hee shall prepare his firiest darts to wound our soules to death O then let the light of thy heavenly countenance shine upon us O then let thy blessed Spirit comfort us with his sweetest comforts let the fresh bleeding wounds of our deare Saviour appeare gracious and effectuall to our distressed soules Blesse good LORD protect and defend thy Church wandring farre and wide over the face of the whole earth Let thy mighty hand and stretched out arme encompasse it let thy Omnipotency bee a brazen wall about it leade it we beseech thee into all truth concord and sincerity save it from all schismes errors and heresies mightily fence it from bloody Tyrants hellish Atheists and mercilesse Polititians Comfort we beseech thee all those that bee comfortlesse and distressed with sorrow need sicknesse imprisonment banishment slanderous tongues or any other crosse or calamity Especially good LORD speake comfortably unto them in whose soules are the arrowes of thine indignation and the venome thereof drinkes up their spirit those that groane under the burthen of a vexed conscience and those that suffer persecution for the testimony of thy truth LORD give them faith patience and constancy to abide their triall and a joyfull issue to all their temptations And as at this time we are bound wee humbly intreate thy tender mercies and loving kindnesse for all those in this Land that thou hast heavily visited with the Plague of Pestilence For CHRIST JESUS sake if it be thy blessed pleasure command thy Angell to cease from striking put up the sword of judgement which in great wrath and indignation thou hast drawne out against them And LORD in the meane time give them joy and comfort in thy holy Spirit that howsoever they be strangely and fearefully tormented in their body in this life yet they may be assured of eternall happinesse in the life to come And teach we beseech thee both them and us by thy holy Spirit to take a right view of all our sins the true causes of thy wrathfull displeasure and faithfully to repent for the same And so much the rather O LORD because the reprobate and such as thou forsakest cannot praise thee nor call upon thy Name but the broken heart the sorrowfull mind and a conscience hungring after righteousness shall ever set forth thy praise and glory Lastly most loving Father we beseech thee take us into thy defence and protection this night let thy carefull providence watch over us let thy blessed Angels pitch about us preserve us from all perills and dangers from all the assaults of Satan from vaine idle and wicked dreames Grant unto our bodies comfortable rest and quiet sleepe but let our soules continually watch for the comming of our Saviour in the clouds to end these last and worst daies Amen even so come LORD JESVS that we with thee and the rest of thy Elect may joyfully and triumphantly ascend unto the heavenly Jerusalem there to enjoy fullnesse of joy and pleasures at thy right hand for evermore Our Father which art in Heaven c. A Prayer before a Sermon O LORD prepare our dull and unprepared hearts with feare and humility to enter the presence of thy great and glorious Majesty O Most gracious God our loving and mercifull Father in CHRIST JESVS We thy poore and sinfull servants most humbly beseech thee at this time to blesse and sanctifie unto us the hearing of thy holy Word it is the glorious instrument which thou hast appointed for the conversion and salvation of the soules of men But unto us miserable wretches and full of pollution it hath beene many times through the barrennesse of our hearts the secret and deceitfull corruptions of our nature but even the breath of thy Ministers scattered in the ayre and as water spilt upon the ground Whereas it might be unto some being humbly and reverently received as a two edged sword that would enter through even unto the dividing asunder of the soule and the spirit and of the joynts and the marrow that would breake in peeces their hard hearts and strike their conscience with terrour and remorse for their sinnes a necessary step to regeneration And whereas it might be unto others a pretious restorative to repaire the ruines of their conscience and to put life into their dead zeale and affections graciously to enforme them in all the parts of their callings it is but even as a witnesse of our coldnesse sencelessenesse and unthankefullnesse registred in the booke of our conscience against the day of our visitation LORD wee beseech thee out of thy tender compassions to forgive us all our former untowardnesse irreverence and unprofitablenesse in these holy exercises And now at length before wee goe downe into our graves into black and cruell habitations from whence wee must never returne to praise thee upon earth let us feele thy divine power working in us effectually at the preaching of thy Word let us have a sence of thy Omnipotency in in conquering our corruptions and temptations let thy powerfull Spirit stirre up our hearts and quicken our affections to embrace the power of religion and true godlinesse that so being freed from sinne by the blood of CHRIST and forsaking all our knowne sinnes and labouring sincerely to please thee in all things wee may have our fruit in holinesse and the end everlasting happinesse A Prayer before Sermon MOst mercifull Father we humbly beseech thee to give every one of us grace to let these things sink deeply into our hearts Blesse we beseech thee our wills and affections with sanctified desires to entertaine them our memories with faithfullnesse to retaine them our mindes with serious meditations to digest them our hearts with fervency and prayer for thy blessings upon them our lives with practise and piety to profit by them LORD we see clearely that all our pleasures shall die and perish that our honours shall be laid in the dust that our gold and silver shall canker and the rust of of them shall be a witnesse against us at the last day that outward performances of religious duties without inward sanctification shall have their portion with Hypocrites in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstrone Where then shall appeare the lyar the swearer the drunkard the profaner of the Sabbath the uncleane person the proud the idle the malicious the carelesse in his calling even without timely and sound repentance in the bottomelesse pit of the lowest hell O then we beseech thee gracious Father to vouchsafe us in time wise and understanding hearts the spirit of judgement to discerne betweene the short span of this miserable life and the length and breadth of eternity Let us now at length make a through and deepe search into the state of our soules and consciences and if wee find that we be not yet possest of that inward sincerity and true happinesse let us for ever hereafter with greatest fervency earnestnesse and contention of spirit hunger and thirst labour and
Certaine Devout PRAYERS OF Mr. BOLTON upon solemne occasions Published by E.B. by M. Boltons owne Coppy LONDON Printed by George Miller dwelling in Black-Fryers 1638. To the Reader AMong Treatises fit to be published and read Treatises of Devotion are most fit as being freest from offence and fullest of divine matter If comparison may bee made betwixt parts of sacred Scripture the Psalmes of David have an excellency in that they consist of matters of Devotion Answerable to the stile of his name is the stile of his book The stile of his name was A man after GODS owne heart For such was his piety and sincerity as GOD was well pleased therewith and tooke much delight therein The rather because his devotion towards GOD incited him to doe what GOD required to be done So the Booke of Psalmes may well carry this stile A booke after Gods owne heart in that nothing is more acceptable unto GOD nothing wherein hee takes more delight then Devotion And no booke of sacred Scripture fuller of Devotion then that booke Most of the Psalmes wholy consist of Prayers or Praises very few if any at all wherein there are not some divine raptures and such heavenly ejaculations as manifest an heart full of Devotion For Devotion is a pious and humble affection to God-wards Humble through conscience of a mans owne infirmity Pious through a due consideration of the divine clemency Such Devotion is never more fully and to the life manifested then in Prayers and Praises For in these divine duties if rightly performed the soule presents it selfe before GOD and that in a speciall manner being after a sort even rapt out of the body Then if ever doth the soule so farre as it is capable with an holy admiration apprehend the divine Majesty Purity Justice Wisdome Power yea Mercy Goodnesse and other excellencies wherwith GOD is decked Then if ever is the soule brought throughly to discerne its owne infirmity impurity basenesse vilenesse and cursednesse For contraries paralleld or laid together doe most lively set forth each other in their owne proper colours He that liveth in a darke dungeon will be enamoured with the bright shining of the Sun when hee can have liberty to see it And hee that hath long lived under bright Sun-shine more thorowly discernes the horrour and dammage of darknesse Now GOD and man are in many respects directly opposite each to other This opposition is best discerned in our most serious contemplations of Gods excellencies and due consideration of our owne manifold infirmities which is most to purpose done in acts and exercises of Devotion In this respect this present Treatise is worthy of all acceptation even for the subject matter whereof it consisteth which is divine Devotition Herein you shall observe GOD most highly advanced and man most lowly dejected GOD advanced above the highest Heavens Man dejected below the lowest parts of the earth GOD magnified in his mercies and justified in his judgements Man judged and condemned according to his just deserts If the Author of a Worke add any thing to the worth of a Worke the Author of this Worke must needs add much to the worth of it For he was a man of a profound judgement and a zealous spirit which endowments are most fit for matters of Devotion Devotion must have fire in it in which respect a zealous spirit is very requisite Devotion hath an especiall reference to GOD in which respect solid judgement is also requisite As all the true genuine Workes of this Author give evidence of his more then ordinary spirit so this Modell especially By it you may perceive what kinde of fire fired the sacrifices which hee offered up to GOD. Wee reade in the Law Levit. 9. 