regular in thy course and withal be mindful who it is that must be thy Judge 4. Be much in the attendance of the Word read and preached for that is the only way that God has appointed for himself to be found in moreover it is that that will discover unto thee what is thy Duty 5. And lastly Be much in Prayer for this is that that will give success to all other this is the Conduit-pipe to convay or discover all our wants to God and mercies from God to us FORMS OF PRAYERS For Particular Persons For every Day in the Week A Prayer for the Sabbath-day Morning MOst Holy and Glorious Lord God I sinful dust and ashes presuming to approach thy presence desire that thou wilt please to fit my heart for the approaching so holy a Presence as thine is that on this day I may be so sitted according to the preparations of thy Sanctuary as that I may meet with thy self that thou mayest communicate something that may be of refreshment unto my Soul by thy Word and Spirit yea that I may be found in the Spirit on the Lord's day O Lord pardon my sins that I have been guilty of this week past and all my life past and let them not stand as a flood to stop my Prayers from ascending unto thee or to keep back the influences of thy holy Spirit from my Soul O Lord looking upon them and upon my nature polluted by them it makes me afraid to look up unto Heaven Nay indeed I durst not only thou hast commanded me to come unto thee by the vertue of the precious Blood of thy Son Christ that is my strong consolation hope and comfort Moreover Lord thou hast prescribed a comfortable promise that thou wilt pardon the sins of thy People for thy own Names sake O therefore for thy own Names sake do away all my sins in the Blood of Jesus Christ that I may appear before thee in the Robes of Christ's Righteousness and and not in mine own seeing all mine is but as menstruous cloth and filthy rags Lord prepare me for this thy days work help me in it and keep me after it that thy Spirit may seal up Divine Truths in the closet of my heart that laying them up in my heart I may practise them in my life and bring forth fruit with patience meet for repentance Lord let neither the cares of the World nor the deceitful thoughts of riches choak thy Seed sown nor let Satan steal it out of my heart but let it be as good seed sown in a good and honest heart that taking root downward it may bring forth fruit upward being watered with the bedewings of thy Spirit O come in this day with fresh reviving Grace that thereby I may be so quickned and qualified as that I may meet with thy self Let this day be so sanctified to me as that I may say in the close thereof 't is not in vain but good to draw nigh to thy self that I am drawn a step nigher this day to thy self by the Blood of Christ Lord pardon the want of a reverent frame of spirit the unworthy obtrusion into thy presence at this time and look upon my unworthiness in the worthiness of Christ my imperfection in his perfection my sinfulness in his righteousness and my weakness in his strength that I may appear righteous in thy sight in his righteousness and that for his own sake Amen A Prayer for the Sabbath-day Evening GRacious God notwithstanding the much imperfection my Soul has been clogged with this day thou hast given me cause this day to say from a grounded experience that it is not in vain to draw nigh unto thee Lord I heartily thank thee for the refreshing smiles of thy countenance this day in thy Ordinances O how good is it to draw nigh to God in his own way Blessed be thy Name holy God That never saidst to the Seed of Jacob seek ye my face in vain Lord thou hast been so good in communicating thy self unto me by thy Word and Spirit that I may say with thy Servant David What shall I render unto the Lord for all his Mercies Lord it is matter of wonder and admiration to me that thou shouldest deal so with me seeing thou hast been provoked by my coldness and deadness in such a manner I beseech thee O Lord pass by all my miscarriages that I have been guilty of this day let not them be a prevention of a future supply of my wants and necessities Nay let not them be the cause of thy withdrawing thy self in future attendances on thee nor the cause of removing thy Ordinances thy Gospel thy faithful Ministers and Messengers O Lord thou hast declared thy self a God of mercy and indeed I may as it were set to my Seal seeing my provocations have been so many and so great Lord thou hast not dealt after the manner of men with me Let thy manifold Mercies be an engagement to stir me up to a more watchful frame of spirit that by my negligence I incur not thy displeasure Lord pardon sins past and humble me for sins present and keep me from sins â—o come that thereby I may be rendred meet for every good word and work Accept my willing ness and overlook my weakness in thy only Son Jesus Christ in whom thou art well pleased In whose Name I thank thee for all my enjoyments and through whose Blood I desire to receive all my Mercies and for whom I desire to bless thee To him and thee the onely wise God be praise for ever Amen A Prayer for Monday Morning BLessed God all thy dealings with the Sons of men attest thy liberality â—y and bounty thou renewest thy merâ—ies every morning Lord renew my â—eart that I may be capacitated to serve thee and to sing new Songs of praises â—o thee every morning Blessed God thank thee that thou hast made my life â—recious in thy sight that thou hast chained up Satan that roaring Lyon that goes about night and day seeking whom be may devour that would have devoured me Soul and Bâ—dy unless prevented by thy power and goodness O help me so long as I have a being to praise thee Lord how mightest thou have made my â—ed my grave my sleep my death and have cut me off from the Land of the living yet thou hast been pleased to preserve me and keep me from the rage of cruel Enemies both spiritual and corporal Seeing Lord thou hast dealt thus with me let this day be of great use to to me that I may learn some things in it that may be of special use for my Souls advantage and that seeing all time was given for the Service of God that I may in my employment meditate either on the word that I have heard thy day past or thy works in which are many wonderful mysterious things to be seen worthy taking notice of and contemplating upon Help me so to begin the week
my Soul and remember it God that hath entred thee into his Warfare and is thy spectator and helper will never reckon up to thee Sathans deeds for thine and learn thou wisely how to distinguish them but comfort thy self as long as thou art able to stand to thy protestation that thou do'st suffer violence in them and canst say with the Apostle This is not I but sin that dwells in me O Lord deliver me from the rage of this Spiritual Tyranny many a time have I looked to have been swallowed up but thou hast sustained me Blessed be my God for ever and the Lord be my God to the end Of the Lords Supper THE necessity of this will appear if we consider what advantage doth accrew from hence to us-ward and this appears 1. From the admirable satisfaction it yieldeth unto a distressed Soul 2. In that it instigates and stirs us up to the study of Piety and Holiness 3. In that it enlightneth our understanding 4. In that it corroborates us or addeth strength to our weakness 5. In that it maketh glad the conscience and heart 6. In that it is as it were our Viaticum or Refreshment in our Journey to that Celestial Canaan Three things principally are necessary to a fruitful Reception of the Lords Supper 1. Purity and Holiness Lev. 19.2 Be ye Holy as I am Holy And this may be taken in two words First To be sorry and humble for past and present sins and resolve in the Strength of Christ against sins to come Secondly To abandon all hatred and malice because it is a Sacrament of Love 2. A right intention in communicating 1. Not Customarily 2. Not Men-pleasingly 3. Not Appearing outwardly 3. Actual Devotion viz. 1. To endeavour to pray without distraction 2. To be Spiritually ellevated Christ-ward in Affection in his Ordinance 3. To come with Humility and devout Reverence After Receiving the Holy Sacrament 1. Give thanks to Christ the Author for the vouchsafing it to thee 2. Be careful for the future more and more to keep up his Worship 3. Intreat him to abide with thee to the end of the World and so to Eternity A Soliloquy concerning the Blessed Sacrament Quest For what cause do I receive this Institution or Ordinance of God Answ 1. To the end I may regard and dutifully keep Christs most Holy Institution 2. To demonstrate my self a Member of the same Body whereof he is the Head 3. That I may receive this Sovereign Repast to the Corroborating of my Faith and the Health of my Soul Quest What do I Receive Answ The Body and Blood of Christ after a Divine and Celestial Manner Quest What profit have I by the receiving of the same Answ Increase of Grace Assurance of Gods Love as a Pledge of an Eternal Inheritance purchased for me in Heaven Quest Why do I often Communicate Answ Because I hope I am one of Gods Children and therefore desire to come often unto him as a God in Covenant and Father in Christ Quest After what manner ought I to come Answ By Faith and Repentance with a fixed Resolution to serve and obey him in Holiness and Righteousness according to that Ability he shall beslow on me as long as I live Quest What should I observe before I have access to the Lords Supper Answ Doubtless I ought to examine my own Heart what sins I stand guilty of in the sight of God and earnestly to beg of God both to discover them to me and mortifie them in me being the sole Work of God and humble me for them 2. Stedfastly