O Most holy God, who art glo­rious in Holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders, give me great and dreadful apprehensions of thee, that all the words of my mouth, and thoughts of my heart, may now and ever be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord my strength, and my Redee­mer.

Bless all thine holy Ordinances at this time, and at all times unto me.

Give me understanding in thy Word, both read and preached.

Grant that it may be so mixt with faith and obedience, that it may be the savour of life unto life to me, and to every one here before thee, and not the savour of death unto death.

Direct, I beseech thee, and assist thy Minister, that he may rightly di­vide, and utter thy Word, that what in his Studies he hath conceived, and composed of thy holy Oracles, he may now powerfully preach to thy Glory.

Fill him with the Holy Ghost, that he by thy Spirit may minister grace to the Hearers.

Make him to speak Knowledg and Instruction to the ignorant.

Comfort to the afflicted.

Terror to the profane.

That he may melt the hard hear­ted, and make the proud to tremble at thy Word.

Lord, enable him to correct all my errors, to search out, and eradicat all all my sins.

And then, and not till then, let him speak peace to my Conscience.

So guide the sword of the Spirit in his hand, that it may meet with, and smite all our corruptions, and bosom sins, who are now before thee, known or unknown to us, (but all known to thee) discover them all by this thy holy Minister, that we may be purged, purified and cleansed before thee.

Endue me, and all that are here, with wisdom to understand thy Word.

With serious attention to it.

With holy veneration of it.

With love and delight in it.

With all obedience to it.

And give us the grace of perfect amendment by it.

O let thy word drop as heavenly dew upon me, and make my barren heart fruitful in the fruits of the same.

What I beg for my self, I beg for all thy people, for all my friends in special, for all mankind in general, and for all thine all the world over; humbly beseeching thee to make thine holy Ordinances profitable un­to all. Amen.

O Lord hear my prayer, and let my cry come unto thee.

I praise thee, O Lord, for all thy righteous Laws and Command­ments.

I beseech thee give me sincere obe­dience to them, and accept thy Sons obedience for all my transgressions of them.

I praise thee for thy Creed, and for thy holy Gospel.

I beseech thee give me an under­standing and practical faith therein.

I praise thee for the excellency and fulness of the Lords-Prayer.

As thou hast given me a rule to pray, give me the spirit of prayer, to pray by that rule; that I may praise thee abundantly for the Lords prayer.

I praise thee for causing me to be born in a Reformed Church.

As thou hast graciously placed me [Page 18] in a true Christian Reformed Church, give me grace to live according to the Holy Doctrines taught me therein;

To be a true Reformed Christian, in thy true reformed Church.

And as thou hast commanded me to hear and obey thy Church, give me true obedience to her in thee, and for thee.

I praise thee for all the Festivals and Sabbaths of thy Church.

Give me grace to keep the Holy­days and Festivals appointed, with a clear understanding of the Mysteries commemorated in them.

Give me a sensible feeling of thy mercies in them,

Unfeigned thankfulness for them,

Serious meditation and applicati­on of them,

In Union and Communion with thy Saints,

In imitation of all my Saviours virtues; treading in the steps of all thy servants that are gone before us.

Give me grace also to keep all the [Page 19] Fasting-days appointed, with absti­nence and penitence, with great de­votion, due Contrition, Liberality to the Poor, pardon of my Enemies, love to all men; careful examination of my Conscience, and conscionable care to amend my life; that for these also I may magnifie thy holy Name.

I praise thee for all the Order and Decency where-with thou makest the place of thy feet Glorious.

Make me to observe all the Ecclesi­astical Ceremonies and Customs esta­blished, with understanding and be­nefit, obedience and unity, love and conformity; without frowardness or contradiction.

Give me grace to repair to thy Temple as often as I can to delight in thy Worship, and to worship thee in the Beauty of Holiness.

Make me the better for every op­portunity thou givest me there.

Suffer me never to be absent, upon any sinful, or vain, idle or lazy ac­compt.

In all my addresses enable me to [Page 20] serve thee acceptably,

Pray unto thee servently,

Praise thee heartily,

Hear thy Word diligently,

Practise it conscionably.

O my God I especially praise thee for the benefit of thy holy Sacra­ments.

Make me I beseech thee thankfully and reverently, frequently and desi­rously, to come to thy Holy Table.

In memory of thy Passion,

In thankfulness for thy Mercies,

For the increase of Virtues and Graces,

For the extinguishing of all my Vices,

For the averting of thy Judg­ments;

For the obtaining of thy Relief in all my Necessities.

That I may live more and more in Union and Communion with thee.

Give thy Gospel and Sacraments free passage among us, and let not our sins provoke thee to remove that glorious Light, and these saving [Page 21] means of Grace from us.

Make us mindful of our Vows in Baptism, and of our renewed Vows in the Eucharist.

Give us grace to perform them all.

Give me grace to serve thee with a true and strong faith, a firm hope, and perfect love;

In Fasting, Prayers and Alms­deeds;

For since I have offended thee, in Body, Soul and Estate; I desire to sacrifice all unto thee; my Body in Fasting, my Soul in Prayer, my Estate in Alms.

Give me grace, I beseech thee,

To instruct the Ignorant with plainness,

To correct Offenders with mild­ness,

To counsel the Doubtful with prudence,

To comfort the Afflicted with ten­derness,

To suffer Injuries with patience,

To forgive Offences heartily,

To pray for others zealously.

To my power give me grace to feed the Hungry, to refresh the thir­sty, to cloth the Naked, to harbour the Needy, to visit and help the Sick, to minister to Prisoners; and if need be, to bury the dead.

Give me the graces and the bles­sings of the eight Beatitudes:

To be poor in Spirit, that I may inherit the Kingdom of Heaven;

To Mourn, that I may be com­forted;

To be Meek, that I may inherit the Earth;

So to hunger and thirst after Righteousness, that I may be filled;

To be merciful, that I may obtain mercy;

To be pure in Heart, that I may see God;

To be a Peace-maker, that I may be the child of God;

So to suffer Persecution for Righ­teousness sake, that my reward may be great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Deliver me from the Seven deadly sins, Pride, Covetousness, Luxury, [Page 23] Envy, Gluttony, Anger, Sloth.

Grant me the Seven contrary Virtues; Humility, Liberality, Cha­stity, Gentleness, Temperance, Pa­tience, and Devotion, for thy mercy sake. Amen.

O My God, do all thy works praise thee, and shall not I! shall not I who am the work of thy hands, praise thee, whose care over me hath been such, as if thou hadst nothing else to care for. Yet thy providence is so great over all, that it becomes our wonder and joy to see thee so particularly careful over every one, and so amiable in thy goodness unto all, that the more thou takest care for all, thy care is so much the greater over every one. All the benefit of thy wisdom, good­ness and providence being guided to the benefit of every person.

I praise thee therefore, O Lord,

For the Glory of Angels.

For the Faith of the Patriarchs,

For the Inspiration of the Prophets,

For the labours of the Apostles,

For the truth of the Evangelists,

For the Zeal of Confessors,

For the Blood of Martyrs,

For the Learning of the Fathers,

For the Study of Doctors,

For the Industry of all pious Mini­sters,

For the Hope, Virtue, Faith and Zeal of all thy Saints and Servants;

For all whom I praise and magnifie thy Name, O Lord.

I also praise thee for the Heavens and all the Glory of them,

For the glory of the Sun, which comes forth as a Bridegroom, out of his Chamber, rejoycing as a Giant to run his course.

I praise thee for its Beams, whose light and splendor revives mine eye, beautifies and quickens all the Earth, digesteth Minerals, animates the Air, enlivens Trees, perfects Flowers, ex­cites the influences of the Heavens, raiseth exhalations, dissolveth Ice, causeth the Rivers to flow, begetting, propagating and cherishing all the Creatures, which are the life and [Page 26] beauty of this habitable World.

By it I am warm'd, and refresh'd,

By it I see all thy works in this glorious World,

By it I am exhilerated, and excited to praise thee, O thou eternal Sun of Righteousness, who didst rise upon us with healing in thy Wings; pur­chasing this glorious light, and resto­ring it to me, when by my sins I had forfeited the same.

O let not this Sun ever behold me doing any work of darkness.

O thou Eternal Sun, who art the Light of this, make me to remember that thine Eye which is ten thousand times brighter than the Sun, is ever upon me, that I may always walk as a child of the light before thee.

I praise thee, O most blessed Lord, for the shady glittering, and Maje­stick Light of the Moon;

For its weaker, and milder Beams;

For all its Revolutions and won­derful effects.

By which our Days are refreshed, [Page 27] and our Nights enlightened.

By which we know Times and Seasons,

By which our Air is tempered, our Droughts are moistened, and all Pro­ductions hastened.

O blessed be thy Name for the pre­cious things put forth by the Sun, and for the precious things put forth by the Moon;

For the blessed Interchanges of our Days to travel, and our Nights to rest in; for the comfort of our lives, continued by their constant Motions and Returns.

