thy holy Names sake bury them all in the blessed and bloody wounds of our deare SAVIOVR that they never rise up at the dreadfull day of judgement to give testimony against our soules to our utter confusion Hide them all in the bottomelesse Ocean of thy endlesse mercy that they die out of thy remembrance everlastingly And send we beseech thee into every one of our soules that happy and heavenly assurance of the remission of our sinnes whence springeth joy and contentment most precious and unvaluable infinite more worth then ten thousand worlds LORD wee blesse praise and magnifie thy great and glorious name for all those great mercies benefits and comforts which out of thy immeasurable bounty thou hast plentifully bestowed upon us First and chiefly wee humbly thanke thee for that it hath pleased thee of thy meere favour and love to elect us before the foundation of the world to be heires of thy immortall Kingdome for creating us after thine owne image for redeeming us with the precious blood of thy deare Sonne for calling us into the glorious liberty of thy sons for justifying us for sanctifying us with thy holy Spirit for the joyfull hope of glorification in the world to come Confirme unto us we beseech thee these great and incomparable blessings with the sacred testimony of thy holy Spirit Let thy blessed Spirit tell our spirits that we are thy Elect. Let our sweet Saviour CHRIST JESVS say unto our soules I am your salvation Seale our salvation unto our soules with the pledge seale and earnest of thy holy Spirit Furthermore most gratious Father we humbly thanke thee for that extraordinary and universall blessing vouchsafed this Land by our gracious and religious King it is the greatest that ever the face of this earth enjoyed that ever thou bestowedst on thy dearest children For when wicked men and all the world as thou knowest expected that this Land should have beene clothed with fiery persecutions bloody warres and all manner of calamities as with a garment Thou that sittest in Heaven and laughest the vaine plots and devises and wicked men to scorne against all expectation hast covered it with peace joy plenty prosperity the free passage of thy Gospell as the seas are covered with water Put we pray thee into the heart of every one in this Land a true and continuall thankfullnes a godly and religious resolution to serve thee in holines and righteousnes all the daies of their life And LORD we beseech thee continue that good worke that thou hast begun and let him and his posterity in thy feare and true religion if it be thy blessed pleasure sit upon the throne of this Land so long as the Sunne and Moone endureth Let his Scepter long flourish in his hand and set his crowne fast upō his head O mightily preserve him from all the sonnes of violence and mischiefe Let all those that with forraine invasion attempt the destruction of his person and desolation of this Land become like Iabin and Sisera that perished at Endor like Zeba and Zalmunna that became as the dung of the earth Let all unnaturall practises and home-bred conspiracies perish as the untimely fruit of a woman and never see the Sun Inflame his royall heart with true zeale and love of thy blessed truth and as thou hast enlarged his kingdomes so give him a princely and religious courage to enlarge thy Kingdome and utterly to confound all Heresie Schisme and the kingdome of Antichrist Blesse all his privie Counsellors with wisedome from above that they may put these things into his heart which chiefly concerne thy honour and glory the good of thy Church the safety of his Person and quiet of this Land Blesse with severall graces all inferiour Magistrates that they may all faithfully and religiously discharge the severall places wherein they stand Blesse all his people with religion and loyalty the Ministery with learning zeale and sincerity O LORD go out with his Captaines and men of warre that fight thy battels We thanke thee also deare Father for blessings more particularly concerning us for delivering us from Popery Idolatry and Superstition and illightning our understanding with thy blessed truth Confirme it we beseech thee unto us daily more and more that if need require we may confirme it with our dearest bloods We thanke thee for giving us a taste of the powers of the world to come Crucifie we beseech thee unto us continually the lusts and corruptions of our sinnefull flesh that the graces and comforts of regeneration may daily receive in us strength and perfection We thanke thee for remooving from over our heads those heavie judgements and violls of thy wrath that our crying sins have continually called for from Heaven even all diseases and infirmities of body all terrours and vexations of conscience all civill deaths and torments all shame and confusion even that the earth should have opened his mouth and swallowed us quick the water drowned us the fier consumed us vengeance from Heaven overtaken us thy other creatures devoured us Grant we beseech thee that hereafter by sound and undissembled repentance and by agodly life wee may abandon them and the feare of them for evermore An Evening Prayer VVE thanke thee most mercifull Father for our health wealth food raiment preservation from our cradle to this hower for thy releeving us in all our needs and necessities for comforting us so fatherly in all our tribulations and distresses for sparing us so long a time of repentance and for infinite more blessings which neither our hearts can thinke nor tongues expresse Now one thing deare LORD will we beg at thy hands and that will we crave for evermore that thou wouldst give us grace and power by thy blessed Spirit to direct and dispose all these excellent blessings both eternall and temporall chiefly and principally to the honour of thy great Name to the salvation of our soules and the good of thy Church And to this end roote we beseech thee out of our soules all pride malice envy covetousnesse selfe-love hypocrisie take from us all swearing lying vaine and unprofitable talking al thoughts of Atheisme Infidelity uncleanenesse all the menstruous filthinesse of our abhominable nature And plant we beseech thee and ingraft deepely into our soules the true feare of thy glorious Name true humility true zeale and devotion true sorrow and repentance for all our sinnes true spirituall wisdome and heavenly understanding true hope and charity but above all things a true strong and a lively faith truly to apprehend the death and Passion of our deare Saviour and in particular and effectually to apply it to our sinfull soules LORD make it ever powerfull and invincible but especially in all times of our crosses and afflictions but LORD make it most triumphant and glorious even at the hower of death at our last visitation when the divell shall set before the eyes of our soules the blacke and ougly catalogue of all our sins and when
