DAILY DEVOTIONS. OR THE Christians Morning and Evening SACRIFICE. Digested into Prayers and Meditations, for every day in the week, and other occasions. With some short Directions for a Godly Life.
By JOHN COLET, D. D. Dean of St Pauls, London, and Founder of that Famous School near adjoyning.
The Nineteenth Edition, with a brief Account of the Authors Life, by Dr. Fuller.
LONDON, Printed for Nath. Ponder at the Peacock in the Poultrey, and Edw. Evets at the Green Dragon in St Paul's Church-Yard. 1684.
The Life of that Reverend Divine, Dr. Colet, sometimes Dean of S. Pauls.
JOhn Colet, Son of Sir Henry Colet, Mercer, and twice Lord Mayor of London, was the only surviving Child his Parents had of two and Twenty. Thus GOD, though He breaks the Ring, left them the Diamond in preserving him alive.
In his Youth he visited Foreign [...]arts, and the scattered Perfections [...]f several Nations he collected and [...]istilled into himself; returning home, [Page] in Oxford he publickly expounded all Saint Paul's Epistles, with no less profit to others than Applause to himself. He taught the Learned there to beat their Swords into Mattocks, and their Spears into Pruning-hooks, to turn disputes into Doctrines, Controversies into positive Divinity.
Then began the beams of his worth to shine in the Court, and King HENRY the Seventh (a knowing Prince who generally grounded His favour on Desert,) for his well Expounding Saint Paul's Epistles, made him Dean of Saint Pauls in London. Here Colet read his former Lectures over again, preferring rather to set on the Table, wholsome cold meat, which had been there once before, [Page] than to feed his Auditors with flesh half raw, though hot from the spit.
But day shall as soon be without Night, as a grand merit without envy attending it. Some accused him as not thorow paced in his Religion; and confining on Heresie in some Opinions, as denying due reverence to Images and Saints, &c.
But as our Colet preferred the immediate going to GOD before mediation of Saints, so GOD gave him the happiness to have direct access to his Earthly King, without applying himself to the favour of Courtiers. King Henry the Eighth had the hearing of his Cause, and dismiss'd him with this worthy Testimony: Let other men chuse [Page] what Doctor they please, this Man shall be my Doctor.
He was (as I may say) a Luther before Luther, for his Doctrine. A strict shunner of vice in himself, and punisher of it in those that were under him. Look in this Treatise to behold his Faith, and on Saint Pauls School (which he Founded) to see his Charity.
A fruitful Direction, and Order of a good Christian Life, very profitable to be regarded of all people. With sundry fruitful Precepts to be followed; made by that worthy man, Dr. Colet, sometime Dean of S. Pauls.
REmember first of all (virtuous Reader) that it is high wisdom, and great perfection thy self to know, and then thy self to despise; thou must know that thou hast nothing that good is of thy self, but of GOD: for the gifts of GOD's nature and all other temporal gifts of this world, which be lawfully and truly obtained, well considered, are come to thee by the infinite goodness and grace of God, and not thy self. Wherefore and in especial it is necessary for thee to know, that GOD of his great Grace, hath made thee his Image, having regard to thy memory, understanding and will, and that GOD is thy Maker, and thou his wretched [Page] Creature and thou art redeemed of God by the passion of Jesus Christ, and is thy helper, thy refuge and thy deliverer from all evil, and to consider and know the Goodly order which GOD, of his infinite wisdom hath ordained thee to be ordered by: as to have these temporal goods for the necessity of the body, the body and sensual apperites to be ordered by the Soul, the Soul to be ordered by reason, and grace to know thy duty to GOD, and to thy Neighbour; and by all common reason if thou do keep this convenient order to GOD and his Creatures, they shall keep their order to thee: but if thou do break thy order to thee of likelihood they shall break their orde [...] to thee; for how should thy Wife, Children, Servants, and other Creatures with thee which thou hast doing, do their duty, and keep their order to thee if thou dost not so to GOD and to them? And also think thou of a surety, that if thy sensual appetite be not ordered by reason and grace, thou art worse ordered than a beast; for thou then livest out of order, and so doth not a Beast; which is a great shame and rebuke to thee, being a reasonable creature, and without the great mercy of GOD, it shall be thine eternal destruction: wherefore I say consider what [Page] thy sin is, in the ignorance of God, of thy self, and of thine own evil, and of his holiness: and search thine impenitency in this, that thou makest too light account of GOD's justice, and therefore thy heart waxeth hard; it is far without feeling of faith, either toward God, or love towards thy Neighbour, so that thou likest and lovest sin, and hast no grief nor hatred for it: examine further, whether thou hast not neglected GOD's Word, either not in diligent hearing of it preached or read, or when thou hast heard it, in not regarding it: nay, whether thou hast not had more delight to read unprofitable blessings, savouring altogether of the flesh, such as thou shouldest [...]e afraid once to think of, as it would have beseemed thy holy profession, and whether thou hast not rebelled against it, whilst thou hast withstood the working of it, that thou shouldest mortifie the old man, changing it and gaining upon it daily, till it be framed to Gods most holy will: and if thou shalt find these things in thee, then judge thy self of sin, that thou be not judged of the Lord, for it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Moreover judge thy self for putting no difference between Gods will and thy corrupt will, through which thou hast neglected [Page] Gods will, and love thine own to fly from his and follow thine own; which then hath plainly shewed it self, when his was plainly taught to be contrary to thine, and yet thou didst yield to it, in breathing forth unseemly and ungodly pangs, rageings, and murmurings against it; and therefore judge thy self of this intolerable pride of mind, and stubbornness of heart, and of those unbridled affections, rebelling and murmuring against God, and mis-judging of him that reproveth thee: Further see whether thou hast judged thy self for neglect of Prayer, when thou hast omitted many days, never regarding it, but as a prophane person hast not once thought of t [...] duty therein: and when thou hast prayed, hast done it in the ceremony, without tast or remorse of faith or sin, in such coldness and broken sort, that there hath been no life nor comfort in it: Judge thy self, whether in Prayer, thou hast practised the exercises of a broken heart healed in Christ, and changed into righteousness whether the just mediation of God's goodness moveth thee to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and worketh in thee the love thereof, that thou mightest be stirred up to love him, and to walk in that obedience that he requireth of thee: And [Page] because the abusing of Gods Creatures is a great sin, examine thy self, whether thou dost misuse them in forgetfulness of God, in pride of life to please thy self in the creature more than in the Creator, seeing with the abuse of them to set forth thy self in pride, to please thy self and the fleshly eyes of others, rather, than in humbleness, to use them to the pleasing and praising Almighty God the Creator: In the use of all which things, the love of God, which appeareth unto thee to a continual meditation, to make thee to spie out sin in thy self, and to judge that to be sin, which is sin indeed, and in no wise to mince or diminish it, or to cover it with the figg-leaves of thine own vain excuses, but to lay it open before the Lord, nakedly and plainly as it is; so that thou call not sin righteousness, nor righteousness sin; good evil, nor evil good: but condemn that which thou knowest to be sin, to abhor it, to flee from it, without all hypocrisie and cloaking of it with self-love, or nourishing it, or else with lightness and contempt to dwell in it; and therefore thou must examin this sin throughly, of not applying thy heart and mind to meditate and understand, to believe and taste of the work of thy salvation wrought in Christ crucified, [Page] through which thou walkest in security, wanting faith, and yet not feeling thy want, wanting the food of life, and the tast of God, and yet hungrest not after it, but thinkest thy self full when thou art empty, and nevertheless, art empty and poor indeed, to beg it at Gods hands the supplyer thereof; through which thou feelest not the incorporation into Christs body, feel the effect thereof in CHRIST's Death: to Die from sin in his Resurrection, is to live no Righteousness in his Ascension: to ask after Heavenly things, and to leave the Earth and flesh, at his coming again, to be ready with faith and joy to meet him: An [...] here withal weigh what a great sin it is, not to hearken to the Spirit of God, when [...] might work in it, whereby thou dost grieve in and quench it, when thou dost not gladly obey it, and yield to the motions of it; and therefore judge thy self for not putting off the old man with all his works, and for not putting on the New Man, in bringing forth the fruits of regeneration, for not considering thine exile in the flesh from GOD, or in this World from Heaven: to lament it, and the cause of it, and to extol the Providence of GOD, by which thou livest: and for being idle, vain, [...]roud, in thinking, speaking, and doing. [Page] Again, for not feeling the estate of GOD's afflicted Church, to sorrow in the affliction of it: for not seeking zealously to glorifie his Gospel, through which thou art not throughly touched for any false Doctrine, Idolatry, or sin: for standing against which, the Saints of God have been, and still are persecuted and killed, and yet thou livest carelesly without feeling of it, and art at a good point, sink it, or swim it. To conclude then, I mean by sin, whatsoever is declared to be sin in the word of God, which lyeth either seen or unseen in our hearts, of what estate soever we be, [...] appeareth in life, which is found out [...] the word of God, and so adjudged, which thou oughtest to lament before God in the [...]xercises of a broken heart, to beat down thy heart with humbleness, to cause thee to beg mercy with aking heart, and very need, to seek that heavenly Physician Jesus Christ, and of eager desire to feed on him by faith, to the assurance of life and Salvation, that the sweetness thereof may work in thee the love of thy God to praise him, the love of his written Word to do it, and in doing it to deny thy self, thy will, affection, and life; that with humbleness thou maist walk always with and before the Lord in the holiness and [Page] righteousness that pleaseth him, knowing that His eye doth search thy heart and life, to see in it his will done and obeyed: and always practising that which is good that thou maiest please Him, and therefore must ask mercy; and so if thou continually strive and labour to do it, He doth accept of thy imperfect doings in Christ to encourage thee to take better hold, and to do better, &c. Wherefore think, and thank God, and utterly despise thy self, and think thy self a wretch, in that God hath done so much for thee, and thou hast so oft offended his Highness, and also done him so little service: and surely it is also great wisdom for thee to think, that if it had pleased God for to have given to all other men grace, as he hath given to thee, that they would have served him better than thou hast done: wherefore by his mercy, and grace, call unto thy remembrance thy degree or dignity which Almighty God, of his goodness hath called thee unto, and according thereto, yield thy debt, and do thy duty: First, and principally, honour God as thy Maker, love him as thy Redeemer, fear him as thy Judge. Secondly, thy Neighbour which is thy superiour obey: have concord and peace with them which be like with thee in degree, and have [Page] mercy on thy inferiors. Thirdly, provide thee to have a heart purged, and a good custody of thy tongue: and in all thy words and deeds have ever in thy mind that thou shalt die shortly, and that God heareth and seeth every thing; and that nothing is so privily done but it shall be made open. And every morning among other Meditations and Prayers, pray unto the Lord God, that the day following thou mayest use this wretched world, in thy thoughts, words, and deeds, that thou mayest by the merits of Christ's passion, eschew the pains of Hell, and come to the Joy everlasting; And [...] executing thereof, keep truth in words [...] deeds, defend no man nor no matter against the truth. In all things think and trust in God, and he shall direct thy ways: Trust not to thine own wit, but fear God, and he will keep thee from evil: Be content to hear good counsel, though it be contrary to thy will; for he is a very fool that will hear nothing gladly but what is according to his own mind: do no man harm, lest thou suffer the same; as thou wouldest be done unto, so do thou unto others: be such to others as thou desirest they should be unto the. If thou be Religious, remember that the due execution of true Religion, is not in the wearing of [Page] the habit, but with a clear mind in very deed, to execute the rules of true Religion, and the ordinances thereof: If thou be lay and unmarried, keep thee clean unto the time thou be married, and remember the sore and terrible punishment of Noahs flood, and of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha, done to man for mis rising flesh; and if thou intend to marry, or to be married, and hast a good Wife; thank God therefore, for she is of his sending; and remember that there be three things pleasing to the Spirit of God, that is to say, concord between brethren, love and charity between Neighbours, and a man and wife well agreeing together: and having in remembrance, that the intent of marriage is not in the beastly appetite of the flesh, but to eschew the evil thereof, or to have children. And if thou have children, as much as thou maist, bring them up in virtue, to be the servants of God; for it were better for them and thee not to be born, than otherwise. In thine Authority, busie thee rather to be beloved of thine inferiours, than to be dreaded. Let thy subjects and servants rather serve and obey thee for love, than for dread or need: With such a Sovereign goodness govern thy Subjects, that they may be glad to serve thee, both in [Page] punishment and in cherishing: Keep a measurable mean, be not too streight, forget not to keep a convenient measure in all thy works: go not to meat but as a reasonable man, with thanks to GOD for his gifts, and then remember, that more be sick and die by superfluities of meats and drinks, than otherwise. Wherefore eat with measure, to live in health; at thy meat have no other but honest communication, and such as is according to thy knowledge; backbite no man, be merry in honesty, for sorrow and care hath killed many, and no profit is therein. In no wise swear without compulsion of the Law; for where [...] great swearing, from thence is never the [...]ague of GOD. In no wise brawl nor chide; for Solomon saith, Better is a little with joy, than much with brawl and contention: And he saith, An evil person is ever chiding; and therefore the Angel of God shall be set against him: Be content at all times to give part of that which God hath sent thee, for he that will not hear the cry of the poor, shall cry to God and not be heard. With good providence and discretion, see the time where, when, how, why, and wherefore thou speakest, dost, or biddest any thing to be done: when thou deemest or judgest any thing to be done, in [Page] poor or rich, behold and consider the cause, and not the person: be as meek in other mens cause and offences, as in thine own; sit never in doom and judgment, without pity and mercy; for while thou hast pity and mercy on other mens offences, thou hast mercy on thine own: for in what measure thou measurest to others, it shall be measured to thee again; yet thou must execute judgment: for to do mercy and justice is more pleasant to God, than to pray, or do sacrifice unto him; Judge no man by light suspicion, prove first, and then judge; in doubts, refer the Judgment and Sentence to Gods might, and what thou knowest not, commit it to God. might, have little or none affection of these earthly and transitory things; for blessed i [...] the Rich man that trusteth not in mony or treasure; remember as as man loveth, so he is; for the lover is in the thing loved, more properly than in himself: wherefore if a man love earthly things, he may be called an earthly man; but if he love properly Heavenly things, or God, he may be called an Heavenly or a Godly man: therefore love God and heavenly things, for undoubtedly that is the best and most assured love; for they be, and ever shall be permanent, & all earthly things be soon vanished [Page] and ended, and so the love of them is in vain. Also it is high wisdom to fear God; for that he saith himself, Fear not him that can kill the body, and cannot hurt the Soul; but fear him that can kill the body and also the Soul, and commit them to everlasting pain. Wherefore every evening before thou go to bed, call to thy remembrance, as much as thou canst, thy thoughts, words, and deeds, said and done that day: and if any have been to thine own profit, and to the pleasure of God, heartily thank him, for by his grace it was done: and if any have been contrary to his will and plea [...]re, ask heartily mercy, and reconcile thy [...] shortly to Him by repentance, to eschew the everlasting destruction of thy soul: For as S. Augustine saith, there is not a greater madness, than for a little temporal delectation which is soon done, to lose the eternal Joy, and to be bound to everlasting pain: From the which, the Almighty Father by his infinite power and mercy, bitter passion and infinite wisdom of Jesus Christ; and by the infinite goodness and charity of the Holy Ghost, keep us now and for ever.
Amen.
What Prayer is.
PRayer is an humble Request either of the heart, or tongue, or both unto God, proceeding from our belief and acknowledgment of his power, as God, and of his goodness, as our Father in Jesus Christ, to supply all our necessities, with thanksgiving unto him for any blessing received.
The parts of a Prayer are usually three:
- 1. Humble Confession.
- 2. Petition or Supplication.
- 3. Hearty Thanksgiving.
1. Confession.
Which is an humble and penitent repetition of our sins and wickedness, with an acknowledgment of punishments and miseries thereby deserved, and with an earnest desire and prayer for absolution, and that for JESUS Christ alone.
2. Petition.
Petition or Supplication is that part of Prayer, in which we beseech God, the Author of all good, and punisher of all ill, for all the Mercies, Comforts, Graces, and Blessings of this Life, and the Life to come, and for deliverance from all fears, ills, dangers, and punishments of this Life, and the Life to come, for our selves and others, and all for the merits of Christ Jesus alone, and his mediation.
3. Hearty Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is an humble joyful acknowledgment and expression of our thanks unto Almighty God for any mercy or blessing received, or promised; and for preservation and deliverance from any calamity, danger, or distress, with denial of our own merits of the least of these, and a magnifying of the greatness and goodness of GOD unto us in and through Jesus Christ.
What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits he hath done unto me?
I will take the cup of Salvation, and call upon the Name of the LORD.
MOST Comfortable Prayers FOR Sunday Morning.
O Lord my God and heavenly Father, blessed be thy Name for ever: dispose my heart; open my lips, and give me thy Holy Spirit, to a true acknowledgment of all my sins, that my prayers may be heard of thee, in the Name of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Psalm.
HEar me when I call, O God of my Righteousness: for thou hast set me at liberty when I was in trouble: Have mercy upon me, and hearken unto my Prayer.
My voice shalt thou hear betimes, O Lord, early in the Morning will I direct [Page 2] my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
For thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickedness, neither shall any evil dwell with thee.
Therefore, O Lord, rebuke me not in thine indignation, neither chasten me in thy displeasure.
Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord heal me, for my bones are vexed.
Turn thee, O Lord, and deliver my soul; O save me for thy mercies sake.
For in death no man remembreth thee, and who will give thee thanks in the pit?
Wherefore away from me all ye th [...] work vanity, for the Lord hath heard th [...] voice of my complaint.
The Lord hath heard my petition, the Lord will receive my prayer.
For why? my righteous God tryeth t [...] very heart and reins.
And my help cometh of God, which preserveth them that are true of heart.
Therefore, will I give thanks unto the [...] O Lord, with my whole heart, and I w [...] speak of all thy marvellous works.
I will be glad and rejoyce in thee, y [...] my Songs and praise will I make of th [...] O thou most Highest!
[Page 3] For God is a Righteous Judge, strong and patient, and God is provoked every day.
If a man will not turn, he hath bent his Bow, and will whet his Sword, and make it ready.
Morning Prayer.
MOst mighty and gracious God, which hast brought me out of the Nights darkness, into the light of thy Truth to see the light of thy Love, that I may rejoyce in the day of my visitation and Salvation, whereby the day spring from on high hath visited me, and in the day of Salvation thou wilt succour me. This day make me hear thy voice, and not harden my heart through unbelief or deceitfulness of sin, but that by Faith I may enter into thy promised rest: give grace unto me, O Lord, and to all thy people to walk warily, diligently and dutifully in my vocation, to do such good works wherewithal thou mayest be well pleased; and that walking in thy ways, I may work out my salvation with fear and trembling; and that all my meditations, thoughts, words, and works, may tend to the edifying of my Christian Brethren, the discharge [Page 4] of my duty, the consolation of my conscience, and the glorifying of thy most holy Name, which art my God, my guide, my saviour and defender; to whom be all Praise and Glory, Power, Might, Dominion and Majesty, now and for ever.
Amen.
Morning Prayer.
I Yield thee humble and hearty thanks, O heavenly Father, in thy Son Jesus Christ, for thy innumerable benefits poured upon my Soul and Body, and that thou hast kept me this night past from many evils, both Spiritual and Corporal, and of thy great mercy, dost offer and give unto me time and space to repent, and amend my life, so as I might live henceforth, not as I will, but as thou wilt: and as my body doth draw continually nearer and nearer to the end (the grave I mean) so my soul might approach unto his end, that is Heaven, and not Hell: for in one state we stand not still, but either we are nearer the happy state of Life, or else the unhappy condition of Death Eternal. Wherefore, O my dear Father, I beseech thee to be merciful unto me, and as of thy goodness thou givest me time to repent, so of the same [Page 5] thy goodness in Christ. I humbly beseech thee to give me thy gracious gift of true, holy, perfect, and perpetual repentance, that I may more and more lament my former sinful life, trusting unseignedly in the rich mercies of thee my God, through the merits of thy Son Jesus Christ, for the pardon of all my sins: And grant, O Lord, I beseech thee, that I may unseignedly purpose, and effectually labour to amend my life this day, and so long as I have to live, to the praise of thy Name, and the good example of others. And forasmuch as thou knowest my weakness, my ignorance, and great untowardness, to carry any cross or affliction, that Thou wilt of thy merciful goodness, so temper and order all things towards me this day and ever, that I be never tempted or proved further than I shall be able to bear, but so to help me in the same, as may be most for thy Glory, and my comfort. And although (O God) thy Goodness, Mercy, and Truth, to Mankind in all thy Works doth abundantly appear; yet herein chiefly Thou declarest thy self to be most favourable, merciful, and gracious, that not suffering us to walk in darkness, ignorance and blindness, Thou hast given us thy most holy and [Page 6] blessed Word, to be a lanthorn to our feet to lighten our steps in the path-way of everlasting Life, lest we should walk in the shadow of death: In which thy most blessed and sacred Word, thou hast finally and perfectly set forth unto mankind, so much of thy glorious Majesty as was expedient for us to know; and not only that, but hast herein also fully exprest thy most holy and blessed Will, whatsoever is necessary for the Salvation of Mankind, to be known, to bring him to life everlasting. Give me grace, most merciful Father, that for so high a treasure left among us, I may be thankful, reverently embrace, accept, and esteem of the same, as the most precious jewel in Earth, and be therein confirmed most strongly, that all things therein contained be most undoubtedly true, not by any mortal Man, but by the most Holy Spirit in Man, penned and written to the comfort and behoof of Man: And that I may most humbly, lowly, and with most high Reverence submit my self thereunto, as becometh thy eternal Majesty, and the Word proceeding from thy most blessed mouth: that I may with reverence and obedience, read, hear, and occupy my self in the same, to the comfort of my soul, [Page 7] and the increase of thy Glory: Lighten my understanding (most dear Father) with thy most holy Spirit, that I may learn clearly, conceive and understand the things therein contained, which no mortal man can conceive, save those that have learned of thee, and whom thou by thy holy Spirit dost lighten and instruct. Guide me, dear Father, with thy most holy Spirit, that having the true understanding of the mysteries therein contained, I may be fully established and confirmed in the true knowledge of thee my dear Father, and of thy beloved Son my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and in conscience throughly perswaded, that I have my full perfect salvation and life everlasting in him, and through his atonement made by his death and passion. That I do not vainly abuse the knowledge of thy most sacred word to satisfie vain curiosity, or brag of knowledge, but only to the relieving of my hungry and wounded conscience, to the loosing of my fettered soul, and the appeasing of my sorrowful heart: that I may to the end of my life walk in sincerity before thee my heavenly Father, in the comforts of thy dear Son my Saviour, upholden still by the merciful power of the holy Ghost; to thine everlasting praise and glory for ever.
Amen.
A Confession to God the Father.
O Lord my God, I confess unto Thee, that my heart is unclean, that I am of polluted lips, wallowing in the dung, and stinking in the rottenness of mine own sin, so that I may justly tremble to appear before thy glorious presence, much more to present unto thee thy pure praises out of my defiled mouth: but who, except thou, O Lord, can make me clean? and what is pure which thou hast not purged? Therefore, O Father of life, O Lord of Light, with all the Forces of my Soul, I do beseech thee to help me thy servant, whom of thy mercy thou hast created: cleanse my filthiness, lighten my darkness, inflame my coldness, quicken my dulness, awake my drowsiness, revive my deadness: repair the ruins of my Soul, enlarge the frame of the understanding thereof, cleanse it from all earthly corruption, garnish it with thy heavenly graces, that it may be conveniently both sit and furnished to receive Thee, that thou maist make thine entry, & possess that which is thine own, both by Creation, and also by Redemption: and that as thou art exalted above all Creatures; so above all creatures, [Page 9] I may honour thee and praise thee, not with that affection wherewith my weakness is able, either to do or to desire, but with that perfection wherewith in duty I should, and wherewith thy Saints and Angels indeed do: for what worthy praise can I give unto thee, by whose goodness I was created, by whose mercy I was redeemed, by whose power I am preserved, and by whose grace I look to be glorified? when I was not, thou didst make me; when I was lost and forlorn, thou camest down and tookest mortality upon thee to redeem me: these and many other benefits have I received, some in hand, and some in hope, although through my own sinful demeanour, I have almost both let go my hold, and lost my hope: therefore, O Lord, I most humbly beseech thee save thy servant, save one of thy Members, though poor and feeble; save I say, a part of thy self, be as great in pardoning those that are submitted unto thee, as in punishing those that are rebellious: pour upon my heart the sweet streams of thy mercies: confirm my life, settle my faith, settle me in a right and upright course, and continue me in the same even unto the end: grant this, O Father, through thy dear Son Jesus Christ, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost, be [Page 10] all honour and glory, for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Devout Prayer to Jesus Christ.
O Most sweet Saviour, and merciful Redeemer, Jesus Christ the Son of God, who although thou art High, yet art thou most humble; and as thou art Omnipotent, so art thou most meek; and as thou art most Mighty, so art thou most merciful: to thee O Christ the giver of all Felicity, the Father of Heaven hath given all Power both in Heaven and in Earth. Thou art the true Pastor of our Souls, thou art our Messias, thou casteth off none that sue unto thee; but as thou hast taken away the hand-writing that was against us, and hast fastned it to the Cross, so art thou ready to impart the merits of thy Passion to all such as write true repentance of their sins, call upon thee faithfully: wherefore my sweet Saviour, I most faithfully & unfeignedly acknowledge the benefits that thou hast bestow'd upon me, & stedfastly believe that thou being an immaculate Lamb, in whose mouth was never found guile, didst suffer most cruel torments at the hands of sinners, for the love of us most wretched sinners: for the which cause I most heartily beseech [Page 11] thee, and most humbly pray thee to accept me into the number of them whom thou wilt receive to mercy and favour; and although I of my self be most unworthy thereof, yet thy merits can make me worthy; to them I fly, craving that I may be so armed and defended by them, that I may subdue the World, the Flesh, & the Devil, even as thou hast gloriously conquered Sin, Death, and Hell. Thou seest, O my Saviour, how I am daily and hourly beset with these three enemies, and so hardly besieged of them, that without thy help, I can by no means escape, but that I must needs be a prey unto one of them: strengthen me therefore, O Lord, that neither the one with carnal Lust, neither the other with delectable pleasures, nor Satan with all his craft and subtil devices, get the dominion over me: thou hast bought me, thou hast paid for me; save, keep and defend me, be always ready at the voice of my crying; pour into me thy grace patiently to abide thy divine pleasure in all things: make me both at this present, and all the days of my life to have in my mind, and profoundly to root in my heart the mysteries of thy painful passion, and so to be filled with remembrance thereof, that sin may no more prevail with me, and that [Page 12] Satan mine old enemy may well perceive that he hath neither part nor fellowship in me, but that I am both Body and Soul altogether thine: to whom, O my sweet Saviour, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be ascribed all power, glory, and honour for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Prayer to the Holy Ghost.
O Holy Spirit, worthy of all honour, which makest up the Almighty. Trinity, which proceedest from the Father and the Son, and art equal to either of them in glory, but differing from them but only in property of person, which of thy goodness, forgivest the sins of them that amend, which with thy holy breath cleansest mens minds, comforting them when they be in sorrow, cheering them up with pure gladness, when they be in heaviness, leading them into all truth when they be out of the way, kindling in them the fire of charity when they be a cold, knitting them together with the glue of peace when they are at variance, and garnish them with sundry gifts which profess the Name of thy Son Jesus Christ, by whose working, all things live which live indeed, whose delight is to dwell in the hearts of the simple, which [Page 13] thou hast vouchsafed to consecrate for Temples to thy self, wherefore I do beseech thee, O dear Father, to maintain those thy gifts in me, and to increase them daily more and more, that by thy Governance the lusts of the flesh may dye in me, and the desire of the Heavenly Life may quicken and increase. Let me so pass, I beseech thee, O my God, through the misty desart of this world (thy light go before me) as I may never be desiled with Satans vices, nor be intangled with any Errors disagreeing from thy Truth, which the true Catholick Church hath delivered unto us by the instinct of thee, which livest and raignest with the Father and the Son everlasting; to whom be all honour and glory for ever.
Amen.
A fruitful Prayer to God.
O My dear Lord and God, what is this World? it is evil, it is a place of vain pleasure, a cage of iniquity, or rather lump of misery; and what am I, Lord, what am I, but a friend of this present evil World, and an enemy to thee? what am I but a child of wrath, and son of darkness, so glued to sin, and lymed with iniquity, that my body is a body of sin? what then, O Lord, shall I do? [Page 14] shall the mountain of sin oppress me, or the world with the baits of vanity so choak me, that I shall never like an Eagle fly to the carkass, nor be able to cry for help to thee the only Morning Star, which are wont to spread forth the beams of comfort unto the needy in time of extremity? O Lord my God, give me the wings of Faith to flee unto thee, and pour upon me the dew of thy blessing, that I may bud and bear the fruit of holiness, through the operations of thy gracious beams: Give me thy Grace, that I fail not in my vocation, that I may do good, and eschew evil, and so make good that vow which I made unto thee in my Baptism. Save me from falling, and stay my feet from slipping, by thy holy Word, which is the glass of thy Will, that being guided over this misly desart, I may arrive at the land of Promise, and Palace of rest in a lively faith, through thy dear Son Jesus Christ, to whom be all honour and glory for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer for the Church, and true worship of GOD.
O Most gracious God and loving Father, look in favour, I do beseech thee, upon the Church generally dispersed [Page 15] throughout the whole World, and whom by the malice of Satan, and tyranny of Antichrist, thou seest continually assailed with many and great dangers. Be thou therefore, O Lord, a castle of defence, a buckler and rock strong and forcible, to withstand the force and fury of all adversaries that rise up against it. And for the better comfort, endue it with faith unfeigned, wherein it and every member thereof, may safely run and repair under the shadow of thy sacred wings, whensoever perils approach. Graciously guide and govern it, by taking the defence thereof into thine own hands, to whom it specially and alone belongeth; and let it hold on the true course of professing and practising of thy true Religion, that the adversaries thereof may have no cause to condemn it through sin, which howsoever it may seem to dwell in the most godly while we live here; yet let us always have an eye and diligent watch over all our thoughts, words, and works, that our light may shine to thy Glory, our good, and example to others, in Peace and War, in Comfort and Calamity, and not to be dismayed at any noise and report of the greatest danger whatsoever. Thou art, O Lord my God, my only comfort and riches; what am I, that I dare speak unto [Page 16] thee? I am thy poor servant, yea, and much more poor and vile, than I either know, or dare shew forth: and yet Lord I remember this one thing, that I am nothing, that I have nothing, and that I am nothing worth: Thou alone art Good, thou alone art Righteous, thou alone art Holy: Thou knowest all, thou dost all, thou fillest all: only the wicked thou sendest empty away: remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies, and fill me with thy favour: Thou wilt that none of thy works should serve in vain: for how can I stand upright in this wretched world, unless thy mercy and favour hold me up? turn not therefore thy cheerful countenance from thy servant, defer not to help me from day to day, withdraw not thy comfort, that my Soul be not as the thirsty Land, but teach me to do thy Will, for that thou, O my God, art my wisdom, and knowest what is meet and convenient for me, to whom with the Son and the Holy Ghost, be all Glory for ever.
Amen.
Prayers for Sunday Night.
O Lord my God and Father, blessed be thy name for ever: dispose my heart, and open my lips, &c.
A Psalm.
HOW long wilt thou forget me? O Lord, for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy Face from me?
How long shall I seek counsel in my soul, and be so vexed in my heart? how long shall mine enemies triumph over me?
Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; lighten mine eyes, that I sleep not in death.
For why? my trust is in thy mercy, and my heart is joyful in thy salvation.
Therefore will I sing of the Lord, because he hath dealt so lovingly with me; yea, I will praise the Name of the Lord most Highest.
I will thank the Lord for giving me warning, my reins also chasten me in the Night season.
I have set God always before me, for he is on my right hand, therefore I shall not fall.
[Page 18] Wherefore my heart was glad, and my Glory rejoyced, my flesh also shall rest in hope.
For why, thou shalt not leave my soul in Hell, neither shalt thou suffer thine holy One to see corruption.
Thou shalt shew me the paths of life; in thy presence is the fulness of joy, and at thy right hand there is pleasure for evermore.
O hold thou up my goings in thy paths, that my foot-steps slip not.
So shall he hear me out of his holy Temple, and my complaint shall come before him, it shall enter even into his ears.
