me graciously and for his sake who hath done nothing amiss be reconciled to me who have done nothing well wash away the guilt of my sins in his blood and subdue the power of them by his grace and grant O Lord that I may from this hour bid a final adieu to all ungodliness and worldly lusts that I may never once more cast a look toward Sodom or long after the fleshpots of Egypt but consecrate my self intirely to thee to serve thee in Righteousness and true Holiness reckoning my self to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord and blessed Saviour This Penitential Psalm may also fitly be used PSALM 51. HAVE mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin For I acknowledge my faults and my sin is ever before me Against thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified in thy saying and clear when thou art judged Behold I was shapen in wickedness and in sin hath my mother conceived me But lo thou requirest truth in the inward parts and shalt make me to understand wisdome secretly Thou shalt purge me with Hysop and I shall be clean thou shalt wash me and I shall be whiter then snow Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Turn thy face from my sins and put out all my misdeeds Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me O give me the comfort of thy help again and stablish me with thy free Spirit Then shall I teach thy wayes unto the wicked and sinners shall be converted unto thee Deliver me from blood-guiltiness O God thou that art the God of my health and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness Thou shalt open my lips O Lord and my mouth shall shew thy praise For thou desirest no sacrifice else would I give it thee but thou delightest not in burnt offering The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit a broken and contrite heart O God shalt thou not despise O be favourable and gracious unto Sion build thou the walls of Jerusalem Then shalt thou be pleased with the Sacrifice of righteousness with the burnt offerings and oblations then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar Glorie be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen PRAYERS BEFORE the Receiving of the Blessed SACRAMENT O Most merciful God who hast in thy great goodness prepared this spiritual feast for sick and famished souls make my desires and gaspings after it answerable to my needs of it I have with the prodigal wasted that portion of grace thou bestowedst upon me and therefore do infinitely want a supplie out of this treasurie But O Lord how shall such a wretch as I dare to approach this holy Table I am a dog how shall I presume to take the childrens bread Or how shall this spiritual Manna this food of Angels be given to one who hath chosen to feed on husks with swine nay to one who hath alreadie so often trampled these precious things under foot either carelesly neglecting or unworthily receiving these holy mysteries O Lord my horrible guiltiness makes me tremble to come and yet makes me not dare to keep away for where O Lord shall my polluted soul be washed if not in this fountain which thou hast opened for sin and for uncleanness Hither therefore I come and thou hast promised that him that cometh to thee thou wilt in no wise cast out This is O Lord the blood of the New Testament grant me so to receive it that it may be to me for remission of sins And though I have so often and so wretchedly broken my part of that Covenant whereof this Sacrament is a seal yet be thou graciously pleased to make good thine to be merciful to my unrighteousness and to remember my sins and my iniquities no more and not only so but to put thy laws into my heart and to write them in my mind and by the power of thy grace dispose my soul to such a sincere and constant obedience that I may never again provoke thee Lord grant that in these holy mysteries I may not only commemorate but effectually receive my blessed Saviour and all the benefits of his Passion and to that end give me such a preparation of soul as may qualifie me for it give me a deep sense of my sins and unworthiness that being wearie and heavie laden I may be capable of his refreshings and by being suppled in my own tears I may be the fitter to be washed in his blood raise up my dull and earthly mind from groveling here below and inspire it with a holy zeal that I may with spiritual affection approach this spiritual feast and let O Lord that infinite love of Christ in dying for so wretched a sinner inflame my frozen benummed soul and kindle in me that sacred fire of love to him and that so vehement that no waters may quench no floods drown it such as may burn up all my drosse not leave one unmortified lust in my soul and such as may also extend it self to all whom thou hast given me command and example to love even enemies as well as friends Finally O Lord I beseech thee to cloath me in the wedding garment and make me though of my self a most unworthie yet by thy mercie an acceptable guest at this holy Table that I may not eat and drink my own condemnation but may have my pardon sealed my weakness repaired my corruptions subdued and my soul so inseparably united to thee that no temptations may ever be able to dissolve the union but that being begun here in grace it may be consummated in glorie Grant this O Lord for thy dear Sons sake Jesus Christ Another O Blessed Jesus who once offeredst up thy self for me upon the Cross and now offerest thy self to me in the Sacrament let not I beseech thee my impenitence and unworthiness frustrate these so inestimable mercies to me but qualifie me by thy grace to receive the full benefit of them O Lord I have abundant need of thee but am so clogg'd with guilt so holden with the cords of my sins that I am not able to move towards thee O loose me from this band wherewith Satan and my own lusts have bound me and draw me that I may run after thee Lord thou seest daily how eagerly I pursue he paths that lead to death but when thou invitest me to life and glorie I turn my back and forsake my own mercie How often hath this feast been prepared and I have with frivolous excuses absented my self or
PRIVATE DEVOTIONS For several OCCASIONS ORDINARY And EXTRAORDINARY LONDON Printed for T. Garthwait at the little North Door of St. Pauls Church 1660. CHRISTIAN READER I Have for the help of thy Devotions set down some FORMS of PRIVATE PRAYER upon several occasions If it be thought an omission that there are none for Families I must answer for my self that it was not from any opinion that God is not as well to be worshipp'd in the Family as the Closet but because the Providence of God and the Church hath already furnish'd thee for that purpose infinitely beyond what my utmost care could do I mean the PUBLICK LITURGY or COMMON PRAYER which for all publick addresses to God and such are Family prayers are so excellent and useful that we may say of it as David did of Goliah's sword 1 Sam. 21. 9. There is none like it DIRECTIONS for the MORNING As soon as ever thou awakest in the morning lift up thy heart to God in this or the like short Prayer LORD as thou hast awaked my Body from sleep so by thy grace awaken my Soul from sin and make me so to walk before thee this day and all the rest of my life that when the last trumpet shall awake me out of my grave I may rise to the life immortal through Jesus Christ WHen thou hast thus begun suffer not without some urgent necessity any worldly thoughts to fil thy mind till thou hast also paid thy more solemn Devorions to Almighty God and therefore during the time thou art dressing thy self which should be no longer then common decency requires exercise thy mind in some spiritual thoughts as for example consider to what Temptations thy business or company that day are most like to lay thee open and arm thy self with Resolutions against them or again consider what Occasions of doing service to God or good to thy neighbour are that day most likely to present themselves and resolve to embrace them and also contrive how thou mayst improve them to the uttermost But especially it will be fit for thee to Examine whether there have any sin escaped thee since thy last nights examination If after these considerations any further leisure remain thou mayst profitably imploy it in meditating on the general Resurrection whereof our rising from our beds is a Representation and of that dreadful Judgement which shall follow it and then think with thy self in what preparation thou art for it and resolve to husband carefully every minute of thy time towards the fitting thee for that great account As soon as thou art ready retire to some private place and there offer up to God thy Morning Sacrifice of Praise and Prayer Prayers for the Morning At thy first kneeling down say O Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity three persons and one God have mercy upon me a miserable sinner LORD I know not what to pray for as I ought O let thy Spirit help my infirmities and enable me to offer up a spiritual Sacrifice acceptable to thee by Jesus Christ A Thanksgiving O Gracious Lord whose mercies endure for ever I thy unworthy servant who have so deeply tasted of them desire to render thee the tribute of my humblest praises for them In thee O Lord I live move and have my being thou first madest me to be and then that I might not be miserable but happy thou sendest thy Son out of thy bosome to Redeem me from the power of my sins by his Grace and from the punishment of them by his Blood and by both to bring me to his glory Thou hast by thy mercy caused me to be born within thy peculiar fold the Christian Church where I was early consecrated to thee in Baptisme and have been partaker of all those spiritual helps which might aid me to performe that Vow I there made to thee and when by my own wilfulness or negligence I have failed to do it yet thou in thy manifold mercies hast not forsaken me but hast graciously invited me to repentance afforded me all means both outward and inward for it and with much patience hast attended and not cut me off in the acts of those many damning sins I have committed as I have most justly deserved It is O Lord thy Restraining grace alone by which I have been keept back from any the greatest sins and it is thy Inciting and Assisting grace alone by which I have been enabled to do any the least good therefore not unto me not unto me but unto thy name be the praises For these and all other thy spiritual blessings my soul doth magnifie the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy Name I likewise Praise thee for those many outward Blessings I enjoy as health friends food and raiment the comforts as well as the necessaries of this life for those continual Protections of thy hand by which I and mine are kept from dangers and those gracious Deliverances thou hast often afforded out of such as have befallen me and for that mercy of thine whereby thou hast sweetned and allayed those Troubles thou hast not seen fit wholly to remove for thy particular Preservation of me this night and all other thy goodness towards me Lord grant that I may render thee not only the fruit of my lips but the obedience of my life that so these blessings here may be an earnest of those richer blessings thou hast prepared for those that love thee and that for his sake whom thou hast made the Author of Eternal Salvation to all that obey him even Jesus Christ A Confession O Righteous Lord who hatest iniquitie I thy sinful creature cast my self at thy feet acknowledging that I most justly deserve to be utterly abhorred and forsaken by thee for I have drunk iniquitie like water gone on in a continued course of sin and rebellion against thee daily committing those things thou forbiddest and leaving undone those things thou commandest mine heart which should be an habitation for thy spirit is become a cage of unclean birds of foul and disordered affections and out of this abundance of the heart my mouth speaketh my hands act so that in thought word and deed I continually transgress against thee Here mention the greatest of thy sins Nay O Lord I have despised that goodness of thine which should lead me to Repentance hardning my heart against all those means thou hast used for my amendment And now Lord what can I expect from thee but judgement and fierie indignation that is indeed the due reward of my sins But O Lord there is mercie with thee that thou mayest be feared O fit me for that mercie by giving me a deep and heartie Repentance and then according to thy goodness let thy anger and thy wrath be turned away from me look upon me in thy Son my blessed Saviour and for the merit of his sufferings pardon all my sins And Lord I beseech thee by the power of thy grace so to renew and