I praise thee for the illustrious Stars in all their order; which go­vern things below by thine appoint­ment, while thou governest them in all their ways.

I praise thee for their powerful and precious influences.

I praise thee for the Waters above the Firmament, and for thy Clouds that drop down fatness: For the Coelestial Waters of Repentance, [Page 28] which I beseech thee evermore to drop down upon me.

I praise thee for the winds thou sendest out of thy Treasuries; to purifie the Air, qualifie the heat, and refresh our Spirits; by which all li­ving Creatures breathe and live.

I praise thee for the comfort, light and warmth, with all other benefits we receive from fire.

For the blessings of Winter, in its healthful Airs, wholsome Winds, can­did Frosts, warmer Snows, curling Floods, and abounding Waters.

For the verdure, life and beauty of the Spring; for all the lovely Blos­soms, knitting Fruits, Grain and Grass, sweetly growing and spring­ing in the same.

For the might and beauty of the Summers glory; in the fuller growth and increase of all.

For the blessing of time, and happy length of days, to contemplate thy Glory, and enjoy thy rich blessing in these; in all our pleasant Fruits, joy­ful harvests, and various delicates of [Page 29] soft Wool, Milk, Butter, Honey, Balm, and Spices; and for all the Refreshments thou givest us in these thy good Creatures.

I revere thy Majesty which with such terror thou dost manifest to us in the Lightenings.

I adore thy greatness, appearing in the Thunderings,

Thine Omnipotency in all,

Thy wonderful Providence over all,

Thy Goodness to all.

I praise thee for our Temperate Seasons, Autumnal fruits, rich and wholsome Wines, Oyls and Siders.

For all the precious things of the Earth,

For the chief things of the ancient Mountains, for the precious things of the lasting Hills.

For our Stately Woods, and love­ly Trees, which afford us Wine, Oyl and Spices; fruits both for profit and pleasure, yielding Timber, also fuel, shade and medicine.

I praise thee for the beauty, fra­grancy, [Page 30] benefit, variety and delight of all the curious Flowers, the least of them shewing us a God, Creator and Preserver.

For our fruitful Valleys, wherein our Corn stands so thick, that they laugh and sing thy Praises.

For the excellent Bread and daily food thou givest us therewith.

For thy blessings on all our seve­ral labours, in raising and preparing it.

For thy continual blessing upon us in our daily use thereof.

For all the wonders of thy good­ness and wisdom comprised in it.

For all our rich and beautiful Gar­dens, stately Walks, fruitful Fields, pleasant Pastures, rich Meadows, Roots and Plants, all sorts of Grain for Food, Health, Pleasure, and Medicine.

I praise thee for all our Mines of Gold, Silver, Brass, Iron, Tin, Cop­per, Lead and Coal.

For all the Riches, Lustre, Virtue, [Page 31] Use and Benefit of precious Stones.

For all our soveraign and whol­some Wells, Springs and Fountains, marvellous and healing Waters, deep Seas, and Treasures that lie in the Deep.

For bounding the Sea by thy Laws, which though written in sand, stand fast for ever.

For the magnitude of the Whale, and all the wonderful Fishes of the Deep.

For subduing all things to the ser­vice of Man,

I magnifie thy name for ever.

For all the Fowls of the Air, in all their warbling Melody, delightful food, pleasure, variety and beauty.

For all the Insects and creeping things, that are subject to thy care and providence; the provident Ant, the industrious and curious Bee, in its marvellous working, and delicious Honey.

For all the Beasts and Cattel upon a thousand Hills, in all their strength, [Page 32] use, service, food and pleasure,

But most of all do I praise thee, for the Children of Men, for the Israel of God, for the Priests that serve at thine Altar, for all the Spirits and Souls of the Righteous; for all holy and humble men of heart:

Those Incarnate Cherubims,

Inflamed Seraphims,

Strong Powers against Devils,

Principalities in the midst of con­tumelies,

Dominions reigning over all en­ticements,

Those Virtues in a miraculous life,

Those Angels of the Churches, and Arch-Angels, who by close Commu­nion with thee, illuminate and encou­rage us to serve thee.

For Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, their courage and miraculous delive­rance,

I praise, bless, and magnifie thy Name for ever. Saying, ‘Glory be to the Father, &c.’

BLessed art thou, O Lord God, who sustainest all things by the word of thy Power.

For by thine Ordinance all things are and do continue.

Thou givest us Rain and fruitful Seasons, and fillest our Hearts with food and gladness.

With admirable Wisdom didst thou create, and dost still govern all things.

But above all I admire thy Wis­dom, Power and Goodness shewed unto Man.

Thou madest him of the mould of the Earth, and didst breath into his Nostrils the breath of Life.

Thou didst honour him, and create him after thine own Image, giving him a capacious Soul, sound Judg­ment, clear Understanding, ready [Page 34] Apprehension, useful Memory, clear Reason, a ready and obedient Will; so that with these faculties we can, by thy Divine aid, walk at large in the liberty of our thoughts into all the Regions of Heaven and Earth, see thee in all times, and before all time, in that Eternity wherein thou didst live, before Time began to be; and in that Eternity also which shall be when Time shall be no more.

By these powers and faculties of our immortal Souls, we can see thee also by thy divine Illumination,

In all thy works of Grace,

In thy Government of all Ages,

And in that most stupendious work of Redemption, promised in the beginning, and performed in the fulness of time, for our Salvation. O Lord our God, how excellent is thy name in all the World!

It is thou who givest us well or­der'd Passions, sound Sences, Health of Body, strength of Limbs, and useful Members.

Thou givest us peace of Mind, and tranquillity of Spirit, by which only we can happily enjoy thee, and all things in thee.

It is thou alone, who givest thine Angels charge over us, to keep us from falls, fractures of Bones, Dislo­cations, Epidemical and noisome Di­seases, from the hands of the violent and wicked man.

Having placed Man in Paradise, when he fell from thee, even then thou didst not despise him; but didst open the gate of Life in the promised seed unto him.

Thou didst write thy Laws in his Heart, and instruct him in the service of Sacrifices,

Strengthen our faith by the Ora­cles of the Prophets;

Enliven our Hearts with the Me­lody of the Psalms,

Teach us by the Wisdom of the Proverbs;

Evidently point out the coming of thy Son, by Types and Figures,

And at last recompence all their long waitings and expectations, by sending him unto us,

Who took our nature upon him, and sanctified it in his Incarnation, Birth and Life;

Redeemed us by his Death and Passion;

Quickened us by his Resurrection;

Exalted us by his Ascension;

Intercedeth for us in his Session at the right hand of the Father.

Sent down his holy Spirit for our Illumination, Sanctification and hope of Glory.

O blessed be thy Name for giving this Lord of Life, and this Son of thy Love unto us.

For thy glorious Gospel Evange­lizing him;

For the prospect and benefit of his Life and Death.

It is thou most holy Father, who with thine only Son freely givest us all things.

By thee Kings reign and Princes decree Justice.

Thou instructest all our Rulers, and teachest our Senators wisdom.

Thou givest us Pastors after thine own heart, to fill us with the know­ledg of thee, and feed us with true faith and obedience unto thee.

Thou bringest down our hearts for sin, so that we sometimes fall be­fore our enemies, and there is none to help us.

Again, upon our Repentance thou raisest us up, and breakest our bonds in sunder.

For it is thou who castest our cords from us.

Thou dost not leave us in the hardness of our hearts, but givest us preventing grace, with which if we co-operate, O how sweet and hea­venly are the glorious effects thereof.

Then we feel compunction for our sins, shame of them, hearty indigna­tion against them, and our selves for them; then the sense of thy Love of thy Mercies, and of our mo [...]t base and vile ingrateful abuse of thy mer­cies, [Page 38] throws down all the strong holds of sin in us, and fortifies us a­gainst them.

Nay sometimes thou dost send thy grace so forcibly upon us, that thou dost even compell us to come in un­to thee.

Though thou delightest (O thou lover of men) to see thy Voluntary goodness shine in our Souls!

O would we draw nigh unto thee, with what infinite joy dost thou draw nigh unto us! But thou wilt not al­ways force us, because thou desirest a free obedience, and lovest to save us in the best of all possible manners.

The glory of a sinner voluntarily returning, being greater than that of Adams Innocence, and causing grea­ter joy in Heaven, then there is over ninety and nine just persons, that need no repentance.

Blessed, magnified, highly exalted and honoured be thy Name, for put­ting such a power into our hands, of turning unto thee, such desires into [Page 39] our Hearts, such powerful workings in our Souls; that every true peni­tent is always turning more and more unto thee, ever moving to thee, and aspiring after thee; till by thy grace he be wholly, throughly and effectu­ally turned unto thee.

Finding no true satisfaction but in thee, no rest, no comfort, no peace but in thee.

Thus by degrees dost thou wean us from the world, and wed us unto thee. Till at last we are fully accepted, pardoned, and in Jesus Christ justi­fied, and by thy Spirit wholly united unto thee:

So thirsting for, and drinking in thy grace, that at last thou givest us full satisfaction in all thy Glories.

