O Almighty God, full of loue and pitty, the chiefest comfort that a­ny sinfull soule can haue: when wée miserable sinners here met toge­ther, doe consider of thy great mercy and goodnesse, which we haue euer since our births, and before, found, and daily doe finde at the hands of thy diuine Maiesty, together with our great vn­thankfulnesse euery way to thée againe for the same, we must néedes confesse, and euen from the bottom of our hearts doe acknowledge, that most vnspeake­able is thy mercy in sparing vs to liue vntill this morning, before which time thou mightest iustly haue consumed vs. But (O deare God) of thy frée mercies, before the foundation of the World was laid, thou hast chosen and elected vs for thy Children; and hast, to our endlesse comfort, certified and made knowne the same vnto our spi­rits, by thy spirit, by whom, and not of our selues, wee now cry vnto thée [Page 7] Abba, father: and for our Redemption, hast sent thine owne Sonne to shed his most precious bloud vpon the Crosse, no other meanes being whereby wée could be saued?

Thou hast by thy holy Spirit wrought Faith in our hearts, to be­léeue by him, and in him to be iustified before thée, and in some measure be­gunne the death of sinne in vs, and wrought our sanctification; and of thy frée fauour we enioy the benefit of thy Word, the freedome of conscience, great peace and plenty in outward things, with many and infinite other benefits, waking and sléeping, at home and abroad, in our selues and our friends: for all which, instead of thankefulnesse, wee become the more disobedient, not doing that wée ought to doe, but with pleasure and profit, with vanity and selfe-loue wée are carried away, spending our daies in iniquity, carelesnesse, and vnféeling of our sinne, and there is no goodnesse in vs: yet is there mercy with thée. O Lord, and pardon vpon repentance. Wherefore, we here this Morning met together before thy Maiesty, hum­bly confesse our wants, and most en­tirely [Page 8] beséech thée, for Jesus Christs sake to haue mercy vpon vs: Haue mercy vpon vs most mercifull Fa­ther, and forgiue vs all that is past: strengthen vs hereafter, that daily both in bodies and soules we may glo­rifie thée more then we haue done, yéel­ding thankes for daily benefits, and striuing in holinesse and righteousnes to please thée all the dayes of our life. But because we cannot but offend, and fall diuers wayes, and euery day; good Lord, for thy mercy sake, pierce our hearts with a féeling of the same, and neuer suffer vs to goe on with dull and dead soules, not séeing nor sighing for our offences.

As a speciall meanes to kéepe vs in obedience before thée (O deare Fa­ther) worke in vs a continuall re­membrance, and an effectuall conside­ration that wée shall not alwayes liue here in this wretched world, that doth much please vs now, but that a day wil come when the trumpe shall sound, the Dead shall arise, and all wée shall appeare before the Tribunall seat of Judgement, there to receiue according to our déedes, without respect of Per­sons: oh, good Lord, giue vs a remem­brance, [Page 9] and a féeling of that vnspeake­able comfort, and eternall waight of glory, which in that day shall be giuen vnto vs, if in this day wée serue and please thée: and contrariwise, euen ter­rifle our cousciences, and let vs, as it were, see before our faces the dreadfull Judgements, and the fearefull Tor­ments, that both in Body and Soule, they shall be sure to haue for euermore, which in this life doe not serue and please thée; but follow their owne fancies and wicked delights: giue vs an hatred of sinne, and a true loue of righteousnesse: blesse thy Word euer­more with fruit vnto our soules, when we heare it: giue vs a desire to heare it often, and to practise it faithfully and obediently, and keepe our hearts euer free from disūmulation and counter­feit holinesse: prepare our hearts dili­gently to watch for the comming of thy Sonne; make vs ready, fit, and willing to meete him in the clouds, if thou wilt that we liue to his comming, if it please thee in the meane time to call vs, let vs with ioy yeeld our bo­dies to the earth, and receiue our soules vnto thy selfe, vntill the day when both our bodies and soules shall [Page 10] be remitted, and bee totally glorified with thee in Heauen. And let this day be a day of our true reformation and repentance, that we becomming new creatures, may serue thee in holinesse all the dayes of our liues, yeelding thee most humble and hearty thankes for thy goodnesse to vs this night: let thy mercifull eye looke vpon vs this day, and so keep vs bodies and soules, that being occupied in our seuerall cal­lings, we may be safe by thee from all our Enemies, and liue to thee in feare, that we may die in thy fauour, and liue hereafter with thee in glory: which grant, and all things in the meane time necessary for soules and bodies, for Christ his sake, in whose name we ask them, saying as he hath taught vs:

Our Father vvhich art in heauen, hal­lovved be thy Name. Thy Kingdome come. Thy Will be done in earth as it is in Heauen. Giue vs this day our daily Bread. And forgiue vs our trespasses, as vve forgiue them that trespasse against vs, and lead vs not into temptation, but de­liuer vs from euill. For thine is the King­dome, the povver, and the glory, for euer and euer. Amen.

[Page 11] Let thy mighty hand and out-stretched arme (O Lord) be still our defence: thy mercy & louing kindnesse in Iesus Christ, our saluation; thy true and holy vvord our instruction; thy grace and holy Spirit our comfort and consolation vnto the end and in the end. Amen.

The Lord blesse vs, and saue vs: and make his face to shine vpon vs, and be mercifull vnto vs: the Lord turne his fa­uourable countenance tovvards vs this day and euermore.

Amen.

O Most high & mighty God, Fa­ther and Protector of all things in heauen & earth, before whom all creatures feare and tremble, were it not in that thou hast commanded vs, neuer durst wée appeare before thée, so corrupt is our nature, and so many are our sinnes. But, good Father, thou [Page 16] doest bid, and therefore wée obey, thou doest call, and therefore we come, giue vs spirits to pray aright. Wee yéelde thée most humble and hearty thankes, for all the mercies that euer thou hast bestowed vpon vs in body or minde, in our selues or in ours, priuate or common, temporall or eternall. Many and marueilous haue they béene, and still are vpon vs: yea, eueu (good Lord) past finding out. This day what thou hast done for vs, which of vs knoweth, or is able to expresse? Father of heauen, forgiue vs that wée cannot acknowledge them, or praise thée for them as we ought, and quic­ken vs in this duty more and more. Pardon and forgiue vs whatsoeuer we haue offended thée withall this day, or at any time, either in thought, word, or déede, euen our secret sinnes, such as we haue committed and know not of: remit them vnto vs, for Christs sake: change vs (O Lord) and we shall be changed: create in vs cleane hearts, and renue a right spirit within vs. Breake the strength of sin, that would subdue vs more & more: And (O merci­full Father) so frame these hearts of ours, within vs, that we may more de­light [Page 17] to liue according to thy will, then to enioy all the world, and all the plea­sures therein. Lay it often (good Lord) before our eyes, by thy remembring Spirit, that thou hast not breathed the breath of life into vs, that we should liue as we list, but that in holines and righteousnesse, we should walke before thée all our daies. Lay it before vs (O Lord) that the time will come, when the Trumpet shall sound, the dead shal rise, and we, euen we here met toge­ther at this time, all and euery one of vs, shal most assuredly stand before thy Judgement-seate with naked hearts, with open and vn [...]olded consciences, there to giue an account how and what we haue done. Then shall all such as haue beléeued in Christ, and truely serued thée in this life, to their end­lesse ioy, heare that most comfortable voice of thine: Come ye blessed of my Father, possesse the Kingdome prepared for you. But woe, woe to all carelesse liuers in that day, they shall drinke the wiue of the wrath of God, be tor­mented in fire and bri [...]stone before the holy Angels, & before the Lambe. They shall haue no rest day nor night, and the smoake of their torment shall [Page 18] ascend for euermore. Father of heauen, haue mercy vpon vs, knit these hearts of ours fast vnto thée, and now while we haue time, giue vs grace not onely rightly to thinke of these things, but so to walke before thée in this present life, as becommeth thy Saints. O continue thy word of truth amongst vs, euer to our comfort. Let the séede thereof now sowne in our hearts, take such déepe roote, that neither the bur­ning heate of persecntion cause it to wither, nor the thorny cares of this world, riches, or voluptuous liuing choake it, but as séede sowne in good ground, it may bring forth fruit accor­ding to thy pleasure. O Father, giue vs grace, that when we heare or [...]nde by thy word, any sinne that is in vs, we may striue and study without delay, willingly to reforme it. Kéepe vs, good God, that wée neuer swarue for the feare of man, from our owne true knowledge, becomming seruers of time, and deuiers of thée. Kéepe vs from all hardnesse of heart, contempt of thy word, and from all dissembling of sinceritie. Increase true loue a­mongst vs more and more. Blesse thy whole Church (O God) with graces [Page 19] necessary, this parcell of it, our natiue Land and Country: deare Father, blesse it still with continuance of thy truth: Iessen in it daily the number of blinde and ignorant Papists, pro­phane Atheists, and increase the num­ber of thy true children. Preserue vnto vs long aliue, good Lord, if it please thée, our gracious King and Gouer­nour: multiply thy Spirit vpon him and all his, that still more and more, he and they may séeke and set forth thy glory in maintaining Christian reli­gion in all purity, suppressing all vice, superstition, and Idolatry, with all seuerity. Giue vnto him an honoura­ble Counsell: giue them graces ne­cessary for such a calling. Blesse all other Nobles, Magistrates, and the whole body of this Realme, with true hearts to thée and to this Countrey. Increase in this our Israel the num­ber of true Watchmen, whose hearts may séeke thée and thy people, and not their owne glory and commodity. Bring to thy fold by them such wan­dring remnants as are thine, And (O Lord) be gracious to our kindred and friends in the flesh, lighten their hearts with the Sunne of vnderstan­ding, [Page 20] that they and wée acknowledge­ing one truth, may glorifie thée in the true and constant profession of the same, all the dayes of our life. Comfort (O Christ) thy afflicted members, wheresoeuer, or howsoeuer troubled, and grant vs peace in our dayes, if it be thy pleasure.

Finally, because the night is now vpon vs, and we ready to take our rest, let the bed (O Lord) strike into our hearts a consideration, that the graue is almost ready for vs. Which of vs can tell whether these eies of ours once closed vp, shall euer open any more a­gaine or no? Lord, therefore receiue vs: into thy hands we all here now commend our selues, bodies & soules, vnto thy holy protection and proui­dence: kéepe vs this night and euer­more ready for thée when thou shalt call vs. Heare vs, O Lord, O God, and Father mercifull, in these our pe­titions, for thy Sonne Jesus Christ his sake, our Sauiour: in whose name we altogether begge these mer­cies, saying as Christ our Sauiour hath taught vs:

Our Father which art in heauen, hal­lowed [Page 21] be thy Name. Thy Kingdome come. Thy Will be done in earth as it is in Heauen Giue vs this day our daily Bread. And forgiue vs our trespasses, as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs, and lead vs not into temptation, but de­liuer vs from euill. For thine is the King­dome, the power, and the glory, for euer and euer. Amen.

Let thy mighty hand and out-stretched arme (O Lord) be still our defence: thy mercy & louing kindnesse in Iesus Christ, our saluation; thy true and holy word our instruction; thy grace and holy Spirit our comfort and consolation vnto the end and in the end. Amen.

The Lord blesse vs, and saue vs: and make his face to shine vpon vs, and be mercifull vnto vs: the Lord turne his fa­uourable countenance towards vs this night and euermore.

Amen.

O Most mighty Lord God, and our most mercifull and louing Father in Jesus Christ, we thy poore creatures, and vnworthy chil­dren, humbly present our selues in his name before thy glorious maiesty, ac­knowledging that we be most vnwor­thy to appeare in thy presence, by rea­son not onely of our originall, but also of our continuall actuall sinnes, and déepe disobedienee, being originally borne the children of wrath, and the least of our actuall transgressions is sufficient to cast vs into hell and vtter perdition, if thou shouldest deale with vs according to the measure of our [Page 23] manifold iniquities. We therefore doe humbly beséech thée (O mercifull Fa­ther) in the merits of Jesus Christ, fréely to pardon and forgiue our ma­nifold offences, both in that wée haue committed and done those things thou hast forbidden, and left vndone the things thou hast commanded. Lord forgiue vs, and remember our sinnes no more: let them neuer (good and gra­cious Father) rise vp in Judgement to our condemnation, Giue vs a full assurance of thy mercies, and frée for­giuenesse in Jesus Christ, and let thy holy Spirit from henceforth euermore so sanctifie our hearts, minds, and bo­dies, that wée neuer hereafter giue consent to the corrupt motions of our fleshly affections, and vnclean desires: and let the liuely light of thy continu­all presence so illuminate our dark vn­derstandings, that we may still search for thy will in thy word reuealed, and giue vs will and power to practise and performe all godly seruice, duties and obedience to thée: giue vs féeling hearts, that we may finde out our own weakenesse, and confesse vnto thée our infirmities, and that we may boldly in the Name of thy Sonne Christ Jesus [Page 24] fall downe before thée, calling faith­fully and sincerely vpon thy holy name, for pardon for our former euils, & for grace to reforme so the rest of our wic­ked liues, that thou maist be pleased to accept vs anew into thy fauour and fa­therly protection.

Grant that we may continually féele in our hearts and consciences, more and more the virtue and power of the death & resurrection of our Lord and Sauior Jesus Christ, & that we may continually striue against, and mortifie our grosse sins and foule corruptions, and grow more strong against all euill motions and temptations in thought, word and déede, and be more and more renewed in the spirit of our mind, and féele a continuall increase of ioy and comfort in the reading, hearing and meditating of thy holy and heauenly word, and a feruency of true zeale to séekethy glory, by encreasing more and more in knowledge, and in the hatred of sinne in our selues, & rebuking it in others, especially, in those of whom we haue charge, and in a happy and faith­full going forward in all godly obedi­ence vnto thy will all the dayes of our liues. Direct and strengthen vs, that [Page 25] we may with all faithfulnesse labour to discharge that duty whereunto wee are bound by our seuerall callings, which in thy prouidence either are al­ready, or shal be allotted vnto vs. Hold vs, we beséech thée, by thy right hand, that we fall not into any danger of bo­dy or minde.

Guide vs by thy holy Spirit in the paths of righteousnesse: set conti­nuall watch before our lips, that wee offend not with our tongues. Keepe our eyes from looking any more vpon, and our hearts from seeking after or consenting vnto vanities: shut vp our eares, that they delight not in hearing the things offensiue to thy sacred Ma­iesty. Rule & gouerne our hearts, that wée may be alwayes studious of good things, and that wee may be alwayes truely inclined to deale faithfully with all men, and inable vs to performe all duties required at our hand by them, and keepe both our hands and feete, that wee goe not about, or take any thing in hand dishonourable to thee, dangerous to our selues, or hurtfull to any, and that all that wée think, speake or doe, may be to the glory of thy name. Let vs not spend the time, O Lord, of [Page 26] this our pilgrimage, any more in wan­tonnesse, idlenesse, or vanity, but in all godly & vertuous exercises, alwaies in simplicity and singlenesse of heart, and in a good conscience, as becommeth thy dearest Children. Blesse, we humbly beséech thée, and prosper all the labors and works of our hands, and blesse all the Creatures which thou hast ap­pointed for our vse, that wée may re­ceiue comfort and reliefe in them, and by them in due season, by thy blessing, and by the daily comfortable vse of them, be the more moued and stirred vp to a thankfull acknowledging thy fa­therly goodnesse, in vouchsafing them vnto vs, which without thy blessing, would rather turne to our preiudice then profit, rather to a curse vnto vs, then to our true comfort: therfore good Father, blesse vs to a godly vsing of al thy good creatures, and thy creatures to a comfortable vse for vs.

And forasmuch, good Father, as our duty in this sacred exercise of prayer, bindeth vs also to intreate thy Maie­stie for all our Brethren and Sisters, members of that body, whereof thy Sonne Jesus Christ is the head, frame in vs a true, perfect, and hearty [Page 27] zeale to pray, and heare vs, also for them: beséeching thée to raise vp the Ministry of thy Gospell in all pla­ces of the earth, that by the meanes thereof, such as doe appertaine to thy Kingdome, may be daily called home to thy fold: and that the Kingdome of Satan, Antichrist, Sinne and darke­nesse may be weakened, and more and more beaten downe in all the world: hold vp & maintaine the scepter of thy word, where thou hast already planted and aduanced the same, & increase all the meanes by which it may be increa­sed and confirmed, and weaken all the powers that resist or striue against it. Blesse those, O Lord, that endeuor to promote and further it: increase their zeale, wisdome, knowledge and power; him especially, good Father, whom in great mercy towards vs, thou hast made Soueraigne ouer vs, Iames thy seruant, our King, and all his Roy­all Issue, the Counsellors, Magi­strates, Nobility, and the Preachers of thy holy word; all godly and Chri­stian Families, all true Professors of thy Gospell. Beséeching thée to powre on euery of them in their seuerall Cal­lings, such graces, benefits and bles­sings, [Page 28] as are most méete for them, wherby they may all shew themselues thy true and faithfull miuisters, in fur­thering all sincerity in Religion, and all purenesse and godlinesse of life, not onely in themselues, but in others, so farre as appertaineth to their charge, publike or priuate. Beséeching thée also to be mindfull to comfort all our afflicted Brethren and Sisters, how­soeuer, or for whatsoeuer they suffer; especially such as suffer for the testi­mony of a good conscience. Comfort all them that are pressed downe with the burthen of their sinnes: helpe, relieue, succour and assist all that be in want, in misery and affiction, that flie vnto thée for succour. And as, good Father, we doe thus boldly begge at thy hands these many and seuerall fauours, for our selues and others: so (Lord) accept at our hands our humble thankfulnes which we here yéeld vnto thée, for thy manifold blessings and benefits daily, so louingly and fréely bestowed vpon vs, both inward and outward, spiri­tuall and corporall, in number infinite, for greatnesse vnspeakeable, and for goodnesse farre better then wée could either aske or thinke: beséeching thée [Page 29] to continue thy gracious fauour to­wards vs alwayes, and in all things, that we may still giue thée the glory for our continuall safety and reliefe.