purifie my heart that I may become a new creature utterly forsaking everie evil way and living in constant sincere universal obedience to thee all the rest of my dayes that behaving my self as a good and faithful servant I may by thy mercie at the last be received into the joy of my Lord Grant this for Jesus Christ his sake A Prayer for Grace O Most gracious God from whom everie good and perfect gift cometh I wretched creature that am not able of my self so much as to think a good thought beseech thee to work in me both to Will and Do according to thy good pleasure Inlighten my minde that I may know thee and let me not be barren or unfruitful in that knowledge Lord work in my heart a true Faith a purifying Hope and an unfeigned Love towards thee give me a full Trust on thee Zeal for thee Reverence of all things that relate to thee make me Fearful to offend thee Thankful for thy mercies Humble under thy corrections Devout in thy Service Sorrowful for my sins and grant that in all things I may behave my self so as befits a creature to his Creatour a servant to his Lord enable me likewise to perform that Dutie I owe to my self give me that Meekness Humilitie and Contentedness whereby I may alwayes possess my soul in Patience and Thankfulness make me Diligent in all my duties Watchful against all temptations perfectly pure and Temperate and so moderate in my most lawful enjoyments that they never become a snare to me make me also O Lord to be so affected towards my Neighbour that I never transgress that royal Law of thine of loving him as my self grant me exactly to perform all parts of Justice yielding to all whatsoever by any kinde of Right becomes their due and give me such bowels of Mercie and compassion that I may never fail to do all acts of Charitie to all men whether friends or enemies according to thy command and example Finally I beseech thee O Lord to sanctifie me throughout that my whole spirit and soul and bodie may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glorie for ever Amen Intercession O Blessed Lord whose mercie is over all thy works I beseech thee to have mercie upon all men and grant that the precious ransom which was paid by thy Son for all may be effectual to the saving of all Give thy inlightning Grace to those that are in darkness and thy converting grace to those that are in sin look with thy tenderest compassions upon the Universal Church O be favourable and gracious unto Sion build thou the walls of Jerusalem unite all those that profess thy Name to thee by Puritie and Holiness and to each other by Brotherly love Have mercie on This desolate Church and sinful Nation thou hast moved the Land and divided it heal the sores thereof for it shaketh make us so truly to repent of those sins which have provoked thy Judgements that thou also may'st turn and repent and leave a blessing behinde thee Bless those whom thou hast appointed our governours whether in Church or State so rule their hearts and strengthen their hands that they may neither want will nor power to punish wickedness and vice and to maintain Gods true Religion and Vertue Have pitie O Lord on all that are in affliction be a Father to the fatherless and plead the cause of the Widow comfort the feeble-minded support the weak heal the sick relieve the needie defend the Oppressed administer to everie one according to their several necessities let thy blessings rest upon all that are near and dear to me and grant them whatsoever thou seest necessarie either to their bodies or their souls Here name thy nearest Relations Reward all those that have done me good and pardon all those that have done or wisht me evil and work in them and me all that good which may make us acceptable in thy sight through Jesus Christ For Preservation O Merciful God by whose bountie alone it is that I have this day added to my life I beseech thee so to guide me in it by thy grace that I may do nothing which may dishonour thee or wound my own soul but that I may diligently apply my self to do all such good works as thou hast prepared for me to walk in and Lord I beseech thee give thy Angels charge over me to keep me in all my wayes that no evil happen unto me nor any plague come nigh my dwelling but that I and mine may be safe under thy gracious protection through Jesus Christ O Lord pardon the wandrings and coldness of these petitions and deal with me not according either to my prayers or deserts but according to my needs and thine own rich mercies in Jesus Christ in whose blessed Name and Words I conclude these my imperfect Prayers saying Our Father c. Directions for Night AT NIGHT when it draws towards the time of rest bethink thy self how thou hast passed the day examine thine own heart what sin either of Thought Word or Deed thou hast committed what opportunity of doing good thou hast omitted and whatsoever thou findest to accuse thy self of confess humbly and penitently to God renew thy purposes and resolutions of amendment and beg his pardon in Christ and this not slightly and only as of course but with all devout earnestness and heartiness as thou wouldest do if thou wert sure thy death were as near approaching as thy sleep which for ought thou knowest may be so indeed and therefore thou shouldest no more venture to sleep unreconciled to God then thou wouldest dare to die so In the next place consider what special and extraordinary mercies thou hast that day received as if thou hast had any great deliverance either in thy inward man from some dangerous temptations or in thy outward from any great and apparent danger and offer to God thy hearty and devout praise for the same or if nothing extraordinary have so happened and thou hast been kept even from the approach of danger thou hast not the less but the greater cause to magnifie God who hath by his protection so guarded thee that not so much as the fear of evil hath assaulted thee And therefore omit not to pay him the tribute of humble thankfulness as well for his usuall and daily preservations as his more extraordinary deliverances And above all endeavour still by the considerations of his mercies to have thy heart the more closely knit to him remembring that every favour received from him is a new engagement upon thee to love and obey him Prayers for Night O Holy blessed and glorious Trinity three persons and one God have mercy upon me a miserable sinner Lord I know not what to pray for as I ought O let thy Spirit help my infirmities and enable me to offer up a spiritual Sacrifice acceptable unto thee by
Jesus Christ A Confession O MOST Holy Lord God who art of purer eyes then to behold iniquity how shall I abominable wretch dare to appear before thee who am nothing but pollution I am defiled in my very nature having a backwardness to all good and a readiness to all evil but I have defiled my self yet much worse by my own actual sins and wicked customes I have transgrest my duty to Thee my Neighbour and my Self and that both in thought in word in deed by doing those things which thou hast expresly forbidden and by neglecting to do those things thou hast commanded me And this not only through ignorance and frailty but knowingly and wilfully against the motions of thy Spirit and the checks of my own conscience to the contrary And to make all these out of measure sinful I have gone on in a daily course of repeating these provocations against thee notwithstanding all thy calls to and my own purposes and vows of amendment yea this very day I have not ceased to adde new sins to all my former guilts Here name the particulars And now O Lord what shall I say or how shall I open my mouth seeing I have done these things I know that the wages of these sins is death but O thou who willest not the death of a sinner have mercy upon me work in me I beseech thee a sincere contrition and a perfect hatred of my sins and let me not daily confess and yet as dayly renew them but grant O Lord that from this instant I may give a bill of Divorce to to all my most beloved lusts and then be thou pleased to marry me to thy self in truth in righteousnes holiness And for al my past sins O Lord receive a reconciliation accept of that ransome thy blessed Son hath paid for me and for his sake whom thou hast set forth as a propitiation pardon all my offencies and receive me to thy favour And when thou hast thus spoken peace to my soul Lord keep me that I turn not any more to folly but so establish me with thy grace that no temptation of the world the Divil or my own flesh may ever draw me to offend thee that being made free from sin and becoming a servant unto God I may have my fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord A Thanksgiving O thou Father of Mercies who art kind even to the unthankful I acknowledge my self to have abundantly experimented that gracious propertie of thine for notwithstanding my dayly provocations against thee thou still heapest mercy and loving kindness upon me All my contempts and despisings of thy spiritual favours have not yet made thee withdraw them but in the riches of thy goodness and long suffering thou still continuest to me the offers of grace and life in thy Son And all my abuses of thy temporal blessings thou hast not punished with an utter deprivation of them but art still pleased to afford me a liberal portion of them The sins of this day thou hast not repayed as justly thou might'st by sweeping me away with a swift destruction but hast spared and preserved me according to the greatness of thy mercy Here mention the particular mercies of that day What shal I render unto the Lord for all these benefits he hath done unto me Lord let this goodness of thine lead me to repentance and grant that I may not only offer thee thanks and praise but may also order my conversation aright that so I may at the last see the salvation of God through Jesus Christ Here use the Prayer for Grace and that of Intercession appointed for the Morning For Preservation O blessed Lord the Keeper of Israel that neither slumbrest nor sleepest be pleased in thy mercie to watch over me this night keep me by thy grace from all works of darkness and defend me by thy power from all dangers grant me moderate and refreshing sleep such as may fit me for the duties of the day following And Lord make me ever mindful