from the sicknesse that destroyeth in the noone day Esa 38.12 Who hast not cut of my life like a weauer nor made an end of me O Lord I confesse that as my dayes haue increased so hath my sinne multiplied Pro. 24.16 The iust man falleth seuen times a day But I miserable sinner seuenty seuen times seuen times But I returne to thee O Lord and repent Luc. 17.4 Let not the Sunne goe downe in thy wrath O Lord whatsoeuer good I haue done this day I acknowledge that thou hast wrought it in me and desire thee gratiously to accept of me for it as thy Instrument only O Lord whatsoeuer euill I haue committed this day I confesse it to be the worke of mine owne hands and heartily pray thee to pardon it O Lord which giuest the sleep of health to them that loue thee and causest those that feare thee to sleepe confidently Psal 13.4 Lighten mine eyes that I sleepe not in death Keepe me from the terrors of the night and from the workes of darknesse Psal 91.5 Lord though I sleepe yet let my heart watch to thee and when I wake let me be presently before thee let my thoughts ascend to thee Grant that I may alwaies remember that the night is no night with thee and that the darkenesse and light are to thee alike Psal 139.12 Grant that I may alwaies meditate vpon the long and last sleepe the sleepe of death the bed of my Graue and the Couering of wormes and dust Let my sleepe be a cessation from sinne and let me not in my sleepe doe or thinke any thing that may offend thee or defile my selfe And grant that after the sleepe shall depart from mine eyes I may remember thee search my reynes and trye my heart O Lord I commend my selfe and all that of thy bounty is mine to thee In thee I put all my trust and confidence Thou seest in what dangers we are what snares the Deuill layeth for vs. I humbly therefore pray thee to defend me from him And grant me so to order and end my life that I may sleepe peace and take my rest with thee for the merits of Iesus Christ c. Psal 4.9 I will lay me downe in peace and take my rest for it is thou Lord onely that makest me dwell in safety Euening Prayer for a Family O Almighty and euerlasting God who hath appointed all times and seasons to succeede in their due course and hast ordained the day for the workes of the day and bodily labour and the night to take our quiet rest and refreshing by whose prouidence and mercy we haue beene preserued this day from all dangers and haue beene furnished with all things necessary for this life wee humbly pray and beseech thee that now in this time of night and darkenesse wherein we poore and miserable sinners stand in most need of thy helpe and aide thou wouldest be pleased to keepe vs from all dangers spirituall and temporall O Lord we confesse that we haue not deserued the least of thy fauours nay if thou shouldest with strict eye examine our actions how we haue spent this day and the rest of our daies past we should not be able to stand in thy sight much lesse beg any further blessings of thee For notwithstanding thy manifold and daily fauours wee haue in all things beene rebellious and repugnant to thy blessed Will and obedient and comformable to the command of our enemies the Flesh the World and the Deuill in so much as wee haue lost our liberties and are become seruants and slaues vnto them For we haue wholly giuen our selues to serue the pleasures of the Flesh in concupiscences and other carnall Acts we haue hearkened too much to the delights of the World in couetous desiring that which is not our owne in abusing the Creatures thereof which were created for our necessary vse and not for our wanton and insatiable desires and wee are become the seruants of Sathan in not opposing and resisting his vncleane and wicked tentations Our sinnes are infinite and our iniquities are numberlesse so that wee cannot nor are any way able to recount them vnto thee We haue fled from thee seeking vs neglected thee Louing vs stopped our eares to thee speaking to vs turned our backes to thee reaching thy hand to vs forgotten thee doeing good to vs and despised thee correcting vs. Yet O Lord we humbly intreat thee to shew thy accustomed mercy to vs poore and miserable sinners who in griefe and anguish of soule confesse these our offences and earnestly and bitterly bewaile them Looke vpon vs with the eyes of compassion not for any thing in vs but for the loue and respect which thou bearest to thy Sonne Christ Iesus in whom we verily beleeue that thou art fully reconciled vnto vs. Take away our sinnes and the punishment due vnto vs for them Let thy wrath be turned from vs and destroy vs not together with our manifold transgressions Lord thou seest our wickednesse and withall how and in whose name we craue thy mercy Turne thee O Lord from thine anger which thou mightest iustly power vpon vs and bee gratious vnto vs according to thy wonted goodnesse who abhorrest nothing which thou hast made Create also we beseech thee in vs new hearts hearts fit to serue thee and write thy Law in them with the finger of thy Holy Spirit that all our desires and all our actions may bee conformable to thy blessed Will And now againe O Lord we desire thy Maiestie to take our soules and bodies into thy protection this night following suffer vs not to sleepe in sinne but watch ouer vs and defend vs vnder the shadow of thy wings Let not our sleepe bee excessiue or immoderate but raise vs againe in due time that after a quiet and moderate sleepe we may arise to serue and praise thee ioyfully beginne and perfect our workes iustly labour in our vocations truely and seeke thy Kingdome earnestly that at the last by thee with thee and in thee wee may come vnto the same Kingdome by the merits of our Sauiour Iesus Christ in whose Name and Prayer wee are bold to call further vpon thee saying Our Father c Prayers for seuerall Persons For a married man O Heauenly Father Maker and Preseruer of Heauen and Earth who in the beginning didst institute Matrimony foretelling the mysticall vnion of the Church with our Sauiour Christ who also in the time of his being vpon earth did honour Marriage with his first Miracle Ioh. 2. and hast appointed it also for a meanes whereby mankinde is propagated Gen. 2. for a remedy to auoide vnlawfull lust and for the mutuall comfort and consolation of thy Children I humbly entreat thee to giue me the assistance of thy diuine Grace that I may liue according to thy commandements with my wife whom thou hast giuen for my helpe and comfort in this world Mortifie in me all vncleane
in darknesse 11 My Louers and those which I tooke for friends because they see me goe about to forsake my euill courses stand aloofe of from my sore in stead of giuing me comfort become mine aduersaries and my kinsmen who in my prosperitie fawned on mee now stand a farre of and leaue me comfortlesse 12 They also of mine enemies that seeke after the ouerthrow of my life and eternall happinesse lay snares and tentations for me and they that seeke my hurt in bereauing me of my good name speake mischieuous and false things to my reproach and imagine deceit how to diuert me from the right way all the day long 13 But I being resolued to persist in the way of repentance and to trust wholly in the mercy of God behaued my selfe to them as a deafe man giuing no eare to their allurements and made as though I heard them not and I was in my behauiour to them as a dumbe man that knew not how to speake and that opened not his mouth 14 Thus carefull was I least mine enemies should entrap me and I continued still as a man that heareth not nor is moued with their tentations and in whose mouth notwithstanding their euill deedes to me are no reproofes 15 For in thee O Lord let them doe what they can doe I hope and put my confidence that thou wilt keepe thy promise and heare me when I call vpon thee O Lord my God and Sauiour 16 For I said in my prayer to thee heare mee O Lord least if thou forsake me they should reioyce and triumph ouer mee for when and as soone as my foote of faith slippeth neuer so little by infirmitie they presently imagine that thou hast forsaken mee and magnifie themselues as though they had obtained a great victory against me 17 For I cannot maruell that they should so doe considering that when I feele the waight of my sinnes I my selfe am ready to halt and despaire and the reason of my sorrow is because thy Iudgements are euer before mee and in my thoughts 18 For remedy whereof I wil declare and confesse to thee O Lord in the bitternesse of my soule my iniquitie and take reuenge of my selfe for it yea I will be as long as I liue heartily sory and much grieued for my sinne past though it be forgiuen 19 But mine enemies thinke not of forsaking their waies they are liuely and merry and crie peace peace to their soules and they are strong to doe euill and they also that hate mee because they see my conuersion wrongfully and without cause are multiplied and excedingly increased 20 They also that vnthankefully render euill to me for the good which I haue done vnto them are also become mine aduersaries and doe vnto mee all the mischiefe they can and why because they perceiue my conuersion and that I follow and loue the thing that good is which they hate 21 Forsake mee not either in tentation or tribulation though they persecute mee O Lord the author of my saluation O my God whom I desire to serue be not farre from me by withdrawing thy grace from me 22 Make hast least I faint vnder the burden of my sinnes to helpe me against my enemies O Lord who art my only stay in this life and my Saluation in the life to come Glory be to the Father c. 4 Psalme 51. 1 HAue mercy vpon me miserable sinner O God full of mercy and compassion according to thy louing and infinite kindnesse to the sonnes of men and as my sinnes are infinite so according to the multitude of thy tender mercies which thou hast euer shewed to penitent sinners blot out of the booke of thy remembrance my innumerable transgressions 2 Wash mee throughly with the blood of thy deare Sonne from mine iniquitie whereby I haue so often offended thy Maiestie and cleanse me in the fountaine of thy mercies from my sinne whereby I haue also offended my neighbour 3 For behold O Lord I hide not nor excuse but in the bitter teares of repentance acknowledge and confesse my horrible transgressions against thee and my grieuous sinne in which I did for a time take delight is growne odious to mee and is euer before me in remorse of conscience 4 Against thee most mercifull Father only haue I sinned and though I were ashamed to commit sinne in the sight of men yet I haue done this great euill in thy alseeing sight yet O Lord be mercifull to mee and pardon it that thou mightst be iustified and found true and faithfull when thou speakest as thou hast often done of mercy and forgiuenesse to the penitent and bee cleare from the imputation of iniustice when thou art arrogantly and falsely Iudged for seueritie thy punishments being iust though the eyes of our vnderstanding be not so cleare as to perceiue the iustice of them 5 Behold O Lord that I as all mankinde was shapen in the iniquity of originall sinne from which fountaine springeth my misery and in sinne and concupiscence did my mother conceiue me from whence groweth the infirmitie of my flesh 6 Behold also O LORD I know that thou desirest Truth Faith and Integrity in the inward parts of my conscience and in the hidden parts of mee my Soule thou shalt make me by the illumination of thy Holy Spirit to know Wisedome to eternall life 7 Purge mee leprous sinner with spirituall Hyssope the blood of thy Sonne in stead of the Hyssope which was wont to cleanse the leprous in the lawe and by that blood I shall be cleane and purified from the leprosie of sinne Wash me in the fountaine of Grace and then by the teares of repentance and the merits of my Sauiour I shall bee whiter in thy sight then Snow 8 Make mee poore wretch to heare and sensiblie feele the ioy and comfort of remission of my sinnes and let me finde gladnesse in the promise of life eternall that the Spirituall bones of my soule which thou hast broken with tentations and afflictions may reioice and giue thee thankes and praise 9 Hide and turne away thy face and wrathfull countenance from my sinnes lay them not to my charge and blot out of thy Register all mine iniquities that they neuer appeare to condemne me 10 Create an new forme in me polluted sinner a cleane and pure heart O God the Creator of all things and renew by thy Grace aright and sanctified Spirit within me 11 Cast me not away into the pit of desperation by debarring me from thy presence where only is fulnesse of ioy and take not for euer thy Holy Spirit of comfort from me 12 Restore vnto me rather the vnspeakeable ioy of thy Saluation in Christ Iesus which they feele in their consciences to whom thou remittest their sinnes and when I am re-instated in thy fauour vphold and keepe me from falling againe with thy free powerfull and sauing Spirit 13 Then euen when I shall be so restored I will by word of exhortation and example
