thy holy spirit from mee make mee one with Christ my head flesh of his flesh bone of his bone make mee one with the mysticall body of thine Elect that I may have my part in the prayers of the Church in the Communion of Saints here on earth in the kingdome of grace and may enjoy thee and them face to face and sit downe and eat and drinke with thee in thy kingdome of glory Amen For the Sacrament of Baptisme O Lord our God the great the mighty and the terrible God who keepest covenant and mercy with all them that feare thy name and trust upon thee even to a thousand generations thou hast promised to bee our God and the God of our seed to enter into covenant with us that wee should bee thine O Lord I come to thy throne of grace at this time to lay claime to my interest in that new covenant sealed unto thy Church in the blood of Iesus that thou wouldst performe the same unto mee and mine also hast not thou said thou wilt circumcise mine heart and the heart of my seed to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soule that thou wilt put thy Law in our inward parts and write it in our hearts and that thou wilt bee our God and wee shall bee thy people that thou wilt forgive our injquity and wilt remember our sinne no more O Lord hast thou said it and wilt not thou also doe it By faith I plead my interest thereunto not for my selfe alone but for mine also with whom I beseech thee to make an everlasting covenant of life and peace that being baptized into Iesus Christ they may bee sanctified and cleansed with the washing of water by the word O Lord wee are all borne the children of wrath and there is no way for us to escape the damnation of hell except wee bee borne againe of water and of the Spirit O Lord doe thou sprinkle cleane water upon us wash away the filth of Zion and purge the blood of Ierusalem from the midst thereof Baptize us with the Holy Ghost that having our hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and our bodies washed with pure water wee may bee new creatures fit to bee an habitation of God through the spirit O blessed be thy goodnesse for ever which hast given us this seale of thy rich promise this is that Arke in and through which thou savest thine Elect thou dalliest not with us herein it is no idle ceremonie thou art present in thy own ordinance to fulfill that which thou hast promised O wash our soules with the baptisme of Repentance as thou doest our bodies with the outward element of water Let the vertue of Christs death kill sinne in us for how shall wee that are buried with Christ by baptisme and thereby dead to sinne live yet therein Doe not wee herein vow to forsake the Devill the Pomps and vanities of this wicked world and all the sinfull lusts of the flesh and shal we break our vow transgresse the covenant O let this be far from us teach us therefore to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts deliver us from every evill worke that we may serve the living God Sprinkle cleane water upon us that we may bee cleane from our naturall filthinesse and from all our uncleannesses Wash us O wash us throughly from our iniquities and cleanse us from our sinnes Make our hearts to be stedfast in thy love and never to forget this covenant of our God thy mercie doe thou keepe for us and ours for evermore and let thy covenant stand fast with us and bee established for ever as the Moone and as a faithfull witnesse in heaven And as thou hast thus brought us into the bond of the covenant so let us never depart from thee Bee thou unto us a God and let us be thy people for evermore even till thou bringest us unto Mount Sion and to the Citie of the living God the heavenly Ierusalem and to an inumerable company of Angels to the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in heaven and to God the judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediatour of the new covenant and to the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better than that of Abel Make me to be thine my self be thou my Father and make me to be thy Sonne for if the first fruit be holy the lumpe also shall be holy and if the roote be holy so also shall the branches bee This mercie I beg of thee in his name merits and mediation out of whose pierced side issued forth water and bloud for the sanctifying and justifying of thine Elect. To whom with thee and the Holy Spirit be all glory service thanksgiving and dominion through all the Churches of the Saints for ever Amen For Regeneration Sanctification and grace to serve God O Lord thou God of truth who hast sworne in thy faithfulnesse that as thou livest thou hast no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that hee should turne from his way and live and therefore commandest thy people saying Turne ye turne ye from your evill wayes for why will ye dye O house of Israel and hast enjoyned that I should wash me and make me cleane put away the evill of my doings from before thine eyes promising moreover that though my sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as Snow though they bee red like crimson they shall be as wooll I that am a wicked and miserable caitiffe a sinner before the Lord exceedingly even as the men of Sodome that have done abominable workes and denied the God that is above wilfully sinning after I had