of that time when I shall lie down in the dust and because I know neither the day nor the houre of my Masters coming grant me grace that I may be always readie that I may never live in such a state as I shall fear to die in but that whether I live I may live unto the Lord or whether I die I may die unto the Lord so that living and dying I may be thine through Jesus Christ Vse the same concluding prayer as in the Morning AS thou art putting off thy clothes think with thy self that the time approaches that thou must put off thy body also and then thy Soul must appear naked before Gods judgment Seat and therefore thou hadst need be careful to make it so clean and pure by repentance and holiness that he who will not look on iniquity may graciously behold and accept it Let thy Bed put the in mind of thy Grave and when thou lyest down say O Blessed Saviour who by thy precious death and burial didst take away the sting of death and power of the grave grant me the joyful fruits of that thy victory and be thou to me in life and death advantage I will lay me down in peace and take my rest for it is thou Lord only that makest me dwell in safety Into thy hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed it O Lord thou God of truth IN the ANTIENT CHURCH there were besides morning and night four other times every day which were called HOURS OF PRAYER and the zeal of those first Christians was such as made them constantly observed It would be thought too great a strictness now in this luke-warm age to enjoyn the like frequency yet I cannot but mention the example and say that for those who are not by very necessary business prevented it will be but reasonable to imitate it and make up in publick and private those FOUR TIMES of PRAYER besides the OFFICES already set down for MORNING and NIGHT and that none may be to seek how to exercise their devotions at these times I have added divers COLLECTS for several Graces whereof every man may use at each such time of prayer so many as his zeal and leisure shall point out to him adding if he please one of the confessions appointed for morning or night and never omitting the LODRS PRAYER But if any mans state of life be really so busie as will not allow him time for so long and solemn devotions yet certainly there is no man so overlayed with business but that he may finde leisure oftentimes in a day to say the LORDS PRAYER alone and therefore let him use that if he cannot more But because it is the Character of a Christian Phil. 3. 20. That he hath his conversation in Heaven it is very fit that besides these set times of Prayer he should divers times in a day by short and suddain EJACULATIONS dart up
his soul thither And for this sort of devotion no man can want leisure for it may be performed in the midst of business the Artificer at his work the Husband man at his Plough may practice it Now as he cannot want time so that he may not want matter for it I have thought it not unuseful out of that rich store-house the BOOK of PSALMS to furnish him with some texts which may very fitly be used for this purpose which being learned by heart will alwayes be ready at hand to imploy his devotion and the matter of them being various some for Pardon of sin some for Grace some for the light of Gods countenance some for the Church some for Thanksgiving c. every man may fit himself according to the present need and temper of his soul I have given these not as a full collection but only as a taste by which the Readers appetite may be raised to search after more in that Book and other parts of holy Scripture COLLECTS for several GRACES For Faith O Blessed Lord whom without Faith it is impossible to please let thy spirit I beseech thee work in me such a Faith as may be acceptable in thy sight even such as worketh by love O let me not rest in a dead ineffectual Faith but grant that it may be such as may shew it self by my works that it may be that victorious Faith which may enable me to overcome the world and conform me to the Image of that Christ on whom I believe that so at the last I may receive the end of my Faith even the salvation of my soul by the same Jesus Christ For Hope O Lord who art the hope of all the ends of the earth let me never be destitute of a well grounded hope nor yet possest with a vain presumption suffer me not to think thou wilt either be reconciled to my sins or reject my repentance but give me I beseech thee such a hope as may be answerable to the only ground of hope thy promises and such as may both incourage and enable me to purifie my self from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit that so it may indeed become to me an anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast entring even within the vail whither the forerunner is for me entred even Jesus Christ my High Priest and blessed Redeemer For the Love of God O Holy and gracious Lord who art infinitely excellent in thy self and infinitely bountiful and compassionate towards me I beseech thee suffer not my heart to be so hardned through the deceitfulness of sin as to resist such charms of love but let them make deep and lasting impressions on my soul Lord thou art pleased to require my heart and thou only hast right to it O let me not be so sacrilegiously unjust as to alienate any part of it but enable me to render it up whole and intire to thee But O my God thou seest it is alreadie usurped the world with its vanities hath seized it and like a strong man armed keeps possession O thou who art stronger come upon him and take this unworthy heart of mine as thine own spoil refine it with that purifying fire of thy love that it may be a fit habitation for thy Spirit Lord if thou see it fit be pleased to let me taste of those joyes those ravishments of thy love wherewith thy Saints have been so transported But if in this I know not what I ask if I may not chuse my place in thy Kingdome yet O Lord denie me not to drink of thy cup let me have such a sinceritie and degree of love as may make me endure any thing for thy sake such a perfect love as may cast out all fear and all sloth too that nothing may seem to me too grievous to suffer or too difficult to do in obedience to thee that so expressing my love by keeping thy Commandments I may by thy mercie at last obtain that Crown of life which thou hast promised to those that love thee through Jesus Christ our Lord For Sincerity O Holy Lord who requirest truth in the inward parts I humbly beseech thee to purge me from all hypocrisie and unsinceritie The heart O Lord is deceitful above all things and my heart is deceitful above all hearts O thou who searchest the heart and reins try me and seek the ground of my heart and suffer not any accursed thing to lurk within me but purifie me even with fire so thou consume my dross O Lord I cannot deceive thee but I may most easily deceive my self I beseech thee let me not rest in any such deceit but bring me to a sight and hatred of my most hidden corruptions that I may not cherish any darling lust but make an utter destruction of everie Amalekite O suffer me not to speak peace to my self when there is no peace but grant I may judge of my self as thou judgest of me that I may never be at peace with my self till I am at perfect peace with thee and by puritie of heart be qualified to see thee in thy Kingdome through Jesus Christ For devotion in Prayer O Gracious Lord God who not only permittest but invitest us miserable and needie creatures to present our petitions to thee grant I beseech thee that the frequencie of my prayer may be somewhat proportionable to those continual needs I have of thy mercie Lord I confess it is the greatest honour and greatest advantage thus to be allowed access to thee yet so sottish and stupid is my profane heart that it shuns or frustrates the opportunities of it My Soul O Lord is possest with a spirit of infirmitie it is bowed together and can in no wise lift up it self to thee O be thou pleased to cure this sad this miserable disease to inspirit and enliven this earthly drossie heart that it may freely mount towards thee that I may set a true value on this most valuable priviledge and take delight in approaching to thee and that my approaches may be with a reverence some way answerable to that awful Majestie I come before with an importunitie and earnestness answerable to those pressing wants I have to be supplied and with such a fixedness and attention of mind as no wandring thoughts may interrupt that I may no more incur the guilt of drawing near to thee with my lips when my heart is far from thee or have my prayers turned into sin but may so ask that I may receive seek that I may find knock that it may be opened unto me that from praying to thee here I may be translated to the praising thee eternally in thy glorie through the merits and intercession of Jesus Christ For Humility O Thou High and Loftie one that inhabitest Eternitie yet art pleased to dwell with the humble spirit pour into my heart I beseech thee that excellent grace of Humilitie which may utterly work out all those vain conceits I have of my self
art in Heaven O Lord who dwellest in the highest heavens thou art the Author of our being thou hast also begotten us again unto a lively hope and carriest towards us the tenderness bowels of a compassionate father O make us to render to thee the love and obedience of children and that we may resemble thee our father in heaven that place of true delight and purity give us a holy disdain of all the deceitful pleasures and foul pollutions of this world and so raise up our minds that we may alwaies have our conversation in heaven from whence we look for our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ 1. Hallowed be thy Name STrike such an awe into our hearts that we may humbly reverence thee in thy Name which is great wonderful and holy and carry such a sacred respect to all things that relate to thee and thy worship as may express our reverence to thy great Majestie Let all the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee 2. Thy Kingdom come EStablish thy Throne and rule for ever in our souls by the power of thy grace subdue al those rebellious corruptions that exalt themselves against thee they are those enemies of thine which would not thou should'st reign over them O let them be brought forth and slain before thee and make us such faithful subjects of this thy Kingdom of Grace that we may be capable of the Kingdom of Glory and then Lord Jesus come quickly 3. Thy will be done in earth c. ENABLE us by thy grace chearfully to suffer thy will in all thy inflictions and readily perform it in all thy commands give us of that heavenly zeal to thy service wherewith the blessed Angels of thy presence are inspired that we may obey thee with the like fervor and alacrity and that following them in their obedience we may be joyned with them to sing eternal praises in thy Kingdom to God and to the Lamb for ever 4. Give us this day our c. GIVE us that continuall supply of thy grace which may sustain and nourish our souls unto eternal life And be thou pleased also to provide for our bodies all those things which thou seest fit for their support through this our earthly pilgrimage and make us cheerfully to rest on thee for them first seeking thy Kingdome and the righteousness thereof and then not doubting but all these things shall be added unto us 5. Forgive us our Trespasses c. HEal our souls O Lord for we have sinned against thee let thy tender mercies abound towards us in