Dearest Lord, it is thine own self that workest all our works in us.

And therefore well mayest thou re­quire all good works from us.

Thou makest that good ours, which first was thine,

That so in us thy whole goodness [Page 40] might shine,

For thou alone enablest us to do good, and to resist evil.

Thou teachest us how to abound without abusing thy mercy, and how to want without repining at thy ju­stice.

Thou dost help us to overcome, yet crownest us for overcoming.

O wonder of Mercy, miracle of Grace!

It is thou only dost comfort us in our sorrows, support us in our trials, and take care of our welfare in all estates.

Thou givest us Songs in the night of affliction, and victory in the day of temptation.

It is only thou canst qualifie our turbulent tempestuous spirits, and give us calmness and serenity there­in.

Who could make our impatient natures contented in the midst of all the storms and tempests of a raging world, but only thou?

It is thou alone dost establish our fickle hearts, and fix them fast on thee.

Who givest us joy in our reproa­ches, and in all our labours of serving thee, peace of Conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost, intire love of our enemies, and zeal of Souls,—yet alienated from thee.

O thou that hast given us such a sense of them, hear our prayers for them, that they also may see the feli­city of thy chosen, and rejoyce in thy Salvation.

That all the Sons of God may shout for joy in the Gates of Jeru­salem.

O thou who hast shewed a mira­cle of Mercy in converting us who do call upon thee, shew the same up­on them who do not yet call (effectu­ally) upon thee.

O Lord God of Mercy convert all Infidels, all dead insensible Souls, in­to a true sense of thee; make them and us to yield all obedience to thee. [Page 42] And to thy Name be rendered all Honour, Praise and Glory for all these and for all other thy abundant mercies shewed unto us, from ever­lasting until now, and from this time forth for evermore. Amen.

O Blessed Jesus, being the third hour was devoted to thee by the ancient Christians, in memory of thy Prayer in the Garden, thine Ago­ny there, suffered before thy Passion, and of thy sending the Holy Ghost to thy Disciples; accept of me in Com­munion with them, doing honour to thy Name therein.

Enable me now seriously to consi­der, that in that Garden of sorrow to thee, thou didst repair our sin first committed in a Garden. Thine Ago­ny there was so great, thy Conflict so strong, thy Love so forcible, thy Fathers wrath so weighty, our Sins [Page 46] so hearty, that thou didst sweat drops of blood, prest out by thine intol­lerable anguish for our sins.

I humbly beseech thee to make me, in utter abhorrence of all sin, to forsake iniquity. Give me a deep sense and sorrow for my sins, and a tho­rough conversion to thee from them all.

Let this suffering of thine make me contented with all sufferings for thy sake. And let thine infinite love there­in melt my heart into love of thee, and fill me with love to all Mankind for thee.

Great, O Lord, was this anguish of thine, when it urged thee to pray that this Cup might pass from thee.

But greater was thy Love, which did drink it up for me.

Great was thy dolor in thy prayer, but greater was thy obedience.

Great was thy human suffering, but greater was thy divine perfecti­on, that therein could make so per­fect a Resignation.

Great was thy love to our Souls, that suffered such inexplicable tor­ments in thine own.

Most deeply fervent were thy prayers, when thou didst shed thy very blood for tears.

O thou who didst pray prostrate on the earth, and didst repeat the same prayer thrice: Grant I beseech thee, that by the outward gesture of our bodies, we may encrease the in­ward devotion of our minds; and in often repeating the same prayer, may still advance to new degrees of pious affections; make me in all things re­signed unto thee.

O thou who wert falsly appre­hended and betrayed, deliver me from the false apprehension and trea­cheries of Men; and grant, that nei­ther for reward nor danger, I ever [Page 48] withdraw my fidelity from the; but learn by thy example to do good with cheerfulness, and to suffer evil with patience.

O blessed Lord, thou didst deli­ver thy self to the violence of thine enemies, suffering them to bind, scourge, deride and abuse thee in most barbarous manner. Grant I beseech thee, that the sins of our hands may be loosed, by the binding of thine; that the scourges due for our sins may be acquitted by thine; let all our vain affections be confounded by the indecencies cast upon thee; Grant that when ever thou callest us thereunto, we may not only be bound, but be ready to die for the Lord Jesus.

O by these bindings of thine, de­liver us from the chains of eternal darkness, and bind our Souls and Hearts unto thee, in the Chains of a strong obedience, and everlasting love; and dissolve (now) all the bonds of my sins.

O blessed Jesus, being bound thus by Annas, thou wast sent to Caiphas, the high Priest, where thou wert yet worse abused, buffeted, and blind­folded.

Have mercy upon me, and make me to remember, that no darkness can hide me from thy sight, that so I may ever behave my self as in thy presence, and be able to suffer all things, rather than offend thee will­ingly any more.

Grant also that for thy sake, who wert stript, mockt, spit upon, wound­ed and derided for me; I may pati­ently bear the devesture of all things, and the derision of all men for thee; hoping that if I be afflicted for thee here, I shall by thy mercy and merit be glorified with thee hereafter.

I furthermore approach thee, to commemorate the sending of thine holy Spirit upon thine Apostles; humbly beseeching thee not to take it from me, but to renew me daily by it.

Grant me by the same spirit, there­fore to have a right Judgment in all things, that I may both perceive and know what I have to do, and have grace and power to fulfill the same.

Give me I beseech thee all the gifts and graces of thy holy Spirit.

Give me the spirit of wisdom to be sober, wise, and considerate in all things.

Give me the spirit of understan­ding to be quick, clear, and distinctive in my Apprehensions; to distinguish between truth and falshood, good and evil.

Give me the spirit of counsel, to consult thy holy will and pleasure be­fore I act any thing. Make me meek­ly to receive all good counsel, and prudently to give it.

Give me the spirit of ghostly strength, that I may be modestly con­fident and impregnably couragious in thy service.

Give me the spirit of knowledg to know all thy revealed will to me, and [Page 51] all my bounden duty to thee; that so neither thy Law nor my duty, thy mercy nor my sin may ever lie un­discerned in my Soul.

Give me I beseech thee, the spirit of piety, that I may ever be devoted unto thee.

And O my Saviour, give me above all things, thy holy filial fear, that I may never more dare to offend thee.

Deliver me therefore, I humbly beseech thee, from all rashness, inad­vertency and inconsideration.

From a perverse, confused, un­stable Understanding;

From refusing Counsel, or negle­cting to give it;

From ignorance of thy Will, and my duty;

From all confidence of my self, or diffidence in thee;

From all impiety and profaneness;

From casting off thy holy fear; thereby growing bold or careless in offending.

And now dearest Lord, having im­plored [Page 52] the gifts of thy holy Spirit, and deprecated those evils that op­pose it.

I humbly beg of thy divine Ma­jesty, the fruits of thy holy Spirit also; that by finding those within me, I may know thy holy Spirit rules and governs me.

Give me, dear Lord, I beseech thee, an universal love, make me to love thee for thy self, my friend in thee, and mine enemy for thee.

Give me joy in thee, in thy works, in thy ways, in thy Laws, in thy Saints and Servants, in all the friends and blessings which I enjoy.

Give me, O Prince of peace, peace with thee, my self, my friends and enemies.

Give me patience in all my suffer­ings, mercy to all who offend me, or need my mercy.

Give me meekness in my heart, words and behaviour, in all, to all.

Give me a true and irreprovable faith.

Give me modesty in all disputati­ons, shamefac'dness amidst all com­mendations, sobriety in the midst of plenty, that I never abuse thy bounty.

And with these give me I beseech thee the four Cardinal Virtues.

Prudence to govern me,

Justice to direct me,

Fortitude to discharge my duty,

Temperance to be moderate in all things.

Make me ever mindful

Of Death, to be prepared for it;

Of Heaven, to desire it;

Of Judgment, to dread it;

Of Hell to be deliver'd from it.

O keep me in with bit and bridle, when I stick not close unto thee.

Make me to delight in the Assem­bly of the faithful, to be among them, that the holy Spirit, which thou didst send upon thine Apostles, may de­scend upon me, even me also.

O my Lord compell I beseech thee my dearest N.N. to come in unto thee: [Page 54] Make him to see the felicity of thy chosen.

Give him a taste and relish of all these Gifts and Graces of thy holy Spirit; that he also may be filled with those unspeakable joys, which they feel and find, who spend their days and hours, spirits, souls, and forces, in knowing, loving, and obeying thee.

Give me the whole armor of God, that I may resist all evil, and persist in doing all good.

O give me the spirit of Grace and Supplication, that these and all my other prayers may be acceptable to thee; blessed to me, and graciously answered for thy mercy sake. Amen.

O Blessed Jesus, I come now to commemorate thy holy Death, which after all thy pains, hanging so tedious a time on the Cross, thou didst suffer at the Ninth Hour, in full satisfaction for all our sins.

