quicken thou me according to thy word 2 I have knowledged my wayes and thou heardest me O teach me thy statutes 3 Make me to understand the way of thy commandments and so shall I talke of thy wonderous works 4 My soul melteth away for very heavinesse comfort thou me according unto thy word 5 Take from me the way of lying and cause thou me to make much of thy law 6 I have chosen the way of truth and thy iudgements have I laid before me 7 I have sticken unto thy testimonies O Lord confound me not 8 I will run the way of thy commandments when thou hast set my heart at libertie The Prayer VVE have chosen the way of thy truth O Lord and laid thy judgements before us and yet through our infirmities and the disadvantages of the flesh we are in heavinesse and drive on slowly like Pharao's chariots with the wheels off our soules and our desires cleave unto the dust and to things below and we are not active in thy services O quicken us according to thy word refresh our wearinesse comfort our sadnesse take from us the way of lying and vanity set our hearts at liberty from the bondage of sinne from the fetters of temptation from the incumbrances of the world and then we shall runne the way of thy commandments never ceasing to run till we arrive at the land of eternall rest and righteousnesse where thou livest and raignest world without end Amen V. MORNING PRAYER TEach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keep it unto the end 2 Giue me understanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall keep it with my whole heart 3 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments for therein is my desire 4 Encline my heart unto thy testimonies and not to couteousnesse 5 O turne away mine eyes lest they behold vanity and quicken thou me in thy way 6 O stablish thy word in thy seruant that I may feare thee 7 Take away the rebuke that I am afraid of for thy judgements are good 8 Behold my delight is in thy commandments O quicken me in thy righteousnesse The Prayer O Lord God who art of infinite Sanctity and hast given us thy Law that we walking in so divine a rule may imitate the perfection of thy holinesse make us to go all our dayes in the path of thy Commandments take from us all greedy and inordinate appetite of the creature let not our hearts be inclined to covetousnesse nor our eyes wander after vanity but grant that we being established in thy Law and walking in thy feare may persevere in the wayes of righteousnesse keeping the way of thy statutes even unto the end that the rebuke which for our sinnes we may justly feare may by thy mercies and pardon be taken away from us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen VI. LEt thy loving mercy also come unto me O Lord euen thy saluation according unto thy word 2 So shall I make answer unto my blasphemers for my trust is in thy word 3 O take not the word of thy truth utterly out of my mouth for my hope is in thy iudgements 4 So shall I alway keep thy law yea for euer and euer 5 And I will walke at liberty for I seek thy commandments 6 I will speake of thy testimonies also euen before kings and will not be ashamed 7 And my delight shall be in thy commandments which I haue loued 8 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments which I haue loued and my study shall be in thy statutes The Prayer LEt thy loving mercy come unto us O Lord and thy salvation for thou alwayes keepest promise and never disappointest the hopes of them that trust in thee Give us confidence and boldnesse in thee that we may never fear or blush to confesse thee before men but may speake of thy testimonies even before Kings and may never be ashamed of thy Word which is the ground of our hope but that our hands may be lift up to performe thy Law and our study our love and our delight may be in it even for ever and ever through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen VII O Thinke upon thy seruant as concerning thy word wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust 2 The same is my comfort in my trouble for thy word hath quickened me 3 The proud haue had me exceedingly in derision yet have I not shrinked from thy law 4 For I remembred thine euerlasting iudgements O Lord and receiued comfort 5 I am horribly afraid for the ungodly that forsake thy law 6 Thy statutes haue been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage 7 I haue thought upon thy name O Lord in the night season and haue kept thy law 8 This I had because I kept thy commandments The Prayer THinke upon us O Lord in all our desires in all our feares in all our troubles let thy Law give us comfort redresse and satisfaction that in our trouble we may thence derive comfort in our feares we may there fixe our anchor of hope and from thence we may get defence against the derisions and insolencies of the proud and grant that thy grace may reward thy grace in us and a further degree of sanctity may crowne the first beginnings and when by thy assistances we thinke upon thy Name and keep thy Law we begge this onely that our reward may be still to keep thy Commandments Grant this for Iesus Christ his sake our Lord and onely Saviour Amen VIII THou art my portion O Lord I haue promised to keep thy law 2 I made my humble petition in thy presence with my whole heart O be mercifull unto mee according to thy word 3 I called mine own wayes to remembrance and turned my feet unto thy testimonies 4 I made haste and prolonged not the time to keep thy commandments 5 The congregation of the ungodly haue robbed me but I haue not forgotten thy law 6 At midnight I will rise to giue thankes unto thee because of thy righteous iudgements 7 I am a companion of all them that feare thee and keep thy commandments 8 The earth O Lord is full of thy mercy O teach me thy statutes The Prayer O Beare God be thou our portion and the lot of our inheritance and be mercifull unto us when ever we make our humble petition in thy presence and above all the desires of our soules let us receive satisfaction in this request give us repentance and thy holy Spirit that we calling our owne wayes to remembrance may be truly sorrowfull for our past sinnes and may make hast prolonging not the time but early and instantly turne our feet unto thy testimonies that we being companions of all that feare thee may bee partakers of all the blessings in the communion of Saints through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen IX O Lord thou hast dealt graciously with thy servant according unto thy word 2 O learne me true understanding