24. that there came a fire out from the LORD and consumed upon the Altar the burnt offering That fire which once came from the LORD being continually preserved all things which required fier in the Tabernacle were to bee fired therewith as all manner of sacrifice and incense Such a fire a celestiall a divine fire which must needs come from the LORD set on fire the spirituall sacrifices and sacred incense which this Priest of the LORD the Author of this Treatise offered up to his GOD. We ought therefore to give the more earnest heed heereunto and to helpe our owne devotion and to quicken and enflame our own spirits thereby Without all question the Modells of some eminent persons Devotion may be a singular helpe to others Devotion Every one that hath this divine fier of Devotion in his soule cannot alwaies readily bring fit fuell to make it flame forth But when fuell is brought by others it will soone take and quickly flame out Neither is this as some too weakly though very violently cavill to stint the spirit of supplication For the worke of the Spirit consists not so much in the words and phrases whereby the matter of Devotion is expressed as in the intention of the heart and in the intirenesse and earnestnesse of the affection wherin the very forme soule and life of true Devotion consisteth Otherwise the spirit of all GODS people in all publicke Liturgies and formes of prayer would be stinted yea by this reason the spirit of every one that joyneth with another in prayer except his spirit onely who conceiveth and uttereth the prayer would be stinted And if so then away with publick assemblies for prayer away with family meetings to call upon GOD away with all meetings of two or three together in CHRISTS name notwithstanding CHRISTS promise of being in the midst of them Mat. 18. 20. But rather away with such proud and preposterous conceits which cleane crosse the tenour of sacred Scripture and commendable custome of GODS Church in all ages Sacred Scripture records sundry prayers conceived and uttered by one but assented to by sundry others wherby they became also the prayers of those others The 102. Psalme beares this title A Prayer for the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and powreth out his complaint before the LORD This title apparently sheweth that the Prophet who first penned this Psalme did it in the persons and for the use of any poore distressed servant of GOD. So as we thereby are taught what to pray when our sins lie heavy upon us or when we are in any other distresse It is expressely said that Iohn taught his Disciples to pray Luke 11. 1. This questionlesse was done by prescribing unto them a forme of prayer Whereupon when a Disciple of CHRIST said unto him LORD teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples he said unto them when ye pray say Our Father which art in Heaven c. As Iohn had prescribed a forme to his Disciples so CHRIST doth to his and so teacheth them to pray as Iohn did his Sundry formes of prayers were by the Ancient Fathers composed for the Churches in their daies In like manner have all
Christian Churches in succeeding ages had their particular formes Never had any age or countrey more pious pithy formes then ours some for publick others for private use among which the forme here tendered unto thee hath its excellency As it is lawfull to have such helpe so may such an helpe be very usefull W. GOVGE The Contents A Prayer upon a solemne occasion Page 1. A morning Prayer for a Family p. 30. Another morning Prayer p. 53. A generall forme of Prayer and praise p. 88. An evening Prayer p. 105. A Prayer before a Sermon p. 116. A Prayer before Sermon p. 122. A Grace before meate p. 134. A Prayer before Sermon p. 135. A Prayer after Sermon p. 137. An Evening Prayer most usefull in time of warre or invasion p. 139. The Preachers Prayer p. 159. A Thankesgiving for the Kings returne from Spaine and a Prayer for his prosperity p. 163. A Prayer for wholesome and seasonable weather p. 168. In visitation of the sicke p. 170. A Prayer when any drawes neare unto death p. 176. A Prayer in time of Plague p. 184. 186. A Prayer for confession of sin p. 215. A Thankesgiving p. 233. The Authors private Prayer p. 256. Errata Page 80. line 1. 〈…〉 reade stirring pag 155. l. 5. for bodies reade soules A Prayer upon a solemne occasion O Eternall God most holy and most Glorious which dwellest in the highest heavens and with righteousnesse and truth swayest the Scepter of the whole world thou that art unto the wicked and rebellious wretches a terrible Judge and a consuming fire but to the humble and repentant sinners a strong tower of defence and their exceeding great reward We the most miserable and wretched of all thy creatures though the most noble by creation for they in their kinds and severall conditions doe thee honour and service but we whom thou hast plac'd in this world for a more singular and extraordinary glorifying of thee have not onely made our selves more vile then the basest creatures and more sencelesse in thy service then the beasts that perish but have even combin'd with Satan with hell and with all the powers of darknesse to blaspheme and dishonour thy great name to profane thy Sabbaths to breake all thy holy Lawes Commandements O LORD wee thus sinfull and unworthy are here ashamed and confounded in thy presence for our iniquities are increased over our heads and our trespasses are growne up unto the heavens so that if now in thy just judgement thou shouldst come against us as wee have many times and doe daily most justly provoke thee it had beene farre better for us wee had never beene borne Satan would challenge us for his we should never see thy face againe nor the heavens nor the earth nor all the goodnesse which thou hast prepared for man From the foule pollution of Originall sinne which hath universally infected and possest all the powers and parts both of our soules and bodies as from a filthy puddle have issued all kindes of impurities many workes of darknesse and fearefull transgressions both in our thoughts words and actions Much profanesse and hardnesse of heart pride and hypocrisie contempt of the power of godlinesse and godly men a sencelesse neglect of thy word and judgements of the way to Heaven and the salvation of our owne soules Even the best of us before our calling wearied our selves in the vaine pleasures and sinnefull fashions of this wretched world being detain'd by the policies of hell either in notorious sinnefullnesse or onely formall hypocrisie Wee walked with boldnesse in the way of darknesse and of death after the devices and desires of our owne wicked hearts in much bitternesse and malice against thy children and their sincerity Nay and since it hath pleased thee to illighten our understandings with saving knowledge and to pull us by the power of thy good Spirit out of the slaverie of sinne and Satan into the glorious liberty of thy children Our best actions and thy good graces in us have beene fouly stain'd by privie pride and secret hypocrisie wee many times stay thy blessings from us by our dullnesse and untowardnesse at religious exercises and by reason wee doe not faithfully those good things which wee know wee have the knowledge of many evill things kept from us which wee unadvisedly commit And whereas heretofore in our new birth the sins of our unregeneration have wofully vext and disquieted our consciences yet such is the wretchednesse of our corrupted nature that wee have sometimes looked back upon them even with delight if we have escap'd relapse and backsliding we doe not with that thankfullnesse and cheerefullnesse as we ought embrace in this happy time of grace and peace those good meanes which thou hast ordained for our comfort and salvation So that indeed wee walke not worthy of that blessed vocation whereunto wee are called but by our many slips imperfections and carelesnesse wee bring much discomfort upon our soules disgrace to our Christian profession dishonour to thy Majesty and offence to our brethren O LORD wee beseech thee for thy holy names sake and for thy rich mercies in CHRIST JESVS to pardon us all these our offences and to forgive us all our sinnes knowne and unknowne howsoever or whensoever committed since or before our calling and to bury them in the death and Passion of our blessed SAVIOVR and to hide them in His righteousnesse for evermore There is no comfort to be expected to our conscience wounded with the terrour of sinne either in Heaven or in Earth in Angell Saint or mortall man but onely in the spotlesse justice of thy deare Sonne Perswade therefore we beseech thee upon a good ground with plentifull assurance every one of our soules that his precious blood was shed for our sins in particular that wee may sensibly feele the forgivenesse of our sinnes and rejoyce in the hope of eternall life And for the time to come wee humbly intreate thee to mortifie in us all sinfull affections unruly lusts and unlawfull desires to subdue in us the power of sinne and every corruption whereby Satan keepes us any way in his slaverie or at any time gets the dominion over us Save us we beseech thee from idlenesse worldlinesse profanesse security and all occasions whereby thy good Spirit is grieved in us our graces weakned and thy great Name dishonoured Vouchsafe us the Spirit of judgement that wee may discerne betwixt the short span of this wretched life and the length and breadth of immortality that we never preferre the pleasures of sinne for a moment and a little glory and preferment in this world before the testimony of a good conscience and that excellent waight of glory laid up in Heaven for all thy children Make us faithfull and conscionable in our Callings zealous and sincere in all religious duties and services and wisely resolute to stand for thy honour and truth against all opposition either by divels or wicked men And so
direct we beseech thee and sanctifie all our courses that for a few and evill daies in this vale of teares wee may so store our selves with spirituall comfort with a sound heart with a strong faith and a good conscience that we may stand firme and sure at the day of our visitation and when upon our deaths bed we shall bee set upon by the weakenesse of our owne flesh the terrors of death the fearefullnes of the grave and the firiest darts of Satan we may comfortably passe thorow them all in the name and power of thy Son and be receiv'd with joyfulnes triumph into those sacred mansions which he hath already made ready in Heaven for all those that truly love and feare thee In his blessed name we powre out our soules in thankfullnesse for all those many blessings and comforts which thou hast vouchsafed us both upon our soules and bodies both for this life and a better For our health wealth and liberty our peace plenty and prosperity our food apparell and preservation from our infancy to this very hower and for all the good meanes of all these For the free passage of thy glorious Gospell now so many yeares amongst us But amongst all other temporall blessings of our times let us never forget nor we nor all our posterity for ever how it pleased thee in our daies miraculously to magnifie the glory of thy mercy in our wonderfull deliverance from the most secret bloody and fiery plot of the Gun-powder Treason that great astonishment of men and Angels All these outward comforts both publicke and particular are excellent and pretious yet they are such as wee have common with the reprobates and those that shall never see thy face with comfort but after a short time spent in the miserable pleasures of this vaine world shall bee turn'd to hell and everlasting fire Wee therefore more especially magnifie thy great name for the more speciall pledges and tokens of thy infinite love for that it hath pleased thee to confirme and seale unto us by our effectuall calling and the