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
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
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
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
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