known unto God LONDON Printed in the Year 1692 ADDITIONAL DEVOTIONS A Prayer for Christmass Day O BLESSED Lord who as upon this day took our Nature upon thee and wast born of a pure Virgin keep me from defiling my self with sinful pollutions or abasing or enthralling it to Satan let thy Spirit quicken me thy Flesh nourish me thy Wisdom guide me thy Grace sanctifie me Let thy holy Ghost of whom thou wast conceived beget thee in me by the Immortal Seed of thy Word let my Faith conceive thee my Profession bring thee forth my Love embrace thee and Devotion entertain and continually keep thee with me un-thy second coming Amen A Prayer for New Years Day O Lord who this day wast Circumcised and Bleddest for my sins have pity and compassion who with weeping Eyes and a bleeding heart come unto thee beseeching thee that those drops of blood which fell from thee this day may satisfie for the sin of my unworthy Birth and as thou hast begun a new Year begin in me a new reformation make me I beseech thee a clean heart and renew a right Spirit within me let me now cast off the old Man and put on the new and from this day to the end of my life walk in newness of life that I may become a fit guest to be admitted into the new Heaven where dwelleth Righteousness and to be entertained at thy Table and drink new Wine with thee in thy Heavenly Kingdom for evermore A Prayer for Twelfe Day O GOD thou light of all the World who guidedst the Heathen Sages by a Star to seek after thee give me Grace to hearken to the more sure Word of Prophesy in thy holy Scripture till the day dawn and the day-star arise in my heart the Star guided them till they approached thy presence so O Lord let the light of Faith guide me in all the Paths of this Life even till I come to behold thee not in a poor Stable littered with straw and dung but in a celestial Palace founded upon Pearls and built with Saphyrs not receiving a present of Gold which fades away but wearing a never fading Crown of Glory not having a quantity of Frankingense or Myrh in thy hand but a golden Censor full of Sweet odours which are the praises of thy Saints and Angels amongst which I beseech thee offer up the Prayers of me a Sinner that I may become a Saint thy Heavenly Kingdom Amen A Prayer for Ash-wednesday O ETERNAL God who dist fast forty dayes in the wilderness accept of my humiliation these forty days and grant that I may not only fast from accustomed Meats but that all my senses may be restrained from their usual affections of this World let no object delight me till I behold my sins removed like a mist and the light of thy Countenance shine upon me Let no sound or voice delight my Ear till I hear thee by thy Spirit speak peace to my Conscience and say unto my Soul I am thy Salvation Let no other pleasures take hold of me till with the lower Herbs of Sorrow and anguish I have Eaten the Christian passover the flesh of thee that Immaculate lamb slain from the beginning of the World Hear me O belssed redeemer and as thou wrotest in dust when thou tookest the woman in a adultery So I beseech thee write my sins in dustand bury them all in the ashes of oblivion Amen A Prayer on good Friday O MOST Merciful and Gracious Lord God who by thy obedience unto Death even the Death of the Cross didst become the Sacrifice of the whole universe the magnificent example of patience the Lord of Life the good shepherd laying down thy Life for thy sheep and the only Mediator between God and Man let thy bleeding wounds heal thy precious blood cleanse thy shameful death make me to live and thy holy Spirit make me to work righteousness all my dayes that I may by thy aid and example obey my Heavenly father with all my powers and faculties reason and affections with my Soul and Body time and Estate in prosperity and in adversity that I may bear my Cross patiently do thy work cheerfully and be ready to benefit mankind with great Charity and industry that being a follower of thy Life and a partaker of thy death I may receive a part in the Resurrection of the just in thy inheritance for evermore Amen A Prayer on Easter Day O MOST glorious redeemer thou didst pass from a painful life to an Ignominious death and from the bitterness of it to the darkness of the Grave and by thy Divine power didst raise thy self from thence to Life I give thee thanks for thy infinite love to me and all Mankind I acknowledg thee to be my Lord and confess thee to be my God I adore thy Majesty and rejoyce in thy Mercies I humbly pray thee to enable me with thy Spirit to believe all thy Doctrines and obey all thy Commandments that after a holy and religious life spent in doing honour to thy holy Name I may be a partaker of thy holy Resurrection passing from death to life from the darkness of the Grave to the light of Heaven from an imperfect duty to the perfection of holiness in the fruition of the joyes of God in thy Heavenly Kingdom Amen A Prayer upon Ascension Day O BLESSED Jesus thou didst ascend to thy holy Father and didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers thou hast espoused thy Church unto thy self with the Everlasting circles of thy providence with thy Love and with thy Care with thy Word and with thy Spirit thy promises and thy holy intercession thou hadst a feeling of my infirmiteis and art my Merciful high Priest making intercession for me for ever O be thou pleased to represent all my wants and supply them and excuse all my infirmities pity all my Calamities pardon my Sins and send down thy holy Spirit of Grace into my heart that though I wander here upon Earth yet my Conversation may be in Heaven where let my inheritance be for ever Amen A Prayer on Whitsunday O GOD the Father of all Spirits who didst send thy holy Spirit upon thy Church in the day of pentecost and hast promised that he shall abide with thy Church for ever let thy holy Spirit lead me into all truth defend me from all Sins enrich me with his gifâ—s refresh me with his Comforts rule in my heart for ever Conduct me with his truth and lead me in the way Everlasting that living by thy Spirit and walking in him I may by him be Sealed up to the day of my redemption O let thy Spirit witness to my Spirit that I am thy Child and make me to be so for ever through Jesus Christ my Redeemer who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same Spirit one God world without end Amen A Prayer upon Trinity Sunday O HOLY Blessed and glorious Trinity the Angels are amazed in the