strive after saving grace the power of religion and true godlinesse that so for a few and evill daies we stand wisely and resolutely for thy honour and truth and with comfort and courage running the race of sanctification may bee provided and furnished with assurance of glory clearenesse of conscience strength of faith against the day of our visitation that when we shall lie downe upon our deaths-bed and wee know not how soone we may be able to meete with the fearefull temptations of our sinnefull flesh the fiery darts of Satan to encounter with the pangs of death and terrours of the grave and so passe with joyfullnesse and triumph to those glorious mansions of light and blessed immortality with thee in the highest heavens Lastly Gracious Father for this present holy businesse we have now in hand we humbly beseech thee to let thy blessings bee mightily upon thy Word at this time that it may pierce and enter through to the dividing asunder of the soule and the spirit of the joynts and the marrow and to discover the very thoughts and intents of the heart Keepe we pray thee out of our hearts and heads all troubles cares wandrings humours passions prejudice distractions deadnesse or whatsoever other cursed let shall be suggested by the divell or our owne wicked hearts So sanctifie unto our soules this holy ordinance of thine that we may handle and heare it with all feeling power and reverence as the Word of thee the true and everliving GOD and as that by which we must be judged at that last dreadfull day Make it to be a Word of conversion and enlargement to all them that are yet in the snares of the divell waies of death but of strengthening encouragement and comfort to those that are already thine that so by thy mercifull blessing it may prove unto every one of us the savour of life unto life and thy mighty power unto us for salvation and that for the LORD CHRIST JESVS his sake In whose glorious Name and mediation we beg these and all other needfull blessings concluding in his owne prayer Our Father c. O LORD heare us in these our weake requests and grant them unto us and all other things necessary for us for our bodies our soules our callings or this present action and for every member of thy Church wee beg them all in the name and mediation of CHRIST JESVS thy Sonne and our onely SAVIOVR to whom with thee and the holy Spirit be all praise and power and might and dominion and thankesgiving ascribed at this time and evermore hereafter Amen BLessed are all they that heare the Word of GOD beleeve it and doe it The grace of our LORD JESVS CHRIST and the love of GOD the Father in him and the most comfortable fellowship helpe and communion of GOD the HOLY GHOST be with us all blesse us preserve us and keepe us and every member of his Church in faith a good quiet and peaceable conscience the rest of this day and evermore hereafter Grace before meate LORD GOD who hast created all things for the use and comfort of man and man for thy owne glory Make we beseech thee these thy creatures wholesome for our bodies and us thankfull for them for CHRIST JESVS his sake A Prayer before Sermon MOst holy and righteous LORD GOD we humbly and heartily thanke thee for our preservation this night past pardon wee beseech thee unto us the sinnes thereof And now prepare and sanctifie us for a right and comfortable serving of thee in this morning sacrifice and holy duties we take in hand Illighten our mindes and inlarge our hearts by thine owne good Spirit that wee may rightly conceive of the great mystery of grace and true meaning of thy holy Word that we treasure it up in our memories with an holy greedinesse and after walke by the strength thereof with all fruitfullnesse and power in all thy waies all the daies of our life and that for thy CHRIST his sake A Prayer after Sermon O LORD our GOD thou clearely seest and beholdest from Heaven what hearts we now bring into thy glorious presence from the businesse of this day how full of earthlinesse deadnesse listlesnesse and unfitnesse to speake unto thee Wee pray thee for CHRIST his sake to possesse quicken and sanctifie them by thy blessed Spirit that they may bee ever feeling and fruitfull in these holy exercises Make us every day more and more wise with all thy Saints and elect children unto our eternall salvation in the right understanding beleeving and obeying of thy blessed Word and great mystery of godlinesse in JESVS CHRIST our LORD An Evening Prayer most usefull in time of warre or invasion O LORD our GOD high and mighty great and fearefull which dwellest in the highest Heavens and light that no man can attaine unto which by thy great power hast created Heaven and Earth and all things therein contained and by thy wise providence directest every thing unto an excellent end If thou shouldest deale with us in justice wee deserve to bee plagued with all the horrible and fearefull plagues of Egypt in this world and hereafter to be perpetually damned both in body and soule in the lake of hell fier where there is nothing but endlesse woe weeping and gnashiâ—g of teeth If there bee any sinne we have not committed it was because we wanted meanes opportunity enticement temptation or something not for want of a sinfull disposition in us If thou shouldest deale with us as we have dealt with thee wee should bee presently damned eternally If thou shouldest be as carelesse of us as we have beene of thee and the salvation of our soules we should never see thy face in Heaven O LORD fright our heart with a true sight and sence of all our sins O LORD perswade our hearts that since thou didst not curse and damne us when we lay wallowing in horrible sinnes thou wilt not now cast us away when wee are converted c. Thou wilt rather pitty us for our infirmities then condemne us for them Perswade our soules by that good experience we have had of thy goodnesse that thou wilt be our GOD for ever Let us not so much feare and abhorre the punishment and guilt of sin but also the power and tyranny whereby we are enforced to offend so loving and so gracious a Father Give us soundnesse of knowledge purity of heart holinesse of life contempt of the world conquest over our sinnes the comforts of thy blessed Spirit a joyfull expectation of our deliverance from sin and sorrow The spirit of meeknesse and wisedome the spirit of courage and constancy the spirit of love and joy and of a sound mind Let us be just in our dealings conscionable in our callings mercifull courteous Let us so comprehend the glorious state to come that we may bee willing to bee dissolved and to bee with CHRIST LORD grant that in the middest of a darke world we may see the