earnest of thy good Spirit our Election to eternall life from all eternity our particular Redemption from the powers of hell by the death of thy Sonne and an undoubted assurance of the joyes of Heaven in the world to come Increase in us good LORD wee beseech thee daily more and more this blessed assurance which we infinitely esteeme more deare then tenne thousand worlds by making us to grow in repentance and faith and spirituall wisedome and framing us to the obedience of thy Sonne in all knowledge love and obedience Furthermore gracious Father wee humbly intreate thee with the bowels of thy tenderest compassions to be mercifull unto thy whole Church and every member thereof Fence it mightily wee pray thee with the Spirit of truth knowledge and zeale and constancy that in these worst and last daies it may make a strong resistance against the great maine floods of Popery Schisme profanesse and Atheisme Be gracious unto this sinnefull Kingdome and enter not into judgement with the horrible and crying sinnes and the many fearefull provocations thereof In the same looke downe with the speciall eye of providence and protection upon our dread Soveraigne JAMES by thy grace King of great Brittaine France and Ireland Defender of the truly Catholike faith and in all causes and over all persons next and immediatly under thy Sonne CHRIST JESVS in all his Dominions supreme Governour O LORD as thou hast enlarg'd his royall heart even as the sand which is on the sea-shore for understanding learning and wisedome so wee beseech thee to continue unto him a proportionable measure of holinesse zeale and sanctification for the execution of that great place wherin thou hast set him and the enlargement of thy Kingdome here on earth Settle his crowne fast upon his head that he may long and religiously raigne over us in despight of all his enemies both at home and abroad Vouchsafe all the graces of thy good Spirit unto his gracious Queene Plant the true feare of thy great Name in the Princely heart of his Sonne and let thy watchfull providence and thy loving mercies for ever rest upon all that royall family Inspire his Honourable Privie Counsell his Nobility Gentry and Magistracy with spirituall wisedome and heavenly understanding Leade them all into thy Sanctuary and teach them out of thy holy Word first and chiefly those things which concerne thy honour and glory the good of the people which depend upon them and lastly the comfort of their own soules at the dreadfull day of judgement when they shall give an account of their stewardships Enrich we pray thee with thy best graces all the Reverend Bishops and Ministers of this Land Endew them plentifully with knowledge zeale sincerity and discretion that by their faithfullnesse and conscionable discharge of their duties the many multitudes in this Land that lie in darknesse ignorance profanesse Popery and Schisme may be brought to the knowledge of thy truth into a holy obedience to thy heavenly Gospell to their owne everlasting salvation Blesse and be mercifull to both our Universities Oxford and Cambridge Comfort all thy distressed children wheresoever or howsoever afflicted whither with Pestilence Warre Famine banishment sicknesse poverty imprisonment disquietnesse of minde vexation of conscience want of spirituall comfort or what other crosse or calamity soever it pleaseth thee to exercise them with Give them in the meane time a sure faith in thy promises and inward comfort in thy blessed Spirit and in thy good time a happy deliverance whither by life or death as it shall be best for thy glory and the good of their owne soules Lastly gracious Father for this sacred businesse wee have now in hand wee humbly beseech thee to blesse and sanctifie unto us at this time the preaching and hearing of thy holy Word it is the ordinance of thy owne infinite wisedome it is the glorious instrument which thou hast appointed for the conversion and salvation of the soules of men But unto us miserable wretches it hath beene many times thorow the barrennesse of our hearts the secret and deceitfull corruptions of our nature much sleepinesse and drowsinesse but as water spilt on the ground and even the breath of thy Ministers scattered in the aire Forgive us deare Father all our former untowardnesse irreverence and unprofitablenes in these holy exercises and now at length before we goe downe into our graves into black and cruell habitations from whence we must never returne to praise thee upon earth let us feele thy divine finger working in us effectually at the preaching of thy Word Let us have the sence of thine Omnipotency in conquering our corruptions and temptations that we being thorowly sanctified both in our soules and bodies forsaking all our knowne sinnes and labouring with sincerity to please thee in all things may have our fruit in holinesse and the end everlasting life Heare us c. A Morning
sinnes both before and since our calling in the grave of CHRIST JESVS and hide them in his righteousnesse for evermore There is no helpe or comfort to be had either in Heaven or in Earth in Angels Saints or mortall men to our wounded consciences but onely in the spotlesse justice of thy deare Son Give assurance therefore we beseech thee to every one of our soules that his pretious bloud was shed for our sinnes in particular that wee may sensibly feele the forgivenesse of our sins and rejoyce in the hope of eternall life In His blessed name we give thee all possible thankes for those many mercies and comforts which thou hast plentifully bestowed upon us most unworthy wretches We thanke thee deare Father for our health wealth and liberty for our peace plenty and prosperity for our food and apparell for our preservation from our cradle to this howre and all the good meanes of these but more especially for the more speciall tokens of thy great love for these we have common with the reprobates and those which shall never see thy face with comfort but after a short time spent in the miserable pleasures of this vaine world shall be turn'd to hell and everlasting fire We thanke thee for chusing us before all worlds to be heires of Heaven and Citizens with thy Saints We thanke thee for confirming unto us our Election by our effectuall calling O happy be that blessed time when thy good Spirit put the first motions into our hearts to become thy children This is the blessing wee infinitely esteeme before al worldly comforts and wherein is the preciousnesse of all true joy and contentment O most loving and gracious Father we beseech thee goe forward with the worke of this our New-birth that thou hast begun in us and never take away thy hand unto the day of JESVS CHRIST Thou hast promised that whom thou hast loved once thou wilt love for ever and thou art without all shadow of change and sooner shall the mountaines bee cast into the Sea before one jot of thy gracious promise fall unto the ground or one title of thy Word be unaccomplisht Take from us therefore wee beseech thee all privy pride and hypocrisie all vanity and vaine-glory all dullnesse backwardnesse and security in thy service which hang so fast on which cleave so close unto our soules and fearefully hinder us in the course of godlinesse but above all things let us never fall backe againe into the grosse and horrible sinnes of our unregeneration Reveale unto us we beseech thee all our sinnes give us tender consciences and a continuall increase in spirituall wisedome and heavenly understanding untill we come unto that happy strength by which the world is crucified unto us and wee unto the world and bee able to say out of the powerfull feeling of thy goodnesse upon our soules with thy blessed servant David GOD is our hope and strength and helpe in troubles ready to bee found Therefore will we not feare though the earth bee mooved and though the mountaines fall into the midst of the Sea Though the waters thereof rage and be troubled and the mountaines shake at the same GOOD LORD bee mercifull with the bowells of thy Fatherly compassions unto thy Church and every member thereof Be gratious unto this sinnefull Kingdome and enter not into judgement with the horrible sins thereof And in the same looke downe we beseech thee with the speciall eye of providence and protection upon the excellent instrument of thy glory our most gracious Soveraigne Give him the spirit of zeale wisedome and governement that he may long and religiously raigne over us in despight of all his enemies both at home and abroad Blesse all his Counsellors both our Universities Oxford and Cambridge the Nobility of this Land the Gentry all inferiour Magistrates all Judges and Justices of Peace those that are imployd in fighting thy battells either by Land or Sea Give to every one a spirit to his calling Leade them all into thy Sanctuary and teach them out of thy holy Word first and chiefly those things which concerne thy honour and glory the good of the people that depend upon them and lastly the salvation and comfort of their owne soules at the dreadfull day of judgement when they shall give an account of their stewardships Enrich wee beseech thee with many graces of zeale faithfullnesse and sincerity the Ministers and Preachers of thy holy Word blesse their labours that some good may come of them increase their number place over every Congregation a faithfull and religious Watchman that may go in and out before thy people in soundnesse of doctrine and uprightnesse of conversation Touch the hearts of the many multitudes of this Land that at length they may turne unto thy truth and so be delivered out of the tyranny and power of Satan to the freedome of thy deare Son CHRIST JESVS our LORD Give successe good LORD and prosper all those which in their good purposes seeke the preferment of thy truth by good and lawfull meanes Blesse all them that thou hast joyned unto us with any bond of love kinred or acquaintance all those whose hearts thou hast stird up to doe us good any manner of waies and those also which wish and worke us evill if they belong unto thee Comfort O LORD with thy sweetest comforts all thy children which are vexed either in soule or body whether by Pestilence Famine Warre poverty imprisonment sicknesse or banishment trouble of conscience vexation of spirit disquietnesse of minde want of spirituall comfort or whatsoever kinde of affliction of body or mind thou dost try them with Give them in the meane time faith in thy promises and comfort in thy Spirit and in thy good time a happy deliverance whether by life or by death as it shall be best to thy honour and glory and good of their owne soules But especially as we are bound at this time we humbly intreate thy loving kindnesse and tender mercies for our poore afflicted brethren and sisters here about us in London Oxford and many other places of this Land O LORD stay thy revenging hand Though wee bee but wormes and dust yet thou art our Creator and we the worke of thy hands Thou art our Father and wee thy children Thou art our Shepheard and we thy sheep Thou art our Redeemer and wee the people whom thou hast bought Thou art our GOD and we thine inheritance Forget not therefore O LORD to be gracious and shut not up thy loving kindnesse in displeasure turne thee againe at the last and bee gracious unto thy servants And grant wee beseech thee that these great judgements may effect and worke that for which they were sent even true humiliation and undissembled repentance that we all turning unto thee in truth and sincerity thou maist turne unto us with thy mercies and everlasting compassions And whereas we whom of thy great goodnesse thou hast thus long time spared are as deepe