VVE render and yéelde vnto thée all possible thanks, O Lord of mercy, King of all Kings and Kingdomes of the Earth, for (as a great blessing vnto vs) thou [Page 32] hast placed ouer vs in this Realme, so [...]ure a guide of true Religion, IAMES (by thy heauenly prouidence) our gracious King, vnder whom en­ioying frée liberty of the true seruice of thée, wée rest in a quiet estate both of body and minde: wée humbly be­séech thée, to behold with thy eyes of mercy, the same thy Seruant our So­ueraigne Lord and Gouernour, & to replenish his heart with the grace of thy holy Spirit, that hee by the wor­king thereof, being inclined to the set­ting forth of thy Word, may walke ac­cording to the truth of the same sincere­ly: that wée thy Seruants, and vnder thée his Subiects, séeing his godly examples, may be ashamed to fall from that true forme of honoring thy Name, which for thy glory, through thy grace, by the rule of thy holy Word, is pre­scribed vnto vs: and vouchsafe to stir vp in him zeale of thy glory, & a desire to establish whatsoeuer wanteth in this Church of England, for the increase of true and sincere Discipline: Let no ignorance abide in his Royall heart, but inrich him with diuine and hea­uenly Knowledge: giue him an obe­dient minde, abounding with all humi­lity [Page 33] towards thy diuine Maiestie: saue and defend him from the tyranny of forraigne Powrr, and Authoritie, and from all such as professe not inwardly vnfaigned zeale of thy Gospell: giue him godly Counsellors, and such zea­lous and true hearted Ministers of thy Will, that hee and wée may sincerely serue thée in this life, and in the end for euermore raigne with thée in thy heauenly Kingdome, for Jesus Christ his sake, our onely Aduocate.

Amen.

O God, the Gouernour of Heauen and Earth, thou that rulest in the highest, that only canst doe all things, and raignest for euer: at whose becke [Page 34] the Pillers of Heauen shake, and all Creatures tremble: I miserable crea­ture, framed of the earth, do with great feare and trembling, prostrate my selfe before the [...]hrone of thy Maiesty, ac­knowledging and confessing my wic­kednesse, and wayes, abhominable in thy sight. Without thée I thinke not a good thought: without thée I doe no good worke: without thée I am worse then a worme of the earth, yea a beast in thy sight.

I render vnto thée thanks, O God, that thou hast vouchsafed mée that knowledge, that I may sée and know that I am nothing, and vnable to doe any thing without thée. Thou art the Potter, I the Clay: such as thou plea­sest to haue me be, such canst thou form and fashion me: if thou makest me bles­sed, thou shewest thy mercy and grace; if thou cast me into hell, thou shewest thy iustice, & executest thy iudgement; neither is it my duty to contradict thée, why, or for what reason thou doest it, for thou hast mercy vpon him whom thou louest. These things I consider with my selfe (O Lord) and I feare thy iudgmēts, & depend only on thy mercy.

Forasmuch therefore, as all my safe­tie [Page 35] and saluation relieth wholy on thee, and consisteth in thy hand and power, and thou hast shewed thy selfe a merci­full & long-suffering God to the whole world, & hast testified the same indéede, in that thou wouldest thy onely Sonne Christ Jesus (the innocent) should die for our offences, & should wipe away our sins with his bloud on the Crosse; and since thou hast taught vs in al our perturbations and afflictions to call vpon thée, & craue thy grace and mer­cy, for that thou wilt giue vs althings, which we shall aske in the name of thy Sonne: I come vnto thée, being drosse and clay, O mercifull and celestial Fa­ther, humbly beséeching thée, that thou wilt in thy mercy, make of this vnwor­thy carkasse of mine, an habitation for thy holy spirit, that though I line in the earth, I may haue my conuersation holy as in the Heauens.

O mercifull and most louing Father grant me forgiuenesse of all my sinnes, through the death of thy beloued S [...]n Jesus Christ: make me to please thée, increase in mee all heauenly vertues, and grant that I may perseuere in the same to the end: increase in mee that faith and loue towards thée, which [Page 36] thou hast begun in me; kindle my af­fections towards thée more and more in liuely obedience, that by thy helpe, and presence of thy grace, I may ob­taine euerlasting life, (which thou hast promised vs of thy méere goodnesse) to the end I may praise thée, and giue thée thanks in thy celestiall Kingdome for euer and euer.

Amen.

O Lord increase my Faith.

O Gracious Lord God, louing in Jesus Christ, Redéemer of man­kinde, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, I humbly begge at thy hands, that I may neuer wander nor goe astray from thée, who art the way, neither at any time to distrust thy pro­mises, who art the truth, & performest whatsoeuer thou dost promise: thou art [Page 37] eternall Life, more to be destred then any thing in heauen or in earth, by thée wée haue learned the true and direct way to eternall saluation, thou diddest instruct and teach vs readily how to beléeue, what to doe, what to hope, and in whom we ought to trust: by thée we haue learned how vnhappy wée were borne through our first Father Adam: by thée we are taught that there is no hope of saluation, except by faith in thée, we take hold of our frée redemp­tion and adoption in Christ.

Thou art the onely light, that sh [...]nest to all Creatures in the Desert of this World, conduding them through the ignorance of their minds, from the E­gyptian darknes, to that blessed Land, which thou promisest vnto the méeke, and such as follow thée in humility. For in vs was nothing but vtter dark­nesse, who neither could discerne our calamitie, neither knew from whence to séek the remedy of our misery. Thou didst enter into the World in the shape of a Seruant, and didst take vpon thée our nature, that thy brightnesse might disperse the cloud of our ignorance, that by thy precepts thou mightst directour féet in the way of peace: by the exam­ples [Page 38] of thy life in thy humility, thou didst limit out a path for vs to immor­tality, making it easie for vs to tread in by thy heauenly way: so becamest thou vnto vs a way that leadeth to Life, in which, lest we should be wea­ried, thou hast assured vs by thy pro­mises, that in following thy foot-steps, there is an inheritance of eternity pre­pared for vs: therefore, whilest we are in this iourney, be thou a staffe to vs, whereby we may be sustained in all our wayes: And by the comfort of thy holy Spirit, repaire our strengths, to the end wée may more willingly come vnto thée: and as thou art made a way vnto vs, seclude all errour, become our [...]uth, take away all distrust, and con­firme our Faith in thée.

And as thou art made life vnto vs, reuiue vs that were dead in sinne, by a liuely knowledge of thée: For it is e­ternall life to know thée, Father, Son and holy Ghost, to be one true God. Wherefore I humbly beséech thée, O most mercifull Father, to increase Faith in mee, who am thy vnworthy seruant, lest at any time I wauer in thy Celestiall doctrine: increase obe­dience in me, lest I swerue from thy [Page 39] precepts: increase constancy, that walking in thy wayes, I neuer be al­lured by the inticements of Satan, nor seduced by his terrours, but that I may perseuere in thée who art the true way to life eternall: increase my Faith, that being partaker of thy Promises, I may neuer wa [...]e slow or dull in the study and practise of god­ [...]inesse, and that I may alwayes striue and endeuour for more and more perfection.

Increase thy Grace in me, that be­ing mortified vnto my selfe, I may liue, and haue my conuersation with thée in Heauen, and be encouraged by thy holy Spirit, fearing nothing but thee, then whom there is nothing more to be loued or feared, glorified or more to be reioyced in, who art the true glory of all Saints: in whom there is nothing, but full and perfect Felicitie.

O Gracious Lord God, who didst send vpon thy Apostles, and o­thers, thy holy Spirit, filling their hearts with grace and wisedome; I humbly beséech thee, by thy vnspeak­able mercy, that thou wilt vouchsafe to fill my soule with thy grace, and water my heart with the vnspeakable swéet­nesse of thy Loue, in the loue of Jesus Christ thy most dearely beloued.

Send down, Lord, thy holy Spirit, to guide me, being ignorant, banish by his light the blacknes of sinne through Christ Jesus, by him refresh my sad and sorrowfull soule: there is neither wisedome nor strength without thée: aide me therefore by that holy Spirit, [Page 41] and I shall be able to shunne the de­ceits of Sathan, and to withstand his power.

Thou art not ignorant, that I can doe nothing of my selfe, extend thy fa­uourable hand ouer me therefore, and grant that I may forsake and vtterly relinquish my selfe, and flie vnto thée. Mortifie in me whatsoeuer is displea­sant vnto thy Maiestie, that in all things thou maiest conforme mée vnto thy will, by thy holy Spirit, that my life may be euer hereafter perfect in thy sight.

O Lord my God, looke vpon me, thy miserable Creature, whose soule sigh­eth after thée day and night, when shall I come and appeare before thy pre­sence? when shall I enter into that admirable place of thy Tabernacle, the house of my God? O comfort me with thy presence, that I may taste here in this my mortall pilgrimage, the swéet­nesse of thy glory, which shall continue for euer. O my God, I long to be de­liuered from all temptations? O eter­nall fountaine of light, bring me backe againe to that eternall goodnesse, by whom I am created, that I may know thine omnipotencie, euen as I am [Page 42] knowne of thée, and may so loue thée, as I am loued by thée, that I may sée and inioy thée in the society of all the E­lect, who liuest and raignest together with the Father, and the Sonne, a Trinity in Unitie, for euer and euer.

Amen.

O Eternal God and heaùenly Fa­ther, I extol thine infinite good­nesse and mercy, together with thine eternall wisdome and truth, who [Page 43] hast protected me this night, & made me to rest quietly and securely by thy most holy and diuine prouidence, I hum­bly beséech thée of thine infinite good­nesse, to protect and gouerne mée this day, by thy mighty hand, from all dan­gers both of Body and Soule: Giue thy holy Angels charge ouer mee, to direct me in all my wayes: driue away the deadly enemy, remoue all offences of this World, mortifie and kill in me all carnall lusts and euill affections, that they may haue no dominion ouer mée; giue me a sorrowfull heart to be­waile my wicked life, and comfort my soule by a liuely assurance, that thou hast fréely forgiuen my sinnes.

Sanctifie me, O Father, this day, I humbly beséech thée, with thine especi­all grace, that I may haue decent car­riage in my behauiour, true deuotion in prayer, and reuerent attention to heare thy heauenly and holy Word, and that thou wilt please to giue mee vnderstanding, ioyned with true deuo­tion, to obserue, learne and imbrace such things as are necessary to me, for the confirming of my faith in Christ Jesus: raise me (O Lord) by the power of thy resurrection, from sin, and giue [Page 44] me spirituall rest in the Communion et Saints, that afterward I may kéep the euerlasting Sabbath with thée in the Kingdome of Heauen: behold (O Lord) I knock at the dore of thy mer­cy, with all my power and strength; be­séeching thée to continue vnto me the right vse of all my senses and limmes, and send thy holy Spirit to beare wit­nesse to my spirit, that I am thy childe, and shall be heire of thy glorious king­dome, through the mirits of Christ Jesus our Lord: for whose sake I humbly pray thee to grant all those things that I haue prayed for, and haue neede of.

Amen.

O Lord increase my Faith.

O Eternall, most high and mighty God, vouchsafe, I humbly be­séech thée, to inlighten my dark & dul vnderstanding, that thy word may enter into my soule, and be so receiued of me, as that Ignorance, the mother of disobedience, being put away, heauenly [Page 45] knowledge may enter in, and haue perfect rest and abiding in me: Giue power, O Lord, to the séede of Truth, that being sowne in my heart, it may take deepe root, and bringforth, to the comfort of my soule, sixty, an hundred, yea, a thousand-fold: and let thy Spi­rit so guide the lips of this thy Mini­ster and Preacher, as that he deliuer nothing but the Word oflife, with such sincerity and bolduesse, as neither feare nor affection may hinder the same, that we thy flocke may fructifie and increase our knowledge in Faith thereby, and more and more desire to féede at that, the Table of thy Word, and be filled: open my heart, as thou didst Lidyacs, that I may attend with diligence to the preaching of thy Word. Send forth store of Labou­rers (O good Lord) into thy Haruest, which by their carefull paines and faithfull endeuours, may gather the dispersed sheaues of thy Church into thy celestiall Barne, and banish from this wholesome worke all such as are not sent from thée, and come not truly to edifie, but rather to reape their owne gaine, making as it were ma [...] chandise of thy holy Word, teaching [Page 46] in stead of truth, the tradition of men: Lord, vouchsafe grace into the lips of those that are now prepared to de­clare thy will, & grace into our hearts that are present to heare it, that they by teaching truely, and we by follow­ing effectually, may through Christ obtaine of thée remission of our sinnes past, light instead of darkenesse, peace for trouble, and heauenly happinesse in stead of worldly felicitie, that tasting the swéetnesse of celestiall comfort, we may despise terrestriall, and after this life ended, enioy the perfect ioyes of e­ternall felicity, through Jesus Christ our Sauiour and Redéemer.

O Lord increase our Faith.

O Heauenly Father, and most mer­cifull God, séeing that wee haue [Page 47] now receiued the benefit of the hearing of thy heauenly and holy word, by the mouth of thy Minister, the fruits whereof doetend to the perfection of a godly life, and a godly life is the way to eternall life in Christ our Lord, vouchsafe, O good Father, we humbly beséech thée, to imprint in our hearts the gladsome and most comfortable ti­dings, which wée haue heard and recei­ued this day of thée, by the mouth of thy Minister; and grant that in faith vn­fained, [...]t may lay vp the same in our vnderstanding and remembrance, lest that forgetting the same, and neglect­ing the exercise of a godly life, wée be taken away as trées that beare no truit, and so be cast into the fire: there­fore we most humbly pray and beséech thée, that thou wouldest send vs thy ho­ly Spirit the Comforter, which may retaine the good tidings of the Gospell in our hearts, wherby we may appeare as trées bearing good fruits, and so be preserued vntill the comming of our Lord Jesus, who will then receiue vs, and giue vs the inheritance which he hath purchased for as many as beléeue in his most holy Word.

Amen.

O Lord increase our Faith.

O euerlasting and mercifull God, I giue thée thankes from the bot­tome of my heart, that of thy mer­cy thou hast nourished and preserued me by thy diuine power, and gouerned me by thy Word & holy Spirit this day, and all this wéeke, yea, and at all other times of my life protected me by thy power and prouidence: and I most humbly beséech thée for the merits of Christ Jesus, to couer and bury all my misdéedes, which heretofore I haue committed in thought, word and déede against thy diuine Maiestie, in the death of thy Sonne.

Forgiue (O Lord) the euill that I haue committed; supply the good which I haue omitted, restore what I haue lost, heale my sores, cleanse my filthi­nesse, lighten my darkenesse, and alter the whole state of my minde, that no­thing may be wanting to good purpo­ses in me, nor any thing lurke in mee which may offend thée.

Water (O Lord) the séede of thy [Page 49] holy Word, which I haue receiued this day, with the dew of thy grace, that with sound iudgement, and godly deuotion, I may practise such things as are pleasing to thy diuine Maie­stie, and that my heart being alwayes obedient to thy Commandements, I may passe my time in peace, through thy protection. O Lord, stretch out thy hand ouer me, and of thy accu­stomed goodnes defend me this night: Kéepe me from searefull and wicked dreames, vnprofitable cares, idle co­gitations, and outward violence. Compasse me about on euery side with thy grace, that when I shall either take care for things of this life, or carefully séeke for those things which appertaine vnto the Kingdome of heauen, I may heare the voyce of thy holy Spirit sounding in my heart from the mouth of the Apostie, The Lord shall relieue thee in all thy necessities, and yeelde thee a Crowne of eternall glory with Christ, his beloued, in the heauens. Grant (O Lord) this, and all other graces méete for me, euen for Jesus Christs sake, my onely Lord and Sa­uiour.

Amen.

O Lord increase my Faith.

OMnipotent God, and most mer­cifull Father, since thou hast commanded, that all humane creatures shall labour, and eate their bread in the sweat of their browes, while they abide in this life, and yet sée­ing no man can prosper without thy blessing, or receiue any good successe in his affaires, we humbly beséech thée, that thou wouldest blesse our labours in such sort, as therby we may haue iust occasion to confesse thy goodnesse, assi­stance, and fatherly care, which thou takest of vs.

Let thy holy Spirit (O Lord) be our guide, to the end we may faithful­ly exercise the workes of our estate and vocation, without any fraud or de­ceit: & giue vs grace rather to regard the following of thine ordinance, then to satisfie the appetite of our owne sin­full flesh, which couets to enrich it selfe by any meanes whatsoeuer.

[Page 51] Neuerthelesse, if it be thy pleasure to blesse and prosper our endeuours, grant vs also chéerefull dispositions, to helpe and relieue such as are in di­stresse, according to thy talents best ow­ed vpon vs. And let vs kéepe within the bounds of humility, not puffing our selues vp aboue the poore and nee­dy, by that which we enioy by thy boun­ty and goodnes. But if thy good plea­sure be so to deale with vs, as to abase and impouerish vs farre beyond that which our weake nature can beare, yet vouchsafe to enrich vs,. with cleauing faithfully to thy promises, whereby we shall no way fall into distrust, but rather be more certainely assured, that thou wilt neuer forsake vs in the ex­tremity of our wants and calamities; inable vs to performe truely the du­ties of our callings: giue vs the vse of all our limmes and senses, with an holy endeuour to performe our cal­lings, and patience to attend thy lea­sure, to replenish vs both with tempe­rall and spirituall comforts, receiuing thereby daily new occasion to giue thée praise and thankes, and to expect all things from thée. Heare vs, O Father of mercy, for thy deare Sonne Christ [Page 52] Jesus sake, our Lord and Sauiour.