the forgiveness of all our offences And grant O Lord that we may never forfeit this pardon of thine by denying ours to our brethren but give us those bowels of compassion to others which we stand in so much greater need of from thee that we may forgive as fully and finally upon Christs command as we desire to be forgiven for his merits and intercession 6. Lead us not into Tempt c. O LORD we have no strength against those multitudes of temptations that daily assault us only our eyes are upon thee O be thou pleased either to restrain them or assist us and in thy faithfulness suffer us not to be tempted above that we are able but in all our temptations make us a way to escape that we be not overcome by them but may when thou shalt call us to it resist even unto blood striving against sin that being faithful unto death thou mayest give us the crown of life For thine is the Kingdome c. HEAR us and graciously answer our petitions for thou art the great King over all the earth whose Power is infinite and art able to do for us above all that we can ask or think and to whom belongeth the Glory of all that good thou workest in us or for us Therefore blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne to our God for ever and ever Amen Pious EJACULATIONS taken out of the Book of PSALMS For Pardon of Sin HAVE mercy on me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin Turn thy face from my sins and put out all my misdeeds My misdeeds prevail against me O be thou merciful unto my sins Enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified For thy names sake O Lord be merciful unto my sin for it is great Turn thee O Lord and deliver my soul O save me for thy mercies sake For Grace TEACH me to do the thing that pleaseth thee for thou art my God Teach me thy way O Lord and I will walk in thy truth O knit my heart to thee that I may fear thy name Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me O let my heart be sound in thy statutes that I be not ashamed Incline my heart unto thy Testimonies and not to covetousness Turn away mine eyes lest they behold vanity and quicken thou me in thy way I am a stranger upon earth O hide not thy Commandements from me Lord teach me to number my dayes that I may apply my heart unto wisdome For the Light of Gods Countenance LORD why abhorrest thou my soul and hidest thy face from me O hide not thou thy face from me nor cast thy servant away in displeasure Thy loving kindness is better then life it self Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me Comfort the Soul of thy servant for unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul Thanksgiving I WILL always give thanks unto the Lord his praise shall ever be in my mouth Thou art my God and I will thank thee thou art my God and I will praise thee I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will praise my God whilst I have my being Praised be God which hath not cast out my prayer nor turned his mercy from me Blessed be the Lord God even the God of Israel which only doth wondrous things And blessed be the Name of his Majestie for ever and all the earth shall be filled with his Majestie Amen Amen For Deliverance from Trouble BE merciful unto me O Lord be merciful unto me for my Soul trusteth in thee and under the shadow of thy wings shall be my refuge until these calamities be over-past Deliver me O Lord from mine enemies for I flie unto thee to hide me O keep my Soul and deliver me let me not be confounded for I have put my trust in thee Mine eyes are ever looking unto the Lord for he shall pluck my feet out of the net Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and in misery The sorrows of my heart are enlarged O bring thou me out of my troubles For the Church OBE favourable and gracious unto Sion build thou the
hurt to our neighbour Rejoycing when any Evil befalls him Neglecting to make what Satisfaction we can for any sort of injury done to our neighbour POSITIVE JUSTICE HUMILITY LYING CHurlish and proud behaviour to Others Froward and peevish Conversation Bitter and Reproachful language Cursing Not paying the Respect due to the qualities or gifts of others Proudly overlooking them Seeking to lessen others Esteem of them Not imploying our Abilities whether of minde or Estate in administring to those whose Wants require it GRATITUDE UNthankfulness to our Benefactors Especially those that admonish us Not amending upon their Reproof Being angry at them for it Not reverencing our Civil Parent the lawful Magistrate Judging and speaking evil of him Gâ—â—dging his just Tributes Sowing sedition among the people Reâ—â—â—ing to Obey his lawful Commands Rising up against him or taking part with them that do Despising our Spiritual Fathers Not loving them for their works sake Not obeying those commands of God they deliver to us Seeking to withhold from them their just maintenance Forsaking our lawful Pastors to follow factious teachers PARENTS STubborn and irreverent behaviour to our natural Parents Despising and publishing their infirmities Not loving them nor endeavouring to bring them comfort Contemning their Counsels Murmuring at their Government Coveting their Estates though by their death Not ministring to them in their Wants of all sorts Neglecting to Pray for Gods Blessing on these several sorts of Parents Want of natural affection to children Mothers reâ—osing to Nurse them without a just impedlment Not bringing them timely to Baptisme Not early instructing them in the ways of God Suffering them for want of timely correction to get Customes of sin Seâ—â—ing them Evil Examples Discouraging them by harsh and cruel usage Not providing for their subsistence according to our ability Consuming their Portions in our own riot Reserving all till our death and letting them want in the mean time Not seeking to entail a blessing on them by our Christian lives Not heartily praying for them Want of affection to our Natural brethren Envyings and heart-burnings towards them DUTY to BRETHREN NOt loving our spiritual brethren i. e. our fellow Christians Having no fellow-feeling of their sufferings Causelesly forsaking their Communion in Holy Duties Not taking deeply to heart the Desolations of the Church MARRIAGE MArrying within the degrees forbidden Marrying for undue ends as Covetousnes Lust c. Unkind froward and unquiet behaviour towards the Husband or Wife Unfaithfulness to the Bed Not bearing with the infirmities of each other Not endeavouring to advance one anothers good spiritual or temporal The Wife resisting the lawful command of her Husband Her striving for Rule and dominion over him Not praying for each other FRIENDSHIP UNfaithfulness to a Friend Betraying his secrets Denying him assistence in his needs Neglecting lovingly to admonish him Flattering him in his faults Forsaking his friendship upon slight or no cause Making leagues in sin instead of vertuous friendship SERVANTS SErvants disobeying the lawful coÌ„mands of their Masters Purloining their goods Carelesly wasting them Murmuring at their rebukes Idleness Eye-service MASTERS MAsters using servants tyrannically and cruelly Being too remiss and suffering them to neglect their duty Having no care of their Souls Not providing them means of instruction in Religion Not admonishing them when they commit Sins Not allowing them time and opportunity for prayer and the Worship of God CHARITY WAnt of bowels and Charity to our neighbours Not heartily desiring their good spiritual or temporal Not Loving and Forgiving Enemies Taking actual Revenges upon them Falseness professing kindness and acting none Not labouring to do all the good we can to the soul of our neighbour Not assisting him to our power in his Bodily distresses Not defending his good Name when we know him slander'd Denying him any neighbourly office to preserve or advance his estate Not defending him from oppression when we have power Not relieving him in his poverty Not giving liberally or chearfully GOING to LAW NOt loving PEACE Going to Law upon slight occasions Bearing inward Enmity to those we sue Not labouring to make peace among others THE use of this Catalogue of Sins is this Upon dayes of Humiliation especially before the Sacrament read them consideringly over and at every particular ask thine own heart Am I guilty of this And whatsoever by such Examination thou findest thy self faulty in Confess particularly and humbly to God with all the heightning circumstances which may any way increase their guilt and make serious Resolutions against every such Sin for the future after which thou mayest use this Form following O LORD I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee for my iniquities are increased over my head and my trespass is grown up even unto Heaven I have wrought all these great provocations and that in the most provoking manner they have not been only single but repeated acts of sin for O Lord of all this black Catalogue which I have now brought forth before thee how few are there which I have not often committed nay which are not become even habitual and customarie to me And to this frequencie I have added both a greediness and obstinacie in sinning turning into my course as the Horse rusheth into the battel doing evil with both hands earnestly yea hating to be reformed and casting thy words behinde me quenching thy spirit within me which testified against me to turn me from my evil wayes and frustrating all those outward means whether of judgement or mercie which thou hast used to draw me to thy self Nay O Lord even my repentances may be numbered amongst my greatest sins they have sometimes been feigned and hypocritical alwayes so slight and ineffectual that they have brought forth no fruit in amendment of life but I have still returned with the dog to his vomit and the sow to the mire again and have added the breach of resolutions and vows to all my former guilts Thus O Lord I am become out of measure sinful and since I have thus chosen death I am most worthy to take part in it even in the second death the lake of fire and brimstone This this O Lord is in justice to be the portion of my cup to me belongs nothing but shame and confusion of face eternally But to thee O Lord God belongeth mercie and forgiveness though I have rebelled against thee O remember not my sins and offences but according to thy mercie think thou upon me O Lord for thy goodness Thou sentest thy Son to seek and to save that which was lost behold O Lord I have gone astraie like a sheep that is lost O seek thy servant and bring me back to the Shepherd and Bishop of my soul let thy spirit work in me a heartie sense and detestation of all my abominations that true contrition of heart which thou hast promised not to despise And then be thou pleased to look on me to take away all iniquitie and receive