soule and giue thee all possible thankes that into this Faith I was Baptized and doe most humbly pray thee O Lord that this Faith may not faile me during this life nor at the houre of death And if I shall at any time hereafter either by the temptation of the Deuill imperfection of my sences paine of any disease weakenesse or any other meanes speake any thing in any other manner then shall bee agreable to this Faith I renounce all such wordes as none of mine and desire thee O Lord to forgiue them and pray all those which shall heare them if any such shall be to account them as none of mine This I protest thy Grace aiding mee To thee bee all Honour and Praise from this time forth for euermore Amen Confession of Gods Glory and Praise FOr his great and wonderfull workes Of Gen. 1. Creation Ecclus. 43. Preseruation Psal 145. Gouernance Rom. 1.20 Ioh. 17.5 Gen. 14.18.21.33 Luc. 1.37 Gen. 18 4. Ier. 23.24 Psal 13 9. Ioh. 21.17 2. King 8.39 Rom. 11.33 Psal 117.2 Mat. 24.35 Psal 111.3 For his Goodnesse The excellency of his Glory His Highnesse His Eternitie His Omnipotence His Omnipresence His Omniscience The height of his Wisedome His Truth His Exquisite Iustice. His Psal 119.456 130.4 17.7 13.6 Great Plentifull Wonderfull Euerlasting Mercy For his Gen. 3.15 Promise of the Seed For performance of that Promise For sending his only Sonne out of his bosme to worke the great worke of our Redemption In being Luc. 2.7 borne in poore and humble manner In being conuersant on earth in painefull manner Matth. Mar. Luc. Ioh. In suffering Death in grieuous manner For all that he did or suffered For vs on Earth For all his comfortable Parables of mercy Of the Mat. 18.23 Two Debtors Luc. 18.10 Publican and Pharisee Luc. 15.4 The lost Sheepe Luc. 8. The lost Groat Luc. 11. The Prodigall Sonne Mat. 20.9 Those that were called at the eleuenth houre For his comfortable sayings of Mercy Ioh. 3.17 God sent not his Sonne into the World to condemne it 12.47 I came not to Iudge the World but to saue it Luc. 9.56 The Son of Man came not to destroy mens liues but to saue them Luc. 5.32 Mat. 9.23 I am not sent to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Mat. 18.11 Luc. 19.10 The Sonne of man came to saue and seeke that which was lost Mat. 11.8 Come vnto me all ye that labour c. Ioh. 6.37 Him that commeth to mee I will in no wise cast out Luc. 23.74 Father forgiue them c. Luc. 23.43 This day shalt thou be with me in Paradice For his examples of mercy Mat. 15.28 The Woman of Canaan Ioh. 4. Samaria Luc. 8.48 With the bloody issue Ioh. 8.11 Taken in Adultery Luc. 7.48 Mary Magdalen Luc. 19.5 Zacheus Luc. 23.43 The Theefe Luc. 22.62 Peter Act. 9. Paul Heb. 12.3 Sinners contradicting Him Luc. 4.29 That would haue destroyed him Ioh. 8.59 10.31 That stoned him Mar. 27.39 Luc. 23.34 That reuiled and blasphemed him Act. 2.23 3.15.19 That crucified him Luc. 15.2 This Man receiueth sinners For the Holy Spirit In the Old Testament Gen. 1.2 By moouing on the waters By sending it into liuing creatures By inspiring it into man By descending on the Prophets In the New Testament visibly Mat. 3.16 In the shape of a Doue at Christs Baptisme Ioh. 20.22 By the guift of Christ to the Apostles Act. 2.3 In the shape of fiery tongues to them Inuisibly In Luc. 1.35 the Virgins Conception of Christ Vpon Act. 4.31 the Congregation in prayer Acts 10.44 Cornelius and others Acts 19.6 The 12. Disciples at Ephesus Ioh. 14.26 16.14 Luc. 12.12 â— Ioh. 1.27 For his care ouer vs. For the Illumination of vnderstanding 1. Cor. 6.11 Ioh. 3.5 Gal. 5.22 Psal 143.10 Act. 2.4 Rom. 8.14 Ioh. 14.16.26 Eph. 13.13.14 Rom. 5.5.8.26 Act. 9.31 In our Iustification Our Regeneration Gouerning our Actions Comforting vs in tentations Strengthning vs in tentations Eph. 13.13.14 Rom. 5.5 8.26 Act. 9.31 Bearing witnesse with vs and Rom. 8.16 Assuring vs that we are Gods Children Ioh. 16.8 Reproouing vs in euill Actions Rom. 8.26 Assisting vs in good workes Ioh. 14.26 Putting good things into our remembrance Rom. 6.26 Interceding for vs with groanes vnutterable Motiues to Repentance FOr as much as it is beyond the compasse and power of the Naturall man not to sin at all but that we adde dayly sin to sinne and iniquity to iniquitie and that it hath pleased God of his mercy to mankinde to promise forgiuenesse to those which shall truely and faithfully repent them of the same Therefore the duty of Repentance of all other parts of Deuotion is most necessary for vs seeing that by it God in Christ Iesus is reconciled to vs his anger towards vs is appeased and we are restored to his fauour Certainely it is a blessed thing to confesse our owne wretchednesse for whosoeuer humbleth himselfe and penitently bewaileth his sinnes shall be heard by God and by him be deliuered from the punishment due for them Origen for a contrite heart suffers no repulse Saint August saith Aug. that daily repentance is necessary for daily sinners for in many things we offend daily which are also daily forgiuen if we continually repent vs of them Greg. To repent is to bewaile and grieue for our sinnes already committed and not to commit againe the sinnes we bewaile and grieue for For he that mournes for his sinnes and leaues them not incurres the greater punishment For Aug. Repentance consisteth not in the often repetition and confession of sinnes without forsaking them for that is but a simple profession of them not a repenting of them But this is true Repentance when that seemeth grieuous and bitter to our Soules which in the euill act was sweete and delightfull and when that ill which was formerly pleasing to vs doth now grieue vs at the heart And this is the fruite of Repentance as the Baptist calleth it Mat. 3.8 lamenting for sinnes past and vtterly forsaking them for the time to come For Confession of offences is neuer perfect and good till absolute profession and purpose to forsake them be ioyned to it And as Repentance in it selfe is necessary to be thought vpon so is it also in time to be considered of For although the bounty of God despiseth not a sinner Repenting euen in the article or point of death and that true Repentance neuer comes too late in this world as appeareth by the Theefe on the Crosse Luc. 23. yet on the other side the example of the foolish Virgins Mat. 25. ought to diswade vs from protraction and putting it of Saint August saith Psal 110.
be repelled for want of a wedding garment Mat. 22.22 euen the garment of a Sanctified soule For my whole life hath beene so wretchedly and lewdly spent and my dayes haue been so wickedly wasted that I hourely seemed to renew thy passion Many a time Mat. 26.14 I haue with Iudas sold thee for a small summe of pleasure or profit and now in comming to receiue thee vnworthily what doe I else but with him betray thee with a kisse How then shall I dare to receiue thee Mat. 26.26 in so desperate and wicked estate How canst thou abide or dwell in so loathsome a Dungeon wherein there is no part roome or corner cleane O Lord I acknowledge mine vnworthinesse and yet with all thy mercies are not hid from me and by them I am encouraged to come with confidence vnto thee for by how much the vnworthier I come vnto thee by so much the more will thy mercy bee glorified if thou doe not reiect mee Lord thou art not wont to put sinners backe but to call and set them forward to repentance Wherefore O Lord animated by thy calling and inuitation I come vnto thee ouerburdned with the waight of my sinnes hoping to finde ease and releife of thee Thy custome while thou wert vpon earth was to receiue sinners Luc. 15.2 and to eate with them and thy delight was to be with the Sonnes of men If thou O Lord bee still pleased with such guests behold one heere at this time of that kinde a notorious sinner I verely beleeue that thou tookest more pleasure in the teares of the sinfull woman then in the great feast of the proud Pharisee Luc. 7.38 and for a few teares of hers didst forgiue many sinnes vnto her Luc. 7.47 Behold O Lord new matter offered for thy great mercy to worke vpon Here lyeth a sinner who hath many more sinnes then shee but fewer teares by many who though he hath more grieuously offended yet doth more carelesly bewaile his offences then shee did She was neither the first nor the last who thou in thy mercy didst receiue to fauour O Lord let me also be one of the Subiects of thy mercy and although I haue not teares sufficient to wash thy feet yet thou hast shed droppes of blood more then sufficient to cleanse my sinnes I read O Lord in the Gospell that all that were diseased flocked to thee Luc. 16.17.18 and by that Vertue which came out of thee were healed and I verily perswade my selfe that thy Nature is not changed for in thee is and will be to the end of the world health and remedy for all griefes and thou art readier to make vs whole then wee are to aske health of thee I know O Lord that this Sacrament which I so earnestly looke after is not only meate for those that are in health but Physique also for the sicke and doth not only refresh the Righteous but cleanseth those that are Sinners also If I bee weake by it I shall be strengthned if in health in health by it I shall be preserued and if dead in sinne by it I shall bee reuiued I humblie therefore intreat thee O Father that as Dauid did admit Mephibosheth to his table 2. Sam. 9. for his Fathers sake so thou wouldst suffer mee to bee partaker of thy Heauenly Table for thy Sonnes sake who with so great labour and sorrow did regenerate vs by his death on the Crosse who liueth and raigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit for euer Prayers before the Communion O Almighty Lord God Father of all mercies and consolation I humbly beseech thee to behold with the eye of pitie my poore and wretched soule which though thou didst create after thine owne Image and washedst with the blood of thy deare Sonne yet I haue so abominably defiled and defaced with the staine of sinne that it can hardly be knowne O Father I was thy Sonne whom thou didst so louingly imbrace and loade with blessings and who was in thy house in great honour and dignity In the Sacrament of Baptisme thou didst adopt me and gauest me the inheritance of a Sonne and heire but I vnthankefully and prodigally by my euill life haue wasted my Patrimony I haue wickedly abused the flower and prime of my youth and the good parts and faculties of my soule and body with the pleasures of the flesh pride surfetting enuy lust couetousnesse idlenesse rebellion and disobedience and now at the last I finde that all the temporall delights of the flesh and the World are altogether vaine and vanish like smoke For all flesh is grasse Esa 1. Pet. 1.24 and all the Glory of man is but like the flower of the field and is suddenly gone He that is rich to day to morrow becommeth poore and miserable hee that walketh in health and strength of body to day to morrow is by sickenesse made feeble and weake hee that liueth to day the next day dieth and he which to day glorieth in the greatest pompe to morrow is laid in his Coffin and carried to his Graue Therefore O Lord consider the weaknesse and frailtie of man and turne away I pray thee thy face from my sinnes and remember not them so in thine anger that thou forget either thine owne mercy or my weakenesse By mine owne fault I confesse O Lord and by my euill couersation I haue made my selfe vnworthy of thy fauour and by my euill concupiscences I haue grieuously wounded my conscience I haue often grieued thy Holy Spirit by not hearkning to the good motions thereof but yeelding to my sensuall lust and beastly appetite Yet O mercifull Father cast me not vtterly from thy sight for from the beginning of the world it was not heard that thou didst reiect any sinner that with a contrite heart came vnto thee Behold I come vnto thee in great necessity and cast my selfe at thy feete confessing thy greatnesse and multitude of my sinnes They haue brought me into that euill state and condition that I am not worthy to be called thy Sonne Lue. 15.21 yet I pray thee receiue me into the number of thy hired seruants Giue mee grace heartily to repent me of my sins feede and cherish mee with the bread and drinke of the body and blood of thy Sonne Christ Iesus that by thy mercy I may be receiued to grace and restored to the former dignity from which I am worthily cast and to the inheritance of thy euerlasting kingdome through the same our Sauiour Iesus Christ Another O Blessed Sauiour I poore vnworthy sinner haue a great desire and earnest longing to come to thy Table but considering my many and grieuous sinnes tremble and feare to approach vnto it For when I consider thy words to thy Disciples Except ye eate the flesh of the Son of man Ioh. 6.53 and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you And on the other side the words of the Apostle Whosoeuer shall eate
desire that thy Name may be Hallowed glorified and magnified from the rising of the Sunne to the going downe thereof euen through all parts of the world and that it may the better spread from one Nation to another giue vs grace who haue receiued the adoption of Children so to walke before thee Eph. 1.4 in holinesse and righteousnesse that the Heathen Mat. 5.16 who haue not knowne thy Name seeing our good workes may glorifie thy Name together with vs. Thou seest O Lord Thy Kingdome come that we haue many Tyrants amongst vs in this life as the Deuill malicious and cruell the World vaine and curious the flesh fraile and deceiptfull and our owne Will vile and corrupt all which doe impetuously tyrannize ouer vs and oppose themselues against thy Kingdome Arise therefore O Lord and suppresse these Tyrants and rule ouer thine and our enemies by thy power and in vs by thy Grace that we may hereafter be subiects in thy Kingdome of Glory Let thy Kingdome come and gouerne vs by thy Prouidence defend vs by thy Might lead vs by thy Spirit and teach vs by thy Word Driue farre from vs the Prince of this World and doe thou only Rule in vs. Thy Will be done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs grace to follow the example of thy Blessed Angels and all other thy Creatures who readily and ioyfully doe thy Will Let our wills follow thine in all things and let nothing be displeasing to vs which thy Will hath decreed either for our prosperitie or aduersitie Let vs doe nothing contrary to thy Will but let the performance and execution of thy Will be the whole scope and aime of our thoughts words and actions And to this end giue vnto vs thy holy Spirit which may direct our Wills enlighten our vnderstandings mollifie our hearts and make them obedient to thy Will Giue vs this day our daily Bread We further crie vnto thee O Lord who giuest foode to euery liuing Creature and feedest the young Rauens that call vpon thee and pray thee Psal 145.15.147.9 that thou wouldest likewise giue vnto vs this day our dayly bread First and aboue all the Bread of Life which may nourish vs spiritually and after that Bread for our bodies to sustaine nature Giue vs we beseech thee all things necessary not superfluous for this life and graunt that we vsing thy blessings as becommeth vs may be strengthned and enabled to passe this life quietlie and soberly and at the end of these our dayes by the merits and intercession of our Sauiour Iesus Christ obtaine life eternall And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. And for as much O Lord as wee know that thou hearest not vnrepentant sinners and that our sinnes haue long since preuented our prayers and ascended into thy presence to stop the current of thy mercies and to call for vengeance against vs O Lord behold that we earnestly repent vs of them and are heartily sorrowfull for them Wherefore we humbly pray thee for thy great mercies to mankinde in thy Son Christ Iesus that thou wouldest be pleased to be reconciled vnto vs and to forgiue vs our trespasses Enter not into Iudgement with vs Psal 130. for if thou doe no man is able to abide the mildnesse of thy Iustice much lesse the seueritie of it Giue vs also grace to follow the Example of our blessed Sauiour who forgaue his enemies and prayed for them that wee may forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Lest when thou comest to Iudgement thou dealest as seuerely with vs as thou didst with him Mat. 18. who had much forgiuen and would not forgiue a little And lead vs not into temptation Thou knowest O Father how vnapt wee are of our selues to thinke a good thought much lesse to resist so great enemies as are hourely ready to assaile vs suffer vs not therefore to bee tempted aboue our abilities Neither by forsaking vs or withdrawing thy hand of protection from vs Lead thou vs into tentation but Lord so strengthen vs that although it be not good for vs to be altogther free from tentation yet by thy aide and Grace wee may haue a happy issue and ioyfull deliuerance from it But deliuer vs from euill And as wee haue humblie prayed thee not to leade vs in So we further desire thee to deliuer vs out of