Amen.

O Lord, increase our Faith, and blesse our labours.

O My gracious Lord God, I yéeld vnto thée harty thankes, because thou hast preserued me from im­minent and infinite dangers, which might otherwise haue happened to op­presse, and vtterly ouerthrowne me, if thou Lord hadst not carefully regar­ded, and kept me from many inconue­niences. Therefore now, O most lo­uing Father, I humbly intreate and beseech thée for Jesus Christs sake, to pardon all the faults wherein I haue offended thée, in the time of my labour or otherwise: correct me not in thine anger, nor punish me in thy heauy dis­pleasure: worke in me so by the pow­er of thy holy Spirit, that hence forth I may walke in greater integrity, and carefully performe those duties which [Page 53] are required in my vocation and cal­ling, to the end, that though I labour with my body, yet in spirit I may be led by thy spirit, to loue, serue and glo­rifie thy name in all my doings, words and thoughts.

Direct and guide me by thy holy Word, in all truth and honest conuer­sation among men, neuer swaruing from thy commandements, that in the end I may attaine euerlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour.

Amen.

Lord euermore increase and confirme my Faith in thee.

O God Almighty, and al-knowing Father, the fountaine of all com­fort [Page 54] and consolation, I confesse against my selfe, as euermore I haue done, that I haue grieuously offended thée, by my manifold transgressions, and haue thereby drawne downe a most heauy waight of thine importable iudgements vpon me; vnder the bur­then whereof I cannot but faint and fall, vnlesse thou set to thy helping hand of mercy in Jesus Christ to sup­port mée: for (good Father) I am weake, and cannot beare thy displea­sure; I am ignorant, and know not which way to turne mée, vnlesse thou point out the way vnto me by thy holy Spirit, directing mée within, as thy Word teacheth me without. For it is not euery one that heareth, that vnder­standeth; not euery one that vnder­standeth, that can practise and per­forme what thou commandest: for who so is not guided by a better line, then that of flesh and bloud, mistaketh the right path, and treadeth the way of vanitie, whose end is death: yet, for the time it is most swéete and pleasing to the outward man, the man vnsancti­fied and vnregenerate, because hee lo­ueth to be sed with the dainties of this life, as with honor, preferment, riches, [Page 55] health, friends, and worldly delights, estéeming these the earnest-penny here of Heauen to come, and that wants, and pouerty, and sicknesse, and ene­mies, and imprisonments, and crosses, are euen here the entrance into Hell it selfe. So foolish are they (O Lord) and ignorant, whom thou guidest not in thy way. And this hath béene my foolishnesse, and my misconceit of the seuerall estates of men in this life, euen vnto this day. But hauing now found by due triall and experience, the foo­lishnesse of such, as put their delight in these transttory, fickle, and vncer­taine vanities, doe disclaime all confi­dence in them, and doe heartily and most vnfainedly abhorre and detest the deceiuing baits of temporall and carnall delights, and doe wholly be­take me vnto the swéet sauing sanctu­arie of thy wisedome and prouidence, wherein, howsoeuer the worldly min­ded doe contrarily iudge, is truest safe­ty, happinesse and securitie: for there­in, beare Father, is the true feéling and founded hope of future eternall felici­tie: thy wisedome, O Father, is the wisedome of the Spirit, the Spirit the sanctifier of the Soule, the minde [Page 56] and affections, which being sanctified, begetteth true feare of thée, and that feare is the beginning of that sacred wisedome, which guideth and gouer­neth the whole man in the blessed way, the way to life, euen vnto Christ him­selfe, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

O Lord increase our Faith.

O Lord my God, and most louing Father in Jesus Christ, I con­fesse and acknowledge, that mine offences, are increased, and my sinnes are growne vp vnto the hea­uens, that I am ashamed to lift vp mine eyes to thée, admiring at thy in­fluite mercy, in forbearing to punish me, knowing that I am worthy to be swallowed vp, or swept away with some extraordinary and sudden iudge­ment. And now (O Lord) especial­ly [Page 57] hauing so grosely sinned against thée, and done so great euill in thy sight: how haue I (vile wretch that I am) wounded mine owne conscience? how h [...]ue I laid my selfe open to the malice and enuy of the Diuell? what a disgrace and slander haue I brought vpon my Profession? what an offence and scandall haue I giuen vnto o­thers? what a toy will this be to the wicked, that they haue now by mē got­ten something to speake euill of? But (aboue al, O Lord) how haue I disho­noured thée, whose fauours haue béene so many, and so innumerable towards me? I know not how to expresse my detestable sinnes, and the hainous and hideous natures of them, when I thinke vpon thy patience, vpon the meanes of grace which thou hast af­forded mee: vpon the light of know­ledge which thou hast giuen mee, vp­on the good motions which thou hast from time to time stirred vp in mee, vpon the profession which I make vpon the sundry vowes and promises of better obedience, with which I haue linked my selfe vnto thy Maiestie, vpon the diuers admoni­tions (which by thy prouidence I [Page 58] know) haue béene vsed to mée by thy Seruants, purposely to preuent and stop this euill in mée, mée thinketh I may call it rebellion (which is as the sinne of witchcraft) or presumpti­on in the highest degrée. O Lord, I sée my sinnes, and know them to bée exceeding great: neuerthelesse, I can­not so lament them, so grieue for them, so detest and abhorre them as I should. Striue (O gracious God) strike, I beséech thée, my flinty heart, make it euen to melt within mée, at the sight of mine owne transgression. Settle in it that godly sorrow, which causeth Re­pentance vnto saluation. Humble my soule vnder thy mighty hand, and suf­fer me not to fréeze in the dregges of mine owne corruptions: make my head full of water, and mine eyes a fountaine of teares, which may runne downe like a Riuer day and night. O let me take no rest, nor suffer the apple of mine eye to cease: cause me to powre out my heart like water before thy face, that I may, by all meanes, testifie the vnfained griefe of my Soule, that I haue so displeased thée. And grant (O Lord) that I may not sorrow so much because of hell & condemnation, which [Page 59] J haue made to be due to me, but that my chiefe vexation may be to thinke how I haue abused thy mercy, and re­quited thy excéeding loue, with so foule a trespesse. Withall (most mercifull God) séeing there is mercy with thée, and that thou desirest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turne from his wickednesse, and liue, giue me leaue to become a suter vnto thy grace, not in mine owne name, but in the name of thy dearest Sonne, the onely Mediator & Intercessor of his chosen, I most humbly beséech thée, for his sake, to haue mercy on me, O Lord, one drop of his most precious bloud, shall be a soueraigne Medicine, to cure my running [...]ore: his stripes and wounds are of an healing nature, O then, I pray thée, purgeme cleane from mine intquitie, and according to the multi­tude of thy mercy, wipe away all my vncleannesse: let the apprehension of my sinne be tempered with a comfor­table application of thy mercy, that I may hold an euen course, betwixt fear­lesse security, and faithlesse despaire, beholding at once, both my vilenesse to humble me, and the riches of thy grace to reuiue me. And (Lord) permit me [Page 60] not. I humbly pray thee, to thinke it sufficient, that I haue once made some shew of humiliation and sorrow for my fal [...], but grant I may endeuor my selfe in the performance of these due­ties and may euery day renew and in­crease my repentance, with a déepe de­testation of my sinnes, and with a fer­uent desire more and more earnestly striue to be renewed in the spirit of my minde, that being so cleansed from all filthinesse, both of flesh and spirit, I may attaine vnto perfect holinesse in thy feare, through our Lord Jesus: in whose name I commend vnto thée my Petitions, and for whose sake thou hast promised to deny nothing to thy Seruant. So be it.

Amen.

Lord increase my Faith.

ADAM, the first man, was forbidden to eate of one fruit, which was fore-shew­ed to be mortall, and hee did hasten to eate thereof. Wee, the Children of the second Adam, are commanded to eate of the liuely and sauing fruit, the Body and Bloud of Christ to our saluation; yet, how slacke are we to prepare vs thereunto, and to partake thereof?

The first step therefore of true prepa­ration thereunto, is to search the Scrip­tures, who teach the Mysterie of this holy Communion, and the institution of the same, as also the signification of the out­ward signes, which are Bread and Wine; the things signified, the Body and Bloud of Christ shed for all beleeuers: the end of the receiuing whereof, is to retayne the remembrance of the Death & Passion [Page 62] of Christ, which he suffered for our sins.

By the true receiuing of this Sacra­ment, we are vnited vnto the loue of God, in, and by the death of Christ, the second Adam, being separated from him by the fall of the first. We are made heires by a­doption of eternall saluation, in, by, and with Christ, which we lost in, & by Adam.

The true receiuing of this blessed Sa­crament, must be in sincerity, with a re­pentant heart, and faith vnfained.

And because it is not prouided for sin­ners (who comming thereunto vnworthi­ly, receiue their owne damnation) wee must, before we repaire thereunto, cleanse our soules from all sinne: which cannot be done without diuing into our own soules, with an impartiall search, to finde out our owne corruption, and truely to repent our sinnes. Therefore, saith the Apostle, Let a man try and examine himselfe, before he pre­sume to come to this holy Table, &c.

It is not fit that wee should come to this holy Banquet abruptly, [...]s men doe to their ordinary feasts, where they Phari­saically and ceremoniously will wash their hands before they eate; but to this most holy Supper we are not to come without inward washing of the soule from sinne? for if vnwashed hands prophane the meat [Page 63] for the belly, how much more an vnwasht heart, this sacred Sacrament, the foode of the Soule? Inward examination, impar­tiall accusation, and an absolute condem­nation of our selues for sinne, is the best preparation to this holy Table. For hee that looketh into, and examineth the hid­den prophanenesse lurking in the heart, cannot, but (vpon due view of the same) accuse himselfe of deepe disobedience to God, which deserueth death. Finding this, he cannot but iudge himselfe wor­thy to be reiected from this communion of Saints, and so condemne himselfe that he be not condemned of the Lord: for he that confesseth his sinnes to God, coue­reth them: and he that coueteth to hide them, increaseth them. Therefore the A­postle willeth all men to trye and examine themselues, which importeth repentance, and so to eate.

This caueat is no inhibition, but a ter­rifying of the soule, not to presume to come to this holy Table, without purifi­cation and sanctification.

Herein doth the Lord Iesus discouer his wonderfull loue towards vs, who be­fore hee inuite vs to come to this Table to eate, doth instruct vs how wee should come, and how we should feede. He layes [Page 64] not this Table to snare vs, as Absalom did Amnon: and yet forewarnes vs, that there is danger in receiuing it, namely, with polluted hands, with hands full of bribery and extortion, to take it with lips defiled with blasphemy, cursing, and lying; to put it into a stomacke gorged with drunken­nesse and gluttony, and with a heart ma­king no difference of the Lords body.

We must therefore lay aside all our old sinnes, and put on the new man, a Righ­teous, a Holy, and Christian conuersation and disposition. Wee must be holy and heauenly minded towards God, we must be louing to our Neighbours, slow in ta­king aduantages, or reuenging wrongs, wee must be lowly and little in our owne eyes, meeke and sober in all our actions.

And because things of so wonderfull value are herein exhibited and offered to the worthy Receiuers, wee must consi­der who wee are, how wee are cleansed of our spirituall Leprosie, before we pre­sume into the company of the Saints to communicate. Wee must consider well, whether vpon tryall made, as afore is said, wee can assure our selues that we are of the number of those, to whom these holy things doe appertaine For who so is prophane in his person, and an vnsan­ctified [Page 65] Creature, let him forbeare to come to this holy Table, and let him first vse the meanes of better assurance: namely, repentance for his sinnes, amendment of his corrupt and sinfull life: let him vse often zealous prayer to God, for remission of his omissions and transgressions: let him craue the assistance of his holy Spirit, to assist him in the beating downe, and mortifying sinne in him, and that his Heart and Conscience may be sanctified. And when he is cleansed, let him shew himselfe to the Priest, his Pastor, and let him take knowledge by his outward Con­fession, of his inward Contrition, not by particularising of his sinnes, but by mani­festing his repentance; and then in all reuerence, let him come to this holy Ta­ble, let him eate the Bread, and drinke the Bloud of that Lambe that taketh away his sinnes, and will present him pure vnto the Lord.

The Lords eye is pure, and can abide no wickednesse. The Sacrament is holy; touch it not rashly. If thou haue not on the wed­ding Garment of sincerity, come not: the Lord will finde thee out, and thrust thee forth of his presence, among the vnbelee­uers, whose portion shall be with the Di­uell and his Angels.

[Page 66] Let vs therefore search and examine our wayes: let vs lift vp our hands with our hearts vnto God in the Heauens, and feede on this holy mysterie, the life of our soules, in remembrance of Christs death, vntill his second comming.

O Lord increase my Faith.

OH, most gracious Lord God, mercifull and louing Father in Jesus Christ my Redéemer, in whom thou art also my Father by A­doption, in, and by thy Sonne; my soule, O Lord, which was lost in A­dam, bought and redéemed by the Death and Passion of Jesus Christ, doth earnestly long, and entirely desire to be more and more assured, that I am fully and really vnited vnto thée a­gaine in him, and therefore I doe hun­ger and thirst to partake of those meanes, whereby that sweete and [Page 67] precious vnion may be confirmed in mée: Increase my knowledge more and more of thy sauing truth, reuea­led vnto vs in thy word, and increase my faith to beléeue what thou hast taught for our saluation: let me take perfect and assured hold of my rege­neration wrought in me by Baptisme, the seale of thy promise set vpon mée, when I knew not thy Law; wherein as I promised to forsake sinne, and cleaue vnto righteousnesse; so Lord, let the operation of thy holy Spirit then promised, worke in my soule, a true detestation of the workes of dark­nesse, and loue vnfained to thy celesti­all and diuine light. And for that thou in Christ hast left vnto vs a se­cond seale of thy loue, and our adopti­on, the Sacrament of the body and bloud of that immaculate Lambe, who for a remembrance of his death, & our frée adoption by him, instituted the same at his last supper with his Disci­ples, and commanded thy Saints di­spersed through the world, through all generations, to this day and for euer, to the end of the world, to communi­cate of this holy Sacrament, in com­memoration of that high and most pre­uailing [Page 68] sacrifice, the offering of thy Son vpon the Crosse for our redemp­tion and attonement with thée. And therefore, most louing Father, I come in the name of him thy Son, not of my selfe presuming, but in all humblenes, through his merits, vnto this holy Table, to partake with the rest of thy Saints by adoption, here at this time gathered together, of this holy and heauenly banquet; humbly begging at thy hands for his sake, that it may please thée to prepare my heart, which of it selfe is not onely dull, but pro­phane: teach me, being of my selfe not onely ignorant of this sacred mystery, but too much knowing sinne: Sancti­fie me by thy holy Spirit, who of my selfe am not onely corrupt, but wholly prone to euill euermore, & consequent­ly vnworthy to eat at this holy Table, to partake of thy loue so vnspeakable: Oh forgiue me, Father, & in thy Christ here represented vnto vs, ingraft in me a liuely assurance, that my sinnes are done away by his bloud: giue me faith to beléeue in him, who by faith is made ours, and we in him, thine by adopti­on: elected euen of thy frée mercy, and made heires with Christ Jesus of [Page 69] eternall glory: whereof this holy my­stery is the most assured pledge: Oh make me a worthy partaker of so pre­cious a benefit.

And for that sinners, Lord, are not admitted to this sacred banquet of sauing foode; where shall I appeare, whose sinnes drew downe from hea­uen, him, whom thou most dearely lo­uedst, and betraid him to the Crosse: how then shall I presume to appeare in this holy assembly, appointed for thy Saints onely: a Table of sancti­tie, whereof none partake, but such as are frée from sinne? Who then (Lord) dare presume to eate of this bread, or to drinke of this Cup? onely those whom thou hast called, who though sinners by nature, yet are they thy children by grace, and so their sinnes are not imputed vnto them, for whom Christ by his death hath satisfied, (apprehended by faith, shewed forth in newnesse of life) and wrought in vs by his righteousnesse, in whose name accept me (good Father,) and let the garment of his innocency couer my sinnes, and so let me come to this holy Table. And as a new man, shaped in holinesse and righteousnesse, let mée [Page 70] euermore henceforth walk before thée, and more delight in thy Commande­ments, then in any, or in all worldly things: let me by thy power be pow­erfull ouer Satan: let his instigations neuer preuaile in me, and let all cor­rupt affections die in me, and let mee wholly die to sinne, and liue to righte­ousnesse and true holinesse.