concerning thy testimonies I have known long since that thou hast grounded them for ever The Prayer O Lord God of eternall mercy and truth give us hearts fixed upon thy divine beauties and an actuall intention in our prayers that we may call upon thee with our whole hearts and do thou heare in Heaven when we call upon thee deliver us from all them that of malice draw nigh to persecute and afflict us be thou also night at hand and nothing can disturbe our safety Make us to seek to thee early in the morning let our eyes and our prayers prevent the night watches that we may be safe in our conversation with thee and our daily approaches to thy mercy-seat where thou sittest attended with Cherubims and Seraphims glorious in thy Selfe incomprehensible in thy Attributes and infinitely rejoycing in thy mercies which thou shewest unto us in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen XX. O Consider mine adversity and deliver me for I do not forget thy law 2 Avenge thou my cause and deliver me quicken me according unto thy word 3 Health is farre from the ungodly for they regard not thy statutes 4 Great is thy mercie O Lord quicken me as thou art wont 5 Many there are that trouble me and persecute me yet do I not swerve from thy testimonies 6 It grieveth me when I see the transgressours because they keep not thy law 7 Consider O Lord how I love thy commandments O quicken me according to thy loving kindnesse 8 Thy word is true from everlasting all the iudgements of thy righteousnesse endure for evermore The Prayer O Lord thy mercy is great thy Word is true from everlasting and in the truth of thy Word and in the mercies of thy promises and loving kindnesse thou lovest to be knowne to the sonnes of men O give us thy health and salvation that our soules being delivered from the heavie pressure of sin and quickened in thy Word thou mayest avenge us of all our ghostly enemies and deliver us in thy righteousnesse in the day of thy eternall vengeance upon the ungodly through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen XXI PRinces have persecuted me without a cause but my heart standeth in aw of thy words 2 I am as glad of thy word as one that findeth great spoiles 3 As for lies I hate and abhorre them but thy law do I love 4 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous iudgements 5 Great is the peace that they have which love thy law and they are not offended at it 6 Lord I have looked for thy saving health and done after thy commandments 7 My soule hath kept thy testimonies and loved them exceedingly 8 I have kept thy commandments and testimonies for all my wayes are before thee The Prayer ALL our wayes O God are before thee let all our wayes be directed by thee and teach us to walke as in thy presence Make us to hate and abhorre lyes and vanitie and give us so much love and so much zeale of thy Name and honour that we may make it a businesse to give thee praises with a frequent and daily devotion that we standing in aw of thy Word and holy Lawes and doing after thy Commandments our expectations may be satisfied with thy saving health and we may at last enjoy the peace which they have that love thy Law even the peace of a good conscience here and of a blessed eternity hereafter through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen XXII LEt my complaint come before thee O Lord give me understanding according to thy word 2 Let my supplication come before thee deliver me according to thy word 3 My lips shall speake of thy praise when thou hast taught me thy statutes 4 Yea my tongue shall sing of thy word for all thy commandments are righteous 5 Let thine hand helpe me for I have chosen thy commandments 6 I have longed for thy saving health O Lord and in thy law is my delight 7 O let my soule live and it shall praise thee and thy iudgements shall helpe me 8 I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost Oh seek thy servant for I do not forget thy commandments The Prayer O Lord God we have gone astray from thy Commandments and been like lost sheep thou art our Shepheard and our mercifull Guide O seek thy servants let thy hand helpe us let thy care and providence reduce us into the way of thy statutes that we being delivered according to thy Word from thy wrath and from our owne corruptions and irregularities may at last be satisfied with thy saving health and our lips may speak of thy praise in the quire of Saints and Angels singing glorious Anthems to all eternity to the honour of thee O Lord God eternall who livest and reignest world without end Amen PSALM 120. A Prayer to be delivered from false tongues and cohabitation with wicked persons MORNING PRAYER WHen I was in trouble I called upon the Lord and he heard me 2 Deliver my soule O Lord from lying lips and from a deceitfull tongue 3 What reward shall be given or done unto thee thou false tongue even mighty and sharpe arrowes with hot burning coales 4 Wo is me that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech and to have mine habitation among the tents of Cedar 5 My soule hath long dwelt among them that be enemies unto peace 6 I labour for peace but when I speak unto them thereof they make them ready to battell The Prayer O Lord God who hearest the prayers of them that call upon thee in their calamities and distresses have mercy upon us thy servants who live in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation whereof we our selves make too great a part we beseech thee so to order the circumstances and opportunities of our life that we may live in the society of holy people whose example and conversation may be a continuall incentive to the wayes of peace and righteousnesse and deliver us from a necessity of conversing with turbulent spirits angry and unpeacefull dispositions who upon all occasions make themselves ready to battell Sanctifie our hearts and lips with a burning coale from thy altar that our words may be holy and profitable and keep us from all slander and scandall and the rewards of both the sharpe arrowes of thy vengeance the hot burning coales of thy wrath Grant this for Iesus Christ his sake our Lord and onely Saviour Amen PSALME 121. A Prayer for Gods protection over us I Will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my helpe 2 My helpe cometh even from the Lord which hath made heauen and earth 3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved and he that keepeth thee will not sleep 4 Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep 5 The Lord himselfe is thy keeper the Lord is thy defence upon thy right hand 6 So that the sun shall not burne thee by day neither the moon by
