Scala Sancta: OR THE EXALTATION OF THE Soul Being a Train of Pious Thoughts, Completing the whole duty of Man: or, DEVOTIONS COMPILED by R.A. Gent. in his solitudes▪ London, Printed by T. Snawden, for Gabr, Kunholt, and are to be sold at his shop at the post-office over against the Muse, at the sign of the King's-head, 1678. Scala Sancta: OR THE EXALTATION OF THE SOUL. Being a Train of Pious Thoughts, Completing The whole Duty of Man: OR, DEVOTIONS compiled By R. A. Gent. in his Solitudes. Non 'bove mactatô coelestia numina gaudent Sed quae praestanda est, & sine teste fide. LONDON, Printed by T. Snowden, for Gabr. Kunholt, and are to be sold at his shop at the Post-Office over against the Muse, at the Sign of the King's-Head, 1678. Licenced, William Jane. Nou. 19 1677. TO THE READER. WEre Man self-sufficient and independent, thoughts of this nature would be impertinent and unseasonable; but seeing there are hopes and fears, blessings and curses scattered in this vail of misery, and laid up in heaps against the time of the revelation of the Righteous Judgement of God; how stupid and forlorn must that soul be, which lives without God in the would; though a spacious curtain be drawn over the globe of this Earth; though we cannot perceive the regular motions of the several wheels of Providence, yet in all Estates flourishing or decaying, we ought to confide in, and depend upon his goodness, and power, and wisdom, who is the fountain of all Being's, and the Great Governor of the World; under whose conduct the good man is safe; and to the Throne of whose Grace there may be a fair access, if our prayers are managed aright, in which way I leave thee; and if these following papers can assist thee, bless God for the occasion, which is the End of the Author's Hope in this undertaking. Farewell. To the Honourable Mary Montague, Wife to the Right Honourable Lord chief Baron. Madam, SEeing it is the heart which God alone accepts, as a Sacrifice of retribution, I humbly crave you would be pleased to take a view of the counterpart of my Soul, wherein is set down the joyful correspondency it has had with Heaven; and the rather because joy and immortality, our entrance into the Blessed Mansions above, is the common interest and design of all who appeal to Heaven in the name of Christ: I know your Closet is plentifully stored with holy Ejaculations, that Sacred perfume which sweetens the very breath of the Soul, and is more acceptable to God, than costly odours, the scent of Myrrh and Frankincense, yet these Papers possibly may find entertainment; because they are penned by one whose Soul has been many years travelling that way, and therefore chiefly endeavours to speak the dialect & Language of that Kingdom: no friendship is so strong as that which is contracted by Travellers in this journey; and though I have the honour to have the same blood of R. A's. running in my veins, yet I esteem myself more happy in the beginnings of our Christian alliance and eternal duration of it, when we shall pass from this state of grace to that of glory. How glorious must your entrance be into the Holy Land; for Persons placed in so high a station by holy example command their attendants: & when you enter into the land of promise, your numerous train must follow; in which retinue to be admitted is the humble and hearty Prayer of Madam, Your Ladyship's most humble Servant and Relation. R. A. THE PREFACE. I Chose the Psalms of David for the Platform of my Devotions, because nothing can be supposed more acceptable to God in duties of this nature, than to follow his steps, who was a man after God's own heart. The Original is so well penned, so full and lofty in its expressions, that Cowley, when he gave his censure of the Translators, says, that Shimei hardly reviled David more, than some of them have done. However, I reckon not myself concerned in that charge, seeing I follow the best Translation our Language bears. Were this Book of Psalms duly weighed, and considered, men might find materials for their addresses to Heaven fitted for all states and conditions; as if it were a mirror of the Passages of Humane Life, and comprehended all the desires and offices of a good man. Though David's Composures were elegant and harmonious in their native dress, yet 'twas not the Instrument, but the strings of his heart made the sweetest melody. Nothing is more charming than a soul so well tuned, so well skilled in all the parts of Divine music: Thus we join consort with the harmony of the spheres; we may be assured that the Echo is rebounded with the exultation and Hallelujahs of Heaven itself. CHOICE MEDITATIONS Out of the PSALMIST. SErve the Lord with fear, and rejoice unto him with reverence, 2.11. But know, that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear me when I call upon him, 4.3. Offer the sacrifices of Righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord, v. 5. For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with thee, 5.4. For thou, Lord, wilt bless the Righteous: with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield, 12. God judgeth the Righteous, and God is angry with the Wicked every day. If he turn not, he will whet his Sword, he hath bend his Bow, and made it ready; 7.11, 12. The Wicked shall be turned into Hell, and all the Nations that forget God. For the Needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever, 9.17, 18. The Lord trieth the Righteous; but the Wicked, and him that loveth violence, his Soul hateth. For the Righteous Lord loveth Righteousness, his countenance doth behold the upright, 11.56.7. For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise saith the Lord, I will set him in safety, from him that puffeth at him. The words of the Lord are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace of Earth purified seven times in the fire, 12.5, 6. The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the children of Men, to see if there were any that would understand and seek after God, 14.2. Lord, who shall abide in thy Tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy Hill? He that walketh uprightly and worketh Righteousness, and speaketh the Truth in his Heart, 15.1, 2. In whose eyes a vice person is contemned, but he honoureth them that fear the Lord: he that sweareth to his neighbour, and disappointeth him not. Thou wilt show me the path of Life; in thy presence is the fullness of joy, at thy right hand there is pleasure for evermore, 16.11. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be safe from mine enemies, 18.3. I was upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity: therefore the Lord hath recompensed me according to my Righteousness, and according to the cleanness of mine hand in his eyesight. With the merciful thou shalt show thyself merciful, with an upright man, thou shalt show thyself upright; vers. 23, 24, 25. He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent Man. Great deliverance giveth he to his King, and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his Seed for evermore, vers. 48, 51. The Heavens declare the glory of God; and the Firmament showeth his handiwork, 19.1. The Lord hear thee in the day of Trouble; the Name of the God of Jacob defend thee, 20.1. Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy Counsel, vers. 4. Our Fathers trusted in thee, and thou didst deliver them; 22.4. For he hath not despised, nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither hath he hid his face from him, but when he cried unto him, he heard him, vers. 24. The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall want nothing, 23.1. He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart, who hath not lift up his Soul to vanity, nor sworn deceitfully, 24.4, 5, He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the Lord of his Salvation. Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thy honour dwelleth, 26.8. Wait upon the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord, 27.14. I hate them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the Lord. I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy, for thou hast considered my trouble, thou hast known my Soul in adversities, 31.6, 7. For my life is spent with grief, my strength faileth me because of my Iniquity, and my bones are consumed, vers. 10. Blessed is he whose Transgression is forgiven, and whose Sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not Iniquity, and in whose spirit is no Guile. I acknowledge my Sin unto thee, and mine Iniquities have I not hid: I said, I will confess my Transgression unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my Sin. Be glad in the Lord, o ye Righteous, and rejoice, and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart, 32.1, 2, 5, 11. He loveth Righteousness, and Judgement, the Earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Let all the Earth fear the Lord, let all the Inhabitants of the World stand in awe of him. The Lord looketh from Heaven: he beholdeth all the Sons of Men. Depart from evil and do good, seek Peace, and pursue it. From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the Inhabitants of the Earth. He fashioneth all their hearts alike: he considereth their works. There is nothing saved by the multitude of an Host, neither a mighty man delivered by great strength. Behold, the Eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, and upon them that hope in his mercy: To deliver their Soul from Death, and to keep them alive in Famine, 33.5, 8, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19 I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us extol his Name together. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. The poor cryeth, and the Lord heareth him, and saveth him out of all his troubles. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see how good the Lord is to them that fear him, and trusteth in him. O fear the Lord, ye his Saints, for there is no want to them that fear him. The ●●ons do lack, and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good. Keep thy Tongue from evil, and thy Lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The Eyes of the Lord are over the Righteous, and his Ears open unto their cry. The Face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the Earth. The Righteous cry, and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite Spirit. Many are the troubles of the Righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of all. Evil shall slay the Wicked, and they that hate the Righteous shall be desolate. The Lord redeemeth the Souls of his Servants, and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate, 34.1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22. For he flattereth himself in his own Eye, until his abominable Sins be found to be abominable. For with thee is the fountain of Life: and in thy Light, shall we see Light. O continue thy loving kindness unto them that know thee, and thy righteousness to them that are upright in hea●●● 36.2, 9, 10. Fret not thyself because of the evil doers, neither be envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the Grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and be doing good, so shalt thou dwell in the Land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently upon him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man that bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil: For evil doers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the Land. A little that the Righteous man hath, is better than the riches of the ungodly. The Wicked borroweth and payeth not again, but the Righteous showeth mercy, and giveth. For such as be blessed of God, shall inherit the Land: and they that be cursed of him, shall be cut off. The steps of a good man is blessed of the Lord, and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand, I have been young, and now am old; yet never saw I the Righteous forsaken, nor their seed begging their Bread. He is ever merciful, and dareth, and his Seed is blessed. Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the Land; when the Wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. I have seen the Wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay-tree; Yet he passeth away, and lo, he was gone: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace. The Salvation of the Righteous is of the Lord, he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them from the Wicked, and save them, because they put their trust in him. 37.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40. For in thee O Lord do I hope thou wilt hear, O Lord my God, 38.15. I said, I will take heed to my ways that I offend not with my Tongue: I will keep my mouth with a Bridle, while the Wicked is before me. Behold, thou hast made my days as an hand breath, and my days are as nothing before thee: verily, every man at his best state is altogether vanity, Selah. When thou with rebuke doth chasten man for Sin, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth fretting a Garment, surely every man is vanity, Selah. 39.1, 5, 11. Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his Trust: and respecteth not the proud, nor such as go about with lies, 40.4. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon the Earth, and thou wilt not deliver him to the will of his Enemies, 41.2. As the Hart panteth after the Water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O my God. Why art thou cast down O my Soul, and why art thou so disquieted within me? hope thou in God, for I will yet praise him, for the light of his countenance, 42.5. God is my refuge and my strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will I not fear, though the Earth be moved, and the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea, 46.1, 2. For the Lord most high is terrible, he is a great King over all the Earth, 47.2. Hear this all ye People, give ear all ye Inhabitants of the Earth, 49.1. The mighty God, even the Lord hath spoken, and called the Earth from the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same. For every Beast of the Forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand Hills. I know all the Fowls upon the Mountains, and the wild Beasts of the Fields are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee, for the World is mine, and the fullness thereof. Call upon me in time of trouble, I will hear thee, and thou shalt glorify me. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit, 50.10, 11, 12, 15, 19 Thy Tongue deviseth mischief, like a sharp Razor; thou lovest evil, more than good; and Lying rather than to speak Righteousness, Selah. But I am like a green Olive-tree in the House of my God. I trust in the mercy of God, for ever and ever, 52.2, 3, 8. It was thou mine own familiar Friend, my guide, and my acquaintance, that hath done me this dishonour. Cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the Righteous to be moved. But thou, O Lord, shalt bring them down into the pit of Destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days, but I will trust in thee O Lord, 55.13, 22, 23. In God I will praise his Word, in God I have put my trust, I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the Righteous to be moved. But, O Lord, thou shalt bring them to the pit of Destruction: bloody and deceitful men, shall not live out half their days, but I will trust in thee. In God will I praise his Word, in God I have put my Trust, I will not fear what Flesh can do unto me. When I cry unto thee, then shall mine Enemies turn their Back: this I know, for God is for me, in God have I put my trust, I will not be afraid what man can do unto me, 56.4, 9, 11. Truly my Soul waiteth upon God, for of him cometh my Salvation. He only is my Rock and my Salvation: he is my defence, so that I shall not greatly be moved. Trust not in oppression, and in Robbery: if Riches increase, set not your heart upon them. God hath spoken once, twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto God. Also unto thee O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou rendrest to every man according to his Works, 62.1, 2, 10, 11, 12. He Ruleth by his Power for ever, his eyes behold the Nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves, Selah. O bless our God, ye People, and make the voice of his praise to be heard. For thou, O God, hast proved, thou hast tried us, even as Silver is tried. Sing forth the honour of his Name, make his praise glorious, 66.2, 7, 8, 10. He is a Father of the Fatherless, and Judge of the Widows. God is in his holy Habitation. He that is our God, is the God of our Salvation: and unto God, belongeth the issues from Death, 68.5, 20. The humble shall see this and be glad, and your Soul shall live that seek God. For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his Prisoners, 69.32, 33. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the Souls of the needy. He shall redeem their Souls from deceit and violence, and precious shall their Blood be in his sight, 72.13, 14. The Prosperity of the Wicked; they are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued like other Men, therefore pride compasseth them about as a Chain, violence covereth them as a Garment. Their Eyes stand out with fatness, they have more than heart can wish. My Flesh and my Heart faileth, but God is the strength of my Heart, and my portion for ever. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places, thou castest them down into Destruction. How are they brought into Desolation, as in a moment they are utterly consumed with terrors. But it is good for me to draw near unto God, I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works, 37.6, 18, 19, 26, 28. All the horns of the wicked will I cut off, but the horns of the Righteous shall be exalted, 5.10. Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercy? Selah. 77.8, 9 Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth: so fire was kindled against Jacob, and his anger also came up against Israel. Because they believed not in God: and trusted not in his Salvation. Give ear O my people, to my Laws, incline your Ears to the words of my Mouth. That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the work of God, but to keep his Commandments, 78.1, 7, 21, 22. The Wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel. For all this they sinned still, and believed not for all his wondrous Works. But he being full of compassion, forgave all their Iniquities, and destroyed them not; yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his Wrath. For he remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passed and cometh not again, 78.31, 32, 38, 39 God standeth in the Congregation of the Mighty: he judgeth among the Gods. Defend the Poor and Fatherless: do Justice to the Afflicted and Needy. Deliver the Poor and Needy out of the hand of the Wicked, 82.1, 3, 4. Thou hast forgiven the Iniquity of thy People, thou hast covered all their Sins. Thou hast taken away all thy Wrath: thou hast turned thyself from thy fierce anger. Turn us O God of our Salvation, and cause thine anger to cease from us, 85.2, 3, 4. Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good, and our Land shall give her increase, vers. 12. For thou O Lord art good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in Mercy unto all them that call upon thee. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. For great is thy mercy towards me, for thou hast delivered my Soul from the lowest Hell. For thou O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious: long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth, 86.5, 7, 13, 15. Thy Wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy Waves and Storms. But unto thee have I cried O Lord, in the morning shall my Prayer prevent thee, 88.7, 13. Thou rulest the raging of the Sea, when the Waves thereof arise, thou stillest them. The Heavens are thine, the Earth also is thine: as for the World and the fullness thereof, thou hast founded them. For the Lord is our defence, and the holy One of Israel is our King. His Seed also will he make to endure for ever: and his Throne as the days of Heaven. If his Children forsake my Law, and walk in my Judgements: If they will break my Statutes, and keep not my Commandments: Then will I visit their Transgressions with the Rod, and their Iniquities with stripes. Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him: nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not fail David. His Seed shall endure for ever, and his Throne as the Sun before me. How long Lord, wilt thou hide thyself, for ever? shall thy Wrath burn like fire, 89.9, 11, 18, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 46. O satisfy us early with thy mercy, that we may rejoice, and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us: and the year wherein we have seen evil. 90, 14, 15. Only with thine Eyes thou shalt behold, and see the reward of the Wicked. There shall no evil befall thee, neither any Plague come near thy dwelling. He shall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy Foot against a Stone. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him, and honour him. With long Life will I satisfy him, and show him my Salvation, 91.8, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16. Lord, how long, how long shall the Wicked triumph? The Lord knoweth the thoughts of Man, they are but vain. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy Law. For the Lord will not cast off his People: neither will he cast off his Inheritance. When I said, my Foot slipped, thy mercy O Lord held me up. In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my Soul. My Lord is my defence: and my God is the Rock of my refuge, 94.3, 11, 12, 14, 18, 19, 22. Come let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, 95.6. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye Righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness, 97.12. Let them praise thy great and terrible Name, for it is holy, 99.3. I will behave myself wisely, with a perfect heart, O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my House with a perfect heart. A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person. Whoso privily slandreth his Neighbour, him will I destroy: him that hath a high look, and a proud heart, I will not suffer; my Eyes shall be upon the faithful in the Land, they shall dwell with me. He that walketh in a perfect way, he shall be my Servant. He that worketh deceit, shall not dwell in my House: He that telleth Lies, shall not tarry in my sight I will early destroy all the wicked of the Land, that may cut off all the wicked doers from the City of the Lord, 101.2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. For he hath looked down from the height of his Sanctuary, from Heaven did the Lord behold the Earth: To hear the groaning of the Prisoners, to lose those that are appointed to death, 102.19, 20. Bless the Lord O my Soul, and all that is with me bless his holy Name. Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits. Who forgiveth all their iniquity: who healeth all thy Diseases. For as the Heaven is above all the Earth, so great is his mercy towards them that fear him. The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our Sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquity. As far as the East is from the West, so far hath he set our Sins from us. Like as the Father pitieth his Children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame, he remembreth we are dust, 103.1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. As to the Seas thou hast set bounds that they pass not over: that they turn not again to cover the Earth. O Lord, how manifold are thy Works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the Earth is full of thy riches. So is this great and wide Sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great Beasts, 104.9, 24, 25. Glory ye in his holy Name: Let the Heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord and his strength: seek his face evermore. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgements of his mouth. He is the Lord our God, his judgements are in all the world. And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a Law, and unto Israel for an everlasting Covenant. Saying, unto thee will I give the Land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance. He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved Kings for their sakes: Saying, touch not my Anointed, and do my Prophets no harm. Moreover, he called for a Famine upon the Land: he broke the whole Staff of Bread. He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a Servant. Whose feet they hurt with fetters, he was laid in Iron. Until that time the Word came, the Word of the Lord tried him. The King came and loosed him: even the Ruler of the People, and let him go free. Israel also came out of Egypt, and Jacob sojourned in the Land of Ham. He turned their Water into Blood, and slew their Fish. Their Land brought forth Frogs in abundance, in the Chamber of their King. He spoke, and there came divers sorts of Flies, and Lice in all their Coasts. He opened their Rocks, and the Water gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a River, 105.3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 29, 30, 31, 41. Our Fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt, neither remembered the great multitude of thy Mercies, but provoked him at the Sea, even at the Red-Sea. He rebuked the Red-sea also, and it was dried up: so led them through the depths as through the Wilderness. And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them: and redeemed them from the hand of the Enemy. The waves covered their Enemies: there was none of them left. And a Fire was kindled in their company, the flame burned up the Wicked. Therefore he said he would destroy them, had not Moses stood before them in the breach, to turn away his Wrath lest he should destroy them. Yea, they despised that pleasant Land, they believed not his Word. But murmured in their Tents, and harkened not unto the voice of the Lord. Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the Wilderness. Thus they provoked him to anger, with their inventions, and the Plague bark in upon them. Then stood up Phineas, and so the Plague ceased. They angered him also at the Waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sake. They served their Idols which were a snare unto them. And shed innocent Blood, even the blood of their Sons and of their Daughters, whom they Sacrificed unto the Idols of Canaan, and the Land was polluted with Blood. Thus were they defiled with their own Works, and went a Whoring with their own inventions. Therefore was the Wrath of God kindled against his People, insomuch that he abhorred his own Inheritance. Nevertheless, he regarded their affliction when he heard their cry. And he remembered them for his Covenant, and repented him according to the multitude of his Mercies. He made them also to be pitied of them that carried them away Captive, 106.7, 9, 10, 18, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 32, 36, 38, 39, 44, 45, 46. Blessed are they that keep Judgement, and he that doth Righteousness at all times, 106.3. They hunger and thirst, their Soul fainteth in them. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. O that Man would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful Works to the Children of Men. For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distress. Fools, because of their Transgressions, and because of their Iniquities are afflicted. And a fruitful Land is turned into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. He turneth the Wilderness into a standing Water, and dry ground into Water-springs. The Righteous shall see it and rejoice, and all Iniquity shall stop her mouth. Whoso is wise, and will observe those things, shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord, 107.5, 6, 8, 9, 13, 14, 17, 33, 35, 42, 43. For thy Mercy is greater than the Heavens, and thy Truth reacheth unto the Clouds. O help us against the Enemy, for vain is the help of Man. Through God we shall do great Acts, for vain is the help of Man, 108.4, 12.13. I will give thanks unto the Lord, with my whole heart secretly among the Faithful, and in the Congregation. His work is worthy to be praised, and in honour, and his Righteousness endureth for ever. The merciful and gracious Lord hath so done his marvellous works, that they ought to be had in remembrance. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom, a good understanding have all they that do his Commandments; his praise endureth for ever, 111.1, 3, 4, 10. Blessed is the Man that feareth the Lord, he hath great delight in his Commandments. Riches and plenteousness shall be in his House, and his Righteousness endureth for ever. Unto the godly there ariseth Light in the Darkness, he is Merciful, Loving, and Righteous: A good man is merciful and dareth, and will guide his Words with discretion, he will not be afraid of any evil tiding. His heart standeth fast, and believeth in the Lord. His heart is Established, and will not shrink, until he seeth his desire upon his Enemies. He hath dispersed and given to the Poor, and his Righteousness remaineth for ever. His Horn shall be exalted with Honour, 121.1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 He maketh the Barren Woman to keep house, and to be a joyful Mother of Children, 113.8 verse. Tremble thou Earth at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, 114.7. As for our God he is in Heaven, he hath done whatsoever pleased him, but thou House of Israel, put thou thy trust in the Lord, he is their helper and defence; ye that fear the Lord, he is their helper and defender, he shall preserve them that fear the Lord, both small and great, 115.3, 9, 11, 13. The Lord hath inclined his Ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. I shall find trouble and heaviness, and I shall call upon the Name of the Lord. O Lord I beseech thee deliver my Soul. Gracious is the Lord and righteous; yea, our God is merciful; the Lord preserveth the simple; I was in misery, and he helped me; I will offer unto thee the sacrifice of Thanksgiving: and call upon the Name of the Lord, 116.4, 5, 6, 15. It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in Man: it is better to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in Princes; the Lord is on my side, I will not fear what Man can do unto me; thou art my God, I will praise thee; thou art my God, I will thank thee, O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious, and his Mercy endureth for ever, 118.6, 8, 9, 28, 29. thou hast charged that we should diligently keep thy Commandments; wherewithal shall a young Man cleanse his way, even by ruling himself after thy word; teach me, O Lord, the way of thy Statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end; O give me understanding, and I shall keep thy Law; yea, I shall keep it with my whole heart; O turn away my eyes, lest they behold vanities, and quicken thou me in thy way; O establish thy word in thy Servant, that I may fear thee; O think upon thy Servant as concerning thy word, wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust; the same is my comfort in my trouble; for thy word hath quickened me: O Lord thou hast dealt graciously according to thy word; before I was troubled I went wrong; but now I have kept thy word, thou art good and gracious; O teach me thy Statutes: O let my heart be sound in thy Statutes that I be not ashamed; quicken me after thy loving kindness, and so shall I keep the Testimonies of thy mouth: O how sweet are thy words unto my Taste, yea sweeter than Honey unto my Mouth; through thy Commandments I get understanding, therefore I hate all wicked ways; let the freewill offerings of my mouth please thee; O Lord, teach me thy Judgements: O establish me according to thy word that I may live, and let me not be disappointed of my hope; hold thou me up, and I shall be safe; yea my delight shall ever be in thy Statutes; O deal with thy Servant according to thy loving Mercy, and teach me thy Statutes; order my steps in thy word, so shall no wickedness have Dominion over me; O deliver me from the wrongful dealing of Men, so shall I keep thy Commandments; Righteous art thou O Lord, and true in thy Judgement; I call with my whole heart, O Lord, hear me, I will keep thy Statutes: Early in the Morning, O Lord, do I cry unto thee, for in thy Word is my trust: hear my voice, O Lord, according to thy loving kindness: quicken me as thou art wont, Psalm 119. O consider my Adversary and deliver me, for I do not forget thy Law; I am as glad of thy word as one that findeth great spoils; great is the grace that they have which love thy Law, and they are not offended at it; I have kept thy Commandments and Testimonies, for they are not offended at it: O let my Soul live, and it shall praise thee, and thy Judgements shall help me; I have gone astray like a Sheep that is lost; O seek thy Servant for I do not forget thy Commandment, when I was in trouble I called upon the Lord, and he heard me, my help cometh even from the Lord which hath made Heaven and Earth; the Lord shall preserve my going out and my coming in, from this time forth, and for evermore, 120.1.121.2, 8. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the Heavens, 123.1. They that put their trust in the Lord shall be even as Mount Zion, which may not be removed, but standeth fast for ever; the Hill standeth about Jerusalem; even so standeth the Lord round about his people from this time forth, and for evermore, 125.1, 2. If thou, O Lord, be extreme to mark what is done amiss; O Lord, who may abide it? there is mercy with thee, therefore shalt thou be feared, O Israel, trust in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous Redemption, and he shall redeem Israel from all their sins, 130.3, 4, 7, 8. the Lord hath made a faithful oath unto David, and he shall not shrink from it; if they will keep my Covenant and my Testimony, that I shall learn them, their Children also shall sit upon thy seat for evermore, 132.11, 13. Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity; for the Lord promises his blessing and life for evermore, 133.1, 4. Lift up your hand in the Sanctuary, and praise the Lord, 134.3. whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in Heaven, and in Earth, in the Sea, and in all deep places; thy Name, O Lord, endureth for ever; so doth thy Memorial, O Lord, from one Generation to another, for the Lord will avenge his people, and be gracious unto his Servants, 135.6, 16, 14. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious, and his mercy endureth for ever, 136.1. O Lord, thou hast searched me out and known me; thou knowest my down-sitting, and my uprising; thou understandest my thoughts long before; thou art about my path, and about my bed, and spyest out all my ways: for lo, there is not a word in my Tongue, but thou, O Lord, knowest it altogether: try me, O Lord, and seek the ground of my heart; prove me, and examine my thoughts; look well if there be any way of Wickedness in me, and lead me in the way everlasting, 139.1, 2, 3, 23, 24. O Lord God thou strength of my health, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle, sure I am, the Lord will avenge the poor, and maintain the cause of the helpless, the Righteous also shall give thanks unto thy Name, and the Just shall continue in thy sight, 140.7, 12, 13. Lord I call upon thee, haste thee unto me, and consider my voice when I cry unto thee, O let not my heart be inclined to any evil thing, let me not be occupied in any ungodly work, with the Men that work wickedness, lest I eat of such things as please them, 141.1, 4. I poured out my complaint before him, and showed him of my trouble; when my Spirit was in heaviness, thou knewest my path; in the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me, 142.2, 3. Hear my Prayer, O Lord, and consider my desire; harken unto me, O Lord, for thy Truth and Righteousness sake; teach me to do the thing that is right, for thou art my God; let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the Land of Righteousness, 143.1, 10. The Lord is loving unto every Man, and his mercy is over all his works; great is the Lord and marvellous, worthy to be praised; there is no end of his greatness; the Lord upholdeth all such as fall, and lifteth up all those that be down; the eyes of all wait upon thee, O Lord, and thou givest them Meat in due season; thou openest thine hand, and fillest all things living with plenteousness; the Lord is Righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works; the Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him; yea, all such as call upon him faithfully; he will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he also will hear them, and will help them, 145.3, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 O praise the Lord, for it is a good thing to sing praise unto our God; yea, a joyful and a pleasant thing it is to be thankful; he healeth those that are broken in heart, and giveth Medicine to heal their sickness; he telleth the number of the Stars, and calleth them all by their Names; great is our Lord, and great is his power; yea, his Wisdom is infinite, which giveth fodder to the Cattle, and feedeth the young Ravens that call upon him; but the Lords delight is in them that put their trust in his mercy, 147.1, 3, 4, 5, 9, 11. For the Lord hath pleasure in his people, and helpeth the meek hearted, 149.4. O praise God in his Holiness, praise him in the Firmament of his Power; Praise him in his noble Acts; praise him according to his excellent greatness; let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord, 150.1, 2, 6. O Lord, let the Words of my Mouth and the Meditations of my Heart be now, and evermore acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. A Prayer for the Morning. HEar me when I call O God of my Salvation; for thou hast set me at liberty when I was in trouble; have mercy upon me, and hearken to my Prayers; Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me; ponder my Words O Lord: O Lord consider my Meditations, O harken thou unto the words of my calling, my King and my God; for unto thee will I make my Prayer; my Voice shalt thou hear betimes in the Morning: O Lord, early in the morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee, and will look up, for thou art the God that hast no pleasure in Wickedness, neither shall any evil dwell with thee. Led me O Lord in thy Righteousness, because of my Enemies; make my way plain before my face; Let all them that put their trust in thee rejoice; they shall ever be giving of thanks, because thou defendest them: they that love thy Name, shall be joyful in thee. O Lord rebuke me not in thine Indignation, neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord heal me, for my bones are vexed; my soul also is sore troubled; how long wilt thou punish me? turn thee O Lord, and deliver my Soul, and save me for thy mercy's sake; my Beauty is gone for very trouble, and worn away because of all mine Enemies. The Lord hath heard my Petition; the Lord will receive my Prayer: O let the wickedness of the Ungodly come to an end, but guide thou the Just; my help cometh of God, which preserveth them that are true of heart. I will give thanks unto the Lord, according to his Righteousness, and will pray in the Name of the Lord, the most High: have mercy upon me O Lord, consider the trouble which I suffer of them that hate me; thou that liftest me up from the gates of death: Why standest thou so far off (O Lord) and hidest thy face in the needful time of trouble? Arise (O Lord God) lift up thine head, forget not the poor. How long wilt thou forget me O Lord, for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? Harken unto my voice O Lord, when I cry unto thee; have mercy upon me, and hear me. O hide not thou thy face from me, nor cast thy Servant away in displeasure: thou hast been my succour, leave me nor, neither forsake me, O God of my Salvation. O Son of Righteousness, who comest from the bosom of thy Father, the Fountain of Glory and Light, to enlighten the darkness of the World. I praise thy Name, for that thou hast preserved me from the dangers of this Night: and continued still the opportunities of serving thee, and advancing my hopes of a blessed Eternity. Let thy mercy shine brightly, and dissipate the Clouds and Darkness of my Spirit and Understanding: rectify my Affections, and purify my Will and all my Actions, that whatsoever I shall do or suffer this day, or in my whole Life, my Word and purposes and thoughts, may be Sanctified and acceptable to thy Divine Majesty: And all this I beg for thy mercy's sake, Amen. A Collect. ALmighty and everlasting God, who dost govern all things both in Heaven and in Earth, mercifully hear the Supplications of thy Servant, and grant me thy Grace all the days of my Life, and Peace through Jesus Christ my only Lord and Saviour, Amen. The Second Collect. ALmighty and Everlasting God, mercifully look upon mine Infirmities, and in all my dangers and necessities, stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend me, through Jesus Christ my Lord, Amen. A Prayer for a penitent Person for Remission of his sins. HOw long shall I seek Counsel in my Soul, and be so vexed in my heart? how long shall my Enemy's triumph over me? consider and hear me, O Lord my God; lighten my eyes that I sleep not in Death, lest mine Enemies say, we have prevailed against him: If I be cast down, they that trouble me will rejoice at me, but my trust is in thy Mercy, and my Heart is joyful in thy Salvation; I will sing of the Lord because he hath dealt so lovingly with me; yea, I will praise the Lord most high. Preserve me, O God, for in thee have I put my trust; O hold up my going in thy path, that my footstep slides not; I have called upon thee, O God, for thou shalt hear me; incline thine Ears unto me, and hearken unto my words; show thy marvellous loving kindness unto me, thou that art the Saviour of them that put their trust in thee, from such that resist thy right hand; keep me as the Apple of thy Eye; hide me under the shadow of thy wing from the ungodly that trouble me; mine enemies compass me round about, to take away my Soul, disappoint him and cast him down; deliver my Soul from the ungodly, which is a Sword of thine; I will call upon the Lord which is worthy to be praised, so shall I be safe from mine enemies; in my trouble I will call upon the Lord, and complain unto my God, so shall he hear my voice out of his holy Temple; my complaint shall come before him, it shall enter even into his Ear; the Lord shall reward me after my Righteous dealing, and according to the cleanness of my hand shall he recompense me; but Lord deal not with me according to my sins, neither reward me after mine Iniquities; who can tell how oft he offendeth? O cleanse thou me from my secret sins, keep thy Servant also from presumptuous sins, lest they get the Dominion over me, so shall I be undefiled and innocent from the great offence; save Lord, and hear me, O King of Heaven when I call upon thee; the Lord is my Shepherd, therefore shall I lack nothing, but be not thou far from me; O Lord thou art my succour, haste thee to help me; unto thee, O Lord, will I lift up my Soul; my God, I have put my trust in thee, let me not be confounded, neither let mine enemy's triumph over me; show me thy ways, O Lord, and teach me thy paths: lead me forth in thy Truth, and learn me, for thou art the God of my Salvation, in thee hath been my hope all the day long: call to remembrance, O Lord, thy tender mercy, and thy loving kindness which hath been ever of old: O remember not the sins and offences of my youth, but according to thy mercy think upon me, O Lord, for thy goodness, for thy Name sake; O Lord, be merciful to my sin, for it is great; turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me, for I am desolate and in misery, the sorrows of my heart is enlarged: O bring thou me out of my trouble; look upon my adversity and misery, and forgive me all my sins; consider mine enemies how many they are that bear a tyrannous heart against me; O keep my Soul and deliver me; let me not be surrounded, for I have put my trust in thee; let perfect and righteous dealing wait upon me, for my hope hath been in thee; deliver Israel, O God, out of all his troubles; be thou my Judge, O Lord, for I have walked innocently; my trust hath been also in the Lord, therefore shall I not fall; examine me, O Lord, and prove me: try out my Reins and Heart, for thy loving kindness is always before mine eyes; and I will walk in thy Truth: But as for me, I will walk innocently: O Lord, deliver me, and be merciful unto me; harken unto my voice, O Lord, when I call unto thee; have mercy upon me, and hear me: my heart hath talked of thee; seek ye my face, thy face, Lord, will I seek; O hide not thou thy face from me, nor cast away thy Servant in displeasure; thou hast been my succour, leave me not, nor forsake me, O God of my Salvation; teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in the right way, because of mine enemies: Hear the voice of mine humble petitions when I cry unto thee: when I hold up mine hand towards thy mercy Seat, of thy Holy Temple; O pluck me not away, neither destroy me with the ungodly and wicked doers, which speak friendly to their Neighbours, but imagine mischief in their hearts: Save thy people, and give thy blessing to thine Inheritance; feed them and set them up for ever: I will magnify thee, O Lord, for thou hast set me up, and made my foes to triumph over me; O Lord my God, I cry unto thee, and thou hast healed me: Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me; Lord be thou my helper, O most merciful God, whose property is always to have Mercy, and to forgive; behold with the eyes of thy pity, and compassion, the state of thy humble Servant, made most miserable by reason of my sins; hear the voice of my weeping; pity my groaning; strengthen me, for I am weak, for my bones are vexed, and deliver my Soul from Death; that being saved from the bottomless pit, I may give thanks to thy Holy Name; O turn from the severity of thy displeasure, and visit me with thy mercy and salvation, for all my sins procure great sorrow and contrition, and in my sickness let thy comfort sustain me, through Jesus Christ my Lord, Amen. The Collect. O God, who knowest me to be set in so many great dangers, that by reason of the Frailty of Man, I cannot always stand upright, grant to me such strength and protection, that may support me in all dangers, and carry me through all Temptations, through Jesus Christ my only Lord and Saviour. Amen. Another. ALmighty and Everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all them that be penitent; create and make in me a new and contrite Heart, that I may worthily (lamenting my sins, and acknowledging my wretchedness) obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. A Confession of sins, and a Prayer for pardon. IN thee, O Lord, have I put my trust, let me never be put to confusion; deliver me in thy Righteousness: bow down thine Ear to hear me, make haste to deliver me; be thou my strong Rock and the house of Defence, that thou mayest save me, for thou art my strong Rock, and Castle; be thou also my guide, and hear me for thy mercy sake: draw me out of the Net that they have privily laid for me, for thou art my strength; into thy hand I commend my Spirit, for thou hast redeemed me; O Lord, thou God of truth, have mercy upon me; O Lord, for I am in trouble: mine eyes are consumed for very heaviness, yea my soul and my body; for my life waxeth old with heaviness, and my years with mourning; my strength failed me, because of mine iniquity, and my bones, but my hope hath been in thee. O Lord, I have said thou art my God; show thy Servant the light of thy countenance, and save me for thy mercy's sake; I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, his Prayers shall ever be in my Mouth: O continue forth thy loving kindness unto them that fear thee, and thy Righteousness unto them that are true of Heart; put me not to rebuke, O Lord, in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure; for thine Arrows stick fast in me, and thine hand presseth me sore; forsake me not, O Lord my God, be not thou far from me, haste thee to help me, O Lord God of my Salvation; take away thy Plague from me, for I am consumed by the means of pain, Hear my Prayers, O Lord, and with thine Ears, consider my calling: hold not thy peace at my tears: O Lord, spare me for thy mercy sake, that I may recover my strength, before I go hence, and be no more seen; withhold not thou thy mercy from me; save me for thy Mercy sake; let thy loving kindness and thy truth always preserve me: O Lord let it be thy pleasure to deliver me; make haste, O Lord, to help me; let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my Soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to rebuke that wish me evil; let all those that seek thee, be joyful and glad in thee; and let such as love thy Salvation, say always, the Lord be praised; thou art my helper and my Redeemer: make no long tarrying, O my God; O Lord, be merciful unto me, heal my Soul, for I have sinned against thee; be merciful unto me, O Lord, raise thou me again, because my trust is in thy mercy; by this I know thou favourest me, that my enemies do not triumph over me: like as the Hart desireth the Water-brooks, so longeth my Soul after thee, O God; my Soul is a thirst for God; yea, even for the living God; when I shall come and appear before the presence of God; God is my hope and my strength, a very present help in trouble; the Lord of Hosts is with me; the God of Jacob is my refuge; call upon me in time of trouble, so will I hear, and thou shalt praise me: O Lord open thou my Lips, that my Mouth may set forth thy praise: Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness, according to the multitude of thy mercy, do away mine offences; wash me throughly from my wickedness, and make me clean from my sins, for I acknowledge my fault, and my sin is ever before me; against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, that thou mightest be justified in thy saying, and clear when thou judgest; thou shalt purge me with Hyssop, and I shall be clean: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than Snow; thou▪ shalt make me hear of joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice: O give me the comfort of thy help again, and establish me with thy free Spirit; make me a clean Heart, O God, and renew a right Spirit within me; cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me: O be favourable and gracious unto Zion, and build thou the Walls of Jerusalem: Save me, O God, for thy Name sake, and avenge me in thy strength; hear my Prayers, O God, and hearken unto the words of my Mouth; behold, God is my helper; the Lord is with them that uphold my Soul: O Lord God Eternal, Judge of Men and Angels, whose property is always to have mercy, and to forgive: have mercy upon me, who confess my sins unto thee, to be so great and many, that were not thy mercy infinite, I might despair of having my unrighteousness forgiven, or misery covered: O dear God, preserve me from the great Plague that remains for the ungodly, and let thy mercy embrace me, on every side: impute not unto me the sins I have multiplied against thee, and against all the World: for I have been like to a Horse and Mule, without understanding; brutish in my passion, sensual in my affections, of unbridled heats and distemperatures, but thy Mercy is as infinite as thyself: O let not thy hand be heavy upon me, but forgive the wickedness of my sin, and compass me about with songs of deliverance; then shall I be glad and rejoice in thee, O Lord, who art become my mighty Saviour, and most merciful Redeemer Jesus. Amen. The Collect. ALmighty God, give me Grace that I cast away the work of darkness, and put upon me the Armour of Light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise in the Life Immortal; through him who liveth and Reigneth with thee, and the Holy Ghost, now and for ever. Amen. A Prayer that we may despise perishing riches, and put our trust in God only. HEar my Prayer, O God, and hide not thyself, from my petition; take heed unto me, and hear me, how I mourn in my Prayer, and am vexed; as for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me: O cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall nourish thee, and shall not suffer the Righteous to fall for ever; whensoever I call upon thee, then shall mine enemies be put to flight: this I know, for God is on my side; in God's word will I rejoice; in the Lord's word will I comfort me: yea, in God have I put my trust; I will not be afraid what Man can do unto me: be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me, for my Soul trusteth in thee, and under the shadow of thy Wing shall be my refuge until this Tyranny be overpast: deliver me, from mine enemies, O God: defend me from them that rise up against me; deliver me from wicked doers, and save me from blood thirsty Men; my strength I will ascribe unto thee, for thou art the God of my Refuge: God showeth me his goodness plenteously, and God will let me see my desire upon mine enemy; unto thee, O God of my strength will I sing; for thou, O God, art my Refuge, and my merciful God: O be thou my help in trouble, for vain is the help of Man: Hear my crying, O God, and give ear unto my Prayer, he truly is my health and my Salvation; he is my defence, so that I shall not greatly fall: in God is my strength and my glory, the Rock of my Might: in God is my trust, O put your trust in him always: ye people, pour out your hearts before him, for God is my hope: Hear my voice, O God, in my Prayer; preserve my Life for fear of the Enemy: Turn me from the gathering together of the froward, and from the insurrection of wicked doers: if I incline unto wickedness with my heart, the Lord will not hear me: O God, be merciful unto me, and bless me, and show me the light of thy countenance, and be merciful unto me: Hear me, O my God, in the multitude of thy mercy; even in the truth of thy salvation. Hear me, O Lord, for thy loving kindness is comfortable; turn thee unto me, according to the multitude of thy mercies, O Lord Jesus thou only Redeemer of Souls; who by thy death and passion, deliveredst me from the place of Hell: give me grace to put my whole trust in thee, and in the riches of thy Mercy and loving kindness; always remembering my end, the vanity and shortness of my Life, and the certainty of my departure: O teach me to despise the World and worldly things, and to lay my treasure up in Heaven by Charity, and actions of Religion, that while I live here, I may have my Conversation in Heaven; by love, by hope, and by desire; that my beauty shall consume in the Sepulchre out of my Earthly dwellings, I may be received into Everlasting habitations, always to enjoy thee, who livest and Reignest, Eternal God, World without end. Amen. The Collect. O Lord God, who seest that I 〈◊〉 not my trust in any thing that I do, mercifully grant that by thy power I may be defended against all adversity, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. Another Collect. O Lord, who hast taught me, that all my doings without Charity, is nothing worth, send thy holy Ghost, and pour it into my heart, that most excellent gift of Charity, the very bond of peace, and all virtue, without which whosoever liveth is counted dead before thee; grant this for thine only Son Jesus Christ sake. Amen. A Prayer for pardon of sins, and restitution of God's favour. Hid not thy face from thy servant, for I am in trouble. O haste thee, O God, to deliver me. Make haste to deliver me, O Lord. Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul. Let them be turned backward, and put to confusion that wish me evil. Let all those that seek thee be joyful and glad in thee; and let all those that delight in thy salvation, say always, The Lord be praised, for me, I am poor and in misery, haste thee unto me, O my God, thou art my helper and my Redeemer, O Lord, make no long tarrying: in thee, O Lord have I put my trust, let me never be put to confusion, but help me, and deliver me in thy Righteousness; incline thine Ear unto me and save me; be thou my strong hold, whereunto I may always resort: thou hast promised to help me, for thou art my house of defence, and my Castle: deliver me, O my God out of the hand of ungodly men, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man; for thou O God art the thing that I long for, for thou art my hope even from my youth; through thee have I been holpen up; ever since I was born thou art he that took me out of my Mother's womb, my praise shall be always of thee: O let my mouth be filled with thy praise, that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long. O cast me not away in the time of age. Forsake me not when my strength faileth me. Go not far from me, O my God; O God, haste thee to help me. Forsake me not, O my God, when I am gray-headed, until I have shown thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to all them that are yet for to come. What great trouble and adversity hast thou showed me, and yet didst thou turn and refresh me, yea and broughtest me from the depth of the Earth again. O let not the simple go away ashamed, but let the poor and needy give praise unto thy name. O remember not my old sins, but have mercy upon me, and that right soon; for I am come to great misery, help me, O God of my salvation, for the glory of thy Name. O deliver me, and be merciful unto my sins, for thy Names sake. Turn us, O God of our salvation. Show the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole. O God of Hosts, how long wilt thou be angry with thy people that pray. O most merciful God, who art great, and the multitudes of thy mercies are innumerable, Have mercy upon me, for my sins are before me presented by the continual accusations of a troubled conscience. I have sinned against thee, and done evil in thy sight, and yet because thou art the God of mercy, and fountain of eternal life, delighting in the conversion and salvation of a sinner, I present unto thee the sacrifice of a troubled spirit, of a broken and a contrite heart; beseeching thee to let the dew of thy favour, and the fire of thy love wash away my sins, and purify my soul. Make me a clean heart, O God, and pure hands, though my sins be as scarlet, yet make them like wool; though they be as purple, yet make them as white as snow. Restore the voice of joy and gladness unto me: Let me not be ever separated from the sweet refresh of thy favour and presence, but give me the comforts of thy help again, and let thy free Spirit lose me from the bondage of sin, and establish me in the freedom and liberty of the Sons of God, so shall I sing of thy Righteousness, and my Lips shall give thee praise in the Congregations of thy Redeemed ones; now, henceforth, and for evermore. Amen. The Collect. ALmighty and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, and dost forgive the Sins of all them that be penitent; create and make in me a new and contrite Heart, that I may worthily lament my Sins, and acknowledge my Wickedness, that I may obtain of thee, the God of all comfort, perfect Remission and forgiveness, through Jesus Christ my Lord, Amen. Another Collect. ALmighty God, who through thy only Son Jesus Christ, hast overcome Death, and opened unto us the Gate of Everlasting Life: I humbly beseech thee, that as by thy special grace preventing us, thou dost put in our Minds good desires, so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who Liveth, and Reigneth with thee, and the Holy Ghost, ever one God; world without end. Amen. A Prayer that we may trust, in God, only in all our trouble. TUrn again thou God of Hosts, look down from Heaven; behold and visit thy Servant. O Lord God of Hosts, hear my Prayers, harken O God of Jacob, behold, O God my defender, and look upon the face of thine Anointed; O Lord God of Hosts, blessed is the Man that putteth his Trust in thee: Turn thou me O God of my Saviour, and let thine Anger cease from me. Show me thy mercy O Lord, and grant me thy Salvation. Bow down thine ear, O Lord, and hear me, for I am poor and in misery: Preserve thou my Soul, for I am thy Servant; my God, save him that putteth his trust in thee. Be merciful unto me, O Lord, for I will daily call upon thee: comfort the Soul of thy Servant, for unto thee O Lord, do I lift up my Soul; for thou O Lord, art my Defender, and thou art good and gracious, and of great mercy to all them that Call upon thee; give ear O Lord, unto my Prayer, and ponder the voice of my humble desires; in the time of trouble will I call upon thee, for thou hearest me, for thou art good, and dost wonderful things; thou art God alone, teach me thy way O Lord, for I will walk in thy Truth. O knit my Heart unto thee, that I may fear thy Name. I will thank thee, O Lord, my God, with my whole heart, and will praise thy Name for evermore; for great is thy Mercy towards me, for thou hast delivered my Soul from the neathermost Hell, and thou Lord God art full of mercy and compassion, long-suffering, and of great goodness and Truth. O turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy Servant, and help the Son of thine Handmaid: Show some good Token upon me for good, that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed; because thou Lord, hast helpen and confirmed me, O Lord God of my Salvation. I have lamented Day and Night before thee: O let my Prayer enter into thy presence. Incline thine Ear unto my Calling, for my soul is full of Trouble, and my Life draweth nigh unto Hell; thine Indignation lieth hard upon me, and thy hand presseth me sore. Unto thee O Lord, do I cry, and early shall my Prayer come before thee. O Lord, why oppressest thou my Soul, and hidest thy face from me? I am in misery like unto him that is at the point of Death. Even from my youth up, thy Terrors have I suffered, with a troubled Mind. O Lord God of Hosts, who is like unto thee? Thy Truth most mighty God, is on every side; for the Lord is on my side. The Lord God of Israel is my Defence, the holy One of Israel is my King. O Lord, where is thy old loving kindness, which thou swarest unto David thy Servant in thy Truth? Remember Lord the Rebuke that I thy Servant have, and how I do bear in my bosom the Rebuke of many People. O Lord, thou hast been our Refuge from one Generation to another. O teach me to number my days that I may apply my Heart unto Wisdom. O turn thee again O Lord at the last, and be gracious unto thy Servant. Satisfy me with thy mercy, & that soon so shall I rejoice at thy mercy, and be glad all the days of my Life. O comfort thou me again, after the time wherein thou hast plagued me, and for the years wherein I have suffered Adversity. Show thy Servants thy Work, and their Children thy Glory: for the Lord promised his Blessing, and Life for ever more. When I called upon thee, thou holdest me, and enduest my Soul with much strength. O Lord thou hast searched me out, and known me; thou knowest my down-sitting, and mine uprising; thou understandest my thoughts long before; thou art about my path, and about my bed, and espiest out all my ways; for lo, there is not a word in my tongue, but thou, O Lord, knowest it altogether. Look well, O Lord, if there be any ways of wickedness in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Try me, O Lord, and seek the ground of my heart. Prove me, and examine my thoughts, seeing there is nothing unknown unto thee. O my God, let not mine heart be inclined to any evil thing. Let me not be occupied in any ungodly words, with the men that work wickedness, lest I eat of such things as please them, but let mine eyes look unto thee. O Lord God, in thee is my trust, O cast not out my soul. Keep me from the snare that they have laid for me, and from the traps of wicked doers. O Lord God, from whom cometh my salvation, thou art my defence and strength, my health, and my glory; give me thy grace, that I may put my trust in thee always; and that I pour out my heart before thee in all my troubles; that I may wait upon thee for the performance of all my expectation, in all my longings and desires. Be thou my defence; uphold me that I may not fall into those great sins that lay waste my conscience, or into such miseries as make me without hope or remedy, the miseries of despair, obstinate malice, or the woes of sad eternity. Teach me to despise Riches, to disclaim all trust in the creatures; not to delight in lies, or vanities; not to multiply wrongs and robbery, that when thou shalt come with power and great glory, to reward every man according to his works, thou mayest be merciful unto me, pardoning my sins, and accepting me to life eternal; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. The Collect. O God, the strength of all them that put their trust in thee, mercifully accept my praise; and because through the weakness of my mortal nature I can do no good thing without thee, grant me the help of thy grace, that in keeping of thy Commandments I may please thee, both in will and deed, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. Another Collect. O Lord, who never failest to help and govern them, whom thou dost bring up in thy steadfast fear and love, keep me I beseech thee under the protection of thy good providence, and make me to have a perpetual love to thy holy Name, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. A Prayer for Spiritual Blessings, and for fruitfulness of the Earth. O Thou strength of my health, thou hast covered my head in the day of Battle: O Lord God, consider my complaint, for I am brought very low, O deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me: Hear my prayers, O Lord, consider my desire, harken unto me for thy Truth and Righteousness sake: Hear me, O Lord, and that soon, for my Spirit waxeth faint; hide not thy Face from me, lest I be like to them that go down to the pit: deliver me; O Lord, from mine enemies, for I fly unto thee to hide me; teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee, for thou art my God, let thy loving Spirit, O Lord, lead me in the way of Righteousness; quicken me, O Lord, for thy name sake, and for thy righteousness sake: bring my Soul out of trouble, and of thy goodness slay mine enemies, and destroy all them that vex my Soul, for I am thy Servant. The Lord is Righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works; the Lord is gracious and mercful, long suffering and of great goodness in all his ways, & holy in all his works, the Lord is gracious and merciful, long suffering, and of great goodness; the Lord upholdeth all such as fall, and lifteth up all those that be down. O God, the hope of all the ends of the Earth, and of them that remain in the broad Sea, be thou merciful unto my sins, and let not my misdeeds prevail against me; so as to make me habitually sinful, or endlessly miserable, but give me the blessings of thy chosen; let me receive the influences of thy Grace and Benediction, by the participation of thy Word and Sacrament in thy holy Temple; and as thou embracest me with thy hand, showing wonderful things in thy Righteousness and Salvation; so let thy right hand be under my head, and give me such a portion of Temporal blessings, as shall be necessary for me; make the Earth plenteous, and bless the increase of it; crown the year with goodness, and let the Clouds drop fatness, that the Valleys standing thick with Corn; may laugh and sing thy praises, and that we being refreshed with the multitude of thy blessings, may praise thee in Zion, and at last be satisfied with the pleasures of thy House in the Celestial Jerusalem, where thou livest and reignest, one God, World without end. Amen. A Collect. O Lord, I beseech thee mercifully to hear me, and grant that I to whom thou hast given an hearty desire to pray, may through thy mighty Aid be defended and comforted in all dangers and miseries, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Another Collect. O God, the Protector of all them that trust in thee, mercifully accept my prayers, and grant my request. O my God, without thee, nothing is strong, nothing is holy; increase and multiply upon me thy blessing, that thou being my Ruler and Guide▪ I may pass through things temporal, that I lose not things eternal; grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ his sake, my only Lord and Saviour. Amen. A Prayer to God for all Faithful People for a blessing and deliverance from our Enemies. MAke me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. O Lord my God, give me the spirit of grace and wisdom. Hear my prayers, and let my cry come unto thee. O Lord answer my expectations, for Christ's sake, and turn away thy face from my sins; and blot out all my offences. O Lord my God, remember me according to the multitude of thy mercies; do away all my offences, according to the favour thou bearest to thy people. O visit me with thy salvation. I have sinned with my Forefathers, I have done amiss, I have done wickedly; woe am I that I have gone astray from thee. Great is my grief that have lead my life in sin. Woe is me that I have forsaken thee, and lived after my own thoughts and fantasy, and not as thou wouldst, but have run from sin to sin, following the desires of my own corrupt heart, and not as thou wouldst, yet force me to repent of my evil; therefore O Lord deal not with me according to my sins, neither reward me after mine iniquities; for thy mercy is greater than the Heavens, and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. O deliver me from my bosom sin, O help me against the enemy, for vain is the help of man; but deal thou with me, O Lord my God, according to thy Name, for sweet is thy mercy, O deliver me, for I am helpless, and poor, for my heart is wounded within me, help, O Lord my God, oh save me according to thy mercies; O look upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to be unto those that love thy Name; For I am weary of my groaning; every night wash I my bed, and water my Couch with my tears, therefore haste thee to help me, O Lord God of my salvation, and they shall know how that this is thy hand, and that thou, Lord, hast done it. O Lord God, my Helper and Redeemer, have mercy upon me, and all thy faithful people; make haste and help us, O God against all those that seek after our souls to do us mischief. Make us to delight in thee, to wait upon thy salvation, to trust in thy mercies, to rejoice in thy excellencies and perfection, that our feet being directed by thy guidance, our weaknesses strengthened by thy power, our sins pardoned by thy mercies, and our souls justified by thy free grace, we may always give thee praise with the humble addresses of devotion and thanksgiving, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Collect. O God, who hast prepared for them that love thee, such good things as pass man's understanding, pour into our hearts such love towards thee, as pass man's understanding, that we loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promises, which exceed all we can desire, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A Prayer for the continuance of God's Favour to me, even to my old Age, and longing for a happy departure. O Lord God, foolish men are plagued for their offences, and because of their wickedness; so when they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, he delivered them out of their dIstress. O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness, and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men. A fruitful Land maketh he barren, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein, yet he satisfies the empty soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness, such as sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, being fast bound in misery and Iron. O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness, and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men. O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all. The Earth is full of thy Riches. O remember the marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgements of his mouth. O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen; he hath been always mindful of his Covenant and Promise, that he made to a thousand generations; in the multitude of the sorrows that I had in my heart, thy comforts have refreshed my soul; for the Lord is my Refuge, and my God is the strength of my confidence. The Lord is a great God, and King above all Gods. O ye that love the Lord, see that ye hate the thing that is evil. The Lord preserveth the souls of his Saints, he delivereth them from the hand of the ungodly. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous, and give thanks in remembrance of his holiness. O let me have understanding in the ways of godliness. A froward heart, shall depart from me. I will not know a wicked person. Mine eyes look upon such as be faithful in the Land, that they may dwell with me. Whoso leadeth a godly life, shall be my servant. There shall no deceitful person dwell in my house. He that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight. I shall soon destroy all the ungodly that are in the Land, that I may root out all wicked doers. O Lord God, deliver me from among the wicked, and save me for thy mercy sake, and let not my wicked sins prevail against me. Hear my prayers, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee. O Lord God, my house of defence, and my Castle, who by thy mercies and loving Spirit hast taught me in thy ways from my first years until now; thou hast brought me to great honour, even the honour of being a Christian; the honour of Adoption, to be thy child and heir of thy glorious promises, coheirs with thy Son Jesus Christ, and hast comforted me on every side with a continual stream of thy mercies and refreshments. Give me thy grace that I may love thee, and long for thee above all the things in this world. As thou hast holpen me up ever since I was born, so let thy mercy go along with me all the days of my life. Cast me not off in the time of Age. Give me grace that I may never cast thee off, or thy Laws from me. Let not thy grace, and the great strength I derive from thy thou, forsake me, when my natural strength fails me; but let my spirit grow upon the advantages of the flesh, and begin to receive the happiness of Eternity, by an absolute conquest over the weak, and decaying body, that after I have by thine Aid passed through the great troubles and adversities thou showest unto all thy children in the world, I may lie down in thy Righteousness, and with thy favour, that when thou bringest me out of the deep of the earth again, I may have a joyful resurrection to the society of Saints and Angels, and the full fruition of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. The Collect. O God, who hast prepared for all them that love thee, such good things that pass man's understanding, pour into my heart such love towards thee, that I loving thee above all things, may obtain the promises which exceed all that I can desire, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. A Prayer for obtaining of Christ's Kingdom. Hid not thy face from me, O Lord, in the time of my trouble, and incline thine ears unto me when I call. O hear me, and that right soon; for thou art full of mercy and compassion, long suffering, and of great goodness; thou art not always chiding, neither keepest thou thine anger for ever; thou dost not deal with me after my sins, nor rewardest thou me according to my wickedness; for look how high the Heaven is in comparison of the Earth, so far hast thou set my sins from thee; yea, like as a Father pitieth his own Children, even so the Lord is merciful to them that fear him; for he knoweth whereof we be made; he remembreth we are but dust, and the merciful goodness of the Lord endureth for ever, and ever, to them that fear him, and his Righteousness to his children's Children, even upon such as keep his Covenant, and think upon his Commandments, to do them. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, he hath great delight in his Commandments, his seed shall be mighty upon earth; the generation of the faithful shall be blessed; riches and plentiousness shall be in his house, his Righteousness endureth for ever. Unto the godly there riseth up light in the darkness; he is merciful, loving and righteous. A good man is merciful and dareth, and will guide his words with discretion, for he shall never be moved, and the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance; for he will not be afraid of any evil tidings, for his heart standeth fast, and is established in the Lord, and will not shrink, until he seeth his desire upon his enemies; therefore not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but give the praise unto thy Name, for thy loving mercy, for thy Truth sake; as for our God, he is in Heaven, he hath done whatsoever pleased him. Gracious is the Lord, and righteous, yea our God is merciful. O blessed Jesus, who didst descend from Heaven into the womb of the blessed Virgin, like Rain into a fleece of wool; thou that punishest the wrong doer, and defendest the Children of the poor, and them that have no helper, have mercy upon thy Church, be pleased by her Ministry to extend thy blessing upon thy dominion, from the one Sea to the other, even to the world's end, that all the Kings of the earth may fall down before thee, and all Nations may do thee service. Make thy righteous people to flourish, and subdue their enemies under them; deliver them from falsehood and wrong, that they may be blessed with abundance of grace, and be satisfied with thy righteousness and salvation, through thy mercies, O blessed Saviour and Redeemer Jesus. Amen. The Collect. THE Lord of all power and might, who art the Author and giver of all good things, grafted in my heart the love of thy Name; increase in me true Religion, enrich me with all goodness, and of thy great mercy keep me in the same, through Jesus my Lord. Amen. A Prayer that we may have our portion in God, and not in the good things of the men of this world. O Lord God, who art loving unto all thy people, even unto such as are of a clean heart, give me a heart humble and merciful, that I may never be holden with pride, nor overwhelmed with cruelty; and sanctify my words and lips, that I may never blaspheme thy holy Name, nor my talking be ever against thee, or thy honour. O God most highest, give unto me such religious and mortified affections, that I may never thirst after temporal advantages and prosperity of the world. Set not my feet in slippery places, lest I be suddenly cast down, and have my portion in the lot of the wicked, who perish and come to a fearful end. Guide me with thy counsel, that I holding me fast by thee, and putting my trust in thee, O God, thou mightest be the strength of my heart, the hope of my soul, and the ground of all the confidence and content in this life, and after this life is ended thou mayest receive me with glory, and be my portion for ever, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. A Prayer that we may fear God's Judgements, and be freed from the terrors of men, and a Motive to move thereunto. THE Lord preserveth the simple. I was in misery, and he helped me, for his merciful kindness is ever more and more towards me, and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise the Lord, O give thanks unto the Lord for he is gracious, because his mercy endureth for ever. I called upon the Lord in trouble, and he heard me. The Lord is on my side, I will not fear what man can do unto me▪ The Lord taketh my part with them that help me, therefore I shall see my desire upon mine enemies. It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in Princes. The Lord is my strength and my song, he is become my salvation. The Lord hath chastened and corrected me, but he hath not given me over unto death. Help me now, O Lord, send me now prosperity. Thou art my God, I will praise thee. Thou chargest that I should diligently keep thy Commandments. O that my ways were made so direct, that I might keep thy Statutes: so shall I not be confounded while I have respect unto thy Commandments. I will keep thy Testimonies, O forsake me not utterly. Blessed art thou O Lord; teach me thy Statutes. I have had as great delight in the ways of thy Testimonies, as in all manner of riches. My delight shall be in thy Statutes, and I will not forget thy Word; therefore O Lord, do well unto thy servant, that I may live and keep thy Word. Open thou mine eyes, that I may see the wonders of thy Law. Turn not from me, neither rebuke me, for I have kept thy Statutes. My soul melteth away for very heaviness. O comfort thou me according to thy Word. Take from me the way of lying, and cause thou me to make much of thy Law. I have chosen the way of Truth, and thy Judgements have laid before me. I have stuck unto thy Testimonies. O Lord confound me not. O Lord God, whose dwelling is in the Heaven, and thy Name is great in all the world, plant the dread and reverence of thee, and thy power in my heart. Letoy threatenings, and thy Judgements which are heard from Heaven, and executed upon disobedient and gainsaying people, make me to tremble at the remembrance of my sins, and in consideration of my weaknesses and demerits, and let thy mercies, and the remembrance of thy infinite loving kindnesses, make my heart still full of eavenness and tranquillity, that I may not fear the fierceness of man, or the wrath of those spirits thou can refrain, lest I be disturbed in my duty towards thee, that I never offend against thee, but may pass from fear to love, from apprehensions of thy wrath, to the sense and comforts of thy mercies, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. The Collect. O God, whose never failing providence ordereth all things both in Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech thee to put away from me all hurtful things; to give me those things that be profitable for me, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. A Prayer that God may remove from me all fearfulness and doubt of his favour and mercy. TEach me O Lord, the way of thy Statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy Law, yea I shall keep it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path of thy Commandments, for therein is my delight. Incline my heart to thy Testimonies, and not to covetousness. O turn away mine eyes, lest they behold vanities, and quicken thou me in thy way. O establish thy Word in thy servant, that I may fear thee. Take away the rebuke that I am afraid of, for thy Judgements are good. Behold my delight is in thy Commandments, O quicken me in thy Righteousness. O take not the word of thy Truth utterly out of my mouth, for my hope is in thy Judgements, so shall I always keep thy Law, yea for ever and ever. O think upon thy servant. as concerning thy Word wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust; the same is my comfort in my trouble, for thy Word hath quickened me. O turn me into true understanding and knowledge, for I have believed thy Commandments. Before I was troubled I went wrong, but now I have kept thy Word. Thou art good and gracious, O teach me thy Statutes. It is good for me that I have been in trouble, that I might learn thy Statutes. O let thy loving mercies come unto me, that I may live, for thy Law is my delight. O let my heart be sound in thy Statutes, that I be not ashamed. O quicken me after thy loving kindness, so shall I keep the Testimony of thy mouth. If my delight had not been in thy Law, I should have perished in my trouble. I will never forget thy Commandments, for with them thou hast quickened me. I am thine, O save me for thy mercy's sake, for I have sought thy Commandment. The ungodly laid wait for me to destroy me, but I will consider thy Testimonies. I desire to refrain my feet from every evil way, that I may keep thy Word. I am troubled above measure, quicken me O Lord according to thy Word, and deliver me for thy mercy sake. O God, who dost wonders, and hast declared thy power amongst all people, let the observation of thy mercies and loving kindnesses make deep impression in my heart and memory, that when I am in heaviness, I may remember the years of thy right hand, and call to mind the wonders of old time, although thou sometime withdrawest the brightness of thy countenance from me, and shutest up thy loving kindness in sore displeasure, yet the experience of thy old mercies, which never fail, may sustain mine infirmities, and the expectation of thy loving kindnesses may cure all my impatience, till in thy due time the sense of thy favours may actually relieve all my distresses, and thy right hand lead me like a sheep into the folds of eternal rest and security, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. The Collect. GRant unto me, O Lord, I humbly beseech thee, the Spirit, to think and do all such things as be rightful, that I who cannot do any thing that is good without thee, may be enabled to live according to thy Will, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. A Prayer for God's free mercy in the the pardon of my sins, and a prayer for the continuance and the increase of his mercies to me. LET the freewill offering of my mouth please thee, O Lord, and teach me thy Judgements. I have applied my heart to fulfil thy Statutes always even unto the end. Thou art my defence and my shield, and my trust is in thy Word. O establish me according to thy Word, that I may live, and let me not be disappointed of my hope. Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe, yea my delight shall ever in thy Statutes. I desire with my whole heart to do the thing that is lawful and right. O give me not over unto my oppressors. O make thou thy servant to delight in that which is good, that they which hate me do me no wrong. O deal with thy servants according to thy loving kindness, and teach me thy Statutes; I am thy servant, O grant me understanding, that I may know thy Testimonies; it is time for thee, Lord, to lay too thy hand, for they have destroyed thy Law; therefore hold I strait all thy Commandments, for all false ways I utterly abhor. O look upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy Name, O most gracious God, who art reconciled unto me, in my Saviour Jesus, having for his sake forgiven the offences of thy people, and covered all their sins with the Robe of his most immaculate sanctity and Righteousness. Let thy grace convert and quicken me, that I may rejoice in thee, and thy salvation, in faith of thy promises, in the hope of actual communication, and of thy mercy to me, and in love to thee for so a great blessing and redemption; and when thou hast spoken peace to my soul, and reconciled me to thyself in the blood of thy Son, give me the grace of perseverance, that I may never turn again to folly, but may follow mercy and truth all my days, and at last be satisfied with thy Righteousness, and peace eternal, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. The Collect. LET thy merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the Prayers of thy humble servant, and that he may obtain his petitions, make me to ask such things as shall please thee, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. A Prayer for sanctity and preservation. ORder my steps in thy Word, O Lord, so that no wickedness have dominion over me. Deliver me from the deceitful dealings of men, so shall I keep thy Commandments. Show the light of thy countenance upon thy servant, and teach me thy Statutes. Righteous art thou, O Lord, and true in thy Judgements. Trouble and heaviness have taken hold upon me, yet my delight is in thy Commandments. Except the Lord build the house, their labour is but lost that build it. Except the Lord keep the City, the watchman watcheth but in vain. I looked for the Lord; my soul doth wait for him; in his Word is my trust. O Israel, trust in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption; for he shall deliver Israel from all his sins. Behold how good and joyful a thing it is, to dwell together in unity; thy Name, O Lord, endureth for ever; so doth thy memorial, O Lord, from one generation to another: For the Lord will avenge his people, and be gracious to his servants. O Lord God, good and gracious, and of great mercy unto all them that call upon thee, give ear unto my prayers, and ponder the voice of my humble desire, whenever I call upon thee in my trouble. Let the soul of thy servant be refreshed with thy comforts, and defend me from the congregations of proud and naughty men. Turn thee unto me with mercy; give thy strength unto me; teach me thy Law; make me to walk in thy Truth; give me the fear of thy Name, and knit my heart unto thee, with the indissoluble bands of charity and obedience, that my soul being saved from the neathermost hell, I may worship in spirit and truth, which thou hast manifested unto me in my deliverance and redemption, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. The Collect. O Lord, who declarest thy Almighty Power, most chiefly in showing mercy and pity, mercifully grant unto me such a measure of thy grace, that I running the ways of thy Commandments, may obtain thy gracious promises, and be made partaker of thy heavenly treasure, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. A Prayer in time of Sickness, and in danger of Death. THE Lord is loving unto every man, and his mercy is over all his works. The eyes of all wait upon thee, O Lord, and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thy hand, and fillest all things living with plentiousness. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him, yea all such as call upon him faithfully. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him, he will hear their cry, and will help them. The Lord will preserve all them that love him, but scattereth abroad all the ungodly. My mouth shall speak the praises of the Lord; and let all flesh give thanks unto his holy Name. The Lord looseth men out of prison: The Lord giveth sight to the blind: The Lord helpeth them that are fallen: The Lord careth for the Righteous: The Lord careth for the strangers; he defendeth the fatherless and the widow; as for the way of the ungodly, he turneth it upside down; he healeth those that are broken in heart; he giveth medicine to heal their sickness; he telleth the number of the Stars, and calleth them all by their name. Great is our God, and great is his power; yea his wisdom is infinite. O Lord God of my salvation, who for my sake was wounded, and didst die and lie in the grave, but yet alone of all that ever died, wert free among the dead, and by thine own power didst rise again, with victory and triumph, have mercy upon thy servant, for thine indignation lieth hard upon me; thou hast vexed me with all thy storms, my soul is full of trouble, by reason of my sins, and my life draweth nigh to the grave. O restore unto me thy favour, and let me not go down into the dark, nor my life into the place where all things are forgotten; but let me show forth thy loving kindness amongst thy Redeemed ones in the Land of the Living, for the Living, the Living, they shall praise thee, and confess the holiness and the marvellousness of thy holy Name. O hide not thou thy face from me, but give me health of body, and restore and preserve me in the Life of Righteousness, and so bless me with opportunities of doing thee service, that I may redeem the time past, and by thy grace may grow rich in good works, always abounding in the work of the Lord, that when thou shall demand my soul to be rendered up into thy hands, my soul may not approve of thee, nor suffer thy terrors, but may feel an eternity of blessing in the Resurrection of the Just, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. The Collect. ALmighty and everlasting God, who art always more ready to hear, than I to pray; and art wont to give more than I either desire or deserve, pour down upon me the abundance of thy mercy, forgiving me those things whereof my conscience is afraid, and give me those good things which I am not worthy to ask, but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, thy Son, my Lord. Amen. A Meditation for Death, and a Prayer preparatory to it. THE Lord is with them that fear him, and put their trust in his mercy; for the Lord hath pleasure in his people, and helpeth the meek hearted. The Lord of Hosts can do all things; there is nothing too hard for him; therefore let every thing that hath a mouth praise the Lord. Open my mouth, O my God, that I may set forth thy praise. Hear my voice, O Lord, according to thy loving kindness; quicken me as thou art wont. Be thou nigh at hand, O Lord, for all thy Commandments are true. I call with my whole heart, hear me, O Lord, and I will keep thy Statutes; yea, even upon thee do I call, and I shall keep thy Testimonies. O consider mine adversity, and deliver me. Avenge thou my cause, and deliver me, and quicken me according to thy Word; for great is thy mercy, O eternal God, whose being was before the mountains were brought forth, before the Earth and the World was made, even from everlasting, World without end. Have mercy upon me, weak, and impotent, poor servant of thine, the child of man, who fades away suddenly like the grass, remove my misdeeds far from before thee, and my secret sins from the sight of thy countenance. Be not angry with me, neither consume me in thy displeasure. Teach me to number all the days of my life, and to reckon on still to the day of death, that when my days are gone, and my years are brought to an end, like a tale that is told, thou mayest turn unto me at the last, and be gracious unto me in the free pardon of all my sins, in restraining the power and malice of all my Ghostly enemies; in giving me opportunity of all spiritual assistances and advantages, that my lamp being trimmed and burning bright, with charity and devotion, I may enter into the Bride-chamber, there for ever to behold the glorious Majesty of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. The Collect. A Almighty and merciful God, of whose only gift it cometh, that thy people do unto thee return laudable service, grant I beseech thee, that I may so faithfully serve thee in this life, that I may not finally fail to attain thy heavenly promises, through the merit of Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. A Prayer for Protection in all Dangers. O Lord, quicken me as thou art wont, and hide not thy face from me in time of distress. As for lies, I hate and abhor them, but thy Law do I love. Consider O Lord, how I love thy Commandments; O quicken me according to thy loving kindness, for I am glad of thy Word, as one that findeth great spoils. Great is the peace that they have which love thy Law, and are not offended at it. Lord, I have looked for thy saving health, and done after thy Commandments. O let my complaint come before thee. O Lord, give me understanding according to thy Word, and let my supplication come before thee, and deliver me according to thy Word. Let thine hand help me, for I have chosen thy Commandments: I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost; O seek thy servant, for I do not forget thy Commandments. When I was in trouble I called upon the Lord, and he helped me. Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. O Lord God, my hope, and my strong hold, have mercy upon me, and defend me under the shadow of thy wing, that I trusting under thy defence, may by thy faithfulness and truth be defended and covered, as with a shield and buckler. Give thy Angels charge concerning me, and my habitation, that I may be preserved and kept in all my ways, and that no evil happen unto me, no plague come nigh my dwelling, no terrors of the night, no arrows of thy vengeance by day may disturb my peace or safety: Let thy ministering Spirits bear me in their hands, and keep me from precipice, from fracture of bones, from dislocations, noisome or sharp diseases, stupidity and deformity, that I may tread under my feet all the snares of the roaring Lion, and the great Dragon the Devil, who seek my bodily and ghostly heart, do thou O Lord, set thy love upon me, and deliver me from all my troubles, and put an end to all my discontents which I suffer of them that hate me without a cause; and at the end of my days, show me thy salvation, and satisfy me with long life, even of a blessed eternity in this heavenly Kingdom, through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour. Amen. The Collect. Keep, I beseech thee, O Lord, thy Church, with thy perpetual mercy, and because the frailty of man without thee cannot but fall, keep me and all thy people ever by thy help, from all things hurtful, and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A Prayer for the Protection of the godly, and a Meditation of the great Works of God in the destruction of the wicked. I Will lift up mine eyes unto the Hills from whence cometh my help; my help cometh even from the Lord, which made Heaven and Earth. Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord himself is my defence upon my right hand: The Lord shall preserve me from all evil; yea, it is even he that shall keep my soul. The Lord shall preserve my going out, and my coming 〈◊〉 from this time forth and for ever more, unto thee I lift up mine eyes. O thou that dwellest in the Heavens, have mercy upon me, for I am utterly despised, yet my help standeth in the Name of the Lord, which hath made Heaven and Earth. They that put their trust in the Lord, shall be even as the Mount Zion, which may not be removed, but standeth fast for ever. Do well, O Lord, unto those that be good and true of heart, and reform what is amiss in me, for thy mercy sake. O let thine ears consider well the voice of my complaint. If thou Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss, O Lord, who may abide it? for there is mercy with thee, therefore thou shalt be feared. O Lord God, thou art the highest for evermore, thy works are glorious, and thy thoughts are very deep: make my heart and tongue loud instruments of thy praises, that I may tell of thy mercy in the morning, and of thy truth in the night season; that I may rejoice in giving thee thanks for the operations of thy hand all the days and nights of my whole life. Let thy merciful kindness descend evermore upon the righteous, that they may flourish like a Palm Tree, being continually watered with the dew of temporal and spiritual blessings, and may bring forth fruit of a holy conversation, and grant that thy servant being planted in the house of God, and firmly fixed in the blessed communion of Saints, may flourish in the Courts of thy house, and in thy Ecclesiastical Temple to all Eternity. O let not my portion be amongst the ungodly and unrighteous. Make me not to communicate in their wickedness, so much as by consent or approbation, that I may never perish and be destroyed in the furiousness of thine anger, which thou treasurest up against the day of vengeance, and righteous Judgement, even the day of the appearing of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. The Collect. ALmighty and merciful God, of whose only gift it cometh, that thy faithful people do give unto thee all true and laudable service, grant I beseech thee that I may faithfully serve thee in this life, that I fail not faithfully to attain thy heavenly promise, through the merits of Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. A Prayer that God would preserve his Church against the storm and flood of Persecution. I Looked for the Lord; my soul doth wait for him; in his Word is my trust; therefore keep me O Lord, and thy whole Church from the hands of the ungodly. Preserve me from the wicked men which are purposed to overthrow my going; sure I am that the Lord will avenge the poor and innocent, and maintain the cause of the helpless. Lord, I call upon thee, haste thee to help me, and consider my voice when I cry unto thee. Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight, as the incense, and the lifting up of my hands be as an evening Sacrifice. Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips. O let me hear thy loving kindness in the morning, for in thee is my trust. Show me the way that I should walk in, for I lift my soul unto thee. Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man, and preserve me from the wicked man that seeketh to overthrow my going. O Lord God, Judge of all the World, to whom vengeance belongeth, and execution of Righteous Judgement, have mercy upon us: Chasten us with thy gentleness and fatherly correction when we sin against thee. Teach us thy Law. Be our refuge and confidence in trouble; and give patience in time of adversity, that in the multitude of sorrows thy comforts may refresh us, thy mercies may relieve us, thy grace may pardon and confirm us, that our feet slip not, and our souls be not put to silence; have pity upon all distressed and miserable people. Do justice upon all that murder the Widow, that put the fatherless to death, that grind the face of the poor. Fail not thy people, O Lord, and forsake not thine inheritance, but destroy the devises of all them that imagine evil as a Law, and are confederate against the Righteous, to condemn the innocent, to discountenance Religion, to disadvantage thy worship and service, that in the day of eternal vengeance, when thou shalt reward the proud after their deserving, and the pit be digged by the ungodly; we may have the lot of thine inheritance, and reign in the fellowship of Saints, who give honour and praise to thee, O Lord God, Almighty, world without end. Amen. The Collect. Keep I beseech thee, O Lord, thy Church with thy perpetual mercy, and because the frailty of man without thee, cannot but fall, keep us ever by thy help from all things hurtful, and lead us to all things profitable for our salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Invitation to the Worship of God, and a Prayer for Obedience to his Will. O Great God, the Lord, our Maker, who art a King above all Gods, give me the graces of humility, and holy Religion, that I may worthily praise and worship thy glories and perfections infinitely. I am the Sheep of thy Pasture; let thy mercies lead me and feed me, and refresh my soul with the Divine nutriment of thy Word and Sacraments. I am the sheep of thy hands, do thou guide me that I may never go astray; or if I do, bring me home into the Sheepfold of the great Shepherd, that I hearing his voice, may not harden my heart, neither tempting thy mercies, nor provoking thy wrath; but my heart being preserved from errors, and my ways from obliquity and crookedness, I may at last enter into thy eternal rest, through the merits and guidance of my great Shepherd, Jesus Christ, my Mediator and Redeemer. Amen. The Collect. O Lord, I beseech thee let thy continual pity cleanse and defend thy Church; and because it cannot continue in safety without thy succour, preserve it ever more by thy help and goodness, through Jesus Christ. Amen. Adoration and magnifying the Glories of God. O Lord God, in whose Sanctuary is power, and honour, before whose presence is glory and worship. Fill my lips and soul with great devotion and reverence towards thee my God. Make me to love thy Goodness, to adore thy Omnipotency, to reverence thy Justice, to fear thy Majesty, to tremble at thy Omniscience and Omnipresence, and to contemplate with the greatest zeal and affections all those glories which thou communicatest to the Sons of men, in the revelations of the Gospel of thy Creator, and of thy miracles, that I may tell of thy greatness, and declare thy salvation from day to day; and when thou comest with Righteousness to judge the Earth, and all people with thy truth, I may rejoice in thee everlastingly, and sing eternally Hallelujah to thee, in thy Sanctuary; grant this for Jesus Christ his sake, my Lord and only Saviour. Amen. The Collect. O Lord, I beseech thee, grant thy grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the Devil, and with pure hearts and minds, to follow thee the only God, through Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour. Amen. A Prayer for Mercy and Salvation. O Lord our King, Lord of the whole Earth, have mercy upon me, and sanctify me with thy grace, that I may hate every thing that is evil; that I may love thee, give thanks unto thy Name, and rejoice in the remembrance of thy holiness, that in the day of Judgement and great terrors, when thou shalt sit in thy seat supported with Righteousness and Judgement, and a fire shall go forth from thy presence, to burn up thine enemies on every side, thou mayest preserve my soul in safety from the hands of mine enemies, and a light may spring up unto me, to preserve me from eternal darkness, and the want of the light of thy countenance, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. The Collect. O Lord God, for as much as without thee I am not able to please thee, mercifully grant that thy holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule my heart, through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour. Amen. A Thanksgiving for the Redemption of mankind by Jesus Christ. O Most powerful Jesus, who with thine own Right hand, and with thy holy Arm hast begotten to thyself on our behalf the victory over sin, hell, and the grave, remember this thy mercy and truth which thou hast promised to all that believe in thee, give me pardon of all my sins sealed unto me by the testimony of the Holy Spirit, and a good conscience, and grant that I may by thy strength fight against my ghostly enemies, and by thy power may overcome them, that I may rejoice in a holy peace, and sing, and give thanks for my victory, and my Crown, extend this mercy, and enlarge the effect of thy great Victories to the Heathen, that all the ends of the world may sing a new song unto thee, and see the salvation of God, that when thou comest to judge the Earth, we may find mercy, and be joyful together before thee in the fruition of a blessed Eternity, through thy mercies, O blessed Saviour and Redeemer Jesus. Amen▪ The Collect. O Almighty and most merciful Lord God, of thy bountiful goodness and mercy keep me, I beseech thee, from all things that may hurt me, that I being ready both in body and soul, may accomplish those things that thou wouldst have done, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. A Psalm of Praise to God for his Mercy and Truth. The Prayer. O Lord our God, Who hast created us out of nothing, and hast redeemed us from misery and death when we were thy enemies, showing great expresses of thy loving kindnesses when we were vessels of wrath, and inheritors of perdition, revealing thy Truth unto us in the Sermons of the Gospel; teach us to walk as thou hast commanded us, to believe as thou hast taught, that we may inherit what thou hast promised us; for thou art the way, the truth, and the life. We are thy people, and the sheep of thy Pasture; thou art our guide, and our defence; let thy grace teach us to serve thee, and thy holy Spirit assist and promote our endeavours with the blessing of gladness and cheerfulness of spirit, that we may love to speak good of thy Name, and at last go to the Courts of thy Temple with praise and a song in our mouths, to thy honour and eternal glory, whose Mercy and Truth is everlasting, and revealed unto the Church in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. The Collect. LOrd, I pray thee, that thy grace may always prevent and follow us, all the days of our life; make us continually be given to all good works, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A Prayer for a holy Life. O Lord God, of eternal purity, who who art of pure eyes, and canst behold no iniquity or impurity, enlighten my understanding, that I may have knowledge in the way of godliness; make my path strait, and my heart perfect; take from me the sins of unfaithfulness; correct and mortify in me all froward and peevish dispositions; let me love the society of the Saints, and hate the fellowship of the wicked, that I may not be destroyed with the ungodly, nor be rooted out from the City of the Lord, nor banished from the sweetness of thy presence; for with thee is light and health, and salvation to thy Name, be all honour, and glory, and praise ascribed world without end. Amen. The Collect. ALmighty and Everlasting God, give unto me the increase of Faith, Hope, and Charity, that I may obtain that which thou dost promise; make me to love that which thou dost command, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. A Prayer for Comfort in sadness of spirit in Sickness, or in any other affliction. O Eternal God, who endurcst for ever, and thy remembrance throughout all generations, have mercy upon me according to the infinite treasures of thy loving kindness; hear the voice of my groaning, for thy indignation and thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and my sins have put an edge upon thy sword, and a thorn upon my wounded conscience. O hold up the reins of my soul; repair the breaches of my comfort, and my hope, and let thy glory now appear, for that shines brightly in the beams of thy mercy, and when thou turnest unto the prayer of the poor destituted, it becomes an eternal monument and a record of thy honour, and all generations which shall be born shall praise thee. Look down, O Lord, from thy Sanctuary, hear the mourning of me, and all distressed people; send me life and health so long as it may be a blessing, and not shorten my days in wrath, but give me grace so to spend all my time in the work of repentance and holiness, that when my years fail, and my change is come, I may be translated to the new Heaven which shall never perish, nor wax old, there to continue and stand fast in thy sight for ever, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. The Collect. O Lord, I beseech thee absolve thy people from their offences, that through thy bountiful goodness we may be delivered from the bondage of those sins, which by our frailty we have committed; grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ his sake, our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen. A Thanksgiving to God for all his benefits and mercies. O Most merciful God, whose mercies are as high as the Heavens, as many as the moments of eternity, thou hast opened thy hand wide to me with thy blessing, and the sweet effects of thy loving kindness: Thou art pitiful as a Father, tender as a Mother, careful as a Guardian, and exceeding merciful to all them that fear thee. I pray thee to fill my soul with apprehension and impresses of thy unspeakable mercy, that my thankfulness may be as great as my need of mercy is; and let thy merciful lovingkindness endure for ever and ever upon thy poor servant, that putteth his trust in thee. Keep no anger in store for me. Chide me not in thy displeasure. Satisfy my mouth with good things. Remove all my sins from me, as far as the East is from the West. Heal all my infirmities, and save my life from destruction, for all these are mercies that thou delightest it; and because I cannot praise thee according to thy excellencies, take my soul in thy due time into the land of everlasting praises, that I may spend a whole Eternity in ascribing to thy name praise, and honour, and dominion; grant this for Jesus Christ his sake, my Lord and only Saviour. Amen. The Collect. ALmighty and everlasting God, absolve thy people from their offences, that through thy bountiful goodness we may be delivered from the bonds of those sins, which by our frailty we have committed; grant this heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ his sake, our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen. A Thanksgiving for deliverance from misery and danger. O Lord God, gracious and good, whose mercy endureth for ever, in my trouble I cry unto thee, for when my heart is brought down through heaviness; there is none to help me up, or to deliver me out of my distress, but only thou, O Lord: I have sinned, I have rebelled against thee, and lightly regarded thy counsel. I have walked and sat in darkness, and in the shadow of death, being fast bound in the captivity and misery of sin; O bring thou me out of darkness; and break my bonds in sunder. Guide me through the desert of the world, in which grows nothing but sadness, and discontent, still the tempest, and smooth the floods of misery which are ready to overwhelm me; and in thy due time bring me to eternal rest, and to the Haven where I would fain be, that in the Congregation of thy holy people I may praise thee for thy goodness, and declare thy wonders that thou hast done for me in delivering me from sins, misery and death, and bringing me to a City to dwell in, where there is life and light, and joy eternal in the beholding the face of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. The Collect. GRant, I beseech thee, O merciful Lord, to thy faithful people, pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and fear thee, with a quiet mind, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A Prayer of Thanksgiving for all the mercies and salvation which are given us in Christ Jesus. O Most gracious God, and most merciful Father, my strength and my salvation, for thy mercy endureth for ever, be thou on my side; take part with them that help me, and forsake me not in time of need; let the voice of joy and health be in my dwelling; and when thou chastenest and correctest me for my sins, give me not over unto death, but fix my faith and hopes upon the head stone in the corner, even my Lord Jesus Christ, that in all the assaults made against me by my ghostly enemies, the right hand of the Lord may have the pre-eminence, and bring mighty things to pass, even victory and deliverance unto thy servants, that I putting no confidence in the best of men, may trust in thee, O Lord, till at last when thou openest the everlasting gates of righteousness, I may enter in, and give thee praise and thanks through Jesus Christ my Lord and only Saviour. Amen. The Collect. O God, my Refuge and Strength, who art the Author of all godliness, be ready to hear the devout prayer of thy Church, and grant that those things which we ask faithfully, we may obtain effectually, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A Prayer that God would be pleased to pardon my many and great sins, and direct me in the ways of Righteousness. O Lord, my Judge and my Redeemer, harken unto me for thy Truth and Righteousness sake, and deliver me from the guilt of all my sins, and from those great punishments which are due unto me for the same, enter not into judgement with me, for in thy sight no man can be justified by any worthiness of his own: Endue my soul with a righteousness of a holy life, living and working by charity: Show me the way that I should walk in: Teach me to do whatsoever pleaseth thee: Quicken my soul in the path of life, and so continue the conduct of thy Spirit in me, that it may never leave me, till I be brought forth of this world into the Land of Righteousness, to dwell with thee eternally, through Jesus Christ my Lord and only Saviour. Amen. The Collect. O God, my Refuge and Strength, who art the Author of all godliness, be ready, I beseech thee, to hear the devout prayer of thy Church, and grant that those things which I ask faithfully, I may obtain effectually, through Jesus Christ my Lord and only Saviour. Amen. A Thanksgiving for the benefit of the holy Gospel, particularly of the blessed Sacrament. O Blessed Jesus, whose Righteousness endureth for ever, thy work is worthy to be praised, and had in honour, for that thou hast been merciful to us, and hast given meat, even the fruit of a blessed Sacrament, unto them that fear thee, that by the participation of thy holy Communion, we should have thee in remembrance, and ever be mindful of thy Covenant, plant in our hearts the fear of thy Name; give us wisdom and good understanding; make us to have pleasure in thee, and all thy works, that we obeying the precepts of thy holy Gospel, and performing the conditions of thy Covenant, which thou hast established for ever in truth and equity, in verity and judgement, we may worthily praise and adore thy reverend and holy Name among the faithful in this life, and in the Congregation of thy Saints in the life to come, through thy mercies, O blessed Jesus, to whom with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory, now and for ever more. Amen. The Collect. ALmighty and everlasting God, who dost govern all things both in Heaven and in Earth, mercifully hear the supplications of thy people, and grant us thy grace, all the days of our life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A Prayer for a Penitent Sinner. O Lord, withdraw not thou thy loving mercies from me: Let thy loving kindness, O Lord, and thy truth always preserve me: O Lord, let it be thy pleasure to deliver me from all my fear: Make haste O Lord to help me. As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord careth for me: Thou art my Helper and Redeemer, make no long tarrying, O my God. Harken to my voice, O Lord, when I cry unto thee, have mercy upon me, and hear me. O hide not thou thy face from me, and cast not away thy servant in displeasure. Thou hast been my succour, leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. Consider my complaint, O Lord, for I am brought very low. O deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me. Hear my prayer. O Lord, consider my desire, harken unto me for thy Truth and Righteousness sake, and enter not into judgement with thy servant, for in thy sight no man living can be justified. Hear me, O Lord, and that soon, for my spirit waxeth faint. Hide not thy face from me, lest I be like to them that go down to the pit. O let me hear thy loving kindness betimes in the morning, for in thee is my trust. Show thou me the way that I should walk in, for I lift up my heart unto thee. Deliver me O Lord, from mine enemies, for I fly unto thee, to hide me. Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee, for thou art my God. O let thy Spirit lead me forth into the Land of Righteousness. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy Names sake, and for thy Righteousness sake bring my soul out of trouble, O my God, and all for Jesus Christ his sake, my blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen. A Commemoration of God's frequent pardons and mercies to the penitent. O Lord God, full of mercy and pity, who didst many times deliver thy people from their adversity, when thou for their rebellion against thee, and their inventions, hadst given them into the hands of the Heathen. Remember me, O Lord, according to the favour thou bearest unto thy people, and visit me with thy salvation. And though I have done amiss, and dealt wickedly against thee and thy Covenant, yet be pleased to help me for thy Name sake. Make thy power to be known in the mighty deliverance and redemption of me from so many dangers and miseries wherewith thou hast delivered me. Give me grace to believe thy word, to obey thy counsel, and to walk in thy Laws; to relinquish my own sinful and vain desire, to obey my Governors, Ecclesiastical and Civil, that I may not have the lot of Dathan and Abyram, but at last may receive my portion in thine inheritance, which thou hast prepared for thy chosen people, giving thee thanks with thine inheritance, for that thou hast turned from me thy wrathful indignation, pitying me, and saving me according to the multitude of thy mercies, thy Name be blessed, O Lord God, everlastingly, and world without end, through Jesus Christ my Lord▪ Amen. A Prayer for Victory against our Enemies, O Lord God, whose mercy is greater than the Heavens, and thy glory above all the Earth, be thou exalted in thine own strength, and magnify thy power and thy mercy in defending me, and thy holy Church against all our enemies temporal and spiritual. Forsake me not, O God, my strength and my defence, for vain is the help of man: Do thou strengthen me, and go along with me, and stand by me in the day of battle, that I being defended and armed by thee, may do acts great and good, fight thy battle, and putting my confidence in thy Righteousness only, and thy salvation, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. A Prayer for the Fear of the Lord, for Gravity, and the blessing of the Righteous. O Lord God, who art to be feared in the generations of the world, teach me the fear of thy Name, that I may fear to offend thee, and that delighting in thy Commandments, I may serve thee without fear of my enemies in holiness and righteousness all my days. Let thy Light arise upon the darkness of my understanding. Let thy mercies and gentleness turn all the thoughts of unmercifulness in me, and make me charitable, of tender bowels, earning with pity over the need of the poor. Teach me to guide my words with discretion. Make me never to be moved from my purposes of holy living. Establish my heart in thy love, that in the day of restitution of all things, thou mayest give the portion of the charitable, the rewards of thy Right hand; and when the wicked shall gnash with their teeth, and consume away in a sad Eternity, I may be satisfied with the Riches and plentiousness of thy house for ever, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. A Prayer against my Adversaries▪ and for Confidence in the True God. O Lord God, at whose presence the Earth trembles, who worketh salvation and deliverance for thy Church in Ages, thou hast done whatsoever pleaseth thee in Heaven and in Earth, give me thy grace, that in all my troubles I make thee my succour and defence, and put my whole trust in thee only, that I receiving thy mercies, and the satisfaction of all my hopes from thy plentiousness and loving kindness, I may give praise unto thy Name, never ascribing unto myself any honour, or the glory or thanks of any good action, or prosperous success, but to thee who art the Author and giver of all good things; preserve me from all evil of soul and body, from vain imaginations, and making any thing to be my confidence besides thee, my God, that so thou mayest be mindful of me, and bless me in all my ways and actions, and when I die and go down into silence, I may have my portion among the blessed of the Lord, in the inheritance of thy Kingdom, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. A Prayer. O Thou Almighty Goodness, the Father of the Fatherless, the portion of the poor, and protector of strangers, cast thy gracious eyes upon a miserable sinner, who with humility implores thy mercy. When I look on myself, I dare scarce be so bold as to lift up mine eyes unto thee. When I think in what condition I am, and what I have done, it so confounds me, that I can hardly think of any thing else; it is the greatness of my misery alone, that constrains me to the presumption of prostrating myself at thy feet; the weight of which presseth me so much, that it hath left me no more power than to expose myself before thee, as an admirer of thy wondrous charity. O my sins are wondrous great, in which all comfort forsakes my soul. O thy terrors have consumed me, how dreadful are they! O the affliction and torment I endure! what tongue can express it! my soul is parched and dried up; my spirits are consumed by the heat of thy displeasure; may I not now beg one drop of comfort from thee? O my God, my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a barren and dry ground. I remember thy loving kindness of old time; I can but wish at least to see thy power and thy glory, as I have known thee in thy Sanctuary. There is none in Heaven that I desire but thee, nor on Earth besides thee. My soul followeth hard after thee, O when wilt thou come unto me? O hide not thy face from thy servant, lest I come to misery. Hear me speedily, for I am poor and needy. Make haste unto me, O my God, thou art my helper and deliverer. O Lord, make no long tarrying, I am come a great way from my friends and kindred, and here is none to pity me. O my God, be not thou far from me. Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it. I am poor and sorrowful, let thy salvation set me up on high, for thou who searchest the heart, knowest that I set my heart only to seek thee. I desire to leave all the world, that I may find my happiness only in thee. O heavenly Father, with my whole heart I desire to do thy blessed will in all things; yea thus far I acknowledge thou hast most gratefully conducted me. Hitherto I have been highly favoured, and wonderfully helped and preserved by thee, and wilt thou now at last abandon me, who desire at last to have abandoned all things else for thy sake. Hast thou called me from mine own Country, and from my Father's house, and now to be forsaken by thee? O my God, give me leave to plead for a soul that I thought was once dear unto thee: Pity, O pity an heart which thou hast made too great for all the world, and cannot be satisfied with less than thee: Canst thou see it die for want of one smile from thee? yea, canst thou let it die of love to thee, for that hath brought me thus far to seek thee, and wilt thou suffer it to die at thy feet? canst thou endure to behold it in thine arms into which it now throws itself with all the force it hath? shall it miscarry full of prayers and longings after thee? shall it expire in cries and tears when it calls for mercy? O where are thy bowels? what is become of thine ancient loving kindness? are they all forfeited by one offence against thee? O my God, I cannot think so hardly of thee; I begin to live, methinks, because thou permittest these addresses to thee; it inspires me with some hopes to find these holy breathe in me; it rejoices me much that I feel thee drawing my very heart after thee; O take it, I beseech thee, take it quite away from me, unto thyself, shape it after thine own heart; make it such as thou canst embrace it; create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free spirit, and all this for Jesus Christ his sake. Amen. Ejaculations to be used at the Lord's Supper. LOrd, I am not worthy thou shouldest come under my roof; I have sinned, what shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of men? Here recollect some of thy greatest sins; If thou Lord, shouldest be extreme to mark what is done amiss. O Lord, who may abide it? but with the Lord there is mercy, and with him there is plenteous redemption. Behold, O Lord, thy Beloved Son, in whom thou art well pleased. Harken to the cry of his blood, which speaketh better things than that of Abel; by his Agony and bloody Sweat, by his Cross and Passion, good Lord deliver us. O Lamb of God, which takest away the sins of the world, grant us thy peace. O Lamb of God, which takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon me, O Lord, for thy mercy sake. Amen. Devotions for the Help and assistance of all Christian People in all occasions and necessities. A Prayer against wand'ring Thoughts, to be said at the beginning of our Devotions. ALmighty God, who hast commanded us to pray unto thee without ceasing, and hast added many glorious promises for our encouragement, let thy holy Spirit teach me how to pray. Give me just apprehension of my want, zeal of thy glory, great resentments of thy mercies, love of all spiritual employments that are pleasing unto thee, and do thou help mine infirmities that the Devil may not abuse my fancy with illusions, nor distract my mind with cares, nor alienate my thoughts with impertinencies, but give me a perfect mind, great devotion, a heart fixed upon thy Divine Beauties, and an actual intention and perseverance in prayer, that I may glorify thy Name, do unto thee true and laudable service, and obtain relief for all my necessities; hear me, O King of Heaven, when I call upon thee, for thou hast promised mercy to them that pray in the Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. A Penitential Prayer, a Form of Confession of sins to God, to be said upon days of public or private Humiliation. O Lord God of mercy and pardon, give me a just remembrance, and sad apprehension of my many and great sins. Teach me to bewail them with as great indignation and bitterness, as I have committed them with complacency and delight. Let my prayers and my confession come unto thy presence, and obtain a mercy for me, and a pardon. Let not thy Justice and thy severity so remember my sins, as to forget thine own mercy; and though I have committed that for which I have deserved to be condemned, yet thou canst not lose that glorious Attribute, whence flows comfort to us, and hopes to be saved. Spare me therefore, O merciful God, for to give pardon to a sinner that confesseth his sins, and begs Remission, it is not impossible to thy Power, nor disproportionate to thy Justice, nor unusual to thy Mercy and sweetest Clemency. Blessed Jesus, acknowledge in me whatsoever is thine, and cleanse me from whatsoever is amiss. Have pity on me now in the time of mercy, and condemn me not when thou comest to judgement: For what profit is there in my blood? Thou delightest not in the death of a sinner, but in his conversion there is joy in Heaven. And when thou hast delivered me from my sins, and saved my soul, I shall praise and magnify thy Name to all eternity; mercy sweet Jesus, mercy. Lord have mercy upon us. Christ have mercy upon us. Lord have mercy upon us. Our Father which art in Heaven, etc. I Am not worthy, O Lord, to look up to Heaven, which is the Throne of thy Purity; for my sins are more in number than the hairs of my head; and my heart hath failed me; Lord be merciful unto me a sinner: I have not lived according to thy will, but in the vanity of my own thoughts, in idle, sinful, and impertinent language, in foolish actions, in blindness of heart, in contempt of thy holy Word and Commandments. I have not loved thee with my whole heart, nor feared thee with all my soul, nor served thee with all my might, according to thy holy precepts, nor loved my neighbour as myself. Lord be merciful unto me a sinner. I Have been an unprovident Steward of the good things thou hast given me; I have loved them inordinately, and sought after them greedily and unjustly, dispensed them idly, and parted with them unwillingly. I have not been so charitable to the poor, or so pitiful to the afflicted, or so compassionate to the sick, or so apt to succour and give supplies to the miseries of my neighbours, as I ought, but have too much minded things below, not setting my affections upon Heaven and heavenly things, but have been unlike thee in many things; I have been unmerciful and unjust. Lord be merciful unto me a sinner▪ MIne Eyes, O Lord, have wandered after vanity, beholding and looking after things unseemly without displeasure, despising my neighbours, prying into their faults, but have been blind, not seeing mine own sins, and infinite irregularities. Lord be merciful unto me a sinner. I Have employed all my members and faculties both of soul and body in the ways of unrighteousness. I have transgressed in all my relations, and in all my actions and traverses of my whole life; even when I might have had most confidence, I find nothing but weakness and imperfection. Lord be merciful unto me a sinner. I Have broken my vows and purposes of obedience and holy life: I have been inconstant to all good, refractory to counsels, disobedient to commands, stubborn against admonition, churlish and ungentle in my behaviour, mindful and revengful of injuries, forgetful of benefits, seeking my own ends, deceiving my own soul. Lord be merciful unto me a sinner. MY secret sins, O Lord, are innumerable, sins secret to myself through inadvertency, forgetfulness, wilful ignorance, or stupid negligence, secret to the world, committed before thee only, under the witness of mine own conscience. I am confounded with the multitude of them, and the horror of their remembrance. Lord be merciful unto me a sinner. O Son of David, blessed Redeemer, Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon me. O Jesus, be a Jesus unto me; thou that savedst thy servant Peter that denied thee thrice; thou that didst cast seven Devils out of Mary Magdalen, and forgavest the woman taken in adultery, and didst bear the converted Thief from the Cross, to the joys of Paradise, have mercy upon me also; for although I have massed together more sins than all these in conjunction, yet not their sins, nor mine, nor the sins of all the world can equal thy glorious mercy, which is as infinite and eternal as thyself. I acknowledge, O Lord, that I am vile, but yet redeemed with thy precious blood. I am blind, but thou art the Light of the world: I am weak, but thou art a strong Rock: I have been dead in trespasses and sins, but thou art my Resurrection and my Life; thou, O Lord, lovest to show mercy, and the expressions of thy mercy, the nearer they come to infinite, the more proportionable they are to thy essence, and like thyself. Behold then, O Lord, a fit object for thy pity; my sins are so great and many, that to forgive all will be but an act of glorious mercy, and all the praises which did accrue to thy Name by the forgiveness of David, and Manesseh, and St. Paul, and the Adulteress, and the Thief, and the Publican, will be multiplied to thy honour in the forgiveness of me so vile, so unworthy a wretch, that I have nothing to say for myself, but that the greatness of my misery is a fit object for thy miraculous and infinite mercy. Despise me not, O Lord, for I am thy Creature: Despise me not, for thou didst die for me. Cast me not away in thine anger, for thou comest to seek me, and to save me. Say unto my soul, Thou art my salvation. Let thy Holy Spirit lead me from the errors of my ways, into the paths of Righteousness, to great degrees of Repentance, through all the parts of a holy life, to a godly and a holy death; grant this, O blessed Jesus, for thy mercy, for thy pity sake. Amen. A penitential Prayer for the Morning, with particular Confession of sins, desiring God earnestly to free him from the guilt and punishment that is due unto him for his many and great sins, and to give him grace to lead a new life. O Eternal God, most gracious and merciful Father, look not upon me as I am in myself, but look upon me in the face of Jesus Christ, in him and through him, be merciful unto me, according to thy Word, for I have done amiss, and dealt wickedly; I have sinned against Heaven and before thee, and am not worthy to be called thy Son, or numbered amongst the meanest of thy servants, yet my sins are but the sins of a mortal man, but thy mercy is the mercy of an Infinite God, therefore have mercy on my sinful soul, pardon and forgive me all my known and secret sins, which in thought, word and deed I have done and committed against thy Divine Majesty; for it repenteth me of my evil deeds, therefore, O Lord, have mercy upon me, pardon and forgive the sins of my youth and age, which are many and great, namely the wicked sins of my pride, anger, dissimulation, lying, lust, unjust dealing, Here thou mayest confess thy particular sins. too much love of the world, and the vanity thereof, too little love of thee and thy Kingdom, but empty and void of all spiritual grace; be merciful unto me, O Lord, for these are the sins wherewith I have grieved thy Holy Spirit: O Lord, the remembrance of them is grievous unto me, and the burden of them is intolerable, too heavy for me to bear; therefore O Lord God be merciful to me according to thy tender compassion bury them all in the burial of Christ, set the weight of thy mercy upon them, so that they may never rise up in this world to shame me, nor in the world to come to condemn me. O Lord, give me an assurance of the free pardon and forgiveness for these many sins, that I may rejoice in the greatness of thy mercy, and magnify thy holy Name, to all Eternity; for the future give me greater measure of grace, to serve, honour, and humbly obey thee with all the strength of my heart, soul and body. Mortify and kill all vice in me, that my life may express all faith in thee. Mercifully hear the humble supplications of thy poor servant, and grant me thy peace all my days: graciously pardon all mine infirmities, and defend me from all dangers of soul and body this day, and for ever more. O Lord, guide me in this world with thy counsel, and after this bring me to thy glory. O Lord, bless all thine all the world over, all mankind, especially this sinful Land and Nation wherein we live, turning from us those plagues which the sins of this Nation do cry for. In mercy O Lord prevent the ruin thereof, lest the Heathen should say, where is now their God. O Lord, bless with the choicest of thy blessings, our most gracious Sovereign Lord King Charles, endue his Royal heart with grace, wisdom and understanding; clothe his enemies with shame, but upon his head let his Crown flourish; and grant that his days may be long, prosperous, virtuous, and happy. Bless our gracious Queen Katherine, James Duke of York, and all the rest of the Royal Family; endue them with thy grace, and defend them from all evil. Bless all our Magistrates and Ministers with all those graces necessary for their places; govern thou them, that they may govern us in peace and godliness, and true Religion. O Lord, in much mercy, bless all my friends and my relations, with all those blessings and benefits needful both for their souls and for their bodies. O Lord, be merciful to all those poor souls that are under any kind of want, need or necessity, or under any kind of affliction; in much mercy be unto them a present help in trouble; support them, sustain, and lay no more upon them than they shall be able to bear; and send them a happy issue out of all their troubles. O Lord God, for thy mercy's sake, bestow a double portion of thy blessing upon those whom thou hast made nearest or dearest unto me. O Lord, pardon all their sins, supply all their wants, relieve all their necessities, and reform whatsoever is amiss in them, and give them grace to lead a new life, and make them thy true and faithful servants; preserve them and me this day from doing or receiving any hurt or harm; preserve us from all evil, especially from the evil of sin, and the evil of punishment, and from all sad accidents. O Lord, bless us this day in our going out, and in our coming in; bless and prosper us in whatsoever we go about to do; let us have all our direction from thy will, and the happy success from thy merciful hand, and when this mortal life is ended, O Lord, for Christ Jesus his sake, grant that we may enjoy Heaven, and the Righteousness thereof, and in the mean time grant unto every one of us thy loving countenance, thy favour, and thy grace; and here I will praise and magnify thy great and glorious Name for electing us in thy love, for creating us after thine own Image, and for redeeming us by thy dear Son, and for sanctifying us by the grace of thy holy Spirit, and for thy gracious preservation of us this night past: Likewise I praise thee O Lord, for our life, health, strength, liberty, food and raiment, humbly beseeching thee, O Lord, to continue thy loving kindness towards us, from time to time, so long as it may be a blessing unto every one of us, and our thankfulness towards thee for all thy goodness bestowed upon our souls and our bodies, which exceeds our memories, and our thanks; and all for the sake of thy dear Son, and our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. In whose Name I further call upon thee, as he hath taught us, saying, Our Father which art in Heaven, etc. O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Eternal God, interpose thy holy Death, thy Cross and Passion between thy Judgements and my soul, now and in the hour of death, granting unto me grace and mercy, and unto all the faithful pardon and peace, to the Church unity and amity, and to all sinner's repentance and amendment, to all life and glory everlastingly, who liveth and reigneth ever one God world without end. Amen. A Form of Thanksgiving, with a particular enumeration of God's Blessing. O Most glorious Lord God, infinite in mercy, full of compassion, long suffering, and of great goodness, I adore, and praise, and glorify thy holy Name, worshipping thee with the lowliest devotions of my soul and body, and give thee thanks for all the benefits thou hast done unto me, for whatsoever I am, or have, or know, or desire, as I ought, it is all from thee, thou art the fountain of being and blessing, of sanctity and pardon, of life and glory. Praise the Lord O my soul, and all that that is within me, praise his holy Name. THou, O God, of thine infinite goodness, hast created me out of nothing, and hast given me a degree of essence next to Angels, imprinting thine Image on me, enduing me with reasonable faculties of will and understanding, to know and choose good, and to refuse evil, and hast put me into a capacity of a blessed immortality. O praise the Lord with me, and let us magnify his Name together. THou, O God, of thine infinite goodness, hast created me out of nothing, and hast given me grace to know thy will, and hast fed and clothed me, hast raised me friends, and blessest them, hast preserved me in all dangers, hast rescued me from the peril of the sword, from the rage of pestilence, from dangers of Liars and Robbers, from perishing in public distemperatures and diseases epidemical, from terrors and affrightments of the mighty) from the delusions of the Devil, and sad separation, and from many imminent dangers; thou hast been my guide in my journeys, my refreshment in sadness, my hope and my confidence in all my grief and desolations, and a present help in trouble. I will give thanks unto the Lord of Lords, for his mercy endureth for ever. BUT above all mercies, it was not less than infinite love whereby thou lovedst me, and all mankind, when we were lost and dead, and Rebels against thy Divine Majesty. Thou gavest thine own begotten Son to seek us when we went astray; to restore us to life when we were dead in trespasses and sin, and to reconcile us to thyself by the merits and the atonement of an everlasting Covenant. He is our God, even the God of whom cometh our salvation; God is the Lord by whom we scape death. O Most glorious Spirit, I will praise and magnify thee for the inspiration of the Apostles and Prophets, for thy providence and mercies, in causing holy Scriptures to be written, and preserving them from the corruptions of Heretics, from the violences of Pagans, and enemies of the Cross of Christ. I will always give thanks unto the Lord, his praise shall ever be in my mouth. I Bless thy Name for those holy Promises and threatenings, those Judgements and Mercies, those holy Precepts and Admonitions, which thou hast registered in Scripture, and in Records and Monuments of the Church, for all those graces, and helps, and comforts, whereby thou promotest me in piety, and in the ways of true Religion, for baptismal and penitential grace, for the opportunities and sweet refresh of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, for all the advantages thou hast given me, of good society, Tutors and Governors, for the fears thou hast produced in me, as deliveries and impediments of sins, for all my hopes of pardon, and expectation of the promises made by our Lord Jesus Christ, to encourage me in the paths of life, and sanctity, for those blessed waitings and knockings at the door of my heart, patiently tarrying for me, for all the holy Sermons, spiritual Books and Lessons, for all the good Prayers and Meditations, loving and inviting me to repentance, without ceasing admonishing me, and reproving me with the check of a tender conscience, with exterior and interior motives, and for whatsoever means or incentives of holiness thou hast assisted me withal. I Magnify and praise thy holy Name, for thy goodness to all Nations whom thou hast made and sanctified, they shall come and worship thee, O Lord, and shall glorify thy Name, for thou art great, and dost wondrous things; thou art God alone, and great is thy mercy towards me; thou hast delivered my soul from the nethermost hell; therefore shall every good man sing of thy praise without ceasing. O my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever, with Cherubims and Seraphims, and all the company of the heavenly Host, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabbath, holy is our God, holy is the Immortal, holy is the Almighty, the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost, to whom be honour and glory, dominion and power ascribed of all spirits, and all men, and all creatures, now and for evermore. Amen. A Prayer preparatory to the Receiving of the blessed Sacrament. O Most immaculate and glorious Jesus, he hold me a miserable sinner, drawing near unto thee with the approaches of humility, and earnest desire to be cleansed from my sins, and to be united to thee by the nearest and most mysterious union of Charity and Sacramental participation of thy most precious body and blood, I presume nothing of my own worthiness, but I am most confident of thy mercies and infinite loving kindness. I know, O Lord, I am blind, and sick, and dead, and naked, and therefore I come the rather; I am sick, and thou art my Physician, thou arisest with healing in thy wings, by thy wounds I come to be cured, and to be healed by thy stripes. I am unclean, but thou art the fountain of purity; I am blind, but thou art the great Eye of the World, the Son of Righteousness▪ in thy light I shall see light. I am poor, but thou art rich unto all, the Lord of all the Creatures; I therefore humbly beg of thy mercy, that thou wouldst be pleased to take from me all my sins, to cure all mine infirmities, to cleanse my filthiness, to lighten my darkness, to clothe my nakedness with the Robe of thy Righteousness, that I may with reverence and faith, and holy intention, receive thy blessed body and blood in the mysterious Sacrament, that it may be unto life, and pleasantness, and holy nourishment, and that I may be firmly and indesolutely united to thy mystical body, and may at last see clearly and without vail, thy face in glory everlasting, who livest and reignest ever one God, world without end. Amen. The Second. I Adore and bless thy glorious Majesty, O blessed Jesus, for this great dignation and vouchsafing to me, that art pleased, for all the infinite multitudes of my sins, and innumerable violating of thy holy Laws, still to give thyself unto me, to convey health, and grace, and life, and hopes of glory in the blessed Sacrament. I adore thee, O most Righteous Redeemer, that thou art pleased under the visible signs of Bread and Wine, to convey unto our souls thy holy body and blood, and all the benefits of thy bitter Passion. O my God, I am not worthy thou shouldest come under my roof, but let thy holy Spirit with his purities, prepare for thee a lodging in my soul. Thou hast knocked often, O blessed Jesus, at the door of my heart, and wouldst willingly have entered, behold, O Lord, my heart is willing, ready to receive thee, cast out of it all worldly desires, all lust and carnal appetites, and then enter, and there love to inhabit, that the Devil may never return to a place that is swept and garnished, to fill me full of iniquity. O thou lover of souls, grant that this holy Sacrament may be light to my eyes, a guide to my understanding, and joy to my soul, that by its strength I may subdue and mortify the whole body of sin in me, that it may produce in me fullness of wisdom, and constancy of faith, perfection, accomplishment of all the Righteous Commandments, and such blessed union with thee, that I never more live unto myself, or to the world, but to thee only, and by the refreshment of an holy hope, I may be lead through the paths of a good life, and persevering piety, to the communion and possession of thy Kingdom, O blessed Jesus, who livest and reignest ever one God, world without end. Amen. A Prayer after the Receiving of the Sacramental Bread. I Give hearty thanks unto thee, Almighty God, that thou hast not rejected me from thy holy Table, but hast refreshed my soul with the salutary refection of the body, thy dear Son Jesus Christ. Lord, if I had lived innocently, and had kept all thy Commandments, I could have not expected so transcendent a mercy, but since I have lived in all manner of sin, and multiplied provocations against thy Divine Majesty, thy mercy is so glorious and infinite, that I am amazed at the consideration of its Immensity. Go on, O my dear God, to finish so blessed a Redemption, and now that thou hast begun to celebrate a Marriage, and a holy Union between thyself and my soul, let me never throw off the Wedding-garment, or slain it with pollution of deadly sin, nor seek after other Lovers, but let me for ever and ever be united unto thee, being transformed into thy will in this life, and to the likeness of thy glories in the life to come, who livest and reignest ever one God, world without end. Amen. After the Receiving of the Cup. O Just and dear God, who out of the unmeasurable Abysses of wisdom and mercy hast redeemed us, and offerest life and grace, and salvation to us by the real exhibition of thy Son Jesus Christ in the Sacrifice of his death upon the Altar of the Cross, and by commemoration of the bitter Agonies in the holy Sacrament, grant that that great and venerable Sacrifice which we now commemorate sacramentally, may procure of thee for thy whole Church mercy and peace, and great assistance in all trials, deliverance from all heresies, schisms, sacrilege, and persecucutions; to all sick people health, and salvation, redemption from captivity, competency of living to the indigent and necessitous, comfort to the afflicted, relief to the oppressed, repentance to all sinners, softness of spirit, and a tender conscience to the obstinate, conversion to the Jews, Turk, and remedy to all that are in trouble or adversity, and grant to us, O Lord, that this Sacrament and Sacrifice of commemoration, by virtue of that painful and proper Sacrifice upon the Cross, may obtain for me, and for us all who have communicated this day, pardon and peace, and that we may derive from thee by this mystery, grace to expel our sins, to mortify all our lusts, to exterminate all concupiscence, to crucify all inordinate irregularities, to produce in us humility, and chastity, and obedience, and meekness of spirit, and charity, and let us not be harmed by the violence & invasions of all our ghostly enemies, and temporal disadvantages, and give us grace and favour that we may not die in the commission of a sin without repentance, nor without receiving the blessed Sacrament, but that we may so live and die, that we may at last rest in thy bosom, and be embraced with the comprehensions of thy eternal Charity, who livest and reignest ever one God, world without end. Amen. Prayers preparatory to Death. A Prayer for a Blessed Ending, to be said in time of Health or Sickness. O Blessed Jesus, fountain of eternal Mercy, the life of the soul, and glorious Conqueror over