THE Whole Duty OF PRAYER Containing DEVOTIONS FOR Every Day in the Week AND FOR Several Occasions Ordinary and Extraordinary By the Author of The Whole Duty of Man Necessary for all Families Psal. 65. 2. O thou that hearest Prayers unto thee shall all flesh come London Printed for I. P. and sold by Ric. Ianaway in Queens-Head-Alley in Pater-Noster-Row 1692. THE Preface I Need not Recommend this small Manual to the World since it hears the Name of so Learned an Author whose Works have given sufficient demonstration of his Worth and Excellency and will to his lasting Honour be venerated in all Ages This Pattern of Piety hath lay concealed for many years and was at first Dedicated to the service of an honourable Lady in whose Cabinet it hath been choicely kept as one of her precious Iewels it was never design'd for the Press by reason the Reverend Authors Modesty should not be offended Upon her Bed of Mortality she was pleased to honour me so far as to commit it to my Care with a particular Charge not to publish it but one of her Mercenary Servants by their vigilant Industry had Plagiary-like got a Transcript and since this Pious and Honourable Persons Decease did design it for the Press being unwilling so much Injustice should be acted against so Worthy a Person I was forced to Cancel my Obligation and to hand with all speed the Original to be Printed that I might prevent any Surreptitious Copy What Alterations I was forced to make was leaving out the Praying for our Royal Ancestors and placing in our Royal Soveraign Lord and Lady King William and Queen Mary c. Some additional Prayers I thought proper to insert as Thanksgiving for His Majesties Safe Return and the Success of his Royal Navy and Armies a Duty enjoyned on the Church in Publick and ought to be the Duty of every Christian in Private Lastly I have added some few Graces which may be necessary for Minor Christians I shall now conclude with the Words of St. Paul to Timothy 2 Epistle 2 Chapter Verse the 7th Consider what hath been said and the Lord give thee Understanding in all things G. B. THE Whole Duty OF PRAYER What Prayer is and the Parts of it PRayer is the Duty both of Soul and Body it is an humble address unto God for whatsoever we stand in need of either in relation to this Life or that which is to come The First part of this Duty is Confession which is the acknowledging of our Sins in all Humility before the great Author of our Being Now Confession is twofold general and particular the general is when we Confess only we are sinful without naming any particulars which indeed belongs to publick Prayer but the acknowledging our Sins to God is very necessary whether Publick or Private Particular Confession is when we express the several sorts and acts of our Sins and what ill habits we are most prone to this is proper for Private Prayer and ought often to be used for we cannot repeat too often our soulest Sins which we are guilty of nor cannot enough bewail our own unworthiness in committing them THE next part of prayer is by way of Petition which is begging of God whatever we stand most in need of either for our Souls or Bodies first for our Souls we must beg pardon and absolution for all our Sins in the name of Jesus Christ who obtained it with his blood Secondly we must earnestly beseech the grace and assistance of Gods blessed Spirit to enable us to forsake all sin and wickedness and to live in obedience to him then it will be very necessary to beg all these particular graces faith hope Charity love zeal purity and repentance if thou art proud pray for Humility if lustful for Chastity if guilty of gluttony pray for temperance and so for all other vertues thou standest most in need of IN Petitioning for our Bodies we are to beg of God such accommodations of life as are necessary for us but in such a degree and measure as his all-seeing Wisdom Knows is most suitable to our state and Conditions the next duty and Third part of Prayer is deprecation which consists in praying to God to turn away from us either the evil of sin or the evil of punishment to pray against the evil of sin is to beg earnestly of God to preserve us by his Grace from falling into any sin and when we are under any great temptation and even ready to yield then we must Humbly beseech him either to withdraw the temptation or else by the Power of his Grace Strengthen us against it next we are to pray against the evil of Punishment which are two sorts Spiritual and Temporal Spiritula punishments are the wrath of God the with-holding of his Grace and Everlasting Damnation temporal punishments is loss of Friends goods or reputation but in these things we must wholy Submit to the will of God unto whom all we have belongs A Fourth Duty in Prayer is intercession which is praying for all sorts and Conditions of Men as Governours in Church and State our Parents Husband Wife Children or other Relations and Friends for all those in affliction either in Body mind or Estate nay even for our very Enemies according to the