will I lift up my soul My God I have put my trust in thee O let me not be confounded neither let mine enemies triumph over me 2 For all they that hope in thee shall not be ashamed but such as transgresse without a cause shall be put to confusion 3 Shew me thy wayes O Lord and teach me thy paths 4 Lead me forth in thy truth and learn me for thou art the God of my salvation in thee hath been my hope all the day long 5 Call to remembrance O Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesse which hath been ever of old 6 Oh remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth but according to thy mercy think thou upon me O Lord for thy goodnesse 7 Gratious and righteous is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners in the way 8 Them that be meek shall he guide in iudgement and such as be gentle them shall he learn his way 9 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies 10 For thy names sake O Lord be mercifull unto my sinne for it is great 11 What man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose 12 His soul shall dwell at ease and his seed shall inherit the land 13 The secret of the Lord is among them that fear him and he will shew them his covenant 14 Mine eyes are ever looking unto the Lord for he shall pluck my feet out of the net 15 Turne thee unto me and have mercy upon mee for I am desolate and in misery 16 The sorrowes of my heart are enlarged O bring thou me out of my troubles 17 Look upon mine adversity and misery and forgive me all my sinne 18 Consider mine enemies how many they are and they bear a tyrannous hate against me 19 O keep my soul and deliver me let me not be confounded for I have put my trust in thee 20 Let perfectnesse and righteous dealing wait upon me for my hope hath been in thee 21 Deliver Israel O God out of all his troubles The Prayer OGratious and Righteous Lord God who art the guide of the meek and teachest the humble and gentle in thy way forgive the sinnes and offences of our youth and although by them we have deserved thy wrath and that we be put to confusion yet be pleased to think upon us for thy goodnesse and according to thy mercy that when thou hast forgiven us all our sinne and taken away our adversity and all our misery thou maist keep our soules in perfectnesse and righteous dealing that at last we may dwell at ease free from trouble and safe from all our enemies even when we shall inherit the land of everlasting â—est where thou livest and raignest eternall God world without end AMEN PSALME 26. A Prayer of preparation to the holy Sacrament and to death BE thou my judge O Lord for I haue walked innocently my trust hath been also in the Lord therefore shall I not fall 2 Examine me O Lord and prove me try out my reins and my heart 3 For thy loving kindnesse is ever before mine eyes and I will walk in thy truth 4 I haue not dwelt with vain persons neither will I haue fellowship with the deceitfull 5 I haue hated the congregation of the wicked and will not sit among the ungodly 6 I will wash my hands in innocency O Lord and so will I go to thine altar 7 That I may shew the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all thy wondrous works 8 Lord I haue loved the habitation of thy house the place where thine honour dwelleth 9 O shut not up my soul with the sinners nor my life with the bloud-thirsty 10 In whose hands is wickednesse and their right hands are full of gifts 11 But as for me I will walk innocently O Lord deliver me and be mercifull unto me 12 My foot standeth right I will praise the Lord in the congregations The Prayer O Lord our Iudge whose loving kindnesse is great and alwayes before our eyes manifested in the abundant acts of thy grace and providence make us to love and frequent all the actions ministeries and conveyances of thy graces to us especially thy holy Sacraments O deare God endue our Soules with faith and charity and holy penitence that our hands hearts our Soules and bodies being washed in innocency and pennance we may go to thy holy Table and may in the whole course of our life walk righteously and in obedience to thee that in this world hating the congregation of the wicked and the fellowship of the deceitfull and vaine persons at last our Soules may not be shutup with sinners nor our lives with the bloud-thirsty but we may have our portion in the eternall habitation of thy house where thine honour dwelleth and reigneth world without end Amen PSALME 27. A Prayer that being freed from our Enemies we may attend the services of Religion and serve God in his holy Temple EVENING PRAYER THe Lord is my light and my salvation whom then shall I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of whom then shall I be afraid 2 When the wicked even mine enemies and my foes came upon me to eat up my flesh they stumbled and fell 3 Though an host of men were laid against me yet shall not my heart be afraid and though there rose up Warre against me yet will I put my trust in him 4 One thing have I desired of the Lord which I will require even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the fair beautie of the Lord and to visit his Temple 5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his tabernacle yea in the secret place of his dwelling shall he hide me and set me up upon a rock of stone 6 And now shall he lift up mine head above mine enemies round about me 7 Therefore will I offer in his dwelling an oblation with great gladnesse I will sing and speak praises unto the Lord. 8 Hearken unto my voice O Lord when I cry unto thee have mercy upon me hear me 9 My heart hath talked of thee seek ye my face thy face Lord will I seek 10 O hide not thou thy face from me nor cast thy servant away in displeasure 11 Thou hast been my succour leave me not neither forsake me O God of my salvation 12 When my father and my mother forsake me the Lord taketh me up 13 Teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in the right way because of mine enemies 14 Deliver me not over into the will of mine adversaries for there are false witnesses risen up against me and such as speak wrong 15 I should utterly haue fainted but that I beleeve verily to see the goodnes of the Lord in the land of the living 16 O tarry thou the Lords leisure be strong and he
