but that our faith may bee firme our hope assured and our confidence in thee alwaies constant to expect the good pleasure in performance of thy gracious promises but that I may loue and honour thee aboue and more then all creatures which are corruptible the workemanship of thy hands and which as they haue their being from thee so they can not bee at all or subsist without thy sustentation As thou art O Lord graunt that wee may honour thee as thou art our God that wee may praise thee World without end Amen Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me THe Heathen O LORD GOD euerlasting giue thy glory vnto stickes stones and other imaginary idle vaine and euill things The Infidels and vnbeleeuers doe either openly or secretly deny thy Deitie and diuine incomprehensible Majestie The ignorant and evill instructed people though they by custome professe somewhat of thy seruice and power yet they know not what it is but either through euill instruction or for want of instruction know not or care not how to keepe thy Commandements O Lord teach them that beleeue amisse the wayes of truth and to amend their errors those that beleeue not touch their hearts make them to tremble at thy terrors and diuine Iustice which yet they feele not and so to entertaine Faith that their soules may be saued Teach vs that professe thy truth to practise it That we may haue none other Gods but thee the True and onely Euerliuing GOD There is none other but onely thou that art good and goodnesse it selfe How then shall wee stand in iudgement before thee who preferre and accompt any any created thing before or in comparison of thee O let our knees and hearts bow downe before thee alone with faith with feare and with acknowledgement Then we shall haue none other Gods but thee neither follow our owne fantasies nor the corrupt doctrine of such as misleade others Thou shalt not make vnto thy selfe the Image or likenesse of any thing in Heauen above or in the Earth beneath or in the Waters vnder the Earth For c. AS thy power O LORD is greatest and thy preheminence aboue all thy Creatures in the heauens and in the earth So is thine Honour so precious that thou wouldest not haue it giuen to any thing in heauen or in in earth Yet good Lord our natures are so fraile and our soules so sinfull that wee fancie and frame vnto our selues imaginary worshippe of creatures in Heauen in earth and in the waters by their similitude and likenesse giuing or attributing thy glory to those glowormes being false and fading fantasies of our owne imaginations Since then most mighty Maker and Monarch of heauen and earth thou seest our frailtie to fall and the dishonor of thy Maiestie by false worship by framing the likenesse of any creature to worship O suffer vs not to make to set vp or to adore false Gods to fall before them to place any power or hope in them to trust to our owne policie or power to depend vpon earthly helpes ioyes or delights but to rely onely vpon thy strength good will and pleasure That nothing in heaven aboue in the earth beneath or in the waters vnder the earth may carry vs from thy true worship and seruice which is our safety and concernes thy glory to whom be giuen praise without ceasing and Honour without Superstition now and for euer Amen Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine O Lord GOD most mighty and merciful since thy maiestie is so high great and glorious how carefull should wee be to conserue a reuerend and awefull estimation of thy holy name as to honour it in thought word and deed But O most gracious God how carelesse are wee to keep thy holy Commandement How ready by irreligion to blaspheme thy holy Name with oathes curses execrations to abuse thy holy Attributes in forswearing and false accusing to name thee O our good GOD in our mouthes when wee haue thee not in our hearts to dissemble and make Hypocriticall profession of thy holy and true Religion without any care or conscience to put it in practise O most mightie and mercifull God we beseech thee to pardon and passe by our profanenesse in taking thy name in vaine our impiety in blaspheming thy holy name our rashnesse in naming thee without inward reuerence or remembrance of thy power honour and Maiestie our pronesse to mention thy Word Workes and Worship without due premed tation and consideration O teach vs when wee talke thinke or inuocate thy holy name to doe it with conscience faith and seare when we thinke on it to cogitate and call to memory that wee are in thy presence to beleeue that wee are vnder thy power and subiect to thy punishment Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath Day sixe dayes c. SInce thou most glorious God by thine omnipotent power hast created this World and by thy providence for a perpetuall memoriall of this thy most wonderfull Worke hast or dained a Sabbath or seaueth day of rest to bee celebrated and set apart for thy Seruice In which wee should be free from seruile workes and worldly cares O LORD therefore sanctifie vs and so prepare our heartes for