example of our Lord and Master who prayed for his very Crucifiers Father forgive them for they know not what they do The fifth Duty of Prayer is thanksgiving praising and blessing God for all his mercies Spiritual and Temporal Spiritual blessings are his sending his Son into the World for our Redemption and his holy Spirit to Sanctifie us that we are born Christians and are made partakers of his holy word and Sacraments We are likewise to return him thanks for his patience and long suffering in not Cutting us off in our Sins and Follies Temporal blessings which we are to give thanks for may be for the prosperity of a Church or Nation and all diliverances which are remarkable Some belongs to our selves as Health Wealth Food Rayment Friends with many other Mercies we daily receive from God which whoever receives the least blessing is indebted all his life time to Praise the author and giver of all good things THESE forementioned parts of our duty in Prayer are to be made use of both in private and publick that is in the Church and in our Closet but more especially in the Church to which place there is a peculiar Blessing belongs which Christ hath promised that where two or three are gathered together in his Name he will be in the midst of them The second Duty of publick Prayer is that in a family and that indeed ought to be the Masters Care to provide for the Souls of those that belong to him as to provide food for their Temporal Nourishment Now if he neglects this Duty and takes no care of his Household in this important affair that Man cannot well be esteemed a Christian but a
evermore let no appalements disturb me keep me from Fire Storms Tempests Thieves sudden Death and Danger cause thine Angels to pitch their Tents round about me my House and Habitation and preserve all that is near and dear unto me Here name your particular Friends REMEMBER thy Church and every Member of it have pity on the poor afflicted Protestants in all parts beyond the Seas who suffer for the Testimony of their Faith and a good Conscience send them help from thy Holy place and evermore mightily defend them be unto them a Sun and a Shield a Sun to Comfort and a Shield to defend them to all Dangers and Tribulations put a period unto all their afflictions and in â—hy good time vouchsafe them a happy Deliverance Lord receive them and me and all that appertain unto me this Night and for ever into thy Gracious protection through the Mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Meditations for Saturday THE great Creator this day rested from all his Work which he had made and blessed it O Lord grant that after this painful life is ended I may enjoy a comfortable rest with thee in Heaven where I may keep an eternal Sabbath and hold a perpetual Feast there will be rest without Labour tranquillity without Molestation and joys without End There my Soul wilt thou behold a Glorious City the Streets of Gold the Gates of Pearl and the Foundations garnished with all sorts of precious Stones I SHALL behold thee the Father in thy Majesty Christ thy Son in his Glory the Spirit in his Sanctity the Arch-Angels and Angels in their Exceilency and the Saints in their Felicity then shall I no more hunger labour nor travel I shall no more fear grieve nor desire I shall want no more an earthly House for the Heaven of Heavens shall be my Habitation God will be my Temple and the Lamb that shineth for ever shall enlighten me LORD let the hope and expectation of this eternal rest and felicity sweeten all my labours and ease my torments let it mitigate my afflictions and comfort my spirits that I faint not in my Journey nor be depressed under my burden but hold on cheerfully and valiantly till I arrive at the Land of Promise and there receive the Lot of mine Inheritance with the Saints in light for evermore Amen A Prayer for Saturday Morning MOST Gracious God sanctifie I humbly beseech thee this day unto me and my self now and ever unto thy service thy Mercies O Lord they are new every Morning and therefore my Thanks ought every day to be a new repeated I praise thy holy Name for keeping me this Night past unto this present hour and moment and hast now brought me unto the last day of the Week grant that I may spend the same soberly righteously and holily BRING me to the knowledge of thy Blessed Will in all things that I may endeavour to perform the same to thy Glory the peace of my Conscience and the preservation of my own Soul purge and cleanse my Heart and Conscience from all dead Works that I may serve thee the living God for evermore Be thou my Guide in all my ways my stay and support in all my necessities put an end to the motions of the Flesh enlarge my Heart for all pious Duties and habitual Graces of thy Spirit that I may bring forth the Fruits of them in my Life and Conversation BLESS the Kingdom wherein I inhabit and thy holy Catholick Church whereof I am an unworthy Member bless thy Servants and our dear Lord and Lady King William and Queen Mary as thou hast Crowned them with a Temporal Crown here so in thy due time give them a Crown of Glory hereafter Bless Katherine the Queen Dowager her Royal Highness the Princess Ann of Denmark with the rest of the Royal Family Bless all persons whether dignified or distinguished from the swayer of the Scepter to the drawer of Water have mercy upon all sick persons Women travelling with Child and those who are troubled in Body Mind or Estate O Lord speak peace unto their Consciences and as thou hast laid laid them down with the one hand so raise them up with the other if not to this life to life eternal for the Merits and Mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord Amen A Prayer for Saturday Evening O GOD the maker and preserver of