may see the mysteries of thy profound and excellent truth increase O Lord all holy desires in me to attain the knowledge of thy will let my whole delight be in it to meditate therein day and night that it may be more precious unto me than Gold and Silver many times fined Further howsoever thy graces and gifts O Lord are to be acknowledged in men yet because thy good pleasure is so that all men should carry the scars of ignorance and infirmity draw in my whole delight I beseech thee and kindle all my affections to the love of thy Law and Testimonies and to those Scriptures that were written and indited by thine own self and thy spirit for those good Lord contain thy whole will in that everlasting Covenant that thou hast stricken with thy Saints This O Lord is that well spring of wisdom and grace that shall make us wise before thee howsoever the world condemn it of madness and folly Teach thou me O Lord and I shall be taught open thou mine eyes that I may see the excellent things of thy Law reform my heart that self-love and vain-glory may be quite vanquished and slain in me that I may only set before mine eyes thy glory O gracious God spoil this power of Satan in me that by thy means thy good gifts of knowledge and wisdom be not abused against thee thy Gospel and Glory that I be not carried through emulation spite or envy of any mans credit or gifts to set my self against thy truth but give me true humility that above all things I may rejoyce in the advancement and praise of thy Name whether it be with my honour or shame with my peace or trouble with good report or evil report I know O Lord that true wisdom is from thee alone and that thou hast so ordained thy servants in so gracious a dispensation of thy gifts that they who have the greatest need of theirs that are the least the greatest Master-builders of them that are but labourers basket-bearers in thy Church The unity of thy Spirit and the bond of Peace knit us fast together and hold us in to reverence each other and to be at one in thy work O knit our hearts together that we may all seek thee to thy eternal Praise to whom only belongeth Renown Glory and Honour for ever c. A fruitful Prayer to God ALmighty and Eternal God my Creator and lover I praise adore and bless Thee for that in my offences and ungratefulness thou hast so mencifully and leisurably forborn and suffered me to live even to this hour whereunto thou by thy benefits hast brought me giving anto me thy wretched servant life and necessaries thereunto belonging appointing Angels to be my keepers O my good God who knoweth whether till evening my life shall be prolonged or what death is appointed for me O merciful God and Heavenly Father grant that I may with hearty repentance truly repent my sins and inwardly bewail that ever I offended thy Godly Majesty suffer not my soul to depart this body before it be through thy mercy perfectly reconciled unto thee by grace bedeck'd with thy merits and vertues O merciful Saviour if these things I desire stand with thy Pleasure and Will grant them I beseech thee although I be not worthy to be heard And in thy mercy grant that by the merits of thy passion I may be purged from all my sins and that at the hour of my death I may be stricken with true and vehement contrition and being knit with thee in perfect charity I may immediately fleet unto thee my sweet Redeemer safely from all damnation desiring this one thing at thy hands that thou wilt remember my fragility unworthiness unstableness and miseries together with thine own goodness and most charitable mercy praying thee never to forsake me or leave me but that thou wilt always possess and govern me according to thy will to whom be all glory for ever and ever Amen A Prayer to be restored to Gods Favour O Almighty and everlasting God and Father which hast made Heaven and Earth and all things therein contained O incomprehensible unity O always to be worshipped most blessed Trinity I humbly beseech thee and pray thee by the assumption and crucified humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ that thou wouldest drive from me all kind of wickedness and sin creating in me a clean heart and a right spirit O Lord Jesus I beseech thy goodness for the exceeding great love which drew thee out of thy fathers bosom in the womb of thy holy Virgin and for the assumption of mans nature wherein it pleased thee to save me and to deliver me from eternal death That thou wouldst draw me out of my self unto thee my Lord God And grant that this my love may recover again to me thy grace to increase and make perfect in me that which is wanting to raise up in me that is fallen to restore to me that which I have lost and to quicken in me that which is dead and should live That so I may become conformable unto thee in all my life and conversation Thou dwelling in me and I in thee my heart