THE PRACTICE of the faithful: Containing many godly Prayers both for Morning: and Evening and other necessary occasions. Whereunto are added divers profitable and comfortable meditations necessary to be remembered and practised of every Christian. Coloss. 4. 2. Continue in Prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving. LONDON, Printed by Io. Beale for Samuel Man and are to be sold in Paul's Church yard at the sign of the Ball. 1613. TO THE RIGHT Worshipful, and virtuous Lady, the Lady joan Leventhorpe. GOod Madam, this Book of private prayer being brought unto me by a Friend to peruse, and being withal requested by him to write the Preamble to the book with three or four Prayers for certain particular uses, I yielded to him, and have made choice of your Ladyship, on whom I might bestow it, being assured of your devout affection, and kind acceptance of these my labours, and endeavours, I go not about to teach you that, you know not; but rather put you in mind of what you know already, desiring nothing more than that your pious disposition might increase unto the period of our time. Prayer (saith S. Augustine) is a Speech to God: when you read, God speaks to you: when you pray you speak with God; a service it is of no small commodity. For by it we obtain good things, and the remotion of evils, by it our faith is exercised and increased, our love is proved, our zeal is inflamed, God's graces are augmented, his creatures sanctified, temptations vanquished, and the tempter banished. To this GOD hath given us his precept, and made us a promise: Christ hath also given us a pattern, and his own ensample: his Saints hath made it their practice, and we are daily called unto it, and now more than heretofore the judgements of GOD having been within these few years very strangely inflicted upon us, by grievous and long lasting pestilence, by inundation of waters, extremity of cold & heat, of drought and moisture, unusual diseases, and outrageous winds, so as it may be feared he hath some farther punishments yet remaining, except by our devout and instant prayers, and sincere repentance he may be pacified. I suppose it therefore not unmeet for every one to stir up himself, and one to excite another to this duty, so needful & commodious. Accept therefore I pray you of these things, as written to this end; so shall I count my labours (if any) well rewarded, and myself contented. The God of Grace vouchsafe you his grace, whiles you live on earth, and make you shine in immortal glory with him in the heaven. Your Ladyships in all duty THOMAS TUKE AN INTRODUCTION TO PRAYER. HE that would pray well, must know ●hat he desires, and with What mind. To pray s●ruently for things unlawful, is a thing unlawful: and to pray coldly for things lawful will prove but a cold suit, & the colder the Suitor, the greater the sinner. One man prays going and knéeles not, another prays kneeling and goes not: Yet both are heard, if their souls do bend, if their minds attend, and if they burn their incense upon the right Altar. One prays and speaks not, another speaks and prays not. This man's voice though loud is not heard, because his praying is all in voice, and nothing in virtue, in outward sound, & not with inward sense: the former is heard, yet speaks not: for though his mouth be shut, yet his heart is open: his heart talks, though his tongue be tied up, that's loud, though this below. One prays but keeps no good order, yet gets his suit: another keeps time and measure, & yet gains nothing. This had the art, but the other had the heart. The be●t mind is the best method: and he prays orderly, that prays honestly. One justified himself in his prayer, and yet went away condemned: another condemned himself, and went away absolved. I will condemn myself, that I may be justified: I will not justify myself, lea●● I be condemned. And though I did build an hundred frée●chooles, a thousand hospitals, ten thousand colleges, and all this for the love of my Lord and Saviour Christ jesus, and in love of christianity & christians for Christ his sake, yet would I write in the foundation of all those Buildings, God be merciful unto me a sinner. And though I will condemn myself, lest I should be condemned of my judge, yet will I not think I deserve to be justified, because I will not justify myself, but I will still pray for favour, lest the opinion of merit should hinder me from mercy, and least whiles I look to be justified for condemning mine own justice, I meet with the sharpness of God's justice, forgetting the justice of Christ, & idolising with a justice of mine own conceived for condemning myself of injustice. One prays for God, an other for goods, he obtains, for God is his goods: this is still poor and having: because goods are his God. One prays for God, and another for goods, and it may be neither are heard: because the former wants his heart, and the latter his head. He that would find God, let him seek God for God, and other things under God. God is found of one that sought him not, and an other seeks and craves him, but cannot find him at the first. Why? God will have the former serve and praise him, and the other to seek him still. Sometimes he shows us the liberty of his grace, and sometimes he tries the strength of our faith, and the truth of our love. One man prays long, an other is but brief, and both obtain alike: for God measures his gifts by his love and not by the length of our prayers, by his own benignity, and not by our brevity. One prays at length & loses for lack of devotion: another is but short, and yet receiveth: because his affection is ●arge & fervent. One being long in his prayers is counted brief, while another being brief is counted tedious: the former is long, but vehement: the latter is short and shallow, as cold, as brief, tedious and too-long, because his prayer is too-short for devotion, without sense & soul. One is very violent and importunate, and another is not so earnest in appearance, and yet this second only is heard. Either for that the former knows not Christ, or because his violence is rather from his strong sides, then true sense, or a labour of lip rather, than of love; or else perhaps caused by some horrid apprehension of hell, and not of love to God, or godliness for God. Two men pray for the kingdom of God, one importunately, the other remissly: the violent carries it away: the cold suitor goes away empty. For God loves the laborious, and contemns the lazy: if men pray, as if they prayed not: he also will hear, as if he heard not: pray féelingly if thou wouldst be heard favourably: & if thou woullest taste of God's benevofence, be thou sure to press him with all violence. One prays chiefly for grace, and God gives him both grace and peace: another prays only for peace, and God gives him neither grace, nor peace: not peace, because he wants grace to use it: not grace, because peace is all the grace, he cares for: not peace because he will punish him for not begging or esteeming grace: and not grace, because he seeks not for it. One prays for God's blessing upon his meat, drink, physic and labour, and God hears him not: another prospers in these things without prayer. What is the reason? Is it in vain to pray? No, pray for a blessing, and leave the event to God. It is sometimes a blessing to want such a blessing. By this dealing God shows he is tied to no man by desert, he shows he will do with his own what he list himself, he will exercise thy faith & fortitude, perhaps he means to hasten thee to better favours: and for the other, that respects not prayer, and yet prospers, God doth it to allure him to him, or else (it may be) to fatten him up for the slaughter: in which case that prosperity is very adversity, and that seeming blessing a true curse. One prayeth conceiving, an other reading: the one frames words to his mind, which is more easy: the other frames his mind to words, which is not so easy: yet both the one and the other prayeth & obtaineth, if they pray with good understanding, and godly affections. A man may pray without book and miss, he may pray by a book, and get: for he, that prays by heart without heart, does nothing, but talk: whereas he that prays by book with his heart, doth both read and pray with devotion. He reads a prayer but prayeth not, who reads without understanding, or affection ● and ●● likewise speaks▪ but prays not, that utters words, and yet weighs not, nor heartily wishes not the things, he speaks of. Two desire grace: one of them obtains, the other gets it not. Is God partial? or respects he persons? No, but one desires grace, and useth the means and ordinances of grace, as the word and Sacraments. and obtaineth: another would have grace, but cares not for these means, and is rejected. Some condemn the saying of one prayer often at one time: and so it may, if the heart repeat not as well, as the tongue. But if there be an ingemination of affection, as well as of the supplication, it is not to be reproved. We can double our sins, why can we not, why should we not double our suits for the pardon of them? One prays weeping, another cannot shedds a tear: yet both may be heard: for the sobs and sighs of the soul are as sensible to God's ear, as tears are to the eye: and the soul can shed tears, though the eyes be dry. As also the eye can water, when the soul is not wet. The best tears are the throbs of a broken and bleeding heart. Some imagine that they can make Powerful prayers, thinking with their words and arguments to prevail with God Almighty: whereas in truth, if any man be heard, it is not for the sweetness of words, the variety of matter, the multiplicity of reasons, but through the intercession of Christ, who doth make God propitious to us, and to accept our poor and humble prayers. If my prayers be heard, I will ascribe it to God's dignation, and not to nay dignity, to God's benignity, and not to my prayers excellency, to his ear, and not to my tongue. Praying and wishing is not all one. He that wishes doth not always express or define a person, from or of whom he wisheth some good unto himself: but he, that prayeth, prayeth to some body. But whether men wish, or pray for any grace, it is no sign of saving grace, except the means of grace be loved: neither shall that grace be granted, whiles these means are neglected. Those means can do nothing without God: and God, to wit, ordinarily will do nothing without them. Some are wide— mouth ed, but close-fisted: they will promise much but perform little, part with nothing: but God is open handed and open hearted: his promises are performances, and his words works. He is Verity, and cannot lie: he is Virtue, and cannot fail: his power is able to make good his promise. Amongst men promises are often as weightless as the wind: some would perform, and cannot: some could, but will not: but God both can, and will: his will is not larger than his power: but what God doth will, that God doth work: and whatsoever he is able to will, he is able to work. It is pity then but that he should want, that may have for ask. Haughtiness is abominable in a Suitor, but humility pleaseth: yet all that talk of humility are not truly humble. Some are humble-proud, proud of humbleness: but indeed he, that is proud of humility, doth want humility, and swells with insolency. I would have all men pray humbly: yet let no man think he deserves to be heard for his humility: the opinion of such a merits will stop the passage of mercy. Others forsooth will needs be so humble, as that they will not go only and always to God directly, but with the craved aid of Saints departed. Truly I desire to be humble: but I would not be humbler than my God requireth: such humility is either pride of heart, or ignorance of head. I confess I am not worthy of myself to present myself and my suits unto so high a Majesty: but his precept and promise doth embolden me: and what I want in myself, it is supplied in my Saviour: his merits doth co●er all my denierites. Some imagine they need not pray for that, which they know they have: yet our Saviour bids us pray daily for our Bread. Thou hast bread now: thou mayst be deprived of it by and by: or what if God deny it his word of blessing? If he do, thy bread may be thy bane, it may rot, it may hurt, and not help. I will pray for bread, as though I wanted bread. Though I were very rich, yet would I pray as poor. Though I knew I had God, yet would I still seek him, as if I had not found him. Though I were holy, and knew myself to be in the state of grace, yet would I pray that God would accept and sanctify me, as though I were un holy, and felt myself most miserable. There are some, that, because they have been grievous and long sinners, do think it is too late so● them, and that they are not worthy n●w to pray f●● mercy. Surely they think not wrong, if they respect their own desert: yet would I have them pray for ●arden, because God's mercy is greater than their misery, and ●e will remit, if they will repent. I will n●t ●e ●eter●d from craving mercy, though my merits are worthy nothing, but endless misery: I will pray for grace, though I have been too too graceless, because God is gracious and bids me pray, because Christ is pit●full and bids me Come, and because the Scripture saith, He that confesseth his sin sand forsaketh Pro. 28. ● 4. them, shall find mercy. Some pray for remission, but care not for repentance: they desire a blessing, but yet abstevie not from that, which p●●ureth cursing. These pray in vain, because their practice is vain. For God heareth Saints, not Sinners, and granted his pardon to the penitent only, and not to such, as persevere impenitent. He therefore, that would obtain pardon, let him abstain from ssnne, which might detain his pardon. He that would not that sin should damn him, must not endure sin to domineer with in him. Though this be true that no man is pardoned, because he is penitent, yet this is true that No man is pardoned but he, that is penitent. If thou wilt not mortify sin, sin shall mortify thee: if thou wilt not die to it, thou shalt die for it. If thou wilt not that it should die in thee, thou shalt die in it. Some seem to covet nothing more than a joyful resurrection after death: yet shall they not attain to a joyful resurrection of their bodies after death, because they labour not the resurrection of the soul before death. There are two resurrections: the first of the ssoule from the sleep of sin in this life: the second of the body from the sleep of death, in the life to Reu. 20 come. Woe be unto him, that riseth not t●ise: for if he rise but once, he shall rise but from death to death▪ from sleep to sorrow; his body shall rise from the earth, and fall into hell. But he, that riseth from the death of sin in this world, shall be raised up to the life of happiness in the world to come. I will therefore pray for a joyful resurrection of my body to glory, and will not forget (whiles I live) the resurrection of my soul to grace, as knowing that if I will not study to be gracious, I shall not attain to be glorious. I have heard some desire to die, and some desire to live: neither durst I condemn the desires of either. I will desire to l●ue, till I have learned to die: I will desire to die when I have learned to live. For a bad death cannot follow a good life: and he hath learned to die, that hath learned well to live. If I can gain Christ in my life, Christ will not lose me at my death. If the love of Christ live in me, whiles I live, I cannot but live in the love of Christ, when I die. There are many, that often pray they were in heaved, which yet I dare not say they shall go to heaven. For he, the prays for heaven and goes in the way to hell, shall not ascend whether he wisheth, but descend whether he walketh: he shall give, whether his feet doth lead him, & not whether his fooilsh fancy flatters him. There are some pray for death, yet cannot die: others die; and would not. And God by crossing both doth punish both: For to the one nothing seems sweeter than death, and to the other nothing seems sweeter than life: to the one it seemeth death to live, to the other the very thought of death is a very death, accounting it the only heaven to live always upon the earth. Some pray they may die, and may die to their cost, if they pray without care, and live without conscience. If the heaviness of crosses, and not the hope of a crown, if the loss of liberty, and not the loathing of lust, if the sustaining of sorrows, and not the wearisomeness of sin, if the feeling of pains, and not the fellowship of Christ doth make a man desire to die, his desire is nought, and his death not good. For those only desire well, and die well, that are moved more with sin then sickness, with heavenly comforts, then earthly crosses, with Christ, then with all calamities. Before thou pray to die, first pray for the death of sin, which is the sting of death: and when thou dost desire to die, let it be rather to be dis●nede●ed of thy sins, then of thy sorrows, and to live with Christ rather, then to be delivered of thy crosses. I see much hardness of heart amongst men, and but a little mercy. I suppose such persons implore not, pray not much for God's mercy. For it cannot be that any man should be without mercy to his neighbour, who doth truly pray for God's mercy to himself. There are in the world, which pray God to pardon them, yet will they not forgive their neighbours. These are not men, but monsters, which would receive mercy of God, but will show no mercy to men for God, which would have God forgive them, but will not forgive others. Such cannot say the Lord's Prayer, but they pray to the Lord against themselves, & make their truest friend their greatest for. For wrath without pardon belongs to them, that will not pardon. I will forgive, and I will pray to be forgiven. I would not that any man should need my pardon: but if he do desire it, God grant I may not deny it. The rich and the poor pray together, and both do obtain; the rich being poor in spirit, and the poor being rich in faith. Thus would I be poor, that I way be rich: thus would I be rich, lest I should be poor. The rich & the poor both prey, and neither are heard; the rich, because he is poor in humility; the poor, because he is rich in pride; the rich because he hath no pity; the poor, because he hath no patience; the rich, because he contemns the poor, the poor because he envies the rich. I will labour therefore to be rich in humility and poor in haughtiness: I would be pitiful and patient, courteous and contented. There are many, that cry Lord help, whom the Lord will not help. He that would have help of God, let him not deny his help to Man: he that would have God help him, let him not forget to help himself. For God helps the helpful, such as are ready to help themselves, and others to. 