incomparable Jewel that ever this world had or sons of men enjoyed the Ministery of the Word and meanes of salvation the discovery of the mystery of CHRIST and revelation of all thy blessed counsells By the power whereof so many amongst us as have truly tasted how gratious and glorious thou art in CHRIST doe blesse magnifie and admire the bottomelesse depth and infinite height of thy free grace for our happy conversion from Satan to the living GOD for our change from nature to grace a greater and more glorious work then the Creation of the world wherein thou hast improved thine owne infinite mercie the unvaluable merit of thy Sonne and the mighty worke of the HOLY GHOST to make us of limbs of the divell members of CHRIST O blessed be that happy time that ever we were so new borne Wee thanke thee for pardoning all our sins the least of which would have damned us everlastingly for renewing upon our soules the blessed image of the LORD JESVS the least glimpse whereof is infinitely more worth then the whole world We thank thee for the LORD JESVS and every drop of his pretious blood and all other sweetnesse wee finde in him for thy good Spirit and his gratious presence and residence in our soules for thy blessed selfe and all the sweete Communion we have with thy holy Majesty for the prayers of thy children Communion of Saints and the Intercession of JESVS CHRIST We thanke thee heartily for any power or conquest thou givest us at any time over our sins for all our ability to doe thee any service in any part or kinde of thy worship for all those afflictions and temptations which thou hast sanctified for our spirituall good for all the sweete and heavenly dewes of spirituall joy which thou hast at any time shed into any of our hearts from the throne of grace by the influence of thy holy Spirit Blessed GOD wee thanke thee infinitely for those glorious mansions of rest for our everlasting blessings and peace purchased for us with the blood of CHRIST for every moment of eternity in the highest Heavens where wee shall fully and for ever enjoy pleasures without end and past imagination O blessed Joyes O blessed Eternity O ever-blessed GOD Furthermore gratious Father wee heartily praise thee for all those publique favours and blessings which in great mercy thou hast from time to time vouchsafed unto this Kingdome wherein we have had a large and comfortable part We thanke thee good Father for the happy deliverance of this Kingdome from the fiery and bloudy times of Queene Mary for raising up Queene Elizabeth who raised Religion as it were by a miracle from the dead for all her miraculous deliverances from the cruell conspiracies of the bloody Papists especially that in 88. For all her blessed daies wherein so many Holy Saints were sent to Heaven We thanke thee mercifull GOD for delivering us from the rage and bloud of that day so long looked for by the Papists at Queene Elizabeths death for the quiet and happy succession of King Iames of blessed memory and all the peace and prosperity and freedome from Popery and the destroying sword especially the Powder-plot We thanke thee Father most heartily for the gratious setling of King CHARLES in the Royall Throne for his life and safety and the happy daies we enjoy under his blessed raigne and that thou hast put into his royall heart to give us this blessed liberty and glorious opportunity thus to humble our selves and afflict our soules in publique before thy glorious Majesty We humbly intreate thee in the name of CHRIST let every one of us receive at thy bountifull hands grace and power to doe it unfainedly effectually and savingly For that purpose let thy blessings fall abundantly from Heaven upon every soule here present by the Ministery of thy Word settle fast we pray thee by the finger of thy Holy Spirit in our memories judgement affections hearts and consciences all those points of Holy Truth with which wee have beene acquainted with this day that by thy mercifull blessing they may prove thy arme and power to every one of us for our salvation for the conversion of those who are yet uncalled and the setting forward of those that are already thine in the waies of life all holy conversation and neerer communion with thy blessed Majesty At last we cannot but reflect with compassionare hearts upon the grievous miseries and bleeding sorrowes of all our brethren and sisters afflicted with the plague of Pestilence Thou art a pitifull GOD full of tendernesse meltings and compassions thou art the Father of mercies and GOD of all comforts now we humbly intreate thee for thy deare Sonnes sake for thy infinite mercies sake for thy holy names sake of all thy loves unto the LORD JESVS and that with all the earnestnesse and fervency our poore dull hearts can possibly that thou wouldest bee pleased to cast downe thy compassionate eye upon them all stay the hand of thy destroying Angell spare them good LORD destroy not the people of thine inheritance put up we pray thee thy arrowes into thy quiver and thy sword into the sheath now at the joynt supplications of all thy deare children who are in this Kingdome who are even now wrastling with thee with all fervency of spirit let our poore prayers and all theirs even now meeting at the throne of grace bee mightily strengthened and tendered unto thee by the intercession of the LORD JESVS and pull downe speedily upon us this mercy and gratious deliverance that we may praise thee for evermore Lastly blessed LORD we humbly beseech thee to pardon in mercy all those corruptions infirmities faylings defects and imperfections which have beene mingled with these holy duties sprinkle all our services sacrifices and persons with the blood of that immaculate Lambe JESVS CHRIST the holy and the Righteous accept them and us gratiously in him in whom thou art well pleased in whom thy soule doth infinitely delight And so good Father we put our selves under the wings of thy gratious providence for our safety and preservation and our soules into the hands of the Holy Ghost for our further Sanctification and finall salvation in the name of JESVS CHRIST to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost even to thee holiest Father to thee dearest Saviour to thee sweetest Spirit be ascribed eternity infinitenesse and everlastingnesse of glory and praise world without end The Authors private Prayer O My good and mercifull LORD GOD most holy and deare Father in JESVS CHRIST I the vilest of all thy creatures and the worst that ever thou madest by reason of mine owne horrible sins doe here come unto thee upon the bended knees of my bleeding soule to intreate thee and beg at thy hands with all the instancy and fervency my poore dull cold heart can possibly for pardon grace and mercy for favour compassion and abundant forgivenesse O LORD my GOD thou knowest me full well and
