into the place of everlasting torment But O Lord with thee there is mercy that thou mightest be feared thou art a God of all comfort and consolation a merciful loving and gracious Father ready and willing to hear all penitent sinners that in heart are sorrowful for their sins In the Name therefore of Jesus Christ my blessed Redeemer I humbly prostrate my self before the Throne of thy Mercy seat accompanied with no other hope than such as proceeds from the richness of thy mercy that for his only sake thou wilt have compassion upon me for in humility of spirit and contrition of heart I submit my self to thy goodness beseeching thee not to let my sins be a cloud between my Prayer and thy pity thy goodness and my distress but forgive and forget all my transgressions all my mis-doings let them be sins of what condition soever whether sins of my youth or sins of my age sins of my body or sins of my soul secret and open sins notorious and presumptuous sins sins of pride envy hatred malice c. Good Lord remit them all and of thy great goodness grant me perfect remission and absolution for the same for which the Prophet David Out of the depth of my misery I cry unto thee for the depth of thy mercy O Lord hear my petitions and consider my tears the contrition of my heart and the sorrow of my soul and in the merits of his blood that was so plentifully shed on the Cross for penitent sinners wash away the multitude of my transgressions that my soul by thy mercy being cleansed from the stain of sin I may be found a worthy partaker of this great mystery And now O Lord that I am about to receive the blessed Sacrament of the body and blood of Jesus Christ how shall I that am so great a sinner dust and ashes dare to presume to approach thy Table The Heavens in thy sight being not clear and the pillars of the Earth shake at thy presence What then shall become of me miserable that I am Yea Lord thou hast provided a special means and in thy Gospel left us a command Come unto me all ye c. Which command I obey and in confident assurance of thy promise in Christ Jesus I trust thou wilt have mercy upon me in the easing and refreshing of my soul that is wearied with the burthen of my intolerable sins Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin and renew a right spirit within me And of thy gracious goodness direct me in this great action with a reverend and awful fear of thy Majesty that all the faculties of my soul and body may be intent rightly to apprehend and joyfully to receive this eternal food this bread of life this heavenly and wonderful mystery and that by thy grace I may obtain the vertue fruit and benefits of the death and passion of my Saviour and by the same the remission of all my sins and everlasting salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer before the receiving of the Communion O Most holy and heavenly God and Father which by the immortal seed of thy Word hast begotten us to be thy children and with the same as with milk dost nourish us purely as new born babes as also with the divine mysteries of thy holy Sacraments as by a visible word dost confirm and strengthen us in faith righteousness and having so adopted us into thy family continually feedest and nourishest us unto eternal life we humbly beseech thee so to prepare our souls to the due receiving thereof worthily that we may thereby effectually feel taste and feed on thy Son Jesus Christ the true Manna and Bread that came down from Heaven that we may by him have eternal life pardon O Lord pardon our unpreparedness in coming to the participation of so holy and divine Mysteries Make thy Word and Sacraments always so powerful and effectual in our ears and hearts that we may thereby be sanctified and renewed unto all holy obedience unto thy will in the mortification of our sinful corruptions and renewing of thy perfect Image in us unto holiness righteousness sobriety truth knowledge faith and temperance through his most power ful and glorious Resurrection Stablish our Conscience in the assurance of our salvation by the remission of our sins in the blood of thy Son which was shed for us on the Altar of the Cross as a Sacrifice of expiation to cleanse away all sin O Lord seal and confirm this Covenant of Grace in our hearts by these holy Sacraments pledges of thy grace and love towards us that at no time we may stagger at thy promises nor fall away from hope and confidence in thee but being hereby incorporated into one Body we may partake of one Spirit and grow in love one towards another as members of the same mystical Body that we may forgive one another as thou hast forgiven us O Lord make us ever thankful for thy manifold and great mercies in providing unto us such means and helps of our salvation and grant that we may not put any confidence in external actions and exercises thereof in any hope to be justified thereby but that we may thereby exalt our minds to heavenly and spiritual contemplations and by faith be firmly united to thee our Head in Heaven to be made one with thee and thou with us and howsoever heretofore we have transgressed and defiled our selves as well with our natural impurities and actual impieties henceforth being now wash'd and purified in the blood of the Lamb which was sacrificed for us we may have our conversation in Heaven and being new creatures in Christ may have new thoughts desires and delights far from the lusts of our former ignorance and may live ever unto him and with him who sitteth at thy right hand our Redeemer and Advocate and shall return to be our Judge to justifie and acquit us before thee to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all praise c. A Psalm 1. AS the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God 2. O let thy merciful kindness be my comfort according to thy Word unto thy Servant 3. Help me O God of my salvation for the glory of thy Name O deliver me and be merciful unto my sin for thy Name 's sake 4. O remember not my old sins but have mercy upon me and that soon for I am come to great misery 5. Consider and hear me O Lord my God for my trust is in thy mercy 6. Turn thy face from my sins and put out all my mis-deeds 7. Have mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away my offences 8. Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin For I acknowledge my faults and my sin is ever before me 10. Behold I was shapen in wickedness and in sin hath my mother conceived me
thy Names sake 15. The righteous cry and the Lord heareth them and delivereth them out of all their troubles 16. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart and will save such as be of an humble spirit 17. O tarry the Lord's leisure be strong and he shall comfort thy heart and put thou thy trust in the Lord. 18. O put thy trust in God for I will give him trauks which is the help of my countenance and my God Glory be to the Father c. O Lord my God and Heavenly Father who art the health of all men living and the everlasting life of them which die in faith open I beseech thee the eyes of thy mercy upon me thy sick servant who in heart is truly sorrowful for all my sins and of thy fatherly goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies put away all my transgressions out of thy remembrance renew in me what hath been decayed by the fraud or malice of the Devil or by mine own frailty preserve me in the unity of the Church consider my contrition accept my tears and asswage my pain and if it be thy blessed will restore me to my former health or if otherwise thou hast appointed give me grace so to take this visitation that after this painful life ended I may dwell with thee in life everlasting Amen Lord Jesus preserve me Lord Jesus comfort me Lord Jesus pray for me for only into thy hands who hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of Truth I commend my soul both now and for ever Amen The Sick saith Lord have mercy upon me Christ have mercy upon me Our Father which art in Heaven c. I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto one Write from henceforth Blessed are the Dead which dye in the Lord. A Psalm 1. O Lord rebuke me not in thy indignation neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure 2. Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed 3. My soul is also sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou punish me 4. Turn thee O Lord and deliver my soul O save me for thy mercies sake 5. For in death no man remembreth thee and who shall give thee thanks in the pit 6. I am weary of my groaning every night wash I my bed and water my Couch with my tears 7. My beauty is gone for very trouble and worn away because of all my enemies 8. Through thee have I been holden up ever since I was born thou art he that took me out of my mothers womb my praise shall be always of thee 9. Cast me not away in the time of Age forsake me not when my strength faileth me 10. O hide not thy face from me nor cast away thy servant in displeasure 11. Thou hast been my succour leave me not O God of my salvation 12. I am poor and needy make hast unto me O God thou art my help and my deliverer O Lord make no long tarrying O Lord deliver me from the power of the enemy Lord help thy poor servant that putteth his trust in thee Send me help from thy holy place and evermore mightily defend me be unto me a strong Tower O Lord and evermore cover me with thy wings O Lord hear my Prayer And let my cry come unto thee The Sick saith I know that my Redeemer liveth and that I shall rise out of the Earth in the last day and shall be covered again with my skin and shall see God in my flesh yea and I my self shall behold him not with other but with the same eyes O Almighty and immortal God the Saviour and defender of all that put their trust in thee the only refuge and hope of the distressed in time of need mercifully behold the sorrows of my heart and the groanings of my spirit thou hast O Lord of thy power made me of nought and in thy good time I shall return to nought again I brought nothing into the world neither shall I carry any thing away when I depart thou art my portion my salvation my Mediator and my Saviour O blessed Jesus by thee came grace and life to the chosen O receive me to thy mercy thou sufferedst most cruel death for my sake and art risen the first fruits of them that sleep thou art crowned with power and glory destroyed'st death and givest eternal life to all believers thou O Saviour Christ shalt raise me up in the last day and give me possession of thy everlasting Kingdom which thou hast purchased in thy blood and righteousness according to the will of our merciful Father whom thou hast pacified and pleased for my redemption and salvation for the performance of the oath which in his eternal and unsearchable purpose he promised our Fore-Fathers whereof in thy merciful favour thou hast called me to be partaker whereby I am taught and comforted by thy holy Spirit to despise this world and this corrupt tabernacle of sinful flesh which of it self hath deserved nothing but death and damnation and wholly to rely upon thee Therefore O Lord stand by me and defend me against the assaults of Satan that after triumphant victory through grace and power in thy Spirit I may joyfully give over this fleshly being and come into thy presence O Lord to rest in blissful peace until the delivery of thy Saints with whom I am in assured hope by the witness of thy Spirit to have my portion of the inheritance of perpetual salvation and life everlasting through Jesus Christ Amen O my soul be joyful in the Lord and despise not his correction neither faint thou at his rebukes For whom the Lord loveth him he correcteth yea he scourgeth every child whom he receiveth Thy sins were innumerable neither couldest thou claim ought of duty but death and damnation Thy merciful Lord hath accepted thy tears and repentant groanings and turned away his face from thy offences he freely hath forgiven thee thy sins And because thou hast repented and trusted in his mercy he hath put them all out of his remembrance neither will he think on them any more He will receive thee into his house and crown thee with glory and kindness Thou shalt stand before his presence in the Sanctuary everlasting With Angels and Arch angels with the Patriarchs and Prophets with the faithful Witnesses and with all the rest of the chosen Children of grace to honour him to serve him to magnifie him and praise him with continual thanks in eternal joy and felicity for ever and ever Amen A Psalm 1. O God my God look upon me why hast thou forâ—aken me and art so â—ar from my health and from the words of my complaint 2. How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever how long wilt thou hide thy face from me 3. O God I cry in the day time but thou hearest not and in the night season also I take no rest 4. And thou continuest holy O thou
Worship of Israel 5. Call to remembrance O Lord thâ— tender mercy and thy loving kindneâ—â— which have been ever of old 6. Shew thy servant the light of thâ— countenance and save me for thy mercâ—â— sake 7. Thou hast been my succor leave mâ— not neither forsake me O God of my salvation 8. My time is in thy hand deliver me from the hand of mine enemies 9. O keep my soul and deliver me leâ— me not be confounded for I have put my trust in thee 10. O my soul thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my God my goods are nothing unto thee 11. The Lord himself is the portion of mine inheritance I have set God always before me for he is on the right hand therefore I shall not fall 12. Wherefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoiced my flesh also shall rest in hope 13. For why thou wilt not leave my soul in hell neither shalt thou suffer me to see corruption 14. Thou shalt shew me the path of life in thy presence is the fulness of joy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for ever more Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. O spare me a little and suffer me to recover my strength O Lord before I go from hence and be no more seen Now O my soul look upon Christ Jesus the Righteous thy Advocate and Redeemer who is ready to receive thee therefore be glad in him and give thanks rejoycing in the visitation of the Lord by which he hath prepared thee for the heavenly Jerusalem and everlasting bliss 〈◊〉 acknowledge O Lord I have deserved to die and the desire I have to live is for the amendment of my life and in some better measure to set forth thy glory therefore good Father if it be thy pleasure restore me to health again and grant me long life But if thou hast in thy eternal decree appointed this sickness to be a preparation to my immediate dissolution and by it to call me out of this transitory life I resign commit and willingly commend my spirit into thy hands and holy pleasure beseeching thee to bless me from the second death the everlasting destruction both of body and soul Let my soul throughly consider of the account I have to make to thee my God and how few minutes soever it hath to remain in my body let the power of thy Spirit recompence the shortness of time and perfect my account before I pass away Be pleased O Lord in the reconciliation of thy Son for my sins Let the infiniteness of my offences rely upon the infiniteness of thy mercy by his sufferings breath inward comfort to my heart and confidence in thy gratious promises that though my body be going the way of all flesh yet my soul may go the way of all Saints Lord hear me and help me stand by me and save me and if it be thy determination to lay my body in the grave to receive my soul into thy Kingdom to rest in joy and peace for evermore through Jesus Christ Amen The Sick saith O My soul thou which art endued with the image of God redeemed with the blood of Jesus Christ enlightened by the Holy Ghost adorned with vertue and accounted with Angels Love thou him who loveth thee trust in him who careth for thee seek thou him who seeketh thee My soul O Lord heartily desireth to attain to that supernatural City whereof such things are spoken My heart longeth my soul thirsteth till I enter into my Masters Joy To which everlasting joy O Lord receive my soul where all thy Saints rejoyce in eternal joy and thanksgiving singing praises and Allelujas to thee the Lord our God Eye hath not seen nor ear hath heard neither entered into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for those that love him Glory be to the Father c. Directions for the SICK MAN for the violation of that great Command which God his Creator gave him in the beginning hath exposed him and his posterity to a certain and sure doom in these words Thou shalt dye the death For the wages of sin is death the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6. Variable and therefore miserable is the condition of man this hour this minute in health in the next by a sudden change and alteration at the point of death In the morning flourishing like a Palm like a green Bay-Tree in the evening cut down dryed up and withered for we consume away in thy displeasure and are afraid at thy wrathful indignation Psalm 90. All flesh is grass and the glory thereof as the flower of the field Psal 40. The glory of man is as the flower of the field which withereth and falleth away 2 Pet. 2. 4. He considereth we are but flesh and as the wind that passeth away Psal 78. Our life is but of a short continuance and full of trouble man cometh up like a flower vanisheth like a shadow falls sick and dyeth sleepeth and riseth not until the heavens be no more Job 14. As soon as thou scatterest us we are even as asleep and sade away suddenly and in thy anger all our days are gone and ended as a tale that is told And what man living shall not see Death Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return Gen. 3. 19. Thy body shall return to earth the center of the body and thy soul to Heaven to God which gave it to everlasting glory who at the last day the day of the Resurrection will re-collect re-unite thy Body though turned to Atoms to thy soul at the voice of the Angels Trumpet Arise ye dead and come to Judgment the Righteous to receive everlasting happiness and the wicked eternal torment Wonderful and great hath the love of God been unto mankind in our Creation Redemption Preservation and giving us assured hopes of eternal salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord for being fallen from blessedness by the sins of our first parents into the snares of Satan and thereby become his bondslaves and servants overcome by sin Job 8. and being servants of sin we are freed from Righteousness Rom. 6. God so loved us that he sent his only Son to be reconciliation for our sin Joh. 4. 10. Rich is his mercy whereby he loved us Eph. 1. Christ suffered for our sin to bring us unto God being put to death in the flesh but quickned in the spirit 1 Pet. 3. He sent redemption to his People Holy and Reverend is his Name Psa 111. He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity Tit. 2. Therefore blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he raised up a mighty Salvation for us in the House of his servant David Luke 1. 68. Our Life here on Earth is a warfare full of trouble misery and vexation of spirit a daily tempest and continual strugling between the mind and the flesh the Law