and retaine them in our mindes with full purpose of heart to put them in practise c. O LORD bee mercifull unto us pardon and forgive us all our sinnes our many abuses of thy great benefits and mercies especially of thy holy Word passe by we beseech thee our many infirmities and weaknesses Sanctifie unto us at this time our hearing reading and conferring of thy sacred Word Blesse our conceptions and memories that we may rightly conceive it and reteine it in our minds with full purpose of heart to practise it in our lives and conversations Range into order our worldly and wandring thoughts that we may with reverence and attention receive it meditate of it and lay it close unto our hearts that so by thy good blessing wee may bring forth much and good fruit A thankesgiving for the Kings returne out of Spaine and a prayer for his prosperitie ANd as we are specially and extraordinarily bound at this time wee humbly and heartily thanke thee for the safe and comfortable returne of our gracious Prince CHARLES It hath beene from thy great mercy and goodnesse that thou hast gone in and out before him and walkt by him in his most dangerous journey and kept him in all his waies That thou hast beene a brazen wall and fiery pillar about him both by Land and Sea and preserv'd him from every hurtfull snare both of soule and body and broughtst him with peace and comfort againe unto his Fathers house Blessed and bountifull LORD GOD we heartily praise and magnifie we humbly admire and adore the length and breadth and height and depth of thy free grace and love therein to thy Church and Gospell and all that are true of heart Enlarge our hearts we pray thee with all heartinesse and truth to blesse thy great and holy Name the fountaine of all blisse the author of all our good the well-spring of immortality and life wherein we live and move and have our being both naturall spirituall and eternall And good LORD goe on with that glorious and happy worke of blessing him still so settle and establish the feare of thy great Name and truth of our blessed Religion in his Princely heart that he may stand therein like Mount Sion and never be removed So guide and direct by thine own mercifull hand all those great affaires which any waies concerne him and with wisdome from the brest of the everlasting counsell of the LORD JESVS that hee may hereafter prove a glorious and renowned Instrument for the advancement of the Gospel of JESVS CHRIST that the heavenly lampe of thy blessed truth may shine faire and pure upon us all our daies and afterwards upon our children and childrens children to the worlds end and the comming of JESVS CHRIST the second time A Prayer for wholesome and seasonable weather STay thy wrath most gratious Father wee humbly intreate thee in this heavie judgement that is growing upon us by this unseasonable weather Thou hast richly loaden and crowned the earth with abundance of thy goodnesse and bounty Add this mercy we pray thee to give a convenient season season to gather it in comfortably We confesse and acknowledge before thee we farre rather deserve that thou shouldst raine downe fire and brimstone upon our heads for our many horrible sinnes that great one the contempt of thy Word which makes us worse then Sodomites then that thou shouldest answer us in this our desire But wee beseech thee in mercy make us first sensible of thy just displeasure to be humbled to the heart root to part from all our evill waies and to seeke thy face and favour extraordinarily and then returne unto us in thy wonted compassion and love In visitation of the sicke WE confesse unto thee mercifull LORD GOD that out of the consideration of our owne many pollutions and imperfections and the glorious purity of thy holy nature wee finde and feele our selves most unworthy and very fearefull to speake unto thy Majesty either for our selves or others yet because it hath pleased thee to give us a commandement and charge to performe this duty of praying one for another and having a gracious promise annexed of prevailing with thee if our prayers be faithfull and fervent We are bold here upon the knees of our soules with all the instancy and fervency our poore dull hearts can possibly to intreate thy favour and mercy for thy servant our deare Christian Brother that lies here amongst us upon his bed of sicknesse under thy visiting hand Oh blessed LORD we humbly beseech thee for thy CHRIST his sake thy holy Names sake thy infinite mercies sake thy covenant sake to looke downe from Heaven upon him with the eye and affection of tender-heartednesse love Let the loving countenance and cheerefull face of JESVS CHRIST shine comfortably upon him let the powerfull presence of thy sanctifying spirit possesse his heart wholy with all the graces of salvation and blessings of Heaven let the word of thy grace put quickning life and sanctifying power into his soule that it may be rais'd from earth and sin to rest and peace in the bosome of thy compassions Deale with him we pray thee as thou usest to deale with those whom thou fashions and frames for the joyes and pleasures of the life to come Sanctifie O LORD unto him this present sicknesse let it by thy blessings upon it breake and plow up his heart soundly and thorowly to search and to try his waies that so out of the abundance of his feeling he may powre out a most plentifull and sincere confession of his sinnes before thee and groanes and sighs and desires unutterable for pardon and remission of them all in the blood of thy Sonne Let it we pray thee beget and bring forth in him those blessed effects and happy ends which in such cases thou art wont to worke upon the soules of holy men and women Let him upon this occasion bee truly humbled under thy mighty hand with sight of his owne vilenesse frailty and sinfull miseries that from thence may spring in him an unfained and longing desire after CHRIST and comforts of salvation Let him shake off all carnall security dependance or confidence upon the arme of flesh or upon any glory and vanity in this life Let his repentance upon this occasion be performed unto thee with more sincerity universality and thorownesse then ever heretofore A Prayer when any drawes neere unto death O Mercifull LORD GOD upon the knees of our soules and from the ground and bottome of our hearts we humbly beseech thee that wherein soever Satan hath any waies blinded him or his own heart deceived him or how farre soever the image of CHRIST hath beene defaced and decayed in him All his omissions of good duties all his defects and wants in faith repentance prayer obedience c. or whatsoever I say wee most humbly beseech thee to forgive and pardon them all for the passions sake of thine onely Sonne Whatsoever at
any time since hee had his being he hath either thought or said or done amisse doe it away deare LORD as though it had never beene and drowne it for ever in the bottomelesse sea of thine owne mercy Thou hast promised by thy Prophet Isa. 44. 22. that thou wilt put away the transgressions of thy people like a cloud and their sins as a mist. Now we pray thee let the inflamed heate of thy everlasting love shed thorow the bloody wounds of thy Son and shining through the Sonne of righteousnesse upon his soule disperse and dissolve into nothing all his iniquities transgressions and sins Thou hast promised by thy Prophet Micah 7. 19. That thou wilt cast them all into the bottome of the Sea Now blessed LORD GOD we pray thee as that mighty host of Pharaoh sunke into the red Sea like a stone so that neither Sonne of man nor Sun of Heaven ever saw their faces any more so let all his sins bee swallowed up for ever in the red sea of CHRIST JESVS his blood that they never show their faces againe to his shame discomfort or confusion Thou hast told us with thine owne mouth that thou inhabitest eternity and dwells in the high and holy place and yet with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to give life to them that are of a contrite heart we humbly intreate thee for CHRIST JESUS his sake that thou wouldest make good this promise to this thy servant to the utmost sweetnesse and comfort thereof O blessed LORD GOD let thy glorious presence shine into his heart with all those sweet refreshings with which thou art wont to fill those happy soules which depart in thy favour and at peace with thee Let the pretious deservings and saving blood-shed of CHRIST JESVS appeare fresh unto the eye of his faith And let the blessed Angell ministring Spirits to thy chosen at thy appointed time carry his soule with peace and comfort into the bosome of thy glory O LORD he is now going the way of all flesh and his habitation is remooving from him like a Shepheards tent Helpe now LORD in this time of need Comfort him wee beseech thee with all the strength of Heaven Thou hast within the rich treasury of thy mercy thine own tender hearted bowells of compassions the unvaluable blood shed of thy deare Sonne the unutterable comforts of thy good Spirit the pretious promises of life and all the joyes of Heaven and he hath a poore soule that hungers and thirsts and longs for thy mercy and favour before all the world O LORD our GOD wee humbly pray thee crown that soule of his with them all Let thine own omnipotent hand encompasse him let the strong arme of the Sonne of GOD mightily protect him from all infernall power let the Spirit of all comfort raise in his heart those heavenly raptures and sweet exultations of spirit which are wont to fill the soules of them which are ready to lay hold upon a crowne of life let thy blessed Angels at thine owne time carry his soule into the bosome of Abraham there to raigne with thee in rest and joy thorow all eternity A Prayer in time of Plague O LORD our GOD remember us wee pray thee in mercy concerning that heavie and sore judgement of the Plague of Pestilence that fearefully walketh in darknesse and wasteth at noone day which thy just wrath hath kindled in the chiefe City of this Kingdome Wee pray thee good Father to blesse us with care and wisedome to meete thee now at first with truly remorsefull and repentant hearts both for our own personall sinnes and the crying abhominations of the times Let us seeke thee with fervency and truth in daies of humiliation and fasting and cry mightily unto thee that so turning al unto thee with unfained repentance and sincere resolution to amend thou maist in mercy heale our Kingdome and turne thine indignation away from us A Prayer in time of Plague MOst gratious GOD sith by thy good providence we are met together at this time solemely to humble our selves and afflict our soules in thy glorious presence and before thy pure eye we humbly beseech thee to give unto every one of us spirituall ability and the saving assistance of