He shall send down from the height to fetch me, and shall take me out of many waters.
Thou shalt also light my candle; the Lord my God shall make my darkness to be light.
The Lord liveth, and blessed be my strong helper, and blessed be the God of my Salvation.
Glory be to the Father, &c.
A Confession to God.
O Lord my God, and everlasting Father, I do acknowledge and confess before thy High and Glorious Majesty, that I was bred and born in sin and corruption: and that since my birth I have not ceased, nor do cease, daily to transgress thy holy commandments, in respect whereof I cannot escape ruine and destruction, according to thy rightful justice: yet notwithstanding, forasmuch as I am sorry, that I have offended thee my Lord and God, and do condemn both my self and my sin, receive me to mercy; and as it hath pleased thee to love us, even when we were thine enemies, and for assurance thereof, to give unto us thine only and well-beloved Son, to be a Mediator and Advocate between thee and us, promising us to obtain whatsoever we shall ask of thee in his Name; vouchsafe, O most loving God, and dear Father, to pardon and forgive me in his Name, and for his sake, and not only to cleanse my heart from all vanity and uncleanness, but also to govern and guide me by thy holy Spirit, in all my ways, that I may live according to thy holy & heavenly Will, all the days of my life, to the glory [Page 20] of thy Name, through the same thy well-beloved Son Jesus Christ, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost, be praise and glory for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer against the temptations and malice of Satan.
O Heavenly Father, and eternal God, unto thee do we cry: Protect and strengthen us, O Lord, against the temptations of Satan, which is the sworn and extream enemy to our Salvation, a slanderer and our accuser, who rageth and rangeth in a deadly hatred against thy Flock, and by all means seeketh the destruction of all mankind, divers and sundry ways laying snares to intrap us and our Souls, preying for any occasion whereby he may allure us unto shameful offending: for as many corporal affections as be in man, so many occasions doth he take to tempt us, and thereby to wound us: He layeth snares to take us in wealth, in poverty, in pleasure, and in the inticements of the flesh, in anguish of mind, in ambition and desire of glory, in the wearisomness of our calling and inferiour condition, in cares both for the back and the [Page 21] belly, and in lust of revenge, night and day: whether we sleep or wake, he is always about to devour us, that our senses may be corrupted from the simplicity that we owe unto Christ, even as the Serpent deceived Eve by his subtilty. Therefore, O thou Son of God, which art the blessed seed, bruising the head of the Serpent, bring and bruise this mine enemy (Satan) under thy feet: Thou my chief Champion, which of thine own accord, enteredst into temptation, that so thou mightest, as it were, hand to hand wrestle with this mine enemy, and purchase a triumph for me by thy victory: hold him fast bound that he exercise not his cruelty upon me as he desireth, but make me partaker of thy victory: that even as thou hast in thy body overcome Satan, so utterly suppress him in me thy unworthy servant: And I beseech thee, O Lord, to give unto me thy whole Armour, that I may, like a right good Souldier, resist in the evil day, and vanquish this my strong enemy: gird me with the truth; put upon me the breastplate of Righteousness, and let me be shod and prepared for the Gospel of peace; and above all things give me the shield of Faith, which can extinguish all the fiery darts of wicked spirits; bestow upon [Page 22] me the Helmet of salvation, with the sword of the Spirit, and the Word of God, that through thee I may encounter valiantly, and gloriously attain the Victory: And Holy Spirit, Almighty GOD, comfort thou and strengthen my mind against so divers conflicts of Satan, which beset me by many snares, and especially then most of all, when I seek deliverance by other means than by thy word revealed: and grant, that leaving thy Word delivered unto me, I look not after new revelations, or violent ravishings, but may resist the Devil by thy word and power during my whole life. O dear Father, to whom it is more easie to do all things, than for me to think any good thing: Do thou but speak a word, and thy deadly sick servant (my soul) shal [...] be made whole: Help O Lord, for th [...] great mercies sake, for thy truth sake, and for thy dear Son Jesus Christs sake, and let thy strength suffice against my weakness and thy holy Spirit against my sinful Flesh and old man: Thou art faithful, O Father, who hast promised that I shall not be tempted further than thou wilt make me a▪ ble to bear: Give now therefore thy grac [...] and strength unto thy servant, that I ma [...] with a strong faith in thine infallible Trut [...] and promised mercy, vanquish and subd [...] [Page 23] whatsoever rebelleth against thy most blessed will: preserve and keep holy my soul and body, and let them not be defiled, and made a dungeon of wicked Spirits, through delectation in sin. Shall now alas, the Devil, the World, or the Flesh, pluck from thee, that thing that presently cryeth to thee with assured trust in thy promised help? Nay Father, but grant that I may by thy mighty Power turn all their crafts, deceits, and raging assaults unto the increase of my faith, and that by experience of thy fatherly assistance, in this my present temptation, I may with assured hope and trust in thy ready help and comfort, overcome my sad enemies hereafter in like assaults, and praise thy holy Name for the Victory, through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour, to whom be all power, praise, and glory for ever, World without end.
Amen.
A Prayer for grace to do the will of GOD.
O Most bountiful Father, extend thy favour towards me, and let it be with me, and labour with me, unto the end; and give me thy grace to wish & to covet such things as may be grateful to thee, and acceptable [Page 24] in thy sight, let thy will be mine, and let me always follow thine, and agree therewith: Grant that I may like that which thou dost, and never like or mislike any thing but that which thou dost like or mislike. Assist me, O Lord, to crucifie my self to all worldly things: set me free from wicked affections of the mind, and heal my soul of all unbridled desires and sins, that being inwardly healed, and purged throughly, I may be made fit to love, strong to suffer, and constantly to continue: And above all things, grant that I may have rest and peace in Thee; for thou art the true peace, thou art alone the quietness of mind, and without thee all things are hard and troublesome; In this peace, that is in thee alone which art the chiefest and everlasting felicity, I will repose my self both now and for ever, and constantly persevere and continue in the same through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour.
Amen.
A Prayer not to distrust the mercy of God.
THY mercy, O Lord my God, endureth for ever, and thy loving kindness towards thy Children, is not able to be uttered; the truth of thy promise never faileth thine Elect: Thou hast made calm the troubled waves of wavering thoughts which overwhelm my soul, and brought me to the quiet Haven of thy merciful protection and defence, and hast delivered mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling, and my heart from distrust: O Lord my God and loving Father, let this thy great mercy and loving kindness shewed upon me, never depart out of my mind and heart, but that I may be thereof continually mindful all the days of my life? And for these thy unseparable mercies towards me, grant good Lord, that I may have a thankful heart to render due honour, praise, and thanksgiving unto thy Majesty: acknowledging from the bottom of my heart thy wonderful works in me: And that I may hereof be more assured, I beseech thee good Lord, that as thou hast begun to deliver me, so I may feel more and more daily thy good will and mercy towards me, [Page 26] increase in me true understanding of thy heavenly Will, and thy blessed Word: strengthen my faith in thy loving promises, that I may be assured of thy protection, and mine election and salvation: Make me daily more and more to love Thee, my dear Father and God, un [...]eignedly, for all thy goodness shewed unto me, to have my full delight and joy in thee, and walk before thee in sincerity of heart, and godly conversation: that I may here on earth glorifie thy Name; and after this life with all thy faithful flock, possess that everlasting inheritance, which thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord hath purchased; to whom with Thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer to be always bent to Heavenly things.
O I would to God, that that day might once Shine, in the which I might see my Redeemer, and all these temporal days would end! for the days of this world are few; short, full of evil and sorrow, where man is defiled with many sins, oppress'd with griefs and cares, disturbed with thoughts, wrap'd in vanities, compassed with errours, molested with temptation, drowned in sensuality, and [Page 27] crucified with Poverty: O when shall there be an end of these manifold and miserable labours? when shall I be delivered from the miserable bondage of wickedness? when shall I only remember thee, O Lord? when shall I fully and perfectly rejoyce in thee? when shall I be out of all danger, and delivered from all grief of Body and Soul, and come to true liberty? when shall I rest in that quiet, secure, and undisturbed peace, where peace is both within and without in all things? O Lord Jesus, when shall I see thee, & behold the Glory of thy Kingdom, which thou hast prepared for thine Elect from the beginning? I do wish to be joyned to Heavenly things, but temporal Pleasure, and mortal passions, keep me back from them; In mind I would fain vanquish all wickedness and vice, but yet I am constrained to be subject to the froward flesh, and I unhappy wretch am at controversie with my self: for whilst my soul aspireth upward, my flesh draweth downward: O what passions do I inwardly suffer! For when my soul beginneth to contemplate of Heavenly things, then presently heaps o [...] carnal thoughts withdraw me from Prayer. O my God do not linger from me! depart not in anger from thy servant: Thunder forth thy Lightening-bolt, and disperse my [Page 28] worldly thoughts abroad, and drive away all the temptations of mine enemy: Turn my senses unto thee, O my dear Father, and make me to forget all earthly things: Grant that I may cast of all sinful thoughts and fantasies: O eternal verity succour me to the end that no vanity do tempt or remove me from thee: O heavenly Father help me! for all vanity and impureness melteth before thy face, which livest and raignest ever one God, in Power and Glory world without end.
Amen.
An Evening Prayer.
O Eternal God, and merciful Father, hear my voice, and listen to my Prayers, and forgive all my sins which this day I have done in the sight of thee, and be not angry with thy servant for ever, but listen unto thine only begotten Son, which maketh intercession to thee for me; for his sake hear me, and have mercy upon me: defend me this night (of thy merciful goodness) from unclean and troublesome spirits, and from the snares and illusions of the Devil: preserve me from all dangers, and save my Body and Soul from destruction: and grant that this night, I may sleep quietly [Page 29] without grief or trouble, that in darkness I may behold with the eyes of my heart, the light of thy countenance shineing upon me; for in thee alone do I trust; Thou art my Lord and God, into thy hands I commend my soul and body now and ever: Therefore O Lord, let thy unspeakable mercy preserve me, thy endless sweetness rejoyce me, thy heavenly truth strengthen me, thy knowledge embrace me, and thy goodness keep me, now and evermore.
Amen.
Prayers for Munday Morning.
O Lord my God and Heavenly Father, blessed be thy Name for ever: dispose my heart, open my lips, and give me thy Holy Spirit, &c.
A Psalm.
HElp me, O God of my Salvation, for the glory of thy Name; O deliver me, and be merciful unto my sin, for thy Names sake.
O remember not mine old sins, but have mercy upon me, and that soon: for I am come to great misery.
My Soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord, my heart and my flesh rejoyceth in the Living God.
Blessed are they that dwell in thy House, they will be always praising thee.
Preserve thou my soul therefore O my God, and save thy servant that puts his trust in thee.
O comfort the soul of thy servant, for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul: For thou Lord art good and gracious, and [Page 31] of great mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
And blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, and in whose heart are thy ways.
O Lord I have cryed day and night before thee, O let my Prayer enter into thy presence: incline thine ear to my calling.
And be merciful unto me, O Lord, for I will call daily upon thee, for thou dost wondrous things, thou art God alone.
O turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me, give thy strength unto thy servant, and help the son of thy handmaid.
Shew some good token upon me for good, that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed, because thou Lord hast holpen me, and comforted me.
O satisfie me with thy mercy, and that soon, so shall I rejoyce and be glad all the days of my life.
Shew thy servants thy work, and thy children thy Glory.
And the glorious Majesty of the Lord my God be upon me: prosper thou the work of my hands upon me, O prosper thou my handy work.
A Morning Prayer.
O Almighty God, and merciful Father, which gavest the children of Israel in charge, to offer a daily Morning and Evening Sacrifice unto thee, that thereby they may glorifie and thank thee for the benefit of their protection both night and day; receive of me, O Lord, the calves of my lips which I lay upon thine Altar, being my morning Sacrifice of thanksgiving unto thee: I glorifie thee, O eternal God, for thou hast broken the bands wherewith I was tyed this night, by reason of the midst of darkness, and hast delivered me from the shadow of death, by bringing me safe and sound to the beginning of this day: wherefore I will praise thy Name, and magnifie thee for ever. O Lord continue thy goodness towards me this day, and grant that all my Prayers and works may both begin and end in thee? vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep me this day without sin, and fill me in this present hour with thy favour and Grace, that all this day and ever I may rejoyce and delight in thy Praises: Grant merciful God that descending into my soul, I may reprehend and condemn mine own spots and vices within me: [Page 33] deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, and save me from a deceitful tongue: keep me, O Lord, from the edge of the Sword, from sudden death, from the infectious pestilence, from mortal sickness, and deadly vexation. O Almighty sanctifier, both within and without, keep me this day from danger of blood-thirsty men whose feet are swift to shed blood. For into thy hands this day and ever I commend my spirit: and that I may watch upon thee my Maker both night and day, beseeching thee to protect me in the day of my trouble, that the Enemy have no advantage of me: and grant, O Lord, that if in thy justice for punishment of my sin, or of thy gracious favour for trial of my Faith, and exercise of my patience, thou suffer me to fall into any distress or danger: to give me I beseech thee a contented mind, to yield to thy good pleasure, and assured hope and belief, as all things are wrought to thy Glory, so they may work for the best unto me as one that loveth thee: Grant this, O most merciful Father; To whom with thy Son, and the Holy Ghost, be all Honour and Glory, for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Prayer for forgiveness of Sins.
O God, the God of my Salvation, I do here acknowledge my sins unto thee, and mine iniquities I have not hid: Wherefore, O my God, turn thy face towards me, and let thy loving mercy ever more and more extend unto me; for I am miserable, sinful, and poor, and I come unto thee the fountain of all help. Forgive my sins, wash me and I shall be whiter than snow: let me tast of thy old loving kindnesses that have been ever of old, ready to forgive, and to embrace them that turn from their evil ways, as appeareth by David, Peter, and many others, who repenting of their sins, found favour: Wherefore have mercy upon me, O God, have mercy upon me: & according to the multitude of thy compassions, do away mine iniquities: O cleanse me from my secret sins, and cover my known sins with the Righteousness of thy Son Jesus Christ: remove mine iniquities far away from thee, and be not angry with thy servant for ever: O enter not into judgment with thy servant; for if no flesh before thee be justified, what shall become of me who have so highly offended; [Page 35] Lord my God, full of mercy and pity, I appeal unto thee, I flee unto thee, I rest upon thee: leave thy displeasure against me; and how weak soever and unable I am to stand in thy presence, yet let thy spirit of strength hold me up, and say unto me, Fear not, for my Grace is sufficient for thee. I take upon thy love, I rest upon thy favour in Christ, reject me not, though there be no good in me: Pour down that absolute good thing, even thy Grace, and let it direct to amendment of life. Thou hast said, that thou art wellpleased in Christ thy Son, in him be thou also pleased with me, and receive me again into thy love, through his merits, by whom every sinner receiveth free access unto thee: and although I for my part, most loving Lord, am a vessel full of many faults and enormities; yet dear Father have mercy upon me, and cast me not from thy presence, but rather endue me again with a new Spirit, and a lively feeling of thy Will, and an ableness to do hereafter, that I may fill up the residue of my days in sincerity, holiness, and righteousness, and in the due service of thee; that from henceforth, instead of straying from thee, I may dwell and be shrowded under the shadow of thy wings: and that instead of sin [Page 36] which hath miscarried me, I may embrace Piety, Godliness, and true Zeal: and instead of ignorance, whereby I have so long gone astray, I may take hold of thy saving truth, that it may be a lanthorn unto my seet, and a light unto my paths, that I may rest safe in thee through a lively faith that never decayeth: and here I wait for thy loving kindness and mercy, O Lord, promised in Christ, in whom I am bold with deep sighs of heart, to cry, and say, Lord forgive mine offences, cover my sins, and lay not my former evils to my charge: And for the better performance of this my duty unto thee, from henceforth (good Lord) quench all the corrupt motions of my mind, striving with thy divine pleasure; that being thus inwardly renewed in my mind, & reformed in my conversation, I may serve thee with gladness, through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour, to whom be all glory and honour for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Prayer for knowledge to do the will of God.
O Lord God and Heavenly Father, the God of all wisdom, and understanding, I acknowledge, that by thy just sentence in that general corruption, which I have drawn from Adams Ioins, I am deprived of [Page 37] all spiritual wisdom, and knowledge of thee and thy will, and that there is nothing in man, but blockish and beastly ignorance, such as springeth from infidelity, and is most contrary to thy will: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh God: O Lord have mercy upon me, most miserable and vile wretch, and open mine eyes that I may see the mysteries of thy profound and excellent truth; increase, O Lord, all holy desires in me, to attain the knowledge of thy will; let my whole delight be in it to meditate therein day and night, that it may be more precious unto me than Gold and Silver, many times fined. Further, howsoever thy graces and gifts, O Lord, are to be acknowledged in men; yet because thy good pleasure is so, that all men should carry the scars of ignorance and infirmity: draw in my whole delight, I beseech thee, and kindle all my affections, to the love of thy Law and Testimonies, and to those Scriptures that were written and indited by thine own self, and thy spirit; for those, good Lord, contain thy whole will in that everlasting Covenant that thou hast stricken with thy Saints: This O Lord, is that well spring of wisdom and grace that shall make us wise before thee, howsoever the world [Page 38] condemn it of madness and folly: Teach thou me, O Lord, and I shall be taught: open thou mine eyes that I may see the excellent things of thy Law: reform my heart, that self-love and vain-glory may be quite vanquished and slain in me, that I may only set before mine eyes thy glory: O gracious God, spoil this power of Satan in me, that by thy means thy good gifts of knowledge and wisdom be not abused against thee, thy Gospel and Glory; that I be not carried through emulation, spite, or envy of any mans credit, or gifts, to set my self against thy truth; but give me true humility, that above all things I may rejoyce in the advancement and praise of thy Name, whether it be with my honour or shame, with my peace or trouble, with good report or evil report: I know, O Lord, that true wisdom is from thee alone, and that thou hast so ordained thy servants in so gracious a dispensation of thy gifts, that they who have the greatest need of theirs that are the least; the greatest Masterbuilders, of them that are but labourers, & basket-bearers in thy Church: The unity of thy Spirit, and the bond of Peace, knit us fast together, and hold us in to reverence each other, and to be at one in thy work: O knit our hearts together, that we [Page 39] may all seek thee to thy eternal Praise; to whom only belongeth Renown, Glory and Honour, for ever, &c.
A fruitful Prayer to God.
ALmighty and Eternal God, my Creator and lover, I praise, adore, and bless Thee; for that in my offences and ungratefulness, thou hast so mencifully and leisurably forborn and suffered me to live even to this hour, whereunto thou by thy benefits hast brought me, giving anto me thy wretched servant, life and necessaries thereunto belonging, appointing Angels to be my keepers. O my good God, who knoweth whether till evening my life shall be prolonged, or what death is appointed for me: O merciful God and Heavenly Father, grant that I may with hearty repentance truly repent my sins, and inwardly bewail that ever I offended thy Godly Majesty: suffer not my soul to depart this body, before it be (through thy mercy) perfectly reconciled unto thee by grace, & bedeck'd with thy merits and vertues: O merciful Saviour, if these things I desire, stand with thy Pleasure and Will, grant them I beseech thee, although I be not worthy to be heard: And in thy mercy, grant that by the merits of thy passion, I [Page 40] may be purged from all my sins; and that at the hour of my death, I may be stricken with true and vehement contrition, and being knit with thee in perfect charity, I may immediately fleet unto thee my sweet Redeemer, safely from all damnation, desiring this one thing at thy hands, that thou wilt remember my fragility, unworthiness, unstableness, and miseries, together with thine own goodness and most charitable mercy, praying thee never to forsake me, or leave me, but that thou wilt always possess and govern me, according to thy will; to whom be all glory, for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Prayer to be restored to Gods Favour.
O Almighty and everlasting God, and Father, which hast made Heaven and Earth, and all things therein contained! O incomprehensible unity! O always to be worshipped most blessed Trinity! I humbly beseech thee, and pray thee, by the assumption and crucified humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, that thou wouldest drive from me all kind of wickedness and sin, creating in me a clean heart, and a right spirit: O Lord Jesus, I beseech thy goodness, for the exceeding [Page 41] great love which drew thee out of thy fathers bosom, in the womb of thy holy Virgin, and for the assumption of mans nature, wherein it pleased thee to save me, and to deliver me from eternal death; That thou wouldst draw me out of my self unto thee my Lord God: And grant that this my love may recover again to me, thy grace to increase and make perfect in me that which is wanting, to raise up in me that is fallen, to restore to me that which I have lost, and to quicken in me that which is dead and should live: That so I may become conformable unto thee in all my life and conversation, Thou dwelling in me, and I in thee, my heart being suppled with thy grace, and settled in thy Faith for ever: O my God, loose and set at liberty my Spirit from all inferiour things; govern my Soul, and so work, that both in soul and body I may be holy, and live to thy Glory, world without end.
Amen.
A Prayer to Christ to rest in his Love.
O My most loving Saviour, I have chosen thee, I wish and look for thee, I run to meet thee, & I do renounce all things that are not of thee; whatsoever thou wilt I will, [Page 42] and whatsoever thou wilt not, I forsake & utterly detest in my heart: and whatsoever shall hereafter happen unto me contrary to this present choice of my mind, not to impute the same unto me, but according to this choice of my soul judge me. For all things which I ought not to do, I utterly forsake them; and if at any time hereafter, I shall chance by any sinister occasion, to agree to any thing that may be a cause to withdraw thy mercy from me, I do now at this present hour utterly detest them: And here, O my sweet Saviour and Redeemer, if it please thee, or stand with thy Glory, grant I beseeeh thee in this my present life, that I may be delivered and preserved from all offences wherein I have offended, and from all the pains whereunto deservedly I ought to come after my death; and that thou wilt with the hands of thy mercy immediately after this life receive my soul into everlasting joy and felicity, there to raign with thee for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer to God to grant our Petitions.
O Christ, which art the strength of the weak, & the salvation of all believers, and an aider of the oppressed, yea, our life and safe-guard in the peril of death, I beseech [Page 43] thee, that pitying mine Afflictions, thou wilt vouchsafe to grant me my petitions, which at this time I have asked at thy hands; so shall I serve thee here in the Kingdom of Grace, and hereafter in thy Kingdom of Glory, where I beseech thee, O Lord, that I may have a place to dwell with thee eternally, which livest with God the Father, and the Holy Ghost everlastingly; to whom be praise and Glory for ever and ever.
Amen.
Prayers for Munday Night.
O Lord my God and Father, blessed be thy Name for ever: dispose my heart, and open my lips, &c.
A Psalm.
MY Song shall be of mercy and judgment: Unto thee O Lord, will I sing. O let me have understanding in the way of Godliness.
When wilt thou come unto me? I will walk in my house with a perfect heart.
I will take no wicked thing in hand; I hate the sins of unfaithfulness, there shall no such cleave unto me.
Hear my Prayer, O Lord, and let my crying come unto thee.
[Page 44] Hide not thy face from me in the time of my trouble, incline thine Ears unto me! when I call, O hear me, and that right soon.
My days are gone like a shadow, and I am withered like grass.
But thou, O Lord, endurest for ever, and thy remembrance throughout all Generations.
And I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of mine age: As for thy years, they endure throughout all Generations.
Praise the Lord O my Soul, and all that is within me praise his Holy Name.
Praise the Lord O my Soul, and forget not all his benefits.
Which forgiveth all thy sin, and healeth all thine infirmity.
Which saveth thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindness.
He will not always be chiding, neither keepeth he his anger for ever.
For look how high the Heaven is in comparison of the earth, so great is his mercy also towards them that fear him. Glory be to the Father, &c.
Confession to God the Father.
O Lord Almighty, the God of our Father, and Lord of Mercy, which hast made Heaven and Earth, with all their Ornaments, which hast bound the Sea by the word of thy Commandment, which hast shut up the deep, and seal'd it by thy terrible and Glorious Name, whom all do [...]ear and tremble before thy Power, for the Majesty of thy Glory cannot be born, and thy angry threatnings towards sinners is [...]mportable; but thy merciful promises are unmeasurable, and unsearchable, for Thou art the Lord God most High above all the Earth, long suffering and most merciful, and sorry for the malice of men; and thou, O Lord, according to thy great Goodness, and of thine infinite Mercies, hast appointed repentance unto sinners, that they might be saved. Therefore thou, O Lord, that art the God of the just, hast not appointed repentance to those which stand to justify themselves in thy sight; but thou hast appointed repentance unto me that am a sinner; for I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned above the number of the sands of the Sea: my transgressions, O Lord, my transgressions are multiplied, and are exceeding [Page 46] many, so as I am not worthy to behold, or lift up mine eyes unto the Heavens, for the multitude of my unrighteousness. I have provoked thine anger, O Lord, and done evil before thee, in committing abominations, and multiplying of offences: Now therefore I bow the knees of my heart, beseeching thee for Grace: I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge my wickedness, desiring thee by Prayer to forgive me: O Lord forgive me, & destroy me not with mine iniquities, neither do thou always remember mine evils to punish them, but save me that am unworthy, according to thy great mercies: And I most humbly beseech thee, O Lord, not to suffer my soul to perish, which Thou hast bought so dearly with thy most precious Blood, & make me poor in Spirit and low of Heart, submitting me wholly into thy hands: so as my desire and my delight may be always to thy will and pleasure, which is always good and godly: and grant my poor soul rest in thee; for thou hast said, They shall never be confounded that put their trust in thee: which trust, good Lord, grant me never to forsake for any vain trust, temptation or tribulation that may happen to vex my soul; but grant me thy holy Spirit to comfort and defend me from all things [Page 47] that should procure thy displeasure: Thou that art in Trinity one God and Lord over all, give ear to my Prayer, and pardon all my sins, so shall I praise thee for ever and ever all the days of my life, through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour, to whom be glory for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer to Jesus Christ.
O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy upon me, and forgive the great offences which I have done in the sight of thee this day: and give me grace, O Lord, for the love of thee, to despise sin and worldly vanity. O Jesus help me to overcome the temptations of sin, and the ma [...]ice of my spiritual enemy, and strengthen my soul and body to exercise the works of virtue, whereby I may come to thy everlasting joy and felicity.
Grant me a [...]ast purpose, O merciful Jesus, to amend my life, and to remove the sins of my youth far from me; Jesus lighten me with Ghostly Wisdom for to know thy goodness, and those things which are most acceptable unto thee; and give me grace to give good and profitable example, that none may be hurt by me; make me to proceed from [Page 48] virtue to virtue, until I be grown a perfect man in thee. Let me not return to those sins which by my confession have accused me, and with sorrow have oppressed me, The horrible sentence of endless death, the terrible judgment of damnation, thy wrath, ire, and indignation, merciful Lord, let never fall upon me: Jesus give me grace to fly evil company; and when I come among them, I beseech thee to preserve me, that no occasion of sin overcome me: keep my mouth, O Lord, from slanderous speaking, lying, false witness bearing, cursing, swearing, uncharitable chiding, dissolute laughing, and words of vanity. O sweet Jesus make me perseverant in the blessed service of Thee, in holy Exercises, and vertuous Meditations: Lord keep my Soul and Body, and make me to slay all sinful delectation, and patiently to suffer injuries and rebukes, in following thine own most Holy and blessed Example. Provide, good Lord, that life for me which thou knowest most for thine honour, and my comfortable stay in thee; Jesus grant me, specially in the time of Prayer, to fix my mind on thee, and thou to remember my wretchedness. The blood that ran from thy blessed heart, wash my soul from all sin and iniquity, and purchase to me thy grace, faithfaithfully [Page 49] to serve thee, O my Lord God, my might, my life, my light, lead me and feed me in this mortality, and at the hour of death, when I shall be accused before thee, have mercy upon me, break my froward heart, and make it obedient unto thee. From suddain and unprovided death, good Lord, deliver me; by the virtue of thy most excellent and glorious Divinity; by the virtue of thine incarnation, and by the merits of thy passion and resurrection, grant me these supplications which I have made to thee: And by thy own and only mediation, purchase for me a gracious life, and a blessed ending; and after my bodily death, give me everlasting life with endless bliss, that I may reign with thee for ever and ever, in the world to come.
Amen.
A Prayer for the attaining of a free and quiet mind.
O Most gracious & merciful God, keep me, I beseech thee, from the cares of [...]his world, that I be never too much in [...]angled therein, by reason of the manifold [...]hings which this body needeth: nor taken [Page 50] with the vain delight of that which doth hurt the soul; nor finally broken and overthrown with sorrow: I say not from those things which the vain world doth greedily hunt after, but from those miseries which suppress the mind of thy servant, by a common and penal course of mortality, and so withdraw me that I cannot enter into by the freedom of thy Spirit: O my God, which art sweetness unspeakable, make all fleshly joy, which withdraweth me from the love of eternal things, to be grievous and odious unto me: Let not flesh and blood, O my God, let not flesh and blood overcome me: Let not the World, and the vain glory thereof, deceive me; nor Satan with his subtilty supplant me: Give me strength to resist, patience to endure, and constancy to persevere unto the end. Grant me for the comfort of thy Word, the most comfortable Oyntment of the Holy Ghost: And for the lust of the flesh, pour on me the love of thy Name. The very meat, drink, and apparel, with other things necessary for the nourishment of the body, are even burthensome to a fervent spirit: But grant, O Lord, that I may use those things moderately, and never be snared with an over-greedy desire of them: All things are now to be rejected, for their [Page 51] nature would decay: Again, to covet superfluous and every pleasing thing, thy sacred Commandments do forbid; for the flesh would insult over the spirit: Wherefore between those things let thy hand direct me, O Lord, and teach me to do nothing out of measure. Grant this, O most merciful Father, to whom with the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be all Honour and Glory.
Amen.
A Prayer for Hope.
O Eternal Father, the author and giver of all Hope and Comfort, I beseech thee to fill me with all joy and peace, in believing, that I may abound in hope, through the Power of the Holy Ghost; [...]nd above hope, in hope believing, [...]ay never doubt of thy Promises, but in sure confidence of heart, apply to my self [...]he remission of my sins, and believe veri [...]y that I please thee in Jesus Christ, and [...]oking in a certain and strong hope, for [...]e salvation of my soul in the life to [...]me. And albeit, the helps and happi [...]ess of this present world appear not un [...] me; yet I beseech thee, O Lord, let me [...]tain a stedfast hope among all the ter [...]rs of conscience, and never suffer the [Page 52] same to be taken away from me by any snare of Satan. O thou only begotten Son of God, which hast loved me, and given me everlasting comfort in hope through grace: Comfort my heart, and establish my heart in every word and good work; that I stick not uncertain, neither be tossed between hope and fear; but may hold fast the confidence and rejoycing of hope unto the end: And assist me, O my God, and Father, I beseeh thee, that in all the ways of temptation and troubles in this world, I may patiently depend on thee, looking for corporal deliverance, according to thy will: And though the same come not as I wish, but be kept from me for a season, yet let me never doubt of thine aid and deliverance, but hope that coming it will come: And I beseech thee▪ O Lord, to grant me thy grace; that having this hope, I may purge my self from all offensive things to thee, and serve thee my loving God, through Jesus Christ m [...] Lord and Saviour, for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer against the Power of Satan.
O Lord my GOD, how do we daily pass the limits of thy will? We sin at least seven times a day, and pledge Mother Eva in the dregs of nature: This is the frailty of the flesh, and this is the weakness of all Adam's issue: A miserable case, O Lord, unless in thy mercy thou wilt wrap us, and cover us with the white rayment of thy Grace; that we being thine may never despair for any brunt of storm [...]ng Satan, be it never so perillous. O [...]ord, save me, in thy mercy behold me, [...]ave pity and compassion upon me, and [...]ark not my steps that are crooked; but [...]ast the eye of thy favour upon thy Son Christ, who was content to suffer the [...]leeding pains of the Cross, to satisfie thy [...]rath, and to deliver us from the sting of [...]hellish conscience: Wherefore I beseech [...]ee, O Lord, and most dear Saviour, not [...] observe mine iniquities; but to wash [...]e from the guiltiness of sin, in the [...]ood [...] thy mercies, and so to save me, that [...]ing dead in iniquity, and yet saved [...] thine infinite pity, I may give [...] glory unto thee, and sing with Our [...]other, the Church, that Salvation belongeth [Page 54] unto thee (O Lord) to whom be praise and glory for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Prayer for the desire of a Godly Life.