and patience prevail against all the tremblings of my corrupt heart that no terrors may ever be able to shake my constancie but that how long soever thou shalt permit the rod of the wicked to lie on my back I may never put my hand unto wickedness Lord thou knowest whereof I am made thou remembrest that I am but flesh and flesh O Lord shrinks at the approach of any thing grievous It is thy Spirit thy Spirit alone that can uphold me O stablish me with thy free Spirit that I be not wearie and faint in my mind And by how much the greater thou discernest my weakness so much the more do thou shew forth thy power in me and make me O Lord in all temptations stedfastly to look to thee the author and finisher of my faith that so I may run the race which is set before me and resist even unto blood striving against sin O dear Jesus hear me and though Satan desire to have me that he may winnow me as wheat yet do thou O blessed Mediator pray for me that my faith fail not but that though it be tried with fire it may be found unto praise and glorie and honour at thy appearing And O Lord I beseech thee grant that I may preserve not only constancie towards God but charitie also towards men even those whom thou shalt permit to be the instruments of my sufferings Lord let me not fail to imitate that admirable meekness of thine in loving and praying for my greatest persecutors and do thou O Lord overcome all their evil with thy infinite goodness turn their hearts and draw them powerfully to thy self and at last receive both me and mine enemies into those mansions of peace and rest where thou reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost one God for ever A Prayer in time of Affliction O JUST and holy Lord who with rebukes dost chasten man for sin I desire unfeignedly to humble my self under thy mightie hand which now lies heavie upon me I heartily acknowledge O Lord that all I do all I can suffer is but the due reward of my deeds and therefore in thy severest inflictions I must still say righteous art thou O Lord and upright are thy judgements But O Lord I beseech thee in judgement remember mercie and though my sins have inforced thee to strike yet consider my weakness and let not thy stripes be more heavie or more lasting then thou seest profitable for my soul correct me but with the chastisement of a father not with the wounds of an enemie and though thou take not off thy rod yet take away thine anger Lord do not abhor my soul nor cast thy servant away in displeasure but pardon my sins I beseech thee and if yet in thy Fatherly wisdome thou see fit to prolong thy corrections thy blessed will be done I cast my self O Lord at thy feet do with me what thou pleasest Trie me as silver is tried so thou bring me out purified And Lord make even my flesh also to subscribe to this resignation that there may be nothing in me that may rebel against thy hand but that having perfectly supprest all repining thoughts I may chearfully drink of this cup And how bitter soever thou shalt please to make it Lord let it prove medicinal and cure all the diseases of my soul that it may bring forth in me the peaceable fruit of righteousness That so these light afflictions which are but for a moment may work for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glorie through Jesus Christ A Thanksgiving for Deliverance O Blessed Lord who art gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repentest thee of the evil I thankfully acknowledge before thee that thou hast not dealt with me after my sins nor rewarded me according to my iniquities My rebellions O Lord deserve to be scourged with Scorpions and thou hast corrected them only with a gentle and fatherly Rod neither hast thou suffered me to lie long under that but hast given me a timely and a gracious issue out of my late distresses O Lord I will be glad and rejoyce in thy mercie for thou hast considered my trouble and hast known my soul in adversitie Thou hast smitten and thou hast healed me O let these various methods of thine have their proper effects upon my soul that I who have felt the smart of thy chastisements may stand in awe and not fin and that I who have likewise felt the sweet refreshings of thy mercie may have my heart ravished with it and knit to thee in the firmest bands of love and that by both I may be preserved in a constant entire obedience to thee all my dayes through Jesus Christ Directions for the time of Sickness WHEN thou findest thy self visited with Sickness thou art immediately to remember that it is God which with rebukes doth chasten man for sin And therefore let thy first care be to find out what it is that provokes him to smite thee and to that purpose Examine thine own heart search diligently what guilts lie there confess them humbly and penitently to God and for the greater security renew thy Repentance for all the old sins of thy former life beg most earnestly and importunately his mercy and pardon in Christ Jesus and put on sincere and zealous resolutions of forsaking every evil way for the rest of that time which God shall spare thee And that thy own heart deceive thee not in this so weighty a business it will be wisdome to send for some godly Divine not only to assist thee with his prayers but with his counsel also And to that purpose open thy heart so freely to him that he may be able to judge whether thy Repentance be such as may give thee confidence to appear before Gods dreadful Tribunal and that if it be not he may help thee what he can towards the making it so And when thou hast thus provided for thy better part thy Soul then consider thy Body also and as the Wise man saith Ecclus. 38. 12. Give place to the Physician for the Lord hath created him Vse such means as may be most likely to recover thy health but always remember that the success of them must come from God and beware of Asa's sin who sought to the Physicians and not to the Lord 2 Chro. 6. 12. Dispose also betimes of thy temporal affairs by making thy Will and setting all things in such order as thou meanest finally to leave them in and defer it not till thy sickness grow more violent for then perhaps thou shalt not have such use of thy Reason as may fit thee for it or if thou have it wil be then much more seasonable to imploy thy thoughts on higher things on the world thou art going to rather then that thou art about to leave we cannot carry the things of this world with us when we go hence and it is not fit we should carry the
thoughts of them Therefore let those be early dispatched that they may not disturb thee at last A Prayer for a sick person O Merciful and Righteous Lord the God of health and of sickness of life and of death I most unfeignedly acknowledge that my great abuse of those manie dayes of strength and welfare which thou hast afforded me hath most justly deserved thy present visitation I desire O Lord humbly to accept of this punishment of mine iniquitie and to bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him And O thou merciful Father who designest not the ruine but the amendment of those whom thou scourgest I beseech thee by thy grace so to sanctifie this correction of thine to me that this sickness of my bodie may be a means of health to my soul make me diligent to search my heart and do thou O Lord enable me to discover everie accursed thing how closely soever concealed there that by the removal thereof I may make way for the removal of this punishment Heal my soul O Lord which hath sinned against thee and then if it be thy blessed will heal my bodie also restore the voice of joy and health unto my dwelling that I may live to praise thee and to bring forth fruits of repentance But if in thy wisdome thou hast otherwise disposed if thou hast determined that this sickness shall be unto death I beseech thee to fit and prepare me for it give me that sincere and earnest repentance to which thou hast promised mercie and pardon wean my heart from the world and all its fading vanities and make me to gasp and pant after those more excellent and durable joys which are at thy right hand for ever Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me and in all the pains of my bodie in all the agonies of my spirit let thy comforts refresh my soul and enable me patiently to wait till my change come And grant O Lord that when my earthly house of this Tabernacle is dissolved I may have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens And that for his sake who by his precious blood hath purchased it for me even Jesus Christ A Thanks giving for Recovery O Gracious Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh in whose hand my time is I praise and magnifie thee that thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption and restored me to health again it is thou alone O Lord that hast preserved my life from destruction thou hast chastened and corrected me but thou hast not given me over unto death O let this life which thou hast thus graciously spared be wholly consecrated to thee Behold O Lord I am by thy mercie made whole O make me strictly careful to sin no more lest a worse thing come unto me Lord let not this reprieve thou hast now given me make me secure as thinking that my Lord delayeth his coming but grant me I beseech thee to make a right use of this long suffering of thine and so to imploy everie minute of that time thou shalt allow me that when thou shalt appear I may have confidence and not be ashamed before thee at thy coming Lord I have found by this approach towards death how dreadful a thing it is to be taken unprepared O let it be a perpetual admonition to me to watch for my Masters coming And when the pleasures of sin shall present themselves to entice me O make me to remember how bitter they will be at the last O Lord hear me and as thou hast in much mercie afforded me time so grant me also grace to work out my own salvation to provide oile in my lamp that when the Bridegroom cometh I may go with him to the marriage Grant this I beseech thee for thy dear Sons sake A Prayer at the approach of Death O Eternal and everliving God who first breathedst into man the breath of life and when thou takest away that breath he dies and is turned again to his dust look with compassion on me thy poor crature who am now drawing near the gates of death and which is infinitely more terrible the bar of Judgement Lord my own heart condemns me and thou art infinitely greater then my heart and knowest all things The sins I know and remember fill me with horrour but there are also multitudes of others which I either observed not at the time or have since carelesly forgot which are all present to thee Thou settest my misdeeds before thee and my secret sins in the light of thy countenance and to what a mountainous heap must the minutely provocations of so manie years arise How shall one so ungodly stand in thy Judgement or such a sinner in the Congregation of the Righteous And to adde yet more to my terrour my verie repentance I fear will not abide the trial my frequent relapses heretofore have sufficiently witnessed the unsinceritie of my past resolutions And then O Lord what can secure me that my present dislikes of my sins are not rather the effects of my amazing danger then of any real change And O Lord I know thou art not mocked nor wilt accept of any thing that is not perfectly sincere O Lord when I consider this fearfulness and trembling comes upon me and an horrible dread overwhelmeth me my flesh trembleth for fear of thee and my heart is wounded within me But O Lord one deep calleth upon another the depth of my miserie upon the depth of thy mercie Lord save now or I perish eternally O thou who willest not that any should perish but that all should come to repentance bring me I beseech thee though thus late to a sincere Repentance such as thou wilt accept who triest the heart Create in me O God a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me Lord one day is with thee as a thousand years O let thy mightie spirit work in me now in this my last day whatsoever thou seest wanting to fit me for thy mercie and acceptation Give me a perfect and entire hatred of my sins and enable me to present thee with that sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart which thou hast promised not to despise that by this I may be made capable of that atonement which thy dear Son hath by the more excellent oblation of himself made for all repenting sinners He is the propitiation for our sins he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was o him O heal me by his stripes and let the cry of his blood drown the clamour of my sins I am indeed a childe of wrath but he is the Son of thy love for his sake spare me O Lord spare thy creature whom he hath redeemed with his most precious blood and be not angrie with me for ever In his wounds O Lord I take Sanctuarie O let not