thy Holy Spirit that we may all doe it unfainedly fruitfully effectually in the name of JESVS CHRIST O Most mighty and blessed LORD GOD our ever loving Father in JESVS CHRIST We poore wretches thy unworthiest servants do heere humbly prostrate our selves our soules and bodies before thy Throne of grace acknowledging from our hearts that we are the vilest of all Thy Creatures by reason of our manifold and hainous sins we are defiled and polluted in every power and part both of body and soule to the very heart roote and from the beginning of our being we laid at first a bloudy foundation with Adam in Paradise which utterly undid all mankinde and had our hands in that horrible rebellion which brought all mischiefs and miseries all sinne and sorrow upon all the sonnes and daughters of Adam from the Creation to the end of the world yea and all those Hellish woes and tortures which shall lie upon damned soules everlastingly O LORD strike our hearts with remorse for This sin of which we take so little notice that we may bee humbled for it all the daies of our life Wee came into this world very sinkes of all impurity concupiscence and filth we brought with us understandings starke blinde in all heavenly things wills stubborne froward rebellious to every good word and worke Memory sinfull and defiled hard and stony hearts raging and bedlam passions earthly and sensuall thoughts and imaginations dead and guilty consciences eyes full of Adultery wantonnesse and wandrings eare open to all rotten and ribald talke tongues set on fire by hell hands full of iniquity feete ready to carry us to all manner of villany and vanity even bodies and soules ingrafted into the cursed communion of the Divell and wicked spirits by reason of that originall corruption and crookednesse which we drew from the loines of our sinfull Parents And this hereditary masse of naturall filth lurkt in our natures like venome and poison which made us odious and abominable in thy sight before wee were able to sin when wee had power to serve the Divell it broke out upon us into as many fearefull transgressions and abominable lusts as could possibly proceed from so empoysoned a fountaine And since that time good Lord thou knowest we have borne our selves like Traytors and rebells against thy holy Majesty we have actually transgrest all thy blessed Lawes and Commandements every manner of way in thought word and deed fearefully wounding our consciences greeving thy good spirit and treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath O Lord wee have grievously sinned against Thee by contempt of thy Word The crying sinne of this place by Atheisme ignorance profanenesse
Prayer for a Familie O LORD our GOD we pray thee bee mercifull unto us stirre up we beseech thee our dull hearts out of a true sence of our sinnes and miseries and a lively faith in CHRIST JESVS and his pretious deservings to lift up our soules in prayers and praises unto thee O LORD how are we bound to magnifie thy great Name for all the loving kindnesse and great mercies vouchsafed us for preserving us this night past from the ills and dangers which no doubt have befallen many of our brethren as good by nature as our selves for refreshing our fraile bodies with quiet rest and sleepe and bringing us in health in strength and vigour of body to see the light of this day for that it hath pleased thee to reveale unto us the mysteries of godlinesse and some measure of saving truth which thou hast hid from many thousands of the greatest and wisest of the world For that thou hast preserv'd us from many fearefull transgressions and excesses of iniquity to which our corrupt nature would otherwise have led us For giving us the being of reasonable creatures and being borne in this blessed time and part of the world when and where thy glorious Gospell is on foot for the continuance of our health and strength of body for the usefullnesse and vigour of the powers of our soules and sences of which for abusing them we have deserv'd ere this to have beene fearefully deprived For our ingenuous and godly education for our Christian company and good counsell we have many times by thy mercies enjoyed For thy Word and Sacraments the glorious meanes of our conversion and continuance in grace For many gracious mercies by which thou hast laboured gently and fairely to draw us unto thee For those judgements which thou hast sent to humble us and to bring us to repentance For the inlarging of our time for storing our selves with Grace and comfort against the day of our visitation For our freedome from many miseries crosses and vexations which befall other our brethren better then our selves For that it hath pleased thee by thine everlasting decree out of thine owne boundlesse goodnesse and blessed pleasure to save us from many thousand others which perish everlastingly and to make us heires of endlesse happinesse as we are verily perswaded in the world to come For preventing and following us with thy saving graces O LORD we pray thee to open our eyes daily more and more to see and acknowledge these thy great and undeserved mercies upon us and to enlarge our hearts sincerely and feelingly to magnifie thy great Name for the same And as wee humbly intreate thee upon the knees of our soules for pardon and remission of all other sinnes so especially for our monstrous and harefull ingratitude for thy great and many mercies towards us most wicked and sinfull creatures We are ashamed and confounded that so much favour and mercy and long forbearance should bee extended to such rebellious and carnall wretches as we are For besides that naturall pollution we drew from the loines of our sinnefull parents wee have heapt up a great measure of actuall sinnes since we had the use and exercise of reason and power and ability to sinne O LORD our GOD wee humbly beseech thee to give us a full sight of them all and a true sence of thy great wrath indignation against them Let us have remorse and compunction in our hearts and consciences for them all in our affections a perfect hate and detestation of the least corruptions and infirmities And bee thou pleas'd gracious Father thorowly to purge and wash our soules with the precious blood of thy deare Sonne deliver us quite wee beseech thee from the guilt horrour and damnation due unto them And grant that hereafter wee may walke conscionably and carefully in all our waies that we suffer no more our poore soules to bee stained with these foule pollutions we have formerly delighted in Wee confesse and acknowledge to our shame and confusion that wee have many times vowed betwixt thee and our owne soules that wee would watch more carefully over our owne hearts least they should breed and nourish profane idle and wandering thoughts and imaginations over ourtalke least wee should offend with our tongue that wee would be more zealous and faithfull in the duties of our calling in sanctifying thy Sabbaths receiving thy Sacraments hearing thy Word in Christian conference company meditation and all other holy duties but alas all these good purposes have beene but as the morning dew we have even in short time broken our vowes growne cold againe dull and formall to the much greefe of thy good Spirit and discomfort of our owne soules Now LORD wee pray thee deale mercifully with us in this point forgive our many frailties and infirmities herein and at length thorowly sanctifie us draw our affections from the false glory and sinfull pleasures of this vaine world and fasten them there where true sound and lasting comfort is to be enjoyed Give us wise and understanding hearts that we may see and perceive those things that belong to thy glory and the salvation of our own soules and sanctified wills and holy affections to follow and pursue them with all earnestnesse zeale and fervency of spirit Let us even this day get some ground against Satan and forwardnesse in the course of Sanctification Let us store our selves with some new godly purposes and holy resolutions to doe thy will and keepe thy righteous commandements Fill our hearts daily more and more with all saving graces and the virtues of CHRIST JESVS Cause us perpetually to keepe in minde and consider that we are but as pilgrims and strangers here in this world that wee must shortly depart hence and never returne againe but presently come to judgement and receive an everlasting reward according to our workes Weaken wee beseech thee daily more and more the power of sinne in us let us feele it decay and loose its hold and haunt in us and strengthen in us the power of grace the new man and all spirituall comforts Neither pray wee for our selves onely but for all thy deare children fellow heires with us of everlasting happinesse in what part of the world soever they be LORD we pray thee to be continually present with them with all thy comforts and mercies let thy good Spirit leade them into all truth let the wings of thy providence and protection stretch over them all And such as yet lie in profanesse and under the shadow of death hasten their conversion reveale unto them the glorious comforts of grace and let the powers of darknesse hold them no longer LORD be mercifull unto this sinnefull Kingdome wherein we live and enter not into judgement with the horrible rebellions and fearefull abominations thereof Stay the rage of prophanesse that fearefully overflowes in all places to thy great dishonour and griefe of thy children Stop the crying sinnes of the time and recover thine
thy holy Names sake bury them all in the blessed and bloody wounds of our deare SAVIOVR that they never rise up at the dreadfull day of judgement to give testimony against our soules to our utter confusion Hide them all in the bottomelesse Ocean of thy endlesse mercy that they die out of thy remembrance everlastingly And send we beseech thee into every one of our soules that happy and heavenly assurance of the remission of our sinnes whence springeth joy and contentment most precious and unvaluable infinite more worth then ten thousand worlds LORD wee blesse praise and magnifie thy great and glorious name for all those great mercies benefits and comforts which out of thy immeasurable bounty thou hast plentifully bestowed upon us First and chiefly wee humbly thanke thee for that it hath pleased thee of thy meere favour and love to elect us before the foundation of the world to be heires of thy immortall Kingdome for creating us after thine owne image for redeeming us with the precious blood of thy deare Sonne for calling us into the glorious liberty of thy sons for justifying us for sanctifying us with thy holy Spirit for the joyfull hope of glorification in the world to come Confirme unto us we beseech thee these great and incomparable blessings with the sacred testimony of thy holy Spirit Let thy blessed Spirit tell our spirits that we are thy Elect. Let our sweet Saviour CHRIST JESVS say unto our soules I am your salvation Seale our salvation unto our soules with the pledge seale and earnest of thy holy Spirit Furthermore most gratious Father we humbly thanke thee for that extraordinary and universall blessing vouchsafed this Land by our gracious and religious King it is the greatest