all euill For as long as we remaine in this flesh we shall haue continuall striuings wrestlings with diuerse euils but especially with the Euill spirit the enemie to Mankinde who omitteth no opportunitie to bring vs into his bondage But wee are comforted O Lord with the assurance of thy mercy which can effect worke more to our Saluation then his Malice to our Destruction Graunt therefore O Lord that wee may be deliuered from all euill and from all our enemies spirituall and temporall that so wee may serue thee euer hereafter in holinesse and righteousnesse Luc. 1.15 all the dayes of our life Amen Hauing thus discouered and laid open our necessities to thee O Lord in that forme and manner which thy Sonne directed vs wee humbly pray thee to say Amen to all our petitions In his Name and for his merits sake we pray thee to grant them For though wee haue no deserts to challenge them yet his Merits are numberlesse by which wee plead for them And with this Sacrifice and Oblation wee are bold to come vnto thee not only crauing pardon for our sinnes but supply of our necessities Wee come not to thee of our selues presuming of any thing in vs but wee are sent by thy Sonne Iesus Christ who hath commanded vs with confidence to presse vnto thy Throne and in his Name to aske whatsoeuer we shall need either for this life or the life to come And as hee hath sent vs so hath hee also put into our mouthes words meete for our requests O Lord take notice of the Stile it is his owne and for his sake say to what we haue required Amen So be it And thou O Blessed Sauiour God and Man intercead we beseech thee for vs for thou only art our Aduocate Mediator and Intercessor to the Father Couer our imperfections and nakednesse with the Robes of thy Righteousnesse and supply our pouerty with the Riches of thy Merits and cast not those from thy fauour and grace whome by Nature thou of thy goodnesse hast vouchsafed to make thy Brethren Who liuest and raignest with the Father and Holy Spirit now and for euer Amen Petitions for Spirituall Graces Psal 119.5 OH that my waies were directed to keepe thy Statutes O Lord. Psal 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou teachest out of thy Law Psal 119.18 Open mine eyes that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law Psal 143.10 Teach me to doe thy Will for thou art my God let thy good spirit lead me into the
whose mercy is ouer all thy workes Psal 145.9 All things are vnder thy Power and Rule both in Heauen and Earth Thou shewest mercy on whom thou wilt and art pitifull to whom thou pleasest and wouldest not the death of a sinner neither delightest in the destruction of any O God rich in mercy who Eph. 2.4 out of thy extraordinary Loue to mankinde euen when wee were thine enemies Rom. 5.10 didst send thine onely Sonne into the VVorld that euery one that beleeued on him might not perish but haue life euerlasting Haue mercy vpon me haue mercy vpon me according to thy mercy and according to the multitude of thy mercies Psal 51. doe away my offences Holy Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee Luc. 15.18 and am no more worthy to be called thy Sonne I haue turned from thee and haue broken all thy Commandements I haue not walked aright but haue gone after mine owne lusts Esa 65.2 choosing those waies which thou hast forbidden me to tread in Neither O Lord haue I feared thine anger but haue beene in all things disobedient vnto thee and haue hardned my heart against thee I haue hated Instruction and cast thy sayings behinde me Truth hath found no place in mee and my hands haue been the workers of much wickednesse I haue spoken vainly idly and wickedly haue brought forth deceit and meditated the way of vntruth I haue prouoked thy wrath against me by accustoming my selfe to doe the workes of the flesh and reiecting the good motions of the Spirit Woe vnto mee rebellious wretch Esa 30.1 that I haue committed these wicked acts against thee so louing so good so gratious a God to the vtter destruction of my soule without thy mercy in Christ Iesus In remembrance and confidence whereof O Lord I come to thee and humbly intreat thee that thou wouldest not reiect a contrite humble miserable and repentant sinner who at this time earnestly inuocateth thy Name Psal 7.9 Returne a little O Lord and bee intreated for my manifold sinnes doe not vnto me according to the multitude of them neither reward me according to my transgressions Let my humble prayers sighes and groanes come into thy presence and according to thy promises receiue me againe into thy fauour For O Father I am one of those whom thy only Sonne redeemed with his most pretious bloud O Lord my soule doth loath my life by reason of my manifold sinnes and I humble my selfe vnder thy mighty hand 1. Pet. 5.6 because I know that in thine anger thou shewest mercy Abac. 3.2 and in time of trouble thou dost forgiue offences And behold O Lord that I confesse my sinnes beseeching thee for thy goodnesse to doe vnto me according to thy wonted mercy I am confounded and ashamed to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee because my sinnes haue preuented my prayers and haue ascended vp to thee before them Against thee O Lord haue I sinned Psal 51. and done much euill in thy sight yet wherefore should I dye in my sinnes seeing it is not thy pleasure that any sinner should dye Ezech. 18. but turne vnto thee and liue For thou art good and gracious and sauest those who are altogether vnworthy out of the abundance of thy mercy in Christ Iesus the Righteous For although thine anger against sinners is vnsufferable and who may abide it yet thy mercy towards offendors is vnsearchable and who can finde out the depth thereof or describe it Psal 22. Our Fathers in their troubles cried vnto thee and thou diddest deliuer them they put their trust in thee and were not confounded And though they by their offences had iustly prouoked thine anger yet vpon their humiliation thou diddest remember thy couenant and ease them of their afflictions O Lord be mercifull also vnto me for I am miserable and wretched Heale my soule Psal 41.4 for I haue sinned against thee Psal 6.3 My soule is very much disquieted within me how long Lord will it be Psal 13. ere thou looke vpon mee and deliuer it Lighten mine eyes Psal 13.3 for I haue too long slept in death and my sinnes haue too long had domminion ouer me Returne O Lord at the last and be gratious vnto me O deliuer my soule and haue mercy vpon me And all my bones shall say Lord who is like vnto thee To thee be all Honour Praise and Glory world without end Amen Another O Lord Iesus Christ the only Phisition of sicke soules who in the fulnesse of time came into this World not to call the Iust but sinners to Repentance Mat. 9.13 Behold me the most wretched of all sinners who with as much humility as I am able in the confidence of thy great goodnesse cast my self before the footestoole of thy Maiestie confessing my great and grieuous offences And if the Publican in the Gospell durst not lift vp his eyes to Heauen Luc. 18. but stood a farre of and smote his brest saying Lord be mercifull to me a sinner what shall I doe whose sinnes surpasse the greatest sinners offences For all my inward and outward parts are wholly depraued and nothing that is good remaineth in mee And when I looke into the booke of my conscience I finde that I haue abominablie polluted that garment of innocency which I receiued at my Baptisme I haue put all my strength to offend thee with all the members I haue For my feete Rom. 13.15 haue beene swift to euill and slow to good mine eyes open to Vanity and shut to that which is truely amiable My hands stretched to couetousnesse and closed from the workes of mercy mine eares ready to heare euill and stopped to the good motions of the Spirit and my Soule the noblest part in mee which hath eyes to contemplate the Glory of thy Maiestie I haue turned away from the consideration of thy Excellency to vaine and transitory things of this life I haue giuen liberty to whatsoeuer mine eyes haue desired and haue not resisted the vncleane passions of my heart so that the whole course of my life hath beene a continuall warfare against thee How often haue I returned as a dogge to the vomite and as a Sow washed 2. Pet. 2.22 to the myre I am that Foote which hath said in his heart Psal 14. there is no God For I haue liued so dissolutely that I haue made plaine demonstration by my behauiour that I beleeued Thou either wert not at all or else couldest doe nothing at all Thou O Lord hast often called me and I haue neglected thy voice Thou hast expected me and I haue abused thy patience Thou hast giuen me the treasure of a long time to repent and I haue consumed it wastefully Thou hast stricken me and I haue not beene sensible of thy hand Thou hast afflicted me and I haue made no vse of thy correction Thou didst sweate to make me cleane and I
disquietnesse of my heart And what shall I now say or wherein shall I open my mouth what what shall I answere seeing I haue done these things Iob. Iob. Miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me out of this body of death When I haue not what I can further say or doe this only remayneth this is my last refuge that I direct mine eyes to thee Psal 130. Out of the deepe haue I called to thee O Lord Lord heare my voyce If thou Lord shouldest be extreame to marke what is done amisse O Lord who may abide it Enter not into iudgement with thy Seruant O Lord for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified Wherefore O Lord I appeale from Thee to Thee From Thee a Iust Iudge To Thee a mercifull Father From the Throne of thy Iustice To the Seate of thy Mercy O Lord he pleased to admit of this appeale If thou doe not I perish Mat. 8.25 And O Lord carest thou not if I perish 1. Tim. 2.4 2. Pet. 3.9 Who wouldest haue all to be saued none to perish Psal 119.94 I am thine O saue me 138.8 Despise not the worke of thy hands Wisd 11.24 Who hatest nothing which thou hast made Psal 116.15 I am thy Seruant and sonne of thy handmaid Dan. 9.19 Thy Name is called on by vs. Heb. 11.16 Thou art not ashamed to be called our Lord. I am the price of thy Sons bloud O spare thy workemanship thy Childe thy Name the price of thy Sonnes bloud But I am a sinner and Ioh. 9.30 God heareth not sinners Yet I pray thee remember of what I am made that I am but Psal 78.40 flesh and a winde that passeth away and commeth not againe Take notice of the matter of which I am made Remember Psal 103.14 that I am but dust Frayle Flesh Light Wind. Loose Dust And wilt thou O Lord Iob 13.25 breake a leafe driuen with the winde to and fro and wilt thou pursue dry stubble Behold O Lord though I haue sinned yet 1. Pet. 5.6 I humble my selfe vnder thy mighty hand Spare the humble and contrite 2. Sam. 19.19 Dauid spared Shemei that railed on him And Dauid was a man according to thine owne heart Therefore doe thou spare mee Ahah King of Israel forgaue the King of Syria his offence 1. King 20.31 vpon his humiliation Was there euer King of Israel more mercifull then thou Thou forgauest the same Ahab 1. King 21.29 who had sold himselfe to sinne when he humbled himselfe Spare me also I beseech thee Psal 80.4 O Lord how long wilt thou bee angry with thy Seruant which praieth Surely Lord Iob 31.3 I hide not my sins like Adam but confesse them Behold 1. Cor. 11.31 2. Cor. 7.11 I Iudge my selfe Accept O Lord the Sacrifice Of a troubled Spirit A contrite heart A grieued soule A wounded Conscience Though I haue sinned against thee It hath euer been thy Practice to be mercifull Psal 22.4 Our father 's trusted in thee they trusted and were not confounded Thy mercies Psal 25.6 haue beene euer of old Psal 89.49 Lord where are thy former louing kindnesses Syr. 2.10 Looke at the Generations of old and see did euer any trust in the Lord and was confounded or whom did he euer despise that called vpon him It is due by thy promise Psal 119.49 Remember thy Word vnto thy Seruant vpon which thou hast caused me to hope Psal 119. 41. Let thy mercy come vnto mee O Lord euen thy Saluation according to thy Word Tit. 1.2 God hath promised which cannot lye Heb. 6.17 Rom. 3.3 And confirmed it with an Oath Which promise the vnbeliefe of men cannot make void 2. Tim. 2.13 If we beleeue not yet he abideth faithfull he cannot deny himselfe There will arise no benefit by my destruction Psal 30.9 For what profit is there in my blood if I goe downe into the Pit Psal 6.5 For in death is no remembrance of thee and in the Graue who shall giue thee thankes Psal 88.10 Wilt thou shew wonders to the Dead or shall the Dead arise and praise thee Psal 88.11 Shall thy Louing kindnesse bee declared in the Graue or thy faithfulnesse in destruction Esa 38.18 The Graue cannot praise thee Death cannot celebrate thee The liuing the liuing he shal praise thee Psal 118.17 I will not dye but liue and declare the workes of the Lord. Psal 34.8 1. Pet. 2.3 O taste and see how gratious the Lord is blessed is the man that trusteth in him Thy mercies O Lord are Psal 109.2 Sweete Psal 67.17 Comfortable Psal 63.4 Better then life Psal 5.7 51.1 Many A multitude of them Psal 130.6 Plentifull Luc. 1.78 Rom. 5.20 1. Tim. 1.14 Psal 17.7 Tender Superabundant Wonderfull Psal 71.13 86.1 119.156 103.12 Eph. 3.18 Infinite Great Broad From the East to the West Long. Eph. 3.19 Deepe Psal 36.5 High To the Heauens Aboue the Heauens Psal 108.4 Past Knowledge Psal 25.5 103.17 136. 89.2 Eternall Of old For euer Psal 79.9 Preuenting Psal 23.6 Following Psal 32.11 Compassing Psal 103.13 Pardoning Psal 103.4 Crowning Psal 145.9 Ouer all thy Workes Rom. 5.20 Our sinnes Ia. 2.13 Thy Iustice 2. Cor. 1.3 Thou art the Father of mercies Thou art our Patient and slow to anger Wisd 11.23 Thou winkest at the sinnes of men because they should repent Psal 95.10 Sparing thy people forty yeeres Psal 78.39 Many times thou didst turne thy wrath away and wouldst not suffer thy whole displeasure to arise Lam. 3.22 It is of thy mercy that we are not consumed Gentle in correcting insomuch as thy Iustice is not without mercy Psal 89.32.33 I will visit their offences with the rod and their sinne with scourges neuerthelesse my louing kindnesse will I not vtterly take from him Psal 103.10 He hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes Hos 11.8 How shall I smite thee O Ephraim Placable and easie to be pacified Psal 103.9 He will not alway he chiding neither keepeth he his anger for euer Psal 30.5 His wrath endureth but the twinkling of an eye Esa 54.7 For a small moment haue I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee Abac. 3.2 In anger hee remembreth mercy 2 Sam. 12.13 Dauid said I haue sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to Dauid The Lord hath also put away thy sinne thou shalt not dye Esa 30.18 The Lord waiteth to be gracicious vnto vs. Compassionate Thy Compassions are called Luc. 1.78 bowels of mercy Psal 106.43 Mat. 15.32 When thou didst see the misery of thy people thou hadst compassion on them Mat. 18.27 Then the Lord of the Seruant moued with compassion loosed