this thy seruice that we may make a conscience of performing this thy Precept For this purpose Let vs bee carefull to keepe thy Sabbaothes in publique in the Congregation and Assembly of thy Seruants by Prayer prayses and hearing of thy Word In priuate by Preparation Meditation Conference Consideration of thy Clemencie and Workes of Creation and Preseruation as in deeds of Charitie Mercie and Compassion to the needy For this ende good and gracious GOD fitte and furnish our hearts our wits and our vnderstandings with Zeale Knowledge and Conscience to shake off on this thy holy Sabbaths sloth and slownes to come vnto thine Assemblies and to exercise these religious Duties to cast away worldly cares bodily labours except such as are for necessitie for present preseruation of things ready to perish which cannot bee otherwise preuented or longer deferred and of that which may with most Moderation set forward the religious Exercises and holy Duties of that Day These Graces graunt vs Amen Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy c. O Lord God as thou art the Propagator and Protector of our soules to whom only we should giue diuine Honour so wouldst thou that we should giue to our naturall Parents reuerence obedience sustenance and faithfulnesse which in Iustice is due for the cause of our birth being education and maintenance by them And that we may doe this which thou good God requirest Wee beseech thee remoue from vs Pride selfe-conceite and selfe-loue neglect of our dutie to our Parents and Superiours impatience when they shall exercise authoritie inflict punishment or demaund those things to bee done which we doe dislike or not desire Hardnesse of heart when they stand in neede of our helpe
doe faithfully call and trust on thee Wee most miserable and wretched sinners doe confesse vnto thee against our selues to our owne shame and to thy glory that wee were borne and conceiued in sinne that wee haue liued and continued in sinne that our whole liues haue beene nothing else but a heaping vp of sinne and iniquity against thy Holy and Heauenly Maiestie That there is no sinne in his owne nature so heynous or to thee so displeasing but either wee haue committed or else wee haue a pronenesse to commit the same The sinnes of our youth of our riper age and of our later euen of these last time shaue flowed one vpon another and haue polluted our soules defiled our bodies and displeased thy Maiestie so that there is nothing due vnto vs if thou shouldst deale with vs according to our deserts but death and destruction in this life Hell and perdition in the life to come Whither then should we flie for succour and reliefe If we goe vnto Man his breath is in his nostrils that perishing he perisheth If wee goe vnto Angels or to any power in Heauen they haue no power but what they receiueâ— from thee We come therefore vnto thee whose mercy is aboue all thy workes beseeching thee in the multitude of thy mercies to haue compassion on vs. And in that loue which thou shewedst vnto Mankind in sending thy Son to suffer for vs and to saue vs sinners that thou wouldst by his blood death and suffering wash away our sinnes And since thou hast sent him to Redeeme vs suffer vs not to be destroyed O Lord GOD graunt vs penitence and true repentance for our sins past watchfulnesse ouer all our wayes for time to come Care to keepe thy Comman dements strength to withstand the temptations of Satan Humility of heart patience in the times of tryall and aduersitie Constancy in calling vpon thee Feruency in praier Faith in thy promises Assurance of thy loue Assistance in Temptations Deliuerance from dangers of soule and body The right and Sanctified vse of thy creatures Charitie towards our neighbors and contentednes with our estates To this end gracious God take from vs all those things that take vs from thee and giue vs those graces that may make vs to loue thee and declare vs to be intirely beloued of thee Take from vs hardnesse of heart dulnesse and slownes in comming to thy seruice Neglect of those Holy duties thou requirest vs to doe Contempt of thy Commaundements Misbeliefe Vnbeliefe Despaire and doubting of thy mercy Distrust of thy prouidence Giue vs aboue all things Faith stedfaâ—â—ly to beleeue in thee feruour in thy seruice faithfulnesse in maintenance of thy trueth courage to lay downe our liues for the continuance of thy glorious Gospell thankefulnesse for all thy vnspeakable mercies a loue of those that serue thee in sin cerity of heart Liberalitie according to our abilities to those that are in distresse and danger for doing that they ought to do And when thou hast fitted vs for thy seruice and furnished our hearts with thy good graces then send vs the ioy of thy Holy Spirit a detestation of our former euill courses delight in keeping thy Lawes a desire to bee dissolued in thy good appointed time a meditation of our fraile liues and a preparation for our vncertaine deaths And now O blessed Lord wee pray not for our selues alone here present but for thy despised dispersed