all things look down with thy eye of pity and compassion upon me a miserable sinner I here prostrate my self Soul and Body before thy Divine Majesty beseeching thee in much mercy to pardon my sins to Sanctifie me with thy grace and to bring me to thy glory That so my Soul may be refreshed with such things as Eye hath not seen Ear hath not heard nor hath it entered into the heart of Man to conceive ENTER not into Judgment with thy Servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no Flesh living be justified Examine not my wayes this Week past by the strickt rule of thy Law neither reward me in the severity of thy Justice But have Mercy upon me a miserable offender that have deserved the sharpest of thy Judgments but as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so is thy Mert cy over all thy Works of and great exten to poor Sinners SATISFIE my Soul with thy Mercy and that right soon so shall I rejoyce and be-glad in thee and learn to praise thee Evermore And now O Lord as this Week is ended so let my Sins be ended and never be repeated again any more Be pleased to be my merciful protector and preserver from all perils and dangers this Night Refresh my Body with quiet rest that my mind may be chearful and be fit to serve thee in Sanctifying thy Sabbath and keeping it as a glorious day unto thee through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Meditations on the Lords Supper HOW can I approach so divine a banquet and not by an humble confession wash my hands in innocency holy things must not be given to Dogs nor Pearls cast before Swine What is so holy as the Body and blood of Christ and what Pearl so precious as this Sacrament There is no Dog so filthy or Sow so unclean as I am by Nature but with great detestation of my Rebellious Corruptions I confess that never Dog so often returned to his Vomit nor Sow to her wallowing in the mire as I have to the sink of Sin and mire of sensual filthiness O WASH my hands in purity cleanse my Mouth and purge my Heart that I may take with a pure Hand eat with an undefileth mouth and keep in a faithfull heart this bread of life and food of Angels give me grace throughly and sincerely to examine my self and grant that after Examination I may find my desire fervent my knowledge Competent my Sorrow for Sin unfeigned my purpose of amendment sled fait my love sincere and my Faith lively AND finding my self thus apparelled in a wedding garment let me be found of thee
in Peace and both cheerfully approach unto and joyfully and thankfully depart from thy holy and Heavenly Table receiving by and with the Bread broken thy Crucified Body and with the Wine poured out thy blood shed And by both remission of my Sins re-admission into thy presence and favour incorporation into thy myâ—tical Body and finally the glorification of my Body and Soul with thee in thy Kingdom of glory Amen A Prayer before the Communion O LORD Jesus the Son of the living God who freely offeredst thy most Sacred Body to be broken and thy blood to be shed for my Sins that I might be ransomed from Hell and delivered from wrath and eternal Condemnation O Lord my sins original and actual of weakness and wickedness have deserved thy Wrath and heavy indignation and had not thine eye spared me I had long since been in everlasting burnings and wholly banished from the presence of thy glory LORD wash away all my Sins in the streams of thy preâ—ious blood which Speaks better things than that of Abel's thou hast loved me in laying down thy life for me and hast left unto thy Church this holy Sacrament as a pledge and assurance that through thy death all that truly partake of this Sacred and Heavenly inititution apprehending the mysteries and applying the mâ—rits of Christ Crucified they may receive Comfort and Peace in believing those promises which thou hast expreâ—t unto us in thy word and be partakers of the benefits of thy Sons passion and have fruition of thy saving vertue here and life and Glory hereafter ACCEPT me O Lord in thy dear Son as washed justified and Sanctified and by thy Spirit cleanse and purifie me daily more and more Sanctifie my affections and enlarge my heart for holy and Heavenly things and grant that through a stedfast lively and constant Faith I may receive and worthily eat this Sanctified Bread and drink of this Sacred Cup in a holy remembrance that thy Body O Lord Jesus was Crucified and thy blood was shed for the remission of my sins and grant that it may so effectually operate in my Soul that I may ever hereafter live in a holy obedience according to thy heavenly Will through Jesus Christ. Amen An Ejaculation before Receiving the Bread BLESSED Lord as thou hast given thy Flesh to be the Bread of eternal Salvation so vouchsafe to work in me by a lively Faith that I receiving the same may evermore continue in me and thou in me Amen An Ejaculation before Receiving the Cup. O LORD vouchsafe that as thy Blood was shed to wash me a sinner from the Corruption of Old Adam so grant that it may through a lively Faith take effect in me washingâ— me from the filth of sin and renew in me the Fruits of Righteousness that I may become a fit Member to live in thee and dye in thee Amen A Prayer after the Communion O GOD I praise and bless thy holy Name for thine unspeakable favour and loving kindness in feeding me at this time with the spiritual Food of the Body and Blood of thy Son Jesus Christ whom thou vouchsafest to send for our Redemption and to offer him up to Death for me in remembrance whereof he hath commanded me to eat his Body and drink his Blood to the end that by Faith I should be united to him and made a lively Member of his Mystical Body and being washed from all my sins in his Blood I should lead a new life