direct we beseech thee and sanctifie all our courses that for a few and evill daies in this vale of teares wee may so store our selves with spirituall comfort with a sound heart with a strong faith and a good conscience that we may stand firme and sure at the day of our visitation and when upon our deaths bed we shall bee set upon by the weakenesse of our owne flesh the terrors of death the fearefullnes of the grave and the firiest darts of Satan we may comfortably passe thorow them all in the name and power of thy Son and be receiv'd with joyfulnes triumph into those sacred mansions which he hath already made ready in Heaven for all those that truly love and feare thee In his blessed name we powre out our soules in thankfullnesse for all those many blessings and comforts which thou hast vouchsafed us both upon our soules and bodies both for this life and a better For our health wealth and liberty our peace plenty and prosperity our food apparell and preservation from our infancy to this very hower and for all the good meanes of all these For the free passage of thy glorious Gospell now so many yeares amongst us But amongst all other temporall blessings of our times let us never forget nor we nor all our posterity for ever how it pleased thee in our daies miraculously to magnifie the glory of thy mercy in our wonderfull deliverance from the most secret bloody and fiery plot of the Gun-powder Treason that great astonishment of men and Angels All these outward comforts both publicke and particular are excellent and pretious yet they are such as wee have common with the reprobates and those that shall never see thy face with comfort but after a short time spent in the miserable pleasures of this vaine world shall bee turn'd to hell and everlasting fire Wee therefore more especially magnifie thy great name for the more speciall pledges and tokens of thy infinite love for that it hath pleased thee to confirme and seale unto us by our effectuall calling and the earnest of thy good Spirit our Election to eternall life from all eternity our particular Redemption from the powers of hell by the death of thy Sonne and an undoubted assurance of the joyes of Heaven in the world to come Increase in us good LORD wee beseech thee daily more and more this blessed assurance which we infinitely esteeme more deare then tenne thousand worlds by making us to grow in repentance and faith and spirituall wisedome and framing us to the obedience of thy Sonne in all knowledge love and obedience Furthermore gracious Father wee humbly intreate thee with the bowels of thy tenderest compassions to be mercifull unto thy whole Church and every member thereof Fence it mightily wee pray thee with the Spirit of truth knowledge and zeale and constancy that in these worst and last daies it may make a strong resistance against the great maine floods of Popery Schisme profanesse and Atheisme Be gracious unto this sinnefull Kingdome and enter not into judgement with the horrible and crying sinnes and the many fearefull provocations thereof In the same looke downe with the speciall eye of providence and protection upon our dread Soveraigne JAMES by thy grace King of great Brittaine France and Ireland Defender of the truly Catholike faith and in all causes and over all persons next and immediatly under thy Sonne CHRIST JESVS in all his Dominions supreme Governour O LORD as thou hast enlarg'd his royall heart even as the sand which is on the sea-shore for understanding learning and wisedome so wee beseech thee to continue unto him a proportionable measure of holinesse zeale and sanctification for the execution of that great place wherin thou hast set him and the enlargement of thy Kingdome here on earth Settle his crowne fast upon his head that he may long and religiously raigne over us in despight of all his enemies both at home and abroad Vouchsafe all the graces of thy good Spirit unto his gracious Queene Plant the true feare of thy great Name in the Princely heart of his Sonne and let thy watchfull providence and thy loving mercies for ever rest upon all that royall family Inspire his Honourable Privie Counsell his Nobility Gentry and Magistracy with spirituall wisedome and heavenly understanding Leade them all into thy Sanctuary and teach them out of thy holy Word first and chiefly those things which concerne thy honour and glory the good of the people which depend upon them and lastly the comfort of their own soules at the dreadfull day of judgement when they shall give an account of their stewardships Enrich we pray thee with thy best graces all the Reverend Bishops and Ministers of this Land Endew them plentifully with knowledge zeale sincerity and discretion that by their faithfullnesse and conscionable discharge of their duties the many multitudes in this Land that lie in darknesse ignorance profanesse Popery and Schisme may be brought to the knowledge of thy truth into a holy obedience to thy heavenly Gospell to their owne everlasting salvation Blesse and be mercifull to both our Universities Oxford and Cambridge Comfort all thy distressed children wheresoever or howsoever afflicted whither with Pestilence Warre Famine banishment sicknesse poverty imprisonment disquietnesse of minde vexation of conscience want of spirituall comfort or what other crosse or calamity soever it pleaseth thee to exercise them with Give them in the meane time a sure faith in thy promises and inward comfort in thy blessed Spirit and in thy good time a happy deliverance whither by life or death as it shall be best for thy glory and the good of their owne soules Lastly gracious Father for this sacred businesse wee have now in hand wee humbly beseech thee to blesse and sanctifie unto us at this time the preaching and hearing of thy holy Word it is the ordinance of thy owne infinite wisedome it is the glorious instrument which thou hast appointed for the conversion and salvation of the soules of men But unto us miserable wretches it hath beene many times thorow the barrennesse of our hearts the secret and deceitfull corruptions of our nature much sleepinesse and drowsinesse but as water spilt on the ground and even the breath of thy Ministers scattered in the aire Forgive us deare Father all our former untowardnesse irreverence and unprofitablenes in these holy exercises and now at length before we goe downe into our graves into black and cruell habitations from whence we must never returne to praise thee upon earth let us feele thy divine finger working in us effectually at the preaching of thy Word Let us have the sence of thine Omnipotency in conquering our corruptions and temptations that we being thorowly sanctified both in our soules and bodies forsaking all our knowne sinnes and labouring with sincerity to please thee in all things may have our fruit in holinesse and the end everlasting life Heare us c. A Morning