of Ierusalem how they said Down with it down with it even to the ground 8 O daughter of Babylon wasted with misery yea happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us 9 Blessed shall he be that taketh thy children and throweth them against the stones The Prayer O Lord our God thou hast placed us in this world like pilgrims and strangers farre from our Countrey farre from rest give us soules and desires so abstract so religious and contemplative that all our hopes our joyes and longings may be to enjoy thee and thy glories in the celestiall Ierusalem and let thy comforts refresh us in this our captivity and exile that in our heavinesse thou maist be our joy our songs and melody may be the songs of Sion the prayers of thy Name that when thou hast delivered us from the wrath and malice of our enemies and dashed all their wickednesse which they have conceived and would bring forth to our destruction against the Rocke Christ Iesus we may be blessed amongst thy children and be carried into our Countrey the Land of glorious promises there to reigne with thee who livest and governest all things world without end Amen PSALME 138. A Prayer and a thankesgiving for Gods mercies I Will give thankes unto thee O Lord with my whole heart even before the gods will I sing praise unto thee 2 I will worship toward thy holy temple and praise thy name because of thy loving kindnesse and truth for thou hast magnified thy name and thy word above all things 3 When I called upon thee thou heardest me and enduedst my soule with much strength 4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee O Lord for they have heard the words of thy mouth 5 Yea they shall sing in the wayes of the Lord that great is the glory of the Lord. 6 For though the Lord be high yet hath he respect unto the lowly as for the proud he beholdeth them afarre off 7 Though I walke in the midst of trouble yet shalt thou refresh me thou shalt stretch forth thine hand upon the furiousnesse of mine enemies and thy right hand shall save me 8 The Lord shall make good his loving kindnesse toward me yea thy mercy O Lord endureth for ever despise not then the workes of thine owne hands The Prayer O Lord God who hast magnified thy Name and Word above all things make good thy loving kindnesses towards us and endue our soules with much strength that thine hand being stretched forth upon the furiousnesse of all our ghostly enemies and we being saved by thy right hand may praise thee and all thy glories serving thee here with a lowly minde and a great industry that at last we may worship thee in thy holy Temple in the midst of all the Myriads of Angels where thy glory is great and farre exalted above all gods Grant this for Jesus Christ his sake our Lord and onely Saviour Amen PSALME 139. A meditation of the omnipresence of God and a prayer that we may alwayes walke as in his sight MORNING PRAYER O Lord thou hast searched me out and known me thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising thou understandest my thoughts long before 2 Thou art about my path and about my bed and spiest out all my wayes 3 For lo there is not a word in my tongue but thou O Lord knowest it altogether 4 Thou hast fashioned me behinde and before and laid thine hand upon me 5 Such knowledge is too wonderfull and excellent for me I cannot attain unto it 6 Whither shall I go then from thy Spirit or whither shall I go then from thy presence 7 If I climbe up into heaven thou art there if I go down to hell thou art there also 8 If I take the wings of the morning and remain in the uttermost parts of the sea 9 Even there also shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me 10 If I say Peradventure the darknesse shall cover me then shall my night be turned to day 11 Yea the darknesse is no darknesse with thee but the night is as cleare as the day the darknesse and light to thee are both alike 12 For my reins are thine thou hast covered me in my mothers wombe 13 I will give thanks unto thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy workes and that my soul knoweth right well 14 My bones are not hid from thee though I be made secretly and fashioned beneath in the earth 15 Thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy book were all my members written 16 Which day by day were fashioned when as yet there was none of them 17 How deare are thy counsels unto me O God O how great is the summe of them 18 If I tell them they are moe in number then the sand when I wake up I am present with thee 19 Wilt thou not slay the wicked O God depart from me ye bloud-thirsty men 20 For they speak unrighteously against thee and thine enemies take thy name in vain 21 Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee 22 Yea I hate them right sore even as though they were mine enemies 23 Trie me O God and seek the ground of my heart prove me and examine my thoughts 24 Look well if there be any way of wickednesse in me and lead me in the way everlasting The Prayer O Lord God who art infinite in wisedom and present in all place filling heaven and earth and hell with the effects of thy mighty power and communications of thy glorious essence let thy hand lead us and thy right hand hold us in all our waies alwaies considering that thou art present understanding our thoughts and words even long before they are seeing our most secret waies as clearely as in the sight of the sunne print thy feare mightily upon our soules that we may be as fearfull of committing sinnes in secret as in the eyes of all the world that we hating all iniquity and loving thy counsels as our dearest treasures and guide may by the paths of a holy life be conducted into the way everlasting through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSALME 140. A Prayer for deliverance from the mischiefe of all wicked persons DEliver me O Lord from the evil man and preserve me from the wicked man 2 Which imagine mischiefe in their hearts and stirre up strife all the day long 3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent adders poison is under their lips 4 Keep me O Lord from the hands of the ungodly preserve me from the wicked men which are purposed to overthrow my goings 5 The proud have laid a snare for me and spread a net abroad with cords yea and set traps in my way 6 I said unto the Lord Thou art my God hear the voice of my prayers O Lord. 7 O Lord God thou strength of my