to confide in Christ for a Pardon of these things judging him only able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him for so it is in his Word and to work in me what is promised in his Word 3. To Consider that I ought to come prepared to such an Holy Ordinance because it is Commanded in Gods Word Let a Man examine himself c. 4. To Consider that Prayer is the best means whereby I can be sitted for the receiving of such a Sacrament 5. To be much in the Meditation of the Passion of Jesus Christ his Resurrection and of my rising with him unto a newness of Life a Life of Holiness here and in seeking life hereafter If ye then be risen with him seek those things that are above 6. To consider that these Elements viz. Bread and Water that I am preparing to receive are so to be received as the Body and Blood of Christ by Faith whereby his Death is shewed forth and the worthy Receivers are not Corporally and Carnally but Spiritually partakers of the same Body and Blood with all his benefits to their Spiritual Nourishment and growth in Grace In a word I or any other that would worthily partake of this Lords Supper must examine our selves of our knowledge to discern the Lords Body of our Faith to feed upon him of our Repentance Love and New Obedience least coming unworthily we eat and drink Judgment to our selves A Prayer before the Communion O Glorious and Omnipotent God behold I an unworthy wretch am presuming to draw nigh thy Table a Banquet of thine appointment I am approaching I say but as the Patient to the Physician as the Unclean to the fountain of Mercy as the Blind to the light of Eternal Brightness as a poor Begger to the King of Mercy as the Naked to the Lord of Heaven and Earth I beseech thee out of the abundance of thy Pity to heal my Infirmity to wash my Foulness to enlighten my Darkness and Blindness to enrich my Poverty to cloth my Nakedness that I may receive the Bread of Angels O thou the King of Kings and Lord of Lords grant that I may receive thee with such respect and reverence with such contrition and fear with such faith and purity with such a purpose and humility as is expedient for my Soul Lord notwithstanding mine unworthiness give me not only the Sacrament but the vertue of the Sacrament and grant me so to receive the Body and Blood of thy only Son that I may be incorporated into the Mystical Body and be accounted as a Member of the same Grant that whom I now receive as it were covered with a vail I may one day behold in Glory who liveth and reigneth with thee and thy Holy Ghost world without end Amen A Thanks giving after the Communion BLessed Jesus Praises is due to thy self for that infallible love of thine that by thy death didst redeem mankind I beseech thee suffer not that precious Body of thine to be broken nor thy Blood to be shed for me in vain O let thy Blessed and Sacred Body feed my Soul and precious Blood quicken my spirit and by increasing from one degree to another I may become a fit member of thy Church which is thy Mystical Body and grant that I may never depart from it nor break that league that I have been renewing at thy Table but
Heaven and the Torments of Hell And 3. The last and strict day of account 4. The vanity of Earthly Things 5. The uncertainty of our Lives 41. A Man naturally is weaving Spiders Webbs or hatching Cockatrice Eggs exercised either in mischief or vanity 42. It would much avail to the well-ordering of our thoughts to set our Souls in order every morning and to streng-then and perfume every morning our Spirits with some gracious Meditations especially of the chief end and scope wherefore we live and how every thing may be reduced and ordered to farther the main that is to say Gods Glory and our own Salvation 43. Some will be content to embrace Truth without hatred of the World and Christ without a Cross and a Godly Life without a Persecution They will pull a Rose without Pricks Such empty conceits will be too weak to encounter with such real Trials 44. It is a course that will have a blessing attended to joyn in a league one to watch over another and to observe each others ways T is usual to joyn in Prayer why not in this 45. Happy is he that in the way to Heaven meets with a chearful and skilful Guid and fellow Traveller that carrieth Corbials against all faintings of Spirit 46. There is an heavy imputation on them that comforted not the weak when men will not own others in trouble but as the herd of Deer forsake and push away the wounded from them 47. God often suspends comforts from us to make use of our Christian Friends by whom he purposeth to do us good Oftentimes the very opening of mens griefs brings ease without any farther workings upon them the very opening of a Vein cooleth the Blood 48. A Christian when he is beaten out of all other comforts yet hath a God to turn unto he can wrestle with him with his own Strength and plead with him with his own Arguments 49. Labour to answer every relation wherein thou standest to God 1. As a Father by trusting to his care 2. A Teacher by following his Direction 3. A Creator by depending on him 4. As an Husband by an inseparable love to him 5. And lastly as a Lord by obedience to him 50. Despair is often ground of hope when the darkness of the night is thickest then the morning begins to dawn 51. We may safely expect God in his ways of mercy when we are in his ways of obedience 52. By trusting any thing more than God we make it an Idol and a Curse It will prove a lying vanity and vexation bringing that upon us we looked not for 53. 'T is a vain pretence to believe that God will give us Heaven and yet to leave our selves to shift in the way 54. The way to have any thing taken away and not blest is to set our hearts too much upon it 55. The greatest honour we can do to God is when we see nothing for us but 〈…〉 things contrary to what we look for then to shut our eyes to all inferior things and to look altogether to his sufâ—â—â—â—â— 56. It is an 〈…〉 of true trust when 〈◊〉 a wait Gods leisure and not make haâ—â— 57. â—â—ith doth not especially at first so â—â—â—y the Soul as to take away all suspicion and fears to the contrary though the prevailing of mis-belief is taken away The Needle in the Compass will stand North though with some trembling and the Ship that lieth at Anchor may sometimes be tossed yet it will remain so fastned that it cannot be carried away by wind or weather 58. Look not so much on those miseries which our weak Natures are subject unto as upon God for strength and comfort in them mitigation of them and grace to profit by them 59. The time of sickness is the time of purging from the defilements of sin which we have gathered in our health till we come purer out which should make us the rather willing to obey God and abide his time Blessed is that sickness that proves the health of the Soul we are best for the most part when we are weakest 60. In all kind of troubles 't is not the ingredients that God puts into the Cup that so much afflicts as the ingredients of our distempered passion mingled with them 61. We are not much disquieted when we put off our Cloths and go to Bed because we trust Gods ordinary providence to raise us up again and why should we be disquieted when we put off our Bodies and sleep our last sleep considering that we are more sure to rise out of our Graves than our Beds yea we are already raised up in our head Christ 62. Let us do our own work and leave God to do his Diligence and Trust in him is only ours the rest of the burden is his Let us think of Christ as our duty and God will think what is for our comfort 63. In the worst times there is a presence of God with his Children 1. By moderating the measure 2. The time 3. In joyning some comfort with it And 4. By supportation 65. A good Christian hath 1. A God to go unto 2. A Promise 3. Former Experience besides some present Experience 65. What is our Life but a Web woven with some intermingling of Wants and Favours Crosses and Blessings Risings and Fallings Combats and Victories 66. God deferrs but his deferring is no empty space wherein no good is done but there is in that space a fitting for the Promise 67. Christ prays in the Garden before he enters into the Combate of his resolved passion whence we may learn that Prayer is an Anchor to stay the Soul being tossed a support under a burden a removal of a judgment or an affliction or changes the nature of the affliction 68. It is more comfort to receive strength in suffering than to be delivered from suffering 69. Our sins were the cause of Christs Agony the Thorns that prick'd him the Spear that pierced him the Torments that afflicted him 70. We should always abhor sin more in regard it is hateful to God than because it is hurtful to us 71. We had need to pray that the great change be wrought in us before the great change be wrought upon us 72. As the Blood of Jesus only can free us from the guilt of sin so his Spirit alone can cleanse our hearts from the filth of sin 73. Let us pray that God would shew us what we are by Nature and make us what he would have us by Grace 74. There is nothing terrible in death but what a wicked life hath made so 75. Let us chuse to suffer rather than sin seeing we may suffer without sin but we can never sin without suffering 76. Shall Christ shed his Blood for those sins that were others and shall not we shed tears for sins that are our own 78. A true Christian believes that good works can't save him and yet he believes that he can't be saved without them 79. Let us repent