'tis pity but that thou shouldest lie and die in the ditch, that sayest Lord help, but will use no means (if thou mayest) to help thyself. I will therefore pray for help, and yet use the means of help, and pray that God would help me in those means of help, and bless them to me. There are many, which desire Christ might be their Saviour, which yet shall not be saved: because they would be saved, but will not serve their Saviour: they like his salvation, but they love not his service: he may suffer, or do what he will for them, but they will neither suffer nor do aught for him. His merits they pray for, but his laws they care not for. Now he will not be their Saviour, because they will not be his servants: for he will save none but such, as will serve him. I will therefore suffer him to be my Lord, as I do desire him to be my Saviour. Two graces I desire of him, grace to serve him, & grace to be saved by him. Some neither fast nor pray, some fast and pray, some fast & pray not, some pray and fast not: but I would both fast and pray. Some think that th● place doth sanctify prayer: others think that prayer doth sanctify the place: I think that Christ doth sanctify both, and that any place may serve to pray in, if the heart be prepared: yet of the twain, I do think that the place is sanctified by prayer rather, than the prayer by the place. I love the Temple, yet in case my study, mine house, the field, the highways shall be my Temple, and my chiefest care shall be to carry a Temple always with me, in me. Some pray saying, some singing▪ whether a man sing or say, it skills not, if he truly pray, and cross not order. Some ask their parent's blessing, but seriously think not of God's blessing: others ask God blessing, but care not for their parents. But I will ask my father blessing, that I may have Gods: and I will ask God blessing, that I may have my fathers. I will ask my father blessing, that he may commend me to God: I will ask God blessing, that he may commend me to my father. I will ask them both, because I would not be condemned of undutifulness to either; but especially God, because he is mine especial father, and is able to bless both me and my father, me to my father, and my father to me, and us both to himself. Some are common and importunate beggars to Princes: but if they were as instant with god, I suppose they would not be so great as good: and I think Princes would have more gold in their coffers, & they also more grace in their hearts, though perhaps less goods in their houses. Some are devoted to prayer, and some to preaching: I love them both well: I will preach for praying, & pray for preaching. He that can not find in his heart to come to the church to hear nothing but prayer, by my consent he should not be suffered to come into the Church to hear nothing but preaching. God's house is the house of preaching, and of praying to. There may we speak to God, and hear him speak to us. And as occasion serveth, I will go thither either for both, or for either. And I hold him unworthy to receive a blessing with the people of God, that refuses to go with them thither, though it be not to hear a Sermon, but only to pray for his blessing. Some pray and work not, and some work and pray not: the one would seem to be all for heaven, & the other is set wholly on the earth. But I will both work and pray: for God hath made Monday as well, as Sunday, and hath given me an earthly body as well, as an heavenly soul. But yet this is not all; I will sometimes pray, when I will not work: but I would never work, but I will also pray, pray before my work, and in my work, and when I have done my work. I have heard some extol preaching, and others magnific praying. I do magnify them both, but am loath to compare them: I see not how the one can well stand without the other. This will say; he that is not fit to pray, is not fit to preach: and he that hath not a good care to here, can not have a good heart to pray: & he that hath no devotion to pray, he cannot have a devout affection to hear: for surely he, that with a good will can speak unto God, will also with a good will hear God speak unto him: and he, that hath an attentive and obedient care for the voice of God, cannot want an honest and humble heart to pour out his prayers unto God. In like manner also he, that is fit to be God's mouth to his people, is not unfit to be the people's mouth unto God: and he that is unfit for this, cannot but be unfit, for that. Some pray being half a sleep, but Christ saith, Watch and pray. I think a man may do well to pray, when others sleep, and that a man in case may sleep, when others pray. But certainly, he that prays sléepily, shall be heard sléepily. If thy heart be dead, God's ear is deaf: his ear is much after our heart. I will therefore watch, when I pray, and pray when I watch. One, when he prays, cries a loud, another speaks very low. But both are loud enough, if their hearts be loud: but if their hearts open not, both are too low. Some pray for this, and some for that, but I will pray for God. For he that hath God, wants nothing: but he, that wants God, hath nothing. A man may give so much, as that he may leave himself nothing: but God, though he give never so much, is nothing the poorer. A man may perhaps turn away beggars, lest he should beg himself: but God delights in the number of beggars, if their behaviour be good, and can give content to all without detriment unto himself. I will therefore go with my pitcher to this well, that can never be drawn dry: I will borrow my light at this sun, that cannot but continue: I will beg of this King, whose Exchequer is never but full, & whose gates are always open for any of his Subjects, that ●ue unto him. There are some, that hearing the fourth commandment read upon the Sabbath day,▪ do pray that God would have mercy upon them, and incline their hearts to keep that law, which yet do commonly transgress that commandment, and profane the Sabbath day by glouzing and gaming, or by buying & selling (themselves, or their Servants) even in those few hours, that are appointed for the solemn and public service of Almighty God. Of whom it may be said, they love their own gain more, than God's glory, their own pleasures more, than his precepts, and that they are more fearful of their own loss, then trustful to his providence. But I will pray and practise to keep the Sabbath, because God doth bid me keep it, and as knowing that he, that sets light by the Lord's Sabbath on earth, shall not celebrate a Sabbath with the Lord in heaven, and that they, that make so small account of the assembiys of his Saints in this life, are unworthy to live in the assemblies of ●is Saints in the life to come. I would not have men forget the Market-day for their bodies: and I would have them likewise remember the Market-day for their Souls. Being sick we pray for the health of our bodies: seeing than we be sinful, why should we not pray for the health of our souls. Because God hath given me a Soul and a Body, my prayer and and labour shall be that I may have an healthy Soul in an healthy Body. Some men's prayers are abominable, some men's are accepted. The reason is this; some men are out of favour, therefore their suits are scorned: some men are in grace, therefore their prayers are heard. I had therefore rather be in grace with God, then have all the grace in the world without the grace of God. Some pray for an alms, which yet will give no alms, they would receive good, but they will do no good, they would not be denied in their own desires, but they will not stick to cross the desires and good deeds of others: but doubtless he, that will give no alms to man, is unworthy to receive an alms of God: he that can without pity see the wants of christians, deserves that his own wants should be unpitied of Christ. ●ee that crosseth the good desires and good deeds of others, deserves a cross to his own, and a curse to himself. I will therefore do good, that I may find good: I will hear the cry of others, that I may be heard myself: I will not deny my good will to man, lest God should deny his good will to me. I will not cross men in their lawful desires, lest that God should deny me mine. Every man will pray for his friends: but few for their enemies: yet he, that will not heartily pray for his enemies, (as our Lord did, and Saint S●euen) he shall not be partaker of the prayer of our Saviour, nor the praise of his Saints. For Christ prayed only for those, that should have his Spirit: and those only have the spirit of Christ, which do resemble Christ. And indeed it is just that he, that will not pray for his enemies, should be debarred of Christ, who out of his love did pray for his foes, & doth make them his friends. The Psalmist saith, I● I incline unto wickedness with my heart, the Lord will not Psal▪ 〈◊〉. hear me. For in deed God's ear inclineth to us, as our heart inclineth to him: and if we decline from him, and with our hearts incline to wickedness, we move him to decline from us, and to incline to wrath. If we regard not him in our hearts, why should he lend us his ears? If we will listen unto that, which he would have us loath, why should not he loath that, to which we would have him listen? I will therefore expel my sins, lest God should repel my suits. I will wash ●al 26. ●. mine hands in innocency, O Lord, and so will I go to thine altar. Not to pray, or to contemn ●al. 14. ●● 21. ● 15 prayer is a certain sign of a wicked man. I will therefore provoke myself to pray, that I may be assured that the Spirit of God is in me, and that the misery of the wicked belongs not to me, assuring myself that they, that will not pray to God, make themselves a prey unto the Devil. It is a rule of wisdom, To serve the season, and wisely to be followed of them, that delight in prayer. For there is a time, in which God is near, and ready to be found. Let us therefore seek him, whiles he may be found, and call upon him whiles he is near; or otherwise we may call, and not be heard, we may seek him, and yet not find him. There is also a time▪ in which a man may be better disposed to pray, then at an other: let us therefore beware we lose it not, lest if we will not pray, when we may, we shall not be able, when we would. I have heard some complain of their dullness, and bewail their in disposition to pray: Let them but lengthen their complaint and lamentation, & strike their rocky hearts with a serious remembering of their own miseries, and Gods mercies to them, and by the grace of God prayers shall gush out of their hearts, as waters did out of Psal. 105 the Rock. Neither despair, though thou feelst thyself as dead: for it is a true tokenn of the life of the spirit, to séel and lament the deadness of spirit. Some imagine, if God hear them not as soon as they desire, that he will not hear them at all, and that they are of no reckoning with him: in which they are injurious to themselves, and to God; to themselves, because this fancy doth quench their fervency, and hinder their perseverance: and to God, who doth not always hate, when he makes as though he hears not. For by seeming to neglect us, and by denying our suits at the first, he● would rouse up our spirits, he would try our patience, and exercise our saith, he would show us that not our merits, but his own mercy moves him to hear us, and finally he would instruct us to make more account of his benefits, when they come. For commonly things lightly obtained, are lightly esteemed. Many men pray for things, that are hurtful to them. I will therefore beg temporal blessings, as they may be blessings to me: and whatsoever I pray for, I will submit myself to his wisdom, and desire him to hear me, not to my prayer, but to my profit: not as I think, but in what he knows to be fitting for me. There are certain men devoted to their wicked lusts, that stick not sometimes to say that they care not, so they may have half an hour before their death to repent them of their sins, and to pray to God for mercy. These men by their presuming of mercy are in great danger to feel the severity of justice. They speak as if they had repentance in a string, as if they could pray when they listed, and as if they could have God to hear them, when they would themselves. But I will repent and pray for mercy in my youth, lest I should be rejected in mine age: I will cry now, that I may be heard now: I will not refuse to seek him now, lest I should not find him anon: I will sue unto him for his grace, whiles I am like to live, that I may not be refused, when I am like to die. I will die, whiles I live, that I may live when I am dead: and I will pray whiles I may, lest I cannot when I would. I will live, whiles I live, that I may not die when I die: I will sue for grace now, whiles it is offered, least for contemning grace now, I should be denied grace hereafter. Because God hath set down all things in an unchangeable and eternal decree, and hath determined from eternity what gifts he will give unto the sons of men, therefore some imagine that it is to little or no purpose for a man to pray. This is a profane, and foolish fancy▪; profane, because it draws a side the heart from duty. For the rule of our obedience is not the secret decrees of God, but his revealed pleasure. Now Psal. 150. 1. Thes. 5. his will, which he hath disclosed to us, is, that we ought to pray unto him, and that continually. I say again, it is a foolish fancy: for as God hath ordained the end, so he hath appointed means unto it: as he hath ordained to give men these and these gifts, so he hath ordained & commanded that men should ask them. And if he give temporal things to any man, that is not devout, pious, and understanding, know that such things, which should have been for his good, do make for his destruction by reason of his corruptions. But this is a certain truth, God gives nothing to any, which is a true blessing unto him, but he gives him grace truly to desire it. I will therefore ask, lest I should not receive, I will seek, lest I should not find, I will knock, lest the gates of grace should not be opened to me. I will sincerely, instantly, and incessantly pray for glory, that I may have hope that God will vouchsafe me glory. These things (good Reader) I have written for thy profit, which I commend to thee, and thee to God, farewell in Christ. Trin-vni Deo gloria, Thine in Christ T. T. CERTAIN NECESSARY Rules to be remembered of every Christian concerning Prayer, viz. IF thou wouldst make such a prayer as God may be pleased to hear, thou must repent thee of thy sins, and so daily renew thy repentance as thou renewest thy sins, as Isay 1. 15. Dan. 9 5. 6. 2. Before thou makest thy prayer to almighty god, thou must be or at least desire to be reconciled to those, whom thou hast offended, as need requireth Math. 5. 23. Mark. 11. 25. 3. Thou must prepare thyself both in heart and mind as one that is to speak familiarly unto god Eccles. 5. 1. 4. Every petition thou makest, must proceed from a lively sense and feeling of thine own wants, & of thy spiritual poverty; for otherwise no prayer can be powerful and hearty and consequently acceptable unto God. 5. Thou must endeavour that thy prayer do proceed from an earnest desire of that grace thou wantest, and this desire indeed before God is prayer itself, Exod. 14. 15. Rom. 8. 26. 6. Thy prayer must proceed from saving and true justifying Faith, because it is impossible that either thy person or thy prayer or any other duty thou performest, should be pleasing unto God without Faith Heb. 11. 6. 7. It must be grounded upon God's word, and not framed after the carnal opinion and fancy of thine own brain as 1. Epist. john 5. 14. 8. Thou must present thy prayer to God alone, & to none other, for none else can here all men, in all places, and at all times, but he only. 9 It must be presented to God in the name, merit and meditation of Christ alone, for we ourselves are not worthy of any thing but shame and confusion, Coloss. 3. 17. john 16 23. 10. Thy affections should be instant and persevere in prayer and that not only in the time of prayer, but also afterward and till the thing asked be granted Luke 18. 1. Esay 62. 7. 11. Every prayer should ordinarily have in it, if it be set and solemn, some thanksgiving unto God for his benefits both for soul and body Phil. 4. 6. 12. When prayer is ended thou must have a particular Faith whereby thou mayest depend upon God for the granting of thy particular requests so far forth as god shall see them fitting for thee Mark 11. 24. 13. Lastly, thou must labour to do and practise that which thou prayest for, and not only to pray for blessings: but to use all lawful means whereby those blessings which thou askest may be obtained. 12. Brief notes showing the necessity of Prayer. Because without prayer we cannot give unto God his due glory which belongs unto him. 2. We can neither be assured that we are Gods Children, nor that we have right unto any creature, before we make conscience to practise this duty daily Rom. 8. 15. 16. 3. All things are sanctified unto us by the word and by prayer, therefore without prayer every thing works to our condemnation 1. Tim. 4. 5. 4. Without prayer we cannot look to obtain any thing from God as a blessing, nor to turn away any evil from us Math. 7. 7. 5. We are no better than earth-worms and worldlings, and not fit to speak of any thing well without prayer Rom. 8. 5. 6. The Lord our God commands us all to step into the breach with godly Moses, and by hearty prayer to stay his hands from being avenged of the iniquities reigning amongst us, Ezek. 22. 30. 