Office to be a help and comfort to all those which are in Extremity and near the time of their Travail do in all humility prostrate my self before thee beseeching thee to vouchsafe me thy divine Assistance in these Performances II. Have Mercy upon me and bless me guide me and govern me in all my Actions prosper all my Undertakings grant that I may be as careful of the Poor as of the Rich that I may do good and not hurt save Life and not destroy it by my negligence help my Infirmities and Imperfections that I may neither be too timorious nor too rash in the performance of my Duty but grant me art and judgment in the happy finishing all my Operations III. Work in me an understanding and a tender Heart and whatsoever else is necessary in my undertakings and mercifully grant O Lord that whensoever my Duty calls me either by Night or Day I may be always prepared preserve and defend me from the infection of all contagious Diseases by thy most gracious Favour grant me a prosperous success that whatsoever I do may tend to thy Glory the comfort and help of all good Women committed to my charge and my own credit through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer to be said by those that are present with a Woman in Travail O Almighty God we are here assembled for the comfort of this Woman who travaileth in pain to be delivered of a Child Through the transgression of our first Parents she cannot be delivered but with great sorrow for thou hast laid thine heavy displeasure upon us sinful Women that in much sorrow shall we bring forth Children yet since thou hast given us Faith in thy Son give us all especially to this Woman thy Servant now in this Extremity patience mitigate her Pains prosper our Work bless our undertakings that by our help she may be delivered and forget her pains because a Child is born into the World IV. We pray unto thee for this Child in her Womb thou hast inrolled it in thy Book thou hast made it in thy Frame the Bones thereof are not hid from thee all the Members of it are written in thy Volume Thou didst visit it at the time of Life visit it now at the hour of Birth that thou maist receive glory by thy works and the Mother gladness in beholding her Infant after all her Sorrows Give her we beseech thee neither a monstrous a maimed nor a dead Birth but as thou hast blessed the Conception of this Infant so bring it with Perfection into the World Hear us O Lord and help this thy weak Servant visit her as thou didst Sarah comfort her as thou didst Rebecca and chear her as thou didst Leah forgive her all her sins and whether she be sure to live or die let her trust in thee and let thine Angels pitch their Tents about her now and for evermore Amen A Thanksgiving by those that are present after Delivery O Eternal God infinite in Mercies towards all thy Sons and Daughters in affliction we desire to praise and magnifie thy holy Name acknowledging thy Goodness to us and thy special favour to this Woman thy Servant We called upon thee and thou heard'st us we petitioned for thy Favour to thine Hand-maid and thou regardedst her we begg'd a Blessing for her Child thou hast blessed it and hast made her a joyful Mother We offer unto thee the Sacrifice of our Lips let our thankfulness ascend up unto thee like a sweet-smelling savour II. Continue thy loving kindness to this thy Servant keep her from all further peril and danger of Child-Bed give her strength to recover her weakness joy to forget her late sorrow and thankfulness that such a Child is come out of her Loins as one day shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven Give thy Blessing to the Infant now born that it may in due time increase in Wisdom Stature and Favour with God and Man Baptize iâ— with Water and the Holy Ghost endue it with all heavenly Graces defend it against all Dangers provide for it in this mortal Life and crown it in the end with Life everlasting III. Bless us O Lord that are here met together to behold the glory of our Creation and the wonders of our Creator in this little Infant Let us in all Sobriety Chastity and Godliness walk before thee all the Days of our Lives Make us like fruitful Vines and our Children like Olive Branches round about our Tables Let our Husbands rejoice in us and make us careful to love them as thou hast commanded us that thy Kingdom may be increased the Bed undefiled and our Saviour Jesus Christ glorified to whom be praise