sustinent saith Tertullian Almost all the Psalmes represent the person of Christ Now this Key of David opens not only the Kingdom of Grace by Revelation of the mysteries of our Religion but the Kingdom of Heaven too it being such a Collection of Prayers Eucharist acts of hope of love of patience and all other Christian virtues that as the everlasting Kingdome is given to the Heire of the House of David so the Honour of opening that Kingdom is given to the first Prince of that family the Psalmes of his Father David are one of the best inlets into the Kingdom of the sonne Something to this purpose is that saying of one of the old Doctors vox psalmodiae si recto corde dirigatur in tantum omnipotenti Deo aditum ad animum aperit ut intentae animae vel Prophetiae mysteria vel compunctionis spiritum infundat The saying or singing of Psalmes opens a way so wide for God to enter into the heart that a devout soule does usually from such an imployment receive the grace of compunction and contrition or of understanding Prophecies Vpon such premises as these or better the Church of God in all ages hath made Davids Psalter the greatest part of her publike and private devotions sometimes dividing the Psalter into seven parts that every weeks devotion might spend it all Sometimes decreeing that it should be said day and night Otherwhile injoyned the recitation of the whole Psalter before the celebration of the blessed Sacrament and after some time it was made the publique office of the Church It was the generall use of Christendome to say the Psalmes Antiphonatim by way of verse and answer saith Suidas and so Ancient that the Religious of S. Marke in Alexandria used it saith Philo the lew and S. Ignatius or else Flavianus and Diodorus brought it first into the Church of Antioch And for the private Devotions that they chiefly consisted of the Psalmes we have great probability from the strict requiring it of the Clergy and particularly from them who came to be ordayned great readinesse of saying the Psalter by heart It was S. Hieroms counsell to Rusticus and when S. Gregory was to ordaine the Bishop of Ancona his inquiry concerning his Canonicall sufficiency was if he could say Davids Psalmes without book and for a disability of doing it Iohn the Priest was rejected from the Bishopricke of Ravenna But this I conceive more relates to their private then to their publike devotions for I cannot thinke but that in respect of the publike Liturgy it was enough for Bishops and Priests to read the Psalmes the requiring ability remember them was to ingage them to a frequent use of so admirable devotions in their private offices But the Psalmes were not only of use to the Church as they lay in their owne position and forme but the devout men of severall ages drew them into Collects Antiphonaries Responsories and all other parts of their devotions They made their Prayers out of the Psalmes their confessions their doxologies their ejaculations for the most part were clauses or periods of the Psalter S t Hierome made a collection of choice versicles and put them together into their severall classes and that was much of his devotion the Collection is still extant under the Name of S t Hierom's Psalter Sâ— Athanasius made an Index of the severall occasions and matters of prayer and Eucharist and fitted Psalmes to each particular that was his devotion the Psalmes intire as they lay only he made titles of his owne I have seen of latter time a short hymne of some eight verses which are indeed very choice sentences out of severall Psalmes set together to make up a compendium of Liturgy or Breviary of our necessities and devotions collected by S t Bernardine it is a very good Copy to be followed But if we look into the old Liturgies of the Eastern and Western Churches and where we will almost into the private devotions of the old writers we may say of them in the expression of the Prophet Hauâ—ieeant aquas è fontibus Salvatoris they drew their waters from the fountaines of our Blessed Saviour but through the limbecks of David But the practice of this devotion I derived from a higher precedent even of Christ and his Apostles for before the passion immediatly they sung a Psalm saith the Scripture Hymno dicto saith the vulgar Latine having recited or said a Psalme But however it was part of Davids Psalter that was sung it was the great Allelujah as the Jewes called it beginning at the 113 psalme to the 119 exclusively part of that was sung But this devotion continued with our Blessed Saviour as long as breath was in him for when he was upon the Crosse he recited the 22 th Psalme ad verbum saith the tradition of the Church and that he began it saith the Scripture My God My God why hast thou forsaken me The whole psalme is rather a history then a prediction of the passion and what Tertullian saith of the whole Psalter is particularly verified of this filium ad Patrem id est Christum ad Deum verba facientem representat it represents the Sonnes addresse to his Father that is Christ speaking to God Against the example of Christ if we confront the practice of Antichrist nothing can be said greater in commendation of this manner of devotioÌ„ for B. Hippolytus in his oration of the end of the world saith that in the dayes of Antichrist Psalmorum decantatio cessabit they shall then no more use the singing or saying of the Psalmes which when I had observed without any further deliberation I fix'd upon the Psalter as the best weapon against him whose comming we have great reason to believe is not farre off so great preparation is making for him From the example of Christ this grew to be a Practice Apostolicall and their devotion came exactly home to the likenesse of the designe of this very Booke they turn'd the Psalmes into prayers Thus it was said of Paul and Silas Act. 16. They prayed a Psalme so it is in the Greeke and we have a Copy left us of one of the prayers or collects which they made out of the bowells of the second psalme it is in the fourth Chapter of the Acts beginning at the 24 verse and ends at the 31. And now I have showne the reasons of my choice and the precedents that I haue followed This last coms home to every circumstance of my Book I only adde this that since according to the instruction of our blessed Saviour God is to be worshipped in Spirit and in truth no worshipping can be more true or more spirituall then the Psalter said with a pure mind and a hearty devotion For David was Gods instrument to the Church teaching and admonishing us as our duty is to each other in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs and the spirit of truth was the Grand Dictator of what David wrote