And for that I liue among men of diuers dispositions, giue me grace to loue all, but to couet to conuerse one­ly with such as are thine, as néere as I may: to reuenge me of none, but to forgiue all wrongs and iniuries, and so farre to forget them, as I may stu­die and endeuour to doe good vnto all, especially to such as are of the com­munion of Saints. And enlighten mine vnderstanding more and more, that I may seé and consider alwayes mine owne weakenesse, wants, and imperfections, that I may so much the more beare, with others, by how much I cannot but confesie, I come farre short of my duty to theé: who so offen­deth mee most, I offend thée much more. And therefore, good Father, frame in my heart loue vnfained, true patience, and liuely obedience, Leaue [Page 71] me not either to the dulnesse, peruerse­nesse, or pride of mine owne nature, or to mine owne corrupt will, make mée little and lowly in mine owne eyes, and giue me humblenesse of spirit, and indue me with all heauenly vertues, that I may rrsemble my first estate of innocency, and let my present estate of grace come neere to resemble thy dea­rest children, yea, thy selfe, who as thou forgauest vs in him, that was Lord of all, and for vs became as a seruant, & by his bloud washed away our sins, offering his most innocent body, a sa­crifice for our sinnes; whose rent body, and spilt bloud being here represented vnto vs by bread and wine: I doe most humbly pray theé, that wée may be ac­cepted worthy receiuers of his true body and bloud signified thereby; and that we may féele euen instantly, a re­newing of our mindes, our hearts to be changed from all corrupt affections, and our soules swallowed vp with the due contemplation of this most sacred mystery, wherein thou giuest vs not onely thy visible creatures of bread and wine, to refresh our weake bodies, but thine owne Sonne, to saue our soules and bodies. Oh, who is wor­thy [Page 72] to open the booke of this so high, and so heauenly a mysterie? not the worldly wise, not the great learned, nor the most glorious in the world; onely the poore in spirit, the humble and méeke, such as truely hunger and thirst for their saluation in and by Christ. They onely aske, séeke and knocke, they receiue knowledge and finde mercy: and they are accepted into this heauenly society, seeing yet but in part, knowing yet but in part, féeling yet but in part, receiuing but in part, glorying but in part, & where they yet praise thée but in part. But thou hast promised, that we partaking of thée in this life, after this life we shall fully enioy thée, in, and by Christ in the hea­uens, to our euerlasting comfort, to our inestimable glory, and endlesse praising thée in him, whom here we sée by the eyes of our soules in faith, on whom we depend in faith, and of whom we here partake in faith; which faith (O Lord) increase more and more for euer in vs all.

Amen.

IEsus Christ our true Soueraigne and eternal sacrifice, thou art seated at the right hand of God, vpon the Throne of Maiestie in heauen, hauing the administration of all goodnesse to come, and of the true Tabernacle which is not made by hands.

Thou entredst once (by thy precious bloud) into the holy places, and hast obtained for vs eternall Redemption, by sacrificing thy selfe vnto thy Father, to cleanse our consciences from al dead workes, to the end we might serue the liuing God.

We giue thée thankes with all our hearts, because by willing obedience to thy Father, thou didst suffer a most ig­nominious death on the Crosse, for vs poore, miserable, and wretched sinners, and hast instituted this blessed Sacra­ment, for an eternall memory of thy faithfulnesse, and fauour, on out be­halfe, leauing it like wise as an earnest penny, seale, or testimony, for the re­mission of our sinnes.

[Page 74] Thou hast called and brought vs to the Communion of this wonderfull féeding, to the end that wee might re­fresh our hungry soules, languishing and thirsting after life euerlasting.

O Lord my God, great is thy loue, thy mercy vnexprsseable, & thy grace vncomprehensible. Thou despisest no persons, comming to this Banquet, except they exclude themselues, or in­trude thither vnworthily.

If any one doe hunger or thirst, here he is fully satisfied: such as are in ne­cessitie, may here finde the riches and treasures of Life: the desolate here méete with comfort: the st [...]ke, here finde physicke, and health for their soules: such as are ouer-laden with their sins, are here disburdoned in their consci­ences, and they which are assailed by Death, doe here méete with life that cannot be molested. Helpe vs then, O good God, that this blessed Sa­crament, which we haue receiued, may auaile vs to our saluation: and that hereafter we may retaine the fulnesse of our hope, without any wauering, because thou art faithfull in all thy promises, and let vs care one for ano­ther: giue vs grace to loue all, but [Page 75] couet onely the societie of such as ei­ther may stirrevs vp more and more to godlinesse, or that we may win them to more knowledge of, and obedience to thée, and that wee may in a holy and heauenly vnion often assemble our selues at this holy and sacred banquet, comforting one another in thée, hope­fully looking for thy blessed appearance in the clouds for our full and finall re­demption.

Amen.

Lord increase our faith, and renew a right spirit within vs.

O Lord, in whose hands all things, and all men are, the Guide and Protector of all that beléeue and come vnto thée, I come (Lord) vnto thy diuine Maiesty, begging at thy hands pardon for my sins, which I doe con­fesse to be very great, & worthily may pull downe a great and weighty bur­den of thy Judgements vpon mée, and nothing can truely prosper with mée, vntill I be reconciled vnto thee in Christ, in whom thou art so well plea­sed, as who so in him commeth vnto thée, neuer departeth emptie of some blessing or other: and therefore I now, good Father, vnder thy fauour, by thy permission and fatherly furtherance, intending to take my iourney, doe be­séech thée, to pardon my sinnes: and grant that before I betake mee to my trauell, I may séele in my conscience a [Page 83] liuely assurance that thou hast forgiuen mee, and that I am reconciled vnto thee, and at peace with thée, that so I may be assured, that as thine holy Angell went with the seruant of Abra­ham, and prospered his iourney; as an Hast of Angels were present with Elisha, to defend him from the King of Aram, and as thine Angels comforted and conducted Iacob in his iourney: so thou wilt send thine Angels with me, that they may take charge of mée, con­duct mée, guide mée, and prosperously spéede my iourney, and giue good suc­cesse vnto the occasion of my trauels: for I doe confesse and acknowledge, that it is not in the wisedome, the art, power, [...]r prouidence of man, either to preuent the dangers, which in diuers manners doe lye hid and concealed from the wisest, till they fall; neither to performe his iourney, or to accom­plish the occasion of the same prospe­rously: and therefore, vnlesse thou maist be pleased to assist me with thy grace, to support mee with thy hand, to de­fend me in thy mercy, to blesse mee in thy loue, and in thy prouidence to com­fort mée: I cannot but confesse, that my iourney cannot be prosperous, my selfe [Page 84] in body or soule safe, nor the businesse where about I goe, come to good effect. [...]ith therefore, good Father, thou hast made vnto all men that come vnto thée, an assured promise, that thou wilt neuer faile, nor forsake them, but wilt command thine Angels to take charge of them, that nothing shall hurt them; and that thou wilt be with them in the way they ride or [...]o, in the house wher­in they rest, or refresh them; and wilt enable them to performe that which they intend, better then they haue ei­ther skill or ablenesse: blesse me, I be­séech thée, with such wisedome, will, power, and discretion, as I may so per­forme my iourney, and the occasion thereof, as may be to the discharge of my dutie to thée in true obedience, to man in a good conscience, and to my selfe in a due regard of the reliefe of mée, and such as thou hast giuen mée: and withall, most gracious Father, sith that thou hast ordained thy Crea­tures to serue to my vse in this my iourney, blesse them (I beséech thée) with strength and power to performe the seruice for me, which the necessitie of my iourney requireth, that my iour­ney being ended, and my busines duly [Page 85] effected, I may returne the praise and glory to thy most holy name in Christ: to whom with thée and the holy Ghost be ascribed all honour, power, glory, and dominion for euer more.

Amen.

Lord increase my Faith, and prosper my Iourney.

IT is the nature of carnall men to hate their Ene­mies, and seeke all meanes possible to be re­uenged of them: where­in they offend the Ma­iestie of God, and make him their enemy: for he hath said, Venge­ance is mine, Rom. 12. 19. And therefore we must take heede, wee take not the office of God vpon vs, in taking reuenge of our E­nemies, either by our owne sword, or by any sinister meanes, but to appeale vnto the Christian Magistrate, who beareth the Sword to right the wrongs done vnto his children. Wee must leaue the reuenge to whom it belongeth, and seeke to be, and [Page 86] to continue at peace with God, without which no Creature can be at true peace with vs. And being reconciled to him in Christ, we shall not need to feare our ene­mies, for he will make our Enemies to feare vs, as he made Esau to feare Iacob, Genes 35. 5. 6. If we walke in his comman­dements, and obserue his Lawes, among many other blessings, We shall chase our Enemies, & they shall fall before vs, Leuit. 26. 7. 8. Deut. 11. 23. 25. & 28. 1. 7. And hee will deliuer our Enemies into our hands, if it be expedient, or our cause being heard before the Magistrate, hee will giue cen­sure with vs, and make vs to reioyce ouer them, that would triumph ouer vs. And therefore in these crosses of Enemies, we must flye vnto God by prayer, as Dauid in many of his Psalmes sheweth himselfe to haue done, and especially in the 35. Psalm. If therefore thy cause be iust, and thou be vniustly pursued, feare not, for God will not faile thee, nor forsake thee.

INcline thine eare, Lord, vnto my prayer, and harken mercifully vn­to my complaints, for thou séest how man intendeth mischiefe against mée; many lay snares for mée to catch me, that they may take mée, and so de­uoure mée, but thou art my trust, I will not feare what man can doe vnto mée: yet, good Father, iudge and re­uenge my cause, let them not triumph ouer me that hate me without a cause: say I, without a cause? yea, Lord, without cause cōmitted against them, vnlesse thou calling to minde my sins committed against thée, doest stirre them vp to be instruments of thy wrath against me: So am I indéede in excu­sable, for I doe confesse, that I haue transgressed thy Lawes, I haue done euil in thy [...]ight, but to these men, Lord what haue I done? my conscience is cleare of all desire to offend them: and [Page 88] therefore, Lord, let their malice come to an end, if not, Lord, giue me Faith in thée, and patience to indure them for thée, whom indeede I haue of­fended. They trauell in mischiefe, thou art mercifull; they conceiue wic­kednesse, and bring forth lyes, but thou art righteous, the God of truth: my defence is in thée, and therefore, though they digge pits for mee, they shall fall in themselues, and be taken in the same, that they themselues haue laid. Their mischiefe shall returne vpon their owne head, and their cru­elties vpon their owne pates, al­though in their pride and malice they boast themselues, as if they had alrea­dy destroyed me. Up, Lord, therefore, and defend mee, let them not preuaile against mee, rather let them relent or perish. They thinke in their hearts, as it séemeth by their insolence, they shall neuer be remooued, and thou séest it; thou beholdest their wrong done vnto thée: take my cause therefore into thine owne hand, for thou iudgest right, and helpest such as suffer violence. Oh, breake the arme of the wicked and ma­licious, who bend, their bow, and make ready their arrowes vpon the string, [Page 89] that they may secretly shoote at them which are vpright in heart: they shoote out their sharpe and malicious accusa­tions, bitter words and slenders a­gainst mée: yet, Lord, of thy mercy it is, that though they hit mee, yet they wound mée not deadly, their hatred and malice tendeth but to the hurt of my body, not being able to touch my soule: and therefore if they should pre­uaile, their conquest were small, but my ransome is their owne ruine: curbe them, good Father, and bridle their wicked deuices: set mée at liberty, whom these wicked men would hold for euer snared. I rest vpon thy pro­uidence to be defended: I séeke not reuenge against them, vengeance is thine, thou wilt reward: but were I inclinable to reuenge, they are more mighty then I, more carnally politicke then I, more befriended of the world then I, and yet as Elisha said vnto his Seruant, there are more with mée then with them: for thou pitchest an Hoast of Angels about such as are thine. Therefore, I will neuer feare what these men can doe vnto mee, ei­ther by fraud or force, openly or secret­ly: for thou who iudgest rightly, wilt [Page 90] turne all their malicious deuices to worke for my good, and their owne confusion, as thou didst end the malice of hatefull Haman, against harmelesse Mordecai. Wherein thy prouidence brought it to passe, that he was snared that laid the grin, and fell into the pit he made for another. Therefore, good Father, I will rest me vpon thy pro­uidence, and relye vpon thy mercies in Christ, in whom all things shal worke together for my good, as did the selling of Ioseph by his Brethren, his Mi­stresses false accusation, & his wrong­full imprisonment, all which together wrought to his high aduancement. E­uen so, Lord, let all things worke to my conformation, and consolation in Christ: heare mée, oh, heare me, lest they reioyce ouer me, for when my féet slip, they reioyce and extoll themselues against me.

O Lord increase my Faith, and weaken mine Enemies.

O Most bountifull and great God, how gracious hast thou béen vn­to vs, in lending vs a good and godly Past or according to thine owne heart, who is able and willing to in­struct vs with knowledge and vnder­standing, and to deliuer vnto vs faith­fully thy holy Word, one, who is suffi­cient to resolue vs in our doubts, and to comfort vs in our calamities, to re­call our wandrings, to instruct our ig­norances, and to goe before vs, as a guide, in the way that leadeth to sal­uation: O Lord, thou hast not so dealt with all people, neither is there any desert at all in vs, for which thou shouldest bestow on vs such a fauour. If thou hadst still left vs in our natu­rall darknesse, and hadst suffered vs to be perpetually plunged into that regi­on of the shadow of death, in which we sate of our selues, it had béene but iu­stice in thée euen vtterly to haue forsa­ken [...]s. O Lord, make vs thankfull, [Page 92] and quicken vs vp, that we may euen fill our mouthes with the praises of thy name, who hast caused the light of thy Gospell thus to shine amongst vs, to our excéeding great comfort. O make vs carefull and diligent to walk while we haue light, that wée may be the children of light, and to beware how we receiue thy word in vaine, or neg­lect so great saluation: let vs euer re­member, that to whom much is giuen, of them there will be much required, and that our sinnes will be the grea­ter, and our iudgement the more hea­uy, if we make not right vse of this thy mercy. And concerning the Watch-man, whom thou hast appointed ouer our soules, wée beséech thée to inlarge his heart, to increase his gifts, and to replenish him yet with a fuller mea­sure of thy Graces. Giue him (O Lord) the true zeale and spirit of Paul, that he may with all boldnesse of spéech giue vnto vs thy Gospell, and publish euen the secrets thereof, for the edify­ing and comfort of our soules. Make him powerfull in the holy Scriptures, like Apolloes, that by the power there­of hée may both conuict our conscien­ces, and stoppe the mouthes of all [Page 93] gaine-sayers. Powre into him thy holy Spirit, the word of wisedome and knowledge, that he may rightly iudge of our estates, and vnderstand what things are most expedient and necessary for vs, and so may speake to our consciences, finding vs out in our speciall sinnes, and directing vs in those holy courses, from which wée haue chiefely strayed. Let his words pricke our hearts forward, that wée may not be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne. Make him firme and constant in the best courses, that he may not be as a Réede shaken with the winde, but as a sure foundation, that by his perseuerance in good workes, our hearts may be the better established. And wée beséech thée (O Christ) who commandest the Starres, and holdest them in thy right hand, to defend him from vnrea­sonable and euill men, and from the wrongs and iniuries of the wic­ked enemies of thy truth: for doubt­lesse, men of corrupt mindes will re­sist the Truth with all their power. Therefore (good Lord) blesse his la­bour, to the calling and conuerting of those, which are elected vnto saluation.

[Page 94] Make our hearts flexible to yéelde true obedience to thy Word deliuered from his mouth, that wée may receiue it, not as the word of a man, but (as it is indéede) thy Word, and make it also effectuall in vs, that wée may not onely be professors and hearers of thy holy will, but also practisers and continuall performers of the same. And teach vs to reuerence him, wée beséech thée, and to loue him for his profession and workes sake, not spa­ring our goods to relieue him, know­ing it is a small thing for him to [...]eape our earthly things, who soweth a­mongst vs spiritual food for our soules. In all our Supplications make vs mindefull of him without ceasing, that his studies may be directed, his endea­uours guided, and his labours in thy worke blessed, to the glory of thy holy name, and the saluation both of him, and of vs which heare him: All which we humbly and earnestly begge at thy fatherly hands, for thy deare Sonnes sake, who hath ordained Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of his Saints, and who is the supreme and soueraigne Bishop of all our soules: to whom be all praise, ho­nour [Page 95] and glory, now and for euermore.

Amen.

O Lord increase our Faith.