being suppled with thy grace and settled in thy Faith for ever O my God loose and set at liberty my Spirit from all inferiour things govern my Soul and so work that both in soul and body I may be holy and live to thy Glory world without end Amen A Prayer to Christ to rest in his Love O My most loving Saviour I have chosen thee I wish and look for thee I run to meet thee I do renounce all things that are not of thee whatsoever thou wilt I will and whatsoever thou wilt not I forsake utterly detest in my heart and whatsoever shall hereafter happen unto me contrary to this present choice of my mind not to impute the same unto me but according to this choice of my soul judge me For all things which I ought not to do I utterly forsake them and if at any time hereafter I shall chance by any sinister occasion to agree to any thing that may be a cause to withdraw thy mercy from me I do now at this present hour utterly detest them And here O my sweet Saviour and Redeemer if it please thee or stand with thy Glory grant I beseeeh thee in this my present life that I may be delivered and preserved from all offences wherein I have offended and from all the pains whereunto deservedly I ought to come after my death and that thou wilt with the hands of thy mercy immediately after this life receive my soul into everlasting joy and felicity there to raign with thee for ever Amen A Prayer to God to grant our Petitions O Christ which art the strength of the weak the salvation of all believers and an aider of the oppressed yea our life and safe-guard in the peril of death I beseech thee that pitying mine Afflictions
thou wilt vouchsafe to grant me my petitions which at this time I have asked at thy hands so shall I serve thee here in the Kingdom of Grace and hereafter in thy Kingdom of Glory where I beseech thee O Lord that I may have a place to dwell with thee eternally which livest with God the Father and the Holy Ghost everlastingly to whom be praise and Glory for ever and ever Amen Prayers for Munday Night O Lord my God and Father blessed be thy Name for ever dispose my heart and open my lips c. A Psalm MY Song shall be of mercy and judgment Unto thee O Lord will I sing O let me have understanding in the way of Godliness When wilt thou come unto me I will walk in my house with a perfect heart I will take no wicked thing in hand I hate the sins of unfaithfulness there shall no such cleave unto me Hear my Prayer O Lord and let my crying come unto thee Hide not thy face from me in the time of my trouble incline thine Ears unto me when I call O hear me and that right soon My days are gone like a shadow and I am withered like grass But thou O Lord endurest for ever and thy remembrance throughout all Generations And I said O my God take me not away in the midst of mine age As for thy years they endure throughout all Generations Praise the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me praise his Holy Name Praise the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits Which forgiveth all thy sin and healeth all thine infirmity Which saveth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindness He will not always be chiding neither keepeth he his anger for ever For look how high the Heaven is in comparison of the earth so great is his mercy also towards them that fear him Glory be to the Father c. Confession to God the Father O Lord Almighty the God of our Father and Lord of Mercy which hast made Heaven and Earth with all their Ornaments which hast bound the Sea by the word of thy Commandment which hast shut up the deep and seal'd it by thy terrible and Glorious Name whom all do â—ear and tremble before thy Power for the Majesty of thy Glory cannot be born and thy angry threatnings towards sinners is â—mportable but thy merciful promises are unmeasurable and unsearchable for Thou art the Lord God most High above all the Earth long suffering and most merciful and sorry for the malice of men and thou O Lord according to thy great Goodness and of thine infinite Mercies hast appointed repentance unto sinners that they might be saved Therefore thou O Lord that art the God of the just hast not appointed repentance to those which stand to justify themselves in thy sight but thou hast appointed repentance unto me that am a sinner for I have sinned O Lord I have sinned above the number of the sands of the Sea my transgressions O Lord my transgressions are multiplied and are exceeding many so as I am not worthy to behold or lift up mine eyes unto the Heavens for the multitude of my unrighteousness I have provoked thine anger O Lord and done evil before thee in committing abominations and multiplying of offences Now therefore I bow the knees of my heart beseeching thee for Grace I have sinned O Lord I have sinned and I acknowledge my wickedness desiring thee by Prayer to forgive me O Lord forgive