our Consciences we stand convicted and at the horrid thought of our sins we are mightily astonished what shall we say or wherein shall we open our mouths who shall deliver us from the misery due to us for our transgressions nothing can be expected in this life but misery and confusion and in the world to come eternal condemnation But yet O Lord in obedience of thy command and in confident assurance of thy endless and unspeakable mercy promised in Jesus Christ to all sinners with sorrow in our hearts with shame in our face in humility of spirit we appeal from thee to thee from thee a just Judge to thee a merciful Father from the Throne of thy justice to the seat of thy mercy beseeching thee to have mercy upon us O Lord to have mercy upon us and turn thy face away from all our sins and blot out all our transgressions for the only meritorious death and passion of Jesus Christ thy innocent Lamb who so abundantly shed his blood on the Cross to take away the sins of the world accept we intreat thee that inestimable price of his suffering for a full ransom for all our sins remit them unto us and divert thy Judgments and punishments from us and assure us of thy love and favour in Christ and for the time to come work in us by the graces of thy holy Spirit true and unfeigned Repentance and faith with strength against sin and grace in some better measure to do thy will reform our affections transform us out of sin into the glorious liberty of thy own children to live in newness of life in holy conversation and continual obedience to thy divine Majesty And seeing O Lord it hath pleased thee of thy goodness to deliver us from the power of darkness and all dangers of the night past affording us quiet and comfortable rest bringing us safe to the beginning of this day our souls and all that is within us shall praise thy holy Name desiring continually to render unto thee all possible praise and thanksgiving for the incarnation of our Blessed Saviour for our Redemption by passion for our Creation Election Justification and Sanctification in some good measure and assured hope of Glorification in the World to come we likewise bless thee for our lives health liberty peace and prosperity for our preservation and deliverance from evil since we were born for the freedom of thy Gospel for the comfort we enjoy under His Majesties happy Reign for delivering our Church and Kingdom from Foreign Invasion for sparing and giving us so long a time of Repentance for these thy blessings and benefits our Souls shall praise the Lord of Heaven whose mercy endureth from generation to generation Bless and defend us O Lord this day direct and protect us in the same bless our going out and coming in let thy Spirit guide us in all our Actions deliver us from the temptation and malice of the Devil and keep us both in Soul and Body from all his devices and let thy grace preserve and guide us in all our wayes that we may walk circumspectly and strive to avoid all occasions of committing or running into such sins which by nature we are apt to fall into set a watch before the door of our lips that we may not offend thy Majesty by ill words or blasphemous Oaths keep us we beseech thee from violent passions which provoke thy wrath and indignation against us and guide our feet in the way of peace which leads us to Everlasting Salvation Let the dew of thy blessing descend upon our labours and prosper thou the work of our hands O prosper thou our handy-work make us diligent and dutiful in our calling and that we may have a good Conscience in all our dealings not any way to defraud any man knowing one day we must give an account for all our words and deeds And good Lord we beseech thee so to bless our endeavours that we may raise such a competency and convenient sufficiency void of wretched care for the supportation of our lives in a modest and civil manner and especially give us hearts and minds contented with what thou shalt be pleased to lay upon us strength and patience in all afflictions and temptations troubles and adversities which seal thy Children to Salvation give us meekness and humility in prosperity and constancy in well doing and for the small remainder of our lives that we have to live here on Earth give us grace to consecrate it to thy service and live in thy fear not setting our hearts on transitory things but carefully labour to redeem the time not deferring our repentance but endeavour to make our calling and election sure working our salvation in fear trembling before we go hence and be no more seen And grant us O Lord that when the race and course of our natural life here on Earth is finished we may at the last receive a crown of righteousness which thou from the beginning hast laid up for them that fear thy Name In these our Prayers we further intreat thee O Lord for a blessing upon thy Church universal more especially we beseech thee to continue the peace and prosperity of these Churches wherein we live and every member thereof more especially ever mightily protect and defend from all evil and danger and bless with the chiefest of thy blessings thine Anointed our dread Soveraign Lord King Charles the Queens Majesty James Duke of York and the rest of the Royal Progeny Bless the Lords of his Majesties honourable Privy Council the Reverend Clergy and all Civil Magistrates bless all our Friends and Kindred and acquaintance bless us all good Lord from the highest to the lowest help and comfort all our brethren that in this transitory life be in trouble sorrow need sickness or any other adversity Comfort the comfortless help the distressed and defend all that travel by Land or Water and work in all and every one of us true fear of thy holy Name and constant resolution to serve thee to our lives end Good Lord hear Lord hearken unto us we beseech thee and accept of this our Morning sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving hear our prayers and grant our petitions that we have asked and all other blessings which thou in thine infinite wisdom knowest most necessary for us and thy whole Church we ask and crave at thy merciful hands in the Name and through the Mediation of thy dear Son our blessed Redeemer our only Lord and blessed Saviour Jesus Christ in that most excellent form of Prayer which he in his holy Gospel hath taught us saying Our Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come c. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the love of God and the Fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all for evermore Amen An Evening Prayer for a private Family O Eternal God and Heavenly Father which hast made of one blood all mankind and breathed
Mercy thy Divine Truth I magnifie for that of thy fatherly goodness thou hast graciously heard me at this time giving me a penitent heart modesty to utter the same Therefore will I praise thee for this and all other thy goodness this evening and going to rest I will give thee thanks because thou hast kept me this day of thine only Mercy without any merit of mine from all danger both in soul and body O Christ and King of Glory I beseech thee bless and defend me this night let my rest be in thee and grant me thy grace that neither much sleep overwhelm me nor Satan invade me nor the flesh betray me unto him Let mine eyes sleep but let my heart wake O Lord lighten mine eyes that I sleep not in death lest the subtil tempter overtake me and I sleep a continual and perpetual sleep and awake no more For thou art my everlasting helper Keep me as the apple of thine eye hide me under the shadow of thy sacred wings O LORD that neither ugly visions nor horrible dreams nor sights nor monstrous apparitions trouble me in the dark In thy name O JESUS will I go to rest this night give sleep unto mine eyes and slumber to mine eye-lids compass me about and raise me again to the joyful sight of to-morrow light and after this my miserable life bring me to the beholding of eternal happiness that in thy light I may see light and evermore praise thee for ever Amen Prayers for Tuesday Morning O Lord my God and heavenly Father blessed be thy Name for ever Dispose my heart open my lips and give me thy holy Spirit c. A Psalm O God my heart is ready my heart is ready O Lord I will sing and give praise with the best member I have I will sing and give thanks unto thee Lord among the People and I will sing Praises unto thee among the Nations For thy Mercies are greater than the Heavens and thy truth reacheth unto the Clouds Set up thy self therefore O GOD above the Heavens and thy Glory above all the Earth That thy beloved may be delivered Let thy right hand save me and hear thou me O help me against mine enemy for vain is the help of man Through God I shall do great acts and it is he that shall tread down mine enemies And deal thou with me O Lord God according to thy Name for sweet is thy mercy Then will I give thanks unto thee O Lord with my whole heart secretly among the Faithful and in the Congregation The works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein His work is worthy to be praised and had in honour and his righteousness endureth for ever The merciful and gracious Lord hath so done his marvellous works that they ought to be had in remembrance The works of his hands are verity and judgment all his Commandments are true He sent Redemption unto his people he hath commanded his Covenant for ever holy and reverent is his Name The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom a good understanding have all they that do thereafter the praise of it endureth for ever Glory be to c. A Morning Prayer BLessed be my Lord God which doth wondrous things and blessed be the Name of his Majesty for evermore which hath set the Sun to lighten the day and ordained the Moon and the Stars to govern the night O most high God which by thy unspeakable wisdom hast distinguished the day from the night and hast so decreed that while the World shall last this course of times and days shall never have end so that man in the night may rest and in the day labour until the evening for these and all other thy benefits I praise thy Name and give thanks unto thee for thy great Glory O God the guider of my life forsake me not turn from me the filthinâ—ss of desire remove from my heart all concupiscence and take from thy servant too over-bold a stomach suffer me not to run beadlong into riotousness let not unlawful love overcome me and give not thy servant over into an impudent mind Turn mine eyes that they behold no vanity strengthen me in thy way and grant that mine offences in this World overcome me not And I beseech thee O Lord with a most aâ—dent affection that this day and ever thou wilt keep me and all mine and that thou wilt be unto me a mighty Protector firmament of strength a covering against heat a shadow at Noon-tide a defence from falling an assister from offending a comforter of my Soul a lightner of my mind a giver of health and happiness in Christ JESUS my Lord and Saviour to whom be all glory honour and power for ever and ever Amen A Confession to GOD. O LORD I am unworthy thy Comfort or any spiritual consolation by reason of my sins that which I deserve is punishment because I have so often offended thee and in so many things so grievously sinned And yet O gracious and merciful GOD who wilt not that thy works should perish to declare the richness of thy goodness upon the vessels of thy mercy far beyond the manner of men But what have I done O Lord that thou shouldst impart upon me any spiritual comfort at all truly I have done no good but always have been prone unto sin and slow to repent and this is so true if I should deny it that thou wilt find me guilty and no man durst stand up to excuse me and therefore O most dear Father I do confess that I am worthy all reproach and contempt and most unworthy to live among thy Sons and Servants yea and because it is true I will yet confess against my wickedness that so the sooner I may obtain mercy at thy hands But what shall I wretch that I am say being full of all manner of shame and infamy What shall I say Nothing but this I have sinned Lord I have sinned take mercy upon me forgive me suffer me yet a while to bewail my wretchedness before I pass over into the Land of promise covered with the shadow of death for what dost thou else of a guilty and miserable man require but that he afflict and humble himself for his sins from a true repentance and humbling of the mind ariseth hope of Pardon the troubled conscience is relieved the favour of God which was lost is recovered and man is preserved from the vengeance to come and with a holy kiss both God and the sorrowful soul do meet together With the which work of true repentance endue me Good Lord that I may do thy sacred Will in this life and in the end enjoy everlasting happiness in the World to come through Jesus Christ my Saviour to whom be all glory power and might for ever and ever Amen A Prayer for true Repentance to be purged of sin O Lord my God what do I daily but wander in the field
that but hast herein also fully exprest thy most holy and blessed Will whatsoever is necessary for the Salvation of Mankind to be known to bring him to life everlasting Give me grace most merciful Father that for so high a treasure left among us I may be thankful reverently embrace accept and esteem of the same as the most precious jewel in Earth and be therein confirmed most strongly that all things therein contained be most undoubtedly true not by any mortal Man but by the most Holy Spirit in Man penned and written to the comfort and behoof of Man And that I may most humbly lowly and with most high Reverence submit my self thereunto as becometh thy eternal Majesty and the Word proceeding from thy most blessed mouth that I may with reverence and obedience read hear and occupy my self in the same to the comfort of my soul and the increase of thy Glory Lighten my understanding most dear Father with thy most holy Spirit that I may learn clearly conceive and understand the things therein contained which no mortal man can conceive save those that have learned of thee and whom thou by thy holy Spirit dost lighten and instruct Guide me dear Father with thy most holy Spirit that having the true understanding of the mysteries therein contained I may be fully established and confirmed in the true knowledge of thee my dear Father and of thy beloved Son my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and in conscience throughly perswaded that I have my full perfect salvation and life everlasting in him and through his atonement made by his death and passion That I do not vainly abuse the knowledge of thy most sacred word to satisfie vain curiosity or brag of knowledge but only to the relieving of my hungry and wounded conscience to the loosing of my fettered soul and the appeasing of my sorrowful heart that I may to the end of my life walk in sincerity before thee my heavenly Father in the comforts of thy dear Son my Saviour upholden still by the merciful power of the holy Ghost to thine everlasting praise and glory for ever Amen A Confession to God the Father O Lord my God I confess unto Thee that my heart is unclean that I am of polluted lips wallowing in the dung and stinking in the rottenness of mine own sin so that I may justly tremble to appear before thy glorious presence much more to present unto thee thy pure praises out of my defiled mouth but who except thou O Lord can make me clean and what is pure which thou hast not purged Therefore O Father of life O Lord of Light with all the Forces of my Soul I do beseech thee to help me thy servant whom of thy mercy thou hast created cleanse my filthiness lighten my darkness inflame my coldness quicken my dulness awake my drowsiness revive my deadness repair the ruins of my Soul enlarge the frame of the understanding thereof cleanse it from all earthly corruption garnish it with thy heavenly graces that it may be conveniently both sit and furnished to receive Thee that thou maist make thine entry possess that which is thine own both by Creation and also by Redemption and that as thou art exalted