O Omnipotent, and euerlasting God, maker of heauen and earth, who hast frō the very beginning promised to be our Lord and our God, our fortresse, our buckler and defence, our castle & refuge, who hast brought vs with a mighty and strong hand, with an out-stretched arme, out of the land wherein we were strangers, and liued in bondage (vnder the yoake and tyranny of Antichrist and Sa­tan) into the land that floweth with milke and hony, and of true Religion, wherewith thou feédest the Soules of the faithfull ones, to their vnspeakea­ble comfort, grant that as through thy mercy and loue, thou vouchsafest to [Page 96] bring vs into this world, and to frame vs to thine owne image and likenesse, so wée may account thée as our onely God, worshipping none other besides thée, making our selues none image of any likenesse, either of things aboue, or things beneath, nor to séeke helpe at the hands of any, as a God, beside thée, who as by thy mighty power, thou broughtest the children of Israel out of Egypt, by the hands of Moses and Aaron, where they were in bondage, and were continually oppressed with sundry kinds of vexations, both of bo­dy and minde, so thou hast vouchsafed to bring vs and deliuer vs from a greater bondage and slauery, euenfrom the power of Sathan, vnder whose tyranny wée rested, and now escaped not by any other pollicie, strength, or power, but by the bloud-shedding of thine only Sonne, Jesus Christ, who tooke vpon him the death of the Crosse for our sakes, to bring vs from darke­nesse, wherein we walked according to the wil of the flesh, vnto the true know­ledge of thée againe, and to redéeme vs out of the bondage of sin, into the land of righteousnes; from blind ignorance to the bright shining day-starre of thy [Page 97] heauenly will, who art not onely a most louing and most gentle Father, but also a most sharpe punisher and reuen­ger, who art not onely desirous that we should come vnto thée, but art also most iealous ouer vs, lest wée should séeke or follow any other gods besides thée: yea, in all our afflictions and troubles thou wilt that wée séeke onely thée; and being relieued, to attribute the onely meane thereof vnto thy selfe, whereby thou hast promised to be mer­cifull vnto thousands that [...]oue thée, feare thée, séeke thée, and truely take hold of thée, as their onely God: and againe, threatnest vengeance on the third and fourth generation of them that hate thee, and follow strange gods, neglecting thy Commande­ments: O God, vouchsafe that wée ne­uer put our féete towards any strange gods, appeare their helpe neuer so like­ly and plentifull, but that it may both now and euer continue in our harts to confesse both in word & conuersation, that there is none other God besides thée, who art a most gracious and lo­uing Father. Haue mercy vpon vs, O Lord, haue mercy vpon vs, and so vouchsafe to direct vs in all our do­ings, [Page 98] cogitations and words, as we may alwayes, and in all things, fulfill thy will, without taking thy most holy and most glorious Name in vaine, by blasphemous spéeches, dishonouring the same: kéepe vs, most louing Fa­ther, not onely from the most detesta­ble sinne of periurie, whereby thy holy Name is often defaced, and as it were, trodden vnder-foote, as in making it the author of abhominable falshoods and lyes; but from all friuolous and vaine eathes, which to the great griefe of thy Children, and dishonour of thy Name, are most vncomely in the mouthes of such; as vnreuerently and rashly vse it euen in common spéeches, without any vrgent cause, whereby they fall into the most hainous sinne of taking thy most glorious Name in vaine: O Lord forgiue vs, and grant that we may vse such a reuerent man­ner, and godly order in triall of mat­ters in controuersie, as we may be al­wayes true hallowers, and not abu­sers of thy Name therein. And foras­much as thou within sixe dayes didst finish all things in the beginning, and in the seuenth day didst rest from the same labour, commanding vs to ob­serue [Page 99] the sanctification of the same for euer, and to rest from all labours, tra­uels, and wordly businesses, and not onely our selues, but our Seruants, Oxen, Asses, and such like: Grant that we may not onely lay a side all worldly cares and businesses on the Sabbath day, but may in all things sanctifie and kéepe it holy with godly exercises, diuine prayers, and heauenly medita­tions, with diligent regard to the a­uoyding of all pastimes, foolish and vncomely exercises, and vnlawfull practices, whereby oftentimes the af­fection being mooued to impatience, powreth forth choler, to the dishonou­ring of thée. Let our conuersation be altogether modest, mortifying our owne desires, wholly applying our selues, not onely on the Sabbath day, but all the wéeke; yea, all our whole life, to the seruice of thée, to the honou­ring and glorifying of thy Name, to the benefit of our soules, profit of our neighbours, and due reuerence to our Parents, whom thou hast comman­ded vs to honor, loue: and obey, as the instruments of our beginning, thou being the workman. Grant, Lord, that wee truely and vnfainedly reuerence [Page 100] them, as thou willest we should, that we may long continue vpon the earth, not in the number of carelesse and dis­obedient children, in whom resteth no thankfulnesse for so great benefits had and receiued at the hand of their pa­rents, from whom thou hast said, thou wilt with-hold thy blessings, and al­together depriue them of their liber­tie of liuing. But grant that we may so order our selues by thy grace, both to them and other our Superiours, that wee may receiue at thy hands, many good gifts and length of dayes here, according to thy promise in Christ.

Let it likewise please thee (O Lord) to continue thy blessings in and vpon vs, that it may goe well with vs all the dayes of our liues: take from vs (Lord) all destres of reuenge, all rancour, hatred, and malice, lest the Diuell (who rea [...]ily stands to pricke vs forward to a desperate minde) pro­cure vs to slay the innocent. Wée be­séech thée (good Lord) let not at any time such euill imaginations enter in­to our hearts, lest wée (giuing our selues thereunto) loose the reynes of our naturall disposition, which is [...] [Page 101] inclined to wrath, that vnlesse the strength thereof be subdued, or the ve­nomous s [...]ing thereof pluckt out by vertue of thy holy Spirit, it prouoke vs to waite opportunity to wreake our malice with violence vpon such as by small occasions haue offended vs, yea, and by little and little breake out into that height of hatred, as to pro­uoke vs to séeke the meanes to destroy the innocent.

O Lord forbid it, and kéepe vs from the most pernitious sinne of adultery, which being so odious in thy sight, as thou causedst to fall in one day for the same twenty and thrée thousand, but indue vs with thine holy Spirit, that we may kéepe our bodies cleane and vndefiled members of thée, endued with perfect sanctity, may abandon all occasions that may procure vs to of­fend thée, retaining a godly behaui­our, which thou dearely louest, and ex­pelling euill concupiscence which thou deadly hatest.

O mercifull God, vouchsafe to kéepe vs from taking any thing by in­direct meanes from any man, whom wee ought to loue as our selues; the desire whereof (good Lord) procéedeth [Page 102] often by scarcitie and want, by pouer­ty and néede, which indéede thou art able and willing to relieue without any such vnlawfull meanes. And ther­fore I beséech thée to grant vs a suffi­cient and necessary portion, or else con­stancy and vnfained hope in thee, to be relieued in thy good time, and vtterly to detest the horrible sinne of stealing, for thou hast promised, neither to faile vs, nor forsake vs, cal [...]ing faithfully vpon thée in time of our necessity. And as we ought to beware of taking any thing of others by steaith, so likewise vouchsafe when any occasion serueth, to grant vs héedfull mindes to depose and testifie that which is truth, accor­ding to our knowledge, without any respect, either of greatnesse, friendship, or fauour of the one, or the e [...]uy, ma­lice, or pouerty of the other. And grant that wée raise no false accusation or slander vpon any man, but that wée may kéepe our mouthes from speake­ing any thing hurtfull vnto others, but to shew our selues helpefull both in word and déede to all: and like good men, muse and meditate afore-hand, what we ought to speake, not letting the bridle of our lips loose, [Page 103] to babble out that which first commeth into our mindes, and that we may con­tent ourselues with our estates, what­soeuer thou sendest, without an vngod­ly desire of any thing that belongeth vnto our Neighbours. And grant vs by thine especiall grace, euermore to obserue, and faithfully to fulfill all thy most godly Commandements, in the name, & for the sake of Jesus Christ: in whose Name: as well for grace to kéepe thy Lawes, as also for all neces­saries for body and soule, I heartily beséech thée, in that forme of prayer which hée hath set downe vnto vs in these words:

Our Father which art in heauen, hal­lowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdome come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heauen. Giue vs this day our daily bread. And forgiue vs our trespasses, as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs And leade vs not into temptation, but deliuer vs from euill. For thine is the Kingdome, the power and glory, for euer and euer.

Amen.

O Father, most mercifull and louing in Jesus Christ, what shall I bring vnto thée, where­by to appease thy wrath, conceiued against my sinne? If I should bring the sacrifice of Buls or Goates, thou art not de­lighted with them.

Teach mée therefore, O Lord, teach me what to doe, to be reconciled vnto thée againe.

I haue long called vpon thée, and that in the name of thy most beloued Sonne, and finde not that I haue long sought: I receiue not that I haue ma­ny dayes desired of thée: I haue long and earnestly knocked at the doore of [Page 105] thy mercy, and finde no entrance for my Soule.

I sée, I am shut out of thy presence: I wait, and am weary; I sigh, and sée no remorse; and lingring thus in distresse, I languish vnder the burden of thy displeasure, which séemeth to be so hetly kindled against mée, as I am ready to giue ouer my suite.

For behold, Lord, my miseries are beyond measure, and my griefe grow­eth daily more and more, being of my selfe ignorant what to say more vnto thée, then I haue said: I know not what course to take, nor to whom to make my mone, direct mée and heare my prayers.

Thou being angry with mée, all thy Creatures séeme to be also offended at mée, and nothing séemeth to yéelde mée comfort.

Deare Father, what shall I doe? whither shall I flye to finde rest? there is no rest for me, but in thée: and there­fore, vnlesse thou maiest be pacified with mée, I cry in vaine, I séeke, and finde nothing, and knocke, and féele no comfort.

I haue nothing to giue thée, to re­déeme thy fauour towards mée, for if I [Page 106] had Mountaines of gold, if I had Ri­uers of Oyle, or ten thousand Sacri­fices to bestow vpon thée, it booted me nothing, they are all thine owne.

Accept therefore the Calues of mine vn [...]ained lips, and the simple zeale of my sorrowful soule, and be at peace with mée in the mediation of thy all-sufficient Peace-maker, thy beloued Sonne, in whom thou delightest: Oh, heare mee for him, and reléeue me in him, without whom there can be no helpe for my soule, no case for my heart nor reliefe of mine estate: neither can inward comfort nor outward aide ap­peare, vntill thou be appeased with me in him.

O vnhappy wretch that I am, that euer I offended so louing a God, that worketh all good for them that feare him: so wise a God, that can finde man out in his most secret waies: so watch­full a God, that considereth whatsoeuer man thinketh, heareth whatsoeuer man speaketh, and séeth whatsoeuer he doth: a God most powerfull, that for sinne can hurle downe the loftiest, and in loue can exalt the lowliest!

O Lord increase our Faith.

O God of mercy, for as much as many wayes I h [...] transgressed thy [Page 111] holy Precepts, contemned thée our Lord and maker, & offended thy diuine Maiestie, greatly am I grieued in minde, and stand wonderfully in feare of thine euerlasting displeasure. And although thine holy Word doth tender vnto mée pardon and remission of my sinnes freely, through thy méere grace and mercy, yet haue I not grace as yet to apprehend the same, for busie is our most cruell and crafty aduersary, and doth labour to bring vs from all hope and comfort of saluation. The only re­medy which wee haue against this our deadly aduersary, is, that wee neuer doubt of thy grace, and readinesse to forgiue our sinnes. Comfort vs at all times, especially at the houre of death, and giue vs grace to fasten all our con­fidence and trust on thee, and neuer to thinke my offence greater, then thou canst and wilt pardon.

O louing and euer-liuing God, the liuely Fountaine of all grace, ouer-flowing the whole World with the Ri­uers of thy mercy: inlighten mine vn­derstanding, increase my Faith, that I may truly know, and assuredly beléeue the Death and Merits of Christ thy Son, the least drop of whose most pre­cious [Page 112] bloud, shed for me, is of more effi­cacy and power to saue me, then all my enormities and hainous sinnes to con­demne me. Looke vpon me (O my Sa­uiour) with those Eyes of pitty and fa­therly compassion, wherewith thou diddest behold Peter, after hee denied thée, le [...]t otherwise I despaire, and so commit the sin against the holy Ghost.

Giue mée (Lord) the holy helpe of thy sacred Spirit, that when Satan doth accuse mée, and my Conscience beare witnesse against mée, when the cogitations of Hell and Death doe dis­may me, when the snares of Death and horrible tentations would entrap me, when the whole World forsakes mée, and all things set themselues against mée, then strengthen mée, I beséech thée, that I forsake not thée my Saui­our, and fall from hope of thy frée mercy.

O, comfort my heart with an inward assurance and seale of mine Adop­tion in thy Sonne, in whom the for­giuenesse of sinnes is promised vnto all Beléeuers. Call to memory thy holy Couenant entered into with vs, at our Baptisme, and the promise thereunto annexed, (Hee which belee­ueth, [Page 113] and is baptized, shall be saued,) and grant that wée may euermore consider the same, to our perpetuall comfort.

Amen.

O Almighty & Eternall God, which hast in thy Word commanded, that we should beware of falling from thy grace, and hast also witnessed that the end of those which goe backe from thy Word, after they haue once knowne the way of righteousnesse, will be excéeding fearefull: Haue mercy therefore on mee (O Lord) I most humbly pray thée, for I finde in my selfe great weakenesse, no power haue I of my selfe to perseuere in goodnesse: I beginne to wauer in my iudgement, and to grow doubtfull, euen of those things, which I heretofore haue em­braced with fulnesse of perswasion: The exercises of godlinesse are not [Page 114] so pleasant vnto me, as they haue béen, a strange kinde of dulnesse stealeth vp­on me, and I haue no such life and spi­rit in matters of Religion, as in times past I haue had: and to what a wofull passe these things may come, though I haue much hope when I thinke vpon thy mercy, yet well may I feare, when I looke into my selfe. I confesse that thy goodnes is great, in that thou makest my heart within mee to smart for these things, and doest not suffer me to run on without stay, into that hel­lish and infernall Pit, in which I should be soone plunged, if thou shouldest once leaue mée to my owne weakenesse. Therefore (O Lord) I beséech thée, to quicken my dull heart, kindle those sparkes which are euen vpon quenching, and like vtterly to goe out, vnlesse it shall please thée to reuiue them: make strong my thoughts and conscience: make mée able more and more to sée the Truth in cases of Religion, and to discerne things that differ from the same. Giue mée vnder­standing to know both good and euill, giue mée also increase of zeale, that I may spring vp in grace, and thriue in godlines, vntil I come to that measure [Page 115] to which thou hast appointed mee to come in Christ Jesus: let [...]eé not in these key-colde and decaying times, be carried away with euery blast of doctrine, through the subtiltie and wil [...]nesse of those which lie in waite to beguile mée: suffer neither the cares of this vaine world, to wither and dry vp thy graces in mée, nor transitory pleasures to entrap mée, nor euill ex­amples to misguide me, nor mine owne sloathfull and heauy nature to make mée grow weary of well-doing: but make mée so to burne in loue with heauenly things, that I may not sa­tisfle myselfe with any measure, either of knowledge or practice, but may ra­ther still be ashamed of my selfe, that I make no better procéedings, and so may euer desire and striue to more per­fection.

To this end, enkindle in mee af­fection more and more, by the hearing and reading of thy heauenly and holy Word, earnest praying, intentiue and feruent meditation, carefull watch­ing ouer mine owne soule, following the example of godly men, and imita­ting their gracious and holy conuersa­tion.

[Page 116] As thy promises (O Lord and most mercifull Father) haue encouraged mée thus to pray, so (I he séech thée) let it be thy gracious will to accept of these my humble petitions, which procéede from a contrite & a sorrow­full heart, so shall my soule magnifie thée, and my tongue set forth thy prai­ses with ioyfull lips, and that in Jesus Christ thy Sonne and my Sauiour.

Amen.

MOst mercifull God, and leuing Father, thy blessed World teach­eth vs, that the old Dragon and subtle Serpent, our aduersary the Di­uell, [...]uns about vs like a roaring Li­on, séeking daily to deuoure vs.

Hée vseth all his wicked sleights against our Soules, with an in finite number of diuellish Stratagems to make vs fall into sinne or despaire.

He practiseth to entrap vs by riches, by pouerty, by voluptuous and wan­ton pleasures, by gréedy desire after honour, & worldly dignities, by coue­ting earthly goods and possessions, by care for the belly, and prouision there­fore, with all other vnrighteous and sinfull affections and desires.

Hée cunningly doth cast abroad his daits and snares to intangle vs, night and day, in our words and workes, so that wake we or sléepe we, he is before or behind vs to deuoure vs.

O glorious God, who can escape? [Page 141] for he is continually watching, and ne­uer at rest, and wée are weake and vn­able of our selues to resist.

Open thou our eyes (O Lord) that we may comprehend how mighty and crafty our enemie is. Confirme our Faith, for we are not to fight against flesh and bloud, but against Sathan, the vtter enemy of the Soule, there­fore (O faithfull Father) haue com­passion on vs.

Make vs strong in the power of thine owne streugth, put vpon vs thy defensiue armour to resist manfully the temptations, and subtle deuices of the Diuell.

Giue vs thy weapons: gird our reynes with the Girdle of truth, put on our brests the Brest-plate of righ­teousnes, let our féete be shod with E­uangelical peace, and aboue all things let our hearts be defended with the shield of Faith, so shall wée be sure to quench all the fiery darts of the diuell, so that our hearts be couered with the Helmet of Saluation, and our hands hold fast the Sword of the Spirit, which is, thy most sacred, an [...] neuer failing Word.

Then shall wée be able to doe any [Page 142] good thing, and valiantly (through thy [...]ide and succour) ouer come our aduer­sary the Diuell, for in thy very name we shall strongly with stand him.

Be thou but our helper, and no feare can assault vs, stand thou but by vs, and though the world should be ouer-whelmed, and the Mountaines tum­bled into the bottome of the Sea, yet shall wee be safe: for thou art our as­sistance, that liuest and raignest world without end.

Amen.

O Eternall God, powerfull, and true, which bringest downe to nought, & again aduancest: thou in mercy often correctest thy dearest children, and holdest them in by affli­ctions, lest their ouer-much liberty should giue them ouer-much scope to run astray, and consequently to sinne, and dishonour thy name, to their owne destruction. Therefore, O louing and most mercifull, and deare Father, I [Page 246] doe yéelde thée thankes that thou hast visited me with crosses, and beaten me with gentle afflictions, and corrected mée with fatherly chastisements: for they are thy louing imbracements, welcome to the spiritually minded, [...]kesome yet to flesh and bloud, that fauour not of any thing contentedly, but of sinne, delight and vanity, baites and snares of death. Good therefore is it for mée, deare Father, that thou hast humbled me with thy louing cor­rections: and great is thy fauour, ye [...], and thy prouidence and power, past all the capacity of the wisest: for [...], Lord, I haue found fauour in thy sight, I haue receiued comfort at thy hands, euen in the time of my déepest afflictions; yea, when I was cast downe, and in the conceit of mortall men, confounded altogether, thou yet didst take me vp, and didst not suffer mée to perish vtterly: for when mine enemies laid waite for mée, and snares to take mée, and intended my destru­ction, they were by thée preuenced of their purpose, and when they hasted to take me, they stumbled and fell, and I escaped from them, as a bird from the snare of a Fowler: therefore doe I [Page 247] giue thée the glory, I praise thy name, and I will magnifie thy goodnesse for euer.

O Father. who hath looked vpon me in my troubles, but thou? who hath sustayned me, but thou? who hath fed me, but thou? who hath preserued me, but thou? who tooke me out of the Ly­ons mouthes, but thou? who relieued mée when I wanted things necessary, but thou? who hath deliuered mée in the time of danger, but thou? who shall haue the praise and glory, but thou, the God of my saluation, and mine euer­lasting refuge?