O by this death of thine, have mercy upon me, let it kill, crucifie, and destroy all sin in me, let me die unto the World, and live henceforth only unto thee.

At the Ninth Hour was thy Heart pierced with a Spear; O transfix my Heart unto thee.

By that precious Water and Blood shed for me, have mercy upon me; wash, cleanse, purifie, heal my woun­ded and defiled Soul! Then blessed Jesus did the virtue of the Holy Sa­craments flow from thy sacred side; the Water by which we are regenera­ted, the Blood by which we are redeemed, give me evermore the [Page 74] virtue and benefit thereof.

Then was thy sacred Soul separa­ted from thy Holy Body; O separate me from this evil World, and unite me wholly unto thee.

Then didst thou admit the Thief into Paradise; O admit me into thy Heavenly Kingdom.

For all these stupendious Mercies, I praise and magnifie thy Name for ever,

I beseech thee that the power and effect of all thou hast done for me, may be saving to me.

Make me now to feel the horror of Sin, and the sorrow due unto it, that hath cost thee thy life, and the very last drop of Blood, to make atone­ment for it.

O that I could comprehend the immense love of my dying Saviour, that I might make some grateful re­turn of love unto thee.

Why should not the sense of thy Weeping make mine eyes to over­flow with tears for offending?

Why should not the Blood which thou didst shed for me, make me de­sirous to shed mine for the love of thee?

O my dear Lord, let thy thirsting brest, make mine to thirst and lan­guish after thee; inebriate me with the delicious viands of thy grace and love, since my Soul can take no sa­tisfaction in any thing but thee.

O fountain of living Waters, to thee I come, let me by faith drink up the Water and Blood which flowed from thee.

As thy Heart was broken for me, break mine with sorrow for offend­ing thee, proceeding purely from the love I owe unto thee.

Hide me in thy wounded side, till thy Fathers indignation be over past.

By thy precious Blood save me.

By thy holy Water cleanse me.

By thy prevailing death give me life, and

By thy Resurrection, Glory.

O blessed Jesus, what a bill of pay­ment [Page 76] hast thou here discharged? what an acquittance hast thou made for me?

The Rocks did rent, the Graves open, the Heavens mourn, the Earth did shake at thy Passion; and shall I evermore make leight of any trans­gression more?

O strike the Rock of my hard Heart, that it may kindly flow forth in tears for thee, as thou didst over­flow in tears of blood to ransome me.

Open the grave of my dull and earthly Soul with thy Almighty pow­er, and enliven the dead therein, even all my powers and affections, that abundance of holy thoughts may rise out of it in thankfulness for thy Pas­sion; with multitudes of praises for my Redemption.

Shake the earth of my Heart with terror at the approach of every sin; that I may die rather than commit one known wilful sin against thee more.

Blessed Lord enclose my Soul now in that Heart of thine, which was opened with the Spear for me.

There I delight to dwell, for I have desired it.

There will I live, and suck life, and draw Salvation from thee.

Thy wounded Heart is my San­ctuary, my comfort in sorrow, my refuge in trouble; here let me live and die, and be secure for ever.

I desire nothing but thee, I lan­guish after none but thee, all satisfa­ction lies in thee.

I desire to creep into this hole of the Rock, and there to lie close with intimate, individual adhaesion to thee, with fulness of love and obedience.

O nourish me in it, fill me with that love which made it, and I will return it all in thanksgiving and love unto thee.

O Blessed Jesus, by the eye of faith I now behold thee dead upon the Cross for me; and see good Joseph of Arimathea, thy holy Mo­ther and Saint John coming to take thee down from the same. Among whom I also by faith desire to come, upon the Ladder of holy Thoughts, with the shroud of my Heart to re­ceive thee.

O give me the myrrh of Mortifi­cation,

The bitter Aloes of sorrow for my sin,

And the odour of divine Virtues, to present and embalm thee with.

O that I had tears to wash thy sa­cred body, all begored with blood and spittle for me.

O that I were but gratefully sensi­ble of thine unspeakable love in all thy sufferings!

As these good men did draw out the Nails all begored with blood, be pleased to draw out all the nails of Sin, which lie in my body, corrupt­ing my poor Soul.

Fetch out all my corruptions, though thou rent and tear me in the cure.

Thy wounded shoulders and rent­ed hands were ript from the Cross; so fast did the bloody nails, and thy love above all, fix thee thereunto.

O dear Lord, loosen me quite from the World, and from every vain affection that would withdraw my Heart from thee.

O fix the memory of thy Suffer­ings in my Heart, and my Heart fast unto thee.

As thy Servants took thee down in their Arms, vouchsafe to receive me into thine.

Methinks I see thee laid in thy Mothers lap while they shroud thee;

Dear Lord, I lay down all my affairs in the lap of thy divine Pro­vidence, [Page 80] desiring to rest sweetly, thankfully, and most contentedly in all thy dispensations towards me. I resign my self, my Soul, my Estate, my Friends, and all that I am or have unto thee. Thou hast bought and redeemed me to be thine, and thine only will I be for ever.

Make me to spend hours and days in contemplating thee, and thy mi­raculous sweetness; to vapor away in acts of Love, Adoration and Thank­fulness to thee, for this thy redeem­ing love unto me.

And now, dear Lord, I see thee taken away to thy burial also, and laid in a new Sepulchre.

O make me a new Heart, and take thy repose in the same.

I see thee buried for me;

O bury all my sins in the Grave with thee.

And thou who wert in that night of sorrow before thy death in thine Agony, at Prayer for me in the morning, condemned the Third hour, [Page 81] crucified the Sixth, dead and pierced the Ninth hour, and taken down from the Cross at Even-song; who wast now buried for me, have mercy upon me, give me grace daily and duly to apply the same unto my Soul, as being my only Help, Health, and Remedy, for in thy Merits, Death and Passion, is my only hope of Salvation.

Therefore let my life be hid with Christ in God.

Let me count all things but dung to gain thee.

For whom have I in Heaven but thee, O Lord, and there is none up­on Earth that I desire in comparison of thee.

HAving now, dearest Lord, pas­sed this day in health and safety by thy divine Providence, I give thanks unto thee.

Blessed by thy holy Name for any good I have done, or for any evil I have left undone; since it was by thy Grace only that I performed any good, or did forbear any evil.

Blessed be thy Name for thy Mercies received, for thy Judgments escaped, and thy goodness enjoyed this day.

O let not my days consume in vanity, nor my years in trouble, but let every day add some knowledg, some practice and some virtue to yesterday.

Holy Father, I beseech thee by the Merits of thine only Son, to pardon me the sins of this day; and take me now and ever into thine Al­mighty protection.

O that thou wouldst visit me with the visitation of thy Saints; O that thou wouldst shew me the felicity of thy chosen! O that thou wouldst open mine eyes in the Visitations of the night. O that thou wouldst give me Songs in the night, that I might never cease day nor night from prai­sing thee.

O that while mine Eyes sleep, my Heart might always wake unto thee.

O fill me with love, fill me, O Lord, with the most enflamed love, that ever any of thine had unto thee.

O that I had all the love of all thy Saints and Angels comprised in my Soul, to pour it out unto thee.

Lord, thou hast not denied thy blood to redeem my Soul; do not, O do not deny me thy love to reple­nish it.

I desire to empty it of every thing else, fill it with thy self for ever. That as of thy fulness we have all re­ceived; of the fulness of my love thou mayst receive such a full obe­dience [Page 84] and duty, that I may be thine, and only thine for ever.

O make me to think upon thee in my Bed, and to remember thee when I am waking.

Let my first and last thoughts, yea, let all my thoughts be of thee, and let thy blessing most blessed God be now and evermore upon me.

O make me to be early up at my Prayers and Praises unto thee. Amen.

MOst Holy, and ever Blessed Lord Jesus, who didst fast forty days, and fortynights for me and all thine, to teach us that Prayer and Fasting were necessary fortifications against the assaults of the Devil, and all his Temptations, as also to sa­tisfie for all our excesses by Intempe­rance, and for all deficiencies in our [Page 85] Retirements and Prayers; I adore thy goodness, and humbly implore thy grace and acceptance of my Hu­miliation before thee these forty days, which I now enter into, and con­tinue in, in memory of, and confor­mity to thee.

I offer up this holy time, in ho­nour and love of thee, in imitation of thy Saints, in obedience to thy Church, in sorrow for my sins; as an act of indignation against my self in hearty confession, that I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies; to deplore my weakness, to implore thy assistance, to lay before thee all my wants, to beg thy supplies, to meditate upon thy life, death and pas­sion, and to be thankful for the ad­mirable work of our Redemption; to shew thee my wounds, and to creep into thine for cure; to judg, condemn and deny my self, that I may not be judged, condemned and denied by thee. I correct my self, that thou mayest spare me; I abhor my [Page 86] self that thou maist pity me; and I desire to die to the world, to live with thee. I desire not only to fast for sin, but above all from sin; so to meditate upon thy Life, Death and Passion, as to make most grateful re­turns of love and obedience. In seri­ous care to imitate all thy Virtues, truly conforming my self to all thy imitable perfections. Since if our Humiliations produce not these ef­fects, it may well be suspected they have more of formality, humour or hypocrisie, than true sorrow and in­tegrity.