above all Creatures so above all creatures I may honour thee and praise thee not with that affection wherewith my weakness is able either to do or to desire but with that perfection wherewith in duty I should and wherewith thy Saints and Angels indeed do for what worthy praise can I give unto thee by whose goodness I was created by whose mercy I was redeemed by whose power I am preserved and by whose grace I look to be glorified when I was not thou didst make me when I was lost and forlorn thou camest down and tookest mortality upon thee to redeem me these and many other benefits have I received some in hand and some in hope although through my own sinful demeanour I have almost both let go my hold and lost my hope therefore O Lord I most humbly beseech thee save thy servant save one of thy Members though poor and feeble save I say a part of thy self be as great in pardoning those that are submitted unto thee as in punishing those that are rebellious pour upon my heart the sweet streams of thy mercies confirm my life settle my faith settle me in a right and upright course and continue me in the same even unto the end grant this O Father through thy dear Son Jesus Christ to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory for ever and ever Amen A Devout Prayer to Jesus Christ O Most sweet Saviour and merciful Redeemer Jesus Christ the Son of God who although thou art High yet art thou most humble and as thou art Omnipotent so art thou most meek and as thou art most Mighty so art thou most merciful to thee O Christ the giver of all Felicity the Father of Heaven hath given all Power both in Heaven and in Earth Thou art the true Pastor of our Souls thou art our Messias thou casteth off none that sue unto thee but as thou hast taken away the hand-writing that was against us and hast fastned it to the Cross so art thou ready to impart the merits of thy Passion to all such as write true repentance of their sins call upon thee faithfully wherefore my sweet Saviour I most faithfully unfeignedly acknowledge the benefits that thou hast bestow'd upon me stedfastly believe that thou being an immaculate Lamb in whose mouth was never found guile didst suffer most cruel torments at the hands of sinners for the love of us most wretched sinners for the which cause I most heartily beseech thee and most humbly pray thee to accept me into the number of them whom thou wilt receive to mercy and favour and although I of my self be most unworthy thereof yet thy merits can make me worthy to them I fly craving that I may be so armed and defended by them that I may subdue the World the Flesh the Devil even as thou hast gloriously conquered Sin Death and Hell Thou seest O my Saviour how I am daily and hourly beset with these three enemies and so hardly besieged of them that without thy help I can by no means escape but that I must needs be a prey unto one of them strengthen me therefore O Lord that neither the one with carnal Lust neither the other with delectable pleasures nor Satan with all his craft and subtil devices get the dominion over me thou hast bought me thou hast paid for me save keep and defend me be always ready at the voice of my crying pour into me thy grace patiently to abide thy divine pleasure in all things make me both at this present and all the days of my life to have in my mind and profoundly to root in my heart the mysteries of thy painful passion and so to be filled with remembrance thereof
mind and heal my soul of all unbridled desires and sins that being inwardly healed and purged throughly I may be made fit to love strong to suffer and constantly to continue And above all things grant that I may have rest and peace in Thee for thou art the true peace thou art alone the quietness of mind and without thee all things are hard and troublesome In this peace that is in thee alone which art the chiefest and everlasting felicity I will repose my self both now and for ever and constantly persevere and continue in the same through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour Amen A Prayer not to distrust the mercy of God THY mercy O Lord my God endureth for ever and thy loving kindness towards thy Children is not able to be uttered the truth of thy promise never faileth thine Elect Thou hast made calm the troubled waves of wavering thoughts which overwhelm my soul and brought me to the quiet Haven of thy merciful protection and defence and hast delivered mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling and my heart from distrust O Lord my God and loving Father let this thy great mercy and loving kindness shewed upon me never depart out of my mind and heart but that I may be thereof continually mindful all the days of my life And for these thy unseparable mercies towards me grant good Lord that I may have a thankful heart to render due honour praise and thanksgiving unto thy Majesty acknowledging from the bottom of my heart thy wonderful works in me And that I may hereof be more assured I beseech thee good Lord that as thou hast begun to deliver me so I may feel more and more daily thy good will and mercy towards me increase in me true understanding of thy heavenly Will and thy blessed Word strengthen my faith in thy loving promises that I may be assured of thy protection and mine election and salvation Make me daily more and more to love Thee my dear Father and God unâ—eignedly for all thy goodness shewed unto me to have my full delight and joy in thee and walk before thee in sincerity of heart and godly conversation that I may here on earth glorifie thy Name and after this life with all thy faithful flock possess that everlasting inheritance which thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord hath purchased to whom with Thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory for ever Amen A Prayer to be always bent to Heavenly things O I would to God that that day might once Shine in the which I might see my Redeemer and all these temporal days would end for the days of this world are few short full of evil and sorrow where man is defiled with many sins oppress'd with griefs and cares disturbed with thoughts wrap'd in vanities compassed with errours molested with temptation drowned in sensuality and crucified with Poverty O when shall there be an end of these manifold and miserable labours when shall I be delivered from the miserable bondage of wickedness when shall I only remember thee O Lord when shall I fully and perfectly rejoyce in thee when shall I be out of all danger and delivered from all grief of Body and Soul and come to true liberty when shall I rest in that quiet secure and undisturbed peace where peace is both within and without in all things O Lord Jesus when shall I see thee behold the Glory of thy Kingdom which thou hast prepared for thine Elect from the beginning I do wish to be joyned to Heavenly things but temporal Pleasure and mortal passions keep me back from them In mind I would fain vanquish all wickedness and vice but yet I am constrained to be subject to the froward flesh and I unhappy wretch am at controversie with my self for whilst my soul aspireth upward my flesh draweth downward O what passions do I inwardly suffer For when my soul beginneth to contemplate of Heavenly things then presently heaps oâ— carnal thoughts withdraw me from Prayer O my God do not linger from me depart not in anger from thy servant Thunder forth thy Lightening-bolt and disperse my worldly thoughts abroad and drive away all the temptations of mine enemy Turn my senses unto thee O my dear Father and make me to forget all earthly things Grant that I may cast of all sinful thoughts and fantasies O eternal verity succour me to the end that no vanity do tempt or remove me from thee O heavenly Father help me for all vanity and impureness melteth before thy face which livest and raignest ever one God in Power and Glory world without end Amen An Evening Prayer O Eternal God and merciful Father hear my voice and listen to my Prayers and forgive all my sins which this day I have done in the sight of thee and be not angry with thy servant for ever but listen unto thine only begotten Son which maketh intercession to thee for me for his sake hear me and have mercy upon me defend me this night of thy merciful goodness from unclean and troublesome spirits and from the snares and illusions of the Devil preserve me from all dangers and save my Body and Soul from destruction and grant that this night I may sleep quietly without grief or trouble that in darkness I may behold with the eyes of my heart the light of thy countenance shineing upon me for in thee alone do I trust Thou art my Lord and God into thy hands I commend my soul and body now and ever Therefore O Lord let thy unspeakable mercy preserve me thy endless sweetness rejoyce me thy heavenly truth strengthen me thy knowledge embrace me and thy goodness keep me now and evermore Amen Prayers for Munday Morning O Lord my God and Heavenly Father blessed be thy Name for ever dispose my heart open my lips and give me thy Holy Spirit c. A Psalm HElp me O God of my Salvation for the glory of thy Name O deliver me and be merciful unto my sin for thy Names sake O remember not mine old sins but have mercy upon me and that soon for I am come to great misery My Soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh rejoyceth in the Living God Blessed are they that dwell in thy House they will be always praising thee Preserve thou my soul therefore O my God and save thy servant that puts his trust in thee O comfort the soul of thy servant for unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul For thou Lord art good and gracious and of great mercy unto all them that call upon thee And blessed is the man whose strength is in thee and in whose heart are thy ways O Lord I have cryed day and night before thee O let my Prayer enter into thy presence incline thine ear to my calling And be merciful unto me O Lord for I will call daily upon thee for thou dost wondrous
may see the mysteries of thy profound and excellent truth increase O Lord all holy desires in me to attain the knowledge of thy will let my whole delight be in it to meditate therein day and night that it may be more precious unto me than Gold and Silver many times fined Further howsoever thy graces and gifts O Lord are to be acknowledged in men yet because thy good pleasure is so that all men should carry the scars of ignorance and infirmity draw in my whole delight I beseech thee and kindle all my affections to the love of thy Law and Testimonies and to those Scriptures that were written and indited by thine own self and thy spirit for those good Lord contain thy whole will in that everlasting Covenant that thou hast stricken with thy Saints This O Lord is that well spring of wisdom and grace that shall make us wise before thee howsoever the world condemn it of madness and folly Teach thou me O Lord and I shall be taught open thou mine eyes that I may see the excellent things of thy Law reform my heart that self-love and vain-glory may be quite vanquished and slain in me that I may only set before mine eyes thy glory O gracious God spoil this power of Satan in me that by thy means thy good gifts of knowledge and wisdom be not abused against thee thy Gospel and Glory that I be not carried through emulation spite or envy of any mans credit or gifts to set my self against thy truth but give me true humility that above all things I may rejoyce in the advancement and praise of thy Name whether it be with my honour or shame with my peace or trouble with good report or evil report I know O Lord that true wisdom is from thee alone and that thou hast so ordained thy servants in so gracious a dispensation of thy gifts that they who have the greatest need of theirs that are the least the greatest Master-builders of them that are but labourers basket-bearers in thy Church The unity of thy Spirit and the bond of Peace knit us fast together and hold us in to reverence each other and to be at one in thy work O knit our hearts together that we may all seek thee to thy eternal Praise to whom only belongeth Renown Glory and Honour for ever c. A fruitful Prayer to God ALmighty and Eternal God my Creator and lover I praise adore and bless Thee for that in my offences and ungratefulness thou hast so mencifully and leisurably forborn and suffered me to live even to this hour whereunto thou by thy benefits hast brought me giving anto me thy wretched servant life and necessaries thereunto belonging appointing Angels to be my keepers O my good God who knoweth whether till evening my life shall be prolonged or what death is appointed for me O merciful God and Heavenly Father grant that I may with hearty repentance truly repent my sins and inwardly bewail that ever I offended thy Godly Majesty suffer not my soul to depart this body before it be through thy mercy perfectly reconciled unto thee by grace bedeck'd with thy merits and vertues O merciful Saviour if these things I desire stand with thy Pleasure and Will grant them I beseech thee although I be not worthy to be heard And in thy mercy grant that by the merits of thy passion I may be purged from all my sins and that at the hour of my death I may be stricken with true and vehement contrition and being knit with thee in perfect charity I may immediately fleet unto thee my sweet Redeemer safely from all damnation desiring this one thing at thy hands that thou wilt remember my fragility unworthiness unstableness and miseries together with thine own goodness and most charitable mercy praying thee never to forsake me or leave me but that thou wilt always possess and govern me according to thy will to whom be all glory for ever and ever Amen A Prayer to be restored to Gods Favour O Almighty and everlasting God and Father which hast made Heaven and Earth and all things therein contained O incomprehensible unity O always to be worshipped most blessed Trinity I humbly beseech thee and pray thee by the assumption and crucified humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ that thou wouldest drive from me all kind of wickedness and sin creating in me a clean heart and a right spirit O Lord Jesus I beseech thy goodness for the exceeding great love which drew thee out of thy fathers bosom in the womb of thy holy Virgin and for the assumption of mans nature wherein it pleased thee to save me and to deliver me from eternal death That thou wouldst draw me out of my self unto thee my Lord God And grant that this my love may recover again to me thy grace to increase and make perfect in me that which is wanting to raise up in me that is fallen to restore to me that which I have lost and to quicken in me that which is dead and should live That so I may become conformable unto thee in all my life and conversation Thou dwelling in me and I in thee my heart being suppled with thy grace and settled in thy Faith for ever O my God loose and set at liberty my Spirit from all inferiour things govern my Soul and so work that both in soul and body I may be holy and live to thy Glory world without end Amen A Prayer to Christ to rest in his Love O My most loving Saviour I have chosen thee I wish and look for thee I run to meet thee I do renounce all things that are not of thee whatsoever thou wilt I will and whatsoever thou wilt not I forsake utterly detest in my heart and whatsoever shall hereafter happen unto me contrary to this present choice of my mind not to impute the same unto me but according to this choice of my soul judge me For all things which I ought not to do I utterly forsake them and if at any time hereafter I shall chance by any sinister occasion to agree to any thing that may be a cause to withdraw thy mercy from me I do now at this present hour utterly detest them And here O my sweet Saviour and Redeemer if it please thee or stand with thy Glory grant I beseeeh thee in this my present life that I may be delivered and preserved from all offences wherein I have offended and from all the pains whereunto deservedly I ought to come after my death and that thou wilt with the hands of thy mercy immediately after this life receive my soul into everlasting joy and felicity there to raign with thee for ever Amen A Prayer to God to grant our Petitions O Christ which art the strength of the weak the salvation of all believers and an aider of the oppressed yea our life and safe-guard in the peril of death I beseech thee that pitying mine Afflictions