how long thou shalt live thou canst not tell therefore make use of the first occasion whilest time and strength do last whilest thy Senses are quick thy Nerves limber thy Understanding good thy Judgment sound thy Sight clear and all thy Faculties in a fit posture to serve thy Captain and Master See what an Heathen says to this purpose Ovid. Dum vires annique sinunt tolerate labores Jam veniet taceto curva senecta pede Which may be thus Englished Take pains to grow in Grace whilst young and strong For age will numb thy Joynts e're it be long Abandon all idleness that canker and rust of the Soul the Devil's pillow and chief repose his very Tide-time of temptation Beware that it be not said by you when you come to look death in the face as it was by a Cardinal that being sensible of death's approach cried out in the horrour of his Conscience He had a long Journey to go but had been so idle and negligent that he knew not one foot of the way What more hateful to God than this destroyer of Souls See what God says to that Servant that had the one Talent Matth. 25.26 30. Tertullian well saith Quid prodest esse quod esse non prodest What doth it profit that a man be and being doth not profit He that is slothful is brother to a great waster Prov. 18.9 as Mr. Flavell well saith Besides all this it must be understood That of an idle hand there comes no good And well it may be so said if we look but what befel David for want of Employment 2 Sam. 11.2 And it came to pass in the evening-tide when he arose from off his bed and walked upon the Kings house and looked from the roof he saw a woman c. So that we see that idleness may well be called the Mother of Lust and on the contrary how doth diligence keep all the Affections from idle and vain thoughts and is very profitable for both Body and Soul It puts the Devil out of his path-way of temptation and as it were puts him beside himself O therefore be sure to put away all idleness And to stir thee up to this duty Consider what is like to be the portion of those lazy drones whose sloth the very Insects condemn The little Ant and the Bee how do they busie themselves to lay up against Winter against a Storm only being led by the Instinct of Nature Well then may these careless Sots be termed to that slothful Butter-fly that takes care for nothing but painting her wings so that when winter comes puts her head into a hole and dies The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold therefore he shall beg in harvest and have nothing When others come with their shocks rejoycing he shall starve for want Keep thy Spirits and all the Faculties of thy Soul at work in thy solitary Cessations lest that like two Mill-stones wanting Grift they grind one another to pieces and the best thing to keep thy self imployed in will be to be much in the heart-searching work to see how thy heart stands affected with God for that either sweetens or empoysons all the rest the heart is the Inlet of Vertues and Vices An Host it is that entertains all sorts of Guests and needs to be eyed Moreover Purity in the inward parts is the most unerring and infallible testimony and evidence of a good and sound state therefore search it try it by the Word of Light and Life that true Touchstone 2. See how thy Will stands for God the Will being the Seat of the Graces it is very requisite that it be purified See how its Pulse beats question it What art thou willing to do to suffer to under-go to forsake for God Art thou willing to stand to Gods Cause in all tryals and endure all tempests and storms Art thou willing to be imployed in what Office Christ shall put upon thee and that to the hazard of thy Estate thy Houses thy Lands Goods Wife Children Life and all I say if thy Will be brought to this height thy state is good then thou art fit for communion with God Try therefore thy Will and 't will be a good imployment in times of cessation Shun evil company as much as in thee liest when occurred with In all company have a care of thy tongue For Cato doth say that in old and young The first step to Vertue is to bridle thy tongue Have a care of thy tongue in all company wicked men will be ready to carp and reach and good men will be also censorious when they hear evil idle and frothy discourse because the Word saith Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Matth. 12.34 Moreover Evil communication corrupts good manners such as the heart is such is the discourse a worldly man will be talking of the world an ambitious man of honour a debauched man's discourse will be frothy and light but a pious man 's of the things that appertain to God None can gather grapes of thorns nor figs of thistles such as the tree is such is its fruit Be sure therefore to avoid lewd persons company for familiarity with such steal away the Affections with sensuality and flesh-pleasing delights by little and little stealing away thy heart from God and so intangle it in the contagious and destructive Labyrinth of Phantasie-pleasing delights by becoming remiss first in one duty and than in another and so instead of becoming graduate in the School of Christ becomes graduate in the School of Satan till at length commenses Master of Arts and a debauched life becomes habituate O beware of this How many even a cloud of Witnesses have we every day that assume these diabolica practices Tyburn testifying which to relate time it self would be almost too arct and narrow Survey accurately and circumspectly every action thou undertakest with the Candle of the Word of Light and Life Lay to the Line and Plummet see whether it be consonant to the Will and Word of God or no. Many Trees at a distance seem to be streight until the Line be applied to them and then how crooked do they appear Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way but by taking heed thereunto Take heed and poize all your actions and that with serious consideration before enacted 13. Have a care of being lulled asleep on the lap of sensual delights and pleasures O how many split upon this Rock How many are drowned in the sleep of carnal security and are settled upon their Lees O! how direful a mistake will this be to be carried from a Bed of Down to a Bed of scorching hot Iron To be bound in everlasting chains down the stream of the delights of these last days of ours And that hoise up their sail before the fair gale of Prosperity Pleasure and Delights against the secret blasts of a reclaiming Conscience that would stand as a mark to warn
as that I may ingage thee to prosper all my undertakings in the remaining part of it undertaking nothing but what may be pleasing to thy self and consonant to thy Will and Word Let my labours be sweetned by thy blessing and support me under all Help me to be useful in the place and station where thou hast set me that I may not be branded with the name of a cumber-ground All this and what thou the only wise God knowest necessary for me I humbly beg for Jesus Christ's sake Amen A Prayer for Monday Evening GRacious Lord I humbly thank thee that thou hast been pleased this day to preserve me and to support me under all my undertakings and concerns and that thou hast given me health and strength and liberty and life all which are in thy hand and at thy disposal Lord let the consideration of these things instigate my dull heart to praise thee O Lord in all thy dealings with the Sons of Men there is matter both of prayses and rejoycing Lord thou never dealest with thy People but in a way of love not in a way of Judgment but Mercy If thou shouldest have marked strictly what I have done amiss I have done more amiss and against thee than ever I can or have done for thee in the course of my whole life I beseech thee O Lord pass by all my offences and let them all be washed away in the Blood of that immaculate Lamb Christ Jesus O Lord I bless thee for thy watchful Eye of Providence how much of thy goodness has been manifested this day to me ward In the Morning thou affordest Mercies and in the Evening thou withholdâ—st not thy hand O let Morning and Evening Mercies be of use to bring my Soul into a nearer communion with thy self Let all the bedewings of both right hand and left hand Mercies the blessing of the upper and neather Springs of spiritual Mercies and temporal Mercies be continued and sanctified to me that I may being forth fruit anserable to the pains God the great Husbandman has taken with me and cost he has laid out upon me Lord that I may not be as a fruitless Vine that bears either no grapes or else wilde grapes but O that I may bring forth grapes in clusters fruit much fruit and good fruit Lord now wilt thou be pleased to pass by the negligence of this day and let my defects be made up in him that is fulness it self Jesus Christ and as I am about to betake me to my repose Lord let me acquiesce in thee and grant that lying down I may sanctifie thee in my heart and lying down in peace and rising again I may know and say the Lord sustains me and that for Christ Jesus sake Amen A Prayer for Tuesday Morning GRacious Lord God who fillest Heaven and Earth with thy Goodness and makest the hearts of thy people glad thereby O who is a God like unto thy self a God glorious in Holiness fearful in Praises doing wonders The Heavens declare thy Glorâ— the Firmament sheweth the work of thine hands day unto day sheweth thy wisdom and night unto night uttereth knowledge that thy Name may be exalted above all the gods O Lord let thy wisdom be manifested in and upon me and let a powerful operation of thy Spirit be manifested in the renewing of my heart and mortifying the corruptions of the Old Man that my will may be changed and that the spirit of the Prince of the Power of the Air that worketh in the children of disobedience may be dispossessed Extinguish all the revivings of mortified Iusts O Lord thou knowest that this