you must by no means fail to be present at In the mean time let no sinful thoughts possess your Soul no vain or idle Communication proceed out of your mouth but such as may tend to edifying Examine exhort incourage your Servants or those about you whom you have commanded or who purpose to Receive this B. Sacrament with you and be careful to avoid the Conversation of those who may probably tempt you to sin and vanity Returning from Church or Chappel about Twelve of the Clock Humble your self again before God and Pray Our Father c. Deliver us from evil Amen Then the xxxij Psalm Still upon your knees Blessed is he whose unrighteousness is forgiven and whose sin is covered c. Glory be to the Father c. Almighty and everlasting God who hatest nothing that thou hast made and dost forgive thâ—…s of all them that are penitent Create 〈◊〉 â—…e in me a new and contrite heart that I 〈◊〉 lamenting my sins and acknowledging 〈◊〉 â—…chedness may obtain of thee the God of all mercy perfect remission and forgiveness through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Almighty and most merciful Father who for my many and grievous Sins committed against thee since the last solemn time of my Humiliation and Repentance mightest most justly have cut me off in the midst of my days But in the multitude of thy mercies hast hitherto spared me Accept I most heartily beseech thee mine unfeigned sorrow for all my former transgressions and grant that I may never so presume of thy mercy as to despise the riches of thy goodness but that thy forbearance and long suffering may lead me to Repentance and amendment of my sinful life to thy honour and glory and my final Acquittance and Absolution at the last day through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Lord make clean my heart within me And take not thy Holy Spirit from me In the Name of God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Amen I who am a wretched Sinner here personally appearing and prostrate unto the Majesty of the Great and dreadful God and in the presence of his Holy Angels having in remembrance the exceeding mercies of his great Goo◠〈◊〉 * Here Throw your self 〈◊〉 the Ground wards me as in manifold instances so especially in this that in the day of my Christ'ning I was so happily and holily Vowed and Dedicated unto God to be his Child and to live in his continual Service and that contrary to the profession which was then made in my name I have so many and sundry times so grievously violated my vows and profaned my sacred promises and employed my Soul to the service of the World the Flesh and the Devil At length recalling my self and with all lowliness and devotion casting my Soul and Body prostrate before the dreadful Throne of his Justice do acknowledg confess and yeild my self a miserable wretched Sinner guilty of that Death and Passion which Christ once suffered for me upon the tormenting Cross But turning my self to the Throne of his infinite mercy and with all my might and force from the very Deep of my heart detesting the iniquities of my fore-pass'd Life I most humbly beg and crave pardon for the same with an entire Absolution from all my sins eâ—… for the precious Death and Passion sake of 〈◊〉 Lord and Saviour unto whom I promise 〈◊〉 â—onfirm again I do avow and solemnly reâ—… 〈◊〉 sacred Profession of loyal service and 〈◊〉 which was made in my behalf unto him 〈◊〉 â—…ly Baptisme renouncing unfeignedly 〈◊〉 of this wicked World the lusts of the Flesh and the suggestions of the Devil and converting my self to my most gracious and merciful God I desire deliberate purpose and fully resolve to honour him serve him and obey him for ever hereafter giving and dedicating to him for this end the faculties of my Soul and the members of my Body to be his faithful loyal and obedient Subjects and Servants for ever without unsaying revoking or repenting me of this my holy and sacred promise or any part thereof And I most humbly beseech Almighty God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost to confirm me in this constant resolution of abandoning these my sins and living an holy Life and to accept of this my broken and contrite heart which he hath promised not to despise entirely desiring his Fatherly goodness that as he hath given me a will and desire to purpose so he would give me strength and grace to perform all holy actions through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen LOrd I pray thee that thy Grace may always prevent and follow me and make me continually to be given to all good worâ—… through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen LOrd I beseech thee grant thy Sâ—… Grace to withstand the temptatâ—… 〈◊〉 the World the Flesh the Devil an◠〈◊〉 pure bea rt and mind to follow thee the only true God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O God whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive Receive my humble Petitions and though I be tied and bound with the chain of my sins yet let the pittifulness of thy great mercy loose me for the honour of Jesus Christ our Mediator and Advocate Amen O Saviour of the world save me who by thy Cross and Passion hast Redeemed me help me and save me I beseech Thee O God To the King Eternal the Immortal Invisible and only Wise God who is the ever Blessed and Adorable Trinity be all