for evermore Amen A Thanksgiving by the Woman after Delivery BLessed Lord God I yield thee all Honour Glory and Praise who hast now delivered me from the great pain and peril of Child-Birth who hast taken away my reproach and made me an Instrument to encrease thy Kingdom It is in thy power to strike death into my womb but thou hast given me a double life all mine anguishes thou hast sweetened with gladness Continue thy Mercies and Favours to me thy Servant that my lips may render thee hearty thanks II. Look upon this my Infant which thou hast given me preserve it in Health quicken it with Grace crown it with long Life that it may grow up to be a Servant in thine houshold Send the Father of it and me much Comfort by it that it may be a Staff to our Old Age Bless it with store of Friends in this World and be thou a chief Friend to it for evermore III. And for the better growth in Grace feed it with the Milk of thy holy Word defend it from all dangers ghostly and bodily Guard me and regard this my Birth that Satan rule not nor reign within us but deliver us still out of his Jaws as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler let thy blessing O Lord be upon me and my Children and evermore keep and defend us Amen A Thanksgiving after a deliverance from any Calamity ALmighty and everlasting God who hast suffered thy Church so to be tempted with Afflictions that it is never free either from the Sword of Ishmael which is a reviling tongue or the Sword of Esau a persecuting hand having taught us all to drink of the same Cup our Master did so strengthen me with Patience direct me by thy Spirit and uphold me by Faith that all trouble may be as welcome to my Soul as afflicted Ruth was to the Field of Boaz. Though troubles are many and increase daily yet thou O Lord knowest how to deliver us out of all Heaviness may endure for a Night but joy will come in the Morning Doubtless there is a Reward for the Righteous and a Rod for the Wicked Let one Plague follow another as one Quail sings to another yet as the Viper leaped on St. Paul's Hand and immediately leaped off again so
proceed in my Service that the Glass of my Time may run out with Pleasure and I in the end shall be made Free of that City of thine the New Jerusalem where I may rest for evermore Amen The Maid's Prayer O Holy Lord God let thine Handmaid speak in thine Audience and hearken unto her when she calleth upon thee though I know not how to ask aright yet teach me the knowledge of thee and how to beg those things that are requisite and necessary for me Inlighten my Soul with thy divine Inspiration that I may see and do those things that appertain unto Godliness Let me keep my honest Reputation in the Eye of the World knowing that a good Name is better than precious Ointment But especially in thy sight let me be pure honest and undefiled so shall I not be ashamed in the great Day of Account Defend me from Sin Satan and the Poison of evil Tongues assist me with thy directing hand that the labours which this day I am to undertake may prosper grant me Grace to love honour and serve thee in Holiness and Righteousness all my days that I may glorifie thy holy Name through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for one afflicted in Mind O Eternal Lord God who art fearful in Praises doing Wonders I tremble and am even at Death's Door for alas I am the vilest of all Sinners my Conscience is so clogged with Evil that I cannot look up my Wickednesses have gone over my Head and are as a burthen too heavy for me to bear my Spirit is sorrowful my Heart is heavy my words are stopp'd with Sighs and my Plaints watred with Tears O Lord what shall I desire of thee that deserve nothing at thy Hand What can I hope for that am even hopeless My Conscience is restless and my Ungodliness fettereth me and even all my unrighteous Actions cry out for Vengeance against me my Spirit is overwhelmed and weary of this Bondage and I have bid my life farewell II. O but let thy Majesty O Lord yet appear in thy Mercy forgive my Sin the unhappy ground of all this woe Where my misery hath thus abounded there let thy Mercy much more abound I dare not add this grievous Sin unto my other Sins to despair of thy Mercy What were more Sacrilegious for thou art a skilful Physician and canst cure all my Infirmities thou art a merciful God and canst forgive all my Sins To thee do I fly for refuge which art the Land of Safety