work is a very hard work such a work as none can do but thy self therefore grant thy assistance And as thou art pleased to renew my strength night by night by moderate sleep and rest Lord renew my spiritual strength that I may be more than a Conqueror over all my carnal corruptions through Jesus Christ O Lord wilt thou pardon all my vain thoughts this night past whatsoever has been disconsonant to the Will and Word of thy Sacred Mâ—iesty O Lord these things thou knowest arise from the Principles of a corrupt nature mortifie them I pray thee for me seeing the work of the new Creation is by and of thy self the heart-work is to be done by a more potent hand than man's Subdue my corruptions renew my will streng then my judgment illuminate my understanding and capacitate me for every good word and work Thou Lord hast preserved me this night past preserve me this day and undertake for me and let all my undertakings be blessed by thee in and through thy Son Christ Jesus Amen A Prayer for Tuesday Evening INfinitely wise God thou hast manifested abundantly thy loving kindness unto me though I sinful dust and ashes have provoked thee by my many miscarriages not only this day but every day Lord I bless thee for thy Providential care over me this day and for that ability under all my Undertakings by which thou hast sustain'd me and kept me by thy free Grace and Mercy not that there was any thing in me that might move thee so to do Lord let all these Mercies be so remembred by me as that they may be a means to stir me up to a more active and lively frame of Spirit to act more in those things that may conduce to thy Honour O Lord I have lived but not to thy self O pardon all my unprositableness my barrenness and leanness let the bedewings of thy Spirit so water my parched Soul that I may be more fertile under the same I confess I have been a very Truant in Christ's School yet Lord thou hast not dealt with me according to my failings but according to the riches of thy free streams of Grace and Love O let not my sins stop that Fountain running towards me but let the Fountain that is set open for sin and uncleanness wash my sins all away O Lord let me be washed white in the Blood of the Lamb and let the searlet crimson stains that sin has made in my poor Soul be washed out Let not my unworthiness this day prevent my night Mercies let not thy Providential care desist to me-ward but rather forgive my sins and offences and let my miserable failings move thee to pity me O do it for thy Names sake Thou Lord hast said thou wilt blot out the sins of thy people for thy Names sake O accomplish this rich Promise to me-ward that I being sensible of thy great forgiveness I may be greatly moved to love thee 'T is said Mary loved much because she had been forgiven much Lord let my rest be sweet unto me that being refreshed thereby I may the next morning be caused to rejoyce in thee and praise thy Name Let this nights rest put me in mind to seek Christ that I may have everlasting rest through him All which I beg for his sake alone the purchaser and procurer
thee more to have blessed me in all my Enterprizes Lord help me to redeem time because the days are evil I thank thee for thy care and preserving providence this day As touching those things that have been done amiss in any way or manner this day by me let them not prevent night mercies O deal in Mercy and not in Judgement with me let thy love conceal all my offences As touching this night Let my rest in it be sweet unto me Let every night be as it were a memento of the silent night in the Grave a remembrance of death to put me in mind of my later end Make my rest sweet unto me that being refreshed with moderate rest I may the next morning bless thy name and be ingaged to a more lively activity for God the next day and that for Christs sake Amen A Prayer for Fryday Morning GLorious Lord 't is thy great condescension that thou dost after such a manner afford the priviledge of the means of Grace unto me and that thou doest give me fresh occasions every morning to praise thee and to pray unto thee to thank thee for Mercies received and to beg further supplies of future Mercies O Lord let not my unthankfulness prevent what further blessings thou mayest design for me O I have been very ungrateful unthankful and unkind in that I have expressed my thankfulness no more by an holy humble and a regular walking before thee Pardon that black sin of ingratitude of which I have been too too much guilty by walking contrary to thy Prescriptions and contrary to the Canons and Constitutions of Heaven Pardon that I have done so little for God that I have loved so little whereas God has loved me so much evidenced by his gracious dealings to me-wards O help me to believe and that strongly hope for Heaven more confidently and love thee more servently and bear the Cross more patiently and submissively that thereby I might steer my course more evenly to the New Jerusalem Lord thou hast been very kind unto me thou hast dealt with me in love this night in my preservation and protection in Soul and Body from Spiritual and Corporal Enemies thou hast guarded me by thy special Providence Accept of my thankfulness and grant that my humility and thankfulness may ingage thee to extend more of thy benignity prosperity and ability in the affairs of this life Sanctifie my heart that this day I may act for God as in the presence of God Direct me in the courses not only of this day but all my days that all may be to thy Glory and the comfort of my Soul through Christ Amen A Prayer for Fryday Evening BLessed God it is the great comfort of thy People that at any time thou art pleased in such a condescending manner to let them spread their cases before thee O Lord sure I am Thou never saidst to the Seed of Jacob seek ye my face in vain for so thy word manifests unto us Whereas Lord I dust and clay have rebelled against thee from time to time yet thou art pleased to admit me to come into thy presence and to tell what my wants are and blessed be thy Name thou hast granted a supply and hast encouraged me to come again and hast not dealt with me after the manner of men but hast been pleased many times to grant me the same Mercies that I formerly abused How many days have I spent vainly and yet thou hast given me the enjoyment of more I pray thee pass by my many miscarriages in this very days course O how little have I done for thee how little honour have I brought to thy Name How selfish have I been How unmindful of God have I been How little have I done in order to the making of my Calling and Election sure Lord how shall I escape in the neglecting so many precious opportunities Instead of doing thy will I have followed the dictates of mine own carnal heart and corruption Instead of doing thy will I have done mine own Pardon what is amiss this day and sanctifie this nights Mercy unto me Let thy good Angels keep me let thy Spirit preserve me let my very thoughts be towards thee keep me from vanity from sin that foul destructive enemy and keep me from the Paw of that roaring Lyon Let me acquiesce and rest in thee through thy Son Jesus Christ Amen A Prayer for Saturday Morning LOrd God Merciful and Gracious and abundant in Goodness and Truth thou hast been pleased to preserve me with thy special Providence from time to time from day to day and night to night and to keep me under and in all straits in and amidst the vicissitudes of this World of Incumbrances O thou hast dealt bountifully with me Grant that I may not be barren under all that thy Providences may not be silent to me Thou hast said Day unto Day uttereth Wisdom and Night unto Night sheweth Knowledge O teach me by all Let every Mornings Mercy and every Evenings Mercy and every Days Mercy be of much use unto me yea let all Seasons be advantagious to me Let time be improved by me for God for which end all Time was given to Man Lord direct me in all my Affairs this day counsel me in all my Concerns prosper me in all my Designs strengthen me in all my undertakings and grant that as thou renewest my strength by rest and sleep thou also may'st renew me in the spirit of my mind let not my heart be set upon the world as to draw my assections from thee nor let the cares of the world prevent me in the care for my Soul Mortifie all my corruptions in me for me rectifie my Judgment mortifie my Will change my Nature illuminate my Understanding and transform me to the Image of God Grant these and what thou in thy wisdom know'st necessary for me through Christ Jesus Amen A Prayer for Saturday Evening HOly Lord what great cause have I to bless thee that thou hast pleased to preserve me all this week and keep me in the midst of all the vicissitudes of this sickle and unconstant world and admittest me yet again to come before thee by way of duty Grant that I may not look upon it as a Duty only but as a Priviledg and that a great one a Priviledge that many enjoy not And what am I more than they I have been guilty of sins both for quantity and quality it may be that they were never guilty of Opardon me that I can be no more thankful for nor profitable in the enjoyment of the same Work in me Lord a more active frame of spirit that I may bring more honour to thy Name let the fruits of Grace spring more apparently in my life Let thy Word teach me thy Spirit guide and sanctifie me thy Son redeem me thy Power preserve me and thy Providence sustain me Yea let all work together for the best for me Pardon the sins of this