me destroy me not with mine iniquities neither do thou always remember mine evils to punish them but save me that am unworthy according to thy great mercies And I most humbly beseech thee O Lord not to suffer my soul to perish which Thou hast bought so dearly with thy most precious Blood make me poor in Spirit and low of Heart submitting me wholly into thy hands so as my desire and my delight may be always to thy will and pleasure which is always good and godly and grant my poor soul rest in thee for thou hast said They shall never be confounded that put their trust in thee which trust good Lord grant me never to forsake for any vain trust temptation or tribulation that may happen to vex my soul but grant me thy holy Spirit to comfort and defend me from all things that should procure thy displeasure Thou that art in Trinity one God and Lord over all give ear to my Prayer and pardon all my sins so shall I praise thee for ever and ever all the days of my life through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom be glory for ever Amen A Prayer to Jesus Christ O Jesus thou Son of God have mercy upon me and forgive the great offences which I have done in the sight of thee this day and give me grace O Lord for the love of thee to despise sin and worldly vanity O Jesus help me to overcome the temptations of sin and the maâ—ice of my spiritual enemy and strengthen my soul and body to exercise the works of virtue whereby I may come to thy everlasting joy and felicity Grant me a â—ast purpose O merciful Jesus to amend my life and to remove the sins of my youth far from me Jesus lighten me with Ghostly Wisdom for to know thy goodness and those things which are most acceptable unto thee and give me grace to give good and profitable example that none may be hurt by me make me to proceed from virtue to virtue until I be grown a perfect man in thee Let me not return to those sins which by my confession have accused me and with sorrow have oppressed me The horrible sentence of endless death the terrible judgment of damnation thy wrath ire and indignation merciful Lord let never fall upon me Jesus give me grace to fly evil company and when I come among them I beseech thee to preserve me that no occasion of sin overcome me keep my mouth O Lord from slanderous speaking lying false witness bearing cursing swearing uncharitable chiding dissolute laughing and words of vanity O sweet Jesus make me perseverant in the blessed service of Thee in holy Exercises and vertuous Meditations Lord keep my Soul and Body and make me to slay all sinful delectation and patiently to suffer injuries and rebukes in following thine own most Holy and blessed Example Provide good Lord that life for me which thou knowest most for thine honour and my comfortable stay in thee Jesus grant me specially in the time of Prayer to fix my mind on thee and thou to remember my wretchedness The blood that ran from thy blessed heart wash my soul from all sin and iniquity and purchase to me thy grace faithfaithfully to serve thee O my Lord God my might my life my light lead me and feed me in this mortality and at the hour of death when I shall be accused before thee have mercy upon me break my froward heart and make
into the place of everlasting torment But O Lord with thee there is mercy that thou mightest be feared thou art a God of all comfort and consolation a merciful loving and gracious Father ready and willing to hear all penitent sinners that in heart are sorrowful for their sins In the Name therefore of Jesus Christ my blessed Redeemer I humbly prostrate my self before the Throne of thy Mercy seat accompanied with no other hope than such as proceeds from the richness of thy mercy that for his only sake thou wilt have compassion upon me for in humility of spirit and contrition of heart I submit my self to thy goodness beseeching thee not to let my sins be a cloud between my Prayer and thy pity thy goodness and my distress but forgive and forget all my transgressions all my mis-doings let them be sins of what condition soever whether sins of my youth or sins of my age sins of my body or sins of my soul secret and open sins notorious and presumptuous sins sins of pride envy hatred malice c. Good Lord remit them all and of thy great goodness grant me perfect remission and absolution for the same for which the Prophet David Out of the depth of my misery I cry unto thee for the depth of thy mercy O Lord hear my petitions and consider my tears the contrition of my heart and the sorrow of my soul and in the merits of his blood that was so plentifully shed on the Cross for penitent sinners wash away the multitude of my transgressions that my soul by thy mercy being cleansed from the stain of sin I may be found a worthy partaker of this great mystery And now O Lord that I am about to receive the blessed Sacrament of the body