thou wilt vouchsafe to grant me my petitions which at this time I have asked at thy hands so shall I serve thee here in the Kingdom of Grace and hereafter in thy Kingdom of Glory where I beseech thee O Lord that I may have a place to dwell with thee eternally which livest with God the Father and the Holy Ghost everlastingly to whom be praise and Glory for ever and ever Amen Prayers for Munday Night O Lord my God and Father blessed be thy Name for ever dispose my heart and open my lips c. A Psalm MY Song shall be of mercy and judgment Unto thee O Lord will I sing O let me have understanding in the way of Godliness When wilt thou come unto me I will walk in my house with a perfect heart I will take no wicked thing in hand I hate the sins of unfaithfulness there shall no such cleave unto me Hear my Prayer O Lord and let my crying come unto thee Hide not thy face from me in the time of my trouble incline thine Ears unto me when I call O hear me and that right soon My days are gone like a shadow and I am withered like grass But thou O Lord endurest for ever and thy remembrance throughout all Generations And I said O my God take me not away in the midst of mine age As for thy years they endure throughout all Generations Praise the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me praise his Holy Name Praise the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits Which forgiveth all thy sin and healeth all thine infirmity Which saveth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindness He will not always be chiding neither keepeth he his anger for ever For look how high the Heaven is in comparison of the earth so great is his mercy also towards them that fear him Glory be to the Father c. Confession to God the Father O Lord Almighty the God of our Father and Lord of Mercy which hast made Heaven and Earth with all their Ornaments which hast bound the Sea by the word of thy Commandment which hast shut up the deep and seal'd it by thy terrible and Glorious Name whom all do â—ear and tremble before thy Power for the Majesty of thy Glory cannot be born and thy angry threatnings towards sinners is â—mportable but thy merciful promises are unmeasurable and unsearchable for Thou art the Lord God most High above all the Earth long suffering and most merciful and sorry for the malice of men and thou O Lord according to thy great Goodness and of thine infinite Mercies hast appointed repentance unto sinners that they might be saved Therefore thou O Lord that art the God of the just hast not appointed repentance to those which stand to justify themselves in thy sight but thou hast appointed repentance unto me that am a sinner for I have sinned O Lord I have sinned above the number of the sands of the Sea my transgressions O Lord my transgressions are multiplied and are exceeding many so as I am not worthy to behold or lift up mine eyes unto the Heavens for the multitude of my unrighteousness I have provoked thine anger O Lord and done evil before thee in committing abominations and multiplying of offences Now therefore I bow the knees of my heart beseeching thee for Grace I have sinned O Lord I have sinned and I acknowledge my wickedness desiring thee by Prayer to forgive me O Lord forgive me destroy me not with mine iniquities neither do thou always remember mine evils to punish them but save me that am unworthy according to thy great mercies And I most humbly beseech thee O Lord not to suffer my soul to perish which Thou hast bought so dearly with thy most precious Blood make me poor in Spirit and low of Heart submitting me wholly into thy hands so as my desire and my delight may be always to thy will and pleasure which is always good and godly and grant my poor soul rest in thee for thou hast said They shall never be confounded that put their trust in thee which trust good Lord grant me never to forsake for any vain trust temptation or tribulation that may happen to vex my soul but grant me thy holy Spirit to comfort and defend me from all things that should procure thy displeasure Thou that art in Trinity one God and Lord over all give ear to my Prayer and pardon all my sins so shall I praise thee for ever and ever all the days of my life through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom be glory for ever Amen A Prayer to Jesus Christ O Jesus thou Son of God have mercy upon me and forgive the great offences which I have done in the sight of thee this day and give me grace O Lord for the love of thee to despise sin and worldly vanity O Jesus help me to overcome the temptations of sin and the maâ—ice of my spiritual enemy and strengthen my soul and body to exercise the works of virtue whereby I may come to thy everlasting joy and felicity Grant me a â—ast purpose O merciful Jesus to amend my life and to remove the sins of my youth far from me Jesus lighten me with Ghostly Wisdom for to know thy goodness and those things which are most acceptable unto thee and give me grace to give good and profitable example that none may be hurt by me make me to proceed from virtue to virtue until I be grown a perfect man in thee Let me not return to those sins which by my confession have accused me and with sorrow have oppressed me The horrible sentence of endless death the terrible judgment of damnation thy wrath ire and indignation merciful Lord let never fall upon me Jesus give me grace to fly evil company and when I come among them I beseech thee to preserve me that no occasion of sin overcome me keep my mouth O Lord from slanderous speaking lying false witness bearing cursing swearing uncharitable chiding dissolute laughing and words of vanity O sweet Jesus make me perseverant in the blessed service of Thee in holy Exercises and vertuous Meditations Lord keep my Soul and Body and make me to slay all sinful delectation and patiently to suffer injuries and rebukes in following thine own most Holy and blessed Example Provide good Lord that life for me which thou knowest most for thine honour and my comfortable stay in thee Jesus grant me specially in the time of Prayer to fix my mind on thee and thou to remember my wretchedness The blood that ran from thy blessed heart wash my soul from all sin and iniquity and purchase to me thy grace faithfaithfully to serve thee O my Lord God my might my life my light lead me and feed me in this mortality and at the hour of death when I shall be accused before thee have mercy upon me break my froward heart and make
of vanity what is my heart but a filthy prison of corrupt thoughts What is my mouth but a stinking chanel of vain words what are my feet but chariots to bloodshed what are my hands but battlers with charity what is my head but a castle of wicked devices and what is my life but a fardel of iniquity I am nothing better than a dead tree the root is perished the bough wither'd being good for nothing but for the fury of the flame what then good Lord shall it be so what shall I burn sweet Jesus O save me for thy Names sake and quicken â—me create a new heart within me that I may bring forth much fruit and for ever flourish like a Tree planted by a river side O pour the Oyl of Grace into my defiled heart and season it with the salt of thy mercy lest the fume of mine iniquities ascend up to thy nostrils and provoke thy fury against me Pour down some drops of thy precious blood from the clouds of thy Mercy to quench out the angry flame of sin which of my self I am not able to put out by the virtuous water of any merit O Lamb of God let me eat thy flesh and drink thy blood that I may live by thee and cloath me in the wooll of thy mercy that no winter or storm of sin do pinch my silly soul Thou O God art full of compassion and long-suffering which continuest thy mercy for thousands taking away iniquities sins and offences Thou callest us after thy wonted mercy by thy Word to repentance and hearty conversion for unto all and every one is repentance and forgiveness of sins preached in thy Name therefore unto thee O most merciful Father do I cry desiring thee to look back upon me thy unworthy servant with the eyes of pity even as thou looked'st back upon the sinful woman in the banquet likewise favour thou me O Lord as thou didst the Publican who standing afar off smote his breast and said Lord be merciful unto me a sinner And grant O Lord that among the fears and terrours of conscience I may take hold of thee by a lively Faith and never in the sight of conscience do yield my self and despair but upholden by the voice of the Gospel I may flee unto thee my Redeemer and have by faith peace with God And thou my Saviour which hast suffered for me in the flesh give me grace that likewise in the same mind I may be arm'd for the mortifying of my flesh that henceforth I may live not after the lusts of men but after the will of God and keep the Devil under O LORD that he compel not my troubled conscience to despair either by heaping or ripping up mine offences or extenuating thy mercy and grant that I may come unto thee by hearing thy word unto Repentance that thereby the Angels in Heaven may continually have occasion to rejoyce before thee which livest and reignest ever one God world without end Amen A Prayer for the Aid of GOD's Holy Spirit O Dear Father forasmuch as every man living is of himself before thee but as a beast neither knowing thee nor the things concerning their duties unto thee I as one of the most perverse filthy and corrupt do here humble my self before thee begging at thy hands that thou hast promised to give unto as many as ask it of thee thy holy Spirit that heavenly Comforter which revealeth thee and thy will to the simple and ignorant which also stireth up the minds and inward affections of thy children to call upon thee by preparing their hearts and opening their mouths to celebrate thy Name bestow it good Father bestow it upon me thy unworthy servant and upon all thy children and grant that although all of us are of corrupt affections and polluted lips yet we may be sprinkled with that Heavenly Hyssop that we may have our hearts cleansed of the corrupt affections of this World and the eyes of our understanding opened that we may see the good things we should ask and our feet that are fettered with the cares of vain things may be set at liberty that we may walk the right way unto the Kingdom of Heaven and that the hands of our souls may apprehend take hold of the Righteousness of thy Son Jesus Christ that by the aid of the same Spirit we may cast off all impediments letts and incumbrances that detain us from coming unto thee Sanctifie me within without wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow let thy truth and thy spirit meet together in my soul that my prayers may enter into thy presence and that thine ears may incline unto my humble petition so shall I declare thy loving kindness in the morning and thy truth in the night season Thou knowest whereof we be made thou forgettest not that we are but dust and unprofitable children not fit apt nor able of our selves to pray unto thee and praise thy Name therefore good Lord allure me unto thee to seek thee and grant that with my whole heart and mind I may always rejoyce and be comforted by thee for ever and ever Amen A Prayer to acknowledg God in his Works O Most mighty and eternal God thou by the creation of the world and all that therein is hast sufficiently declared thy self to be the everlasting and Almighty God for that these things do far pass the reach of mans wisdom and not herein only hast thou declared thy self to be God but in that also that thou dost continually guide and govern the same and all things of thee created Seeing therefore O most merciful Father that we have both in our selves and also in thy creatures so manifest Testimonies that thou only O Lord art that eternal and loving God which dost reign in all thy creatures guiding and governing them by thy Heavenly Providence Grant I do beseech thee that my heart may be hereof fully assured to acknowledge thee not only to be God eternal who hast created all things but also that I may in heart be fully perswaded that thou O Lord dost govern all things according to thy most blessed will so that nothing can be done in the whole world without thine appointment and that thou hast such a singular care over thine Elect so that not so much as an hair of their heads shall fall without thy Providence Grant therefore O Lord I beseech thee that I may hereof be fully assured in my Heart and Soul and that I may in all my doings set thee before mine eyes acknowledging thee to be my only Lord and Father and by the working of thy holy Spirit in me I may be confirmed in Faith comforted in Soul and lightned in Understanding that always here on Earth I may glorifie thy holy Name and after the dissolution of this my mortal body I may attain thy everlasting joy with thy Elect in thy glorious Kingdom for ever and ever Amen A very fruitful Prayer to
adversity I run not headlong into such means as are ungodly neither in prosperity wax the prouder but wait thy good pleasure in them both with thankfulness and evermore live in thee and by thee and in the end raign with thee in Heaven where thou â—ittest as author and giver of all thy Blessings Grant this O most merciful Father to whom with thy Son and the Holy Ghost be all power and glory for ever Amen A Prayer to subdue our affections O Lord Mighty and Merciful who didst create Man in the beginning simple sincere and without spot of sin In which his integrity and innocency he then presented thine own Image which was pure and without spot of sin and yet such was man that he fell from thee by disobedience whereby he corrupted his ways and became â—ar unlike unto thee being defiled with all vanities wherein alas we all of us wallow the most with greediness wherefore most dear Father in JESUS Christ create in me new thoughts new affections shape in me true obedience that I may mortifie and kill all sin and vain inclinations which rise up against Thee let sin no longer bear rule in me O Lord but let thy grace more and more abound that all that I do think speak or do may bâ— favouring more of the desire of Heaven and Heavenly things than of earthly and carnal desires that so I may be approved not only before men to be as ought but to thee to be as Thou requirest to whom O Lord be all honour and glory for ever Amen A Prayer for the Kings Majesty O Lord Almighty the Governour Preserver and continual Protector of Princes to whose beck and will all Kingdoms of the Earth are subject look in mercy and favour O Lord I beseech thee upon the state of thy servant our dear Soverign Lord King Charles and his Royal issue be thou unto him and them a safe refuge in all time of danger and let thy holy Spirt be unto him a continual guide in all his acts and procedings direct him to comfort defend and support us and either to bring our enemies to a perfect peace in embracing the Truth with us or confound their power and devices for ever An Evening Prayer O Heavenly Father and eternal GOD I honour thee I praise thee I yield thee most hearty thanks for all thy benefits and at this time especially O Lord because thou hast patiently and attentively heard my petitions and hast given me soberness and humbleness of mind to utter the same without any interruption I bless Thee my everlasting GOD and with all my heart give thee thanks for that not only thou hast saved me this day from death from hurts and from all perils from my cradle but hast defended both my soul and body from all Misfortunes and Dangers Therefore my soul magnifieth the Lord and my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour for he hath looked upon the afflictions of his servants and now among all other thy goodness O Lord hear O Lord forgive hearken O God for thy Name sake for it is called upon by me O GOD of Heaven and earth in the evening do I call upon thee that remitting my sins Thou wouldst receive me into thy Protection keep me this Night that the Devil have no power over me for Thou O Lord art my everlasting Protector for behold whether I sleep or wake whether I live or die I am always thine let thy mercy follow me O Lord all the days of my life that I may dwell in thy house and praise thee and that I may in acknowledging thy greatness confess my sinful and wretched weakness And visit me O Lord and drive from me all the assaults of mine enemies both bodily and ghostly and let thy holy Angel be with me and keep me this night and evermore by thy grace and ever let thy blessing be upon me this night and for evermore Amen Prayers for Wednesday Morning O Lord my God and Father blessed be thy name for ever dispose my heart and open my lips c. A Psalm IN thee O LORD have I put my trust let me never be put to confusion deliver me in thy Righteousness Bow down thine Ear unto me make hast to deliver me Into thy hands I commend my Spirt for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth I have hated them that hold superstitious vanities and my trust hath been in the Lord. I will be glad and rejoyce in thy mercy for thou hast considered my trouble and hast known my soul in adversity Shew thy servant the light of thy countenance and save me for thy mercies sake O how plentiful is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee and that thou hast prepared for them that put their trust in thee Wherefore I will confess my wickedness and be sorry for my sin I will take heed unto my ways that I offend not in my tongue Therefore withdraw not thou thy mercy from me O Lord but let thy loving kindness and thy truth always preserve me For my soul is a-thirst for God yea God yea even for the living God when shall I come to appear before the presence of God Yea as the Hart desireth the water-brooks so longeth my soul after thee O God Wherefore send out thy light and thy truth that they may lead me and bring me to thy holy hill and to thy dwelling Why art thou so heavy O my soul and why art thou so disquieted within me O put thy trust in God for I will yet give Him thanks who is the help of my countenance and my God Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the holy Ghost c. A Morning Prayer O Most merciful and loving Father I thank thee for the sweet sleep and comfortable rest that thou hast given me this night and forasmuch as thou hast commanded by thy holy Word that no man should be idle but always occupied in godly and virtuous exercises every man according to his calling I most humbly beseech thee O Lord that thine eyes may attend upon me that thy grace may daily defend me in danger succour cherish and comfort me in all my needs and distress and govern all my counsels studies and labours in such wise that I may spend this day according to thy blessed will and the discharge of mine own conscience in thee that warily avoiding all things that may displease thee and setting always before mine eyes thy fear I may thy grace assisting me and thy holy spirit guiding me work that which is acceptable before thy divine Majesty unto thy praise and glory for ever Amen A fruitful Confession to GOD for sins commited O Gracious GOD have mercy upon me have mercy upon me look favourably upon me incline thine ears towards me and hide not thy Face now my soul is troubled O Almighty GOD from whose Sight there is no covert and against whose power there is neither resistance