But what recompence, deare Father, shall I make vnto thée? what reward shall I giue thée? what sacrifice shall I offer thée? I am a worme & no man, I haue no good thing to present vnto thée, but onely I say, and confesse, and acknowledge euen from my heart and soule, with my tongue and lips, that thou onely art God, onely good, onely able, and willing to helpe the poore, to relieue the distressed, to comfort the abiect, and to deliuer them that are ready to be swallowed vp of mercilesse waters.

I am poore, yet thou prouidest for [Page 248] mée: I want, and thou giuest mée things expedient: I haue Enemies, but thou defendest mée from their ty­ranny: I am féeble, and weake, and fearefull to fall, but thou doest yet strengthen mée and vphold mée: thou leauest mée not in misery: thou for­gettest mée not in my calamity, thou doest not euer hide thée from mée, nor turne thy face when I séeke thée, but thou rather hearest me before I call, and preparest mée salue before I vn­fold my sore, and giuest before I aske, more then I can desire: Yea, Father, when I thinke my selfe ouer-whelmed with the troubles, that like raging waues doe follow one another, thou takest mée vp, and settest me on a sure Rocke, and when I begin to slide, and my faith séemeth to faile me, thou euen then, with thy helping hand dost hold me vp: so that neither the waters of this worlds troubles can altogether swallow mee vp, neither I altogether so fall, as if there were none to helpe me vp.

Therefore, O Father, full of loue, full of power, full of compassion, and patient, to thée onely I yéeld praise, for my present reliefe and comfort: I [Page 249] thanke thée for thy louing and fatherly helpe, who art absolute in thy proui­dence, and therein raisest meanes to support thy Children, when they are in danger. And as thou of thy frée fauour in Christ thy beloued, hast at this time, and for euer deliuered mee, yea, when I was past hope; so continue my louing God, and helper, and Sa­uiour vnto the end: and as thou séest my Soule in aduersity continually: so be thou my continuall helper, that I may still sing vnto thee the song of praise, for thou art worthy to be prai­sed, oh, thou art worthy to be praised: to thée be praise for euer.

Amen.

O Lord increase my Faith.

OH Lord of Hosts, Lord of heauen and earth, who defendedst Dauid from the malice of Saul, Hezekiah from the power of Senacherib, and all thy Children from their Enemies, so farre as was euer expedient for thy glory, and their soules comfort: I thanke thée, and blessed be thy holy Name for euer, for that thou hast not suffered mine Enemies to triumph ouer mée, buc hast most graciously deliuered mée from their malicious deuices, & hate­full inuentions. Thine eye hath séene their laying in wait for mée, and their wicked practices, and in thy prouidence [Page 251] they are fallen, and I stand; they are snared, and I am deliuered; they are punished, and I am preserued. But it was not mine owne policy, mine owne power, wisedome, or sword, that hath kept them backe, it was thine owne will, thy worke, and thine is the glory: neither haue I escaped their wicked practices, because I was iust, nor be­cause I was innocent: neither of which deserueth so much, but it was thine owne frée mercy in Jesus Christ, by which they are snared, and I am de­liuered: and I doe acknowledge it, and doe confesse before all men, yea, I doe publish thy praise for thy good­nesse, who art my strength and my sal­uation: be thou euermore so, and I shall neuer be moued: be thou my rock, whereupon I may euer more rest saie. And grant that as I haue séene thy saluation, tasted of thy sauing health, felt the power of thy right hand, and béene partaker of so many of thy bene­fits and blessings: make mée able to glorifie thy Name, that as thou hast now disappointed mine Enemies of their hope, and weakned their power, as thou hast scattered them, & brought their deuices and imaginations to [Page 252] nought: so, Lord, stand alwaies by me: and as they haue made a mocke of me, trusting in thée, so let shame befal them for their cruelties; let their mouthes, which spake lyes, be stopped, their armes still weakened, and their hearts wa [...]e faint, whensoeuer they shall at­tempt their malicious deuices against me againe, when they shall compasse me about with the multitude of their wic­ked imaginations, then let the multi­tude of thy mercies ouer-match them. They haue sought my hurt without a cause, and therefore fell without my force: thou tookest my cause into thine owne hand, and hast brought me out of the snare that they had laid, and taken them, for thou iudgest right: let them therefore know that it is thou hath hast done it, and although they say in their hearts, The Lord will not see, nor consi­der: let them finde that thou séest and considerest their practises, and let them vnderstand that thou regardest the cause of the oppressed, let them neuer haue power to rise againe against me, let them neuer preuaile: let mee euer­more reioyce in thée, O Lord, my God, my strength, and my Redéemer.

O Lord increase my Faith.

O God of all goodnesse, mercy, and loue, I giue thée most humble & hearty thankes, for thy diuine prouidence, in leading and conducting me in this my Journey, and for preser­uing mée from dangers in the same, wherein I doe acknowledge thy good­nes towards me, who as thou diddest euen by thy hand, conduct Lot out of Sodome, so hast thou taken mée, as it were in thine armes, and deliuered mée from perill. And as thou diddest send Raphael thine Angell to conduct Tobias. And as thou diddest leade the Seruant of Abraham, and diddest guide Iacob in their iournies, euen by thy holy ministring Spirits: so doe I acknowledge, that thou hast béene this day with me in my iourney, thou hast brought mee in peace and safety vnto this place, wherein I may take my bodily rest and refection, hauing graciously protected mée from many secret dangers, not onely of Enemies, [Page 254] Robbers, and Théeues, but also from danger and hurts of my limbes, which are commonly incident, and dee befall euen thine owne Children: blessed be therefore thy holy Name for euer. I giue glory vnto thy sacred and most glorious Name, for that thou hast not onely preserued me, but hast also bles­sed my iourney with such successe, as in thy wisedome is most for my com­fort and profit: for in all things thou knowest better what is fit for man, then man: and therefore as thou hast béene pleased to deale with me, or shalt thinke hereafter fit for me: grant that I consult not with flesh and bloud, to finde the expediency of the successe of my iourney, knowing this, that we are ignorant of the things most conuenient for vs: And therefore whatsoeuer doth or shall succéede by thy prouidence, giue me wisedome, patience, and thankeful­nesse to imbrace the same.

Let mée neuer forget the words of thy mouth, thy promises made vnto thy Children, that all things shall worke together for the best for them. And therefore I doe assure mée, that thou hast brought my iourney to prosper, to farre as may be to thy glory, my com­fort, [Page 255] and the discharge of my duety, in all the circumstances of the occasion of the same. Make me able therefore to extoll thée, O my God, let my Soule praise thée, O euerlasting Guide. Lord, most louing, God all-sufficient, and euer-helping Father: to whom, with thy Sonne, in whom thou pre­seruest, and to the holy Ghost, in whom thou sanctifiest all that are thine, be euermore ascribed all Glory, Power, Dominion, and Maiesty for euer.

Amen.

O Lord increase my Faith.

O Almighty and most mercifull God, the Lord of Heauen and Earth, which of thine abundant and infinite goodnesse, doest adorne and fill the Earth with all kinde of fruit and graine, whereby is sustayned both the life of Man and Beast, and which yet cannot prosper without thy blessing: we humbly beséech thée, of thine infi­nite [Page 256] goodnesse and mercy, to blesse our Fields and Ground, and make them prosperous to yéelde their increase: for without thy fauour and blessing, the Earth can bring forth nothing, but vn­profitable and hurtfull wéedes, nor we by our endeauours make the same to prosper. Let not our grounds be deso­late in thine indignation: shut not vp the Heauens in wrath for our sinnes, that it be not as Iron, nor our Earth as Brasse; but of thy goodnesse giue vs both the earely and latter raine, that wée may haue abundance of all Fruit. Thy Riuer, O Lord, is full of Water, prepare our Corne, and prosper our earth, crowne the yeare with thy good­nesse, and let the clouds drop fatnesse, let the P [...]aines be replenished with Shéepe, and the Uallies with Corne, that the Possessors of the earth may be merry and reioyce. Preserue vs (O Lord) in the time of dearth, that wée perish not for hunger, nor be confoun­ded in the time of danger: wée con­fesse our sinnes (O Lord) with groa­nings and griefe of heart vnto thée: heare our prayers in thy holy Habita­tion, and be mercifull vnto thy peo­ple, which haue transgressed thy holy [Page 257] Commandements, and giue euery man according to his wants, that in all things wee may confesse and ac­knowledge with all reuerence, thy om­nipotent and diuine power, and thy bountifull hand, with giuing thankes and continuall prai­ses vnto thée, which hast giuen vs all things here to inioy.

Amen.

O Lord increase my Faith.

O Almighty and euerlasting God, who although thou art still in thy iudgement, yet art thou a mercifull God to the soule that séek­eth théeth, infinite in thy mercy, and plen­teous in redemption, for though thou send sicknesse, yet wilt thou shew pitty, according to the multitude of thy com­passions, for thou dost not willingly chastice and afflict the children of men: therefore I poore wretched sinner, which am but dust, earth and ashes, vnworthy the least of thy fauours, doe fréely confesse, to thy glory, and mine owne shame, that I am conceiued and borne in sinne, that originall corrup­tion, stayning and infecting my whole nature, hath depriued mée of all holi­nesse, and left in mee an inclination to all euill: and that I haue by mine in­numerable transgressions, in thought, word, and déede, broken all thy holy Commandements, and therefore (be­sides all other euils) I haue iustly [Page 319] drawne this sickenesse, and these disea­ses vpon me, yet not withstand, séeing that thou (such is thy excéeding great mercy) hast no pleasure in the mise­ries and destruction of thy Children, but doest onely by affliction try, cor­rect, humble, and reforme them, for there present and euerlasting good: I doe therefore, most dear and louing Father, most humbly beséech thy hea­uenly Maiesty, to pardon my sins, the onely causes of my misery and afflicti­on: increase and perfect in me all gra­ces that concerne saluation: assist mée with the counsell and comfort of thy sacred Spirit, and conuert this my vi­sitation to mine amendment, and salua­tion of my soule in Christ.

If it be thy good pleasure and will (O Lord) restore me to my perfect and former health, that I may not onely performe my good purposes, and pay my vowes, which my lips haue promi­sed, and my mouth hath spoken in my affliction, but also henceforth grow vp in grace, in obedience, in holinesse, vn­till I come to the end of mine hope, which is the saluation of my Soule. But if it be thy will and decrée by this chastisement, to finish my dayes, I most [Page 320] humbly and earnestly intreat thée (O my God) as the outward man decaieth, to renew in me the inner man, and to grant that as the body dyeth, so thy grace may liue and reuiue in me. Shut not the eies of my mind, but open them and make mee vnderstand what the hope of my heauenly calling is, and what is the riches of the glorions inhe­ritance, that thou hast prepared for me, that I may liue in thy faith and obedi­ence, and end my life in thy fauour, and when this life endeth, remaine and raigne with thée in glory for euer.

Uouchsafe to be a Father to my fa­mily, kinsfolke, and posterity: plant thy feare in their hearts, confirme them in thy grace, and giue them all things competently necessary for the mainte­nance of this present life. Harken (O Lord to these my prayers, and grant me all other things, which thy heauen­ly wisdome séeth necessary for my soule or body, for thy dearly beloued Sons sake. To whom, with thy Maiesty, and God the holy Ghost, be rendred and ascribed all honour and glory, now and for euer.

Amen.

O Lord increase my Faith.

O My most louing and mercifull Father, God omnipotent, who art nigh vnto all those that call vpon thée in truth, thou art a present helpe in time of trouble, all powerfull, full of wisdome and compassion, won­derfully surpassing all earthly Pa­rents: I poore miserable wretch, long troubled with grieuous sickenesse, and so sore vexed with paine and tor­ment, that neither my body can take any sleepe or rest, nor my Spirit feele any ease or comfort, doe here in the onely merit and mediation of Je­sus Christ, present and humble my selfe before thée, humbly begging and intreating for fauour and mercy at thy hands. Worke in my heart by thy ho­ly Spirit, godly sorrow and repen­tance for all mine offences: impute none of them vnto mée, but let mée féele and be assured in my conscience, that the guilt and punishment of them are remoued. Be thou my Physition, [Page 322] to cure and heale mée: auert and turne this present sicknesse into a soueraigne medicine, and this vehement and grie­uous paine into a fatherly and gentle visitation: let thy strength appeare in my weakenesse: let thy power be perfected in mine infirmity: and so arme mée in this my temptation, with the gift of Patience and long-suffering, that I be not with-drawne from the constant practice of holy due­ties, neither yéelde vnto mine owne passions, and the suggestions of Sa­than.

To this end powre downe thy bles­sed and sacred Spirit into mine heart, [...]each, assist, and direct mée, that hée may open to the eyes of my minde, the righteousnesse of thy Judgements, that I may in all willingnesse a [...] knowledge the equity of the same: that he may bring to my remembrance, the cruell and most bitter paines and torments of my mercifull Lord and Sauiour Jesus, who by his death hath swallowed the very dregges of thy wrath, and by the merit and vertue of it, hath so tempered and swéetned the Cup of affliction vnto [...]: ma­nifest vnto mée the glorious and [Page 323] heauenly happinesse, and holinesse, of thy Saints and Seruants in hea­uen, that the certaine assurance, hope, and expectation thereof, may abundantly excéede, and take a­way all my present gri [...]ie and tor­ment.

I beséech thée (O Lord) accor­ding to thy promise, ease my burden: giue me quiet and comfortable sléepe, and refreshment to my restlesse body, and to blesse all those good meanes, which shall be prescribed vnto mée, that they may tend to my cure and a­mendment (for without thy blessing they are of no force and vertue) that I with thy blessed Seruants, Iob, Laza­rus, Dauid, and others, hauing experi­ence of thy might, truth, and mercy, in my reliefe and amendment, may with all ioy and loue praise thée, truely serue thée, and more confidently relye vpon thée all the dayes of my life, yea, and (for the instruction and in­couragement of the afflicted) pub­lish and declare the infinite and excée­ding Power of thy might and com­passion.

Uouchsafe (O most gracious Fa­ther) to incline thine eares to this [Page 324] mine humble Petition, and to grant me all other things néedfull and neces­sary for my soule and body, for thy deare Sonne Christ [...]esus sake, my onely Sauiour and Redéemer: to whom, with thy Maiesty, and thy blessed Spi­rit, thrée persons and one God, al-pow­erfull and sufficient, be ascribed and gi­uen all honour, praise, and glory, now and alwayes.

Amen.

O Lord increase my Faith.

O Lord God Almighty, I assuring my selfe my time is come, my soule waxeth heauy euen vnto death: vouchsafe therefore (O Lord) to cast downe thine eyes vpon mée, bedew my heart with the Oyle of thy grace, for­giue mée my sinnes, confirme my faith, shorten my pangs of Death, expell Sathan, for thine infinite mercy helpe mée in this my last conflict: looke vp­on Jesus Christ thy Sonne my Sa­uiour and Redéemer: into thy most [Page 325] blessed and gracious hands, I commit my soule, refuse it not (O God) but ac­cept me, for it is thy owne workeman­ship, and let me depart in thy feare, and rise againe in thy mercifull fauour: that I may attaine and come to thy e­ternall and most wished ioyes of hea­uen, for and through the merits of my blessed Sauiour, Christ Jesus, to whom with thée, and the holy Ghost, be all glory, ho­nour, and praise for euermore.

Amen.

O Lord increase my Faith, and receiue my soule.

O Father ful of mercy, I yéeld vn­to thée all praise and thanks, for thy continual most swéet fauors, and especiall graces, bestowed franke­ly on me thy vnworthy Creature: for Electing me to saluation, for Creating me, for Redéeming mée, for Relieuing mee, and for Preseruing me euermore. Great is thy loue in Christ my Saui­our, infinite thy Power, vnspeakea­ble thy Mercies. Relieue me alwayes, and direct nice in all things: let thy will be a Law vnto my will, that my corrupt affections draw me not to con­sent againe to the vnsauoury lusts of my carnall will, which to this day ha [...]h ouer-much miscarryed mée, into the vaine destres of this wicked [Page 327] Worlds pleasures, the baits of that mortall aduersary, deceiuing Sathan, the defiled fruits of my sinnefull flesh, and the cords whereby I haue beene drawne from vertue to vice, from san­ctity to sinne, from light to darkenesse, from Heauen to dreadfull Hell. My sinnes, O Lord, haue beene many and continuall: my seruing of thee, cold and seldome. O forgiue mee, and let not my yeeres consume any longer in vanity: let mine hands hate to handle vnholy things: let my heart harbour no more the hatefull thoughts of vn­righteousnesse, and let my soule be so seasoned with the spirituall dew of thy blessed Word, that my Soule and Bo­dy, being sanctified to euery good work, I may cast off the vnprofitable works of darkenesse, and onely cleaue to the true seruice of thée, who art ful of grace and truth. Be vnto me the sweet sauour of life vnto life: be vnto me the light of truth, that my life be not vnprofitable in good things, nor my soule depriued of thy sacred spirit; without which, man is poore, possessing all worldly riches, base, in most high worldly ho­nour, and dead, liue he neuer so strong­ly in the flesh.

[Page 328] Therefore, Father full of mercy, be mercifull vnto mée: full of power, pro­tect mée: prouident, relieue mee: most sacred, sanctifie me. Let the eyes of thy fauour be alwayes on mée: let the re­lieuing hand of thy helpe be alwayes toward mée: be vnto mée a strong Ca­stle, a Restfull refuge, a Fountaine of reliefe, the Supply of my wants, my Protector, my Sauiour, my Guide, and my wisedome, my will, and my zeale. Be vnto me my Jesus, my Christ, my Father, my Physition, my lot, and my portion: be vnto me all in all, that no­thing want in mée which thou likest; nor any thing dwell in mée which thou misl [...]kest: that I being a sanctified ves­sell of heauen, may be a fit Mansion for thy sacred Maiesty, to abide in by thy blessed Spirit.

