Christ THat he will draw near by grace unto Knowledge of God and our selves thy soul to strengthen thee with knowledge true faith unfeigned repentance and perfect charity that thou maiest rightly reverently and faithfully receive this holy Sacrament to Gods Ps 14. 22. 1 Jo 1. 8. glory and thine owne comfort and salvation Now when thou commest to communicate and receive this blessed Col. 3. 2. Rom. 12. 1. 2. 1. 15. Sacrament of the Lords Supper First banish all vaine and earthly thoughts and recollect thy heart to the serious meditations of that which is the life of the 1 Tim. 2. 4 Humility 1 Pet. 5. 6. 1 Jo. 2. 2. 4. 14. Sacrament even the death of thy Saviour and humbly and devoutly present thy selfe and service to the Redeemer of thy soule and Lord of the feast the only saviour of mankinde Jesus Christ our righteous Lord. Then apply thy minde to these contemplations First remember with great reverence the infinite Majesty of God his mercy True repentance 1 Jo. 9. Prov. 28. 13. goodnesse and justice in whose presence we are Secondly consider thine owne vilenesse misery and unworthinesse being wholly corrupt both in soul and body Thirdly confesse all thy sins True faith 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19 21. 2. 14. 1. 3. 21. plainly for in hiding our sins this work will not prosper but with most hearty and unfeigned sorrow in all humility cast thy self at Jesus feet earnestly begging for pardon with hatred to all sin and purpose of amendment For who 1 Pet. 3. 22 Heb. 12. 24. 1 Jo. 2. 3. so confesseth and forsaketh their sins shall finde mercy Fourthly trie and acknowledge thy faith and stedfast beliefe in Christ Jesus the blessed Son of God the Creator to be the only Saviour 1 Tim. 21 5. Jam. 1. 17. and Redeemer of the world who dyed for thy sins and rose againe for thy justification and is ascended up to heaven for thy salvation where sitting at Gods right hand he maketh intercession for 1 Tim. 21 5. thee and powreth downe all graces and blessings upon thee who giveth himself with all his merits unto thee in this Sacrament covering all thy offences with Jam. 1. 17. his perfect obedience So making thee righteous and leaving thee a pledge and Sanctification 1 Jo. 17. 19. Heb. 13. 12. seale of thy future and eternall happinesse this his holy institution which the divine word hath sanctified to that end and purpose Now call to minde the exceeding love of God and Christ towards thee the one in sending his only deare Sonne to become man and suffer death The fifth in giving his most pretious body and bloud to bee crucified Gods love to us and shed upon the crosse to satisfie the just wrath of God due for thy sins of which this bread broken wine powred out that we see is a remembrance which we ought often to celebrate and set our hearts and soules duly and truly Our love to God to love and honour this gracious God and Lord who hath loved us first and done such great things as to give himself for us 6. Ponder well in thine heart 1 Ja. 4. 9. 10. all the divine mysteries of this holy Sacrament to which heavenly banquet Jesus thy Saviour now inviteth thee taking away thine hatefull iniquities and Jam. 2. 8. cloathing thee with his innocencie so Jo. 15. 12. Charity to our neighbours 1 Jo. 4. 21. to make thee acceptable in the sight of God the Father and by the gracious operation of the Holy Ghost joyning thee unto himselfe as thy head and all of us in true love one to another as members of one body to walke in newnesse of life the rest of our dayes 7. And Amendment 1 Jo. 33. 10. 1 Pet. 4. 2. lastly forget not to be ever truly thankfull for these inestimable benefits of God the Father of the blessed Trinity and of Jesus Christ our Lord towards us who hath laid downe his own life to redeem us such vile and miserable sinners all which the Holy Ghost applieth unto us Thankfulnesse 1 Jo. 5. 7. Eph. 5. 20. 1 Thess 5. 18. Infinite mercies we are never able sufficiently to acknowledge and admire Prepare not thy belly but thy soule believe and thou hast eaten this saith St. Augustine 14. A thanksgiving after the holy communion of the Lords Supper OH blessed and praised for ever be the Name of the Lord my God who hath done great and many things for me and holy is thy gracious and glorious name and let thy mercy and thy truth O Lord never forsake me but vouchsafe to continue thy goodnesse and loving kindnesse towards me for ever and say unto my soule thou art my God my helpe and my salvation for evermore And now especially O Lord as I am infinitely bound I render unto thy divine Majesty all humble and possible praise and thanks for this present and particular favour shewed unto me thy unworthy servant in feeding my soule to eternall lfe with the most pretious food of thine owne sacred body and bloud blotting out all my sinnes and sanctifying mee by thy holy Spirit imputing to me thy righteousnesse and admitting mee so unworthy to be a happy partaker of this blessed Sacrament The benefit whereof is unspeakable and the mercy therein unexpressable only I admire thy goodnesse towards mankind and magnifie thy great mercy beseeching thee my God as thou hast vouchsafed to accept mee at this holy Table so good Lord let mee not depart without a blessing but be pleased to receive me into thy gracious care and favour that I may live and die therein and give mee grace to spend the rest of my time in a carefull reformation of all evills past a diligent performance of thy most holy will in all things and true obedience to all thy Commandements with a faithfull and right application of all thy mercies and merits so that I may feele thy bitter passion O Lord sweet unto my soule and by the assistance of thy Spirit bring forth the fruits of amendment of life and most hearty thankfulnesse all my daies that at the end of this life I may obtaine a blessed roome in the Kingdome of glory there to praise thy holy name for evermore Amen 15. A short Prayer for conclusion to any prayer O God the Father blesse and governe my soule and body in all things to thy service O Lord the Sonne my Saviour Jesus protect me and direct me at all times to doe thy will O holy Ghost blessed Spirit preserve mee from falling into any sinne or evill but instruct sanctifie and lead me into the waies of truth and righteousnesse that I may live in thy feare and dye in thy favour and may continue in thy right Church and true faith unto my end So that in the houre of my death and in the dreadfull day of judgement I may finde grace in thy sight that thou