me LORD of thy gracious goodness that I may live in thy Law walk in thy way and die in thy Faith and that I may clearly be delivered of the bondage of sin and be wholly out of death and damnation give me the peace which the world cannot give grant me the joy which thine Elect do possess sustain me with the comfort that never shall be void erect me with the hope that always shall persist instruct me with thy Word that ever shall endure and advance me to thy Kingdom that never shall have end then shall thy Glory still live in me and I shall never die but Raign with thee for ever to whom O Father be all honour and glory world without end Amen Prayers for Wednesday Night O Lord my God and Father blessed be thy name for ever dispose my heart and â—pen my lips c. A Psalm O LORD my GOD thou hast searched me out and known me thou knowest my downsitting and â—y uprising thou understandest my thoughts long before Thou art about my path and about my â—ed and spyest out all my ways For lo there is not a word in my tongue but thou O Lord knowest it altogether My reins are thine thou hast cover'd me in my mothers womb I will give thanks unto thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy works and that my soul knoweth right well My bones are not hid from thee though I be made secretly and fashioned beneath in the earth Thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy book were all my members written Which day by day were fashioned when as yet there was none of them O how dear are thy counsels unto me O God O how great is the summ of them O enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Keep me O Lord from the hands of the ungodly preserve me from wicked men which are purposed to overthrow my goings Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense and the lifting up of my hands be an evening Sacrifice Set a watch O LORD before my mouth and keep the door of my lips O let not my heart be inclined to any evil thing let me not be occupied in ungodliness with the men that work wickedness lest I do such things as please them But teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee for thou art my God let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness A Prayer for mortification O Righteous God and merciful Father who art so pure and clean that no corruption resteth in thy sight and â—ith there is required in all men the sincere and inward zeal of the soul and an absolute killing of the motions of the flesh and mortifying of all carnal affection look favourably upon me O LORD in whom doth dwell an innumerable troop of foolish fantasies and an heap of sinful affections I find and feel O LORD that though many times to will be present with me yet to perform is not in my power sin doth prevail and death through sin swalloweth me up so that I rest in darkness of sin by giving scope unto mine own perverse will and such is my miserable estate that being thus of my self flesh and blood slattereth it self and concludeth that whatsoever I purpose in an evil desire so that it break not forth into open gross wickedness that I am holy enough that I am as sincere as is requisite and that I stand too fearful of thy judgment When thou knowest O Lord that all and every the least conceit of sin breaking into action in what covert measure or mean degree soever it by and by endangereth my soul and deserveth sudden judgment and therefore let it please thee O Father that as thy dear Son through thy surpassing love hath reconciled all such unto thy favour again that are truly penitent so let thy holy Spirit continually work to the taming of my unbridled flesh and let me by the same Spirit come to a true mortification of all the evils that rise up in me So shall I deny and forsake my self and follow thee so shall I leave my self and come to thee hate my self and love thee conquer my self and serve thee And here thou â—eest O my dear Father that I am most weak and without the continual working of thy grace I cannot in any measure suppress my desires but that they rather the more strongly rise in me I cannot deny my self but I rather deny the working of thy grace in me I do not only not mortifie my sins but sin rather reviveth and becometh strong in me in as much as it bringth forth fruit not unto life but unto death therefore I beseech thee O heavenly Father to sanctifie me that I defile not my self with the filthiness of the flesh nor fleshly things howsoever they may seem to please me let me not be deceived with the pleasing judgments of worldly men who affirm sin to be no sin darkness to be light and light to be darkness Atheism to be Religion and sanctity to be sin O dear Father many are the Enormities that rise up in us and defended not only as things tolerable but as things laudable wherefore I beseech thee to mortifie these evils and let me no longer be sotted with the filthy fashions of this world extinguish the flames of carnal desires repress the rageing lusts of the flesh and grant that I may with shame and with due watchfulness avoid all things that have but the appearance of evil but being thus inwardly subdued I may make outward profession that whatsoever I do it may be simply grounded upon a good conscience and let me still retain this in memory O Lord that I cannot follow mine own will and thy word that I cannot impart my affections to the deed of the flesh and the works of the Spirit that I cannot walk in darkness and light in the way of death and in the way of life wherefore O most dear Father direct me in my whole life and separate me from the World and worldly things and let me dwell with thee in all Godly meditations and contemplations and let me use the things of this world as I used them not and being thus truly mortified in the body and quickned in the spirit I may look in continual watchfulness for the dissolution of this my mortal body that my soul may ascend and in the end both soul and body may for ever more enjoy the eternal joys of Heaven Amen A Prayer against desperation O Most merciful GOD greatly have I sinned and alas am guilty of many crimes therefore unto thee do I cry O most holy Father and eternal God keep me in thy Name that in Temptations and extremities I never faint in courage Moderate and mitigate my vexations let them come to a joyful end that I fall not into the most heinous sin of incredulity and despair O Christ
JESUS Saviour of the world whose mercy cometh unto us like a stream who art my eternal happiness I do from the botto mof my heart beseech thee to increase establish hope and strengthen patience within me for this certainly is true that one little drop of thy sacred Blood shed for us is of more power to save us than all our enormous sins to condemn us wherefore O sweet Saviour look upon me with the eyes of mercy as thou lookedst back upon Peter in the Hall of the High-Priests Palace after he had both renounced thee and cursed himself O God the holy Ghost be thou present with me in mine extream need when the Devill will accuse me and my conscience bear witness against me when I shall be environed with horrible danger and temptations and all things set themselves against me Strengthen my heart at that time O comfortable Spirit with the Zeal of thy Testimony that undoubtedly I may believe the forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the flesh and everlasting life which shall be given to all believers O blessed Trinity and eternal God of one essence give grace that in every combate especilly at the point of death being mindful of thy Covenant made with me in Baptism and of thy most comfortable promise annexed which is that all that believe and are baptised shall be saved I may never doubt either of thy merciful good will towards me or of the free remission and forgiveness of my sins but by often remembrance of this Sign and Covenant I may daily more and more be confirmed in faith and hope of eternal happiness and here O holy Trinity lift up my sorrowful heart and pour upon me the wholsome comfort of thy Heavenly bliss and at the point of death refresh me with the sweet light of thy chearful countenance that with exceeding joy I may desire to depart and come to thy heavenly house where Thou livest and reignest as my eternal GOD and Father for ever and ever Amen A Prayer for the Power of GOD's Spirit to abide in us O Omnipotent and eternal GOD and Father which comfortest such as be sorrowful and who givest all good gifts thou of thy free favour and love hast willed us in all our affairs and necessities and as often as we stand in need of any of thy blessings or feel our selves burdened with any kind of tribulation or affliction either of body or mind to call upon thee in the Name of thy Son Jesus Christ and thou wilt grant what we want most humbly I beseech thee to send down upon my dark understanding the bright beams of thy most holy Spirit to lighten me and to direct me in all my supplications and prayers and especially at this time O Lord for that thou knowest my weakness and ignorance to be such as I am altogether unable to frame my requests according to thy will or to seek that which is for mine own souls health wherefore I most humbly beseech thee O Lord in the Name of him thy Son to address and prepare my heart to the true understanding and unfeigned calling on thy Name for such things as thy wisdom shall think most expedient for me both to the obtaining of thy heavenly Kingdom which is before all things to be sought for and for temporal blessings best known to thee which in respect of my ignorance my dulness my corruption my weakness and the guilt of mine own conscience I cannot crave in such due and faithful manner as I ought and therefore most dear Father I here beseech thee in the Name of thy Son Christ that thou wilt aiâ— me with thy holy Spirit in my prayers that being of my self dull I may be made Zealous and whereas I am of my self cold I may be thereby made fervent and faithful that my Prayers be not as a smoke which vanisheth or as the wind which passeth away being only in the lips and not firm in the heart let it be effectual and an acceptable sacrifice sweet and pleasing in thy sight and that nothing pass the bounds of thy unfeigned lips that which may beseem a single heart always sounding thine honour and setting forth of thy most glorious praise let thy holy Spirit O Lord come unto me let it continue with me work and prevail effectually in me unto the end that I may both at this time begin and for evermore continue as thou will est I should namely in Faith that I fall not into any temptation in hope that I may constantly look for and faithfully attain unto perfect understanding of thy will and ableness in all things to fulfil the same make me also good Lord fervent in love that I may freely and unfeignedly even from my very heart forgive and forgot all injuries wrongs and evil doings of such as by any means have offended me with hearty prayer for their amendment that I approaching unto the Throne of thy mercy in a pure and single heart may heartily as well for all others as for my self for things necessary both for my soul and body make my humble petitions unto thee and in thy good time tast that most sweet fruit of my humble desires according unto thy will so shall I shew forth thy praise and give glory to thy Name for ever and ever world without end Amen A Prayer for the victory against sin O LORD there is no Victory without Fighting nor any Crown without Victory give me therefore power O Lord that fighting valiantly I may be crowned gloriously in Heaven with thee to live for ever minister strength unto me that I may over-master mine enemies and give me the spirit of patience that continuing unto the end I may be found and taken as a faithful Souldier of thy Son Jesus Christ and so be blessed let me not faint in fear but let me fight in a lively saith which over-matcheth all the whole world plant me a natural branch by the power of thy holy Word in the Vine Jesus and make me able to endure every crack let no canker of sin eat me let no worm of a guilty conscience gnaw me let no blast of the world overcome me but stay me up with thy mighty hand and be ever at my elbow that I may be crowned though I be crossed and saved though now soused in extream misery in this is all my hope for surely of my self I am but a vapour a worm I am born of a woman in sin a sinful child by nature and to my power wage battel with Satan against my self to my utter undoing O Lord unless thou regenerate me and assist me with thy Spirit always to resist him which do O gracious God I beseech thee for thy great mercy to whom be all power and glory for ever Amen A Prayer to be mindful of death O GOD in whose hands consisteth the life of all mankind for thy Son Christ's sake vouchsafe to give me grace to set before mine eyes as a most certain mark whereto
this frail body of mine must tend it self the Image of that which is to the faithful the end of pain and the begining of pleasure the end of misery and the beginning of bliss but to the secure and careless the end of their pleasures and beginning of eternal pains And vouchsafe good LORD that I may have an earnest desire of serving thee and leading my life according unto thy will that whensoever it shall please thee to call me out of this life I be not through fear stricken with doubt of condemnation but even at the last gasp through unfeigned Faith in Jesus Christ may take and have taste of eternal Salvation that death be not bitter or terrible unto me but rather when it cometh I with joy receive the same in the Name of thy Son JESUS Christ Bless me good Lord from the second death the everlasting destruction both of body and soul and justifie me in the death of thy Son that my Name may be registred in the Book of Life O Lord comfort my guilty conscience with the everlasting light of thy bountiful savour and let me have place among thy Saints in thy Heavenly Kingdom LORD for thy mercies sake after this my bodily death give me the fruition of thy presence in the rich Palace of endless bliss to whose merciful Protection I commend with all humility and reverence my soul and body Lord Jesus preserve me Lord Jesus comfort me Lord Jesus pray for me for only into thy hands that hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth I commend my soul both now and for ever Amen A Prayer for a happy departure out of this life O Most gracious and eternal GOD thy years endure throughout all generations and thy days are without end or beginning but the days of Man are determined which he cannot overpass and the number of his Months are foreknown unto thee wherefore instruct me O LORD that being always mindful of my mortality I never promise unto my self many years nor long life in this pilgrimage of mine so shall I not live securely deferring my conversion to thee from day to day nor yet put confidence in this frail and uncertain life as that rich man spoken of in the Gospel but give me grace that in thy fear I may dayly prepare my self to depart out of this prison for nothing is more certain than death though nothing more uncertain than the hour thereof therefore I beseech thee O Lord to let me have always before mine eyes an image and mediation of my departure the better to know the fleeting and vanity of this srail and cumbersome life that I may live to thee my God being sound in faith and strong in hope looking with cheerfulness for the day of my departure and the joyful appearing of thy Son Jesus Christ my Redeemer and make me I beseech thee O LORD a faithful and wise servant looking for the coming of my Lord for that I know not when he will come lest by a sudden hour of death being overtook I being found unready but contrariwise by prudent watching in true conversion and repentance I may covet to be dissolved and to be with CHRIST my Redeemer and grant also O LORD that at the point of death having escaped all hardness and temptations I may triumph like a Conquereor and behold the power and presence of thy holy Spirit and let my last word be that which thy Son did utter upon the Altar of the Cross saying Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and when my speech is taken from me hear O God the groanings of my heart and the hour of death being come let thy servant depart in peace through JESUS Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom be all praise and glory for ever and ever Amen A Petition to GOD the Father O Omnipotent GOD and Father I have asked here at this time many things of thee and yet not deserved any I confess alas that not only those things which I require be not due unto me but in stead of them most grievous punishments yet O LORD lay not my sins to my charge for if thou shouldest I were not able to abide or stand in thy sight but O LORD I most humbly beseech thee that thou wilt forgive me all that is past and grant that I may never hereafter offend in the same again and vouchsafe I beseech thee of thy goodness O Lord to direct sanctifie and keep my heart and body my senses and doings my talk and communication in thy most holy Laws and Commandments and that thy holy Angel may be with me to direct my feet unto the way of peace truth and health that I may be whole safe and free in thee and by thee both here and in the world to come O Christ hear me and save me which livest and reignest with the Father and the holy Spirit God in perfect unity to whom be praise for ever world without end Amen An Evening Prayer O Heavenly Father I with all humility and reverence of heart and mind beseech thee this night which thou hast ordained for man to rest in that thou wilt guard and protect me with thy good guiding Spirit and albeit my sinful flesh shall slumber and sleep yet grant that my soul may continually keep watch and ward let not the enemy find me slumbering and sleeping as careless in the cradle of sinful security lest that whilst I am unarmed that is naked and destitute of thy help and favour he enter in and break up the house of my sinful body and make such havock and spoil and that my infected leprous soul deformed by means of mine iniquity and wounded with the dangerous darts of transgression be thrown with the body of sin unto the lake of destruction make me still O good Lord to consider that the bed is the plain pattern of the grave make me to understand that when I am laid of my self without thy Heavenly Providence I cannot be able to rise again make me also to acknowledge that sleep is the very Figure of death to whose stroke at thy appointed pleasure I must submit my self endue me with love and charity to all men let my lamp O Lord be garnished with oyl that whensoever thy messenger death shall draw nigh and knock at the gate of my body I may at his summons in the day of the Resurrection of the dead be ready to attend on thee my Bride with my burning lamp that is with a stedfast faith when as by Faith I shall be cloathed with a new for my mortal body shall be then covered with immortality and the corruption of my sinful and rebellious flesh then changed to incorruption and perfect purity thy righteousness shall be mine thy merits shall make me perfect and holy by vertue whereof hell shall lose his victory death shall lose his sting my faith and hope shall have its end and reward and I with thy Saints continually dwell in love and