thy countenance produce the beams of spirituall joy in our soules and let thy truth lead us in the way of thy salvation that when we goe unto thy dwelling places where thou manifestest thy presence we may approach unto thee with joy and gladnesse rejoycing in nothing more then in doing thee serviee and singing praises to thy name for the help of thy countenance which thou givest us in our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Amen PSALME 44. A Prayer in time of Warre MORNING PRAYER WE haue heard with our eares O God our fathers haue told us what thou hast done in their time of old 2 How thou hast driven out the Heathen with thy hand and planted them in how thou hast destroyed the Nations and cast them out 3 For they gat not the Land in possession through their own sword neither was it their own arm that helped them 4 But thy right hand and thine arm and the light of thy countenance because thou hadst a favour unto tham 5 Thou art my King O God send help unto Iacob 6 Through thee will we overthrow our enemies and in thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us 7 For I will not trust in my bow it is not my sword that shall help me 8 But it is thou that savest us from our enemies puttest them to confusion that hate us 9 We make our boast of God all day long and will praise thy name for ever 10 But now thou art farre off and puttest us to confusion and goest not forth with our Armies 11 Thou makest us to turn our backs upon our enemies so that they which hate us spoil our goods 12 Thou lettest us to be eaten up like sheep and hast scattered us among the Heathen 13 Thou sellest thy people for nought and takest no money for them 14 Thou makest us to be rebuked of our neighbours to be laughed to scorn and had in derision of them that are round about us 15 Thou makest us to be a by-word among the heathen and that the people shake their heads at us 16 My confusion is daily before me and the shame of my face hath covered me 17 For the voice of the slanderer aud blasphemer for the enemy and avenger 18 And though all this be come upon us yet doe we not forget thee nor behave our selves frowardly in thy covenant 19 Our heart is not turned back neither our steps gone out of thy way 20 No not when thou hast smitten us into the place of Dragons and covered us with the shadow of death 21 If we have forgotten the name of our God and holden up our hands to any strange god shall not God search it out for he knoweth the very secrets of the heart 22 For thy sake also are we killed all the day long and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain 23 Up Lord why sleepest thou awake and be not absent from us for ever 24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face and forgettest our misery and trouble 25 For our soul is brought low even unto the dust our belly cleaveth unto the ground 26 Arise and help us and deliver us for thy mercies sake The Prayer OLord God of hosts who for our sinnes hast suffered the sword to take vengeance upon us and to plead thy cause againstus O hide not thy face from us and forget not our misery and trouble We are killed all day long and are accounted as sheep appointed to be slaine we are covered with the shadow of death ' and they which hate us spoil our goods Deale with us in pitty and as thou hast done to our Fathers of old time when they called upon thee in their trouble so deale with us thou overthrewest their enemies and didst tread them under that arose up against them Arise and helpe us and deliver us also for thy mercy sake our owne sword cannot helpe us but let thy right hand and thine arme and the light of thy countenance worke deliverance and salvation for us Goe forth with our Armies O thou God of Hosts doe thou fight our Battells that we may not turne our backs upon our enemies but Crowne us with Victory and Peace that we may make our boast of thee all day long and praise thy Name for ever who art holy and just and mercifull the great God of Battells and recompences From thee let mercy now ever proceed and to thy Name let honour be for ever ascribed of all the Hosts of Heaven and Earth world without end Amen PSALME 45. A Prayer for the conversion of the Heathen and prosperity of the Church MY heart is enditing of a good matter I speak of the things which I haue made unto the King 2 My tongue is the pen of a ready writer 3 Thou art fairer then the children of men full of grace are thy lips because God hath blessed thee for ever 4 Gird thee with thy sword upon thy thigh O thou most mighty according to thy worship and renown 5 Good luck haue thou with thine honour ride on because of the word of truth of meeknesse and righteousnesse and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things 6 Thy arrows are very sharp and the people shall be subdued unto thee even in the middest among the Kings enemies 7 Thy seat O God endureth for ever the scepter of thy Kingdome is a right scepter 8 Thou hast loved righteousnesse and hated iniquity wherefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladnesse aboue thy fellows 9 All thy garments smell of myrrhe aloes and cassia out of the ivorie palaces where by they haue made thee glad 10 Kings daughters were among thy honourable women upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in a vesture of gold wrought about with divers colours 11 Hearken O daughter and consider encline thine eare forget also thine own people and thy fathers house 12 So shall the King haue pleasure in thy beauty for he is thy Lord God and worship thou him 13 And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift like as the rich also among the people shall make their supplication before thee 14 The Kings daughter is all glorious within her clothing is of wrought gold 15 She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needle-works the virgins that be her fellowes shall bear her company and shall be brought unto thee 16 With joy and gladnesse shall they be brought and shall enter into the Kings Palace 17 In stead of thy fathers thou shalt haue children whom thou mayest make Princes in all Lands 18 I will remember thy name from one generation unto another therefore shall the people giue thanks unto thee world without end The Prayer O Blessed Iesu Prince of the Catholike Church thou art fairer then the children of men thy lips are full of grace thine Armies mighty thy head is Crowned with Majesty and clothed with worship and renowne have mercy upon thy holy Church