in all obedience holiness and righteousness VOUCHSAFE I humbly beseech thee for his sake to endue me with thy holy Spirit that by casting away the works of darkness I may walk in the true light of thy holy Spirit and ever remain in the number of thy holy and elect Children give me an earnest desire to partake often of this holy Institution and to lead my life according to thy holy Will in all things keeping my Body and Soul unspotted and undefiled as fit receptacles of so heavenly Food that my Soul may be partaker of the Mysteries thereof by faith in Christ Jesus AND now Glory be to God on high on Earth peace and eternal Consolation in my Conscience I am sed now with thy Body and my heart is refreshed with the Cup of the New Testament in thy Blood Now I am a Member of thy Mystical Body Flesh of thy Flesh and Bone of thy Bone Lord let nothing be ever able to separate me from thee but since all things work for the good of thy Chosen let all things more and more unite me to thee that I may grow from Grace to Grace and Strength to Strength till I come to the full measure of thy perfect Age and not be refused by thee who hast given thy self for me and unto me Amen A Prayer before hearing the Word O LORD Illuminate my dark understanding to receive thy Word and prudently retain it give me Grace that the Seed of thy Word being sown in my heart it may take deep root downward and bring forth Fruit upward to the Credit of thy Gospel the Comfort of my poor Soul and above all to the Glory of thy most holy Name Let thy spirit rule and guide the Lips of thy Minister that he may utter nothing but the Word of Truth with that fervency that neither fear nor affection may stop the current of the same AND because the Harvest is great and the Labourers but few I beseech thee who art Lord of the Harvest to send forth such into thy Vineyard as may with a zeal discharge their Ministerial Function let thy Urim be upon them as upon thy holy ones that sincerity of Doctrine and integrity of Conversation may adorn their persons Lord guide the Heart and Tongue of him whom I shall hear this day grant he may speak home to my Conscience and leave no Corruption unbowelled but that his Words may chase away all sinful affections from me whereby I may depart from all Iniquity BLESS all thy people and grant that they may be not only hearers of thy Word but doers of the same not deceiving their own Souls and grant that thy Messengers dividing the Word aright and thy people keeping it carefully and practising it conscionably they may through Jesus Christ obtain the remission of their sins past and receive thy Grace for the time to come Give them light instead of darkness peace for trouble and eternal happiness instead of Felicity that tasting the sweetness of Caelestial Comfort they may despise Terrestrial and after this life ended they may enter into everlasting Glory through Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer after hearing the Word MOST gracious God of thy bountiful Goodness thou hast through thy Son Jesus Christ made known for my instruction and unspeakable comfort the glorious Gospel thy Word of Truth which none can learn but by hearing and none can hear but by preaching and none can preach except they be sent to this end give me thy grace I humbly
was formed and fashioned in the Womb by thy tender care I was brought from thence and by thy Mercifull providence I have been preserved even to this momenthin laud and magnifie thy holy Name and implore thy never failing aid in this approaching time of my necessity O be not far off rom me when trouble is nigh at hand but hear my voice and save me when I call upon thee mitigate my pains or endue me with patience and support my Spirits in that great conflict LORD perfect what thou hast begun and what thou hast wrought in secret bring forth I beseech thee into thy most marvellous light that we may all behold the wonders of thy Wisdom and extol thy power O Lord in thee alone do I humbly place my Confidence for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth I wholly resign my self unto thee beseeching thee to have Mercy upon me and when ever thou shalt be pleased to call me from this Life Lord fit me for a better where all sorrows and tears shall be done away and everlasting joyes possess our hearts for evermore Amen The Midwives Prayer before Deliverance MOST gracious God who by thy never failing providence hast kept me even from my Mothers Womb to this moment and hast now deputed me the unworthiest of all thy Servants to this great office for a help and comfort in that great pain and peril of Child birth Be with me O Lord I beseech thee and assist me in this great work which I am now ready to undertake prosper thou O Lord the work of my hands O prosper I beseech thee my handy work O PUT thy fear into my heart that I may be as sincere to the Poor as to the Rich to save life and not to destroy let me not be too timerous nor too violent but endue me with those vertues and graces which thou knowest most convenient for me and give a Blessing to this undertaking preserve me I humbly beseech thee in the dangerous times from contagion infection or any bodily diseases which may be received from sick Persons AND as thou hast by thy Almighty power made her Conceive and hast now even brought it to the Birth so give her strength also to bring forth Support her Spirits in her labour bless the endeavours of those who are present with her preserve the life of that which strugles in her Womb to be delivered And let us behold the operation of thy hands to all our Joy and Comfort Lord hear our Prayers and let our cry come unto thee save her and help her we humbly beseech thee O Lord. Our Father c. A Thanksgiving after Deliverance