Honour and Glory now and for ever Amen Having thus ended your mid-day Devotions review your Catalogue of sins Fix on that sin you find your self mostly addicted to labour for a Godly sorrow and relentings of heart on the sight of it resolve against all future perpeâ—…tions of it carefully using all remedies which â—…y tend to suppress it To which purpose 〈◊〉 â—ine your self concerning those occasions 〈◊〉 â—…ucements which lead you to it and proâ—… â—…ell as you can against them noting in 〈◊〉 â—…k those Occasions and Remidies which reason or experience may prompt you to As for example Suppose your self guilty of Irreverence or want of Devotion in the service of God write down what doth commonly induce you to it what remedies are most proper to the cure of it Thus In the year 1673 March 28th being Good Friday or be it any other day I Fasted being to Receive the Communion the following Sunday and in the exercise of this holy Duty on Exammination I found my self much guilty of Irreverence in the worship of God anâ— discovered these Temptations to it Too much addicting my self to childish an light Deportments at all times and thereforâ— can hardly remit of them when I come intâ— Gods Presence 2. Listning too much to the vain Discource and observing the impertinent Actions of Others 3. Want of Consideration in whose Presencâ— I am to wit of the Great Majesty of Heaven of that God who if I doe not reperâ— will strictly call
a mind ready to dye for him when he shall call for me and then O Lord Assist me Amen O Lord Jesu I Give thee my Body my Soul my substance my Fame my Friends my Liberty and my Life Dispose of me and of all that is mine as it seemeth best to thee and to the Glory of thy Holy Name Amen I Am not now Mine But Thine therefore Claim me as thy right Keep me as thy charge and love me as thy child Fight for me when I am assaulted heal me when I am wounded and Revive me when I am destroyed Amen O God from whom all Good things do come Grant to me thy humble servant 〈◊〉 thy holy Inspiration I may think those 〈◊〉 that are Good and by thy mercifull 〈◊〉 may perform the same through Jesus 〈◊〉 Lord Amen GIve me modesty in my Countenance Gravity in my behaviour Deliberateness in my Speech and righteousness in all my Actions Let thy mercy cleanse me from my Sins and let thy Grace bring forth in me the fruits of everlasting life Amen O God who knowest us to be set in the midst of so many and Great Dangers that by reason of the weakness of our nature we cannot always stand upright Look I beseech thee on my frailties and Infirmitys and Grant me such Health of Body that both in my Soul and Body I may evermore serve thee with all my strength and might through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen GRant O Lord that I may live in thy Fear Dye in thy favour rest in thy peace rise in thy power reign in thy Glory for thy only Beloved Son's sake Jesus Christ our Lord Amen ASsist me mercifully O Lord in these and all my Supplications and Prayers and Dispose the way of thy servant toward the attainment of everlasting salvation 〈◊〉 â—mong all the changes and chances of 〈◊〉 â—…tal life I may ever be Defended by th◠〈◊〉 Gracious and ready help through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen GOd the Father bless me God the Son Defend me God the Holy Ghost preserve me God the Holy Trinity be with me now and for ever more Amen After this apply your self to read some Choice portion of Scripture particularly the History of our Saviours passions as in the Gospels for the Holy week Read with as much affection and heartiness as is possible all along reflecting on his Innocency and your self as being one of those Guilty Wretches for whom he Suffered all this And think thus with Your self I Have occasioned more torment to Him then his very Crucifiers they crucified him Once but I have as much as in me lay cruciâ—…ed him Dayly they crucified him because â—…y knew him not but I have known him and â—et have still continued thus to crucifie him afreâ—… 〈◊〉 Meditations as they should work in 〈◊〉 Sorrow for our sins past and a great 〈◊〉 and a firm resolution against them for the time to come so likewise should they quicken and stir up our Faith in our Love of and our Thankfulness unto Christ for his so Great Mercy in Redceming us by so dear a Price Nor must your Prayers end here they are not Compleat without Intercessions nor acceptable without Charity which is a main requisite to a Worthy Communicant At six of Clock therefore betake your self again to Prayer for All Men for Christ's Holy Catholick Church and for all who either by Relation Acquaintance or more particular Desire may claim a share in your Prayers Our Father c. Deliver us from Evil Amen ALmighty God who of thy tender love towards Mankind hast sent thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to take upon him our flesh and to suffer Death upon the Cross that all Mankind should follow the exampâ—… of his Great Humility Mercifully Graâ—… that I may both follow the example of 〈◊〉 Patience and also be made partaker of 〈◊〉 Resurrection through the same Jesus Chrâ—… our Lord Amen ALmighty God I beseech Thee 〈◊〉 to Behold thy Family for which ou◠〈◊〉 Jesus Christ was contented to be Betrayed and given up into the hands of wicked men and to suffer Death upon the Cross who now