for thee before thou hadst being to understand thine owne wretched estate Oh my Lord God! how good and gracious hast thou ever been in all thy mercies both spirituall and temporall towards me the least and unworthiest of thy servants before I was borne and ever since from time to time Now Lord I humbly pray thee in the same love and favour from which I have hitherto received so many and great benefits vouchsafe thou alwaies to continue thy blessings unto me especially in daily renewing all spirituall graces in my soule for the true performance of all holy duties and service in a right and acceptable manner towards thy Majesty and Lord make my humble thankfulnesse unto thee appeare in my true obedience of thee in all things that I may duly praise and glorifie thy name for ever Now deare God let not thy mercy in prolonging my daies encrease the number of my sinnes and so to heap up wrath unto my selfe against the day of wrath by drawing upon me due punishments for my offences but mercifull God adde thou grace unto my daies and for Jesus sake forgive all my sinnes past that I have done before thee in my whole life time especially in my many breaches of this holy and blessed Lords day which we keep in remembrance of our Saviours resurrection with all my neglects and defects in the performance of my duties towards thee this present day and heretofore according to thy Commandements And grant O God through thy mercies and my Saviours merits that my iniquities may never bee imputed unto mee but Lord let thy goodnesse patience and long sufferings lead me to daily and unfaigned repentance and give me true faith in all thy gracious promises and by the assistance of thy holy Spirit to bring forth amendment of all my former faults with true obedience unto thy blessed will and holinesse of living all my life to come That so I may obtaine grace and favour in thy sight to prevent and keep mee hereafter from all sin and evil or offending thee my God in thought word and deed and direct thou my waies right before thee in all godlinesse and uprightnesse of heart that I may be enabled through my Lord Jesus Christ to doe every good worke and by thy grace to live here according to all thy Commandements and when thou pleasest to call for mee â—ut of this wicked world unto thy selfe Lord assist me with thy spirit and grace to make a blessed end and to die in thee my Lord and so I shall finde mercie through the merits of my Saviour Jesus after death to be accepted and received into the Kingdome of heaven and through Christ my Saviour may bee admitted into thy glorious presence O God where is the fulnesse of joy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore of which Lord make me a happy partaker when this life is ended Amen Amen 10. A Prayer for Munday to God the Father at first awaking I Will praise thee with my whole heart for thou hast dealt lovingly with mee Blessed and praised now and ever be thy most glorious Name O my God heavenly Father for all thy great and manifold mercies and blessings both spirituall and temporall in soule and body vouchsafed unto mee thy most unworthy and sinfull servant before I was borne and hitherto this last night and all my life past for thy favours have ever been right good and gracious towards mee having done great and many things for mee praysed be thy most holy Name who hast been my only stay succour helpe and comfort in this world and thy infinite mercy in Ghrist is all my hope and confidence for the life to come Now Gracious Lord who hast been my good God and guide from my youth have pity upon my infirmities and for Jesus sake forgive all my sinnes that I have committed before thee in my whole life past and let thy mercy and truth never leave me nor forsake me neither in life in death nor in the last judgement but be pleased by thy Spirit to say alwaies unto my soule especially at my death thou art my God and my salvation for in thee will I trust so long as I live and for ever So be it A short supplication before the weekly Prayers 11. A morning Prayer for Munday to God the Father HEare me when I call upon thee O God of my righteousnesse have mercy upon mee and hearken unto my prayer Most Gracious Lord God and my heavenly Father in Christ Jesus my Saviour thou knowest my great and grievous infirmities that I can of my selfe neither will nor performe any good nor think a good thought but by thy grace therefore I most humbly pray thee to indue mee thy poore unworthy servant with thy holy Spirit whereby these and all other my prayers and petitions that I presume to offer unto thy Majesty may by thy assistance be made in a right manner and in an acceptable time when thou wilt please to be found of me and graciously to heare and receive me and my supplications And now vouchsafe dear God to sanctifie prepare and assist my heart and soule with thy true Spirit of grace and prayer to drive away all vaine and wandring thoughts sluggish dulnesse and all evill temptations out of my minde and knit my heart and soule to the true feare of thy great Name and to the devout love of thy divine Majesty and teach mee with all due reverence and such true humility and devotion as is fit to appear in thy sacred presence that I may rightly faithfully and humbly now and at all times call upon thy holy Name as I ought to doe and daily pray unto thee O my blessed Lord God who hast awaked mee in health and safety to this daies light which I most thankfully acknowledge with all other thy blessings and benefits both spirituall and temporall bestowed on me thy sinfull servant from time to time beseeching thee of thy infinite mercy alwaies to continue them unto me And as thy gracious providence hath brought me to begin this new day so Lord by thy power defend me therein from falling into any sin or evill to offend thee but give me grace at this present to performe and ever continue to lead a new a holy and an upright life in thy sight all the rest of my daies to come to frame my heart and reforme my waies in all true obedience hereafter to thy most holy will and Commandements And further I humbly praise thy glorious Name for thy gracious preservation of me and mine and all other thy benefits vouchsafed me the last night and all my life past unto this instant houre having hitherto given me health maintenance and safety which I pray thee whilst I live still to vouchsafe me and make me truly thankfull to thee for all thy mercies and let thy benefits never slip out of my minde but that I may daily and duly acknowledge them to the true praise of thy