FORASMUCH as it hath pleased thee O Almighty God of thy gra cious Goodness to ease me of my pains and deliver me of my burden and from the great danger and peril of Childbirth I here humbly prostrate my Soul and Body before thee to be unto thee a reasonable lively and living Sacrifice holy and acceptable in thy sight giving thy Divine Majesty infinite and unfeigned thanks for this thy gracious preservation of me and delivering me out of this great danger of Death under which I might have perished had not thy mercy and goodness embraced me on every side TO thee alone most heavenly Father be given and ascribed all Praise and Thanksgiving now and for ever as thou hast been graciously pleased to give me a Child so Lord give me thy Grace which is sufficient for me to devote and consecrate it wholly to thee and thy service to this end work mightily in it by thy holy spirit sanctifie it from the Womb not whilst it hangs upon the Breasts but so long as it shall breathe in the Land of the Living until thou translate it hence to Reign with thee in Glory Amen A Prayer for one near any Temptation O MERCIFUL God thou exercisest thy Children with sundry Trials and Temptations leaving them to themselves as thou didst Hezekiah to the end he might see his frailty some like St. Peter thou exposest to the boysterous Winds of Satans Winnowings and others like St. Paul to the blows of the Adversaries vehement Buffetings O God thine only Son thou didst not exempt from Satans sharpest and stoutest Trials when thou conductedst him into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil IF thou O Lord shouldst permit me in like manner to be tried and tempted suffer me not at any time to be overcome but hold me up by thy Almighty power animate by the presence of thy blessed Spirit and let thy Grace be ever sufficient for me whereby I may foil my Enemy and in the end get the Victory detect his Policies discover his Subtilties defeat his doings and dealings which are against me to this end endue me with such Wisdom as may make me foresee his Stratagems such vigilancy as I may avoid his Snares which he prepares for my Souls destruction LET no temptation take me but what is common to Man try me not above my strength but with the temptation make me a way to escape let me never yield to the motions of Satan suggesting unto me Death or Desperation but grant me patience to expect the hour of my Departure my Souls Separation the dissolution of my Body and deliverance from the misery of this wretched World let my trouble be without distress my perplexity without despair my persecution without forsaking and my casting down without destruction if Tears fall from my Eyes in thy good time wipe them away and preserve them in thy Bottle that they may be precious in thy sight O LORD if thou leavest me for a while draw nigh again unto me in great Compassion cover my head in my spiritual Conflicts let thy Love be my Banner thy Faithfulness and Truth my Shield and Buckler let no trial surprize me but give me a right Judgment that I may count it all Joy when I fall into divers Temptations O let not my heart be hardned by them as the Israelites were who provoked thee in the Wilderness but sanctifie all thy visitations unto me that I may be bettered and reformed by them that my Faith being tryed patience may have her perfect work in me intire lacking nothing I KNOW O Lord in all thy Temptations thou ever hast one end and Satan another thou triest me to the end that being faithful thou mightest give me a Crown of Life but Satan seeks to seduce me to Wickedness but O holy Spirit thou preserver of all Men keep me by thy Grace and strengthen me by thy Power be present with me and president in me and as thy sufferings abound in me so let thy consolation much more abound and in the midst of my greatest Agonies of Mind let thy Comforts refresh my disquieted Soul LORD let thy mighty Hand and stretched-out-Arm be now and always my Defence thy mercy and loving kindness in Christ Jesus thy dear Son my Salvation thy true and holy Word my Instruction thy Grace
and holy Spirit my Comfort and Consolation THE peace of God which passeth all Understanding keep my Heart and Mind in the love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord and the blessing of God Almighty the Father Son and Holy Ghost be with me and remain with me and mine and with the whole Church of God from this time forth and for evermore GOD be merciful unto me and bless me the Lord lift up the light of his Countenance upon me and be merciful unto me and grant me his everlasting peace Amen A Prayer for one afflicted in Mind O FATHER of Mercy and God of all Consolation vouchsafe I beseech thee relief and succour unto me a wretched Sinner who am much tormented in Mind and afflicted in Conscience Lord I am afraid of thy Judgments and the severe Threatnings written in thy Law against those sins I have committed but O Lord break not the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax wound not my humble and contrite Heart but revive my Spirit that goes mourning all the day long though Satan thinks thou hast smitten and forsaken me yet frustrate his hopes and expectations leave me not destitute of thy Grace as a prey unto the Enemy of my Soul but mightily preserve and evermore defend me AND though my Conscience accuses me my Memory witnesses against me and my Reason condemns me though I am overwhelmed in discomfort and have lost the voice of joy and gladness and have neither worth to appease thy wrath nor patience to endure thy tryal yet send me O Lord the comfort of thy holy Spirit into my heart that I may not be swallowed up with overmuch heaviness but may rejoyce in thee with joy unspeakable and full of Glory Open and set