grace with our best endeauours to further y â— maintenance therof to this end blesse al schooles of learning especially both the Uniuersities of this land that daily there may procéed such as may be profitable Instruments both for church common welth and in these our prayers we are not vnmindful of the afflictions of Ioseph wee beseech thée send thy Spirit of comfort to all the afflicted whatsoeuer whether in body or in mind or both especially those that suffer for the testimony of a good conscience wee beséech thée to stand by them in al their distresses and bee thou more neere to defend them then Sathan either is or possible can be to seduce draw theÌ„ from thée giue them patience to endure whatsoeuer it shal please thée to lay on them harty and true repentance for all their sins an happy issue from their miseries as shall séeme best to thy godly wisedome either by life that they may glorifie thée in this world or by faithfull departure they may be glorified of thee in the world to come and that for Iesus Christs sake our Lord and only Sauior In whose name wee conclude these our weake prayers as he hath taught vs. Our Father which art in heauen c. A Praier containing the summe of the Lords Praier OVr Father which art in Heauen Most gratious Lord God we thy children seruants in thy only son Iesus Christ our sauiour assured héere of by thy good spirit do hartily desire thée as we are made redéemed sanctified to praise thée giue vs thy children grace to acknowledge thée the only true God and to worship thée in thought word and déede that so thy name by vs may be hallowed teach vs which way we may most honour thee while we remaine héere to set our hearts wholly thereunto kéep vs from taking any part of thy glory to our selues and let vs account it our greatest honor to honor thée and be euer afraid of dishonoring thée any way because we haue no power nor know the meanes of our selues to serue thée let thy kingdome come giue vs thy word to be faithfully and painfully preached among vs with thy holy spirit to worke inwardly in our hearts faith feare hope and loue with al heauenly graces that we may become thy subiects heires of thy kingdome send vs zelous gouernors faithfull Preachers that Satan Antichrist heresies vice scismes may bee vtterly destroied our déere and pretious soules saued in the day of the Lord Iesus which day wee pray thée to hasten in the meane season thy will bee done in earth as it is in heaueÌ„ make vs to forsake our selues all worldly vanities doing nothing but what thou coÌ„mandest and all that thou doest will vs to do it hartely ioyfully readily faithfully and with a constant heart as thy Saints Angels in Heauen performes it and because our bodies craue necessary sustenance without which we cannot serue thée giue vs this day ourdaily b cad We beféeth thée to blesse our daily labors to get sufficient maintenance and al necessaries that we may be able to do thy will Let neither care nor couetousnes oppresse vs but wholly commit our selues to thy faithfull prouiding for vs and good father forgiue vs our trespasses Let not our sinnes either hinder or depriue vs of thy mercies we confesse that wee haue grieuously sinned against thée both originally actually so as it is thy méere mercy the waight of them haue not pressed vs downe to the pit of hell but thou art mercifull in Christ Iesus and for his sake we beseech thée pardon â—â— as thou hast promised and perswade our consciences that we are forgiuen by giuing vs grace to forgiue them that trespass against vs giue vs power to continue in all godly courses lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill that neither in inward or outward temptation we may euer bee vanquished but may euer ouercome which wee desire O father of heauen as thou hast all rule and power and maiest haue glorie and praise of hereafter for euer euer and as we are bound in dutie for our election creation redemption iustification sanctification for all earthly benefits and spirituall comforts and the certaine hope of eternal glory to which glorie O father bring vs that for Christ Iesus sake our Lord and only