Liveth and Reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost ever One God world without end Amen ALmighty and everlasting God by whose Spirit the whole Body of the Church is governed and Sanctified Receive my Supplications and Prayers which I offer before Thee for all Estates of men in thy Holy Church that every member of the same in his Vocation and Ministry may truly and Godly serve Thee through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen O Merciful God who hast made all men and hatest nothing that thou hast made nor wouldest the Death of a sinner but rather that he should be Converted and live Have mercy upon all Jews Turks Infidells and take from them all Ignorance hardness of â—eart and contempt of thy Word and so â—…ch them home Blessed Lord that they â—ay be saved among the Remnant of the â—rue Israelites and be made One Flock under 〈◊〉 â—…aperd Jesus Christ our Lord who livâ—… 〈◊〉 â—eigneth with Thee and the Holy 〈◊〉 God world without end Amen ALmighty God who hast purchased to thy self an Vniversal Church by the precious Bloud of thy Dear Son mercifully look on that part of it in these Kingdoms so miserably shattered and distressed I confess O Lord our sins have justly deserved that thou shouldst remove thy Candlestick from us and by some extraordinary judgment make us a scorn and a By-word to the World But I beseech Thee Reverse those Plagues which we have deserved and continue those mercys which we have hitherto injoyed especially the comfort of thy Gospel and liberty of thy Truth Oh! Let not our Adversarys neither Papists nor Schismaticks ever roar in the midst of our Congregations and set up their Banners as signs of Victory and Conquest over us But sheild and Protect us with thy mercy that in thy Holy Church we may still Glorify thy Name through Christ our Lord Amen O God the unspeakable Authour of the World Creator of Men Governour oâ— Empires and Establisher of all Kingdomâ— who out of the loyns of our Father ABRâ—HAM didst chuse a King that became the Saviour of all Kings and Nations of the Ear◠〈◊〉 Bless I beseech Thee thy Servant â—nd 〈◊〉 Dread Sovereign Lord King CHARâ—…S with the richest blessings of thy Grace and Establish him in the Throne of his Kingdome by thy mighty Aid and Protection visit him as thou didst visit Moses in the Bush Ioshua in the Battel Gideon in the Feild Samuel in the Temple Let the dew of thy abundant mercies fall upon his Head and give unto him the Blessing of David and Solomon Be unto him an Helmet of Salvation against the face of his Enemies and a strong tower of Defence in the time of Adversity let his Reign be prosperous and his Days many let Peace and Love and Holiness let justice and Truth and all Christian Vertues flourish in his time
and great glory I may be made like him in his Eternal and glorious Kingdom where with thee O Father and thee O Holy Ghost he liveth and reigneth ever one God World without end Amen For the Love of God O God who hast prepared for them that Love thee such good things as pass mans understanding pour into my heart such Love towards thee that I Loving thee above all things may obtain thy promises which exceed all that I can desire through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen For Charlty O Lord who hast taught me that all our doings Without Charity are nothing worth send thy Holy Ghost and pour into my heart that most excellent gift of Charity the very bond of peace and of all virtues without which whosoever liveth is counted dead before thee Grant this for thine only Son Jesus Christ's sake Amen For Chastity O Holy Jesus who wert conceived in the womb of a Virgin I beseech thee grant thy servant grace to withstand all temptations of the flesh and with a pure and clean heart to follow thee the only God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen For Contrition ALmighty and everlasting God who hatest nothing that thou hast made and do'st forgive the sins of all them that are penitent Create and make in me a new and Contrite Heart that I worthily Lamenting my sins and acknowledging my Wretchedness may obtain of thee the God of all mercy perfect Remission and Forgiveness through Jesus Christ our Lord. Anen For Devotion MOst great God who hast not only Permitted but invited us needy and miserable Creatures to present our petitions to thee O let me set a true value on this most invaluable Privilidge I come unto thee O Lord as a Worm to my Soveraign Maker I come as an Hanious Offender to a just and Severe Judg let I pray thee mine addresses to thine house be with a Reverence some way answerable to thine Awfull Majesty give me an hearty desire to pray and such a Pure Intention and Fixedness of Mind upon thee that I may no more incurre the guilt of drawing near to thee with my Lips when my Heart is far from thee but may so aske that I may recieve seek that I may find knock that it may be opened unto me that so from praying to thee here I may be translated to the praising thee eternally in thy glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen For the Fear of God MOst great God who only art high and to be fear'd O put thy fear into my heart that I may not sin against thee let me never so misplace my Fear as to be affraid of man whose breath is in his Nosthrills but fill me O Lord with the Spirit of thy holy Fear