open the Gate of thy Mercy to the greatness of my Misery for my mind is sorrowful my heart heavy my spirit is oppressed my words are stopt with sighs and my complaints watered with tears IN executing thy Judgments Lord remember Mercy try me not least I be condemned weigh not my offences but pardon my offences sanctifie all those means unto me which may afford me relief as Prayer Conference Meditation reading and hearing of thy Word and receiving the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of thy Son and my alone Saviour and Redeemer mitigate my extremities abate my fears and moderate my afflictions let not Night Visions like Nebuchadnezzar's make me affraid but when I awake stay me with Flaggons and comfort me with Apples thy precious promises which are pleasant to the Soul RECTIFIE my Understanding as in the days of Old and Drink no longer unto me in the Cup of Affliction but in the Chalice of refreshing that I may pay my Vows unto thee and call upon thy Name in the sight of all thy Congregation but if it be thy good pleasure to try me and not take away this Cup from me confirm my Faith and continue unto me that Hope which is to be revealed to this end cause me with the Eye of Faith to look up to thee who chastisest me and wait for the appointed time of my delivery out of all my Troubles LORD suffer me not to be swallowed up with despair but vouchsafe me a full assurance of thy Mercy that thou wilt never leave me nor forsake me but wilt be in life my God in death my Deliverer and after death my Eternal Rewarder Lord hearken and incline thine Ear unto these my Requests for thy Sons sake my only Lord and Saviour Our Father c. THE Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the love of God the Father and the most comfortable Fellowship of God the holy Ghost be with me bless preserve and keep me both in Soul and Body in Goods and good Name in Life Health Peace and Godliness together with thy whole Church and all that appertain unto me now and for evermore Amen A Prayer to be used in behalf of one troubled in Mind ALMIGHTY God the only Guide and Comfort of our Souls and to whom alone we fly for succour in all afflictions O Lord we presume now to appear before thee in behalf of this thy afflicted Servant Support him I beseech thee in his greatest conflicts silence and appease his troubled Spirit that he may quietly hearken to thy blessed Words of Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest THOU hast solemnly proclaimed O Lord in thy holy Scripture that thou dost not delight in the death of a Sinner but rather that he should turn from his Wickedness and live O make him with joy feel his Soul turning to thee since no satisfactory Comfort can be acquired but only in thy love and favour which to all thy Servants is better than life it self We beseech thee speak peace to his Conscience and say unto him and all that are here present that thou art our Salvation ENDUE him with thy Grace give him peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost O give him the Comfort of thy help again and Establish him with thy free Spirit quicken him O Lord for thy Names sake and for thy Righteousness sake bring his Soul out of this trouble Put gladness into his heart and restore him again if it be thy Blessed will that he and we may Evermore rejoyce in thee who art the Father of all Mercies and the God of all Consolation to whom be Glory and Praise now and for Evermore Amen Meditations for the Sick O GOD thou dost what thou pleasest in Heaven and in Earth in the Sea and in all deep places thou art full of Compassion and tender Mercy long suffering and aboundest in goodness and truth thou alone forgivest Sins and savest all those that trust in thee in time of affliction I KNOW that all Flesh is Grass and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field the grass withereth the flower fadeth but the Word of thee our God shall stand for Ever In thy word therefore and gracious promises is my hope which is my greatest Comfort in my affliction IN the multitude of thy thoughts within me thy Comforts shall delight my Soul I will rejoyce even in the midst of my tribulation and glory in thy Holy Name who makest all things work together for good to them that love thee Though I walk through the vally of the shadow of Death I will fear no evil for thou art with me thy rod and thy staff doth Comfort me WE are but of Yesterday and know nothing because our dayes upon Earth are as a shadow When thou with rebukes dost correct Man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to Consume away like a Moth Surely every Man is vanity my time is in thy hand Make thy face to shine upon thy Servant Save me for thy Mercies sake HIDE not thy face from me put not thy Servant away in thine anger Thou hadst been my help leave me not neither forsake me O God my of salvation Thou
Meditations aright for Mortality and at that last hour make him to deny himself in renouncing his Justification by any inherent worth or righteousness and in all sorrows and sufferings let thy comforts rejoyce his Soul TO this end mortifie in him the Corruption of Nature quicken him with the Soul of new life and establish him with thy free Spirit purge his heart from all worldly thoughts and his mind from carnal desires motions and affections wash his Soul and Body with the Blood of Christ and sanctifie him throughout in Spirit Soul and Body with the Grace of thy holy Spirit that departing in the true Faith not casting away his confidence nor hope of rejoycing in full assurance of a blessed Resurrection he may have boldness in the day of the Lord Jesus and so pass from Death to Life and be ever with thee to behold thy Glory grant this for the sake of thy dear Son our Lord