Satan come and catch away the Seed but O that it may be as seed sown in good and honest hearts bringing forth fruit with patience meet for repentance and let it be for the weakning of sin but for the strengthening of faith and grace Let thy Word be as Manna for our poor Souls to feed upon for the week to come that thereby we may grow up in grace as we grow in years Let thy word be a sutable word unto every one of our conditions and come thou into our Souls with it with the freest influence of thy Spirit that we may of a truth meet with God communicating of himself unto us by his Word and Spirit And as the Soul is separated from the Body by Death so let sin be separated from our Souls by thy Word and Spirit O let it be separate from our Souls or else it will separate the Souls of us poor Creatures from God Let thy Minister who is thy Messenger be strengthened and touch his tongue with a coal from thine Altar that he may preach experimental truth to the hearts of us poor Creatures that desire to attend on thine Ordinances O let us taste and see how gracious the Lord is and let us have cause to say It is good to draw nigh to God in his own Ordinances on his own Day And let this day of rest be a certain pledge of an eternal rest purchased by our great high Priest who is preparing a place for his select ones O that this thy day may be spent in the performances of holy duties in praise and thanksgiving the work of thine appointment Unvail some secret this day let us be drawn nigher every day unto thy self Let us be so enlightened that sin may decay and grace may be renewed in us Let us come hungering and thursting after Spiritual Food for our Souls so that in the close of this day we by a grounded experience may say that God has satisfied our hungring Souls with refreshing influences from Heaven thorow the Blood of Jesus Christ in whose words we conclude our imperfect requests as he himself has taught us saying Our Father c. An Evening Prayer for the Sabbath MOst Holy and ever Blessed Lord God who fillest Heaven and Earth with thy presence fill the Souls of thy poor empty Creatures with the presence of thy Grace and let thy good Spirit bring to our remembrance the truths that we by thy providence have heard this thy day that we may lay it up in our hearts and practice it in our lives that we may be of those blessed ones that hear thy word and keep it and bring forth fruit in abundance and let it take root in our hearts downward and bring forth fruit upward Establish our Souls in the practice of Holiness without which we can never come to see thy self and let the power of sin be weakened but let Grace be strengthened every day Pardon that unpreparedness that we have intruded into thy presence with and that irreverence whilst under thy Ordinances and that carelesness after that we all have been guilty of Pardon our forgetfulness and pardon our imperfection in the perfection of Christ our weakness in the strength of Christ that thereby we may find acceptance with thee who art all fulness and in whose hands is all perfection Fill our Souls with the fulness of God and let the bedewings of thy Spirit and Word cause us to grow in our spiritual stature Help us to prize the priviledge of the Gospel at an inestimable rate and give us repentance from dead works that we may be changed from darkness unto light and from the power of sin unto God And help us to manifest in our lives and conversation what is the hope of our calling that we may be in Heaven whilst on Earth Pardon the sins of our holy things sins of omission and commission sins against thy Law and sins against thy Gospel Give us Wisdom to direct and teach us Righteousness to establish us Redemption to deliver us from the jaws of Sin and Hell Strengthen our weak Faith enlarge our shallow Capacities quiet our disturbed Consciences tread down Satan under our feet and subjugate our Necks under thy Yoak and help us to resign our selves to thy Will and fit us for Eternity at last that after these Sabbaths be ended here we may begin an everlasting Sabbath with the God of Sabbaths where we shall admire thy self in Christ in whose Name we conclude our imperfect requests in his own words as he hath taught us saying Our Father c. A Prayer for Monday Morning BLessed Lord thou renewest thy mercies every Morning it is of thy mercy that one day more is added to us poor Creatures Thou art he on whom depends our being rest life and all thou has been pleased to cause us to acquiesce in and under thy protection for our refreshment O Lord preserve us this day under the shadow of thy wing and keep us in thy ways and let thy watchful providence be an instigation to an holy walking and to redeem the time seeing the days are evil and to live as ever before the Eye of thy All-seeing Providence Keep us from sin and enable us to live with thankful hearts bearing in mind the acts of thy Spirit and the daily Mercies we enjoy help us to shew a thankfulness for Mercies received and humility for and under Afflictions Let the bitterness of Sin and the loveliness of Holiness make deep impression on the hearts of thy poor Creatures Let the great work of Salvation be much meditated upon that that work daily may be propagated by us with fear and trembling Let union and communion with Christ be our great design Let our Natures be changed Deliver us from a dark understanding and hardness of heart stupid consciences together with unmortisied wills Help us to be wise for the future wherein we have done foolishly and help us wisely to improve our Talents in every opportunity Let thy mercies constrain us to love fear and obey thee Subdue us wholly to thy self that our affections may be elevated from the Earth and transplanted into Heaven Help us in every transaction in our lives to consider that with thee every action is poised and thoughts words and works reviewed and taken notice of O that the affairs of this day and all the week to come may be no obstruction to the work of our immortal Souls And grant that every day that passes over our heads we may be a step nearer to thy self Preserve us by thy Grace and Spirit until it shall be thy will to translate us into that Glory that is prepared for them that wait for the coming of Jesus Christ Amen A Prayer for Monday Evening MOst Holy Eternal and ever Blessed Lord God in whom all our springs are it is good to draw nigh to thy self Thou that never slumberest nor sleepest suffer us not to sleep the sleep of Death The Day thou hast
Righteous that we may die the Death of the Righteous Deliver us from a vain and darkned Understanding and from working Uncleanness with greediness Enable us to put off as touching our Conversation the Old man and put on the New Man being renewed in the spirit of our Minds that we may be created after the Image of God in Righteousness and true Holiness Prepare us for another Life and let not one day pass over our heads without some serious meditations of Eternity how soon it may be we cannot tell ere we may launch into its Ocean that bankless Sea and then woe unto us if our Ship be unsound Let these thoughts make us careful about our Souls Help us to use the things of this transitory World but as journey necessaries to a permanent and lasting World but let us be truly desirous of the permanent Riches with an insatiable desire Make us wise Merchants for that durable riches that none can rob us of Now Lord pardon our sins and accept our services in Chrst to whom with thee and thy Eternal Spirit be praises Amen A Prayer for Wednesday Evening GLorious and most Righteous Lord for ever to be admired of all thy Saints thy ways are ways of love and mercy thy daily care to thy people do attest it we are wonderfully engaged to offer thee praise both with hearts and voices Accept of our thanks and praises as well as prayers for an Evening Sacrifice and take charge of us we beseech thee Let us not be disappointed of our hopes Let not Sin nor Sathan molest us in the comforts of this night Let not the sins of the day past provoke thee or prevent us in thy favours to us-ward Let us rest in the assurance of thy favour sealed by thy good Spirit upon our hearts that we be not left comfortless and grant that though our Bodily Eyes be closed with sleep yet let our Spiritual Eyes to wit the Eyes of Faith continually watch Let thy work of Grace begun in us be daily strengthened Let the power of sin decay but the power of Grace revive Enable us to rise with Christ and to seek those things that are above that we may glorifie thee here by finishing the race that is set before us Keep us from abusing or slighting thy Mercies and Judgemnts and watch over us for good Let not our self-flattery prove to us soul-mockery Make us faithful rather than formal in all our duties towards thee Deliver us from worldly mindedness the great enemy to real holiness Give us the grace of humiliation for sin and the spirit of reformation from sin O suffer us not to sin against Mercy lest we lose our best friend O let the service of God which is perfect freedom free us from the service of sin Now unto him that is able to keep us be Glory for ever Amen A Prayer for Thursday Morning HOly and Eternal Glorious Lord God infinite are thy Mercies to us ward thy patience and long suffering are exceeding great in regard of our continued provocations even in our thoughts which are only evil and that continually our words also have been stout against thee nothing but infinite mercy could forbear such wretches blessed be our God that hath laid help yea our help upon one that is mighty to save all those that come unto God by him O whither should such sinners go but to him that hath the Keys of Heli and Death that calls to the weary and heavy laden to come to him and accept of ease and rest O Lord draw us that we may run after thee that we may run the way everlasting the way of thy commands