him and forgaue him the debt Not only ready to forgiue but profuse in mercy Psal 130.7 With thee is plenteous Redemption Luc. 15.22 The father of the Prodigall not only pardoned him but put on him the best Robe and a Ring and killed the fat Calfe for him Luc. 15.7 He will haue ioy in Heauen for a sinner repenting Thy pardon extendeth not only to small but great sinnes and sinners Such as Peter Luc. 26.74 who forsware thee Paul â— Tim. 1.13 who blaspheamed thee The Luc. 23.43 Theefe on the Crosse The Ioh 8. Adultresse Luc. 7.36 Mary Magdalen Ier. 3.1 They say if a man put away his Wife and shee goe from him and become another mans shall he returne vnto her againe shall not the Land be greatly polluted But thou hast played the harlot with many Louers yet returne againe to me saith the Lord. Luc. 6.35 He is kinde to the vnthankefull and euill But all these are recapitulated and summed vp in Christ Iesus 1. Pet. 1.4 In whom he hath giuen vs great and precious promises 2. Cor. 1.19 And in whom all the promises of God are Yea and Amen In Ioh. 16.23 naming of whom it will bee sufficient Mat. 15.22 Iesu thou Sonne of Dauid haue mercy on me Mat. 1.21 Which name Iesus was giuen vnto him because he saueth vs from our sinnes Aug. Lord doe not so earnestly marke our sinnes as that thereby thou forget thine owne Name Thou Sonne of Dauid 2. Sam. 19. who forgaue Shemei his sworne enemie reuiling him Forgiue me O Christ heare me Intercede for me Make the Father propitious to me Say vnto my Soule Psal 35.3 I am thy Saluation Let not thy Apostle comfort me in vaine when he saith 1. Tim. 1.15 This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners Rom. 5.20 Where six hath abounded there grace hath super-abounded God hath concluded all vnder Rom. 11.32 sinne that he might haue mercy vpon all Rom. 5.10 When we were Gods enemies we were reconciled to him by the death of his Sonne Let not another of thy Apostles say in vaine 1. Pet. 3.18 Christ once suffered for sinne the iust for the vniust that hee might bring vs to God Let not the third Ia. 2.13 Mercy reioyceth aboue Iudgement Let not the fourth 1. Ioh. 2.1 If any man sinne wee haue an Aduocate with the Father Christ Iesus the Righteous 1. Ioh. 2.2 And hee is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours only but for the sinnes of the whole world Let not thine owne Words be spoken in vaine Mat. 11.28 Come vnto mee all yee that labour and are heauie laden and I will giue yee rest Luc. 5.32 I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Ioh. 12.47 I came not to Iudge the World but to saue it These things are not cannot be spoken in vaine Psal 94.19 Wherefore in the multitude of the sorrowes that are in my heart thy comforts O Lord haue refreshed my soule Heb. 4.16 Let vs therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde Grace to helpe in time of neede Which I beseech thee to grant me For thy great and many mercies Thy Names sake The Glory of thy Name Thy promise sake Thy practize sake My misery My infirmitie Euen for thy Sonne Iesus Christs sake The seuen penitentiall Psalmes analysed 1 Psalme 6. 1 O Lord my God rebuke me not I beseech thee in thy fierce indignation against my sinnes either in this life or at the day of Iudgement neither chasten or correct mee in thy hot displeasure by condemning mee to eternall death 2 Haue mercy and compassion vpon me according to thy accustomed goodnesse O Lord for I am weake and fraile by nature strengthen me therefore by thy Grace O Lord and heale me by curing the infirmities of my soule for they are multiplied so greatly vpon me that my bones and all my inward parts are vexed and disquieted with the remembrance of them 3 My sinfull Soule considering my manifold offences and trembling at the thought of thy iust anger against them is also like as is my flesh sore troubled and almost at the point of desperation but thou O Lord that desirest not the death of a sinner how long will it be ere thou looke vpon me and bring mee out of this misery 4 Returne from the rigour of thy Iustice O Lord to the sweetnesse of thy mercie and deliuer my soule from the bondage of sinne O Lord saue mee from the assaults of the Deuill not for any merits of mine but for thy mercies sake in Christ Iesus my Sauiour 5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee to praise and glorifie thy Name and who surely none there is that shall giue thee thankes or celebrate thy goodnesse in the Graue of Hell where nothing is to be heard but weeping gnashing of teeth and blasphemies 6 I am weary and faint with my groaning and sighing for my transgressions euery night when I should take my rest I wash my bed weeping for them and I water my couch the place of my rest with my teares of vnfeined repentance 7 Mine eye of reason and vnderstanding is consumed and groweth weake because of the griefe I take fearing thy Iudgements yet it waxeth Old and I continue in sinne because of the vnited forces of all mine enemies the World the Flesh and the Deuill 8 Depart therefore farre from me all ye mine enemies which are and haue beene the workers and causers of mine iniquitie by your tentations and euill examples for henceforth I will haue no more to doe with you for my conscience assureth mee that the Lord of his infinite goodnesse hath heard and pittied the voyce of my weeping and therefore I should be vnthankefull to him to returne to those sinnes which he in his mercy hath forgiuen 9 The Lord I cannot repeat it too often hath gratiously heard my earnest supplication for the pardon of my sinnes and he The Lord plentifull in pittie hath not only now but will also hereafter receiue my prayer whensoeuer I call faithfully vpon him 10 Let all mine enemies therefore who haue sought my destruction be ashamed at my conuersion and bee sore vexed and troubled at the consideration of Gods Iudgements Let them no longer delay but repent and returne to the Lord and bee ashamed that they haue so long deferred their conuersion and suddenly without any longer delay make their peace with him by vnfeined repentance Glory be to the Father c. 2 Psalme 32. BLessed is he in this life in assured hope and thrice blessed in full and perfect fruition in the life to come Whose transgression by Gods mercy is forgiuen in respect of the offence and whose sinne by the imputation of Christs
of conuersation teach transgressors how they shall keepe thy waies and commandements and by that meanes thy Grace assisting they which now are sinners shall forsake their wickednesse and shall bee truely conuerted to thee 14 Deliuer me and quit me from my former bloody offences and keepe mee henceforth from blood guiltinesse and carnall corruptions O God my protector Thou God which art my Redeemer and Author of my Saluation and all the dayes of my life my tongue for ioy thereof shall sing vnto thee and that aloud and cheerefully and praise thy Name by extolling of thy righteousnesse who dost iustifie sinners and art mercifull to the penitent 15 O Lord who giuest wisedome to the simple Open thou my lippes which are closed by sinne from doing any seruice vnto thee and then with boldnesse my mouth shall vtter and shew forth thy praise for to thee alone belongeth all Honour and Glory 16 For thou O God desirest not that I should offer the Sacrifice of Goates and Calues to expiate my offences else would I willingly giue it and lay it on thy Altar but thou hauing by sending thy Sonne Christ Iesus abrogated the ceremonies of the Law delightest not any longer in burnt offerings but in obedience to thy Commandements 11 The Sacrifices accepted of God and whereby wee are in Christ reconciled to him are a broken and humble Spirit deiected with the sight of sinne a broken and contrite heart truly mortified and repentant O God thou hast promised that thou wilt not despise but louingly accept 18 Doe good O God in thy good pleasure and be fauourable and gratious vnto Sion thy Catholique Church Build thou vpon a sure foundation of religion and establish the hearts of thy Saints and Seruants the walles of thy Church Ierusalem 19 Then shalt thou in Christ Iesus be pleased with vs and with the Sacrifices of Righteousnesse in thy Congregation And with burnt Offerings and Oblations of our hearts Then shall they thy Seruants thus established offer bullockes the Sacrifice of praise vpon thine Altar in thy presence to the honour of thy most holy Name Glory be to the Father c. 5 Psalme 102. 1 HEare my prayer which in the bitternesse of my soule I make to thee O Lord whose mercy is the Sanctuary of distressed sinners and let nothing stand betweene that mercy and me which may hinder my cry to come to thee 2 Hide not thy face turne not away thy countenance from me as if thou wert offended at me but rather in the day of aduersity when I am in trouble and sorrow encline thine eare of pitie vnto me and that right soone and speedily 3 For my daies which I haue mis-spent are cōsumed away like smoke which for want of substance resolueth to nothing and my bones which by my broken spirit are dried vp are burnt vp as a firebrand 4 My heart is deiected and smitten with the thought of thy Iustice and it is withered with remembrance of thy Iudgements like grasse without iuyce or sap so that in this anguish of soule I forget and loath to eate my bread 5 By reason of the grieuous voyce of my groaning sighes and teares I am so consumed away that my bones for want of flesh cleaue to my skinne and I am nothing but skin and bone 6 I am for shame that I haue offended thee become in condition like a Pellican that liueth solitarily in the Wildernesse and I am like an Owle not daring to be seen but that auoideth the light and is continually in the desert shunning the company of other birds 7 I watch and sleepe not for the thought of my sinnes and am as a sparrow that caring for no company sitteth alone making grieuous lamentation in a mournfull note vpon the house top 8 Mine enemies seeing mee thus penitent reproach mee with opprobrious speeches all the day continually deriding mee and they that while I was their companion in sinne applauded mee are vpon my conuersion mad against me and doe combine and are sworne to doe me mischiefe and to that end set themselues against me 9 For this cause taking no pleasure in this world I haue eaten ashes and fed vpon course meate like as if it were fine bread and dainty fare and I haue mingled my drinke with teares weeping and lamenting for my sinnes 10 Because of thine indignation at me for them and thy wrath against my life past all this euill and more hath befallen me for thou hast lifted mee vp very high and from thence hast cast mee downe that my fall might be the greater 11 My dayes few and euill are passed like a shadow vpon a Sun-diall that declineth toward the euening and I that lately seemed to flourish am withered and dryed vp like grasse without sap for want of thy comfort 12 But thou O Lord which wert and art shalt continue immutable and shalt endure for euer while all transitory things passe and come to nothing and thy glorious workes shall be had in remembrance vnto all generations euen vnto the end of the world 13 Thou O Lord who seemest to men to sleepe shalt arise in thy strength and haue mercy and compassion vpon Sion thy Church militant now oppressed with the tyranny of Antichrist for the time to looke vpon her and fauour her is at hand yea the set time which thou hast decreed for her deliuerance is or will not be long ere it come 14 For they which bee thy true and faithfull Seruants take pleasure and delight in her stones their fellow Seruants and are glad when they see them prosper and fauour and pitie the very dust and ruines thereof when they see them vnder persecution 15 So that when they shall be deliuered from their misery the very heathen shall feare and tremble at the Name of the Lord and be conuerted to him and all the Kings and Potentates of the earth which now oppose the Truth shall acknowledge thee O Lord to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords and be afraid at the greatnesse of thy Glory and Maiestie 16 When the Lord by his almighty power shall build vp Sion and repaire the ruines of his Church he shall then to the confusion of his enemies appeare in his glory which they shall not be able to endure 17 He will then in mercy regard and hearken to the prayer of his poore seruants and the destitute of his helpe and not any longer seeme to turne away his face from them nor despise their prayer and earnest supplications 18 This mercy of his shall then be recorded and written as a remembrance for the generations to come euen to the end of the world which shall attempt the like against his Church and the people yet vnborne that shall succeed and be created in ages to come shall praise and magnifie the Lord which only doth marueilous things 19 For hee hath in mercy by sending his Sonne Christ Iesus looked downe from the height of his Sanctuary his holy place euen from