duties and by the feare of thee being taught to keep thy testimonies and never to forget the Law thou givest us we may be delivered from thy wrath and punishment and at last praise thee upon thy holy hill in thine everlasting habitation thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSALME 100. A Psalme of praise to God for his mercy and truth O Be ioyfull in the Lord all yee lands serue the Lord with gladnesse and come before his presence with a song 2 Be yee sure that the Lord he is God it is he that hath made us and not we our selues we are his people and the sheep of his pasture 3 O go your way into his gates with thankesgiving and into his courts with praise be thankfull unto him and speak good of his Name 4 For the Lord is gracious his mercie is everlasting and his truth endureth from generation to generation The Prayer O Lord our God who hast created us out of nothing and hast redeemed us from misery and death when we were thine enemies shewing great expresses of thy loving kindnesse when we were vessels of wrath and inheritors of perdition â—reveiling thy truth unto us in the Sermons of the Gospell teach us to walke as thou hast commanded us to believe as thou hast taught us that we may inherit what thou hast promised us for thou art the way the truth and the life we are thy people and the sheep of thy pasture thou art our guide and our defence let thy grace teach us to serve thee and thy holy Spirit assist and promote our endeavours with the blessings of gladnesse and chearfulnesse of Spirit that we may love to speak good of thy Name and at last may go into the courts of thy Temple with praise and a song in our mouthes to thy honour and eternall glory whose mercy and truth is everlasting and revealed unto the Church in our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Amen PSALME 101. A Prayer for a holy life MY song shall bee of mercie and iudgement unto thee O Lord will I sing 2 O let me have understanding in the way of godlinesse 3 When wilt thou come unto me I will walke in my house with a perfect heart 4 I will take no wicked thing in hand I hate the sinnes of unfaithfulnesse there shall no such cleave unto me 5 A froward heart shall depart from me I will not know a wicked person 6 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour him will I destroy 7 Whoso hath also a proud look and high stomacke I will not suffer him 8 Mine eyes look unto such as be faithfull in the land that they may dwell with me 9 Whoso leadeth a godly life he shall be my seruant 10 There shall no deceitfull person dwell in my house he that telleth lies shall not tarrie in my sight 11 I shall soon destroy all the ungodly that are in the land that I may root out all wicked doers from the citie of the Lord. The Prayer O Lord God of eternall purity who art of pure eyes and canst behold no unrighteousnesse or impurity enlighten our understandings that we may have knowledge in the way of godlinesse make our paths straight and our hearts perfect take from us the sinnes of unfaithfulnesse correct and mortifie in us all froward and peevish dispositions let us love the society of the saints and hate the fellowship of the wicked that we may not be destroyed with the ungodly nor be rooted out from the Citie of the Lord and banished from the sweetnes of thy presence for with thee is light and health and salvation to thy Name be all honour and glory and praise ascribed world without end Amen PSALME 102. A Prayer for comfort in sadnesse anxiety of spirit sicknesse or any other affliction MORNING PRAYER HEare my prayer O Lord and let my crying come unto thee 2 Hide not thy face from me in the time of my trouble â—encline thine eares unto me when I call O heare me and that right soon 3 For my dayes are consumed away like smoake and my bones are burnt up as it were a firebrand 4 My heart is smitten down and withered like grasse so that I forget to eat my bread 5 For the voyce of my groaning my bones will scarce cleave to my flesh 6 I am become like a pelican in the wildernesse and like an owle that is in the desert 7 I have watched and am even as it were a sparrow that sitteth alone upon the house top 8 Mine enemies revile me all the day long and they that are mad upon me are sworne together against me 9 For I have eaten ashes as it were bread and mingled my drinke with weeping 10 And that because of thine indignation and wrath for thou hast taken me up and cast me down 11 My dayes are gone like a shadow and I am withered like grasse 12 But thou O Lord shalt endure for ever and thy remembrance throughout all generations 13 Thou shalt arise and have mercie upon Sion for it is time that thou have mercie upon her yea the time is come 14 And why thy servants thinke upon her stones and it pittieth them to see her in the dust 15 The heathen shall feare thy Name O Lord and all the kings of the earth thy maiestie 16 When the Lord shall build up Sion and when his glorie shall appeare 17 When he turneth him unto the prayer of the poore destitute and despiseth not their desire 18 This shall be written for those that come after and the people which shall be borne shall praise the Lord. 19 For he hath looked down from his sanctuarie out of the heaven did the Lord behold the earth 20 That he might heare the mournings of such as be in captivitie and deliver the children appointed unto death 21 That they may declare the Name of the Lord in Sion and his worship at Ierusalem 22 When the people are gathered together and the kingdomes also to serve the Lord. 23 He brought down my strength in my iourney and shortened my dayes 24 But I said O my God take me not away in the midst of mine age as for thy yeares they endure throughout all generations 25 Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the worke of thy hands 26 They shall perish but thou shalt endure they all shall wax old as doth a garment 27 And as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy yeares shall not faile 28 The children of thy servants shall continue and their seed shall stand fast in thy sight The Prayer O Eternall God who endurest for ever and thy remembrance throughout all generations have pittie upon us according to the infinite treasures of thy loving kindnesse heare the voyce of our groaning for thy indignation and thy wrath lieth hard upon us and our sinnes have put an edge upon thy sword and a thorne into our wounded