and be followers of that which is good hating the Garments spotted by the Flesh building up our selves in the most holy faith Enable us O our God with all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure adding to our Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness Brotherly Kindness and to Brotherly Kindness Charity O let these Graces shine and abound in us that we may neither be barren nor unfruitful Give us precious faith in our Lord Jesus who hath washed and quickned us Make us the compleat Workman-ship of Christ Jesus created unto good works Sanctifie us through thy Truth thy Word is Truth and give us that Spirit that may guid us into all Truth Lead us this day and all the rest of our lives by thy Grace and at last bring us to Glory through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen A Prayer for Thursday Evening MOst gracious Lord thou art the great preserver of those that trust in thy Promises and observe thy Precepts Blessed be thy holy Name for this day past that thou hast kept us from the dangers of this day incident to us Blessed be thou Lord for all thy Providence and Provision for Health and Strength Food and Rayment for the present Comforts of this Life and the hopes of a future Let all our sins be pardoned for the sake of our Lord who only is worthy O vouchsafe to continue thy goodness this night that we may receive that refreshment that is for tryed ones Watch over us for good and let a quiet and peaceable rest fit us for our Calling according to thy will Help us to live by Faith and to walk by Faith that we may have that Peace that none can take away Let us die daily to sin and be strengthened daily with all might in the inward man Help us to consider the effects of sin is shame and the wages of sin is death Give us the comforts of our being in Christ that we may beassured that we are freed from condemnation by our christian conversation who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit O let thy Spirit so lead us that it may be our testimony that we are thine Let all that we suffer here be an evidence of that Glory to be revealed in us Let all things work together for the best Let neither tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword be able to prevail against us so as to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ for whom we bless thee and to whom be praises for ever Amen A Prayer for Fryday Morning MOst Holy and most gracious Lord thou art near unto all that call upon thee in truth and fulfillest the desires of those that fear thee Thou art good and dost good thy mercies are over all thy works Blessed be the Lord for his refreshing mercies of the last night Day unto day and night unto night shew forth thy tenderness over us by thy providences and provision O deliver us from all sins and evil for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory Help us to live blameless with those with whom we have to deal O give us wisdom to remember our later end Let us remember the approaching of
of the victory over Death and Hell and all the incumbrances this side Heaven with a sanctified expectation after him who is the procurer of all my happiness in whom my Soul desires to acquisece both here and hereafter O help me Lord to sing a new song of praise to that spotless Lamb that hath not spared to pour out that precious Blood to reconcile an angry God to despicable Dust and Clay to make known an invisible God to poor blind stupid Creatures and that mortality might be swallowed up of life he was holy harmless and undefiled seperate from sinners to the end he might fulfil all righteousness that he might be a meet high Priest a sufficient Saviour of sinners who by his own example left us a pattern of humility to be submissive to the will of our Father and to contemn the World and to subjugate our selves to his Cross Oh! holy Father thou that hast said them that come unto thee in thy Sons Name thou wilt not cast out that gavest life to poor worthless dying Creatures ready to drop into Hell and that life is thine own Son that is able to save to the uttermost all that come to him O give ability to a poor drooping Creature that he may recover his strength before he go hence and be no more that I may yet praise thee in the Land of the living and that I may regain that precious time that I have been so lavish of Redeem my strength that I may work out my Salvation with fear and trembling O sanctifie me throughout and change me and let me have the New Creation wrought upon me and in me that I may yet acknowledge thy great power in and through thy Son in whose Name I farther call on thee in the words of his own institution saying Our Father which art in Heaven c. A Prayer in time of War O Holy Great and Glorious Lord God of Hosts thou that hast of old appeared for thy Churches and Servants and that art for ever worthy to be praised that hast wrought great deliverances for the relieving of them that were in straits to the admiration of thy very enemies by whose power thy Servants have run through Troops having thy shield of Salvation by thy power one hath chased a thousand and thine enemies hearts have melted away yea even of the most valiant If thou appear for us Lord we shall prevail O be gracious unto us and shew thy self for us Give courage and wisdom to all our Commanders and Souldiers Gird them with strength and teach their hands to fight Direct their Consultations prosper their Enterprises suffer not deserved vengeance to break out upon us deliver us not to a merciless enemy Say unto our Armies Let no mans heart fail for fear of neither number nor power of the enemy Let all our trust of Victory be in the Lord of Hosts thou that art Lord of Lords and King of Kings Get thy self Honour in the Destruction of those that are Peace-Disturbers let thy hand become glorious to dash in pieces the most potent enemies and in the greatness of thine excellency overthrow those that are instigated against us and let it be known that there is none like unto thee that art glorious in Holiness fearful in Praises doing Wonders so shall we record thy righteous Acts. O help and deliver us that we may tell thy Deeds among the Nations and let not our enemy escape least they say our own hands hath saved us Thou the God of Peace grant us Peace here and everlasting Peace hereafter through Jesus Christ Amen A Prayer for Children O Most glorious Lord God insinite in Wisdom and Goodness thou art the great Creator Redeemer and Preserver of Man I thy poor Servant bewail my Youth and time of Vanity Notwithstanding my Parents care in Education Instruction and Correction I have sinned greatly against thy self O pardon also Lord my unthankfulness toward them for all their Care Cost Pains Crys and Tears with respect to my everlasting welfare O cause me with thankfulness to fear love honour and obey them in order to the obedience due to thy self Lord keep me from snares of evil company and temptations of the same and from youthful lust and let me be a delight to those that fear thee Let me be furnished with treasures of Wisdom and Holiness and pardon all the sins of my corrupt heart and life and be a reconciled Father unto me and let me be able to know thee as a God in Covenant and renew me in the inner Man in the Spirit of my Mind Enlighten my dark understanding quicken my dead heart purifie my impure conscience mortifie and rectifie my will Let all my sinful carnal Love or rather Lust be quenched and vain Pleasures turned into sweet Delights for God Hear me in every respect as thou knowest mâ— condition requires in the Name of thy dear Son in whose words I farther call on thee Our Father c. A Prayer for Servants O Most gracious Lord God thou art the great preserver of those that truly trust in thy mercy deliver us from sin and the bondage of Sathan help us to obey our Master according to the flesh with fear and trembling in singleness of heart as unto Christ not with eye-service as men pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of our God with good will from the heart Make us submissive and obedient to our Governors keep us from Self-will and Pride from Murmurings and unreverent Speeches from Falshod Slothfulness and all Deceit and help us cheerfully and willinglly to do our Duty as believing that thou O Lord art the avenger of all unfaithful Dealers O pardon the neglect of our immortal Souls and of the great work for which we were Created and Redeemed Help us with all our hearts and strength that we may attain to the reward of that Glory prepared for all those that look and long for the appearance of Christ and to enjoy his presence with the Angels and Saints in Glory and all this we humbly beg and hope for on the accompt and merits of Jesus in whose own words we farther call on thee as he hath taught us saying Our Father c. A Prayer for a Virgin BLessed and Holy Lord preserve me thy Servant and give me grace with those Wise Virgins to make ready my Lamp and Oyl in my Vessel that at what hour the Bride-groom shall come I may be found ready prepared with those undefiled Virgins that follow the Lamb. Deliver me from the sins of Pride that common sin far different from that Plainness Simplicity and Modesty of old O help me thy Servant to walk circumspectly O cleanse and purge me keep me blameless cause me to hate the Garment spotted by the Flesh let the Pride of the Daughters of Jerusalem so severely threatned awake those that tread in their steps they were haughty and walked with stretched-out Necks and wandring Eyes and mincing as they went whose