sauiour Amen A praier vpon the Articles of the Creede O Heauenly father from whom all good gifts come I pray thée in thy mercy through Christ Iesus my sauiour to grant me thy gratious gift of a sound iustifying faith which I neither haue nor can haue by nature that I may beleeue in thee O God only the father Almightie maker of heauen and earth and also in Iesus Christ thy only sonne and our Lord which was conceiued by the holy Ghost boâ—ne of the Virgine Marie suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried that descended into hell and rose againe the third day and ascended into heauen and there siâ—teâ—h at the right hand of thee O God father Almightie from whence hee shall come to iudge vs all both quick and dead that I may bâ— leâ—â—e in the
you haue receiued your selfe for the more you struggle vnder his hand the worse it will be for you 34 In all your actions remember that God takes notice not onely what you do but whatsoeuer is done directly or indirectly all is done and gouerned by him 35 In health prepare for death for no man can assure himselfe to liue one houre 36 Omit no opportunitie to heare the word bse all the meanes of your saluation though you feele your selfe most vnwilling there vnto for you knowe not when God will giue a blessing 37 The more godly thou art and the more graces and blessings are vpon thée the more néed thou hast to pray because Satan is then busiest against thée and because thou art easily puffed vp with a conceited holines 38 In prayer desire God to giue thée grace to remember the bedroll of thy sinnes to humble thée and the Catalogue of his mercies truly to make thee thankefull 39 Consent not to the least sin for that is the way to fall in to many sins and if you make no conscience of one sinne you will not make conscience of many and great sinnes 40 When thou prayest for any grace God granteth not thy desire but often giues thée the contrarie yet consider God euer heares his children for their good though not according to there desires 41 Register vp thy sins especially those that haue most dishonoured God and wounded thine owne conscience set them often in thy sight chiefely them when thou hast occasion to renew thy repentance that thy heart may be thereby humbled 42 Labour to sée feele thy spirituall pouerty the want of grace in thy selfe especially those inward corruptions of vnbeliefe pride selfe-loue c. 43 Endeuour to shewe thy self a member of Christ and a seruant of God not only in the generall calling of a Christian but also in thy particular calling in which thou art placed 44 Eramine the Scriptures diligently to sée what is sin and what is not sin in euery action and so carrie in thy heart a constant purpose not to sinne in any thing for faith and the purpose of sinning can not stand together 45 Striue to obey God in al his commandements and let thine endeuour bee sutable to thy purpose to doe nothing at any time against thy conscience rightly enformed by the word of God 46 When thou fallest into any sinne a great or little against thy purpose and resolution restnot in it but spéedily recouer thy selfe by repentance humble thy selfe confesse thine offence and by prayer intreat the Lord to pardon the same 47 Make conscience of idle vaine vnhonest and vngodly thoughts for these are the séedes and beginnings of actuall sinne in word and déede the want of this care is oftentimes fearefully punished 48 Whatsoeuer good thing thou goest about doe it not in a conceite of thine own worthines but in humilitie ascribing the power and praise thereof to God lest hee curse thy best doings 49 Use outward things as meate drinke apparell in that manner and measure that they may further godlines and may be as it were signes in which thou maist exprsse the hidden grace of thy heart 50 Labour not to goe beyond any vnlesse it be in good things make conscience of thy word and let it bee as a bond deale iustly with all men and in all companies either do good or take good Signes of Saluation in whomsoeuer they appeare LOue to the children of God 1. Iohn 3. 14. Delight in y â— word of God Psal 119. 111. Often and feruent prayer Psal 45. 