Yéelde me (O Lord) yéelde me con­tinuall shelter vnder thy relieuing wings: foster mée with the hid trea­sures of thy loue, and learne mée so to liue, that I may euer liue in thée, and thou in me: make that vnion betwéene my will and thy Word, that I will no­thing but as thou hast willed, and blot out all mine vnworthinesse: and in stead thereof, imprint the merits of thy [Page 329] Sonne, in whom, Lord Almighty, let me be also partaker of the good things of this life: let not pouerty vtterly de­priue me of a competent estate here: but blesse thou the workes of my hands, prosper thou my endeuours, and raise vp gracious meanes for me, that I may liue & not lack things necessary. Thou art all: sufficient, and in thy gifts ma­nifold, thy loue is without limitation, and thy will without contradiction: what thou decréest shal stand, and what thou willest shall come to passe. Will thou therefore, will thou thy creatures, which thou hast ordained for the good and seruice of thy children, [...]o serue my vse, that I and mine may be sustained by thy prouidence: for what am I (Lord) that I should stand vpon mine owne power, wit, or policy, which are weaknesse and foolishnesse before thée? Thy Word preuaileth: speake, and all things in heauen and earth shall obey thée: yea, thine heauenly Angels shall be ministring Spirits for my good, and all the fruits of the earth shall adde comfort to my wretched estate. Good Father, sanctifie mée within and without, and fructifie my calling: blesse my endeuours, and teach me to vse my [Page 330] function iustly, and as I ought, that I may so prosper in this present life, that I may truly pay all men their due, and owe nothing to any man but good will: a thing to mee impossible, but to thee easie to bring to passe. To thee therefore, I referre mée wholly: blesse me, that being blessed, I may prosper: that prospering, I may praise thée: and in praising thée, please thée, and be here comforted of thée, and liue righteously in thee, through the merits of thy belo­ued Sonne Christ Jesus, who hauing purchased all things for this life, and in the life to come for me, be with thée, and the holy Ghost, praised for euermore.

Amen.

O Lord increase my Faith.

O Most mighty, mercifull, and all-knowing Father, the fountaine of all comfort and consolation, who findest out in thy déepe and all­searching knowledge, all the sinnes that are, or can be committed amongst the children of men, howsoeuer hidden and secret: I doe confesse vnto thée, against my selfe, that I haue grie­uously offended thée by my manifold transgressions, and thereby haue drawne vpon mée, a most intollerable weight of thy deserued wrath, and fearefull indignation, insomuch as if thou maist not be pleased to mittigate thy [...]ury towards me, I shall faint, and fall, and shall not be able to lift vp my head any more, in hope of thy fauour: for, deare Father in Jesus Christ, I [Page 332] am weake, and am not able to beare thy heauy displeasure by mine owne power or merit. And therefore, good Father, lay not vpon mée the punish­ments which I haue deserued: take away thy heauy hand of correction, and as thou art patient and long in suffe­ring the sinnes of thy weake children, he yet patient with mée, and send thine holy Spirit to season me anew, that I may bring forth now the fruits of a­mendment of life. So shall thy punish­ment cease, and comfort increase, though I am heset with no small or few dangers, before mée, behinde mée, on my right hand, and on my left, I am beset with perils: so that which way soeuer I séeme to runne, or howsoeuer I couet to escape, I fall into dangers. What shal I doe, Lord, in these mise­ries? I stand amazed at the considera­tion, what will become of me languish­ing in fear, while there is none to helpe. I liue where none but mortall creatures are, and what can they doe to my comfort, Lord, that haue their breath in their nostrils? They mooue, and breathe, and liue, and speake: but little auaileth their helpe, vnlesse thou that guidest and gouernest the hearts [Page 333] of all, vouchsafe to moue them to com­miseration and patience with mée, I haue sinned (Lord) against thée, and am indebted vnto men, and cannot be released, and all commeth of my sins. Father, pardon thou me: so shalt thou in thy renewed loue send mée new re­liefe. Raise me meanes to satisfie men, or qualifie their extremities, that they may be patient vntill thy helpe come: And in the meane time, teach mee, O teach mée the way that I should chuse. Direct mée Lord, what course I shall take: for thou, Lord, art wise and pro­uident, and mercifull, and all goodnes commeth of thée. Therefore, O Lord, instruct mée by the inward working of thy holy Spirit, to doe this or that, and make mée obedient vnto thy will: so shall all returne to my good. Raise vp some gracious meanes (Lord) for my succor: for thou knowest, though I be but one man, whose ruine can be but as the death of the least creature in the censure of such as feele not, nor par­take of my griefes: neither will my o­uerthrow grieue such as haue no share of my, miseries. Some there be yet, deare Father, whom thou knowest, that shall taste of the bitternesse of my [Page 334] fall: and therefore, Lord, consider in mercy: and although none of them (Lord) that shall féele the smart of my calamities, but haue also added sinne vnto my sinne, and so aggrauated thy displeasure against vs, yet in thy Christ forgiue vs all, and reclaime vs all by thy gentle corrections, not by thy fu­rious iudgements. And as a sparrow (Lord) lighteth not on the ground, nor one haire falleth from our heads, without thy prouidedre: so I know (Lord) that nothing shall befall mée, but what thou hast decréed, euen for my good, both in this life, and in the life to come. Thou hast neuer, Lord, dealt so sharpely with any, but vpon serious repentance they haue receiued comfort, they haue tasted of thy loue, and of inward peace. So worke, Lord, in these my tryals, and by these my crosses and dangers, that I be neither inwardly too much afflicted with feare and sorrow, nor outwardly too much cast downe with want, but as I taste of thy correcting rod, so I may also flude thy supporting staffe. Lord, thou art moued by a better Mediator, then are my complaints. Oh heare me for him, and heare him for mée: me, Lord, [Page 335] for his sake; and him for thy promise sake, lest I remaining here in this vale of continuall miseries, where there is no true or liuely helper, I vt­terly perish in my troubles. It is no true helpe, Lord, that commeth not of true compassion: and there is no true compassion, without true féeling of anothers miseries: but how far, Lord, that is from the hearts of many, thou knowest, and I féele it. And therefore euery heart truely moued to true com­miseration, is first moued by thée. Oh moue them therefore, moue thou such as thou pleasest to vse as instruments of thy will for my good: so shall I vse it, and accept it as thy goodnesse, to thy glory. But, Lord, the course of thy pro­uidence teacheth vs, that thou wilt not haue thy dearest children to be lifted vp by the fulnesse of earthly things, a­boue that which becommeth the hum­ble, to kéepe them still in awe of thy corrections. Forere while, O Lord, I thought of seife-peace, little fearing further perils, nor to be thus chased anew, as I am, by such as séeke to molest mée, and to exact that from me by rigour, which thou knowest I am not yet able to performe: though thou [Page 336] féest the inward destres of my heart willing, by my best lawfull endeuours to obtaine the meanes to satisfie al men their due, and it grieueth mee that I cannot doe as they require.

And therefore (O louing Father) as thou well knowest what is wan­ting, supply it in thy mercies, in thy good time, before I be confounded al­together, and before I goe hence, and be no more séene. As thou blessest mée, O Lord, by the labours of my hands, so thou knowest I yéelde to them, to whom it is due. And therefore, Lord, sith they will not haue patience with mée of their owne accord, worke their hearts to be more pliable to my en­treates: or else, which I aske espe­cially, if it please thée, raise vp meanes for me, that I may be enabled to pay them all: wherein thy will be done. I haue séene thy saluation and deliuery already, in great dangers, and thy promise, and thy power, and thy prouidence are still in force, and thy mercy is no whit diminished, there­fore (Lord) remember thy mercies, and looke on mée: and as thou saidst vnto the blinde man in the Gospell, Receiue thy [...]ight, and he saw: so Lord, [Page 337] say to mée, Receiue comfort and re­liefe, and I shall receiue it: thy word is thy will, and thy will is thy worke, therefore speake, and thy will shall be done, to restore mee to constancy: let not the flouds of these dangerous wa­ters ouer-flow mée quite, but when I am ready to sinke, yéelde mée thy hel­ping hand and saue me: lift me out of the mire and clay of all my miseries, and set mée on the relieuing pastures of thy continuall frée fauours: let the chearefull dewe of thy blessings, and blessed graces showre downe vpon me, so shall my little store increase, and my empty basket become full. And forasmuch as I haue no frée portion in this earth, not the breadth of a foote: neither haue I of mine owne a house to hide my head in, put mée there­fore where thou wilt, and let mine a­bode in earth be in what place, and how long, of short time thou wilt, for of my selfe, whither to turne mée, or what to doe I know not: Be thou therefore my guide, and direct all my desires of earthly things by thy Word, and let my will alwayes follow thy will, lest my will, led by the blinde af­fections of corrupt reason, bring me [Page 338] mine owne preiudice and shame. Thou euermore prouidest for them that aske of thée, & directest them that take coun­sell of thée: therfore hauing thus weak­ly laid open my cause before thée, consi­der it, and giue me patience in all my trials, and let me not so much mourne, and hang down my head, and be heauy for the want of outward necessaries, as at the consideration and looking backe into the vgly gulfe of my former continuing sinnes. Oh, frée me, Lord, frée mée from my sinnes, and sanctifie me anew, that howsoeuer the outward man séeme to be discouraged, yet the inward man may be still more and more filled with all spirituall know­ledge and consolation, and true con­tentment. Thou hearest my reproofes, thou knowest my sorrowes, and my groanes are not hid from thée: put my teares, few and weake, into thy bottle. Remember thy promises, and I shall neuer forget thy praises: Oh faile me not, forsake mée not my God, and my Redéemer.

O Lord increase my Faith.

I Yéelde and giue vnto thée (O mer­cifull and most deare Father) all humble thankes, honour, glory, and praise for thine infinite and excéeding great blessings, (hauing no way me­rited the least of them) and namely, for that it hath pleased thée of late to de­liuer mée from the very point of death, and (as it were) raised my féeble bo­dy from the graue, and redéemed my soule from death, that I should walke before thée in the land of the liuing, that I might further glorifie thy name, doe more good in my calling, and be made méete for the inheritance of thy Kingdome. This worke, O Lord, procéeded from thy mercy, and no de­sert at all of mine, and for thy grace, and not of any goodnesse in mée: not vnto mée, not vnto mée, but vnto thy blessed name be giuen all glory. But séeing that I through my sinfull cor­ruption, [Page 340] am more ready to bury in the graue of obliuion, then to kéepe in thankfull remembrance thy great mer­cy, yea, and rather to grow cold & back­ward in all holy exercises and duties, then to holinesse of life: I therefore be­séech thée, with all earnestnesse, to re­new my nature, and to ingraue the re­membrance of this thy goodnesse in my heart, by the illumination of thy holy Spirit, and grant that for the residue of my temporall life, I may in humili­ty and truth be directed by thy most sacred Word, and alwayes submit my selfe to the gouernment of thy blessed Spirit. Make me (good Father) a light and example of vertue and godlinesse vnto others, and to grow in grace, as I increase in yéeres, that so I may liue in thy feare, and dye in true peace of conscience, and assurance of eternall glory with all the Saints and Angels in heauen: vouchsafe (O my heauenly Father) to grant me all other things conuenient for mée in this life, for the onely merits, obedience, and mediation of Jesus Christ, our Mediatour and Redéemer.

Amen.

O Lord most iust, and Father most mercifull, thou it is that renewest thy plagues against man when hée offendeth thée: thy vengeance from heauen is both sudden and fearefull toward the rebellious and disobedient children: thou for one sinne in King Dauid, destroyedst with the loathsome disease of the Pestilence many thou­sands of his people: cast thine eyes of mercy vpon vs, O thou preseruer of men, which languish now in this land, and in this house, with the like disease and sicknes. Now, deare God, hath not Dauid onely offended thée, in trusting to his strength, and num­bring of his people: but euen each con­gregation, and euery houshold hath [Page 342] one way or other prouoked thee to plague thy disobedient people: & now that wée sée thy plagues appearing, to the piercing and piercing of our bodies and soules asunder: Lord, wee stand amazed in our mindes, hear­tily sighing with groanes at the sight of our sinnes. Now wee consider, wée haue sinned grieuously, wee haue done amisse, wee haue dealt wickedly, we haue liued vngodly, we haue iwer­ued from the way of truth, without any godly feare or remorse of consci­ence: thy great benefit of peace, and rare blessing of long prosperity, vn­der so good and gracious a Gouernour, haue brought too too many of vs, to such security and contempt of Religi­on, that altogether forgetting to be thankefull, wée haue abused thy bene­fits as fast as they came, & that with a churlish kinde of impiety: the thoughts of our harts, the words of our mouths, and the workes of our hands are vaine, carnall, and diuellish: yea, our seruice to thee oftentimes but meere abomination: so farre (alas) haue we erred from the path of thy Comman­dements. As thou didst finde with the Israelites wickednesse in Gilgal, sinne [Page 343] in Bethel, and iniquity in B [...]rsheba: so in euery Church, in euery Court, nay, in euery concourse or assembly amongst vs, thou beholdest how the flesh hath ouer-growne the spirit, and how rea­son is ouer-ruled with affections: so many labour in these dayes vnder the displayed Ensigne of Sathan, that ve­ry few (deare Father) are found set­led in the dutifull forme of vpright and spirituall Obedience, which thou re­quirest. Wée confesse, thou mightest iustly therefore forsake vs, as we haue forsaken thée: and not onely procéede to sting the head-Cities, and whole body of this Land, with sundry plagues and grieuous diseases; but for our manifold sinnes and iniquities, which we daily commit, thou mightest iustly and worthily condemne vs, man after man, to eternall death, all con­sciences being so guilty, that they al­ready condemne themselues. Yet who is hée (O mercifull Lord) that can measure thy goodnesse, who by thy word doest oftentimes bring sinners to beliefe, repentance, and saluati­on? though it be not thy pleasure (good Lord) to make the wicked innocent, but rather to visit their iniquities, yet [Page 344] haue wée this comfort, that thy mercy to the humble euer rests vnmeasura­ble and vnmoueable: though thou spa­kest to the Prophet against thine own people, being disobedient to thée, say­ing, Though Moses and Samuel stood be­fore me, yet haue I no heart to this people: Driue them away that they may goe out of my sight, some vnto death, some to the sword, and some to captiuity: yet we know (O our good God) that when as Ephraim was heard [...]amenting and praying heartily in his distresse, thou thoughtest then vpon mercy, as a Fa­ther pittying his owne children. This thy clemency to others incourageth vs to cry for thy mercies, in this our mise­ry, vpon our repentance, both for vs, ours, and the whole Land. Uouchsafe O louing Sauiour) to represse the ve­hement heate of thy fire with godly pitty: stay thine hand from our de­struction; thou art long suffering, good, gracious, and vnwilling sinners should perish. Be intreated therefore (O Lord) most glorious) to bid th ne Angels cease from punishing: looke forth-with vpon this Land: (good Father) pitty the infected people there­of, that wée altogether may say, The [Page 345] Lord liueth for euer, worthy of praise, because hee hath béene mercifull vnto sinners.

Amen.

O Lord increase my Faith.

IT pleased thée, O heauenly Father, who art Lord of life and death, once to plague the Egyptians, and yet to spare the Israelites, in the borders of Gosen; onely because thou plaguest where thou pleasest. So with the pe­stilence now hast thou infected, euen from Dan to Beersheba; yet my selfe, and diuers others in this place, rest safe from this so pestilent an Infection, protected and kept as yet safe there­from, onely by thy hand, onely by thy goodnesse: for, our sinnes (we confesse) stand vp as rampired walls against vs, and deserue no lesse then theirs, whom already thou hast bruised with a iust measure of thy Judgements. O gracious Lord God, stirre vs vp, to [...]hew our hearts throughly thankefull vnto thée, that in thankesgiuing and [Page 346] praise, we may go before others, which in paines and plagues doe goe before [...]. And as in mercy thou hast drawne [...]knesse from our bodies, so in lo [...]e to our soules, make vs loath the vaine delights of this life, that we may faith­fully se [...]ue and séeke thée, in these our dayes of health, wherein wée obtaine thy mercy, inioy thy fauour, and rest preserued from the pestilence, where­with many of our Brethren lie per­plexed, beside sundry thousands, whom the gra [...]t hath swallowed. Blesse vs still, O Lord our God, blesse vs, O Father, without & within: be thou our guard, thy Word our guide, thy Spirit our comfort, and thy Son our Saui­our. Lord, stand by vs for our good con­tinually, that when the world repineth at thy Judgements, when the wicked swell in their impatiency, when the vnregenerate grudge and murmure at thy plagues and punishments (where­with thou chastisest and correctest thy deare Children) that euen then wée may haue and inioy quietnesse of heart, and peace of conscience, neuer to be dis­maied, or to distrust thy prouidence o­uer vs, but still to lea [...]e stedfastly vnto thée, and rest vpon thée, and the rock of [Page 347] thy Truth. This confidence (Lord) grant vs, and thy protection from this couragious disease that raigneth, that wée may chearefully [...]ound forth thy diuine praises amongst men, vnto the praise of thy grace in Christ Jesus: To whom our Sauiour and Redée­mer, with thée the blessed Father of vs all, and the holy Spirit, the Sanctifi [...]r of our soules, thrée persons, yet one diuine essence, be giuen all la [...]d, glory, and thankes, in this world, and in that to come, for euer.

Amen.

O Lord increase my Faith.