of thy hands admiring thy Power and Wisedome in the creation of all things 6 I stretch forth and lift vp my hands in my prayers vnto thee O Lord my soule which is drie for want of the deaw of thy grace thirsteth after thee for the water of life as a thirsty land in a time of drought 7 Heare me and answer me speedily delay not O Lord for my spirit waxeth faint and faileth me in my deuotion Oh hide not thy face and louing countenance from me miserable sinner least it come to passe that I bee like in condition vnto them that goe downe headlong after their owne inuentions into the pit of destruction and perdition 8 Cause mee by thy spirit to heare and feele thy louing kindnesse and mercy in the morning speedily least I perish for in thee only and not in the helpe of men or Angels doe I place my whole trust and confidence cause mee by thy grace to know and learne the way of thy testimonies wherein I should and ought to walke without declining to the right hand or the left For I lift vp my soule by prayer and repentance vnto thee who only canst direct me aright 9 Deliuer me O Lord by thy power from all mine enemies visible and inuisible for I flie and make hast for succour vnto thee as to my protector to hide and defend me from their violence 10 Teach and instruct mee that am ignorant to doe thy Will and those things which thou commandest for thou art my God and director Thy Spirit is good and all sufficient for me Lead me therefore by it into the right way which bringeth into the land of righteousnes and truth 11 Quicken mee againe O Lord and reuiue mee from the death of sinne for thy Names sake which is Iesus and for thy righteousnesse sake and loue to goodnesse bring my soule by thy grace out of the trouble and anguish whereinto my sinnes haue brought me 12 And of thy tender mercy and compassion cut of and kill in me mine enemies the concupiscences of the flesh and destroy and confound all them that with iniuries and tentations afflict and disquiet my soule which is wholly deuoted to thee for I am thy Seruant and Sonne of thy handmaid and desire to serue thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of my life Glory be to the Father c. Directions before receiuing the Holy Communion AS many as desire to be partakers of the holy Sacrament of the Bodie and blood of Christ as of necessitte euery one must be that intendeth to receiue benefit by him ought before the taking of it to prepare his soule and fit it for the due receiuing of it and not come to it carelessely without due examination of himselfe and respectiue consideration of the excellency and worth thereof And therefore before the time of communicating wee ought to spend some time or dayes the more the better In meditating vpon the great and vnspeakeable loue and mercy of God toward vs. miserable sinners in ordeining so powerfull a meanes to purge and cleanse vs and bring vs to him In beleeuing all his promises made to vs in Christ Iesus in applying them to our selues in performing the workes of charitie in examining in what estate our soules doe stand in calling to minde our sinnes and confessing them to God in grieuing and repenting for them and that in all humility and Godly sorrow in a Luc. 15.20 returning with the Prodigall smiting our brests with the Publican b Luc. 18.13 weeping with Mary Magdalen begging mercy with the theefe on the Crosse Luc. 7.38 and lastly in promising to God to lead a better life for the time to come Thus if wee doe no doubt but wee shall be welcome guests to this feast as being of that number for whom it was prepared For by how much the more we come prepared to take this Sacrament so much the greater shall bee the grace which we shall receiue by it There are foure Duties required in euery Communicant First Faith to beleeue that Iesus Christ did and suffered all things which are written of him in the Holy Scriptures for the Redemption of mankinde Secondly Repentance by which a man confessing his sinnes to God with a purpose to lead a new life is reconciled to him Thirdly Reuerend behauiour that in all humility we make our selues fit guests for such a feast Fourthly Meditation and Attention that we during the time of the administration of the Sacrament attend no earthly thoughts but wholly fixe our soules vpon our Sauiour Christ and meditate on nothing but this great and high benefit and thereby bee inflamed with a hearty loue and thankefull minde to God not only for his infinite loue in suffering so great things for vs but also for instituting this blessed Sacrament to remaine to the end of the World as a sure pledge of his continuance amongst vs and perpetuall care ouer vs. After we haue communicated and are refreshed wee ought also to be thankfull to God for so great a benefit thankfulnesse being not the least dutie of this seruice The Sacrament it selfe being called Eucharistia which is thankesgiuing and to striue to imitate him as well in life as death to liue purely and not to defile our soules againe being purged and cleansed by the powerfull operation of this blessed Sacrament that so by Examination meditation thankesgiuing faith and constant resolution of amendment Wee may worthily receiue Christ into our soules and be made members of his mysticall bodie Meditations and Prayers before the Communion WHat am I O Lord that I should be so bold as to come neere to thee what am I that should attempt to receiue this so great and high a mystery what is man by nature but a vessell of corruption vnapt to any good and propense and most ready for any euill What is man but a creature of all others most wretched blinde in Iudgement inconstant in his actions vncleane in his desires and though small in desert yet proud and great in his owne conceit Thou seest O Lord what I am But thou O Lord art great good wise and eternall omnipotent in strength wonderfull in wisedome deepe in thy counsells terrible in thy Iudgements and absolutely perfect in all thy workes How then dare I that am so base and vncleane a creature approch to the Feast of so great a God and a Lord of so great Maiestie Behold the Heauens are not cleane in thy sight Iob 15.15 and the pillers of Heauen shake and tremble at thy nod Saint Iohn the Baptist who was sanctified in his mothers wombe professed himselfe not worthy to vnloose the latchâ—t of thy shoes Ioh. 1 27. Saint Peter cried out to thee Luc. 5.8 to depart from him a sinfull man How then can I the chiefe of all sinners but tremble at thy presence O LORD I feare that being thus wretched and vnfit I shall not bee admitted to this Feast but rather
towards God then presently God will withdraw his hand of mercy and bounty from vs. Thankesgiuing I Thanke thee O mercifull Father Lord of heauen and earth for all thy mercies and fauours continually heaped vpon me for that thou hast not onely created me after thine owne Image and likenesse Gen. 9.6 and giuen to me a body with all the parts and members thereof and a soule with all the powers and faculties thereof that with them and by them I might know loue and serue thee but that thou hast so gratiously preserued both body and soule from time to time from all dangers Thou hast alwayes beene my refuge in tribulations and my defence and succour in aduersities When I went astray thou didst reduce me into the right way when I offended thee thou didst gently correct me when I was sad thou didst comfort me and when for the grieuousnesse of my sinnes I was ready to despaire thou of thy mercy and compassion didst strengthen me and keepe me from vtter ruine I acknowledge O Lord thy more then fatherly indulgence toward me from my birth to this present time for volesse thou of thy goodnesse hadst vpheld me I had long ere this time beene drowned and ouerwhelmed in the bottomlesse gulfe of my sinnes But thou hast deliuered me from the iawes of the roaring Lyon who hath daily sought to deuoure me 1. Pet. 5.8 and hast defended me from al his snares and assaults And as thou hast of thy mercy preserued my soule from destruction so thou hast oftentimes deliuered my body from the gates of death when many sickenesses and infirmities tooke hold of me I thanke thee also O Lord for all other thy temporall blessings which thou in plentifull manner hast heaped vpon me as foode rayment wealth possessions and children For my health and liberty for the prerogatiue which thou hast giuen mee ouer all thy creatures in their subiection to my seruice and vse I thanke thee also O Sweete Sauiour for the infinite worke of my Redemption and for thy exceeding great loue in accomplishing that great worke that thou wouldest suffer so many torments sorrowes labours and griefes yea so bitter and disgracefull a death euen the death of malefactors to Redeeme me from a most desperate and certaine state of damantion which I must iustly haue fallen into to a state of Glory and Immortality which I by no meanes could haue deserued I thanke thee also O Lord most holy for all other thy Spirituall graces and blessings as my Regeneration Vocation Sanctification for thy blessed Sacraments for my preseruation and hope of glorification O Lord I am not sufficient to render vnto thee condigne thankes and praises for all these thy mercies yet accept I humbly pray thee these poore and weake thankes which I offer vnto thee according to my bounden duty and Seruice For as there is no houre of my life wherein I doe not enioy thy fauours and taste of thy goodnesse so if my frailty would permit I should spend no time of my life without remembring them and praising and blessing thee for the same Glory bee therefore to thee O Lord my Creator Glory be to thee O Iesus my Redeemer Glory be to thee O Holy Ghost my Sanctifier Glory to the high and vndiuided Trinitie whose workes are inseparable and whose dominion endureth world without end Another ALmightie and euer-liuing God I humbly thanke thy heauenly Maiestie for all thy blessings which thou hast vouchsafed to mee poore and sinfull creature that thou hast created me and giuen to me a body the worke-manship and excellency whereof when I behold and well consider I finde so many seuerall benefits receiued as I haue members veines ioynts sinewes and nerues all which discouer and manifest the wisedome and power of the Maker of them The benefit of which seuerall parts none can so well know as they which want any of them or are grieued with the infirmitie or weakenesse of them I therefore blesse thee that thou hast not created me blinde lame deafe or dumbe euill-shaped or weake in my sences but hast giuen me a sound and right minde in a healthfull body I further praise thy name O Lord for that thou hast infused a soule into this my body a worke so glorious and transcendent that if I were not altogether stupid and void of all Iudgement I would not by my actions account so basely of it as I seeme to doe nor defile it with such impure contemptible and vucleane workes as I daily commit I thanke thee O Lord that I was not borne among Infidels and amongst those who doe not truely call vpon thy Name but in that part of the world where thy Gospell is truely preached and thy Sacraments duely administred I thanke thee also for thy gratious preseruation of me from my birth to this present houre I confesse O Lord that it is of thy mercy and goodnesse that I am thus preserued for if thou shouldest but with-draw thy hand of preseruation from me it could not be but that in the twinckling of an eye I should miserably perish and returne to nothing I thanke thee that thou hast of thy prouidence appointed all thy Creatures for my sustenance and seruice some for health and some for delight Grant O Lord that I may vse them to those ends for which thou hast created them and that by them I may be mooued truely to meditate on thy goodnesse and seriously praise thee for them I further thanke thee O Father that when as by our first parents fall all mankinde was in the state of damnation it pleased thee not to deale with vs as thou diddest with Lucifer whom thou vtterly expelledst thy presence but to send thy onely Sonne from thy bosome into this world that by his bitter death we might be restored to our former estate I acknowledge O Lord that I owe much vnto thee for my Creation but much more for my Redemption For what would it haue profited me nay what misery should I not haue suffered to haue beene borne and afterward to be condemned for euer I thanke thee O Lord that thou hast also vouchsafed to call me out of the depth of darkenesse and shadow of death wherein I lay by the admirable light of thy Iustifying Grace to the true knowledge and loue of thee It is not the least of thy benefits O Lord it sheweth not the least part of thy power that thou hast called me from so vile an estate whereinto I had cast my selfe after Baptisme and in the same had continued many yeeres rebelliously to the estate of Saluation For it must needs be acknowledged that thy mercy is great in pardoning sinners their offences but withall it cannot be denied but that thy power is greater in making sinners righteous and iust Great was the benefit of my Creation but by that act I was only made the Son of man but greater is the benefit of Iustification for thereby in Christ I am made the
the humble and they which are any way deiected when they shall heare thereof how gratious God hath beene to me shall in hope of the like mercy to them reioyce and be glad also 3 O ye whosoeuer haue felt Gods fauour as I haue magnifie and extoll the mercies of the Lord with me for his goodnesse and let vs ioyfully with one accord exalt and praise his Name together 4 I my selfe when I was in trouble sought the Lord by praier and humiliation and hee reiected not my petition but graciously heard me and granted it yea and he not only deliuered me from the danger I was in but from all my feares also which I conceiued at it 5 They also that liued in former Ages our Fore-fathers whensoeuer they were distressed looked vp and cryed vnto him and were releeued by his mercy and lightned by his grace and their faces were not any whit ashamed because they did put their trust in him 6 This poore man euen my selfe cryed by their example in my distresse and the Lord plentifull in compassion gratiously heard him and caused and deliuered him immediately out of all his troubles and calamity 7 The good Angell of the Lord deputed by him for each mans protection encampeth and fortifieth round about them that with an vnfeined heart feare and serue him which Angell preserueth them in all their wayes and deliuereth them from all the machinations of the Deuill and his Angels 8 O taste ye therefore and see make experience and you shall soone finde that the Lord is good and louing to those that faithfully call vpon him and you will also confesse with me and say Blessed and happy is the man that layeth aside all confidence in himselfe and that in all his necessities trusteth in him and his protection 9 O feare reuerence and loue the Lord all ye that by truely beleeuing in him become his Saints and obserue his Commandements for take this as an infallible truth that There is no want to them they shall lacke nothing that is needfull for them that with an vpright heart feare and serue him 10 The young Lyons and mightie men of this world although they thinke themselues happy yet doe they lacke true peace of conscience and suffer hunger and want that which is truely good but they which with a pure heart and humble spirit seeke the Lord and desire to please him shall not want any good thing when the Lord in his Wisedome shall thinke it needfull for them 11 Come therefore O ye children that desire to be informed and with attentiue mindes hearken and giue good eare vnto me that am experienced in the mercies of the Lord and I will teach and instruct you in the feare of the Lord which is the beginning of wisedome 12 What man is he among the sonnes of men that desireth to liue a good life and loueth to spend many dayes so in this life that he may see and enioy good and happy dayes hereafter 13 Keepe first of all thy tongue from speaking euill let that member doe no man wrong and preserue thy lippes from speaking guile or that which is false though it be to thine owne preiudice for the Lord abhorreth lying lippes 14 Depart from euill auoid all things which thou knowest displeasing to God and yet thinke not that sufficient except thou also apply thy selfe to doe that which is good and acceptable to him Seeke peace betweene God and thy selfe thy selfe and thy conscience thy selfe and thy neighbour and if thou shalt finde that peace in any of these particulars shall fly from thee pursue it with all thy might that thou mayst recouer it 15 The prouident eyes of the Lord for thy comfort in taking this course are euer fixed vpon the righteous to preserue them from all euill and to confirme them in all good and his eares of compassion are alwayes open vnto their cry to deliuer them from all distresse 16 The face of displeasure and the angry countenance of the Lord on the contrary is set and bent against them that forsake good and doe euill without remorse of conscience to cut off and root out not only such wicked persons themselues but the very remembrance of them from the face of the earth that there shall remaine no memoriall of them 17 The righteous in their affliction crye and flie vnto God for succour and the Lord in mercy heareth their prayer yea and in his good time deliuereth them out of all their troubles either by aiding them with spirituall comfort that they faint not vnder them or by remouing their afflictions from them or them from their afflictions by taking them into Heauenly ioyes 18 The Lord who hath a continuall care ouer his elect is euer nigh vnto them in comfort that are of a broken and humble heart and alwaies saueth such and no other as are of a contrite and bruised Spirit that they fall not into desperation 19 Many in number and great in waight are the afflictions and troubles of the righteous for they that will liue godly in Christ must suffer persecution but the Lord of his infinite goodnesse forsaketh him not but deliuereth him in due time out of them all that they shall not bee able to doe him harme 20 He euen the Lord keepeth and preserueth all his bones which though the wicked goe about to breake yet notwithstanding all their attempts not so much as one of them is or shall bee broken by them and not only so but the haires of his head are numbred also 21 Euill on the other side shall slay the wicked and turne them to destruction and they whosoeuer they be that hate the righteous whom the Lord loueth shall be desolate and depriued of the comfort of Gods Holy Spirit 22 The Lord by his power and goodnesse redeemeth and saueth the Soule of euery one of his Seruants from all euill and none of them that put their trust and confidence in him and his mercy shall bee left desolate or without consolation Glory be to the Father c. 4 Psalme 103. 