and blood of Jesus Christ how shall I that am so great a sinner dust and ashes dare to presume to approach thy Table The Heavens in thy sight being not clear and the pillars of the Earth shake at thy presence What then shall become of me miserable that I am Yea Lord thou hast provided a special means and in thy Gospel left us a command Come unto me all ye c. Which command I obey and in confident assurance of thy promise in Christ Jesus I trust thou wilt have mercy upon me in the easing and refreshing of my soul that is wearied with the burthen of my intolerable sins Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin and renew a right spirit within me And of thy gracious goodness direct me in this great action with a reverend and awful fear of thy Majesty that all the faculties of my soul and body may be intent rightly to apprehend and joyfully to receive this eternal food this bread of life this heavenly and wonderful mystery and that by thy grace I may obtain the vertue fruit and benefits of the death and passion of my Saviour and by the same the remission of all my sins and everlasting salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer before the receiving of the Communion O Most holy and heavenly God and Father which by the immortal seed of thy Word hast begotten us to be thy children and with the same as with milk dost nourish us purely as new born babes as also with the divine mysteries of thy holy Sacraments as by a visible word dost confirm and strengthen us in faith righteousness and having so adopted us into thy family continually feedest and nourishest us unto eternal life we humbly beseech thee so to prepare our souls to the due receiving thereof worthily that we may thereby effectually feel taste and feed on thy Son Jesus Christ the true Manna and Bread that came down from Heaven that we may by him have eternal life pardon O Lord pardon our unpreparedness in coming to the participation of so holy and divine Mysteries Make thy Word and Sacraments always so powerful and effectual in our ears and hearts that we may thereby be sanctified and renewed unto all holy obedience unto thy will in the mortification of our sinful corruptions and renewing of thy perfect Image in us unto holiness righteousness sobriety truth knowledge faith and temperance through his most power ful and glorious Resurrection Stablish our Conscience in the assurance of our salvation by the remission of our sins in the blood of thy Son which was shed for us on the Altar of the Cross as a Sacrifice of expiation to cleanse away all sin O Lord seal and confirm this Covenant of Grace in our hearts by these holy Sacraments pledges of thy grace and love towards us that at no time we may stagger at thy promises nor fall away from hope and confidence in thee but being hereby incorporated into one Body we may partake of one Spirit and grow in love one towards another as members of the same mystical Body that we may forgive one another as thou hast forgiven us O Lord make us ever thankful for thy manifold and great mercies in providing unto us such means and helps of our salvation and grant that we may not put any confidence in external actions and exercises thereof in any hope to be justified thereby but that we may thereby exalt our minds to heavenly and spiritual contemplations and by faith be firmly united to thee our Head in Heaven to be made one with thee and thou with us and howsoever heretofore we have transgressed and defiled our selves as well with our natural impurities and actual impieties henceforth being now wash'd and purified in the blood of the Lamb which was sacrificed for us we may have our conversation in Heaven and being new creatures in Christ may have new thoughts desires and delights far from the lusts of our former ignorance and may live ever unto him and with him who sitteth at thy right hand our Redeemer and Advocate and shall return to be our Judge to justifie and acquit us before thee to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all praise c. A Psalm 1. AS the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God 2. O let thy merciful kindness be my comfort according to thy Word unto thy Servant 3. Help me O God of my salvation for the glory of thy Name O deliver me and be merciful unto my sin for thy Name 's sake 4. O remember not my old sins but have mercy upon me and that soon for I am come to great misery 5. Consider and hear me O Lord my God for my trust is in thy mercy 6. Turn thy face from my sins and put out all my mis-deeds 7. Have mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away my offences 8. Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin For I acknowledge my faults and my sin is ever before me 10. Behold I was shapen in wickedness and in sin hath my mother conceived me