pray and say with confidence Come Lord Jesus come quickly for into thy hands I most humbly commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth and vouchsafe thou even to my last breath alwaies to say unto my soule thou art my God and my salvation for ever Amen 4. A Prayer in sicknesse with expectation of death OH heavenly Father who hast been my gracious God before I had being and my mercifull guide from my youth be pleased especially now at the houre and point of my death which I shall shortly expect to be mercifull O God unto me a miserable sinner to pardon for Jesus sake all my sinnes and iniquities that I have committed formerly and vouchsafe to heale and save my wretched soule that hath infinitly offended thee and strengthen my weaknesse with thy power and supply all graces wanting in me by thy mercie and defend me from all my spirituall adversaries who will endeavour my destruction if they can but let them not prevaile against me and Lord Jesus be not farre from me neither forsake me in a time when so much trouble and danger is about me but in the multitude of thy mercy Lord pray for mee that my faith faile not and stretch forth thy hand to save me as thou didst to Peter lest I perish Now O God give me such sound and unfaigned repentance as may obtaine from thee remission of all my sinnes with true faith to lay hold of all thy gracious promises and a right and a stedfast hope in all thy mercies but chiefly indue me with devout and perfect love toward thy Majesty which may make me faithfully and constantly thine to serve and obey thy holy will in all things with Christian charity towards all my brethren but Lord if it be thy will give mee knowledge of my death when it is neare that I may faithfully pray unto thee and call on thy most blessed Name with my last breath and may joyfully and willingly yeeld up and commend my spirit backe to thee my Lord who gave it unto me And deare Lord prevent and remove all evill hindrances in my way to heavenly happinesse that through Christ Jesus my Saviour I may bee received amongst thy children and servants and admitted into the presence of thy Majesty O heavenly Father there to enjoy eternall felicity with thee in heaven when this life is ended by death But if thou shouldest please at this time to continue and prolong my daies upon earth Lord so long as I live teach me by thy grace so to number my daies that I may apply my heart to wisdome and godlinesse and holinesse of life seeking to redeem my lost time past which I have mispent by daily repentance and amendment of life striving to make my calling and election sure by a holy and good conversation the rest of my time to come that by thy mercy and merits of my Saviour Jesus I may be freed of my trespasses and heavy account with thee before I dye and may escape thy just and great wrath which is due for my manifold transgressions Now Lord Jesus I willingly submit my selfe to thy good pleasure to dispose of me as thou seest best but I most humbly beg of thee when my last and appointed hour is come that I shall enter into my long sleep of death and goe to lye downe in the dust deare Lord give me a happy departure out of this life that I may dye in thee O Lord to rest in peace and safety and may be raised up by thee at the last day to grace and glory that thou receiving mee into thy mercy and favour I may live and remain with thee in eternall happinesse to glorifie thy blessed Name and sing hallelujah amongst thy Saints for ever and ever Amen 5. A Prayer unto the Lord of mercy in the time of sicknesse to be fitted for death and assisted in that dreadfull houre against all temptations to gaine a blessed passage out of this world at Gods appointed time O Great and mercifull God who reignest and disposest of all things in heaven and in the whole world as it pleaseth thee and understandest all the passage here below on earth be it never so secret and by thy mercie and power dost work all things to the best for those that love and depend upon thee for thou art full of goodnesse patience and long-suffering towards us poore weak and fraile creatures and thy abounding mercy doth exceed all other thy great workes in pardoning sinners but beyond all other thy favours towards us thy infinite love to mankinde did most appeare in sending thine owne dear Son into the world to save sinners by thy grace that all that beleeve in him might be saved without which thy mercie what hope comfort or helpe were there left unto us miserable sinfull creatures for the just man falleth seven times a day but the wicked much more and if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinner appear such as I am Therefore I come and cry and pray unto thee who only canst relieve me in all humility contrition and confession of my manifold transgressions and in the blessed Name of thy dear beloved Son my only Saviour I do beg and beseech thee O Father full of compassion not to enter into judgement with me nor to remember what I have done amisse but to consider what thy Christ hath done and suffered for mee and looking on mee through him have mercy and pity upon me a most grievous sinner I know too well how justly thou maiest condemne me but Lord to save a poore sinner by thy grace is farre greater honour and glory unto thee And gracious God who of thine owne meer mercy didst give us thy most deare Son to be our reconciliation and redemption whē we were thine enemies much more being reconciled and having performed all things for us thou canst deny us no good thing that wee aske in his beloved Name Therefore O God for Christ innocent sake vouchsafe to be reconciled unto me thy most unworthy sinfull servant and cast all my offences into his grave where my Saviour paid the last part of my ransome and by his power rising againe the third day from death he conquered and overcame all my soules enemies sin death hell and Sathan and deare Lord with his pretious bloudshed upon the crosse wash my soule cleane before it appeare in thy presence and take away all my iniquities out of thy sight never to come in remembrance before thee so that Christ may be unto me both in life and death an advantage And now most deare God my life and time here is only in thy hand and pleasure and thou hast cast me upon the bed of sicknesse from which I know not whether I shall recover or rise any more while I live in this world therefore I most humbly pray thee sweet Jesus never to leave or forsake me but stand thou alwaies in mercy by me and