1 BLesseâ— and magnifie the Lord thy Creator O my soule for all his mercies and fauours extended to thee and all that is within me holy and pure giue praise vnto and blesse his holy and great Name 2 Blesse the Lord O my Soule I say againe as well for thy creation as for all his other great and glorious workes and at any hand take heed that thou be not ingratefull to him and forget not nor let slip out of thy remembrance all or any of his benefits not only in forming thee after his owne Image as in his continuall care and preseruing thee from many dangers 3 Who only by his power can and of his meere mercy and goodnesse forgiueth all thine iniquities pardoneth all thy sinnes as well actuall as originall how great so euer how many so euer as often as with a pure heart and humble spirit thou repentest thee of them Who like a good Phisitian
healeth all thy diseases and thy infirmities by the regeneration and renewing of his holy Spirit in thee 4 Who only redeemeth and saueth thy life from destruction and vtter ruine and who instead of taking iust and seuere reuenge of thee for thy sinnes crowneth and compasseth thee with louing kindnesse many blessings and comforteth thee with his tender mercies which are aboue the rest of his workes 5 Who in his prouidence satisfieth and filleth thy mouth and desire with all good things necessary for thy sustentation so that thy youth by his power is renewed like the Eagles by curing thy weaknesse and infirmitie and making the lustie and strong 6 The Lord releeueth them that suffer wrong and executeth Righteousnesse and Iudgement without respect of persons and standeth for all that are vniustly oppressed against those that are too mightie for them 7 He in former times at the publishing of the Law made knowne his wayes and taught his Commandements vnto Moses by whom he gaue directions to succeeding ages what they were to follow and what to auoid and his mightie acts were well knowne vnto the children of Israel by their many and great deliuerances 8 The Lord our God is mercifull in forgiuing offences and gratious in not imputing our sinnes vnto vs he is slow to anger expecting the conuersion of sinners and plenteous in mercy exceeding in his loue and liberall in his benefits to those that feare him 9 He will not alwayes chide nor be euer displeased with his children neither will he remember our sinnes and keepe his anger against vs for them for euer but in his wrath he will euer be mindfull of his mercy 10 He hath not dealt with vs nor punished vs rebellious wretches after the qualitie of our sins wherewith we haue dayly offended his patience nor hath he rewarded or retributed to vs according to the hainousnesse of our iniquities for he knoweth that if hee should strictly enter into Iudgement with vs no flesh could be saued 11 For like as the Heauen is high as we see and farre aboue the earth so great is his mercy aboue his Iustice towards them that feare him and in remorse for their offences truely turne vnto him 12 As farre also in distance as the East part of the world is scituate from the West which by reason of their separation can neuer come neere to each other so farre at the least hath hee remoued and put away our transgressions and sinnes from vs that they neuer shall come neere vnto vs to doe vs any harme 13 Like as a tender and compassionate Father pitieth his disobedient Children and vpon submission receiueth them againe to Grace so the Lord who is the Father of mercies pitieth and grieueth to see the afflictions of them that in feare and trembling for their sinnes returne vnto him 14 For hee the Lord which knoweth all things knoweth also our frame that wee consist of flesh and bloud subiect to corruption and frailty and he with all remembreth and considereth that we are but euen Dust fashioned out of the earth and therefore must needs partake and sauour of earthly substance 15 As for wretched and fraile Man therefore his dayes are but as grasse which is greene in the morning and before night is cut downe and withered and as a fading flower of the field which for a while only in the spring time is beautifull and afterward is cropt or decayeth euen so and in no more assurance is he that in the greatest prosperitie flourisheth For after a while in a short time hee is no more seene nor his remembrance shall be no where found 16 For as the Winde and Stormes passeth ouer it and presently it is gone and withered and the place thereof where it grew shall not know it nor beare it no more So man after he hath a while left the troubles and stormes of this world shall soone die and bee forgotten and the place of his being will bee no more knowne 17 But yet the mercy and louing kindnesse of the Lord to the Sonnes of Men is and was from euerlasting and shall continue to euerlasting to the end of the world and shall euer be vpon them especially that which vnfeined hearts serue loue and feare him and his righteousnesse in all his promises shall bee accomplished to his seruants and vnto their Childrens Children their posteritie through many generations 18 To such especially as forget not his Commandements but faithfully keepe and obserue his Couenant and to those that remember and be mindefull of his Commandements and frame themselues to doe them 19 The Lord who commandeth the obseruance of his Lawes is most worthy of all Honour and not to be neglected for hee hath before the foundations of the World prepared his Throne and seate of Maiestie in the Heauens where hee is attended on by the glorious company of Angells and his Kingdome is not streightned or limited to one peculiar place or countrey but he Ruleth and commandeth ouer all people and nations 20 Blesse therefore the Lord that is so mighty ye that be his holy Angels magnifie and laud his holy Name ye that excell in strength and that gladly doe and execute his Commandements and that by hearkning vnto and obeying the voice of his Word willingly execute his Will and pleasure 21 Blesse ye and praise I say the Lord your and our God all ye his heauenly Hostes ye blessed Angels ye that are Ministers and Seruants of his that willingly and gladly execute and doe his pleasure 22 Blesse and praise together with one accord the Lord our God all his workes which hee hath created for the celebrating of his Glory where so euer ye remaine in all places of his Dominion euery where and lastly as I began with thee O my Soule to stirre thee vp to his praise so I end with the same excitation Blesse Praise Laud and Magnifie the Lord thy God O my Soule to whom hee hath euer beene so gratious and mercifull Glory be to the Father c. 5 Psalme III. 1 I Will praise the Lord and giue thankes vnto his holy Name with my whole heart and that not only in my priuate deuotions but in the publique assembly and meeting of the vpright in heart and in the congregation of the faithfull the Church also 2 The wondrous workes of the Lord our God euen from the beginning through all ages euen to this time are so great and glorious that worthily he alone deserueth to be magnified for them they are sought out and searched into of all them that haue pleasure and delight in meditating and contemplating therein 3 His worke in the creation and fabrique of the vniuerse is honourable and glorious of all his creatures worthily to bee admired and his righteousnesse and equitie his care and prouidence in the preseruation and gouerment of it is likewise to be magnified because it is permanent and endureth for euer 4 He hath made and perfected his wonderfull workes with
such wisedome and power that they ought to bee remembred and his Name to be celebrated for them And as hee is omnipotent so the Lord is also gratious and louing to his Seruants and full of compassion plenteous in mercy to euery repentant sinner 5 He hath of his prouidence and bounty euer giuen meat and all other necessaries to them that feare and serue him yea and he as hee hath formerly so will he euer to the end of the world bee mindefull of his Couenant of Grace to his seruants 6 He hath shewed and manifested to his people his elect the power and efficacy of his great workes not only in the creation but in the Redemption of mankinde that hee may giue vnto them that are in Christ the heritage of the heathen according to the promise made to our forefathers 7 The workes of his hands all his actions are done in verity and Iudgement and all his Commandements are sure iust holy and worthy to be obserued 8 They stand fast and are setled firme for euer and euer to the end of the world and they are done and commaunded vpon good grounds in truth and vprightnesse as being enioyned by the author of truth and equitie 9 Hee in the fulnesse of time sent Redemption and Saluation vnto his Elect People by Iesus Christ hee hath commanded his Conenant of the new Testament for euer to be obserued by them and it concerneth them carefully to keepe it because hee which commanded it is a iealous God and seuere to transgressors and Holy and reuerend is his Name 10 The filiall fe are of the same holy and reuerend Lord is the beginning Basis of all true Wisedome which who so euer hath not attained to is not really wise how so euer he may be esteemed by the world but a good and perfect vnderstanding haue they and they are truely wise indeed that doe his Commandements and keepe his precepts his praise and remembrance endureth for euer and continueth throughout all generations Glory be to the c. 6 Psalme 138. 1 I Will praise and blesse thee O Lord with my whole heart with all my strength yea before the Gods in the presence of thy holy Angels will I sing praise and laud vnto thee 2 I will worship in feare and reuerence towards thy holy Temple dedicated to thy honour and seruice and I will praise thy holy and great Name for two of thy blessings especially namely for thy louing kindnesse in comforting distressed sinners and for thy Truth in performing thy promises for thou thy selfe hast preferred and magnified thy Word of Truth abone all the attributes of thy Name else whatsoeuer 3 In the day and time of my affliction when I cried vnto thee by earnest prayer thou didst not stop thine eares but gratiously answeredst me yea and strengthnedst mee with thy Grace and strength in my soule 4 All the Kings and mighty men of the earth bee they neuer so high in condition shall and may worthily praise thee without disparagement to themselues when they by the preaching of the Gospell heare the words of thy mouth which are nothing but Truth 5 Yea they shall sing and reioyce in exercising themselues in the waies and Commandements of the Lord for great and vnutterable is the Glory and Maiestie of the Lord of Hosts 6 Though the Lord our God be high and his Maiestie bee aboue all things yet in his abundant mercy hath hee respect vnto the lowlie in their owne eyes and the more humble they are the more he regardeth them but as for the proud and those which exalt thhmselues hee despiseth them and knoweth them as it were a farre off 7 Though I walke and liue in the midst of trouble and sorrow and in the shadow of death yet when so euer I call vpon thee faithfully thou wilt I know reuiue and raise me vp thou shalt also stretch forth and reach vnto me thy hand of power against the wrath and malice of mine enemies and bridle their furie and thy right hand of omnipotence shall saue me from all their enterprizes 8 The Lord of his goodnesse will perfect and finish that which concerneth me and my Saluation thy mercy and louing kindnesse O Lord neuer faileth but endureth from generation to generation euen for euer withdraw not therefore that mercy of thine from me O Lord and forsake not thou the worke of thine owne hands not made by any strange God but by thee the only and true God Glory be to the Father c. 7 Psalme 145. 1 I Will extoll and praise thee my God and Creator O King of Maiestie and Glory and I will blesse and magnifie thy Name O preseruer of mankinde for euer and euer euen all the daies of my life 2 Euery day not a day shall passe ouer my head but I will blesse thee and be speaking of thy mercies and I will praise and giue thankes vnto thee and to thy Name for euer and euer as long as I liue 3 Great and glorious is the Lord farre exceeding all the false gods of the heathen and greatly is hee to bee praised for all his workes and his greatnesse hath neither end nor beginning but is vnsearchable and past mans finding out 4 One generation and age shall praise and leaue the memory of thy goodnesse and thy workes of power wisedome and mercy to another succeeding generation and shall declare to posterity the remembrance of thy mightie acts 5 I my selfe as well as I am able will as I haue good cause speake of and extoll the glorious honour and the exceeding greatnesse of thy Maiestie and tell vnto the people the excellencie of thy wondrous workes 6 And not only I but all other Men shall be forced to confesse and speake of the exceeding might and the wonderfull effects of thy terrible acts against thine enemies and I according to my poore abilitie will declare vnto posterity thy Greatnesse and Maiestie 7 They euen all people which are gouerned by thy power and satisfied with thy goodnesse shall abundantly vtter and continually with praise acknowledge and keepe the memory of thy great and superabundant goodnesse and mercy and shall in all assemblies and congregations sing and reioyce because of thy Righteousnesse when thou rulest and disposest all things 8 The Lord our God notwithstanding our grieuous sinnes is gratious and louing yea and full of compassion by nature euermore slow and vnwilling to wreak his anger vpon vs it being an act contrary to his disposition and in stead of punishing he is of great mercy and ready to pardon the repentant 9 The Lord is also good and gratious not to any particular person or people only but to all that turne vnto him and if wee shall consider his tender mercies to the sonnes of men they are ouer and exceed his Iustice and all his other workes 10 All thy workes and creatures shall therefore praise and magnifie thee O Lord in generall and aboue the rest thy Saints and