to thee do I lift up my Hands and my Heart and to thee do I pray desiring thy Mercy Let the power of thy Son's Death and Passion defeat all the Devices of the Devil against me III. Instruct me in thy heavenly Wisdom lead me in thy Truth in this dangerous Sea of Discontentment and Affliction keep me from shipwrack and bring me safe to the Land of Peace-Strengthen my Faith sanctifie all those good means unto me wherein I seek relief as Prayer Conference Reading and hearing thy holy Word Mitigate my Perplexities grant me Patience heal my Imperfections Thou that wilt not break a bruised Reed spare and have Mercy upon me Thou that delightest not in the death of a Sinner receive me Though my Heart condemns me yet do thou release me O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord defer not but even now speak peace unto me say unto my Soul I am thy Salvation to whom be ascribed all Honour and Glory World without end Amen A Thanksgiving for God's sending his Son to save Mankind O Almighty and most merciful Lord God we might utterly despair and be cast down considering our manifold Sins and infinite Offences had not thy Word been made Flesh and dwelt among us but now we dare not despair for if when we were Enemies we were reconciled unto thee by the Death of thy Son how much more being reconciled are we saved by his Life All our hope and all our confidence is reposed in that precious Blood which was shed for us and for our Salvation II. O how greatly are we wretches bound to fear thee to love thee to bless and praise thee to honour thee and to glorifie thee seeing we are redeemed at such a price saved with such a gift cherished with so many promises and blessings of the same even thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ Stablish O God that which thou hast wrought in us finish what thou hast begun that we may be able to come into the fulness of thy Mercy make us through thy holy Spirit to understand and through thy Son to discern and with due honour and reverence this high Mystery of Godliness which is how God was manifest in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World and received up into Glory where we doubt not but we shall Reign with him for evermore Amen The Prayer of a Woman with Child O God the Creator and Redeemer of all Mankind Comforter of all that call upon thee and the only deliverer of such as are in danger be merciful I beseech thee and look down in mercy from thy throne upon me thine Handmaid and upon the Fruit of my Womb behold I seek and sue unto thee for a Blessing at this time my Sin is great my Danger at hand not small my Pains to come will be grievous and my Life is now most uncertain II. Assure me I beseech thee of the forgiveness of all my Sins mitigate my Fear and asswage my Sorrows strengthen me with the refreshing of thy Spirit confirm me in the Faith of my Saviour and bless all good means appointed for my Comfort that in due time I may be a joyful Mother and see the Fruit of my Body safe sound and perfect without blemish or deformity III. O Lord I know not how soon my Travail will overtake me when I must encounter with Life or Death one drop of thy Mercy hath sovereign power to cure all the Wounds of those Sorrows Shed therefore O holy Father that drop of Grace upon me in that minute when I am to encounter with so stern an Adversary Strengthen me with Patience preserve me that I perish not and bless the work of my Midwife IV. Let not the Child yet unborn the Babe in my Womb be punished for mine Offences but give it growth form and what thou seest in thy good pleasure to be fit and necessary for it and when the time is come that thou wilt call it out of this close house of flesh where it now inhabiteth to dwell in the open World sanctifie thy Creature make it by Baptism a Member of thy Church a Lamb of thy Flock and direct it in the ways of thy Commandments to its Life's End Amen The Midwife's Prayer MOst gracious God who alone hast the power to produce Children from the Womb and bring them into the light of this World I thy most unworthy Servant whom thou hast appointed for this