Death and Sin, I humbly beseech thee to give me grace so to spend this transitory life in virtue and holy exercises, that when the day of my death shall come, in the midst of all my pains I may feel the sweet refresh of thy holy Spirit comforting my soul, sustaining my infirmities, and relieving all my spiritual necessities, and grant that in the unity of the holy Catholic Church, and in the integrity of Christian Faith, with confidence and hope of thy mercy in great love towards thee, in peace towards my neighbours, and in charity with all the world, I may through thy grace depart hence out of this vail of misery, and go into that glorious Country, where thou hast purchased an inheritance for us, with the price of thy most precious blood, and reignest in it gloriously in the unity of thy Father and ours, of thy Holy Spirit and our ghostly Comforter, ever one God world without end. Amen. All blessing, and praise, and honour, be unto thee, O blessed Redeemer, and to thee I the banished and miserable Son of Adam do call for mercy and defence in this needful time of trouble, to thee I sigh and cry in the valley of tears, O dearest Advocate, turn those thy merciful eyes towards me, and show me thy glorious face in thy heavenly Kingdom, where no tears, or sighing, or fears, or sadness can approach, Amen sweetest Jesus, Amen. A Prayer to be said in the beginning of Sickness. O Lord my God, who chastisest every one whom thou receivest, and with thy fatherly correction smitest those whom thou consignest to the inheritance of Sons, write my soul in the book of life, and number me amongst thy chosen children, whom thou hast smitten with the Rod of Sickness, and by thy chastisements hast brought me into the lot of the Righteous. Thou, O blessed Jesus, who art a helper in the needful time of trouble, lay no more upon me than thou shalt enable me to bear, and let thy gentle corrections in this life prevent the unsupportable stripes of thy vengeance in the life to come. Smite me now, that thou mayest spare me to all eternity; and yet O blessed High Priest, who art touched with a sense of our infirmities, smite me friendly, and reprove me with such a tenderness as thou bearest unto thy children, to whom thou conveyest supplicatory comforts, greaten not the pains of thy chastisements, and in due time restore me to health, and to thy solemn Assemblies again, and to the joy of thy countenance. Give me patience and humility, and the grace of Repentance, and an absolute dereliction of myself, and resignation to thy pleasure and providence, with a power to do thy Will in all things, and then do what thou pleasest with me, in health or sickness, in life or death; let me feel thy comforts refreshing my soul, and let thy grace pardon all my sins; grant this O heavenly Father for thy dear Sons sake my blessed Saviour and Redeemer. Amen. A Prayer for a sick person in danger of Death. O Lord Jesus Christ, our health and our salvation, our life, our hope, and our resurrection from the dead, I resign myself up to thy holy will and pleasure, either to life, that I may live longer to thy service, and my amendment, or to death, to the perpetual enjoyment of thy presence, and of thy glory, into thy hands I commend my spirit, for I know, O Lord, that nothing can perish which is committed to thy mercy: I believe, help thou my unbelief. I believe, O Lord, that I shall receive my body again at the resurrection of the Just: I relinquish all care of that, only I beg of thee mercy for my soul; strengthen it with thy grace against all temptation; let thy loving kindness defend it as with a shield against all violence and hostile assaults of Satan; let the same mercy be my guard and defence, which protected thy Martyrs, crowning them with victory in the midst of flames, horrid torments, and most cruel deaths. There is no help in me, O Lord; I cannot by my own strength or power give a minute's rest to my wearied body, but my trust is in thy mercies, and I call to mind, to my unspeakable comfort, that thou wert hungry, and thirsty, and wearied, and whipped, and crowned with thorns, and mocked, and crucified for me; O let that mercy of thine which made thee suffer so much, pardon me, and save me; let thy merits answer for my impieties; let thy Righteousness cover my sins, thy blood wash away my stains, and thy comforts refresh my soul; as my body grows weaker, let thy grace be stronger; let not my faith doubt, nor my hope tremble, nor my charity grow cold, nor my soul be affrighted with the terrors of death, but let the light of thy countenance enlighten mine eyes, that I sleep not in death eternal, and when my tongue fails, let thy Spirit teach my heart with strong crying and groans that are unutterable. O let not the enemy do me any violence, but let thy holy mercies, and thy Angels repel and defeat his malice, and find that my soul may by thy strength triumph in the joys of eternity, in the fruition of thee, my life, my joy, my hope, my exceeding great reward, my Lord, and and my Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. A Prayer for a dying person in or near the Agonies of Death. MOst merciful and blessed Saviour, have mercy upon the soul of this servant; remember not his ignorance, nor the sins of his youth, nor age, but according to thy great mercies remember him in the mercies and glories of thy Kingdom. Thou O Lord, hast opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers; O let the everlasting gates be opened, and receive his soul; let the Angels, who rejoice at the conversion of a sinner, triumph and be exalted in his deliverance and salvation. Make him partaker of the benefits of thy holy Incarnation, Life and Sanctity, Passion and Death, Resurrection and Ascension, and all the Prayers of the Church, that the Joy of the Elect, and the Fruits of the blessed Communion of the Saints, may be fulfilled, and the Glory of thee, of our Lord Jesus, and daily add to the number of thy beautified servants, such as shall be saved, that thy coming may be hastened, and the expectation of the Saints may be fulfilled and advanced, and all the whole Church singing praise to the honour of thy Name, who liveth and reigneth ever one God world without end. Amen. The 51. O Most merciful Jesus, who didst die to redeem us from death and damnation, have mercy upon this thy servant, whom thy hand has visited with sickness, of thy goodness be pleased to forgive him all his sins, and seal his hopes of glory with the refreshments of thy Holy Spirit Lord, give him strength & confidence in thee, assuage his pain, repel the assaults of his ghostly enemies, and give him a guard of holy Angels, preserve him in the unity of the Church, keep his senses entire, his understanding right; give him great measure of contrition, true faith, a well grounded hope, and abundant charity; give him a quiet and a joyful departure; let thy ministering spirits convey his soul to the mansions of peace and rest, there with certainty to expect a joyful Resurrection to the fullness of Joy at thy right hand, where there is pleasure for ever more. Amen. A Prayer for the Joys of Heaven. O Most glorious Jesus, who art the portion, and the exceeding great reward of all faithful people, thou hast beautified humane nature with glorious Immortality, and hast carried the same above all Heavens, above the seat of Angels, beyond the Cherubims and Seraphims, placing it on the right hand of thy heavenly Father, grant to us all the issues of thy abundant charity, that we may live in thy fear, and die in thy favour; prepare our souls with heavenly Joys, making us righteous here, that we may be blessed hereafter through thy great mercy. Amen. A Prayer for the Morning at the first kneeling down, saying, Holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, Three Persons, and One God, have mercy up-me a miserable sinner. Lord, I know not what to pray for as I ought, O let thy Spirit help my infirmities, and enable me to offer up a spiritual Sacrifice acceptable to thee by Jesus Christ. O Most gracious Lord, whose mercies endureth for ever, I thy unworthy servant who have so largely tasted of them, desire to render thee the tribute of my humblest praises for them. In thee, O Lord, I live, move, and have my being; thou hast made me to be, and then that I might not be miserable, but happy, thou sendest thy Son out of thy bosom to redeem me from the power of my sins by his grace, and from the punishment of them by his blood, and by both of them to bring me to his glory: Thou hast by thy mercy caused me to be born within thy particular fold, the Christian Church, where I was early consecrated to thee in Baptism, and have been partaker of all those spiritual helps which might aid me to perform that vow I there made to thee; and when by my own wilfulness or negligence I have fallen to do ill, yet thou in thy manifold mercies hast not forsaken me, but hast graciously invited me to Repentance, aforded me all means both outwardly and inwardly for it, and with patience hast attended, and not cut me off for the acts of those many damning sins I have committed, as I have most justly deserved; thou art glorious in thy manifold mercies, O Lord, in thy restraining grace by which I have been kept back from any of the greatest sins, and in thy inciting grace, by which I have been enabled to do the least good, therefore not unto me, but unto thy Name be praises, for these and all other spiritual blessings. My soul doth magnify the Lord, and all that is within me praise his holy Name. I likewise praise thee for those many outward blessings I enjoy, as health, friends, food and raiment, the comforts as well as the necessaries of this life; for those continual protections of thy hand, by which I and mine are kept from dangers, and those gracious deliverances thou hast often aforded out of such as have befallen me, and for that mercy of thine whereby thou hast sweetened and allayed those troubles thou seest not fit wholly to remove; for thy particular care of me this night, and all other thy goodness towards me. Lord, grant that I may render unto thee not only the fruit of my lips, but the obedience of my life, that so these blessings here may be an earnest of those richer blessings thou hast prepared for those that love thee, and that for his sake, whom thou hast made the Author of eternal salvation to all that obey him, even Jesus Christ. Amen. A Confession. O Righteous Lord, who hatest iniquity, I thy sinful creature cast myself at thy feet, acknowledging that I most justly deserve to be utterly abhorred and forsaken by thee; for I have drunk in iniquity like water, gone on in a continued course of sin and rebellion against thee, daily committing those sins thou forbidest, and leaving undone those things thou commandest: Mine heart which should be an habitation for thy Spirit, is become a cage of unclean birds, of foul and disordered affections; and out of this abundance of the heart my mouth speaketh, my hands act; so that in thought, word and deed, I continually transgress against thee. O Lord, I have done amiss, I have dealt wickedly; the good I would do, I do it not, but the evil I should not, that do I. O my God, be merciful unto me for my luxury, pride, covetousness, and all wand'ring thoughts, and worldly imaginations. Nay, O Lord, I have despised that goodness of thine which should have lead me to repentance, hardening my heart against all those means thou hast used for my amendment; and now, Lord, what can I expect from thee but judgement and fiery indignation? that is indeed the due reward of my sins: But, O Lord, there is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared: O fit me for that mercy, by giving me a deep and a hearty Repentance, and then according to thy goodness let thine anger and thy wrath be turned away. Look upon me in thy Son, my blessed Saviour, and for the merits of his sufferings, pardon all my sins; and Lord, I beseech thee, by the power of thy grace, so to renew and purify my heart, that I may become a new creature, utterly forsaking every evil way, living in constant, sincere, universal obedience to thee all the rest of my days, behaving myself as a good and faithful servant, I may at the last be received into the Joy of my Lord; grant this for Jesus Christ his sake. Amen. A Prayer for Grace. O Most gracious God, from whom every good and perfect gift cometh, I a wretched sinner that am not able of myself so much as to think a good thought, beseech thee to work in me both to will and to do of thy good pleasure what thou requirest of me; enlighten my mind, that I may know thee, and let me not be barren or unfruitful in that knowledge. Lord, work in my heart a true faith, a purifying hope, and an unfeigned love towards thee. Give me a full trust in thee, zeal for thee, reverence in all things that relate to thee. Make me fearful to offend thee, thankful for thy mercies, humble under thy corrections, devout in thy service, sorrowful for my sins▪ & grant that in all things I may behave myself so, as befits a creature to his Creator, a servant to his Lord; enable me likewise to perform that duty I owe to myself. Give me that meekness, humility, and contentedness, whereby I may always possess my soul in patience, and thankfulness. Make me diligent in all my duties, watchful in all temptations, perfect, pure, and temperate, and so moderate in all my most lawful enjoyments, that they never may become a snare to me. Make me also, O Lord, to be so affected towards my neighbour, that I never transgress that Royal Law of thine, of loving him as myself. Grant me exactly to perform to all a part of Justice, yielding to all whatsoever by any kind of right is their due. Give me such bowels of mercy and compassion, that I may never fail to do all acts of charity to all men, whether friends or enemies, according to thy command and example: Finally, I beseech thee, O Lord, to sanctify me within and without, that my whole spirit, and soul, and body, may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory for ever. Amen. Intercession. O Blessed Lord, whose mercy is over all thy works, I beseech thee to have mercy upon all men, and grant that the precious Ransom which was paid by thy Son for all, may be effectual for the saving of all. Give thy enlightening grace to those that are in darkness, and thy converting grace to those that are in sin. Look with thy tenderest compassion upon the Universal Church. O be favourable and gracious unto Zion; build thou the walls of Jerusalem; unite all those that profess thy Name to thee, by purity, and holiness, and to each other by brotherly kindness. Have mercy on this desolate Church, and sinful Nation; Thou movedst the Land and divided it; heal the sores thereof, for it shaketh; make us so truly to repent of those sins which have provoked thy Judgements, that thou also mayest turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind thee. Bless those whom thou hast appointed our Governors, whether in Church, or State; so rule their hearts, and strengthen their hands, that they may want neither will nor power to punish wickedness and vice, and to maintain God's true Religion and Verity. Have pity, O Lord, on all that are in affliction; be a Father to the Fatherless, and plead the Cause of the Widow; comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, relieve the needy, defend the oppressed, and administer to every one according to their several necessities. Let thy blessing rest upon all that are near and dear unto me, and grant them whatsoever is needful and necessary both for their souls and for their bodies; here name thy dearest Relations. Reward all those that have done me or them good; pardon all those that have done or wish us evil; work in me and them all that good which may make us acceptable in thy sight, Jesus Christ. Amen. For Preservation. O Merciful God, by whose bounty and love it is, that I have this day added to my life, I beseech thee so to guide me in it by thy grace, that I may do nothing which may dishonour thee, or wound my own soul, but that I may diligently apply my own soul to do all such good works as thou hast prepared for me. And, Lord, I beseech thee, give thy Angels charge over me, to keep me in all my ways, that no evil happen unto, nor any plague come nigh my dwelling, but that I and mine may be safe under thy protection, through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour. Amen. O Lord, pardon the wander and coldness of these Petitions, and deal with me, not according either to my prayers, or deserts, but according to my needs, and thine own rich mercy in Jesus Christ, in whose blessed Name and words I conclude these my imperfect prayers, saying, Our Father, etc. Prayers for Night. O Holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, Three Persons, and One God, have mercy upon me a miserable sinner. Lord, I know not what to pray for as I ought; O let thy holy Spirit help mine infirmities, and enable me to offer up a spiritual Sacrifice acceptable unto thee, by Jesus Christ. A Confession. O Most holy Lord God, who art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, how shall I an abominable wretch, appear before thee, who am nothing but pollution? I am defiled in my very nature, have a backwardness to all good, and a readiness to all evil, but I have defiled myself much worse by my own actual sins and wicked customs; I have transgressed my duty to thee, my neighbour, and myself, and that both, in thought, word, and deed, by doing those things thou hast expressly forbidden, and neglecting to do those things thou hast commanded me, and this not only through ignorance and frailty, but knowingly and wilfully, against the motion of thy Spirit, and the checks of mine own conscience to the contrary; and to make all these out of measure sinful, I have gone on in a daily course of repeating these provocations against thee, notwithstanding all thy calls to, and my own purposes and endeavours of amendment; yea this very day I have not ceased to add new sins to my former guilt, (here name the particulars) and now, O Lord, what shall I say, or how shall I open my mouth, seeing I have done these things? I know that the wages of sin is death, but O thou who willest not the death of a sinner, have mercy upon me; work in me, I beseech thee, a sincere contrition, and perfect hatred of all my sins; let me daily confess them, but yet not as duly renew them; and grant, O Lord, that from this instant I may give a bill of divorce to all my most beloved lusts, and then be thou pleased to marry me to thyself, in Truth, in Righteousness, and true Holiness, all the days of my life: and for all my sins past, O Lord, receive a Reconciliation, accept of that Ransom thy blessed Son hath paid for me, and for his sake whom thou hast set forth as a propitiation, pardon all my offences, and receive me to thy favour; and when thou hast thus spoken peace to my soul, Lord keep me that I turn not any more to folly, but establish me with thy grace, that no temptation of the World, the Devil, or my own Flesh, may ever draw me to offend thee, that being made free from sin, and becoming a Servant unto God, I may have my fruit unto holiness, and in the end everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. A Thanksgiving. O Thou Father of mercy, who art kind even to the unthankful, I acknowledge myself to have abundantly experimented that gracious property of thine; for notwithstanding my daily provocations against thee, thou still heapest mercy and loving kindness upon me; all my contemnings and despisings thy spiritual favours hath not yet made thee withdraw them, but yet in the riches of thy goodness thou still continuest to me the offers of thy grace and life in thy Son, and all my abuses of thy temporal blessings thou hast not punished with an utter depravation of them, but still art pleased to afford me a liberal portion of them, the sins of this day thou hast not repaid, as justly thou mightest, by sweeping me away with a swift destruction, but hast spared me and preserved me according to the greatness of thy mercy; here mention the particular mercies of this day; What shall I render unto the Lord for all these benefits he hath done unto me. Lord, let this goodness of thine lead me to hearty repentance, and grant that I may not only offer thee thanks and praise, but may also order my conversation aright, that so I may at the last see the salvation of God, through Jesus Christ. Amen. Here use the Prayer for grace, and that Intercession appointed for the morning. For Preservation. O Blessed Lord, keeper of Israel, that neither slumberest nor sleepest, be pleased in thy mercy to watch over me this night; keep me by thy grace from the works of darkness, and defend me by thy power from all dangers; grant me moderate rest and sleep, such as may fit me for the duties of the next day following; and, Lord, make me ever mindful of that time when I shall lie down in the dust, and I know neither the day nor the hour of my Master's coming; grant me grace that I may always fear thee, and that I may never live in such a state as I shall fear to die, but that whether I live, I may live unto the Lord, or whether I die, I may die unto the Lord; so that living and dying I may be thine, through Jesus Christ. Amen. Let thy Bed put thee in mind of thy grave, and when thou liest down, say, O Blessed Saviour, who by thy precious death and burial didst take the sting of death, and the power of the grave; grant me the joyful fruits of that victory, and be thou to me in life and death advantage. I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest, for it is thou, O Lord only that makest me dwell in safety, into thy hands I commend my spirit, for thou hast redeemed it, O Lord, thou God of Truth. Collects for several Graces. For Faith. O Blessed Lord, seeing without Faith it is impossible to please thee, let thy Spirit, I beseech thee, work in me such a Faith as may be acceptable in thy sight, even such as worketh by Love. O let me not rest in a dead ineffectual Faith, but grant that it may be such as may show itself by my works; that it may be that victorious Faith which may enable me to overcome the world, and conform me to the Image of that Christ on whom I believe, that so at the last I may receive the end of my Faith, even the salvation of my soul, by the same Jesus Christ. Amen. For the Love of God. O Holy and gracious Lord, who art infinitely excellent in thyself and infinitely bountiful and compassionate towards me, I beseech thee suffer not my heart to be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, but let the offers of thy Love, make deep impressions on my soul. Lord, thou art pleased to require my heart, and thou only hast right to it. O let me not be so sacriligeously unjust as to alienate any part of it, but enable me to render it up whole and entire to thee; but, O my God, thou seest it already usurped, the world with its vanities hath seized it, and like a strong man armed keeps possession. O thou who art stronger, come upon him, and take this unworthy heart of mine as thine own spoil; refine it with that purifying fire of thy Love, that it may be a fit habitation for thy Spirit. Lord, if thou seest it, be pleased to make me taste of those Joys, those ravishments of thy Love, wherewith thy soul hath been so transported: But if in this I know not what I ask, if I may not choose my place in thy Kingdom, yet, O Lord, deny me not to drink of thy Cup; let me have such a sincerity and degree of Love, as may make me endure any thing for thy sake; such a perfect Love as may cast out all fear, and all sloth too, that nothing may seem to me grievous to suffer, or too difficult to do in obedience to thee, that so expressing my love by keeping thy Commandments, I may by thy mercy at last obtain that Crown of Glory, which thou hast promised to those that love thee, through Jesus Christ. Amen. For Devotion in Prayer. O Most gracious Lord God, who not only permittest us, miserable sinners and needy creatures, to present our petitions to thee, grant I beseech thee, that the frequency of my prayer may be somewhat proportionable to those continual needs I have of thy mercy. Lord, I confess it is the greatest honour, and greatest advantage thus to be allowed access to thee; yet sottish and stupid is my profane heart, that it shuns or frustrates the opportunities of it. My soul, O Lord, is possessed with a spirit of infirmity, it is bowed together, and can in no wise lift up itself to thee: O be thou pleased to cure this sad, this miserable disease, to raise, and enliven this earthly drowsy heart, that it may freely mount towards thee, that I may set a true value on this most valuable privilege, and take delight in my approaching to thee; and that my approaches may be with a reverence, some way answerable to that awful Majesty I come before, with an importunity and earnestness answerable to those pressing wants I have to be supplied, and with such a fixed attention of mind, as no wand'ring thoughts may interrupt; that I may no more incur the guilt of drawing near to thee with my lips, when my heart is far from thee, or my prayers turned into sin, but may so ask, that I may receive, seek, that I may find, knock, that it may be open unto me, that from praying to thee here, I may be translated to the praising thee eternally in thy glory, through the merits and intercession of Jesus Christ. Amen. For the Fear of God. O Most glorious Majesty, who only art High, and to be feared, possess my soul with a holy awe and reverence of thee, that I may give thee the honour due to thy Name, and may bear such a respect to all things which relate to thee that I may never profane any holy thing, or sacriligeously invade what thou hast set apart to thyself. And, O Lord, since thou art a God, that wilt not clear the guilty, let the dread of thy Justice make me tremble to provoke thee in any thing. O let me not so mis-place my fear, as to be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the Son of Man, who shall be made as grass, and forget the Lord my Maker, but replenish my soul with the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom, which may be as a bridle to all my brutish appetites; and keep me in a constant conformity to thy holy Will. Hear me, O Lord, I beseech thee, and put this fear in my heart, that I may not depart from thee, but may with fear and trembling work out my own salvation, through Jesus Christ. Amen. For Thankfulness. O Most gracious and bountiful Lord, who fillest all things with goodness, and expectest no other return, but praise and thanksgiving, let me, O Lord, never defraud thee of that so easy tribute, but let my heart be ever filled with a sense, and my mouth with the acknowledgement of thy mercies. It is a joyful and pleasant thing to be thankful; O suffer me not, I beseech thee, to lose my part in that Divine pleasure, but grant that as I daily receive blessings from thee, so I may daily from an affectionate and devout heart offer up thanks to thee; and grant that not only my lips, but my life may show forth thy praise, by consecrating myself to thy service, and walking in holiness and righteousness before thee all the days of my life, through Jesus Christ my Lord and blessed Saviour. Amen. For Chastity. O Holy and Immortal Jesus, whose first descent was into the Virgin's Womb, and who didst love to inhabit only in pure and Virgins hearts, I beseech thee, send thy Spirit of purity to cleanse me from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit. My body, O Lord, is the Temple of the Holy Ghost, O let me never pollute that Temple with any uncleanness; and because out of the heart proceed the things that defile the man. Lord, grant me to keep my heart with all diligence, that no impure or foul thoughts be harboured there; but enable me, I beseech thee, to keep both soul and body pure and undefiled, that so I may glorify thee here, both in body and soul, and spirit, and be glorified in both with Christ hereafter. Amen. For Contentedness. O Merciful God, thy Wisdom is infinite to choose, and thy Love forward to dispense good things to us, O let me always fully and entirely resign myself to thy disposals; have no desire of my own, but a perfect satisfaction in thy choosings for me, that so in whatsoever state I am, I may be therein content. Lord, grant I may never look with murmuring on my own condition, nor with envy on other men's; and to that end, I beseech thee, purge my heart of all covetous desires and affections O let me never yield any corner of my soul to Mammon, but give me such a contempt of these fading riches, that whether they decrease, or increase, I may never set my heart upon them, but that all my care may be to be rich towards God, to lay up my treasure in Heaven, that I may so set my affections on things above, that when Christ who is my life shall appear, I may also appear with him in glory; grant this, O Lord, for the merit of the same Jesus Christ. Amen. For Perseverance. O Eternal and unchangeable Lord God, who art the same yesterday, to day, and for ever, be thou pleased to communicate some rays of that excellency, some degree of that stability to me thy wretched creature, who am light and unconstant, turned about with every blast. My understanding is very deceivable, O establish it with thy truth; keep it from the snares of seducing spirits, that I may not be lead away with the errors of the wicked, and fall from mine own steadfastness. My will also, O Lord, is irresolute and wavering, and doth not cleave steadfastly unto God. My goodness is but as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it passeth away: O strengthen and confirm me; and whatsoever good thou hast wrought in me, be pleased to accomplish it, and perform it until the day of Christ. Lord, thou seest my weakness, and knowest the number and strength of those temptations I am to struggle with; O leave me not to myself, but cover thou my head in the day of battle; and in all spiritual combats, make me more than Conqueror through him that loved me. O let no terrors or flatteries either of the world, or my own flesh, ever draw me from my obedience to thee; but grant that I may continue steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; by patient continuance in well doing, seeking, and at last obtain glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A Prayer before the Receiving of the Blessed Sacrament. O Most merciful God, who hast in thy great goodness prepared this Spiritual Feast for sick and famished souls, make my desires and longings after it, answerable to my needs of it. I have, with the Prodigal, wasted that portion of grace thou bestowedst upon me, therefore do infinitely want a supply out of this Treasury; but, O Lord, how shall such a wretch as I dare to approach this holy Table? I am a Dog, how shall I presume to take the children's bread? or how shall this spiritual Manna, this food of Angels be given to one who hath chosen to feed on husks with Swine? nay, to one who hath already so often trampled these precious things under foot, either carelessly neglecting, or unworthily refusing those holy precious Mysteries. O Lord, my horrible guiltiness makes me tremble to come, and makes me not dare to keep away; for where, O Lord, shall my polluted soul be washed, if not in this fountain which thou hast opened for sin and for uncleanness? hitherto therefore I come, and thou hast promised, that him that cometh to thee, thou wilt in no wise cast out. This is, O Lord, the Blood of the New Testament, grant to me so to receive it, that it may be to me for remission of sins; and though I have so often, and so wickedly broken my part of that Covenant, whereof this Sacrament is a seal, yet be thou graciously pleased to make thine good, to be merciful to my unrighteousness, and to remember my sins and my iniquities no more; and not only so, but to put thy Laws in my heart, and to write them in my mind; and by the power of thy grace dispose my soul to such a sincere and constant obedience, that I may never again provoke thee. Lord grant that in these holy Mysteries I may not only commemorate, but effectually receive my blessed Saviour, and all the benefits of his passion; and to that end give me such a preparation of soul as may qualify me for it. Give me a deep sense of my sins and unworthiness, that being weary and heavy laden, I may be capable of his refresh, and being encompassed with my own tears, and truly sorry for my many sins, I may be the fitter to be washed in his blood. Raise up my dull and earthly mind from grovelling here below, and inspire it with a holy zeal, that I may with a spiritual affection approach this spiritual Feast. And let, O Lord, that infinite Love of Christ, in dying for so wretched a sinner, inflame my frozen benumbed soul, and kindle in me that sacrifice of love to him, and that so vehement, that no water may quench, no floods drown it; such as may burn up all my dross, not leave one unmortified lust in my soul; such as may also extend itself to all whom thou hast given me command and example to love, even mine enemies as well as friends. Finally, O Lord, I beseech thee to clothe me in the Wedding-garment, and make me, though myself a most unworthy sinner, yet by thy mercy an acceptable guest at this holy Table, that I may not eat and drink my own damnation, but may have my pardon sealed, my weakness repaired, my corruptions subdued, and my soul unseparably united to thee, that no temptation be ever able to dissolve the union; but that being begun here in grace, it may be consummated in glory; grant this, O Lord, for thy dear Son sake, Jesus Christ. Amen. Another Prayer for the Receiving of the Holy Communion. O Blessed Jesus, who once offeredst up thyself upon the Cross for me, and now offerest thyself to me in the Sacrament, let not, I beseech thee, my impenitence and unworthiness frustrate these so inestimable mercies to me, but qualify me by thy grace to receive the full benefit of them. O Lord, I have abundant need of thee, but am so clogged with guilt, so holden with the cords of my sins, that I am not able to move towards the. O lose me from these bands wherewith Satan and my own lusts have bound me, and draw me that I may run after thee. Lord, thou seest daily how eagerly I pursue the paths that lead to death; and when thou invitest me to life and glory, I turn my back, and forsake the hopes of mercy. How often hath this Feast been prepared, and I have with frivolous excuses absented myself; or if I have come, it hath been rather to defile, than to adore thee. I have brought such Troops of thy professed enemies, and unrepented sins along with me, as if I came not to commemorate, but to renew thy passion, crucifying thee afresh, and put thee to open shame; and now of what punishment shall I be thought worthy, who have thus trampled under foot the Son of God, and counted the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing; yet, O merciful Jesus, this is my only Refuge. O let this make my atonement, or I perish eternally; wherefore didst thou shed it, but to save sinners; neither can the merit of it be overwhelmed either by the greatness or number of my sins. I am a sinner, a great one, O let me find this saving efficacy: Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful, for my soul trusteth in thee; and in the clefts of thy wounds shall be my Refuge, until thy Father's indignation be over past. O thou who haste, as my High Priest, sacrificed for me, intercede for me also, and plead thy meritorious sufferings on my behalf, and suffer not, O my Redeemer, the price of blood to be utterly lost; and grant, O Lord, that as the sins I have to be forgiven are many, so I may love much. Lord, thou seest what faint and cold affections I have towards thee; O warm and enliven them; and as in this Sacrament that transcendent love of thine, in dying for me is shed forth, so I beseech thee, let it convey such grace into me, as may enable me to make some returns of love. O let this Divine fire descend from Heaven into my soul; and let my sins be the burnt offering for it to consume, that there may not any corrupt affection, any cursed thing be sheltered in my heart; that I may never again defile that place which thou hast chosen for thy Temple. Thou died'st, O dear Jesus, to redeem me from all iniquity, O let me not again sell myself to work wickedness, but grant that I may approach unto thee at this time with most sincere and fixed resolutions of an inward Reformation; and let me receive such grace and strength from thee, as may enable me faithfully to perform them. Lord, there are many old habituated diseases my soul groans under; here mention thy most prevailing corruptions; and though I lie never so long at the Pool of Bethesda, come never so often to thy Table, yet unless thou be pleased to put forth thy healing virtue, they will still remain uncured. O thou blessed Physician of souls, heal me, and grant that I may now so touch thee, that every one of these loathsome Issues may immediately stench, that my sickness may not be unto death, but unto the glory of thy mercy in pardoning, to the glory of thy grace in purifying so polluted a wretch. O Christ, hear me, and grant I may now approach unto thee with such humility and contrition, love and devotion, that thou mayest vouchsafe to come unto me, and abide with me, communicating to me thyself, and all the merit of thy passion; and then, O Lord, let no occasions of Satan, or mine own conscience, amaze or distract me; but having peace with thee, let me also have peace in myself, that this Wine may make glad, this Bread of Life may strengthen my heart, and enable me cheerfully to run the way of thy Commandments; grant this merciful Saviour, for thine own bowels and compassions sake. Amen. Immediately before Receiving. Thou hast said, that he that eateth thy flesh, and drinketh thy blood, hath eternal life; behold thy servant O Lord, be it unto me according to thy Word. At the Receiving of the Bread. By thy crucified Body deliver me from the body of this death. At the Receiving of the Cup. O Lord, let this blood of thine purge my conscience from dead works, to serve the ever Living God. Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean; O touch me, and say, I will, be thou clean. After Receiving. What shall I render unto the Lord for all the benefits he hath done unto me; I will receive the Cup of Salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain▪ to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and a blessing; therefore blessing, honour, glory and power, be to him that sitteth on the Throne, and the Lamb for ever and ever. Amen. I have sworn, and am steadfastly bend to keep thy Righteous Judgements; O Lord hold thou up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not. A Thanksgiving for the Receiving the Communion. O Thou fountain of all goodness, from whom every good and perfect gift cometh, and to whom all honour and glory shall be returned, I desire with all the most fervent and inflamed affections of a grateful heart to bless and praise thee for those inestimable mercies thou hast vouchsafed me. O Lord, what is man that thou shouldest so regard him, as to send thy Beloved Son to suffer such bitter things for him? But Lord, what am I, the worst of men, that I should have any part of this Sacrament, who have so often despised him, and his sufferings? O the height and depth of this mercy of thine, that art pleased to admit me to the renewing of that Covenant with thee, which I have so often and perversely broken! that I who am not worthy of that daily bread which sustains the body, should be made partaker of this bread of life, which nourisheth the soul; and that the God of all purity should vouchsafe to unite himself to so polluted a wretch. O my God, suffer me no more, I beseech thee, to turn thy grace into wantonness, to make thy mercy an occasion of security, but let this unspeakable love of thine, confirm me to obedience, that since my blessed Lord died for me, I may no longer live unto myself, but to him. O Lord, I know there is no concord between Christ and Belial; therefore since he hath now been pleased to enter my heart, O let me never permit any lust to chase him thence; but let him that hath so dearly bought me, still keep possession of me; and let nothing ever take me out of his hand: To this end be thou graciously pleased to watch over me, and defend me from all assaults of my spiritual enemies, but graciously and specially from myself, from the treachery of my own heart, which is too willing to yield itself a prey; and where thou seest me either by nature or custom most weak, there do thou, I beseeeh thee, magnify thy power in my preservations; here mention thy most dangerous temptations; and Lord, let my Saviour's sufferings for my sins, and the vows that I have now made against them, never depart from my mind; but let the remembrance of the one, enable me to perform the other, that I may never make truce with those lusts which nailed his hands, piercing his side, and made his soul heavy to the death; but that having now anew listed myself under his banner, I may fight manfully, and follow the Captain of my salvation, even through a Sea of blood. Lord, strengthen the hands that fall down, and feeble knees, that I faint not in this warfare. O be thou my strength, who am not able of myself to struggle with the slightest temptations: how often have I turned my back in the day of battle? how many of these Sacramental Vows have I violated? and Lord, I have still the same unconstant deceitful heart to betray me to the breach of this. O thou who art Yea and Amen, in whom there is no shadow of change, communicate unto me, I beseech thee, such stability of mind, that I may no more thus start aside like a broken Bow, but that having my heart wholly with thee, I may continue steadfast in thy Covenant, that not one good purpose which thy Spirit hath raised in me this day may vanish, as so many have done formerly, but that they may bring forth good fruit unto life eternal; grant this, O merciful Father, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ my only Saviour. Amen. A Prayer of Intercession to be used either before or after the Receiving of the Sacrament. O Most gracious Lord, who so tenderly lovest all mankind, as to give thy Son out of thy bosom to be a propitiation for the sins of the whole world, grant that the effect of this Redemption may be as universal as the design of it; that it may be to the salvation of all. O let no person by impenitence, and wilful sin, forfeit his part in it, but by the power of thy grace bring all, even the most obstinate sinners to repentance, enlightening all in darkness, Heretics, Jews, Turks and Infidels; take from them all blindness, hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word, and so fetch them home. Blessed Lord, bring them into thy fold, that they may be saved among the number of the true Israel, and for all those, upon whom the Name of thy Son is called, grant, O Lord, that their conversion may be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ, that his Name be no longer blasphemed amongst the Heathens through us. O blessed Lord, how long shall Christendom continue the vilest part of the world, a sink of all abominable pollutions, which even Barbarians detest? O let not our profession and our practice be always at so wide a distance; let not the Disciples of the holy Immaculate Jesus be of all others the most profane and impure; let not the subjects of the Prince of Peace be of all others the most contentious and bloody, but make us Christians indeed, as well as in Name, that we may walk worthy of that holy Vocation wherewith we are called, and may all with one mind, and one mouth glorify the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Have mercy on this languishing Church; look down from Heaven the habitation of thy holiness, and of thy glory, where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels, and of thy heart towards us? are they restrained? be not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither remember our iniquities for ever; but though our backslidings are many, and we have grievously rebelled, yet according to all thy goodness, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away, and cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary, which is desolate, for the Lords sake, and so separate betwixt us and our sins, that they may no longer separate between us and our God. Save and defend all Christian Kings, Princes and Governors, specially to whom we owe subjection; plead thou their Cause, O Lord, against those that strive with them, and fight thou against those that fight against them; and so guide and assist them in the discharge of that Office whereunto thou hast appointed them, that under them we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty. Bless them that wait at thine Altar; open thou their lips, that their mouth may set forth thy praise. O let not the Light of the World be put under bushels, but place them in their Candlesticks, that they may give light to all that are in the house. Let not Jeroboams Priests profane thy service, but let the seed of Aaron's Hill minister unto thee. And O thou Father of mercies, and God of all comfort, succour and relieve all that are in affliction; deliver the outcast and poor, help them to right that suffer wrong; let the sorrowful sighing of the prisoners come before thee, and according to thee greatness of thy power, preserve them that are appointed to die: Grant ease to those that are in pain, supplies to those that are in want: Give to all presumptuous sinners a sense of their sins, and to all despairing, a sight of thy mercies; and do thou, O Lord, for every one abundantly above what they can ask or or think: Forgive my enemies, persecutors and slanderers, and turn their hearts: Pour down thy blessings upon all my friends and benefactors, all who have commended themselves to my prayers; here thou mayest name particular persons; and grant, O most merciful Father, that through this blood of the Cross, we may be presented pure and unblameable, and unreprovable in thy sight, that so we may be admitted into that place of purity, where no unclean thing can enter, there to sing all eternal praises, to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, forever. Amen. A Prayer in time of Affliction. O Just and holy Lord, who with rebukes dost chasten man for sin, I desire unfeignedly to humble myself under thy mighty hand, which now lies heavy upon me: I heartily acknowledge, O Lord, that all I do, all I can suffer, is but the due reward of my deeds, therefore in thy severest inflictions I must still say, Righteous art thou, O Lord, righteous are thy Judgements, but, O Lord, I beseech thee in Judgement remember mercy; although my sins have enforced thee to strike, yet consider my weakness, and let not my stripes be more heavy, or more lasting, than thou seest proportionable for my soul: Correct me, but with the chastisement of a Father, not with the wounds of an enemy; and though thou take not off thy Rod, yet take away thine anger. Lord, do not abhor my soul, and cast not away thy servant in displeasure, but pardon my sins, I beseech thee: and if yet in thy fatherly wisdom thou seest fit to prolong thy corrections, thy blessed will be done. I cast myself, O Lord, at thy feet, do with me what thou pleasest, try my as silver is tried, so that thou bring me out purified. And Lord, make me, even my flesh also to subscribe to this Resignation, that there be nothing in me that may rebel against thy hand, but that I may suppress all repining thoughts, and may cheerfully drink of this Cup, how bitter soever thou art pleased to make it. Lord, let it prove medicinal, and cure all the diseases of my soul, that it may bring forth in me the peaceable fruit of Righteousness, that so these light afflictions which are but for a moment, may work for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, through Jesus Christ. Amen. A Thanksgiving for Deliverance. O Blessed Lord, who art gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest of the evil, I thankfully acknowledge before thee, that thou hast not dealt with me after my sins, nor rewarded me according to my iniquities; my Rebellions, O Lord, deserve to be scourged with Scorpions, and thou hast corrected them only with a fatherly Rod; neither haste thou suffered me to lie long under that, but hast given me a timely and gracious issue out of my late distresses. O Lord, I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy, for thou hast considered my trouble, and hast known my soul in adversity: Thou hast smitten, and thou hast healed me; O let these various methods have their proper effects upon my soul, that I who have felt the smart of thy chastisements, may stand in awe and sin not; and that I who have likewise tasted the sweet refresh of thy mercy, may have my heart ravished with it, and knit to thee in the firmest bands of love, and that by both I may be preserved in a constant, entire obedience to thee all my days, through Jesus Christ. Amen. A Prayer for a Sick Person. O Merciful and righteous Lord, the God of health, and of sickness, of life and of death, I most unfeignedly acknowledge that my great abuse of those many days of strength and welfare, that thou hast afforded me, hath most justly deserved thy present visitation; I desire, O Lord, humbly to accept of the punishment of the Lord for my iniquity, and to bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him. And O thou merciful Father, who designest not the ruin, but the amendment of those whom thou scourgest, I beseech thee by thy grace so to sanctify this correction of thine to me, that this sickness of my body may be a means of health to my soul. Make me diligent to search my heart, and do thou, O Lord, discover every cursed thing, how close soever concealed there, that by the removal thereof, I may make way for the removal of this punishment. Heal my soul, O Lord, which hath sinned against thee, and then if it be thy blessed will, heal my body also. Restore the voice of joy and health into my dwelling, that I may live to praise thee, and to bring forth fruit of Repentance; but if in thy wisdom thou hast otherwise disposed, if thou hast determined that this sickness shall be unto death, I beseech thee to fit and prepare me for it: Give me that sincere and earnest Repentance, to which thou hast promised mercy and pardon. Wean my heart from the world and its fading vanities, and make me to gasp and pant after those more excellent and durable Joys, which are at thy right hand, forever. Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me, and in all the pains of my body, in all the agonies of my spirit, let thy comforts refresh my soul, and enable me patiently to wait till my change come; and grant, O Lord, that when my earthly Tabernacle is dissolved, I may have a building not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens; and that for his sake, who by his precious blood hath purchased it for me, even Jesus Christ. Amen. A Thanksgiving for Recovery. O Most gracious Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, in whose hand my time is, I praise and magnify thee, that thou hast in love to my soul delivered me from the pit of destruction, and restored me to health again. It is of thy mercy alone, O Lord, that thou hast preserved my life from destruction; thou hast chastened and corrected me, but thou hast not given me over unto death: O let this life which thou hast thus graciously spared, be wholly consecrated unto thee. Behold, O Lord, I am by thy mercy made whole, O make me strictly careful to sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto me. Let not this reprieve thou hast now given me, make me secure, as thinking my Lord delayeth his coming; but grant me, I beseech thee, to make a right use of this long-suffering of thine, and so to employ every minute of that time thou hast allowed me, that when thou shalt appear, I may have confidence, and not be ashamed before thee at thy coming. Lord, I have found by this approach towards death, how dreadful a thing it is to be taken unprepared. O let it be a perpetual admonition to me to watch for my Masters coming; and when the pleasures of sin shall present themselves to entice me, O make me to remember how bitter they will be at last. O Lord, hear me, and as thou hast in much mercy afforded me time, so grant me all grace to work out my salvation, to provide Oil in my Lamp, that when the Bridegroom cometh, I may go in with him to the marriage; grant this I beseech thee, for thy dear Sons sake. Amen. A Prayer at the approach of Death. O Eternal and everlasting God, who breathed into man the breath of life, and when thou takest away that breath, he dies, and is turned again into dust, look with compassion on me thy poor creature, who am now drawing near the gates of death, and which is infinitely terrible, the Bar of Judgement. Lord, my own heart condemns me, and thou art infinitely greater than my heart, and thou knowest all things; the sins I remember fill me with horror: There are also multitudes of other sins which I either observed not at all times, or have since carelessly forgotten, which are all present with thee: Thou settest my misdeeds before thee, and my secret sins in the sight of thy countenance, and what a mountainous heap those eminent provocations of so many years arise to? how long shall so ungodly a sinner stand in thy Judgement, or such a sinner in the Congregation of the Righteous? And to add more terror, my very countenance, and repentance, I fear, will not abide thy trial; my frequent relapses heretofore have sufficiently witnessed the insincerity of my heart, and best resolutions; and then, O Lord, what can secure me that my present dislikes of my sins are not rather the effects of my amazing danger, than of any real change. And, O Lord, I know thou art not, nor wilt accept of any thing that is not sincere. O Lord, when I consider this, fearfulness and trembling comes upon me, and a horrible dread overwhelms me; my flesh trembleth for fear of thee, and my heart is wounded within me. But, O Lord, who wills not the death of a sinner, be merciful unto me. One deep calleth upon another, the depth of my misery upon the depth of thy mercy: Lord, save me now, or I perish eternally. O thou who willest not that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance, such as thou wilt accept, who tryest the heart, create in me, O God, a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me. O Lord, one day with thee is better than a thousand elsewhere. O let thy mighty Spirit work in me now in this my last day, whatsoever thou seest wanting, to fit me for mercy and acceptation. Give me a perfect and an entire hatred of all my sins, and enable me to present thee with a sacrifice of a broken and a contrite heart, which thou hast promised not to despise, that by this I may be made capable of that atonement, which thy dear Son hath by the more excellent oblation of himself, made for all repenting sinners; he is the Propitiation for our sins; he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisements of our peace was upon him: O heal me by these stripes, and let the cry of his blood cry down the clamour of my sins. I am indeed the child of wrath, but he is the Son of thy Love; for his sake spare me, O Lord, spare thy poor creature, whom he hath redeemed with his most precious blood, and be not angry with me for ever. O let not thy vengeance pursue me to this City of Refuge; my soul hangeth upon him; Oh let me not perish with a Jesus, with a Saviour in my arms, but by his agony and bloody sweat, by his Cross and Passion, by all that he did and suffered for sinners, good Lord deliver me; deliver me, I beseech thee, from the wages of sin, thy wrath and everlasting damnation, in the time of my tribulation, in the hour of death, and in the day of judgement. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, and do not repay me for my former neglects of thy calls, by refusing to answer me in this time of my greatest need. Lord, there's but a step between me and death; but seal my pardon before I go hence and be no more seen: Thy lovingkindness is better than life itself; Oh let me have that in exchange, and I shall most gladly lay down this mortal life. O Lord, thou knowest all my desire, and my groaning is not hid from thee; deal thou with me, O Lord, according to thy Name, for sweet is thy mercy; take away the sting of death, the guilt of my sins, and then though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; I will lay me down in peace, and Lord, when I awake, let me be satisfied with thy presence in thy glory; grant this merciful God, for his sake, who is both the Mediator and Redeemer of sinners, even Jesus Christ. Amen. PUT me not to rebuke, O Lord, in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure. There is no health in my flesh, because of thy displeasure, neither is there any rest in my soul by reason of my sins; for my wickedness is gone over my head, and are a sore burden, too heavy for me to bear. My wounds stink and corrupt through my foolishness; therefore is my spirit vexed within me, and my heart within me is desolate. My sins have taken such hold upon me, that I go in mourning all the day long; yea they are more in number than the hairs of my head; and my heart hath failed me; but thou, O Lord God, art full of compassion and mercy, long-suffering, plenteous in goodness and truth; turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me, for I am desolate and in misery. If thou Lord shouldest be extreme to mark what is done amiss, O Lord who may abide it? O remember not the sins of my youth, and my offence, but according to thy mercy think upon me for thy goodness; look upon my adversity and misery, and forgive me all my sins. Hide not thy face from thy servant, for I am in trouble. O haste thee and hear me, out of the deep do I call unto thee; O Lord, hear my voice. Turn thee, O Lord, and deliver my soul, O save me for thy mercy sake. O go not far from me, for trouble is hard at hand, and there is none to help me. I stretch forth my hand unto thee, my soul gaspeth unto thee, as a thirsty land; draw nigh unto my soul and save it. O deliver me, because of mine enemies, for my soul is full of trouble, and my life draweth nigh unto hell. Save me from the Lion's mouth: Hear me from among the horns of the Unicorns. O set me upon the Rock that is higher than I, for thou art my hope, and a strong Tower for me against the enemy; Why art thou so heavy, O my soul, and why art thou so disquieted within me? put thy trust in God, for I will yet give him thanks, for the help of his countenance. The Lord shall make good his loving kindness towards me; yea, thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever, despise not then the work of thine own hands. O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee. My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh also longeth after thee, in a barren and a dry Land, where no water is. Like as the Hart desireth the water-brooks, so longeth my soul after thee, O my God. My soul is athirst for God, even for the Living God: When shall I come and appear before the presence of God? How amiable are thy dwellings, O Lord God of Hosts? my soul hath a desire, a longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord. My flesh and my heart rejoiceth in the Living God. O that I had wings like a Dove, for than would I flee away and be at rest. O send out thy Light and thy Truth, that they may lead me, and bring me to thy Hill, and to thy dwelling; for one day in thy Court is better than a thousand elsewhere. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. I should utterly have fainted, but that I believed verily to have seen the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living. Thou art my Helper and my Redeemer, O Lord, make no long tarrying. A Prayer at the Receiving of the Communion. O Lord, I am ashamed, and blush to lift up my face to thee, for my iniquities are increased over my head, and my trespass is grown even unto Heaven. I have wrought all these great provocations, and that in the most provoking manner; they have not been only single, but repeated acts of sin; for, O Lord, of all this black Catalogue of sin, which I have now brought before thee, how few are there which I have not often committed? nay, which are not become even habitual, and accustomary to me? and to this frequency I had added both a greediness and obstinacy in sinning, turned into my course, as a horse rusheth into the battle, doing evil with both hands, earnestly; yea, hating to be reform, and casting thy words behind me, quenching the Spirit within me, which testified against me, to turn me from my evil ways, frustrating all those outward means, whether of judgement or of mercy, which thou hast used to draw me to thyself? Nay, O Lord, even my Repentances may be numbered amongst my greatest sins; they have sometimes been feigned and hypocritical, always so slight and ineffectual; they have brought forth no fruit to amendment of life; but I have added the breach of resolutions and vows to all my former guilt. Thus, O Lord, I am become out of measure sinful, and since I have thus chosen death, the lake and brimstone, this, O Lord, is in justice to be the portion of my Cup; to me belongs nothing but shame and confusion of face eternally, but to thee, O Lord God, belongeth mercy, redemption, and forgiveness: Though I have rebelled against thee, O remember not my sins and offences, but according to thy mercy think upon me, O Lord, for thy goodness. Thou sendest thy Son to seek and to save that which was lost, behold, O Lord, I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost, O seek thy servant, and bring me back to the Shepherd and Bishop of my soul. Let thy Spirit work in me a hearty sense and detestation of all my abominations, and true contrition of heart, which thou hast promised not to despise, and then be thou pleased to look on me, to take away all my iniquity, and receive me graciously; and for his sake who hath nothing amiss, be reconciled unto me, wash away the guilt of my sin in his blood, and subdue the power of them by his grace, and grant, O Lord, that I may from this hour, bid a final adieu unto all ungodliness and worldly lusts, never once more cast a look towards Sodom, or long after the flesh pots of Egypt, but consecreate myself entirely unto thee, to serve thee in Righteousness and true Holiness all the days of my life, reckoning myself to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord and blessed Saviour. Amen. The 51 Psalm is fit to be read upon this Occasion. Ejaculations. O Lord, of whom may I seek for succour but of thee, who for my sins art justly displeased, yet, O Lord God, most holy, O Lord, most mighty, O holy and most merciful Saviour, deliver me not at my last hour into the bitter pains of eternal death. Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of my heart, shut not thy merciful eyes upon my prayer, but hear me, O Lord, most holy, O God, most mighty, O holy and most merciful Saviour, thou most worthy Judge Eternal, suffer me not at my last hour, for any pains of death, to fall from the Father. I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee, and am not worthy to be called thy child; yet, O Lord, do not thou cast off the bowels and compassion of a Father; but even as a Father pitieth his own children, so be thou merciful unto me. Lord, the Prince of this world cometh, oh let him have nothing in me, but as he accuseth, do thou absolve: he lays many grievous things to my charge, which he can too well prove; I have nothing to say for myself, do thou answer for me, O Lord my God. O Lord, I am clothed with filthy garments, and Satan stands at my right hand to resist me, O be thou pleased to rebuke him, and pluck me as a brand out of the fire. 'Cause mine iniquity to pass from me, and clothe me with the Righteousness of thy Son. Behold, O Lord, the Devil is coming towards me, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time: O save and deliver me, lest he devour my soul like a Lion, and tear it in pieces, while there is none to help. O my God, I know no unclean thing can enter into thy Kingdom, and I am nothing but pollution. My very Righteousnesses are as filthy rags, O wash me, and make me white in the blood of the Lamb, that so I may be fit to stand before thy Throne. Lord, the snares of death compass me about; O let not the pains of Hell also take hold upon me, but though I find trouble and heaviness, O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. O dear Jesus, who hast bought me with the precious price of thine own blood, challenge now thy purchase, and let not the malice of Hell pluck me out of thine hand. O blessed High Priest, who art able to save them to the uttermost who come unto God by thee, save me, I beseech thee, who have no hope, but by thy merit and intercession. O God, I confess I have defaced that Image of thine thou didst imprint upon my soul, yet oh thou faithful Creator, have pity on thy creature. O Jesus, I have by many and grievous sins crucified thee afresh, yet thou who prayest for thy persecutors, intercede for me also, and suffer me not, O my Redeemer, my soul, the price of thy blood, to perish. O Spirit of grace, I have by my horrid impieties done despite unto thee, yet O blessed Comforter, though I have offended thee, and often grieved thy Holy Spirit, be thou pleased to succour and relieve me, and say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. Mine eyes look unto thee, O Lord, in thee is my trust. O cast not out my soul. O Lord, in thee have I trusted, let me never be confounded. O blessed Lord, who scourgest every Son whom thou receivest, let me not be weary of thy correction, but give me such a perfect submission to thee the Father of spirits, that this chastisement may be for my profit, that I may thereby be partaker of thy holiness. O thou Captain of my salvation, who wert made perfect by sufferings, sanctify to me all the pains of body, all the terrors of mind, which thou shalt permit to fall upon me. Lord, my sins have deserved eternal torments, make me cheerfully and thankfully to bear my present pains; chasten me as thou pleasest here, that I may not be condemned with the world. Lord, the waters are come in even unto my soul; O let thy Spirit move upon the waters, and make them like the Pool of Bethesda, that they may cure whatsoever spiritual disease thou discernest in me. O Christ, who first suffered'st many and grievous things, and then enteredst into thy grave, make me so to suffer with thee, that I may also be glorified with thee. O dear Jesus, who humblest thyself to the death of the Cross for me, let that death of thine sweeten the bitterness of mine. When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death, thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers; I believe that thou shalt come to be my Judge, I pray thee therefore help thy servant whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood: make me to be numbered with Saints in glory everlasting. Thou art the Resurrection and the Life, he that believeth in thee, though he were dead, yet shall he live: Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief. My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, which is far better. Lord, I groan earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon with that house from Heaven; I desire to put off this Tabernacle, O be pleased to receive me into everlasting habitations; bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks unto thy Name. Lord, I am here to wrestle not only with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers, and spiritual wickedness: O take me from these tents of Kedar, into the heavenly Jerusalem, where Satan shall be utterly trodden under foot. I cannot here attend one minute to thy service without distractions. O take me up to stand before thy Throne, where I shall serve thee day and night. I am in heaviness through many tribulations; O receive me into that place of rest, where all tears shall be wiped away from my eyes; where there shall be no more death nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. I am here in the state of banishment and absence from the Lord. O take me where I shall for ever behold thy face, and follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of glory. O blessed Jesus, who hast loved me, and washed me from my sins in thine own blood, receive my soul. Into thine hands I commend my Spirit, for thou hast redeemed me. O Lord, thou God of Truth, come Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen. A Prayer for the Morning. O Most mighty and gracious God, full of incomprehensible Power and Majesty, whose glory the very Heaven of Heavens is not able to contain; look down from Heaven upon me thy unworthy servant, who here prostrate myself at the footstool of thy Throne of grace, not as I am in myself, but look upon me, O Father, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, thy beloved Son, in whom thou art well pleased, for of myself I am not able to stand in thy presence, or to speak with my unclean lips to so holy a God as thou art; for thou knowest that in sin I was conceived and born, and that I have lived ever since in iniquity, so that I have broken all thy holy Laws and Commandments, by sinful motions, unclean thoughts, evil words, and wicked works, omitting many of those duties of piety which thou requirest for thy service, and committing many of those vices which thou under the penalty of thy displeasure hast forbidden; here thou mayest confess to God thy secret sins, which most burden thy conscience, with the circumstances of the time, place, person, and the manner how it is committed, saying, but more especially, I do here with grief of heart confess unto thee, for these my sins, O Lord, I stand guilty of thy curse, with all the miseries of this life, and the life to come, namely, everlasting torment in Hell fire, when this wretched life is ended. If thou shouldest deal with me according to my deserts; yea Lord, I confess thy goodness which endureth for ever is the cause I have not been long ago consumed and confounded, but with thee, O Lord, there is mercy and plenteous redemption; in the multitude therefore of thy mercies, and confidence in Christ's merits, I entreat thy Divine Majesty, that thou wouldst not enter into judgement with thy servant, neither be extreme to mark what I have hitherto done amiss; for if thou dost, than no flesh can be justified in thy sight, nor any living stand in thy presence; but be thou merciful unto me, and wash away all the uncleanness of my sins, in the merits of that precious blood which Jesus Christ hath shed for me; and seeing that he hath born the burden of that curse, which was due for my transgression, O Lord, deliver me from my sins, and from all those Judgements which hang over my head as due unto me for them, and separate them as far from thy presence, as the East is from the West; bury them in the burial of Christ, that they may never rise up in this world to shame me, nor in the world to come to condemn me. And I beseech thee, O Lord, not only to wash away my sins with the blood of thy Immaculate Lamb, but also to purge my heart by thy Holy Spirit from the dross of my natural corruptions, that I may feel thy Spirit more and more killing my sins in the power and practice thereof, so that I may with more freedom of mind, and liberty of will, serve thee the ever living God, in Righteousness and true Holiness this day, and give me grace, that by the direction and assistance of thy Holy Spirit, I may persevere to be thy faithful and unfeigned servant unto my life's end, and when this mortal life is ended, I may be made partaker of immortality, and everlasting happiness in thy heavenly Kingdom. In the mean time, O Lord, whilst it is thy blessed will and pleasure, that I may continue to spend and end that small number and remnant of my days, that I may apply my heart to wisdom; and as thou dost add days to my life, so I beseech thee to add repentance and amendment to my sinful days, that as I grow in years, I may grow in grace and favour with thee, and all thy people; and to this end, give unto me a supply of all those graces which thou knowest to be wanting in me, and necessary for me, with an increase of all those good gifts wherewith thou hast already endowed me, that so I may be the better enabled to lead such a godly life, and an honest conversation, as that thy Name may thereby be glorified, others may take good example by me, and my soul may cheerfully feed on the peace of a good conscience, and be more replenished with the Joy of the Holy Ghost: And here, O Lord, according to my bounden duty, I give the most humble and hearty thanks for all those blessings which of thy goodness thou hast bestowed upon me; and namely, for that thou hast of thy free grace and love, according to thine eternal purpose, elected me before the foundation of the world was laid, unto salvation, in Jesus Christ: For that thou hast created me in thine own Image, and hast begun to restore that in me which was lost in our First Parents: For that thou hast effectually called me by the working of thy Holy Spirit, in the Preaching of the Gospel, and the Receiving of thy Sacrament, to the knowledge of thy saving grace, and obedience to thy blessed Will: For that thou hast bought and redeemed me with the blood of thy only begotten Son, from the torment of Hell, and thraldom of Satan: For that thou hast by Faith in Christ, freely justified me, who am by nature the child of wrath: For that thou hast in good measure justified me by thy Holy Spirit, and given me so large a time to repent, together with the means of Repentance: I thank thee likewise, good Lord, for my life, health, wealth, liberty, food, raiment, peace, prosperity and plenty, and for that thou hast preserved me this night from all perils and dangers of soul and body, and hast brought me safe to the beginning of this day; and as thou hast now awakened my body from sleep, so I beseech thee to awaken my body from sin, and carnal security; and as thou hast caused the light of the day to shine in our bodily eyes, so good Lord, cause the light of thy Word, and Holy Spirit, to illuminate my understanding, and give me grace, as one of thy children of light, to walk in all holy obedience before thy face this day, and all the days and time of my whole life, and that I may endeavour to keep faith and a good conscience towards God, and towards all men, in all my thoughts, words and dealings; and so good Lord bless all studies and actions, which I shall take in hand this day, as that they may tend to thy glory, the good of others, and the comfort of my own soul and conscience in that day, when I shall make my final request unto thee for them. O my God, keep thy servant, that I do not evil unto any man this day, and let it be thy blessed will, not to suffer the Devil, nor his wicked Angels, nor any of his evil members, or my malicious enemies, to have any power to do me any hurt or harm this day, but let the eyes of thy holy providence watch over me for good and not for evil, and command thy holy Angels to pitch their tents round about me, for my defence and safety in my going out, and my coming in, as thou hast promised they should do about them that fear thy Name; for into thy hands, O Father, I do here commend my soul and body, my actions, and all that ever I have, to be guided and protected by thee, being assured that whatsoever thou takest into thy custody, cannot suffer or take any hurt