Therefore I earnestly crave thine Almighty aid, and grace for my sin­cere performance.

Help me, dear Lord, to search and try my heart; to discover, discern and eradicate all my sins; to empty my self of all vanity; and do thou plant in me true sanctifying grace and constant piety.

Help me to overcome all my In­firmities, and especially those which [Page 87] by my corrupt nature, careless and evil customs, inadvertency, or condi­tion of life, I am most subject un­to.

Help me also, dear Lord, to make worthy preparations for the holy Sa­crament, that having chastised my self in this time of willing and obe­diential Humiliation, I may come out so cleansed, healed and restored by thy Death and Passion, that I may partake of all the joys of thy glorious Resurrection.

Give me therefore I beseech thee, blessed and happy opportunities of Retirement and Introversion, with the grace of profitable Meditation, and a lively faith for effectual Appli­cation. Give me the blessing of health and strength to perform the same; make me so earnestly to implore all thy Graces as to attain them; so to deprecate thy Judgments, that thou maist ever withhold them, deliver me from all vain and sinful company, from great disturbances, and from [Page 88] all destraction that may impede my duty to thee.

Give me a discerning Spirit that I may know the duties of my calling, that I may neither be negligent of it, nor too solicitous in it. Give me op­portunities of doing good to all, but especially to those of the Houshold of Faith, for both the Will and pow­er comes from thee.

Make me a comfort to the afflicted, a help to the poor and needy, an en­courager and example of virtue, a discountenancer of Vice, a meet help for my individual Relation in all things, but especially in the best.

Help me to bear injuries patiently, to take contradictions easily, to for­give all freely. Make me a true, a prudent and a faithful friend, a kind neighbour, a good Master (or Mi­stress) in my Family, liberal to the poor, and truly loving to my Relati­ons.

Tender and compassionate, meek, humble and courteous to all. Make [Page 89] me as much to honour thee, as ever I have dishonoured thee; as much to please thee as ever I have displeased thee.

O that thou wouldst make me a great instrument of thy glory; and though without thy grace I can do nothing, enable me so, that I may experimentally say, and evidence to all the world, that through thy grace I can do all things. That thy strength may be seen in my weakness, and that from the greatness of my sin and mi­sery, the greater glory may arise to thine infinite goodness and mer­cy.

Lord, do thy work of Grace spee­dily and mightily upon me, and make thy servant unalterably constant in thy faith and service; to which end bless all the means of grace unto me. Let my private devotions so fit and prepare me for thy publick Worship that all thine Ordinances may be pro­fitable to me, that so by thy Grace derived from them, my whole life [Page 90] may be acceptable in and through my blessed Lord and Saviour.

I Praise thee for electing me before all time,

For creating me in time,

For redeeming me in the fulness of time;

For all the parts and mysteries in my Redemption.

For thy patient forbearance of me so long a time;

For giving me a time to repent, and repentance in that time;

For justifying me in thy good time,

For my Sanctification at all times,

And for my hope of Glorification when time shall be no more.

I praise thee for thy wonderful mercy in preserving me from a thou­sandfold dangers, miseries, diseases, falls and troubles, which without thy mercy had befaln me.

For delivering me from those ca­lamities I have so particularly feared, and so much deserved.

For delivering me out of all the mire of iniquity, and those sinks of sin in this evil world, which with­out thy grace and mercy I had faln into, and perisht in; if thou hadst not snatched me as a firebrand pluckt out of the fire.

For all the blessings of thy bounty which we daily receive from thy mercy.

For thy supply to me in all my wants.

Thy relief in all my necessities,

My comforts in all my sadness.

For the kindness, affection, ability, support and comfort of my dear H.

For preserving him in health and safety.

For thy miraculous preservation of us from the late Plague, in time of eminent danger.

For keeping us from drowning, [Page 92] and from all hurt and loss by fire.

For preserving us from Falls, Fra­ctures of Bones, Dislocations, Hurt, or loss of any of our members, or senses.

Above all I praise thee for making me a member of thy Holy Catholick Church, and the satisfaction I enjoy therein.

For the miraculous preservation of the King, and thy wonderful Restau­ration of thy Church

To some degree of its wonted glory,

To a full degree of thy saving Truth.

And to a peaceable possession of our ancient Priviledges.

For the joy of thy Courts in the beauty of Holiness,

For the comforts of all our solemn Assemblies,

For an able, pious, and learned Clergy,

For a willing, obedient, and con­formable Laity,

For the glory of our Festivals, and all the glorious mysteries contained, commemorated, and reduc'd to pra­ctice in them.

For our Weekly, Monthly, Quar­terly and yearly Fasts; in our Fri­days, Eves, Embers, and Lent;

For the excellent uses designed in them,

For the unspeakable benefits deri­ved from them,

By giving us (in holy abstinence,)

Life to our Prayers,

Light to our Understandings,

Vigor to our Affections,

Wings to our Devotions,

Examination of our Consciences,

Sorrow for our Sins,

Acts of penitence for them, and charity against them.

I praise thee for our excellent Li­turgy, containing penitential Con­fessions,

Effectual Absolutions,

Charitable Intercessions for all,

Invocating thy Mercies,

Deprecating thy Judgments,

I praise thee for the Tears, sighs and groans of our Hearts, Souls and Spirits at our Prayers, to the delight of God, and the joy of Angels.

For the Musick of our Songs and Praises,

For the Harmony and unity of our Versicles and Responsals.

For our strong, loud, powerful Cries, to importune thy mercy.

For our soft, silent dropping Tears to move thy pity.

For our Regeneration in Baptism,

Our Renovation in the Eucharist,

Our daily growth and comfort in the means of Grace.

For our comforts and increase of grace in the Seals of Salvation.

For the Infallibility of thy Holy Word.

For thy Judgments denounced therein to keep us from sinning.

For thy saving promises to keep us from despairing.

For thy Righteous Laws, Glorious [Page 95] Attributes, wonderful works, and all the ways of thy divine Providence, making our faith and dependance strong in thee.

I praise thee for the great delight of the Mosaical part of thy Word, shewing us thy Wonders, Laws and Ordinances, enrich'd with thy se­cond Covenant, which was believ'd and depended on by all the Holy Patriarchs.

I praise thee for the Histo­rical part of thy Word, de­claring to us thy Wisdom, Power and Providence, in the Oecumenical Government of thy Church and People, both under Judges and Kings; making Monarchy to succeed Aristocracy, because far exceeding it.

I praise thee for the History and Patience of Job;

For the Poetical part of thy Word,

In the Melody of the Psalms,

The Instructions of the Proverbs,

The mirrour of Vanity,

The transporting Raptures of the Canticles,

The melting Lamentations for our Sins, and thy Judgments.

I praise thee for the stupendious Prophetical part of thy Word, where­by we are filled with wonder at the mysteriousness of thy Prophecies, and raised to exultation in seeing their Accomplishments.

And for all those heights and depths, not yet revealed, but still ob­scure, is thy Wisdom, Power, and Majesty to be reverenc'd.

By which springs of Glory thou hast made all our fresh springs to arise in thee.

But if in thy Law and Prophets thy Gospel lay concealed, how glo­rious in thy Gospel, that brings us a Saviour, by whom thy Law is ful­filled, and thy Prophecies revealed?

I praise thee therefore with intense and fervent praises for thy glorious Gospel above all, which brings us the tydings of a Saviour, sent from Hea­ven to redeem and restore lost undone and faln man.

I praise thee exaltedly most holy Father for my dear and blessed Savi­our.

For his Miraculous Incarnation,

Joyful Birth, sharp Circumcision,

Glorious Epiphany, painful and concealed life till his Baptism.

I praise thee for his Prophetical Office then taken and executed, in his Sermons of Salvation, excellent precepts, gracious Promises, Miracles, Prophesies and works of mercy.

For all his hard Labours, Travels, on foot, Watchings, Tears, Fastings, Prayers, and humble life of pain and poverty for our example and encou­ragement therein.

For his Priestly Office in his Life-giving and all-saving death; where­in he sacrificed himself for the Sins of the whole World, and even for me, as if there had been no other.

I praise thee for his Kingly Office, manifested in his Almighty Resurre­ction, Triumphant Ascension, Regal Session at the right hand of God, [Page 98] and his Intercession for us.

For the glorious descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost.

For the blessed presence, residence and assistance of the same spirit up­on thy holy Church throughout all Ages.

For the knowledg of an Incompre­hensible Trinity in an undivided U­nity; thy Name be blessed and prai­sed for evermore.

I praise thee also for the Glorious Acts of the Holy Apostles.

For the propagation of thy Church by them.