bury them in thy grave so as they may never be able to come in judgement against mee either to accuse or shame me in this world or to condemne and confound mee in the world to come for thy mercies sake sweet Jesus my Saviour But I most humbly beseech thee O Lord â—â— sanctifie and cleanse my heart and soule from all sinne and evill by thy holy Spirit that I may be upright in thy sight to reforme all my waies before thee and let thy grace and holy Spirit lead mee into the paths of truth and righteousnesse all my life that after death thou maiest of thy infinite mercy bring me to that everlasting inheritance of happinesse which thou hast so dearly purchased for us with thine owne bloud in whom is all my trust who art my only Saviour Mediator and Advocate for ever O God the Holy Ghost our comforter preserve and sanctifie thou my heart and soule that I may unfeignedly love thee truly feare thy holy Name and faithfully serve please and obey thee as I ought to doe now and all the daies of my life And vouchsafe O blessed Spirit to instruct and inlighten my soule and understanding with the true knowledge devout love and stedfast beliefe of thy sacred truth and keepe me therein for ever O Holy Ghost vouchsafe to make thy seat and dwelling in my soule and let thy holy Spirit take full possession of my heart and abide alwaies with mee to fill me with all saving graces whereby I may bee preserved from falling into any sinne or evill and bee inabled to doe all good that may be best pleasing unto thee and to performe all duty and service by thy assistance in an acceptable manner unto my gracious and Almighty God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost three Persons and one ever glorious Trinity to whom be rendred all praise honour power and thanks as is right due for ever and ever Amen 20. An evening Prayer to God the Holy Ghost for Wednesday O God the Holy Ghost blessed Spirit by whom we are sanctified and sealed unto the day of redemption and by whose holy operation we are joyned unto our blessed Lord and head Christ Jesus from whom let nothing in heaven or earth ever separate me And mercifull Lord I humbly pray thee cast me not in thy displeasure out of thy care and favour for my sinnes and withdraw not thy grace and holy Spirit from me neither forsake me nor leave me to my selfe who am wholly subject to all wickednesse But I most humbly beseech thee to creat in me a new a clean an upright a faithfull and perfect heart in thy sight to walke in all true holinesse before thee as thou requirest all my daies to come and good Lord daily renue thy grace and a right holy spirit within mee to sanctifie and cleanse my soule from sinne to preserve mee from falling into evill and to guide me into the waies of truth and righteousnesse Now dear Lord marke me thy poore servant for thine owne and prevent mee with thy grace that I never grieve despight or neglect thee my God in any thing neither to resist or quench the good motions of thy holy Spirit in my heart at any time but I most humbly pray and desire to bee led and directed in all things by thee who best knowest my frailties and infirmities that I can of my selfe neither will nor performe any good at all much lesse call upon thy holy Name as I ought all my best works and endeavours being full of imperfection and corruption but I humbly beseech thee good Lord to accept in me the will for thee deed the affection for the action and vouchsafe to heale and helpe my great disability to any goodnesse and teach and assist me rightly faithfully and constantly to pray unto thee my God now and at all times according to thy holy will and daily to call upon thy great Name in truth and sincerity And be pleased O Lord Holy Ghost to prepare assist and lift up my heart and soule towards thee and bend downe thine eare of mercy to heare me and vouchsafe thou blessed Lord to make request by thy grace in mee with such inward and faithfull devotion humility sighs and groans as cannot be expressed that so my supplications may bee acceptable to God my heavenly Father through the merits and sufferings of my dear Saviour Jesus and the holy working of thee O God the Holy Ghost my comforter who art the sanctifier and preserver both of my soule and body I humbly pray thee to inflame my heart and spirit with fervent zeale and unfeigned devotion to the true and constant performance of all duties and services that I owe unto thee my God And vouchsafe Lord by thy holy Spirit to infuse into my soule everlasting and devout love towards thy Majesty with Christian charity towards all my brethren thy children and servants And Lord put thou a right and stedfast hope into my heart that my trust in thee may never faile till I have attained to the eternall felicity which God the Father hath prepared and our blessed Saviour hath purchased and thou blessed Spirit by thy holy assistance wilt bring us unto to glorifie the Name of my God in heaven hereafter for ever Amen 21. The conclusion for Wednesday at night to the blessed Trinity MErcifull God heavenly Father blessed Son and Holy Ghost who hast appointed the night for all mortall creatures to take rest without which our weake natures cannot subsist I am now in health by thy gracious providence by thy favour and laid downe in my bed which representeth the grave and by thy mercie hope also to take quiet rest and sleepe that is the image of death from which I know not whether ever I shall awake againe to this worlds light for my life dependeth on thy good pleasure therefore I most humbly pray thee of thy infinite mercy O God to forgive all my sins past that I have committed against thee this present day or heretofore through the merits and sufferings of my Redeemer Jesus and vouchsafe heavenly Father to bee reconciled unto mee thy most guilty sinfull servant in and through thy dear and innocent Son who is my righteous Saviour And grant while I live here that in Christ I may hereafter live to thee and thy faithfull service and when I sleepe Lord let me safely rest by thy blessed preservation and by the assistance of thy holy Spirit that I may continue in thy true faith feare and favour with a good conscience unto my last breath that so if thou call me away this night or any other time in my sleep thou wilt in Christ pardon my sinnes and after death receive my soule to thy grace and mercy to remaine with thee for ever and may praise thee my God everlastingly Amen Amen 22. A Prayer for Thursday morning at first awaking to God the Father MY God I heartily praise thee for my present health rest and