O My Lord God, how happy were I, if I might never hereafter in thought, word, or deed, commit the thing that should displease thy Divine Majesty. That life is the longing of my soul, and the substance of my wish, and the effect of my desire; my heart coveteth to see that blessed time, and my joys then should be such as no mortal man can tell. Truly, Lord, to know thee, with the Son and the Holy Ghost, is the true perfection of eternal life, the end of all blessedness, and the summ of all delights. No eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, nor hath it pressed into the depth of any mans understanding, to value the inestimable charity, delectation, and pleasure, of the same felicity; when we shall behold the Majesty of God face to face.
And verily most glorious God, I have reposed this hope in my heart, and do assure my self, through faith in thee, that these eyes wherewith I read these lines shall see that Glory, and this flesh wherewith I am cloathed in corruption, and [Page 55] nou [...]led in mortality, shall be a member of that immortal Kingdom: Unto the which, Lord, at thy appointed pleasure bring me; to whom, with the Son and the Holy Ghost, be all Power and Glory, for ever and for ever.
Amen.
An Evening Prayer.
O Omnipotent and eternal God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three in Persons and one in Substance, and from everlasting: I extol thy sacred Majesty, I praise thy unspeakable Mercy, thy Divine Truth I magnifie; for that of thy fatherly goodness, thou hast graciously heard me at this time, giving me a penitent heart, modesty to utter the same: Therefore will I praise thee for this, and all other thy goodness this evening; and going to rest, I will give thee thanks, because thou hast kept me this day of thine only Mercy, without any merit of mine, from all danger both in soul and body. O Christ and King of Glory, I beseech thee bless and defend me this night; let my rest be in thee, and grant me thy grace, that neither much sleep overwhelm me, nor Satan invade me, nor the flesh betray me unto him. Let mine eyes sleep, but let my heart [Page 56] wake: O Lord lighten mine eyes that I sleep not in death, lest the subtil tempter overtake me, and I sleep a continual and perpetual sleep, and awake no more: For thou art my everlasting helper. Keep me as the apple of thine eye, hide me under the shadow of thy sacred wings (O LORD) that neither ugly visions, nor horrible dreams, nor sights, nor monstrous apparitions trouble me in the dark. In thy name, O JESUS, will I go to rest this night; give sleep unto mine eyes, and slumber to mine eye-lids; compass me about, and raise me again to the joyful sight of to-morrow light; and after this my miserable life, bring me to the beholding of eternal happiness, that in thy light I may see light, and evermore praise thee for ever.
Amen.
Prayers for Tuesday Morning.
O Lord my God and heavenly Father, blessed be thy Name for ever: Dispose my heart, open my lips, and give me thy holy Spirit, &c.
A Psalm.
O God, my heart is ready, my heart is ready; O Lord, I will sing and give praise with the best member I have.
I will sing and give thanks unto thee, Lord, among the People, and I will sing Praises unto thee among the Nations.
For thy Mercies are greater than the Heavens, and thy truth reacheth unto the Clouds.
Set up thy self therefore, O GOD, above the Heavens, and thy Glory above all the Earth.
That thy beloved may be delivered: Let thy right hand save me, and hear thou me.
O help me against mine enemy, for vain is the help of man.
[Page 58] Through God I shall do great acts, and it is he that shall tread down mine enemies.
And deal thou with me, O Lord God, according to thy Name, for sweet is thy mercy.
Then will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, with my whole heart secretly among the Faithful, and in the Congregation.
The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
His work is worthy to be praised and had in honour, and his righteousness endureth for ever.
The merciful and gracious Lord hath so done his marvellous works, that they ought to be had in remembrance.
The works of his hands are verity and judgment, all his Commandments are true.
He sent Redemption unto his people, he hath commanded his Covenant for ever: holy and reverent is his Name.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom, a good understanding have all they that do thereafter, the praise of it endureth for ever. Glory be to, &c.
A Morning Prayer.
BLessed be my Lord God which doth wondrous things; and blessed be the Name of his Majesty for evermore: which hath set the Sun to lighten the day, and ordained the Moon and the Stars to govern the night. O most high God, which by thy unspeakable wisdom hast distinguished the day from the night; and hast so decreed, that while the World shall last, this course of times and days shall never have end, so that man in the night may rest, and in the day labour until the evening: for these and all other thy benefits I praise thy Name, and give thanks unto thee for thy great Glory. O God, the guider of my life, forsake me not; turn from me the filthin [...]ss of desire; remove from my heart all concupiscence, and take from thy servant too over-bold a stomach: suffer me not to run beadlong into riotousness; let not unlawful love overcome me, and give not thy servant over into an impudent mind. Turn mine eyes that they behold no vanity; strengthen me in thy way, and grant that mine offences in this World overcome me not: And I beseech thee, O Lord, with a most a [...]dent affection, that [Page 60] this day and ever thou wilt keep me and all mine; and that thou wilt be unto me a mighty Protector, firmament of strength, a covering against heat, a shadow at Noontide, a defence from falling, an assister from offending, a comforter of my Soul, a lightner of my mind, a giver of health and happiness in Christ JESUS my Lord and Saviour; to whom be all glory, honour and power, for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Confession to GOD.
O LORD, I am unworthy thy Comfort, or any spiritual consolation, by reason of my sins! that which I deserve is punishment, because I have so often offended thee, and in so many things so grievously sinned; And yet, O gracious and merciful GOD, who wilt not that thy works should perish, to declare the richness of thy goodness upon the vessels of thy mercy, far beyond the manner of men. But what have I done, O Lord, that thou shouldst impart upon me any spiritual comfort at all? truly I have done no good, but always have been prone unto sin, and slow to repent: and this is so true, if I should deny it, that thou wilt find me guilty, and no man durst stand up to [Page 61] excuse me; and therefore, O most dear Father, I do confess that I am worthy all reproach and contempt, and most unworthy to live among thy Sons and Servants: yea, and because it is true, I will yet confess against my wickedness, that so the sooner I may obtain mercy at thy hands. But what shall I (wretch that I am) say, being full of all manner of shame and infamy? What shall I say? Nothing but this; I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned, take mercy upon me, forgive me, suffer me yet a while to bewail my wretchedness before I pass over into the Land of promise, covered with the shadow of death; for what dost thou else of a guilty and miserable man require, but that he afflict and humble himself for his sins; from a true repentance and humbling of the mind ariseth hope of Pardon, the troubled conscience is relieved, the favour of God, which was lost, is recovered, and man is preserved from the vengeance to come; and with a holy kiss, both God and the sorrowful soul do meet together: With the which work of true repentance endue me, Good Lord, that I may do thy sacred Will in this life, and in the end enjoy everlasting happiness in the World to come; through Jesus Christ my Saviour, [Page 62] to whom be all glory power and might, for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Prayer for true Repentance to be purged of sin.
O Lord my God, what do I daily, but wander in the field of vanity? what is my heart but a filthy prison of corrupt thoughts? What is my mouth, but a stinking chanel of vain words? what are my feet, but chariots to bloodshed? what are my hands but battlers with charity? what is my head, but a castle of wicked devices? and what is my life, but a fardel of iniquity? I am nothing better than a dead tree, the root is perished, the bough wither'd, being good for nothing but for the fury of the flame? what then, good Lord, shall it be so? what, shall I burn, sweet Jesus! O save me for thy Names sake, and quicken [...]me, create a new heart within me, that I may bring forth much fruit, and for ever flourish, like a Tree planted by a river side. O pour the Oyl of Grace into my defiled heart, and season it with the salt of thy mercy, lest the fume of mine iniquities ascend up to thy nostrils, and provoke thy fury against me. Pour down some drops of [Page 63] thy precious blood from the clouds of thy Mercy, to quench out the angry flame of sin, which of my self I am not able to put out by the virtuous water of any merit: O Lamb of God, let me eat thy flesh and drink thy blood, that I may live by thee, and cloath me in the wooll of thy mercy, that no winter or storm of sin do pinch my silly soul. Thou, O God, art full of compassion and long-suffering, which continuest thy mercy for thousands, taking away iniquities, sins, and offences. Thou callest us after thy wonted mercy, by thy Word, to repentance and hearty conversion; for unto all and every one is repentance and forgiveness of sins preached in thy Name; therefore unto thee, O most merciful Father, do I cry, desiring thee to look back upon me thy unworthy servant, with the eyes of pity, even as thou looked'st back upon the sinful woman in the banquet: likewise favour thou me, O Lord, as thou didst the Publican, who standing afar off, smote his breast, and said, Lord be merciful unto me a sinner: And grant, O Lord, that among the fears and terrours of conscience, I may take hold of thee by a lively Faith, and never in the sight of conscience do yield my self, and despair; but upholden [Page 64] by the voice of the Gospel, I may flee unto thee my Redeemer, and have by faith, peace with God. And thou my Saviour which hast suffered for me in the flesh, give me grace, that likewise in the same mind I may be arm'd for the mortifying of my flesh; that henceforth I may live not after the lusts of men, but after the will of God, and keep the Devil under (O LORD) that he compel not my troubled conscience to despair, either by heaping or ripping up mine offences, or extenuating thy mercy; and grant that I may come unto thee by hearing thy word, unto Repentance, that thereby the Angels in Heaven may continually have occasion to rejoyce before thee, which livest and reignest ever one God, world without end.
Amen.
A Prayer for the Aid of GOD's Holy Spirit.
O Dear Father, forasmuch as every man living is of himself before thee but as a beast, neither knowing thee, nor the things concerning their duties unto thee; I as one of the most perverse, filthy and corrupt, do here humble my self before thee, begging at thy hands, that thou hast [Page 65] promised to give unto as many as ask it of thee, thy holy Spirit, that heavenly Comforter, which revealeth thee and thy will to the simple and ignorant, which also stireth up the minds and inward affections of thy children to call upon thee, by preparing their hearts, and opening their mouths to celebrate thy Name; bestow it, good Father, bestow it upon me, thy unworthy servant, and upon all thy children; and grant that although all of us are of corrupt affections, and polluted lips, yet we may be sprinkled with that Heavenly Hyssop, that we may have our hearts cleansed of the corrupt affections of this World; and the eyes of our understanding opened, that we may see the good things we should ask; and our feet that are fettered with the cares of vain things, may be set at liberty, that we may walk the right way unto the Kingdom of Heaven; and that the hands of our souls may apprehend & take hold of the Righteousness of thy Son Jesus Christ; & that by the aid of the same Spirit, we may cast off all impediments, letts, and incumbrances that detain us from coming unto thee. Sanctifie me within & without; wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow; let thy truth and thy spirit meet together in my soul, [Page 66] that my prayers may enter into thy presence, and that thine ears may incline unto my humble petition, so shall I declare thy loving kindness in the morning, and thy truth in the night season. Thou knowest whereof we be made, thou forgettest not that we are but dust, and unprofitable children; not fit, apt, nor able of our selves to pray unto thee, and praise thy Name: therefore, good Lord, allure me unto thee, to seek thee; and grant that with my whole heart and mind, I may always rejoyce and be comforted by thee, for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Prayer to acknowledg God in his Works.
O Most mighty and eternal God, thou by the creation of the world and all that therein is, hast sufficiently declared thy self to be the everlasting and Almighty God, for that these things do far pass the reach of mans wisdom: and not herein only hast thou declared thy self to be God; but in that also that thou dost continually guide and govern the same and all things of thee created: Seeing therefore, O most merciful Father, that we have both in our selves, and also in thy creatures so manifest Testimonies [Page 67] that thou only, O Lord, art that eternal and loving God, which dost reign in all thy creatures, guiding and governing them by thy Heavenly Providence; Grant I do beseech thee, that my heart may be hereof fully assured, to acknowledge thee not only to be God eternal, who hast created all things; but also that I may in heart be fully perswaded that thou, O Lord, dost govern all things according to thy most blessed will; so that nothing can be done in the whole world without thine appointment, and that thou hast such a singular care over thine Elect; so that not so much as an hair of their heads shall fall without thy Providence: Grant therefore, O Lord, I beseech thee, that I may hereof be fully assured in my Heart and Soul, and that I may in all my doings set thee before mine eyes, acknowledging thee to be my only Lord and Father; and by the working of thy holy Spirit in me, I may be confirmed in Faith, comforted in Soul, and lightned in Understanding; that always here on Earth I may glorifie thy holy Name, and after the dissolution of this my mortal body, I may attain thy everlasting joy with thy Elect, in thy glorious Kingdom, for ever and ever.
Amen.
A very fruitful Prayer to GOD.
WE are all Publicans, O LORD, open the ears of thy favour unto our cry, and have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us; we sin dayly, but yet save us, of pity save us; O shew thy compassion upon me, and let me not dye a Judas death, let me never tune the doleful song of Cain; but ingrave in my heart a full and lively faith in thee; that never doubting of thy bounteous mercy, I may with a free conscience set Satan at defiance, and all his hellish band; O merciful Lord, hear this my cry, and defend me with thy Grace against the power of Satan, who roareth of cruelty, and lurketh in every corner of malicious subtilty to tear me with the claws of his fury and merciless envy: Defend me with faith against him. O Lord, lay the plaister of comfort to my wounded conscience, and cover me with the wings of thy favour, that I may live and die in thee; and so be blessed for ever; to whom, O Father, with thy dear Son, and the Holy Ghost, be all power for ever.
A Prayer to Jesus Christ.
O My Lord God, and sweet Saviour Jesus Christ, grant unto me most frail sinner, and miserable wretch, thy grace and mercy; and that I may ever have present before the eyes of my soul, thy most holy life and behaviour; and that for my possibility and power, I may in living and manners follow the same: And grant me, good Lord, to profit, grow, and increase therein, to such perfections as may be acceptable unto thee, for the salvation of my soul: lighten, Lord, and make clear and bright my heart with the glorious light of thy Grace, that it may ever go before me, & follow me in all my acts, so that by thy conduct and guiding, I may accomplish & fulfil all that may please thy goodness, and utterly eschew and avoid the contrary; and vouchsafe, sweet Saviour, so to order and direct all my cogitations and thoughts, all my speech and words, all my acts and deeds, in thy Law and Commandments, and in thy Monitions and Counsel; and so take me (good Lord) unto thee, that here in all things doing thy will, I may by grace become one of thy saved souls, to live with thee, my Redeemer, for ever.
Amen.
Prayers for Tuesday Night.
O Lord my God and Father, blessed be thy Name for ever. Dispose my heart, and open my lips, &c.
A Psalm.
MY GOD, my GOD, look upon me; Why hast thou forsaken me, and art so far from my health, and from the words of my complaint?
O My GOD, I cry unto thee in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night-season also I take no rest.
And yet thou continuest holy, O Thou Worship of Israel.
Wherefore unto thee, O LORD, will I lift up my soul, my GOD, I have put my trust in thee: O let me not be confounded, neither let mine enemies triumph over me.
O remember not the sins and offences of my Youth, but according to thy mercy, think thou on me.
Who can tell how oft he offendeth? O cleanse me from my secret faults.
[Page 71] Keep thy servant also from presumptuous sins, lest they get the dominion over me, so shall I be undesiled and innocent from the great offence.
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart be always acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer.
For thy Name sake, O Lord, be merciful unto my sin, for it is great.
Look upon mine adversity and misery, and forgive me all my sins.
Hearken unto my voice, O Lord, when I cry unto thee, have mercy upon me, and hear me.
O hide not thy face from me, nor cast thy servant away in displeasure.
Thou hast been my succour, leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my Salvation.
I should utterly have fainted, but that I believe verily to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living.
Therefore shall every good man sing of thy praise without ceasing, O my God, and I will give thanks unto thee for ever.
Glory, &c.
A Prayer for the remission of sins.
O Most loving & bountiful Father, forasmuch as it is most meet, right, just, and requisite, that all flesh should praise, magnifie, and worship thee, & should without ceasing give thanks unto thee, who only art the Creator and Maker of all things, who of thine own mercy and goodness, didst send down thine only begotten Son, to take our nature upon him, and to suffer death for our sins, thereby to make a recompence for the offences which Man had committed against thee: And all this thou didst of thine exceeding bounty and kindness, without any desert of Mankind, not being so much as by any one Prayer, or yet treaty thereunto incited: I being therefore, O dear Father, imboldened with such an inestimable benefit, so freely given and bestowed, do without any fear at this time appear before thy Divine Majesty, prostrating my self before the seat of thy Mercy, and with all humbleness of heart and mind do make this my Prayer unto thee: despise me not O Lord, being defiled with sin and iniquity; be [...]merciful unto me a sinner, lighten the evil-sighted eyes of my mind, open the stopped [Page 73] stopped ears of my heart, that I may both see and hear, & understand that which thou teachest, & do always that thou commandest; and that I be not only a hearer of thy Word; but a practiser of the same in my life and conversation; Save and defend me from all shame and reproach; be thou my shield and buckler against all temptations; cleanse my mind and thoughts from all uncleanness; keep and preserve me from all danger both in body and soul, and guide me with thy grace, so to spend this my small, short, and transitory time in this world, that I may be a member of Christ, and partaker of thy eternal felicity: to the which, seeing that by mine own weakness I shall never be able to aspire, I do here, O Lord, take hold of that promise of thine, where thou hast said; Come unto me all ye that labour, and I will refresh you: this is my hold-fast, this is my anchor and sure stay, for verily, sweet Saviour, when I look upon mine own frailness, and behold how ready I am to offend, then I quake for fear; but as soon as I call to mind thy great love and Kindness, and thou wilt not the death of a sinner; and that in what day soever he doth heartily repent and call unto thee, then thou wilt hear him; then I am relieved, then I am not a little [Page 74] comforted, knowing surely that Thou wilt perform that which thou hast promised: in faithful assurance whereof, I now say unto thee, Turn thou me, O my GOD, and I shall be turned: be favourable unto me, O Lord, be favourable unto me thy servant, and heal my soul which is wounded with sin, for I do acknowledge mine iniquity, and am heartily sorry for mine offences, through which I have either in word or deed, thought, or any other kind of way offended thee; blot them out of thy remembrance, and let the Blood of that immaculate Lamb, JESUS Christ, wash them away: let mine old offences decay and die in me, that I never commit them any more, or by any means renew them in thy sight; and in the mean time do not withdraw thy grace from me, but cause me to do all that good is. O Father remove thy wrath away from me, and restore me to thy favour; turn thou thy loving countenance unto me, and plentifully pour forth thy mercy upon me; Guide thou my foot-steps in thy paths, and suffer me not at any time to stray from thy ways; let me always have the fear of thee in my heart; and if at any time through weakness and frailty I do transgress thy Commandments, yet do thou not therefore, good LORD, reject me, [Page 75] but be thou that good Samaritan, and pour the oyl and wine of mercy and forgiveness into those wounds which sin shall make in me; make me thy servant, and so endue me with thy grace, that I may unfeignedly with heart and voice serve, honour, and praise thee, through Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour, to whom be praise and glory, for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Prayer setting forth the power of GOD's Grace.
O Lord my GOD, who hast created me after thine own Image; give me Thy Grace which is most excellent and necessary unto all Salvation, that I may subdue my wicked nature, drawing me always unto sin and destruction: for I see in my flesh the Law of sin rebelling against the Law of my mind, and leading me captive to the satisfying of my vain desires in many things; so that without the assistance of thy most heavenly grace, poured zealously into my mind I am unable to resist the assaults thereof: Yea LORD, I take thy grace, and that much grace of thine, whereby my nature, prone to all impiety even from my youth, may be subdued and overcome; for Nature being [Page 76] fallen through the offence of the first Man, and desiled through sin, the punishment whereof hath redounded unto all mankind; so that, that nature which at the first thou didst make good and righteous, is now counted for the sin and infirmity of the corrupt nature; insomuch as the motions left unto it tend always unto evil and inferiour things; hence O Lord it is, that touching the inward man, I am delighted with thy Law, knowing that thy statutes are good, righteous and holy; and that they reprove wickedness, and teach that which is to be avoided; but in my flesh serve the Law of sin, whilest I obey the appetite more than reason; hence it is, that to will is present with me; but alas I find no means to perform; hereof it is, that often times I purpurpose to do many things well; but because thy heavenly favour and grace is wanting, which may help mine infirmity, I flee back and retire; yea, hereof it is, that I know indeed the way of righteousness, and see, as it were, in a glass what my duty is; but through the weight of my sin, I have no power to arise unto perfection: O Lord how greatly do I lack thy grace, both to begin what good is, and also to proceed throughly in goodness: for without it I can do nothing, but through the help thereof, [Page 77] I can do all things in thee: O Heavenly Grace, without which neither the merits of Man, nor the gifts of Nature are of price whatsoever: For the gifts of Nature are common, as well to the wicked as to the good: but thy Grace is a gift peculiar only to the Elect, which whoso have, are counted meet and worthy eternal life. Finally it is so excellent, that without doubt, neither the gift of prophecy, nor the working of Miracles is any thing worth: yea, neither faith nor hope, nor any other virtue are of price or accepted of thee, without love and grace: O blessed Grace, which maketh him rich with vertue, who is poor in spirit: Come, O come down unto me, and fill me early with thy comfort, that my mind with weariness and hunger faint not: O Lord, I beseech thee impart thy grace unto me, that is sufficient for me, though I have nothing in me else that nature would require; yea I protest, if that be with me, I will dread no temptation, nor trouble whatsoever; this is my strength, that bringeth counsel and help; yea, it is both mightier than all enemies, and wiser than the prudent; it is the Mystery of Truth, the teacher of Discipline, the light of the mind, the comfort in affliction, the expeller of sadness, the remover away of [Page 78] care, and the nourisher of Religion. At a word, without it, what am I but withered wood, and a root most unprofitable, to be cast away? Wherefore, O Lord, let this thy grace both go before, and also follow me, whereby I may continually apply my self to well-doing, through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour; to whom be all honour and glory, for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Prayer for a competent living.
O Almighty GOD, and loving Father, who of nothing hast created all things living; thy Providence is so great over them all, that thou sufferest not the most vile and simplest of them all to perish for want of relief, and things requisite for them, seeking the same at thy hands; yea, and such is thy favour, O Lord, towards Man, that thou dost most miraculously provide for him, in that all the rest of thy creatures thou hast ordained for his use and service, and yet not for all alike; for it hath pleased thee to make some poor, and some rich; some thou exaltest, and some thou keepest low; some to live at case, and some by labour, and yet none live without thy Providence: and I among the rest of thy creatures, do acknowledg [Page 79] my self greatly bound unto thee, for helping me hitherto; and as thy silly creature and work of thy hands I humbly prostrate my self in heart before thy Majesty, beseeching thee favourably to look down upon my necessity, and grant me whatsoever thou seest necessary for me, even a competent and necessary portion here; not over-much, lest I wax proud, and disdain my inferiours; and if it be thy will vouchsafe unto me, not over little, lest urgent necessity drive me to over-much care, and over-much care carry me to unlawful means, and so I run headlong into thy displeasure; but by truth in my calling I may be able to live and wade through the hardness of this world, and be rather helpful to the poor, than burthensome to the rich. O Lord bring it thus to pass; for without thy blessing and Fatherly furtherance, I cannot sufficiently execute, neither can that prosper, thereupon the whole state of my longing and maintenance dependeth: wherefore good Lord bless my understanding and endeavours, to the prosperous execution of all things which concern my vocation and calling, and grant, O Lord, that whatsoever doth happen unto me; as poverty or Riches, I may be of a patient mind, that in adversity I run not headlong into such means [Page 80] as are ungodly; neither in prosperity wax the prouder, but wait thy good pleasure in them both with thankfulness, and evermore live in thee and by thee, and in the end raign with thee in Heaven, where thou [...]ittest as author and giver of all thy Blessings. Grant this, O most merciful Father; to whom with thy Son, and the Holy Ghost, be all power and glory for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer to subdue our affections.
O Lord, Mighty and Merciful, who didst create Man, in the beginning, simple, sincere, and without spot of sin: In which his integrity and innocency he then presented thine own Image, which was pure and without spot of sin; and yet such was man, that he fell from thee by disobedience, whereby he corrupted his ways, and became [...]ar unlike unto thee, being defiled with all vanities, wherein alas, we all of us wallow, the most with greediness: wherefore most dear Father in JESUS, Christ, create in me new thoughts, new affections, shape in me true obedience that I may mortifie and kill all sin, and vain inclinations which rise up against Thee; let sin no longer bear rule in me, O Lord; but let thy grace more and more abound, [Page 81] that all that I do think, speak or do, may b [...] favouring more of the desire of Heaven and Heavenly things, than of earthly and carnal desires; that so I may be approved, not only before men, to be as ought, but to thee to be as Thou requirest; to whom, O Lord, be all honour and glory for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer for the Kings Majesty.
O Lord Almighty, the Governour, Preserver, and continual Protector of Princes, to whose beck and will all Kingdoms of the Earth are subject, look in mercy and favour, O Lord, I beseech thee, upon the state of thy servant, our dear Soverign Lord King Charles, and his Royal issue; be thou unto him and them a safe refuge in all time of danger; and let thy holy Spirt be unto him a continual guide in all his acts and procedings; direct him, to comfort, defend and support us, and either to bring our enemies to a perfect peace, in embracing the Truth with us, or confound their power and devices for ever.
An Evening Prayer.
O Heavenly Father, and eternal GOD, I honour thee, I praise thee, I yield thee most hearty thanks for all thy benefits; and at this time especially, O Lord, because thou hast patiently and attentively heard my petitions, and hast given me soberness and humbleness of mind, to utter the same without any interruption. I bless Thee my everlasting GOD, and with all my heart give thee thanks, for that not only thou hast saved me this day from death, from hurts, and from all perils from my cradle; but hast defended both my soul and body from all Misfortunes and Dangers: Therefore my soul magnifieth the Lord, and my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour, for he hath looked upon the afflictions of his servants: and now among all other thy goodness, O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; hearken, O God for thy Name sake, for it is called upon by me: O GOD of Heaven and earth, in the evening do I call upon thee, that remitting my sins, Thou wouldst receive me into thy Protection, & keep me this Night, that the Devil have no power over me; for Thou, O Lord, art my everlasting Protector; for behold, whether [Page 83] I sleep or wake, whether I live or die, I am always thine: let thy mercy follow me, O Lord, all the days of my life, that I may dwell in thy house and praise thee, and that I may in acknowledging thy greatness confess my sinful and wretched weakness: And visit me, O Lord, and drive from me all the assaults of mine enemies, both bodily and ghostly; and let thy holy Angel be with me, and keep me this night, and evermore, by thy grace; and ever let thy blessing be upon me this night, and for evermore.
Amen.
Prayers for Wednesday Morning.
O Lord my God and Father, blessed be thy name for ever: dispose my heart, and open my lips, &c.
A Psalm.
IN thee O LORD, have I put my trust, let me never be put to confusion: deliver me in thy Righteousness.
Bow down thine Ear unto me, make hast to deliver me.
Into thy hands I commend my Spirt, for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth.
I have hated them that hold superstitious vanities, and my trust hath been in the Lord.
I will be glad and rejoyce in thy mercy, for thou hast considered my trouble, and hast known my soul in adversity.
Shew thy servant the light of thy countenance, and save me for thy mercies sake.
O how plentiful is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, and that thou hast prepared for them that put their trust in thee.
[Page 85] Wherefore I will confess my wickedness, and be sorry for my sin; I will take heed unto my ways, that I offend not in my tongue.
Therefore withdraw not thou thy mercy from me, O Lord, but let thy loving kindness and thy truth always preserve me.
For my soul is a-thirst for God, yea, God, yea even for the living God; when shall I come to appear before the presence of God?
Yea as the Hart desireth the waterbrooks, so longeth my soul after thee, O God.
Wherefore send out thy light and thy truth, that they may lead me and bring me to thy holy hill, and to thy dwelling.
Why art thou so heavy, O my soul? and why art thou so disquieted within me?
O put thy trust in God, for I will yet give Him thanks, who is the help of my countenance, and my God. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the holy Ghost, &c.
A Morning Prayer.
O Most merciful and loving Father, I thank thee for the sweet sleep and comfortable rest that thou hast given me this night; and forasmuch as thou hast commanded by thy holy Word, that no man should be idle, but always occupied in godly and virtuous exercises, every man according to his calling: I most humbly beseech thee, O Lord, that thine eyes may attend upon me, that thy grace may daily defend me in danger: succour, cherish, and comfort me in all my needs and distress; and govern all my counsels, studies, and labours, in such wise, that I may spend this day according to thy blessed will, and the discharge of mine own conscience in thee; that warily avoiding all things that may displease thee, and setting always before mine eyes thy fear, I may (thy grace assisting me, and thy holy spirit guiding me) work that which is acceptable before thy divine Majesty, unto thy praise and glory for ever.
Amen.
A fruitful Confession to GOD for sins commited.
O Gracious GOD, have mercy upon me, have mercy upon me, look favourably upon me, incline thine ears towards me, and hide not thy Face now my soul is troubled. O Almighty GOD, from whose Sight there is no covert, and against whose power there is neither resistance nor flight; I beseech thee to cast off the blind burthen of fleshly affections; subdue my reason, regenerate my will, and purifie my nature; lead my desire that I may seek thee; lighten my understanding that I may see thee; for I can neither seek thee without thou direct me, nor see thee except thou reveal thy self. LORD, forgive mine ignorance, forget my presumption, Pardon mine iniquities, relieve my necessities; Let my sins no longer be a cloud between my Prayers and thy pity, between thy goodness and my distress; most gracious GOD, who art merciful towards all, suffer me not to be destitute of thy Mercy: for although I have committed that whereby I may be destroyed, yet hast thou neither forgone nor forgotten that whereby thou art wont to save: O wretch that I am, how coldly do I cry, how [Page 88] weakly do I crave, how senseless is my unclean soul? alas I am nothing but vanity, a rotten root, without any life or virtue; a barren ground, bringing forth nothing but sin, shame and damnation: I am unable either to give thee any thing, but of thine own goods, or do any thing for my self, but by thy free gift: Wherefore O my sweet Saviour, by the tender love, and by all thy mercies, reach thy helping hand, draw my soul out of the mire of sin, wherein it is fast set, that I perish not in the presence of thy pity: deliver me from the snares that the enemy hath laid to take the soul of sinners, either wilful or secure.
Put away occasions of evil before me, guide me unto thee the streightest course; and so long as I am to continue in this vile vale of misery, settle me in that state of life wherein I may best please thee: Give me grace, O gracious God, although I have hitherto had no care to live well, yet I may now wholly and holily bend my care to dye well; and that from henceforth I may live in thy fear, and dy in thy favour, rest in thy peace, and remain in thy joy for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer for Patience.
O Most gracious and omnipotent Father, whose mercy is everlasting and power infinite, bow down thine ear and hearken unto my Prayer which I make before thee, beseeching thee of thy accustomed goodness, to endue me with the works of Mercy and deeds of charity; and above all things, to give me patience in adversity, meekly to suffer, and patiently to take whatsoever it shall please thee to lay upon me, and never to murmur or to grudge thereat, but always to think thy loving and gentle correction to be much less than the deserts of my great and manifold offences. And again, if I be not under correction, then am I not thy child! for what father is he that correcteth not his children whom he most entirely loveth? this then is a most evident token that thou lovest us, when as thou correctest us: for as the Scripture saith; Whom God loveth, him He chasteneth. Thou [...]eest all things, Thou understandest and knowest all things; so that not so much as one little sparrow lighteth upon the ground without thy knowledge, yea and our very thoughts are fore-known unto thee; Thou disposest and orderest all things [Page 90] as seemeth best to thy holy will and pleasure. By thy help I may do all things, but without thee I can do nothing. When thou pourest upon us thy creatures, thy good gifts and benefits, Thou dost it to this end; that we acknowledging the same, should thereby be encouraged to serve, honour and obey thee; and contrary wise, when thou strikest us with thy rod of correction, thou dost it to put us in mind that we have transgressed thy Commandments; that we have not hearkened unto thee, but willingly fallen into the puddle of sin, and following our own appetites, have provoked thy just wrath and indignation against us. Thus thou dealest with us, O Lord, to the intent that we suffering bodily punishment, and feeling the smart of the same, may thereby be admonished of our duties; and with true compunction of heart, desire to be released from the scourge that we have deserved. This, O heavely Father, I acknowledge to be our duty; but alas, I for my part have not performed the same as I ought; yet I beseech thy goodness not to execute the rigour of thy Justice upon me, but to stay thy hand; and before thou give me any greater wound, to behold my humility and repentance, and here I do offer thee, O Lord, according as the poor widow did, [Page 91] all which I am able to give; that is, a sorrowful contrition of heart for my former offences done and past: wherefore I beseech thee to give me grace, that what way soever it shall please thee to punish me, [...] may take it patiently, and say, Naked I came into this World, and naked I shall return to the Earth again: The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away, even as it pleaseth the Lord, so be it. Suffer me not, O Lord, to despair, or to think that thou dealest unjustly with me; but say, Shall I receive Prosperity at the LORD's hands, and not be con [...]ent with adversity? and always to think upon this, Happy are they whom thou [...]ost punish; for though thou makest a wound, Thou also givest a plaster; though Thou smitest, thy hand maketh whole again: Mine iniquities are great, be thou merciful unto my wickedness; O deliver me from thine anger, and press me not further than I shall be able to bear; but now [...] acknowledge that whatsoever trouble thou hast sent me, or wilt lay upon me, is either for the punishment of mine iniquities, or for the tryal of my Constancy; I may with repentant David, find remission of my sins; and with patient Job, release of mine adversity, and obtain such favour in thy sight, that I may so pass [Page 92] this life, that I may afterwards live with thee in thy eternal Glory: grant this O [...] most loving Father, for thy dear Son's sake Jesus Christ; to whom with the holy Ghost, be all Honour and Glory, for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Prayer for Humility.