which is the beginning of Wisdom and let it preserve me in a perpetuall conformity to thy will in all things through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen For Contentedness O God Heavenly Father who by thy Son Jesus Christ hast promised to all them that seek thy Kingdom and the righteousness theteof all things necessary to their bodily sustenance keep me I beseech thee under the protection of thy good providence and learn me in whatsoever state I am therewith to be Content grant me grace to forsake all Covetous desires and Inordinate love of Riches and so to pass through things Temporal that I finally loose not the things eternall but that among all the sundry and manfold changes of the world my heart may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be sound through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen For Diligence O Lord who in thy holy Gospel didst sentence the Slothfull and unprofitable Servant to be cast into outer darkness grant that I may not stand here all the day idle but may give all Diligence to make my calling and Election sure make me in some measure usefull to my self and others both as to This and a better life O let me never lay mine eyes to sleep nor mine eye-lids to slumber but learn and labour to get my own living and to do my duty in that State of life whereto it hath pleased thee to call me through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen For Humility ALmighty God who resistest the Proud and givest grace to the Humble mercifully grant that I may follow the example of the great Humility of thy Blessed Son who did humble himself to take upon him our flesh and to Suffer death upon the Cross Convince me that I am less then the least of all thy mercy's that as I am vile in my self so let me be vile in mine own eyes and may therefore esteem every man better then my Self Grant this O Father for thy Son Jesus Christ's sake A-Amen For Justice O Thou King of Righteousness who lovest righteousness and art mighty to save give me grace to obtain this love of thine by cleansing my heart hands from all fraud and injustice O grant that I may most strictly observe that sacred Rule of Doing unto all men as I would they should doe unto me that I hurt no body in word or deed but be true and just in all my dealings that so keeping innocency and taking heed unto the thing that is right I may have peace at the last even peace with Thee Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen For Meekness ALmighty God who hast given thine only Son to be unto us both a Sacrifice for sin and also an ensample of Godly life give me grace to learn of him who was meek and lowly of heart to put on bowels of mercy meekness and long-suffering to be so far from offering the least injury that I may never return the greatest And grant I beseech thee that the course of this World may be so peaceably ordered by thy Governance that I may joyfully serve thee in all Godly quietness through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen For Sincerity O Holy Lord who searchest the heart and tryest the reins try me I beseech thee and seek the ground of my heart purge it from all hypocrisie and suffer not any a cursed thing to lurk within me give me truth in the inward part to be pure in heart that I may be qualified to see thee in thy Kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen For Temperance GRacious Lord who refreshest us with thy good Creatures and art the Authour of all the good things which we do enjoy give me grace I pray thee to use them with thankfulness and moderation let me never be overcharged with Surfeiting and Drunkenness nor my Table be ever made a snare unto me but may so eat and drink that my flesh may be subdued to the Spirit and I may ever obey thy godly motions in Righteousness and true Holiness to thy honour and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen For Thankfulness GRacious God who hast taught me that it is a joyful and pleasant thing to be thankful suffer me not I beseech thee to loose my part in that divine pleasure but make me truly and unfeignedly thankful unto thee for all thy mercies let thy mercies lead me to Repentance and give me grace to improve them all to the advancement of thy glory and the furtherance of my Salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen For Trust in God O God who never failest to help and govern them whom thou do'st bring up in thy stedfast fear and love Grant I pray thee that I may lean only upon the Hope of thy Heavenly grace and in all my troubles put my whole trust and confidence in thy mercy casting all my care upon thee and being careful for nothing but to keep thy testimony 's and think upon thy Commandments to do them Grant this O Father for Jesus Christ his sake Amen For Perseverance O Lord raise up I pray thee thy power and come among us and with great might succour me that whereas through my sins and wickedness I am sore let and hindred in running the Race that is set before me thy bountiful grace and mercy may help and strengthen me to hold out unto the end that so I may be saved to be faithful unto death that I may receive a Crown of life nourish me I pray thee with all goodness and of thy great mercy keep me in the same through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen FINIS