Mary that better part which may never be taken from mee chiefly to serve and follow thee that so I may turne this freedome from the bond of mariage only the more to thy service and may become thy bond woman to serve and praise thee day and night like Hanna so long as I live And Lord assist me with thy grace to obey thee in all things according to thy holy will daily endeavouring to work out my salvation with feare and trembling and continually striving by a godly life and holy conversation to make my calling and election sure which is one of the chiefest things needfull Now deare God make me to change and far exceed the fervent affection and carefull observance I have lived in towards my husband into a holy feare with devout and sincere love of thy Majesty and service and due watchfulnesse over my selfe that I displease not thee my God in any thing And good God by thy holy Spirit withdraw my heart from the covetous seeking desiring and longing after the vanities riches delights preferments or vaine pleasures of this wicked deceitfull world but instead of my former care and troubles in worldly businesses to please my husband and for the good of my children let me now bend my minde and wholly set my heart and soule to seeke after thee my good God thy glory thy Kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof that so I may walke before thee all the rest of my daies with an upright faithfull and perfect heart in thy sight Lastly indue mee with true thankfulnesse to thy gracious Majesty for all thy manifold mercies vouchsafed unto me Lord give me grace to use those benefits thou bestowest on me conscionably as may be best pleasing unto thee and to imploy all I have to thy glory the relievement of thy truest servants and my owne comfort especially the good of my soule in performing my duty towards thee in striving to doe all the good I can while I have time for I desire so to use and receive thy blessings here as I may be also received into the place of eternall blessednesse hereafter through Jesus Christ my Lord. Finally I most humbly beg that thou wilt vouchsafe to be a loving and gracious Father in thy care and comfort to me and all mine and let thy mercie blessing and favour rest alwaies upon me my children and grand-children kindred and friends with all that thou hast given thy poore servant who doth in all humility commend and commit my selfe my waies and workes wholy to thy most blessed protection and direction to dispose according to thy good pleasure that so I may doe all things to thy glory here and by thy mercy be a happy partaker of thy eternall Kingdome of glory hereafter through Jesus Christ my Lord Amen 2. A Prayer to the God of mercy in time of affliction O Most gracious Lord God the originall of all goodnesse and fountaine of mercie thou hast commanded thy poore servants to call upon thee in the day of trouble that thou maiest deliver us and we may glorifie thee great are the troubles of thy children but thou deliverest them out of all thine eyes O Lord are upon thy servants and thine eares are open to their cry for thou art near unto all that call upon thee in truth and wilt save such as bee afflicted in spirit the sorrows of my heart are increased Lord draw me out of my troubles the poore crieth and the Lord heareth he prepareth their hearts and bendeth his eares to them and delivereth them out of all their feare and care for the hope afflicted shall not perish before thee for ever The Lord also will be a refuge in due time even in affliction and they that know thy Name will trust in thee for thou wilt not faile them that seek thee have mercy upon me O Lord consider my troubles which I suffer of them that hate me without cause thou hast been my defence and hast lifted me up from the gates of death O Lord my God in thee I put my trust save me from them that persecute mee and deliver me in thy good time But dear God I most humbly confesse that my sinnes are so many and grievous as they have deserved farre greater punishment then I am able to beare and I can hope for no helpe or release but from thine owne goodnesse who art my only hope and sure refuge for thou hast mercy on whom thou wilt have mercy and takest compassion on whom thou pleasest but I acknowledge that my sufferings are not answerable to my sinnes for thou hast corrected me with favour not in rigor therefore if thou shouldest kill me yet will I trust in thee for thy mercy exceedeth all thy workes and under the shadow of thy wings will I rest in confidence till all my afflictions be overpassed Yet Lord if it seem good unto thee to continue these heavy troubles and visitations that now lye sore on me I humbly pray thee to sanctifie all my afflictions unto me thy poore servant which I hope are but fatherly chastisements for the amendment of my faults and not the fearfull judgements and ensignes of thy wrathfull displeasure from which Lord for thy Sonnes sake preserve me â—â—y poore sinfull creature and lay no more upon me then thou wilt make me able to undergoe as I ought to doe saying with Ely It is the Lord let him do what he pleaseth and make me to consider like Job that naked I came into the world and naked I shall returne the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken praised be his name for ever but thou Lord art my stength and my stay in all distractions I further humbly beseech thee to give me grace and patience in all things and at all times to keep my selfe from any offence towards thee by repining at thy just and favourable corrections for my transgressions but grant that I may as Christ hath taught us meekly and humbly submit my selfe to thy most righteous and blessed will that so I may by thy assistance make the best and right use of whatsoever thou sendest that all may be to the best for thy honour and turne to my good when thou art pleased to give a happy issue to this temptation and in thy good time to ease and deliver me out of these great adversities to thy glory But I know that the afflictions of this present world are not worthy of the glory that shall bee revealed to us hereafter yet I humbly desire if it so please thee that I may live the rest of my daies in peace and quiet constantly to attend thy service and seek after my owne salvation Lord be mercifull to this whole Kingdome now in very great distraction distresse and misery and also to all my fellow members in thy whole Church universall wheresoever any of us are afflicted inwardly or outwardly in body or minde grant us either speedy delivery or else grace to performe thy good pleasure and with