received the knowledge of the truth and treading under foote the Sonne of God counting the bloud of the covenant wherewith I was sanctified an unholy thing and having done deâ—piâ—e to the spirit of grace O Lord even out of the deepes doe I call unto thee for helpe yea out of the belly of hell doe I earnestly cry for thy mercie O cast not out my prayer Though mine iniquities be more than the haires of my head my transgressions heavier than the sand yet is there forgivenesse with thee and although my sinnes have reached up to heaven yet thy mercie is above the heavens mine are at the most but the sinnes of a man but thine at the least are the mercies of an infinite God yea thou hast the relenting bowells of a most tender Father O spread the robe of thy Sonnes righteousnesse over me that so thou mayest not behold my nakednesse cloath me with the garments of his salvation say unto my soule Live cause breath to enter into my dry bones lay sinewes upon them and bring flesh upon them and cover them with skinne that I may know that thou art the Lord. And albeit I be dead in trespasses and sinnes yet open my grave and cause me
he may And thou who preservest the way of thy Saints hold up my goings in thy paths that my foote steps slip not Give thine Angels charge over us to keepe us in all our wayes that they may beare us up in their handes lest at any time we dash our foot O be thou with us and keepe us in all places whither we goe and bring us againe and leave us not untill thou hast done that which thou hast spoken to us of O that thou wouldst blesse mee indeed and enlarge my coast and that thine hand might bee with me and that thou wouldest keepe me from evill that it may not grieve me Prosper now I pray thee thy servant this day and grant him mercy in the sight of the man and let the beauty of the Lord our God bee upon us and establish thou the worke of our hands upon us yea the worke of our hands establish thou it We know not what to doe but our eyes are upon thee thou also must worke all our workes in us It is in vaine for us to rise up early to sit up late to eat the bread of sorrowes O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps neither is hee that planteth any thing neither hee that watereth but God that giveth the increase Deliverance from Evill 1. Of SINNE Let not sinne raigne in our mortall bodies that wee should obey it in the lusts thereof neither suffer us to yeeld our members as instruments of unrighteousnesse unto sinne but unto God as those that are aliue from the deast and our members as instruments of righteousnesse unto God looking diligently lest any man faile of the grace of God lest any root of bitternesse springing up trouble us and thereby we be deluded that being now made free from sinne and become the servants of God wee may have our fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing mee into captivity to the law of Sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Cleanse thou mee from secret faults Keepe backe thy servant also from presumptuous sinnes let them not have dominion over me then shall I bee upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression Subdue the pride of our nature cast downe every imagination and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against thee and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ Let not my heart be haughty nor my eyes lofty neither suffer me to exercise my selfe in great matters or in things too high for me but behave and quiet my selfe as a child that is weaned by his mother Order my steps in thy word and let none inâ—quity have donion over me make me also to be upright before thee and to keepe my selfe from mine inâ—quity Let us lay aside every weight and the sinne that doth so easily beset us that we may run with patience the race that is set before us that we may not love the world nor the things in the world because all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but of the world that denying ungodlines and worldly lusts wee may live soberly righteously and godly in this present world That we may walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise giving none occasion to the adversary to speake reproachfully Mortifying our members which are on the earth fornication uncleannesse the inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is idolatry Putting off all these anger wrath malice blasphemie filthy communication That wee may resist unto blood striving against sinne taking heed lest there bee in any of us an evill heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God taking heed to our selves lest at any time our hearts bee over-charged with suffering and drunkennesse and cares of this life That wee may bee sober and vigilant because our adversary the devill as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom hee may devoure whom that wee may resist stedfast in the faith let us take unto us the whole armour of God that we may bee able to stand against all his wiles being strong in the Lord and in the power of his might 2. PVNISHMENT Let no evill befall us neither let any plague come nigh our dwelling Send from heaven and save mee from the reproach of him that would swallow me up My soule is among Lyons and I lye even among them that are set on fire even the sonnes