patient with them In their Correction and bearing with all their Infirmities That which we are forbidden to do against them is Exo. 21.17 Leuit. 20.9 Not to speake euill of them or to curse them Mat. 15.5 Mat. 7.11 Not to see them want Not to be ashamed of them for pouerty or other cause whatsoeuer That thy dayes may c. 2. The Promise is made to all such as shall keepe this Precept which is Long dayes of life here and happy too else they would be no better then a Curse Long dayes hereafter for euer in blisse which is the highest blessing that can befall to any This Promise God made 1. To prouoke vs to that Dutie of reuerencing and obeying our Parents and Superiours 2. To shew how highly he esteemeth of it The sixth Commandement Thou shalt not kill THis Commandement followeth properly and in order in the next place for mans life being the most previous thing in this world and vpon which all other things depend God seemeth to take care by this Commandement for peace and quietnesse whereby mans life may be preserued Thou shalt not kill Neither thy selfe nor others Neither shalt thou haue any desire to doe any such act Vnder this Commandement are diuers other particulars forbidden for as God forbiddeth the Act so doth he command that all occasions or meanes to execute that Act be forborne and taken away If God command vs not to kil then he prohibits Anger Quarrelling Chiding Hatred Mat. 5.22 And all other things of this nature which may be as prouocations ro flaughter And on the contrary hee enioyneth vs. To loue our neighbours as our selues To liue peaceably and quietly with them To doe good for euill And all this because Man is the Image of God Flesh of our Flesh The thing that Christ paid so deare for The seuenth Commandement Thou shalt not commit Adulterie Thou shalt not commit adulterie THe chiefe aime and scope of this Commandement is to preserue the marriage bed inuiolate And with great reason it is placed next to the prohibiting of homicide because that next and dearest to a man after his owne life is the preseruation and Honot of his wife for they two are but one flesh Gen. 2.24 And by this Commandement is also implicitly and secretly forbidden Whoredome Incest Sodomy a Rom. 1.26 Sinnes against Nature b Mat. 5.28 Vnlawfull desires and affections Vncleannesse Euill talke Obscene songs and impudent behauiour vnciuill sights Lasciuions Pictures Intemperance of diet Delicacy and excesse in Apparrell and the like being prouocations to the Sinne here forbidden And as wee are prohibited these things so are we commanded hereby To liue Chastely Temperately Mat. 5.8 Modestly and Purely in heart For by these Vertues as our Sauiour telleth vs wee shall come to the beatificiall vision of God and enioy that Blessednesse which he hath promised to those that in purenesse of heart loue and serue him The eight Commandement Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not steale THat is thou shalt not take from another any thing which is not thine owne And against this Commandement we may offend diuers waies By committing Sacriledge taking any thing from the Church By with holding that which is due to King or Prince By robbing on the high way or out of houses By deceiuing any man In bargaining In false weights and measures In being bankrupt without cause By oppressing the poore or keeping his pledge By encroching vpon the possessions of any other either by violence openly or by fraud in remouing Land markes c. By keeping that which is found from the true owner By denying or concealing a trust By detaining the Laborers hire By Liuing idlely and eating out of another mans labour By neglecting a Masters Seruice and mispending his goods The Ninth Commandement Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy Neighbour Thou shalt not beare false witnesse c. THou shalt not giue false euidence before a Iudge against any man Whosoeuer doth so is not only guilty of the breach of this Commandement but of the Third also in committing Periurie Neither is false Testimony with an Oath forbidden only but also without an Oath 1 Thou shalt not accuse thy brother vniustly Slander him Reuile him Backebite him Abuse him by vnciuill iests 2 Thou shalt not lie or equiuocate Either for sport Or to auoid danger or losse For although some seeme to approue Of Iacob Gen. 27.19 in lying to his Father that he was Esau The Midwines Exo. 1.19 to saue the Children Rahab the Harlot Iosu 2.4.5 to saue the spies Michol 1. Sam. 19.14 to saue Dauid her Husband Iudith Iud. 11.5 to deceiue Holofernes Aug. Yet it is safer with Saint August to hold that all lyes being directly opposite to truth must needs be sinne The Tenth Commandement Thou shalt not couet thy Neighbours house Thou shalt not c. THis Commandement is directly against Couetousnesse or euill Concupiscence the issue of Originall Sinne which was deriued to all mankinde after the fall of Adam Not Couet No man ought to couet or desire no not so much as in his heart any thing which belongeth to another man and whereby he may receiue any damage or detriment Neither his house which is his inheritance and his defence against the heate of the Sunne and the sharpnesse of the cold Nor his wife which is bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh His partner as well in sorrow as pleasure Nor his Seruants without whose helpe and labour he cannot dispatch his affaires Nor his Cattell which doe his worke In conclusion nothing which may any way preiudice him Now seeing that Ia. 2.10 He which is guiltie in breaking one part of the Law offendeth in all and that to the keeping of it the whole inward and outward man is required and that the flesh while wee are in this world is wholly opposite to the Spirit It is impossible for vs to fulfill the same by our owne endeauours For it is with vs as it was with Saint Paul Rom. 7.18 In our flesh dwelleth no good thing and the good that we would we doe not but the euill which we would not that we doe And seeing also that Rom. 3.20 by thee deedes of the Lawe no man can be iustified not that the Lawe is in fault being good of it selfe but our owne flesh Rom. 8.7.8 the carnall minde being enmitie with God and they which are in the flesh not being able to please him for the comfort therefore of all when as neither the workes of the Law could iustifie vs nor we were able to fulfill the same God of his infinite mercy sent his Sonne Christ Iesus into the world Galat. 3.13.14 that he suffering death for vs might redeeme vs from the curse of the Law that we might receiue the promise of the Spirit through Faith For in him all the
to me that haue confidence in nothing but thy meere mercy O Lord it griueth me that I haue offended thy Maiestie and it grieueth me much that I can grieue no more then I doe And I humbly pray thee by the Death Passion and Intercession of thy Sonne Christ Iesus to pardon my offences promising that if I recouer my former health thy grace assisting me to abstaine from displeasing thy Maiestie hereafter I willingly O Lord and freely from my heart for thy sake forgiue all offendors and offences against me and I heartily desire all those whom I haue any way offended to forgiue me O Lord though my naturall man trembleth at the thought of death yet I professe that I am willing to die if it be thy good pleasure I haue receiued life and all the blessings of this life from thee what shall I render backe to thee for them I will willingly receiue this Cup of death and praise thy Name Psal 31.6 I commend into thy hands my spirit and whither thou disposest of me to liue or die I resigne it to thy good will and disposition and humblie pray thee that if thou seest it good for mee to prolong my dayes on earth that thou wouldst renew my conuersation by the direction of thy holy Spirit that I may passe those dayes in thy feare if thou be otherwise pleased to dispose of me take mee I beseech thee into the armes of thy mercie for Iesus Christs sake my only Sauiour and Redeemer Or thus O GOD of all consolation who hast promised to heare all those that faithfully call vpon thee and not to reiect any that with a contrite heart and penitent soule shall humble himselfe before thee I humbly intreat thee in the name and mediation of thy Sonne Iesus Christ that thou wouldest bee pleased to bee mercifull to mee thy poore Seruant at this time afflicted with sicknesse O Lord pardon forget and blot out of thy remembrance whatsoeuer I haue committed against thee in the whole course of my life Seale and confirme vnto me by thy Spirit a pardon vnto me for all my offences that I may thereby receiue such comfort in my soule that I may with all ioy and willingnesse depart out of this life vnto thee Let me be certified that there is Rom. 8.1 no condemnation to those which are vnited and engraffed into Iesus Christ by Faith that I may be confident 32. that neither my sinnes death the Deuill nor ought else can draw me away or separate me from thee and that I may be assured that thy Throne will not be to me a Barre of seueritie but a Hauen of safety and a sure Sanctuary and refuge for mee to flie vnto Strengthen this Faith in me which may serue as a Buckler to defend me from all tentations and that forsaking the confidence or strength of all other things I may flie wholly to thy mercy in Christ Iesus whereby I may be protected from the Terrors of thy Iudgement Grant vnto mee distressed sinner these graces euen for the same Iesus Christ his sake who with thee and the Holy Spirit liueth and raigneth for euer Or thus ALmightie and euerlasting God whose yeares faile not and who hast determined the daies of man which he cannot passe yet thy selfe endurest for euer and thy Throne from generation to generation Remember that I am but dust like grasse and my dayes as the flower of the field which flourisheth in the morning and in the euening is dried vp and withered Psal 39.5 O let me know my end make me mindefull of my mortalitie Psal 39.14 I am a stranger with thee and a soiourner as all my fathers were and cannot promise my selfe one houre much lesse any dayes or yeares in this my Pilgrimage Psal 6.2.3 I am like a tottering wall and a broken fence giue mee grace therefore that I trust not in the vncertainty of this life like the rich foole in the Gospell but that I may euery houre Luc. 12. prepare my selfe in thy feare to passe out of this fraile mansion and to expect thee with a solid faith and firme hope waiting cheerefully for the day and time of my dissolution Tit. 2.13 And looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of our Saniour Iesus Christ Make me like the faithfull and wise seruant euer ready and prepared for the comming of my Lord lest being suddenly preuented I bee taken like a Bird in the snare of the Fowler O Lord thou hast by this gentle correction put me in minde of my mortalitie giue me also Grace that I may make good vse of it that I may cast of all the cares of this world and wholly betake my selfe to make my peace with thee And I humbly pray thee that thou wouldst not forget me in my paines and miseries in all my infirmities be not farre from me when by reason of the terrors of death and assaults of the enemie I shall haue most neede of thy helpe but strengthen my soule with thy holy grace against all tentation that my Faith faile mee not but that thy holy Spirit assisting me I may ouercome my spirituall enemies and at the houre of death Lord I beseech thee let thy seruant depart in peace according to thy Word Luc. 2.29 Or thus BLessed Lord Iesus Christ the only comfort of the liuing and the eternall life of those which dye in thee I wholly submit my selfe to thy blessed Will whether it please thee to suffer my soule any longer to liue in this earthly Tabernacle to serue thee or to haue it depart out of this transitory world being certainely assured that it cannot perish being committed to thy keeping O Lord I put of this fraile flesh with a willing minde in the hope of the Resurrection of it at the last day togither with my soule when it will become much more glorious and happie then now it is I beseech thee O Lord Iesu strengthen mee with thy Grace against all temptations and defend mee with the shield of thy mercie against all the assaults of the Deuill I know that of my selfe I haue no strength wherefore my whole confidence is in thee I haue no merits of mine owne to alleadge for I see many yea too many of my sins to stand vp against me but by thy mercy I trust that thou wilt repute â—…e amongst the Iust Thou wert borne for me didst hunger thirst fast and pray for me thou didst many good workes and sufferedst many bitter things for my sake Let thy blood wash away the spots of my offences Let thy Iustice couer my vnrighteousnesse and thy Merits plead for me before the great and seuere Iudge And as my sicknesse encreaseth let thy Grace encrease that my faith faile not my hope wauer not nor my loue to thee waxe cold Let me not bee cast downe or deiected with the terror of death but when death shall seize on the eyes of my body let the eyes of my soule looke to thee and when the vse of my tongue shall faile me let my heart crie vnto thee Psal 31.6 I commend my spirit into thy hands O Lord who liuest and raignest c. Psal 23.4 Although thou kill me yet will I trust in thee and though I walke in the midst of the shadow of death yet will I not feare because thou Lord art with me A short Table of the chiefe Heads contained in this Booke A Generall Exhortation to Prayer page 1 In regard of Gods Precept 2 Promise 3 Christs example ibid. The Necessity ibid. The Dignitie 4 The Benefit 5 Directions how to Pray 1. To God only 8 2. In Faith 9 3. In Hope 10 4. In Charitie ibid. 5. In Humilitie of Spirit 12 13 Of Body 14 6. In Perseuerance 15 with feruency and attention 17 The Time for Prayer 20 The Place for Prayer 21 How to pray aright 22 Prayer diuided into Parts 25 The vse of the Lords Prayer 28 The Lords Prayer analysed 32 Petitions for spirituall Graces 68 A Prayer before Prayer 78 Before a Sermon 80 Petitions for temporall blessings 82 Rules for the Morning 84 Morning prayers priuate 85 For a Family 97 Rules for the Euening and Night 102 Euening prayers priuate 105 For a Family 116 Prayers For a married man 121 For a married woman 124 For a Childe 126 For a woman with Childe 128 For a young man or maid 129 For a Seruant 132 Before a Iourney 133 After a Iourney 135 Intercession 137 Deprecation 140 In affliction 145 In time of Pestilence 147 The Creed analysed 152 Confession of Gods Glory 164 Motiues to Repentance 169 The Dutie of Repentance 175 Confession of sinnes 179 Seuen Penitentiall Psalmes analysed 218 Direction before the Sacrament 259 Meditations and Prayers before the Sacrament 263 Meditations and Prayers after the Sacrament 276 Motiues to Thankesgiuing 285 Thankesgiuings 289 Seuen Psalmes of Thankesgiuing analysed 305 Imprecation 345 The Tenne Commandements analysed 350 Meditations of death 384 Meditations for the sicke 387 Prayers for the sicke 395 FINIS Faults escaped Page 38. line 16. in the margent reade Hallowed p. 80. l. â—… r. thou p. 97. in the mar r Gen. 1.26.9.6 p. 114. l. 7. r. seuenty times seuen p. 116. l. 9. r. sleep in peace p. 119 l. vlt. r. powre p. 130. l. 1. r. selfe be able to get p. 144. l. 13. r. sentence Depart p. 156. l. 9. put out vs. p. 164. l. vlt. r. bosome p. 169 l. 9. r. who p. 178. l. 5. r. Repentance p. 190. l. 6. r. I haue brought forth p. 211. l. 15. r. art patient p. 267. l. 16. r. long p. 271. l. 6. r. the greatnesse p. 291. 17. r. damnation p. 297. l. 16. r. Iust man of a sinner p. 307. l. 23. r. thy vicegerent p. 309. l. 15. r. triumph p. 314. l. 8. r. to the end that all p. 323. l. 17. for not onely r. as well p. 328. l. 23. r. felt p. 329 l. 7. r. with p. 340. l. 13. r. wherewith p. 341 l 26. r. generations p. 345. l. 14. r. incorrigible p. 374. l. 10. r. beatificall