18. To bee zealous of Gods glorie Rom. 12. 11. Deniall of any â—uffiâ—â—â—â—cy in our selues 2. Cor. 3. 5. Patient bearing the crosse with profit and comfort Maâ— 16. 24. Faithfulnes in our â—â—â— liâ—gs which God hath placed vs in 1. Cor. 7. 20. Honest iust and conâ—â—â—onable dealing in â—â—â— our actions amongst mâ—n 1. Cor. 10. 33. Assured faith in the promises of God Acts 16. 31. Sinceritie of heart Pro. 11. 20. The Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8. 25. Sound regeneration and â—anctification Rom. 8. 14. Inward peace Rom. 5. â— Groundednesse in the truth Col. 1. 23. Continuance to the end Mar. 24. 13. If these graces be in vs and abound they wil make vs neither idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ that is they will make vs sound and sincere professors of the Gospell 2. Per. â— 8. 7. Obseruations needfull to the reuerent reading and hearing of the Word of GOD. 1 PReparation for the manner of reading it Eccles 4. 17. 2 Wisedome to vnderstand it Iam. 1. 5. 1. Kin. 3. 9. 2. Chro. 1. 10. 3 Diligence to continue in it 2. Ti. 3. 14. Act. 14. 22. 4 Meditation and conference for the better kéeping of the matter Deu. 6. 6. Ioshua 1. 8. Psa 1. 2. 5 Faith to beléeue tt Heb. 4. 2. Iud. 20. 6 Obedience to practise it 1. Sa. 15. 22. 23. Ier. 7. 23. Math. 7. 21. 7 Prayer for a bleâ—â—ing vpon it Mat. 21. 22. Marke 11. 24. Iam. 1. 5. FINIS THE CONTENTS of this Booke AN Introduction to Prayer page 1 2 Certaine Rules concerning Prayer pa. 49 3 Briefe notes shewing the necessitie of prayer page 53 4 A godly and necessarie Prayer to be said at all times pa. 59 5 A Morning prayer for priuate Families pa. 68 6 Euening Prayer for priuate families pa. 73 7 Another morning pray pag. 81 8 Another Euening prayer for priuate families pa. 87 9 Another morning prayer page 93 10 Another Euening Prayer pag. 98 11 Morning prayer for a priuate person pa. 104 12 Euening Prayer for a priuate person pa. 110 13 A Prayer for a priuate person necessary at all times pa. 118 14 Morning Prayer for the Sabbath day before the hearing of the Word pa. 127 15 Euening Prayer for the Sabbaoth day pa. 136 16 A Prayer before the Receiuing of the Lords Supper pa. 144 17 A Prayer after the Receiuing of the Lords Supper pa. 149 18 A Prayer before a man begins the workes of his calling pa. 135 19 A Prayer containing humble confession of sinne and desire of pardon page 159 20 A godly Prayer in time of sicknes or at the point of death pa. 167 21 A Prayer of Thanksgiuing vnto God for Deliuerance out of any sicknes pa. 173 22 A Prayer for a sicke man pag. 176 23 A Prayer for a woman with Childe pa. 180 24 A Prayer for a Midwife by her selfe alone page 182 25 A Thanksgiuing priuate for the safe deliuerance of a woman to be said by the Midwife or some woman present at her Deliuerie page 184 26 A Prayer in time of Pestilence or any other contagious sicknes page 186 27 A Prayer for the Kings Maiestie the whole state page 192 28 A Prayer containing the summe of the Lords Prayer pa. 199 29 A Prayer vpon the Articles of the Creed page 204 30 A Prayer vpon the ten commandements page 206 31 A Prayer containing the doctrine of the Sacraments page 210 32 Prayer before meate page 213 33 Thanksgiuing after meate page 214 34 Another before meat page 215 35 Another after meate page 216 36 Another before meat page 217 37 Another after meate page 218 38 Another before meat page 219 39 Another after meate page 220 40 Another before meat page 221 41 Another after meate pag. 222 42 Godly Directions for the right Receiuing of the Lords Supper page 22â— 43 Rules to know true Faith by the fruites thereof pag. 226 44 Christian exercises necessary to be practised in the course of our liues page 231 45 Signes of saluation in whomsoeuer they appeare page 247 46 7. Obseruations needfull to the Reuerent reading and hearing of the word of God page 249 FINIS Faults escaped IN the Epistle Dedicatorie reade period of your timee And pag. 31. l. 17. read I wil fast to pray and pray to fast Pro. 28. â— 4. Reu. 20 Psal 〈◊〉 â—al 26. â— â—al 14. â—â— 21. â— 15 Psal 105 Psal 150. 1. Thes 5.