7. God requires a daily and constant course of prayer at our hands, which hath been the practice of the Saints of God in all ages job. 1. 1. Psal. 1. 8. God doth daily bestow blessings upon us, therefore we must daily serve him, Lament. 3. 23. Psal. 103. 2. 9 Because Satan is never weary of tempting us therefore we should have our loins girt and be always upon our watch to resist him 1. Pet. 5. 8. 10. We have not a days warrant no not an hours certainty of life, therefore we are at no time to be unprepared, because we know not the hour when our master cometh Math. 24. 42. 11. We are Pilgrims and travelers in this World, and therefore we must travel each day home ward to our own country Heb. 11. 10. 12. By our●calling we are watchmen, Soldiers, etc. and therefore we must daily be exercised in this spiritual warfare as 2. Tim. 2. 6. FINIS. Set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keep the door of my lips Psal. 141. 3. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, he acceptable in thy sight, o lord my strength, & my redeemer Psa. ●9. 4. A GODLY AND necessary Prayer to be said at all times. O Eternal God, and in jesus Christ our most merciful and loving father, we thy unworthy and unprofitable servants, do here in thy sight freely confess, and acknowledge before thy Divine Majesty, that we are most miserable and wretched sinners and grievous transgressors of all thy holy Laws and Commandments: that as we were borne and bred in sin and stained in the womb, so have we continually since that time multiplied many actual transgressions against thy Majesty, both in thought, word, and deed, so that our sins are grown more in number, than the hairs of our head, and heavier in weight, than the sands by the Sea shore: therefore, it is thy mere mercy long ere this they have not pressed us down to the very pit of Hell, thou only O Lord knowest our sins who knowest our hearts, nothing can be hid from thy all-seing eye thou knowest both what we have been & what we are, yea our conscience do accuse us of many and grievous evils, and thou being far greater than our conscience, art able to lay much more unto our charge: we appeal therefore from thy justice to thy mercy, which is above all thy works how much more above our sins, Entreating thee to look upon us in the face and countenance of thy well pleased son Christ jesus, for his sake O Lord we pray thee be good and gracious to all our sins & iniquities past, of what nature or kind soever they be, whether of ignorance or of knowledge, of commission of evil or of omission of our duties, wash them all away in the blood of thy dear son, bury them in his grave, and lay such a weight of his righteousness upon them, so as they may never be able to rise up against us, either in this World to accuse us, or in the World to come to condemn us. And because O Lord our nature is so prone to commit sum, and that with, so that if thou shouldest even at this instant, give us a free pardon of all our sins, yet we confess, such is the corruption of our weak flesh, that without the restraining grace of thy holy spirit, we should fall into the same sins again or ●nto worse, therefore, we humbly pray thee most gracious God not only to pardon that which is past, but also purge our present corruptions, and by the grace of thy good spirit prevent those that are to come: grant good Lord that we may think it more than sufficient that we have spent the time passed of our lives, according to the lusts of the flesh, and after our own desires and fancies, and may now even resolve to dedicate the rest of our lives that yet remaineth to thy glory, our own comfort, and the good of our brethren, through jesus Christ our Lord. In these our weak prayers O Lord, we are not mindful of ourselves alone, but of thy whole Church dispersed over the face of the earth far and wide, bless O Lord the principal member thereof, our dread Sovereign, king james: every his royal heart with all grares necessary for so high a place, establish his throne we beseech thee, and let his soul be bound in the bundle of life with thee O God, bless Queen his wife, make her a help unto him in the best things: bless their Royal Progeny, and grant that they may not want one of that line, to sit upon this throne, so long as the Sun and Moon endures, Bless all his majesties most honourable privy Counsel, be thou present with them, and precedent over all their counsels, as may be most for thy glory, the honour of the King, the peace of the State, and the comfort of thy people. Bless all the judges and magistrates of the land, Bless the Ministers of thy Word and Sacraments. Thou that art the Lord of the harvest, thrust forth many faithful and painful Labourers that they may feed thy people with knowledge and understanding, bless O Lord all the afflicted members of thy Church, diseased either in body or mind or both, especially those that suffer for the testimony of a good conscience. O Lord to whom all their cases and necessities are manifest, we beseech to make all their bed in their sickness, lay no more upon them, than thou shalt make them able to bear, give them the true sight & feeling of their sins, so far as may lead them to true repentance, with hearty sorrow for the same. And good father deal with them in mercy & not in justice either to release them out of that present misery wherein they are, either by life that they may glorify thee in this World, or by faithful departure that they may be gloriffed of thee in the world to come. These mercies most gracious God, and whatsoever else thou knowest in thy wisdom to be better for us than we ourselves can ask, we beg them at thy hands not for our own merits, for they are nothing, but for the merits of thy decree son Christ jesus our Lord and saviour in whose name & in whose words we conclude saying, Our father which art in Heaven, etc. Morning Prayer for private Families. MOst gracious God and merciful Father, thou that art glorious in power and holiness, we thy poor and miserable▪ Creatures, being but dust and Ashes, do here humbly prostrate ourselves and our sinful souls, before the throne of thy Majesty, Confessing and acknowledging from the bottoms of our hearts, that we are most vile sinners, conceived and borne in some, and that we are by nature nothing else but a ●●nye of all wickedness, whese nature and property is to grow and increase in sin, as we grow in years, and to war strong in wickedness, even as the powers of our minds and bodies receive strength: and although our cursed estate doth here in greatly appear, yet our sin is made out of measure, sinful, through the exceeding grace, which thou hast offered unto us. by thy Gospel of thy dear S●●me, whereby we are so far from profiting, that of ourselves without the grace of thy holy Spirit in our hearts, we should war worse and worse: wherefore we beseech thee O Lord, as our s●nes have magnified themselves in an infinite length, breadth, depth, and height: so let thy mercies which pass all understanding outstrip them, and howsoever by reason of our sins, we have justly deserved to be deprived, of all thy blessings in this life, and hereafter to have our portion with the devil and his Angels: yet O Lord God, we pray thee remember that we are thy people, and sheep of thy pasture, whom thou host redeemed with thy most precious blood, despise not therefore O Lord the work of thy hands: but for thy glories sake, and for thy blessed names sake spare us, spareus good Lord, according to thy usual dealing with those which in prayer have had recourse unto thee, and according to the old and unchangeable Nature of a kind, long suffering, and merciful God. Thy mercy O Lord hath manifestly appeared unto us this night past, in that thou hast given us quiet rest & sleep, for the refreshment of our weak bodies, whereas for our sins passed committed the day before thou mightst justly even in our dead sleep have taken our souls from us, and so suddenly have brought us to our account, but it hath pleased thee to spare us, and to give us a larger time of repentance: O Lord, as thou givest us space, so we beseech thee give us also grace, to repent us of our former evil ways, and to turn unto thee, and for as much as thou hast commanded in thy holy word, that no man should be idle, but every one occupied in godly and virtuous exercises, according to their Callings: we most humbly beseech thee, that thine eyes may attend upon us, daily defend us, cherish, comfort, govern, & counsel us, in all our studies and labours, in such wise, that we may spend and bestow this day, and all the days of our lives, according to the blessed will, setting thee always before our eyes, and living in thy fear, ever working that which may be fond acceptable in thy sight, through jesus Christ our Lord, in whose name we end as he hath taught us saying. Our Father which art in heaven, etc. Evening Prayer for private Families. OAlmightie Lord God and in jesus Christ our most merciful and loving Father, we thy poor and unworthy servants, do here from the ground of our hearts, render unto thy divine Majesty, in that poor measure we are able all praise and thanks for all thy blessings & mercies, bestowed upon us from time to time, ever since we were born, until this present hour, especially O Lord we thank thee, for those inestimable blessings which concern a better life, and our eternal happiness, as our Election before the foundations of the world, our Creation into the world, our Redemption by the blood of thy dear Son Christ jesus, when we were worse than nothing, our Sanctification by the holy Spirit, our Uocation from the world, our blessed hope of Glorification in the world to come. O Lord we confess we have not deserserued the least of all these thy blessings either temporal or spiritual, but have rather given thee just cause to deprive us of every one of them, by reason of our manifold sins, both Original and Actual, which we have multiplied against thee from time to time, O Lord we confess that our Conception, our birth, yea and our whole lives have been in sin, living in the breach of all thy Commandments: our fathers and mothers were sinful, deriving it even from our first parents, Adam and Eve, and so to us, that as Adam purchased for us his Children, none other inheritance, but the unhappy entrance into sin, and corruption, and we being in his loins, and engrafted into this detestable stock of sin: we are sorry O Lord, that we have offended thee so willingly, and disobediently strayed from thy holy Laws: yea, we do unfeignedly condemn ourselves in thy presence, for every one of our sins, purposing in our hearts by the grace of thy Holy Spirit, to forsake our former evil ways, and to make more conscience of sin, than ever we have done heretofore. Now for as much as it hath pleased thee, to make the night for man to rest in, as thou hast ordained him the day to travel in: grant dear father that we may so take our bodily rest, that our souls may continually watch for the time that our Lord jesus Christ shall appear for our deliverance out of this mortal life, in the mean season we beseech thee grant that in our sleep we be not overcome by any fantasies, dreams, or other temptations, but that we may fully set our minds upon thee, love thee, fear thee, and rest in thee: and that our sleep be not ●●cessiue or overmuch, after the unsatiable desire of the flesh, but only sufficient to content our weak natures, that we may be the better enabled the day following, to live in all godly conversation, in the discharge of our callings, to the glory of thy holy name, and profit of our brethren, through jesus Christ our Lord. Bless with us we beseech thee, thy Children and Church in all places, pour down thy blessings in especial manner upon the Kings most excellent Majesty, the Queen and her Royal Progeny, bless all the Nobility, and Magistrates of the land. Bless the Ministers and teachers of thy holy Word, Lord give a blessing to their labours, that by their ministery such may daily be won unto thee, as belong unto thine Election of grace. Bless and succour all the afflicted members of thy Church, wheresoever or howsoever distressed; be with them in all their sickness, lay no more upon them than thou shalt make them able to bear, give them the true sight and feeling of their sins, so far as may lead them to true repentance, a hearty sorrow for the same, howsoever it shall please thee to deal with them, let it be in mercy, and not in justice, knowing they are but flesh, and in thy good time send them a happy deliverance out of their misery, either by life or by death, as it shall seem best t● thy majesty. Lastly, as duty binds us, we commend unto thy fatherly protection all our friends and kindred according to the flesh, whether they be near or dear unto us in affinity, or consanguinity, and all whomsoever thou wouldst we should commend unto thy majesty, for them as for ourselves we beseech thee, continue thy mercies and goodness towards us, even for thy dear sons sake jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour, to whom with thee and the blessed Spirit our Comforter, be ascribed as is most due, all honour, and glory, now and for ever. Amen. Another prayer for Morning. O Most merciful God and heavenly father, we thy servants do hers humbly prostrate ourselves before thy divine majesty acknowledging here in thy sight, our heinous offences committed against thee both in thought, word and work, so that our sins are grown more in number then the hairs of our heads, and if thou shouldest enter into judgement with us, we could not be able to answer thee one of a thousand, they are so heinous, that the very lest of them, being but conceived in thought, is sufficient in judgement to throw us down to the lake that burneth with fire & brimstone, besides O Lord, we are guilty before thy Majesty of a huge mass of corruption, which we have drawn from the loins of our first parents, which of it own nature is enough to condemn us, if thou shouldest deal with us according to justice, though we had never committed actual sin all the days of our leaves: Further O Lord we are full of blindness, and senseless security, running on headlong to destruction, and committing sin after sin, although not notorious to the world, yet horrible before thy pure eyes which seest all things: but O Lord we daily groan under the burden of our sins, inwardly lamenting our own folly. In Heaven, Earth, or Hell, we see none able to sustain thy wrath for them, but even thy dear. Son Christ jesus the Son of thy love, who in mercy infinite, and in compassion endless, hath suffered and overcome that endless punishment, which was due unto us for them. In him therefore most merciful Father, and through him do we come unto thee, beingful assured according to thy promise, that thou wilt accept and take that full recompense, which he our Saviour hath made for us, on his Cross. In him therefore we see thine anger towards us appeased, and thy wrath satisfied, and our debt paid. O Lord enlarge our hearts with thankfulness to thy Majesty for the same, and make sin to die in us more and more, that we may hate, detest, and utterly abhor all sin, in all men, but especially in ourselves, and strongly (through thy spirit) set ourselves in open war against all sin and wickedness, that we may not please ourselves in the least sin, but straightly examine sin, by the strict Rules of thy holyword, we may always walk not only before the eyes of man, but circumspectly in this respect that we have the eyes of thy majesty to take a view of our doings: we humbly thank thy majesty for all thy mercies, bestowed upon us either for soul or body, amongst the rest, we acknowledge this not to be the least, that we have quietly passed this night, and that thou hast given us quiet rest and sleep for the refreshment of our weak bodies, which without the same could not endure: grant we beseech thee, that we may bestow this day and the residue of our life, wholly in thy service, wall king faithfully and conscionably in our callings wherein thou hast placed us, O Lord bless all our governors, whom thou hast set over us in thy room, in especial manner shower down thy blessings upon the King's Majesty, bless him both in body and soul with all graces necessary for so high a calling, and make him long a Nursing Father in this Israel. Bless our graciousquéen, make her a help unto him in all good things: Bless their Royal issue, grant that they may daily grow in favour both with God and man, and make them loyal to his majesty all the days of his life: bless all the Nobility, the Magistrates, and Ministers of thy holy word, and grant that every one of us from the highest to the lowest may walk faithfully in our places before thee all the days of our lives, through jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all praise and glory both now and ever. Amen. Another Evening Prayer for private Families. O Eternal and everliving Lord God, and in jesus Christ our loving Father, thou which hast given us our bodies and souls, our health, our strength, our maintenance, whence have we all these things but from thee, thy fatherly protection over us this day in our calling, to whom can we ascribe it but unto thee, that we have lived hitherto, that we have not been swallowed up with some sudden judgement, that Satan had not his will upon us, that we know the way and the means to a better life, that we are delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of thy dear Son, that we have daily access into thy glorious presence to offer up our petitions unto thee, and to make known our wants, whence are all these blessings O Lord, but from the freedom of thy grace, we confess O Lord, if thou hadst given us our deserts, we should have perished long ago: therefore it is from thy mercy alone that we are not consumed. Now, if receiving so many blessings from thee, we should not stir up ourselves to return some thankfulness to thy Majesty for them, how wretched and miserable creatures should we be. O Lord we pray thee make us ashamed of our unthankfulness, wound our hearts with the consideration of our own dullness, whom so many favours have not wrought unto more obedience, and vouchsafe we