O My sweet Saviour Jesus, it is thine own Lesson: Be humble and meek as I am: it is thy Word also; My sheep hear my Voice: but Lord what shall I do, the flesh is proud, I daily rebel against thy holy will, I envy my superiours, I love not my equals, I despise mine inferiours: This is the fruit of the [...]lesh, O Lord, but thou art love and life, O loving Jesus; and therefore, I beseech thee of thy tender love to pity me, and to endue me with the spirit of humbleness, that being poor i [...] in spirit, I may with the little ones of thy Kingdome be blessed and live for ever: O Lord, for the avoidance of pride, give me thy grace to consider, that by it an Angel became a devil, and Man was excommunicated from the Paradise of pleasure; desire of Soveraignty begat the devil, sin, death and damnation; so that out of it, as a most filthy puddle, issu'd a whole Sea of [Page 93] mischief and misery: Of this cup of pride, father Adam drank, when by his disobedi [...]nce he lost thy favour, and by the taste of [...]n Apple, thought to be thy Co-mate, in knowing of good and evil; Give me thy Grace not only to consider this but also ful [...]y to digest it; that detesting it as a venemous Viper, I may in humbleness of heart [...]erve thee holily and soundly, without hy [...]ocrisie, who art the pattern of low liness, [...]nd a mirror of humility, continually to [...]e looked upon, and truly to be followed. [...] life and lover of Souls, give me grace [...]lways to hear, and hearing thy word, to [...]ollow thee my Lord and God, both now [...]nd for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer for Gods fear.
O Almighty and eternal God, thy Holy Word teacheth us, that thou art not [...]nly a Father, but also a LORD; not only [...] Forgiver, but also a revenger; not only [...] Saviour, but also a Judge: and as thou be [...]g a Father, a Saviour, and Forgiver, dost [...]ardon and shew Mercy; so thou being a [...]ord, a revenger and a Judge, punishest [...]nd condemnest: Neither doth thy Holy Word set forth unto us a Gospel which com [...]orteth us, quickneth us, sheweth us Joy ful [Page 94] tidings, quieteth our Consciences, & bringeth us unto everlasting life; but also a Law which reproveth, accuseth, condemneth, woundeth, and slayeth our Consciences, ye [...] and throweth us down head-long into everlasting perdition, so that by this we may see, that we may not only love thee as Father, Saviour, and forgiver; but also fear thee as a Lord, a revenger, and a Judge, for asmuch therefore, O most gentle Saviour, and most righteous Judge, as nothing doth so mightily put away sin, and make us to walk in the way of thy Commandments, as reverently to fear thee, and to stand in awe of thy Judgments and heavy despleasure: I most entirely pray and beseech thee, to give me that fear which thou requirest of us in thy holy Word, and whereunto thou hast promised so many large and bounteous benefits, that I may not only love thee as a Father, and honour thee as a Saviour, but reverence thee as a Lord, and fear thee as [...] Judge; O Lord, all things are open to thine eyes, neither is any thing hid fro [...] Thee, which seest the most inward thought and secrets of our hearts. Give me grace O Lord, I beseech thee, that in all my enterprises, I may ever set thy fear before mine eyes, and so stand in aw of thee and of thy Righteous judgments, tha [...] [Page 95] I attempt nothing whereby I should provoke thy heavenly displeasure against me; but so walk in thy fear, and in thy holy Ordinance, that I may at all times love thee as a Father, honour thee as a Saviour, reverence thee as a Lord, and fear thee as a Judge; So shall it come pass, that I reverently loving thee as a child doth his Father, shall not only avoid all such evils as might make thee my heavy Lord, and fearful Judge; but also imbrace those virtues, which shall both evidently declare my faithful love, true honour, unfeigned reverence and humble fear towards thee; and also thee my Lord and loving Father, and most merciful Saviour; to whom be all honour and glory for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer for the desire of Heavenly things.
O My GOD, O the sweet life of my soul! what other thing besides thee ought I to look after? what, have I not all things if I do possess thee who hast created all things? There is nothing of any estimation, but only such things as thou hast made; for whatsoever grace of [...]omliness, pleasantness, fineness, sweetness, virtue, dignity or riches, consisteth [Page 96] in any creature, the same proceedeth from thee, O God, and all things abundantly slow without any lack: O Creator most excellent, thou art the pleasure of all things, thou art the abundant fulness of perfect joy, and the unmeasurable Sea of all holy delight: Thou art that light and incredible clearness and passing brightness, which they do hear, see, taste and feel, that are inwardly joyned unto thee, through exceeding pureness of heart, while they yet remain in this present exile: The loving embracements, nor the dainty kisses of the Mother, appeaseth the weeping of her tender child; nor the pleasant countenance of the husband towards his loving wife, are but as shadows and of no value, in respect and consideration of the sweet embracements, wherewith thou, O Lord, dost allure the souls of those that love thee: But if poor banished men can be so blessed and happy, and that they can see such incomparable goodness, who see thee but in a dark shadowed glass: how much more happie ought we then to judge of thy holy Citizens who see thee face to face? those thy beloved children, do now most manifestly know, and in themselves do feel how much thou dost favour and love them, and from the beginning hast loved them: thou O [Page 97] Lord, it is that doth qualifie, gladden, refresh and satisfie with a delicate desire of enjoying thy company, the hearts and wills of all men; and to say all, O eternal GOD, thou art all in all, in that most holy City of New Jerusalem: That is the happy day, and the singular day, whereof thou O Lord Jesus hast spoken to thy Disciples: In that day you shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you: O day so much wished-for with most hearty desire, wherein the holy souls shall be united unto thee, O GOD, and shall be inspired with a marvellous light of wisdom, and transformed into the brightness of eternal Glory; O Jesus grant I beseech thee, that so long as I am in the darkness of this misty desart, that the eyes of my mind may behold and contemplate the most shining light and brightness of thee, O God, and that I may always praise thee for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Prayer to God for zeal in Prayer.
O My GOD, and Father, I beseech thee, that if at any time I feel in my self any faintness or failing of fervency in calling upon Thee, that Thou wilt kindle within [Page 98] my heart the Heavenly heat of thy most holy Spirit, that I may burn in the Zeal of thee and thy holy house; and grant me thy Grace O LORD to cry with thy holy Apostle for the increase of Faith; that being awakned and stirred up by thy most tender and Fatherly affection and instigation, I may enjoy the effect of all my godly and necessary desires, which thou hast promised to give unto me in thy Son JESUS Christ; for whose sake I expect all good things at thy hands: make my heart the undefiled instrument of peace and perfect thoughts, and my tongue the Trumpet of thine eternal Praise, my body the habitation of the Holy Ghost, mine eyes the windows to behold the worthy way that leads to Thee; my legs the supporters of my body and Soul, towards the attaining of thy heavenly Kingdom: O LORD, thou knowest my hearty desire is always to serve thee, and evermore to abide in thy love and favour: Grant unto me, LORD, of thy gracious goodness, that I may live in thy Law, walk in thy way, and die in thy Faith; and that I may clearly be delivered of the bondage of sin, and be wholly out of death and damnation: give me the peace which the world cannot give; grant me the joy [Page 99] which thine Elect do possess; sustain me with the comfort that never shall be void; erect me with the hope that always shall persist; instruct me with thy Word that ever shall endure; and advance me to thy Kingdom that never shall have end: then shall thy Glory still live in me, and I shall never die, but Raign with thee for ever; to whom, O Father, be all honour and glory, world without end.
Amen.
Prayers for Wednesday Night.
O Lord my God and Father, blessed be thy name for ever: dispose my heart, and [...]pen my lips, &c.
A Psalm.
O LORD my GOD, thou hast searched me out, and known me, thou knowest my downsitting, and [...]y uprising; thou understandest my thoughts long before.
Thou art about my path, and about my [...]ed, and spyest out all my ways.
[Page 100] For lo, there is not a word in my tongue, but thou, O Lord, knowest it altogether.
My reins are thine, thou hast cover'd me in my mothers womb.
I will give thanks unto thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well.
My bones are not hid from thee, though I be made secretly, and fashioned beneath in the earth.
Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book were all my members written.
Which day by day were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
O how dear are thy counsels unto me, O God, O how great is the summ of them!
O enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the ungodly; preserve me from wicked men, which are purposed to overthrow my goings.
Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense; and the lifting up of my hands be an evening Sacrifice.
[Page 101] Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips.
O let not my heart be inclined to any evil thing, let me not be occupied in ungodliness with the men that work wickedness, lest I do such things as please them.
But teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee, for thou art my God, let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness.
A Prayer for mortification.
O Righteous God, and merciful Father who art so pure and clean, that no corruption resteth in thy sight; and [...]ith there is required in all men the sincere and inward zeal of the soul, and an absolute killing of the motions of the flesh, and mortifying of all carnal affection: look favourably upon me, O LORD, in whom doth dwell an innumerable troop of foolish fantasies, and an heap of sinful affections: I find and feel, O LORD, that though many times to will be present with me, yet to perform is not in my power; sin doth prevail, and death through sin swalloweth me up, so that I rest in darkness of sin, by giving scope unto mine own perverse will; and such [Page 102] is my miserable estate, that being thus of my self, flesh and blood slattereth it self, and concludeth that whatsoever I purpose in an evil desire, so that it break not forth into open gross wickedness, that I am holy enough, that I am as sincere as is requisite, and that I stand too fearful of thy judgment. When thou knowest, O Lord, that all and every the least conceit of sin, breaking into action, in what covert measure, or mean degree soever, it by and by endangereth my soul, and deserveth sudden judgment; and therefore let it please thee, O Father, that as thy dear Son, through thy surpassing love, hath reconciled all such unto thy favour again, that are truly penitent, so let thy holy Spirit continually work to the taming of my unbridled flesh; and let me, by the same Spirit, come to a true mortification of all the evils that rise up in me; So shall I deny and forsake my self, and follow thee; so shall I leave my self, and come to thee; hate my self, and love thee; conquer my self, and serve thee.
And here thou [...]eest, O my dear Father, that I am most weak, and without the continual working of thy grace, I cannot in any measure suppress my desires, but that they rather the more strongly rise in me: I [Page 103] cannot deny my self, but I rather deny the working of thy grace in me; I do not only not mortifie my sins, but sin rather reviveth and becometh strong in me, in as much as it bringth forth fruit, not unto life, but unto death: therefore I beseech thee, O heavenly Father, to sanctifie me that I defile not my self with the filthiness of the flesh, nor fleshly things, howsoever they may seem to please me: let me not be deceived with the pleasing judgments of worldly men, who affirm sin to be no sin, darkness to be light, and light to be darkness, Atheism to be Religion, and sanctity to be sin. O dear Father, many are the Enormities that rise up in us, and defended not only as things tolerable, but as things laudable: wherefore I beseech thee to mortifie these evils, and let me no longer be sotted with the filthy fashions of this world: extinguish the flames of carnal desires, repress the rageing lusts of the flesh: and grant that I may with shame, and with due watchfulness avoid all things that have but the appearance of evil; but being thus inwardly subdued, I may make outward profession, that whatsoever I do, it may be simply grounded upon a good conscience: and let me still retain this in memory, O Lord, that I cannot [Page 104] follow mine own will and thy word, that I cannot impart my affections to the deed of the flesh, and the works of the Spirit, that I cannot walk in darkness and light, in the way of death, and in the way of life: wherefore, O most dear Father direct me in my whole life, and separate me from the World, and worldly things; and let me dwell with thee in all Godly meditations and contemplations, and let me use the things of this world as I used them not: and being thus truly mortified in the body, and quickned in the spirit, I may look in continual watchfulness for the dissolution of this my mortal body, that my soul may ascend, and in the end, both soul and body may for ever more enjoy the eternal joys of Heaven.
Amen.
A Prayer against desperation.
O Most merciful GOD, greatly have I sinned, and alas am guilty of many crimes: therefore unto thee do I cry, O most holy Father and eternal God, keep me in thy Name, that in Temptations and extremities I never faint in courage; Moderate and mitigate my vexations, let them come to a joyful end, that I fall not into the [Page 105] most heinous sin of incredulity and despair. O Christ JESUS, Saviour of the world, whose mercy cometh unto us like a stream, who art my eternal happiness, I do from the botto mof my heart beseech thee, to increase, establish, hope, and strengthen patience within me; for this certainly is true, that one little drop of thy sacred Blood shed for us is of more power to save us, than all our enormous sins to condemn us: wherefore, O sweet Saviour, look upon me with the eyes of mercy, as thou lookedst back upon Peter in the Hall of the High-Priests Palace, after he had both renounced thee, and cursed himself: O God the holy Ghost be thou present with me in mine extream need, when the Devill will accuse me, and my conscience bear witness against me; when I shall be environed with horrible danger and temptations, and all things set themselves against me.
Strengthen my heart at that time, O comfortable Spirit, with the Zeal of thy Testimony, that undoubtedly I may believe the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the flesh, and everlasting life, which shall be given to all believers. O blessed Trinity, and eternal God of one essence, give grace that in every combate, especilly at the point [Page 106] of death, being mindful of thy Covenant made with me in Baptism, and of thy most comfortable promise annexed; which is, that all that believe and are baptised shall be saved, I may never doubt either of thy merciful good will towards me or of the free remission and forgiveness of my sins; but by often remembrance of this Sign and Covenant, I may daily more and more be confirmed in faith and hope of eternal happiness: and here, O holy Trinity, lift up my sorrowful heart, and pour upon me the wholsome comfort of thy Heavenly bliss, and at the point of death refresh me with the sweet light of thy chearful countenance; that with exceeding joy I may desire to depart, and come to thy heavenly house, where Thou livest and reignest as my eternal GOD and Father, for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Prayer for the Power of GOD's Spirit to abide in us.
O Omnipotent and eternal GOD, and Father, which comfortest such as be sorrowful, and who givest all good gifts, thou of thy free favour and love, hast willed us in all our affairs and necessities, and as often as we stand in need of any of [Page 107] thy blessings, or feel our selves burdened with any kind of tribulation or affliction either of body or mind, to call upon thee in the Name of thy Son Jesus Christ, and thou wilt grant what we want; most humbly I beseech thee, to send down upon my dark understanding, the bright beams of thy most holy Spirit, to lighten me, and to direct me in all my supplications and prayers; and especially at this time, O Lord, for that thou knowest my weakness and ignorance to be such, as I am altogether unable to frame my requests according to thy will, or to seek that which is for mine own souls health; wherefore I most humbly beseech thee, O Lord, in the Name of him thy Son, to address and prepare my heart to the true understanding, and unfeigned calling on thy Name for such things as thy wisdom shall think most expedient for me, both to the obtaining of thy heavenly Kingdom, which is before all things to be sought for, and for temporal blessings best known to thee; which in respect of my ignorance, my dulness, my corruption, my weakness, and the guilt of mine own conscience, I cannot crave in such due and faithful manner as I ought; and therefore, most dear Father, I here beseech thee in the [Page 108] Name of thy Son Christ, that thou wilt ai [...] me with thy holy Spirit in my prayers; that being of my self dull, I may be made Zealous; and whereas I am of my self cold, I may be thereby made fervent and faithful, that my Prayers be not as a smoke which vanisheth, or as the wind which passeth away, being only in the lips, and not firm in the heart; let it be effectual and an acceptable sacrifice, sweet and pleasing in thy sight; and that nothing pass the bounds of thy unfeigned lips, that which may beseem a single heart, always sounding thine honour, and setting forth of thy most glorious praise: let thy holy Spirit, O Lord, come unto me; let it continue with me, work, and prevail effectually in me, unto the end; that I may both at this time begin, and for evermore continue as thou will est I should, namely in Faith; that I fall not into any temptation, in hope that I may constantly look for, and faithfully attain unto perfect understanding of thy will, and ableness in all things to fulfil the same; make me also, good Lord, fervent in love, that I may freely and unfeignedly, even from my very heart, forgive and forgot all injuries, wrongs, and evil doings, of such as by any means have offended me, with hearty [Page 109] prayer for their amendment, that I approaching unto the Throne of thy mercy, in a pure and single heart, may heartily, as well for all others, as for my self, for things necessary both for my soul and body, make my humble petitions unto thee, and in thy good time, tast that most sweet fruit of my humble desires, according unto thy will; so shall I shew forth thy praise, and give glory to thy Name for ever and ever, world without end.
Amen.
A Prayer for the victory against sin.
O LORD, there is no Victory without Fighting, nor any Crown without Victory; give me therefore power, O Lord, that fighting valiantly, I may be crowned gloriously in Heaven with thee to live for ever: minister strength unto me, that I may over-master mine enemies, and give me the spirit of patience, that continuing unto the end, I may be found and taken as a faithful Souldier of thy Son Jesus Christ, and so be blessed: let me not faint in fear, but let me fight in a lively saith, which over-matcheth all the whole world; plant me a natural branch, by the power of thy holy Word in the Vine Jesus, and make me able [Page 110] to endure every crack: let no canker of sin, eat me, let no worm of a guilty conscience gnaw me, let no blast of the world overcome me; but stay me up with thy mighty hand, and be ever at my elbow, that I may be crowned though I be crossed, and saved, though now soused in extream misery; in this is all my hope: for surely of my self I am but a vapour, a worm; I am born of a woman in sin, a sinful child by nature, and to my power wage battel with Satan against my self, to my utter undoing, O Lord, unless thou regenerate me, and assist me with thy Spirit, always to resist him; which do, O gracious God, I beseech thee for thy great mercy, to whom be all power and glory for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer to be mindful of death.
O GOD, in whose hands consisteth the life of all mankind, for thy Son Christ's sake, vouchsafe to give me grace to set before mine eyes, as a most certain mark, whereto this frail body of mine must tend it self, the Image of that which is to the faithful the end of pain, and the begining of pleasure; the end of misery, and the beginning of bliss: but to the secure [Page 111] and careless, the end of their pleasures, and beginning of eternal pains. And vouchsafe, good LORD, that I may have an earnest desire of serving thee, and leading my life according unto thy will, that whensoever it shall please thee to call me out of this life, I be not through fear stricken with doubt of condemnation, but even at the last gasp, through unfeigned Faith in Jesus Christ, may take and have taste of eternal Salvation, that death be not bitter or terrible unto me; but rather when it cometh, I with joy receive the same in the Name of thy Son JESUS Christ. Bless me, good Lord, from the second death, the everlasting destruction both of body and soul, and justifie me in the death of thy Son that my Name may be registred in the Book of Life. O Lord comfort my guilty conscience with the everlasting light of thy bountiful savour, and let me have place among thy Saints in thy Heavenly Kingdom. LORD, for thy mercies sake, after this my bodily death, give me the fruition of thy presence, in the rich Palace of endless bliss: to whose merciful Protection I commend with all humility and reverence, my soul and body. Lord Jesus preserve me, Lord Jesus comfort me, Lord Jesus pray for me; for only [Page 112] into thy hands that hast redeemed me, O Lord thou God of truth, I commend my soul both now and for ever:
Amen.
A Prayer for a happy departure out of this life.
O Most gracious and eternal GOD, thy years endure throughout all generations, and thy days are without end or beginning, but the days of Man are determined, which he cannot overpass, and the number of his Months are foreknown unto thee: wherefore instruct me O LORD, that being always mindful of my mortality, I never promise unto my self many years, nor long life in this pilgrimage of mine, so shall I not live securely, deferring my conversion to thee from day to day; nor yet put confidence in this frail and uncertain life, as that rich man spoken of in the Gospel: but give me grace, that in thy fear I may dayly prepare my self to depart out of this prison; for nothing is more certain than death, though nothing more uncertain than the hour thereof: therefore I beseech thee O Lord, to let me have always before mine eyes an image and mediation of my departure, the better to know the fleeting [Page 113] and vanity of this srail and cumbersome life; that I may live to thee my God, being sound in faith, and strong in hope, looking with cheerfulness for the day of my departure, and the joyful appearing of thy Son Jesus Christ my Redeemer; and make me I beseech thee, O LORD, a faithful and wise servant, looking for the coming of my Lord, for that I know not when he will come, lest by a sudden hour of death being overtook, I being found unready; but contrariwise, by prudent watching in true conversion and repentance, I may covet to be dissolved, and to be with CHRIST my Redeemer; and grant also, O LORD, that at the point of death, having escaped all hardness and temptations, I may triumph like a Conquereor, and behold the power and presence of thy holy Spirit; and let my last word be that which thy Son did utter upon the Altar of the Cross, saying, Father into thy hands I commend my spirit; and when my speech is taken from me, hear O God the groanings of my heart; and the hour of death being come, let thy servant depart in peace, through JESUS Christ my Lord and Saviour; to whom be all praise and glory, for ever and ever,
Amen.
A Petition to GOD the Father.
O Omnipotent GOD and Father, I have asked here at this time many things of thee, and yet not deserved any; I confess alas, that not only those things which I require be not due unto me, but in stead of them most grievous punishments; yet O LORD, lay not my sins to my charge, for if thou shouldest, I were not able to abide or stand in thy sight, but O LORD, I most humbly beseech thee, that thou wilt forgive me all that is past; and grant that I may never hereafter offend in the same again: and vouchsafe I beseech thee of thy goodness O Lord, to direct, sanctifie, and keep my heart and body, my senses and doings, my talk and communication, in thy most holy Laws and Commandments; and that thy holy Angel may be with me, to direct my feet unto the way of peace, truth and health; that I may be whole, safe and free in thee, and by thee, both here and in the world to come. O Christ hear me, and save me, which livest and reignest with the Father and the holy Spirit; God in perfect unity; to whom be praise for ever, world without end.
Amen.
An Evening Prayer.
O Heavenly Father, I with all humility and reverence of heart and mind, beseech thee this night, which thou hast ordained for man to rest in, that thou wilt guard and protect me with thy good guiding Spirit; and albeit my sinful flesh shall slumber and sleep, yet grant that my soul may continually keep watch and ward; let not the enemy find me slumbering and sleeping, as careless in the cradle of sinful security, lest that whilst I am unarmed, that is, naked and destitute of thy help and favour, he enter in and break up the house of my sinful body; and make such havock and spoil, and that my infected leprous soul, deformed by means of mine iniquity, and wounded with the dangerous darts of transgression, be thrown with the body of sin, unto the lake of destruction; make me still, O good Lord, to consider that the bed is the plain pattern of the grave; make me to understand, that when I am laid of my self; without thy Heavenly Providence, I cannot be able to rise again; make me also to acknowledge that sleep is the very Figure of death, to whose stroke, at thy appointed [Page 116] pleasure I must submit my self; endue me with love and charity to all men; let my lamp, O Lord, be garnished with oyl, that whensoever thy messenger death shall draw nigh, and knock at the gate of my body, I may at his summons in the day of the Resurrection of the dead, be ready to attend on thee my Bride with my burning lamp; that is with a stedfast faith, when as by Faith I shall be cloathed with a new: for my mortal body shall be then covered with immortality and the corruption of my sinful and rebellious flesh then changed to incorruption and perfect purity: thy righteousness shall be mine, thy merits shall make me perfect and holy, by vertue whereof, hell shall lose his victory, death shall lose his sting, my faith and hope shall have its end and reward; and I with thy Saints, continually dwell in love and charity with thee and my Heavenly Bridegroom Christ Jesus; to whom with the Father, and the holy Ghost, be ascribed all power and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Prayers for Thursday Morning.
O Lord my God and Heavenly Father, blessed be thy Name for ever: dispose my Heart, open my Lips, and give me thy Holy Spirit, &c.
A Psalm.
SAve me O GOD, for thy Names sake, and avenge me in thy strength. Hear my Prayer, O God, and hearken to the words of my mouth. An offering of a free heart will I give thee, and praise thy Name, O Lord, because it is so comfortable.
I will praise God, because of his Word, I have put my trust in God; and will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
In Gods word will I rejoyce, in the Lords word will I comfort me.
For thou hast delivered my soul from death, and my feet from falling, that I might walk before thee in the light of the Living.
Therefore will I call unto the most High [Page 118] God, even unto the God that shall perform the cause which I have in hand.
He shall send from Heaven, and save me from the reproof of him that would eat me up.
He verily is my strength and my Salvation, he is my defence, so that I shall not greatly fall.
For the greatness of his mercy reacheth to the Heavens, and his truth unto the Clouds.
Wherefore my soul thirsteth for him, my flesh also longeth after him, in a dry and barren land where no water is.
Thus have I looked for thee in holiness, that I might behold thy power and glory.
For thy loving kindness is better than the life it self, my lips shall praise thee.
My soul shall be satisfied even as it were with marrow and fatness, when my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.
Because thou hast been mine helper, therefore under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce. Glory be, &c.
A Morning Prayer.
O Heavenly Father, which like a diligent Watchman attendest always upon thy children, whether they wake or sleep, and mightily defendest them, not only from Satan that old enemy of mankind, but also from all other their adversaries; so that through thy Godly power, they be harmless preserved: I most humbly thank thee, that it hath pleased thy goodness so to take care of me thy unprofitable servant this night past; that thou hast both safely kept me from all mine enemies, and hast given me sweet sleep unto the comfort of my body. I most entirely beseech thee, merciful Father, to shew the like goodness towards me this day in pre [...]erving my body and Soul, that mine enemies may have no power over me, and that so likewise I may neither breath, [...]peak, or do any thing that may be displea [...]ing to thy Fatherly goodness, dangerous [...]o my soul, or hurtful to my neighbour; [...]ut that all my enterprises may be agree [...]ble to thy most blessed will, which is always good and godly, doing that that may always advance thy glory, and [...]nswer to my vocation, that whenso [...]ver Thou shalt call me from this vale [Page 120] of misery I may be found the child not of darkness, but of light, and so for ever to reign with thee in glory, who art the true and everlasting Light; to whom with the Son and the Holy Ghost, be all power and glory for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Prayer for true sorrow of heart for sin.
O Most merciful God and dear Father, vouchsafe I beseech thee to look down with thy fatherly eyes of pity upon me most vile and wretched sinner which lye here prostrate in heart, before the feet of thy bottomless mercy; for I have sinned against the throne of thy glory, and before thee O Father; yet nevertheless, forasmuch as thou art the God of all comfort, and again desirest not the death of a sinner, make me I pray thee, by infusing thy precious oyl of comfort into my wounds, that I may joyfully run with the lost son into the lap of thy pity; for lo [...] thou art my hope and trust, in whom [...] repose my self, having in thee full confidence in faith; yea, and I most vile wretch, do here accuse my self unto thee O Father, in that I have so sore and grievously offended thy Almighty goodness [Page 121] in the committing of so many grievous and manifold offences; I have not kept the least of thy most holy Commandments, like as thy righteousness may require the same of me; but in what manner soever I have offended against thy eternal Majesty, whether it hath been by day or by night, secretly or openly, O merciful GOD, I am sorry for it, even from the bottom of my heart, yea my soul mourneth that I am not a thousand times more sorry than I am: and here in token of true repentance, I do knock and strike my heart and say in bitterness of my heart and soul, Lord GOD the Father, have mercy; Lord GOD the Son, have mercy; Lord GOD the Holy Ghost, have mercy, and spare me of thy infinite goodness now and for ever; and let my heart have part of thy abundant grace, so as I may change my sinful life, and put off the old man with all concupiscence, and that I may die unto the world, and the world to me: give my soul grace, O my GOD, to desire in thee only to rejoyce and repose my self, and that I may utterly renounce and forsake the vain assistance of this World, so that thou mayst find me ready with the good servant in the midnight of death, which shall suddenly steal upon me, like a thief [Page 122] ere I be aware: wherefore be thou to me at that time (O Lord) a tower of strength, a place of refuge, and a defensible GOD, namely against the face of the Devil, who then will be ready to devour me, and against desperation, which then will be ready to grieve me: let then thy comfort cleave fast to me, thy mercy keep me, and thy grace guide me; fetch then again, Lord GOD the Father, that which thy puissant might hath shapen; fetch then again, Lord GOD the Son, that which thou hast so wisely governed, and bought with thy precious Blood; take again, thou Lord GOD the Holy Ghost, that which thou hast kept and preserved so lovingly in this region of sin, and vale of misery, three persons and one GOD; to whom be all glory and power, for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer for Wisdom.
O Almighty and everlasting GOD, it is thy gift, that babes and men of base degree have the knowledge and understanding of thy will, and men of profound learning, deep study, and worldly appearance often want the same. It is thou which expellest darkness, and givest light; which [Page 123] takest away ignorance, and plantest knowledge and wisdom, denying the same to none that unfeignedly ask it at thy hands; without the which nothing can be obtained which good is, nor nothing avoided with the evil: and that did Solomon very well consider, who had a promise at thy hands, that whatsoever he asked he should obtain: vouchsafe therefore, O Lord, to send it down from Heaven, where it attendeth about thy fear, and replenish my heart with the knowledge of it, that I may perfectly know what thy divine will and pleasure is in all things, and that I may always direct my ways by rule thereof, loving thee, and above all things, continuing most thankful for all thy Fatherly benefits bestowed and conferred upon me, and that prosperity overcome not, nor in adversity I be foolishly moved to seek remedy elsewhere than at thy hands only, who art my God, and who hast promised to give wisdom to all them that unfeignedly ask it: O Lord hear my prayer, and let my cry come unto thee; give perfect wisdom, whereby I may truly discern the difference between the Heavenly revelation, which is wisdom from above, and vain cogitations of worldly wits, considering that the one in all things, [Page 124] as well in adversity as prosperity, continueth most constant, stable, patient, and firm: whereas contrariwise, the other seeketh with more diligence to avoid the afflictions, troubles and calamities which thou Iayest upon thy children; but, most sweet LORD, and Heavenly Comforter, grant that it may be far from my heart to think that any thing cometh to pass otherwise than by thy Almighty providence, who willeth nothing, nor doest any thing but what is most expedient and necessary for the use of the bodies and souls of thy servants, which we cannot rightly conceive without this especial gift of thine, wherewith for thy Son Jesus Christ's sake endue me, that I be not led by fond conceit, or deceive my self with worldly experience; but governing my self according to thy will, and measuring all my actions, words and thoughts, by the right rule of knowledge; in the end I may be found in the number of those discreet Virgins, who had their Lamps continually burning, and not in the number of those that were taken unprovided; that the coming of thy Son Jesus Christ be not terrible unto me, but most acceptable and joyful; that in the end I may have free entrance into that most [Page 125] glorious Kingdom, which thy Son JESUS Christ hath purchased with his blood for all true Believers in him; to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all glory for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer for the true Worship of GOD.