and distressed flocke throgh the face of the earth It is a little flocke O Lord increase it It is dispersed O Lord gather theÌ„ together into thy fold It is despised distressed Lord succour defend support them Let not the wild Boares destroy thy Vineyard nor the fat Bulles of Basan inuiroÌ„ and ouerwhelme thy chosen ones those that loue thy trueth Thou hast heretofore hedged thy Syon Thou hast mightily and miraculously defended thy chosen Israel Thy hand is not shortned thy power is still the same Let not therefore those that loue not thy trueth or them that loue it say where is now their God Be mercifull to our soueraign to all the Royall Progeny Gouerne the Gouernours of this Land Giue them true wisdome sincere vncorrupt and couragious hearts Innoble the true Nobility with Loyaltie to their Prince and State the leading of a good life and the longing for a better Inspire the Clergie with care and diligence to discharge their duties in their seuerall places Make the Commons of this Kingdome more iust more holy more conscionable in their courses more carefull of the common safety and prosperity of the publike State touch vs all with a zeale of thy feruice and truth an inward reuerence of thy most holy Maiestie a remorse of our former irreligious life That so when wee shall part from this place wee may part from our sinnes but not from sorrow for hauing committed them but may leaue them and leade a better life till wee bee brought from death to that life where sorrow and sin raigneth not where death hath no dominion and where complaints controuersies are not known but haue their ende This life good Lord graunt vs to leade in thy feare and in the ende to inioy that life where ioyes doe last for euer by the mercies of thee our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen A Prayer against Pride anger and Enuy. O LORD God who seest and searchest the secrets of all mens hearts Thou that knowest how subiect I am to Pride Anger and Enuie My heart good Lord is puffed vp with pride it swess with selfe conceipt vaine glory and ostentation I take too much pride of those parts of my Bodie as beautie strength and stature and make my selfe beleeue they are much more faire and fashionable then indeede they are So am I efflated and blowne vp like a bladder with conceit of mine owne knowledg wit vnderstanding and skill making them greater and more goodly vnto my selfe then they are or can bee These foule faults gracious God sometimes I finde in my selfe but nothing so often as I commit them And though now I confesse it yet I haue no power of my selfe to forsake this sinne by which our first Parents fell out of Paradise and we his sinnefull Progeny follow the same steppes and are ready thereby to runne headlong vnto Hell O yet most merciful father clense me from this corruption cure me and I shal be cleane graunt me a lowly penitent and humble heart Teach me to thinke worse of my selfe for my sins then of other men whose faults I know not that I may not thinke so well of my selfe to contemne others O teach me to learne meckenesse of thee my Sauiour who in thy humanitie hast ledde vs to the way of humblenes and meeknesse both of thy precepts and practise Thou hast said learne of me for I am meeke O sweet Sauiour what precept could bee sweeter better or what Example could bee more Holy and perfect If Lucifer an Angel of Heauen could
care and conscience to thy honour and our owne saluation thorow Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy Neighbour THou O Lord that art the God of truth and teachest vs to maintaine truth forbiddest vs to beare false witnesse to the losse discredit hinderance or shame of our Neighbours that wee neither slaunder them with our tongs accuse them by oath or word wrongfully thinke or iudge euill of theÌ„ without cause Deceiue them by flatery or Hipocrysie backebite any nor boulster any bad causes by countenance cunning or giue sodaine and rash beliefe vnto raysers of sedition or euill reports that wee teach not false doctrine in matters of faith nor violate faith or promise with any man to their delusion and deceipt but that wee may avoyde the perill and punishment of breaking this Commandement Teach vs most iust and wise GOD to make Conscience of our words aswell as our workes to avoide slaunder false accusation to speake the truth to bee sincere and single-hearted when we come or are called to giue testimonie of the truth without respect of persons profit friendship enuy reuenge or reward that wee may knowe and consider we are alwayes in thy presence and vnder thy power to bee punished if wee transgreâ—se these thy holy precept That wee may say and sweare the truth in all things since all that we say sweare or doe is in thy sight and subiect to thy seuere and vncorrupted Iudgement Graunt and giue vs grace by thy power to doe this for thy glory and our owne good thou gracious God to whom be praise for euer and euer Amen Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours house his Wife his seruant c. SInce thou our Soueraign