humbly beseech thee not withstanding our small deservings, to look graciously upon us, and accept this our Evening sacrifice of praise, which we do here render unto thy Majesty, O Lord let not the skantnesse of our service, make thee turn away thine eyes from us, but even as thou art wont to spare thy servants, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him, and in them to accept the will for the full performance; so be pleased to look upon us, in jesus Christ, grant that we may sensibly feel the power of his death, killing sin & corruption in us, and the power of his resurrection raising us up to newness of life. Make us resolve to renounce, even our sweetest & best beloved sins, and not to take liberty to ourselves, to continue in any known ungodliness, that we may think it more than sufficient that we have hitherto given the rains to our ownlusts, therefore now to labour to stop & kill all sin in the beginning, before it come to the act, & resolve to bestow the rest of our lives according to thy blessed word. And because the night is at hand, which thou hast appointed for us to rest in, he beseech thee to take us into thy fatherly protection this night and ever: command the guard of thy holy Angels to pitch their tents about us, & preserve us both sleeping & waking, that we may be the better fitted and prepared the day following to go on in our vocations & callings to thy glory, our own comforts, & the benefit of our brethren through jesus Christ our Lord & Saviour. In whose name we beg these mercies at thy hands & whatsoever else thou knowest to be needful either for soul or body, better than we ourselves can ask in that form of prayer, which he himself in his holy word hath taught us saying, Our father which art in heaven, etc. Another Morning prayer. MOst merciful God and loving Father, we thy poor and unprofitable servants do here humbly cast down ourselves and our sinful souls, before the footstool of thy majesty, acknowledging and confessing that we are not worthy to approach into thy presence, much loss to have any thing to do with thee in any part of thy most pure worship, and service, seeing we have lived and continued in the breath of thy holy commandments not only through negligence and infirmity, but many times witingly and willingly, contrary to our own knowledge, and the holy motions of thy good spirit, to the wounding of our own souls and consciences & to the great dishonour of thy majesty. O Lord we beseech thee regard us not as we are in ourselves, but look upon us in the countenance of thy son our all-sufficient saviour Christ jesus, for his sake we pray thee be gracious and good to all our sins both in general and particular, original or actual, of ignorance, or of knowledge, of omission or commission, whereby we have offended thee, from the first hour of our conception, till this present time. Lord accept the death and passion of thy son, as a sufficient ransom for all our sins, bury them deeply in his grave, and cancel the book of thy wrath wherein they are written with his blood, that they may never be laid to our charge either in this life present or in the next. Let thy blessed spirit seal the pardon of them all to the comfort of our consciences. Furnish us we beseech thee with all needful graces, especially as Christians to walk worthy of Christ jesus in holy conversation: & vouchsafe to bless all good means unto us which thou hast sanctified for our continual groat in grace, and thy fears, especially thy holy word & the ministry thereof, print deeply in our hearts all wholesome instructions, which are delivered and taught us out of the same by thy ministers, good lord make us thankful evermore for all thy benefits bestowed upon us, chiefly for thy son Christ jesus the fountain of all good to us and ours, as also for all those blessings that concern this life present, as health, liberty, apparel & such like, for thy fatherly protection over us, & bringing us to the light of this present day: keep & defend us we pray thee from all evil that may hurt us, and from falling into any gross sin, that may displease thee, set thy fear always before our eyes, that we may spend this day, and all the days of our lives, to thy glory & the peace of our own consciences: for this day we beseech thee give a blessing to our endeavours in our calling, that we may be therein conscionably occupied, knowing that thou seest even the very secrets of our hearts, and that nothing can be done, be it never so secret without thy knowledge, these mercies and blessings we pray thee to grant unto us for jesus Christ's sake our Lord, Amen. Another Evening Prayer. Eternal God and in jesus Christ our most merciful father, thou which art the father of mercies, & the God of all consolations, we thy unworthy servants do here according to our bounden duties humble ourselves before thy majesty, and rendering in that poor measure we are able all praise and thanks for all thy mercies & blessings bestowed upon us from time to time, ever since we were borne until this present, for our election, creation, redemption, vocation, justification, sanctification, preservation, and the hope of our glorification hereafter: as also for all those blessings that concern this life present, furnishing us continually with all good things necessary that we stand in need of. More especially, O Lord we thank thee, that thou hast preserved & defended us this day, from all perils and dangers both of body and soul, wherinto many have fallen, and we might also, had we not been guided by thy merciful providence. O Lord we confess to the shame of our own selves, that we are not worthy of the least of all these thy mercies, but as we were conceived and borne in sin, so have we lived in iniquity and in the transgression of thy laws, not regarding to be governed by the holy word, and therefore have justly deserved, that thou shouldest pour upon us all shame & misery in this life and eternal condemnation in the World to come: but O Lord we know that thou art a God full of mercy, stow to anger great compassion, and wilt not the death of a sinner, but rather that we should live. In confidence of this thy mercy, we confess before thy majesty our manifold sins, in treating thee to pardon them all for the merits of Christ jesus; & seeing thou hast given us so large a time of repentance, grant that we may now at length return unto thee in sincerity of heart & contrition of spirit. And for this night present we beseech thee sanctific our rest unto us this night, that we may enjoy the same as thy blessing, that thereby our wearied bodies being refreshed with moderate and quiet sleep, we may be the better enabled to walk before thee in our callings the day following, to thy glory and our own comforts, through jesus Christ. Remember with us, thy Church and children in all places, gather together thine elect, forgive the crying sins of this land, make an end of these days of sin, and hasten the coming of our Lord jesus Christ. Preserve thine anointed and our dread sovereign King, the Queen and their royal Progeny, defend and keep them from plots and treacheries both abroad and at home. Let thy spirit of wisdom, of Council, and of upright judgement rest upon all the Lords of his majesties honourable Privy Council, the Nobility and magistracy for the best good of this whole Land, Bless the painful preachers of thy holy word, give good success we pray thee to their studies and labours, for the winning of so many souls as thou hast ordained to eternal life; comfort all thy afflicted that suffer under thy hand, and howsoever it shall please thee to deal with them, yet support them with patience & thankfulness to undergo whatsoever it shall please thee to lay upon them, and when thou shalt see it fit, send them deliverance that either by life or by death Christ may be to them advantage. Lastly we beseech thee good Lord to bless all our kinsfolks in the flesh and all others whom thou wouldest we should pray for, hear us for them and them for us, & Christ jesus for us all. In whose name we shut up these our imperfect prayers in that perfect form which he himself hath left us, saying Our father etc. Morning Prayer for a private person. MOst Glorious God and merciful father, I thy most unworthy creature, do here confess before thy Divine Majesty, to thy glory, though it be to the shame and confusion of mine own face, that I am not worthy to appear before thee, much more unworthy to offer up my prayers unto thee, with confidence that thou shouldest hear them and grant my requests by reason of my manifold sins and transgressions that I have heaped up against thy majesty, ere since I was borne until this present day. And now O Lord being come before thee, I must needs confess the vileness of my estate. I was conceived, bred & born in sin, and in sin have I continued all my days, I have drunk Iniquity like water, yea, I have drawn it after me, and tied it unto me as with great ropes, yea, I have even made a mock of sin, and it hath been a pastime unto me to do wickedly: Notwithstanding O Lord thou hast called upon me, but still I have refused, thou hast again and again stretched out thy hand, but I have not regarded, thou hast sought to reclaim me, but I have hated to be reform; thou hast often called upon me by thy blessed word, yet notwithstanding I have despised thy patience and abused thy goodness; so that I have given thee just cause to heap upon me all thy seareful plagues and punishments which in the extremity of thy law do belong unto the wicked. It is thy unspeakable mercy that thou didst not make my bed my grave, never to have risen again. but O Lord I know there is abundance of mercies with thee, that thou mayest be feared: and exceeding experience have I had of thy goodness, long suffering, and patience towards me, therefore. I grow in hope still, that thou purposest me good & not evil, to save me & not to destroy me: beseeching thee to accept the death of Christ as a full satisfaction for all my sm●●es, to wash them away in his blood, and to binds them in one bundle, & cast them behind thy back never to be remembered, I humbly thank thy majesty for thy manifold mercies extended towards me, this night past & all the days of my life for my quiet rest & sleep, my food and raiment, my health, peace, and liberty, and the hope of a better life in the merits of thy dear son Christ jesus, for all these thy mercies, O Lord I have nothing to render unto thee, but thine own. If I could give thee my body and soul, they might be saved by it, but thou wert never the richer for it, yea, even since I rose I have tasted many of thy blessings, and thou hast begun to serve me, before I have begun to serve thee, I can show no reason why thou shouldest bestow all these blessings upon me more than others, but that thou art merciful, and if thou shouldest draw all back again from me, as justly thou mayest, I have nothing to say, but that thou art just, and seeing O Lord I am now to enter into the affairs of this day, I beseech thee bless me in the duties of my calling this day and ever for idleness and godliness, can not stand together, and it is thy pleasure that in the sweat of my face I should eat my bread, O Lord preserve me from all fraudulent and deceitful courses, draw my affections more and more from the love of the World, & fix my heart upon those things which are above, & if things succeed according to my mind by thy blessing upon my labours, make me thankful unto thee, if any cross come, make me patient and careful to profit by every chastisement that it shall please thee to lay upon me, knowing that howsoever they are grievous for the present, yet in the end they will bring the quiet fruit of righteousness to all them that are thereby exercised; which God grant for his Christ's sake, to whom with the holy spirit be all praise now and ever Amen. Evening Prayer for a private Person. O Eternal God Father of our Lord jesus Christ and in him my most merciful father I humbly confess before thy glorious presence, that I am altogether a lump of sin, & a mass of corruption, and therefore have for feited thy favour and incurred thy high displeasure, both in thought, word and deed. My sins O Lord are more in number than the hairs of my head: yea, far more than I can possibly feel or know, and if I should go about to reckon up my particular offences, I know not where to begin or where to make an end. It is thou O Lord who knowest my sins, to whom the secrets of my heart are manifest, and nothing can be hid from thy sight: besides my consciense doth accuse me of many grievous evils, and I daily feel by full experience how frail I am, how prone to evil and backward to all goodness, my mind, my heart and affections, and all the faculties both of soul and body, are full of vanity, profaneness, dullness, deadness, & drowsiness in matters of thy worship and service. But O dear father I have learned from thy mouth, that thou art a God full of mercy, slow to wrath, and of great compassion and kindness towards all such as are heavy laden & groan under the burden of their sins. O Lord extend thy great mercy towards me poor sinner, and give me a general pardon for all mine offences whatsoever, seal it to my conscience in the blood of thy dear son Christ jesus, assuring me more and more of thy love an favour towards me, and that thou art a reconciled father unto me in the same christ. O Lord I beseech thee principally give me victory over those sins, thou knowest my nature most prone to commit. Mortific in me whatsoever is carnal, and sanctiffe me by thy good spirit, and knit my heart unthée for ever. Lord grant that I may take delight in the reading and hearing of thy holy word: that I may love and reverence all the faithful Ministers of the gospel, give O Lord a melting heart, that I may tremble at thy word, let not my sins hold back thy mercies from me, nor mine unworthiness stop the passage of thy grace. I most humbly thank thee for all thy blessings bestowed upon me necessary for this life, as food, raiment, health, peace, liberty, etc. which many of thy dear children do want being notwithstanding bought with the precious blood of Christ jesus as well as I. Bi●t above all, dear Father, I praise thy name for the blessings of a better life, especially for thy holy word and sacraments and all the good I enjoy thereby for the continuance of thy gospel, the word of truth, the means of our salvation, for the death of thy son and all that happiness I receive thereby: O Lord open my blind eyes every day more and more, to see and consider of thy great and marvelous love towards me in all these things, that by the due consideration thereof my heart may be drawn nearer unto thee to love thee much because thou hast given much: and as thou dost abound towards me in goodness, so grant that I may abound towards thee in obedience and thankfulness, and in these my weak and imperfect prayers O Lord I am not mindful of myself alone, but of the whole estate of thy Church wheresoever, bless all christian Kings and Princes, calling upon thy name, especially our dread Sovereign the King's Majesty, the Queen, and their royal Progonie, Bless all the nobility, the magistrates and ministers of the Land, that all their Counsels and labours may begin at thy fear, and may be referred thy glory. Succour and comfort all those that are comfortless, sanctify all their afflictions and troubles unto them, that they may tend to thy glory, and their own good. Finally, O Lord according to my bounden duty I commend unto thy Majesty all my friends and acquaintance, beseeching thee for them, as for myself to bless us all, in our particular places, and grant that we may do those things which may be to thy glory and our comforts, through jesus Christ our Lord. In whose name I end as he hath taught me saying, Our father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy-will be done in earth as it is in heaven, etc. A Prayer for a private person necessary at all times. Almighty God and in jesus Christ my most merciful and loving Father, I do here in thy presence acknowledge that I am of myself a most wretched and▪ miserable sinner, both in respect of the corruptions of my heart, as also the transgression of my life: more particularly I do acknowledge the infidelity of my heart whereby I have not yet learned to depend upon thy providence for the things of this life, nor upon thy mercy for the salvation of my soul: I confess O Lord, the Atheism and profaneness both of my mind and heart, whereby all my thoughts and affections are estranged from thee, and so glued to the things of this life, that I can take more joy and delight in doing mine own will, and in serving mine own lusts, than ever I would ●● in serving and obeying thee. I acknowledge likewise the pride of mine own heart, whereby I do eralt myself in the vanity of my own conceit above thy majesty, and above my Brethren, whom thou hast made far more excellent than myself, as also the security of the flesh, whereby I put away the day of wrath far from me, promising to myself freedom from all thy curses and plagues, notwithstanding I walk in sin and in the stubbornness of mine own heart, my hypocrisy whereby I am content myself only with an outward name and profession of religion and holiness before men, not regarding the truth and power of godliness: besides O Lord my life abounds in all Actual transgressions against every one of thy commandments, I have lived in the abuse of thy mercies, and have not been drawn nearer unto thee. In neglect of thy judgements and fatherly chastisements both upon others and upon myself, and have not profited thereby to true repentance, and reformation of life: yea O Lord I have lived in the pro●anation of thy holy ordinances, thy Word, Sacraments, and this exercise of Prayer, neither preparing myself hereunto ●right, nor being conversent therein, with that care. diligence and conscience as I ought, and therefore thou mayst justly deprive me of that fruit of edification I might have reaped by the reverent and religious using of these divine Ordinances. Many other sins O Lord I have committed, the least whereof if thou shouldest lay unto my charge, I were never able to appear in thy