of thee joyntly both with trembling and trust settle the love of thee in me and the care of me in thee let my prayer come unto thee and thy mercy unto me let the joy of thy happiness remain with me and the compassion of my miseries with thee let my heart love thee let my flesh fear thee and let my whole substance in this world joy wholly in thee that I may enjoy thee wholly in the world to come by thee O Christ who art my Saviour and Deliverer to whom belongeth all power and glory for ever and ever Amen A Prayer in heart to feel spiritual comforts O Lord GOD and most dear Father now I fully know the heart of man is not in his own power for thou hast taught me by thy dâ—minishing the Spirit of comfort in my heart that it is thou only which makest joyful the heart of man and which diminishest the same joy according to thy good pleasure and will therefore O dear Father I beseech thee to send me thy most blessed comfort and strength of Faith into my heart to fill the same with spiritual joy and that by the working of thy holy Spirit in me the comfortable promises of thy merciful Protection may be sealed in my heart and sink deep into my soul that I may be fully assured that thou art my strong rock and house of defence that thou dost keep me as the apple of thine eye and that thou wilt not lay more upon me than thou wilt give me strength to abide but that thou wilt assuredly at thy appointed time renew my heart and the whole power of my mind that I may fully glorifie thy Name Thy Holy Spirit O Lord in me which is the assurance of my Salvation doth continually send forth unspeakable sighs and longings for thy full and joyful presence I beseech thee therefore O dear Father for thy Son JESUS's sake hearken to my prayers and grant my requests make tender my hard and stony heart by thy holy Spirit that I may from the bottom of my heart acknowledge thee to be my most merciful God and Father and all things in thy holy Word to be most certain and true and reverently embrace the same and in my soul to take comfort and joy of the same that I may even to my lives end walk before thee in sincerity of heart being assured of my salvation through that one alone sacrifice for my sins made by thy dear Son Jesus Christ to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory for ever Amen A fruitful petition to GOD. O LORD GOD of infinite wisdom inspire my heart and direct my voice that I may not think nor utter any thing before thy Maiesty but that which thou knowest to be expedient for me to ask and glorious for thee to give Turn not my prayer Good Lord into perdition nor my suit into sin for thou art the God of my Fathers on whom I wholly depend save me for thy mercies sake O save me as I have always put my trust in thee and when through the perverseness and froward inclination of my nature I fall into any wickedness and sin leave me not good Lord unto them acquit me from the inordinate lust of the body let no desire of uncleanness take hold upon me and give me not over to an unshamefast and obstinate mind Lord here I stand vile wretch before the throne of thy dreadful presence hoping that I shall be heard not in the faintness of my faith but in the power of thy promises O weigh my weakness and grant my desires as thou knowest most meet for me then can I want nothing and my conscience shall be comforted with all spiritual consolation in Jesus Christ to whom with thee O Father and the holy Spirit be ascribed all power and glory for ever Amen A Prayer to be ingrafted into Christ O LORD it is mercy without merit that I am a branch of the Vine Jesus that I am the house and Temple of the Holy Ghost It is of Justice that thou hast appointed thy house to be a place of prayer and of duty therefore that we should pray unto thee For this O Lord I thank thee that thou hast made me thy child to lodge me and I acknowledge that of duty I am bound to serve thee but give me O Lord the grace of thy Spirit to conduct me in the way of thy will cleanse or create a new heart within me that I may be a fit lodging for thee and yield up the savoury sacrifice unto thee which thou requirest of every Christian I mean the sacrifice of prayer the sacrifice of the heart which savoureth sweetly unto thee And at this time in hope of the assistance of thy holy Spirit I desire thee that as thou hast of mercy covered me under thy wings of safety so thou wilt defend and keep me from all the storming rages of Satan who is wont not only by day but also and that especially by night to undermine man when his senses are fettered in bands of rest but I hope O good Lord that as I am then most unable and at all times else to withstand the buffets and assaults of Satan so thou wilt be most ready to succour me and partly because thereby thou shalt unlock the riches of thine infinite mercy and pity and partly because thou lovest every thing which thy hands have made For which and for all other thy blessings I yield thee all honour power and glory which is due only to thy blessed Majesty for ever world without end Amen A Prayer against evil imaginations O Lord cleanse my heart I do beseech thee from all impure and wicked cogitations and thoughts give me a clear conscience shame-fac'd eyes modest hands and a tongue to tell the truth and seeing there is nothing hid that shall not be discovered good Lord I beseech thee to search my thoughts and renew in me thy holy Spirit direct my feet in thy ways that walking after thee in the path of the righteous I may pass through this vail of misery bearing thy banner stoutly in my warfare and in the end obtain everlasting joy the promised hire of such as have born thy Cross and valiantly fought with the armour of faith against temptations and all evil vouchsafe O Lord to grant all these my supplications and petitions for thy dear Sons sake Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be ascribed all power and glory for ever Amen An Evening Prayer O Heavenly Father the giver of all good things and the protector of all those that love thee I yield thee most humble and hearty thanks not only for keeping and preserving me this day but all my life that neither my enemies have prevailed against me as they sought nor any other danger which in this world is incident unto mankind hath overcome me but hast like a loving Father and careful purveyor given and
provided for me all things necessary for which thine inestimable love I cannot sufficiently praise thee O Lord forgive mine offences which this day 〈◊〉 have committed and done against thy Almighty Majesty pardon them O God for Jesus Christ his sake and vouchsafe me thy grace to amend my life and to return â—nfeignedly to the serving of thee And â—orasmuch as I cannot continue without â—hy continual protection vouchsafe to exâ—end the same unto me thy wretched creaâ—ure this night that I may quietly take my rest which thou hast appointed for â—he refreshing of my wearied and weak â—ody And further I beseech thee O Lord to guard and defend me that nothing hurt me keep me also good Lord from sudden and unprovided death and preserve me by the watch of thy holy Angel that I may take my rest this night in thee until the morning and then give my self to the fulfilling of my duty and the discharge of my vocation and the doing of thy will unto my lives end for which thy favour I humbly beseech thee and for all things else necessary for me and for all other whom thou hast commanded us to pray for and namely for all such as are in any kind of affliction in body or mind for the testimony of thy truth that thou wilt strengthen them and thy whole Church in pure Religion and here O Lord I beseech thee to embrace me with the arms of thy mercy vouchsafe to receive me into the bosom of thy love shadow me with thy wings that I may safely take my rest in thee this night in the Name of thy Son Jesus Christ in whose Name I refer me wholly to thy loving protection beseeching thee that when this life shall end my last sleep being come I may take my everlasting rest with thee in thy eternal Kingdom for the which Kingdom I do heartily beseech thee of thine inestimable goodness both of my self and all other thy dear servants that we may attain the same for the glory of thy holy Name and our endless comfort through the merits of thy dearly beloved Son our Lord and only Saviour Jesus Christ Amen Prayers for Friday Morning O Lord God and heavenly Father blessed be thy Name for ever Dispose my heart open my lips and give me thy holy Spirit c. A Psalm MY soul truly waiteth still upon God for of him cometh my salvation In God is my help and my glory the rock of my might and in God is my trust I called upon him with my mouth and gave him praise with my tongue For thou O Lord God art the thing that I long for thou art my hope even from my youth Through thee have I been holpen up even since I was born thou art he that took me out of my mothers womb my praise shall be always of thee Wherefore praised be God which hath not cast out my prayer nor turned his mercy from me O let my mouth be filled with thy praise that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long Cast me not away in time of age forsake me not when my strength faileth me My mouth shall daily speak of thy righteousness and salvation for I know no end thereof I will go forth in the strength of the Lord God and will make mention of thy righteousness only For thou O God hast taught me from my youth up until now therefore will I tell of thy wondrous works Thy righteousness O God is very high and great things are they that thou hast done O God who is like unto thee O what troubles and adversities hast thou shewed me and yet didst thou turn and refresh me yea broughtest me from the depth of the earth again Therefore will I praise thee and thy faithfulness O God which art the holy One of Israel My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long for there is no end thereof Glory c. A Morning Prayer O Lord the glorious face of the Sun which sheweth it self and casteth its beams over the whole world I take it for an argument and earnest peny of thy good will toward thy children in the number of whom I account my self though chief of sinners and not worthy to loose the latchet of thy shooe for if we enjoy such a benefit in this strange country together with thine enemies then what joyous sights what store of thy goodness shall we reap in our natural country the blisful Land of Canaan where we shall not see this worldly Sun but thee even thee good Lord face to face the Son of thy glory and only Star of Majesty Such joys O Lord shall we have in the beholding of thee as neither the eye hath seen nor ear hath heard nor heart ever conceived such joys I say as pass the reach not only of man but also of Angels to esteem blessed are the door-keepers of this house of joy where thou O Lord the Son of righteousness dost most clearly spread forth the beams of thy divine power Oh how long shall I live in this prison how long shall I journey in this body of sin wherefore O God of comfort and Father of mercy I do not doubt but that as I wander in this field of vanity so thou wilt recal me by the light of thy Gospel to thine house there to dwell and reign for ever Amen An humble Confession to Almighty God O Most mighty God and merciful Father I present my self before thy Majesty defiled with the filthiness of many and most grievous sins whereof I do confess I am not able to answer thee one of a thousand if thou O Lord shouldest enter into judgment with me for in sin was I born and therefore am guilty of original corruption and in sin have I lived and continued and therefore stand guilty of actual transgression which hath broken forth upon me in thought word and deed from time to time continually even unto this present hour wherefore I humbly crave thy mercy and the grace of forgiveness in Jesus Christ for therein I confess O Lord standeth the only hope of my comfort and salvation And forasmuch as it hath pleased thee to give thine own Son to be a slain sacrifie for our sins and to offer the grace of reconciliation by preaching the Gospel to all them that repent and believe the same good Lord I beseech thee vouchsafe to make me of that blessed number work true repentance in my heart increase my faith and give me grace to bring forth the fruits thereof that so it may appear that I have not received thy grace in vain and for this purpose good Lord I beseech thee bless the Ministers of thy Word and give them grace to speak it as it ought to be spoken and give thy people grace to hear it attentively to believe it stedfastly and to follow it obediently that so serving thee faithfully in this life we may live and reign with thee for ever in the life to
the wind and as stubble against a flaming fire Though I have sinned grievously in thy sight preferring my wicked desires before thy holy Commandments esteeming the pleasure of a moment before eternal and everlasting joys yet am I bold O merciful Father to prostrate my self before the Throne of thy Majesty heartily to beseech and humbly to intreat thee that thou wilt not deal with me according to my deserts for I have none in heaven to fly unto but thee nor in the earth of whom I may receive any comfort but at thy fatherly hands which are stretched out day and night to receive all that by earnest repentance turn unto thee and to refresh their distressed consciences wherefore O Lord in the multitude of thy mercies I approach unto thee desiring thee to look down from the height of thy sanctuary upon me poor and wretched sinner and to wipe away mine offences and to blot out my misdeeds especially all those my ungracious unclean and ungodly acts that they may not come up in remembrance with thee nor be imputed to me for ever For thy Sons sake O Lord in whom thou art well pleased and in whom thou wast fully satisfied upon the Cross for my sins grant me free pardon and remission in that I have so foolishly by my exceeding frailty committed against thee but quicken thou me O Lord that art the fountain of life and call thou out of heaven thy dwelling place that my wandring soul may hear the voice of her shepherd and follow thee wheresoever thou leadest O give me thy helping hand and by thy Spirit cast down subdue and mortifie my raging â—usts and affections let me not any longer be occupied in ungodliness lest mine enemies triumph over me pluck up O my good Father these roots of bitterness that no unsavoury fruit may come of the Tree which thou of thine own hand hast planted I desire I look I call I cry for thy assistance that I may conquer and subdue all the sinful and unruly motions of my heart O blessed Saviour that hast granted so many petitions upon earth to them that were careful for the body fulfil 〈◊〉 pray thee this my desire mortifie good Father in me the old body of sin and give unto me a new body purged from these works to serve thee the living God â—enew my spirit daily that I may cast away these works of darkness why should my body made by thy hands and my soul framed according to thy Image be given over as a prey into the hands of Satan Deliver me O Lord from the snare of the hunter and preserve me from the hand of mine enemy who lieth in wait for my spiritual life and laboureth for my everlasting destruction To thee I fly O Lord for succour hide me therefore under the shadow of thy hand that none of the fiery darts of Satan take hold on me And so good Lord to conclude for the love thou bearest unto mankind for thy Sons sake Jesus Christ who hath taken our nature upon him grant that I may not be tempted above my strength but that in all temptations I may fly unto thee as mine only comfort and salvation and that thou wilt of thy mercy and goodness give me grace