For the riches of Wisdom, and the sacred Mysteries that lie hid in their Epistles.

The Humility of their Lives,

Their courage and patience in suf­fering,

Their Charity in forgiving,

Their powerful declamation a­gainst Vice,

Their practice of Virtue,

Thy spirit of truth in all.

And for that Map of the Coelestial Canaan in the all-bright and glorious Revelation, thy name be blessed and praised both now and for evermore. Amen.

I praise thee also for the successful Ministry of thy Word in all Ages since.

For the Learning of the Fathers,

The Holiness of their Lives,

Their zealous Devotions,

For the Tears, Watchings and Prayers of all Christians,

For their patience in suffering, and courage manifested in the Primitive Times.

For thy saving truth shining more or less in all times.

For the excellent Preaching of thy Word in our times,

For the co-operation of thy Spirit with it,

To the awakening of our seared Consciences,

The melting of our hard Hearts,

To the dividing between the Soul [Page 100] and Spirit, the Heart and Reins.

For the discovery of our Sins,

The quickening of our Spirits,

The fear of thy Judgments,

The hope of thy Mercies,

For the Reformation of our Lives.

I praise thee also for all those who have benefited me by their Writings, Sermons, Discourses, Prayers, Books, Rebukes and Advices, and for all o­ther helps unto Heaven.

I praise thee for all thy sanctified afflictions, to chastise my rebellions,

For all the unkindness of Friends, ingratitude and contempt of enemies,

Thereby to wean me from the World,

Scowre me from my rust,

Refine me from my dregs,

And unite me closer unto thee.

For raising me up many comforts and Friends,

I neither deserved nor thought upon.

For giving me the grace of Peni­tence;

The super-exalted love of a Re­deemed, and the care and piety of a regenerated person.

For upholding me from falling,

For lifting me up when I was down,

For strengthening me in my weak­ness,

For confirming me in goodness,

For the Conversion of all Sinners,

For thy patience in waiting for their Conversion,

For thy pardon of the Penitent,

For thy Justice on the Obstinate,

For thy preventing and initiating Grace,

Thy illuminating and co-operating Grace,

Thy restraining and restoring Grace,

Thy renewing, assisting and quick­ning Grace,

For thy many great, strong, loud calls by thy Judgments,

For thy soft melting whispering calls in our Consciences, to turn un­to thee.

For alluring us by thy Word, read and preached,

Thy Mercies and thy Judgments,

Thy Divine Inspirations,

The stings of our Consciences in sinning,

The humility and fear of a pardon­ed person,

For making Sin bitter unto us,

The burden intollerable,

I praise thee for giving us any hun­ger or thirst after Righteousness.

For any power thou givest us to do good works, and for thy blessing upon those we do.

For a good and right understan­ding,

A ready unloosed Tongue,

A clear apprehension, and a little comprehension of divine things.

A serviceable Memory,

An obedient will at any times to thy calls.

For giving me a great love to thee, my friend in thee, mine enemy for thee.

For the comfort and delight thou givest me in my Prayers and Praises.

For the fidelity of my Friends,

The love of my Neighbours,

The good acceptation thou givest me with all kind of persons,

For the interest thou givest me in the souls of men.

For any love, care or Conscience that is in my servants.

For giving me a Heart to pardon mine enemies.

For the gratitude thou dost ena­ble me to pay to my Friends,

For my compassion of others, and theirs on me.

For giving me grace to leave the World a little, before I was by thy Judgments forced to leave it altoge­ther.

I praise thee for all the Ministry of Angels:

For my Guardian Angel,

For all the faithful departed,

For thy great Graces given to them,

Their good example given to me,

For the Suffrages and Prayers of all Saints.

For my Communion with them, and with all those who are at Prayers with me now in this holy hour.

For the large capacity and extent of my Soul, that can be in union with all Ages past, present, and to come, worshipping, praising and a­doring thee.

For enabling me so to rejoyce in thy Glories, to dilate upon thy Ex­cellencies, to delight in thy Service, so as if all our affections were united in one holy individual oblation of our Souls and Bodies unto thee. As if all Souls were in one, and one so in all, that we could never more be divided from thee; nor cease from the love and service we bear unto thee, nor be separated from each o­ther in thee.

I praise thee for preserving me from all perils and dangers, either by day or night.

For that portion of Health I now enjoy.

For the contentedness and thank­fulness thou givest me in all estates.

For all the necessaries of this life.

Healthful dwelling, quiet, safety, plenty of food and raiment.

For all the retirements and happy opportunities thou givest me, of Reading, Praying and enjoying thee.

For assisting me to overcome (in any measure) any of those great In­firmities I am subject to by nature.

For all thy gifts of Grace and na­ture, infused or acquired, attain'd by study or experience in the world.

For any good use I make of them.

For all thy wonderful Mercies to me and mine, blessing us in all good things.

For thy great preservation of us in many dangerous Journeys, and deliverances out of very many great troubles, which my Soul recounteth unto thee.

For all these and for all other thy Mercies, known or not known, ma­nifest or secret, willingly or unwill­ingly received, I praise thee, I bless thee, I give thee thanks, and I de­sire to praise, bless and give thee thanks all the days of my life.

What am I that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am.

What reward shall I give unto the Lord, for all his benefits toward me, especially in that he hath spared and forborn me until now?

Holy, holy, holy, thou art worthy to receive Honour, Worship and Praise, now and for evermore. Amen.

HOly Jesus, who being infinite­ly higher than the Heavens, didst condescend to look on the Earth, to come down, and visit us, with the saving Presence of thine Eternal Godhead, clothed with our Manhood in the Virgins Womb; let this miraculous grace of thine ef­fect another miracle in me: Let it raise me by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and change me by a new Birth, and exalt me to a Divine and Heavenly life, that I may for­sake the world, and live unto thee. O thou who didst assume thy Body and Soul for me, that we might be members of thy Body, and of thy flesh, and of thy bones; unite me unto thee, make me sensible of thee my head, fill me with the joy of thy Nativity, and give thy self unto me, [Page 108] who wast born for me; that I may be thine, and my beloved mine, for evermore.

O Eternal Glory of the Father, vail'd over with mortal flesh, remove the vail from off my heart, clarifie my understanding, and draw me near un­to thee; that I may know the my­stery which was hid from Ages and Generations, but is now revealed for our Glory. Receive me to thy self, make me one with thee, and be thou more dear unto me than all the world?

O thou who didst vouchsafe to dwell in the dark Cloysters of a Virgins womb, thou who didst vouchsafe to close thine infinity with­in the confines of Humane shape, and advance our Humanity to the Throne of God. Prepare the Tem­ple of my Soul, make it bright with knowledg and wisdom, come and dwell in my understanding, take pos­session of my will, reign within my heart, let thy Scepter of Righteous­ness [Page 109] be exalted over me, and be­come the rule of my thoughts and actions.

O reign over all the World, and let the Righteousness and true Holi­ness wherein thou delightest, prevail and prosper in the Earth, let the Souls be saved which thou hast re­deemed. Amen. Amen.

ETernal Son of the eternal Father, who wast a man of sorrows, and art now the Lord of Joys, look down from Heaven thy dwelling place up­on me thy Servant, who rejoyce in thy glorious and blessed Resurrecti­on. Thou hast broken the Bars of Death and Hell, for it was impossible that he that was innocent should be holden of them: Thou hast broken down the gates of the prison of the Grave, because thou hast satisfied thy Fathers Justice, He knew thy ability [Page 110] and therefore he trusted thee with so great a debt. He knew thy Power, and therefore did commit so weighty an employment to thy sacred Hands. O cause me to know thee my Saviour to be the Son of God by this glori­ous Resurrection. Let it quicken me, and raise me up, who am dead in sins and trespasses.

Our Surety has paid the debt, and is come abroad, let all the Earth re­joyce, and be glad in him. Sing O Mountains, and break forth into sing­ing all the valleys in the World; for our Redeemer and our Saviour hath conquered Death, Hell, and the Grave. Let the light of his Resurre­ction transform the World into Heaven, and turn the Wilderness in­to Eden, let it restore a better Para­dise than the old one unto us. Let the power of his Resurrection quic­ken all the dead in sins, and convert all the Kingdoms upon Earth, and make them the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ, wherein [Page 111] Truth, and Peace, and Righteousness may reign for evermore.

O my Soul, thy lover and thy friend, that was killed, dead and bu­ried, is alive; and he is able to save unto the utmost all them that come to God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for us. He by, and for whom the Worlds were made, loved thee to the death. O let his Love enflame thee, and turn thee all into Love; and let the love of God which passeth all understan­ding possess thy Soul and Body for ever. Let the Love of Christ con­strain thee to forsake iniquity; and to esteem nothing easie, honourable or delightful, but that which is so to him. Love all that he loveth, hate all that he hateth.