is glory and and worship fill our lips and soules with great devotion and reverence towards thee our God Make us to love thy goodnesse to adore thy omnipotency to reverence thy justice to feare thy Majesty to admire and tremble at thy omniscience and omnipresence and to contemplate with the greatest zeale and affections all those glories which thou communicatest to the sonnes of men in the revelations of thy gospell of thy creatures and of thy miracles that we may tell of thy greatnesse and declare thy salvation from day to day and when thou commest with righteousnesse to judge the earth and all people with thy truth we may rejoyce in thee everlastingly and sing an Eternall Allelujah to thee in thy sanctuary Grant this for Iesus Christ his sake our Lord and only Saviour Amen PSALME 97. A meditation upon the day of Iudgement and a prayer for mercy and salvation THe Lord is King the earth may be glad thereof yea the multitude of the Isles may be glad thereof 2 Clouds and darknesse are round about him righteousnesse and iudgement are the habitation of his seat 3 There shall go a fire before him and burn up his enemies on every side 4 His lightnings gave shine unto the world the earth saw it and was afraid 5 The hills melted like war at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth 6 The heavens have declared his righteousnesse and all the people have seen his glory 7 Confounded be all they that worship carved images and that delight in vain gods worship him all ye gods 8 Sion heard of it and reioyced and the daughters of Iudah were glad because of thy iudgements O Lord 9 For thou Lord art higher then all that are in the earth thou art exalted farre above all gods 10 O ye that love the Lord see that ye hate the thing that is evil the Lord preserveth the souls of his Saints he shall deliver them from the hand of the ungodly 11 There is sprung up a light for the righteous and ioyfull gladnesse for such as be true hearted 12 Reioyce in the Lord ye righteous and give thanks for a remembrance of his holinesse The Prayer O Lord our King Lord of the whole earth have mercy upon us and sanctifie us with thy grace that we may hate every thing that is evill that we may love thee give thankes unto thy name and rejoyce in remembrance of thy holinesse that in the day of judgement and great terrors when thou shalt sit in thy seat supported with righteousnesse and iudgement and a fire shall go forth from thy presence to burne up thy enemies on every side thou maist preserve our soules in safety from the hand of our enemies and a light may spring up unto us to preserve us from eternall darknesse and the want of the light of thy countenance through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSALME 98. A thankesgiving for the redemption of mankinde by Iesus Christ EVENING PRAYER O Sing unto the Lord a new song for he hath done marvellous things 2 With his own right hand and with his holy arme hath he gotten himselfe the victorie 3 The Lord declared his salvation his righteousnesse hath he openly shewed is the sight of the heathen 4 He hath remembred his mercie and truth toward the house of Israel and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God 5 Shew your selues ioyfull unto the Lord all yee lands sing reioyce and giue thankes 6 Praise the Lord upon the harpe sing to the herpe with a psalme of thankesgiving 7 With trumpets also and shawâ—es O shew your sleves ioyfull before the Lord the King 8 Let the sea make a noise and all that therein is the round world and they that dwell therein 9 Let the flouds clap their hands and let the hills be ioyfull together before the Lord for he is come to iudge the earth 10 With righteousnesse shall he iudge the world and the people with equitie The Prayer O Most glorious and powerfull Iesu who with thine owne right hand and with thy holy arme hast gotten to thy selfe on our behalfe the victory over sin hell and the grave remember this thy mercy and truth which thou hast promised to all that believe on thee giveus pardon of our sinnes seal'd unto us by the testimony of the holy Spirit and of a good conscience and grant that we by thy strength may fight against our ghostly enemies and by thy power may overcome them that we may rejoyce in a holy peace and sing and give thee thankes for our victory and our crowne Extend this mercy and enlarge the effect of thy great victories to the heathen that all the ends of the world may sing a new song unto thee and see the salvation of God that when thou commest to judge the earth we may all finde mercy and be joyfull together before thee in the festivity of a blessed eternity thorow thy mercies O blessed Saviour and Redeemer Iesu Amen PSALME 99. A prayer for the vertue of religion and devotion in holy places THe Lord is King be the people never so unpatient he sitteth between the cherubims be the earth never so unquiet 2 The Lord is great in Sion and high aboue all people 3 They shall giue thankes unto thy Name which is great wonderfull and holy 4 The kings power loueth iudgement thou hast prepared equitie thou hast executed iudgement and righteousnesse in Iacob 5 O magnifie the Lord our God and fall down before his footstool for he is holy 6 Moses and Aaron among his priests and Samuel among such as call upon his Name these called upon the Lord and he heard them 7 He spake unto them out of the cloudy pillar for they kept his testimonies and the law that he gaue them 8 Thou heardest them O Lord our God thou forgauest them O God and punishedst their own inuentions 9 O magnifie the Lord our God and worship him upon his holy hill for the Lord our God is holy The Prayer O Great God and King of Heaven and earth thou that sittest between the Cherubims unmoved in the centre of thy own felicity and essentiall tranquillity undisturbed in the great concussions and unquietnesse of the earth give unto us thy servants venerable and dreadfull apprehensions of the sanctity and perfections of thy Name and Nature which is great wonderfull and holy Teach us in all the addresses of our devotion and in all places appointed for thy service by all reverence and holinesse of soule and body to expresse the greatnesse of thy power and our weaknesse the majesty of thy glory and the unworthinesse of our persons the distance of God and man of finite and infinite of Lord and Servant that the awfulnesse of thy dread majesty may check every unreverent gesture and thought in us and teach us to mak approaches of humility and feare that we calling upon thy Name according to our