O Most gracious God and loving Father, establish my heart and mind in the true Worship of thy divine Majesty; Make me to believe thy Holy and Sacred Gospel, wherein I am daily and hourly instructed, to love, fear, honour, and obey thee; to renounce all superstitious ceremonies whereby thy Worship is defaced, thy Glory prophaned, and thine Honour greatly diminished; give me thy grace to hate sin and iniquity, and to renounce and forsake the vanities and wanton pleasures of this wicked and sinful world: Arm me, I beseech thee, to mortifie and bring under the rebellious appetites and strange lusts of the flesh; and finally, give me power from above, to withstand Satan the Prince of darkness, and all his damnable ministers, who by divers temptations provokes and allures us from Godly purity, and perfect integrity which passeth only from Christ Jesus to [Page 126] us who is the fulness of our perfection and holiness) to all kind of evil impiety and uncleanness; by means whereof, thy Worship is greatly prophaned, and of a set purpose contemned: make me, O LORD, I beseech thee, by the power of a fruitful faith, to resist and bridle the concupiscnce of my flesh, in such sort that my soul may triumph with victory, and continue constant in worshipping thee: prepare my heart and mind, to spread forth the glory of thy Name; keep my tongue from all filthy talk, and uncomely gestures, lest by the exercise of sin, I contemn thy Worship, and provoke thee to displeasure against me; set thou a watch before the gates of my mouth, that my lips by grace may be always made open to sound forth thy praise: be merciful to mine offences, think thou not on mine unrighteousness, but of thy clemency forgive thou freely, and pardon graciously all my sins; make me faithful in Christ JESUS, shorten these dangerous days of iniquity, increase the number of thy chosen and peculiar Saints; hasten thy coming, O Saviour Christ; that I with the fellowship of thy Saints, heavenly Angels, and the blessed company of Martyrs, may celebrate thy praise, and worship [Page 127] thee in thy glorious Kingdom, before thy Father, my GOD, and the holy Ghost; to whom be praise and glory for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer for Charity.
O Infinite Charity, thou Son of GOD, to whom the Father hath surrendred all power in Heaven and earth: I have offended thee, and endangered my soul desperately: for Charity, O Charity! thou shalt judge the world in equity, and I have not Charity abiding within me: I love for gain, I hate mine enemies, I pray not for them that curse me and speak evil of me: I have of thy benefits, and yet I spare nothing for them that have need: O eternal Charity, I have hereby incurred the peril of thy just judgment: Whereof, O heavenly Charity have mercy upon me, and quit me from a replying conscience, and the court of the Devil; for else will mine own life exclaim against me, and crave damnation of my uncharitable conversion: O Lord my sweet Saviour, I beseech thee for thy bloody sweat, in the bottomless pit of thy mercy to drown all my transgressions: adopt me thy Brother, and give me [Page 126] [...] [Page 127] [...] [Page 128] thy holy Spirits testimony as a gage and earnest of mine adoption and election; that being free from sin, I may serve thee with a free conscience, in hope of an unwavering faith in mercy.
Amen.
A Prayer for the feeling of GOD's Favour and Grace.
O My LORD GOD, and dear Father, I here crave thy assistance and grace, that feel all things to work in me contrary to thy will: for blind is my mind, crooked is my will, and perverse concupiscence is in me as a spring and stinking puddle: faint is my faith, my sinful life increasing, and my sins still abounding, so as from offending thee O Lord, I cannot cease neither day nor night, and my sins are heavy upon me, pressing me down even to Hell, such is the weight thereof; moreover when I prepare my self to amendment of life, and think stedfastly to serve and please thee, even soon after doth my corrupt nature offend and displease thy divine Majesty; so that I am prone and ready to run headlong into all kind of sin and wickedness: such is my strength, such is my force and weakness in performing those things which thou requirest [Page 129] at my hands; by reason whereof I am moved to doubt of thy goodness towards me, unless thou of thy mercy and pity send thine aid from above, and pour into me thy most healthful grace, that I may most assuredly and faithfully trust in the merits of my Saviour Jesus Christ, which is of far greater force, vertue and effect, in preserving me, than all my sins and offences are in condemning and casting me away: wherefore O Father, as thou requirest thus strictly that I should believe without doubting; so wouldst thou in all my needs I should come unto thee as a Father, and make my moan without mistrust of being heard in thy good time, as most shall make for thy glory and my comfort: Lo therefore, to thee dear Father do I come, in thy Son Jesus Christ, praying thee of thy great mercy and goodness, to be merciful unto me, that I may love thee with all my heart for ever; that my works may be ever found holy in thy sight, and that I may always not only strive against sin, but also overcome the same dayly more and more, as thy children do, and above all things desire the sanctifying of thy Name, the coming of thy Kingdom, the doing of thy Will here on earth, as it is in Heaven, and that only [Page 130] through my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom be all honour and glory, for ever and ever,
Amen.
A Prayer to GOD to bless our endeavours.
O My Celestial Father, be favourable unto me thy repentant servant, fled from mine enemies to thy help and succour. Impute not my sins unto me, for Christs sake; for I have heard thy fatherly voice, and it soundeth daily in mine ears out of Heaven, promising me, and affirming constantly thy self to be appeased with me for thy Sons sake, whom thou commandest me to hear and believe, who is made of thee my righteousness, my salvation, my Peace, my Mediator and intercessor, my fulfiller of the Law, my deliverer, and my whole holy accomplisher of all my just desires, and my Saviour Christ Jesus, God and man, in whose Name at this time I attempt and take in hand all my just doings, according to my calling, desiring thy gracious goodness, O Lord God and Father, to prosper it, further it, and give it happy increase, that whatsoever I take in hand, justly to finish the same. O holy Father, bless all my endeavours with [Page 131] thy blessed increase, and let me not seek mine own will, but ever to pray that thy will be fulfilled; and let me not be led into temptation, but deliver me from all evil, for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Prayer to live uprightly in our Calling.
O GOD of all comfort, and giver of all consolation, forgive my sins, cleanse and wash me from all iniquities which disable me to perform my calling in such sort as becometh me: and through the blood of thy Son, purifie my heart and my imperfections, and sanctifie me with thy grace, that my sins being forgiven, I may rest in thy favour and continual comfort, and be daily blessed with new gifts; that I may be found perfect in my calling, seasoned so with a lively faith in thee, that thy holy Spirit may continually dwell and bear rule in me, and lead me to the due performance of those things which thou requirest to be done in my calling; that all unnatural affection being truly mortified, I may only rest in thee, and rely on thee, and be ruled by thee in all things: Good Father, grant that I may take the direct and right course in my [Page 132] vocation to eternal life, in which course consisteth the inward peace of the Soul, which is only delighted in thy inviolable truth, revealed by thy Son, and is left unto us in His Word and last Will, in which his last Will and Testament are comprehended all necessary Rules, and the sacred discipline whereby thy children are to guide themselves in their several callings; which directions are comprehended in three principal virtues by thee bestowed on them that seek them at thy hand in the Name of thy Son; as Faith, Hope and Love; which three are so united and knit together in one, in thine elect children, that they through thy grace go not awry in their calling: I therefore dear Father, being of my self ignorant, and of mine own power unable to comprehend the height of my calling, instantly beseech thee in mercy to behold me an unperfect creature, without these Virtues; and so adorn me with them, that I may be made perfect in all good works of the Spirit, that my labours and endeavours be not in vain in thee: and grant that I may joyn, with all my travils, desires and endeavors, faith with [...]aith, knowledge with knowledge, temperance with temperance, patience with patience, godliness with godliness, brotherly [Page 133] kindness with brotherly kindness; and with brotherly kindness, that I be not unfruitful in my calling, but may acknowledge thy Son Jesus Christ, and in him have peace of conscience, that I may be patient in troubles, long-suffering in wrongs, faithful in expecting hope in distress, rejoycing in heart, quieted in mind, in hope to enjoy at thy hands, and in thy good time whatsoever maketh for the true comfort of my soul, and the relief of my body; that in all true and inward feeling of thine aid, my calling may be made perfect, and sealed with the seal of thine own Spiritual Probation; so shall I thy unworthy servant be directed in the true knowledge of Thee. O blessed Lord, and loving Father, except thou thus direct me, I cannot stand, but shall fall into many miseries: for no Estate, no Degree, no Calling, Office, Function, or Trade of life can prosper, or be rightly performed without thy continual aid, direction and providence: therefore good Lord guide me by thy Spirit, increase my faith, give me wisdom and ableness in all things, to execute my calling as I ought: and to the execution thereof, bless all my members, make them apt and ready instruments to perform their duties, that in no [Page 134] point I fail in a Christain proceeding therein: and bridle me in the nature of flesh and blood; which unless thou season my affections by thy Spirit, will so much the more glory, by how much that thou hast exalted me, and inabled me to live in this world in higher reputation than other men, whereunto flesh and blood is ready to attribute chiefest hearts ease, and by that subtil shift Stan many times moveth us to rely upon vain things. Wherefore, O good Father, vouchsafe, I beseech thee, to ground all my affections upon thy fear that I be not miscarried in my calling from the true obedience of thee; without which, neither honour, profit, wealth, wisdom, or any other blessing of thine can stand, relieve or comfort me: be pleased therefore, dear Father, with me, and grant that all things that I take in hand, may begin in knowledge, proceed in fear, and end in love, that the whole course of my life may be blessed with good effect in all mine enterprises, that neither mine enemies rejoyce at my miseries, the Godly be offended at my rashness, nor my estate hindred by my foolishness: grant this, good Lord, for thy dear Sons sake Jesus Christ; to whom be all honour and glory for even.
Amen.
Prayers for Thursday Night.
O Lord my God and Heavenly Father, blessed be thy Name for ever: dispose my heart, open my lips, and give me thy Holy Spirit, &c.
A Psalm.
GRacious is the LORD, and righteous, yea, our GOD is Merciful.
The Lord preserveth the simple; I was in misery, and He helped me.
Turn thou again unto my rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath rewarded thee.
And why? thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
What reward shall I give unto the Lord, for all the benefits that he hath done unto me?
I will offer unto Him the Sacrifice of thanksgiving, and call upon his Name.
For why? the Lord is on my side, therefore I will not fear what man can do unto me.
The Lord taketh my part with them that [Page 136] help me; Therefore shall I see my desire upon mine enemies.
It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in man: it is better to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in Princes.
The Lord is my strength and my song, and is become my salvation.
The right hand of the Lord hath the preeminence, the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass.
I will not die but live, and declare the works of the Lord.
The Lord hath chastned and corrected me, but he hath not given me over to death.
Thou art my God, and I will thank thee: thou art my God, and I will praise thee.
O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious, and his mercy endureth for ever.
Glory be to the Father, &c.
A devout Prayer to GOD the Father.
O Most blessed LORD, and loving Father, I wretched sinner do here ask at thy hands mercy and grace, who am in thy sight most weak to stand in thy truth; and most frail to fall, and to break thy holy [Page 137] commandments, by the keeping of which we are known to be thy true servants, and by nothing else. O most merciful LORD GOD, I acknowledge my self daily to break the same: but where I have thus offended, I humbly ask of thee mercy and forgiveness; and Lord, for the true performance of the same, I humbly ask of thee strength to make me stand strong in faith, knowledge to work thy blessed will, the power to resist all errour and wicked imagination, thy wisdom to know the truth; for I confess and know O LORD, that all the worldly wit, policy, knowledge, and strength is but foolishness in thy sight. Therefore I ask and continually crave, O Lord, that thy holy Spirit may guide all the imaginations, thoughts and desires of my heart, so that it may be my spiritual heart, and not my fleshly heart: for the most perfect among the children of men, lacking the wisdom, shall not be regarded, for the thoughts of mortal men are miserable, and our forecastings are uncertain: and why this corruptible body is so heavy to my soul that it keepeth down my understanding, that it museth most on vain things; wherefore good Lord I beseech thee, comfort my sick soul, that it may walk in thy wayes, and work thy [Page 138] will; and like as thou knowest the secrets of my heart, and the desires of the same; and how I would walk in thy truth, and work in the works of the same truth: so Lord, I beseech thee, refresh my soul according to thy merciful calling, that I may be sted fast in the true faith, and that I may never swerve from the holy and most blessed Ordinances of the Church; but that I may use them, receive them, and honour thee in them, according to thy most holy will, as in things which thou hast left to declare thy love unto us, and to assure our hope, and exercise our faith, that it should not be idle or wavering; for all things are possible unto thee, though they seem never so impossible unto us. O most loving Father, I know that by my sins I am not worthy thy blessed comfort and help, in this troublesome time of temptation, and trying of our faith; for that I am as one laden with ignorance, not knowing the height of thy high mysteries, nor the deceitfulness or subtil arguments of my Ghostly enemy, which daily doth assault my sinful soul, that I can find no rest: therefore, O LORD, like as thou knowest my will and hearts desire is to serve thee, and live and die in thy perfect faith: so I beseech thee never to [Page 139] suffer the subtil perswasions contrary to thy truth, to take place or root in my heart, but like as thou hast created my heart, and given me a will to order the same, so Lord, I most humbly yield the same again into thy hands, desiring thee by thy holy Spirit so to direct my ways, that they may be acceptable in thy sight, now and for ever, through Jesus Christ my Saviour; to whom with the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer to obtain the true love of GOD.
O Lord my God, teach me thy humble servant, teach my heart, I beseech thee, with what reverence it should think of thee; tell my Soul with what delight it should love thee: give my tongue some power to pour forth praises unto thee; correct my weakness, recreate my hope, direct my desires, finish the work thou hast begun, and bring me to the fulness of thy mercy. O LORD, my GOD, I bow the neck of my soul under the feet of thy Majesty, and in the lowest degree of reverence, do give thee most humble & hearty thanks. I yield thee praises, O LORD, although [Page 140] base and bare, far unanswerable to thy deserts; yet something my weakness is bound to perform, namely, to settle my mind to be hold and love thee. O that my heart did so languish with thy love, that it might melt the moisture of my body into tears! that the bowels of my soul were so inflamed with thy love that it might consume all drossie desires, dry up the very marrow of my bones! O that I were sick for the love of Him who dyed for the Love of me! LORD, although I be not worthy so to love thee, yet art thou much more to be loved than I can express; therefore do not so deny me of that whereof I acknowledge my self unworthy, that thy self be deprived of that thou art most worthy: and grant O Lord I beseech thee, for thy mercies sake, to my soul, that it may love thee as thou hast deserved, that I may be worthy to give that which thou art worthy to receive; so shall I then be worthy of that whereof now I am most unworthy: O most dear Lord, I feel in my heart a weak warmness of thy love; but my prayer is that the coals were throughly kindled with desire, and blown with delight into a full flame: O sacred fire, how comfortably dost thou burn? O heavenly Light, how sweetly dost thou shine? [Page 141] how desirous are they more and more to burn whom thou dost inflame? how are they delighted whom thou dost enlighten? hear O my God, hear O light of mine eyes, increase my desire, and grant my request, stop not thine ears against me because of my sins, endue my soul with thy love, subdue my flesh with thy fear, that I may always think of thee joyntly both with trembling and trust: settle the love of thee in me, and the care of me in thee; let my prayer come unto thee, and thy mercy unto me; let the joy of thy happiness remain with me, and the compassion of my miseries with thee; let my heart love thee, let my flesh fear thee, and let my whole substance in this world joy wholly in thee, that I may enjoy thee wholly in the world to come, by thee, O Christ, who art my Saviour and Deliverer; to whom belongeth all power and glory, for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Prayer in heart to feel spiritual comforts
O Lord GOD and most dear Father, now I fully know the heart of man is not in his own power; for thou hast taught me by thy d [...]minishing the Spirit of comfort [Page 140] [...] [Page 141] [...] [Page 142] in my heart, that it is thou only which makest joyful the heart of man; and which diminishest the same joy according to thy good pleasure and will: therefore O dear Father, I beseech thee to send me thy most blessed comfort, and strength of Faith into my heart, to fill the same with spiritual joy; and that by the working of thy holy Spirit in me, the comfortable promises of thy merciful Protection may be sealed in my heart, and sink deep into my soul, that I may be fully assured that thou art my strong rock and house of defence, that thou dost keep me as the apple of thine eye, and that thou wilt not lay more upon me than thou wilt give me strength to abide; but that thou wilt assuredly at thy appointed time, renew my heart, and the whole power of my mind, that I may fully glorifie thy Name. Thy Holy Spirit, O Lord, in me, (which is the assurance of my Salvation) doth continually send forth unspeakable sighs and longings for thy full and joyful presence: I beseech thee therefore, O dear Father, for thy Son JESUS's sake, hearken to my prayers, and grant my requests: make tender my hard and stony heart by thy holy Spirit, that I may from the bottom of my heart acknowledge [Page 143] thee to be my most merciful God and Father, and all things in thy holy Word to be most certain and true, and reverently embrace the same, and in my soul to take comfort and joy of the same, that I may even to my lives end walk before thee in sincerity of heart, being assured of my salvation, through that one alone sacrifice for my sins, made by thy dear Son Jesus Christ; to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory for ever.
Amen.
A fruitful petition to GOD.
O LORD GOD of infinite wisdom, inspire my heart, and direct my voice, that I may not think nor utter any thing before thy Maiesty, but that which thou knowest to be expedient for me to ask, and glorious for thee to give. Turn not my prayer, Good Lord, into perdition, nor my suit into sin; for thou art the God of my Fathers, on whom I wholly depend; save me for thy mercies sake; O save me as I have always put my trust in thee, and when through the perverseness and froward inclination of my nature, I fall into any wickedness and sin, leave me not, good Lord, unto them; acquit me from the [Page 144] inordinate lust of the body; let no desire of uncleanness take hold upon me, and give me not over to an unshamefast and obstinate mind. Lord, here I stand, vile wretch before the throne of thy dreadful presence, hoping that I shall be heard, not in the faintness of my faith, but in the power of thy promises. O weigh my weakness, and grant my desires, as thou knowest most meet for me; then can I want nothing, and my conscience shall be comforted with all spiritual consolation in Jesus Christ; to whom with thee, O Father, and the holy Spirit, be ascribed all power and glory for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer to be ingrafted into Christ.
O LORD, it is mercy without merit, that I am a branch of the Vine Jesus; that I am the house and Temple of the Holy Ghost, It is of Justice that thou hast appointed thy house to be a place of prayer, and of duty therefore that we should pray unto thee; For this, O Lord, I thank thee, that thou hast made me thy child, to lodge me; and I acknowledge, that of duty I am bound to serve thee; but give me O Lord, the grace of thy Spirit to conduct me in the [Page 145] way of thy will: cleanse or create a new heart within me, that I may be a fit lodging for thee, and yield up the savoury sacrifice unto thee, which thou requirest of every Christian; I mean the sacrifice of prayer, the sacrifice of the heart, which savoureth sweetly unto thee. And at this time, in hope of the assistance of thy holy Spirit, I desire thee, that as thou hast of mercy covered me under thy wings of safety; so thou wilt defend and keep me from all the storming rages of Satan, who is wont not only by day, but also, and that especially, by night, to undermine man when his senses are fettered in bands of rest; but I hope, O good Lord, that as I am then most unable, and at all times else to withstand the buffets and assaults of Satan, so thou wilt be most ready to succour me; and partly, because thereby thou shalt unlock the riches of thine infinite mercy and pity; and partly, because thou lovest every thing which thy hands have made. For which, and for all other thy blessings, I yield thee all honour, power and glory, which is due only to thy blessed Majesty, for ever, world without end.
Amen.
A Prayer against evil imaginations.
O Lord, cleanse my heart, I do beseech thee, from all impure and wicked cogitations and thoughts; give me a clear conscience, shame-fac'd eyes, modest hands, and a tongue to tell the truth: and, seeing there is nothing hid that shall not be discovered, good Lord, I beseech thee to search my thoughts, and renew in me thy holy Spirit; direct my feet in thy ways, that walking after thee in the path of the righteous, I may pass through this vail of misery, bearing thy banner stoutly in my warfare, and in the end obtain everlasting joy, the promised hire of such as have born thy Cross, and valiantly fought with the armour of faith against temptations and all evil; vouchsafe, O Lord, to grant all these my supplications and petitions, for thy dear Sons sake, Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour; to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost, be ascribed all power and glory for ever,
Amen.
An Evening Prayer.
O Heavenly Father, the giver of all good things, and the protector of all those that love thee, I yield thee most humble and hearty thanks, not only for keeping and preserving me this day, but all my life; that neither my enemies have prevailed against me as they sought, nor any other danger which in this world is incident unto mankind hath overcome me, but hast like a loving Father and careful purveyor, given and provided for me all things necessary; for which thine inestimable love, I cannot sufficiently praise thee. O Lord, forgive mine offences which this day [...] have committed and done against thy Almighty Majesty: pardon them, O God, for Jesus Christ his sake, and vouchsafe me thy grace to amend my life, and to return [...]nfeignedly to the serving of thee; And [...]orasmuch as I cannot continue without [...]hy continual protection, vouchsafe to ex [...]end the same unto me thy wretched crea [...]ure this night, that I may quietly take my rest, which thou hast appointed for [...]he refreshing of my wearied and weak [...]ody; And further, I beseech thee, O Lord, to guard and defend me, that nothing [Page 148] hurt me; keep me also, good Lord, from sudden and unprovided death, and preserve me by the watch of thy holy Angel, that I may take my rest this night in thee until the morning, and then give my self to the fulfilling of my duty, and the discharge of my vocation, and the doing of thy will unto my lives end; for which thy favour, I humbly beseech thee, and for all things else necessary for me, and for all other whom thou hast commanded us to pray for; and namely, for all such as are in any kind of affliction in body or mind, for the testimony of thy truth, that thou wilt strengthen them and thy whole Church in pure Religion; and here, O Lord, I beseech thee to embrace me with the arms of thy mercy; vouchsafe to receive me into the bosom of thy love, shadow me with thy wings, that I may safely take my rest in thee this night, in the Name of thy Son Jesus Christ, in whose Name I refer me wholly to thy loving protection, beseeching thee that when this life shall end, my last sleep being come, I may take my everlasting rest with thee in thy eternal Kingdom; for the which Kingdom, I do heartily beseech thee of thine inestimable goodness, both of my self and all other thy dear servants, that we may [Page 149] attain the same, for the glory of thy holy Name, and our endless comfort, through the merits of thy dearly beloved Son, our Lord and only Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Prayers for Friday Morning.
O Lord God and heavenly Father, blessed be thy Name for ever: Dispose my heart, open my lips, and give me thy holy Spirit, &c.
A Psalm.
MY soul truly waiteth still upon God, for of him cometh my salvation.
In God is my help and my glory, the rock of my might, and in God is my trust.
I called upon him with my mouth, and gave him praise with my tongue.
For thou, O Lord God, art the thing that I long for, thou art my hope even from my youth.
Through thee have I been holpen up even since I was born, thou art he that took me [Page 150] out of my mothers womb, my praise shall be always of thee.
Wherefore praised be God which hath not cast out my prayer, nor turned his mercy from me.
O let my mouth be filled with thy praise, that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long.
Cast me not away in time of age, forsake me not when my strength faileth me.
My mouth shall daily speak of thy righteousness and salvation, for I know no end thereof.
I will go forth in the strength of the Lord God, and will make mention of thy righteousness only.
For thou, O God, hast taught me from my youth up until now, therefore will I tell of thy wondrous works.
Thy righteousness, O God, is very high, and great things are they that thou hast done, O God, who is like unto thee?
O what troubles and adversities hast thou shewed me, and yet didst thou turn and refresh me, yea, broughtest me from the depth of the earth again.
Therefore will I praise thee, and thy faithfulness, O God, which art the holy One of Israel.
[Page 151] My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long, for there is no end thereof. Glory, &c.
A Morning Prayer.
O Lord, the glorious face of the Sun which sheweth it self, and casteth its beams over the whole world, I take it for an argument and earnest peny of thy good will toward thy children, in the number of whom I account my self, though chief of sinners, and not worthy to loose the latchet of thy shooe; for if we enjoy such a benefit in this strange country together with thine enemies, then what joyous sights, what store of thy goodness shall we reap in our natural country, the blisful Land of Canaan where we shall not see this worldly Sun, but thee, even thee, good Lord, face to face, the Son of thy glory, and only Star of Majesty! Such joys, O Lord, shall we have in the beholding of thee, as neither the eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, nor heart ever conceived: such joys, I say, as pass the reach, not only of man, but also of Angels, to esteem: blessed are the doorkeepers of this house of joy, where thou, O Lord, the Son of righteousness, dost [Page 152] most clearly spread forth the beams of thy divine power. Oh how long shall I live in this prison, how long shall I journey in this body of sin? wherefore, O God of comfort, and Father of mercy, I do not doubt, but that as I wander in this field of vanity, so thou wilt recal me by the light of thy Gospel to thine house, there to dwell and reign for ever.
Amen.
An humble Confession to Almighty God.
O Most mighty God and merciful Father, I present my self before thy Majesty, defiled with the filthiness of many and most grievous sins, whereof I do confess I am not able to answer thee one of a thousand, if thou, O Lord, shouldest enter into judgment with me! for in sin was I born, and therefore am guilty of original corruption, and in sin have I lived and continued, and therefore stand guilty of actual transgression, which hath broken forth upon me, in thought, word and deed, from time to time, continually, even unto this present hour: wherefore, I humbly crave thy mercy, and the grace of forgiveness in Jesus Christ: for therein I confess, O Lord, standeth the only hope [Page 153] of my comfort and salvation: And forasmuch as it hath pleased thee to give thine own Son to be a slain sacrifie for our sins, and to offer the grace of reconciliation, by preaching the Gospel to all them that repent and believe the same: good Lord, I beseech thee vouchsafe to make me of that blessed number; work true repentance in my heart, increase my faith, and give me grace to bring forth the fruits thereof, that so it may appear that I have not received thy grace in vain: and for this purpose, good Lord, I beseech thee bless the Ministers of thy Word: and give them grace to speak it as it ought to be spoken, and give thy people grace to hear it attentively, to believe it stedfastly, and to follow it obediently: that so serving thee faithfully in this life, we may live and reign with thee for ever in the life to come.
Amen.
A Prayer for the increase of Faith.
O Almighty God, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: by thy Word we are taught to love thee, fear thee, and serve thee; and in true godliness and sincerity of life, is the only way and means to continue thy love and favor towards us, without the [Page 154] which we cannot but perish: and that belief and confidence in thy Son Jesus Christ, is the only means of our redemption and atonement with thee, and the only hold of our salvation, whereof we cannot be sufficiently assured without thy special gift of faith, which is the anchor whereto the cable of our salvation is fastened; which being broken, the hope of our salvation cannot but decay and be of none effect: vouchsafe therefore, O most merciful God, to plant one spark of true faith in my heart; and that it may grow to such perfection, that I may know thee, perfectly love thee, duly fear thee, and unseignedly acknowledge Jesus Christ to be sent into this wretched world to save us miserable sinners: O Lord, grant me to take such hold of his Death and Passion, Resurrection and Ascension, that by his Death I may have pardon, and by his Re surrection rise to righteousness, and by his Ascension ascend with him to thy celestial glory; and finally attribute the cause and means of my salvation to proceed only of his Passion: increase this faith in me, good Lord, daily more and more, that it may grow by the working of thy holy Spirit to full perfection, accompanied with good works and godly behaviour, without the [Page 155] which I confess that faith cannot be: withhold not from me, good Lord, that singular gift of thine which is the stay of my happiness; and the want thereof, a most certain token of my perdition; no good thing is wanting to him on whom thou vouchsafest to bestow this gift; to him all things are light, and in him remaineth no darkness at all: banish, most sweet Lord, therefore all misbelief, all wavering and doubting out of my heart, and plant instead thereof unfeigned faith, that applying the same to every affliction both of body and mind, I may vanquish and overcome Satan, withstand the delights of this world, and suppress the corruptible motions of the flesh, and enjoy at thy good pleasure health of body, and soundness of mind, and all things requisite for me. A most precious jewel is faith; for thou hast said, that whosoever heareth the Word, and believeth in Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent, shall have everlasting life; then on the contrary, he that believeth not, is in danger of everlasting death. O Lord, increase my faith, wherein I may believe in that thy Son, and take hold of all his promises; who said, that whosoever believeth in him shall want no manner of thing that is good; Lord, I [Page 156] believe, help my unbelief, and give me faith; yea, but as a grain of mustardfeed, and I shall be able to remove Satan out of his desired habitation, and to expel him and his ministers, and walk no longer according to the will of the flesh; but casting away the works of darkness, enjoy the pure light of the Gospel, and persevere and abide therein without fainting, in any tribulation or vexation of spirit, going forward in hope, in fear, in love, and unfeigned zeal towards thee, and obtain at thy merciful hands whatsoever is necessary in this life; and after this life ended, enjoy thy celestial inheritance; which grant me for thy Son Jesus Christ his sake, to whom be all honour, &c.
A Prayer or Thanksgiving for the Passion of Christ.
O Lord Jesus Christ, God and man, we thank thee for that of thy only and free mercy, without any works or worthiness at all of ours, thou hast redeemed us miserable sinners, through thy most innocent and holy Passion: O sweet Jesus, how. bitter and great were thy pains? how. horrible and cruel thy punishment? [Page 157] how grievous and lamentable thine afflictions? how bloody thy wounds? thy dolours how divers? and thy death how shameful, which thou suffered for us? O how inestimable was thy love, that moved thee to endure such and so great torments to reconcile us to thy Father! in the Mount of Olives, through our infinite sins lighting upon thee, thou didst sweat (contrary to our nature) blood, that the drops like blood trickled upon the earth, and so after a marvellous manner blood came out of thee, being expelled by the resolutions of the Spirits, nature being broken and languishing by reason of thine intolerable sorrows and torments: and thy Disciples being fled, thou wast, and also didst most voluntarily commit thy self into the hands of most cruel Jews, which brought thee most rigorously bound, without compassion, fromthe presence of one corrupt Judge unto another more cruel, where thou wast most unjustly condemned; thy blessed body was so mangled, that even an Ethnick pitying the same, uttered these words; Behold the man! Finally, for our enormous offences, thou wast afflicted with a most odious kind of death, and so in the extremity of pain thou didst give up the Ghost, commending [Page 158] the same unto thy Father in wonderful patience; that so by thy torments having quitted us from all guiltiness, as well of fault as of punishment, we might be healed; to this end thou didst bear the burden of our sins upon the wood of the Cross, that thou mightest recover the peace of souls, and obtain the true righteousness for as many as believe in thee: wherefore, O Jesus Christ, thou Son of the living God, for these torments and all other thy passions, I will honour and praise thee for ever, beseeching thee most humbly, that thy passions may work and take effect in me; and that always being mindful of the same, I may rejoyce therein, and make it a comfort for my self against all the temptations of Satan, and the fear of sin and the Law, and that thy Cross may be an example unto me; that walking in thy steps, I render not rebuke, but for rebuke may, imitate thy long-suffering, praying for such as persecute and offend me; and finally, that I may so think upon, and celebrate the cause of thy death, that the consideration thereof may utterly extinguish all the flames of unlawful concupiscence, and bury the inticements of the flesh, and nourish the love of vertue within me, that so being wholly dead unto sin, I may live [Page 159] unto righteousness, and serve thee which barest our sins in thy body upon the Cross, which livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer for mercy for our offences.
O Lord, I am a grievous sinner, I have passed and broken the banks of thy Commandments from the womb to this day; I have with the Pirate Satan, sailed in the ship of iniquity, so that I may say with Paul, I am chief of all sinners. This must I needs confess to thee, thou God of Justice, and this worm of conscience biteth me; what then, good Lord, shall the worm devour me? shall this snake of conscience sting me to death? What, good Lord, is the stream of thy mercy stopped? are the rivers of thy grace dryed up? dost thou not call me, saying, Come unto me? Yea, good Lord, and therefore despair I will not, it is not thy will that any sinner should perish; and thou hast not only said, but sworn it, that thou wilt not the death of a sinner, but rather his conversion and life. Behold therefore, dear Father, I come unto thee, being a grievous offender, in hope of pardon, [Page 160] in the Name of thy Son, who by his own testimony came into this world to save sinners: he was content to blot out that obligation which Satan had against me, by the floud of his most precious blood which issued out of his glorious side. In this pool he hath washed away the leprosie of sin, were it never so desperate, O Lord and gracious God, I have wasted my days in vanity, I have from time to time trodden under my feet the pearls of Christian profession; even from the womb have I been a rebellious traitor to thy Majesty, a friend to this world, to godliness an enemy. But now, O Lord, I cry unto thee, forgive me, forgive me; Now I come unto thee, therefore cover me with the wings of thy mercy, that I perish not; good Lord, accept thy Sons merits for a satisfaction for my sins, drown them in the stream of thy mercy, and cast them behind thee for ever, good Lord, I beseech thee. Oh sweet Lord, look upon me with thy most precious and piteous eye, lest that be destroyed which thou of thy great goodness hast made, and Christ thy Son of inestimable love, and infinite charity hath redeemed, through his bitter passion. This is the total sum unto thee of all my suit, O Lord, mercy, mercy, O [Page 161] Father of mercy: mercy is the thing that I beg, have mercy and pity upon me; be thou my shepherd to defend me, my Castle of defence to save me against the power of the Devil: thou hast store of mercy for them that ask it; Therefore, O Lord, for the wounds of thy dear Son have mercy upon me: let not sin sting me to death, but lay to my fore soul the salve of thy mercy: grant this, O dear Father, of thy merciful compassion; to whom be all glory for ever, and for ever, world without end.