Worship of Israel 5. Call to remembrance O Lord thâ— tender mercy and thy loving kindneâ—â— which have been ever of old 6. Shew thy servant the light of thâ— countenance and save me for thy mercâ—â— sake 7. Thou hast been my succor leave mâ— not neither forsake me O God of my salvation 8. My time is in thy hand deliver me from the hand of mine enemies 9. O keep my soul and deliver me leâ— me not be confounded for I have put my trust in thee 10. O my soul thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my God my goods are nothing unto thee 11. The Lord himself is the portion of mine inheritance I have set God always before me for he is on the right hand therefore I shall not fall 12. Wherefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoiced my flesh also shall rest in hope 13. For why thou wilt not leave my soul in hell neither shalt thou suffer me to see corruption 14. Thou shalt shew me the path of life in thy presence is the fulness of joy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for ever more Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. O spare me a little and suffer me to recover my strength O Lord before I go from hence and be no more seen Now O my soul look upon Christ Jesus the Righteous thy Advocate and Redeemer who is ready to receive thee therefore be glad in him and give thanks rejoycing in the visitation of the Lord by which he hath prepared thee for the heavenly Jerusalem and everlasting bliss 〈◊〉 acknowledge O Lord I have deserved to die and the desire I have to live is for the amendment of my life and in some better measure to set forth thy glory therefore good Father if it be thy pleasure restore me to health again and grant me long life But if thou hast in thy eternal decree appointed this sickness to be a preparation to my immediate dissolution and by it to call me out of this transitory life I resign commit and willingly commend my spirit into thy hands and holy pleasure beseeching thee to bless me from the second death the everlasting destruction both of body and soul Let my soul throughly consider of the account I have to make to thee my God and how few minutes soever it hath to remain in my body let the power of thy Spirit recompence the shortness of time and perfect my account before I pass away Be pleased O Lord in the reconciliation of thy Son for my sins Let the infiniteness of my offences rely upon the infiniteness of thy mercy by his sufferings breath inward comfort to my heart and confidence in thy gratious promises that though my body be going the way of all flesh yet my soul may go the way of all Saints Lord hear me and help me stand by me and save me and if it be thy determination to lay my body in the grave to receive my soul into thy Kingdom to rest in joy and peace for evermore through Jesus Christ Amen The Sick saith O My soul thou which art endued with the image of God redeemed with the blood of Jesus Christ enlightened by the Holy Ghost adorned with vertue and accounted with Angels Love thou him who loveth thee trust in him who careth for thee seek thou him who seeketh thee My soul O Lord heartily desireth to attain to that supernatural City whereof such things are spoken My heart longeth my soul thirsteth till I enter into my Masters Joy To which everlasting joy O Lord receive my soul where all thy Saints rejoyce in eternal joy and thanksgiving singing praises and Allelujas to thee the Lord our God Eye hath not seen nor ear hath heard neither entered into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for those that love him Glory be to the Father c. Directions for the SICK MAN for the violation of that great Command which God his Creator gave him in the beginning hath exposed him and his posterity to a certain and sure doom in these words Thou shalt dye the death For the wages of sin is death the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6. Variable and therefore miserable is the condition of man this hour this minute in health in the next by a sudden change and alteration at the point of death In the morning flourishing like a Palm like a green Bay-Tree in the evening cut down dryed up and withered for we consume away in thy displeasure and are afraid at thy wrathful indignation Psalm 90. All flesh is grass and the glory thereof as the flower of the field Psal 40. The glory of man is as the flower of the field which withereth and falleth away 2 Pet. 2. 4. He considereth we are but flesh and as the wind that passeth away Psal 78. Our life is but of a short continuance and full of trouble man cometh up like a flower vanisheth like a shadow falls sick and dyeth sleepeth and riseth not until the heavens be no more Job 14. As soon as thou scatterest us we are even as asleep and sade away suddenly and in thy anger all our days are gone and ended as a tale that is told And what man living shall not see Death Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return Gen. 3. 