land of Righteousnesse Giue me grace O Lord. Rom. 7.18 To know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing To abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the Soule To keepe in minde alwayes that the world passeth away and the desires thereof and that the benefit which a man getteth by the world is nothing but destruction Truely to say Psal 119.52 I haue remembred thy euerlasting Iudgements and my Soule receiueth comfort thereby O Thou that a 1. Pet. 5.5 giuest grace to the humble giue me grace to be humble Giue me a good heart which Luc. 8.15 hearing thy Word may keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience O Lord Gen. 6.8 let me finde grace in thine eyes Heb. 12.17 Let me finde a place and time of Repentance Let me not receiue thy Grace in vaine 2. Cor. 6.1 Let Heb. 12.15 mee not faile or fall from it But Act. 13.43 let me continue in it And 2. Pet. 3.18 let me grow in it To the end of my daies 2. Cor. 7.11 Giue me O Lord the workes of RepentaÌ„ce Carefulnesse Defence or clearing my selfe Indignation Feare Vehement desire Zeale Reuenge Phil. 4.8 Giue mee Grace to thinke vpon doe Whatsoeuer things are True Venerable Honest Iust Pure Louely Of good report Giue vnto me ô Lord Humility of heart Charity to my Neighbour Patience of minde Temperance of life Chastity of body Contentednesse of minde Alacrity of Spirit Giue vnto me good Lord. Perfect knowledge of my sinnes Hearty sorrow for them Perfect hatred against them Feruent loue to all goodnesse True obedience to thy Will 2. Pet. 1.5 Giue mee grace O Lord to adde To faith Vertue To Vertue Knowledge To Knowledge Temperance To Temperance Patience To Patience Godlinesse To Godlinesse Brotherly Kindnesse To Brotherly kindnesse Charitie Gal. 5.22 Giue vnto me ô Lord the fruites of the spirit Loue Ioy Peace Long suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith Meekenesse Temperance Giue vnto mee good Lord. Contempt of the world Hatred of sinne Loathing of the flesh Desire of Heauen Giue vnto me O Lord. A right Faith to liue well A sure Hope to perseuere well A perfect Humility to obay well A true Charitie Neuer to be diuided from thee Giue mee grace O Lord To be content with that which â—s necessary To despise that which is superfluous Grant O Lord That I may so liue that I repent not to haue liued That I may so liue that no man may know I haue liued amisse That I may so liue that I may alwaies liue Luc. 2.29 That dying I may liue and liuing I may dye and say with a chearefull Spirit Lord now lettest thou thy Seruant depart in peace Phil. 1.23 I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ Prayers for Spirituall Graces O Blessed LORD Iesus Christ who art my only Tutor and instructer and from whom I haue learned whatsoeuer I know I beseech thee that thou wouldest further teach me those things whereof I am ignorant and which are necessary for my Saluation that thou wouldest keepe me in those things which I haue already learned and rectifie mee in those matters wherein as a man I erre strengthen mee and make mee firme whereinsoeuer I wauer and am doubtfull and keepe me from that which is erroneous and hurtfull Aboue all things O Sauiour strengthen my Faith and giue me grace dayly to profit in the knowledge and vnderstanding of thy Holy Word and so gouerne all my actions by thy Holy Spirit that my life may be answerable to my knowledge and that I may shew the fruites of whatsoeuer I haue learned by my good and religious conuersation Giue mee a firme and assured hope in thee and thy gratious promises that in all my troubles and necessities I may haue an assured confidence in thy mercy Be vnto me a strong tower of defence against mine enemies that whether the world allure me the Deuill assayle me or the flesh rebell I may flie vnto thee for refuge And although thou presently put not forth thy hand to helpe me but deferre thy comfort according to thy good pleasure yet keepe me from doubting or despairing of thy aid because thy promises are sure Giue me a feruent loue and perfect charity to my neighbour that I may be as kinde to him and as carefull of him as of one who is a member with mee of the same body whereof thou O sweete Sauiour art the Head Let my loue to him bee sincere and vnfained which may charitably releeue him in his wants patiently beare with his infirmities and willingly forgiue him all his trespasses against me Create in mee I beseech thee a pure milde peaceable and humble heart which may thinke harme to no man nor recompense euill for euill but good for iniuries Cleanse me from all vncleane and earthly desires and lift vp my heart to thee and Heauenly things and so write thy Lawes in it that I may wholly bend my selfe to keepe them and please thee perseuering in the same to my liues end Giue me O Lord true Compunction of heart and so water it with the dew of thy heauenly Grace that I may in the bitternesse of my soule with abundance of teares sighes and groanes bewaile and lament all my hainous and grieuous transgressions against thee Giue mee grace O Lord that I may not boast in any merits or workes of mine owne or haue any confidence in them but let mee glory in this alone that I am a member of that Body of thine which was crucified for me and did sufficiently satisfie for all the sinnes of the world If thou O Lord looke or expect or any merits from me behold I tender vnto thee thine owne merits the merits of thy death and Passion which thou hast vouchsafed to make me partaker of by vertue whereof alone I dare boldly appeare before thy Tribunall These merits I set betweene my sinnes and thy Iustice and otherwise or in any other manner I dare not I will not contend with thee O sweet Iesu I desire thee to offer them to the Father as a propitiatory Sacrifice for all my great and grieuous offences that when my soule shall depart from this body it may by the same be freed and deliuered from all the Iudgements and punishments which are due vnto it for sinne and be carried to that blessed Place where there is no sorrow but endlesse felicitie where thou together with the Father and the blessed Spirit liuest and raignest for euer Before Prayer O Almighty and euerliuing God Heauenly Father to whom it is manifestly knowne how inconstant and wandering the mindes of Men are in any good actions and how easily we suffer our selues to be carried away from the contemplation of thee by diuersity of distractions and vnseasonable thoughts which take hold of vs in the time of our deuotions and praiers vnto thee who also by thine only begotten Sonne Christ Iesus didst
prescribe vnto his Disciples a forme of Prayer to be offered vp to thee and hast deriued the same from them to vs. Behold me most wretched sinner wholly depraued and corrupt intreating thee by the same Sonne that for his sake thou wouldest infuse thy holy Spirit into mee which may adopt me into the number of thine Elect that it may teach me how I ought to pray according to thy Holy Will that it may allay all troublesome and wandering thoughts in me while I offer vp my prayers and praises vnto thee Suffer me not to serue thee with my lippes and be absent in heart from thee but create a right spirit within me that I being sensible of all thy graces and comforts may with ioyfull and holy zeale performe my dutie to thee that so my prayers and desires may appeare before thee and in thy Sonnes Name I may effectually be heard and my petitions may bee granted to the glory and honour of thy most Holy Name and the endlesse comfort of mine owne Soule through the same our only Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Before a Sermon O Most louing SAVIOVR I most humbly intreat thee that rhou wouldest be pleased at this time to enlighten my vnderstanding and to open my inward eares with the grace of thy holy Spirit that I may heare the Sacred VVord with an humble heart and reioyce in it in the obedience of the Spirit that I may be fully instructed thereby how to doe good and auoid euill and bring forth the fruite thereof in my life and conuersation that thy Honour and Glory may bee thereby increased the Deuill and all other the enemies of my soule may bee vanquished my Soule may bee saued and at the last I may appeare with boldnesse before thy Tribunall and receiue the reward of a good and faithfull seruant euen his Masters ioy euerlasting Blessednesse and that by thy merits onely O Blessed Sauiour Petitions for Temporall Blessings In which we are to desire of God THat he would be pleased to continue vnto vs The Blessing of a good King iust and religious To giue vnto vs Magistrates and Iustices vpright and carefull to see good Lawes duely executed Teachers to direct vs in the Truth That he would blesse vs with Length and goodnesse of Dayes Health of Body Contentednesse of Minde Competencie of Estate Foode and Rayment Conueniencie of Dwelling Wholesomenesse of Ayre Fruitefulnesse of Cattell That he would make vs happy In Wedlocke In Children In Faithfull friends In Peaceable louing neighbors In Honest Seruants In Skilfull Phisicians That hee would preserue Our Goods Good Name Our Senses and vnderstanding That he would protect vs From Trouble From Enemies From Dangers From Losses From Sicknesses That he would giue Peace To all Nations To our Land In our priuate dwellings Rules to be obserued in the Morning WHen thou awakest in the Morning shut and close vp the entrance to thy heart from all vncleane prophane and euill thoughts and let the consideration of God and goodnesse enter in When thou art arisen and art ready retire thy selfe to thy Closet or other priuate place and offer to God the first fruits of the Day and in praying to him and praysing him remember 1. To giue him thankes for thy quiet rest receiued for deliuering thee from all dangers ghostly and bodily and for all other his benefits to thee 2. Offer vnto him thy selfe and all things that thou dost possesse and desire him to dispose of thee and them according to his good pleasure 3. Craue his Grace to guide thee and to strengthen thee from and against all Tentations that so thou mayest doe nothing the day following contrary to his will 4. And lastly beg of him according to the Rules before prescribed all things needfull for the Soule and Body To which purpose pray as followeth Morning Prayer I Thanke thee O Heauenly Father LORD of Heauen and Earth for all thy Blessings which I vndeseruedly haue receiued from thee that thou gauest me a being from honest Parents and in that part of the world where thy Sonne Christ Iesus is purely professed that thou didst endue me with reason and vnderstanding and didst also giue mee perfect members and sences that thou hast preserued me since my birth and vouchsafed me health and liberty and a competencie of meanes to maintaine me and those whom thou hast placed vnder me that thou hast Elected me in thy Loue Redeemed me by thy Sonne Sanctified me by thy Spirit and kept me this night past from all perills of body and Soule and giuen me a sweete and comfortable rest O Lord I commend into thy hands my soule and body thoughts words and actions and humblie beseech thee that thou wouldest guide and order them all to thy honour and glory and my endlesse and eternall happinesse Enlighten my minde that the Darkenesse and cloudy mists of mine offences being dispelled I may walke before thee in my vocation without offence as in the day cleane vnspotted and vnblameable Giue vnto me thy Holy Spirit which may bridle my vaine cogitations and head-strong desires and order thou I beseech thee my words and rectifie all my actions O Lord as thou hast of thy bounty raised vp my body from sleepe so stirre vp my drowzie soule from the sleepe of sinne and carnall securitie Let my body be euer assistant to my soule in all good actions in this life that they may both be partakers of life euerlasting Thou O Lord hast promised to those which shall faithfully aske all things necessary for this life giue I beseech thee vnto mee if it seeme good vnto thee such a competent estate as shall be expedient to support my life in a ciuill modest and religious manner Giue vnto me that which shall be conuenient but especially O Lord 1. Tim. 6.8 a heart and minde contented with whatsoeuer thou shalt be pleased to allot vnto me Grant O Lord that in thy Name I may cast forth my net into the Sea of this world and diligently carefully and with an vpright conscience follow that vocation in which thou hast placed me that by thine aid and assistance I may prosper and haue good successe in all my affaires Blesse O Lord the Kings Maiesty gouerne his heart in thy feare and guide his vnderstanding to doe those things which shall be acceptable to thee and profitable to his kingdomes Giue him louing and loyall Subiects and suppresse his open and secret enemies And together with him blesse his Queene make her as the fruitfull Vine on the house top Psal 128.3 Blesse all the estate Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill from the highest to the lowest Comfort the comfortlesse and helplesse Bring all Trauellers to their owne beings in safety and direct all vpon the Seas to their safe Ports Shew the light of thy Truth to those which wander out of the right way Giue to all sinners true and hearty repentance strengthen those which haue begun well and giue them thy