Amen.
A fruitful Prayer to God the Father.
O Lord my God, wherein is my hope fixed in this life, or what is my greatest comfort of all things that are any where under the cope of heaven, but only thou my Lord and God, whose mercy is infinite? when was it with me well if thou wert absent, or ill if thou wert present? doubtless I would rather chuse to be poor for thee, than rich without thee, and rather to be with thee a pilgrim on earth, than without thee to possess Heaven: where thou art, there is joy and peace of conscience; where thou art not, there is woe and destruction; thou alone art the thing I desire, and there [Page 162] is none can assist me in my troubles but thou alone, O God: thou art my hope, thou art my confidence, thou art my comforter in all things most faithfully: all men seek their own, but thou desirest nought but my welfare, and turnest all things for me to good, therefore in thee, my Lord and God, I place all my confidence, on thee I do lay all my calamities and troubles; for without thee whatsoever I behold, is as frail and transitory: For neither can friends profit, nor strong men help, nor wise men counsel well, nor learned books comfort, nor riches save, nor secret place hide, unless thou be present to help, strengthen, comfort, instruct and keep: for whatsoever seems to belong to the attainment of peace and felicity without thee, is nothing, and bringeth indeed no felicity at all; so that thou art the chiefest end and perfection of life, and that in thee to trust, above all things▪ is the chiefest comfort of thy servant. O my God and Father of mercy, bless, make my soul holy with celestial happiness, that it may be thy sacred habitation and temple purged from all filthiness. O Lord, according to the greatness of thy mercy, look upon me, and hear the supplications of thy poor servant, living far off, a banished [Page 163] man, in a savage country: Protect and keep the soul of thy servant, among so many dangers of this mortal life, and bring me by the conduction of thy savour into the country of eternal glory, through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour; to whom be all honour, power and glory for ever and ever.
Amen.
Prayers for Friday Night.
O Lord my God and Father, blessed be thy Name for ever. Dispose my heart, open my lips, and give, &c.
A Psalm.
WIth my whole heart have I sought thee, O let me not go wrong out of thy commandments. Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me.
O give me the comfort of thy help again, and stablish me with thy free Spirit.
Stablish thy word in thy servant, that I [Page 164] may fear thee, and turn away mine eyes, lest they behold vanity, and quicken thou me in thy way.
So shall I always keep thy law, yea, for ever and ever.
Yea at midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee, because of thy righteous judgments.
O let thy merciful kindness be my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.
And let thy loving mercies come unto me, that I may live, for thy law is my delight.
My soul hath longed for thy salvation, and I have a good hope because of thy word.
O how sweet are thy words unto my throat! yea, sweeter than honey unto my mouth.
Through thy commandments I get understanding, therefore I hate all wicked ways.
Order my steps in thy word, so shall no wickedness have dominion over me.
O let my soul live, and it shall praise thee, and thy judgments shall help me.
I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost: O seek thy servant, that I do not forget thy commandments. Glory be to the Father, &c.
A Prayer for the suppressing of corrupt affections.
O My God and most loving Father, I do acknowledge that I have most highly offended thy sacred Majesty, by my gross and most filthy life, and have provoked thee to anger by my abominable wickedness: wherefore, O Lord, be merciful unto me, and pardon me this great wickedness; look not upon me, good Father, with the eyes of Justice, neither do thou draw against me the sword of Judgment; for then how shall I that am but dust and ashes stand in thy sight, when thy wrathful indignation cometh forth as a whirlwind, and thy heavy displeasure as a mighty tempest; seeing the earth trembleth, the depths are discovered, and the very Heavens are shaken when thou art angry? Exercise not therefore, good Lord, thy fury against me, that am but as chaff before the wind, and as stubble against a flaming fire: Though I have sinned grievously in thy sight, preferring my wicked desires before thy holy Commandments, esteeming the pleasure of [Page 166] a moment before eternal and everlasting joys; yet am I bold, O merciful Father, to prostrate my self before the Throne of thy Majesty, heartily to beseech, and humbly to intreat thee, that thou wilt not deal with me according to my deserts; for I have none in heaven to fly unto but thee, nor in the earth of whom I may receive any comfort, but at thy fatherly hands, which are stretched out day and night, to receive all that by earnest repentance turn unto thee, and to refresh their distressed consciences: wherefore, O Lord, in the multitude of thy mercies I approach unto thee, desiring thee to look down from the height of thy sanctuary, upon me poor and wretched sinner, and to wipe away mine offences, and to blot out my misdeeds, especially all those my ungracious, unclean, and ungodly acts, that they may not come up in remembrance with thee, nor be imputed to me for ever.
For thy Sons sake, O Lord, in whom thou art well pleased, and in whom thou wast fully satisfied upon the Cross for my sins, grant me free pardon and remission, in that I have so foolishly, by my exceeding frailty committed against thee; but quicken thou me, O Lord, that art the fountain [Page 167] of life, and call thou out of heaven thy dwelling place, that my wandring soul may hear the voice of her shepherd, and follow thee wheresoever thou leadest. O give me thy helping hand, and by thy Spirit cast down, subdue, and mortifie my raging [...]usts and affections; let me not any longer be occupied in ungodliness, lest mine enemies triumph over me: pluck up, O my good Father, these roots of bitterness, that no unsavoury fruit may come of the Tree, which thou of thine own hand hast planted. I desire, I look, I call, I cry for thy assistance, that I may conquer and subdue all the sinful and unruly motions of my heart. O blessed Saviour, that hast granted so many petitions upon earth, to them that were careful for the body, fulfil [...] pray thee this my desire: mortifie, good Father, in me the old body of sin, and give unto me a new body, purged from these works, to serve thee the living God: [...]enew my spirit daily, that I may cast away these works of darkness: why should my body, made by thy hands, and my soul framed according to thy Image, be given over as a prey into the hands of Satan? Deliver me, O Lord, from the snare of the hunter, and preserve me from the hand of mine enemy, who lieth in wait for [Page 168] my spiritual life, and laboureth for my everlasting destruction. To thee I fly, O Lord, for succour, hide me therefore under the shadow of thy hand, that none of the fiery darts of Satan take hold on me. And so, good Lord, to conclude, for the love thou bearest unto mankind, for thy Sons sake Jesus Christ, who hath taken our nature upon him, grant that I may not be tempted above my strength, but that in all temptations I may fly unto thee, as mine only comfort and salvation, and that thou wilt of thy mercy and goodness, give me grace and desire to withstand all the motions of my sinful flesh and affections: which word of thine, I beseech thee, O Lord, to perfect and fully accomplish in me, that I may do all things pleasing in thy sight for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer for redress of a sinful life.
O Most merciful God and dear Father, grant that with heart I desire thee, with desiring seek thee, in seeking find thee, in finding that I love thee, and, by loving thee, that I turn not again to my former sins, which thou hast redeemed: give me, O Lord, a repentant heart, and a contrite [Page 169] spirit: quench in me O King of glory, the lust of my flesh and kindle in me the [...]ire of thy love. O my Redeemer take from me the spirit of pride, and most favourably enrich me with the measure of humility; remove from me, O my Saviour, the fury of anger, and graciously arm me with the shield of patience: O my Creator, root out of me all rancour, and endue me with a chearful and meek heart, and bestow upon me a perfect faith, right hope, and constant love: preserve me from all vanity, inconstancy of mind, wavering of heart, scoffing of tongue, wicked slandering; from the vice of hypocrisie, the poyson of flattery, contempt of the poor, oppression of the weak, from greedy avarice, cankered envy, and deadly blasphemy: root out of me, O my Lord and Maker, rash boldness, contumacy, frowardness, negligence, idleness, blindness of heart, obstinacy of mind, savage conditions, contempt of that good is, rigour towards my neighbour: O my God and merciful Father, I beseech thee in Jesus Christ, to bless me with the works of mercy, and zeal of godliness: to suffer with the afflicted, to minister to the needy, to counsel them that go astray, to comfort the sorrowful, to [Page 170] pardon them that trespass against me, to love them that hate me, to render good for evil, to imitate the good, to beware of the evil, and to embrace vertue, to guard the door of my mouth, to watch the enemies that compass my lips, to despise worldly things, and earnestly to thirst after the Heavenly: through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour; to whom be all honour and glory for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer for continual remembrance of our end.
O God, the only giver of life, and the maintainer and preserver thereof, and the life after death; grant me true consideration that this body of mine is builded upon an earthly foundation, and framed of the substance of dust and clay, which is not durable, the glory whereof vanisheth like the flower of the field, which is soon cut down and withered; the body is the mansion, or rather the prison of the soul, and the same so frail, weak and feeble, subiect to so many causes that procure the dissolution of body and soul, that death often happeneth when we think least thereon; wherefore grant, O God, of my life, that I may have such continual care, foresight, [Page 171] and diligent respect unto the direction of my doings, cogitation, and words, as I load not my poor Soul so much with the burthen of sensless security, sin and iniquity, that the body being suddenly intangled with the snares of death, be carried where there is no rest nor joy, but continual mourning and anguish of mind: O my most loving Father, lighten mine Eyes that I sleep not in sin, nor wander in darkness, according to the will of the flesh; but make me always willing to come unto thee, even with desire; when it pleaseth thee to call me: let not me, as it were, draw backward when thou invitest me to the sweet banquet of thy Heavenly Kingdom, as by thy Word and Gospel preached and revealed unto us, which is an especial calling of us: and when I feel my self grieved or vexed with any kind of sickness or disease? which is another of thy calling of us, and an especial warning that we must die: yea, and when I am at my daily business, or when I eat or drink, when I am in my best temperature and health, at all times, and in all places give me grace to think that Death standeth at my Elbows always ready to strike me, and that I sleep not in sin and [Page 170] [...] [Page 171] [...] [Page 172] security, and the time suddenly come of my departure, and so be taken unprovided and perish without repentance. O Lord such is the blindness of our nature, that we think this World a continual being for us, covet even with greediness to see many days, where we heap sin upon sin, to the over-burdening of our poor Souls, seldom or not at all thinking to die: but grant, my most sweet Lord, that as I desire to live, so I may have a greater desire to live well, that I may make a happy end, abandoning the fear of death, that the cogitation thereof may dwell in peace within the mansion of my heart, and when it shall approach near unto me, I fly not from it, but that I may go forth with joy to meet it: considering that it is a means to end my woes and to begin my joys; it is the finishing of sorrow, and the entrance into bliss, where is nothing but joys unspeakable, and contrary here on Earth, nothing but care and woe: which moved thy servant Job to call his life a warfare, where is nothing but conflicts between the flesh and the spirit, daily increase of sin, and continual care of vanity.
O God give me a careful heart to love thee; whilst I live here give me continual fear, unfeigned zeal, perfect faith, and [Page 173] godly care to do good unto all men, and earnest desire to come unto thee, who art the end of all trouble and labour, the beginning of bliss, the end of death, and the beginning of life; whereunto, sweet Lord, grant that with unfeigned desire, I may faithfully endeavour my self to come, where thy Son is gone before to direct us the way, and making all those that thou findest with the lamp of true faith burning in their hearts, partakers of the Everlasting joys thereof: in number of whom, O sweet Lord, accept me here, and cleanse me from all my sins, that I may appear among them in the World to come, through the same thy Son Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour; to whom be all praise and glory for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Prayer to Jesus Christ for Heavenly Comfort.
O Jesus, grant I beseech thee, I may rest and repose my self in thee before any Creature, before all honour, power, dignity and consolation, over and above all hope and promise; yea, and above all the hoast of Heaven. O when shall it be fully granted unto me, that I shall for sake my [Page 174] self, and see how sweet and pleasant thou art O Lord my God! O Jesus the brightness of Eternal glory, the comfort of the wandring Soul, my mouth is bent towards thee without speaking, and silently speaketh unto thee. How long will my Lord my God, withdraw himself from coming unto me? come unto me thy servant, comfort me O Lord, thrust forth thy helping hand, O God, and deliver me; for without thee there can be no restful day, nor quiet hour: thou art my joy, thou art my comfort, and without thee I am comfortless: O Jesus, infinite in pity, infinite in power, infinite also both in thy rewards, and in thy revenge; I am weak, but willing with my Soul to love thee, with my flesh to fear thee, with my mind to honour thee, with my mouth to praise thee, and with my whole heart to serve thee; but alas, I am so clogged with corruption, I am so drowned in flesh and blood, that I scarce either dare or can list up my head, and look unto thee; and yet why should I be ashamed when thou dost invite me? Why should I be faint, when thou dost not only encourage, but also inable me, or at the least accept my weak endeavours? Strive then, O thou very bowels of my Soul, strive with all [Page 175] your strength to raise up your thoughts out of this mire of mortality, wherein they stick, and out of these waves of fleshly affections, wherein they float; advance thy self, O my Soul, towards thy Oreator; frame thy affections to love him for his goodness, to honour him for his greatness, to rejoice in him for his merits, to pray unto him for his mercies, which daily thou dost need, and by needing dost crave, and by craving dost obtain, if not according to thy desires, yet very far above thy deserts; wherefore, blessed be thou O Lord my God, which hast done this goodness unto me thy Servant. What can I say more unto thee, O Lord, but humble my self in thy sight, and be always mindful of mine iniquity and unworthiness; for of all the wonderful things in Heaven and Earth, there is none like unto thee O Lord. Thy works are excellent, thy judgments are upright, and by thy providence all things are grounded; O Father of wisdom, laud and praise be unto thee; my mouth, my Soul, and all the powers of my heart shall praise thee without ceasing O my God, both now and for ever.
Amen.
A fruitful Prayer at the end of Prayer.
O Most righteous God, for thy great mercies sake hearken to these my Prayers which I have now made unto thee, and consider Lord the desires and thoughts of my heart, in thy mercy, and let mine unfeigned Prayers enter into thine Ears; hear, O Lord, for I am destitute of thy help, take care for my Soul, save me thy unworthy servant, which wholly trusteth in thee; have mercy O Lord, have mercy upon me, for I will never cease crying unto thee for thy help and mercy. In the day time will I call on thee, and in the night my cry shall not be hid from thee. O thou God of the Heavens, and maker of all Creatures, hear me a most wretched Creature, calling on thee; and take away from me all my sins, and make stedfast my faith and confidence in thee, and in thy promises; that I putting my trust in them, may have as thou hast promised, Everlasting Life, through the merits of thy Son Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour; to whom be all praise and glory, for ever and ever, World without end.
Amen.
An Evening Prayer.
O Eternal God, Omnipotent and merciful Father, I prostrate my self before thy Throne, beseeching thee in the Name of thy Son Jesus Christ, to blot out all my transgressions, by which I have offended thy Divine Majesty this Day; forgive, Lord, all the sins which from my youth I have done, and be merciful unto me; guide me with thy wisdom; that when I walk, I may go with me, when I sleep, it may keep me, and when I awake, I may talk thereof. O Lord be thou my Watchman and protector this night, that troubles and vain cogitations do not invade me, neither the fear of Death overwhelm me, nor my sleep in the night, alter my thoughts and understanding when I should take rest; but grant me a good and quiet sleep, going unto my Bed, which representeth my Grave, that rising in the Morning to render due praise and thanks unto thee my Protector, I may likewise at the Day of Judgment rise as one of thy chosen Children, upon thy right hand into Heaven, where I may sing praises unto thy holy and blessed Name for ever.
Prayers for Saturday Morning.
O Lord my God and Father, blessed be thy Name for ever. Dispose my heart, open my lips, and give me thy holy Spirit, &c.
A Psalm.
WHom have [...] in Heaven but thee O Lord, and there is none upon Earth that I desire in comparison of thee.
My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
For [...], they that forsake thee shall perish, and thou wilt destroy them that commit fornication against thee.
But it is good for me to hold me fast by God, and to put my trust in my Lord God, and to speak of all his works.
For God is King of old, the help that is done upon Earth he doth it himself.
Wherefore I will cry unto God with my Voice, even unto God will I cry with my [Page 179] voice, and he shall hearken unto me.
When I am in heaviness I will think upon God, when my heart is vexed I will complain.
I have considered the days of old, and the years that are past.
I call to remembrance my Song, and in the night I commune with mine own heart, and search out my spirits.
Will the Lord absent himself for ever, and will he be no more intreated?
Is his mercy clean gone for ever, and is his promise come utterly to an end for evermore?
Hath God forgotten to be gracious, and will he shut up his loving kindness in displeasure?
And I sald it is mine own infirmity, but I will remember the years of the most High.
I will remember the works of the Lord, and call to mind the wonders of old time.
I will think of all thy works, and my thinking shall be of thy doings. Glory, &c.
A Morning Prayer.
O Almighty Protector and Keeper both of the Souls and Bodies of the faithful, I yield thee humble and hearty thanks, for [Page 180] defending me, and saving me this night past and all the rest of my life hitherto from sudden death, and from all other perils and dangers whereunto my Soul and weak Body are subject to fall, and wherewith I am so beset, that had I not been preserved by thee, it could not otherwise have been, but my body had perished and my Soul been carried into everlasting perdition: But most sweet Lord, my succour and defence, who hath continual regard of the safety of thy servants, and never suffer est them to be overcome with any kind of danger, vouchsafe to forgive me, whatsoever I have committed and done against thy Divine Majesty, either sleeping or waking this night, or at any time secretly or openly heretofore, by reason of the corruption which remaineth in me: and grant that as I have by thy protection passed this night, so I may enjoy at thy merciful hands, whatsoever thy Fatherly Providence shall think meet and convenient for me, and so in hope of thy loving kindness and mercy, go forward this day, and all my life in perfect love, unfeigned zeal, and continual obedience to thy most blessed will; that, so continuing unto the end I may receive the reward of thy Coelestial Kingdom, which thy Son Jesus hath [Page 181] purchased for all true Believers in thee; in number of whom, sweet Lord, for the mercies of him thy Son, make me, that I with them, and they with me, may continually sing laud and praise unto the Trinity eternally,
Amen.
A Confession to God for sin.
MOst gracious God, and loving Father in Jesus Christ, I confess mine unrighteousness, which maketh me unworthy to come before thee, not only in regard of mine original corruption, which I traduced from disobedient Adam, but in regard of my continual sins, and actual evils, which I daily commit against thee, whereby, I cannot but be offensive unto thee, and ever loathsome in thy sacred Eyes: but alas, such is mine estate, that being considered as it is in and of my self, that I can bring forth no better fruits than the Tree of Adam's disobedience; whose roots, as they are sin, so bear they sin in me, and consequently procure death and destruction: but dear Father, as by Adam sin entred and took hold of himself, and of all his Posterity; so by thy Son Jesus Christ we are all justified by our adoption into his, righteousness of [Page 182] thy free love, if we take hold of thy promises in him, and become obedient unto thee: and therefore, dear Father, howsoever our corruptions, as they are in us of our selves, have bewrapped us in bondage to sin and death; so let thy Sons merits be unto us a sufficient ransom for our Everlasting liberty; not only to come freely to the Throne of grace, but in the end to obtain the joys eternally with him in Heaven, who liveth and raigneth with thee and the holy Spirit for ever, World without end.
Amen.
A Prayer for the true worship of God.
O Most gracious God and loving Father, establish my heart and mind in the true Worship of thy Divine Majesty: make me to believe thy holy and sacred Gospel, wherein I am daily and hourly instructed to love, fear, honour, and obey thee: to hate sin and iniquity, to renounce all superstitious Ceremonies, whereby thy worship is defaced, thy glory prophaned, and thy honour greatly diminished: Give me grace to hate sin, and to renounce the vanities and wanton pleasures of this wicked World: and finally, give me power from [Page 183] above to withstand Satan the Prince of darkness, and all his damnable Ministers, who by divers temptations provokes and allures us from godly purity, and perfect integrity, (which passeth only from Christ Jesus to us, who is the fulness of our perfection and holiness) to all kind of evil, impiety and uncleanness: by means whereof thy glory is greatly prophaned, and of a set purpose contemned; make me, O Lord I beseech thee, by the power of a fruitful faith, to resist and bridle the conconcupiscence of my flesh, in such sort, that my Soul may triumph with Victory, and continue constant in worshiping thee, from whom passeth the fulness of my joy; prepare my heart and mind to spread forth the glory of thy Name, keep my tongue from all filthy talk, and uncomely gesture, lest, by the exercises of such sin, I contemn thy worship, and provoke thee to displeasure against me, set thou a watch before the gates of my mouth, that my lips may by grace be made open to sound forth thy praise and glory; be merciful to mine offences, think thou not on my unrighteousness, but open thy clemency, forgive thou freely, and pardon graciously all my sins, make me faithful in Christ Jesus, shorten the dangerous days of iniquity, [Page 184] increase the number of thy chosen and peculiar Saints; hasten thy coming, O Saviour Christ, that I with the Fellowship of thy Saints, heavenly Angels, and the blessed Company of Martyrs, may celebrate thy praise, and worship thee in thy glorious Kingdom, before thy Father, my God, and the Holy Ghost; to whom be all honour, praise and glory, for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer taken out of the first Psalm.
O Almighty and most gracious God, take away from me I beseech thee all evil counsels, and then my sins; suffer me not to run into an ungodly and wicked life, and finally, keep my mind far from the contempt of godliness, and scorning of virtue, and instead of these evils. Grant that I may continually be occupied in thy Law and sacred Scriptures, and that I be not carried about like the wicked, as light dust, and fruitless chaff, with every blast of affection and doctrine; but rather that I be as a Tree planted by the Water-brooks, and endued with the life of thy Spirit and Faith, I may also by the same Spirit bring forth the fruit of good works; and that whatsoever I take in hand it may prosper, and tend to the [Page 185] praise and glory of thy Name, and furtherance of my salvation; and that at the last, when the wicked shall fall away in thy judgments, I may stand stedfast, and be made perfect, through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer to be unloosed of the bands of Satan.
O Lord, by thy mighty power subdue the works of Satan in me; O thou wicked Seducer, thy works are destroyed, thy bands are broken, thou shalt not take or bind me: avoid sin, thou hast lost thy sting, thou wast condemned in the flesh, nailed to the Cross, and crucified with my Lord Christ; avoid Death, for thou art dead; and Hell, for thou art swallowed up in Victory; avoid thou Dragon and all thine Angels, for Michael hath beaten thee, and broken thy head; he hath freed us from sin, and led away captivity captive; even he, Satan, hath over-mastered thee, that cried out unto me, Fear not, for I have overcome the World; even he that hath promised to be with me to the end of my Pilgrimage, and crieth out, that if he be with me, none can be against me; fight therefore Satan as [Page 186] long as thou wilt, thou shalt, at length be put to the foil; for the mighty Lyon of the Tribe of Juda telleth me, that there is no condemnation to them that be in him; that Jesus is the Conquerour of the whole World, and vanquisher of thee, rage thou never so much; therefore I say, avoid from me, for in Christ Jesus I have passed the Sea of my sins, thy cursed Army; and if thou follow to pursue me, thou shalt be drowned in the red Sea of Christs bloud; to whom be all honour, power and glory, for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Prayer to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven.
O Father, merciful and Everlasting, be merciful unto me and give me a feeling of thy blessed will; open unto me the way of true knowledge, prepare my steps to walk aright, that in all the course of my life, I may be guided aright, and savour more of Heavenly, than of Earthly things; and let my whole delight be to meditate righteousness; let me imbrace equity, and execute justice, and abound in love, mercy, sanctity and true holiness; and furnish me largely, good Lord, with all [Page 187] spiritual graces, whereby I may continually seek thy Everlasting Kingdom, and practise the righteousness thereof for ever; illuminate my understanding by thy Spirit, and let thy Word be my whole comfort, and the use thereof my continual delight; and abandon, good Lord, all superfluous care of worldly things from my thoughts, that I may by a continual holy meditation of thee, and things above, use the things of this life as if I used them not; knowing this, and assuring my self by thy promise; that if I seek and covet to have my conversation on things spiritual, all temporal things shall be assuring my self by thy promise; that if I seek and covet to have my conversation on things spiritual, all temporal things shall be ministred unto me: all which my Petitions, grant me, O Father, for thy dear Sons sake Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour, to whom be all glory for ever and ever.
Amen.
Prayers for Saturday Night.
O Lord my God and heavenly Father, blessed be thy Name for ever: Dispose my heart, open my lips, and give me thy holy Spirit, &c.
A Psalm.
OUT of the deep have I called unto thee, O Lord, Lord hear my Voice.
O let thine Ears consider well the voice of my complaint.
If thou Lord, wilt be extream to mark, what is said, or done amiss, O Lord, who may abide it?
I look for the Lord, my Soul doth wait for him, in his Word is my trust.
My Soul melteth away for very heaviness, comfort thou me according to thy Word.
O take from me the way of lying, and cause thou me to make much of thy Law.
Make me to go in the paths of thy Commandments, for therein is my desire.
O take not the Word of thy truth utterly [Page 189] out of my mouth, for my hope is in thy Judgments.
I will never forget thy Commandments, for with them thou hast quickned me.
Wherefore, O ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.
For when I called upon thee, thou heardest me, and enduedst my Soul with much strength.
And though I walk in the midst of trouble, yet shalt thou refresh me.
The Lord shall make good his loving kindness towards me, yea, thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever, despise not then the work of thine own hands.
Wherefore I will praise the Lord, for the Lord is gracious, O let us sing praises unto his name, for it is lovely.
Thy Name, O Lord, endureth for ever, so doth thy memorial, O Lord from Generation to Generation. Glory be, &c.
A most fruitful Prayer for a blessed aad godly life.
O Merciful Father, the honour of my salvation, and my defender in whom I only put my whole trust; I unhappy wretch have many waies stirred thee up, I have done evil before thy face, I have provoked thy displeasure, I have sinned, and thou hast suffered me; I have offended, and yet thou sustainest me: Yea, and besides all this, while I defer from time to time, thou tarriest for me. O Lord, the God of my health, I cannot tell what to answer, there is no place to fly from thee, or to hide me; thou shewest me the way to live well, and givest me knowledge how to go: Wherefore, O Father of mercy, and God of all consolation, strike my heart with thy fear; that with fearing I may escape those things which thou threatnest, and grant me the comfort of thy salvation, that in loving, I may obtain those things which thou promisest: O Lord, which art my strength and deliverer, tell me how I shall think of thee, teach me with what words I shall call upon thee, and the works wherewith I may please thee: O most mighty God, that art blessed for [Page 191] evermore; I commit into thy hands at this time, and at all other times else, my Soul, my Body, and all my thoughts, affections, words and works: my memory, my faith, my belief and continuance in the same, that thou maiest defend them with thy most mighty power, that thou maist keep them day and night, and every moment of time, hear me, O Holy Trinity, and keep me from all evil, from all offences, from all deceits and despites of the Devil, and from all mine Enemies, visible and invisible: give me, O Lord, perfect sense and understanding, that I may be able to perceive thine exceeding and great mercies: teach me what I shall ask, and grant that thou wilt hear that which I require: give me tears from the bottom of my heart, that may unloose the bands of my sins; If thou regard me not, I perish; if thou look upon me I live; if thou examine my righteousness, I stink and am corrupt, being dead; but if thou look on me with mercy, thou raisest me out of my grave: spare my Soul, spare my sin, visit me that am weak, heal me that am diseased, give me a heart to fear thee, a mind to love thee, Ears to hear thee, and Eyes that I may always see thee: I ask, Lord, remission of all my sins, have mercy [Page 192] on me, and hear me, O Lord my Salvation, I have asked some things which [...] need, I have remembred those things which I fear: wherefore vouchsafe me thy grace, O Lord, to live in thy true fear to my lives end, through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour: to whom be all honour and glory, for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Prayer for Faith, and ableness to pray.
O Most gracious God and dear Father, I thy unworthy servant, ignorant o [...] all good things, unprofitable and unfit to serve thee, by reason of my corruption▪ do yield thee all humble thanks, that thou dost vouchsafe me access to the throne o [...] thy mercy in Christ, where all wisdom▪ aid, consolation and comfort do abound▪ and from whom all good gifts and graces do most frankly flow unto thy Children [...] I here a Sinner, in regard there is in me no strength to stand, nor wisdom to walk nor faith to frame my affections accord▪ ing to thy will, do heartily crave supply of the good gifts at thy hands: where▪ fore dear Father, grant me thy holy Spirit; which being inspired into m [...] by thy divine power, may work i [...] [Page 193] me such effects as are fit for the strengthning of my weak understanding, and for the increase of faith, and renewing the inner man, I may become a fit member of thy Church; good Father sanctifie me within and without, purifie mine affections, and let me be made holy in all my proceedings: direct me to call upon thee aright, and shape in me a sound course of life, and let faith unfeignedly be the ground of all my desires that I may be thereby renewed daily in lively hope of thy gratious deliverance, whensoever I am touched with any calamity: dear Father, banish all unbelief in me, and make me thereby faithful, that by thy divine working, I may be able to conceive aright, speak aright, and walk aright: O learn me, and I shall be learned, teach me, and I shall understand and do thy will; then shall neither prosperity puff me up, nor calamities cast me down, nor any evil make me afraid: O happy man that is so far in thy favour, that obtaineth this blessing at thy hands! therefore I [...]y unto thee my Allsufficient, and truly helping God and Father, be pitiful to thy perplexed children: to thee I fly and will not faint, for I believe thy promises, Lord help my unbelief: thou art the cause and absolute perfection of my soul, the [Page 194] Preserver of life, the everlasting and only good that I seek, from whom, as from a lively spring floweth whatsoever is good, either for soul or body: make perfect therefore in me this good gift, O Lord increase it in me more and more daily; that I applying the same in humble manner, with reverent prayer to thy divine Majesty, both for corporal and spiritual relief, may be continually heard, and so resting herein under the shadow of thy sacred wings, may be safe and secure in all my miseries: good Lord I here commend mine estate unto thee in all patience, humbly beseeching thee, that in thy good time, I may reap the fruit of a lively confidence in thee: namely, what in this life is expedient for the preservation and maintenance thereof, and after this life, the absolute end thereof, that is, eternal salvation in Jesus Christ; to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all glory for ever.
Amen.
A Prayer, to be defended against our enemies.
O Lord strengthen my faith, and arm me with continual hope in thee, whereby I may be able to withstand all the [Page 195] cruelties of mine adversaries, in such sort that they may know it to be thy self who fightest for me, and defendest my cause against their fury: behold O Lord, my trust is in thee, thy rod and thy staff, comfort me, and stay me up, that I fall not into their hands by trusting unto mine own policy or wisdom, which is but a foolishness before thee; nor to the help or friendship of man, which is but vain: but lead thou me, O Lord, guide me in all my doings, cogitations and words, lest I erring from thy Commandements, incline my heart to vanity and vice; mine enemies take just occasion to say, ah, we saw it with our eyes, and bring up an evil report of me, and that deservedly: O Lord guide me in all truth, establish my heart with true desire and ableness to walk uprightly in all thy ways: vouchsafe to keep me from the dangerous desires of fleshly lusts, and from haunting the place suspected or polluted with uncleanness, lest mine enemies, taking just occasion by my lewd behaviour, speak that indeed which may redound to my shame and deserved infamy. Finally, O Lord, keep me from all evil; and though by reason of my corruption I be naturally inclined to wantonness and excess, thou wilt give me [Page 196] sobriety, lowliness, love, even to mine enemies, chastity, wisdom, and discreet understanding both of their wills and mine own weakness, that so through thy grace, leading the whole course of my life in sincerity and godly behaviour, I may magnifie thy holy Name, who so regardeth the prosperity of thy servant, that thou sufferest him not to fall into the hands of all such as should eat him up; and let not the adversaries of thy truth, O Lord unjustly rejoyce over me. I am in thy hand, and they are within the compass of thy power, stay their fury, let them not take effect in their devices against me; I refer all things to thy heavenly providence, and wholly commit my self into thy hands, humbly praying thee for Jesus Christ's sake, to deal with me and them, according to thy mercy and loving kindness: and not after our deserts: be thou merciful unto me, and evermore mightily defend me, unto my lives end conducting me uprightly in all my ways, for the glory of thy holy Name; to whom with thy Son and the Holy Ghost, be all honour, power and glory, for ever and ever,
Amen.
A Prayer for the opening of the eyes of our understanding.