that ever the face of this earth enjoyed that ever thou bestowedst on thy dearest children For when wicked men and all the world as thou knowest expected that this Land should have beene clothed with fiery persecutions bloody warres and all manner of calamities as with a garment Thou that sittest in Heaven and laughest the vaine plots and devises and wicked men to scorne against all expectation hast covered it with peace joy plenty prosperity the free passage of thy Gospell as the seas are covered with water Put we pray thee into the heart of every one in this Land a true and continuall thankfullnes a godly and religious resolution to serve thee in holines and righteousnes all the daies of their life And LORD we beseech thee continue that good worke that thou hast begun and let him and his posterity in thy feare and true religion if it be thy blessed pleasure sit upon the throne of this Land so long as the Sunne and Moone endureth Let his Scepter long flourish in his hand and set his crowne fast upō his head O mightily preserve him from all the sonnes of violence and mischiefe Let all those that with forraine invasion attempt the destruction of his person and desolation of this Land become like Iabin and Sisera that perished at Endor like Zeba and Zalmunna that became as the dung of the earth Let all unnaturall practises and home-bred conspiracies perish as the untimely fruit of a woman and never see the Sun Inflame his royall heart with true zeale and love of thy blessed truth and as thou hast enlarged his kingdomes so give him a princely and religious courage to enlarge thy Kingdome and utterly to confound all Heresie Schisme and the kingdome of Antichrist Blesse all his privie Counsellors with wisedome from above that they may put these things into his heart which chiefly concerne thy honour and glory the good of thy Church the safety of his Person and quiet of this Land Blesse with severall graces all inferiour Magistrates that they may all faithfully and religiously discharge the severall places wherein they stand Blesse all his people with religion and loyalty the Ministery with learning zeale and sincerity O LORD go out with his Captaines and men of warre that fight thy battels We thanke thee also deare Father for blessings more particularly concerning us for delivering us from Popery Idolatry and Superstition and illightning our understanding with thy blessed truth Confirme it we beseech thee unto us daily more and more that if need require we may confirme it with our dearest bloods We thanke thee for giving us a taste of the powers of the world to come Crucifie we beseech thee unto us continually the lusts and corruptions of our sinnefull flesh that the graces and comforts of regeneration may daily receive in us strength and perfection We thanke thee for remooving from over our heads those heavie judgements and violls of thy wrath that our crying sins have continually called for from Heaven even all diseases and infirmities of body all terrours and vexations of conscience all civill deaths and torments all shame and confusion even that the earth should have opened his mouth and swallowed us quick the water drowned us the fier consumed us vengeance from Heaven overtaken us thy other creatures devoured us Grant we beseech thee that hereafter by sound and undissembled repentance and by agodly life wee may abandon them and the feare of them for evermore An Evening Prayer VVE thanke thee most mercifull Father for our health wealth food raiment preservation from our cradle to this hower for thy releeving us in all our needs and necessities for comforting us so fatherly in all our tribulations and distresses for sparing us so long a time of repentance and for infinite more blessings which neither our hearts can thinke nor tongues expresse Now one thing deare LORD will we beg at thy hands and that will we crave for evermore that thou wouldst give us grace and power by thy blessed Spirit to direct and dispose all these excellent blessings both eternall and temporall chiefly and principally to the honour of thy great Name to the salvation of our soules and the good of thy Church And to this end roote we beseech thee out of our soules all pride malice envy covetousnesse selfe-love hypocrisie take from us all swearing lying vaine and unprofitable talking al thoughts of Atheisme Infidelity uncleanenesse all the menstruous filthinesse of our abhominable nature And plant we beseech thee and ingraft deepely into our soules the true feare of thy glorious Name true humility true zeale and devotion true sorrow and repentance for all our sinnes true spirituall wisdome and heavenly understanding true hope and charity but above all things a true strong and a lively faith truly to apprehend the death and Passion of our deare Saviour and in particular and effectually to apply it to our sinfull soules LORD make it ever powerfull and invincible but especially in all times of our crosses and afflictions but LORD make it most triumphant and glorious even at the hower of death at our last visitation when the divell shall set before the eyes of our soules the blacke and ougly catalogue of all our sins and when
unbeliefe distrust of thy providence carnall security pride hypocrisie By fearelissnesse and forgetfullnesse of thy great Majesty Love of this world and putting from us the evill day by impatiency discontent inward Idolatry in preferring some Creature before the mighty LORD of Heaven and Earth By the grosse neglect or wicked abuse of all the parts and kinde of thy Divine Worship Pretious and powerfull are those heavenly Ordâ—nances of thine Thy Word preached or read prayer meditation conference vowes fasting use of good bookes good company and the like some of those have been utterly neglected by us others quite mard by formality and sloth We have highly dishonoured thy Majesty by taking thy great name in vaine in want of due esteeme and an holy use of thy Titles Attributes Ordinances Creatures Workes of justice and mercy abroad in the world We have fearefully polluted thy Sabboths and profaned all thy Ordinances upon those blessed daies And as we have thus wickedly neglected thy Worship and Service in the first place so wee have beene justly given over to beare our selves wretchedly and unworthily towards our brethren we have behaved our selves unthankfully to our Superiours proudly to our Equals unmercifully to our Inferiours Though it may bee we have kept our hand from the grosse act of murder yet LORD thou know'st our tongues have beene swords and our hearts full of blood We have beene defiled with all manner of abominable lusts in our inward parts Our noble spirits that can never die have been basely chained downe to the earth and kept in a wicked and dunghill slavery and bondage to the world and worldly things In our tongues we have beene guilty of a world of wickednesse But above all our hearts have beene restlesse fountaines of all ill innumerable litters and swarmes of vaine vile filthy Thoughts affections and desires have continually bred in them very thorough-faires have they beene for Satans impure suggestions to walke up and downe in in regard of malicious thoughts very slaughter-houses in regard of uncleane lusts very stewes and brothel-houses in regard of the heate of boyling concupiscence very hot-houses and as the Prophet Hos. 7. 4. speakes like a bakers Oven And LORD our GOD these are but the heads of our sins The branches streames and particulars are infinite able to sinke us into the bottome of ten thousand hells And that which makes our sinnes a great deale more sinfull wee have wretchedly and stubbornely committed them against many meanes of sanctification against the ministery of thy Word against many Sermons and gratious invitations against the motions of thy Spirit the checks of our conscience the light of our knowledge against our vowes and promises Thy many fatherly corrections great mercies and miraculous patience Good LORD wee beseech thee to open our eyes that wee may see the length and breadth the height and depth of this our wofull misery The least of all our sins without repentance may justly bring upon us all manner of plagues and judgements in this world dispaire and horror upon our beds of death and everlasting misery and torment in the world to come What height of horror then and depth of hell doe all our fearefull pollutions and provocations all our life long deserve at thine hands Now good LORD our GOD helpe us and for the blood of CHRIST give unto every one of us before thee this day true and saving repentance unfained godly sorrow for them all Let them all now come into our mindes and be represented to the eye of our conscience as so many fiery Scorpions out of which except we take as it were the stings by turning from them while it is called to day they will sting hereafter with everlasting horrour Let us looke upon them as upon so many foule feinds sin made the glorious Angels damned spirits how foule then doe they make us who are sons and daughters of Adam Let us behold them as so many foule and bloody instruments of CHRIST his death and cruell cut-throats to our owne soules c. Let us cast our eye also upon thy pure eye and infinite indignation against sin by considering how in thy fierce wrath thou threwest downe so many glorious Creatures from Heaven How thou cast Adam and Eve for eating the forbidden fruit out of Paradise drownedst the whole world Cursedst Sodome and Gomorrah as it were with hellish flame upon earth into ashes cast off thine owne people who had beene so deare unto thee puts sometimes a guilty enraged conscience even into an hell above ground and hast created and provided the never dying worme and unquenchable fire even all the torments in hell for impenitent sinners O LORD let these considerations of the foulenesse of our sinnes and the fearefullnesse of the curse due thereunto but above all the beholding of JESVS CHRIST dying and bleeding upon the crosse make every one of our hearts to breake and burst and bleede within us for them all That wee may heartily and abundantly mourne over him whom wee have pierced with them And then most mercifull Father we humbly beseech thee be graciously pleased to open upon us the blessed fountaine for sin and for uncleanenesse even the blood of that Immaculate Lambe JESVS CHRIST the holy and the Righteous Breake thine own sweete Name which is to forgive iniquity transgression and sin as a sweete perfume upon our broken hearts and let our poore soules cast themselves for ever with a lively and fruitfull faith into the armes of JESVS CHRIST for everlasting safety and for ever cleave to all the promises in thy blessed Booke as to the surest Rocke and let the soundnesse of the Truth of this our cleaving unto Christ be hereafter testified and manifested by an hearty abandoning of all sin by all the workes of piety justice mercy and truth by a sincere respect to all thy Commandements by a fruitfull partaking of all thy Holy Ordinances by a spirituall performance of all Christian Duties by a constant growing in all heavenly graces and comfortable going on in the path that is called Holy unto our dying Day And LORD our GOD we being thus sincerely humbled truly comforted and reconciled unto thee in the face of Christ we humbly beseech thee to enable us by thy might to cry mightily unto thee for pardon and reformation of the sins of this Kingdome which are many and hainous and have provoked thee many a yeare and to prevaile with Thee in Christs Name for favour and mercy upon all our deare brethren and sisters that are now groaning under thy visiting hand Good LORD wee beseech thee upon this occasion and blessed opportunity strike through the heart of every one in this land with a true remorse and godly sorrow both for his owne personall sins and all the crying abominations of the time That so we all turning unto thee with unfained repentance and sincere resolution to amend thou mayest in mercy command thine Angell to cease from striking heale our land and