The unconverted Sinners Prayer for a full Conviction of the dangerous state he is in GReat Gracious and most Righteous Lord God blessed for ever be thine unspeakable mercy that desirest not the Death of the worst of Sinners that turn unto thee to live for ever Oh thou that of Persecutors madest glorious Martyrs of an Adultress madest an humble Penitent O shew forth thy Long-suffering Patience and Forbearance upon me Deliver me from all my Sins from thy Wrath to come and that Eternal Judgment that ends in Hell with Devils and damned Impenitents Leave me not in the state of Devils without hope of pardon O pardon that great sin of setting more by Meat and Drink and beastly Pleasures than by thee the God that made me a rational Creature that slighted endless Glory that took more care of an Earthly Tabernacle than an Immortal Soul that took more care to avoid Shame Poverty and Sickness than to avoid everlasting Shame Pain and Horror in Hell Blessed be the Lord that will not leave such sinners as my self to die in their sins but pluck such sire-brands out of the jaws of Hell and gives them to know the evil of sin O that I were once fit to taste and see how gracious the Lord is to believers to them alone he is precious the fairest of Ten thousands O guid my feet into those untrodden paths that lead to the Fountain of Living Waters set open for sinners to wash in and be purged from their filthiness O give me faith to see him whom my sins have pierced Give me the grace and spirit of supplication to mourn after him without which grace I have not nor can have no hope of pardon For what communion hath darkness with light O possess my Soul with this belief That without holiness there can be no happiness without fanctity no salvation nor without heavenly-mindedness no Heaven O be it so unto thy servant for his sake that suffered for great nay the greatest of sinners of whom I am the chief that I may live to praise thee and admire the riches of thy immense and boundless love to Eternity Amen A Prayer for power to believe O Glorious and Merciful Lord God whose abundant and unspeakable goodness has been extended to poor man before he had a being in the World Let the beams of thy loving kindness environ me and as thou hast been pleased to convince me of sin righteousness and iudgment O help me to believe in him whose mercy extends to the ends of the Earth and that I may take iâ—â—â—â— on him by the hand of faith that it may be the substance of things not seen to take holâ— on the rich promise laid down in thy word concerning thy Son who is mighty to save all them that come unto God by him and to accept him in all his Offices as King and Law-giver to rule and defend me as Pâ—ieâ—t to sacrifice for me as Prophet to reveal the will of God unto me Help me to trust in thy holy Spirit to mortifie and kill my sin in me and to illuminate and sanctifie and quicken me that thereby I may be rendered meet for serving thee here and enjoy thee hereafter O help me to demonstrare out of my Conversation what is the hope of my Calling and establish me in a constant belief of Salvation by the apprehension of a renewed mind from fleshly and transitory joys to an heavenly and permanent happiness where there are pleasures for evermore Help thy poor Creature to be Conquerer yea more than Conquerer through Jesus Christ over Devil World and Flesh that I may be renewed in the spirit of my mind Possess me with the New Birth strengthen all my inward Faculties my Faith my Love and Zeal and whereas my desire was to run from God it may now be to run unto him and cast my self upon him for all in Christ Jesus Amen The Converts Prayer MOst powerful Lord God thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory thy ways are perfect and pure Let God be true and every one a liar Blessed be thy Name for thy unspeakable kindness and love to me who am less than the least of all thy mercies Thou hast been pleased to bring me out of darkness and shadow of death and lead me into the way of peace and out of darkness into thy mervellous light and to bring me into the Kingdom of thy dear Son O the immensity the breadth and length depth and height of the loving kindness of God in the Lord Jesus Christ that wast pleased of a Bond-slave to make a Free-denizon of Heaven of a Prisoner of Hell and Death one at Liberty and delivered me from that Eternal Wrath to come Oh! the free mercy of God that hath withholden death from seizing upon me the which if it had where had I been Oh happy and blessed was it that thou shouldst put out thine hand and touch me with the rod of thine affliction so that I may say It is good for me that I was afflicted O blessed Redeemer give me thy Spirit without which I am undone to apply the precious Blood of the New Covenant to my Soul without which I can do nothing that thy good Spirit may direct me into the way everlasting to know God and Jesus Christ which is Life Eternal Inflame me with love to thy self thy Laws and Commandments Preserve me from the sin of Presumption let the love of Holiness in me express it self in the abandoning all and every similitude of sin from my heart that I may abhor that viz. Sin that once was so amiable to me Let thy strength appear in my weakness and let thy grace be sufficient for me Accommodate me with a resolvedness to follow thee Let Christ Heaven and Glory be my Object and my Mark to aim at Let Christ be my Center upon whose account I conclude my imperfect requests in his own words Our Father c. Considerations of Death 1. COnsider That all the Pleasures Treasures and Comforts of this Life as Wife Children Goods Gold Friends Lands Livings large Possessions Dignity Honours sumptuous Fare and pleasant Prospects spacious Walks delicate Gardens nay even the World it self in its lustre and all that is therein on which thou hast doted so much and squandered so much time in shall and must all at the stroke of Death be extinguished the which Heaven it self or any created Power cannot prevent but will quite be obliterated and for ever lost never more to be minded or meddled with or enjoyed either in this World or the World to come but in as much as we must give an account of our using and abusing of them When our breath goeth forth out of our Bodies our thoughts perish and therefore make it thy business and think it thy chiefest prudence to wean thy affections from this fading World by little and little with a resolute and holy violence least thou find it harder to part with all at once 2.
strength is enfeebled therefore do mine inordinate affections oft-times overcharge me If I turn me to pray I cannot for the hardness of mine heart the contrite spirit the melting heart the mourning eye is gone from me If I seek comfort in thy Word I find it not I am troubled also with doubtings armies of fears and sorrows are against me and all through weakness of my faith partly for want of that light that should inform me my infidelity abuseth me to think that thy visitations come from thine anger and causeth me to answer the Reproofs of my conscience as if they were just occasions and partly for want of that apprehending and applying Vertue that is in Faith I am spoiled of the comfort that thy Word hath offered unto me Therefore O Lord have pity on the desolate state of my Soul Christ Let not my beloved the considerations of thy wants defects and imperfections discourage thee Remember that the measure of Grace which I have given to my Saints upon Earth I have called it an Earnest-penny and First-fruits of the Spirit to tell them that whatever grace they have gotten it is nothing in comparison of that which they will get Seek not that therefore in the Earth which I have resolved to give thee no wayes till thou come to Heaven thy Blessedness in this Life stands not in a satiety and full enjoying of that which thou would'st have but in an hungring and thirsting for it If I had pronounced them Blessed that are now satisfied with Righteousness then thy wants might most justly discourage thee But I called them Blessed that hunger If therefore thou dost follow after Sanctification and art weary with the servitude of thy sin if thou dost seek comfort in my Word and can find none of these at the first as thou wouldest yet remember I have promised to fulfil the desires of them that feer me If it greive thee that thou canst not pray at all times alike remember that my Children are oftentimes evil judges of themselves and that their Estate is not alwayes to be measured according to their feeling for many Prayers may be made in them to me by my Spirit with sighs and sobs which they themselves are not able to express yet are known to me and are like loud crying Voices which I cannot but answer Soul O my Soul content thee with the Lords dispensations and doubt not but all thy wants and holy desires shall all be satisfied Remember how careful thy Saviour was of those People that followed him I have Compassion saith he on this People because they have continued with me already three dayes and have nothing to eat I will not let them depart fasting lest they faint in the way O most sweet and comfortable Speeches they seek not from him and he is careful to give them if he was so careful to satisfie their Bodily necessities will he neglect the Spiritual necessities of his own They followed him three dayes and he counted it a long time they are to go from him and he feared lest they should faint O my distrustful Soul wilt thou once learn to trust in the Mercy of thy God assuredly Will he not satiate thee who seeks him Wil he not answer thee who prays unto him Will he not care for thee who hast waited upon him not three dayes but many years And will he let thee faint in following him who would not let them faint who were to go from him O sweet Saviour happy are they that trust in thee Lord