deliver my soul O dear Jesus who hast bought me with the precious price of thine own blood challenge now thy purchase and let not all the malice of Hell pluck me out of thy hand O blessed high Priest who art able to save them to the utmost who come unto God by thee save me I beseech thee who have no hope but on thy merits and intercession O God I confess I have defaced that Image of thine thou didst imprint upon my Soul Yet O thou faithful Creator have pity on thy creature O Jesu I have by my many and grievous sins crucified thee afresh yet thou who prayedst for thy persecutors interceed for me also and suffer not O my Redeemer my soul the price of thy blood to perish O Spirit of grace I have by my horrid impieties done despight to thee yet O Blessed Comforter though I have often grieved thee be thou pleased to succour and relieve me and say unto my soul I am thy salvation Mine eyes look unto thee O Lord in thee is my trust O cast not out my soul O Lord in the have I trusted let me never be confounded O Blessed Lord who scourgest every Son whom thou receivest let me not be weary of thy correction but give me such a perfect subjection to thee the Father of Spirits that this chastisement may be for my profit that I may thereby be partaker of thy holiness O thou Captain of my Salvation who wert made perfect by sufferings sanctifie to me all the pains of body all the terrours of mind which thou shalt permit to fall upon me Lord my fins have deserved eternal torments make me chearfully and thankfully to bear my present pains chasten me as thou pleasest here that I may not be condemned with the world Lord the waters are come in even unto my soul O Let thy Spirit move upon these waters and make them like the pool of Bethesda that they may cure whatsoever spiritual disease thou discernest in me O Christ who first sufferedst many and grievous things and then enteredst into thy glory make me so to suffer with thee that I may also be glorified with thee O dear Jesus who humbledst thy self to the death of the Cross for me let that death of thine sweeten the bitterness of mine When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death thou didst open the Kingdome of heaven to all believers I believe that thou shalt come to be my Judge I pray thee therefore help thy servant whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood Make me to be numbred with thy Saints in glory everlasting Thou art the resurrection and the life he that believeth in thee though he were dead yet shall he live Lord I believe help thou my unbelief My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is far better Lord I groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with that house from heaven I desire to put off this my tabernacle O be pleased to receive me into everlasting habitations Bring my soul out of prison that I may give thanks unto thy name Lord I am here to wrestle not only with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness O take me from these tents of Kedar into the heavenly Jerusalem where Satan shall be utterly trodden under my feet I cannot here attend one minute to thy service without distraction O take me up to stand before thy Throne where I shall serve thee day and night I am here in heaviness through many tribulations O receive me into that place of rest where all tears shall be wiped from my eyes where there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor pain I am here in a state of banishment and absence from the Lord O take me where I shall for ever behold thy face and follow the Lamb whither soever he goeth I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness O Blessed Jesu who hast loved me and washed me from my sins in thine own blood receive my soul Into thy hands I commend my Spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth Come Lord Jesu come quickly PRAYERS for their use who Mourn in secret for the PUBLICK CALAMITIES c. Psalm 74. O God wherefore art thou absent from us so long why is thy wrath so hot against the sheep of thy pasture c. Psal. 79. O God the Heathen are come into thine inheritance thy holy temple have they defiled and made Jerusalem an heap of stones c. Psal. 80. Hear O thon shepherd of Israel thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep shew thy self also thou that sittest upon the Cherubims c. A Prayer to be used in these times of Calamity O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth I desire humbly to confess before thee both on my own behalf that of this Nation that these many years of calamitie we have groaned under are but the just yea milde returns of those many more years of our provocations against thee and that thy present wrath is but the due punishment of thy abused mercy O Lord thou hast formerly abounded to us in blessings above all people of the earth Thy candle shined upon our heads and we delighted our selves in thy great goodness Peace was within our walls and plenteousness within our palaces there was no decay no leading into Captivity and no complaining in our streets but we turned this Grace into wantonness we abused our Peace to Security our Plenty to riot luxury and made those good things which should have endeared our hearts to thee the occasion of enstranging them from thee Nay O Lord thou gavest us yet more precious mercies thou wert pleased thy self to pitch thy Tabernacle with us to establish a pure and glorious Church among us and give us thy Word to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our paths but O Lord we have made no other use of that light then to conduct us to the Chambers of death we have dealt proudly and not hearkned to thy Commandments and by rebelling against the light have purchased to our selves so much the heavier portion in the outer darkness And now O Lord had the overflowings of thy vengeance been answerable to that of our sin we had long since been swept away with a swift destruction and there had been none of us alive at this day to implore thy mercy But thou art a Gracious God slow to anger and hast proceeded with us with much patience and long-suffering thou hast sent thy Judgements to awake us to repentance and hast also allowed us space for it But alas we have perverted this mercy of thine beyond all the former we return not to him that smiteth us neither do we seek the Lord we are
sliden back by a perpetual backsliding no man repenteth him of his wickedness or saith what have I done 'T is true indeed we fear the rod we dread everie suffering so that we are ready to buy it off with the foulest sin but we fear not him that hath appointed it but by a wretched obstinacy harden our necks against thee and refuse to return now O God what balm is there in Gilead that can cure us who when thou wouldest heal us will not be healed we know thou hast pronounced that there is no peace to the wicked and how shall we then pray for peace that still retain our wickedness This this O Lord is our sorest disease O give us Medicines to heal this sickness heal our souls and then we know thou canst soon heal our Land Lord thou hast long spoken by thy Word to our ears by thy Judgements even to all our senses but unless thou speak by thy Spirit to our hearts all other Calls will still be uneffectual O send out this voice and that a mightie voice such as may awake us out of this Lechargie Thou that didst call Lazarus out of the grave O be pleased to call us who are Dead yea putrified in trespasses and sins and make us to awake to righteousness And though O Lord our frequent resistences even of those inward Calls have justly provoked thee to give us up to the Lusts of our own heart yet O thou boundless Ocean of mercie who art good not only beyond what we can deserve but what we can wish do not withdraw the influence of thy grace and take not thy holy spirit from us Thou wert found of those that sought thee not O let that act of mercie be repeated to us who are so desperately yet so insensibly Sick that we cannot so much as look after the Physitian and by how much our case is the more dangerous so much the more soveraigne Remedies do thou apply Lord help us and consider not so much our unworthiness of thy aid as our irremediable ruine if we want it save Lord or we perish eternally To this end dispense to us in our temporal Interest what thou seest may best secure our Spiritual if a greater degree of outward Miserie will tend to the curing our inward Lord spare not thy Rod but strike yet more sharply Cast out this Devil though with never so much Foaming tearing But if thou seest that some Return of mercie may be most likely to melt us O be pleased so far to condescend to our wretchedness as to afford us that and whether by thy sharper or gentler methods bring us home to thy self And then O Lord we know thy hand is not shortned that it cannot save when thou hast delivered us from our sins thou canst and wilt deliver us from our troubles O shew us thy mercie and grant us thy salvation that being redeemed both in our bodies and spirits we may glorifie thee in both in a chearful obedience and praise the Name of our God that hath dealt wonderfully with us through Jesus Christ our Lord A Prayer for This Church O Thou great God of recompences who turnest a Fruitful land into Barrenness for the wickedness of them that dwell therein thou hast most justly executed that Fatal Sentence on this Church which having once been the perfection of Beautie the joy of the whole earth is now become a Scorn and derision to all that are round about her O Lord what could have been done to thy Vineyard that thou hast not done in it and since it hath brought forth nothing but wilde Grapes it is perfectly just with thee to take away the hedge thereof and let it be eaten up But O Lord though our iniquities testifie against us yet do thou it for thy Names sake for our backslidings are many we have sinned against thee O the hope of Israel the Saviour thereof in time of trouble why shouldst thou be as a stranger in the land as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarrie for a night Why shouldst thou be as a man astonied as a mightie man that cannot save Yet thou O Lord art in the midst of us and we are called by thy name leave us not deprive us of what outward enjoyment thou pleasest take from us the opportunities of our luxurie and it may be a mercie but O take not from us the means of our Reformation for that is the most direful expression of thy wrath And though we have hated the Light because our deeds were evil yet O Lord do not by withdrawing it condemn us to walk on still in darkness but let it continue to shine till it have guided our feet into the way of peace O Lord arise stir up thy strength and come and help us and deliver not the soul of thy Turtle Dove this disconsolate Church unto the multitude of the Enemie but help her O God and that right early But if O Lord our rebellions