incomparable Jewel that ever this world had or sons of men enjoyed the Ministery of the Word and meanes of salvation the discovery of the mystery of CHRIST and revelation of all thy blessed counsells By the power whereof so many amongst us as have truly tasted how gratious and glorious thou art in CHRIST doe blesse magnifie and admire the bottomelesse depth and infinite height of thy free grace for our happy conversion from Satan to the living GOD for our change from nature to grace a greater and more glorious work then the Creation of the world wherein thou hast improved thine owne infinite mercie the unvaluable merit of thy Sonne and the mighty worke of the HOLY GHOST to make us of limbs of the divell members of CHRIST O blessed be that happy time that ever we were so new borne Wee thanke thee for pardoning all our sins the least of which would have damned us everlastingly for renewing upon our soules the blessed image of the LORD JESVS the least glimpse whereof is infinitely more worth then the whole world We thank thee for the LORD JESVS and every drop of his pretious blood and all other sweetnesse wee finde in him for thy good Spirit and his gratious presence and residence in our soules for thy blessed selfe and all the sweete Communion we have with thy holy Majesty for the prayers of thy children Communion of Saints and the Intercession of JESVS CHRIST We thanke thee heartily for any power or conquest thou givest us at any time over our sins for all our ability to doe thee any service in any part or kinde of thy worship for all those afflictions and temptations which thou hast sanctified for our spirituall good for all the sweete and heavenly dewes of spirituall joy which thou hast at any time shed into any of our hearts from the throne of grace by the influence of thy holy Spirit Blessed GOD wee thanke thee infinitely for those glorious mansions of rest for our everlasting blessings and peace purchased for us with the blood of CHRIST for every moment of eternity in the highest Heavens where wee shall fully and for ever enjoy pleasures without end and past imagination O blessed Joyes O blessed Eternity O ever-blessed GOD Furthermore gratious Father wee heartily praise thee for all those publique favours and blessings which in great mercy thou hast from time to time vouchsafed unto this Kingdome wherein we have had a large and comfortable part We thanke thee good Father for the happy deliverance of this Kingdome from the fiery and bloudy times of Queene Mary for raising up Queene Elizabeth who raised Religion as it were by a miracle from the dead for all her miraculous deliverances from the cruell conspiracies of the bloody Papists especially that in 88. For all her blessed daies wherein so many Holy Saints were sent to Heaven We thanke thee mercifull GOD for delivering us from the rage and bloud of that day so long looked for by the Papists at Queene Elizabeths death for the quiet and happy succession of King Iames of blessed memory and all the peace and prosperity and freedome from Popery and the destroying sword especially the Powder-plot We thanke thee Father most heartily for the gratious setling of King CHARLES in the Royall Throne for his life and safety and the happy daies we enjoy under his blessed raigne and that thou hast put into his royall heart to give us this blessed liberty and glorious opportunity thus to humble our selves and afflict our soules in publique before thy glorious Majesty We humbly intreate thee in the name of CHRIST let every one of us receive at thy bountifull hands grace and power to doe it unfainedly effectually and savingly For that purpose let thy blessings fall abundantly from Heaven upon every soule here present by the Ministery of thy Word settle fast we pray thee by the finger of thy Holy Spirit in our memories judgement affections hearts and consciences all those points of Holy Truth with which wee have beene acquainted with this day that by thy mercifull blessing they may prove thy arme and power to every one of us for our salvation for the conversion of those who are yet uncalled and the setting forward of those that are already thine in the waies of life all holy conversation and neerer communion with thy blessed Majesty At last we cannot but reflect with compassionare hearts upon the grievous miseries and bleeding sorrowes of all our brethren and sisters afflicted with the plague of Pestilence Thou art a pitifull GOD full of tendernesse meltings and compassions thou art the Father of mercies and GOD of all comforts now we humbly intreate thee for thy deare Sonnes sake for thy infinite mercies sake for thy holy names sake of all thy loves unto the LORD JESVS and that with all the earnestnesse and fervency our poore dull hearts can possibly that thou wouldest bee pleased to cast downe thy compassionate eye upon them all stay the hand of thy destroying Angell spare them good LORD destroy not the people of thine inheritance put up we pray thee thy arrowes into thy quiver and thy sword into the sheath now at the joynt supplications of all thy deare children who are in this Kingdome who are even now wrastling with thee with all fervency of spirit let our poore prayers and all theirs even now meeting at the throne of grace bee mightily strengthened and tendered unto thee by the intercession of the LORD JESVS and pull downe speedily upon us this mercy and gratious deliverance that we may praise thee for evermore Lastly blessed LORD we humbly beseech thee to pardon in mercy all those corruptions infirmities faylings defects and imperfections which have beene mingled with these holy duties sprinkle all our services sacrifices and persons with the blood of that immaculate Lambe JESVS CHRIST the holy and the Righteous accept them and us gratiously in him in whom thou art well pleased in whom thy soule doth infinitely delight And so good Father we put our selves under the wings of thy gratious providence for our safety and preservation and our soules into the hands of the Holy Ghost for our further Sanctification and finall salvation in the name of JESVS CHRIST to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost even to thee holiest Father to thee dearest Saviour to thee sweetest Spirit be ascribed eternity infinitenesse and everlastingnesse of glory and praise world without end The Authors private Prayer O My good and mercifull LORD GOD most holy and deare Father in JESVS CHRIST I the vilest of all thy creatures and the worst that ever thou madest by reason of mine owne horrible sins doe here come unto thee upon the bended knees of my bleeding soule to intreate thee and beg at thy hands with all the instancy and fervency my poore dull cold heart can possibly for pardon grace and mercy for favour compassion and abundant forgivenesse O LORD my GOD thou knowest me full well and
thorowly even to the bottome of my heart and beginning of my being for besides that I came into this world loaden with an heavie burden and confused Babell of crookednesse and corruption in every part both of soule and body thou knowest what a cursed confluence of all manner of pollutions filthinesse uncleanenesse strange abomination abominable lusts and every villanous corruption that is wont to spring out of our impoysoned nature made my poore soule a very sinke and Sodom before I was converted Reckon up here unto GOD particulars out of abundance of feeling with a plentifull and sincere confession and then goe on Thus O LORD thou knowest when thou very mercifully at the first didst call and knocke at my heart by the Ministery of thy Word with what stubbornenesse reluctancy and delaies I withstood the worke of thy blessed Spirit for the salvation of my owne poore soule How loath I was to open the eyes of my understanding to let in the heavenly light of that holy truth which onely could make mee gracious here and glorious in thy Kingdome hereafter And when thou hadst something conquered the hardnesse of my heart so that in some measure I saw the hatefullnesse of my sin and felt the horror of thy wrath for them O LORD thou knowest I did not so grieve sorrow and take on as so great and grievous a sinner ought to have done I did not mourne for them as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo I was not sorry for them as one is sorry for his first borne I was not throwne downe into the dust and into the place of Dragons and into that depth of humiliation which the villany and variety of my many most horrible transgressions farre as much as the sins of the vilest wretch that ever lived upon earth required at my hands Nay and when after the sence and acknowledgement of my vile and damnable estate I saw the blood and merits of my blessed Redeemer to be the onely meanes to save me from out of hell I did not feele in my selfe that hunger and thirst that panting and longing those groanes supplications and strong cries for that soveraigne and saving Plaister to heale my wounded soule as mine owne misery and the excellency of my CHRIST should have moov'd me unto And when at length it pleased thee upon thy owne free mercy to offer unto my sorrowfull and sinnefull soule thy deare Son and all his pretious sufferings my unbeleeving and naughty heart did not embrace and lay hold upon him with that fastnesse and faithfullnes as the certainty of thy promises the truth and sweetnesse of thy mercy most plentifully revealed in thy Word doe straitly enjoyne mee Thus LORD even every step of my passage out of nature into Grace out of corruption into Christianity and the snares of the divell into the kingdome of Christ was as thou knowest fearefully hindred with the hardnesse of my own corrupt heart and fowly polluted with the lusts and rebellions of my sinfull nature Nay and that which grieves me the most and should justly make my heart even to bleede within me since I gave my name unto religion came into the communion of Saints and entred the waies of new obedience I have beene dragd back by the cruell pollicie of Satan and the accustomed yeeldingnesse of my sensuall dispositions into some vile and hatefull abominations of the daies of my vanity and time of unregeneration and also overtaken with some new knowne scandalous sins to the grieving of thy good Spirit the grievous wounding of my conscience and the disgracing of my profession I have beene very slack and slow and faint-hearted in