therefore increase my Faith in thee that nothing be able ever to separate me from thee Christ As for the weakness of thy faith which I see is the ground of all thy trouble it proceedeth either from the want of knowledge or else from the want of Application 'T is indeed a special benefit to have the mind enlightned with true light seek therefore my light to shine unto thee by continual Prayer and seeking into the Scriptures that thou be not troubled with the error of conscience as if it were a just accusation I have indeed set conscience to be a warner unto thee but then shalt thou take heed to her warnings when they are warranted by my Word If the error of thy conscience terrifie thee in any thing and make thee think that thy Crosses and Visitations do come from mine anger go and inform conscience better by the Word Remember whom I chastise I love and when I chastise thee I am not seeking satisfaction to my justice What wonder such thoughts disquiet many Consider I pray thee that notable promise of mine made to my Servant David and in him to all the rest of my Saints If they break my Statutes I will visit their Transgressions with my Rods yet my loving kindness will I not take from them nor alter my Covenant Soul O Word full of comfort my Soul forget it never that even when his Rods are laid on thee and though thy Transgressions be many yet will he not alter his Covenant with thee Remember it I say that in thy trouble thou give no more place to those mis-conceptions of Gods working with thee as godly Job though in his trouble that the Lord was pursuing him for his sins and making him to possess the iniquity of his Youth which as yet appears by the course of that History was not the Lords intention So have I thought many times that the heavy hand of the Lord laid on me had proceeded from his wrath as if he had shut up his tender Mercy from me in displeasure for ever But Lord let thy Light abide with me that I sin no more with such distrustful motions against thee and now Lord speak on yet further to thy Servant for thy comforts have rejoyced my Soul Christ Now concerning the weakness of thy faith in the apprehension and aplication of my Promises Remember that I am he that will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the Smoaking Flax. What smaller thing is there than a Grain of Mustard-seed albeit the measure of thy faith were no more yet have I not excluded it from the participations of my promise A loving Father will delight to be holden by the hand of his tender Child and knowest thou not that as a Father spareth his Son so will the Lord spare him that fears him Hast thou not read that although the faith of my Servant Jacob was very weak as thou mayest perceive by the great fear he conceived of Esau yet his weak faith was able to hold me till I Blessed him be not therefore discouraged for albeit thou canst not lay hold with the hand of strong faith if thou canst but touch the Hem of my Garment with thy Finger thou shalt draw vertue out of me Consider also with thy self that the faith of my Children is never greater than when their feeling is weakest and least perceived 'T is easie for every one to believe in the mid'st of glorious feelings and
may continue therein serving thee in Holiness and Righteousnes all the days of my life till I shall enjoy thy self fully to all Eternity in Heaven where there shall be an end of these things and that for thy Names sake Amen Short though sweet MEDITATIONS Or sweet Cordials for the HEART 1. IT is folly to think that we should have Physick and Health both at one time resolve therefore upon waiting his leisure after a weary Week comes a Sabbath and after a Fight Victory 2. Unkindness of others to us is but a correction of our unkindness to God 3. He that can't abound without Pride and High-mindedness will never want without too much dejectedness 4. Let us not seek our selves abroad out of our selves in the conceits of other men That man shall never lie quiet that hath not learned to set light by others causeless ill conceits 5. Them that set too high a price upon themselves where others will not come up to their price they are discontented 6. Those whose condition is above their worth and their pride above their condition shall never want forrow yet we must maintain our Authority in our places for that is Gods and not ours and we ought ro carry our selves so as that we may approve our selves to their consciences though we can't have their good word 7. One end why God suffereth the Soul to tire and beat it self is that finding no rest in it self it might seek to God 8. A man can be in no condition wherein God is at a loss if comfort be wanting he can create Comfort not only out of nothing but out of discomfort He made the Whale that swallowed Jonas a means to bring him to Land 9. The only way to have our will is to bring it to Gods Will. 10. The way patiently to suffer Gods will is to enure our selves to do it they that have not enured themselves to the yoke of obedience will never endure the yoke of suffering 11. When we can say to God Wilt thou have me poor and disregarded I am well content Thus a gedly Man says Amen to Gods Amen and puts his Fiat to Gods Fiat 12. None feel more Experience of Gods Providence than those that are most resolute in their obedience 13 After we have given Glory to God by relying upon his Wisdom Power Strength and Truth we shall find him imploying these for our Direction Assistance and bringing things to our desired Issue yea above what we desire or thought of 14. The more Passion the less Discretion because Passion hinders the sight of what is to be done 15. It is good to observe the particular Becks of Providence how things joyn and meet together Fit occasions and suiting of things are intimation of Gods Will. Providence hath a Languags which is well understood by those that have familiar acquaintance with God They see a train of Providence leading one way more then another 16. Labour to fit a promise to every condition thou art in There is no condition but hath a promise suitable to it 17. He that loveth too much will grieve too much It is the greatness of our Affection that causeth our Affliction 18. All our noise proceeds from a Swelling Vapour of Pride It is Air inclosed in the Bowels of the Earth that shakes it which all the four Winds can't do 19. There is an Art of bearing troubles if we can learn it without over-troubling our selves as in bearing a burthen there is a way to poize it that it weigh not over heavy if it hang on one side it poizeth the Body down the greater part we pull on our selves by not imparting our Care so as to take upon us only the care of duty and leave the rest to God 20. We must not mingle our Passions with our Crosses like foolish Patients chewing the Pills which they should swallow dovvn 21. He that sees not God every where sees him no where 22. He that loses himself in self denia I finds himself in Gods Bosom 23. In Prosperity fear God in Adversity love God 24. Praying will make thee leave sinning or sinning make thee leave praying 25. Our weakness and inabilities break not the bond of our duties 26. No sin but is easier kept out than cast out 27. What we are afraid to do before men we should be afraid to think before God 28. Nature vexed and Nature armed soon discovers it self 29. They that retain the memory of mercies seldom lose the sight of mercies 30. What unthankfulness is this to think upon two or three crosses so as to forget an hundred blessings What folly is it to darken our Spirits and to indispose our selves to the taking or doing of good 31. A Limb out of joynt can do nothing without deformity and pain Dejection takes off the wheels of the Soul Joy is as Oyl to the Soul it makes Duties come off chearfully from our selves pleasing to others and acceptable to God 32. Let us go on to add Grace unto Grace a growing Christian is always a comsortable Christian the Oyl of Grace will bring forth the Oyl of Gladness 33. Melancholy Persons are things that seem black and dark to themselves their Souls are as it were dead-black whatsoever comes to a Melancholy Person comes in a dark way to his Soul 34. In all grievances let us look to something that may comfort us as well as discourage us let us look as well to what we enjoy as to what we want As in Prosperity God mingles some cross to diet us so in all crosses there is some thing to comsort us As there is vanity lieth hid in the best worldly good so there is a blessing lies hid in the greatest worldly evil 35. We must neither bring sin to nor mingle sin with our sufferings for that will trouble the Soul more than the trouble it self We are not hurt till our Souls be hurt 36. In sudden encounters some sin doth many times discover it self the seed whereof lieth hid in our hearts which we think our selves free from What cause have we then to fear continually that we are worse than we take our selves to be The force of Gun-powder is not known till some sparks lite in it 37. What a sight were it to see the Feet where the Head is and the Earth to be where the Heaven is To the Spiritual Eye it seems as great a deformity to see the Soul to be under sinful passions 38. A good heart when any Corruption is discovered by a searching Ministry is affected as though it found out some deadly enemy Techiness and Passion argues Guilt 39. The imaginary grievances of this life are more than the real 40. The way to expel Wind out of the Body is to take wholesome Nourishment so to expel Windy Fancies from the Soul is to feed upon Serious Truths Our best way therefore is to propound three objects to the mind as 1. To consider the greatness and goodness of God 2. The Joys of