have so provoked thee that the Ark must wander in the Wilderness till all this murmuring Generation be consumed yet let not that perish with us but bring it at last into a Canaan and let our more innocent Posterity see that which in thy just judgement thou deniest to us In the mean time let us not cease to bewail that Desolation our sins have wrought to think upon the stones of Sion and pitie to see her in the dust nor ever be ashamed or afraid to own her in her lowest and most persecuted Condition but esteem the Reproach of Christ greater riches then the Treasures of Aegypt and so approve our constancie to this our afflicted Mother that her blessed Lord and Head may own us with mercie when he shall come in the glory of thee his Father with the holy Angels Grant this merciful Lord for the same Jesus Christ his sake A Prayer for the Peace of the Church LORD Jesus Christ which of thine Almightiness madest all creatures both visible and invisible which of thy godly wisdome governest and settest all things in most goodly order which of thine unspeakable goodness keepest defendest and furtherest all things which of thy deep mercy restorest the decayed renewest the fallen raisest the dead vouchsafe we pray thee at last to cast down thy countenance upon thy well beloved Spouse the Church but let it be that amiable and merciful countenance wherewith thou pacifiest all things in Heaven in earth and whatsoever is above Heaven and under the earth vonchsafe to cast upon us those tender and pitiful eyes with which thou didst once behold Peter that great Shepherd of thy Church and forthwith he remembred himself and repented with which eyes thou once didst view the scattered Multitude and wert moved with compassion that for lack of a good Shepherd they wandred as sheep dispersed and strayed asunder Thou seest O good Shepherd what sundrie sorts of Wolves have broken into thy sheep-cotes So that if it were possible the very perfect
persons should be brought into error Thou seest with what Windes with what Waves with what storms thy silly ship is tossed thy ship wherein thy little flock is in peril to be drowned And what is now left but that it utterly sink and we all perish Of this tempest and storm we may thank our own Wickedness and sinful living we discern it well and confess it we discern thy Righteousness and we bewail our unrighteousness But we appeal to thy Mercy which surmounteth all thy works we have now suffered much punishment being scourged with so many Wars consumed with such Losses of goods shaken with so many floods and yet appears there no where any Haven or Port unto us being thus tired and forlorn among so strange evils but still every day more grievous punishments and more seem to hang over our heads We complain not of thy sharpness most tender Saviour but we discern here also thy Mercy forasmuch as much grievouser plagues we have deserved But O most merciful Jesus we beseech thee that thou wilt not consider nor weigh what is due for our deservings but rather what becometh thy Mercy without which neither the Angels in Heaven can stand sure before thee much less we silly vessels of clay Have mercie on us O Redeemer which art easie to be intreated not that we be worthy of thy mercie but give thou this Glorie unto thine own Name Suffer not those which either have not known thee or do envie thy glorie continually to triumph over us and say Where is their God where is their Redeemer where is their Saviour where is their Bridegroom that they thus boast on These opprobrious words redound unto thee O Lord while by our evils men weigh and esteem thy Goodness they think we be Forsaken whom they see not amended Once when thou sleptst in the Ship and a Tempest suddenly arising threatned death to all in the Ship thou awokest at the outcrie of a few Diseiples and straightway at thine Almightie word the Waters couched the Winds fell the Storm was suddenly turned into a great calm the dum waters knew their makers voice Now in this far greater Tempest wherein not a few mens bodies be in danger but innumerable Souls we beseech thee at the crie of thy holy Church which is in danger of drowning that thou wilt awake So many thousands of men do crie Lord save us we perish the Tempest is past Mans power it is Thy word that must do the deed Lord Jesu only say thou with a word of thy mouth Cease O tempest and forthwith shall the desired calm appear Thou wouldst have spared so many thousands of most wicked men if in the City of Sodom had been found but ten good men Now here be so many Thousands of men which love the glorie of thy Name which sigh for the beautie of thy House and wilt thou not at these mens Prayers let goe thine Anger and remember thine accustomed and old mercies Shalt thou not with thy heavenly policie turn our folly into thy glory Shalt thou not turn the wicked mens evils into thy Churches good For thy mercie is wont then most of all to succour when the thing is with us past Remedie and neither the Might nor Wisdome of men can help it Thou alone bringest things that be never so out of order into order again which art the only Author and maintainer of Peace Thou framedst that old Confusion wherein without order without fashion confusedly lay the discordant seeds of things and with a wonderful order the things that of nature fought together Thou didst ally and knit in a perpetual band But how much greater Confusion is this where is no Charitie no Fidelitie no bonds of Love no reverence neither of Laws nor yet of Rulers no agreement of Opinions but as it were in a misordered Quire every man singeth a contrary note Among the Heavenly Planets is no dessention the Elements keep their place every one do the office whereunto they be appointed And wilt thou suffer thy Spouse for whose sake all things were made thus by continual discords to perish Shalt thou suffer the wicked Spirits which be authors and workers of discord to bear such a swing in thy Kingdome unchecked Shalt thou suffer the strong Captain of mischief whom thou once overthrewest again to invade thy Tents and to spoil thy Souldiers When thou wert here a man conversant among men at thy Voice fled the Divils Send forth we beseech thee O Lord thy Spirit which may drive away out of the brests of all them that profess thy Name the wicked Spirits masters of riot of covetousness of vain-glory of carnal lust of mischief and discord Create in us O our God and King a clean heart and renew thy holy Spirit in our brests pluck not from us thy holy Ghost Render unto us the joy of thy saving health and with thy principal Spirit strengthen thy Spouse and the Heardmen thereof By this Spirit thou reconciledst the earthly to the Heavenly By this thou didst frame and reduce so many Tongues so many Nations so many sundry sorts of men into one body of a Church which body by the same Spirit is knit to thee their Head This Spirit if thou wilt vouchsafe to renew in all mens hearts then shall all these forreign miseries cease or if they cease not they shall turn to the profit and avail of them which love thee Stay this Confusion set in order this horrible Chaos O Lord Jesus let thy Spirit stretch out it self upon these Waters of evil wavering Opinions And because thy spirit which according to thy Prophets saying containeth all things hath also the Science of speaking make that like as unto all them which be of thy House is one Light one Baptisme one God one Hope one Spirit so they may also have one Voice one Note one Song professing one Catholick truth When thou didst mount up to Heaven triumphantly thou threwst out from above thy precious things thou gavest Gifts amongst men thou dealtest sundry rewards of thy Spirit Renew again from above thy old bountifulness give that thing to thy Church now fainting and growing downward that thou gavest unto her shooting up at her first beginning Give unto Princes and Rulers the grace so to stand in awe of thee that they so may guide the Common-weal as they should shortly render accompt unto thee that art the King of Kings Give wisdome to be alwayes assistant unto them that whatsoever is best to be done they may espy it in their minds and pursue the same in their doings Give to the Bishops the gift of Prophesie that they may declare and interpret holy Scripture not of their own brain but of thine inspiring Give them the threefold Charity which thou once demandest of Peter what time thou didst betake unto him the charge of thy sheep Give to the Priests the love of Soberness and of Chastity Give to thy people a good will to follow thy Commandments and a readiness to obey such persons as thou hast appointed over them So shall it come to pass if through thy Gift thy Princes shall command that thou requirest if thy Pastors and Herdmen shall teach the same and thy People obey them both that the old Dignity Tranquillity of the Church shall return again with a goodly order unto the glory of thy Name Thou sparedst the Ninivites appointed to be destroyed as soon as they converted to repentance and wilt thou despise thy House falling down at thy feet which instead of sackcloth hath sighs and in stead of ashes tears Thou promisedst Forgiveness to such as turn unto thee but this self thing is thy Gift a man to turn with his whole heart unto thee to the intent all our goodness should reâ—ound unto thy glory Thou art the Maker repair the work that thou hast fashioned Thou art the Redeemer save that thou hast bought Thou art the Saviour suffer not them to perish which do hang on thee Thou art the Lord and owner challenge thy possession Thou art the Head help thy members Thou art the King give us a reverence of thy Laws Thou art the Prince of Peace breath upon us brotherly love Thou art the God have pity on thy humble beseechers be thou according to Pauls saying all things in all men to the intent the whole Quire of thy Church with agreeing minds and consonant voices for mercy obtained at thy hands may give thanks to the Father Son and Holy Ghost which after the most perfect example of concord be distinguished in property of Persons and one in nature to whom be praise and glory Eternally Amen FINIS