or harm; and if I at any time, this day, shall through frailty, forget thee, yet Lord, I beseech thee, do thou in mercy remember me: And I pray not alone for myself unto thee, O Father, but I beseech thee also be merciful unto thy whole Church, and chosen people, wheresoever they live upon the face of the whole Earth, defend them from the rage and tyranny of the Devil, the World, and Antichrist; give thy Gospel a free and a joyful passage through the world, for the conversion of those who belong to thine Election and Kingdom: Bless the Church and Kingdoms wherein we live, with the continuance of peace and true Religion, and Justice: Defend our gracious King Charles from all his enemies, and grant him a long life in health and all happiness to reign over us▪ Bless our gracious Queen Katherine, James Duke of York, and all the rest of the Royal Family▪ increase in them all heroical and spiritual graces which may make them fit for those places for which thou ordainedst them; direct all the Nobility, Bishops, and Magistrates of this Kingdom and Commonwealth; govern thou them that they may govern the Commons in true Religion, Justice, Obedience, and Tranquillity: Be merciful unto all the people that fear thee, and call upon thy Name; and comfort as many among them as lie sick, or are comfortless in body, or mind; especially be favourable to all such as suffer any trouble or persecution for the testimony of the Truth and holy Gospel, and give them a gracious deliverance out of all their troubles, which way it shall seem best to thy wisdom, for the glory of thy Name, the farther enlarging of the Truth, and the more ample increase of their comfort and consolation: Hasten thy coming, O blessed Saviour, and end these sinful days, and give me grace, that like a wise Virgin, I may be prepared with Oil in my Lamp, to meet thee, the sweetest Bridegroom of my soul at thy coming, whether it be by the day of death, or the day of judgement, and then Lord Jesus, come quickly, even Lord Jesus come when thou wilt, these, and all other graces which thou knowest to be needful and necessary both for my soul and my body, this day and for ever, I humbly beg and crave at thy hands; O Father, giving thee thy praise and glory, in that absolute form of prayer, which Christ himself hath taught me, to say unto thee, Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy Name, etc. Another Shorter Morning Prayer. O Most gracious God and merciful Father, I thine unworthy servant do acknowledge that as I have been born in sin, so I have lived in iniquity, and broken every one of thy commandments, in thought, word and deed, following the desires of my own will, and lusts of my flesh, not caring to be governed by thy holy Word and Spirit; therefore I have justly deserved all shame and misery in this life, and everlasting condemnation in Hell fire; if that thou shouldest but deal with me according to thy Justice, and my deserts. Wherefore, O heavenly Father, I humbly beseech thee, for thy Son Jesus Christ his sake, and for the merits of that bloody death and passion, which I believe he hath suffered for me, that thou wouldst pardon and forgive me all my sins, and deliver me from the Hell and vengeance which is due unto me for them, and send thy holy Spirit into my heart, which may assure me that thou art my Father, and that I am thy child, and that thou lovest me with an unchangeable love; and let thy good Spirit lead me into all truth, and crucify in me more and more carnal lusts, that my sin may more and more die in me, and that I may serve thee in Righteousness and true Holiness all the days of my life; and when this mortal life is ended, I may through thy mercy in Christ be made partaker of thine everlasting glory, in thy heavenly Kingdom. And here, O Lord, from the bottom of my heart, I humbly thank thee for all thy blessings bestowed upon my soul and body, for electing me in thy Love, for redeeming me by thy Son, sanctifying me by thy Spirit, and preserving me from my youth up, until this present day and hour by thy gracious providence; I thank thee more especially for that thou hast defended me this night passed from all danger, and hast brought me safe to the beginning of this day; and now, good Lord, I beseech thee, keep me this day from all peril and danger, and from all evil that may hurt me, and from falling into all sin that should offend thee; set thy fear before mine eyes, and let thy holy Spirit so rule my heart, that all that I shall think, do, or speak this day, may tend to thy glory, the good of others, and the peace of my own conscience; and to this end I commend myself, and all my ways and actions, together with all that do belong unto me, unto thy gracious protection this day, praying thee to keep both thine and me from all evil, and to give a blessing to all our honest labours and endeavours; defend thy whole Church from the tyranny of this world, and of Antichrist; preserve our gracious King from all conspiracy and treason; grant him a long reign in health and happiness over us: Bless our gracious Queen Katherine, James Duke of York, and all the rest of the Royal Family, endue them with thy grace, and defend them from all evil: Bless all our Ministers and Magistrates with all those graces and gifts which thou knowest necessary for their places: Be favourable to all those that fear thee, and call upon thy Name, and tremble at thy judgements▪ Comfort all those that are sick, or any way comfortless O Lord, keep me in a continual readiness by faith and repentance for my last end, that whether I live or die, I may be found thine own, to thine eternal glory, and my everlasting salvation, through Jesus Christ my only Saviour, in whose blessed Name I beg these mercies at thy hands, and give unto thee thy praise and glory, in that prayer which he hath sanctified with his own lips, saying, Our Father, etc. A Prayer for the Evening. O most gracious and loving Father, who art about my bed, and knowest my lying down, and my rising up, and art near unto all that call upon thee in Truth and sincerity, I a wretched sinner do humbly beseech thee to look upon me with the eyes of mercy, and not to behold me, as I am in myself, for than thou shalt see but an unclean and defiled creature, conceived in sin, and living in iniquity, so that I am ashamed to lift up my eyes unto thee, knowing how grievously I have sinned against Heaven and before thee; for, O Lord, I have transgressed all thy Commandments and Righteous Laws, not through negligence and infirmity, but oftentimes through wilful presumption, contrary to my knowledge, and the motions of thy holy Spirit reclaiming me from them, so that I have wounded my conscience, and grieved thy holy Spirit, by whom thou hast sealed me to the day of Redemption. Thou hast consecrated my soul and body to be the Temple of the Holy Ghost, I wretched sinner have defiled both, with all manner of pollution and uncleanness; mine eyes in taking pleasure to behold vanities, that I am ashamed to lift up my eyes unto thee; mine ears in hearing impure and unclean speeches; my tongue in evil speaking; my hands are so full of impurity, that I am ashamed to lift them up unto thee; and my feet have carried me after mine own ways; my understanding and reasonings, which are so quick in all earthly matters, are only blind and stupid; when I come to meditate or discourse of spiritual and heavenly things, my memory which should be a treasury of all goodness, is not so apt to remember any thing, as those things that are vile and vain; yea Lord, by woeful experience I find that naturally all the imaginations of the thoughts of my heart are only evil altogether, and continually; for these my sins are more in number than the hairs of my head, and they have grown over me, like a loathsome leprosy, from the crown of my head, to the sole of my feet; there remains no part which they have not infected; they make me seem vile in mine own eyes, how much more abominable must I appear in thy sight! the custom of sinning hath almost taken away the conscience of sin, and pulled upon me such dulness of sense, and hardness of heart, that thy judgements denounced against my sins, by the faithful Preachers of thy Word, do not terrify me to return unto thee with unfeigned repentance; and if thou Lord shouldest but deal with me according to thy Justice, and my deserts, I should utterly be confounded and condemned; but seeing that of thine own mercy thou hast spared me so long, and still waitest for my repentance, I humbly beseech thee for the blood, death and passions sake, which Jesus Christ hath suffered for me, that thou wouldst pardon and forgive me all my sins, and mine offences, and open unto me that ever-streaming fountain of the blood of Christ, which thou hast promised to open under the New Testament, to the penitent of the house of David, that all my sins and uncleanness may be so bathed in his blood, buried in his death, and hid in his wounds, that they never more be seen to shame me in this life, nor to condemn me in the world to come, before the judgement seat of God. And for as much, O Lord, as thou knowest that it is not in man to turn his own heart, unless thou first give him grace to convert: And seeing it is as easy with thee to make me righteous and holy, as to suffer me to be such, O my God, give me grace to do what thou hast commanded, then command what thou wilt and thou shalt find me willing to do what thou commandest, and to observe thy blessed Will in all things; to this end give unto me thy Holy Spirit, which thou hast promised to give to the world's end, unto all thine elect people; and let the same Holy Spirit purge my heart from the dross of my natural corruption; heal my soul and body, that they may become the Temple of the Holy Ghost, to serve thee in Righteousness and true Holiness all the days of my life, that when by the direction and assistance of thy Holy Spirit I shall finish my course in this short and transitory life, I may cheerfully leave this world, and resign my soul into thy fatherly hands in assured confidence of enjoying everlasting life with thee in thy heavenly Kingdom, which thou hast prepared for thine Elect Saints who love the Lord Jesus, and expect his appearing. In the mean while, O Father, I beseech thee, let thy Holy Spirit work in me such a serious repentance, as that I may with tears lament my sins past, with grief of heart be humbled for my sins present, and with all my endeavours resist the like filthy sins for the time to come, and let the same Holy Spirit keep me in the Unity of the Church, lead me in the Truth of thy Word, and preserve me that I may never swerve from the same to Popery, or any other error or false Worship; and let thy Spirit open mine eyes more and more, to see the wondrous things of thy Law; and open my lips that my mouth may set forth thy praise; increase in me those good gifts with which thou hast already endowed me of thy mercy, and give unto me a penitent spirit, and a chaste heart, a contented mind, pure affections, a wise behaviour, and all other graces which thou seest necessary for me to govern my heart in thy fear, and to guide all my life in thy favour, that whether I live or die, I may live and die unto thee, who art my God and my Redeemer. And here, O Lord, according as I am bound, I render unto thee, from the Altar of my humblest heart, all possible thanks and praise for all those blessings and benefits which graciously and plentifully thou hast bestowed upon my soul and body, for this life, and that which is to come, namely, for my Election, Creation, Redemption, Justification, Sanctification and Preservation, from my childhood until this present day and hour, and for the firm hope which thou hast given me of my Glorification: Likewise for my Life, Liberty, Food and Raiment, a competent estate for the maintenance of this present life, and prosperity; more especially, for that thou hast defended me this day now past from all peril and dangers, both of body and soul, furnishing me with all necessary good things that I stand in need of; and as thou hast ordained the day for man to travel in, and the night for him to take his rest; so I beseech thee to sanctify unto me this night's rest and sleep, that I may be the better disposed to serve thee in all honesty and godliness, and that I may enjoy the same as thy sweet blessing and benefit, that so dull and wearied a body of mine being refreshed with moderate rest and sleep, I may be the better enabled to work before thee, doing all such good works as thou hast provided for me; and when it shall please thee by thy divine providence to awaken me the next morning, do thou, O Lord, who art the keeper of Israel, who never slumberest nor sleepest, watch over me in thy holy providence, to protect me from all dangers, so that neither the evil Angels of Satan, nor any wicked enemy may have any power to do me any harm, or evil; and to this end give a charge unto thy holy Angels, that they at thy appointment may pitch their tents round about me for my defence and safety, as thou hast promised they should do about them that fear thy Name; and knowing that thy Name is a strong Tower of defence unto all those that trust therein, I here recommend myself, and all that belongs unto me unto thy holy protection and custody, if it be thy blessed will to call for me in my sleep. O Lord, for Christ his sake, have mercy upon me, and receive my soul unto thy heavenly Kingdom; and if it be thy blessed pleasure to add more days to my life, add more amendment unto my days, and wean my mind from the love of the world, and the vanity thereof, and cause me more and more to settle my conversation on Heaven and heavenly things, and perfect daily in me that good work which thou hast begun, to the glory of thy Name, and the salvation of my sinful soul. O Lord, I beseech thee likewise, save and defend from all evil and danger thy whole Church, our gracious King Charles, and grant him a long and prosperous Reign over us: Bless our gracious Queen Katherine, James Duke of York, and all the Royal Family; endue them with thy grace, and defend them from all evil: Bless the Nobility, Magistrates, and Ministers of these Churches and Kingdoms, each of them with those graces and benefits which are expedient for their places and callings; and be thou, O Lord, a comfort and a consolation to all thy people, whom thou hast thought meet to visit with any kind of sickness, cross, or poverty, or calamity. Hasten, O Father, the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; make me ever mindful of my last end, and of the reckoning that I am to make unto thee therein; and in the mean while, carefully so to follow Christ in the generation, during this life, as that with Christ I may have a portion in the resurrection of Christ, when this mortal life is ended: These graces, and all other blessings, which thou, O Father, knowest to be required and necessary for me, I humbly beg and crave at thy hands, in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ, thy Son; and in that form of Prayer which he himself hath taught me to say, Our Father which art in Heaven, etc. Another Short Evening Prayer. O Eternal God, and heavenly Father, if I were not taught and assured by the promises of thy Gospel, and the example of Peter, Mary Magdalen, the Publican, the Prodigal Child, and many other penitent sinners, that thou art so full of compassion, and so ready to forgive the greatest sinners who are heaviest laden with sin, at what time soever they return unto thee, with penitent hearts, lamenting their sins, and imploring thy grace, I should despair for my own sins, and be utterly discouraged from presuming to come into thy presence, considering the hardness of my heart, and the unruliness of my affection, and the uncleanness of my conversation, by means whereof I have transgressed all thy holy Laws and Commandments, and deserved thy Curse, which might cause my body to be smitten with some fearful disease, my soul to languish with the death of sin, my good name to be traduced with some scandalous reproaches, and make myself liable to all manner of crosses and casualties. And I confess Lord, that thy mercy is the cause I have not been long ago consumed and confounded: But, O my God, as thy mercy only stayed thy judgements from falling upon me hitherto, so I humbly beseech thee, in the bowels of thy mercy in Jesus Christ, in whom only thou art well pleased, that thou wilt not deal with me according to my deserts, but that thou wouldst freely and fully remit unto me all my sins and my transgressions, and that thou wouldst wash them clean from me, with the virtue of that precious blood, which thy Son Jesus Christ hath shed for me; for he alone is my Physician, and his blood only is the medicine that can heal my sickness; and is the true brazen Serpent that can cure that poison wherewith the fiery serpents of my sins have stung and poisoned my sick and wounded soul; and give me, I beseech thee, thine holy Spirit, which may assure me of mine Adoption, and that may confirm my Faith, increase my Repentance, enlighten my Understanding, purify my Heart, and rectify my Will and Affection, and so sanctify me throughout, that my whole Body, and Soul; and Spirit may be kept unblamable until the glorious coming of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And now, O Lord, I give unto thee, most humble and hearty thanks and praise, for that thou hast this day preserved me from all harm and dangers, notwithstanding all my sins and evil deserts; and I beseech thee likewise to defend me this night from the roaring Lion, which night and day seeketh to devour me: Watch thou, O Lord, over me this night, to keep me from his temptations and tyranny, and let thy mercy shield me from his unspeakable rage and malice; and to this end I commit myself into thy hands, and almighty protection, beseeching thee, O my Lord and my God, not to suffer Satan, or any of his evil members to have power to do me any hurt or harm this night; and grant, good Lord, that whether I sleep or wake, live or die, I may sleep, wake, live or die unto thee, and to the glory of thy Name, and the salvation of my soul. Lord, bless and defend all thy chosen people every where; Grant our gracious Sovereign long life, and a happy Reign over us: Bless our gracious Queen Katherine, James Duke of York, and all the Royal Family, together with all our Magistrates and Ministers; comfort them who are in misery, need or sickness, or under any kind of Cross or Calamity; give me grace to be one of those wise Virgins, which may have my heart prepared like a Lamp, furnished with the Oil of Faith, and Light of good works, to meet the Lord Jesus, the sweet Bridegroom of my soul, at his second and sudden coming in glory; grant this, good Father, for Jesus Christ his sake my only Saviour, Redeedeemer, and Mediator; in whose blessed Name, and in whose own words I call upon thee, as he hath taught me; Our Father which art in Heaven, etc. A Morning Prayer for a Family. O Lord our God and heavenly Father, who art the only Creator of Heaven and of Earth, and all therein contained, we confess that we are unworthy to appear in thy sight and presence, considering our manifold sins and offences, which we have committed against Heaven, and before thee: and how that we have been born in sin, and do daily break thy holy Laws and Commandments contrary to our knowledge and consciences; albeit we know thou art our Creator, who hast made us, our Redeemer, who hast bought us with the blood of thy only begotten Son, and our Comforter, who bestowest upon us all the good and holy graces which we enjoy in our souls, and in our bodies; and if thou shouldest but deal with us as our wickedness and unthankfulness have deserved, what other thing might we, O Lord, expect from thee, but shame and confusion in this life, and in the world to come wrath and everlasting condemnation; yet, O Lord, in the obedience of thy Commandments, and in the confidence which we have in thy unspeakable and endless mercy in thy Son, and our Saviour Jesus Christ the Righteous, we thy poor servants appealing from thy Throne of Justice, to thy Throne of Crace, whose mercy reigneth to pardon abounding sin, do from the bottom of our hearts, most humbly beseech thee, to remit and forgive unto us all our sins and our offences, and misdeeds, that by the virtue of the precious blood of Jesus Christ, thy innocent Lamb, which he so abundantly shed upon the Cross, to take away the sins of the world, all our sins, both original and actual, may be so cleansed and washed from us, that they may never be laid to our charge, nor ever have power to rise up in judgement against us; and we beseech thee, good Father, for Christ his death and passion sake, that thou wilt not suffer to fall upon us that fearful curse and vengeance which thy Law hath threatened, and our sins have justly deserved: And for as much, O Lord, as we are taught by thy Word, that no Idolaters, Adulterers, covetous men, contentious persons, drunkards, gluttons, and such inordinate livers, shall inherit the Kingdom of God; pour the grace of thy Holy Spirit into our hearts, whereby we may see the filthiness of our sins, and abhor them, and may be more and more stirred up to live in newness of life, and love of thy Majesty, so we may daily increase in the obedience of thy words, and in conscionable care of keeping thy Commandments. And now, O Lord, I render unto thee most hearty thanks, for that thou hast elected, redeemed, called, justified us in good measure in this life, and given us an assured hope that thou wilt glorify us in thy heavenly Kingdom, when this mortal life is ended. Likewise we thank thee for our life, health, wealth, liberty, prosperity, and peace; especially, O Lord, for the continuance of thy holy Gospel amongst us, and for sparing us so long, and granting us so gracious a time of repentance: Also we praise thee for all other thy mercies bestowed upon us; more especially for preserving us this night past, and from all dangers that might have befallen our souls or bodies; and seeing thou hast now brought us safe to the beginning of this day, we beseech thee protect and direct us in the same: Bless and defend us in our going out and in our coming in, this day, and ever more; shield us, O Lord, from the temptations of the Devil, and grant us the custody of thy holy Angels, to defend and direct us in all our ways; and to this end we recommend ourselves, and all those that belong unto us, and are abroad from us, unto thy hands and almighty tuition; Lord defend them from all evil, prosper them with all graces, and fill them with thy goodness: Preserve us likewise this day, from falling into any gross sins, especially those whereunto our natures are most prone; set a watch before the door of our lips, that we offend not thy Divine Majesty by any rash or false oaths, or by any lewd or lying speeches; give unto us patient minds, pure and chaste hearts, and all other graces of thy Spirit, which thou knowest to be needful for us, that we may be the better enabled to serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life; and seeing that all men's labours are in vain, without thy blessing, bless every one of us in our several places and callings; direct thou the works of our hands upon us, even prosper thou our handiworks; for except thou guide us with thy grace, our endeavours can have no good success; and provide for us all things which thou, O Father, knowest to be needful for every one of us, in our souls and bodies this day, and grant that we may pass through the pilgrimage of this short life, that our hearts being not settled upon any transitory things, which we meet with in the way, our souls may every day be more and more ravished with the love of our home, and thine everlasting Kingdom: Defend likewise, O Lord, thy universal Church, and every particular member thereof; especially we beseech thee to continue the peace and tranquillity of these Churches and Kingdoms wherein we live; preserve from all evil and dangers our most gracious King Charles, endue his Royal heart with more and more grace, wisdom and understanding, and grant that his days may be long, prosperous and happy: Bless our gracious Queen Katherine, James Duke of York, and all the Royal Family, multiply their days with bliss and felicity, and afterwards crown them with everlasting joy and glory: Bless all our Ministers and Magistrates with all graces needful for their places, govern thou them, that they may govern us in peace, godliness, and true Religion; and of thy mercy, O Lord, comfort all our Brethren that are distressed, sick, or comfortless, especially those who are afflicted either with an evil conscience, because they have sinned against thy Word, or for a good conscience, because they will not sin against the Truth; make the first to know that not one drop of the blood of Christ was a drop of vengeance, but all drops of grace, powerful to procure pardon upon repentance, for the greatest sins of the chiefest sinners in the world; and for the other, let not, O Lord, thy long sufferance, either too much discourage them, or too much encourage their enemies; but grant them patience in suffering, and a gracious and speedy deliverance, which may stand best with thy glory, and their comfort; and give every one of us grace to be always mindful of his last end, and to be always prepared with faith and repentance, as with a wedding garment, against the time thou shalt call for us out of this sinful world; and that in the mean while, we may in all things, and above all things, seek thy glory, that when this mortal life is ended, we may then be made partakers of Immortality and Life eternal in thy heavenly Kingdom; these, and all other graces and blessings, which thou, O heavenly Father, seest to be necessary for us, and for thy whole Church, we humbly beg and crave at thy hands, concluding this our imperfect prayer, in that most perfect form of prayer which Christ himself hath taught us, saying, Our Father which art in Heaven, etc. Evening Prayer for a Family. O Eternal God, and most merciful Father, we thine unworthy servants here assembled, do cast down ourselves at the foosttool of thy grace, acknowledging ourselves that we inherit our Father's corruption, in thought, word and deed, transgressing thy holy Commandments, so that in us naturally, there dwelleth nothing that is good; for our hearts are full of secret pride, anger, impatience, dissembling, lying, lust, vanity, profaneness, distrust, too much love of ourselves, too little love of thee, and thy Kingdom, but full of enmity, and void of love, patience, and every spiritual grace; if thou therefore shouldest enter into judgement with us, and search out our natural corruptions, and observe all the cursed fruit and effects that we have derived from thence, Satan might justly challenge us for his own, and we could not expect any from thy Majesty, but thy wrath, and our condemnation, which we have long ago deserved: But, good Father, for Jesus Christ his sake, who is thy dear Son, in whom only thou art well pleased, and for the merits of that bitter death and passion, which we believe he hath suffered for us, have mercy upon us, and free us from the shame and confusion which is due unto us for them, that they may never seize upon us to our confusion in this life, or to condemnation in the world which is to come: And for as much as thou hast created us, to serve thee, as all other creatures to serve us, so we humbly beseech thee inspire thy Holy Spirit into our hearts, that by his illumination and effectual working we may have the inward sight and feeling of our sins, and natural corruptions; and that we may not be blinded in them through custom, as the Reprobate are, but that we may more and more loath them, and be heartily grieved for them, endeavouring by the use of all good means to overcome them, and get out of them. O let us feel the power of Christ's death killing sin in our mortal bodies, and the virtue of his Resurrection, raising up our souls to newness of life; convert our hearts, subdue our affections, regenerate our minds, purify our natures, and suffer us not to be drowned in the streams of those filthy vices, and sinful pleasures, wherewith thousands are carried headlong to eternal destruction, but daily frame us more and more to the likeness of thy Son Jesus Christ, that in Righteousness and true Holiness we may so serve and glorify thee, that living in thy fear, and dying in thy favour, we may in thy appointed time, attain to the blessed Resurrection of the Just unto eternal life; in the mean while, O Lord, increase our faith in the sweet promises of the Gospel, and our repentance from dead works, the assurance of our hopes in thy promises, our fear of thy Name, the hatred of all our sins, and our love unto thy children, especially whom we see to stand in need of our help and comfort, that so by the fruit of piety, and a righteous life, we may be assured that thy Holy Spirit doth dwell in us, and that we are thy children by grace and adoption; and grant us, good Father, the continuance of health, peace and maintenance, and all other outward good things, so far forth as thy Divine Wisdom shall think meet to be requisite and necessary for every one. And here, O Lord, according to our bounden duty, we confess that thou hast been exceeding merciful unto us all in things of this life, but infinitely more merciful in the things of a better life; therefore we do here from our very souls, render unto thee most humble and hearty thanks from our very souls, for all thy blessings and benefits bestowed upon our souls and our bodies, acknowledging thee to be that Father of Light from whom we have received all those good and perfect gifts, and unto thee alone for them we ascribe to be due, all glory, honour, might, majesty and praise, both now and for ever more: But more especially we praise thy Divine Majesty, for that thou hast defended us this day passed from all perils and dangers, so that none of those Judgements which our sins have deserved have fallen upon any one of us. Good Lord, forgive us the sins which this day we have committed against thy Divine Majesty, or our Brethren, and for Christ his sake, be reconciled unto us for them; and we humbly beseech thee likewise of thine infinite goodness, to defend and protect us this night, and all that belong unto us, from all perils and dangers of fire, robbery, terrors of evil Angels, or any other fear, which for our sins might justly have fallen upon us, and that we may be safe under the shadow of thy wings; and to this end and purpose we here recommend our bodies and souls, and all that we have unto thine Almighty Protection; Lord bless and defend both us and them from all evil; whilst we sleep, do thou, O Father, who never slumberest nor sleepest, watch over thy children, and give a charge to thy holy Angels to pitch their tents round about our houses and dwellings this night, to guard us from all dangers, that sleeping with thee, we may the next morning be awakened by thee, and so being refreshed with moderate sleep, we may be the fitter to set forth thy glory in the conscionable duties of our callings; and we beseech thee, O Lord, to be merciful likewise to thy whole Church, and to continue the tranquillity of these Kingdoms wherein we live, turning from us those plagues which the crying sins of this Nation do cry aloud for. O Lord, preserve the principal member thereof, our most gracious King Charles, endue his Royal heart with grace, wisdom and understanding, and grant that his days may be many, prosperous, virtuous and happy; cloth his enemies with shame, but upon his head let his Crown flourish: Bless our gracious Queen Katherine, James Duke of York, and the rest of the Royal Family, endow them with thy grace, and defend them from all evil: Bless all our Magistrates and Ministers with all those graces and gifts necessary for their places; govern thou them, that they may govern us in peace, godliness, and true Religion: Bless all that fear thee, and call upon thy Name; all our Christian Brethren and Sisters, that suffer sickness, or any other affliction, or misery, especially those who do any where suffer persecution for the testimony of thy holy Gospel▪ grant them patience to bear thy Cross, and deliverance when, and which way it shall seem best to thy Divine Wisdom; and Lord, suffer us never to forget our last end, and those reckonings which than we must render unto thee; in health and prosperity make us mindful of sickness, and of the evil day that is behind, that these things may not overtake us as a snare, but that we may in some good measure, like wise Virgins, be found prepared for the coming of Christ, the sweet Bridegroom of our souls. And now, O Lord, most holy and just, we confess there is no cause why thou who art so much displeased with sin, shouldest hear the prayers of sinners, but for his sake who suffered for sin, and sinned not, in the only mediation therefore of thine eternal Son Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, we humbly beg these and all other graces which thou knowest to be needful for us and for thy whole Church, shutting up these our imperfect requests in that most holy prayer which Christ himself hath taught us to say unto thee, Our Father which art in Heaven, etc. A Morning Prayer for the Sabbath Day. O Most High, O Eternal God, all whose works are glorious, all whose thoughts are very deep, there can be no better thing than to praise thy Name, and declare thy loving kindness in the morning, on thy holy and blessed Sabbath day, for it is thy Will and Commandment, that we should sanctify this day in thy service, and praise him, and in the thankful remembrance of the Creation of the world, by the power of thy Word, so of the Redemption of mankind by the death of thy Son; thine, O Lord, I confess is greatness, and power, and glory, and victory, and praise, for all that is in Heaven and Earth is thine; thine is the Kingdom, O Lord, and thou excellest as head over all, both riches and honour come of thee, and thou raignest over all, and in thine hand is power and strength; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give grace unto all; now therefore, O my God, I praise thy glorious Name, that whereas I wretched sinner having so many ways provoked thy Majesty to anger and displeasure, thou notwithstanding of thy favour and goodness, passing by profaneness and infirmities, hast vouchsafed, O heavenly Father, to add this Sabbath again to the number of my days; and vouchsafe, O heavenly Father, for the merits of Jesus Christ thy Son, whose glorious Resurrection thy whole Church celebrateth this day, to pardon and forgive me all my sins and misdeeds; especially, O Lord, cleanse my soul from those filthy sins which my corrupt nature is most prone unto, with the blood of thy most pure and undefiled Lamb, and let thy Holy Spirit more and more subdue my corruptions, that I may be renewed after thine own Image, to serve thee in Righteousness, and true Holiness all the days of our life; and as of thy mercy thou hast brought me safe to the beginning of this day, so I beseech thee to make it a day of Reconciliation betwixt my sinful soul and thy Divine Majesty; give me grace to make it a day of Repentance unto thee, that thy goodness may seal it to be a day of pardon unto me; and that I may remember, that the keeping holy of this, is a commandment which thine own finger hath written, that on this day I might meditate on thy glorious works of our Creation and Redemption, and learn how to keep all the rest of thy holy Laws and Commandments; and when anon I shall with the rest of the holy Assembly appear before thy presence, to offer unto thee our morning Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, and to hear what thy Spirit, by the preaching of thy Word, shall speak unto thy servant, oh let not my sins stand as a cloud, to stop my prayers from ascending unto thee, or keep back thy grace from descending by thy Word into my heart. I know, O Lord, and tremble to think, that three parts of the good seed falls upon bad ground; O let not my heart be like the high way, which through hardness and want of true understanding receives not the seed, till the evil one cometh and catcheth it away; nor the stony ground, which heareth with joy for a time, but falleth away as soon as persecution ariseth for the Gospel's sake; nor like the thorny ground, which by the cares of this world, and deceitfulness of riches choketh the Word which it heareth, and maketh it altogether unfruitful; but that like unto the good ground, I may hear thy Word with an honest and a good heart, understand it, and keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience, in that measure that thy Divine Wisdom shall think meet for thy glory, and mine everlasting comfort. Open likewise, I beseech thee, O Lord, the door of utterance unto thy faithful servant, whom thou hast sent unto us to open our eyes, that we may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that we may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by Faith in Christ; and give me grace to submit myself to his Ministry, as well when he terrifieth me with judgements, as when he comforteth me with thy mercies; and that I may have him in a singular love for his works sake, because he watcheth for my soul, as he that must give an account for the same unto his Master; and give me grace to behave myself in the holy Congregation with comeliness and reverence as in thy presence, and in the sight of thy holy Angels. Keep me from drowsiness and sleepiness, and from all wand'ring thoughts, and worldly imaginations; sanctify my memory, that it may be apt to receive, and firm to remember those good and profitable doctrines which shall be taught unto us out of thy Word, and that through the assistance of thy holy Spirit, I may put the