of men whose teeth are speares and arrowes and their tongue a sharpe sword Plead my cause O Lord with them that strive with me fight thou against them that fight against me Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weake O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed My soule also is sore vexed c. Returne O Lord deliver my soule O save me for thy mercies sake For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the grave who shall give thee thankes I am weary with my groaning all the night make I my bed to swimme I water my couch with my teares Mine eye is consumed because of griefe it waxeth old because of all mine enemies Turne thee unto mee and have mercie upon me for I am desolate and afflicted The troubles of my heart are enlarged O bring thou me out of my distresses Looke upon mine affliction and my paine and forgive all my sinnes O my Father if it be possible let this affliction passe from me neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt Lord make mee to know mine end and the measure of my dayes what it is that I may know how fraile I am Behold thou hast made my dayes as an hand-breadth and mine age is as nothing before thee verely every man at his best state is altogether vanity So teach us to number our dayes that wee may apply our hearts unto wisedome The HOLY CATHOLIKE CHVRCH of IESVS CHRIST Preserve that little flocke to whom thou hast promised and reserved the Kingdome Be unto it a wall of fire round about Let thy delight be to Mount Sion grave her on the palmes of thy hands let her walls bee continually before thee Let her builders make haste and cause her destroyers and such as would lay her wast to depart from her Feed them that oppresse her with their owne flesh and make them drunken with their owne blood as with sweet wine Looke downe from heaven and behold from the habitation of thy holinesse
may receive them as pledges of thy favour and gracious assurances of thine everlasting love through Iesus c Matter for Graces after meate Blessed bee thy name for health life strength and for all the blessings of this and the blessed hopes of a better life make it our meate and drinke to doe the will of thee our heauenly father make us to hunger after that bread which endureth to everlasting life Provide dayly bread for all thy poore servants till thou bring us to that place where we shall never hunger nor thirst any more thy loving kindnesse is better than life that I may labour not so much for this meat that perisheth but for that meate which endureth to everlasting life the body and bloud of our Saviour which is meate indeed and drinke indeed Keepe us in thy feare while we live on earth and afterward receive us to glory in thy kingdome We thanke thee O Lord for the comfortable use of these good blessings we beseech thee also feed our soules to everlasting life with the meate that perisheth not through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Blessed bee thy name O Lord God for thus opening thy hand and filling us at this time with thy good creatures vouchsafe still to be our God with-hold no good thing from our soule or body Save all thy Church protect our King Queene Prince Royall Progeny and Realme Grant free passage to to thy Gospel comfort to thy Servants and peace of conscience to us all through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen An EPITOME of a Christians Conversation and Religious course of life gathered out of some Godly Practicall Divines c. Every day bestow halfe an houre in reading the Scriptures and Prayer Gods word will not onely shew thee what to do what to pray but will worke a secret power to accomplish the same Appoint and set a part some time once every day seriously and solemnely to cast up the eye of thy Faith on that never-fading crowne of life which after an inch of time shall for ever rest upon thy head The comforts hereof will make a man live almost without a soule and sweeten all the troubles of this life Set one houre in the weeke a part Saturday in the afternone is more fit by reason of the approching day to consider of search and try thy wayes this will snub and keepe downe the weeds of corruptions from overspreading thy soule Thou bestowed an houre on thy body every day in dressing it and lookest thy selfe in a glasse to attire thy outward sheath and wilt thou not once a weeke doe as much for thy soule thy body must one day rot and turne to dust perhaps to morrow thy soule must live ever either in weale or woe Life and death are now in thy choyse chuse then that good part Give God the honour of thy thoughts as well as of thy words and actions often thinke how all the glistering shewes of this whole world must and doe vanish and moulder into vanity and nothing very smoke As soone as thou hast broken of sleepe set God before thee and thinke What shall I doe what course shall I take that I may bring glory to God that I may not sinne this day O that my wayes were so directed Never speake the evill which thou too certainely knowest by others but with fearefulnesse as it were and some kinde of enforcement being sure thou hast a calling to it and then doe it seasonably charitably discreetly and not in humour spleene imperiousnesse T is the humor of Hypocritts to be supercilious and censorious but for Gods glory