O Sweet Jesus, lighten me with the brightness of eternal light, and drive all darkness, as it were, from the mansion house of my soul: suppress the wandring thoughts, and break in pieces these violent temptations: fight thou my God for my defence, and vanquish those evil beasts, to wit, the intieing desires of the flesh, that by thy power I may get peace, and sing out thy praises in the holy Court of my soul: send thy light and truth which may lighten the earth, for I am rude earth, good for nought, until thou enlighten me; pour out thy favour from above, and replenish my soul with thy heavenly grace: O Lord lift up my mind, which is pressed down through the weight of sin, and stir up the same wholly to the desire of heavenly and celestial things, that having tasted the sweetness of supernatural happiness, it may greatly grieve me even to think of this world; take me, O Lord, or rather pluck me from all momentany pleasures of earthly and vain things, and joyn me unto thee by an indissoluble band of good will, for thou [Page 198] alone dost suffice thy friend, and without thee all things are vain, and of no price in my heart, to whom, O my Lord God, be all glory for ever.
Amen.
A Godly Meditation, or Prayer.
O Lord my God, I altogether unhappy and comfortless, have grievously offended thee; how often have I trespassed against thee, and how often have I deserved thy displeasure, and yet how seldom hast thou punished me? how often hast thou been good and merciful unto me, how often have I promised and vowed amendment, and how little and seldom have I performed it? I dare not lift up mine eyes towards heaven, because I have sinned against it, and in earth I cannot look for refuge, because I have been a slanderer, and a shame unto it; what then, shall I despair? no, for God is merciful, and a good Saviour, he doth visit them that live in darkness, and is a chearful light to them that sit in the shadow of death; he willeth us to forgive our brother, though he offend seven times, yea, and infinitely, and is more merciful than any man can be: return thee therefore unto thy Lord God, pray unto him humbly for grace, [Page 199] and continue thee to bewail thy sins past, because he that loveth thee, provoketh thee daily with his gifts to love him, and will not leave till he have made perfect his work begun, and brought his mercy to full effect in thee; what natural cause beginneth his work, and leaveth it in the half way imperfect? and as by natural order and right course things do proced and increase by little and little, from the less to the more; even so doth God first dispose us to his mercy, and then increasing his goodness, daily bestoweth on us, in the end, the treasure of his grace, the inheritance of everlasting joys; yea, very love, worketh in natural causes to bring forth their effects to perfection, which if it be so in creatures, what will the Creator do, which is love it self, and infinite goodness! he will withdraw thee from thy sins, and make thee clean and pure, and finally bless thee with eternal life. O Lord, I come unto thee, humbly waiting for thy mercy, thou art my hope and help, according to thy great goodness and mercy in Jesus Christ, have mercy on me now and for evermore.
Amen.
A Prayer for perseverance in Prayer.
O Lord my God, according to thy Commandment, in mine afflictions and necessities I seek to thee for succour by continual Prayer, and calling upon thy Name; therefore most dear Father, strengthen me by thy holy spirit, that I may still persevere in Prayer, and with longing desires patiently wait for thee, O Lord, being assured, that although it appear not as yet, thou art always present with me, and heardest my complaint, and wilt, when thou seest thy time, declare thy self manifestly in renewing my heart with spiritual joy; stir up O Lord, I beseech thee, my sluggish nature to call upon thee continually, appointing thee neither the time, nor the means of my deliverance; but leaving all to thy good will and pleasure I may in the mean time never cease by continual Prayer to call for thy merciful deliverance: and when thou shalt mercifully take upon thee to deliver me, I may then fully with my whole heart acknowledge thy goodness towards me, and that it never slip out of my heart, but that I may continue thankful for the same all the days of my life, whereby thy glory in me may be [Page 201] declared and my soul relieved, though Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour.
Amen.
An Evening Prayer.
O My Lord God and merciful Father, I humbly beseech thee in Jesus Christ, that thou wilt vouchsafe to hide and bury all my sins and transgressions whatsoever, from my infancy unto this present time I have committed and done against thy divine Majesty. O Lord be thou my light in darkness, then shall my light be as clear as the day. O heavenly Father bless me; O blessed Son keep me, O Holy Ghost, three Persons and one God, deliver me this night from all sin and evill that may be hurtful to my soul and body, that so with confidence to thee, I may lay me down to rest, and none make me afraid, because thou art my Protector. O holy Spirit, at my last gasp be thou my light, yea, when my strength faileth, my sight departeth, mine ears wax deaf, and my mouth dumb; and when all my senses for sake me, then give me some sense of eternal life, that I may taste in this mortal body, the beginning of thine everlasting comfort: and at my departure out of this world, I may behold by faith, thy divine presence, and so [Page 202] sleep quietly to eternal life, through Jesus Christ thine only Son, my Saviour; to whom be all honour and glory for ever.
Amen.
Short Directions before the Receiving of Christ's Holy Sacrament, His Blessed Body and Blood.
SAcraments should of all men be admired and honoured; not so much respecting the service which we do unto God in receiving them as the dignity of the sacred and secret gift we thereby receive from God. They are the visible signs of invisible graces, which indeed is the very end these heavenly Mysteries were instituted for: They are the powerful instruments of God to eternal life; for as our natural life consisteth of the union of the body and soul, so our life supernatural in the union of the soul with God: His flesh is meat, his blood is drink, not by surmised imagination, but truly, even so truly through faith we perceive in the body and blood, Sacramentally presented, the very taste of eternal life.
For the worthy receiving of this Sacrament, these four things are very considerable.
- 1. Preparation, or Examination.
- 2. Faith.
- 3. Repentance.
- 4. Thanksgiving.
1. Preparation consisteth in self-examination, and in an act of the soul reflecting upon it self in a general survey of our spiritual state in grace, comparing our present condition, which we find in our selves, with the word of God, by which will quickly appear what good we should have done, and the evil we should not have done.
S. Paul's admonition is, that before the receiving of this holy Sacrament, there should be a strict examination: Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat and drink of this Cup. 1 Cor. 11. For he that drinketh unworthily, drinketh his own damnation.
Therefore certainly great is the danger to us, if premeditation precedes not this great undertaking. Thus saith the Lord, Consider your ways, Hag. 1. 5. Consider well what you go about, for this duty is no perfunctory imployment, no exercise by the bye, but such a work as ought to be done exactly, seriously, with deep meditation and study, [Page 204] recollecting in privacy, and calling to question all thy actions past, the omission of good duties, and the doing of evil, sweeping, as it were, all the corners of thy heart, and view thy self in the glass of God's Law, by which quickly will appear thy great and many sins, of all kinds whatsoever; as want of love and fear of God, abusing his mercies and blessings, neglect of works, of charity, piety, and justice, offending thy God by blaspheming, cursing, and customary passion: Intemperance, by gluttony and drunkenness, lust and uncharitable desires, hatred, malice, back-biting and all manner of evil imaginations; these are they that defile thy soul, and except we do as the Prophet commands us, Isaia. 1. 16. Wash us, make us clean, put away the evil of our doings before the Lord's eyes, and cease to do evil, we shall at the last be rewarded with them that had not on the wedding garment: Therefore laying aside all carnal security and self-dissimulation, Commune with thy self and be still, Psal. 4. Search thy soul, enquire of thy conscience, and rip up thy bosome sins, and confess them to the Lord in deep sorrow and contrition of heart, imploring his mercy, stedfastly purposing by his blessed assistance to lead a new life: Accuse thy self, and say with [Page 205] the Prodigal in the Gospel, Good Father▪ I have sinned, I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies; it is thy mercy I am not consumed! And with Mary Magdalene, cast thy self down at the feet of Jesus, and wash them with tears, in tokens of thy sorrow, and signs of thy love; and be truly sorrowful for so often offending so precious, so merciful a God as our God, the greatness of whose love can't be measured, whose mercy hath no bounds. Therefore, O my soul, contemplate of the great goodness of our good God, which hath this day sent salvation to thy soul, and calleth thee to this great feast, to be partaker of the precious body and blood of Jesus Christ, being prepared by humble repentance to receive in faith and joy thy blessed Redeemer, giving thanks always to God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ, whose mercy is everlasting, whose truth endureth from generation to generation.
2. Faith, which is a certain knowledge with an assured confidence kindled in our heart by the Holy Ghost, being assuredly resolved, that the free remission of all our sins, everlasting righteousness, and life eternal, is given unto us through the mercies and goodness of Almighty God, for the alone merits of Jesus Christ.
For, by Grace are ye saved through Faith, and not of your selves, it is the gift of God, Ephes. 2. 8.
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Jesus Christ, Rom. 13. 24.
For as by one man's disobedience all were made sinners; so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous, Rom. 5.
3. Repentance, which is a godly sorrow for sin wrought in the heart by the supernatural grace of the Holy Ghost, turning from all our evil ways unto God, is meekness and humility of spirit.
Circumcise therefore the fore-skin of your hearts, and be no more stiff-necked, Deut. 10. 16.
Wash thy heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved! How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? Jer. 4. 14.
Return ye now every one from his evil ways, and make your doings good, Jer. 18. 11.
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again unto the Lord, Lam. 3. 4.
Return again unto the Lord thy God, for thou hast fallen by thine own iniquities, Hos. 14. 1.
[Page 207] Draw nigh to God, clanse your hands ye sinners, and purifie your hearts ye doubleminded, Jam. 4. 8.
4. Thanksgiving, praising God the Lord for all his benefits and mercies, especially for sending his only Son Jesus Christ: to die for the remission of all our sins, and always to be mindful of the greatness of his goodness, and the unworthiness of our deserts.
An humble confession before the Sacrament.
O Most mighty God and merciful Father, which according to the multitude of thy mercies, dost put away the sins of those which truly repent, and remembrest them no more; open O Lord I beseech thee, the eyes of thy mercy upon me thy most unworthy servant, who in heart earnestly desireth pardon and forgiveness of all my sins and offences! the number of which exceeds the ordinary expectation of mercy! and such they are, as cannot bear any conformity with excuse! the total sum whereof, is the breach of all thy Commandments, both in thought, word, and deed! thy blessings and benefits I have abused! thy judgments and punishments not feared, the means of my own salvation utterly neglected, and most grievously by my wickedness have I provoked thy wrath and indignation against me! my life that was appointed for the service of thee the living God, hath been for the most part spent in the service of the Devil, in the desires and sinful lusts of the flesh! my doings have been evil, my desires and thoughts wicked, and so detestable hath the whole [Page 209] course of my life been, that my soul trembleth to look up to Heaven for fear of thy displeasure: shouldest thou therefore, O Lord, be extream to mark what is done amiss, and take vengeance for my sins, I were as dust before the face of the wind, and in justice might be swept away into the place of everlasting torment.
But, O Lord, with thee there is mercy, that thou mightest be feared: thou art a God of all comfort and consolation, a merciful, loving, and gracious Father, ready and willing to hear all penitent sinners, that in heart are sorrowful for their sins! In the Name therefore of Jesus Christ my blessed Redeemer I humbly prostrate my self before the Throne of thy Mercy seat, accompanied with no other hope than such as proceeds from the richness of thy mercy, that for his only sake, thou wilt have compassion upon me; for in humility of spirit and contrition of heart, I submit my self to thy goodness, beseeching thee not to let my sins be a cloud between my Prayer and thy pity, thy goodness and my distress; but forgive and forget all my transgressions, all my mis-doings, let them be sins of what condition soever; whether sins of my youth, or sins of my age, sins of my body, or sins of my [Page 210] soul; secret and open sins, notorious and presumptuous sins, sins of pride, envy, hatred, malice, &c. Good Lord remit them all, and of thy great goodness grant me perfect remission and absolution for the same! for which the Prophet David, Out of the depth of my misery, I cry unto thee for the depth of thy mercy. O Lord hear my petitions, and consider my tears! the contrition of my heart, and the sorrow of my soul! and in the merits of his blood that was so plentifully shed on the Cross for penitent sinners, wash away the multitude of my transgressions, that my soul, by thy mercy, being cleansed from the stain of sin, I may be found a worthy partaker of this great mystery.
And now, O Lord, that I am about to receive the blessed Sacrament of the body and blood of Jesus Christ; how shall I, that am so great a sinner, dust and ashes, dare to presume to approach thy Table! The Heavens in thy sight being not clear, and the pillars of the Earth shake at thy presence. What then shall become of me miserable that I am! Yea, Lord, thou hast provided a special means, and in thy Gospel left us a command, Come unto me all ye, &c. Which command I obey, and in confident assurance of thy promise in Christ Jesus, I trust thou wilt [Page 211] have mercy upon me, in the easing and refreshing of my soul that is wearied with the burthen of my intolerable sins! Wash me throughly from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin, and renew a right spirit within me: And of thy gracious goodness direct me in this great action, with a reverend and awful fear of thy Majesty, that all the faculties of my soul and body may be intent rightly to apprehend, and joyfully to receive this eternal food, this bread of life, this heavenly and wonderful mystery! and that by thy grace I may obtain the vertue, fruit, and benefits of the death and passion of my Saviour; and by the same, the remission of all my sins, and everlasting salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
A Prayer before the receiving of the Communion.
O Most holy and heavenly God and Father, which by the immortal seed of thy Word hast begotten us to be thy children, and with the same (as with milk) dost nourish us purely as new born babes, as also with the divine mysteries of thy holy Sacraments (as by a visible word) dost confirm and strengthen us in faith & righteousness; [Page 212] and having so adopted us into thy family, continually feedest and nourishest us unto eternal life: we humbly beseech thee so to prepare our souls to the due receiving thereof worthily, that we may thereby effectually feel, taste, and feed on thy Son Jesus Christ (the true Manna and Bread that came down from Heaven) that we may by him have eternal life: pardon (O Lord) pardon our unpreparedness in coming to the participation of so holy and divine Mysteries: Make thy Word and Sacraments always so powerful and effectual in our ears and hearts that we may thereby be sanctified and renewed unto all holy obedience unto thy will in the mortification of our sinful corruptions, and renewing of thy perfect, Image in us (unto holiness, righteousness, sobriety, truth, knowledge, faith, and temperance) through his most power ful and glorious Resurrection. Stablish our Conscience in the assurance of our salvation, by the remission of our sins in the blood of thy Son, which was shed for us on the Altar of the Cross (as a Sacrifice of expiation, to cleanse away all sin) O Lord, seal and confirm this Covenant of Grace in our hearts by these holy Sacraments (pledges of thy grace and love towards us) that at no time we may stagger [Page 213] at thy promises, nor fall away from hope and confidence in thee; but being hereby incorporated into one Body, we may partake of one Spirit, and grow in love one towards another (as members of the same mystical Body) that we may forgive one another, as thou hast forgiven us. O Lord, make us ever thankful for thy manifold and great mercies, in providing unto us such means and helps of our salvation; and grant that we may not put any confidence in external actions and exercises thereof (in any hope to be justified thereby) but that we may thereby exalt our minds to heavenly and spiritual contemplations, and by faith be firmly united to thee our Head in Heaven, to be made one with thee, and thou with us: and howsoever heretofore we have transgressed and defiled our selves, as well with our natural impurities, and actual impieties, henceforth (being now wash'd and purified in the blood of the Lamb which was sacrificed for us) we may have our conversation in Heaven; and being new creatures in Christ, may have new thoughts, desires, and delights, (far from the lusts of our former ignorance) and may live ever unto him and with him, who sitteth at thy right hand, our Redeemer and Advocate, and shall return to be our [Page 214] Judge, to justifie and acquit us before thee; to whom, with thee, and the Holy Ghost, be all praise, &c.
A Psalm.
1. AS the Hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
2. O let thy merciful kindness be my comfort, according to thy Word unto thy Servant.
3. Help me, O God of my salvation, for the glory of thy Name; O deliver me, and be merciful unto my sin, for thy Name's sake.
4. O remember not my old sins! but have mercy upon me, and that soon, for I am come to great misery.
5. Consider and hear me. O Lord my God, for my trust is in thy mercy.
6. Turn thy face from my sins, and put out all my mis-deeds.
7. Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness: according to the multitude of thy mercies do away my offences.
8. Wash me throughly from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my faults, and my sin is ever before me.
[Page 215] 10. Behold, I was shapen in wickedness, and in sin hath my mother conceived me.
11. Thou shalt purge me with Hyssop, and I shall be clean: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
12. Make me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
13. O remember not the sins and offences of my youth, but according to thy mercy, think thou upon me, O Lord, for thy goodness.
14. For thy Name sake, O Lord, be merciful unto my sin, for it is great.
15. Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am destitute and in misery.
16. Remember not, O Lord, mine iniquities nor the iniquities of my fore-fathers, neither take thou vengeance of my sins, but spare me, good Lord, whom thou hast redeemed with thy pretious blood, and be not angry with me for ever.
17. Blessed is he whose unrighteousness is forgiven, and whose sin is covered.
18. Blessed is the man, unto whom the Lord imputeth no sin, and in whose spirit, there is no guile.
19. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart, and will save such as be of an humble Spirit.
[Page 216] 20. O taste and see how gracious the Lord is: blessed is the man that putteth his trust in him.
21. O Lord thou hast dealt graciously with thy servant according to thy word. Glory be to, &c.
O Most gracious Lord God, I beseech thee help thy servant whom of thy mercy thou hast created, repair the ruins of my soul, inlarge the frame of my understanding thereof, cleanse it from all filthy corruption, and garnish it with all heavenly graces, that it may be both conveniently fit, and furnished to receive thee, that thou mayst make thy entry, and possess that which is thy own, both by creation and redemption and merits of thy passion, through Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Before the receiving. Ex Liturg.
GRant O most merciful Father I beseech thee, that I receiving these thy Creatures of Bread and Wine, according to the holy institution of our Saviour Jesus Christ, in remembrance of his death and passion, may [Page 217] be partaker of his blessed Body and Blood, and that my sinful body may be made clean by his Body, and my sinful soul washt through his most precious Blood which was shed for the remission of all my sins, through the same Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Immediately before the Receiving. Matth. 8. 8.
Lord, I am not worthy thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my soul shall be healed.
II.
O Lamb of God, let me eat thy Flesh, and drink thy Blood, that I may live everlastingly by thee; and cloath me with the wool of thy mercy, that no winter or storm of sin do pinch my silly soul.
III.
O blessed Jesus, let the Blood that ran from thy blessed Heart, wash my soul from all sin and iniquity, and purchase me thy heavenly grace and benediction:
Amen.
Immediately after Receiving.
PRaise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name, and forget not all his benefits, which saveth thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindness, Psal. 103.
I will give thanks unto the Lord for he is gratious, and his mercy endureth for ever, Psal. 106.
Alleluja, Salvation and Glory, and Honour, and Power, be unto the Lord our God, Amen. Revel. 19. 1.
Thanksgiving after the Receiving of the Blessed Sacrament. Ex. Liturg.
O Almighty and everlasting Lord God; I thy most humble servant, according to my bounden duty and service, do render unto thy Fatherly goodness, all possible praise and thanksgiving, for that thou hast vouchsafed to feed me with the holy mystery, and spiritual food of the precious Body and Blood of Jesus Christ thy Son and my Saviour; assuring me thereby of thy grace and favour towards me; and that I am a member incorporate in thy mystical [Page 219] body, the blessed company of faithful people; and also heir through hope of thy everlasting Kingdom, by the merits of his most precious death and passion: and grant me, O Lord, for the time to come the assistance of thy grace and heavenly benediction, that I may continue in all such good works as thou hast prepared for me to walk in; to the glory of thy Name, and my everlasting comfort, through Jesus Christ our Lord: to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory world without end.
Amen.
A Psalm.
1. PRaise the Lord, O my Soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name, which saveth thy self from destruction, and feedeth thee with the Bread of Heaven.
2. I will always give thanks unto the Lord, his praises shall ever be in my mouth.
3. Thy merciful kindness is evermore towards us: and thy truth, O Lord, is everlasting.
4. Great is the Lord, and marvellous to be praised, there is no end of his greatness.
5. He loveth Righteousness and Judgment; [Page 220] the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
6. Be glad, O ye Righteous, and rejoice in the Lord, and be joyful all ye that are true of heart.
7. I will give thanks unto thee with my whole heart; I will speak of thy marvellous works.
8. O praise the Lord with me, and let us magnifie his holy name.
9. Let my heart be filled with gladness, and my mouth with praise, that I may sing of thy glory, and with the rest of thy Saints give honour to thy Majesty in the eternal fruition of thy presence through Christ.
10. My mouth shall speak of the praise of the Lord; and let all flesh give thanks unto his holy name for ever and ever. Amen.
Vers. Praise the Lord.
Resp. The Lord's name be praised.
O Almighty and eternal God; what worthy praise can I give unto thee, by whose goodness I was created, by whose mercy I was redeemed, by whose power I am preserved, and by whose grace I hope to be glorified; and for all other thy blessings and benefits which I enjoy both in soul and body; and especially, for feeding me this [Page 221] day with the precious body and blood of Jesus Christ. I will therefore offer unto thee the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, and always praise thy holy Name, beseeching thee to pour upon my heart the sweet streams of thy mercy; conform my life, confirm my faith, and guide me by thy grace, that thy servant may with strong assurance of thine infallible truth and promised mercy, vanquish and subdue whatsoever rebelleth against thy blessed will; keep holy my soul and body, and let them not be defiled through delectation of sin; but that my full delight and joy may be in thee, and walk before thee in sincerity of heart and godly conversation, that I may here on earth glorifie thy name, and after this life with all thy faithful flock possess that everlasting inheritance: which thy Son Christ Jesus hath purchased, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory world without end.
Amen.
Amen.
Prayers for the Sick.
REmember not Lord our offences, nor the offences of our Forefathers, neither take thou vengeance of our sins, but spare us good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood, and be not angry with us for ever.
Spare us good Lord.
O Lord I beseech thee favourably to hear the prayers of thy servant, that I which am rightly punished for my offences, may by thy goodness be mercifully delivered for the glory of thy Name: through Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth world without end. Amen.
ALmighty and everlasting God, in whose hand consists the life of all mankind, which correctest those whom thou receivest; mercifully I beseech thee to hear my complaint, and despise not the prayer that I make now in the time of my trouble, in the vexation of my [Page 224] spirit, and the anguish of my soul. I remember thee, and cry unto thee for mercy; O thou that hast created, and made me of nothing, and redeemed me from the bondage of sin, death, and everlasting destruction, by the most precious blood of Jesus Christ, shed upon the Cross for the ransom of all my sins. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, have mercy upon me, bow down thine ear unto my cry, and cast me not away in thine anger, though for my wickedness I have deserved thy wrath and heavy displeasure against me: And now for my transgressions, in thy indignation thou hast stricken me with grievous sickness, and I begin to fall as leaves beaten with a vehement wind, yet are thy punishments less than my deservings. But of thy mercy and goodness, O Lord, correct me not to death, but to amendment of life; for thine own sake, for thy holy Names sake, for Christ Jesus sake be merciful unto my sin, for it is very great, and there is no rest in my bones, by reason of my transgression: Spare thy Servant, O God, which confesseth his sins; pour thy sanctifying Grace into my heart, and work thereby true and immediate repentance, and restore me again to thy favour, according to thy gracious promise in Jesus [Page 225] Christ: Let thy merciful providence so govern all this sickness, that I never fall into utter dakness, ignorance of thee, or inconsideration of my self; let the faintness of my spirit, and the condemnation of my self, be overcome with thy irresistable light, thou God of all consolation; grant that I may be mindful, of the great account that I have to make at the day of Judgment, and that I may bear in mind the image of that which is to be faithful, the end of misery, and the beginning of all happiness; but to the secure and careless, the beginning of eternal pain; Strengthen my faith, accept my repentant tears, speak peace to my soul and conscience, and say, thou art my salvation, My grace is sufficient for thee; then shall my heart rejoyce, and my soul shall be right glad, desiring to be dissolved, and be at peace, that after this my bodily death, I may enjoy the eternal fruition of thy heavenly presence: Let me not, O Father, in this my trial, be stricken with fear of condemnation, or distrust thy promises, but in sure confidence of heart, apply to my self the remission of my sins, that at the last gasp, by faith in Jesus Christ, I may have a taste of eternal salvation: let not death (if thou please to send it) be terrible or bitter unto me; but when it [Page 226] cometh, I may with joy receive the same, and having escaped the hardness of temptation, and the peril of Satan, I may triumph like a Conqueror, and behold the power and presence of thy holy spirit: let my last words be those which thy Son did utter upon the Cross saying; Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and when my speech is taken from me, hear the groanings of my heart, and the desire of my soul, that thy servant may depart in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord; to whom be all Praise, Power, Might, Majesty, and Dominion, now and for ever.
Amen.
The Sick saith Job 14. 1.
MAn that is born of a Woman, hath but a short time to live, and is full of misery; he cometh up and is cut down like a flower; He fleeth as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one state. In midst of life we are dying: of whom shall we seek for succour and comfort but of thee O Lord God our Maker?
A Psalm.
1. IN thee O Lord have I trusted, let me never be confounded; but rid me and deliver me in thy righteousness, incline thine ear to me and save me.
2. O Lord rebuke me not in thine indignation, neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure.
3. Have mercy upon me O Lord, for I am weak: O Lord [...]eal me, for my bones are vexed.
4. Turn thee, O Lord, and deliver my soul; O save me for thy mercies sake, for in death no man remembreth thee, and who shall give thee thanks in the pit?
5. Consider and hear me, O Lord my [Page 228] God, lighten mine eyes that I sleep not in death, shew me thy marvellous loving kindness, thou art the Saviour of them that put their trust in thee.
6. Thou hast been my succour, leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation! look upon my affliction and pain, and forgive all my sins.
7. O remember not my old sins, but have mercy upon me, and that soon, for I am come to great misery.
8. Preserve thou my soul therefore, O my God, and save thy servant that putteth his trust in thee.
9. O comfort the soul of thy servant, for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
10. O turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me: give thy strength unto thy servant, and help the son of thy handmaid.
11. Shew some good token upon me for good, that they which hate me, may see it, and be ashamed, because thou Lord hast holpen me, and comforted me.
12. O satisfie me with thy mercy, and that soon: so shall I rejoyce and be glad all the days of my life..
13. I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly, I go mourning all the day long: I am poured out like water, and all my bones [Page 229] are out of joynt; my heart is like wax, it melteth in the midst of my bowels.
14. Help me, O God of my salvation, for the glory of thy Name, O deliver me, and be merciful unto my sin, for thy Names sake.
15. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth them, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
16. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart, and will save such as be of an humble spirit.
17. O tarry the Lord's leisure: be strong, and he shall comfort thy heart, and put thou thy trust in the Lord.
18. O put thy trust in God, for I will give him trauks, which is the help of my countenance, and my God: Glory be to the Father, &c.
O Lord my God and Heavenly Father, who art the health of all men living, and the everlasting life of them which die in faith; open I beseech thee the eyes of thy mercy upon me thy sick servant, who in heart is truly sorrowful for all my sins; and of thy fatherly goodness, according to the multitude of thy mercies, put away all my transgressions out of thy remembrance: [Page 230] renew in me what hath been decayed by the fraud or malice of the Devil, or by mine own frailty; preserve me in the unity of the Church, consider my contrition, accept my tears, and asswage my pain, and if it be thy blessed will, restore me to my former health; or if otherwise thou hast appointed, give me grace so to take this visitation, that after this painful life ended, I may dwell with thee in life everlasting. Amen.
Lord Jesus preserve me, Lord Jesus comfort me, Lord Jesus pray for me; for only into thy hands, who hast redeemed me, O Lord thou God of Truth, I commend my soul both now and for ever.
Amen.
The Sick saith.
Lord have mercy upon me, Christ have mercy upon me.
Our Father which art in Heaven, &c.
I heard a voice from Heaven, saying unto one, Write, from henceforth, Blessed are the Dead which dye in the Lord.
A Psalm.
1. O Lord rebuke me not in thy indignation, neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure.
2. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak: O Lord heal me, for my bones are vexed.
3. My soul is also sore troubled: but Lord, how long wilt thou punish me!
4. Turn thee, O Lord, and deliver my soul: O save me for thy mercies sake.
5. For in death no man remembreth thee: and who shall give thee thanks in the pit?
6. I am weary of my groaning, every night wash I my bed, and water my Couch with my tears.
7. My beauty is gone for very trouble, and worn away because of all my enemies.
8. Through thee have I been holden up ever since I was born: thou art he that took me out of my mothers womb, my praise shall be always of thee.
9. Cast me not away in the time of Age: forsake me not when my strength faileth me.
10. O hide not thy face from me, nor [Page 232] cast away thy servant in displeasure.
11. Thou hast been my succour, leave me not O God of my salvation.
12. I am poor and needy, make hast unto me, O God, thou art my help and my deliverer, O Lord make no long tarrying, O Lord deliver me from the power of the enemy.
Lord help thy poor servant that putteth his trust in thee.
Send me help from thy holy place, and evermore mightily defend me: be unto me a strong Tower, O Lord, and evermore cover me with thy wings.
O Lord, hear my Prayer, And let my cry come unto thee.
The Sick saith.
I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that I shall rise out of the Earth in the last day, and shall be covered again with▪ my skin, and shall see God in my flesh; yea, and I my self shall behold him, not with other, but with the same eyes.
[Page 233] O Almighty and immortal God, the Saviour and defender of all that put their trust in thee; the only refuge and hope of the distressed in time of need, mercifully behold the sorrows of my heart, and the groanings of my spirit: thou hast, O Lord, of thy power made me of nought, and in thy good time I shall return to nought again. I brought nothing into the world, neither shall I carry any thing away when I depart: thou art my portion, my salvation, my Mediator, and my Saviour. O blessed Jesus, by thee came grace and life to the chosen, O receive me to thy mercy; thou sufferedst most cruel death for my sake, and art risen the first fruits of them that sleep, thou art crowned with power and glory, destroyed'st death, and givest eternal life to all believers: thou, O Saviour Christ, shalt raise me up in the last day, and give me possession of thy everlasting Kingdom, which thou hast purchased in thy blood and righteousness, according to the will of our merciful Father, whom thou hast pacified and pleased, for my redemption and salvation; for the performance of the oath which in his eternal and unsearchable purpose he promised our Fore-Fathers, whereof in thy merciful favour thou hast called me to be partaker, whereby I am [Page 234] taught and comforted by thy holy Spirit, to despise this world, and this corrupt tabernacle of sinful flesh, which of it self hath deserved nothing but death and damnation, and wholly to rely upon thee. Therefore, O Lord, stand by me, and defend me against the assaults of Satan, that after triumphant victory, through grace and power in thy Spirit, I may joyfully give over this fleshly being, and come into thy presence, O Lord, to rest in blissful peace, until the delivery of thy Saints, with whom I am in assured hope, by the witness of thy Spirit, to have my portion of the inheritance of perpetual salvation, and life everlasting, through Jesus Christ. Amen.
O my soul be joyful in the Lord, and despise not his correction, neither faint thou at his rebukes.
For whom the Lord loveth, him he correcteth: yea, he scourgeth every child whom he receiveth.
Thy sins were innumerable, neither couldest thou claim ought of duty, but death and damnation.
Thy merciful Lord hath accepted thy tears, and repentant groanings, and turned away his face from thy offences, he freely hath forgiven thee thy sins.
[Page 235] And because thou hast repented, and trusted in his mercy, he hath put them all out of his remembrance, neither will he think on them any more.
He will receive thee into his house, and crown thee with glory and kindness.
Thou shalt stand before his presence in the Sanctuary everlasting.
With Angels and Arch angels, with the Patriarchs and Prophets, with the faithful Witnesses, and with all the rest of the chosen Children of grace, to honour him, to serve him, to magnifie him, and praise him, with continual thanks in eternal joy and felicity, for ever and ever.
Amen.
A Psalm.
1. O God my God look upon me, why hast thou for [...]aken me, and art so [...]ar from my health, and from the words of my complaint?
2. How long wilt thou forget me O Lord, for ever; how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
3. O God I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season also I take no rest.
4. And thou continuest holy, O thou Worship of Israel.
[Page 236] 5. Call to remembrance, O Lord, th [...] tender mercy, and thy loving kindne [...] which have been ever of old.
6. Shew thy servant the light of th [...] countenance: and save me for thy merc [...] sake.
7. Thou hast been my succor, leave m [...] not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
8. My time is in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies.
9. O keep my soul and deliver me: le [...] me not be confounded, for I have put my trust in thee.
10. O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, thou art my God, my goods are nothing unto thee.
11. The Lord himself is the portion of mine inheritance, I have set God always before me, for he is on the right hand, therefore I shall not fall.
12. Wherefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiced: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
13. For why, thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither shalt thou suffer me to see corruption.
14. Thou shalt shew me the path of life; in thy presence is the fulness of joy, and at thy right hand there are pleasures for ever more.
[Page 237] Glory be to the Father, &c.
As it was in the beginning, &c.
O spare me a little, and suffer me to recover my strength, O Lord, before I go from hence, and be no more seen.
Now O my soul, look upon Christ Jesus the Righteous, thy Advocate and Redeemer, who is ready to receive thee; therefore be glad in him, and give thanks, rejoycing in the visitation of the Lord, by which he hath prepared thee for the heavenly Jerusalem, and everlasting bliss! [...] acknowledge, O Lord I have deserved to die, and the desire I have to live, is for the amendment of my life, and in some better measure to set forth thy glory; therefore good Father, if it be thy pleasure, restore me to health again; and grant me long life. But if thou hast in thy eternal decree appointed this sickness to be a preparation to my immediate dissolution, and by it to call me out of this transitory life; I resign, commit, and willingly commend my spirit into thy hands and holy pleasure; beseeching thee to bless me from the second death, the everlasting destruction both of body and soul. Let my soul throughly consider of the account I have to make to thee my God, and how few minutes soever it hath to remain in my body, [Page 238] let the power of thy Spirit recompence the shortness of time, and perfect my account before I pass away. Be pleased O Lord in the reconciliation of thy Son for my sins. Let the infiniteness of my offences rely upon the infiniteness of thy mercy by his sufferings: breath inward comfort to my heart, and confidence in thy gratious promises; that though my body be going the way of all flesh, yet my soul may go the way of all Saints. Lord hear me and help me, stand by me and save me, and if it be thy determination to lay my body in the grave, to receive my soul into thy Kingdom, to rest in joy and peace for evermore, through Jesus Christ.
Amen.
The Sick saith,
O My soul, thou which art endued with the image of God, redeemed with the blood of Jesus Christ, enlightened by the Holy Ghost, adorned with vertue, and accounted with Angels:
Love thou him who loveth thee, trust in him who careth for thee, seek thou him who seeketh thee.
My soul, O Lord, heartily desireth to attain to that supernatural City, whereof such [Page 239] things are spoken: My heart longeth, my soul thirsteth till I enter into my Masters Joy.
To which everlasting joy, O Lord, receive my soul, where all thy Saints rejoyce in eternal joy and thanksgiving, singing praises and Allelujas to thee the Lord our God.
Eye hath not seen, nor ear hath heard, neither entered into the heart of man, the things that God hath prepared for those that love him.
Glory be to the Father, &c.
Directions for the SICK.
MAN for the violation of that great Command which God his Creator gave him in the beginning, hath exposed him and his posterity to a certain and sure doom, in these words: Thou shalt dye the death; For the wages of sin is death; the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Rom. 6.
Variable, and therefore miserable is the condition of man: this hour, this minute in health, in the next by a sudden change and alteration at the point of death: In the morning flourishing like a Palm, like a green Bay-Tree, in the evening cut down, dryed up and withered; for we consume away in thy displeasure, and are afraid at thy wrathful indignation, Psalm 90. All flesh is grass, and the glory thereof as the flower of the field, Psal. 40. The glory of man is as the flower of the field, which withereth and falleth away, 2 Pet. 2. 4. He considereth we are [Page 241] but flesh, and as the wind that passeth away, Psal. 78. Our life is but of a short continuance, and full of trouble; man cometh up like a flower, vanisheth like a shadow, falls sick and dyeth, sleepeth, and riseth not until the heavens be no more, Job 14. As soon as thou scatterest us, we are even as asleep, and sade away suddenly, and in thy anger all our days are gone, and ended as a tale that is told: And what man living shall not see Death? Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return, Gen. 3. 19. Thy body shall return to earth, the center of the body; and thy soul to Heaven, to God which gave it, to everlasting glory, who at the last day, the day of the Resurrection, will re-collect, re-unite thy Body, though turned to Atoms, to thy soul, at the voice of the Angels Trumpet, Arise ye dead and come to Judgment; the Righteous to receive everlasting happiness, and the wicked eternal torment.
Wonderful and great hath the love of God been unto mankind, in our Creation, Redemption, Preservation, and giving us assured hopes of eternal salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord; for being fallen from blessedness, by the sins of our first parents, into the snares of Satan, and thereby become his bondslaves and servants, overcome [Page 242] by sin, Job 8. and being servants of sin, we are freed from Righteousness, Rom. 6. God so loved us, that he sent his only Son to be reconciliation for our sin, Joh. 4. 10. Rich is his mercy whereby he loved us, Eph. 1. Christ suffered for our sin, to bring us unto God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickned in the spirit, 1 Pet. 3. He sent redemption to his People, Holy and Reverend is his Name, Psa. 111. He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, Tit. 2. Therefore blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he raised up a mighty Salvation for us in the House of his servant David, Luke 1. 68.
Our Life here on Earth is a warfare, full of trouble, misery, and vexation of spirit, a daily tempest, and continual strugling between the mind and the flesh; the Law of God, and the Law of sin; and so numerous are the calamities and troubles of our days, that were it not for the hope of Heaven, it would be little better than Hell it self, crosses and afflictions, troubles and molestations unavoidably rush in upon us, as fast as Jobs Messengers, hourly and daily; for men, as they are all the Sons of their Mothers, are subject to all misery, born to live few dayes, in many dangers: whose glory may well be [Page 243] compared to the shadow in the Sun, which in the morning of our greatness, is in a goodly luster; at noon at the full, beside us; at night in the wain, quite behind us. There is nothing in this Vale of misery permanent or certain; prosperity and adversity not long asunder: Health and sickness often at variance; no joy, no happiness, no felicity, no tranquillity for continuance can be expected here in this World. The only ease and consolation to our distresses, the blessedness of content and rest to our wearisome Souls, is to be looked for in the World to come: What honour, glory, pleasure of earthly delight soever, but is subject to instability, possible and uncertain? which made the wise-man upon his experience cry out, Vanity of Vanity, all is Vanity. And the singular motive to a man in any affliction for the sufferance of sorrow, need, sickness, or any adversity whatsoever, is, that by the sweet united blessings, patience and content, at the last by paying an inexcusable debt to Death, which, who so liveth, of what state or condition soever, cannot but think he must die, will bring us to that eternal rest, to the blessed enjoyment of everlasting felicity, to dwell in glory for evermore: For blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, [Page 244] from henceforth, yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, and their works do follow them, Rev. 14. 13.
Death is a sleep, a departed breath from dead earth, inlivened at first by breath cast upon it; to die is to be no more unhappy, it is true to those over-swayed by nature, death is accounted a misery, but to men refined by the light of Judgment, it is esteemed the only remedy against misery, as it is the wages of sin, it is due to us; and as it is the end of all grief and sickness, it belongs unto us. It delivers us from all cares and troubles, and bringeth us to all joys unspeakable; by it we shall receive fulness of grace, perfect and accomplished regeneration and perfect glory, which while we are on earth, we have but in part: here we see darkly, as in a glass, then shall we see face to face: the heavens you behold, shall be superinvested with new endowments, made everlasting habitations for the Saints prepared; by death we pass to immortality, nor can we attain eternal life, but by leaving this life; yet corporal death is no period of life, but a passage to eternity; though our body sleep a while in dust, it shall rise again after thy likeness: As for me, saith the Prophet David, I will bebold thy face in righteousness, [Page 245] and shall be satisfied when I awake. Holy Job saith, Though all my flesh be consumed to bones, yet thy Spirit blowing upon dead bones, can revive them, and couple them again with sinews, and cloath them with flesh. The dead men shall live together, with my dead body shall they arise, awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust, for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead, Isa. 26. 19. For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; if the earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building of God, an House not made with hands eternal in Heaven, 1 Cor. 5. Christ is risen from the dead, and made the first of them that slept, 1 Cor. 15. Though in Adam we all die, yet in Christ shall all be made alive. That body that was sown a natural body, shall rise a spiritual body, 1 Cor. 15 Therefore let us be comforted, and not fear the pains of death, the approach of which suddenly makes a man to know himself; he tells the proud and insolent they are but dust, and in an instant makes them to repent and hate their fore-past happiness; he takes an account of the rich, and proves him a begga [...], having interest in nothing but in the earth [Page 246] that fills his mouth; shews the beautiful their desormity, and they hate it; he draws together the far stretch'd greatness, all the Pride, Cruelty, Vain-glory, and ambition of man, and covers it all over with dust in the narrow limits of a grave; And though for some years the body lies mouldred in the grave, it shall at the last be raised in honour and glory; purified, perfected, and immortalized from a dungeon of misery, to a place of all felicity, to our own Country, into Paradise, where we shall meet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Patriarchs and Prophets, Saints and Angels, our Friends and Kindred gone before us, which we shall see and behold in Mount Sion, the City of the everliving God, in the company of innumerable Angels, praising and magnifying the Lord of Heaven, in white Robes, and Palms in their hands, following the Lamb wheresoever he goeth.
I will wait till my changing cometh, then shalt thou call me, and then shall I answer thee, O Lord, I come and appear before thee, Job 14. 14.
As the hart panteth for the water brooks, so longeth my soul for thee, O Lord, [...]s. 42. 1.
And for as much as all mortal men are subject to many sudden perils, diseases and [Page 247] sicknesses, and ever uncertain what time we shall depart out of this life; there should no day pass without consideration for our last end; which meditation is very requisite, both for them that are in perfect health, & those that feel the hand of God by sickness: that death will come is certain, but when, how, or where, is very uncertain. It is appointed for all men once to die, Heb. 9. 27. but the day when, God hath not revealed, because we should be ready every day; it comes as soon to the young man, that glorieth in his strength, as to some in a good old age; to the rich fool in a night, as to the poor in the anguish of his soul; to some violently, to others untimely by accident; to some by sudden and unexpected death without warning; to all, some one way or other. And being Almighty God hath pleased to lay this sickness upon you and therein time to repent, assure your self it is his visitation sent to you to try your faith & patience, or else to correct and amend what is amiss in you, or whatsoever hath offended your heavenly Father; for every child whom the Lord loveth he correcteth, to prepare for a better world; affliction seals us up to adoption; by it he exercises his Children, and the graces he bestows upon them: it is [Page 248] special means to further our contrition and repentance: In affliction, saith the Lord, they will hear me. Davids troubles made him pray; Hezekiah's sickness made him weep; and misery drew the Prodigal child home: We have the Prophets examples and patterns of bearing afflictions patiently; which though the punishment and shame is of sin, God turns to be the subject of his honour and glory, in saving a sinner that calls upon him in faith and true repentance, to Heaven. His chastisements are signs of his Fatherly love; which though for the present, seem grievous unto us, afterward it bringeth quiet fruit of righteousness, to those whom the Lord giveth grace to make a sanctified use of it, for which he hath inflicted this sickness on you.
And know you certainly, though your sins are many and grievous which you have committed, by the temptation of the Devil; yet upon your true repentance, God hath promised to forgive; the benefits of which, are the escaping eternal death, God's everlasting punishments, and the attaining eternal salvation: where sin abounds, there grace much more abounds. God calls all those that are heavy laden, to refresh and ease them of all their trouble, the Lord forsaketh [Page 249] no man, till man forsaketh him: Look not so much upon the greatness of thy sins, as to the riches of his mercy, and let thy soul be comforted in the All-sufficient atonement of the blood of Jesus Christ. Let the (wicked saith the Lord) forsake his way, & the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto me, and I will have mercy upon him, and I will pardon him abundantly: Let not your conscience be terrified at the remembrance of your transgressions, for there is no sin bars a man from salvation, but incredulity and impenitency. Therefore lift up your hearts unto the Lord, call unto him for mercy, repent earnestly of your sins, and have a lively considence in Christ's merits, and doubt not but upon your humble contrition and sorrow for sin, with sighs and tears (the blood of a wounded soul) God will receive your soul into everlasting happiness, to live in eternal glory, which he of his infinite mercy grant, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The sick saith,
O God the Father of Heaven, have mercy upon me, miserable sinner.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy upon me miserable sinner.
O God the Holy Ghost, proceeding from [Page 250] the Father and the Son, have mercy upon me, miserable sinner, &c.
By thine Agony and bloody sweat, By thy Cross and Passion, By thy precious Death and Burial, By thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension, and by the coming of the Holy Ghost,
Good Lord deliver us.
In all time of our tribulation, In all time of our wealth, in the hour of death, and in the day of Judgment,
Good Lord deliver us.
I Humbly beseech thee, O Father, mercifully to look upon mine infirmities, and for the glory of thy Names sake turn from me all those evils that I most righteously have deserved; & grant that in all my troubles I may put my whole trust and considence in thy mercy, & evermore serve thee (if I live) in holiness and pureness of living, to thy honor & glory, through Jesus Christ our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.
The friends of the sick party shall exhort him to examine himself of his estate, both towards God, and towards man; that so by the condemning of himself, he may find mercy at the hands of God, for Christ Jesus sake.
1. Of the confession of his faith.
2. Of his sins and offences, both against [Page 251] God Almighty, either publick or private; or his Neighbor in word or deed.
3. Of his considence and faith in Jesus Christ, for the death and passion he suffered for all sinners.
4 Advise the party to send for the Minister, that he may pray with him; for the Lord hath promised to hear the prayers of the Faithful for us, and to forgive us our trespasses; And that he may give him the holy Communion of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, the living Bread that came down from Heaven; If any man eat of this Bread, he shall live for ever: the Bread that I give, is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the World; for whosoever eateth my Flesh, and drinketh my Blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him at the last day, Joh. 6. 51.
5. Advise him to call to mind what injury or wrong he hath done to any man in word or deed, that he may like good Zacheus, make satisfaction where he hath injuriously & fraudulently taken and detained from any man, by oppression or deceit, his goods or money; for without restitution there can be no Repentance; and if no Repentance, no expectation of salvation.
6. Advise him also to set his house in order, for death will not be long in coming, [Page 252] and that the covenant of the grace is not revealed to any: And to make a judicious distribution of his estate, not forgetting the poor.
The sick saith,
1. I believe in God the Father Almighty, &c.
2. I am fully perswaded, and undoubtedly in my conscience believe, and do confess and acknowledge before God and you here present, that every Point and Article of this my belief is true, and necessary to Salvation.
3. I acknowledge that I have been a grievous sinner, offending my God many ways, both in thought, word, and deed, and am guilty of the breach of all his Commandments; deserving for the same his heavy wrath and indignation against me; I am sorrowful and mourn in my soul for them, trusting that the Lord for Jesus Christ his sake, who sitteth at the right hand of God, making intercession for my sin, will have mercy upon me, and grant me forgiveness for the same, and after this life ended, receive me to his eternal habitation.
4. I confidently believe that Jesus Christ is the only Mediator and Saviour of all [Page 253] mankind, and that I shall be saved by the only merits of his precious Death and Passion, which he suffered on the Cross for my Salvation; denying all meritorious works of my own, and that there is no name under Heaven whereby I may be saved, but in the name of Jesus Christ.
5. I do from my heart freely forgive all the World, all those that have any way wronged, injured, or offended me by word or deed, as I desire to be forgiven of God. And I desire likewise, all men whom I have often offended, by committing any unjust, unconscionable, or uncharitable act or deed, to forgive me being sorry for what I did, to their prejudice or hurt.
O Lord, I beseech thee, hear my Prayer, and spare me which do confess my sins, that I, whose conscience by sin is accused, by thy merciful pardon may be absolved, through Jesus Christ. Amen.
O Lord my Redeemer, have mercy upon me, and receive my Spirit.
A Prayer to be said by those that visit the Sick.
O most mighty and eternal God, which hast compassion on all men, and hatest nothing that thou hast made, mercifully we beseech thee to have compassion on this thy servant, who by thy visitation hath been sorely afflicted, and by the same even brought to the termination of his days, and end of his life: be pleased good Lord to have mercy upon him, acept of him as the work of thine own hand, a Lamb of thy fold, thy servant, redeemed by Jesus Christ; who is willing by thy appointment, to leave this miserable World, in full assurance of thy mercy in Jesus Christ, for the remission of his sins: guide him good Lord, in this his last journey, that he, being quit of all the troubles of this transitory World, may safely by thy power be conducted to the Haven of eternal happiness, into the arms of thy unspeakable mercy, to everlasting peace, to perpetual joy, and there to reign with all the company of Saints and Angels in eternal Bliss for evermore.
Good Lord we beseech thee, by the abundance of thy goodness, by the multitude of [Page 255] thy Mercies, by the merits of thy Death and Passion, by the glorious Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ, have mercy upon him: deliver him from the burthen of his sins, the fear of Death and the power of Hell; and give him a quiet and joyful departure, and receive him in thy favour to the fulness of Joy in thine everlasting Kingdom, to reign with thee world without end.
Amen.
Thanksgiving after Recovery
O Lord my God and heavenly Father, seeing it hath pleased thee of thy infinite mercies to with-hold my life from the pit of corruption, and in good measure restored me again to my former health, crowning me with mercy and loving kindness, my soul and all that is within me shall praise thy holy Name: I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart, and sing praise unto thy Name, O thou most High, for the health of my body; I bless thee for it with my soul: And good Lord, give me also the health of my soul, then shall I magnifie and praise thee for thy goodness, with soul and body. This gentle correction hath brought me nigher unto thee, and upon thy forbearance I have promised amendment of life; and that I may so do, assist me with thy grace, [Page 256] give me constancy and perseverance in good works, and keep me from relapsing into those sins which induced thy former judgments: and though the custom of sin take away the sense of sin, and my infirmities being many; yet, good Lord, forsake not my soul in any temptation, neither suffer me to fall into such notorious sins again, which I have truly repented me of; but so guide me by thy grace in the small remainder of my days that I have to live in this World, that my life may be ordered by thy governance, and always do that which is righteous in thy sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Psal. 116.
I Am well pleased, that the Lord hath heard the voice of my Prayer.
2. That he hath inclined his ear unto me: Therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
3. The snares of Death compassed me round about: And the pains of Hell gat hold upon me.
4. I shall find trouble and heaviness, and I shall call upon the Name of the Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee deliver my soul.
5. Gracious is the Lord and righteous: yea, our God is merciful.
[Page 257] 6. The Lord preserve the simple: I was in misery, and he helped me.
7. Turn again then unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath rewarded thee.
8. And why thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
9. I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the living.
10. I believed, and therefore will I speak, but I was sore troubled: I said in my hast, All men are lyers.
11. What reward shall I give unto the Lord for all the benefits that he hath done unto me?
12. I will receive the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord.
13. I will pay my vows now in the presence of all his people: right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
14. Behold (O Lord) how that I am thy servant, I am thy servant and the Son of thy handmaid, thou hast broken my bonds in sunder.
15. I will offer unto thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving: and will call upon the Name of the Lord.
16. I will pay my vows unto the Lord, in the sight of all his people: in the Courts of the Lords house, even in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord.
A Morning Prayer for a private Family.
O God the Father, Creator, and Maker of all things in Heaven and Earth; O Christ, the Redeemer of all Mankind; and thou (O blessed Spirit) the Sanctisier of all the Elect, have mercy upon us; spare us most miserable sinners, whom thou hast redeemed, and be not angry with us for ever; but hearken unto our Prayers, receive our petitions, and grant our requests, for Jesus Christ his sake, our only Lord, and blessed Saviour.
We thy poor and unworthy servants, in all humility of Soul and Body, & unfeigned acknowledgment of our bounden duty, prostrate our selves before the Throne of thy mercy seat, praising and magnifying thy Fatherly goodness, for the abundance of thy blessings, for the multitude of thy mercies continually heaped upon us; beseeching thee for Christ his sake to be merciful to all our sins committed against thy [Page 259] divine Majesty; upon the consideration of which, we confess we are not worthy to appear in thy sight, much less to ask a blessing at thy hands; for by reason of our corrupt Nature in us derived from our first parents, our inclination hath been prone to commit all manner of sin and wickedness against thy goodness; thy Laws and Precepts we have broken both in thought, word, and deed; out of our hearts proceed evil and wicked imaginations, which defile the soul, and the whole man is altogether abominable; the eyes that now look up to thee for mercy, have beheld vanity; our tongues that now call upon thee, have blasphemed thee; our hands now lifted up to heaven, have been lifted up against thee; our feet have been willing to run to commit any mischief by the temptation of Satan; our wills being continually averse to thy commandments; the Law of sin is in our members, repugnant to the Law of our mind, making us altogether unworthy of the least of thy mercies; and miserable that we are, the numberless number of our sins have been multiplyed as the number of our sinful days have increased; these things, O Lord, we have done to our shame, and, if thy mercy prevent not, judgment, to our utter destruction of soul and [Page 260] body; we must acknowledge thou who art our Creator, who hast made us, by the precious death of Jesus Christ redeemed us, and by thy holy Spirit sanctified us; and many are the blessings and benefits which we enjoy both in soul and body; therefore by the contrition of ou [...] hearts, by the testimony of our Consciences, we stand convicted, and at the horrid thought of our sins we are mightily astonished; what shall we say, or wherein shall we open our mouths, who shall deliver us from the misery due to us for our transgressions? nothing can be expected in this life but misery and confusion, and in the world to come, eternal condemnation. But yet, O Lord, in obedience of thy command, and in confident assurance of thy endless and unspeakable mercy, promised in Jesus Christ to all sinners, with sorrow in our hearts, with shame in our face, in humility of spirit, we appeal from thee, to thee; from thee a just Judge, to thee a merciful Father; from the Throne of thy justice, to the seat of thy mercy; beseeching thee to have mercy upon us, O Lord, to have mercy upon us, and turn thy face away from all our sins, and blot out all our transgressions; for the only meritorious death and passion of Jesus Christ thy innocent Lamb, who so [Page 261] abundantly shed his blood on the Cross to take away the sins of the world; accept we intreat thee, that inestimable price of his suffering, for a full ransom for all our sins; remit them unto us, and divert thy Judgments and punishments from us, and assure us of thy love and favour in Christ: and for the time to come, work in us by the graces of thy holy Spirit, true and unfeigned Repentance, and faith with strength against sin, and grace in some better measure to do thy will; reform our affections, transform us out of sin, into the glorious liberty of thy own children, to live in newness of life, in holy conversation, and continual obedience to thy divine Majesty.
And seeing O Lord it hath pleased thee of thy goodness to deliver us from the power of darkness, and all dangers of the night past, affording us quiet and comfortable rest, bringing us safe to the beginning of this day: our souls and all that is within us shall praise thy holy Name; desiring continually to render unto thee all possible praise and thanksgiving for the incarnation of our Blessed Saviour, for our Redemption by passion, for our Creation, Election, Justification, and Sanctification in some good measure, and assured hope of Glorification in the World [Page 262] to come: we likewise bless thee for our lives, health, liberty, peace and prosperity, for our preservation, and deliverance from evil since we were born, for the freedom of thy Gospel, for the comfort we enjoy under His Majesties happy Reign; for delivering our Church and Kingdom from Foreign Invasion; for sparing and giving us so long a time of Repentance: for these thy blessings and benefits our Souls shall praise the Lord of Heaven, whose mercy endureth from generation to generation.
Bless and defend us (O Lord) this day, direct and protect us in the same, bless our going out and coming in; let thy Spirit guide us in all our Actions, deliver us from the temptation and malice of the Devil, and keep us both in Soul and Body from all his devices, and let thy grace preserve and guide us in all our wayes, that we may walk circumspectly, and strive to avoid all occasions of committing or running into such sins, which by nature we are apt to fall into: set a watch before the door of our lips, that we may not offend thy Majesty by ill words, or blasphemous Oaths; keep us we beseech thee from violent passions, which provoke thy wrath and indignation against us; and guide our feet in the way of peace, which leads us [Page 263] to Everlasting Salvation: Let the dew of thy blessing descend upon our labours, and prosper thou the work of our hands: O prosper thou our handy-work; make us diligent and dutiful in our calling; and that we may have a good Conscience in all our dealings, not any way to defraud any man, knowing one day we must give an account for all our words and deeds: And good Lord, we beseech thee so to bless our endeavours, that we may raise such a competency and convenient sufficiency, void of wretched care, for the supportation of our lives, in a modest and civil manner; and especially give us hearts and minds contented with what thou shalt be pleased to lay upon us, strength and patience in all afflictions and temptations, troubles and adversities, which seal thy Children to Salvation: give us meekness, and humility in prosperity, and constancy in well doing; and for the small remainder of our lives, that we have to live here on Earth, give us grace to consecrate it to thy service, and live in thy fear, not setting our hearts on transitory things, but carefully labour to redeem the time; not deferring our repentance, but endeavour to make our calling and election sure, working our salvation in fear & trembling, before we go hence and be no more [Page 264] seen: And grant us, O Lord, that when the race and course of our natural life here on Earth is finished, we may at the last receive a crown of righteousness, which thou from the beginning hast laid up for them that fear thy Name.
In these our Prayers we further intreat thee, O Lord, for a blessing upon thy Church universal, more especially we beseech thee to continue the peace and prosperity of these Churches wherein we live, and every member thereof; more especially, ever mightily protect and defend, from all evil and danger; and bless with the chiefest of thy blessings, thine Anointed, & our dread Soveraign Lord King Charles, the Queens Majesty, James Duke of York, and the rest of the Royal Progeny: Bless the Lords of his Majesties honourable Privy Council, the Reverend Clergy, and all Civil Magistrates: bless all our Friends and Kindred and acquaintance; bless us all, good Lord, from the highest to the lowest; help and comfort all our brethren, that in this transitory life be in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity: Comfort the comfortless, help the distressed, and defend all that travel by Land or Water; and work in all and every one of us, true fear of thy holy [Page 265] Name, and constant resolution to serve thee to our lives end.
Good Lord hear, Lord hearken unto us we beseech thee, and accept of this our Morning sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; hear our prayers, and grant our petitions that we have asked, and all other blessings, which thou in thine infinite wisdom knowest most necessary for us, and thy whole Church, we ask and crave at thy merciful hands, in the Name, and through the Mediation of thy dear Son, our blessed Redeemer, our only Lord and blessed Saviour Jesus Christ, in that most excellent form of Prayer, which he in his holy Gospel hath taught us, saying,
Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, thy Kingdom come, &c.
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the Fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all for evermore.
Amen.
An Evening Prayer for a private Family.
O Eternal God and Heavenly Father, which hast made of one blood all mankind, and breathed into us the breath of life, and assigned times and length of our life in this world, which thou continuest according to thy good pleasure; and if thou withdrawest thy hand, we soon perish, and are returned to dust, whence we were taken: we will therefore shew forth thy power in the Evening, and magnifie thy goodness for saving us this day from dangers, and from our birth, in the whole course of our lives, hitherto preserving us; for thou art a God of patience, pity, and much forgiveness; shewing mercy unto thousands, and blotting out all our offences. O Lord, we pray thee set not before thine eyes the horrible confusion, uncleanness, and wickedness of our hearts, (being replenished with loathsome darkness, of ignorance, errours, doubtings, and distrust) yea, our vile hearts have [Page 267] been turned away from thee, and all the powers of our souls and bodies are filthily defiled and weakened with wickedness; only we cry aloud unto thee, favourably to consider the troubles and sorrows of our hearts, to strengthen our infirmities, and to pardon our most horrible offences: for we are wounded and weak and cannot be holpen but only through thy exceeding great mercy, There is no health in our flesh, because of thy displeasure, neither is there any peace or rest in our souls, by reason of our sin; yet hear thou us (O Lord) for thy Holy name-sake, for Jesus Christ his sake pardon and forgive us all our sins that we have committed against thee this day; and grant us thy grace, that we may amend our lives, and unseignedly serve thee in the several duties of our Callings, to thy glory, and the comfort of our own Souls; remit our punishments, restore us to thy wonted favour, and receive us into thy most gratious protection, and keep us this night and evermore, that the Devil may have no power over us, nor the sin of wickedness may be able to hurt us. Whether we sleep or wake, live or die, we are always thine, thou art our Creator and Redeemer; guard us about [Page 268] with the Armies of thy Holy Angels in our habitations; expel and remove far away from us wicked Spirits (our mortal enemies) and graciously protect us from our persecutors which lay snares to subdue us: Do thou (O God) assist us, that we may peaceably sleep and rest in thee: hide us in thy Tabernacle from the strife of all men, and we will fear no evil, for thou that keepest us, dost neither slumber nor sleep: thy rod and thy staff do always comfort and defend us: Let thy mercy (O God) prevent and follow us all the days of our lives, that we may dwell in thy House of defence in longness of daies, praising thee evermore, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, one true, gratious, and everlasting God, ruling and reigning world without end.
Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed, &c.
Lighten our darkness we beseech thee, O Lord, and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night, for the love of thy only Son, our Lord and Saviour, JESUS CHRIST.
Let thy mighty, hand and out-stretched Arm, O Lord, be still our defence; [Page 269] thy mercy and loving kindness in Jesus Christ thy dear Son our Salvation; thy true and holy word our instruction; thy Grace and holy Spirit our comfort and consolation, to the end, and in the end, So be it.
Amen.
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, &c.
A TABLE OF THE PRAYERS Contained in this BOOK, VIZ.
- COmfortable Prayers for Sunday Morning. pag. 1.
- A Confession to God. 8.
- A devout Prayer to Jesus Christ. 10.
- A Prayer to the Holy Ghost. 12.
- A Prayer for Sunday Night. 17.
- A Prayer for Grace. 23.
- A Prayer not to distrust the Mercies of God. 25.
- An Evening Prayer. 28.
- Prayers for Monday Morning. 30.
- A Prayer for forgiveness of sin. 34.
- A Prayer to be restored to God's favour. 40.
- Prayers for Monday Night. 43.
- [Page] A Prayer against the power of Satan. 53.
- A Prayer for the desire of a godly life. 54.
- An Evening Prayer. 55.
- Prayers for Tuesday Morning. 57.
- A Prayer of true Repentance, and to be purged of sin. 62.
- A Prayer for the aid of God's Holy Spirit. 64.
- A Prayer to acknowledge God in his works. 66.
- Prayers for Tuesday Night. 70.
- A Prayer for the remission of Sins. 72.
- A Prayer setting out the power of God's Grace. 75.
- A Prayer for a competent Living. 78.
- An Evening Prayer. 82.
- Prayers for Wednesday Morning. 84.
- A Morning Prayer. 86.
- A Prayer for Patience. 89.
- A Prayer for Humility. 92.
- A Prayer for God's fear. 93.
- A Prayer for Wednesday Night. 99.
- A Prayer for Mortification. 101.
- A Prayer against desperation. 104.
- A Prayer for the power of God's Spirit to abide in us. 106.
- A Prayer to be mindful of Death. 110.
- A Prayer for an happy departure out of this Life. 112.
- An Evening Prayer. 115.
- [Page] Prayers for Thursday Morning. 117.
- A Prayer for Wisdom. 122.
- A Prayer for Charity. 127.
- A Prayer to God to bless our Endeavours. 130.
- A Prayer to live uprightly in our Calling. 131.
- Prayers for Thursday Night. 135.
- A Prayer against evil Imaginations. 146.
- An Evening Prayer. 147.
- Prayers for Friday Morning. 149.
- A Prayer of thanksgiving for the passion of Christ. 156.
- A Prayer for mercy for our offences. 159.
- Prayers for Friday Night. 163.
- A Prayer for redress of a sinful Life. 168.
- A Prayer for continual remembrance of our end. 170.
- A Prayer to Jesuss Christ for Heavenly Comfort. 173.
- An Evening Prayer. 177.
- Prayers for Saturday Morning. 178.
- A Prayer to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven. 186.
- A Prayer for Saturday Night. 188.
- A Prayer for a Blessed and Godly Life. 190.
- A Prayer for defence against our Enemies. 194.
- A Prayer for the opening the Eyes of our Understanding. 197.
- [Page] A Prayer for perseverance in Prayer. 200.
- An Evening Prayer. 201.
- Short directions for Receiving the Blessed Sacrament of Christs Blessed Body and Blood. 202.
- An humble Confession before the Receiving of the Sacrament. 208.
- A Prayer before the Receiving of the Sacrament. 211.
- A Psalm before the Sacrament. 214.
- A Thanksgiving after the Receiving the Sacrament. 218.
- A Psalm of thanksgiving. 219.
- A Prayer for the Sick. 223.
- Directions for the Sick. 240.
- A Morning Prayer for a private Family. 258.
- An Evening Prayer for a private Family. 266.