and desire to withstand all the motions of my sinful flesh and affections which word of thine I beseech thee O Lord to perfect and fully accomplish in me that I may do all things pleasing in thy sight for ever Amen A Prayer for redress of a sinful life O Most merciful God and dear Father grant that with heart I desire thee with desiring seek thee in seeking find thee in finding that I love thee and by loving thee that I turn not again to my former sins which thou hast redeemed give me O Lord a repentant heart and a contrite spirit quench in me O King of glory the lust of my flesh and kindle in me the â—ire of thy love O my Redeemer take from me the spirit of pride and most favourably enrich me with the measure of humility remove from me O my Saviour the fury of anger and graciously arm me with the shield of patience O my Creator root out of me all rancour and endue me with a chearful and meek heart and bestow upon me a perfect faith right hope and constant love preserve me from all vanity inconstancy of mind wavering of heart scoffing of tongue wicked slandering from the vice of hypocrisie the poyson of flattery contempt of the poor oppression of the weak from greedy avarice cankered envy and deadly blasphemy root out of me O my Lord and Maker rash boldness contumacy frowardness negligence idleness blindness of heart obstinacy of mind savage conditions contempt of that good is rigour towards my neighbour O my God and merciful Father I beseech thee in Jesus Christ to bless me with the works of mercy and zeal of godliness to suffer with the afflicted to minister to the needy to counsel them that go astray to comfort the sorrowful to pardon them that trespass against me to love them that hate me to render good for evil to imitate the good to beware of the evil and to embrace vertue to guard the door of my mouth to watch the enemies that compass my lips to despise worldly things and earnestly to thirst after the Heavenly through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour to whom be all honour and glory for ever Amen A Prayer for continual remembrance of our end O God the only giver of life and the maintainer and preserver thereof and the life after death grant me true consideration that this body of mine is builded upon an earthly foundation and framed of the substance of dust and clay which is not durable the glory whereof vanisheth like the flower of the field which is soon cut down and withered the body is the mansion or rather the prison of the soul and the same so frail weak and feeble subiect to so many causes that procure the dissolution of body and soul that death often happeneth when we think least thereon wherefore grant O God of my life that I may have such continual care foresight and diligent respect unto the direction of my doings cogitation and words as I load not my poor Soul so much with the burthen of sensless security sin and iniquity that the body being suddenly intangled with the snares of death be carried where there is no rest nor joy but continual mourning and anguish of mind O my most loving Father lighten mine Eyes that I sleep not in sin nor wander in darkness according to the will of the flesh but make me always willing to come unto thee even with desire when it pleaseth thee to call me let not me as it were draw backward when thou invitest me to the sweet banquet of thy Heavenly Kingdom as by thy Word and Gospel preached and revealed unto us which is an especial calling of us and when I feel my self grieved or
as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin Eph. 5. 1 2. Be ye therefore followers of God as dear Children and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5. Ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord. See then ye walk circumspectly redeeming time because the daies are evill Jude 25. To the only wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power both now and ever Amen Prayers for the Sick REmember not Lord our offences nor the offences of our Forefathers neither take thou vengeance of our sins but spare us good Lord spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood and be not angry with us for ever Spare us good Lord. O Lord I beseech thee favourably to hear the prayers of thy servant that I which am rightly punished for my offences may by thy goodness be mercifully delivered for the glory of thy Name through Jesus Christ who liveth and reigneth world without end Amen ALmighty and everlasting God in whose hand consists the life of all mankind which correctest those whom thou receivest mercifully I beseech thee to hear my complaint and despise not the prayer that I make now in the time of my trouble in the vexation of my spirit and the anguish of my soul I remember thee and cry unto thee for mercy O thou that hast created and made me of nothing and redeemed me from the bondage of sin death and everlasting destruction by the most precious blood of Jesus Christ shed upon the Cross for the ransom of all my sins Have mercy upon me O Lord have mercy upon me bow down thine ear unto my cry and cast me not away in thine anger though for my wickedness I have deserved thy wrath and heavy displeasure against me And now for my transgressions in thy indignation thou hast stricken me with grievous sickness and I begin to fall as leaves beaten with a vehement wind yet are thy punishments less than my deservings But of thy mercy and goodness O Lord correct me not to death but to amendment of life for thine own sake for thy holy Names sake for Christ Jesus sake be merciful unto my sin for it is very great and there is no rest in my bones by reason of my transgression Spare thy Servant O God which confesseth his sins pour thy sanctifying Grace into my heart and work thereby true and immediate repentance and restore me again to thy favour according to thy gracious promise in Jesus Christ Let thy merciful providence so govern all this sickness that I never fall into utter dakness ignorance of thee or inconsideration of my self let the faintness of my spirit and the condemnation of my self be overcome with thy irresistable light thou God of all consolation grant that I may be mindful of the great account that I have to make at the day of Judgment and that I may bear in mind the image of that which is to be faithful the end of misery and the beginning of all happiness but to the secure and careless the beginning of eternal pain Strengthen my faith accept my repentant tears speak peace to my soul and conscience and say thou art my salvation My grace is sufficient for thee then shall my heart rejoyce and my soul shall be right glad desiring to be dissolved and be at peace that after this my bodily death I may enjoy the eternal fruition of thy heavenly presence Let me not O Father in this my trial be stricken with fear of condemnation or distrust thy promises but in sure confidence of heart apply to my self the remission of my sins that at the last gasp by faith in Jesus Christ I may have a taste of eternal salvation let not death if thou please to send it be terrible or bitter unto me but when it cometh I may with joy receive the same and having escaped the hardness of temptation and the peril of Satan I may triumph like a Conqueror and behold the power and presence of thy holy spirit let my last words be those which thy Son did utter upon the Cross saying Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and when my speech is taken from me hear the groanings of my heart and the desire of my soul that thy servant may depart in peace through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom be all Praise Power Might Majesty and Dominion now and for ever Amen The Sick saith Job 14. 1. MAn that is born of a Woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misery he cometh up and is cut down like a flower He fleeth as it were a shadow and never continueth in one state In midst of life we are dying of whom shall we seek for succour and comfort but of thee O Lord God our Maker A Psalm 1. IN thee O Lord have I trusted let me never be confounded but rid me and deliver me in thy righteousness incline thine ear to me and save me 2. O Lord rebuke me not in thine indignation neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure 3. Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord â—eal me for my bones are vexed 4. Turn thee O Lord and deliver my soul O save me for thy mercies sake for in death no man remembreth thee and who shall give thee thanks in the pit 5. Consider and hear me O Lord my God lighten mine eyes that I sleep not in death shew me thy marvellous loving kindness thou art the Saviour of them that put their trust in thee 6. Thou hast been my succour leave me not neither forsake me O God of my salvation look upon my affliction and pain and forgive all my sins 7. O remember not my old sins but have mercy upon me and that soon for I am come to great misery 8. Preserve thou my soul therefore O my God and save thy servant that putteth his trust in thee 9. O comfort the soul of thy servant for unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul 10. O turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me give thy strength unto thy servant and help the son of thy handmaid 11. Shew some good token upon me for good that they which hate me may see it and be ashamed because thou Lord hast holpen me and comforted me 12. O satisfie me with thy mercy and that soon so shall I rejoyce and be glad all the days of my life 13. I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the day long I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joynt my heart is like wax it melteth in the midst of my bowels 14. Help me O God of my salvation for the glory of thy Name O deliver me and be merciful unto my sin for
of God and the Law of sin and so numerous are the calamities and troubles of our days that were it not for the hope of Heaven it would be little better than Hell it self crosses and afflictions troubles and molestations unavoidably rush in upon us as fast as Jobs Messengers hourly and daily for men as they are all the Sons of their Mothers are subject to all misery born to live few dayes in many dangers whose glory may well be compared to the shadow in the Sun which in the morning of our greatness is in a goodly luster at noon at the full beside us at night in the wain quite behind us There is nothing in this Vale of misery permanent or certain prosperity and adversity not long asunder Health and sickness often at variance no joy no happiness no felicity no tranquillity for continuance can be expected here in this World The only ease and consolation to our distresses the blessedness of content and rest to our wearisome Souls is to be looked for in the World to come What honour glory pleasure of earthly delight soever but is subject to instability possible and uncertain which made the wise-man upon his experience cry out Vanity of Vanity all is Vanity And the singular motive to a man in any affliction for the sufferance of sorrow need sickness or any adversity whatsoever is that by the sweet united blessings patience and content at the last by paying an inexcusable debt to Death which who so liveth of what state or condition soever cannot but think he must die will bring us to that eternal rest to the blessed enjoyment of everlasting felicity to dwell in glory for evermore For blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them Rev. 14. 13. Death is a sleep a departed breath from dead earth inlivened at first by breath cast upon it to die is to be no more unhappy it is true to those over-swayed by nature death is accounted a misery but to men refined by the light of Judgment it is esteemed the only remedy against misery as it is the wages of sin it is due to us and as it is the end of all grief and sickness it belongs unto us It delivers us from all cares and troubles and bringeth us to all joys unspeakable by it we shall receive fulness of grace perfect and accomplished regeneration and perfect glory which while we are on earth we have but in part here we see darkly as in a glass then shall we see face to face the heavens you behold shall be superinvested with new endowments made everlasting habitations for the Saints prepared by death we pass to immortality nor can we attain eternal life but by leaving this life yet corporal death is no period of life but a passage to eternity though our body sleep a while in dust it shall rise again after thy likeness As for me saith the Prophet David I will bebold thy face in righteousness and shall be satisfied when I awake Holy Job saith Though all my flesh be consumed to bones yet thy Spirit blowing upon dead bones can revive them and couple them again with sinews and cloath them with flesh The dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust for thy dew is as the dew of herbs and the earth shall cast out the dead Isa 26. 19. For I know that my Redeemer liveth and though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God if the earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved we have a building of God an House not made with hands eternal in Heaven 1 Cor. 5. Christ is risen from the dead and made the first of them that slept 1 Cor. 15. Though in Adam we all die yet in Christ shall all be made alive That body that was sown a natural body shall rise a spiritual body 1 Cor. 15 Therefore let us be comforted and not fear the pains of death the approach of which suddenly makes a man to know himself he tells the proud and insolent they are but dust and in an instant makes them to repent and hate their fore-past happiness he takes an account of the rich and proves him a beggaâ— having interest in nothing but in the earth that fills his mouth shews the beautiful their desormity and they hate it he draws together the far stretch'd greatness all the Pride Cruelty Vain-glory and ambition of man and covers it all over with dust in the narrow limits of a grave And though for some years the body lies mouldred in the grave it shall at the last be raised in honour and glory purified perfected and immortalized from a dungeon of misery to a place of all felicity to our own Country into Paradise where we shall meet with Abraham Isaac and Jacob the Patriarchs and Prophets Saints and Angels our Friends and Kindred gone before us which we shall see and behold in Mount Sion the City of the everliving God in the company of innumerable Angels praising and magnifying the Lord of Heaven in white Robes and Palms in their hands following the Lamb wheresoever he goeth I will wait till my changing cometh then shalt thou call me and then shall I answer thee O Lord I come and appear before thee Job 14. 14. As the hart panteth for the water brooks so longeth my soul for thee O Lord â—s 42. 1. And for as much as all mortal men are subject to many sudden perils diseases and sicknesses and ever uncertain what time we shall depart out of this life there should no day pass without consideration for our last end which meditation is very requisite both for them that are in perfect health those that feel the hand of God by sickness that death will come is certain but when how or where is very uncertain It is appointed for all men once to die Heb. 9. 27. but the day when God hath not revealed because we should be ready every day it comes as soon to the young man that glorieth in his strength as to some in a good old age to the rich fool in a night as to the poor in the anguish of his soul to some violently to others untimely by accident to some by sudden and unexpected death without warning to all some one way or other And being Almighty God hath pleased to lay this sickness upon you and therein time to repent assure your self it is his visitation sent to you to try your faith patience or else to correct and amend what is amiss in you or whatsoever hath offended your heavenly Father for every child whom the Lord loveth he correcteth to prepare for a better world affliction seals us up to adoption by it he exercises his Children and the graces he bestows upon them it is special means to further