O Most mighty and mercifull Lord God, let all the powers of the earth blesse thée, and praise thee their euer-liuing God, in thine holy and hea­uenly habitation, for thou, O Lord, sittest on high in the Throne of thy Maiesty, and makest thy strength and might knowne to all Nations, thy voyce is vpon the waters. From thée [Page 349] (O God) procéedeth Thunder, thy voyce maketh the Wildernesse to trem­ble; yea, thou makest the mighty hils to tremble and shake: the Earth trem­bleth and quaketh, the foundations al­so of the Mountaines moue and shake when thou art displeased: there com­meth out of thy nostrils smoke, and out of thy mouth a consuming fire: thou makest darkenesse thy secret place, and at the glory of thy presence the Clouds passe away: thou thunderest from the hea­uens, and giuest out thy voyce: thou drawest forth the Windes out of thy trea­sures, and commandest them backe a­gaine to their places: all things are in subiection vnto thée, thy workes mag­nifie thée (O Lord) yea, they trem­ble at thy presence: the Mountaines and Hils dread thée when thou art displeased; yea, the whole world is afraid. The Waters, O God, know thée, and are afraid; yea, the depths tremble: thy voyce (O Lord) diuideth the fiery flames: O Lord, thy voice ma­keth the Wildernes to tremble. Thou remainest King foreuer, thou wilt giue strength vnto thy People and blesse them with peace. O most mercifull God, shaddow vs from thy displeasure, [Page 350] which is too vehement and intollera­ble: let thy countenance shine vpon vs and haue mercy on vs: protect thou our houses and vs, that we be neither con­sumed by fire, nor drowned by waters: send not vpon the earth such vntem­perate or vntimely Showres, or any other vnseasonable weather, where­by the Fruits thereof may be hurt, or our soules harmed. O God the Father, which diddest send thy one­ly Sonne to die the death of the Crosse for my sake, preserue mée, and grant vnto me a blessed end. O God the Son, which didst suffer for my sake the hea­uy death of the Crosse, defend me: and, O God the holy Ghost, comfort mée, blesse and kéepe mée from all dan­gers, from this time forth and for euer.

Amen.

O Lord increase my Faith.

O Most high and glorious God, who art the Authour of Peace, from whom doe procéede holy counsels, and righteous destres, giue vnto vs thy Seruants, that Peace which the world cannot giue, that both our hearts and workes may an­swere thy Commandements, and that our dayes through thy protecti­on, may be alwayes quiet from trou­ble.

[Page 352] Speake thou peace vnto all people, especially to thy Saints. Let thy salua­tion be nigh them that feare thée, that glory may dwell within our Land.

Let mercy and Truth méete toge­ther; yea, let Justice and Peace im­brace each other.

Let Truth arise out of the Earth, and Righteousnesse looke downe from Heauen.

Let the Mountaines and the Hils bring Peace to the people, and Shéepe of thy Pasture.

Blesse, Lord, all Countries, Cities, Townes, and places, where thy Word doth abide, and is purely preached, and increase the number of them in the vniuersall World.

O Lord, send them much peace that delight in thy Law, let them be with­out stones to stumble at, and blesse them with prosperity within their places.

O eternall God, which hast called vs in peace grant wée may haue peace with all men, and let vs highly ac­count of holinesse without which none can sée the Lord, nor haue peace in the Lord.

Represse the Diuell, the breaker of [Page 353] godly Concord and Christian Peace▪ which [...] aging throughout al Nations, soweth euery where the séede of strife and discord, as the Séeds-man of fals­hood and l [...]es.

O God of Peace, which makest an end of Warre throughout the World, protect vs from War and slaughter, scatter the Kingdomes that delight in Warre, breake and hinder all euill Counsels, and the purpose of such as minde after nothing else, but the shed­ding of innocent bloud.

Let them come to shame and perish, through their owne imaginations, that practise euill against thy Church.

Giue all men a desire of peace, con­tented mindes in their vocation, and a care to aduance the welfare of that place where they inhabite. Where Strife, Contention, and Discord is a­mongst men, reconcile their hearts and mindes, that these flames & fires may speedily be put out: for thou canst con­clude a Truce for vs and all Men, and make the Wolfe to dwell with the Lambe, and the Leopard to lye downe with the Kid.

Make our Tabernacles safe and quiet, that about them there may be [Page 354] arich tranquillity, which may abound like the Streame running ouer his Bankes, and our righteousnesse as the Waues of the Sea which is neuer dry. In thee shall wee haue our wished peace, and the worke of righteousnesse shall be peace, and her fruit rest and quietnesse for euer, and thy people shall dwell in the Innes of peace, and in sure dwellings, and in safe places of comfort.

Heare vs, O Lord of peace, and grant that thy peace which passeth all vnderstanding, may kéepe our hearts and mindes in the loue of our Lord Jesus Christ, who liueth and raigneth with thée in the vnity of the holy Spi­rit, now and for euermore.

Amen.

O Lord increase our Faith in Peace.

O Eternall, and most mercifull God, which according to thine holy will hast made mée a poore distressed Widdow, by taking away my beare and louing husband out of this transitory world: vnto thée do I cry in this my misery: haue mercy on mée, I humbly beséech thée, and forgiue all mine offences, which I haue commit­ted against thy diuine [...]aiesty: be fa­uourable vnto mée, O Lord, and take [Page 356] pitty on mée, for I am alone and com­fortlesse. Behold mine affliction and misery: relieue my wants, as thou didst relieue that Widdow of Sarepta, whom thou diddest most miraculously preserue by the Prophet Elias: take the like compassion on mée, assist mée, behold my necessity, and deliuer mée out of all troubles. Grant likewise that I may finde fauour in the sight of all Gouernours and Magistrates, that I be not iniured contrary to equi­ty. In like manner let mée finde a­mongst men Christian consideration, and commiseration of my present [...] ­state, and succour with godly coun­sell, protect mée from false tongues, which are like rasors, cutting deceit­fully, and as the sharpe arrowes of a mighty man, Kéepe mée (O Lord) from slander, and from the tongues of wicked men, which with poysoned words haue bent themselues to cast downe the poore and néedy, and to de­stroy such as are of vpright conuersa­tion. I humbly betéech thée (O Lord) to giue mée grace to liue in this mine estate of widowhood, chastly and god­ly, shewing my selfe an example of godlinesse to others, putting alwayes [Page 357] my hope and affiance in thy mercy: let me with all patience and fortitude, in­dure all crosses laid vpon me, and con­tinue faithfully in making of suppli­catious night and day vnto thée. Looke how the eyes of a seruant are vpon her Mistresse, so are mine eyes bent vpon thée my Lord, vntill thou haue mercy on me. Haue mercy therefore (O Lord) on mée, for I am full of infir­mity: heare me (O Father) euen for Christs sake, thy Sonne and my Sauiour: to whom be giuen all praise and honour now and euermore.

Amen.

O Heauenly God, euerlasting and most powerful Father, I do pro­strate my selfe before the throne of thy Maiesty, humbly thanking thée, in that thou hast formed mée in the wombe of my mother, and suffered mée to be borne such as I am, maintained me likewise from mine infancy to this instant, and preserued me from infinite perils: for it is through thy goodnesse [Page 359] and fatherly blessing, that I haue at­tained to the yéeres I am now in, and in that time, thou hast taught mee by thy holy word, to know Jesus Christ thy beloued Sonne, the onely ioy and comfort that a Christian can haue, be­cause in the true knowledge of him consisteth eternall life; and therefore I cannot sufficiently yéelde thée praise, for the infinite and innumerable bene­fits thou hast bestowed on me. Neuer­thelesse, because thou hast commanded vs to call vpon thée in all our necessi­ties, and most louingly hast promised to heare vs, let it now please thée gra­ciously to helpe me.

For I haue found and proued, that in regard of mine owne natures cor­ruption, I cannot continue chaste and blamelesse, except I vse the meanes which thou hast ordained, and by thy holy Word hast also approued the same, saying; To auoide whoredome, let eue­ry man haue his wife, and euery woman her husband. Then I beséech thee in mercy to lend m [...]e thy helping bend, and so blesse mee and my Pa­tents, that in this intended mat­ter, wee may not be abused by any exteriour appearance, either of beauty, [Page 360] riches, or deceiuing spéeches, which may fore-runne, or procéede in this businesse: but as thy Word saith, A vertuous wife is a gift which comes from thee, O Lord▪ and as it is most certain, that not onely thou gauest Eue to A­dam, but didst likewise conioyne Abra­ham with Sarah, Iseac with Rebecca, and Iacob with his best estéemed Rachel; e­uen so I intreat and beséech thée, O Father of lights, not onely to be my Father, but also to appoint mée my fellow-partner, in regard thou ough­test to be the author and actor in so honourable a businesse. Send downe the holy Angell to be my guide and leader towards her whom thou hast prepared for mée, as (in like case) thou madest them seruants to Abra­ham and young Tobias. Then let mée méete her, inioy her, and liue with her in thy feare and fauour. O Lord Jesus, may it please thée with thy blessing to be with me at my marriage, as thou didst vouchsafe to honour that at Cana in Galilee, with thy owne pre­sence.

And as thou art well pleased to con­ioyne man and wife, and to make them one body, so vnite vs both vnto thée, [Page 361] that we may euermore liue in thée, and thou in vs.

Amen.

O Lord increase our Faith.

O Omnipotent, and euer-liuing God, without whom, mens en­benours are friuolous, & cannot prosper in this world, I thy poore crea­ture, and the worke of thine hands, whom thou hast vouchsafed neuerthe­lesse to receiue into the fellowship of thy Saints, by the holy Sacrament of Baptisme, doe here present my selfe before thy diuine Maiesty, humbly be­séeching [Page 362] thée in the name of Jesus Christ, thy beloued Sonne, to stretch forth thy holy hand, and helpe mée, to the end that if it be thy will I shall marry, thou ma [...]st lead and direct mée to a vertuous yoke-fellow, with whom I may liue, so long as we shall conti­nue together, in thy loue and feare. O God, it was thou that gauest Eue to Adam, and didst addresse the seruant of Abraham to Rebecca, that she might be wife to the Patriarke Isaac.

Thou didst send thine Angell with young Tobias, to deliuer Sara, the daughter of Raguel, out of the poore, desolate, and approbrious condition wherein she then liued, and to match her in marriage with the said Tobias. This is not a case of chance or For­tune, neither guided by mens wise­dome, for heaping vp goods together. It often hapneth, that after one hath carefully considered all circumstances, and causes thereto belonging, search­ing into the vttermost as may be deui­sed, that party fals short of his hopes expected, and in stead of an helper, hapneth on an hinderer. I heartily therefore pray thée (O God) to pro­uide me such a one, as thou knowest fit­test [Page 363] for me, and so to order the delibera­tions, counsels, and enterprises of my Parents & friends, that the whole issue and euent may first redound to the ad­uancement of thy glory, and next to the endlesse contentment, good, and saluati­on of vs all in Christ Jesus, our Lord and onely Sauiour.

Amen.

O Mercifull and mighty God, the framer, wise gouernour, and gra­tious preseruer of all things, I render vnto thy maiesty most humble thanks, for that thou art pleased of thy graci­ous goodnesse, to remoue from mée the reproach of barrennesse, and hast ope­ned my wombe to conception: prosper, O Lord, within me the worke of thine owne hands, which is wonderfully [Page 364] made, whose bones and members are knowne to thée, whose very hayres thou numbrest and takest care of them. Blesse (O Lord) the worke of thme owne hand within me, that it may re­ceiue a perfect shape and portion, and liue to praise thée in the midst of the congregation: I commend it, with my selfe, into thy holy hands, whom I be­séech thée (O most gracious God) so to blesse, guide, and preserue, that nei­ther the malice of the wicked spirit o­uercome me, nor any other inconueni­ence approach nie mée to hurt mée: kéepe me from vame feares and foolish destres, that without danger I may beare, and with ioy bring forth the fruit where with thou hast blessed mée, to the glory of thy most holy Name, and my great comfort in thée: to whom be giuen and ascribed all honor, might, power, and praise, now and for euer.

Amen.

O Lord increase my Faith.

O Good Lord, I acknowledge and confesse, that thy displea­sure for sinne committed, was, and is very great (which I doe at this present feele) and was first committed by our first mother Eue, and continu­ed by vs (we being by nature inclined thereunto,) whom for punishment thereof, thou hast said, in sorrow we shall bring forth children: Impose not that heauy burthen vpon my weak body, but regard mee with thy fa­uour in the promised Seede of the woman, and giue mee comfort from heauen: lay vpon mee no more, then I shall be well able to vndergoe, and euen in the middest of my calamities, prepare thou the way for mee, that I may patiently beare them: strengthen (O Lord) my body, giue courage vn­to my heart, and comfort my soule, that in all parts being fastened vnto thee, neither frailty of the flesh, nor temptation of the Diuell, in my grea­test [Page 366] extremity, may make mée faint, or fall from thée, or haue the least distrust of thy gracious fauour towards mée. Thou art nigh (O Lord) vnto all that call vpon thée in heart: I humbly be­séech thée, not to be absent from me at my time, but that the assurance of thy presence may be my stay and comfort, that in respect thereof, I may sustaine all torments, and wholly rest in thée, which art the God of my strength and consolation: to whom be giuen all praise, now and for euer.

Amen.

O Lord increase my Faith.

Oeternall God, and most louing Father, thou art great, and wor­thy to be feared, thou art graci­ous, and worthy to be praised, for thy mercy excéedeth all thy workes: thou woundest, & thou healest, thou throwest downe, and helpest vp againe: I most humbly thanke thée, my most louing and gentle Father, that it hath pleased thée in thy goodnes, now, at the length, to deliuer me from the great extremi­ty of childe-birth, and to giue vnto me the swéete taste and féeling of thy com­fort, not only in ioy that a man is born into the world, which maketh mee to forget my sorrowes, but much more in the assurance of thy blessed proui­dence and care ouer mee, whose holy hand hath strengthened and vpholden mée, who hath brought fa [...]te weather after stormes, and ioy after teares: let thy sweete comfort alwayes rest with mée, and giue mée grace, since it [Page 368] hath pleased thée to make mée a glad mother, that I may also become a good mother, in shewing my selfe obedient vnto thée, and to be carefull for the in­struction and bringing vp of my childe in thy [...]eare, that wee may shew forth thy glory in this life, and be made par­takers of thy glory in the life to come, through Jesus Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour: to whom, with thée, and the sweete Comforter, the holy Ghost, thrée persons and one glorious God, be all ho­nor, and praise for euer and euer.

Amen.

O Lord increase my Faith.

O Most mercifull, and euer-li­uing God, who hast ordained in the world, that there should be masters and seruants, and didst heare Abrahams seruant crying to thée, I now prepare my selfe to thy diuine Maiesty, because seruice is necessary for mée, to maintaine mée in this life, and doe beséech thée, O most louing Father, to prouide for mee among good people, that may not debarre me from hearing thy Word, but rather giue me occasion by their good exam­ple, to séeke those things which belong to my saluation. Assist me also by thy holy Spirit, that I may render them [Page 370] good and honest seruice, and truely take charge of whatsoeuer they trust mee withall.

Prosper (O God) my labours, and giue a blessing to those affaires which I shall mannage and vnder-take, that thy grace gouerning me while I serue on earth, I may afterward be an Heire and fellow-Citizen (by Christ Jesus [...]eanes) in the Kingdome of heauen. Thy mercy was so great at Capernaum, to the Centurions Ser­uant, that hée found a good Master. Thou diddest likewise so louingly re­spect poore Ioseph, when he was a ser­uant, that all things prospered vnder his hand. I beseech thee, extend thy mercy to me a poore willing Ser­uant, and as thou hast appoin­ted, so let mee rest contented.

Amen.

Lord increase my Faith, and prosper mine endeauours.

O My Lord and Sauiour, seeing it hath pleased thee to call mee to this estate and condition, that I must serue to sustaine life, and gaine those benefits necessarily belonging thereto, I submit my selfe willingly to thy pro­uidence and appointment. For I know thou didst not despise to speake to Abra­hams seruant, Hagar, and didst likewise prouide good Mistresses for Bilha and Zilpha; therefore, I humbly beseech thy Maiesty, to prouide an honest place for mee, where too much rigour, seuerity, and hard vsage may not be shewed me. Giue me grace also to yeeld vnto them faithfull and true seruice, carrying alwayes a good conscience, and keeping myselfe chaste and honest, with dutifull obedience to my Mistris, and ordering my Masters businesse as it becommeth mee. Blesse all my inde­nours, that I neither waste, spoile, nor destroy any thing: Set a locke on my lips, that by euill words, I giue no [Page 372] occasion of st [...]ife or dissension, but ra­ther that I may procure peace, so much as lyeth in my power to doe. Thou knowest (O God) much better then my selfe, what is néedfull for me, and thy word teacheth me, that with thé [...] there is no respect of persons, but thou hearest the poore and néedy, as well as the great and mighty, when they vn­fainedly make their prayers vnto thée in the mediation of Christ Jesus, our onely Lord and Sauiour.

Amen.

O Lord our God and heauenly Father, which of thy vnspeak­able mercy towards vs, hast prouided Meate and drinke, for the nourishment of our weake bodies, giue vs grace to vse them reuerently, as from thy hands, with thankefull hearts, let thy blessing rest vpon these thy good Crea­tures, to our comfort and sustentation; and grant wee humbly beseech thee, that as wee doe hunger and thirst for [Page 374] this foode of our bodies, so our soules may earnest­ly long after the foode of e­ternall life, through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour.

Amen.

TO thee, O Lord our God, which hast cre­ated, redeemed, con­tinually preserued, and at this time fed vs, be ascribed all honour, glory, and pow­er, might, and Dominion, now and euer more. O Lord, preserue thy Church vniuersall, this Church where­in wee liue, the Kings Maie­sty, the Prince, and Realme. Grant thy Gospell a free pas­sage: confound Antichrist, and all Heresies: finish soone [Page 376] these dayes of sinne, and bring vs to euerlasting peace, through thy Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ.

Amen.