sight, or to answer thee one of a thousand. I beseech thee deal favourably with me, as thou art w●nt to do with thy children, that call upon thy name, and seek thee in the truth of their hearts. In the midst of judgement, I pray thee remember mercy; open my blind eyes that I may come to a particular knowledge of my sins: touch my hard and stony heart, that I may sigh and groan under the burden of them, being heartily displeased with myself, because I have dishonoured thy name, stir up my heart also that I may hunger and thirst after Christ and his righteausnes, and after every drop of his most precious blood, in him alone to be well pleased with me, and for his sake to pardon and forgive me all my sins, wash them all away in his blood, and my heart from the filthiness and impurity of them all, say unto my soul, I am thy salvation, and let me feel thy good spirit persuading my conscience, by the inward testimony of the same, that my sins are pardoned, that I stand discharged of them all before thy judgement seat, and seeing it is the lot of thy children to be tried sundry ways, O Lord prepare me to the days of trial: Arm me with spiritual patience to endure thy hand, that I may meekly, and contentedly submit my will, to thy good will and pleasure, howsoever it shall please thee to deal with me, only teach me to profit under thy rod of correction, and grant that I may learn thereby to deny myself, to forsake this world, the pleasures, profits, and preferments of the same: to make vile and base account of them, in respect of the heavenly things, destring to be dissolved and to be with Christ, that sin and the corruption thereof, might be abolished, and I may ●aue near conjunction ●ith thy Majesty in thine own Kingdom: notwithstanding, so long as ●ho● pleasest to hold me in this earthly Tabernacle, increase daily more and more the graces of thy Holy Spirit in me, as namely Faith, Repentance, Fear, Love, Humility and a good Conscience, and all other graces whereby thine Image may be renewed in me, that the longer I live in this world, the nearer I may draw to thy Kingdom, endeavouring to serve and please thee, in righteousness and new obedience, all the days of my life. Be merciful I beseech thee to all thine afflicted, whether with sickness upon their beds, or distressed in conscience for sins, relieve them I beseech thee accorcording to their several necessities: strengthen them in their weakness, sanctify all thy corrections unto them, and grant them a speedy issue in thine own good time, as shall seem best to thy godly wisdom. Be merciful to all my friends in the flesh, and acquaintance in the Spirit: and all other for whom I am bound by any duty to pray for: granting unto us all a supply of all graces needful for our present state and callings, and eternal salvation of our ●oules: these mercies I beg ●t thy hands for jesus Christ's sake, in that prayer which he hath taught us saying, Our Father, which art in heaven, etc. Morning Prayer for the Sabbath day, before hearing of the Word. O Most gracious God, and merciful Father: we thy unworthy servants, do here prostrate ourselves, our bodies and selves, to offer up to thy majesty this morning sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, for all thy mercies and blessings bestowed upon us: we bless thy name for the quiet rest, and comfortable sleep this night passed, from all perils and dangers of the same: we confess O Lord, if thou shouldest deal with us according to our deserts, thou mightest have made our beds, our graves, and our sleep our death: even for the sins of this night past: O Lord we have done more against thee this week past than we have done for thee all the days of our life: yet notwithstanding O Lord, manifold are thy mercies towards us still, and thy goodness is infinite, in every particular which befalleth us we have exceeding experience of thylove. It is thy great mercy that we which have so many ways provoked thee, should be suffered to live to behold the light & comfort of the day: but herein thy mercy is much more manifest that having been heretofore profaners of thy Sabbaths, barren and hypocritical professors of thy holy word: yea, fruitless and unprofitable hearers of the same, thatwe should yet enjoy the blessed opportunity of another Sabbath. O Lord we confess thou mightst justly have fatted up our hearts, and given us over to a Reprobate s●nce, and commanded the doors of thy Sanctuary to be shut up against us, and not to suffer us to tread within thy Courts. O Lord, grant that we may rate & esteem thy mercy towards us in this kind, according to the true value thereof, and that we may not carelessly forget this or any other of thy favours, and as thou hast of thy mercy brought us to the beginning of this holy Sabbath: so we humbly pray thee enable us to sanctify the same, as thou requirest, and our duty binds us: Lord make us to remember, that this is not any Commandment, or Ordinance of man, but that it is thine own ordinance, and one of those laws which thou wrotest with thine own hand, namely, that this day should after a more special manner, be consecrated to thy service: Lord give us grace, that in this thy Sabbath we may beware of doing our own works; or of seeking our own wills▪ or of speaking vain and idle words, that we may seriously bind ourselves to the performing of such duties, as do belong to this day. O Lord we know that herein we shall meet with many corruptions, in this holy service, our own corrupt nature and affections will think it a task that can not be endured: beside in the world we shall have many examples of the wicked to draw and entice us from our diligence and constancy in our godly course: but we beseech thee from the bottom of our hearts, to strengthen us, that these things prevail not against us, and grant that we may more esteem the performance of our duties to thy majesty, then either the contenting of our own corrupt natures, or wicked persons; and seeing O Lord, we are now to hear thy holy word: we beseech thee pour down thy blessings upon our endeavours this day, in time of prayer, grant us reverence to thy Majesty, faith in the promises of thy Son Christ jesus, a lively feeling of our own wants, and a continual remembrance of all thy former favours, and mercies towards us: and when we hear thee speaking unto us by the mouth of thy Ministers, be pleased to give unto us unlocked and understanding hearts, rectify our judgements, sanctify our affections, and strengthen our memories, that those holy instructions, which we shall hear reverently, and attentively, may of us be practised faithfully and effectually in the whole course of our lives, through jesus Christ our Lord: give unto the preacher O Lord a door of utterance, touch his tongue with a Coal from thine Altar, that he may deliver the word of life boldly, that whatsoever corruption lies hid in our hearts, the power of thy holy word may search and discover it to the very bottom: and grant that we may not hear it as the word of a miserable mortal man, like unto ourselves, but as it is indeed the word of thee, the everliving God, who art able to save and to destroy. And because Satan a deadly enemy to man's salvation, ready to pick the seed of thy word which is sown in our hearts: therefore we pray thee O Lord, confound Satan and all his works, and be thou more merciful in blessing thine own ordinance unto us, than Satan either is or can be possibly malicious to hinder the same: for this end and purpose we beseech thee O Lord, to take out of our minds all vain and wandering thoughts, all covetous desires of the world, and whatsoever else thou knowest to be an enemy to the saving hearing of thy holy word, that thy word may be unto us, not as our sins deserve it should, but as it is in itself thy power to our salvation, that it may be as seed sown in good ground, which bring forth in us plentiful fruit, to thy glory and our own comforts, through jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour, to whom with thee and the Holy Spirit, be all praise and power, majesty, and dominion: now and for ever. Amen. Evening Prayer on the Sabbath day. Everlasting God, and in jesus Christ our most merciful and gracious Father: we thy poor servants are here met together in the fear of thy majesty, and in the confidence of thy mercy to offer up our evening sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, for all thy mercies and blessings bestowed upon us, in most abundant manner: especially O Lord, for that thou hast not suffered us to walk in darkness, ignorance and blindness, but hast given us thy most holy and blessed word, to be a lantern to our feet, and alight unto our paths, to eternal life. We render to thy majesty from the ground of our hearts, humble thanks for that portion of thy blessed word, which this day through thy mercy we have been made par takers off: we confess O Lord, that we have heard the same with manifold infirmities, and much weakness: nevertheless we pray thee let thy power appear in our weakness, and vouchsafe to water with the dew of grace, every of these particular instructions, which this day or at any other time, we have been taught out of thy holy word, that they may be as seed sown in good ground and may bring forth much fruit to thy glory, and our own comforts in this world, and the eternal salvation of our souls in the world to come. O Lord we confess thou mightest justly have given us over to a reprobate sense, for our negligence and carelessness in matters of thy worship and service: yca, even O Lord, our last behaviour in hearing of thy holy word, hath been so far short of that which we ought to have don●, that we have deserved that thou shouldest make thy word a savour of death unto us, and not a savour of life: we confess O Lord, our knowledge is very small in comparison of the time, we have enjoyed the blessing of thy holy word, so plentifully preached among us, and our practice is far short of our knowledge, which makes our case the more miserable: but O Lord God seeing thou art so good unto us, in bringing us to a view of our own defects and wants, be thou also merciful in giving unto us a heart to lament and to be truly humbled before thy majesty for them: we beseech thee in jesus Christ to be a reconciled Father unto us, freely to pardon and remit all our sins, and grant that the word which hath been sown among us this day, may take deep root in our hearts, that neither the scorching heat of persecution or affliction cause it to wither, nor the thorny cares of the world choke it, but that we may daily grow up to these holy duties, till at length we come to a perfect age in Christ jesus: and forasmuch as we are taught in thy holy word to make prayers and supplications for all men: we are not only mindful of ourselves here present, but of thy children and Church in all places. Bless O Lord all those that thou hast set in authority over us, especially thy servant & our sovereign the king's Majesty, sanctify his government, unto us. Bless the Queen and there hopeful Progeny, the Nobility and Magistrates of the Land, grant that we may be godly & quietly governed under them. Bless O Lord the faithful Pastors and ministers, of thy holy word, to whom thou hast committed the dispensation thereof & the charge of thy people, that both in their life & doctrine, they may be found faithful, setting only before there eyes, thy honour and glory, and that by them, all poor sheep, which wander & go astray may be brought home into thy fold: & o lord as feeling members of one body whereof Christ is head, we pray thee for all such as are afflicted with any cross or tribulation, whether in body or mind or both, that it would please thee to give them patience and constancy to endure thy holy hand so long as it shall please thee to exercise it upon them, give them strength of faith against all assaults of Satan whatsoever, give them the pardon & remission of their sins, sealed unto their constiences by the blood of thy dear son Christ jesus: Be pleased O lord to deal with them in mercy and not in justice, knowing they are but dust & ashes, & in thy good time release them out of that misery they are either by life that they may glorify thee here, or by faithful departure they may be glorified of thee hereafter. These mercies and whatsoever else thou knowest necessary for us we crave at ●hy hands in that form of Prayer which Christ hath taught us in his Gospel. Our father etc. A Prayer before the receiving of the Lords Supper. MOst merciful father, I thy unworthy servant, do here render to thy Majesty humble thanks, for that it hath pleased thee, notwithstanding all my former sins & unworthiness, to invite me to this blessed banquet which thou hast ordained for the strengthening of my wea●e faith, and for the preservation of the memory of Christ's death. O Lord I beseech thee give me grace to put on the wedding garment, and seeing thou hast commanded that I should examine myself, grant that I may not presume to thrust myself into thy holy presence, without a due examination of mine own estate, both how I have lived, and also how I am prepared for so weighty a service: I desire to do it O Lord, help my desire: I promise to live more holy than I have done, give me power I pray thee to perform my promise. O Lord I confess I am by nature a child of wrath as well as others, give me a true and lively faith, wherewith, as with a spiritual hand, I may be spiritually joined unto thee, that in this outward pledge, whereby it hath pleased thee to stoop to my senses, by visible signs of bread and wine, setting forth thereby invisible graces, so grant good Lord I may wholly rest in thy death and passion, which is the matter of both thy Sacraments, cleanse me O Lord that thou mayest enter into me, and mayest vouchsafe to take up thy habitation within me, I know O Lord that I am most unworthy of this excellent mercy: but it is thou that for thine own names sake, hast showed unto me this great salvation, not sparing thine only begotten son, whom when the fullness of time was come, thou didst send into the World, made of a woman, that in him thou mightest receive a full satisfaction for my sins, committed both in body and soul, remove far from me O Lord all swelling, disdainful and uncharitable affections, for this is a feast of love, therefore to it a malicious and revengeful heart cannot be a welcome guest, and when I present myself before thee at thy table O Lord I beseech thee restrain wy wandering and idle thoughts, and let them be seriously fixed on that which is the Sacrament namely the death of my saviour, quicken me up to devote and consecrate myself for ever, unto his service, who hath vouchsafed himself to be a sacrifice for me, and grant that when I see bread and wine on the table with my bodily eye, I may with the eye of my soul behold Christ on the Cross, and when I look upon the wine powered out of the vessel, I may consider how Christ's blood was powered out for my sins, and as I receive this bread and wine into my stomach for bodily sustenance, so cause me I beseech thee to feed on the body and blood of our Lord and Saviour Christ that it may be nourishment for my soul, Amen. A Prayer after the Receiving of the Lords Supper. O most loving and merciful father, I cannot give thee thanks worthy enough according to the desire of my mind, for the inestimable treasure of this heavenly food, which thou hast now made me partataker of in this heavenly mystery, to wit the true bread of heaven that everlasting meat that abideth for eue●● thy blessed son pur Saviour Christ jesus in whom, I have obtained, by the gift of this holy Communion, an earnest of an immortal inheritance, to come, O Lord let not this precious blood of his be shed in vain for me, but nourish my soul by his flesh, and more and more cleanse it by his blood: quicken me O Lord I beseech thee in this life, that in the body of his Church I may be partaker of all spiritual blessings through him, and as thou hast separated me O Lord from the wicked, in this holy banquet, so keep me I pray thee from their corruptions, that I be not as a dog that returneth to his vomit, and as a filthy swine that is washed to her wallowing in the mire: but good Lord grant that I may seusibly feel the death of Christ to be sweet unto my soul, as I do now these creatures of bread and wine, to afford a pleasant taste and refreshing to my body, O heavenly Father let me not depart hence forgetful of thy kindness, but grant that I may even now at this present time, even resolve with mine own soul to walk in a better course of holy obedience to thy majesty, than heretofore, having respect unto all thy Commandments: and as I have been this day put in mind of the benefit of Christ's death; so let me every day think often of his death, that thereby I may live unto righteousness, and learn to die unto sin, and grant that ever hereafter: I may so walk before thee that all men may see that I am become a new creature; thus endevouriug to walk in this life according to thy will expressed in thy holy word, I may hereafter enjoy the joys of thy kingdom in thy presence there to abide for ever & ever Amen. A P●aier before a man begins the works of his calling. O Almighty and everliving God, seeing all just and lawful vocations and callings grounded upon thy word, are warranted for us to live in, and also hast commanded that no man should be idle; give me grace I humbly pray thee, that I may walk faithfully before thee as in thy holy presence, so that no deceit, cunning or guile take any hold of me, but that I may labour truly and diligently, as doing thine own work. Good Lord I beseech thee so prosper and bless my godly endeavours, that in jesus Christ they may be a seal of thy favour towards me, to maintain me and mine, and that I may be also helpful and beneficial unto others, knowing it to be a better thing to give than to receive: and when it shall please thee O Lord by thy blessing upon my labours, that my basket and my store is increased, grant that I may not ascribe to mine own industry & pains, but to give thee the praise of it, to whom it wholly belongeth. And good father grant that I may not set my heart upon these outward things, but rather