Lord and God hast giuen vs all that wee haue knowest what is needfull for vs to haue and keepest for vs that thou hast giuen Thou coÌ„mandest we should subdue our lustfull thoughts and desires of coueting that which is not ours and bee content with that thou art pleased to make ours O make vs most mercifull God moderate in desiring sober in vsing and abstinent from concupiscence and coveting those things that belong not vnto vs Suffer not our wanton eyes to wander our corrupt hearts to couet or our loose thoughts to bee led with inticements of worldly vaine and transitory things which may make vs to cover any thing that thou hast given and doth belong to others and not vnto our selues whether it be the persons estates lives liberties seruices or duties of our Neighbours be they our Superiors equals or inferiors O Lord God holy and iust to this ende clense our Conseiences restraine our appetites and evil affections chastise our inordinate desires subdue our lustfull inflammations Conquer our vnbridled corruptions Send thy holy and heauenly spirit into our hearts to take the possession and protection of our poore sinnefull soules that wee be not seduced but may be kept as cleaue vessels sanctified for thy seruice to keepe this and all thy CoÌ„mandements for thy mercies sake for thy merits thorough the Mediation of thy Son our Lord and Sauiour O LORD if our Houses be but poore let vs not covet to make them better by seeking that which belongs not vnto vs or by getting that which we cannot lawfully haue If our store be small suffer vs not to seeke that which wee should not seeke either our Neighbours Wiues by Adultery inticements or carnall prouocations or any of his goods by oppression deceit or any kinde of corruption his seruants by fraude flattery or false dealing But doe thou gracious God settle our soules to contentment with what wee haue or may obtaine by industry voyde of iniury by lawefull meanes without vnlawfull practises with conscience moderation and sobrietie that shunning to seeke and covet that which is not ours we may heere faithfully serue thee set foorth thy glory and heereafter receiue eternall happinesse with thee in Heauen Amen My Mementoes which I should make to my selfe 1 THe consideration and acknowledgement of my sinnes generall and particular by prayer and by repentance 2 The Examination of my life how it hath beene lead either in goodnesse or in loosenesse of liuing 3 Whether I haue amended or continued in any known grosse sinnes 4 What they are how they haue their beginning growth 5 What resistance I haue made and what successe that hath had 6 Whether I haue repelled those sinnes and whether they haue againe returned 7 What hopes or means I haue to banish those or the like sinnes 8 Whether my prayers befainter or stroÌ„ger more frequent or seldomer then they haue beene 9 Whether my distractions doubts and dulnesse in the time of prayer remaines or be remooued 10 Whether those Passions which were more preualent in me are yet pacified 11 Whether I cannot yet heartily forgiue and pray for those that haue iniured mee 12 Whether my want of Loue and Charitie to my Neighbours be yet amended 13 Whether I haue ioyned Faith with Examination and that with Repentance There is no day wherein I liue but I should call my selfe to accompt and bestow some time in examination of my self to see and search which of these or the like sinnes I haue committed which of them I haue corrected what yet remaines to bee done that I may no more doe them And if I can fall to these remembrances by exact repetition I shall sooner come to repentance If I cannot altogeter remember them yet I must first reade them in these or the like lines then answere to euery Article as if I were examined before the strickest Iudge for any capitall offence or else I may be assured I shall come at last before a seuere and all-seeing Iudge who knowes and will iudge all when I haue done this I must goe to prayer for the remoouing of these euills the continuance in doing better Or if I finde I cannot doe it I must still pray that I may bee able to doe it These Meditations and the Prayers following them being the best Medicines to cure all the maladies of my minde and soule for which end and to attaine to that holy and happy ende It is necessarie that I should frame vnto my selfe if not vnto others some short supplications as thâ—se following or the like A Prayer for performance of the former Points O Lord GOD my sinnes are great grieuous many and infinit in number they are so many that I cannot reckon or remember them Those that I doe remember which are the fewest in comparison of the rest I haue not confessed or acknowledged as I should doe I haue not examined my sinnefull life that I haue ledde nor sought amendment of the same I haue not looked into the beginning or grouth of my sinnes nor how I haue resisted the same or if at any time I haue done it yet I haue fallen more backewards then I went forwards My hope of resistance is nothing but in thy power and mercy O therefore