O Jesus, the love and life of my Soul, be thou my sovereign Lord and Friend, my only treasure and pos­session; be thou my Wisdom and my Glory, my Kingdom and my Crown, my Life and Blessedness; be thou [Page 112] all in all to me. Let thy will be my will, and thy pleasure mine. As thou camest to do the Will of thy Father, let it be my meat and drink to do thy Will, to glorifie thy Name, and finish the work which thou hast gi­ven me to do. O give me the Image of thy Soul, and let the same mind be in me that was in Christ Jesus, both towards thine Eternal Father, and towards all thy Creatures. Let me despise all the vanities which thou didst contemn, that I may en­ter into thy Joys, and live in Com­munion with thee for ever. Amen.

O Lord my Light, my Life and Confidence, my Love, and my only Happiness; I place my whole hope and trust in thee. I now ex­pect from thine infinite Bounty thy Holy Spirit, which thou hast promi­sed in thy mercy. O send out thy Light and thy Truth unto me. Thy Word is Truth, thy Spirit is Truth, thou O God art the God of Truth. Inspire me with thy Truth, and make me to know the Truth; embrace, love, live in the Truth, believe and speak the Truth; serve, obey and praise thee in Truth now and for ever­more.

O blessed Jesus, all the Treasures and Joys thou gavest us in thy Birth, all the Mercies and mysteries of thy Life, all the Benefits of thy Death and Passion, all the Victories [Page 114] and Joys of thy Resurrection, all the Triumphs and places thou givest us in thy Ascension, all the advan­tages of thy Session and Intercession are lockt up and seal'd in this pro­mise of sending the Holy Ghost. Till he unlock and open these Treasu­ries to us, till he illuminate us in, and fit us for them, till he reveal and apply them to us we cannot enjoy them. O send thy Spirit then into us, and seal all thy Mercies by him upon us now and evermore Amen.

I Confess, O Lord, that I was shapen in wickedness, and in sin hath my Mother conceived me;

That I was brought forth in un­cleanness,

That I am a root of bitterness,

A wild Vine of Sodom,

A branch of the wild Olive,

A child of wrath, a vessel of dis­honour.

My heart is rebellious like a start­ing bow,

My throat an open sepulchre, venting folly,

My lips so polluted, that my tongue talketh nothing but vanity.

Mine eyes and my tongue uncir­cumcised.

I have a forehead of brass, and a neck of iron.

My hand slow to do good, and [Page 116] my feet swift to do evil.

I have sin'd against thee, O Lord, and trespassed in thy sight, not fear­ing thy Majesty.

My sins are in quantity large, of long continuance, from my Mothers womb, deep, heavy, like a burden, like lead, reaching to Heaven with their cry.

Many in number like the Starrs.

More than the hairs of my head, or the sands of the Sea, oftentimes rei­terated, as a fountain casting out waters, till they become as a habit, as red as scarlet and crimson.

For I am sold under sin, I sin till they become natural to me, like the Aethiopian's skin and the Leopards spots.

In quality sins as strong as cords and cart-ropes, gaining nothing ther­by,

For a handful of Barley and a lit­tle Bread,

Committing sin with greediness, sin upon sin, with impudence, not be­ing [Page 117] ashamed, knowing it to be sin.

Giving offence thereby, unthank­fully like the dog to the vomit.

Like the Sow to the mire.

Therefore, O Lord, because thou art just, and thy Judgments true.

I do (or may) reap the fruit of my foolishness;

For what fruit have I in those things whereof I am now ashamed.

My days are consumed in vanity, and my years in the bitterness of my Soul, and now there is no health in me, because of thy displeasure, nor any rest by reason of my sin.

My Heart trembleth also for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy Judg­ments.

I feel bitterness beyond the bitter­ness of death, for ever forsaking thee, or being forsaken by thee.

Wo unto me rebellious wretch for so doing, by which I become so vile, I loath and abhor my self.

I have roar'd for the very dis­quietness of my heart.

And what shall I now say, or how shall I open my mouth?

What shall I answer, seeing I have done these things?

Miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

When I have not what I can far­ther say or do, this only remaineth, this is my last refuge, that I direct mine eyes unto thee.

Out of the deep have I cried un­to thee, O Lord, Lord hear my v [...]ice.

If thou Lord shouldst be extream to mark what is done amiss, who may abide it.

Enter not into Judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.

Wherefore, O Lord, I appeal from thee unto thee,

From thee a just Judg, to thee a merciful Father.

From the Throne of thy Justice to the seat of thy Mercy.

O Lord be pleased to admit of this [Page 119] appeal, if thou do not, I perish, and carest thou not that I perish, who wouldst have all to be saved, and none to perish?

I am thine, O save me.

Despise not the works of thine own hands, who hatest nothing that thou hast made.

I am thy servant, the Son of thine handmaid.

I am called by thy name, I am the price of thy Blood.

O spare thy workmanship, spare thy child.

Thy name, the price of thy Son's Blood;

But I am a sinner, and God bear­eth with sinners, be pleased to bear with me and remember of what I am made.

Remember that I am but dust,

Frail flesh, light wind, loose dust, and wilt not thou, O Lord, break a leaf driven to and fro by the wind, wilt thou pursue dry stubble.

Behold, O Lord, though I have sinned, I humble my self before thee.

Spare the humble and contrite,

David spared Shimei that railed on him, and David was a man after thine own heart, therefore do thou spare me.

Ahab forgave the King of Assyria his offences upon his humiliation.

Was there ever King of Israel so merciful as thou art?

Thou therefore, whose very nature is to have mercy, have mercy upon me, spare me and be not angry with thy servant for ever, but for the sake of Jesus Christ, turn away thy wrath from me, and be reconciled to me.

Accept the sacrifice of a contrite heart, and grieved Soul, a wounded spirit, a troubled conscience, pity me and spare me, though I have so grie­vously sin'd against thee.

It hath ever been thy practice to be merciful,

They trusted and were not con­founded.

Thy Mercies have been ever of old,

When I look at the Generations of old, I see never any trusted in thee and was confounded, and thou ne­ver didst despise those that called up­on thee.

Remember thy word unto thy ser­vant in which thou hast caused me to hope.

Thou hast blessed the man that trusteth in thee, my whole trust is in thee, let me never be confounded.

Thy Mercies, O Lord, are com­fortable better than life, many, plen­tiful, and tender, superabundant, wonderful and infinite, preventing us, following us, compassing us, par­doning iniquity, transgression and [...]n.

Thou art the Father of Mercies.

Thou sparest when we deserve punishment, and in thy wrath think­ [...] upon mercy,

Gently correcting in the midst of wrath, remembring mercy.

It being of thy mercy, that we are not consumed.

O how dost thou wait, to have mercy upon us! with thee is plente­ous Redemption.

And thy mercy and thy pardon extendeth not only to small sins and sinners, but those that are great;

Such as Peter who forswore thee;

Such as Paul who blasphemed thee;

To the Thief on the Cross;

To the Adulteress Mary Magdalen;

To David and to Manasses.

Thou biddest those that have plaid the Harlot with many Lovers, re­turn unto thee.

And all those are recapitulated and summed up by thy holy Spirit, for comfort and assurance of thy mercy to us also in Jesus Christ.

In whom thou hast given us great and precious promises, and in whom all the promises of God are Yea and Amen.

Therefore Jesus thou Son of David have mercy upon me.

And by thy name Jesus be a Savi­our to me.

Lord, do not so remember my sins, as to forget thine own Name,

But hear me, forgive me, intercede for me.

O reconcile thy Father to me; say unto my Soul, I am thy Salvation.

Where sin hath abounded, let Grace superabound.

God hath concluded all under sin, that he might have mercy upon all.

O blessed Lord, thy Son my Sa­viour Christ once suffered for sin, the just for the unjust; he came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

He bids all that labour and are heavy laden, come unto him, and therefore, most holy God, blessed Jesus receive me, have mercy on me,

Justifie me freely,

Sanctifie me effectually,

Cleanse me thorowly,

Receive me graciously into the arms of thy protection and unspeak­able mercy, and secure me from all mine Enemies, visible and invisible.

O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath.

Cast me not off for ever.

Cast me not away from thy pre­sence.

Hide not thy face from me.

Forsake me not, put me not to shame, O turn away reproach.

Let not mine enemies triumph over me.

Deliver me not over to their will, preserve my life from them.

Deliver me, O Lord, from hard­ness of heart, from impenitence.

From grossness, dulness and dead­ness of spirit.

From all impudence, or over bold confidence.

From a sear'd conscience, and a dull reprobate mind.

Form the sin unto death, the sin [Page 125] against the Holy Ghost.

From all superfluity of naughti­ness.

The weight of sin, the lusts of the eyes, and pride of life.

From all wicked and vain de­sires, hurtful,

Vain, unprofitable, foolish and sin­ful thoughts.

From desire of vain glory, or en­during it.

From lying lips and a deceitful heart or tongue.

From hands stretched out to co­vetousness.

From feet swift to do evil, from eyes or ears,

Open to vanity or destruction.