thy owne discharge use no moe wordes against mâ—ns sinnes than thou wilt make prayers for their soules in secret Be bold yet wise in speaking for Christ and with height of resolution goe through all the disgraces that the sinfull times lay in the wayes of God In Actions civil Doe as thou wouldst be done to religious Strive to live by faith because faith is the soule of all our actions our prayers will bee cold unlesse this warme them Take heed of falling from thy first love Serve not God for by-respects but onely for himselfe So long as thou art unfeinedly displeased with and sorry for all thy sinnes and dost mortifie the deedes of thy body by the spirit thy cafe is the state of salvation Let thy whole conversation favour of the Lord. Bee alwayes bemoaning thy spirituall pride knowne hypocrisie covetousnesse perfâ—â—ctorinesse and formality in Gods service Give not way to a heartlesse neglect of the use of Gods holy ordinances reading prayer fasting private humiliation for this is the fore-runner to some fearefull sinne or fiery temptation to some heavie judgement or dangerous apostasie Seeke not thy selfe in any of thy actions Looke to thy repentance that it bee sincere universall constant from the heart root for all sinne Incorporate thy selfe into the Communion of Saints be intimate onely with them such an holy and humble majesty is in their carriage such a deale of heaven is in their countenances such spirituall ravishments is in their hearts such grace and powerful piercings in their speeches such zeale and hearty melting is in their prayers that they cannot but worke upon thy heart if thou converse with them Looke well to thy carriage that thou leave not an ill savour behinde thee in any company Wait for occasions to doe good Act. 26. 28. In bad company give them apparent signes of thy dislike Unlesse you give some kinde of reall or verball reproofe they will be hardned Often withdraw your selfe apart imparting unto God your griefes wants desires Walke with God on the top of Mount Tabor once a day Prayer in secret will bee unto thee an unspeakeable comfort a testimony that thou art not left to thy selfe if words will not come sigh God heares the sighing of his servants if thou canst not sigh breath God hath an care for that thou hast heard my voyce hide not thine eare at my breathing at my cry yea speake with thy countenance be humbled for thy unfitnesse dulnesse c. Then wee pray most happily when wee arise from prayer most humbled After prayer thou shalt carry thy selfe in thy vocation with much more zeale and standing thus upright with God thou wilt not feare the world thou shalt have rest and peace within what ever stirres bee without Have a speciall eve to a sincere constant and fruitfull performance of holy duties take heed of customarinesse and Formality which cuts out the heart and drawes the very life-blood from them Strive by all meanes for attainment of what thou prayest for by all occasions helpes and heavenly offers Be diligent in thy personall employments and take heed of idlenesse 2 Have an eye to Gods glory in all thy undertakings 3 Goe about earthly busines with an heavenly mind 4 Let not any unrighteous gaine entice thee to sinne or belime thee 5 Set not thy delight
of thy Gospell is not heard Let thy way be knowne upon earth and thy saving health among all nations cause the Sunne of righteousnesse to arise with healing in his wings upon all those that sit in darkenesse and the shadow of death to guide their feete into the way of peace Give thy sonne Iesus the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession Make all the Kings of the earth to fall downe before him and all nations to doe him reverence That his dominion may bee from Sea even to Sea and from the rivers even to the ends of the earth That Tarshish Pul and Lud that draw the bow Tuball and Iavan and the Iles afarre off that have not heard thy â—ame neither have seene thy glory may be brought into the houshold of faith and be joyned to the people of the God of Abraham and so bee made one folde under that great shepheard and Bishop of their soules Those sinners of the Gentiles O Lord draw them out of the darkenesse of Paganisme Idolatrie ignorance and superstition and though they now bee wallowing in their blood yet let it bee the time of love with thee and say unto them live spread thy skirt over them Let the light of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ shine unto them that they may turne from the service of dumb Idols yea of very Devils to thee the living God Teach them to know thee the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ open the doore of faith unto them that they may beleeve in the name of thy Sonne grant them repentance unto life that they may be saved light up among them some burning and shining lamps to beare thy name among them that the grace of God which bringeth salvation may appeare unto all men that so they which are without Christ being aliens from the Common wealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of Promise that have no hope and are without God in the world may heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and live To this end plant thy grace and feare in their hearts who are of that Colonie and Plantation make them wise to win those poore soules