same lessons in practice, for my directions in prosperity, for my consolation in misery, for the amendment of my life, and the glory of thy Name; and that this day which godless and profane persons spend in their own lusts and pleasures, I as an obedient servant of thine may make my chief delight to consecrate it to thy honour and glory, not doing my own ways, nor seeking mine own will, nor speaking a vain word, but that ceasing from the works of sin, as well as from the work of my ordinary calling, I may through thy blessing feel in my heart the beginning of that eternal Sabbath, which with unspeakable joy & glory I shall celebrate with thy Saints and Angels to thy praise and worship in thy heavenly Kingdom for evermore; all which I humbly beg and crave at thy hands, in the Name and Mediation of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in that form of prayer which he hath taught me, Our Father which art in Heaven, etc. A Private Evening Prayer for the Sabbath Day. O Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabbath, suffer me who am but dust and ashes, to speak unto thy glorious Majesty; I know that thou art a consuming fire, I acknowledge that I am but wretched stubble, my sins are in thy sight, and Satan stands at my right hand to accuse me for them; I come not to excuse, but to judge myself worthy of all those judgements which thy justice might most justly inflict upon me, a wretched creature, for my sins and my transgressions, the number of them is so great, and the nature of them is so grievous, that they make me seem vile in mine own eyes, how much more loathsome in thy sight. I confess they make me so far from being worthy to be called thy Son, that I am altogether unworthy to have the name of thy meanest servant; and if thou shouldest but recompense me according to my deserts, the Earth, as weary of such a sinful burden, should open her mouth, and swallow me up like one of Dathans' Family, into the bottomless pit of Hell; for if thou didst not spare the natural branches, those Angels of glorious excellency, but hurledst them down from thy heavenly habitation in the pains of hellish darkness, to be kept unto damnation, when they sinned but once against thy Majesty, and didst expel our first Parents out of Paradise, when they did but transgress one of thy Laws: Alas, what a vengeance may I expect, who have not offended in one sin only, but heaping sin upon sin, without any true Repentance, drinking in iniquity as it were water, ever pouring in, but never pouring out any filthiness; and transgressed all thy Laws and Commandments; yea this present day thou hast straightly commanded me to keep holy to thy praise and worship, I have not so religiously kept and observed, nor prepared my soul in that holiness and chastity of heart as was fit to meet thy blessed Majesty in the holy Assembly of thy Saints: I have not attended to the Preaching of thy Word, nor to the administration of thy Sacrament, with that humility, reverence and devotion that I should; for though I was present at those exercises in my body, yet Lord, I was overtaken with much drowsiness, that when I was awake, my mind was so distracted and carried away with vain and worldly thoughts, that my soul seemed to be absent, and out of the Church. I have not so duly as I should meditated with myself, nor conferred with my Family upon those good instructions which I have heard and received out of thy holy Word, by the public Minister, for default whereof, Satan hath stolen the most part of those instructions out of my heart, and I wretched creature, have forgotten them, as though they had never been heard; and my family doth not thrive in knowledge and satisfaction under my government, as they should, though I know that many of my poor Brethren live in want and necessity; some in pain, and comfortless, yet I have not remembered to relieve the one with my alms, nor the other with my consolations, but have feasted myself, and satisfied mine own lust; I have spent most part of the day in idle talk, vain sports and exercises; yea, Lord, I have, etc. here confess what faults thou hast done that day, by omission or commission, and then fetching a deep sigh from thy heart, and for all these my sins, my conscience cries guilty, thy Laws condemns me, and I am in thy hand to receive the sentence and curse that is due to the wilful breach of so holy a Commandment: but what if I am by the Law condemned, yet Lord, thy Gospel assures me that thy mercy is above all thy works, and that thy grace transcends thy Law, and thy goodness delights there to reign, where sinners do most abound. In the multitude of the mercies and merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour, I beseech thee, O Lord, who despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart, nor desirest the death of a penitent sinner, to pardon and forgive unto me all these my sins, and all the errors of that day, and of my whole life, and free my soul from that curse and judgement which is due unto me for them. Thou that didst justify the contrite Publican for four words of confession, and receivedst the prodigal Child when he had spent all the stock of grace, into favour, upon his repentance, pardon all my sins likewise, O Lord, and suffer me not to perish for my transgressions. O spare me for thy mercy sake, and receive me unto favour again. Wilt thou, O Lord, reject me, who hast received all Publicans and sinners, that upon repentance sued unto thee for grace. Shall I alone be excluded from thy mercy? far be it from me to think so, for thou art the same God of mercy unto me that thou wast unto them, and thy compassion never fails; wherefore, O Lord, deal not with me after my merits, but according to thy great mercy, execute not thy severe justice against me a sinner, but execute thy long-sufferance in forbearing thine own creature. I have nothing to present unto thee for a satisfaction, but only those bloody wounds, bitter death and passion which thy blessed Son, my only Saviour, hath suffered for me, him, in whom only thou art well pleased, I offer up unto thee, for all my sins wherewith thou art displeased; he my Mediator, the request of whose blood speaking better things than that of Abel, thy mercy can never gainsay, illuminate my understanding▪ and sanctify my heart with thy holy Spirit, that it may bring to my remembrance all those good and profitable lessons which this day, or at any other time hath been taught unto me out of thy holy Word, that I may remember them; thy Commandments to keep them, thy Judgements to avoid them, and thy sweet promises to rely upon them in time of misery and distress; and now, O Lord, I resign myself to thy most holy Will, O receive me into thy favour, and so draw me by thy grace unto thyself, that I may as well be thine by Love and Implantation, as by Calling and Creation, and give me grace so to keep holy thy Sabbath in this life, as that when this life is ended, I may with all thy Saints and Angels, celebrate an eternal rest of joy and praise to the honour of thy most holy Name in thy heavenly Kingdom for ever more. Amen. Devotions for several Occasions. In the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Our Father which art in Heaven, etc. A Morning Prayer. O Eternal Son of Righteousness, who camest from the bosom of the Father, to enlighten the darkness of the world, I praise thy Name that thou hast preserved me from the danger of this night, and hast continued to me still the opportunities of serving thee, and advancing my hopes of a blessed eternity, let thy mercies shine brightly upon me, and dissipate the clouds and darknesses of my spirit and understanding; rectify my affections, and purify my will, and all my actions, that whatsoever I shall do or suffer this day, or in my whole life, my words and purposes, my thoughts, and all my intentions, may be sanctified, and be acceptable to thy Divine Majesty. Amen. Grant that my understanding may know thee, my heart may love thee, and all my faculties and powers may give thee due obedience, and serve thee; preserve me this day from all sin and danger, from all violences and snares of mine enemies, visible, or invisible; let thy holy fear be as a bridle to my distemperatures, and thy love so enkindle and actuate all my endeavours, that no pleasures or allurements of the world may draw me from thy service, nor any difficulty or temptation may be my hindrance; let the profound humility and innocence of my blessed Saviour keep from me all pride and haughtiness of mind, all self-love and vainglory, all obstinacy and disobedience, all fraudulency, and hurtful dissimulation, and let the graces of the Holy Ghost take such absolute possession and seizure of my soul, and all his faculties, that I may bring down, and east out the spirit of uncleanness and intemperance, of malice and envy, idleness and disdain, that I may never despise any of thy creatures, but myself, that so being little in my own fight, I may be great in thine. Amen. An Evening Prayer. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Our Father which art in Heaven, etc. O Lord God, who art the light and splendour of souls, in the brightness of thy countenance is eternal day, that knows no night; in thy arms, and in thy protection is all quietness, tranquillity and everlasting repose, while the darkness covers the face of the earth, receive my body and soul into thy custody; let not the spirits of darkness come near my dwelling, neither suffer my fancy to be abused with the illusions of the night. Lord, I am thy servant, and the sheep of thy pasture, let not the Devil, who goeth up and down seeking whom he may devour, abuse my body, or make a prey of my soul, but defend me from all those calamities which I have deserved, and protect my soul, that it consent not to any work of darkness, lest mine enemy say, he hath prevailed over me, or do mischief to a soul redeemed with thy most precious blood. Amen. Pardon and forgive me all the sins and offences of my youth and age, the errors of mine understanding, the inordination of mine affections, the irregularity of all my actions, and particularly of whatsoever I have transgressed this day, in thought, word, or deed. Lord, let not thy wrath arise, for although I have deserved the extremest pressure of thine indignation, yet remember my infirmity, and how thou hast sent thy Son to reveal thy infinite mercy to us, and convey pardon and salvation to the penitent. I beseech thee also to accept the heartiest devotion, and humble acknowledgement of a thankful heart for all thy blessings and preservation of me this day; for unless thy providence and grace had been my defence and guide, I had committed more and more grievous sins against thee, and had been swallowed up by thy just wrath, and severest judgements, mercy sweet Jesus. Amen. Grant unto thy servant true humility, great contrition, a tender conscience, and obedient heart, an understanding always busied in honest and pious thoughts, a wiling, tractable heart, and ever prone to do good, affections even and moderate, a watchful custody over my senses, that by those window's sin may never enter in, nor death by sin; make me to watch over my tongue, and keep the door of my lips, that no corrupt or unseemly communication proceed out of my mouth, that I may never slander, calumniate, or detract from the reputation of my neighbour, that I be not busy in the faults of others, but careful to correct my own, being gentle and merciful to others, severe towards myself, that I may speak much of thy praises, and what I can for the edification of my Brethren. Amen. Give me a soul watchful in the service of Religion, constant in holy purposes, ingenious and free from sordid ends, or servile flattery, a modest gravity in my deportment, affability, a fair, courteous demeanour towards all men, austerity in condemning my own sins, sweetness in fraternal correction, and reprehending others, mature judgement, a chaste body, and a clean soul, patience in suffering, deliberation in my words and actions, good counsels in all my purposes; make me just in performing promises, and in all my duties, sedulous in my calling, profitable to the Commonwealth, a true Son of the Church, and of a disposition meek and charitable towards all men. Amen. O Lord, let thy grace be so present with me, that though my body sleep, yet my soul may for ever be watchful, that I sleep not in sin, or pretermit any opportunity of doing thee service: Let the remembrance of thy goodness and glory be first and last with me, and so unite my heart unto thee with habitual charity, that all my actions and sayings may be directed to thy glory, and every motion and inclination, either of soul or body, may in some capacity or other receive a blessing from thee, and do thee service, that whether I sleep or wake, travel or rest, eat or drink, live or die, I may always feel the light of thy countenance shining so upon me, that my labours may be easy, my rest blessed, my food sanctified, and my whole life spent with so much sanctity and peace, that scaping from the darkness of this world, I may at last come to the land of everlasting rest, in thy light to behold light and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Blessed be the holy and undivided Trinity now and ever more. Another Prayer for the Evening. VIsit, we beseech thee, O Lord, this habitation with thy mercy, and us thy servants with thy salvation, and repel far from us all the snares of the enemy. Let thy holy Angels dwell here to keep us in peace and safety, and thy blessing be upon us for ever, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O Lord Jesus Christ, the lively Image of thy Father's mercy and glory, the Saviour of all them that put their trust in thee, we offer and present to thee all our strength, and powers of our souls and body, and whatsoever we are, or have, to be preserved, governed, and possessed by thee; preserve us from all vicious, vain and proud cogitations, unchaste affections, from all those things which thou hatest; grant us thy holy charity, that we may love thee above all the world, that we may with all sincerity of intention, and zealous affections, seek thee alone, and in thee alone take our rest, inseparably joining ourselves unto thee, who art worthy to be beloved and adored of all thy creatures with lowest prostration, and highest affection, now and for ever more. Amen. O Father of mercies, and God of all comfort, let thy blessing be upon us, and upon all the members of thy holy Church, all health and safety both of body and soul; assist us against all our enemies, visible and invisible, now and for ever more; send us a quiet night, and a holy death in the actual communion of the Catholic Church, and in thy charity, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Our Father which art in Heaven, etc. Now and in all dangers and afflictions of soul and body, in the hour of death, and in the day of Judgement, save and deliver us, O sweet Saviour and Redeemer Jesus. Amen. Short Prayers for several Occasions for the King. O Lord our heavenly Father, high and mighty, King of Kings, who in thy hands hast the heart of Kings, and canst turn them as the Rivers of water, send the light of thy countenance and abundance of blessings upon thy servant our Sovereign Lord King Charles, make him as holy, valiant, and prosperous as King David, wise and rich like Solomon, zealous for the honour of thy Law and Temple as Josiah, and give him all sorts of great assistances to enable him to serve thee, to glorify thy holy Name, to protect thy Church, to promote true Religion, to overcome all his enemies, to make glad all his people, that he serving thee with all diligence, and utmost of his endeavours his people may serve him with honour and obedience, in thee, and for thee, according to thy blessed Word and Ordinance, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. For the Queen. O God of Heaven, Father of all mercies, have mercy upon our most gracious Queen, unite her unto thee with the hands of faith and love, preserve her to her lives end in thy favour, and make her instrumental of glory to thy Name, of refreshment to the Church, of Joy to the all faithful people of this Kingdom, and crown her with an eternal weight of glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. For our Children. O Father of Heaven, God of all the creatures, by whose providence mankind is increased, I bless thy Name for bestowing on me that blessing of the righteous man, the blessing of children; Lord, bless them with health, with life, and good understanding, with fair opportunities and advantages of education, society, tutors and governor's, and above all with the graces of thy holy Spirit, that they may live and be blessed under thy protection, grow in grace, and be in favour with God and man, and at last make up the number of thine elect Children, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A Prayer of a Wife for her Husband. O My God, who hast graciously been pleased to call me to the holy state of Matrimony, bless me in it with the grace of chastity, with loyalty, obedience, and complacency to my husband; and bless him with long life, with healthful body, with an understanding soul, with abundance of thy graces, which may make him to be and continue thy servant, a true Son of the Church, and a supporter and guide to his Wife, a blessing and a comfort to his Children, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Of a Husband for his Wife. O Merciful God, who art a Father to us thy Children, espouse to thy holy Church a Saviour, and a Redeemer to all mankind; have mercy upon thy Handmaid my Wife, endow her with all the ornaments of thy heavenly grace, make her to be holy and devout, as Hester, loving and amiable, as Rachel, fruitful, as Leah, that being filled with grace and benediction here, she may be partaker of thy glory hereafter, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. For safety in Childbirth. O Blessed Jesus, Son of the Eternal God, who according to thy humility, wert born of a holy Maid, who conceived thee without sin, and brought thee forth without pain, have mercy upon me thy humble servant, and as by thy blessing I have conceived, so grant that by thy favourable assistance I may be safely delivered. Lord, grant me patience, and strength, and confidence in thee, and send thy holy Angel to be my Guardian in the hour of my travel. O shut not up my soul with sinners, nor my life with them that go down to the Pit; I humbly also beg mercy for my Child, grant a comely body, and an understanding soul, life, and an opportunity of Baptism, and thy grace from the cradle to his grave, that it may increase the number of Saints in that holy fellowship of Saints and Angels, where thou raignest and livest, Eternal God, world without end. Amen. Before a Journey. O Lord, who didst lead thy servants Abraham, and Jacob, thy people Israel, thy servant Tobias, and wise men of the East, in their several Journeys, by thy providence, by thy Ministry of Angels, by a Pillar of Fire, and by the guidance of a Star, vouchsafe to preserve us thy servants in the way that we are now to go, be, O Lord, a guide unto us in our preparation, a shadow in the day, and covering by night, a rest to our weariness, and a staff to our weakness, a portion in adversity, a protection from danger, that by thy assistance we may perform our Journey safely to thy honour, to our own comfort, and last bring us to the everlasting Rest of our heavenly Country, through him who is the way, the truth and the life, our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. For Afflicted persons. O Lord God, merciful and gracious Father, whose compassion extends to all that are in misery and need, that takest delight in relieving the distresses of the afflicted, give refreshment to all the comfortless, provide for the poor, give ease to all them that are tormented with sharp pains, health to the diseased, liberty and redemption to the captives, cheerfulness of spirit to all them that are in great desolation. Lord, let thy Spirit confirm all them that are strong, strengthen all them that are weak, and speak peace to the afflicted conscience, that the light of thy countenance being restored to them, they may rejoice in thy salvation, and sing praises unto thy Name, who hast delivered their souls from death, their eyes from tears, and their feet from falling; grant this for the honour of thy mercy, and the glory of thy Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A Prayer against Temptations. O God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Name is great, thy Essence infinite, thy Goodness is Eternal, and thy Power hath no limit, thou art the God and Father of all, blessed for ever more, look down in mercy and compassion from thy dwelling, hear my prayers and supplications, and deliver me from all temptations of the world, the flesh, and the Devil; take not thy grace from me; let me never want thy help in my need, nor thy comfort in the day of my danger or calamity; never try me beyond my strength, nor afflict me beyond my patience, nor smite me but with a fatherly Rod: I have no strength of my own, thou art my confidence, my Rock, and my strong salvation; save me O God, from the miseries of this world, and never let me suffer the calamities of the next; rescue me from the evils I have deserved, and preserve me from the punishment of this world, that living before thee with a clean heart, and undefiled body, and a sanctified spirit, I may at the day of Judgement be presented pure and spotless by the blood of the Lamb, that I may sing eternal Hallelujahs in heavenly places, to the honour of God our Saviour, who hath redeemed our souls from death, our eyes from tears, and our feet from falling; grant this in the riches of thy mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A General Confesson. ALmighty God, I a miserable sinner, do humbly confess that I am truly sorrowful for my many and great, my innumerable and intolerable crimes, of which my conscience does accuse me, by night and by day, and by which I have provoked thy severest wrath and indignation against me. I have broken all thy Righteous Laws and Commandments by word or deed, by vain thoughts, or sinful desires. I have sinned against thee in all my Relations and capacities, in all places, and at all times; I can neither reckon their number, nor bear their burden, nor suffer thine anger, which I have deserved; but thou, O Lord God, art merciful and gracious, have mercy upon me, pardon me for all the evil I have done; judge me not for all the good I have omitted; take not thy favour from me, but delight thou to sanctify and save me, and work in me to will and to do of thy good pleasure, all my duty which thou O Lord requirest of me, that being sanctified by thy Spirit, delivered from my sins, I may serve thee in a religious and holy conversation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A Prayer used by His late Majesty in the time of his trouble and restraint. O Most glorious Lord God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I here humbly adore thy most sacred Majesty, and I bless and magnify thy Name, for that thou hast been pleased so often and strangely to deliver me from the striving of my people: Father, forgive them who have thus risen up against me, and do thou yet turn their hearts both unto thee, and unto me, and do thou afford me help, that I, being firmly established in the Throne thou hast placed me in, may defend thy Church committed to my care, and keep all this thine and my people in truth and peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A Prayer for pardon of Sin. ALmighty and most merciful Father, look down upon me thy unworthy servant, who here prostrate myself at the footstool of thy Throne of Grace, yea look upon me, O Father, through the mediation, and in the merits of Jesus Christ, in whom only thou art well pleased, for of myself I am not worthy to stand before thee, or to speak with my unclean lips unto thee, most holy and eternal God; for as in sin I was conceived and born, so likewise I have broken all thy holy Laws and Commandments, by my sinful motions, unclean thoughts, evil words, and wicked works, omitting my duties I ought to do, and committing many vices which thou hast forbidden under pain of death, of thy heavy displeasure. As for my sins, O Lord, they are innumerable, wherefore I stand here liable to all the miseries of this life, and everlasting torment in that to come; if thou shouldest deal with me according to my deserts, I confess Lord that it is thy mercy which endureth for ever, and thy compassion which never fails, which is the cause I have not been long ago consumed; but with thee there is mercy and plenteous redemption; in the multitude therefore of thy mercies, and by the merits of Jesus Christ, I entreat thy Divine Majesty that thou wilt not enter into judgement with thy servant, nor be extreme to mark what is done amiss, but be thou merciful unto me, and wash away all my sins and transgressions with that precious blood that my Saviour shed for me; and I beseech thee, O Lord, not only to wash away all my sins, but also to purge my heart by thy holy Spirit from the dross of my natural corruption, and as thou dost add days to my life, so, good Lord, I beseech thee, to add repentance to my days, that when I have passed this mortal life, I may be partaker of thy heavenly Kingdom, through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A Prayer and Confession in and for the time of Affliction. ALmighty and most merciful Father, it is only thy goodness that admits of my imperfect prayers, and the knowledge that thy mercies are infinite, which can give me any hope of thy acceptance, or granting them; for it is my bounden and necessary duty to confess my sins freely unto thee, and of all men living I have need of, and most reason so to do; no man living hath been so much obliged by thee, for that degree of knowledge which thou hast given me, adding likewise the guilt of my transgression; for it is through failing and imperfection that I have so many ways provoked thy gracious Majesty to wrath and indignation against me, but with shame and grief I confess that I have done amiss, and dealt wickedly, that therein I followed the persuasion of worldly wisdom, forsaking the dictates of a right informed conscience; wherefore, O Lord, I have no excuse to make, no hope left, but in the multitude of thy mercies; for I know my repentance is weak, and my prayers are faulty, grant therefore, O most merciful Father, so to strengthen my repentance, and amend my prayers, that thou mayest clear the way for thine own mercies, to which, O let thy Justice at last give place, putting a speedy end to my deserved afflictions: In the mean time give me patience to endure, constancy against temptations, and a discerning spirit to choose what is best for thy glory, and my comfort, and the good of others; grant this, O most merciful Father, for thy Son Jesus Christ his sake, our only Saviour. Amen. A Prayer in time of Captivity. O Powerful and Eternal God, to whom nothing is so great that it may resist, or so small that it is contemned, look upon my miseries with the eye of mercy, and let thy infinite power vouchsafe to limit out some proportion of deliverance unto me, as to thee shall seem most convenient; let not injury O Lord, triumph over me, and let my falls by thy hand be corrected; and make not my unjust enemies the Ministers of thy Justice; but yet my God, if in thy wisdom this be the aptest castisement for my inexcusable transgressions; if this ungrateful bondage be fittest for my over high desires; if the pride of my not enough humble heart be to be thus broken, O Lord, I yield to thy Will, cheerfully embracing what sorrow thou wilt have me suffer; only thus much let me crave of thee: Let my craving, O Lord, be acceptable unto thee, since it even proceeds from thee, that by goodness, which is thyself, thou will suffer some beam of thy Majesty so to shine in my heart, that I, who acknowledge it my noblest title to be thy creature, may still in my greatest affliction depend confidently on thee; let calamity be the exercise, but not the overthrow of my virtue: O let not their prevailing power be to my destruction; and if it be thy will that they more and more vex me with punishment, yet, O Lord, never let their wickedness have such a hand, but that I may still carry a pure mind, and a steadfast resolution ever to serve thee without fear or presumption, yet with that humble confidence which may best please thee; so that at the last I may come to thy eternal Kingdom, through the merits of thy Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. A Prayer to be said for the Sick by them that visit him. O Merciful Father, who art the Lord and giver of life, to whom belongeth the issues of death, we thy children here assembled, do acknowledge that in respect of our manifold sins, we are not worthy to ask any blessing for ourselves at thy hands, much less to become suitors to thy Divine Majesty in the behalf of others, yet because thou hast promised, that the prayers of the righteous shall avail much with thee, in the obedience therefore of thy commandment, and in confidence of thy gracious promise, we are bold to become humble suitors to thy Divine Majesty in the behalf of this our dear Brother or Sister, whom thou hast visited with the chastisement of thy own fatherly hand, we could gladly wish the restauration of his health, and a longer continuance of his life, and Christian-fellowship amongst us; but for as much as it appeareth, as far as we can discern that thou hast appointed by this visitation to call for him out of this mortal life, we submit our wills to thy blessed will, and humbly entreat thee, for Jesus Christ his sake, and the merits of his bitter death and passion which he hath suffered for him, that thou wouldst pardon and forgive unto him all his sins, as well that wherein he was conceived and born, as also the offences and transgressions which ever since to this day and hour he hath committed, in thought, word and deed, against thy Divine Majesty; cast them behind thy back; remove them as far from thy presence as the East is from the West; blot them out of the book of thy remembrance; lay them not to his charge; wash them away with the blood of Christ, that they may never be more seen; and deliver him from all the Judgements which are due unto him for all his sins, that they may never trouble his conscience, nor rise in judgement against his soul; and impute unto him the Righteousness of Jesus Christ, whereby he may appear righteous in thy sight; and in his extremity at this time we beseech thee look down from Heaven upon him with those eyes of grace and compassion, wherewith thou art wont to look upon thy children in their affliction and misery; pity thy wounded servant, like the good Samaritan; for here is a sick soul that needeth the help of such a heavenly Physician, O Lord, increase his faith, that he may believe that Christ died for him, and that his blood cleanseth all his sins; and either assuage his pain, or else increase his patience, to endure thy blessed will and pleasure in all things: And good Lord, lay no more upon him than thou wilt enable him to bear: heave him up unto thyself with those sighs and groans that cannot be expressed; make him now to see what is the hope of his calling, and what is the exceeding greatness of thy mercy and power towards them that believe in thee; and in his weakness, O Lord, show thou thy strength; defend him against the suggestions and temptations of the Devil, who as in all his life-time, will now in his weakness seek to assail him, and to devour him; oh save his soul, and reprove Satan, and command thy holy Angels to be about him, and aid him; and chase away all evil and malignant spirits far from him; make him more and more to loathe the world, and desire to be loosed, and to be with Christ; and when that good hour and time shall come, wherein thou hast determined to call for him out of this present life; give him grace peacefully and joyfully to yield up his soul into thy merciful hands, and do thou receive him unto thy mercy, and let thy blessed Angels carry him into thy Kingdom; make his last hour his best hour, his last words his best words, his last thoughts his best thoughts, and when the sight of his eyes is gone, and his tongue shall fail to do his office, grant O Lord, that his soul with Stephen may behold Jesus Christ in Heaven ready to receive him; and that thy Spirit within him may make requests for him with sighs that cannot be expressed. Teach us in him to read and see our own ends and mortality, and therefore to be careful to prepare ourselves for our last end, and put ourselves in readiness against the time that thou shalt call for us in the like manner. Thus, O Lord, we recommend this our dear Brother (or Sister) thy sick servant, unto thy eternal grace and mercy in that prayer which Christ our Saviour hath taught us, saying, Our Father which art in Heaven, etc. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, thy love, O heavenly Father, thy comfort and consolation, O holy Spirit, be with us all, and especially with this thy sick servant, to the end, and in the end. Amen. LEt them read often unto the sick some special Chapters of the holy Scriptures; as the 14th and 19th chapters of Job, the 34th chapter of Deuteronomy, the two last chapters of joshua, the 17th chapter of the first of Kings, the 2d, 4th, and 12th chapter of the 2d of Kings, the 38th, 40th, and 65th chapters of Isaiah, the history of the passion of Christ, the 8th chapter to the Romans, the 15th chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians, the 4th of the first to the Thessalonians, the first of the second Epistle to the Corinthians, the first and the last of St. James, the 11th and the 12th to the Hebrews, the first Epistle of Peter, the three first, and the three last chapters of the Revelations, or some of these, exhorting the sick to wait upon God by faith and patience, till he send for him; and praying the Lord to send them a joyful meeting in the Kingdom of Heaven, and a blessed resurrection at the last day, that then they may depart at their pleasure, in the peace of God. A Prayer in time of imminent Danger. O Most merciful Father, though my sins are many and grievous, that I may rather expect the effects of thine anger, than so great a deliverance as to deliver me from my present great danger, yet, O Lord, since thy mercies are over all thy works, and thou never failest to relieve all those who with humble and unfeigned repentance come to thee for succour, it were to multiply, not to diminish my transgressions, to despair of thy heavenly favours; wherefore I humbly desire thy Divine Majesty, that thou wilt not only forgive all my sins, but also free me out of the hand of mine enemies, and protect me from the malice of my cruel adversary; but if thy wrath, and my heinous sins and offences will not otherwise be satisfied, than by suffering me to fall under my present afflictions, thy will be done; yet with humble importunity I do, and shall never leave to implore the assistance of thy heavenly Spirit, that my cause, as I am thy distressed servant, may not suffer through my weakness, or want of courage. O Lord, so strengthen and enlighten all the faculties of my mind, that with clearness I may show forth, and manfully endure this bloody trial, that so my sufferings may not only glorify thee, but likewise be a furtherance to my salvation hereafter; grant this, O heavenly Father, for his sake who suffered for me, even Jesus Christ the Righteous. Amen. A Prayer of Thanksgiving for any great Deliverance. O God, my God and Father, thou hast strangely preserved and rescued me from all evil, and for the glory of thine own Name, thou hast diverted the Arrow that was directed against me; what am I, O Lord, and what can I do, or what have I done, that thou shouldest do this for me? I am, O God, a miserable sinner, and I can do nothing without thy mighty grace, and I have done nothing by myself, but what I am ashamed of; and I have received great mercies, and miracles of providence: I see, O God, that thy goodness is the cause and measure of all my hopes, and all thy good, and upon the confidence and greatness of that goodness, I humbly beg of thy sacred Majesty, to keep and defend me from all evil, by thy wise providence, to lead me into all good, by the conduct of thy Divine Spirit; and where I have done amiss, give me pardon; and where I have mistaken, give me pity; and where I have been injured, give me thy favour, and a gracious exchange, that I may serve thee here with diligence, and hereafter may rejoice with thee, and love thee, as I desire to love thee, and as thou deservest to be loved, even with all the powers and degrees of passion of essence, to eternal Ages, in the inheritance of Jesus Christ, whom I love, for whom I will not refuse to die, to whom with thee, O gracious Father, and the holy Spirit, be all glory and honour, love and obedience, for ever and for ever. Amen. A Prayer wherewith to conclude all our Devotions. ALmighty God, who hast promised to hear the Petitions of all them that ask in thy Son's Name, I beseech thee mercifully to incline thine ears unto me, who have now made my prayers and supplications unto thee, and grant that those things which I have faithfully asked in thy Son's Name, according to thy Will, may be effectually obtained to the relief of my necessity, and to the setting forth of thy glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Blessing. THe Peace of God which passeth all understanding, the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost, the Virtue of Christ's blessed Cross and Passion, be with me, and all mine, now and at the last hour. Amen. FINIS.