Accomplices into their own Bosoms Bless those that are abroad for the defence of our Country and sanctifie us at home to please thee that whatsoever they or we do it may prosper II. Be present and president amongst us in all our Consultations send us wise Counsellors and Commanders who may prudently foresee and valiantly defeat the devices and stratagems of their Enemies Bless those that are prepared to fight for us command the Winds and the Seas to favour them and let the Land speak peace unto them Let neither the Sun nor Moon annoy them nor alteration of diet or place disable them anoint their Shields hallow and consecrate all their Engines of War with happy success to do thy will III. Refresh both Prince and People with the sweet savour and harmony of Peace rather than the bitter howlings clamours of War that we may every one in our due order sit under our own Vine and under our own Fig-tree that there may be no â—eading into Captivity nor no complaining in our Streets grant O Lord these things we have begged for thy Son our Saviour's sake Amen A Thanksgiving after Victory VVE praise and bless thy holy Name O Lord that thou hast saved us from our Enemies and hast put them to shame that hated us Not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy Name be given the glory for if thou hadst not been on our side when men rose up against us they had swallowed us up quick II. Thou O God wast pleased to do mighty and marvellous things for us whereof we rejoice thine Angel encamped round about us whilst we were in great fear and hath delivered us O Lord more and more encrease our Thankfulness maintain still thine own cause keep us from all Plots Contrivances of the wicked And as thou hast at this time by a hand unexpected put Sisera to flight and brought our Foes to an end so destroy their Armies evermore and disperse their Forces that we may know thou art the Lord whose Name is Jehovah to whom be Praise now and for evermore World without end Amen FINIS THE TABLE A Preparatory Prayer against wandring Thoughts and vain Imaginations Page 7 Meditations for Sunday 11 A Morning Prayer for the Worship of God 15 A Prayer at our Entrance into the Church 21 Sunday Noon for Perseverance 23 A Thansgiving after Evening Prayer for the Word preached 24 Sunday Even for pardon of Sin 25 Meditations for Monday 29 Monday Morning for a holy Life 30 Monday Noon for forgiveness of Sins 33 Monday Night for God's preservation 35 Meditations for Tuesday 36 Tuesday Mâ—rn for Protection from our Enemies 39 Tuesday Noon for God's Grace and Favour 41 Tuesday Night a Thanksgiving for God's Mercies 43 Meditations for Wednesday 44 Wednesday Mâ—rn for Repentance 47 Wednesday Noon for God's particular care of us 49 Wednesday Night for deliverance from Sin 51 Meditations for Thursday 53 Thurs Morn a Sacrifice of Praise 55 Thurs Noon for God's Blessing 58 Thursday Night for Deliverance from sudden Death 59 Meditations for Friday 62 Friday Mâ—rn a Confession of Sin 65 Frid. Noonâ— for God's Direction 69 Friday Night against Carnal Security 71 Meditations for Saturday 75 Saturd Mâ—rn for God's Providence 78 Saturd Noon for Tranquillity of Spirit 81 Sat. Night for Remission of Sins 84 A confession of Sins before the Sacrament 87 A Prayer before the Sacrament 94 A Thanksg after the Sacrament 95 A Morn Prayer for a priv Person 98 An Even Prayer for a priv Person 101 A Morn Prayer for a priv Family 104 An Even Prayer for a priv Family 109 Meditations for the Sick 115 A Prayer in time of Sickness 117 A Pray by those that visit the Sick 123 Meditations after Recovery 126 A Thanksgiving after Recovery 128 A Prayer fit to be said at any time 131 Prayers for all Persons and Occasions A Prayer for the Church 134 A Prayer for the King c. 136 A Prayer for the Royal Family 137 A Prayer for our Parents 138 A Prayer of Parents for their Children 140 A Prayer for our Friends c. 141 A Prayer of a Wife for her Husb. 142 A Prayer of a Husb. for his Wife 143 A Prayer of an Orphan ibid. The Widow's Prayer 145 The Servant's Prayer 146 The Maid's Prayer 149 A Prayer when afflicted in Mind 149 A Thanksg for our Redemption 152 A Prayer of a Woman with Child 154 The Midwife's Prayer 157 A Prayer by those that are present with a Woman in Travail 159 A thanksgiving by those that are present after Delivery 162 A thanksgiving by the Woman after her Delivery 164 A Thanksg after any Calamity 166 A Prayer before taking of Physick 169 A Prayer before a Journey c. 173 A Prayer upon return from a Journey or Voyaâ—e 175 The Mariner's Prayer 176 A Thanksgiving after a Storm 178 A Prayer for Rain 180 A Prayer for fair Weather 182 A Prayer of a Child c. 184 A Prayer in time of War 185 A Thanksgiving after Victory 187 The End of the Table