Will praise the Lord because he is good for his mercy endureth for ever by whom we live move and have our being our maintenance safety and preservation Now glorious Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost I humbly pray thee vouchsafe unto mee thy most unworthy servant such grace and favour to knit my heart and soule fast to theee so that my sinnes nor my soules enemies the wicked world my owne corrupt flesh nor the malice of the Divell may not be able to pluck mee out of thy mercifull and powerfull hands but Lord assist me with thine owne blessed Spirit that I may daily continue and increase in all sincere and perfect love and obedience towards thy Majesty and in thy feare and favour and all other saving graces to have a good conscience before thee with true faith stedfast hope and perfect charity unto my lifes end Amen 31. A Prayer unto the Trinity for Saturday morning O Lord our God how excellent is thy Name in all the world for thou hast laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the workes of thy hands and thou didst create and dost governe dispose and rule the whole world with all things therein according to thy good pleasure O most divine and adored Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost three persons but one true eternall and everliving God to whom be all praise honour and glory as is right and due for ever Thou only by thy word and power didst make all things for thine owne glory especially mankinde after thine image in purity and holinesse to thine own service for by thy ptovidence and mercy commeth all good gifts and blessings unto us and also deliverances only from thee of those evills and dangers which sinne hath made us subject unto in falling from thee and our first integrity by the subtillty and malice of Sathan and our owne frailty yet of thine owne free grace thou didst elect a number by thee selected of thy chosen servants to inherit an eternall Kingdome with and through thy beloved Son whom thou didst ordain and send into the world at thine appointed time to be the redemption of all that beleeve in thee O God the Son our blessed Lord Jesus Christ it is written of thee that thou shouldest doe the will of God the Father who ordained thee to be our Redeemer and wert made of God unto us wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and salvation with glorification hereafter Now deare Jesus who hast paid our ransome even the all-sufficient and acceptable sacrifice of thine own pretious bloud to wash away our sins who was lifted upon the crosse between heaven and earth to make an attonement betwixt God and man his heavy wrath and our grievous offences and so thou art become our Priest to offer up thy innocent selfe to cleanse us from our sinnes who art our Prophet to instruct and teach us and direct our waies aright to shew us the path of life and make the way plaine before our faces and by thy example to beare our crosse patiently and follow thee that art the way the truth and the life to lead us to eternall salvation also thou art our King to protect defend and reigne over us in mercy truth and righteousnesse till thine enemies be made thy footstoole and all that hate thee be destroyed before thee for God hath put all things in subjection under his feet then shalt thou judge the whole world in righteousnesse and equity and wilt bring thy servants to that eternall inheritance which thou hast by thy merits and sufferings so dearly purchased for us who wert borne unto us to be the joy and comfort of all people and the glory and salvation of all that truly beleeve and trust in thee our Saviour O God Holy Ghost the giver worker and sealer of all graces unto us by thee we are called to the knowledge of God and his saving truth sanctified to the performance of his will and Commandements certified by the holy Spirit of our salvation in Christ Jesus and by thee applied unto us to bee regenerated and borne againe by thy holy operation from sin to grace to thy glory and our endlesse felicity And thy Spirit also witnesseth to our spirits that we are the children of God and heires with Christ of the Kingdome of heaven to the eternall comfort of all thy servants being by thee also united to our blessed Christ and sealed to the day of redemption and continually assisting us to all goodnesse Now great and glorious Lord God Father Son and Holy Ghost thou hast plentifully powred downe thy manifold mercies and favours upon us and multiplied exceedingly thy blessings and benefits spirituall and temporall towards us before we had being in the world since we were borne and after death thou hast laid up an eternall weight of glory for all those to possesse that truly beleeve in thee which give me grace to doe for none hath or ever can deserve them Oh the abundant mercy bounty and goodnesse of our gracious God towards mortall mankinde who can declare the height and depth of Gods unspeakable love or be sufficiently thankfull to him for such unexpressible benefits but with David we may say Lord What is man that thou art mindefull of him Or what shall we render to thee for all thy mercies having in us no good at all but what we receive from thy selfe therefore Lord adde this further grace unto thy former favours by the assistance of thine owne Spirit to make us thy unworthy servants able rightly faithfully and constantly to feare love honour serve obey and praise thy most glorious Name while we live and for ever and ever Amen 32. A Prayer to God the Holy Ghost for Saturday night O God Holy Ghost the giver of all graces and and my gracious sanctifier comforter and preserver thou knowest my infirmities my inclination to all evill and backwardnesse to any goodnesse vouchsafe Lord to sanctifie mee thy poore sinfull servant in soule body and spirit throughout to thy true feare intire love and right faithfull and constant service all my time to come And be pleased Lord by thy grace to enlighten my dull soule and understanding with the sound knowledge sincere love and stedfast beleefe of thy saving truth and keepe me ever constant therein And vouchsafe deare Lord to inrich me thy poore unworthy servant with the infinite treasure of that heavenly wisdome from above which waiteth about thy Throne that may teach me thy holy will and what is good and acceptable unto thee and inable me with grace to doe it that so I may discerne between good and evill and make me shunne and hate that which is evill and follow and cleave unto that which is good and to withdraw my love from this vaine world and fix my affections upon thee my God and on heavenly things that are above that my chiefe treasure may be settled there in heaven and my heart also and so I shall first seek to obtaine that