19. Thy body shall return to earth the center of the body and thy soul to Heaven to God which gave it to everlasting glory who at the last day the day of the Resurrection will re-collect re-unite thy Body though turned to Atoms to thy soul at the voice of the Angels Trumpet Arise ye dead and come to Judgment the Righteous to receive everlasting happiness and the wicked eternal torment Wonderful and great hath the love of God been unto mankind in our Creation Redemption Preservation and giving us assured hopes of eternal salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord for being fallen from blessedness by the sins of our first parents into the snares of Satan and thereby become his bondslaves and servants overcome by sin Job 8. and being servants of sin we are freed from Righteousness Rom. 6. God so loved us that he sent his only Son to be reconciliation for our sin Joh. 4. 10. Rich is his mercy whereby he loved us Eph. 1. Christ suffered for our sin to bring us unto God being put to death in the flesh but quickned in the spirit 1 Pet. 3. He sent redemption to his People Holy and Reverend is his Name Psa 111. He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity Tit. 2. Therefore blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he raised up a mighty Salvation for us in the House of his servant David Luke 1. 68. Our Life here on Earth is a warfare full of trouble misery and vexation of spirit a daily tempest and continual strugling between the mind and the flesh the Law
this frail body of mine must tend it self the Image of that which is to the faithful the end of pain and the begining of pleasure the end of misery and the beginning of bliss but to the secure and careless the end of their pleasures and beginning of eternal pains And vouchsafe good LORD that I may have an earnest desire of serving thee and leading my life according unto thy will that whensoever it shall please thee to call me out of this life I be not through fear stricken with doubt of condemnation but even at the last gasp through unfeigned Faith in Jesus Christ may take and have taste of eternal Salvation that death be not bitter or terrible unto me but rather when it cometh I with joy receive the same in the Name of thy Son JESUS Christ Bless me good Lord from the second death the everlasting destruction both of body and soul and justifie me in the death of thy Son that my Name may be registred in the Book of Life O Lord comfort my guilty conscience with the everlasting light of thy bountiful savour and let me have place among thy Saints in thy Heavenly Kingdom LORD for thy mercies sake after this my bodily death give me the fruition of thy presence in the rich Palace of endless bliss to whose merciful Protection I commend with all humility and reverence my soul and body Lord Jesus preserve me Lord Jesus comfort me Lord Jesus pray for me for only into thy hands that hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth I commend my soul both now and for ever Amen A Prayer for a happy departure out of this life O Most gracious and eternal GOD thy years endure throughout all generations and thy days are without end or beginning but the days of Man are determined which he cannot overpass and the number of his Months are foreknown unto thee wherefore instruct me O LORD that being always mindful of my mortality I never promise unto my self many years nor long life in this pilgrimage of mine so shall I not live securely deferring my conversion to thee from day to day nor yet put confidence in this frail and uncertain life as that rich man spoken of in the Gospel but give me grace that in thy fear I may dayly prepare my self to depart out of this prison for nothing is more certain than death though nothing more uncertain than the hour thereof therefore I beseech thee O Lord to let me have always before mine eyes an image and mediation of my departure the better to know the fleeting and vanity of this srail and cumbersome life that I may live to thee my God being sound in faith and strong in hope looking with cheerfulness for the day of my departure and the joyful appearing of thy Son Jesus Christ my Redeemer and make me I beseech thee O LORD a faithful and wise servant looking for the coming of my Lord for that I know not when he will come lest by a sudden hour of death being overtook I being found unready but contrariwise by prudent watching in true conversion and repentance I may covet to be dissolved and to be with CHRIST my Redeemer and grant also O LORD that at the point of death having escaped all hardness and temptations I may triumph like a Conquereor and behold the power and presence of thy holy Spirit and let my last word be that which thy Son did utter upon the Altar of the Cross saying Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and when my speech