promoting thy glory furthering good causes and performing holy duties I have beene very dull and cold cowardly and formall in all the waies of godlines and my Christian warfare in respect of many Christians who have not neere beene so great sinners before they were converted or receiv'd the thousand part of those favours from thee as I have done I have beene too heavie heartlesse and uncomfortable in my profession conferences godly exercises and practises of grace I have not so rejoyced as I ought in all the good things which thou hast done for me I have not walked so cheerefully towards a crowne of life as formerly towards the damnation of hell Nay LORD and even in those things wherein I should have the greatest comfort when I examine my naughty and deceitfull heart I finde nothing but confusion of face Even my prayers hearing and reading the Word receiving the Sacrament meditations conferences c. are so mingled with temptations worldly thoughts by-respects deadnesse and drowsinesse of spirit so mard with privie pride and secret hypocrisie that I cannot remember them without griefe of heart neither dare I thinke upon them without prayer for the pardon of their imperfections I finde great matter of humiliation in the best of them and I know thou mightest there also finde much matter of damnation if thou shouldest deale with me as I have deserved O LORD my GOD this is my state nay and indeed a thousand times worse and more wofull yet then I or the tongue of an Angell can make it And I have nothing in the world to say for my selfe I have none to goe unto either in Heaven or in Earth but onely to intreate my blessed Redeemer to speake unto thee in my behalfe to make intercession for me with his glorious merits and pretious blood-shed and to flee unto those melting bowells of thy Fatherly compassions and tender-heartednesse with which thou art wont to meete and fall upon the neck of every humbled sorrowfull and broken-hearted sinner I do therefore beseech thee mercifull LORD upon the bowed knees of my sin-grieved heart to pardon and put away all my many horrible hainous and abominable sins in the pretious blood of thine own deare Son It is onely the pretious blood of that spotlesse Lambe which hath power and force to turne the deepest staine of scarlet and crimson sins into the whitenesse of snow wooll And there was never poore sinfull wretch had more need of the multitude of thy mercies and abundance of that saving blood to doe away the multitude of my sins and to wash purge and rinze my filthy and polluted soule I pray thee therfore for Christ Jesus his sake for thy holy names sake for thine infinite mercies sake and for thine own Covenants sake to make good unto me the true sweetnesse utmost comfort of all those gracious promises of life which ere flowed from thy free mercy through the Passion of thy Son upon any poore soule who sought thee with truth of heart truly lov'd the glory of thy name I strangely deceive mine owne heart if I doe not hunger and thirst for thy favour and pleased countenance more then for all the treasures of the earth the glory of the whole world Make mine heart I pray thee as thou wouldst have it and then
be a Sun shield unto it and crowne it with al the comforts of Heaven as thou hast promised then seale unto it for ever the sure mercies of David the salvations of the life to come And I beseech thee also to be so loving and mercifull to my longing spirit so tender-hearted and kinde to my trembling heart that I may feele in my conscience the sprinkling of the blood of thy Son for the appeasing of it that my poore soule may sensibly know what great things thou hast done for it and that thou art reconciled unto it for ever in Christ Jesus Above all things fill my heart with the joyfull feeling of thy mercies in the pardon of my sins that so my quieted soule may sweetly sleepe and solace it selfe everlastingly in that peace which passeth all understanding and in the bosome of thy compassions And for the time to come I pray thee to help me more and more to renew increase my repeÌ„tance to better inlarge my obedience and put to thine owne holy hand to strengthen every grace thou hast given me O Lord my God I could never yet get neere that hand hatred over my sins as I have infinitely desired I beseech thee now at length let mee feele thy speciall comfortable power mightily assisting me in this holy businesse The sins of my youth have beene most hatefull execrable and abominable both to God and man nay and I have been guilty of many horrible villanies which have beene only knowne to thy All-seeing eye and mine owne corrupt conscience I pray thee blessed Lord for thy Christ his sake to worke in my heart godly sorrow true loathing sound repentance and humiliation for them all in some good measure answerable and proportionable to their heighnousnesse and excesse Oh grant mee that happinesse that I may look back upon all those fowle pollutions and sinfull vanities of my unregenerate time without either sensuall delight or slavish horror even with a sincere hatred and heavie mourning Let me see them without any despairefull feare being assured they are done away with the blood of thy Son as though they had never been without any secret delight lest I renew and multiply their guilt grievousnes upon my poore soule which they have too fearefully wounded already And Lord I pray thee also put quickning life power and feeling into my heart and affections in the performance of every holy duty which is the very heart and soule of a pleasing sacrifice and service unto thee Increase in me an holy feare reverence respect to all thy Commandements Cause and continue in me a sincere universall and constant obedience unto them all that not from any slavish feare private end or by-respect but for conscience sake a soule-like feare of thee and love of thy glory And if at any time as it is ordinary with Gods children it shall please thee to exercise me with any crosse disgrace slander discouÌ„tenance losse of goods disease of body terror of soule or the like I pray thee ever sweeten sanctifie them unto mee by thy blessing grant that I may ever obediently with all peace of heart patience of spirit submit to thy will wisedome therein being fully assured that to me which am in Christ the sting curse and poyson of them is most certainely pulled out by the Passion of thy Son And resting ever upon thy sweet pretious promises that thou having given me Christ Jesus will never deny me any truly needfull and and comfortable thing while the world stands And that all things even the rage of Satan the malice of men the miseries of this life nay even the sins of my soule in an holy sence by thy blessings shall turne unto my everlasting good Add I pray thee daily more and more strength and life and new degrees unto all these graces which it hath pleased thee in some measure to plant in my soule of thy owne free mercy and for the mediation of thy Son Increase my knowledge in the great mystery of grace my reliance and trust in thee as one most powerfull mercifull and true my hope and patient expectation of thy presence and assistance in all things that are to come my love of thee thy Word thy children and all things that belong unto thee my zeale courage for thy glory and truth good causes and good men feare of thy great name humblenesse and lowlinesse of minde The Spirit and power of Prayer Patience and contentednesse in all troubles and trials c. or what other holy virtue thou hast in great mercy vouchsafed unto me Grant I pray thee and give me grace to imploy and improove them all to the utmost for the best advantage in procuring thee glory good unto thy Church and comfort unto mine owne soule Blesse I pray thee and be mercifull to all creatures and to the whole world Draw if it be thy blessed pleasure Turks Infidels Jewes to the light and acknowledgement of thy saving truth and the salvation of their soules Blesse our King specially and principally and all his Dominions Roote out of them wee pray thee all ignorance profanesse popery pride oppressions and all the workes of the divell Purge we humbly and earnestly beseech thee this Church and Kingdome wherein wee live and that mightily and speedily from all disorders sedition faction corruptions which any way dishonour thy Majesty vex thy children or hinder a free and glorious passage of the Gospell of thy Sonne Blesse the people committed to my charge my owne Family my friends my goods house cattell and all things that any waies belong unto mee Remember I beseech thee with speciall love and tender-heartednesse all thy deare children whersoever they be especially those who desire my prayers for them and have made the troubles of their soules knowne unto me I pray thee for thy Christ his sake let them fare the better for the poore prayers of thy weake and unworthy servant Gratious Lord I praise and magnifie from the ground and bottome of my heart thy glorious name and the sweetnesse of thy mercy for that golden chaine of comfortable providence which thy mercifull hand hath linkt together for my good ever since I was borne Thou gavest mee a most loving and kinde Father a very skillfull and learned Schoole-master worthy and ingenuous education c. Thou preservedst me mightily and almost miraculously from mayming or suddaine death Thou followedst mee bountifully with thy favours at the University and didst infinitely above all hope and expectation raise up variety of meanes from time to time for my maintenance there c. Thou broughtst me at length fairely easily and uncorruptly into this place and pastorall charge I now injoy Thou hast given me out of thine own free immediate mercy a deare and loving Wife incomparably the fittest for me that could have beene found upon the face of the whole earth But above all the comforts which thou hast brought unto my poore soule by my Booke have beene most unspeakeable and glorious Blessed for ever be thy glorious name therefore c. In a word I am verily perswaded there was never wretch upon earth that receiv'd so many mercies favours and comforts from thee and return'd so little thankefullnesse service and obedience unto thee O Lord my God forgive I pray thee the infinite disproportion of thine immeasurable bountifullnesse to me and my most weake imperfect and sinfull obedience service unto thee O forgive it forgive it for Christ Jesus his sake c. FINIS 1 Sam. 13. â—4 Acts 13. â—2 Juxta cor â—â—um q. d. Qui praeceptum divini consiâ—â—â— exequiâ—ur virtute devotionis Greg. Mag. Expos lib. 5. in 1 Reg. Cap. 13. Devotio est pius humilia affectus in DEVM humilis ex conscientia infirmitatis pro priae pius ex consideratione divinae clementiae Aug de Spir. Anima Cap 50. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dixit Arist. Rhet lib. 3 cap. 2. â—lloigne quâ— divinitùs ad Altare venerit deinceps custodito omnia erant accendenda quae in tabernaculo accendi oportebaÌ„t Aug. Quest. Super Levit. lib. 3. â— 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX Oratio pro pauâ—ere Tremel â—un Iâ—te Psalmus in principio vocem Prophetae continet ex persona peccatoris Hier. Quod slenâ—es dicaâ—â—s nos qui pro peccatis 〈◊〉 his verâ—iculis â—doâ—emur Arnob.