as those whom the Plague hath consumed Wee beseech thee make us wise by their afflictions and so informe us in thy feare that we may frame the rest of our life in all holy obedience according to thy will Lastly most gracious LORD wee humbly beseech thee to take us this day under the shadow of thy wings Let thy Omnipotency be a brazen wall unto us let thy mighty hand and stretched out arme encompasse us let thy carefull providence watch over us and thy blessed Angels pitch about us And sith wee now enter into the affaires of this day let not we beseech thee the delights benefits and honours of this life ensnare our soules or make a breach into our consciences for these weake and carnall comforts will never follow us unto the darke places but when wee shall sit downe in the dust and say unto corruption thou art our father and to the worme thou art our mother and sister then they will all leave us nay they will turne to worme-wood and bitternesse Sanctifie we beseech thee our thoughts knit them fast unto thy holy Word and the necessary businesses of our vocation Keepe we pray thee in a sanctified moderation all the affections of our hearts and stirre our passions that none of them breake out upon us either to dishonour thy Majesty disquiet our owne consciences or disgrace our Christian carriage Let all our words be seasoned with grace religion and charity Let every action into which we shall enter this day or ever hereafter be just and lawfull and in them blesse us with sincerity of heart with a godly end and good meanes O LORD we beseech thee give us the spirit of judgement that wee may discerne betweene the short span of this wretched life and the length and breadth of immortality that wee never esteeme the pleasures of sinne for a moment before eternall and everlasting joyes but even count the best things of this world as dung as vanity and nothing nay as worse then vanity and lesse then nothing for the winning of CHRIST JESVS and that excellent waight of glory laid up in Heaven for all thy servants Worke in our hearts wee beseech thee a perfect detestation even of our sweetest and lest sinnes let us ever looke upon them in their true nature and greatest ouglinesse as accompanied with thy heavie displeasure and fearefullest judgements that wee may loath them as a Serpent and so cease for ever to offend thee in them And whereas wee are every day afresh to enter combat not with flesh and blood but with the Prince of darknesse the rulers of the ayer the spirituall craftinesse and pollicies of hell vouchsafe us wee beseech thee the compleate armour of true Christians The brest-plate of righteousnesse the helmet of salvation the sword of the Spirit but above all the shield of faith that wee may manfully fight against our corruptions that we may quench all the fiery darts of Satan tread the malicious Serpent under our feete and at our last and greatest fight in godly triumph and through the might and merits of our Captaine JESVS CHRIST may say with gladnesse and joy O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victory And in the meane time for as much as every day wee step neerer our grave and approach neerer unto thy presence and that great and fearefull judgement before thy throne even for our idle words and wandring thoughts give unto us we beseech thee every day a new grace a new strength in the course of regeneration more full assurance of the remission of our sins till with a wise heart we have such a feeling of the glory of GOD and of eternall life that wee make up our account with the world and bee at a point with all that is under the Sun And sith at that day we must answer not onely for the sinnes of our owne persons but for many sins of those that depend upon us if we labour not to bring them unto GOD for sinnes committed by our ill example for sinnes that we have seene and heard in others and have not grieved religiously reprehended them LORD we beseech thee give us an exact and precise care over all our waies over our generall calling of Christianity and those particular callings wherein thou hast placed us And let us never be hindered or discouraged in any good thing by the profane and malicious reproaches of wicked and carnall men and the many oppositions of Satan and the rather because to us it is a blessed marke that we are translated out of darknesse into light and that we will not runne with them unto the same excesse of ryot but to them it is a token of perdition For why should we good LORD for the vaine and unjust censures of mortall wretches turne from thee for this little inch of time and hereafter receive everlasting confusion A Generall forme of Prayers and praise LORD prepare our dull and unprepared soules to powre out our petitions with humility zeale and reverence unto thy great Majesty LORD make our hearts as mountaines of myrrhe and Incense to send up prayses and thankes-giving to the Sanctuary where thy honour dwelleth MOst mighty and most glorious God thou that inhabitest eternity and dwellest in the light that no man can attaine unto at whose terrible presence the mountaines melt away and the Angels hide their faces yet our most gracious and mercifull Father in CHRIST JESVS vouchsafing from the height of Heaven to looke upon us vile wormes and dust with the eye of tender compassion wee thy wretched and sinnefull servants heires of corruption children of wrath sonnes of disobedience doe in the name and mediation of thy deare Sonne our blessed Saviour prostrate our selves before thy throne of grace and mercy-seate begging and craving at thy hands pardon and remission for all our sins LORD they are most grievous and manifold most horrible and intollerable To the originall corruption of our sinfull nature wherein we were conceived we have added all kindes of actuall transgressions All the time before our calling wee gave our selves to wantonnesse to worke all uncleannesse even with greedinesse we drunke up sinnes like water and fed upon iniquity as the horse-leach on corrupt bloods we drew iniquitie with cords of vanity and sinne as with cart-ropes All our thoughts words and deeds were menstruous filthy and abhominable nothing but a slavish service of the world the flesh and the divell since our calling when we should have beene most pure sincere and sanctified we have sinned grievously although not notorious to the world yet horribly before thine eyes in privy pride hypocrisie dullnesse security want of zeale and forwardnesse in thy service nay LORD we have had many fearefull backslidings into our grossest sinnes c. so that now they are become as many in number as the Starres in Heaven as great as the mountaines as red as scarlet for CHRIST JESVS his sake for thy infinite mercies sake and for