by their unblameable conversation being zealous for thee gentle towards them apt to teach them patient in meeknesse instructing them if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devill who are taken captive by him at his will O Lord this is a worthy worke and who is sufficient for these things therefore doe thou make bare thine owne almighty arme bring in the fulnesse of the Gentiles give them where Satans throne is an heart to perceive and eyes to see and eares to heare the word of thy grace that the ends of the earth may see the salvation of God and they that dwell in the uttermost parts thereof may be converted unto thee then shall the earth bee filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea and they shall feare the name of the Lord from the West and his glory from the rising of the Sunne Amen A Prayer to bee prepared against Death c. O Thou eternall immortall invisible and onely wise God who stretchedst forth the heavens and laidst the foundations of the earth and formedst the spirit of man within him thou art the former of al things thy spirit did at the first make mee and the breath of the Almighty hath given mee life thou hast clothed mee with skin and flesh and fenced mee with bones and sâ—â—ewes my substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth thine eyes did see mee when I was yet unperfect and in thy booke all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them before And thou Lord tookest me out of the wombe thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mothers breasts thou hast fed me and led me all my life long unto this day when I have passed through the waters thou hast beene with me and through the rivers they have not overflowed me thou hast carryed mee on Eagles wings and in the time of trouble hast preserved me safely under thy feathers and there hath not one haire of mine head fallen to the ground without thy Providence But what man is hee that liveth and shall not see death our dayes on the earth are as a shadow and there is none abiding we spend our yeares as a tale that is told our life is even as a Vapour that appeares for a little time thâ—n vanisheth away wee build our house as a moth and as a booth that the Keeper maketh We have here no continuing Citie all flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof as the flower of grasse Man that is borne of a woman is of few dayes and full of trouble he commeth forth like a flower and is cut downe hee fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not O Lord my times are in thy hand all my dayes are determined the number of my months are with thee thou hast appointed my bounds which I cannot passe I must one day returne to the ground for dust I am and to dust I must returne thou wilt bring me to death and to the house appoynted for all living where I shall make my bed in darkenesse and must say to corruption thou art my father and to the wormes thou art my mother and my sisters O that I were wise and did understand this that I could consider my latter end that whether I live I might live unto the Lord or whether I dye I might dye unto the Lord that both living and dying I might bee the Lords then should I use the world as if I used it not then would I not bee conformed to the men of this world who have their portion in this life whose God is their belly who make pleasures and honour and riches their God and mind only earthly things But by that irreversible sentence of thine In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death it is appoynted unto all men once to dye our fathers where are they and the Prophets doe they live for ever they all are gone downe into the chambers of death there they rest together in their beds till the heavens be no more they shall not wake nor bee raysed out of their sleepe and I my selfe also who am a sonne of Adam and formed out of the same clay I must when my dayes be fulfilled sleepe with my fathers and goe the way whence I shall not returne Truly the light is sweete and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sunne and yet thy favour presence and light of thy countenance is better than life whilest I am in the flesh I am absent from thee and thou hast taught
mee that the day of death is better than the day when I was borne Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them And that I may dye in thee O make me to live to thee O teach mee so to number my dayes that I may apply my heart unto wisedome that all the while my breath is in me and the spirit of God is in my nostrills I may glorifie thee on earth and finish that worke thou givest me to doe because there is no worke nor device nor knowledge in the grave whither I am going O make mee to passe the time of my Sojourning heere in thy feare because the night commeth in which I cannot worke So long as this my day lasteth let me live as a child of the light let my behaviour be as becommeth holinesse adorning the doctrine of God my Saviour in all things that I may praise thee my God whilest I have my being and my conversation may be in heaven even whilest I Sojourne heere on earth and the life which I now live in the flesh I may live by the faith of the Sonne of God that the world may be crucified unto me and I unto the world For to this end our Saviour Iesus once