beseech thee to have compassion on this thy servant who by thy visitation hath been sorely afflicted and by the same even brought to the termination of his days and end of his life be pleased good Lord to have mercy upon him acept of him as the work of thine own hand a Lamb of thy fold thy servant redeemed by Jesus Christ who is willing by thy appointment to leave this miserable World in full assurance of thy mercy in Jesus Christ for the remission of his sins guide him good Lord in this his last journey that he being quit of all the troubles of this transitory World may safely by thy power be conducted to the Haven of eternal happiness into the arms of thy unspeakable mercy to everlasting peace to perpetual joy and there to reign with all the company of Saints and Angels in eternal Bliss for evermore Good Lord we beseech thee by the abundance of thy goodness by the multitude of thy Mercies by the merits of thy Death and Passion by the glorious Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ have mercy upon him deliver him from the burthen of his sins the fear of Death and the power of Hell and give him a quiet and joyful departure and receive him in thy favour to the fulness of Joy in thine everlasting Kingdom to reign with thee world without end Amen Thanksgiving after Recovery O Lord my God and heavenly Father seeing it hath pleased thee of thy infinite mercies to with-hold my life from the pit of corruption and in good measure restored me again to my former health crowning me with mercy and loving kindness my soul and all that is within me shall praise thy holy Name I will praise thee O Lord with my whole heart and sing praise unto thy Name O thou most High for the health of my body I bless thee for it with my soul And good Lord give me also the health of my soul then shall I magnifie and praise thee for thy goodness with soul and body This gentle correction hath brought me nigher unto thee and upon thy forbearance I have promised amendment of life and that I may so do assist me with thy grace give me constancy and perseverance in good works and keep me from relapsing into those sins which induced thy former judgments and though the custom of sin take away the sense of sin and my infirmities being many yet good Lord forsake not my soul in any temptation neither suffer me to fall into such notorious sins again which I have truly repented me of but so guide me by thy grace in the small remainder of my days that I have to live in this World that my life may be ordered by thy governance and always do that which is righteous in thy sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Psal 116. I Am well pleased that the Lord hath heard the voice of my Prayer 2. That he hath inclined his ear unto me Therefore will I call upon him as long as I live 3. The snares of Death compassed me round about And the pains of Hell gat hold upon me 4. I shall find trouble and heaviness and I shall call upon the Name of the Lord O Lord I beseech thee deliver my soul 5. Gracious is the Lord and righteous yea our God is merciful 6. The Lord preserve the simple I was in misery and he helped me 7. Turn again then unto thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath rewarded thee 8. And why thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling 9. I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the living 10. I believed and therefore will I speak but I was sore troubled I said in my hast All men are lyers 11. What reward shall I give unto the Lord for all the benefits that he hath done unto me 12. I will receive the cup of salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. 13. I will pay my vows now in the presence of all his people right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints 14. Behold O Lord how that I am thy servant I am thy servant and the Son of thy handmaid thou hast broken my bonds in sunder 15. I will offer unto thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon the Name of the Lord. 16. I will pay my vows unto the Lord in the sight of all his people in the Courts of the Lords house even in the midst of thee O Jerusalem Praise the Lord. A Morning Prayer for a private Family O God the Father Creator and Maker of all things in Heaven and Earth O Christ the Redeemer of all Mankind and thou O blessed Spirit the Sanctisier of all the Elect have mercy upon us spare us most miserable sinners whom thou hast redeemed and be not angry with us for ever but hearken unto our Prayers receive our petitions and grant our requests for Jesus Christ his sake our only Lord and blessed Saviour We thy poor and unworthy servants in all humility of Soul and Body unfeigned acknowledgment of our bounden duty prostrate our selves before the Throne of thy mercy seat praising and magnifying thy Fatherly goodness for the abundance of thy blessings for the multitude of thy mercies continually heaped upon us beseeching thee for Christ his sake to be merciful to all our sins committed against thy divine Majesty upon the consideration of which we confess we are not worthy to appear in thy sight much less to ask a blessing at thy hands for by reason of our corrupt Nature in us derived from our first parents our inclination hath been prone to commit all manner of sin and wickedness against thy goodness thy Laws and Precepts we have broken both in thought word and deed out of our hearts proceed evil and wicked imaginations which defile the soul and the whole man is altogether abominable the eyes that now look up to thee for mercy have beheld vanity our tongues that now call upon thee have blasphemed thee our hands now lifted up to heaven have been lifted up against thee our feet have been willing to run to commit any mischief by the temptation of Satan our wills being continually averse to thy commandments the Law of sin is in our members repugnant to the Law of our mind making us altogether unworthy of the least of thy mercies and miserable that we are the numberless number of our sins have been multiplyed as the number of our sinful days have increased these things O Lord we have done to our shame and if thy mercy prevent not judgment to our utter destruction of soul and body we must acknowledge thou who art our Creator who hast made us by the precious death of Jesus Christ redeemed us and by thy holy Spirit sanctified us and many are the blessings and benefits which we enjoy both in soul and body therefore by the contrition of ouâ— hearts by the testimony of
strictly that I should believe without doubting so wouldst thou in all my needs I should come unto thee as a Father and make my moan without mistrust of being heard in thy good time as most shall make for thy glory and my comfort Lo therefore to thee dear Father do I come in thy Son Jesus Christ praying thee of thy great mercy and goodness to be merciful unto me that I may love thee with all my heart for ever that my works may be ever found holy in thy sight and that I may always not only strive against sin but also overcome the same dayly more and more as thy children do and above all things desire the sanctifying of thy Name the coming of thy Kingdom the doing of thy Will here on earth as it is in Heaven and that only through my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to whom be all honour and glory for ever and ever Amen A Prayer to GOD to bless our endeavours O My Celestial Father be favourable unto me thy repentant servant fled from mine enemies to thy help and succour Impute not my sins unto me for Christs sake for I have heard thy fatherly voice and it soundeth daily in mine ears out of Heaven promising me and affirming constantly thy self to be appeased with me for thy Sons sake whom thou commandest me to hear and believe who is made of thee my righteousness my salvation my Peace my Mediator and intercessor my fulfiller of the Law my deliverer and my whole holy accomplisher of all my just desires and my Saviour Christ Jesus God and man in whose Name at this time I attempt and take in hand all my just doings according to my calling desiring thy gracious goodness O Lord God and Father to prosper it further it and give it happy increase that whatsoever I take in hand justly to finish the same O holy Father bless all my endeavours with thy blessed increase and let me not seek mine own will but ever to pray that thy will be fulfilled and let me not be led into temptation but deliver me from all evil for ever and ever Amen A Prayer to live uprightly in our Calling O GOD of all comfort and giver of all consolation forgive my sins cleanse and wash me from all iniquities which disable me to perform my calling in such sort as becometh me and through the blood of thy Son purifie my heart and my imperfections and sanctifie me with thy grace that my sins being forgiven I may rest in thy favour and continual comfort and be daily blessed with new gifts that I may be found perfect in my calling seasoned so with a lively faith in thee that thy holy Spirit may continually dwell and bear rule in me and lead me to the due performance of those things which thou requirest to be done in my calling that all unnatural affection being truly mortified I may only rest in thee and rely on thee and be ruled by thee in all things Good Father grant that I may take the direct and right course in my vocation to eternal life in which course consisteth the inward peace of the Soul which is only delighted in thy inviolable truth revealed by thy Son and is left unto us in His Word and last Will in which his last Will and Testament are comprehended all necessary Rules and the sacred discipline whereby thy children are to guide themselves in their several callings which directions are comprehended in three principal virtues by thee bestowed on them that seek them at thy hand in the Name of thy Son as Faith Hope and Love which three are so united and knit together in one in thine elect children that they through thy grace go not awry in their calling I therefore dear Father being of my self ignorant and of mine own power unable to comprehend the height of my calling instantly beseech thee in mercy to behold me an unperfect creature without these Virtues and so adorn me with them that I may be made perfect in all good works of the Spirit that my labours and endeavours be not in vain in thee and grant that I may joyn with all my travils desires and endeavors faith with â—aith knowledge with knowledge temperance with temperance patience with patience godliness with godliness brotherly kindness with brotherly kindness and with brotherly kindness that I be not unfruitful in my calling but may acknowledge thy Son Jesus Christ and in him have peace of conscience that I may be patient in troubles long-suffering in wrongs faithful in expecting hope in distress rejoycing in heart quieted in mind in hope to enjoy at thy hands and in thy good time whatsoever maketh for the true comfort of my soul and the relief of my body that in all true and inward feeling of thine aid my calling may be made perfect and sealed with the seal of thine own Spiritual Probation so shall I thy unworthy servant be directed in the true knowledge of Thee O blessed Lord and loving Father except thou thus direct me I cannot stand but shall fall into many miseries for no Estate no Degree no Calling Office Function or Trade of life can prosper or be rightly performed without thy continual aid direction and providence therefore good Lord guide me by thy Spirit increase my faith give me wisdom and ableness in all things to execute my calling as I ought and to the execution thereof bless all my members make them apt and ready instruments to perform their duties that in no point I fail in a Christain proceeding therein and bridle me in the nature of flesh and blood which unless thou season my affections by thy Spirit will so much the more glory by how much that thou hast exalted me and inabled me to live in this world in higher reputation than other men whereunto flesh and blood is ready to attribute chiefest hearts ease and by that subtil shift Stan many times moveth us to rely upon vain things Wherefore O good Father vouchsafe I beseech thee to ground all my affections upon thy fear that I be not miscarried in my calling from the true obedience of thee without which neither honour profit wealth wisdom or any other blessing of thine can stand relieve or comfort me be pleased therefore dear Father with me and grant that all things that I take in hand may begin in knowledge proceed in fear and end in love that the whole course of my life may be blessed with good effect in all mine enterprises that neither mine enemies rejoyce at my miseries the Godly be offended at my rashness nor my estate hindred by my foolishness grant this good Lord for thy dear Sons sake Jesus Christ to whom be all honour and glory for even Amen Prayers for Thursday Night O Lord my God and Heavenly Father blessed be thy Name for ever dispose my heart open my lips and give me thy Holy Spirit c. A Psalm GRacious is the LORD and righteous yea our GOD is
Merciful The Lord preserveth the simple I was in misery and He helped me Turn thou again unto my rest O my soul for the Lord hath rewarded thee And why thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling What reward shall I give unto the Lord for all the benefits that he hath done unto me I will offer unto Him the Sacrifice of thanksgiving and call upon his Name For why the Lord is on my side therefore I will not fear what man can do unto me The Lord taketh my part with them that help me Therefore shall I see my desire upon mine enemies It is better to trust in the Lord than to put any confidence in man it is better to trust in the Lord than to put any confidence in Princes The Lord is my strength and my song and is become my salvation The right hand of the Lord hath the preeminence the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass I will not die but live and declare the works of the Lord. The Lord hath chastned and corrected me but he hath not given me over to death Thou art my God and I will thank thee thou art my God and I will praise thee O give thanks unto the Lord for he is gracious and his mercy endureth for ever Glory be to the Father c. A devout Prayer to GOD the Father O Most blessed LORD and loving Father I wretched sinner do here ask at thy hands mercy and grace who am in thy sight most weak to stand in thy truth and most frail to fall and to break thy holy commandments by the keeping of which we are known to be thy true servants and by nothing else O most merciful LORD GOD I acknowledge my self daily to break the same but where I have thus offended I humbly ask of thee mercy and forgiveness and Lord for the true performance of the same I humbly ask of thee strength to make me stand strong in faith knowledge to work thy blessed will the power to resist all errour and wicked imagination thy wisdom to know the truth for I confess and know O LORD that all the worldly wit policy knowledge and strength is but foolishness in thy sight Therefore I ask and continually crave O Lord that thy holy Spirit may guide all the imaginations thoughts and desires of my heart so that it may be my spiritual heart and not my fleshly heart for the most perfect among the children of men lacking the wisdom shall not be regarded for the thoughts of mortal men are miserable and our forecastings are uncertain and why this corruptible body is so heavy to my soul that it keepeth down my understanding that it museth most on vain things wherefore good Lord I beseech thee comfort my sick soul that it may walk in thy wayes and work thy will and like as thou knowest the secrets of my heart and the desires of the same and how I would walk in thy truth and work in the works of the same truth so Lord I beseech thee refresh my soul according to thy merciful calling that I may be sted fast in the true faith and that I may never swerve from the holy and most blessed Ordinances of the Church but that I may use them receive them and honour thee in them according to thy most holy will as in things which thou hast left to declare thy love unto us and to assure our hope and exercise our faith that it should not be idle or wavering for all things are possible unto thee though they seem never so impossible unto us O most loving Father I know that by my sins I am not worthy thy blessed comfort and help in this troublesome time of temptation and trying of our faith for that I am as one laden with ignorance not knowing the height of thy high mysteries nor the deceitfulness or subtil arguments of my Ghostly enemy which daily doth assault my sinful soul that I can find no rest therefore O LORD like as thou knowest my will and hearts desire is to serve thee and live and die in thy perfect faith so I beseech thee never to suffer the subtil perswasions contrary to thy truth to take place or root in my heart but like as thou hast created my heart and given me a will to order the same so Lord I most humbly yield the same again into thy hands desiring thee by thy holy Spirit so to direct my ways that they may be acceptable in thy sight now and for ever through Jesus Christ my Saviour to whom with the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory for ever Amen A Prayer to obtain the true love of GOD. O Lord my God teach me thy humble servant teach my heart I beseech thee with what reverence it should think of thee tell my Soul with what delight it should love thee give my tongue some power to pour forth praises unto thee correct my weakness recreate my hope direct my desires finish the work thou hast begun and bring me to the fulness of thy mercy O LORD my GOD I bow the neck of my soul under the feet of thy Majesty and in the lowest degree of reverence do give thee most humble hearty thanks I yield thee praises O LORD although base and bare far unanswerable to thy deserts yet something my weakness is bound to perform namely to settle my mind to be hold and love thee O that my heart did so languish with thy love that it might melt the moisture of my body into tears that the bowels of my soul were so inflamed with thy love that it might consume all drossie desires dry up the very marrow of my bones O that I were sick for the love of Him who dyed for the Love of me LORD although I be not worthy so to love thee yet art thou much more to be loved than I can express therefore do not so deny me of that whereof I acknowledge my self unworthy that thy self be deprived of that thou art most worthy and grant O Lord I beseech thee for thy mercies sake to my soul that it may love thee as thou hast deserved that I may be worthy to give that which thou art worthy to receive so shall I then be worthy of that whereof now I am most unworthy O most dear Lord I feel in my heart a weak warmness of thy love but my prayer is that the coals were throughly kindled with desire and blown with delight into a full flame O sacred fire how comfortably dost thou burn O heavenly Light how sweetly dost thou shine how desirous are they more and more to burn whom thou dost inflame how are they delighted whom thou dost enlighten hear O my God hear O light of mine eyes increase my desire and grant my request stop not thine ears against me because of my sins endue my soul with thy love subdue my flesh with thy fear that I may always think