is taken from me hear O God the groanings of my heart and the hour of death being come let thy servant depart in peace through JESUS Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom be all praise and glory for ever and ever Amen A Petition to GOD the Father O Omnipotent GOD and Father I have asked here at this time many things of thee and yet not deserved any I confess alas that not only those things which I require be not due unto me but in stead of them most grievous punishments yet O LORD lay not my sins to my charge for if thou shouldest I were not able to abide or stand in thy sight but O LORD I most humbly beseech thee that thou wilt forgive me all that is past and grant that I may never hereafter offend in the same again and vouchsafe I beseech thee of thy goodness O Lord to direct sanctifie and keep my heart and body my senses and doings my talk and communication in thy most holy Laws and Commandments and that thy holy Angel may be with me to direct my feet unto the way of peace truth and health that I may be whole safe and free in thee and by thee both here and in the world to come O Christ hear me and save me which livest and reignest with the Father and the holy Spirit God in perfect unity to whom be praise for ever world without end Amen An Evening Prayer O Heavenly Father I with all humility and reverence of heart and mind beseech thee this night which thou hast ordained for man to rest in that thou wilt guard and protect me with thy good guiding Spirit and albeit my sinful flesh shall slumber and sleep yet grant that my soul may continually keep watch and ward let not the enemy find me slumbering and sleeping as careless in the cradle of sinful security lest that whilst I am unarmed that is naked and destitute of thy help and favour he enter in and break up the house of my sinful body and make such havock and spoil and that my infected leprous soul deformed by means of mine iniquity and wounded with the dangerous darts of transgression be thrown with the body of sin unto the lake of destruction make me still O good Lord to consider that the bed is the plain pattern of the grave make me to understand that when I am laid of my self without thy Heavenly Providence I cannot be able to rise again make me also to acknowledge that sleep is the very Figure of death to whose stroke at thy appointed pleasure I must submit my self endue me with love and charity to all men let my lamp O Lord be garnished with oyl that whensoever thy messenger death shall draw nigh and knock at the gate of my body I may at his summons in the day of the Resurrection of the dead be ready to attend on thee my Bride with my burning lamp that is with a stedfast faith when as by Faith I shall be cloathed with a new for my mortal body shall be then covered with immortality and the corruption of my sinful and rebellious flesh then changed to incorruption and perfect purity thy righteousness shall be mine thy merits shall make me perfect and holy by vertue whereof hell shall lose his victory death shall lose his sting my faith and hope shall have its end and reward and I with thy Saints continually dwell in love and
strictly that I should believe without doubting so wouldst thou in all my needs I should come unto thee as a Father and make my moan without mistrust of being heard in thy good time as most shall make for thy glory and my comfort Lo therefore to thee dear Father do I come in thy Son Jesus Christ praying thee of thy great mercy and goodness to be merciful unto me that I may love thee with all my heart for ever that my works may be ever found holy in thy sight and that I may always not only strive against sin but also overcome the same dayly more and more as thy children do and above all things desire the sanctifying of thy Name the coming of thy Kingdom the doing of thy Will here on earth as it is in Heaven and that only through my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to whom be all honour and glory for ever and ever Amen A Prayer to GOD to bless our endeavours O My Celestial Father be favourable unto me thy repentant servant fled from mine enemies to thy help and succour Impute not my sins unto me for Christs sake for I have heard thy fatherly voice and it soundeth daily in mine ears out of Heaven promising me and affirming constantly thy self to be appeased with me for thy Sons sake whom thou commandest me to hear and believe who is made of thee my righteousness my salvation my Peace my Mediator and intercessor my fulfiller of the Law my deliverer and my whole holy accomplisher of all my just desires and my Saviour Christ Jesus God and man in whose Name at this time I attempt and take in hand all my just doings according to my calling desiring thy gracious goodness O Lord God and Father to prosper it further it and give it happy increase that whatsoever I take in hand