and Saviour Amen Another Prayer to be used by those that are about the Sick O LORD our God thou art the Judge of all the Earth we Dust and Ashes vile and miserable Sinners do here in all humility cast down our selves before thee for our Sins which are the occasion of all the evil of punishment thou inflictest on the Sons and Daughters of Men. Lord hear us and forgive whatsoever is past and grant that we may for ever hereafter serve and please thee through newness of life walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days and because the days are evil give us Grace to redeem the time that numbring our days aright we may apply our hearts unto true Wisdom make us constantly to eschew evil and do good to seek peace and ensue it LOOK with thine Eye of Mercy and Compassion upon this thy Servant who is grieved with Sickness sanctifie this thy Visitation unto him that those Graces which thou hast begun to work in him may be strengthened increased and by degrees perfected restore unto him the voice of joy and health that the Bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce And seeing we have need of patience send this thy Servant such a degree of patience and consiancy that he may continue thy Faithful Soldier and Servant unto his lives end work in him a sense and seeling of sin and true sorrow for the same which may cause repentance unto Salvation never to be repented of O LORD if it be not thy good pleasure to raise him up from his Bed of languishing prepare his heart for Death and his Soul for Heaven and wash away his Sins in the Blood of Jesus wean his affections from the love of this World and set them on those things which are above that being absent from the Body he may be present with thee O Lord. Repair in this thy Servant thine own Image and renew it in knowledge holiness and righteousness that thou mayest acknowledge him for thine raise him up from the Grave unto the Resurrection of Life and for ever satisfie him with thy likeness and transform him into the same from Glory to Glory Amen A Prayer to recommend the Soul to God when it is departing the Body O MOST Gracious God we commend into thy holy hands the Soul of this thy Servant beseeching thee to defend it from all evil and from thy wrath which he hath deserved let thy holy Angels receive this Soul from this ruinous habitation of Clay and carry it unto the bosom of thy dear Son O say unto this Soul this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise and fear not for it is my Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdom GIVE unto his decaying Body a blessed and a glorious Resurrection to his weary and afflicted his penitent and redeemed Soul a portion in the blessed sentence of the right hand amongst the happy Children of thy Father who shall receive the Kingdom prepared for them from the beginning of the World let his Soul dwell in heavenly Mansions be supported with thy hope comforted with a holy conscience rejoyce in a confirm'd pardon be recreated with the visitation of Angels and be arrayed in white to follow after the Lamb whither soever he goeth A Prayer for a Soul departing O LORD remember the good things which by thy Grace and by the Inspiration of thy holy Spirit thy Servant hath performed and remember not his evil Deeds nor the frailties of his Youth which by the weakness of the Flesh and the temptations of Satan and the vain contingencies of this World have afflicted and humbled his poor but penitent Soul O God remember thy only Son did die for these and thy blessed Spirit occasioned the other and for whom thou hast given thy Son and to whom thou hast vouchsafed to give thy Spirit give thy eternal Pardon and thy everlasting Glories through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen An Act of Resignation when a Friend is deceas'd O ETERNAL God who bringest good out of evil comfort out of sorrow and after a gentle visitation dost refresh thy Children have mercy upon us and return to us with thy loving kindness exchanging our present sorrow into the advantages of holiness and blessing Thy Judgments O Lord are unsearchable and thy ways past finding out but we will bless thy holy Name at all times for thou O Lord hast given and hast taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. BE thou now and for ever what thou hast so graciously promised a Father of the Fatherless a Husband to the Widow and a God of Comfort to them that mourn in secret Grant that we thy Servants may not weep as them without hope neither murmur at thy dispensation nor complain of any thing but our selves nor desire any thing but that thy Will may be done nor do any thing but what is agreeable to thy holy Word and Commandment GRANT O Lord that when thou smitest any of us it may encrease thy fear in us and when thou dost good to any of us in smiting or forbearing in chastising or Comforting it may encrease thy love in us And let thy holy Spirit so prevail over all our wills and understandings our Affections and the outward Man our interests and our hopes that we may live in this World pleasing to thee and may depart out of this World with the peace of a good Conscience and may attain to a joyful Resurrection in the last day and to a participation of thy Glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Meditation after Recovery from Sickness O COME hither and behold the Works of the Lord how wonderful he is in his doings towards the Children of Men O come hither and hearken all ye that fear God and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul I called unto him with my mouth and gave him praises with my Tongue O Lord my God I cried unto thee and thou hast healed me THOU Lord hast brought my Soul out of Hell Thou hast kept my Life from them that