From errors or blindness of judg­ment, inconstancy of mind, sinful words and actions, envy, hatred, rancour, malice, and revenge,

Good Lord, deliver and preserve me for ever.

Root out of me all prophaneness and superstition, pride and indecen­cy,

Anger and contention, swearing, cursing,

Violent passion, inordinate affe­ction,

And cleanse me from all my cor­ruption, deceit, fraud, lying, slan­dering, envy and malice.

Take from me all gluttony and intemperance.

Give to me the virtue of Absti­nence and Temperance.

Take from me the spirit of un­cleanness,

Give to me the love of chastity,

Take from me all love and de­sire to this vain world,

Give to me the love and desire of Heaven,

Take from me all perturbation of mind,

Give to me a contented mind,

Take from me the heat and vio­lence of anger,

Give to me the spirit of meek­ness and true humility,

Take from me all immoderate care of this life,

Give to me the constant care of eternal life,

Give to me all spiritual joy,

Take from me all sinful joy,

Take from me all haughtiness of mind,

Give to me compunction of heart humility.

Good Lord deliver me.

In all my prayers hear me,

In all my thinkings, speaking, and writings,

Inspire, instruct, and direct me,

In all my infirmities, pity and help me,

Out of all temptations deliver me,

From all falls, fractures of bones,

Dislocations, noisom and grievous diseases,

Good Lord deliver me.

From all dangers of Fire and Water.

From thy wrath and everlasting damnation,

Good Lord deliver us.

And let thy grace, mercy and bles­sing be now and evermore upon us.

I Beseech thee, O Lord, for the Conversion of Turks, Jews, and Heathens to the Truth.

For all Christians,

That they may be strengthened that stand,

That they may be converted that are in error;

For the Churches throughout the world;

That they may be united in Re­ligion;

For our Church, that whatsoever is amiss in it may be amended.

For the Kings Majesty and his prosperity;

For all Christian Kingdoms;

For ours and each part of it;

That it may flourish in peace;

For the Clergy, that they may teach and live well.

For wisdom in the Council,

Integrity in the Judges,

Strength in our Armies,

Discretion in the Magistrates,

Obedience in the People.

The prosperity and good success of Merchants, Husbandmen, Artificers and Tradesmen, that they may live carefully and honestly in their Voca­tions.

For the prosperous education of Youth in our Universities and Schools, and other parts of the Kingdom.

For our Parents, Kindred, Friends, Benefactors and Neighbours.

For those of whom we have the charge committed to us, either in Church, Common wealth or Families.

For our enemies, especially those that hate us without cause; that God would convert them.

For those that commend them­selves to our prayers; and those whose affairs and troubles will not suffer them to pray as they ought.

For those who are in affliction of body or mind;

In danger or want; in prison or condemned to death.

For those that excell in qualities of mind, in strength of body, in abun­dance of wealth,

That they exalt not themselves a­bove their Brethren, but do good with their gifts and advantages.

For those which undertake any no­table action, which may redound

To the Glory of God,

The Peace of the Church,

The Honour of the Kingdom.

I That am a wretched sinner, here personally appearing, and pro­strate before the presence of the everlasting God, having in remem­brance the exceeding mercy of his great goodness towards me, whom he hath created of nothing, preserved, sustained and loved when I was most unworthy of any thing, whom he hath of his incomprehensible clemen­cy so often invited to repent; and whose conversion and amendment he hath so patiently expected; as also having in memory, that at the day of my Baptism, Christning, I was so happily and holily vowed and de­dicated unto my God to be his child, and to live in his continual service, grieve that contrary to the profession then made in my name, I have often displeased his Glorious Majesty.

I have so many and sundry ways so execrably and detestably violated my Vows, profaned my sacred promises, and employed my soul to the service of the world, the flesh and the devil, that I have thereby despised the gra­ces, and contemned the goodness of Gods Divine Majesty, and deserved everlasting perdition; but now at length recalling my self, and in all lowly devotion and devout obedi­ence, here casting my Soul and Body prostrate before the dreadful Throne of his Justice, I acknowledg and con­fess, and I yield my self a most mi­serable wretched sinner, guilty of that Death and Passion which Christ once suffer'd for me upon the tor­menting Cross. But turning my self to the Throne of his infinite Mercy, and with all my might from the very bowels of my heart, detesting the iniquities of my fore-passed life; I most humbly beg and crave pardon for the same with an entire abso­lution from all my sins, even for [Page 133] the precious Death and Passions sake of my Lord and Saviour; upon whom as upon the only foundation of my hope I repose all my confi­dence, and unto whom I promise and confirm again, I vow and so­lemnly renew the sacred profession of loyal service and fidelity which was made in my name, and in my behalf unto him in my holy Baptism, renouncing unfeignedly the vanities of this wicked world, the lusts of my sinful flesh, and the suggestions of the Devil; and converting my self to my most gracious and most mer­ciful God, I desire, deliberate, pur­pose and fully resolve to honour him, serve him, love him, and obey him, now and for ever hereafter, giving and dedicating to him for this end, the powers of my Soul, the affecti­ons of my Heart, and the faculties of my Body, to be his faithful, loyal and obedient servant for ever, without unsaving, revoking or repenting me of this my holy and sacred pro­mise [Page 134] or any part thereof. And I most humbly beseech Almighty God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, to con­firm me in this constant resolution and to accept of this my broken and contrite Heart, which he hath pro­mised not to despise, entirely desiring his fatherly goodness that as he hath given me a will to purpose, so he would give me strength and grace to perform all holy actions, through Jesus Christ.

LOrd Jesus, who both by thy Word, and thine own example, hast taught us to deny our selves, and by thy Apostle hast councell'd us to judg our selves, that we be not judged of the Lord. I offer unto thee this act of Abstinence, not out of a proud conceit of satisfying thy justice by it for the least sin, or me­riting any the least favour at thy hand; but in a pure acknowledg­ment that through my manifold sins, I am unworthy of so liberal an use of thy good Creatures, and even of the necessary sustenance of life; in an holy revenge upon my self for for­mer excesses, through heedlesness, or wanton appetites; in an humble de­sire of bringing forth some fruits worthy of repentance; as also in ho­nour [Page 136] of and conformity to thy hun­ger and thirst, abstinence and auste­rity, voluntarily undergone by thee, to expiate the errors of our excesses. Beseeching thee graciously to accept of me and mine, as thou usest to do to those that love thy name, and fear thy wrath, and are displeased at themselves, for having displeased thee, and that judg themselves to prevent being judged of thee. Purge and purifie our humiliations and ab­stinencies, from all hypocrisie, vain­glory, and self-pleasing, and offer it to thy holy Father in the Union, and through the merits of thy holy Abstinences, for the averting of thy Judgments, and for procuring of thy grace and favour (for my self and others) to the beating down of the body, and the bringing of it into subjection, to the crucifying of the flesh with the affections and lusts, for the disposing of my Soul to the more free influences of thy Divine Grace, to fit me for Prayer, Medi­tation, [Page 137] and all other Blessings where­with thou usest to crown the worth­less service of thy poor Creatures, in­finitely beyond their deserts, in such sort as shall seem good to thee, and be expedient for us, to thy Glory, and to the Glory of the Father, and the Holy Ghost, Three persons and one God, world without end.

HEavenly Father, seeing thou art willing so to have it, let the cup of thy wrath and displeasure pass from us, and let the cup of thy blessing be ever amongst us, expose us not good Father to those bloody and grievous conflicts with the pow­ers of Hell and darkness, which thy Son sustained for us; Oh lay no more upon us than thou shalt give us strength and patience through him and for him, to undergo and van­quish, Make us to triumph as con­querors in this victory over Hell and Satan, over all the power of the enemy. Amen.

FOrasmuch as the violence of sick­ness which ordinarily goes be­fore death, hinders us often from applying our selves in due manner to God in our last duties, suitable to that estate; to prevent such hin­derances it will be to very good pur­pose, O my Soul, to make choice of some solemn time of Retirement, every year, if not every week, or day to do such duties in, before-hand, which then we should, but cannot so well perform.

DEus vitae meae quam vane consumpta sunt, quam in­fructuose elapsa sunt tempora mea, quae dedisti mihi, ut face­rem voluntatem tuam in eis, & non feci! quanti Anni, quot Dies, quot Horae perierunt apud me, in quibus sine fructu vixi co­ram te! Quomodo subsistam, quo­modo levare potero oculos meos in faciem tuam, in illo magno examine tuo, si omnia peccata mea, vel tempora mea & fru­ctus requisiveris singulorum? Patientissime pater, non fiat hoc, sed sint in oblivione coram te. Et quae perdidi tempora (heu multa sunt nimis) & si quae te juvante utiliter servavi, quorum O domine numerus brevis est, in [Page 164] memoria aeterna fac permanere. Fiat amande Pater saltem hoc residuum temporis mei fructuo­sum, & sanctificatum in Gratia tua, ut in diebus Aeternitatis in­veniat locum & computabile sit ante te. Amen.