hee shall prepare his firiest darts to wound our soules to death O then let the light of thy heavenly countenance shine upon us O then let thy blessed Spirit comfort us with his sweetest comforts let the fresh bleeding wounds of our deare Saviour appeare gracious and effectuall to our distressed soules Blesse good LORD protect and defend thy Church wandring farre and wide over the face of the whole earth Let thy mighty hand and stretched out arme encompasse it let thy Omnipotency bee a brazen wall about it leade it we beseech thee into all truth concord and sincerity save it from all schismes errors and heresies mightily fence it from bloody Tyrants hellish Atheists and mercilesse Polititians Comfort we beseech thee all those that bee comfortlesse and distressed with sorrow need sicknesse imprisonment banishment slanderous tongues or any other crosse or calamity Especially good LORD speake comfortably unto them in whose soules are the arrowes of thine indignation and the venome thereof drinkes up their spirit those that groane under the burthen of a vexed conscience and those that suffer persecution for the testimony of thy truth LORD give them faith patience and constancy to abide their triall and a joyfull issue to all their temptations And as at this time we are bound wee humbly intreate thy tender mercies and loving kindnesse for all those in this Land that thou hast heavily visited with the Plague of Pestilence For CHRIST JESUS sake if it be thy blessed pleasure command thy Angell to cease from striking put up the sword of judgement which in great wrath and indignation thou hast drawne out against them And LORD in the meane time give them joy and comfort in thy holy Spirit that howsoever they be strangely and fearefully tormented in their body in this life yet they may be assured of eternall happinesse in the life to come And teach we beseech thee both them and us by thy holy Spirit to take a right view of all our sins the true causes of thy wrathfull displeasure and faithfully to repent for the same And so much the rather O LORD because the reprobate and such as thou forsakest cannot praise thee nor call upon thy Name but the broken heart the sorrowfull mind and a conscience hungring after righteousness shall ever set forth thy praise and glory Lastly most loving Father we beseech thee take us into thy defence and protection this night let thy carefull providence watch over us let thy blessed Angels pitch about us preserve us from all perills and dangers from all the assaults of Satan from vaine idle and wicked dreames Grant unto our bodies comfortable rest and quiet sleepe but let our soules continually watch for the comming of our Saviour in the clouds to end these last and worst daies Amen even so come LORD JESVS that we with thee and the rest of thy Elect may joyfully and triumphantly ascend unto the heavenly Jerusalem there to enjoy fullnesse of joy and pleasures at thy right hand for evermore Our Father which art in Heaven c. A Prayer before a Sermon O LORD prepare our dull and unprepared hearts with feare and humility to enter the presence of thy great and glorious Majesty O Most gracious God our loving and mercifull Father in CHRIST JESVS We thy poore and sinfull servants most humbly beseech thee at this time to blesse and sanctifie unto us the hearing of thy holy Word it is the glorious instrument which thou hast appointed for the conversion and salvation of the soules of men But unto us miserable wretches and full of pollution it hath beene many times through the barrennesse of our hearts the secret and deceitfull corruptions of our nature but even the breath of thy Ministers scattered in the ayre and as water spilt upon the ground Whereas it might be unto some being humbly and reverently received as a two edged sword that would enter through even unto the dividing asunder of the soule and the spirit and of the joynts and the marrow that would breake in peeces their hard hearts and strike their conscience with terrour and remorse for their sinnes a necessary step to regeneration And whereas it might be unto others a pretious restorative to repaire the ruines of their conscience and to put life into their dead zeale and affections graciously to enforme them in all the parts of their callings it is but even as a witnesse of our coldnesse sencelessenesse and unthankefullnesse registred in the booke of our conscience against the day of our visitation LORD wee beseech thee out of thy tender compassions to forgive us all our former untowardnesse irreverence and unprofitablenesse in these holy exercises And now at length before wee goe downe into our graves into black and cruell habitations from whence wee must never returne to praise thee upon earth let us feele thy divine power working in us effectually at the preaching of thy Word let us have a sence of thy Omnipotency in in conquering our corruptions and temptations let thy powerfull Spirit stirre up our hearts and quicken our affections to embrace the power of religion and true godlinesse that so being freed from sinne by the blood of CHRIST and forsaking all our knowne sinnes and labouring sincerely to please thee in all things wee may have our fruit in holinesse and the end everlasting happinesse A Prayer before Sermon MOst mercifull Father we humbly beseech thee to give every one of us grace to let these things sink deeply into our hearts Blesse we beseech thee our wills and affections with sanctified desires to entertaine them our memories with faithfullnesse to retaine them our mindes with serious meditations to digest them our hearts with fervency and prayer for thy blessings upon them our lives with practise and piety to profit by them LORD we see clearely that all our pleasures shall die and perish that our honours shall be laid in the dust that our gold and silver shall canker and the rust of of them shall be a witnesse against us at the last day that outward performances of religious duties without inward sanctification shall have their portion with Hypocrites in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstrone Where then shall appeare the lyar the swearer the drunkard the profaner of the Sabbath the uncleane person the proud the idle the malicious the carelesse in his calling even without timely and sound repentance in the bottomelesse pit of the lowest hell O then we beseech thee gracious Father to vouchsafe us in time wise and understanding hearts the spirit of judgement to discerne betweene the short span of this miserable life and the length and breadth of eternity Let us now at length make a through and deepe search into the state of our soules and consciences and if wee find that we be not yet possest of that inward sincerity and true happinesse let us for ever hereafter with greatest fervency earnestnesse and contention of spirit hunger and thirst labour and