tasted death for every man and humbled himselfe and became obedient even to the death of the crosse that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose againe When therefore my race is finished and I have served out my time O let mee dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Let my soule be bound up in the bundle of life with the Lord my God shew me the path of life In thy presence is fulnesse of joy at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Pardon all my Sinnes heale my backe-slidings love me freely subdue mine iniquities and cast all my Sinnes into the depths of the Sea Give me peace of conscience and joy in thee that when dust shall returne againe to the earth as it was my spirit may returne to God who gave it Amen A Prayer for a Scholler O Lord thou art the Father of lights every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and commeth downe from thee thou hast commanded that if any lacke wisedome he should aske it of thee thou it is that givest to the simple sharpnesse of wit and to the child knowledge and understanding O give unto me thy servant a wise and understanding heart and make learning delightfull unto my soule that I giving attendance unto reading may meditate upon the things that shall be taught me and give my selfe wholly thereunto that so my profiting may appeare unto all O make mee also to learne Christ in whom are hid al the treasures of wisedome and knowledge that I may grow up before thee as a plant of righteousnesse And because Paul may plant and Appollos water but it is thou alone that canst give the increase command thy blessing from heaven that it may rest upon my studies It will be in vaine for me to rise early and to sit up late unlesse it please thee to prosper mine endeavours O doe thou bestowe on mee knowledge and skill in all learning and wisedome as thou didst on Daniel and his three companions And as Moses was learned in all the wisedome of the Aegyptians so also incline mine eare to wisedome and apply mine heart unto understanding that I may say unto wisedome thou art my Sister and call understanding my Kinswoman make me to seeke her as silver and to search for her as hidden treasures to be instant in season and out of season in labours more abundant in watchings often applying my heart to know to search and seeke out wisedome and the reason of things O make me in the morning to sow my seed and in the evening not to withhold mine hand that I may take hold of instruction and not let her goe but keepe her for shee is my life Make me swift to heare carefull to redeeme the time wisely husbanding those opportunities I have to learne that with all my getting I may get understanding and may not onely learne the wisedome of heathen and prophane Authors but that wisedome also which is from above and heavenly which may give me an inheritance among all them that are sanctified Lord set thy stampe on this my pliable and waxie youth that it may bee holinesse unto thee season my heart with thy feare betimes let me set thee alwayes before mine eyes that as Samuel Iosiah and Solomon I may learne to know thee the Lord God of my Fathers and serve thee with a willing mind make me to give to thee the first fruits of my yeares and to remember thee my creatour in the dayes of my youth whilest the evill dayes come not thus laying up a good foundation for the time to come Thou hast promised that if I seeke thee thou wilt be found of me but if I forsake thee thou wilt cast me off for ever make me therefore diligent to know the Scriptures of a child which are able to make me wise unto salvation let thy glory be the end thy word the rule thy spirit the guide thy will the law thy promises the comforts of my life that thus acquainting my selfe with thee betimes and abhorring all prophane and Atheisticall conceits of thee thy wayes worship I may by thy grace suppresse all filthy and unholy thoughts fancies and desires so fly the lusts of youth Thou hast made me to bee borne into thy Church and hast even from my infancie received me into thy covenant O that there were such an heart in me that I might serve thee alwayes Give me patient obedient humble dutifull and discreet carriage to all my Supiriours to him especially at whose feet as Saint Paul at Gamaliels I now sit make me painfull and industrious carefull to please him reverencing his authority Make mee affable loving courteous harmlesse and of winning behaviour towards my Equalls and Inferiours being gentle and easie to be intreated by them all Pardon and heale the frailties follies and infirmities of my youth give me understanding to conceive largenesse of heart and capacity to apprehend confirme my memorie to retaine my invention to finde out and attaine to humane literature Prosper all my labours and make me wise to understand mine owne wayes to save mine owne soule that I may bee a comfort to my Parents and honour to thy Gospell an example of Learning Pietie and vertue to all my Equalls that so I may heereafter become a profitable instrument of thy glory either in the church or common wealth as thou shalt see it best in thine heavenly wisedome and most agreeable to mine owne disposition that thus glorifying thee in my life I may be blessed of thee in my death and glorified for ever with thee in the world