as riches increase, so I may be more and more afraid of myself, lest the cares of this World, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke in me the seeds of grace, & so steal my mind away from better things, & let me not I beseech thee so eagerly follow the duties of my calling, that I should abridge and scant myself of convenient seasons for heavenly and spiritual exercises, but always make me behold thy all seeing presence, in whose sight all things are naked, that so I may approve myself unto thee by a straight & upright carriage, and in so doing I shall imitate thy son Christ jesus, who in the days of his flesh humbled himself, to live as a man upon this earth, by following a painful trade, and when the time was come that he was to publish himself to the World, he was never idle but went about doing good, yea, with that alacrity and cheerfulness, that it was his meat to do the will of his father that sent him. O Lord grant that I may follow his steps endeavouring to please thee in the whole course of my life through the same jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour Amen. A Prayer containing humble confession of Sin, and desire of pardon. O Eternal God and merciful father, infifinite in justice and truth, taking vengeance upon all disobedient children, and yet abundant in goodness and mercy towards all such as unfeignedly fear thy name and return unto thee in sincerity of heart and contrition of spirit, prostrating their souls before thee. I most vile and wretched sinner do humbly beseech thee of thy infinite mercy to have compassion upon my sins, which are so grievous and so vile and loathsome, as thy pure eyes can not abide to look upon them, I confess O Lord, that all my life hath been in sin, our fathers and mothers were sinful even from the s●ock of our great grandfather Adam, whose blindness should have been our light, and whose sight was turned to our blindness and darkness, by the deceitful enticements of that enemy of our salvation, that subtle serpent Satan, by whose baits our forefather being clothed with innocency and integrity and unspeakable happiness, was moved by the desire of the knowledge of that which thou wouldst he should have been ignorant of, by breaking of which thy commandment, he with the woman which thou gavest to be a help & comfort unto him, were according to thy determinate will, cast out of Paradise, a place of joy to a place of misery, and labour. I beseech thee most gracious God, smite my hard and stony heart, and make it even to melt with in me, at the sight of my manifold transgressions: settle in it I pray thee that godly sorrow which causeth repentance, unto salvation not to be repent of, humble my soul under thy mighty hand and suffer it not to freeze in the dregs of mine own corruptions. and make my head full of water, & mine eyes a fountain of tears, which may run down like a river day & night: and grant O Lord, that I may sorrow not so much because of hell and damnation which is due unto me for my sins, but that my chiefest sorrow may be this, that I have offended so good and gracious a God as thou art, in abusing thy mercies, and requiting thy exceeding love with so grievous sins, O Lord I am bold to come unto thee at this time, not in my own name, for who am I that I should dare to press into thy presence, but in the name and mediation of thy dear and well-beloved son Christ jesus. Let his death & passion be a full satisfaction for all my sins, wash me thoroughly in his blood from mine iniquities and cleanse me from my sins, let not thy hand of justice destroy me, but give me the comfort of thy help and 'stablish me with thy truth. Most gracious father, thou which art the father of mercies and the God of consolations, of thee I ask mercy and forgiveness of all my sins, thou wouldst that none should perish, but that all should be saved and come to the knowledge of thy truth: thou hast commanded me most gracious God in thy holy word to call and knock unto thee, whereupon thou hast gratiousty promised so to find, as to enter into me and to entertain me. I beseech thee make good my promise unto me at this time, and regard my tears my sighs and my groans, which do knock at the gate of thy mercies, I endeavour most gracious God and strive to do thy will, Lord make good thy promise I beseech thee in thy word and accept my desire, and howsoever wild wretch that I am, ever since I Covenanted with thee to do thee service, I have either ungraciously forgotten, or ungratefully remembered all thy benefits, and have not so esteemed thee for them, as I would have done a mortal friend for a few common Courtesies, yet never the less have mercy upon me. I can not excuse my faults, and If I should, yet my consciense would condemn me: for I had thy express word to stay me and mine own conscience to bridle me, yea I would have allowed those things which I did, if any other had done them but myself, now when my memory is the handwriting of my debt, and my thoughts are willing witness against me, and mine own knowledge condemneth me; what remaineth but that I must needs fall into thy hands, O Lord I beseech thee according to thy wont mercy and old loving kindness, have pity upon me miserable sinner, and grant me a free remission of all my sins and a perfect reconciliation with thee in Christ jesus: this O Lord I earnestly crave at thy hands even for the same jesus Christ sake our Lord and saviour Amen. A godly Prayer in time of sickness or at the point of Death. Almighty God, and in jesus Christ my most merciful Father, I thy poor & wretched servant, which do here lie under thy hand, feeling thy punishment of the corruption and transgression that is in me, and in all flesh, even this same sickness which at this time thou hast sent unto me, I do here humble myself under thy hands, and acknowledge against myself my heinous sins and corruptions, so that I confess that I have not only deserved sickness of body: yea, the separation of my soul from my body, but also the separation both of body and soul from thee and thy kingdom for ever: but good Father I humbly beseech thee look upon me in the righteousness of Christ jesus, in whom thou hast loved me before the foundations of the world were laid: & though sin have brought sickness, and sickness be an undoubted messenger of death, at the time thou hast appointed: yet grant good Lord, that I may be undoubtedly persuaded in this, that death is swallowed up in victory, and that this death can no more hold me under, than it hath done jesus Christ, into whom I am translated: therefore I beseech thee give me a sweet feeling of my incorporation into Christ jesus, in whose death though I die, yet I shall live, by the virtue of his resurrection eternally: O Lord, in this my sickness, give me I beseech thee a deep touch and a sensible understanding of my sins past, that I have not used this temporal life which thou didst lend me more to thy glory, that I did not so watch for death, as that I was no better prepared for it, that I was no more diligent in my calling to seek the advancement of thy glory. Now O Lord I pray thee take from me all guile of Spirit, all disposition to flatter or to soothe up myself, or to lessen either the number or the quality of my sins, cause me even to break up my heart, and to search and try my ways, that so out of the abundance of my feeling, I may pour out a most plentiful and sincere confession before thee, knowing it to be in vain to endeavour to hide that from thee, which thou (before whom all things are naked) dost know better than myself: yea such is thy mercy, that when I do lay my sins open, thou dost cover them: good Father I beseech thee, give me that mind, which a seek man should have, and increase my patience with my pain, & call to my mind all which I have heard, or read, or felt, or meditated, to strengthen me in this my visitation, that though I never taught any good while I lived: yet I may now instruct others how to die, and to bear patiently whatsoever thy holy hand shall lay upon them. Apply unto me all thy mercies and merits of Christ jesus, as if he had died for me in particular, be not far from me, I beseech thee when the enemy comes to tempt me, but when he is most busy, then let thy good spirit be busiest also to defend me, and let my last hour be my best hour, and my last thoughts and words the best that ever I did think or speak. Lord I know that I can not escape death, then why should I fear it: and if I must die, why not now, if it so please thee? for my chiefest happiness is behind, and I can not have it, unless I go unto it. I confess O Lord my pains are great, but seeing I travel to heaven, make me patient I beseech thee to bear my pains, and when it shall please thee to call me out of this vail of misery, command thy holy Angels, I humbly pray thee to carry my soul into the bosom of blessed A. braham, there to rest with thee in eternal glory for ever and ever. Amen. A Prayer of thanksgiving unto God, for Deliverance out of any Sickness. ALl honour and praise be given unto thee, most gracious God, and merciful Father, for all thy mercies and favours, bestowed upon me, even from my cradle to this present hour: for my Election, Creation, Redemption, justification, Sanctification, Preservation, and that blessed hope of Glorification in the world to come. O Lord, thou hast loaded me with thine abundant favours, as if I had ever done thy will, although I never knew thee as I ought, loved thee as I should, obeyed thee as thou commandedst, nor been thankful to thee as thou hast deserved: exceeding experience have I had of thy goodness many times, but never more then in my late sickness, wherewith thou didst visit me. Lord grant that I be not in the number of those, who are forward to ask in time of trouble and affliction, but slack and careless, to acknowledge their thankfulness, when mercy is bestowed: like those Lepers, that when they were cleansed, returned not to give God thanks for his mercy. O Lord, thou hast chastened me and corrected me: but herein appears thy mercy, that thou hast not given me over to death. I confess, thou mightst justly have cut me off & deprived me of the rest of my years: but it was thy good pleasure to deliver my soul from the pit of corruption. Imprint in my mind I beseech thee, the vows & promises, which I made in my sickness of better obedience and service to thy majesty, than heretofore, and grant that I may make conscience to perform them: and let me know that howsoever thou hast now given me some little respite and prolonged my days: yet I must not deceive myself, in putting far from my remembrance the day of my death, but that I may make a holy use of this thy fatherly correcting me, and to express my thankfulness in my life and conversation, in walking godly before thee, and in preparing myself for my end, that I may finish my course with joy, and be ready to meet my Saviour in the clouds, and to rest with him and his holy Angels for ever, and in his everlasting kingdom of glory. Ame●. A Prayer for a Sick man. MOst gracious God, and in Christ jesus our merciful Father: we poor wretches gathered here before thee, do truly and most freely confess, that we are most vile and miserable, utterly unworthy to speak unto thee, or to receive the least favour from thee, by reason of our many and grievous sins, our blindness of mind, ignorances, negligences, perverseness of heart, and unserviceableness in our lives: but with all we do remember thy great love, and merciful promises made unto them, that with ●enitent and humble spirits do sue unto thee: wherefore we are emboldened to approach unto thy throne of grace, in the name of thy Son Christ jesus, beseeching thee for his sake to forgive us all our sins original and actual: wash us (we pray thee) in his blood, and clothe us with his righteousness: give us grace to turn unto thee with our hearts from all our sins, and enable us by thy grace to serve thee in righteousness & holiness all the days of our lives. Take care (we beseech thee) of this thy Servant, whom thou hast afflicted before our eyes: O Lord receive him to thy grace, and assure him of thy glory: grant unto him faith in thy promises, patience under thine hand, and hope of thy mercy: restore him (if it be thy blessed will) to his perfect health again: and bless all good means unto it: if not, prepare him for death and for thy kingdom: comfort him with an assured hope of a joyful resurrection, and whensoever his soul shall depart from his body, grant that it may be presented without all sin to thee, through jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen. A Prayer for a Woman with child. BLessed God, and gracious Father, I thy poor Handmaid do here humbly present myself before thy throne of Grace: beseeching thee to forgive me all my manifold sins committed against thee: bury them in the death of my Saviour, thy Son Christ jesus: O Lord I beseech thee for his sake to accept of me and this poor worm enclosed in my womb: vouchsafe to give us thy Son, and to sanctify us with thy Holy Spirit: grant me strength and patience, I humbly entreat thee, to endure and overcome those pains, which for my sins are worthily imposed on me. Assuage them, O Lord, I pray thee, and vouchsafe me a safe deliverance with safety to this child within me, if it may please thy Majesty; so will I dedicate myself, and that which thou shalt give me, to the glory of thine holy Name: O Lord, hear: O Lord, help: be thou my God, and my guide, my salvation, and my succour; not for my merits, but for the honour of thy mercy, and the all sufficient merits of jesus Christ, to whom with thee, and thy Holy Spirit, three persons, but one everliving and everloving God, be all honour and glory, for ever and for ever. Amen. A Prayer for a Midwife by herself alone. O Lord my God, I beseech thee forgive me my manifold sins and wickedness, accept of me, I beseech thee, in thy Son jesus Christ: honour me with all the graces of thy spirit▪ grant me wisdoms, modesty, temperance, and a religious heart. Bless me in this calling, to which thou hast appointed me: prosper me, I pray thee, in the thoughts of my heart, the words of my mouth, & the works of mine hands. Be merciful (I most humbly beseech thee) to all those women and children with whom I am to deal. Be merciful to this thy Servant, that is now in travel: O good Lord, comfort her, strengthen her, and grant her a seasonable and safe deliverance: bless her burden, O Lord, and give i● strength & life to be borne: so will I render praise and thanksgiving unto thee. Hear O Lord, and grant me my heart's desire, for Christ jesus his sake, mine only Lord and Saviour. Amen. A Thanksgiving private for the safe deliverance of a woman, to be said by the Midwife, or some woman present at her Delivery. WE give thee thanks (most merciful God▪) for all thy mercies and favours to us, for Electing, Creating, Redeeming, Sanctifying, and Preserving us: for our health, peace, and liberty, for the word and Gospel, and for preserving both it and us from that barbarous Powder-Treason of wicked Papists: and finally for the safe deliverance of this thine Handmaid, and the birth of this Infant: we beseech thee give us thankful hearts unto thee, and grant that by true thankfulness we may consecrate our souls, ourselves, and services unto thee all the days of our life, endeavouring to lead a godly, quiet and virtuous life before thee in this world, that we may live for ever with thee in the world to come, through jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour. Amen. The Lord be merciful unto us, send health and strength unto this thine Handmaid, Lord bless this Child, vouchsafe it life, that it may by Baptism be admitted into thine house, and have interest in thy Covenant, the Lord keep us all, and honour us with his grace in this life, and with immortal glory in the life to come. Amen, A Prayer in time of Pestilence, or any other Contagious Sickness. MOst gracious and everliving god, whose judgements are unsearchable, and works past finding out, much less to be comprehended within our weak & shallow brains, we can not wonder that we are afflicted with so many sorts of diseases, and extraordinary visitations, for we confess that our sins have provoked thee not only to take vengeance upon our bodies and those things that belong unto us for this life, but also even that thou shouldest seperats both our bodies and souls from thee for ever to the external destruction of both: and howsoever this judgement of the plague be grievous upon us, yet it is the smallest part of our desert, and if thou shouldest make it cleave fast to our loins, and even sweep us off from the face of the earth, as dung is swept away till all be gone, we have nothing to except against thee, but that thou art just, for we have multiplied our sins before thee, and have pressed thee with the burden of them as a Cart is pressed with sheaves: so that neither we nor our Fathers have kept thy Commandments: and besides O Lord we must confess thou hast justly plagued us, because we have abused and set at nought, thy manifold mercies, which thou hast showed unto us for our conversion, as the continual admonitions given unto us by thy ministers, rising early and late, yet we have hardened our hearts as in the day of slaughter, and have despised thy Prophets, and put far from us the evil day, thereby adding drunkenness to thirst: yet notwithstanding we will return unto thee that hast smitten us, for thou art the father of mercies and the God of forgivenesses: O remember us not according to our sins, but according to thy mercies, O Lord think upon us for thy goodness sake, clear us we beseech thee, and make us free from the contagion and Leprosy of sin, and then we shall be freed from the noisome infection of the Pestilence, so that it shall not hurt us, teach us O Lord to fear sin as we fear the sickness itself, for it is the cause of this wasting sickness which is the fruit of sin, but this good Father belongeth only unto thee; for thou canst do both the one and the other: therefore comfort us we pray thee according to the days that thou hast afflicted us: turns us unto thee O Lord, and we shall be turned, convert thou