any time since hee had his being he hath either thought or said or done amisse doe it away deare LORD as though it had never beene and drowne it for ever in the bottomelesse sea of thine owne mercy Thou hast promised by thy Prophet Isa. 44. 22. that thou wilt put away the transgressions of thy people like a cloud and their sins as a mist. Now we pray thee let the inflamed heate of thy everlasting love shed thorow the bloody wounds of thy Son and shining through the Sonne of righteousnesse upon his soule disperse and dissolve into nothing all his iniquities transgressions and sins Thou hast promised by thy Prophet Micah 7. 19. That thou wilt cast them all into the bottome of the Sea Now blessed LORD GOD we pray thee as that mighty host of Pharaoh sunke into the red Sea like a stone so that neither Sonne of man nor Sun of Heaven ever saw their faces any more so let all his sins bee swallowed up for ever in the red sea of CHRIST JESVS his blood that they never show their faces againe to his shame discomfort or confusion Thou hast told us with thine owne mouth that thou inhabitest eternity and dwells in the high and holy place and yet with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to give life to them that are of a contrite heart we humbly intreate thee for CHRIST JESUS his sake that thou wouldest make good this promise to this thy servant to the utmost sweetnesse and comfort thereof O blessed LORD GOD let thy glorious presence shine into his heart with all those sweet refreshings with which thou art wont to fill those happy soules which depart in thy favour and at peace with thee Let the pretious deservings and saving blood-shed of CHRIST JESVS appeare fresh unto the eye of his faith And let the blessed Angell ministring Spirits to thy chosen at thy appointed time carry his soule with peace and comfort into the bosome of thy glory O LORD he is now going the way of all flesh and his habitation is remooving from him like a Shepheards tent Helpe now LORD in this time of need Comfort him wee beseech thee with all the strength of Heaven Thou hast within the rich treasury of thy mercy thine own tender hearted bowells of compassions the unvaluable blood shed of thy deare Sonne the unutterable comforts of thy good Spirit the pretious promises of life and all the joyes of Heaven and he hath a poore soule that hungers and thirsts and longs for thy mercy and favour before all the world O LORD our GOD wee humbly pray thee crown that soule of his with them all Let thine own omnipotent hand encompasse him let the strong arme of the Sonne of GOD mightily protect him from all infernall power let the Spirit of all comfort raise in his heart those heavenly raptures and sweet exultations of spirit which are wont to fill the soules of them which are ready to lay hold upon a crowne of life let thy blessed Angels at thine owne time carry his soule into the bosome of Abraham there to raigne with thee in rest and joy thorow all eternity A Prayer in time of Plague O LORD our GOD remember us wee pray thee in mercy concerning that heavie and sore judgement of the Plague of Pestilence that fearefully walketh in darknesse and wasteth at noone day which thy just wrath hath kindled in the chiefe City of this Kingdome Wee pray thee good Father to blesse us with care and wisedome to meete thee now at first with truly remorsefull and repentant hearts both for our own personall sinnes and the crying abhominations of the times Let us seeke thee with fervency and truth in daies of humiliation and fasting and cry mightily unto thee that so turning al unto thee with unfained repentance and sincere resolution to amend thou maist in mercy heale our Kingdome and turne thine indignation away from us A Prayer in time of Plague MOst gratious GOD sith by thy good providence we are met together at this time solemely to humble our selves and afflict our soules in thy glorious presence and before thy pure eye we humbly beseech thee to give unto every one of us spirituall ability and the saving assistance of thy Holy Spirit that we may all doe it unfainedly fruitfully effectually in the name of JESVS CHRIST O Most mighty and blessed LORD GOD our ever loving Father in JESVS CHRIST We poore wretches thy unworthiest servants do heere humbly prostrate our selves our soules and bodies before thy Throne of grace acknowledging from our hearts that we are the vilest of all Thy Creatures by reason of our manifold and hainous sins we are defiled and polluted in every power and part both of body and soule to the very heart roote and from the beginning of our being we laid at first a bloudy foundation with Adam in Paradise which utterly undid all mankinde and had our hands in that horrible rebellion which brought all mischiefs and miseries all sinne and sorrow upon all the sonnes and daughters of Adam from the Creation to the end of the world yea and all those Hellish woes and tortures which shall lie upon damned soules everlastingly O LORD strike our hearts with remorse for This sin of which we take so little notice that we may bee humbled for it all the daies of our life Wee came into this world very sinkes of all impurity concupiscence and filth we brought with us understandings starke blinde in all heavenly things wills stubborne froward rebellious to every good word and worke Memory sinfull and defiled hard and stony hearts raging and bedlam passions earthly and sensuall thoughts and imaginations dead and guilty consciences eyes full of Adultery wantonnesse and wandrings eare open to all rotten and ribald talke tongues set on fire by hell hands full of iniquity feete ready to carry us to all manner of villany and vanity even bodies and soules ingrafted into the cursed communion of the Divell and wicked spirits by reason of that originall corruption and crookednesse which we drew from the loines of our sinfull Parents And this hereditary masse of naturall filth lurkt in our natures like venome and poison which made us odious and abominable in thy sight before wee were able to sin when wee had power to serve the Divell it broke out upon us into as many fearefull transgressions and abominable lusts as could possibly proceed from so empoysoned a fountaine And since that time good Lord thou knowest we have borne our selves like Traytors and rebells against thy holy Majesty we have actually transgrest all thy blessed Lawes and Commandements every manner of way in thought word and deed fearefully wounding our consciences greeving thy good spirit and treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath O Lord wee have grievously sinned against Thee by contempt of thy Word The crying sinne of this place by Atheisme ignorance profanenesse
be a Sun shield unto it and crowne it with al the comforts of Heaven as thou hast promised then seale unto it for ever the sure mercies of David the salvations of the life to come And I beseech thee also to be so loving and mercifull to my longing spirit so tender-hearted and kinde to my trembling heart that I may feele in my conscience the sprinkling of the blood of thy Son for the appeasing of it that my poore soule may sensibly know what great things thou hast done for it and that thou art reconciled unto it for ever in Christ Jesus Above all things fill my heart with the joyfull feeling of thy mercies in the pardon of my sins that so my quieted soule may sweetly sleepe and solace it selfe everlastingly in that peace which passeth all understanding and in the bosome of thy compassions And for the time to come I pray thee to help me more and more to renew increase my repeÌ„tance to better inlarge my obedience and put to thine owne holy hand to strengthen every grace thou hast given me O Lord my God I could never yet get neere that hand hatred over my sins as I