justly to finish the same O holy Father bless all my endeavours with thy blessed increase and let me not seek mine own will but ever to pray that thy will be fulfilled and let me not be led into temptation but deliver me from all evil for ever and ever Amen A Prayer to live uprightly in our Calling O GOD of all comfort and giver of all consolation forgive my sins cleanse and wash me from all iniquities which disable me to perform my calling in such sort as becometh me and through the blood of thy Son purifie my heart and my imperfections and sanctifie me with thy grace that my sins being forgiven I may rest in thy favour and continual comfort and be daily blessed with new gifts that I may be found perfect in my calling seasoned so with a lively faith in thee that thy holy Spirit may continually dwell and bear rule in me and lead me to the due performance of those things which thou requirest to be done in my calling that all unnatural affection being truly mortified I may only rest in thee and rely on thee and be ruled by thee in all things Good Father grant that I may take the direct and right course in my vocation to eternal life in which course consisteth the inward peace of the Soul which is only delighted in thy inviolable truth revealed by thy Son and is left unto us in His Word and last Will in which his last Will and Testament are comprehended all necessary Rules and the sacred discipline whereby thy children are to guide themselves in their several callings which directions are comprehended in three principal virtues by thee bestowed on them that seek them at thy hand in the Name of thy Son as Faith Hope and Love which three are so united and knit together in one in thine elect children that they through thy grace go not awry in their calling I therefore dear Father being of my self ignorant and of mine own power unable to comprehend the height of my calling instantly beseech thee in mercy to behold me an unperfect creature without these Virtues and so adorn me with them that I may be made perfect in all good works of the Spirit that my labours and endeavours be not in vain in thee and grant that I may joyn with all my travils desires and endeavors faith with â—aith knowledge with knowledge temperance with temperance patience with patience godliness with godliness brotherly kindness with brotherly kindness and with brotherly kindness that I be not unfruitful in my calling but may acknowledge thy Son Jesus Christ and in him have peace of conscience that I may be patient in troubles long-suffering in wrongs faithful in expecting hope in distress rejoycing in heart quieted in mind in hope to enjoy at thy hands and in thy good time whatsoever maketh for the true comfort of my soul and the relief of my body that in all true and inward feeling of thine aid my calling may be made perfect and sealed with the seal of thine own Spiritual Probation so shall I thy unworthy servant be directed in the true knowledge of Thee O blessed Lord and loving Father except thou thus direct me I cannot stand but shall fall into many miseries for no Estate no Degree no Calling Office Function or Trade of life can prosper or be rightly performed without thy continual aid direction and providence therefore good Lord guide me by thy Spirit increase my faith give me wisdom and ableness in all things to execute my calling as I ought and to the execution thereof bless all my members make them apt and ready instruments to perform their duties that in no point I fail in a Christain proceeding therein and bridle me in the nature of flesh and blood which unless thou season my affections by thy Spirit will so much the more glory by how much that thou hast exalted me and inabled me to live in this world in higher reputation than other men whereunto flesh and blood is ready to attribute chiefest hearts ease and by that subtil shift Stan many times moveth us to rely upon vain things Wherefore O good Father vouchsafe I beseech thee to ground all my affections upon thy fear that I be not miscarried in my calling from the true obedience of thee without which neither honour profit wealth wisdom or any other blessing of thine can stand relieve or comfort me be pleased therefore dear Father with me and grant that all things that I take in hand may begin in knowledge proceed in fear and end in love that the whole course of my life may be blessed with good effect in all mine enterprises that neither mine enemies rejoyce at my miseries the Godly be offended at my rashness nor my estate hindred by my foolishness grant this good Lord for thy dear Sons sake Jesus Christ to whom be all honour and glory for even Amen Prayers for Thursday Night O Lord my God and Heavenly Father blessed be thy Name for ever dispose my heart open my lips and give me thy Holy Spirit c. A Psalm GRacious is the LORD and righteous yea our GOD is