and banish thou Lord all wicked hindrances and temptations away from thy poore servant in performing all my duties towards thee Now deare God have mercy upon me most miserable sinner and in thy infinite mercy drive away this subtill enemy of my poore soule with his pernitious agents the vaine world and the corruptions of our owne nature let them not prevaile over me at any time for these are very ready to assault tempt and draw my minde from thee in all my devotions and services that I endeavour to offer unto thy Majesty and to make my prayers vaine and void and drive me to fall into wicked neglect towards my God whereby to prevent destroy and divert all my comforts and hopes in thee O Lord which is the whole life of my soule But Gracious God Almighty whose power and strength is above all vouchsafe to overcome and banish all from mee never to returne againe and let thy blessed Spirit rest constantly in me to withstand all disturbances in the performance of my duty before thee and deare Lord make new cleane and upright my heart and frame it to thy holy will that so by thy gracious assistance I may faithfully serve and honour thee please and praise thee my God now and at all times in this life and for ever to thy glory and my eternall comfort Amen The afternoone prayers at foure a clock for each day in the week Munday 1. A thanks giving to the blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost O My good and gracious God great and many are thy mercies and blessings I have received from thee both spirituall and temporall from time to time and now what shall I render unto thee having no good to returne but the poore fruit of my lips which is nothing unto thee but the performance of our duties to praise thy great Name and to acknowledge all thy benefits therefore now I will give thanks to God the Father our gracious Creator who so loved us when we were his enemies and had lost our selves by sinne that he ordained and after sent his only begotten and beloved Son into the world that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Christ being the propitiation for our sinnes that we may live by faith through him And also I yeeld all possible praise unto my blessed Saviour who became man and in his infinite love willingly laid downe his life for us and washed away our sinnes with his owne pretious bloud and made us by his merits and sufferings Kings and Priests unto God and adopted children to his Father and heires with himselfe of an eternall Kingdome by whose resurrection we have a lively hope of an inheritance that cannot be shaken and withereth not reserved in heaven for us Now to thee Lord Holy Ghost the preserver sanctifier and comforter of mankinde by whom we are sealed unto the day of redemption and by whose holy working wee are united unto Jesus our blessed head and are certified by thy Spirit witnessing to our spirits that wee are the children of God to our great comfort and further by thy assistance and grace our weake prayers are rightly and effectually offered up unto the Lord our God Now to thee Almighty God three Persons and glorious Trinity but one true and everliving God from whose mercifull hands we daily receive all the good we doe injoy in this present world with further and full assurance of far greater happinesse by thy infinite mercies in the life to come be all praise and glory Amen Tuesday 2. A Prayer to the Trinity for grace and true faith O Sweet Jesus Christ Son of God who art the divine word without whom nothing was made and being made had been utterly lost hadst thou not been our powerfull and mercifull Redeemer thou art the way the truth and the life and thou who hast said that no man can come unto the Father but by thee who camest into the world and didst willingly lay down thine owne life only to save sinners by thy grace of whom I am chiefe have mercy upon me miserable sinner who can of my selfe neither will nor performe any good worke towards God as I ought to doe but vouchsafe Lord to indue mee with grace to serve and obey thee to learne thy will and to doe it and through faith to lay hold of thy mercies that so thou my Saviour maiest in thy righteousnesse present me to thy heavenly Father that hee may looke upon me poor sinfull creature through thee his deare Son and for thy sake to receive and accept me into his gracious favour to pardon all my sinnes and save my soule through thy perfect righteousnesse and manifold sufferings all performed for me Now thou Lord hast further said that none can come unto thee except the Father draw him therefore I most humbly pray thee O God the Father by that infinite love to wards mankind which caused thee to send downe thy beloved Son out of thine owne bosome into this wicked world that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life I earnestly pray thee O God the Father to draw me to thy Son Jesus that I may lay fast hold by faith on him to be my Saviour and to be his faithfull and constant servant and to be made through him and by thy mercie a happy member of him our blessed head then I shall be sure never to fall into condemnation but by stedfast faith in him obtaine eternall salvation And deare Lord Holy Ghost the giver of grace by whom we are joyned to our Lord and head Christ and sanctified to a new and holy life Lord cleanse and frame my heart and soule by the holy working and assistance of thy Spirit and grace unto the right faithfull and constant service of my Lord God my Saviour Jesus with thee O Holy Ghost so long as I live Lord daily increase my faith and all saving graces in me for my salvation and may by thee be directed and lead into the waies of righteousnesse untill thou hast brought me unto endlesse happinesse through Jesus Christ Amen Wednesday 3. A prayer to God for charity O Mercifull Lord God the giver of all graces I humbly beseech thee to frame my heart will and affections in all ready obedience to thy most holy will and Commandements in all things especially in the workes of mercy and charity they being a sweet smelling sacrifice wherewith thou art well pleased and wherein we may imitate thee and shall thereby gaine the honour to be made like unto thy selfe and be knowne to bee one of thy disciples if we love our brethren as our selves O God as thou hast blessed mee of thy meer goodnesse with an estate above some others to give me the grace of compassion and charity and inlarge my heart towards thy service to shew mercy unto them that want as thou hast been mercifull unto me that I may willingly distribute communicate to those that are