us and we shall be converted: If we humble ourselves and meet thee with true faith, unfeigned repentance, with hearty sorrow and tears, thy wrath shall cease, and then thou wilt call in again thy messengers, commanding thine Angel to put up the sword of vengeance into the sheathe, and show mercy upon us, and if it be thy good pleasure to stretch out thy hand still, and chastise us yet more for our Iniquities, give us we pray thee grace and strength patiently to endure thy fatherly hand, to the utmost trial, and teach us that whensoever we are judged by thee, we shall not be judged with the world, and much better is it for us to be temporally corrected in this life, then eternally to be tormented in the life to come: therefore O Lord, we choose rather to fall into thy hands, then in to the hands of men, because thy grace is great, and mercy is with thee that thou mayst be feared, laying fast hold of faith in Christ jesus, who is theeverlasting propitiation and perfect sacrifice for all our sins, & in whom alone thou art well pleased, to whom with thee & thy good spirit, be all honour & glory now and for evermore. Amen. A Prayer for the King's Majesty & the whole State. eternal God & gracious Father, who in thy eternal counsel, and inestimable wisdom, hast ordained Kings & Princes to be as Fathers & Nurses to thy church, and as thou hast given them high sovereignty, and special authority, so thou hast communicated unto them thine own names and titles, both to put them in continual remembrance that they are for thee, & for thy glory, and also us thy subjects of that same continual love & obedience which we owe unto thy Majesty, that under them we may be godly and peaceably governed: & seeing that by thee Kings reign, and thy sovereign authority reacheth over all, we beseech thee good Lord, show thy mercy upon all christian Kings & Princes, calling on thy name: especially we pray thee multiply thy graces upon thy servant & our dread sovereign, james by thy providence, King of great Britain, France & Ireland, defender of the faith. As thou hast doubled his crown & lifted his head above others: so we pray thee double & redouble thy graces and blessings upon him both spiritual & temporal: make us evermore truly thankful we beseech thee for all thy preservations of him from thine & his enemies: especially grant that we may never forget that inestimable deliverance of his Majesty & the whole state, from that more than barbarous and hellish plot of the gunpowder treason, keep him as the Apple of thine eye, & preserve his Royal person from all conspiracies and treasons both foreign & domestical, and continue his government over us: and grant there may not want one of that stock to sit upon this throne till thy son come to judgement. Bless in like manner we beseech thee the queens Majesty, make her a help unto him in all good things: power down thy blessings upon there Royal progeny, and grant that they may daily grow in grace & favour both with God and man, & make them loyal to his majesty all the days of his life, always afford thy gracious presence to the honourable lords of his majesties Counsel: be thou precedent over them at their table, & order their purposes, and direct all their consultations, as may make most for thy glory, the honour of the King, and the good of this land and commonwealth: give thy blessing upon all the Magistrates of the land and courts of justice: grant that they may draw forth the sword of justice, for the destruction of vice and wickedness, and for the maintenance of God's true religion & virtue. Bless O Lord the house of Aaron & Tribe of Levi, the ministers of thy word and Sacraments: and seeing these are thy Stewards which thou hast set over us, to disperse thy mysteries: good Lord give us grace, not to esteem of them as mere mortal men like ourselves, but as they are indeed the ambassadors of thee, the everliving God, who art able to save and to destroy; and that they are not such as reign over our faith, but as helpers of our joy, which preach not themselves, but jesus Christ our Lord and count themselves our servants for jesus sake: furnish them liberally of thy rich treasure with all graces, fit for so excellent a work, & give us grace with our best endeavours to further the maintenance thereof: to this end bless all schools of learning, especially both the Universities of this land, that daily there may proceed such as may be profitable Instruments both for church & common wealth, and in these our prayers we are not unmindful of the afflictions of joseph, we beseech thee send thy Spirit of comfort, to all the afflicted whatsoever whether in body or in mind or both: especially those that suffer for the testimony of a good conscience: we beseech thee to stand by them in all their distresses, and be thou more near to defend them, than Satan either is or possible can be to seduce & draw them from thee: give them patience to endure whatsoever it shall please thee to lay on them, hearty and true repentance for all their sins, & an happy issue from their miseries, as shall seem best to thy godly wisdom, either by life that they may glorify thee in this world, or by faithful departure they may be glorified of thee in the world to come, and that for jesus Christ's sake our Lord and only Saviour; In whose name we conclude these our weak prayers as he hath taught us. Our Father which art in heaven, etc. A Prayer containing the sum of the Lords Prayer. Our Father which art in Heaven. Most gracious Lord God, we thy children & servants in thy only son jesus Christ our saviour, assured here of by thy good spirit, do heartily desire thee as we are made, redeemed, & sanctified to praise thee, give us thy children grace to acknowledge thee the only true God and to worship thee in thought, word and deed: that so thy name by us may be hallowed, teach us which way we may most honour thee while we remain here, & to set our hearts wholly thereunto, keep us from taking any part of thy glory to ourselves, and let us account it our greatest honour to honour thee, and be ever afraid of dishonouring thee any way, & because we have no power nor know the means of ourselves to serve thee; let thy kingdom come, give us thy word to be faithfully and painfully preached among us, with thy holy spirit to work inwardly in our hearts, faith, fear, hope, and love, with all heavenly graces that we may become thy subjects & heirs of thy kingdom; send us zealous governors & faithful Preachers, that Satan, Antichrist, heresies, vice & schisms, may be utterly destroyed, & our dear and precious souls saved in the day of the Lord jesus, which day we pray thee to hasten; in the mean season thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven: make us to forsake ourselves & all worldly vanities, doing nothing but what thou commandest, and all that thou dost will us to do it heartily, joyfully, readily, faithfully, and with a constant heart, as thy Saints & Angels in Heaven performs it, and because our bodies crave necessary sustenance without which we cannot serve thee give us this day ourdaily b cad. We beseech thee to bless our daily labours to get sufficient maintenance and all necessaries, that we may be able to do thy will, Let neither care nor covetousness oppress us, but wholly commit ourselves to thy faithful providing for us, and good father forgive us our trespasses. Let not our sins either hinder or deprive us of thy mercies, we confess that we have grievously sinned against thee, both originally & actually so as it is thy mere mercy the weight of them have not pressed us down to the pit of hell, but thou art merciful in Christ jesus and for his sake we beseech thee pardon ●● as thou hast promised and persuade our consciences that we are forgiven by giving us grace to forgive them that trespass▪ against us, give us power to continue in all godly courses & lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, that neither in inward or outward temptation we may ever be vanquished, but may ever overcome, which we desire (O father of heaven). as thou hast all rule and power and mayest have glory and praise of hereafter, for ever & ever, and as we are bound in duty for our election, creation, redemption, justification, sanctification, for all earthly benefits, and spiritual comforts and the certain hope of eternal glory, to which glory O father bring us & that for Christ jesus sake our Lord and only saviour Amen. A prayer upon the Articles of the Creed. O Heavenly father from whom all good gifts come, I pray thee in thy mercy through Christ jesus my saviour to grant me thy gracious gift of a sound justifying faith which I neither have nor can have by nature, that I may believe in thee O God only, the father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and also in jesus Christ thy only son and our Lord, which was conceived by the holy Ghost, bo●ne of the Virgin Marie, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified dead and buried, that descended into hell, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven, and there si●te●h at the right hand of thee (O God) father Almighty, from whence he shall come to judge us all both quick and dead: & that I may b● le●●e in the holy Ghost, and that there is a Catholic church a Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, and the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting, that so I may be truly persuaded of thy fatherly providence over me, & what Christ hath done, that is for my deliverance, & the holy ghost to be my comfort & assistance, being a member of the church, and making me effectually partaker of all the privileges thereof to my endless joy & happiness, which O father give unto me I beseech thee for Christ's sake. Amen. A Prayer upon the ten Commandments. O Eternal Lord God I thy humble servant, that do owe all dutiful obedience to thee and am made partaker of manifold benefits both for body & soul, which then by the blood of Christ thy only son hast delivered from that everlasting bondage which by corruption of nature I was held in, & from everlasting death which I was subject unto by daily breaking of thy commandments: I beseech thee give me grace now and ever hereafter to have none other Gods but thee: neither to make to myself any graven Image, nor the likeness of any thing in heaven above or in the earth beneath, nor in the waters under the earth, to bow down to them to worship them. Nor that I take the name of thee my Lord God in vain. Remembering to keep holy the Sabath day, and to labour six days doing all that I have to do; but in the seventh day, which is the Sabath of thee O Lord my God: give me grace to do no manner of work. And that I may honour my father and mother. Never to commit any murder, neither Adultery. Nor to steal. Nor to bear false witness against my neighbour. Nor to covet my neighbour's house, nor his wife, nor his servant, nor his maid, nor his Ox, nor his Ass, not any thing that is his, that so I may do always my duty to thee, O God, all the days of my life, believing, fearing, worshipping, giving thanks, & loving thee with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my soul, with all my strength, and loving my neighbour, friend or foe even as myself, to do to all men even as I would they should do to me▪ to love honour & succour my father & mother, to honour and obey the King, Queen, Prince, & their ministers, to submit myself to all my governors, spiritual & temporal, to order myself to all my betters, lowly & reverently, to hurt no body by word nor deed, to be true and ●ust in all my dealings, to bear no malice in my heart, to behave myself in the whole course of my life, as thou mayst be glorified, my duty discharged, my conscience comforted, my brethren won or confirmed, and thy mouths of all the wicked stopped, which O father vouchsafe to grant me, for thy great goodness sake, & thy beloved sons ●ake jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the holy spirit, be all praise and honour given by me & all thy Saints this time & for evermore. Amen. A Prayer containing the doctrine of the sacraments. O Most merciful father, thou hast given met not only thy holy word to teach me faith & obedience, but also two Sacraments, outward signs and seals of inward graces, Christ & all his benefits. Give me wiledome O Lord, to acknowledge the benefit and thankfully use the same, beseeching thee that as by baptism I am received into the church, & by water outwardly am washed: so let it scale, the assurance of the purging of my soul from sin, by Christ's blood, and appear outwardly by thy holy spirit, killing in me corruption, and stirring me up to holiness of life, rejoicing in my newbirth, and growing more & more therein daily; that so I may prepare myself in knowledge, in true repentance, hearty love, and a sound faith, to come & be partaker of the Lords supper, which is the other sacrament to nourish me up in the same, where by the signs of bread broken, and wine poured out, taken and given, Christ my saviour with his benefits is offered, that gave his body & shed his blood for me. Now, O Lord, as by my hand I take the bread & wine, and with eating and digestion receive also the strength to nourish my body: so I pray thee give me faith, to apply Christ with his merits, that I may feel the virtue thereof to nourish my soul, that I may not come unprepared, lest I eat & drink 〈◊〉 own damnation, in ●andling such holy mysteries: neither let me contei●●e or neglect to be partaker when by the Church thou dost call me, but obediently & thankfully communicate with my brethren▪ to strengthen my faith, increase mutual love, showing obedience & God's mercy in Christ's death, till he come to judge us all at that great day, & that for Christ's sake, our Lord and only Saviour. Amen. Prayer before meat. MOst gracious God, and merciful father, from whom all good gifts proceed, we poor wretches beseech thee to sanctify to our uses these thy good creatures which we shall receive now of thy mercy: give us grace we pray thee to use them soberly & purely according to thy will, & grant that by these blessings which thou so largely bestowest upon us, we may see thy love towards us, seeking likewise for that spiritual bread of thy word, which is the food of our souls, that by the same we may be nourished to eternal life, through jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Thanksgiving after meat. WE confess O Lord, it is of thy only goodness & mercy that we live, move, and have our being in this life, and all things whereby our life is preserved comes from thy majesty: good Lord we beseech thee make us thankful for these & all other thy mercies both spiritual & temporal: and as thou hast now fed our bodies with corporal food: so good Lord we pray thee nourish our souls with that heavenly Manna the food of eternal life, through jesus Christ our Lord Amen. Another before meat. ALinightie God, which hast created meats & drinks for man's sustenance, sanctify them to the use of thy children, without difference, that they may use them for their health, & hast given strength to nourish our bodies to thy pleasure: make us sober and thankful partakers of them, & grant that the end of our eating & drinking may tend to enable us to serve thee in our several places through jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Another after meat. WE humbly pray thee most gracious God and merciful to sanctify these thy good creatures, which now of thy mercy we have received at thy hands, that they may turn to the nourishment of our bodies where unto thou hast appointed them: and teach us to remember that it is thou which to us and to all thy creatures givest food in due season, and therefore that we abuse not thy mercies, but in some good measure endeavour to walk worthy of them in the course of our lives: through jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Another before meat. WE magnify thygreat name most gracious God, for all thy mercies bestowed upon us from our cradles, to this present, especially that thou hast given us Christ jesus, & with him all the blessings belonging to this life, and to that which is a far better: we thank thee for all temporal blessings, these which we are now about to receive grant that our weak bodies being by them refreshed, we may much more seek for the food of our souls, which abideth unto eternal life, that so we labouring to do thy will commanded in thy word here in this life we may hereafter enjoy the joys of thy kingdom in thy presence, there to abide for ever and ever. Amen. Another after meat. IT is thou O Lord, who hast elected, created, redeemed, justified, sanctified preserved, and now at this present fed us; thy name be blessed & praised both now and for ever. God save his church universal the King's Majesty, the Queen & their royal progeny, forgive us all our sins, comfort the afflicted, remove thy judgements far from us, send thy Gospel a free passage, and grant us & all the Israel of God, grace, mercy, faith, truth, & peace in thy Son Christ jesus our Lord. Amen. Another before meat. Eternal God, which hast commanded us in thy holy word, that whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, all should be done to the praise of thy name, and whereas any of thy creatures which we receive, can not be available to the nourishment of our bodies, except they be sanctified by thy word & prayer: we beseech thee bless these thy good gifts, which now we are about to receive of thy bounteous liberality, that we being by them strengthened, may be better enabled to proceed in the discharge of our several Callings, to thy glory, and our own comfort, through jesus Christ. Amen. Another after meat. HUmble and hearty thanks be rendered unto thee most gracious God, for all thy mercies, for the comfortable refreshing which thou hast now vouchsafed unto us: we beseech thee forgive us our sins, which makes us unworthy of the least of thy mercies: pardon we beseech thee our great un thankfulness, and let thy mercy to our bodies stir up thankfulness in our souls; God preserve his Church, the King's Majesty, the Queen, their progeny, these Realms, increase our faith, prosoer thy word & Gospel among us, confound Satan and all the evemies of thy truth, and grant us mercy and peace in Christ jesus our Lord. Amen. Grace before meat. MOst gracious father, we beseech thee forgive us all our sins, bless these creatures unto our use, that they may be to our health, strength & comfort, through jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Grace after meat. WE give thee thanks, most merciful father, for feeding us at this time, and for all thy favours of this life, and of the life to come: we beseech thee continue thy loving kindness still unto us. Lord save thy Church, our King and his Realines, and give thy Gospel an happy passage amongst us, to thy glory, and our comfort, through jesus Christ out Lord, and Saviour. Amen. Godly Directions for the right Receiving of the Lords Supper. 