have infinitely desired I beseech thee now at length let mee feele thy speciall comfortable power mightily assisting me in this holy businesse The sins of my youth have beene most hatefull execrable and abominable both to God and man nay and I have been guilty of many horrible villanies which have beene only knowne to thy All-seeing eye and mine owne corrupt conscience I pray thee blessed Lord for thy Christ his sake to worke in my heart godly sorrow true loathing sound repentance and humiliation for them all in some good measure answerable and proportionable to their heighnousnesse and excesse Oh grant mee that happinesse that I may look back upon all those fowle pollutions and sinfull vanities of my unregenerate time without either sensuall delight or slavish horror even with a sincere hatred and heavie mourning Let me see them without any despairefull feare being assured they are done away with the blood of thy Son as though they had never been without any secret delight lest I renew and multiply their guilt grievousnes upon my poore soule which they have too fearefully wounded already And Lord I pray thee also put quickning life power and feeling into my heart and affections in the performance of every holy duty which is the very heart and soule of a pleasing sacrifice and service unto thee Increase in me an holy feare reverence respect to all thy Commandements Cause and continue in me a sincere universall and constant obedience unto them all that not from any slavish feare private end or by-respect but for conscience sake a soule-like feare of thee and love of thy glory And if at any time as it is ordinary with Gods children it shall please thee to exercise me with any crosse disgrace slander discouÌ„tenance losse of goods disease of body terror of soule or the like I pray thee ever sweeten sanctifie them unto mee by thy blessing grant that I may ever obediently with all peace of heart patience of spirit submit to thy will wisedome therein being fully assured that to me which am in Christ the sting curse and poyson of them is most certainely pulled out by the Passion of thy Son And resting ever upon thy sweet pretious promises that thou having given me Christ Jesus will never deny me any truly needfull and and comfortable thing while the world stands And that all things even the rage of Satan the malice of men the miseries of this life nay even the sins of my soule in an holy sence by thy blessings shall turne unto my everlasting good Add I pray thee daily more and more strength and life and new degrees unto all these graces which it hath pleased thee in some measure to plant in my soule of thy owne free mercy and for the mediation of thy Son Increase my knowledge in the great mystery of grace my reliance and trust in thee as one most powerfull mercifull and true my hope and patient expectation of thy presence and assistance in all things that are to come my love of thee thy Word thy children and all things that belong unto thee my zeale courage for thy glory and truth good causes and good men feare of thy great name humblenesse and lowlinesse of minde The Spirit and power of Prayer Patience and contentednesse in all troubles and trials c. or what other holy virtue thou hast in great mercy vouchsafed unto me Grant I pray thee and give me grace to imploy and improove them all to the utmost for the best advantage in procuring thee glory good unto thy Church and comfort unto mine owne soule Blesse I pray thee and be mercifull to all creatures and to the whole world Draw if it be thy blessed pleasure Turks Infidels Jewes to the light and acknowledgement of thy saving truth and the salvation of their soules Blesse our King specially and principally and all his Dominions Roote out of them wee pray thee all ignorance profanesse popery pride oppressions and all the workes of the divell Purge we humbly and earnestly beseech thee this Church and Kingdome wherein wee live and that mightily and speedily from all disorders sedition faction corruptions which any way dishonour thy Majesty vex thy children or hinder a free and glorious passage of the Gospell of thy Sonne Blesse the people committed to my charge my owne Family my friends my goods house cattell and all things that any waies belong unto mee Remember I beseech thee with speciall love and tender-heartednesse all thy deare children whersoever they be especially those who desire my prayers for them and have made the troubles of their soules knowne unto me I pray thee for thy Christ his sake let them fare the better for the poore prayers of thy weake and unworthy servant Gratious Lord I praise and magnifie from the ground and bottome of my heart thy glorious name and the sweetnesse of thy mercy for that golden chaine of comfortable providence which thy mercifull hand hath linkt together for my good ever since I was borne Thou gavest mee a most loving and kinde Father a very skillfull and learned Schoole-master worthy and ingenuous education c. Thou preservedst me mightily and almost miraculously from mayming or suddaine death Thou followedst mee bountifully with thy favours at the University and didst infinitely above all hope and expectation raise up variety of meanes from time to time for my maintenance there c. Thou broughtst me at length fairely easily and uncorruptly into this place and pastorall charge I now injoy Thou hast given me out of thine own free immediate mercy a deare and loving Wife incomparably the fittest for me that could have beene found upon the face of the whole earth But above all the comforts which thou hast brought unto my poore soule by my Booke have beene most unspeakeable and glorious Blessed for ever be thy glorious name therefore c. In a word I am verily perswaded there was never wretch upon earth that receiv'd so many mercies favours and comforts from thee and return'd so little thankefullnesse service and obedience unto thee O Lord my God forgive I pray thee the infinite disproportion of thine immeasurable bountifullnesse to me and my most weake imperfect and sinfull obedience service unto thee O forgive it forgive it for Christ Jesus his sake c. FINIS 1 Sam. 13. â—4 Acts 13. â—2 Juxta cor â—â—um q. d. Qui praeceptum divini consiâ—â—â— exequiâ—ur virtute devotionis Greg. Mag. Expos lib. 5. in 1 Reg. Cap. 13. Devotio est pius humilia affectus in DEVM humilis ex conscientia infirmitatis pro priae pius ex consideratione divinae clementiae Aug de Spir. Anima Cap 50. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dixit Arist. Rhet lib. 3 cap. 2. â—lloigne quâ— divinitùs ad Altare venerit deinceps custodito omnia erant accendenda quae in tabernaculo accendi oportebaÌ„t Aug. Quest. Super Levit. lib. 3. â— 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX Oratio pro pauâ—ere Tremel â—un Iâ—te Psalmus in principio vocem Prophetae continet ex persona peccatoris Hier. Quod slenâ—es dicaâ—â—s nos qui pro peccatis 〈◊〉 his verâ—iculis â—doâ—emur Arnob.