everlasting happinesse to live with thee and glorifie thee there for ever and ever Amen 2. A Prayer to live blessedly and dye happily OH gracious Lord God who didst create all things by thy omnipotent power and lastly made mankinde thou best knowest the frailties and corruption of our wretched nature which we inherit from our first parents whose substance was but earth and we are of our selves inclined onely to earthly and evill things and such is the condition of mortall man that all that are borne must dye and returne to dust from whence they came but the spirit returnes to thee O God that gave it to receive either joy or blisse with thee for ever or else eternall banishment from thee who art the only good therefore I doe most humbly beseech thee deare Lord to looke mercifully upon me to helpe my manifold infirmities and daily to prevent and keep me from falling into any sinne or evill to offend thee But especially in the time of my death dear Lord be mercifull unto me a most miserable sinner to forgive all my sinnes and offences past that I have committed against thee my God my brethren or my owne soule and grant through the merits and many sufferings of thy beloved Son and my only Saviour Jesus that they may never bee imputed unto me thy poor servant but vouchsafe good God in thy manifold mercies to indue mee thy most unworthy suppliant with all saving graces leading to my salvation both in life and death for we daily see by example how suddainly death may surprise us when we least expect it therefore while this life is in being and I am going on in the way of all flesh which can be of no long continuance Lord teach and assist mee to make my peace for my offences with thee my God while I am here who else wilt take an account of me in a dreadfull place and art able if thy wrath be not pacified to cast me into hell fire from which there is no redemption therefore have mercy on me sweet Jesus that I may by thy helpe grace and assistance rightly fit and prepare my self for thy acceptance before sicknesse lay hold on me for when death seiseth it will carry mee immediately before the judgement seat of thy great Majesty Oh there let me finde thee deare Jesus to be my gracious Saviour and Advocate and so I shall obtaine mercy and favour and by thy sufferings my offences pardoned and Gods severe justice satisfied And thus in thee and through thee only my blessed Redeemer Iesus Christ I shall be received to grace and mercy and made partaker of eternall life and remaine with Almighty God in whose presence is the fulnesse of joy and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore which Lord make me partaker of there to glorifie the Name of Almighty God Father Son and Holy Ghost for ever Amen 3. A Prayer to be prepared for a happy death and to gaine a joyfull resurrection MOst glorious Lord God who didst make all things thou well understandest that we poor creatures how highly soever we are conceited of our selves are but dust and ashes and must returne to earth from whence we came our lives and times are in thy hand and power and what thou hast appointed we cannot change and all things to our selves are most uncertaine for when thou with just rebuke dost chastise man for iniquity thou makest his strength and beauty to consume away like a flower of the field that withereth and falleth for when thou callest man cannot retaine the spirit nor adde one houre to his time but it returnes to thee that gave it and hee goeth downe to the grave from which he shall not returne againe till this world is at an end Therefore deare Lord I now most humbly beseech thee for thy beloved sonnes sake who hath satisfied thy just wrath by his infinite and innocent sufferings and redeemed me from sin and Sathan by his death Lord forgive and pardon me all my sinnes and offences past either in soule or body that I have committed against thee ever since I came into this miserable world which I confesse are innumerable more then the haires of my head or the sand upon the Sea shoare but vouchsafe O mercifull God to be reconciled unto mee a wicked sinner in thy deare and righteous Son Christ Iesus my only Saviour who hath paid my ransome with his owne pretious bloud wherewith oh God of mercie blot my debt to thee by sinne out of thy sight and also he did fulfill all righteousnesse for me who is now my blessed Mediator in heaven to impute all this unto mee Therefore deare Lord Holy Ghost by thy gracious and holy Spirit joyne and unite me unto my Lord and head Christ never to be separated from him while I live here and when I goe from hence carry me to be where he is and give mee grace and faith in and through him to make my peace while I am in the way and passage of this life and while I have breath to call upon thee before I am laid into the darke dungeon of the earth when the wormes shall eat my corrupt flesh yet I trust and doe believe through him that hath overcome death the grave and hell for me that at the blessed resurrection of thy children and servants that my corruption shall put on incorruption and I shall see my blessed Lord and Saviour with these my eyes who did redeeme me and shall be my mercifull judge to save me therefore I have sure confidence in his favour and under the wings of his mercie shall I rest in safety Now I humbly pray thee O God the Holy Ghost to sanctifie fit prepare and assist my heart and soule with thy Spirit to fill me with all saving graces for my salvation while I live to enable me to call pray and strive to please thee here in all things but especially Lord at my death stand by me and pray for me that my faith faile not fit and prepare me for thy gracious acceptance before thou call and seise upon me to take me out of this present life and make me alwaies mindefull both in health and sicknesse of my owne last end and then of my appearance before thee to make answer before the great God of Heaven Earth from whom nothing can bee hid of all my life and deeds past even to my very words for thou art only and above all to be feared who canst both save and kill and cast both soule and body into utter perdition in hell Therefore Lord vouchsafe to assist me with thy grace to worke in me all things which may make me acceptable unto thee before the day of my departure that when it doth approach it may not bee fearfull and terrible but happy and comfortable unto me in Christ Jesus my Lord that through him my last day may be my best and most welcome to my soule that I may then call and