1 THere is required preparation as the commandment of the Apostle plainly shows, which pertains to all communicants without exception: Let every man examine himself. 1 Cor. 11. 28. 2 Knowledge of the grounds of religion, especially of the use of both Sacraments. 1. Cor. 11.. 26. 3 Faith, for all sacraments are seals of righteousness of Faith. Rome 4. 11. 4 Repentance, which stands in a hearty sorrow for sins committed in hatred and detestation of the same, & a resolved purpose of amendment and obedience for the time to come. 5 Charity towards men; for this Sacramentis a Communion, whereby all the receivers jointly united together in love, do participate of one and the same Christ. 6 When we see two signs to be received, bread and wine, we must call to mind that Christ is our perfect Saviour both bread & water of life. Heb. 7. 25. 7 When we beheld the bread and wine set apart by the Minister, and consecrated by repeating the promise and prayers made for that end, we must call to mind that Christ was ordained by God, to be our Mediator and Saviour. joh. 6. 27. Acts 2. 23, 36. 8 When we see the bread broken, and the wine powered out, we are to meditate of Christ seriously, who was crucified for us, & broken by his sufferings whereby life and righteousness was performed unto us: Zach. 12. 10. 9 The giving of Elements into the receivers hands, signifies unto us that God doth truly and really give Christ with his merits to every believing receiver, which should put us in mind of the unspeakable love of God towards us. Rules to know true faith, by the fruits thereof. Trive and saving faith is a supernatural gift of God, and a special persuasion wrought by the holy Ghost, in the hearts of those, that are effectually called concerning there reconciliation and salvation by Christ, this saith in whomsoever it is, it hath these effects. 1 To believe that the Scriptures contained in the old & new Tèstament; are the very word of God, and so much as is needful to be believed unto salvation, is contained therein: john 5. 39 2 There will be an unfeigned desire to be taught and instructed in the word of God, and to have the understanding thereof, and most to affect those means which are most effectual to that end and purpose. 3 There will be a continual sorrow and grief for thy ignorance and defective understanding of the word of God, and no marnell; for what can be more grievous to the children of God, than not to know, or understand, or not to remember the evidence of his own everlasting estate, & the will of his Master. 4 He will examine himself whether his reading or hearing the word, read or preached, his meditating conference and study in it do nourish his love and delight, and belief in it Ps. 119. 92. 97. 5 Where true faith is, there will be a credit & authority given to the word of God above all traditions whatsoever, and a rejection of whatsoever he knoweth to be opposite to the same word of God Ps. 119. 92. 113. 6 There will be a lightness & cheerfulness in the conscience when any thing is done agreeable to the word of God, and a trouble and heaviness in the same when any thing is done contrary to the same word Psal. 119. 92. 7 There will be a hoping in the promises of God, an awful fear of his threatenings a desiring of the blessings and an endeavour to avoid the curses contained in the word and an equal believing the one as well as the other. 8 There will be a continual thanks giving unto God for his inestimable blessings in revealing his word unto him, and vouch safing liberty and means to come to knowledge and understanding of the same, whereby we may see what a grievous judgement is on them from whom this word is hi●. 9 Lastly, the least measure of true f●●t●, that a man can have is ●hen of an humble spirit, by reason of the smallness of his faith, he doth not yet feel the forgiveness of his sins and yet is persuaded that they are pardonable and therefore desireth that they should be pardo●ned, & with his whole heart prayeth to God to pardon them. Esay 42. 3. Luke 17. 5. Christian directions necessary to be practised in the course of our lives. FIrst & above all things see that thou fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man Eccles. 12. 13. 2 Exercise your mind in meditating often on the works of God, as his creating & governing the world, his prospering and punishing the wicked, his blessing & correcting his children as seemeth best to his godly wisdom jer. 12. 2. Math. 25. 31. 32. 3 Submit and humble yourself for your sins, that the lord may raise you up, for he that judgeth himself aright shall never be judged of the Lord, 1. Cor. 11. 31. 4 Love all things for God's sake, and God chiefly for his own, and remember you make him your friend, whosoever be your enemy this you shall do, if as an obedient child, you live always in the eye of your heavenly father. 5 Never make mention of God or any word or work of his, but with fear and reverence, nor of any man but with love, using his name as you would have him to use yours Deut. 28. 58. Math. 7. 12. 6 Let no more holiness appear outwardly then you have inwardly in your heart which God seeth, and in which he desireth truth, neither please yourself with your unprofitableness or unwillingness to perform that which is good. Ro. 12. 11. 7 Speak often to the praise of God, never or little of yourself, because many words can not want iniquity, therefore speak as few as you can, rather none, then unprofitably. Pro. 17. 27. jam. 1. 19 8 ●re-patient under the correcting hand of God, because, 1. He doth it. 2. ●ee doth it for your good: 3. ●ee will moderate it, and supply strength, and in his due time will deliver you out of it. Psal. 39 9 9 Stick fast to God as well in adversity as in prosperity, the one being as necessary as the other. If you have necessaries, be humbled for them, and use them well, lest he that gave them take them away. jam. 1. 2. 10 Take heed of performing holy duties for fashion sake, or without feeling and profit, for this is hypocrisy and profaneness. Heb. 3. 12. Esay 1. 11. 11 Whatsoever you take in hand, first take counsel by God's word whether it be lawful or not, be it for profit or pleasure. 2. Sa. 2. 1. 1. Sam. 30. 8. 12 When you awake from sleep, awake with God, and before all things give him your first fruits and calves of your lips. 1. Confession of sin: 2. Request of things necessary for body and soul. 3. Thankfulness for mercies received, especially your last preservation and rest. 13 Eschew as much as in you lies all occasions of sin, & wisely endeavour yourself in subduing the least, that at length the greater may take no place. 14 Set yourself carefully as in god's presence, that setting him at your right hand you may not fall. 1. Cor. 10. 32. 15 Use prayer as a door to open morning, & a lock to shut evening, first preparing your heart to seek the Lord, and think in the morning that day may be your last day, & when you go to bed, you know not whether you shall rise, unless it be to judgement. 16 Wait upon the Lord▪ and he will direct your way, become his servant in obeying his will, for this is your truest liberty. Psal. 37. 34. 17 Think evermore your present estate and condition, to be the best estate for you whatsoever it be, because it is of the good providence of God. 18 Account of every day as of the day of death, and therefore live now even as though you were now dying, and do those good duties every day, which you would do if it were your last day. 19 When night comes before you lie down in bed, call to ●●●d how you have spent the day passed, & think that day lost, wherein you have not done some good. 20 Always remember that the greatest work you have to finish in this world is to die well, and to make a happy departure out of this world, for they which die well, die not to die, but to live eternally. 29 Esteem not of yourself better than you are, for the more vile you are in your own eyes the more glorious you are in the eyes of God, for he rejecteth the proud, & giveth grace to the humble. 1. Pct. 5. 5. 22 Redeem the time passed of your life with Repentance, and look to the time present with diligence, and to the time to come with providence. Ephes. 5. 16. 23 Exercise yourself in reading something of god's word daily, & do not only serve God yourself, but see that all that are under your charge do the same. Deu. 6. 6 24 When you crave any blessings at the hands of God ask them in the name of Christ, for no man cometh unto the Father but by him. joh. 14. 6. 25 In all your affairs before you attempt any thing, first ask counsel of God, whether it be lawful to be done, and then you may do it with a good conscience. 1. Sam. 30. 8. 26 Let your carriage in the world be such as may show your dislik of the world: for if any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him, because the love of the world is enmity with God. 1. joh. 2. 25 27 Arm yourself continually against temptations, knowing them to be your portion in this life, & learn from Christ and his Apostles to bear them patiently. 1. Thes. 4. 4. 5. 28 Be more afraid of secret sins than of open shame, and be always persuaded you are in the presence of God, and let all your actions be framed accordingly. jer. 23. 24. Acts 17. 28. 29 In all your afflictions and miseries be still persuaded that your punishment is far less than your ●●●ne. 30 If Gods mercies abounds to wards you, merwell not, if he mix them with some crosses, for God sends blessings with crosses, lest you should despair, and crosses with blessings, lest you should presume. 31 Such ontward blessings which you can not have, desire God, you may not be vexed for them, for if you greedily covet such things, it is longer before you shall enjoy them, and more subject to abuse them when you have them. 32 When you would do any good or receive any good, offer up your endeavours in a sacrifice to God in Christ, beseeching God to give his holy Spirit to sanctify his own sacrifice. 33 When God visits you with affliction kiss the toddy, and offer up all to him, from whom you have received yourself, for the more you struggle under his hand, the worse it will be for you. 34 In all your actions remember that God takes notice not only what you do, but whatsoever is done directly, or indirectly, all is done and governed by him. 35 In health prepare for death, for no man can assure himself to live one hour. 36 Omit no opportunity to hear the word, & bse all the means of your salvation, though you feel yourself most unwilling there unto, for you know not when God will give a blessing. 37 The more godly thou art, and the more graces and blessings are upon thee, the more need thou hast to pray, because Satan is then busiest against thee, and because thou art easily puffed up with a conceited holiness. 38 In prayer, desire God to give thee grace to remember the bedroll of thy sins to humble thee, and the Catalogue of his mercies, truly to make thee thankful. 39 Consent not to the least sin, for that is the way to fall in to many sins, and if you make no conscience of one sin, you will not make conscience of many and great sins. 40 When thou prayest for any grace, & God granteth not thy desire, but often gives thee the contrary: yet consider, God ever hears his children for their good, though not according to there desires. 41 Register up thy sins especially those that have most dishonoured God, and wounded thine own conscience, set them often in thy sight, chiefly them when thou hast occasion to renew thy repentance that thy heart may be thereby humbled. 42 Labour to see & feel thy spiritual poverty, the want of grace in thyself, especially those inward corruptions of unbelief, pride, self-love, etc. 43 Endeavour to show thyself a member of Christ and a servant of God, not only in the general calling of a Christian, but also in thy particular calling, in which thou art placed. 44 Eramine the Scriptures diligently to see what is sin, and what is not sin, in every action, and so carry in thy heart a constant purpose not to sin, in any thing: for faith and the purpose of sinning can not stand together. 45 Strive to obey God in all his commandments, and let thine endeavour be suitable to thy purpose, to do nothing at any time against thy conscience rightly informed by the word of God. 46 When thou fallest into any sin, a great or little, against thy purpose and resolution, restnot in it, but speedily recover thyself by repentance, humble thyself, confess thine offence, and by prayer entreat the Lord to pardon the same. 47 Make conscience of idle, vain, unhonest and ungodly thoughts, for these are the seeds and beginnings of actual sin, in word and deed, the want of this care is oftentimes fearfully punished. 48 Whatsoever good thing thou goest about, do it not in a conceit of thine own worthiness, but in humility, ascribing the power and praise thereof to God, lest he curse thy best doings. 49 Use outward things as meat, drink, apparel, in that manner and measure that they may further godliness, and may be as it were signs, in which thou mayst exprsse, the hidden grace of thy heart. 50 Labour not to go beyond any, unless it be in good things, make conscience of thy word, and let it be as a bond: deal justly with all men, and in all companies, either do good or take good. Signs of Salvation in whomsoever they appear. Love to the children of God. 1. john 3. 14. Delight in the word of God. Psal. 119. 111. Often and fervent prayer. Psal. 45. 18. To be zealous of God's glory. Rom. 12. 11. Denial of any sufficiency in ourselves. 2. Cor. 3. 5. Patient bearing the cross with profit and comfort. Ma●. 16. 24. Faithfulness in our ●●● li●gs which God hath placed us in. 1. Cor. 7. 20. Honest, just, and conscionable dealing in ●●● our actions amongst m●n. 1. Cor. 10. 33. Assured faith in the promises of God. Acts 16. 31. Sincerity of heart. Pro. 11. 20. The Spirit of Adoption. Rom. 8. 25. Sound regeneration and sanctification. Rom. 8. 14. Inward peace. Rom. 5. ●. groundedness in the truth. Col. 1. 23. Continuance to the end. Mar. 24. 13. If these graces be in us and abound, they will make us neither idle, nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord jesus Christ, that is, they will make us sound and sincere professors of the Gospel. 2. Per. ●. 8. 7. Observations needful to the reverent reading, and hearing of the Word of God. 1 PReparation for the manner of reading it. Eccles. 4. 17. 2 Wisdom to understand it. jam. 1. 5. 1. Kin. 3. 9 2. Chro. 1. 10. 3 Diligence to continue in it. 2. Ti. 3. 14. Act. 14. 22. 4 Meditation and conference for the better keeping of the matter. Deu. 6. 6. joshua 1. 8. Psa. 1. 2. 5 Faith to believe tt. Heb. 4. 2. jud. 20. 6 Obedience to practise it. 1. Sa. 15. 22. 23. jer. 7. 23. Math. 7. 21. 7 Prayer for a ble●●ing upon it. Mat. 21. 22. Mark 11. 24. jam. 1. 5. FINIS. THE CONTENTS of this Book. AN Introduction to Prayer. page 1 2 Certain Rules concerning Prayer. pa. 49 3 Brief notes showing the necessity of prayer. page 53 4 A godly and necessary Prayer to be said at all times. pa. 59 5 A Morning prayer for private Families. pa. 68 6 Evening Prayer for private families. pa. 73 7 Another morning pray pag. 81 8 Another Evening prayer for private families. pa. 87 9 Another morning prayer. page 93 10 Another Evening Prayer. pag. 98 11 Morning prayer for a private person. pa. 104 12 Evening Prayer for a private person. pa. 110 13 A Prayer for a private person, necessary at all times. pa. 118 14 Morning Prayer for the Sabbath day before the hearing of the Word. pa. 127 15 Evening Prayer for the Sabbaoth day. pa. 136 16 A Prayer before the Receiving of the Lords Supper. pa. 144 17 A Prayer after the Receiving of the Lords Supper. pa. 149 18 A Prayer before a man begins the works of his calling. pa. 135 19 A Prayer containing humble confession of sin, and desire of pardon. page 159 20 A godly Prayer in time of sickness or at the point of death. pa. 167 21 A Prayer of Thanksgiving unto God for Deliverance out of any sickness. pa. 173 22 A Prayer for a sick man. pag. 176 23 A Prayer for a woman with Child. pa. 180 24 A Prayer for a Midwife by herself alone. page. 182 25 A Thanksgiving private for the safe deliverance of a woman to be said by the Midwife or some woman present at her Delivery. page 184 26 A Prayer in time of Pestilence, or any other contagious sickness. page 186 27 A Prayer for the King's Majesty & the whole state. page 192 28 A Prayer containing the sum of the Lords Prayer. pa. 199 29 A Prayer upon the Articles of the Creed. page 204 30 A Prayer upon the ten commandments. page 206 31 A Prayer containing the doctrine of the Sacraments. page 210 32 Prayer before meat. page 213 33 Thanksgiving, after meat. page 214 34 Another before meat. page 215 35 Another after meat. page 216 36 Another before meat. page 217 37 Another after meat. page 218 38 Another before meat. page 219 39 Another after meat. page 220 40 Another before meat. page 221 41 Another after meat. pag. 222 42 Godly Directions for the right Receiving of the Lords Supper. page 22● 43 Rules to know true Faith by the fruits thereof. pag. 226 44 Christian exercises necessary to be practised in the course of our lives. page 231 45 Signs of salvation in whomsoever they appear. page 247 46 7. Observations needful to the reverent reading and hearing of the word of God. page 249 FINIS. Faults escaped. IN the Epistle Dedicatory: read period of your timee. And pag. 31. l. 17. read I will fast to pray, and pray to fast.