Lord convince me powerfully of my own wretchedness make me to see that I am miserable and poor and blind and naked and not only dust but sin that so in all thy dispensations towards me I may lay my hand upon my mouth and heartily acknowledge that I am less then the least of thy mercies and greater then the greatest of thy judgments And O Lord grant me not only to walk humbly with my God but even with men also that I may not only submit my self to thy rebukes but even to those of my fellow Christians and with meekness receive and obey their admonitions And make me so to behave my self towards all that I never do any thing through strife or vain glorie and to that end grant that in lowliness of mind I may esteem everie other man better then my self and be willing that others should esteem them so also that I never nourish any high opinion of my self nor covet one among others but that despising the vain praise of men I may seek that praise which cometh from thee only That so instead of those mean servile Arts I have used to recommend me to the esteem of men I may now imploy all my industrie and care to approve my self to thee who resistest the proud and givest grace to the humble grant this O Lord for his sake who humbled himself unto the death of the Cross Jesus Christ For the Fear of God O Glorious Majestie who only art high and to be feared possess my soul with a Holy awe and reverence of thee that I may give thee the honour due unto thy Name and may bear such a respect to all things which relate to thee that I may never prophane any holy thing or sacrilegiously invade what thou hast set a part to thy self And O Lord since thou art a God that wilt not clear the guiltie let the dread of thy justice make me tremble to provoke thee in any thing O let me not so misplace my fear as to be afraid of a man that shall die and of the son of man who shall be made as grass and forget the Lord my Maker but replenish my soul with that fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdome which may be as a bridle to all my brutish appetites and keep me in a constant conformitie to thy Holy will Hear me O Lord I beseech thee and put this fear in my heart that I may not depart from thee but may with fear and trembling work out my own salvation through Jesus Christ For Trust on God O Almightie Lord who never failest them that trust on thee give me grace I beseech thee in all my difficulties and distresses to have recourse to thee to rest and depend on thee thou shalt keep him O Lord in perfect peace whose mind is staid on thee O let me alwayes rest on this firm Pillar and never exchange it for the broken reeds of worldly succours suffer not my heart to be overcharged with the cares of this life taking thought what I shall eat or drink or wherewithal I shall be clothed but grant that having by honest labour and industrie done my part I may chearfully commit my self to thy providence casting all my care upon thee and being careful for nothing but to be of the number of those whom thou ownest and carest for even such as keep thy Testimonies and think upon thy Commandments to do them That seeking first thy Kingdome and the righteousness thereof all these outward things may be added unto me in such a measure as thy wisdome knows best for me grant this O Lord for Jesus Christ his sake For Thankfulness O most Gracious and bountiful Lord who fillest all things living with good and expectest no other return but praise thanksgiving let me O Lord never defraud thee of that so easie tribute but let my heart be ever filled with the sence and my mouth with the acknowledgement of thy mercies It is a joyfull and a pleasant thing to be thankfull O suffer me not I beseech the to lose my part in that Divine pleasure but grant that as I dayly receive blessings from thee so I may daily from an affectionate and devout heart offer up thanks to thee and grant that not only my lips but my life may shew forth thy praise by consecrating my self to thy service and walking in Holiness and Righteousness before thee all the days of my life through Jesus Christ my Lord and blessed Saviour For Contrition O Holy Lord who art a merciful embracer of true penitents but yet a consuming fire towards obstinate sinners how shall I approach thee who have so many provoking sins to inflame thy wrath and so little sincere repentance to incline thy mercy O be thou pleased to soften and melt this hard obdurate heart of mine that I may heartily bewail the iniquities of my life strike this rock O Lord that the waters may flow out even floods of tears to wash my polluted conscience my drowzy Soul hath too long slept securely in sin Lord awake it though it be with thunder let me rather feel thy terrors then not feel my sin Thou sentest thy blessed Son to heal the broken hearted but Lord what will that avail me if my heart be whole O break it that it may be capable of his healing virtue and grant I beseech thee that having once tasted the bitterness of sin I may fly from it as from the face of a Serpent and bring forth fruits of repentance in amendment of life to the praise and glory of thy grace in Jesus Christ our blessed Redeemer For Meekness O Blessed Jesu who wast led as a sheep to the slaughter let I beseech thee that admirable example of Meekness quench in me all sparks of anger and revenge and work in me such a gentleness and calmness of Spirit as no provocations may ever be able to disturb Lord grant I may be so far from offering the least injury that I may never return the greatest any otherwise then with prayers and kindness that I who have so many talents to be forgiven by thee may never exact pence of my bretheren but that putting on bowels of mercie meekness long-suffering thy peace may rule in my heart make it an acceptable habitation to thee who art the Prince of peace to whom with the Father holy Spirit be all honour and glory for ever For Chastity O Holy and Immaculate Jesus whole first descent was into the Virgins womb and who dost still love to inhabit only in pure and virgin-hearts I beseech thee send thy Spirit of purity to cleanse me from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit my body O Lord is the Temple of the Holy Ghost O let me never pollute that Temple with any uncleanness And because out of the heart proceed the things that defile the man Lord grant me to keep my heart with all diligence that no impure or foul thoughts be harboured
there but enable me I beseech thee to keep both body and soul pure and undefiled that so I may glorifie thee here both in body spirit be glorified in both with thee hereafter For Temperance O Gracious Lord who hast in thy bountie to mankind afforded us the use of thy good creatures for our corporal refreshment grant that I may always use this liberty with thankfulness and moderation O let me never be so enslaved to that bruitish pleasure of taste that my Table become a snare to me but give me I beseech thee a perfect abhorrence of all degrees of excess and let me eat and drink only for those ends and according to those measures which thou hast assigned me for health and not for luxury And Lord grant that my pursuits may be not after the meat that perisheth but after that which endureth to everlasting life that hungring and thirsting after righteousness I may be filled with thy grace here and thy glory hereafter through Jesus Christ For Contentedness O Merciful God thy wisdom is infinite to choose thy love forward to dispence good things to us O let me alwaies fully and intirely resign my self to thy disposals have no desires of mine own but a perfect satisfaction in thy choices for me that so in whatsoever estate I am I may be therein content Lord grant I may never look with murmuring on my own condition nor with envie on other mens And to that end I beseech thee purge my heart of all covetous affections O let me never yield up any corner of my soul to Mammon but give me such a contempt of these fading riches that whether they increase or decrease I may never set my heart upon them but that all my care may be to be rich towards God to lay up my treasure in heaven that I may so set my affections on things above that when Christ who is my life shall appear I may also appear with him in glory Grant this O Lord for the mercies of the same Jesus Christ For Diligence O Lord who hast in thy wisdom ordained that man should be born to labour suffer me not to resist that design of thine by giveing my self up to sloth and idleness but grant I may so imploy my time and all other talents thou hast intrusted me with that I may not fall under the sentence of the slothful and wicked servant Lord if it be thy wil make me some way useful to others that I may not live an unprofitable part of mankind but however O Lord let me not be useless to my self but grant I may give all diligence to make my calling and election sure My soul is beset with many and vigilant adversaries O let me not fold my hands to sleep in the midst of so great dangers but watch and pray that I enter not into temptation enduring hardness as a good souldier of Jesus Christ till at the last from this state of warfare thou translate me to the state of triumph and bliss in thy Kingdome through Jesus Christ For Justice O Thou King of righteousness who hast commanded us to keep judgement and do Justice be pleased by thy grace to cleanse my heart and hands from all fraud and injustice and give me a perfect integrity and uprightness in all my dealings O make me ever abhor to use my power to oppress or my skil to deceive my brother and grant I may most strictly observe that sacred rule of doing as I would be done to that I may not dishonour my Christian profession by an unjust or fraudulent life but in simplicitie and godly sincerity have my conversation in this life never seeking to heap up treasures of wickedness but preferring a little with righteousness before great revenues without right Lord make me exactly careful to render to every man what by any sort of obligation becomes his due that I may never break the bond of any of those relations that thou hast placed me in but may so behave my self towards all that none may have an evil thing to say of me that so if it be possible I may have peace with all men or however I may by keeping innocency and taking heed to the thing that is right have peace at the last even peace with thee through Jesus Christ our Lord For Charity O Mercifull Lord who hast made of one blood and redeemed by one ransome all Nations of men let me never harden my bowels against any that partake of the same nature and redemption with me but grant me an universall charitie towards all men Give me O thou father of compassions such a tenderness and meltingness of heart that I may be deeply affected with all the miseries and calamities outward or inward of my bretheren and diligently imploy all my abilities for their succour relief O let not an unchristian self-love possess my heart but drive out that accursed spirit and let thy Spirit or love enter and dwell there and make me seek not to please my self but my neighbour for his good to edification even as Christ pleased not himself Lord make me a faithful steward of all those talents thou hast committed to me for the benefit of others that so when thou shalt cal me to give an account of my stewardship I may do it with joy and not with grief Grant this mercifull Lord I beseech thee for Jesus Christ his sake For perseverance O Eternall and unchangeable Lord God who art the same yesterdaie and to daie and for ever Be thou pleased to communicate some small ray of that excellence some degree of that stability to me thy wreched creature who am light and unconstant turned about with every blast my understanding is very deceivable O establish it in thy truth keep it from the snares of seducing spirits that I may not be led away with the errour of the wicked and fall from my own stedfastness my will also O Lord is irresolute and wavering and doth not cleave stedfastly unto God my goodness is but as the morning cloud and as the early due it passeth away O strengthen and confirm me and whatever good work thou hast wrought in me be pleased to accomplish and perform it until the day of Christ Lord thou seest my weakness and thou knowest the number and strength of those temptations I have to struggle with O leave me not to my self but cover thou my head in the day of battel and in all spiritual combates make me more then conquerour through him that loved me O let no terrours or flatteries either of the world or my own flesh ever draw me from my obedience to thee but grant that I may continue stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord and by patient continuing in well doing seek and at last obtain glorie and honour and immortalitie and eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord A Brief Paraphrase of the LORDS PRAYER To be used as a Prayer Our Father which